William Row was a son of Mr John Row, minister at Perth, who gave him a very liberal education under his own eye. The founder of this family was John Row, who in his earlier years was a staunch and zealous adherent of the Romish church. At the commencement of the Reformation in Scotland he was residing in Rome, where he had been for seven or eight years, and so great was the confidence reposed in him by the Pope and Cardinals, that on his proposing to return to his native country, he was invested with the character of Legate or Nuncio, and was instructed to inquire minutely into the nature and causes of the prevailing disaffection and report. As his son remarks however, he proved “a corbie messenger to his master” for not only did he not return to Rome, but he speedily embraced the great principles of the Reformation himself, and became one of the ablest and most strenuous supporters. He was one of the six ministers selected to draw up the Confession of Faith, and the First Book of Discipline; and for a period of twenty years, besides discharging his ordinary duties in Perth he took an active and prominent part in all the proceedings of the Church. At his death, 16th October, 1580, he left several children, five of whom afterwards became ministers.
William Row was settled minister at Forgandenny in Perthshire about the year 1600 and continued there for several years. He was one of those ministers who refused to give public thanks for King James VI’s deliverance from the danger in Gowrie’s conspiracy, until the truth of that conspiracy was made to appear. This refusal brought upon him the king’s displeasure. He was summoned to appear before the King and council at Stirling soon after. Two noblemen were sent, the one before the other to meet him on the road, and under the pretence of friendship, to inform him, that the council had a design upon his life, that he might be prevailed on to decline going up thither. The first met him near his own house, and the second a few miles from Stirling, but Row told them, that he would not by disobedience to the summons make himself justly liable to the pains of the law, and proceeded to Stirling, to the amazement of the king and his court. When challenged for disbelieving the Gowrie conspiracy he told them one reason of his hesitation was that Henderson, who was said to have confessed that Gowrie hired him to kill the king, and to have been found in his majesty’s chamber for that purpose, was not only suffered to live, but rewarded. “Whereas” said he “if I had seen the king’s life in hazard, and not ventured my life to rescue him, I should deserve not to live.”
Being at Edinburgh before the Assembly at which the king desired to bring in some innovation, and meeting with James Melville, who was sent for by the king, Row accompanied him to Holyrood House. While Melville was with the king, Row stood behind a screen, and not getting an opportunity to go out with his brother he overheard the king say to some of his courtiers. “This is a good simple man; I have stroked cream on his mouth, and he will procure me a good number of voters.” This said, Mr Row went off, and overtaking James Melville asked him what had passed. Melville said: “The king is well disposed to the church and intends to do her good.” Row replied, “The king wants to use you as a coy-duck to draw in others,” and told him what he had overheard. Mr Row offered to go with him and avouch it to the king’s face. Accordingly they went back to the palace, and Melville seeing Row, so forward to go in, believed his report.
Row was put to the horn and was subjected to several other hardships during the remainder of his life, but maintained that steady faithfulness and courage in the discharge of his duty till the day of his death.
From: The Scots Worthies.
Piety shall have riches without rust, wealth without want, store without sore, beauty without blemish, mirth without mixture.
John Trapp.