James Fairlie (c.1588 – 1658) was a Scottish minister of 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 Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

. He was minister of

Greyfriars Kirk Greyfriars Kirk ( gd, Eaglais nam Manach Liath) is a parish church of the Church of Scotland, located in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard. Greyfriars traces its origin to the south-west parish of Edi ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

and briefly served as both Professor of Divinity 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 15 ...

(1629-30) and as

Bishop of Argyll The Bishop of Argyll or Bishop of Lismore was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Argyll, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. It was created in 1200, when the western half of the territory of the Bishopric of Dunkeld was formed into t ...

(1637-8).

Life

Fairlie was born in

around 1588, the son of an "honest burgess". He studied at the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MA in 1607 at the age of 19. He then served as a "regent" of the University. In 1625, he was appointed minister of

South Leith Parish Church South Leith Parish Church, originally the Kirk of Our Lady, St Mary, is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. It is the principal church and congregation in Leith, in Edinburgh. Its kirkyard is the burial place for John Home (author of ''D ...

in the harbour area of

. In 1629 he was appointed Professor of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh. In November 1630, he replaced John Duncanson as "second charge" to Old Greyfriars alongside Rev Andrew Ramsay in "first charge". He resigned in July 1637, having been elected

in place of Bishop Boyd but was deposed from this position by the

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body.''An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland'' by A. Gordon McGillivray ...

in 1638. After a troubled period trying to find a new position, including failing to become minister of Largo, in March 1644 he eventually received a post as minister of

Lasswade Lasswade is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River North Esk, nine miles (14.5 kilometres) south of Edinburgh city centre, contiguous with Bonnyrigg and between Dalkeith to the east and Loanhead to the west. Melville C ...

near

under patronage of the King. In April 1652 he was shortlisted along with Prof Alexander Colvill of

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 fou ...

, Prof Thomas Crauford,

William Colvill William Colvill, sometimes spelt William Colville (c.1612–1675) was a 17th-century Scottish minister of the Church of Scotland and scholar and was the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1662 to 1675. Life Colvill was educated ...

, William Strachan of

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

and

William Rait William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...

Brechin Brechin (; gd, Breichin) is a city and former Royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin was described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese (which continues today ...

for the position of Principal of University of Edinburgh to replace John Adamson. William Colvill was chosen but was unavailable and the post was filled for ten years by Robert Leighton until Colvill eventually took on the role. He died in Lasswade in February 1658 and is buried in the local churchyard.Bright and Early: A Bookseller's Memories of Edinburgh and Lasswade by John B Cairns

Publications

*''The Muse's Welcome'' (1618)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairlie, James 1588 births 1658 deaths Clergy from Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Edinburgh Scottish bishops Scottish bishops 1560–1638 17th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland