George Wishart (c. 1513 -- 1 March 1546) was
a Scottish religious reformer and Protestant martyr. Died at 33 as did
Christ
WISHART, GEORGE, a
distinguished protestant martyr, was probably the son of James Wishart,
of Pitarro, justice-clerk to James V. He is supposed to have studied at
Montrose, where he himself gave instructions for some time in the Greek
language; a circumstance which, considering the state of Greek learning
in Scotland at the time reflects distinguished honour on his literary
character. But there were men in power by whom it was reckoned heresy to
give instructions in the original language of the New Testament. Owing
to the persecution he received from the bishop of Brechin and cardinal
Beaton, he left the country in 1538. His history during the three
following years is little known. It appears that, having preached at
Bristol against the worship and mediation of the Virgin, he was
condemned for that alleged heresy, recanted his opinions, and burnt his
fagot in the church of St Nicholas in that city. Probably he afterwards
travelled on the continent. In 1543, he was at Cambridge, as we learn
from the following description quoted by the biographer of Knox, [Dr
M’Crie, Life of Knox.] from a letter of Emery Tylney. "About the yeare
of our Lord a thousand, five hundreth, forty and three, there was, in
the university of Cambridge, one Maister George Wishart, commonly called
Maister George of Bennet’s colledge, who was a tall man, polde headed,
and on the same a round French cap of the best. Judged of melancholye
complexion by his physiognomie, black haired, long bearded, comely of
personage, well spoken after his country of Scotland, courteous, lowly,
lonely, glad to teach, desirous to learne, and was well travailed.
Having on him for his habit or clothing never but a mantill frieze gowne
to the shoes, a black milliard fustian dublet, and plain black hosen,
coarse new canvasse for his shirtes, and white falling bandes and cuffes
at the hands. All the which apparell he gave to the poore, some weekly,
some monthly, some quarterly, as he liked; saving his French cappe,
which he kept the whole year of my being with him. He was a man, modest,
temperate, fearing God, hating covetousnesse; for his charitie had never
ende, night, noone, nor daye. He forbare one meale, one day in four for
the most part, except something to comfort nature. Hee lay hard upon a
pouffe of straw, coarse new canvasse sheetes, which, when he changed, he
gave away. He had commonly by his bedside a tubbe of water, in the which
(his people being in bed, the candle put out, and all quiet) hee used to
bathe himself. He taught with great modestie and gravitie, so that some
of his people thought him severe, and would have slaine him; but the
Lord was his defence. And hee, after due correction for their malice, by
good exhortation, amended them, and he went his way. O that the Lord had
left him to me his poore boy, that he might have finished that he had
begunne! His learning, no less sufficient than his desire, always prest
and readie to do good in that he was able, both in the house privately,
and in the school publikely, profusing and reading diverse authors."
Wishart returned to
Scotland in July, 1543, in company with the commissioners who had been
despatched for the negotiation of the marriage treaty with Henry VIII.
[Knox, in his Historie of the Reformation, says 1544; but it is
satisfactorily proved that the commissisoners returned in 1543; and
hence, as it is more likely that a mistake would arise in the date than
in the circumstance, we assume the latter year, as a correction upon
Knox’s statement.] From these individuals, many of whom were attached to
the reformed doctrines, he had probably received assurances of safety
for his person: it is at least certain that, from the time of his
entering the country till his death, he was under their protection, and
usually in the presence of one or more of them. The chief laymen of the
protestant party at this period were the earls Cassillis, Glencairn, and
Marischal, Sir George Douglas, and the lairds of Brunstain, Ormiston,
and Calder. They were in secret alliance with the king of England, and,
at his instigation, several of them formed designs for assassinating
cardinal Beaton, whose powerful genius was the chief obstacle to their
views.
Thus countenanced,
Wishart preached to large audiences in Montrose and Dundee, causing, at
the latter of these places, the destruction of the houses of the Black
and Grey friars. The authorities having interfered to preserve the
peace, Wishart left the town, but not till he had given a public
testimony to the friendly nature of his intentions, and the danger that
would be incurred by those who refused to hear the truth which he
proclaimed. He then proceeded to the west of Scotland, and for some time
preached successfully. But in the town of Ayr, he found the church
preoccupied by the bishop of Glasgow; in consequence of which he
proceeded to the market-cross, "where," says Knox, " he made so notable
a sermon, that the very enemies themselves were confounded." He also
preached frequently at Galston and Bar. At Mauchline he was prevented
from officiating, by the sheriff of Ayr "causing to man the church, for
preservation of a tabernacle that was there beautiful to the eye."
