PATRICK COUPER

Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, H Scott (1915) rev 1917, 1920
vol 5 p 227 Pittenweem, 1692

PATRICK COUPER [or COWPER],born in Scone 1660; educated at Univ. of St
Andrews; M.A. (22nd July 1678); was much persecuted as a Presbyterian.

One Sunday evening, when engaged in family worship, he narrowly escaped
capture by the magistrates of Perth, and was several times compelled to
flee from that city. In 1679 he was taken prisoner there one Saturday on
his way to a field meeting, though unarmed, called before two of the
bailies, and imprisoned for nonconformity, until after the battle of
Bothwell Bridge when he was released under the royal indemnity. Next year
he was again detained in prison for three months for attending
conventicles, but was liberated by his parents paying a fine of fifty
merks, and a fee to the jailer of £11. A third time he was seized at
Elithhead in Strathaven when on duty on horseback as a sentinel at a
conventicle. He was taken to Perth where he was received with derision by
the Episcopal congregation, and was kept in prison for three months, fined
£106, and bound over to enter into ward again under a severe penalty.

Having determined to go abroad he sailed for Holland, and from thence to
Konigsberg. He returned to Holland and obtained a licence to preach the
Gospel at Rotterdam in Dec. 1684. He proceeded to Scotland, landed at
Borrowstounness, and travelled to Perth, where he wrote to his wife to
join him, but they were forced to flee to Edinburgh, and had to leave that
city after two months as a search was made for him. He returned to Perth,
spent the winter there, and returned to Holland in the spring with his
wife, his mother- in-law, and his brother Thomas, afterwards Professor of
Divinity.

 In Feb. 1687 he came back to Kirkcaldy and found the Toleration had been
proclaimed. He again went to Holland in Aug., and when further
restrictions were taken off he came home, landing a second time at 
Borrowstounness.   He was invited to preach at St Ninians; ord.in the
meeting-house at Bannockburn 14th Aug. 1688; called 4th April, trans, and
adm. 5th May1692, his admission being opposed by certain Jacobite heritors
who barricaded the church. The magistrates, however, broke open the doors
and drove out the offenders; died 14th June 1740. ” He studied to follow a
clear and distinct method in his sermons, and abhorred jingling, bombastic
words, that airy self-seeking men affect much.” In bodily appearance he
was “small and thin,” and when young nearly lost the sight of one of his
eyes through illness, yet at seventy sevenhe could read the smallest print
without spectacles even in candle light. He was the first who ( in 1716)
proposed the raising of the Ministers’ Widows’ Fund. He marr. June 1682,
Janet (died 1702), daugh. of George Halyburton, min. of Aberdalgie, and
had issue— Andrew, a licentiate; Thomas; Joseph; Janet (marr. Andrew Burn,
min. of Anstruther Wester) Jean; Margaret; Isabel; Sophia; Jean; Isabel;
Anna (marr. Murdoch Macdonald, min. of Durness.).