LIFE 
 
 JOHN ERSKINE 
 OF DUN 
 
 JOHN MACLAREN &. SON. 
 
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 LIFE OF JOHN EESKINE OF DUN. 
 
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 LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 1508-1591. 
 
 BY 
 
 SCOTO-BRITANNICO 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 JOHN MACLAEEN AND SON. 
 
 1879. 
 
EDINBURGH : 
 
 PRINTED HY LORIMER AND GILLIES, 
 
 31 ST. ANDREW SQUARE. 
 
PKEFACE. 
 
 fHE wants of the nineteenth century 
 seem to prove that the fullest and 
 most faithful patriotism is to promote every 
 means calculated to revive the interest and 
 reawaken the curiosity to know more of 
 these Worthies of a past age who were 
 a il Naphtali, full with the blessing of the 
 Lord." We ought, then, to inquire and 
 search diligently concerning these mighty 
 men of valour, famous in the house of their 
 fathers, who, " having understanding of the 
 
 times to know what Israel ought to do/' 
 
 A 2 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 like the tribe of Issachar, do it, promptly 
 and well. 
 
 A modern author well observes : " We 
 have the highest of all authorities for in- 
 culcating principle and conveying knowledge 
 by means of biographies. The Scriptures 
 have been regarded by some as mainly made 
 up by the lives, the doings, and the suffer- 
 ings of men ; and it deserves observation, 
 that, in tracing the exact history of our own 
 nation in particular, the knowledge of the 
 secret springs and causes of events the most 
 momentous, must generally be gathered 
 from the lives of men who scourged their 
 country by their vices, or blessed it by their 
 virtues." Of this last class assuredly was 
 the heroic and patriotic Baron of Dun, whose 
 whole life but verified the words of his 
 epitaph — 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 " He did what ought to be taught, 
 And taught what ought to be done." 
 
 His times were indeed evil. The old 
 darkness of a tyrannous and knowledge- 
 degrading superstition still hovered over 
 the crushed and cowed people of Scotland. 
 The very words of Jehovah were clothed in 
 the unknown jargon of Dog-Latin. There 
 was no one to explain the " end of their 
 faith, even the salvation of their souls." 
 The Roman Church was at its height, 
 depraving the doctrines of God's Word. On 
 the Continent alone there was a dawning 
 of light. 
 
 Few of the noble confessors of this period 
 are more worthy of being honoured with 
 deathless fame than John Erskine of Dun. 
 It needed a brave spirit to resist the im- 
 perious and cruel power of Rome's minions, 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 but Erskine was just the man to do it, and 
 to do it resolutely. The Pulpit and the 
 Press had already done their part, but here 
 we have a landed proprietor uniting with 
 these agents in the work of bringing true 
 religion to enlighten the then degraded 
 commonalty. It is the lasting glory of him- 
 self and his family to have had " no small 
 share in beginning and carrying on our 
 Reformation from Popish tyranny and 
 slavery ; and he continued in a public and 
 private capacity for twenty or thirty years, 
 in which, by conversation, reading, medita- 
 tion, and prayer, he grew in grace and in 
 the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and discovered very fully the abominations 
 of Popery" (Wodrow). 
 
 Erskine truly took a leading part in the 
 work of Reformation. Under the auspices 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 of Knox, he composed the " Godly Band " of 
 1557, in which its subscribers promised, 
 " before the majesty of God and His con- 
 gregation," to maintain the Reformed reli- 
 gion. This Band was one of the great 
 means by which the standard of gospel 
 light and liberty was set up with the Charter 
 of Christianity inscribed on its folds in 
 imperishable letters of gold. Again and 
 again has the enemy sought to tear it down, 
 and to hide its honours from the Christian 
 world's admiring gaze ; but the great Head 
 of the Church renerves His servants' arms, 
 that for a time seemed faint and feeble, and 
 anon the unfurled banner w r aves again in 
 the breeze, and the soldiers of the Cross 
 fight on and conquer through Christ the 
 Captain of their salvation and their living 
 Head. From these spiritual glories the 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 British Isles derive their true fame and 
 permanent security. 
 
 All who took part in the glorious work of 
 Reformation deserve to have their names 
 kept in everlasting remembrance, and to 
 have a particular description of their toil 
 and labour, and the opposition which they 
 encountered in their noble work, handed 
 down to posterity. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGE 
 FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUX, 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ERSKIXE OF DUX AXD JOHX KXOX. . . .18 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ERSKIXE AS SUPERIXTEXDENT OF AXGUS AXD 
 
 MEARXS, 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CLOSIXG SERVICES TO THE CHURCH, . . .68 
 
 Appendix, 85 
 
LIFE OF JOHN EESKINE OF DUN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE OF ERSKINE 
 OF DUN. 
 
 i T the commencement of the sixteenth 
 century, the spiritual state of Scot- 
 land was very dark. For ages the 
 Church of Rome with all its corruptions had 
 held undisputed sway in the land. The 
 country was filled with priests and friars, 
 abbeys and monasteries, for whose mainte- 
 nance the hard-working people were drained 
 of their means. It is computed that at 
 this time at least half the wealth of Scot- 
 
 B 
 
LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUX. 
 
 land flowed into the coffers of the Church. 
 This was partly derived from the teinds, 
 but much also from the immense amount of 
 heritable property held by the ecclesiastical 
 corporations, for the acquisition of which 
 they frequently abused those spiritual powers 
 with which the credulity of the people had 
 invested them. 
 
 In the previous century the gross dark- 
 ness of Roman ignorance and superstition 
 had been in some places dispelled by the 
 propagation of the doctrines of Wickliffe 
 and Huss, by Resby and Crawar ; but the 
 tyrannical persecution of the priests had 
 stamped out every spark of spiritual light 
 save in Kyle, where some obscure Lollards 
 still lingered. It was in this dark and 
 melancholy age that John Erskine was born 
 at Duil Castle, in Forfarshire, in the year 
 1508.-9. 
 
 The family of the Erskines of Dun is by 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 
 
 some thought to have been connected with 
 the house of Ma r, and was, at any rate, an 
 honourable family. Erskine's father and 
 grandfather, along with other members of 
 the family, fell on the bloody field of 
 Flodden (1513). On this account Richard 
 Melville of Baldovey (an estate in the 
 neighbourhood of Dun) and his brother 
 were appointed Erskine's guardians, with his 
 mother s consent. She was a daughter of 
 Lord Ruthven. 
 
 Bowick, clerk to Burness, town-clerk of 
 Montrose, who had access to the council 
 papers, says Erskine received his academical 
 education at Aberdeen, and made a respect- 
 able figure there. Buchanan confirms this, 
 saying that he was learned and honourable. 
 After he left college, Bowick maintains that 
 he cultivated at the Castle of Dun, Christ- 
 ian and classical writers, and invited many 
 learned men to partake of his hospitality and 
 
LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 friendship. In 1530 he appears to have 
 killed a priest, named Sir Thomas Forster, 
 in Montrose. No account of this sad affair 
 is preserved, except a document containing 
 an assythement of manbote or compensation, 
 which, according to the custom of the day, 
 Erskine paid to his victim's father, Sir 
 William Forster, a burgess of Montrose. 
 There is no doubt that this event must 
 have left a most painful impression on 
 Erskine's mind, and have had great influence 
 in the formation of his character. 
 
 In the Dun Charter Chest we find a 
 licence from James V. granted to " our 
 louvit John Erskine, elder of Dun," for his 
 " gude, trew, and thankful service done to 
 us," to travel to France or Italy or other 
 foreign parts by land and sea, and there to 
 remain for the doing of his pilgrimage or 
 other lawful errands. This practice of com- 
 pleting their education abroad was commonly 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 
 
 adopted at this period by young Scotsmen 
 of rank. Erskine chose the eldest of the 
 Melvilles for his travelling companion on 
 this journey, and repaired immediately to 
 Wittemberg in Saxony. Its university is 
 memorable as the- cradle of the Reformation, 
 for from its academical chair Luther exposed 
 the corruptions of Rome. Whether mere 
 curiosity drew Erskine thither, or whether 
 he had already imbibed the doctrines of the 
 Reformation we cannot tell. But it is pro- 
 bable that after prosecuting his studies 
 there under that distinguished reformer 
 and scholar Philip Melancthon, Erskine 
 returned to his native land a staunch Pro- 
 testant. 
 
 Dr. J. A. Wylie says of him: " After his 
 father's death, a good deal of his time was 
 spent in the discharge of those duties which 
 naturally devolve on one of his position in 
 his native land. He often took his seat on 
 
6 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 the magistrate's bench ; the citizens of 
 Montrose, glad to avail themselves of his 
 talents, probity, and weight of character, 
 almost always elected him as their provost. 
 He varied his labours as a civic and county 
 administrator of justice by occasional attend- 
 ance in Parliament. He was still young 
 when he abandoned Popery. Neither the 
 year of his conversion nor the place is known. 
 It is probable that the light shone upon 
 him when abroad. He could not be in Ger- 
 many or France at that time without com- 
 ing in contact with the reformed opinions, 
 and even with the Reformers; and a mind 
 so candid, so capacious, could hardly fail to 
 see their truth and relish their beauty." 
 The light shone clear into his heart, for we 
 find Knox speaking of him as " one whom 
 God in those days had marvellously illu- 
 minated. " 
 
 It is in this character that we find our 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 
 
 next notice of him in the account of the 
 martyrdom of David Straiton of Laurieston. 
 This man was much employed in the fish- 
 ing trade. The Bishop of Moray claimed 
 tithe of his fish, but he refused, as he hated 
 the priests for their pride and profligacy. 
 He was then excommunicated and summoned 
 for heresy. He had been very stubborn and 
 even vicious in his youth, despising all 
 reading; but he now got acquainted with 
 Erskine of Dun, his neighbour, "a man 
 marvellously enlightened in respect of these 
 times." Straiton " frequented much " his 
 company, and by reading in the New 
 Testament was brought to a knowledge of 
 the truth. In company with Norman 
 Gourlay, he was burned at Greenside in 
 1534. 
 
 In his profession of Protestantism, Erskine 
 was not supported by his family, for we find 
 that a relative, Robert Erskine, was Canon 
 
LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 of the Collegiate Church or Chapel Royal 
 of St. Mary de Rupe (Kirkheugh) ; another, 
 Adam Erskine, was Commendator of Cam- 
 buskenneth, and the Prioress of Elcho 
 had the " teind sheaves " of the Mains 
 of Dun. 
 
 Erskine's great concern for the educational 
 welfare of his country receives a remarkable 
 illustration in his establishment of a Greek 
 school in Montrose. On his return from 
 the Continent, he brought with him one 
 Pierre de Marsilliers, a French scholar, to 
 teach this language; then so little studied 
 in Scotland, that it was regarded even by 
 some of the priesthood as a " new language, 
 to teach which was heresy/' So far as we 
 know, Erskine's Greek school was the first 
 of its kind in Scotland. Greek was so well 
 taught here, that Andrew Melville, who 
 received his education in Montrose, astonished 
 the University of St. Andrews by his profi- 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 
 
 ciency in what was then considered a rare 
 attainment. 
 
