Non nostra impietas aut actæ crimina vitæ
Armarunt hostes in mea fata truces.
Sola fides Christi sacris signata libellis,
Quæ vitæ causa est, est mihi causa necis.
After this, by the just judgement of God, in the same place where Walter Mille was burnt, the Images of the great Church of the Abbey, which passed both in number and costlynes, were burnt in tyme of reformation. Ex fideli testimonio è Scotia misso.
And thus much concerning such matters as happened, and such Martyrs as suffered in the Realme of Scotland for the faith of Christ Jesus, and testimony of his truth."
The Epitaph, quoted in the above extracts from Foxe, was written by Patrick Adamson, who became Archbishop of St. Andrews.
No. XIV.
ON THE TITLE OF SIR, APPLIED TO PRIESTS.
At this period, in England as well as in Scotland, the title of Sir was usually applied to Priests, obviously derived from the Latin Dominus. But the origin of this application, or rather the peculiar class of the Priesthood to whom it was applicable, has not been well defined. It was to distinguish them from persons of civil or military knighthood that they were popularly called Pope's Knights, and not as some writers have supposed, because the title was conferred on the secular clergy by the Bishop of Rome. In the account of the trial of Walter Myln, who was burnt for heresy in 1558, (see this [Appendix, No. XIII.]) it is related, that when his accusers addressed him as "Sir Walter Myln," he answered, "And where you call me Sir Walter, they call me Walter, and not Sir Walter: I have been ouer long one of the Pope's Knightes." Sir David Lyndesay says,—
"The pure Priest thinkis he gets na richt
Be he nocht stylit like ane Knicht,
And callit Schir befoir his name,
As Schir Thomas and Schir Williame."