John Winram
John Winram or Wynram or Wynrame or Winraham | |
---|---|
Personal details | |
Born | 1492 |
Died | 28 September 1582 |
Denomination | Christian |
Alma mater | St. Andrews |
John Winram (1492 - 1582) was a 16th-century
He had become an
In his roles at St Andrews and St Serf's Inch, he was able to exert an influence on the national church. He was a keen reformer, but it was not until the
Winram had married Margaret Stewart, the illegitimate daughter of Alexander Stewart, Bishop of Moray, in 1562. By this marriage he obtained two stepsons, Robert and Andrew. The former suffered from severe disability, though the latter was healthy and he and Winram had a mutually beneficial relationship until the death of Margaret led to a dispute about her will. The dispute raged through the courts of south-eastern Scotland, and their relationship never recovered. Winram died on 28 September 1582. He was buried in the chapel of St Leonard's College.
Career
John Winram (1492?–1582), was a Scottish reformer, descended from the Winrams or Winrahams of Kirkness or Ratho, Fifeshire. He was born about 1492. Entering the college of
Role at Wishart's trial
At the trial of
Relationship with Knox and clergy
In regard to Knox, Winram adopted a similarly impartial attitude. He was present at Knox's first sermon preached in the chapel of the castle of St. Andrews in 1547, and, after the sermon, called him before a convention of the grey and black friars in the yard of St. Leonard's, not "to hear as judge, but only familiarly to talk." After arguing with Knox in a very half-hearted fashion, Winram left further discussion in the hands of Arbuckle, the grey friar; but Knox represents his own triumph in the argument as complete; and although the friars resolved that, as an antidote to Knox's teaching, every learned man in the city, beginning with the sub-prior, should preach a series of sermons in the parish kirk, the sermons, according to Knox, were "penned so as to offend no man".[5] Winram was present at the meeting of the provincial council held in Edinburgh in November 1549, at which special resolutions were passed for reforming the lives of the clergy (Robertson, Stat. Eccles. Scot. ii. 82–4); and by some he is supposed to have been the author of the catechism, known generally as Archbishop Hamilton's, approved by a provincial council held at Edinburgh in January 1552.[2]
Winram as reformer
Although present at the trial of Walter Milne in 1558 and at a provincial council held in 1559, Winram cast in his lot with the reformers as soon as their cause seemed likely to prevail; and, being nominated by the lords superintendent of Fife, 9 July 1560, he was admitted at St. Andrews 13 April 1561. He is sometimes included among those to whom was entrusted the compilation of the first confession of faith; but, on the contrary, it was to him and William Maitland of Lethington that the confession was submitted for revision, and they mitigated "the austeritie of maynie words and sentences which seemed to proceed rather of some evil-conceived opinion than of any sound judgment" (Randolph to Cecil, 7 Sept. 1560).[6] He was present at the parliament at which it was ratified, and spoke in its support (Randolph to Cecil, 19 Aug.),[7] and, after the ratification, was appointed one of a commission to draw up the "Book of Discipline".[8][9]
Character
Winram is described by Quentin Kennedy as "wonderfullie learnit baith in the New Testament, Auld Testament, and mekle mair [much more]" ("Ane Compendious Reasoning,"),[10] and it is very clear that he was more of a scholar than a controversialist. He seems not to have been specially enamoured of the puritanic Calvinism of the leading Scottish reformers, and in his final adherence to the Reformation he was probably influenced mainly by considerations of expediency. At nearly every general assembly from 1562 to 1570 complaint was made against him as superintendent for slackness in visitation and preaching; and his "immersion in worldly affairs" also gave offence to the more censorious.[9]
Offices
As prior of
Publications
- A Catechism (of which no copy is known to exist)
Bibliography
- Histories by Knox, Buchanan, Leslie, and Calderwood
- Reg. P. C. Scotl. vols. ii–iii.
- Wodrow's Biographical Collections
- Hew Scott's Fasti Eccles. Scot. ii. 822–5.[13]
- Wodrow Biog. i.,
- Scott's Reformers,
- Knox's Works i., ii.,
- Keith, and Calderwood's Hist.,
- Acts Parl. iii.,
- Booke of the Kirk,
- M'Crie's Knox, and Melville
- Reg. Min.
- Melville's Autob.
- Zurich Lett. ii.
- Lyon's Monuments of St Andrews, Bannatyne i.
- Maitland Miscell. iii.
- Test. Reg. (Edin, and St And)
- New Statistical Account of Scotland ix., &c.[14]
References
- Citations
- ^ Fleming 1889, p lix.
