The 16th Century shaped the destiny of modern Britain more than any other era in our national story. This was the Reformation period, when the old establishment – which had dominated Europe for 1,000 years – was shaken, when theology turned the tide of history and dominated the affairs of nations. While grievances against the Church had been simmering away for many years, as the peasants yearned for greater freedoms, and when theological challenges to the authority of the Papacy, as Wycliffe and Huss had demonstrated, were nothing new, opposition to the beliefs of these early reformers had been held in check.

The theological, political and social fabric of Europe had been conditioned for change in much the same way as wood is dried for the fire.  In 1517, the circumstances were just right for the spark to be lit.  It was Dr Martin Luther, the Augustinian monk, who ignited the fire on 31st October by pasting up his ‘95 arguments against Papal indulgences’ on the Church door at Wittenberg, Germany.  The fire spread through Europe, eventually reaching every part of the world.  The flames continue to burn today, diffusing sacred light; praise be to God!

The Scottish Fire

The Reformation would come to Britain in two very different ways.  Remaining with the metaphor of fire; two separate fires would spread in from Europe, one in Scotland and the other in England.  Eventually, the flames would merge together, forming one great Gospel light shining from one United Kingdom, while the hearths that gave rise to these fires would retain their unique position in the Anglican Church of England and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.  It was in Scotland, however, that Luther’s flame would makes its first and immediate British impact, through the brief but transformative ministry of one young man, from the Scottish Royal Family.  My heart swells in admiration and brokenness as I write about the passionate, yet tragic, ministry of young Patrick Hamilton, Scotland’s royal martyr.

St Andrews

In the modern era, St Andrews is world famous on account of its famous golf course, recognised as the birthplace of this rather gentlemanly sport.  The equally famous university, though, one of Britain’s most ancient seats of learning, bears witness to an antiquity that predates the sport with which the place has become associated.

St Andrews, as the name suggests, was the ancient spiritual capital of Scotland, the seat of the bishops who dominated Scottish life for centuries. The ruins of the old city were destined to bear witness to some of the most dramatic scenes in Reformation Europe. Oh – if only stones could speak!

John Knox, in his ‘History of the Reformation in Scotland’, records that the first execution of one who preached the doctrines afterward defined as Protestant was a Bohemian Lollard called Paul Craw. In 1431, he was burned to death at St Andrews after being found guilty of heresy by the Church. He was charged with following the teachings of Wycliffe and Hus and with denying the following Roman Catholic articles of faith: (1) transubstantiation; (2) that sins must be confessed to a priest and (3) that you could pray to departed saints. Refusing to recant he was sentenced to death by burning. Tied to his stake, the faithful servant persisted in preaching the truths for which he was condemned, causing his persecutors to force a brass ball into his mouth. According to J.A. Wylie, Paul Craw was the second Lollard to die in this barbaric fashion; the first being Englishman James Resby, burned to death in 1406 at Perth for denying the authority of the Pope.

The Lollards Of Kyle

The case of the Lollards of Kyle, in 1494, indicates that the influence of Wycliffe continued to thrive in Scotland, as God prepared the way for the Reformation. These were 30 landed gentleman charged with denying the major tenets of what we today define as Romanism. While Archbishop Blackadder would have imposed the death sentence, King James IV heard the case and reprieved the defendants.

1513 is a key year, bringing medieval Britain to a close, on account of the tragic events which occurred at Flodden Field in Northumbria.  James IV’s military expedition into northern England came to an abrupt halt, after early successes, as a result of a major miscalculation.  With the King and his leading nobles lying dead in the battlefield, the country was thrown into constitutional crisis, as his son and successor, James V, was only 17 months old.  Scotland entered the uncertainty and turmoil of a regency period. 

