SHARP, James, archbishop of St Andrews, was born of a good family in Banffshire in the year 1618. He devoted himself early to the church, and was educated for that purpose in the university of Aberdeen. When the solemn league and covenant was framed in 1638, the learned men in that seminary, and young Sharp in particular, declared themselves decidedly against it. To avoid the insults and indignities to which he was subjected in consequence of this conduct, he retired to England, where he contracted an acquaintance with some of the most celebrated divines in that country.

At the commencement of the civil wars he returned to Scotland. During his journey thither, he accidentally met with Lord Oxenford, who was so charmed with his conversation that he invited him to his house. While he resided with that nobleman, he became known to the Earl of Rothes, who procured him a professorship at St Andrews. By the interest of the Earl of Crawford, he was soon afterwards appointed minister of Crail, where he conducted himself, it is said, in an exemplary manner.

Sharp had always inclined to the cause of royalty, and had for some time kept up a correspondence with his exiled prince. After this he began to declare himself more openly, and seems to have enjoyed a great share of the confidence of Monk, who was at that time planning the restoration of Charles II. When that general marched to London, the presbyterians sent Sharp to attend him, in order to support their interests. At the request of General Monk and the chief presbyterians in Scotland, Mr Sharp was sent over to the king at Breda, to procure from him, if possible, the establishment of presbytery. On his return, he assured his friends that “he had found the king very affectionate to Scotland, and resolved not to wrong the settled government of the church; but he apprehended they were mistaken who went about to establish the presbyterian government.”

Charles was soon afterwards restored without any terms. All the laws passed in Scotland since the year 1633 were repealed; the king and his ministers resolved at all hazards to restore prelacy. Mr Sharp, who had been commissioned by the Scotch presbyterians to manage their interests with the king, was prevailed upon to abandon the party; and as a reward for his compliance, he was made archbishop of St Andrews. This conduct rendered him very odious in Scotland. He was accused of treachery and perfidy, and reproached by his old friends as a traitor and renegade. The absurd and wanton cruelties which were afterwards committed, and which were imputed in a great measure to the archbishop, rendered him still more detested. Nor is it probable that these accusations were without foundation. The very circumstance of his having formerly been of the presbyterian party would induce him, after forsaking them, to treat them with severity. Besides, it is certain, that when, after the rout at Pentland Hills, he received an order from the king to stop the executions, he kept it for some time before he produced it to the council.

There was one Mitchell, a preacher, and a desperate fanatic, who had formed the design of taking vengeance for these cruelties by assassinating the archbishop. He fired a pistol at him as he was sitting in his coach; but the bishop of Orkney, lifting up his hand at the moment, intercepted the ball. Though this happened in the midst of Edinburgh, the primate was so much detested, that nobody stopped the assassin, who, having walked leisurely home, and thrown off his disguise, returned, and mixed unsuspected with the crowd. Some years afterwards, the archbishop observing a man eyeing him with keenness, suspected that he was the assassin, and ordered him to be brought before him. It was Mitchell. Two loaded pistols were found in his pocket. The primate offered him a pardon if he would confess the crime. The man complied; but Sharp, regardless of his promise, conducted him to the council. The council also gave him a solemn promise of pardon if he would confess nis guilt, and discover his accomplices. They were much disappointed to hear that only one man was privy to his purpose, who was since dead. Mitchell was then brought before a court of justice, and ordered to make a third confession, which he refused. He was imprisoned for several years, and then tried. His own confession was urged against him. It was in vain for him to plead the illegality of that evidence, and to appeal to the promise of pardon previously given. The council took an oath that they had given no such promise, and Mitchell was condemned. Lauderdale, who at that time governed Scotland, would have pardoned him, but the primate insisted on his execution, observing, that if assassins were permitted to go unpunished, his life must be continually in danger. Mitchell was accordingly executed.

Sharp had a servant, one Carmichael, who by his cruelty had rendered himself particularly odious to the zealots. Nine men formed the resolution of waylaying him in Magus Moor, about three miles from St Andrews. While they were waiting for this man, the primate himself appeared, with very few attendants. This they looked upon as a declaration of heaven in their favour; and calling out, “the Lord has delivered him into our hands,” they ran up to the carriage. They fired at him without effect; a circumstance which was afterwards imputed to magic. They then despatched him with their swords, regardless of the tears and entreaties of his daughter, who accompanied him.

Thus fell Archbishop Sharp, whose memory is even at present detested by the common people of Scotland. His abilities were certainly good, and in the early part of his life he appears with honour and dignity. But his conduct afterwards was too cruel and insincere to merit approbation. His treatment of Mitchell was mean and vindictive. How far he contributed to the measures adopted against the presbyterians is not certain. They were equally cruel and impolitic; nor did their effects cease with the measures them»[7:20:190] selves. The unheard-of cruelties exercised by the ministers of Charles II. against the adherents of the covenant, raised such a flame of enthusiasm and bigotry as is not yet entirely extinguished.