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ANDREW  MELVILLE 


COKTAIKIKG 


ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  THE  ECCLESIASTICAL 

AND 

LITERARY  HISTORY  OF  SCOTLAND, 

DURiyO  THE 

LATTER    PART    OF   THE    SIXTEENTH    AND    BEGINNING   OF    THE 

8RVENTRKNTH  CENTURY. 

\VITII  AS  APPENDIX)  COVHtSTlVO  OF  ORIOIXAT.  PAPERS. 


By  THOMAS  M'CRIE,  D.D. 

MINISTER  or  THE  OOSPEI,,  EDIKBHROH. 


THE  SECOND  EDITION, 
VOL.   II. 


WILLIAM  BLACKWOOD,  EDINBURGH 
AND  T.  CADELL,  LONDON. 


MDCCCXXIV. 


"^^vJTbrk^^ 


4  >  ''iS'r4 

r  *       t 


PBIXTKD  Br  A.  BALFUVA  AND  CO. 


CONTENTS 


OF 


VOLUME    SECOND. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

159^—1608. 


Pag« 
The  Tumult  in  Edinburgh  made  a  Pretext  for  overthrowing  the 

Liberties  of  the  Church — ^Violent  Proceedings  against  the  Ca- 
pital— and  its  Ministers — The  King's  Questions  respecting 
the  Government  of  the  Church — Caution  of  the  Synod  of  Fife 
— Ecclesiastical  Convention  at  Perth — Policy  of  the  Court  in 
gaining  over  Ministers  to  its  Measures — New  Ecclesiastical 
Commission — Royal  Visitation  of  the  University  of  St  An- 
drews— Melville  restricted  from  attending  Church  Courts — 
Rights  of  Theological  Professors — Removal  of  the  Ministers^ 
St  Andrews — Parliamentary  Restoration  of  Bishops — Minis- 
ters' Vote  in  Parliament — Opposition  to  it^-Cautions  under 
which  it  was  agreed  to— Bishops  nominated — Death  of  dis- 
tinguished Ministers — ^Archbishop  Beaton  restored  to  the  Tem- 
poralities of  the  See  of  Glasgow— Law  of  Free  Monarchiefr— 
Basilieon  Doron — Gowrie*s  Conspiracy-^-Sufferings  of  Bruce 
on  Account  of  it^Anniveitary  of  the  King's  Deliverance  tnm 
it — The  King  renews  his  Vows—New  Translation  of  the  Bible 
proposed — Measures  for  propagating  the  Gospel  in  the  High- 
lands and  Islands—Melville  confined  within  the  Piecinets  of 
his  College— Aceflstton  aC  James^to  te.dlnMe  dT  Eng^mid  ^      1 


IV  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


1603— l(i()7. 

Page 

Melville's  Corrcspoxulenoe  wuh  learned  Foreigners — His  Apo* 
logy  for  the  Nonconformist  Ministers  of  England — Hampton- 
Court  Conference — Proposed  Union  of  the  two  Kingdoms — 
Death  of  John  Davidson — Plan  of  the  Court  for  Superseding 
the  General  Assemhly — Ministers  Imprisoned  for  Holding  an 
Assembly  at  Aberdeen — Convicted  of  High  Treason — Mel- 
ville Protests  in  Parliament  against  Episcopacy — Extract  from 
llcasons  of  Protest — He  is  called  to  London  with  Seven  of  his 
Brethren — Their  Appearances  before  the  Scottish  Privy  Coun- 
cil there-— Sennons  Preached  for  their  Conversion*— They  are 
Prohibited  from  Returning  to  Scotland — Melville's  Epigram 
on  the  Royal  Altar — He  is  called  before  the  Privy  Council  of 
England  for  it — Confined  to  the  House  of  the  Dean  of  St. 
Paul's — Convention  of  Ministers  at  Linlithgow — Constant  Mo- 
derators appointed—- The  Ministers  at  London  ordered  to 
Lodge  with  English  Bishops— Interview  between  them  and 
A rchbbhop  Bancroft— Melville  called  a  Second  Time  before 
the  Council  of  England— -Imprisoned  in  the  Tower — Reflec- 
tions OB  his  Treatmentr-Hia  Brethren  confined — Their  digni- 
fied Behaviour 98 


CHAPTER  IX. 


1607—1611. 


Alelville  deprival  of  the  Office  of  Principal  at  St.  Amlrcws — 
Succeeded  by  Robert  Howie — Rigour  of  his  Imprisonment  in 
the  Tower— Rclaxcil — College  of  Rochellc  in  France  applies 
for  him— IlciK  consulted  on  the  Arminian  Controversy — Fruit- 
lew  Negociation  for  his  Liberty— 'His  Fortitude  and  Cheerful- 
net^— Encourages  his  'Brethren  in  Scotland  by  his  Letups — 
His  Majesty *s  Literary  Employmentt-^-Neir  Attempts  for  Mel- 


CONTENTS.  V 

Tille*t  Liberation— His  Design  of  going  to  America — His  Li- 
terary Recreations  in  the  Tower^His  pecuniary  Misfortune—* 
Death  of  his  Friends— Matrimonial  Affidr— Ecdesiastical  Proi* 
ceedings  in  Scotland — Episcopacy  approved  by  General  Assem* 
bly  at  Glasgow — Reflections  on  thi»^Melville*s  fellow-pri- 
soners — He  is  Visited  by  Cameron  and  Casaubon — ^Duke  of 
Bouillon's  Application  for  him-^-Opposed  by  the  Court  of 
France^He  seeks  Admission  into  the  Family  of  Prince  Henry 
— His  Friends  at  Court — His  pecuniary  Embarrassments- 
Sickness — ^Release  from  the  Tower^  and  Departiure  to  ¥Vanoe..  188 


CHAPTER  X. 
1611— less. 

Melville's  Reception  in  France-Scotchmen  in  the  Protestant 
Universities  there — ^University  of  Sedan— Melville*s  Employ- 
ment in  it— His  Correspondence  with  his  Nephewr-Death  of 
Robert  Wilkie  and  John  Jonston— Melville  loives  Sedan  for  a 
short  time^-^lntelligenct  from  Sootland-^-^-Constsncy  of  Forbes 
and  other  banished  Ministers-^Death  of  James  Melville — 8cot« 
dsh  Students  at  Sedan — ^Melville  opposes  the  Aiminian  Senti- 
ments of  Tilenus — His  Opinion  of  the  Articles  of  Perth  As- 
sembly — Changes  on  University  of  St.  Andrews— Defence  of 
the  Scottish  Church  against  Tilenus — Melville's  Health  de- 
clinc»— His  Death — Character  and  Writings. 977 


CHAPTER  XL 

8TATB    OF    LITKBATUBE    IK    SCOTLAND   WHEN  JiIBLVILLE 
WAS  SETTI.ED  AT  ST.  ANDRE WS^  ANNO  1580. 

Erection  of  University  of  St.  Andrews — lu  Constitution — CoU 
leges  founded  in  it— State  of  the  University  at  the  Reforroa« 


VI  CONTENTS. 

tion — Mode  of  Teaching  and  Conferring  Degrees  in  the  Facul- 
ty of  Art»— And  of  Theology— New  Plan  of  the  University 
in  the  First  Book  of  Discipline— By  Buchanan — ^By  Parlia- 
ment— Sketch  of  the  New  Mode  of  Teaching — Melville's  Share 
in  Drawing  it  up— Reform  on  the  other  Universities — Pa- 
rodiial  Schools — High  School  of  Glasgow— Of  Edinburgh — 
Schokstic  Philosophy— John  Rutherfurd— Civil  Law— Wil- 
liam Skene— Edward  Henryson — Theology  and  Poetry- 
Alexander  Arbuthnot— Thomas  Smeton — ^Thomas  Maitland — 
Patrick  Adamson— John  Davidson..... 336 


CHAPTER  XII. 

STATE    OF    LITKRATURE    IN    SCOTLAND    WHEN    MSLVILLK 
WAS  BANISHED  TO  FRANCE,  ANNO  I6II. 

Erection  of  New  Universities  and  Colleges — Resort  of  Foreign 
Students  to  Scotland — Literary  Labours  of  Scotchmen  in  Dub- 
lin— ^Parochial  Schook  and  Grammatical  Education  in  Scot- 
land— Improvements  on  the  High  School  of  Edinburgh — 
Hercules  RoUock — ^Alexander  Hume — Ramean  Philosophy — 
Theology  and  Collateral  Branches  of  Study — Principal  Rollock 
— Bruce — Pont — The  Simsons— Cowper — Civil  and  Scots 
Law— John  Skene — Thomas  Craig — ^Welwood — Other  Studies 
—Napier  of  Merchiston — Hume  of  Godscroft — Vernacular 
Poetry — ^Extent  to  which  Latin  Poetry  was  Cultivated — Ad- 
vantages and  Disadvantages  of  this— ^reneral  Estimate  of  the 
Progress  of  Learning  and  of  the  Influence  which  Melville  had 
in  Promoting  it 39% 

Notes • ..••••• • 4^1 


CONTENTS.  Vll 


APPENDIX. 

L^er  from  George  Buchanan  to  Sir  Tboinas  Randolphs 513 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Henry  Woddrington  to  Secretary 

Walsingham. ^ 514 

Letter  of  Andrew  Melville  to  T.  Savile  and  G.  Carleton 515 

Archbishop  Adamson  to  Archbishop  Whitgift. 517 

Extracta  of  Letters  from  William  Davison  to  Secretary  Wal- 
singham^ concerning  the  Administration  of  Arran 518 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Mr.  D.  Andersone  to  certain  Minis- 
ters in  Scotland^  conveying  information  respecting  Scotch 

Papists  in  Germany 521 

Letter  fhran  John^  Earl  of  Gowrie^  to  John  Malcolm 595 

Melvinus  ad  Senatum  Anglicanum • 587 

Letter  from  Andrew  Melville  to  Sir  ^James  Sempill  of  Bel- 
trees ^ ib. 

Letter  from  Andrew  Melville  to  Robert  Dmrie  at  Leyden S99 

ISDEJ 531 


LIFE 


ANDREW  MELVILLE. 


CHAPTER  Vir. 


1396—1603. 


Tbb  TumtJl  in  Edinburgh  made  a  pretext  Jbr  overthrow~ 
ing  the  Liberiiet  of  the  Church —  Violent  Proceedingt 
against  the  Capital— and  its  Ministers— The  Kittg^a 
QuesHoHS  respecting  the  Government  t^  the  Churchy- 
Caution  of'  the  Synod  o/"  Fi^ — Ecclesiatticat  Conven- 
tion at  Per^t— Policy  of  the  Court  in  ginning  over  Mi- 
nisters to  its  Measures^Neui  Ecclesiastical  Commission 
— Hoyai  Visitation  of  the  Universitt/  of  St.  Andrews 
— Melville  restricted  Jrom  attending  Church  Courts— 
Rights  of  theological  Professors — Kemovai  of  the  Mi- 
nisters of  St.  Andrews — Parliamentary  Sestoration  of 
Bishops — Ministers'"  Vote  in  Parliament— Opposition  to 
it-~Cautions  under  which  it  was  agreed  tt^— Bishops  no- 
minaled — Death  ^distijiguished  Ministers — Archbishop 
Beaton  restored  to  the  Temporalitiet  of  the  See  of  Glaa- 
gov — LtoD  of  Free  Monarchies — Basilicon  Doron — 
VOL.  II.  B 


2  LIFE  or  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Gowrie\s  Conspirarj/ — Sufferings  of  Brticc  on  Account 
of  it — Anniversary  of  the  Kings  Deliverance  from  it — 
The  King  renexvs  his  Vows — New  Translation  of  the 
Bible  proposed — Measures  for  propagating  the  Gospel 
in  the  Highlands  and  Islands — Melville  conjined  within 
the  Predncts  of  hi^  College — Accession  of  James  to  the 
Throne  of  England, 


Unpremeditated  in  its  origin,  and  harmless  in 
its  effects,  as  the  uproar  in  Edinburgh  was,  it  offer- 
ed a  pretext,  which  was  eagerly  laid  hold  of  by  the- 
court,  for  commencing  an  attack  on  the  government 
of  the  church.  A  tumult  had  taken  place  in  the  ca- 
pital, which  would  necessarily  make  a  noise  through 
the  kingdom.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to  magnify 
it  into  a  dangerous  and  designed  rebellion,  and  to 
involve  the  ministers  who  were  present  on  the  oc- 
casion in  the  odium  attached  to  that  crime.  This 
would  enable  the  court  to  get  rid  of  men  wlio  proved 
a  disagreeable  check  on  its  proceedings ;  the  severi- 
ties used  against  them  would  strike  terror  into  the 
minds  of  their  brethren  ;  and  thus  measures  miglit 
be  carried  which  otherwise  would  have  met  with  a 
determined  arid  successful  resistance.  Nothing  could 
be  more  congenial  to  the  character  of  James  than 
this  piece  of  Machiavellian  policy,  which  had  a  shew 
of  deep  wisdom  in  the  device,  and  required  a  very 
slender  portion  of  courage  in  the  execution. 

To  secure  the  success  of  his  plan,  he  began  by  pro- 
moting a  reconciliation  between  the  two  parties  at 
court.    He  induced  the  Octavians  to  resign  the  invi- 

s 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  3 

dious  office  of  managing  the  revenue,  and  the  gentle- 
men of  the  Bed-chamber  to  join  in  punishing  a  riot 
which  they  had  raised  for  the  express  purpose  of  driv- 
ing their  rivals  from  their  places  *.  Having  accom- 
plished thia  object,  the  King  hastily  quitted  the  pa- 
lace of  Holyroodbouse,  As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  a 
proclamation  was  issued,  requiring  all  in  public  of- 
fice to  repair  to  him  at  Linlithgow,  and  command- 
ing every  person  who  had  not  his  ordinary  resi- 
dence in  the  capital  to  leave  it  instantly.  This  was 
followed  by  severer  proclamations.  The  ministers 
of  Edinburgh,  with  a  certain  number  of  the  citi- 
zens, were  commanded  to  enter  into  ward  in  the 
castle ;  they  were  summoned  before  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil at  Linlithgow  to  aUBWer  super  inquiremlis ;  and 
the  magistrates  were  ordered  to  seize  their  persons. 
The  tumult  was  declared  to  be  "  a  cruel  and  barba- 
rous attempt  against  his  Majesty's  royal  person, 
his  nobility,  and  council,  at  the  instigation  of  cer- 
tain seditious  ministers  and  barons ;"  and  all  who 
bad  been  accessory  to  it,  or  who  should  assist  them, 
were  declared  to  be  liable  to  the  penalties  of  trea- 
son. In  the  beginning  of  January,  his  Majesty, 
with  great  pomp  and  in  a  warlike  attitude,  returned 
to  Edinburgh,  where  he  held  a  convention  at  which: 
these  proclamations  were  ratified,  and  measures  of 
a  still  stronger  kind  were  taken.  It  was  oi^ined, 
that  the  courts  of  justice  should  be  removed  to  Perth; 
and  that  no  meeting  of  general  assembly,  provin- 

•  Act.  P»l.  Scot.  iv.  107. 
B!2 


4  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

cial  synod,  or  presby teiy,  should  henceforth  be  held 
within  the  capital  *. 

A  deputation  from  the  town-council  had  waited 
on  his  Majesty  at  Linlithgow,  to  protest  their  inno- 
cence, and  to  implore  forgiveness  to  the  cify  for  a  tu- 
mult which  had  ended  without  bloodshed,  and  which 
they  had  done  every  thing  in  their  power  to  suppress. 
Their  supplication  was  rejected,  and  they  heard  no- 
thing, while  they  remained  at  court,  but  denuncia- 
tions of  vengeance-  They  were  told  that  the  border- 
ers would  be  brought  in  upon  them — that  their  city 

*  **  Comperit  Greorg  Todrik  one  of  the  baillies  of  Edin'  with  cd- 
misdoners  from  the  kinges  Ma^®  and  chargit  the  presbyterie  in  his 
Ma^iM  name  to.  depart  otitwith  the  boundis  of  the  jurisdiction  of  Ed'. 
The  presbjterje  for  obedience  to  his  Mati«  lawis  concludit  to  depart 
and  to  keip  the  presbyterie  at  Leyth."  (Record  of  Presbytery  of  Edin- 
burgh, 1  !•*>  Ja'**  1596.)  '*  Mr.  Michael  Cranstone"  was  moderator  of 
this  meeting  of  piiesbyteiry,  in  the  absence  of  Robert  Bruce,  the  ordi- 
nary nodierator,  who  had  been  obliged  to  abscond.  This  eircuro- 
Btance  throws  no  small  light  on  the  motives  of  the  King's  behaviour 
on  the  present  occasion.  Cranston  was  the  minister  who  had  read 
the  story  of  Homan  on  the  day  of  the  tumult,  and  the  only  one  whose 
behaviour  had  any  tendency  to  inflame  the  minds  of  the  people.  He 
had  been  summoned,  but  was  already  received  into  favour  ;  for  if  this 
had  not  been  the  case,  the  presbytery  would  not  have  thought  of  put- 
ting him  into  the  chair  at  this  time.  It  was  not  the  conduct  of  the 
ministers  on  the  17th  of  December,  it  was  the  resistance  which  they 
had  previously  made  to  his  measures,  at  which  James  was  so  much 
oflfended.  Calderwood,  in  his  account  of  what  preceded  the  tumult, 
aays^  ''  Mr.  Michael  Cranston,  then  a  very  forward  minister,  but  now 
kty^^old,  readeth  the  history  of  Hanian  and  Mordecai.''    (MS.  vol.  v. 

p.  id9.) 

The  minutes  of  presby tery  are  dated  "  Apud  Leyth"  from  Jan.  11, 
to  the  8th  of  Feb.  1596;  i.  e.  1597,  according  to  modem  computa- 
tion. After  that  they  are  dated  ^'  At  the  Quenis-colledg."  On  the 
9th  of  August,  1597,  they  begin  to  be  dated  *'  Apud  £d^" 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVUXE.  ,  5 

would  be  razed  to  the  ground  and  sowed  with  salt — 
and  that  a  monument  would  be  erected  on  the  place 
where  it  stood  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  such  an 
execrable  treason.  Intimidated  by  these  menaces, 
and  distressed  at  the  loss  of  the  courts  of  justice, 
they  came  to  the  resolution  of  surrendering  their 
political  and  religious  rights.  The  magistrates,  in 
the  name  of  the  community,  subscribed  a  bond  in 
which  they  engaged  not  to  receive  back  their  minis- 
ters without  the  express  consent  of  his  Majesty,  and 
to  give  him  for  the  future  an  absolute  negative  over 
the  election  of  both  magistrates  and  ministers.  This 
pusillanimous  and  abject  submission  encouraged  the 
court  to  treat  them  with  still  greater  indignity. 
"  The  magistrates  and  body  of  the  town"  were  de- 
clared to  be  "  universally  guilty  of  the  odious  and 
treasonable  uproar  committed  against  his  M^esty." 
And  thirteen  individuals,  as  representatives  of  the 
burgh,  were  ordered  to  enter  into  prison  at  Perth, 
and  stand  trial  before  the  Court  of  Justiciary.  One 
of  the  number,  who  had  obtained  a  dispensation 
from  bis  Majesty,  being  absent  on  the  day  appoint- 
ed, a  sentence  of  non-compearance  was  projioimced 
against  the  whole,  the  citizens  were  declared  rebeis, 
and  the  property  of  the  town  was  confiscated.  Be- 
ing thus  entirely  at  the  royal  mercy,  the  members 
of  the  town-council  received  his  Majesty's  gracious 
pardon  on  their  knees,  after  paying  a  fine,  and  giv- 
ing a  new  bond,  containing  articles  of  submission 
still  more  humiliating  than  those  which  they  had 
b3 


6  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE. 

already  subscribed*.  In  the  mean  time,  the  court 
was  unable,  after  the  most  rigid  investigation,  to 
discover  a  single  respectable  citizen  who  had  taken 
part  in  the  riot,  or  the  slightest  trace  of  a  premedi- 
tated insurrection.  When  we  consider  the  mixture 
of  hypocrisy  and  tyranny  which  runs  through  these 
proceedings,  it  is  impossible  to  read  the  remark  with 
which  Spotswood  closes  his  account  of  the  affair 
without  derision.  "  Never,"  says  the  sycophantish 
prelate,  "  did  any  king,  considering  the  offence, 
temper  his  authority  with  more  grace  and  clemency 
than  did  his  Majesty  at  this  time ;  which  the  people 
did  all  acknowledge,  ascryving  their  life  and  safety 
onely  to  his  favour  f ." 

While  the  court  was  breathing  out  threatenings 
against  the  inhabitants  of  Edinburgh,  and  particu- 
larly against  its  ministers,  the  latter  were  advised 
by  their  friends  to  withdraw  and  conceal  themselves 
for  a  time  :j:.  As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  they 
had  taken  this  step,  they  were  publicly  denounced 
rebels.   Great  keenness  was  shown  to  find  some  evi- 

*  Register  of  Town  Council  of  Edinburgh,  vol.  x.  f.  104 — 117. 
Record  of  Privy  Council,  from  December  18,  to  March  21,  1596. 
Act.  Pari.  Scot  vol.  iv.  pp.  103—109,  114.  Cald.  v.  131,  137,  147, 
151,  238,  Spotewood,  pp.  431—434,  444.  Melville's  Diary,  pp. 
288,  289. 

t  Spot8WOod*8  Hist.  p.  444. 

X  Bruce  and  Balcanquhal  went  into  England,  Balfour  and  Watson 
concealed  themselves  in  Fife.  They  wrote  apologies  for  their  con- 
ducty  in  which  they  vindicated  themselves  from  the  aspersions  thrown 
on  them,  and  assigned  reasons  for  their  flight  The  apology  of  the 
two  former  is  inserted  in  Cald.  v.  168 — 191.  That  of  the  two  latter 
is  insertal  in  Melville's  Diary,  pp.  280 — ^288. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVIL1.E.  7 

dence  of  their  accession  to  the  tumult ;  and  when 
this  failed,  recourse  was  had  to  fabrication  in  order 
to  criminate  them.  On  the  day  that  the  King  left 
Edinburgh  with  such  marks  of  displeasure,  the  ba- 
rons who  remained  behind  met,  and  agreed  to  "  take 
upon  them  the  patrociny  and  mediation  of  the 
church  and  its  cause;"  and  at  their  desire  Bruce 
wrote  a  letter  to  Lord  Hamilton,  asking  him  to 
come  and  "  countenance  them  in  this  matter  against 
those  councillors"  who  had  inflamed  his  Majesty 
against  them  *.  Hamilton  having  conveyed  a  copy 
of  this  letter  to  the  King,  some  person  about  the 
court  (for  I  do  not  believe  that  his  lordship  was 
capable  of  such  a  dishonourable  act)  altered  it  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  make  it  express  an  approba- 
tion of  the  late  tumult,  and  consequently  an  inten- 
tion of  embodying  an  armed  resistance  to  the  mea- 
sures of  government  f .      Conscious  of  the  fraud 

.  ■  AcGOfding  to  SpoUwood  (Hiat.  p-  438.)  the  letter  wu  ligned  by 
Bruce  and  Balcuiqubal  only ;  but  the  copy  of  it  ioBerted  by  Calder- 
wood  has  aho  the  subKriptions  of  Rollocb  and  Watsou.  (Vol.  v. 
p.  13a) 

■f-  Both  the  genuiue  and  the  ftkified  copies  of  the  letter  are  itiiert- 
ed  by  Calderaood.  (MS.  vol.  v.  p.  138,  133.)  Speaking  of  the  tu. 
ninit,  the  former  uy»,  "  The  people,  animalcd,  as  effaires,  partly  be 
the  word  and  violence  of  the  course,  took  armes,  and  made  some  com- 
motion, fearing  the  invasion  of  us  y'  ministers ;  but,  be  the  grace  of 
God,  we  repretsed  and  pacified  the  mociona  incontinent."  In  the  vi- 
tiated copy  Ail  ia  altered  in  the  following  manner:  "  The  people 
animated,  no  doubt,  be  the  word  and  motion  of  God't  ipirit,  took 
arraa ;"  and  what  wai  laid  of  the  ministers  repressing  the  commotioD 
ia  omitted.  Spotswood,  in  his  account  of  the  letter,  has  followed 
the  falaifieil  copy,  without  so  much  as  hinting  that  its  gcnuincneta 
was  ever  called  in  ^ueation ;  and  at  the  aame  time  that  lie  quoles 


8  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

which  had  been  committed,  the  court  did  not  dar# 
to  make  any  public  use  of  the  vitiated  document ; 
but  it  was  circulated  with  great  industry  in  pri- 
vate, with  the  view  of  blasting  the  reputation  of 
Bruce  and  his  friends. 

Matters  being  thus  prepared,  a  publication  ap- 
peared in  the  name  of  the  King,  consisting  of  fifty- 
five  questions.     They  were^  drawn  up  by  Secretary 

from  a  letter  to  Lord  Hamilton^  in  which  Bruce  complains  of  the  n- 
tiation.  (Hiatorj,  p.  432,  compared  with  Cald.  v.  150.)  It  is  im- 
possihle  to  reprobate  such  conduct  too  severely,  especially  when  it  is 
considered  that  Spotswood  had  hitherto  eo-<^erated  with  his  breth- 
ren. According  to  the  accounts  of  diflfereni  writers,  he  had  enneed 
a  more  than  ordinary  zeal  in  forwarding  their  measures:  he  sub- 
scribed and  promoted  the  subscription  of  Black's  declinature;  he 
called  out  his  patron,  Torphichen,  to  defend  the  ministers  on  the  day 
of  the  tumuli ;  and  he  transcribed  Bnice*s  apology  with  his  own  hand, 
and  had  even  given  it  a  sharper  edge.  (Cald.  MS.  voL  v.  p.  175. 
Printed  History,  p.  339.  Epist.  Philadelphi  Vindide :  Altare  Da- 
masc.  p.  753.)  Archibald  Simson  (Annales  MSS.  p.  76.)  agrees  with 
Calderwood,  and  charges  Spotswood  with  acting  treacherously  previ- 
ously to  the  nth  of  December,  by  informing  the  court  of  all  that  pass« 
ed  in  the  private  meetings  of  the  ministers.  This  last  charge  might 
however  proceed  from  undue  suspicion*  But  he  appears  to  have  de- 
clared for  the  court-measures  soon  after  the  tumult.  I  find  the  fol- 
lowing references  to  him  in  the  record  of  the  presbytery  of  Edinburgh : 
"  Mag  iij  1596.  Anent  the  desyre  of  M.  Johnn  SpotUswood  craving 
that  seing  he  was  resident  within  the  burgh,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
ministeij,  that  thairfoire  he  myg^t  be  licentiat  to  exerdsein  this  pres- 
by terie.  Quhais  desyre  being  considerit,  it  is  grantit." — ^'  Apud  Leyth 
xxv<*  Ja^U  1596.  The  exerceis  made  be  M.  William  Bimi,  and  addi- 
tioun  be  M.  Johnn  Spottiswood.  The  text  Exod.  16.  beginnand  at 
the  1  v.  to.  the  4.  The  doctrine  judged,  the  haill  brether  were  of- 
fended with  the  doctrine  delivered  be  the  said  M.  Johnn,  refussit  to 
let  him  mak  the  nixt  day,  and  appointit  M.  Henrie  Blyth  to  mak  the 
exhortatioun  the  first  of  fe^  nixt."  It  is  highly  probable  that  Spots- 
wood  had  given  ofience  to  the  presbytery,  by  qome  allusions  to  the 
differences  between  the  court  and  the  church. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  9 

Lindsay,  after  the  model  of  the  qoeBtioas  which 
Ardibishop  Adamson  had  framed  when  the  Second 
•Bo<^  of  Disdpline  was  composed ;  and  were  in- 
tended, by  bringing  into  dispute  the  principal  heads 
of  the  established  government  of  the  chorch,  to  pave 
the  way  for  the  innovations  which  the  court  intend- 
ed to  introduce  *.  A  Convention  <tf  Estates  and  a 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  were  called  by 
royal  authority,  to  be  held  at  Perth  in  the  end  of 
February,  to  consider  these  questions.  This  mea- 
sure had  been  previously  resolved  on,  and  the  ques- 
tions were  prepared  before  the  17th  of  December  ; 
although  the  publication  of  them  was  deferred  to 
this  time  f . 

*  "  Tbe  QoMtfoni  to  be  nwdvit  at  the  Omnafion  at  the  Eitaiu 
and  OeneraB  AjeembUe,  apiKtotfd  ta  be  at  die  Boxjfi  of  Perib  the 
tatt  da  J  of  Febniarie  next  to  txmt.  Ediobn^  Prmt«d  hi  Robert 
WaldfgiBne,  Printer  to  the  Kingt  Mijeetie.  Anno  Bom.  159T."  Mo. 
Snbaciibed  at  the  doee  "  Jamn  R."  In  the  College  Library  at  Olaa- 
gow  ia  a  eopj  of  diis  book,  which  appeara  to  have  belonged  to  Mel- 
ville, md  ha«  on  the  margin,  in  hla  handwrttitig,  Aon  uawen  to 
MKoe  of  the  qoeationa.  They  agree  in  general  with  the  mawera  of  the 
^tud  rfFHe.  Spotawood  bas  inserted  all  the  qnntiont  in  his  Hia- 
hay  (pp.  U5— US.)  Two  alight  Inaccuradea  in  the  13tb  and  t3d 
queatwtu  may  be  corrected  by  Printed  Calderwood,  (pp.  381—389,) 
where  the  tddieat  To  the  Reader,  prefixed  to  the  publication,  will  alto 
be  fonud. 

t  CaUenmodhaaabown  thii  from  the  miiratea  of  the  eonnniaaion- 
cra  of  the  Oeneral  AaaemUy,  which  he  had  in  hia  powcadon.  After 
leteringtorarioiHinhmtM  between  the  llth  of  November  and  the 
1  Ith  of  SHMBber,  he  adda,  "  So  that  it  ia  dear  that  the  king  intend- 
ed brfcav  Ae  17tfa  of  December  to  woric  ane  aheration  in  diadpline, 
and  to  aBit  Ibe  njniaten  on  work  to  defend  tbemaelVea  that  they 
night  he  diverted  from  pernieing  Ae  exeommuBieated  Earia,  which 
waa  ale*  die  gHKud  of  ealling  Mr.  David  Black  before  the  Counaell 
for  ^eedm  nttcred  dme  -jtm  before.*'    (H8.  Hiat.  v.  19S— 4.) 


10  LU  K  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

The  leading  ministers  throughout  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  a  vigorous  defence  of  the  established 
discipline.    Though  grieved  at  the  advantage  which 
the  court  had  gained  by  the  late  occurrence  in  the 
capital,  they  did  not  suffer  themselves  to  fall  under 
an  unmanly  dread  of  its  menaces.     The  presbytery 
of  Haddington  suspended  one  of  their  members  for 
agreeing,  without  their  consent,  to  an  arrangement 
of  the  Privy  Council  for  supplying  the  pulpits  of 
Edinburgh  *.     The  synod  of  Lothian  virtually  ap- 
proved of  the  conduct  of  that  presbytery,  and  testi- 
fied their  dissatisfaction  at  his  Majesty's  proposing 
that  they  should  advise  the  infliction  of  censure  on 
their  brethren  who  had  fled  f .      Notwithstanding 
the  royal  threat,  that  those  ministers  who  refused 
subscription  to  the  lately-imposed  bond  should  not 
have  their  pensions^  (as  James  insultingly  called  their 
stipends,)  not  an  individual  of  any  note  could  be  in- 
duced to  subscribe ;  and  papers  were  circulated,  in 
which  the  bond  was  commented  on  with  becoming 
freedom,  and  sho\^Ti  to  be  ambiguous  and  ensnar- 
ing |.     One  of  these  papers,  which  is  written  with 

•  Recordof  Presb.  of  Htddington^  Dec.  29,  Jan.  12^  and  Feb.  9, 
1596. 

t  Instructions  to  Mr.  John  Preston,  Mr.  Edw.  Bruce,  and  Mr. 
Wm.  Oliphant,  commissioners  for  the  K.  of  Sc  to  the  Synod  of  Lo- 
thian, to  be  convened  at  Leith,  Feb.  1,  1596.  (Cotton  M8S.  Calig. 
D.  ii.  97.)  This  paper  contains  also  the  answers  which  the  synod 
returned  to  his  Migesty's  propositions. 

j;  In  one  of  the  papers  it  is  objected,  that  the  bond  was  so  express- 
ed as  to  imply,  that  the  King  by  himself,  and  independently  of  the 
courts  of  justice,  might  decide  on  all  civil  and  criminal  causes ;  and 
that  he  had  a  right  not  only  to  inflict  civil  punishment  on  ministerB, 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  11 

much  ability  and  temper,  eonclucles  with  these  words: 
"  Howsoever  it  shall  please  Ood  to  dispose  of  his 
(Majesty's)  heart,  the  miniBtry,  I  dowte  not,  Will 
keepe  themselves  within  the  boundis  of  their  call- 
inge,  and  neither  directly  nor  indirectly  attempte 
any  thing  that  shall  not  be  lawful!  and  seeming  for 
them,  but  with  patience  committe  all  the  successe 
unto  the  Lorde ;  remembringe  the  sayinge  of  Am- 
brose, that,  when  they  have  done  their  duties,  j»r£Ce« 
et  laehrimas  arma  nostra  sunt,  and  we  have  no  war- 
rant to  proceede  farther  *." 

The  synod  of  Fife  set  an  example  to  their  breth- 
ren in  the  other  provinces  on  this  interesting .  occa- 
sion. Having  met  pro  re  nata,  they  appointed  a 
committee  to  draw  up  answers  to  the  King's  ques- 
tions f .  They  sent  a  deputation  to  request  his  Ma- 
jesty to  refer  the  decision  of  them  to  the  regular 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  to  prorogue 
the  extraordinary  meeting  which  he  had  called.  In 
case  he  should  not  comply  with  this  request,  they 
advised  the  presbyteries  under  their  inspection  to 

but  ilto  to  deprive  tliem  of  tbdr  office.  And  it  u  pleaded  that,  m 
the  word  of  God  declares  the  datifs  of  all  civil  relationB,  and  u  ido- 
latry, adultery,  murder,  &C.  are  criminal  offences,  so  minigtera,  foi  in« 
calcating  the  former  and  rebuking  the  latter,  might  be  charged  with 
a  violation  of  the  bond.  (Cald.  v.  139 — 145.)  It  would  be  eai;  to 
jnatifj  these  in terpre Cation i.  For  example,  the  late  Convention  de- 
clared, that  hia  M^esty  had  "  power  upon  any  necesaitie  to  command 
any  miDiater — to  pieiehe  or  to  desiat — from  preiching  in  particular 
^aceia."    (AcL  FarL  Scot  iv.  IDT.) 

•  Otgectioni  to  the  sabacription  that  la  obtruded  upon  the  nini- 
iten  of  Scotland.    (Cotton  MSS.  Calig.  D.  u.  100.) 

t  Their  anawere  may  be  aeen  in  Printed  Calderwood,  pp.  389—390. 


12  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

send  commissioners  to  Perth,  in  testimony  of  their 
obedience  to  the  royal  authority :  but  they  at  the 
same  time  drew  up  instructions  for  the  regulation 
of  their  conduct.  The  commissioners  were  instruct- 
ed to  declare,  that  they  could  not  acknowledge  that 
meeting  as  a  lawful  General  Assembly,  nor  con- 
sent that  it  should  call  in  question  the  establish- 
ed polity  of  the  church.  If  this  point  should  be 
decided  against  them,  they  were  to  protest  for  the 
liberties  of  the  church,  and  keep  themselves  free 
from  all  approbation  of  the  subsequent  proceedings. 
In  any  extra-judicial  discussion  of  the  questions  that 
might  take  place,  they  were  instructed  to  adhere  to 
the  following  general  principles  :  that  the  external 
government  of  the  church  is  laid  down  in  the  word 
of  God  ;  that  it  belongs  to  the  pastors  and  doctors 
of  the  church  to  declare  what  the  Scriptures  have 
taught  on  this  head ;  and,  as  a  scriptural  form  of 
government  and  discipline  had  after  long  and  grave 
deliberation  been  regularly  settled  in  Scotland,  as 
the  church  had  for  many  years  been  happily  pre- 
served by  means  of  it  from  heresy  and  schism,  and 
as  none  of  the  ecclesiastical  office-bearers  moved  any 
doubts  about  iti  that  his  Majesty  should  be  request- 
ed not  to  disturb  such  a  rare,  peaceable,  and  decent 
constitution  by  the  agitating  of  fruitless  and  unne- 
cessary questions  *.  The  presbytery  of  Edinburgh 
limited  and  instructed  their  representatives  in  the 
same  manner  f .     These  instructions  display  much 

•  Mehille's  Diary,  pp.  290 — ^292. 

t  Rec.  of  the  Presb.  of  Edin.  Feb.  22,  1596.    Cald.  v.  197—199. 


LIFE  OF  ANDHEW  MELVILLE.  13 

wisdom,  and  point  out  the  true  way  of  resisting  in- 
novations which  were  sought  to  be  introduced,  not 
by  reason  and  argument,  but  by  the  combined  in- 
fluence of  fraud  and  force. 

His  Majesty  was  convinced  by  these  proceedings, 
that,  in  order  to  carry  his  measures,  it  behoved  him 
to  employ  other  arts  besides  those  of  intimidation. 
The  ministers  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  kingdom 
had  rarely  attended  the  General  Assembly,  owing  to 
their  distance  from  the  places  of  its  meeting,  and  the 
deficiency  of  their  incomes.  They  were  compara- 
tively unacquainted  with  its  modes  of  procedure, 
and  strangers  to  the  designs  of  the  court ;  not  to 
mention  their  general  inferiority  in  point  of  gifts  to 
their  brethren  of  the  south.  Sir  iPatrick  Murray, 
one  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  Bed-chamber,  was  now 
despatched  on  a  mission  to  them.  He  was  instruct- 
ed to  visit  the  presbyteries  in  Angus  and  Aberdeen- 
shire; to  acquaint  them  with  the  late  dangerous 
tumult,  and  the  undutiful  and  treasonable  conduct 
of  the  ministers,  in  Edinburgh  ;  to  procure,  if  pos- 
sible, their  subscription  to  the  bond,  and  their  con- 
sent to  receive  the  popish  lords  into  the  communion 
of  the  church  ;  and  to  desire  them  to  send  some  of 
their  members  to  the  ensuing  assembly  to  resolve 
his  Majesty's  questions,  which  had  already  been 
approved  by  the  discreetest  of  the  ministers  *.  In 
his  private  conversations,  Murray  laboured  to  in- 

•  Instructions  to  Patrick  Murray.    (Cotton  MSS.  Calig.  D.  ii.  98.) 
The  following  extracts  from  his  instructions  will  shew  the  kind  of 


14  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

spire  them  with  jealousies  of  the  southern  ministers, 
as  wishing  to  engross  the  whole  management  of  ec- 
clesiastical affairs,  to  the  exclusion  of  those  who  had 
an  equal  right  and  more  discretion  to  use  it ;  and 
he  assured  them,  that,  if  they  were  once  acquainted 
with  his  Majesty,  any  suspicions  which  they  might 
have  conceived  of  him,  and  which  had  been  fostered 
by  the  representations  of  their  ambitious  brethren, 
would  be  speedily  and  completely  dissipated  *. 

Melville  was  prevented  from  being  present  at 
Perth,  in  consequence  of  his  being  obliged,  in  his 
capacity  of  rector,  to  attend  a  public  meeting  of  the 
university.  But  he  had  done  his  duty  in  procuring 
the  instructions  by  which  the  conduct  of  the  com- 
missioners from  Fife  was  regulated ;  and  his  nephew 
was  prepared  to  express  his  sentiments  on  the  differ- 
ent points  that  were  likely  to  be  brought  forward. 
After  a  contest  of  three  days,  during  which  all  the 
arts  of  court-intrigue  were  employed  in  influencing 
the  minds  of  the  voters,  it  was  decided  by  a  major- 
ity of  voices  that  the  meeting  should  be  held  to  be 
a  lawful  General  Assembly  extraordinarily  conven- 


argumeiits  which  Murray  was  directed  to  employ.  ''  We  wiU  not 
believe  that  the  presbyterie  of  Abcrdene  will  acknawledge  auy  supre* 
made  of  the  presbyterie  and  ministers  of  Edinbwge  above  them. — As 
to  the  pretended  commissioners  of  the  generall  assemblie  their  com- 
mission is  found  and  dccemit  be  us  and  our  counsell  to  be  unlawful]* 
— So  ther  is  no  present  power  above  the  said  presbyterie  of  Aberdene 
to  stay  them  to  accept  the  Earles  reasonable  satisfaction^  in  case  the 
same  be  offerit,  sen  we  and  the  counsell  hes  commanded  them  to  ac- 
cept the  same."  (Instructions,  ut  supra.) 
•  Spotswood,  438,  439. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLF,.  15 

ed;  upon  which  the  commissioners  from  Fife,  agree- 
ably to  their  instructions,  protested  that  noUiing 
which  might  be  done  should  be  held  valid,  or  im- 
proved to  the  prejudice  of  the  liberties  of  the  church 
of  Scotland.  Disgusted  at  the  influence  which  he 
saw  exerted,  deserted  by  some  of  the  friends  in 
whom  he  most  confided,  deprived  of  the  assistance 
of  his  uncle,  and  distrusting  his  own  abihty  and 
firmness,  James  Melville  hastily  quitted  Perth.  His 
colleagues  resolved  to  remain,  and,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  their  protest,  to  prevent,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, the  assembly  from  sacrificing  the  rights  of  the 
church.  But  in  spite  of  all  their  exertions,  his  Ma- 
jesty succeeded  in  obtaining  such  answers  to  his 
leading  questions,  as  gave  htm  the  greatest  advantage 
in  carrying  on  his  future  operations  against  the  ec- 
clesiastical constitution.  The  answer  to  the  very  first 
question,  simple  and  harmless  as  it  may  appear  in. 
tenns,  was  really,  in  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
pregnant  with  danger ;  and  the  assembly,  in  agree- 
ing to  it,  acted  like  a  garrison,  which,  on  the 
first  parley,  should  throw  open  its  gates,  and  allow 
the  enemy  to  make  a  lodgement  within  the  wall  *. 


*  Thkt  the  taumhij,  nben  unbiassed,  viewed  the  matter  in  this 
lif^t,  may  be  infetred  from  the  manner  in  which  the  answer  wae  ex- 
pTMacd,  before  it  was  altered  to  pleue  the  King:  "  The  brddier 
cniTencd  giTe  their  adTyi  in  the  first  srtick,  ihkt  it  is  not  expedient 
to  male  •  law  or  act  twiching  tfaia,  leist  a  durre  should  be  opened  to 
enricra*  and  turbulent  sprits,  otherwise  the;  think  it  lawful!,"  &c. 
(MehiUe't  Diar;,  p.  9Q5.    SpoUwood,  UO.) 


16  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

The  King  had  published  a  long  list  of  questions 
which  went  to  produce  a  total  alteration  of  the  ex- 
isting church-government.  By.  declaring,  in  these 
circumstances,  "  that  it  is  lawful  to  his  Majesty  or 
to  the  pastors  to  propose  in  a  Greneral  Assembly 
whatsoever  point  they  desired  to  be  resolved  or  re- 
formed in  matters  of  external  government,"  the  as- 
sembly virtually  and  constructively  sanctioned  the 
project  of  the  court,  although  they  might  reserve  to 
themselves  a  right  to  deliberate  upon  its  details. 
The  qualifications  added  to  their  resolution,  **  pro- 
viding it  be  done  decenter^  in  right  time  and  place, 
and  animo  tedificandi  nofi  tentandi,''  were  mere 
words  of  course,  and  could  be  no  safeguard  against 
any  proposals  of  royal  innovation.  If  it  behoved 
them  to  speak  Latin,  the  answer  which  they  ought 
to  have  returned,  (and  it  would  have  served  as  an 
answer  to  all  the  questions,)  was,  Nolumus  leges  Ec-^ 
desue  Scoticante  mutari.  The  other  answers  which 
the  assembly  gave  related  chiefly  to  the  liberty  of  the 
pulpit,  upon  which  they  imposed  restrictions,  which 
were  doubly  dangerous  at  a  time  when  the  court 
had  not  only  discovered  its  hostile  intentions  against 
the  polity  of  the  church,  but  had  procured  the  as- 
sistance of  some  of  its  official  guardians  to  carry 
them  into  execution.  Having  succeeded  thus  far  to 
his  wish,  the  King  signified  his  willingness  to  refer 
the  decision  of  the  remaining  questions  to  another 
Greneral  Assembly  to  be  held  at  Dundee  on  the  10th 
of  May  following ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  the  ar- 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  17 

tides  agreed  to  were  ratified  by  the  Convention  of 
Estates  which  was  then  sitting  at  Perth  *. 

This  afisemhly  is  chiefly  remarkable,  as  being  the 
first  meeting  of  the  ministers  of  Scotland  which 
yielded  to  that  secret  and  ccHTUpt  infl\ience,  which 
the  King  continued  t^ierwards  to  iise,  until  the.Oe- 
neral  Assembly  was  at  last  converted  into  a  mere 
organ  of  the  court,  employed  for  registering  and 
giving  out  royal  edicts  in  ecclesiastical  matters. 
"  Coming  to  Perth  {says  James  Melville)  we  found 
the  ministers  of  the  north  convened  in  such  number 
as  was  not  wont  to  be  seen  at  any  assemblies,  and 
every  one  a  greater  courtier  nor  another :  So  that 
my  ears  heard  new  votes,  and  my  eyes  saw  a  new 
sight,  to  wit,  flocks  of  ministers  going  in  and  out 
at  the  king's  palace,  late  at  night  and  betimes  in  the 
morning.  Sir  Patrick  Murray,  the  diligent  Apostle 
of  the  North,  had  made  all  the  northland  ministers 
acquainted  with  the  King.  They  began  then  to 
look  big  in  the  matter,  and  find  fault  with  the  mi- 
nisters of  the  south  and  the  popes  of  Edinburgh,  who 


■  Act  ArU  Scot.  iv.llA— lis-  BuikofUniv.  Kirk,  S*.  131— I3i. 
Cald.  T.  9B3— ass.  SpoUwood,  439 — 413.  Melville'i  Diary,  303— 
309.  Jamn  Melville  enunieratM  thirteen  reaaoni  for  nminttiniDg 
the  ntUlUy  of  Ihia  anemblj.  Tl)e  chief  of  these  are ;  that  it  was  not 
appointed  b;  the  hut  Msembly ,  nor  called  by  its  coiDiniBsioneni,  bat 
bj  the  wrfe  aathorit]'  of  the  King ;  that  it  ma  not  opened  by  termva ; 
and  thu  there  wai  no  choice  of  ■  modentor  or  elerk.  The  Bnik  of 
the  Univenal  Kirk  caja:  "  Exbortatioun  y<  wsi  none ;"  and  it  men- 
tuM  DO  iDodeTator.  It  wya  that  Mr.  ThoftiBS  Nicholion  was  chosen 
deik  ;  hut  Matea,  on  the  margin,  that  aome  thought  bis  election  did 
not  take  place  till  the  iubae<iuent  assembly. 
VOL.  IL  C 


18  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

had  not  handled  matters  well^  but  had  abnost  lost 
the  King*."  James  afterwards  depended  chiefly 
upon  the  votes  of  the  northern  ministers  for  carry- 
ing his  measures.  The  Greneral  Assembly  was  ap- 
pointed to  meet  at  such  places  as  were  most  conve- 
nient for  their  attendance ;  and  if  at  any  time  it  was 
found  necessary  to  convene  it  at  a  greater  distance 
£rom  them,  ways  and  means  were  fallen  upon  to  pro- 
vide them  with  a  viaticum  f . 

But  to  secure  credit  to  his  cause  it  was  necessary 
for  his  Majesty  to  gain  over  some  individuals  who 
possessed  greater  respectability,  and  who  were  able 
to  plead  as  well  as  to  vote  for  his  plans.  James 
Nicolson,  minister  of  Meigle  |,  was  highly  esteemed 
among  his  brethren.  He  was  the  intimate  acquaint- 
ance and  bosom  friend  of  James  Melville.  At  as- 
semblies they  always  lodged  in  the  same  apartment, 
and  slept  in  the  same  bed ;  and  harmonized  as  much 


*  Diary^  p.  SOS.  comp.  his  History  of  the  Declining  Age  of  the 
Clmrch^  p.  7. 

t  ''  I  am  bold  humbly  to  advise  your  Migesty^  (says  Archbishop 
Gladstanes,)  that^  in  the  designation  of  the  place  of  the  ensuing  G. 
Aaaembly,  your  Migesty  make  choice  either  of  the  place  appointed  by 
the  last  Assembly^  whilk  will  help  the  formality  of  it,  or  then  of 
Dundee,  where  your  Msgesty  knows  tfour  oum  northern  men  may  have 
commodity  to  repair.  And  albeit  your  Maje8ty*8  princely  liberality 
may  supply  distance  of  place  by  furniture  to  those  that  travel,  yet,**  &c. 
(Letter  of  Archbishop  of  St.  Andrews  to  the  King :  April  18,  1610. 
MSi  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  £dm.  Fac  V.  1.  19.  N"  60.) 

i  Mr.  James  Nicolson  was  presented  to  the  parsonage  and  vicarage 
of  Cortoquhay,  on  the  7th  of  May,  1580 :  and  to  the  parsonage  and 
▼icarageof  Meigle,  "  penult  febr.  1583."  (Register  of  Present  to  Be- 
nefices, vol.  ii.  fF.  34^  97.) 

2 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE.  19 

in  their  sentiments  about  public  affairs  as  they  did 
in  their  private  dispositions.  On  the  evening  be- 
fore the  question  respecting  the  constitution  of  the 
assembly  was  detennined,  Nico]aon  was  amissing ; 
and  in  the  morning  James  Melville  learned,  to  his 
astonishment  and  grief,  that  the  mind  of  his  friend 
had  undergone  a  sudden  revolution.  He  had  been 
sent  for  to  the  palace,  where  he  was  detained  till  a 
late  hour ;  and  the  King,  partly  by  threats  that  if 
his  will  was  not  complied  with  he  would  ruin  the 
church,  and  partly  by  promises  and  flatteries,  had 
engaged^  his  rote.  The  two  Mends  went  t(^ther 
to  the  meeting  of  -ministers ;  and  after  James  Mel- 
ville had  reasoned  at  great  length  against-the  pr6~ 
posal  of  the  court,  Nicolson  rose  and  replied  to  his 
arguments  in  a  plausible  speech,  which  had  the 
greatest  influence  in  persuading  the  members  to 
come  to  the  resolution  which  was  adopted. — Thomas 
Buchanan  distinguished  himself  during  this  assembly 
by  the  boldness  and  ability  with  which  he  asserted 
the  liberties  of  the  church.  Having  summoned  the 
ministers  into  the  hall  where  the  Convention  of 
Estates  was  met,  the  King  provoked  the  friends  of 
the  established  discipline  to  a  dispute  on  the  subject 
of  his  queries,  by  insinuating  broadly  that  their 
silence  proceeded  from  fear  and  distrust  of  their 
cause.  "  We  are  not  afraid,"  replied  Buchanan, 
"  nor  do  we  distrust  the  justice  of  our  cause  ;  but 
we  perceive  a  design  to  canvass  and  toss  our  mat- 
ters, that  they  may  be  thrown  loose,  and  then  left 
to  the  decision  of  men  of  little  skill  and  less  con- 


so  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

science."  Having  protested  that  nothing  which  he 
might  say  should  invalidate  the  authority  of  the 
received  discipline,  he  proceeded  to  examine  the 
doubts  started  by  the  royal  queries,  and  exposed 
their  weakness  in  a  style  not  greatly  to  his  Majes- 
ty's satisfaction.  But,  alas  !  this  was  the  expiring 
blaze  of  Buchanan's  zeal.  Before  he  left  Perth  he 
was  "  sprinkled  with  the  holy  water  of  the  court ;" 
and  at  the  next  assembly,  he  appeared  as  an  advo- 
cate for  those  very  measures  which  he  had  so  eagerly 
and  so  ably  opposed  *.  It  may  be  observed,  how- 
ever, that  Buchanan,  and  some  others  who  acted 
along  with  him,  seem  to  have  intended  merely  to 
concede  some  points  which  they  deemed  of  less  im- 
portance, with  the  view  of  pleasing  the  King.  They 
were  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  ulterior  designs  of 
James,  which  were  imparted  to  such  men  as  Glad- 
stanes,  Spotswood,  and  Law,  who  had  been  cor- 
rupted by  the  promise  of  bishopricks.  But  the 
latter  had  at  that  time  so  little  influence  in  the 
church,  that  they  could  have  carried  no  measure 
without  the  assistance  of  the  former,  whose  facility 
and  want  of  foresight  we  cannot  help  blaming, 
while  we  acquit  them  of  having  been  actuated  by 
mercenary  motives. 

Melville  learned  the  proceedings  at  Perth  with 
deep  concern,  but  without  feelings  of  surprise  or 
despondency.     He  perceived  the  course  which  the 

•  Melville's  Diary,  pp.  303,  308,  311. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  21 

court  was  driving,  and  that  nothing  would  satisfy 
the  King  but  the  overthrow  of  the  presbyterian 
constitution.  Attached  to  this  from  conviction  as 
well  as  &om  the  share  he  had  had  in  its  erection, 
satisSed  of  its  intrinsic  excellence  and  its  practical 
utility,  and  believing  it  to  be  the  cause  of  Christ,  of 
freedom,  and  of  his  country,  he  resolved  to  de- 
fend it  with  intrepidity  and  perseverance,  to  yield- 
up  none  of  its  outworks,  to  6ght  every  inch  of 
ground,  and  to  sacrifice  his  liberty,  and,  if  necessary, 
his  life,  in  the  contest.  With  this  view  he  joined 
with  some  of  his  brethren  in  keeping  the  day  fixed 
far  holding  the  ordinary  meeting  of  the  General 
Assembly.  This  meeting  was  constituted  by  Pont, 
the  last  moderator,  after  which  the  members  pre- 
sent agreed  to  dismiss,  and  to  refer  all  business  to 
the  assembly  which  the  King  and  Convention  at 
Perth  had  appointed  to  be  held  in  Dundee.  By  this 
step  they  asserted  the  right  of  the  church  as  to  the 
holding  of  her  assemblies,  which  it  was  one  great 
object  of  the  court  to  infringe  *. 

The  King  was  sensible  that  the  advantages  which 
he  had  gained  at  Perth  were  in  no  small  d^ree 
owing  to  the  absence  of  Melville,  and  he  dreaded 
his  opposition  in  the  assembly  at  Dundee.  Before 
it  proceeded  to  business,  Sir  Patrick  Murray,  who 
was  now  become  his  Majesty's  Vicar-general,  sent 
for  James  Melville,  and  dealt  with  him  to  persuade 

•  Melvillti'i  Diuy,  p.  30S.    Cald.  t.  9i0. 


S2  LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

his  uncle  to  return  home,  otherwise  the  King  would 
take  forcible  measures  to  remove  him.  James  Mel- 
ville replied,  that  it  would  be  to  no  purpose  for  him 
to  make  the  attempt.  If  his  Majesty  should  use 
his  authority  in  the  way  of  commanding  him  to 
leave  the  town,  he  had  no  doubt,  he  said,  that  his 
uncle  would  submit,  but  death  would  not  deter  him 
from  acting  according  to  his  conscience.  "  Truly, 
I  fear  he  shall  suffer  the  dint  of  the  King's  wrath," 
said  Sir  Patrick.  "  And  truly,"  replied  the  other, 
•*  I  am  not  afraid  but  he  will  bide  all."  James 
Melville  reported  the  conversation  to  his  uncle, 
"  whose  answer,"  says  he,  "  I  need  not  write." 
Next  morning  they  were  both  sent  for  to  the  royal 
apartments.  The  interview  was  at  first  amicable 
and  calm  ;  but  entering  on  the  subject  of  variance, 
Melville  delivered  his  opinion  with  his  wonted  free- 
dom, and  the  altercation  between  him  and  the  King 
soon  became  warm  and  boisterous  *. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  arts  of  management  em- 
ployed, it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  court  carried 
its  measures,  even  in  a  very  modified  form,  in  this 
assembly.  The  assembly  at  Perth  was  declared 
lawful,  but  not  without  an  explanation;  its  acts 
were  approved,  but  with  certain  qualifications ;  and 
the  additional  answers  now  given  to  the  King's 
questions  were  guardedly  expressed.     Through  the 

*  ''  And  ther  they  heeled  on^  till  aU  the  hous  and  clos  bathe  hard, 
mikle  of  a  large  houre.  In  end  the  King  takes  upe,  and  dismissis 
him  favourablie."    (MdviUe's  Diary,  p.  312.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  23 

infloenoe  of  the  northero  ministers  an  act  passed 
in  &Tour  of  the  popish  lords,  auAorizlng  certain 
ministers  to  receive  them  into  the  bosom  of  the 
church,  upon  their  complying  with  the  conditions 
prescribed  to  them.  They  were  received  accord- 
ingly ;  although  it  was  evident  that  they  were  in- 
duced to  submit,  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of 
an  attempt  which  some  of  their  adherents  had  made 
on  the  peace  of  the  kingdom  ;  and  it  was  soon  after 
found  necessary,  with  the  ctmsent  of  government, 
to  bring  them  again  under  the  sentence  of  excom- 
municattCHi.  The  design  of  altering  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church  was  carefully  concealed  from 
this  assembly ;  but  the  King,  under  a  specious  pre- 
text, obtained  their  consent  to  a  measure  by  which 
he  intended  to  accomplish  it  clandestinely.  He  re- 
quested them  to  appoint  a  committee  of  their  num- 
ber with  whom  he  might  advise  respecting  (%rtain 
important  affairs  which  they  could  not  at  present 
find  leisure  to  determine ;  such  as,  the  arrangements 
to  be  made  respecting  the  ministers  of  Edinbui^h 
and  St.  Andrews,  the  planting  of  vacant  chnnjies 
in  general,  and  the  providing  of  local  and  fixed  sti- 
pends for  the  ministers  through  the  kingdom.  To 
this  the  assembly  agreed,  and  nominated  fourteen 
ministers,  to  whom  or  any  seven  of  them,  they 
granted  power  to  convene  with  his  Majesty  for  the 
above  purposes,  and  to  give  him  advice  "  in  all  af- 
fairs concerning  the  weal  of  the  chiirch,  and  enter- 
tainment of  peace  and  obedience  to  his  Majesty 
within  his  realm."    This  was  a  rash  and  dangerous 


S4  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

appointment.  The  General  Assembly  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  appointing  commissioners  to  execute 
particular  measures,  or  to  watch  over  the  safety  of 
the  church  until  their  next  meeting.  But  the  pre- 
sent commission  was  entirely  of  a  different  kind. 
The  persons  nominated  on  it  were  appointed  for- 
mally as  advisers  or  assessors  to  his  Majesty.  They 
were  in  fact  his  ecclesiastical  council ;  and  as,  with 
exception  of  an  individual  or  two  named  to  save 
appearances,  they  were  devoted  to  the  court,  he  was 
enabled,  by  their  means,  to  exercise  as  much  power 
in  the  church  as  he  did  by  his  privy  council  in  the 
state.  ^^  A  wedge  taken  out  of  the  church  to  rend 
her  with  her  own  forces !"  says  Calderwood :  "  the 
very  needle  (says  James  Melville)  which  drew  in  the 
episcopal  thread  *  !" 

James  was  too  fond  of  the  ecclesiastical  branch 
of  his  prerogative,  and  too  eager  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  his  favourite  plans,  to  suffer  the  new  powers 
which  he  had  acquired  to  remain  long  unemployed. 
Repairing  to  Falkland  on  the  rising  of  the  assembly, 
he  called  the  presbytery  of  St.  Andrews  before  him, 
reversed  a  sentence  which  they  had  pronounced 
against  a  worthless  minister,  and  restored  him  to 
the  exercise  of  his  office.  Accompanied  by  his  privy 
counsellors,  laical  and  clerical,  he  next  repaired  to 
the  town  of  St.  Andrews,  for  the  double  purpose  of 


•  Bulk  of  the  Univ.  Kirk,  ff.  18^—188.  Melville's  Diary,  pp.  311, 
318.  Hist,  of  Dec.  Age  of  the  Church,  p.  10.  Cald.  v.  843— «61. 
Spotswood,  pp.  445—447. 


LIFE  or  ANDBEW  MELVILLE.  25 

expelling  its  ministers,  and  imposing  euch  restric- 
tions on  the  university  as  would  facilitate  his  future 
operations.  He  attended  public  worship  on  the 
day  of  his  arrival ;  and  when  Wallace  was  about 
to  proceed  to  the  application  of  his  discourse, 
James,  either  afraid  of  the  freedom  which  he  might 
use,  or  wishing  to  gratify  his  own  dictatorial  hu- 
mour, interrupted  the  preacher  and  ordered  him  to 
stop.  Melville  (although  aware  that  one  object  of 
the  royal  visit  was  to  find  some  ground  of  accusa- 
tion against  himself)  cotdd  not  refrain  from  publicly 
expressing  his  displeasure  at  this  royal  interference, 
and  at  the  silence  which  the  commissioners  of  the 
church  tamely  preserved  on  the  occasion  *. 

At  the  Royal  Visitation  of  the  university  -f,  great 
eagerness  was  testified  to  find  matter  of  censure 
against  Melville.  All  those  individuals,  in  the 
university  or  in  the  town,  whose  envy  or  ill-will  he 
had  incurred,  were  encouraged  to  come  forward  with 
complaints  against  him ;  and  a  large  roll,  consisting 
of  informations  to  his  prejudice,  was  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  King.  He  underwent  several  strict 
examinations  before  the  visitors.     But  the  explana- 


•  HelTiUe'i  Diuy,  p.  313. 

+  In  thii  Tiiiutim  six  of  the  coiDmisdonen  of  tlie  church  vere 
•Mocuted  with  certain  merabcrs  of  the  priTj  coundl,  the  proToat  (rf 
St.  Andrews,  &c.  The  foonded  penons  in  the  tcTeral  college*  were 
rtqaired  to  give  in  to  the  visiton,  "  ytir  greiSia  &  diiorden  and  con- 
trtvcnies  fft  thaj  onj  haif,  togidder  with  the  ahasea  and  cnoimiteia 
camiuit  wtin  ye  umin,"  &c.  (auramonda  to  appear  before  the 
Viaiiora:  July  T,  1487-) 


26  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

tions  which  he  gave  of  his  conduct  were  so  satis- 
factory, and  his  defence  of  himself  against  the  slan- 
ders of  his  detractors  so  powerful,  that  the  visitors 
could   find   no  ground  or   pretext  for  proceeding 
against  him,  either  as  the  head  of  his  own  college, 
or  as  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  university  *.    Spots- 
wood  has  preserved  some  of  the  accusations  brought 
against  him,  and  disingenuously  represents  them 
as  having  been  proved  before  the  visitors.     "  In  the 
New^  College,  (says  he)  whereof  the  said  Mr.  An- 
drew had  the  charge,  all  things  were  found  out  of 
order ;  the  rents  ill  husbanded,  the  professions  ne- 
glected, and  in  place  of  divinity  lectures,  politick 
questions  oftentimes  agitated  :  as.  Whether  the  elec- 
tion or  succession  of  Kings  were  the  better  form  of 
government;    How  far  the  royal  power  extend- 
ed ;  and,  If  Kings  might  be  censured  for  abusing 
the  same,  and  deposed  by  the  Estates  of  the  King- 
dom.    The  King  to  correct  these  abuses  did  pre- 
scribe to  every  professor  his  subject  of  teaching,  ap- 
pointing the  first  master  to  read  the  Common  Places 
to  the  students,  with  the  Law  and  History  of  the 
Bible ;  the  second  to  read  the  New  Testament ;  the 
third,  the  Prophets,  with  the  Books  of  Ecclesiastes 
and  Canticles ;  and  the  fourth,  the  Hebrew  Gram- 
mar, with  the  Psalms,  the  I^overbs,  and  the  Book 
of  Job  f ."     The  Acts  of  the  Visitation^  which  were 
in  the  archbishop's  possession,  are  still  in  existence^ 
and  disprove  every  one  of  these  allegations.     They 

•  Melville's  Diary,  p.  313.  t  History,  p.  449. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  27 

do  not  oontain  one  word  which  insinuates  that  the 
affaire  of  the  New  Collie  were  out  of  order  •  ;  and 
the  regulations  made  respecting  the  future  maoage- 
ment  of  the  academical  revenues  apply  equally  to 
all  the  colleges.  Nor  do  they  contain  one  syllable 
on  the  subject  of  abuses  in  the  mode  of  teaching. 
It  is  true  that  they  prescribe  the  branches  to  be 
taught  in  the  different  classes ;  but  this  was  not  in- 
tended to  "  correct  abuses."  It  was  an  arrangement 
made  in  ibe  prospect  of  an  additional  professor 
being  established  in  the  college,  according  to  a  re- 
commendation of  the  visitors  ;  a  fact  which  Spots- 
wood  has  suppressed.  While  I  am  obliged  to  ex- 
pose these  unpardonable  perversions  of  a  public  do- 
cument, I  am  quite  ready  to  admit  that  something 
of  the  kind  mentioned  by  the  archbishop  might  be 
included  among  the  accusations  presented  against 
the  Principal  of  the  New  CoUege.  The  head  de 
Magistratu  is  to  be  found  in  every  System  of  Di- 
vinity, and  falls  to  be  treated  by  every  theological 
professor  in  the  course  of  his  lectures.     I  have  lit- 


■  One  would  ilmoBt  auppow  thU  Spotairood  had  confmuided  the 
VMUtioa  of  1587  Kith  another  which  took  pUce  after  he  had  heen 
manj  jean  Chtnoellor  of  the  univenity,  when  it  waa  atated  hy  an- 
tboritj,  "  that  of  late  jean  some  ahusee,  conaptioiu,  and  disorden 
ba*e  aiiaen,  and  ue  atill  jet  foatered  and  eDtertained  within  the  New 
College  of  St.  Andtewc,  pwtlj  upon  the  occanon  of  aloth,  negligence 
and  GDonifanee  of  the  pcnons— to  whoae  credit  and  eare  the  redrea 
and  nfonnatiMi  of  theaeahnaea  proper]  J  appertained — whereupon  ha* 
fiiUowed  ibe  dilapidation,  &c  of  the  pabrimonte— the  n^ect  of  the 
ordinar  teaching — the  Profeaaourt  are  become  carelen  and  m^ligent," 
&e.  &c.    {ComwitBaa  for  Visitation,  Nov.  S9,  ICSI.) 


28  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

tie  doubt,  that  Melville,  when  he  came  to  that  part 
of  his  course,  laid  down  the  radical  principles  on 
which  a  free  government  and  a  limited  monarchy 
rest ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  young  men 
under  his  charge  would  take  the  liberty  of  occa- 
sionally discussing  questions  connected  with  this 
subject  in  their  private  meetings  *.  This  will  not 
now  be  considered  as  reflecting  any  dishonour,  ei- 
ther on  the  master  or  his  scholars.  On  the  contra- 
ry, Melville's  countrymen  will  listen  with  pride  and 
gratitude  to  the  information,  that,  in  an  age  when 
the  principles  of  liberty  were  but  partially  diffused, 
and  under  an  administration  fast  tending  to  despo- 
tism, there  was  at  least  one  man,  holding  an  im- 
portant public  situation,  who  dared  to  avow  such 
principles,  and  who  imbued  the  minds  of  his  pupils 
with  those  liberal  views  of  civil  government  by 
which  the  presbyterian  ministers  were  distinguish- 

*  Speaking  of  this  subject  in  another  work,  Spotswood  says :  '^  Hipc 
erat  discipulorum,"  &c.  ''  This  was  the  theology  of  the  students  of 
the  New  College,  who  at  that  time  were  more  conversant  with  Bu- 
chanan's book,  De  Jure  Regni,  than  with  Calvin*8  Institutions.*' 
(Refutatio  Libclli,  p.  67.)  To  this  Calderwood  replies  :  "  Neminem 
novi  Theologi/'  &c.  ''  I  know  none  among  us  entitled  to  the  name 
of  a  Divine,  who  has  not  read  Calvin's  Institutions  more  diligently 
than  Spotswood,  who,  I  suspect,  is  scarcely  capable  of  understanding 
them,  although  he  should  read  them.  Must  a  Divine  spend  all  his 
days  in  studying  nothing  but  Calvin's  Institutions  ?  Why  should  not 
a  Scottish  theologian  read  the  Dialogue  of  a  learned  Scotsman  con- 
cerning the  Law  of  Government  among  the  Scots  ?"  (Epist  Philad. 
Vind.  Altare  Damasc.  p.  753.)  Whatever  the  archbishop  might  do, 
the  King,  at  least,  could  not  blame  those  who  neglected  Calvin.  It 
was  one  of  the  wise  sayings  of  James, "  That  Calvin*8  Institutions  is  a 
childish  work !"    (Cald.  iv.  813.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE.  S9 

ed.  and  which  all  the  efforts  of  a  servile  band  of 
prelates,  in  concert  with  an  arbitrary  court  and  a 
selfish  nobility,  were  afWwards  unable  to  extin- 
guish. 

Not  being  able  to  find  any  thing  in  his  conduct 
which  was  censurable,  the  visitors  deprived  Melville 
of  his  rectorship.  This  was  easily  accomplished;  for, 
disapproving  of  the  union  of  that  office  with  the 
professorship  of  theology,  he  had  accepted  it  at  first 
with  reluctance,  and  acquiesced  conditionally  in  his 
last  re-election.  Of  this  circumstance  the  visitors 
availed  themselves  to  prevent  the  odium  which  they 
must  have  incurred  by  ejecting  him  *. — Under  the 
pretext  of  providing  for  the  better  management  of 
the  revenues  of  the  colleges,  a  council,  nominated 
by  the  King,  was  appointed,  with  such  powers  as 
gave  it  a  control  over  all  academical  proceedings. 
Thus  bis  Majesty  was  furnished  with  a  commission 
to  rule  the  church,  and  a  council  to  rule  the  univer- 
sity, until  he  shouM  be  able  to  place  bishops  over 

'  '*  In  r«pect  the  preient  Rector  alledges  he  never  accepted  the 
laid  office  but  conditionally,  igaingt  the  form  of  such  elections,  there- 
fore the  offiee.ii  found  vacant."  (Acts  of  Visitation.  Melville's  Diary, 
p.  313.)  Spotcnood  aayB  that  tlie  King,  undersunding  that  Mehille 
Iwd  cotitiniied  Rector  for  a  number  of  years  together  "  against  the 
aeraitomed  form,"  commanded  a  new  election  ;  "  and  for  preventing 
tbe  like  diBordcrs  ■  ctatute  was  made  that  none  should  be  continued 
Bcctor  abore  a  year."  (Hbt.  p.  448.)  Buthowdo  the  facta  Btand? 
Jolin  Donglu  was  Rector  from  ISiO  to  Ifi79;  Robert  Hamilton  from 
137S  to  1578 ;  fames  Wilkie  from  tiT6  to  IS90 ;  Andrew  Melville 
fttnn  IS90  to  1497  ;  and  Robert  Wilkie  from  1497  to  1608.  The  re- 
dcction  of  Bobert  ^Vilkie  was  sanctioned  hy  the  King.  (The  King's 
Majestic*  Second  Visitation.) 


80  LIFE  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE. 

both,  and  become  supreme  Dictator  in  religion  and 
literature,  as  well  as  in  law. 

But  the  regulation  which  was  intended  chiefly  to 
affect  Melville  remains  to  be  mentioned.  All  doc- 
tors and  regents  who  taught  theology  or  philoso- 
phy, not  being  pastors  in  the  church,  were  dischar- 
ged, under  the  pain  of  deprivation  and  of  rebellion 
at  the  instance  of  the  Conservator,  from  sitting  in 
sessions,  presbyteries,  provincial  synods,  or  general 
assembly,  and  from  all  teaching  in  congregations, 
except  in  the  weekly  exercise  and  censuring  of  doc- 
trine. To  reconcile  them  in  some  degree  to  this  in- 
vasion on  their  rights,  the  actual  masters  were  al- 
lowed annually  to  nominate  three  persons,  from 
whom  the  council  appointed  by  the  visitors  should 
choose  one  to  represent  the  university  in  the  Gene- 
ral Assembly ;  provided  the  same  individual  should 
not  be  re-elected  for  three  years.  The  pretext  of 
concern  for  the  interests  of  learning,  by  preventing 
the  teachers  from  being  distracted  from  their  du- 
ties, was  too  flimsy  to  impose  upon  a  single  indivi- 
dual. The  court  was  anxious  to  get  rid  of  Mel- 
ville's opposition  to  its  measures  in  the  church  ju- 
dicatories ;  and  this  was  deemed  the  safest  way  of 
accomplishing  that  object,  according  to  the  creeping^ 
tortuous,  and  timid  policy  of  James.  In  imposing 
this  restriction  on  the  professors,  the  visitors  acted 
entirely  by  regal  authority ;  for  no  such  powers 
were  conveyed  to  them  by  the  act  of  Parliament  un- 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  SI 

der  which  they  sat  *.  They  were  guilty  of  an  in- 
fringement of  the  rights  of  the  church  :  for  by  law 
and  by  invariable  practice,  doctors  or  theological 
professors  were  constituent  members  of  her  judica- 
tories. A  greater  insult  was  offered  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  university  by  the  reservation  made  in  this 
case,  than  if  the  privilege  had  been  altogether  taken 
&om  them.  They  were  not  deemed  fit  to  be  en- 
trusted with  the  power  of  choosiog  their  own  re- 
presentative to  the  Greneral  Assembly.  This  was  ' 
given  to  a  council,  composed  of  individuals  who  did 
not  belong  to  their  body,  and  who  were  the  crea- 
tures of  the  King.  No  wonder  tbat  Bollock  sunk 
in  the  estimation  of  his  friends,  by  suffering  himself, 
as  one  of  the  visitors,  to  be  made  a  tool  to  enslave 
the  university  in  which  he  was  educated,  and  to 
establish  a  precedent  for  enslaving  the  learned  in- 
stitution over  which  he  himself  presided.  Indeed, 
by  one  of  the  regulations  to  which  he  gave  his  sanc- 
tion on  the  present  occasion,  he  virtually  stripped 
himself  of  the  right  to  sit  in  ecclesiastical  judicato- 
ries ;  and  in  order  to  escape  from  the  operation  of 
his  own  Iaw»  he  foimd  it  necessary  to  take  a  step 
which  violated  its  ostensible  principle,  by  under- 
taking  the  additional  duty  of  a  fixed  pastor  of  a  par- 
ticular congregation  f .  The  record  bears,  that  all 
the  masters  willingly  submitted  to  the  regulations 

*  In  the  jcai  lAH,  the  ratificatioii  of  ft  Convention  of  Eatate*  wu 
procured  to  thii  and  other  r^ulations  of  the  Viutors.  (Act  Pari. 
Scot.  iv.  leg.) 

t  Sec  Note  A. 


32  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

made  by  the  visitors,  and  gave  their  oath  to  observe 
them  under  the  pain  of  deprivation.  As  far  as  Mel-  " 
ville  was  concerned,  this  promise  could  mean  no 
more  than  that  he  would  run  his  risk  of  the  penal- 
ty; for  he  was  determined  not  to  relinquish  his  right 
to  sit  in  the  church  courts. 

There  is  another  act  of  the  visitors  which  illus- 
trates the  malignant  influence  of  arbitrary  power  on 
the  interests  of  learning.  William  Welwood,  Pro- 
fessor of  Laws  in  St.  Salvator's  College*,  being 
called  before  them,  was  declared  to  have  transgress- 
ed the  foundation  in  sutidry  points,  and  was 
deprived  of  his  situation.  Welwood  was  the 
friend  of  Melville  and  cf  the  ministers  of  St. 
Andrews  f.  Whether,  in  his  lectures,  he  had 
touched  these  delicate  questions  respecting  the 
origin  and  limits  of  kingly  power  which  the  Prin- 
cipal of  the  New  College  was  accused  of  discuss- 
ing, I  have  no  means  of  ascertaining.  But  his 
profession,  as  a  teacher  of  jurisprudence,  was  ob- 

*  John  Arthour  (a  brother-in-law  of  Archbishop  Adamson)  suc- 
ceeded William  Skene  as  Professor  of  Laws.  (Carta  Recessus  pro 
Reforrnatione,  Junij  21,  1586.)  On  his  remoral  Welwood  exchan- 
ged the  Mathematical  for  the  Juridical  Chair,  about  the  year  1587. 
(Melville's  Diary,  pp.  200 — 203.) 

f  Ad  Expediendos  Proccssrs  in  Jvdiciis  Ecclesiastids.  Appendix 
Parallelorum  Juris  dinini  humanique.  Lvgd.  Bat.  1594.  4to.  Pp.  12. 
The  epistle  dedicatory  is  inscribed :  *'  Fidis  Christi  semis,  I>avix)i 
Blakkio  et  Roberto  Walla,  Ecclesise  Andreapolitane  pastoribus 
vigilantissimis  fratribusque  plurimum  dilectis,  G.  Velvod."  Scafiger^s 
epitaph  on  Buchanan  was  published  for  the  first  time  at  the  end  of 
this  work,  and  is  introduced  with  the  following  note :  "  Ne  reliqua 
esset  pagina  vacua,  placuit  subiicere  Carmen  hoc  ah  authore  ipso  etiam 
assentiente,  dum  ista  cuderentur,  oblaturo." 


LIFE  OF  AN'DBEW  MELVILLE.  33 

noxious  in  the  eyes  of  James.  Accordingly,  the 
visitors  declared,  in  their  wisdom,  "  that  the  profes- 
sion of  the  Laws  is  no  ways  necessary  at  this  time 
in  this  university ;"  an3  the  class  was  suppressed. 
Another  set  of  visitors,  two  years  after,  ventured 
to  recommend  the  seeking  out  of  "  a  sufScieot  learn- 
ed person  in  the  Laws,  able  to  discharge  him  both 
in  the  ordinary  teaching  of  that  profession  in  the 
said  college,  and  of  the  place  and  jurisdiction  of 
commissary  within  the  diocese ;"  but  the  recommen- 
dation was  "  delete  by  his  Majesty's  special  com- 
mand *."  James  considered  himself  as  Teacher  of 
Laws  to  his  whole  kingdom ;  and,  unquestionably, 
royal  proclamations  were  the  proper  commentaries 
on  statutes  which  derived  their  sole  authority  from 
the  royal  sanction,  according  to  his  favourite  device, 
^;us  est  expUcare  cujug  est  condere. — Melville 
might  have  shared  the  same  fate  as  Welwood,  had 
it  not  been  for  circumstances  which  pressed  the  fear 
of  disgraJe  into  the  service  of  a  sense  of  justice. 
There  was  at  that  time  in  the  university  a  number 
of  young  meii  from  Denmark,  Poland,  France,  and 
the   Low  Countries,  who   had   been   attracted    to 


*  The  Actii  and  Recease  of  the  King's  Kno  VUiudoiu  of  the  Utiiv. 
of  St.  And'.  Id  tlie  year  ISQO,  the  King,  out  of  '■  his  frie  favour 
mhI  dflsencj  decerned  Mr  Wm  Walwood  to  be  re-poiicMcd  in  the 
lawyen  piece  and  pofewioan  in  the  auld  eollt^  of  Sanctandrou^- 
npoa  hia  fpTing  aufficient  bond  and  security  for  hia  dutiful  beha- 
vioor  to  hia  Mai*!*."  Bat  hia  reMitution  did  not  take  place,  at  lean 
not  M  that  time.  (Hia  Majesty's  Order  and  Letters,  June  6,  and 
Not.  3,  1600,  and  March  t,  1611.) 
VOL.  II.  D 


34  IJFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Scotland  by  the  fame  of  Melville's  talents.  James 
was  afraid  to  take  a  step  which  would  have  had  the 
eS^t  of  lowering  his  reputation  in  the  eyes  of  the 
foreign  literati,  whose  good  opinion  he  was  fpnd  of 
cultivating  *. 

While  the  visitors  were  busy  in  imposing  on 
the  university  such  regulations  as  were  dictated  by 
his  Majesty,  the  commissioners  of  the  General  As- 
sembly had  gratified  him  by  their  proceedings  agaipst 
the  ministers  of  St.  Andrews.  Wallace  was  accused 
of  having  charged  Secretary  Lindsay  with  partiality 
and  injustice  in  the  examination  of  the  witnesses  on 
Bkick's  process.  This  might  surely  have  been  ex- 
cused, as  proceeding  from  the  amiable  feeling  of 
sympathy  with  his  colleague ;  and  the  Secretary 
was  willing,  for  his  part,  to  pass  over  the  of- 
fence. But  he  was  instigated  to  prosecute ;  and 
Wallace,  having  declined  the  judgment  of  the  com- 
missioners, was  removed  from  St.  Andrews  f .   Black 


*  Melville's  Diary,  p.  313.  It  may  be  mentioned  here>  that  there 
vas  another  royal  visitation  of  the  university  in  tbv  year  1699.  On 
that  occasion  it  was  agreed  that  the  faculty  of  theology  should  be  re- 
stored, but  the  designations  to  be  given  to  the  graduates  was  left  to 
subsequent  arrangement.  Melville  was  chosen  Dean  of  the  theologi- 
cal faculty.  No  provision  was  made  for  carrying  into  effect  the  re- 
commendation of  the  former  visitors,  by  the  settlement  of  a  fourth 
professor  in  the  New  College.    (Acts  of  Visit,  and  Diary,  ut  supra.) 

t  Mr.  Ro.  Wallace  reasons  of  his  Declinature.  (MS.  in  fiibl. 
Jurid.  Rob.  III.  5.  1.)  Melville's  Diary,  pp.  313,  314.  Spotswood, 
448.— On  the  10th  of  December,  1602,  Mr.  Robert  Wallace  was 
admitted  minister  of  Tranent.  (Record  of  Presb.  of  Haddington, 
Dec.  8,  1602.)  James  Gibson  was  translated  from  Pencaitland  to 
Tranent  on  the  9th  of  May,  1598.    On  the  6th  of  October,  1602,  a 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  35 

was  removed  without  any  form  of  process  • ;  and 
Geo^e  Oladstanes,  minister  of  Arbirlot  in  Angtu, 
was  nominated  as  his  successor  f .  Gladstanes  was 
a  man  entirely  to  his  Majesty's  mind.  He  had  a 
competent  portion  of  pedantry,  was  abundantly  vain- 
glorious, and  at  the  same  time  possessed  all  the 
obseqtiiousness  which  is  requisite  in  one  who  is  to 
be  raised  to  the  primacy.  As  the  session  and  better 
part  of  the  congregation  were  warmly  attached  to 
their  ministers,  the  admission  of  Gladstanes  would 
have  met  with  great  opposition,  had  not  James 
Melville,  from  amiable  motives,  taken  an  active 
part  in  persuading  the  parties  aggrieved  to  submit, 
and  make  a  virtue  of  necessity  I-  In  consequence 
of  this,  the  King  was  so  far  reconciled  to  Black,  as 
to  allow  his  admission  to  the  vacant  parish  of  Ar- 
birlot. During  the  six  years  that  he  survived  this 
event,  he  gained  universal  esteem  by  his  private 


report  mw  mtde  of  "  the  d«ceu  of  our  loviDg  brother  James  Gibcone, 
of  god  memorie."    (Ibid.) 

*  Spotcwood's  murepreaentatioiiB  of  this  Rfiaii  are  conaidered  in 
NotaB. 

t  He  WM  tt  flnt  ft  Echoolniaater  in  MontroK,  and  had  been  miai- 
itcr  in  aevenl  parishea  before  hii  Eettlement  at  Arbirlot.  (Wodrow'a 
life  of  Oladatanei,  p.  I.  M8S.  Bibl.  Col.  Gla^.  vol-  i*.)  It  would 
•eem,  ftmn  a  letter  of  Melville,  that  GIsdstanea  married  a  daughter 
rf  John  Dnry,  and  coniequently  was  brother-in-law  to  James  Mel- 
vQle.  For,  writiiig  of  the  ardibishop's  death,  he  sajs:  "  I  have 
pitk  on  his  wyfe  and  children,  if  it  were  but  for  good  Johnne  Duriea 
iDcnMry,  whoae  aimplidty  and  sincerity  in  hia  lyfe  tjmc  condemned 
llw  worldly  wisdom  in  all  without  cxcepdon."  (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid. 
Edin.  M.  e.  9.) 

}  MelviBe'i  Diary,  p.  310. 

D2 


3()  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  ISIELVILLE. 

conduct,  and  by  the  affectionate  and  condescending 
manner  in  which  he  discharged  his  pastoral  duties 
among  a  simple  people.  He  died  of  an  apoplectic 
stroke,  when  he  was  in  the  act  of  dispensing  the 
communion-elements  to  his  congregation.  The  cir- 
cumstances of  his  death  are  beautifiilly  described  in 
a  poem  which  Melville  dedicated  to  his  memory  *. 

Having  taken  these  precautions  to  prevent  oppo- 
sition in  the  quarters  from  which  it  was  most  to 
be  dreaded,  the  court  thought  that  it  might  now 
safely  commence  its  operations.  In  the  month  of 
December,  1597,  the  commissioners  of  the  General 
Assembly,  who  are  henceforward  to  be  considered 
as  moving  at  the  direction  of  the  King,  gave  in  a 
petition  to  Parliament,  requesting  that  the  church 
should  be  admitted  to  a  vote  in  the  supreme  coim- 
cil  of  the  nation.  The  royal  influence  was  exerted 
in  overcoming  any  objections  which  were  entertain- 
ed against  this  measure  on  the  part  of  the  nobility, 
who  humoured  his  Majesty  by  granting  more  than 
was  asked  by  the  petitioners.  It  was  declared  that 
prelacy  was  the  third  estate  of  the  kingdom  ;  that 
such  ministers  as  his  Majesty  should  please  to  raise 
to  the  dignity  of  bishop,  abbot,  or  other  prelate, 
should  have  as  complete  a  right  to  sit  and  vote  in 
Parliament  as  those  of  the  ecclesiastical  estate  had 
enjoyed  at  any  former  period  ;  and  that  bishoprics, 
as  they  became  vacant,  should  be  conferred  on  none 
but  such  as  were  qualified  and  disposed  to  act  as 

•  Sec  under  Note  B. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  37 

ministers  or  preachers.  The  spiritual  power  to  be 
exercised  by  bishops  in  the  goverament  of  the 
church,  was  left  by  the  Parliament  to  be  settled  be- 
tween hia  Mt^esty  and  the  General  Assembly,  with- 
out prejudice,  in  the  mean  time,  to  the  authority  pos- 
sessed by  the  several  ecclesiastical  judicatories  *. 
The  last  clause  has  been  ascribed  to  the  respect 
which  the  estates  felt  for  the  presbyterian  discipline, 
and  their  fears  that  "  this  beginning  would  tend  to 
the  overthrow  of  the  established  order  of  the  church, 
which  they  had  sworn  to  defend  f."  Such  might 
be  the  views  entertained  by  some  members  of  par- 
liament, and  they  might  be  professed  by  others ; 
but  it  ia  probable  that  the  form  of  the  act  was  agree- 
able to  the  King,  who  was  aware  of  the  opposition 
which  it  would  meet  with  from  the  ministers,  and 
knew  that  it  was  only  in  a  gradual  manner,  and  by 
great  art  and  management,  that  episcopacy  could  be 
introduced  into  the  church. 

The  commissioners  of  the  church  were  anxious 
to  represent  what  they,  had  done  in  the  most  fa- 
Tottrable  light.  In  a  circular  letter  which  they  ad- 
dressed to  presbyteries,  desiring  them  to  send  their 
representatives  to  the  Greneral  Assembly  at  Dundee 
in  the  month  of  March  following,  they  took  credit 
to  themselves  for  having  procured  a  meeting  of  that 
court  at  an  earlier  day  than  had  been  appointed. 

•  Act-  Fnl.  8oM.  voL  iv.  pp.  ISO,  131. 

f  HUtorj  of  the  Reformition,  by  Mr.  Juhn  Furbcs,  minUier  of 
Alford,  MS.  penet  me,  p.  19. 

D  3 


38  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

They  spoke  of  the  petition  which  they  had  given 
in  to  the  late  Parliament  as  merely  a  prosecution  of 
similar  petitions  presented  by  the  church ;  and  they 
connected  it  with  the  providing  of  fixed  stipends  for 
ministers,  and  rescuing  them  from  the  poverty  and 
contempt  under  which  they  had  so  long  suffered. 
They  dwelt  on  the  difficulty  which  they,  in  concert 
with  his  Majesty,  had  felt  in  procuring  this  boon 
for  the  church  ;  mentioned  the  care  which  they  had 
taken  that  it  should  be  granted  without  prejudice 
to  the  established  discipline ;  and  signified  that  it 
was  the  advice  and  earnest  wish  of  their  best  friends 
that  they  shoidd  not  hesitate  to  accept  it,  although 
the  grant  was  not  made  altc^ther  in  the  form 
which  they  could  have  desired  *.-    This  is  the  lan- 
guage of  men  who  either  wished  to  deceive,  or  who 
had  suffered  themselves  to  be  grossly  deceived.  TJie 
commissioners  had  no  instructions  from  their  con- 
stituents to  take  any  step  in  this  important  affair. 
It  is  true  that  the  General  Assembly  had  often  com- 
plained that  persons  who  had  no  authority  or  com- 
mission from  the  church  took  it  upon  them  to  sit 
and  vote  in  Parliament  in  her  name  ;  and  in  some 
instances  a  wish  had  been  expressed  that  individuals 
appointed  by  the  church  should  be  admitted  to  a 
voice  in  such  parliamentary  causes  as  involved  her 
interest.     But  this  was  not  her  deliberate  and  una- 
nimous opinion,  at  least  it  had  not  been  so  for  a 
considerable  time  back  ;  and  far  less  had  she  agreed 

•  Printed  Cald.  pp.  413,  414. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  39 

that  these  voters  should  be  ministers  of  the  gospel. 
On  the  contrary,  it  was  the  decided  opinion  of  the 
prfaidpal  ministeiB,  that  if  the  church  should  send 
representatives  to  Parliament,  they  ought  to  be  T«i- 
ing  elders,  or  B;ich  laymen  as  she  might  think  pro- 
per to  choose  *.  In  fine,  whatever  might  be  the 
views  of  the  Estates,  the  evident  object  of  the  King 
was,  by  means  of  the  rainisters'  vote  in  Pu'liameat, 
to  introduce  episcopacy  into  the  church ;  and  it 
requires  the  utmost  stretch  of  charity  to  believe 
that  tlw  comraissioiiers  were  ignorant  of  his  In- 
tentions. 

The  provincial  synod  of  Fife  met  soon  after  the 
dissoltition  of  Paiiiament.  Sir  Patrick  Murray  was 
sent  to  it  with  a  letter  from  the  King*  in  which  all 
the  argomente  which  the  commissioners  had  used  in 


'  The  onir  etideoce  (w  ftr  u  I  cm  recollect)  of  die  minutera  hiv 
ing  popcMcd  that  Mine  of  thai  number  should  hate  TotM  in  Parlia* 
mcnt,  i*  to  be  found  in  the  RenurkB  which  they  made  at  Linlithgow 
on  the  acta  of  the  FarliamenC  1581.  But  there  was  no  meeting  of  the 
OenenI  Ameioblj  at  that  time ;  and  the  ebuse  in  qneatJon  ires  in- 
•oted  at  the  inunce  of  Pont,  wha  had  bMu  a  Lord  of  BeMaUf  in 
oppoutian  to  the  opinion  of  other  niinistera,  and  particularlf  a£  Uet* 
ville  and  hi*  nephew.  Even  in  that  document,  an  alternative  is  pn>- 
poMcI :  "  Dhenet  coamitsioneTS  of  the  most  learned,  both  in  the  law  of 
Otd  and  of  tke  eoantij,  beinf  of  OefioKtion  of  Mr  mhiiririe  tr  eida-t 
of  the  kirk,  are  to  represent  that  estate,  at  whose  raoutli  the  law  onght 
to  be  required,  namely,  in  ecclesiastical  matters."  (Melville's  Diary, 
p.  ITI.)  nerionsly  to  this,  in  October,  1491,  the  awenibty  ^reed 
**  that  tnietaiBg  Toting  in  parliament  [^atif]  aaaiating' in.  GonnaalL  coiD* 
miMiTHif-T  from  the  generall  kirk  wuld  supplie  the  place  of  hiihopa. 
And  as  to  the  exerddng  of  the  civill  or  criminall  jurisdiction  anent 
theofflceof  Bishops,  the  heretabillbailliessouIdTBe  the  same."  (Bnik 
of  UniT.  Kirk.  f.  113,  b.) 


40  LIFE  OF  ANDREW   MELVILLE. 

favour  of  the  vote  in  Parliament  were  repeated  and 
enforced.  The  impression  at  first  made  by  their 
joint  representations  was  speedily  effaced  by  the 
speeches  of  the  more  judicious  members  of  synod. 
The  subject  was  discussed  with  that  unshackled  and 
bold  spirit  which  becomes  the  deliberations  of  a 
presbyterian  judicatory.  In  the  course  of  the  de- 
bate which  ensued,  James  Melville,  to  the  great  dis- 
pleasure of  the  King's  commissioner,  exposed  the 
real  nature  of  the  proposed  measure,  and  warned 
his  brethren  of  the  snare  which  was  laid  for  them. 
They  could  not,  he  contended,  accept  the  proffered 
grant  without  giving  their  sanction  to  episcopacy : 
for  the  ministers  whom  they  sent  to  Ptoliament 
could  be  admitted  to  sit  and  vote  there  in  no  other 
character  than  that  of  bishops,  according  to  the  very 
terms  of  the  late  act ;  and  what  was  this  but  to  re- 
build what  they  had  taken  so  much  pains  and  time 
to  pull  down  ?  His  uncle  followed  on  the  same  side. 
As  he  was  proceeding  in  his  usual  style  of  vehement 
oratory,  he  was  interrupted  by  Thomas  Buchanan, 
who  told  him,  that  he  was  prohibited  from  attend- 
ing church  courts,  and  had  no  right  to  take  part  in 
the  discussion.  **  It  was  my  province  (replied  Mel- 
ville) to  resolve  questions  fix)m  the  word  of  God, 
and  to  reason,  vote,  and  moderate  in  the  assemblies 
of  the  church,  when  yours  was  to  teach  grammar 
rules;"  a  retort  which  was  much  relished  by  the 
members  of  synod,  who  were  offended  at  the. late 
tergiversation  of  Buchanan,  and  at  his  rude  inter- 
ruption on  the  present  occasion.     A  disposition  to 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  41 

defend  their  constitution  against  the  danger  to  which 
it  was  exposed  now  pervaded  the  whole  aeBemblj. 
The  venerable  Ferguson  adverted  to  the  early  pe* 
riod  at  which  the  evils  of  episcopacy  had  been  dis> 
covered  in  Scotland ;  he  narrated  the  means  which 
had  been  used,  &om  pulpits  and  in  assembliefi,  to 
expel  it  completely  from  th^  church  ;  and  comparing 
the  |woject  now  on  foot  to  the  artifice  by  which  the 
Gneks,  after  a  fruitless  siege  of  many  years,  sue* 
ceeded  in  at  last  taking  Troy,  he  concluded  with 
the  warning  words  of  the  Dardan  jHt^phetess, "  Eqito 
ne  credUe,  Teucri."  Davidson,  whose  zeal  had  ' 
prompted  him  to  attend  the  meeting,  shewed  that 
the  parliamentary  voter  was  a  bishop  in  disguise,' 
and  catching  enthusiasm  from  the  speech  of  .his 
aged  brother,  exclaimed,  "  Stuk  *,  busk,  imsk  lam 
tu  booJiUia  as  ye  can,  andj^^h  kim  in  asjairlie  as 
ye  wiUt  toe  tee  him  teeiU  eneucfi,  we  see  the  horns 
^hia  miire-f." 

I  should  not  give  a  faithful  picture  oi  the  srati- 
ments  of -the  age  and  of  the  state  o£  public  feding, 
if  1  passed  over  alti^ther  the  impreasion'made  on 
the  public  mind  by  two  extracwdinary  phenomena 
which  occurred  at  this  time.  In  the  month  of  July, 
1597,  a  smart  shock  of  an  earthquake  was  felt  In 
the  north  of  Scotland,  which  extended  through  the 
shires  of  Perth,  Inverness,  and  Boss ;  and  in  F^ru- 
aiy  f<Jlowing  there  was  a  great  ec^pse  of  the  sun. 
Both  oi  these  occurrenoes  were  deemed  portentous, 

'  diM.  -  t  MelvUk'i  THmtj,  pp.  386,  SST. 


42  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

and  viewed  as  prognosticating  a  disastrous  revolu- 
tion which  should  shake  the  constitution  of  the 
church  and  obscure  her  glory.  James  Melville  gives 
the  following  account  of  the  last  of  these  appearan- 
ces:  "In  the  month  of  February  (1598,)  upon  the 
S5th  day,  being  the  Saturday,  betwixt  nine  and  ten 
hours  before  noon,  a  most  fearful  and  conspicuous 
eclipse  of  the  sun  began,  which  continued  about  two 
hours  space.  The  whole  face  of  the  sun  seemed  to 
be  darkness  and  covered  about  half  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  so  that  none  could  see  to  read  upon  a  boc^ ; 
the  stars  appeared  in  the  firmament ;  and  the  sea, 
land,  and  air,  were  so  stilled  and  stricken  dead,  as 
'it  were,  that,  through  astonishment,  herds,  familiesf, 
men  and  women,  were  prostrate  to  the  ground.  My- 
self knew,  out  of  the  Ephemerides  and  Almanack, 
the  day  and  hour  thereof,  and  also,  by  natural  phi- 
losophy, the  cause,  and  set  myself  to  note  the  pro- 
ceedings thereof  in  a  bason  of  water  mixed  with  ink, 
thinking  the  matter  but  common.  But  when  it 
came  to  the  extremity  of  darkness,  and  my  sight 
lost  all  the  sun,  I  was  stricken  with  such  heaviness 
and  fear  that  I  had  no  refuge,  but,  prostrate  on  my 
knees,  commended  myself  to  God  and  cried,  merey. 
This  was  thought  by  all  the  wise  and  godly  very 
prodigious ;  so  that  from  pulpits  and  by  writings 
both  in  prose  and  verse,  admonitions  were  given  to 
the  ministers  to  beware  that  the  changeable  glister- 
ing shew  of  the  world  should  not  get  in  betwixt 
them  and  Christ  *." 

•  History  of  the  Declining  Age  of  the  Church,  p.  8.    In  his  Diary 
he  has  given  a  similar  account  of  the  eclipse ;  and  this  coincidence 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  48 

In  the  proBpect  of  the  ensuing  General  Assembly, 
Melville  could  not  help  feeling  the  awkward  sitn^ 
tiou  in  which  he  was  placed  by  the  restriction  im- 
posed on  him  at  the  late  visitation  of  tbe  universi- 
ty. He  did  not,  however,  hesitate  in  resolving  to 
make  bia  i^ipearance  at  Dundee,  whatever  it  might 
cost  him.  Had  he  acted  otherwise  at  such  a  crisis, 
be  would  have  betrayed  the  rights  of  the  church, 
and  forfeited  the  honour  which  he  had  acquired  by 
his  exertions  in  the  establishment  of  presbytery. 
When  his  name  was  mentioned,  at  the  calling  of  the 
rdl  in  the  beginning  of  the  assembly,  his  Majes^ 
challenged  it,  and  said  that  he  could  not  agree  to 
the  admission  of  one  whom  he  bad  prohibited  £rom 
attending  on  church  courts.  Melville  defended  his 
right.  His  Majesty's  prohibition,  he  said,  might 
extend  to  his  place  and  emoluments  in  the  univer- 
sity, hut  could  not  affect  his  doctoral  office,  which 
was  purely  ecclesiastical :  he  had  a  commission  from 
his  presbytery,  and  was  resolved,  for  his  part,  not 
to  betray  it.  Davidson  spoke  to  the  same  purpose 
and  reminded  the  King  that  he  was  present  as  a 
Christian,  and  not  as  president  of  the  assembly. 
James  attempted  a  reply  to  this  distinction,  but  had 


fomu  one  of  the  interaal  muka  of  the  two  Lialories  hiTing  been  writ- 
ten by  the  nme  author.  "  I  «u  not  igiKvant,'  waya  he,  "  of  the  na- 
tnal  csoM  tiiainif,  and  jet  vib&i  it  cam  to  the  amaafall  nglie  alriehe 
dukne^  I  waa  cut  on  my  kniea,  and  m;  hart  ahnwit  fealled."  The 
vaaes  which  he  compoied  on  thia  occaakm  are  recmded  in  bii  Diary, 
p.  390.  The  ntwe  poetical  deocription  of  hi*  nnde  may  be  teen  in 
Delitue  PDetamm  Scotcram,  ii.  180. 


44  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

recourse  to  the  ultimate  reason  of  Kings,  by  declar- 
ing that  he  would  allow  no  business  to  be  transact- 
ed until  his  will  was  complied  with.  Melville  ac- 
cordingly retired ;  but  not  until  he  had  delivered 
his  sentiments,  briefly  and  nervously,  on  the  leading 
business  which  was  to  engage  the  attention  of  the 
assembly.  He  was  commanded  at  first  to  confiine 
himself  to  his  lodgings ;  but  no  sooner  was  it  un- 
derstood that  his  brethren  repaired  to  him,  than  he 
and  his  colleague,  Jonston,  were  charged  to  quit 
Dundee  instantly,  under  the  pain  of  rebellion.  Da- 
vidson complained  of  this  next  day  in  the  assem- 
bly ;  and  another  member  ^  boldly  asserted  that  the 
restriction  laid  on  the  university,  and  the  interdic- 
tion now  given,  proceeded  from  the  dread  which  the 
court  had  of  Melville's  Learning.  "  I  will  not  hear 
one  word  on  that  head,"  said  his  Majesty  twice  or 
thrice.  "  Then  we  must  crave  help  of  him  that 
will  hear  us,"  replied  Davidson  f .  The  highest 
eulogium  from  the  mouth  of  James  coidd  not  have 
done  half  so  much  honour  to  Melville  as  his  present 
treatment  of  him  did.  He  had  procured  a  parlia- 
mentary statute  in  favour  of  the  measure  which  he 
wished  to  carry  ;  he  knew  that  a  great  part  of  the 
elders  stood  pledged  to  support  it  by  the  vote  which 
they  had  given  in  Parliament ;  he  had  the  commis- 
sioners of  the  church  at  his  beck  ;    and  he  had 

*  This  was  John  Knox^  minister  of  Melrose,  who  was  a  son  of 
William  Kiiox  minister  of  Cockpen,  the  brother  of  the  Refbnner. 

t  MeIviUe*8  Diary,  p.  339.  Cald.  v.  302,  303.  Wodrow's  Life 
of  Andrew  Melville,  p.  73.  MSS.  vol.  i.  in  Bibl.  Col.  Glasg. 


LIFE  OF  AXDREW  MELVILLE.  45 

brought  up  a  trained  band  of  trusty  voters  from  the 
extremities  of  the  north.  And  yet,  with  all  these 
advantages  on  his  side,  he  dreaded  to  bring  forward 
his  motion,  or  to  submit  it  to  discussion,  so  long  as 
MelviUe  remained  in  the  house,  or  even  within  the 
precincts  of  the  town,  in  which  the  assembly  was 
held. 

After  a  week  spent  in  secret  and  public  manage- 
ment, during  which  the  complaints  given  in  from  dif- 
ferent quarters  against  the  commissioners  were  got 
quashed,  the  main  business  was  at  last  introduced 
by  a  speed)  from  the  throne.  His  Majesty  dwelt 
on  the  important  services  which  he  had  done  for  the 
cburdi,  by  establishing  her  discipline,  watching  over 
her  peace,  and  endeavouring  to  recover  her  patri- 
mony, which  would  never  be  fully  effected  unless 
the  measure  which  he  was  about  to  propose  was 
adopted.  He  solemnly  and  repeatedly  protested, 
(with  what  truth  it  is  now  imnecessary  to  say,)  that 
he  had  no  intention  to  introduce  either  Popish  or 
Anglican  bishops,  but  that  his  sole  object  was  that 
some  of  the  best  and  wisest  of  the  ministry,  chosen 
by  the  General  Assembly,  should  have  a  place  in 
the  Privy  Council  and  Parliament,  to  sit  in  judg- 
ment on  their  own  affairs,  and  not  to  stand,  as  they 
had  too  long  stood,  at  the  door,  like  poor  suppliants, 
disregarded  and  despised.  Bruce,  Davidson,  Aird, 
James  Melville,  and  John  Carmichael,  were  the 
chief  speakers  against  the  vote  in  Parliament ;  Pont, 
Buchanan,  and  Gladstanes,  in  support  of  it.  The 
latter  had  a  powerful  auxiliary  in  the  King,  who 


46  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

was  always  ready  to  interfere  in  the  debate.  Glad- 
stanes  having  pleaded  the  power  which  the  priests 
had  among  the  ancient  Romans  *^  in  rogamUs  et 
.fBrendia  legibuSy'  Davidson  replied,  that  at  Rome 
the  priests  were  consulted,  but  had  no  vote  in  mak- 
ing laws :  "  jyrasentibtis  mcerdotihus  et  dimna  ex^ 
ponentibusy  sed  non  mffragia  habentihtisr  "  Where 
have  ye  that  ?"  asked  the  King.  "  In  Titus  Livius," 
said  Davidson.  ^^  Oh  !  are  you  going  then  from  the 
Scriptiures  to  Titus  Livius  ?"  exclaimed  his  Majesty. 
There  were  flatterers  present  who  applauded  this 
wretched  witticism ;  and  they  were  encouraged  to 
laugh  at  the  old  man,  who  pursued  his  argument 
with  equal  disregard  of  the  puerilities  of  James, 
and  the  rudeness  of  his  minions.  The  question  be- 
ing called  for,  it  was  decided  by  a  majority  of  ten 
votes  *,  "  that  it  was  necessary  and  expedient  for 
the  weal  of  the  church,  that  the  ministry,  as  the 
third  estate  of  this  realm,  should  in  the  name  of  the 
church  have  a  vote  in  Parliament."  The  measure 
was  carried  chiefly  by  the  votes  of  the  elders,  and 
it  was  urged  by  the  minority  that  a  number  of  them 
had  no  commission ;  but  the  demand  of  a  scrutiny 
was  resisted.  Davidson,  who  had  refused  to  take 
part  in  the  vote,  gave  in  a  protest  against  this  deci- 
sion, and  against  the  proceedings  of  this  and  the 
two  preceding  assemblies,  so  far  as  they  derogated 


i( 


Mr.  Gilbert  Body  led  the  ring^  a  drunken  Orknay  ass,  and  the 
graittest  number  followit,  all  for  the  bodie  but  [[without]]  respect  of 
the  spreit."    (Melville's  Diary,  p.  320.) 

2 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MEI.VIIJ.E.  47 

from  the  rights  of  the  church  ;  upon  the  ground  of 
their  not  being  free  assemblies,  but  overawed  by 
the  King,  and  restricted  in  their  due  and  wonted 
privil^es.  His  protest  was  refused,  and  lie  was 
IHTOBecuted  for  it  before  his  presbytery  at  the  King^ 
instance*. 

The  Assembly  farther  agreed  that  fifty-one  mi- 
niaters  should  he  chosen  to  represent  the  churc^ 
according  to  the  ancient  number  of  the  bishops,  ab- 
bots, aad  priors ;  and  that  their  election  should  be- 
long partly  to  the  King  and  partly  to  the  churdi. 
The  court  presented  a  series  of  resolutions  respect- 
ing Uie  manoer  of  electing  the  voters,  the  duration 


*  SpotnnMd,  who  erobrBces  every  opportanity  of  ipetlting  din«- 
•pectfull;  of  DasidiMi,  bu  advanced  a  number  of  auertioiii  reapect> 
ing  hia  conduct  on  the  present  occssian,  all  of  which  it  would  be  eaay 
lo  refute.  Aiuotig  other  thinga,  be  aaya  .*  "  He  himself,  as  hia  cus- 
tom WM  when  he  made  any  anch  trouble,  fled  awfty,  and  lurked  a 
while,  till  hia  pence  w*s  •gain  made."  (Hist.  p.  4J%.)  It  ia  very  eaay 
for  a  time-serving  priest,  wbo,  by  his  tame  compliances,  can  always 
•ecnre  hiraaelf  against  falling  into  danger,  to  talk  thus  of  a  man,  from 
wbose  rebuke  he  more  than  once  shrunk,  and  to  accuse  him  of  cow- 
mtioe  aerely  because  he  fled  from  the  Iswlen  rage  of  a  despot. 
But  it  is  not  Hue  that  Davidson  either  fled  or  concealed  himself  at 
this  time.  On  the  SQd  of  March,  159T,  immediately  after  the  rising 
of  the  Genera]  Assembly,  Lord  Tungland  and  David  Macgill  of  Cran- 
ttm  Riddell  appeared  before  the  pmbytery  of  Haddington,  and.  In 
bis  Miuesty'a  name,  gave  in  a  complaint  against  him.  Being  sum- 
moned to  attend  next  meeting,  Davidson  appeared  before  the  presby- 
tery at  Haddington,  on  the  99th  of  March.  On  the  Sih  of  April,  it 
was  attested  to  the  presbytery,  that  he  was  "  stayit  be  ane  beavie 
fever,"  and  on  the  I9th  of  that  monlli,  "  the  preshyterie  w'  consent 
of  his  Mat'"  commissioner  condnewit  all  fsrder  dealing  in  this  mater 
till  y*  said  Mr.  Johne  at  the  pleaso'  of  God  snld  be  restorit  to  his 
health."  (Reconl  of  Presbytery  of  Haddington.) 


48  MFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

of  their  commission,  their  name,  their  revenues,  and 
the  restrictions  necessary  to  prevent  theme  from 
abusing  their  powers.  But  the  proposal  of  them  ex- 
cited so  much  dissatisfaction,  that  the  King,  dread- 
ing, from  the  feeling  that  began  to  be  displayed, 
that  he  would  lose  the  ground  which  he  had  already 
gained,  deemed  it  prudent  to  put  off  the  discussion. 
It  was  therefore  appointed  that  the  presbyteries 
should  immediately  take  the  subject  under  consider- 
ation ;  that  they  should  report  their  opinions  to 
their  respective  provincial  synods;  and  that  each 
synod  should  nominate  three  delegates,  who,  along 
with  the  theological  professors,  should  hold  a  con- 
ference, in  the  presence  of  his  Majesty,  on  the  points 
which  the  Assembly  had  left  undetermined.  If  they 
were  unanimous,  the  resolutions  to  which  they  came 
were  to  be  final ;  if  not,  the  whole  matter  was  to  be 
referred  to  the  next  General  Assembly  *. 

The  resolutions  in  all  the  southern  presbyteries 
and  synods  evinced  the  greatest  jealousy  of  episco- 
pacy, and  a  disposition  to  confine  the  powers  of  the 
voter  in  parliament  within  the  narrowest  possible 
bounds.  Yet  matters  were  so  craftily  conducted  by 
the  agents  of  the  court,  in  concert  with  such  of  the 
ministers  as  were  secretly  in  their  interest,  that  the 
delegates  chosen  for  the  conference  were,  in  several 
instances,  of  opposite  views  to  those  of  their  consti- 


«  Bulk  of  the  Univ.  Kirk,  ff.  18B--19S.  CM.  v.  aoi— ^5. 
Melville's  Diary,  pp.  329,  330.  And  his  History  of  the  Dedinipg 
Age,  pp.  13 — 18.     Spotswood,  pp.  450— 45S. 


LIFE  OP  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  49 

tU''Dts  *.  Perceiving  this,  disapproving  of  the-whole 
scheme,  and  convinced  that  no  restrictionB  would 
prevent  it  from  issuing  in  the  establishment  of  epis- 
copacy, there  were  individuals  who  thought  it  safest 
to  stand  aloof,  and  to  take  no  pert  in  the  subordi- 
nate arrangements.  Among  these  was  James  Mel- 
ville. But  his  uncle  was  of  a  different  mind.  He 
was  quite  aware  of  the  policy  which  permitted  him 
to  take  part  in  private  and  extrajudicial  conferences, 
while  be  was  excluded  from  the  public  assemblies 
in  which  the  points  in  debate  were  to  be  ultimately 
and  authoritatively  determined.  But  he  deemed  it 
of  consequence  to  encourage  his  brethren  by  bis 
presence,  and  to  interpose  every  obstacle  in  the  way 
of  the  accomplishment  of  a  measure  so  injurious  to 
the  interests  of  the  church.  Accordingly,  he  gave 
faithful  attendance  on  all  the  meetings  of  the  con- 
ference f , 

The  result  of  the  first  meeting,  held  at  Falkland, 
was  so  dissatisfactory  to  the  King,  that  he  prorogued 
the  General  Assembly  which  bad  been  appointed  to 
meet  at  Aberdeen  in  July,  1599.  Other  meetings 
were  held  ;  but  they  were  chiefly  occupied  in  desul- 
tory conversation,  or  in  attempts  to  lull  asleep  the 
most  vigilant  of  the  church's  guardians  by  artful 
professions,  and  proposals  for  removing,  what  were 


•  Record  of  the  Prnbjtery  of  Edinbu^,  May  30,  IMS.  Rec. 
of  PrarfncUl  Sjnod  of  Lotbiin,  June,  lfi9S.  Melville'i  INary,  pp. 
330,331. 

■f-  MelTiUe'a  Dimry,  p.  331. 

VOL.  II.  r. 


50  . 1-IFE  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE. 

called,  unreasonable  and  unfounded  jealousies  ^. 
Melville,  took  a  leading  part  in  an  interesting  de- 
bate which  occurred  in  November,  1599,  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  conference,  assisted  by  ministers  from  the' 
different  quarters  of  the  country,  convened  by  royal 
missives  in  the  palace  of  Holyroodhouse.  One  de- 
sign of  calling  this  meeting  appears  to  have  been, 
to  ascertain  the  argmnents  which  were  to  be  used 
in  opposition  to  the  vote  in  parliament,  that  so  the 
court  party  might  be  prepared  to  meet  them  in  the 
next  General  Assembly.  In  opening  the  conference 
the  King  signified,  that  all  were  at  liberty  to  reason 
on  the  subject  at  large,  including  the  points  which 
had  been  determined,  as  well  as  those  which  had 
been  left  undecided,  at  last  assembly;  but  that  such 
as  refused  to  state  their  objections  at  present  should 
forfeit  their  right  to  bring  them  forward  at  a  sub- 
sequent period.  Accordingly,  the  lawfulness  of  mi- 
nisters sitting  in  parliament  came  first  under  dis- 
cussion. And  here  the  debate  turned  chiefly  on 
the  following  question — **  Is  it  consistent  with  the 
nature  of  their  office,  its  duties,  and  the  directicms 
of  Scripture  about  it,  for  ministers  of  the  gospel  to 
undertake  a  civil  function  ?" 

By  those  who  maintained  the  aflinnative  it  was^ 
lui^ed^  That,  as  the  gospel  does  not  destroy  civil 
policy,  so  it  does  not  hinder  any  of  those  who  pro- 
fess it  from  discharging  political  duties  :  That  when 
ministers  are  enjoined  '<  not  to  entangle  themselves 


*  Cald.  V.  371.    Melville's  Hiat.  of  the  Declining  Age,  p.  19. 

9 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  51 

with  the  affairs  of  this  life,"  they  are  not  prohibited 
from  discharging  civil  offices  any  more  than  the  du- 
ties of  natural  economy  and  domestic  life:  That 
thore  are  approved  examples  in  scripture  of  sacred 
and  civil  c^ces  being  united  in  the  same  person : 
That  ministers  were  as  much  distracted  from  the 
duties  of  their  office  by  the  visitation  of  churches 
and  waiting  on  meetings  for  fixing  stipends,  as  they 
would  be  by  sitting  in  parliaments  and  conventions 
of  estates :  That  it  was  allowed  by  all  that  minis- 
ters might  wait  on  his  Majesty  and  give  him  their 
advice  in  matters  of  state :  That  as  free  men  and 
citizens,  ministers  were  entitled  to  be  represented 
as  well  as  the  other  orders  in  the  state :  That  the 
General  Assembly  bad  often  craved  a  vote  in  Par- 
liament :  And  that  ecclesiastical  persons  had  sitten 
in  that  court  ever  since  the  Reformation. 

In  the  negative  it  was  argued.  That,  though  the 
gospel  by  no  means  destroys  civil  policy,  yet  all  po- 
litical laws  which  are  inconsistent  with  it,  or  which 
interfere  with  any  of  its  institutions,  are  unlawful : 
That  the  duties  of  natural  and  domestic  economy 
are  altogether  different  from  those  which  belong  to 
public  offices  in  society  :  That  when  the  apostle  pro- 
hibits ministers  from  "  entangling  themselves  with 
the  affairs  of  this  life,"  he  puts  his  meaning  out  of 
doubt,  by  referring,  as  an  illustration,  to  the  case 
ot  s  soldier,  who  must  renounce  and  avoid  all  world- 
ly occupations,  that  he  may  devote  himself  to  the 
military  life  and  entirely  please  and  obey  bis  com- 
mander :  Thai  the  duties  of  the  ministerial  office 
£S 


52  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

are  so  great  and  manifold,  and  the  injunctions  to 
constant  and  unremitting  diligence  in  discharging 
them  so  numerous,  so  solemn,  and  so  urgent,  that 
no  minister  who  is  duly  impressed  with  these  con- 
siderations will  accept  of  another  function  which 
must  engross  much  of  his  time  and  attention ;  and 
that  it  is  criminal  to  throw  temptations  to  this  in 
his  way  :  Tliat  the  union  of  sacred  and  civil  offices 
in  certain  individuals  mentioned  in  scripture  was 
extraordinary  and  typical ;  and  when  the  Jewish 
polity  was  established,  these  offices  were  separated, 
and  could  not  be  lawfully  held  by  the  same  persons : 
That  the  occasional  visitation  of  churches  is  a  part 
'Of  the  ministerial  function :  That  if  ministers  are 
.diverted  from  their  pastoral  duty  by  commissions 
for  fixing  stipends,  this  is  owing  to  a  defect  in  the 
establishment  whicli  they  had  long  complained  of, 
.  and  for  which  the  magistrates  and  their  flocks  must 
answer:  That  ministers,  as  such,  do  not  form  an 
order  in  the  state,  and  that  as  citizens  they  are  re- 
presented along  with  others  by  the  commissioners 
of  shires  and  burghs  :  That  if  the  King  and  estates 
entrust  ministers  with  the  care  of  their  souls,  the 
.latter  may  surely  give  credit  to  the  former  in  what 
relates  to  their  bodies  :    That  no  General  Assembly 
before  the  last  one  had  ever  craved  a  vote  for  mi- 
nifiters  in  parliament :   And  that,  ever  since  the 
churdi  had  condemned  episcopacy,  she  had  objected 
to  bishops  and  other  persons  called  ecclesiastical, 
sitting  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  nation. 

On  this  part  of  the  debate,  Melville  deduced  the 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  63 

history  of  the  gradual  blending  of  ecclesiastical  and 
civil  jurisdiction  under  the  papacy,  by  means  of 
which  the  Roman  Pontiff  became  at  last  so  formid- 
able, armed  himself  with  the  two  swords,  trampled 
on  princes,  and  transferred  crowns  and  kingdoms  at 
his  pleasure.  "  Take  heed,"  said  he,  addressing 
James,  "  that  you  do  not  set  up  those  who  shall  cast 
you  or  your  successors  down." 

The  second  question  which  was  brought  forward 
related  to  the  duration  of  the  office.  The  court 
party  were  anxious  that  the  clerical  voter  should 
hold  his  place  ad  viiam  out  culpam  :  their  opponents 
insisted  that  the  place  should  be  filled  by  annual 
ekcUon.  The  former  argued,  that  no  man  would 
submit  to  the  trouble  and  expense  that  must  be  in- 
curred, if  his  continuance  in  office  was  precarious, 
or  limited  to  a  single  year  or  a  single  parliament ; 
and  that  within  so  short  a  period  persons  could 
neither  acquire  the  knowledge  of  law,  nor  bring  any 
business  which  the  church  might  entrust  to  them  to 
a  termination.  It  was  replied  by  the  latter,  that 
they  were  at  present  deliberating  on  what  was  for 
the  good  of  the  church  and  commonwealth,  and  not 
on  what  might  be  agreeable  or  profitable  to  indivi- 
duals ;  that  by  continuing  in  the  employment  mi- 
nisters would  acquire  more  knowledge  of  the  laws 
of  men,  but  less  of  those  of  God,  more  acquaintance 
with  the  wiles  of  worldly  policy,  luid  leas  with  the 
sincerity  of  the  wisdom  which  is  ftom  above  ;  and 
that  the  General  Assembly  was  more  capable  of  at- 
tending to  the  real  interests  of  the  church  than  a 
£3 


54  LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE. 

few  men,  who,  if  a  judgment  might  be  formed  from 
experience,  would  be  chiefly  occupied  in  securing 
their  own  wealth  and  aggrandizement.  The  hurt- 
ful consequences  of  their  continuing  in  office  during 
life  or  good  behaviour  were  insisted  on  at  great 
fength.  It  would  secularize  their  minds  ;  it  would 
induce  a  habitual  neglect  of  the  duties  of  their  spi-* 
ritual  function ;  it  would,  in  spite  of  all  checks  which 
might  be  imposed,  gradually  raise  them  to  superior- 
ity over  their  brethren,  and  make  them  indepen- 
dent of  the  ecclesiastical  courts ;  although  the  church 
should  depose  them  for  improper  conduct,  yet  if  they 
happened  to  please  his  Majesty,  he  would  maintain 
tfa^m  in  their  place  by  his  royal  authority  or  by  his 
influence  in  the  General  Assembly ;  and  being  se- 
cured in  their  lordships  and  livings  they  would  sedc 
to  revenge  their  quarrel,  by  injuring  the  church, 
or  such  of  their  brethren  as  curbed  their  ambition 
and  complained  of  their  misconduct.  ^^  There  is  no 
fear,"  said  the  King,  "  but  you  will  all  prove  true 
enough  to  your  craft."  "  God  make  us  all  true 
enough  to  Christ,"  replied  Melville.  "  There  is 
nothing  so  good  but  it  may  be  suspected,  and  thus 
you  will  be  content  with  nothing."  "  We  doubt  the 
goodness  of  the  thing,  and  have  but  too  much  reason 
to  suspect  its  evil."  "  His  Majesty  and  the  parlia- 
ment will  not  admit  the  voters  otherwise  than  for 
life ;  and  if  you  do  not  agree  to  this,  you  will  lose 
the  benefit."  "  The  loss  will  be  small."  "  Ministers 
then  will  lie  in  contempt  and  poverty.**  **  It  was 
their  Master's  case  before  them  :    better  poverty 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  fig 

with  sincerity,  than  promotion  with  corruption.** 
"  Others  will  be  promoted  to  the  place,  who  wil) 
oppras  and  ruin  the  church ;  for  his  Majesty  w0 
not  want  his  third  estate."  "  Then  let  Christ,  the 
King  ci  the  church,  avenge  her  wrongs :  he  has 
done  so  hefore." 

The  title  to  be  given  to  the  voter  in  Parlia- 
ment formed  the  next  topic  of  debate.  Those  who 
spoke  the  language  of  the  court  insisted  that  he 
should  have  the  name  of  bishop.  "  If  we  are  agreed 
in  the  substance,"  said  they,  "  the  name  is  of  little 
consequence ;  and  as  the  parliament  has  restored 
the  title  of  bishop,  and  may  refuse  to  admit  the  re- 
presentative of  the  church  under  any  other  desig- 
nation, it  would  be  a  pity  to  lose  a  privilege  which 
his  Majesty  has  procured  with  such  great  pains  and 
di£ScuIty,  through  scrupulosity  about  a  name,  which, 
after  all,  is  scriptural."  To  this  Melville  replied 
ironically:  "  No  doubt  the  name  episcopos  or  bi- 
shop is  scriptural ;  and  why  should  it  not  be  given  ? 
But  as  something  additional  to  the  office  of  the  scrip- 
ture-bishop is  to  be  allotted  to  our  new  parliament- 
men,  I  would  propose  to  eke  a  little  to  the  name, 
and  this  shall  be  scriptural  also.  Let  us  baptize 
them  hy  the  name  which  the  apostle  Peter  gives  to 
such  officers,  and  call  them  aUotrio-episciyaoi,  biMjf~ 
bishops,  who  meddle  with  matters  foreign  to  their 
calling."  tn  earnest  he  replied,  that  the  word  bishop 
was  applied  in  the  scriptures  indiserimtnately  to  all 
ministers  of  the  gospel ;  that  in  common  speech  it 
was  now  understood  as  the  discriminative  appetla- 


56  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

tion  of  those  who  claimed  a  superiority  of  office  and 
power,  as  in  the  churches  of  Rome  and  England ; 
that  for  good  reasons  the  use  of  it  had  been  laid 
aside  and  prohibited  in  the  church  of  Scotland ;  that 
those  to  whom  it  was  now  proposed  to  give  it  were 
to  occupy  the  places  to  which  ecclesiastical  pre-emi- 
nence had  been  attached ;  the  title  was  calculated 
to  feed  their  vanity  and  lust  of  power ;  and  being 
accustomed  to  be  saluted  as  lords  at  court  and  in 
parliament,  they  would  soon  begin  to  look  sour  on 
such  as  refused  to  give  them  their  honorary  titles  in 
the  church. 

