c uldees. 



appointed to the other bishoprics, when they became 

 vacant, were generally foreigners, who had been strict- 

 ly trained up in the Romish religion. But the great 

 plan devised for the overthrow of the Culdees, was the 

 introduction of Canons Regular into the places which 

 they had formerly possessed. These had been made 

 a' permanent order in the eleventh century ; and, being 

 patronized by the Pope, were rigidly devoted to the 

 interests and forms of the church of Rome, and zealous 

 for the extension of the authority of their ghostly fa- 

 ther. The professed design of their introduction was, 

 that " religion might be established," the country being 

 represented as previously in a state of heathenism. 

 Wynimvn's Cron. B.vii. c.6. v. 125. In some instances, 

 where canons were introduced, the Culdees were per- 

 mitted to retain their 1 ights, and to live for a time dis- 

 tinctly ; in others they were tolerated, if they would 

 consent to live according to the canonical rule. As, in 

 episcopal sees, they had exercised the right of elect- 

 ing the bishops, this privilege was taken from them, 

 and conferred on the canons. Their lands, tithes, and 

 other rights, even their churches and convents, were 

 gradually wrested from them, and conferred on their 

 antagonists. When at length reluctantly reduced to 

 the necessity of appealing to the Pope, delegates were 

 appointed who were known to be inimical to their in- 

 terests ; and such decisions were given as weakened 

 their power still more. We have no historical account 

 of their existence as a distinct body later than the year 

 1 309, about which time those of St Andrew's at least 

 were completely " subjected to the bishop." 



It is singular, that even in Iona an attempt had been 

 made, as early as the beginning of the eighth century, 

 to effect a partial conformity between the Culdees and 

 the church of Rome. Adomnan, their abbot, in con- 

 sequence of a visit to the Saxon monks of Girwy, be- 

 came a proselyte to their unimportant dogma, as to the 

 time of the observation of Easter. The Culdees, how- 

 ever, continued firm in their adherence to the custom 

 of their predecessors. Nectan III. king of the Picts, 

 having adopted the catholic system on this head, re- 

 solved to accomplish by force what Adomnan had failed 

 to do by persuasion. We learn, accordingly, from the An- 

 nals of Ulster, that, A. D. 716, he " expelled the family 

 of Hii beyond Drum-albin." This can be understood 

 of those only who were refractory; for Ecgberht,aSaxon 

 monk, was at this very time sent from Girwy to Iona, 

 where he remained for thirteen years. From him the 

 monks of this island " received the catholic rites of 

 life." Bed. HisL vol. xxi. During his residence here, 

 a considerable number of the Culdean presbyters had 

 voluntarily retired to Ireland ; and had done so, as re- 

 fusing to submit to the Romish innovations. For there, 

 it is said, " the law was renewed';'' i. e. they observed 

 their own customs without disturbance. After the 

 death of Nectan, and of Ecgberht his ghostly coadju- 

 tor, they returned to Iona. Here the society enjoyed 

 tranquillity for more than sixty years. During several 

 succeeding centuries, they were harassed by oppressors 

 still more severe ; their island being frequently deso- 

 lated by the Danes. 



After the erection of the greater Culdee establish- 

 ments on the mainland, those especially of Abernethy, 

 Dunkeld, and St Andrew's, the religious influence of 

 the parent foundation necessarily declined. But, amidst 

 accumulated hardships, it subsisted so late as the be- 

 ginning of the thirteenth century; for, in the year 1203, 

 when Ceallach had erected a monastery in the island, 

 apparently for the reception of one of the Rornish or- 



CULDEES. 4S5 



ders, it was demolished by " the learned of the place," 

 abetted by the clergy of the north of Ireland. 



With respect to the Culdees on the mainland, it has 

 been seen that they retained their corporate form, in 

 some places at least, till the beginning of the fourteenth 

 century. The very year in which they are last men- 

 tioned in our records as a body, is that assigned to the 

 appearance of those contemptuously called Lollards in 

 Germany Soon after, Wickliffe propagated that doc- 

 trine in England, which formed the basis of the Refor- 

 mation. In the following century, many of those who 

 adhered to the same doctrine were branded with the 

 name of Lollards in Scotland. Thus, although we can- 

 not trace the Crddees down to the very era of the Re- 

 formation, there is reason to think, that individuals, 

 adhering to their principles, continued to discharge the 

 pastoral duties, especially in those places which were 

 more remote from the episcopal seats. It has been 

 viewed as no contemptible proof of the permanent re- 

 gard which the Scots had to the memory of the Cul- 

 dees, that, as soon as they had the power in their hands, 

 they preferred a form of ecclesiastical government near- 

 ly allied to that which had so long subsisted among 

 these venerable presbyters. To the same source, per- 

 haps, ought we to trace the hereditary antipathy which 

 has been manifested by the Scottish nation to pomp 

 and ceremony in divine worship. Hence, all the power 

 of the civil government has, even in later times, been un- 

 able to give a permanent establishment to prelacy. The 

 account given of the Culdees, nearly a thousand years 

 ago, would seem to be permanently descriptive of the 

 Scottish character in matters of religion; " Suum officium 

 more suo celebrabant." 



It is universally admitted, that the difference be- 

 tween the lower classes of society in England and those 

 of the same description in Scotland, both with respect 

 to religious knowledge and moral conduct, is very strik- 

 ing. Some writers, whose attention has been arrested 

 by this singular circumstance, and who could not be 

 influenced by local attachments, have ascribed the dis- 

 parity to the relative influence, however remote it may 

 seem, of the doctrine and example of the Culdees. Not- 

 withstanding their great disinterestedness and diligence 

 in propagating the gospel in England, these good men, 

 it has been remarked, within thirty years after the com- 

 mencement of their mission, were obliged to give way 

 to the adherents of Rome ; whereas the Scots, it is cer- 

 tainly known, enjoyed the benefit of their labours for 

 more than seven centuries, and seem to have still re- 

 tained their predilection for the doctrines and modes 

 which they so early received. 



See Dr Jamieson's Historical Account of the ancient 

 Culdees, and of their Set tleme its in Scotland, England, 

 and Ireland; Edin. 1811. (.i. ) 



CULLEN, William, M. D. a late eminent physician 

 and celebrated professor of medicine in the University 

 of Edinburgh, was born in the county of Lanark, in 

 the west of Scotland, on the 1 !th of December 1712. 

 His parents were respectable, but not in affluent cir- 

 cumstances; and we have only been able to learn 

 that his father filled the office of bailie or magistrate 

 of the burgh of Hamilton. Of his early education 

 no circumstances have reached our knowledge; but 

 it is probable that, after the ordinary initiation in Latin 

 at the school of his native parish, he might enjoy the 

 usual advantage of a short course of classical study in 

 the neighbouring university of Glasgow, preparatory to 

 entering upon professional pursuits. At an early period 

 he was bound apprentice to a surgeon apothecary in 



