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Patrick Hamilton’s Death Sentence
Added: Oct 08, 2024 | Category: History
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The official sentence pronounced against Patrick Hamilton
From The History of the Affairs of Church and State of Scotland, by Robert Keith
‘Christi nomine invocato:
Wee James, by the Mercie of God, Archbishop of Saint Andrews, Primate of Scotland, with the counsell, decree, and authoritie of the most Reverent Fathers in God, and Lords, Abbats, Doctours of Theologic, Professors of the Holy Scripture, and Masters of the Universitie, assisting us for the time, sitting in judgment within our metropolitan church of Saint Andrews, in the cause of heretical pravitie against Mr Patricke Hamilton, Abbat or Pensionary of Ferme, being summoned to appear before us, to answer to certain Articles affirmed, taught, and preached by him ; and so appearing before us, and accused, the merits of the cause being ripely weighed, discuss- ed, and understood, by faithful inquisition made in Lent last past. We have found the same Mr Patrick many wayes infamed with heresie, disputing, holding, and maintaining diverse heresies of Martin Luther and his followers, repugnant to our Faith, and which are already condemned by General Councells and most famous Universities. And hee being under the same infamie, we decerning before him to be summoned and accused upon the premisses, he, of evil mind, as may be presumed, passed to other parts forth of the Realme, suspected and noted of heresie, and being lately returned, not being admitted, but of his owne head, without licence or priviledge, hath presumed to preach wicked heresie. We have found also that he hath affirmed, published, and taught divers opinions of Luther and wicked heresies, after that hee was summoned to appeare before us and our Counsel: "That man hath no free will; that man is in sin so long as he liveth; that children, incontinent after their baptisme, are sinners; all Christians, that be worthie to be called Christians, do know that they are in grace; no man is justified by works, but by faith only; good works make not a good man, but a good man doth make good works; that faith, hope, and charity are so knit, that he that hath the one, hath the rest; and he that wanteth the one of them, wanteth the rest, Sec.; 11 with diverse other heresies, and detestable opinions, and hath persisted so obstinate in the same, that by no counsel nor persuasion hee may be drawne therefrom to the way of our right faith. All these premisses being considered, we, having God and the integrity of our faith before our eyes, and following the counsel and advice of the Professors of the Holy Scripture, men of law, and other assisting us for the time, doe pronounce, determine, and declare the said Mr Patricke Hamilton, for his affirming, confessing, and maintaining of the foresaid heresies, and his pertinacity, they being condemned already by the Church, General Councels, and most famous Universities, to be an hereticke, and to have ane evil opinion of the faith, and therefore to be condemned and punished, likeas we condenme and desine him to be punished by this our sentence definitive, depriving and sentencing him to be deprived of all dignities, honors, orders, offices, and benefices of the Church, and therefore doe judge and pronounce him to be delivered over unto the secular power, to be punished, and his goods to be confiscate. This our sentence definitive was given and read at our metropolitane church of S. Andrews, the last day of the month of February, anno 1527, being present the most Reverend Fathers in Christ and Lords, Gawand Bishop of Glasgow, 1 George Bishop of Dunkelden, 2 John Bishop of Brechain, 3 William Bishop of Dunblane, 4 Patrick Prior of St Andrews, 5 David Abbat of Abirbrothoke, 6 George Abbat of Dunfermling, 7 Alexander Abbat of Cambuskenneth, 8 HenryAbbat of Lendors, 1 John Prior of Pittenweem, 2 the Deane and Sub-Deane of Glasgow, Mr Hugh Spens, Thomas Ramsay, Allane Meldrum, &c. in the presence of the clergy and the people.’
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