Night  put  an  end  to  the  debate.  Next  morning 
Lindsay,  who  acted  as  moderator,  recapitulated 
what  had  been  done  on  the  preceding  day  in  such 
a  way  as  to  insinuate  that  the  heads  which  had  been 
under  consideration  were  settled  agTeeably  to  the 
wishes  of  the  court.  A  murmur  of  disapprobation 
spread  through  the  assembly ;  and  several  members 
rose  and  declared  that  their  scruples  against  the 
main  proposal,  so  far  from  being  weakened^  were 
greatly  strengthened  by  the  discussion  of  yesterday. 
Melville  made  an  earnest  and  solemn  appeal  to  the 
moderator.  He  reminded  him,  that  he  was  one  of 
the  oldest  ministers  of  the  church,  and  had  been  pre- 
sent at  many  assemblies  in  which  these  very  points 
had,  after  the  most  grave  and  deliberate  discussion, 
been  unanimously  decided.  And  he  asked  him,  how 
he  could  for  a  moment  imagine,  that  any  one  who 
was  settled  in  his  judgment  could  be  moved  to  alter 
it  by  so  light  a  conference  as  the  present,  in  which 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  57 

scripture  might  be  said  to  have  been  pro&ned  ra- 
ther than  solidly  and  reverently  handled.  His  Ma- 
jesty took  offence  at  this  last  expression,  and  court- 
eously gave  the  speaker  the  lie.  Melville  replied, 
that  he  had  included  himself  in  the  censure,  and  did 
not  mean  to  confine  it  to  one  side  of  the  house. 
Finding  that  he  had  gained  nothing,  James  broke 
off  the  conference  in  a  fret.  In  dismissing  the  mem- 
bers, he  said  that  he  had  been  induced  by  the  com- 
missioners of  the  church  to  call  this  meeting  for  the 
satis&ction  of  such  as  had  scruples,  in  the  hopes 
that  matters  would  proceed  peaceably  and  harmo- 
niously ;  but  he  perceived  men  to  be  so  full  of  their 
own 'concrits,  and  sd  pre-occupied  in  their  judg- 
ments, as  not  to  yield  to  reason,  and  would  there- 
fore leave  the  matter  to  be  determined  by  the  Ge- 
neral Assembly.  If  they  received  the  favour  oner- 
ed  them,  he  would  ratify  theii*  conclusions  with  lus 
dvll  sanction,  and  none  should  be  allowed  to  speak 
against  them :  if  they  refused  it,  they  would  have 
themselves  to  blame  for  sinking  still  deeper  and 
deeper  into  poverty.  As  for  himself,  he  could  not 
want  one  of  his  estates,  but  would  use  his  authori- 
ty in  putting  into  the  vacant  bishoprics  persons 
who  would  accept  of  them,  and  who  would  do  their 
duty  to  him  and  to  bis  kingdoin  *. 

•-Hdvflb^f  D&U7,  pp.  33S— SU.  Jamn  M«hflle  committed  the 
mnati»gi  M  thi*  axttnade  tewrilflig  while  Mi  weoUection  of  them 
wu  frod).  Th«  vibde  of  bis  Mscovnt  u  copied  into  CUderwood's 
H8.  and  lai^  extract*  from  it  may  be  Men  in  Printed  Calderwood, 


58  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILUC. 

The  General  Assembly  which  met  at  Montrose 
on  the  28th  of  March^  1600,  excited  greater  interest 
than  had  been  felt  at  any  meeting  of  the  supreme 
ecclesiastical  judicatory  for  many  years  *.  All  were 
convinced  that  upon  its  decision  it  depended  whe* 
ther  the  presbyterian  constitution  should  stand,  or 
should  yield  to  the  gradual  encroachments  of  pre- 
lacy under  the  protection  of  the  royal  supremacy. 
The  attendance  of  members  was  full,  and  sanguiM 
hopes  of  success  were  entertained  by  both  parties. 
The  defenders  of  the  establishment  confided  in  the 
goodness  of  their  cause,  and  in  the  evident  superior- 
ity in  point  of  argument  which  they  had  maintain* 
ed  at  the  last  conference.  Their  opponents  were 
equally  confident  that  they  would  prevail  by  address 
and  the  powerful  interest  of  the  crown. 

The  presbytery  of  St  Andrews  having  chosen 
hjon  as  one  of  their  representatives,  Melville  deter* 
mined  again  to  assert  his  right  to  a  seat  in  the  Ge% 
neral  Assembly.  It  was  no  sooner  known  that  hs 
had  come  to  Montrose  than  he  was  sent  for  by  ihs 
King.  His  Majesty  asked  him  why  he  was  so  trou* 
blesome,  by  persisting  to  attend  on  assemblies  afiter 
he  had  prohibited  him.     He  replied,  that  he  had  a 


*  Row  mentions^  that  this  asBembly  was  "  notified  only  be  ammi 
of  trumpet  att  the  crosse  of  £d'  and  other  nddf ul  places^  whereat  many 
good  Christians  wondered  att«  seing  y'  was  never  the  lyka  bflfote." 
(Hist.  p.  78.) — It  was  appointed  at  this  time  that  the  beginning  of 
ihe  year  should  henceforth  be  reckoned  from  the  1st  of  January,  in- 
stead of  the  S5th  of  March.  (Record  of  Privy  Council,  Dec  IT, 
1599.) 


LIFE  OF  AKDRKW  HBLTILLE.  59 

oommiBsioD  finnn  the  church,  and  behoved  to  dis- 
charge it  under  the  pain  of  incurring  Uie  displeasure 
vi  one  who  was  greater  than  any  earthly  monarch. 
JReeourse  was  then  had  to  menaces,  but  they  served 
mfy  to  nmse  Melfille'i  spirit.  On  quitting  the 
royal  apartment,  be  put  hig  hand  to  his  throat, 
and  said,  "  Sir,  is  it  thit  you  wonld  have  ?  You 
dudl  have  it  before  I  betray  tiie  cause  of  Christ." 
He  was  not  allowed  to  take  his  seat  in  the  judica- 
tory ;  but  it  was  judged  unadvisable  to  order  bim 
out  of  the  town,  as  had  been  done  on  a  former  oc- 
casion. He  accordingly  remained,  and  assisted  hit 
brethren  with  his  advice  during  the  sitting  of  the 
assembly*. 

"ne  debate  on  the  propriety  of  ministers  voting 
tn  Parliament  was  resumed ;  and  a  formidable  train 
of  ai^uments,  including  those  which  had  been  used 
in  the  conference  at  Holyroodhonse,  was  brought 
forward  against  the  measure.  In  support  of  these 
a  paper  was  given  in,  consisting  of  extracts  from 
-  the  writings  of  reformed  divines  and  of  the  fathers^ 
with  the  decisions  of  the  most  ancient  end  renown- 
ed General  CouneilB.  Unable  to  reply  to  these  ar- 
guments and  authorities,  the  advocates  of  the  mee- 
snre  were  forced  to  abandon  the  ground  which  they 
had  taken  up  during  the  late  conferences.  They 
granted  the  force  of  the  general  reasoning  used  by 
tlwir  opponents,  but  insisted  that  it  was  not  ap- 
{AleaUe  to  the  case.     They  affected  now  to  condemn 

•  HdriOe^  SMkj,  p.  8«.    HiM.  of  Um  Dwlinii«  Stale  of  the 

Chvfpb,  pp.  8t,  at. 


Vvo^^^^C  reject  tbe  «a>^       P^«- ^^^V  to  iV^e 
4eci4«*  *'  V«ed  w  VJJ^   .^  thai  *"  *        a^' 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  61 

by  collusion  between  the  clerk  and  the  Kmg,  the 
minute  was  so  drawn  up  as  to  express  a  resolution 
materially  eversive  of  that  which  had  passed,  and 
in  this  altered  form  an  approbation  of  it  was  pro- 
cured at  the  close  of  the  assembly. 

To  induce  the  members  to  acquiesce  in  the  un- 
popular measure,  the  court  party  agreed  to  the  ra- 
tification of  all  the  articles  and  cautious  which  had 
been  proposed  in  the  conference  at  Falkland,  with 
the  view  of  protecting  the  liberties  of  the  church, 
and  guarding  against  the  introduction  of  episco- 
pacy. They  did  not  even  object  to  the  addition  of 
others  still  more  strict.  The  voters  were  to  have 
the  name,  not  of  Bishops,  but  Commissioners  of  the 
church  in  Parliament.  As. to  their  election,  it  waa 
agreed^  that  the  Qeneral  Assembly»  with  the  advice 
of  synods  and  presbyteries,  should  nominate  six  in- 
dividuals in  each  province,  from  which  number  his 
Majesty  should  choose  one  as  the  ecclesiastical  re- 
presentative of  that  province.  For  his  emoluments 
he  was  to  be  allowed  the  rents  of  the  benefice  to 
which  he  should  be  presented,  after  the  churclies, 
colleges,  and  schools,  had  been  provided  for  out  of 
them.  The  following  cautions,  or  ^^  caveats,"  as 
they  were  called,  were  enacted  to  prevent  him  from 
abusing  his  power :  That  he  should  not  presume  to 
propose  any  thing  to  parliament,  convention,  or 
council,  in  the  name  of  the  church,  without  her  ex- 
press warrant  and  direction ;  nor  consent  to  the 
passing  of  any  act  prejudicial  to  the  church,  under 
the  pain  of  deposition  from  his  ofiice :  That,  at  each 


63  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

General  Assembly,  he  should  give  an  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  had  discharged  his  commission, 
and  submit,  without  appeal,  to  the  censure  of  the  as* 
sembly,  under  the  pain  of  infamy  and  excommunica* 
tion  :  That  he  should  rest  satisfied  with  the  part  of 
the  benefice  allotted  to  him,  without  encroaching 
upon  what  was  assigned  to  other  ministers  within 
his  province :  That  he  should  not  dilapidate  his  be- 
nefice, nor  dispose  of  any  part  of  its  rents  without 
the  consent  of  the  General  Assembly :  That  he  should 
perform  all  the  duties  of  the  pastoral  office  within 
his  own  particular  congregation,  subject  to  the  cen- 
siu^  of  the  presbytery  and  provincial  synod  to  which 
he  belonged  :  That  in  the  exercise  of  discipline,  the 
collation  of  benefices,  the  visitation  of  churches,  and 
all  other  parts  of  ecclesiastical  government,  he  should 
claim  no  more  power  or  jurisdiction  than  what  be- 
longed to  other  ministers,  under  the  pain  of  depriva- 
tion :  That  in  meetings  of  presbytery  and  of  other 
church  courts,  he  should  behave  himself  in  all  things^ 
and  be  subject  to  censure,  in  the  same  manner  as 
his  brethren :  That  he  should  have  no  right  to  sit 
in  the  General  Assembly  without  a  commission  from 
his  presbytery  :  That,  if  deposed  from  the  office  of 
the  ministry,  he  should  lose  his  vote  in  parliament, 
and  his  benefice  should  become  vacant:  And  that 
he  should  incur  the  same  loss  upon  being  convicted 
of  having  solicited  the  office.  It  was  ordained,  that 
these  "  caveats"  should  be  inserted,  "  as  most  ne- 
cessary and  substantial  points,"  in  the  body  of  an 
act  of  parliament  to  be  made  for  confirming  tbe 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  68 

church's  vote  ;  and  that  every  commisBioner  should 
subscribe  and  swear  to  observe  them  when  he  was 
admitted  to  his  function  *. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  to  conceive  regulations  bet- 
ter adapted  to  prevent  the  evils  which  were  dread- 
ed. But  the  strictest  cautions,  sanctioned  by  the 
most  sacred  promises,  were  feeble  ties  on  an  unprin- 
cipled court,  and  perfidious  churchmen,  who  were 
ready  to  sacrifice  both  honour  and  conscience  to  the 
gratification  of  their  avarice  and  ambition. 

Mille  ulde  ntenu, 
Effttgiet  tamen  htec  aceleratiu  rinculft  Proteus. 

An  early  proof  of  this  was  given.  A  meeting  of 
the  commissioners  of  the  General  Assembly,  and 
dd^ates  from  synods,  was  held  in  the  month  of 
October  following,  in  consequence  of  a  letter  &om 
the  King  desiring  their  advice  respecting  the  settle- 
ment of  ministers  in  Edinburgh,  and  "  such  other 
things  as  shall  be  thought  good  to  be  proposed  in 
the  name  of  the  church  for  the  weal  of  our  and  their 
estate  at  our  first  parliament."  Dreading  the  op- 
position of  James  Melville  and  two  other  ministers, 
his  Majesty  got  them  appointed  on  a  committee  to 
transact  some  business  ;  and  during  their  absence, 
he,  with  the  consent  of  those  present,  summarily 
nominated  David  Lindsay,  Peter  Blackburn,  and 

•  Baik  of  the  UniTnuU  Kirk,  ff.  193,  ISL  CUd.  r.  414—440. 
Mdfllle'*  DUiy,  pp.  349—362.  Hitt.  of  the  Oed.  Age,  p.  19— Si. 
fntbf^  Vimaj,  pp. »— M.    Spotnrood,  453,  «T,  4K. 


64  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

George  Oladstanes,  to  the  vacant  bishoprics  of  RdBs, 
Aberdeen,  and  Caithness.  This  transaction'  '^rm 
carefully  concealed  from  the  absent  member^"  tmtil 
the  meeting  was  dissolved.  And  the  bishops  ap- 
pointed in  this  clandestine  manner  sat  and  voted  in 
the  ensuing  parliament,  in  direct  violation  of  t&e 
cautions  to  which  they  had  so  lately  given  thieir 
consent  *. 

•  Archbishop  ^K>tswood  was  imder  the  necessity 
of  inserting  the  cautions  in  his  History,  and  he  was 
forced  to  acknowledge,  what  was  then  notorious  to 
all  the  world,  that  **  it  was  neither  the  King's  in- 
tention, nor  the  mind  of  the  wiser  sort,  to  have  these 
cautions  stand  in  force ;  but  to  have  matters  peace- 
ably ended,  and  the  reformation  of  the  policy**  (that 
is,  the  introduction  of  episcopacy)  **  made  without 
any  noise,  the  King  gave  way  to  these  conceits  f.** 
The  archbishop  calls  the  ministers  who  acted  this 
part  "  the  wiser  sort ;"  forgetting,  perhaps,  that  this 
species  of  wisdom,  however  much  it  may  be  *'  i»- 
teemed  among  men,  is  abomination  with  OodT." 
They  were  suffered  to  triumph  for  a  while  iii  the 
success  of  their  knavery  ;  but  he  who  "  taketh  the 
wise  in  their  own  craftiness,"  visited  them  at  length 

■  c. 

*  Tbeir  preicntations  w«re  dated  tbe  Sth  Nov.  1600.  (Rtgtid 
Ftesem.  to  Benef.  voL  uL  f.  30.)  On  the  30th  Dec.  1600,  D«Md 
Lhidsay,  bishop  of  Ross,  was  admitted  to  be  ''  ane  of  the  comiiall^" 
and  on  the  24th  Nov.  160^  Mr.  George  GladstaneB,  bishop  of  Caith- 
ness>  was  admitted^  ''  be  his  Maiestie's  direction  uid  caaammL 
(Record  of  Privy  Council.) 

t  Hist.  p.  454. 


M 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  65 

with,  merited  retribution ;  and  the  violation  of  these 
Toy  cautions,  wluch  had  been  ratified  by  the  King, 
svom  to  by  the  bishops  *,  and  never  replied  by 
any  ecclesiastical  authority,  formed  one  of  the  chief 
graonds  upon  which  the  ardibishop  and  his  col- 
leagues were  afterwards  deposed  and  excommuni- 
cated  by  the  General  Assembly  f . 

His  Majesty  was  present  at  all  the  assemblies  in 
which  this  aflTair  was  discussed,  and  gave  the  most 
religious  attendance  on  every  session.  He  did  not 
even  miss  a  single  meeting  of  the  privy  conference. 
During  the  sitting  of  the  General  Assembly,  affairs 
of  state  were  entirely  neglected,  and  the  court  was 
converted  into  a  clerical  levee.  The  privy  counsel- 
lors complained,  that  they  could  not  have  access  to 
their  master  on  account  of  the  crowd  of  preachers 
which  continually  thronged  his  cabinet.  In  the 
public  deliberations  and  debates  he  directed  and  de- 
cided every  thing  in  his  double  capacity  of  disputant 
and  umpire.  Those  who  wish  to  perceive  the  glory 
of  James's  reign  must  carefully  attend  to  this  part 
of  its  history.     It  was  at  this  time  that  he  found  a 


*  'f  It  WM  kyed  to  the  charge  of  Mr.  John  Spottiswood,  appointed 
Biahop  of  Glaagow  thereafter  in  Anno  1605,  before  hia  Mig.  be  the 
lofd  Bahnerinoch,  Preaident,  that  he  had  awom  to  obaenre  the  Ca- 
fWta,  and  had  obliged  himadf  to  rabacryre  them.  Neither  could  hia 
Ua^  be  wdl  aatitfied  with  him  in  that  matter  untill  he  had  procured 
aa  Aet  of  the  Pireabyterie  of  Glaagow  teatifying  that  he  had  not  aub- 
wajwed  tfaem^  whilk  he  preaented  to  hia  M^j.  for  hia  defence;  aa 
liwai^  hk  oadi  had  been  nothing  aa  long  as  he  did  not  anbacryve 
(Fbibea'a  Hiatory,  p.  87.) 

t  Acta  of  the  General  Aaaembly,  Anno  1638,  Sesa.  SO. 

VOL.  II.  F 


M 


66  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Stage  on  which  he  could  exert  his  distinguishing 
talent,  and  **  stidc  the  doctor's  chair  into  the  throne." 
It  was  at  this  time  that  he  acquired  that  skill  ut 
iwints  of  divinity,  and  in  the  management  of  eccle^ 
siastical  meetings,  which  afterwards  filled  the  Eng- 
lish bishops  with  both  ^^  admiration  and  shame,** 
and  made  them  cry  out  that  they  verily  thought  lie 
Miias  ^  inspired."  Never  did  this  wise  monarch  ap- 
pear to  such  great  advantage,  as  when,  surrounded 
with  ^  his  own  northern  men,"  he  canvassed  for  votes 
with  all  the  ardour  and  address  of  a  candidate  for  a 
borough ;  or  when,  presiding  in  the  debates  of  the 
General  Assembly,  he  kept  the  members  to  the  ques- 
tion, regaled  them  with  royal  wit,  calling  one  "  a 
seditious  knave,"  and  another,  ^*  a  liar ;"  saying  to 
one  speaker,  "  that's  witch-like,*'  and  to  another, 
*^  that's  anabaptistical,"  instructed  the  clerk  in  the 
true  geographical  mode  of  calling  the  roll,  or  taking 
him  home  to  his  closet,  helped  him  to  correct  the 
minutes  *. 


*  Cald.  y.  Sao,  399,  571.  At  the  General  Assembly  in  May,  1597^ 
an  ordinance  was  made>  (says  James  Melville)  "  that  at  the  penning 
of  everie  act  ther  sonld  be  certean  brether  w^  the  clark,  whereof  I  w«s 
■Ml  and  Mr.  James  Niookone  an  nther.  •  But  whill  as  I  earn  tiU  at- 
laid,  thay  war  commandit  to  com  to  the  king  with  the  minntea  r  iiild 
•M  I  gat  na  aeeess/'  (Diary>  Slii.)  James  Melville  (lb.  p.  Ses.)  M^ 
joins  the  following  verse,  probably  from  an  old  poem,  to  bis  teoMMi 

€f  tile  proceedings  at  this  time :  •      * 

» 

The  Dron,  the  Doungeoun  and  the  Draught 

Did  mak  their  cannon  of  the  King : 
Syn  feirfully  with  ws  they  faught. 

And  doun  to  dirt  they  did  ws  ding. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  67 

Doring  these  transactions  several  occurrences  df 
a  nibordinate  kind  took  place,  to  which  it  may  be 
pn^ier  to  advert  The  church  suffered  a  serere  loM 
by  the  death  of  a  number  of  her  diBtinguished  nrn 
nistera.  The  end  of  the  year  1698  proved  fatal  to 
David  Fe^uson,  minister  of  Dunfermline,  whose  in* 
tegr^t  united  with  an  uncommon  vein  of  good* 
humoured  wit,  made  him  a  favourite  with  aU 
daaaea*.  Thomas  Budianan,  Provost  of  Kirkheuch, 
and  miirister  of  Ceres,  died  suddenly  in  the  course  oi 
the  fallowing  year,  lamented  by  those  who  knew  fait 
worth  and  talents,  though  they  disapproved  of  his 
puUic  conduct  during  the  last  two  years  of  his  life  f . 


*  He  died  at  "  the  age  of  65."  (SpoUwood,  p.  4iS.)  John  Jon. 
•Ml  BSM  bU  deadi  on  the  S3d  of  Auguit,  1«S8.  (Life  of  Kuos,  jf, 
Ml.)  To  hU  vorka  mentioned  in  the  Life  of  Knox  (toI.  iL  note  B.) 
maj  be  added  the  following  i  "  An  Aoiuet  to  ane  Epistle  written  by 
Renwt  Benedict,  the  French  Doctor  Profenor  of  Goda  word  (aa  tba 
Tnmlatur  of  the  Epiatle  callelh  him)  to  John  Knox  St  the  ftf^ 
of  bia  brethren  miniatera  of  the  word  ik  God  made  by  Darid  F«w- 
gnaaone  nuniatet  of  the  aame  word  at  ibia  preaeat  in  Dunfermljng— 
Imprinted  at  Edinbrough  by  Robert  Lekprevik,  1503."  Black  lel^ 
Ur,  18na<  iS  kavea.  The  ranning  title  i«:  "  Ane  anawer  to  Bantt 
Be>  Epktle."  Id  nply  to  the  accnution  that  the  oivect  of  the  i»> 
foeming  miniatera  waa  to  "  get  and  gathei  ricfaea,"  Ferguaon  aajw; 
"  thegrckteat  nomber  of  va  baue  lined  in  great  penuria,  without  aU 
•tip£d  tome  tnelf  moneth,  aoroe  eight,  and  aome  half  a  yeu,  hauii^ 
DMhing  in  the  mean  time  to  inaleane  our  aelnea  and  otu  funiliea,  but 
that  which  we  haue  bomnted  of  charitable  penonea  vatil  God  aend  it 
to  n  to  repaj  them."  Foil.  S,  7.  This  waa  written  "  the  SClh  April, 
IMS."  The  truialation  of  Renat'a  Epiatle  waa  by  Winiet,  and  at 
that  tim^  probably,  waa  only  in  MS. 

t  Uelville'B  Diary,  p.  S2B.  Spoiawood  (UUt.  p.  UJ.)  flxea  faia 
dcMh,  incocrectly,  in  the  year  ISQS.— "  IB9».  Apr.  IS.  M-  Thomaa 
Bnchqnbutan  ^et"  (The  Laird  of  Cambcc's  Diary.  Append,  to 
f3 


68  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

But  the  death  most  deeply  deplored  was  that  of  Ro- 
bert Rollock,  Principal  of  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh, who  was  prematurely  cut  off  in  the  prime  of 
life  and  in  the  midst  of  extensive  usefulness.  His 
piety,  his  suavity  of  temper,  his  benevolence,  and 
his  talents  as  a  writer  and  teacher  of  youth,  were 
universally  admired  by  his  countrymen  ;  and  those 
who  were  offended  at  some  parts  of  his  public  con- 
duct traced  them  to  his  guileless  simplicity  and  con- 
stitutional aversion  to  every  thing  that  wore  the 
appearance  of  strife  or  might  lead  to  confusion  *. 
About  the  same  time  the  country  was  deprived  of 
on^of  its  ablest  statesmen,  John  Lindsay  of  Bal- 
carras,  "  for  natural  judgement  and  learning  the 

Lainoiit*8  Diary^  p.  383.)  That  this  is  the  tme  date  appears  from 
his  Testament.  ''  Item,  I  grant  and  confess  that  the  haill  bnikt 
quhilk  are  presentlie  in  my  possesaioun  pertains  to  Mr.  Ro^  Buchanan, 
(my  brothers  son)  and  that  I  borrowed  the  same  fra  him."  He  died 
ridi.  (Testament  Testaroentar  of  Mr.  Thomas  Buchanan^  in  Com- 
Itoiscary  Records  of  Edinburgh.)  On  the  5th  of  May,  1599,  "  Eu- 
phame  Hay  relict  of  umq^  Mr.  Thomas  Buchqnhannane*'  reroked  a 
deed  which  she  had  made  during  her  husband's  sickness,  and  in  whidi 
she  had  renounced  the  "  conjunct  fie  of  sik  lands  or  annual  rents  as 
b^ngit  to  him."  On  the  20th  June,  *'  Jo.  Buchqnhannan  (of  fiat* 
lecraqxihie)  &  Mr.  Ro^  Buchquhannan,  provost  of  Kirkheuch,"  ap- 
peared as  executors  of  his  testament.  (Book  of  Acts  of  the  Commis- 
sariot  of  St.  Andrews.) 

*  Spotswood,  455.  Melville's  Diary,  320.  He  had  merely  com- 
pleted the  43d  year  of  his  age  when  he  died,  '^  6  Idus  Febr.  anno 
1589."  (1598.)  Vite  &  mortis  Robcrti  Rolloci  Scoti  narratio.  Scripta 
per  Georgium  Robertson um.  Edinburgi  1589.  (1598.)  O  in  eights. 
Among  the  Epitaphs  pubh'shed  by  Robertson  there  is  none  by  Md- 
ville,  but  an  cdegy  by  him  is  prefixed  to  a  life  of  Rollock  written  in 
Latin  by  Henry  Charteris,  who  succeeded  him  as  Principal.  (MS. 
in  BibL  Col.  Edin.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  69 

greatest  light  of  the  policy  and  council  of  Scot- 
land*." In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1600,  the 
zealous  and  upright  John  Dury,  minister  of  Mon- 
trose, died  in  a  manner  becoming  the  life  which  he 
had  spent.  Having  held  an  interview  with  the  ma- 
^strates  of  the  town  and  the  elders  of  his  session, 
and  left  advices  to  be  imparted  to  the  King  and  mi- 
nisters at  the  approaching  Greneral  Assembly,  he  in- 
quired after  the  day  of  the  month,  and  being  told 
that  it  «ras  the  last  of  February,  **  O !  then,"  ex- 
claimed he,  "  the  last  day  of  my  wretched  pilgrimage ! 
and  the  morrow  the  first  of  my  rest  and  glory !" 
And,  laying  his  head  on  his  eldest  son's  breast,  pla- 
cidly expired.  Melville,  who  entertained  a  high 
esteem  of  Dury's  honesty  and  goodness  of  heart, 
honoured  the  memory  of  his  friend  by  his  verses  f . 
In  the  end  of  the  same  year,  the  celebrated  John 

■  MelriUe'B  Diaiy,  32B,  Lindaay  Jieil  Sept.  3,  1598.  (Append,  to 
Lamaot'i  Diaty,  p.  386.)  He  was  Secietarf  of  State,  and,  for  seTeral 
yean  before  hia  death,  CbuiccUor  of  tbe  University  of  St.  Andrewi. 
Melville  addrened  a  playful  poem  to  hinij  ia  the  fonn  of  a  petition 
from  the  niuTenity.  (Delititt  Poet.  Scot.  ii.  131.)  I  have  aii  ori- 
gioat  letter  Ehnu  MelviUe,  "  To  toy  verie  Eui<l  Lord  my  lord  Secretai 
L.  CbanceleT  of  the  Vnivenitie  of  Sanctandrois."  It  haa  no  date, 
bat  appears  to  have  been  written  aome  years  before  Lindsay's  death. 
Among  other  things^  it  contains  observations  on  the  best  remedies  for 
the  atone,  the  disease  wbieh  proved  fatal  to  hia  lordship. 

t  Otie  of  his  epitaphs  on  him  is  printed  (Melvini  Muse,  p.  ]  1.) ; 
oHun  are  preserved  in  MS.  (Melville's  Diaiy,  pp.  345— 3«.)  The 
acBonnt  which  James  Melville  has  given  of  his  father-in-law's  dying 
advice  to  the  ministers,  (Diary,  3i4,  3i£,)  is  completely  at  variance 
vidithatof  Spotawood.  (History  4£e.)  He  died  on  the  SAth  of  Feb. 
ICOO.  Marion  Maijoribanks  was  his  relict,  and  John  and  Simeon, 
hia  sons.  (Test.  Testamentar,  in  Commissary  Records  of  Edinburgh.) 
F  3 


70  LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE. 

Craig,  who  had  been  for  a  considerable  time  incapa- 
citated for  any  public  service,  terminated  his  daya 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight  *• 

The  eager  desire  which  James  felt  to  secure  his 
accession  to  the  English  throne  induced  him  to 
adopt  measures  which  gave  much  offence  to  his  sob* 
jects.  With  the  view  of  conciliating  the  Roman 
Catholics,  he  sent  a  secret  embassy  to  the  Pope. 
The  odium  of  the  letter  addressed  in  his  name  to 
his  Holiness,  was  afterwards  thrown  on  his  Secre- 
tary ;  but  it  has  been  suspected,  not  without  some 
reason,  that  James  acted  the  same  part  to  Lord  Bal- 
merino  in  this  affair,  which  Elizabeth  did  to  Secret 
tary  Davidson  respecting  the  execution  of  Queen 


*  Spotswood,  ids— 464.  In  May,  1504^  the  King  cansed  It  to  be 
intunated  to  the  Creneral  Assembly  that  **  Mr.  Jc^  Crag  is  awaiting 
mrt  lioore  it  sail  please  God  to  call  him  and  is  altogether  vnable  to 
aerve  any  longer."  (Buik  of  Univ.  Kirk,  f.  1 76,  a.)  He  died  on  the 
ISth  of  Dec.  1600;  and  left  Marion  Small,  his  spouse,  and  Mr.  William 
Craig,  his  son,  executors,  who  were  i^ipointed  to  take  the  advice  of 
Mr.  Thomas  Craig,  advocate.  He  requested  "  his  haill  baimea  to  re- 
main in  househald  with  thair  mother  while  thair  marriage  with  partiea 
honest"  (Test  Testamentar,  in  Commissary  Records  of  Edinburgh.) 
I  do  not  know  whether  the  work  referred  to  in  the  following  minute 
ef  Assembly,  (August  12,  1590,)  was  published:  "  Qrdainea  je 
brether  of  the  pfarie  of  Ed'  to  peruse  ye  ans'  sett  out  be  Mr.  Craig 
against  a  pernicious  wrytdng  put  out  against  the  confesdoun  o£ 
fkith,  together  with  the  preface  made  be  Mr.  Jo°  davidaone,  imd  if 
they  find  meitt  the  samen  be  publiahed  that  they  may  be  committit 
to  prent."  (Ibid.  f.  161.)  On  the  "  penult  May"  1599,  Craig's  Cate- 
chism, ^  quhilk  now  is  allowit  and  imprintit,"  was  ordained  lo  be 
''  read  in  families,"  and  "  red  and  leimit  in  lecture  schooles  in  plaoe 
ti  the  litle  catechisine."    (Ibid.  f.  163,  b.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  71 

Maty  *.  With  the  view  of  gratifying  the  Pope,  aod 
procuring  his  suj^rt  to  the  King's  title,  a  project 
was  Bet  on  foot  to  grant  a  toleration  to  the  Papists 
in  Sootlaiid  |.  And  Archbishop  Beaton  was  not 
OBly  appointed  ambassador  at  the  court  of  France, 
but  restored  ta  the  temporalities  of  the  see  of  Glas- 
gow ^. '  lliese  atepe,  thougb  taken  with  ^eat  se- 
crecy aad  caution,  did  noit  escape  the  vi^lance  of 
tke  ministers  §, 

Tbe  literary  works  which  Jaraea  produced  at  this 
line  contributed  to  strengthen  the  opposition  to  his 

*  Printed  GtU.  pp.  iia»,  427, 604.  Ambuiailes  de  M.  de  Ib  Boderie, 

f  Cald.  T.  US.  It  would  Mem  that  Jnoea  bid  a  work  on  diit 
imltjeet  nady  fin-  tbe  press.  "  Tbe  king  it  thii  time  (June  1601) 
pcoKiKd  to  Mr.  John  Hall,  that  the  book  called  a  decluatioa  of  the 
King'itDiDde  towardtbe  ntholicksMuldneva-beaettfunh."  (Ibid, 
p.  MI.) 

}  The  act  of  convention,  penult  JunljlS99,  was  ratified  bj  Paiw 
Gaioattli  laoo.  (Act.  Pari.  Smt.  iv.  18»,  Sfi«.)  Keith  mya,  that,  in 
1SS8,  the  King  did,  b;  Act  of  Parhament,  "  ratore  the  old  esauc- 
torate  and  forfeited  bishop  Beaton  to  the  teraporalit;  of  the  see  of 
Gla^^w,  which  he  did  enjoy  until  Ws  dMth  on  the  —  AprU,  1603." 
IBcdttiili  Biihops,  p.  ISS.)  Thia  U  a  mistake.  It  i»  true,  that  Beaton 
waa  not  esceplad  from  the  benefit  of  the  Act  of  Parliaoient  1587,  re. 
ffif>5Jing  all  forfeitures  lince  1561,  Bat  this  "  testituCioun  remainit 
not  lang  eflbctuall  in  his  personn,  be  reasoue  he  failt«it  in  genng  th« 
cbbfeaslMm  of  fali  faith  and  acknswkgetng  of  o*  soaaane  lordia  aOetie, 
^  ^r«>  ordainit  be  je  sdd  restltutiaun."  (A«t.  Pari.  Bcot.  iiL  6:^) 
Whea  James  vat  Utreateniitg  to  revenge  his  motber'a  death,  he  pn» 
ptied  to  make  Beatohhii  attbasMdor.  (Goaredks'a  SfyfM^tM, 
ittirchS,  Hidlt,  lAST.y' 

{  Tbe  Preabjtery  of  Bdiobargh  applied  foe  a  copT  of  tbe  act  reelect- 
ing Be«ton  ;  but  were  referred  from  tbe  clerk  of  couodl  to  the  clerk 
of  renter,  and  from  the  tatter  to  Mr.  Alexander  Hay.  (Record  «f 
Predk  Jaiy  *,  11,  and  IB,  IWB.) 


72  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

administration.     In  1598  he  published,  his  True 
Law  of  Free  Monarchies.     We  must  m>t  imagine 
that  by  fi'  **  free  monarchy"  was  meant  any  thii^ 
like  what  the  expression  suggests  to  us.     It  meant 
a  government  exercised  by  a  monarch  who  is  tree 
from  all  restraint  or  control,  or,  as  the  author  fitly 
denominates  him,  ^*  a  free  and  absolute  monarch." 
The  treatise  is,  in  fact,  an  unvarnished  vindica* 
tion   of  arbitrary    power    in   the    prince,   and  ^f 
passive  obedience  and  nourresistance  on  the  part 
of  the  people,  without  any  exception  or  reservatitm 
whatever.     The  royal  politician  graciously  allows, 
diat  princes  owe  a  duty  to  their  subjects,  but  he 
thinks  it  '<  not  needing  to  be  long"  in  the  dedara- 
tion  of  it.     He  grants,  that  a  king  should  consider 
himself  as  ordained  for  the  good  of  his  people  ;  but 
then,  if  he  shall  think  and  act  otherwise,  and  dioose, 
as  too  many  kings  have  chosen,  to  run  the  risk  of 
divine  punishment,  the  people  are  not  permitted  to 
"  make  any  resistance  but  by  flight,"  as  we  may 
see  by  ^^  the  example  of  brute  beasts  and  unreason- 
able creatures,"  among  whom  ^*  we  never  read  or 
heard  of  any  resistance"  to  their  parents,  **  except 
among  the  vipers."     A  free   monarch    can   make 
statutes  as  he  thinks  meet  without  asking  the  ad- 
vice of  parliaments  or  states,  and  can  suspend  par* 
liamentary  laws  for  reasons  known  to  himself  on* 
ly.     **  A  good  king  will  frame  all  his  actions  ao- 
cording  to  the  law,  yet  is  he  not  borund  thereto 
but  of  his  good  will :  although  he  be  above  the 
law,  he  will  subject  and  frame  his  actions  there- 


LIFE  OF. ANDREW  MELVILLE.  73 

to  Car  example's  sake  to  his  subjects,  and  df  his  own 
fr^  ml]»  but  not  as  subject  or  bound  thereto."  In 
oonfiiniation  of  this  doctrine^  James,  appeals  to 
Samual's  description  of  a  king,  and  quotes  and  eXf* 
pcHUidSf  with*  the  utmost  confidence  and  coalpla- 
ceocyy  the  account  which  that  prophet  gave  the 
Israelites  of  the  oppressions  which  they  would  suf« 
fer  under  a  form  of  government  on  which  they 
fondly  doated« 

Such  was  "  the  true  pattern  of  divinity"  which 
James  found  himself  constrained  in  duty  to  publish, 
for  the  correction  of  <<  our  so  long  disordered  com- 
monwealth," and  for  the^  instrucUon  of  his  fature 
sttlqects  in  that  which  it  was  most  necessary  for 
them  to  know^'^Vn^ct  to  tho  knowledge  of  4heir 
God."     He  at  least  dealt  honestiy  with  the  peefde 
of  £ngland,  who  had  ab-eady  begun  to  worship  the 
rising  sun ;  and  in  welcoming  him  so  cordially'  and 
unoMulitionally,  as  they  afterwards  did,  when  he 
had  plainly  told  them  beforehand  that  they  were 
to  be  governed  as  a  conquered  kingdom,  they  might 
fidrly  be  considered  as  addressing  him  in  the  lan- 
guage whidi  he  puts  into  the  mouths  of  the  He- 
brews :  *'  All  your  speeches  and  haM  conditions 
will  not  skarre  us,  but  wd  will  take  the  good  and 
eril  of  it  upon  us ;  and  we  will  be  content  to  beare 
whatsoever  burden  it  shall,  please  our  Kin^  to  lay 
upon  us,  as  well  as  other  nations  do."     If  they  were 
disappointed  of  the  benefit  which  th^  expected  to 
**  get  of  him  in  fighting  their  battles,"  they  had 
themselves  to  blame,  as  he  never  gave  large  pro- 


74  LIFE  OF  ANDUEW  MELVILUE. 

mises  on  that  head.  But  he  performed  for  them 
services  of  a  more  valuable  kind,  as  ^^  the  great 
schoolmaster  of  the  whole  land,''  according  to  his 
own  description  of  his  office.  He  taught  them  a 
**  style  utt^ly  unknown  to  the  ancients  ;"  banishoi 
the  writings  of  Calvin,  Buchanan,  Ponet^  and  erucb 
like  ^*  apologies  for  rebellions  and  treasons,"  wlucb 
had  obtained  too  great  authority  among  them*; 
and  furnished  orthodox  text-books,  from  which  th0 
orators  of  '*  Cam  and  Isis"  might  **  preach  the  right 
divine  of  kings  to  govern  wrong  f ." 

The  presbyterians  of  Scotland  could  not  conceal 
their  disapprobation  of  the  political  principles  of  the 
Law  of  Free  Monarchies  ^.  This  waa  one  reason^ 
of  their  being  treated  with  such  severity  in  the  ea- 
lehrated  BanUcon  jyoroii^  or  Instructions  of  th^ 
King  to  his  son  Prince  Henry,  which  came  to  light 
in  the  course  of  the  following  year.  Fond  of  seeing 
this  work  in  print,  and  yet  conscious  that  it  wo«U 
give  great  offence,  James  was  anxious  to  keep  it 
from  the  knowledge  of  his  native  subjects,  until  ciiv 
eumstances  should  enable  him  to  publish  it  witk 

•  King  James's  Works,  pp.  204,  205. 

t  "  Mr.  George  Herbert,  being  Prelector  in  the  Rhetorique  School 
in  Oambridg  anno  16(8,  passed  by  those  ^uent  orators  tbatdomiMerb 
ad  in  tbe  pulpits  of  Athens  and  Bwne,  and  inaisted  to  vead  vpoiii  Mir 
oi^tion  of  King  James,  which  he  analysed,  shewed  the  concimii(y  of 
the  parts,  the  propriety  of  the  phrase,  the  height  and  power  of  it  to 
more  the  aflbctions,  the  style  utterly  unknown  to  the  aneteiiti>  who 
could  not  conceive  what  kingly  eloquence  was,  in  respect  of  which 
these  noted  deraagogi  were  but  hirelings  and  triobolary  rhetoriciAii8«" 
(Hacket's  Life  of  Archbishop  Williams,  Part  I.  p.  175.) 

J  Cald.  V.  365. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  75 

wa&ty.  With  this  view  <<  the  printer  being  first 
sworn  to  secrecy 9"*  says  he,  '*  I  only  permitted  seven 
ci  them  to  be  printed,  and  these  seven  I  diqiersed 
among  some  of  my  trustiest  servants  to  be  kept 
deaely  by  them  */'  Sir  James  Sempill  of  Beltrees, 
fue  of  the  courtiers,  shewed  his  copy  to  Melville, 
with  whom  he  was  on  a  footing  of  intimacy.  Hav-r 
ing  extracted  some  of  the  principal  propositions  in 
the  work,  Melville  sent  them  to  his  nephew,  whose 
colleague,  John  Dykes,  laid  them  before  the  pro* 
vindal  synod  of  Fife.  The  synod  judged  them  to 
be  of  the  most  pernicious  tendency,  and  not  be* 
Ueving,  or  affecting  not  to  believe,  that  they  could 
proceed  from  the  high  authority  to  whidi  they  were 
attributed,  sent  them  to  his  Migesty.  An  order 
was  immediately  issued  for  the  apprehension  of 
Sykes,  who  absconded  f .  The  propositions  laid  be- 
fore the  synod  were  the  following :  That  the  oflSce 
ci  a  king  is  of  a  mixed  kind,  partly  civil  and  partly 
eedesiastical :  That  a  principal  part  of  his  function 
ecmsifits  in  ruling  the  church :  That  it  belongs  to 
him  to  judge  when  preachers  wander  from  their 
text,  and  that  such  as  refuse  to  submit  to  his  judg- 
ment in  such  cases  ought  to  be  capitally  pimished  : 
That  no  ecclesiastical  assemblies  ought  to  be  held 
without  his  consent :  That  no  man  is  more  to  be 
hated  of  a  king  than  a  proud  puritan :  That  parity 
among  ministers  is  irreconcilable  with  monarchy. 


NoteC. 
t  Melville's  Diary^  331.   Cald.  337^  338.    8pot8wood>  457. 


76  LIVE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

inimical  to  order,  and  the  mother  of  confusion : 
That  puritans  had  been  a  pest  to  the  commonwealth 
and  church  of  Scotland,  wished  to  engross  the  civil 
government  as  tribunes  of  the  people,  sought  the 
introduction  of  democracy  into  the  state,  and  quar- 
relled with  the  King  because  he  was  a  king  :  That 
the  chief  persons  among  them  should  not  be  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  land  :  in  fine,  That  parity  in  the 
church  should  be  banished,  episcopacy  set  up,  and 
all  who  preached  against  bishops  rigorously  punish- 
ed. Such  were  the  sentiments  which  James  enter- 
tained, and  which  he  had  printed,  at  the  very  time 
that  he  was  giving  out  that  he  .had  no  intention  of 
altering  the  government  of  the  church,  or  of  intro- 
ducing episcopacy.  It  is  easy  to  conceive  what 
effect  this  discovery  must  have  produced  on  the 
minds  of  the  presbyterian  ministers.  And  were  it 
not  that  we  know  that  a  sense  of  shame  has  but  a 
feeble  influence  on  princes  and  statesmen,  and  that 
they  never  want  apologists  for  their  worst  actions, 
it  would  be  confounding  to  think  that  either  the 
King  or  his  agents  should  have  been  so  barefaced 
as  after  this  to  repeat  their  protestations. 

Finding  that  the  work  gave  great  offence,  James 
afterwards  published  an  edition  of  the  JDoron,  ac- 
companied with  an  apologetical  preface.  His  apo-^ 
logy,  as  might  be  expected,  is  extremely  awkward 
and  unsatisfactory.  Too  timid  to  avow  his  real 
meaning,  and  too  obstinate  to  retract  what  he  had 
advanced,  he  has  recourse  to  equivocation^  and  to 
explanations  glaringly  at  variance  with  the  text. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  77 

The  opprobrious  name  of  puritans,  he  allows,  was 
properly  Applicable  only  to  those  called  the  Family 
of  Ijove^  who  arrogated  to  themselves  an  exclusive 
and  sinless  purity.  To  gain  credit  to  his  asser- 
tion that  he  alluded  chiefly  to  such  persons,  he 
allies  that  Brown,  Penry,  and  other  Englishmen 
liad,  when  in  Scotland,  "  sown  their  popple,"  and 
that  certain  ^^  brainsick  and  heady  preachers"  had 
imbibed  their  spirit;  although  he  could  not  but 
know  that  these  rigid  sectaries  were  unanimously 
opposed  by  the  Scottish  ministers,  and  that  the  only 
countenance  which  they  received  was  from  himself 
and  his  courtiers  *.  The  following  acknowledgment 
deserves  particular  notice,  as  it  ascertains  an  im- 
portant fact,  and  enables  us  to  judge  of  the  policy 
of  the  course  which  James  was  at  present  pursuing. 
Speaking  of  the  ministers,  he  says,  *^  There  is  pre- 
sently a  sufficient  number  of  good  men  of  them  in 
this  kingdome  ;  and  yet  are  they  all  known  to  be 
against  the  form  of  the  English  chiirch."  And  again, 
spealang  of  the  charge  of  puritanism,  he  says,  ^^  I 
protest  upon  mine  honour  that  I  mean  it  not  gene- 
rally of  all  preachers,  or  others,  that  like  better  of 
the  single  form  of  policy  in  our  church  than  of  the 
many  ceremonies  of  the  church  of  England,  that  are 
persuaded  that  their  bishops  smell  of  a  papal  supre- 
^lacy,  that  the  surplice,  cornered  cap,  and  such  like, 
are  the  outward  badges  of  popish  errors.  No,  I 
am  so  far  from  being  contentious  in  these  things, 

•  See  before,  vol.  i.  p.  ^6. 


78  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

(which  for  my  own  part  I  ever  esteemed  indifferent) 
as  I  do  equally  love  and  honour  the  learned  and 
grave  men  of  either  of  these  opinions.  It  can  no 
ways  become  me  to  pronounce  so  lightly  a  sentence 
in  so  old  a  controversy.  We  all  (God  be  praised) 
do  agree  in  the  grounds,  and  the  bitterness  of  men 
upon  sudh  questions  doth  but  trouble  the  peace  of 
the  church,  and  gives  advantage  and  entry  to  the 
papists  by  our  division  *."  Such  is  the  language 
of  one  who  spent  a  great  part  of  his  life  in  agitating 
these  very  questions,  who  was  at  that  time  employ** 
ed  in  imposing  these  very  forms  upon  a  churdi, 
which,  according  to  his  own  acknowledgment,  was 
decidedly  and  unanimously  averse  to  them,  and  who, 
in  this  very  publication,  lays  injunctions  on  his  son 
to  prosecute  the  scheme  after  his  death ! 

It  has  been  said,  that  this  work  contributed  more 
to  smoothen  his  accession  than  all  the  books  written 
in  defence  of  his  title  to  the  English  crown.  But 
the  facts  respecting  its  publication  do  not  accord 
with  this  theory  f .    Though  an  impartial  examina- 

*  Baailicon  Doron^  To  the  Reader,  A  6,  6.  Lond.  1603.  King 
Jameses  Works^  p.  144.  What  truth  there  was  in  all  this,  James 
has  himself  told  us  in  another  of  his  writings :  "  That  Bishops  ought 
to  be  in  the  church,  I  ever  maintained  as  an  ApostoUke  institution,  mud 
so  the  ordinance  of  God ; — so  was  I  ever  an  enemie  to  the  confused 
anarchic  or  parity  of  the  puritans,  as  well  appeareth  in  my  Basilieon 
JDoron. — I  that  in  my  said  book  to  my  son  do  speak  tenn  times  more 
bitterly  of  them  (the  puritans)  nor  of  papists — I  that  for  the  ^ace  cf 
six  years  before  my  coming  into  England  laboured  nothing  so  modi 
as  to  depresse  their  paritie,  and  re-erect  Bishops  againe."  (Premoni- 
tion  to  the  Apology  for  the  Oath  of  Allegeance,  pp.  44,  45.) 

t  See  Note  C. 


LIFE  OF  ANDEKW  MELVILLE.  79 

tion  of  its  contents  will  not  justify  the  high  enco- 
mimnfl  passed  upon  it  *,  yet  its  literary  merits  are 
not  contemptible.  It  is  more  free  from  childish 
and  disgusting  pedantry  than  any  other  of  James's 
viitings,  and  contains  many  good  advices,  mingled, 
however,  with  not  a  few  silly  prejudices. 

A  careful  comparison  of  the  Law  of  Free  Mo^ 
narehies  and  the  Basilicon  Doron  throws  no  small 
ligbt  on  the  history  of  the  time.  It  points  out  the 
true  ground  of  tiie  strong  antipathies  which  James 
fek  to  the  presbyterian  ministers,  and  ascertains 
the  meaning  oi  his  favourite  ecclesiastico^political 
aphorism.  No  Bishop^  no  King. 

The  affair  of  the  Gowrie  Conspiracy,  which  oc- 
curred in  the  first  year  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
proved  injurious  to  the  church,  as  well  as  vexatious 
to  individual  ministers.  For  not  giving  thanks  for 
hm  Majesty's  deliverance  in  the  very  words  which 
the  court  dictated  on  the  first  intimation  of  the  oc- 
currence, the  ministers  of  Edinburgh  were  called 
before  the  Privy  Council  f  ;  and  having  acknowledg- 
ed, in  answer  to  the  inquisitorial  demands  put  to 


*  Bishop  of  Wmton*8  Preface  to  King  Jameses  Works^  sig.  d. 
Spotfwood,  p.  475.     Walton's  Lives^  Zouch's  edit.  p.  296. 

t  Spotswood  says  that  the  council  told  the  ministers^  when  they 
w«e  first  sent  for^  *'  that  they  were  only  to  sigmfie  how  the  king  had 
Wiped  a  great  danger^  and  to  stir  up  the  people  to  thanksgiving ;" 
but "  by  no  persuasioii  they  could  be  moved  to  perform  that  duty." 
(Hkt.  p.  461.)  According  to  every  other  statement  which  I  have  ex« 
tained,  the  ministers  declared  their  readiness  to  do  this^  and  iherely 
dedined  to  testify  that  his  Migesty  had  been  delivered  '*  from  a  vile 
treason." 


80  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

them,  that  they  were  not  completely  convinced  of 
the  treason  of  Growrie,  although  they  reverenced  the 
King's  narrative,  five  of  them  tirere  removed  from 
the  capital,  and  prohibited  from  preaching  in  Scot- 
land. Four  of  these  soon  after  submitted,  and  each 
was  enjoined  to  profess  his  belief  of  the  conspiracy, 
and  his  sorrow  for  his  error  and  incredulity,  in  se- 
veral churches,  according  to  the  penance  imposed 
upon  persons  who  were  chargeable  with  the  most 
heinous  offences  *.  '  Bruce  alone  refused,  and  was 
banished  f.  Being  subsequently  recalled  from  France, 
he  signified  that  his  doubts  were  in  a  great  measure 
removed,  but  still  refused  to  make  a  public  profes- 
sion of  his  faith  in  the  words  of  the  court,  or  to  sub- 
mit to  the  humiliating  penance  which  it  enjoined. 
As  a  subject,  he  said,  he  had  never  refused  to  do 
the  duty  of  a  subject ;  but  he  did  not  feel  himself 
at  liberty  to  utter  in  the  pulpit,  under  the  authori- 
ty of  his  office,  any  thing  of  which  he  was  not  fiilly 
persuaded.  "  I  have  a  body  and  some  goods,"  con- 
tinued he,  **  let  his  Majesty  use  them  as  Grod  shall 
direct  him.  But  as  to  my  inward  peace,  I  would 
pray  his  Majesty  in  all  humility  to  suffer  me  to  keep 

*  James  Balfour  was  appointed  to  make  his  confession  within  the 
towns  of  Dundee^  Arbroath,  Montrose^  and  Brechin.  (Record  of  Priry 
Council,  Sept.  11,  1600.) 

t  Record  of  Privy  Council,  August  12,  31,  Sept  10,  11,  l«oa 
Cald.  V.  475,  i92-<495,  527—542.  The  minute  of  Council  bean, 
that  Bruce  "  stiU  continewit  doubtfull  and  nocht  throwghlie  raotfedt 
of  the  treasonabill  and  unnatural  conspiracie ;"  and  that  '*  it  can 
nawyse  stand  with  his  hienes  suirtie  and  honour  that  ony  sic  diatruat- 
full  personis  salhe  sufferit  to  remane  within  the  cuntrey." 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  81 

it.  Place  me  where  God  placed  me^  and  I  shall 
.teaeh  as  fruitful  and  wholesome  doctrine  to  the 
lumonr  of  the  magistrate  as  God  shall  give  me  grace. 
But  to  go  through  the  country,  and  make  proclama- 
liona  here  and  there,  will  be  coimted  either  a  beast- 
Ijr  fear  or  a  beastly  flattery ;  and  in  so  doing  I 
should  raise  greater  doubts,  and  do  more  harm  than 
good  to  the  cause  ;  for  people  look  not  to  words  but 
founds.  And  as  for  myself,  I  should  be  but  a  par- 
tial and  sparing  blazer  of  my  own  infirmities  :  others 
will  be  far  better  heralds  of  my  ignominy  *." 

The  truth  is,  that  from  the  moment  that  Bruce 
V88  removed  from  Edinburgh,  it  was  determined 
that  he  should  never  be  allowed  to  return.  He  was 
tantalized  for  years  with  the  hopes  of  being  restored 
to  his  place.  The  terms  proposed  to  him  were  ei- 
ther such  as  it  was  known  he  would  reject,  or  they 
were  evaded  and  withdrawn  when  he  was  ready  to 
accede  to  them.  And  he  was  afterwards  persecuted 
till  his  death  by  the  mean  jealousy  of  the  bishops, 
'  who  set  spies  on  his  conduct,  sent  informations  to 
court  against  him,  and  procured  orders  to  change 
the  place  of  his  confinement  from  time  to  time,  and 
to  drag  him  from  one  comer  of  the  kingdom  to  ano- 
ther. The  whole  treatment  which  this  independ- 
oit  minister  received  was  disgraceful  to  the  govern- 
ment. Granting  that  he  gave  way  to  scrupulosi- 
ty— that  he  required  a  degree  of  evidence  as  to  the 
guilt  of  Gowrie,  which  was  not  necessary  to  justify 

*  Cald,  ▼.  699,  600.    Crawfurd,  i.  242. 
VOL.  II.  G 


82  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

the  part  which  he  was  required  to  take  in  announ- 
cing it — that  there  was  a  mixture  of  pride  in  his 
motives,  and  that  he  stood  too  much  on  the  point 
of  honour,  (concessions  that  some  will  not  be  dis- 
posed to  make) — still  the  nice  and  high  sense  of  in- 
tegrity which  he  uniformly  displayed,  his  great  ta- 
lents, and  the  eminent  services  which  he  had  per- 
formed to  church  and  state,  not  to  speak  of  his  birth 
and  connexions,  ought  to  have  secured  him  very 
different  treatment.  But  the  court  hated  him  for 
his  fidelity,  and  dreaded  his  influence  in  counteract- 
ing its  favourite  plans.  There  was  another  con- 
sideration which  rendered  his  pardon  hopeless. 
James  was  conscious  that  he  had  deeply  injured 
Bruce  *.  There  is  one  proof  of  this  which  I  shall 
state,  as  it  affords  a  striking  illustration  of  the  de- 
plorable state  in  which  the  administration  of  justice 
was  at  that  time  in  the  nation. 

Bruce,  when  in  favour  with  the  court,  had  ob- 
tained a  gift  for  life  out  of  the  lands  of  the  abbey 
of  Arbroath,  which  he  had  enjoyed  for  a  number  of 
years  f.     In  the  year  1598,  the  King  privately  dis- 

♦  "  Chi  offende  non  par  donna  ;  et  si  jamais  Prince  a  ^t^  de  cette 
humeur^  celui-ci  est  Test;"  says  the  French  ambassador,  in  repre- 
senting the  hopelessness  of  an  application  to  James  in  behalf  of  the 
son  of  the  Earl  of  Gowrie.  (Ambassades  deM.de  la  Boderie>  tom. 
iii.  p.  108.) 

t  The  grant  itself,  which  passed  the  seals  on  the  15th  of  October, 
1589,  speaks  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  services  which  Bruce  had 
done  to  the  King,  and  to  the  whole  church,  ^'  be  informing  of  his 
Ma^*®  and  counsall  of  sic  thingis  as  concerns  the  weill  therof  and  ad- 
vancing and  furthsetting  the  same  baith  in  counsell  and  sessioun." 
(Register  of  Privy  Seal,  vol.  ix.  fol.  68.)     The  money  and  victual 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  88 

posed  of  this  to  Lord  Hamilton.  He  first  stirred 
up  the  tenants  of  the  abbey  to  resist  payment*, 
and  when  this  expedient  failed,  he  avowed  the  deed 
by  which  he  had  alienated  the  annuity.  Bruce 
signified  his  willingness  to  renounce  the  grant,  pro* 
vided  the  King  retained  it  in  his  own  hands  or  ap- 
plied it  to  the  use  of  the  church ;  but  learning  that 
it  was  to  be  bestowed  on  Lord  Hamilton,  he  resolv- 
ed to  defend  his  right.  His  Majesty  called  down 
some  of  the  Lords  of  Session  to  the  palace,  and  sent 
his  ring  to  others,  and  by  threats  and  persuasions 
endeavoured  to  induce  them  to  give  a  decision  in 
fevour  of  the  crown.  Their  lordships,  however, 
much  to  their  credit,  found  Bruce's  title  to  be  valid 
and  complete  f .  On  this  occasion  James  exhibited 
all  the  violence  of  an  imbecile  and  undisciplined 
mind.  Being  in  court  when  the  cause  was  heard, 
and  perceiving  that  it  was  likely  to  be  decided  con- 
trary to  his  wishes,  he  interrupted  the  judges  while 
they  were  delivering  their  opinions,  and  challenged 
them,  in  a  passionate  maniier,  for  daring  to  give  an 
opinion  against  him.  Several  of  the  lords  rose,  and 
said,  that,  with  all  reverence  to  his  Majesty,  unless 

contained  in  the  gift  are  regularly  entered  as  his  stipend  in  the  Books 
of  Afisignation  and  Modification.  One  chalder  of  wheat  and  one  of 
bear  were  given  from  it^  with  Bruce's  express  consent,  to  his  col- 
league^ Balcanquhal.    (Book  of  Assignation  for  the  year  1591.) 

*  Register  of  Decreets  and  Acts  of  the  Commissariot  of  St.  An- 
drews^ Aug.  Sl^  1598^  compared  with  Nov.  6,  1595. 

f  Action :  Gilbert  Auchterlonie  in  Bonitoun^  &c.  against  Lord 
Hamilton  and  Mr.  Robert  Bruce;  June  16,  1599.  (Register  of  Acts 
and  Decreets  of  the  Court  of  Session,  vol.  clxxxiii.  fol.  198.) 

G  2 


84  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

he  removed  them  from  their  office,  they  both  durst 
and  would  deliver  their  sentiments  according  to  jus- 
tice; and,  with  the  exception  of  one  judge,  the 
whole  bench  voted  against  the  party  who  had  the 
royal  support.  James  threatened  the  advocates  who 
pleaded  for  Bruce  *.  He  spoke  of  him  on  all  occa- 
sions with  the  utmost  asperity ;  charging  him  with 
stealing  the  hearts  of  his  subjects,  and  saying,  that, 
were  it  not  for  shame,  he  would  "  throw  a  whinger 
in  his  face."  Determined  to  obtain  his  object,  he 
"  wakened  the  process,"  by  means  of  two  ministers 
in  Angus  to  whom  he  transferred  a  part  of  the  an- 
nuity. At  a  private  interview,  in  the  presence  of 
Sir  George  Elphingston,  his  Majesty  requested 
Bruce  to  "  save  his  honour  and  he  would  not 'hurt 
him ;"  upon  which  a  compromise  was  made,  and 
sanctioned  by  the  Lords  of  Session.  But  the  King 
afterwards  set  this  aside  by  his  sole  authority,  al- 
tered the  minute  of  the  court,  and  threatened  to 
hang  the  clerk  if  he  gave  an  extract  of  it  in  its  ori- 
ginal and  authentic  form.  Finding  that  he  was  to 
be  deprived  of  the  greater  part  of  liis  annuity,  and 
that  the  remainder  was  to  be  given  him  only  du- 
ring the  royal  pleasure,  Bruce  threw  up  the  gift  in 
disdain  f . 

The  eagerness  which  James  shewed  to  have  the 
conspiracy  of  Gowrie  believed,  increased  instead  of 
removing  the  public  incredulity.    He  issued  a  man- 

*  Brace's  counsel  were  Thomas  Craig,  John  Russel,  and  James 
Donaldson. 

t  Cald.  V.  363—367,  408—413. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  85 

date  to  change  the  weekly  sermon  in  all  towns  to 
Tuesday,  the  day  on  which  the  event  happened  * 
Not  contented  with  the  observance  of  a  national 
thanksgiving  on  the  occasion,  he  procured  an  act 
of  parliament,  ordaining,  that  the  fifth  day  of  Au* 
gust  should  be  kept  yearly  "  in  all  times  and  ages 
to  come,"  by  all  his  subjects,  as  a  "  perpetual  mo- 
nument of  their  most  humble,  hearty,  and  unfeign- 
ed thanks  to  God"  for  his  "  miraculous  and  extra- 
ordinary deliverance  from  the  horrible  and  detest- 
able murder  and  parricide  attempted  against  his 
Majesty's  most  noble  person  f ."  This  appointment 
was  oflFensive  on  different  grounds.  It  was  an  as- 
sumption on  the  part  of  the  parliament,  of  the  right 
of  the  church-courts  to  judge  in  what  related  to  pub- 
lic worship.  It  was  at  variance  with  the  principles 
of  the  church  of  Scotland,  which,  ever  since  the  Re- 
formation, had  condemned  and  laid  aside  the  observ- 
ance of  religious  anniversaries,  and  of  all  recurring 
holidays,  with  the  exception  of  the  weekly  rest.  The 
appointment  in  question  was  liable  to  peculiar  ob- 
jections, as  doubts  were  very  generally  entertained 
of  the  reality  of  the  conspiracy  to  wliich  it  related ; 
on  which  account  ministers  and  people  were  an- 
nually forced  either  to  offer  mock  thanks  to  the  Al- 
mighty or  to  incur  the  resentment  of  the  govern- 
ment.    On  this  last  ground,  the  English,  accus- 

•  Record  of  Privy  Council,  Aug.  21,  1600.     Record  of  the  Kirk 
Sesdon  of  St.  Andrews,  Aug.  21.     Extracis  from  Record  of  Kirk 
don  of  Glasgow,  Sept.  25. 
t  Act.  Pari.  Scot.  iv.  213,  214. 

G  3 


86  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

tomed  as  they  were  to  submit  to  such  encroachments 
on  their  natural  and  religious  liberty,  murmured  at 
the  introduction  of  this  new  holiday  *.  Yet  such 
influence  had  the  King  now  obtained  over  the 
church-courts,  that  the  General  Assembly,  held  at 
Holyroodhouse  in  the  year  1602,  gave  its  sanction 
to  the  appointment ;  and  thus  exposed  the  church 
of  Scotland  to  just  reproach  from  her  adversaries, 
as  agreeing  to  keep  an  annual  festival  in  commemo- 
ration of  the  deliverance  of  an  earthly  prince,  while 
she  refused  this  honour  to  the  birth  and  death  of 
her  divine  Saviour,  and  to  some  of  the  most  inte- 
resting events  in  the  history  of  Christianity  f . 

James  Melville  was  one  of  those  who  refused  to 
obey  this  act  of  parliament  and  assembly.  He  had 
concurred  with  the  commisioners  of  the  church  and 
the  synod  of  Fife  in  appointing  a  public  thanks- 
giving immediately  after  the  conspiracy  \.     But  he 


•  "  Amongst  a  number  of  other  novelties,  he  (James)  brought  a 
new  holy-day  into  the  church  of  England,  wherein  Crod  had  public 
thanks  given  him  for  his  Majesties  deliverance  out  of  the  handa  of 
Earle  Gourie :  and  this  fell  out  upon  the  fifth  of  August,  on  which 
many  lies  were  told  either  at  home  or  abroad,  in  the  quire  of  St. 
Pauls  church  or  the  Long  Walk :  For  no  Scotch  man  you  would  meet 
beyond  sea  but  did  laugh  at  it,  and  the  peripatetique  politicians  said 
the  relation  in  print  did  murder  all  possibility  of  credit."  (Osbome*s 
Hist.  Memoirs:  Secret  History  of  the  Court  of  James  the'First, 
vol.  i.  p.  276.)  "  The  English  (says  Sir  Anthony  Welldon)  believe 
as  little  the  truth  of  that  story  as  the  Scots  themselves  did."  (Ibid, 
p.  320.) 

t  Bulk  of  Univ.  Kirk,  f.  204,  b. 

t  Melville's  Diary,  p.  363.  "  At  that  tyroe,  (the  end  of  August 
1600,)  being  in  Falkland,   I  saw  a  fuscambulus  frenchman  play 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  87 

refused  to  keep  the  anniversary.  The  King  sum- 
moned him  and  several  of  his  brethren  to  answer, 
for,  their  disobedience,  and  threatened  to  proceed 
against  them  capitally  if  they  declined  the  privy 
council ;  but  having  asceilained  that  they  were  de- 
termined to  run  all  hazards,  he  satisfied  himself 
with  giving  them  a  royal  admonition  in  the  presence 
of  the  commissioners  of  the  General  Assembly.  It  * 
does  not  appear  that  the  ministers  were  afterwards 
put  to  trouble  on  this  head  ^. 

It  would  seem  that  Melville  was  permitted  to  sit 
in  the  General  Assembly  which  met  at  Burntisland 
in  May,  1601  f .  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  the 
King  became  again  a  covenanter,  by  publicly  renew- 
ing his  former  vows.  His  embassy  to  the  court  of 
Rome  had  not  been  well  received,  and  the  Roman 
Catliolics  in  England  had  shown  themselves  unfa- 
vourable to  his  right  of  succession  to  the  crown.  At 
home  he  had  incurred  great  odium  by  the  slaughter 
of  the  Earl  of  Gowrie,  as  to  whose  guilt  the  body 
of  the  people  were  invincibly  incredulous.  After 
the  assembly  had  been  occupied  for  a  considerable 
time  in  deliberating  on  the  "  causes  of  the  general 


Strang  and  incredible  pratticks  upon  stented  takell  in  the  palace  clos^ 
befor  the  king,  quein,  and  haill  court  This  was  poliiicklie  done  to 
miiigai  the  Quein  and  peiple  for  Gowries  slauchter.  Even  then  was 
Hendersone  tryed  bcfor  ws,  and  Gowries  pedagog  wha  haid  bcin  bat- 
ed."    (Ibid.) 

♦  Record  of  Privy  Council,  Aug.  12,  1602.     Cald.  vi.  617. 

t  At  least,  Calderwood  (v.  570)  mentions  hiin  as  voting,  in  the 
privy  conference,  against  the  translation  of  the  ministers  of  Edin- 
burgh. 


88  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE. 

defection3  from  the  purity,  zeal»  and  practice  of  the 
true  religion  in  all  estates  of  the  country,  and  how 
the  same  may  be  most  effectually  remedied/'  his 
Majesty  rose  and  addressed  them  with  great  appear- 
ance of  sincerity  and  pious  feeling.  He  confessed 
his  offences  and  mismanagements  in  the  government 
of  the  kingdom ;  and,  lifting  up  his  hand,  he  vowed, 
in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  the  assembly,  that  he 
would,  by  the  grace  of  Grod,  live  and  die  in  the  re- 
ligion presently  professed  in  the  realm  of  Scotland, 
defend  it  against  all  its  adversaries,  minister  justice 
faithfully  to  his  subjects,  discountenance  those  who 
attempted  to  hinder  him  in  this  good  work,  reform 
whatever  was  amiss  in  his  person  or  family,  and 
perform  all  the  duties  of  a  good  and  Christian  King 
better  than  he  had  hitherto  performed  them.  At 
his  request  the  members  of  assembly  gave  a  similar 
pledge  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  their  duty;  and 
it  was  ordained  that  this  mutual  vow  should  be  in- 
timated from  the  pulpits  on  the  following  Sabbath, 
to  convince  the  people  of  his  Majesty's  good  dispo- 
sitions, and  of  the  cordiality  which  subsisted  be- 
tween him  and  the  church  *. 

It  was  at  this  assembly  that  a  motion  was  made 
to  revise  the  common  translation  of  the  Bible,  and  the 
metrical  version  of  the  Psalms.  The  former  of  these 
was  the  only  piece  of  reform  which  James  exerted 
himself  in  effecting  after  his  accession  to  the  Eng- 

*  Cald.  T.  577,  578.    MelyiUe's  Diary,  p.  366.     Hist,  of  the  Decl. 
-^e^f  P*  ^^9  S6*     Row*s  Hist.  p.  62. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  89 

lish  throne.  On  ihe  present  occasion,  we  are  told, 
he  made  a  long  speech,  in  the  course  of  which  he 
dwelt  on  the  honour  which  such  a  work  .would  re- 
fleet  on  the  church  of  Scotland.  ^^  He  did  mention 
(snys  Archbishop  Spotswood)  sundiy  escapes  in 
the  common  translation,  and  made  it  seem  that  he 
was  no  less  conversant  in  the  Scriptures  than  they 
whose  profession  it  was ;  and  when  he  came  to 
speak  of  the  Psalms,  did  recite  whole  verses  of  the 
same,  shewing  both  the  faults  of  the  metre  and  the 
discrepance  from  the  text.  It  was  the  joy  of  all 
that  were  present  to  hear  it,  and  bred  not  little  ad- 
miration in  the  whole  assembly  *."  But  ravished 
as  they  were,  and  proud  as  they  might  be,  of  hav- 
ing for  a  king  so  great  a  divine,  linguist,  and  poet, 
the  Assembly  did  not  think  it  fit  to  gratify  his  Ma- 
jesty by  naming  him  on  the  committee ;  but  recom- 
mended the  translation  of  the  Bible  to  such  of  their 
own  number  as  were  best  acquainted  with  the  origi- 
nal languages,  and  the  correction  of  the  Psalmody 
to  Pont  f .  This  did  not,  however,  prevent  James 
from  employing  his  poetical  talents  on  a  new  ver- 
sion of  the  Psalms,  intended  to  be  sung  in  churches. 
If  he  had  given  encouragement  to  the  ministers  to 
prosecute  such  works  as  these,  instead  of  irritating 
them,  and  embarrassing  himself,  by  the  agitation  of 
questions  respecting  forms  of  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment, James  would  have  acted  like  a  wise  prince. 


*  Spotswood^  p.  466. 

t  Bulk  of  the  Uni?.  Kirk,  f.  197,  b. 


90  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

He  would  have  gained  their  esteem,  diverted  them 
from  those  political  discussions  of  which  he  was  so 
jealous,  and  essentially  promoted  the  interests  of  re- 
ligion and  letters  in  his  native  kingdom. 

The  preposterous  and  baleful  policy  of  the  court 
distracted  the  ministers  from  other  undertakings  of 
great  moment  and  utility.  Among  these  was  the 
introduction  of  the  means  of  religious  knowledge 
into  the  Highlands  and  Islands  of  Scotland.  In  the 
year  1597,  the  General  Assembly  appointed  some 
of  their  number  to  visit  the  North  Highlands.  In 
passing  through  the  shires  of  Inverness,  Ross,  and 
Murray,  the  visitors  found  an  unexpected  avidity 
for  religious  instruction  in  the  people,  and  great 
readiness  on  the  part  of  the  principal  proprietors  to 
make  provision  for  it.  The  chief  of  the  clan  Mack- 
intosh subscribed  obligations  for  the  payment  of 
stipends  in  the  different  parishes  on  his  estate ;  and 
observing  that  the  visitors  were  siu'prised  at  his  ala- 
crity, he  said  to  them,  "  You  may  think  that  I  am 
liberal,  because  no  minister  will  venture  to  come 
among  us.  But  get  me  the  men,  and  I  will  find  suf- 
ficient caution  for  safety  of  their  persons,  obedience 
to  their  doctrine  and  discipline,  and  good  payment 
of  their  stipends,  either  in  St.  Johnston,  Dundee, 
or  Aberdeen."  — "  Indeed,"  says  James  Melville, 
who  was  one  of  the  visitors,  "  I  have  ever  since 
regretted  the  estate  of  our  Higlilands,  and  am  sure 
if  Christ  were  preached  among  them,  they  would 
shame  many  Lowland  professors.  And  if  pains 
were  taken  but  as  willingly  by  prince  and  pastors 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  91 

to  plant  their  kirks  as  there  is  for  wracking  and 
displanting  the  best  constituted,  Christ  might  be 
preached  and  believed  both  in  Highlands  and  Bor- 
ders *.'* — ^About  the  same  time  a  scheme  was  plan- 
ned for  civilizing  the  inhabitants  of  the  Western 
Isles,  who  were  in  a  state  of  complete  barbarism, 
and  scarcely  owned  even  a  nominal  subjection  to 
the  crown.  A  number  of  private  gentlemen,  chiefly 
belonging  to  Fife,  undertook  to  plant  a  colony  in 
Lewis,  and  the  adjacent  places,  which  formed  the 
lordship  of  the  Isles.  They  obtained  a  chai  ter,  con- 
firmed by  Parliament,  which  conferred  on  them  vari- 
ous privileges,  and  among  other  things  authorized 
Okem  to  erect  ten  parish  churches,  which  were  to  be 
endowed  from  the  revenues  of  the  bishopric  of  the 
Isles  f.  The  presbytery  of  St.  Andrews  took  a 
warm  interest  in  this  undertaking ;  and  at  their 
appointment,  Robert  Dury,  minister  of  Anstruther, 
sailed  to  Lewis  in  the  year  1601,  to  assist  the  gen- 
tlemen of  the  society  in  the  plantation  of  their 
churches  :|:.  The  next  account  we  have  of  Dury  is 
as  a  prisoner  in  Blackness,  for  holding  a  meeting  of 
the  General  Assembly  J. 

•.  Mdvfllc'a  Diary,  p.  325. 

t  Act.  Pari.  Scot.  iv.  248 — 250.     Spotswood,  p.  iCS. 

i  Record  of  Kirk  Session  of  Anstruther  Wester,  April  30,  1601. 

§  Among  the  means  used  for  the  reformation  of  the  Highlands,  it 
ii  proper  to  mention  the  translation  of  Knox's  Liturgy,  as  it  is  called^ 
hito  Craelic,  hy  John  Carswell,  Superintendent  of  the  West,  and 
Biihop  of  the  Isles.  It  was  entitled  "  Foirm  na  Nurrnuidheadh," 
Le.  Forms  of  Prayer;  and  was  printed  at  Edinburgh  by  Robert 
Ld^previck,  «4th  April,  1567.    An  account  of  this  very  curious  and 


92  LIFE  or  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

^Vhile  James  remained  in  Scotland,  the  scheme 
of  introducing  episcopacy,  though  never  lost  sight 
of,  was  cautiously  prosecuted.    After  the  dissolution 
of  the  Assembly  held  at  Burntisland,  the  commis- 
sioners of  the  church  addressed  a  circular  letter  to 
the  ministers,  intimating  that  the  Spanish  monarch 
had  hostile  intentions  against  Britain,  and  request- 
ing them  to  impress  their  people  with  a  sense  of 
their  danger,  and  to  assure  them  that  his  Majesty 
was  resolved  to  hazard  his  life  and  crown  in  the 
defence  of  the  gospel  *.     Melville  wrote  upon  his 
copy  of  the  letter,  Hannibal  ad  portas !   He  was 
convinced    that    the    fears    of    the    commissioners 
were  affected,  and  that  their  object  was  to  raise  a 
false  alarm,  with  the  view  of  turning  the  public 
attention  from  their  own  operations.     Accordingly, 
he  neglected  no  opportunity  of  rousing  his  brethren 
to  a  due  sense  of  the  real  danger  to  which  tbey  were 
exposed.     In  a  discourse  which  he  delivered  at  the 
weekly  exercise  in  the  month  of  June,  1602,  he  con- 
demned the  unfaithfulness  and  secular  spirit  wych 


rare  work^  and  interesting  extracts  from  it^  accompanied  with  an 
English  translation^  may  he  seen  in  Leyden*s  Notes  to  Descriptive 
Poems,  pp.  214—227.  See  also  Martin's  Description  of  the  Western 
Islands,  p.  127.  I  have  little  doubt  that  the  Highlanders  had  the 
Psalms  in  their  own  language  during  the  16th  century.  A  Gaelic 
translation  of  the  first  fifty  Psalms  was  published  by  the  synod  of 
Argyle  in  the  year  1650 ;  most  probably  made  from  the  newly  autho- 
rized version  in  English. 

•  The  death  of  Philip  II.  in  the  year  1598,  was  fatal  to  the  hopes 
which  had  for  so  many  years  instigated  the  Roman  Catholics  of  Scot« 
land  to  disturb  the  peace  of  their  native  country. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  93 

were  become  common  among  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel. Gladstanes,  feeling  himself  galled  with  this 
rebuke,  sent  informations  against  him  to  court ; 
and  the  King  having  come  to  St.  Andrews,  issued 
a  lettre  de  cachet  without  any  authority  from 
the  Privy  Council,  confining  him  within  the  pre- 
cincts of  his  college  *.  The  design  of  this  arbi- 
trary mandate  was  in  part  counteracted  by  a  plan 
which  was  adopted  by  the  members  of  presby- 
tery, the  greater  part  of  whom  had  been  pupils 
of  Melville.  They  set  on  foot  an  exercise  in  the 
New  College,  in  which  they  alternately  treated  a 
theological  question.  This  was  attended  by  the 
whole  university.  The  questions  selected  were 
chiefly  such  as  related  to  the  papal  supremacy  and 
hierarchy,  and  the  discussion  was  managed  in  such 
a  way  as  to  make  it  bear  on  the  points  in  dispute 
between  presbyter ians  and  episcopalians.  By  this 
means  both  ministers  and  students  were  confirmed 
in  their  attachment  to  presbytery,  and  qualified  for 
defending  it  against  its  adversaries.  As  the  exer- 
cise was  performed  in  the  Latin  language,  as  it  was 


*  **  Apud  S.  Andrewes  undecimo  die  mensis  Julij,  anno  domini 
1602.  The  kings  Ma.  for  certaine  causes  and  considerations  move- 
ing  his  H.  ordaines  a  macer  or  oy'  officer  of  armes^  to  passe  &  in  his 
name  and  aathoride  command  and  charge  M'^  Andrew  Melvill  prin- 
ctpaU  of  the  New  Colledge  of  S.  Andrewes  to  remainc  and  containe 
himself  in  waird  within  the  precint  of  the  said  Colledge^  and  in  noe 
wise  to  resort  or  repaire  without  the  said  precincts  while  he  be  law- 
fully and  orderly  releeved^  and  freed  be  his  Ma :  under  the  paine  of 
rebellion  and  putting  of  him  to  the  horne^  with  certification  to  him, 
if  he  faile  and  doe  in  the  contrare  that  he  shall  be  incontinent  ther- 


94  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

agreeable  to  the  directions  of  the  Greneral  Assembly, 
and  as  the  papists  were  the  only  opponents  who 
were  named,  the  court  could  find  no  plausible  pre- 
text for  suppressing  it  *. 

During  the  confinement  of  his  uncle,  James  Mel- 
ville exerted  himself  with  unusual  zeal,  and  dis- 
played a  resolution  and  courage  of  which  he  had 
been  supposed  incapable.  Perceiving  that  his  good 
nature  had  been  imposed  on  by  designing  and  faith- 
less brethren,  that  his  silence  was  construed  into 
consent,  and  that  the  compliances  which  he  made, 
with  a  view  to  peace  and  harmony,  were  uniformly 
followed  by  farther  encroachments  on  the  rights  of 
the  church,  he  determined,  henceforward,  inflexibly 
to  maintain  his  ground,  to  act  invariably  according 
to  the  dictates  of  his  own  judgment,  and  to  lend  a 
deaf  ear  to  the  fair  professions  of  men  who  meant 
only  to  deceive  and  overi'each  f .  He  attended  the 
assemblies  of  the  church  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  and 

after  denounced  rebell  and  putt  to  the  horne^  and  all  his  moveahles 
goods  escheat  to  his  H.  use,  for  his  contemption. 

(Cald.  vi.  615.)  Thomas  Fentenn  messinger." 

*  Melville's  History  of  the  Declining  Age,  pp.  27,  28. 
t  During  the  sitting  of  the  General  Assembly  in  the  year  1602, 
he  was  sent  for  to  the  palace.  As  he  came  out  of  the  cabinet,  Wil- 
liam Row,  minister  of  Strathmiglo,  who  was  waiting  for  access,  over- 
heard the  King  saying  to  one  of  his  attendants,  "  This  is  a  good 
simple  man.  I  have  streaked  cream  in  his  mouth  :  I'll  warrant  you, 
he  will  procure  a  number  of  votes  for  me  to-morrow."  Row  commu- 
nicated to  James  Melville  what  he  had  heard,  and  the  latter  having 
next  day  given  his  vote  against  the  proposal  of  the  court,  his  Majesty 
would  not  believe  it,  and  made  the  clerk  call  his  Jiame  a  second 
time.     (Livingston's  Characteristicks,  art.  WiUiam  Mow,) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  95 

when  confined  by  a  lingering  disease  he  wrote  them 
from  his  sick-bed  letters  containing  the  freest  ad- 
vices and  the  most  powerful  exhortations  to  con- 
stancy. With  the  view  of  preventing  his  opposition 
to  the  court  measures  at  a  meeting  of  the  synod  of 
Fife,  intimation  was  sent  him  that  the  King  had 
given  one  of  his  letters  to  the  Lord  Advocate  for 
the  purpose  of  commencing  a  criminal  prosecution 
against  him  ;  but  he  paid  so  little  regard  to  this 
threatening,  that  Sir  Robert  Murray,  in  reporting 
the  proceedings  of  the  synod,  informed  liis  Majesty, 
that  James  Melville  was  become  more  fiery  and  in- 
tractable than  his  uncle  *. 

At  length  the  death  of  Elizabeth  put  James  in 
possession  of  the  new  kingdom  for  which  he  had 
so  ardently  longed.  In  the  speech  which  he  made 
in  the  High  Church  of  Edinburgh  before  setting 
out  for  England,  he  professed  his  satisfaction  that 
he  left  the  church  in  a  state  of  peace,  and  declared 
that  he  had  no  intention  of  making  any  farther  al- 
teration of  its  government.  He  repeated  this  assu- 
rance to  the  deputies  of  the  synod  of  Lothian,  who 
waited  on  him  as  he  passed  through  Haddington. 
In  answer  to  a  petition  which  they  presented  in  be- 
half of  their  confined  brethren,  he  said,  that  he  had 
parted  on  the  best  tenns  with  Bruce,  that  he  had 

♦  Wodrow's  Life  of  Mr.  Jamea  Melvil,  pp.  96,  102 :  vol.  xii.  MSS. 
in  Bibl.  Col.  Glasg.  Being  told  that  the  King  hated  him  more  than 
any  man  in  Scotland  for  crossing  his  plans^  he  coolly  replied. 

Nee  sperans  aliquid,  nee  extimcsccns, 

Exannaveris  impotentis  iram. 


96  IJFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

expected  that  Davidson  would  wait  on  him  as  he 
came  through  Prestonpans,  and  that  he  had  given 
Melville  the  liberty  of  going  six  miles  round  St. 
Andrews  *.  All  the  ministers  offered  their  cordial 
congratulations  to  James  on  this  occasion,  although 
they  could  not  but  be  aware  that  one  of  the  first 
uses  which  he  would  make  of  his  increased  power 
would  be  to  overthrow  their  liberties  f .  The  seve- 
rity with  which  Melville  had  been  treated  did  not 
prevent  him  from  employing  his  muse  in  celebrating 
the  peaceable  accession  of  his  sovereign  to  the  throne 
of  England : 


ScotaTigle  Princeps,  o|*tirae  pnncipuni, 
Scotangle  Princeps^  maxime  principum, 
^cotobritan-hibeme  Princeps : 
Orte  poloj  Date,  sate  princeps^ 
In  regna  concors  te  vocat  Anglia  ; 
Te  VaUia  omnis ;  te  omhis  lernia ; 
£t  fata  Rome ;  et  Gallicani 
Per  veteres  titulos  tnumphi 
Addunt  avitis  imperils  novos 
Sceptri  decores ;  Orcadum  et  insulis 
Hetlandidsquej  et  plus  trecentis 
Hebridibus  nemorosa  Tempe : 
Qu^  belluosus  cautibus  obstrepit 
Nereus  Britannis,  quk  Notus  imbrifer, 
Qu£i  Circius,  Vulturnus,  £iurus 
Quadrijuga  vebitur  procella : 


•  Cald.  vi.  699—701.  Melville's  History  of  the  Declining  Age, 
p.  36.  The  Rising  and  Usurpatione  of  our  pretendit  Bishopes,  MS. 
p.  21.  The  relaxation  of  Melville's  confinement  iivas  procured  by  the 
Queen's  mediation.     (Cald.  vi.  615.) 

t  Row's  History,  pp.  191,  192. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  97 

Ci^iis  mentis  lumifrago  impeta 

Vim  seniit  atntm  dassis  Iberica, 

Alliaa  flicta  confVaginods 

RnpibuB,  et  soopnlis  tremendii. 
•  •  •  • 

Tni  videndi  inoensa  cupidine 

Plebs  flagnt  immenso^  Eripe  te  mora 

Sootobritan-hiberne  Princeps. 

Vive  dia  populoqae  foeliz, 
Gratuaque.    Votta  et  prece  aupplice 
Rcram  parentem  concilia :  et  refer 

Exorsa  regni  Icta^  sanctum 

Chriatua  imperinm  ut  gubemet^ 
Frvnans  proteroe  r^;na  Iicentis> 
Laxana  modests  ihena  deoentis^ 

Vt  Yera  virtus  Yerticem  moK 

Conapicuum  super  astra  toUat  ^ 


^  Melvini  Mumk,  pp.  19^15.    There  are  three  poems  by  him  on 
the  aeoeaaion  of  James^  and  one  on  the  sickness  of  Elizabeth. 


VOL.  IL  H 


98  LIFE'OF  AND%E\r  MELVILLE. 


CHAPTER  Vlir. 

• 

MELriLLB'a  Correspondence  with  Learned  Foreigners'^^ 
His  Apology  for  the  Nonconformist  Ministers  of  Eng- 
land— Hampton-Court  Conference — Proposed  Union  of 
the  two  Kingdoms — Death  of  John  Davidson — Plan  of 
the  Court  Jbr  Superseding  the  General  Assemhb/ — Mi^ 
nisters  Imprisoned  Jbr  Holding  an  AssemSly  at  Aber- 
deen— Convicted  of  High  Treason-^  Melville  Protests  m 
Parliament  against  Episcopacy — Extract  Jrom  Reasons 
of  Protest-^He  is  called  to  Lofidon  with  Seven  qfhis 
Brethre7i^^Their  Appearances  before  the  Scottish  Privy 
Council — Sermons  Preached  Jbr  their  Conversion — 
They  are  Prohibited Jrom  Reluming  to  Scotland — MeU 
vine's  Epigram  on  the  Royal  Altar — He  is  called  before 
the  Privy  Council  of  England  Jbr  it — Confined  to  the 
House  of  the  Dean  of  St,  PauTs — Convention  ofMinis^ 
ters  at  Linlithgorc^^Constant  Moderators  Appotnted-^ 
Tike  Ministers  at  London  Ordered  to  Lodge  with  EngUth 
BisAops-^Intervietff  between  them  and  Archbishop  Bdh- 
crqftr^MelviUe  called  a  Second  Time  before  the  Councii 
of  England^^Imprisoned  in  the  Tower — ReJUctions  an 
his  Treaiment'-^His  Brethren  Confined — Their  Digfii- 
Jied  Behaviour. 

■  I 

IT  HiLE  the  jealousy  of  the  government  led  them 
to  circumscribe  the  usefulness  of  Melville  in  every 
way  that  was  within  their  power,  his  reputation 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  99 

contmued  to  spread  on  the  Continent.  Some  of  the 
most  distinguished  of  the  foreign  literati  courted 
his  firiendship,  and  corresponded  with  him  by  let- 
ters. Among  these  was  Isaac  Casaubon,  who,  after 
teaching  in  the  academies  of  Geneva  and  Montpel- 
lier,  had  taken  up  his  residence,  and  was  prosecuting 
his  critical  studies  at  Paris,  where  he  enjoyed  an 
honorary  salary  as  Reader  to  Henry  IV.  and  Keep- 
er of  the  Royal  Library.  The  correspondence  be- 
tween them  began  in  the  year  1601,  when  Casau- 
bon  addressed  a  letter  to  Melville  couched  in  the 
moet  flattering  terms.  *^  The  present  epistle,  learn-, 
ed  Melville,  is  dictated  by  the  purest  and  most  sin- 
cere affection.  Your  piety  and  erudition  are  uni- 
versally known,  and  have  endeared  your  name  to 
every  good  man  and  lover  of  letters.  I  became  first 
acquainted  with  your  character  at  Geneva,  through 
the  conversation  of  those  great  men,  Beza,  the  de- 
eeased  Stephanus  *,  and  the  learned  Lectins,  all  of 
w]hom,  with  many  others,  as  often  as  your  name 
was  introduced,  were  accustomed  to  speak  in  the 
highest  terms  of  your  worth,  probity,  and  genius. 
You  know  the  effect  of  splendid  virtues  on  the 
minds  of  the  ingenuous ;  and  I  have  always  ad- 
mired the  saying  of  the  ancients,  that  all  good  men 
are  linked  together  by  a  sacred  friendship,  although 
often  separated  *  by  many  a  mountain  and  many 
a  town.*     Having  long  loved  and  silently  revered 

*  Henry  Stephens^  ihe  learned  printer,  was  the  faliier-iii-law  of 
Caaaubon. 

112 


100  LIFE  or  ANDBEW  MELVILLE. 


jreilr  piety  and  fearHing,  (twt>  things  hi  whidi  I 
Have  dlw^jB  been  ainbitiotts  to  excel,)  I  hAvn  at 
leaagth  resolved  to  send  this  letter  to  yxm  as  an  e(m 
pr^ssion  of  my  feelings.  Accept  of  it,  learned  Sir, 
as  a  small  but  sincere  testimony  of  that  ri^ard 
whidi  your  reputation  has  excited  in  the  Inreast  -cf 
a  strangier.  Permft  me  at  the  same  tinUe  to  midci 
a  complaint,  whidi  is  common  to  me  with  all  thd 
kiVers  of  learning  who  are  acquainted  with  your 
rare  erudition.  We  are  satisfied  that  you  have  be^^ 
skle  you  a  number  of  writings,  especially  on  sttb^ 
jects  connected  with  sacred  literature,  which,  tf 
camnnmicaibed  to  the  studious,  woidd  be  of  the 
greatest  benefit  to  the  church  of  God.  Why  tko 
you  suppress  them,  and  deny  us  the  fruits  of  ytiwr 
wakeful  hours  ?  Hiere  are  already  too  many,  yim 
will  say,  who  buin  vrith  a  desire  to  appear  befinra 
the  public.  True,  my  learned  Sir ;  we  have  mma^ 
amtliors,  but  we  have  few  or  no  Melvilles.  Let  nt 
entreat  you  to  make  your  appearance,  and  to  aet 
ting  part  whieh  Providence  has  assigned  you  in  siidi 
a  maim^  as  that  we  also  may  share  the  benefit 
of  your  lafaouTB.  Farewell,  learned  Melville;  and 
henceforward  reckon  me  in  the  number  of  yooir 
ftiendsV 

^'■\  Another  of  Melville's  for^gn  correspolideata  was 
Ifomay  du  Plefenis,  a  noUcman  who  umted  iar  Mi 

•  Casauboni  Eputole^  p.  129,  edit.  Almeloyeen.  There  is  imly 
another  letter  to  Melville  in]  that  collection,  (lb.  p.  S54.)  It  ap- 
peM  MlntfiiiaatlivhtAmil^  lettm  from  MiMlk.    (C^Hfip. 

p.  14S.)  "   '•'  •  •"  '♦^-  "^« 


'  1 . « .  ' 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  101 

cduusc^  the  beet  qualities  of  the  eoldier,  the  statea. 
man,  the  Bcholar,  and  the  Christian.  The  cor- 
rmfopdmce  between  them  appears  to  have  com-i 
nmoed  on  the  occasion  of  a  controversy  excited 
among  the  I^rotestants  of  France,  by  a  peculiar  opi- 
Bkn  respecting  the  doctrine  of  justification,  which 
Piacator,  a  celebrated  theologian  at  Herbom  in  the 
Palatinate^  had  started.  The  National  Synod  of 
tlw'  Frtadi  churches,  which  met  at  6^  in  the  year 
1608,  passed  a  severe  ceosure  on  the  novel  tenet, 
isd  wrote  to  other  reformed  churches  and  luu- 
TBtutks  re^piesting  them  to  assist  in  its  Buppre». 
aion  *.  Melville  and  his  colleague  Johnston  con* 
V^red  their  snttiments  on  the  subject  in  a  letter  to 
DD'  Plesflle..  Th^  did  not  preettlne  to  judge  of  th« 
^OBtieiice  of  liie  %nod.  of  Gap,  but  begged  leave  to 
(OBprcss  their  fsars  that  strraig  measures  wpnld  iii>- 
iame  the  ndnds  of  the  disputants,  and  that  tbrn 
fiuthm*  agitation  of  the  question  naij^  breed  »  di»> 
Mnsion  very  injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  evaa- 
gtficnl  churches.  It  f4)peared  to  ibeia,  HuJt  both 
forties  held  the  protestant  doctrine  of  justification, 
and  only  differed  a  JitUe  in  their  mode  of  explain* 
log  it.  They,  therefore,  in  the  name  of  their  bretl)^ 
ISB*  ^tferaated  Du  Pkesie  4o  employ  tiie  authority 
litich  his  piety,  prudence,  learned  writings,  and  ilr 
Instrious  services  in  the  cause  of  Christiaoity  had 


^  w^&riagt  only  of  Cbritt,  ind  not  the  utigni  of  liu  life,  Wf  JQ> 
pntcd  to  bdinen  iv  joatiflMtiaii. 

h3 


102  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

given  him  in  the  Gallican  church,  to  bring  aboajb 
an  amicable  adjustment  of  the  controversy  ^.  In  his 
reply  to  this  letter,  Du  Plessis  expressed  his  appro- 
bation of  the  prudent  advice  which  they  had  givo:!, 
and  informed  them  of  the  happy  effects  which  it 
had  produced  f .  The  King  of  Great  Britain  reck- 
oned it  incumbent  on  him,  in  his  new  character  of 
JDeJender  of  the  Faiths  to  interfere  in  this  dispute, 
as  he  afterwards  did  very  warmly  in  the  controver- 
sies excited  in  Holland  by  Armlnius  and  Vorstius. . 
The  synod  of  Gap  had  given  him  umbrage  by  a 
declaration  which  he  considered  as  derogating  from 
the  due  authority  of  bishops  %. 

The  ministers  of  Scotland  waited  with  anxiety 
to  see  how  James  would  act  towards  that  numerous 
and  respectable  body  of  his  new  subjects  who  had 
all  along  pleaded  for  a  farther  reformation  in  the 
English  church.  From  this  they  could  form  a 
pretty  correct  estimate  of  the  line  of  conduct  whidi 
he  intended  to  pursue  with  themselves.  Before 
the  death  of  Elizabeth  he  had  sounded  the  disposi- 


*  Epbtoja  ad  Morndum^  MS.  in  BibL  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9.  num. 
46.  &  Rob.  III.  3.  18.  num.  10. 

t  Vie  de  M.  du  Plessis,  p.  307.    Quick*8  Synodioon,  i.  S63>  966. 

X  The  synod  declared  that  the  title  Supcrintendefd,  in  their  Cdn- 
Cession,  did  not  imply  "  any  superiority  of  one  Pastor  above .  an- 
other." (Quick,  i.  927.)  Against  this  explication  James  sent  a  re- 
monstrance. (Laval,  Hist.  vol.  v.  p.  415.)  Du  Plessis,  in  a  letter  to 
M.  de  Ui  Fontaine,  apologizes  for  the  declaration  of  the  synod.  (M^ 
VaoireB  de  M.  du  Plesab,  tom.  iv.  p.  50.) — James  pubUshed  hit  JSJ»- 
t^irisif  de  eonfr&versia  niota  de  JnstificaHone,  anno  1 6 19.  It  begins  wi^ 
a  quotation  ih>m  Sdonum,  and  ends  with  Jaeotu*. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTII.LE.  108 

.  tions  of  the  puritans.  They  were  universally  in 
&vour  of  his  title ;  and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt 
that  he  gave  ihem  hopes  in  the  event  of  his  ac- 
GGBsion  *.  When  he  was  on  hia  way  to  London 
they  presented  to  him  a  petition,  commonly  called, 

.  firom  the  niunber  of  names  aflixed  to  it,  the  Mille- 
nary Petition :  stating  their  grievances,  and  request- 
ing that  measures  might  be  adopted  for  redressing 
them,  and  for  removing  corru|Ktions  which  had  long 

,beea  complained  of  by  the  soundest  Protestants. 
No  sooner  was  this  petition  presented  than  the  two 
lUiiversities  took  the  alarm.  The  university  of 
Cambridge  passed  a  grace,  "  that  whosoever  oppos- 
fidt  by  word  or  writing,or  any  other  way,  the  doctrine 
or  discipline  of  the  church  of  England,  or  any  part 
of  it,  should  be  suspended,  ipsojacto,  from  any  de- 
gree already  taken,  and  be  disabled  from  taking 
any  degree  for  the  future."  The  university  of  Ox- 
ford published  a  formal  answer  to  the  petition,  in 
which  they  accused  those  who  subscribed  it  of  a 
spirit  of  faction  and  hostility  to  monarchy,  abused 
the  Scottish  reformation,  lauded  the  government  of 
the  church  of  England  as  the  great  support  of  the 
crown,  and  concluded  Tiith  this  very  modest  decla- 
ration, "  there  are  at  this  day  more  learned  men  in 
this  kingdom  than  are  to  be  found  among  all  the 
ministers  of  religion  in  all  Europe  besides  |."  These 

' .  *,  See  hii  letlei  ta  Ur.  Wikoi^  in  Cdd.  vi.  69S»  699.  »nd  JMob'i 
AUemtioft  of  Iqvued,  gmUy,  um)  fapiitui.DiviDM^  pp.  It,  313. 
I  't  Wliowine  tluwdividuBUAtthi^WBeinJtodturcb.of  KDgI>D<l, 
(Uhw  indined  to  i)»nco|ifon9it;,«x«yf«(lj)  yha,  mmejcn^wn  In  tfae 
H3 


lOA  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

proceedings  were  not  only  injuriouB  to  seveni  Tt* 
spectable  members  of  both  universities^  who  were 
known  to  have  taken  part  in  the  petition,  but  dk- 
respectful  to  the  King,  who  had  received  it  and 
promised  to  inquire  into  the  abuses  of  which  it 
complained.  Melville  felt  indignant  at  this  prosti- 
tution of  academicid  authority,  and  attacked  the  M» 
solutions  of  the  English  universities  in  a  sakitical 
poem  which  he  wrote  in  defence  of  the  petitioners  ^. 
The  poem  was  ext^isively  circulated  in  Engiand, 
and  galled  the  ruling  party  in  the  church  no  lesB 
than  it  gratified  their  opponents*  Several  of  the 
English  academics  drew  their  pens  against  it,  but 
their  productions  were  confessedly  very  inferior  to 
Melville's  in  elegance  and  pungency  f . 

republic  of  letters  ?  To  the  names  eulogized  by  Melville^  Hubert 
opposes  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul^  the  emperor  Constantine^  8t 
Augustine^  St  Ambrose^  Duns  Scotus^  and  King  James!  (Moss 
Resp.  Epigr.  33.  De  Authorum  Enumeratione.) 

*  Pro  supplid  Euangelicorum  Ministrorum  in  Anglia  ad  Serenia* 
simum  Regem^  contra  larvatam  gemine  Academis  Grorgonem  Apolo- 
gift^  nve  Anti-Tkimi-Cami-Categoria.  AuthoreA.  Melvino.  1604.  Sir 
Robert  Sibbald  mentioBs  an  edition  of  this  poem  in  1 6tO.  (De  Sorip^ 
toribtis  Scoticis^  MS.  p.  IS.)  It  was  reprinted  in  Calderwood'a  AHam 
Darruucenum. 

t  One  of  these  was  George  Herbert^  who,  in  forty  epigrams^  ana- 
lysed Melville's  poem,  and  answered  it  pieoe-meal.  His  tpignnnt 
were  added  by  Dr.  Daport  to  a  collection  of  Latin  poems  by  bmttfrlf 
and  others,  entitled  *'  Ecclesiastes  6olomonis  &c  Accedunt  Oeoigii 
Herberti  Mns«  Responsoriie  ad  Andrew  MeMni  Anti-Tami-Cand^ 
Categoriam.  CanUb.  1662."— Isaac  Walton  says,  *'  If  Andrew  Mel- 
Tin  died  before  him,  then  George  Herbert  died  without  an  enemy." 
Upon  which  Walton*s  editor  remnlre :  <•  We  cannot  ssppow  thiifc 
Andrew  Meholle  could  retain  the  least  personal  resentment  i^gainit 
Mr.  Herbert;  whose  verses  have  in  them  so  littte  (^  the  poignaiioy  el 


LIFE  OF  AND&EW  M£LVILL£.     *         105 

The  prooeedingg  aond  issue  of  the  mock  canfiomioe 
M'flampton  Oourt  are  well  known.  On  that  ooca- 
8i«n  eare  ww  mot  taken  to  preserve  even  the  ap- 
peanmoeB  of  impartiaUty.  Every  thing  was  pre- 
TQoosIy  settled  in  private  between  the  King  and  tiie 
-bishops.  The  individuals  who  were  allowed  to 
plead  for  refcnm  were  few ;  they  were  not  chosen 
by  those  in  whose  name  they  appeared,  nor  did 
-they  express  their  sentiments ;  and,  although  men 
of  talents  and  learning,  they  did  not  possess  the 
firmness  and  courage  which  the  situation  required. 
The  moderation  of  their  demands  was  converted 
into  a  proof  of  the  weakness  of  their  cause,  and  the 
unreasonableness  of  nonconformity.  The  modesty 
with  which  they  urged  them  served  only  to  draw 
•down  upon  them  the  most  intemperate  and  insolent 
abuse.  They  were  browbeaten,  threatened,  taunt- 
ed.  insulted,  by  persons  who  were  every  way  their 
infieriors  except  in  rank.  The  Puritans  complained 
of  the  unfairness  of  the  account  of  the  conference 
which  was  published  by  Barlow ;  but  whatever  in- 
ymtite  the  bishop  may  have  done  to  their  argu- 
ments, and  whatever  intention  he  may  have  had  to 


that  it  kscarae  possible  to  ooniider  them  as  capaUe  of  exciting 
anger  of  him  to  whom  they  are  addressed."  ( Waltan^  LireSy  Dr. 
I'a  edit.  p.  348.)— Thomas  Atkinson,  B.  D.  of  St.  Jdfan*s  Gdkfg^ 
Cbntaridge^  wrote  an  answer,  under  the  title  of  ^  MdvisasDeiDWDs^ 
■ive  Sfttyra  edentula  contra  cjnadem  Anti-Tami-Cami-Categonam-^ 
p*  Tbomam  Atkinson.  Poema  versibas  lambids  scriptiutt."  (Hark 
MfiB.  nnm*  3496.  Sl)  It  was  dedicated  to  WlUiam  Load,  wheti  Oeaa 
of  aiouoeslar  and  President  of  St.  John's  €olfeg0«  The  MS.  is  not 
BOW  to  be  found  in  the  British  Museum.    :  ' 


106  .  LIFE  OF  AND&EW  MELVILLE. 

injure  their  reputation,  they  ought  to  have  applaud- 
ed his  performance.  Nothing,  in  fact,  can  be  mom 
pitiable  than  the  disclosure  which  it  makes  of  the 
bigotry  and  servile  adulation  of  the  bishops,  and  of 
the  intol^able  conceit  and  grotesque  ribaldry  of 
the  King.  To  quote  it  is  to  expose  them  to  ridi- 
cule. No  modem  Episcopalian  can  read  it  without 
reddening  with  shame  at  the  figure  in  which  the 
head  and  dignified  members  of  his  church  are  re- 
presented *.  There  was  not  the  most  distant  idea 
pf  giving  relief  to  the  complainers  by  this  confer- 
ence. The  object  of  it  was  to  afford  James  an  o]^ 
portunity  of  displaying  his  talents  for  theolc^^ical 
controversy  before  his  new  subjects,  to  give  him  a 
plausible  excuse  for  evading  his  promises  to  the  non- 
conformists, and  to  smooth  the  way  for  the  intro^ 
duction  of  the  forms  of  the  English  church  into 

•  The  Summe  and  SubeUnce  of  the  Conference— «t  HanpliNi 
Courts  January  14,  1603.  Contracted  by  M^illiam  Barlow,  Doctmiif 
of  Divinitie,  &c.  Loud.  1605.  It  is  reprinted  in  Phcenix,  tqL  i. 
Besides  Barlow,  and  the  other  authorities  referred  to  by  Neal,  in  hb 
History  of  the  Puritans,  those  who  wish  full  information  of  thttoilN 
ferenoe  may  also  consiUt  Wilkins's  Concilia  Mag.  Brit.  torn.  iL  ^ 
373—375. 

Bsrlow's  Account  of  the  Conference,  with  the  Canons  agreed  <^ 
by  the  Convocation  in  the  course  of  the  same  year,  was  pablisfaeA  it 
Paris  in  French  by  the  Roman  Catholics.  Such  notes  as  the  follow- 
ing were  added  on  the  margin :  Kiug  James  alijures  the  jScottish  ekmtdk 
: — King  James  a  semi-catholic,  &c.  (Ad  Sereniss.  Jaoobum  Piinfai 
^Eoclesiie  Scoticane  libellus  supplex.  Auctore  Jaoobo  Maltino. 
P.  30.  Lond.  16i5.)  The  French  Protestants  complained  tbattlieir 
adversaries  endeavoured  to  render  them  odious  by  ^uoCuig  :wlMt 
James  had  said  qf  the  Puritans  in  his  Basilicon  Doron.  (Lorf 
Hailes's  Memorials  and  Letters,  i.  73.)  -    'i*-' 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  107 

Sootland  ^.  The  liturgy  was  published  with  a  few 
trifling  alterations,  and  conformity  to  it  was  enjoin* 
ed  xxpoa  all  ministers  under  the  severest  penalties  f  • 
Ib  his  speech  to  the  parliament  which  met  soon  after 
at  Westminster^  James  acknowledged  the  church  of 
Borne  to  be  his  ''  mother  church,  though  defiled 
with  some  infirmities  and  corruptions" — spoke  with 
the  greatest  tenderness  of  her  adherents,  and  de» 
dared  his  readiness  to  **  meet  them  in  the  mid« 
way :"  but  **  the  puritans  or  novelists,  who  do  not 
differ  from  us  so  much  in  points  of  religion  as  in 
ikeir  confused  form  of  policy  and  parity/'  were  pro^ 
nounced  by  his  Majesty  to  be  a  **  sect  insufferable 
in  any  well-governed  commonwealth  :|:.'' 

Warned  by  these  facts,  the  ministers  of  Scotland 
were  awake  to  their  danger  when  the  union  of  the 
kingdoms  was  proposed ;  a  measure  of  which  James 
was  extremely  fond,  and  which  he  set  on  foot  imme- 
diately after  he  went  to  England.  Melville  was 
friendly  to  a  legislative  union,  and  joined  with  seve- 
ral of  his  learned  countrymen  in  setting  forth  the  ad- 
vantages which  would  accrue  from  it  to  both  kingi 
doms  §.  But  he  was  convinced  at  the  same  time,  from 
the  disposition  of  the  court,  that  there  was  the  great- 
eat  reason  to  fear  that  the  presbyterian  establishment 

*  Netl*8  History  of  the  Puritans,  vol.  ii.  pp.  8,  20,  Toulm.  edit 
Compleat  Hist,  of  England,  ii.  065. 

f  Wflldns^s  Concilia,  torn.  ii.  pp.  377,  406,  408. 

{  Joumala  of  the  Commons,  vol.  i.  p.  149. 

{  Dditisp  Poet.  Soot.  ii.  118.  There  is  a  letter  of  Melville's  pre- 
Axed  to  a  treatise  on  the  Union  by  Hume  of  Godscroft.  (MS.  in 
Bibl.  Col.  Kdin.) 


108  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

would  be  sacrificed  to  accomplish  it.  When,  tke 
parliament  of  Scotland  was  called  to  deliberate  om 
this  important  business^  the  synod  of  Fife,  imdcyr 
his  influence,  applied  for  liberty  to  hold  a  meeting 
of  the  General  Assembly.  They  were  told  by  the 
agents  of  the  court  that  this  was  altogether  uniie- 
cessary,  as  the  commissioners  to  be  appointed  by 
parliament  were  merely  to  advise  on  the  terms  of 
union,  and  to  report  to  their  constituents  ;  to  which 
the  deputies  of  the  synod  replied,  that  in  ordinary 
cases  the  resolutions  of  committees  were  adopted  by 
the  Estates,  and,  consequently,  the  selection  of  the 
commissioners  and  the  instructions  given  to  theqai 
were  of  the  very  greatest  importance.  Having 
failed  in  obtaining  this  object,  the  synod  addressed 
a  spirited  admonition  to  the  commissioners  oi  the 
General  Assembly.  After  expressing  their  fervent 
wishes  for  the  success  of  the  proposed  union,  as  con- 
ducive to  the  temporal  prosperity  of  both  kingdoms, 
and  to  the  security  of  the  protestant  religion  in 
them,  they  admonished  the  commissioners  to  crave 
of  the  parliament  that  the  laws  formerly  made  in 
favour  of  the  church  should  be  confirmed,  and  that 
nothing  should  be  done  tending  to  hurt,  alter,. or 
innovate  her  discipline  and  government,  which  waa 
founded  on  the  word  of  Grod,  established  by  the  laws 
of  the  land,  and  sanctioned  by  solenm  promises  SfPi^ 
oaths.  They  required  them  to  protest,  that,  if  any 
step  was  taken  to  its  prejudice,  it  should  be  miU^ 
and  void ;  and  to  charge  those  who  voted  ik.  ilif 
name  of  the  church,  to  confine  themselves  within  the 

5 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  109 

boundi  of  their  commission,  und  to  defend  the  eccle- 
siasticfll  constitution,  as  they  should  answer  to  Christ 
and  his  church.  And  in  fine  they  adjured  them, 
befim  God  and  his  elect  angels,  to  inform  the  con^- 
HiiMionerB  for  the  union,  and,  through  them,  his 
Majesty,  that  the  members  of  synod  were  fiiUy  per- 
suaded that  the  essential  grounds  of  the  govern- 
ment established  in  the  church  of  Scotland  were 
Bot  indifferent  or  alterable,  but  rested  on  divine  au-* 
tliority,  equally  as  the  other  articles  of  religion  did, 
and  tiut  they  would  part  with  their  lives  sooner 
tban  renounce  them.  The  King  was  very  desirous 
tkst  the  commissioners  for  the  union  should  be  in- 
Tested  with  unlimited  powers ;  but  the  parliament, 
jiMkniB  of  the  designs  of  the  court,  passed  an  act, 
deiflaring,  in  conformity  with  the  request  of  the 
synod  of  Fife,  that  they  should  have  no  power  to 
tttBt  of  any  thing  that  concerned  the  religion  and 
ecclesiastical  discipline  of  Scotland  *. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1604,  John  Davidson, 
ttrho  had  taken  an  active  part  in  the  public  transac- 


.  •  Act.  PtrL  6cot.  ir.  S74.  Forbes's  MS.  History,  pp.  34^  S5.  James 
Hclvdl^  Amt  of  the  Ded.  Age^  pp.  37~-41.  Printed  CM.  p.  4,79 
'i>ISIs  CUdcrwood  repreaents  the  admonition  to  the  commiiBioiierr 
iT^he  GcBcnd  Asaeml^y  as  given  by  the  synod  of  Fife:  James  MeU 
tflte  aaeribcs  it  to  the  commissioners  of  synods.  Forbes  states  that 
l)w  Kfaig  sent  down  a  list  of  such  persons  as  he  wished  to  be  chosen 
^huniwimHiB  ibr  the  union,  oonsistiDg  chiefly  of  bishops  and  newly-. 
numd.  Dobkmen;  that  the  anoient  nobility,  offimded  at  this, leftised 
tprhear,tjieir  expenses;  that  the  persons  nominated  by  the  King  o£< 
tatd  to  go  at  their  own  charge ;  and  that,  upon  this,  the  nobility 
nMe  the  sct'ekempthig  ecclesiastical  matters  from  their  cognizance. 


•  I 


110  LIFE  or  AKDUEW  MELVILLE.' 

tions  of  his  time,  departed  tbis  life  *.  On  his  retnm' 
from  banishment  after  the  death  of  the  Regent  Mott- 
ton,  he  became  minister  of  the  parish  of  libberton. 
The  tyranny  of  Arran  drove  him  a  second  time  into 
England.  Upon  the  faU  of  Arran,  he  declined  re^ 
turning  to  Libberton,  and  was  chosen  to  deliver  a 
morning  lecture  in  one  of  the  churches  of  Edin- 
burgh. In  this  situation  he  remained  until  he  was 
called  to  Prestonpans,  where  he  officiated  till  his 
death  f.  Davidson  was  a  man  of  sincere  and  warm 
piety,  and  of  no  inconsiderable  portion  of  learning, 
united  with  a  large  share  of  that  blunt  and  fearless 
honesty  which  characterized  the  first  reformers. 
The  bodily  distress  under  which  he  laboured  during 
the  last  years  of  his  life  was  aggravated  by  the  perse- 
cution which  he  suffered  from  the  government  ^.  He 
left  behind  him  collections  relating  to  the 


*  Four  individuals  *'  having  comissione  of  the  haill  pariah  of 
Saltprestoun^  hot  especially  of  y*  laird  of  Prestotie,  oompdiit  k- 
menting  y«  death  of  o^  father  Mr.  Jo°  Davidsone  y'  last  puto.^ 
(Record  of  Preshytery  of  Haddington^  Sept  5,  1604.) 

f  "  Mr.  John  Davidsoun  refusit  to  reenter  to  the  kirk  of  LiblMr- 
toun."  (Record  of  the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh,  Nor.  6,  IMI.) 
"  The  transportotion  of  Mr.  Ar<^  Symaoun  from  Dalketth  tfll  Onii^. 
tUnm,  and  Mr.  John  Davidaoun's  jdanting  at  Dalkeith/'  amcQiittll. 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh.  (Rec  of  Synod  of  Lothian  anl 
Tweeddale,  Sept.  17>  1589.)  ''  Mr.  John  Davidsoun's  preicUag.>ia 
Edinburgh  quarrellit  and  approved."  (Ibid.  Oct  3,  1690.  Oomm 
April  1, 1595.)  A  proposal  was  made  for  havii^  him  settled  m  lifi 
West  Kirk.  (Rec.  of  Presb.  of  Edin.  Oct  99,  169^,  UuA  1% 
1595.) 

X  Cald.  V.  579>  608. 


LUE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  Ill 

tical  history  of  Scotland^  with  other  writings,  which 
the  court  was  eager  to  suppress  *. 

Some  time  before  this,  Oladstanes  was  nominated 
to  the  archfaishopric  of  St.  Andrews,  and  Spotswood 
to  that  of  Glasgow,  as  a  reward  for  their  services 
.  in  forwarding  the  schemes  of  the  court,  and  an  en- 
oouragement  to  them  to  persevere  in  their  exertions 
for  the  overthrow  of  presbytery. 

During  the  years  1604  and  1605,  Melville  bore 
.  an  active  part  in  the  struggle  for  maintaining  the 


*  His  papers,  after  his  death,  came  into  the  hands  of  John  Jon- 
ston^  MelTilIe*8  colleague.  '^  Item,  I  leaue  the  trunk  that  lyes  under 
the  hwirde  w^  Mr.  Johne  Davidsones  papers  thairin  to  Mr.  Rob^ 
Wallaee  &  Mr.  Alex'  Hoome  at  Preatounepannes."  ( Jonston's  Testa- 
ment) At  Jonston's  deaths  an  order  was  issued  by  the  lords  of 
priYj  oouncn,  (Not.  31^  16ll>)  to  the  rector  of  the  university  and  pro- 
TDtt  and  bailies  of  St.  Andrews,  to  "  cause  his  oofiers  to  be  dosed" 
—•8  it  was  understood  *'  that  he  had  sundrie  paperis  writtis  and 
books,  pairtlie  written  be  himselfe,  and  pairtUe  be  utheris, — q"^  con- 
tenia  sum  purposs  and  mater  whairin  his  Ma^  may  have  verry  iust 
onu  of  oflfens,  gif  the  same  be  suflMt  to  .come  to  lichu"  (Collectioii 
of  Ijetlen  in  the  possession  of  the  Earl  of  Haddington.)  An  ac- 
oount  of  the  progress  which  Davidson  had  made  in  his  historical  col- 
leftiynT  is  given  in  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to  the  King,  April  1^ 
IfOS.  (Cald.  vi.  686 — 6S8.)  *'  A  little  before  his  death  he  penned 
ft  tMatbe,  IM  HasiUmM  Eeduia  Christi,  wherein  he  affirmes  y^  the 
OTeetiiig  of  bisht^  in  this  kirk  is  the  most  subtile  thinge  to  destroy 
teligiaiie  y<  ever  could  be  devised."  (Row*s  Hist.  p.  293.)  His  ca- 
tfedikn^  entitled,  **  Some  Helpes  for  young  Schollers  in  Christiani- 
ly^  JBdiDbnrgh  1609^"  was  reprinted  in  1708,  with  a  very  curious 
by  Mr.  William  Jameson,  Professor  of  Ecclesiastical  History 

Glasgow,  in  which  he  exposes  the  forgery  of  Mr.  Robert  Calder, 
who,  by  a  pretended  quotation  from  this  catechism,  attempted  to 
persuade  the  public  that  Davidson  had  recanted  presbyterian  princi- 
plea  before  his  death. 


112  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLS. 

General  Assembly;  the  great  bulwark  of  the  liber- 
ties of  the  church  of  Scotland.  By  the  parliament- 
ary establishment  of  Presbytery  in  the  year  1592» 
it  was  secured  that  the  supreme  judicatory  should 
be  held  at  least  once  a  year,  and  a  rule  was  laid 
down  for  fixing  the  particular  day  and  place  of  every 
meeting.  Under  various  pretexts  James  had  in- 
fringed this  rule ;  and,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
oommission^-8  o(  the  churchy  had  altered  the  times 
bdA  places  of  assembling.  In  consequence  of  a  cchii- 
plaint  from  the  synod  of  Fife,  the  Assembly  held  at 
Holyroodhouse  in  1602  came  to  the  resolution^  th^t 
General  Assemblies  should  hereafter  be  regularly 
kept  according  to  the  act  of  parliament  *•  His  M^ 
j.esty  was  present  and  agreed  to  this  resolution ;  ytt 
when  the  time  approached  for  holding  an  Assembly 
at  Aberdeen  on  the  last  Tuesday  of  July,  l604i»  he 
prorogued  it  until  the  conferences  respecting  tjie 

ujoion  were  over.    As  all  classes  in  the  natioA  weiie 

■  * 

eager  in  securing  their  rights,  the  presbytery  cidt^ 
Andrews  judged  it  incumbent  on  them  to  be  eare- 
fill  of  the  rights  of  the  church.  TTiey  enjoini^ 
their  representatives  to  repair  to  Aberdeen ;  wl^ 
finding  none  present  to  join  with  them  in  constitiil- 
ipg  the  Assembly,  took  a  formal  protest,  in  the  pre- 
jsence  of,  witnesses,  that  they  bad  done  theii^  4^» 
and  that  whatever  injury  might  arise  to  the  libfup- 

•  Bulk  of  the  Uniy.  Kirk,  ff.  201,  b;  203,  a.  At  Uie  Assembly  in 
May^  159T,  hit  Mi^eatj  declared  the  act  of  parliament  regiikflkig^lhe 
meetings  of  the  efaiirch  courts  to  be  ^'  the  most  authentick  fon^ilf- 
consent  that  any  king  can  gire."    (Ibid.  f.  187,  a.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  113 

ties  of  the  church:  from  the  desertion  of  that  diet 
should  not  be  imputed  to  them  or  to  their  consti- 
tuents. 

This  faithful  step  aroused  the  zeal  of  the  other 
presbTteries.  At  the  ensuing  meeting  of  the  synod 
of  Fife,  delegates  from  all  parts  of  the  church  at- 
tended to  consult  on  the  course  which  should  be 
taken  to  assert  their  rights.  At  this  meeting,  and 
at  an  extraordinary  one  subsequently  held  at  Perth, 
the  parliamentary  bishops  and  commissioners  of  the 
church  were  severely  taken  to  task,  and  accused  of 
dandestinely  hindering  the  meeting  of  the  Greneral 
Assembly,  for  the  purpose  of  prolonging  their  own 
delegated  powers,  and  evading  the  censures  which 
they  had  incurred  by  transgressing  the  cautions. 
It  was  at  the  same  time  resolved  to  send  petitions 
from  all  the  synods,  requesting  his  Majesty  to  allow 
the  supreme  ecclesiastical  judicatory  to  meet  for 
the  transacting  of  important  and  urgent  business. 
Oladstanes  conveyed  information  to  the  King  of  the 
activity  with  which  Melville  and  his  nephew  pro- 
moted these  measures  ;  in  consequence  of  which  an 
order  came  from  London  to  incarcerate  them.  But 
the  council,  either  offended  at  the  bishop's  officious- 
ness,  or  afraid  of  the  spirit  which  then  pervaded  the 
nation,  excused  themselves  from  carrying  the  order 
into  execution  *. 


•  Apologetical  Narration  by  W.  S.  (William  Scot,  minister  of 
Cnpir  in  Fife,)  pp.  13S— 138 :  MS.  in  BibL  Jnrid.  Edin.  Printed 
Ctlderirood,  pp.  489—484. 

VOL.  II.  I 


114  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Notwithstanding  the  numerous  petitions  trans- 
mitted to  ctfurt  from  presbyteries  and  synods  ♦,  the 
General  Assembly  was  again  prorogued .  in  1605; 
and,  as  if  to  declare  that  the  King  had  assumed  the 
whole  power  of  calling  it  into  his  own  hands,  no 
time  was  fixed  for  its  meeting.  It  now  behoved  the 
ministers  to  make  a  determined  stand,  unless  they 
meant  to  surrender  their  rights  without  a  struggle 
to  the  crown. 

The  election  of  the  members  of  Assembly  had 
taken  place  in  many  ports  of  the  country  before  its 
prorogation  was  known.  After  siteh  mutual  con- 
sultation as  the  shortness  of  the  time  permitted, 
nine  presbyteries  resolved  to  send  their  representa- 
tives to  Aberdeen,  with  instructions  to  constitute 
the  Assembly,  and  adjourn  it  to  a  particular  day, 
without  proceeding  to  transact  any  business. .  John 
Forbes,  minister  of  Alford,  who  had  lately  had  an 
interview  mth  his  Majesty  at  London,  and  received 
assurances  of  his  disposition  to  maintain  the  juris- 
diction of  the  church,  was  employed  to  communicate 


.t  - 


*  On  the  S5th  S^pteaiber,  1604>  the  presbytery  of  HaddingtoAap- 
pointed  comaiiarirtnerfa  to'ga^to  St  Jbhnttoo  <'  to  cegrait  the  Uebi^4f 
the  general!  ajipembUc.".  Oct.  17,  l«Oi,  tbt^  agieed  that  a  peM|lon 
should  be  printed  to  his  Majesty  on  this  suttject.  Sept.  11^  li05, 
they  appointed  the  following  clause  to  be  inserted  in  a  suppUciatiim : 
''  That  seing  we  understand  his  Mati«  hes  bein  abused  in  respect  no 
wite  hath  bene  delyyerit  (as  ane  letter  direct  fro  his  Ma^ie  betris) 
.oaving  .ane  geDerall  aaaeiublic :  q'as  the  Siuod  of  lawthiane  and 
lueddell,  conv^t  at  tiancnt^  direct  ane  letter  to  his  Ma^te  craviag 
maiat  humblie  aoe  generall  assemblies  and  sent  ptj]  to  his  Maf^  he 
Mr,  Jho.  SpoitisufowL"    (Record  of  Presbytery.) 