 So far as the persecuting tendencies of 
 the time would permit, Erskine studied the 
 Bible deeply in his leisure hours, and by 
 degrees ascertained the principles for the 
 government of the Church which were after- 
 wards carried out in the land. The Castle 
 of Dun was at this time very unlike other 
 baronial residences. Instead of the sounds 
 of feasting and revelry within, and of horn 
 and hound without, were heard the sounds 
 of praise and prayer, for Erskine opened his 
 house, as became his rank and station, to 
 scholars and lovers of the Evangel. The 
 Bible was openly read and expounded in his 
 household — all who wished instruction in 
 the truth knew they would find it there. 
 The door of Dun House stood open to them, 
 and frequent gatherings took place under its 
 roof, its accomplished host acting the part 
 
10 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 both of entertainer and instructor. Very- 
 fruitful did John Erskine make this part of 
 our Scottish soil. Wishart and Walter Mill 
 both belonged to this district; and the two 
 Melvilles, Andrew arjd James, were born 
 within a few miles of his mansion. 
 
 Qalderwood observes that, in 1539, many 
 of the nobility and gentry (howbeit, in 
 secret) favoured the Reformation. Among 
 those whose names deserve to be kept in 
 remembrance on this account were Lords 
 Ruthven, Errol, and Methven. At this time 
 there were in Edinburgh remarkable pro- 
 fessors — Auldjo, Maine, and Lindsay, Sybilla 
 Lindsay, spouse to John Fowler, with others, 
 who suffered much for the cause of Christ, 
 especially Alexander, Earl of Glencairn, who 
 was a fervent professor of the truth. Erskine, 
 more particularly, sought to disenthrall the 
 national mind by literature and the faithful 
 study of the Scriptures. For henceforth the 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 11 
 
 Bible was to be at once the repository and 
 standard of Divine truth in Scotland, as it 
 contains all that is necessary to be believed 
 or practised in religion. Faith in the Scrip- 
 tures, and submission to their authority, is, 
 indeed, of the very essence of the Church's 
 existence. She is bound, by the authority 
 of her Divine Head, and the charter of 
 her heavenly constitution, to hold fast the 
 whole of their sacred contents. 
 
 Erskine's connection with Wishart is 
 merely conjectured by some historians ; but 
 Petrie says that Wishart ministered the 
 communion with both elements at Dun 
 House, during his stay at Montrose, whither 
 he had fled on the breaking out of the 
 plague at Dundee. Some of our authorities 
 also say that Wishart succeeded Pierre de 
 Marsilliers in Erskine's Greek school at 
 Montrose, and taught there until accused by 
 the Bishop of Brechin for heresy, when he 
 
12 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 abandoned the school, and fled the country. 
 It is very probable that Erskine was ac- 
 quainted with the great preacher, as Pit- 
 arrow, the property of Wishart's brother, is 
 near Dun, and the martyr's labours were 
 chiefly confined to Forfarshire. In the 
 murder of Beaton, and the consequent siege 
 and capture of St. Andrews, Erskine appar- 
 ently was not concerned. But it is probable 
 that his preservation from priestly vengeance 
 during the successive persecutions of these 
 trying times was due to his great respect- 
 ability of character, and his approved loyalty 
 and patriotism. 
 
 Of Erskine s first marriage there is appar- 
 ently no record. The only one mentioned is 
 his second, probably about this time, to one 
 Barbara de Bierle, maid of honour to Queen 
 Mary of Guise. In the Dun Charter Chest 
 are several feudal instruments, commencing 
 with a procuratory of resignation by John 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 13 
 
 Erskine of Dun, and Barbara Bierle, his 
 spouse, of the lands of Kirkbuddo and Hoyle 
 Myle in favour of James Erskine, their son. 
 This transfer of land was a lengthy process, 
 for we find six separate documents, all 
 relating to the grant to James Erskine, ex- 
 tending over a period of twenty years, from 
 1552 to 1572. According to feudal custom, 
 they are first resigned "to the Queen's 
 most excellent Majesty, and the Duke of 
 Chatelherault, her tutor/' to be held of 
 them by the said James Erskine. The 
 paucity of documents relating to the Dun 
 family is remarkable. Perhaps some of 
 their papers may have suffered from the 
 ravages of Montrose while commanding for 
 Charles I. in Scotland, for his bitter enmity 
 to Presbyterianism would very probably 
 induce him to plunder Dun House. This 
 seems the more likely from a letter from 
 Lord Grange to Wodrow, in which he says 
 
14 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 that he believes " one Wishart, who wrote 
 Montrose's life, got many of the Superin- 
 tendent's papers from Lord Duns own grand- 
 father. If that man (Wishart) was among 
 them, it is to be feared he would destroy all 
 which he conceived might do justice to the 
 Reformation and the Reformers." 
 
 The English, having taken offence that 
 the matrimonial alliance proposed between 
 Edward VI. and Mary of Scotland had not 
 been realised, declared war in 1 5 47. Erskine 
 of Dun, as Provost of Montrose and High 
 Constable, offices which his grandfather had 
 held before him, had to provide for the 
 defence of the town against any hostile 
 descent, A night attack was attempted by 
 the English fleet, but the inhabitants had 
 warning of their approach. Calderwood's 
 account of the affair is as follows : — 
 
 " They thought to have surprised Mon- 
 rose, but by the vigilance of Johne Areskine 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 15 
 
 of Dun, Proveist of the toun. their interprise 
 was perceaved and prevented, and they 
 driven back to their shippes with the losse of 
 some men. The English fleet came hither 
 expecting no opposition, and by this time 
 he had encouraged so plentifully that a 
 thousand men were in arms, and placed 
 centinels in every part where they were 
 most likely to be attacked ; and he selected 
 three hundred men to be shrouded until he 
 gave them the signal. By the break of day 
 the fleet hastened to the town, and were 
 quite unprepared for a defeat." The Laird 
 of Dun managed so skilfully as to force on 
 the retreat of the enemy. They never looked 
 back at the pursuing Scots, but at length 
 gained their ships, much the worse for their 
 encounter. The whole history of the cam- 
 paign of 1548-9 has many passages very 
 honourable to Erskine. He was selected on 
 one occasion to reconnoitre the English 
 
16 LIFE OF EKSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 camp, and at the head of some Scottish 
 soldiers did wonders against the enemy. 
 On all occasions he gave signal proofs of his 
 loyalty and courage. This bold and zealous 
 bearing of Erskine should be remembered, 
 as evincing his courage in war as well as 
 his pious conduct in time of peace. 
 
 His services in the defence of his 
 country were rated at their full value. 
 In the Dun Charter Chest we find three 
 letters from Mary of Guise, the Queen 
 Dowager, in which she speaks of " your 
 gude service done to our derrest dochter 
 your Soverane and her authority/' in 1549. 
 Such was his reputation in his own neigh- 
 bourhood that he was almost always chosen 
 Provost of Montrose, and there is extant a 
 precept infefting him in the customs of 
 that town. His influence was much felt 
 here in the cause of the Reformed religion 
 after his return from the Continent, and 
 
FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. 17 
 
 the town, through its trade with the Low 
 Countries, imported many copies of the 
 Scriptures, thus greatly facilitating the 
 Reformation. 
 
18 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 
 
 JHE Protestants of Edinburgh had 
 formed themselves into a sort of 
 regular church, electing for them- 
 selves elders and deacons, and organising 
 as they best might. They had, however, 
 two separate meetings, until the arrival of 
 the Laird of Dun from the North, when 
 he, by the exercise of that gentle tact which 
 was so prominent a feature in his character, 
 united them in one congregation. He 
 sometimes taught his fellow-Protestants in 
 private houses at this time, a duty for the 
 performance of which he had doubtless per- 
 fect ability, as he was called to it by the 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 19 
 
 preachers, elders, and deacons. His adher- 
 ence to their cause was a great encourage- 
 ment to them to persevere boldly in their 
 work, both from his rank as Baron of Dun 
 and his familiar acquaintance with the Pro- 
 testants on the Continent. His enthusiasm 
 in the cause of literature and education 
 no doubt increased his weight among his 
 friends. 
 
 The vagueness of Erskine's ecclesiastical 
 position at this time is an example of our 
 want of information on matters of this 
 description in the Churches of the Refor- 
 mation. Wodrow says he wishes he had 
 more light on this subject, — the ministry 
 and ordination of our first reformers ; but 
 we are in the same situation as the other 
 Protestant Churches, who have the same 
 lack of full information on these subjects as 
 ourselves. If the darkness on these points 
 baffled the patient and life-long industry of 
 
20 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 Wodrow, we may well give up the search 
 in despair. 
 
 Shortly after this time, in the autumn 
 of 1555, the question of the unlawfulness 
 of communion with Papists in their idola- 
 trous sacraments began to be agitated among 
 the Reformers. Knox, at the conference 
 held on this subject, made their duty so 
 plain that a great secession was made from 
 the Popish meetings. Knox having by 
 this time returned to Edinburgh, was lodg- 
 ing at the house of James Sim. With him 
 Erskine had many secret communings, and 
 continued to teach " sometimes in the hous 
 of Robert Barron, sometimes in the Abbey, 
 and occasionally in Robert Watson's hous : 
 the small number increased daylie until the 
 time of perfect Reformation." 
 
 In these meetings Erskine's friendship and 
 esteem for Knox must have risen rapidly 
 to the highest standard of mutual affection 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 21 
 
 and godly confidence. They were both men 
 of strong and genial feelings, both glowed 
 with ardent desire that Christ's name might 
 be great and His interests flourish, and 
 knew that, to cast out the Amalekite that 
 dwelt in the land, they must peril all, even 
 life itself. Such was their longing for the 
 Bread of Life which the minions of Rome 
 had withheld from them that, though danger 
 and death stared them in the face, they met, 
 they prayed, they expounded the Word of 
 God, and took sweet counsel together, 
 strengthening each other in the good ways 
 of the Lord. And thus their light and 
 life grew great as a spreading vine. 
 
 The result of these communings was, that 
 Erskine twice invited Knox to come to his 
 house at Dun; which, considering the per- 
 secuting tendencies of the time, was a brave 
 and noble act, and evinced that he was 
 steadfast in his Reformation principles. 
 
22 LIFE OF ERSKIXE OF DUX. 
 
 During Knox's last visit the communion of 
 the Lord's Supper was administered by him 
 there. He continued at Dun a month on 
 this occasion, and preached every day during 
 his visit. The principal persons in the 
 neighbourhood attended his sermons. At 
 these exercises Erskine saw " some godlie 
 professors " who were still weak in the faith, 
 and, in order to solve their perplexities in 
 shaking off the old shackles of Romish 
 ceremonies, he assembled a large company 
 to supper, and invited John Knox to address 
 them. He did so " so painfully, perspicu- 
 ously, and pertinently," that many accepted 
 the reformed faith. The hearts of many 
 in Angus, Mearns, and Fife were so 
 strengthened that they sought to have 
 among them the face of a church. Shortly 
 after this the gentlemen of the Mearns 
 engaged to renounce the Roman communion, 
 and to maintain the preaching of the Gospel 
 
EESKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 23 
 
 as Providence gave them opportunity. In 
 the Greek school established by Erskine at 
 Montrose we can well believe that Knox 
 would take much interest. 
 
