John Cheyne

      John Cheyne educated at Marischal College, 1634-38, was taken prisoner with four other ministers who were opponents of the Covenant, June 1640. James Marquess of Montrose, stayed in his house, 12th March 1645.^1,2

John was one of two ministers summoned to appear before the Commission in Edinburgh. The entry in Register of Commission of General Assembly reads "The Commission of the Assemblie continues the sumonds against Mr. James Hervie, minister at New Machar, and Mr. John Cheyn, minister at Kintour, wntill the ii day of November nixt, and ordaines them to be cited to that day, with certificatione, if they compeir not, ther absence will beholden for contempt, and lykwayes ordaines witnesses to be cited that same day".

He appears at the Commission, meeting in Aberdeen on the 13th of May 1647, only to have his hearing postponed until the next day. On the 14th, again from Register of Commission of General Assembly "This day Mr. Johne Cheyne personally present being heard, and some witnesses examined in his processe, the matter is continued untill Monday next".

Aberdeen, 18 May 1647, Register of Commission of General Assembly reports "The Commission of the Generall Assembly having this day heard from Mr. John Cheyne, minister at Kintore, and having also considered the deposition of diverse witnesses, find, by his own confession and the testimony of witnesses, that the said Mr. Johne did entertain diverse tymes James Grahame (Marquis of Montrose), and George Gordon, sometyme Marques of Huntlie, these excommunicat rebells, that he said grace to their meatt, and so joyned in acts of worship with them, that he never left his house when the rebells wer in these parts, which bewrayes his correspondence with them; Wnderstanding also his intemperancie, do therfor judge that he deserves the censure of deposition; And therfor did depose the said Mr. Johne Cheyne from the function of the ministrie and all exercise therof, declares the kirk of Kintore to be now vaiking, and appoints Mr. William Douglas, Professor of Divinitie in Aberden, to intimat this sentence upon Sabboth come fyfteen days in te kirk of Kintore according to the accustomed order".³

John Cheyne, Minister of Kintore (2264) and his son Robert (2215) were mentioned in Tayler, The Valuation of the County of Aberdeen for the Year 1667. The entry reads as follows: "Mr. John Cheyne, Minister of Kintore. An ardent Royalist, who was taken prisoner in 1640 and afterwards lodged Montrose in his house, 12th March, 1645. His son, Robert, married, 1654, Isobel Johnstone, daughter of Thomas Johnstone of Craig, Sheriff Depute of the Shire".⁴