Bannatyne Club > Criminal trials in Scotland, from A.D. M.CCCC.LXXXVIII to A.D. M.DC.XXIV, embracing the entire reigns of James IV. and V., Mary Queen of Scots and James VI > Volume 1

210 * CRIMINAL TRIALS. A.D. 1538-9.
eleorumcombuflio, apud Edinburgh Rege prefe/ite.' He furllier informs us, that tliis happened ' when
Keller and Beverege, two Dominican friars, Sir Duncan Simson of Stirling, a priest, Robert
Forrester, a gentleman of that town, and Thomas Forest, Canon regular of St Colms on the Forth,
and Vicar of Dolar, in Perthshire, suffered upon the Castle-hill. A short contemporary comment
upon this event, occurs in an Original Letter from the Duke of Norfolk to Lord Crormcell, preserved
in the British Museum, dated Berwick, Mar. 29, 1539. Complaining of the bigotry of King James
V, his Grace says, ' Dayly commeth unto me fome gentlemen and fome Clerks, wiche do flee out of
Scotland, as they faid, for redyng of Scriptures in Ingliihe, faing, that if tliey were taken, they lliolde
be put to execution. I give them gentle words ; and to fome money. Here is now in this town,
(Berwick,) and iiath be a good feafon, ihe that was wife to the late Capitayne of Donbar,^ and dar
not retorne for holding our vvaies, as flie faithe. She was in Euglonde and fawe Queene Jane.
She was Sir Patrick Hamilton s daughter, and her brother wes brent in Scotlande iij or iiij years pad.'
The other numerous instances of persecutions, for ' Heretical opinions,'
as they were then termed, though interesting in themselves, are ah'eady fully
detailed by the authors before named, to whose works reference may be made.]
I. Narrative of the jiroceedings againji David Straiton, of the Houfe of
Laivriejloune, 3Ir Norman Goiirlaij, and others^ ^>'g- 27, l.'>34.
In the month of Auguft ( 1534) the Bishops, having gotten fitt opportunitie, renewed their battell
aganeft Jefus Chrift. David Stratilon, a Gentelman of the Houfe of Lawrefloune, and Mr
Norman Gowrlav, was brought to judgement in the Abby of Halyrudhoufe.' The King him felf,
all cloathed with reid,' being prefent, giait pains war taken upon David Stratomi to move him to
recant and burn his Bill ;^ hot he, ever'^ (landing to his defence, was in end adjudged to the fire. He
afked grace at the King.' The Bishops anfwied proudlie, that ' the King's hands war bound, and
that he had no grace to give to fuch as were by law condemned.' So was he, with 3Ir Norman,
after dinner, upon the 27 day of Aguft, led to a place befide the Rude of Greeiifide, between Leth and
Edinbmg, to the intent that the inhabitants of Fife, feeing the fire, might be ftriken with terrour and
feare.
David Straitoun at the firfl hated the Preefts onlie for their pride and avarice. The Bijliop of
Murray exacted of him the tenth fiih. His anfuer to his fervents* was — ' If they would have that
which his fervents had gotten, it war realfoun they lliould come and reive it qiihair they gott the flock.'
And, as was conflantlie affirmed, he caufed his fervents call the tenth fiih in the fea againe. Procefs
of Curfing was laid aganfl him ; which, quhen he contemned, he was funimoned to anfwer for Herefie.
He had bein befor verie ftuborne, and defpifed all reading, fpeciallie of good purpoffes ; now, he
delighted in nothing hot reading, allbeit he could not read him felf, and exorted everie man to peace
and concord, and to the contempt of the world. He frequented much, the companie of John Arjkine,
Laird cf Dun^' a man marvlouflie enlightned, in refpect of thefe times. When the Laird of Latoer-
' Sec Extract from CaU. MS., Aug. 1334. Dame Katharine Hamilton. ^ Calderwond's Church History,
MS. Adv. Library. See also iI/-CW;'.v Reformation, I, 353. Pitscottii; -p. 150. Knox, j>. 2\ . Spotswood, p. 66.
^ Their accuser was James Hay, Bishop of Ross, Commissioner of Cardinal Beaton. ' The usual Judicial dress
in Criminal cases, which is still red. See Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Fol. Lond. 1596, p. 896. ' The form of recant-
ing. See the close of this article, p * 211. " Constantly. ' Pitscottie thus relates this proceeding ; ' They
condemned David Straloun because he would not abjure and burne his faggot, quhilk they war verrie earnest to have
done; and the King himself procuied (pleaded) for his lyff, quhilk the Bischopis grantit, if he would burne his
faggatt, quhilk the said i)(!(;ic/ o uawayes wold doe. Quhairfoir the Vicar (Deau Forret, see articles II, III, and IV,)
and he war both brunt. I know no caus quhy, hot that this David wold not pay his teiiidis thankfuUie to his Per-
sone. And also Mr Normund Galloway {Gourlay) was brunt, becaus he was in the East-land and cam home and
married ane wayff, contrair the forme of the Pope's institutioun, becaus he wes ane Preist, to quhom it was not
permitted to marrie ; hot if he had had ane thousand whores he had nevir beine quarrelled ! ' " Fo.ve attributes
this act to Mr Robert Lawsone, Vicar of Eglisgrig. ' Afterwards Superintendent of Fife.