- ^ a b c Henderson 1900, p 200.
- ^ Knox 1895a, pp 150-151.
- ^ Knox 1895a, pp 168.
- ^ Knox 1895a, pp 193–201.
- ^ Knox 1895f, p 120.
- ^ Knox 1895f, p 118.
- ^ Knox 1895b, p 128.
- ^ a b Henderson 1900, p 200-201.
- ^ Knox 1895f, p 167.
- ^ Calderwood 1843c, pp 206-207.
- ^ Henderson 1900, pp 200-201.
- ^ Henderson 1900, p 201.
- ^ Scott 1869, p 832.
- Sources
- Calderwood, David (1842). Thomson, Thomas Napier (ed.). The History of the Kirk of Scotland. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society.
- Calderwood, David (1843). Thomson, Thomas Napier (ed.). The History of the Kirk of Scotland. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society.
- Calderwood, David (1843c). Thomson, Thomas Napier (ed.). The History of the Kirk of Scotland. Vol. 3. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society.
- Dunbar, Linda J. "Winram , John (c.1492–1582)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29750. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- Dunbar, Linda J. (1997). Synods and superintentendence: John Winram and Fife 1561-1572. Edinburgh: Scottish Church History Society. pp. 97–125.
- Fleming, David Hay, ed. (1889). Register Of The Minister Elders And Deacons Of The Christian Congregation Of St. Andrews Comprising The Proceedings Of The Kirk Session And Of The Court Of The Superintendent Of Fife Fothrik And Strathearn. 1559-1600 Part First : 1559-1582 Transcribed And Edited From The Original Manuscript With Preface And Notes By David Hay Fleming. Vol. 4. Edinburgh: Printed by T. and A. Constable for the Society.
- Fleming, David Hay, ed. (1890). Register Of The Minister Elders And Deacons Of The Christian Congregation Of St. Andrews Comprising The Proceedings Of The Kirk Session And Of The Court Of The Superintendent Of Fife Fothrik And Strathearn. 1559-1600 Part Second : 1582-1600 Transcribed And Edited From The Original Manuscript With Preface And Notes By David Hay Fleming. Vol. 7. Edinburgh: Printed by T. and A. Constable for the Society.
- Fleming, David Hay (1887). The Martyrs and Confessors of St. Andrews. Cupar: "Fife Herald" Office.
- Fleming, David Hay (1910). The Reformation in Scotland : causes, characteristics, consequences. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
- Henderson, Thomas Finlayson (1900). "Winram, John". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 62. London: Smith, Elder & Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Hewat, Kirkwood (1920). "John Winram". Makers of the Scottish church at the reformation. Edinburgh: Macniven & Wallace. pp. 166-222. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- Knox, John (1895). Laing, David (ed.). The works of John Knox. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: James Thin.
- Knox, John (1895). Laing, David (ed.). The works of John Knox. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: James Thin.
- Knox, John (1895). Laing, David (ed.). The works of John Knox. Vol. 6. Edinburgh: James Thin.
- Lee, John (1860a). Lectures on the history of the Church of Scotland : from the Reformation to the Revolution Settlement. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: William Blackwood.
- Lee, John (1860b). Lectures on the history of the Church of Scotland : from the Reformation to the Revolution Settlement. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: William Blackwood.
- M'Crie, Thomas (1819). The Life of Andrew Melville. Edinburgh: William Blackwood.
- M'Crie, Thomas (1846). Lives of the Scottish reformers(American ed.). Xenia, [Ohio]: Published by the Board of the Calvinistic Book Concern.
- Pitcairn, Robert (1842). The Autobiography and Diary of Mr. James Mellvill. Edinburgh: Wodrow Society.
- Row, John (1842). The history of the Kirk of Scotland : from the year 1558 to August 1637. Edinburgh: Printed for the Wodrow Society.
- Scott, Hew (1869). "Superintendent of Fife". Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. pp. 831–832. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Scott, James (1810). "Mr John Winram". A history of the lives of the Protestant reformers in Scotland. Edinburgh: Printed for John Ogle, by James Ballantyne and Co. pp. 37-52. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- Watt, D .E. R.; Shead, N. F., eds. (2001). "The Heads of Religious Houses in Scotland from the 12th to the 16th Centuries". New Series. 24. Edinburgh: The Scottish Records Society.
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(help) - Wodrow, Robert (1834). Collections upon the lives of the reformers and most eminent ministers of the Church of Scotland. Vol. 1. Glasgow: Maitland Club (Glasgow). pp. 117-130, 453–471.