James Ramsay (c.1624–1696),

bishop of Dunblane The Bishop of Dunblane or Bishop of Strathearn was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunblane or Strathearn, one of medieval Scotland's thirteen bishoprics. It was based at Dunblane Cathedral, now a parish church of the Church of Scotland ...

, bishop of Ross, was son of Robert Ramsay (1598?–1651). The latter was successively minister of Dundonald (1625–40), of Blackfriars or College Church,

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

(1640–7), and of the High Church (now the cathedral), Glasgow (1647–51); was

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of the faculty of the

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

1646 and 1650–1,

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

in 1648, and principal from 28 August 1651 until his death in the following September. He is buried in

Canongate Churchyard The Canongate Kirkyard ( en, Churchyard) stands around Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. The churchyard was used for burials from the late 1680s until the mid-20th century. The most celebrated burials at the kirkyard are ...

. His grave is officially "lost" but the ornate, illegible stone on the east side of the church, now somewhat spuriously ascribed to Rizzio is probably his.

Biography

Early career

Born in

Irvine, North Ayrshire Irvine ( ; sco, Irvin,
gd, Irbhinn, IPA: Rev Robert Ramsay a schoolteacher there, by his second wife, Janet Campbell. In 1625 the family moved to

Dundonald, South Ayrshire Dundonald (Gaelic: ''Dùn Dhòmhnaill'') is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. The village The village is mostly known for Dundonald Castle, which was built in the 14th century by King Robert II, on the ruins of a castle built earlier (in ...

when his father became minister of that parish. In 1640 they moved to

when his father became minister of Blackfriars Church there. He entered at the

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

on 31 March 1645, and was laureated in 1647. He was ordained to the ministry of

Kirkintilloch Kirkintilloch (; sco, Kirkintulloch; gd, Cair Cheann Tulaich) is a town and former barony burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal and on the south side of Strathkelvin, about northeast of central Glasgow. ...

on 19 February 1653, but was charged by the English rulers "not to preach in that church, and the people not to hear him". The parishioners adhered to him nevertheless. In 1655 he was transferred to

Linlithgow Linlithgow (; gd, Gleann Iucha, sco, Lithgae) is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on a ...

. There he met with further obstruction, but the

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

declared him to be lawfully called and admitted. He joined the party of the resolutioners, and on 29 May 1661 celebrated

the restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

of Charles II by publicly burning the

Solemn League and Covenant The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians in 1643 during the First English Civil War, a theatre of conflict in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. On 17 August 1 ...

and the acts of parliament passed during the

civil wars A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. In 1664 he was appointed

parson A parson is an ordained Christian person responsible for a small area, typically a parish. The term was formerly often used for some Anglican clergy and, more rarely, for ordained ministers in some other churches. It is no longer a formal term d ...

Hamilton, South Lanarkshire Hamilton ( sco, Hamiltoun; gd, Baile Hamaltan ) is a large town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It sits south-east of Glasgow, south-west of Edinburgh and nort ...

, to which office was annexed the

deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residenc ...

of Glasgow, and from 1665 to 1667 was

of Glasgow University. On 6 January 1666, in that capacity, he headed the list of subscribers to the oath of allegiance to

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 used his influence to protect the

Duke of Hamilton Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...

from injury at the skirmish of Pentland on 28 November 1666. In 1669 he and

Arthur Rose Arthur Rose (also found as Ross; 1634–1704) was a Scottish minister, Archbishop of St Andrews, and, informally, the first Episcopal Primate of Scotland, after the fall of the Restoration Episcopate in 1689. Life The younger son of Elizabet ...

, parson of Glasgow, drew up an address to the king protesting against the recent indulgence granted to

presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

ministers. The council summoned Ramsay and Rose before it, declared the address to be illegal, and ordered it to be suppressed.

Bishop of Dunblane

Ramsay was on friendly terms with

Gilbert Burnet Gilbert Burnet (18 September 1643 – 17 March 1715) was a Scottish philosopher and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was highly respected as a cleric, a preacher, an academic, ...

and Bishop Leighton, with whose desire for a scheme of comprehension he sympathised. When Leighton was transferred in 1673 to the archiepiscopal

see of Glasgow The Archdiocese of Glasgow was one of the thirteen (after 1633 fourteen) dioceses of the Scottish church. It was the second largest diocese in the Kingdom of Scotland, including Clydesdale, Teviotdale, parts of Tweeddale, Liddesdale, Annanda ...

, Ramsay succeeded him as

. He held his first synod there on 30 September the same year. In the second year of his episcopacy he came into conflict with James Sharp,

archbishop of St Andrews The Bishop of St. Andrews ( gd, Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn, sco, Beeshop o Saunt Andras) was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews in the Catholic Church and then, from 14 August 1472, as Archbishop of St Andrews ( gd, Àrd-easbaig ...

