John Welsh was a Scottish Presbyterian leader. He was born in Dumfriesshire and attended the University of Edinburgh to obtain his MA in 1588. He became a minister in Selkirk and married Elizabeth Knox,a daughter of John and Margaret Knox,before leaving Selkirk. Welsh later ministered at Kirkcudbright and Ayr,the latter of which was where he spent five years. His preaching resulted in his imprisonment by the order of King James VI of Scotland. The lawyer Thomas Hamilton wrote to James VI about Welsh,John Forbes,and others;the case was important because many Scottish subjects of James were devoted to the ministers. In 1606 Welsh was exiled to France,where he continued to preach. John Welsh of Ayr was the father of Josias Welsh and the grandfather of John Welsh of Irongray.
David Calderwood was a Scottish minister of religion and historian. Calderwood was banished for his nonconformity. He found a home in the Low Countries,where he wrote his great work,the Altare Damascenum which was an attack on Anglican episcopacy. He was present at the Glasgow Assembly in 1638,and saw episcopacy and the high church liturgy swept away from the Church of Scotland. He died at Jedburgh,a fugitive from his parish of Pencaitland;and buried in the churchyard of Crailing,where the first years of his ministry were spent.
Robert Pont (1529–1606) was a Church of Scotland minister,judge and reformer. He was a church minister and commissioner and a Senator of the College of Justice.
John Douglas was Protestant Archbishop of St. Andrews from 1571 to 1574. As was tradition from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries,the Archbishop also took on the role of Chancellor of the University of St Andrews,as the University had strong links with the Pre-Reformation church.
John Winram was a 16th-century Scottish priest and ecclesiastical reformer. He was born in 1492,the son of one James Winram of Ratho and his wife Margaret Wilkie. He obtained a Bachelor's Degree (1515),a Master's Degree and a Doctorate (1541) from St Leonard's College,University of St Andrews.
John Durie (1537–1600) was one of the first Presbyterian ministers in Edinburgh after the Reformation in Scotland.
John Duncanson was a Scottish minister,one of the Roman Catholic clergymen who willingly converted to the Protestant doctrines at the Reformation. He was reputed to have lived to be nearly 100 years old. He was as the President of St Leonard's College,St Andrews in 1556,around the time that he accepted the reformed faith. He held this position until 1566. He was the minister at Stirling in 1560.
Patrick Galloway was a Scottish minister,a Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1590,and again in 1602. Having been completely gained over by the Court party he used all his influence in forwarding the views of the King for the introduction of Episcopacy.
Walter Balcanquhall (1548–1617),was one of the first Presbyterian ministers in Edinburgh after the Reformation in Scotland.
David Fergusson or Ferguson was a Scottish reformer and minister of the Church of Scotland. He twice served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland:1573 and 1578.
John Craig was a Reformer,and colleague of John Knox. Originally a Dominican,he became a Church of Scotland minister with significant extra responsibilities and played an influential part in the Scottish Reformation.
Andrew Simson (c.1526–c.1591) was a Scottish minister and schoolmaster.
John Davidson (c.1549–1603) was born in Dunfermline,where his parents owned property in houses and lands. He entered St Leonard's College,St Andrews,in 1567,and after graduating,became a regent of the college,pursuing the study of theology. Being introduced to John Knox,he set himself to advance the cause of the Reformation,and one of his earliest services was the production of a play intended to expose the errors of Romanism,which was acted in Knox's presence. In 1573 there appeared from his pen Ane Breif Commendation of Uprightness,a poem in praise of Knox,with accompanying verses on the Reformer's death. Soon after,another poetical tract was issued anonymously,under the title of Ane Dialog,or Mutitait Talking betwixt a Clerk and ane Courteour,concerning foure Parische Kirks till ane Minister. This was a reflection on the Regent Morton,who had been uniting parishes under one minister to secure part of the benefices for himself. The Regent was deeply offended. Printer and poet were put in prison. On his liberation,he lay hid for a time at Kinzeaneleugh,Ayrshire,the residence of his friend Robert Campbell. He then retired to the Continent,where he remained for about three years. In 1577,at the urgent solicitation of the General Assembly,Morton permitted his return,and in 1579 he became minister of Liberton. In June 1581,Morton being under sentence of death was visited by Davidson. Going for a time to London,he became known at the English Court,and from the earnest style of his preaching was called the thunderer. Returning,he did not resume his charge at Liberton,but officiated in various places. and acted as minister of the Second Charge of Holyrood. In 1595 he became minister Prestonpans,and built a church and manse at his own expense. He vigorously resented the proposal that certain of the clergy should sit and vote in Parliament,and words that he then uttered were often repeated :"Busk him,busk him as bonnily as ye can,and bring him in as fairly as ye will,we see him well eneuch,we see the horns of his mitre." He was summoned before King James at Holyrood,and committed to Edinburgh Castle,but released,and allowed to return home,though interdicted from going beyond the bounds of his parish. He died in September 1604.
