Page:History of the Cathedral, or High Church of Glasgow (1).pdf/15

 15 The Cathedral of Glasgow did not escape the general rage at the Reformation, when the people having cast off the yoke of Rome, insulted and despised their former spiritual guides and wrecked their fury against every Church and monument of their ancient faith. In the year 1573 it was not only robbed of what was valuable within, but even stripped of its leaden roof. The Magistrates at this time, (to their honour,) contributed towards repairing of the Church. £200 Scots; but under protestation that in so doing no pre- cedent was to be inferred as the upholding of the Church belonged to the person in possession of the See. In 1572, when the popular rage was sanc- tioned by an act of the, the Magistrates of Glasgow granted warrant for the final destruction of the High Church, and in the course of a few days it would probably have been levelled with the dust. but not the Incorporations of the city, as before mentioned exerted themselves in its favor, and at the risk of their lives preserved it from destruction; for no sooner were the workmen, to the amount of several hundrdas, called together for this purpose, than the Crafts assembled and threatned with death the first that should begin the demolation— To them therefore, are we indebted for the preservation of this venerable sfructure, row the most perfect of the kind in the kingdom. Though we have endeavoured in the fore- going description to be as clen and explicate as possible, with a view of convaying a proper