The Covenanters

The Black Oath
By Brian Orr Have a question? Click Here to go to Brian's own Discussion Board!
Continued From Page One

A 16th Century ship, Click for larger image

Against this background the Rev. Livingston had meanwhile been exploring the possibilities of going to the Massachusetts colony and had set in train the building of the ship, the "Eaglewing". But even here they were thwarted in 1636 by bad weather and the migrants had to return to Ireland and a growing persecution.

The people themselves began to be persecuted for simply being Presbyterian - a Mrs. Pont, a ministers wife, was sent to prison for three years. Lady Clotworthy was summoned before a court to explain herself; Sir Robert Adair was indicted for treason, lost all his property and had to flee to Scotland; Henry Stewart, a wealthy landowner, was fined a total of £16,000 - a huge amount of money at that time.

A copy of the National Covenant at Greyfriars Kirk,  Click for larger image

The Presbyterians were then subjected to the "Black Oath" - requiring a declaration of loyalty to the King and denouncing all covenants including the National Covenant. This was followed up by Episcopalian ministers and church wardens having to produce a return of all Presbyterians in their vicinity and whether they had taken the Oath.

There followed many imprisonments and people began seeking refuge in the forests and caves and fleeing to Scotland. Wentworth, now Earl of Strafford and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, began his plan to banish all Presbyterians from the country. Providence intervened, as King Charles had been defeated in a battle by the Scots in the North-east of England and had to call a meeting of Parliament to obtain funds to continue the war.

This "Long Parliament", as it was to be called, impeached Wentworth for his misdeeds and consigned him to the headsmans axe in May 1641.

Back | Next

Meet the Author, Brian Orr, Researcher with The Guild of One Name Studies

Back to The Covenanters, Main Page

Part One: The Covenanters: Who Were They?
Part Two : The Kirk and its Impact on the People
Part Three : Tales of the Covenanters
Part Four : What's in a Name?
Part Five : The Sanquhar Declaration
Part Six : Covenanter Ships: The Eaglewing, The Crown and Henry & Francis
Part Seven : Female Covenanters: Execution by Drowning
Part Eight : Covenanter Prisons: Bass Rock and Dunnattor Castle
Part Nine : Greyfriars Kirk and the National Covenant
Part Ten : Battle of Rullion Green
Part Eleven : Rev. James Renwick, Martyr
Part Twelve : Presbyterians in Ireland
Part Thirteen: The Final Word on the Solway Martyrs
Part Fourteen: The Margaret Wilson Statue
Part Fifteen: After the National Covenant

Covenanters Time Line
Research Links

Thursday, December 26th, 2019

Attention visitors: Tartans.com is back. Please note that this is a snapshot of the site as it existed nearly 20 years ago and you may encounter broken links; we are still combing through the site and correcting those as we find them. Please also note that some sections are currently not functional, primarily the discussion forums/clan chat boards.


** HOME - First Time Visitors - Glossary - - Contact Us **
Awards | Bibliography | Clan Calendar | Clan Chat | Clan Finder | History | Famous Scots | Genealogy | Great Hall of the Clans | Links | News and Features | Scots on the Net | Search | Site Map
The Gathering of the Clans

Clans of Ireland | Ancestral Research Services


Copyright 1995- Tartans.com - All Rights Reserved.