Information on this man in VENN is sketchy and in some cases incorrect.
Venn: MA 1633; incorp. from Marischal College, Aberdeen (??); son of John (correctly James), a Scotch minister. Ordained deacon (Peterborough) 6 Aug., priest 7 Aug. 1629. R of Buckenham Ferry, Norfolk 1630. Went beyond sea during the troubles and served King Charles I by intelligence. R of Burmarsh, Kent 1640 and of Ivychurch 1660-3. Bishop of Aberdeen 1663; Archbishop of Glasgow 1664-7- & 1674-9; Archbishop of St Andrew's 1679-84; died there 22 Aug. 1684. See DNB.
Additional material in Venn not included as it appears incorrect (re. person he married, both name and place).
Various sources, including DNB, state he was graduate of Edinburgh University, not Aberdeen, but possible that he spent time at Marischal before 1633? (MA said to be awarded 22 June 1633).
Father, graduate of Edinburgh, was James, minister of Lauder 1615, and of Jedburgh 1635, (both in Borders); deposed for episcopalian views April 1639 [could he have come to England as R of Burmarsh, Kent, dying June 1640, prior to Alexander becoming R. there? (CCEd ID 80675)]
Mother was Christian (one source calls her Katherine) Dundas.
Alexander Burnet was chaplain to her kinsman, John Stewart, 1st Earl of Traquar. Said to be a lay chaplain (although ordained in England 1629 he may have held the post as layman to circumvent problems after the Convenanting rebellion.) Presented to Coldingham (Borders) by Charles I but unable to remain for same reason).
No other evidence found for his rectorships in Norfolk other than records here in CCEd, but not impossible and the coming and going from them fits with one of royalist tendencies. Problem created by entry of 'natural death' in 1670 at Colney. This has been published in 'An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk', Vol. V; (British History Online) as 'presented to Colney by Mary Ward he lived till 1670'. In 1670 he would have returned to Scotland for episcopal and archiepiscopal duties.
Other information which explains some entries: ejected from Burmarsh in 1650 for royalist sympathies; became chaplain in Dunkirk to Andrew Rutherford, governor of Dunkirk. Returned to England at Restoration.
Likely to have married Elizabeth, dau. of George Fleming of Kilconquhar, Fife.
| Year | Type | Name as Recorded | Location | Office/Status | Full Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| --- | Libc | Burnet, Alexander | Colney / | Rector | View |
| 1629 | Ordi(ordination) | Burnet, Alexander | / | priest | View |
| 1629 | Ordi(ordination) | Burnet, Alexander | / | deacon | View |
| 1629 | Ordi(ordination) | Burnet, Alexander | / | priest | View |
| 1631 | Appt(Institution) | Burnet, Alexander | Buckenham / | Rector | View |
| 1635 | Appt(Licensing) | Burnet, Alexander | Colney / | Preacher | View |
| 1640 | Appt(Institution) | Burnett, Alexander | Burmarsh / | Rector | View |
| 1642 | Libc | Burnet, Allexander | Burmersh / | Rector | View |
| 1647 | Subsc | Burnet, Alex | Colney / | Rector | View |
| 1647 | Appt(Institution) | Burnet, Alexander | Colney / | Rector | View |
| 1647 | Appt(Institution) | Burnet, Alexander | Colney / | Rector | View |
| 1660 | Subsc | Burnet, Alexander | Ivy-Church / | Rector | View |
| 1660 | Appt(Institution) | Burnett, Alexander | Ivy-church / | Rector | View |
| 1661 | Appt(licence for non-residence) | Burnett, Alexander | Ivychurch / | Rector | View |
| 1662 | Subsc | Burnett, Alexander | Melton parva, Norf / | Curate | View |
| 1662 | Subsc | Burnett, Alexander | Colney, Norf / | Rector | View |
| 1662 | Libc | Burnet, Alexander | Buckenham / | Rector | View |
| 1670 | Vac(natural death) | Burnett, Alexandri | Colney, Norf / | Rector | View |