page_title: John Davidson (reformer)
section_title: Davidson and King James
hierarchical_section_title: John Davidson (reformer) / Davidson and King James
caption_attribution_description: English: Prestonpans Parish Kirk
context_page_description: John Davidson was born about the year 1549 at Dunfermline, where his parents owned property in houses and lands. He entered St Leonard's College, St Andrews, in 1567, and after graduating, became a regent of the college, pursuing the study of theology. Being introduced to John Knox, he set himself to advance the cause of the Reformation, and one of his earliest services was the production of a play intended to expose the errors of Romanism, which was acted in Knox's presence. In 1573 there appeared from his pen Ane Breif Commendation of Uprightness, a poem in praise of Knox, with accompanying verses on the Reformer's death. Soon after, another poetical tract was issued anonymously, under the title of Ane Dialog, or Mutitait Talking betwixt a Clerk and ane Courteour, concerning foure Parische Kirks till ane Minister. This was a reflection on the Regent Morton, who had been uniting parishes under one minister to secure part of the benefices for himself. The Regent was deeply offended. Printer and poet were put in prison. On his liberation, he lay hid for a time at Kinzeaneleugh, Ayrshire, the residence of his friend Robert Campbell.
context_section_description: King James passed the Black Acts in 1584, putting the Church of Scotland under royal control with two bishops. This met vigorous opposition and he was forced to concede that the General Assembly should continue to run the church, but Presbyterians reacting against the formal liturgy were opposed by an Episcopalian faction.When Davidson returned from London he did not resume his charge at Liberton, but officiated for a time here and there, at one time acting as one of the ministers of Holyrood.
  The feeling in the Scottish church against prelacy was much intensified by injudicious methods used to recommend it. Among these was the sermon preached by Richard Bancroft at St. Paul's Cross at the opening of parliament in February 1588–9, in which the divine right of bishops as a higher order than presbyters was maintained, and the orders of the Scottish church disparaged. Davidson at the request of the presbytery of Edinburgh published a reply, which was suppressed by order of the king. It became very scarce. Part of it is republished in the Miscellany of the Wodrow Society. 
  The king being opposed to the strict observance of Sunday required by the church, resolved, after his marriage with Anne of Denmark, that the queen should be crowned on a Sunday. This was opposed strongly by Davidson and other clergy, but the king carried his point, and the coronation took place on 17 May 1590. Preaching in Edinburgh on 6 June in presence of the king, Davidson addressed a strong admonition to him. He also paid the king a pastoral visit at Holyrood with two other ministers, and made several complaints against his proceedings. He continued the same bold course, but, the king having commanded the provost of Edinburgh to prohibit his preaching again in the city, he made a kind of apology. But his brethren were uncomfortable under his bold language, and it was deemed better that he should remove from the city. In 1596 he became minister of Prestonpans, ten miles from Edinburgh, where there was no church. Davidson erected a church at his own expense, and likewise a manse, which stood for more than a hundred and fifty years and was the birthplace of Dr. Alexander Carlyle.
  In 1595 the terror of Philip II of Spain, which had subsided for a time after the destruction of his armada, began to spread anew over the country. The privy council imposed a tax, to raise which the consent of the general assembly was necessary. On the motion of Davidson a resolution was passed by the assembly that humiliation for sin was the first and best preparation against a hostile invasion of the country. The king was alarmed and made some concession. Carrying out their resolution the assembly met in order that the ministers might humble themselves before God. Davidson preached on the sins of the ministry. An extraordinary scene took place, the whole assembly being melted into tears. No discourse had ever been known to produce such an impression.
  In February 1599 a proposal of the king that certain of the clergy should sit and vote in parliament was being discussed in the synod of Fife. Davidson opposed the scheme as an insidious attempt to introduce prelacy, saying, in words that became famous afterwards, ‘Busk him, busk him, as bonnily as ye can, and bring him in as fairly as ye will, we see him well enough, we see the horns of his mitre.’
  The contest with the king was carried on on various subsequent occasions, Davidson making himself obnoxious to James by his firm protests against the royal measures. At one time royal commissioners appeared before the presbytery of Haddington requiring them to prosecute him for his misdemeanors and offences. The presbytery, after consideration and inquiry, let the matter drop. Unable to attend the general assembly at Burntisland in 1601, he wrote a letter warning his brethren against the devices of Delilah. For this he was summoned before the king at Holyrood, and committed to Edinburgh Castle. Released next day, he was allowed to return to his parish, but interdicted from going beyond it. Various attempts were made to get this interd
caption: Prestonpans Parish Kirk built by Davidson at his own expense[11]
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