George Wishart (bishop)

Bishop Wishart Monument (left), Holyrood Abbey.

George Wishart (1599–1671) was a Scottish Anglican bishop and author.^[1][2][3]

Wishart was born in Haddington, educated at the University of St Andrews and ordained in 1625. He was the minister at Monifieth then St Andrews.

A strong supporter of episcopacy, he fled to England in 1639. He was imprisoned in Newcastle upon Tyne during the Bishops' Wars for his exploits with the Great Montrose, but freed after the Battle of Kilsyth. In 1650 Montrose was executed^[4] with a copy of Wishart's biography of him tied around his neck.^[5]

After the Restoration he became the vicar of St Andrew's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne. On 3 June 1662 he was consecrated as Bishop of Edinburgh. He died on 26 July 1671 and was buried at Holyrood Abbey.

Notes

1. "The history of the Church of Scotland : from the Reformation to the present time" Thomas,S: London, John Lendrum, 1843
2. Stevenson, David. "Wishart, George (1599–1671)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29794. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
3. Res gestae (Amsterdam, 1647), published in English as Memoirs of the Most Renowned James Graham, Marquis of Montrose
4. Rampant Scotland
5. Family website