LIFE  OF  AKDBEW  MELVILLS.  116 

tluB  Resolution  to  the  Chancellor.  That  statesman 
{VoftflBed  himself  satisfied  with  the  moderation  of 
tbe  proposal  and  promised  to  refrain  from  inteuL 
dkting  the  Assembly,  and  merely  to  address  a  let- 
ter to  the  ministers  who  should  meet,  desiring  them 
to  separate.  On  the  2d  of  July,  nineteen  ministers  * 
having  met,  after  sermon,  in  the  session-house  of 
Aberdeen,  Straiton  of  Lauriston,  the  King's  Com-- 
missioner,  presented  to  them  a  letter  from  the  Lords 
of  Privy  Council.  As  it  was  addressed  "  To  the 
brethren  of  the  ministry  convened  at  their  Assem^ 
faly  in  Aberdeen,"  it  was  agreed,  before  reading  it, 
to  constitute  the  Assembly,  and  choose  a  moderator 
and  derk.  While  ihey  were  employed  in  reading 
the  letter,  a  messenger  at  arms  entered,  and,  in  the 
King^s  name,  charged  them  to  dismiss  on  the  pain 
of  rebellion.  The  Assembly  declared  their  readi- 
2iefl8  to  comply  with  this  order,  and  only  requested 
fais  Majesty's  Commissioner  to  name  a  day  and  place 
for  next  meeting.  Upon  his  refusal,  the  moderator 
appointed  the  Assembly  to  meet  again  in  the  same 
place  on  the  last  Tuesday  of  September  ensuing,  and 
th^n  dissolved  the  meeting  with  prayer.  Lauriston 
Afterwards  gave  out  that  he  had  discharged  thie 
Assembly  by  open  proclamation  at  the  market-cross 
of  Aberdeen  on  the  day  before  it  met ;  but  no  per- 

*  Ten  other  ministers  came  to  Aberdeen  after  the  Assemhly  was 
diMQlTed,  and  by  their  subscriptions  approred  of  what  their  brethren 
had  done. — ^The  presbytery  ci  Haddington  severely  repnmanded  their 
representative  for  not  repairing  to  Aberdeen,  and  approved  of  thf 
procedure  of  the  Assembly.    (Record,  July  17  andHijt  isa&^) 

I2 


i 


116  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

^Qn  heard  this,  and  it  was  universally  believed  that 
he  antedated  his  proclamation,  to  conciliate  th^ 
King  and  the  court  ministers,  who  were  highly  o£l 
fended  at  him  for  the  countenance  which  he  had 
given  to  the  meeting  *. 

This  is  a  summary  account  of  the  assembly  at 
Aberdeen,  which  afterwards  made  so  much  noise^ 
and  which  the  King  resented  so  highly.  The  con- 
duct of  the  ministers  who  kept  it,  instead  of  merit- 
ing punishment,  is  entitled  to  warm  and  unqualir 
fied  approbation.  It  was  marked  at  once  by  firm- 
ness and  moderation,  by  zeal  for  the  rights  of  the 
church  and  respect  for  the  authority  of  their  sove- 
reign. Had  they  done  less  than  they  did,  they 
would  have  forfeited  the  honourable  character  which 
the  ministers  of  Scotland  had  acquired — disgraced 
themselves,  and  discredited  those  to  whose  places 
they  had  succeeded.  They  would  have  crouched  to 
the  iisurped  claims  of  a  regal  supremacy,  which  they 
and  their  predecessors  had  uniformly  and  steadily 


♦  Melville's  History  of  {he  Declining  Age,  pp.  59—55.  Simaotii 
Anna],  p.  90.  Rising  and  Usurpation  of  the  Pretendit  Biahopet,-  pf^ 
SSI*-9i.  History  by  Mr.  John  Forbes,  pp.  42—68.  The  two  ]m 
MSB.  are  in  my  possession.  John  Forbes^  who  was  moderator  of 
ihe  Assembly  at  Aberdeen,  was  a  brother  of  Patrick  Forbes  of  Cotse^ 
who  afterwards  became  bishop  of  Aberdeen.  Bpotswood's  aeeouat  ft 
entinely  taken  from  the  official  Declaration  oj  ihe  jtat  Cmtsei  of  J^ 
Mttj*  Proceedings  against  ihe  Ministers  who  are  now  lying  in  Prison^ 
printed  both  at  Edinburgh  and  London  in  1605.  A  counter-staie- 
ment  was  published  by  the  ministers  under  the  title  of  Fmikfid4tik 
fort  of  the  Proceedings,  anent  the  Assembly  of  Ministers  sd  AherdHn  : 
printed  in  England  in  1606. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE-  117 

resisted,  which  were  not  more  incfonsistent  with 
ixresbyterian  principles  than  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  the  country,  and  which,  if  yielded  to,  would 
have  converted  the  free  and  independent  General 
Assembly  of  the  church  of  Scotland  into  a  Parisian 
parliament  or  an  English  convocation.  They  are 
entitled  to  the  gratitude  of  the  friends  of  civil  li- 
berty. The  question  at  issue  between  the  court 
and  them  amounted  to  this,  whether  they  were  to 
be  ruled  by  law,  or  by  the  arbitrary  will  of  the 
prince — ^whether  royal  proclamations  were  to  be 
oheyed  when  they  suspended  statutes  enacted  by 
the  joint  authority  of  King  and  Parliament.  This 
question  camie  afterwards  to  be  debated  in  England, 
and  was  ultimately  decided  by  the  establishment  of 
the  constitutional  doctrine  which  confines  the  exer- 
cise of  royal  authority  within  the  boundaries  of  law. 
But  it  cannot  be  denied,  and  it  ought  not  to  be  for- 
gotten, that  the  ministers  of  Scotland  were  the  first 
to  avow  this  rational  doctrine,  at  the  expense  of 
being  denounced  and  punished  as  traitors ;  and  that 
their  pleadings  and  sufferings  in  behalf  of  ecclesias- 
tical liberty  set  an  example  to  the  friends  of  civil 
liberty  in  England.  In  this  respect  complete  justice 
has  not  yet  been  done  to  their  memory ;  nor  has  ex- 
piation been  made  for  the  injuries  done  to  the  cause 
which  they  maintained,  by  the  slanderous  libels 
against  these  patriots  which  continue  to  stain  the 
pages  of  English  history. 
The  Privy  Council  did  not  resent  the  proceedings  at 

Aberdeen.    But  no  sooner  was  his  Majesty  informed 

I8 


118  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLK. 

of  them  than  he  transmitted  orders  to  the  latr-efll^ 
cers  in  Scotland  to  proceed  with  the  utmost  rigoiir 
Against  the  ministers  who  had  presumed  to  coAtrA^ 
Vene  his  command*.  They  were  accordingly^  called 
before  the  privy  council,  and  fourteen  of  them  hay« 
ing  stood  to  the  defence  of  their  conduct,  were 
committed  to  different  prisons.  John  Forbes,  wfati 
^as  moderator  of  the  Assembly,  and  John  Weldr, 
being  considered  as  leaders,  were  treated  "^ith  greater 
fieverity  than  the  rest ;  being  confined  Within  sepAV 
rate  cells  in  the  castle  of  Bladknefips,  Bbd  sedttded 
from  all  intercourse  with  their  friends.  An  ane6^ 
dote,  authenticated  by  the  records  of  the  cound^ 
aJSbrds  a  striking  illustration  of  the  spirit  with  which 
the  ministers  were  actuated;  Hobert  Yoxmgaonf 
minister  of  Clatt,  had  been  induced  to  make  an  ae- 
knowledgment  before  the  privy  council,  and  was 


.  *  His  Majesty's  letter  to  Secretary  Btlmerino  is  dated  "  at  Hauer- 
ing  in  the  boure  the  xix  of  Julg  1605/'  (Collection  of  Letters  ^ 
fbsseision  of  the  Earl  of  Haddhigton.)  The  ministers  wer«  fttt 
called  be£H«  ibe  Frivj  Coundl  on  the  ^Sth  of  July.  (CoUeetkm  ^ 
Acta  of  Secret  Council^  by.  Sir  John  Hay^  Knight^  Clerk  of  R^ister.|) 
James  marked  with  his  own  hand  such  parts  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  ministers  as  in  his  opinion  brought  them  ''  within  the  comyi 
«f  Ike  law."  Among  these  the  following  merits  notioe :  <'  In  the  mid 
IfjQ  Qthe  letter  of  the  Assembly  to  the  Privy  Council]]  thereafter  at 
this  signe  rv->  they  wald  mak  this  thair  appollogie  for  thair  proceed- 
ing, thai  ihey  sould  not  be  ihefint  oppenaris  of  ane  gap  to  the  oppd^ 
hnache  and  vMftioun  of  the  latins  and  statutis  of  this  rtahnej  wfiiBng 
the  counseU  to  wey  and  considder  thairof ;  as  gif  they  wald  mak  ane 
plane  accnsatioun  of  sum  tyrannic  intendit  be  ws  to  the  por^odiee  of 
the  lawis  of  onr  kingdome^  an  speiche  altogidder  smelling  of  treipovn 
and  leae  mi^eatie."    (Collection  of  Letters^  «t  supra.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILI^E.  119 

« 

dismiflsed.  But  on  the  day  when  the  cause  of  his 
Ivethren  came  to  be  tried,  he  voluntarily  presented 
hifiMyplf  along  with  them,  pirofessed  his  deep  sorrow 
for  the  acknowledgment  which  he  had  formerly 
made,  avowed  the  lawfulness  of  the  late  assembly, 
and,  having  obtained  the  permission  of  the  council^ 
took  his  place  at  the  bar  *.  Having  declined  the 
authority  of  the  privy  council  as  incompetent  to 
judge  in  a  cause  which  was  purely  ecclesiastical,  six 
jxi  the  ministers  f  were  served  with  an  indictment 
ito:  stand  itrial  for  high  treason  before  the  Court  of 
Justiciary  at  Linlithgow.  They  were  indicted  soler 
ly  for  the  fact  of  their  having  declined  the  privy 
council ;  and  the  charge  of  treason  was  founded  on 
a  law  enacted  during  the  infamous  administration 
of  Arran,  which,  so  far  as  it  respected  ecclesiastical 
matters,  was  disabled  by  a  posterior  statute.  The 
defence  of  their  counsel  was  able  and  conclusive, 
and  the  speeches  of  Forbes  and  Welch  were  of  the 
most  impressive  kind.  But  of  what  avail  are  in- 
nocence and  eloquence  against  the  arts  of  corruption 
and  terror  ?  The  Earl  of  Dunbar,  now  the  King^s 
favourite,  was  sent  down  to  Scotland  for  the  express 
purpose  of  securing  the  condemnation  of  the  mini- 
0ter8.  Such  of  the  privy  counsellors  as  the  court 
could  depend  on  were  appointed  assessors  to  the 

•  Aet  of  Secret  CouneO^  Oct  94^  1005.  (Sir  John  Hay*s  CoUec- 
tioii*^ 

t  John  Forbesy  minister  at  Alford,  John  Welch  at  A^rr,  Robert 
Dory  at  Anatmther,  Andrew  Duncan  at  Crail,  John  Shaip  at  KiU 
many,  and  Alexander  Stradum  at  Greigh. 


jndgea ;-  the  jurf  vere  padced; /After :thejrbairre«>  1 
ticed^  the  most  illegal  intereoui^  took  place  be«  > 
tween  them  and  the  crown  officers;  and. byr'sudi 
disgraceful  methods  «  verdict  was  at  last  obtainedy 
findings  by  a  majority  of  three,  the  prisaners  gailty 
of  .treason.  The  pronouncing  of  the  sentence  was 
deferred  until  his  Majesty's  pleasure  should-  be 
known*. 

.The  conduct  of  the  mimsters,^  during  dieir  imn  < 
prisonment  and  on  their  trial,  gained  them  the 
highest  esteem.  Those  who  .had  pronounced  itlieiu 
guilty  were  ashamed  of  their,  own  conduct*  .  The 
glaring  and  scandalous  perversion  of  justice  atnidc 
the  minds  of  all  men  widh  horror.  ; .  In  vain  did  tim. 
court  issuei  prociamations^i  pn^uUting,  /under  the 
ptun.  of  deaths,, any  to  pray^.^^ either  generally  or 
partiqularly,"  for  ithe  convicted  ministers^  or  to  caU 
iuiquestion  :U»e  verdict  pronounced  against  thesu 
QT,  ta  ai:raign  any  of  the  proceedings  of  government, 

«  Fdrbe8'mi0t.^<6d^l5l^M«ltmeVl>ed.Age,pp.^l--9a'6p6l|i 
^f^  VP-  4B7-rM9«  SQOtf«  AppWg-  {Ntmtlon,  pp.  14$— ie$.  OC.A# 
ill^alitiee  of  tl^e.  process  pp  qtber  proof  is  required  than  the  acooontof 
it  which  the  Lord 'Advocate  transmitted  to  the  King.  (Lord  flailed 
BMnbrialij  ^6h  i.  "pp.  1^4.)  '  In'ihe  taTDestrain  is  th^  letWr  wiMM 
^ff^  8ecietaitjr.Batosevi|io.addre8ied  1o  hisiMiueaty  ^'  hj  dji«o|K#. 
€i  the  pou^yell."  ^  "  To  dissemhle  nothing/'  says  hf?^  "  ^  the  Erie 
Of  Dumhar'  had  not  hene  with  ws^  and  pairtlie  hy  his  oexteritie  in 
adUuitig  <iiihat  wes  fittest  to  be  done  in  euerie  thing,  and  pairtlie  'hf' 
the  au^*  he  had  over  his  friends^  of  quhome  a  greit  many  past  upo«m 
the  assise^  and  pairtlie  for  that  sume  stood  aw  of  his  preaena,  knaw- 
ing  that  he  wald  mak  fidell  relatioun  to  your  ma^*  of  euerie  maoa 
pain*  the  tome  ha^net  framed  so  well  bm,  biessH  be  Qod,  it  |ui%'^ 
(CoL  of  Letters  belonging  to  Lord  Haddington.) 


LIFE  or  ANDRHfW  9f KEVlLLft.  ISf 

Thriptadamationfi  ivere*  disregarded  and  disobejr- 
edir  •'  InsensiUe  to  the  feelings  of  the  nation;  Ae 
KiEHg  refused  to  exert  his  right  to  pardon.     He 
would  not  even  impart  to  his  counsellors  his  resolu- 
tion aa  to  ^  the  punishment  of  the  traitors,  which 
behoYed,**  he  said,  ^^  to  remain  for  some  time  in  his 
own  breast  as  an  arcanum  imperiV*    And  he  ordered . 
them  to  proceed  without  dela^  with  the  trial  of  the 
ministers  who  were  still  in  jMrison,  and  whose  convic- 
tion he  anticipated  as  a  matter  of  course  after  the 
decision  which  had  been  given  against  their  bretfa^ 
ren^  especially  if  ^  more  wary  election  was  made  of 
the  next  assisors  *.'-  -  Had  this  insane  mandate  been 
eanied  into  exedution^ :  it  must  have  spread  dissatid- 
fiution   and  discontent:  through  the  naticm,   and 
might  have  hastened  on  those  confusions  which 
broke  out  during  the  succeeding  reign.     Fortimate- 
ly-  for  Jameis  his  counsellors  were  endued  with  more 
wisdom  than  he  possessed.     They  wrote  him  in 
plain  terms,  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  pro- 
cure the  conviction  of  the  remaining  prisoners ;  that 
those  who  sat  on  the  former  jury  would  not  con- 
sent to  re-act  the  same  part;  that,  even  if  they 
were  willing,  it  would  disgrace  the  government  to 
employ  them ;  and  that  no  others  could  be  found 
to  undertake  a  task  which  would  expose  them  to 
universal  odium  and  execration  f .  James  reluctantly 

*  His  Migeity's  letter  to  the  Lords  of  Secret  Council^  Jan.  92, 
1606 :  Col.  of  Letters^  nt  sup. 

f  The  Coonsellis  AtisF  to  his  Mijesty's  Letter^  Januar— U06: 
p>L  €i  Letters^  ut  sup. 


ISS  ULFJC  OF  ANIMUBW  MEUWILUS. 

yielded ;  bat  *'  tiie  tender  Hterdies  of  the  widoed^te 
cruel.''  The  eight  ministera  were  released  frem 
prison ;  but  they  were  banished  singly  to  the  extrep* 
mities  of  the  Highlands^  to  the  Western  Isles,  Oric« 
ney,  and  Shetland ;  and  in  these  inclement  and  then 
barbarous  abodes,  several  of  them  contracted  dis^ 
eases  which  hurried  them  to  a  premature  gvave 
The  dread  which  was  entertained  of  the  talents  of 
the  six  convicted  ministers  procured  for  kheoi'  a 
milder  £ftte»  After  being  imprisoned  feufteitn*moatf|i 
kbHut  castle  of  Blackness,  they  were  banisbed  into 
■France*.  »..*» 

These  severities  increased  the  nation's  aversioa 
to  episcopacy,  and  its  dislike  of  the  bishops,  Wkie 
were  universally  believed  to  have  incensed  his  M»- 
^ty  against  the  men  who  opposed  their  elevation, 
if  the  first  introduction  of  episcopacy  had  produced 
such  persecution,  what  might  be  looked  for  when  it 
obtained  a  complete  ascendancy  and  estabUshn^nt'f  ? 
The  people  contrasted  the  harsh  treatment  of  their 
ministers  witJL  the  suspicious  lenity  shown  to  Ro< 
man  Catholics.  It  was  observed,  that,  at  this  v^ 
time,  Gilbert  Brown,  abbot  of  Newabbey,  who  had 
for  many  years  been  a  busy  trafficker  for  Rome  and 
"Spain,  and  a  chief  instrument  of  keeping  the  tiouili 

I    «  Act  ai  Secret  Council  Oct.  S3,  1606:  Sir  John  Hay*t  Cdllae- 
tion.    Simsoni  AjQnales,  p.  91.    Cald.  549. 
.  t  Melville  expressed  Uie  general  feeling  in  these  lines: 

Talia  si  teneri  producunt  poma  stolones? 
Quid  longeva  arbos?  qualia  poma  feret  f^ 
(Simsoni  Annales*  p.  91.) 


UF£  OF  AKIXREW  MELVILLE.  189 

of  Scodand  tmdar  ignorance  and  mpentitioiiy  wm 
Mlei8ed  =  £pom  the  cagtle  of  Edinburgh,  where  he 
had  been  liberally  entertained  at  the  puUic  expense, 
ani  Was  allowed  to  leave  the  kingdom,  after  all  his 
munfixes,  agnus  deis,  relics,  chalices,  and  sacred 
veatments,  had  been  religiously  restored  to  him : 
while  John  Welch,  who  had  converted  multitudes 
fipom  the  ent)rs  of  popery  by  his  pastoral  labours, 
and  had  published,  at  his  Majesty's  particular  re- 
^ftiest,  a-leemed  ooirfutation  of  die  abboffs  tenets^ 
^hm  detained  in  idle  dmrancei,  and  obliged  to  sup^ 
port  himself  in  prison  on  his  own  charges  *.  '<  Ba- 
fabbas  (says  a  writer  of  that  time)  was  released, 
mmA  the  faithful  preachers  of  the  word  of  God  were 
Kibined  in  loathsome  dungeons  f .'-  Nor  did  it  es- 
cape notice,  that  James  continued  unrelentingly  to 
prosecute  the  iminrisoned  ministers  after  his  almost 
miraculous  escape  from  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  and 
rejected  all  intercessions  in  their  favour,  though 


I  ■ 


«Fort>eB'8Hutp.lll.  Melville^s  DieeL  Age,  pp.  88,  SS.  Welch's 
Iwok  is  entitled,  '*  A  Rq^y  against  M.  Gilbert  Browne  Priest 
Wberein  is  handled  many  of  the  Greatest  and  weightiest  pointes  of 
etotrovenie  between  tb  and  the  Papistes,  &c.  By.M.  John  Weldle, 
Ftaudier  of  Christ's  Goq^  at  Aire. '  £dinbargfa.  Printed  by  Robert 
Wslde-graTe,  1609."  Pp.363.  Dedicated  to  Jsanes  VI.  It  was  re- 
printed in  1672,  by  Matthew  Crawford,  under  the  title  of  '^  Popery 
Anatomized." 

It  would  appear  that  some  of  the  ministers  received  pecuniary  aid 
from  their  presbyteries  during  their  imprisonment.  **  The  haffl 
bretheren  of  the  presbyterie  agreis  to  ane  cfitributioune  of  fourtie 
marica  for  support  of  y^"  bretheren  in  ward."  (Record  of  the  Presby« 
tcry  of  Aberdeen,  Nov.  15,  1605.) 

t  Sirosoni  Amud.  p.  93. 


124  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

embodied  in  congratulatory  addresses  which  were 
trluismitted  to  him  from  his  native  kingdom  on  thai' 
memorable  occasion  *. 

Melville  took  a  warm  interest  in  the  fate  of  his 
persecuted  brethren.  He  avowed  his  approbation 
of  their  conduct  in  holding  the  assembly  at  Aber« 
deen  and  in  declining  the  judgment  of  the  privy 
council.  He  zealously  promoted  petitions  to  the 
government  in  their  favour.  He  was  present  in 
Linlithgow  on  the  day  of  their  trial  to  give  tii&a^ 
his  advice,  and  to  make  a  final  attempt  for  accpm- 
modation  with  the  privy  council.  And,  after  their 
conviction,  he  accompanied  them  to  the  place  of  their 
confinement  f .  It  was  not  long  till  he  was  called 
to  make  a  more  open  appearance  in  behalf  of  the 
cause  for  which  they  suffered,  find  to  share  in  ii^ 
hardships  which  he  now  sought  to  alleviate. 


*  Prizited  Calderwood,  p.  $07.  A  poem  by  Mehflle  (m  Uie  Oim- 
powder  Plot  is  printed  in  Delit.  Poet.  Soot.  torn.  ii.  p.  100.  In  Ite 
tpeech  which  James  made  to  the  parliament  of  England  after  die 
dttcoviery  of'  the  plo^  while  he  shewed  great  anxiety  to  distingidilll 
between  the  diffi^rent  kipcV  Qf  papiobii  he  went  out  of  his  way  to  4§i 
dare  his  detestation  gf ''  the  cruelty  of  the  Puritanes,  worthy  of  Hi^ 
that  will  admit  no  salvation  to  any  Papist"  (Works,  p.  504.)  In 
atMwer  to  thepedttons  in  behalf  of  the  Scottish  ministen,  he  rtUli' 
tii^%  "  thepapitts  were  neeking  his  life  indeed,  bat  the  mioisten  wmf^ 
seeking  his  crown,  dearer  to  him  nor  his  life."  (Melville>  DeoL  Agf^ 
p.  83.)  The  truth  is,  James  abused  the  puritans  because  he  dreaded 
ne  harm  from  them,  imd  he  eudeavonred  to  keep  fair  with  the  papiati^ 
because,  as  he  sometimes  phrased  it,  "  they  were  dexterous  kiiig« 
killers ;"  just  as  some  Indians  are  said  to  worship  the  devil,  for. fear 
he  should  do  them  a  mischief.    (Toplady's  Historic  Proofs  iL  %lS*y ... 

t  Printed  Calderwood,  pp.  508,  516. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  123 

Presuming  that  these  severe  proceedings  must 
have  intimidated  and  subdued  the  spirit  of  the  mi* 
nisters,  the  court  deemed  the  present  a  favourable 
time  for  taking  another  step  in  the  introduction  of 
episcopacy.  The  provincial  synods  were  assembled, 
and  deputies  from  his  Majesty  required  their  con- 
sent to  five  articles,  intended  to  secure  the  bishops 
from  being  called  to  account  for  their  late  violations 
of  the  cautions,  and  to  recognize  the  power  which 
the  King  claimed  over  the  General  Assembly.  But 
these  articles  were  decisively  rejected  by  the  synod 
of  Fife ;  and  the  other  synods,  with  the  exception 
of  that  of  Angus,  referred  the  determination  of 
ihem  to  the  Greneral  Assenibly  *. 

Melville  was  deputed  by  the  presbyte;ry  of  St.  An* 
drews  to  wait  on  the  parliaiAent  which  met  at 
Perth  in  August,  1606 ;  and  was  instructed  to  cc^ 
operate  with  his  brethren  of  other  presbyteries  in 
seeing  that  the  church  suffered  no  injury  at  that  as- 
sembly of  the  Estates.  Understanding  that  it  was 
intended  to  repeal  the  statute  which  had  annexed 
thei  temporalities  of  bishoprics  to  the  crown,  and  to 
leBtore  the  episcopal  order  to  their  ancient  privi- 
kges,  they  gave  in  to  the  Lords  of  Articles  a  repre- 
sentation ;   stating,  that  the  episcopal  office  stood 

m 

condemned  by  the  laws  of  the  church,  and  that  the 
bishops  were  restored  to  a  place  in  parliament  with- 
out prejudice  to  the  established  ecclesiastical  go- 

*  Simtoni  AmiaL  p.  98.    Melville's  DecL  Age,  p.  92.    Forbes^ 
pp.  US,  166. 


180  LIF2  OF  ANDREW  M£LTILL£. 

vemment;  and  craving  that»  if  any  act  were  to 
be  passed  in  their  favour,  the  cautions  enacted  bjr 
the  General  Assembly,  with  the  concurrence  of  his 
Majesty,  should  be  embodied  in  it.  In  reply  t^ 
this  they  were  explicitly  told  by  the  ChanceUosv 
that  the  bishops  would  be  restored  to  the  state  m 
which  they  were  a  hundred  years  ago.  Upon  tiuB 
they  prepared  a  protest,  which  being  refused  bf 
the  Lords  of  Articles,  they  gave  in  to  each  of 
the  Estates.  Forty-two  names,  of  which  Melvilk^s 
was  the  first,  were  affixed  to  this  protest*  Tkt 
commissioners  of  shires  and  burghs  at  first  pny^ 
mised  to  support  it,  but  most  of  them  were  in  tlie 
issue  gained  over  by  the  agents  of  the  court.  Hie 
chief  nobility  were  averse  to  the  restoration  of  epis- 
copacy * ;  but  since  James's  advancement  to  the 
throne  of  England,  it  was  become  a  matter  of  great- 
er consequence  than  it  had  formerly  been  to  pM- 
fierve  the  royal  favour  ;  and  he  employed  an  aigu- 
ment  with  them  which  proved  irresistiUe.  1%b 
l^ifts  which  they  had  obtained  from  church  lailAl 
were  confirmed  to  them,  and  a  great  many  M# 
iemporal  lordships  were  erected  from  the  same  ftai4 
Tbe  bishops  did  not  scruple  to  vi<date  the  ^^cawetitP 
by  consenting  to  this  alienation  of  the  property  of 
the  church,  and  to  the  reduction  of  the  numbcar  of 


•  ff  En  Ecosse  la  plupart  des  Seigneurs  sont  non-senlement  ParU 
taiDS;  mais  inal-contens :  dc  sorte  que  je  ne  s^au  s'il  se  pourra  faire 
ob^."  (Lettre  k  M.  de  VUleroy,  31  May,  1606 ;  AmbasMdes  de  M. 
de  la  Boderie,  torn.  i.  p.  63.) 


LIFE  OP  ANDREW  MELVILLE,  187 

her  voters  in  parliament  from  fifly-one  to  thirteen. 
This  eoaopromise  being  made,  the  parliament  re- 
stored the  bishops  to  all  their  ancient  and  accos- 
tamed  honours,  dignities,  prerogatives,  privileges, 
and  livings,  and  at  the  same  time  revived  the  chap- 
ters which  had  been  suppressed  by  the  General  As- 
sembly.    The  preamble  to  this  act  is  perfectly  ap- 
propriate.    It  recc^izes  his  Majesty  as  **  absolute 
prince;,  judge,  and  governor  over  all  persons,  estates, 
«Dd  causes,  both  spiritual  and  temporal.'*     By  an- 
oiher  act  the  royal  prerogative  was  raised  to  the 
Mf^est  pitch,  accompanied  with  the  most  extrava- 
gant and  fulsome  adulation  of  the  reigning  sove- 
idgn*.     The  greatest  precautions  were  taken  to 
psevent  the  ministers  from  protesting  against  these 
daeds.     Melville  had  been  appointed  by  his  brethren 
ta  perform  this  task.     On  the  day  on  which  the 
ads  were  to  be  ratified,  he  gained  admission  into 
ilie  House;  but  no  sooner  did  he  stand  up  than  an 
OTCl^r  was  given  to  remove  him.     Though  thus  pre^ 
stated  from  taking  a  protest  according  to  legal 
farms,  he  did  not  retire  until  he  had  made  his  ei^ 
wad  nffidently  known  f .  • 

"u  'The  protest  was  conceived  in  language  respectfiil 

'  ^  Act.  PftrL  Soot  It.  9^1,  293.    The  last-iuentioned  act  was  con- 
at  the  time.    The  oath  of  supremacy  was  ordained  hy  act  of 
Council  only.    (Record  of  Privy  Council,  June  2,  1607.)    Cal- 
dcrwood  (MS.  vL  1112)  bays,  it  was  **  printed  at  Edinburgh  be  Ro- 
bert Charters,  anno  dom.  1607." 

t  Printed  Cald.  p.  521.    Simsoni  Annal.  p.  100.    Melville's  Ded. 
Age^  p.  105. 


128  LIFE  Of  ANDREW  MELYILLC. 

to  the  legislature,  but  expressive  of  the  most  detev« 
mined  opposition  to  the  measure  under  their  consi^ 
deration.     It  reminded  the  members  of  parliament 
that  they  were  not  lords  over  the  church,  but  nurs-^ 
ing  fathers  to  her ;  and  that,  instead  of  assuming  a 
power  to  mould  her  government  according  to  their 
pleasure,  it  was  their  duty  to  preserve  and  maintain 
that  which  had  been  given  her  by  her  divine  head. 
It  warned  them  that  the  measure  under  their  con« 
sideration  would,  if  adopted,  overthrow  that  disci- 
pline imder  which  religion  had  flourished  for  so 
many  years  in  Scotland.     It  conjured  them  not  to 
undo  all  that  they  had  done  in  behalf  of  the  churcb ; 
nor,  for  the  sake  of  gratifying  a  few  aspiring  indi- 
viduals, to  erect  anew  a  hierarchy  which  had  been 
abjured  by  the  nation,  and  which  had  uniformly 
proved  the  source  of  **  great  idleness,  palpable  ig- 
norance, insufferable  pride,   pitiless  tyranny,  ai^ 
shameless  ambition.'*     And  it  concluded  with  de- 
daring,  that  the  protesters  were  ready  to  produce 
reasons  at  large  to  shew  that  the  power  and  dignity 
which  it  was  proposed  to  confer  on  bishops  were 
contrary  to  Scripture,  the  opinions  of  the  fathen^ 
the  canons  of  the  ancient  church,  the  writings  of 
the  most   learned  and    godly  divines    of  modem 
times,  the  doctrine  and  constitution  of  the  church 
of  Scotland  since  the  beginning  of  the  ReformatioDy 
the  laws  of  the  realm,  and  the  welfare  and  honour 
of  the  King,  parliament,  and  subjects  *.     The  pro- 

*  Informations,  or  a  Protestation,  and  a  Treatise  fh>iii  ft*Mrtlm4 
Imprinted  1608.    Pp.  94.  ISrao.    It  appears  from  the  efuatle  to  the 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  Ifi9 

tas^. ^M  drawQ  up ,\fy  P^tjnck  Simpeon^  minister  of 
Stirling ;  the  reaaons  of  protest  were  composed  by 
.  JaiQes  Melville^  with  the  assistaaoe  of  his  uncle  *. 
The  following  extracts  frpin  the  last*inentioned  pa- 
per will  serve  as  a  proof  of  the  spirit  with  which  it 
.  ^as  written,  and  of  the  enlightened  zeal  for  civil 
.  liberty,  and  the  temporal  welfare  of  the  nation,  with 
which  the  ministers  were  at  this  time  actuated. 

''  Set  mee  up  these  Bishops  once,  (called  long 
since  the  Prince's  led-horse)  things,  if  they  were 
j^ever  so  unlawful,  unjust,  ungodly  and  pemitious 
to  kirk  and  realme,  if  they  shall  be  borne  forth 
by  the  countenance,  authoritie,  care  and  endeavour 
of  the  King,  (supposing  such  a  one,  as  God  forbid, 
come  in  the  roome  of  our  most  renoimed  Sovereign ; 
for  to  the  best  hath  oftentimes  succeeded  the 
worst,)  they  shall  be  carried  through  by  his  Bishops, 
set  up  and  entertained  by  him  for  that  effect ;  and 
the  rest  of  the  estates  not  onely  be  indeed  as  ciphers, 
but  also  beare  the  blame  thereof  to  their  great  evill 
and  dishonour.  If  one  will  aske.  How  shall  these 
Bishopa  be  more  subject  to  be  carried  after  the 
ajqpetite  of  an  evill  prince  then  the  rest  of  the 
estates  ?  The  answer  and  reason  is,  because  they 
have  their  lordship  and  living,  their  honour,  esti- 


r,  that  this  treatise  was  printed  abroad  by  an  Englishmata  who' 
huA  fled  from  Bancroft's  persecntlons.  The  Protestation  may.  be  aeeftt 
in  tlie  printed  History  of  Calderwood,  pp.  537 — 531.  .  . 

^  Printed  Cald.  pp.  537^  536.  The  Reasons  of  Protest  are  inserted 
at  length  in  a  weU- written  tract  by  Calderwood^  entitled^  The  Course 
of  Gonfovmity— Printed  in  the  ye*re  1«W;  (pp.  80—48.) 

K 


ISO  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE* 

mation,  profit  and  commoditie  of  the  King.  Tilt 
King  may  set  them  up  and  cast  them  downc^ 
give  them  and  take  from  them,  put  them  in  and 
out  at  his  pleasure ;  and  therefore  they  must  bee 
at  his  direction  to  doe  what  liketh  him :  and  in  a 
word,  he  may  doe  with  them  by  law,  because  they 
are  set  up  against  law.  But  with  other  estates  fate 
cannot  doe  so,  they  having  either  heritable  standii^ 
in  their  roomes  by  the  fundamental!  lawes,  or  then 
but  a  commission  from  the  estate  that  send  them, 
as  from  the  burgesses  or  barons.  Deprave  •  me  onoe 
the  Ecclesiasticall  Estate,  which  have  the  gift  tf 
knowledge  and  learning  beyond  others,  and  areisuj^ 
posed  (because  they  should  bee)  of  best  consdencfe, 
the  rest  will  easily  bee  miscarried.  And  that  «o 
much  the  more,  that  the  Officers  of  Estate,  Lords 
of  Session,  Judges,  Lawyers  that  have  their  offices 
of  the  King,  are  commonly  framed  after  the  courtTs 
affection.  Yea,  let  Chancellor,  Secretarie,  Trei^ 
surer.  President,  Controller,  and  others  that  bmt 
are,  take  heed  that  these  new  Prelates  of  the  Kjric» 
(as  covetous  and  ambitious  as  ever  they  were  of 
old,)  insinuating  themselves  by  flatterie  and  obse- 
quence  into  the  Prince's  favour,  attaine  to  the  boar-* 
ing  of  all  these  offices  of  estate  and  crowne,  and 
to  the  exercising  thereof,  as  craftily,  avaritioiis^y 
proudly,  and  cruelly,  as  ever  the  Papisticall  Prekrtes 
did.  For  as  the  holiest,  best  and  wisest  angels  of 
light,  being  depraved,  became  most  wicked,  CMitie 
and  cruell  divells,  so  the  leamedest  and  best  pas- 
tor, perverted  and  poysoned  by  that  old  serpent  with 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  131 

avarice  and  ambition,  becomes  the  falsest,  worst, 
and  most  crueU  man,  as  experience  in  all  ages  hath 
proved. 

''If  any  succeeding  Prince  please  to  play  the 
tyrant,  and  goveme  all,  not  by  lawes,  but  by  his 
will  and  pleasure,  signified  by  missives,  articles,  and 
directions,  these  Bishops  shall  never  admonish  him 
as  faithfuU  pastors  and  messengers  of  God ;  but  as 
they  are  made  up  by  man,  they  must  and  will  flat- 
ter, pleasure  and  obey  men.  And  as  they  stand  by 
affection  of  the  Prince,  so  will  they  by  no  meanes 
jeopard  their  standing,  but  be  the  readiest  of  all 
to  put  the  King^s  will  and  pleasure  in  execution ; 
though  it  were  to  take  and  apprehend  the  bodies  of 
tiie  best,  and  such  namely  as  would  stand  for  the 
lawes  and  fireedome  of  the  realme,  and  to  cast  them 
into  dark  and  stinking  prisons,  put  them  in  exile 
from  their  native  land,  &c.  The  pitifull  experience 
in  times  past  makes  us  bold  to  give  the  warning 
for  the  time  to  come  :  for  it  hath  been  seen  and  felt, 
and  yet  dayly  is,  in  this  Island.  And  finally,  if  the 
Prince  be  prodigaU,  or  would  inrich  his  courtiers 
by  taxations,  imposts,  subsidies  and  exactions,  layd 
npon  the  subjects  of  the  realme,  who  have  been  or 
shall  bee  so  ready  to  conclude  and  impose  that  by 
parliament,  as  these  who  are  made  and  set  up  for 
that  and  the  like  service  *  ?" 

These  were  not  the  representations  of  alarmists, 
who  wished  to  excite  prejudices  against  the  bishops 

•  Cald.  vi.  1 168— 1162.    Course  of  Conformity,  pp.  4i— 47. 

K  2 


1S2  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

from  mere  antipathy  to  their  spiritual  power.  Nor 
were  they  the  othpnng  of  imaginations  disordered 
by  unreasonable  jealousy.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
years  the  strongest  of  these  predictions  were  fidly 
and  literally  verified,  to  the  conviction  of  those  who 
had  treated  them  as  visionary.  The  bishops,  who 
owed  their  restitution  solely  to  the  favour  of  the 
Kiiig,  and  who  depended  on  him  as  **  the  breath  of 
their  nostrils,"  did  not  blush  to  acknowledge  them- 
selves to  be  his  *^  Majesty's  creatures,''  and  devoted 
themselves  in  all  things  to  the  pleasure  of  ttt&r 
"  earthly  creator  *" :  they  exerted  all  their  influence 
to  lay  the  liberties  of  the  nation,  and  the  {mvil^es 


*  '*  Most  Gratioiit  Soueraigne^  May  it  please  sour  most  ezoeUeBl 
M%}estie,  As  of  aU  Tyoes  Ingratitude  is  most  detestable,  I  flndaodmy 
self  not  only  as  first  of  that  dead  estait  quhilk  zour  M.  hath  recreate* 
but  also  in  my  priuate  conditione  so  ouerquhelmed  with  your  M. 
princely  and  magnifick  benignitie^  could  not  bot  repaire  to  sour  Bf^ 
most  gratious  face^  that  so  unworthie  an  creature  micht  both  aee^ 
blisse  and  thanke  m^  earthly  Creator,*'  (Original  Letter  of  Archbi- 
shop Gladstanes  to  the  King^  Sept  11,  1609 :  MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.' 
Edin.  M.  6. 9.  num.  (19.)  ''  We  will  not  be  idle  in  the  mean  time  {imyi 
he,  in  a  letter  to  his  Migesty,  Aug.  Sl«  1612)  to  prepare  sndias  bam 
vote  to  incline  the  right  way.  All  men  do  follow  us  and  hunt  fox  onr^ 
favour,  upon  the  report  of  your  Maj.  good  acceptance  of  me  and  the 
Bishop  of  Cathness,  and  sending  for  my  Lord  of  Glasgow,  and  tiie 
procurement  of  this  Parliament  without  advice  of  the  Chanoellorw-^. 
No  Estate  may  say  that  they  are  your  Mqj.  creatures,  as  we  may  aay, 
so  there  is  none  whose  standing  is  so  slippery,  when  your  Mig.  shidf 
frown,  as  we :  tor  at  your  M^).  nod  We  must  either  stand  or  h&r 
(Printed  Cald.  p.  645.)  The  same  servility,  though  not  exprcKed  id 
such  gross  terms,  runs  through  a  letter  to  the  King  by  the  bishops  jof 
St.  Andrews,  Glasgow,  and  Orkney ;  and  a  separate  letter  addressed 
to  him  by  Ardibishop  Spotswood.  (MSS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  M. 
6.  9.  nums.  6S  and  67.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  133 

(q£  the  different  orders  in  it,  at  his  feet ;  while  he, 
in  return  for  their  serFices,  loaded  them  with  hon- 
oun,  and  advanced  them  to  the  highest  offices  of 
atate.     Owing  to  different  causes  these  effects  were 
more  aensibly  felt  in  Scotland,  where,  if  episcopacy 
bad  been  suffered  to  remain  much  longer,  the  go- 
vernment would  have  settled  into  a  pure  and  con- 
firmed despotism.     But  they  were  also  felt  in  Eng- 
land* From  the  time  that  Henry  VIII.  caused  him- 
self to  be  .declared  Head  of  the  English  Oiurch,  and 
foJToed  the  bishops  to  take  out  licenses  from  him, 
and  to  acknowledge  that  all  the  jurisdiction  which 
they  exercised  flowed  from  the  royal  authority,  the 
episcopal  bench  and  clergy  became  dependent  on  the 
oown.     When  the  spirit  of  liberty  pervades  a  na- 
tion it  will  exert  an  influence  upon  all  orders  of 
men ;  and  there  have  been  instances  of  English  (I 
cannot  say  Scottish)  prelates,  who  have  nobly  with- 
stood the  encroachments  of  arbitrary  power,  and  de- 
fended the  rights  of  the  people.     But  still  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  suppose,  (and  experience  justifies  the  sup- 
position,) that  as  a  body  they  will  be  devoted  to  the 
will  of  the  prince,  to  whom  they  owe  their  places, 
from  whom  they  look  for  preferment,  and  by  whose 
authority  they  perform  all  acts  of  ecclesiastical  ju- 
risdiction.    Candour  demands  the  acknowledgment, 
that  a  presbyterian  church  must  also  fall  into  state- 
subserviency  in  proportion  to  the  power  which  the 
crown  obtains  in  the  appointment  of  its  ministers ; 
although  this  patronage  is  necessarily  limited  by  the 
want  of  preferments  in  such  an  establishment,  and 

K  3 


134  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

checked  by  the  freedom  of  discussion  which  takes 
place  ill  its  several  assemblies  *. 

In  giving  an  account  of  the  parliamentary  resto- 
ration of  prelacy,  it  would  be  unjust  to  omit  men- 
tioning  William  Douglas,  Earl  of  Morton,  a  noble- 
man who  inherited  the  magnanimity  of  the  Doa- 
glasses,  tempered  by  the  milder  virtues  of  his  illus- 
trious relative  the  Regent  Murray.  While  he  main* 
tained  all  the  hospitality  and  even  magnificence  of 
the  ancient  barons,  his  domestic  arrangements  were 
conducted,  and  his  fine  family  reared  up,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  purity  of  his  morals,  and  the  strict 
regard  which  he  uniformly  shewed  to  the  duties  of 
religion.  The  public  conduct  of  this  peer  was  mark- 
ed by  independence,  and  he  shewed  himself  a  warm 
and  steady  friend  to  the  presbyterian  church.  It 
was  chiefly  through  his  exertions  that  the  parlia- 

*  **  The  bishops  (nays  Lord  Karnes)  were  uniTersany  in  the  fnle- 
rest  of  the  crown,  as  they  have  been  ai  all  times,  trnd  upon  ail  oceasunu  / 
and  as  the  whole  bishops  were  for  the  crown,  it  was  indifferent  which 
eight  were  chosen."  (Essays  concerning  British  Antiquities,  p.  58.) 
This  remark  tinqaastionably  requires  some  qualification.  But  tfaefav^ 
stance  to  which  Lord  Hailes  refers  disproves  it  in  part  only.  (Mfr* 
morials,  yol.  i.  p.  41.)  Though  all  the  bishops  were  ^'  for  the  crows,*^ 
they  might  not  aU  be  equally  able  to  maintain  its  "  interests  ;**  and 
in  this  respect  certainly  it  was  not  "  indifi^nt  which  eight  weva 
chosen"  as  Lords  of  the  Articles.  Bat  the  reason  why  the  King  in 
1612  sent  a  list  of  bishops  was,  not  that  he  doubted  of  the  attachment 
of  any  of  them,  but  that  he  might  assert  his  prerogatiye  to  nominate 
them.  And  the  reason  why  Lord  Burlle  wished  to  change  '^  one  or 
two"  on  the  court-list  was,  not  that  he  objected  particularly  to  any  of 
the  individuals  named,  but  that  he  might  maintain  the  privilege  of 
the  nobility  in  the  election;  as  he  distinctly  states  in  his  defence. 
(Ibid.  p.  4S.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  135 

ment  had  formerly  passed  an  act  exempting  the  go- 
vernment of  the  church  from  the  cognizance  of  the 
commissioners  appointed  on  the  union.  The  sick- 
ness which  soon  after  put  an  end  to  his  days  pre- 
vented him  from  attending  in  his  place  at  Perth ; 
but  he  expressed  his  strong  disapprobation  of  the 
act  restoring  episcopacy,  and  with  his  dying  breath 
predicted  the  evils  which  it  would  entail  oa  the 
4»untry*. 

Melville's  appearance  before  the  parliament  at 
Perth  was  the  last  which  he  was  permitted  to  make 
in  his  native  country.  His  removal  from  Scotland 
had  been  determined  on  as  a  necessary  preparative 
to  the  execution  of  the  projects  of  the  court.  Epis- 
copacy still  stood  condemned  by  the  church,  and  the 
bishops  remained  destitute  of  all  spiritual  power, 
fiuch  was  the  state  of  public  sentiment  and  feeling 
in  the  country,  that  any  attempt  to  confer  this 
upon  them  by  the  mere  exercise  of  civil  authority 
would  have  been  nugatory,  and  might  have  proved 
dangerous.  The  only  way  in  which  they  could 
hope  to  succeed  was  by  obtaining  the  consent  of  the 
diurch-courts  to  their  assuming  one  degree  of  epis- 
copal power  after  another,  under  false  names  and 
deceitful  pretexts.  Notwithstanding  the  number  of 
ministers  already  in  confinement,  they  judged  it  ne- 
cessary to  get  rid  of  others,  before  they  durst  face 
an  ecclesiastical  assembly,  or  bring  forward  their 
piroposal  in  its  most  modified  shape.     This  was  ac- 

•  Simsoni  Annales,  pp.  53,  112.    Printed  Cald.  p.  4S2. 


136  LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  M£LVILLK. 

coiuplished  by  one  of  those  politic  atrstagems  which 
James  was  so  fond  of  employing.  In  the  end  of 
May,  1606,  a  letter  from  the  King  was  delivered 
to  Melville,  commanding  him,  ^*  alL  excuses  set 
aside,"  to  repair  to  London  before  the  15th  of  Sep* 
tember  next,  that  his  Majesty  might  treat  with  him 
and  others,  his  brethren,  of  good  learning,  judg* 
ment,  and  experience,  concerning  such  things  jus 
would  tend  to  settle  the  peace  of  the  church,  and  tQ 
justify  to  the  world  the  measures  which  his  Mf^ecK 
ty,  after  such  extraordinary  condescension,  might 
find  it  necessary  to  adopt  for  r^ressing  the  obsti* 
nate  and  turbulent.  Letters  expressed  in  the  same 
terms  were  addressed  tp  his  nephew  James  Melr 
ville,  to  William  Scot,  minister  of  Cupar,  John  Car* 
michael  of  Kilconquhar,  William  Watson  of  Burnt*- 
island,  James  Balfour  of  Edinburgh,  Adam  Colt  of 
Musselburgh,  and  Robert  Wallace  of  Tranent  *. 

Having  met  to  consult  on  the  course  which  they 
should  take,  the  eight  ministers  deputed  one  of 
their  number  to  converse  with  the  Earl  of  Dunbar^ 
the  Scottish  premier,  and  to  request  him  to  deal 
with  his  Majesty  to  excuse  them  from  a  journey 

*  Printed  Caldcrwood,  pp.  518,  5U* 

*'  June  1606.  Item  to  ane  boy  passand  of  £d^  with  clot  Hm  tbftt 
come  from  his  Ma^«  To  Mr.  James  Balfoure,  Mr.  Robert  Wallace 
and  Mr.  Adame  Colt,  xi|)«  iiij<i. 

*'  Item,  To  ane  other  boy  passand  of  £d'.  with  do«  Ifea  that  oome 
from  his  Ma^«  To  Mr.  Andro  Melvill,  Mr.  James  MelviU,  Mr.  W™ 
Scot,  Mr.  Wm  Watson,  Mr.  Jo"  Carmichell  and  Mr.  Henry  Philp, 
xl«." 

(Compot.  Thesaur.  in  Register  House,  Edinburgh.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  137 

wfaldi  they  were  afraid  would  prove  froitleds,  and 
whieh:  would  be  oppressive  to  them,  on  account  of 
the  ill  health  of  some  of  their  number  and  the  en- 
gagements of  all.  Under  the  mask  of  great  friend- 
ship, Dunbar  urged  them  to  comply  with  his  Ma^* 
jesty's  desire ;  assuring  them,  that  it  would  turn 
out  the  best  journey  that  ever  they  undertook,  that 
he  had  advised  the  measure  out  of  regard  to  the 
church,  and  that  the  bishops,  when  made  acquainted 
with  the  design,  were  very  far  from  being  pleased 
with  it*.  Although  they  placed  little  confidence 
in  these  assurances,  the  ministers  resolved  to  go  to 
London,  after  they  had  waited  on  the  approaching 
parliament.  Indeed,  they  were  shut  up  to  this 
course ;  for  had  they  acted  otherwise,  they  would 
have  incurred  the  charge  of  disobeying  the  royal 
authority,  and  an  order  for  their  incarceration  would 
have  been  instantly  issued.  Melville  acquainted 
the  presbytery  of  St  Andrews  with  the  resolution 

*  There  etn  be  little  doubt  that  the  bishops  both  knew  and  had 
advised  the  ealliog  of  the  ministers  to  London.  In  a  letter  addressed 
to  his  Migesty^  ''  19th  Junii/'  (A.  1606^)  GladsUnes  testifies  his 
impatience  for  Melville's  removal^  and  insinuates  his  hopes  that  he 
vfoold  not  be  allowed  to  return  to  St.  Andrews.  "  Mr.  Andrew 
Melvin  hath  b^un  to  raise  new  storms  with  his  BSolick  blasts.  ^, 
yon  aifi jmy  Jupiter,  and  I,  under  your  Hig^ness^  Neptune. '  I  must 

Non  illi  imperium  pelagi,  sacrumque  tridentem^ 
Sed  mihi  sorte  datum  — — 

Your  Majesty  will  relegate  him  to  some  MoUtt, 

'  ut  illic  vacua  sc  jactet  in  aula." 

(Lord  llailcs*8  Memorial^^  i.  95.) 


138  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

which  he  had  formed.  They  declined  giving  him 
any  commission  to  act  in  their  name,  judging  it 
safer  that  he  and  his  brethren  should  appear  in  their 
individual  character,  and  not  doubting  that  they 
would  prove  faithful  to  the  interest  of  the  church. 
But  they  authorized  him  to  receive  an  extract  from 
their  records,  containing  the  subscription  of  Glad- 
stanes  to  the  presbyterian  polity,  to  be  used  as  lie 
should  find  necessary.  Having  put  the  affairs  of 
the  college  in  the  best  order  he  could,  Melville  sailed 
from  Anstruther,  in  company  with  his  nephew, 
Scot,  and  Carmichael,  on  the  15th  of  August,  and 
reached  London  on  the  25th  of  that  month.  A 
few  days  after  they  were  joined  by  their  tout 
brethren,  who  travelled  by  land  *. 

As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  they  were  come  to 
town,  they  were  visited  by  a  number  of  the  minift* 
ters  and  citizens  of  London  who  favoured  their 
cause.  The  archbishops  of  Canterbury  and  Yoric 
sent  to  inquire  for  them,  and  invited  them  to  th&r 
houses  ;  but  they  excused  themselves,  on  the  ground 
that  they  could  pay  no  visits  until  they  had  seen 
his  Majesty  f .  James,  who  was  absent  on  a  pro- 
gress through  the  kingdom,  had  left  his  directioiui 
for  them  with  Alexander  Hay,  one  of  his  secretaries 
for  Scotland,  and  Dr.  John  Gordon,  dean  of  Salis- 


*  '<  1606,  Aug.  15,  M.  Andro  Melvil,  &c  departit  fra  Anstnitliar 
towart  Lundon."  (Laird  of  Carnbee's  Diary,  in  Append,  to  Lamont'a 
Diary,  p.  983.  Melville's  Hist,  of  the  Declining  Age,  pp.  109—111* 
Cald.  vi.  1089,  1190.) 

t  Melville's  Hist,  of  the  Decl.  Age,  p.  111. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  139 

bury*  Gordon  was  one  of  their  countryinen,  a  son 
of  the  faishop  of  Galloway,  and  had  himself  been  at 
one  period  presented  to  that  bishopric  Soon  after 
the  Reformation,  he  had  gone  to  France  for  the 
sake  of  his  education,  and  remained  in  that  country 
until  the  accession  of  James  to  the  English  throne. 
On  the  continent  he  had  attained  no  inconsiderable 
degree  of  literary  celebrity,  particularly  for  his  skill 
in  the  oriental  languages  *.  This  talent  would  have 
made  him  an  agreeable  companion  to  Melville,  had 
they  met  on  another  occasion,  and  had  not  the  task 
allotted  to  Grordon,  along  with  the  dean  of  West- 
taiinster,  rendered  them  a  kind  of  honorary  guard 
on'  the  ministers,  and  polite  spies  on  their  conduct. 

*  Od  the  4th  of  Jamury  1567,  ^^  Magiiter  Joannes  Gordon"  ob« 
obuined  a  gift  under  the  Great  Seal^  of  the  bishopric  of  Galloway  and 
abbacy  of  Tungland^  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  Alexander,  the  last 
Whop*  ^'  Et  nos  infonnati  exiatentes  de  qualificatione  aingnlari 
dkti  Magifltri  Joannia  £t  q^  in  hebraica,  calcbica,  syriaca,  gneca  et 
jbtina  lingnia  bene  emditua  est — ^pro  subditorum  noBtrorum  instruc- 
tioQe/'  &C.  In  the  title  of  the  charter  he  is  said  to  be  '^  tunc  teniporia 
in  Gallia  studiis  theologicis  incumbente."  (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin* 
Jiac.  V.  i.  14.  num.  92.)  I  must  leave  it  to  others  to  unravel  the  con- 
foaion  aa  to  the  tides  of  John,  Roger,  and  George  Gordons  to  the 
^  bishopric  of  Galloway.  (Consult  Register  of  Presentation  to  Bene* 
fioeafor  Sept.  16,  1578^  and  July  8^  1580.  Gordon's  Earldom  of 
Sntheiland^  pp.  181,  990 — 993.  Keith's  Scot.  Bishops^  p.  166. 
Printed  Cald.  pp.  425^  486.)  There  is  a  letter  from  John  Gordon  to 
the  Regent  Murray^  containing  political  intelligence.  (Cotton  M8S. 
Galig.  C.  1.  70.)  And  another  to  John  Fox^  on  literary  topics.  (Harl. 
M88.  416.)  A  poem  by  him  is  prefixed  to  '^  Plaidoy^  pour  M.  Jean 
Hamilton.*'  And  a  poem  in  praise  of  him  is  inserted  in  Delitis 
Poet.  Scot  ii.  1 74.  A  list  of  his  works  may  be  formed  from  Wood's 
Faati,  Bliss's  edit.  p.  131.  and  Charters'a  Account  of  Scots  Divines, 
p.  3.     (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.) 


140  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Notwithstanding  this,  Melville  and  Gordon  had  their 
literary  hours,  in  which  the  stiffness  and  reservt  of 
their  more  formal  interviews  were  banished  *« 

The  two  Scottish  archbishops,  Gladstanes  and 
Spotswood,  with  others  of  the  court-party,  came  to , 
London,  to  be  present  at  the  intended  conferenoean 
A  rumour  prevailed  that  the  King  purposed  to  hara 
the  questions  at  issue  publicly  disputed,  and  to  le^ 
new  the  scene  in  which  he  had  himself  acted  so  ooBr 
spicuous  a  part  at  Hampton  Court  three,  years  b^ 
fore.     Melville  and  his  fellows  resolved  not  to  eB»t_ 
gage  in  any  such  foolish  contest.     They  had  no  au- 
thority to  appear  as  champions  for  the  Churdbof- 
Scotland,  and  were  not  so  arrogant  as  to  take  tips 
character  upon  them.     The  English  divines  had  no 
right  to  interfere  with  their  controversies ;  and  |£^ 
they  chcxse  to  dispute,  were  in  no  want  of  antagfH  ^ 
ni^ts  among. their  own  countrymen.    And  a8.jGoi^t 
those  who  had  come  from  Scotland,  they  were  not. 
entitled  to  reason  against  a  government  which  they 
had  so  recently  approved  by  their  subscriptions, 
and  sworn  to  maintain.     The  ministers  were  not^ 
however,  urged  with  any  proposal  of  this  nature^ 
They  received  at  this  time  a  letter  from  their  bfeu' 
thren  who  were  prisoners  in  Blackness,  expressing^' 
the  confidence  which  they  reposed  in  their  wisdom.. o 
and  constancy ;  and  charging  them  not  to  yield  im  - 
any  part  of  the  liberties  of  the  church  of  SooUand^ 

•  Melville*s  Hist,  of  the  Decl.  Age,  p.  130.    Melvini  Mu8«^  p.  Si 


lI 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  141 

with  the  view  of  purchasing  for  them  either  a  par-* 
don  or  a  mitigation  of  punishment  *. 

Hie  King  shortened  his  progress,  and  returned 
to  London  sooner  than  was  expected,  to  meet  with 
tlie  miinsters  f .  They  were  introduced  to  him  at 
Bfampton  Court  on  the  20th  of  September,  and 
were  allowed  to  kiss  his  hand.  His  Majesty  con- 
versed with  them  familiarly  for  a  considerable  time ; 
inquired  after  the  news  of  the  country ;  and  jocu- 
littiy  rallied  Balfour  on  the  length  of  his  beard, 
which,  he  alleged,  had  grown  prodigiously  since  he 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  it  in  Scotland,  and  would 
give  him,  he  was  afraid,  rather  a  Turk-like  look  in 
London :(. 

•*Two  days  after,  they  were  sent  for  to  Hampton 
Coort  On  their  arrival  from  their  lodgings  at 
Kingston,  they  were  courteously  received  by  Arch- 
hidiop  Bancroft,  who  left  the  room  as  soon  as  the 
Kftog  entered  with  the  members  of  the  Scottish 
pHvy  council.     His  Majesty  stated  at  large  the 


#  MelTiIle*8  Hist,  of  the  Ded.  Age,  pp.  113^  114. 

f  Ambamdes  de  M.  de  la  Boderie,  i.  348. 

%  I  liAYe  liken  my  account  of  tlie  transactions  at  London  and 
Hnapton  Court  chiefly  from  the  narratiTes  of  two  of  the  ministers^ 
Jamca  Mdyille  and  William  Scot,  who  kept  registers  of  every  thing 
fStM  h^)pened.  Calderwood  borrows  from  James  MelviUe.  Some 
iui|eriapt  partkulars  are  supplied  by  the  despatches  of  the  French 
■iiJwMiikir,  M.  de  U  Boderie^  who  appears  to  have  tak«n  all  interest 
in  tfce  bSSux,  and  had  access  to  good  information  by  his  residence  at 
eooirt^  and  by  means  of  M.  de  la  Fontaine,  one  of  the  ministers  of  the 
French  Church  at  London,  and  a  great  intelligencer.  Spotswood's 
aeooont  is  general. 


143  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

reasons  which  had  induced  him  to  send  for  the 
ministers,  and  concluded  by  intimating  that  there 
were  two  points  on  which  he  demanded  an  eicpUdt 
declaration  of  their  judgment :  the  one  was,^  the 
late  pretended  assembly  at  Aberdeen,  including  the 
behaviour  of  those  who  had  held  it ;  and  the  etfer 
was,  the  best  means  of  obtaining  a  peaceable  na^tot- 
ing  of  that  judicatory  for  establishing  good  iaieat 
and  tranquillity  in  the  church.  James  MelviUe, 
after  offering  the  compliments  and  congratulatielia 
which  were  suited  to  the  occasion,  requested,  in^fhe 
name  of  his  brethren,  that  they  mi^t  have  time 
allowed  them  to  deliberate  on  the  answer  whadi 
they  should  return  to  his  Majesty's  questions.  They 
were  required  to  be  ready  with  their  answers  on  the 
following  day. 

On  entering  the  presence-chamber  next  day,  thby 
found  it  crowded  with  the  principal  perscuis  about 
court.  Melville  suggested  to  the  Earl  of  Duttlkdr 
the  impropriety  of  their  being  brought  before  ench 
a  promiscuous  assembly  ;  as  his  Majesty  might  fbe 
offended  at  their  uttering  their  sentiments,  beftre 
the  English  nobility,  according  to  the  free  nuMfQer 
to  which  they  were  accustomed  in  Scotland*  But 
he  was  told  that  the  arrangements  were  already 
made,  and  cautioned  to  be  on  his  guard  againatjGiiiy- 
ing  any  thing  that  was  indiscreet  or  disre^peotfol 
in  the  presence  of  such  honourable  strangers.  VbB 
King  took  his  seat,  with  the  Prince  on  his/^ne 
hand,  and  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  on  ^tiie 
other.     Around  him  were  placed  the  Earls  of  6ii|}is- 


LIFE  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE.  143 

bury,  Suffolk,  Worcester,  Nottingham,  and  North- 
ampton, Lords  Stanhope  and  KnoUes,  with  other 
EngUshmen  of  rank ;  besides  all  the  Scottish  no- 
Utitf  who  were  at  court.  Behind  the  tapestry  and 
at  the  doom  of  the  apartment  stood  several  English 
bishops  and  deans,  who  discovered  themselves  when 
the  conversation  became  animated.  The  ministers 
bad  previously  agreed  to  return  a  common  answer 
by  the  mouth  of  James  Melville.  But  his  Mcgesty 
intimated  that  it  behoved  each  individual  to  speak 
for  himself;  and  beginning  with  the  Scottish  bi- 
shops and  commissioners,  he  asked  them  what  their 
<^iinioH  was  concerning  the  assembly  at  Aberdeen. 
They  all  answered  briefly,  in  their  turn,  that  they 
eondemned  it  as  turbulent,  factious,  and  unlawful. 
Then  addressing  Melville,  his  Majesty  said :  ^^  You 
Iwar  that  your  brethren  cannot  justify  these  men 
nor  their  assembly.  What  say  you,  Mr.  Andrew  ? 
Think  you  that  a  small  number  of  eight  or  nine, 
met  without  any  warrant,,  wanting  the  chief  mem- 
bers, the  moderator  and  scribe,  convening  unman- 
merly  without  a  sermon,  being  also  discharged  by 
open  proclamation ;  can  these  make  an  Assembly, 
or  not?"  To  this  Melville  replied  in  a  speech  'of 
nearly  an  hour's  length,  delivered  with  much  free- 
dom and  spirit,  and  at  the  same  time  with  much 
respect  As  for  himself,  he  said,  he  had  for  a  nmn- 
ber  of  years  been  debarred  from  attending  on  g&- 
nand  assemblies  and  all  public  meetings ;  but,  as 
it  was  his  Majesty's  will,  he  would  endeavour  to 
give  Inm  satisfaction  on  the  different  objections 

5 


144  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  M££VILi.£. 

which  he  had  stated.     With  respect  to  the  paucitjr 

of  members^  there  waa  no  rule  fixing;  the  preciae 

number ;  two  or  three  met  in  the  name  of  Omet 

had  the  promise  of  his  presences  an  oidinarjF  iiipair 

ing  of  a  court  established  by. law  could  not  be  .4M* 

clared  unlawful  on  account  of  its  thinness  }t.,and 

those  who  met  at  Aberdeeoc  were  sufficiently  ^«if4 

merous  for  proroguing  the  assembly  to  a  f  utuie  diigF^ 

which  was  all  that  they  did,  and  all  that  they-  had 

proposed  to  do.    As  to  their  warrant,  it  was  fbuiidT 

ed  on  Scripture,  his  Majesty's  laws»  and  the .  wmh 

missions  which  theyi receiyed. from  their- -presl^ 

teries.    The  presence  of  tib^  former  modearator  Ji^A 

clerk  was  not  esseutial  to:  .the  .yi^idity>4;^f'.th^  as^ 

sembly,  wl^ich,  ^^i ;  case,  i  tbe^  •  offic^beairt ra  wei^ 

either  necessarily.  ,pr  wil£u]ly  absent,  anight^  accord* 

ing  to  reason  a^d  the  practice  of  the  church,  cbqofV 

others  in  their  room.     His  Majesty  must  have,  he^fn 

misinformed  >  when  he  said  there  was  no  serraon } 

for  one :  of  t^e  ijcdnisters  ^  of  Aberdeen  preachacL  jft, 

the  opening  of  the  nieeting.    As  to  the  alleged  dif^ 

chaige  pf  th/e  a80W>}>ly  oi\  the  day  before  it  la^ 

(turning , to, XiHuristont..' who  was  the  King'aCoiiKi 

missioner  on  that  occasion,)  he  said,  in  a  tone*^! 

solemn  fervour^  ^*  I  charge  you,  Sir,  in  the  najpef^n^ 

the  Church  of  .Scotland,  as  you  will  aMwet  befipre 

the  great  God  at  the  ai^arance  of  Jesus  Chris<(it^i 

judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,  to  testify  tbe  tsutb» 

and  tell  whether  there  was  any  such  discharge.giireii^ 

or  not." — He  paused  for  a  reply;  but  Lauristoa 

remained  mute,  and  the  King,  fain  to  break  the 


LIFE  OP  ANDKEfr  MELVILLE.  145 

punfiil  flilenoe  which  ensued,  requested  Melville  to 
go  on  to  state  his  reasons  for  not  condemning  the 
conduct  of  the  ministers.  ^  If  it  please  your  Ma^ 
jestf  to  hear  me,  I  hate  these  reasons.  First,  I  am 
bvC  a  private  man,  come  here  upon  jrour  Majestjr's 
letter,  without  any  conmiission  from  the  church  of 
Scotland ;  and  as  no  hody  has  made  me  a  judge,  I 
damiot  take  upon  me  to  condemn  them.  Secondly, 
your  Majesty  hath,  hy  your  proclamation  at  Ilamp- 
tq^'Oiurt,''  (here  he  produced  and  read  the  proda^ 
iiAition,)  '*  remitted  their  trial  to  a  General  Assem- 
bly ;  expecting  there  b,  reparation  of  wrongs,  if  any 
hftve  been  done.  I  cdnnot  prejudge  the  church  and 
assembly  of  my  vote,  which  if  J  give  now,  I  shall 
be  sure  to  have  my  month  shut  tiien,  as  by  expe- 
rience I  and  others,  my  brethren,  have  found  before. 
l%irdly,  lies  mm  e^t  integra,  sed  kaetenus  Judicata 
by  your  Majesty's  council ;  whether  rightly  or  not 
I  remit  to  God,  before  whom  one  day*  they  must 
vppear  and  answer  for  that  seittence.  I  think  your 
Majesty  will  not  be  content  that  I  should' now' con-' 
tradict  your  council  and  thfeir  pr6ceedingli.  Fourth- 
ly, how  can  I  condemn  my  brethren  indieta  taMa^ 
not  hearing  their  accusers  objecting  against  them, 
and  themselves  answering?" 

The  speedies  of  the  other  ministers  agreed  with 
that  of  Melville ;  and  what  was  omitted  by  one 
was  recollected  and  supplied  by  another.  The  King 
ecddbited  evident  symptoms  of  imeasiness,  and  an 
anxiety  to  bring  the  conference  to  a  close.  James 
Melville,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  speech,  presented 

VOL.  II.  L 


146  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE, 

a  supplication  which  had  been  transmitted  fo  him 
from  the  condemned  ministers.  His  M^esty  glance 
ed  over  it,  and  said  with  an  angry  smile,  '^  I  am 
glad  that  this  has  been  given  in."  An  interruption 
by  Sir  Thomas  Hamilton,  the  Lord  Advocate,  led 
to  a  legal  argument  between  him  and  Scot  on  tbe 
trial  of  the  ministers  for  treason,  in  the  course  of 
which,  the  lawyer  was  thought  by  all  to  be  worsted 
at  his  own  weapons  *.  Indignant  at  hearing  that 
most  flagrant  scene  of  iniquity  vindicated  in  the 
presence  of  his  Majesty  and  such  an  honourable 
audience,  Melville  fell  on  his  knees,  and  requested 
permission  to  speak  a  second  time.  Having  ob- 
tained it,  he  gave  himself  up  to  all  his  native  fire 
and  vehemence,  and  astonished  the  English  nobi- 
Uty  and  clergy  with  a  torrent  of  bold,  impassioned, 
impetuous  eloquence,  to  which  they  were  altogeihA 
strangers.  Throwing  aside  the  reserve  which  be 
had  studied  in  his  former  speech,  he  avowed  his 
belief  of  the  complete  innocence  of  his  brethren, 
and  justified  their  proceedings.  He  recounted  the 
wrongs  which  had  been  done  them  on  their  trial,  of 
which  he  was  an  eye  and  ear  witness.  Addresflh 
ing  the  Lord  Advocate,  he  charged  him  with  havii^ 
favoured  trafficking  priests,  and  screened  from  pu- 
nishment his  uncle,  John  Hamilton,  who  had  been 
banished  from  France,  and  branded  as  an  incendiaiy 


*  Several  of  the  English  nobility  made  handsome  oflen  to  ^niliam 
Scot,  proyidcd  he  would  consent  to  remain  in  England.  (Life  of 
Scot,  p.  7  :  Wodrow's  MSS.  vol.  iv.) 

3 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  147 

by  the  parliaments  of  tbat  kingdom  ;  while  he  em^ 
ployed  all  his  craft  and  eloquence  to  convict  the  un- 
<tfending  and  righteous  servants  of  Christ.  The 
arch-enemy  himself,  he  said»  could  not  have  done 
more  against  the  saints  of  God,  than  he  had  done 
against  these  good  men  at  Linlithgow;  and  not 
contented  with  the  part  whidi  he  had  then  acted,  he 
behoved  still  to  shew  himself  *o  Kar^o^g  rw  AisX^ut  *. 
At  this  expression  the  King,  turning  to  the  areh- 
Inshop  of  Canterbiuy,  exclaimed,  '*  What's  that  he 
said  ?  I  think  he  calls  him  Antichrist  Nay,  by 
Ood ;  it  is  the  devil's  name  in  the  Revelation  of 
the  well-beloved  .John."  Then  rising  hastily,  he 
said,  "  God  be  with  you,  Sirs."  But,  recollecting 
himself,  he  turned  round  to  the  ministers,  and  ask- 
ed them,  what  advice  they  had  to  give  him  for 
pacifying  the  dissensions  raised  in  the  church ;  to 
which  they  replied  with  one  voice,  A  free  General 
AssenMy. 

The  ministers  were  dismissed  with  unequivocal 
marks  of  approbation  on  the  part  of  those  who  were 
present.  The  English  nobility,  who  had  not  been 
accustomed  to  see  the  King  addressed  with  such 
freedom,  could  not  refrain  from  eitpressing  their 
admiration  at  the  boldness  with  which  Melville  and 

*  ''  II  7  en  a  uii  entr'autrcs,"  says  the  French  Ambassador  to  Mar- 
quis de  Sillery, ''  qui  lui  a  parM  avec  an  etrange  liberie  en  toutes  les 
occasions ;  &  but  ce  que  TAvocat  Gdueral  d'£co88e  youlut  prendre  la 
parole  derniercment  contre  icelui  en  la  presence  du  Roi  mcme^  il  en 
eat  hi  t^  laTfSe  de  telle  fa9on,  que  le  Hoi  &  Ini  demeurerent  sans 
replique."    (Arabassades  de  M.  dc  la  Boderie,  t.  435.) 

L  2 


148  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

his  associates  delivered  their  sentiments  before  such 
an  audience,  at  the  harmony  of  views  which  appear^ 
ed  in  all  their  speeches,  and  the  readiness  and  per- 
tinency of  the  replies  which  they  made  to  every  ob- 
jection with  which  they  were  urged.  The  reports 
of  the  conference  which  were  circulated  through 
the  city  made  a  strong  impression  in  their  favour. 
They  had  the  effect  of  dispelling  the  ^oud  of  preju- 
dice which  had  been  raised  against  them  and  their 
brethren ;  and  convinced  the  impartial,  that,  instead 
of  being  the  turbulent,  discontented,  and  unreason- 
able men  they  had  been  represented  to  be,  they  were 
only  claiming  their  imdbubted  rights,  and  standing 
up  for  the  ecclesiastical  liberties  t)f  their  country 
against  the  lawless  encroachments  of  aifritrary 
•pciwer*  •' 

They  hAd  scafwly  reached  Kingston  when  they 
"were'  bvcirtaicen  by  Secretary  Hay,  who  read  to 
ihern,  in  the  court  before  their  lodging,  a  chatge 
KIbt  td  retutu  to  iScctldnd,  nor  to  approach  the  court 
dt  the  tohg,  Qu^ft,  Or  Prince,  without  ^ciai' li- 
cense. On  flife  38th' of  ISeptember,  they*  were  sent 
ibr  to  the  Scottifisti' botttrcil  assembled  in  ^he  Barl  of 
thiifbai^s  lodgings;  '  Jiuties  Melville  was  first  cabled 
)^Va)ld>^  u!rg^'by'the  Lord  Advocate  with  ter- 
tinii  ensnaring  questions  relating  to  his  opinions 
aiid  conduct,  tie  refused  to  answer  them.  '<  I  tfm 
a  fMd  subject  (said  he)  of  the  khigdom  of  Scbthoid, 


•    til"      .  •      ■     •     ■  1 1  »■ 


*  Melville's  Hist,  of  the  Ded.  Age,  pp.  191—124,  141.    Soot's 
Apoldg.  Narnttion,  pp.  177— 180.    Spotswood;  pp.  497,  496. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  149 

whicfa  hath  laws  and  privileges  of  its  own  as  free 
as  any  kingdom  in  the  world :  to  them  I  will  stand. 
'TbjBte  hath  been  no  summonds  executed  against  me. 
The  noblemen  here  sitting  and  I  are  not  in  our  own 
country.  The  charge  super  inquirendis  was  abo- 
lished and  declared  long  since  to  be  iniquitous  and 
ui\ju8t*  I. am  bound  by  no  law  or  reason  to  ac- 
cuse myself."  He  besought  the  noblemen  present 
to  remember  who  they  were,  and  to  deal  with  him 
(though  a  mean  man  yet  a  free-bom  Scotchman)  as 
they  would  themselves  wish  to  be  used,  according 
to  tiia  laws  of  Scotiand.  He  told  the  Lord  Advo- 
cate, who  endeavoured  to  entangle  him  with  legal 
quibbling,  that,  though  no  lawyer,  he  was  endued 
with  some  portion  of  natural  wit,  and  had  in  his 
time  both  learned  aad  taught  logic.  **  Mr.  James, 
(said  Dunbar)  will  ye  not  deign  to  give  an  answer 
fxa  his  Majesty's  satisfeiction  ?"  *'  With  all  rever- 
ence, my  lord,  I  will  (replied  he) ;  provided  the 
questions  be  set  down,  and  I  may  have  time  to  ad- 
vise oil  the  answers*"  Melville  waa. called  in  last. 
He  told  the  members  of .  the  council,  5'  that  th^ 
knew  not  what  they  were  doing ;  and  that  they  had 
degenerated  from  the  ancient  nobility  of  Scotland, 
who  were  wont  to  hazard  their  lands  and  lives  for 
the  freedom  of  their  country  and  the  gospel,  which 
their  sons  were  now  betraying  and  seekii^g  to  over- 
throw *."     If  they  were  at  all  capable  of  serious  re- 

*  Melville^  139—184.   Scot,  ISO,  181.    Report  of  the  Conferencet 
Sept  1606.   MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  £din.  M.  6.  9.  num.  49. 

L  3 


150  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MEf^VlLLE. 

flection,  the  Scottish  npbility  mUst  have  blushed  at 
their  conduct  on  the  present  occasion,  in  iorgeUing 
ao  far  what  was  due  to  their  rank  and  place  Aa 
to  consent  to  become  the  instruments  of  the  cetrnt, 
and  of  a  few  ambitious  diurchmen,  to  circnmvant 
men  who  had  been  inddiously  drawn  fnm  tfaefr 
iKxraeSy  and  entrap  them  mto  declarations  wiidi 
iwere  afterwards  to  be  used  i^ainst  them  as  crimi- 
nld  charges.  They  ought  plainly  to  hare  tdd  their 
master,  that  it  was  neither  for  his  own  honour  nor 
that  of  his  native  kingdom,  (whidk  his  new  subjeols 
were  but  too  much  disposed  to  contemn,)  to  bava 
nen  oi  sndi  diaracter  detained  there  as  suspected 
persons,  and  his  differences  with  them  »poeed  to 
the  obsignation  of  Sn^ish  peers  and  prelates ;  and 
that,  if  they  were  to  be  held  as  eriminals,  tbey 
should  be  sent  home  to  be  tried  by  their  own  lautt 
«nd  before  their'  proper  judges.  If  true  nobiiify 
consists  in  that  high  and  independent  spirit^  ^Hmfli, 
whether  produced  by  the  recollection  of  tha  deeds 
<df  ancestry  or  by  oflber  causies,  spurns  efi^ry  thik^ 
which  is  dishononrable  to  the  individual  or  to  Kb 
ecmntry,  then  Melville  and  his  companions  shmrrii 
.Hiemselves  tp  be,  at  this  time,  the  nobiea  of  BooHh 
land. 

The  ministers  received  in  writing  the  foUdwU^ 
qiiestions,  to  which  they  were  required  to  retuMi 
answers,  ^cr^,  whether  they  had  not  transgressed 
their  duty  by  praying  for  their  condemned  brethren, 
and  whether  they  were  willing  to  crave  his  Ma- 
jesty's pardon  for  this  offence.     Second^  whether 


LIlfE  OF  ANDAEW  MELVILLE.  151 


tbey  acknowledged  that  his  Majesty,  in  virtue  of 
his  rojal  prerogative,  had  full  power  to  oonvocalie^ 
pn)V9gue»  and  dismiss  all  ecclesiastical  assemblies 
wiUuii  his  dominions*  And^  thirds  whether  he 
hfii  not  a  lawful  ri^t,  by  his  royal  authority,  to 
oril  befisre  him  and  his  council  all  persons,  ecdesi- 
aatical  and  civil,  £ar  whatsoever  fiaults ;  and  whether 
all  the  subfects  are  not  bound  to  appear,  answer, 
and  obey,  in  the  premises.  Each  of  the  ei^it 
ministers,  as  directed  by  the  council,  gave  ia  an- 
swen  to  the  questions.  They  expressed  themselves 
guaidedly,  so  as  not  to  give  the  court  any  advantage 
against  them,,  bat  without  sacrifidng  their  own 
convictions  ov  compromising  tibe-  principles  of  die 
cburch  of  Scotland*  Along  with  the  answers  they 
pmented  a  joint  paper,  contoin^ng  theij;  advice  as 
to  itbe  best  mode  of  putting ^sa. end  to  the  eocle« 
^fticBl  feuds  with  which  their  nativci  couutiy  was 
a^tat^^ 

„:,  They  were  now  entitle  to  expect  that  ihey  should 
obtmu  liberty  to  return  to  their  homes.  They  had 
tqftiGed  their  obedience  tp  his  Miyesly  by  coming 
to  London.  They  had  attended  all  the  conferences 
if!:|2^  he  had  be^  pH^fised  to  appoin^,  .Tl^ey  had 
returned  answers  to  the  questions  which  he  had 
prfiposed  to  them^  They  had  given  him  their  best 
44yicp  for  re-establishing  tl^e  peac^  of  the.  church- 
If  this  was  not  acceptable  to  his  Majesty,  and  if  he 
chose  to  act  in  a  different  manner,  it  was  at  least 

*  Melville,  136,  142.    Soot,  180—187. 


15S  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

incumbent  on  Jiiin^-  in*  point  rof  ^inticeBad  of  gboA 
faiths  to  difimiss  men.  whom  he^  had  catted,  to  hia 
piearaoB  inthe  character  of  adyiiBiiht  and  iioti  off 
criminals  or  Miapected  paraoa^^ .  Bat  >  nbtfaang.  imi 
laiB  intended  than  this.    Their  atay  wna  arbkniitflyi 
and  indefinitely  pioiongad;  and  aUr  tjbe  aijtaiOf^^t 
court  wei?e  put  in  ipracticei to  comfit  and  diaiinita» 
them..   Salisbury andBanero£thddiinteryievawidki 
such  of  them  as  were  tlMAight;epioatrco»plyiiig^  and* 
endeavoured  to  d^tadi  them  ifirpia  iheir  hcethreaa  %»■ 
When  this  maUiod  failedi  spies  Wfece  aet  on  tfamt 
conduct  f;;  and  they  were  luvi^ugfast  (into  situiUicaia; 
im. which  theyi might  bevte^pptc^  to^s^y  fpr  do  /90iWK* 
thing  which ^^itoiild  lafiovd  A.p/^stesit  TfiirtcominHl^iB^/ 

^{Hii  Mfijei9ty:|iad.ae]etfted>>audi  xilF.t^  £ngli^ 
dignitarieB  as  wwe^itnoat^^minantfovn  their -{palpit 
tidbiita^.aAdtai^int^  iJiem.to.preaali  inr<tfce  Hofajli 
Ghapd^  during 4&a  conferences».on  the  leading  gTOBla 
oi"  jdiffeneucenh^tw^Hi  the  {tpisjeiopaUim  land  s«q§lfy?<. 
taidiui  lihiiJPchqsM  .Tha  i  JBootitish » re.i,a>Rtei»  r^ff^m^' 
qidsra  to  atti^nd.  these) aermaw»  .aadwareirc^jiiliu^i 


^  MdviB^  p.  liO.  RoW^  p.  101/  UnngttOD^  tSbKMtL  «t 
/kot*  **  Je  n*eiii8e  jamait  cnu  (saji  Uie  French  ambafiador)  quHi 
eiunent  r^aist^  de  la  sorte ;  car  11  n'y  a  eu  voie  que  Ton  n*aU  tenaa 
p0ttFl^|;aj^iter.  L^  «i^tet  J^^t  ^  ettpkl]r^>  <Mi  Mlt^ttbi'a 
d^j^lyjM^lAit'toqkim'fti^  lAxi-eiicMri^eik'mux  oiM^attt|^' 
loeiM^^  ii^  d^fi^  aaz  MDfltti  a  idsiatiml'aiM^aiMfal^ 

n'iifsiiit  januds  icenx  MinkfMa  vcmlu  ecmaeocir  k  aueime  dei  Ft<e^ 
siti^MiaqSi ledit  RM  leitf  a  fait;  'tellettieiit  qu^  est  oonstniiit  de  lea 
liu"    (Ambaflsadet  de  M.  de  la  Boderie>  i.  43^) 

t  Melville  4s  DecL  Age^  p.  146. 


LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  158 

condnietedj  like  ptoiteirtiariega  to  a^eeat  prepared  for 

tiMliipiiii)  ^irliich^.tliqh  mi^lt'devoutif  listen  to  -the 

ii0ttwtkMi8  Qr4Mir«itted  eetatmrterg.    Dr.  Barifiw; 

BiURqp«df 'LJAoftfaii  began  wiith  a  Mnmm  in  defeoee 

ofjtlMritaMivitjr  and  tuperioritjr  of  bi^Ut^  whid» 

tte'mlnMWli^  cbaracterized  as  «« a  confatetion  of  Us 

tat^J"  »  S»i'Bfaeteridgcr,  Pretddent  of  St.  John"^  CoU 

le^  pMuJuM  »the  seeottd  sermon,  which  was  in^ 

tMMfed to pMt^the to^  rapi*ema^ in  ecclesiastic 

cal  natiumi    It  Wab'  diiefly  borrowed  from  Bilson'sr 

biMAron*  that  subject,  with  thSs  addition,  that  the 

]Madjer  eoiyfounAed-^th^  doeVrine  of  the  presbyte- 

riloMwitli  tiiat^  of  %kef^tja^t9:    ^1316  third  sermon 

vm^^^tdmhiM^lty  13tt^  OMdies- 

ter,  on  the  Mcer  trumpets  which  were'btoWfi*b3rthe 

pMrtfs  at  the  JWifchftohttt^tfoiki^  his 

iMt/ISpr  to' thw  'tolMeiM&t^^tth^lkiffiiitiBi«^  imdett. 

tifdlk^  pMYie^  <hat 'fbe'con'nM^dtiii^  itf 'dctiesiageiMl 

cd<tticaB  And  6yn<A)s«  bektt^*j^Mpi^^'to  Christian 

en^lcirMB  aad  kitigrf/^<fih%''lUii|^j^3>3fiih^c^  €%Mgt's 

CftMMbVddfied^tMd^plll^^  ato  BiMlldk  tipoti 

€lli'^^r:MBm  «^'«he'4iftrtll^0i^>^8bDtla»d^  <X!ollis* 

says  that  the  sermon,  *^  tho*  somewhat  remote  from 

tbftirar4a''>of  his  text;,  was^.^.^  su^;llbl^.4p,.tI)l9.Qec»- 
t.ii^  ;•    .i.ii..  .,       •    .1  .!  H.  I-.:    ^:.''-:»c:i  j  s.    4I:  f   >.n»..(  :'«  •" 

.*.  8Ks  to^  WM  Acta  zx,  ^  :;.Tlfe.  WTiMiD  wffs  'f  mttfifk  and 
Ijm^  eoBQpMifld  in  a  little  V>^  .vl^  ^  lu^  ft^fv^fSf^ |n,tii  hmd 

ooapowd  a  satirical  <pgi»io,on  it.    (Jldns^j  p*  83*).  AimI  Barlow 
retaliated  by  a  veiaified  pun  upon  hia  ffatiriat'a  name.    (Walton'a 
Li?es,  Zouch*8  edit.  p.  353.) 
t  Melvini  Muss,  p.  S3. 


154  LIF£  OF  ANDi^^W  MELVILLE. 

sion."  But  the  truth  ia,  that  the  text  was  na  ooit* 
able  to  the  occasion  as  the  sermon  was.  It  was  ravjr 
ingeniously  taken  from  the  Cantidesr^*^  Solomtm 
had  a  vineyard  at  jBaalha$non ;  he  let  out  the  vimt^ 
yard  unto  keepers  * ;"  and  it  afforded  the  pre^cbfi 
an  excellent  opportimity  of  paying  due  QomidimaBll 
to  the  modem  Solomon,  the  grand  Lay  Elder.  #f 
the  Chur(ji  of  England,  who^  in  virtue  of  hia  roynl 
unction,  possessed  more  ecclesiastical  authorUy  tlum 
all  the  mitred  and  cassocked  clergy  in  his  ^ivg^^^^nh 
If  this  ^^  king  of  preachers"  (as  his  Majesty  uacd 
wittily  to  call  him)  had  at  this  time  an  eye  tQ  tbit 
rich  spot  of  '^  the  vineyard"  which  was  ^fterwavdlt 
*^  let  out"  to  him,  he  cquld  not  have  forwarded  bis 
object  better  than  by  railing,  as  he  did  in  this  ser^ 
mon,  against  presbyteries,  and  crying  to  his  M^jmr 
ty^Down^doum  with  them -f.  Lest  the  courtiNrewfap 
era  should  have  failed  in  setting  forth  all  ik»  ^Hbtr 
tues  of  an  Kngliah  monarch,  the  mioisters^  pp;  ImVr 
ing  the  chapel,  were  conducted,  by  the  Drntk^toi 
Sarum,  into  the  royal  closet,  where  th^  bfti/zthi^^ 
gratification  of  seeing  James  touch  A  jiunibeir^iOf 
children  for  the  cure  of  the  king's  evil  ^t  ..  n. 


•  Song  viii.  11,  IS.  No  body  can  doubt  that  the  author  of  VUii 
Palatina  was  capable  of  making  a  very  amuaing  sennon  on  thb  mt, 
and  one  yery  gratifying  to  hia  royal  master. 

t  Mdville'a  Ded.  Age,  p.  133. 

i  Mdville,  ISi.  One  of  thopanegyrittsof  Jameahas  Tery  aerioua* 
)y  alluded  to  this  royal  virtue  in  the  following  lines : 

O  bappy  Britaincs,  that  thu3  have  in  One 
A  just^  wise  Prince^  a  prompt  Philosopher, 


LIFE  OF  ANDIIEW  MELVILLE.  155 

l^oiigh  the  episcopfd  orations  had  been  more  able 
and  more  ooavineing  than  they  really  were,  it  was  not 
ta  be  eipected  that  they  would  make  a  £Eivourable 
iinpp088ioa  on  those  for  whom  they  were  immedi- 
ataly  iatanided.  The  circumstances  in  which  they 
YW^  dfitivared  were  calculated  to  awaken  prejudices 
which  are  neither  weak  nor  dishonourable.  If  ever 
the  Chmrcfa  of  England  had  her  days  of  chivalry, 
the^  had  tiien  passed  by ;  else  her  champions  would 
liave  deemed  it  foul  scorn  to  attadc  antagonists 
irtio  were  not  at  liberty  to  defend  thraaselves  or  to 
ittutn  the  blows  'v^hich  they  received;  and  day 
^Aer  day  to  trow  like  cravens  over  men  who  sat 
bound  and  diackled  before  them.  Considering  that 
the  ministers  were  constrained  to  attend,  who  could 
have  blamed  them  greatly,  if,  f<»^tting  the  sa* 
CVMhiess,  not  of  the  place,  (for  they  had  no  such 
sifi^  Bcrujdes,)  but  of  the  service  for  which  they 
wave  prafessadly  met,  they  had  at  1^  mom^it  given 
eocpreBsion  to  what  they  felt  at  hearing  the  i^urdi 
t9  vhicb  they  belonged  so  indecently  assailed? 
1%ey  listened,  however,  with  the  most  respectful 
attention:  they  even  took  down  notes  from  the 
mouth  of  the  preacher.     But  they  did  not  scruple 

A  pregnant  Poet,  a  Phintion, 

A  deepe  Divine,  a  sweet  tongned  Orator  ; 

A  curer  both  of  Kings  and  poore  mans  Erill; 

What  would  ye  more  ?  a  chaser  of  the  DeriU. 

(The  Laudable  Life  and  Deplorable  Death  of  our  late  pcerlesse 
Prince  Henry— By  J.  M.  [[James  MaxwcU]]  Master  of  Artes,  Loud. 
1612.) 


156  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

to  declare,  after  the  service  was  oyer,  that  thay 
thought  the  sermons  verjr  lame  in  point  of  Bigf^ 
ment ;  and  insisted  that  they  should  be  printed,  that 
they  might  have  an  opportunity  of  answering  theoi  t^ 
They  were  all  printed ;  but  when  the  ministers  w€«0> 
preparing  to  reply,  they  were  ordered  to  separate^ 
and  to  take  up  their  lodgings  with  the  bishops  f  • 

On  the  28th  of  September,  they  were  required 
by  a  message  £rom  his  Majesty  to  be  in  the  Rojral 
Chapel  early  next  day ;  and  Melville  and  his  nephew 
received  a  particular  charge  not  to  be  abstet.  It 
was  the  festival  of  St  Michael,  one  of  the  IHi  mi- 
morum  gentium  of  theJSngliah,  and  was  celebrated 
with  much  superstitious  pamji.  Several  foreigneqi 
of  distinction  were  present,  among  whom  was  the 
Prince  de  Vaudemont,  son  to  the  Duke  of  Lorzein, 
and  commander  of  the  Venetian  army.  On  ent^tt^ 
ing  the  chapel,  James  Melville  whispered  to  ^  hii^ 
uncle,  that  he  suspected  a  design  to  ensnare  thiBQ^! 
and  put  their  patience  to  the  test  The  chapel 
resounded  with  all  kinds  of  music.  On  the  altar 
were  placed  two  shut  books»  two  empty  chalices,  and 
two  candlesticks  with  imli^ted  candies.  And  the 
King  and  Queen  approached  it  with  great  ceremony^ 
and  presented  their  offerings.     When  the  service 

• 

*  The  First  of  the  Foure  Sennoiu  preached— at  HampKm«CoiQit 
in  September  laat^-by  William  Lard  fiishqp  of  Aocheiter.  l^^iMiv 
1607.  In  the  prefatory  address,  ''  To  the  Miniaters  of  Soothm^,  mj. 
Fellow  Dispensers  of  (Ma  Misteries,"  Barlow  meotaona  the  fiicti 
stated  in  the  text. 

t  MelviUe's  Hist.  p.  147. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  157 

was  over  the  Prince  de  Vaudemont  said,  he  did  not 
see  what  should  hinder  the  churches  of  Rome  and 
'Bfof^and  to  unite ;  and  one  of  his  attendants  ex* 
^Ialmed»  *'  There  is  nothing  of  the  mass  wanting 
Uen  Imt  the  adoration  of  the  host  *.^  On  retum- 
big  to  his  lodgings,  Melville  composed  the  following 
v&tBes  on  the  scene  which  he  had  just  witnessed : 

Cor  gteikt  cUo^i  Anglis  Ubri  duo  regift  in  an, 

Lumina  csca  duo,  pollubra  dcca  duo  ? 
' ' '  Nam  sensum  cultnmqiie  Dei  tenet  Anglia  ckusutti 

Lnmine  csca  lup,  aorde  aepulta  ana  ? 
^ ;  Bomano  an  ritu  dum  regakm  inatniit  aram^ 

Porpuream  pingit  relligioaa  lupam  t  ? 

By  means  of  some  of  the  tourt-spies,  who  frequented 
fbe  house  in  which  the  ministers  lodged,  a  copy  of 


.  • 


''^'Melville,  131, 183.   fkoi,  180.   Wbdrow*s  Life  o^  Andrew  Mel* 

.^  jf*;  For  the  aaico  of  tbo  Em^iak,  iaader«  who.ana;  be  dealroua  to  know 
tKe  ti;eaiaon  included  in  theae  Imea^  the  following  o}d  .translation  of 
iam,  %rhidi,  tliough  flat,  warejn  the  aenie^  may  be  added : 
It.^:  .   .  .      ..   I     i'     ■' 

Why  atand  there  ou  the  Rogral  Altar  hio: 
Two  doaed  books,  blind  lighta^  two  basins  drie  ? 
^Bofh  England  hold  God*s  Vnind  and  worship  dosa. 
Blind  of  her  sight,  and  buried  in  her  drbes? 
Both  she,  with  Chapd  put  in  Romish. ^res^*    , 
tlie  purple  whore  religiously  express  ? 


.7 


MeWini  Muse,  p.  Si.  In  this  work  there  are,  besides  the  verses 
ghfen  in  the  text,  a  poem  by  John  Gordon,  and  two  by  John  Bar- 
day,  tttthor  of  Aigenis,  in  defence  of  the  JRofftd  Altar;  and  five  by 
IfdM&e  in  reply.  It  may  adtnit  of  a  doubt  whether  the  poema  which 
bftrihe  names  of  Gordon  and  Barclay  were  really  written  by  them^ 
or  whetber  the  whole  were  composed  by  Melville  fai  the  Hbrm  of  a 
poetical  Jutt  or  mock  encounter.     The  noted  Poetical  Duellist^  Dr. 


158  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

these  verses  was  conveyed  to  bis  Majesty,  who  wad^ 
or  affected  to  be,  highly  incensed  at  them.  And  it 
was  immediately  resolved  to  proceed  against  their 
author. 

On  the  80tb  of  November,  he  wad  simimoned  to 
Whitehall,  and  brought  before  the  Privy  CouneD 
of  England.  His  Majesty  did  not  attend,  but  one 
or  two  Scottish  noblemen  were  present.  Melville 
frankly  acknowledged  that  he  had  made  an  efHgram 
of  which  that  which  was  now  shewn  him  was  an 
inaccurate  copy.  He  had  composed  it,  he  said,  un- 
der feelings  of  indignation  and  grief  at  seeing  such 
superstitious  vanity  in  a  reformed  church,  under  a 
King  who  had  been  brought  up  in  the  pure  light  of 
the  Gospel,  and  before  strangers  who  could  not  bul 
be  confirmed  in  their  idolatry  by  what  they  wit- 
nessed at  Hampton  Court  on  the  occasion  refen^ 
to.  It  was  his  intention  to  embrace  the  first  oj^ 
portunity  of  speaking  to  his  Majesty  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  to  shew  him  the  verses.  He  had  given 
out  no  copy  of  them,  and  he  could  not  conceive  how 
they  had  been  conveyed  to  his  Majesty.  He  was 
not  conscious  of  any  crime  in  what  he  had  done. 
But  if  he  had  committed  an  offence,  he  ouglit  to  be 
tried  for  it  in  his  own  country :  as  a  Scotchman,  he 
was  not  bound  to  answer  before  the  council  pf  ]@ng- 
land,  particularly  as  the  King,  his  sovereigns  was 

Kgliihafn,  atticked  MelTilVs  Epigram  on  the  Altar.  The  edidon  ef 
his  IMieSum  Poeticum,  itrintcd  in  1618,  bears  o»  the  tHle,  **  A^jtteda 
prophilaeticiB  advenm  Andrea;  Mdvini  Carillvia  iB  Aram  Regkn, 
aliisqiie  Epigrammatis." 


LIFE  OF   ANDREW  MELVIM.E.  159 

not  preaeilt.  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  ad* 
dressing  him,  began  to  aggravate  the  offence,  ar-* 
gahig  diat  such  a  libel  on  the  worship  of  the  chnrch 
of  England  was  a  high  misdemeanor,  and  even 
faroagfat  the  offi^der  within  the  laws  of  treason. 
This  was  too  much  for  Melville  to  bear  from  a  man 
of  whom  he  had  so  unfavourable  an  opinion  as  Ban-^ 
croft  He  interrupted  the  primate.  ''  My  lords,*' 
exclaimed  he,  ^  Andrew  Melville  was  never  a  trai- 
tor. But,  my  lords,  there  was  one  Richard  Ban- 
croft, (let  him  be  sought  for,)  who^  during  the  life 
of  the  late  Queen,  wrote  a  treatise  against  his  Ma- 
'Jesty's  title  t6  the  crown  of  England;  and  here^  (pull- 
ing the  corpus  deUeli  from  his  pocket,)  here  is  the 
bo(^  which  was  answei^  by  my  brother  John  Da^- 
vidson'*."  Bancroft  was  throwil  into  the  utmost  con- 
fusion by  this  bold  and  unexpected  attack.  In  the 
liiean  time,  Melville  went  on  to  charge  the  archbishop 
ttrlth  his  delinquencies.  He  accused  him  of  profan- 
ing Ae  Sabbath,  of  maintaining  ail  antichristian  hie* 
<a^y,  dnd  vain«  foppish,  superstitious  ceremonies ; 
and  of  silencing  and  impris(ming  the  true  preach- 
ers of  the  Grospel  for  scrupling  to  conform  to  these. 
Advaiidng  gradually,  as  he  spoke,  to  the  head  of  the 
table,  where  Bancroft  sat,  he  took  hold  of  the  lawn- 
ideeves  of  the  primate,  and  shaking  them,  and  call- 
ilDig  them  Bomisk  rag^,  he  said,  '<  If  you  are  the  au- 
thor of  the  book  called  <  English  Scottizing  for  Ge- 

*  Row  repettedly  refers  to  tbin  treatise  of  Bancroft,  and  Davidson's 
SMwer  to  it.  (Hist  pp.  85,  347.)  Bancroft's  work  is  also  mentioned 
by  John  Forbes.     (Hist,  of  the  Ref.  p.  33.) 


160  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVIXLE. 

neva  I>l8cipliiie»'  then  I  regwd  jaa  as  the  capifal 
enenijr  ofiaU  :theBe£offinic)dbCrhureli0B  in  Europe^  sod 
as  such  I  will  profess  myself  utk  renenijr  to  you  aaod 
to  your  poceedings,  to  the  effvision  of  the  last  drop 
of  my  blood:  and  it  grieves  me  that  such  a  man 
should  have  his  Majesty's  ear,  and  sit  so  high  Sk 
this  honourable  coundL'-  It* was  a  caasidenfAt 
time  before  any  of  the  eoaacil  reeovered  fram  Aetr 
aatonishment  so  far  as  to  think  iof  hiterpMing' bo** 
tween  the  poor  primate  and!  his  incensed  aecusiMt 
Bishop  Barlow  at  last  stepped  in;  bat  he  wM  hinA^ 
led  in  the  same  iHteeerefffoftiM»wayi  MelfiUe' 'at^ 
tadced  his  narrati^fe  of  1lh«  ^HAittptoii^CkMM 
0ace»  and  aedised  him  :of  T0pf^tttijig  the  Kiiig  as 
of  noiMligionyby  Msldi%  Mn  M^  <'  Onmgh  jfii 
wids  hir  tke  tehnrch  ^  StiMtend*  ^he  ^  was^*  tiot  qf  it  ^ 
He  then  pro^eedidd  td  make  ^triMiives  oil  the'#£^ 
men  which  M  had  heiufd  Barlow  preach  in  the  RdjM 
Chilli  >^>i(ertidmb^whereyouare,aQd  towKiMt 
you  ave  speakth^,^  cMidon^  of  the  Seottish  MUii 
men.  « I  remeAib^  {«  very  wdQ,  my^  lcQrd,*'*(ft)|kliMi 
Melville,)  ^  and  iam  mily  sorry  that  yourlbiidrilip, 
by  sittitig^heAs  Mad'  coinitenahdng  such=  'preeeedfti|jl[| 
against  m^  should*  IfUrnish  a  precedent  wbidi  idfi^ 
yet  hedged  agiiltistfyMin^  or  your  pdBterity;^^^'''^*^ 
He  was  at  last,  removed^  and  his  brethrea  ware 
called  in.  The  LordGhsncellor^  ai^rdiendin^.^tfaitt 
all  the  Scottish  ihinisters  might  be  eqnklly  fieiir  as 

•  An  EngKsh  writer  hu  lued  mireh  stronger  language  is  fcnfttii^. 
verting  on  this  expression.    (Toplady's  Hist.  Proofs  ii.  833.) 


LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  I6l 

the  individual  wlio  had  just  been  be&Mre  thraa,  ad- 
dressed James  Melville  and^WaUaoe  in  this  mildest 
andonest  oomplimeataiy  style*,  and  took  the  task 
of  iotacrogating  them  from  the  primate^  that  he 
might  ccmduot  it  himself  in  a  less  offensive  manner. 
They  Gonfifmed  the  testimony  of  Melville,  that  no 
copy  of  the  verses  had,  so  fsr  as  they  knew,  been 
given  out:  jMu^  the.eouncU  had  deliberated  for 
some  timc^  MdviUe  was  again  called  in(  and,  hav- 
ing been  admonished  l^  the  Chancellor  to  add  mo* 
desty  and  disaretiookito. his. learning  and  years,  was 
told  that  he  had  been  found  guilty  of  scandalum 
wutgnatuwh  and  WfiA^iUibeioommitt^  to  the  custody 
of  the  deftn  9£ilgt,.Pa^'P,un)mth9<  pleasure  of  tl^ 
King,as  tohjafMberffqaishiWWfc  shQiild  be  known. 
A  warrant  was.iimncKUaUJy  issued  :to  the  dean,  Br. 
Overall,  to  receive  tbe  jpi^nfif  49to  ihi9>;house,  to 
suffer  none  to  have  aopew  to  hAOif  and  ta  oon&r  with 
)um:  at  convenient  times  ,on  thim  -fKvtvts  on  which 
h^.  differed  from  the  chuffcfat^itabUsh^  by^  lMr,.£or 

h^,  jitter  satisfaqti<m  4tM  <^^o)WJy^        '  i     . 

BLaying  got  the  man  of  whom  they  chiefly  stood 

in  awe  confined,  and  received  a^suran^es-  that  his 

brethran  would  be  detained  at  JLiendon,  the  Scottish 

bishops  posted  home  tp  hold ,  a  packed  assembly* 

'  ^  **  Foiling,''  sayg  James  M^eNille, «'  tt  it  tppetiM  In  nfdng  foch 
durming^  tlMt  fmoB  of  spirit,  wkflk  he  needsd  not" 

t  MeWille'i  History  of  Dedining ^gt ^  p|u  li7--15].  Scot's  Apo- 
kg.  Namt  pp.  188,  189.  Row's  Histinry,  pp.  103—105,  346—348. 
Ambssssdes  de  M.  de  la  Boderie,  i.  456,  458.  The  warrant  to  Dr. 
Oferall  may  be  seen  in  Dr.  Zouch's  edition  of  Walton*s  Lives,  p.  351, 
note. 

VbL.  II.  M 


163  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

After  all  their  preparations  the^  durst  not  allow  a 
free  election  of  representatives  of  the  church.    Mis- 
sives were  addressed  by  the  King  to  the  several 
presbyteries,  desiring  them  to  send  such  perscms  as 
he  named  to  Linlithgow  on  the  10th  of  December, 
to  consult  with  certain  noblemen  and  members  of 
the  Privy  Council  on  the  means  of  prev^iting  the 
increase  of  popery  and  curing  the  distractions  of  the 
church.     In  some  presbyteries  three  and  in  others 
six  individuals  were  picked  out,  according  as  eaeh 
had  a  smaller  or  greater  number  of  members  favour- 
able to  the  measures  of  the  court ;  and  private  let- 
ters were  addressed  to  them  commanding  their  at- 
tendance at  Linlithgow,  whether  they  received  a 
commission  from  their  constituents  or  not.    Feeling 
this  to  be  an  insult  on  them,  as  well  as  an  invasion 
of  their  rights,  some  presbyteries  refused  to  give 
any  conmiission  to  the  nominees  of  the  court,  while 
others  positively  interdicted  them  from  taking  part 
in  the  judicial  decision  of  any  ecclesiastical  ques- 
tion *      The  powers  of  a  General  Assembly  were, 

•  <«  We  the  presb^  of  hAdiiigtoQ  ^Ddentanding  that  our  farelhi«B 
Mr  James  Cannichael  Mr  David  Ogill  and  James  reid  are  to  lepair 
at  his  hienes  oomaund  upon  the  tenth  of  this  instant  to  ane  metiag  oi 
thenobilitie  in  IxnUthgDW,  and  considering  quod  omnes  iamgii  deba  ab 
Onibiu  curaijp  ut  quod  culpa  mon  careai,  qui  rei  se  miscet  ad  *e  mom  per^ 
iinenti;  Be  thir  presents  dischargis  y®  said  hrethren  to  vote  condnda 
or  determine  of  onie  things  the  decision  q'of  pertenis  to  aae  geDflraU 
asiemhlie^  and  eomand  thame  in  our  name  w^  all  humihtie  to  te- 
qucist  the  nohilitie  thair  convenit  to  he  suteris  to  his  ma^  That  aae 
file  generall  assemhlic  may  he  convocatt  as  y«  only  remeid  of  all  tfaeie 
eviDis  mentioned  in  his  hienes  letter."  (Record  of  F^hyterjr  of 
Haddington,  Dec.  8,  1606.) 


LrlFE  OF  ANOit^W  M£<.VILL£.  163 

hffimwt,  M0Umed  by  thifl  illegitimate  body.  Th^ 
ennmiMionwa  who  ^eted  cm  the  part  of  his  M^jeaty 
INmettted  n  letter  from  him,  in  which  he  declared 
it  l9  be  ^  his  advice  and  pleasure,"  that  *'  one  of  the 
BMrt  godly  and  grave  and  meetest  for  government^ 
should  presently  be  nominated  as  moderator  of  each 
presb3rtery,  to  continue  in  that  office  until  the  jars 
among  the  ministers  were  removed,  and  the  popidi 
noUemen  reclaimed ;  and  that  the  bishops  should  be 
moderators  of  the  presbyteries  within  whose  bounds 
tilTf  resided.  Inclined  as  most  of  the  members 
were  to  gratify  the  King,  this  proposal  met  at  first 
with  eonsiderable  opposition.  It  was  seen  that  the 
new  office  was  a  mere  stalking-horse  to  enable  the 
bishops  to  gain  that  pre-eminence  which  they  durst 
not  directly  assume ;  or,  in  the  lattgnage  of  some  of 
tlM>ae  who  opposed  the  measure,  "  the  constant  nuk^ 
dtntOfM  were  the  little  thieves  entering  at  the  naiv 
row*  windows  to  open  the  doors  to  the  great  thieves*.'' 
To  sileace  these  objections  hi&  Majesty's  commis* 
wners  assured  the  Assembly  that  he  had  no  inten* 
tion  to  subvert  the  established  church-government* 
Hie  bishops  repeated  their  deceitful  protestations^ 
that  ''  it  was  not  their  intention  to  usurp  any  ty« 
mnnous  and  un  awful  jurisdiction  over  their  breth-v 
ren,"  and  that  they  would  '^  submit  to  the  censure 
of  the  church  f/'  A  variety  of  cautions,  similar  to 
those  which  had  formerly  been  imposed  on  the  voters 


*  Coune  of  Confomuty,  p.  50. 
t  Bvik  of  the  Univ.  Kiik,  f.  S19. 

M  2 


164  LIFE  OF  AKDBEW  MELVILLE. 


in  parliament,  and  brought  forward  wiUi  the  BtaM 
fraudnlent  design,  were  agreed  to.  The  zeal  of  hiM 
Majesty  jagainst  popery  was  loudly  proclaimed ;  ailA 
hopes  were  given  that  he  would  listen  to  the  inCiet^ 
cessions  which  the  Assembly  had  agreed  to  mdU 
in  behalf  of  the  ministers  who  were  in  confiii^ 
ment.  By  these  means  the  strength  of  the  oppod^ 
tion  was  broken,  and  the  measure  carried  by  aal 
overwhelming  majority.  When  the  act  of  Assem^ 
bly  was  afterwards  published,  it  bore  that  the  bishl^ 
were  to  be  moderators  of  provincial  synods  as  WcH 
as  of  presb}i;eries ;  and  there  is  great  probability  M 
the  allegation,  that  this  clause  was  interpolated  af- 
ter the  minutes  were  sent  to  London  and  subtnitt^ 
to  his  Majesty^  revision  ♦.  ^ 

This  Assembly  wai  opened  by  Law,  bishop  «tf 
Orkney,  with  a  seilnon  on  these  words,  P^^fbi' 
the  peace  of  Jerusalem ;  and  it  was  closed  with  tfito 
warmest  expressions  of  thanksgiving  and  grattfliV^ 
tioni  on  account  of  the  uncommon  spirit  of  uhicm  aiH 
harmony  which  had  heeh  displayed  in  all  its  ddf^ 
berations.  None  are  So  loud  in  their  praises  of  peMte 
as  those  who  are  pursuing  cburses  which  direefi^^ 
lend  to  violate  it ;  and  in  their  dialect  those  are' fK 
men  of  peace  who  yield  a  tame  submission  to  cfD 
the  liiipositions  of  authority,  or  who  obs^qmoiitff 
follow  in  the  train  of  a  ruling  faction,  at  the  etpHiaii 


-•I    V 


*  Bulk  Ckf  Univ.  Kirk^  S18,  b,— 881.  Cald.  vi.  183»— 1866;  vii, 
i5->60.  Melville,  Ded.  Age,  pp.  151—154.  Scot,  pp.  189<->1M< 
Row,  pp.  105 — 110.    Spotawood,  pp.  500-— 509. 


UFS  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  165 

of  abandofldiig  principle  and  sacrificing  the  public 
good.  No  sooner  was  the  Assembly  over  than  the 
difierttit  synods  and  presbyteries  received  k^ 
charges  to  admit  the  constant  moderators.  All  the 
synods  but  one»  whose  name  I  need  not  repeat,  re- 
fused ;  and  their  refusal  was  imitated  by  a  number 
of  presbyteries.  -■  Ministers  in  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try were  thrown  into  prison,  or  declared  rebels  and 
forced  to  abscond  for  a  time ;  and  in  some  places 
theimost  disgraceful  scenes  were  exhibited,  in  con* 
aequence  of  the  firmness  of  the  church-courts  and 
Ihe  violence  of  the  agents  of  government*. 
.-  There  is  not  a  more  pitiable  situation  than  that 
taf  a  good  man  who  has  suffered  himself  to  become 
the  tool  of  an  unprincipled  faction,  and  who^ias  not 
eeurage  to  break  through  the  toils.ioa.which  he-has 
been  unwarily  caught ;  whose  :diaracteir  is  used  to 
saBctify  actions  which  herqurobfites,  and  whose  ser- 
.vjoea  are  demanded  to  caxry^  into,  execution  schemes 
oC  which  he  never  cordially  approved,  and  which  he 
enrery  day  sees  more  and  move  ^reason  to  condemn. 
Such  was  the  unhappy  situation  of  James  Nicolson. 
The  way  in  which  he  was  led  to  desert  his  early 
firjends  has  been  already  stated  f .  From  that  time 
he  had  taken  a  leading  part  in  forwarding  the  de- 
Vgs^  of  the  court  against  the  liberties  of  the.  church ; 
illthough  his  behaviour  occasionally  gave  83miptom8 
that  **  all  was  not  at  peace  within."    After  long 


*  Printad  Calderwood,  pp.  565—569. 
t  See  abore^  pp.  18, 19. 
M  S 


I6fi  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE, 

lieBitatkm  he  had  lateljT  been  prevailed  on  to  mtcepi 
a  biflhc^ric  In  unposing  the  acts  of  the  assettibljr 
a(  Linlithgow,  of  which  he  Was  moderator,  he  had 
to  brook  mortifications  which  caused  him  to  be  pi^ 
tied  even  hy  those  who  were  most  offended  at  hia 
defection  from  the  presbyterian  cause.  Soon  after 
this  he  sickened,  and  oH  his  death-bed  expressed  the 
keenest  regret  for  the  course  he  had  taken.  When 
his  friends  proposed  sending  for  a  physician,  he  ex- 
claimed, **  Send  for  King  James :  it  is  the  digeating 
of  the  bishopric  that  has  wracked  my  stomach.*' 
He  would  not  allow  his  episcopal  titles  to  be  pnf; 
into  his  testament ;  and  earnestly  exhorted  his 
brother-in-law  to  keep  aloof  from  the  court,  and  not 
to  become  a  bishop ;  ^*  for  if  you  do,"  said  he,  **  you 
must  resolve  to  take  the  will  of  yomr  sovereign  for 
the  law  of  your  conscience  *•'' 

Melville  remained  under  the  surveillance  of  the 
dean  of  St  Paul's  until  the  9th  of  March,  16Q7, 
when  he  received  an  order  from  the  privy  council 
to  remove  to  the  house  of  the  bishop  of  Winchester. 
The  messenger  having  retired  without  insisdng  on 
accompanying  him  immediately  to  the  dweUing  of 
his  new  overseer,  he  took  the  liberty  of  visiting  his 


•  Soot,  p.  905.  Simam,  116.  Eput  FhOad.  Viad.  «piMl  Ahmt 
DanuMC  p.  77«.  Wodrow's  Life  of  Nicokon,  pp-  S,  4:  MSS,  T«iL  tL 
tlh  Testament  runs  thus:  "  I  Mr  James  Nicolson  Minist^  at  Me- 
giU  ftc*  without  aHy  mention  of  his  episcopal  office.  '^  He  deceased 
in  the  moneth  of  August  1607/'  and  left  a  widow,  Jane  Ramsaj, 
and  three  children,  James,  Margaret^  and  Besaie.  (Commissary  Re- 
cord of  Edinburgh.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE.  16T 

fareUupen ;  and^  as  the  court  was  then  entiralf  ooca* 
fieA  in  managing  the  House  of  CommonSy  which 
htA  shown  symptoms  of  refiractoriness,  he  was  al- 
lowed to  remain  with  them  for  several  weeks*. 
They  had  found  means  to  excuse  themselves  &om 
taking  up  their  residence  in  the  houses  of  the  bi- 
shope,  but  the  order  formeHy  issued  to  that  effect 
was  now  renewed.  For  the  confinement  c^  Mel« 
viUe  some  pretext  had  been  found  in  the  charge 
iNTOugfat  against  him,  and  the  l^;al  proceedings 
founded  on  it.  In  the  case  of  the  other  ministers 
nothing  of  this  kind  could  be  alleged.  Accordingly, 
they  highly  resented  this  unprovoked  encroachment 
on  their  liberty.  They  wrote  to  Sir  Anthony  Ash- 
ley, one  of  the  clerks  of  council,  desiring  to  know  the 
grounds  on  which  it  proceeded ;  but  he  oould  as- 
sign no  cause.  They  waited  on  the  bishop  of  'Dar-^ 
ham,  who  received  them  in  such  a  manner  as  was 
not  calculated  to  give  them  high  ideas  of  the  wel- 
eome  which  they  might  expect  from  their  episcopal 
hosts  f .  They  then  addressed  a  spirited  remon- 
sferanoe  to  the  privy  council  of  England.  They 
complained  of  being  detained  in  that  eountry,  to 


•  Melville'i  Hist,  of  Dcd.  Age,  p.  171. 

f  HIb  Lordship  told  James  MelTflle,  ytho  was  appointed  to  be  his 
gnortf  that,  in  order  to  receive  him,  it  would  be  necessary  to  put  a 
gentleman  out  of  his  chamber,  and  two  serrants  into  one  bed-  He 
invited  two  of  the  ministers  to  dine  with  him,  but  hefore  the  day 
etme  sent  a  message,  saying,  that  it  vnis  not  convenient  for  hhn  to 
zeefllve  them.    (Melville,  ut  wajpuL,  pp.  161—164.) 


168  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  M£LVILL£. 

the  impairing  of  thoir.  health,  the  wafitiog  of  their-: 
substance,  and  the  heavy  injury  of  theit^  familiies  • 
and  flocks.     They  protested  against  the  late  ordfil^ 
of  council  as  a  violation  of  the  law  of  nations^  df  : 
the  privileges  of  their  native  country,  and  of  4h» 
principles  of  justice,  which  forhid  any  nstan  to* iia .• 
deprived  of  his  freedoni  as  kmg  as  he  is  WMtceuasd    :• 
and  uncondemned.     It  could  be-  conaidtred'  in  no  ' 
other  light,  they  said,  than  as  a  pmiishmtnt,  iind 
for  their  part  they  would  sooner  suhmit  to-  baniak-; 
ment  or  imprisonment  in  a  eommon  jaiL     They  ^ 
were  pastors  of  the  diurdi>  of  Scotland,  long  ii^ 
nowned  among  the  churcfaes  of  the  Rcformatisnt;.  ; 
they  had  houses  and  incomes  of  their  own-withwhkh*.  • 
they  were. contented  ;  and^it  wasKpugnaat  tothdk" 
personal  feelings,   discreditable  to   their  fimrtioK   \ 
and  the:  church -to  whidi  they  bdonged,  and  Bot  i 
very  honourable  to  their  Sovereign  and  native  oonn^*  \ 
try,  for  them  to  '*  feed  like  belly-»gods  at  the  tabfo'  ' 
of  strangers,"  exchange  the  character  of  masters  oqd ..  t 
teadiers  for  that  of  bondmen  and  scholars^  and'^qdknj 
pear  to  the  world  to  approve  of  what  they  andtbeirt'i 
religious  connexions  had  always  condemned*  \l%efe«i:  I 
in  had  they  offended  ?     Was  it  expected  that  they -'i 
should  do  violence  to  their  judgment  and  consdem 
to  give  his  Miyesty  satisfaction?    Th^.  knawr  o£ 
no  principles  held  by  them  which  were  not  saai 
tioned  by  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  laws  of  Scot- 
land.    But  if  it  were  otherwise,  they  craved  that» 
they  might  be  sent  home  to  be  admonished  of  theilr 


I  »i 


;.> 


LIFE  OF  AKDRfiW  MELVILLE.  169 

wron  by  Hxeit  own  dkureh^  without  putting  thelord 
biditpfl  of  England  to  tvouble  with  them^. 

lliecoaiicil  deferred  them -to  l&eArchbisbop^of 
Gaitterbiuy  f o?  an  answer  to  their  petition ;  in  toon^ 
seqoenoe  of  which  two  of  them  went  to  Lambeth. 
His  Oraoeixceived  them  with  all  the  affability  of  a 
courtier,  aond  eonveraed  on  the  subjects  which  gave 
them  so  mudr  pain  with  the  ease  and  sang  Jraid 
of  a  politician  who  knows  that  his  power  is  firmly 
estaUished,  and  tfcat  all  fai»  measures  wall  be  carried 
into  execution.  Judging  £rom  the  exterior  of  his 
conduct  on  this  occasion,  one  could  scarcdy  suppose 
that  he  was  the*same  individiral'Wheiiiad  persecuted 
the  English  puritans,'  ahd  thsrowu  so  mvdi  abase 
on  ihe  principles  and  pioeeekdings  •■  X3/1  the-  presbyte- 
rias  church  in  Scotlimdl  -Wkentke  mraiatei^: woe 
intsoduced,  he  ordered^  his  attendaoftsftonwithdMwv 
He' apologised  fior  the^^Wker  of'toundlofiwUicb 
they  eomplainedv  by  allegii]^'  thaift  it  fWas  intended 
to  fBRnride  them  with^dcoonimodatieD;  suitalde  tto 
their  station,  seeing  H' was  < not  the  King^sipleasuire 
that4hey  should  yet  return  to  their  own  coimtry; 
JameSi  Melville  having  8taited^4heir  reasons' iforde^ 
dining  this  compelled  courtesy,  the  primate  acknow- 
ledged their  force,  and.  said,  that  the  bishops  them- 
aelves  did  not  relish  the  .proposal,  though  ihey^ae- 
qniesced  in  it  to  pleaie  his  Majesty :  ^'  for  (added 

~  *  Tht  «ider  of  Fvity  CeniioU  wORBiitiiig  the  liuhopi  to  receive 
the  mbteen^  the  letter  of  ihe  miaiBtera  to  Sir  Anthon j  Ashley,  with 
Ilia  answer,  and  their  petition  to  the  Council,  are  all  inserted  in  Mel- 
ville's Hist  of  the  DecL  Age,  pp.  157—167. 


170  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

he)  our  custom  is,  after  serious  matters,  to  refresh 
ourselves  an  hour  or  two  with  cards  or  other 
games  * ;  but  ye  are  more  precise."  Changing  the 
subject,  he  asked  them  if  it  would  not  be  desiralib 
to  have  the  two  churches  united  imder  the  same  go^ 
vemment.  They  replied  that  it  certaiidy  would^ 
provided  the  union  was  accomplished  on  sound  and 
scriptural  grounds ;  but  there  was  great  danger  of 
widening  the  breach  by  injudicious  attempts  to  dose 
it.  **  We  will  not  reason  upon  that  matter  now^^ 
said  the  archbishop ;  ^*  but  I  am  sure  we  both  hold 
the  grounds  of  true  religion,  and  are  brethren  in 
Christ,  and  so  should  behave  ourselves  toward  each 
other.  We  differ  only  in  forms  of  government  in 
the  church  and  some  ceremonies ;  and,  as  I  under- 
stand, since  ye  came  from  Scotland,  your  church  is 
brought  almost  to  be  one  with  ours  in  that  also ;  for  I 
am  certified  there  are  constant  moderators  appointed 
in  yoiu*  general  assemblies,  synods  and  presbyteries.^ 
His  Grace  went  on  for  a  long  time  in  this  strain  of 
affected  moderation,  but  real  insolence ;  not  n^leet- 
ing  to  say  that  he  was  in  a  better  state  when  lie 
was  but  Richard  Bancroft  than  now  when  he  was 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Scot  thought  it  neoes^ 
sary  to  reply;  and  began  with  saying,  that  tfae;^ 
could  not  relinquish  thejr  ecclesiastical  discipline 
with  a  good  comcience.    But  the  primate  inter« 

*  It  seems  the  bishops  sTowedly  violated  those  canons,  the  trans- 
gression of  which,  in  the  most  unimportant  circomstanoes,  they  pa* 
nished  so  severely  in  the  puritans.  See  the  Canons  of  160%  in  Wll> 
kins's  Concilia,  torn.  ii.  p.  393. 


JLIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  171 

xlipted  him  with  a  gracious  smile;  and,  tapping 
him  kindljr  on  ^he  shoulder,  said,  *^  Tush,  man ; 
here,  take  a  cup  of  good  sack.**  And  filling  the 
cap^  and  *'  holding  the  napkin  himself/*  he  made 
them  drink  *.  So,  with  many  flattering  expressions, 
and  courtly  promises  to  intercede  with  his  Majesty 
in  their  behalf,  his  Grace  dismissed  them  f  • 

The  uj\just  judge  in  the  parable  was  induced  to 
do  the  widow  an  act  of  justice,  to  be  rid  of  her 
troublesome  importunities.  The  privy  council  of 
England  adopted  an  opposite  course;  and,  as  the 
Scottish  ministers  persisted  in  demanding  that  they 
should  either  be  proved  criminal  or  treated  as  inno- 
cent, they  resolved  to  terminate  the  affair  by  one 
act  of  summary  injustice. 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  April,  a  servant 
of  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  came  to  the  house  in  the 
Bow  where  the  ministers  were  lodged,  and  delivered 
a  message,  requesting  Melville  to  speak  with  his 
master  at  his  chambers  in  Whitehall.  Viewing  the 
message  in  a  friendly  light,  Melville  made  himself 
ready  and  set  out  with  all  expedition.  His  nephew, 
who  was  more  suspicious,  followed  him,  as  soon 
as  he  had  dressed  himself,  to  the  palace,  accom- 
panied by  Scot  and  Wallace.  Melville  came  to 
the  inn  when  he  understood  of  their  arrival,  and 
told  them  that  he  had  waited  two  hours  without 

*  CMborne  Bays,  Baneroft  was  ''  characterixed  fktt  tt  jovial  doctor." 
(Secret  History  of  the  court  of  James  I.  vol.  i.  p.  66.)  Warner  taxes 
' '  B  with  want  of  hospitality.    (Ecdes.  Hist.  voL  ii.  p.  496.) 

t  Melville,  168—170.    Row,  101,  102.    Cald.  vii.  li— 16. 


