Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Atkine, James
ATKINE, ATKINS, or ETKINS, JAMES (1613?–1687), Scottish bishop, born at Kirkwall about 1613, was the son of Harie Atkine, sheriff of Orkney. He graduated M.A. at Edinburgh, 23 July 1636; and studied divinity at Oxford, 1637-8, under Dr. John Prideaux, then regius professor and rector of Exeter College. He became chaplain to James, marquis of Hamilton, high commissioner to the strongly anti-prelatical general assembly at Glasgow, 1638. He was presented to the living of Birsay, Orkney, 27 July 1641; admitted 26 June 1642, but deposed by the Orkney presbytery, July 1649. In 1650, however, we find Atkine, as moderator of the presbytery, presenting an address to James, marquis of Montrose, expressive of loyalty to Charles II; for this the whole presbytery was deposed by the assembly, and the council of state issued an order for Atkine's apprehension. Warned of this by the clerk of the council. Sir Archibald Primrose, his kinsman, he took refuge in Holland in 1650-3. We find him in Edinburgh in 1653-60, and on 15 May 1661 he received a grant of 100l. on account of his sufferings in the loyal cause. He went to London with Thomas Sydserf (the only survivor of the old hierarchy, and now made bishop of Orkney), and obtained the rectory of Winifrith, Dorset. On 1 Nov. 1676, he was elected bishop of Moray; the patent was issued 5 June 1677, but he was not consecrated till 28 Oct. 1679. He was translated to the see of Galloway, 6 Feb. 1680, by a patent dated 6 March. His loyalty was not servile; in 1686 he took a firm stand in parliament against rescinding the acts against popery; the Earl of Moray, royal commissioner, who opened the parliament, and the chancellor. Lord Perth, had both joined the church of Rome. The obnoxious measure was withdrawn. Atkine died of apoplexy, 15 Nov. 1687, aged seventy-four. He married Anna Rutherford, and had four daughters.
[Hew Scott's Fasti Eccl. Scotic.; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), ii. II70 ; Grub's Eccl. Hist, of Scotland, 1861, vol. iii.]