Patrick Hamilton burned at the stake

Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake on the 29th of February, 1528.

Scotland has had its fair share of martyrs of one sort or another, including those who were put to death for their religious beliefs. Those latter include George Wishart and Patrick Hamilton, but not John Knox; more's the pity some might say. Aye, Knox was too canny to get his fingers burnt and mibbees, if they'd tried to burn him at the stake, the flames would daurnae approach. Burning at the stake became a kind of Catholic frenzy for a while, but it was self defeating. The dead might have fed the crows, but the manner of their death and its legacy fanned the flames of insurrection. A reformation they called it and by the time poor Pate was murdered, it was well under way, although the powers that were at the time considered it

The signing of the National Covenant

The National Covenant was signed on the 28th of February, 1638.

The signing of the National Covenant has been called the “biggest event” in Scottish history; bigger even than the Treaty of Union. In essence the 'Covenant' was a contract with their god, signed by the nobles, gentry, burgesses, clergymen and, indeed, thousands of ordinary Scots, who pledged themselves to defend Scotland’s rights by stating what they would and wouldn't agree to in matters of kirk and state. It’s important to realise that religion figured large in the daily lives of everyone in the 17th Century. That meant every living soul, be (s)he commoner or clergy, (ig)noble or royale. It’s certain that being able to worship in one manner or another assumed far greater importance for even the ordinary citizen in those days than we can today give credit. The Covenant expressly forbade

The Second Treaty of Berwick

The Second Treaty of Berwick was signed on the 27th of February, 1560.
   
Three treaties were named after Berwick-upon-Tweed, currently in Northumberland, on the border between Scotland and England. The first, in October 1357, arranged for the release from captivity of David II of Scotland in return for a large ransom to be paid to Edward III of England, upon which the full payment was reneged. Cheap at half the price. This second treaty, in 1560, committed the English to send military aid to the Scottish Protestants. The third, in June 1639, effectively ended the

Sir Henry (Harry) Lauder

Sir Henry (Harry) Lauder, hall singer and comedian, died on the 26th of February, 1950.

Known professionally as Harry Lauder until he was benighted, Lauder was a world famous music hall singer and comedian who exemplified a certain kind of Scottishness. Indeed, Scotland's image in certain parts of the world today owes much to the caricature presented by Harry Lauder's stage performances. Lauder's extravagant highland dress, with his Glengarry bunnet at a jaunty angle, the twisted walking stick that became his trade mark, and his bawdy and sentimental songs, endeared him to many audiences around the world. In the United States, Lauder's inter-stellar career saw him appear at

Dr. William Buchan

William Buchan, physician and author, died on this day, 25th February, 1805.

Dr. William Buchan, unsurprisingly, maintained a medical practice and, perhaps surprisingly, he also gave lectures on natural philosophy, which were very popular and drew large classes; surprise, surprise! However, what is less surprising, but more interesting, is that Buchan devoted as much of his time as he did to medicine and science to writing. What did he write? A medical book of course! What made Buchan's book special was that it was written for the layman and not for his fellow physicians. Furthermore, Buchan’s book was destined to secure its author’s name in history, for William Buchan was the author of

The Declaration of the Clergy

The Declaration of the Clergy was made on the 24th of February, 1310.

The Declaration of the Clergy could be said to be a prelude to the far more famous Declaration of Arbroath, which contains the immortal lines: “…for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” Like the Arbroath statement of 1320, the one made by the Clergy, ten years previously, contained rhetoric in support of Robert the Bruce, King Robert I as then was, King of Scots. The proclamation was made

The Feast of St Boisil

The Feast of St Boisil was assigned to the 23rd of February, each year.

In the early calendars, the Feast of St Boisil was assigned to the 23rd of February. These days, his feast is generally accepted as being the 7th of July, the day of his death in 661. St Boisil or Bossil, was the second prior or Abbot, of Melrose Abbey, successor to St Aidan and predecessor to St Cuthbert, who is arguably the more famous of the three. Cuthbert, incidentally, was Boisil's pupil. Nevertheless, Boisil is famous enough in his own right; enough to have had the  modern village of Saint Boswells, in Roxburghshire, named after him. Some say that he was the progenitor of the famous Clan Boise, they of  Peckham, however, that has never been proven. Others say that Boisil wisnae Scottish. They're right! But he could've been