Robert Cairncross

Robert Cairncross(died 1544) was aScottishbishop.

Robert Cairncross O.S.A
Bishop of Ross
Church	RomanCatholic Church
Diocese	Ross
Appointed	14 April 1539
Term ended	1544
Predecessor	James Hay
Successor	David Panter
Previous post(s)	Abbot of Holyrood Provost ofCorstorphine
Personal details
Died	1544

At various times he was provost ofCorstorphine,abbot of Holyrood.He was appointedbishop of Rossin 1539, holdingin commendamthe abbacy ofFern.He also held office asLord High Treasurer of Scotlandfrom 1528 to 1529 and from 1537 to 1539.

Life

Robert was a descendant of the ancient family of Balmashannar,Forfarshire,which had been seated there as early as the time ofRobert II.He was provost of the collegiate church of Corstorphine, and one of the chaplains toJames V of Scotland.On 5 September 1528 he was nominated Lord High Treasurer on the downfall of theEarl of Angus,replacingArchibald Douglas of Kilspindie.James V also gave Robert a tenement in Edinburgh close to a house ofAndrew Moubraythat had been given to Kilspindie.

Knowing that theAbbot of Holyroodwas on the point of death, Robert, according toGeorge Buchanan,wagered a large sum with James V that he would not present him to the first vacant benefice, while the King, quite well aware of what he referred to, accepted and won the wager. Suspected of favouring the cause of the Douglases, he lost the treasurership almost as soon as he obtained it, although he again held it from 1537 to 1539. On 23 June 1539 he was admitted to thesee of Ross,and shortly afterwards receivedin commendamthe abbacy of Fern, the dilapidated state of which his wealth was expected to repair. On the death of James V he was appointed one of the lords of the council to the governor, theEarl of Arran,when he joined in opposing the treaty of peace with England. He died in April 1544. He is the subject of two Latin epigrams by George Buchanan.

References

Notes

Sources

• Keith's Scottish Bishops, pp. 190–1
• George Crawfurd,Officers of State,pp. 371–3
• Haig and Brunton's Senators of the College of Justice, pp. 45–6.

Attribution

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:"Cairncross, Robert".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.