David Fletcher (c.1607–1665) was a 17th-century senior clergyman in the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

Life

He was the second son of Andrew Fletcher a Dundee merchant, related to the Fletchers of Innerpeffer. His brother Sir John Fletcher was

Lord Advocate His Majesty's Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate ( gd, Morair Tagraidh, sco, Laird Advocat), is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved p ...

of Scotland from 1661 to 1664. His date of birth is unclear but he graduated MA from

St Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

in 1625. In 1635

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town council elected him as minister in second charge in the Old Kirk, St Giles (then split into four sections, with two ministers per section). He was deposed from this post in January 1639 both for declining the previous Assembly in Glasgow and for reading and defending the Scottish

Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...

but was allowed to return to his post in August 1639. In 1641 he translated From St Giles to Melrose. In 1662 he was consecrated by Archbishop

Andrew Fairfoul Andrew Fairfoul (1610–7 November 1663) was the first post-Restoration Archbishop of Glasgow, from 1661 until his death in November 1663. He became Chancellor of the University of Glasgow after his consecration as Archbishop. Life Fairfoul ...

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Ghlaschu) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. The cathedral was the seat of the Archbisho ...

Bishop of Argyll The Bishop of Argyll or Bishop of Lismore was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Argyll The Diocese of Argyll was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Argyll, and wa ...

. The position as Bishop permitted Fletcher a place in the Scottish Parliament. He died in March 1665 and was replaced by the short-lived Bishop John Young who died before he was consecrated. He had jointly functioned as minister of Melrose until his death and his position there was filled by Alexander Bisset MA.

Family

He married Elizabeth Strang, daughter of John Strang, Principal of

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

. Their daughters included Christian Fletcher and Janet Fletcher. Christian married Henry Home of Kames and they were grandparents to

Henry Home, Lord Kames Henry Home, Lord Kames (169627 December 1782) was a Scottish writer, philosopher, advocate, judge, and agricultural improver. A central figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, a founding member of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, and a ...

. In 1673 Janet married Thomas Gordon of Buthlaw (d.1690) and she died in 1693. Their son, James Fletcher of New Cranston, died in 1691.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, David 1665 deaths Ministers of St Giles' Cathedral Scottish Restoration bishops Year of birth uncertain