Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 23.djvu/10

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Gray
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Gray

1464 was appointed one of the lords auditors for hearing and determining civil causes. He accompanied James III to Berwick, by appointment of parliament, 5 March 1464–5, where he with others had the plenary authority of parliament to ratify the truce which was being negotiated between the Scottish and English ambassadors at Newcastle. He died in 1469, probably towards the end of that year, being mentioned as deceased in the precept of clare constat granted by David, earl of Crawford, to his grandson and successor, on 20 Jan. 1469–70.

He married, by contract dated 31 Aug. 1418, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir John Wemyss of Wemyss and Reres, with whom it was stipulated he should receive as dowry a 20l. land in Strathardle, Perthshire. Failure in observing this condition gave rise to litigation between the two families at a later date (Memorials of the Family of Wemyss of Wemyss, by Sir William Fraser, i. 66, 67, 75). Elizabeth Wemyss survived Lord Gray. They had issue two sons and two daughters: (1) Sir Patrick Gray of Kinneff, who married Annabella, daughter of Alexander, lord Forbes, and obtained from his father certain lands in Kincardineshire; he predeceased his father, but left a son, Andrew, who succeeded his grandfather as second Lord Gray; (2) Andrew, ancestor of the families of Gray of Schives and Pittendrum; (3) Margaret, who married Robert, lord Lyle; and (4) Christian, who married James Crichton of Strathurd.

[Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, ii. 36–195, xii. 30; Acta Auditorum, pp. 3, 6; Registrum Magni Sigilli, vol. ii. passim; Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, vols. iv–viii.; Rotuli Scotiæ, ii. 245–458; Rymer's Fœdera, Hague ed., iv. pt. iv. 102–30, v. pt. ii. 11–89.]

H. P.

GRAY, ANDREW (1633–1656), Scottish divine, was born in a house still standing on the north side of the Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, in August 1633 (bap. reg. 23). He was fourth son and eleventh child in a family of twenty-one, his father being Sir William Gray, bart., of Pittendrum (d. 1648), an eminent merchant and royalist, descended from Andrew, first lord Gray [q. v.] His mother was Geils or Egidia Smyth, sister to Sir John Smyth of Grothill, at one time provost of Edinburgh. Andrew in his childhood was playful and fond of pleasure; but while he was quite young his thoughts were suddenly given a serious turn by reflecting on the piety of a beggar whom he met near Leith. Resolved to enter the ministry, he studied at the universities both of St. Andrews and Edinburgh. He graduated at the former in 1651. Gray was one of that band of youthful preachers who were powerfully influenced by the venerable Leighton. His talents and learning favourably impressed Principal Gillespie. He was licensed to preach in 1653, and was ordained to the collegiate charge of the Outer High Church of Glasgow on 3 Nov. 1653, although only in his twenty-first year, notwithstanding some remonstrance. One of the remonstrants, Robert Baillie, refers in his ‘Letters and Journals’ to the ‘high flown, rhetorical style’ of the youthful preacher, and describes his ordination as taking place ‘over the belly of the town's protestation.’ His ministry proved eminently successful, and although only of three years' duration, in the profound impression produced during his lifetime, and the sustained popularity of his published works, Gray had few rivals in the Scottish church. He died on 8 Feb. 1656, after a brief illness, of a ‘purple’ fever, and was interred in Blackadder's or St. Fergus's Aisle, Glasgow Cathedral. On the walls of the aisle his initials and date of death may be seen deeply incised. Gray married Rachael, daughter of Robert Baillie of Jerviswood, and had a son, William, born at Glasgow in March 1655, who probably died young. He had also a daughter, Rachael, who was served heir to her father on 26 June 1669. His widow remarried George Hutcheson, minister at Irvine.

Many of Gray's sermons and communion addresses were taken down at the time of delivery, chiefly in shorthand by his wife, and were published posthumously. Some yet remain in unpublished manuscripts. Pre-Restoration editions are extremely rare, but a few are still extant. The following are the chief editions known: 1. ‘The Mystery of Faith opened up: the Great Salvation and sermons on Death,’ edited by the Revs. R. Trail and J. Stirling, Glasgow, 1659 (in possession of the writer), and London, 1660, 12mo (Brit. Mus.), both with a dedication to Sir Archibald Johnston, lord Warriston, afterwards suppressed; Glasgow, 1668, 12mo; Edinburgh, 1669, 1671, 1678, 1697, 12mo; ten editions in 12mo, Glasgow, between 1714 and 1766. The sermons on ‘The Great Salvation’ and on ‘Death’ appeared separately, the former edited by the Rev. Robert Trail, London, 1694, 16mo, the latter at Edinburgh, 1814, 12mo. 2. ‘Great and Precious Promises,’ edited by the Revs. Robert Trail and John Stirling, Edinburgh, 1669, 12mo (Brit. Mus.); Glasgow, 1669, 12mo; Edinburgh, 1671 and 1678; and six editions, Glasgow, in 12mo, between 1715 and 1764. 3. ‘Directions and Instigations to the Duty of Prayer,’ Glasgow, 1669, 12mo (Mitchell Library, Glasgow); Edinburgh, 1670, 1671, 1678; eight editions, Glasgow, between 1715 and 1771. 4. ‘The Spiritual