Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 20.djvu/16

 Colmes Inche’ (Inchcolm in the Firth of Forth). The canons having, it is said, begun to manifest their discontent at their daily allowance, the abbot, in order to divert their attention from their personal grievances, gave them the works of Augustine to study instead of the book of their foundation. Its perusal effected a radical change in the thoughts of many of the recluses. ‘O happy and blessed,’ afterwards said Forret, ‘was that book by which I came to the knowledge of the truth!’ The abbot to whom he made known his change of opinions advised him to keep his mind to himself; but Forret converted the younger canons, although ‘the old bottels,’ he said, ‘would not receive the new wine.’ Afterwards he became vicar of Dollar, Clackmannanshire, where he preached every Sunday to his parishioners on the Epistles and Gospels. As at that time in Scotland no one except a black friar or grey friar was in the habit of preaching, the friars, offended at the innovation, denounced him to the Bishop of Dunkeld as a heretic, and one that ‘shewed the mysteries of the Scriptures to the vulgar people in English.’ The bishop, who had no interest whatever in ecclesiastical controversies, remonstrated with Forret not only for preaching ‘every Sunday,’ but for the more serious offence of not taking the usual due from the parishioners when any one died, of ‘the cow and the uppermost cloth,’ remarking that the people would expect others to do as he did. He advised Forret, therefore, if he was determined to preach, to preach only on ‘one good Epistle or one good Gospell that setteth forth the libertie of the holie church.’ On Forret explaining that he had never found any evil epistle or gospel in the New or Old Testament, then ‘spake my lord stoutlie and said, “I thank God that I never knew what the Old and the New Testament was.”’ This innocent instance of devout gratitude on the part of the bishop gave rise to a proverb in Scotland: ‘Ye are like the Bishop of Dunkeld that knew neither the new law nor the old law.’ Forret systematically warned his parishioners against the sellers of indulgences. He also took care specially to teach them the ten commandments, and composed a short catechism for their instruction on points of prime importance in Christian belief. He was in the habit of carrying bread and cheese in his gown sleeve to any poor person who was ill. He studied from six in the morning till twelve, and again from dinner till supper; and, in order the better to hold his own against disputants, committed three chapters in Latin of the New Testament to memory every day, making his servant, Andrew Kirkie, hear him repeat them at night. Though several times summoned before the Bishop of Dunkeld he escaped further interference until February 1539–40, when he and four others were summoned before Beaton, the bishop of Glasgow, and the Bishop of Dunblane as ‘chief heretics and teachers of heresy,’ and especially for being present at the marriage of the vicar of Tullibodie, and for eating flesh in Lent at the marriage. They were on 28 Feb. burned on the Castle Hill of Edinburgh.

[Foxe's Acts and Monuments; Calderwood's Church of Scotland, i. 124–8; Lindsay's (of Pitscottie) Chronicles of Scotland.] 

FORSETT, EDWARD (1553?–1630?), political writer, obtained from Elizabeth in 1583 a twenty-one years' lease of the manor of Tyburn, Middlesex, at the annual rent of 16l. 11s. 8d. As a justice of peace he showed himself very active in the examination of those concerned in the Gunpowder plot, and he occasionally took charge of the Tower during the absence of the lieutenant, Sir William Waad. He also held a surveyor's place in the office of works, and in May 1609 was commissioned to repair Oatlands Park (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser. Addenda, 1580–1625, p. 516). On 8 June 1611 James I granted him the manor of Tyburn, with all its appurtenances, excepting the park, for the sum of 829l. 3s. 4d. (ib. 1611–1618, p. 40). It continued in his family for several years, and then passed into that of Austen by the intermarriage of Arabella Forsett, a grand-daughter, with Thomas Austen (, Environs, iii. 244-5). Forsett died in 1629 or 1630, probably at his chamber in Charing Cross House. He married about 1585 Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Carr, of Hillingdon, Middlesex; she predeceased him. His will (P. C. C. 46, Scroope), dated 13 Oct. 1629, was proved 25 May 1630 by his son, Robert Forsett, and his daughter Frances (d. 1668), wife of Mr. (afterwards Sir) Matthew Howland of Holborn and Streatham, Surrey, one of the king's gentlemen pensioners. Therein he describes himself as ‘of Maribone in the countie of Middlesex esquier,’ and desires to be buried in Marylebone Church, in a vault of his own in the chancel. He is the author of two ably written pamphlets: 1. ‘A