of St Cuthbert's. In 1575 he was a second time Moderator of Assembly, and on 29th Dec. 1578 lie was presented by James VI. to this charge. On 24th April 1581 lie was elected a third time Moderator of Assembly, and the year following appointed to St Andrew's, but failing to obtain any stipend there, returned to St Cuthbert's April 1583. He was a fourth time Moderator of Assembly, 10th Oct. of same year. By Act of Parliament of 22nd May 1584, ministers were declared incapable of being employed as judges or in any office other than their own vocation. Three days after, he and another protested against this and other Acts then passed affecting the constitution and power of the Church. Deprived accordingly of his seat on the bench on the 27th, he took flight to England. On his return he was put in ward, but soon restored to his charge. In 1587, when appointed Bishop of Caithness by James VI., he referred the matter to the Assembly, who found " that corrupt estate or office of them who hes been termit bishops heretofore, we find not agreeable to the Word of God"; he was, however, Commissioner of Orkney from 1590 to 1601 inclusive, and was placed a fifth time in the Chair of the Assembly, 24th March 1595, and a sixth time, 27th April 1597. When a new translation of the Scriptures was proposed in 1601 he was invited by the Assembly to revise the metrical translation of the Psalms. "In respect of his great age, long travels in the kirk, and continuall sickness, the General Assembly, 15th Nov. 1602, allowed him to be releivit from the ordinarie burden of teaching, vpon condition, he substitute ane in his place quhen through infirmitie lie sall not be able himselfe." He was the first to salute King James on his elevation to the throne of England, 24th March 1603; died 8th May 1606. He marr. (1) Catherine, daugh. of Adam Masterton of Grange, and had issue-Timothy, min. of Dunnet, celebrated as the first projector of a Survey of Scotland; Zachary, min. of Bower (marr. Margaret, daugh. of John Knox); Catherine; Helen (marr. Adam Blackadder of Blairhall): (2) in 1587, Sarah

Denholm, and had a daugh. Beatrix (marr. Charles Lumsden, min. of Duddingston): (3) Margaret Smyth (who still survived 29th Nov. 1627), and had issue-James; Robert; Jonathan. " Considering Mr Robert's great charges, labours, and travels in the affairs of the Kirk, and in visiting and planting the kirks of Orkney and Zetland," the King, 17th Dec. 1602, "bestowed a gift for lyfl; and efter his deceis to his three (last-mentioned) sons, and failing, one to the langest liver for seven years, for halding them at the Scholis to mak them  abill for the ministerie, an yearly pension of four last coist (chalders) of victual from thirds of the Bishopric of Orkney, beginning crop 1602.'' His tombstone became a subject of dispute, as appears by the following minute of Privy Council, 4th June 1607: -P. "having before his death causit dresse ane stone for his buriall quhairon twa or three epitaphis written be himself were drawn," his widow, Margaret Smyth, disliking the stone, had contrary to the wish of the session, set up another intended to stand upright, and not lying on the grave as at first arranged. The Privy Council having heard both parties instructed the session that the widow was to be allowed to take her own way in regard to the matter. Publications - Parvus Catechismus (Andreap, 1573); Wodrow Miscell.; Three Sermons against Sacrilege (Edinburgh, 1599); A Treatise of the Right Reckoning of Yeares anal Ages of the World (Edinburgh, 1599); De Unione Britanniae (Edinburgh, 1604); De Sabbaticorum annorum periodis (London, 1619); Chronologia de Sabbatis (London, 1626); Translation and Interpretation of the Helvetic Confession, 1566; Contributions to Second Book of Discipline; Six of the Metrical Psalms (Edinburgh, 1565).- [Reg. Assig.; Privy Counc., Edin. N.E. Sess., and Reg. (Rapt.); Booke of the Kirk, Wodrow Biog. and Miscell., Melvill's Autob., Sime's West Kirk, Brunton's Senators; New Stat. Acc., i.; Pont's Typog.; Row's, Spottiswood's, and Cook's Hists., i.; Calderwood's Hist., M'Crie's Life of John Knox; Baillie's Lett., iii.; Crichton's Life of Blackadder, Dict. Nat. Biog.1