David Lindsay (d. 1641)
Encyclopedia
David Lindsay was a Church of Scotland
minister and prelate
active in the seventeenth-century.
in Angus
, and graduated with a Master of Arts
from the University of St Andrews
in 1593. He became master first of the grammar school at Montrose
, and then in 1597 of Dundee Grammar School
, holding also from 1599 the ministry of Guthrie
parish
, and from 1605 of Dundee.
Next year, however, he resigned his mastership, while petitioning the town council to "take consideration of his estate, and that he may have ane sufficient moyan quhairupon he may lieve as ane honest man", but it was not till 1620 that he obtained a full payment of the augmentation then voted to his stipend.
Meanwhile, in 1616 he became a member of the high commission; in 1617 he defended at St Andrews, before James VI, some theses
about "the power of kings and princes", and in 1618 supported the "king's articles" at the Perth
general assembly
, advancing similar arguments in the following years.
at St Andrews on November 23, 1619. He said to have contributed to the inscriptions in Brechin Cathedral
. On June 18, 1633 he crowned Charles I at Holyrood
.
He was admitted to the Privy Council of Scotland
on July 31, 1634. He lived on at Dundee until September 16, when he was translated to the bishopric of Edinburgh, and made one of the lords of exchequer.
. It was here that Jenny Geddes
threw a stool at his head as he read from The Book of Common Prayer. At both services he was pelted as he left the church, and in the afternoon there arose a great clamour in the streets, and the cry was "Kill the traitour". The Earl of Roxburgh took him up in his coach, but stones were cast at it, and some of them hit Lindsay so that with great difficulty he reached his lodgings at Holyrood.
The anonymous author of A breefe and true Relation of the Broyle &c., first printed as an appendix to Rothes' Relation (Bannatyne Club, 1830), is the sole authority for crediting Lindsay with displaying "the most shameful pusillanimity on this occasion". Deposed and excommunicated
by the Glasgow
general assembly in 1638, "he retired", says Mr. Lippe, "to England, and died there in 1641".
's statement, and Jervise places his death between 1638 and 1640, as in the latter year his son John, was served heir to him in the estate of Dunkenny. Documents in National Archives of Scotland
however reveal that he died in December 1641, and information from the Northumberland County Record Office indicate that he was buried at Berwick on December 15.
Lindsay married Christian Rutherford, widow of one of Lindsay's predecessors as master of Dundee Grammar School, either in, or sometime before, 1603. After her death he married Katherine Ramsay, daughter of Gilbert Ramsey of Banff
.
Wodrow's Biographical Collections, ed. by the Rev. Robert Lippe (New Spalding Club, Aberdeen, 1890); A. Maxwell's Hist. of Old Dundee (Edinb. 1884); Scott's Fasti Eccl. Scot. vol. iii. pt. ii.; Lives of the Lindsays; A. Jervise's Land of the Lindsays; Keith's Scottish Bishops, p. 167.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
minister and prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
active in the seventeenth-century.
Early life and career
Born around 1575, he was a son of Colonel John Lindsay, laird of EdzellEdzell
Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is located 5 miles north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Originally called Slateford, Edzell was renamed in 1818 after an earlier hamlet, located 1.5...
in Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, and graduated with a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
from the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
in 1593. He became master first of the grammar school at Montrose
Montrose, Angus
Montrose is a coastal resort town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. It is situated 38 miles north of Dundee between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers...
, and then in 1597 of Dundee Grammar School
High School of Dundee
The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in the city of Dundee, Scotland which provides both primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils...
, holding also from 1599 the ministry of Guthrie
Guthrie, Angus
Guthrie is a village in Angus, Scotland, roughly at the centre point of the towns of Arbroath, Forfar and Brechin. The principal building in the village is Guthrie Castle, which has its own public golf course and is a popular venue for events such as markets, parties and weddings....
parish
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, and from 1605 of Dundee.
