Miscellaneous writings chiefly historical Author:Thomas M'Crie Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LIFE OF PATRICK HAMILTON, THE PROTO-MARTYR OF THE REFORMATION IN SCOTLAND/ Situated at a distance from the rest of Europe, and having then little intercour... more »se with the neighbouring kingdom of England, Scotland remained ignorant of those opinions which had excited so much interest in other nations, during a period of ten years after the appearance of Luther. The Lollards of the west either being extirpated, or concealing their sentiments, not a tongue had for a long time been moved against the clergy, who, undisturbed and unsuspicious, enjoyed their rich possessions, and indulged their secular ambition. Not that men were blind to the vices which generally disgraced that order, or altogether insensible of the abuses in religion which they had introduced and supported ; but the dread of the power with which the Church was armed suppressed every murmur; and a reformation was the object of faint desire, rather than of expectation, even with those who were convinced of its necessity. At length, Providence raised up a man, singularly qualified as an instrument for arousing the minds of his countrymen, and opening their eyes upon that system of error and superstition by which they were enslaved and deluded. Originally published in the Christian Magazine for January 1806. Patrick Hamilton was sprung of a noble stock, and nearly allied, both by the paternal and maternal side, to the royal family of Scotland. His father, Sir Patrick Hamilton of Kincavil, was a son of Lord Hamilton, who was married to a sister of James III., and brother of the Earl of Arran. His mother was a daughter of John, Duke of Albany, brother to the same monarch. Sir Patrick Hamilton of Kincavil was captain of the castle of Blackness, and one of the most accomplished knights in Scotland. He was slain in 15...« less