Alexander Arbuthnot (poet)

Alexander Arbuthnot (1538–1583) was a Scottish ecclesiastic poet, "an eminent divine, and zealous promotor of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland".

Family life

He was the second son of Andrew Arbuthnot of Pitcarles, who in turn was the fourth son of Sir Robert Arbuthnot of that Ilk. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of James Strachan of Monboddo.

Career

After having studied languages and philosophy at the University of Aberdeen, and civil law under the noted Jacques Cujas at the University of Bourges in France, Arbuthnot took ecclesiastical orders, and became in his own country a zealous supporter of the Reformation.

In 1569 he was elected principal of King's College, Aberdeen, which office he retained until his death. He played an active part in the stirring church politics of the period, and was twice Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and a member of the commission of inquiry into the condition the University of St Andrews (1583).^[1]

His attitude on public questions won for him the condemnation of Catholic writers. He is not included in Nicol Burne's list of periurit apostatis, but his policy and influence were disliked by James VI, who, when the Assembly had elected Arbuthnot to the charge of the kirk of St. Andrews, ordered him to return to his duties at King's College.^[1]

Minister of Logie Buchan (1568), of Forve and Arbuthnott (1569) and of St Andrews (1583). Moderator of the General Assembly (1573 and 1577). He matriculated his arms. Buried St Nicholas, Aberdeen.

Poetry

His extant works are three poems, The Praises of Wemen (4 lines), On Luve (10 lines), and The Miseries of a Pure (poor) Scholar (189 lines), and a Latin account of the Arbuthnot family, Originis et Incrementi Arbuthnoticae Familiae Descriptio Historica, of which an English continuation, by Dr John Arbuthnot, is preserved in the Advocates Library, Edinburgh.^[1]

The praise of women in the first poem is exceptional in the literature of his age; and its geniality helps us to understand the author's popularity with his contemporaries.^[1]

Notes

1 2 3 4 Chisholm 1911.

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Arbuthnot, Alexander". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 339.
The Scottish Studies Foundation, brief bio
Arbuthnot, Mrs P S-M (1920). Memories of the Arbuthnots. George Allen & Unwin.
Sir James Balfour Paul, ed. (1908). The Scots Peerage. founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's 'Peerage of Scotland'.

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1885–1900 Dictionary of National Biography's article about Arbuthnot, Alexander (1538–1583).

Arbuthnot family tree
Works by or about Alexander Arbuthnot in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Arbuthnot family
Generals	Sir Charles George Arbuthnot, GCB Charles George James Arbuthnot Sir Dalrymple Arbuthnot, 5th Baronet Sir Hugh Arbuthnot Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott Sir Robert Arbuthnot, KCB Sir Thomas Arbuthnot, KCB
Admirals	Sir Alexander Dundas Young Arbuthnott Charles Ramsay Arbuthnot Sir Geoffrey Arbuthnot Mariot Arbuthnot Sir Robert Arbuthnot, 4th Bt
Politicians	Alexander Arbuthnot Charles Arbuthnot Charles George James Arbuthnot George Arbuthnot Gerald Archibald Arbuthnot Sir Hugh Arbuthnot James Arbuthnot, Baron Arbuthnot of Edrom Sir John Arbuthnot, 1st Bt John Arbuthnot (mayor) Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Bt William Reierson Arbuthnot
Diplomats	Charles Arbuthnot Hugh James Arbuthnott
Ecclesiastics	Alexander Arbuthnot Alexander Arbuthnot Charles Arbuthnot
Bankers, civil servants and traders	Alexander Arbuthnot Alexander George Arbuthnot Sir Alexander John Arbuthnot, KCSI C. M. Arbuthnot George Arbuthnot Sir George Gough Arbuthnot Robert Arbuthnot
Academics and educators	Sir John Arbuthnott May Hill Arbuthnot
Artists, printers and musicians	Alexander Arbuthnot Gary Arbuthnot
Writers and poets	Alexander Arbuthnot Sir Alexander John Arbuthnot, KCSI Forster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot Harriet Arbuthnot Dr John Arbuthnot
Viscounts	Robert Arbuthnott, 1st Viscount of Arbuthnott John Arbuthnott, 8th Viscount of Arbuthnott John Arbuthnott, 9th Viscount of Arbuthnott John Arbuthnott, 10th Viscount of Arbuthnott Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott John Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott Keith Arbuthnott, 17th Viscount of Arbuthnott
Sportsmen	Eric Arbuthnot Lionel Gough Arbuthnot Reginald Arbuthnot Betty Carnegy-Arbuthnott

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