Series 5 > Religious Controversy in Scotland 1625-1639
(28) Page 13
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INTRODUCTION
13
conspiracy germinates in the ground of discontent, and once set in place it is
difficult to combat for it capitalises on grains of truth which give the presenta¬
tion of a conspiracy an aura of credibility.
What is particularly frightening and distressing about this and other such
episodes in humanity’s tottering movement through time is that it was gener¬
ated by the intelligentsia of society, those who had access to the universities and
to the training in logical thinking which formed such a significant element in
the curriculum.These men, especially the clergy but along with some members
of the laity, were capable of sophisticated thought in theology and in the areas of
law and politics, and for these social leaders to fall prey in such large proportion
to such puerile nonsense represents a literal trahison des clercs.The ruin of Scottish
society was their work; it was their folly which led directly to the violent deaths
of thousands of their own countrymen. Surely there is a morality lesson embed¬
ded somewhere within the matrix of this tragic story, and it would be an equal,
indeed worse, folly if we were to imagine ourselves too advanced to follow in
the same path. Intellectual treason appears all too frequently, and every occur¬
rence supplies a lingering rebuke to self-congratulatory notions of human
progress.
The Documents
‘Historic of Church and State’, c.1646
Source: NC, CHU 12,Wodrow MSS, Folio, vol. x.
Given the local interest expressed in this work, the author was probably either
William Major, minister of Caerlaverock, or Gavin Young, minister of Ruthwell.
William McMillan pointed to the former, and because he was a delegate at the
1638 assembly for the presbytery of Caerlaverock, that is a reasonable if less than
certain attribution.38 This excerpt contains the most interesting material, much
of the remainder consisting of well-known documents. NLS, Wodrow MSS,
Folio ix is another history from 1560 to 1619, and exists in a rather different
hand. NLS, Advocates MS 34.5.9 has an obvious relationship with this docu¬
ment, but is not exactly the same and probably represents another (earlier?) ver¬
sion.
James Wedderburn,‘On the Church of England and the Problem of Catholicity’,
c.1632
Source: British Library, Harley 750, 63r.-76r.
Wedderburn’s literary remains are in the British Library in two volumes in the
extensive Harley collection.The first of these, 749, has on its title page 23 October
38 W.McMiibin,ThelVorship of the Scottish Reformed Church, /550-163S (London, [1931]), 192, n. 4.
13
conspiracy germinates in the ground of discontent, and once set in place it is
difficult to combat for it capitalises on grains of truth which give the presenta¬
tion of a conspiracy an aura of credibility.
What is particularly frightening and distressing about this and other such
episodes in humanity’s tottering movement through time is that it was gener¬
ated by the intelligentsia of society, those who had access to the universities and
to the training in logical thinking which formed such a significant element in
the curriculum.These men, especially the clergy but along with some members
of the laity, were capable of sophisticated thought in theology and in the areas of
law and politics, and for these social leaders to fall prey in such large proportion
to such puerile nonsense represents a literal trahison des clercs.The ruin of Scottish
society was their work; it was their folly which led directly to the violent deaths
of thousands of their own countrymen. Surely there is a morality lesson embed¬
ded somewhere within the matrix of this tragic story, and it would be an equal,
indeed worse, folly if we were to imagine ourselves too advanced to follow in
the same path. Intellectual treason appears all too frequently, and every occur¬
rence supplies a lingering rebuke to self-congratulatory notions of human
progress.
The Documents
‘Historic of Church and State’, c.1646
Source: NC, CHU 12,Wodrow MSS, Folio, vol. x.
Given the local interest expressed in this work, the author was probably either
William Major, minister of Caerlaverock, or Gavin Young, minister of Ruthwell.
William McMillan pointed to the former, and because he was a delegate at the
1638 assembly for the presbytery of Caerlaverock, that is a reasonable if less than
certain attribution.38 This excerpt contains the most interesting material, much
of the remainder consisting of well-known documents. NLS, Wodrow MSS,
Folio ix is another history from 1560 to 1619, and exists in a rather different
hand. NLS, Advocates MS 34.5.9 has an obvious relationship with this docu¬
ment, but is not exactly the same and probably represents another (earlier?) ver¬
sion.
James Wedderburn,‘On the Church of England and the Problem of Catholicity’,
c.1632
Source: British Library, Harley 750, 63r.-76r.
Wedderburn’s literary remains are in the British Library in two volumes in the
extensive Harley collection.The first of these, 749, has on its title page 23 October
38 W.McMiibin,ThelVorship of the Scottish Reformed Church, /550-163S (London, [1931]), 192, n. 4.
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Scottish History Society volumes > Series 5 > Religious Controversy in Scotland 1625-1639 > (28) Page 13 |
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Description | Over 180 volumes, published by the Scottish History Society, containing original sources on Scotland's history and people. With a wide range of subjects, the books collectively cover all periods from the 12th to 20th centuries, and reflect changing trends in Scottish history. Sources are accompanied by scholarly interpretation, references and bibliographies. Volumes are usually published annually, and more digitised volumes will be added as they become available. |
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