Covenanters

[castlebob]

Thanks Longshanks,
That's a lot of useful material,
Much appreciated
Bob

[duckweed]

There were of course some Covenanters who were just shot when in the moors and left there. Many just never returned home from the fields or out with the sheep.  Though Covenanter itself is probably misleading. They were questioned by soldiers and asked to take the oath and if they refused shot on the spot. These were just ordinary people who couldn't in all conscience put the King before God. In Kirkmabreck Church in Creetown there is wooden pannelling from the older church which says something like God before All. 

[castlebob]

Thanks Duckweed,
It's a bit like many in the Civil War, when villagers often fought on whichever side the "Lord of the Manor" chose.
Some had the education to make a judgement, but most wanted a quiet life!
Cheers
Bob

[duckweed]

No not like civil war. Scotland does not have a history going the way the laird went. This was not just a protestant faith thing either as many catholics would not take the oath and a further group I suppose were Nationalists who did not want anything imposed on them from England. The Scottish population were much better educated than their English counterparts, the vast majority were literate, taught by their local clergy. The wording of the oath put King before God and that was what they could not stomach. If you want to think of a comparison it was more like when there was a juncta in Argentina. People just disapeared many never to return.     

[castlebob]

Aah, I see.
Thanks
Bob

[bill0765]

hi
there is a book called a cloud of witnesses which has names of the covenanters .got copy at edinburgh library

bill

[castlebob]

Thanks for the info, Bill
Could be very useful for a lot of people
Cheers,
Bob

[kirkmichael]

For anyone who wants some reading material on the subject, there are two excellent books by Brian J Orr, -

"A Layman's Guide to the Scottish Reformation" Heritage Books 2004, ISBN 0-7884-3188-9

and

"As God Is My Witness" Heritage Books 2002, ISBN 0-7884-2114-X

I don't know of better books, particularly from the point of view of there being no bias, and the lucid explanations of the sometimes extraordinarily complicated situations.

There was going to be a third, about the Killing Times,  -"The Sojjers are Comin` ". Regrettably the American publishers, Heritage Books, were taken over, and publication never happened.

I understand that Brian then donated the work to the Dumfries and Galloway FHS who have made it available on a CD. The CD includes a database file with some 4600 Covenanter names and references to source document/books etc.  See http://www.dgfhs.org.uk/dgfhs/pubs/pubs-ndx.htm - 6th from the bottom of the list.

Wullie

[Wul]

There is a monument in St Michaels, Dumfries to the covenanters.