FORBES, John Minister of Alford, Reverend Mr
- Born: About 1568
- Marriage (1): BARCLAY, Christian 1
- Died: 1634, Holland
User ID: D532.
John married Christian BARCLAY, daughter of George BARCLAY 10th of Mathers and Elizabeth WOOD.1 (Christian BARCLAY was born about 1573.)
Marriage Notes:
(at Alford in 1593)
"John Forbes, born about 1568, was the third son of William F. of Corse and Elizabeth, daugh. of Alexander Strachan of Thornton. He graduated M.A. at St Andrews in 1583, and was settled in this charge in 1593. In Nov. 1602 the General Assembly chose him as one of those whom the King might select for nominating commissioners from the various Presbs. to Parliament.
At Alford he came into conflict with the powerful sept of the Gordons, who were vigorous opponents of Protestantism, and when the Synods of Aberdeen and Moray excommunicated the Marquess of Huntly, and Huntly had appealed successfully to the Privy Council, F. was sent by these Synods to London to represent the case to King James.
He was elected Moderator of the Assembly which met at Aberdeen on 2nd July 1605 contrary to the King's order. Of twelve Aberdeenshire ministers who were present ten afterwards admitted the illegal nature of the Assembly, but F. [and Charles Fearn, min. of Fraserburgh] having been summoned before the Privy Council, declined the Council's jurisdiction, on the ground that the Assembly had dealt wholly with spiritual matters. For this he was imprisoned at Blackness, tried for high treason, and banished the country.
On 7th Nov. 1616 he sailed from Leith for Bordeaux, and after spending a time with Boyd of Trochrig at Saumur, he proceeded to Sedan. Much of his work thereafter consisted in visiting the Reformed Churches and Universities on the Continent, in which were many Scots students and professors. In 1611 he became min. of the English congregation at Middelburg, Holland, and soon after he was offered release from his sentence, but upon conditions he could not accept.
In 1616 he came to London, where he had an interview with the King, who promised to annul his banishment a promise which was not fulfilled. In 1621 he was min. at Delft, but the hatred of his former ministerial brethren, some of whom were now bishops, instigated Laud and the English Government to procure his dismissal, and this was carried out in 1628.
He died in Holland in 1634. He was held in much honour by the Reformed Churches abroad for his consistently faithful character, his eminent talents and learning, and, above all, for his sufferings in the cause of religion.
He marr. Christian, daugh. of George Barclay of Mathers, and had issue John, colonel in the Dutch Service; Arthur, colonel in the Dutch Service; Patrick, Bishop of Caithness; James, min. of Abercorn; Margaret (marr. Andrew Skene in Kirktown of Dyce); a daug (marr. William, son of Alexander Forbes, Bishop of Aberdeen); Katherine (marr. John Oswald, min. of Prestonpans)."
from Fasti Ecclesiae 1
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