Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Saturday, March 1, 2014

1 Mar 1546: John Knox Describes George Wishart's Martyrdom (History of the Reformation in Scotland)



  • George Wishart's initials, the Scores
  • George Wishart's initials, the Scores
  • The initials of the Protestant martyr at the site of his execution in front of St. Andrews Castle in 1546.

    "When the fyre was maid reddy, and the gallowse, at the Weste part of the Castell, neir to the Priorie, my Lord Cardinall, dreading that Maister George should have bene takin away by his friendis, tharefoir he commanded to bend all the ordinance of the Castell richt against the place of executioun, and commanded all his gunnaris to be readdy, and stand besyde thare gunnes, unto such tyme as he war burned. All this being done, thei bound Maister George's handis behind his back, and led him furth with thare soldeouris, from the Castell, to the place of thare cruell and wicked executioun. (...)

    After this, he was led to the fyre, with a rope about his neck, and a chaine of irne about his myddill. When that he came to the fyre, he sat doun upon upoun his knees, and rose agane; and thrise he said these wordis, "O thou Saviour of the warld, have mercy upon me: Father of heavin, I commend my spreit into thy holy handis." (...) And then by and by, he was putt upoun the gibbet, and hanged, and there brynt to poulder [i.e. ashes]. When that the people beheld the great tormenting of that innocent, thei mycht not withhold frome piteous morning and complaining of the innocent lambes slawchter.

    After the death of this blissed martyre of God, begane the people, in plaine speaking, to dampne and detest the crueltie that was used. Yea, men of great byrth, estimatioun, and honour, at open tables [Communion] avowed, That the blood of the said Maister George should be revenged, or ellis thei should cost lyef for lyef."

    (from John Knox's 'Historie of the Reformatioun of Scotland')

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