James V: Religion and Reform

James could not, of course, be unaware of the need for change, and happily listened to satire upon the ignorance, superstition and venality of the average priest, composed by his childhood mentor, Sir David Lindsay of the Mount.

But there was a difference between condemning poor practice and rejecting the authority of the Church or its doctrines. The Parliament of 1541 clearly set out the official position of James and the three Estates, with legislation that comprised the following for management of the Church (paraphrased – see Acts of Parliament of Scotland):

In other orders, James forbad the Church to exact death duties.

In other orders, James forbad the Church to exact death duties.

With a King and clergy committed to holding to the old faith, it seems unlikely that the Reformation would have gained much ground in Scotland, had James lived, especially if he had kept up pressure for internal reform. His early death, however, opened the door to a much more radical change in religion, with the appearance of George Wishart and John Knox.

This article is part of a Profile on James V available for Kindle, for purchase from Amazon.