Wishart, refusing to yield to the solicitations of some who urged him to
enter forcibly, exclaimed, "Christ Jesus is as mighty upon the fields as
in the church; and I find that he himself, after he preached in the
desert, at the sea-side, and other places judged profane then, he did so
in the temple of Jerusalem. It is the word of peace that God sends by
me—the blood of no man shall be shed this day for the preaching of it."
Thereafter he preached in the neighbourhood, so as to produce a
wonderful reformation on a gentleman of abandoned character. But while
engaged in this part of Scotland, he heard that the plague was raging in
Dundee. The devoted preacher hastened thither. In the midst of the
disease and misery of the people, he preached so as to be heard both
within and without the town, many of the sick being beyond the gate, on
these appropriate words, "He sent his sword and healed them;"
adding, "It is neither herb nor plaster, O Lord, but thy word healeth
all." This discourse produced a very general and powerful impression. He
continued to preach and visit the sick with singular benevolence; and,
besides the infection of the disease, to which he was constantly
exposed, he was, on one occasion, liable to danger from a priest, who
had been commissioned to assassinate him. The people, on discovering the
dagger which he held in his hand at the conclusion of one of Wishart’s
sermons, were inflamed with passion, but the latter embraced him, with
these friendly words, "whosoever troubles him shall trouble me, for he
hath hurt me in nothing; but he hath done great comfort to you and me,
to wit, he hath let us to understand what we may fear: in times to come
we will watch better." The truth appears to be, that Beaton, being fully
apprized of the designs of Wishart’s friends against his own life, had
thought proper to form similar designs against that of a preacher who
was perpetually in the company, and inall probability in the
confidence of his own enemies, and whose eloquence was threatening his
church with destruction. Whether this was the case or not, there can be
no doubt that the cardinal now made all possible efforts to apprehend
Wishart. The preacher, therefore, never moved in any direction without a
tried adherent, who bore a two-handed sword before him; nor did he ever
preach except under a strong guard of friendly barons and their
retainers. Knox at one time officiated in the character of sword.bearer
to his friend.
From Dundee he returned
to Montrose, where he spent some time, occupied partly in preaching,
"but most part in secret meditation." At Dundee, which he now revisited,
he uttered a memorable prediction of future glory to the reformed church
in Scotland. "This realm," said he," shall be illuminated with the light
of Christ’s gospel as clearly as ever any realm since the days of the
apostles. The house of God shall be builded in it; yet it shall not
lack, whatsoever the enemy may imagine in the contrary, the very
kepstone." For this and other anticipations of the future, Wishart
received the credit of a prophet among his followers; nor have writers
been wanting in the present age to maintain that he really possessed
this ideal accomplishment. It is impossible, however, for a reasonable
mind to see anything in the above prediction, beside the sanguine
expectations of a partisan respecting his own favourite objects. As for
the rest of Wishart’s predictions, which generally consisted in the
announcement of coming vengeance, Mr Tytler, who enjoyed the advantage
of a closer inspection of the secret history of the period, than any
preceding writer, presents the following theory, [History of Scotland,
v. 414.] to which we can see little chance of any valid objection being
started:—"He enjoyed, it is to be remembered, the confidential intimacy,
nay, we have reason to believe that his councils influenced the conduct,
of Cassillis, Glencairn, Brunstain, and the party which were now the
advisers of Henry’s intended hostilities; a circumstance which will
sufficiently account for the obscure warnings of the preacher, without
endowing him with inspiration." It is to be remarked that in calling
upon the people to embrace the reformed doctrines, and threatening them
with temporal destruction if they refused, he was speculating only upon
the natural course of events: he must have known that to continue
attached to the ancient faith, which was equivalent to a resistance
against the English match, was sure to bring the vengeance of Henry upon
the country, while an opposite conduct was calculated to avert his
wrath.
