McDougall, Jamie Murdoch (2018) Covenants and Covenanters in Scotland 1638–1679. PhD thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/9120/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work 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 Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Covenants and Covenanters in Scotland 1638–1679 Jamie Murdoch McDougall MA (Hons), MLitt Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Critical Studies University of Glasgow December 2017 Word count: 100,402 © Jamie McDougall 2017 Abstract This thesis investigates how Covenanting in Scotland was understood at local and grassroots level from the inception of the 1638 National Covenant to the suppression of Covenanting in the 1660s and 1670s. It explores the complexity of Covenanting ideas and the relationship between Covenanting, Royalism, Presbyterianism, and Episcopacy and assesses how local communities experienced Covenanting and acted on their beliefs from 1638 to 1679. At the heart of the analysis is an examination of extant kirk session and presbytery records at significant moments in the early and later Covenanting periods. This thesis advocates a departure from viewing Covenanting as a coherent movement. Rather moments, national and personal, corporate and individual, dictated the ways in which people interpreted their Covenants. The Covenant subscriptions of 1638 and 1643, the implementation of the Directory for Public Worship in 1645, the Engagement crisis of 1647–49, the Cromwellian invasion of 1650–52, and the Glencairn rising of 1653–55 are all assessed in the first part of this thesis as moments in which Covenanting ideas at grassroots level are evident. A broad spectrum of Covenanting emerged as what it meant to be a Covenanter was re-evaluated during these moments. People in the localities had an obligation to pursue the aims of the Covenants and the battle for ideological conformity saw wide social engagement, including individuals of low social status and women, in this national venture. After the overturning of Covenanting legislation in 1662 individual moments, such as choosing whether or not to attend communion administered by a conformist minister, or choosing where to have a child baptised, brought Covenanting commitments to the fore. This is the main focus of the second part of this thesis. Those unwilling to participate in the most subversive aspects of Covenanting, attending conventicles in house and field, but unable to denounce their oaths by accepting the legality of the 1662 settlement found ways of negotiating their Covenanting commitments with the practicalities of living and worshiping in Restoration Scotland. This research concludes that Covenanting engendered a wide range of responses from 1638 to 1679 and was not the sole property of conventiclers after the Restoration of Charles II. Crucially, ordinary groups of people, including women, were engaged in Covenanting controversy from the outset through the imposition of oaths, fasts, and celebrations and took action independent of their social superiors when faced with an explicitly anti-Covenanting regime, thus marking a significant watershed in the history of political activism in Scotland. 2 Contents Acknowledgements 4 List of Abbreviations 6 Author’s Declaration 8 Introduction 9 1. Covenanting Ideas 1638–1643 35 2. Local Engagement with Covenanting Controversy 71 1643–1652 3. Royalism, Sectarianism and the Ideological Assault 108 on Covenanting 1652–1662 4. Negotiating Covenanting Commitments: Partial 139 Conformity 1662–1669 5. Indulgences and Nonconformity 1666–1679: 175 New Perspectives Conclusion 200 Bibliography 213 3 Acknowledgements This thesis would never have got off the ground, let alone have been completed on time, without the backing of my incredible supervisors. Scott Spurlock and Karin Bowie have supported me and this thesis since I first came up with the idea back in 2013, helping with funding applications, meeting with me regularly, patiently reading drafts, and encouraging my academic endeavours. It is to Scott and Karin that I would firstly like to express my deep gratitude. Funding for the first year was difficult to obtain, and there are many organisations to thank for getting me through that year. I am extremely grateful to the Theology and Religious Studies department at the University of Glasgow for providing me with a Trinity College scholarship which covered tuition fees. I would also like to thank the Trades House of Glasgow and the McGlashan Charitable Trust for providing me with grants to assist with living costs during my first year. Years two and three were funded by a scholarship from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, administered by the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (grant number: AH/L503915/1). I am grateful to both organisations for their financial support and training opportunities offered