 Before this service at Dun, Knox had 
 already dispensed the communion at the 
 Earl of Glencairn's house at Finlayston and 
 other places, for which he was summoned to 
 " compear " in the church of the Greyfriars 
 at Edinburgh. Erskine of Dun and several 
 other gentlemen had consented to accompany 
 him to this tribunal, "howbeit the dyett held 
 not," probably from fear of the public indig- 
 nation. Knox soon after left the country, 
 and was condemned in his absence. 
 
 Perhaps a lordly hierarchy and their 
 church- enslaved followers may have looked 
 with scorn on the devoted band that daily 
 resorted to the preaching of the Keformers. 
 When Erskine gathered the Protestants to 
 his house at Dun it was indeed the day 
 
24 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 of small things, but great results fol- 
 lowed. 
 
 The Godly Band or Covenant which 
 founded the confederacy known as the 
 Lords of the Congregation was not signed 
 till 3rd December, 155 7, but the many 
 consultations which must have taken place 
 before it was signed probably began shortly 
 after this date. Although it is our practice 
 to confine the name of Covenanters to the 
 testifying patriots of the Fifty Years' 
 Struggle, this the earliest of these bands 
 proves that it was the habit of our Protestant 
 forefathers from the first beginnings of the 
 Reformation to combine in a covenant. The 
 Godly Band is signed by the Earls of Argyle, 
 Glencairn, and Morton, Lord Lorn, and John 
 Erskine of Dun. It is preserved among 
 the " writs " of the ancient family of the 
 Cuninghames of Balgonie, in a manuscript 
 which competent judges have asserted is 
 
EKSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 25 
 
 older by nine years than the oldest copy of 
 Knox's history. It was as follows : — 
 
 " Wee perceiving how Satan doth in his 
 members, the Antichrist of our Time cruellie 
 rage, seeking to overthrow and destroy the 
 gospel of Christ and His Congregation 
 ought, according to our bounden duties, 
 strive in our Masters cause, even to the 
 Death, being certane of the victory in Him. 
 The which our dutie being well considered, 
 we do promise before the Majestie of God 
 and His Congregation, that we, by His grace, 
 sail with all diligence continuallie applie 
 our whole power, substance, and our verie 
 lifes to menteane, sett forwards, and establish 
 the most Blessed Word of God and His 
 Congregation : and sail labour at our possi- 
 bilitie, to have faithful Ministers, truelie 
 and purlie to minister Christ's Gospel and 
 Sacraments to His People. We sail menteane 
 them, nourish them, and defend them, and 
 
26 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 the whole Congregation of Christ, and every 
 membere thereof, at our whole power and 
 waging our lives, against Satan and all 
 wicked powers, that doth intend Tyrannie or 
 Trouble against the foresaid Congregation. 
 Unto the which Holie Word and Congrega- 
 tion, we doe joyne ourselves and so doe 
 forsake and renounce the Congregation of 
 Satan, with all the superstitious abomina- 
 tions and idolatrie thereof, and moreover, 
 sail declare ourselves manifestlie enemies, 
 thereto, by our faithful promise before God, 
 Testified to His Congregation by our subscrip- 
 tion to these presents, God called to Witness. 
 
 " A: Erle of Argle. 
 
 " Glencairn. 
 
 " MORTOUN. 
 
 " Archbald Lord Lorn. 
 " John Areskine of Dun. 
 
 &c. &c. 
 "Sic subscribitur." 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 27 
 
 The Scottish Parliament, in its meeting 
 in December, 1557, appointed eight com- 
 missioners or ambassadors to be present at 
 the approaching marriage of Queen Mary 
 with the Dauphin of France. These were 
 the Earls of Cassilis and Eothes; Lord 
 Fleming ; Seton, Provost of Edinburgh ; 
 Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow ; Reid, 
 Bishop of Orkney; the Lord James, Prior 
 of St. Andrews ; and John Erskine of Dun. 
 Erskine could not well have refused although 
 the Reformation was not yet perfected. As 
 yet its founders only thought of each other's 
 spiritual welfare, and had no combined plan 
 to rescue the Gospel from the gigantic 
 tyranny which oppressed it, and to open up 
 wells of salvation for all the people. 
 
 This interruption and its fatal conse- 
 quences must have been a sore trial to the 
 Laird of Dun, although he took with him 
 on his journey to France many of his com- 
 
28 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 panion - confessors of Christ's " Evangel." 
 Yet there were some of the ambassadors 
 who looked upon the reformer with an evil 
 eye, such as Beaton of Glasgow, Reid of 
 Orkney, and the Lord James, Prior of St. 
 Andrews. The Prior was then in darkness, 
 but soon afterwards he saw his way to cast 
 in his lot with the party of the Reforma- 
 tion. 
 
 Even in the midst of the marriage festi- 
 vities, public duty was pressing, and as they 
 journeyed to France, John Knox and the 
 Laird of Dun, at the instance of the Pro- 
 testant Lords, drew up a petition to the 
 Queen Regent for the exercise of their 
 religion. It ran as follows : — 
 
 " The subjects of this realm of Scotland 
 wish to the most excellent Princess Marie 
 Queen Dowager and Regent all felicity. 
 Most noble Princess, it is not unknown to 
 your Majesty our ardent desire to see the 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 29 
 
 name of God glorified in this our native 
 land, and we have made often humble suit 
 to your Grace to have your good will and 
 protection to live quietly and in free con- 
 science without oppression of Tyrants, ac- 
 cording to the will of our God made mani- 
 fest to us in the Holy Scriptures. And 
 because some men, who have most unjustly 
 entered themselves by Title and name as 
 ministers of God's truth are conspired to- 
 gether against the Lord and His Anointed 
 to put down His name and honour and to 
 mentean most odious abominations, we have 
 forsaken them and their detestable ministry, 
 knowing them to be accursed of God : and 
 according to the Scriptures we have received 
 such ministers as with humble minds sub- 
 mit themselves, their doctrine and ministry 
 to the Word of God and tryal thereof : 
 of whom we have experience that they do 
 minister truelie according to the institution 
 
30 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 of our Saviour. And now, Madam, the 
 Bishop of St. Andrews by the corrupt coun- 
 sel of most wicked and ungodly persons, 
 hath given forth letters of summonds against 
 our ministers, to compear at St. Andrews 
 or otherwhere such day as he hath appointed 
 in his letters, (the copy whereof, being re- 
 quired, was refused) to underly the most 
 corrupt judgement of them whose counsell 
 in this case he does most follow. And 
 knowing how dangerous a thing it's to enter 
 under their hands nor to compear before 
 them, unless they be accompanied with such 
 as may be able to defend them from violence 
 and tyranny, whereof we have had experience. 
 But to stop all tumults and other incon- 
 veniences that may thereby occur we most 
 humbly offer ourselves and ministers to come 
 before your Grace and Council, to abide 
 tryall in all things that they have to lay to 
 the charge of us and our ministers accord- 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 31 
 
 ing to the word of God. Beseeching your 
 Grace, as you ought of duty, and as you are 
 placed of God above his people to take our 
 cause, or rather the cause of God, to be 
 tried most justly, according to the Holy 
 Scriptures before yourself; and put inhi- 
 bition to the said Bishops, to proceed no 
 farther untill tryall be taken as said is, unto 
 the which your Grace shall find us at all 
 times ready as shall please you to command. 
 " And your Grace's good answer wee 
 " Most humbly beseech." 
 
 We have given the whole petition, not 
 wishing to suppress any part of it, for from 
 it we may learn that it was to the absolute 
 freedom of the Scriptures of Truth that the 
 Reformers attached so much importance. 
 
 The marriage of Mary with the Dauphin 
 took place in Paris on the 24th of April, 
 1558. Four of the Scottish commissioners 
 died in France, not without suspicion of 
 
32 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 poison; but the subject of our memoir got 
 back in safety, and prosecuted the Reforma- 
 tion, while many in Angus and Fife openly 
 renounced Popery, and submitted themselves 
 to Christ's instituted ordinances. During 
 the absence of the commissioners, the mar- 
 tyrdom of Walter Mill had taken place — a 
 deed which roused anew the religious fervour 
 of the people. In this year, though so 
 shortly before that of perfect Reformation, 
 the prospects of a godly settlement were 
 very dark. Most of the Protestants were in 
 hiding ; only two or three are known to have 
 preached openly, but one in this honourable 
 list was Erskine of Dun. 
 
 Erskine and many other zealous men 
 
 (drew up a petition to the Queen Regent for 
 liberty to read Old and New Testaments in 
 our common tongue, and that the state eccle- 
 siastical might be reformed, and " may the 
 Spirit of the Lord Jesus move your Grace's 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 33 
 
 heart to justice and equitie." The petition 
 was expressed in the most loyal terms, but 
 its requests were denied until the Queen 
 Dowager had arranged her daughter's mar- 
 riage settlements. She at last summoned 
 the preachers to appear at Stirling. They 
 were assembled at Perth, which had em- 
 braced the Reformation, with the Lords of 
 the Congregation. The Lords resolved to 
 accompany their ministers, and make joint- 
 confession with them ; but, lest such a con- 
 ference should alarm Her Majesty, " the 
 Laird of Dun went to Stirline, to certifie her, 
 their intenbioun was to give confessioun 
 with their preachers, and to assist them with 
 their just defence. She, understanding the 
 fervencie of the people, "begane to craft with 
 him." He, being a man of tractable nature, 
 and willing to pleasure her in all things not 
 repugnant to God's will, wrote to these that 
 were assembled at Perth to stay, and not come 
 
34 LIFE OF ERSKIXE OF DUN. 
 
 ford ward, showing what promise and hope he 
 had of the Queen's Grace her favour." Some 
 desired to follow out their purpose ; yet, at 
 Erskine's request, the whole multitude did 
 not go. Upon this, the Queen Regent gave 
 charge to put them, on their non-appearance, 
 to the Horn, and " to inhibite all men, 
 under paine of rebellioun, to assist, comfort, 
 receave, or mainteane them in aine sort." 
 The Laird of Dun, perceiving this extremity, 
 prudently withdrew from Stirling to escape 
 imprisonment, and, coming to Perth, did 
 not conceal how much he distrusted the 
 Regent's want of truth. 
 
 Both he and Knox were most careful to 
 prevent extreme steps, and were anxious to 
 keep dow T n the ardour of the people, w T hich 
 was inflamed by the Regent's disingenuous 
 dealing. Nevertheless, many irregularities 
 did occur, both at Perth and at Scone ; but 
 we must fully acquit Erskine of taking any 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 35 
 
 part in them, as, on the contrary, he did his 
 best to put them down. 
 
