John Napier of Merchiston’S Plaine Discovery: a Challenge to the Sixteenth Century Apocalyptic
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This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Alexander Corrigan John Napier of Merchiston’s Plaine Discovery: A Challenge to the Sixteenth Century Apocalyptic Tradition Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD, Ecclesiastical History The University of Edinburgh 2014 Abstract This thesis examines John Napier of Merchiston’s 1593 commentary on the Book of Revelation within the context of sixteenth century apocalyptic thought in Scotland and England. Napier is usually remembered as a mathematician and this study aims to contribute to a more complete understanding of the man. Its most important contribution to scholarship is its discussion of Napier’s identification of himself as a conduit for divine revelation, chosen by God to expose the mysteries of scripture in the final age of human history. This placed him in the tradition of reformers like Knox but he differed from them in two crucial ways. Firstly, he broke from the texts that had influenced him by controversially predicting the approximate date of the apocalypse. Some of these works, and responses to Napier’s conclusions, are considered. Secondly, he did not regard a call to ministry as a facet of his prophetic status. Instead, he saw his biblical commentary as the expression of an intellectual gift from God. He employed grandiose eschatological themes to appeal to the highest echelons of society in an attempt to affect religious change. His dedicatory epistle to James VI was a direct correspondence that revealed shared knowledge and experiences. Napier’s approaches to the apocalypse and alchemy stemmed from a worldview that presented him as belonging to an intellectual and moral elite, preordained by God to receive and disseminate hidden knowledge at appointed times. The impact of historical events on the content of his work, including the Spanish Armada, Scottish Reformation and resulting sense of unity between Scotland and England, are assessed. The current biographical understanding of Napier is critiqued. The unique aspects of the Plaine Discovery, including the explicit chronology of salvation history that framed its conclusions, are discussed in detail. i ii Declaration This thesis is of my own composition and is based solely on my own research. It has not been submitted for publication or for another degree or qualification. Signed ................................................. Edinburgh, 2014 iii iv Contents Acknowledgements – xi Conventions – xiii Abbreviations – xv General Introduction – 1 An Introduction to the Plaine Discovery – 4 Structure of the Thesis – 11 Historiography and Approach – 13 The Context of Apocalyptic Thought in Scotland in Napier’s Lifetime – 29 Part I - John Napier of Merchiston: A Short Biography – 37 Chapter 1 - Napier’s Life and Times – 39 Current Biographies of Napier – 40 The Napiers of Merchiston: A Brief History – 44 John Napier’s Early Years – 47 The Problem of Napier’s Youth and Education – 52 Troubles in Scotland – 57 Merchiston and the Civil War – 60 John Napier’s Marriages and Children – 64 A Context of Crisis – 67 Napier’s Dedicatory Epistle to James VI – 71 John Napier and Robert Pont – 77 Later Life and Death – 79 Conclusion – 82 Chapter 2 - Exploding the Myth: Napier the Magician – 85 Alchemy – 86 Popular ‘Napier Myths’ – 89 Napier and Logan – 92 Napier the Astrologer? – 98 Richard Napier: ‘The Warlock of Oxford’ – 99 Other Evidence – 101 The Potential Fruits of an Inventive Mind – 102 Conclusion – 104 v Part II - The Plaine Discovery – 107 Introduction to Part II – 109 Chapter 3 - Napier’s Chronology – 111 Napier’s Chronological Method – 114 The Chronology – 118 Seven Seals – 118 Trumpets/Vials – 121 Napier’s ‘Thundering Angels’ – 125 The Antichrist’s Reign – 129 The Millennium of Satan’s Binding – 132 The Day of Judgement – 134 Conclusion – 139 Chapter 4 - Napier on Rome and the Papacy – 141 The Importance of Rome and the Papacy in the Plaine Discovery – 142 Antichrist – 145 Napier and Bale on the Papacy – 150 Rome as the New Babylon – 159 The Ten-Horned Beast – 162 The Number of the Beast – 167 The Marks of the Beast – 170 Gog, Magog and God’s Punishment of Rome – 173 Napier’s Denunciation of Roman Catholic Doctrine – 176 Pomp, Earthly Wealth and Sex – 179 The Sibylline Oracles – 181 The Potential for Roman Catholic Redemption – 183 Conclusion – 184 Chapter 5 - The Second Edition of the Plaine Discovery – 189 Napier’s Approach to Criticism – 191 Criticisms Addressed by Napier – 192 Conclusion – 195 Chapter 6 - Napier’s Self-Perception – 197 Conclusion to Part II – 203 vi Part III- Protestant