173  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

being  able  to  see  the  premier.  By  this  time  he  had 
been  informed  that  he  was  to  appear  bdEbre  U» 
English  council,  but  did  not  wish  to  alarm  kia 
friends.  **  Why  do  you  ask  the  reason  of  his  lerd^ 
ship's  message  ?''  said  he :  *'  no  doubt,  he  wishes  mer 
to  dine  with  him.  But  I  shall  disappoint  him:;  Ibv 
I  mean  to  take  my  repast  with  you.^  At  tahbiho 
exerted  himself  to  cheer  their  spirits;  aoquaiatal 
them  with  the  meditations  on  the  second  psahli 
which  he  had  indulged  during  his  walk  in  the  gabi 
lery  of  the.  palace ;  and  recited  the  verses  whidi  hm 
had  made  on  St  George,  the  tutelary  saint  of  Eng^ 
land,  whose  festival  had  lately  been  celebrated  watk 
much  foolish  pageantry.  James  Melville^  niio-afr 
that  moment  could  have  wished  that  his  unde  had' 
never  coipiposed  a  couplei,  addressed  him  in  the 
words  of  Ovid: 


If 


81  saperon  dbctas  odissem  jure  lororesy 
Nnmitiaoiiltoripemidougiio:  ■•■a 

To  which  he  replied,  with  his  usual  promptit^dfi|  ^ 
the  next  words  of  the  poet : 

Bed  nunc  (ttntt  meo  oomei  eit  innnia  morbo)  *  ' "  ^  * 

Sax«(iiMlsml)  leferonumuadkaipadein*. '•       ii 

**  Well,**  said  his  nephew,  **  eat  your  dinn^,  ma 
be  of  good  courage ;  for  I  have  no  doubt  you  are  to 
be  called  before  the  council  for  your  altar-verses.  ~ 
•*  My  heart  is  full  and  swells,"  replied  he ;  "  ftnd  I 

•  Oiridii  Tristia,  lib.  iL  od.  L 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  173 

would  te  glad  to  have  diat  oecasion  to  disbutdan  it, 
and  to  npeok  all  my  mind  plainly  to  than,  for  their 
diahoDOoring  of  Christ  and  ruining  of  so  many  semis 
bjHbearing  down  the  purity  o(  the  gospel  and  main- 
taining  popish  superstition  and  corruptions  " — -^  I 
wiittnaiid  you,"  said  James  Melville,  who  was  anxious 
to  repress  his  fervour,  *^  they  know  you  will  speak 
your  nodnd  freely ;  and  therefore  have  sent  for  you 
that  th^may  find  a  |»^text  to  keep  you  from  going 
bome  to  Scotland^" — *^  If  God  have  any  service  for 
mt  thore,  he  will  bring  me  home :  if  not,  let  me 
f^onify  him  wherever  I  be.  I  have  often  said  to 
yint^  cousin.  He  hath  some  part  to  play  with  us  on 
tlds*  'tlteatre."  As  he  said  this,  a  messenger  enter- 
ed^ and  acquainted  him  that  the  Earl  of  Salisbury 
wished  to  see  him.  **  I  have  waited  long  upon 
my  lord's  dinner,  (said  Melville)  pray  him  to  suffer 
me  now  to  take  a  little  of  my  own."  Within  a 
short  time  two  expresses  were  sent  to  inform  him 
that  the  council  was  sitting  and  waited  for  him; 
upon  which  he  rose,  and,  having  joined  with  his 
hrethren  in  a  short  prayer,  repaired  to  the  council- 
room*. 

His  Mqesty  did  not  make  his  appearance ;  but  he 
had  placed  himself  in  a  closet  adjoining  to  the  room 
in  which  the  council  was  met  A  low  trick,  and  dis- 
graceful to  royalty,  by  which  the  prisoner  was  en- 
couraged to  use  liberties  which  he  might  not  other- 
wise have  taken,  and  which  were  overheard  by  the 

t  Melville't  Hist,  of  the  Decl.  Age,  pp.  178—181. 


174  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

person  who  was  ultimately  to  decide  upon  his  ftte. 
The  only  diarge  which  the  council  had  to  briii^ 
against  him  was  the  epigram  for  which  he  had  for- 
merly been  questioned.  Irritated  as  he  was  by  what 
he  had  suffered  and  by  what  he  had  seen,  he  was  YM 
prepared  to  make  apologies  or  retractions.  *^  The 
Earl  of  Salisbury  (says  the  French  ambassadcif,  to 
whom  we  owe  the  account  of  this  interview)  took 
up  the  subject,  and  began  to  reprove  him  for  his  <ib- 
etinacy  in  refusing  to  acknowledge  the  primacy,  and 
for  the  verses  which  he  had  made  in  derision  dT  the 
royal  chapel.  Melville  was  so  severe  in  his  reply, 
both  in  what  related  to  the  King,  and  to  the  BSail 
personally,  that  his  lordship  was  completely  put  to 
silence.  To  his  assistance  came  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  then  the  Earl  of  Northampton,  then 
the  Lord  Treasurer ;  all  of  whom  he  rated  in  stidi 
a  manner,  sparing  none  of  the  vices,  public  or  pri* 
vate,  with  which  they  are  respectively  taxed,  (aiid 
none  of  them  are  angels)  that  they  would  have  been 
glad  that  he  had  been  in  Scotland.  In  the  enc^  not 
being  able  to  induce  him  to  swear  to  the  primaef, 
and  not  knowing  any  other  way  to  revenge  tfaenu 
selves  on  him,  they  agreed  to  send  him  priscnar  to 
the  Tower.  When  the  sentence  was  pronounoed, 
he  exclaimed :  **  To  this  comes  the  boasted  pride  of 
England !  A  month  ago  you  put  to  death  a  prieai^ 
and  t04norrow  you  will  do  the  same  to  a  minister*.^ 

*  In  the  end  of  1607,  a  minister  in  London  was  reprimanded  fbr 
some  freedoms  which  he  had  taken  from  the  pulpit  with  the  estate  of 
hishops.    Having  afterwards  given  out  some  copies  of  his  sermoD^  he 


JLIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  175 

Then  addrefieing  the  Duke  of  Lennox  and  the  Earl 
of  Mar»  who  were  in  the  council,  he  said,  ^*  I  am 
a  Sootduaan,  my  lords,  a  true  Scotchman ;  and  if 
you  are  fiuch,  take  heed  that  they  do  not  end  with 
ysni  as  they  have  begun  with  me."  The  King  was 
inore  irritated  at  this  last  saying  than  at  all  which 
had  passed  *." 

Being  prohibited  from  approaching  the  palace, 
the  other  ministers  had  employed  one  of  their  ser- 
vants to  watch  the  issue,  who^  returning  at  the  end 
of  three  hours,  informed  them  that  Melville  was 
conveyed  by  water  to  the  Tower.     They  hastened 
thither,  but  were  refused  access  to  him  f . 
•  It  is  difficult  to  say  which  is  most  glaring,  the 
injustice  or  the  ridiculousness  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  council,  first  and  last,  against  Melville.     He 
was  no  subject  of  England,  and  no  member  of  the 
finglish  church :  he  owed  no  fealty  or  subjection  to 
the  authorities  of  either.     Called  into  that  country 
by  the  letter,  and  detained  in  it  by  the  will  of  his 
aovereign,  he  was  placed  under  the  protection  of  the 
royal  authority ;  and  he  was  entitled  to  daim  the 
bmefiiof  this,  especially  at  a  time  when  conferences 
were  holding  for  uniting  the  two  kingdoms  t«  What 

was  publicly  whipped,  made  to  stand  four  hoon  in  the  pillory,  and 
'had' one  of  his  ears  cut  off.  Two  days  after  he  was  again  brought 
Imi;  ttood  other  fbnr  hours  in  the  pillory,  lost  his  remaining  ear,  and 
was  condemned  to  perpetual  banishment.  (AmbaMtdes  de  Jd.  de  la 
Boderie,  ii.  489.) 

*  Ambassades  de  M.  de  la  Boderie,  torn.  ii.  pp.  207 — ^S09. 

t  MelviUc's  Hist  of  Ded.  Age,  p.  181.    Row's  Hist.  p.  105. 

i  Dr.  Zkmch  candidly  allows  that  **  the  behaviour  of  Mr.  MelviUe 
during  the  conference  afforded  no  pretext  for  detaining  him  in  £ng- 


176  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

had  he  done  to  forfeit  this  protection?  Had  he 
published  a  libel  against  the  constitution  of  Eng- 
land ?  Had  he  intruded  into  her  temples,  or  pub- 
licly insulted  her  worship?  Had  he  attacked  or 
evea  vnritten  a  single  line  against  one  of  her  eHa^ 
hUshed  rites  ?  He  had  been  forced  to  listen  to  dis- 
courses which  he  disliked,  and  to  witness  religious 
ceremonies  which  he  detested.  Was  he  also  to  be 
jestrained  from  relieving  his  mind  in  private,  1^ 
indulging  in  a  literary  recreation  to  which  he  had 
been  addicted  from  his  youth  ?  Or,  was  it  a  crime 
to  communicate  the  effusions  of  his  muse  to  his 
brethren  who  sympathised  with  all  his  feelings,  and 
shared  in  all  his  secrets  ?  The  only  copy  of  the 
epigram  which  had  been  seen  was  taken  by  a  court- 
spy  who  haunted  his  lodgings  for  the  base  purpose 
of  informing  against  him.  But  though  he  had  been 
industrious  in  circulating  it,  where  was  the  mighty 
harm  ?  Was  the  church  of  England  in  such  a  fte- 
ble  and  tottering  condition  as  to  be  in  danger  £rom 
a  few  strokes  of  a  quill  ?  Did  she,  like  the  church 
of  Rome,  tremble  at  the  report  of  a  pasquinade  ? 
Were  there  none  of  all  the  learned  sons  whom  sIm 
had  brought  up,  and  of  whose  achievements  she  ww 
wont  to  boast,  to  rise  up  and  defend  her  with  the 
weapons  with  which  she  had  been  assailed^  that  she 
was  obliged  to  call  in  the  secular  arm  for  her  protee* 


land/'  and  that  he  endured  "  much  persecution ;"  adding,  '^  it  ia  not 
within  my  province  to  arraign  the  conduct  of  James  for  his  great 
aererity  thus  exerciaed."    (Walton*a  Lives,  pp.  350 — 853.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  177 

tion,  and  to  silence  the  audacious  satirist  by  immur- 
ing- him  in  a  dungeon  ?  The  council  were,  in  fact, 
the  authors  and  propagators  of  the  seandal  which 
they,  punched  with  suc4i  severity.  If  they  had  not 
interfered,  the  epigram  would-  most  probably  have 
remained  among  the  papers  of  the  writer,  or  have 
shared  the  same  fate  with  similar  productions,  which 
he  amused  .himself  with  for  the  moment  and  then 
committed  to  the  flames.  But,  by  their  injudicious 
:  interference,  and  in  consequence  of  their  living 
.xoade  it  the  ground  of  a  criminal  prosecution,  it  was 
circulated  throughBritaio,  was  despatched  by  couriers 
to  the  different  parts  of  the  continent,  formed  a  sub- 
ject of  merriment  at  the  courts  of  Versailles,  Madrid, 
and. even  of  the  Vatican,  and  continue^  to  this  day 
to.be  read  and  relished  as  a  merited  castigation  of 
a  diVTch,  who,  while  she  professed  to  have  brdcen 
<tS  all  counejuon  with  Rome,  shewed  a  disposition 
to  ape  its  manners,  and  to  practise  some  qf  its  bUt 
liegt  and  most  senseless  ceremonies, 
\  -Sly  Lord  Chancellor  Ellesmere  was  pleased  to 
admoniflh  Melville,  at  his  first  appearance,  to  join 
gravity  and  moderation  to  his  learning ;  and  the 
admonition  was  good.  But  really  there  are  some 
actions  so  glaringly  unjust  as  to  provoke  the  meek-  , 
eat  of  men.  And  there  are  some  scenes  so  truly  ri- 
difulouB  as  to  baffle  the  gravity  of  the  moat  rigid 
moralist  and  the  most  demure  precisian.  What 
shall  we  think  of  the  Chancellor  of  all  England, 
with  the  principal  peers  and  prelates  of  the  realm, 
assembled  in  close  conclave,  spending  two  solenm 

VOL.  II.  N 


178  LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELYILLE. 

sederunts  on  the  demerits  of  an  epigram,  critically 
scanning  six  Latin  lines,  endeavouring,  like  school- 
boys, to  construe  them  into  treason,  and  in  tlie  end 
gravely  finding  them  chargeable  with  the  anoma- 
lous and  barbarous  fault  of  scandalum  magnatmm  f 

Spectatum  admisd  rimuD  teneatis^  amid  ? 

• 

Those  who  approve  of  these  proceedings,  will  be 
prepared  to  palliate  their  iniquity  by  quoting  pre- 
cedents and  referring  to  examples  equally  arbitrary 
and  unjust ;  and  they  will  be  loud  in  their  censures 
of  the  deportment  of  the  prisoner  on  this  occasion, 
and  in  their  declamations  against  the  indiscretion 
and  violence  which  he  displayed  in  the  course  of 
his  trial.  Others,  who  are  not  disposed  to  join  in 
this  condemnation,  may  lament  that,  by  his  vehe- 
ment and  intemperate  language,  he  should  have  de- 
tracted from  the  'dignity  of  his  defence,  given  his 
enemies  an  advantage  against  him,  and  subjected 
himself  to  a  severer  punishment  than  he  would  have 
suffered  if  he  had  acted  with  more  moderation  and 
prudence.  I  feel  as  little  inclined  to  sjrmpatldce 
with  the  regrets  of  this  last  class  of  persons,  as  I 
do  to  enter  into  serious  argument  with  the  tarsL  I 
know  of  no  fixed  and  uniform  standard  of  dtocre- 
tion  by  which  the  conduct  of  every  individual  is 
to  be  ruled  on  great  and  extraordinary  oocasifHUi. 
^  There  is  a  spirit  in  man,  and  the  insjHraticm  0f 
the  Almighty  giveth  him  understanding."  It  is  the 
voice  of  the  Deity  that  roars  in  the  thunder  and 
that  whispers  in  the  breeze.     There  are  virtues 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  179 

whum  mild  influence  is  grateful  and  idEreBhing  in 
tbe  ordinary  intercourse  of  life;  and  there  are  others 
whkh  are  salutary  in  purifying  the  social  atmo- 
spfaere,  and  in  relieving  it  from  those  oppressive 
and  noxious  vapours  by  which  it  is  apt  at  times  to 
beccmie  impregnated.  Some  men  are  blessed  with  a 
placidity  c^  mind  and  a  command  of  temper  which 
nothing  can  ruffle  or  discompose.  Others  are  gifted 
with  a  keen  and  indignant  sense  of  whatever  is  ini- 
quitous and  base,  with  the  power  of  giving  expres- 
simi  to  what  they  feel,  and  with  courage  to  exert 
that  power.  Let  each  use  the  gift  which  he  has 
received,  to  the  honour  of  Him  who  bestowed  it, 
and  to  the  benefit  of  mankind;  subject  only  to  those 
general  laws  which  are  commcm  to  both.  **  Quench 
not  the  spirit"  of  holy  xeal  for  God  and  your  coun^* 
try  by  the  cold  dictates  of  a  selfish  and  timorous 
prudence,  calculated  to  beget  a  temperance  which 
gives  smoothness  to  the  passion  of  the  hypocrite 
who  plays  his  part  on  the  world's  theatre.  *^  If  my 
anger  go  dowwiDwrd^  (said  Melville  to  one  of  his 
prudent  advisers,)  ''  set  your  foot  on  it,  and  put  it 
out;  but  if  it  go  upward^  suffer  it  to  rise  to  its 
place*.- 

fie  was  persecuted  fcnr  what  was  no  mme,  and 
arraigned  before  a  court  which  had  no  legal  juris- 
«Uction  over  him.  He  was  under  no  obligation  to 
tdefend  himself ;  but  he  had  a  right  to  complain.  In 
tiiose  who  assumed  the  power  to  judge  him  he  saw 

*  LiyingBton*!  ClM^ract.  art  Andrew  MdviUt. 

k2 


180  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

men  of  high  rank  and  honourable  station  indeed, 
but  men  who  were  chargeable  with  many  glaring 
offences  and  acts  of  injustice,  and  whose  rank  and 
station  had  precluded  them  from  hitherto  hearing 
the  voice  of  faithful  reproof.  If,  roused  by  the  un- 
worthy treatment  which  he  met  with,  he  felt  it  in- 
cumbent on  him  to  discharge  this  dangerous  duty, 
are  we  prepared  to  pronounce  his  reprehensions  un- 
warranted, or  to  say  that  they  were  productive  of 
no  salutary  and  beneficial  effect  ?  It  is  a  vulgar 
error  to  suppose  that  the  decisions  of  an  impassioned 
mind  are  necessarily  blind  and  headlong.  While 
selfishness  contracts  and  cowardice  clouds  the  un- 
derstandii^,  the  higher  emotions  impart  a  perspica- 
city and  an  expansion  to  the  mind  by  which  it  per<- 
ceives  instantaneously  and  at  one  glance  the  course 
which  it  ought  to  take.  Melville  knew  that  his 
enemies  sought  an  occasion  against  him,  and  that 
an  advantage  would  be  taken  of  the  freedom  of 
speech  in  which  he  chose  to  indulge.  But  he  knew 
also  that  he  could  not  regain  his  personal  liberty 
without  renouncing  his  principles  and  abjuring  the 
cause  to  which  he  was  resolved  inviolably  to  adhere. 
Provided  he  was  not  permitted  to  return  to  his  m^ 
tive  country,  and  to  resume  his  academical  fimctioD^ 
unfettered  by  sinful  or  dishonourable  conditions^ 
the  degree  of  external  restraint  under  which  he 
might  be  laid  was  to  him  a  matter  of  comparative 
indifference.  Nay,  the  punishment  to  which  he  had 
for  some  time  been  subjected,  was,  in  some  respects, 
more  galling  than  any  which  the  council  might  be 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  181 

provoked  to  inflict;     And  as  it  was  more  revolting 
to  his  own  feelings,  so  was  it  also  less  creditable  to 
tho^  public  interests  which  in  his  breast  were  ever 
paramount  to  personal  considerations.     Had  he  been 
contented  to  **  wait  pinioned"  at  the  court  of  Eng* 
land,  or  had  he  suffered  himself  to  be  quietly  re- 
moved out  of  the  way,  and  cooped  up  in  some  nar* 
row  and  remote  island  *,  his  name  and  the  reasons 
of  his  detention  would  have  been  little  heard  of  or 
inquired  after.     But  his  being  committed  to  the 
Tower  as  a  state  prisoner,  with  the  circumstances 
which  led  to  this,  excited  great  speculation ;  and  thus 
the  cause  for  which  he  was  imprisoned  came  to  be 
talked  of  and  generally  known  f .     That  the  manner 
in  which  he  conducted  himself  in  the  presence  of 
the  English  council  was  not,  as  has  been  alleged 
by  some  of  his  enemies,  disgracefully  violent,  may 
be  inferred  from  the  report  of  impartial  persons,  and 
firom  the  irritation  which  was  felt  by  those  whom  he 
attacked.     But  granting  that  he  gave  way  to  ex- 
cess, who  does  not  prefer  the  open,  ardent,  impetu- 

*  It  appears  from'a  letter  of  Wdch  to  Boyd  of  Trocfarig,  that  it 
was  propoaed  that  Melville  should  he  sent  to  the  Isle  of  Guexnaej. 
(MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  Jac  V.  1.  14.  Dum.  100.)  . 

f  The  French  ambassador^  after  giving  an  acoonnt  of  the  affiur^ 
and  desiring  that  it  should  be  communicated  to  Henrj^  adds^  that  it 
formed  the  only  topic  of  conversation  in  London :  '^  II  ne  se  parle 
matntenant  id  d'autre  chose,  et  en  sont  cenx  de  la  Nation  en  grande 
mmeur."  (Ambossades  de  M.  de  la  Boderie^  u.  209.)  Along  with 
Melville's  epigram^  the  ambassador  transmitted  a  copy  of  verses  in 
answer  to  it»  by  one  of  the  Royal  Secretaries^  **  ftam  which  (says  he) 
yon  will  see  the  good  intelligence  that  is  between  the  Puritans  and 
those  who  are  about  this  King."    (lb.  i.  458.) 

N  8 


182  LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE. 

ous,  independent,  irascible  spirit  of  a  Melville,  to  the 
close,  cold,  sycophantish,  intriguing,  intolerant  spirit 
of  a  Barlow  or  a  Bancroft  ?  Who  would  not  hare 
taken  the  place  of  the  prisoner  at  the  bar,  with  all  his 
errors  on  his  head,  rather  than  have  been  detected  as 
a  crowned  spy,  listening  at  the  door  of  a  closet,  or 
skulking  behind  its  tapestry  ?  The  minute  of  coun- 
cil committing  him  to  the  Tower  has,  it  seemfH 
perished ;  but  History  has  put  the  transaction  on 
her  record,  more  durable  than  those  of  cabinet-coun* 
cils,  and  it  will  be  remembered  to  the  disgrace  of 
its  authors,  and  to  the  honour  of  the  individual  who 
was  the  victim  of  their  violent  but  impotent  re- 
venge. 

Tell  them  the  men  that  placed  him  here 
Are  scandals  to  the  times. 
Are  at  a  loss  to  find  his  guilt. 
And  can't  commit  his  crimes  *• 

When  Melville  was  thrown  into  the  Tower,  the 
fate  of  his  brethren  was  also  fixed.  His  nephew 
was  commanded  to  leave  London  within  six  days, 
to  repair  to  Newcastle  upon  Tyne,  and  not  to  go  be- 
yond ten  miles  from  that  town  on  the  pain  of  rebel- 
lion. The  rest  of  the  ministers  were  confined  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Scotland ;  and  such  of  them  as  were 
allowed  to  reside  within  their  own  parishes  were 
prohibited  from  attendance  on  church-courts,  and 
bound  to  procure  a  certificate  of  their  good  behsr 
Tiour  firom  a  bishop,  or  else  to  return  to  London 

*  Defoe's  Hymn  to  the  Pillorj. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  183 

within  a  limited  time  *.  The  allegation  that  Mel"> 
viUe's  restraint  was  owing  to  the  violence  of  his 
behaviour  is  refuted  by  the  treatment  which  hia 
nephew  received.  He,  at  least,  had  given  no  offence 
during  his  residence  in  England.  On  the  contrary^ 
his  conduct  procured  for  him  the  approbation  of  the 
council,  and  drew  the  most  flattering  commendations 
from  the  lips  of  the  Chancellor.  'Yet  he  was  de-i 
tained  as  a  prisoner,  and  could  not  even  obtain  li- 
berty to  go  to  Scotland  for  the  purpose  of  visiting 
his  wife,  when  she  was  lying  on  her  death-bed  f . 

It  would  be  highly  improper  to  pass  over  one 
part  of  the  conduct  of  the  ministers.  Their  jour«« 
ney  to  England  had  subjected  them  to  very  consi** 
derable  expense.  They  had  been  nine  months  ab- 
sent from  their  own  country.  They  had  to  support 
their  families  at  home.  Each  of  them  was  attend- 
ed by  a  servant ;  and  they  had  kept  a  hospitable 
table  for  such  of  their  acquaintance  as  chose  to  visit 
them  in  their  lodgings  at  Kingston  and  in  London. 

*  Melville's  Hist,  of  the  DecL  Age,  pp.  161— 1S3.  Soot's  Apolog. 
Nar.  p.  905.  Report  of  the  Conferences:  MS.  in  BibL  Jurid.  fidin. 
M.  6.  9.  num.  49.  In  the  kst  mentioned  MS.  are  two  forms  of  11* 
eenoe  to  Balfour,  who,  it  would  appear,  had  ofcgected  to  the  first. 
Aflter  being  allowed  to  remain  for  some  time  at  Cockhomspath,  he  waa 
Ofdered  to  remove  to  Fraaerborgh  in  the  north  of  Scotland;  bat  the 
of  old  age  forced  him  to  Mtop  on  the  read,  and  he  waa  re« 
from  his  confinement  by  the  hand  of  death.    (Cald.  viL  49.) 

t  After  her  death  he  was  allowed,  as  a  special  favour,  to  go  to 
Aastnither  to  put  hie  family  aiDurs  in  order ;  but  he  waa  prohibited 
firan  preaching,  or  attending  any  meeting  of  presbytery  or  synods 
during  his  stay,  and  was  bound  to  return  to  the  j^Uice  of  his  eon* 
finement  at  the  end  of  one  month.    (Cald.  vii«  49.) 


184  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Soon  after  they  came  to  court,  they  received  a  sum 
of  money  to  defray  the  expenses  of  their  journey  to 
England  *.  But  when  his  Majesty  found  that  there 
was  no  hope  of  their  yielding  to  his  wishes,  he 
withheld  all  further  supplies,  and  directed  them  to 
take  up  their  residence  with  the  bishops.  Rather 
than  submit  to  this,  they  chose  to  live  at  their  own 
cost.  When  they  were  preparing  to  leave  Lon- 
don, Bamford  and  Snape,  two  nonconformist  mi- 
nisters, and  Croslay,  a  respectable  apothecary^  wait- 
ed on  them  with  a  considerable  sum  which  they  had 
collected  among  their  friends,  and  begged  them  to 
accept  of  it,  to  assist  in  defraying  their  expenses  and 
supporting  their  friend  whom  they  were  to  leave 
behind  them  as  a  prisoner.  The  Scottish  ministers 
thanked  them  for  their  kindness,  but  declined  re« 
ceiving  the  gift.  They  could  not  accept  of  it,  they 
said,  either  in  conscience  or  in  honour.  They  could 
not  conscientiously  take  it,  knowing  that  there  were 
a  great  many  ministers  in  England  imprisoned  or 

*  ''  Upon  Wednesday  the  15th  of  October  the  erle  of  Dunbar  sent 
Robert  Jowsie  to  their  lodginr;,  with  eight  sheets  of  gray  paper  fVill 
of  English  money  knit  up  in  form  of  sugar  loaves^  containing  fi?e 
hundreth  nierks  apeace  to*  every  one  of  them  forr  their  charges  and  ex- 
pences  in  coming  to  court."  (Cald.  vi.  1S27.)  The  following  extract  k 
a  proof  of  Calderwood's  accuracy,  and  shews  at  the  same  time  that  die 
money  did  not  come  from  the  English  Exchequer.  *'  July,  1606. 
Item  be  cdmandemSt  of  the  brdis  of  counsall :  To  Mr.  James  Bal- 
foure^  Mr.  Robert  Wallace,  Mr.  Adam  Colt,  Mr.  Andro  MelviU,  Mr. 
James  Melvill,  Mr.  W>»  Watsone,  Mr.  William  Scot,  and  Mr.  Jc^ 
Carmichaell,  ministers,  for  thair  charges  &  expeniis  in  thair  joumay 
toward  his  Migestie,  ij»  vie  IxviU  xig>  iiy<i."  (Compot.  Thesaur.  in 
Raster  House,  Edinburgh.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDHEW  MELVILLfi.  185 

j^ilenced  for  nonconformity,  who  stood  in  need  of 
more  relief  than  their  friends  could  afford.  Nor 
could  they  receive  it  without  dishonouring  their 
sovereign,  at  whose  desire  they  had  undertaken  this 
journey,  and  who  would  doubtless  reimburse  what 
they  liad  expended ;  and  without  disgracing  their 
country,  which  had  already  suffered  in  its  reputa- 
tion, in  consequence  of  the  common  talk  of  the 
people  of  England,  that  the  Scots  came  among  them 
to  beg  and  "  purse  up  the  money  of  the  land  *.** 
Those  who  are  minutely  acquainted  with  the  history 
of  these  times  are  aware  that  the  complaints  of  the 
English  on  this  head  were  loud,  aAd  uttered  in  the 
most  contumelious  language.  Jealousy  and  national 
prejudice  might  lead  them  to  exaggerate;  but  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  the  mean  and  mercenary  be- 
haviour of  many  of  our  countrymen,  both  of  the 
higher  and  lower  orders,  who  flocked  to  England 
after  the  accession  of  James,  gave  too  much  occa* 
sion  for  fixing  this  disgraceful  stigma  on  the  na- 
tion f .  On  this  ground  the  ministers  are  entitled 
to  the  highest  praise  for  their  considerate  and  dig- 
nified conduct. 

On  the  day  after  his  uncle's  incarceration  James 
Melville  received  a  note  from  him,  marked  by  the 
hand  of  the  Lieutenant  of  the  Tower,  requesting 

•  MelTil]e*8  Hiat  of  Ded.  Age,  pp.  183>  184.  RowV  HiBt.  p.  106. 
Simioiii  AnnaJ.  p.  111. 

f  Secret  History  of  the  Court  of  James  I.  vol.  i.  pp.  liS,  1T8>  91 7, 
369—371.  Winwood'8  Memoriali,  vol.  i.  p.  217.  De  la  Bodcrie, 
tom.  ii.  pp.  SOS,  499,  iii.  169. 


186  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

that  furniture  for  a  iMm  might  be  sent  him,  aJtong 
with  his  clothes  and  books.  The  strictest  injunc- 
tions  had  been  laid  on  the  Lieutenant  to  allow  mme 
to  have  access  to  him ;  but  his  nephew  contrhFod, 
hy  means  of  one  of  the  keepers,  to  obtain  an  intei^ 
view  with  him  at  the  window  of  his  apartment  onoe 
a-day  as  long  as  he  remained  in  London.  Nothiiig 
which  could  contribute  to  his  comfort  (for  his  liben^ 
tion  was  at  that  time  entirelj  hopeless)  was  neglect- 
ed by  this  amiable  man  and  affectionate  friend.  All 
recollection  of  his  own  hardships,  and  of  the  afflict* 
ed  state  of  his  family,  was  for  the  time  absorbed 
in  the  deep  and  distressing  concern  which  he  felt 
for  his  captive  uncle.  It  rent  his  tender  heart  to 
think  of  leaving  him  in  his  old  age,  without  a  friend 
to  relieve  the  tedious  hours  of  captivity,  and  with 
none  to  perform  the  common  offices  of  humanity  to 
him  but  a  rude  and  unfeeling  gaoler.  He  exposed 
himself  to  the  risk  of  being  personally  apprehended 
by  prolonging  his  stay  for  a  fortnight  after  the 
time  fixed  for  his  departure ;  and  employed  all  his 
influence  with  his  friends  at  court  to  have  the  place 
of  his  confinement  changed  from  Newcastle  to  Lcm- 
don,  that  he  might  be  near  his  uncle,  and  ready  to 
embrace  any  opportunity  of  being  serviceable  to 
him.  But  he  was  advised  to  desist  from  his  apidi- 
cations,  and  to  give  immediate  obedience  to  the  royal 
injunction,  unless  he  wished  orders  of  a  more  rigor- 
ous kind  to  be  issued.  The  only  favour  that  could 
be  obtained  was  a  permission  to  Melville's  servant 
to  incarcerate  himself  along  with  his  master. 

4 


LIVE  OF  AMDBEW  MELVILLE.  187 

Having  secured  this  arrangement  for  his  uncle's 
comfort,  and  supplied  him  with  all  the  money  he 
could  spare,  James  Melville  embarked  for  New- 
castle, on  the  2nd  of  July,  1607)  from  the  stairs 
leading  to  the  Tower ;  and  continued,  as  the  vessel 
sailed  down  the  river,  to  fix  his  eyes,  streaming 
with  tears,  on  the  Bastile  which  enclosed  the  £riend 
for  whom  he  had  long  felt  an  enthusiastic  attach- 
ment, and  whose  face  he  was  not  again  to  behold  *. 

*  lidviUe^s  Hist  of  Ded.  Ag^  p.  183.    CaUL  yiL  35,  39. 


188  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE; 


CHAPTER  IX. 


1607—1611. 


Melville  deprived  of  tlie  Office  of  Principal  at  SL  An^ 
drews — Succeeded  by  Robert  Howie — Rigour  of  his  Im- 
prufonment  in  the  Toxcer — Relaxed — College  ofRocheUe 
in  France  applies  Jbr  him — He  is  Consulted  an  the  Ar» 
minian  Controversy — Fruitless  Negociationjbr  his  Li" 
berty — His  Fortitude  and  Cheerfidness — Encourages 
his  Brethren  in  Scotland  by  his  Letters — His  Mcfjestjfs 
.Literary  Employments — New  Attempts  Jbr  MelviUe*s 
lAberation — His  Design  of  going  to  America — His  Li- 
terary Recreations  in  the  Tower — His  pecuniary  Mis* 

fortune — Death  of  his  Friends — Matrimonial  Affair"-^ 
Ecclesiastical  Proceedings  in  Scotland — Episcopacy  ap» 

proved  by  General  Assembly  at  Glasgow — Reflections  on 
this — Melville'*s  JeUoW'prisoners — He  is  Visited  by  Ca- 
meron and  Casaubon — DuJce  of  BouiUon^s  Applieaiion 

Jbr  Him — Opposed  by  the  Court  qf  France — He  sides 
Admissioninto  the  Family  qf  Prince  Henry-^His  Friends 
at  Court — His  pecuniary  Embarrassments — Sickness  ■> 
Releasejrom  the  Tower,  and  Departure  to  France^ 

P^O  time  was  lost  in  depriving  Melville  of  his  situ- 
ation in  the  university.  For  this  purpose  a  royal 
conunission  was  given  to  four  laymen  and  four  hi- 
shops,  who  met  at  St.  Andrews  on  the  I6th  of  Jun^ 
1607.     They  found  Melville's  place,  as  principal  of 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  189 

the  New  CoUe^,  vacant,  simply  upon  his  Majesty's 
letter,  declaring  that  the  privy  council  of  England 
had  committed  him  to  the  Tower  for  a  high  tres« 
pass,  and  that  he  was  not  to  be  allowed  to  return  to 
St.  Andrews*.  The  university  did  not  act  with, 
the  spirit  which  they  had  displayed  on  a  former  oc- 
casion of  a  similar  kind.  Instead  of  remonstrating 
against  the  infringement  of  their  rights  by  the  act 
of  a  foreign  jurisdiction,  they  did  not  even  intercede 
with  his  Majesty  in  behalf  of  an  individual  who  re- 
flected so  much  honour  on  their  body.  To  deter 
the  members  of  the  New  College  from  opposition, 
the  commissioners  instituted  a  strict  inquiry  into 
the  management  of  their  revenues ;  and  so  eager 
were  the  professors  to  escape  from  censure,  that  they 
not  only  acquiesced  in  the  removal  of  their  princi- 
pal, but  were  willing  to  impute  to  him,  in  his  ab- 
sence, the  blame  of  irregularities  to  which  they  had 
at  least  been  accessory,  if  they  were  not  the  chief  au-^ 
thors  of  them.  The  ingratitude  and  want  of  feel- 
ing which  Patrick  Melville  evinced  towards  his 
uncle  at  this  time  excited  general  indignation ;  and 
the  commissioners  availed  themselves  of  it  to  de- 
prive him  of  a  considerable  part  of  the  emoluments 
to  which  he  laid  claim  f .     The  only  persons  who 


*  Spotiwood's  Hist.  p.  503. 

t  Tlie  bishops  afterwards  employed  their  inflaenee  with  the  ooart 
to  luLTe  Patrick  Melville  "  restored  to  his  first  stipend^  in  regard  of 
hit  good  affection  to  his  Mqjesiy's  service."  (Letter  of  Archbishop 
SpoCswood  to  Sir  James  SempiU^  Oct.  19,  1611 :  MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid. 
Sdin.  Jac.  V.  L  14.  nam.  97.) 


190  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE* 

had  the  courage  to  testify  their  attachment  to  Md- 
ville  were  Us  students,  who  presented  a  unanimovs 
petition  to  the  commissioners,  requesting  that  ttmt 
revered  master  might  be  restored  to  them.  It  b 
not  to  the  credit  of  churchmen  that  they  often  dis- 
cover less  generosity  and  humane  feeling  in  their 
proceedings  than  laymen.  Not  contented  with  di- 
vesting Melville  of  the  office  of  principal,  the  d^ieal 
members  of  the  commission  would  have  deprived 
him  of  his  salary  for  the  current  year ;  but  the  di»> 
graceful  proposal  was  quashed  by  the  lay  comniis- 
sicmers,  who,  though  equally  disposed  to  gratify 
the  King,  did  not  participate  in  the  resentment  ti 
their  collei^es,  and  were  guided  by  prindplefi  tt 
honour  ♦• 

It  was  easy  to  extrude  Melville,  but  not  so  easy 
to  find  one  who  was  capable  of  filling  his  place. 
This  consideration  created  no  small  embarrassmenit 
to  the  bishops  to  whom  the  arrangement  ^  the  bn- 
siness  was  committed.  They  were  aware  that  Mc^ 
ville's  tal^its  and  fame  would  throw  into  the  shade 
any  successor  whom  they  might  nominate ;  afid  that 
they  would  incur  the  odium  of  having  sacri^oed  Urn 
interests  of  literature  to  the  advancement  tt  fUMat 
own  ambitious  views.  In  respect  of  litenayqualifica- 


*  Letter^  John  Dykes  to  James  Melville:  Cald.  viL 
EpistoU  Alezaadri  Humei  AndreK  Mdvino:  Mdvini  l.y„»», 
p.  SIO.  Hume  expresses  his  unwillingness  to  beliere  the  icport  tiisl 
JonstOB  had  acted  an  unkind  part  to  Melville,  and  bean  his  terti- 
roony  to  the  friendly  conduot  ak  Robert  Willue^  die  principal  of  St» 
Leonard's. 


WFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELTU.LE.  191 

timis^  and  of  the  place  whidi  he  ahready  held  in  the 
ooUege^  Jonston  was  ^ititled  to  be  advanced  to  the 
office  of  principal.  But  he  was  tainted  with  Mel- 
ville's principles.  This  was  the  real  bar  to  his  pre- 
ferment,  although  the  infirm  state  of  lus  health  was 
made  the  excuse  for  passing  him  by.  Robert  Howie 
was  the  person  fixed  on  as  uniting  the  greatest  por- 
tion of  talent  with  the  indispensaUe  quality  of  a  dis- 
position to  support  the  measures  of  the  court.  The 
daims  of  Jonston  being  set  aside  by  a  inandate 
from  the  court,  Howie  was,  on  the  S7th  of  July,  in- 
etaUed  in  the  office  of  principal  by  virtue  of  a  royal 
^presentation,  without  regard  to  the  comparative  trial 
(md  election  ordained  by  the  parliamentary  charter 
of  the  college.  But  conformable  as  he  was,  he  re- 
ceived his  appointment  during  the  King^s  pleasure 
mdy ;  and  when  he  scrupled  accepting  it  with  this 
'Ifanitation,  he  was  told  by  Gladstanes  that  the 
toyal  will  was  imperious  and  must  be  absolutely 
-clefed.  Some  of  the  members  of  the  university 
laid  now  summcmed  up  as  much  courage  as  to  pro- 
tect against  his  admission,  on  the  ground  that  no 
fUffocess  of  deprivation  had  been  led  against  Mel- 
ville :  but  the  objecticm  was  disregaxtded,  and  IhoBe 
'Who  brought  it  weiie  threatened  with  being  shut  up 
along  with  the  traitor  for  whom  they  presumed  to 
plead* 

From  hostility  to  Melville  and  dread  of  his  being 
allowed  to  return  to  St.  Andrews,  Gladstanes  was 

*  Wodrow's  Life  of  Robert  Howie,  p.  3. 


198  LIFE  OF  ANbREW  MELVILLE. 

extremely  officious  in  the  whole  of  this  affair.  Per- 
ceiving his  forwardness,  the  other  commissioiiers 
took  care  to  devolve  on  him  the  most  invidious  and 
ungrateful  part  of  their  work.  In  his  correspond- 
ence with  the  court,  the  servile  bishop  makes  a  me- 
rit of  his  attending  in  person  at  the  breaking  open 
of  Melville's  lodging  to  give  possession  to  his  suc- 
cessor, at  the  same  time  that  he  states  that  this  tadc 
was  imposed  on  him  to  degrade  his  character  in  the 
public  opinion.  If  we  may  believe  the  primate,  the 
new  principal  made  his  debut  in  sudi  a  manner  as 
totally  to  eclipse  the  reputation  of  his  predece$SQr. 
^*  Mr.  Robert  Howie  (says  he)  has  been  entered 
to  teach  in  the  New  College,  and  that  with  so  much 
rare  learning  as  not  only  breeds  great  contentment 
to  all  the  clergy  here,  but  also  ravishes  them  with 
admiration.  So  that  the  absence  of  his  antecessor  is 
not  missed,  while  they  find,  instead  of  supei;fieial, 
feckless  inventions^  profitable  and  substantious  theo- 
logy. What  difficulty  and  pains  I  liave  had  to  fiet- 
tie  him  here,  without  help  of  any  other  of  coundl  or 
clergy,  God  knoweth  I  It  was  thought  that  the 
gap  of  Mr.  Andrew  Melville's  absence  should  have 
furnished  such  matter  of  discontent  to  tl^  kirk  and 
country  as  should  have  bred  no  small  miitinte,  tod 
should  have  enforced  your  Highness  to  B^ud'  the 
prisoner  back,  tanquam  sine  quo  non*.**  This 
shews  how  happy  the  bishop  felt  at  having  b 


*  Letter,  GladsUnes  to  the  King,  Oct.  «8,  1607 :  MS.  in  BiU. 
Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9.  num.  59. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  193 

able  to  cany  through  a  measure  which  he  had  de- 
spaired of  aocomplidiiiig,  and  is  the  strongest  pos- 
sible testimony  in  fiavour  of  those  talents  which  he 
wished  to  disparage.  The  lights  which  Melville's 
genius  tlirew  over  the  science  which  he  taught  are 
here  characterized  as  *^  superficial^  feckless  inven- 
tions," while  the  duller  divinity  of  his  less  gift- 
ed successor  is  dignified  with  the  name  of  *^  profit- 
able and  substantious  theology."  We  know  from 
other  quarters  that  Howie's  early  exhibitions,  in- 
stead of  being  received  with  applause,  were  treated 
with  disrespect  and  censure.  Having,  in  his  lec- 
tures, undertaken  the  defence  of  episcopal  power, 
his  arguments  were  refuted  by  his  own  students, 
and  he  was  subjected  to  a  rebuke  from  the  presby- 
tery *.  Indeed,  from  the  known  sentiments  of  the 
ministers,  and  the  partiality  of  the  students  to  a 
favourite  and  persecuted  teacher,  it  is  natural  to 
suppose  that  both  of  them  would  be  prepossessed 
against  Howie,  and  disposed  to  undervalue,  rather 
than  to  overrate  and  extol,  his  abilities  and  per- 
formances. 

Robert  Howie  was  bom  in  Aberdeen  or  its  neigh- 
bourhood, and  educated  at  King^s  College  there.  In 
company  with  John  Johnston,  his  countryman  and 
probably  his  fellow-studient,  he  went  to  the  conti- 
nent and  spent  a  number  of  years  in  foreign  univer- 
sities.   He  studied  under  two  distinguished  divines. 


*  Row,  p.  218. 
VOL.  II.  O 


194  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Caspar  Olevian,  at  Herbom  *,  and  John  James  Grf- 
naeus,  at  Basle  f ;  and  during  his  residence  at  thf 
last  of  these  places  gave  a  specimen  of  his  theologi^ 
cal  knowledge  to  the  public  t.  On  his  return  to 
Scotland  he  became  one  of  the  ministers  <Kf  Abevw 
deen^.  When  Marischal  College  was  erected  he 
was  appointed  principal  of  that  academyi  in  whicb 
situation  he  continued  until  the  year  1B9S,  when  he 
was  translated,  by  appointment  of  the  Greneral  As^ 
sembly,  to  be  minister  of  Dundee  ||.  He  incurred 
the  displeasure  of  the  King  by  encouraging  the 

*  The  Dedication  of  the  first  edition  of  Buchanan's  £^pk4imh  "J^ 
hanni  Comiti  a  Nassau,"  is  suhscrihed  "  Herhorne  ex  illustri  acho)^ 
CelsitttdiniB  tuse^  quinto  Martii  1586.  C.  T.  Addictisa.  RobafM 
H(mmut  Scotus." 

t  His  Thesis  on  The  Freedom  of  the  Will,  which  he  diiiiNited  be- 
fore Gryneusj  was  printed  ''  Basileie  Typis  Oporinianis  Anno  Chxiati 
M.D.LXXxix."  A  oopj  of  it  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  David  Laing 
has  the  following  inscription  in  Howie's  handwriting.  "  M.  Roberto 
Rolloco  HoTcus  mittit." 

X  "  De  ReconcUiatione  Hominis  cum  Deo^  Sev  de  Humani  Ge- 
neris Redemptione.  Tractatio  Theologica.  Avthore  Roberto  Hoiaao 
Scoto.  Acoesserunt  eiusdem  authoris  disputationea  due:  quartna 
altera  est  de  Communione  fidelium  cum  Christo :  altera  de  JnatfEeiH 
tione  hominis  coram  Deo.  BaaiJee  per  SebaatiaUTm  HcndpetiL* 
4to.  Pp.  157.  The  colophon  is.  **  BasUes — ^Anno  cid  i3  xci. 
Apnli."  It  has  two  dedications  ;  the  one  to  Giynfleus.  and  the 
"  Joanni  Jonstono^  Viro  doctiaaimo.  PopTlaii  et  fiatri  aiio 
mo."  Sir  Robert  Sibbald  meuaons  different  Theses  by  Hofwia  ■» 
Basle  158S— 1591.  (De  Script.  Scot.  p.  56:  oonf.  cgua  BtbL  Sfpsti 
p.  116.) 

$  The  Charter  of  Erection  of  Marischal  College  (April  !^  IAMl)^ 
is  subscribed  by  "  Geatgt  Erie  Marishall/'— '^  coram  hia  testibiifr— 
Magistro  Petro  Bladcbum.  Roberto  Howwo  Ministris  AberdoMlil^ 
&c. 

U  Buik  of  the  Universal  Kirk,  ff.  192.  a.  198.  b. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  1»5 

hAsMitants  of  tbat  town  to  assert  their  rights  in 
the  election  of  their  magistrates  *.  But  after  thafi 
pMtod  he  shewed  himself  conformable  to  the  conrt, 
and  was  one  of  those  who  appeared  on  the  side 
^  ibe  Inshotps  in  the  late  conferences  at  Hamp- 
tiia  Court  f.  Howie's  literary  aiid  theological  ae- 
^foireinents  were  respectable ;  but  he  did  not  possess 
the  genius,  the  elegant  taste,  or  the  skill  in  sacred 
laltgaages,  by  which  his  predecessor  was  distin- 
guided.  Though  he  embarked  warmly  in  the  epis- 
Wpsl  cause  at  his  first  coming  to  St  Andrews,  yet 
his  seal  seems  to  have  afterwards  cooled,  and  he 
fldt  only  favoured  those  who  refused  to  conform  to 
the  English  modes  of  worship,  but  was  in  danger 
of  being  ejected  from  his  place  as  a  nonconformist  t- 
He  survired  the  establishment  of  episc<^mcy,  and 
remained  at  the  head  of  the  theological  college  of 


*  letter  fkrom  the  lUng  to  the  Privy  Council,  Anent  the  town  of 
Donctee  and  M.  Robert  Howye,  Oct.  3,  1604.    (Lord  Haddington's 
tiol.  cf  Letttn.) 
.  '¥  Sept's  Apolog.  Namt*  p.  177.    Mdville^  p.  HBd. 

%  Diary  of  Mr.  Robert  Trails  Minister  of  the  Gray  fHars^  Edinburgh^ 
M8>  p.  0.  Cassandra  Scoticana  to  Cassander  Anglicanus :  £p.  Dedic. 
MedcSmrgt  161^  '«  Now  (ray  dear  Mr  Howie)  my  laboon  are 
partiBidaitte  direetit  to  yoa>  1.  becans  peeaUarlie  doe  onto  yon  as  be- 
iqg  dstyvet  from  yon.  9.  heiring  heir  abroad  that  fbr  crossmg,  co- 
yla^  capfingv  kneeling,  &c  ye  had  reoearit  ane  sammondii  of  this 
newneeessitie  I  thoght  good  to  yield  you  this  muche  consoIatioA,  he* 
maMog  God  to  inarme  yoa  ayir  to  dirt  [|deftat  ?]]  thime^  at  patience 
and  Inmilitie  to  indure  thame>  gif  diay  dcale  in  regour  with  you.** 
(Ifa.  in  BibL  Jmrid.  Edin.  probably  transcribed  fWnn  a  prihted* 
book.) 

02 


196  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

St.  AndrewiB  for  some  time  after  the  restoration  of 
presbytery  *. 

The  injustice  of  Melville's  imprisoimient  wa» 
heightened  by  the  unnecessary  severity  with  which 
he  was  treated  in  the  Tower.  A  pretext  was  found 
for  withdrawing  the  indulgence  of  having  a  servant 
confined  along  with  him.  No  creature  was  allowed 
to  see  him  but  the  person  who  brought  him  his 
food.  He  was  not  even  permitted  to  beguile  the 
irksome  hours  by  his  favourite  amusement  of  writ- 
ing. The  use  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper,  was  strictly 
prohibited  him  f .  But  tyrants,  though  they  can  fet- 
ter and  torment  the  body,  have  no  power  over  the 
free  and  heaven-bom  soul.  MelviUe*s  spirit  remain- 
ed unconfined  and  unbroken  in  his  narrow  and  un- 
comfortable ceU ;  and  he  found  means  of  expressing 
the  sense  which  he  entertained  of  his  unmerited 
sufferings,  and  his  resolution  to  endure  the  worst 
which  his  persecutors  could  inflict.  When  his 
apartment  was  examined,  its  walls  were  foimd  co- 
vered with  verses,  which  he  had  engraved,  in  fair 
and  beautiful  characters,  with  the  tongue  of  his  shoe- 

*  It  may  be  proper  to  state^  that  throughout  the  ooi^dential  cor- 
respondence between  Melville  and  his  nephew,  there  is  not  an  invi- 
dious hint  thrown  out  against  Howie.  James  Melville  names  him 
with  high  respect  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle,  (Novocastr.  Apr.  penult. 
1610):  ''  Andream  meum,  rudlmentis  Thedogie  et  Hngus  sanctc 
initiatum  ut  hac  hyeme  potui^  in  Sootiam  nunc  ablq;av],  com  maa- 
datis  ut  Hovii  nobilis  uxorem  ad  maritum  comitaretur ;  id  enkn  a 
mc  proximis  literis  pctiit  Ilovios  noster/'    (Melvini  Epist.  p.  161.) 

t  De  la  Boderie,  Ambassadcs^  ii.  469. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  197 

budde  *.     In  this  situation  he  was  kept  for  about 
ten  months. 

James  Melville  was  under  great  uneasiness  lest 
the  health  of^  his  uncle  should  suffer  by  such  rigors 
ous  imprisonment,  during  a  winter  so  remarkable 
for  severity  that  the  Thames  continued  frozen  over 


*  This  fact  has  been  preserved  by  a  foreign  writer.  (Gisberd 
Voetii  Politics  Ecolesiastica,  torn.  iii.  p.  52.)  The  verses  ftma  whidi 
he  quotes  are  to  be  found  in  Melvini  Muste,  p.  88. 

Cum  Balamitarum  sit  tanta  frequentia  vatum. 

Cur  loquitur  toto  nullus  in  ort>c  a&nus? 
Non  Genius  stat  contra,  aainus  non  caeditur^  ota 

Non  reserat  iputo,  qui  dedit  ora  Deus. 

yhe  following  verses  were  also  composed  by  him  at  this  time; 

At  vati  infGelici  instat  tibi  caroeris  umbra^ 

Quin  Chri^ti  illustri  lumine  liber  ego* 
Te  tristi  exilio,  aut  fato  mutabit  acerbo : 

Nee  triste  exilium,  mors  nee  acerba  mihi 
£xilium  a  patria  patrio  me  inducit  Olympo : 

Mors  pro  Christo  atrox  vita  beats  mihi. 

Ibid.  p.  82. 

Si  venissera  ultro,  spectaasem  singula  et  uLtro, 
£t  quesissem  ultro;  tunc  mea  culpa  levis? 

At  veni  jussus,  spectavi  et  singula  jussus, 
Qusesivi  et  jussus;  nunc  mea  culpa  gravis? 


Hoc  Belga,  hoc  Batavus,  Germanus,  GaDus,  et  Anglus^ 
Hoc  Liger,  hoc  Scotus  qusrit,  et  hostis  Iber 

Ii^jussus,  quod  jussus  ego  R^que  Deoqne 
Quiesivi,  officio  functus  utrique  meo. 

Solus  ego  plector,  solum  me  fulmina  tangunt, 
Solus  ego  vulgi  fabula  factus  agor. 

Ibid.  p.  23. 

o8 


1^  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  M£;.VI|.l^ 

for  /several  months  together.     Hie  WBfi  xu)t  relieved 
from  this  anxiety  until  the  month  of  May,  1608, 
when  he  received  a  letter  from  him  written  with  liig 
owp  hand  i^  Qreek ;  thanking  him  for  the  manqr 
which  he  had  fiient  him,  and  informing  him  that  his 
health  remaned  uninjured,  and  that  his  imprison^ 
ment  was  now  less  severe  than  it  had  been  *.     He 
was  removed  to  a  more  airy  and  commodious  ap$urt« 
vfi^U  Wf^  indulged  with  the  use  of  writing  mati^ 
rials,  and  soon  after  was  allowed  to  see  his  ac- 
quaintance.    This  favour  he  owed  to  the  interest 
and  exertions  of  his  friends  at  court,  and  partico* 
larly  of  Sir  James  Sempill  of  Beltrees.     **  Urouglh 
the  kind  oflEices  of  Sempill,"  says  he,  in  a  letter 
to  his  nephew,  **  I  now  enjoy  more  healthful  air, 
though  still  confined  in  the  Tower.     I  am  put  in 
hopes  that  I  shall  have  greater  liberty  within  a 
month  or  two  qn  the  return  of  Sine  quo  nihil;  you 
know  whom  I  mean,  your  friend,  forsooth,  who  did 
not  even  deign  to  salute  you  lately  f.     Sure,  you 
admire  the  prudence  and  caution  of  the  hero  f !" 

In  the  end  of  the  year  1607,  and  before  he  ha4 
obtained  this  mitigation  of  his  confinement,  the  Pro!- 
testants  of  Roi^heUe  in  France  attempted  to  obtain 


*  Melvini  Epistols^  pp.  1,  3^9. 

f  The  person  here  meant  is  the  Earl  of  Dunbar^  t)i9  I(ing^  ft- 
yourite>  iwho  professed  great  regard  for  James  Melville;,  w^  whom, 
he  had  been  intimate  in  his  youth.  Melville  more  ib$JX  once  rallies 
his  nephew  on  his  trusting  ta  the  empty  promises  9f  thjs  coorticr-r 
**  Heroe  vestro  collimltaneo." 

X  Melvini  Epistolse,  p.  5i. 


LIFE  OF  ANOBEW  MELVILLE.  199 

him  to  their  college,  as  Professor  of  Divinity.  With 
this  view  they  gave  a  commission  to  CKlbert  Prim- 
rose^ a  Scotchman,  who  had  been  for  some  time  mi- 
nister at  Bourdeaux,  and  was  then  on  a  visit  to  Bri- 
tain * ;  authorizing  him  to  ded  with  King  James 
to  set  Melville  at  liberty  and  allow  him  to  come  to 
them.    James  excused  himself  from  complying  with 
this  request,  by  alleging  that  he  had  not  yet  resolv- 
ed how  to  dispose  of  the  prisoner.     This  n^;ociation 
gave  offence  to  the  French  court.     Their  ambassar 
dor  at  London  received  instructions  to  make  parti*- 
cular  inquiry  into  the  facts.     Primrose,  on  retum- 
ii^  to  France,  was  called  before  the  king,  and  ques- 
faoned  strictly  as  to  the  nature  of  his  commission ; 
jBid  the  Duke  of  Sully  was  ordered  to  reprimand 
the  inhabitants  of  Rochelle  for  carr3ring  on  a  corre- 
qmndence  with  a  foreign  power  without  the  know- 
ledge and  permission  of  their  native  sovereign  f. 
Rochelle  was  one  of  the  fortified  cities  in  the  hands 
of  the  Protestants,  and  a  principal  key  of  the  king- 
dom.   The  connexion  which  it  had  maintained  with 
ESngland  during  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and  the  weak 
and  vacillating  conduct  of  James,  might  justify  cau- 
tion on  the  part  of  Henry ;  yet  it  must  be  confessed 


*  Q^ck's  SynodicoD,  toL  L  p.  889. 

f  De  la  Boderie^  Ambasaadefl,  ii.  386,  430^  433^  486 ;  iii.  26. 
0iinj*t  Memoin,  y.  14.  Lond.  1778.  The  fact  Is  also  alluded  to  in  a 
lietter  by  James  Cleland  to  King  James.  (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin. 
A.  S.  91.)  In  Sally's  Memoirs  it  is  said  that  James  had  acceded  to 
the  application  from  Rochelle ;  hut  this  is  contradicted  by  Pe  la  Bo- 
dciie. 


SpP  LIFE  OF  ANDB£;W  MELVILLE. 

that  this  great  prince,  for  some  yee^.  before  ]ub 

melancfaoly  death,  evinced  a  jealousy  of  his  porotest- 
ant  subjects,  and  a  partiality  to  the  most  inveterate 
of  their  enemies,  which  it  is  difficult  tadefend  either 
on  the  principles  of  gratitude  or  policy  *. 

At  this  time  Melville  was  consulted  by  both  paiv 
ties  on  the  theological  disputes  which  agitated  the 
church  in  Holland.  These  were  occasioned  by  the 
novel  opinions  of  the  celebrated  Arminius  respecting 
the  origin  of  moral  evil,  predestination,  fre&«will  and 
grace ;  which  afterwards  spread  extensively  in  mH 
the  reformed  churches.  In  the  year  1607,  Mdvills 
received  a  ktter  from  Sibrandus  Lubbertus,  Piofie^ 
sor  of  Divinity  at  Franeker,  giving  him  an  account 
of  the  sentiments  and  procedure  of  the  innovatoriy 
and  requesting  his  opinion  on  the  subject.  This 
was  followed  by  a  letter  from  Arminius  himself,  ■  in 
which  he  complained  that  Lubbertus  had  misrepre* 
sented  him  to  foreign  divines,  and  entered  at  oonsi- 
derable  length  into  a  defence  of  his  opinions  and 
conduct  f .     Arminius  i>08ses8ed  an  acute  and  persp^ 

*  This  drew  from  Du  PlessiB^  who  was  equally  distinguished  fbr 
loyalty  to  his  sovereign  and  attachment  to  his  religion^  the  following 
striking  remarlcs :  "  We  do  not  envy  your  killing  the  fktted  cafr  for 
the  prodigal  son,  provided  you  say  with  a  sincere  heart  to  the  obe- 
dient son,  TAott  knowest,  my  son,  that  all  I  have  is  thine,  or  rather^ 
provided  you  do  not  sacrifice  the  obedient  son  to  make  the  better  en- 
tertainment for  the  prodigal.  In  fine,  I  am  pleased  with  whatever  b 
done,  provided  it  turns  out  well ;  hut  I  dread  those  treaties  in  whidk 
things  are  given  up  and  nothing  got  but  words^  and  these  the  words 
of  M^'  who  until  of  late  had  no  words.**  (M^moires,  torn.  ii.  pp.  S9#, 
39^.) 

t  Epistolc  Ecdes.  et  Theolog.  pp.  187,  190.  Lubbert's  letter  is 
addressed  "  Reverendo  et  Clarissimo  viro  D.  W.  Melvino,  Ssctk  Theo* 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  201 


4au9oii9  mmd,  and  was  well  skilled  in  the  controver-^ 
sies  of  the  age ;  but  he  was  full  of  confidence  in  his 
own  powers,  flattered  himself  tlmt  he  understood  all 
mysteries,  and  cherished  the  idea  that  he  was  raised 
up  to  effect  a  revolution  in  religious  sentiment,  and 
to  give  to  the  world  a  system  of  belief  entirely  new 
and  superior  to  any  thing  which  had  been  hitherto 
received  or  taught  He. was  by  no  means  scrupu- 
lous in  stigmatizing  as  heretical  the  opinions  of 
his  opponents  who  hesitated  to  apply  this  invidious 
qathet  to  his  own  *.  Had  his  life  been  spared,  he 
would  have  produced  a  much  greater  change  on  puln 
lie  opinion  than  he  did  ;  for  to  his  otha>  talents  he 
added  the  most  consummate  self-command  and  ad«^ 
dress,  and  kept  free  from  those  extravagances  and 
that  disgusting  display  of  vanity  which  have  de^ 
feated  the  pretensions  of  others  who  had  the  same 
lofty  idea  of  their  powers  and  destiny.  Melville 
did  not  entertain  the  same  favourable  opinion  of 


kgw  Doctori  et  PtofesBori  in  indyto  SuKtandrKano."  The  other  is 
addressed,  "  W.  Melvino/*  In  both  instances  the  transcriber  has,  by 
mistake,  put  JF.  for  A.  Melvino.  This  appears  from  comparing  Epist 
EccL  et  Theol.  p.  220,  with  Brandt,  Vita  Arroinii,  p.  322. 
.  *  Those  who  would  ascertain  the  real  views  and  spirit  of  Armin- 
ius  must  consult  the  letters  which  he  wrote  to  hU  confidential  friends. 
*'  Demersa  est  Veritas  (says  he)  etiara  theologica — in  puteo  profundo, 
iinde  non  sine  magno  labore  erui  potest — ^Ne  mirare,  Uytenbogarde ; 
pato  cnim  paucos  esse  qui  istura  articulum  (the  doctrine  of  the  Trlni-> 
(/)  intelligunt. — Fatebitur  Helmichius  nulkro  esse  ha^re6in  in  ista 
mea  doctrina :  at  ego  dico  in  Helmichii  et  aliorum  doctrina  non  unam 
hvresim^  et  non  exiguam,  sed  fundamentalem^  &c— Ilia  proferam 
qus  putabo  veritati,  paci  et  tempori  serviri  posse,**  &c.  (Epist.  Ecdea. 
et  Thcol.  pp.  39,  87,  139,  1 VI.) 


208  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

bold  speculator  which  he  had  formerly  expressed  eon* 
oeming  Piscator  * ;  and  we  shall  find  him  opposing 
his  sentiments  at  a  subseqnent  period. 

In  the  end  of  the  year  1608,  he  was  visited  by 
several  persons  of  rank,  who  put  him  in  hopes  of 
obtaining  a  release  £rom  prison.  At  their  desire 
he  addressed  a  copy  of  verses  to  the  King,  whiidi 
Secretary  Hay  undertook  to  present  f.  We  are  told 
that  James  once  pardoned  a  poet  who  had  satirised 
him,  for  the  sake  of  two  humorous  lines  with  whidi 
he  concluded  his  lampoon ;  saying,  he  was  ^  a  bitter 
but  a  witty  knave."  But  the  elegant  appeal  whidi 
was  now  made  to  his  generosity  had  no  effect  on 
him.  By  the  advice  of  archbishop  Spotswood,  Met 
ville  also  wrote  a  submissive  letter  to  the  Privy 
Council  of  England,  in  which,  after  mentioning  the 
occasion  and  motives  of  his  writing  the  poem  whidi 
had  given  them  offence,  and  for  which  he  had  suf- 
fered an  imprisonment  of  nearly  two  years,  he  b^ged 
their  forgiveness  for  any  expressions  in  it  whidi 
might  be  deemed  indecorous  or  inconsistent  with 
English  feelings.  This  apology,  without  containing 
any  thing  dishonourable  to  the  writer,  afforded  the 
court  a  fair  opportunity  to  relieve  him  from  prison. 
But  no  such  thing  was  intended.  What  sincerity 
there  was  in  the  archbishop's  professions  of  friend- 
ship we  shall  soon  see ;  and  what  reliance  Melville 
placed  on  them  appears  from  the  account  of  the 
affair  which  he  wrote  to  his  nephew.     **  I  have 

*  Mdvini  Epist.  pp.  67,  Ob.  t  Ibid.  p.  ti. 


JUIFS  OF  .ANDa£W  M£LyiLl4£*  SOS 

WHt  you  a  copy  of  my  submissioDi  which  Glasgow, 
ygiir  scholar,  has  taken  with  him  to  the  King.  For 
the  archbishop  has  been  thrice  or  four  times  with 
inejT  shewing  me  that  the  kirk  laments  my  absence, 
and  that  his  earnest  desire  is  to  have  me  at  hcone. 
JSM  iMm  ego  credulu4  UUs.  Dunbar  must  have  the 
lionour  of  my  deliverance :  you  may  conjecture  all 
the  rest  that  shall  ensue.  Relying  on  divine  aid,  I 
am  prepared  for  whatever  the  event  may  be — to  re- 
main here,  to  return  home,  or  to  go  into  exile.  I 
^m  well  in  body  and  soul,  thank  Godd^— -Let  me 
Jfjiow  of  your  welfare,  and  your  news,  either  his* 
torical  or  conjectural,  if  not  prophetical  V 
., .  JDuring  the  whole  period  of  his  imprisonment, 
llelville's  courage  never  once  failed  him,  nor  did  his 
vyirits  suffer  the  least  depression.  The  elation  of 
J^  mind  was  displayed  in  a  poem  which  he  wrote 
m  this  time,  containing  an  apologetical  portrait  of 
himself,  and  which  he  tells  us,  was  **  extorted  from 
hifQ  by  the  importunity  of  both  friends  and  foes  f  .^ 
It  was  considered  as  betraying  vanity  ;  because  it 

*  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  S9 — 31. 

f  Itl^eaiiiXeAProsopoptiaApoUygeiica.  (Ibid.  pp.  SS, 93.)   Among 
the  wrfdngi  of  Melville,  Dempster  (Hist  Bcel.  Scot  p.  497.)  mcn- 
''  Mdvkdtma  superbiOf  lib.  i.  coi  exordium^ 

Sootomtn,  Anglomm,  Oallonim,  a  ttognine  Regain^ 
lUe  ^go  Melrinqg/" ■  ■    ■ 

'  » 

Be  evidently  refers  to  the  Prosopopeia,  which  contains  something  n- 
mOar  to  what  he  qnotes,  although  not  in  the  exordium.  Thi«  Is  one 
proof  among  many  that  Dempster's  mistakes  were  often  owing  to  the 
circumstance  of  his  quoting  from  memory. 


.  'i- 


S04<  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLi:. 

traced  Iiis  descent  in  tbe  royal  line,  and  recorded 
the  services  which  he  had  done  for  his  native  coub- 
try.  But  may  not  a  modest  and  humble  man  be 
placed  in  circumstances  which  *^  compel  him  to 
glory  ?"'  When  those  by  whom  he  ought  to  have 
been  honoured  and  rewarded  traduce  and  persecute 
him,  and  when  the  credit  of  the  oflEice  which  he  fiUs, 
and  of  the  cause  which  he  has  espoused,  is  in  danger 
of  suffering  through  him,  he  may  warr^ntably  over- 
step the  ordinary  bounds  of  modesty,  and  employ 
expressions,  in  speaking  of  himself,  which  in  other 
circumstances  would  be  sufficient  to  convict  him  of 
ostentation  and  folly. 

In  a  letter  to  his  nephew,  enclosing  this  poem 
and  the  couplets  addressed  to  his  Majesty,  he  writes 
thus :  "  These,  you  know,  are  only  light  recreations 
in  which  I  indulge  for  the  purpose  of  recruiting  my 
mind  in  the  inCerval  of  severer  studies  and  anxious 
cares.  But  I  am  preparing  for  a  greater  undertak- 
ing :  join  with  me  in  wishing  it  success.  I  shall 
execute  it,  if  not  according  to  the  importance  of  the 
subject,  yet,  to  the  utmost  of  my  ability,  royally ; 
and  shall  not  dishonour  myself  or  you,  to  say  no- 
thing of  others,  whether  friends  or  foes,  whose  exr 
pectations,  through  divine  assistance,  I  shall  endea* 
vour  not  to  disappoint.  Not  that  I  wish  to  hurt 
any  one :  that  is  contrary  to  my  natural  disposition* 
But  I  must  prepare  to  defend  the  cause  in  the  best 
manner  I  can.  Shall  I  fly  hope  ?  shall  I  court  fear  ? 
or  shall  I  waste  the  flower  of  my  mind  in  a  state  of 
dubiety  between  hope  and  fear  ?   Thus  was  I  wont 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  205 

formerly  to  jest  with  the  muses,  and  thus  am  I  now 
forced  seriously  to  discourse  with  you  ahout  our 
affairs,  public  and  private.  But  away  with  fears  ! 
I  will  cherish  the  hope  of  every  thing  that  is  cheer- 
ing and  joyous.  Meanwhile  I  bid  you  farewell  in 
Christ.  Give  me  frequent  and  early  intelligence  of 
every  thing  you  hear  as  to  our  affairs.  Again  fare- 
well, and  take  care  of  your  health."  In  another 
letter  to  the  same  correspondent,  he  says :  "  My 
mind  is  fresh  and  vigorous,  nor  is  my  bodily  strength 
in  the  least  impaired.  I  am  preparing  for  the  com- 
bat, and  shall  wonder  if  things  pass  over  thus.  I 
am  persuaded  that  N.  (the  King)  remains  unaltered 
in  his  intentions,  and  that  it  will  not  be  easy  to 
drive  him  from  them.  The  saying,  Fronti  nulla 
fides^  often  comes  into  my  mind.  But,  leaving 
events  to  providence,  let  us  do  our  duty,  and  not 
hesitate  to  act  a  courageous  part  in  the  cause,  and 
Under  the  auspices  of  Him  who  rules  in  the  midst 
of  his  enemies.  Though  we  have  endured  contra- 
diction, we  have  not  yet  resisted  unto  blood,  striv- 
ing against  sin ;  but  this  also  will  we  do  when  call- 
ed to  it  by  the  master  of  the  combat.  I  am  at  pre- 
sent engaged  in  a  work  which  will  let  our  adver- 
saries see  how  they  will  be  able  to  keep  their  feet 
on  the  slippery  ground  of  human  authority,  after 
they  have  been  driven  from  the  solid  and  firm  foot- 
ing of  divine  right*.'* 
■   These  extracts  evidently  refer  to  a  work  on  tlie 

•  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  21 — 28. 


206  LIFE  OF  ANDHEW  MELVILLE. 

episcopal  controversy  which  he  had  planned.  In 
the  course  of  the  year  1608,  copies  of  a  sermon 
published  by  Dr.  Downham  in  defence  of  the  go- 
yemment  of  the  Church  of  England  were  sent  down 
to  Scotland,  and  distributed  gratis  among  the  mi- 
nisters, with  the  view  of  promoting  their  eonversiotf 
to  episcopacy.  Melville  had  sent  his  nephew  a  huk*-< 
ried  review  of  this  sermon  when  it  was  first  print- 
ed *.  He  now  sent  him  two  large  letters,  contain^ 
ing  a  luminous,  rapid  and  spirited  refutation  of  the 
principal  arguments  for  jHrelacy  drawn  from  scriii^ 
ture  and  antiquity.  These  were  immediate)y  traa^ 
mitted  to  Scotland  by  James  Melville,  along  with  a 
letter  from  himself,  which  shews  that  they  had 
operated  as  a  cordial  in  reviving  his  drooping  spi- 
rits. "  When  I  reflect  (says  he  to  Patrick  Symson) 
on  the  fortitude  and  constancy  of  my  banished  bre- 
thren ;  when  I  consider  that  you  have  been  mira« 
culously  plucked  from  the  jaws  of  the  grave  and 
restored  to  the  church ;  when  I  muse  on  the  prema- 
ture death  of  my  friend  Nicolson,  by  which  he  who 
possessed  such  rare  gifts  was  snatched  from  the  cniv 
rent  which  threatened  to  carry  him  completely  away, 

*  Mehrini  Epist.  pp.  1—8.  He  oondudei  the  feriew  bj  Mjiiif ;} 
"  Such  Uutologies  and  yftin  babbling  I  wald  never  have  looked^ftr  at 
this  tyme  to  have'proeeidit  from  the  man^  who  is  a  Logidoner,  mttW 
b^direclid  toward  the  north  for  oonTineiBg  our  brethicn^  whe^  ifttajF^ 
be  not  corrupted  more  with  the  14000  lib.  Sterling,  sent  tliitlier  (fJL 
they  Bay)  tangnam  aureus  hamus,  than  with  the  evidence  of  tbia  boAj,, 
t^  wOI  never  be  persuaded  to  leave  the  truth  embnoed,  &c.  Mtk' 
tos  ego  vidi  inejdoi  homines^  at  Phormione  neminem,  Bilson  ii  men 
dangerous." 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  207 

and  along  with  him  to  wr^  the  interest  of  religion 
anuN^  us ;  when  I  think  of  the  good  health  of  my 
revered  undet  and  the  excellent  spirits  which  be 
etyoys  at  the  dose  of  his  climacteric  year,  and  after 
being  shut  up  in  a  strait  prison  during  two  severe 
winters  and  as  many  scorching  summers ;  and  when 
I  perceive  that  royal  authority^  bribery,  and  the  most 
consummate  craft  and  subtilty  have  hitherto  been 
employed  against  us  with  so  little  success ;-— I  am 
wonderfully  encouraged,  and  at  intervals  my  breast 
heaves  with  the  hope  that  the  captives  shall  yet  re- 
turn, and  that  the  city  and  temple  of  our  Jerusalem 
dudl  again  be  built. 

■ 

Hue  me  rapUt  amor  dulda,  et  impotent 
Ardor  ferre  moras.    O  niveom  diem 
Q^  temple  rednoem  me  statnat  tao ! 
O  lucia  jubiir  aareom  J  *• 

Nothing  less  however  appears  as  yet : 

•— »  Bed  cui  inopa  Adit  Dena 
Spea  et  yota  bonos  ducat  nd  eiitaa  f. 

In  the  mean  time,  my  beloved  and  upright  brethren, 
an  whom  the  defence  of  the  cause  at  home  is  de- 
volved, and  whom  Jesus,  our  leader  and  commander, 
has  placed  in  the  front  of  the  battle,  rouse  up,  fight, 
4taiid,  shew  yourselves  men,  be  strong,  and  you 
flbaU  be  more  than  conquerors.  O  that  we  who  are 
i^oved  to  a  distance  from  you  were  employed  like 
Hoeesff  Aaron  aiid  Hur,  on  the  mountain !  Swayed 

*  Buchanani  Psalm,  xlii. 

t  lb.  Pialm.  xiv.  a  quotation  from  memory. 


208  LIFE  OF  ANDHEW  MELVILLE. 

by  the  opinion  of  rajr  dear  brother  M.  W.  C.  *,  I 
was  once  inclined  to  think  thait  we  might  tolerate  at. 
this  time  many  things  which  we  cannot  approve ; 
but  when  I  consider  all  circumstances,  I  am  much 
afraid  that  such  forbearance  would  prove  highly  in- 
jurious, and  deprive  us  of  the  simplicity,  sincerity, 
liberty  and  power  of  the  gospel.  Read,  I  beseech 
you,  again  and  again  and  again,  these  pages  of 
Andrew  Melville,  written  hastily  on  the  spur  of 
the  occasion,  but  fraught  with  divine  truth  and 
learning,  and  apparently  intended  for  you  and  your 
fellow  combatants  against  intruding  bishops.  When 
you  have  perused  them,  with  his  petition  to  the 
King,  return  the  whole  to  the  bearer,  that  he  may 
take  a  copy  of  them  for  the  use  of  other  brethren  f  •** 
Melville  was  not  a  little  amused  in  his  prison 
with  the  accounts  which  he  received  of  the  literary 
contest  in  which  his  Majesty  was  involved,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  Apology  for  the  Oath  of  Allegiance. 
The  cock-fighting,  and  *^  the  admirable  pastime, 
lately  ta^en  up,  of  hunting  or  daring  of  dotterells 
and  other  of  that  nature,"  in  which  James  had  been 
lately  spending  the  greater  part  of  his  time,  and  at 
which  the  people  of  London  were  so  indignant^, 

*  Ph>bably  Mr.  WmUm  Cowper  of  Perth.  '      ' 

t  MdTini  Epiit  pp.  4V-^7. 

X  Winwood's  Memor.  vol.  i.  p.  817.  The  pec^  thiettened,  if  ii» 
did  not  deiiflt  from  his  unklngly  sports,  to  poison  his  dpgs  and  other, 
game-compsnions,  and  to  send  himself  td  the  hUls  whence  he  ccmfe. 
The  paljeet  was  introduced  on  the  stagey  and  all  the  plaTers  w«e  M 
a  time  banished  from  the  capital  by  an  order  from  court.  (De  Ja  Bo* 
dcrie,  Ambassades^  i.  56^  310.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE.  209 

were  now  laid  aside,  aiid  his  Majesty  was  continual- 
ly dosetted  with  a  select  number  of  the'most  learned 
of  his  dergy.  One  was  employed  in  writing  an 
answer  to  Cardinal  Bellarmine,  and  another  to  the 
Jesuit  Parsons,  while  a  third  superintended  the  im- 
pression of  Barclay  De  Potestate  Papae.  As  James 
was  **  never  the  man  that  could  think  a  Cardinal  a 
meet  match  for  a  King,"  he  chose  to  call  the  book 
which  was  to  appear  under  his  own  name,  A  Pre- 
monition to  all  Christian  Monarchs.  The  bishop 
who  made  the  first  draught  of  this  work,  and  to 
whom  the  correction  of  it  was  afterwards  submitted, 
found  that  he  had  got  Penelope's  web  to  weave ;  for 
what  he  finished  at  night  his  Majesty  undid  in  the 
morning;  and  when  the  work  came  at  last  from 
the  press,  it  was  found  necessary  to  have  some  parts 
of  it  still  farther  altered,  and  the  poor  printer  was 
sent  to  prison  for  having  given  out  copies  of  it  be- 
fore this  operation  was  performed.  It  was  immedi'p 
ately  translated  into  the  different  modem  languages 
by  the  clerks  in  waiting,  and  sent  by  special  am- 
bassadors to  all  Christian  States,  except  the  Swiss 
Cantons.  But  the  Premonition  pleased  nobody  but 
those  against  whom  it  was  directed,  who,  having 
started  a  royal  stag,  were  resolved  to  have  sport  of 
him.  It  was  attacked  from  various  quartel^,  and 
great  keenness,  in  replies  both  serious  and  i^a- 
«  In  the  mean  time,  (says  Melville)  his 
Majesty  chafes,  and  every  body  else  chuckles.  Bex 
riugitur ;  alii  rident  *.** 

*  De  la  Boderie,  Arobassadet,  torn.  iv.  pp.  271,  301,  316,  394,379. 
MeWini  Epist  pp.  51,  79. 

VOL.  11.  P 


210  LIFB  OF  AKDBKW  l^LVILLS. 

MelxdUe  was  Bgaim  tanteliwrt  witk  the  imepeot 
of  obteinkig  lu83  liberty.  ?  ^  At  a  oonventicHi  lield  in 
Scotknd  it.had  been  agreed  to  petition  tbe  King  tdi 
ailoRVf  the  exiled  ministers  to  return  home.  •  On  thia 
occasion  the  bishops  acted  with,  great  dnpUc^yr^ 
They  agreed  to  the  petition;  and  yet  they  gaM 
the  agent  whom  they  sent  to  liottdoii  wrttlen  tUftr 
sthructions  to  apologize  to  hisiMi^esty  for  what  Huff 
had  done,  andto  request  him:not  to.sat  the  miniaf 
tars  at  liberty  A  Spotswood^  an  going  to  Qoiud^ 
proniifled  ta  bring  Melville:  along. witk  himf^ito  te 
placed  as  principal  in  the  University  of  Glasgow:; 
and  he  ezpresbed  much  regret  at  his  return  that:he 
had  not  been  able  to  effect  his  purpose.f.  But  we 
learn  from  aietter  of  the  archbishop'Sy  that  in  laU 
tiiia  he  acted  a  hypocritical  part.  *'  For  these  mafr- 
ten  of  the  ministers,  (says  he)  please  your  Majesty, 
we  are  here  quiet ;  and  their  absence  will  even  Im^ 
a  foigetfulness.  The  bishop  of  St.  Andrews  haa 
peace  at  will,  whereby  youn;  Mi^es^  .can  taka  up 
theiinstcuments  of  his  trouble :(-.  Itwaukiappew 
Aafc  archbishi^  Gladstanes :  had  been  less  caiitioffi 
than  hisi  brother  of^Glaieigow  in  eispresving  Jiis . r)^ 

;  •  PriHtediCalieraodd,  ^  ess.    (to»f«  Apoifls^  NuTntr*  Ri  Bit.  / 

t  Cald.  vii.  S83. 

X  Letter  Uf  the  King,  Nov.  1«09:  MS.  in  BibL  Jurid.  :|din. 
M.  6.  9.  num.  65.  In  ihis  letter  Spotiwood  profesM  dikt  it  Sru  bii 
design  to  yield  np  hit  bishopric,  and  retire  from  poblie  liSe,  to  dUw 
the  world  ihat  he  was  not  actuated  hj  ambition.  Tet,  oolf  tiro 
months  after  this,  he  accepted  the  office  of  an  Extraordinary  Lotfd  of 
Session,  in  addition  to  those  burdens  whldi  he  had  pronounced  ^  la* 
supportable !" 


lAFR  QF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  311 


tentimaats  on  this .  6i4iJ6Ctw  His  werds  iiad  oouie 
to  the  ears' of  MelviUe^  who^  ^ia*  oii»  of  his  letters  toi 
his  nephew,  speaks  of  the  rSeottiah  Brimate  in  the 
lioBowing  severe  terms :  ^*  VertummuSf  yoiii  know: 
wlfeom  J  mean,  the  rapacious  OM*  that  nestles  in 
the.  Qld  ruina  of  the . mei^tricious  Babylon,  boasts 
that  he  has  reoeiyed  the  King's  hand  and  promisa 
that  I  shall,  not  see  my:  native  country  while  he 
lives.  LiOripes  (whom  it  is  easy  to  reprove  but  im-^ 
poesible  to  reform)  has  not  forgotten  certain  words 
which  I  addi^essed  to  him  jocUlajrly  when  he  waa 
dining  with  me  before  we  left  Scotland  |."  On  thfi 
sabject  of  their  liberation  we  find  James  Melville 
writing  thus  to:  his  uncle :  .^  I  waited  on  the  Chan- 
eellor,  as  he  passed  through  this  town  on  hi8:^reY 
turn  to  Scotland,  and  thanked  him  for  the  concem 
which  he  had  taken  in  your. affair*  He  repeated 
to  me  what  passed  between  his  Majesty  and.<him, 
end  a  long  conversaticm  which  he  had  with  the,  piir 
mate  (to  whom  his  Majesty  referred  him)  in^the 
porch  oi  the  palace  of  Whitehall.  His  Grace  finally 
jiromised  that  he  would  useall-his  influenc&iin 
your  behalf  with  the  Kingv  and  with  the  bishops  of 
Scotland,  who  would  not  stand  in  the  way  of  your 
returning  to  your  college,  provided  it  did  not  en- 

*  Okd,  in  the  Scottish  Ungaagiey  is  the  name  of  the  Kite.  This 
plaj  on  the  primate's  name  (inchiding  an  allusion  to  the  intemper- 
anee  with  which  he  was  charg^)  octttrs  In'  dhFeirent  epigrams  Irrit- 
tan  on  him.  (Simsoni  Annales,  pp.  lS9y  130.  MelWni  Mns»^ 
pp.  IS— ^.) 

t  Melvini  Epist.  p.  48. 

P  2 


SIS  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

danger  the  peace  ol  the  church.  *  Leave  him  to 
me ;  I  will  pledge  mjraelf  that  he  shall  not  take  part 
in  any  plots  against  you,'  said  the  Chancellor.  I 
took  the  opportunity  of  laying  my  own  case  before 
his  lordship.  I  complained  that  I  was  detained  here^ 
and  deprived  of  my  stipend,  though  innocent,  un* 
condemned,  unjudged,  imaccused,  without  even  the 
shadow  of  a  crime  laid  to  my  charge.  I  begged 
that  I  mi^t  be  permitted  to  return  home  and  re- 
sume the  oversight  of  my  poor  sea-faring  people ; 
or,  if  this  could  not  be  granted,  that  liberty  should 
be  given  me  to  go  to  France,  or  at  least  that  my  ex- 
pences  here  should  be  borne.  With  many  expres- 
sions of  regard  he  promised  to  take  an  early  oppor- 
tunity of  writing  the  Earl  of  Dimbar  in  our  behalf, 
adding  that  it  would  give  him  the  greatest  pleasure 
to  be  of  any  service  to  us  *." 

Despairing  of  being  permitted  to  return  to  his 
native  country,  Melville  entertained  at  this  time  a 
serious  intention  of  going  to  the  New  World,  and  in 
pursuance  of  it  had  several  interviews  with  a  persop 
who  had  embarked  in  an  extensive  colonial  expedi-* 
tion.  It  does  not  certainly  appear  to  what  part  of 
America  he  purposed  to  retire,  but  it  was  most  pro- 
bably Virginia,  **  My  friend  (he  writes  to  his  ne- 
phew) has  prepared  a  fleet ;  he  has  raised  two  thou- 
sand soldiers  and  four  hundred  supermimerari^ ; 
and  is  in  daily  expectation  of  the  return  of  a  a^- 
vant  whom  he  has  sent  before  him.    With  a  slen* 

*  MeMni  Epist.  pp.  ISl— 193. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  218 

dier  fortune  and  involved  in  debt,  he  dierikhes  san- 
Ifoine  hopes  of  ultimate  success,  and  omits  no  part 
of  the  duty  of  a  good  and  prudent  commander.  I 
had  a  visit  from  him  to-day' along  with  his  son-in- 
Jffiv.  What  expectations  I  shonld  entertain,  I  know 
not ;  but  of  one  thing  I  am  sure  that  he  is  a  good 
Hiid  worthy  man,  and  wants  the  means,  not  the  in- 
clination, to  do  well.  I  betake  myself  to  my  sacred 
tfndior :  *<  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
'righteousness,  and  all  other  things  shall  be  added 
to  you  *  " — ^We  can  scarcely  suppose  that  the  court 
would  hinder  his  emigration  to  such  a  distant  quar- 
ter of  the  globe ;  it  is,  therefore,  most  likely  that 
something  occurred  to  divert  his  mind  from  the  pro- 
ject. 

His  solitary  hours  were  relieved  by  the  company 
of  two  of  his  name-sons,  who  successively  resided 
with  him,  and  whom  he  instructed  in  languages  and 
philosophy.  The  one  was  a  son  of  James  Melville 
and  the  other  a  son  of  one  of  his  brothers,  who  had 
left  a  large  family  unprovided  for  f .  This  last  young 
man  was  of  a  romantic  and  unsettled  turn  of  mind, 
and  appears  to  have  insinuated  himself  into  the  af- 

*  Melvini  Epist.  p.  55.  The  English  were  at  this  time  very  eager 
in  formiDg  settlementa  in  America.  (De  la  Boderie^  Amb.  torn.  iv. 
pp.  863, 864.)  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  was  then  in  the  Tower,  had 
pngected  the  expedition  to  Goiana  which  afterwards  cost  him  his  life  ; 
and  Melville,  in  one  of  his  letters,  speaks  of  one  of  his  grand-nephews, 
who  was  with  him,  wishing  to  visit  that  oonntrj.    (Epist  p.  143.) 

t  James  Melville's  son,  after  leaving  the  Tower,  resided  for  some 
time  with  a  Scotchman  named  Guthrie,  who  Unght  an  academy  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  London.    He  was  brother  to  Alexander  Guthrie  of 

p8 


214  LIFE  OF  AKDBEW  MELVtLLE. 

fections  of  his  grand-unele,  who  was  induced  to  ad- 
vance him,  at  different  times,  sums  which  hn  limit- 
ed  finances  could  not  well  bear  *.  But  the  principal 
ncreatioii  which  Melville  found  wa6  in  the  cultivflh 
tion  of  his  favoiMte  mu&ji  Bverjr  packet  whidi 
he  sent  to  his  nephtrw  contained  one,  and  some'tf 
them  three  or  four  of  his  poetical  productions.  '*  i 
have  added  to  this  ^says  he)  the  second  and  sii^ 
teenth  pdalms,  both  of  them  warm  Irom  the  anvil, 
and  the  last  hastily  struck  off  this  morning,  so  thtft 
I  have  not  had  time  to  apply  the  file  to  it.  I  widi 
you  to  consider  this  remark  as  applying  also  to  tHe 
first  psalm,  which  I  sent  you  some  time  ago,  both  as 
to  the  translation  and  to  the  numbers  and  poetical 
ornaments.  If  you  compare  them  with  Buchanan^ 
you  will  observe  a  considerable  difference.  The  first 
psalm  almost  pleases  me  -f.^  Men  of  real  genius  often 
defraud  the  public  by  the  desultory  nature  of  then: 
studies,  or  by  the  injudicious  choice  which  they 
make  of  subjects  on  which  to  exert  their  talents. 
This  was  one  of  Melville's  faults,  of  which  his  nephew 
frequently  admonished  him.   '*  Why  do  you  requdie 


Edinburgh,  and  a  rdatkm  of  James  Lawicm,  the  miniatar.  He  dkd 
in  the  year  1609.  (Melvini  Epist.  pp.  6$,  64^  100.)  Hiaachocd  was 
at  Hoddesdon  in  the  year  1584.  (Life  prefixed  to  Bishop  Cowpei^ 
Works.)  ^  De  filio  Andrea  quam  gratum  !**  says  James  MdTilfp. 
*'  Guthnriy  amidssimi  Tin,  Lucubratiancolam  nbi  periegero,  testiiii*- 
nio  qoali  author  meietur  omabo.  Ego  ad  eos  literas  dedi.  (Meh^ 
Epist.  p.  98.)  ' 

*  li»d.  pp.  143,  153,  170,  305, 306,  324.  'tetter  f rob  A.  MdVille 
to  Boyd  of  Trochrig,  in  Wodrow's  Life  of  Boyd,  p.  49. 

t  Melvini  Epist  p.  87. 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE.  815 

my  judgment  of  your  yersesp  when  you  know  that  I 
mai  disposed  to  form  too  fetvourable  an  opinion  of  all 
that  you  do  ?  However,  I  will  tell  you  what  others 
uj  of  them.  They  say  that  you  are  doing  what  has 
been  already  well  done,  contending  in  vain  with  the 
great  Buchanan,  and  neglecting  what  you  ought  to 
.do.  Notwithstanding,  I  doubt  not  that,  in  the  course 
of  jvovideoce,  better  things  may  be  produced  than 
have  yet  been  executed ;  and  I  am  persuaded  that 
you  have  not  forgotten  the  work  which  you  pro- 
mised V  This  drew  from  Melville  a  defence  of  his 
fionduct  **  I  send  you  certain  psalms  which  I  have 
translated  into  Latin  verse  :  an  Iliad  after  Homer> 
forsooth !  But  I  am  not  like  the  prince  of  Latin 
poets,  who  says : 


d  me  Tario  jactatum  bmdis  amovo, 
Initaque  ezpotam  hJlhOB  pcemia  TolgL 

By  such  trivial  performances  1  do  not  seek  for  glory 
or  popular  applause,  nor  do  I  court  the  bounty  of 
kings  and  princes ;  but  I  yield  to  the  power,  what- 
ever it  is,  that  inspili^  me ;  and  do  not  so  much 
^eek  to  escape  from  private  vexations,  as  obey  my 
ruling  passion  and  indulge  my  genius.  I  indulge 
it  the  more  willingly  that  I  derive  advantage  mixed 
the  purest  pleasure  fitom  such  studies,  and 
that  I  sometimes  elicit  the  hidden  meaning  of 
the  prophet  which  had  escaped  others.  And  I  em- 
ploy poetic  numbers,  that  I  may  make  a  shew  of 
contending  with  those  champions  who  have  deserv- 

*  Melvini  £pUt.  p.  93. 


216  LIFK  OF  ANDBEW  ILELVlLLE. 


edly  carriedaway  the  palm  in  this  field  of  Uteratiixe. 
It  becomes  me  to  think  modestly  of  my  oMf a  works ; 
we  are  all  ready  to  flatter  ouraelyes ;  and  where  is  the 
individual  who  does  npt  sometimes  slip  a  foot  on  this 
dangerous  ground  ?  But  I  trust  to  the  keeping  of  the 
great  Ruler  of  heaven  and  earth,,  to  whom  I  have  de- 
dicated and  devoted  mj^  all,  and  whose  glory  I  wish 
I  coidd  advance  with  a  wiUingnessand  alacrity  some* 
what  answerable  to  the  great  and  manifold  proofiii 
of  his  kindness  ,and  beneficence  eonf erred  on  met/* 
— Notwithstanding  the  dissuasions  of  his  judidoos 
friend,  Melville  continued  his  labomrs  on  the  psalmSf 
and  a  specimen  of  them  was  committed  to  the  press 
during  the  time  that  he  lay  in  the  Tower  f. 

A  misfortune  which  befel  him  at  this  time  gave 
him  no  small  imeasiness.  His  purse,  containing  all 
the  money  which  he  possessed,  and  on  which  he  de- 
pended for  his  support  during  the  approaching  win- 
ter, was  stolen.  It  is  probable  that  this  act  of  theft 
was  committed  by  one  of  the  keepers  of  the  prison ; 
and  in  his  circumstances  it  would  have  been  useless 
and  even  dangerous  to  complain  or  to  take  steps 
for  recovering  his  ^ost  property.  He  was  under 
the  ne^i^sity,  therefore,  of  applying  to  James  Mel- 
ville, tp,  whom  he  conveyed  information  of  the  un^ 

•  •  • 

*  Mdyini  Eplst  pp.  100—102. 

i*  The  only  notice  of  this  publicttion  which  I  hare  seen  is  in  one 
of  his  ktten  to  James  Melville,  dated  *'  Ex  Turri,  Jan.  S,  ISia." 
''  Mitto  ad}tt*Teiiiii  ■Uqpiot  meoa  typir  ezciiaoB,  ut  sdas  me  bmi  le-' 
mere  in  Psalvoa  incnrrisse,  ex  quihua  pedem  ittraho  vd  inTitua." 
(Melvini  Epist.  p.  144.) 


UFE  OF  ANDBEW  MBLVILLE.  817 

{deasant  occurrence  in  the  foDowing  deBcate  alle- 
gory. "  I  had  lately  in  my  possession  upwards  of 
tweinty  hirds  of  the  Seraphic  species,  kept  with  no 
.small  care,  and  cherished  in  a  warm  nest  under  the 
shade  of  my  wings.  Whether  they  were  tired  of 
their  confinement  and  seised  with  a  desire  for  li- 
berty, or  what  was  the  cause,  I  am  not  prepared  to 
say ;  but  without  bidding  their  unsuspidoos  host 
forewdl,  poising  their  airy  wings,  they  fled,  not  to 
return,  and  have  left  me  to  deplore  their  absence. 
I  soothe  ray  grief  hf  meditating  on  that  beautiiiil 
diseouree  on  providence  coittained  in  the  sixth  chap- 
ter of  Matthew,  and  by  the  consciousness  that  I  was 
jiot  deficient  in  at  least  ordlnaiy  care.  The  saying, 
Tii0  Lord  wiU  provide,  often  comes  to  my  mind. 
I  have  experienced  the  truth  of  it  through  the  whole 
course  of  my  life ;  my  indulgent  Father,  out  of  re- 
gard to  my  infirmity,  having  prevented  me  hitherto 
from  ever  feeling  extreme  want  Such  an  accident 
as  this  I  never  before  met  with,  but  it  is  one  com- 
mon to  men : 

QnaUt  mnlu  xatxi  nautc  patiuntnr  in  ilio. 

Be  not  inquisitive  as  to  the  particulars,  of  which  I 
am  neither  altogether  certain  nor  altogether  ignor- 
ant ;  and  I  have  vowed  silence. 

Dcilne  mcqne  toil  inoendcn  tcqoa  qnerelit. 

Hie  loss  could. not  have  been  foreseen  or  provided 
against,  and  it  is  counterbalanced  by  another  un- 
expected event,  the  friendly  treaty  respecting  the 


SIS  LIPS  OF  AKMIBV  MELTILLE. 

affairs  of  our  churdi  trhidi  is  in  prospect ;  so  that 
it  would  seem  that  the  master  of  the  feast  and  su- 
preme disposer  of  all  eventa  has  seen  meet  to  rahoglQ 
£Qjr  me  a  bitter-sweet  tup.  Our  excdlent  £rieo4 
Trail!  has  visited  me  and  delivered  Lindsay's  rtokea 
of  rememhrance^  which  I  received  as  a  pledge  of  mjr 
restoration  to  the  ooU^^e  *.  I  am  afraid  lest  tte 
approaching  winter  should  prevent  mailing,  and  pot 
a  stop  to  all  communication  between  uSb  Whar&-^. 
fore,  if  you  have  any  thing  that  can  be  of  use;  to 
me,  transmit  it  as  expeditiously  as  possiUe  f  .^ 

This  call  was  instantly  obeyed.  Indeed  tte  purse 
<^  James  Melville  was  always  at  his  uncle's  com- 
mand, and  his  remittances  were  unifonnly  conv^ 
ed  with  such  readiness  and  delicacy  as  made  tkem. 
appear  rather  as  the  performance  of  a  filial  duty  jOT 
the  discharge  of  a  debt  of  gratitude,  than  as  gratui- 
tous favours  and  acts  of  generosity  to  a  distrcssod 
friend.  **  Riches,"  says  he  in  the  letter  whidi  ke 
sent  along  with  the  money,  **  take-  to  themsetrai 
eagles'  wings,  and  fly  away.  But  there  is  enough 
in  the  sacred  promises  to  which  ypu  jefer.  He  wbp 
has  such  securities  may  surely  rest  satisfied.  Be 
of  good  courage,  therefore,  my  father :  the  Gond 
ISiephard  will  supply  you  abundantly  witk  all  g&opi 
things.  I  shall  send  yoa  moneyi  and  you  wOlaml 
me  songs,  .     t^,     .    i  r>>7 

*  Thii  refers,  ptMhly,  to  a  legacy  fnm  Secretary  lAaidmj,  wlw 
had  been  ChanceUor  of  the  Un^T^ty  of  St.  Andrewa.  - 
t  Mehini  Epist.  pp.  91^  92. 


LIFE  OF  AKD&EW  MELVILLE.  819 

Jncondioni  melle  et  411x0, 
.    £t  nitidis  potiora  gempoia. 

Let  118  continue  this  mutual  intercourse;  and  I 
tuive  good  hope  that  you  will  run  short  of  verses 
for  my  use,  hefore  I  run  short  of  gold  for  yours  ♦.'* 
Melvflle^s  answer  affords  a  beautiful  example  of 
iihe  union  of  piety  and  gratitude.  *'  Your  succe^ 
daneum  for  the  fugitive  gold  came  most  seasonably 
to  my  relief.  So  profusely  beneficent  has  my  divine 
and  indulgent  Father  been  towards  me  as  even  to 
exceed  my  wishes.  O  that  I  may  be  found  grate- 
fbl  and  mindful  of  the  benefits  bestowed  on  me  by 
him  who  has  accepted  me  gratuitously  in  his  Son ! 
D  that  I  may  love  him,  who  first  loved  me,'wi^  all 
my  mind,  soul,  and  strength !  and  that  I  may  bring 
forth  the  fruits  of  this  love,  by  promoting  the  good 
of  his  church  in  these  difficult  times,  and  amidst  all 
tihe  ingratitude  that  abounds ! — I  received  the  Span- 
ish and  British  angels,  equalling  in  number  the 
Apostles,  the  Graces,  and  the  Elements,  with  a 
supernumerary  one  of  the  Seraphic  order :  aurum 
contra  caro. .  I  do  not  rejoice  so  much  in  them, 
(although  these  commutable  pieces  of  money  are  at 
present  very  useful  to  me)  as  I  do  at  the  renewing 
of  fhe  memory  of  my  deeeased  friends,  and  the  pro- 
speet  of  our  friendship  being  perpetuated  in  thenr 
posterity,  who  have  given  such  a  favourable  preL 

sage  of  future  virtue  and  genuine  piety  ;  for  what 

-  ■  •     ' 

*  Melyini  Epist.  pp.  92,  93. 


220  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

else  could  have  induced  them  to  take  such  an  interest 
in  my  affairs  at  this  time  ?  Wherefore  I  congratu- 
late them,  and  I  rejoice  that  this  favourable  oppor- 
tunity of  transmitting  friendship  inviolate  from  £eif 
ther  to  son  and  grandson  has  been  afforded  *•  So 
you  have  the  confidence  to  say,  that  the  foiintain  of 
the  muses  from  which  I  draw  will  be  exhausted 
sooner  than  the  vein  of  that  gold  mine,  whence  you 
extract  the  treasures  with  which  you  supply  me  so 
liberally.  Hold,  prithee !  Take  care  what  yoit  say, 
especially  to  poets  like  me,  who  when  I  do  sing, 
sing  at  the  invitation  of  the  muses  and  under  their 
inspiration.  This  makes  me  more  regardless  of  the 
capricious  judgment  of  critics ;  for  in  writing  verses 
I  do  not  aim  at  vain  glory  or  any  human  reward, 
but  yield  a  free  homage  to  the  muses  and  seek  a 
liberal  recreation  to  my  own  mind.  About  any 
thing  beyond  this,  I  am  quite  indifferent;  only  I 
reckon  all  the  time  gained  which  is  spent  in  these 
sacred  lucubrations,  as  they  help  to  recal  my  mind 
from  sensible  things  to  divme  contemplation,  and  fit 
me  for  the  better  discharge  of  the  duties  of  my  sfah 
tion.  Nor  do  I  contend  with  any  individual  'so 
mucli  as  with  myself,  over  whom  if  I  gain  an  ad- 

*  TUi  refers  to  the  fmmily  of  G«oige  Greir,  from  wluni  Jwmm 
lldTiUtt  lud  received  pert  of  the  money  which  he  eenl  to  ]iiei|9q||ib 
(Melvini  JBpist.  p.  117.)  Greir  was  second  minister  of  Heddinglob, 
(Record  dfVMb.  of  Htdd.  Jan.  96, 1603.)  and  married  KHabedi, 
dangliler  of  James  Lawson,  minister  of  Edinhnrgb.  (TestamMl  if 
Elisabeth  Lowsone,  in  Commissary  Record  of  Edin.  April  S,  1614. 
Comp.  Inqnis.  Retom.  Gen.  num.  148.) 


MFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  221 

vantage  I  consider  myself  as  having  carried  off  the 
prize  V 

In  the  course  of  this  year  he  had  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  several  of  his  relations  and  acquaintance. 
His  feelings  on  receiving  these  melancholy  tidings, 
are  expressed  in  the  letters  he  wrote  to  his  favourite 
and  constant  correspondent.  *'  I  am  just  come  from 
reading  in  the  second  epistle  to  Timothy,  which  has 
allayed  the  tumult  raised  in  my  breast  by  the  tid- 
ings I  have  received.  Yet  I  cannot  but  feel.  See 
that  the  funeral  obsequies  be  duly  performed.  Let 
no  mark  of  respect  and  friendship  be  wanting  to  the 
memory  of  two  brethren — ^brethren  both  of  them 
by  the  bonds  of  piety,  grace,  and  celestial  parentage, 
and  one  of  them  by  the  additional  tie  of  nature,  and 
still  more  nearly  allied  to  me  than  to  you.  Ax^  I 
pray  you,  a  pious  and  becoming  part  Discharge 
the  debt  due  to  grace  and  friendship,  to  natiu'e  and 
propinquity.  Discharge  it  with  tears,  but  let  them 
be  the  tears  of  Abraham,  the  father  of  us  all,  ^  who 
rose  up  from  weeping  for  his  wife.'  These  are  tem- 
porary things :  we  mind  things  that  are  eternal. 
*  Put  the  brethren  in  remembrance,'  and  exhort 
them  to  constancy. — What  a  loss,  in  respect  of  piety 
and  erudition,  has  the  church  sustained  by  the  death 
6f  my  friend  the  great  Scaliger,  who,  about  tbe  ^d 
of  J'aniiary,  exchanged  an  earthly  for  a  heav^liljr 
emintry  !  How  can  I  but  be  touched  and  deeply 
afTected  for  the  loss  of  sueh  a  person,  and  of  ^other^ 

*  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  108— IIL 


9SS  LIFE  0¥  AKDBEW  MELVILLE. 

whom  I  loved  jin  this  worlds  and  who  have  gone 
before  me !  Of  such  there  are  not  a  few  kziowa  to 
you  who  belonged  to  our  chuvdi,  and  were  allied  to 
us  either  bjr  natund  or  spiritual  oonsanguinitgF, 
Need  I  name  them?  Knoz^  Arbuthnot,  SmetMt 
Lawson^RoW)  the  two  Meivilks,  my  dearest  btothen 
and  your  father  and  unde^  the  two  brothers^  Chmge 
and  Andrew  Hay,  Pont*  Craigr  RoUoek,  Vergommi 
Christison,  Davidson,  your  father-in-law  Dury,  iKtA 
many  others,  after  whose  example*  and  m  when 
footsteps  we  ought  to  press  through  ali'mpedimeoAb 
seeking  tiie  erown  of  glory  in  that  newtOid  straiglit 
path  \rtiich!  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith  hsftb 
trodden  before  us,  and  paved  and  consecrated  fbrUB 
by  his  own  blood. 

Cnr  tarn  aoUicids  vitam  comnmiimufl  umis, 
Torquemurque  metu^  cceCiAqfifc  cupidhie  ^terxtxn, 
^ternitqtie  aenee  cuiii  ? ■ 


Humana  cuneta  fumtU^  mnlnray  vaftitaa^ 
fit  scene  imago^  et,  vabo  at  aboolTam^  nihil. 

-'     ;  •  ■      . 

X  Mm.  an  old  man  and  garrulous  ;  for  there  jjB 
Apthing  in  which  old  men  take  greater  pleayon 
^iftts^  taUdpg.  .  JLove  also  pra|;tle8.  What  do  I  saji? 
jYau  know  it  waa  form^ly.n],i|ioured  that  I  waS;jp 
teire,;  ,and<  iwhy^^uld  X  not;  be,  »&rioi»s^  SOjSWTf 
sfMtng  I .  b^gan  this  las);  spring  tp  grow  young  again, 
f»AM  piny  ith^  W— perh^pp,  tb^t^  I  might,  hi^tft^ 
ya\l  as  dopely  as  pos^ible.^  You  know  whatl  J^oeiiip. 
Dictum  sapienH  *." 

•  Mdrini  Epiat  pp.  76—78. 


hlFX  OF  ANDREW  MELVUmLE.  ItSS 

A'io  MdviUe'a  tokteia^ta  luft :  wpii^w  ^.tiiere  ia  <xftw 
iBwhiidtyfiibttssy  pmceeding  ifom  the  yiwmtj:ai 
Jut^iaiigiBatiQii^  andtiieldiid&eaB  oCluBiiaart,  which 
i^ttwod  that  the.writerpoBaeawdtir  great  fl^w  ^  api^ 
ttei;  and  a  «iIld.whiGl^^d[iOll|^  not  abKays^aempk 
ftom  distiiefiSy  wasMalwajrs  at  peaoe  with  itaelf^  and 
afeease  and  in  love,  with  thQ.:peraon  to  .whom  it  im* 
parted  ^thonlreterve  ita. thoughts,  and  ite.feeling& 
He  delisted  im  the  seria,  wmtajodsf:  aadin  difr» 
couoraing  M  the  gravefit  and  moat  momentoua  sti^H 
jtfita  was -went  to  roUeve  his^  own  mind  and .  that .  ^ 
Mf  eonrespondent  by  throwing'^out  some  pleasant  re^ 
{■atee,  or  suggesting  some  egn^eaUe.  and.  joyous  le^ 
iJimniscenoe.    But  aU  tibis  wiU.  not  aooount  or  apolo^ 
gise  for  the  appearance  of  incon^cuity  and  even  le- 
vity that  there  is  in  the  concluding  part  of  the  last 
extract — ^in  the  sudden  transition  from  lamenting 
over  the  dead  to  jesting,  on  love  and  matrimony; 
The  following  explanation  will^  however,  shew  that 
the  writer  was  never  more  deeply  in  earnest  than 
on  this  occasion.     The  reader  must  by  this  time  be 
-awttre,  although  he  has  not  been  eiqxreBaly •  told, 
^  Hiat  Melvine  ims  a  ^badi^lor,  «nd  ^naequestly  that 
lie wasnow'an  oM^oiie;  Hewillthefrfoi^be^Bur^ 
'prised  to  have  aeonespdndeniie  upon  a  matrimoftial 
« itfbir  laid  before  them ;  -  and  Will  find  thai  it  ^  is  nmt 
'UbMgeaMe  with  that  toiCal  absence  of  everj^  tfaittg 
"itoridly  which  made  the  Idite-letten'  of  John  Knox 
90  imattractive.  -  To  prevent  disappoiiitment,  how-^ 
ever,  I  must  state,  that  Melville  was  not  the  lover; 

he  was  only  his  friend  and  counsellor.    James  MeU 

s 


S84  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

viUte^  who  was  ten  years  younger  than  his  unde, 
had  n6w  been  upwards  of  two  years  a  widower. 
During  his  residence  at  Newcastle  he  had  becomef 
acquainted  with  a  young  woman,  the  daughter  of  ar. 
deceased  dergjrman  in  Berwick  upon  Tweed.  Suf- 
fice it  to  say,  that  the  accomplishments  of  ihiB 
young  lady  had  made  a  conquest  of  his  heart,  and* 
there  was  every  reason  to  think  that  he  would  many 
her.  Some  of  his  friends  in  Scotland,  who  were  of 
opinion  that  it  was  imprudent  for  him  to  marry  at 
all,  or  at  any  rate  to  marry  one  who  was  so  very 
much  younger  than  himself,  communicated  the  in* 
telligence  to  his  unde,  who,  they  knew,  had  great- 
er influence  with  him  than  any  other  individual; 
Melville  was  of  the  same  opinion  with  his  friends, 
and  he  made  the  transition  alluded  to,  that  be 
might  draw  on  a  correspondence  on  the  subject, 
and  suggest  to  his  nephew  the  impropriety  and  un^ 
seasonableness  of  the  step  which  he  was  meditate 
ing. 

He  had  scarcely  sent  off  his  letter,  when  he  re- 
ceived one  from  James  Melville,  in  which,  after  mo^ ' 
destly  introdudng  the  affair  ^  beneath  well-iouiid^" 
ing  Oreek,"  he  gave  him  a  description  of  the  obfeiifc 
of  his  attachment,  who  had  every  recommendatibii^ 
but  a  fortune,  stated  the  reasons  for  and  agaiAirt'ito' 
step  which  he  proposed  to  take,  and  earnestly^  btg^^* ' 
ged  his  uncle's  advice.    Melville  immediately  replied. 
«  On  the  subject  of  matrimony  (says  he)  J  am  at  tr 
loss  what  to  write ;  as  I  have  no  experience  of  tbat ' 
happy  state.    With  you  I  bow  with  reverence  to 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE*  225 

tli^  dedaratipns  in  fayour.  of  i^  w]iic|i  you  fixiote 
from  thie  3apred  orac^$ij  ^ovgh,  iqy  ye^  p^^ucQ  m^ 
beyondHie  feach  .q£  |tlw/ appUpAtjion^  ,  You  fttate 
the  argumiBiito  on  bgl^  $i^  X^th  gri^^t  acqoracy; 
but  it  is  not  ^ifl^^ul^,  tp  pero^i^^  to .  what,  side  yoji 
inc^e.  Yg$u  entirely  pass  over  ji^  widow  ^^  and 
launch  oijLt. pi  praises  of  the  young  w;omafi.  This 
gives  ground  lor  sqfQpecting  yx)ur  judgpienj^.m^d  for 
thinking  that  a^^Bsct^on  .an^  nqt  reasQp  jias  the  do- 
minion. l49Fe  .has-.got  admjjttancf;  find  keieps  th^ 
door  fast  bolt^  on.  reason.  .,  J^^rji^pfkithis  i^  cum  ra^ 
Home  mmnire.  ,  I  know  you  have  i^^rP  ^yes»  but  in 
this  business  it  is  proper  to  jnake  use  of  the  ears 
alsa"  Having  suggested  sipme  ,consi4er^(|tionSy  all 
in  fiavour  of  the  widow,  he  adds : .  ^^  but  y^u  know 
these  things  much  better  than  I  do ;  and  it  becomes 
me  to  remember  the  adage  Tkawtas  ug  k&n^g,  or  rather, 
Shu  Minervam.''  After  some  ingenious  remarks  on 
the  different  seasons  of  human  life,  backed  with  the 
authority  of  Solon,  Seneca,  Varro,  and  Virgil,  li^e 
ccmdudes :  *^  Thus,  my  dear  Jameii,  do  l  Address 
you  wi4h  the  same  freedom  which  the  elder  Africa^-. 
nus  used  with  the  younger.  -..Act  a  part  becpocning 
your  extraction,  your  judgment,  and  your  prudence., 
With  respect  to  what  I  hinted  about  the  ag^at|}irhich 
your  father  died,  may  heaven  avert  t|x^  Qnqeq  irpm 
you,  and  turn  it  rather  on  your  ficieild* .  Tu  vefq^nHfl 

*  The  lady  with  whom  James  MdTflle  lodged  at  N^Jiwaniu,  and  • 
vhoin  his  friends  thou^t  a  fitter  match  for  him  .than  ;he  ^ecf,  of 
his  choice. 

VOL.  II.  Q 


226  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

in  ccdum  redeaa.  You  see  what  a  prolix  letter  I 
have  written  you,  and  without  a  spice  of  wit  in  it. 
Advise  well.  Time,  under  God,  will  direct  jrou. 
The  bearer  is  &-going,  and  yet  I  cannot  leave  off 
prating  to  you.  Love  is  fond  of  prating.** — ^  I 
congratulate  myself,  (says  James  Melville  in  his 
reply,)  that,  by  starting  the  subject  of  marriage,  I 
have  drawn  from  you  three  golden  pages,  filled  with 
proofs  of  the  greatest  love  to  me  and  of  profound 
learning  and  prudence.  They  shall  lie  in  my  bosom, 
in  place  of  a  wife,  during  the  winter  months,  until 
I  have  taken  that  time  for  deliberation  which  the 
affair  and  my  circumstances  require.  Nevertheless 
I  am  resolved  to  end  my  days,  sooner  or  later,  in 
honourable  wedlock : 


Nubila  mens  est, 
Vinctaque  frenii, 
Hflec  nisi  regnet. 


n 


Having  assigned  his  reasons  for  thinking  that  the 
widow  whom  his  friends  recommended  would  be  an 
unsuitable  partner  for  him,  he  adds :  **  I  have  not 
forgotten  the  saying  of  an  ancient  sage,  ^  A  man 
cannot  be  wise  and  in  love  at  the  same  time  ;*  and 
I  recollect  the  words  of  the  Italian  writer,  *  SenM 
moglie,  ben  che  non  senza  donna,  avenge  che  le  oose 
che  superano  le  force  nostre  sono  piu  in  desidario 
che  in  magisterio.'  To  the  instance  of  my  father 
you  might  have  added  that  of  my  brother ;  for  both 
of  them  died  in  their  fifty-third  year,  a  circumstance 
which  occurred  to  my  own  mind,  and  which  has 


LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  227 

affected  me  not  a  little  since  you  objected  it  But 
.  is  it  not  eligible  to  have  a  faitbliil  and  affectionate 
wife,  if  it  were  only  to  watch  by  one's  death-bed 
and  to  dose  one's  eyes  ?  and  is  it  not  allowed  us  to 
eiyoy  the  comforts  of  life  while  we  live  ?  I  thank 
God  I  never  enjoyed  better  health.  Perhaps  it  is 
the  last  effort  of  nature,  as  in.  the  case  of  my  father. 
Be  it  80 :  I  will  rejoice  in  it  as  the  first  step  of  my 
entrance  into  true  life ;  and  much  rather  would  I 
-  meet  a  prematiu^  grave  than  suffer  the  grief  which 
I  would  feel  at  witnessing  your  death  or  the  ruin  of 
the  good  cause  *."  . 

His  uncle  was  still  afraid  that  the  step  was  an 
imprudent  one;    and   therefore  resolved    to    use 
stronger  language  than  he  had  employed  in  his  for-> 
mer  letter,  with  the  view  of  making  him  pause,  al- 
though at  the  risk  of  offending  him.     This  was  a 
proof  of  the  truest  friendship ;  for  he  was  at  this 
time  deeply  in  debt  to  his  nephew,  and  had  the 
prospect  of  yet  needing  to  make  additional  draughts 
an  his  kindness  and  liberality.    Having  made  some 
•remarks  on  the  intelligence  which  James  Melville 
ihad  sent  him  as  to  the  state  of  church  matters  in 
:  Scotland,  and  the  prospect  of  their  speedily  coming 
•  to  a  crisis,  he  thus  addresses  him  :  **  Therefore,  I 
.  cannot  but  exhort  you  to  be.  vigilant,  and  prepared 
with  renovated  vigour  to  fight  this  glorious  battle, 
•jEdt  which  you  have  been  restored  to  health  and  re- 
tflerved  to  this  day.    All  effemin^y  of  mind  > must 


*•"  1  f     •  •  • 


*  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  81 — 90,  93 — 96. 

Q2 


2S8  LIFE  OfF  ANDREW  MELTCLL^E. 

be  laid  aside;  the  old  man  must  be  put  off;  and 
we  must  behave  ourselves  stoutly  and  resolutely, 
lest  in  the  last  scene  of  the  conflict  we  fail  throng 
error  or  fear,  not  to  say  dotage,  to  which  every  slip 
of  old  men  is  commonly  imputed.  Your  son,  An- 
drew, has,  I  hope,  been  with  you  for  several  wedoB. 
He,  with  John,  Elizabeth,  and  Anne,  (whose  names 
must  renew  the  memory  of  your  dearest  wife,)  will 
prevent  you  from  being  fascinated  and  lulled  asleep 
by  the  charms  of  this  young  woman  so  distinguish- 
ed for  taciturnity  and  prudence.  The  very  argu- 
ments which  you  adduce  to  prove  that  you  are  guid- 
ed in  this  affair  by  judgment  more  than  affection, 
betray  affection ;  not  to  recur  to  the  age  which 
proved  fatal  to  your  relations.     I  dare  not  say, 

Odum,  Melrine,  tibi  molestum  est : 
Olio  exultas  nimiumque  gestis ; 
Otium  Reges  shnul  et  beatas 
Perdidit  nrbes. 

But  what  shall  I  say  of  your  discourse  on  sepulchral 
wedlock,  and  so  forth  ?  It  is  really  quite  extrava- 
gant, and  only  shews  how  much  you  are  carried 
away  by  your  affections.  The  plain  case  is  this: 
You  are  the  father  of  five  children,  four  of  whom 
are  at  a  very  critical  age,  and  two  of  them  daii||^ 
•ters,  well-bom,  liberally  educated,  and  approaching 
to  maturity.  They  need  your  paternal  solidtode 
and  watchfulness.  Your  -brother's  children  are  de- 
pendent on  you,  and  require  much  of  your .  atten- 
tion.    And,  in  these  circimistances,  you  — ^i— — 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  329 

Conceive  that  you  hear  your  friend  Dykes,  with 
severe  brow  and  ardent  eyes,  with  an  impassioned 
but  affectionate  tone,  urging  these  and  similar 
considerations  upon  you.  I  merely  suggest  them» 
and  am  forced  to  break  off.  May  the  author  of  alt 
good  counsel  give  you  direction.  Farewell,  and  liv^ 
in  the  Lord,  my  dear  James,  by  far  the  best  beloved 
of  all  my  friends.  Take  time  to  deliberate.  Fe9^ 
tma  lenteJ* 

It  must  be  confessed  that  there  are  in  this  letter 
some  severe  things,  and  that  it  contains  insiniui^ 
tions  which  the  conduct  of  James  Melville  had  not 
merited,  and  which  could  not » fail  to  hurt  his  feel- 
ings. It  drew  from  him  a  spirited  reply,  in  which 
Ttsped  for  his  uncle,  and  a  conviction  of  his  friend- 
iy  intentions,  though  they  restrained,  could  not  al- 
together suppress  the  irritation  which  he  felt.  ''  It 
would  seem  that  I  have  used  too  great  freedom  in 
writing  to  you  on  the  subject  of  marriage.  To 
what  but  this  can  I  trace  your  unfavourable,  not  to 
say  injurious,  suspicions  of  me — ^that  I  have  fallen 
into  dotage,  am  playing  the  fool,  idling,  slumber- 
ing, and  giving  myself  up  to  love.  Good  words, 
prithee !  I  am  constrained  to  answer,  lest  forbear- 
ance should  injure  my  reputation  and  the  cause  for 
which  I  appear.  In  answer  to  the  charge  of  dot- 
age, I  might,  as  Sophocles  says,  repeat  such  things 
as  Gould  not  proceed  from  a  fool  or  a  dotard.  I  am 
not  conscious  that  I  have  turned  a  hair's-breadth 
from  the  straight  course  which  I  have  been   all 

along  pursuing,  or  that  there  is  any  change  in  my 

q3 


230  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

conduct,  except  that,  as  I  draw  nearer  the  goal,  I 
feel  my  mind,  through  the  grace  of  Christ,  more 
propense  to  piety  and  holiness.  I  live  here  daily 
imder  the  eyes  of  very  acute  censors,  and  yet  I 
have  not  heard  that  I  have  been  charged  with  any 
thing  foolish  either  in  speech  or  behaviour.  It  is 
true  that  I  at  present  enjoy  greater  ease  than  I 
could  wish ;  but  I  can  say  with  Vfrgil's  shepherd, 

.    O  Melibcee,  Deu4  nobis  bee  otU  fecit. 

And  perhaps  I  was  never  less  idle  than  I  now  am ; 
so  that  I  could  give  such  an  account,  not  only  of  my 
former  active  life,  but  also  of  my  present  repose,  as 
a  wise  and  good  man  ought  to  be  prepared  to  give. 
I  certainly  do  not  mean  to  deny  that  I  take  my  rest 
in  the  night,  and  enjoy  sound  sleep ;  God  having 
blessed  me  with  health  and  a  mind  free  from  corrod- 
ing solicitude.  Nor  do  I  deny  that  I  am  in  love ; 
but  it  is  legitimate,  holy,  chaste,  sober  love.  But 
I  think  of  a  second  marriage !  I  do ;  and  I  wish  I 
had  thought  of  it  two  years  ago.  It  is  surely  v«y 
unreasonable  that  what  is  '  honourable  in  all'  shoidd 
be  turned  to  my  disgrace.  Do  not,  my  chaste  Ur 
ther,  measure  all  others  by  yourself,  who,  inflamed 
with  the  sacred  love  of  the  Muses,  and  reposing  in 
the  embraces  of  Minerva,  look  with  severe  indiffier^ 
ence  on  conjugal  felicity,  and  have  all  your  dayi 
abstained  from  it  for  the  sake  of  purer  and  mor& 
refined  delights.  But  I  restrain  myself.  I  do  not 
pretend  that  I  am  not  under  the  influence  of  the  af- 
fections, for  how  then  could  I  be  in  love  ?    All  that 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  231 

I  pn>fe88  is  that  they  are  kept  under  the  restraints 
of  reason  and  religion. — ^Your  friend  Dykes  talks 
seoffingly  in  what  he  says  about  sepulchral  wedlock. 
It  is  a  crude  cavil,  and  savours  too  much  of  choler« 
Indeed,  I  can  perceive  nothing  of  any  weight  in 
what  you  adduce,  except  it  be  the  incongruity  of  an 
old  man  marrying  a  young  woman.  But  I  am  not 
an  old  man,  I  am  only  elderly.  She  indeed  is  in 
the  flower  of  life,  being  only  nineteen  years  of  age. 
And  who  that  is  wise  would  not  prefer  for  a  part- 
ner one  who  is  soimd  in  mind  and  body,  mo- 
dest, yielding,  humble,  affectionate,  open-hearted, 
sweet-tempered,  and  thus  every  way  qualified  for 
rendering  life  agreeable?  A  widow,  or  one  of 
more  advanced  age,  who  possesses  these  properties, 
is  rara  avis  in  terris.  At  least  I  can  meet  with 
none  such  here.  If  therefore  you  concede  to  me 
the  liberty  of  taking  a  wife,  and  do  not  forbid  ma- 
trimony entirely,  (which  I  hope  you  will  not  do,) 
you  must  allow  me  to  choose  a  fit  partner  for  my- 
self. I  have  many  reasons  for  not  taking  a  widow, 
and  more  for  taking  a  young  woman;  nor  do  I 
want  examples  of  the  best  men  who  have  acted  as 
I  mean  to  do;  such  as  Knox,  Craig,  Pont,  Dal- 
gleish,  and  others  in  our  own  church.  But,  that 
you  may  know  how  differently  my  real  friend 
Dykes  *  thinks  from  your  fictitious  friend  of  that 

*  John  Dykes  was  James  Mdville's  brother-in-law,  as  well  as  ool- 
kague.  He  married  a  daughter  of  John  Dury.  (Testament  Tcsta- 
mentar  of  John  Dury,  in  Commissary  Rec  of  £din.  2d  July,  1600^ 
See  also  aboTe,  vol.  i.  p.  328.) 


8S8  lilFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Haxne,  I  beg  leave'  to  inform  you  that  I  have  just 
recdved  a  letter  from  him,-  in  which  he  congratu- 
lates me  on  m^  Mtaehiniift  to  an  excellent  yoiui^ 
iPToman  who  entertains  for  me  a  reciprocal  affection, 
Will  take  care  of  me  iri  my  declining  years,  and  be 
a  solace  to  me  dnring  my  exile,  I  have  only  to  re- 
quest of  you,  my  loving  father,  that  you  will  form 
an  equally  fev^durable  opinion  of  my  intentions,  or 
that  at  least  yoii  tHU  pardon  in  me  what  yoa  may 
Hot  be  able  entirely  to  approve*." 

TTris  Irtter  convinced  Melville  that  his  nephew's 
rei^dittibn  was  fixed,  and  that  he  had  proceeded  too 
fai*  in  opposing  his  inclinations.  He  therefore  yield- 
ed with  as  godd  a  grace  as  possible.  "  Our  friend 
'fifemford  has  delivered  me  your  very  serious  and 
long,  but  not  prolix,  letter.  The  longer  the  more 
i^eeable ;  although  it  contained  some  things  whidi 
I  could  not  read  without  tears.< — ^Your  apology,  like 
the  garden  of  Adonis,  planted  with  the  most  delid- 
itm  flowers,  and  adorned  with  bower-work,  exhales 
'nothing  but  pute  and  sacred  loves,  which,  although 
of  the  most  delicate  kind,  might  captivate  MinerFa 
instead  of  Venus : 

lUam  dulcis  amor  dnctis  in  hectare  telis 
IitilHiit:  ^ue  tufe  proprias  atttettit  alas, 
•lii%iie  meaa  quibua  acta  roanus  perque  ora  Tolaret. 

