GILBERT RULE

Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, H Scott (1915) vol 1, p 39, Old Greyfriars,
1689

Born about 1629, probably in Edinburgh, where his brother, Archibald, was
one of the bailies (there is some likelihood, however, that he was born at
Elgin in Oct. 1628 ; after a distinguished career at the Univ. of Glasgow,
where he was  regent, he became(at an unusually early age), Sub-Principal
of King’s College, Aberdeen. Thence he went to Alnwick to be minister of a
Dissenting congregation. After the Restoration he was much molested by
local authorities, who tried to force upon him the use of the English
Prayer Book. In 1662 he was ejected under the “Bartholomew Act.” He
returned to Scotland, preached for a time in Fife, but incurring the
displeasure of the Privy Council, fled to France and Holland. He took the
degree of M.D. at Leyden, and practised medicine. In 1679 he was in
Berwick-on-Tweed, where he was engaged both as a minister and a doctor. He
was indulged at Linton Bridge, East Lothian, in the same year, but on
going to Edinburgh and officiating at the baptism of a niece’s child in St
Giles (though with the full consent of Turner, the Episcopal minister), he
was apprehended and sent to the Bass. The sea air made him seriously ill
and after three months he was discharged under bond to quit the kingdom.
He returned to Berwick, where he evaded arrest by keeping on the English
side of the Tweed. For a time he was minister of a congregation in Dublin,
and on 7th Dee. 1688 he received a call to this charge, which was
confirmed by the Town Council, 24th July 1689. He was Principal of the
Univ. in the following year, and retained both situations till his death,
7th June 1701. Engaging usually in study till a late hour, he was termed
“the Evening Star” (in contrast to the Professor of Divinity, who was
called “the Morning Star”), and was distinguished for great learning,
piety, candour, and moderation. He marr. 4th Feb. 1655, Janet Turnbull
(who was buried 7th March 1699), and had issue Gilbert,M.D.; Andrew,
advocate, died Dec. 1708; Alexander, Professor of Hebrew in Edinburgh
Univ. 1694; Rachel; Janet.