Patrick Gillespie
Encyclopedia
Patrick Gillespie was a Scottish minster, strong Covenanter
, and Principal of Glasgow University by the support of Oliver Cromwell
.
, by his wife Lilias, daughter of Patrick Simson, minister of Stirling; and brother of George Gillespie
. He was baptised 2 March 1617, was educated at the University of St. Andrews, where he graduated in 1635, became minister of the second charge of Kirkcaldy in 1642, and of the High Church of Glasgow in 1648. From that time he took a very prominent part in public affairs, first as an extreme covenanter, and next as a friend and supporter of Cromwell.
He strenuously opposed the 'engagement' for the rescue of Charles I, helped to overthrow the government that sanctioned it, and advocated severe measures against all 'malignants.' He considered the terms made with Charles II unsatisfactory, and after the battle of Dunbar
(3 September 1650) he assembled a meeting of gentlemen and ministers in the west, and persuaded them to raise a separate armed force, which was placed under the command of officers recommended by him. He was the author of the 'Remonstrance' (December 1650) addressed to parliament by the 'gentlemen, commanders, and ministers attending the Westland Force,' in which they made charges against the public authorities, condemned the treaty with the king, and declared that they could not take his side against Cromwell. Soon after the commission of assembly passed resolutions in favour of allowing malignants, on profession of their repentance, to take part in the defence of the country. Against this Gillespie and his friends protested, and when the general assembly met in July 1651 they protested against its legality. For this he and two others were deposed from the ministry. They and their sympathisers disregarded the sentence, and made a schism in the church.
Many of the protesters, as the dissenters were called, preferred Cromwell to the king, and some of them became favourable to independency. Gillespie was the leader of this section, and there was no one in Scotland who more influence with the Protector. Hs appointment to the principalship of the university of Glasgow followed in 1652, over protests on the grounds that the election belonged to the professors, that he was insufficient in learning, and had been deposed from the ministry. In 1653 Cromwell turned the general assembly out of doors, and in the following year he called Gillespie and two other protesters to London to consult with them on a new settlement of Scottish ecclesiastical affairs. The result was the appointment of a large commission of protesters, who were empowered to purge the church, and to withhold the stipend from any one appointed to a parish who had not a testimonial from four men of their party. This was known as 'Gillespie's Charter,' hated by the resolutioners, who formed a majority of the church.
In September 1655, having gone to Edinburgh
to preach, Gillespie was interrupted by a part of the congregation, who asked how he dared to appear there, being a deposed minister and traitor. A few weeks later, when preaching in the High Church of Edinburgh (14 October 1655), he prayed for Cromwell, the first to do so publicly in Scotland. About this time he got the synod of Glasgow to annul the sentence of deposition passed by the general assembly, and he was sent as a correspondent to the synod of Lothian, in order to get their act acknowledged; but he was not admitted. Soon after Gillespie and other protesters went to London to seek an increase of power, but John Sharp, who had been sent up by the resolutioners, was there to oppose them. Sharp was backed by the English presbyterians. Gillespie and his friends cultivated the Independents, but they were not successful. Gillespie spent about a year in London, and during this visit was seriously ill. He lived in state, preaching before the Protector in his velvet cassock, and was the intimate friend of John Owen
and Nicholas Lockyer
, John Lambert
and Charles Fleetwood
. He obtained from the Protector a large addition of revenue to the university out of church property.
After his return home he quarrelled with the town council, and was libelled for neglect of duty and maladministration of funds, but the accusation was not pushed to extremities. In May 1659 he again visited London, and obtained from Richard Cromwell
an addition to his income out of the college revenues. On 28 October 1659 he was desired for the Outer-High Church, Edinburgh. At the Restoration
he sent his wife to court to intercede for him. He was deprived of his office, and imprisoned in Stirling Castle
. In March 1661 he was brought to trial, when he professed penitence, and threw himself upon the mercy of the court. He had powerful friends, and even Sharp used his influence on his behalf, so that he escaped with a sentence of confinement to Ormiston
for a time. The king thought him more guilty than James Guthrie
, and said that he would have spared Guthrie's life if he had known that Gillespie was to be treated so leniently. He could obtain no further employment in the ministry, and died at Leith in February 1675. At the university he renewed and enlarged the buildings, and added to its permanent revenues, but left it in debt.
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
, and Principal of Glasgow University by the support of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
.
Life
He was third son of John Gillespie, minister of KirkcaldyKirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
, by his wife Lilias, daughter of Patrick Simson, minister of Stirling; and brother of George Gillespie
George Gillespie
George Gillespie was a Scottish theologian.-Life:He was born at Kirkcaldy, where his father, John Gillespie, was parish minister, and studied at St. Andrews University as a "presbytery bursar". On graduating he became domestic chaplain to John Gordon, 1st Viscount Kenmure , and afterwards to John...
. He was baptised 2 March 1617, was educated at the University of St. Andrews, where he graduated in 1635, became minister of the second charge of Kirkcaldy in 1642, and of the High Church of Glasgow in 1648. From that time he took a very prominent part in public affairs, first as an extreme covenanter, and next as a friend and supporter of Cromwell.