throughout these years, including a fully funded internship with the National Library of Scotland. I would also like to thank the many academics and fellow students who have encouraged me throughout my time at Glasgow. Martin MacGregor, Steven Reid, and Karin Bowie offered inspiring teaching throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, encouraging my interest in Scottish History, and I would not have pursued a PhD had it not been for them. Thomas Munck’s Early Modern Work In Progress seminar series and Martin MacGregor’s Gaelic Scotland reading group provided ideal forums for presenting and discussing my work. I would like to thank Robin Urquhart at the National Records of Scotland for providing me with access to the test site for the online church records. Researching this thesis would have been nearly impossible without. I would also like to thank Dr Ulrike Hogg at the National Library of Scotland for allowing me access to the covenants held there. I am grateful to the attendees of the Early Modern Graduate Seminar at Strathclyde University for their insights on chapter four of this thesis. Neil McIntyre has been a huge source of support since we met in my first year, not only through inviting me to the Graduate Seminar at Strathclyde and reading draft chapters, but also through his friendship and willingness to chat about the Covenanters, whisky, politics, and football. 4 My family have always backed my decision to pursue a PhD, for which I am eternally grateful. I would like to thank my parents, Catriona and Hamish, for always believing in me throughout my studies and providing financial support during my undergraduate and Masters degrees. I am also extremely grateful to Foy Sellar for his generous financial support which enabled me to live in Glasgow while doing my Masters. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Elizabeth, and our three guinea pigs, Niko, Lola, and Poppy, for keeping up my morale and always putting a smile on my face when I needed it most. This thesis is dedicated to Elizabeth for her consistent practical, emotional, and spiritual support since day one. 5 List of Abbreviations Baillie, Letters Baillie, Robert, The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie A.M. Principal of the University of Glasgow 1637-1662, 3 volumes, ed. David Laing (Edinburgh, 1841-1842). Brodie, Diary The Diary of Alexander Brodie of Brodie, 1652-1680. And of his son James Brodie of Brodie 1680-1685. Consisting of Extracts from the Existing Manuscripts, And a Republication of the Volume Printed at Edinburgh in the year 1740 (Aberdeen: Spalding Club, 1863). Fasti Hew Scott, Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae: The succession of ministers in the church of Scotland from the reformation, 7 vols. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1915 – 1928). Firth, S and C Scotland and the Commonwealth: Letters and Papers relating to the Military Government of Scotland from August 1651 to December 1653, ed. C.H. Firth (Edinburgh: T and A Constable, 1895). Firth, S and P Scotland and the Protectorate: Letters and Papers relating to the Military Government of Scotland from January 1654 to June 1659, ed. C.H. Firth (Edinburgh: T and A Constable, 1899). Nicoll, Diary A Diary of Public Transactions and other Occurrences chiefly in Scotland, from January 1660 to June 1667 by John Nicoll (Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club, 1836). NLS National Library of Scotland. NRS National Records of Scotland. RCGA The Records of the Commissions of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 3 volumes (Edinburgh: Scottish History Society, 1892-1909). 6 Row, Life of Blair The Life of Mr Robert Blair, Minister of St Andrews, containing his autobiography from 1693 to 1636, with supplement to his life, and continuation of the history of the times to 1680 by his son-in-law William Row minister of Ceres, ed. Thomas M’Crie (Edinburgh: Wodrow Society, 1848). RPC Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, series 1-3, ed. David Masson, P. Hume Brown, et al. (Edinburgh: General Register House, 1881-1933). RPS The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, eds. K. M. Brown et al (St Andrews, 2007-2009) <www.rps.ac.uk> SHR Scottish Historical Review. SHS Scottish History Society. Wariston, Diary Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston, 3 volumes, ed. George Morison Paul, David Hay Fleming, and James D. Ogilvie (Edinburgh: T and A Constable for SHS, 19191- 1940). Wodrow, History Wodrow, Robert, The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, from the Restauration to the Revolution, 2 volumes (Edinburgh: James Watson, 1721-22). 7 Author’s Declaration I declare that, except where explicit reference is made to the contribution of others, this thesis is the result of my own work and has not been submitted for any other degree at the University of Glasgow or any other institution.