It  *ha8  penetrated  my  heart,  not  to  say  wounded  it ; 
and  almost  made  me  sigh  after  such  happiness. 
But,  alas  !  it  is  too  late  at  my  advanced  age.    What 

*  Mclvini  Epistola?,  pp.  114^11C^  126—133. 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE.  883 

remainfl^  therefore^  but  that  I  congratulate  you^  and 
eneoun^  you  M  go  on  in  your  virtuous  eourae  ? 
You  do  injustice  to  my  Dykes  and  me  when  you 
aecuse  us  of  bantering ;  a  fauH  whkh  is  not  more 
foreign  to  his  disposition  than  it  was  to  the  design 
of  my  letter.  What,  my  son !  would  I  mock  you 
on  BO  serious  and  sacred  a  subject  ?  Far  be  this 
from  one  who  strives  against  every  thing  that  is 
unamiable  about  him,  or  which  merits  the  dislike  of 
good  men.  May  your  love  succeed  and  be  ctpwned 
with  the  most  fortunate  and  auspicious  issue  to  you 
and  yours  !  If  I  seemed  to  oppose  it,  impute  this 
to  yourself  and  your  urgent  request  for  my  opinion. 
Nor  could  I  prevail  on  myself  to  conceal  from  you 
what  I  heard  from  others  or  suspected  they  would 
say,  that  I  might  excite  you  to  look  narrowly  to 
yotu^elf  and  your  affairs  at  this  crisis.  I  now  con-* 
gratulate  and  give  joy  to  Melissa  as  the  successor  of 
EUsa.  It  is  my  prayer  that  she  may  spend  many 
happy  years  in  your  company,  and,  what  is  more, 
that  she  may  make  you  the  father  of  a  fair  off- 
spring*." 

The  marriage  took  place  accordingly,  and  appears 
to  have  been  attended  with  happy  effects.  Melville 
never  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  &ir  young 
niece,  but  he  sent  his  affectionate  salutations  to  ^^  the 
honied  Melissa"  in  every  letter  which  he  wrote  to 
hid  nephew,  who  took  particular  pleasure  in  acknow- 
ledging the  compliment.   Whatever  may  be  thought 

•  Mclvini  Epistolee,  pp.  134— lil,  \i%  li3. 


234  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE* 

as  to  the  prudence  of  his  second  marriage,  it  is  but 
justice  to  James  Melville  to  say,  that  it  had  no  in- 
fluence in  enervating  his  mind,  or  in  making  him 
indifferent  or  remiss  in  his  exertions  in  behalf  of 
the  cause  for  which  he  was  a  sufferer.  He  rejected 
the  offer  of  a  bishopric,  which  Sir  John  Anstruther 
made  him  in  the  name  of  the  King ;  he  refused  to 
purchase  his  liberty  by  acceding  to  conditions  incon- 
sistent with  his  principles  * ;  he  continued  to  coun- 
sel and  encourage  his  brethren  in  Scotland  by  his 
letters ;  and  he  drew  up  several  writings,  historical 
and  apologetical,  relating  to  the  churdi  of  Scotland, 
which  he  only  waited  the  consen^  of  his  brethren 
and  a  fit  opportunity  to  publish  to  the  world.  In 
this  last  respect  he  had  some  ground  for  retaliating 
on  his  imcle,  whom  he  ui^ed  to  perform  his  pro- 
mises, by  putting  the  finishing  hand  as  speedily  as 
possible  to  his  work  on  the  episcopal  controversy. 
This  work,  though  not  laid  aside,  proceeded  slowly, 
and  was  often  interrupted  by  studies  more  congenial 
to  the  taste  and  dispositions  of  the  author.  To  the 
friendly  remonstrances  of  his  nephew,  Melville  re- 
plied :  **  By  the  paraphrases  of  which  I  send  you 
a  specimen,  I  sustain  the  imbecility  of  my  spirit, 
which  hitherto  has  not  been  left  destitute  of  Christ- 
ian confidence,  or  of  any  kind  of  consolation,  by 
him  who  in  his  mercy  has  honoured  me  to  favour 
his  cause,  if  not  by  actual  services,  at  least  by  sin-i 
cere,  though  many  ways  imperfect,  purposes  and 

*  Cald.  vii.  72,  808. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  233 

'•efore,  but  that  I  congratulate  you,  and 

to  go  on  in  your  virtuous  course? 

to  my  Dykes  and  me  wheH  you 

^  *^g ;  a  fault  whkh  is  not  more 

^  -^n  than  it  was  to  the  design 

*  son !  would  I  mock  you 
^^       ^  a  subject  ?     Far  be  this 

'  '^  against  every  thing  that  is 

^  .1,  or  which  merits  the  dislike  of 

your  love  succeed  and  be  clowned 

c  fortunate  and  auspicious  issue  to  you 

. !     If  I  seemed  to  oppose  it,  impute  this 

.tTself  and  your  urgent  request  for  my  opinion. 

or  could  I  prevail  on  myself  to  conceal  from  you 

what  I  heard  from  others  or  suspected  they  would 

way,  that  I  might  excite  you  to  look  narrowly  to 

yourself  and  your  affairs  at  this  crisis.     I  now  con-* 

gratulate  and  give  joy  to  Melissa  as  the  successor  of 

Eliza.     It  is  my  prayer  that  she  may  spend  many 

happy  years  in  your  company,  and,  what  is  more, 

that  she  may  make  you  the  father  of  a  fair  off- 

•  Jib  99 

Spring^. 

The  marriage  took  place  accordingly,  and  appears 
to  have  been  attended  with  happy  effects.  Melville 
never  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  fair  young 
ni^ce,  but  he  sent  his  affectionate  salutations  to  ^'  the 
honied  Melissa''  in  every  letter  which  he  wrote  to 
hid  nephew,  who  took  particular  pleasure  in  acknow- 
ledging the  compliment.   Whatever  may  be  thought 

•  Melvini  Epistolue,  pp.  I3i— lil,  U?,  Il3. 


236  LIFE  OT  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

the  divine  blessing.  In  so  good  a  cause  I  do  hot 
despair  of  being  able  at  least  to  answer  when  chal- 
lenged ;  but  instead  of  arrogating  any  thing  to  my- 
self,  I  am  disposed  to  place  great  confidence  in  my 
brethren,  whose  dihgence  in  preparing  for  the  com- 
bat I  cannot  but  highly  applaud  *." 

It  is  proper  now  to  turn  to  Scotland,  and  take  a 
view  of  those  ecclesiastical  transactions  in  which 
Melville  felt  so  deep  an  interest.  The  same  arts 
of  court  policy  which  had  been  put  in  practice  for  a 
number  of  years  continued  to  be  employed  for  the 
overthrow  of  Presbytery.  And  as  its  ablest  and 
most  resolute  defenders  were  either  exiled  or  impri- 
soned, these  arts  were  but  too  successful.  The 
bishops  were  conscious  that  there  were  still  great 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  their  accomplishing  their 
object.  While  they  were  at  work  in  removing 
these,  they  contrived  to  lay  asleep  the  jealousy  of 
their  opponents,  and  to  bind  up  their  hands,  by  en- 
gaging them  in  a  treaty  for  peace  and  accommoda^ 
tion.  At  a  conference  held  at  Falkland  in  Jime, 
1608,  and  at  a  packed  General  Assembly  convened 
at  Linlithgow  in  the  subsequent  month,  both  parties, 
with  professions  of  mutual  regard,  agreed  to  leave 
the  matters  in  dispute  to  be  settled  by  a  certain 
number  of  individuals,  and  promised  upon  oath  to 
abstain  in  the  mean  time  from  agitating  them,  or 
saying  any  thing  in  private  or  public  which  mi^t 

*  Mclvini  Kpistolic,  pp.  134, 135. 


\ 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  233 

refore,  but  that  I  congratulate  you,  and 
to  go  on  in  your  virtuous  course? 
to  my  Dykes  and  me  wheH  you 
ng ;  a  fault  which  is  not  more 
'  -^n  than  it  was  to  the  design 
'  son !  would  I  mock  you 
^  a.  subject  ?     Far  be  this 

^  against  every  thing  that  is 

%  M  or  which  merits  the  dislike  of 

your  love  succeed  and  be  c^pwned 

w  fortunate  and  auspicious  issue  to  you 

If  I  seemed  to  oppose  it,  impute  this 

a*self  and  your  urgent  request  for  my  opinion. 

^r  could  I  prevail  on  myself  to  conceal  from  you 

what  I  heard  from  others  or  suspected  they  would 

■ay,  that  I  might  excite  you  to  look  narrowly  to 

yourself  and  your  affairs  at  this  crisis.     I  now  con-* 

gratulate  and  give  joy  to  Melissa  as  the  successor  of 

Eliza.     It  is  my  prayer  that  she  may  spend  many 

happy  years  in  your  company,  and,  what  is  more, 

that  she  may  make  you  the  father  of  a  fair  off-* 

Spring  . 

The  marriage  took  place  accordingly,  and  appears 
to  have  been  attended  with  happy  effects.  Melville 
never  had  the  pleasiu*e  of  seeing  his  fair  young 
niece,  but  he  sent  his  affectionate  salutations  to  ^'  the 
honied  Melissa"  in  every  letter  which  he  wrote  to 
hid  nephew,  who  took  particular  pleasure  in  acknow- 
ledging the  compliment.    ^Vhatever  may  be  thought 

•  Melvini  Epistobe,  pp.  13t— Ul,  li?,  Il3. 


288  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

that  the  ecclesiastical  leaders  took  a  step  which  they 
had  hitherto  carefully  avoided.  They  had  all  along 
denied  that  there  was. any  intention  of  moulding  the 
government  of  the  church  after  the  English  form, 
and  had  vindicated  the  changes  which  had  been  suc- 
cessively introduced  on  the  groimd  of  their  being 
necessary  for  recovering  the  ecclesiastical  property, 
or  to  give  satisfaction  to  the  King.  But  they  now 
avowed  a  change  of  sentiment.  A  new  light,  they 
alleged,  had  sprung  up  in  their  minds  during  their 
late  studies ;  they  were  convinced  iixst  episcopacy 
was  more  agreeaUe  to  Scripture  than  that  form 
of  government  which  had  been  established  in  Scot- 
land; and  they  were  willing  to  impart  the  rea- 
sons which  had  convinced  them  to  their  brethren 
who  were  of  a  different  mind.  With  this  view 
they  proposed  that  the  question  should  be  submitted 
to  a  formal  dispute.  C!onsidering  what  the  conduct 
of  the  bishops  had  been  for  g,  course  of  years,  their 
professions  of  sudden  conversion  were  more  than  sus- 
picious, and  it  was  not  dij£cult  to  trace  their  **  new 
light"  to  its  genuine  source  *•     However,  three  of 

*  When  Cowper  was  made  Bishop  of  Galloway^  an  old  woman  who 
had  heen  one  of  his  parishionera  at  Perth,  and  a  fayourite,  could  not 
be  petsoaded  that  her  minister  had  deserted  the  presbyterian  causei 
Reaolyed  to  satisfy  htrweti,  die  paid  him  a  visit  in  the  Canongat^ 
where  he  had  his  residence  as  Dean  of  the  Cbap^  RojaL  The  retinue 
of  Servants  through  which  she  passed  staggered  the  good  woman*i 
confidenee ;  and  on  being  ushered  into  the  room  where  the  bishop  sat 
in  state,  she  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  Sir !  what's  this  ?  And  ye  hae  really 
left  the  guid  cause,  and  turned  prelate !" — "  Janet,  (said  the  bishop) 
1  have  got  new  light  upon  these  things." — ''  So  I  see^  Sir  (replied 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MEJLYILLE.  S39 

the  ministers  of  Fife, — Scot,  Dykes,  and  Carmichael, 
accepted  their  challenge,  and  prepared  for  the  con- 
test. But  it  was  enough  for  the  patrons  of  episco- 
pacy to  have  called  in  question  the  received  discip- 
line, and  they  found  excuses  for  putting  off  the  dis- 
cussion which  they  had  provoked.  To  assist  them 
in  the  dispute,  or  rather  to  deter  their  opponents 
from  agreeing  to  it.  Dr.  Abbot  and  two  other  learn- 
ed divines  were  sent  down  from  England.  With- 
out wishing  to  derogate  from  the  talents  of  the  Eng- 
lish missionaries,  we  cannot  help  saying  that  they 
gave  but  slender  proofs  of  their  prowess  on  this  oc- 
casion. Had  they  come  to  Scotland  four  years  earlier, 
when  the  ablest  defenders  of  presbytery  were  in  the 
country  and  at  liberty,  they  would  have  had  an  op- 
portunity of  signalizing  themselves  honourably  as 
the  champions  of  the  hierarchy ;  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  royal  insinuation  at  the  Hampton^ourt 
conference,  we  will  venture  to  say  that  they  would 
have  run  no  risk  of  having  their  doctoral  habili- 
ments torn,  although  the  sleeves  of  their  cassocks 
might  perhaps  have  been  a  little  disordered  by  the 
rude  fervoiu*  of  Scottish  eloquence.  But  their  com- 
ing at  the  present  time  and  traversing  the  country 
in  state,  bore  too  strong  a  resemblance  to  the  con- 
duct of  a  bravo,  who  proudly  walks  the  stage,  when 
he  knows  that  his  antagonists  have  been  seized  by 
the  officers  of  justice  or  bound  over  to  keep  the 

Janet) ;  for  when  ye  was  at  Pertb^  ye  had  hut  ae  candle,  and  now 
ye've  got  twa  before  ye :  that's  a'  your  new  light." 


240  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

peace.  The  English  doctors  were  content  with  ixtr 
sinuating  themselves  into  the  good  opinion  of  the 
ministers  in  private,  and  pronouncing  eijilogiuma  on 
their  church-polity  from  the  principal  pulpits  in  tbs 
kingdom.  Dr.  Abbot  preached  before  the  Genei^ 
Assembly  at  Linlithgow,  and  had  public  thanks 
given  him  for  his  **  excellent  sermon  *."  Such  com- 
mendations were  then  less  complimentary  than  they 
have  become  in  the  present  charitable  age^  and  I 
doubt  not  that  the  sermon  was  excellent  Inde^^ 
a  more  prudent  choice  of  a  missionary  could  Hot 
have  been  made.  The  amiable  manners,  moden^ 
tion,  and  zeal  for  the  reformed  religion,  by  whidi 
Abbot  was  distinguished,  could  not  fail  to  haye  a 
prepossessing  influence  in  favour  of  his  opinions, 
But  if  his  mission  contributed  to  the  overthrow  of 
the  presbyterian  church  of  Scotland,  she,  in  her  £b11» 
took  a  severe  revenge  on  her  rival.  In  reward  of 
his  services  on  this  occasion.  Abbot  was  advanced 
to  the  archbishopric  of  Canterbury  f  ;  and  we  am 
t  assured,  by  those  who  should  know  the  fact,  that 
his  semi-puritanical  principles  and  moderate  adnu- 
nistration  were  a  principal  cause  of  the  subsequent 
ruin  of  the  hierarchy,  and  triumph,  of  presbytery,  ^ 
England  t. 

From  the  accounts  of  the  friendly  treaty  which 
were  brought  him  in  the  Tower,  Melville  was  a)t 

*  MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  0.  nnm.  61. 
t  Birch's  Hist  View  of  Negociations^  p.  338. 
X  Heylin*8  Hist,  of  the  Ptahyterians^  p.  383.    Clarendon's  Hilt. 
vol.  i.  pp.  88,  89.    1T07.  8to. 


LIFE  OF  ANDE£W  MELVILLE.  941 

first  inclined  to  form  a  farourable  opinion  of  that 
measure.    But  his  nephew,  whose  proximi^  to  the 
scene  of  action  gave  him  a  better  opportunity  of 
being  acquainted  with  the  exact  state  of  matters^ 
and  the  real  intentions  of  the  roling  party,  disap*' 
proved  of  it  from  the  beginning,  and  had  warned 
his  brethren  against  agreeing  to  it  *.     *^  I  am  afraid 
(says  he,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle)  that  your  scdution 
of  my  scruples  is  not  satisfactoiy.     These  twenty 
individuals  (who  met  at  Falkland)  were  diosen  by 
the  General  Assembly  to  determine  all  matters  that 
were  in  controversy.     They  have  decided  that  the 
truce,  and  the  address  approving  of  the  royal  mea- 
sures, shall  be  published  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
kingdom,  and  that  none  shall  speak  against  th^m. 
And  they  have  promised  to  use  their  influence 
to  induce  their  brethren  to  acquiesce  in  this ;  den 
dsion.     The  bishops  boast  to  his  Majesty  of  their 
success,  and  appeal  to  the  letter  subscribed  by  aili 
the  delegates.     It  is  true  that  our  excellent  brethren 
who  have  been  placed  in  the  front  of  the  battlewore 
far  from  intending  this,  and  are  now  grieved  at  tifaie 
advantage  which  has  been  taken  of  them.      But 
through  their  over-confidence,  the  whole  diBfttpjjyift 
has  been  called  in  question.     It  has  been  with,  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  I  have  been  able  for  some  time 
back  to  restrain  Carmichaei,  Dykes,   and  certain 
others  from  disputation;  so  secure  were  these  young 
men  in  the  strength  of  the  cause  (which  no  doubt 

*  Cald.  vii.  126,  30S,  S89.    Melville*!  DccL  Age,  p.  21Q. 
VOL.  II.  R 


242  LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLt:. 

is  commendable)  and  in  their  own  abilities.  BiaA 
who  does  not  perceive  the  danger  of  disputing  be- 
fore such  a  judge  ?  for  the  king  will  be  the  judge. 
Therefore  I  dread  the  worst — not  only  the  over- 
throw of  the  discipline,  but  also  the  thraldom  of 
conscience  under  the  mask  of  forbearance,  tolera- 
tion, and  bonds  of  peace.  For  what  will  not  epis- 
copal men,  popish  or  protestant,  presimie  to  do  for 
the  advancement  of  their  schemes  ?  while  those  of 
the  purer  sort  will  not  dare  even  to  mutter.  N  *. 
has  long  ago  finished  a  large  answer  to  Barlow ;  bat 
unless  he  can  secure  a  maintenance  for  his  family  in 
exile  he  is  unwilling  to  publish  it,  and  I  cannot 
urge  him.  I  also  have  many  things  in  my  Adver^- 
saria,  but  they  are  as  a  sword  in  its  scabbard.  In 
the  mean  time  the  Greeks  are  masters  of  the  dty, 
which,  if  not  in  flames,  is  deserted  by  its  defenders! .** 
Melville  could  not  deny  the  force  of  these  reuaoDs, 
but  still  he  was  disposed  to  put  a  more  favourable 
construction  on  the  conduct  of  his  brethren.  **  If 
they  have  erred  (says  he  in  his  reply)  I  am  of  opi- 
nion that  they  have  erred  more  through  fear  than 
self-confidence.  If  they  have  been  guilty  of  any 
oversight,  it  has  proceeded  from  dejecticm  mthw 
than  elation  of  mind.  Nor  need  we  wonder  at  thii^ 
when  we  read  what  his  Majesty  has  lately  publish* 
ed,  in  his  contest  with  Bellarmine,  the  crimes  which 
he  imputed  to  the  puritans,  and  the  violent  hostility 

*  Probably  Mr.  John  Carmichael^  minister  of  Ely. 
t  Mdvini  £pUtol«,  pp.  123«-lf  5. 


LIt*£  OF  ANDltEW  MfiLVItLE.  S49 

which  he  shews  to  the  whole  of  that  party.  These 
declarations  might  make  our  brethren  dread  the 
Worst,  and  induce  them  to  ratify  the  bond  of  peace*.*" 

This  was  one  of  the  amiable  traits  in  Melville's 
character.  He  was  himself  a  stranger  to  fear ;  and 
no  man  was  less  disposed  to  make  concessions  hurt- 
ful to  truth,  or  to  give  way,  even  for  an  hour,  to 
the  insidious  proposals  of  its  adversaries.  Yet  no 
man  was  more  ready  than  he  to  make  allowances 
for  those  who  failed  through  defect  of  courage 
or  of  firmness ;  and  provided  he  was  satisfied  of 
their  integrity  and  good  intentions^  he  censured 
their  faults  with  the  utmost  reluctance  and  tender- 
ness. He  was  even  averse  to  form  a  harsh  ju^- 
ment  of  the  motives  of  those  individuals  whose  con- 
duct he  most  decidedly  condemned.  **  Notwith- 
standing the  stormy  season,  (says  he,  in  a  letter  to 
ft  firiend  in  Scotland,)  I  have  felt  nothing  hitherto 
bat  fair  and  pleasant  weather,  keeping  both  soul  and 
body  in  a  cheerful  disposition.  Such  is  the  bounti- 
ful grace  of  our  merciful  heavenly  Father  toward 
me  in  this  vale  of  misery  and  shadow  of  death.  So 
fbat  nothing  has  come  against  my  heart  to  trouble 
m^  but  the  afBictioa  of  my  brethren,  and  the  bear- 
ing down  of  the  cause  by  the  ignorance  of  some  and 
the  craft  of  others,  for  diarity  will  not  suffer  me  to 
suapect  malice  in  any  f .'' 

James  Melville's  predictions  were  soon  verified, 
the  time  agreed  on  for  a  cessation  of  hosti* 


*  Melvini  £pistol«,  p.  134.  t  Ctld.  yii.  810. 


244  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

lities,  the  bishops  were  busily  employed  in  strength* 
ening  their  influence,  aiid  in  ripening  their  plans  for 
execution.  At  the  parliament  held  in  1609>  not  oae 
of  the  ministers  was  present  to  oppose  any  inea* 
sures  hostile  to  the  church  which  might  be  pro* 
posed.  The  Conunissary-courts  were  suppressed ; 
and  the  power  of  judging  in  matrimonial  and  te^ 
tamentary  causes,  and  in  all  others  of  a  mixed 
kind,  was  transferred  to  the  bishops  in  their  se^ 
veral  dioceses  *.  Large  sums  of  money  were  ex* 
pended  by  the  King  in  buying  back  the  alienated, 
episcopal  lands  and  revenues,  that  the  bishops  might 
live  in  a  style  suitable  to4^heir  rank  f  •  Archbishijigi 
Spotswood  was  made  an  Extraordinary  Lord  of 
Session,  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  restoration. of 
the  episcopal  order  to  the  place  which  they  had  {(»;rt. 
merly  held  in  that  court  i.  But  nothing  contributed 
more  to  the  advancement  of  their  designs  than  the 


\,' 


*  Act  Pari  Scot  W.  430,  43L  The  bishops^  in  a  Memorial  to 
his  Migesty,  had  requested  his  interposition  to  procure  this  poWor 
far  them.    (Scot's  Apolog.  Narrat  p.  92\.    Printed  Cald.  p.  609.) 

t  James  MelriUe  says  that  this  cost  the  King  <*  aboTa  300,000 
lib.  Sterling.*'  (Hist  of  the  DecL  Age  of  the  Church  of  Scotlai^ 
p.  S65.    Simsoni  Annales,  p.  124.) 

X  This  was  one  of  the  requests  in  the  Memorial  referred  to  in  Utt 
last  note  but  one.  In  a  letter^  dated  Feb.  IS,  1610,  GladstaBii 
aays :  '*  Your  Majesty  may  look  £or  uniform  and  constant  Mrri» 
from  all  my  brethren,  the  prelates,  whom  also  your  Majesty  Wm 
please  to  encourage, — ^partly  when  places  in  the  Seaaion  shaU  imik<lif 
firomoting  some  moe  to  the  same,  whilk  will  both  repair  th«  dsaay 
of  our  lirings  and  patrimony,  and  procure  the  dependanoe  of  the  ml 
of  the  ministry,  who  have  their  fortunes  and  estates  sulject  to  the 
pleasure  of  that  judicatory.**  (MS.  in  BibL  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9* 
num.  68.) 


LIFB  OF  ANDE£W  MBLVILLE.  845 

poww  Idiidi  they  1-eoeived  from  the  epurt  to  modify 
orfethertipendtbf  themmistere.  ^*  By  augmenta. 
Utai  they  aUured,  by  dunintErtion  ihef  weakened,  a 
number  of  the  ministiy ;  and  that  so  covertly,  that 
one  cause  waa  pretended  publidy  and  another  all^;ed 
in  aeeret  '.'^ — **  The  bishops  sit  at  the  hehn  (says 
James  Melville,  in  a  letter  to  Im  imcle) ;  the  rest 
of  the  commissioners  bein^  either  removed  by  them, 
or  withdrawing  of  their  own  accord.  The  bishop 
of  St  Andrews  keeps  a  spl^adid  establishment  at 
Edinbuigfa,  consisting  of  his  wife,  children,  and  a 
great  retinne  of  servants;  and  ostentationdy  dis* 
piirys  his  silken  robes  every  Sabbath  in  Bruce's  pnl« 
pit  before  the  magistrates  and  nobility.  Oowds 
of  poor  ministers,  mean  souls,  besiege  his  door,  press 
round  him  when  he  comes  abroad,  and  for  the  sake 
of  their  stipends  (the  modifying  of  which  is  entirely 
in  his  power)  do  every  tiling  but  adore  him.  What 
sqr  you  to  this  f  ?"  At  last,  the  power  of  the  bishops 
was  carried  to  the  highest  pitch  to  which  the  King 
could  raise  it,  by  the  introduction  of  the  Kngliah 
Inquisition — the  court  of  High  Commissk)n.  'This 
detestable  court,  whose  procedure  was  regulated  by 
BO  fixed  laws  or  forma  of  justice,  was  armed  with 
the  united  terrors  of  ciril  and  ecclesiastical  despot 
tiam.  It  had  the  power  of  receiving  appeals  fix)m 
any  ecclesiastical  judicatory,  of  calling  before  it  all 
persons  accused  of  error  or  immorality,  and. all 

*  Printed  Cald.  pp.  4^4»  579-  t  M^lvini  Epintoke,  p.  125. 

B3 


S46  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

preachars  and  teachers  in  schools  or  colleges,  charged 
with  speeches  which  were  impertinent,  contrary  to 
the  established  order  of  the  church,  or  favourable 
to  those  who  had  been  confined  or  banished  fur  eo- 
desiastical  offences ;  and,  on  finding  them  guilty,  it 
was  empowered  to  depose  and  excommunicate,  to 
fine  and  imprison  them.  The  presence  of  an  arch- 
bishop was  necessary  to  the  validity  of  all  its  meet* 
ings,  and  it  was  easy  for  him  to  summon  such  of 
his  colleagues  as  he  knew  to  be  devoted  to  his  will ; 
BO  that  it  was  to  all  intents  and  purposes  an  qnsco* 
pal  court.  **  As  it  exalted  the  bishops  far  above 
any  prelate  that  ever  was  in  Scotland,  so  it  put  the 
King  in  possession  of  that  which  long  time  he  had 
desired  and  hunted  for,  to  wit,  the  royal  preroga- 
tive  and  absolute  power  to  use  the  bodies  and  goods 
of  his  subjects  at  his  pleasure,  without  form  or  pro- 
cess  of  the  common  law :  so  that  our  bishops  were 
fit  instruments  of  the  overthrow  of  the  fireedom  and 
liberty  both  of  the  church  and  realm  of  Scot* 
land  *:' 

Being  thus  Lords  of  parliament,  privy  coumil, 
session,  exchequer,  and  regality.  Modifiers  of  eti-* 
pends.  Constant  Moderators  and  Visitors  of  pg0h 
byteries,  and  Royal  High  Commissioners,  the  bishc^ 
thought  they  might  now  safely  submit  the  question 
of  episcopacy  to  the  determination  of  a  General  Aa« 
0embly.    Accordingly,  a  meeting  of  that  jndicatoiy 

*  Mdf  ille*!  Hlfit.  of  the  DecL  Age>  pp.  870—876. 


JLIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  847 

WB8»  at  their  request;  appointed  to  be  held  at  Olack 
gow  in  the  month  of  June,  1610;  royal  missives  were 
sast  to  the  presbyteries,  nominating  the  individuals 
whmn  they  should  choose  as  their  representatives  to 
it ;  and  the  Earl  of  Dunbar  came  down  from  Lon^. 
don  as  King's  C(»nmissioner,  to  be  present  at  its 
deliberations,  and  to  provide  that  every  thing  should 
be  done  according  to  the  royal  will  and  pleasure  *. . 
In  his  letter  to  the  Assembly,  his  Majesty  told 
the  members,  that  he  had  expected,  that,  weary  of 
tlie  anarchy  which  reigned  among  them,  they  would 
have  solicited  him  bdTore  that  time  to  restore  the 
primitive  government  of  the  church ;  but  since  they 
had  failed  in  doing  this,  either  through  the  eulpabte 
backwardness  of  the  bishops,  or  the  factious  singup 
larity  of  the  meaner  sort  of  ministers,  he  had  been 
oUiged  to  take  up  the  affair  himself.  He  had  called 
fhem  together,  he  said,  to  testify  his  affection  to 
Ae  church,  and  **  not  ,beeause  their  consent  was 
very  necessary,"  for  **  it  was  very  lawful  and  grant- 
ed to  him  by  Ood"  to  have  done  the  work  **  abso- 
lutely out  of  his  own  royal  power  and  authority  ;'* 
and  they  would  learn,  from  the  Earl  of  Dunbar 
and  the  Archbishop  <^  St  Andrews,  to  whom  he 


*  In  a  common  letter  sent  by  the  bbhope  to  his  M ^jestj^  requesting 
him  to  caU  this  Assembly,  they  say :  '' We  shall  take,  by  God's  help, 
Uie  moat  safe  and  sore  way :  snd  what  we  undertake,  we  shall  be  an« 
iwerable  to  your  Majesty  for  performance.  We  have  all  our  minuteri, 
even  such  as  were  mast  refractory,  at  the  point  of  toleration.  They 
udU  suffer  things  to  proceed  and  be  quiet,  because  they  cannot  longer 
strive."    (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jund.  Edin.  M.  6.  9.  num.  66.) 


S48  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  JHELTILLK. 

had  imported  Ids  mind,  wiiat  those  elteratioiiB  wait 
which  he  was  determined  to  make  whether  Hiey  osn* 
sented  to  them  or  not.  The  Aeaembly  was  not  «f 
a  temper  either  to  'vesent  op  resist  tibese  mi^sterial 
and  haughty  orders  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  draw  up  such  resolutions  as  would  prove  satisfies 
tory  to  his  Majesty,  or  rather  to  feceive  what 'had 
already  been  agreed  upon  between  him  and  the 
bishops  ;  and  their  report  was  immediately  adopted 
and  approved.  The  General  Assembly  held '  at 
Aberdeei^in  the  year  1605  was  condemned,  and  the 
right  of  calling  and  dismissing  Assemblies  was  de^ 
clared  to  be  a  branch  of  the  royal  prerogative.  Thf 
bishops  were  declared  moderators  of  Diocesan  Sy* 
nods ;  all  presentations  to  benefices  were  appointed 
to  be  directed  to  them,  in  place  of  pre«b3rteries ;  and 
the  power  of  excommunicating  and  absolving  of« 
fenders,  of  ordaining  and  deposing  ministers,  and  of 
visiting  all  the  churches  within  their  respective 
dioceses,  was  conferred  on  them.  In  ordinadoa 
and  deposition,  the  bishop  was  to  be  assisted  by  the 
**  ministers  of  the  bounds"  (for  the  name  of  a  pre^^ 
hytery  was  insufferable  to  the  royal  ears) ;  and  if 
found  culpable  he  might  be  removed  by  the  Geneial 
Assembly,  ^' with  his  Majesty's  advice  and  consent*.** 

*  In  a  letter  written  to  his  Migesty^  March  14,  1610,  Spotawood 
aays ;  "  They  have  at  this  time  a  strong  apprehension  of  the  diacfaaige 
of  presbyteries ;  and,  for  the  standing  thereof  in  any  tolerabte  aor^ 
will  refuse  no  conditions :  so  it  were  good  to  use  the  opportum'ty, 
cut  them  short  of  their  power,  and  leave  them  a  hare  name,  wkki  ^ 
the  presents  may  pfease,  hut  in  a  little  time  shall  evtmi^,"  (MS. 
JUbl.  Jurid.  £diu.  Jac.  V.  1.  12.  nun.  44.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  HELVILLE.  S49 

Bat  these  limitations  of  the  episcopal  poww^  wore 
merely  a  blind  thrown  over  the  eyes  of  the  simple  ; 
and  accordingly,  they  were  exdnded  from  the'subee- 
qaent  ratification  of  the  acts  of  the  Assembly  by 
Parliament  *•  There  were  only  five  votes  against 
the  resolutions.  Primrose,  and  some  other  ministers 
in  Ayrshire,  intended  to  protest  against  the  whole 
proceedings,  but  means  were  found  to  prevent  them 
from  carrying  their  purpose  into  execution. 
'  Ccmstituted  as  this  Assembly  was,  it  is  altogether 
lomnecessary  to  enter  into  any  particular  account  of 
iSbe  way  in  which  it  was  managed.  It  had  no  pre- 
tension to  be  regarded  as  a  regular  meeting  of  the 
supreme  judicatory  of  the  church  of  Scotland ;  it 
had  not  the  semblance  of  that  freedom  which  be- 
longs to  a  lawful  assembly ;  and  as  it  would  have 
been  less  insulting  to  the  nation,  so  it  would  have 
been  equally  good  in  point  of  authority,  if  the  mat- 
ters enacted  by  it  had  been  at  once  proclaimed  by 
heralds  at  the  market-cross,  as  edicts  emanating  from 
the  royal  will.  One  fact  only  shall  be  stated.  The 
Commissioner  produced  a  proclamation,  which  he  said 
%fi  was  appointed  to  make,  abolishing  presbyteries, 
and  prohibiting  them  to  meet  for  the  future.  While 
alarm  and  grief  at  this  intimation  sat  on  the  coun- 
tenance of  the  members,  some  of  the  nobility,  who 

•  4 

*  In  the  pretmble  of  the  act  of  parliament,  the  conclusion!  of  the 
Gtncfal  Assembly  are  thus  introduced :  "  In  manner,  substance,  and 
tBtei  following;  with  the  explanation  maid  be  the  estaitis  of  parlia- 
ment presentlie  couTenit  of  some  of  these  articles  resolued  vpoun  in 
IbirBaidassemblie  of  Ohwgow."  (Act.  Pari.  Scot  iv.  469.) 

6 


250  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE; 

were  instructed  to  act  their  part  in  the  farce,  rose 
and  entreated  the  Commissioner  to  keep  back  the 
prdclamation  until  the  King  should  be  informed  of 
their  present  proceedings ;  upon  which  his  lordship, 
with  affected  condescension,  acceded  to  their  propo- 
sal, and  promised  to  join  with  them  in  soliciting  his 
Majesty  to  rest  satisfied  with  what  the  Assembly 
had  done,  and  to  permit  the  presbyteries  to  continue. 
This  transaction  deterred  any  from  appearing  as 
protesters,  and  it  was  industriously  circulated 
through  the  country,  to  induce  ministers  and  people 
to  submit  to  the  obnoxious  decisions.  Bribery,  as 
well  as  artifice,  was  practised  on  the  members  of 
this  assembly,  which  obtained  the  name  of  the  ange* 
Ucal  assembly,  in  allusion  to  the  name  of  the  coins 
distributed  on  the  occasion*.  Those  who  voted 
with  the  court  endeavoured  to  excuse  their  receiv* 
ing  these  **  wages  of  unrighteousness,'^  by  all^;ing 
that  they  were  given  them  to  defray  their  travelliiqf 
expenses  f .  Two  years  were  allowed  to  elapse  be* 
fore  the  acts  of  this  Assembly  were  ratified,  and  the 


*  Sir  Jain«i  Balfour  says,  the  Earl  of  Dunbar  distrilmted 
the  numsters  '^  40,000  merks  to  facilitate  the  matter  and 
■uftages."  (Crawfnrd'a  Offioera  of  Sute,  p.  398.)  Nothing,  It  mi 
laid,  was  to  be  seen  about  Glasgow,  for  aome  time  after  the  BiwriiaHy, 
but  angels.  A  traTelling  pauper,  named  Jamea  Read,  who  kad  biOl 
there  in  the  eourae  of  hit  profession,  having  heard  what  a  ooontiy 
minister  got  for  his  vote,  railed  on  him  as  a  fool  for  selling  hia  Mas* 
tetfot  two  angels,  when  he  (the  pauper)  had  got  three  for  noCfaiQg* 
(Sima<mS  Annales,  p.  1S4.  Row's  Hist  p.  160.  Frooeedinga  of  te 
Assemblie  hoUen  at  Glasgow  in  1638 :  MS.  penes  me,  p.  66.) 

t  Cald.  vii.  389—406.  Row,  UT— 155.  Melville's  Ded.  Age,  S77 
—284.  Scot,  «S3— «40.    Wodrow's  Life  of  Law,  p.  9. 

4 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  S51 

laws  in  favour  of  presbytery  rescinded^  by  parlia* 
meiit^* 

Tliiig»  after  a  atxtigi^  of  more  than  ten  years, 
was  Bpifoopacy  established  in  Scotland.  The  way 
in  which  it  was  introduced  exhibits  a  complete  cop-* 
tiast  to  the  introduction  of  the  ecclesiastical  polity 
whidi  it  supplanted.  Presbytery  made  its  way  by 
th^  weapons  of  argument  and  persuasion,  without 
the  aid  of  the  civil  power,  which  viewed  its  pro- 
gress with  a  jealous  eye,  and  raised  its  arm  repeat- 
edly to  crush  it.  Its  patrons  avowed  from  the 
beginning  all  that  they  intended,  and  never  had 
recourse  to  falsehood  or  fraud  to  accomplish  their 
&vourite  object.  And  it  had  been  rooted  in  the 
iqpinions  and  affections  <^  the  nation  long  before  it 
nlptained  a  legal  establishment.  Episcopacy,  on  the 
contrary,  was  the  creature  of  the  state.  It  had  the 
whole  weight  of  the  authority  and  influence  of  the 
crown  all  along  on  its  side ;  and  even  with  this  it 
could  not  have  prevailed,  or  maintained  its  ground, 
without  the  aid  of  those  arts  to  which  government 
has  recourse  for  carrying  its  worst  and  most  unpo- 
pular measures.  Deceit  and  perfidy  and  bribery 
were  joined  to  fines,  and  imprisonments,  and  banish- 
ments, and  the  terrors  of  the  gibbet  Dissimulation 
was  the  grand  engine  by  which  the  presbsrterian 
constitution  was  overthrown.  While  the  court  dis- 
graced itself  by  a  series  of  low  and  over-reaching 
tricks,  the  aspiring  clergy  plunged  themselves  into 

•  Act  FarL  Scot  iv.  469,  470. 


252  LIFE  OF  AKDBEW  MELVILLE. 

the  deepest  and  most  iRt>fligaite  peijiuy.  They  re» 
fused  no  pledge  which  the  jealousy  of  the  churclii*- 
couits,  awakened  by  the  measures  of  government^ 
required  of  them.  When  engaged  m  a  8dieaie:fiar 
overthrowing  the  established  discipline,  they  re- 
newed the  assurances  ci  their  inviolable  attachmcgit 
and  adherence  to  it  *.  With  the  most  solemn  ass^ 
verations  and  execrations^  they  disclaimed  all  inten- 


*  On  the  Sd  of  August^  I60i^  all  the  inemben  of  the  ynadbjUay 
of  St.  Andrews^  inchiding  Gladstanes,  renewed  their  fobooriptiMiff 
the  National  Coyenant^  and  at  the  same  time  suhscrihed  the  act.of 
parliament^  159S^  which  ratified  presbytery,  as  an  authentic  explana- 
tion of  the  discipline  which  they  swore  to  maintain,-—''  to  tetttff 
their  harmony  and  hearty  agreement  in  all  things  both  fumariitg 
doctrine  and  discipline ;  promising  solemnly  to  defend  the  same  aU 
ways,  according  to  their  callings,  and  never  to  come  in  the  contrary 
according  to  the  great  oath  set  down  in  the  foresaid  Confeadoii  of 
Faith."    And  what  was  the  form  of  this  oath  ?    **  Frommqg  aad 
swearing  by  the  great  name  of  the  Lord  our  God,  that  we  ahaU  qoQ- 
tinue  in  the  obedience  of  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  this  kirk,  and 
shall  defend  the  same,  according  to  our  vocation  and  power,  all  Ae 
days  of  our  lives,  under  the  pains  contained  in  die  law,  and  duller 
both  of  body  and  soul  in  the  day  of  God's  fearful  judgment.    Ajid 
seeing  that  many  are  stirred  up,-<-to  promise,  swear,  and  subacribe 
deceitfully,— we  therefore,  willing  to  take  away  all  suspicion  of  hy|N>» 
crisy,  and  of  such  double  dealing  with  God  and  his  kirjc,  protoit  > 
call  the  searcher  of  all  hearts  for  witness^  that  our  minda  and, 
do  fully  agree  with  this  our  confession,  promise,  oath,  and  sdbacito" 
tion,"  &c    To  this  engagement,  sanctioned  by  this  awfhl  ap^tiA'^m^B 
protestation,  did  Gladstanes  set  his  hand  immediately  kflttr  dbt 
derator  of  the  presbytery.    (Extract  from  the  Record  of  Pnf^  |ri(^ 
And.  in  Melville's  Ded.  Age,  pp.'  109 — 111.)    Spotawood       '  * 
subscribed  the  Book  of  Policy,  among  the  members  o^  the 
of  Lihlithgow.    (Rec  of  Synod  of  Lothian  and  Tweeddd^ 
1591.)    And,  in  the  year  1604,  they  renewed  their  pledges.    (I 
soni  Annal.  pp.  89,  107.    Printed  Calderwood,  pp.  484,  485.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  S53 

tion  of  bringing  prelacy  into  the  chuieh,  and  swore 
to  ohBerve  the  cautions  enacted  to  guard  against  its 
admisrion.  Every  change  which  was  made  was  de- 
clared to  be  the  only  one  intended ;  but  no  sooner 
Iiad  the  alarm  excited  by  it  been  allayed  than  it  was 
fiillowed  by  another,  until  at  last  the  whole  system 
4d  the  hierarchy  was  introduced  and  established  by 
the  exertions  of  those  who  had  so  frequently  disown- 
ed and  abjured  it.  No  expressions  can  be  too  strong 
in  reprobating  a  scene  of  deliberate,  systematic,  and 
persevering  prevarication  and  perfidy,  to  which  it 
will  not  be  easy  to  find  a  parallel  in  the  wh<^e  his- 
tory of  political  intrigue,  and  which,  as  practised 
by  churchmen,  must  have  had  the  most  pernicious 
influence  on  religion,  by  debasing  the  character  of 
its  ministers,  especially  in  the  estimation  of  the 
higher  ranks,  whom  they  now  vied  with  in  honoura, 
and  sought  to  supplant  in  the  highest  offices  of  the 
state.  A  victory  gained  by  such  arts  was  more 
dishonourable  than  many  defeats.  It  required  only 
another  triumph  of  a  similar  kind  to  secure  the  per- 
petual proscription  of  episcopacy  from  this  country, 
and  to  fix  a  stigma  upon  it  which  must  induce  its 
warmest  admirers  to  wish  that  every  trace  of  its 
existence  were  erased  from  the  annals  of  Scotland. 

A  Scottish  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Colville 
communicated  the  result  jpf  the  assembly  at  Glasgow 
to  Melville.  He  was  deeply  affected  by  the  intel- 
ligence ;  and  continued  for  a  considerable  time  in  a 
state  of  profound  and  distressing  silence.  When 
his  grief  at  last  found  utterance^  it  vented  itself  in 


854  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  HELVILLS:. 

a  vehement  denunciation  against  the  Commigsioner, 
Dtinbar,  whom  he  regarded,  and  justly,  as  the  prime 
agent  in  overturning  the  ecclesiastical  liberties  of 
his  native  country  *.   Not  that  he  wanted  aHOusidera* 
tions  to  alleviate  the  distress  which  he  felt  on  this 
occasion.     His  conscience  acquitted  him  of  having 
wilfully  failed  in  any  part  of  his  duty  during  the 
long  and  painful  struggle ;  and  he  had  the  satisfiac- 
tion  to  reflect,  that  though  the  cause  was  unsuccess-' 
ful,  its  honour  remained  untarnished.     Until  he 
and  his  associates  were  removed  out  of  the  way  by 
fraudulent  and  forcible  means,  the  enemy  gained  no 
real  advantage,  and  diurst  not  attack  the  dtadel, 
notwithstanding  their  knowledge  of  the  treachwf 
and  feebleness  of  many  of  its  defenders.    With  aU 
his  vanity  and  boastfulness,  Gladstanes  acknow- 
ledged that  they  would  have  been  unable  to  execute 
their  designs,  if  Andrew  Melville  had  remained  in 
the  country  and  been  at  liberty.     The  firm  and  in- 
dependent, though  oppressed  and  overborne,  oppcnip 
ents  of  episcopacy  were  the  real  victors ;  and  it  was 
not  without  reason  that  Melville  applied  the  el^pat 

*  Scot  reports  Melville's  words  to  have  been,  "  that  mmn  (Dan- 
bur)  that  htth  orerthrown  that  kirk  and  the  liberties  of  Chrlstrs  kiny- 
dome  there  shaU  never  have  the  grace  to  set  hit  foot  In  thatkingdMM 
againe."  (Apolog.  Narrat.  p.  848.)  And  the  same  acooont  It  given 
by  Row.  (Hist  p.  158.)  But  in  the  confidential  oorreqpondeBee  be- 
tween Mdville  and  his  nephew,  thflre  is  not  the  moat  distant  iilfnilim 
to  any  prophecy,  ahhongh  Dnnbar's  death  is  repeatedly  wMw^*<iFf^- 
It  it  moat  probable  that  a  prophetical  torn  wu  given  to  MdviDe's 
words  afler  the  sadden  death  of  the  premier;  and  this  remaik  may  be 
eztaided  to  many  of  those  sayings  which  have  beea  reemded  at 
praphedes  in  the  Uvea  of  good  men. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  855 

d^Bcription  of  au  ancient  historian  to  himself  and 
his  fellow-combatants :  ^  CertaUm  giariosa  in  cer- 
iamima  ruebatur ;  nmltoque  amdius  turn  nmrtyria 
ghrioris  mortibus  qwerehantur^  quam  nunc  epUco^ 
paius  pravis  ambUkmibus  appetwntv^. — Neqi^e  mo- 
jqire  unquam  triumpho  vicmus,  quam  quum  decern 
annorum  stragibus  vinci  nan  patuimus  *." 

The  overthrow  of  presbytery  afflicted  James  Mel- 
ville as  acutely  as  his  uncle ;  but  it  did  not  surprise 
him  so  much,  as  he  was  less  sanguine  in  his  hopte 
of  a  successful  resistance,  from  the  knowledge  which 
he  possessed  of  the  actual  state  of  matters  in  Scot- 
land. Before  the  late  General  Assembly  sat  down, 
tris  fears  had  anticipated  the  issue,  and  he  had  be- 
wailed it  in  the  most  tender  strains  in  his  letters  to 
kis  brethren  f .  Jealous  of  the  personal  interviews 
and  epistolary  correspondence  which  he  held  With 
his  brethren  in  Scotland,  the  bishops  procured  an 
oirder  to  remove  him  fix)m  Newcastle  to  Carlisle, 
where  he  would  have  it  less  in  his  power  to  coun- 
teract their  plans.  The  only  consolation  which  he 
had  in  the  prospect  of  this  change  of  abode  was  the 
opportunity  that  it  would  give  him  of  meeting  with 
his  much  esteemed  friend  and  fellow-sufferer,  John 
Murray  ^.    But  by  means  of  his  friends  at  court  he 

*  MelTud  Epist.  p.  87:  exSolptii  Seven  Hist  Siiar.lib.  i  cap.  SS. 

t  See  his  letter  to  William  Scot  in  Printed  Calderwood,  p.  614. 

%  John  Murray,  niinister  of  Leith,  wu  at  tliia  time  confined  in 
Dnmfiiea-fllure.  He  was  prosecuted  for  a  sennon  containiog  some 
free  remarks  on  the  conduct  of  the  bishops,  which  had  been  printed 
without  his  knowledge.    The  Priry  Council  sustained  his  deleaee. 


•» 


S54  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  HE^       >l£. 

a  vehement  denunciaticm  s'        >tter,  and  was  per- 

Dunbar»  whom  he  r^^a^ '       ^^  at  Berwick  *.   If  he 

agent  in  overtumir  r^  to  the  interest  of  the 

his  native  country      ^.    ^^st  the  same  time  with  an 

tions  to  alleviatf        ^/^^^mBn,  which  cured  him  of 

occasion.    Hir       <;^  be  still  felt  to  rely  on  his  pa- 

wilfiilly  faile    Vyi^^^inay  be  added  to  the  nimierous 

long  and  p*    ,*^  '-^/^  f^th  of  courtiers.    "  I  cannot 

tion  to  Tf     ^y-^yoVL  (says  he,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle) 

ful,  itp    ^^j/^iiich  I  have  received  from  my  lord  of 

and  h     '^/^on  passing  through  this  place  to  Glas- 

fsv      i/^  d^^^  ™^  ^^^  ^^^  again  and  a  third 

V       w/'jj/troneously  charged  me,  when  I  was  asking 

^aj^^avour  of  him,  to  send  for  my  son  Andrew, 

<  ^ve  him  in  readiness  to  accompany  him  when 

learned  to  the  south  ;  as  he  intended  to  place 

^  in  one  of  the  English  universities,  and  would 

^pply  him  with  every  thing  that  he  needed.    At 

^nsiderable  expense  I  recalled  the  young  man  from 

France,  and,  placing  him  before  his  lordship  on  his 

return,  I  told  him  that  my  son  waited  his  orders. 

He  took  no  notice  of  him  ;  but  mounting  his  horse 

and  contracting  his  brows,  stretched  out  his  hand 

to  me,  and  departed  without  uttering  a  wordf.** 

but  the  bishops  procured  a  letter  Arom  the  King,  reprimanding  the 
Council,  and  ordering  Murray  into  confinement  (Regist.  Secret 
Condi.  Royal  Letters,  &c.  SOth  March,  and  30th  April,  1608 ;  and 
5th  March,  1609.  Printed  Cald.  pp.  580 — 589.)  His  sermon  was 
printed  along  with  ''  Informations  or  a  Protestation,  A.  1608 ;"  but 
it  is  rarely  to  be  found  in  the  copies  of  that  tract 

*  Melrini  Epistole,  pp.  150,  166. 

t  Ibid.  pp.  183,  184. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  257 

proud  man  was  soon  after  brought  down  from 
^ation,  and  laid  where  '*  the  kings  and  coun- 
"  the  earth  rest  with  the  prisoners,  who  no 
aear  the  voice  of  the  oppressor," 
.elviile  was  visited  in  the  Tower   by  several 
.  the  supporters  of  episcopacy,  whom  he  received 
in  such  a  way  as  to  testify  his  sense  of  their  cour- 
tesy, at  the  same  time  that  he  told  them  his  opinion 
of  their  conduct  with  his  characteristical  frankness 
EUid  warmth.     ^^  Two  of  my  old  scholars  (says  he) 
railed  on  me  when  they  were  lately  here.    The  sight 
(>f  them  made  my  mouth  water ;  and  I  poured  forth 
jay  indignation  on  them  in  my  usual  manner.     I 
lid  not  dissemble  the  injury  done  to  the  brethren 
through  their  fault.     I  exhorted  them  to  return 
to  their  duty  and  not  to  go  on  to  *  fight  against 
Gk>d.'     The  injuries  done  to  myself  I  forgave  the 
ximmonwealth  and  church.     I  shewed  them  that  the 
irms  of  all  ought  to  be  turned  against  the  common 
Hiemy,  unanimity  and  fraternal  concord  cultivated, 
ind  the  exiled  brethren  recalled.     They  agreed  with 
me  on  these  points,  but  pleaded  that  the  King  is 
l>ent  on  maintaining  order,  and  he  must  be  obeyed 
*ii  all  things : 

Et  vetercm  in  limo  rane  cednere  qucrelam. 

I  parted  with  these  civil  gentlemen  on  the  most  civil 
terms;  and  they  of  course  will  trumpet  everywhere 
the  praises  of  your  friend's  profound  erudition  *.*' 

*  Melviui  £pistolc>  p.  54.  ' '' 

VOL.  II.  S 


S54  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  HEX '    >L£. 

a  vehement  denundatioii  bs^  ytler,  and  was  per- 
Dunbar,  whom  he  regan^  ^e  at  Berwick  *.  If  he 
agent  in  overturninr  ^  to  the  interest  of  the 

his  native  country  '        /^gt  the  same  time  with  an 
tions  to  alleviate         jj,/k>man,  which  cured  him  of 
occasion.     His       ;^  he  still  felt  to  rely  on  his  pa- 
wilfiilly  fiEule^^  yJ-M^^^Y  ^  added  to  the  nimierous 
long  and  pp'  ;>']/Cod  faith  of  courtiers.     **  I  cannot 
tion  to  le^    >/ ^u  (says  he,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle) 
fill,  its    /l/^bich  I  have  received  from  my  lord  of 
and  h'    ^^y^oa  passing  through  this  place  to  Glas- 
frar     ^^'  d^exg^A  me  once  and  again  and  a  third 
n*      ^i^'^/troneously  charged  me,  when  I  was  asking 
/j^avour  of  him,  to  send  for  my  son  Andrew, 
<  ^ve  him  in  readiness  to  accompany  him  when 
^^'i^umed  to  the  south ;  as  he  intended  to  place 
^  in  one  of  the  English  universities,  and  would 
^pply  him  with  every  thing  that  he  needed.     At 
^nsiderable  expense  I  recalled  the  young  man  from. 
France,  and,  placing  him  before  his  lordship  on  hi^ 
return,  I  told  him  that  my  son  waited  his  orders* 
He  took  no  notice  of  him  ;  but  mounting  his  hor&^ 
and  contracting  his  brows,  stretched  out  his  haiul 
to  me,  and  departed  without  uttering  a  wordf.^ 

but  the  bUhopB  procured  a  letter  from  the  King,  reprimanding  tbe 
Council,  and  ordering  Murray  into  confinement  (Regist.  Secret 
CondL  Royal  Letters,  &c.  SOth  March,  and  30th  April,  1608;  lod 
5th  March,  1609.  Printed  Cald.  pp.  580 — 582.)  His  sermon  wu 
printed  along  with  *^  Informations  or  a  Protestation,  A.  1608 ;"  but 
it  is  rarely  to  be  found  in  the  copies  of  that  tract 

*  MeMni  Epistole,  pp.  150,  166. 

t  Ibid.  pp.  183,  184. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE,  257 

proud  man  was  soon  after  brought  down  from 

'ation,  and  laid  where  ^*  the  kings  and  coun- 

'  the  earth  rest  with  the  prisoners,  who  no 

.oar  the  voice  of  the  oppressor." 

.iviile  was  visited  in  the  Tower   by  several 

the  supporters  of  episcopacy,  whom  he  received 

a  such  a  way  as  to  testify  his  sense  of  their  cour- 

esy,  at  the  same  time  that  he  told  them  his  opinion 

if  their  conduct  with  his  characteristical  frankness 

nd  warmth.     "  Two  of  my  old  scholars  (says  he) 

ailed  on  me  when  they  were  lately  here.    The  sight 

f  them  made  my  mouth  water ;  and  I  poured  forth 

try  indignation  on  them  in  my  usual  manner.     I 

id  not  dissemble  the  injury  done  to  the  brethren 

hrough  their  fault.     I  exhorted  them  to  return 

o  their  duty  and  not  to  go  on  to  *  fight  against 

led.'     The  injuries  done  to  myself  I  forgave  the 

(ttnmonwealth  and  church.     I  shewed  them  that  the 

nriB  of  all  ought  to  be  turned  against  the  common 

nemy,  unanimity  and  fraternal  concord  cultivated, 

nd  the  exiled  brethren  recalled.     They  agreed  with 

neon  these  points,  but  pleaded  that  the  King  is 

lent  on  maintaining  order,  and  he  must  be  obeyed 

a  all  things : 

£t  vetcrcm  in  limo  rane  cednere  qucrelam. 

[  parted  with  these  civil  gentlemen  on  the  most  civil 
lerms ;  and  they  of  course  will  trumpet  everywhere 
praises  of  your  friend's  profound  erudition  *.*' 

*  Melviui  Epistolc,  p.  54. 
VOL.  II.  S 


S54  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MET '     >L£. 

a  vehement  denunciaticm  ar       ytler,  and  was  per- 

Dtinbar,  whom  he  regan^        -^^t  at  Berwick  *.   If  he 

agent  in  overtumin'*  ^  to  the  interest  of  the 

his  native  country^     .    ,'^\i  the  same  time  with  an 

tions  to  alleviate       .  >,^i/^man,  which  cured  him  of 

occasion.     Hi0      ^^^Aj^  Ae  still  felt  to  rely  on  his  pa- 

wilfully  failc*  yJ^^tsOij  be  added  to  the  numerous 

long  and  pr    .r  y^J^  faith  of  courtiers.     **  I  cannot 

tion  to  le^    <;/ ^/ou  (says  he,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle) 

fill,  it8    /^^la^  I  \\scve,  received  from  my  lord  of 

and  h     '^fTOn  passing  through  this  place  to  Glas- 

frar     ^^'  diaxg^  me  once  and  again  and  a  third 

re      ^'jj/troneously  charged  me,  when  I  was  asking 

^J^l^iavour  of  him,  to  send  for  my  son  Andrew, 

^  ^ve  him  in  readiness  to  accompany  him  when 

^^'i^umed  to  the  south ;  as  he  intended  to  place 

^  in  one  of  the  English  universities,  and  would 

^pply  him  with  every  thing  that  he  needed.     At 

^nsiderable  expense  I  recalled  the  young  man  £rom 

France,  and,  placing  him  before  his  lordship  on  his 

return,  I  told  him  that  my  son  waited  his  orders* 

He  took  no  notice  of  him  ;  but  mounting  his  horse 

and  contracting  his  brows,  stretched  out  his  hand 

to  me,  and  departed  without  uttering  a  wordf.** 

but  the  bishops  procured  a  letter  from  the  King,  reprimanding  the 
Council,  and  ordering  Murray  into  confinement  (Regiat.  Secret 
Condi.  Royal  Letters,  &c.  SOth  March,  and  SOth  April,  1608 ;  and 
5th  March,  1609.  Printed  Cald.  pp.  580 — 582.)  His  sermon  was 
printed  along  with  ''  Informations  or  a  Protestation,  A.  1608 ;"  but 
it  is  rarely  to  be  found  in  the  copies  of  that  tract 

*  MeMni  Epistole,  pp.  150,  166. 

t  Ibid.  pp.  183,  184. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  257 

nroud  man  was  soon  after  brought  down  from 
ation,  and  laid  where  *^  the  kings  and  coun- 
the  earth  rest  with  the  prisoners,  who  no 
.ear  the  voice  of  the  oppressor." 
jiviile  was  visited  in  the  Tower   by  several 
the  supporters  of  episcopacy,  whom  he  received 
in  such  a  way  as  to  testify  his  sense  of  their  cour- 
tesy, at  the  same  time  that  he  told  them  his  opinion 
of  their  conduct  with  his  characteristical  frankness 
and  warmth.     ^^  Two  of  my  old  scholars  (says  he) 
railed  on  me  when  they  were  lately  here.    The  sight 
tat  them  made  my  mouth  water ;  and  I  poured  forth 
my  indignation  on  them  in  my  usual  manner.     I 
lid  not  dissemble  the  injury  done  to  the  brethren 
through  their  fault.     I  exhorted  them  to  return 
to  their  duty  and  not  to  go  on  to  ^  fight  against 
Gk>d.'     The  injuries  done  to  myself  I  forgave  the 
sommonwealth  and  church.     I  shewed  them  that  the 
arms  of  all  ought  to  be  turned  against  the  common 
enemy,  unanimity  and  fraternal  concord  cultivated, 
md  the  exiled  brethren  recalled.     They  agreed  with 
me  on  these  points,  but  pleaded  that  the  King  is 
bent  on  maintaining  order,  and  he  must  be  obeyed 
in  all  things : 

£t  vetercm  in  limo  rane  cedncre  qucrelam. 

I  parted  with  these  civil  gentlemen  on  the  most  civil 
terms;  and  they  of  course  will  trumpet  everywhere 
the  praises  of  your  friend's  profound  erudition  *." 

*  Mdviui  Epistolit,  p.  54. 
VOL.  II.  S 


S54  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MET  *     >/.£. 

a  vehement  denundation  ar       .Aer,  and  was  per- 

Dunbar,  whom  he  r^aTv*        ^,f  at  Berwick  *.   If  he 

agent  in  overtumin''  -'^  to  the  interest  of  the 

his  native  country^     .  y/gt  the  same  time  with  an 

tions  to  alleviate      ^ .  y^/eman,  which  cured  him  of 

occasion.     His      .^i^  be  still  felt  to  rely  on  his  pa- 

wilfuUy  hSlef  /y^ixvxj  be  added  to  the  nimierous 

long  and  pr    ,  '/^  faith  of  courtiers.     *^  I  cannot 

tion  to  re'    <y'^y(^  (says  he,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle) 

fill,  it8    yj/^bich  I  have  received  from  my  lord  of 

and  Y   jyoa  passing  through  this  place  to  Glas- 

fiar     J/^'cbt^g^  ™^  ^^^  and  again  and  a  third 

re      j^'altroneoMsly  charged  me,  when  I  was  asking 

^^[Jl^avour  of  him,  to  send  for  my  son  Andrew, 

P^^ve  him  in  readiness  to  accompany  him  when 

^^'i^ttmed  to  the  south ;  as  he  intended  to  place 

^  in  one  of  the  English  universities,  and  would 

^pply  him  with  every  thing  that  he  needed.     At 

^nsiderable  expense  I  recalled  the  young  man  £rom 

France,  and,  placing  him  before  his  lordship  on  his 

return,  I  told  him  that  my  son  waited  his  orders. 

He  took  no  notice  of  him  ;  but  mounting  his  horse 

and  contracting  his  brows,  stretched  out  his  hand 

to  me,  and  departed  without  uttering  a  wordf.** 

but  the  bishops  procored  a  letter  horn  the  King^  reprimanding  the 
Couucil^  and  ordering  Murray  into  confinement  (Regiat.  Secret 
CondL  Royal  Letters^  &c.  SOth  March,  and  30th  April,  1608 ;  and 
5th  March,  1609.  Printed  Cald.  pp.  580 — 582.)  His  sermon  was 
printed  along  with  '*  Informations  or  a  Protestation,  A.  1608 ;"  but 
it  is  rarely  to  be  found  in  the  copies  of  that  tract 

*  Melrini  Epistole,  pp.  150,  166. 

t  Ibid.  pp.  183,  184. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  268 

Capel»  one  of  the  ministers  of  the  French  diurch  in 
London,  who  had  a  brother  in  the  University  of 
Sedan,  As  the  Duke  was  one  of  the  grandees  of 
France,  and  at  the  head  of  the  protestants  in  that 
kingdom,  James  was  pleased  at  having  an  opportu- 
nity to  gratify  him  by  granting  the  request  *.  But 
when  Melville  had  the  prospect  of  inmiediately  ob^ 
taining  his  liberty,  a  formidable  opposition  was  made 
to  it  from  an  unexpected  quarter.  The  French  am- 
bassador at  London  thought  it  proper  to  acquaint 
his  court  with  the  transaction  which  was  going  on 
between  the  Duke  of  Bouillon  and  James.  The 
Queen  Regent  instantly  wrote,  that  she  did  not  judge 
it  safe  that  a  person  of  Melville's  qualities  should 
come  into  her  kingdom,  where  there  was  already  a 
sufficient  number  of  turbulent  and  restless  spirits ; 
and  therefore  charged  her  ambassador  to  oppose  the 
measure,  by  representing  to  James  that  it  was  not 
reasonable  to  send  to  France  an  individual  whom 
he  had  found  it  necessary  to  lay  under  restraint  at 
home  on  account  of  his  seditious  behaviour  f .  At 
an  interview  with  his  Majesty,  the  ambassador  laid 
this  representation  before  him.  James  professed 
himself  greatly  embarrassed  in  consequence  of  his 
promise  to  Bouillon.  The  request,  he  said,  had 
been  publicly  presented  by  Lord  Wotton ;  and,  not 
gospecting  that  a  Marshal  of  France,  and  one  of  the 
principal  counsellors  of  her  Majesty,  had  not  made 


*  MeWini  Epistolc^  p.  173. 

t  De  la  Boderie^  Ambassadet^  torn.  v.  pp.  513^-515. 


264  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE. 

her  acquainted  with  the  application^  he  had  readily- 
acceded  to  it,  on  condition  that  the  prisoner  should 
not  be  allowed  either  to  preach  or  publish^  but 
should  confine  himself  to  reading  and  teaching  in 
Sedan.  At  the  same  time,  he  professed  his  desire 
to  oblige  the  Queen  in  this  and  all  other  matters ; 
and  only  requested,  that,  with  the  view  of  disen- 
gafAns  him  from  his  promise,  she  should  speak  to 
^Zke  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  him  from 
insisting  on  his  request.  In  the  course  of  the  con- 
versation with  the  French  ambassador,  his  Majesty 
discovered  his  strong  antipathy  to  Melville ;  and 
gave  a  short  narrative  of  his  life,  in  which  he  ap- 
pears to  have  been  guided  not  so  much  by  a  r^ard 
to  truth,  as  by  a  desire  to  increase  the  fears  ex- 
pressed by  the  French  queen.  The  Duke  of  Bouil- 
lon, he  said,  would  not  be  so  urgent  in  his  request, 
if  he  were  acquainted  with  the  fierce  and  contentious 
humour  of  the  man.  After  he  retiimed  from  Ge- 
neva, where  he  was  educated,  he  had  been  placed  in 
one  of  the  universities  of  Scotland,  which  he  kept 
in  continual  broils  during  the  four  years  that  he  re- 
mained in  it :  on  that  account  his  Majesty  was  oblig- 
ed to  remove  him  to  another  university,  into  which 
he  also  carried  the  torch  of  discord :  and,  finally, 
being  called  up  to  London  to  answer  for  his  disor- 
derly conduct,  he  was  no  sooner  there  than  he  fell 
upon  his  Majesty  and  his  principal  counsellors, 
whom  he  treated  so  abusively,  that  it  became  ne- 
cessary, in  order  to  prevent  something  worse,  to 
shut  him  up  in  the  Tower,  where  he  still  remain- 


LIFE  OF  ANIXBEW  MELTILLE.  365 

ed*.  The  Queen  Regent  addressed  a  second  des- 
patch to  her  ambassador,  instructing  him  to  perse^ 
vere  in  his  opposition  to  Melville's  journey  f  •  The 
secret,  however,  was,  that  the  French  court  was  not 
so  much  afraid  of  the  seditious  spirit  of  the  Soofe^ 
tish  Professor,  as  offended  at  Bouillon  for  present- 
ing such  a  request  without  its  knowledge,  and 
jealous  of  his  intercourse  with  the  court  of  Lon- 
don t-  Accordingly,  the  Duke  having  made  a  satis- 
factory apology  for  the  step  which  he  had  taken,  the 
Queen  Regent  withdrew  her  opposition. 

Melville  had  sent  the  earliest  information  of  the 
diange  in  his  prospects  to  his  nephew.  **  The 
Duke  of  Bouillon  has  applied  to  the  King,  by 
the  ambassador  Wotton  and  by  letters,  for  liberty 
to  me  to  go  to  France.  His  Majesty  is  said  to 
have  yielded.  I  am  in  a  state  of  suspense  as  to  the 
course  which  I  ought  to  take.  There  is  no  room 
for  me  iu  Britain  on  account  of  pseudo-episcopacy-— 
no  hope  of  my  being  allowed  to  revisit  my  native 
country.  Our  bishops  return  home  after  being 
anointed  with  the  waters  of  the  Thames.  Alas,  li- 
berty is  fled  !  religion  is  banished  ! — ^I  have  nothing 
new  to  write  to  you,  except  my  hesitation  about  my 
banishment.  I  reflect  upon  the  active  life  which 
I  spent  in  my  native  country  during  the  space 
of  thirty-six  years,  the  idle  life  which  I  have  been 
condenmed  to  spend  in  prison,  the  reward  which  I 


*  De  la  Boderie^  torn.  ▼.  pp.  530^533. 
t  Ibid.  p.  541.  X  Ibid.  p.  517. 

3 


366  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

have  received  from  men  for  my  labours,  the  incon- 
veniences of  old  age,  and  other  things  of  a  similar 
kind,  taken  in  connexion  with  the  disgraceful  bond- 
age of  the  church  and  the  base  perfidy  of  men.  But 
in  vain :  I  am  still  irresolute.  Shall  I  desert  my 
station  ?  shall  I  fly  from  my  native  country,  from 
my  native  church,  from  my  very  self?  Or,  shall  I 
deliver  myself  up,  like  a  bound  quadruped,  to  the 
will  and  pleasure  of  men  ?  No:  sooner  than  do  this, 
I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  Grod,  to  endure  the 
greatest  extremity.  But  until  my  fate  is  fixed,  I 
cannot  be  free  from  anxiety.  Be  assured,  however, 
that  nothing  earthly  affects  me  so  deeply  as  the  treach- 
ery of  men  to  God,  and  the  defection  of  our  church 
in  this  critical  conjuncture.  Yet  our  adversaries 
have  not  all  the  success  which  they  could  wish — 
but  I  dare  not  write  all  that  I  could  tell  you  by 
word  of  mouth.  Our  affairs  are  in  a  bad  state,  but 
there  is  still  some  ground  of  hope.  Take  care  of 
your  health,  and  send  me  your  advice,  as  quickly 
as  possible,  and  in  one  word.  Shall  I  go,  or,  shall 
I  remain  *  ?'* 

It  is  evident  from  this  letter  that  he  felt  reluc- 
tant to  go  abroad.  He  was  become  attached  to  his 
native  country  by  a  long  residence  in  it.  Though 
he  had  no  family  of  his  own,  he  had  formed  attach- 
ments which  were  nearly  as  close  and  endearing  as 
those  which  are  strictly  domestic.  His  health  and 
spirits  were  still  uncommonly  good ;  but  he  had 

*  Melyini  Epist.  pp.  173^175. 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  S67 

arrived  at  that  period  of  life  when  the  mind  loses  its 
elastic  spring  and  its  power  of  accommodating  itself 
to  external  circumstances ;  and  he  U^  averse  to 
enter  upon  a  new  scene  of  action  in  a  country  where 
the  people  and  the  manners  had  undergone  a  com- 
plete change  since  he  had  known  them.  There 
were,  therefore,  no  sacrifices,  those  of  conscience 
and  honour  excepted,  which  he  was  not  prepared  to 
make,  in  order  to  obtain  permission  to  remain  in 
Scotland. 

James  Melville  knew  that  all  hopes  of  this  kind 
were  vain,  and  therefore  advised  him  to  embrace  the 
offer  which  was  in  his  power.  **  Summon  up  your 
courage,  and  prepare  to  obey  the  call  of  providence. 
Perhaps  this  is  *  a  man  of  Macedonia' — a  messen- 
ger from  God  to  invite  you  to  the  help  of  the  inha- 
bitants of  Burgundy  and  Lorrain.  Like  the  apostle, 
*  let  none 'of  these  things  move  you,  neither  count 
your  life  dear,  that  you  may  finish  your  course  with 
joy,  and  the  ministry  which  you  have  received  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God.' 

Te  si  fata  tnis  paterentor  duoere  Titam 
Auspiciis,  et  sponte  tua  oomponere  curasj 
Urbem  Trojanaro  primum— — — 
Sed  nunc  Italiam 

Seeing  you  are  bound  like  Jeremiah,  you  must  go 
whither  you  are  led,  though  not  in  obedience  to  the 
will  of  men,  yet  in  cheerful  stibnyssion  to  the  will 


£68  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

of  Gody  who  will  keep  you  in  all  his  ways.  So  far 
as  I  can  see,  there  is  no  choice  left,  but  a  hard  ne- 
cessity is  imposed  on  you.  I  may  add,  that  those 
who  are  joined  with  you  in  the  same  cause,  and  I 
in  particular,  would  esteem  it  the  greatest  favour  to 
have  it  in  our  power  to  accompany  you.  For  what 
can  I  look  for  but  continued  distress  of  mind,  whe- 
ther here  or  at  home  ?  Take  this  then  as  my  an* 
swer  to  your  question.  Either  I  must  go  abroad,  or 
death  will  soon  be  the  consequence.  I  entreat  you 
to  act  the  part  of  Joseph,  and  procure  for  me  an  in- 
vitation from  the  illustrious  Duke,  to  serve  in  the 
church  or  schools  of  France.  I  know  the  king  will 
readily  accede  to  his  request;  but  if  I  leave  the 
country  without  the  royal  license,  I  will  incur  pro- 
scription and  confiscation.  Melissa  is  as  desirous 
of  being  with  you  as  I  am,  and  is  ready  to  accom- 
pany me  wherever  providence  may  direct  my  course. 
She  lately  sent  you,  as  a  mark  of  her  regard,  a  small 
present,  consisting  of  an  embroidered  cloak,  a  neck- 
kerchief,  and  some  other  articles,  trimmed  with  her 
own  hands.  Have  you  received  them  ? — ^I  know  not 
how  it  is,  but  my  soul  fails  and  melts  within  me, 
and  the  tears  rush  into  my  eyes  at  the  thought,  of 
which  I  cannot  get  rid,  that  I  shall  see  your  face  no 
more.  While  I  write,  my  sweet  Melissa,  my  only 
earthly  solace  in  my  solitude  and  exile,  overcome 
with  womanly  grief,  wets  my  bosom  with  her  tearSt 
and  desires  me  to  bid  you,  in  her  name,  a  long  £ure- 
well.    And  I — ^^yould  to  God  you  had  long  ago 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  M£LYILL£«  269 

dosed  my  eyes  at  Montrose.  I  can  write  no  more. 
Eternal  blessings  rest  upon  you  */' 

While  Melville  remained  in  a  state  of  suspense, 
he  resolved  to  make  an  attempt  to  regain  his  liberty 
on  terms  less  hard  than  banishment.  He  addressed 
a  letter  to  Sir  James  Sempill,  in  which,  after  mo- 
destly stating  his  claims,  **  at  least,  to  an  honest  re- 
treat from  warfare,  with  the  hope  of  burial  with 
his  ancestors,**  he  offered  his  services  to  Prince 
Henry,  who  was  then  in  the  seventeenth  year  of  his 
age  f .  The  Prince,  whose  character  was  in  every 
respect  the  reverse  of  his  father's,  would  have  re- 
ceived him  into  his  family  with  the  utmost  pleasure, 
if  he  had  been  left  to  his  own  choice.  But  there 
was  no  ground  to  hope  that  the  King  would  permit 
such  an  instructor  to  be  placed  about  the  person  of 
his  son,  of  whose  active  spirit  and  popularity  he  was 
already  become  jealous.  Melville  wisely  committed 
the  affair  wholly  to  the  discretion  of  Sir  James  Sem- 
piD,  Sir  James  Fullerton,  and  Thomas  Murray  J ;  on 

*  Melyini  Epistolc^  pp.  176,  184. 

f  Original  Letter  to  Sir  James  Sempill  of  Beltrees :  MS.  in  Archi?. 
Eod.  Scot  Tol.  xxviii.  num.  6. 

X  Thomas  Murray  was  tutor  and  secretary  to  Prince  Charles,  and 

afterwards  proTost  of  Eton  College.    He  was  the  son  of Murray 

of  Woodend.  (Douglas's  Baronage,  p.  S86.)  His  Latin  poems, 
wbich  were  published  separately,  are  included  in  the  Delitug  Poeia^ 
rmm  Scotorum.  Various  tributes  were  paid  to  him  by  the  poets  of 
the  age.  (Leochei  £pigranunata,  pp.  38,  44,  87.  Dumbari  Epigr. 
p.  114.  Arct.  Jonstoni  Poem.  p.  981.  Middelb.  1642.)  In  the  year 
1615,  an  attempt  was  made  by  Archbishop  Gladstanes,  to  have  him 
removed  from  the  Prince,  ''  as  ill-affected  to  the  estate  of  the  kirk." 


270  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

whom  he  placed  a  more  entire  dependence  than  on 
any  other  of  his  acquaintance  about  the  court.  In  his 
letters  he  often  expresses  a  grateful  sense  of  the  kind* 
ness  which  they  had  shown  him  during  his  imprison- 
ment. Of  Sempillin  particular  he  writes  in  the  follow- 
ing terms  to  his  nephew  :  "  Did  my  friend  Sempill, 
the  assertor  of  my  liberty,  visit  you  in  passing?  If  he 
did,  as  he  promised  he  would,  why  have  you  not 
said  a  word  about  him  ?  All  my  friends  owe  much  to 
him  on  my  account.  He  takes  a  warm  interest  in  my 
studies  as  well  as  in  the  welfare  of  my  person  }  and, 
what  is  more,  I  am  persuaded  that  he  takes  a  warm 
interest  in  the  cause.  The  court  does  not  contain  a 
more  religious  man,  one  who  unites  in  a  greater  de- 
gree modesty  with  genius,  and  a  sound  judgment 
with  elegant  accomplishments.  In  procuring  for  me 
a  mitigation  of  my  imprisonment,  he  has  shown, 
both  by  words  and  deeds,  a  constancy  truly  worthy 
of  a  Christian.  If  you  meet  with  him  on  his  return 
(for  he  means  to  return  with  your  hero)  thank  him 
on  my  account ;  for  he  will  not  rest  satisfied  until 
he  has  effected  my  liberation  completely  *." 

(Letters  from  Archbishop  Spots  wood  to  Mr.  Murray  of  the  Bedcham- 
ber, Jan.  SO,  and  Feb.  6,  1615:  WodroVs  Life  of  Spotswood^  pp. 
61,  52.)  His  appointment  to  be  Provost  of  Eton  College,  in  the  year 
1621,  was  opposed,  partly  on  suspicions  of  his  puritanisin.  (Cabala, 
pp.  889,  290.)  He  died  ''  anno  at.  69,  A.  D.  1623,  April  9 ;"  (La 
Neve^  Mon.  Ang.  vol.  i.  p.  86 ;)  and  left  behind  him  Are  aona  and 
two  daughters.  (Latter  will,  extracted  from  R^try  of  the  Fk«io» 
gative  Court  of  Canterbury.) 

*  Mdvini  Epistoltp,  p.  78.    Three  epigrams  by  MelyiUe  are  pre- 
fixed to  a  work  against  Selden  by  Sir  James  Sempill,  entitled,  ^  Sacti- 


LIF£  OF  ANDEEW  MfiLVILLS.  £71 

In  the  month  of  February,  1611,  Melville  receiv- 
ed a  letter  from  the  Duke  of  Bouillon,  stating  that 
he  had  procured  his  release  from  the  Tower,  and 
inviting  him  to  Sedan  *  On  this  occasion  he  felt 
great  embarrassment  as  to  pecuniary  matters.  The 
government  was  so  illiberal  as  to  make  him  no  al- 
lowance for  bearing  his  expenses.  He  had  been 
obliged  to  support  himself  in  the  Tower,  where 
every  individual  who  performed  the  smallest  service 
expected  to  be  rewarded  according  to  the  rank  of 
the  prisoner.  His  finances  were  so  much  exhausted 
that  he  could  not  fit  himself  out  for  making  an  ap- 
pearance in  a  foreign  country  suited  to  his  station 
and  connexions.  And  his  nephew,  on  account  of 
certain  extraordinary  expenses  which  he  had  lately 
incurred,  felt  himself  unable  to  relieve  him.  The 
urgency  of  his  necessities  and  the  delicacy  of  his 
feelings,  are  well  described  in  a  letter  written  by  him 
at  this  time  to  James  Melville,  relating  to  a  coUec- 
tion  which  his  friends  in  Scotland  proposed  to  make 
for  him.  "  Our  friend  of  Ely  (says  he)  writes  to  me 
that  I  owe  much  to  our  brother  at  Stirling ;  refer- 
ring, I  suppose,  to  the  collection  which  has  been  so 

ledge  sacredly  handled— Land.  1610."  4to.  Sir  Jamea  waa  the  author 
of  ''  Caasandra  Scoticana  to  Casaander  Anglicanus ;"  (see  ahove,  p. 
195;)  md,  in  part  at  least,  of  a  satirical  poem  against  the  church  of 
fiome,  called  "The  Packman's  Pater  Nost^." — Rohert  Boyd  of 
Trochrig»  in  mentioning  Sempill's  death,  Fehraary  16S5,  extols  his 
ehancter  and  his  friendship  for  Melyille.  (Wodrow's  Life  of  Boyd, 
p.  148.) 

•  Cald.  vii.  4,66, 


27S  LIFE  or  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

much  talked  of,  and  which,  I  am  afraid,  must  be 
viewed  in  the  light  of  an  exaction  rather  than  a  vo- 
luntary offering,  and  a  gift  to  men  rather  than  Grod. 
I  know  that  I  am  under  great  obligations  to  Patrick*, 
both  on  public  and  private  grounds.  But  my  na- 
ture  will  not  suffer  me,  as  the  orator  says,  to  enrich 
myself  from  the  spoils  of  others,  and  especially  of 
strangers  on  whom  I  have  no  claims.  I  acknow^ 
ledge  that  it  is  not  unreasonable  that  my  necessities 
should  be  relieved  by  such  of  my  brethren  as  are 
able  and  willing,  considering  that  I  am  reduced  to 
these  straits  not  for  any  evil  that  I  have  done,  but 
for  the  public  cause  of  Christ  which  they  profess  in 
common  ivith  me.  *  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive'  is  an  apostolical  saying,  which  it  is  easier 
to  use  and  act  upon  when  fortune  flows  than  when 
it  ebbs.  As  it  is  the  mark  of  a  haughty  mind  to 
spurn  the  benevolence  of  brethren,  so,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  does  not  suit  my  disposition  to  grasp  at 
money  which  has  been  wheedled  from  a  promiscu- 
ous multitude  by  fair  and  flattering  speeches.  Ne- 
cessity, you  will  say,  has  no  law.  But  what  neces- 
sity can  be  so  great  as  to  warrant  one  to  compro- 
mise the  character  of  a  good  man,  or  to  sacrifice 
one's  reputatioii  ?  To  sound  a  trumpet  in  bestow- 
ing a  favour  betrays  ostentation ;  and  an  ingenuous 
and  modest  person  will  not  be  fond  of  having  a  noise 
made  at  the  receiving  of  a  favour.  It  was  always 
my  desire  to  be  concealed  in  the  crowd,  even  when 

*  Patrick  Symton^  minister  of  Stirling. 


LIFE  OF  ANDB£W  MELVILLB.  27S 

the  field  of  honour  appeared  to  ripen  before  me.  But 
I  act  a  foolish  part  in  reasoning  so  stoically  about 
gifts  of  which  nothing  has  yet  reached  me  but  the 
sound.  I  will  not  purchase  hope  ;  nor  will  I  ever, 
on  my  own  account,  extort  money  by  eucharistical 
letters.  What  I  am  requested  to  do  is,  to  give 
thanks  to  Simpson  and  Gillespie,  (both  of  them 
most  deserving  men)  and  to  their  flocks,  with  the 
view  of  stimulating  them  to  the  making  of  a  col- 
lection. This,  if  not  a  preposterous,  is  certainly 
not  a  very  honourable  course.  I  could  do  many 
things  for  others  which  I  would  blush  to  do  for 
myself.  Advise  me  how  to  act,  or  rather  take 
the  management  of  the  business  into  your  own 
hands.  You  know  how  utterly  unpractised  I  am 
in  such  affairs*."  The  collection  was  made  and 
remitted  to  him  ;  but  it  came  so  late  as  almost  to 
prove,  as  he  expresses  it,  moutarde  apr^s  diner  f . 
His  health  had  hitherto  remained  uncommonly 
good ;  but  it  began  at  last  to  suffer  from  confine- 
ment, and  he  was  seized  with  a  fever.  On  the  cer- 
tificate of  the  physicians  he  was  permitted  to  leave 
the  Tower,  and  to  enjoy  the  free  air  for  a  few  days 
within  ten  miles  of  London.  But  he  was  prohibit- 
ed from  coming  near  the  court  of  the  King,  Queen, 
or  Prince  %.  During  this  interval  he  was  visited 
by  the  Earl  of  Cassilis,  who  insisted  on  making 
another  attempt  to  procure  liberty  for  him  to  return 

•  Melvini  EpUtol«,  pp.  167—170.  t  Ibid.  pp.  176,  185. 

X  Cald.  vii.  p.  466. 

VOL.  II.  T 


274  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

to  his  native  country.  But  although  his  lordship 
exerted  all  his  influence,  the  terms  dictated  by  the 
court  were  so  hard  that  Melville  rejected  them  at 
once  *.  Some  of  the  Scottish  bishops  who  happened 
to  be  in  London  joined  in  the  Earl's  application ; 
and  Spotswood  went  so  far  as  to  request,  publicly 
on  his  knees,  that  Melville  might  be  sent  to  the 
University  of  Glasgow.  His  Majesty  humoured  the 
farce,  by  turning  to  his  courtiers,  and  extolling  the 
Christian  spirit  which  the  archbishop  displayed  in 
interceding  for  the  capital  enemy  of  his  order  f . 

Having  recovered  his  health,  Melville  sailed  for 
France,  after  having  been  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower 
for  the  space  of  four  years.  Before  going  aboard 
the  vessel  he  wrote  the  following  hasty  lines  to  his 
affectionate  nephew : 

"  My  dear  son,  my  dear  James,  farewell,  farewell 
in  the  Lord,  with  your  sweet  Melissa.  I  must  now 
go  to  other  climes.  Such  is  the  pleasure  of  my  di- 
vine and  heavenly  Father ;  and  I  look  upon  it  as  a 
fruit  of  his  paternal  love  towards  me.  Why  should 
I  not,  when  he  has  recovered  me  from  a  sudden  and 
heavy  distemper,  and  animates  me  to  the  journey 
by  so  many  tokens  of  his  favour  ?  Now  at  length 
I  feel  the  truth  of  the  presage  which  I  have  fre- 
quently pronounced.  That  it  behoved  me  to  confess 
Christ  on  a  larger  theatre ;  which,  so  far  as  it  may 

*  Melvini  Epistolc^  p.  295. 

t  Row's  Hist.  pp.  348^  349.  We  can  be  at  no  loss  in  judging  of 
Spotswood's  sincerity  on  this  occasion,  after  reading  what  he  has 
said  of  Melville's  banishment,  in  his  History,  pp.  499,  600* 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  27S 

yet  he  unfulfilled,  shall  soon,  I  augur,  receive  a  com- 
plete verifieation.  In  the  mean  time  I  retain  you 
in  my  heart,  nor  shall  any  thing  in  this  life  be  dearer 
to  me,  after  Gk)d,  than  you.  The  excellent  Capel 
has  in  the  most  friendly  manner  recommended  you 
by  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Bouillon,  but  has  as  yet  re- 
ceived no  answer.  To-day  I  set  out  on  my  journey 
under  the  auspices  of  Heaven :  May  God  in  his 
mercy  give  it  a  prosperous  issue.  Join  with  me  in 
supplicating  that  it  may  turn  out  to  his  glory  and 
the  profit  of  his  church.  Although  I  have  no  un- 
easiness about  my  library,  yet  I  must  request  you 
to  charge  those  who  are  entrusted  with  its  keeping 
to  be  careful  of  it,  both  for  my  sake,  and  for  the 
sake  of  the  church,  to  which  I  have  dedicated  my- 
self and  all  my  property.  Who  knows  but  we  may 
yet  meet  again  to  give  thanks  publicly  to  God  for 
all  his  benefits  to  us  ?  Why  should  we  not  cherish 
the  hope  of  better  days  ;  seeing  the  fraud  and  pride 
of  our  enemies  have  brought  us  to  a  condition  which 
appears  to  prognosticate  the  ruin  of  the  lately-reared 
fabric?  Our  three  pretended  bishops  affirm  that 
they  iirged,  and  on  their  knees  supplicated  his  Ma- 
jesty to  restore  me  to  my  native  country ;  but  you 
know  the  disposition  of  the  men,  and  what  was  the 
drift  of  their  request.  In  the  mean  time  write  to  me 
frequently  by  Capel  concerning  every  thing,  and 
especially  what  is  doing  respecting  the  ecclesiastical 
history.  I  am  much  grieved  at  the  imprisonment 
of  my  yoimg  friend  Balfour,  your  sister's  son  ;  if  I 
can  procure  his  liberty,  by  the  assistance  of  foreign- 

T  2 


276  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILX.E. 

ers,  I  shall  look  upon  it  as  a  favour  conferred  on 
myself.  The  vessel  is  under  weigh,  and  I  am  called 
aboard.  My  salutations  to  all  friends.  The  grace 
of  God  be  with  you  always.  From  the  Tower  of 
London — just  embarking — on  the  day  after  the 
funeral  of  your  Maecenas,  the  19th  of  April,  1611. 

Your's  as  his  own,  in  the  Lord, 
Andkew  Melville  *." 


*  Melvini  Epistols,  pp.  188 — 190. 


LIFg  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  277 


CHAPTER  X. 


1611—1622. 


MtELriLLE*8  Recepiian  in  France — Scotchmen  in  the  Protest^ 
ant  Universities  there — University  of  Sedan — Mel- 
ville*s  Employment  in  it — His  Correspondence  with  his 
Nephew — Death  of  Robert  WiOcig  and  John  JonstonF^^ 
Melville  leaves  Sedan Jbr  a  short  time^^InteUigenceJrom 
Scotland — Constancy  of  Forbes  and  other  banished  Mi- 
nisters^-*Death  of  James  MelvUle-^-^cottish  Students  at 
Sedan — Melville  opposes  the  Armiman  Sentiments  qf 
Tilenus — His  Opinion  qf  ihe  Articles  qf  Perth  Assem- 
bly— Changes  on  University  ^  St.  Andrews — Defence  qf 
the  Scottish  Church  against  Tilenus — Melville's  Health 
declines — His  Death — Character  and  Writings. 

On  landing  in  France,  Melville  stopped  for  a  short 
time  at  Rouen.  At  Paris  he  was  affectionately  re- 
ceived by  one  of  his  scholars,  George  Sibbald  of 
Rankeillor-over  and  Giblistoun,  who  was  then  pro- 
secuting his  studies  in  the  French  capital,  and  who, 
^fter  taking  the  degree  of  doctor  in  medicine  at 
Fadua,  spent  his  time  and  fortune  in  promoting  li^ 

T  3 


278  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

terature  and  science  in  his  native  country  *.  He 
was  also  hospitably  entertained  by  Du  Moulin,  the 
well-known  protestant  minister  of  Paris,  who  was 
greatly  pleased  with  the  learning  which  he  display- 
ed in  conversation.  The  Frenchman  had  heard  that 
he  was  U7i  peu  colere^  and  therefore  was  afraid  to 
enter  with  him  on  a  controversy  which  was  then 
keenly  agitated  among  the  Protestants  of  France. 
These  fears  were  however  groundless  ;  for  Melville's 
sentiments  on  that  subject  were  very  moderate. 
After  remaining  a  few  days  in  Paris,  he  repaired  to 
Sedan,  and  was  admitted  to  the  place  destined  ior 

him  in  the  university  f . 

The  protestants  of  France  had  at  this  time  six 

universities ;  Montauban,  Saumur,  Nismes,  Mont- 

pellier.  Die,  and  Sedan  X.     Besides  these,  they  had 

*  Sibbald  expresses  his  eagerness  to  see  Melville^  after  his  long 
imprisonnient^  in  the  beautiful  words  of  Horace^  Ut  mater  juvenem, 
&C.  (LettertoBoydof  Trocbrig,  May  14, 1611:  Wodrow's  Life  of 
Boyd,  p.  53.)  Dr.  George  Sibbald  is  mentioned  in  Inquia.  Retomat 
Spec.  Fife,  num.  118.  Comp.  num.  123.  Vita  Arct.  Johns toni :  Poet. 
Scot.  Muss  Sacrse,  torn.  i.  pp.  xxx.  xlix.  Ixiv.  Dumbari  Epigram, 
p.  183.  There  are  a  number  of  his  MSS.  in  the  Advocates  Library 
at  Edinburgh.  His  only  printed  work,  as  far  as  I  know,  besides  his 
academical  theses,  is  ''  Reguls  bene  et  salubriter  vivendi — Edinb. 
1701 ;"  published  by  his  nephew.  Sir  Robert  Sibbald.  He  maniei 
Anna  de  Maliveme,  a  French  lady,  and  the  relict  of  Robert  Boyd 
of  Trochrig.  (General  Register  of  Deeds,  vol.  dlv.  f.  39,  b ;  and 
▼ol.  OLXXXi.  12th  April,  1653.) 

t  Letter  from  Da  Moulin  to  Boyd  of  Trochrig,  May  29,  Itfll : 
Wodrow's  Life  of  Robert  Boyd,  p.  66. 

X  Quick's  Synodicon,  vol.  i.  pp.  330,  382,  387,  388.  This  is  cx- 
chisive  of  those  of  Pau,  Orthes  and  Lescar  (the  two  last  were  united) 
in  the  kingdom  of  Navarre  and  Beam. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  279 

fifteen  colleges,  erected  in  other  parts  of  the  king- 
dom,  in  which  languages,  philosophy,  and  belles  let- 
tres  were  taught  *.  The  number  of  Scotchmen  who 
taught  in  these  seminaries  was  great  They  were 
to  be  found  in  all  the  universities  and  colleges  ;  in 
several  of  them  they  held  the  honorary  situation  of 
Principal ;  and  in  others  they  amounted  to  a  third 
part  of  the  Professors.  Most  of  them  had  been 
educated  under  Melville  at  St.  Andrews  f . 

The  territory  of  Sedan  and  Raucourt  had  long 
formed  a  separate  principality,  governed  by  its  own 
laws,  under  the  Dukes  of  Bouillon,  who  were  petty 
sovereigns,  but  subject  to  the  crown  of  France. 
About  the  year  1578,  a  university  was  erclcted  in 
the  town  of  Sedan  by  Robert  de  la  Marck,  Duke  of 
Bouillon  |.  By  marrying  his  only  child,  Henry  de 
la  Tour,  Viscount  of  Turenne,  had  succeeded  to  his 
titles  and  domains  §.  He  proved  a  great  patron  to 
the  university,  which  was  supported  partly  by  his 
munificence,  and  partly  by  a  sum  of  money  annually 
allotted  to  it  from  the  funds  of  the  National  Synod. 
It  had  professorships  of  Theology,  Hebrew,  Greek, 

*  Quick's  Synodicon,  voL  i.  pp.  275^  380,  388. 

t  It  was  my  intention  to  subjoin,  in  the  notet^  an  account  of  such 
Scotchmen  as  were  teachers  in  the  protestant  academies  of  France ; 
bat  I  find  that  there  is  not  room  for  it. 

X  Emanuel  Tremellius  was  professor  of  Hebrew  at  Sedan  when  he 
died  in  1580.  (Melch.  Adami  Vitse  Exter.  TheoL  p.  143.  Teissier, 
Eloges,  ill.  179.) 

§  Marsollier,  Histoire  de  Henry  de  la  Tour,  Due  de  Bouillon^ 
pp.  139,  167,  173.  Vie  de  Momay  du  Plessis,  pp.  153,  219.  Laval, 
Hist,  of  the  Reform,  in  France,  n.  879. 


280  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Law,  Philosophy,  and  Humanity  *.  Walter  Don- 
aldson, a  native  of  Aberdeen,  and  known  as  the 
author  of  several  learned  works,  was  Principal, 
and  Professor  of  Natural  and  Moral  Philosophy, 
during  all  the  time  that  Melville  was  in  the  Univer- 
sity f .  Another  of  his  countrymen,  John  Smith, 
was  also  a  Professor  of  Philosophy  \.  James  Ca- 
pellus,  one  of  the  ministers  of  Sedan,  taught  the  He- 
brew class.  Though  not  so  acute  and  bold  a  critic 
as  his  brother  Lewis,  he  was  possessed  of  extensive 
learning,  and  lived  on  terms  of  great  intimacy  with 
Melville  §.     The  Professor  of  Divinity  was  Daniel 


•  Quick,  i.  330,  342.  Bayle,  Diet.  art.  Perroi,  Nicole.  Baylc 
had  been  a  professor  at  Sedan.  Henry  IV.  allotted  45,000  crowna 
annually  to  the  National  Synod;  and  Lewis  XIII.  added  45,000 
livrea.  In  1609,  the  Synod  granted  to  the  University  of  Sedan  £1500, 
of  which  £700  was  to  be  given  to  the  Professor  of  Divinity.  The 
annual  sum  given  to  it  from  161^  to  1620  was  £4000.  (Aynions, 
Synodes  Nationaux  des  Eglises  Reform,  de  France,  torn.  i.  p.  378.) 

t  Donaldsoni  Synopsis  (Economics,  Prefat.  Paris.  1620.  Two 
other  works  of  his  are  mentioned  in  Bayle,  Diet.  art.  Donaltbong 
Gualier.  He  is  called  "  Poeta  Laureatus,"  (Leochaei  Epigram,  p.  SI,) 
that  is,  one  who  had  taken  a  d^ree  in  grammar  and  rhetoric.  **  Wal- 
terus  Donaldson  armiger,  utriusque  juris  doctor  apud  Rupellam  in 
Gallia,  natus  in  abredonia — ^fuit  filius  legitimus  Alexandri  Donaldson 
armigeii  (ex  nobilissima  et  antiquissima  familia  donaldorum  in  regno 
nostro  Scotise  oriund.)  et  Elizabethie  Lamb  quie  fuit  iilia  Jegitiipa 
Davidis  Lamb,  Baronis  de  Dunkenny."  (Literie  Prosapie  Alex'^ 
Donaldson  Medicine  Doctoris»  dat.  Edin.  Nov.  15,  1642:  MS.  in 
Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  W.  6.  26.  p.  21.    Conf.  A.  3.  19.  num.  116.) 

%  Steph.  Morinus,  Vita  Sam.  Bocharti,  p.  2;  apud  Bocharti  Open, 
torn.  i.  ' 

§  Coiomedi  Gallia  Orientalis,  pp.  157, 223.  Colomies  says :  "  Lu- 
dovicus  Capellus,  Jaeohi  unicus  frater."  But  in  a  letter  to  Boyd  of 
Trochrig,  Ludovicus  calls  Aaron  Capel  in  London  his  brother.  ( Wodr 


LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  381 

TilenuSy  a  native  of  Silesia,  who,  having  come  to 
France  in  his  youth,  recommended  himself  to  the 
chief  persons  among  the  Protestants  by  his  conduct 
as  tutor  to  the  Lord  of  Laval,  and  as  a  writer  in 
defence  of  the  reformed  cause  *.  The  profession  of 
Divinity,  which  Tilenus  had  hitherto  sustained  alone, 
was  now  divided  between  him  and  Melville.  The 
former  taught  the  system,  while  the  latter  prelected 
on  the  Scriptures.  Each  delivered  three  lectures 
in  the  week,  and  they  presided  alternately  in  the 
theological  disputations  f . 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1612,  Melville  was 
gratified  by  receiving  an  affectionate  letter  from  his 
nephew.  "  Ah,  my  dear  father !  Are  you  well  ? 
where  are  you  ?  what  are  you  doing  ?  do  you  still 
remember  me  ?  I  have  almost  forgotten  you  for 
some  months,  so  much  has  my  attention  been  occu- 
pied with  my  petition  to  the  King.  I  have  received 
for  answer,  that  I  can  have  no  hopes  but  in  the  way 
of  yielding  an  absolute  submission  to  the  decrees  of 
the  late  assembly  at  Glasgow  :  so  that  I  despair  of 


tow's  Life  of  fioyd^  p.  80.)  There  are  two  poems  by  Melville  pre- 
fixed to  a  work  of  James  Capellus,  entitled  ''  Historia  Sacra  et  Exo- 
tica— Sedan!  1613."  Capellus  introduces  Melville's  opinion  on  a 
question  which  he  discusses  in  the  course  of  that  work^  calling  him 
''  yir  doctissimus  et  coU^a  charissimus."  (Hist  Sacr.  p.  236.  Wolfii 
Core  Crit  in  Nov.  Test.  torn.  iii.  p.  657.) 

*  M^oires  de  Momay  du  Plessis,  torn.  ii.  pp.  i55^  456.  Quick's 
Synod,  vol.  i.  p.  187.  Epistres  Fran^aises  k  Mons.  de  la  Scala, 
p.  480. 

f  Mons.  de  Laune  to  Trochrig;  Sedan,  Nov.  20,  1611  :  Wod- 
row's  Life  of  Boyd,  p.  58. 


282  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

returning  to  my  native  country."  Before  he  had 
an  opportunity  of  answering  this  letter,  Melville 
received  two  letters  from  the  same  quarter,  express- 
ing great  distress  at  not  having  heard  from  him, 
and  communicating  ample  intelligence  respecting 
the  state  of  matters  in  Scotland.  The  bishops  were 
triumphing  in  the  exercise  of  their  newly-acquired 
pre-eminence,  and  daily  received  fresh  proofs  of  the 
royal  favour.  A  remark  of  Chancellor  Seaton  was 
much  talked  of :  "  If  our  bishops  get  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  they  must  be  happy  men  ;  for  they  already 
reign  on  earth."  Not  satisfied  with  ruling  the  church- 
courts,  they  claimed  an  extensive  civil  authority 
within  their  dioceses.  The  burghs  were  deprived 
of  their  privileges,  and  forced  to  receive  such  ma- 
gistrates as  their  episcopal  superiors,  in  concert  with 
the  court,  were  pleased  to  nominate  *.  No  opposition 

*  In  the  year  1609,  Archbishop  Spotswood  put  a  stop  to  the  eke- 
tioQ  of  the  magistrates  of  Glasgow ;  and  wrote  to  the  Iving  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms :  "  In  all  humhlenes  I  present  my  opinion  to  your  moat 
sacred  Majesty  that  it  may  be  your  Highnes  gracious  pleasure  to 
command  them  of  new  to  elect  the  Baillics  that  were  nominate  by  your 
M^esty  in  your  first  letter,  and  to  signify  that  it  is  your  Highnes  mind 
that  they  have  no  Provost  at  this  time."  (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edio. 
M.  6.  9.  num.  65.)  Two  years  after  he  treated  the  town  of  Ayr  in  tht 
same  manner.  (Letter,  Spotswood  to  Beltrees,  Oct.  12,  1611 :  Wod- 
row's  Life  of  Spotswood,  p.  36.)  Archbishop  Gladstanes,  in  a  letter 
to  the  King,  June  9,  1611,  says:  '*  It  was  your  pleasure  and  direc- 
tion,—that  I  should  be  possessed  with  the  like  privileges  in  the  ekc- 
tione  of  the  magistrals  there  (in  St.  Andrews,)  as  my  lord  of  Glasgow 
is  endued  with  in  that  his  city.— Sir,  whereas  they  are  troublesome,  I 
will  be  answerable  to  your  M^esty  and  Counsell  for  them,  after  thai 
I  be  possessed  of  ray  right."  (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  C  9* 
num.  72.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  283 

was  at  this  time  made  to  them.  The  nation  had 
not  yet  recovered  from  the  terror  inspired  by  the 
threatening  proclamations  of  the  King,  and  the  des- 
potical  powers  of  the  High  Commission.  '^  How 
shall  I  mention  the  state  of  our  church  !"  says 
James  Melville.  "  It  overwhelms  me  with  grief, 
shame,  and  confusion.  All  those  whose  duty  it  is 
to  care  for  it  have  laid  aside  their  concern.  The 
pulpits  are  silent.  A  deep  sleep  has  fallen  down 
upon  our  prophets.  The  hands  of  all  are  bound. 
Issachar  crouches,  like  an  ass  under  his  two  burdens. 
The  pangs  of  death  are  come  upon  me :  fear  and 
trembling  have  seized  me :  horror  covers  me.  O 
that  I  had  the  wings  of  a  dove,  that  I  might  fly, 
that  I  might  wander  far  away,  and  lodge  in  the 
desert !" 

James  Melville  informed  his  uncle  of  the  decease 
of  two  of  his  most  intimate  acquaintance  in  the 
University  of  St.  Andrews.  "  The  father  of  St. 
Leonard's  College,  our  steady  friend  Wilkie,  has 
happily  ended  his  days.  He  has  left  all  his  pro- 
perty to  the  college,  and  nominated  our  acquaint- 
ance Bruce  for  his  successor,  to  whom  he  kindly 
commended  the  care  of  my  John.  I  hope  your 
muse  will  not  be  forgetful  of  that  good  man  and 
sincere  friend.  How  much  more  happy  is  he  than 
I !  But  I  trust  I  shall  not  be  long  in  following  him. 
Indeed,  unless  you  had  survived  to  animate  me,  and 
my  Melissa  had  watched  over  my  health,  my  poor 
soul,  pierced  with  wounds,  would  ere  now  have  quit- 
ted its  prison.   But  I  endure  by  the  strength  of  God, 


284  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

and  comfort  myself  with  your  words,  *  Who  knows 
but  we  may  yet  meet  again  ?'  Ah  !  when  will  that 
day  arrive*!" — "  Your  colleague,  John  Jonston  (says 
he,  in  his  letter  of  the  25th  November)  closed  his 
life  last  month.  He  sent  for  the  members  of  the 
university  and  presbytery,  before  whom  he  made  a 
confession  of  his  faith,  and  professed  his  sincere  at- 
tachment to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  our  church, 
in  which  he  desired  to  die.  He  did  not  conceal  his 
dislike  of  the  lately-erected  tyranny,  and  his  detes- 
tation of  the  pride,  temerity,  fraud,  and  whole  con- 
duct of  the  bishops.  He  pronounced  a  grave  and 
ample  eulogium  on  your  instructions,  admonitions, 
and  example ;  craving  pardon  of  Grod  and  you  for 
having  offended  you  in  any  instance,  and  for  not 
having  borne  more  meekly  with  your  wholesome 
and  friendly  anger.  As  a  memorial,  he  has  left  you 
a  gilt  velvet  cap,  a  gold  coin,  and  one  of  his  best 
books  f .  His  death  would  have  been  a  most  mourn- 
ful event  to  the  church,  university,  and  all  good  men, 
had  it  not  been  that  he  has  for  several  years  labour- 
ed imder  an  incurable  disease,  and  that  the  ruin  of 
the  church  has  swallowed  up  all  lesser  sorrows,  and 
exhausted  our  tears  t-" 

^  This  letter  is  dated  July  IS,  1611.  (Mdvini  Epist  pp.  |99-^ 
190.) 

t  "  Item^  I  leave  in  taikin  of  my  sinoeir  love  and  affeetiomi  lo 
Mr.  Andro  Melvill  ane  fyne  new  Dndie  cap  of  fyne  l^ak  velvet,  lynil 
w^  fyne  martrik  skinnes."  (Testament  of  John  Jonston.)  He  died 
Oct  SO,  1611. 

t  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  196^  S81.  There  are  five  of  Jonston's  lettcn 
printed  in  Camdeni  Epirt,  pp.  41>  75^  95^  123,  127 ;  and  a  number  of 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  285 

The  answers  which  Melville  returned  to  these 
letters  were  calculated  to  cheer  the  spirits  of  his 
tender-hearted  nephew.  **  Your  letter,  my  dear 
James,  gave  me  as  much  pleasure  as  it  is  possible 
for  one  to  receive  in  these  gloomy  and  evil  days. 
We  must  not  forget  the  apostolical  injunction, 
*  Rejoice  always :  rejoice  in  hope.'  N^on  si  male 
nunc,  et  olim  erit  Providence  is  often  pleased  to 
grant  prosperity  and  long  impunity  to  those  whom 
it  intends  to  punish  for  their  crimes,  in  order  that 
they  may  feel  more  severely  from  the  reverse. 

No  oracular  response  pronounced  from  the  tripod 
of  A]K)llo  was  ever  truer  than  this  couplet  of 
Pindar  *.  It  is  easy  for  a  wicked  man  to  throw 
a  commonwealth  into  disorder :  God  only  can  re- 
store it.     Empires  which  have  been  procured  by 


Ilia  poems  are  to  be  found  in  Canbden's  Britannia.  In  Wodrow's 
Life  of  Robert  Boyd  (pp.  43,  47,  53,)  are  several  of  his  letters^  and 
particularly  one  containing  an  account  of  certain  of  his  MSS.  which 
he  sent  to  be  printed  at  Saumur.  He  married  Catherine  Mehille,  of 
the  house  of  Cambee.  (Appendix  to  Lamont's  Diary,  p.  985.)  In 
hia  Consolatio  Christiana  (pp.  101-2)  are  epitaphs  which  he  wrote  on 
her  and  two  of  their  children.  An  attempt  was  made  to  obtain  him 
for  second  minister  of  Haddington.  (Record  of  Fresh,  of  Haddington, 
Oet  S4,  1599 ;  June  11,  and  18,  and  July  8,  1600.) 

*  Aristotle  quotes  the  lines  as  from  a  poet  unknown.  (Rhetoric. 
lib.  ii.  c.  84.  ed.  Goulstoni.)  They  are  indudetl  in  the  Fragmfnta  of 
Euripides.    (Eurip.  a  Beck,  tom.  ii.  p.  496.) 


286  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

fraud  cannot  be  stable  or  permanent.  Pride  and 
cruelty  will  meet  with  a  severe,  though  it  may  be  a 
late,  retribution ;  and,  according  to  the  Hebrew  pro- 
verb, *  when  the  tale  of  bricks  is  doubled,  Moses  comes/ 
The  result  of  past  events  is  oracular  of  the  future. 
*  In  the  mount  of  the  Lord  it  shall  be  seen.*  Why 
then  exert  our  ingenuity  and  labour  in  adding  to 
our  vexation  ?  Away  with  fearful  apprehensions  T 
The  following  quotation  is  a  specimen  of  the  fami- 
liar and  classic  pleasantry  which  he  was  accustomed 
to  use  with  his  friends.  "  What  is  the  profound 
jyreamer  *  (so  I  was  accustomed  to  call  him  when 
we  travelled  together  in  1584) — what  is  our  Cory- 
don  of  Haddington  about  ?  I  know  he  cannot  be 
idle :  Bks  he  not  brought  forth  or  perfected  any 
thing  yet,  after  so  many  decades  of  years  ?  Tempus 
Atla  veniet  tua  quo  spoliabitur  arbos.  Let  me  know 
if  our  old  friend  Wallace  has  at  last  become  the  fa- 
ther of  books  and  bairns  ?  Menalcas  of  Cupar  cm 
the  Eden  f  is,  I  hear,  constant ;  and  I  hope  he  will 
prove  vigilant  in  discharging  all  the  duties  of  a  pas- 
tor, and  not  mutable  in  his  friendships,  as  too  many 
discover  themselves  to  be  in  these  cloudy  days. 
Salute  him  in  my  name  ;  as  also  Damoetas  of  Elie  tt 
and  our  friend  Dykes,  with  such  others  as  you  know 
to  ^  hold  the  beginning  of  their  confidence  and  tlie 


*  '^  BmSy^^f  songecreux,"    The  pertM>n  refened  to  is  Jamei  O0- 
michad^  minister  of  Haddington, 
t  William  Scot^  minister  of  Cupar  in  Fife. 
X  John  Carmichael,  minister  of  £lie. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  887 

rejoicing  of  their  hope  firm  to  the  end.'  And,  pray, 
do  not  forget  my  venerable  old  cousin,  who  must 
noW|  I  fear,  be  on  the  brink  of  the  grave,  and  who 
has  long  been  afflicted  with  gout,  gravel,  and  colic 
When  I  came  to  this  country  I  was  the  means  of 
releasing  his  son  from  prison ;  and  I  still  look  for 
his  letter  of  thanks.  It  will  give  me  the  greatest 
pleasure,  in  this  retirement  of  mine,  to  hear  from 
him  or  any  of  his  friends,  and  to  be  informed  of 
every  thing  about  them.  I  must  not  forget  the  laird 
of  Dysart,  the  present  chief  of  our  family ;  nor  the 
baron  of  Rossie,  our  kinsman.  We  old  men  daily 
grow  children  again,  and  are  ever  and  anon  turning 
our  eyes  and  thoughts  back  on  our  cradles.  We 
praise  the  past  days  because  we  can  take  little  plea- 
sure in  the  present.  Suffer  me  then  to  doat ;  for  I 
am  now  become  pleased  with  old  age,  although  *  I 
have  lived  so  long  as  to  see  some  things  which  I 
could  wish  never  to  have  seen.'  I  try  daily  to  learn 
something  new,  and  thus  to  prevent  my  old  age  from 
becoming  listless  and  inert.  I  am  always  doing,  or 
at  least  attempting  to  do,  something  in  those  studies 
to  which  I  devoted  myself  in  the  younger  part  of 
my  life.  Accept  this  long  epistle  from  a  talkative 
old  man.  Logui  senibus  res  est  gratisstmuj  says 
j^our  favourite  Palingenius,  the  very  mention  of 
whose  name  gives  me  new  life ;  for  the  regenera- 
tion *  forms  almost  the  sole  topic  of  my  meditations, 
and  in  this  do  I  exercise  myself  that  I  may  have 

•  Falingenesia, 


288  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE. 

my  conversation  in  heaven." — "  Your  account  of  the 
happy  death  of  my  colleague  Jonston  jfilled  me  with 
both  grief  and  joy.  He  was  a  man  of  real  piety, 
attached  to  the  purity  of  religion,  and  of  a  most 
courteous  disposition.  The  university  has  lost  a 
teacher,  the  church  a  member,  and  I  a  friend,  to 
whom  there  are  few  equal." — "  I  cannot  refrain 
from  bewailing  the  death  of  my  friend  Myrrha,  and 
the  loss  which  I,  in  common  with  all  good  men,  have 
sustained  by  the  removal  of  that  most  pious  woman  *. 
How  dearly  I  loved  her  you  know,  and  our  friend 
Godscroft  knows  better  than  any  other  man.  Re- 
member me  kindly  to  him,  and  say  that  his  letter 
and  poems  have  at  last  reached  me.  Often  has  the 
decease  of  that  choice  woman  drawn  tears  from  my 
eyes  since  I  received  the  afflicting  tidings.  And  at 
this  moment  my  grief  breaks  out  afresh — ^but  I  re- 
strain myself  f." 

'  One  of  the  first  things  which  he  did  after  his 
settlement  at  Sedan  was  to  look  out  for  an  eligible 
situation  for  his  nephew.  But,  however  desirous  of 
his  company,  he  was  obliged  to  discourage  him  from 
coming  to  the  continent.     **  I  know  (says  he)  yoa 

^  It  appears  from  a  letter  of  James  Melville^  that  the  lady  hen  re- 
ferred to  was  a  sister  of  John  Murray,  minister  of  Leith.  **  Joumoi 
Murraus,  triumphantis  tuie  Myrrhs  frater,  et  Joannes  Cams  Fadoo- 
sidiusy  Johnstoni  tni  nunc  in  ccelo  oTantis,  gener :  qui  yiri !"  (M«l- 
yini  Epistole,  p.  SOS.)  John  Murray  had  two  sisters  married,  die 
one  to  Sir  Robert  Douglas  of  Spot,  and  the  other  to  Sir  Williaflt 
Moncrieffof  that  Ilk.     (Douglas's  Baronage,  pp.  45,  192,) 

t  Melyini  Epistole,  pp.  290—295. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  289 

will  do  nothing  rashly  in  your  own  affair.  At  pre- 
sent there  is  no  room  for  you  here  either  in  the 
church  or  academy.  And  I  am  afraid  that  the 
variableness  and  humidity  of  the  climate  in  the 
Low  Countries  would  be  injurious  to  your  health. 
Will  Mar  do  nothing  for  you  or  for  the  public 
cause  ?  Will  Lennox  do  nothing  ?  Nor  the  other 
noblemen  who  are  in  favour  with  his  Majesty  ? 
What  crime  have  you  committed  ?  What  has  the 
Monarch  now  to  dread  ?  Does  not  the  Primate  sit 
in  triumph, — traxitque  sub  astrafarorem  ?  What 
is  there  then  to  hinder  you,  and  me  also,  (now  ap- 
proaching my  seventieth  year,  and  consequently 
emeritus^  from  breathing  our  native  air,  and,  as  a 
reward  of  our  toils,  being  received  into  the  Prytane- 
um,  to  spend  the  remainder  of  our  lives,  without 
seeking  to  share  the  honours  and  affluence  which 
we  do  not  envy  the  pretended  bishops  ?  We  have 
not  been  a  dishonour  to  the  kingdom,  and  we  are 
allied  to  the  royal  family.  But  let  envy  do  its 
worst,  no  prison,  no  exile  shall  prevent  us  from 
confidently  expecting  the  kingdom  of  heaven  *." 

When  Melville  first  went  to  Sedan,  his  friehds 
in  France  were  apprehensive  that  he  would  not  find 
his  situation  quite  comfortable  f.  He  had  every 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  polite  and  munificent 
behaviour  of  the  Duke  of  Bouillon  %.  But  the 
number  of  students   in  the  university  was  small. 

•  Melvini  Epistoke,  p.  296.  t  Wodrow's  Life  of  Boyd,  p.  56. 

%  Melyini  Epistole,  p.  292. 

VOL.  II.  U 


890  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

■ 

His  colleague  Tilenus  was  a  man  of  talents,  but 
haughty  and  morose.  He  was  a  keen  stickler  for 
the  peculiar  tenet  of  Piscator,  and  some  other  opini* 
ons  which  were  generally  disliked  by  the  French 
ministers.  Mdville  did  not  enter  into  these  dis- 
putes, and  treated  all  the  students,  whatever  were 
their  sentiments  respecting  them,  with  equal  dvilily 
and  attention.  But  Tilenus  could  not  conceal  his 
antipathy  to  such  young  men  as  thought  diiferently 
from  himself,  or  who  came  from  academies  in  which 
his  opinions  were  rejected  ;  and  in  consequence  of 
this  many  of  them  left  Sedan  and  went  to  Saumur  *. 
In  these  circumstances,  Melville  was  induced  to 
listen  to  the  proposals  of  Monsieur  de  Barsack, 
Treasurer  of  the  Parliament  of  Dauphiny,  who 
wished  him  to  superintend  the  education  of  his 
three  sons.  An  annual  salary  of  five  hundred 
crowns  was  promised  him,  and  he  was  to  be  allowed 
either  to  reside  with  the  young  men  at  Grenoble 
or  to  take  them  along  with  him  to  Die,  {nrovided  he 
obtained  a  professorship  in  the  university  which  wm 
established  in  that  town.  He  went  to  Grenoble,  in 
the  month  of  November,  1612,  to  make  a  trial  of  the 
situation ;  but,  not  finding  it  agreeable,  he  returned 
within  a  short  time  to  Sedan  f . 

^  Mdvini  Epistole,  p.  S9S.  .Letter  from  Mons.  de  Laune,  a  itii« 
d^t  at  Sedan :  in  Wodrow's  Life  of  Boyd,  pp.  67,  58.  In  the  year 
1618  the  students  of  Sedan  did  not  amount  to  a  third  of  those  of 
Saumur,  who,  in  the  year  1606,  were  upwards  of  400.  (Life  oi  Boyd, 
pp.  88,  6S.) 

t  Letter  from  G.  Sibhald ;  in  Wodrow*s  Life  of  Boyd,  p.  39. 


LIFE  OF  ANI>R£W  MELVILLE.  291 

The  intelligence  which  he  received  on  returning 
from  Grenoble  was  not  of  a  cheering  description. 
A  letter  from  his  old  colleague  Welwood,  who  was 
then  at  London,  conveyed  to  Ibim  the  melancholy 
tidings  of  the  death  of  Prince  Henry,  by  which  the 
hopes  of  all  good  men  in  Britain  and  on  the  conti-^ 
nent  were  blasted  *.  Letters  from  his  nephew  at 
Berwick  and  from  Alexander  Hume  at  Prestonpans 
informed  him,  that  the  Parliament  of  Scotland  had> 
in  compliance  with  a  royal  injunction,  conferred 
on  the  bishops  spiritual  powers  more  extensive  than 
those  which  they  had  presumed  to  ask  from  the  cor- 
rupt and  servile  assembly  at  Glasgow.  "  The  bishopi^ 
(says  Hume)  fret  because  they  have  failed  in  pro- 
curing fDr  his  Majesty  as  large  a  subsidy  as  they 
had  promised  him.  Their  employment  now  is  not 
to  preach  Christ  but  the  King.  On  the  Sabbath 
before  the  meeting  of  Parliament  the  bishops  of 
GiaUoway  and  Brechin  told  the  people,  that  the  King 
had  a  right  not  only  to  their  property  but  also  to 
their  lives,  and  that  they  should  grudge  no  sacrifice 
for  one  who  was  the  defender  of  their  faith,  a  con- 
fessor and  a  semi-martyr.  Brechin  farther  exhorted 
the  women  to  retrench  their  superfluous  expenses 
in  dress,  and  the  men  to  avoid  excess  in  the  use 
of  wine,  that  they  might  have  it  in  their  power  to 
give  the  more  to  the  King.     Such  is  the  doctrine 

*  On  the  18th  df  February,  1613,  a  funeral  oration  on  Prince 
Henry,  by  Principal  Donaldeon,  was  pronounced  in  the  hall  of  the 
Collie  of  Sedan,  before  a  great  assembly.  (Lacrymc  Tvmulo  nvun 
qyam  satia  Lavdati  Heroia  Henrid  Friderici  Stvarti— hi  Gvaltero  I>p- 
Baldaono  8ooto-Britann(>— Sedani,  1013.    6to.) 

U  8 


292  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

of  our  episcopal  church.  We  arie  to  abstain  from 
vice  not  as  vice,  but  in  order  to  fill  the  royal  cof- 
fers ♦  r 

The  reader  may  wish  to  learn  something  con- 
ceming  Melville's  companions  in  exile — ^the  six  mi- 
nisters who  were  banished  for  holding  the  assembly 
at  Aberdeen.  Strachan  sickened  and  died  at  Mid- 
dleburg,  soon  after  they  landed  on  the  continent  f . 
Welsh,  after  remaining  for  some  time  at  Bourdeaux, 
became  minister  of  Jonsack,  in  the  province  of  An- 
goumois ;  Duncan  was  received  into  the  College  of 
Rochelle  ;  Sharp  was  made  professor  of  divinity  in 
the  University  of  Die,  in  Dauphine  J.  Forbes  and 
Dury  settled  in  Holland :  the  former  was  preacher 
to  the  English  merchants  at  Middleburg,  from  which 
he  removed  to  Delft ;  the  latter  obtained  a  Scotch 
congregation  in  Leyden  ^.  Melville  kept  up  a  close 
correspondence  with  the  two  last ;  and,  in  the  course 
of  the  year  1612,  was  gratified  with  a  visit  from 
Forbes,  who  spent  several  weeks  at  Sedan,  along 
with  his  brother  Arthur,  an  officer  in  the  Swedish 
service 


^  Mdvini  Epist.  pp.  312,  317 — 320.  Comp.  Lord  Hailet's  Memor. 
of  Britain,  vol.  1.  pp.  40 — 48. 

t  Cald.  vii.  78. 

t  Melvini  £pifit  p.  161.  Wodrow's  Life  of  Robert  Boyd,  pp.  88, 
160,  173. 

§  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  S86,  329.  Forbesii  Comment  in  Apoc  Pref. 
Interp. 

II  Melvini  Epist.  p.  306.  Sir  Arthur  Forbes  of  Castle  Forbes  yi 
Ireland,  the  fourth  son  of  William  Forbes  of  Corse,  was  the  aneestoc 
of  Earl  Grannard.  (Garden,  Vita  prefix.  Oper.  Joannis  Forbesii. 
Lumeden's  Gencalogic  of  the  Family  of  Forbes,  pp.  21—23.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  293 

In  the  course  of  the  year  I6IS9  the  report  reached 
Melville  that  his  nephew  and  Bruce  had  made  their 
peace  with  the  King,  and  submitted  to  the  bishops. 
Strong  as  his  confidence  in  the  integrity  and  firm- 
ness of  both  of  these  individuals  was,  he  could  not 
help  £eeling  uneasy  at  this  intelligence.  **  If  Bruce 
and  you  are  to  be  restored,  (says  he  in  a  letter  to 
James  Melville,)  what  is  to  be  done  with  me  ?  What 
is  to  be  done  with  my  brethren,  who,  though  innocent, 
suffered  two  years  imprisonment,  and  have  lived  six 
years  in  this  country  as  exiles  ?  I  know  not  what 
persecution  is,  if  this  is  not. — Give  my  salutations 
to  Bruce,  and  tell  him  that  I  would  rather  hear  ai 
his  base  servitude  than  see  it^.**  His  apprehen- 
sions were  removed  by  letters  from  his  nephew. 
Some  occasion  had  been  given  for  the  report  which 
he  had  heard.  The  petitions  which  the  congrega- 
tions and  friends  of  the  banished  ministers  had  from 
time  to  time  presented  in  their  behalf,  were  now 
supported  by  the  Chancellor  and  several  of  the  no- 
bility, who  were  disgusted  with  the  pride  of  the  up- 
start prelates,  and  desirous  of  imposing  a  check  on 
their  ambition.  The  bishops  found  it  necessary  to 
join  in  these  petitions^  and  hoped  to  turn  the  mea- 
sure to  their  own  account,  by  procuring  at  least  a 
partial  approbation  of  their  authority  from  some  of 
those  who  had  been  its  greatest  opponents.  Pro- 
posals were,  accordingly,  made  to  all  of  them,  with 
the  exception  of  Melville.     Powerfid  considerations 

*  Melvini  Epistols,  pp.  308,  309. 

u  3 


294  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

were  not  wanting  to  induce  them  to  comply,  at  the 
expense  of  making  some  sacrifice  of  principle.  Se- 
veral of  them  had  lost  their  health  abroad ;  they 
were  all  advanced  in  life  ;  they  had  families  ;  and 
felt  passionately  attached  to  their  native  country. 
The  commutation  of  capital  punishment  into  exile 
is  regarded  as  an  act  of  clemency ;  and  if  obliged 
to  choose  banishment  or  death,  there  is  probably 
none  who  would  not  prefer  the  former.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  many  who  would  willingly  have  laid 
their  necks  on  the  block  rather  than  comply  with 
what  they  deemed  sinful,  have  had  their  resolution 
subdued  by  the  mitigated  but  slow  and  exhausting 
pains  of  imprisonment  or  exile. 