Next year, however, he resigned his mastership, while petitioning the town council to "take consideration of his estate, and that he may have ane sufficient moyan quhairupon he may lieve as ane honest man", but it was not till 1620 that he obtained a full payment of the augmentation then voted to his stipend.
Meanwhile, in 1616 he became a member of the high commission; in 1617 he defended at St Andrews, before James VI, some theses
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
about "the power of kings and princes", and in 1618 supported the "king's articles" at the Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
general assembly
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
, advancing similar arguments in the following years.
Bishop of Brechin
He was rewarded with the bishopric of Brechin, being consecratedConsecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
at St Andrews on November 23, 1619. He said to have contributed to the inscriptions in Brechin Cathedral
Brechin Cathedral
The cathedral church of the Holy Trinity in Brechin, Angus, Scotland, belongs to the 13th century. It is in the Pointed style, but suffered maltreatment in 1806 at the hands of restorers, whose work was subsequently removed during the restoration completed in 1902...
. On June 18, 1633 he crowned Charles I at Holyrood
Holyrood Palace
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland. The palace stands at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle...
.
He was admitted to the Privy Council of Scotland
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
on July 31, 1634. He lived on at Dundee until September 16, when he was translated to the bishopric of Edinburgh, and made one of the lords of exchequer.
Bishop of Edinburgh
On July 23, 1637, the Sunday appointed for the introduction of a new service book, he was present at both the services in the St Giles' Cathedral, EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. It was here that Jenny Geddes
Jenny Geddes
Jenny Geddes was a Scottish market-trader in Edinburgh, who is alleged to have thrown her stool at the head of the minister in St Giles' Cathedral in objection to the first public use of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer in Scotland.The act is reputed to have sparked the riot which led to the...
threw a stool at his head as he read from The Book of Common Prayer. At both services he was pelted as he left the church, and in the afternoon there arose a great clamour in the streets, and the cry was "Kill the traitour". The Earl of Roxburgh took him up in his coach, but stones were cast at it, and some of them hit Lindsay so that with great difficulty he reached his lodgings at Holyrood.
The anonymous author of A breefe and true Relation of the Broyle &c., first printed as an appendix to Rothes' Relation (Bannatyne Club, 1830), is the sole authority for crediting Lindsay with displaying "the most shameful pusillanimity on this occasion". Deposed and excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
by the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
general assembly in 1638, "he retired", says Mr. Lippe, "to England, and died there in 1641".
Death and family
Such is not, however, Robert WodrowRobert Wodrow
Robert Wodrow , Scottish historian, was born at Glasgow, being a son of James Wodrow, professor of divinity.-Biography:Ordered as in the text above:...
's statement, and Jervise places his death between 1638 and 1640, as in the latter year his son John, was served heir to him in the estate of Dunkenny. Documents in National Archives of Scotland
National Archives of Scotland
Based in Edinburgh, the National Archives of Scotland are the national archives of Scotland. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe...
however reveal that he died in December 1641, and information from the Northumberland County Record Office indicate that he was buried at Berwick on December 15.
Lindsay married Christian Rutherford, widow of one of Lindsay's predecessors as master of Dundee Grammar School, either in, or sometime before, 1603. After her death he married Katherine Ramsay, daughter of Gilbert Ramsey of Banff
Banff, Aberdeenshire
Banff is a town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Banff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Macduff across the estuary of the River Deveron...
.
Sources (from DNB article)
- This article incorporates text from the Dictionary of National BiographyDictionary of National BiographyThe Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
(1892)
Wodrow's Biographical Collections, ed. by the Rev. Robert Lippe (New Spalding Club, Aberdeen, 1890); A. Maxwell's Hist. of Old Dundee (Edinb. 1884); Scott's Fasti Eccl. Scot. vol. iii. pt. ii.; Lives of the Lindsays; A. Jervise's Land of the Lindsays; Keith's Scottish Bishops, p. 167.