Patrick Simson (1566-1618) was a presbyterian minster who served in Stirling during the reign of James VI of Scotland. Despite his opposition to Episcopalianism,he had the respect of king James and several of his court. He was born in Perth in 1556. He was from a prominent church family and was the son of Andrew Simson,minister of Dunbar. He was educated at St. Mary's College,St Andrews,graduating with an M.A. in 1574. He became a reader at Borthwick and completed his education at Bridgestock in England stopping there while intended for Cambridge as he met a gentleman who allowed him use of his library. He was admitted to Spott in 1577 and translated to Cramond in 1582. He was admitted to the vicarage there on 30 August 1586. He was translated and admitted to Stirling on 7 August 1590. He was presented by James VI on May 1591. When preaching before the King in 1598 he exhorted him to beware "lest he drew on himself secret wrath by setting up manifest idolatry." Immediately after the sermon his Majesty arose and "forbade him to meddle in these matters." He was a member of twelve out of fifteen Assemblies held prior to 1610. Simson was proposed by Assembly of 1606 "Constant Moderator" of Presbytery,but he lost to James Nicolson. He drew up a Protest to Parliament against the introduction of Episcopacy on 1 July 1606. He was chosen as Moderator of Conference at Falkland on 15 June 1608. Simson was offered a bishopric and pension by the King,but frequent attacks of disease broke down his constitution,and he died on 31 March 1618.
Andrew Duncan was a Latin scholar and Church of Scotland minister at Crail. He achieved notoriety for his presbyterian principles which brought him into conflict with James VI who wished to impose an episcopalian system. He attended the General Assembly of Aberdeen in 1605 which had been proscribed or prorogued by royal authority and was one of six ministers who were imprisoned and later exiled as a result. He was allowed to return after several years in France but was subsequently banished again following further controversy in failing to comply with the Five Articles of Perth. He died in exile in Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1626.
John Sharp was a theologian and Church of Scotland minister. He achieved notoriety for his presbyterian principles which brought him into conflict with James VI who wished to impose an episcopalian system. Sharp graduated with an M.A. from St Andrews in 1592. He was admitted to Kilmany in 1601. He was one of those who,in opposition to the Royal command,attended the General Assembly of Aberdeen. For this he and five other ministers were committed to the Castle of Blackness on 2 August. He was brought before the Privy Council at Perth on 27 August and interrogated as to the constitution of the Assembly. Not giving satisfactory answers they were tried before the Justiciary Court at Linlithgow on 10 January 1606,on a charge of treason,found guilty,and banished for life. On 23 October Sharp went to Bordeaux and became Professor of Theology in the University of Die,but would probably have returned to Scotland had honourable terms of reconciliation been offered him. In 1630 he was compelled to leave France at the instance of Cardinal Richelieu,the Prime Minister,who had grown jealous of Sharp's reputation as a Protestant teacher. Sharp was appointed Professor of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh on 17 November 1630. He died about 1647,aged 75.
Alexander Strachan was church of Scotland minister. He was exiled following the General Assembly of Aberdeen for not retreating from his presbyterian principles.
Archibald Simpson,born in 1564,was a Christian minister,author and poet in Scotland.
James Carmichael (1542/3–1628) was the Church of Scotland minister and an author known for a Latin grammar published at Cambridge in September 1587 and for his work revising the Second Book of Discipline and the Acts of Assembly. In 1584,Carmichael was forced to seek shelter in England along with the Melvilles and others. Andrew Melville called him "the profound dreamer." Robert Wodrow said that "a great strain of both piety and strong learning runs through his letters and papers." Dr. Laing says there is every probability that " The Booke of the Universall Kirk " was compiled by Carmichael. The James Carmichaell collection of proverbs in Scots was published by Edinburgh University in 1957 which includes some proverbs also collected by David Ferguson.
Andrew Hay of Renfield (c.1540–1593) was a Scottish minister who served twice as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in both 1573/4 and 1580/1. From 1569 to 1586 he was also Rector of the University of Glasgow.