In  the  present  instance,  however,  all  the  minis- 
ters rejected  the  terms  offered  them.  The  senti- 
ments by  which  they  were  actuated  in  coming  to 
this  resolution,  are  forcibly  expressed  by  Forbes  in 
a  letter  to  James  Melville.  **  I  always  expected 
(says  he)  some  proposal  of  this  kind,  and  indeed  I 
wonder  that  the  bishops  have  deferred  making  it  so 
long  after  the  establishment  of  their  tyranny.  The 
only  way  of  accounting  for  the  delay  is,  by  suppos- 
ing that,  like  all  who  are  conscious  of  being  embark- 
ed in  a  bad  course,  they  can  never  think  themselves 
sufficiently  secured  against  danger.  How  wretched 
the  condition  of  these  men,  who,  harassed  by  conti- 
nual fear  and  anxiety,  can  neither  do  well  without 
us,  nor  yet  enjoy  our  company  with  safety !  What 
wise  man  would  court  these  unsatisfactory  and 
precarious  honours,  which,  instead  of  giving  peace 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  395 

to  the  possessor,  torment  him  with  incessant  ap« 
prehensions  !  Shall  we  then  confirm  what  they 
feel  to  be  so  vain,  by  a  single  word,  or  the 
slightest  mark  of  our  approbation  ?  God  forbid 
that  a  cause  which  is  destitute  of  intrinsic  strength, 
and  the  innate  excellence  of  virtue,  should  receive 
from  us  a  prop  to  its  weakness,  or  a  covering  to 
its  turpitude !  Suffer  the  self-convicted  rogues  to 
walk  on  their  own  feet,  and  we  shall  soon  see  them 
fall  by  their  own  act.  Let  us  not  fear  Cheir  wiles, 
but  turn  our  eyes  to  Him  who,  sitting  above,  go- 
verns all  things,  and  overrules  them  to  the  good  of 
those  who  love  him.  He  that  shall  come  will  come 
without  delay,  and  will  cleanse  his  floor,  and  con- 
sume the  chaff  and  rubbish  with  the  fire  of  his 
wrath.  I  have  been  grieved,  but  not  staggered  at 
the  weakness  of  A.  D.  *  who  has  *  suffered  so  many 
tilings  in  vain.'  He  will  not  add  to  the  strength 
ef  those  to  whom  he  has  gone  over,  nor  will  he 
weaken  us  whom  he  has  deserted.  The  crown  which 
lie  has  taken  from  his  own  head  he  has  placed  on 
eiirs.  I  am  not  moved  by  the  foolish  judgment  of 
vain  courtiers,  nor  by  the  empty  triumphs  of  the 
bishops :  such  winds  cannot  shake  the  foundation 


*  This  probably  refers  to  Andrew  Duncan,  who  had  bem  lately  al- 
lowed to  return  from  banishment  in  consequence  of  his  making  some 
adoiowledgments  to  the  King  respecting  the  Assembly  held  at  Aber- 
decn.  (Cald*  viL  500—503.)  He  was  afterwards  prosecuted  before 
ihe  High  Commission,  and  imprisoned  for  nonconformity  to  the  Ar- 
ticles of  Perth.  (Wodrow's  Life  of  Andrew  Duncan,  pp.  4r— 11. 
Pdnted  Cald.  pp.  730,  764.) 


S96  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYULLE. 

on  which  we  rest.  If  they  appear  for  a  time  to  be 
victorious,  they  shall  feel  at  last  that  those  who  van- 
quish in  a  bad  cause,  vanquish  to  their  ruin.  At  the 
same  time  we  ought  not  rashly  to  contemn  the  peace 
and  liberty  offered  us  in  the  name  of  the  prince.  But 
if,  under  the  external  mask  of  liberty,  they  seek  to 
draw  us  into  a  slavery  worse  not  only  than  impri- 
sonment and  exile,  but  than  the  loss  of  life  itself,  we 
are  not  to  purchase  the  liberty  of  our  bodies  by  the 
enthralling  of  our  souls.  I  had  rather  remain  the 
captive  of  a  legitimate  sovereign  than  become  the 
servant  of  illegitimate  lords.  I  esteem  it  more  ho- 
nourable to  carry  the  chains  of  a  lawfid  king  than 
to  wear  the  insignia  of  usurping  prelates.  In  the 
former  case  I  am  a  witness  with  Christ  in  the  hope 
of  his  glory:  in  the  latter,  perjured  and  an  associate 
with  wicked  men,  I  would  be  found  attempting  to 
rebuild  the  city  which  had  been  thrown  down  and 
laid  under  a  curse,  would  share  of  her  plagues^  and 
be  involved  in  her  ruin.  Pardon  my  boldness.  It 
would  have  become  a  son  to  be  more  modest  in 
writing  to  a  father.  But  grief  and  indignation  at 
the  present  deplorable  state  of  affairs,  and  at  the 
hard  condition  of  good  men  who  cannot  obtain  cor- 
poral liberty  without  submitting  to  spiritual  bond- 
age, have  unconsciously  drawn  these  reflections  from 
my  pen  *." 

Melville  must  have  been  gratified  with  the  spirit 
which  breathed  in  this  letter.     He  could  not  despair 

*  Melvini  Epist.  pp.  326 — S29. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  S97 

of  the  liberties  of  his  country  as  long  as  they  had 
such  friends  as  Forbes.  Under  the  mortifications 
which  he  felt  at  the  ingratitude  of  the  public,  and 
the  defection  of  the  greater  part  of  those  who  had 
received  their  education  under  him,  he  could  not 
say  that  he  '^  spent  his  strength  for  nought  and  in 
vain/'  when  he  had  been  the  mews  of  training  up 
a  few  individuals  of  such  rare  virtue  and  constancy. 
The  next  letter  which  he  wrote  to  his  nephew, 
shews  how  much  the  late  intelligence  from  ^Scot- 
land  had  cheered  him.  ^*  I  cannot  but  hope  for  every 
ti^^g  good  from  Bruce.  The  court-rumours  are 
vain  and  calumnious,  especially  with  respect  to  he- 
roes like  him,  adorned  with  every  virtue.  I  am 
anxious  to  hear  good  accounts  of  Patrick  Simson, 
the  faithful  bishop  of  Stirling,  and  a  few  others  of 
the  same  stamp  with  him.  Godscroft  has  written 
to  me  once  and  again,  ardently,  vehemently.  I  love 
the  sincere  zeal  and  undaunted  spirit  of  that  excel- 
lent man  and  most  upright  friend.  Would  to  Ood 
that  the  equestrian,  not  to  say  the  ecclesiastical,  or- 
der could  boast  of  many  Godscrofts  *  !  Our  friend 
Welwood  has  also  written  to  me ;  but  at  present  it 
is  not  in  my  power,  nor  do  I  reckon  it  prudent  to 
reply  to  them  according  to  their  desire.    You  know 

*  This  refers  to  the  letters  which  David  Home  oi  Godscroft  had 
written  to  bishops  Law  and  Cowper  in  defence  of  Presbytery.  Wod- 
row  has  collected  a  number  of  them  in  his  Life  of  Hume^  pp.  18 — iO, 
and  in  his  Appendix  to  the  Life  of  Cowper.  *'  I  wish  they  were 
printed,  (says  James  Melville,)  one  would  scarcely  desire  to  see  any 
thing  better  on  the  subject/'    (Mclvini  Epist.  p.  19i.) 


298  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

my  disposition  long  ago.  I  am  unwilling,  for  the 
mere  purpose  of  making  a  shew  of  good-will,  to 
gratify  my  friends  in  such  a  way  as  may  involve 
them  in  trouble,  even  although  they  request  it  of 
me.  The  Lord,  on  whom,  and  not  on  the  plea- 
sure or  wishes  of  men,  I  depend  wholly,  has  his 
own  times.  I  keep  all  my  friends  in  my  eye:  I 
carry  them  in  my  bosom  :  I  commend  them  to  the 
God  of  mercy  in  my  daily  prayers.  What  comes 
to  my  hand  I  do :  I  fill  up  my  station  to  the  best 
of  my  ability :  my  conversation  is  in  heaven :  I 
neither  importune  nor  deprecate  the  day  of  my 
death :  I  maintain  my  post :  I  aspire  after  things 
divine :  about  those  which  are  human  I  give  my- 
self little  trouble.  In  fine,  I  live  to  God  and  the 
church  :  I  do  not  sink  under  adversity  :  I  reserve 
myself  for  better  days.  My  mind  is  prepared  by 
the  grace  of  Grod,  and  strong  in  the  Lord,  for  whose 
sake  I  am  not  afraid  to  meet  death  in  that  new 
and  living  way  which  he  hath  consecrated,  and  whidi 
leads  to  heaven  alike  from  every  quarter  of  the 
globe*" 

A  letter  from  Sir  James  Fullerton,  which  he  re- 
ceived in  the  month  of  April,  1614,  gave  a  shock  to 
bis  feelings  which  it  required  all  his  fortitude  to 
bear.  His  dearest  friend,  and  most  affectionate  and 
dutiful  nephew,  James  MelviUe,  was  no  more.  His 
health  had  for  some  time  been  in  a  state  of  decline, 
which  was  accelerated  by  grief  at  the  issue  <tf  public 

^  Melvini  Epist  p.  395. 
6 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MEI.VIL.LE.  S99 

affairs  in  Scotland,  which  his  extreme  sensibility 
disposed  him  to  brood  over  with  too  intense  and  ex- 
dnsive  an  interest.     In  consequence  of  the  importu- 
nity of  his  friends  and  an  apparently  earnest  invita- 
tion from  archbishop  Gladstanes,  he  set  out  for  Edin^ 
burgh,  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1614,  to  arrange 
matters  for  his  return  to  Kilrinny,  or,  if  thid  was 
found  impracticable,  to  resign  his  charge  and  make 
permanent  provision  for  that  parish.     But  he  had 
not  gone  far  when  he  was  taken  so  ill  as  to  be  un- 
able to  proceed  on  the  journey,  and  with  difficulty 
returned  to  Berwick.     The  medicines  prescribed  by 
the  physicians  failed  in  arresting  the  progress  of 
the   distemper,    which    soon    exhibited    alarming 
symptoms.     He  received  the  intimation  of  his  dan- 
ger with  the  most  perfect  composure,  and  told  his 
friends  that  he  was  not  only  resigned  to  the  will  of 
Crod,  but  satisfied  that  he  could  not  die  at  a  more 
proper  season.     On  Wednesday  the  19th  of  Janua* 
ary,  he  **  set  his  house  in  order ;"  and  all  his  chil- 
dren being  present,  except  his  son  Andrew,  (who 
was  prosecuting  his  theological  studies  at  Sedan,) 
he  gave  them  his  dying  chaise  and  parental  bless- 
ing.    His  friend  Joshua  Dury,  minister  of  St.  An- 
drews, and  Patrick  Hume  of  Ayton,  a  gentleman 
who  had  shown  him  great  kindness  during  his  resi- 
dence at  Berwick,   waited  by  his  bed-side.     The 
greater  part  of  his  time  was  spent  in  prayer.   When 
he  mentioned  the  Church  of  Scotland,  he  prayed  for 
repentance  and  forgiveness  to  those  who  had  caused 
a  schism  in  it  by  overturning  its  reformed  disci- 
pline  ;  and,  addressing  those  around  him,  he  said  : 


800  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

•*  In  my  life  I  ever  deteeited  and  resisted  the  hier- 
archy, as  a  thing  unlawfol  and  antichristian,  for 
which  I  am  an  exile^  and  I  take  you  all  to  witness 
that  I  die  in  the  same  judgment."     He  made  parti'- 
cular  mention  of  his  uncle  at  Sedan ;  gave  hurn  a 
high  commendation  for  learning,  but  still  more  for 
courage  and  constancy  in  the  cause  of  Christ; 
and  prayed  that  God  would  continue  and  increase 
the  gifts  bestowed  on  him.     In  the  midst  of  the 
acute  pain  which   he   endured  during  that  night 
and  the  succeeding  morning,  he  expressed  his  re- 
signation and  confidence  chiefly  in  the  language  of 
Scripture,  and  often  repeated  favourite  sentences 
from  the  Psalms  in  Hebrew.     Being  reminded  by 
fiome  of  his  attendants  of  the  Christian  assurance 
which  the  apostle  Paul  had  expressed  in  the  pros- 
pect of  his  death,  he  replied :    "  Every  one  is  not  a 
Paul ;  yet  I  have  a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ,  and  I  am  assured  that  I  shall  enter  into 
glory." — ^**Do    you    not  wish    to   be  restored  to 
health  ?"  said  one  of  the  attendants.    ^^  No ;  not  for 
twenty  worlds."   Perceiving  nature  to  be  nearly  ex- 
hausted, his  friends  requested  him  to  give  them  a 
token  that  he  departed  in  peace;  upon  which  he 
repeated  the  last  words  of  the  martyr  Stephen,  and 
breathed  gently  away  *. 

He  died  in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  and  in 
the  eighth  year  of  his  banishment.  From  the  ac- 
count given  of  him,  and  the  extracts  produced  from 

•  Cald.  MS.  vii.  505—513. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  301 

Ms  letters,  ia  the  preceding  part  of  this  work,  the 
reader  will  be  able  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  his  cha- 
racter. The  presbyterian  ministers  of  tiiat  age  were 
in  general  characterized  by  piety,  assiduity  in  the 
dischai^  of  parochial  duties,  disinterestedness,  pub* 
Uc  spirit,  and  the  love  of  freedom.  In  James  Mel* 
ville  these  qualities  were  combined  with  the  amiable 
dispositions  of  the  man,  and  the  courteous  mannei:^ 
of  the  gentleman.  Though  of  a  mild  temper,  and  not 
easily  provoiced,  he  possessed  great  sensibility ;  could 
vindicate  himself  with  spirit  when  unjustly  attacked ; 
and  testified,  on  all  occasions,  an  honest  indignation 
at  whatever  was  base  and  unprincipled,  especially 
in  the  conduct  of  men  of  his  own  profession*  He 
felt  a  high  veneration  for  the  talents  and  character 
of  his  uncle ;  but  he  was  a  confidential  friend  and 
able  coadjutor,  not  a  humble  dependent  or  syco- 
phantish  admirer ;  and  his  conduct  during  the  last 
years  of  his  life,  when  he  was  thrown  on  the  re* 
sources  of  his  own  mind,  served  to  display  the 
soundness  of  his  judgment,  and  to  unfold  the  energy 
of  his  character  *•  "  He  was  one  of  the  wisest  di- 
rectors of  church-affairs  in  his  time,"  says  Calder- 
wood.  ''  For  that  cause  he  was  ever  employed  by 
the  General  Assemblies  and  other  public  meetings ; 
and  acted  his  part  so  gravely,  so  wisely,  and  so 

*  When  some  urged  that  James  Melville  might  he  allowed  to  re- 
turn home^  although  it  was  dangerous  to  set  his  uncle  at  liberty, 
archbishop  Spotswood  is  said  to  have  replied  :  "  Mr.  Andrew  is  but 
Ji  blast,  but  Mr.  James  is  a  crafty  byding  man,  and  more  to  be  feared 
than  his  uncle."    (Wodrow's  Life  of  James  Melville,  p.  U6.) 


302  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

calmly,  that  the  adversaries  could  get  no  advantage.** 
Besides  what  he  had  published  at  an  early  period  of 
his  life,  he  prepared  several  treatises  for  the  press  a 
short  .time  before  his  death.  His  Supplication  to 
the  King,  in  the  name  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  a 
work  on  which  he  bestowed  great  pains,  is  composed 
in  an  elegant  and  impressive  style.  Possessing  less 
fancy  than  feeling,  his  poems,  which  are  all  written 
in  the  Scottish  dialect,  do  not  rise  above  mediocrity ; 
but  from  this  censure,  some  parts  of  his  Lamenta- 
tion over  the  overthrow  of  the  Church  of  Scotland 
deserve  to  be  exempted  *. 

The  distress  which  Melville  felt  at  receiving  the 
tidings  of  his  nephew's  death  was  calm  and  silent, 
because  it  was  deep.  It  is  expressed  with  a  tender 
simplicity  in  the  epitaph  which  he  wrote  for  him  f . 
In  a  letter  to  his  friend  Dury  at  Leyden,  he  says : 
"  The  Lord  hath  taken  to  himself  the  faithful  bro- 
ther, my  dearly  beloved  son,  Mr.  James  Melville, 
in  January ;  as  I  am  informed  by  Mr.  James  Pul- 
lerton.  I  fear  melancholy  to  have  abridged  his 
days.  He  was  in  great  perplexity  and  doubt  what 
to  do,  as  ye  know  and  as  Mr.  Bamford  wrote  me ; 
and  I  answered  by  these  letters  which  I  sent  to 
you.  I  cannot  tell  if  they  be  yet  beside  you ;  bat 
I  persuade  myself  he  has  never  seen  them.  He  was 
resolved  to  accept  no  restitution  without  you  and 

•  See  Note  D. 

t  This  epitaph  is  printed  at  the  end  of  the  Libelks  Supplcx  of 
James  MelviUe.    (See  Note  D.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  303 

Mr.  Forbes.  Now  he  is  out  of  all  doubt  and  fash* 
rie  *,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  hia  j^ffering  here :  God 
foigive  the  instruments  of  his  withholding  from  his 
flock*  I  cannot  write  more  at  this  time.  .If  ye 
have  received  the  particulars  of  his  sickness  and  his 
death,  I  pray  you  let  me  know  the  circumstances 
at  large  f  .'* 

Besides  the  civilities  which  he  shewed  to  all  th^ 
students,  Melville  paid  particuliar  attention  to  such 
of  his  countrymen  as  came  to  the  university  of  Se- 
dan* Among  these  were  Jc^  Dury^  afterwards 
well  known  for  the  persevering  exertions  which  ha 
made  to  accomplish  a  union  between  the  Lutheran 
and  Reformed  Churches  |,  and  the  learned  Dr. 
John  Forbes,  son  to  the  bishop  of  Aberdeen  §.  Dr« 
Arthur  Jonston,  the  poet,  also  spent  a  considerable 
part  of  his  early  life  in  the  university  of  Sedan* 
His  juvenile  effusions  prove  that  he  lived  on  a  foot* 
ing  of  intimacy  with  Melville,  who  treated  him  with 
kindness  as  the  nephew  of  his  former  colleague,  and 
could  not  fail  to  be  pleased  with  a  young  man  whose 
literary  taste  was  so  congenial  to  his  own,,  and  who 
had  already  given  flattering  presages  of  those  ta- 


•  Trouble. 

t  Letters  from  MeWille  to  Robert  Durie^  num.  5 :  MS.  in  BibL 
Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9,  num.  42.  These  letters  are  written  in  English. 

X  He  was  the  son  of  Robert  Dury  at  Leyden.  (Melville's  Letters 
to  Durie,  num.  i.) 

§  See  the  Preface  and  Letters  prefixed  to  his  Latin  translation  of 
hia  father's  Commentary  on  the  Revelation^  Amst.  1646.  He  is  known 
by  his  learned  work,  Instructiones  Hist(frico»Theologicw,  in  2  vols, 
folio. 


SOI  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

lents  which  entitle  him  to  rank,  as  a  sacred  poet, 
next  to  Buchanan  *. — ^During  his  residence  at  Se- 
dan»  Melville  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  dif- 
ferent literary  characters  on  the  continent,  of  whom 
Heinsius,  Gomarus,  and  Du  Plessis  were  the  prin- 
cipal f . 

In  addition  to  his  ordinary  academical  employ- 
menty  he  was  involved  at  this  time  in  a  con- 
troversy, which  was  peculiarly  delicate  from  the 
connexion  in  which  he  was  placed  with  the  indivi- 
dual who  was  his  principal  opponent.  At  his  first 
coming  to  Sedan  he  found  several  of  the  students 
infected  with  Arminianism :]:.  His  colleague  THle- 
nus,  after  publishing  against  this  system  of  £aith, 
became  a  convert  to  it  §.  But  instead  of  avowing 
the  change,  he  exerted  himself  covertly,  and  contrary 
to  his  subscription,  in  instilling  his  new  opini<Mi8 
into  the  minds  of  the  students  ||.  Melville  had  an 
instinctive  abhorrence  of  every  thing  like  duplicity 
and  breach  of  trust.    He  accordingly  concurred  with 


*  Vita  Arct  JonBtoni,  in  Poet.  Scot  Mus.  Sac  pp.  xxxi. 
In  the  works  of  Jonston,  besides  an  encomiastic  poem  on  MelTiIle> 
are  Ltuus  Amabei,  consisting  of  a  poetical  correspondence  rappowd 
to  have  passed  between  the  author  and  Tilenus  and  Melville^  at  Se- 
dan. Tilenus  is  rallied  on  the  long-delayed  birth  of  a  daughter,  and 
Melville  on  his  being  childless  and  an  old  bachelor.  ( Arturi  JongUmi 
Poeroata^  pp.  371,  387— ^397.     Middelb.  1642.) 

t  Letters  to  Robert  Durie,  passim.  Wodrow's  Life  of  Boyd,  pp.  6S, 
58. 

X  Melville's  Letters  to  Robert  Durie,  num.  1. 

§  Walchii  Bibliotheca  Theologica,  torn.  ii.  pp.  544,  558. 

II  Letter  from  Rivet  to  Boyd  of  Trochrig,  Dec  5,  1617 ;  in  Wod- 
row's Life  of  Boyd,  p.  194. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  305 

dome  of  his  colleagues  in  exposing  an  insidious  at- 
tempt to  pervert  the  sentiments  of  the  young  men 
under  his  charge,  and  to  ruin  the  university.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  Tilenus  left  Sedan,  and  became  an 
open  and  virulent  adversary  of  Calvinism  *. 

*  Scoti  rav  rvx»9T»f  Paraclesis^  pp.  34^  35.  Epistols  Eccles.  et 
Theolog.  pp.  17^  616^  619^  770.  Le  Vassor^  Histoire  de  Louis  XIIL 
torn.  iv.  p.  606. 

Tilenus  shewed  himself  so  violent  and  unfair  in  his  representations 
of  the  opinions  of  his  old  friends  that  the  more  judicious  Remonstrants 
were  ashamed  of  his  conduct.  Yet  a  late  controversial  writer  against 
Calvinism,  in  stating  the  opinions  of  his  opponents,  has  given  the 
propositions  of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  not  in  the  words  of  the  Synod  it- 
self, but  of  its  adversary  Tilenus,  as  "  the  most  moderate  and  im^ 
partial  account  of  their  proceedings !"  (Copleston's  Enquiry  into 
the  Doctrines  of  Necessity  and  Predestination,  pp.  21 7, 918.)  But  this 
18  not  all :  the  quotation  is  purely  apocryphal.  The  propositions  are 
Dot  those  of  Tilenus,  nor  are  they  taken  from  a  work  of  his,  but  from 
a  satirical  dialogue  or  mock-trial,  published  by  an  anonymous  sectary 
daring  the  Cromwellian  Protectorate,  into  which  the  name  of  Tile- 
nus vrasjictitiousl^  introduced.  The  work  is  entitled,  "  The  Exami- 
nation of  Tilenus  before  the  Triers,  in  order  to  his  intended  settle- 
ment in  the  Office  of  a  Public  Preacher  in  the  Commonwealth  of 
Utopia."  The  folldwing  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  Triers :  Dr.  Ab- 
solute, Mr.  Fatalltic,  Mr.  Narrow-grace,  alias  Stint-grace,  and  Dr. 
Dam-man.  Now,  if  it  had  so  happened  that  the  propositions  of  the 
Synod  of  Dort  had  been  put  into  the  mouth  of  this  last  personage 
instead  of  Tilenus,  we  should  no  doubt  have  been  told  by  the  learn- 
ed Provost  of  Oriel  College,  that  this  said  Dr.  Damn-man  was  a 
**  most  moderate  and  impartial"  writer,  and  left  to  seek  for  him  and 
his  works  in  the  land  of  Utopia  ;  where  also,  if  anywhere,  we  might 
have  found  "  the  Landgrave  of  Turing  I  a  patron  of  the  reformed 
doctrines,"  who  justified  his  vicious  life  by  the  doctrine  of  predesti- 
nation !  (Enquiry,  p.  31.)  A  modem  writer  who  could  trust  HeifUn 
as  an  authority,  deserved  to  fall  into  such  ridiculous  blunders. 
— ^As  the  subject  has  been  introduced,  I  must  be  allowed  to  add, 
that  the  publications  against  Calvinism  which  have  lately  appeared 
in  England  are,  in  their  statement  of  the  question,  unfair;  in  their 
reasoning,  shallow;  and,  in  respect  of  the  knovklcdgc  which  they  dis- 
play of  the  history  of  theological  opinions,  contemptible. 

VOL.  n.  X 


S06  hlFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Spotswood  betrays  his  ignorance,  as  well  as  his 
spleen,  in  the  short  account  which  he  gives  of  Md- 
ville  after  he  was  released  from  the  Tower.  "  He 
was  sent  to  Sedan  (says  he)  where  he  lived  in  no 
great  respect,  and  contracting  the  gout  lay  almost 
bedfast  to  his  death  *."  Considering  his  advanced 
age  when  he  was  banished  to  France,  it  would  not 
have  excited  surprise  if  he  had  spent  the  remaindar 
of  his  days  in  inactivity,  or  without  performing 
any  thing  which  attracted  the  public  attention.  But 
the  facts  which  we  have  stated  testify  the  contrary. 
Nor  durst  the  bishops  of  Scotland  grant  permission 
to  this  same  unrespected  and  bedfast  invalid  to  re- 
turn to  his  native  country,  although  they  knew  that 
the  act  would  have  gained  them  the  greatest  credit 
The  archbishop  ought  to  have  avoided  any  allusion 
to  his  disorder,^  considering  that  it  was  contracted  in 
the  prison  to  which  the  bishops  had  been  the  in- 
struments of  dooming  him.  He  had,  indeed,  begun 
to  feel  the  infirmities  of  old  age,  but  not  to  sudi  a 
degree  as  to  prevent  him  from  performing  his  pro- 
fessional duties,  to  subdue  the  undaunted  spirit  of 
which  his  adversaries  stood  in  so  much  awe,  or 
even  to  mar  his  wonted  cheerfulness  f .  In  a  letter 
written  in  the  year  1612,  he  says,  as  if  in  answer 
to  the  above  insinuation  :    ^^  Am  I  not  threesocm 

*  Hist  p.  500. 

t  Speaking  of  Spotswood's  behaviour  in  the  General  Anemfaly 
held  in  1 617^  Simson  aays :  "  Necnon  furere  et  debacchari  in  Andnam 
Melvinum^  yirum  opdmum^  et  foedissimis  calumniis  absentem  mor- 
dere  qui  presentem  nisi  tremulus  yidere  tIx  potoerit.'*  (Annalet, 
p.  isr.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  307 

r 

and  eight  years  old ;  unto  the  which  age  none  of 
my  fourteen  brethren  came  ?  And  yet»  I  thank  God, 
I  eat,  I  drink,  I.  sleep  as  well  as  I  did  these  thirty 
years  bygone,  and  better  than  when  I  was  younger 
—Ml  ifp^o  flore  adolescentue.    Only  the  gravel  now 
and  then  seasons  my  mirth  with  some  little  pain, 
which  I  have  felt  only  since  the  beginning  of  March 
the  last  year,  a  month  before  my  deliverance  from 
prison.     I  feel,  thank  Grod,  no  abatement  of  the 
alacrity  and  ardour  of  my  mind  for  the  propagation 
of  the  truth.     Neither  use  I  spectacles  now  more 
than  ever  ;  yea,  I  use  none  at  all,  nor  ever  did,  and 
see  now   to  read  Hebrew  without  points,  and  in 
the  smallest  characters.     Why  may  I  not  live  to 
see  a  changement  to  the  better,  when  the  prince 
shall  be  informed  truly  by  honest  men,  or  God  open 
his  eyes  and  move  his  heart  to  see  the  pride  of 
stately  prelates  *  ?"    In  a  letter  written  to  the  same 
correspondent  in  the  course  of  the  following  year, 
he  says :  **  I  thank  you,  loving  brother,  for  your 
care  of  us ;  but  I  fear  I  put  you  to  over  great 
charge  in  paying  for  my  letters,  which  I  would  not 
do  if  I  were  sure  that  my  letters  would  be  deliver- 
ed in  case  I  would  pay  for  them ;  such  is  either  the 
negligence  or  greediness  of  this  age.     I  know  your 
loving  heart ;  but  it  is  indiscretion  on  my  part  to 
burden  you  too  much.     Take  this  ^^ja^lish  word 
in  good  part — ^it  fell  out  of  the  pen.     My  heart  is 
a  Scotch  heart,  and  as  good  or  better  nor  ever  it 
was,  both  toward  God  and  man.     The  Lord  only 

*  Letters  to  Robert  Durie^  num.  1. 

x8 


S08  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

be  praised  thereof,  to  whom  belongs  all  glory.  Who 
can  tell  when  out  of  this  confusion  it  may  please 
him  to  draw  out  some  good  order,  to  the  comfort 
of  his  children  and  relief  of  his  servants  ?  Courage, 
courage,  brother  !  Judicabimus  •  angelos  ;  quanta 
magis  mortales  /"  And  in  the  year  1616,  he  writes 
again  to  Dury :  "  Let  the  bishops  be  mowdewarps*: 
we  will  lay  up  our  treasures  in  heaven,  where  they 
be  safe.  My  colic,  gravel,  and  gout,  be  mess^i- 
gers  (but  not  importune)  to  spoil  my  patience,  but 
to  exercise  my  faith.  My  health  is  better  nor  I 
would  look  for  at  this  age :  praised  be  the  true  Me- 
diator, to  whose  glory  may  it  serve  and  to  the  bene- 
fit of  his  church  f . 

After  his  settlement  at  Sedan,  he  requested  his 
friends  in  London  to  embrace  any  favourable  op- 
portunity  that  might  offer  for  procuring  his  restoia- 
tion.  But  this  he  did  not  so  much  from  any  hopes 
of  success  which  he  entertained,  as  to  shew  *'  that 
he  had  not  thrown  off  all  regard  to  the  church  and 
land  of  his  fathers,  and  did  not  contemn  the  favour 
of  his  sovereign  :|:."  In  the  year  1616,  Forbes  went 
to  England,  and,  after  waiting  six  months,  was  ad- 
mitted to  kiss  his  Majesty's  hand^  and  obtained  a 
promise  (which  was  never  realized)  that  he  and 
Dury  would  be  relieved  from  banishment.  In  a  let- 
ter which  Melville  wrote  to  Dury,  he  says,  after 
some  satirical  reflections  on  the  hand  which  Spota- 
wood  had  in  that  affair  :  **  This  I  write  not  to  hin- 


«  moles.  f  Letters  to  Robert  Durie>  num.  3  and  4^ 

X  Melvini  Epist.  p.  293. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  309 

der  you  to  accept  of  your  liberty  obtained  already  at 
the  king's  hands,  as  I  am  informed  by  Mr.  Forbes's 
letters.  You  are  wise  and  resolute  in  the  Lord, 
whose  Spirit  hath  guided  you  hitherto  in  your  wan- 
derings through  the  wilderness  of  this  crooked  age. 
I  am  rejoiced  to  hear  both  of  your  coming  home, 
and  replanting  in  the  ministry  at  home. — ^As  for 
me,  I  know  their  double  dealing  from  the  beginning, 
and  how  I  am  both  hated  and  feared  by  them ;  and 
so  was  my  cousin  Mr.  James.  The  Metropolitan, 
I  ween,  was  minded  to  deal  for  me ;  but  my  late- 
written  verses  offended  both  King  and  bishops. 
Yet  they  be  general,  and  such  as  none  but  a  wan- 
shapen  bishop  can  be  offended  with — wouwfyog  xeu  dtm^ 
earfi^omii.  I  am  not  weary  of  this  s^our,  grace  and 
hospitality  in  Sedan  *." 

He  lost  this  correspondent,  who  died  at  Leyden  in 
the  course  of  this  year  f .  Of  all  his  friends,  next  to 
his  nephew,  he  felt  most  attached  to  Dury,  and  his 
letters  to  him  are  written  in  the  most  confidential 
strain,  mingled  with  kind-hearted  and  familiar  plea- 
santry t-  John  Forbes  survived  his  fellow-exile  many 

*  Letters  to  Robert  Durie^  num.  6. 

t  WodrowVLife  of  Robert  Boyd,  p.  145. 

X  In  one  of  his  letters  to  him,  he  says :  **  Faill  not  to  send  Arroi- 
niuB  against  Perkins  De  Predestinatione,  whatever  it  cost,  with  the 
contra-poison  done  be  Gomarus,  quern  singufarifer  amo  i»  »v^<«.  When 
OUT  dame  bakes  you  shaU  have  a  sconne  [[cake.^  Commend  me  to 
my  good  cummer,  and  to  my  godson,  and  the  rest  of  the  baimt — I  may 
■ee  them  once  er  I  die,  now  entering  my  seventie  year."  And  in 
another  letter :  ''  To  be  short,  I  have  been  these  eight  days  exercised 
with  a  rheum,  and  this  day  have  ta*en  a  sirope ;  so  that  er  it  be  long 

X  3 


310  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

years,  and  died  in  Holland  about  the  year  1634» 
after  he  had  been  removed  from  his  charge  at  Delft 
by  the  jealous  interference  of  the  English  govern- 
ment *. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  161 9^  the  town  of 
Sedan  was  a  scene  of  festivity,  in  consequence  of 
the  marriage  of  Marie  de  la  Tour,  the  eldest  daugh-^ 
ter  of  the  Duke  of  Bouillon,  to  the  Duke  de  la 
Tremouille  f .  On  that  occasion  Melville  resolved 
not  to  be  behind  the  most  juvenile  of  his  colleagues 
in  testifying  his  respect  for  the  family  of  his  noble 
I)atron;  and  he  produced  an  Epithalamium.  A 
marriagCHSong  by  a  Professor  of  Divinity,  in  the  se- 
venty-fourth year  of  his  age,  may  be  regarded  as  a 
literary  curiosity;  and  it  proves  that  old  age,  though 
it  could  not  fail  to  have  cooled,  had  not  been  able  to 
quench  his  genius.  The  theme  which  he  chose  was 
not,  however,  unbecoming  his  character  and  years ; 
and  probably  thinking  that,  in  his  circumstances,  it 
was  enough  to  have  shown  his  good  will,  he  did  not 
finish  the  poem  j:. 

To  the  latest  period  of  his  life,  he  continued 
alive  to  the  general  welfare  of  the  reformed  church, 
and  the  private  welfare  of  his  particular  friends. 
But  he  felt  peculiarly  interested  in  the  affairs  of  the 

I  hope  to  drink  to  you.    My  cummer  and  all  the  hairns  be  locked  op 
in  my  heart." 

*  Preface  to  his  *'  Four  Sermons  on  1  Tim.  vi.  13—16.    Pablidi- 
ed  by  S.  O.  Anno  1635."    Forbes  is  the  author  of  several  other 
tises,  and  lived  greatly  respected  in  Holland. 

f  M^moires  de  Momay  du  Plessis^  torn.  iv.  pp.  105^  156. 

X  Delitis  Poet.  Scot  torn.  11.  pp.  66— Bl. 


L1F£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  311 

Churdi  of  Scotland,  whieh,  before  his  death,  was 
again  converted  into  a  scene  of  contention,  in  pro- 
secution of  the  preposterous  scheme  of  bringing  it 
to  a  complete  conformity  to  the  Church  of  England. 
When  episcopal  government  was  forced  on  Scotland, 
if  any  person  had  asserted  that  this  was  only  a  pre- 
lude to  the  obtrusion  of  the  English  forms  of  wor- 
ship, he  would  have  run  the  risk  of  being  prosecuted 
for  "  lese-making."  Yet  there  can  be  now  no  doubt 
that  this  formed  from  the  beginning  an  essential 
part  of  the  plan  of  the  court.  The  bishops  were 
aware  that  the  nation  was  averse  to  it,  and  afraid 
that  it  might  excite  such  discontent  as  would  prove 
hazardous  to  their  precarious  pre-eminence.  They 
accordingly  made  an  attempt  to  divert  his  Majesty 
from  pushing  the  projected  change.  But  a  manly 
opposition  to  any  measure  which  was  sanctioned 
by  the  royal  pleasure,  however  impolitic,  was  not 
to  be  expected  from  those  who  had  declared  them- 
selves the  creatures  of  the  court ;  and  having  re- 
ceived a  magisterial  reprimand  for  their  ignorant 
scruples  and  impertinent  interference,  they  consent- 
ed to  become  servile  instruments  in  executing  the 
will  of  the  monarch,  and  in  forcing  the  obnoxious 
ceremonies  on  a  reclaiming  and  insulted  nation*. 

*  Loxd  Hailes^  Memor.  and  Letters^  vol.  i.  pp.  79 — 83.  The 
biihops  pleaded  that  his  M^esty  was  determined  at  all  events  to 
impose  the  ceremonies,  and  that,  if  they  did  not  yields  he  would 
overthrow  the  church.  This  might  he  the  impression  on  the 
minds  of  some  of  them ;  but  it  is  evident,  at  least,  that  there  was 
ft  coUuflion  between  the  court  and  the  primate.    Before  the  General 


812  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

After  an  inefiectual  attempt  at  St  Andrews  in  1617» 
they  succeeded  in  accomplishing  their  object  in  a 
General  Assembly  held  at  Perth  in  the  course  of  the 
following  year.  By  flatteries,  falsehoods,  and  threat* 
enings,  a  majority  of  votes  was  procured  in  favour 
of  such  of  the  English  rites  as  it  pleased  the  court 
at  that  time  to  select.  The  Five  Articles  of  Perth,  as 
the  acts  of  this  assembly  are  usually  called,  enjoined 
kneeling  in  the  act  of  receiving  the  sacramental  ele- 
ments of  bread  and  wine,  the  observance  of  holidays, 
episcopal  confirmation,  private  baptism,  and  private 
communicating*  These  were  ratified  by  Parliament 
in  the  year  1621|  and  enforced  by  the  High  G)m- 
mission ;  but  they  met  with  great  resistance,  and 
were  never  universaUy  obeyed  *. 

About  this  time  also  certain  changes  on  the  uni- 
versity of  St.  Andrews  were  completed.     Soon  ,af- 

AMembly  had  agreed  to  the  iunovatioDi,  Spotswood  writes:  «  We 
are  here  to  communicate^  God  willing,  on  £aster-da]r>  when  I  thall 
have  every  thing  in  that  manner  performed  as  yoiur  Majesty  desires. 
AU  of  our  number  are  advertised  to  do  the  like  in  their  places;  and 
the  most  1  know  will  observe  the  samine.  Our  adversaries  wiU  call 
this  a  transgression  of  the  received  custom ;  hut  I  do  not  yet  see  that 
any  thing  will  effect  their  obedience,  save  your  Majesty's  authority" 
(Letter  to  the  King,  March  29, 1618 :  Wodrow's  Life  of  Spots,  p.  74.) 
*  Printed  Cald.  pp.  698 — 715.  Spotswood,  pp.  537 — 540.  Coune 
of  Conformity,  pp.  58 — 103.  Scoti  t«ii  rv^atrtf  Paradesis,  pp.  179— 
181.  Perth  Assembly,  pp.  7 — 10,  14.  Printed  anno  1619.  The 
account,  given  in  the  last-mentionedf  tract,  of  the  threats  employed  in 
the  Assembly,  is  not  materially  contradicted  by  the  episcopal  advo- 
cate, Bbhop  Lyndsay,  in  his  True  Narrative  of  Proceedings  in  the 
Assembly  at  Perth,  pp.  87 — 89 ;  and  it  is  confirmed  by  the  official 
account  of  the  King's  Commissioner,  published  by  Lord  Hailes. 
(Memor.  i.  87—91.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE.  813 

ter  ardibishop  Gladstones  obtained  the  direction  of 
its  affairs,  he  revived  the  professorship  of  canon  law; 
to  which  he  nominated  his  son-in-law;  **  as  the 
ready  way,  to  bring  out  the  presbyterian  disdpline 
from  the  hearts  of  the  young  ones,  and  to  acquaint 
even  the  eldest  with  the  ancient  church  government 
whereof  they  are  ignorant  *."     In  commemorating 
the  obligations  which  the  literature  of  Scotland  is 
under  to  the  archbishop,  we  must  not  forget  his 
exertions  for  the  revival  of  academical  degrees  in 
divinity.     Upon  the  expulsion  of  Melville,  he  ex- 
pressed much  anxiety  to  have  his  successor  invested 
with  ^^  Insignia  Doctoratus,"  and  requested  his  Ma- 
jesty, in  his  "  incomparable  wisdom,"  to  send  him 
"  the  form  and  order  of  making  Bachelors  and  Doc- 
tors of  Divinity,"  that  he  might  "  create  one  or  two 
Doctors,  to  incite  others  to  the  same  honour,  and  to 
encourage  our  ignorant  clergy  to  learning.     And 
the  primate  proposed  that  such  graduates  should, 
"  in  presentation  to  benefices,  be  preferred  to  othersf ." 
This  object  was  not,  however,  gained  until  the  year 
1616,  after  the  death  of  Gladstanes,  when  Dr.  John 
Young,  Dean  of  Winchester,  came  to  St.  Andrews 
with  the  royal  instructions,  and  presided  in  the  first 
act.     His  Majesty  directed  that  those  who  were 
found  qualified  for  degrees  should  "  preach  a  sermon 


*  Letter  to  the  King,  May  3,  1611 :  MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  £din. 
Jac.  V.  1.  13.  num.  17. 

t  Letter  and  Menioires  to  his  Sacred  Majesty,  Sept.  6,  1607 :  MS. 
ibid.  M.  i.  9.  num.  58,  59. 


314  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

before  the  Lords  at  Edinburgh,  in  a  hood  agreeing 
to  their  degree,  that  so  they  might  be  known'*  (by 
the  hood  or  by  the  sermon  f  ^  '*  to  be  men  fitte  for  the 
prime  places  of  the  church  *."  Previously  to  the  in- 
troduction of  this  important  improvement,  the  di- 
vines who  came  from  England  for  the  purpose  of 
forwarding  the  conformity  between  the  two  churches, 
were  exceedingly  struck  with  the  literary  sterility 
of  our  country.  Like  a  celebrated  traveller  who 
could  scarcely  observe  a  tree  above  the  size  of  a 
bush  between  Berwick  and  St.  Andrews,  the  Eng- 
lish Doctors  could  not  hear  of  above  one  of  their 
own  species  in  the  whole  kingdom  :  so  that  if  prompt 
measures  had  not  been  taken  to  have  the  race  pro- 
pagated by  help  from  England,  it  must  inevitably, 
within  a  short  time,  have  become  wholly  extinct  f . 
The  presbyterians,  indeed,  had  doctors,  but  then 
they  were  no  more  than  teachers ;  and  in  their 
church  calendar  were  placed  below  the  pastors  of 
parishes.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  **  our  ignorant 
clergy'*  exerted  themselves  in  promoting  literature ; 
but  then  their  exertions  were  confined  to  the  task 
of  making  men  learned,  and  they  neglected  the  work 

*  HU  Migesty's  Letter  and  Articles  for  the  XJnrrermty*  In  tfae 
Artides  it  is  appointed  that  five  holidays  shall  be  annually  cekfarated 
in  the  University,  with  suitable  prayers  and  sermons. 

f  *'  The  name  of  a  School  Doctor  was  grown  out  of  date :  only 
one  Graduat  (that  I  did  hear  of)  at  St.  Andrews  did  outlive  that  in* 
jury  of  times.  Now  comes  his  Migesty  (as  one  bom  to  the  hoDOiir 
of  learning)  and  restores  the  schools  to  their  former  gbriea."  (Let* 
ter  of  Dr.  Joseph  Hall  to  Mr.  William  Struthers ;  in  Wodrow*s  Uk 
of  Struthers^  p.  S :  MSS.  vol.  ii.) 


LIF£  OF  AKDEEW  MELVILLS.  315 

of  calling  them  so.  They  prescribed,  it  is  true,  an 
extensive  course  of  theol(^ical  instruction,  and  en- 
acted that  none  should  be  admitted  to  the  ministry 
who  had  not  completed  this  course,  and  could  not 
procure  testimonials  of  his  diligence  and  proficiency 
from  the  professors  under  whom  he  had  studied ; 
but  then  they  were  completely  ignorant  of  the  art 
of  creating  divines  by  certain  mystic  words  and 
symbols.  The  truth  is,  that  they  did  not  object  to 
academical  graduation,  so  far  as  it  was  necessary  to 
mark  the  progress  which  young  men  had  made  in 
their  theological  studies  *.  But  they  did  not  admit  that 
it  belonged  to  universities  to  license  persons  to  teach 
divinity  uhicunque  terrarum  ;  they  were  jealouis  of 
those  titles  which,  in  the  English  church,  had  been 
always  associated  with  ideas  of  ecclesiastical  supe- 
riority ;  and  they  knew  that^  considered  merely  as 
badges  of -honour,  instead  of  being  a  reward  to  merit 
or  an  incentive  to  diligence,  they  served  chiefly  to 
tickle  the  vanity  of  the  weak,  bolster  up  the  pr^ 
tensions  of   the  arrogant,   and   induce  persons   to 


*  **  Anent  proceding  be  degrees  in  Sehools  to  the  degree  of  m  Ooc« 
tor  of  Divinity,  it  was  ordained  (by  the  General  Assembly^  Anno 
1569)  that  the  brethren  of  Sanct  Andrews  convene  and  form  such  or- 
dor  as  they  sail  think  meit^  and  that  they  present  the  same  to  the 
next  Assembly  to  be  revised  and  considered^  that  the  Assembly  may 
eik  or  diminish  as  they  sail  think  good^  and  that  thereafter  the  order 
allowed  be  esUblished."  (Cald.  ii.  123.)  ''  The  appellation  of  the 
d^gries  appoyntit  be  his  Ma^^  to  be  heirefter  in  the  yierlle  course 
of  tbeologie  w^n  the  New  College  to  be  advysed  be  the  counsel!  [[of 
the  university]]  and  reported  to  his  Mati*  upon  ihe  forsaid  day," 
(Visit,  of  University  of  St.  Andrews,  anno  1599.) 


316  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

sigh  after  the  name  instead  of  the  reality  of  learn- 
ing.    Lis  est  de  nomhie^  7um  re. 

An  overweening  fondness  for  mere  forms  is  us- 
ually accompanied  with  indifference  to  the  substance, 
in  literature  and  in  religion.  The  same  prelate  who 
testified  such  eagerness  to  have  the  clergy  decorated 
with  empty  titles  and  silken  robes,  banished  the  man 
who  had  done  more  to  raise  their  character,  in  point 
of  literary  and  theological  endowments,  than  all  the 
gowned  graduates  who  had  filled  the  academical 
chairs  of  Scotland  for  two  hundred  years.  And  the 
same  parliament  which  ratified  the  Articles  of  Perth, 
repealed  the  act  of  1579,  which  reformed  the  Uni- 
versity of  St.  Andrews,  and  thus  threw  education 
back  to  the  state  in  which  it  was  before  the  revival 
of  letters.  The  apology  made  for  this  disgraceful 
act  of  the  legislature  was,  ^'  that  it  is  equitable  that 
the  will  of  the  original  founders  should  take  effect 
so  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  religion  presently 
professed.  But  if  a  deviation  from  the  will  of  the 
founders  in  such  an  important  point  as  that  of  re« 
ligion  was  warrantable  and  proper,  what  reasonable 
objection  could  be  urged  against  such  a  change  on 
the  mode  of  instruction  as  was  necessary  to  accom- 
modate it  to  the  progress  which  the  age  had  made 
in  knowledge  and  literature  ?  The  true  reasons  for 
the  repeal  of  the  act  of  1579  were,  on  the  part  of 
the  professors,  an  aversion  to  the  arduous  course  of 
instruction  which  that  act  prescribed ;  and;  on  the 
part  of  the  bishops,  an  antipathy  to  the  men  who 
had  recommended  it,  and  an  anxiety  to  remove 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  817 

every  monument  of  the  existence  and  triumph  of 
presbytery.  But,  eager  as  they  were  to  accomplish 
this  object,  the  utility  of  the  New  College,  as  con- 
stituted on  Melville's  favourite  plan,  was  so  univer- 
sally acknowledged,  that  they  durst  not  touch  it ; 
and,  accordingly,  an  express  exception,  though  at 
variance,  with  the  principle  assumed  in  the  act^  was 
made  in  its  favour  *. 

What  Melville's  feelings  on  receiving  information 
of  the  procedure  of  the  Greneral  Assembly  at  Perth 
were,  we  learn  from  a  letter  written,  at  his  direc- 
tion, by  one  of  his  students  to  a  friend  in  Scotland 
who  had  lately  been  at  Sedan.  He  was  not  pre- 
pared to  expect  that  the  rulers  would  push  matters 
to  such  an  extreme.  Cherishing  the  hope  that  the 
corruptions  lately  established  would  work  their  own 
cure,  and  that  the  barons  would  soon  grow  weary 
of  a  tyranny  which  they  had  unwarily  contributed 
to  erect,  he  had  of  late  curbed,  instead  of  stimulating, 
the  zeal  of  such  of  his  acquaintance  as  returned 
from  France  to  Scotland,  and  whom  he  knew  to  be 
ardently  attached  to  the  presby terian  constitution ; 
but  now  he  judged  it  necessary  to  rouse  his  brethren 
to  a  vigorous  resistance  of  the  innovations  which  it 
was  attempted  to  impose.  He  felt  deeply  concern- 
ed for  them,  and  expressed  a  great  desire  to  receive 
the  earliest  intelligence  of  aU  their  proceedings  f . 

♦  Act  Pari.  Scot  voL  iv.  pp.  682,  683. 

t  Letter,  John  Hume  to  Mr.  John  Adamson,  Sedan,  March  9, 
1080 :  MS.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9.  num.  80.  It  appears  from 
this  letter  that  Adamson  was  then  employed  in  making  a  collection 
of  Melville's  poems. 


318  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

As  often  as  he  took  up  the  BasUicon  Daron  (which 
he  frequently  did)  he  could  not  refrain  from  tears, 
when  he  reflected  on  the  disclosure  which  it  made  of 
the  King's  designs  against  the  church,  and  on  the 
crooked  policy  with  which  they  had  been  carried 
into  execution. 

His  desire  to  assist  his  brethren  at  this  critical 
period  prompted  him  to  break  through  a  restraint 
imposed  on  him  when  he  was  released  from  the  Tow- 
er, and  to  which  he  had  hitherto  submitted.  He  com- 
posed a  small  treatise,  which  was  published  anony- 
mously, consisting  of  aphorisms  on  things  indilSerent 
in  religion,  and  bearing  upon  the  chief  argument 
used  by  the  advocates  for  conformity  to  the  obtruded 
ceremonies.  Another  work  commonly  ascribed  to  him 
is  an  answer  to  his  late  colleague,  Tilenus,  who,  dis- 
appointed in  his  scheme  of  raising  partisans  in  France, 
sought  to  ingratiate  himself  with  King  James  by 
a  defence  of  the  late  proceedings  in  Scotland,  and  by 
an  unprovoked  and  vituperative  attack  on  the  Scot- 
tish presbyterians  *.  The  answer  to  Tilenus  is 
written  with  great  ability,  and  in  a  style  of  nervous 


*  ''  Panmesis  ad  Sootos^  GeneuensU  Diacipline  Zelotts.  Antore 
Dan.  Tfleno  Sikaio.  Lond.  1620."  Cambden  says :  ''  Anno  1090^ 
Sept  5.  Tilenus,  magnus  Theologus,  Tenit  in  Angliam,  8c  edit  libnm 
contra  Scotos,  selotas  discipline  Genevenais.''  (Annales,  p.  61.)  He 
published  another  work  on  the  same  sulject^  but  written  with  greater 
moderation :  **  De  Disdplina  Ecdesiastica  Brevis  &  Modesta  disMr- 
tatio,  ad  EcclesiaBi  Scoticam.  Autore  Gallo  quodam  Thedlogo,  VcrU 
Divini  Ministro.  Abredonic,  Excudebat  Eduardus  Eabanua^  Impen- 
ais  Davidis  MelviU,  1689.' 


»» 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  819 

reasoning,  seasoned  with  satire,  which  is,  upon  the 
whole,  less  severe  than  the  rudeness  of  the  attack 
which  it  repels  would  have  justified  ♦.  But  it  was 
not  the  work  of  Melville ;  although  it  is  not  un- 
likely that  he  furnished  materials  to  his  friend.  Sir 
James  Sempill,  who  was  the  real  author  f . 

The  sources  of  intelligence  have  now  failed  me, 
and  I  have  it  not  in  my  power  to  communicate  any 
additional  information  relative  to  the  latter  period 
of  Melville's  life.  In  1620  his  health  grew  worse  \ ; 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  distempers  with  which 
he  had  been  occasionally  visited  ever  since  he  was 
in  the  Tower,  became  now  more  frequent  in  their 
attacks,  and  gradually  wasted  his  constitution.  He 
died  at  Sedan  in  the  course  of  the  year  1622,  at 

*  ''  Scoti  T«v  rux»9r»s  ParacksiB  contra  Danielis  Tileni  Sikaii  Pa- 
nenesin. — Cuius  pan  prima  est^  De  Episcopal!  Ecclesis  RegimiDe. 
Anno  1622."  At  the  dose  of  the  work^  the  author  signifies  his  in- 
tention of  publishing  two  other  parts,  on  Elders,  and  on  the  Five 
Ceremonies  obtruded  on  the  Church  of  Scotland.  But  the  necessity 
for  these  was  superseded  by  the  elaborate  Altare  Darmucenum  of 
Calderwood,  which  appeared  in  the  course  of  the  following  year. 

t  Melville  is  repeatedly  referred  to  in  that  work,  and  we  cannot  sup- 
pose that  he  would  have  spoken  of  himself,  even  for  the  purpose  of 
concealment,  in  such  terms  as  the  following : — "  in  quibus  prcdpuus 
ent  divinut  noster  Melvinus."  (P.  66.  Conf.  p.  231.)  Add  to 
this  the  testimony  of  Calderwood,  who  had  the  best  opportunity  of 
being  informed  on  the  subject :  "  About  this  time  (1620)  Tilenus, 
a  Silesian  by  birth,  a  professor  in  Sedan,  came  to  England,  looking 
for  great  preferment  and  benefit  for  a  pamphlet,  intituled  Parienesis 
ad  Scotos  Genevensis  disdplinae  zelotas,  wherein  he  defended  the  state 
of  bishops  and  the  five  articles.  The  booke  was  confuted  soone  after 
be  Sir  James  Sempill  of  Beltrise,  and  be  the  author  of  the  booke  in- 
tituled Altare  Damascenum."    (Cald.  viii.  962>  963.) 

X  Hume*8  Letter  to  Adamson,  at  supra, 

5 


820  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  M£LVILL£. 

the  advanced  age  of  seventy-seven  years  ♦.  At 
that  time,  there  was  at  least  one  of  his  country- 
men in  the  university,  Alexander  Colville,  who 
enjoyed  his  friendship,  and,  it  may  be  believed, 
would  not  fail  to  pay  every  attention  to  his  vener- 
able master  in  his  last  moments  f .  In  consequence 
of  the  civil  war  which  raged  in  France,  it  was  a 
considerable  time  before  his  friends  in  Scotland 
were  apprized  of  the  fact  of  his  death  ;  and,  even 
then,  they  were  left  in  ignorance  of  the  circum- 
stances which  attended  it  t* 


*  ''  Andreas  Melvinus,  Tir  maximc  pietatis,  singularis  ^M  (ttliu 
domuB  Dei  comedit  eum),  omnium  lingnarom  et  sdcntiamm  acumiBe' 
primus,  imo  solus ;  Athenas  et  Solymam  in  Scotiam  induxit ;  pseod^- 
episcopatus  et  papistanim  hostis  acerrimus ;  ccelebs,  castus ;  advoca- 
tus  a  Rege,  Turri  co^jidtur :  post  Dux  Bulonis  in  Gralliam  dudt, 
ubi  fortisaimus  miXtiTm,  jam  octogenarius  moritur,  1^93."^  (Simaoni 
Annales.     See  alsoWodrow's  Life  of  Andrew  Melville,  p.  118.) 

t  Hume's  Letter,  ut  supra,  Petri  Molinsi  Oratio— habita  Se* 
dani  viy.  Idus  Decembres  16S8,  ante  inaugurationem  viri  doctisnmi 
Alexandri  Colvini  in  gradum  Doctoratus  eiusq;  admiasionem  ad 
Professionem  Theologicam.  Sedani  1629.  From  this  Oration  (p.  1299} 
it  appears  that  Colville  had  been  for  several  years  Professor  of  He- 
brew before  be  was  admitted  to  the  theological  chair.  In  1642,  he 
was  called  from  Sedan  to  be  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  New  College 
of  St.  Andrews.  (Baillie's  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  305.  Index  to  Unpriio*  . 
ed  Acts  of  Assembly,  1642.) 

X  Robert  Boyd  of  Trochrig,  at  that  time  Prindpal  of  the  Uiiifer^^  *' 
lity  of  Edinburgh,  has  the  following  notice  of  Melvill|f^  deatli  jn^  ' 
his  Obituary.  **  May  the  Lord  have  pity  upon  us,  and^j^etenre  in 
OS  the  work  of  his  own  grace,  for  the  good  and'nlvation  w  odrs  ^' 
and  the  destruction  of  this  body  of  death  aiid  ain'l  Aa'to^di^'i 
of  that  Tenerable  father  of  our  church,  the  ornament  of  nia 
and  great  light  of  this  age,  in  all  virtue,  learning,  vfvadty  of 
promptitude,  zeal,  holy  freedom  and  boldness, 'and  inrindibl^'c 


LIFE  OP  Ai^DEEW  MELVILLE.  321 

It  is  natural  for  us  tc  desire  minute  info^nnation  ' 
respecting  the  decea^  of  any  individual'  in'  whose 
life  we  have  taken  a  deep  interest ;  and  vri  cannot 
h<elp  feeling  disappointed^  when  we  are  barely  told 
that ''  he  died.**  But  UudaUe  a^  this  curiosity  ihay 
be,  and  gratifying  and  useful  as  it  is  to  have  the 
spiritual  portrait  of  a  great' and  good  man  drawn 
on  his  death-bed  and  at  the  hour  of  his  departure, 
we  ought  not  to  forget  that  there  is  a  still  more 
decisive  and  unequivocal  test  of  character.  It  wa^ 
by  the  faith  which  he  evinced  dming  his  life  that 
the  first  martyr  **  obtained  witness  that  he  was 
righteous ;  and  by  it  he,  being  dead,  yet  i^eaketh."* 
•We  have  no  reason  to  regret  being  left  without  any 

• 

nge  in  a  good  cause^  with  a  holy  ooane  of  life  and  resolution^,  who 
dyed  at  Sedan  last  year,  1622^  aged  abqut  80  years.    He  was  reject*  > 
cd  of  his  native  country^  hy  the  malice  of  the  times  and  men,  be-  .- 
cause  he  had^  with  fortitude  and  firmness^  maintained  the  truth,  and 
given  testimony  to  it  before  the  princes  of  this  world.    He  had  ksept^ 
ed  a  good  conscience,  without  changes,  either  out  of  fear,  or  by  the  / 
ftattery  and  favour  of  m^u,  after  his  imprisonment  in  the  Tower  of  < 
London,  and  his  living  an  exile  of  more  than  10  years.    As  to  his 
death,  I  say,  and  the  particular  drcomstances  of  it,  I  have  not  yet,  : 
received  distinct  and  certain  information,  because  of  the  trouble  and  . 
persecutions  arisen  in  the  diurch  of  France  for  some  years.  .  May 
tlie  Lord  conduct  us  by  the  strait  gate  to  his  kingdom  of  eveiiaating 
^eaoe,  for  the  merits  of  his  wed  beloved  Son  Jesus  Christy  onrSHvif 
oar.  Amen."    (Wodrow^s  Life  of  Robert  Boyd,  p.  I^)r7<:;aldfir-   ^ 
wood,  in  a  work  which  he  published  in  Holland  in  the  year  1929,   • 
wys:  ''  De  Melvino  autem  alBrmare  nulla  aasentatiooe  (nam  audio 
pMlo  ante  fatis  cessisse)  melius  Regi  ab  in&ntia  volniasej'  quam  ■.  «»- 
s^tatores  istos."    (Altara  Damasc.  p.  741.)    And,  in  the  Prelace  to 
that  work,   he  says :    '*  Andreas  Melvinus,    qui  fere  ociogenarius 
'cBem  supremum  dausit  in  exilio,  vir  undiquaque  doctus,  pius,  can* 
ifidoa,  et  Btrenuus  Christi  miles." 

VOL,  II.  Y 


328  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  VKLYILLE. 

authentic  record  of  the  manner  in  which  the  apostles 
finished  their  course,  nor  are  we  under  any  tempta- 
tion to  have  recourse  to  suspicions  and  apocryphal 
traditions  in  order  to  supply  the  defect,  when  Uieir 
writings  and  the  history  of  their  lives  enable  us 
''  fully  to  know  their  doctrine,  manner  of  life,  pur- 
pose, long-suffering,  charity,  patience,  persecutions, 
afflictions."  I  have  met  with  no  account  of  the 
last  sickness  of  Melville ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that 
he  died  as  he  lived.  At  a  period  when  it  was  not 
uncommon  to  circulate  false  rumours  of  the  death- 
bed recantations  of  men  who  had  distinguished 
themselves  in  public  controversies,  it  was  never 
whispered  that  he  had  retracted  his  sentiments,  or 
that  he  signified  the  smallest  regret  for  the  suffer- 
ings which  he  had  endured  in  behalf  of  the  civil  and 
religious  liberties  of  his  country. 

It  is  not  an  easy  task  to  form  a  correct  and  im- 
partial estimate  of  the  talents  and  character  of  those 
who  have  distinguished  themselves  in  great  natioDr 
al  struggles.  If  their  contemporaries  were  uodul^jr 
biassed  by  the  strength  of  their  attachments  md 
antipathies,  we  who  live  at  a  later  period  lose  is 
correctness  of  views  what  we  ^n  in  imparUali^ 
of  judging,  by  the  distance  at  which  we  are  plsesl 
from  the  men  whom  we  attempt  to  describe,  and  Igr 
want  of  sympi^thy  with  manners  «jiid  feeling|9*# 
dissimilar  to  our  own.  In  forming  our  opinion;  ^flf 
them  from  contemporary  records,  we  are  as  nnwli 
embarrassed  by  the  narrow  views  and  want  of  d|ip 
crimination  of  their  friends,  as  by  the  hostility  and 


LIFE  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE.  SSS 

misrepresentations  of  their  adversaries.     The  nar- 
ratives of  public  transactions  transmitted  to  us  by 
those  who  lived  at  the  time,  often  resemble  the  de- 
scription of  a  great  battle  by  a  spectator :  officers 
and  men  are  beheld  confusedly  mingled  together, 
and  the  issue  appears  to  depend  on  the  exertion  of 
brute  force,  aided  by  insensibility  to  danger ;  while 
the  military  skill  and  presence  of  mind  by  which 
the  whole  mass  is  disposed,  put  in  motion,  and  go- 
tremed,  are  disregarded  and  left  out  of  view.   There 
i»  still  another  sotirce  of  error.     If  civil  history  is 
diiefly  the  record  of  wars  and  bloodshed,  the  pages 
of  ecclesiastical  history  are  too  often  filled  with  ac- 
eounts  of  theological  contention ;  and  accustomed 
to  contemplate  the  principal  individuals  who  fi- 
gure in  these  scenes,  either  in  the  attitude  of  eager 
assault  or  of  stubborn  resistance,  we  are  ready  to 
fbrm  an  unfavourable  opinion  of  their  moral  qualities 
and  private  dispositions.     Cooler  reflection,  and  a 
niore  minute  acquaintance  with  facts,  will   serve 
fD  correct  otir  over-hasty  conclusions.    When  we 
ftdlow  the  warrior  into  the  retreats  of  peace,  and 
find  him  displaying,    in  the  social  and  domestic 
drde,  all  the  gentle  and  amiable  features  of  human 
lutare,  we  may  regret  that  it  should  ever  have  been 
lleoeSBary  for  him  to  enter  on  a  scene  which  called 
fikrtk  the  sterner  feelings,  but  we  will,  at  the  same 
time^  be  convinced  that  he  is  incapable  of  wanton 
ttid  deliberate  cruelty,    and  it  will    require  the 
strongest  evidence  to  induce  us  to  believe  that  he 
in  any  instance  guilty  of  conduct  so  much  at 

Y  2 


824  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

variance  with  what  we  know  of  his  temper  and 
habits.  With  respect  to  those  who  lived  in  former 
times,  this  information  can  be  derived  only  from 
private  memoirs  and  letters.  When  such  documents 
relating  to  any  individual  exist,  and  when  they  have 
been  referred  to  as  authorities,  and  produced  as  illus- 
trations, with  fidelity  and  judgment,  the  outlines  of 
his  character  are  no  longer  left  to  be  filled  up  by 
the  fancy  or  the  prejudices  of  his  biographer.  If  I 
have  succeeded  according  to  my  wish,  the  reader  is 
already  acquainted  with  the  person  whose  life  is  re- 
corded in  this  work ;  and  it  is  not  necessary  fot  me 
to  attempt  an  elaborate  delineation  of  his  character. 
Nor  is  it  necessary  for  me  to  enter  into 'a  fdNinal  re- 
futation of  the  erroneous  opinions  which  have  pre- 
vailed concerning  it.  The  facts  which  have  been 
produced  will  best  serve  to  correct  these  mistakes, 
whether  they  have  originated  in  ignorance  or  in 
prejudice. 

Melville  possessed  great  intrepidity,  invincible 
fortitude,  and  unextinguishable  ardour  of  mind. 
His  spirit  was  independent,  high,  fiery,  and  incap- 
able of  being  tamed  by  threats  or  violence ;  but  he 
was  at  the  same  time  open,  candid,  generous,  aflte- 
tionate,  faithful.  The  whole  tenor  of  his  life  bean 
testimony  to  the  sincerity  and  strength  of  his 
religious  convictions.  We  do  not  find  him  making 
disclosures,  even  to  his  most  confidential  correspond* 
ents,  of  the  secret  conununings  of  his  heart  with  its 
God.  But  we  find,  what  is  a  less  equivocal  proof 
of  genuine  devotion,  a  habitual  sense  of 


LIFE  OF  ANDE£W  MELVILLE.  SS5 

things,  a  subjection  of  mind  to  the  divine  will,  and 
a  uniform  aim  and  desire  to  advance  the  divine 
glory,  pervading  and  intermingling  with  all  that  he 
did  or  said.     The  spirit  of  his  piety  was  strikingly 
contrasted  with  that  compound  of  indifference  and 
selfishness  which  is  so  often  lauded  under  the  much 
abused  names  of  moderation  and  charity.     **  Thou 
canst  not  bear  them  that  are  evil,  and  thou  hast 
tried  them  that  say  they  are  apostles  and  are  not, 
and  hast  found  them  liars,'*  was  the  commendation 
which  he  coveted  and  which  he  merited.     He  felt, 
and  he  was  not  ashamed  to  avow,  an  ardent  at- 
tachment to  civil  liberty.     Possessing,  in  a  high 
degree,  the  perfervidum  ingenium  of  his  country- 
men,  sudden  and  impetuous   in  his   feelings,   as 
well  as  prompt  and  vivacious  in  his  conceptions, 
he  poured  out  a  torrent  of  vigorous,  vehement,  re- 
gardless, resistless  indignation,  mingled  at  times 
with  defiance  and  scorn,  on  those  who  incurred  his 
displeasure.     But  his  anger,  even  when  it  rose, to 
its  greatest  height,  was  altogether  different  from  the 
ebullitions  of  a  splenetic  or  rancorous  mind.     On 
.  up  occasion  was  it  ever  excited  by  a  seinse  of  per^ 
acmaL  injuries,  which  he  meekly  bore  and  forgave. 
.It  was  called  forth  by  a  strong  feeling  of  the  im-i 
.  propriety  pf  the  conduct  which  he  resented,  and  of 
.  its  tepdency  to  injure  those  public  interests  to  which 
.Jb^was  devoted.    And  there  was  always  about  it 
,^  ;Ml  honesty,  an  elevation,  a  freedom  from  personal 
;,  .bate»  malice,  and  revenge,  which  made  it  respected 
.  ,e\m  by  those  who  censured  its  violence,  or  who 

y  3 


326  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

smarted  under  its  severity.  If  his  religious  and 
patriotic  zeal  was  sometimes  intemperate,  it  was  al^ 
ways  disinterested ;  if,  by  giving  himself  up  to  ita 
influence,  he  was  occasionally  carried  beyond-  the 
bounds  of  virtuous  moderation  and  prud^ioe,  it  ia 
also  true  that  he  was  borne  above  every  sordid  and 
mercenary  aim,  and  escaped  from  the  atmosphere 
of  selfishness,  in  which  so  many  who  have  set  out 
well  in  a  public  career  have  had  their  zeal  cooled 
and  their  progress  arrested. 

Notwithstanding  the  heat  and  vehemence  disb* 
played  in  his  public  conduct,  he  was  an  agreeaUe 
companion  in  private.  Provided  those  who  w»e 
about  him  could  bear  with  his  ^*  wholesome  and 
friendly  anger,"  and  allow  him  freely  to  censure  what 
he  thought  wrong  in  their  conduct,  he  assumed  no 
arrogant  airs  of  superiority,  exacted  nobumiliating 
marks  of  submission,  but  lived  with  them  aa  a 
brother  among  brethren.  His  heart  was  susceptiUa 
of  all  the  humane  and  social  affections.  Though  ha 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  a  coU^pe,  be  was 
no  ascetic  or  moroee  recluse;  and  though  <^  his  book 
was  his  bride  and  his  study  his  brideicbamber  V 
y^t  he  felt  as  tender  a  sympathy  with  his  £riendB,ia 
all  their  domestic  concerns,  as  if  he  had  been  himself 
a  husband  and  a  father.  The  gay,  good-humouBBd^ 
bearty  pleasantry  which  appears  in  his  familiar  lelt- 
ters,  evinces  a  cheerfulness  and  kindliness  of  diqps^ 


*  An  expresMon  applied  to  Archbishop  Griodal^  who  n^rer  inirv 
^ied. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  S27 

sition,  which  continued,  to  the  latest  period  of  his 
lifis,  unsoured  by  the  harsh  treatment  which  he  met 
with,  and  uninjured  by  the  fretting  infirmities  of 
old  age. 

His  intellectual  endowments  were  confessedly  su<< 
perior.  Possessing  a  vigorous  mind,  cultivated  by 
study,  he  excelled  all  his  countrymen  of  that  age  in 
die  acquirements  of  a  various  and  profound  erudi- 
tion. He  was  the  first  Scotchman  who  added  a  taste 
for  elegant  literature  to  an  extensive  acquaintance 
with  theology.  In  all  the  important  public  trans- 
actions of  his  time,  he  sustained  a  conspicuous  part. 
But  those  who  have  represented  him  as  exercising, 
or  affecting  to  exercise,  the  authority  of  the  leader 
of  a  party,  in  the  common  aooeptation  of  that  term, 
have  greatly  mistaken  his  character.  He  had  no 
pretension  to  those  talents  which  qualify  one  for 
this  task.  He  was  a  stranger  to  the  smooth  arts 
and  insinuating  address  by  which  persons  whose  ta- 
lents were  not  of  the  highest  order  have  often  suc- 
ceeded in  managing  public  bodies.  He  could  not 
•loop  to  flatter  and  fawn  upon  the  multitude,  nor 
was  he  disposed  to  make  those  sacrifices  of  principle 
and  personal  independence  which  are  required  from 
every  one  who  sets  up  for  the  head  of  a  party.  Ne- 
vertheless, his  reputation  for  learning  and  probity, 
biB  extensive  acquaintance  with  the  subjects  in  de- 
bate, his  promptitude  of  mind,  his  ready,  fervid, 
and  vehement  eloquence,  and,  above  all,  the  heroic 
courage  and  firmness  which  he  uniformly  displayed 
in  the  hour  of  danger,  gave  him  an  ascendancy  over 


S28  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

the  public  mind  wliiph,  was  in  some  respects  greats 
er  th^an  that  ean^rtaA  by  any  acknowledged  leader. 
In  the  church  courts  there  were  others  better,  qua* 
Ufied  for  moderating  in  a  debate,  for  directing  the 
mode  of  procedure,  or  conducting  a  negociation 
with  the  court ;  but  still  Melville  was  regarded  by 
the  nation  as  the  master-spirit  which  animated  the 
whole  body,  and  watched  over  the  rights  and  liber-« 
ties  of  the  church.  His  zeal  and  fearlessness  led 
him  sometimes^  in  the  heat  of  action,  to  leave  tha 
ranks  of  his  brethren,  and  to  seize  a  position  which 
they  deemed  improper  or  hazardous ;  but  still  their 
eye  was  fixed  on  hiiHy  and. they  were  encouraged  fay 
his  example  to  maintain  the  conflict  on  lower  and 
less  dangerous  groimd* 

I  have  not  met  with  any  description  of  his  exter- 
nal appearance^  except  that  given  by  his  Majesty, 
who  has  informed  us  that  he  was  of  low  stature  \ 
Nor  do  I  know  of  any  portrait  of  him.  His  bodily 
constitution  was  sound ;  he  enjoyed  a  long  course 
of  good  health ; .  his  animal  spirits  were  lively ;  and, 
he  was  a  stranger  to  those. alternate  visitatioiiB  i£ 
morbid  sensibility'  and  oppressive  languor  by  whidt 
men.  of  talents  and  studioiis  habits  are  often  toi^ 
mente^r  <  ■:.:;.■/    vni.  ■/•vm- 

.  Th6  .greater  part  of  MelyiOe's  writings  ooairistS' 
of  Latia  poems  f^. ;  These:  display  the:  vigour  of  hir 
imaginatitti  and  ^die  elegance  of  his  taste;  moir 


•  •  >■  1 '  -1'  •'  ■       I :   ■       '.        '    <  •■ 


!  ■    .  •    I  ■  •  :  '  '  ■  '  •  • « 


*  See  libove,  vd.  L  p.  S70. 

t  A  lift  of  bis  works  wtU  bf  found  in  Note  £. 


LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE.  SS9 

Bcme  of  them  will  bear  a  oompaiison  with  the  pro- 
daetions  of  such  of  his  contemporaries  as  were  the 
greatest  masters  of  that  species  of  writing.  But, 
Aough  his  poems  were  admired  at  the  time  when 
tfaey  appeared,  it  must  be  confessed  that  they  have 
not  transmitted  his  reputation  to  posterity.  This 
is  chiefly  to  be  ascribed  to  the  change  which  has 
taken  place  in  literary  taste,  and  the  disrepute  into 
which  such  compositions  have  faUen  in  later  times. 
It  has  been  also  owing  in  some  degree  to  his  not 
having  produced  a  work  of  any  great  extent,  a  cir- 
comstance  which  has  no  small  influence  on  public 
Qpimon.  Had  Buchanan  not  published  his  Para- 
phrase of  the  Psalms,  the  merit  of  his  other  poeti- 
cal pieces  would  probably  have  been  now  known 
only  to  a  few.  Melville  found  always  sufficient  ac« 
tive  employment  to  excuse  him  from  the  duty  of 
writing  for  the  public.  He  was  not  ambitious  of 
literary  fame,  and  was  quite  superior  to  mercenary 
views;  nor  had  the  art  of  converting  authorship 
into  an  engine  for  making  a  fortune  been  discover- 
ed in  that  age.  Another  circumstance  which  has 
proved  injurious  to  his  literary  fame  is;  that  a 
great  number  of  his  poems  are  satires  on  the  hier- 
archy. This,  together  with  the  firm  resistance 
which  he  made  to  the  episcopal  polity,  excited  a 
strong  antipathy  against  him  among  the  defenders 
d  the  English  church,  who  have  either  disparaged 
his  talents  or  treated  his  writings  with  neglect  *. 

'    *  See  Dr.  Duport's  Tcrses  ''  In  Andream  Mel?inum  Scotum,  de 
ftt*  Anti«Tami-Cami-Categoria^  Saphico  vena  conacripta;"  added  to 


330  LIFE  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE. 

Not  that  all  of  them  are  chargeable  with  this  in- 
justice. Isaac  Walton,  though  displeased  with  the 
freedoms  which  Melville  had  taken  with  his  &• 
vourite  church,  does  not  attempt  to  deny  or  con* 
ceal  his  talents  *.  A  modem  English  divine,  who  is 
a  much  better  judge  than  Walton,  speaks  of  him  in 
the  following  terms.  *<  The  learning  and  abilities 
of  Mr.  Melville  were  equalled  only  by  the  purity  of 

hit  editum  of ''  Eeclesustes  Salamonis— 1 669."  A  striking  spednm 
of  the  spirit  referred  to  in  the  text  is  given  by  Bishop  Nicolson.  In 
his  account  of  treatises  left  by  Scotchmen  **  on  the  description  and  an- 
tiquities of  their  country/'  he  says :  ''  I  have  not  seen  And.  Mehih'$ 
Fragmenium  de  Origine  Gtntii  Scatonan.  Nor  will  the  cbtnetv 
which  a  modem  writer  gives  of  the  author  tempt  any  man  to  enquize 
after  it"  (Scottish  Hist.  Library,  p.  15.  Lond.  1702. 8vo.)  Now,  the 
work  was  staring  the  worthy  bishop  in  the  face  all  the  time,  in  a  bodk 
which  he  had  repeatedly  quoted.  The  reader  may  be  carious  to  isa 
the  character  which  made  an  Antiquarian  so  indifferent  about  a  dia^ 
course  on  Antiquities ;  and  as  this  character  is  really  a  curiosity  of 
its  kind,  I  shall  subjoin  it  **  Master  Andrew  Melvil — ^was  a  Man, 
by  Nature,  fierce  and  fiery,  confident  and  peremptory,  peevish  and 
ungovernable:  Education  in  him,  had  not  sweetened  Natorej  but 
Nature  had  sowred  Education ;  and  both  conspiring  together,  had 
trickt  him  up  into  a  true  Original ;  a  piece  compounded  of  pride  and 
petulance,  of  Jeer  and  Jangle,  of  Satyre  and  Sarcasm ;  of  venoBie  ol 
vehemence :  He  hated  the  Crown  as  much  as  the  Mitre,  the  Soepltf 
as  much  as  the  Crosier,  and  could  have  made  as  bold  with  the  Pnipk 
as  with  the  Rochet :  His  prime  Talent  was  Lampooning  and  wiitb^ 
Anti*Tami-Carai-Categorias.  In  a  word.  He  was  the  very  Anh^ 
typal  Bitter  Betid  of  the  Party."  (Sage's  Fundameatal  Chaitar«f 
Presbytery  Examined,  pp.  817, 818.) 

^  He  was,  says  he,  *^  master  of  a  great  wit,  a  wit  ftill  of  knots  alid 
dmches ;  a  wit  sharp  and  satirical :  exceeded,  I  think,  by  nooeef  Ait 
nation  but  their  Buchanan."  This  testimony  to  Melville,  which  ap- 
peared in  the  first  edition  of  die  Life  of  George  Herbert,  was  suppress- 
ed in  the  subsequent  editions.  Pr.  Zouch  restored  it  in  his  editioD 
of  Walton's  Lives,  p.  895. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  331 


his  manners  and  the  sanctity  of  his  life.  His  tem« 
-p&t  was  warm  and  violent ;  hia  carriage  and  seal 
perfectly  suited  to  the  times  in  which  he  lived. 
Apchbishop  Spots  wood  is  uniformly  unfriendly  to 
his  memory.  He  seemS'  to  have  been  treated  by 
his  adversaries  with  great  asperity.'' — And,  having 
quoted  Duport's  poem  against  him,  he  adds  t  *'  Let 
it  not,  however,  be  inferred  from  these  verses,  that 
Andrew  Melville  always  sought  to  dip  his  pen  in 
gaU ;  that  he  was  prindpaUy  delighted  with  the 
severity  of  satijre  and  invective.  He  occasionally 
diverted  his  muse  to  the  subject  of  just  paaegync^ 
In  many  of  his  epigrams  he  has  celebrated  the  li- 
terary attainments  of  his  contemporaries.  He  has 
endeared  his  name  to  posterity  by  his  encomium  on 
the  profound  learning  of  the  two  Scaligers,  and  the 
classic  elegance  of  Budianan,  his  preceptor,  and  the 
parent  of  the  Muses.  His  Latin  paraphrase  of  the 
Song  of  Moses  is  truly  excellent—exquisitely  beau* 
tifiilV 

Melville's  reputation,  however,  does  not  rest  on 
hia  writings.  It  is  founded  on  the  active  services 
which  he  performed  for  his  country — on  his  success- 
ful exertions  in  behalf  of  its  literature,  and  his  ac- 
tivity in  rearing  and  defmding  that  ecclesiastical 
polity  by  which  it  has  long  been  distiligtiififtied. 
There  may  be  some  who  are  disposed  to  depreciate 
the  last  of  these  services,  and  to  represent  him  as 
contending,  and  exposing  himself  to  sufferings,  for 

*  Dr.  Zoucb^  Walton's  LUeB,  jfp,  SS4,  355. 


S3S  LIFE  OF  ANDfi£W  MELVILLJE. 

disputable  and  controverted  points  of  small  moment, 
relating  to  forms  of  government  and  plans  of  discip- 
line.   Such  language,  though  sometimes  employed 
by  good  and  well-meaning  men,  proceeds  from  very 
narrow  and  mistaken  views.    If  applied  to  civil  go- 
vernment, who  does  not  see  the  sweeping  inferences 
to  which  it  would  lead  ?  It  would  discredit  the  most 
meritorious  struggles  in  behalf  of  liberty  and  law 
which  mark  the  most  glorious  epochs  in  our  history. 
It  would  condemn  those  patriots  who  nobly  bled  in 
defence  of  this  sacred  cause  on  the  scaffold  or  in  the 
fidid,  and  represent  them  as  having  *^  died  as  a  fool 
dieth/'  if  not  as  rebels  and  ringleaders  of  revolt 
And  it  would  sink  and  degrade  the  free  constitution 
of  Britain  to  a  level  with  the  despotical  autocracies 
of  Turkey  and  Spain.     Who  that  has  duly  reflected 
on  the  subject  can  be  ignorant  that  forms  of  govern- 
ment exert  a  mighty  influence,  both  directly  and  in- 
directly, on  the  manners,  and  habits,  and  sentiments 
of  the  people  who  live  imder  them ;  and  that  some 
of  tbei39  forms  ace  unspeakably  preferable  to  otheiV;? 
That  they  are  better  adapted  to  impose  a  cheeky 
ambitious  or  corrupt. jruleriSr^pi:e;vent.  or.  corcefft 
abuses  arising  fipm  raalradw^i^tr^tipOr-T-iMQf;)^ 
for  .tbe  impartial  distribntipn  of  ju^tlc^rrrpreftteciPf) 
the  spirit  iand  perpetuate  the  enjpypiciut,  of  .Ubf^ltyftn; 
pramote  education,  viirtue^  wd  religion,;  ,l^l4#ijil)U^^ 
to  secure  tO' the >p^opl»  at  large  >al)..^at  l^pigi^ 
whieh  ifr  is  the  original  apd  prpper  4e8^  V^^Mn 
vernment  to  procure  and  bestow?    The  oppp^ 
sentiment  is  so  palpably  absurd,  that  thi^re|i|a  groq|»^ 


LIFE  OF  AKDEEW  MELVILLE.  83S 

to 'suspect  that  it  is  often  adopted  by  persons  as  an 
excuse  for  their  apathy  to  the  public  welfare,  or  an 
apology  for  maintaining  connexions  which  they 
find  to  be  conducive  to  the  advancement  of  their  se« 
cillar  interests.  These  remarks  apply  with  greater 
lisroe  to  ecclesiastical  than  to  political  government. 
Setting  aside  entirely  the  argument  from  scripture  ; 
the  advancement  of  the  interests  of  religion,  the 
preservation  of  purity  of  faith  and  morals,  the  r&^ 
gular  dispensing  of  religious  instructirife  and  of  all 
divine  ordinances,  and,  in  general,  the  promoting 
df  the  spiritual  improvement  and  salvation  of  the 
people,  have  always  depended,  and  must  always  de^ 
pend,  in  a  high  degree,  on  the  form  of  government 
established  in  a  church,  and  on  the  rules  l^  which 
discipline  is  exercised  in  it.  Perfection  is  not  to  be 
expected  in  any  society  on  earth,  and  the  best  sys- 
tem of  laws  may  be  abused,  and  will  cease  to  accom* 
plish  its  ends  when  the  vivific  spirit  has  been  suf* 
liered  to  depart ;  but  when  these  ends  are  habitually 
4md  glaringly  counteracted  in  any  church,  it  will  ge« 
nenny  be  found,  on  examination,  that  some  cheek 
or  corrective  which  scripture,  reason,  and  thectr*- 
•eomstances  of  the  times  warranted  and  pointed  out^ 
has  been  removed  or  was  awanting.  The  ecclesiasti- 
eal  constitution  whidi  Melville  had  the  chief  hand 
in  establishing,  is  eminently  calculated  to  advance 
these  ends.  And  to  it,  joined  to  the  spirit  which  he 
Infused  by  his  example  and  instructions,  Scotland 
has  been  indebted  for  other  blessings  of  a  collateral 
kind,  and  of  the  highest  importance.     To  it  she 


881  UFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

owes  that  system  of  education  which  has  extended 
its  Uessii^  to  the  lowest  dass  in  the  conrniunity. 
To  it  she  owes  the  intelligence,  sobriety,  and  rrii- 
gious  principle  which  distinguish  her  conmionalty 
from  those  of  other  countries.  To  it  she  owed  a 
simple,  unambitious,  laborious,  and  at  the  same  time 
independent  order  of  ministers.  And  to  it  she  was 
indebted  for  that  public  spirit  which  has  resisted 
manifold  disadvantages  in  her  political  situation  and 
institutionftfiH-^sadvantages,  whidi  otherwise  must 
have  reduced  her  to  a  state  of  slavery,  and  made 
her  the.  instarument:;  of  enslaving  the  nation  with 
which  she  became  allied,  first  by  the  union  of  the 
crowns,  and  afterwards  by  the  union  of  the  Idng- 
doms. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose,  and  the  fisicts 

which  have  been  adduced  in  the  preceding  nana- 

tive,  refute  the  supposition,  that  Melville  and  his 

^associates  were  engaged  mefiely  in- resisting  the  im- 

.  i^ition  of  certain  ecdesiastieal  forms.    The  obfect 

of  (the  contest  was  far  more  extensive  and  momait- 

bus;- .  The  efficiency^  if  not  the  existence^'  of  that 

■discipline  which  had  kn^ioperMed  as  a  powerful 

libeck  on  irreligionf  and  «ioe^i  wa»  at'  stake.    The*fa^ 

4ependirace,  and  eonseqnently  the  usefiilnesa  of  die 

miniiiters  was  struck  at    The  inferior  judicatoriei 

..inigbt  be  allowed  to  meet^  Imt  only  under  a  guard 

f<^t<€i|dsoopal  janiaaries.     The  Cfeneral  AstaaUy 

might  be  occasionally  called  together^  b«t  mefdy 

for  the  purpose  of  recording  royal  edicts,  and  be* 

coming  an  instrument  of  greater  oppression  add 


LIFE  OF  ANDUEW  MELVILLE.  335 

tyranny  than  the  court  could  have  exercised  without 
its  aid.    The  immediate  object  of  the  King,  by  the 
changes  which  he  made  in  the  government  of  the 
diurch,  was  to  constitute  himself  Dictator  in  all 
matters  of  religion;  and  his  ultimate  object  was, 
by  means  of  the  bishops,  to  overturn  the  civil  liber- 
ties of  the  nation,  and  to  become  absolute  master  of 
the  consciences,  properties,  and  lives  of  all  his  sub- 
jects in  the  three  kingdoms.     It  was  a  contest  there- 
ioK  that  involved  all  that  is  dear  to  men  and  Christ- 
ians—all that  is  valuable  in  liberty  and  sacred  in 
religion.     Melville  was  the  first  to  discover  and  to 
.denounce  the  scheme  which  was  planned  for  the 
overthrow  of  these ;  and  he  persisted  in  opposing 
its  execution  at  the  expense  of  deprivation  of  ofl^e, 
imprisonment,  and  perpetual  banisfament  from  his 
native  country.    No  sufferings  to  which  he  was 
subjected  could  bring  him  to  retract  the  opposition 
which  he  had  made  to  it.    No  offers  which  he  re- 
ceived could  induce  him  to  give  it  the  slightest  mark 
.>0f  his  approbation.     By  the  fortitude,  constancy, 
^. :  and  cheerfulness  with  which  he  bore  his  exile,  he 
, .  eontinued  to  testify  against  it ;  ttid,  by  animating 
hia  brethren  who  remained  at  home,  he  contributed 
anaterially  to  bring  about  a  revolution,  which,,  not 
;  *long  after  his  death,  levelled  with  the  ground  that 
{  ill*omened  fabric,  the  rearing  of  which  had  cost  the 
.1 .  Jabour  of  so  many  years,  and  the  expense  of  so  much 
.  i  jpinneiple  and  conscience. 


.  I- » 


S36  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


STATE  OF  LITEEATUKE  IN  SCOTLAND  WHEN 
MELVILLE  WAS  SETTLED  AT  ST.  ANDBEWSy 
ANNO  1580. 


Erection  of  University  of  St.  Andrews — Its  ConsHtutian 
— CdUegesJbumdid  in  i^ — State  of  the  University  at  the 
Re/brmation — Mode  of  Teaching  and  Conferring  De* 
grees  in  the  Faculty  of  Arts — and  of  Theohgy^^New 
Plan  of  the  University  in  the  First  Book  of  DiseipBns 
— fty  BuehananF'-^-by  Parliament — SkeU^  of  the  Ntm 
Mode  of  Teaclwng—MehMes  Share  m  Drawing  ii^ 
^Rffbrm  on  the  Other  Universities-^Parochial  Sckooh 
—High  School  of  Glasgow— qf  Edinburgh—Sdkoleuik 
Philosophy— John  Eutherfurd— Civil  Law—WUliam 
Skene — Edward  Henry  son — Theology  and  Poeiry^^ 
Alexander  Arbuthnot — Thomas  Smeton — Thomas  MM- 
land — Patrick  Adamson—John  Davidson, 


Ty  E  have  had  repeated  occasion,  in  the  preceding 
pages,  to  advert  to  the  state  of  literature  in  ScoCt 
land.  But  the  subject,  from  its  importance,  and 
the  connexion  in  which  it  stands  with  the  lifSe  of 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  Af&l\^L£E.  SSt 

Melville,  is  entitled  to  something  more  than  a  cur- 
sory notice  and  incidental  illustrations.  I  shall,  there- 
fore, endeavour,  in  this  chapter,  to  throw  some  light 
on  the  state  of  our  literature  when  Melville  was  first 
established  in  the  university  of  St.  Andrews ;  and, 
in  the  following  chapter,  shall  conclude  with  an  ac- 
count of  the  progress  which*  it  had  made  when  he 
was  removed  from  that  situation. 

The  literary  history  of  Scotland  at  the  first  of 
these  periods  emlMraces  the  ttnittlMiti^^theparOichl- 
al  schools,  and  the  individualg  iwhcr'/distln^ishM 
themselves  by  their  writings.  The  uni^Wriiyof  St. 
Andrews  was  the  earliest,  and  continued  long  to  be 
the  most  celebrated  of  our  academical  institutions. ,  ^ 
For  two  centuries  almost  all  the  eminent  men.  who 
appeared  in  this  country  were  connected  .^tibtvit^ 
eithei:  as  teachers  or  pupils.  .  A  .biief  descdptioa  of 
its  Qonstitution,  the  mode  of  instroctiim .  practised 
in.ity  and  the  changes  made  on  this,  will  ooiiv^-« 
better  idea  of  the  state  of  our  -Uteratare  than  kity 
fiketch  which  I  could  propose  to  give  of  the  history 
of  all  the  universities.  ^         -  *         ..  • 

At  the  commencement  of  the  fifteenth  century,  no 
great:  school  exiisited  in  Scotlj^nd ;  and  the^  yputh 
who  were  desirous  of  a  lit^eral  education  were  under 
the  necessity  of  seeking  it  abroad.  The  inconve- 
niences arising  from  this  were  increased  by  the  dis- 
senaiow  which  t  the  jconflioting  daims  offtthe^'iivtiH'^ 
popfs  liKeited  on  the  continent.  To  remedy  thcf  evi^ 
He^^ry  Wardl^w,  bishop  of  St.  Andrews,  with  the 
comientoCpaeUament^  erected, r in  the  yMr>  1411, 

VOL.  II.  z 


S88  I.IFS  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE. 

a  General  Study ^  or  university,  in  the  chief  city  of 
his  diocese*;  and,  two  years  after,  the  charter 
which  he  had  granted  was  confirmed  by  a  bull  fixun 
Benedict  XIII.  whom  the  Scots  then  acknowledged 
as  sovereign  pontiff  f. 

The  university  of  St.  Andrews  was  formed  on  the 
model  of  those  of  Paris  and  Bologna,  and  enjoyed 
the  same  privileges.  All  its  members,  or  suppoats, 
as  they  were  called,  including  the  students  who  had 
attained  the  degree  of  bachelor  as  well  as  the  mas* 
ters,  were  divided  into  nations,  according  to  the 
places  from  which  they  came.  At  a  congregation 
or  general  meeting,  they  elected  four  procurators, 
who  had  a  right  to  act  for  them  in  all  causes  in 
which  their  interests  were  concerned,  and  four  in- 
trants or  electors,  by  whom  the  rector  was  choaen. 
The  rector  was  the  chief  magistrate,  and  had  an* 
thority  to  judge  and  pronounce  sentence^  with  the 
advice  and  consent  of  his  assessors  t,  in  all  causes^ 
civil  and  criminal,  relating  to  members  of  the  uni- 
versity, with  the  exception  of  crimes  which  incorred 
the  highest  punishment  §.     He  had  a  right  to  it- 


*  Fordinii  Sootiehran.  lib.  xt.  chap.  92.  BoethM  HUt.  SdstBk 
viL  ThQ  blihop  erected  the  tmhersity  ''dt  eoMilk,  rMwinw,  it 
oommuni  tractata  trium  Stataum  penonaniia  r^goi  ficolii^'*  (jsijk 
Fondadoms  UniT*  S.  Andres.) 

t  Fqpera  of  the  UniTerslty. 

t  In  general  the  univenlty  elected  the  mttinmu,  aad 
the  Rector  to  aj^^t  his  dqpatiea.    The  nmnher  cT 
twelve :  three  ftom  each  nation^ 

f  ^^dnmmodo  adatrooem  injuiiam  non  dt  proceanu.'*  (i 
of  nMlcgea  by  BUop  Waidkw.)    Thtre  iaeae  iMt«Be»ef  ofHil 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE.  Sd9 

pledge  any  member  of  the  university  who  might  be 
caUed  before  any  other  judge,  civil  or  ecclesiastical; 
and,  in  certain  cases,  those  Who  did  not  bel6ng  to 
the  university  might  be  called  before  the  rector's 
court,  upon  the  complaint  of  a  master  or  student. 
It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  the  exercise  of  these 
powers  would  give  occasion  to  a  collision  of 
authorities;  and,  accordingly,  a  concordat  was 
imtered  into,  at  an  early  period,  between  the  Uni- 
versity and  the  magistrates  of  the  city,  by  which 
the  limits  of  their  jurisdictions  were  defined  and 
Adjusted*.  The  university  had  the  right  of 
purchasing  Victuals  free  from  custom,  within  the 
dty  and  the  regality  of  the  abbey  f.  It  was  also 
exempted  from  paying  all  other  imposts  and  taxes, 
even  those  levied  by  the  Estates,  with  the  exceptiou 
of,  what  is  called,  the  great  euetam.  Its  memibers 
enjoyed  immunity  from  the  duties  exacted  for  con- 
firming testaments ;  and  such  of  them  as  were 
dergymen,  and  possessed  benefices  with  cure.  Were 
liberated  by  the  papal  bull  from  obligation  to  per- 


pmuBhiKient  being  Inflicted  by  the  sentenee  of  the  rector  of  the  uii£- 
fcnitj  of  GUi^w.   (Statist.  Aoeoimt  of  Sootlmd^  toL  xzL  Append.) 

*  Conoordia  inita,  per  episoop.  Jac  Kennedy,  inter  stippotita  iEni» 
nnatatia  et  dyes  Sti.  Andre«,  A.  D.  1440. 

f  The  prior  joined  with  the  bishop  in  the  charter  of  Coneessioh 
of  Privileges. — ^The  abbey  of  St  Andrews  had  a  jurisdiction  of  its 
oiTD^  and  magistrates  independent  of  those  of  the  dty.  Aboat  the 
tioM  of  the  ReformatioQ,  the  Master  of  Lindsay  was  "  prindpafl 
baillie  of  the  priorie  of  Sanct-atidrois/'  and  Robert  Pont  was  ''  proc- 
eantor  phiscall  of  the  said  priorie."  (Summonds— David  Monepenny 
dder  of  Pitmilly  ag*^  Mr.  James  Wiikie,  &c.  March  6, 1577.) 

z  2 


340  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

soiial  residence  as  long  as  they  taught  in  the  uni- 
versity*. Besides  its  civil  and  criminal  jurisdic- 
tion, the  university  possessed  ecclesiastical  powers, 
in  the  exercise  of  which  it  sometimes  proceeded  to 
excommunication  f.  It  may  be  mentioned  as  an 
evidence  of  the  respect  paid  to  literature,  that,  in 
consequence  of  a  dispute  which  had  arisen,  it  was 
determined  that  the  Rector  of  the  University  should 
take  precedence  of  the  Prior  of  the  Abbey  in  all 
public  processions  \. 

For  the  direction  of  its  literary  affairs,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  university  were  divided  into  faculties, 
according  to  the  sciences  that  were  taught.  At  the 
head  of  each  of  these  was  a  dean,  who  presided  at 
the  meetings  of  the  masters  of  his  faculty  for  r^u- 
latii^g  the  mode  of  study,  and  for  examinations. 
The  Chancellor  presided  at  meetings  of  the  uni- 


•  Bulla  Concess.  Piivileg.  Univ.  S.  A. 

t  In  a  dispute  which  the  rector  and  profeetom  of  theology  in  the 
uniTenity  had  with  the  masters  of  St  Salvator*8  Collqg;e  ahout  the 
power  of  conferring  degrees^  the  former  threatened  the  latter  with 
ecclesiastical  censures.    The  matter  was  settled  hj  a  provincial  ooon- 
dl  held  in  1470,  in  the  way  of  the  Coll^;e  consenting  to  renonnee  the 
right  whidi  they  had  acquired  by  a  papal  bulL     (Hovei  Oratio  de 
Fundat  Univ.  Andr.  MS.)    In  the  reformation  of  the  University  of 
St.  Andrews  in  1579^  it  is  provided^  *'  that  in  place  of  the  pane  of 
cursing  vsit  of  befoir  vpoun  offendo"  and  inobediends  They  be  noir 
decemit  be  decreit  of  the  recto'  and  chief  membris  of  the  vniOsitie 
efter  the  cognidoun  of  the  caus  to  be  debarrit  sedudit  and  lemourt 
out  of  the  vniOsitie  And  to  tyne  and  fdrfalt  the  priuilegis  and  ben^ 
fittis  y'of."    (Act  Pari.  Scot.  vol.  iii.  p.  181.) 

X  Hovei  Oratio. 


LIFK  OF  ANI>Ii£W  MELVILLE.  341 

versity  for  the  conferring  of  degrees  *■.  It  was  long, 
before  medicine  was  taught>  as  a  separate  science^ 
in  our.  universities,  and  it  does  not  appear  that  they, 
were  accustomed  anciently  to  confer  degrees  in  law. 
The  branches  taught  were  the  arts  or  philosophy, 
canon  law,  and  divinity  f. 

However  limited  this  course  of  education  was, 
and  however  rude  and  imperfect  the  mode  in  which 
it  was  conducted,  suclf  an  institution  could  not  fail 
to  produce  effects  favourable  to  the  progress  of 
knowledge.  The  erection  of  the  University  of  St. 
Andrews  may  be  regarded  as  marking  the  first  dawn 
of  learning  in  Scotland.  Attracted  by  novelty,  or 
animated  by  that  thirst  for  knowledge  which  has 
always  characterized  Scotchmen,  students  came  to. 
St.  Andrews  from  every  part  of  the  kingdom. 

The  university  appears  to  have  been  possessed 
of  very  slender  funds  until  the  erection  of  colleges 
in  it.  The  CoUege  of  St.  Salvator  was  foimded  byr 
bishop  Kennedy  in  the  year  1450 ;  that  of  St  Leo- 
nard was  founded  by  John  Hepburn,  the  prior  of 
the  abbey,  in  the  year  1512 ;  and  the  erection  of 
St  Mary'Sy  or  the  New  College^  was  begun  by 
archbishop  Beaton  in  the  year  15S2,  and  com- 
pleted by  archbishop  Hamilton  in  the  year  1552. 

*  Hovd  Oratio.  The  mode  of  stady^  and  of  exftmination  for  de- 
greea  in  the  arts  or  philosophy,  appears  to  have  been  regulated  soon 
after  the  erection  of  the  university.  James  of  Haddiston  was  dean 
of  the  faculty  of  theology  in  li32>  when  similar  regulations  were 
made  as  to  theological  study  and  graduation. 

t  See  Note  F. 

z  3 


34S  LIFE  or  ANDBBW  MELVII^LE. 

Each  of  these  was  endowed  with  funds  for  the  sup- 
port of  a  certain  number  of  professors  and  bur- 
sars. In  the  r^^ations  of  St  Marjr's  CoUc^e^  we 
may  observe  the  advancement  which  knowledge 
had  ahready  made,  and  the  influence  which  it  exert- 
ed over  the  minds  of  the  popish  prelates  or  their 
advisers*. 

A  college  has  been  compared  to  an  incorporated 
trade  within  a  burgh ;  but  it  bears  a  still  more  strik- 
ing resemblance  to  a  convent.  The  principal  differ- 
ence between  them  is,  that  the  latter  was  an  asso- 
ciation entirely  for  religious  purposes,  whereas  leam- 
mg  was  the  chief  object  of  the  former.  The  mem- 
bers of  a  coU^e,  like  the  monks,  were  boimd  to  live^ 
eat,  and  sleep  in  the  same  house,  they  were  sup- 
ported in  common  upon  the  goods  of  the  cdU^^e^ 
and  were  astricted  in  all  things  to  the  will  of  die 
founder.  A  university,  though  a  chartered  body, 
was  not  under  the  same  regulations^  nor  was  the 
same  provision  made  for  its  members.  The  ooUq^e 
was  within  the  imiversity;  the  members  of  the 
former  were  also  members  of  the  latter,  partook  of 
itg  privileges,  and  were  subject  to  its  government. 

Two  things  deserve  notice  as  to  the  coUege  ctf  St 
Leonard.  In  the  first  place,  although  it  owed  its 
erection  to  monks,  was  placed  under  their  inmiediate 
superintendence,  and  taught  constantly  by  persoiiB 
taken  from  the  convent ;  and  although  its  origiml 
foundation  and  subsequent  endowments  were  hi^^jr 

•  See  Note  G.  • 


LIFS  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLB.  848 

calculated  to  fiNrter  superstition  *,  yet  the  reformed 
opinioiis  obtained  an  earlier  and  more  extensive  re- 
ception in  this  college  than  in  the  rest  of  the  imiver- 
sity  f  .  In  die  second  place,  this  seminary  had  at 
first  to  struggle  with  great  difficulties  on  account  of 
the  slendemess  of  its  funds ;  but  by  the  vigilance 
of  its  patrons,  and  the  diligence  of  those  who  had 
the  diarge  of  education,  it  not  only  surmounted  these^ 
but  attained  great  celebrity.  So  many  of  the  sons 
of  the  nobility  and  gentry  came  to  study  at  St.  Leo-* 
aaid's,  that  the  name  of  the  College  qf  Poor  Clerks, 
Hdudh  the  founder  had  originally  given  it,  conveyed 
a  very  erroneous  idea  of  those  who  resided  within 
its  walls  t« 

The  defence  and  increase  of  the  Catholic  faith 
was  one  declared  object  of  the  erection  of  all  the 
colleges.  This  is  more  particularly  expressed  in 
the  deeds  founding  and  providing  for  the  College  of 
St  Mary.    It  was  erected  *'  for  defending  and  con-* 

*  In  1585^  John  ArdiitMkld  Ibimded  an  altar  in  the  CoU^ge  of  Poor 
Stndentf^  to  the  honour  of  the  Ueaaed  Virgin  Mary,  '^  finr  the  8al?a« 
tion  of  John  HephurHj  prior  of  the  monastery  and  all  the  canons, 
alao  for  the  souls  of  Mr.  Michael  Livingston,  former  vicar  of  Wemis, 
and  of  Sir  Robert  Wallia,  former  archdeacon  of  8t  Andrawa ;  also  of 
the  aoula  of  his  own  father  and  his  mother,  and  his  qxmae  Margret 
Bymsoun,  and  all  his  benefactors  and  fHends." — ^The  maatera  appear 
to  have  entertained  notions  of  piety  somewhat  difibrent  fhnn  the 
flbotey  when,  in  1560,  they  ordained  that  the  fiaea  levied  ham  ab- 
■cataea  should,  after  growing  to  a  round  sum,  be  converted  "  in 
▼iaum,  ad  refodllandos  conversantium  animoi^  et  in  alw  piot  ^uus." 
(Piqpers  of  University.) 

f  Life  of  John  Knox,  voL  i.  p.  SL 

X  Hovei  Oratio.    Comp.  Cald.  MS.  vol.  ii.  p.  431. 

1 


344  LrlFE  OF  ANDREW  MEI<VILL£. 

firmiug  the  Catholic  Faith,  that  the  Christian  reli- 
ligion  might  flourish,  the  word  of  God  might  be 
more  abundantly  sown  in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful, 
and  to  oppose  the  heresies  and  schisms  of  the  pesti- 
ferous heretics  and  heresiarchs  who,  alas!  have 
sprung  up  and  flourished  in  these  times,  in  this  as 
well  as  in  many  other  parts  of  the  world  *."  Yet 
within  a  short  time  after  this  language  was  held, 
these  **  pestiferous  heretics"  prevailed  against  the 
Catholic  faith,  and  obtained  possession  of  the  very 
places  and  funds  which  were  destined  for  their  sup- 
pression and  extirpation.  The  protestant  sentiments 
had  for  many  years  been  secretly  spreading  in  all 
the  colleges  of  St.  Andrews,  and  they  were  now  em- 
braced by  the  greater  part  of  the  professors,  with 
perhaps  the  exception  of  those  of  St.  Salvator's. 

During  the  agitation  of  the  religious  controversy, 
the  academical  exercises  were  interrupted,  and  the 
number  of  students  diminished.  In  the  year  1559» 
the  faculty  of  arts  was  under  the  necessity  of  su- 
perceding the  public  exhibitions  usual  at  gradua- 
tion f .    Several  of  the  masters  in  St.  Salvator^s,  in-t 


*  Donatio  de  Conreth^  Jon.  96,  ISM) ;  ei  Donatio  de  Tanet, 
Mart.  31,  U5S. 

•f-  ''  Nonot  Rectoratns  Magri  Joannis  Douglasii  pnppoaiti  wm 
ooUegii  Mariani,  166S,  Hoc  anno  propter  tnmnltut  religionis  eigo 
exertot,  pandMimi  scbolaatid  ad  hano  univerBitatem  Tenenuit.* 
(Only  three  names  of  Ineorporati  are  inserted.)^"  Conailiia  habitii 
15  May  99  59  de  promovendia  diacipulia  atatuit  acatleraia  aes  laurefldoi 
higua  anni  pro  laureatia  haberi,  quod  univcrsa  reip.  perturbaPne  ct 
religionis  reformationc  vctcres  ritus  scruare  iinpediretur.' 


»f 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  345 

duding  William  Cranston,  the  principal,  adhered  to 
the  ancient  religion,  and  left  their  places ;  but  tibe 
greater  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  those  belonging  to 
the  two  other  colleges,  embraced;  the  Reformation, 
imd  consequently  retained  their  situations.  John 
Douglas,  afterwards  archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  was 
at  this  time  principal  of  St.  Mary's  College  *,  and 
John  Duncanson  was  principal  of  St.  Leonard's  f . 

Every*thing  connected  with  the  Roman  Catholic 
£uth  and  worship,  which  was  interwoven  with  the 
laws  and  practice  of  the  university  and  of  the  col- 
lies belonging  to  it,  was  removed  at  the  establish-* 
ment  of  the  Reformation.  Other  alterations  were 
at  the  same  time  contemplated  by  the  reformers,  but 
various  causes  prevented  them  from  being  carried 
into  effect.  Accordingly,  the  mode  of  teaching,  and 
the  academical  exercises,  so  far  as  related  to  philo- 
eophy  or  the  arts,  continued  nearly  on  their  former 
footing. 

All  the  scholars  who  entered  at  one  time  into  a 


*  Keith  (Scottish  Bishope,  p.  9S,)  has  confounded  the  Archbishop 
with  a  preacher  named  Douglas,  who  was  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of 
Argyle  in  1558.  The  description  given  of  the  latter  will  not  answer 
to  the  former,  who  was  provost  of  St.  Mary's  College  from  1547,  till 
his  death  in  1574,  and  was  always  resident  in  the  university. 

"t*  Duncanson  demitted  in  1566.  In  a  donation  of  books,  and  other 
Taluable  articles,  subscribed  by  his  own:  hand,  he  styles  himself 
**  wnqle  Maister  principall  of  Sanctleonardis  College, — and  Mr.  James 
Wlikye  Principall  regent  and  maister  of  the  samyn  in  name  of  the 
College  askit  instrument."  Wilkle  appears  to  have  considered  the 
succession  to  the  principality  as  his  due,  but  it  was  conferred  on 
Buchanan. 


346  LIFE  OF  AND&EW  MKI.VILLE. 

college,  formed  a  class,  which  was  put  under  the 
government  of  a  regent,  with  whom  they  con- 
tinued four  years.  The  r^ents  had  not,  like  the 
professors,  permanent  situations  in  the  college.  It 
would  appear,  tJiat  originally  every  master  of 
arts  was  bound  to  teach  a  class,  and  came  un- 
der an  engagement  to  this  purpose  at  his  lauieaf- 
tion.  Afterwards  it  became  customary  to  grant 
dispensations  from  this  duty.  When  the  number 
of  graduated  persons  had  increased,  and  it  became 
in  other  respects  an  object  of  importance  to  obtam 
a  r^ency,  those  who  were  desirous  of  it  presented 
B  petition  to  the  faculty,  in  which  they  professed 
their  knowledge  of  the  text  of  Aristotle,  and  re* 
quested  permission  to  explain  it,  or,  in  othor  woids, 
to  govern  a  class.  They  were  ordinarily  bound  to 
continue  imtil  they  had  taught  two  classes ;  but  at 
8t.  Andrews,  the  greater  part  of  the  regents  le-* 
tained  their  situations,  to  which  the  profits  arisnig 
from  altarages  or  chaplanries  were  attached,  until 
they  obtained  a  living  in  the  church  or  an  office  in 
the  state. 

Though  the  regular  time  of  the  course  was  four 
years,  it  was  usually  finished  in  three  years  and  a 
half.  The  session  began  on  the  first  of  October, 
and  continued  through  the  whole  year,  except  the 
months  of  August  and  September,  which  were  al- 
lowed as  a  vacation.  The  r^ent  assembled  his 
class  three  hours  every  day,  and  read  and  explained 
the  books  of  Aristotle,  which  the  students  were 
bound  to  bring  along  with  them.     He  began  with 


LIFE  QF  ANDREW  MELTILLE.  S47 

dialectics  or  logic,  then  proceeded  to  ethics,  next 
to  physics,  and  conduded  with  metaphysics,  which 
was  called  prima  phUosophia  or  the  highest  branch 
of  philosophy,  and  matiiematics,  which  included 
arithmetic.  During  their  course,  the  students  were 
frequently  employed  in  disputations  and  declama* 
tions,  both  privately  in  their  dass,  and  publicly  be* 
fore^  the  college  and  the  unirersity.  Besides  seeing 
that  the  regents  and  students  did  thdr  duty,  the 
prindpal  usually  read  public  lectures  on  what  were 
then  reckoned  the  higher  branches  of  philosophy, 
which  were  attended  by  all  the  students  in  the  coU 
lege,  except  those  of  the  first  year  *. 

In  the  middle  of  the  third  year  of  their  course^ 
such  of  the  students  as  obtained  an  attestation  of 


*  Jtmei  MelTille  bas  left  an  account  of  the  conne  of  study  fbl- 
lowed  by  William  CoUaoe,  who  waa  his  Kgent  in  8c  Leonard*a  be- 
tween  1570  and  1574.  After  atating  that  he  began  with  teaching 
*'  Casaander's  Rhetoric/'  he  adds:  **  We  hard  the  Oration  pro  rege 
Deitaro.  Then  he  gaiff  wa  a  oompend  of  his  awin  of  Fhilosopi  and 
the  partes  y'of^— We  eoterit  in  the  organ  of  Arist.  y^  year,  and  Icir- 
nit  to  the  Demonstrations. — ^The  secund  yeir  of  my  course  we  hard 
the  Demonstrations,  the  Topiks,  and  the  Sophist  captiones.  And 
the  Prhnarius  Mr.  James  Wilkie,  a  guid  peacable  sweet  anld  man 
wha  kufibd  me  wefll,  teached  the  four  species  of  the  arithmetik  and 
aum  thing  of  the  sphere. — ^The  thrid  yeir  of  our  course  we  hard 
the  fyTc  buiks  of  the  £thiks,  wt  the  aught  buiks  of  the  Physiks,  and 
de  orttt  et  interitu.  That  yeir  we  had  our  Bachelar  act  according  to 
tbe  solemnities  then  Tsed  of  Declamations,  banqueting  and  playea.-^ 
Tbe  fourt  and  last  yeir  of  our  course,  quhilk  waa  the  17  yeir  of  mj 
age  outpast  and  18  rinning,  we  learned  the  buiks  de  ccelo  and  mete* 
ors,  also  the  sphere  more  exactly  teachit  by  our  awin  regent,  and 
inaid  ws  for  our  vicces  and  blackstons,  and  had  at  Pace  our  promotion 
and  finishing  of  our  course."    (Diary,  pp.  92—94.) 


348  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE. 

regular  attendance  and  good  behaviour  from  their 
regent  and  the  principal  of  their  college,  were  ad- 
mitted to  enter  on  trials  for  the  degree  of  bachelor. 
For  this  purpose  the  faculty  chose  every  year  three 
regents,  one  from  each  college,  as  examinators.  In 
the  presence  of  these  the  candidates  determined* 
a  question,  in  logic  or  morals,  in  a  continued  dis- 
course, and  answered  such  questions  as  were  pro- 
posed to  them  on  any  of  the  branches  which  they 
had  studied  under  their  respective  regents.  The 
examinators  made  their  report  to  the  faculty,  when 
such  as  had  given  satisfaction  were  confirmed  as 
bachelors  by  the  Dean,  and  the  rest  were  sent  to  a 
lower  class. — ^The  act  of  laureation  at  the  end  of 
the  course  was  conducted  in  a  similar  manner.  But 
on  this  occasion  the  candidates  were  examined  on 
the  whole  circle  of  the  arts,  and  boimd  to  defend  a 
thesis,  which  had  been  previously  affixed  to  the  gates 
of  the  different  colleges.  They  were  divided  into 
circles,  and  their  names  arranged  according  to  their 
merit,  with  a  certain  preference,  however,  to  persons 
of  rank  f .  And  the  degree  of  master  of  arts  was 
solemnly  conferred  on  them  by  the  Chancellor  of 
the  university,  in  narnine  Pairi^,  FilH,  et  Sphiha 


•  From  this  act  they  were  called  Determinanies. 

t  "  Exatninatos  secundum  scientiff  et  morum  eminentiatoi  princi- 
paUter  locent  et  ordinent.  Ex  pneclara  uraen  domo  patema  nobOi- 
tatem  saTiguinia  trahentes,  nee  non  cum  Regentibua  lionette  et  eon* 
mensaliter  TWentes^  modo  in  literis  aliqualiter  erudlti  et  moribua  piobi, 
nmmihil  pensitanles."    (Statute  anni  1570.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  349 

Sancti.  The  interihediate  degree  of  licentiate  of 
arts  is  recognised  by  the  laws,  but  it  was  not  se- 
parately conferred,  at  least  in  later  times.  Both 
at  receiving  the  degree  of  bachelor  and  master,  the 
graduates  paid  certain  sums  of  money,  according  to 
their  rank,  to  the  purse  of  the  university  and  of 
the  faculty,  to  the  dean,  and  to  other  officers  ;  and 
those  who  were  poor  obliged  themselves  to  ^ve 
what  was  due  to  the  public  funds  as  soon  as  they 
were  in  ability.  By  an  old  law,  each  student,  in- 
cluding those  who  held  bursaries,  was  boimd  to  give 
to  his  regent  annually,  for  three  years,  a  Scots 
noble,  which  in  later  times  was  interpreted  as  an- 
swering to  a  pound  Scots,  *'  ^alva  cujuscunque 
uberiore  liberalitate  *." 

We  cannot  form  such  an  exact  judgment  respect- 
ing the  ancient  mode  of  teaching  theology,  as  the 
Reformation  necessarily  made  a  greater  change  on 
this  department  of  instruction.  Many  of  the  an- 
cient forms,  however,  were  still  retained  and  ob- 
served. There  continued  to  be  a^  theological  facul- 
ty, consisting  of  the  doctors,  licentiates,  and  bache- 


*  Statute  17  Mtrt.  1583.  By  the  Sututes  of  1561^  the  student 
"was  hound  to  give  thirty  shillings,  **  unless  he  he  poor." 

The  designation  pauper  does  not  appear  to  hare  heen  always  used 
in  the  same  sense.  In  Feb.  1579,  it  was  declared  "  Solos  bursarios 
et  mendlcos  pauperes  esse  censendos."  But  fhrni  other  documents 
it  appears  that  all  the  students  of  philosophy  were  divided  into  three 
dasses ;  "  Primars  or  potentiores,  Secondars  or  potentes,  and  temars 
or  minus  potentes,  olim  pauperes;"  and  the  latter  paid  dues,  although 
proportionally  smaller  than  the  two  former. 


350  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLS. 

lors  of  divinity,  who  resided  within  the  university  ^, 
They  assembled,  along  with  the  students  of  divini- 
ty, annually  on  the  first  of  October,  when  a  sermon 
or  oration,  intended  to  excite  the  hearers  to  dili^ 
gence  in  sacred  studies,  was  delivered*  The  mas* 
ters  and  bachelors  then  met  apart,  and  arranged  the 
subjects  on  which  each  should  read  lectures  during 
the  year,  and  the  times  at  which  they  should  read 
them.  The  lectures  were  delivered  on  the  Scrii^ 
tures,  which  were  divided  into  five  parts ;  the  Pei^ 
tateuch  or  legal  books,  the  historical  books,  the  sa» 
piential,  the  prophetical,  and  those  of  the  New  Testr 
anient  f .  *^  Formerly,  under  papacy,  the  students 
ascended  to  d^prees  in  theology,  by  reading  tht 
Sentences  of  Peter  Lombard ;  but  now,  since  the 
reformation  of  religion  and  the  burial  of  popery, 
this  practice  is  altered  and  reformed."  From  ths 
beginning  of  July  to  the  end  of  September  there 
was  an  intermission  of  the  lectures;  and  during 
this  interval,  the  students  were  exercised  once  m^ 
week  in  theological  disputations^  at  which  000  of 
the  masters  presided,  and  the  rest  were  present  ani 
took  a  share  in  the  debate.     The  disputants  were 

*  Baron  ipcaka  of  /ohn  Winnm  as  dean  of  the  fiicoltj  cither- 
kgy  about  1574.    (MS.  Qrat  simper  Jac  Martiiiio.) 

t  The  particular  hooka  iucluded  under  eadi  of  dieae  di?iaiaDa  aie 
f/f^^^ ;  and  it  is  a  curious  dicnmatanoe^  that  most  of  the  Apo- 
esyphal  books  are  among  them.  Thus,  among  the  historical  boohs 
an^ '  duo  £adve»  duo  Tohie,  Judith*  quibus  et  duo  Macabeorum  Bbd 
a^juBgi  poasnnt."  Among  the  sapiential  books  we  find ''  labmmSa- 
pienti«  et  Ecdesiasticum  ;"  and  "  Baruch"  is  enumerated  aloQg  wiA 
the  books  of  the  prophets.    (Statut  Theol.  RefSnm.  A.  ISfO.) 


LIF£  OF  AND&SW  MJi;i«yiI.I.£.  S51 

exhorted  to  avoid  the  altercation  usually  praetised 
UBt  the  flcfaoolfi,  ^'  and  not  to  txite  and  ilerour  one 
another  like  d<^B,  but  to  behave  as  men  desirous  of 
mutual  instruction,  and  as  the  servants  of  Christ, 
who  ought  not  to  strive  but  to  be  gentle  to  all." 

The  lectures  were  chiefly  delivered  by  those  who 
were  proceeding  in  their  theological  degrees.  Be- 
fixre  entering  on  this  duty,  it  behoved  them  to  have 
been  students  of  divinity  for  three  years,  to  have 
sustained  the  part  of  a  respondent  twice  in  the  pub- 
lic disputes  during  the  vacancies,  to  have  given 
proof  of  their  tal^sts  twice  in  the  weekly  exercise, 
and  to  have  preached  once  in  the  vulgar  language 
before  the  people  and  in  Latin  before  the  universi* 
ty.  After  this,  being  admitted  by  the  feunilty,  they 
taught  for  four  years  in  the  public  schools,  by  ex* 
pounding  the  Scriptures,  according  to  the  arrange*- 
ment  formerly  mentioned.  The  probationary  leo*- 
tnre  which  they  delivered  at  the  oonunencement  of 
each  part  of  the  course,  may  be  viewed  as  a  sped- 
men  of  the  mode  of  teaching  then  i»actised.  The 
lecturer  began  with  pronouncing  a  panegyric  on  the 
books  of  Scripture  whidbi  he  proposed  to  expound ; 
he  next  gave  a  summary  of  their  contents ;  and,  in 
4be  third  place,  having  selected  a  particular  passage, 
he  started  a  question  from  it;  stated  the  opinions 
held  on  the  affirmative  and  negative  sides,  laid  down 
certain  propositions  for  clearing  the  truth,  confirmed 
it  by  testimonies  of  Scripture,  and  s(dved  the  diffi- 
culties that  might  be  urged  against  it  Before  the 
students  in  the  public  schools,  the  lecturers  were 


352  LIFE  OF  ANDHEW  MELVILLE. 

bound  to  confine  themselves  to  a  single  chapter  at 
a  time,  and  were  directed  to  explain  the  text  dis- 
tinctly and  methodically,  by  comparing  it  with  other 
passages  of  Scripture,  or  by  producing  the  judg- 
ment of  the  most  approved  and  skilful  interpreters, 
**  provided  nothing  was  brought  forward  that  could 
not  stand  the  test  of  Scripture." — It  would  seem 
that  this  was  nearly  the  method  which  the  profes- 
sors followed  in  their  theological  lectures  *. 

When  the  student  commenced  lecturing  on  the 
legal  books,  he  was  declared  by  the  faculty  a  cur-- 
wry  bachelor  of  divinity ;  on  commencing  the  pro- 
phetical books,  he  became  a  formed  bachelor ;  and, 
on  entering  on  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  he 
was  pronounced  a  confirmed  bachelor.  On  finish- 
ing his  course  of  teaching,  he  proceeded  to  take  his 
degrees  of  licentiate  and  doctor.  The  statutes  de- 
scribe at  length  the  disputations  which  were  main- 
tained, and  the  ceremonies  which  were  used  on  both 
these  occasions  f . 

Such  was  the  plan  of  study  agreed  upon  by  the 
theological  professors  about  the  time  of  the  Refor- 
mation. But  there  is  no  good  reason  to  think  that 
it  was  reduced  to  practice;  and  though  this  had 
been  the  case,  it  has  little  claim  to  our  commendaF 
tion.  The  lectures  read  by  young  men  who  had 
studied  divinity  for  so  short  a  period  as  three  yean. 


