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

Life

St Giles in the 17th century
Melrose Parish Church

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 of Scotland from 1661 to 1664. His date of birth is unclear but he graduated MA from St Andrews University in 1625.[1]

In 1635 Edinburgh 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 but was allowed to return to his post in August 1639.[2]

In 1641 he translated From St Giles to Melrose. In 1662 he was consecrated by Archbishop Andrew Fairfoul at Glasgow Cathedral as Bishop of Argyll.[3] The position as Bishop permitted Fletcher a place in the Scottish Parliament.[4]

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.[5]

Family

He married Elizabeth Strang, daughter of John Strang, Principal of Glasgow University. Their daughters included Christian Fletcher and Janet Fletcher.[6] Christian married Henry Home of Kames and they were grandparents to Henry Home, Lord Kames.[7] 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

  1. ↑ Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae; vol. 7; by Hew Scott
  2. ↑ Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae by Hew Scott
  3. ↑ "History of the Diocese".
  4. ↑ "Records of the Parliaments of Scotland".
  5. ↑ "Our History – Bowden and Melrose Parish Church".
  6. ↑ "Elizabeth Strang".
  7. ↑ "Christian Fletcher".
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