Covenanters Time Line- The Scottish Church 1528 - 1690
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1528
Patrick Hamilton, the first martyr burnt at the stake.
Scotland almost totally Catholic, except for followers of John Wycliffe (the Lollards) in the South West of Scotland.
1542 
James V dies.
The baby Mary Stuart becomes Queen of Scots aged one week.
The Reformation takes shape with preaching by George Wishart (martyred in 1546).
1547
John Knox captured by the French and made a galley slave.
Freed in 1547, preaches in England for seven years.
1554
The Earl of Arran (who supported the Reformation), Regent for
the child Mary, hands over to the Catholic French queen mother,
Mary of Guise.
1555 - 6
John Knox visits Scotland but returns to Geneva (comes back in
1559).
1557
Protestant nobility draw up The First Covenant and become known
as the Lords of the Congregation.
Alliance with the Protestant English government of Queen Elizabeth I in 1560.
French military in Scotland expelled.
1560
Knox urges Scottish Parliament to declare the Reformed Faith (Presbyterianism) the national religion.
Popery is condemned and the first General Assembly meets 20 December 1560.
1561
Queen Mary returns and tries to revert to Catholicism.
1567
Queen Mary forced to abdicate in favour of her infant son James VI.
Government by Regents until 1578.
Attempts made to introduce Bishops to the church.
1572 - 4
Knox dies and the mantle of leadership falls on Andrew Melville upon his return from the Continent (1574).
1578
James VI, aged twelve is led by courtiers to resist Presbyterianism. He
wishes to be head of an episcopal church with Bishops controlling it
and the General Assemblies.
1580
Protestant leaders pledge support for the Reformed faith and
discipline in a National Covenant.
1584
Royalist supporters in Parliament enact that no assemblies can take
place without the Kings consent, and all ministers must accept
Bishops as their superiors (repealed in 1592).
1596
The National Covenant of 1580 is renewed and a General
Assembly held at Edinburgh (the last till 1638).
1603 - 18
James VI of Scotland becomes King James I of England and
comes under the influence of English courtiers.
Reintroduces Bishops and exiles leading Presbyterians.
1610 - 30
The Plantation of Ulster, with thousands of Presbyterian Scots
migrating to the Province of Ulster, followed by a gradual build-
up of ministers from Scotland.
1618
By the Articles of Perth tries to make Scottish worship the same
as in England.
1625 - 30
Revivals gather strength in Ireland and Scotland led by the
preaching of Robert Blair in Ireland, John Livingstone and David
Dickson in Scotland.
Charles I succeeds to throne in 1625 and continues
anti-Presbyterian policies with the assistance of Archbishop Laud.
1632
Bishops and Thomas Wentworth persecute Presbyterians in Ireland.
1636
The "Eaglewing" sets sail for Massachusetts September 9, but is forced
back by extreme weather conditions November 3.
1637
New form of service prepared by Laud rejected
Jenny Geddes said to have thrown a stool at the Bishop in St. Giles Church, Edinburgh July 23.
1638
The National Covenant renewed February 28 at Greyfriars Kirk.
King Charles forced to allow a General Assembly which removes the
Bishops and reasserts an independent Presbyterianism.
1639 - 40
King Charles tries to seize control by force but is defeated in both
the First and the Second Bishops' Wars.
1641
Rebellion in Ireland by the native Irish, the Irish Killing Time.
Thousands murdered; very many Protestants flee to Scotland.
General Munro returns with 10,000 Scottish troops in 1642.
Skirmishes rumble on till 1647.
1642 - 3
Civil War in England.
English Puritans and Scottish Presbyterians form an alliance and sign the Solemn League and Covenant in 1643.
1645
Charles defeated at Naseby but there is disagreement about the
treatment of the King that breaks the alliance (the Scots have no
objection to the King provided he doesn't meddle in the church and
its affairs).
1648
Second Civil War in which the Scots fight for the King.
They resent his execution in 1649 and declare his son the lawful heir to the
throne.
1650
Cromwell defeats Scots at Dunbar.
1651
Charles II crowned at Scone.
Cromwell again victor at Worcester and becomes overlord of the three kingdoms for the next nine years.
Presbyterians enjoy reasonable tolerance.
1658
Cromwell dies.
His son Richard takes over but is not successful.
1660
Restoration of Charles II rejects the former allegiance to the
Presbyterians and the Covenant.
He assumes the role of head of
the church and reintroduces the Bishops.
1661
Over 60 Presbyterian ministers ejected from their churches in
Ireland.
1662 - 5
Over 300 ministers thrown out of their churches and begin preaching
in the open field called "coventicles".
Replaced by government
appointed curates.
Attendance at church enforced with fines and
military force.
1666
The Pentland Rising by Presbyterians in Galloway and a march
on Edinburgh routed at Rullion Green November 28.
First show of organised militancy by the Covenanters.
Excuse for greater
persecution.
1669
An Act of Indulgence offers some relief but splits the
Presbyterians into the "indulged" and the "not indulged".
1670
Conventicles banned and deemed treasonable, death penalty for
ministers preaching at them.
Conventicles start to be armed.
1679
Another rising in Galloway results a minor battle at Drumclog on June 1 and victory for the Covenanters. But they fail to take
advantage of the moment and do not seize Glasgow.
Bickering
and stubborness by their leader, Sir Robert Hamilton, splits the forces
who lose the help of the "indulged", and are beaten at Bothwell
Brig on June 22.
1680
The extremists begin to hold that by breaking his oaths made at
Scone in 1651 the King had forfeited all rights to civil obedience.
Led by Richard Cameron and Donald Cargill armed resistance
becomes a tactic.
Declaration of Sanquhar by Cameron June 22.
1684 - 5
The Killing Time.
Suspects executed on the spot without trial.
Some 31 executions in Edinburgh and 113 known executions in
the countryside.
211 were drowned while being transported to the
Colonies in the wreck of the Crown, off of Orkney.
King Charles II dies February 1685 and succeeded by his Catholic brother, James II.
1685 - 8
James Renwick continues holding conventicles but captured and
executed in Edinburgh February 17, 1688
George Wood, a 16 year old lad from Sorn, the last Covenanter to be executed - shot in June 1688 by trooper John Reid.
Glorious Revolution in England leads to James II fleeing and
Protestant William of Orange and Mary suceeding to the throne.
Presbyteriansim and the Church of Scotland has its liberty and
freedom restored.
Meet the Author, Brian Orr, Researcher with The Guild of One Name Studies
Back to The Covenanters, Main Page
Part One: The Covenanters: Who Were They?
Part Two : The Kirk and its Impact on the People
Part Three : Tales of the Covenanters
Part Four : What's in a Name?
Part Five : The Sanquhar Declaration
Part Six : Covenanter Ships: The Eaglewing, The Crown and Henry & Francis
Part Seven : Female Covenanters: Execution by Drowning
Part Eight : Covenanter Prisons: Bass Rock and Dunnattor Castle
Part Nine : Greyfriars Kirk and the National Covenant
Part Ten : Battle of Rullion Green
Part Eleven : Rev. James Renwick, Martyr
Part Twelve : Presbyterians in Ireland
Part Thirteen: The Final Word on the Solway Martyrs
Part Fourteen: The Margaret Wilson Statue
Part Fifteen: After the National Covenant
Covenanters Time Line
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