the Scottish Reformation in Angus and the Mearns

788 Pages·2014·37.57 MB·English

This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree
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Ph.D. Edinburgh University
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I owe a considerable debt of gratitude to
Rev. Professor A.C.Cheyne, former Principal of New College, for giving
me the initial encouragement to set aside three years for post
graduate research - a dEcision that I have never regretted. Apart from
academic satisfaction, hunting down sources for this thesis has
br·ought ttJith it new friends and Christian fellm•Jship. The families
that acted as my hosts during research trips or for more extended
periods provided so much more than bed and board. That this thesis has
been concluded at all owes a great deal to, in Edinburgh, Jean and
Alick Lothiin and Kathleen and John Barclay; in Dundee, to Kathleen
and lain Phillips; in Manchester, to Mary and Bob Watson. Hospitality,
support and encouragement have been unstintingly provided by my
p<.-in:=nts, Mt- e,nd S .. Be,r·dgett.ry and my pal,..ents-in--l<:H·J, Dr and Mr-s
Mt-~-
J.B.Barclay. Permission to and use various private archives has
v~ew
been much appre=iated and is given detailed acknowledgement later in
the thesis; however, here I must record my gratitude to the Rt.Hon.
the Earl of Southesk for his hospitality at Kinnaird Castle and to
Professor Gordon Donaldson for giving me access to his record card
collections. Also important to me has been the advice and assistance
of Jerry Freckleton and Donald Macintosh of the computer department of
John Menzies' Princes Street branch, who provided both hard- and
software that has greatly facilitated research and writing. The
scholarship and friendship of members of the Scottish History
Departments of the Universities of Ed1nburgh and Glasgow in welcoming
a convert from a Faculty was exemplary - as was, especially,
Div1~ity
the committed and challenging tuition of Dr Michael Lynch. Finally, I
must thank my wife, Alison, for preventing me from making many errors
and for cartographic and other advice offered; and must also apologise
to her for providing her, somewhat unexpectedly, with an education
by-extension in both Church History and post-graduate Scottish
History. In partial defence, may I say that, though the story of what
my ~~~=::aty11 did may not be as elevating c:1s the original \.•JOI'""k,, yet my
theme is not dissimilar from that of Sarah Woolsey/Coolidge.
Fortrose, July 1987.
ii
r~DSTF:ACT
It is increasingly recognised that the
Scottish Reformation was a diverse movement. Different regions of the
country displayed a considerable variety of responses to
protestantism. The gentlemen of Angus and the Mearns were credited by
John Knox with playing a leading role in the Reformation crisis of
1559-60; and their shires, situated on Scotland's east coast, had been
exposed to ihfiltration by protestant doctrines and literature from an
early period. This thesis examines the origins of the Reformatjon 1n
Angus and the Mearns from c.1530; and traces the implementation of
reformed ideals from 1560 to c.1585. Initial research concentr6ted on
establishing the names, life-spans and successions of the significant
lairds and magnates, and also for both pre- and post-Reformation
clergy from c.1530 to 1590. The factual material thus discovered is
presented as appendices by which it is possible to trace the personal
careers of individuals, the disposition of specific benefices, and the
service and administration of parishes by reformed clergy.
The apparent paradox of a pre-1560
protestant heartland becoming by the 1580s pc:,rt of "Scotland's.
conservative north11 is examined and found to be linked with the
leading role of in establishing and maintaining the new church.
lai~ds
Throughout the thesis a particular focus of is the inter
inte~est
relationship between personal faith and practical politics in a
l-in-based society. Emphasis is placed on the element of choice
la~gely
available to lairds of Angus and the Mearns in determining the value
of the competing claims- whether spiritual, personal or political -
upon their loyalty. By examining the impact of ecclesiastical
developments on the local factions of the shires, it is concluded that
a distinction must be drawn between the enthusiastic protestantism of
that circle of Mearns' lairds involved with John Erskine of Dun, and
the less spiritually-committed acceptance of the Reform in mid- and
southern Angus. In thus attempting an integrated political and
religious study, the general conceptual framework developed by
sociologists of religion has been born in mind; interaction of
culture and doctrine is, where possible, It is
demonst~ated.
