The protestation of the Generall Assemblie: The first book printed in Glasgow
On Saturday 20th September 2025, as part of Doors Open Day 2025 the Mitchell Library Special Collections department will be showcasing a selection of ‘Glasgow Firsts’. These are early printed items that are important to the history of Glasgow, including the first history of the city and the first newspaper.
The first item highlighted in this mini blog series is the first book ever printed in Glasgow, and it has quite a long and impressive title:
Printing first came to Scotland in 1507 when King James IV issued a royal charter to Walter Chepman and Androw Myllar to establish a printing press in Edinburgh to print books of law ‘and other books necessary which might be required’. Many other Scottish printers would follow, but it was not until 130 years later that Glasgow would establish its first printing press.
In 1638 George Anderson, a printer in Edinburgh, was invited by magistrates in Glasgow to relocate across the country to become our first Town Printer. Though George would go on to print a number of books in Glasgow’s interest, his first task was to print a specific book that recorded an event that would influence the shape of the religious and political landscape of Scotland and the United Kingdom for decades to come.
In November of 1638 the General Assembly held a noisy and boisterous meeting in Glasgow Cathedral in which they vehemently condemned all additions that had been introduced by the two Kings, abolished all offices of bishops, and excommunicated all current Scottish bishops. They were resolute in their rejection, but by speaking out against the Crown they were, in effect, committing treason, leading to the Bishops’ Wars in 1639 and 1640 (the first of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which would lead to the English Civil Wars). Creating a record of the events of this momentous meeting in black and white print meant that it could not be refuted.
George Anderson’s book, with its impressively long title, is the record of that meeting and is the first book in the Mitchell Library’s ‘Early Glasgow Printing’ Collection. It was printed on a moveable type hand press and is recorded as being the 923rd book printed in Scotland. George Anderson, his wife and his children would continue to print in Glasgow for the next 10 years.
In the years leading up to 1638 King James VI+I and King Charles I would make changes to the Church of Scotland that were highly disapproved of in many circles, such as appointing Bishops into the Church’s hierarchy and the introduction of the Scottish Prayer Book which had not been approved by the General Assembly (the highest court of the Church of Scotland). This angered many people, even to the point of rioting, and a National Covenant was published refuting any ‘innovations’ to the Church’s practices.
Leather-bound cover of The protestation of the Generall Assemblie
Simple gold decorations have been added to soft, dark-brown leather.
Binding
Our copy of Protestations has been rebound in leather with gold lettering and tooling, as it was likely that the original cover had deteriorated with time.
Title page
Title pages are particularly important in early printed books – printers would add not only the title but also their own name, the location the book was printed in, and the date, which we see in modern books as separate title and publication pages. George Anderson added as a flourish that Protestations was printed ‘in the Yeare of Grace, 1638’, and we can also see that he could print in italics, as well as in different font sizes*. As an addition, a simple woodcut decoration in the centre shows a tree-like character outside the town, gazing with surprise at a beautiful flower. The text is relatively neat, and care has been taken to align the body of the text to the centre of the page.
Title page: The protestation of the Generall Assemblie of the Church of Scotland and of the noblemen, barons, gentlemen, borrowes, ministers and commons
subscribers of the Covenant, lately renewed, made in the high Kirk, and at the Mercate Crosse of Glasgow, the 28, and 29. of November 1638. At the Mercate-Crosse of Glasgow, the 28 and 29 of November 1638. Printed at Glasgow by George Anderson, in the yeare of grace 1638.
The existence of Protestations of the Generall Assemblie gives us a greater understanding of the religious and political climate of the time and is a truly fascinating start to the history of printing in Glasgow.
Find out more
Read more about the history of printing in Scotland with this reading list.
Scottish Print Archive (1994) A reputation for excellence. Volume 2: Glasgow
The General Assembly of 1638 - Historic Environment Scotland Blog
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/news-and-articles/our-records-general-assembly
Mechanical to Digital Printing in Scotland – John Gennard
Stewart, W., ‘The Early Printers of Glasgow’ Glasgow Herald, 4, 11, 18, 25 April 1903.
Stewart, William, ‘The early printers of Glasgow Pt II. The Andersons.’ Glasgow Herald, 11 April 1903, p.3
Bremner, D., The Industries of Scotland, 1969 edition.
Bundock, Clement J. The Story of the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers, Oxford, 1959.
Glasgow Herald Bicentenary Edition, 27 January 1983: ‘Book Price War’, ‘McGavigan Alliance’, ‘18th Century Editor’ ‘McGavigan Alliance with US Plastics Firm’, 15 November 1991. ‘18th Century Editor Behind it all’, 9 May 1992. ‘Book Price War set to Restart after Court Ruling’, 10 July 1992.
City of Glasgow Printing and Stationery Department, ‘Report on the History and Activities of the Corporation of the City of Glasgow Stationery Department 1929—1937 and Printing and Stationery Department 1937—1958’.
Plomer, H.R. et al., A Dictionary of the Printers and Booksellers who were at Work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1726 to 1775, London 1932.