Errors and Absurdities of the Papists, touching the Doctrine of the Law and of the Gospel Patrick Hamilton`s “Patrick`s Places, “ (1528) Cited in Townsend`s Foxes Martyrs,Vol iv, p 575-6. I.They erroneously conceive opinion of salvation in the law, which is only to be sought in the faith of Christ, and in no other. II. […]

The Perth Martyrs 1543/4. By 1544 the availability of Tynedale`s New Testament  (first printed in 1525), was becoming quite widespread and the Governor or Regent, the Earl of Arran, had approved an act which allowed the people to read the Scriptures in their mother tongue, but in private. Public reading to an audience, debate, and […]

A period of relative tranquillity, 1560-1638. It is easy to be swept along on the emotive issues of the Covenant and  the persecution of its adherents in the seventeenth century, and thus overlook the cementing of the building blocks of the new church which underpinned the worship of the majority of ministers and the people. […]

The Montgomery Plantation in County Down. An extract from Montgomery Manuscripts Ed. G.Hill (1873) Written by William Montgomery of Rosemount ca 1696-1706. This provides a contemporary view of the early settlement of Co Down. ” I now go on with Sir Hugh Montgomery`s plantation, which began about May, 1606, and thus it was, viz.:-Sir Hugh, […]

Jerome Russell and Alexander (Ninian) Kennedy, Martyrs 1539. Jerome (also Hieronymus) Russell was a Black Friar who was a resident in the convent of the Cordeliers in the diocese of the Archbishop of Glasgow. John Knox described him as ” a young man of meek nature, quick spirit and  good learning.” Alexander (sometimes called Ninian) […]

Presbyterians in Ireland – So many Oaths to take. Presbyterians were in Ireland before the Plantation period and, moreover, were in the south. The Rev Walter Travers, first Provost of Trinity College, Dublin was a Presbyterian minister as was his successor, the Rev. Henry Alvey who became the first Vice Chancellor. James Hamilton, later Lord […]

The Act of Supremacy, 1559 Extract from the Act I Eiz. Cap I. Of note is the inclusion of the term `for ever`; and the recognition of past deeds by the catch all word `enormities` that could in future be applied to  just about any act, word or deed that the Crown took offence at. […]

CUSTOMARY  (OLD) WEIGHTS & MEASURES Apples, Bushel lb 40 & up Almonds, seron cwt 1.1/4 to 2s       basket cwt 1.1/4 to 1.1/2       Jordan, box lb 25 Anchovies, barrel lb 30 Beef (Irish), tierce of 38 pieces lb 304 Brandy, hogshead imp.gals 45 to 60 Puncheon imp. gals 100 to 110     1/4 cask […]

James Stuart, Earl of Moray (Murray).  “The Good Regent.” Following the death of Francis II , Lord James Stuart visited his half sister, Mary, now widowed but of age to succeed to the throne of Scotland. He was coldly received by the Guise family and the French Court where he received many insults. It was […]

The Treaty of Berwick, 27 February 1560. [ Extract from The History of the Kirk of Scotland, David Calderwood, Ed Thomson. 1842. Vol 1 p573-578 For larger image, click on thumbnail .]

Tolbooth Regulations 1579 and Prisons Act 1597 Extract from The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, Vol IV p 95/6,104 [For large view click on thumbnail] Tolbooth Regulations 1579. Prisons Act 19 December 1597. The forerunner of the Town Guard and the High Constables of Edinburgh,  followed from an order of the Privy Council. On […]

Bond for regularity, signed by the shire of Stirling, October, 1684. [Extract from The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution . Robert Wodrow, Ed R Burns. Glasgow, Blackie & Son, (1835) Volume 4, p 133-134. ]  We undersubscribers, noblemen, heritors, and others, within the shire of […]

Mary Queen of Scots.  The First Reformation – the establishment of a Protestant religion,  was accomplished in 1560 but there were tensions to come with the return of the Catholic Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots on 20 August 1561. Having lived in France surrounded by the Guise family, the staunchest of all the Catholic families […]

Monastic Orders (Mendicants) Setting dogma aside, the Church of Rome was wide open for attack by the Reformers. In Scotland Knox raised his voice in Perth 11 May 1559,  against the Grey and the Black Friars – the Order of Friar Preachers. There were, however, many other groups of both lay and clerical fraternities, each […]