Andrew Duncan (minister, died 1626)

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Andrew Duncan
Personal details
Bornc1560[1]
unknown
Died1626
Berwick-upon-Tweed
DenominationChurch of Scotland
Alma materSt Leonard's College

Andrew Duncan was a Latin scholar and

prorogued by royal authority and was one of six ministers who were imprisoned and later exiled as a result. He was allowed to return after several years in France but was subsequently banished again following further controversy in failing to comply with the Five Articles of Perth. He died in exile in Berwick-upon-Tweed
in 1626.

Early life

Andrew Duncan's origins and early life are obscure. He was a

Dundee Grammar School from 1591. During this time he produced several educational works, including Rudimenta Pietatis ("First Principles of Piety"), a catechism which was widely used in Scottish grammar schools until the eighteenth century. He also became a close friend of Andrew Melville.[2] He was presented by James, Lord Lindsay and ordained on 11 September 1596 (coll. 2 March 1597). He attended the Assembly at Aberdeen, on 2 July 1605, which the king had proscribed.[3]

Background - King James and church government

The Church of Scotland was established by Act of Parliament, 24 August 1560, and the first Protestant Assembly was held in the

John Forbes of Alford ; John Welch of Ayr, the son-in-law of John Knox ; Andrew Duncan ; Robert Dury, Anstruther ; Alexander Strachan, Creich ; and John Sharp, Kilmany. The last-named was afterwards Dr Sharp, Professor of Divinity at Die, in Dauphine, and in 1630 Professor of Theology at the University of Edinburgh. Andrew Melville, after being lured to London, was sent to the Tower, where he remained a prisoner for four years, and was then sent into exile. He found an asylum in France, and was professor of theology at Sedan till his death in 1622. The bishops in 1610 were appointed to be constant moderators in all Church Courts, and three of them, with the view of introducing the apostolic succession into Scotland, repaired to London, and received consecration as the founders of the Scottish hierarchy. In 1617, the king visited Scotland, and was anxious to introduce the Anglican order of service. Next year a docile Assembly at Perth fulfilled the king's pleasure, and passed what are called the Five Articles of Perth.[5]

The Aberdeen Assembly

The bishops being now established, his King James' next object was to procure something like an acknowledgment of them by the Church, to effect which it was necessary to destroy every vestige of freedom in the constitution of her Assemblies.[6] The first attempt of this kind had been made in 1599, when the king dismissed the Assembly, and summoned another to meet at Montrose in 1600, solely by virtue of his royal prerogative. This was entirely contrary to the establishment ratified by parliament in 1592, according to which the time and place of meeting were to be nominated by the preceding Assembly, with his majesty's consent.' Under various pretexts James had infringed this rule, proroguing and altering the time of Assemblies at pleasure; and at last the Assembly which should have met at Aberdeen in July, 1605, was prorogued indefinitely. In the midst of a tempestuous winter, which kept many from coming up, a few men having convened at Aberdeen, determined at least to constitute the Assembly, and appoint another meeting. The king having heard that it was to be held at Aberdeen, sent instructions to Stratton of Laurieston, as commissioner, empowering him to dissolve the meeting, just because it had not been called by his majesty. The brethren present resolved to constitute before reading the communication; and

John Forbes of Alford; John Welch of Ayr, (the son-in-law of John Knox); Andrew Duncan;[7][8] Robert Dury, Anstruther;[9] Alexander Strachan, Creich;[10] and John Sharp, Kilmany.[11]

The Linlithgow trial

At three o'clock in the morning, in the depth of winter, and through roads almost impassable, these men were summoned to stand trial for high treason before the court of justiciary at Linlithgow, where they were met by a number of their brethren, who had come to countenance them during their trial. The prisoners made an eloquent defence. The concluding speech of Forbes, the moderator, has been recorded. The Earl of Dunbar had been sent down for the express purpose of securing the condemnation of the ministers; the jury were packed, and a verdict was at last obtained at midnight, finding, by a majority of three, the prisoners guilty of high treason. On hearing the verdict the ministers embraced each other, and gave God thanks for having supported them during the trial. It was thought that they might be set at liberty after a little confinement; but orders came down from London in November, 1606, to banish them out of his majesty's dominions. They were accordingly brought from the castle of Blackness to Leith.[12]

In France

Duncan settled at Bordeaux and became a Professor of Theology in the College of Rochelle in May 1607.[3]

Back in Scotland

He returned to Scotland before 1 July 1613, submitted to the King, and obtained permission to remain, resuming his ministry in Crail. He was summoned before the

Dunbarton Castle. He was liberated 2 October, and allowed to reside in any parish but Crail or Edinburgh. He went to Kilrenny, but was obliged to leave there for Berwick-upon-Tweed, where his great pecuniary difficulties were relieved "almost miraculously" by an unknown lady. He died in 1626, aged about 66.[3]

Family

He married Jean Liwell, and had issue โ€”

Works

  • Latina Grammatica, par. prior sive etymologia Latina in usum radiorum (Edinburgh, 1595)
  • Appendix Etymologiae ad copiam exemploram (Edinburgh, 1595)
  • Rudimenta Pietatis (Edinburgh, 1595)[8]
  • Studiorum Puerilium Clavis miro quodam compendio (Edinburgh, 1597)
  • Admonition to the Hie Commission
  • Letters to the Bishop of St Andrews (Calderwood's Hist., vii., 181
  • Orig. Lett., ii.).[3]

Bibliography

  • Reg. Assig.
  • Booke of the Kirk
  • Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, ii., 494, 503
  • Livingston's Charac[3]

References

Citations
  1. ^ Duncan 2007, est. James T. Dennison.
  2. ^ Duncan 2007, translated.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Scott 1925, p192.
  4. ^ Calderwood 1842a, [1].
  5. ^ Blair 1888.
  6. ^ M'Crie 1875, pp96-97.
  7. ^ Scott 1925, p192.
  8. ^ a b Duncan 2007.
  9. ^ Scott 1925, p182-183.
  10. ^ Scott 1925, p136, 146.
  11. ^ Scott 1925, p160-161.
  12. ^ M'Crie 1875, pp98-99.
  13. ^ M'Crie 1875, p125.
Other sources
  • Blair, William (1888). The United Presbyterian Church; a handbook of its history and principles. Edinburgh: A. Elliot. pp. 6-9.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Duncan, Andrew (December 2007). Dennison, James T. Jr. (ed.). "Rudimenta Pietatis". The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary. 3 (22). Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary: 35โ€“49. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  • Hewison, James King (1913). The Covenanters. Vol. 1 (Revised and Corrected ed.). Glasgow: John Smith and son. pp. 168ff.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_Duncan_(minister,_died_1626)&oldid=1213141547"