Letter from Alexander Winster to [PF], 1672-08-13, Edinburgh

Title

Letter from Alexander Winster to [PF], 1672-08-13, Edinburgh

Subject

Scotland
Scottish Catholics abroad

Description

There are eight missionaries in Scotland. Three of them, Francisc' Blancus [Francis White], Francisc' Macdonell [Francis MacDonell], and Robert Monro work in the northern mountains of Scotland, and on the Hebrides. Six priests there would hardly be enough, since there are around 4,000 people. On the islands Morar and Bara everyone is Catholic, on Ovist (the biggest of the islands), there are around 700 Catholics; there is also one master in the school in Glengaria, Eug. Maccalester [Eugene Macalister]. They teach the youths from the northern countries English, because they usually only speak Gaelic; therefore they would need more teachers. They ask a annual pension of 300 scudi for Biancu [White] so that he can work as a teacher. David Burnet works in the county of Aberdeen and in Buchania and Joannes Irvinus [John Irvin] works in Marria and elsewhere in Aberdeen. Alexander Irvin works around Edinburgh and sometimes also goes to Tivedalia and the county of Traquair. Huntley has left his easy life in the Catholic world behind, to help them in their mission. Gilbert Gray is very useless for the mission and Winster hopes that he will be recalled. David Burnet has become the new prefect without any official authority after John Walker left. Walker is paralysed, and for three years he has tried to improve his health; he left London for France, and eventually travelled to Italy. 
Additional comments

Creator

Alexander Winster

Source

APF SOCG 438, 234r-v

Date

1672-08-13

Contributor

Adressed to [PF]

Format

Original; signed

Language

Latin

Type

Letter

Identifier

765

Coverage

Origin: Edinburgh
Destination: [Rome]

Citation

Alexander Winster, “Letter from Alexander Winster to [PF], 1672-08-13, Edinburgh,” Early Modern Documents: Sources and Resources for Historical Research, accessed March 29, 2024, https://earlymoderndocs.omeka.net/items/show/13218.