Alexander Burnet, Archbishop of St Andrews

Biographical Summary

"Alexander Burnet [or Burnett], bapt. 6th Aug. 1615, son of James B., min. of Jedburgh; educated at Univ. of Edinburgh; M.A. (22nd June 1633); became chaplain to his kinsman, John, Earl of Traquair; pres. to Coldingham, but not settled; went to England where he took orders, and was inst. rector of Burmarsh, Kent, 15th April 1641, from which he was ejected in 1650; went abroad, where he acquired information beneficial to Charles II.; returned to England and coll. rector of Ivychurch in 1660; became chaplain to his father's cousin, General Lord Rutherford, Earl of Teviot, governor of Dunkirk, and to the English garison there; app. Bishop of Aberdeen 4th May and consecrated (at St. Andrews) by James Sharp 18th Sept. 1663; app. to Archbishop of Glasgow 6th Jan. 1664, and installed 11th April following; was made a Privy Councillor 29th April, an an Extraordinary Lord of Session 29th Nov. same year; res. 24th Dec. 1669, having incurred the displeasure of the Duke of Lauderdale through opposition of his conciliatory policy with respect to the Covenanters; lived four years in retirement until his restoration to the See, 29th Sept. 1674, and to the Privy Councillorship 3rd Dec. following; trans. to Archbishopric of St. Andrews, and installed 28th Oct. 1679; died there 24th Aug. 1684, and was buried 2nd Sept. in St Salvator's Church. He marr. Elizabeth, daugh. of George Fleming of Kilconquhar, and had issue - a son who died v.p.; Anna (marr. (1) 10 Sept. 1667, Alexander, Lord Eliphinstone; (2) cont. 20th Aug. 1674, Patrick, Lord Elibank); Margaret (marr. 28th April 1674, Roderick Mackenzie of Prestonhall, Lord Justice-Clerk)."

SOURCE: Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae: the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation, Vol. VII, page 327