Patrick Simson was a presbyterian minster who served in Stirling during the reign of James VI of Scotland.
16 Facts About Patrick Simson
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Patrick Simson was from a prominent church family and was the son of Andrew Simson, minister of Dunbar.
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Patrick Simson became a reader at Borthwick and completed his education at Bridgestock in England stopping there while intended for Cambridge as he met a gentleman who allowed him use of his library.
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Patrick Simson was admitted to Spott in 1577 and translated to Cramond in 1582.
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Patrick Simson, church historian and divine, was born at Perth in 1556.
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Archibald Patrick Simson, who wrote his biography, was a younger brother.
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Patrick Simson was then sent by his father to the University of Cambridge, but he was induced to remain for a time at Bridgstock, where there was a library, and to pursue his studies privately, which he did with such success that he mastered Greek, then little known in Scotland, and attained great proficiency in the knowledge of ancient history, civil and ecclesiastical.
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Patrick Simson had much influence with the king and the Earl of Mar; but when the attempt to introduce episcopacy was renewed, Simson became one of the weightiest opponents of the royal policy.
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Patrick Simson declined the offer of a bishopric, and afterwards of a pension, to induce him to connive at the changes which were being introduced.
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Patrick Simson opposed the changes in worship which followed the introduction of episcopacy, and in 1617 the bishop of Galloway wrote urging him to help the bishops 'out of his talent' in resisting some of the innovations which the king was forcing down their throats.
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Patrick Simson was a constant student, and acquired Hebrew after he was fifty years of age.
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Patrick Simson was successful as a preacher and pastor, and was held in affection by his flock, many of whom, such as Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar, the king's cousin, and the Lady Erskine, venerated him as their spiritual father.
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Patrick Simson found the people of Stirling turbulent, merchants and craftsmen often engaging in bloody contests in the streets, and he restored peace to the community.
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Patrick Simson remained at his post in time of plague, and discharged his duties at the risk of his life.
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Patrick Simson married, first, Martha, daughter of James Baron, provost of Edinburgh, by whom he had three sons, who all became ministers, and a daughter, who became wife of John Gillespie, minister of Alva, and was mother of Patrick, Lilias and George Gillespie.
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Patrick Simson married, secondly, a daughter of John Barroun of Kinnaird in Fife.