demonstrated that, at a parochial level, the new kirk harmonised with
the wider Scottish culture - and, indeed, was integrative of its host
society.
attention has been paid to
Pa~ticular
various private family muniments relating to the area. Much use was
made of the Crawford papers at the John Rylands of
Unive~sity Libra~y
Manchester, by which an impo~tant division separating the Lindsays of
Edze 1 from the Lj earls of Crawford has been established. Other
important sources have been the few literary examined
su~viving wo~ks,
for evidence of theological affinities, and the
t~ei~ unde~lying
national Register of assignation and modification of stipends by which
the careers of ministers and readers· are traced.
iii
?~1DCF'
(-kt~ o£_:_1:_~-~e lor-d~, of council in public e.ffail'-~3 1501-1554, ed. R.V.
Hannay (Edinbur-gh 1932).
{-!i='L
Arbr-oath Public Librar-y
~IPS
Acts of the Par-liaments of Scotland ed.T.Thomson a~d C.Innes: 12
vols, (Edinbur-gh 1814--7:.;).
?-iUL.
Aber-deen University Libr-ar-y
Brechin tests.; also Ed1n. tests. 2nd St.A. tests.
Ms t-e g i s. t E·lr ~- of B t-t? c:: h i n ~ E ch n b !.\ t-f:J h and S t (~ n ck evE. t e s. t. 2. ml: .:> n t s. ~.3F:O •
1
BUK
Acts and Proceedinqs of the General Assemblv of the Kirk of Scntland
-----------------=------------------------------L------------------------------------
ed. T.Thomson (Bannatyne and Maitland Clubs,
1839-4~'.
C:.:=t_l der!tJOod? t!_~~~_9!Y
Historv of the Church of Scotland by Mr- Calderwood (Wodrow
D~vid
Society iSL'\-2-9).
CSP(F)
Calendar of State Papers Foreiqn (various series).
CSP(S)
Calendar of the State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary Queen of
Scots 1547-1603, i (1547-1563) ed. Joseph Bain? (Edinburgh 1898)
and subsequent volumes.
Diurnal
A Di ~na~- o-l= F:emat-kabl e OccurTents. that have pa~=-s-ec! ~·Ji thin the
countt-·r_~i_ Scotian~, s~~ce the_~?t_b__o+ J~i_~_ _S! __ :~~~~~~2_e F~~__!:~~--~iLL
the yea~ 1575 (Bannatyne and Maitland Clubs 1833).
EF:
The Exchequer rolls of Scotland xvi (1529-36) ed. Georoe Powell
McNei 11 (Edi nbu1rgh 1897) -3nd ~~-ubst::!quent \--'C:d. um<::?:.;.
IF:
I nne~. F:e\-' i e~·J
.JEH
Journal of Ecclesiastical History
JFL_
The John Pylands University of Manchester
Libra~y
Kr:m: ~-=- Hi §.!Dry
John Knox's History of the Reformation in Scotland ed. W.C.Dickinson
(Edinburgh 1949).
iv
~:::no::< ·; !·~J~J~~L~
I~~f~--~~Jg i~~-~::~~-_9~C----~~!~l~~-~--_l~~ n <?.~~ e d . D " !_ <:t i n g ( E c! :! n b l.!. r rJ h l tl IJ. 6 --· 6 4 ) •
f'ITH
Montrose Town House, Montrose
NLS
National Library of Scotland, Edinbur~h
NF:A ( ~:3)
Nat i D n c\ } r e g i ·:::. t. f~ r- o i: i3. r· c:: h i \/ ~.::.· ~-=- ( ~; \: C) -\:. 1 ~-~ n cl )
NF:H
New Register House, Edinburgh
PRO
Public Record Office, London
F:CF:B
Records of the Convention of the Royal Burghs of Scotland 1295-1597
<Edinburgh 1866).
F:EB
Registrum Episcooatus Brechinensis ed. J.I. Chalmers (2 vols Aberdeen
1856).
F:F',JA
Draft calendars of materials in the Vatican archives: held at Glasgow
University, dept. Scottish History, derived from Ross Fund materials.