 The war which ensued on this dispute 
 lasted till the death of the Queen Regent 
 (June, 1560). Shortly before she died, the 
 Lords of the Congregation opened negotia- 
 tions with England for help in the struggle. 
 So great was Erskine's share in the most 
 arduous affairs of State, that we find his 
 signature, as that of one of the most pro- 
 minent of the Protestant Lords, set to the in- 
 structions given to the Scots Commissioners, 
 who concluded the Treaty of Berwick with 
 the Duke of Norfolk, against the French, 
 at Leith. After the expulsion of these 
 French mercenaries, the Estates in Parlia- 
 ment took charge of the administration on 
 a thoroughly Protestant basis, making good 
 laws for " abolishing the mass and confirm- 
 ing the true religion. " In the end of the 
 same year the first General Assembly met, 
 
36 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUX. 
 
 consisting of twelve ministers and sundry- 
 ruling elders, of whom John Erskine of 
 Dun was one. He sat as representative 
 for the town of Montrose, together with one 
 Andrew Mill. The idea which he had 
 sought to realise was, " a Church counte- 
 nanced, recognised, and supported by the 
 State, for the purpose of enabling it more 
 effectually to gain its proper object — that 
 of instructing the people in the Gospel of 
 Christ, and governing them by His laws, 
 thereby promoting at once their eternal 
 interest and temporal welfare, and thus 
 contributing indirectly, yet powerfully, to 
 the benefit of civil society and the welfare 
 of the State, by checking vice at the fount- 
 ain, forming habits of sobriety and virtue, 
 and producing conscientious and cheerful 
 subjection to public authority" (M'Crie). 
 
 As it was not till 1590 that all "true 
 policy " of the Church was concluded, now, 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 37 
 
 in their first arrangements, such as were 
 thought meetest, were appointed to be 
 visitors of kirks, whereby ministers might 
 be planted and admitted to their office 
 throughout the kingdom, instructed in their 
 duties, and censured in case of negligence 
 or other faults, either in their persons or 
 callings. These were called Superintendents, 
 and were in the first case appointed by the 
 Estates, subject to the approval of those 
 Churches over which they were set, and 
 confirmed subsequently by the Assembly. 
 The Laird of Dun was appointed Superin- 
 tendent of Angus and Mearns. Wodrow 
 affirms that those of the superintendents 
 not yet in the ministry (among whom was 
 Erskine) were ordained when the Assembly 
 met, and says, " Although we have no par- 
 ticular accounts of this procedure by histor- 
 ians, yet in the loss of circumstantial relations 
 we may be persuaded of the great carefulness 
 
38 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 of the Church, even from its infancy, as to 
 the regular and scriptural entry and admis- 
 sion of persons into the holy office of the 
 ministry." We find the name of " Johne 
 Areskine of Dun " in a list of twelve persons 
 
 Vail " thought to be apt and able ministers 
 of the New Testament," by the Assembly. 
 He was also among those appointed to read 
 the "Word in the mother-tongue to the 
 people, and to praise and exhort as pastors. 
 The other superintendents now appointed 
 were John Spotswood, for Lothian ; * John 
 
 * Wodrow gives a recital of the forms resorted to 
 at the appointment of a superintendent, and the same 
 form was no doubt observed in the appointment of 
 Erskine of Dun. " That the Lords of Secret Council 
 had given charge, and power to the Churches of 
 Lothian, to chuse Mr. John Spotswood, Superin- 
 tendant of Lothian, Stirling, Linlithgow, Haddiugton 
 and Dunbar, and the Lords, Barons, Gentlemen and 
 others having vote in election, according to the Treaty." 
 From this we see, that they needed the concurrence of the 
 Civil Magistrate, and the consent of the Churches. 
 
 After sermon Mr. Spotswood was called up, and 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 39 
 
 Winram, for Fife ; John Willocks, for 
 Glasgow and the West ; and John Carswell, 
 for Argyle and the Isles. Spotswood had 
 
 ten questions were put to him. The first and last 
 only shall be quoted. 
 
 Question. " Seeing you have the thirst and desire of 
 this people, do you not think to this yourself bound 
 in conscience, before God, to support them, that so 
 earnestly call for your comfort and the fruit of your 
 labours 1 » 
 
 Answer. " I desire to satisfy their thirst for the 
 Word of God ; I acknowledge myself bound to obey 
 God's calling by them." 
 
 Question. "Because you are a man, compassed with 
 infirmity, will you not charitably, and with lowliness 
 of spirit, receive admonition of your brethren, and if 
 ye shall happen to slide or offend, in any point, will 
 you not be subject to the discipline of the Church, as 
 the rest of your brethren are 1 " The answer is long ? 
 therefore we give an abridgment of it. 
 
 Answer. "I acknowledge myself compassed about 
 with infirmity and one that needs correction, and 
 admonition, therefore, I willingly submit, to the whole- 
 some discipline of this office, and charge. I confess 
 myself worthy to be ejected if I be found inobedient, 
 but in case of stubborness, secretly or publickly given. 
 For the vocation of God, to bear charge within this 
 
40 LIFE OF ERSKIXE OF DUX. 
 
 desired to enter the Church before the 
 Reformation, but through horror at its per- 
 secuting barbarities had not done so. He 
 had been employed to draw up the Con- 
 fession of Faith, together with Winram and 
 Willocks. The former of these was a recent 
 convert, having acted with the Romanists 
 until the final Reformation. Willocks, on 
 the contrary, had long been a Protestant, 
 and in the course of a life of w r anderings, 
 arising from the persecutions to which he 
 was subject, had practised both medicine 
 and diplomacy. Carswell is noted for his 
 Gaelic translation of the Liturgy. He 
 subsequently accepted the "Tulchan" Bish- 
 opric of the Isles. 
 
 From the records of the General Assembly 
 it seems that these superintendents w T ere 
 
 Church, maketh not men Tyrants, nor Lords, but 
 appointeth each of them ( Servants,' ' Watchmen,' and 
 ' Pastors ' to the Flock." 
 
ERSKINE OF DUN AND JOHN KNOX. 41 
 
 bound to give, at every Assembly, an account 
 of their services, or else to forward reasons 
 for being absent. Until the full and perfect 
 erection of a Presbyterian Church, the office 
 of superintendent, visitor, or commissioner 
 seems to have been admirably fitted to meet 
 the wants of a time of transition when 
 pastors, " few and far between/' could with 
 difficulty meet in a corporate capacity. 
 Their admission was the same as that of 
 pastor, their appointment a matter of ex- 
 pediency. In regard to personal labours, 
 they were to be preachers themselves, preach- 
 ing at least three times a-w T eek. They were 
 charged " to remain in no place above twenty 
 days in their visitation, till they are passed 
 through the w^hole bounds," preaching, plant- 
 ing churches, and inspecting the ministers, 
 exhorters, and readers. They held office for. 
 life. They supplied desolate parishes with 
 pastors, as they could be had, and were, in 
 
42 LTFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 general terms, guardians of the moral health 
 of their districts. 
 
 The superintendents had strict discipline 
 applied to them, many complaints being 
 made of their laxity. Thus, on one occasion 
 we find Erskine accused of admitting vicious 
 priests as readers, and young men, without 
 such trial as was framed in the Act of 
 Assembly, to be exhorters. He promised 
 to do what in him lay to remedy those evils. 
 He had been much in the North at this 
 time, having been commissioned to visit 
 those districts, and to establish ministers, 
 elders, and deacons. 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 43 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ERSKINE AS SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS 
 AND MEARNS. 
 
 fLN the end of the year 1560, the Dauphin, 
 s now King of France, died at Orleans. 
 Mary left France for Scotland shortly after, 
 arriving in August, 1561. This event made 
 a great change in the land ; but it seems a 
 special providence that the Reformers had 
 got so far in their work before this Princess 
 set foot on Scottish soil. 
 
 At the tenth General Assembly, Erskine, 
 with others, was nominated to draw up a 
 letter to the Queen " against violaters of the 
 rest of the Lord's-day, and that petitions 
 may be resorted to in favour of provision 
 
ii LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 for all the ministers, readers, and ex- 
 torters." 
 
 The Superintendent of Angus and Mearns 
 was chosen Moderator (or President) of the 
 General Assembly in its meeting of Decem- 
 ber, 15 Go. The complaint against him of 
 laxity in his office was repeated. With his 
 usual candour, he acknowledged that many 
 of his friends needed advice and caution, and 
 he besought the Assembly to provide another 
 to the office. This instance of his modesty 
 and humility he frequently repeats. But 
 the Assembly never granted him his desire, 
 and he persevered in the office until debility 
 of body disqualified him from the under- 
 taking. He w r as also continued in the 
 moderator's chair in the two succeeding 
 Assemblies. 
 
 ATcommission was given to Erskine about 
 this time to investigate charges against 
 Winram, the Superintendent of Fife. On 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 45 
 
 another occasion Erskine accused Willocks, 
 Superintendent of the West, to the Assembly 
 for negligence in suppressing idolatry. From 
 these cases we learn both the equality of 
 all the superintendents, and the Assembly's 
 sovereignty over them. 
 
 While the affairs of the Church were 
 prospering, those of the State, under the 
 beautiful Mary, had gone from bad to worse, 
 till they ended in her dethronement. She 
 had several interviews with Knox, at one of 
 which Erskine was present, and when she 
 began to weep and sob at Knox's sternness, 
 " the superintendent," says M'Crie, " who 
 was a man of mild and gentle spirit, tried to 
 mitigate her grief and resentment. He 
 praised her beauty and her accomplishments, 
 and told her that there was not a prince in 
 Europe who would not reckon himself happy 
 in gaining her hand." It was probably 
 Erskine's gentleness, combined with his high 
 
46 LIFE OF EESKIXE OF DUN. 
 
 education, which secured Mary's favour to 
 him. When on one occasion she was pressed 
 to hear a reformed preacher, she expressed 
 her preference for the Superintendent of 
 Angus and Mearns, for he was " a mild and 
 sweet-tempered man/ 5 
 
 At the coronation of James VI in July, 
 1567, after sermon by Knox, Erskine and 
 Spotswood assisted him to put the crown on 
 the King's head. He objected to the cere- 
 mony of unction as a Jewish rite, abused 
 under the Papacy ; but on the present occa- 
 sion it was deemed inexpedient to depart 
 from the accustomed ceremonial, and it was 
 therefore performed by the titular Bishop of 
 Orkney. 
 