Apocalyptic Thought in English before the Plaine Discovery – 207 Introduction to Part III – 209 Chapter 7 - John Bale – The Image of Both Churches – 215 Bale’s Approach to the Revelation – 216 Bale’s Chronology – 218 Seven Seals – 218 The Number of the Beast – 228 The Past Millennium – 230 Conclusion – 232 Chapter 8 - John Knox – 235 Knox and the last age of Human History – 237 Providence and Deliverance – 239 Audience and Historical Context – 242 Knox’s Denunciation of Roman Catholicism – 244 Later Life and Works – 246 An Answer to a Letter Written by James Tyrie, a Scottish Jesuit – 247 Conclusion – 251 Chapter 9 - The 1560 Geneva Bible – 253 The Creation of the Geneva Bible – 255 The Geneva Bible in Scotland – 260 Napier and the Geneva Bible – 261 Technical Features – 261 The Translation – 263 The Book of Revelation – 267 A Chronology in the Geneva Bible? – 271 The Prophecy of Elias – 275 Conclusion – 276 Chapter 10 - James VI’s Fruitfull Meditatioun – 281 James’s Approach to the Revelation – 282 The Besieged Island – 283 James’s Notion of Kingship – 286 Conclusion – 287 Conclusion to Part III – 289 vii Part IV - Two Sixteenth Century Responses to the Plaine Discovery – 293 Introduction to part IV – 295 Chapter 11 - Robert Pont: Treatise of the Right Reckoning of Years – 297 Napier’s Influence on Pont – 299 Conclusion – 303 Chapter 12 - Robert Rollock: Lectures vpon the first and second Epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians - 305 Conflicting Methodologies – 308 The Possibility of a Compromise? – 314 Conclusion – 317 Conclusion to Part IV – 319 General Conclusion – 321 The Plaine Discovery as a response to its Historical Context – 322 The Intellectual and Religious Context of the Plaine Discovery – 324 The Chronology – 331 Napier’s Approach to Rome – 332 Napier’s Approach to Scripture – 334 ‘Viewing’ Napier through the Plaine Discovery – 336 Napier’s ‘Unity of Thought’ – 340 Final Reflections – 343 Bibliography – 347 Appendix 1 - Napier’s Complete Chronology – 361 Appendix 2 - Geneva Bible Title Page – 363 Appendix 3 - Merchiston Tower – 365 Appendix 4 - Mark Napier on the Arms Matrimonial of James VI – 367 viii Illustrations & Text Facsimiles 1. Proposition 17, Plaine Discovery – 6 2. Napier’s Columns of Text – 9 3. John Napier of Merchiston, unknown artist 1616, National Galleries of Scotland – 37 4. John Napier of Merchiston, engraved by W. Geikie – 66 5. Elizabeth Stirling, etched by W. Geikie – 66 6. Napier’s Black Cockerel – 91 7. Rev. John Thomson ‘Fast Castle from Above’ 1823, Scottish National Galleries – 97 8. Richard Napier, unknown artist c.1630, Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology – 100 9. Plaine Discovery: Title Page – 107 10. Facsimile from Bale’s Image of Both Churches f. 69v – 225 11. Comparison between Revelation 1:1-7 in Geneva Bible and the Plaine Discovery – 266 Tables Napier’s Chronology of the Seven Seals – 118 Napier’s Chronology of the Seven Trumpets & Vials – 121 Napier’s Chronology of the Four ‘Thundering Angels’ – 125 ix x Acknowledgements This study would not have been possible without the guidance and support of my supervisor, Professor Jane Dawson who, over the past four years has been a mentor, critic, guide and friend. Dr. Paul Parvis generously provided his expertise on Napier’s ideosyncratic use of Greek. I am indebted to Dr. Patricia Brignall for her excellent Latin classes. John Henry gave important guidance on the ‘unity of thought’ approach that was a central formative influence on this research. Jane Nevins and Matthew Darnley assisted with various computing and I.T. issues and Catherine Field kindly checked records at Exeter College, which saved me what would have been a fruitless trip to Oxford. Similarly, Paul-Henri Allioux of the University of Bordeaux 3 assured me that the matriculation records for the Collège of Guienne have not survived. Sue Nevins kindly translated correspondances into perfenct French for me. I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the staff of the office at New College, who do invaluable work for the School of Divinity; I am especially grateful to Felicity Smail, Karoline McLean and Joanne Cannon, who have been present throughout my postgraduate studies. I would not have been able to undertake a PhD without the generous financial help provided by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Postgraduate Studentship and would like to thank all the staff involved in this scheme, especially Rick Kiralfy. I was fortunate enough to be allocated some hours of tutoring experience, which provided a wonderful experience and additional financial help. I am grateful to Dr. Sarah Parvis, Professor Brian Stanley, Dr Arkotong Longkumer, Dr Jeremy Kidwell and Dr.