These include: ASPA Acta Sancti Paenitentiarae Apostolicae
Reg.Lat. Registra Lateranensa
Reg.Sup. Registra Supplicationum
F:eg. ',/at. Registra Vaticana
SRF: Sacra Romana Rota
F:I"!S
13.~ g i ~· t e t- of the Gt ·-e a~---§_~· E\ l__ o ·£___:::i_t:_c~~~~~...0E~~L~--~~S1.~.~~~~~!.!.!. .. l~~9 n i _§.L q :i -~L~__I3_~l~~!~
Scotm-um, 1.513-1~.546 ed. JamPs. B.::J. fctu- F\:::,u] ,C~nc! 1J .. t'L Thom~;on (Fcli nbur~Jh
1883) and subsequent volumes.
F:F'C
The F:ecji::.ter- of the F'r-i~~~:::::etu::~il of Scotland i ed.J.H.But-ton
( t~ci i !-: t) Li.r-g t-: ·1 :.:.~-~~ \ E~.r1d ~-t.ltt se qtter, Jc \'Ct l L\~TI2~-u
F.::~.THS
Reco~ds of the Sc8ttish Church History
v
p~=_;:;
~~~~(1j.:.5~-~-~~r~--~~-L-~-~~f.~ F'i'~_j.vy ~3e::~c:d of Scotl.:ir·rd;Pegi<::=,t.rum Secr-eti Si~
l~;:c:,c_::~~~0. .. __§ _c~_t:Er~!!:'- i i ( 1 ~529-42) ed. D. H. F1 emi ng (Ed in bur· gh 1921) a.r:;::l
subsequent volumes.
Be
sF~
'~~~~!.:-...~:· b r::..C.?.L_~c_-~~h e ~~~L_E t i __ ~±__~-t-i E· n c) s o + 8 t-(~ c: h i n Cat h e d 1 2. 1
SHH
Scottish Historical Review
SHS
§_~~ t t :i. ~~~ __ )::_i_~_:!:_~y_J~_(_:2~i e -~L
SttiUL
St Andrews Univer-sity Library
STS
SF:O
Scottish F:ecord Office, Edinburgh
SF:S
Scottish Recor-d Society
V.JF:H
West Register House, Edinburgh
vi
COI'-l'-.lEI\!·r TU i\IS
l, :::·L:.cr.=~·-nc:diiE?'::::. 2r~:· ~Jiven (~tJhe;e possible) in the fe:r-m in ~·Jhich
·:·.iv:~·/ oc:c:u1r on the::· Ckdnc.mco Surv(~-'/ 1::-.~~-~C.~~gec_ SET i_es m,::..ps ';
s. rH? e t s 4 4 ~ 4 ~3 , ::=; ~) an cl 54 • \) o h n A i r: s 1 i t-? ' s 1 i ~-: c: h t o 1 :n i 1 r-:- ~i:.2.
~:~±--~~:~~~~---~~~~~-t\1 __ ~~±_ Fc2C:L0!~ (b:hnhur-qh 1794) he:,:_;. also been
c: cm:-:.1.\J ted at t ht=-:? NL.:=3 map r C10m ~ Ed i nbur qh.
2. Personal names have been, reluctantly~ modernised in the
inter-e::.t.s c::.f ~-tar-:dt=i.lrcJJ.~::.;;,tion" It doe::. <:;.'::.E?fl: ui-,J. :i k(::·} y thc:~.t t.hP
"Lichtoun" 1.::-~.ird·::.:. of "U1lish.:?,\-'en" vmuld recognise themselvr:.=.··-:.=:, ,::,:::.
the Leightons of Usan, but curr2nt conventions givG the author
littl~ latitude. He has, however-, refused to use the varieties
"~;c:r:r::::r··" oi· "~;u:nmr::·r" +C )r- thE· anc i r:;nt Lnuse of Symmer of
Bc:dzt~m-die. ''lJ::•nJ,-'nE·" d~~nominc:d:.es the lc:<.ir·d of tha.t ilk;
otl-,t=.?l.-!/Ji se ~ 11(3r1r-dt:'r·~'' is t..t'::.r:.~cl
N
~. In transcribing documents from manuscripts contractions have
been expanded, with additional characters placed in [square
!J r-.::-, c k e t =· J • 11 ;~~ " h c-~ s been r en d e r e d 11 and 11 ; 11 y " i ·::. used f m- t h e
si ;.: teenth centUt-y cht:\r acter cc:d led thm-n ancl z 11 ·for ·y'ogh.