 In the course of the settlement of the 
 North by the Earl of Moray, now Regent for 
 the infant King, the Principal and Regents 
 of Aberdeen University were summoned 
 to give in their adherence to the Pro- 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 47 
 
 testant cause in terms of the following 
 citation : — 
 
 " We John Areskine, Superintendant of 
 Angus and Mernes, and Commissioner within 
 the bounds of the Sheriffdom of Aberdeen 
 and Banff, and the ministers and Commis- 
 sioners thereof, being assembled in the High 
 Kirk of New Aberdeen, willing to reform 
 abuses within the said bounds, and especially 
 in the College of Old Aberdeen, we directly 
 summoned s against E. Anderson, A. Gal- 
 loway Subprincipal, Andrew Anderson, 
 T. Ousten, D. Norrie, Regents of said 
 College, to compear before us, that tryall 
 might be taken if they were sound in Reli- 
 gion : Which being found, they are to be 
 suffered to continue in their offices. Other- 
 wise, if they are found corrupt with Popery, 
 and errors not agreeable to the Truth as it 
 is professed faithfully within the Kirk of 
 Scotland to be deposed, and inhibited, to 
 
48 LIFE OF ERSKIXE OF DUN. 
 
 teach and instruct the youth privately or 
 publickly in that College, or any other 
 School, or College, within the Realm ; that 
 others, well qualified, may be placed in their 
 room, able to bring up the youth in the 
 True Faith, Right Worship of God, and • 
 Good Letters. 
 
 " In the meantime, my Lord Regent's 
 Grace called before His Grace's Council, the 
 foresaid persons being delated to His Grace 
 as very obstinate Papists, and Enemies to 
 the Truth, and required them as Professors 
 of Christ's Religion, to subscribe the Articles 
 following : — 
 
 "We whose names are undersigned do 
 ratify and approve from our very hearts 
 the Confession of Faith together with all 
 other Acts concerning our Religion given forth 
 in the Parliament holden at Edinburgh the 
 24th August 1560, and the loth Decem- 
 ber 1567, and joyn ourselves as members 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 49 
 
 of the True Kirk of Christ, whose visible 
 face is described in the said Acts, and shall 
 in time coming be participant of the Sacra- 
 ments now most faithfully and publickly 
 ministered in the said Kirk, and submit to 
 .the jurisdiction and discipline thereof." On 
 their refusal, Erskine, as Superintendent 
 of Angus and Mearns, was commissioned by 
 the Regent to reform that University, his 
 own alma mater. The recusant principal 
 and regents were prohibited to teach in the 
 College, or in any other way. This process 
 of removal was a slow and unpleasant one, 
 as Anderson, the principal, had been known 
 as a recusant in 1561, eight years before his 
 deposition. Mr. Jam es Lawson was now 
 appointed principal, and many other shining 
 lights mTHeChurch taught in this Univer- 
 sity, bringing up the youth of Aberdeen in 
 the fear of God, and imparting to them a 
 liberal education. 
 
50 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 On account, probably of his great reputa- 
 tion in the cause of education, Erskine seems 
 to have been frequently employed as visitor 
 of the Universities both of Aberdeen and of 
 St. Andrews. 
 
 Erskine appeared as commissioner from 
 Montrose at the Parliament summoned by 
 Moray at Perth on the 28th July, 15 69. 
 This Parliament was called to deliberate on 
 a proposal of Queen Elizabeth's to restore 
 Mary to the throne. Wodrow says that 
 Erskine " was very useful to the Regent, who 
 stood for the King's undivided authority, and 
 against the ministers of state for England." 
 
 The prospect of peace and prosperity to 
 both Church and State, under the regejicy of 
 Moray, was suddenly blighted by his assas- 
 sination. Wodrow r tells us that he visited 
 Dun House about three w r eeks before his 
 murder, and there received a prophetic 
 w T arning from Erskine; but~TEs warning, 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 51 
 
 which was only one of several the good 
 Regent received, was unheeded. He fell 
 by an assassin's bullet, to the lasting regret 
 of his contemporaries and of posterity. 
 
 The good work of the Reformation was 
 sadly marred, but, amid all these disasters, 
 Erskine stood firmly to his post, in season 
 and out of season. While the Earl of 
 Moray was regent, he prevented any 
 encroachments on the rights of the Church. 
 Its revenues were divided and applied to 
 the support both of religious and literary 
 establishments, but under the following 
 regents, who were less friendly to the Church 
 or less able to check the avarice of powerful 
 nobles, it was not so. 
 
 Moray was succeeded by Lennox, who 
 fell much under the influence of fhe Earl 
 of Morton. This man, in order to gain the 
 incomes of the Church, fell upon the device 
 of appointing " Tulchan " bishops, under 
 
52 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 whose Dames their patrons drew the greater 
 part of the stipends attached to their nom- 
 inal sees. 
 
 At this period the Assembly was settling 
 the bounds between civil and ecclesiastical 
 authority, and struggled hard against the 
 institution of " Tulchan " bishops which the 
 Earl of Morton pressed first on Lennox, and 
 then on his successor, the Regent Mar. 
 Although Mar was indisposed to listen to 
 him, Erskine took a leading part in this 
 controversy on the side of the Church, and 
 addressed to him a most able letter on the 
 subject, composed in a clear, spirited, and 
 forcible style, and containing an accurate 
 statement of the essential distinction between 
 the civil and ecclesiastical jurisdictions in 
 Scotland. It should be read by all who 
 wish to know the sentiments of the early 
 Church of Scotland on the subject. It 
 was written in conjunction with Knox, 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 53 
 
 Pont, and Row, by the Assembly's orders. 
 Wodrow in his life of Erskine says : — 
 
 " Anent the jurisdiction of the Church 
 and what ought to pertean thereunto, and 
 to be sisted at the Regent's hands, the 
 Assembly ordeans the Superintendent of 
 Angus and Mearns, Mr. John Knox, Mr. R. 
 Pont, and Mr. J. Row to conveen every day 
 at seven hours, and pen and put in order 
 the Heads and Points in all sorts perteaning 
 to the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, and there- 
 after to present the said Heads to the 
 Assembly to be sighted and considered by 
 them, to the Lord Regent's Grace, with the 
 instructions to be given to the Commissioners 
 who are to be sent to his Grace." The 
 essence of the letter thus drawn up is as 
 follows : — 
 
 (Dated 10th November 1571.) 
 
 "Dear Lord, — I thought it expedient 
 to let your Grace know my judgement 
 
54 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 in these articles and heads contained in 
 your Grace's last writing. As to the 
 pensions appointed before unto the Regent's 
 House, little difficulty will be therein. . . . 
 As to the provision of Benefices this is my 
 judgement. All Benefices of Tiends, (or 
 having tiends joyned thereto, or annexed 
 thereto) which are taken up by the People's 
 j labours, have the Offices joined unto them, 
 which Office is the preaching of the Evangel 
 and ministration of the Sacraments, and this 
 Office is spiritual and belongeth to the 
 Church, who only hath the distribution and 
 ministration of spiritual things. ... As 
 well to the Church, to Bishops or Superin- 
 tendents apperteaneth the examination and 
 admission of men to offices and Benefices 
 whether Abbays or Priories, . . . the 
 apostle Paul writes, ' the things that thou 
 hast heard of me among many witnesses, 
 the same commit to faithful men, who shall 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 55 
 
 be able to teach others also ' (2_Timothy ii. 
 2). Here the Apostle referreth the exam- 
 ination to Timothy of the quality and 
 ability of the persons, where he sayeth ' To 
 teach others also/ . . . And he says in his 
 previous Epistle ' Lay hands suddenly on 
 no man ' until just examination of their 
 manners and doctrines. . . . This is a 
 spiritual power and jurisdiction which God 
 hath given to His Church and to those who 
 bear office therein, and. there is a Temporal 
 jurisdiction given of God to Kings and Civil 
 Magistrates. Both these powers are of God 
 and most agreeing to the fortifying of one 
 another if they be rightly used. ... A 
 greater offence and contempt of His Church 
 can no Prince, do than to set up by his own 
 authority men in spiritual offices, as to create 
 Bishops and Pastors of the Church, this to 
 do is to place the Church as having no juris- 
 diction or liberty and to the hurt of Kings 
 
dG life of erskixe of dun. 
 
 or others in their Patronages. And yet the 
 Church most humbly suiteth your Grace and 
 Council to have the same fulfilled, but if 
 this cannot be granted, I mean the dismem- 
 bring (as they call it) of Great Benefices, I 
 trust in respect of this confused and trouble- 
 some time of the Church will consent (the 
 Benefices and Offices joyned thereto being 
 given after order before spoken of that the 
 privilege and liberty of the Church be not hurt) 
 to assign such profit as may be spared above 
 the reasonable sustentation of the ministry, 
 to the maintenance of the authority and 
 common affairs for the present, while further 
 orders may be taken in these matters. . . . 
 For the Church contendeth not for worldly 
 profit, but for that Spiritual Liberty which 
 God hath given, and the servants of God 
 will oppose all Tyranny which presumeth to 
 rob her of it. They will according to their 
 power reprove all ungodliness, and Gocl's 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 57 
 
 righteousness will stand for ever, therefore 
 . . . ' Be wise, oh ye Kings, be ye learned 
 oh ye that are Judges of the earth, serve the 
 Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him with 
 reverence. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry 
 and ye perish from the right way, for His 
 wrath will be shortly kindled/ 
 
 " The Superintendents that are placed 
 ought to continue in their offices notwith- 
 standing any others that intrude themselves, 
 or are placed by such as have no power in 
 such offices. They may be called .Bishops, 
 but are not Bishops but ' Idols.' They 
 are" called ' Idol Shepherds ' as sayeth the 
 prophet. Zechariah xi. 17. 
 
 " I cannot but lament from my very 
 heart that great misorder used at Stirling 
 at the last Parliament in creating them, 
 placing them, and giving them vote in 
 Parliament as Bishops, in despite of the 
 Cffurch and high contempt of God," 
 
58 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 This letter contains six pages of writing. 
 From our extracts from it, it is very plain 
 that in the superintendent's judgment, 
 bishops, superintendents, pastors, and 
 ministers are one and the same office, 
 having the cure of souls, the preaching of 
 the Gospel, and the administration of the 
 sacraments for their work. 
 
 Erskine sent a second letter to the Regent, 
 in which he says : 
 
 " Being in Perth I received a letter from 
 your Grace's hands specifying also an inhibi- 
 tion, . . . that poor ministers not convicted 
 of any crimes nor offences yet their living 
 is commanded to be holden from them. . . . 
 It may appear most justly to all men that 
 the destruction of the Church and ministry 
 that is sought for : Benefices are given and 
 Bishops are made at men's pleasure without 
 the consent of the Church. ... If your 
 Grace consider the matter well ye will call 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 59 
 
 back the Letters of Inhibition. If not, the 
 Church will have patience and look for help 
 at the Lord's hands." 
 
