The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

After the death of Donald, till toward the later end of the third age; that is, to the Reign of Crathilinth, this work of totally putting down Idolatry, and settling the Gospel every where in the Country, by the negligence of the following Princes, was at a stay. In this King Crathilinth his days fell out the ninth persecution under Aurelius, and the tenth under Diocletian, which gave occasion to many Christians from divers parts of the Empire, but namely from the South parts of Britain, now another time to fly into Scotland for refuge, as they had done before under Domitian. Among those fugitives who did then repair into Scotland for shelter from the general massacre, were many excellent men in Piety and Learning, whom the King Crathilinth not only kindly received, but also employed to aid and help him and his Council in the further settling of Christs Truth in his Kingdom, and in the total extirpation of Idolatry out of it; which was so much the harder work, because of the Druids, the principal false Prophets, and Idolatrous Priests in those days; who not only by their subtle hypocrisy, and sense-pleasing Divine Service, but also by a cunning forecast, having drawn into their hands the hearing and determining of Civill affairs, had so gained upon the spirits of the poor and simple people, that they could not imagine how to be without them, and live. The resolute care and diligence of King Crathilinth and his Council, with the help of those pious and learned men, surpasseth all difficulties; and having put quite down the Groves and Altars under the Oaks, and, in a word, all Idol Service, established the pure Worship of the true God in every place of his Dominions, and filled up the rooms of those false Prophets, with godly and learned Teachers of the people; which was done every where through the Kingdom, but particularly in the Islands, which those pious men chose for their principal abode, as being most fit for a retired life; and namely, in the Isle of Man the King Crathilinth caused to build a ⟨image 23⟩Church to the honour of our Saviour, which in following times, by corruptions, was called Fanum Sodorense, for Soterense, the word original is, [Greek or Hebrew]. Hence the Town near the Church was called Sodora, as Minster in our vulgar language, and Moustier in French, signifying a Town, in a secondary signification, near a Church.

After the death of Donald, till toward the later end of the third age; that is, to the Reign of Crathilinth, this work of totally putting down Idolatry, and setling the Gospel every where in the Countrey, by the negligence of the following Princes, was at a stay. In this King Crathilinth his dayes fell out the ninth persecution under Aurelius, and the tenth under Dioclesian, which gave occasion to many Christians from divers parts of the Empire, but namely from the South parts of Britanie, now another time to flie into Scotland for refuge, as they had done before under Domitian. Among those fugitives who did then repair into Scotland for shelter from the generall massacre, were many excellent men in Piety and Learning, whom the King Crathilinth not onely kindely received, but also employed to ayd and help him and his Councell in the further setling of Christs Truth in his Kingdom, and in the totall extirpation of Idolatry out of it; which was so much the harder work, because of the Druides, the principall false Prophets, and Idolatrous Priests in those dayes; who not onely by their subtill hypocrisie, and sense-pleasing Divine Service, but also by a cunning forecast, having drawn into their hands the hearing and determining of Civill affairs, had so gained upon the spirits of the poor and simple people, that they could not imagine how to be without them, and live. The resolute care and diligence of King Crathilinth and his Councell, with the help of those pious and learned men, surpasseth all difficulties; and having put quite down the Groves and Altars under the Oaks, and, in a word, all Idoll Service, established the pure Worship of the true God in every place of his Dominions, and filled up the rooms of those false Prophets, with godly and learned Teachers of the people; which was done every where thorow the Kingdom, but particularly in the Islands, which those pious men chose for their principall abode, as being most fit for a retired life; and namely, in the Isle of Man the King Crathilinth caused to build a