Robert Echlin

Robert Echlin (1576 – 17 July 1635) was a Scots-born clergyman who was the Church of Ireland Bishop of Down and Connor from 1612 to 1635. He obtained his Presbytery Degree from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and was made Minister for Inverkeithing. Life He was the youngest son of Henry Echlin (1546- ?), laird of Pittrado, and his wife Grizel Colville of Kinross (1541–1607), and was born at Pittrado, Fife in 1576. King James VI is said to have made Robert a bishop out of regard for the memory of his late father, whom he had known and respected. As Bishop of Down and Connor Robert is remembered mainly for his fierce clash with the recently arrived Presbyterian clergy, who were all Scots like himself. Having at first welcomed them warmly into his diocese, and allowed them considerable latitude as regards their liturgical practices, he later became their bitter enemy, and suspended two of them, Robert Blair and John Livingstone. They were quickly restored to office, due to the goodwill of James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh, whose own religious beliefs were much closer to Presbyterianism than Echlin's, but Echlin remained their implacable enemy and finally had them deposed and excommunicated for nonconformity. They made an abortive effort to emigrate to New England, then returned to Scotland.