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NOTICES OF THE PROTESTANT EXILES FROM SCOTLAND DURING
THE REIGN OF KING JAMES THE FIFTH.

Dr. MʻCrie, in his Life of Knox, Appendix, vol. i., and the Rev. Christopher Anderson, in his Annals of the English Bible, vol. ii., have collected nearly all the information that can be gleaned respecting the chief persons who became Exiles on account of their religious sentiments at this early period. I shall, therefore, content myself with giving little more than a simple enumeration of their names.

Alexander Alesse, (in Latin, ALESIUS,) as mentioned in a note to page 55, was a native of Edinburgh, born in the year 1500, and educated at St. Andrews. The Rev. Christopher Anderson in his Annals of the English Bible, has introduced a variety of interesting notices of Alexander Alesse, with extracts from some of his earlier publications. According to a statement in one of his works, he fled from Scotland in the year 1529, and his conversion was owing to his interviews with Patrick Hamilton when under confinement. A collection of his writings, if carefully translated, and accompanied with a detailed Memoir of his life, would form a very suitable and valuable addition to the series of the Wodrow publications. He became Professor of Divinity in the University of Leipzig, where he died on the 17th of March 1565.

John Elder, according to his own information, was a native of Caithness, and had spent twelve years as a student at the Universities of Aberdeen, St. Andrews, and Glasgow. He fled to England probably in 1541 or 1542; and about two years later, he addressed a letter to Henry the Eighth, with a Plan or Description of Scotland, containing a project for the Union of the two Kingdoms. The letter written in 1543 or 1544, contains a bitter invective against Beaton and "the proud papisticall bishops" in Scotland. It was printed in the Bannatyne Miscellany, vol. i., from the original MS. preserved in the British Museum. Elder was patronized by the Earl of Lennox, and became tutor to Henry Lord Darnley. In 1555, he published a "Letter sent into Scotland, &c.," on occasion of the marriage of Philip and Mary. This very curious tract, which is now of great rarity, he dedicated to Robert Stuard, Bishop of Caithness. In 1561, he was in France, as we learn from a letter respecting him, inserted in Stevenson's Illustrations of Scotish History, (printed for the Maitland Club,) p. 101; and which mentions that he had shewn to Queen Mary the hand-writing of Darnley, when eight years of age. It ends with remarking of Elder, what was probably true enough: "he hath wit to play the aspye (spy) where he listeth."

John Fyfe: see page 55, where it is noticed that he prosecuted his studies under Gawin Logye, at St. Andrews. He may no doubt be identified with the person styled JOANNES FIDELIS, a native of Scotland, who obtained considerable academical distinction abroad. Bishop Burnet, and other writers, state that Fyfe accompanied Alesse to Leipzig, where he was professor; but, in reference to this statement, a passage in the Acta Eruditorum, p. 386, LipsiÆ 1684, asserts, that the Registers of that University having been carefully examined, no mention of his name could be discovered. If we substitute Francfort instead of Leipzig, the notice would be substantially correct, as Alesius had for a short time been Professor there before his removal to Leipzig; and while there he published amongst other tracts an Academical Oration, "De Restituendis Scholis Oratio, habita in celebri AcademiÆ Francofordiana ad Oderam, An. 1540, Mense Iunio." The name of John Fidelis Scotus, as Professor of Philosophy and Divinity, was inscribed in the Registers of the University of Francfort, in 1547. He was created Doctor, and chosen Rector in 1551; and he died on the 28th of March 1562, in the 72d year of his age. (Notitia Universitatis FrancofurtanÆ, pp. 49, 56, folio.) This notice does not confirm the report mentioned by Calderwood, that Fyfe had returned to Scotland, and died at St. Leonard's, soon after the Reformation, in 1560.

