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Abbot of Melrose, Bishop of Galloway

Andrew Dury or Durie (d. 1 Sept 1558) was the younger brother of George Durie. Educated in St Andrews and becoming a Cistercian monk, he was appointed a Lord of Session in 1541. He first came to prominence as Abbot of Melrose (a high position in the church) in 6 October 1525. He resigned at the request of James V, who requested Pope Paul III to dispense him of the Cistercian habit (3 July 1541). He was basically sacked for indolence and extravagance from what was supposed to be a poor order, but the Abbacy was made over to one James Stewart, an illegitimate son of the King (as were other Abbeys and livings). Andrew was provided to Archdeacon of Candida Casa* after the death of Henry Wemyss in 1541 until 1558. He later also took the see of Galloway and the Abbey of Tongland. As Bishop of Galloway, Andrew was one of a group suggested by Cardinal Sermonita to Pope Paul IV as suitable to exact reforms against churchmen trading and profiteering.

But if this seems to make him a saint, it's interesting that John Knox said he was "sometimes called, for his filthiness, Abbot Stottikin [bullock]". He was inordinately fond of card games and had a penchant for making up inane rhymes to annoy people.

It's not surprising that Knox disliked him, as Andrew was active against the Lutherans (including his cousin, John Durie) and he accompanied Mary of Guise to France on 7 September 1550. Later, (14 December 1557), he signed the Commission of Prelates to go and treat with France for the marriage of Mary (later Queen of Scots) to the Dauphin. This was a political manoeuvre, as Mary was possibly next in line to the throne of England after Henry VIII, and almost certainly if his daughter Elizabeth had no heirs. Henry wanted Mary under his (Protestant) control, but the Scots wanted Mary to remain firmly Catholic. However, her husband the Dauphin of France committed two grave errors – the first was to declare himself King of Scotland at their marriage, which was not what the Scots has envisaged at all – and the second was to die of an ear infection barely 18 months later, leaving Mary a childless widow and out of favour with Catherine de Medici and other powerful interests at the French court. Hence her return to Scotland.

Andrew died on St Giles day (1 September 1558), which Knox attributes to the shock of the riot in Edinburgh in which his cousin, the noted Protestant John Durie, was implicated  Andrew was the last Catholic Bishop of Galloway and the See remained unoccupied for over 120 years. He was succeeded as Bishop of Galloway by Alexander Gordon, Archbishop of Athens, although this was not recognised by the Vatican as Gordon turned protestant.

Both George and Andrew were the sons of John Durie of Durie and Janet Beaton (sister of Cardinal James Beaton).

* St. Ninian, who died in 432, was one of Scotland’s earliest apostles. He established his diocese at Whithorn and in 397 built there what is stated to have been the first stone church in Britain, the See of Galloway, being known as Candida Casa, i.e., the White House.