 This second letter was despatched five 
 days only after the former one, so eager was 
 the superintendent in the cause of his well- 
 beloved Church, now menaced by the greed 
 of the nobles, hungry for its tithes, and the 
 Erastian policy of men in power, jealous of 
 its independence. Mar sent his reply to both 
 epistles at once, and said : 
 
 " Right trustie Cusine, — " After most 
 hearty commendations, ... we received 
 our two letters conteaning other effect 
 and matter than our expectation was. 
 In consideration of our good meaning to 
 have travelled by all possible means for 
 quieting the Church, . . . which we have 
 found a fashious burden, . . . and yet 
 when indifferent men shall look on the 
 words of this Inhibition ... we trust it 
 
60 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN*. 
 
 will be taken as it ought to be taken, . . . 
 nor otherwise any mention of quieting, or 
 ordering what was amiss, still reteaning the 
 privilege of the King, Crown, and Patronage. 
 The default of the whole stands in this, that 
 the- Policy of the Church is not perfect, nor 
 any solid conference among godly men that 
 are well willed and of judgement, how the 
 same may be helped. . . . Whereanent we 
 have written to deferr the matter to the 
 Convention of Estates of the Realm, . . . 
 while time and advice will work its effects, 
 etc. — Your assured good friend, 
 
 " John, Regent. " 
 Wodrow says of this letter : " That the 
 Earl of Mar fearing rigorous methods would 
 not, discharged the Letters of Inhibition 
 which (it may be) were designed by the Earl 
 of Morton (the assistant of the present 
 Regent) to frighten at the first and then to 
 be as a favour when withdrawn, in order 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 61 
 
 to manage Ministers to have some kind 
 approbation of what had been doing or done. 
 It was the easiest way of replying to the 
 Superintendent's two letters to take this 
 general indeterminate way. The Regent's 
 reply is full of deference and kindness, and 
 very well calculated to gain upon such, one 
 so generous and charitable a man as the 
 Laird of Dun was." 
 
 A convention was then held at Leith. on 
 15th January, 1572. It consisted of super- 
 intendents, ministers, and elders, and was 
 a General Assembly in reality, though not 
 in name. " The whole brethren conveened, 
 in one voice and mind gave full commission 
 and power to the generous and loving 
 brother John Areskine of Dun, Superin- 
 tendent of Angus and Mernes with others, 
 to propound Articles." These articles consist 
 of about twenty pages, which are much 
 taken up with what the Church, colleges, 
 
62 LIFE OF EESKINE OF DUN. 
 
 and schools should maintain. One para- 
 graph only we shall retain : " That it is 
 deliberated and commanded that all Bishops, 
 Superintendents, Preachers, and Ministers of 
 the Word of God shall earnestly and 
 diligently admonish the people within their 
 cures to continue in their faith and obedience 
 to the King's Majesty our Sovereign Lord, 
 and his Regent and authority, and whoever 
 hath made defection or hereafter shall make 
 defection from the same obedience, to 
 admonish them, and in case of their wilful- 
 ness and obstinacy to proceed against them 
 by censure of the Church and excommunica- 
 tion. " The general tenor of these articles 
 was that of submission to the institution of 
 bishops. The convention " thus answered 
 the Earl of Morton's design of getting the 
 disposal of the Benefices of Church Lands 
 and did not much affect the Reformation 
 Government of this Church, since the 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. G3 
 
 Bishops, such as they were, subjected them- 
 selves to the Assembly in hearing complaints 
 of corrupt and timeserving men, and censur- 
 ing them which accepted of Bishopricks, and 
 they gave our General Assemblies a continual 
 struggle against this imposition of Nominal 
 Bishops for about six years, until they flatly 
 declared the office unlawful" (Wodroiv). 
 
 Erskine had been carried away with the 
 rest to agree to bishops, to prevent a breach 
 between the Church and Council, because 
 they then seemed inevitable, but from his 
 letters we know that he did not like them. 
 The sQcond General Assembly after the 
 convention, in which he was Moderator, 
 followed the example of its immediate pre- 
 decessor in appointing a committee " to 
 oversee and consider the conclusions at 
 Leith, and what they find therein to be 
 retained or altered with the Regent's Grace 
 and Council." It presented to the As- 
 
64 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 sembly a protestation which was in these 
 words : — 
 
 " Forasmeikle as the Assembly held at 
 Leith with the Nobility and Commissioners 
 to reason and conclude on Articles, etc., 
 they found certain names such as the 
 Archbishop, Dean, Archdean, Chancellor, 
 and Chapter appearing to have sound or 
 affinity to Papistry and Superstition, and 
 in like manner protest, that the said Articles 
 be only received in the meantime, until 
 further and more perfect order may be 
 obteaned at the hand of the King's Majesty, 
 Regent, and Nobility, for the which they 
 will press as occasion shall serve." 
 
 Wodrow says : " I have set this affair 
 of Tulchan Bishops in as plain a light as 
 my materials allow me, and as the Laird of 
 Dun vigorously opposed them, so when the 
 end of the year arrived the Regent Morton 
 (who was in favour of them) was raised to 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 65 
 
 the Regency." Finally, at the thirty-second 
 Assembly, four years after the convention 
 at Leith, when Erskine himself was present, 
 they reasoned concerning the opinion of the 
 brethren given in the last Assembly on the 
 question, " Whether if Bishops, as they now 
 are in Scotland, have their function out of 
 the Word of God ? " After reasoning and 
 long disputation, they agreed " That the 
 name of ' Bishop ' is common to all them 
 that have a particular flock over the which 
 he hath a peculiar charge as well to preach 
 the Word, to minister the Sacrament, and, 
 (along with the elders) to execute the 
 Ecclesiastical discipline. This is the chief 
 function : moreover out of this number 
 may be chosin some to have power to over- 
 see and visit such reasonable bounds (beside 
 his own flock) as the General Assembly 
 may appoint : and in these districts to 
 appoint ministers, with consent of the 
 
 F 
 
6$ LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 ministers of that Province, and to appoint 
 Elders and Deacons in every said Congre- 
 gation, with consent of the people thereof.'' 
 But the situation of the Church, neverthe- 
 less, remained critical. While the Court 
 and the upper barons upheld Prelacy, the 
 Evangel established by law was still Pfes^ v ^- 
 byterian. 
 
 Bishoprics and other great benefices were 
 now openly conferred on noblemen and 
 persons totally unqualified for the ministry, 
 and even on minors. These proceedings 
 created much dissatisfaction, and the As- 
 sembly pronounced the following resolution 
 on the subject : — " That certain Titles such 
 Archbishop, Dean, Archdean, Chancellor 
 and Chapter which savoured of Popery, and 
 were scandalous and offensive to their ears, 
 unanimously protested against them/' 
 
 In the midst of all these troubles the 
 Church lost her greatest pillar, and Erskine 
 
SUPERINTENDENT OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. 67 
 
 an attached friend. John Knox died in 
 Edinburgh on the 24th November, 1572. 
 His last days had been embittered by the 
 new struggle with Prelacy, but the old 
 spirit remained in him to the last, when he 
 refused to inaugurate the ". Tulchan " Arch- 
 bishop of St. Andrews. He and Erskine 
 had worked well together, though cast in 
 very different moulds, fighting their way 
 through the wilderness, even as Moses and 
 Aaron did. 
 
 The old heroes of the Reformation were 
 fast dying out, and their successors, dread- 
 ing the resentment of Morton, were lovers 
 of peace. Had it not been for a few 
 energetic spirits, stirred up from time to 
 time by a gracious Providence, the glorious 
 Reformation would have been quenched in 
 the darkness of Mortons Erastian Prelacy. 
 
68 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 
 
 tHE Erastian usurpation on the Church, 
 under Morton's Regency, made it 
 necessary for the Assembly to define anew 
 the constitution of the Church. For 
 though these phantom bishops had neither 
 Episcopal ordination nor share in the 
 government of the Church, still the intro- 
 duction of their nominal dignities threatened 
 its peace. With this view the Assembly 
 appointed commissioners to draw up a 
 Second Book of Discipline, among whom 
 was the Laird, of JDun. He was present at 
 all their Associations ; but we are told that 
 " the Head riven to him for solution was 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 69 
 
 declared, conforme to the order of distribu- 
 tion, being in the Judgement of the Assembly 
 obscure and mystic, they desired him to confer 
 with the rest of the Com missioners, to the effect 
 he may be resolved in the meaning thereof. " 
 Morton opposed the scheme, but the 
 Church said in reply — " We are conveened 
 at Commandment of our Master and Head 
 of the Church, Christ Jesus, who hath 
 commanded, when His Church has any 
 trouble, the members thereof to convene 
 and set the Church at rest and quietness, 
 and do away with any corrupt dectrine or 
 false usage." Erskine again resigns his 
 superintendentship, probably feeling the 
 infirmities of age a disqualification, but the 
 Assembly did not accept his resignation. 
 On the contrary, it ..appointed him, along 
 with five others, " to pass to my Lord 
 Regent's Grace the Heads and Articles 
 which the Twenty-ninth General Assembly 
 
70 LIFE OF ERSKIXE OF DUX. 
 
 had put in writing, to confer thereupon, and 
 to require his Grace's answer, and to 
 report the same to the next Assembly." 
 But Calderwood tells us that they got not 
 their reply which they expected. 
 
 The commissioners on the Second Book 
 of Discipline met in conference on their 
 work in Stirling Castle, on the 22nd 
 December, 1578, and chose Erskine to be 
 their Moderator " for the better order and 
 reasoning during the said conference, and 
 appointed the houre of convention to be 
 at nyne houres before noone, and to reason 
 till twelve, and from two houres afternoone 
 till five houres at even." At this session 
 the whole book was revised by the com- 
 missioners. It was presented complete, and 
 approved by the Assembly in 1579, and 
 came into force two years later. It has 
 ever since remained an authoritative com- 
 pend of the Church's laws. 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 71 
 
 About this time we have a signal proof 
 of Erskine's close attention to his ecclesias- 
 tical duties. This is an Act of the Privy 
 Council exempting him from his duties as a 
 temporal baron, both indemnifying him for 
 non-attendance in the past, and assoilzieing 
 him in time to come, so long as he should 
 hold the office of superintendent. 
 
 On the subject of the introduction of 
 Episcopacy we have a long letter from 
 Erskine, penned in the prolix style of his 
 age. The sum and substance of it appears 
 to be a protest against the Erastianism then 
 strong among the nobles, and a last remons- 
 trance against the alienation of the tem- 
 poralities, which should belong to the 
 Church instead of going to fill the pockets 
 of the peerage. Erskine's letter shows both 
 the wrong and the remedy. 
 
 In 1578 Morton was forced to resign the 
 Regency, and James VI. began to rule in 
 
72 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 person. But James and his courtiers were 
 as determined as Morton had been to make 
 their so-called bishops " the needle to draw 
 in the Episcopal thread" {James Melville). 
 From this time onward it may be noticed 
 that Erskine's title of superintendent is 
 silently dropped in the Assembly's registers, 
 he being generally styled instead " LaircLpf 
 I Dun." Although now seventy years old, 
 he was appointed a member of a sort of 
 standing committee, to confer with the 
 moderator during the Assembly's sittings. 
 This committee met at seven in the morn- 
 ing. It was this Assembly that presented 
 a beautiful and touching address to the 
 king concerning the printing of the Bible, 
 11 imploring him to set forward religion and 
 Reformation, not looking how much is done, 
 but how much rests unperformed." Erskine 
 was nominated with other five " to treat, 
 confer, and reason for a settled order and 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 73 
 
 form of provision of the ministers' stipends, 
 of the estates of the Church, and to reduce 
 the same to certain perfection together with 
 the platform of Presbyteries as seemeth best 
 in their judgement." The young king was 
 at this period quite in favour of proclaiming 
 a "Godly Policy." 
 
