Robert Durie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robert Durie |
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|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1555 |
| Died | 1616 Leyden |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Alma mater | St. Mary's College, St. Andrews |
Robert Durie (born 1555, died 1616) was a Scottish minister. He was famous for his strong beliefs in the Presbyterian way of running the church. This often led to disagreements with King James VI. The king wanted a different church system, called Episcopalian. Durie was one of six ministers who were put in prison and later sent away from Scotland because they stood up for their beliefs.
Robert Durie's Story
Robert Durie was the second son of John Durie. He studied at St. Mary's College, St. Andrews. While there, he helped teach Robert Bruce. He also spent time with James Melville, whose wife was Robert Durie's sister.
Durie became a school assistant in Dunfermline. Later, he became a minister in Abercrombie, Fife, in 1588. In 1590, he moved to Anstruther. He was part of a Church of Scotland effort in 1598. This mission aimed to spread the church's teachings on the Isle of Lewis.
Standing Up for Beliefs
In 1605, Durie went to the General Assembly of Aberdeen. King James VI had tried to stop this meeting. However, some ministers believed the king did not have the right to do so. They held the meeting anyway.
Because he attended, Robert Durie was called before the king's council. On July 18, he was sent to Blackness Castle prison. He and five other ministers were put on trial in Linlithgow in January 1606. They were accused of treason for not accepting the council's authority.
Life in Exile
The ministers were found guilty and ordered to leave Scotland. Robert Durie traveled to Holland. He became the first minister of the Scottish church in Leyden. He lived there until he died in September 1616.
Durie was a close friend of Andrew Melville. Melville was also living away from Scotland at the time. There were rumors that Durie might be pardoned. But Melville warned him not to trust these rumors. He suspected it might be a trick.
Family Life
Robert Durie married Elizabeth Ramsay. She lived longer than he did. They had several children. One of their sons was John. John became a minister in Rotterdam. He was well-known for trying to unite different Protestant churches. John was born in Edinburgh in 1596 and died in 1680.