The Beaton Dynasty

The Church tightened its grip upon national affairs with the unscrupulous Archbishop James Beaton using the opportunity to impose his authority. For almost 50 years James Beaton and his nephew, Cardinal David Beaton, both residing in St Andrews, would dominate the ecclesiastical and political life of Scotland; staining their hands with Protestant blood in the process. This then, is the Scottish context in which we will examine the short and tragic life of Patrick Hamilton.

Royal Lineage

Patrick Hamilton was born in 1504, the second son of Sir Patrick Hamilton of Kincavel.  This was a leading Scottish household;  Patrick was the great grandson, paternally and maternally, of King James 2nd.  After serving his education at St. Andrews he was appointed to a titular Abbot in Ross-shire, a position probably conferred by patronage rather than because of Patrick’s designs on a life of religious devotion.  There was no indication at this time that he had any great interest in spiritual truth.

European Traveller

Although 14 or 15  years of age Patrick Hamilton left Scotland to travel in Europe in 1518.  The timing could not have been more providential because the entire continent was awash with the  writings of Martin Luther, which were flowing from the printing presses.   It is highly likely that he was first exposed to the teachings of Luther in Paris, where he was possibly converted, because from here he journeyed to Marburg in Germany, one of the cities at the heart of the  Lutheran revolution.  Philip of Heisse, one of the German princes who along with Frederick the Wise of Saxony granted support and protection to the German Reformation, had founded this seat of learning.  It was in Marburg that Patrick met Francis Lambert, who would bear witness to the piety of this devout youth, in a letter to  Philip:

“This young man of the illustrious family of the Hamiltons… is come from the end of the world, from Scotland, to your academy, in order to be fully established in God’s truth. I have hardly ever met a man who expresses himself with so much spirituality and truth on the Word of the Lord.”[i]. Lambert who also had embraced the teachings of Luther, was to be a lasting influence upon the Scot.

Knox and Foxe both record that Patrick Hamilton also travelled to Wittenberg where he made acquaintance with Martin Luther and a young Philip Melanchthon. Patrick Hamilton, therefore, is the first recorded British person to be placed at the heart of the European Reformation.

The only other Briton of any note who potentially encountered Luther, and who was most definitely personally influenced by the German Reformation though European travel was William Tyndale, exiled during these years, when he worked on printing his English translation of the New Testament. There is no record that the two champions and future martyrs of the cross met on their European travels; what glorious fellowship these early Scottish and English Protestants would have enjoyed had they done so!

In addition to rejecting the errors of the Church and accepting the authority of the absolute and unique authority of the Scriptures, which Wycliffe and his Lollard followers also advocated, Patrick Hamilton was also immersed in the full orbed glory of man’s free and complete justification through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  The discovery of this truth taught by Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, brought peace to Luther’s troubled soul as the realisation that he was made righteous and complete in Christ as a consequence of grace alone.  It was this message, at the heart of the Gospel, which the rapidly maturing young Christian was burdened to bring back to his homeland.  By 1525 copies of Tyndale’s first edition of The New Testament translated from Erasmus’ Greek text, were arriving in Scotland.  A preacher was also needed to expound and teach the truths contained therein; in Scotland the Lord had prepared a congregation.

Hamilton’s Scottish Ministry

In 1527 Patrick arrived home on Scottish soil. His ministry was to be one flame burst of passion and light, which would leave a trace that lingered on until the days when Knox would add his torch to the embers. In true apostolic fashion he began his evangelism in his father’s mansion house where he won hearts by his gracious spirit in addition to his gospel words. His preaching tour took him to the royal court and the country church where he freely expounded the truth that is in Christ. At St Michael’s Church in Lithenglow a young woman was converted through his ministry, whose heart he also won in marriage. Afterwards he journeyed onto Dunfermline, where he continued to publicly expound the message which was now described as Lutheranism.

Betrayed in St Andrews

Archbishop Beaton was hearing the reports of the Hamilton’s progress with growing concern, recognising that this message sounded the death knell of his authority.  Knowing that it was well nigh impossible to deal with a popular member of the royal household outside his palatial surroundings, Beaton devised a plan to bring Patrick into his web. 

