November 9th 1619

Dealing with Harry Schaw

It started with Janet Mor being brought before the Presbytery on July 5th 1619 and confessing to the sin of adultery. This was, of course, a not uncommon matter to come before the Session, but the circumstances were unusual. The adultery was “committed by her with Harry Schaw of Pitmurthly (near Redgorton) and that he ravished her against her will in his barn when she was getting straw for her bairn’s cradle. He steeked the door, and wrestling with her she got a grip of his dirk and almost drew out the same, and he thrusting it in again, bled her hand and made a great wound into it.”  But the punchline was that the offence “was committed seven years since or thereby.”  Naturally the brethren wanted to know why the matter was raised now after “lying so long hid.” 

It appeared that Harry Schaw had mentioned it himself to Catherine Weymes, “his harlot who bore him two bairns in fornication.”  (Possibly his servant who also served him in more intimate ways.) Catherine had told the story to Grizzel Saunders who repeated it to her husband who brought the matter before the Session.

Though the offence had taken place seven years previously, the Session had no intention of letting the matter drop. It was ordained that Harry Schaw should be summoned to appear before them, but on July 19th Mr William Young, minister of Redgorton reported that Harry Schaw “declined appearing, upon the ground of being in debt within the burgh he durst not compear.”  The ministers of St Martins and Scone were then deputed to interview Schaw but reported back that they had been unable to see him. Harry Schaw was not making things easy for the Session and for some weeks nothing happened. Then in September came an agonised complaint from Mr Young.

He had been among the stooks of his own glebe “at his meditations, in quiet and sober manner, looking for no evil to have been done or said to him by any person or persons, but to have lived under God’s peace and our sovereign Lord’s.”  This touching picture of religious tranquillity was rudely shattered by the appearance of Harry Schaw who “violently invaded and pursued him, having in his hand a rung (stick or cudgel) with a long dirk, or else a dagger; Mr Young seeing him in a rage and threatening him of his life, ran away, the said Harry following him and crying, ‘Thief, thy feet shall not bear thee from me.’ Mr Young being an aged man, and fearing that he should have felled him with the rung, cried many times ‘God’s mercy.’

The said Harry, overtaking him, called him ‘traitor’ and asked him what he said of him to the Presbytery. And when Mr William answered that he might speir at Mr John Strachan (Minister of St Martins) the said Harry Schaw commanded him to swear that he should never speak of him again to the Presbytery or by the blood of Jesus he should presently die. He with great difficulty was stayed from further troubling of him by some poor men that came from sheaving of their corns. Immediately the said Harry made vaunt of his doing to his own sheavers and openly declared that he had caused the minister swear and cry many times ‘God’s mercy’” 

Such treatment of a minister was considered to be wholly unacceptable, and it was agreed to report the whole case to the Archbishop of St Andrews. This had the desired effect and in October, Schaw appeared before the Presbytery and confessed his assault on old Mr Young, agreeing to make his public repentance at the Kirk of Redgorton “in linen clothes.”  He still however denied the charge of adultery. He was again summoned to the Presbytery and after failing to appear “upon the grounds of sickness,”  he finally, “in linen clothes and on his knees confessed the adultery and promised to satisfy the kirk.” 

Harry Schaw was obviously a difficult and violent man, and it says something for the power and perseverance of the Session, that seven years after the event they managed to exact such a full confession from a humbled and repentant sinner.