John Munro of Tain facts for kids

John Munro was a church leader, called a minister, who lived in Tain, a town in the Scottish Highlands. He died around the year 1630. John Munro belonged to the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. He strongly disagreed with King James VI of Scotland (who also became King James I of England). King James wanted to join the Presbyterian Church of Scotland with the Episcopalian Church of England. Because John Munro stood up for his beliefs, he faced many difficulties for a long time.

John Munro's Family Life

John Munro was the third son of Hugh Munro, who was the first leader of Assynt. His grandfather was Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis. John's mother was Christina. Her father was Robert Munro of Carbisdale.

John Munro married Euphemia. She was the daughter of Andrew Munro, 5th of Milntown. Euphemia was also John's cousin. They did not have any children. John had a brother named Robert Munro. Robert was a minister in Creich from about 1609 to 1640.

Becoming a Minister: John Munro's Early Years

John Munro studied to become a minister at St Andrews University. He earned his Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1590. To help pay for his studies, he was given the Chaplainry of Newmore. This was part of a plan by the church reformer John Knox.

In 1591, John Munro became a member of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. This was an important meeting for the church. Later, in 1599, he was given the job of minister for the parish of Tain. He was also put in charge of St Duthus Church in the town. As part of his job, he looked after several chaplainries, which were like smaller church areas. These included Newmore, Tarlogie, Cambuscurry, Morangie, and Dunskaith. He was also made a Sub-Dean for the Diocese of Ross.

Standing Up to the King: Church Union Resistance (1605-1607)

In 1605, King James wanted to combine the Presbyterian Church of Scotland with the Episcopal Church of England. To stop the Presbyterian Church's General Assembly from blocking his plan, the King ordered them not to meet. This order was called an interdict.

The church leaders in Tain, known as the Presbytery, did not agree with the King's plan. They ignored his order and sent John Munro to a special meeting, called an Assembly at Aberdeen, on July 2, 1605. At this meeting, John Munro was chosen to lead as the Moderator.

King James said the Aberdeen Assembly was against the law. So, the meeting quickly started and then ended. But the fact that it met at all was an act of defiance against the King. The 19 ministers who attended the Assembly were called to appear before the Scottish Privy Council. This was a group of the King's advisors.

Ten of these ministers agreed to obey the King. But seven others, including John Munro, insisted that the Assembly had been lawful. These seven ministers were sent away to different parts of Scotland, far from their homes. One of them, John Welsh of Ayr, who was the son-in-law of John Knox, was sent to France. John Munro was supposed to go to Kintyre. But first, he was put in prison at Doune Castle in Perthshire, along with another minister, Charles Ferm. With help from the castle's guard, John Munro managed to escape. The guard was later put in prison for helping him.

In 1607, John Munro and 13 other ministers were called before the Privy Council again. They appeared on May 20. However, while they waited for the Council's decision, they went into hiding in Edinburgh. They quietly left the city before they could be arrested. Because of this, they were declared rebels.

By this time, King James had mostly succeeded in stopping those who disagreed with his plan. However, his success did not last forever. Later, in 1649, a group called the Puritans, led by Oliver Cromwell, gained power in England.

John Munro's Later Years

After escaping from Edinburgh in 1607, John Munro went back to Tain. He continued his work as a minister there among the people. However, he no longer received his pay, called a stipend, from the King. He kept living and serving the people of Tain for many years.

On May 24, 1610, the Scottish Privy Council sent a letter to the town leaders of Tain. They told the Provost and Bailies off for letting Munro stay and preach without being bothered. We don't know exactly what happened next. But John Munro was still in Tain twenty years later, in 1630. He died shortly after that.