Gazetteer of Scotland

Introduction. svH.
tidlumba in I-colm-kill, from which island it spread 6vcr all Scotland,
and became the established religion, under the management of the disci-
ples of Columba, who were called Culdees, and were a regular clergy,
differing from the church of Rome in the tonsure^ the observance of
Easter, arid many other respects. Thus was Christianity established as
a national Scotish church, independent cf the church of Rome, and
flourished in its native simplicity till the fifth century, when Palladius,
the first bishop sent over by the Pope, found means to introduce the te-
nets and ceremonies of the Romish church ; which,' iu the end, involved
Scotland in the same darkness that overspread Europe for many ages.
The Culdees, however, notwithstanding the oppression of the Romish
clergy, long retained their original manners, and remained a distinct or-
der so late as the fourteenth century, when they entirely disappeared ;
and the Romish religion reigned paramount in Scotland until the period
of the Reformation. The dependence, however, of the people upon thd
Pope was very slender, compared with the blind subjection and implicit
belief of other nations ; and no sooner were the doctrines of Calvin and
Luther promulgated, than they were adopted by the greater part of the
Scotish nation ; and the reformation in that kingdom was completed
by the preaching of John Knox, who had adopted the tenets of Calvin.
It may not be improper, in this place, to give a short statement of the
religious houses that Were in Scotland at the time of the Reformation,
which will show the establishment of the Romish clergy at that time,
and afford the means of making a comparison between them and their
presbyterian successors, who hardly enjoy a tithe of the income the for-
mer possessed.
All churches, before the Preformation, belonged either to Regulars or
Seculars. The Regulars followed St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, St.
Rennet, &c, and were either canons, monks, or friars ; their houses, ab-.
bacies, priories, or convents. The Seculars followed rules dictated by
their own Chapter, &c. ; lived in separate cloisters, or in private houses
near to their own churches ; and were governed by a dean or provost.
Those that followed St. Augustine were, the Regular Canons of St. An*-
gustine ; the Prsemonstratenses ', the Red Friars ; the Dominicans or
Black Friars 5 the Lazarettos ; and the Canons of St. Anthony. The
followers of St. Bennet were, the Benedictine monks of Marmoutier ; of
Cluny, of TyrOn ; the Cistertians or Bernardines ; and those who were
designed of the Convent of Vallis-caulium, in the diocese of Langrcs in
France. The Carmelites or White Friars were so named from Mount
Carmel, the dwelling-place of Elias and Elisha, whom they pretended
were their founders ; — the Franciscans were named from St. Francis of
Assise in Italy, their founder 5— the Carthusians received their name from
their being first established on the Carthusian mountains, in the diocese
of Grenoble in France. All these either had rents or begged. The first
were called Rented Religious ; the others Mendicants : the first Canon*
6