Inviting Patrick to St Andrews for theological discussions was an offer the young man found too difficult to refuse.  Over the course of a month the priests, monks and friars at St Andrews debated with the young Lutheran attempting to discredit his message.  He proved a match for them all much to the Archbishop’s disgust.   One, Alesius of Edinburgh was confounded and converted, while another, a Dominican called Alexander Campbell entered into the confidence of Hamilton by professing faith in his teachings.  All of this only served to expose Patrick to terrible danger as Beaton laid his devilish plans.

Alone

The Archbishop ensured that the 17 year old James 5th was sent away from St Andrews lest he interfere with his plans.   He chose his moment at a time when Patrick’s family would be unable to launch a rescue mission.  After Sir James Hamilton, Patrick’s brother, heard of the arrest he found his company of armed men separated from St Andrews by a storm at Queensferry preventing him crossing the water; he was too late to reach St Andrew’s by land.

Martyrdom

Beaton orchestrated the arrest and trial of the young Lutheran. The charges arrayed against him reveals the depths of Patrick Hamilton’s ministry; his emphasis upon justification through faith in Christ lay at the heart of his accusers’ wrath. On the last day of February 1528, the soldiers took him from the place where he was staying with dear friends. His chief accuser now was the same friar who claimed that once he was a convert. Alexander Campbell is said to have screamed at Patrick, even after the flames were lit pleading with him to recant. With prophetic insight the dying martyr delivered a summons from the judge of all the earth;

“Thou wicked man, thou knowest the contrary, for thou toldest me so thyself. I appeal thee before the tribunal-seat of Jesus Christ.”

Campbell lapsed into insanity that evening, dying within a few days. Patrick Hamilton would not be the last Scot to demonstrate the rare gift of prophetic insight in dark and dangerous times.

Attached to his stake with an iron band young Patrick’s body was set on fire using wet wood.  It smouldered slowly as he pleaded with his executioners to find more wood to ease his mortal suffering.  Few martyrs suffered more at the stake.  The red hot iron band burned his torso almost through before his soul was delivered from the torment of the body.  Despite the agony he found by God’s grace a prayerful word for poor Scotland with his final gasp; “How long, O Lord, shall darkness overwhelm this realm? How long wilt thou suffer this tyranny of men? Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”[ii]

Influence

Today the initials PH, outside St Salvatore’s Church, in the pavement at St Andrews marks the spot where the young evangelist met his cruel and barbaric end. His influence, however, was more profound than a few memorial bricks in the ground.

It was said in Scotland that ‘his reek infected all it blew on’. His royal standing, his passionate preaching, his evil betrayal, his cruel sufferings and the judgement upon Campbell only served to intensify his reputation as a man sent from God. There would be more preachers and sadly further burnings at St Andrews but the work that Patrick Hamilton commenced would continue. From Hamilton, to Wishart and Knox the work would proceed until the Church of Scotland was established as the purist of all the Reformation Churches.

Patrick Hamilton died, only 24 years of age. A young man with a ministry that lasted a few short months; doing more in that period than most men do in a lifetime. His legacy continues, the fire still burns, the light shines!

The Spirit of Patrick

 

Refusing a life of family and ease,

Patrick gave himself to Gospel pleas,

Surrendered to God with every breath,

This Christian spirit, obedient unto death.

 

With silent prayer from a broken heart,

I find myself asking for Patrick’s part,

To thee O Lord I must be true,

I dedicate myself, to thee anew.

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[i] Wylie, J.A.; History of Protestantism, Kindle Edition, Musaicum Books, 2018.  Page 2943.

[ii] Wylie, J.A.; History of Protestantism, Kindle Edition, Musaicum Books, 2018. Page 2954.

This article is part of a series in the British Church Newspaper entitled “The Sword and the Crown”. For more information, and learn how to subscribe click on the button button below