•  MdTiUe*t  Dinry,  p.  24. 

t  SutiiU  Fac.  Theolog.  olim  oondita,  et  jtm  abdito  pqpiniio  ec 
lefonnau'religioney  drca  A.  D.  Ii60,  .in  parte  iputata,  et  juxta.  nor- 
mam  verbi  Dei  in  melius  reforroata. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  358 

must  have  been  extremely  jejune  and  superficial ; 
and  it  does  not  appear  that  any  effectual  provision 
was  made  to  secure  their  diligence  in  these  exhi- 
bitions.    Yet  their  lectures,   such  as  they  were, 
served  as  a  pretext  for  the  regular  professors  ne- 
glecting the  duty  of  theological   instruction.     In 
these  circumstances,  we  need  not  be  surprised  to 
find  that  the  study  of  divinity  in  the  university  was 
nearly  nominal,  and  that  scholastic  philosophy  en- 
grossed the  attention  of  both  masters  and  scholars  *. 
The  First  Book  of  Discipline  proposed  a  plan 
for  re-modelling  the  three  universities,  which  con- 
tained the  following  arrangements  for  St.  Andrews. 
The  first  college  was  to  contain  classes  for  dialectics, 
'mathematics,  natural  philosophy,  and  medicine.    In 
the  second  college,  a  lecturer  on  ethics,  economics^ 
and  politics,  and  two  lecturers  on  law,  Roman  and 
municipal,  were  to  be  established.     And  the  third 
collie  was  to  be  provided  with  two  teachers  of 
languages,  one  of  Greek  and  another  of  Hebrew, 
and  two  teachers  of  divinity,  the  one  of  the  Old  and 
the  other  of  the  New  Testament.     None  were  to  be 
graduated  in  their-  respective  faculties  unless  they 
had  attended  the  regular  course,  which,  for  students 
of  philosophy,  was  three  years,  of  law,  four  years,  and 
of  medicine  and  divinity,  five  years.   This  plan  was 
unquestionably  an  improvement  on  the  original  con- 
stitution,  according   to    which   the  three  colleges 
were  completely  independent,  and  exactly  the  same 

*  Melville's  Diary,  p.  92. 
VOL.  IL  2  A 


354  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

branches  were  taught  in  ^ach.  And  in  other  re- 
spects it  was  favourable  to  the  advancement  of  lite- 
rature and  science.  But  it  was  not  adopted.  In 
vain  did  the  authors  recommend  it  to  the  nobility, 
along  with  a  proposal  to  erect  parochial  schools,  as 
contributing  to  *^  the  most  high  advancement  of  the 
commonwealth."  In  vain  they  urged,  **  If  God 
shall  give  your  wisdoms  grace  to  set  forward  letters 
in  the  sort  prescribed,  ye  shall  leave  wisdom  and 
learning  to  your  posterity,  a  treasure  more  to  be 
esteemed  than  any  earthly  treasures  ye  are  able  to 
amass  for  them,  which,  without  wisdom,  are  more 
able  to  be  their  ruin  and  confusion  than  help  and 
comfort  *."  Prejudice  is  blind,  and  avarice  deaf,  to 
all  considerations  of  public  good  ;  but  the  plan  will 
remain  a  lasting  monument  of  the  enlightened  and 
patriotic  views  of  its  compilers. 

In  the  year  1563,  a  petition  was  presented  to  the 
Queen  and  Lords  of  Articles,  ^*  in  the  name  of  all 
that  within  this  realm  ar  desyrous  that  leiming  and 
letters  floreis  f ,"  stating  that  the  patrimony  of  some 
of  the  foundations  in  the  colleges,  particularly  at 
St.  Andrews,  was  wasted,  and  that  several  sciences, 
and  especially  those  which  were  most  necessary,  the 
tongues  and  humanity,  were  very  imperfectly  taught 

*  First  Book  of  Discipline :  Art.  Of  the  EreetUm  of  Uniwtrntkt. 

t  This  petition  continued  to  lie  before  the  Parliament;  and  in 
1^67,  and  again  in  1581,  it  was  referred  by  them  to  the  consideration 
of  commissioners.  It  must^  therefore^  haye  contained  propoaals  addi- 
tional to  those  which  were  sanctioned  by  the  act  of  1679.  (Act  PtoL 
Scot.  Tol.  iii.  pp.  80^  814.) 


LIFi:  OF  ANDREW  M£LVILL£.  355 

in  them,  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  whole  lieges, 
their  children  and  posterity ;  and  praying  that  mea- 
sures should  be  taken  to  remedy  these  evils.  In 
consequence  <^  this  representation,  the  parliament 
appointed  a  committee  to  visit  the  colleges,  and  to 
report  their  opinion  as  to  the  best  mode  of  improv- 
ing the  state  of  education  *.  No  report  from  the 
committee  is  on  record;  but  there  has  been  pre- 
served a  plan  for  the  colleges  of  St.  Andrews^  which 
appears  to  have  been  drawn  up,  in  virtue  of  this 
appointment,  by  Buchanan,  who  was  one  of  the 
commissioners.  The  arrangements  which  it  pro- 
poses differ  in  detail  from  those  ^f  the  First  Book 
of  Discipline,  though  they  proceed  on  the  same  ge- 
neral  principle.  The  first  coUege  was  to  be  eutire. 
ly  confined  to  the  teaching  of  languages,  and  regu- 
lated in  a  great  measure  as  a  grammar  school  f. 
The  second,  called  the  college  of  philosophy,  was  to 
have  four  regents  in  the  arts,  and  a  lecturer  on  me- 
dicine. The  third,  named  the  college  of  divinity, 
was  most  poorly  provided  for :  it  was  only  to  have 
a  principal,  to  be  reader  in  Hebrew,  and  a  lawyer  ^. 


*  Act  Park  Soot.  vol.  iL  p.  544. 

tit  seems  to  have  been  formed  on  the  model  of  the  college  or  ichool 
of  Geneva.  (Les  Ordonnances  Ecclesiastiques  de  TEgUse  de  Geneve : 
Item  rOrdre  des  Escoles^  pp.  83 — 67.) 

X  The  plan  is  published  in  Dr.  Irving^s  Mem.  of  Budianan,  App. 
No.  in.  9d  edit    According  to  the  old  plan  of  teadiing  in  imiversi- 

I,  imthematics  formed,  rather  prepoateroosly,  the  last  part  of  the 
The  First  Book  of  Disdpiine  i^pointed  them  to  be  taught 
before  physics.    But  Buchanan's  plan  reverts  to  the  ancient  anrange* 

2  A  2 


356  LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MELVILLE. 

The  author  of  this  draught  had  his  attention  too 
exclusively  directed  to  the  cultivation  of  languages 
and  humanity. 

The  civil  war  which  raged  between  the  adherents 
of  the  king  and  queen  put  a  stop  to  these  measures 
of  academical  reform^  but  no  sooner  was  peace  esta- 
blished than  the  design  was  resumed  by  the  firiends 
of  literature.  In  April,  1576,  the  General  Assem- 
bly appointed  commissioners  to  visit  and  consider 
the  state  of  the  university  of  St.  Andrews  * ;  apd  in 
1578,  the  parliament  made  a  similar  appointment  as 
to  all  the  universities  in  the  kingdom  f .  Nothing 
having  been  done  in  consequence  of  this  appoint- 
ment, the  General  Assembly  which  met  in  July, 
1579>  presented  a  petition  to  the  king  and  council, 
urging  the  necessity  of  a  change  on  the  university 
of  St.  Andrews ;  and  nominated  commissioners  to 
co-operate  in  that  business  with  such  as  the  council 
might  be  pleased  to  appoint  ^.  The  council  imme- 
diately appointed  commissioners,  to  whom  they  gave 
ample  powers.  They  were  authorized  to  consider 
the  foundations  in  the  university,  and  not  only  to 


inent — "  the  naturell  philosophies  metaphisicks^  and  prindpia  of  ma- 
thematidu." 

*  Buik  of  UniTenall  Kirk,  p.  65. 

t  Act  Pari.  Scot.  iii.  98.  Melville  was  one  of  the  commissioners 
nominated  hy  Parliament  to  visit  the  University  of  St.  Andrews. 
They  were  authorixed  to  examine  the  foundations  of  the  coUegea,  to 
reform  what  tended  to  superstition^  to  remove  unqualified  and  plant 
qualified  persons;  hut  not  to  make  alterations  on  the  mode  of 
teaching. 

t  Buik  of  Univ.  Kirk,  p.  93. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  357 

remove  superstition  and  displace  unqualified  persons, 
but  also  to  change  the  form  of  study  and  the  num- 
ber of  professors,  to  join  or  divide  the  faculties,  to 
annex  each  faculty  to  such  college  as  they  thought 
most  proper  for  it,  and  in  general  to  establish  such 
order  in  the  university  as  should  tend  most  to  the 
glory  of  God,  profit  of  the  commonwealth,  and  good 
up-bringing  of  the  youth  in  sciences  needful  for 
continuance  of  the  true  religion.  The  commission- 
ers found,  that  all  the  colleges  had  departed  from 
their  original  foundations,  and  that  these  founda- 
tions disagreed  in  many  things  with  the  true  reli- 
gion, and  were  far  from  ^'  that  perfection  of  teach- 
ing which  this  learned  age  craves;"  and  they  agreed 
upon  a  new  form  of  instruction  to  be  observed  in 
the  university.  This  was  laid  before  the  ensuing 
meeting  of  parliament,  by  which  it  was  ratified  on 
the  11th  of  November,  1579-  The  following  is  an 
outlme  of  the  provisions  made  by  the  new  establish- 
ment. 

In  the  coU^e  of  St.  Salvator,  a  principal,  and 
four  ordinary  professors  or  regents  of  humanity  and 
philosophy,  were  established.  The  first  regent  was 
to  teach  the  Greek  Grammar,  and  to  exercise  the 
students  in  Latin  composition  during  the  fii^t,  and 
in  V  Greek  during  the  second  half  year.  The  second 
regent  was  to  teach  the  principles  of  invention,  dis- 
position, and  elocution ;  or,  in  other  words,  of  rhe- 
toric, in  the  shortest,  easiest,  and  most  accurate 
manner,  with  the  practice  of  them  in  the  best  au- 
thors, Roman  and  Greek.     The  students  of  this 

2a3 


358  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

class  were  to  spend  an  hour  at  least  every  day  in 
composition,  and  during  the  last  half  year  they  were 
to  declainfi  or  pronounce  an  oration  once  every  month, 
in  Latin  and  Oreek  alternately.  It  was  the  duty 
of  the  third  regent  to  teach  the  most  profitable  and 
needful  parts  of  the  logics  of  Aristotle,  with  his 
ethics  and  politics,  all  in  Greek,  and  the  offices  of 
Cicero  in  Latin.  The  fourth  regent  was  to  teach  so 
much  of  the  physics  as  was  needful,  and  the  doctrine 
of  the  sjAere.  Each  regent  was  to  retain  his  own  pro- 
fession. On  Sunday  a  lesson  in  the  Greek  New 
Testament  was  to  be  read  in  all  the  four  classes. 
Professors  of  mathematics  and  law,  who  were  to  lec- 
ture on  four  days  of  every  week,  were  also  estaUish- 
ed  in  this  coUege.  The  lectures  on  law  were  to  be 
attended  by  all  the  advocates  and  writers  in  the  com- 
missary court;  and  none  were  to  be  admitted  for  the 
future  to  act  as  procurators  before  the  lords  or  other 
judges,  until  they  gave  a  specimen  of  their  learning 
before  the  university,  and  produced  a  testimonial  of 
their  diligent  attendance  and  the  d^ree  of  their 
progress.  iTie  principal  of  St.  Salvator's  was  to  act 
as  professor  of  medicine. — ^The  same  anangements 
were  made  as  to  the  College  of  St.  Leonard ;  wi A 
this  difference,  that  there  were  no  classes  for  matibe- 
mattes  and  law  established  in  it;  and  the  priiieipfd» 
instead  of  teaching  medicine,  was  to  exjrfaitt  the 
pidlosophy  of  Plato. — St.  Mary's,  or  the  New  Col- 
lege, was  approj[>riated  entirely  to  the  study  of  ibe- 
ologj  and  the  languages^  connected  with  it  The 
course  of  study  in  it  was  to  be  completed  in  four 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  359 

• 

years,  under  the  tuiticm  of  five  professors.  The 
first  professor  was  to  teach  the  elements  of  Hebrew 
during  six  months,  and  of  Chaldee  and  Syriac  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  the  first  year.  During  the 
subsequent  eighteen  months,  the  students  were  to 
prosecute  the  study  of  these  languages  under  the  se- 
cond professor,  who  was  to  explain  the  pentateuch 
and  historical  books  of  the  Old  Testament  criticaUy, 
by  comparing  the  original  text  with  the  Chaldee 
paraplp'ases,  the  Septuagint,  and  other  ancient  ver- 
sions. The  third  professor  was  to  explain  the  pro- 
j^etical  books  of  the  Old  Testament  after  the  same 
manner,  during  the  last  eighteen  months  of  the 
course.  During  the  whole  four  years,  the  fourth 
professor  was  to  explain  the  New  Testament  by  com- 
paring the  original  with  the  Syriac  version.  And 
the  fifth  professor,  who  was  Principal  of  the  Ckrf- 
I^e,  was  to  lecture,  during  the  same  period,  on  the 
common  places  or  system  of  divinity.  All  the  stu- 
dents were  bound  to  attend  the  lectures  of  three 
Jnrof esJBors  every  day  during  the  continuance  of  their 
theological  course ;  by  which  it  was  expected  that 
they  would,  **  with  meane  diligence,  becume  perfite 
theologians."  Public  disputations  were  to  be  held 
every  week,  declamations  once  a  month,  and  at  three 
'  periods  during  the  course,  a  solemn  examination  was 
to  take  place,  at  which,  **  every  learned  man  shall 
be  free  to  dispute."  Eight  bursars  of  theology  were 
to  reside  with  the  professors,  and  to  be  supported 
on  the  rents  of  the  college.  It  was  ordained,  that 
after  four  years  had  elapsed  from  the  date  of  this 


360  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

new  erection,  none  should  be  admitted  ministers  of 
the  church  who  had  not  completed  their  course  of 
theology,  or  who  should  not  be  found  worthy  and 
qualified  to  receive  all  their  degrees  in  it  after  a 
"  rigorous  examination"  by  the  faculty.  The  persons 
at  present  occupying  the  place  of  masters  in  the  New 
College,  were  ordered  to  remove  from  it  without 
delay  *.  From  the  "  great  variety  at  this  present 
of  learned  in  the  knowledge  of  the  tongues  and 
other  things  needful,"  the  parUamentary  commis- 
sioners had  selected  such  as  they  thought  most  qua- 
lified for  teaching  in  the  New  College  ;  and  it  was 
ordained,  that,  upon  any  future  vacancy,  the  place 
should  be  filled  by  open  comparative  trial  before  the 
archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  the  conservator  of  the 
privileges  of  the  university,  the  rector,  deans  of  fa- 
culty, and  theological  professors.  Vacancies  in  the 
two  other  colleges  were  to  be  supplied  in  a  similar 
manner.  As  the  youth  had  lost  much  time  by  long 
vacations,  it  was  ordained,  that  for  the  future  the 
classes  should  sit  during  the  whole  year,  except  the 
month  of  September  f .  Rules  were  laid  down  for 
preventing  the  revenues  of  the  colleges  firom  being 
wasted  or  diverted  to  improper  uses.  And  at  the 
end  of  every  period  of  four  years,  a  royal  visitaticm 
of  the  university  was  to  take  place,  to  inquire  into 


*  8ee  Note  H. 

t  So  early  as  the  days  of  Augustine^  it  appears  that  the  month  of 
September,  as  the  season  of  the  vintage^  was  allowed  as  a  vacation  in 
schools.    (Valedana,  p.  65.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  361 

the  effects  of  this  reformation,  and  to  see  that  its 
regulations  were  observed  *. 

It  would  be  affronting  the  learned  reader  to  enter 
into  a  statement  of  the  superiority  of  this  plan  of 
education  to  that  which  it  was  intended  to  super- 
sede. It  was  the  most  liberal  and  enlightened  plan 
of  study  which  had  yet  been  established,  as  far  as 
I  know,  in  any  European  university.  In  comparing 
it  with  modem  institutions,  great  allowance  must  be 
made  for  the  imperfect  state  in  which  many  of  the 
sciences  were  at  that  period.  But  even  as  to  these 
we  may  observe  an  evident  tendency  to  improve- 
ment in  the  new  regulations.  The  "  most  profitable 
and  needful  parts"  only  of  the  Aristotelian  logic  and 
physics  were  to  be  taught ;  and  the  lectures  on  Pla- 
tonic philosophy  served  as  a  counterpoise  to  the 
Peripatetic,  which  had  hitherto  possessed  an  exclu- 
sive and  uncontrolled  authority  in  the  university. 
The  method  of  study  prescribed  for  the  theological 
college  was  well  calculated  to  realize  the  hopes  ex- 
pressed in  the  act.  It  appointed  a  greater  number 
of  teachers  of  the  Old  Testament  than  eitheir  was 
necessary  or  could  easily  be  obtained ;  and  one  of 
them  might  have  been  employed  with  more  advan- 
tage in  reading  lectures  on  Ecclesiastical  History, 
according  to  an  arrangement  which  was  subsequent- 
ly introduced.  But  the  attention  paid  to  the  sa- 
cred languages,  and  especially  to  the  oriental  tongues, 
is  entitled  to  the  highest  commendation,  and  shews 

♦  Act.  Pari.  Scot.  vol.  iii.  pp.  178— 18«. 


363  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE. 

that  the  authors  of  the  plan  had  conceived  correct 
ideas  of  the  importance  of  this  branch  of  literature 
for  forming  able  and  judicious  interpreters  of  Scrip- 
ture. Indeed,  it  proceeds  upon  the  very  jHrinciples 
which  have  since  been  laid  down  and  recommended 
by  the  best  writers  on  Biblical  Interpretation*  I 
would  not,  however,  be  understood  as  intimating 
that  the  benefits  which  actually  resulted  from  this 
change  on  the  university  were  proportioned  to  its 
merits.  The  wisest  plans,  and  the  most  salutary 
enactments,  will  prove  nugatory,  if  proper  measures 
are  not  taken  to  carry  them  into  execution,  or  even 
if  they  go  much  beyond  the  degree  of  illumination 
which  the  age  has  reached.  There  is  reason  to 
think  that  in  the  present  instance  this  was  the  case 
to  a  certain  extent.  The  new  mode  of  study  was 
very  partially  acted  upon  in  the  colleges  of  St.  Sal- 
vator  and  St.  Leonard ;  nor  was  the  act  of  parlia- 
ment carried  into  effect  as  to  the  number  of  pro- 
fessors in  the  New  CSollege. 

The  reformation  of  the  university  of  St.  An- 
drews has,  by  mistake,  been  ascribed  to  Buchanan. 
This  has  arisen  partly  from  confounding  it  with 
another  scheme  of  academical  instruction  which  he 
drew  up  at  an  earlier  period  *,  and  partly  from  his 
being  one  of  the  commissioners  who  subscribed  the 
plan  that  was  actually  adopted.  That  he  assisted 
in  correcting  it,  and  in  procuring  for  it  a  parlia- 
mentary sanction,  is  highly  probable.  But  there  is 
no  reason  for  supposing  that  the  plan  was  of  his  con- 
jBtruction.     The  course  of  his  studies  and  the  nature 

•  See  above,  p.  355. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  S6S 

of  his  acquirements  did  not  qualify  him  for  entering 
into  the  arrangements  which  are  most  minutely  de- 
tailed in  it.  We  have  direct  evidence  that  Melville 
hnd  the  principal  hand  in  drawing  it  up*;  and 
though  this  had  heen  awanting,  we  should  have 
been  warranted  in  forming  this  opinion,  from  the 
striking  resemblance  that  it  bears  to  the  mode  of 
study  previously  introduced  by  him  into  the  uni- 
versity of  Glasgow  f  • 

It  is  difficult  to  ascertain  the  precise  number  of 
students  who  attended  the  university  at  one  time. 
In  ordinary  cases  it  does  not  appear  that  it  exceeded 
two  himdred,  and  it  did  not  fall  much  short  of  that 
number,  during  the  latter  half  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. Fewer  had  attended  it  during  the  first  half, 
and  still  fewer  previously  to  that  period. 

An  account  of  the  university  of  Glasgow,  and  of 
the  improvements  made  on  it,  has  already  been 
given  in  the  nafrrative  of  what  took  place  when 
Melville  held  the  situation  of  principal  there  f. 
The  University  and  King's  College  of  Aberdeen, 
founded  by  bishop  Elphingston,  at  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  provided  for  an  extensive  educa- 
tion^.     But  notwidistanding  this,  and  although 

^  Melville's  Diary,  pp.  56,  64.        t  See  above,  vol.  i.  pp.  67 — 70. 

X  See  vol.  i.  pp.  65 — 72. 

§  Provision  was  made  for  four  professors,  consisting  of  a  doctor  of 
divinity,  of  canon  law,  of  civil  law,  and  of  medicine ;  ten  bachelors, 
who  were  to  instruct  fourteen  bursars  in  philosophy,  while  they  pro- 
•ecuted  their  own  studies  under  the  doctors ;  and  a  teacher  of  hu- 
manity, whose  office  it  was  to  initiate  the  young  men  into  grammar 
before  entering  on  their  philosophical  course.  (Boethii  Aberdon. 
Episcop.  Vitc,  f.  xxix.  b.) 


364  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

some  of  its  early  teachers  excelled  any  that  were  to 
be  found  in  the  other  academies,  it  seems  never  to 
have  attracted  many  students  *•  This  may  be  ac- 
counted for,  partly  at  least,  from  its  situation,  and 
the  comparatively  rude  state  of  the  surrounding 
country.  At  the  establishment  of  the  Reformation, 
Anderson,  the  principal,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
professors,  adhered  to  the  old  religion,  and  being 
supported  by  the  neighbouring  noblemen,  who  were 
addicted  to  popery,  kept  their  places  for  several 
years.  When  they  were  at  last  extruded,  the  col- 
lege was  found  to  be  impoverished  by  the  alienation 
of  its  revenues.  In  the  year  1578,  when  great  ex- 
ertions were  made  in  behalf  of  all  the  seminaries  of 
education,  means  were  used  for  restoring  its  dila- 
pidated funds  ;  and  at  the  same  time  a  new  plan  of 
instruction  was  drawn  up  for  it,  similar  to  those  in- 
troduced at  Glasgow  and  St.  Andrews  f .  The  plan 
met  with  opposition  from  different  quarters,  and  its 
formal  ratification  by  the  legislature  was  evaded, 
but  it  was  introduced  into  the  university  and  acted 
upon  for  a  considerable  period  \. 

To  ascertain  the  state  of  learning  in  the  country^ 
it  is  necessary  to  attend  to  the  inferior  schools,  in 
which  the  youth  were  prepared  for  entering  the 
university ;  and  multitudes,  who  never  proceeded 
that  length,  had  access  to  the  means  of  common 

*  Hector  Boece  (Boethius)  the  celebrated  hisUnitn  of  SoodAiid, 
was  the  first  principal,  and  John  Vans,  author  of  a  Latin  grammar, 
was  the  first  professor  of  humanity,  at  Aberdeen. 

t  Melville's  Diary,  p.  iS. 

t  See  Note  I. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  365 

education.  Long  before  the  Reformation  all  the 
principal  towns  had  grammar  schools  in  which  the 
Latin  language  was  taught  ^.  They  had  also  **  lec- 
ture schools,'*  as  they  were  called,  in  which  children 
were  instructed  to  read  the  vernacular  language. 
Subsequently  to  the  establishment  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, the  means  of  education  were  extended  to  other 
parts  of  the  coimtry ;  and,  where  regular  schools 
were  not  founded,  the  readers  in  churches  generally 
supplied  the  deficiency,  by  teaching  \he  youth  to 
read  the  catechism  and  the  Scriptures. 

There  was  a  grammar  school  in  Glasgow  at  an 
early  period  of  the  fourteenth  century.  It  depended 
immediately  on  the  cathedral  church,  and  the 
chancellor  of  the  diocese  had  not  only  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  masters,  but  also  the  superintendence 
of  whatever  related  to  education  in  the  city  f .  The 
granmiar  school  continued  to  be  a  distinct  establish- 
ment after  the  erection  of  the  university,  and  con- 
siderable care  appears  to  have  been  taken  to  supply 
it  with  good  teachers.  Thomas  Jack,  who  resigned 
the  charge  of  this  institution  when  Melville  came 
to  Glasgow,  was  well  qualified  for  the  situation. 
This  is  evident  from  his  Onomasticon  Poeticum^ 
containing  an  explanation  of  the  proper  names  which 
occur  in  the  writings  of  the  ancient  poets,  composed 


*  Life  of  Knox,  voL  i.  p.  4.  John  Kerde  gives  a  tenement  of  land 
to  the  grammar  school  of  Dunbarton,  8  March^  1486.  And  the  burgh 
of  Dunbarton  gives  four  marks  from  the  common  mill,  *^  D"^  Jhoi 
Kerde  pbro  Magistro  Scols  Grammaticalis  eiusd."  30  Apr.  I486. 
(Charters  of  the  Burgh.) 

t  See  Note  K. 


366  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

in  Latin  verse,  with  the  view  of  being  committed 
to  memory  by  the  boys,  and  published  by  him  at 
the  recommendation  of  Buchanan  and  Melville. 
On  leaving  the  school  of  Glasgow,  Jack  became  mi- 
nister of  the  neighbouring  parish  of  Eastwood,  but 
continued  to  maintain  a  close  correspondence  with 
the  masters  of  the  College,  and  particularly  with 
Melville,  of  whose  services  to  the  literature  of  Scot- 
land he  entertained  ihe  highest  idea  *.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  school  by  a  connexion  of  his  o^ni^ 
Patrick  Sharp,  whose  literary  obligations  to  Mel- 
ville have  already  been  noticed.' 

The  grammar  schopl  of  Edinburgh  was  originally 
connected  with  the  Abbey  of  Holyroodhouse,  and 
the  appointment  of  the  teachers  was  transferred  from 
the  abbots  to  the  magistrates  of  the  city.  William 
Robertson,  who  was  head  master  of  the  school  at 
the  establishment  of  the  Reformation,  remained  at- 
tached to  the  popish  religion,  and  appears  to  have 
been  in  other  respects  very  unqualified  for  the  situa- 
tion. The  Town  Council  were  anxious  to  have  him 
removed,  that  they  might  place  the  seminary  on  a 
footing  more  worthy  of  the  metropolis ;  but  Aey 
were  unable  to  accomplish  this,  owing  partly  to  the 
support  which  Robertson  received  from  the  Queen, 
and  partly  to  his  having  been  provided  to  the  place 
for  life.  In  these  circumstances  they  had  recourse 
to  a  provisional  arrangement ;  and  in  the  year  1568, 
they  entered  into  terms  with  Thomas  Buchanan^  a 

•  Sec  under  Note  K. 


LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  867 

nephew  of  the  poet,  who  was  then  teachmg  as  a 
regent  at  St.  Andrews,  in  the  College  of  St.  Salva- 
tor,  and  engaged  him  to  take  the  management  of 
their  school.  Buchanan  was  well  qualified  for  bring- 
ing the  seminary  into  repute ;  but  he  r^nained  only 
a  short  time  in  Edinburgh.  Differences  having 
arisen  between  him  and  the  magistrates  as  to  the 
terms  of  their  agreement,  he  was  induced  to  leave 
them  in  1571,  and  to  become  master  of  the  gram- 
mar school  of  Stirling,  where  his  uncle  was  resid- 
ing *.  In  consequence  of  his  removal,  the  granunar 
school  of  Edinburgh  fell  back  to  its  former  state  of 
insignificance.  But  the  friends  of  learning  in  the 
city  continued  to  urge  its  claims  on  the  public; 
and  a  commodious  house  for  teaching  having  been 
finished,  in  the  year  1579,  on  the  spot  still  occupied 
by  the  High  School  buildings,  Robertson  was  soon 
after  prevailed  upon  to  retire  on  a  pension,  and  a 
new  and  improved  plan  of  education,  to  which  we 
shall  afterwards  advert,  was  organized  f . 

John  Rutherfurd  was  at  this  time  the  most  cele- 
brated master  of  scholastic  philosophy  in  Scotland. 
He  was  a  native  of  Jedburgh  in  Roxburghshire, 
and  having  gone  to  France,  entered  the  College  of 

*  G.  Robertson,  Vita  Roberti  Rollod,  A  3.  Edin.  1599.  RoUoci 
Conunent.  in  Epist.  ad  Thessalon.  Dedic  Epist.  Melville's  Diary, 
pp.  38,  91.  James  Melville  calls  Thomas  Buchanan  the  cousing  of 
George  Buchanan  ;  David  Buchanan  calls  him  his  broiher-german.; 
(De  Scriptoribus  Scotis  Illust.  num.  61,  MS.  in  Advocates  Library;) 
but  Robert  Rollock,  who  had  the  best  means  of  information,  informs 
us  that  he  was  his  nfpkew. — Mr.  Thomas  Duncansone  was  *'  school- 
master and  reidar  in  Striveling,"  in  1563.     (Keith's  Hist.  p.  531.) 

t  Sec  Note  L. 


368  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE. 

Guienne  at  Bourdeaux.  There  he  prosecuted  his 
studies  under  Nicolaus  Gruchius*,  equally  dis- 
tinguished for  his  knowledge  of  Roman  Antiquities, 
and  his  skill  in  the  Aristotelian  Philosophy  f  •  He 
appears  to  have  accompanied  his  teacher,  and  his 
coimtryman  Buchanan,  on  their  literary  expedition 
to  Portugal,  from  which  he  came  to  the  university 
of  Paris  \.     His  reputation  reached  archbishop  Ha* 


*  Rhetorfortis,  De  Arte  Disserendi^  p.  10. 

t  Tdssier,  Eloges^  ii.  43^—437. 

X  Dempster,  Hist  Eccl.  Soot.  p.  565.  Dr.  InriDg  is  di«poied  to 
question  this  statement.  (Memoirs  of  Buchanan,  p.  70, 2d  edit.)  The 
silence  of  Buchanan,  who,  in  his  life,  does  not  speak  of  any  of  hit 
countrymen,  except  his  own  brother,  accompanying  him,  certainly 
throws  a  degree  of  doubt  over  the  sul^ect;  but  still  I  am  rather  in> 
dined  to  admit  the  testimony  of  Dempster.  It  is  most  probable  that 
Rutherfurd  studied  under  Gruchius  before  that  professor  went  to  Por- 
tugal ;  and  in  this  case  it  is  not  unlikely  that  he  should  have  bees 
induced  to  accompany  him.  Dempster  mentions,  in  a  very  particukr 
manner,  a  work  of  Rutherfurd's,  containing  discourses  which  he  had 
delivered  at  Coimbra :  "  Pnefationes  solemnes  ParisiiB  et  Conimbric 
habitas,  lib.  i.  Extant  lypu  Wechelianii"  And  he  teems  to  have  been 
at  pains  to  ascertain  the  circumstances  of  Rutherfurd's  life,  for  we 
find  him  referring  to  the  records  of  the  University  of  Paria.  **  Venit 
Lutetiam  anno  155S.  Acta  nationis  Gtrmanica  ad  D.  Cmot.**— In 
the  matriculation  list  of  the  University  of  St  Andrews  for  the  ywr 
1551  it  found,  ''£x  Collegio  Mariano,  Joannes  Rudeifhrd,  nttk. 
Britfl."  If  this  was  the  person  afterwards  principal  of  St.  Salvatoi^t, 
and  if  he  began  his  studies  in  1551,  he  could  not  have  beloi^ied  to  the 
Portuguese  colony  ;  but  there  is  reason  to  think  that  they  were  W« 
ferent  individuals. — There  are  two  letters  of  Joannes  Gelida  to  John 
Rutherfurd  and  Filibert  Lodonet,  (dated  Dedmo  Cal.  Nov.  15^5,  9c 
Non.  Febr.  1555,)  inviting  them  to  teach  in  the  idiool  of  BoonlctalXi 
(Joan.  Gelidfle  Epist.  et  Carm.  in  Clar.  Hitpanomm  Oputeiili  S^ 
lect  et  Rar.  collecta  a  Fr.  Cerdano  et  Rico  Valentino,  voL  i.  pij^  1  A; 
152.  Madriti,  1781.)  In  the  same  collection,  (i.  140,)  is  a  kfttrri" 
Grelida  to  George  Buchanan,  congratulating  biro  on  bit  Wfe  tetdttftft' 
France  from  Portugal :  "  Burdigals,  Idibus  Novembris,  IddS."*    ' 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  369 

milton^  who  invited  him  home  to  occupy  a  chair  in 
the  CoU^  of  St.  Marjr,  whidi  he  had  recently  or- 
ganised at  St.  Andrews  * ;  and  after  teaching  in  it 
for  some  years  as  Professor  of  Humanity,  Ruther- 
ford was  translated  to  be  Principal  of  St.  Salvator's 
College  in  the  same  University.  In  such  estimation 
was  he  held,  that,  soon  after  his  admission  into  the 
University,  he  was  raised  to  the  honourable  situation 
of  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of  Arts,  although  not  qua- 
lified for  holding  it  according  to  the  strict  import  of 
the  statutes  f.  He  had  embraced  the  reformed  doc- 
trines before  their  establishment  in  Scotland,  and 
was  declared  qualified  **  for  ministering  and  teach- 
ing*' by  the  first  General  Assembly  f.  By  the  au- 
thority of  a  subsequent  Assembly  he  was  admitted 
minister  of  Cults,  a  parish  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
St.  Andrews,  of  which  the  principals  of  St.  Salva- 

*  Hovei  Oratio ;  MS.  in  Archiv.  Univ.  '8.  Andr.  ''  Comfidis  me  to 
tgre  w^  MaUteris  Edward  Henrison  and  Johne  Ruderfiirde  to  be  Re- 
gents in  hial.  College:  12  Decembris^  166S,"  (Accompt  of  receipts  and 
disbursements  by  tbe  agent  at  Rome,  for  the  Earl  of  Arran,  John, 
Archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  &e.  p.  320:  MS.  m  possession  of  Thomas 
Thomson,  Esq.) 

t  It  was  ol^ected  against  his  eligibility,  that  he  was  not  in  priest's 
orders,  and  that  he  was  a  regent,  Uiat  is,  (as  I  suppose,)  that  he  was 
not  a  professor  or  permanent  teacher—''  primum  q  n6  ^t  Sacerdos, 
■eeondnm  quod  fuit  regens,  ut  loquuntur,  actu."  This  was  in  No- 
vember,  1557.  (Act.  Fac.  Art.  8.  Andr.  ff.  18,  b;  181,  a.)— The  first 
ttme  he  is  mentioned  in  the  records  is  as  one  of  the  electors  of  the 
Rector,  in  1556,  when  he  is  designed,  "  Ex  Britannia,  Mr.  Jo.  Ru- 
llierftude,  philosophus  doetissimus  CoUegii  MarianI,"— «nd  again, 
**  phShMophua  eximius."  He  appears  to  have  been  translated  to  St. 
fMmtor^s  in  1560. 

t  Keith's  Hist.  p.  522. 

VOL.  II.  9  B 


S70  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

tor's  were,  by  the  foundation  of  that  college,  consti- 
tuted rectors  *.  It  was  also  part  of  his  duty,  as 
principal,  to  lecture  on  theology.  But  Rutherfiird 
was  more  celebrated  as  a  philosopher  than  as  a  divine. 
Considered  in  the  former  character,  his  labours  were 
unquestionably  of  benefit  to  the  university  and  the 
nation.  The  publication  of  his  treatise  on  the  Art 
of  Reasoning  may  be  considered  as  marking  a  stage 
in  the  progress  of  philosophy  in  Scotland.  It  is 
formed,  indeed,  strictly  upon  Aristotelian  principles, 
of  which  he  was  a  great  admirer ;  but  still  it  differs 
widely  from  the  systems  which  had  long  maintain- 
ed an  exclusive  place  in  the  schools.  Treading  in 
the  steps  of  his  master,  De  Grouchi,  Rutherfurd  re- 
jected the  errors  into  which  the  ancient  commenta- 
tors upon  Aristotle  had  fallen,  and  discarded  many 
of  the  frivolous  questions  which  the  modem  dialec- 
ticians took  so  much  delight  in  discussing.  His 
work  contains  a  perspicuous  view  of  that  branch  of 
the  Peripatetic  philosophy  of  which  it  professes  to 
treat.  He  had  caught  a  portion  of  the  classical  spi- 
rit of  the  age  ;  and  the  simplicity  and  comparative 
purity  of  his  Latin  style,  exhibit  a  striking  contrast 
to  the  barbarous  and  unintelligible  jargon  which 
had  become  hereditary  in  the  tribe  of  schoolmen 
and  sophists  f .    It  appears  from  a  curious  document. 


*  Bmk  of  the  UniT.  Kirk,  f.  7. 

t  "  Commentarionrm  de  Arte  Ditiereiidi  libri  qvatror  JomM  Bt^ 
torforti  Jedburgeo  Seoto  authore.  ^t  none  dvoutm  ab  eodem  dflfc* 
genter  reoogniti  et  emendati.    Edinburgi  apud  Henrieiun  GbuMB 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  871 

that  RutherfiiTd,  like  some  other  philosphers,  did 
not  always  display  his  philosophy  in  the  govern- 
ment of  his  temper.  In  consequence  of  complaints 
against  him  by  his  colleagues,  a  visitation  of  the 
College  of  St  Salvator  took  place  in  1569,  when  it 
was  found  that  the  principal  had  shown  himself 
^  too  hasty  and  impatient  ;**  and  he  was  admonish- 
ed •*  not  to  let  the  sim  go  down  upon  his  wrath, 
and  to  study  to  bridle  his  tongue  and  conduct  him- 
scilf  with  greater  humanity  and  mildness  *.'* 

William  Ramsay  deserves  to  be  mentioned  among 
those  who  cultivated  polite  letters  along  with  phi- 
losophy and  divinity,  and  who,  at  the  establishment 
of  the  Reformation  in  Scotland,  left  the  foreign 
academies  of  which  they  were  members,  that  they 
might  take  the  charge  of  public  instruction  in  their 
native  country  f.  He  had  been  Rutherfurd's  com- 
panion on  the  continent,  and  became  his  colleague 
at  St.  Andrews.     Ramsay  taught  in  St.  Salvator's 


1577.  Cum  Priuilegio  Regali."  4to.  Pp.  78.  The  author  informs  us 
that  his  work  had  heen  at  first  printed  without  his  knowledge,  and 
^ety  inconrectly,  from  a  manuscript  furnished  hy  ofee  of  his  scholars. 
Pp.  3,  9. — His  "  Comment,  in  Lihr.  Arist.  de  arte  Metrics,  Edinh. 
1667"  mentioned  by  Mackenzie,  I  have  not  seen. 

*  Charter  of  Regress  by  Mr.  John  Douglas,  Rector,  &c.  Sept  15, 
IMS.    Comp.  Cald.  MS.  toL  iL  pp.  439,  439. 

1 1  think  it  highly  probable  that  he  is  the  individual  referred  to  in 
a  letter  of  Obertus  GiAinius.  (Buchanani  Epist.  p.  7.)  His  name  does 
not  appear  in  the  records  of  the  University  of  St.  Andrews  iVom  1537, 
when  he  was  made  Master  of  Arts,  till  1560,  when  he  became  a  Pro- 
Mtor;  from  whidiitis  highly  probable  that  he  was  abroad  during 
iiitervaL 

2b2 


373  LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE. 

when  Melville  attended  the  University,  but  was 
dead  before  the  latter  returned  to  Scotland  *. 

Jn  the  year  1556,  a  pension  was  granted  to  Alex- 
ander Syme,  to  enable  him  to  wait  on  the  Queen 
Regent,  and  be  her  Reader  in  the  Laws  or  other 
sciences,  at  Edinburgh  or  any  other  place  that  she 
might  appoint  f .  But  the  teaching  of  Civil  Law, 
properly  speaking,  commenced  in  Scotland  at  the 
establishment  of  the  Reformation.  Previously  to  that 
era  the  canons  were  the  great  object  of  study,  and 
those  who  occasionally  delivered  lectures  on  civil 
law  were  generally,  if  not  always,  in  priesf  s  orders. 
It  was  by  an  innovation  on  the  original  constitution 
of  St.  Mary*s  College,  similar  to  that  which  had 
been  made  on  religious  instruction,  that  William 
Skene  was  first  authorized  to  teach  as  a  civilian  at 
St  Andrews,  and  to  substitute  the  Institutes  and 
Pandects  in  the  room  (^  the  Sacred  Canons  BsaA 
Decretals. 

Though  less  known  than  his  brother,  the  deik 

*  Demprter^  Hist.  Eod.  Seoc  p.  564 ;  where  a  book  eoKkfomng 
the  Portuguese  ii  aacribed  to  Ranuay.  On  the  17th  of  Jaonaijff 
155S,  a  yearly  penaum  of  £100  was  given  to  '*  Mr.  WiU»«  Banaay." 
(Reg.  of  Priyy  Seal^  toL  xxix.  fol.  67.)  In  U64,  tlic  Gooeial  Af? 
BomUiy  appointed  a  conunitiee  to  examine  Mr.  William  Ramaay'e  Ad* 
swer  to  BuUinger's  book  on  the  habita  of  PieacberB.  Kcitfa,  468; 
Ranuay  was  miniater  of  Kembaek,  a  ehnrdi  held  by  the  aeoond  mat* 
ter  of  St.  Salvator^  College.  In  coneequence  of  a  diipnte  in  whid^ 
be  was  involved,  which  came  before  the  G^ieral  Assembly,  he  ob-^ 
tained  a  testimonial  from  the  kirk  8essk>n  of  fit.  Andrevrs»  June  ^i 
U70,  and  dkd  in  the  oonns  of  that  year.  (Reposd  of  Kidt  flwriw 
Buik  of  Univ.  Kirk,  pp.  i»,  50.    Bnmatyne's  Joomal,  p.  879.)  ;  .^) 

t  See  Note  M. 


LITE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  87S 

register,  and  though  not  eminent  for  talents^  Wil- 
liam Skene  deserves  to  be  remembered  for  his  private 
worthy  and  his  usefulness  as  a  teacher  and  a  judge. 
Hb  appears  to  have  studied,  and  to  have  taken  the 
degree  of  licentiate  utrmsquejwris,  in  a  foreign  uni- 
versity ;  and  upon  his  return  to  his  native  country 
was  madfe  canonist  in  St.  Mary's  Coll^  *.  After 
the  Reformation,  he  explained  Cicero's  treatise  on 
Laws  and  the  Institutes  of  Justinian ;  and  as  this 
was  the  only  class  of  the  kind  in  the  University, 
such  of  the  students  of  the  other  colleges  as  chose 
were  at  liberty  to  attend  his  lectures.  He  gained 
the  affection  of  his  scholars  by  the  condescending 
manner  in  which  he  explained  to  them  in  private 
what  he  had  taught  in  the  class,  and  shewed  them 
ihe  practice  of  law  in  the  Commissary  Court,  of 
which  he  was  the  chief  judge  f .    John  Skene  taught 


'^  Among  the  ^<  Nob  Incorp.  ISS6,  in  Novo  CoUegio^"  the  first 
mme  is  "  Mag<^  Gnlielmos  Skene  in  utroque  jure  licendatui."  (Liber 
Reetoris  Univ.  S.  Andr.)  This  entry  shews  that  he  had  not  studied 
at'  St.  Andrews ;  nor  do  I  think  that  any  of  the  Scottish  Umver- 
Bttiei  Were  at  that  period  in  the  habit  of  oonfening  degrees  in  law. 
On  the  31st  of  Mareh^  1558,  the  right  to  the  church  of  Tarvet  was 
oonveyed  to  St.  Mary's  College,  by  putting  the  archbishop's  signet 
<«>^to  discreti  viii  Magrt  Willielnii  Skeyne,  juris  lieentiati,  et  ffu^ 
itm  CeiUgH  CwwmMtmy"  m  procurator  for  his  coUeagiMii  (P^pera  of 
St  Mary's  College.)  In  the  Rector's  Bode,  he  is  repeatedly  said  to 
be  '^  ex  Angnsia."  He  was  Conservator  of  the  FHvileges  of  the  Uni- 
vanity,  and  elected  Dean  of  the  Fseoky  ef  Arts,  Nov.  3, 1565.  (Act. 
Fm.  Art.) 

'^  Melville^  I>i«7>  p^  S4.  •  8b  Min  Skene  ikequenUy  refers  to  a 
book  of  his  brother  WilUaas,  nMst  probably  in  nupiuflcript  (De 
Verborum  Significatione,  sig.  I  4,  K  9,  O  3.)  In  an  inventory  of 
the  books  and  papers  of  Mr.  William  Skene,  Commissary  of  St.  An- 

2bS 


374  L.IFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

for  6ome  years,  as  a  r^ent,  in  the  same  college 
with  his  brother  *. 

.  Edward  Henrjrson  was  a  man  of  greater  talents 
and  learning  than  Skene.  He  received  the  d^ree 
of  doctor  of  laws  from  the  University  of  Boui^s  in 
France,  where  he  studied  under  Eguinar  Baro^  one 
of  the  first  civilians  who  had  recourse  to  the  pore 
sources  of  ancient  jurisprudence,  and  who  blended  po- 
lite literature  with  the  pursuits  of  their  immediate  pro- 
fession. Having  finished  his  studies,  Henryson  resid- 
ed for  some  time  with  Ulrich  Fugger,  and  enjoyed 
a  pension  from  that  munificent  patron  of  learned  men. 
Both  at  that  time,  and  afterwards  while  he  read 
lectures  on  law  at  Bourges,  he  published  several 
works  which  made  his  name  known  in  the  learned 
world.     By  his  translations  from  the  Greek  he  co- 


drews^  taken  Dec.  1 1^  1583^  after  his  decease^  by  an  order  of  the  Lords 
of  Sesaion^  the  following  articles  occur :  *'  Certane  wmttiB  upon  tiie 
lawifl  wreittin  and  penit  be  y<»  Commissar:" — '*  Maister  William 
Skeynis  prottocol  wt  certane  shrowles  and  wyeris  vreittis  lyand  kmse 
wtin  y  same."  (Papers  of  St  Salvator's  College.)  The  titka  of  the 
books  in  this  list  have  been  very  hnperfectly  and  ineoirectly  takan^*- 
Sir  John  also  refers  to  a  book  of  his  brother  Alexander,  an  advocate. 
(De  Verb.  Signif.  I  i.  Comp.  Act  Pari.  Scot.  vol.  ii.  p.  105.)  Alei- 
ander  Skene  signs  a  deed«  aa  NoUry  Public,  at  Paris,  Sept.  13>  155S. 
(Keith's  Scotiah  Bishops,  p.  74.)  In  1661,  "  Maister  Alex.  Skyiis 
advocate/'  was  warded  by  the  magistrates  of  Edinburgh  for  attend- 
ing mass,  but  *'  at  y  desyre  and  requeist  of  Maister  William  Sken^* 
waa  set  at  libertie  on  certain  conditions.  (Register  of  Town  Oooneflf 
voL  iv.  f.  9,  a ;  10,  b.) 

*  His  name  appears  as  a  regent  in  the  years  156iand  JSeS.  (Ub. 
lUet.  et  Fac.  Art.)  This  must  have  been  previous  to  his  trmvdttv 
on  the  continent,  whidi  he  mentions  repeatedly  in  his  ticttae  Ik 
Verhorum  Significatione. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  375 

operated  with  some  of  the  most  enlightened  men  of 
that  age  in  diffusing  polite  letters.  And  his  law 
tracts  are  allowed  to  be  not  unworthy  of  the  distin- 
guished school  in  which  he  received  his  education. 
Upon  his  return  to  Scotland,  at  the  establishment 
of  the  Reformation,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the 
Commissaries  of  Edinbui^h,  and  justified  the  char- 
acter he  had  gained  abroad  by  the  uniform  encour- 
agement which  he  gave  to  literature  in  his  native 
country*. 

Of  the  state  of  theological  learning  we  shall 
speak  more  particularly  in  the  next  chapter.  But 
it  is  proper  to  give  an  accoimt  in  this  place  of  some 
individuals  who  joined  the  study  of  polite  letters 
with  that  of  theology.  One  of  the  most  distin- 
guished of  these,  in  point  of  talents  and  station, 
was  Alexander  Arbuthnot.  He  was  descended  of 
an  ancient  family  in  the  shire  of  Koncardine  f ,  and 
after  finishing  his  philosophical  course,  and  teaching 
for  some  time  in  the  University  of  St.  Andrews, 
went  to  France,  and  prosecuted  his  studies  imder 
Cujas.  Being  declared  libentiate  of  laws,  he  came 
home  in  1566,  with  the  view  of  following  that  pro- 
fession, but  was  induced  to  devote  himself  to  the 
service  of  the  church.     In  1568,  he  was  made  prin« 


•  See  Note  N. 

t  He  jm  not  the  aon^  as  Mackenzie  erroneoasly  states,  (Lives,  iii. 
p.  186,)  Imt  the  grandson  of  the  baron  of  Arbuthnot.  His  father 
was  Andrew  Arbuthnot  of  Futhes,  fourth  son  of  Sir  Robert  Ar- 
buthnot of  that  Ilk.  (Nisbet*s  Heraldry,  toI.  ii,  App.  p.  84.  9nd 
edit) 


3*^6  JIIF£  OV  ANDREW  M£:i.YII4.C 

cipal  pf ,  the  Ui^iversity  of  Aberdeen,  Writers  of 
eyery  p^rty  speak  in  high  terms  of  the  talents  and 
yijctues  of  Arbuthnot  tie  was  skilled  in  naathen)ia« 
tipf'£m\d  medicine  as  well  as  in  law  and  theology. 
T^I^CHiigh  decided  in  bis  religious  and  politiical  creed, 
the  uprightufess.  of  his  character  and  the  amiabla- 
ne»H  of  l^is  manners  disarmed  the  resentment  of  his 
f^po^entSf  and,  procured  him  their  respect  and  eih 
teeqti**  ^ew  individuals  cquM  have  mwintjaMigd 
themselves  in  the  situation,  in  which  he  was  place4« 
^^n,  hp  weji^fe  to,  Aberdeen,  the  greater  part  of  the 
gep4J^m^.]i^  the  neighboiirhood  were  strongly  ad- 
dicted tfx  .th^t  P9pish  religion,  and  his  paredecessor, 
&om.ho9lji^tgr  tp  ti^  protestant  establishment,  had 
redi;c^i|i^f  miFpr8i;ty  to  absolute  poverty.  Iiji  tbeas 
circu,^l^tance£^.)^  h&d  to  struggle  with  the  greatest 
difficulties,. especially  during  the  civil  war,  when  the 
gQvemiqent  was  destitute  of  authority  in  the  north, 
and.  the  interests  of  learning  were  forgotten^  To 
tlu^  he  &elUigly  alludes  in  one  of  his  poems :. 

-      I  ^d  trtrel,  and  ydlenes  I  bait, 
:  .  Oif  teald  find  mm  gade  voeatSoon. 
'  ,E^  l4],f(iK  Docht:  in  vain  laag  iqay  I.inMt 
Or  I  get  honest  occapatioun. 
Letten  are  licbtliet  hi  <rar  natiimn ; 
Fte  lenrfing  now  ianather  lyf  nor  tent : 
Quhat  marvel  ia  thoch  I  mnme  and  lament  t« 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth,  and  first  half  of 

<■  SpotMno6d\i  Hlatoiy,  p.  335.    WodroVa  Ufe  of  Alexander  A»- 
•JmtkivitsLjUlkvoLi 

t  Pinkerton'a  Ancient  Scottiah  Poema^  vol.  i.  p.  155. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLB.  877 

tbe  sixteenth  century,  Scottish  poetry  had  been 
much  ciittivated ;  and  Henryson,  Dunbar,  Douglas, 
and  Lyndsay,  had  attained  great  excellence  in  it, 
considering  the  rude  state  in  which  they  found  their 
natire  language.  But  this  species  of  composition 
had*  fallen  into  neglect.  It  has  been  alleged  that  the 
reformers  discouraged  it,  or  that  the  confusions  in 
wiiich  tile  country  was  involved  by  the  Reformation 
bnnished  the  study  of  poetry.  The  former  all^[a- 
felon  is  evidently  unfounded,  and  the  latter  accounts 
for  the  fact  but  partially.  The  chief  reason  is  to  be 
found  in  the  new  direction  which  had  been  given  to 
literary  pursuits  in  consequence  of  the  great  num- 
bers of  our  countrymen  who  studied  abroad,  and  ac- 
quired that  taste  for  Latin  poetry  which  had  become 
BO  general  in  all  parts  of  the  continent.  From  the 
time  that  Buchanan  returned  to  Scotland,  his  learn- 
ed countrymen  were  ambitious  of  paying  their  court 
to  the  muse  in  the  language  of  ancient  Rome,  while 
they  left  their  native  tongue  to  be  used  by  writers 
of  inferior  talents  and  education.  Alexander  Ar- 
buthnot  did  not,  however,  follow  their  example  in  this 
respect.  His  poems  were  all  composed  in  the  Scottish 
language.  Had  be  cidtivated  this  species  of  compo- 
sition, he  possessed  talents  for  it  which  would  have 
attracted  notice.  But  he  indulged  in  poetry  merely 
as  an  elegant  amusement,  by  which  he  relieved  his 
mind,  when  fatigued  by  the  laborious  duties  of  his 
ofiSce,  or  harassed  with  cares  and  disappointments. 
And  he  appears  to  have  been  cautious  of  detracting 


378  LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

fi^om  the  grave  character  of  the  professor,  by  asso- 
ciating it  with  one  of  a  less  dignified  description. 

In  poetrie  I  preU  to  pas  the  tyme. 
When  cairfull  thochts  with  sorrow  sailyes  me : 

Bot  gif  I  mell  with  meeter  or  with  ryme^ 
With  ratctl  rymoort  I  Bhtll  rakint  be  *. 

Though  his  genius  could  sport  in  the  gayer  and 
more  sprightly  scenes  of  fancy,  Arbuthnot  confined 
hknself  chiefly  to  productions  of  a  thoughtful  and 
serious  cast ;  and  in  some  of  these  we  perceive  a 
very  pleasing  air  of  moral  melancholy  diffused  over 
great  goodness  of  heart  f . 


*  FfnkertODy  tU  supra. 
.  t  The  following  lines  from  one  of  his  unpublished  poems^  thoq^ 
not  distinguished  in  other  respects^  may  be  given  as  a  specimen  of 
this  quality^  in  addition  to  his  poem  on  the  Miseries  of  a  poor  scholar, 
which  is  already  printed.  The  Fasnyeitfaiset  and  unthankfubuss  cfa 
friend  gave  occasion  to  them : 

The  simple  wit  and  scharpnes  of  Ing3m, 
Quhilk  quhillome  wes,  now  quyt  is  tain  away : 
The  steiring  spirit  quhilk  poets  caU  devyn 
Into  my  febill  breist  I  find  decay : 
I  neither  courage  haive  to  sing  nor  aay^ 
Quhen  I  behald  this  warldia  wickednea  ; 
And  quhen  I  find  I  am  so  £ur  thame  firay 
Quha  was  my  onlie  comfort  and  gleidnes. 

My  fais  fall,  and  friendis  gnde  aacces, 
Sumtym  my  pen  wes  bisaie  to  indyte: 
Of  nobill  men  the  valiant  prowea 
Somtym  my  courage  yaimit  for  to  wreit  r 
The  laud^  honour^  and  the  praiaes  great 
Of  thame  sumtym  I  wissed  till  advance 


LIFE  OF  ANDBEW  MSLVILLEi.  379 

The  only  work  which  Alexander  Arbuthnot  w*. 
known  to  have  published,  is  a  treatise  on  the  origin  ^ 
and  dignity  of  Law.     It  probably  consisted  of  aca^ 
demical  orations  or  theses ;  but  the  only  authentic 
information  we  have  concerning  it  is  contained  in 
the  encomiastic  verses  of  Thomas  Maitland  ^. 

Next  to  Arbuthnot,  and  resembling  him  in  many 
points,  was  Thomas  Smeton.     When  he  had  finish*^ 
ed  his  academical  education,  and  was  teaching  as  a- 
r^nt  in  the  college  of  St.  8alvator,  the  controversy ' 
about  religion  was  warmly  agitated' at  St.  Andrews  \ ' 
and  so  zealous  was  he  in  favour  :of  the  old  system, 
that  leaving  the  university  and  his  native'  conntiT', ' 
he  retired  to  France,  at  the  triumph  of  the  Refor- 
mation.    He   continued  for  some  time  (an; eager 
though  candid  champion  of  the  Rom^  Catholic 
faith ;  but  at  last,  in  consequence  of  conversations 
which  he  held  with  Melville,  Thomas  Maitland,  Gil« 
bert  Moncrieif,  and  others  of  his  countrynten  whom  - 
he  met  with  at  Paris,  disagreeable  doubts  arose 


Qahom  now  of  neid  my  hairt  has  in  despyt. 
And  quhom  I  wy  t  of  this  wanhappie  dianoe. 

Then,  mistress,  luik  na  mair  for  onie  firuit. 
Or  ony  wark  to  com  of  my  Ingyne  ; 
For  now  I  nather  cair  for  fame  nor  bmit : 
I  haive  sa  tint  that  I  na  mair  can  tyne. 

(Maitland  MS.) 

*  *' Alexandri  Arbathnsi  Orationihiu  de  origine  et  dignitate  juria 
prefixa :"  Delitiie  Poet  Scot.  tom.  ii.  p.  153.  Mackenzie  (Lives,  iii. 
194^)  says  that  the  Orationfs  were  printed  at  Edinburgh  in  1572. 


880  LIFR  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

m  his  mmd  aa  to  Uie  religion  in  which  he  had  been 
edwcated.  He  did  not,  however,  give  way  to  these^ 
but  attaching  himself  to  the  society  of  the  JesuitSi 
the  most  zealous  and  aUe  defenders-  of /the  church  d 
Bome^  he  resolved  to.  examine  the  subjects  in  dispute 
deliberately;!  and,,  if  he  found  his  doubts  rraiain  aft 
the  ead  of  his  period  of  probation,  to  decline  the 
¥0tr,.  and  act  according  to  his  conrictioBS  **  With 
the  view  of  obtaining  the  fullest  information,  he 
wwlertook  a.*  journey  to  Italy,  and,  passing  through 
Qeneva^  conferred  with  Melville,  who  wished  him 
SUoeess  in.  his -great  object,  though  he  could  not  ap* 
prdveof  his  measures.  During  eighteen  months 
that  he  spmt  in  Rome,  under  the  tuition  of  the  Je- 
suits* in- -that  dty,  he  had  frequent  opportunities  of 
visitfaig  the  priiElons  <tf  the  Inquisition,  and  of  ooii« 
iPBTsing' with  the  persons  confined  for  heresy.  His 
conversation  on  these  occasions  excited  the  suspi<- 
cions  of  his  vigilant  guardians,  and  he  was  rnnitted 
to  Parifr  through  the  different  colleges  that  were  on 
the  road.  On  his  return  to  the  French  capital,  he 
candidly  discloaed  his  mind  to  his  countryman  Ed- 
mund Hay*,  from  whom  he  had  already  experi- 
enced much  kindness.  The  discovery  of  his  attach- 
ment to  the  reformed  tenets  grieved  Hay,  who  had 
formed  great  eicpectations  £rom  Smeton'a  talents, 


*  Jkmpter  nys  diM  BmeUm- taught  Humanity  tt  Paim  (in  the 
Uhiwiity)y^ttd*afterw«id  im  die  (Mlq|9  of  €^^ 

plaiue.    (Hist  Eod.  Soot,  pw  586.)  > 

*  See  abote,  ?oL  i.  p.  29. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  381 

fafut  it  did  not  induce  him  to  withdraw  his  fidend- 
ship.  After  several  unsucoassfiil  attempts  to  recon 
ver  him  firom  his  errors,  tibe^'good  fiather  warned 
8inetcm  of  the  danger  to  which  he  would  expoae 
himself  by  avowing  his  seatimeots  in  Fraaoe^  and 
gave  him  his  best  advice^  which  was,  to  retmiBl 
home,  to  many,  to  read  the  jhthers  and  doctoia  at 
f3ie  churchy  aAd  tiot  to  give  ear  to  the  ministefii 
It  is  gratifying  to  meet  with  sudi  an  hoDooraUa 
exception  to  the  bigotrjr  and  Ti(^iioe  iwhich  theti 
reigned  in  France,  and  by  which  many  of  iMur 
eountrymen  who  had  taken  up  flieir  residoiee;  id 
it  were  deqdy  infected.  It  is  alao  a:  pleaaing 
circumstance,  that  this  piece  of  isformation'hai 
come  to  us  from  the  grateful  pen  of  Smeton^!  wiio^ 
not  satisfied  with  relating  the  fietcts  to  his  >aQq[uaint* 
anee,  publicly  acknowledged  the  kindnfaR  With  whidi 
he  had  been  treated  by  this  mild  and  affieetionate 
Jesuit  *.  The  neglect  of  one  part  of  Hay^  advice 
had  nearly  cost  Smeton  his  life,  which  was 
during  the  Bartholomew  massacre,  by  his 
refuge  in  the  house  of  Walsingham,  the  English 
ambassador,    whom    he  accompanied  to  London* 

.  "1 

*  "  Vera  hsc  esse  testabitur  Edmundos  Haius^  Lalolaiift  in  GaBtA 
secUe  pnefeotns.  Quem  cam  nan  j^cia  ingenH  dotfbua  arnarit  qv 
omDia  iu  omnibus  pro  arbitrio  operatur,  vtinam  vera  etiam  digneti^ 
Evangelii  sui  cognitione.  Hoc  illi  et  aliis  omnibus  ex  anlmo  precor : 
aed  illi  imprimis^  ob  plurima  priuatim  officia  ab  illius  in  me  humani- 
tate,  cum  dubius  fluctuarem^  profecta :  Qum,  vt  refercnds  gratis 
aicultaa  deiit»  graiisainia  oerte  memoria  colam."  (Smetoni  Haq^ODflio 
ad  Hamiltouii  Dialogum^  p.  15.) 


38S  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

After  teaching  a  school  for  some  time  at  Colchester 
in  Essex,  he  retumecU  in  the  year  1577»  to  his  na- 
tive country,  and  accepted  of  the  church  of  Paisley, 
chiefly  for  the  sake  of  enjoying  Melville's  society  *, 
At  Melville's  recommendation,  Smeton  undertook 
to  answer  the  virulent  dialogue  lately  published  by 
Ardiibald  Hamilton;  a  task  which  he  executed 
with  much  ability  f-  He  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  writings  of  the  ancients,  and  with  the  mode 
of  controversial  warfare  which  the  defenders  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  and  especially  the  Jesuits,  had 
lately  adopted.  Being  privy  to  their  designs  against 
Scotland,  he  excited  the  ministers  to  vigilance,  gave 
directions  to  the  young  men  how  to  conduct  their 
studies,  and  dissuaded  the  nobility  and  gentry  from 
sending .  their  sons  to  those  foreign  seminaries,  in 
which  their  minds  would  be  in  the  greatest  hazard 
of  being  corrupted.  That  they  might  be  imder  the 
less  temptation  to  this,  he  zealously  concurred  with 
Melville  in  his  plan  for  re-modelling  the  Colleges 
at  St.  Andrews,  of  which  we  have  already  had 


*  To  avail  themselves  aft  far  as  possible  of  his  servioes,  the  Univer- 
sity of  Glasgow^  in  1578,  chose  Smeton  Dean  of  Facolty.  (Acta 
Univ.  Glasg.) 

t  Dr.  £dwazd  Bulkely,  in  a  letter  to  Buchanan,  dated  Chester^ 
98th  Nov.  1580,  says :  '^  Legi  Smythonii  librum  adversos  Hamilto- 
num  Apostatam.  Vestre  Scotie,  nunc  vera  Christi  oognitione  ac  U- 
teris  illustrate^  gratulor  ^uod  talcs  prsstantes  assertores  habeat* 
(Bttchanani  Epistole,  J?*  31j  edi^  Ruddiro.)  Dempster  describes  this 
work  as  ''  opua  yerborunp  omatu  non  inelegans,  sed  doctrina  vacuum.*^' 
(Hifit-'EccL  Scot.  p.  58'6.)  tfe  ascribes  to  Smeton,  ''Ej^t^hhim 
MeteOani,  lib.  i."   (Ibid.)  ' 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  '        883 

occasion  to  speak  *.  Smeton  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  learned  languages,  wrote  Latin  with  great 
puritjr,  and  had  not,  like  many  of  his  countrjrmen 
who  had  been  abroad,  neglected  his  native  tongue, 
in  which  he  composed  with  great  propriety  f .  -  In 
private  life  he  was  distinguished  for  his  retired  and  ' 
temperate  habits ;  encroaching  upon  the  hours  usu- . 
ally  devoted  to  diet  and  sleep,  that  he  might  de- 
vote more  time  to  his  studies.  Yet  his  temper  was 
sweet,  and  his  maimers  affable  and  remote  firom 
every  thing  like  rusticity  or  moroseness.  His  pre- 
mature death,  soon  after  he  succeeded  Melville  as 
principal  of  the  university  of  Glasgow,  was  an  un- 
speakable loss  to  that  seminary. 

*  Smetoni  Respons.  ad  Dialog.  Hamiltonil;  Prsfat  et  pp.  15,  Id. 
Melville*8  Diary,  pp.  55 — 58.  Spottwood^  p.  336.  Jamea  MeLville, 
wbom  I  have  chiefiy  followed^  received  the  particulars  which  he  re- 
cmrda  from  Smetoit's  own  mouth.  His  account  varies  firom  that  of 
Spotswood  in  some  minute  jmrticulars.  He  does  not  speak  of  Tho- 
mas Maitland's  accompanying  him  to  Italy. 

^  James  Melville  says^  that  Smeton  was  usually  employed  hy  his 
brethren  in  drawing  up  important  papers,  as  he  ^'  exoelUt  baith  in 
language  and  form  of  letter."  (Diary^  p.  58.)  Besides  the  ansinrer 
to  Hamilton,  Smeton  was  concerned  in  another  work,  of  which  the 
<mly  account  I  can  give  is  contained  in  the  following  extracts.  ''  Ane 
method  of  preaching  to  be  printed  and  put  in  Scots  be  Mr.  Tho^ 
Smetoun."  (Buik  of  Universall  Kirk,  f.  118,  a.)  April  1581.  ''  Anent 
the  printing  the  method  of  preaching  and  prophesieing  set  out  be 

and  shewed  and  read  in  the  Assembly, 
the  Assei^blie  hath  thoght  meet  that  the  saraine  may  be  oommittit  to 
Irons,  and  printed  as  necessary  for  the  forme  of  teaching,  and  to  be 
put  m  Scottish  be  their  brother  Mr.  Thomas  Smetone."  (Cald.  iii. 
48.)— The  author's  name  does  not  appear. — **  Hyperius  de  formandis 
eoncionibus"  was  printed  at  Basil  in  1^63.  *^  Hyperius  Practice 
of  Preaching/'  translated  into  English  by  Ludham,  was  printed  in 
1577. 


384  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Another  individual  who  makes  a  prominent  fi* 
gure  in  the  history  of  the  period  is  Patrick  Adam- 
son,  known  at  first  by  the  name  of  Constyne.or  Con- 
stantine.  He  had  received  his  elementary  educa- 
tion  under  his  brother-in-law,  Andrew  Simson,  and, 
having  finished  his  philosophical  course  at  St.  An- 
drews, in  the  College  of  St.  Mary,  taught  for  some 
years  in  it,  most  probably  as  grammarian.  After 
the  establishment  of  the  Reformation,  he  became 
minister  of  Ceres,  a  parish  in  the  vicinity  of  St. 
Andrews.  This  charge  he  left  to  accompany  the 
eldest  son  of  Sir  James  Mackgill,  Clerk-Register, 
on  his  travels  to  France ;  and  during  his  residenoei 
in  that  coimtry  he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of 
law  at  the  imi  versity  of  Bourges.  Upon  his  return 
to  Scotland,  in  the  year  1570,  he  fluctuated  as  to 
the  profession  which  he  should  choose.  Declining; 
the  office  of  principal  of  St.  Leonard's  College,  which 
Buchanan  had  demitted  in  his  favour  *,  he  began 
to  practise  at  the  bar ;  and  relinquishing  this  em- 
ployment he  resumed  his  former  vocation  as  a  preach- 
er. He  officiated  some  years  as  minister  of  Paislqr, 
from  which  he  removed  to  become  chaplain  to  the 
Regent,  who  promoted  him  to  the  orchiepiscopal  see 
of  St.  Andrews  f •  Before  his  advancement  to  the 
primacy  in  1576,  Adamson  had  given  proofs  of  his 
talents  by  the  publication  of  several  works.  They 
consist  chiefly  of  Latin  poems.     Though  inferior  to 


*  Ruddiminni  Pnefat.  in  Open  Buduaum. 
t  SeeNoteO. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  385 

r 

MeMlle  in  erudition  and  in  vivacity  of  genius,  he 
was  nevertheless  a  polite  scholar,  Kn  elegtakt  poeU 
and  a  most  persuasive  and  attractix^  preadier.  But 
he  was  inordinately  ambitious,  and  not  over^scrd- 
pulous  as  to  the  measures  which  he  employed  for 
gratifying  his  ruling  passion ;  by  which  means  he 
tarnished  his  reputation,  and  defeated  the  influence 
of  the  great  abilities  which  he  unquestionably  pes* 


ThoughThomas  Maitland  had  died  beforeMelville 
returned  to  Scotland,  yet  he  deserves  to  be  miention-i . 
ed  here  as  one  of  his  class-fellows  at  college,  and  M 
the  intimate  friend  of  Arbuthnot  and  SmeCbn.  He 
belonged  to  a  family^  all  the  members  of  which,  not 
excepting  the  females,  were  addicted  to  literary  jmr* 
suits  *.  His  father.  Sir  Richard  Maitland  of  Listli- 
ingCon,  one  of  the  Lords  of  Session,  is  Well  knbwn  as 
a  writer  df  Scottish  poetry;  and  both  his  brotfaerSf 
William  and  John  f ,  were  distinguished  for  their 
elegant  taste  as  well  as  the  political  eminence  to 
which  they  rose.  Thomas  Maitland  had  given  va-* '' 
riotid  proofs  of  his  poetical  talents  before  his  pre- 
mature death.  If  they  do  not  display  a  vigorous 
imagination,  his  poems  at  least  evince  great  com« 
mand  of  the  Latin  language,  and  are  Written  with 
ease  and  spirit  ^.     His  political  conduct  partook  in 

*  PInllertdii*!  Santkh  Poemti  Intrad^i 

f  John  Maitknd,  Lord  Thirlstane,  wm  soooonvely  Loid  PriTj 
Setl,  Secretary  of  Sute,  and  Lord  Chaneellor  of  Scotland. 

i  He  appears  to  have  wriltca  a  tteatlieestiiidertakiBginuraguBit 
the  Turks.    (Delititt  Poet  Scot.  torn.  u.  p.  ITI.) 

VOL.  IL  2C 


386  LIFE  OF  AKDRSW  MELVILLE. 

a  considerable  degree  of  that  versatility  by  whidi 
his  elder  brother*8  was  characterized.  After  eulogie- 
ing  the  character  and  administration  6f  the  R^;ent 
Murray^  he  exulted  over  his  fall*.  Maitland  is 
better  known  from  Buchanan's  having  made  him  his 
interlocutor  in  his  dialogue  on  the  Law  of  the 
Scottish  Monarchy,  than  from  his  own  poems. 
When  he  joined  the  party  who  sought  to  restore 
Queen  Mary,  Maitland  disclaimed  the  principles 
contained  in  that  treatise,  and  insisted  that  the 
author  had  no  other  reason  for  coupling  his  name 
with  tiiem  than  his  own  fancy  f .  Buchanan  did  not 
wish  to  insinuate  that  the  conversation  which  he 
describes  was  actually  held,  but  he  certainly  meant 
it  to  be  understood  that  the  sentiments  which  he 
puts  into  the  mouth  of  his  interlocutor  were  enter- 
tained by  Maitland.  And  it  was  vain  for  the  latter 
to  deny  this,  seeing  he  had  reconmiended  in  verse 


*  Comp.  Dditic  Poet  Soot  tom.  ii.  p.  163,  with  life  of  Kaos, 
ToL  ii.  p.  175. 

t  InneB^i  Critical  Emy  on  the  Ancient  Inhabitants  of  Seotland, 
▼dl.  i.  p.  359.  Buchanan*B  Dialogue  was  not  published  for  sererd 
yean  after  the  death  of  MaitUnd ;  but  there  is  reason  to  thinks  as 
Inafes  says,  that  copies  of  it  were  handed  aboutas  early  m  1&70u— 
There  is  in  the  College  Library  of  Edinburi^  a  MS.  (thegiftof 
William  Dnunmond  of  Hathomden)  entitled, ''  Thome  Metdani  ad 
Serenisdmam  prindpem  Elisabediam  Anglorum  Reginam  E^stota.* 
It  consists  of  41  pages  4to. ;  and  is  properly  a  discourse  or  oratioDp 
composed  in  a  very  rhetorical  styk^  urging  the  propriety  of  setting 
Queen  Mary  at  liberty^  and  restoring  her  to  her  dominions  There 
is  no  date  to  it,  but  from  internal  efidenoe  it  tppean  to  ba^  bees 
written  in  the  year  15t0  or  U71.  It  hem  rnnaej  mark  of  hariqg 
been  intended  for  pubUeation. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  887 

the  most  obnoxious  of  the  tenets  which  the  writer 
of  the  dialogue  inculcates  in  prose.  In  his  poem  on 
the  coronation  of  James  VI.  he  holds  up  arbitrary 
goyenunent  to  reprobation,  and  celebrates  the  resist- 
ance made  by  the  people  to  tyrants.  Having  given 
examples  of  this  from  ancient  history,  and  shown 

How  Rome,  impatient,  ipiiiiied  proud  Tarqiiin*i  yoke. 

How  ages  after  Brutus'  spirit  woke. 

And  huxled  at  Cssar's  breast  the  patriot  stroke ; 

Maltland  comes  to  Scotland,  places  before  the  eyes  of 
tlie  young  king  the  fate  of  such  of  his  ancestors  as  had 
arrogated  a  power  superior  to  the  l£^ws,  and  describes 
the  sudden  and  overwhebning  resistance  which  his 
impetuous  countrymen  were  wont  to  oppose  to  en- 
croachments on  their  rights,  in  language  which  no 
courtly  poet,  however  chivalrous  his  ideas,  would 
dare  to  employ,  and  which  proves  that  he  was  then 
no  believer  in  the  divine  right  and  sacred  inviola- 
bility of  despots  *. 


*  Gens  indyta  Scots 
Progenies,  qus  sponte  sua  tibi  Jura  ierenti 
Obsequitur,  eonsueta  bonos  defendere  regdB 
Oppoflitu  laterum,  nullis  cessura  peridis, 
Dum  rancto  regis  depellat  corpore  femim: 
Ilia  eadem,  si  quando  feroz,  sitiensque  eruoris 
Exurgat,  fortem  treplda  cum  plebe  Senatum 
Qui  vindre  velit^  patriieqae  infringere  leges : 
Non  tolerat.  sed  fama  volat,  subitoque  tumultu 
Acoensi  heroes  ▼irtuaque  armau  popelli 
Sceptra  rapit,  moz  dejectum  de  sede  tyrannuro^ 
Nunc  morte  horrifica,  scto  none  carcere  fnenat. 

(Uelitie  Poetarum  Scotorum^  torn.  ii.  p.  169.) 

2C  2 


S88  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

John  Davidson,  who  was  Melville's  predecessor 
at  Glasgow,  was  a  dergyman  before  the  Reforma- 
tion, and  had  studied  at  Paris  along  with  Quintin 
Kennedy,  abbot  of  CxossragueL  Having  returned 
to  Scotland,  he  was  placed  in  1557,  at  the  head  of 
the  College  of  Glasgow.  When  the  controversy 
concerning  religion  first  arose,  Davidson  adhered  to 
the  established  church,  but  he  afterwards  changed 
his  views  and  joined  the  reformers.  His  answer  to 
Kennedy  shews  him  to  have  been  a  modest  and  can- 
did man,  although  not  possessed  of  great  learning. 
H^  testifies  much  respect  for  his  old  college  compa- 
nion, notwithstanding  the  diversity  of  their  senti- 
ments, and  acknowledges  the  kindness  with  which 
he  had  formerly  been  treated  by  Archbishop  Beat- 
on*. 

We  have  repeatedly  had  occasion  to  speak  of 
John  Davidson,  who  was  minister  at  Libberton,  and 
afterwards  at  Prestonpans.  But  it  may  be  proper 
to  take  notice  here  of  two  curious  poems  composed 
by  him,  which  throw  considerable  light  on  the  man- 
ners and  transactions  of  his  time.  The  R^ent 
Morton,  with  the  view  of  securing  for  the  use  of 
the  court  a  larger  proportion  of  the  thirds  of  bene- 
fices, had  obtained,  in  1578,  an  order,  of  the  Privy 
Council  for  imiting  two,  three,  and  even  four  par- 
ishes, and  putting  them  under  the  care  of  one  mi- 
nister. As  pluralities  had  always  been  amdemned 
by  the  reformed  ministers,  and  considered  aa  ana  of 

•  See  Note  P. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVULLE.  389 

the  worst  abuges  in  the  popish  church,  this. act  ex- 
cited great  dissatisfaction.    John  Davidson,  who  was 
then  a  r^[ent  in  St.  Leonard's  Collie  *,  andayoung 
man  of  great  zeal,  expressed  the  general  sentiment 
in  a  metrical  dialogue,  in  which  he  exposed  the  evil 
of  the  practice,  and  taxed,  in  terms  more  homely 
than  pleasant,  the  motives  in  which  it  evidently  ori- 
ginated.    His  poem  was  printed  without  his  know- 
ledge, upon  which  he  was  summoned  to  a  justice^air 
at  Haddington,  and  sentence  of  imprisonment  was 
pronounced  against  him.     He  was  liberated  upon 
bail,  in  the  hopes  that  he  might  be  prevailed  upon 
to  retract  what  he  had  written,  or  that  the  Gene- 
ral Assembly  might  be  induced  to  condemn  it.    A 
number  of  his  colleagues  in  the  University,  who 
were  desirous  of  pleasing  the  court,  shewed  them- 
selves unfavourable  to  him ;  Rutherfurd,  the  prin- 
cipal of  St.  Salvator^s  College,  who  imagined  thi^t  he 
was  disrespectfully  alluded  to  in  the  dialogue,  had 
written  an  answer  to  it  f ;  and  the  greater  part  of 

*  He  Is  the  author  of  the  poem  in  Commendaiwmi  of  Upriehines, 
npohliihed  in  the  Life  of  John  Knox,  voL  iL  Supplement 

t  "  The  Moderator  hgoyned  them  ailenoe,  and  desired  Mr  John 
Rutherford  yet  again  to  produce  his  hook ;  hut  he  yet  stUl  revised, 
and  said,  '  that  Mr  John  (Davidson)  had  called  hxm  crused  goo$e  in 
his  book,  that  he  had  little  Latin  in  his  hook,  and  that  was  false,' 
with  many  other  brawling  words^ — ^Mr.  Alexander  Arbuthnot  said, 
Jim  take  Aat  to  you  which  no  man  speaks  ag^dnst  you."  (Cald.  MS. 
voL  IL  pp.  iSS,  439.) 

The  following  ia  the  passage  in  the  poem  which  gave  offence  to 
Rutherfurd: 

Thair  is  sum  Collages  we  ken, 
Weill  foundit  to  uphaM  leamit  men : 

2C3 


S90  LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE* 

the  Assembly  were  so  much  afiraid  of  the  R^nt^s 
resentment,  that,  although  thejr  were  of  the  same 
sentiments  with  Davidson,  they  declined  approving 
of  his  book,  and  left  him  to  the  vengeance  of  his 
powerful  prosecutor.  Interest  was  made  in  his  be- 
half by  some  of  the  principal  gentlemen  in  the  coun- 
try, but  Morton  was  inflexible;  and  finding  that 
nothing  short  of  recantation  would  save  him  from 
punishment,  Davidson,  after  lurking  for  a  while  in 
the  west  of  Scotland,  retired  into  England,  from 
which  he  was  not  permitted  to  return  during  the 
life-time  of  the  Regent  *.  Lekprevick,  the  printer 
of  the  poem,  was  also  prosecuted,  and  confined  for 
some  time  m  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh  f  • 

The  prosecution  of  Davidson  does  little  honour 
to  the  administration  of  Morton.  There  is  nothing 
in  the  book  which  could  give  ground  of  offence  or 
alarm  to  any  good  government.  It  is  a  temperate 
discussion  of  a  measure  which  was  at  least  contro- 

Amang  tlie  rest  fonndit  we  le 
The  Ickliiiig  of  theologie. 
Let  anif  tbe  Counaell  lend  and  le, 
Oif  thir  pkoes  wcUl  gydit  be  ; 
And  not  abunt  with  walat  nidi^ 
That  doia  nathing  hot  apendia  yai  gudia 
That  waa  maid  lor  that  haly  vae. 
And  not  to  feid  ana  enin/ ^:«M. 

•  During  hia  tdle  DaTidion  Tinted  the  continent  (Cald.  MS. 
▼ol.  iii.  p.  SiS.) 

t  ProceeduigB  againat  Datidson  and  Ldiprevick,  in  Record  of  Privy 
CoondL  Ldcprenck's  sommooa  is  inserted  in  Cald.  MS.  toI.  iL  p.  44S. 
The  proaecation  was  founded  on  the  act  of  parliament  1661,**  agaimt 
hlaq^hcmoua  rymea  of  tn^gediea." 

3 


LIFJB  OF  ANDEKW  lCBi;Vll4liX.  891 

vertible.  The  reasons  urged  in  its  support  are  can- 
didly and  fairly  stated,  and  Aey  are  examined  and 
refuted  in  a  fair  and  dispassionate  manner.  The 
evils  which  the  act  of  council  was  calculated  to  pro- 
duce are  indeed  exposed  with  fbithfialness  and  spi- 
rit ;  but  without  any  thing  disrespectful  to  autho- 
rity, or  tending  in  the  slightest  degree  to  excite 
*^  sedition  and  uproar/' 

In  a  literary  point  of  view,  the  ments  of  the  Dia- 
logue  are  far  from  contemptible.  It  is  superior  to 
most  of  the  fugitive  pieces  of  the  time.  '  Without 
pretensions  to  fine  poetry,  the  versificatio)pL  is  easy 
and  smooth,  and  the  conversation  is  carried  on  in  a 
very  natural  and  spirited  manner.  The  introduc- 
tion to  the  poem  may  amuse  such  readers  as  are 
wearied  with  the  diryness  of  some  of  tbo  preceding 
details: 

a  T 

Unto  Dundie  ai  I  maid  war.  -       .     i  - 
Nocht  lang  afoir  Sanctandrois  6kj, 
At  Kinghonie  fbrrie  pattandoair 
Into  ye  Bolt  waa  du^  or  Amr      ' 
Of  gentiH  men,  aa  did  ppfMsfr. 
I  iaid«  Sdiin,  U  thair  onj  heir 
Qnhaia  Jomay  1  jia  imto  Dundie  f 
Twa  of  thame  answerit  courtaslie, 
We  porpbae  nodit  for  to  ga  ihlidder, 
Bot  yit  oar  gait  .will  ly  tog^dder 
Qnliill  *  we  be  panlt  Kennc^wie*   . 
Than  I  sail  bdr  yow  oompaiiie,     . 
Said  I ;  and  witb  ihat  we  did  land^ 
Syne  lap  upon  our  hone  frarhand, . 


UniU. 


)■  I 


S9t  Lm  OF  ANDEfiW  MfiLTXLl.K. 

And  OB  our  Joraty  nidelie  nid. 

Thir  twa  nolo  fioncttndrob  nudd : 

The  tane  of  thame  appearit  0  be 

Ane  conning  Clerk  of  gref  t  dergie. 

Of  Tinge  grsne  and  mannerii  nge. 

His  longve  wdll  taucbt^  but*  all  ootragB^ 

Men  mksht  haoe  l^end  that  he  had  bene 

Quhair  gude  Imtrootioiin  he  had  tene. 

The  nther  did  appeir  to  mo 

Ane  cnmlie  Courteour  to  be« 

Qoha  was  perf  jte  and  weiU  beieno 

In  thingis  that  to  this  Umd  pertene. 

0e  f  we  had  liddin  half  ane  myle. 

With  m jirie  mowif  ppMing  the  qnhyle^ 

Thir  twa  of  quhoine  befoir  I  ipak 

Of  nndrie  porpoiis  did  crtk. 

And  enterit  in  amang  the  vest 

To  gpeSk  how  that  the  kirk  was  diept. 

And  this  b^gan  the  Courteour: 
Qnhat  think  ye  of  this  new  ordour  ? 
To  that  ar  Glerkis  and  men  of  wit, 
I  wat  Weill  ye  will  speik  of  it 
^mangis  yonr  selfis  quhen  ye  conuene : 
I  pray  yon  tell  me  quhat  ye  mepoi 
And  gif  this  ordour  ye  allow, 
pr  alwayis  how  it  plesis  yoiTf 

The  Clerk  nid ;  8ir,  the  tienth  to  tell. 

With  Prinoes  maters  for  to  mell 
I  think  it  lyis  nocht  in  our  gait : 

Lat  Conrteoiiris  of  sic  thingis  ttsit. 
The  Courteour  maid  answeiing : 
Tit  men  will  ipeik.  Sir,  of  the  king  ; 
Bot  this  new  ocdour  that  is  tane 
Wes  nodht  maid  be  the  Court  allaiie: 
The  Kiikis  CoQunisiiimira  wes  thai^ 
And  did  aggiii  to  lea  paid  mahr. 
Tit  mei|  may  speik  as  they  haue  fcill| 
f^uhidder  it  lykis  thame  cuiU  orwein* 


Without  t  Before. 


LIFE  OV  ANDBBW  IfELVILXJE.  898 

The  Clerk  itldr  havfi  Uuf-COiidflMeiidi^ 
I  think  our  gpeikiiig  can  nodil  mfiid  it; 
Bot  ane  thing  I  dar  tak  pn  iQe» 
6if  as  ye  nj  the  mater  be 
That  thay  of  Kirkthaino  aaientit, 
Thay  sal  be  first  that  sail  repent  it; 
Thocht  for  thair  tyme  sun  wylie  wynktt. 
The  agea  after  will  forthink  it 


The  poem  concludes  with  the  following  lines, 
which  shew  that  the  author  was  by  no  means  pleas- 
ed with  the  conduct  of  the  greater  part  of  the  mi- 
nisters of  the  church : 

Forsoith,  Schir  (said  the  Coarteoor) 

I  am  asBorlt  had  ilk  P^duhnr 

Unto  the  mater  bene  als  ftak 

As  ye  haue  bene  heir  sen  ye  spak« 

It  had  not  cnm  to  sic  aiie  held 

As  this  day  we  se  it  prooeid. 

Bot  I  can  se  few  men  amang  tfaame, 

Thocht  all  the  watld  sold  dene  ooiigang  tliame« 

That  hes  ane  faoeto  speik  agane 

Sic  as  the.  Kirk  of  Chxist  prophane. 

Had  gnde  John  Knox  not  yit  bene  deid. 

It  had  not  cnm  nnto  this  held; 

Had  thay  myntit  tiU  sic  ane  steir^ 

He  had  maid  heoin  and  cirth  to  heir  \ 


*  There  is  a  copy  of  this  rare  poem  in  the  Advocates  Library.  It 
ia  complete,  with  the  exception  of  the  tid»-page,  which  is  much 
wasted.  The  following  title  is  made  np  from  that  copy  and  other  do« 
coments. 

"  Ane  Dialog  or  [;Mu;]tuan  tapking^  betwix  a  Qderk^  and  [[ane 
conr^teour,  Ckmceming  Zjkm  kirks)]  till  ane  3iinister,  C[;ollecat 


894  LWK  QF  ANDEEW  li£fcVU.l.E. 

Davidson  also  composed  at  this  time  a  poem  to 
the  memory  of  Robert  Campbell  of  Kinyeandeugh, 
a  gentleman  who  had  distinguished  himself  by  his 
early  attachment  to  the  reformed  religion,  and  his 
disinterested  and  invariable  friendship  for  our  na- 
tional Reformer.  Campbell  died  while  actively  em- 
ployed in  screening  Davidson  from  the  effects  of 
persecution ;  and  the  latter  has  gratefully  comme- 
morated the  virtues  of  his  protector.  This  poem  is 
inferior  to  the  former  in  point  of  composition ;  but 
it  preserves  a  number  of  curious  and  interesting 
facts  relating  to  the  history  of  those  times  *. 

out  of  thtlr]]  moathia,  and  pnt  C^  Tene  hj  a)}  yoong  man  qu[[ba 
did)]  foigather  w\jih  thame^]  in  his  Jor\j»aj,  aar\  eiUac  foll[lowi8.3'' 

The  book  is  printed  in  bUck  letter,  and  oonsuts  of  16  leaves  in 
12mo.  It  has  no  imprint,  but  we  learn  from  the  summons  to  Ro- 
bert Lekpreuk,  that  it  was  printed  by  him  in  January,  1573;  i.  e. 
1574,  according  to  modenn  reckoning.    (Cald.  MS.  toL  ii.  p.  448.) 

*  See  Note  Q. 


hlMR  OF  ANDREW  M£LTILLK.  S95 


CHAPTER  XII. 

STATE  OF  LITERATURE  IN  SCOTLAND  WHEN  MEL- 
VILLE WAS  REMOVED  FROM  HIS  SITUATION  AT 
ST.  ANDREWS.      ANNO  1611. 


ERMCTion  €f  New  UniverriHes  and  CoUegei-^Resori  of 
Foreigfi  StudenU  to  Scotlafid-^Liierarff  Labour9  of 
SeaUJimen  m  DubUn-^Parockial  Schools  and  Gramma^ 
tical  Education  in  Scotland — Hercules  ItoUock — Alex^ 
anderJSume — Ramean  Philosophy — Theology  and  Col- 
lateral  Branches  of  Study-^Principal  Bollock — Bruce 
-^Pont — The  Simsons — Cowper^^Civil  and  Scots  Law 
'^John  Skene — Craig —  IFrfwood—  OAer  Studies — 
Napier  of  Merchiston-^HumeofGodscrofi — Vemactdar 
Poetry-^Extent  to  which  Latin  Poetry  was  Cultivated — 
Advantages  and  Disadvantages  of  this — General  Esk" 
mate  of  the  Progress  ^Learning  and  of  the  It^kunce 
which  Melville  had  in  Promoting  it. 


In  tracing  the  progress  of  literature  in  this  coun- 
try during  Melville's  residence  at  St.  Andrews,  the 
first  thing  which  claims  our  notice  is  the  additions 
made  to  the  number  of  our  universities. 


396  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLB. 

We  have  seen  that  the  early  institutions  for  pro- 
moting literature  were  generally  attadied  to  cathe- 
dral churches  or  monasteries.  The  universities  of 
8t.  Andrews,  Glasgow,  and  Aberdeen  having  been 
founded  by  bishops,  it  was  natural  for  their  founders 
to  erect  them  in  the  chief  cities  of  their  respective 
sees.  Edinburgh  was  not  an  episcopal  seat,  and, 
consequently,  was  unprovided  with  a  university  or 
great  school ;  although  it  had  long  been  considered 
as  the  capital  of  the  kingdom.  As  soon  as  the  Re- 
formation was  established,  the  magistrates,  in  con- 
cert with  the  ministers  of  the  capital,  attempted  to 
have  this  defect  supplied*;  but  their  endeavours 
were  thwarted  by  the  bishops,  who  were  jealous  of 
the  reputation  and  prosperity  of  the  seminaries  jdaced 
under  their  own  immediate  and  official  protection  f . 
The  University  of  Edinburgh,  which  has  since  risen 
to  such  eminence,  owed  its  erection  to  the  fall  of  epis- 
copacy. In  the  year  1579}  when  the  General  Assem- 
bly had  attacked  the  episcopal  office  and  drawn  up 
the  model  of  presbytery,  the  design  of  founding  a 
college  in  IBdinburgh  was  revived  ^.  Encouraged 
by  the  ministers  and  other  public-spirited  indivi- 
duals in  the  city,  the  magistrates  immediately  com- 
menced building  apartments  for  the  accommodation 
of  professors  and  students ;  and  in  the  end  of  the 

*  Bcooid  of  Town  Goonea  of  Sdiabvi^,  April  SS,  IMI^  mk 
April  6«  IMS.    See  under  Note  V. 

t  Crawftird's  Hist  of  UiUTenity  of  Edinboigh,  p.  19.  MaiAAi'i 
Bift  of  Edin.  p.  356. 

t  Record  of  Town  ConneO,  April  Si,  Hid  Nor.  flS,  15Tf. 


LIVS  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  S97 

■ 

year  1588  the  classes  were  opened,  under  the  pa- 
tronage of  the  town-eoundl,  and  the  sanction  of  a 
royal  charter "».  By  donations  from  individuals  and 
public  bodies,  and  by  obtaining  part  of  a  legacy 
which  Robert  Reid,  bishop  of  Orkney,  had  be- 
queathed for  a  similar  purpose  f ,  the  patrons  were 
enabled  to  extend  the  benefits  of  the  institution. 
From  the  number  of  students  who  resorted  to  the 
new  college,  it  was  apparent  that  it  would  soon 
rival  the  most  frequented  of  the  older  establish- 
ments ;  and  although  it  suffered  a  great  loss  by  the 
premature  death  of  RoUock,  its  excellent  principal, 
yet  was  it  in  a  prosperous  condition  when  Melville 
was  removed  from  Scotland  ^. 
' '  Transferred  from  one  sovereign  to  another,  and 
lying  at  a  distance  from  the  seats  of  the  govern* 
ments  to  which  they  at  different  times  became  sub- 
ject, the  inhabitants  of  the  Orkney  Islands  had  been 
n^lected,  and  allowed  to  remain  in  ignorance  and 
barbarism.  Bishop  Reid,  whose  attention  to  the 
interests  of  learning  deserves  great  praise,  endea^ 


*  Though  the  ntme  of  a  UnhertHy  is  not  apptied  to  the  institatioii 
cHber  in  the  Royal  Charter  of  15S9,  or  in  the  Act  of  ParHament  of 
lesiy  yet  in  the  latter,  it  is  declared  to  he  *'  ane  Colledge-H>f  humane 
letteris  and  toangis,  of  phUosophie,  theologie,  medidne,  the  lawis,  and 
aU  nther  liherall  sdenees/  and  is  endowed  with  *'  all  liberties,  fre- 
domes,  immanities  and  priviledgis  appertening  to  ane  free  Colledge, 
Mid  that  in  ala  ample  Ibnne  and  laii^  maner  as  anye  Colledge  hea 
or  bruikis  wtin  this  his  MAdes  reshne.'*    (Act  Pari.  Soot.  ir.  970, 

sri.) 

t  See  Note  R. 

%  Crawford's  Hist,  of  the  Uniy.  of  Edinbnigfa,  p.  07. 


S9S  LIFE  OF  AKDBEW  MELTILLB. 

voured  to  remedy  this  evil  by  providiiig  means  of 
education  for  his  clergy  and  the  youth  of  his  dio- 
cese. Having  given  a  new  foundation  to  his  cathe- 
dral church  of  Kirkwall  in  1544,  he  appointed  the 
person  who  held  the  office  of  Chancellor  to  read  pulv 
lidy,  once  a  week,  a  lecture  on  the  canon  law; 
and  the  chaplain  of  St.  Peter's  to  act  as  master  of  a 
grammar  school  *.  After  the  reformation  the  emo« 
luments  of  the  chaplainry  continued  to  be  applied  to 
the  support  of  the  master  of  the  grammar  school  of 
Kirkwall  f.    In  the  year  1581,  a  proposal  to  erect 


*  "Hie  CancelUritw^  qui  pro  tempore  fberit,  terdum  locum  post 
prepoaitum  occnpabit,  qui  wmd  in  wpthnana^  nid  aliunde  legitime 
impedietur,  tenebitur  pubiice  in  Jure  pontifido  legere  in  Capitolo 
omnibus  canonicis,  prebendariia,  capellanis^  et  aliia  intereise  rolenti- 
bna." — Ordenamufl  preterea  capellaniam  beat!  Petri  primum  omnium 
tresdecim  inoompatibilem  cum  alio  beneAcio,  alteragio  sen  servitio  per« 
petuo>  ci\jua  aaoeUanus  erit  Magister  artium  et  peritua  grammatieaay 
Scole  grammaticalis  erit  magister."  (Nova  Erectio  ad  decorem  et 
augmentationem  divini  cultus  in  Ecdcsia  Cathedrali  Orchadend.  Oct. 
9S,  1544.  in  Arcb.  Civit.  Edin.)  This  deed  was  eoofirmed  hj  Car- 
dinal Beaton  ''pridie  kaL  Julii,  1545."  (Bulla  Nove  Erectionii 
Ecdeaic  et  Capituli  Orchadensis :  ibid.)  Mackenzie^  in  his  Life  of 
Bishop  Reid,  says :  "  He  built  St  Oku's  Church  in  Kirkwall,  and 
a  large  court  of  buildings,  to  be  a  college  for  inatmctingof  the  youth 
hi  these  and  the  adjacent  isles,  in  grammar,  philosophy,  and  mallM* 
matica."    (Uvea,  iiL  47.) 

f  There  is  extant  an  origmal  Gift  and  Presentation  by  Pktri^Bail 
of  Orkney  (dated  Feb.  SO,  1595.)  of  the  ''Ftebeodaxie  of  St.  F^lci 
lyand  within  the  diode  of  Orkney— conforme  to  the  erection  theKof." 
The  preoentee  is  ''  to  make  actual  residraee  fbr  serving  of  thegnunir 
aebwd  at  Kirkwall  as  Master  iwincipal  thereunto— utherways  this  gift 
to  ezpyre  ipSo  fieto.'*  This  was  followed  by  a  deereet  of  the  Govt 
of  Session,  May  99,  1601,  confirming  the  gift  (CommoaiQiUioiiftoin 
Alexander  Peterkin,  Esq.  Sheriff-Sobslitutt  of  Orkney.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  899 

a  College  in  Orkney  was  laid  before  jiarliament,  hj 
which  it  was  referred,  along  with  other  i^Ums  for 
promoting  education,  to  certain  commissioners*. 
It  is  probable  that  the  scheme  was  defeated  hj  the 
interest  of  those  who  had  got  possession  of  the  ec- 
clesiastical revenues  of  that  diocese,  which  formed 
the  only  fund  from  which  the  seminary  could  have 
been  erected  and  endowed. 

In  1592,  the  year  in  which  presbytery  obtained 
a  legal  establishment.  Sir  Alexander  Fraser  of 
Phillorth  laid  the  foundation  of  a  university  and 
college  within  the  town  of  Fraserburgh  in  Aber- 
deenshire f .  It  was  intended  for  the  c»mament  of 
a  town  on  which  he  had  confen*ed  many  privileges, 
and  for  the  instruction  of  the  youth  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  kingdom.  The  parliament  ratified  the 
institution  in  1597,  with  high  commendations  of 
the    liberality  and   patriotism   of  the   founder  |. 

*  Act  Pail.  Scot  iii.  Sli. 

t  The  grant  ooDfinniiig  to  him  the  lands  and  harony  of  FhiDorth 
(July  1, 1599.)  contains  the  following  dauae :  ''  Dedimus  et  conces- 
aimua  tcnoreque  presendnm  damns  et  concedimns  plenariam  potesta- 
tem  et  libertatem  prefato  Alezandro  Fraser  heredibns  snis  maseulis 
'et  assignatis  Collegium  sen  Collegia  infra  dictum  burgum  de  Fraser 
edificandi^  Univerritatem  erigendi^  omnia  genera  offidalium  eisdem 
convenien  et  corresponden  d^gendi  locandi  et  deprivandi,  fdndationes 
pro  eorum  sustentatione  et  omnia  priTilegia  quecunque  necessaiia  lis* 
dendi  et  dotandi,  Rectores  prindpales  et  suhprindpales  et  alia  mem* 
bn  necesiaria  ad  Wuntatem  et  optionem  dicti  Alexri  gusqne  here^ 
dam  masculorum  et  assignatorum  antedict  fadendi  digNidi  mutandi 
et  deponendi^  leges  acta  et  sututa  pro  boni  ordinis  obsenratione  ftd- 
li  et  eustodire  causandi.'*  (Register  of  Frivy  Seal,  toL  Ixiy.  f.  46.) 

X  Act  Pari.  Scot  if.  147,  148. 


400  LIFB  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Charles  Ferme,  who  had  taught  for  several  years  as 
a  regent  at  Edinburgh,  was  chosen  principal  of  the 
new  coll^;  and  in  the  year  1600,  the  General 
Assembly  authorized  him  to  undertake  this  office, 
along  with  that  of  minister  of  the  parish  of  Fraser- 
burgh*. His  labours  were  much  interrupted  by 
the  Earl  of  Huntly ;  and  an  end  was  put  to  them 
by  his  confinement,  first  in  the  castle  of  Down  and 
afterwards  in  the  island  of  Bute,  for  assisting  at  the 
General  Assembly  at  Aberdeen  f .  It  does  not  ap* 
pear  that  he  had  any  successor  in  the  college,  which 
was  most  probably  allowed  to  fall  into  decay  amidst 
the  distractions  produced  by  the  alteration  of  church- 
government 

«  Bulk  of  the  UnWemn  Kirk^  f.  194^  b.  Cirawfod's  HiH.  d 
UniT.  of  £din.  pp.  Sl«  3S,  S7,  S9, 49b  Fennaii  Analydui  in  Spilt  wi 
Romanoe,  Epist  Dedic  et  Epist  id  Lect.  Edinb.  1651. 

t  In  1608,  Fertne  wrote,  from  the  pltee  of  his  conanenieBty  ID 
Robert  Bruce :  *'  I  have  to  this  hour  been  releaved  be  thc^  codh 
fort  of  no  creature ;  neither  have  I  heard  to  whom  I  may  go.  A 
thousand  deaths  haUiemy  soul  tasted  of;  but  still  the  troth  aad  aser- 
cie  of  the  Lord  hath  succoured  me."  (Cald.  tIL  98,  99.)  He  was 
restored  to  his  parish  before  his  deaths  which  happened  on  the  S4lfc 
of  September,  1617.  Verses  to  hb  memory  were  composed  by  Av* 
chibald  Simson,  (AnnaL  p.  1384)  and  by  Principal  Adamaon  of  ££&• 
burgh,  who,  in  the  75th  year  of  his  age,  published  a  work  of  Fcm^ 
who  had  been  his  regent  at  college.  (Prefix,  ad  Fennd  Analys.  vt 
sminra.)  ''  Mr.  Charles  Fairme,"  waa  callsd  to  be  ''  seemid  ndniilff 
of  Haddington."  (Record  of  Presbytery  of  Haddington,  J«ly  9^ 
and  Aug.  525,  1596,  and  Sept  S8, 1597.)  At  the  '^  desyre  of  patrik 
edhren  and  Georgheriot,  commissionarea  direct  Irom  die  icssion  of  flit 
kiriL  of  the  north-west  quarter  of  EdV  the  presbytefy  "  toOcnl  Ifr 
Charles  ferom  to  pieach  in  the  Kirk  of  that  quarter,  at  ale  tymes  and 
necesiary  ocGuiones  as  he  salbe  imployit  be  said  scsriePi**  (See.  flf 
Presb.  of  Edinburgh,  Sept.  18,  1598.)  He  <'  was  gase  to  the  north 
parts,"  in  Dec.  IS,  1598.    (Ibid.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  401 

The  College  of  Fraserburgh  might  have  suo 
ceeded  better,  had  it  not  been  for  a  similar  establish- 
ment erected  about  the  same  time  by  George  Earl 
Marisehal  in  the  town  of  New  Aberdeen  *.  Maris- 
chal  CoUege  was  originally  endowed  only  for  a  prin- 
cipal, three  regents,  and  six  bursars ;  but  its  situa- 
tion in  a  flouri&diing  town  furnished  it  with  students, 
its  proximity  to  King's  CoU^;e  excited  emulation, 
and  the  gratitude  or  the  pride  of  individuals  who 
received  their  education  at  it  soon  increajsed  the 
number  of  its  professorships  and. bursaries,  as  well 
98  the  small  stock  of  books  with  which  it  was  origi- 
nally provided  f . 

Whatever  may  be  thought  as  to  the  expediency 
of  some  of  these  coUegial  institutions,  there  can 
))e  but  one  opinion  as  to  the  zeal,  which  they  evinced 
in  behalf  of  the  interests  of  literature.  Whether 
the  founders  acted  from  the  impulse  of  their  own 
minds,  or  were  guided  by  the  deference  which  they 
paid  to  the  opinions  of  others,  the  fact  of  so  many 
aefldemies  rising  up  at  the  same  time,  shews  that 
t)ie  public  attention  had  been  awakened  to  the  im- 
^rtance  of  education,  and  that  a  general  and  strong 
passion  for  literary  pursuits  was  felt  through  the 


*  *  The  Charter  of  the  CtXitgt  wm  aigned  by  *'  Oeonge  Erie  Maxt- 
UtaaH,"  on  tiie  9od  of  April,  159S.  It  wia  approved  of  by  llie  General 
Aaaembly  at  Dundee  on  the  84th  of  the  aame  month,  ''  after  befa^ 
cxainined  by  a  Committee  of  their  number."  (Memorial  by  Princi- 
pal Bladcwell.)  And  it  was  ratified  by  Fariiament  on  thefllitof 
Jtriy  following.  (Act.  Pari.  Scot  iv.  S5.) 
f  Memorial  for  Marisehal  Collqpe  by  Principal  Bkckwell. 

TOL.  II.  2  D 


402  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

nation.  It  may  also  be  observed  that  the  improve- 
ments in  the  mode  of  teaching  which  had  been  in- 
troduced into  the  univerdties  of  St  Andrewer  and 
Glasgow  were  adopted  in  one  d^ree  or  another  in 
the  newly-erected  colleges.  At  Edinbo^i^  indeed, 
each  regent  conducted  his  students  through  the 
whole  course  of  their  studies,  eitli^r  because  Bot 
lock  had  been  accustomed  to  this  method  at  St.  An- 
drews, or  because  he  could  not  find  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  teachers.  But  at  Aberdeen,  in  Marischal 
College  from  the  beginning  the  regents  had  parti- 
cular professions  assigned  to  them  * ;  and  the  same 
arrangement  was  prescribed  by  the  new  founda- 
tion of  King's  College  f .  When  Melville  returned 
from  Geneva,  although  more  than  thirty  years  had 
elapsed  from  the  first  introduction  of  the  Greek 
language  into  Scotland,  the  students  at  St.  An- 
drews did  not  acquire  any  knowledge  of  it  be- 
yond the  regular  declensions.  But  now  the  most 
difficult  Greek  authors  were  read  and  explained 
in  all  our  universities.  The  knowledge  of  He- 
brew was  brought  to  the  country  by  a  deserving 
individual  at  the  establishment  of  the  Refixrmi^ 

*  "  Ndumus  autem  Academic  noatre  pneoeptores  ad  novas  Fko- 
feanonea  tranailire,  sed  at  in  eadem  profetaimie  ae  exeroeant,  at  ado* 
lesoentea  qai  gradatim  aseendant,  dignom  aoia  atadiiaeiisgaiiia  naiH 
dacantur  Preoeptorenu"  (Novk  Academic  AbredoneoaMi  per  Goni- 
tem  Mariachallam  Regia  Autoritate,  Erectio  et  Inatnictio.)  The 
Graaki  Hebrew,  and  Syriac  langaagea^  Fhyiiolagy  (Natnnl  Hiatofy) 
Geometry,  Geography,  Chronolqgy,  and  Aatronomy,  wen  to  ba  tan^t 
by  the  Principal  and  Masters  of  Mariachal  College. 

t  See  under  Note  I. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  403 


tion ;  and  yet,  fourteen;  years  after  that  period,  not 
am  of  the  profeaaors  in  tl»  first  nnivwsiiy  o£  the 
Idngdc^  could  teach  its;  alphabet  ^.  But  now  the 
Bebisew  language uras  accurately  taught  in  eaich  <^ 
the  universities^  along  with  the  cognate  tongpui 
which  had  hitherto  been  utterly^  unknown  in  Scot- 
land. The  scientific  lectures  first  read  by  Melvifle 
at  Glasgow^  and  afterwards  adopted  in  the  otih^ 
Ufliversities,  inchided  several  useftd  branches  of 
knowledge,  not  fimnerly  taught  in  the  established 
course  of  study,  or  trusted  in  the  most  superficial 
manner ;  as  geography,  chronology,  dvil  and  natu- 
ral history,  geometry  and  the  ^stem  of  the  sphere, 
according  to  the  discoveries  of  recent  astronflmers. 
The  resort  of  fi>reign  students  to  Scotland  at  this 
period  iff  another  interesting  fiict  in  the  histinry  of 
our  national  literature.  Formerly  no  iiislanee  of 
tins  kind  had  occurred.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  a 
common  practice  for  the  youth  of  this  country,  upcm 
finishing  their  course  of  education  at  one  of  our  col- 
leges, to  go  abroad,  and  prosecute  their  studiesiot 
one  or  more  of  the  universities  on  the  continent. 
Nor  did  any  one  think  himself  entitled  to  the  ho- 
nourable appellation  of  a  learned  man  who  had  not 
added  the  advantages  of  a  fdreign  to  those  of  a  do- 
mestic education.  But  after  the  reformation  of  the 
universities  of  St.  Andrews  and  Glae^w,  and  the 
erection  of  the  College  of  Edinburgh,  this  practice 
became  gradually  less  frequoity  until  it  ceased  en- 

*  Life  of  John  Knox,  vol.  i.  p.  6 ;  ii.  14.    Melville's  Diary,  p.  S6. 

2l>2 


404  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE, 

tirelyt  except  with  those  who  wished  to  attain  pro- 
ficiency in  law  or  in  medicine.     If  students  in  lan- 
guages, the  arts,  or  divinity,  now  left  Scotland,  it 
was  generally  to  teach,  and  not  to  be  taught,  in  fo- 
reign seminaries.     The  same  cause  which  produced 
this  change  attracted  students  from  abroad  to  this 
country.     A  few  years  after  Melville  went  to  the 
university  of  St.  Andrews,  the  names  of  foreigners 
appear  for  the  first  time  on  its  records.     The  num- 
ber of  these  rapidly  increased ;  and  Scotland  conti- 
nued to  be  frequented  by  students  from  the  continent 
for  a  considerable  time  after  the  original  cause  of  at- 
traction had  been  removed.     Though  St  Andrews 
was  the  chief  place  to  which  they  resorted,  yet  they 
studied  also  in  the  universities  of  Edinburgh  and 
Glasgow.      Some  of  them  were  persons 'of  noble 
birth,  but  the  greater  part  were  young  men  en- 
gaged in  the  cultivation  of  theology  and  the  branches 
of  learning  connected  with  it.     No  adequate  cause 
of  the  fact  under  consideration  can  be  assigned  but 
the  report  which  had  gone  abroad  of  the  flourishing 
state  of  education  in  Scotland.     It  is  a  mistake  to 
8Ui^>0se  that  the  foreign  students  were  for  the  most 
part  Danes,  who  were  induced  to  visit  this  coimtry 
.  in  consequence  of  the  connexion  established  between 
it  and  Denmark  by  the  marriage  of  James.     Some 
of  them  were  Danes ;  but  a  still  greater  number 
were  Frendi,  besides  Belgians,  Germans,  and  Poles  *. 
The  number  of  0cotchmen  who  at  this  time  dis- 

■ 

*  Bee  Note  8. 


LIF£  OF  AND&EW  M^LYILIJC.  '405 

tinguished  themselves  as  teachers  in  foreign  univeir* 
sities  and  schools  was  great.    I  have  had  occasion  to 
8peak  of  some  of  those  who  taught  in  the  protestant 
academies  of  France ;  but  to  give  any  thing  like  a 
^uroper  account  of  them  would  lead  me  into  a  digres- 
sion disproportionately  large.  I  cannot  however  omit 
mentioning  here  a  literary  undertaking  in  Ireland 
by  two  of  our  coimtrymen.     The  state  of  education 
:in  that  country  had  fallen  so  low  that  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  an  individual  capable  of  teaching  the 
.learned  languages  could  be  found  even  in  the'  capi- 
•taL     In  the  year  1587f  James  FuUerton  and  Jahies 
'  Hamilton  established  a  school  in  Dublin.     The  tar 
.lents  of  the  two  Scotchmen,  joined  with  the  most 
engaging  manners,  soon  procured  them  scholars. 
After  they  had  taught  privately  for  five  years,  they 
.were  admitted  to  professorships  in.  Trinity  Ck>l- 
lege,  the  fabric  of  which  had  been  recently  com- 
'pleted ;  and  they  contributed  to  bring  the' Universi- 
ty of  Dublin  into  that  reputation  which  it  quick- 
ly acquired.     Their  labours  would  have  deserved 
commemoration  if  they  had  done  no  more  than 
-educated  the  celebrated  James  Usher,  afterwards 
archbishop  of  Armagh,  the  great  ornament  of  the 
church  of  Ireland,  and  one  of  the  most  learned  men 
.of  his  age.     He  was  one  of  their  first  pupils  in 
the  grammar  school,  was  conducted  through  the 
course  of  philosophy  at  the  university  by  Hamilton, 
and  was  accustomed  to  mention  it  as  an  instance  of 
the  kindness  of  Providence  thai  he  received  his 
education  under  the  two  Scotchmen,  ^^  who  came 

2d3 


406  LIf  £  OF  ANDEEW  MELVILLE. 


hither  by  dianoe,  and  yet  proved  so  fai^){iily  usefdl 
to  himself  and  others."  Whether  the  primate  was 
initiated  by  them  into  the  principles  of  the  Hebrew 
langnage,  in  which  he  afterwards  attained  great 
proficiency^  we  are  not  informed ;  but  they  intro- 
dnoed  him  to  the  beauties  of  the  classic  poets  and 
orators,  with  which  he  was  captivated  in  his  youth 
to  a  degree  which  we  could  scarcely  have  supposed 
finnn  the  tenor  of  his  subsequent  studies  *.  It  has 
been  said  that  Hamilton  and  Fullerton  concealed  a 
political  design  under  their  literary  undertaking ; 
and  that  they  were  sent  to  Dublin  by  the  Scottish 
-court  as  secret  agents  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the 
Irish  nobility  and  gentry  to  James's  right  of  suc- 
cession to  Elizabeth,  lliis  is  not  at  all  likely.  It 
is  much  more  probable^  that  the  enterprise  was  en- 
tirely literary,  and  undertaken  from  the  same  mo- 
tives which  induced  so  many  of  their  kamed  coun- 
trymen at  that  time  to  seek  a  foreign  field  for  the 
exertion  of  their  talents.  At  a  subsequent  period 
James  availed  himself  of  the  credit  which  they  had 
gained,  and  they  were  employed  by  him  in  secret 
n^ociations,  which  they  conducted  with  much  aU- 


*  Pirr*t  Life  of  Usher,  p.  S.  Smifh,  Vita  UiMrii,  p.  16.  DO- 
llDgliain,  Vita  Lanr.  Chadertoni,  p.  55.  Thete  it  a  letter  ftom  Ha- 
mflton  to  Sir  Jamea  Sampill,  (Dublin,  May  4, 161S.)  in  iwomnMa- 
datlon  of  Uaher,  whoi  he  went  to  Londkm  to  pnbliah  hia  flnl  wari[. 
''  Clear  them  (Dn  Chakmer  and  Bfr.  Udier)  to  hia  Ifa^  that  Umj 
ar  not  pnritanU;  for  they  ha^e  dignitaiieddpa  and  prabcnda  in  the 
Cathedral  ehnrchca  here."  (M&  in  ArcUf .  £ccL  Soot.  voL  xxiii. 
num.  18.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  407 

lity  and  eiiccees  *•  The  servioes  of  both  were  re- 
warded. FuUerton  was  knitted,  adfiditted  a^g^i- 
tleman  of  the  Bed-chamber,  and  resided  at  court  af- 
ter the  accession.  Hamilton  was  created  Viscount 
Claaeboy,  and  afterwards  ^Eari  of  Clanbrissdf ; 
was  entrusted  with  great  authcmtf  in  Ireland ;  and 
in  concert  with  his  pupil,  the  pdmate,  and  his 
countryman,  the  bishop  of  Raphoe,  shewed  iavour 
to  such  ministers  as  took-  shelter  in  that  country 
£rom  the  persecution  of  the  Scottii^  prelates  f .  Ful- 
lerton  and  Hamilton  were  early  acquaintances  of 
MelTiUe  §9  and  the  former  was  one  of  his  most  inti- 
mate and  steady  friends  ||.     He  retained  his  love  of 

I 

*  This  u  oonfirmed  by  the  acooont  whieh  Dr.  Birch  gives;  ahi 
though  he  q^eaks  immediately  of  negociatioDs  with  the  English  nobi- 
lity. (Life  of  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  p.  232.)  The  letter  from 
Khig  James  inserted  in  the  Appendix  to  Strype's  Annals,  tol.  iv.  and 
which  Stiype  sapposea  to  have  been  wrilfeea  tq  Lovd  HamiU«ii>  was 
addressed,  I  have  no  doubt,  to  James  Hamilton,  afterwards  Viscount 
Claneboy. 

f  Lodge's  Peerage  of  Ireland,  vol.  iii.  p.  857.  According  to  Lodge, 
he  was  the  eldest  son  of  Hans  Hamilton  of  Dunlop.  Crawford  says 
that  Hans  Hamilton,  vicar  of  Dunlop,  was  son  of  Archibald  Hamil- 
ton of  Raploch.  (MS.  Baronage,  pp.  S65 — 267 :  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edln. 
Jac  V.  5.  SO.) 

X  Life  of  Mr.  Robert  Blair,  pp.  47—52,  64,  80.   Life  of  Mr.  John  ' 
Livingston. 

§  In  the  year  1585,  James  Hamilton  was  made  Master  of  Arts 
at  St.  Andrews,  and  in  1586,  one  of  the  same  name  was  laureated  at 
Glasgow.  I  have  stated  (vol.  1.  p.  71.)  that  Sir  James  FuUerton  was 
educated  under  Melville  at  Glasgow.  But  it  may  be  added,  that  in 
the  list  of  Melville's  class-fellows  are  the  names  "  Jacobus  Hamyl- 
toun,"  and  "  Jacobus  Fullartoun."    (See  above,  vol.  i.  p.  422.) 

II  Letter  from  Melville  to  Sir  James  Sempill  of  Beltrees,  in  Ap- 
pendix. 


408  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

.letters,  and  a  partiality  for  his  early  studies,  after 
he  had  exchanged  the  life  of  the  scholar  for  that  of 
.the  courtier  *. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  some  account  has  been 
given  of  the  state  of  the  inferior  order  of  seminaries 
in  Scotland  when  Melville  came  to  St.  Andrews  f  • 
Since  that  time  the  number  of  parochial  schools  had 
increased,  although  in  many  places  they  were  still 
wanting,  and  in  others  the  teachers  enjoyed  a  very 
inadequate  and  precarious  support.  There  was  as 
yet  no  law  which  compelled  the  landholders  or 
parishioners  to  provide  them  with  accommodations 
or  salaries.  The  persuasions  of  the  ministers  and 
the  authority  of  the  church-courts  were,  however, 
exerted  in  supplying  this  defect.  As  every  minister 
was  bound  regularly  to  examine  his  people,  it  be- 
came his  interest  to  have  a  schoolmaster  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  youth.    At  the  annual  visitation  of 

*  ^'  Hoc  saxum  (a  grammatical  difficulty)  com  diu  ▼olvisaem,  tan* 
dem  iuddi  in  Jacobam  Fullertonum,  yirum  doctnm,  et  in  omni  di- 
■dplina  latis  exerdtatum.  Cum  eo  rem  disceptayi,  &c"  (Humii 
Grtmmatica  Nora,  Part.  ii.  p.  IS.)  See  also  Leoduei  Epigram,  pp. 
5a,  iS,  In  1611,  Sir  James  Fullerton  was,  by  the  favonr  of  PHnoe 
Henry,  appointed  Gentleman  of  the  Bed-chamber,  and  Master  of  the 
Privy  Purse  to  the  Duke  of  York.  (Birch's  Life  of  Henry,  Prince  of 
Wales,  pp.  839— 8S5.)  His  Testament  is  dated  Dec.  89,  idSO,  and 
was  proved  Feb.  6, 1050,  O.  S.  He  left  no  issue,  and  bequeatb- 
ed  '^  the  esUte  and  interest  of  the  manor  of  Bifleete,"  with  his  leases 
of  the  Lead  Mines,  &c.  after  paying  his  debts,  to  his  '^  deaie  and 
well  beloved  wife,  the  Lady  Bruce."  «  The.Rig^t  Honouiabk 
Thomas  Lord  Bruce,  Banm  of  Kinlosse"  was  hia  sole  ezecntor. 
(Will,  extracted  from  the  Registry  of  the  Prerogative  Court  of  Csn- 
ierbury.) 

t  See  above,  p.  S65.    Comp.  vol.  i  pp.  410—418. 


LIFE  OF  AKDA£W  MELVILLE.  409 

tes  by  presbyteries  and  provincial  synods,  the 
state  of  the  schools  formed  one  subject  of  uniform  in- 
quiry ;  the  qualifications  of  the  teachers  were  tried  ; 
and  where  there  was  no  school,  means  were  used  for 
having  one  established.  A  ^^  common  order^  as  to 
the  rate  of  contribution  to  be  raised  for  the  salary 
of  the  teacher,  and  as  to  the  fees  to  be  paid  by 
the  scholars,  was  laid  down  and  put  in  practice,  long 
before  the  act  of  council  in  I6l6  which  was  ratified 
by  parliament  in  1638.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose 
that  the  parochial  schools  of  Scotland  owed  their 
origin  to  these  enactments.  The  parliamentary  sta* 
tute  has,  indeed,  been  eventually  of  great  benefit. 
But  it  would  have  remained  a  dead  letter  but  for  the 
exertions  of  the  church-courts ;  and,  owing  to  the 
vague  nature  of  its  provisions,  it  continued  long  to 
be  evaded  by  those  who  were  insensible  to  the  bene- 
fits of  education,  or  who  grudged  the  smallest  ex- 
pense for  the  sake  of  promoting  it.  The  reader  will 
find  in  the  notes  some  facts  which  throw  light  on 
the  state  of  parochial  instruction  at  this  period  *. 

The  classical  schools  had  also  increased  in  num- 
ber, and  improvements  were  introduced  into  those 
which  had  existed  from  ancient  times.  Two  indi- 
viduals, who  were  successively  at  the  head  of  the 
High  School  of  Edinburgh,  are  entitled  to  our  no- 
tice here,  from  the  services  which  they  rendered  to 
the  literature  of  their  country,  as  well  as  the  con- 
nexion which  they  had  with  Melville.     Hercules 

•  See  Note  T. 


410  LIF£  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Bollock  had  received  a  complete  education,  and  was 
an  excellent  classical  sdiolar.  After  finishing  his 
studies  at  St.  Andrews,  and  teadiing  for  some  time 
in  King's  College,  Aberdeen  *,  he  went  alM-oad,  and 
studied  at  Poitiers  in  France  f .  On  his  return  to 
Scotland,  he  was  warmly  reconuMended  to  the  young 
King  by  Buchanan  ^ ;  and  it  seems  to  have  been 
in  consequence  of  this  recommendation  that  he  was 
aj^inted  Commissary  of  Angus  and  die  Carse  <€ 
Gowrie,  which  were  disjoined  from  the  Commissariot 
of  St.  Andrews  in  the  year  1580,  and  erected  into  a 
separate  jurisdiction.  But  the  new  court  was  soon 
suppressed,  in  consequence  of  the  opposition  made 
to  it  by  the  commissary  and  magistrates  of  St  An- 
drews §.  In  1584,  Rollock  was  brought  firom  Dun- 
dee ||,  and  continued  head  master  of  the  High  School 
of  Edinbui^h  for  eleven  years,  at  the  end  of  whidi 
he  was  displaced  in  consequence  of  scMue  dffefice 

*Oran'fl  I>eferiptioD  of  Old  Aberdflki,  p.  169. 

tDeliticPoet  Soot  iL  3^,351.  Comp.  BnchamnI  Epirt.  pp>  13, 
81.  In  a  MS.  Catakgae  of  Scottish  writera,  (to  be  found  in  the  Ad* 
▼oettes  Library,  m  the  nme  Tolome  with  Charten's  Aeoount  of  Scofr- 
tiah  divines)  Heresies  RaUockia  Mid  to  ha^epohlhlicd  '^Fttcgyrin 
de  Pace  in  Gallia  oonstitiienda.  Pictan  1576."  He  had  ako  beat 
some  time  in  England.    (Delit.  ut  supra,  p.  361.) 

i  Buchanani  Epist  p.  29. 

§  Record  of  Privy  Conndlt  Jamary  19, 15S0. 

II  May  9»,  1^84.  Recoid  of  Town  Goimcil  of  Sdin.  voL  viL  £  fO. 
On  the  17th  of  April,  1588,  his  salary  was  augmented  "ttoat  M  lo 
100  pondis."  In  his  petition  for  an  augmentation,  he  ttDa  the  ooon- 
cil,diat  ''upoiminftnnatio«|of  Mr.  Jam€iksw§wm  nd^Hitmi^ 
voreris  of  leming  he  was  en(||byet  to  undertak  y*  chaiige  of  thair  hie 
Scheie."    (lb.  voL  viii.  f.  149,  b.  160.) 


LIFE  OF  ANDES W  MELVIIXE.  411 

whkh  Mias  taken  at  his  conduct  *.  On  his  romovBl 
Snmi  the  High  School  he  obtained  an  office  in  the 
Court  of  Session,  and  was  patronised  by  the  King  f . 
He  was  suspected  of  being  the  author  of  a  lampoon 
against  Brace  and  the  other  ministers  who  were 
lianished  at  the  time  of  the  tunuilt  which  happened 
in  the  capital ;  on  which  account  Melville  attacked 
liim,  in  Mveral  stinging  epigrams,  as  a  mercenary 
poet,  and  a  starved  schoolmaster  turned  lawyer. 
Poets  are  not  disposed  to  hrook  an  sSatont.  Rol- 
lock  replied ;  and  in  a  poem,  more  distinguished  for 
its  length  than  its  vigour,  denied  the  dbarge,  and 
vindicated  his  character  i.  Whatever  might  be  his 
imprudences  or  personal  foiUes,  he  certainly  con- 
tributed to  raise  the  character  of  the  useful  semi- 
nary over  which  he  had  presided  §. 