John Gaw has already been mentioned at page 504, as author of a rare work entitled "The Richt Way to Hevin," which bears to have been printed at Malmoe, (in Sweden,) in the year 1533. Many years ago, in passing through that town, the seat of a University, I had the curiosity to inquire in their Library if any copy of that volume was preserved—but it was altogether unknown. The author appears to have attended the University of St. Andrews; as we find the name of Johannes Gall, (Scotice Gaw,) among the Determinants, in the year 1510; but of his subsequent history no information has been obtained.

James Harryson, a native of the south of Scotland. The work mentioned under a Latin title by Dr. MʻCrie, (Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 374,) as described by Bale, was written in English, and printed at the time under this title—"An Exhortation to the Scottes to conform themselves to the honorable, expedient, and godly Union betweene the two Realmes of Englande and Scotlande. Lond. in aedibus Ric. Grafton, 1547," small 8vo. The preface, dedicated to Edward Duke of Somerset, is signed "James Harryson Scottyshman."

Henry Henryson: see note [129].

William Johnstone, Advocate: see note [128]. Dr. Patrick Anderson, in his MS. History mentions Neill Johnstone, a brother of William Johnstone, among the persons who were accused of heresy, 1536. Whether the Advocate continued in his adherence to the Catholic faith may be held doubtful; as after his death, we find, in the proceedings of the General Assembly, 29th December 1563, that Mr. Andrew Johnstone, brother-german to umquhill Mr. William Johnstone, required process for reduction of the sentence pronounced by umquhill James [Beaton] Archbishop of St. Andrews, against him and his brother for alleged heresies. This request was referred to the Superintendent of Lothian and the Session of Edinburgh to follow the same process as had been led in previous cases. On the 27th December 1564, this matter was again brought before the Assembly, when it was declared that the articles referred to were not heretical, and the judges formerly appointed were ordained to proceed to a final decision of the said action. (Booke of the Kirk, vol i. pp. 41, 56.)

Gawin Logye, Principal of St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews, from 1523 to 1534, has been noticed at page 36; of his subsequent history no particulars have been discovered.

Dr. John Macalpyne, who is best known by his Latin name MACHABAEUS, was born before the close of the 15th century. It is unnecessary to repeat the notices given by Dr. MʻCrie, (Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 372.) He took his Master's degree at one of the Universities, but I have not observed his name either in the Registers of St. Andrews, or Glasgow. John Macalpyne was Prior of the Dominican Convent at Perth, from 1532 to 1534. (Rev. James Scott's MS. Extracts, and Mr. Parker Lawson's Book of Perth, p. 33.) His flight therefore to England may be placed in 1535 rather than in 1532. Spottiswood, (Hist. p. 661,) and Burnet, (Hist, of Reform, vol. i. p. 294,) say he was liberally entertained by Nicholas Shaxton, Bishop of Salisbury; and Myles Coverdale, some time Bishop of Exeter, was his brother-in-law. After visiting Wittenberg, he received an invitation to settle in Denmark, in the year 1542, and became Professor in the University of Copenhagen, and one of the chaplains of Christian the Second, King of Denmark. He assisted in translating the Bible into that language, which was published in the year 1550. Some of his writings are indicated in Nyerup's Dansk-Norsk Litteratur Lexicon, vol. ii. p. 367. The Earl of Rothes having been sent as ambassador to Denmark, in the spring of 1550; in the Treasurer's Accounts, among other payments connected with this embassy, we find 7s. was paid on the 9th of March that year, to "ane boy sent to Sanctandrois to my Lord of Rothes thair, with writingis of my Lord Gouernouris, to be given at his arriving in Denmark to Maister Johne Makcalpyne and Alexander Lyell there." Dr. Machabaeus, or Macalpyne, died at Copenhagen, 5th December 1557.

