Chapter XXII: The New Order
The Presbytery four days afterwards suspended him from all the functions of the ministry. Very soon after the offender sent them a petition, with which they were not satisfied, especially as he had not submitted to their edict of suspension. They ordered his suspension, therefore, to be proclaimed in the church of Paisley, and “ordained Mr. John Hay and Patrick Hamilton to travell for taking up of the variance betwixt him and Gavin Stewart, and to report their diligence.” The minister again approached them, and this time they were satisfied with his penitence, and resolved to restore him to his office, and instructed one of their brethren from the pulpit of the church to “warne all gentlemen and elders within the parochin of Paisley to be present on the 16th inst. with the brethren to advise upon the forme of his repossession.” These worthies accordingly met together, and resolved that the erring Mr. Andro should be reponed in the following manner:—“The said Mr. Andro shall sit in the maist patent place of the Kirk of Paislay upon Sunday next to come, before noon, being the 19th day of November, and thereafter that Mr. John Hay, appointed by the brethren to supply the place, has delated the fault and offence of the said Mr. Andro to the people, the said Mr. Andro, in all humiliation, shall confess his offence to God, the brethren, and the party offendit, and shall get down upon his knees, and ask God's mercie for the same—the same being done, the bailies and sum honest men of the parochin shall receive him by the hand.” Let us hope his own experience of discipline made him more tender in administering it to others. [23]
Mr. Knox was appointed in 1605 to the Bishopric of the Isles. He came to the Presbytery and asked leave of absence for four or five weeks that he might visit his new diocese, promising on his return to demit either the bishopric or the parish of Paisley. He continued absent for many months, and when he came back shewed no inclination to fulfil his promise. The Bailies of Paisley, and James, Earl of Abercorn, accordingly complained to the Presbytery of the minister's absence, and the desolate state of the church for want of service. The Presbytery had many interviews with the minister, who shewed every intention of remaining a pluralist as long as he was able. He offered to provide for a second minister as a coadjutor, but this offer was not accepted. After much negotiation, however, he was induced to demit his charge, and Mr. Patrick Hamilton, who was minister of Lochwinnoch, was chosen, and inducted to the Abbey in December, 1607. The Bishop then retired to the diocese of the Isles, where he maintained his warlike character. [24] He was afterwards translated to the See of Raphoe, in Ireland.
We know but little of what happened at Paisley for some time after the demission of the Bishop. On his removal the strict repressive measures which he enforced were relaxed, for when we come upon the history of Paisley again we find Roman Catholicism once more shewing itself. The next minister of whom we know anything had as troublous a time there as any of his predecessors. The Abercorn family seem always to have had a warm side to the old faith, and the traditions of the Monastery, and stories of the kindness and hospitality of its inmates, between whom and the people of Paisley there had always existed the closest intimacy, would be handed down from father to son. At anyrate, nearly one hundred years after the Reformation, and notwithstanding all the persecutions of the Presbytery, we find Paisley described, in the words of a most reliable writer, as a “very nest of Papists.” It is a curious circumstance that it continued Catholic so long after other parts of Scotland.
[23] He had previously made an humble apology to the bailies.
[24] In 1614 he invaded Islay with 70 men to attack the Highland robber “Coll Kittoch”—See Pitcairn's Criminal Trials.