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Introduction

In 1560, the Scots officially replaced the theology of the Church of England with Calvinism and replaced bishops with a system of elders called Presbyterianism.

In the seventeenth century King James I of England (VI of Scotland) and his son, Charles I, forced bishops and a prayer book back on the reluctant Scots, who resisted and signed a covenant promising to defend God’s prerogatives. “For Christ, his crown and covenant” became one of the Scottish mottos. They rejected the idea that the king of England was head of their earthly church.

Faced with civil war in England, Charles I needed the Scots and eased his oppression. But his concessions were too late to save his throne, and victorious parliamentary leaders in England executed him. For several years England and Scotland were without a king.

Charles II, son of Charles I, persuaded the Scots to support him, promising to uphold their rights. He signed the Solemn League and Covenant that promised to bring a Presbyterian system to England and Ireland. With these assurances, the Scots crowned him. After Charles’ restoration to the English throne, he reneged on his pledges and persecuted the Scottish church more severely than his predecessors. One of the Covenanters (as those were called who resisted Charles II on religious grounds) was John Nisbet of Hardhill.

Captured, he defended the Presbyterian faith. On this day, 4 December 1685, Nisbet was hanged. Like many Covenanters, he made a bold testimony on the scaffold.