Henry Guthrie
Encyclopedia
Henry Guthrie was a 17th century Scottish historian
and cleric. The son of Elizabeth Small and the Perthshire minister Henry Guthrie, he was born around 1600 in Coupar Angus
, a town in southern Scotland, in the modern region of Perth and Kinross
. He graduated from the University of St Andrews
in 1621, studied theology
and later served as a tutor for the family of the earl of Mar
.
He became minister of Guthrie in 1624, and was promoted by King Charles I of Scotland to Stirling
in 1632. He took an ambiguous role in the Covenanter Wars and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
. He was deposed from his Stirling charge in 1648, although in 1656 was readmitted to the ministry, being given Kilspindie
. Despite once opposing the re-establishment of episcopacy, abandoned since the National Covenant of 1538, he changed his position, and later after the episcopate of George Haliburton
, became Bishop of Dunkeld
, to which position he was consecrated on 24 August 1665. He held this position until his death in 1676.
Guthrie is best remembered for the account of his times he wrote and left to posterity, his Obsevations. Although circulating in his own day, they were not formally published until 1702.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and cleric. The son of Elizabeth Small and the Perthshire minister Henry Guthrie, he was born around 1600 in Coupar Angus
Coupar Angus
Coupar Angus is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, situated eight kilometres south of Blairgowrie.The name Coupar Angus serves to differentiate the town from Cupar, Fife...
, a town in southern Scotland, in the modern region of Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross is one of 32 council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee City, Fife, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland council areas. Perth is the administrative centre...
. He graduated 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 1621, studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and later served as a tutor for the family of the earl of Mar
Earl of Mar
The Mormaer or Earl of Mar is a title that has been created seven times, all in the Peerage of Scotland. The first creation of the earldom was originally the provincial ruler of the province of Mar in north-eastern Scotland...
.
He became minister of Guthrie in 1624, and was promoted by King Charles I of Scotland to Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
in 1632. He took an ambiguous role in the Covenanter Wars and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
. He was deposed from his Stirling charge in 1648, although in 1656 was readmitted to the ministry, being given Kilspindie
Kilspindie
Kilspindie is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is situated on the Kilspindie burn, approximately 5 km Northwest of Errol, 10 km west of Dundee and 10 km east of Perth...
. Despite once opposing the re-establishment of episcopacy, abandoned since the National Covenant of 1538, he changed his position, and later after the episcopate of George Haliburton
George Haliburton (d. 1665)
George Haliburton was a 17th century Scottish minister. The son of Janet Ogilvie, and her husband, George Haliburton senior, George was born in Glenisla, Angus, where his father was a minister....
, became Bishop of Dunkeld
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Cormac...
, to which position he was consecrated on 24 August 1665. He held this position until his death in 1676.
Guthrie is best remembered for the account of his times he wrote and left to posterity, his Obsevations. Although circulating in his own day, they were not formally published until 1702.
Further reading
- Crawford, G. (ed.), The memoirs of Henry Guthry, late bishop, 2nd edn, (1748)