The Lords of the Congregation (), originally styling themselves the Faithful, were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured a reformation of the Catholic church according to Protestant principles and a Scottish-English alliance.
Historical events
In December 1557 a group of Scottish lords opposed the marriage of the young Queen Mary of Scotland to the Dauphin of France (who became King Francis II of France from 1559 to 1560). The group signed the 'First Band' or Covenant to work to make Scotland Protestant. The initial members were the Earl of Argyll, his brother Colin Campbell, the Earl of Glencairn, the Earl of Morton, and John Erskine of Dun, though others, such as William Douglas of Whittinghame quickly followed.
Following religious riots in Perth, the Lords gained support and provided military help to John Knox in opposing the troops of Mary of Guise, who was the Regent of Scotland. They wrote letters to the French commanders, Henri Cleutin, and to Mary of Guise outlining their case on 22 May. The letter for Mary of Guise was placed on the cushion of her seat in the Chapel Royal of Stirling Castle. She found it and tucked it discretely into the pocket of her gown.
In June, at Cupar Muir, in Fife, the Lords fielded enough military strength to face off a French and Scottish army jointly led by the Duke of Châtelherault (who as Regent had supported the French match) and by Henri Cleutin the French king's lieutenant. By July 1559 the Lords of the Congregation had taken Edinburgh. As Edinburgh Castle held out against them, the Lords withdrew under the terms of the truce of the Articles of Leith (25 July 1559). In September, Châtelherault, now joined by his son, the Earl of Arran, changed sides and became leader of the Congregation Lords.
Mary of Guise, who had earlier offered a degree of religious tolerance, maintained that their motives were secular in part. Queen Mary and King Francis wrote to her in November 1559, declaring that the lords were acting maliciously under the name and cloak of religion. French re-inforcements pushed the Lords and their Protestant army back to Stirling and Fife.
By the Treaty of Berwick in February 1560 the Lords brought in an English army to resist the French troops. The armed conflict now centred on the Siege of Leith. After the death of the Queen Regent in June and the conclusion of hostilities at Leith by the Treaty of Edinburgh in July, the Scottish Reformation took effect in the Parliament of Scotland in August 1560.
Personnel
William Kirkcaldy of Grange and John Knox gave a list of members of the Congregation who expelled the troops of Mary of Guise from Perth in June 1559 and moved on Edinburgh, including:
Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll
James Stewart, Prior of St Andrews, later to become Regent Moray
Andrew Leslie, 5th Earl of Rothes
John Graham, 4th Earl of Menteith
Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven
James Ogilvy, 5th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie
David, 2nd Lord Drummond
Patrick Lindsay, Master of Lindsay
William Douglas, Laird of Lochleven
John Wishart, Laird of Pitarro
William Murray, Laird of Tullibardine
Colin Campbell, Laird of Glenorchy.
These were joined in Edinburgh in July 1559 by: Alexander Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn; the Earl of Morton; Lord Erskine; Robert, Lord Boyd; Lord Ochiltree; Hugh Campbell, Sheriff of Ayr; and the Laird of Calder.
Knox and Kirkcaldy gave the names of another six lords who had not yet declared their alliance in July 1559; William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal; the Earl of Athol; Lord Forbes; and James Douglas, Laird of Drumlanrig; the Laird of Lochinvar; and the Laird of Garlies.
A list of the council for policy of the Lords of October 1559 includes; the former Regent Arran; his son the 3rd Earl of Arran; the Earl of Argyll; the Prior of St Andrews; the Earl of Glencairn; Lord Ruthven; Robert, 4th Lord Boyd; Lord Maxwell; Erskine of Dun; Wishart of Pitarrow; Henry Balnaves of Halhill; Kirkcaldy of Grange; and James Halyburton Provost of Dundee.
The congregation received guidance in religious matters from:
Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway
John Knox
Master Christopher Goodman of England
John Willock.