King James VI of Scotland, commonly known as King James I of England, and his son, Charles I, were at the forefront of the controversies surrounding the Scottish Reformation in the 1600s. Their policies and actions resulted in intense strife with the Scottish people, who desired to practice Christianity out from under the constraints of civil rule. We examine the circumstances that led to their political actions, and the fallout that ensued.
What Were the Religious Policies of King James I and His Son Charles?
James VI and I and Charles I were the titular heads of the Church of England, and believed they held a similar position over the Church of Scotland. They believed that the government of the church should be a hierarchical one, where policies and practices are dictated from a higher central authority, and bishops and other ministers should be assigned by the crown.
In contrast, many Scottish Christians believed in a Presbyterian form of government, where local control was preferred, including the installation of pastors, and a much simpler church hierarchy which included little more than lay elders and pastors.
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Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterThe Kings of England also preferred a more ornate, ceremonial form of worship, where the Scottish protestants pushed (sometimes violently) for a simplified, straightforward form of worship, considering the pomp and circumstance to be akin to the Roman Catholic ceremonies and therefore argued that they should be shunned.
What they also prescribed was the 1637 Scottish Book of Common Prayer, which was similar in many ways to the 1549 English Book of Common Prayer. The English book was the only one allowed for use in England since 1559, but the Scottish protestants had a more reformed theology than in England, and believed the ceremonies prescribed in the Books of Common Prayer to be too similar to Roman Catholic practices, even though the Scottish book was less Catholic in nature than the English book.
Who Threw a Stool at a Priest?
On July 23rd, 1637, at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dean James Hannay, who was the clergyman leading the service, began reading from the Scottish Book of Common Prayer. The book had been ordered to be purchased (but not necessarily used) for the Liturgy of the church service, and Dean Hannay decided to use it as part of the ceremony.
The audience became restless, when Jenny Geddes, a woman seated close to the front on a stool, yelled “The Devil Give you Colic! The Hide of you! False Thief! Daur ye say Mass in my lug (ear)?” and threw her stool at the Dean. A small riot ensued, leading to a larger one outside.
What Was the Long-Term Result of the Rioting?
The rioting set off a wave of violence and rebellion that did not abate. The rioting led to the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which lasted for fourteen years and resulted in the dethroning and death of King Charles I, and the installation of the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell in England. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were conflicts involving Scotland, Ireland, and England which lasted about 1639-1653.
The political and social situation in the three countries was already in a tense position, and it was likely to be set off eventually by some spark. Therefore the riots which ensued in Scotland may be what provided the final impetus for the enduring conflicts which swept the three countries for over a decade.
