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Issue No.8 Spring 2002
A Brief History of Scottish Covenanting in the 17th Century
By Cameron Mitchell
Religious covenanting in Scotland originated in the mid-sixteenth century from a
group of Protestant Reformers who, bound by oath, pledged to maintain 'the trew
preaching of the Evangell of Jesus Christ' and to sustain each other in the
defence of their religion. The first formal covenant, written in 1557, signalled
the dawning of the religious (and political) struggle between Episcopacy and
Presbyterianism which continued well over the next hundred years.
It was during the reign of King Charles I, who was determined to make Scotland
'bow down willy-nilly to the episcopal', that the most outstanding covenant in
Scottish history was written. The National Covenant of 1638 attempted to unite
the Scots in opposition of the Episcopal innovations of King Charles I and
William Laud, (Canterbury's infamous Archbishop who urged Charles I to impose
episcopacy), and to oust the king's empire of all heretics and enemies of the
true worship of God, (by the true Kirk of God).
Those Presbyterians who subscribed to the National Covenant resisted to the
death and feared neither 'the foul aspersions of rebellion, combination, or what
else our adversaries from their craft and malice would put upon us, seeing what
we do is well warranted, and ariseth from an unfeigned desire to maintain the
true worship of God, the majesty of our King, and the peace of the kingdom, for
the common happiness of ourselves and our posterity'.
Scotland had disputed the monarch's attempt to establish any form of government
within the national church. This revolt led to the Covenanters successful
resistance against the king's armies during the Bishops' Wars (1639-40).
It was during the English Civil War, three years later, that the Covenanters
defended the parliamentary party on the condition that the English Parliament
would acknowledge the 'Solemn League and Covenant', which granted the
establishment of a Presbyterian state church in England, Scotland and Ireland.
After the first civil war, however, the Independents in the English army
attained the control of affairs and thwarted the implementation of the Covenant.
The Scots, therefore, negotiated an agreement with Charles I, known as the
'Engagement', by which the King would permit Presbyterianism in England if
restored to the throne. As a result, the Covenanters fought for Charles I in the
second civil war.
By the time Charles I was executed in 1648 England and Scotland had separated
until the English used military force to politically reunite them. As England
grew tired of the Puritan domination, Charles I's son redeemed the throne of
England and Scotland as Charles II in 1660. The accession of Charles II and what
followed truly marked the period of the Covenanters.
A decade prior to his Restoration, Charles II swore his oath to both the
National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant in an attempt to retrieve
both the thrones. Through his acceptance of the Dunfermline Declaration, 1650,
he had disassociated himself from his father's discord of Reformation, confessed
his mother's 'Popish idolatry', and vowed his aversion to all 'Popery,
superstition and idolatry, together with Prelacy'. These were subdued, however,
by Oliver Cromwell's conquest of Scotland the following year. Charles II quick
to forsake his oath, in the realisation that he would not defeat the English New
Model Army, resumed his father's stance to impose episcopacy in Scotland.
Charles II proscribed the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant as
high treason, endorsed by Acts of Parliament. The result was a series of new
compacts of resistance by the Covenanters. In 1664 the Royal Prerogative, the
Court of High Commission, and the Star Chamber (Archbishop Lauds' notorious
instrument of repression) were restored. The preceding twenty-five years
witnessed the savage persecution of the non-conformists, Covenanters and the
English Puritans who disapproved of the Clarendon Code (1661-65).
Many Covenanters put their trust in Jesus and struggled prayerfully and
courageously for better days. Though, the murder of Archbishop Sharp of St.
Andrews in 1679 illustrates the state of desperation reached by a small section
of the Covenanting party. The rebellion of 1679, which culminated to routs at
Bothwell Bridge and Drumlog, was met with harsh repression.
On the 22nd of June, 1680, the first anniversary of 'The Battle of Bothwell
Bridge', a group of twenty men rode into the burgh of Sanquhar, led by Richard
Cameron, Richard Coeur-De-Lion, they marched in solemn procession with drawn
swords and pistols in their hands. Richard Cameron, who formed the Cameronian
regiment, was one of the most radical and extremist Covenanters of this period.
Born in 1648, he grew up in the town of Falkland, a region of Scotland where
Episcopalian worship had been imposed. It was after hearing outdoor Presbyterian
preachers that Richard Cameron converted. Because of his natural gift of
oratory, Covenant leaders felt Cameron was called to preach the gospel. And so
he became an open-air preacher. Under the heavy influence of John Welch he
embraced the sternest position of Scottish reformers, denouncing ministers who
accepted the toleration allowed in the Indulgences. Known for his eloquent
appeals for repentance and submission to Christ his sermons attracted thousands.
Richard Cameron had attacked Charles II's new offer of Indulgence savagely. And
it was at Sanquhar where he boldly declared war on him. The Cameronians publicly
made more than one protestation, but the reading of the Sanquhar Declaration at
the market-cross was the greatest in historic interest as being the first scene
in the drama of the revolution, called by non-Covenanters as the 'Glorious
Revolution', in which the reign of the Stuarts was brought to an end.
Five thousand merks were put on Richard Cameron's head and within a short time
he and a little band of supporters were overtaken by royal troops. Cameron and
many of his troops were killed. The Cameronians later took the name of the
Reformed Presbyterians and its denomination is still represented by
congregations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of America.
The 'Killing Times' eventually ended with the overthrow of King James II in
1688, and with the crowning of William and Mary the Presbyterian Church in
Scotland was restored.
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