Domestic Annals of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution, Volume 2 (of 2)Chambers, Robert
History
Domestic Annals of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution, Volume 2 (of 2)
Chambers, Robert
Scotland -- History -- 16th century; Scotland -- History -- 17th century
To pursue the narrative of a contemporary:--‘How soon as Dr George
Hanna, dean of Edinburgh, who was to officiate that day, had opened
the service-book, a number of the meaner sort of people, most of them
waiting-maids and women, who use in that town to keep places for the
better sort, with clapping of their hands, cursings, and outcries,
raised such an uncouth noise and hubbub in the church, that not any one
could either hear or be heard. The gentlewomen did fall a tearing and
crying that the mass was entered amongst them, and Baal in the church.
There was a gentleman standing behind a pew and answering “Amen” to
what the dean was reading; a she-zealot, hearing him, starts up in
choler: “Traitor,” says she, “does thou say mass at my ear!” and with
that struck him on the face with her Bible in great fury.
‘The bishop of Edinburgh, Mr David Lindsay, stepped into the pulpit,
above the dean, intending to appease the tumult, minding them of the
place where they were, and entreating them to desist from profaning
it. But he met with as little reverence (albeit with more violence) as
the dean had found;[72] for they were more enraged, and began to throw
at him stools, and their very Bibles, and what arms were in the way
of [their] fury. It is reported that he hardly escaped the blow of a
stool, which one present diverted. Nor were their tongues idler than
their hands. Upon this, John Spottiswoode, archbishop of St Andrews,
then Lord Chancellor, and some others, offering to assist the bishop
in quelling the multitude, were made partners of the suffering of all
these curses and imprecations which they began to pray to the bishops
and their abettors. The archbishop, finding himself unable to prevail
with the people, was forced to call down from their gallery the provost
and bailies and others of the town-council of Edinburgh, who at length,
with much tumult and confusion, thrust the unruly rabble out of the
church, and made fast the church doors.
[Sidenote: 1637.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account