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George Wishart (1599–1671) was a Scottish
Wishart was born in Haddington, the younger son of John Wishart of Logie-Wishart near Family website
/ref> Little is known of his life in the decade after Montrose's death, but he is thought to have spent some time in the Netherlands, and completed a second volume of the Montrose biography. After the Restoration he became the
George Wishart (1599–1671) was a Scottish Episcopalian
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
bishop and author.
Life
Wishart was born in Haddington, the younger son of John Wishart of Logie-Wishart near Forfar
Forfar ( sco, Farfar, gd, Baile Fharfair) is the county town of Angus, Scotland and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town has a pop ...
, and grandson of Sir John Wishart of Wishart.
He was educated at the University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1 ...
graduating MA around 1615 and possibly also studying at St Andrews University
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
and on the Continent. He was appointed minister at Monifieth
Monifieth is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay on the east coast. In 2016, the population of Monifieth was estimated at 8,110, making it the fifth larges ...
in August 1624, and then moved to "second charge" in St Andrews
St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fourt ...
in April 1626. Here he befriended James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet and soldier, lord lieutenant and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three ...
who was a student in St Andrews at that time. In 1634 St Andrews University awarded him a Doctor of Divinity
A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity.
In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...
.
He was briefly minister of North Leith Parish Church
North Leith Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland, within the Presbytery of Edinburgh. It is serves part of Leith, formerly an independent burgh and since 1920 a part of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Building
The current ...
, being appointed in 1638, but was deposed for his refusal to sign the Covenant.
A strong supporter of episcopacy
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, he fled to England in 1639, and in Scotland, he was officially deposed for abandoning his duties and "immorality". In England he received various preferments from Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
. He lived in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he became a lecturer at All Saints Church. He played a key part in the defence of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
in October 1644 during the Siege of Newcastle
The siege of Newcastle (3 February 1644 – 27 October 1644) occurred during the First English Civil War, when a Covenanter army under the command of Lord General Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven besieged the Royalist garrison unde ...
during the English civil war, when the town held out for seven months against the Parliamentary forces, and he was one of the "diehards" who took refuge in the Castle when the town fell. The garrison surrendered after a few days on a promise of mercy, which was kept. Whilst most of the garrison were allowed to depart, Wishart was imprisoned in the "Thieves Hole" at Edinburgh Tolbooth
The Old Tolbooth was an important municipal building in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland for more than 400 years. The medieval structure, which was located at the northwest corner of St Giles' Cathedral and was attached to the west end of the L ...
for his exploits with the James Graham, Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet and soldier, lord lieutenant and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three K ...
, whose devoted champion and personal friend he was, and of whom he wrote a laudatory biography, published in the Netherlands
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, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 1647. The book was so hostile to Montrose's opponents that the Royalists
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
made half-hearted efforts to suppress it as being too inflammatory. He was freed after the Battle of Kilsyth
The Battle of Kilsyth, fought on 15 August 1645 near Kilsyth, was an engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The largest battle of the conflict in Scotland, it resulted in victory for the Royalist general Montrose over the forces of t ...
. He played no part in Montrose's final campaign. In 1650 Montrose was executed with a copy of Wishart's biography tied around his neck./ref> Little is known of his life in the decade after Montrose's death, but he is thought to have spent some time in the Netherlands, and completed a second volume of the Montrose biography. After the Restoration he became the
vicar
A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...
of St Andrew's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne. On 3 June 1662 he was consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different gro ...
as Bishop of Edinburgh
The Bishop of Edinburgh, or sometimes the Lord Bishop of Edinburgh is the ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh.
Prior to the Reformation, Edinburgh was part of the Diocese of St Andrews, under the Archbishop of St Andrews a ...
. He died on 26 July 1671 and was buried at Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Ref ...
.
Little seems to be recorded about his character or personality, apart from his obvious devotion to his friend Montrose. Accusations about his drunkenness and profanity, which were made by his political opponents, cannot be verified.
Family
He married Margaret Ogilvy and they had at least nine children, three of whom died young. His daughter Jean married Rev William Walker, minister ofNorth Berwick
North Berwick (; gd, Bearaig a Tuath) is a seaside town and former royal burgh in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately east-northeast of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable ...
.
Publications
* Memoirs of Montrose (in Latin, 1644, English translation 1652)Notes