Comments on: Drama and Reforming Ideals in the 1530s

By: Ellie

Ellie — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:51:11 +0000

Not interfering at all! I know Tom is very interested in this area so I’ll direct him to your ueful suggestions. It’s really interesting that 1539 might have been a flashpoint for religious conflict given James’ acceptance of the 1540 interlude – although, as you say, we cannot be wholly sure of the content.

By: Joanne Kantrowitz

Joanne Kantrowitz — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 23:13:47 +0000

I imagine you’ve had a read at Foxe, too. I just spent some time with the marvelous edition on the web which allows you to search all the versions. Fox says his info is 1564 out of Scotland. No mention of Kyllour, but really full on Patrick Hamilton and his Patrick’s Places plus tale of Jas.V interfering in a later examination that included a relative of Hamilton’s…suggesting the ambiguity of Jas. V’s thinking re. the protesting Scots.

By: Joanne Kantrowitz

Joanne Kantrowitz — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 20:27:35 +0000

Does this help at all? (Don’t post if I’m interfering. I’m just trying to re-think this myself and my knowledge is rusty, indeed.)
Buchanan’s History:
The year 1539 was one of vigorous
action against heretics. ” In the beginning of that
year,” he tells us in his History, ” many suspected of
Lutheranism were seized ; towards the end of Feb-
ruary five were burned ; nine recanted ; many were
exiled. Among the last was George Buchanan,
who, while his guards were asleep, escaped from the
window of his sleeping apartment.” 1 As it had
come to his ears that Cardinal Beaton had offered
a bribe to the King to put him in his hands, it
was evident that Scotland had become too hot
for him. 2

By: Ellie

Ellie — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:19:36 +0000

Thanks, Joanne. Your input is incredibly helpful for the project so do let us know what you think about the various blog posts and interviews to be published on this site over the next few months.

By: Joanne Kantrowitz

Joanne Kantrowitz — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 18:17:28 +0000

Thank you for your precise answer. (Good to know.) Since conditions were different after 1548, I would imagine the text we have may be stronger than it would/could have been in a shorter 1540 play. I also think Carol Edington was being careful. The formal split between what became Protestants and Catholics did not occur until after Lyndsay’s death, so everyone was still officially Roman Catholic before that.

By: Ellie

Ellie — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 13:28:06 +0000

There’s not much on Kyllour. The account comes from Knox’s Reformation in Scotland:

A Black Friar, called Friar Kyllour, set forth the history of Christ’s Passion in form of a Play, which he both preached and practised openly in Stirling, the King himself being present upon a Good Friday in the morning. In this, all things were so lively expressed that the very simple people understood and confessed…This plain speaking so enflamed the hearts of all that bare the Beast’s Mark, that they ceased not, till Friar Kyllour, and with him Friar Beveridge, Sir Duncan Symson, Robert Forrester, a Gentleman, and Dean Thomas Forrest, Canon Regular and Vicar of Dollar, a man of upright life, all together were cruelly murdered in one fire, the last day of February, in the year of God 1538… upon the Castle Hill of Edinburgh.

Wedderburn, however, we do know a something about and he was activist associated with Gavin Logie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wedderburn_%28poet%29

By: Joanne Kantrowtiz

Joanne Kantrowtiz — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 03:53:30 +0000

I’m wondering if Kyllour and Wedderburn may have been activists of some sort as well as writing plays. Any further evidence of who they were?