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28. Rt. Rev. Walter WHITEFORD
was born in 1581. He was a Bishop of Brechin in 1635. He was Ejected from
his See by the Scots Parliamnet in 1638/39. He died in 1647. Walter Whitefoord
was Bishop of Brechin at the time when the English attempted to force the adoption
of Laud's liturgy in the churches of Scotland. The Bishop, in loyalty to the
Crown, accepted the change but the congregation refused to consider it and prolonged,
and bitter, discussions followed.
Eventually, the Bishop, considering that further discussion would serve no useful
purpose, announced from the pulpit one Sunday morning that, beginning the following
Sunday, he proposed to use the new service. During the week, a committee of the
Elders visited the Bishop to warn him that, if he attempted to use the new service,
he might not be permitted to proceed with it.
In the tense atmosphere which filled the church on the following Sunday morning,
the Bishop mounted the pulpit with the new prayer-book in his hand. But, before
starting to read, he pulled two large Scotch pistols from his coat and held them
to the ready while he read the new service. And, nothing happened.
When he had finished, he ordered one of the Elders to go to the manse and read
the new service to the assembled servants whose household duties had prevented
their attendance at the Church. It may be added that there was no further objection
to the new service on the part of the congregation.
Special Note: The following description of the same account as above, was compiled
from various sources (Masson, Registry of Privy Council, 1613-16; 1619; 1634-51)
. See Website link in Index Page for full details.
Bishop of Brechin, born about 1581, was the son of Adam Whit(e)ford of Milntown
(now called Milton Lockhart), by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir James Sommerville
of Cambusnethan in Lanarkshire. The family of Whit(e)ford derives its name from
the estate of Whit(e)ford in Renfrewshire on the Cart, which Walter de Whit(e)ford
obtained for his services at the Battle of Largs (1263).
Walter was educated at Glasgow University, where he was laureated in 1601, and
afterwards acted as Regent. On 10 May, 1604, he was licensed to preach by the
presbytery of Paisley, and on 03 Dec.1608, he was presented by James VI to the
parish of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. In 1610 he was translated (transferred) to
Moffat in Dumfriesshire, where is was admitted before 8 June. In 1613 he was
nominated on the commission of the peace for Annandale, and was involved in several
of the family feuds with which the county abounded.
On 27 June 1617, Whit(e)ford signed the protestation to Parliament in support
of the liberties of the kirk, but he suffered himself soon after to be won over
by the King, and on 15 June 1619 he was nominated a member of the court of high
commission. On 30 August he was constituted minister of Failford in Ayrshire
by James VI, in addition to his other charge.
In March 1620 he received the degree of D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) from Glasgow
University; and on 4 August 1621 he was confirmed in his ministry by act of Parliament.
In 1623 his commission of justice of the peace was renewed, and he was appointed
convener of the stewartry of Annandale. On 25 October 1627 he was appointed one
of the commissioners nominated by the King for taking measures against the papists,
which on 21 October 1634 was expanded into a high commission to cite and punish
all persons dwelling in Scotland concerning whom there were unfavorable reports.
On 9 December 1628 he was presented by Charles I to the sub-deanery of Glasgow,
which after 1670 formed the parish of Old Monkland in Lanarkshire. On 21 October
1634 he was nominated to the commission for the maintenance of church discipline.
In 1635 Whit(e)ford was consecrated as Bishop of Brechin as successor to Thomas
Sydserff, holding the sub-deanery in commendam until 1639 when he disposed his
title to James Hamilton, third marquis (afterwrds first duke) of Hamilton. On
16 April 1635 he was created a burgess of Arbroath.
Whit(e)ford used his episcopal authority to support the liturgical changes which
Charles I had introduced. The new service-book was very unpopular with the multitude,
and in 1637, when Whit(e)ford announced his intention of reading it, he was threatened
with violence. Undeterred, he ascended the pulpit, holding a brace of pistols,
his family and servants attending him armed, and read the service with closed
doors.
On his return he was attacked by an enraged mob and escaped with difficulty.
The minister of Brechin, Alexander Bisset, refusing to obey Whit(e)ford's commands
to follow his example, the Bishop caused his own servant to read the service
regularly from the desk. This obstancy roused intense feeling against him, and
towards the close of the year, after his palace had been plundered, he was compelled
to fly (flee) to England, where, with two other Bishops, he violently opposed
the Scottish treasurer, Sir John Stewart, first Earl of Traquair, whose moderation
he disliked, drawing up a memorial against employing him as a commissioner to
treat with the Scots.
On 13 December 1638 he was deposed and excommunicated by the Glasgow assembly,
whose authority, in common with the other Bishops, he had refused to recognize.
In addition to the ecclesiastical offense of signing the declaration, he was
accused of drunken-ness and incontinence and of 'useing of masse cricifixes in
his chamber.' On 23 August 1639 he and the other Scottish prelates drew up a
protest against their exclusion from Parliament.
On 28 December 1640, Whit(e)ford was living in London in great poverty, but on
5 May 1642, as a recompense for his sufferings, Charles I presented him to the
rectory of Walgrave in Northamptonshire, where he was instituted. In 1646 he
was expelled by the Parliamentary soldiery; he died in the following year, and
was buried on 16 June 1647 in the middle aisle of the chancel of St. Margaret's,
Westminster.
He married Anne, fourth daughter of Sir John Carmichael of that ilk. By her he
had five sons -- John, Adam, David, Walter and James -- and two daughters --Rachael
(married to James Johnstone, laird of Corehead); and Christian (married to William
Bennett of Bains).
In 1660, Whit(e)ford's widow (Anne) petitioned for a yearly allowance out of
the rents of the bishoprie of Brechin, in consideration of the sufferings of
her family in the royal cause
He was married to ? RITCHIE (daughter of
Hew RITCHIE of Knockendail and ?). Rt.
Rev. Walter WHITEFORD and ? RITCHIE had the following children:
+35 i.
Rev John WHITEFORD.
+36 ii.
Colonel Walter WHITEFORD.
37 iii.
Adam WHITEFORD was born in 1624. He died in 1646 in Oxford. Killed at the
Siege of Oxford during the English Civil War. Son of Bishop Whitefoord, soldier,
Adam was a student at Christ Church, Oxford. He died there in 1647 and is buried
in the south transept of the Cathedral. He was a king's scholar at Westminster
school, and in 1641 was elected to Christ Church, Oxford whence he matriculated
on 10 Dec., graduating B.A. on 4 Dec. 1646. Like his brother David Whitefoord,
he enrolled himself in the royal garrison at Oxford, and was killed in the siege.
38 iv.
David WHITEFORD was born in 1626. He died on 26 Oct 1674. He was educated
in Oxford. Christ Church College, Oxford Fought at the siege of Oxford for
the Royalists against the Paliamentarian attackers, where his brother Adam was
killed, later taken prisoner at Battle of Worcester during the English Civil
War.
39 v.
James WHITEFORD.
+40 vi.
Christian WHITEFORD.
+41 vii.
Rachel WHITEFORD.
He was married to Anne CARMICHAEL (daughter of Sir John CARMICHAEL of Carmichael and ?).
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