Chapter XIX: Dissolution of the Monastery, 1547-1571
The Archbishop probably foresaw that the evil day might not be far off, and that, by the Abbey being in lay hands, something might be saved from the general ruin. [6] Whether he did so or not, he shewed no trace of fear, though the storm soon began to rage wildly around him. His Abbey of Paisley was attacked by men of Lennox, [7] a district which had become Protestant; Knox was thundering against the Church; monasteries were being burned ; the Lords of the Congregation were in arms ; but Hamilton maintained a determined front. When Knox threatened to preach in St. Andrews, the Archbishop sent him word, by Robert Colville of Cleish, “that in case he presented himself at the preaching place in his town and principal church, he should gar him be saluted by a dosane of culverings, quherof the most part should light upon his nose.” [8] The Reformer persisted despite this threat, and the Archbishop had to give way. This was in 1559. In the same year the reformers appear to have again visited the Abbey. Sadler, the English Ambassador, writes that he had been told by one Whitelaw that “they had suppressed the Abbeys of Paslowe, Kilwinning, and Dunfermling, and burnt all the ymages and ydolls and popish stuff in the same.” [9] What this meant we know well. It has been described by Sir Walter Scott with his wonderful power. [10] “They fumigated the church with burnt wool and feathers instead of incense, put foul water into the holy water basins; they sung ludicrous and indecent parodies to the tunes of church hymns; they violated whatever vestments belonging to the Abbey they could lay their hands upon; and playing every freak which the whim of the moment could suggest to their wild caprice. At length they fell to more lasting deeds of demolition, pulled down and destroyed carved woodwork, dashed out the painted windows, and in their vigorous search after sculpture dedicated to idolatry, began to destroy what ornaments yet remained entire upon the tombs and around the cornices of the pillars.” So the great master brings the scene on that autumn day at Paisley before us. The adornments of the church were broken down; the treasures of Thomas Tervas despoiled; the tombs of kings broken, and destroyed as idols, and the peaceful brotherhood scattered. Who the invaders were we do not know. They were probably from Ayrshire or the Lennox. The people of Paisley, who clung tenaciously to the old faith, must have seen the devastation with sorrow. The Sempills do not appear to have come to the rescue. They soon after went over to the successful party, hoping, like too many of their order, to get their reward in the spoil of the Church lands.
On 17th August, 1560, Parliament adopted the Confession of Knox as expressing the religion of the land, and on the 24th of the same month, the Pope's jurisdiction was abolished. To say or hear mass was made a criminal offence,—on the first occasion, to be punished with confiscation of goods, on the second with banishment, and on the third with death. Toleration was no part of the reformed doctrine any more than of the Catholic. The reformers then proceeded to draw up a scheme for the constitution and government of the Church, to be set up on the ruins of the old. It is embodied in the First Book of Discipline, and an ecclesiastical system more unlike that which preceded it could scarcely be imagined. The Archbishop was present in the Parliament which accepted the Confession, but seeing, probably, that opposition was useless, he said little. There was an overwhelming majority arrayed against him, who were prepared to adopt the most violent measures to obtain success. The Archbishop had been, it is supposed, threatened with death if he offered opposition.
[6] See Tytler, Vol. II., p. 159. This practice of saving something from the wreck became afterwards very general.
[7] On the 26th July, 1555, Mat. Stewart, Barscube, and others, twelve persons in all, came to the Monastery of Paslay, by way of hames suken, and there invaded John Hamilton, son of John Hamilton of Ferguslie, grainter of Paslay, for his slaughter, and mutilating his arms, and sundry other crimes.—Pitcaim's Criminal Trials, Vol. I., p. 382.
[8] Knox Hist., Wodrow Society, Vol. I., p. 348.
[9] Sadler, Vol. I., p. 468. The date of this letter is 29th September, 1559.
[10] “Abbot,” chap. xiv.