The first reference to Scotch Whisky was in the year 1494 in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls. It states "8 bolls of malt for Friar John Corr - Wherewith to make aquavitae". However whisky was almost certainly made much earlier than 1494. The distilling skills most likely came from Ireland via Argyll, when monks came to christen the heathens. Later the monasteries were burned down or demolished by the Protestants during the Reformation (1534-5) and monks had to "seek work" elsewhere. Peasants who had been supplying these monks with barley soon learned the skills and took it upon themselves to carry on this tradition. The name of the spirit was also passed along. The monks had called it Water of Life (Aquavitae), but in local Highland Gaelic "Water of Life" became uisge beatha, which was later anglicised to Fwisge and then Whisky.