Blair, John
, a monk of the order of St. Benedict,
was born in the county of Fife, in Scotland, in the reign
of king Alexander III. and educated with the celebrated
sir William Wallace, at the school of Dundee. He then
went over to France, where he studied for some time in
the university of Paris, and became a monk of the order
of St. Benedict. On his return to Scotland, he found his
country in great confusion, owing to the death of Alexander III. without issue, and the contests of various competitors for the throne. At first, therefore, he retired to
the house of the Benedictines at Dumfermline but when,
sir William Wallace was made governor or viceroy of the
kingdom in 1294, Blair became his chaplain, and being
by this means an eye-witness of most of his actions, he
composed the history of his life in Latin verse. Of this a,
fragment only is left, which was copied by sir James BaU
four out of the Cottonian library, and published in 1705,
by sir Robert Sibbald, the celebrated botanist. It appears to have been written in 1327 and what remains is
translated in Hume’s “History of the Douglasses.” Blair,
| the exact period of whose death is uncertain, is sometimes
called John, and sometimes Arnold, which latter name he
is said to have adopted when he retired into his monastery,
and which is also used by sir Robert Sibbald in his “Relationes quaedam Arnoldi Blair monachi de Dumfermelem
et Capellani D. Willelmi Wallas Militis. Cum Comment.”
Edinb. 1705, 8vo. 1
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Entry taken from
General Biographical Dictionary,
by Alexander Chalmers, 1812–1817.
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Relationes quaedam Arnoldi Blair monachi de Dumfermelem
et Capellani D. Willelmi Wallas Militis. Cum Comment. 1705
Works Online
Works found by this author (or others with similar names) in the Early English Books Online Collection:
The actis and deidis of the illuster and vailzeand campioun, Schir William Wallace, knicht of EllerslieWallace (1570) by Blair, John, fl. 1300.
The life and acts of the most famous and valiant champion, Sir William Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie. Maintainer of the liberty of Scotland. With a preface containing a short sum of the history of that time. (1661) by Blair, John, fl. 1300.
The new creature delineated. In a sermon, delivered in Philadelphia, February 26, 1767, / by John Blair, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Fag's [i.e., Fogg's] Manor. ; Published at the request of a number of the hearers. ; [Three lines from Ephesians] by Blair, John, 1720-1771.
Essays on I. The nature, uses, and subjects of the sacraments of the New Testament. II. On regeneration, wherein the principle of spiritual life thereby implanted, is particularly considered. III. On the nature and use of the means of grace. By John Blair, A.M. Pastor of the Church of Good-will, (alias Wallkill) in the province of New-York. ; [Eleven lines of Scripture texts] by Blair, John, 1720-1771.