Robert Keith (historian)
Encyclopedia
Robert Keith was a Scottish Episcopal
bishop
and historian
.
, Scotland
, on 7 February 1681, he was the second son of Alexander Keith and Marjory Keith (née Arbuthnot). He was educated at Marischal College
, Aberdeen
between 1695 and 1699; graduating with an A.M.
in about 1700.
He was preceptor
to George, Lord Keith
(afterward the last Earl Marischal
) from July 1703 to July 1710. He was ordained
a deacon on 16 August 1710, and from November 1710 to February 1713, he was Domestic Chaplain to Charles Hay, 13th Earl of Erroll
and his mother Anne, the Dowager
Countess. Three years later, he was ordained to the priesthood on 26 May 1713. On the same day, he was appointed curate
at Barrenger's Close meeting-house in Edinburgh
, and in 1733 he became Incumbent
of the meeting-house; a post he kept until his death.
In 1716, he and other clergy in Edinburgh were prosecuted by the Commission of the Justiciary
for not praying for King George I
. He was prohibited from the ministry and fined.
In 1719, he married Isobel Cameron, daughter of the Reverend John Cameron, Incumbent of Kincardine-in-Menteith. They had two children: an unnamed daughter (died before 1757), and Catharine who married Stewart Carmichael, an Edinburgh merchant, in 1752.
In March 1720, he was one of the clergy of Edinburgh who met to elect Arthur Ross's successor.
In 1727, he was appointed coadjutor
to the Bishop of Edinburgh
, and consecrated
to the Episcopate
at Edinburgh
on 18 June 1727. His consecrator
s were bishops Arthur Millar and Thomas Rattray.
Four years later, he was appointed Bishop of Caithness
, Orkney
and The Isles
in December 1731. Between 1733 and 1743, he was also Bishop of Fife. He was elected Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
on 20 August 1743.
He was deeply versed in archeology, numismatics
and Scottish antiquities
. His published works include History of the Affairs of Church and State in Scotland and An Historical Catalogue of the Bishops of Scotland.
He died at Leith
on 20 January 1757, aged 75, and is buried in Canongate Churchyard
in Edinburgh.
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Life
Born at Uras in KincardineshireKincardineshire
The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a local government county on the coast of northeast Scotland...
, Scotland
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...
, on 7 February 1681, he was the second son of Alexander Keith and Marjory Keith (née Arbuthnot). He was educated at Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
between 1695 and 1699; graduating with an A.M.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in about 1700.
He was preceptor
Preceptor
A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian military orders:A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...
to George, Lord Keith
George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal
George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal was a Scottish and Prussian army officer and diplomat...
(afterward the last Earl Marischal
Earl Marischal
The title of Earl Marischal was created in the peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland.The office of "Marischal of Scotland" had been held heritably by the senior member of the Keith family since Hervey de Keith, who held the office of Marischal under Malcolm IV and...
) from July 1703 to July 1710. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a deacon on 16 August 1710, and from November 1710 to February 1713, he was Domestic Chaplain to Charles Hay, 13th Earl of Erroll
Earl of Erroll
The Earl of Erroll is an ancient title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1453 for Sir William Hay.The subsidiary titles held by the Earl of Erroll are Lord Hay and Lord Slains , both in the Peerage of Scotland. The Earls of Erroll also hold the hereditary office of Lord High Constable...
and his mother Anne, the Dowager
Dowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
Countess. Three years later, he was ordained to the priesthood on 26 May 1713. On the same day, he was appointed curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Barrenger's Close meeting-house in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and in 1733 he became Incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
of the meeting-house; a post he kept until his death.
In 1716, he and other clergy in Edinburgh were prosecuted by the Commission of the Justiciary
Commission of Justiciary
A commission of justiciary was a method of law enforcement employed in Scotland, in particular in the 16th and 17th centuries.In an era when the practical reach of central government was limited, the issuing authority would issue a commission to a single individual or a number of individuals...
for not praying for King George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
. He was prohibited from the ministry and fined.
In 1719, he married Isobel Cameron, daughter of the Reverend John Cameron, Incumbent of Kincardine-in-Menteith. They had two children: an unnamed daughter (died before 1757), and Catharine who married Stewart Carmichael, an Edinburgh merchant, in 1752.
In March 1720, he was one of the clergy of Edinburgh who met to elect Arthur Ross's successor.
In 1727, he was appointed coadjutor
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
to the Bishop of Edinburgh
Bishop of Edinburgh
The Bishop of Edinburgh is the Ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh.The see was founded in 1633 by King Charles I. William Forbes was consecrated in St. Giles' Cathedral as its first bishop on 23 January 1634 though he died later that year...
, and consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
to the Episcopate
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
at Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 18 June 1727. His consecrator
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
s were bishops Arthur Millar and Thomas Rattray.
Four years later, he was appointed Bishop of Caithness
Bishop of Caithness
The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Aindréas spent much if not all of his career outside his...
, Orkney
Bishop of Orkney
The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics within the territory of modern Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St...
and The Isles
Bishop of the Isles
The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Sodor, one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompasing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as an ecclesiastical unity to the careers of Olaf, King of the Isles,...
in December 1731. Between 1733 and 1743, he was also Bishop of Fife. He was elected Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
The Primus, styled The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd David Chillingworth who became Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church on 13 June 2009...
on 20 August 1743.
He was deeply versed in archeology, numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
and Scottish antiquities
Antiquities
Antiquities, nearly always used in the plural in this sense, is a term for objects from Antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures...
. His published works include History of the Affairs of Church and State in Scotland and An Historical Catalogue of the Bishops of Scotland.
He died at Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
on 20 January 1757, aged 75, and is buried in Canongate Churchyard
Canongate Churchyard
The Canongate Kirkyard 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....
in Edinburgh.