Martyrs
of the Scottish Reformation.

There were
relatively few martyrs in Scotland in the early days of
the Reformation – as it happened far more were burnt for
witchcraft. Those that were burnt at the stake for
religion were sometimes prominent persons eg Hamilton and
Wishart, but all died as an example to others – to
demonstrate the power of Rome and Popery. What appears
surprising is that the prelates persisted in making the
events so prominent “in terroram”, because it only excited
public opinion to ask why these men had been burned. The
people were familiar with the ways of the clergy and of
buying absolution and like dissolute practices, but
executing by fire men who were eminently virtuous raised
doubts in their minds. There was very little public
preaching as such, yet the interest created an ever
increasing demand for the Bible to learn more of the
arguments and declarations that had been made at trial and
on the scaffold. Thus the evangelical opinions gathered
strength by the day to the consternation of the Prelates.

Apart from
Cardinal David Beaton whose claim to
martyrdom ( for faith) is questionable, there is evidence of three Roman
Catholic priests / monks who died for their faith.  The proto martyr
was a Father Frank a monk, who was stabbed to death in the sacking of the
Trinity Friars monastery in Aberdeen , on 4 December 1559. Next was
another monk, a Father Robson about whom there is very little known, who
was hanged for saying mass in Glasgow. The third was John Ogilvie , a
Jesuit missionary who was badly treated, assaulted and eventually
entrapped in an arguement about the Pope having power to depose kings. He
was convicted of treason and hanged in Glasgow on  28 February 1615.
He, too, had been guilty of saying mass. No laymen or women are known to
have been executed  for the Catholic faith during the Scottish
Reformation.

Patrick
Hamilton
St
Andrews
28
February 1528
Burnt
James
Hamilton
   
Confiscation of lands

Katherine Hamilton
   
Persecution and insult
Henry
Forrest
St
Andrews
1532 Burnt
David
Straiton
Edinburgh 27
August 1534
Hanged,
Burnt
Norman
Gourlay
Edinburgh 27
August 1534
Hanged,
Burnt
Friar
Keilor
Edinburgh 1 March
1538-9.*
Burnt
Duncan
Simson
Edinburgh 1 March
1538-9.*

Striuelyng  Burnt
John
Beveridge
Edinburgh 1 March
1538-9.*

Striuelyng  Burnt
Robert
Forrester
Edinburgh 1 March
1538-9.*

Striuelyng  Burnt
Thomas
Forrest
Edinburgh 1 March
1538-9.*

Striuelyng  Burnt
3 or 4
others
 no
details
  Also of
Stirling.  Burnt
Ninian
Kennedy
Glasgow 1539 Aged 18 
Burnt
Jerome
Russell
Glasgow 1539 Burnt
Robert
Lamb (Lambe)
Perth 1544 Executed
William
Anderson
Perth 1544 Executed
James
Ronaldson (Raueleson)
Perth 1544 Executed
Helen
Stark  (Stirke)
Perth 1544
Executed,  wife of Ronaldson ?
James
Hunter
Perth 1544 Executed
James
Finlayson
( Founleson)
Perth 1544 Executed
George
Wishart
At
Andrews
28 March
1546
Burnt
Adam
Wallace
Edinburgh 12
October 1550
Burnt
Walter
Mill or Mylne
St
Andrews
28 April
1558
Burnt
Earl of
Moray, Regent

Linlithgow
23
January 1570

Assassinated.
 * 28 February 1538
according to Howie`s Scots Worthies.



18/07/2011