 The Laird of Dun was sent to the king 
 to crave that a stop might be put to the 
 education of Scottish youth in Popish schools 
 abroad, and that, in order to the reformation 
 of the University of St. Andrews, the king 
 might cause the foundation, erection, and 
 other papers of the college to be exhibited, 
 and that Andrew Melville might be brought 
 from Glasgow and placed in the New Col- 
 lege. Erskine was at this time, probably 
 on account of his well-known zeal in the 
 cause of education, a commissioner of the 
 Assembly, together with Pont, Craig, and 
 others, to visit St. Andrews University, and 
 
74 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 to arrange the studies of the students. He 
 had previously been nominated on a com- 
 mission to " Cognosce, visie and consider 
 the Patrimonie and rents of the Universitie 
 of St. Andrews, and to seirch further mair 
 speeiallie to consider quhat other special 
 points or clauses should appertean to the 
 Jurisdiction of the Church." 
 
 Erskine's love for literature, and his 
 desire that Scotland should participate in 
 all the advantages to be had on the Con- 
 tinent, is well seen in his sending for 
 Stephanus, the printer, to Edinburgh. 
 This man was a learned Dane, who was 
 long exceedingly useful as a printer in his 
 adopted country. 
 
 The Laird of Dun's services were again 
 required in 1583 as a peacemaker between 
 the king and his nobility, whom the Raid 
 of Ruthven had put at variance. In spite 
 of all his attempts to make an agreement, 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 75 
 
 Wodrow says the endeavour met with but 
 little success. Erskine's peace-loving tend- 
 encies occasionally lessened the fervour of 
 his testimony for truth, more especially now 
 when he was growing old and infirm. Ac- 
 cording to Wodrow, " he wanted full infor- 
 mation of Court matters, and from his 
 apprehensions of extremities being enforced 
 against ministers, seems out of his regard 
 for peace to have given way." 
 
 In the settlement of the Presbyteries of 
 the Church the Laird of Dun was, in the 
 year 15SG, named by the Assembly, together 
 Avith several others, to consider the plans 
 fur their erection, and was very useful to 
 the king and Council in different ways. 
 He was among those appointed in the fol- 
 lowing year to present the Church's articles 
 and petitions to the king's Parliament, and 
 again, when the Assembly nominate their 
 commissioners and visitors, he is in the 
 
76 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 list for Angus and Mearns, but, on account 
 of his age and infirmity, the work devolved 
 chiefly upon Mr. William Christesone. 
 
 From this date his public appearances 
 for Christ and His cause were less frequent. 
 The General Assembly of 1587 was the 
 last at which he was present, but even at 
 it his services were required on a committee 
 to promote the " Removal of ane matter of 
 grief by the King's Majesty against Mr. 
 John Cowper and Mr. James Gibson/' At 
 the same time he was nominated on a com- 
 mittee to collect Acts of Parliament made 
 by the kings or regents for the true liberty 
 of the Church of God and Christ's religion 
 as then established in this realm, and for 
 the repression of Popery and idolatry. His 
 zeal and labours for the Reformed Church 
 of Scotland continued unabated to the day 
 of his death. His eventide was passed 
 in labour even as his noonday had been. 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 77 
 
 Many duties were from time to time de- 
 volved upon him which his sound judgment, 
 conciliatory disposition, and great experience 
 of affairs enabled him to execute with 
 advantage to the Church. Though he lived 
 through the most stormy and eventful period 
 of its history, and acted a most prominent 
 part in its transactions, he was yet permitted 
 to see its full course, from its escape from 
 Popish domination to its final and peaceful 
 establishment in Presbyterianism ; and not 
 only to see, but also to bear a great part in 
 bringing forward this happy consummation. 
 Although Erskine's days of active service 
 were now almost over, in the great alarm 
 occasioned by the approach of the Spanish 
 Armada, his official position caused his 
 name to be included in a commission to 
 warn and prepare the people of the North ; 
 but he, "in respect of his age and infirmity, 
 giveth his Commission to another." He 
 
78 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 was, indeed, at this time laid on a bed of 
 sickness. On account of the change in the 
 calendar there is some difficulty in fixing 
 the exact date of his decease, but it was at 
 some period in the year 1 591, that this ven- 
 erable servant of Jesus Christ entered into 
 the joy of his Lord. His death took place 
 in his own house at Dun, but no monument 
 
 \ marks the place of his burial. He left a 
 
 • numerous posterity behind him. 
 
 Johnston, a Scottish poet of this age, who 
 employed himself much in writing Latin 
 verses on the Reformers and other distin- 
 guished men of his day, has the following 
 verses on Erskine : — 
 
 Johannes Areskinus 
 Dunius, Equestri Famili Ortus, Keligionis, gravis et 
 constans Assertor. Natus annos LXXX moritur 
 12 Marti 1590. 
 Post tot avos veteres, et tot decora inclyta rerum 
 Surgit Areskinus gloria major adhuc ; 
 Scilicet crucis Christi, quae sola perennis, 
 Quae regit una homines, quae facit una Deos 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 79 
 
 Eobora consiliis, pietatem miscet utrisque 
 Et facienda docet, atque docenda facit 
 Heroeui nullum huic aequarint secula. Nullus 
 Inter avos veteres fa ma et honore prior. 
 
 This Latin poem has been translated by 
 an honoured friend, the Rev. J. A. Wylie, 
 LL.D., as follows : — 
 
 John Erskine of Dun, 
 Descended of a noble family, a zealous and consistent 
 Professor of Religion, and a powerful Preacher. 
 Died on the 12th of March, 1590, aged 80 years. 
 
 After a long line of ancestors, 
 
 After many illustrious actions, 
 
 The name of Erskine is adorned 
 
 By a still greater glory, 
 
 That of the cross of Christ, 
 
 Which alone is everlasting, 
 
 Which alone makes men good, 
 
 Which alone fits them for heaven. 
 
 He united decision with wisdom, 
 
 And tempered both with piety. 
 
 His principles and his practice 
 
 Mutually harmonised. 
 
 Past ages gave birth to no better man. 
 
 No one of his ancient progenitors 
 
 Surpassed him in reputation and honour. 
 
80 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 Erskine's labours and trials had, indeed, 
 been great. As an office-bearer of the in- 
 fant Church, he had had much to bear from 
 the pretences of concealed Papists and the 
 struggles with the "Tulchan" bishops, whose 
 position conflicted with that of the super- 
 intendent. There were all the difficulties 
 of supplying those cures whose occupants 
 had been turned out, and many other per- 
 plexities and trials. Yet he had the sweet- 
 ness, light, and satisfaction that come to 
 those who "run well" and bear fruit. 
 
 His reputation in his own time stood 
 deservedly high. Row mentions him as 
 being strict in the doctrine and discipline 
 of the Church of Scotland, and a zealous 
 opponent of the hierarchy. James Melville, 
 nephew to Andrew Melville, mentions the 
 Superintendent of Angus and Mearns in 
 connection with his father, who derived 
 much benefit from his acquaintance with 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 81 
 
 Erskine. He speaks of him as one of " the 
 greatest lights of that age within the country 
 in the town of Montrose," as a " notable 
 instrument in the Church of Scotland." 
 Wodrow says of Erskine : " This worthy 
 and excellent gentleman was very early 
 brought from the corruptions of Popery, and 
 had the peculiar honour to be among the 
 first of any person of his rank who favoured 
 the Reformation. His share in that glorious 
 work was very great, both by his entertain- 
 ing ministers and preachers, protecting them, 
 encouraging learning and learned men, and 
 preaching the Gospel himself when regularly 
 called thereto by the ministers of our first 
 General Assembly; as also by his interest 
 with the nobility and gentry of Scotland, to 
 many of whom he was related, and his wise 
 and prudent conduct in so critical a time. 
 After the Reformation was set up, the Lord 
 continued him upwards of thirty years in 
 
82 LIFE OF ERSK1NE OF DUN. 
 
 Angus and Mearns, the frontier station, as 
 it were, betwixt the Reformed in the South 
 and too many remaining Papists in the 
 North. He was generally a member, and 
 very useful, in all our assemblies, and sat 
 in fifty General Assemblies, if not more. 
 Indeed, his easy and sweet temper led him 
 sometimes to think better than he had 
 reason of the Queen Regent ; brought him 
 to be ensnared by the Earl of Morton in 
 the affair of the Convention at Leith and 
 the Tulchan Bishops, and which was the 
 escape of several of our Worthies at the 
 period ; he keeped the matter of the Refor- 
 mation from Popery in worship and doctrine, 
 so much in his eye, as not so much for some 
 time to prosecute the Reformation in dis- 
 cipline and government, as was proper. 
 Yet when he came to consider that subject 
 well, he was hearty and zealous in these 
 also. In his old age, and in an hour of 
 
CLOSING SERVICES TO THE CHURCH. 83 
 
 sore temptation, he made some compliance 
 with King James when under the manage- 
 ment of Adamson and Arran ; but when the 
 trial was over, he went heartily on with his 
 brethren prosecuting the concerns of the 
 Church. In short, he has the honour to 
 be among the first who professed the Re- 
 formation in the North of Scotland, and to 
 have a very great share in bringing it about. 
 He was a person of singular prudence, great 
 generosity and liberality, and considerable 
 learning, and very bold and zealous. But, 
 above all, he was singularly pious and re- 
 ligious, and from close walking with God had 
 sometimes communications of His mind." 
 
 In more modern times Dr. M'Crie has given 
 a very just estimate of the Superintendent: — 
 
 "It is proper to notice the death of John 
 Erskine, the venerable Superintendent of 
 Angus and Mearns. This enlightened and 
 public- spirited baron will be remembered as 
 
84 LIFE OF ERSKINE OF DUN. 
 
 one of the most distinguished patrons of 
 literature in Scotland. In the wars against 
 the English he had displayed his courage 
 and love to the independence of his native 
 country. He embarked with great zeal in 
 the struggle for the Reformation ; and after 
 the triumph of that cause, served the 
 Church, first as a superintendent, and after- 
 wards as a parochial minister. If, at a 
 later period, he suffered himself to be en- 
 tangled by the politics of the Court, and 
 lent the influence of his name to the sup- 
 port of measures injurious to the Church, 
 his advanced age, and the difficulties of the 
 times, may be pleaded as an extenuation of 
 his fault. When incapacitated for active 
 employment, he retained his literary habits, 
 and continued in his closet to pursue his 
 studies connected w T ith the sacred profession 
 to which he had devoted himself." 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 JOHN SPOTSWOOD, Superintendent of 
 Lothian. — Spotswood was born in 1510, of 
 ancient and honourable parentage. He was 
 educated at Glasgow, and under the famous 
 John Major. His first inclination was to study 
 divinity, but about the year 1538 he was wholly 
 turned from the Romish Church by its persecu- 
 tions of those whom it called heretics. His 
 presence, both at the martyrdom of Russell and 
 Kennedy in this year, and at the preaching of 
 other reformers in St. Andrews and Edinburgh 
 filled him with very bad impressions of the 
 Popish clergy. While in this state of mind he 
 went to London to apply himself to some secular 
 business. There he became acquainted with 
 Archbishop Cranmer, and was by him brought 
 
 H 
 
86 APPENDIX. 
 
 to a knowledge of the truth. He had a particu- 
 lar concern about the Gospel in his native land, 
 which he revisited in .1542 in connection with 
 the embassy of the restored prisoners of Sol way 
 Moss, which Henry "VIII. sent to Scotland to 
 promote his policy there. Spotswood now made 
 the acquaintance of the Earls of Glencairn and 
 Lennox, and was employed by Lennox in various 
 negotiations with the Court of England. Wod- 
 row notices these facts about Spotswood, as his 
 knowledge of public affairs was afterwards very 
 useful to him. 
 
