Michael Bruce
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
an Irish Presbyterian minister, was a descendant of Robert Bruce.. He was ordained as one of the ministers of Edinburgh in 1657, and settled at Killinchy in October of the year following. A person "'singularly gifted; truly zealous and faithful, but also peaceable and orderly in his temper and conversation with his brethren,... a very Nathaniel." He was very zealous in stirring up the people against prelacy; he was thought to have been connected with the Blood plot, though this was false; yet for his zeal he was obliged to fly to Scotland. Here he was taken prisoner and sent to London, and did not return to his congregation until after some years of absence. He afterwards became an Arian, and was known as a "nonsubscriber." See Reid, Hist. of the Presb. Church in Ireland.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
A Scotch poet, born near Loch Leven, in poor circumstances, in the parish of Portmoak; studied for the Church; died of consumption; his poems singularly plaintive and pathetic; his title to the authorship of the "Ode to the Cuckoo" has been matter of contention (1746-1767).