While at Dundee, Wishart
received a message from the earl of Cassillis and the gentlemen of Kyle
and Cunningham, requesting him to meet them in Edinburgh, where they
intended to make interest that he should have a public disputation with
the bishops. On arriving at Leith, he did not, as expected. immediately
find his friends, so that, "beginning to wax sorrowful in spirit," from
the inactive life to which he was submitting, he preached in Leith, from
which, as the governor and cardinal were expected in Edinburgh, he went
to the country, residing successively in Brunstain, Longniddry, and
Ormiston, the proprietors of which, as well as many other gentlemen of
Lothian, were zealous in the cause of reformation. At this time he
preached, with much effect in Inveresk and Tranent, and, during the
holidays of Christmas, 1545, he proceeded to Haddington. Here he
preached several sermons. Before delivering the last of them, he
received information that the conference to which he had been invited in
Edinburgh could not be fulfilled. This greatly distressed him, and the
smallness of his audience on the present occasion added to his
depression. Having for more than half an hour walked about in front of
the high altar, he proceeded to the pulpit, where his sermon commenced
with the following words: "O Lord, how long shall it be that thy holy
word shall be despised, and men shall not regard their own salvation? I
have heard of thee, Haddington, that in thee would have been, at any
vain clerk play, two or three thousand people; and now to hear the
messenger of the Eternal God, of all the town or parish, cannot be
numbered one hundred persons. Sore and fearful shall the plagues be that
shall ensue upon this thy contempt; with fire and sword shalt thou be
plagued." He then proceeded to particularize the kind of troubles which
should fall on Haddington, and which actually did befall it shortly
afterwards. Parting with several of his friends, and even with John
Knox, to whom, on his wishing to accompany him, he said, "Nay, return to
your children, and God bless you; one is sufficient for one sacrifice,"
he went, with the proprietor, to Ormiston. At night, the earl of
Bothwell came to the house, and, intimating the approach of the governor
and the cardinal, advised Ormiston to deliver Wishart to him, promising
that he should be safe. Wishart was willing to accede to these terms.
"Open the gates," said he, "the blessed will of my God be done."
Bothwell’s promises were renewed, and his attendants joined him in his
protestations. But they proceeded with Wishart to Elphinston, where
Beaton was; and the preacher, having been sent to the capital, and
thence brought back to Hailes, lord Bothwell’s seat, was at last
committed to ward in the castle of Edinburgh. He was soon after sent to
St Andrews, by the cardinal, who, assisted by Dunbar, archbishop of
Glasgow, prepared for the trial of the reformer.
On the 1st of March,
1545-6, the dignitaries of the church assembled at St Andrews, when
Beaton, being refused the presence of a civil judge by the governor,
determined to proceed on his own authority. The alleged heretic, being
arraigned on a series of charges, defended himself meekly but firmly,
and with a profound knowledge of scripture. The result, as was to be
expected, was his condemnation to the stake. On the 28th, he was led
from the prison, with a rope about his neck, and a large chain round his
middle, to the place of execution, in front of the castle, which was the
archi-episcopal palace of the cardinal. "Here a scaffold had been
raised, [We here quote the animated description of Mr Tytler.]with a high stake firmly fixed in the midst of it. Around it were
piled bundles of dry faggots; beside them stood an iron grate containing
the fire; and near it the solitary figure of the executioner. Nor did it
escape the observation of the dense and melancholy crowd which had
assembled, that the cannon of the fortress were brought to bear directly
on the platform, whilst the gunners stood with their matches beside
them; a jealous precaution, suggested perhaps by the attempt of Duncan
to deliver the martyr Hamilton, and which rendered all idea of rescue in
this case perfectly hopeless. On arriving at the place, Wishart beheld
these horrid preparations, which brought before him the agony he was to
suffer, with an unmoved countenance; mounted the scaffold firmly, and
addressed a short speech to the people, in which he exhorted them not to
be offended at the word of God, by the sight of the torments which it
seemed to have brought upon its preacher, but to love it, and to suffer
patiently for it any persecution which the sin of unbelieving men might
suggest. He declared that he freely forgave all his enemies, not
excepting the judges who had unjustly condemned him." Having signified
his forgiveness to the executioner, he was tied to the stake, and the
flame began to encompass the holy martyr. "It torments my body," said he
to his friend, the captain of the castle, "but no way abates my spirit;"
then, looking up to a window, from which the cardinal was contemplating
the scene, he said, "He who, in such state, from that high place,
feedeth his eyes with my torments, within a few days shall be hanged out
at the same window, to be seen with as much ignominy, as he now leaneth
there in pride." On this, the executioner drew a cord which had been
fastened round the neck of the sufferer, who shortly afterwards expired
amidst the flames. The prediction of the dying martyr was literally
fulfilled within three months after, by the violent and ignominious
death of his persecutor. The admirable biographer of Knox and Melville
has recorded this just and comprehensive eulogium on the character of
the martyr:—"Excelling," says Dr M’Crie, "the rest of his countrymen at
that period in learning; of the most persuasive eloquence;
irreproachable in life, courteous and affable in manners; his fervent
piety, zeal, and courage in the cause of truth, were tempered with
uncommon meekness, modesty, patience, prudence, and charity."
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