John Mackbrair is mentioned by Spottiswood as "a gentleman of Galloway, who forsaking the country for religion, became a preacher in the English Church; in the time of Queen Marie's persecution he fled to Francford, and served the English Congregation as Minister. Afterwards called by some occasion to the charge of a church in the Lower Germany, he continued there the rest of his days."—(History, p. 97.) It is very certain, however, that Mackbriar was in Priest's orders before retiring to the Continent. He was incorporated in St. Salvator's College, St. Andrews, in 1530, and became a Determinant in 1531. On the 16th July 1550, John Lokart of Bar, and two others were denounced rebels, &c., for assistance rendered, in May last, to Mr., alias Sir John MʻBrair, formerly Canon of Glenluce, in breaking ward of the Lord Governor's Castle of Hammiltoune, where he was imprisoned, being charged for sundry great and odious crimes, Heresies, &c., and conducting him to the House of Bar.—(Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. p. 352*.) This addition to his name signifies an uncertainty whether he had taken his degree as Master or only that of Bachelor of Arts. Archbishop Hamilton, in a letter, without date, but probably in 1551, refers to his having expelled from the house of Ochiltree the apostate Macbraire, and inflicted heavy fines on his followers. The name of John Makebray is included in the list of the principal persons who escaped from England to the Continent, in 1553, after the accession of Queen Mary. In 1554, he appears from the "Discourse of the Troubles begun at Frankfort," to have taken an active share in the proceedings of the English Congregation there. He afterwards became Pastor of a Congregation in Lower Germany, and according to Bale, he wrote an account of the formation and progress of that Church. On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, Mackbrair returned to England and officiated as a preacher; and on the 13th of November 1568, he was inducted to the vicarage of St. Nicholas, in Newcastle. He survived for many years, and was buried on the 16th of November 1584.—(See MʻCrie's Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 374, and the authorities there quoted.)

James Mackdowell: see note [122].

Robert Richardson studied in St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews, where he became, in 1520, a Canon Regular and Sacrist of the Holy Cross; and in 1530, a Canon of the Abbey of Cambuskenneth. In that year he published at Paris a Latin work, an Exegesis on the Rule of St. Augustine. There is no reason to doubt that he was the same person as the Sir Robert Richardson, a priest, mentioned in 1543 by Sadler, (Letters, vol. i. p. 217.) Sadler, in a letter to Henry VIII, dated 16 November 1543, again commends Richardson who had been forced to flee from Scotland for fear of persecution, having "done very honestly and diligently in his calling," "in the setting furth and true preaching of the word of God."—(State Papers, vol. i. p. 344.) But this Priest must be distinguished from his namesake, the Prior of St. Mary's Isle, who has been noticed at page 372; and who took his degree as Master of Arts at St. Andrews, in 1533.

James Wedderburn, the eldest son of James Wedderburn, a merchant in Dundee, was one of a family distinguished by their poetical genius. He was educated at St. Andrews, being incorporated in that University in 1514. In Calderwood's History, vol. i. p. 141, will be found an interesting account of his life, and notices of his writings, of which unfortunately there are none preserved.

John Wedderburn, a younger brother, was also educated at St. Andrews, being a Determinant, in 1526, and a Licentiate in 1528. He was appointed Vicar of Dundee. At a later period, having been licensed of heresy, the escheat of the goods belonging to Mr. John Wedderburn, "convict. de certis criminibus heresieos," was granted to his brother Henry Wedderburn, for a composition of 40s. in 1538 or 1539, (MʻCrie's Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 358.) In March 1538-9, a pursuivant was directed to pass to Dundee and search James Rollokkis gudes, and Maister John Wedderburn, (ib. p. 359.) John Wedderburn is said to have gone to Germany, where he became acquainted with Luther and Melanethon. While residing abroad he translated some of their works or "dytements" into Scotish verse; and the metrical version of various Psalms, included in the volume of "Gude and Godly Ballates:" see page 139. It is also stated, that after the death of James the Fifth, he returned to Scotland, but was again compelled to expatriate himself; and that he died in England, in 1556.—(Calderwood's Hist. vol. i. p. 14.)