 He had been already connected with the 
 family of Sandilands of Calder, a house devoted 
 to the Reformation, and is said by Wodrow to 
 have been most useful in turning them from 
 darkness to light. Sir James Sandilands now 
 presented him to the parish of Calder, which he 
 held till his death. He accompanied Lord James 
 Stewart to France in 1558, and at the settlement 
 of the Reformed Church he was employed in 
 framing the Confession of Faith and First Book 
 of Discipline. 
 
 When the Superintendents were first appointed 
 
APPENDIX. 87 
 
 in 1560, Spotswood was nominated to Lothian. 
 It is probable that he was the first who was 
 admitted to the temporary office of the superin- 
 tendentship. His duties of planting and visiting- 
 churches throughout his province were by no 
 means light, for at his nomination there were 
 probably not above four or five pastors within its 
 bounds. But he never assumed any fragment 
 of prelatic authority. He continued to exercise 
 the pastoral charge of his flock at Calder, but 
 had not much leisure to attend it. His parish- 
 ioners complained that he was taken from them 
 by his appointment as Superintendent, but the 
 Assembly answered to the complaint that " the 
 profit of many churches was to be preferred to 
 the one of which he was settled." In 1563 
 Spots wood himself complained that he was not 
 able to discharge his many avocations, being 
 absent from his charge the most part of the 
 year, and entirely engaged in public meetings, 
 assemblies, and conferences. 
 
 When the Queen escaped from Lochleven to 
 recommence the Civil War, a prayer meeting 
 w T as held, when Mr. John Spots wood directed 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 the following admonition : — " To all that profess, 
 or have professed the Lord Jesus Christ and 
 have refused that Roman Anti-Christ called the 
 Pope, within the Dioces committed to his charge, 
 desireth Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God the 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." He then 
 says that the fearful curse denounced in Ezekiel 
 on the watchman " that seeth the sword coming 
 and doth not blow the trumpet compels me to 
 warn you of that wicked Queen whose iniquity 
 is known and lawfully convicted, therefore in 
 the bo wells of Christ Jesus I exhort all under 
 my charge from God and from his lawful 
 magistrates, by his word and good order that 
 they by unfeigned repentance may return again 
 from the stubborn Rebels and so escape condem- 
 nation in the day of the Lord Jesus ; whose 
 omnipotent Spirit move the hearts of all that 
 look for the life everlasting to consider that 
 His coming approacheth. Amen. Given at 
 Odder." 
 
 Spotswood resigned his superintendentship at 
 the Assembly of 1574, but it was not practicable 
 to permit such resignation till Presbyteries were 
 
APPENDIX. 89 
 
 fully appointed. As he, however, had pleaded 
 his great age, and being " unable to undertake 
 the insupportable travails committed to him in 
 his office," the Assembly of 1575 appointed Mr. 
 James Lowson his substitute. He retained his 
 office till 1583, and was most helpful in all Church 
 affairs. He died on the 5th December, 1585. 
 
 JOHN WILLOCKS or WILLOX, Superin- 
 tendent of the West. — Of Willocks few materials 
 for a biography have been preserved, perhaps 
 because so much of his life was spent in England. 
 We know nothing certainly of his birth or 
 education, but he was probably born in Ayrshire. 
 Spotswood says he was originally a Franciscan 
 friar, and he had therefore access to anything of 
 Scripture knowledge available in those dark times. 
 Willocks early discovered the errors of Popery, 
 probably from the sufferings of the martyrs under 
 Cardinal Beaton, and he may have been particu- 
 larly influenced by Wishart, who much fre- 
 quented Kyle and Cunningham. On the out- 
 break of fiercer persecution he retired to Embden, 
 in Holland, whence he frequently revisited Scot- 
 
90 APPENDIX. 
 
 land on diplomatic missions. After his return 
 to Ayrshire he had a great disputation with 
 Kennedy, Abbot of Crossragael, concerning the 
 Mass. Willocks maintained the Protestant 
 position of the idolatrous nature of the Mass, 
 while Kennedy defended the Romanist tenets 
 concerning it. 
 
 In the Reformation crisis of 1559-60, Willocks 
 took a prominent part. Only three preachers 
 at this time appeared openly, but Willocks was 
 among them, and it was at his suggestion that 
 the Queen Regent was supplicated for just 
 redress of their grievances. Dissimulation was 
 her only reply, and war alone sufficed to set the 
 Church on a Protestant basis. When that was 
 done, Willocks was appointed Superintendent 
 for the West. Sir James Balfour tells us that 
 in this year a two days' public dispute touching 
 the Mass was held by Willocks and one Black, 
 a Dominican monk. He was also among those 
 engaged in drawing up the Confession of Faith 
 and First Book of Discipline. In 1563, he was 
 chosen Moderator of the General Assembly, a 
 post which he frequently filled. He seems to 
 
APPENDIX. 91 
 
 have gone to England shortly after this, for in 
 1567 Knox wrote to him earnestly inviting his 
 return thence. Pecuniary straits in his Scottish 
 charge appear to have occasioned this removal. 
 He returned before 1568, for he was then 
 re-elected Moderator ; but, from the following 
 letter addressed to him by James VI., he seems 
 to have again gone to England. It is addressed 
 to " Mr. Willocks, in England " and says : 
 "Although I never doubted and have been 
 sufficiently informed of the good-will borne 
 towards me in all lawful sort, by all the other 
 honest subjects of England who desire to profess 
 the only true Religion by law established in both 
 countries, yet having the same received and 
 confirmed to me . . . all written by my hand . . . 
 and in the princely word of a most Christian 
 King, and that I will maintain the same religion, 
 and that I will not permit any other religion 
 but professed and avowed within the bounds of 
 the Kingdom : and therefore by tongue or pen ye 
 shall more perfectly inform them of my j ust inten- 
 tions, and put down all such malicious reports. 
 Thus I bid you farewell. Jacobus Rex." 
 
92 APPENDIX. 
 
 Knox designates Willocks, "a man notable 
 and grave, godly and learned." He died in 
 England, at some date previous to 1590. 
 
 JOHN WINRAM, Superintendent of Fife.— 
 
 Ever since the martyrdom of Patrick Hamilton, 
 in 1527, Fife had been imbued with the reformed 
 doctrines. Gavin Logie, of St. Leonard's College, 
 St. Andrews, was very successful in instilling 
 Protestantism into the students there, and was 
 much assisted by John Winram, then Sub-Prior 
 of the University, and also Prior of Kirkness 
 and Portmoak. Notwithstanding his glimmer- 
 ings of the truth, Winrain did not openly come 
 out of the Romish Church, and so far shared in 
 its persecuting habits as to preach at Wishart'a 
 trial. But his sermon on that occasion, on 
 Matthew xiii., hit as hard at the Romanists as it 
 did at Wishart. Winram seems to have remained 
 in the Roman Catholic Church until the Refor- 
 mation was finally established. He then joined 
 the Reformed Church, and having been declared 
 "fit to preach the Word and minister the 
 Sacraments," was appointed Visitor of St. Sal- 
 
APPENDIX. 93 
 
 vator's College, St. Andrews, and Superintendent 
 of Fife. He was also among those nominated 
 to draw up the Confession of Faith and First 
 Book of Discipline. But he still kept his former 
 ecclesiastical titles, for, in 1578, we find him 
 styling himself u Prior insula Sancti Servani 
 intra Lacum de Levin." He was somewhat 
 slack in the visitations required by his office, 
 and was, in 1569, censured for his negligence in 
 repairing churches. Dr. M'Crie's estimate of 
 Winram's character seems very just, that though 
 his timidity and temporising conduct was often 
 blamed by the Protestants, he was a man of 
 mild disposition, considerable learning, and great 
 influence. 
 
 He was present at the Convention of Leith, 
 1572, called by Morton ostensibly for the settle- 
 ment of the Church, but in reality to introduce 
 the " Tulchan " bishops. At the next General 
 Assembly, in the same year, Winram demitted 
 his superintendentship "of his own free will, 
 requesting them earnestly to provide another in 
 his room." A catechism of his composition 
 belonging to the University of St. Andrews was 
 
94 APPENDIX. 
 
 discovered by Dr. M'Crie. Winram^died at an 
 
 advanced age, on the 29th September, 1582. 
 
 JOHN . CARSEWELL, Superintendent of 
 Argyle. — Respecting the birth and parentage of 
 Carsewell little is known. His name first 
 appears as a student at St. Andrews University 
 in 1541. We do not even know whether he 
 was in orders at the time of his appointment to 
 be Superintendent of Argyle and the Isles, in 
 15 GO, but it is probable that before his nomina- 
 tion to this office he was of some standing for 
 piety and knowledge. He formed an intimacy 
 with Campbell of Kinzeancleugh, of which the 
 following interesting letter alone survives as a 
 memorial : — " Continual assistance of the Spirit 
 of God be with you for salvation. In your 
 letter addressed to me, Beloved Brother in the 
 Lord, it appears you are sinisterlie informed 
 towards me, because you write as menacing 
 something against me. . . . As for your brother 
 George's sickness, the Lord comfort him . . . the 
 Minister of Edinburgh, and Superintendent of 
 Glasgow, has written to me that they will excuse 
 
APPENDIX. 95 
 
 me at the General Assembly, as my presence at 
 Kintyre is needful." This letter impresses us 
 favourably with Carsewell's faithfulness in dis- 
 charging the duties of his office, and his friend- 
 ship with so godly a man as Campbell speaks 
 much for his own religious character. The 
 distance of his province from Edinburgh and 
 the difficulties of journeying thither separated 
 him much from the influence of the periodical 
 Assemblies at headquarters. 
 
 His ecclesiastical position is somewhat vague, 
 as he seems to have accepted at a later time the 
 "Tulchan" bishopric of his district in addition 
 to his less invidious rank of Superintendent, and 
 even to have sat in Parliament on the strength 
 of his Episcopal title. Carsewell is now re- 
 membered chiefly by his Gaelic translation of 
 Knox's Liturgy, published by Lekprevik in 
 15G7, a work alike honourable to himself and 
 useful to the Celtic inhabitants of the wide- 
 spread province placed under his charge. 
 
 LOKIMi: n t AND GILLIES, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. 
 
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