^^^^^^'o^PR^^?c??^^ ^OiOGlCAL SETA^_^ BR 747 .J3 1811 Jamieson, John, 1759-1838. An historical account of the ancient Culdees of lona, HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE -'^ ^' ANCIENT CULDEES OF lONA, AND OF THEIR SETTLEMENTS IN SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, AND IRELAND. JOHN JAMIESON, D.D. F. R.S. & F.A.S.E. EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR JOHN BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, HANOVER-STREET, AND LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, AND C. JAMESON, PATERNOSTER-ROW, LONDON. 1811. Edinburgh : Printed by Jaine& Ballantyne & Company. When the author engaged in this disquisition, it was not with the remotest idea of writing a book on the subject. His sole design was to col- lect a few materials, to be afterwards thrown to- gether, so as to form an article in a literary work, to which he had promised to contribute. But, from the contradictory assertions of learned and able writers, concerning the Culdees ; from the variety of topics regarding their history or cha- racter, which demanded particular attention ; and from the indispensable necessity, in an inquiry of this kind, of producing original authorities; he soon found, that it was in vain to think of giving any tolerable account of this celebrated society within the usual limits of an essay. Various dif- IV PREFACE. ficulties have occurred, indeed, in the progress of this investigation. But, in consequence of perse- vering in it, he has had the satisfaction of meet- ing w^ith facts, which seem to have been formerly overlooked ; and he flatters himself that he has been able to set some others in a new light. Although far from thinking that the work can be free from mistakes, he is conscious that he has done all in his power fairly to exhibit the testi- mony of antiquity on this subject. If it shall ap- pear to the candid reader, that the author has in any measure elucidated this obscure, but import- ant, branch of our ancient history, he will not re-^ gret his labour. Edinbwgh, January 20, 1811. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Of the Name, Culdees. — Conjectures asto its Origin.—Of th^frst preaching of the Gospel in North Britain.— Of the Mission of Palladius.—lona the princi- pal Seat of the Culdees.—Said to have been the immediate Successors of the Druids. - - - - - - 3 CHAPTER 11. Of the coming of Columba into Britain — Cursory View of his Life and Charac- ter.— To be distinguished from Abbot Columban.—Of the Island of lona.— Of the Druids,— Ihe Doctrine of the Culdees, and their Mode of Living. - J3 CHAPTER III. Of the Ecclesiastical Government of the Culdees,— The Account given of this by Bede,—How explained by Bishop Lloyd.— Of Sodora.— Whether a Bishop al- ways resided at Hii. — Usher's Testimonyfrom the Annals of Ulster,— Goodall's Reasoning on this Head. - - - - - 34 CHAPTER IF. Account of the Ecclesiastical Government of the Culdees continued.— Of the Mis- sion of Bishop Aidan to the Northumbrians.— Mistranslations in the modern English Version of Bede,—Of the Senioresat lona.— Whether the Term denoted Bishops, or Presbyters'?— Whether the Culdean Government resembled that of a —; ; ; VI CONTENTS. Modern University ? Of GillaJi's Reasoning.— If the Episcopal Missionaries to Northumbria were amenable to the College of lona ? - . - 57 CHAPTER V. Continuation of the Account of the Ecclesiastical Government of the Culdees.— Bi- shop Lloyd's View of the Ordination of Finan.— Of ttiat of Colman.— Bedels Account of the Ordination of Aidan.— Of the Episcopate of Cedd.— Of the Con- version of' the Saxons by the Scots.— Testimony of the Saxon Chronicle. - 82 CHAPTER VI. Of the priticipal Seats of the Culdees.— Of Abernethy.— Antiquity of this Founda- tion— Of St Bridget. — Whether Abernethy was a Bishopric'?— Of the Univer- sity here.- Of the Collegiate Church.— Property of the Abbey given to that of Aberbrothoc.— Controversy on this Head.— Temporal Lords of Abernethy. 105 CHAPTER riL Monastery of Culdees at Lochlevin.—Of St Serf.— Donations.— Library.—Foun- dation at Dunkeld.— Reliqnes of St Columba transported thither.— Of the Pri- macy ascribed to if.— The Memory of Columba long held in Feneration there.— Motiastic Seal.— Culdees at St Andrews.— Of Regu/us.— Of Constantine.— En- dowments of the Priory.— If originally the Seat of a Bishop ? - - 131 CHAPTER FIIL Of the Culdees of Brechin.— Whether they merely constituted the Episcopal Chap- tej-9— Of those at Dunblane.— Of the supposed Foundation at Muthel,— Of that of Monimusk.— Culdees at Portmoak,— Scone,— Kirkcaldy,— Culross,— Mail- - ros, ------ 152 CHAPTER IX. Of the Monasteries of Crusay and Oronsay.—Of Govan —Abercorn;— Inch- — —Aberlady — and Coldingham.— the first Missionaries colm ; Tyningham Of to the Orkney Islands.— Churches and Chapels dedicated to St Columba. i75 ; ; ; ; ; ; ; — ; ; CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER X. Of the Opposition of the Culdees to the Romish System.