Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

about to make its stand at a third center, namely
Scotland, and there sustain its final defeat, or
achieve its crowning victory.
The Reformation of Scotland dates from the
entrance of the first Bible into the country, about
the year 1525. It was doing its work, but over and
above there was needed the living voice of the
preacher, and the fiery stake of the confessor, to
arouse the nation from the dead sleep in which it
was sunk. But who of Scotland's sons shall open
the roll of martyrdom? A youth of royal lineage,
and princely in mind as in birth, was chosen for
this high but arduous honor. Patrick Hamilton was
born in 1504. He was the second son of Sir Patrick
Hamilton, of Kincavel, and the great-grandson,
both by the father's and the mother's side, of James
II.[1] He received his education at the University of
St. Andrews, and about 1517 was appointed titular
Abbot of Ferne, in Ross-shire, though it does not
appear that he ever took priest's orders. In the
following year he went abroad, and would seem to
have studied some time in Paris, where it is
probable he came to the first knowledge of the
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