HAMILTON, PAnnox, one of the most prominent precursors of the Scottish refor mation, was a younger son Of sir Patrick Hamilton of Kincavel and Stanehouse, and of Catherine Stewart, daughter of Alexander, duke of Albany, second son of king James II., and, in all probability, was b. in the year 1504, and in the city of Glasgow. Ile was educated at the university of Paris, where he took his degree in 1520, after which lie proceeded to Louvain, where he remained for some time, and thence removed to Basel in 1521.
When Hamilton settled in St. Andrews in 1523, be brought with him the new tastes and interests which he had learned to cherish. For some time, his opinions attracted no particular attention. He quietly pursued his theological studies, and did not as yet venture to put himself forward as a reformer. He had been appointed in his boyhood abbot of Arne, and although lie never went into residence or lived as a monk, lie was content to enjoy the advantages and dipity of his ecclesiastical position. But gradually his convictions matured. From agreeing with Erasmus, lie came to agree with Luther; and about 1526 he appears to have announced his new views in such a manner as to draw the notice of the archbishop Beaton. Early in 1527 Beaton made " inquisition" into the grounds of the rumor against him, and found that he was " infamed with hieing disputing, holding and maintaining diverse heresies of Martin Luther and his followers, repugnant to the faith," and thereupon proceeded to "desire" him to be formally stun molted and put to trial. In the following year he carried out his summons by a pro fessed trial and conviction, declaring him to be worthy of death. In the meantime Hamilton had fled to Germany, where lie became familiarw•th Luther and Melancthon. The Protestant education of Hamilton was in this manner very complete. Such a man, while he became a reformer, became one in no sectarian sense. His doctrinal opinions were characterized by something of the cosmopolitan breadth which marked his training, and by a scriptural simplicity befitting his honest and persevering spirit of inquiry. The substance of his doctrines has been fortunately preserved by his own pen under the title of Patrick's Places; and simplicity, combined with comprehension and apho ristic brevity, may be said to be the chief characteristics of them.
After a residence of six months, Hamilton returned to his native country. He repaired to the family mansion at Kincavel, and there, in the neighborhood of Linlith gow, openly preached the gospel. What is more remarkable, he is supposed, during this brief period of quiet and retirement at Kincavel, to have married. It is somewhat
strange that, following such an event, he should have been induced to quit his retire ment, where he was in comparative safety, and proceed to St. Andrews. Beaton, how ever, contrived to allure him within his grasp. He "travailed with the said Mr. Patrick," Knox says, "that he got him to St. Andrews." Hopes seem to have been held out of some good being effected by a conference with him as to the state of the church and its need of reformation; for "reformation " of some kind was a common talk at this time in the church, and many plans were considered, and some attempted for carrying it out.
Hamilton arrived at St. Andrews in Jan., 1528, and took up his abode in a lodg ing provided for hint by the archbishop. A conference was held, in which his oppo nents showed a conciliatory spirit, and even to some extent expressed concurrence in his views. No advantage appears to have been taken of his former summons and con demnation. He was allowed openly, for some time, to promulgate his sentiments in the city and university. With all visitors lie freely converse I, and among these, with Alexander Mane or Alesius, at this time one of the canons in the priory, and with Alexander Campbell, one of the Dominican friars, "a young man of good wit and learning;" suborned, it is alleged, by Beaton, to entrap him into avowals of heretical opinion. After a month or so (plus minus mensern, says Alesius), he was summoned to answer before Beaton to a charge of heresy. The trial took place on the last day of Feb. and the result, in spite of his luminous and unanswerable argument was, that Hamilton was condemned for divers heresies and "detestable opinions "—deprived of all dignities and benefices in the church, and delivered over to the secular power to be punished. The sentence was carried out without delay. The warrant of the secular power must have been already secured, for on the very same day on the morning of which lie was tried, Hamilton was consigned to the stake in the front of the gate of St. Salvador's college. He died ns lie had lived, a humble, earnest, heroic man. Ills character, if it scarcely attained to greatness in his brief lifetime, yet shines with a chastened and magnanimous luster through the fires of his early martyrdom. His death probably did more to extend the reformation in Scotland than even his life could have done. The " reik of Mr. Patrick Hamilton," said one of Beaton's own retainers, has infected as many as it did blow upon."