Robert Baillie
Encyclopedia
Robert Baillie was a Scottish
divine and historical writer.
, the son of Baillie of Jerviston. Having graduated there in 1620, he gave himself to the study of divinity.
In 1631, after Baillie had been ordained into the Church of Scotland
and had acted for some years as regent in the university
, he was appointed to the living of Kilwinning in Ayrshire
. His abilities soon made him a leading man. In 1638 he was a member of the Glasgow Assembly, when Presbyterianism
was re-established in Scotland, and soon after he accompanied Leslie and the Scottish army as chaplain or preacher. In 1642, Baillie was made Professor of Divinity, Glasgow
, and in the following year was selected as one of the five Scottish clergymen who were sent to the Westminster Assembly
.
In 1649, he was one of the commissioners sent to Holland for the purpose of inviting Charles II
to Scotland, and of settling the terms of his admission to the government. He continued to take an active part in all the minor disputes of the church. In 1651, he was made Professor of Divinity in Glasgow University, and in 1661 was made principal. He died in August of the following year, his death being probably hastened by his mortification at the apparently firm establishment of episcopacy in Scotland.
A complete memoir and a full notice of all his writings will be found in David Laing
's edition of the Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie (1637–1662), Bannatyne Club
, 3 vols. (Edinburgh, 1841–1842). Among his works are Ladensium Aὐτοκατάκρισις, an answer to Lysimachus Nicanor by John Corbet
in the form of an attack on Laud
and his system, in reply to a publication which charged the Covenanter
s with Jesuitry; Anabaptism
, the true Fountain of Independency, Brownisme, Antinomy, Familisme, etc., a sermon [in which he criticises the rise of the early Baptist churches in England such as those lead by Thomas Lambe
]; An Historical Vindication of the Government of the Church of Scotland; The Life of William (Laud) now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Examined (London, 1643); A Parallel of the Liturgy with the Mass Book, the Breviary, the Ceremonial and other Romish Rituals (London, 1661).
; by her he had a daughter, Margaret, who became wife of Walkinshaw of Barrowfield, and grandmother of Henry Home, Lord Kames
. Another descendant was Clementina Walkinshaw
, mistress of Charles Edward Stuart
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
divine and historical writer.
Life
Baillie was born at GlasgowGlasgow
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...
, the son of Baillie of Jerviston. Having graduated there in 1620, he gave himself to the study of divinity.
In 1631, after Baillie had been ordained into the Church of Scotland
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....
and had acted for some years as regent in the university
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, he was appointed to the living of Kilwinning in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
. His abilities soon made him a leading man. In 1638 he was a member of the Glasgow Assembly, when Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
was re-established in Scotland, and soon after he accompanied Leslie and the Scottish army as chaplain or preacher. In 1642, Baillie was made Professor of Divinity, Glasgow
Professor of Divinity, Glasgow
Professor of Divinity is an academic position at the University of Glasgow.Although divinity was taught from the foundations of the university in 1451, it was in 1577, as part of James VI's Nova Erectio, that a Chair was established, to be held by the Principal of the University of Glasgow...
, and in the following year was selected as one of the five Scottish clergymen who were sent to the Westminster Assembly
Westminster Assembly
The Westminster Assembly of Divines was appointed by the Long Parliament to restructure the Church of England. It also included representatives of religious leaders from Scotland...
.
In 1649, he was one of the commissioners sent to Holland for the purpose of inviting Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
to Scotland, and of settling the terms of his admission to the government. He continued to take an active part in all the minor disputes of the church. In 1651, he was made Professor of Divinity in Glasgow University, and in 1661 was made principal. He died in August of the following year, his death being probably hastened by his mortification at the apparently firm establishment of episcopacy in Scotland.
Works
Baillie was a man of learning and ability; his views were wise and temperate rather than extreme, and he played but a secondary part in the stirring events of the time. His Letters, by which he is now chiefly remembered, are of first-rate historical importance, and give a very lively picture of a period of great importance in Scottish history.A complete memoir and a full notice of all his writings will be found in David Laing
David Laing (Scottish antiquary)
David Laing was a Scottish antiquary.The son of William Laing, a bookseller in Edinburgh, where he was born, he was educated at the Canongate Grammar School. At fourteen he was apprenticed to his father. Shortly after the death of the latter in 1837, Laing was elected to the librarianship of the...
's edition of the Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie (1637–1662), Bannatyne Club
Bannatyne Club
The Bannatyne Club was founded by Sir Walter Scott to print rare works of Scottish interest, whether in history, poetry, or general literature. It printed 116 volumes in all. It was dissolved in 1861....
, 3 vols. (Edinburgh, 1841–1842). Among his works are Ladensium Aὐτοκατάκρισις, an answer to Lysimachus Nicanor by John Corbet
John Corbet (theologian)
-Life:He was son of William Corbet, a 'portioner' of Glasgow, born about 1603. He graduated at the University of Glasgow in 1623, and after acting for some time as schoolmaster at Renfrew was ordained minister of Bonhill in 1637...
in the form of an attack on Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
and his system, in reply to a publication which charged the Covenanter
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...
s with Jesuitry; Anabaptism
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
, the true Fountain of Independency, Brownisme, Antinomy, Familisme, etc., a sermon [in which he criticises the rise of the early Baptist churches in England such as those lead by Thomas Lambe
Thomas Lambe
Commonly referred to as the "soapboiler" – Thomas Lambe was the leader of one of the first Baptist Churches in England and a highly influential figure in the earliest years of the Baptist movement both in terms of practice and belief....
]; An Historical Vindication of the Government of the Church of Scotland; The Life of William (Laud) now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Examined (London, 1643); A Parallel of the Liturgy with the Mass Book, the Breviary, the Ceremonial and other Romish Rituals (London, 1661).
Family
Baillie was twice married, firstly to Lilias Fleming, of the family of Cardarroch, by whom he had a large number of children, but only five survived him; she died in June 1653. His second wife was Mrs. Wilkie, widow, daughter of a former principal of the university, John StrangJohn Strang
-Life:He was born at Irvine, Ayrshire. His father, William Strang , minister of Irvine, belonged to the family of Strang of Balcaskie in Fife; and his mother Agnes was sister of Alexander Borthwick, 'portioner' of Nether Lenagher, Midlothian. On William's death in 1588 she married Robert Wilkie...
; by her he had a daughter, Margaret, who became wife of Walkinshaw of Barrowfield, and grandmother of Henry Home, Lord Kames
Henry Home, Lord Kames
Henry Home, Lord Kames was a Scottish advocate, judge, philosopher, writer and agricultural improver. A central figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, a founder member of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, and active in the Select Society, his protégés included James Boswell, David Hume and...
. Another descendant was Clementina Walkinshaw
Clementina Walkinshaw
Clementina Maria Sophia Walkinshaw was the mistress of Bonnie Prince Charlie.Clementina was the youngest of the ten daughters of John Walkinshaw of Barrowhill . The Walkinshaws owned the lands of Barrowfield and Camlachie, and her father had become a wealthy Glasgow merchant...
, mistress of Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
.