WYNDHAM

Southland Times, Issue 23677, 28 November 1938, Page 15

WYNDHAM

SCOTTISH SOCIETY LECTURE ON JAMES VI OF SCOTLAND The chief, Mr John Halliday, arranged a concert for the meeting of the Wyndham and District- St. Andrew’s Scottish Society, which was held in the Masonic hall. Proceedings _ opened with the official party, which included the chieftains, Mr W. Frame jun. and Mr D. Sinclair, being piped to the platform by Mr John McDonald. The programme was as follows: — Pianoforte solo, “Medley of Scottish Airs,” Mr E. S. Macfarlane; songs, “The Star o’ Rabbie Burns” and “Gala Water,” Mrs A. Monagan; recitation, Mrs Duiguid; songs, “The End of the Road” and “A Cartload o’ Hay,” Mr A. McFadgen; violin solos, “Scottish Reels,” Mr G. McEwan; songs, “Tobacco but an Indian Weed” and “Mary o’ Argyle,” Mr E. S. Macfarlane; recitation, Mr T. McFarlane; songs, “Within a Mile o’ Endinboro’ Toon” and “McGregor’s Gathering,” Mrs T. Skinner; songs, “My Father’s Old Coat” and “Fal-de-Didle-O,” Mr J. C. Ronald; playette in character, “A Washing Day Crack,” Miss B. McLauchlan and Mrs J. Young. Mr E. S. Macfarlane was accompanist.

Mr W. L. Stewart gave a short address on the literary efforts of ‘sang James VI of Scotland, who was later crowned as James 1 of England. Mr Stewart said it had been remarked of King James that he was the greatest royal author since King Alfred and another man had called him the wisest fool in Christendom. Most people, however, knew Burns, Hogg, Scott, Stevenson and Barrie as Scottish authors, but few knew that James VI should also figure in the list. His writings included books on poetry, plays, kingship, religion, witchcraft and tobacco. He had been well educated in Latin, Greek, French and the Scottish tongue and also in the rigid Presbyterianism of his day. His first books published when he was 22 included poetry, plays, translations from Latin and Greek. In 1599 came one of his most famous books, “Daemonologue,” denouncing witchcraft and urging the Government and church to suppress it. The effect of this book in Scotland, and later in England was to intensify the campaign against witches. Any old spinster, living alone on the common with her geese and her cat or tottering about a village muttering the soundless mumblings of second childhood, was liable to be hunted and punished as a witch. Punishments were severe and included hanging, burning and ducking. The last did not appear drastic, but when it was realized that it involved holding the person under the water for up to 10 minutes it took on a different aspect. The viewpoint was that if she survived she must be a witch and should therefore be burned but if she died she could not have been a witch, which was a pity. There was no doubt that hundreds of harmless old women were put to death because of this.

About the same time he published a defence of religion—the Protestant religion in particular. At the same time he was trying to keep on friendly terms with the Pope, whose consent was necessary for a Spanish marriage the king had in view. So he sent the Pope a copy of the book with the parts offensive to Catholics left out, telling him that some parts of the book had proved too hard to translate. The Pope, however, being suspicious, obtained a full copy of the book and had it translated into Italian, with the result that the wedding did not take place. James next became interested in the Bible, and it was to him they owed the Authorized Version, this being made clear in the preface of any Authorized Version. Finally he wrote an amusing and curious book from the modern point of view, his famous “Counterblaste to Tobacco,” which was a vigorous attack on the then increasing habit of smoking. “Tobacco,” he said, “is but an Indian weed used by poor ignorant Indians to cure their filthy disease.” It was brought into England by Raleigh, whom he described as the father so generally hailed for introducing the loathsome, hateful use of this stinking antidote. He said that people believed that as a man’s brains were cool and moist, the hot fumes of tobacco would cheer him up, but this was about as sensible as placing a heavy lead weight on the stomach to prevent too muchpainful expansion while eating Christmas dinner. Mr Stewart read several extracts from this book, which stated that a great deal of money was spent on the habit, that it gave people sooty lungs and smokers inflicted bad breath on other people. Finally, the king asked his readers whether it would not be a benefit to the English nation if this habit and custom were abolished.