He strenuously opposed the 'engagement' for the rescue of Charles I, helped to overthrow the government that sanctioned it, and advocated severe measures against all 'malignants.' He considered the terms made with Charles II unsatisfactory, and after the battle of Dunbar
Battle of Dunbar (1650)
The Battle of Dunbar was a battle of the Third English Civil War. The English Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell defeated a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie which was loyal to King Charles II, who had been proclaimed King of Scots on 5 February 1649.-Background:The English...
(3 September 1650) he assembled a meeting of gentlemen and ministers in the west, and persuaded them to raise a separate armed force, which was placed under the command of officers recommended by him. He was the author of the 'Remonstrance' (December 1650) addressed to parliament by the 'gentlemen, commanders, and ministers attending the Westland Force,' in which they made charges against the public authorities, condemned the treaty with the king, and declared that they could not take his side against Cromwell. Soon after the commission of assembly passed resolutions in favour of allowing malignants, on profession of their repentance, to take part in the defence of the country. Against this Gillespie and his friends protested, and when the general assembly met in July 1651 they protested against its legality. For this he and two others were deposed from the ministry. They and their sympathisers disregarded the sentence, and made a schism in the church.
Many of the protesters, as the dissenters were called, preferred Cromwell to the king, and some of them became favourable to independency. Gillespie was the leader of this section, and there was no one in Scotland who more influence with the Protector. Hs appointment to the principalship of the university of Glasgow followed in 1652, over protests on the grounds that the election belonged to the professors, that he was insufficient in learning, and had been deposed from the ministry. In 1653 Cromwell turned the general assembly out of doors, and in the following year he called Gillespie and two other protesters to London to consult with them on a new settlement of Scottish ecclesiastical affairs. The result was the appointment of a large commission of protesters, who were empowered to purge the church, and to withhold the stipend from any one appointed to a parish who had not a testimonial from four men of their party. This was known as 'Gillespie's Charter,' hated by the resolutioners, who formed a majority of the church.
In September 1655, having gone to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
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...
to preach, Gillespie was interrupted by a part of the congregation, who asked how he dared to appear there, being a deposed minister and traitor. A few weeks later, when preaching in the High Church of Edinburgh (14 October 1655), he prayed for Cromwell, the first to do so publicly in Scotland. About this time he got the synod of Glasgow to annul the sentence of deposition passed by the general assembly, and he was sent as a correspondent to the synod of Lothian, in order to get their act acknowledged; but he was not admitted. Soon after Gillespie and other protesters went to London to seek an increase of power, but John Sharp, who had been sent up by the resolutioners, was there to oppose them. Sharp was backed by the English presbyterians. Gillespie and his friends cultivated the Independents, but they were not successful. Gillespie spent about a year in London, and during this visit was seriously ill. He lived in state, preaching before the Protector in his velvet cassock, and was the intimate friend of John Owen
John Owen (theologian)
John Owen was an English Nonconformist church leader, theologian, and academic administrator at the University of Oxford.-Early life:...
and Nicholas Lockyer
Nicholas Lockyer
Nicholas Lockyer was an English clergyman and Independent minister, a close supporter of Oliver Cromwell and Provost of Eton College, and later an ejected minister and nonconformist.-Life:...
, John Lambert
John Lambert (general)
John Lambert was an English Parliamentary general and politician. He fought during the English Civil War and then in Oliver Cromwell's Scottish campaign , becoming thereafter active in civilian politics until his dismissal by Cromwell in 1657...
and Charles Fleetwood
Charles Fleetwood
Charles Fleetwood was an English Parliamentary soldier and politician, Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1652–55, where he enforced the Cromwellian Settlement. At the Restoration he was included in the Act of Indemnity as among the twenty liable to penalties other than capital, and was finally...
. He obtained from the Protector a large addition of revenue to the university out of church property.
After his return home he quarrelled with the town council, and was libelled for neglect of duty and maladministration of funds, but the accusation was not pushed to extremities. In May 1659 he again visited London, and obtained from Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
an addition to his income out of the college revenues. On 28 October 1659 he was desired for the Outer-High Church, Edinburgh. At the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
he sent his wife to court to intercede for him. He was deprived of his office, and imprisoned in Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
. In March 1661 he was brought to trial, when he professed penitence, and threw himself upon the mercy of the court. He had powerful friends, and even Sharp used his influence on his behalf, so that he escaped with a sentence of confinement to Ormiston
Ormiston
Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about 276 ft....
for a time. The king thought him more guilty than James Guthrie
James Guthrie
James Guthrie was a U.S. Senator from Kentucky and served as Secretary of the Treasury in the administration of President Franklin Pierce.- Early life :...
, and said that he would have spared Guthrie's life if he had known that Gillespie was to be treated so leniently. He could obtain no further employment in the ministry, and died at Leith in February 1675. At the university he renewed and enlarged the buildings, and added to its permanent revenues, but left it in debt.
Works
His works were:- Rulers' Sins the Cause of National Judgments, a sermon, 1650.
- A posthumous work, The Ark of the Testament opened, published in 1677, with a preface by John Owen.