A Thistle with Thorns
The podcast for all things Scottish history! Murdo Fraser and James Bundy are here to shine a light on Scotland’s rich and often forgotten history. Murdo Fraser has been Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland & Fife since 2001, and is the Party spokesman on Business, Economy, Tourism and Culture. Brought up on tales of the Covenanters and the novels of Walter Scott and Nigel Tranter, he has always had a keen interest in Scottish history, and now writes and gives talks on the 17th century. His account of the 1st Marquis of Montrose and the Marquis of Argyll, The Rivals, was published by Birlinn in 2015. James Bundy is a Councillor for Falkirk North with a passion for Scottish history, politics, and public policy. He holds an MA in Economics and International Relations from the University of St Andrews, where his dissertation explored Just War Theory within the British Constitution, examining the 17th-century relationship between Church and state and its relevance today. James has been published on the Stuart Kings and has experience working in both Holyrood and Westminster, giving him a deep understanding of governance. He also leads the BE FAST campaign, working to improve stroke awareness across Scotland. With a keen interest in how Scotland’s past shapes its present, James is dedicated to preserving and promoting the nation’s rich history.
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Episodes
Monday Jan 05, 2026
Monday Jan 05, 2026
Lex Rex, the Law & the Prince (or the Law is King), published in 1644, is one of the most influential books of he 17th century. Challenging the Stuart Kings’ belief in the Divine Right, it was so incendiary that Charles II’s regime ordered it to be burned at the Restoration and its author indicted for treason.
In this episode we look at the life of the writer, Samuel Rutherford, Professor of Divinity and Rector of St Andrew’s University, discuss his arguments, and debate why Lex Rex was such an important document in the formation of modern constitutional theory.
Monday Dec 29, 2025
Monday Dec 29, 2025
What does Scotland actually reward in a monarch?
After days of public voting on X, our Scottish Monarch World Cup reached its reckoning. Four figures remained: James VI & I, Queen Anne, Charles II, and William and Mary.
The semi-finals and final weren’t just about personalities. They exposed old Scottish arguments that never quite go away. Do we prefer continuity or rupture, compromise or control, and whether stability is bought or imposed.
The final result surprised some, delighted others, and irritated more than a few. Which is probably a sign we were asking the right question.
Monday Dec 22, 2025
Monday Dec 22, 2025
Description - Join Murdo & James as they explore the results of our Christmas special Scottish Monarch World Cup. The ties of our quarterfinals are James VI vs. Mary, Queen of Scots; Charles I vs. Queen Anne; James VII vs. William & Mary; and Charles II vs. Oliver Cromwell!
Hope you enjoy!
Monday Dec 15, 2025
Monday Dec 15, 2025
England in 1678 was gripped by the Popish Plot, an entirely invented Catholic conspiracy to assassinate the King. The consequences for the Catholic community were horrendous, with persecutions and executions of the innocent. Join us as we discuss Titus Oates, the man behind the lurid claims, and how the whole episode was viewed in Scotland.
Monday Dec 08, 2025
Monday Dec 08, 2025
This week we dive into the drama-packed reign of Scotland’s last Catholic king, James VII. His rule only lasted three years, but the controversy outlived him by centuries. What was he really like behind the crown? Why did so many turn against him? And which famous city today still carries his name?
Murdo and James pull apart the myths, the madness, and the missteps, and ask the big question: was James VII always destined to fall? Tune in for a fast, fiery, and fascinating ride through one of Scotland’s most explosive reigns.
Monday Dec 01, 2025
Monday Dec 01, 2025
James, Duke of Monmouth and son of King Charles II had everything in life: charm, good looks, military success, and marriage to a wealthy Scottish heiress. The one thing he lacked was a legitimate claim to the throne. We discuss Monmouth’s links to Scotland, and the role the country plays in his attempt to seize the Crown.
Monday Nov 24, 2025
Monday Nov 24, 2025
Who was St Andrew? How did a fisherman from Galilee become Scotland’s patron saint? What role did St Andrew play in Scotland’s religious, cultural and political identity, and is he still relevant to Scotland today? Murdo and James discuss this, and a lot more, in this episode!
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 17, 2025
In an episode not for the faint-hearted, James & Murdo look at how offenders - or alleged offenders - were (mis)treated in the 16th & 17th centuries. All you need to know about thumbscrews, the Boot, jougs, branks and - of course - the Maiden.
Monday Nov 10, 2025
Monday Nov 10, 2025
Most people know the English response to the failed attempt to blow up Parliament on 5 November 1605: execution, propaganda, and bonfires. But what about Scotland’s reaction?
In this episode, Murdo and James uncover how King James’s differing ambitions for his two kingdoms shaped a very different, and revealing, response north of the border.
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Edinburgh society in 1670 was shocked to its core by the revelations about the sins of brother & sister Thomas & Jean Weir, devout Presbyterians and stalwarts of the ‘Bowhead Saints’. Thomas, captain of the town guard, confessed to adultery, incest & bestiality, whilst dark stories of witchcraft circulated around both. But how much of this was true, and how much invented or exaggerated for propaganda purposes? James & Murdo examine the evidence.