CRAIG, JOHN, born in 1511, was educated at St. Andrews Scot land, and then became a tutor in England to the children of Lord Deere. Returning to his native country when the two kingdoms were involved in war, ho entered the Dominicau order, but was shortly afterwards imprisoned on a suspicion of heresy. On regaining his liberty, ho went into England again, thence to France, and finally to Rome, where his talents recommended him to the notice of Cardinal Pole, under whose direction he entered the Dominican order at Bologna. Here he became entrusted with the education of the novices, and was also employed iu various ecclesiastic missions throughout the continent ; and for his important services was rewarded by the appoint ment of rector to one of the schools of the order. Having afterwards become a convert to the opinions of Calvin, he was seized, and accused of heresy, then sent to Rome, where, after an imprisonment of nine months, ho was summoned to staud his trial before the court of Inquisition. Hera he made a bold confession of his faith, and, being accordingly convicted, was condemned to be burnt.
It happened however that on the night previous to the day on which this sentence was to be put iu execution, the pope died, and the populace rejoicing to be free from his yoke, rose in a tumultuous manner, and broke open the prisons. Craig camo forth from his cell, and fled to Vienna, whence, after remaining there a short time, he was dismissed by the emperor with letters of safe-conduct, under the pro tection of which he passed through Germany into England, and thence to Scotland, where ho arrived soon after the establishment of the Reformation. He preached for a short time in Latin to the learned in
St. Magdalen's chapel, when, having recovered his native language, he was appointed minister of Holyrood House, and became a principal coadjutor of Knox, the great Scottish reformer, in the work of refor mation. He was afterwards appointed minister of Montrose, and in 1574 minister of Aberdeen, in which capacity he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly of the church of Scotland, which met In October 1576. The following rear he was removed to Edinburgh; and in 1579 was associated with the learned John Duncanson as minister to the royal household.
Craig drew up the National Covenant in the year 15SO; he was also the author of two theological works; the one an answer to an attack on the Confession of Faith, the other a form of examination eutitled ' Craig's Catechism,' which was appointed by the General Assembly to be used in schools and families in place of the 'Little Catechism.' lie died at Edinburgh on the 12th of December 1600, at the advanced ago of S9 ; but for some years before had performed no public duty.
AfelmTle ; Tytler, Life of Sir Thomas Craig.)