—Testimony of Bede; — Coil — Alcuin — Bromton — Auricular — Of Of Of Of Confession ; the Ton- sure — — ; Mode Baptism the Real Presence ; Idolatrous Worship — of ; Super- erogation —the Celibacy — ; Mass ;— Culdees not considered as Brethren by the Ro- manists. - - - - - - - 198 CHAPTER XL The Judgment of the Adherents of Rome concerning the Culdees.— Of the Si/nod of Stroneshalch.—Of Colmnn and Adomnan.— Government not the only Ground of Difference with the Romanists.— Charge brought by Richard of Hexham against the Scots.— Character given of the Culdees by Dr Henry.— Of the Synod of Cealhythe.— Their Character as given by Gibbon.—Of Clemens, Samson, and Virgilius.—Speech of Gilbert Murray. - . _ . 220 CHAPTER XIL Of the Suppression of the Culdees.—Means employed for this Purpose.— Their Promotion to Bishoprics.— Increase of Episcopal Sees.— Preference given to Fo- reigners—Introduction of Canons Regular —at St Andrews — Lochleviti ;—• Dunkeld — Brechin.— Convention between Bishop Malvoisin and the Culdees of Monimusk.—Remarks on it. - - - _ - . _ 24-7. CHAPTER XIII. Suppression of the Culdees at St Andrews.—Preparatory Measures adopted with this View.— Their Controversy with the Canons Regular as to St Mary's Church.— Remarks on Goodall's Account of this.—State of the Culdees at lona.~ Their Subjection to the Authority of Rome, and Expulsion of those who were refrac- tory.—Of the Translation of the Reliques of Adomnan, and of Columba. 277 CHAPTER XIV. Of the Library at lona. —Account given of it by Pennant, from Boece. — Causes assignedfor its Destruction — Devastations by the Danes;— by Edward I.;—by the Reformers;— by Cromwell — during the Period of Persecution.— Books, formerly belonging to it, said to be still extant.— The Culdees preseixed till about 11 viii CONTENTS. the Time the Lollards appeared.—Of the Reformation in Scotland, whether h) Bishops'?— Ofthose called Superintendents. - - - 302 CHAPTER XV. Objections considered.— The supposed Inconsistency of the Monks of lotia sending Bishops, or Improbability of their being applied to for such a Missimi, if un- friendly to the Order.— The Culdees said to have been merely the Episcopal Chap- ter ofthe Diocese in which they resided.— Asserted, that there were never any Cul- dees at lona, or within the Territories of the Ancient Scots; and that they made _ . - theirfirst Appearance at St Andrews. 328 - - - - - JPPEJSIDIX. S61 AN- HISTORICAL ACCOUNT, &c. There is no portion of the Scottish history, which has a higher claim to attention, than that which respects the Culdees. Nor are the natives of Scotland alone interested in it. Whatever be the peculiar influence of national attach- ment, or of local connection, this is a subject which merits the reoard of all who bear the name of Protestants. By various writers, indeed, it has either been industriously con- signed to oblivion, or, if brought into view, grossly misrepre- sented. But, happily, amidst all the obscurity and fable, in which the more early part of our history is involved, such gleams of light now and then break forth, as not only to de- monstrate the existence, but to elucidate the character, of a succession of men, who, while they were an honour to their country, were at the same time an ornament to the christian name. Nor is their claim to attention enfeebled, from the A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF circumstance of their appearing in a remote corner of the earth, as champions for the sin)phciiy of our iaiih, and for the independence of the church, at the very time that error and tyranny had extended their baleful euipireover the con- tinent of Europe. They, in tliis respect, resemble the ftal- denses, who, hid amidst the almost inaccessible retreats of Piedmont, and environed by the natural bulwarks of the Alpine regions, during the same dark period, preserved the truth in its purity, till the time appointed for its more gene- ral dissemination arrived. THE ANCIENT CULDEES. CHAPTER I. Of the Name, Culdees.—Conjectures as to its Origin.—Of the first preaching of the Gospel in North Britain. —Of the Mission of Falladius.—Jona the principal Seat of the Culdees. —Said to have been the immediate Successois of the Druids. The name of Culdees, ofKeldees, was given to abody of religions, who chietly resided in Scotland, Ireland, and some of the adjacent isles. The etymon of the name has exer- cised the ingenuity of the learned. According to Boece and Buchanan, they were called Cul' del, q. Cultores Dei, or worshippers of God, from Lat. colo and Deus.' Spotswood thinks that they were named from the cells in which they lived.* Lloyd, bishop of St Asaph, after saying, that he had not met with the word, in this form, " in any author before the time of Giraldus Cambrensis," justly observes; "Then it Avas a very usual thing to find out Latin derivations for those 'Boeth. Hist. lib. vi. c. 5. Buchanan. Hist. lib. iv. c. 46. Hoc est, Dei cul- tores.