JOHN ROW  Reformer

Fasti
Ecclesiae Scoticanae, H Scott (1915) rev 1917, 1920.  vol 4 p 226
Perth East, 1560

He was
born “in a landward roume called Row ” near Dunblane, about 1526; educated
at the Grammar School of Stirling and St Leonards College, St Andrews,
where he matriculated in 1544; M.A.; studied Canon Law and practised as an
advocate in the Consistory Court of St Andrews; app. in 1550 agent for the
Scottish clergy at Rome, where he remained seven or eight years;
Licentiate of Laws (20th Feb. 1556), and LL.D. Padua. The fame of his
talents and learning led to his intimacy with Pope Paul IV. and some of
the cardinals, and would probably have led to his promotion; but owing to
ill-health he was compelled to return to Scotland, when he was appointed
nuncio to investigate the causes of the Reformation and to devise means
for checking its progress. He reached Eyemouth on 29th Sept. 1558, but
finding himself unable to fulfil his injunctions, returned to Rome before
llth May1559. After a short residence there, he came back by persuasion of
James, Prior of St Andrews, afterwards Earl of Moray, and having seen the
false hood and imposition of a pretended miracle at St Allarets Chapel,
Musselburgh, he joined the Reformers.

 He was adm. to Kennoway in April 1560, before
the Reformation was fully established; was one of six min. appointed by the
Lords of the Congregation for  “writing in a book their judgments touching
the Reformation of religion.”  These appeared in the Confession of Faith
and First Book of Discipline; trans, (by consent of the General
Congregation of Edinburgh) 17th July, and adm. before 20th Dec. 1560; app.
by the General Assembly, 10th July 1568, to visit Galloway; is styled
Commissioner of Nithsdale and Galloway, March 1570; elected Moderator of
the General Assembly 21st July and 25th Dec. 1567, 24th April 1576, and
llth June 1578; died 16th Oct. 1580, at which time he held the vicarages
of Twynholm and Terregles in Galloway.

 He was a cautious and prudent reformer, of
moderate views, benevolent disposition, and amiable and winning manners, a
wise and grave father, of good literature according to the time; He was
skilled in the original languages of Scripture, and did much towards
building up the Reformed Church in Scotland. He marr. 1560, Margaret,
second daugh. of John Beaton of Balfour, and had issue Thomas, died young;
James, min. of Kilspindie, bapt. 25th June 1562; William, min. of
Forgandenny, born 1563; Oliver, died young; John, min. of Carnock, bapt.
6th Jan. 1568; Robert; Archibald, min. of Stobo, bapt.  23rd March 1571;
Patrick, died young; Colin, min. of St Quivox, bapt. 1st March 1576;
Henry, died young; Catherine (marr. William Rigg of Athernie,merchant,
Edinburgh), died 15th Dec. 1615; Mary (marr. Robert Rynd, min. of
Longforgan).