EDINBURGH] ST BERNARD'S—ST CUTHBERTS 93
Allardyce of Culquoich, Aberdeenshire, and
has issue—Edward Scott, born 6th fSept.
1892; Christian Mary, born 18thMarch 1895.
ST CUTHBERT'S,
WEST KIRK.
OR
[According to Dr Skene, Historiographer-
Royal, the first church erected on the site
occupied by the present fabric, if it did not
owe its existence to the personal efforts of
St Cuthbert himself, was at least erected
shortly after his decease in the latter part
of the seventh century. In the early ages
this was one of the wealthiest parishes
in Scotland, but in 1128 it was, with
all its endowments, transferred to the
Abbey of Holyroodhouse, then founded by
David I.]
WILLIAM HARLAW, born at Edin-
1560 kurgh after 1500, and originally
bred a tailor in the Canongate.
Imbibing the doctrines of the Reforma-
tion, he took refuge in England, where he
was ordained a deacon, became one of the
King's chaplains, and remained some years.
On the death of Edward VI. he returned
to Edinburgh in 1553, and engaged in
preaching in private houses in 1555 ; after-
wards he did so publicly. He was re-
primanded for preaching at Dumfries in
1558, summoned to appear before the
Lord Justice at Stirling 10th May 1559,
and denounced a rebel for usurping the
authority of the Church, "in taking into
his own hand the ministry thereof," within
the burgh of Perth and places adjoining.
Appointed to St Cuthbert's in 1560, he
was a member of the first General
Assembly, 20th Dec. An attempt to
have him removed and another presented
was made 25th June 1566, by the patron
(Robert, Commendator of Holyroodhouse),
but being opposed by the parishioners,
was ineffectual. Pres. to the vicarage by
James VI. 6th Feb. 1572; died 1578.
Though " not verie learnit, yitt his doctrine
was plaine, sound, and worthie of com-
mendatioun.
:
'
His son, Nathaniel, was min.
of Ormiston.—[Knox's Works, i., ii. ; Scott's
Reformer*, Booke of the Kirk, Reg. Min.
and Assiy. ; Keith's, Spottiswood's, Row's,
and Calderwood's Hists., ii. ; Pitcairn's Cr.
Trials, i. ; Wodrow's Miscell., Biog. i., and
MS. Biog. ; Sime's West Kirk, Treasury
Accounts.]
ROBERT PONT [KYLPONT, KYN-
1578 PONT], born at or near Culross 1524
(Buchanan, De Scriptoribus Scotis
lllustribus), son of John P. of Shyresmill,
and Catherine Murray, said to be a daugh.
of Murray of Tullibardine (Blackadder MS.
Memoirs). [The statement of Dr Andrew
Crichton that the father was a Venetian,
who, having been banished for his adherence
to the Protestant faith, arrived in Scotland
in the train of Mary of Guise, is essentially
improbable as well as inconsistent with
well-known facts] ; educated at Culross,
and St Leonards College, St Andrews; on
completing his course there, is supposed to
have studied law at a foreign university.
Nothing is definitely known of his career
until 1559, when he settled at St Andrews,
where he acted as a member of the kirk-
session. He was present at the first General
Assembly, 20th Dec. 1560, and was one of
twenty within the bounds of St Andrews
declared to be qualified for ministering
and teaching. He Avas one of the Com-
mittee who revised the Second Book of
Discipline, 1561. In 1562 he was appointed
preacher at Dunblane, and in Dec. of the
same year he was removed to Dunkeld.
The following year he was Commissioner
of Moray, and minister at Elgin. He was
Moderator of Assembly in 1570, an office
to which he was five times afterwards
elected. In Jan. 1571 he was Provost of
Trinity College, Edinburgh, and accepted
a senatorship in the College of Justice, at
the express wish of the General Assembly,
on 12th Jan. 1572. Following that, he was
charged with dereliction of duty in failing
to visit the churches in Moray, but pled
lack of leisure in consequence of his judicial
work. In Nov. 1573 he received a pension
of 300 merks, on account of having no
ecclesiastical stipend "quhairon he may
commodiously leif." In Feb. 157-1 he
resigned the Commissionership of Moray,
and was admitted collegiate (junior) min.