, whose arbitrary handling of the church had excited widespread discontent. The bishops of Brechin, Edinburgh, and Dunblane (Ramsay) formulated a demand for a national synod. When, however, in July 1674, Sharp called a meeting of the bishops in his own house to consider certain canons for the church, Ramsay alone ventured to insist on the need of "a national convocation of the clergy". He was not summoned to the second day's conference, and returned to his

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

, leaving behind a letter denouncing the proposed

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...

s as inopportune, and not within the province of a private consultative meeting of the bishops. The king, on 16 July 1674, in reply to the address of Ramsay and his friends, expressed "displeasure against all factious and divisive ways", and ordered Sharp to translate Ramsay to the see of the Isles. Ramsay, on receiving notice of the king's decision, petitioned the council (28 July) to present his case again to the king, and, despite Sharp's opposition, the petition was forwarded to

Lauderdale Lauderdale is the valley of the Leader Water (a tributary of the Tweed) in the Scottish Borders. It contains the town of Lauder, as well as Earlston. The valley is traversed from end to end by the A68 trunk road, which runs from Darlington to E ...

. An angry correspondence between Sharp and Ramsay followed. Sharp inhibited Ramsay, and proceeded to London. Thither, in April 1675, Ramsay followed him. The quarrel was submitted to the consideration of several English bishops of both provinces in September 1675, with the result that Ramsay retained the see of Dunblane. During 1676 and 1677 Ramsay was engaged in a suit against Francis Kinloch of Gilmerton for an

annuity In investment, an annuity is a series of payments made at equal intervals.Kellison, Stephen G. (1970). ''The Theory of Interest''. Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, Inc. p. 45 Examples of annuities are regular deposits to a savings account, mo ...

due to him as dean of the

chapel royal The Chapel Royal is an establishment in the Royal Household serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the British Royal Family. Historically it was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarch. The term is now also applie ...

, annexed to his bishopric. The case is of importance in the history of Scottish ecclesiastical revenues.

Bishop of Ross

In May 1684 he was transferred to the see of Ross. In 1686 he preached in the High Church,

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 ...

, before the members of parliament a sermon against the act for the toleration of

Roman catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

. As a consequence he was called before the

and the

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 ...

to answer a charge of defaming the archbishop and his brother Melfort. "This staging of the bishop of Ross was one of the various methods employed to get the act for toleration of Popery to pass". On 3 November 1688, however, Ramsay signed the letter of the Scottish bishops to James, congratulating him on the birth of a son, and expressing amazement at the news of an invasion from

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

. On the abolition of episcopacy Ramsay was expelled from office, and died at Edinburgh, in great poverty, on 22 October 1696. He was interred in the

Canongate The Canongate is a street and associated district in central Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The street forms the main eastern length of the Royal Mile while the district is the main eastern section of Edinburgh's Old Town. It began ...

churchyard. He married Mary Gartstair, and had eight sons and three daughters. His eldest son, Robert, was minister of Prestonpans.

References

* Shaw, W. A., "Ramsay, James (1624?–1696), bishop of Ross", in ''Dictionary of National Biography'', (Smith & Elder, 1896)Article cites the following sources: Hew Scott's ''Fasti Eccl. Scot.'' pt. i. p. 161, pt. iii. pp. 75, 259, pt. iv. p. 840, pt. v. p. 455; Keith's ''Historical Cat. of Scottish Bishops'', pp. 183, 204; ''Hist. MSS. Comm.'' 2nd Rep. p. 205; ''Munimenta Universitatis Glasguensis'', iii. ''passim''; Wodrow's ''Hist. of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland'', ''ubi supra''; Grub's ''Eccles. Hist. of Scotland''; Burnet's ''Own Times''; Law's ''Memorialls, or the Memorable Things that fell out within the Island of Britain from 1638 to 1684'', pp. 20–1; Baillie's ''Letters'' (Bannatyne Club), iii. 313, 487; ''Life of Robert Blair''; Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall's ''Historical Notice of Scottish Affairs'' (Bannatyne Club), and his ''Historical Observes of Memorable Occurrents in Church and State'' (Bannatyne Club), p. 112; information kindly sent by W. J. Locke of Trinity College, Glenalmond, Perth.

Notes

References

;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsay, James 1624 births 1696 deaths Alumni of the University of Glasgow Bishops of Dunblane Bishops of Ross (Scotland) People from Irvine, North Ayrshire Burials at the Canongate Kirkyard Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1669–1674 Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1678 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1681–1682 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1685–1686 Members of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland 1689 Scottish Restoration bishops