Reid, Robert

Biography

Bishop of Orkney and Abbot of Kinloss. Born at Akynhead. Student at St Salvator's, St Andrews 1511 or 1513-4. M.A., 1515. Licensed to preach 1515. Studied at Paris c1515. Examiner in arts 1517. Notary public in Moray 1518. Procurator in the courts 1519. Visited Rome 1527, persuaded Giovanni Ferrerrio to come to Kinloss. Anointed Abbot of Kinloss by Bishop Gavin Dunbar 1528. Commendator of Beauly 1530 or 31. Lord of council 1530. MP and judge from 1532. Dispensation to marry 1535 as abbot. Built a library at Kinloss 1538, and other buildings. Succeeded Robert Maxwell as Bishop of Orkney, c.1541. Vicar of Gartly, Bruntkirk, Kirkcaldy, subdean Moray. Ambassador to England 1533, 1541, 1542, ambassador to France 1535, 1536, 1558. Privy councillor by 1545. Succeeded A. Mylne as president of Court of Session c1548. Resigned the abbacy 1550 in favour of his nephew. Died Dieppe, 1558, after the wedding of Queen Mary. Had printed book label as abbot of Kinloss, nephew of Robert Shanwell. Bequeathed money to open a college in Edinburgh, which became Edinburgh University. He had a reputation both as a stateman and as a patron of learning.

Biography Date

c.1500-1558

Biography References

Prov. Reg. Notes (Stuart, J. Records of the Monastery of Kinloss, 1872, p xlix-liii; Ferrerius, J., Historia Abbatum de Kynlos, 1839, p38 sqq.); LOC; CERL; DNB; ESL 44; Drummond 306;

Book List