;t
Names ar-e nor-mally capita.lised, 2nd punct.u::.~.tion intr·oduced
~·Jhere this seem~. ob\-'icu::. . Origin;:~]. u.=-agf::· o-f "~·J", 11V11 Etnd "t.i"
h-~=- not been 2,l tel·-ed. In numer--:d s, "j 11 h.:~-=- b2c-:·r: JtT .::tr,=-ct-i bed c!.::.
"i". G.G.Simp~:;on, Scottish Hi=:i.nch-,n~iti_ng _1150-1650 (r::::ber-deen
1983) has been of great assist~nce.
4. Documents cited from printed works ar-e given as printed 2nd may
not, therefore, adhere to the conventions above.
5. In the interests of clar-ity and authenticity dates which occur
~·Jithin the overlap beb>Jeen the old c1nd ne~J calendars -:.u-e givt:•n
as., for e:-:c1mple, "Januar-y 1559/60". This fonT1 serve=:. to
preser-ve the text of the original while acknowledging our
present methods of counting time.
pence and is cited a.-:::. :3cct-::. .: :..r:ci ned:. :l i ~;h.
1 merk - 13s. 4d.
L2 cL 1. <;;-;.
f 1 Scots.
For an up-to-date guide to Scottish currency, weights and
measures, see: The Concise Scots Dictionary ed.M.Robinson
(Aberdeen 1985) pp.817-9. This work has also been consulted for
the spelling o~ occasional Scots words used in the text.
8. All collections of mss. are at the SRO unless otherwise stated.
Cf
vii
E!'~!_~H? FAt·'II LIES ~1ND F~)CT IONS:_
THE SCOTTISH REFORMATION IN ANGUS AND .IHE MEARNS
Contents
'v'o l ume 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTFi?2iCT
ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS
C0f'·~TF.:i ... ~TS
PREFACE 1
1. STABILITY AND CHANGE IN THE EARLY SIXTEENTH CENTURY 5
Map i.l Routes and Relationships in Angus and Mearns 14
Map 1.2 Land disputes 25
Map 1.3 Patterns of alleoiance 44
2. FAITH, HERESY AND WAR 48
Map 2.1 Parishes in Angus and the Mearns 50
:3. "THE NYCHT IS 1\JE IF: GONE" : THE 1550s i 05
4. THE REFORMATION CRISIS 144
5. "THE FACE OF ,~ PUBLIC CHU~:CH REFOFU·1ED" ~ PP,~:OCi-I.I(:'il ~:EFORMATION 186
-· THE F I
~:ST QUAF((T:F:-CENTLJ~:Y
Map 5.1 The parish of Monifieth 21.:1.
6. THE PATRIMONY OF THE KIRK - THE FIRST QUARTER-CENTURY 239
[with addendum on the Book of Assumption]
7. THEOLOGICAL CONFLICT AFTER 1560
[with addenda on Knox's eschatology]
8. FACTIONS AND FIGHTING 1565 - 1574 -::·c---;c·
.. .;o...J ••)
9. THE REFORMATION ENDURES ::~~~74
[with addendum: Lord Ogilvy's letter of 1606]
Volume 2
APPENDICES:
A - BENEFICES AND CLERGY 441
.1: SUMMARY OF BENEFICE HOLDING 1530 TO 1590. L!--45
.a~ BIOGRAPHIES OF PRE-REFORMATION CLERGY. 47:1.
.b: BIOGRAPHIES OF PENSIONERS, STUDENTS AND OTHERS.
56~5
.c: BIOGRAPHIES OF MINISTERS AND READERS, 1560 TO 1590. 581.
.2: SUMMARY OF SERVICE OF PARISHES, 1560 TO 1590. 682
B - U~IRDS
: SUCCESSIONS OF SELECTED LAIRDS AND MAGNATES. 724
764
Page-numbering is continuous through both volumes.
Map outlines by Mrs A.M.Bardgett M.A., Dip.Ed.
- 1 -
PREFACE