Scottish Martyrs, and Prosecutions for Heresy.—We are indebted to John Fox, the industrious English martyrologist, for a great part of the facts respecting our countrymen who suffered for the reformed doctrine. John Davidson, minister of Prestonpans, composed, in Latin, an account of Scottish martyrs, which, if it had been preserved, would have furnished us with more full information respecting them. Calderwood, however, had the use of it, when he compiled his history. A late author has said, that “most of those martyred seem to have been weak illiterate men; nay, they appear even to have been deficient in intellect.” Cursory Remarks, prefixed to Scottish Poems of 16th century, i. 24. I must take it for granted, that this author had not in his eye Patrick Hamilton, whose vigorous understanding discovered truth in the midst of darkness worse than Cimmerian, who obtained the praises of Luther, Melanchthon, and Lambert of Avignon, and of whom a modern historian has said that he received “the eternal fame of being the proto‑martyr of the freedom of the human mind.” Nor George Wishart, whose learning, fortitude, and mild benevolence, have been celebrated by writers of every description. But even among those who suffered from Hamilton to Wishart, there was scarcely one who was not above the ordinary class, both as to talents and learning.
Henry Forrest, who suffered at St Andrews in 1530, for possessing a copy of the New Testament, and affirming that Patrick Hamilton was a true martyr, had been, though a young man, invested with the orders of Bennet and Colet. Fox, 895. Knox, 19. Spotswood, 65. David Straiton was a gentleman, and brother to the laird of Lauriston. He was instructed in the protestant principles by John Erskine of Dun, who had newly arrived from his travels. In 1534, he was committed to the flames at Greenside, in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. His fellow‑sufferer,Norman Gourlay, was in secular orders, and “a man of reasonabell eruditioun.” He had been abroad, and had married upon his return, which was the chief offence for which he suffered. “For,” says Pitscottie, “they would thole no priest to marry, but they would punish, and burn him to the dead; but if he had used then ten thousand whores, he had not been burnt.” History, p. 150, 152. Fox, 896. Knox, 21, 22. Spotswood, 66. In 1538, two young men of the most interesting characters suffered, with the greatest heroism, at Glasgow. The one was Jerom Russel, a cordelier friar, “a young man of a meek nature, quick spirit, and of good letteris;” the other was a young gentleman of the name of Kennedy, only eighteen years of age, and “of excellent ingyne for Scottische poetry.” Knox, 22. Spotsw. 67. Keith, 9. During the same year, five persons were burnt on the Castle‑hill of Edinburgh: Robert Forrester was a gentleman; Sir Duncan Simson was a secular priest; Beveridge and Kyllor were friars. The last of these had (according to the custom of the times) composed a tragedy on the crucifixion of Christ, in which he painted, in a very lively manner, the conduct of the popish clergy, under that of the Jewish priests. Ibid.
The other person who suffered at that time was Thomas Forrest, commonly called the Vicar of Dollar. I shall add some particulars respecting this excellent man, which are not to be found in the common histories. He was of the house of Forret, or Forest, in Fife, and his father had been master‑stabler to James IV. After acquiring the rudiments of grammar in Scotland, he was sent abroad by the kindness of a noblewoman, and prosecuted his education at Cologne. Returning to his native country, he was admitted a canon regular in the monastery of St Colm’s Inch. It happened that a dispute arose between the abbot and the canons, respecting the allowance due to them, and the latter got the book of foundation to examine into their rights. With the view of inducing them to part with it, the abbot gave them a volume of Augustine’s works, which was in the monastery. “O, happy and blessed was that book to me,” did Forrest often say, “by which I came to the knowledge of the truth!” Having applied himself to the reading of the Scriptures, he was the means of converting a number of the young canons: “butthe old bottles,” he used to say, “would not receive the new wine.” The abbot frequently advised him to keep his mind to himself, else he would incur punishment. “I thank you, my lord,” was his answer, “ye are a friend to my body, but not to my soul.” He was afterwards admitted to the vicarage of Dollar, in which situation he rendered himself obnoxious to his brethren, by his diligence in instructing his parish, and his benevolence in freeing them from oppressive exactions. When the agents of the pope came into his bounds to sell indulgences, he said, “Parishioners, I am bound to speak the truth to you; this is but to deceive you. There is no pardon for our sins that can come to us, either from pope or any other, but only by the blood of Christ.” He composed a short catechism. It was his custom to rise at six o’clock in the morning, and study till midday. He committed three chapters of the bible to memory every day, and made his servant hear him repeat them at night. He was often summoned before the bishops of Dunkeld and St Andrews. These facts were communicated by his servant Andrew Kirkie, in a letter to John Davidson, who inserted them in his account of Scottish martyrs. Cald. MS. i. 99, 100, 151.
An amusing account of the vicar’s examination before the bishop of Dunkeld may be seen in Fox, 1153; and an interesting account of his trial in Pitscottie, 150–152. But both these authors are wrong as to the time of his martyrdom, the latter placing it in 1530, and the former in 1540, instead of 1538. Fox says, that three or four men of Stirling suffered death at the same time, because they were present at the marriage of “the vicar of Twybode [Tullybody], near Stirling, and did eat flesh in Lent, at the said bridal.” p. 1154.
In consequence of a more diligent search into our ancient records, made since the former editions of this work appeared, I have discovered a number of additional facts respecting those who suffered for the reformed opinions in Scotland. I think it best to give these in the form, and in the order, in which they occur in the several records that I have consulted. It appears that the prosecutions for heresy from 1534 to 1540 were numerous. How many poor persons suffered during that period it is impossible to ascertain, as the namesof those only who possessed property have a place in the documents to be quoted.
The following extracts are taken from the books kept by the lord treasurer, and preserved in the Register House, under the title of “Compot. Thesaur.”The dates will be sufficient to guide those who wish to consult the original document.[480]
Anno 1534. Item, for 16 sergis to thame to turss that was accusit of heresy xs. viiid.
Item, (Sept. 1536.) to James Bissat, mr, to pas with lettres to the provost and bailies of Dunde and Sanct Johnestoun to serche and seik John Blacat and George Lowett [Lovell?] suspect of hanging of the image of Sanct Francis, and to his wage xxs.
Item, 28. (May, 1537.) to Cudde George, mr, to pas to summon the men of Aire, to compeir befoir the Lordis, anent the geir of theme quhilk was convict of heresy xxs.