Alexander  Hume,  who  succeeded  to  the  rector- 
ship of  the  Hi|^  School,  if  not  so  good  a  poet  as 


*  Record  of  Town  Comicil,  v^  X.  f.  7U  RoIlodcimpateshiBdia- 
Daunl  to  the  ignosaMe  of  the  dtazens,  who  were  incapable  of  appre- 
ciating the  excellence  of  his  instractiQnt>  so  saperior  to  those  of  or« 
dinarj  pedagogues ;  and  he  represents  the  school  as  sinking,  at  his 
fenoval,  into  the  barbarism  from  whidi  he  had  reoorered  it.    (Ddit. 

Poet.  Scot  ii.  389.) 
t  Delit.  ut  supra. 

}  Ibid.  p.  117.  Comp.  p.3S7.  In  the  catalogue  of  books  present- 
ed to  the  Umversity  of  Ediidraiig^,  bj  Dnunmond  of  Hawthomden, 
(p.  8i,)  is  the  following  article:  ^  Ad  Herculem  RoUocom  responsio 
Andres  MelTini.  MS  antogr."  Bat  the  MS.  is  not  now  to  be  found. 

I  The  magistrates  appear  to  have  been  sensible  of  this  ;  for  on 
die  SOth  of  February,  1600,  they  gave  an  allowance  to  "  the  relict 
and  bairns  of  Mr  Hercules  RcAock."  1(Co<ancil  Register,  voL  x. 
f.  270.) 


418  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

• 

KoUocky  was  a  superior  grammarian,  and  a  more 
acceptable  teacher  *.  He  has  himself  informed  us, 
that  he  was  descended  of  the  ancient  family  of  the 
Humes,  acquired  the  knowlege  of  the  Latin  lan- 
guage under  the  well-known  Andrew  Simson  at 
Dunbar,  went  through  the  course  of  philosophy  at 
St.  Andrews,  and  afterwards  spent  sixteen  years  in 
England,  partly  in  studying  at  the  University  of 
Oxford,  and  partly  in  teaching.  His  theological 
works  shall  be  mentioned  afterwards.  While  he 
taught  at  Edinburgh,  his  attention  was  turned  to 
the  elementary  books  which  were  at  that  time  used 
in  grammar  schools,  and  he  was  ambitious  of  improv- 
ing on  the  labours  of  foreigners,  as  well  as  of  his 
countrymen,  Simson,  Carmichael,  and  Duncan  f. 
His  Latin  Grammar,  on  which  he  had  spent  many 
•years,  and  which  he  published,  after  submitting  it 
to  the  correction  of  Melville  and  other  learned 
friends,  did  not  give  the  satisfaction  which  he  ex- 
.pected.  This  was  partly  owing  to  prejudice  against 
-innovation,  and  partly  to  the  author's  having  sacri- 
ficed ease  and  perspicuity  to  logical  precision  in  his 
arrangement  and  definitions.     But^  although  les& 


*  Crawfard*fl  Hist  of  the  Univ.  of  Edin.  p.  64.  His  iqppointiiieiit 
was  on  the  SSd  of  April,  1596.    (Council  Register,  toL  x.  £  75, 76.) 

t  **  GrsmmaticK  Lstinc,  de  Btymologia,  liber  seenndns.  Cantdii 
15S7."  James  Carmichael,  miniirter  of  Haddington,  waa  Uie  author 
of  this  work.  Andrew  Dunoan,  the  author  of  Taiioiia  graoHitetkal 
pieces,  (Ames,  by  Herbert^  iiL  1315, 1516,  1518.)  waa  miniiter  sf 
Crail,  and  one  of  thoae  who  were  baniahad  to  Fpunae  ftr  holding  the 
Assembly  at  Aberdeen. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  41 S 

adapted  for  youth,  the '  work  displays  considerable 
knowledge  of  the  principles  of  grammar,  and  might 
be  useful  to  teachers  and  advanced  scholars.  The 
privy  council,  in  pun^ance  of  an  act  of  parliament, 
enjoined  it  to  be  used  in  all  the  schools  of  the  king- 
dom ;  an  injunction  which  was  defeated  by  the  in- 
terest of  the  bishops,  whose  displeasure  the  author 
had  incurred,  and  by  the  persevering  opposition  of 
Ray,  who  succeeded  to  his  place  in  the  High 
School  * 

It  was  during  the  incumbency  of  Hume,  that 
the  High  School  of  Edinburgh  received  that  form 
which  it  has  preserved,  with  little  alteration,  to 
the  present  day.  In  the  year  1598,  a  code  of 
laws,  drawn  up  by  a  committee  of  learned  men, 
and  intended  to  regulate  the  mode  of  teaching 
and  the  government  of  the  youth,  received  the 
sanction  of  the  town-council.  The  school  was  di- 
vided into  four  classes,  to  be  taught  separately  by 
four  masters,  including  the  principal.  The  boys 
passed  from  one  master  to  another  at  the  end  of 
each  year ;  a  plan  which  has  not  the  same  recom- 
mendations when  applied  to  the  teaching  of  a  single 
language  that  it  has  when  applied  to  different  lan- 
guages or  branches  of  science.  By  the  same  laws, 
the  Humanity  class  in  the  College  was  also  regulat- 
ed, and  Greek  was  appointed  to  be  taught  in  it  as 
well  as  Latin.  In  the  year  1614,  a  fifth  class  was 
established  in  the  High  School,  and  during  their 

•  Sec  Note  U. 


414  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

attendance  on  it  the  boys  were  initiated  into  Greek 
grammar  *. 

In  the  year  1606,  Hume  relinquished  hia  situa- 
tion in  Edinburgh,  and  became  principal  master  of 
the  grammar  school  at  Prestonpans,  which  had  been 
recently  founded  by  John  Davidson.  The  exertions 
which  Davidson  made  to  provide  for  the  religious 
and  literary  instruction  of  his  parish  entitle  him 
to  the  most  grateful  remembrance.  At  his  own 
expense  he  built  a  church  and  a  manse,  a  school- 
house  and  a  dwelling-house  for  the  master.  The 
school  was  erected  for  teaching  the  three  learned 
languages,  Latin,  Oreek,  and  Hebrew;  and  the 
founder  destined  all  his  heritable  and  moveable  pro- 
perty, including  his  books,  to  the  support  and  orna- 
ment of  this  trilingual  academy  f .  Similar  endow- 
ments were  made  by  others  X ;  and  there  is  reason  to 
think  that,  in  not  a  few  instances,  the  funds  which 
benevolent  individuals  bequeathed  for  the  prom^ 
tion  of  learning  were  clandestinely  retained,  or  il- 
legally alienated  from  their  original  destination*  by 
the  infidelity  and  avarice  of  executors  and  trusteea 
Several  acts  of  the  legislature  were  made  to  prevent 
such  abuses  §. 

•  See  Note  V.  t  See  Note  W. 

$  John  Howieson,  minister  of  Camboslangy  endowed  t  tdiod.  and 
made  provision  for  the  poor,  within  his  parish.  Letter  from  him  Is 
the  General  Assembly,  Nor.  16,  1602:  MS.  in  BibL  Jviid.  Sdin. 
Rob.  III.  8. 17.  f.  156.)  ''  The  King's  Scole  of  l>QDkM/'  iduaM 
Feb.  82, 1567,  (Reg.  cf  Presentations,  toL  L  p.  5.)  was  ratified  bj 
Parliament  in  1606.    (Act.  Pari.  Soot.  iv.  313.) 

§  Act.  Pari.  Scot.  vol.  iv.  p.  94 ;  voL  y.  p.  22. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELyiX4L£.  415 

In  investigatiiig  the  progress  which  science  made 
in  Scotland  during  this  period^  the  first  thing  which 
strikes  us  is  the  introduction  of  the  Ramean  philo- 
sophy; and  its  general  substitution  in  the  room  of 
the  Aristotelian.  The  influence  which  Ramus  had 
in  the  advancement  of  philosophy  has  not,  in  my 
opinion,  had  that  importance  attached  to  it  by  mo- 
dem writers  which  it  deserves.  In  farming  an  esti- 
mate of  the  degree  in  which  any  individual  has  con- 
tributed to  the  iUumination  of  the  age  in  which  he 
lived,  it  is  necessary  to  take  into  accoimt  something 
more  than  the  character  of  his  opinions  viewed  in 
themselves  :  we  must  inquire  if  they  were  brought 
fairly  and  fully  into  contact  with  the  public  mind» 
and  attend  to  the  circumstances  which  combined  to 
aid  or  to  neutralize  their  effect.  By  a  careful  exa- 
mination of  the  writings  of  such  men  as  Bruno  and 
Cardan,  we  may  discover  here  and  there  a  senti- 
ment akiii  to  a  truer  philosophy ;  but  these  senti- 
ments appear  to  have  struck  their  minds  during  cer- 
tain lucid  intervals,  and  are  buried  in  a  farrago  of 
fantastic,  extravagant,  and  unintelligible  notions, 
which  at  that  period  must  have  had  the  tendency 
to  discredit  them  completely  with  persons  of  sober 
thinking.  They  are  to  be  viewed  rather  as  curious 
I^enomena  in  the  history  of  individuals  than  as  in- 
dications of  the  progress  made  by  the  human  mind. 
There  are  three  grand  events  in  the  modem  history 
of  philosophy.  The  first  is  the  revival  of  litera- 
ture, which,  by  promoting  the  study  of  the  original 
writings  of  the  ancients,  rescued  the  Aristotelian 


416  LIF£  OF  ANOEEW  MELVILLf. 

philosophy  from  the  barbarism  and  corruption  which 
it  had  contracted  during  the  middle  ages.  The  se- 
cond is  the  emancipation  of  the  human  mind  firom 
that  slavish  subjection  to  authority  under  which  it 
had  been  long  held  by  a  superstitious  veneraticm 
for  the  name  of  Aristotle.  The  third  is  the  intro- 
duction of,  what  is  commonly  called,  the  inductive 
philosophy.  The  two  former  preceded  and  made 
way  for  the  latter.  In  bringing  about  the  first  a 
multitude  of  persons  in  all  parts  of  Europe  had  co- 
operated with  nearly  equal  zeal.  The  merit  of  ef- 
fecting the  second  is  in  a  great  measure  due  to  one 
individual.  The  Platonic  school  which  was  found- 
ed in  the  fifteenth  century  did  not  produce  any  ex- 
tensive or  permanent  effects  on  the  mode  of  study 
and  philosophizing.  It  originated  in  literary  en- 
thusiasm ;  its  disciples  were  chiefly  confined  to  Italy ; 
and  they  contented  themselves  with  pronouncing  ex- 
travagant and  rapturous  pan^yrics  on  the  divine 
Plato.  Valla,  Agricola  *,  Vives,  and  Nizolius  had 
pointed  out  various  defects  in  the  reigning  philo- 
sophy, and  recommended  a  mode  of  investigating 
truth  more  rational  than  that  which  was  pursued 
in  the  schools.  But  they  had  not  succeeded  in  fix* 
ing  the  attention  of  the  public  on  the  subject.  1%0 
attack  which  Ramus  made  on  the  Peripatetic  phi- 
losophy was  direct,  avowed,  persevering,  and  ir- 
resistible.    He  possessed  an  acute  mind,  a  oompe-'. 

*  Rannu  acknowledges  that  he  was  indebted  for  more  loennle 
viewa  of  Logic  to  Rudolphus  Agricola,  and  that  he  leaned  them  ftotti 
Sturmius,  one  of  Agricola's  scholan.    (Pnefat.  in  Schol.  Gtaunnai) 


UFS  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  417 

tent  acquaintance  with  ancient  learning,  an  ardent 
love  of  truth,  and  invincible  courage  in  maintaining 
it  He  had  applied  with  avidity  to  the  study  of 
the  logic  of  Aristotle ;  and  the  result  was  a  convic- 
tion, that  it  was  an  instrument  utterly  imfit  for  dis« 
covering  truth  in  any  of  the  sciences,  and  answer-* 
ing  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  scholastic  wrang- 
ling and  digladiation.  This  conviction  he  commu- 
nicated to  the  public ;  and,  in  spite  of  all  the  resist- 
ance which  he  encountered  from  ignorance  and  pre- 
judice, he  succeeded  in  bringing  over  a  great  part  of 
the  learned  world  to  his  views.  What  Luther  was 
in  the  church.  Ramus  was  in  the  schools.  He  over- 
threw the  infallibility  of  the  Stagyrite,  and  pro- 
claimed the  right  of  mankind  to  think  for  them- 
selves in  matters  of  philosophy ;  a  right  which  he 
maintained  with  the  most  undaunted  fortitude,  and 
to  which  he  may  be  said  to  have  died  a  martyr  *. 
If  Ramus  had  not  shaken  the  authority  of  the  long- 

*  ''Easdem  in  rellgionis  restitatione  jodidomm  reraons  vtas 
nostra  experta  est.  Quapropter  per  Deum  optimum  maximum^  Lo- 
gics artis  professores  exbortor,  at  philosophiie  reritatem  pluris  quaia 
plifloflophi  ullius  authoiitatem  fadant — Tales  denique  sint  in  Aristo* 
tele  cognoscendo  et  interpretando,  quails  Aristoteles  in  Platone  fuit 
Unom  enim  id  illis  exopto^  ut  Aristoteles  ipsi  sibi  sint^  vel  Aristotele 
edam  pnestantiores  magistri :  sicut  Aristoteles  nimirum  Plato  alter 
esse,  aut  etiam  Platone  pnratantior  esse  yoluit"  (Rami  Animad.  in 
Organ.  Aristotelis^  lib.  ii.  cap.  ix.  p.  66.  edil.  Francof.  1594.)  Tbose 
who  wish  to  understand  the  spirit  of  Ramus,  and  the  motives  which 
induced  him  to  embark  in  the  cause  of  philosophical  reform,  should 
read  the  whole  of  the  13th  chapter  of  the  4th  book  of  his  Animad^ 
^erMumes.  Brucker  has  given  extracts  from  it  (Hist  Fhilos.  torn. 
T.  pp.  56tf — 568.) 

VOL.  II.  2  E 


418  LIf  S  OF  ANDREW  MELVII.LE. 

▼enierated  Orgawm  of  AristoUef  the  world  might 
not  have  seen  the  Novum  Organum  of  Bacon.  The 
faults  of  the  Ramean  sjrstem  of  Dialectics  have  long 
been  acknowledged.  It  proceeded  upon  the  radical 
principles  of  the  Ic^c  of  Aristotle ;  its  distinctions 
often  turned  more  upon  words  than  things ;  and  the 
artificial  method  and  uniform  partitions  which  it 
prescribed  in  treating  every  subject,  were  unnatural, 
and  calculated  to  fetter,  instead  of  forwarding,  the 
mind  in  the  discovery  of  truth.  But  it  discarded 
many  of  the  useless  speculations,  and  much  of  the 
unmeaning  jargon  respecting  topics,  predicables,  and 
predicaments,  which  made  so  great  a  figure  in  the 
ancient  logic  It  inculcated  upon  its  disciples  the 
necessity  of  accuracy  and  order  in  arranging  their 
own  ideas  and  in  analyzing  those  of  others  *.  And, 
as  it  advanced  no  claims  to  infallibility,  submitted 


*  Bftcon  was  anxioas  to  disdaim  eonnexion  with  Rniiiu,  wluni 
he  calls  the  ''neoteric  rebel  against  Aristotle."  CataUma  Ceihegmmf 
But  he  acknowledges  the  merits  of  Ramus  on  the  head  of  method. 
''  Methodus  veluti  scientiarum  architectura  est :  atque  hac  in  parte 
melius  meruit  Ramus/'  &c.  (De  Augm.  Scient.  lib.  vL  cap.  fi.) 
Hooker  refers  to  the  system  cf  Ramus  in  the  following  paassfB. 
Having  spoken  of  the  utility  of  art  in  advancing  knowledge,  and  of 
the  little  progress  which  had  been  made  in  all  parts  of  natural  know* 
ledge  since  the  days  of  Aristotle,  he  adds :  ''  In  the  povertj  of  that 
other  new«>devi8ed  aid,  two  things  are,  notwithstanding,  axngnhr. 
Of  marvellous  quick  dispatch  it  is,  and  doth  shew  them  Chatham 
it  aa  much  almost  in  three  days,  as  if  it  had  dwelt  threescore  yean 
with  them.  Again,  because  the  curiosity  of  man's  wit  doth  mmj 
times  with  peril  wade  farther  in  the  search  of  things  then  wen  eop- 
venient,  the  same  is  thereby  restrained  unto  tuich  gentralitics^  ai^ 
everywhere  offering  themselves,  are  apparent  unto  men  of  the  waakeit 
conceit  that  need  be."   (Ecdes.  Polity,  book  L  §  6.) 


LIFB  OF  ANDBEW  MEJLVU^S.  419 

aU  its  Tales  to  the  test  of  practical  utility^  and  set 
this  constantly  before  the  eye  of  the  student  as  the 
•enly  le^tunate  end  of  the  whole  logical  apparatus, 
•  its  fiEuilts  were  soon  discovered,  and  yielded  readily 
to  a  more  natural  method  of  reasoning  and  investi- 
gation. 

The  eloquence  of  Ramus,  added  to  the  novelty  of 
•his  opinions,  and  the  ardour  and  boldness  with 
which  he  maintained  them,  had  a  fascinating  influ- 
ence on  his  students.  Foreigners,  who  attended  his 
lectures  in  the  university  of  Paris,  carried  his  pecu- 
liar sentiments  along  with  them  to  their  respective 
^countries.  Within  a  few  years  after  his  death  his 
writings  were  known  through  Europe ;  and,  before 
the  conclusion  of  the  sixteenth  century,  Ramism,  as 
the  new  mode  of  philosophizing  was  called,  was 
publicly  taught  in  some  of  the  principal  universi- 
ties of  Grermany,  Switzerland,  Denmark,  Holland, 
and  Britain*.  I  formerly  stated  that  Melville 
studied  under  him,  and  that  on  his  return  to  his 
native  country,  he  introduced  his  master's  system  of 
logic  into  the  university  of  Glasgow  f .  It  continued 
to  be  taught  there  under  his  successor,   Patrick 

*  Bnicker,  Hist  Pbilos.  torn.  ▼.  pp.  576—581.  Bayle^  Diet  art. 
De  la  Ramee^  Note  O.  Melch.  Adami  Vitae  Germ.  Philos.  p.  509. 
Casp.  Brantias,  Vita  Jac  Arminii^  p.  16.  Scaligerana^  Thaana,  && 
torn.  ii.  352,  527*  Ramus's  Logic  was  prelected  on  at  Cambridge  in 
1590.  (Dillingham,  Vita  Chadertoni  et  Usserii,  p.  15.)  And  vari- 
oos  editions  of  his  works  were  published  in  England  before  the  year 
1600.  (Ames^  by  Herbert^  passim.) 

•^  See  aboTe,  vol.  i.  pp.  2i,  67. 

2e8 


4S0  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

Sharp*.  Af  St.  Andrews,  however,  it  met  with 
the  most  determined  resistance.  It  is  a  strikiiig 
proof  of  the  ascendency  which  the  name  of  Aris- 
totle had  gained  over  the  human  mind,  that  his  phi- 
losophy continued  long  to  maintain  its  groimd  in 
the  greater  part  of  the  protestant  schools.  When 
Luther  had  attacked  it  with  his  usual  vehemence, 
his  colleague  Melanchthon  interposed  for  its  protec- 
tion. From  attachment  to  it,  the  members  of  the 
Academy  of  Geneva  refused  to  admit  Ramus  into 
their  number,  during  the  time  that  Melville  resided 
in  that  city  f .  It  was  not  until  the  year  1588,  that 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  gave 
public  warning  against  sentiments  subversive  of 
religion  contained  in  books  which  were  put  into  the 
hands  of  all  the  youth  t.  And  twenty  years  after 
every  vestige  of  papal  authority  had  been  abolished 
in  the  university  of  St.  Andrews,  Melville  had  al- 
most excited  a  tumult  in  it  by  calling  in  question 
the  infallibility  of  a  heathen  philosopher.  But  he 
ultimately  succeeded  in  effecting  a  reform  on  the 
philosophical  creed  at  St.  Andrews  §.  RoUock,  who 
became  a  convert  to  the  new  philosophy,  introduced 
it  into  the  College  of  Edinburgh,  in  which  it  con- 
tinued long  to  be  taught  ||.    The  writings  of  Aris- 


^  Rifeti  Open,  torn.  ill.  p.  897. 

t  Bern  EpistoW,  epp.  34^  36.  Bnntiiii,  Vita  Armiiii^pp.  Sl^  & 
t  Petrie,  P.  iL  p.  439. 
§  See  above,  vol.  L  pp.  169—171. 

H  Adamfoni  Ptiefat  in  FcnDci  AnaL  £pkt  ad  Bomanoa.    Ckni- 
ftinl*t  Hiit  of  UniT.  of  Kdin.  pp.  M— ia    Bowir'a  Hiat  f«L  L  Ap- 


LIFE  QF  AND&EW  MELVILLE.  421 

toUe  were  not,  however,  banished  from  our  imi- 
versities,  and  his  authority  appears  to  have  revived 
at  St  Andrews  after  Melville's  removal  *• 

Theological  learning  made  great  advancement 
during  this  period.  Formerly  no  commentary  on 
scripture,  and  no  collection  of  sermons,  had  appear- 
ed in  Scotland.  This  defect  was  now  supplied  by 
the  writings  of  Rollock  and  Bruce.  The  former 
published  commentaries  on  most  of  the  books  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  on  some  parts  of  the  Old, 
which  were  speedily  reprinted  on  the  continent, 
with  warm  recommendations  by  foreign  divines  f . 
Though  they  contain  occasional  remarks  on  the  ori- 
ginal. Bollock's  commentaries  are  not  distinguished 
for  critical  learning,  nor  do  they  discover  deep  re- 
search ;  but  they  are  perspicuous,  succinct,  and  judi- 
cious. His  treatise  on  Effectual  Calling  is  a  com- 
pendious system  of  divinity,  and  affords  a  favourable 
specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  he  executed  this 
part  of  his  academical  lectures.     It  shews,  among 

pend.  No.  ilL  Sir  Robert  Sibbald  mentions  an  early  edition  of  Ra* 
mus's  Logic  by  one  of  our  countrymen :  '^  Rolandos  Mackihnenaena 
ficotOB,  P.  Rami  Diakcticc  libri  duo.  Lond.  1576,  8vo."  (De  Script. 
Scot.  p.  152.)  "  Rollandui  Makilmane  Nori  Collegii"  was  lanreated 
at  St.  Andrews^  Feb.  10, 1569.  Editions  of  the  Dialectica  were  print* 
ed  at  Edinburgh  aa  late  as  1637  and  1640. 

*  William  Forbes  (afterwards  Bishop  of  Edinburgh)  who  taught 
as  a  regent  in  King's  College  at  the  beginning  of  the  17th  century, 
was  a  strenuous  advocate  for  the  Aristotelian  philosophy,  f  Bayle, 
Diet  art.  Forbes,  GuiLJ 

^  f  Beza's  recommendation  was  conveyed  in  a  letter  to  John  John- 
ston, and  is  prefixed  to  ''Tractatus  de  Vocatione— Authore  Roberto 
Rolloco  Scoto.    Edinburgt  1597." 

2£3 


423  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

other  things,  that  his  understanding  was  not  led 
astray  by  admiration  of  the  Ramean  logic,  and  that 
he  did  not  suffer  a  superstitious  or  pedantic  regard 
to  methodistic  rules  to  usurp  the  place  of  good  sense 
in  the  arrangement  and  communication  of  his  ideas. 
His  sermons,  which  were  published  from  notes  taken 
by  some  of  his  hearers,  exhibit  him  in  a  very  ami- 
able light,  as  "  condescending  to  men  of  low  estate,** 
and  keeping  sacredly  in  view  the  proper  end  of 
preaching,  the  instruction  and  salvation  of  the  people, 
and  not  the  display  of  the  learning,  ingenuity,  or  elo* 
quence  of  the  preacher  *.     Bruce  was  a  man  of  a 


*  "  Certaine  Sermons  vpon  sevenll  places  of  the  Epistles  of  Pral. 
Preached  by  M.  Robert  RoUock— Edinb.  1599."  The  ejuatle  '<  To 
the  Christiane  Reader,"  prefixed  to  these  Sermons^  was  probably  wriu 
ten  by  James  Melville^  who  subseribes  the  Scottish  Sonnets  which 
follow  it : 

Thy  diolne  Doctor  deirest  now  is  deidj 

Thy  peirles  Preicher  now  hes  plaide  his  part. 

Thy  painfull  Pastor^  quha  in  love  did  leid 

Thy  little  lambes  with  sweit  and  tender  hart, 

Hes  dreed  his  dayes  with  sair  and  bitter  snuirt. 

To  purchase  pleasand  profit  unto  thee. 

His  words,  his  warks,  his  wayes,  his  Tertoes  gart 

Thee  get  this  gaine  of  great  felidtie. 

By  his  testament,  Rollock  appointed  such  of  his  maniueripti  as 
■houdd  be  thought  worthy  of  pnUication  to  be  dedicated  to  bit  friend 
Sir  William  Scot  of  Elie,  Dhrector  of  the  Chanoerj.  Soot  wrote  lo 
Boyd  of  Trodirig  at  Saumur :  (Edin.  Mar.  S,  1609.)  ''  Pkaae  to  ns 
ceiTC  Rollocus  prayers  as  he  utterit  them  in  pulpit  betee  and  slter 
sermons.— I  am  presently  in  hand  with  RoUoeos  tevmoiui  on  John's 
l^vangel. — ^I  will  earnestly  request  yon  to  cause  print  in  one  great  to- 

6 


LIM  OF  AKD&SW  J££LVIX.LE.  4SS 

Stronger  mind  than  Rollock.  His  sermon,  parti- 
cularly those  on  the  sacraments,  are  more  elaborately 
composed,  more  doctrinal  and  argumentative,  more 
calculated  to  lead  ^^  on  to  perfection"  those  who  are 
already  grounded  in  the  principles  of  religion,  and 
whose  spiritual  senses  are  *^  exercised  to  discern  be^ 
tween  good  and  eviL"  He  possessed  at  the  sam# 
time  the  faculty  of  making  himself  understood  oH 
the  most  intricate  subjects,  and  his  sermons  dis- 
cover the  same  unction  which  recommended  those 
of  his  pious  colleague  *.  Rc^ock's  manner  in  the 
pulpit  was  mild,  affectionate,  and  winning:  Bruce*s 
was  solemn,  impressive,  and  commanding;  and, 
to  apply  to  his  sermons  the  reverse  of  the  figure 
by  which  one  of  his  hearers  described  his  prayers, 
^^  every  sentence  was  like  a  bolt  shot  from  heaven." 
It  is  commonly  supposed  that  the  public  discourses 
of  the  Presbyterians  at  this  time  were  protracted 
to  a  tedious  length.  The  facts  which  have  come  to 
my  knowledge  lead  to  an  opposite  ocmdusion ;  and 


lame  all  RoHocub  Latine  works.**  Speaking  of  Boyd*8  worki^  he 
adds:  ''  If  they  were  in  this  coontry,  as  I  did  to  RoUocnSj  their 
printing  shoold  he  no  diaige  to  you.**  (Letter^  in  Wodtow's  Life  of 
Robert  Boyd^  p.  48 :  MSS.  toI.  ▼.) 

*  Brace's  Five  Sermons  on  the  Saerament  were  printed  at  Edin- 
bmrgh  by  Robert  Waldegrave  in  1590;  and  his  miscellaneons  ser^ 
mons  came  finom  the  same  presa  in  1591.  Both  vohnnes^  as  well  as 
a  number  of  Bollock's  treatises,  were  afterwards  translated  into  Eng- 
liah*  In  their  original  form  they  are  carious  as  specimens  of  compo- 
sition in  the  Scottish  language,  within  a  few  years  of  tlie  time  at 
which  it  was  generally  laid  aside  by  onr  writers. 


494  LUPS  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLK. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  the  practice  refiened  to  was 
iutroduoed  at  a  later  period  *. 

The  Hebrew  language  being  now  r^pcdarly  taught 
in  all  our  universities,  several  individuals  attained 
to  proficiency  in  it  f .  Patrick  SymBon  acquired  it 
in  his  old  age  ^ ;  and  his  brother,  William  Symson, 
undertook  to  explain  one  of  the  abstrusest  parts  of 
its  philology,  in  the  first  work  on  Hebrew 
which  appeared  in  Scotland  ^. 


*  Burnet  says  that  Biahop  Fdrbei  of  Edinbnigli  bad  "  a  strange 
funlty  of  preadiing  five  or  six  hours  at  a  time."  (Hist,  of  his  own 
Times>  L  S7.)  But  the  following  extract  will  shew  that  Forbcs's 
tediousness^  even  when  not  carried  to  diis  extreme^  gave  ofience  to 
his  brethren  at  an  early  period.  *'  Not.  1^  160A^— The  said  daye 
Bir.  Willeame  forbes  regent  exercesit^  quha  was  cdmended,  but  cen- 
sunt  becauB  he  techit  two  hours.  Na  additione^  becaus  of  the  hour 
was  past"  (Record  of  the  Presbytery  of  Aberdeen.)  Speaking  of 
Bruce^  Livingston  says :  '^  He  was  both  in  public  and  private  very 
short  in  prayer  with  others.^-1  have  heard  him  say,  he  hath  weamed 
when  others  have  been  longsome  in  prayer."  (Charact.  art.  Mr.  Rom 
hert  Bruce.  J 

t  Wodrow's  Life  of  John  Scrimger,  p.  18;  and  Livingston's  Charact 
art.  William  Aird,  In  the  Nova  Fundatio  of  King's  College,  and  in 
the  Charter  of  Marischal  College,  Aberdeen,  great  anxiety  is  express- 
ed by  the  founders  that  the  Hebrew  and  Syriac  tongoca  shofidd  be 
carefully  taught  by  skilful  professors. 

%  Archibald  Simson's  Life  of  Patrick  Simson,  M&  in  the  Advo* 
cates  Library. 

$  ''  Gul.  Slmpsonus  edidit  breves  et  perspicuas  Rcgulaa  do  Acoen- 
tibus  Hebraieis.  ISmo.  Londiig,  1617.*'  (Bibbald  Dt  Script.  Soot 
p.  7.)  This  work  (which  1  have  not  seen)  is  also  mentioned  in  the 
EjdttlM  Dedkaiory  to  **  The  Destruction  of  inbred  coiniptiiiD^  «r  the 
Christian's  warfare  against  his  bosome  enem]r*-by  Mr.  Alexander 
SymaoD  late  minister  of  God's  word  at  Meston  in  fleotkiidj  Lsad. 
16U."  19mo.  The  reader  may  be  pleased  to  see  the  ftUswfaig  a« 
tract  from  that  dedication.    *'  The  Author  (Alexander  Symson)  was 


LIVB  OF  AKBBEW  MELTILLB.  425 

The  attention  paid  to  the  learned  languages  laid 
the  foundation  for  the  critical  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. It  is  to  be  lamented  that  the  disputes  in 
which  the  ministers  were  involved,  and  the  hard- 
ships which  many  of  them  suffered,  should  have 
diverted  them  from  this  study  at  a  time  when  in- 
dividuals had  begun  to  cultivate  it  with  enthusiasm. 
Among  these  Robert  Wallace,  minister  of  St.  An- 
drews and  afterwards  of  Tranent,  deserves  to  be 
particularized*.  The  only  work  which  Patrick 
Sharps  principal  of  the  College  of  Glasgow,  left  be- 
hind him,  does  not  afford  a  pi-oof  of  diose  literary 
acquirements  which  it  is  known  he  possessed  f. 
He  was  the  teacher  of  John  Cameron,  whose  pro- 

the  last  branch  of  that  goodly  vine  that  overspread  the  whole  land : 
his  father.  Master  Andrew  Symson,  minister  of  Danbar,  being  one  of 
the  first  that  opposed  Popery,  (under  whom  some  of  the  ancient  No- 
hUhie,  and  many  of  the  Gentry  and  Clergy  of  Scotland  were  edncat* 
«dy  of  whom  not  a  few  proved  worthy  Instmments  for  the  advance- 
ment of  Crod's  glory  in  Church  and  Common- wealth)  :  As  his  Bro- 
thers, Master  Matthew  who  died  young;  Master  Patrick,  Minister 
of  Striveling,  who  wrote  The  History  of  the  Church,  thrice  printed  ; 
Master  William,  Minister  of  Dumbarton,  who  wrote  D#  Hebraicis 
Acctntibus ;  Master  Archibald,  Minister  of  Dalkeith,  who  wrote  of 
the  Creation,  Christs  seven  words  on  the  Crosse,  Samsons  seven  locks  of 
haire.  The  seven  PenitentiaU  Psalmes,  Hieroglyphia  animalium  terre* 
strium,  Sfc.  with  a  Chronicle  of  Scotland,  in  Latine,  not  yet  printed  ; 
Master  Abraham,  Minister  of  Norham." 

*  Casauboni  Epistols,  ab  Almel.  p.  669. 

f  "  Poctrinie  Christians  brevis  explicatzo.  Authore  Patricio 
Sdiarpio,  Theologitp  professore  in  Academia  Glascvense.  £dlnbvrgi 
Excudebat  Robertvs  Walde-graue,  1599."  Svo.  Pp.  S87.  This  is 
an  explication  of  the  first  three  chapters  of  Genesis,  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  Institution  of  the  Lord*s  Supper,  Decalogue  and  Lprd*s 
Prayer. 


426  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELTILLE. 

ficiencjr  in  Greek  literature  excited  astonishmeiit  on 
the  continent,  and  whom  bishop  Hall  pronounced 
*<  the  most  learned  man  ever  Scotland  produced  *•** 
Cameron  was  a  subtle  theologian,  and  displayed 
much  critical  acumen  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures.  He  was  not  more  distinguished  by 
his  writings,  than  by  the  circiunstance  of  his  hav- 
ing formed  the  opinions  of  Amyrauld,  who  divided 
the  French  protestants  on  the  point  of  universal 
grace,  and  of  Capellus,  who  attained  to  great  ce- 
lebrity as  the  foimder  of  a  new  school  in  He- 
brew philology  and  criticism  f.  Robert  Boyd  of 
Trochrig  was  a  contemporary  of  Cameron,  and 
like  him  taught  in  the  academies  of  France  as 
well  as  of  his  native  country  J.  His  Prelections 
on  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  contain  some 
good  critical  remarks,  as  well  as  many  eloquent 
passages ;  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  should 
have  rendered  the  work  heavy  and  repulsive  by 
indulging,  according  to  a  practice  then  common 
among  the  continental  commentators,  in  long  di- 
gressions, for  the  sake  of  illustrating  general  doc- 
trines and  deciding  the  controversies  of  the  time. 


*  Cspelli  loon  Joan.  Cameronis,  prcf.  Oper.  Cameronia.  Gene?. 
1649.  In  1598j  Joannea  Cameroon  was  laureated  at  Glugom,  and 
in  1599,  he  was  admitted  one  of  the  r^nta. 

t  Lewia  Capel  to  Boyd  of  Trochrig,  Sept.  15,  1618 :  Wodrow'i 
Life  of  Robert  Boyd,  p.  80.    Riveti  Opera,  tom.  ilL  p.  896. 

X  "  Robertoi  Boyd"  was  laureated  at  Edinburgh  in  1595.  To 
his  signature  in  the  Album  is  added,  in  another  hand,  "  Min'  verb, 
in  Gallia  poetea  prof,  theol.  et  primarius  Aoad.  Glaig.  dein  Edinb." 


LIFfi  OF  ANDKEW  MELVILLE.  427 

The £ri«rc^%)Aica  *  of  Archibald  Stuisoii,  wU 
treat  of  the  different  branches  of  zoology  refer* 
red  to  in  Scripture,  shew  the  learning  of  the  au-» 
thor ;  but  his  fancy  led  him,  in  this  as  well  as  in 
his  other  works,  to  expatiate  in  the  field  of  alle« 
goryf.     The  works  of  Patrick  Symson  contain  a 

*  ''  Hierogljphica  Aniinaliym  TerrestriTm,  Volatilium,  &c.  que 
in  Scripturis  Sacris  inveniantur.— Per  Archibaldum  Sunsonum  Dal- 
kethensis  Ecdesie  Pastorem.  Edin.  1622."  4to.  The  first  part  is 
confined  to  terrestrial  Animals.  The  second  and  third  parts,  which 
tfeat  of  Fowls  and  Fishes,  appeared  in  1623.  And  in  1 624^  that  which 
relates  to  Reptiles  and  Insects  followed^  under  the  name  of  '^  Tomta 
SecmdTs." 

f  l>mmniond,  the  poet^  appears  to  haveheen  jdeased  with  the  alle- 
gorical writings  of  Sjrmson ;  as  he  has  encomiastic  verses  at  the  be- 
ginning of  several  of  them.  The  following  are  prefixed  to  **  Hepta^- 
meron.  The  Sevin  Dayes — ^by  M.  A.  Symson^  Minister  at  Dalkeith, 
fianct- Andrews  Printed  by  Edward  Raban,  Printer  to  the  Univeraitie. 
1621."  sm.  8Y0. 

God  binding  with  hid  Tendons  this  great  ALL, 
Did  make  a  LVT£>  which  had  all  parts  it  ginen : 
This  LVTES  round  Bellie  was  the  azur'd  Heaoen ; 
The  Rose  those  Lights  which  He  did  there  install : 

The  Basses  were  the  Earth  and  Ocean : 
The  Treble  shrill  the  Aire :  the  other  Strings, 
The  vnlike  Bodies,  were  of  mixed  things : 
And  then  His  Hand  to  breake  sweete  Notes  began. 

w 

Those  loftie  Concords  did  so  farre  rebound. 
That  Floods,  Rocks,  Meadows,  Forrests  did  them  heare : 
Birds,  Fishes,  Beasts  danc*d  to  their  siluer  sound. 
OnHe  to  them  Man  had  a  deafhed  Eare. 

Now  him  to  rouse  fhmi  sleepe  so  deepe  and  long, 
God  wakened  hath  the  Eoeho  of  this  Song. 

W.  D. 


428  LIFE  OF  AKDEEVV  MELVILLE. 

sucdnct  History  of  the  Christian  Church,  written 
in  a  style  which,  though  not  uniformly  correct,  is 
spirited,  and  breathes  a  classical  air.  Robert  Pont, 
whose  learning  was  various,  had  paid  particular 
attention  to  Sacred  Chronology,  which  he  illus- 
trated in  several  treatises  *.  Alexander  Hume,  of 
whom  we  have  spoken  as  a  grammarian,  entered 
the  li6ts  as  a  polemical  writer  against  memba^ 
both  of  the  Romish  and  English  Churches  f  •     And 


*  '^  A  Newe  Treatise  of  the  right  Reckoning  of  yearei  and  ages  of 
the  World— By  M.  Robert  Pont  an  aged  Pastonr  of  the  Kirk  of  Soot- 
knd.— £dln.  I59y."  This  is  different  from  his  work  "  De  Sabbati- 
Gorum  annorura  periodis.  Lond.  1619."  Charters  also  ascribes  to 
him  "  Chronologiam  de  Sabbatis.  Lond.  1926"  His  son,  THmoHjf 
Pont,  gave  great  assistance  in  drawing  up  the  description  and  maps 
at  Scotland  which  appeared  in  Bleau's  Atlas.  (Memor.  Balfouriana, 
pp.  6,  36.)  *'  Mr.  Timothie  pont  min'  of  Dwnet/'  and  "  Mr.  Zft- 
charie  pont  min'  of  Bowar  Wattin,  in  Caithness,'/  occur  in  the  Books 
of  Assignation  and  Modification  of  Stipends  for  the  years  1601 — 1608. 

I  find  that  it  was  not  Robert  Pont  who  married  a  daughter  of  John 
Knox,  as  I  hare  elsewhere  stated  by  mistake,  (Life  of  Knox,  toL  IL 
Note  BB.)  but  his  son,  Zachary.  This  appears  fhnn  the  following 
doaiments.  "  JunQ  i,  1607.  The  session  of  Sanct  Cuthbertis  kirk 
contra  Margaret  Smith  anent  the  throuche  of  Mr.  Robert  Pont  hir 
husband."  (MS.  in  BibL  Jurid.  Edin.  A.  4. 9S.)  **  Marg.  Knox 
spous  to  Mr.  Zach.  Pont  min'  at  boar  in  Cathnes^  w^  oonaeni  of  Mn 
Jo^  Ker  min'  at  Preston,  and  Mr.  Ja*  Knox^  ane  of  the  regents  of 
the  College  of  £d^  receives  from  Andro  Lord  Stewart  of  Vdiiltrie 
ISOO  merks."  (Gen.  Reg.  of  DecreeU,  toL  crii.  S8  May,  160C) 
There  is  a  previous  deed  relating  to  the  same  sulgect,  whidi  is  signed 
by  ''  Mr.  Jo°  Ker  sone  to  vmqU  Andro  Ker  of  fawdoonaide  witnes." 
(Ibid.  vol.  dv.  13  Dee.  1604.) 

t  An  account  of  his  controversy  with  Dr.  Adam  WSi,  on  the  aitide 
of  the  Creed  eoncemhig  Chriat'a  descent  into  HeU,  may  be  seen  ia 
Wood's  Athene,  by  BIia%  i.  pp.  699—694.  The  Ibllawing  extracts 
relate  to  his  Rejoinder,  or  becond  book  against  HilL     "  S  Fe^.  1593. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  429 

John  Howieson  composed  an  elaborate  answer  to 
Bellarmine,  the  redoubted  and  far-famed  champion 
of  Rome  ♦• 

The  most  learned  of  the  divines  who  embraced 
episcopacy  received  their  education  during  this 
period.  Patrick  Forbes  of  Corse,  the  relation  and 
scholar  of  Melville  f ,  and  who  afterwards  became 
bishop  of  Aberdeen,  wrote  an  able  defence  of  the 
calling  of  the  ministers  of  the  Reformed  Churches, 
and  a  commentary  on  the  Revelation.  The  dis- 
courses of  William  Cowper,  minister  of  Perth,  and 
afterwards  bishop  of  Galloway,  are  perhaps  superior 
to  any  sermons  of  that  age.  A  vein  of  practical 
piety  runs  through  all  his  evangelical  instructions  ; 
the  style  is  remarkable  for  ease  and  fluency ;  and 
the  illustrations  are  often  striking  and  happy.  His 
residence  in  England,  during  some  years  of  the 

The  Pbrt*  aj^inds  thair  brether  M.  Ro^  Rollock  and  M.  J(>b  Dauid- 
spun  to  syt  the  book  writtin  be  M.  Alex'  Home  concerning  that  part 
of  the  creit  He  diacendit  to  hell,  and  to  report  y'  judgement  j*  xii^ 
of  this  Instont"  "  19^  Fe^nr.  isqs.  The  said  brether  reporting 
y'  judgements  of  the  sufficiencie  of  y®  wark  hes  approoit  y®  same,  and 
finds  it  may  be  prentit."  (Record  of  Presb.  of  £dinburgh.)  His 
book  against  the  Roman  Cadiolics  is  entitled,  **  A  Didvction  of  the 
Trve  and  Catholik  meaning  of  our  Sauiour  his  words  this  is  my  bodie 
•—by  Alexander  Hyme  Maister  of  the  high  Schoole  of  Edinburgh. 
£dln.  1608.*'  A  collection  of  practical  treatises  by  him  on  Conscience, 
&&  was  printed  by  R.  Waldegrave,  £din.  1594,  ISmo.  (See  also 
Wood,  ut  sup.  Ames  by  Herbert,  p.  1515.) 

*  Buik  of  Univ.  Kirk,  f.  801.  He  is  the  author  of  a  treatise  on 
Conscience,  £din.  1600.    (Wood,  and  Charters.) 

t  Melville's  Diary^  p.  188.  Garden,  Vita  Joannis  Forbesii :  pre- 
fix. Operi  Forbesii  Wodiow*s  Life  of  Patrick  Forbes  of  Corse, 
p.  8:  MSS.T0I.  il 


430  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE* 

early  part  of  hu  life,  nay  hare  given  him  tbat 
oommaDd  of  the  English  language  by  which  his 
writings  are  distinguished*.  Archbishop  Spoto^ 
wood's  History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  was  com- 
posed at  a  period  considerably  lat^ ;  but  as  I  havt 
been  under  the  necessity  of  repeatedly  calling  la 
question  its  accuracy,  I  may  take  this  opportunity 
of  saying,  that,  as  a  composition,  it  is  highly  credit* 
able  to  the  talents  of  the  author,  and  is  as  mud 
superior  to  the  historical  collections  of  Calderwood 
in  point  of  style  and  arrangement,  as  it  is  inferior 
to  them  in  accuracy  and  variety  of  materials. 

The  progress  of  our  literature  during  this  pe* 
riod  is  very  discernible  in  the  department  of  juris* 
prudence.  Besides  his  edition  of  the  acts  of  par* 
liament  from  the  reign  of  James  I,  Sir  John  Skene^ 
the  Clerk  Register,  published  for  the  first  time,  ia 
Latin  and  in  English,  a  collection  of  the  laws  and 
constitutions  of  our  elder  princes.  Whatever  opi- 
nion may  be  entertained  as  to  the  title  which  some 
of  these  have  to  be  considered  as  originally  belong- 
ing to  the  Scottish  code,  or  as  to  the  period  at  whidi 
others  of  them  were  enacted,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged that  the  labours  of  the  publisher  were  meri- 
torious and  valuable.  He  had  travelled  in  Norway, 
Denmark,  and  adjacent  coimtries  f  ;  and  the  know- 


*  Lifts  of  Bishop  Cowper,  prefixed  to  his  works,  Lond.  1693^  foL 
He  was  bom  in  the  year  1568,  and  entered  the  unirersitj  of  St.  An- 
drews in  1580.  (Dikaiologie,  p.  108.)  He  wai  admitted  miniater  U 
Perth,  Oct.  6,  1595.  (Extracts  tnm  Rec.  of  Kirk  Seaalon  of  Perth, 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Scott.) 

t  SibbaUli  Bibl.  Scot.  p.  13*. 


UFX  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  481 

ledge  which  he  acquired  of  the  northern  languages 
and  customs  enabled  him  to  throw  light  on  the  an- 
cient laws  and  legal  usages  of  Scotland,  both  in  his 
treatise  De  Verhorum  Significatione,  and  in  his 
notes  on  the  Begwm  MajeHatem  *•  In  vigour  of 
mind  and  in  acquaintance  with  the  general  prin- 
ciples of  law,  Sir  Thomas  Craig  excelled  Skene,  as 
much  as  he  fell  behind  him  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
ancient  statutory  and  consuetudinary  laws  of  his 
country  f .  His  book  De  Feudis  was  the  first  re- 
gular treatise  on  law  composed  in  Scotland.  It  is 
written  with  elegance  and  in  a  philosophical  spirit ; 
and  the  author  of  such  a  masterly  performance 
eould  not  fail,  during  his  long  practice  at  the  bar, 
to  raise  the  character  of  the  profession,  and  to  dif- 
fuse enlightened  and  liberal  views  among  his  breth- 


•  When  the  Regiam  Majesiatem  was  put  to  press^  "  finding  non 
•o  meit  as  Mr.  James  CarmiehaeU,  minister  at  Haddingtoun^-^ 
to  examine  and  espy  and  correct  such  errors  and  faults  y'in  as  vsuallie 
occures  in  every  printing  that  first  cumis  from  the  presse,"  the  Lords 
of  Privy  Council  applied  to  his  preshytery  to  excuse  his  absence 
ftom  his  charge,  ''the  space  of  tua  monethis  or  thereby."  (Let- 
ter to  the  prcsbyterie  of  hadingtoune ;  Oct  13,  1608 :  in  Lord  Had- 
dington's CoL)  There  is  a  poem  by  Carmichael  at  the  end  of  the 
fiootch  translation  of  that  work. 

f  Craig  has  certainly  failed  in  illustrating  the  peculiar  form  which 
the  feudal  law  bad  assumed  in  Scotland :  and  in  referring  to  ancient 
laws,  and  to  decisions  anterior  to  his  own  practice^  he  proceeds  usually 
on  the  information  of  his  older  brethren.  But  perhaps  the  censures 
wliidi  a  late  writer  has  pronounced  on  him  are  too  summary  and  in- 
discriminate. The  charge  of  ignorance  brought  against  him,  for  as- 
serting that  the  dvil  law  had  not  been  taught  in  this  country,  will,  I 
apprehend,  turn  out  on  examination  to  be  unfounded.  (Rott*s  Lee- 
tores  on  the  Law  of  Scotland,  vol.  ii.  p.  9.) 


4SS  LIFE  OF  ANDHEW  MELVILLE. 

ren.  WQliam  Welwood,  who  was  prohiWted  from 
continuing  his  lectureson  lawatSt.  Andrews, puUish- 
ed  several  useful  and  compendious  treatises,  which 
entitle  him  to  a  place  among  the  juridical  writers 
of  the  age.  His  Parallel  exhibits  a  clear  but  meagre 
statement  of  the  points  of  resemblance  between  the 
Jewish  and  Roman  codes  of  jurisprudence  *.  His 
tract  on  Ecclesiastical  Processes  may  be  viewed  as 
the  first  specimen  of  a  Form  of  Process^  whidi 
the  Church  of  Scotland  did  not  then  possess  f .  His 
Abridgement  of  Sea  Laws  has  the  merit  of  being 
the  first  regular  treatise  on  maritime  jurisprudence 
which  appeared  in  Britain,  and  led  him  to  take 
part  in  a  controversy  which  called  forth  the  talents 
and  erudition  of  a  Grotius  and  a  Selden  \. 

The  name  of  Welwood  is  also  connected  witii 


*  "  Ivris  Dirioi  lydsorum^  ae  Ittib  CiTilis  Romanomn  Panlldiu 
— ATthoreGTilielmoVeWod.  Lvgd.  Bat  1594.**  ito. 

t  Its  title  has  been  given  above.  (P.  32.)  It  was  intended  to  dia- 
tinguish  between  the  fonns  of  procedure  used  in  civil  courts  .and  tfioae 
which  ought  to  be  used  in  church  courts — as  to  dtationt— the  mode 
of  trial — and  appeals. 

X  *'  An  Abridgment  of  all  Sea-lawes  : — ^By  WiUiam  WeIwood»pn^. 
fessor  of  the  Ciuill  Lawe.  London  1613."  4to.    It  was  reprinted^  bol 
without  the  author's  name,  by  Malynes,  in  his  Les  Merco^qria,  Land* 
1686.    The  Latin  edition  of  this  Abridgment,  which  appean  to  bafe 
been  published  before  1613, 1  have  not  aeen.    That  part  of  it  whidi^ 
relates  to  the  controverted  question  was  re-published  under  the  M* 
lowing  title :  '*  De  Dominio  Maris, — Cosmopoli,  Ezcndebat  G.  FoDti- 
siluius  16.  Calend.  Januar.  1615."  4to.    An  edition  of  it  was  prinlad., 
at  the  Hague  in  1663  ;  and  in  the  course  of  that  year  there  ^tpeanft*, 
an  answer  to  it  by  Theod.  J.  F.  Graswincke!,  a  Dutch  hwyer,!  fii^ 
wrote  also  against  the  Mare  Claunm  of  Selden.  , .  - , , 


LIVE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  483 

the  progress  of  physics  and  the  arts.  He  possessed 
an  inquisitive  mind ;  and  in  all  his  disquisitions  we 
can  trace  a  commendable  desire  to  convert  his 
knowledge  to  the  good  of  mankind*.  While 
he  taught  mathematics  at  St.  Andrews,  he  obtained 
from  government  a  patent  for  a  new  mode  of  raising 
water  with  facility  from  wells  and  low  grounds. 
He  afterwards  published  an  account  of  his  plan,  and 
of  the  principles  upon  which  he  calculated  that  it 
would  produce  the  intended  eflfect.  This  publication 
is  a  curious  specimen  of  the  state  in  which  the 
science  of  hydraulics  was  at  that  time,  and  of  those 
experiments  by  which  its  true  princi{^es  came  to  be 
gradually  discovered  and  applied  f .  The  chronolo- 
gical works  of  Robert  Pont  confirm  the  testimonies 
borne  to  his  skill  in  mathematics  and  astronomy  ^. 
But  the  individual  who  left  all  his  contemporaries 
far  behind  him  in  such  pursuits,  and  who  reflected 
the  highest  honour  on  his  country,  was  John  Na- 
pier of  Merchiston,  the  inventor  of  the  logarithm 

*  He  was  the  author  of  a  treatise  of  practical  theology :  "An 
Domandamn  Pertrrbationviii  ex  solo  Dei  verbo  quasi  transcripto 
oottstructa.  ATthore  Gvilielmo  Velvod.  liiddelbvrgi^  1594.**  Sto. 
Pp.  09.  The  dedication  to  John^  Earl  of  Cassilis,  "  CoUegii  ad  An- 
dreapolin^  quod  Saloatorianum  cognominant  Patnmo/'  is  dated  ''£x 
Aeademia  Andreana^  Calen.  MaQs.  1594." 

t  See  Note  X. 

X  Sibbtddi  BibL  Scot  p.  2SU.  Font  was  the  intimate  friend  of  the 
liiiird  (does  he  need  the  false  title  of  Lordf  or  the  equivocal  one  of 
Baron  fj  of  Merchiston : — "  honoratum  et  apprime  eruditum  amicum 
nbetniro  fidelem  Ch'risti  seruum  Joannem  Niaperum,"  (De  Sabbati- 
corum  Anuorum  Periodis,  per  Robertum  Pbntanum,  Caledonium 
Britannuro^p.  198.    A^*  1619.) 

VOL.  11.  8  F 


484  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

mic  calculation ;  an  invention  which  has  contri- 
buted, perhaps  more  than  any  other,  to  extend  the 
boundaries  of  knowledge,  and  to  multiply  disco- 
veries in  all  branches  of  natural  philosophy ;  and 
which,  at  the  same  time  that  it  establishes  the 
author's  claim  to  genius,  proves  that  he  had  de- 
voted himself  with  the  most  persevering  ardour  to 
the  study  of  mathematical  science.  Previously, 
indeed,  to  his  making  his  great  discovery,  Napier  > 
was  well  known  to  his  countrymen  for  his  profound 
acquaintance  with  mathematics,  his  application  of 
them  to  the  improvement  of  the  arts,  and  the  cu- 
rious and  bold  experiments  which  his  active  and 
inventive  mind  was  continually  prompting  him  to 
make  *. 

When  the  elder  Scaliger  visited  Scotland  about 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  it  did  not  con- 
tain, according  to  his  statement,  more  than  one  re- 
gular practitioner  in  Medicine.  If  we  are  to  judge  - 
by  this  rule,  the  science  must  have  made  great  ad- 
vancement before  the  close  of  that  century.  At  this 
time,  however,  and  down  to  a  much  later  period,  the 
medical  men  of  Scotland  derived  their  professional 
knowledge  almost  entirely  from  foreign  schools.  Dr. 
Peter  Lowe,  who,  after  practising  in  various  parts 

*  Skene,  De  Verbomm  Significatione,  yoc  Pariieaia.  Birrdi'i 
Diary,  p.  47.  Tilloch's  Philosopliical  Maganne,  yoI.  xviiL  p*^; 
where  Napier*i  "  Secret  iDYentions"  are  publiahe^^  aocompanied  wink 
obBervationa,  ^which  go  to  prove  that  ooue  of  tfaew  inTentiona  ia  in- 
credible. IK»npater  aays  Uiat  Napier  diadpated  hia  fartune  by  )m 
ex]icrinients. 


IJF£  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLK.  4S5 

of  the  continent,  and  being  honoured  with  the  ap- 
pointment of  Ordinary  Surgeon  to  Henry  IV.  of 
France,  returned  to  his  native  country  before  the 
year  1598,  was  the  author  of  a  system  of  Surgery, 
which  exhibits  a  popular  view  of  the  art  of  healing 
in  his  time,  interspersed  with  descriptions  of  cases 
which  had  occurred  in  his  own  practice  *.  Dr.  Dun- 
can Liddel,  whose  treatises  on  various  subjects  con- 
nected with  medicine  were  well  received  on  the 
continent,  was  prematurely  cut  off  in  the  midst  of 
his  exertions  for  promoting  science  in  his  native 
country  f . 

Among  the  miscellaneous  writers  of  this  period, 
David  Hume  of  Grodscroft,  one  of  Melville's  early 
and  most  intimate  friends,  deserves  to  be  particular- 
ly mentioned  ^.  This  accomplished  and  patriotic 
gentleman  was  extensively  acquainted  with  ancient 


*  "  The  Whole  Coune  of  Chyrvrgie— Compiled  by  Peter  Lowe 
Scotchman.  Arellian  Doctor  in  the  Facultie  of  Chimrgie  in  Paris— 
Ao  1507."  In  the  Dedication  of  the  Sd  edition  to  **  Gilbert  Frim- 
roae  Seigeint  Chinirgian  to  the  Kings  M^ie8tiel^"  .&c.  (dated  "  from 
my  house  in  Glasgow  the  SO  day  of  December  1613,")  he  says :  "  It 
pleased  his  Sacred  Majestic  to  heare  my  complaint,  about  some  four- 
toene  years  agoe,  vpon  certaine  abusers  of  our  Art— I  got  a  pri- 
uiledge  under  his  Highnesse  privie  scale,  to  try  and  examine  all  men 
upon  the  Art  of  Chirurgie,  to  discharge  &  allow  in  the  West  parts 
of  Scotland  which  were  worthy  or  unworthy  to  professe  the  same." 

f  Act.  Pari.  Scot.  vol.  iv.  p.  677.  Principal  Blackwell's  Memorial, 
liddelii  Apotheosis :  Delit  Poet.  Scot.  ii.  550.  His  **  Disput.  de 
Blementis"  was  printed  at  Helmstadtio  1596;  and  an  edition  of. 
WfMr|(B  was  published  by  L.  Serranns,  Lugd.  ^t.  1624. 

i  He  was  the  son  of  Sir  Pavid  Hume  of  Wedderbum,  and  pro-. 

2f2 


486  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

and  modem  languages,  theology,  politics,  and  his- 
tory. His  Apologia  BagiUca  is  a  refutation  of  the 
celebrated  Princeps  of  Machiavel,  and  shews  that 
he  was  a  true  friend  to  monarchy,  although  he  had 
repeatedly  exerted  himself  to  check  its  excesses  by 
his  sword  and  by  his  pen.  Besides  its  genealo* 
gical  information,  his  History  of  the  Houses  (^ 
Douglas  and  Angus  contaiiis  many  useful  illustra^ 
tions  of  public  events,  and  striking  pictures  of  the 
manners  of  the  times  *.  Though  often  incorrect  and 
loose  in  its  style,  it  is  written  with  much  spirit  and 

prietor  of  Godicroft  in  Lammermuir.    In  one  of  hit  Edogvei,  lit 

says: 

hand  fhistra  tot,  docte  Menalca, 
Cannina  fitsa  tibi :  Late  nerons  omne  resultat 
Lctitia:  nunc  upilioj  nunc  ipso  btbulciis 
Per  juga  hamyrii,  vel  per  Juga  montis  OctUL 

In  the  notes  he  sul^oins  the  following  explanation.  "  Lamyrii  ■miB' 
tes  sunt  in  provinda  Marchic,  ubi  TiUula  scribentis  Thtager^  Tulgo  , 
Qodseroft.  Ocdli  montes  [[Ochfl  hills)]  in  Jernia  forthc  imminenfes 
ad  quorum  radices  est  Faf-aequih  Tulgo  Olenemgh$,  ipslua  mine  ha* 
bitaculunu"  (Daphn-An^aryllis,  Authore  Davide  Hmraio  Theigrio 
Wedderbumenai,  p.  17.  Lend.  1005.)  John  Haldane  of  Glcneagiss 
was  married  to  his  sister.  (Hist  of  Donglaa  and  Angus,  fl.  SS4) 
In  another  of  his  Works  ire  poems  by  him  inscribed  ^  Dairid  Homias 
Paier"^''  Maria  Jhonstona  Mater"^^*  Jaoobva  Jbonalomie,  Sl- 
phistonius,  Soeer,"    (Lvsvs  Poetid,  yp,  SO,  63.) 

*  Spealdng  of  Hume,  Mr.  Pinkerton  says :  ''  This  writer,  who 
composed  his  work  aboat  the  year  1650,  has  often  original  and  aa- 
thenttcinformatton."  (Hist  of  Scotland,  Ltl6«)  It  is  true  that  Unne 
llTcd  nearly  to  the  year  lOSO,  and  might  finisii  his  History  In  Ui  eld 
agt,  bat  he  was  bom  between  1550  and  1500.  Being  the  ->wiP^f^i<fi 
adviser  andagent^  as  weO  as  die  kinsman  of  Arddbnid  (the^tiriid  sf 
ihst  name)  Eail  of  Angus,  he  had  abcess  to  the  ftsnny  pi^to  of  tfaH 
nobleman,  and  to  other  TaluaUe  soorees  of  inteUigeiioe. 


LIVE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  437 

naivete,  and  abounds  with  reflections,  serious  and 
amusing,  political,  moral  and  religious,  which  place 
the  happy  temper  and  virtuous  dispositions  of  the 
author  in  a  very  favourable  and  pleasing  light  The 
feudal  ideas,  which  were  general  in  his  age,  and  the 
aristocratic  feeling  which  he  inherited  as  the  de- 
scendant of  an  ancient  family,  are  frequently  blended 
with  the  principles  of  the  reformer  and  advocate  of 
political  liberty,  in  a  way  which  is  both  curious  and 
amasing. 

Poetry,  in  all  its  varieties,  was  zealously  cultivat- 
ed by  our  countrymen  at  this  period.  In  richness 
of  imagery  and  elegance  of  diction,  Montgomery 
unquestionably  carried  away  the  palm  from  all  his 
contemporaries  who  wrote  in  the  Scottish  dialect. 
Among  those  who  devoted  themselves  to  sacred 
poetry,  Alexander  Hume  possesses  the  greatest  me- 
rit. Like  most  of  the  poets  of  that  time  he  is  very 
unequal ;  but  his  versification  is  often  fluent,  and 
his  descriptions  lively  and  even  vigorous*.  The 
Godly  Dream  of  Lady  Culros  younger  is  not  desti- 
tute of  fancy  f .  James  Cockbume  is  the  author  of 
two  scarce  pieces,  which  discover  a  bold  but  un- 
diastened  imagination^.    As  they  have  not  been 

*  Hyrnnet  or  Sacred  Songs.— Edinburgh^  1599. 

t  Of  the  same  pious  cast  as  the  Dream,  but  inferior  to  it  in  versi- 
ficatioD,  is  **  The  Comprint  of  a  Christian  Sovle.— Printed  at  Edin- 
bugh  by  Robert  Charters,  1610."  4to.  C.  8.  It  is  subscribed  at  the 
dose :  *'  M.  CSeorge  Muschet^  Minister  of  the  Evangdl  at  Dunning." 

X  The  first  is  entitled,  **  Gabriels  Salvtation  to  Marie.  Blade  by 
James  CockbTme :"    The  second,  '<  Jvdas  Kisse  to  the  Sonne  of 

2  f8 


488  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MKLVILLB. 

noticed,  so  far  as  I  know,  by  any  of  our  writers,  the 
reader  may  not  be  displeased  to  have  the  following 
specimen  laid  before  him.  It  is  part  of  a  description 
of  the  scene  in  the  garden  of  Gethseraane. 

Now  had  darke  silent  nighty  high  treasons  freend, 
Ouennantled  all  the  earth  in  saUe  hew : 
Wrapt  was  the  Moone  in  mist  that  lateHe  thjnde. 
The  fprie  lampes  of  heanen  themselnes  withdrew : 

Honor  and  darknesse  vylde  possest  the  skye. 

The  fittest  tynie  for  foullest  tragedye. 

Within  their  wings  sweete  hirds  their  billes  they  hide, 
Bockt  with  the  windes  on  toppes  of  troubled  trees : 
Feeld-feeding  flocks  to  cliftes  and  caues  they  slide> 
Such  was  the  raging  of  the  roaring  seyes : 

No  sound  of  comfort  sweete  possest  the  eaves, 
Saue  Serpents  hisse^  and  Crocodilishe  teares. 

In  this  sad  aeaaon  Jesus  did  attend 
His  Fathers  will,  and  those  did  him  persew, 
Brooke  Cedron  corst,  which  way  well  Judas  kend. 
As  was  his  Tse  his  prayers  to  renew : 

And  to  the  Mount  of  Olhies  he  is  gone. 
With  aged  Peter,  James,  and  louing  Johne. 

O  giffdene  gay,  greene  may  thou  euer  grow. 
Let  weeping  dew  refreshe  thy  withred  flowres : 
To  testifie  the  teares  did  oucarflow 
The  chedces  of  him  reftiesht  the  hearts  of  ours. 
And  floT  hiB  sake  thy  name  be  euer  neist 
In  name  to  that  sweet  garden  of  the  £ast. 

The  poets  of  Scotland  anticipated  their  sovei^ign^s 
accession  to  the  throne  of  England,  by  adopting  the 

Mark."  The  imprint  of  each  is  ''  Edinlmi^  Printed  by  Robert 
Charteria— An.  Dom.  mdct."  ito.  The  Dedicaticm  to  ''Jem  Ham- 
miltone,  Ladie  Skirling,"  is  dated  «'  ftcm  Cambwsnrthana"  Pre- 
fixed are  recommendatory  Terses  by  ''  W.  A.  of  Menstrie,"  t.  e,  Wii* 
liam  Alexander,  afterwards  created  Earl  of  Stirling. 


LirS  OF  ANDREW  MEI^VILLE.  439 

language  of  that  kingdom;  and  their  early  efforts  of 
this  kind  were  very  flattering.  When  Mdrille  was 
removed  from  Scotland,  Drunmiond  of  Hawthorn*- 
den  had  but  recently  finished  his  academical  studies  \ 
and  had  not  as  yet  discovered  those  talents  which 
ranked  him  among  the  first  of  English  l3rric  poets. 
But  Sir  Robert  Ajrton,  and  Sir  WilMam  Alex^ 
ander,  afterwards  Earl  of  Stirling,  had  already 
given  favourable  specimens  of  their  poetical  ta>* 
tents.  Another  Scottish  knight  and  courtier.  Sir 
David  Murray  of  Oorthy,  deserves  also  to  be  men-- 
tioned  for  the  success  with  which  he  wrote  in  Eng- 
lish verse  f . 


•  *  *'  GvilielmTS  Drummond**  was  laureated  at  Edinburgh  in  the 
year  1605.  The  regent  of  his  class  was  Mr.  James  Knox.  (Record 
of  the  Uuiv.  of  £diD.) 

t  "  The  Tragicall  Death  of  Sophonisba.  Written  by  David  MviL 
ray.  Scoto-Brittaine.  Lond.  1611."  8to.— Along  with  this  waspub- 
Udied,  *'  Cslia^  containing  certain  sonnets."—''  A  Paraphrase  of  the 
ciT.  Psalme^  by  David  Murray.  Edinburgh,  Printed  by  Andro  Hart* 
Anno  Dom.  1615."  4to.  Sir  David  was  Grovemor  to  Prince  Henry. 
He  was  a  son  of  Robert  Murray  of  Abercaimyj  and  brother  of  John 
Murray,  minister  of  Leithj  an  intimate  friend  of  Melville's.  (Doo* 
glas's  Baronage,  p.  102.  Melvini  Epist.  p.  151.)  His  Paraphrase 
b^;ins  thus: 

My  Soule  praise  thou  lekcmoi  holie  Nam^ 

For  he  is  great,  and  of  exeeeding  Mi^^ty 

Who  doth'd  with  Glorie,  maiestie,  and  Fame, 

And  oouered  with  the  gaiments  of  the  li^t. 

The  azure  Heauen  doth  like  a  Curtaine  spred. 

And  in  the  depths  his  chalmer  beames  hath  layd. 

The  clouds  he  makes  his  chariot  to  be. 

On  them  he  wheeles  the  christall  Skies  about. 


440  UFE  OF  AND&fiW  MELVILLE. 

But  perhaps  the  most  extraordinaiy  cirotmstance 
in  the  history  of  our  literature  at  this  period  is 
the  enthusiasm  with  which  Latin  poetry  was  culti- 
vated by  our  countr}anen.  Divines,  lawyers^  phy- 
sicians, country-gentlemen,  courtiers  and  statesmen, 
devoted  themselves  to  this  difficult  species  of  conir 
position,  and  contended  with  each  other  in  the 
various  strains  which  the  ancient  masters  of  Raman 
song  had  employed.  The  principal  poems  in  tiie 
collection  entitled  Delitia  Poetarum  Scotorum^  were 
originally  published,  or  at  least  written,  at  this  time. 
They  are  of  course  possessed  of  very  different  d&> 
grees  of  merit,  but  of  the  collection  ia  general  we 
may  say  that  it  is  equal  to  any  of  the  collections  of 
the  same  kind  which  appeared  in  other  countries, 
except  that  which  contains  the  Latin  poems  com- 
posed by  natives  of  Italy.  If  this  was  not  the 
classic  age  of  Scotland,  it  was  at  least  the  age 
of  classical  literature  in  it ;  and  at  no  subsequent 
period  of  our  history  have  the  languages  of  Greece 
and  Rome  been  so  successfully  cultivated,  or  the 
beauties  of  their  poetry  so  deeply  felt  and  ad  justly 

And  on  th«  wings  of  JEolui,  doth  Hee 
At  pleasour  walke ;  and  sends  his  Angels  out. 
i^iiri/}  JJercM/df  that  doe  exeeate  his  wiU: 


The  Earths  foundation  he  did  finneUe  place, 

^nd  byd  it  so  that  it  should  neuer  slyde^ 

He  UMide  the  Depths  hevroand  abontJoAiMo^  A 

And  iike.a  Roh^  1^  nakod  shgrf*  t^  hidc^,  f 

Whose  waters  woul4  o'rSow  the  Mountains  high^..  • :  • 
But  thst  they  backc  at  his«rebukc  doe  flie. 


LITE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  441 

imitated.  Besides  Melville,  the  individuals  who 
attained  the  greatest  excellence  in  this  branch  of 
literature,  were  Sir  Thdmas  Craig,  Sir  Robert 
Ayton,  Hume  of  Godscroft,  John  Jonston^  and 
Hercules  RoUock.  The  poems  of  Craig  do  honour 
4o  the  cultivated  taste  and  learning  of  their  author. 
Through  the  foreign  garb  in  which  Ajrton  chose 
most  frequently  to  appear  before  the  public  as  a 
poet,  we  can  easily  trace  that  elegant  fancy  which 
he  has  displayed  in  his  English  compositions.  If 
I  were  not  afraid  of  appearing  to  detract  from  the 
^merit  of  one  whose  early  productions  secured  the 
approbation  of  Buchanan,  I  would  say  that  Bollock 
was  better  acquainted  with  the  language  than  the 
spirit  of  the  Roman  poets.  His  description  of  the 
miseries  of  Scotland  during  the  civil  war  is  his  most 
poetical  performance*.  John  Janston  confined 
himself  chiefly  to  the  writing  of  epitaphs  and  short 
pieces,  which  he  has  executed  with  much  neatness 
and  elegant  simplicity,  although  he  falls  short,  even 
in  this  species  of  composition,  of  his  kinsman,  Ar- 
thur Jonston,  in  terseness  and  in  classic  point  f . 
Few  of  his  contemporaries  shew  a  mind  more  deep- 


*  ''  I  tend  yon  the  papers  of  the  late  M.  Hercules  RoUock  which 
yoa  desired.  And  hecanse  I  aiA  not  acquaint  with  Mr.  Anderson, 
■and  me  a  receipt  of  them,  either  from  you  or  him.  Saumure, 
March  5,  1019."  (Mark  Duncan  to  Boyd  of  Trochrig:  Wodrow's 
life  of  Boyd,  p.  80.) 

t  A  Tery  heautifU  poem  hy  John  Jonston,  entitied.  Mors  Piorum, 
s  added,  among  others,  to  his  work  in  prose,  entitM,  Consolatio 
Christiana,  pp.  lOS— 106.    Lugd.  Bat  1609. 


44S  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

ly  imbued  with  the  genuine  spirit  of  classical  poetry 
than  Hume  of  Godscroft.  The  easy  structure  of 
his  verse  reminds  us  continually  of  the  ancient  mo- 
dels on  which  it  has  been  formed ;  and,  if  deficient 
in  vigour,  his  fancy  has  a  liveliness  and  buoyancy 
which  prevents  the  reader  firom  wearjdng  of  his 
longest  descriptions  *• 

I  am  aware  that  many  entertain  a  very  contempt- 
uous opinion  of  all  productions  of  the  kind  now 
mentioned.  According  to  them  it  is  utterly  imprac- 
ticable to  write  well,  or  at  least  to  compose  tolerable 
poetry,  in  a  foreign  or  dead  language.  They  are 
therefore  disposed  to  discard  the  whole  collection 
of  modern  Latin  poetry,  as  unworthy  of  the  name, 
and  consisting  merely  of  shreds  from  the  classics 
patched  into  centos.  That  a  great  part  of  it  is  of 
this  description  cannot  be  denied.  But  those  who 
are  inclined  to  pronounce  this  censure  indiscrimi- 
nately upon  the  whole,  would  need  to  be  sure  that 
there  is  no  risk  of  their  being  placed  in  the  same 


*  Hume  has  given  a  ipeciinen  of  a  poem  which  he  compoaeJ  at 
fourteen  jean  of  age.  (Daphn-AmarylUi,  pp.  89— M.)  And  he 
refers  to  ihe  presages  which  Buchanan  formed  from  his  early  eflb- 
sions.  (Delit.  i.  S81.)  His  poem,  entitled  At^camu,  ia  dedicated 
<'  Ad  Andneam  MelfidTm."-^'  Pirtric  altera  deena  MclTine— dcU- 
ctorum  Teniam  te  peto  literariom  Dictatonm  et  noninatim  ^wa^flmm 
IIILf— 8i  oondonas,  condonata  putem  Mnab  et  Apdlini^^^Videa  ^pM 
tSbi  trihnam  ;  oert^,  quantum  ntc  Romano  pon^d  fai  peoeata,  Joa»" 
(Ltbys  Foetid,  p.  85.)  Aselcane  was  the  name  of  one  of  HidDf% 
aona.  (Reond  of  the  Kirk  Beasioii  of  Pftstonpana.  Oen.  Reg,  d 
Deeneta,  ToLedx.  Julys,  1617;  and  toL  edxzxviL  Augml  II, 
1619.)    See  under  Note  E. 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  448 

awkward  situation  with  certain  scholars  of  no  mean 
acquirements  in  former  times,  who  had  a  modem 
poem  passed  on  them  for  a  genuine  production  of 
an  ancient  classic  *.  After  the  writings  of  Sanna^ 
zarius,  Flaminius»  Muretus,  Buchanan,  De  Y  Hopi- 
tal,  Douza,  and  Bolde,  not  to  mention  many  others 
scarcely  inferior  to  them,  it  seems  too  late  to  come 
forward  with  the  assertion,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
produce  tolerable  Latin  poetry  in  modern  times. 
Indeed,  considering  the  applause  which  these  pro- 
ductions have  received  from  the  best  judges,  the 
assertion  amounts  to  this,  that  we  cannot  now  per- 
ceive the  beauties  of  the  classical  poets  of  Rome. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  if  even  the  best  of  modem 
Latin  poems  had  been  submitted  to  the  judgment 
of  Horace,  he  would  have  found  them  chargeable 
with  many  blemishes  which  our  eye  cannot  detect ; 
but  I  have  as  little  doubt  that,  instead  of  rejecting 
them  with  the  fastidious  disdain  of  some  recent 
critics,  that  master  of  the  art  of  Poetry  would  have 
pronounced  them  wonderful  efforts,  and  enlarged 

*  IVAlembert  furnishes  an  instance  somewhat  diffisrent.  In  the 
course  of  his  argument  against  the  cultivation  of  ancient  learning, 
lie  had  jeeringly  repeated  the  exclamation  of  an  enthusiast  for  the 
daasics.  Ah  I  had  ycu  but  understood  Greek  !  But  not  contented  with 
wielding  the  weapon  of  ridicule,  he  rashlj  yentured  upon  classical 
gnmiid,  and  mentioned  one  Marinus,  a  modem  writer  in  Latin,  who, 
la  hla  opinion,  had  **  approached  as  near  as  possible  to  Cicero."  One 
«f  D'AIembert's  opponents,  after  producing  examples  of  wretdied  L»- 
tiiiitj  fhnn  Marinus,  concludes  by  turning  the  philosopher*s  sarcasm 
against  himself:  Ah  !  Sir,  had  you  but  understood  Latin  !  (Klotsii 
Acta  Literaria,  toI.  ▼•  part.  it.  p.  446.) 


444  LIFE  OF  ANDEEW  M£LVILL£L 

in  their  favour,  the  indulgence  which  he  was  dis- 
posed to  shew  to  the  compositions  of  his  contem« 
poraries : 

Veram  ubi  ^Urm  nitent  in  eanninej  non  ego  pcadi 
Offendar  macalii. 

There  is  one  thing  that  is  overlooked  in  the  reason- 
ings of  many  on  this  subject.  They  are  not  aware 
of  the  degree  of  attention  which  was  paid  to  the 
Latin  language,  and  the  advantages  which  the 
learned  had  for  attaining  a  perfect  acquaintance 
with  it,  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The  use  of  the 
vernacular  tongues  was  strictly  prohibited  in  all 
schools  and  colleges ;  and  from  the  age  of  six  to 
sixteen  the  youth  spoke  and  heard  nothing  but  La^ 
tin.  In  their  epistolary  correspondence,  and  even 
in  their  ordinary  conversation,  the  learned  made  use 
of  the  same  medium  of  communication.  They  chose 
to  write  in  it  in  preference  to  their  native  language ; 
and,  judging  from  their  compositions  in  bodi,  it  is 
evident  they  had  a  greater  command  of  the  former 
than  of  the  latter. 

The  circumstance  last  mentioned  furnishes  one 
of  the  strongest  objections  against  the  practice  in 
question.  And  it  must  be  confessed,  that  it  is 
much  easier  to  prove  that  the  writers  of  the  six- 
teenth century  attained  to  excellence  in  Latin  tom- 
position,  than  it  is  to  vindicate  that  engrossing 
attention  to  the  language  by  which  they  were  aUe 
to  reach  that  excellence.  It  led  them  to  neglect  tfie 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  the  vernacular  Un- 


IrlFfi  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  445 

guages.    It  tended  to  produce  servile  imitation^  and 
to  give  a  spiritless  uniformity  to  literary  produc- 
tions.   And  by  forming  men  of  letters  into  a  sepa- 
rate cast,  it  prevented  them  from  exerting  an  influ- 
ence over  the  minds  of  the  people,  at  large,  and  de- 
prived literature  of  those  advantages  which  flow 
from  the    free  circulation  of  ideas   and  feelings 
among  all  classes  of  the  community.    But  whatever 
disadvantages  might  result  from  this  practice,  we 
must  not  overlook  the  important  advantages  with 
which  it  was  attended.     We  never  ought  to  forget, 
that  the  refinement,  and  the  science,  secular  and  sa^ 
cred,  with  which  modem  Europe  is  enriched,  must 
be  traced  to  the  revival  of  ancient  literature;  and 
that   the  hid  treasures  could  not  have  been  laid 
open  and  rendered  available,  but  for  that  enthusiasm 
with  which  the  languages  of  Greece. and  Rome  were 
cultivated  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries. 
The  passion  for  writing  in  these  languages,  in  verse 
as  well  as  in  prose,  is  to  be  viewed  both  in  the  light 
of  an  effect  and  a  cause  of  the  revival  of  letters. 
When  we  consider  the  rude  state  in  which  the  dif- 
ferent languages  of  Europe  then  were,  and  that  the 
number  of  readers  in  any  country  was  extremely 
small,  we  will  cease  to  wonder  that  men  of  letters 
should  have  chosen  so  generally  and  so  long  to  make 
use  of  a  highly  cultivated  tongue,  recommended  to 
*ihem  by  so  many  powerful  associations,   and  in 
^hich  their  writings  could  be  read  and  understood 
by  all  the  learned  in  every  nation.     Besides,  the 
great  attention  paid  to  those  studies,  although  it  re- 


446  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

tarded  the  improvement  of  modem  languages,  con- 
tributed ultimately  to  carry  them  to  a  higher  pitch 
of  cultivation  than  they  would  otherwise  have  at- 
tained. The  accurate  knowledge  of  the  general 
principles  of  language  which  was  thus  acquired 
(and  which  cannot  be  so  well  acquired  in  any  other 
way  as  by  the  study  of  dead  or  foreign  languages) 
came  to  be  applied  to  the  vernacular  tongues,  which, 
at  the  same  time  that  they  were  polished  after  the 
example,  were  enriched  from  the  resources  of  the 
most  refined  and  copious  languages  of  antiquity.  The 
writers  of  that  age  display  an  elegance  of  taste  and 
an  elevation  of  sentiment,  which  give  them  an  un- 
speakable superiority  over  their  predecessors,  and 
wliich  are  to  be  ascribed  in  a  great  measure  to  their 
familiarity  with  the  works  of  the  ancients.  Before 
passing  a  severe  censure  on  the  avidity  with  which 
ancient  letters  were  then  prosecuted,  it  would  he 
but  justice  also  to  consider  the  important  discove- 
ries which  were  made  at  the  same  time,  and  the  sti- 
mulus which  was  given  to  the  human  mind  in  the 
general  search  after  truth.  Nor  should  it  be  for- 
gotten, that  the  study  of  the  languages  of  Greece 
and  Rome  was  combined  with  the  study  of  the 
eastern  tongues,  which,  in  addition  to  its  throw- 
ing much  light  on  the  sacred  scriptures,  laid  open 
an  entirely  new  field  of  taste  and  inquiry,  has 
proved  subservient  to  political  purposes  of  the 
greatest  magnitude,  and  promises  to  be  still  more 
extensively  useful  in  promoting  the  improvement 


WFB  OF  ANDREW  MELYILLE.  447 

and  regeneration  of  the  largest  and  most  populous 
regions  of  the  globe. 

The  general  question  respecting  the  advantages 
of  classical  learning  is  not  now  before  us.  Suffice 
it  to  say  here,  that  the  fears  which  have  been  ex- 
pressed of  its  tendency  to  injure  genius  by  checking 
originality  of  thought,  and  religion  by  begetting  a 
spirit  and  ideas  of  an  unchristian  complexion,  are 
in  a  great  degree  fanciful  and  exaggerated.  Its 
principal  opponents  have  not  been  found  in  the  first 
ranks  of  genius,  nor  have  they  been  distinguished 
for  their  attachment  to  Christianity.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  greatest  and  best  authors  whom  Britain 
has  produced  have  been  familiar  with  it ;  and  al- 
though novelty  and  accidental  causes  may  give  a 
temporary  fame  to  attempts  which  proceed  on  an 
avowed  disregard  of  the  works  of  the  ancients,  our 
fine  writers  will  find  it  necessary  at  last  to  invigo- 
rate their  genius,  and  purify  their  taste,  by  dipping 
in  those  fountains  which  helped  to  confer  inunorta- 
lity  on  their  predecessors. 

The  facts  which  have  been  pointed  out  in  the 
course  of  this  brief  review,  will,  it  is  hoped,  assist 
the  reader  in  forming  an  idea  of  the  state  of  our 
national  literature  at  this  period.  They  may  per- 
haps convince  him,  that  Scotland  was  not  so  late  in 
entering  on  the  career  of  literary  improvement  as  is 
commonly  imagined ;  that  she  had  advanced,  at  the 
time  of  which  we  write,  nearly  to  the  same  stage 
as  the  other  nations  of  Europe ;  and  that  if  she 


448  LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE. 

did  not  afterwards  make  the  progress  which  was  to 
be  expected,  or  if  she  retrograded,  this  is  to  be  im- 
puted to  other  causes  than  to  want  of  spirit  in  her 
inhabitants,  or  to  the  genius  of  her  ecclesiastical 
constitution. 

In  asserting  that  Melville  had  the  chief  influence 
in  bringing  the  literature  of  Scotland  to  that  pitch 
of  improvement  which  it  reached  at  this  time,  I  am 
supported  by  the  testimony  of  contemporary  wri- 
ters of  opposite  parties,  as  well  as  by  facts  which 
have  been  brought  forward  in  the  course  of  this  work. 
The  study  of  letters  introduced  by  the  Reformation, 
suffered  a  severe  check  from  the  confusions  in  whidi 
the  country  was  involved  for  a  number  of  years. 
Many  of  those  who  had  the  charge  of  education 
left  the  kingdom,  and  such  as  remained,  being  dis- 
couraged by  want  of  support  and  patronage,  desisted 
from  their  labours,  or  contented  themselves  with  a 
perfunctory  discharge  of  their  duty,  without  making 
the  exertions  necessary  for  their  own  improvement 
and  the  advancement  of  knowledge.  Attempts  to 
effect  a  reform  on  the  old  literary  establishments 
had  repeatedly  failed  from  want  of  zeal  in  the  pa- 
trons, and  prejudice  or  aversion  to  labour  on  the 
part  of  the  teachers.  The  arrival  of  Melville  im- 
parted a  new  impulse  to  the  public  mind,  and 
his  high  reputation  for  learning,  joined  to  the 
enthusiasm  with  which  he  pleaded  its  cause,  en- 
abled him  to  introduce  an  improved  plan  of  study 
into  all  the  universities.  By  his  instructions  and 
his  example,  he  continued  and  increased  the  im- 
pulse which  he  had  at  first  given  to  the  minds 


LIFE  OF  ANDREW  MELVILLE.  449 

'of  his  countrymen.  In  languages,  in  theology,  and 
in  that  species  of  poetical  composition  which  was 
then  most  practised  among  the  learned,  his  influence 
was  direct  and  acknowledged.  And  though  he  did 
not  himself  cultivate  several  of  the  branches  of  study 
which  are  included  in  the  preceding  sketch,  yet  he 
stimulated  others  to  cultivate  them,  by  the  ardour 
with  which  he  inspired  their  minds,  and  by  the 
praises  which  he 'was  always  ready  to  bestow  on 
their  exertions  and  performances. 

I  conclude  with  a  single  remark,  containing  the 

chief  reason  which  induced  me  to  imdertake  this 

work,  and  to  devote  so  much  tim'e^and  labour  to  its 
f 

execution.  If  the  love  of  pure  religion,  rational 
liberty,  and  polite  letters,  forms  the  basis  of  national 
virtue  and  happiness,  I  know  no  individual,  after 
her  Reformer,  from  whom  Scotland  has  received 
greater  benefits,  and  to  whom  she  owes  a  deeper 
debt  of  gratitude  and  respect,  than  Andrew  Mel- 
ville. 


VOL.  IL  2  o 


■  /I 


I 


NOTES 


TO 


VOLUME  SECOND. 


.1 


Note  A.  p.  31. 

Ecclesiastical  Rights  ofProJ'ess&rs  of  Divinity. — It  wm  repoiru 
ed  to  the  General  Asserobly  in  April,  1583,  "  that  ane  elderschip 
(presbytery)  ig  begun  already  at  St  androes  of  pastouris  and  teachers, 
hot  not  of  those  that  hes  not  the  cure  of  teaching."  (Buik  of  UniT. 
Kirk,  f.  118,  b.)  By  the  General  Assembly,  May  1586,  ^<  It  is  found 
that  all  such  as  the  scripture  appoints  goremors  of  the  Kirk  of  God, 
as  naraelie  pastors,  doctors,  and  elders,  may  convene  to  generall  a»* 
semblies,  and  vote  in  ecclesiastical  matters."  (Ibid.  f.  139,  b.)  B&- 
ing  constituent  members  of  the  presbyteries  within  whose  bounds 
they  resided,  doctors  or  professors  of  divinity  might  be  sent  by  them, 
as  well  as  by  their  universities,  as  representatives  to  the  General  As- 
sembly.  In  consequence  of  a  complaint  from  the  Synod  of  Fife  that 
this  right  had  been  infringed,  it  was  recognized  anew  by  the  Assembly 
which  met  at  Holyroodhouse  in  the  year  1602,  and  at  which  his  Ma« 
jesty  was  present.  (Ibid.  f.  S03,  a.)  One  reason  of  RoUock's  being 
admitted  one  of  the  ministers  of  Edinburgh,  soon  after  the  meeting 
of  the  commissioners  at  St.  Andrews,  might  be  to  exempt  him  from 
the  restriction  intended  to  be  laid  on  all  theological  professors.  On 
that  occasion  Bruce  at  first  objected  to  receiving  imposition  of  hands, 
as  implying  that  he  had  not  previously  a  valid  call  to  the  ministry. 
Patrick  Simpson,  in  a  letter  dated  May  1,  1598,  says :  ''  I  perceive 
that  Mr  Rob.  RoUock  stands  much  on  the  lacke  of  ordination  in  your 
ministry,  which  makes  me  marvail  how  he  could  call  Mmself  a  mi'* 
/lister  of  Christs  Evangel  at  Ed.  in  his  Analysis  upon  the  Epistle  to 

2  G  2 


452  NOTES. 

the  Romansi  and  in  the  mean  time  wanting  ordination  to  that  minia- 
try^  if  this  fform  of  ordination  which  we  want  be  so  essentiall  aa  he 
speaks."  (Wodrow's  Life  of  Bruce,  p.  35 :  MSS.  voL  i.)  But  I  do 
not  think  that  Rollock,  in  1593,  when  he  published  the  book  referred 
to,  was  a  minister  in  the  same  sense  as  Bruce  and  Symson  were :  I 
mean  that  he  was  not  properly  the  pastor  of  a  Congregation.  In  ocn- 
sequence  of  a  petition  from  the  town,  the  presbytery  had  auth<vized 
him  to  preach  the  morning  lecture  in  one  of  the  churches.  (Rec  of 
Presb.  of  Edin.  Sept.  5,  1587.)  But  it  was  not  tiU  the  beginmng  of 
the  year  1598,  that  he  "  was  admittit  to  be  ane  of  the  aught  ordinar 
ministers  of  this  bur^."    (Reg.  of  Town  Coundi,  Jan.  S5,  1597.) 

Note  B.  pp.  35,  36. 

Character  of  David  Black, — Spotswood  says,  that "  Mr.  Black  was 
summoned"  before  the  commissioners.  (Hist.  p.  448.)  But  James 
Melville,  who  was  one  of  the  commissioners,  says,  *'  Mr.  Robert 
Wallace  was  proceidit  against  and  removit  from  St.  And"  be  sum 
form  of  kinglie  commissione,  proceiding  and  process.  Bot  Mr.  David 
Black  was  never  anes  called,  and  yet,  of  mere  kinglie  power,  il  bdio- 
Tit  him  to  be  d^Murrit  St.  And"."  (Diary,  p.  314.)  Spotswood  jbrther 
says,  that  *'  the  elders  and  deacons  of  the  church — oil  upon  oath  de- 
poned that  the  accusations  were  true,  and  that  Blake  had  spoken  aU 
that  whereof  he  was  cMivicted  before  the  Counoel. — And  Ihey  d»-  • 
dared  that  both  the  one  and  the  other  were  given  to  faotionsy  and  that 
they  did  not  carry  themsdvea  with  that  indiflfereney  whidi  beeame 
preachera."  Yet  the  archbiahop  had  himself  stated,  a  Mfttb  fae» 
fore,  that  Black  presented  to  the  privy  council,  aa  a  proof  of  the 
falsehood  of  the  charges^  two  testimonials,  the  one  sabacribod  by  ths 
provost,  bailies,  and  council,  and  the  other  by  the  rector,  dean  of  £i* 
culty,  and  professors  of  the  university*  (Hist.  p.  485.  Comp.  Rec»  af 
Privy  Coundi,  ult.  Nov.  1506.)  Now>  several  of  the  magiatnilea  and 
of  the  professors  were  at  that  time  membera  of  sesakm.  Bot  tbia  m 
not  alL  The  following  axtracta  from  the  minutaa  cf  aeaaioD  pnift 
that  the  dden  and  deacons  lelt  the  hightat  lespeet  and  i^gud  ftr 
Bbck. 


Die  fumo  Janmurii,  15M. 
The  qlk  day,  Mr.  Robert  Wallace,  Mr.  Da? id  Monypenny,  and 
Mr.  Robert  Zole,  ar  ordenit  to  pas  to  y«  eounsall  of  y*  toim  aaddeayr 
ane  iupplicatkm  to  his  M.  £Driclief  of  Mr.  David  Blakypaator,  aid 


NOTES.  453 

ab  order  to  be  takin  for  lerTiiig  of  Mr.  David  Blakeis  coir  qf^  he  cum 
hame,  and  yat  order  may  be  taken  wt  y«  parochin  q^  he  cum  hame 
qlkis  ar  now  all  gane  loos. 

Die  Jdxpo  MarHi,  1596. 
The  qlk  day  y«  seeiioan  hes  statut  that  y«  derk  uret  ane  bill  and 
miadTe  in  y*  names  to  Mr.  David  Blak^  y*  minister  to  gif  him  thankes 
for  his  last  1'  of  leoommendatione  send  be  him  to  yame,  as  also  to 
shaw  him  y^  y*  kinges  ma.  is  desyrus  to  confer  w^  him,  and  y^  he 
send  his  awin  snpplicatione  to  his  ma.  to  obtain  licens  to  cmn  to  hit 
ma.  to  yt  effect.  And  to  sdiaw  to  y«  said  Mr.  David  yt  qt  lyis  in 
thair  power  to  farther  his  hame  cuming  they  sail  do  y«  samin  w^  his 
awin  adyys,  and  to  schaw  him  y«  townis  commissionaris,  send  to  his 
ma.  for  his  delyueranoe,  resauit  y*  samin  ans'  of  his  ma. 

SuppLicatione  fir  Mr  David  Blak. 

Die  viii  Maff,  1597. 

The  qi^  day,  y®  sessionn  of  Sanctandrois  hes  ordanit  ane  sapplica« 
tione  to  be  send  to  y*  generall  assemUie  convenit  to  mome  at  Dan- 
dle requesting  thair  godlie  w.  to  interseid  to  his  ma.  to  grant  lieena 
to  Mr.  David  Blak  thair  [[minister]]  to  be  restorit  and  admittit  to  cum 
hame  to  this  eitie  to  use  his  functioan  of  y*  minislrie  as  he  was  wont 
to  do  befoir  and  beeaus  y*  bailaes  and  sum  otheria  of  y«  elderis  and 
deconis  wes  n^  present  to  consent  beireto  the  sessioun  ordanit  Alex. 
Winchester,  Martyn  Lumsdane*  Oeorge.Cristi^  Robert  W^soun,  & 
Charlis  Watsoun  clerk  to  pas  w^  y«  said  sapplicatione  to  thame  & 
otheris  sealous  men  of  this  dtie  to  inquir  of  diame  to  subscry  ve  y*  said 
sttpplicatione,  &  request  for  y«  pastor  aforesaid,  &  for  his  hame  cum- 
ing again. 

Melville's  poem  on  Black's  death  may  be  seen  in  Delit.  Poet,  Scd^ 
torn.  ii.  pp.  81 — 84.  There  are  two  encomiastic  poems  on  him  by 
Hume  of  Godscroft  (Lusus  Poedd,  pp.  5»-*55.)  ''  Mr.  David  Black 
miB^  of  St.  Andrews"  obtained  a  decree  for  an  '^  annual  rent  of  audit 
bdb  victual— lurth  of  the  lands  of  lochschedis,"  which  ho  inherited 
from  ''  umqll  Henry  Blak  burges  of  y«  bruch  of  Perth,  father  to  the 
said  complainer."  (Act  Buik  of  the  Commissariot  of  St.  Andrews, 
July  18,  15»i.) 

Note  C.  p.  75. 

Am/iceii  J[>t>rtm.— According  te  Spotswood,  this  work  was  shown 
to  Mdville  in  MS.  and  in  consequence  of  extracts  from  it  being  laid 


454  NOTES. 

before  the  Synocl  of  Fyfe,  his  Majesty  published  it  in  the  oounc  of 
that  year,  1599.  (Hist.  p.  457.)  But  this  is  contradicted  by  the 
account  which  James  has  himself  given  in  his  apologetic  prefoee  to 
the  second  edition^  and  which  I  have  followed  in  the  text.  I  have 
now  before  me  a  copy  of  the  first  edition^  belonging  to  Archibald 
Constable,  Esq.  Edinburgh ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  is  one  of 
the  teven  copies  (perhaps  the  only  one  now  existing)  to  which  that 
edition  was  Umited.  Its  title  is,  '«  BA2IAKON  AHPON.  Devided 
into  three  Bookes.  Edinbvrgh,  Printed  by  Robert  Walde-gnrae  Prin- 
ter to  the  Kings  Majestic.  1599."  X  in  fours.  It  is  beautiftiUy 
printed  in  a  large  Italic  letter.  Prefixed  to  it  are  two  sonneta,  the 
first  of  which,  entitled  ''  The  Dedication  of  the  booke/  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  subsequent  editions.  I  have  seen  no  reason  to  think 
that  it  was  reprinted  until  1603,  in  the  course  of  which  year  it  went 
through  three  editions ;  all  of  them,  probably,  published  after  the 
death  of  Elizabeth.  If  this  was  the  fact,  the  wonderful  influence 
which  Spotswood  says  it  had  in  promoting  James's  accession  must 
have  been  ex  post  facto,  I  have  not  seen  it  mentioned  between  1599 
and  1603.  One  of  the  seven  copies  might  be  conveyed  to  some  of 
the  courtierB  of  Elitabeth  in  the  secret  correspondence  which  James 
carried  on  with  them  during  that  interval ;  but  they  had  other  rea- 
sons than  his  merits  as  an  author  for  favouring  his  title. 

On  comparing  the  first  edition  with  the  subsequent  onca,  I  find 
that  alterations  were  made  on  the  work.  For  though  all  the  charges 
against  the  Scottish  preachers  are  retained  in  subttanoe,  James  found 
it  necessary  to  drop  or  soften  some  of  his  most  unguarded  and  banh 
expressions,  and  to  give  an  ambiguous  turn  to  the  sentences  which 
had  created  the  greatest  ofi^noe.  For  example,  in  the  original  edi- 
tion (pp.  8,  9,)  he  says :  **  If  my  conscience  had  not  reacdued  me, 
ail  my  religion  was  grounded  upon  the  plaine  words  of  tl^  scrip- 
ture, I  had  neuer  outwardly  avowed  it,  for  pleature  or  awe  of  ike 
sotfitf  pHde  of  tome  sediekm*  Preachourt."  In  the  oditiaQ  printed 
at  London  in  1608,  (p.  5,)  that  aentence  enda  ■  ■  '*  I  had  never 
oatwardlie  auowed  it,  for  pleasure  er  awe  of  «Hf  jfffA.**— «— '^  The 
reformation  of  Religion  in  Scotland  being  mukU  by  a  pofmlar  hmtJi 
and  rebellion  (as  wd  appeared  by  tlie  destruction  of  on  polide) 
and  not  proceeding  from  the  Princes  ordonr,  Ac**  (P.  46»  oi%.  ed.) 
^*  The  reformation  of  Religion  in  Scotland,  being  eairaordinanhi 
wrought  by  God,  wherein  tnany  things  were  inordinatehf  done  hy  apih 
jsdare  tumult  and  rebellion  of  such  as  blituUy  were  doin§^  tke  works  of 
Ood  but  dogged  with  their  own  passions  and  parUcnkr  rrnptds"  &c. 


NOTES.  455 

(P.  31,  ed.  Id03.)^^'  Take  heede  therefore  (ray  Sonne)  to  these  Pu- 
ritanes^  verie  pestes  in  the  Church  and  common- weill  of  Scotland; 
whom  Cby  long  exj^ri^cej  I  have  found,  no  deserts  can  ohlish/'  &c. 
(P.  49,  orig.  ed.)  **  Take  heed  therefore  (my  Son)  to  such  Pvritans, 
▼erie  pestes  m  the  Church  and  common- weale,  whom  no  deserts  can 
oUige/'  &c.  (P.  34,  ed.  1603.)  The  following  sentence  of  the  origU 
nal  edition  (p.  51,)  was  afterwards  omitted  :  ''  And  the  first  that 
raileth  against  you,  punish  with  the  rigour  of  the  lawe;  for  I  haue 
eke  in  my  days  bursten  them  with  ouer^much  reason."  The  following 
sentence  respecting  those  who  **  meddle  with  the  polide  in  the  pul- 
pite,"  is  also  omitted :  '*  But  snibbe  sukerlie  the  first  minteth  to  it : 
And  (if  he  like  to  appeale  or  dedyne)  when  ye  haue  taken  order  with 
his  heade,  his  brethren  may  (if  they  please)  powle  his  haire  and  pare 
his  nayles  as  the  King  my  Grandefather  said  of  a  Priest."  (Pp.  107, 
108.)  The  following  character  of  the  Islanders  of  Scotland  is 
dropped :  "  Thinke  no  other  of  them  all,  then  as  Wolues  and  Wild 
Boares."    (P.  43.) 

Note  D.  p.  302. 

Writings  of  James  MeltnUe* — Under  the  year  1/501,  he  gives  the 
following  account  of  what  was  most  probably  his  first  publication. 
"  Then  did  I  first  put  in  Print  some  of  my  poesie,  to  wit,  the  de- 
scription of  the  Spanyarts  Naturall  out  of  Jol^  Scaliger,  w^  sum  ex- 
hortationes  for  warning  of  Idrk  and  conntrey.'*  (Diary,  p.  225.) 
In  a  short  history  of  his  life  at  Anstmther,  prefixed  to  his  Diary,  he 
says :  *'  In  the  year  1598  I  cawsit  print  my  Cateehisme  for  the  pro- 
fit of  my  peiple  and  bestowit  y'vpon  f y ve  hunder  marks  quhxLk  God 
moved  the  hart  of  a  maist  godlie  and  lowing  iHnd  to  frelie  oflfer  to 
me  in  len  for  y ^  effect :  of  the  Qquhilk]]  I  remean  addettit,  bot  could 
never  to  my  knowledge  attein  to  a  hunder  marks  again  for  the  buiks." 
(lb.  p.  10.)  This  rare  book  was  published  under  the  following  title: 
*'  A  Si^ritvall  Propine  of  a  Pastour  to  his  People.  Heb.  5. 12.  You 
whom  it  behooued,  &c.  Jam.  1.  19,  21,  22.  And  sa  my  beloned  bre- 
thren, &c.  [[Edinburgh,  Printed  by  Robert  Walde-graue  Printer  to 
the  Kings  Maiestie,  Cum  Privil^io  Regio  *."]]  It  is  in  quarto,  and 
consists  of  127  pages.  On  the  back  of  the  title-page  are  *'  Contents 
e£  the  Bulk."  The  Epistle  Dedieatorie  is  addressed  *'  To  the  Reve- 
rende  Fathers  and  Brethren,  Elders  of  the  Congregation  of  Kilrinny, 
and  haill*flocke  committed  to  their  gouemement."— '^  Receiue  Reue- 

*  The  imprint  is  lupplied  from  the  tide  to  the  second  part 


456  NOTES. 

rende  Fathers^  louing  brethren^  and  deir  flocks  this  SpirituaU  Prth' 
frine :  conteining  in  flhort  ramme  the  sabttance  of  that  exerdae  of 
tryall^  wherewith  ye  are  acquainted  in  dayly  doctrine^  before  ye  oom« 
municate  at  the  Table  of  the  Lorde,  togidder  with  the  grounds  of 
the  doctrine  of  godlinesse  and  saluation^  contryued  in  a  peeoe  of  not 
Tnpleasand  and  rerie  profitable  Poesie,"  &c.  It  is  dated  ^'  From 
Ansterutker,  the  20  day  of  Nouember,  1598.  Your  Pastor,  louing 
and  faithful  be  the  grace  of  God  vnto  the  death,  James  l^ALyiLL." 
Then  follow  sonnets,  commendatory  of  the  work,  by  M.  R.  D.  [[Mr. 
Robert  Dury]]  M.  I.  D.  QMr.  John  Davidson]]  A.  M.  [[Andrew 
Melville;]  M.  I.  I.  [[Mr.  John  Johnston]]  M.  W.  S.  [[Mr.  William 
Scot]]  M.  I.  C.  and  M.  I.  C.  [[probably  Mr.  John  and  Mr.  James 
Carmichael.]]  They  are  all  in  Scotch,  except  that  subscribed  A.  M. 
which  is  in  Latin,  and  accompanied  with  a  translation,  probably  by 
James  Melville.  The  first  part  of  the  work  is  in  prose,  and  consists 
of  prayers  and  meditations  suited  to  difierent  occasions,  directions  for 
self-examination,  and  ''  the  forme  of  tryall  and  examination,  taken 
of  all  sik  as  ar  admitted  to  the  Table  of  the  Lord,'*  in  question  and 
answer.  The  second  part  is  in  poetry,  and  is  introduced  by  the  fol- 
lowing title :  "  A  Morning  Vision :  or  Poem  for  the  Practise  of  Pietie, 
in  Devotion,  Faith  and  Repentance :  Wherein  the  Lords  Prayer,  Be- 
leefe,  and  Commands,  and  sa  the  whole  Catechisme,  and  right  vse 
thereof,  is  largely  exponed."  It  is  prefaced  by  a  metrical  dedication 
to  ''  James  the  Sext,  King  of  Scottes,  and  Prince  of  Poeta  in  his 
language;**  and  contains,  among  other  devotional  and  moral  pieces, 
a  singular  composition,  set  to  musi<^  and  entitled.  '^  r^W^rna  Nav- 
ticvm :  The  Seamans  Shovte  or  mntuall  exhortatioi^  to  ga  forward 
in  the  spirituall  voyage." 

In  giving  an  account  of  treatises  against  the  imposition  of  prelacy 
on  the  Church  of  Scotland,  Row  says :  **  I  have  also  seen  a  little 
poem  in  print,  called  the  Black  Battill,  or  a  Lamtniatum  of  the  Kirk 
of  Scotland,  compiled  by  Mr.  James  Melville,  sometime  MinisF  at 
Anstruther  and  now  eonfyned  in  England*  1611."  (Hist  pp.  31 !» 
SI  8.)  I  have  not  met  with  a  copy  of  the  printed  work,  bat  a  MS. 
Wume,  communicated  to  me  by  Robert  Graham,  Esq.  ooncains  a 
poem  which  I  have  no  doubt  is  a  transcript  of  that  to  which  Row  le* 
fers.  Itisentitled,  T^iUocAe^uteff,  andeooaiatsof  {^itaiiiaa^  Pke- 
ftxed  to  it  is  the  date,  "  November,  1611.** 

The  following  stansas  form  part  of  the  exordiunu  • 


NOTES.  457 

The  air  was  clear t  w^  quhyt  and  sable  clouds/ 

Hard  froist,  w^  frequent  schours  of  hail  and  snow^ 

Into  y*  nicht  the  stormie  vind  with  thouds 

And  balfoull  billows  on  y*  sea  did  blaw : 

Men  beastis  and  fouUs  vnto  thair  beilds  did  draw ; 

Fain  than  to  find  the  fruct  of  simmer  thrifty 

Quhen  clad  with  snaw  was  sand^  wodd^  crag  and  clift. 

I  satt  at  fyre  weill  guyrdit  in  my  goun. 
The  starving  sparrows  at  my  window  cheipid^ 
To  reid  ane  quhyle  1  to  my  book  was  boun : 
In  at  ane  panne,  the  pretty  progne  peipped. 
And  moved  me  for  fear  I  sould  haue  sleiped. 
To  ryse  and  sett  ane  keasment  oppen  wyd. 
To  sie  give  robein  wald-cum  in  and  byde. 

Puir  progne^  sudtlie  I  haue  hard  ye  sing 
Thair  at  my  window  one  the  simmer  day ; 
And  now  sen  wintar  bidder  dois  ye  bring 
I  pray  y*  enter  in  my  hous  and  stay 
TUl  it  be  fair,  and  than  thous  go  thy  way. 
For  trewlie  thous  be  treated  courteouslie 
And  nothing  thralled  in  thy  libertie. 

Cum  in,  sueit  robin,  welcum  verrilie. 
Said  I,  and  doan  I  satt  tat  be  the  fjrre. 
Then  in  cums  robein' reidbreist  mirrelie  ' 
And  souppis  and  lodgis  at  my  harts  desyre : 
But  one  y*  mome  I  him  perceaved  to  tjrre ; 
For  phebus  schyning  sueitlie  him  allurd. 
I  gaue  him  leif,  and  furth  guid  robein  furd. 

The  poet  betakes  himself  to  his  meditations,  and  sees  *'  full  deirlie 


in  ane  visioun. 


#» 


Ane  woman  with  ane  cumlie  countenance. 
With  (lerdit  face  and  garisch  in  attyre. 
Ane  croun  of  glas  vpone  hir  heid  did  Cglanoe]], 
Hir  clothes  war  collourit  contrair  hir  [[desyre]], 
Ane  heavie  yock  layd  on  hir  neck  and  Qyre]], 


458  NOTES. 

Of  rcid  anc  scepter  in  liir  hand  she  buir : 
In  riche  aray  yit  sillle^  leane  and  puir. 

Hoised  up  one  hie  upone  a  royal  throne 
Thair  feirdie  satt  abone  the  woman's  head 
(Which  held  hir  under  feir  and  all  undone 
As  presoner)  ane  rampand  Lyon  rdd : 
This  lyon  craftie  foxes  tua  did  leid : 
And  round  about  hir  threttein  wolves  danced> 
To  haue  the  keiping  of  hir  scheip  advanced. 

After  the  leopard^  *'  the  Lyons  grit  lieutenant/'  (the  Earl  of  Dun- 
bar^) has  fenced  the  courts  and  a  wolf^  '*  dad  in  silk,"  has  made/'  ane 
preitching  all  of  woU  and  milk^"  the  Lion  (the  King)  is  dedared  su- 
preme^ and  at  his  wiU  and  pleasure  the  wolves  (the  bishops)  are  set 
over  the  flock ;  on  which  the  captive  lady  breaks  out  into  a  ''  heavie 
Lamentation/'  which  occupies  the  rest  of  the  poem. 

In  the  same  MS.  is  another  poem  (of  09  stanzas)  on  the  same  sub- 
ject with  the  preceding^  evidently  composed  by  James  Melville,  and 
entitled,  "  Thrie  may  keip  counsdl  give  twa  be  away  ;  or  Eusebius, 
Democritus,  Heraditus."    Democritus  says : 

I  laucht  to  sie  how  lords  ar  maid  of  loons. 

And  how  thai  ar  intretted  in  our  touns. 

Quher  sumtyme  thai  war  fain  for  to  reteir  thame 

For  rocks  and  stoannes  of  wyffis  that  came  so  near  thame. 

I  laucht  to  sie  thame  now  sett  ouer  the  flocks 

Who  came  to  oowrt  with  thair  auld  mullis  and  sockis, 

Quher  thai  war  nocht  regairdit  with  ane  sows 

By  king,  by  cowrt,  nor  any  of  his  hoos. 

I  laucht  how  Jon  and  Greorge,  who  war  most  sdandrous, 

Ar  lords  advanced  of  Glasgow  and  St  Androns ; 

How  William,  Androu,  Sanders,  and  the  laif. 

By  peijurie  and  playing  of  the  knaif, 

Ar  styllit  in  god  our  fathers  reuerend. 

Who  scarrs  amongs  our  pastours  brew  war  kend. 

And  justlie  so,  for  now  ar  thai  dedynd 

And  ar  becam  men  of  contrarie  mynd. 

The  Reverend  William  Blackie,  minister  of  Yetholm,  posKssed  a 
manuscript  volume,  which  he  has  deposited  in  the  Advocates  Library. 


NOTES.  459 

It  consisU  of  poems  in  the  Scottish  language  by  James  Melville^  and 
in  the  handwriting  of  the  author.  They  appear  to  have  been  all 
written  by  him  during  his  banishment.  The  greater  part  of  them 
are  expressive  of  his  feelings  on  the  overthrow  of  the  liberties  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland^  and  the  imprisonment  and  banishment  of  his 
uncle.  "  A  Preservative  from  Apostacie,  or  the  Song  of  Moses^  tlie 
servant  of  God^  Deut  xxxii.  with  short  notes^  translated  out  of  He- 
brew and  put  in  metre^"  is  dedicated  "  to  the  Church  of  Scotland  in 
generally  and  the  people  of  the  paroch  of  Kilrennie  in  speciall."  Then 
follows  a  long  sonnet^  entitled^  ''  The  Wandering  Sheepe,  or  David's 
Tragique  Fall."  The  last  poem  in  the  volume  is  ''  The  Relief e  of 
the  Longing  Soule :  The  Song  of  Songs^  which  is  Solomon's^  exponed 
by  a  large  paraphrase  of  metre  for  memorie  and  aften  meditatioun.'* 
Prefized  to  it  is  a  dedication :  "  To  his  lowing  sister  in  Jesus  Christy 
M.  Nicohis  Murray,  gntce^  mercy  and  peace  be  multiplied. — London^ 
Novemb.  5,  1606.  Y"  much  bound  in  Christ,  James  Melvill.** 
The  following  are  specimens  of  the  poetry  in  this  volume. 

To  Mr.  Andrew  Melvin, 
O  matchles  Melvin,  honour  of  our  lands ! 
How  are  we  grieved  and  gladit  with  thy  bands ! 
We  grieve  to  see  dc  men  comitt  as  thee. 
We  joy  to  hear  how  constantly  thou  stands 
Pleading  the  cause  of  God  cast  in  thy  hands 
Against  this  bastard  brood  of  Bischoprie, 
Whais  eydle  rites,  pompe,  pryd  and  graceless  glore, 
Justlie  thou  haits;  bait  still,  hait  more  and  more. 

Happie,  thryse  happie,  Melvine,  thoch  in  warde. 

Men  loves  thy  cause,  God  has  it  in  regarde. 

No  prisone  can  thy  libertie  restraine 

To  speak  the  right,  but  *  flatterie  or  but  fairde, 

Pure,  plain,  not  mingled,  maimed  or  impairde. 

No  brangled  titles  can  thy  honour  staine. 

Thy  tell-treuth  fervent  freedom  wha  would  blame, 

'Wrays  but  his  awin  fala,  faint,  or  servile  shame. 

♦  Widiottt. 


460  NOTES. 


AT  MR.  ANDREW  MELVIKg's  GOING  TO  FRANCE,   APRIL  1611. 

Mond  d  Venvers. 

No  marvell  Scotland  thow  be  like  to  tjn. 
For  thou  hes  lost  thy  honey  and  thy  wine. 
Thy  strength,  thy  conrage,  and  thy  libertie. 
Went  all  away,  when  as  he  went  from  thee. 
In  learning,  upright  zeall,  religion  trew. 
He  maister  was,  but  now  bid  all  a  Dieu, 
Be  mute,  you  Scottish  muses :  no  more  verse ! 
But  sobbing  say,  Le  mond  est  k  TenTenu 

In  the  MS.  volume  entitled,  Melvini  EpistoUe,  is  a  translation  into 
English  verse  of  part  of  the  Zodiaau  Fitcp  of  Marcellus  Palingenius : 
''  Dedicat  to  the  £.  of  D. ;"  that  is,  the  Earl  of  Dunbar.  It  contams 
only  Aries  and  part  of  Taurus.  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  its  being 
the  work  of  James  Melville.  The  MS.  is  in  his  handwriting, 
and  on  the  margin  is  a  number  of  variations. — His  apology  for  the 
Church  of  Scotland  does  not  appear  to  have  been  printed  till  many 
•  years  after  his  death :  '*  Ad  Serenissimum  Jaoobum  Primvm  Britan- 
niarvm  Monarcham,  Ecdesite  Scoticans  libdlus  tupplex,  Jkw§k»ymrtu0t 
Mm  ix«f v(r«»«r.  Auotore  Jacobo  Melvino  Verbi  Dei  Ministro,  Domini 
Andres  Melvini  rm  irmw  nepole.  Londini^— -16^"  8^0.  In  the  Ad- 
vocates Library  are  two  poems  in  MS.,  *'  Funeral  Tcmb,"  and  a 
''  Dialogue,**  on  the  death  of  James  Melville,  written  by  Thomas 
Melville.'*  (Jac.  V.  7.  nos.  6,  7.)  I  suljoin  the  epitaph  on  him  by 
his  uncle,  printed  at  the  end  of  the  last  mentioned  book,  whkh  ia 
rare. 


Epitaphium  Anctoria,  k  Domino 
Andrea  Aldvino  conscr^tnm* 

Chare  nepos,  de  fratre  nepot,  mihi  frabncj  i^epote 

Charior,  et  quicquid  fratre  nepote  queat 
Charius  esse  usquaro  ;  quin  me  mihi  charior  ipso, 

Et  quicquid  mihi  me  charius  ease  queat. 
Conailiis  auctor  mihi  tu,  dux  rebus  agendis, 

Cijan  privata,  aut  res  publica  agenda  tidu 
Amborum  mens  una  animo,  oorde  una  vdluntaa, 

Corque  unum  in  duplici  corpore,  et  una  anima. 


NOTES.  461 

Vna  ambo  vexad  odiis  immanibus,  ambo 

Dignati  et  Christi  pro  grege  dura  patL 
Dura  pati^  aed  iniqua  pad,  sub  crimine  ficto> 

Ni  Christum,  et  Christi  crimen  amare  gregem. 
Qui  locus,  ant  que  me  hora  tibi  nunc  difidat,  idem 

Hie  locus,  hec  me  eadem  dividat  hora  mihL 
Tune  tui  desiderium  mihi  triste  relinquaa? 

Qui  prior  hue  veni,  non  prior  bine  abeam  ? 
An  sequar  usque  comes  ?  sic,  sic  juyat  ire  sub  astra. 

Tecum  ^o  ut  exul  eram,  tecum  ero  et  in  patria« 
Christus  ubi  caput,  etemam  nos  poscit  in  aulam, 

Arctius  nt  jungat  nos  sua  membra  sibL 
Induviis  donee  redivivi  corporis  artus 

Vestiat,  illustrans  lumine  purpureo. 
Sternum  ut  patrem,  natumque  et  flamen  ovantes. 

Carmine  perpetuo  concelebremus,  lo. 

NoTX  £.  p.  328. 

Wriiingi  of  Andrew  MelviUe, — I  salgoin  a  list  of  his  printed 
works. 

1.  "  Carmen  Mosis — ^Andrea  Melvino  Scoto  ATCtore.  Basilec. 
M.p.  Lxxiii."  8vo.    (See  above,  voL  u  pp.  86 — 90.) 

9.  "  2TEOANI2KION.  Ad  43oodc  R^;em,  habitum  in  Corona, 
tione  Regine. — ^Per  Andream  Meluinam.*-£dinbvrgi  1590."  4to. 
(See  above,  vol.  i.  j^  801,  468.) 

3.  "  Carmina  ex  Doctisdmis  PoStis  Selecta,  inter  quoiy  qiuedam  Geo. 
Bttchanani  et  And.  Melvini  imeruniur.  1690."  8yo.  (Ruddimanni 
BibL  Roman,  p.  71.) 

4  "  Principis  Scoti-Britannorym  Natalia.  Edinbvrgi — 1594."  4to. 
(See  above,  vol.  i.  p.  376.) 

5.  *'  Theses  Theologies  de  libero  arbitrio.  Edmburgi,  1597."  4to. 
(Sibbald,  de  Script.  Scot.  p.  48.)  These  mifi^t  be  the  Theses  of  some 
of  his  students. 

6.  '*  Scholastics  Diatriba  de  Rebvs  Divinis  ad  Anquirendam  et  in« 
veniendam  veritatem,  k  candidatis  S.  Theol.  habenda  (Deo  volente) 
ad  d.  xxvi.  et  xxvii.  Julijj  in  Scholis  Theologids  Acad.  Andreane, 
Spiritu  Sancto  Preside.  D.  And.  Melvino  S.  TheoL  D.  et  illivs  facul- 
tatis  Decano  ri^nniriy  moderante.  Edinbvrgi,  Excudebat  Robertus 
Waldegraue  Typographus  R^us  1599."  4to.  Pp.  16.  (In  BibL  Col. 
Glasg.) 


462  NOTES. 

7.  ''  Gathclus,  seu  Fragmentum  de  origine  Gentis  Scotorum." 
This  poem  was  first  printed  along  with  *'  Jonstoni  inacriptiones  Hi- 
stories Regum  Sootorum.    Amstel.  1608." 

8.  '*  Pro  gupplid  Evangelicomm  Miniatrorum  in  Anglia — Apolo- 
gia^ sivc  Anti-Tarai-Cami-Categoria.  Authore  A.  Melvina  1604." 
(See  above,  vol.  ii.  p.  104.) 

9.  Select  Psalms  turned  into  Liatin  verse,  and  printed  (probably  at 
London)  in  1609.     (See  above,  voL  ii.  p.  S16.) 

10.  "  Nesdmus  Qvid  Vesper  Serva  Vehat.  Satyra  Menij^Mea  Vin- 
ccntii  Liberii  HoUandii.  mdcxix."  4to.  Pp.  35.  Another  edition  was 
published  in  the  year  1620.  A  copy  of  eadi  is  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum. On  the  back  of  the  title  is  a  letter,  **  Liberiua  Vincentius 
Hollandus  Francisco  de  Ingenuis  S.  P.  D."  dated  ''  Amstelodami  iv. 
Idus  Sept  Anno  a  Christo  nato  m.dc.ziz."  I  have  not  seen  this 
work,  but  from  extracts  which  have  been  oommunicated  to  me,  it 
appears  to  be  a  satire  partly  in  prose  and  partly  in  verse,  and  refers 
much  to  the  a£fairs  of  Venice.  This  last  circumstance,  taken  in  con- 
nexion with  Melville*s  advanced  age,  excites  a  suspicion  that  he  was 
not  the  author.  And  yet  if  he  was  not,  it  is  strange  that  il  should 
have  been  so  generally  ascribed  to  him  both  by  Scottish  and  foreigtt 
writers.  (Barbier,  Diet,  des  Ouvrages  Anonymes  et  Pseadoiiynies, 
torn.  iii.  p.  489.  Charters's  Acco.  of  Scots  Divines,  p.  4.)  It  has  alss 
been  ascribed  to  Nicholaus  Crassus,  a  Venetian. 

11.  '<  Viri  darissimi  A.  Mdvini  Mts«  et  P.  Adamsoni  Vitaet 
Palinodia  et  Celsie  commissionis^—descriptio.  Anno  m,i>c«xx.**  ito. 
Pp.  67.  Melville  was  not  consulted  in  the  publicati<m  of  these  poems, 
nor  was  he  the  author  (as  has  often  been  inaccurately  stated)  of  tfas 
tracts  added  to  them.  In  the  epistle  to  the  reader,  the  paUiaher 
says :  '*  quia  absque  eius  venia ;  gratum  illi  an  futnrum  sit  hoc  menm 
studium  nesdo." — "  Est  vir  iste  darissimus  omni  invidia  &  exerp> 
tione  migor:  virosque  iUustres  Joeephnm  Scaligennn,  Theodonun 
Besam  et  alios  habet  laudum  prcoones :  non  ideo  opus  est  ilH  meo 
encomio.  Tantum  descripsi  vitam  Adamsoni,**  &c.— John  AdaauoB 
(afterwards  Prindpal  of  the  College  of  Bdinhmgh)  was  6iD|iloyed  in 
collecting  Melville's  fugitive  poeros^  (see  above,  p.  817,)  but  whether 
he  or  Calderwood  was  the  publisher  of  the  Mutee,  I  cannot  detenBia& 

12.  "  De  Adiaphoris.  Scoti  rw  r«;^«Miff  AphorismL  AnnoDonbii 
1632.*'     12mo.  Pp.  20.    (In  BiU.  Jurid,  Edin.) 

IS.  "  Andrese  Mdrini  Scotiae  Topographia/*  This  poem  is  pie- 
fixed  to  the  Theatrum  Scotice  in  Bleau'*  Ailat.    "  'Tis  BuchaBSB*i 


NOTES.  463 

proee  turned  into  elegant  verse ;"  says  Bishop  Nicholson.  (Scot.  Hist. 
Lib.  p.  18.)  In  a  letter  to  Sir  John  Soot  of  Scotstarvet,  "  nit.  de- 
oemb.  1666,**  J.  Bleau  acknowledges  a  letter  fhnn  him  containing 
**  lee  corrections  du  vers  de  Melvinns."  (MS.  in  Bibl.  Jnrid.  Edin. 
A.  8.  J  9.  num.  S5.) 

Melville  was  a  large  contributor  to  a  collection  of  poems^  by  Sootdi** 
men  and  Zealanders^  '^  In  Obitvm  Johannis  Wallasii  Scoto  Belgs^— 
Ludg.  Batav.  1603.'*  4to.  There  are  two  poems  by  him  in  John 
Jonston*s  "  Sidera  Veteris  iEvi/*  p.  33 ;  a  work  which  was  published 
along  with  his  *'  Iambi  Sacri,*'  and  his  <'  Cantica  Sacra  Novi  Testa* 
menti— Salmurii  1611.**  He  has  also  verses  prefixed  to ''  Comment  in 
Apost.  Acta  M.  Joannis  Maloolmi  Scoti — Middelb.  1015.*'  Malcolm, 
in  his  Dedication  to  the  King,  and  in  the  body  of  the  work  (p.  264,) 
defends  MelviUe  with  much  freedom,  and  laments  his  removal  from 
Scotland. 

Among  his  works  in  maliuscript  are  the  following : 

1.  ''  D.  Andree  Melvini  epistole  Londino  e  turri  carceris  ad  Jaco- 
bum  Melvinum  Nouocastri  exulantem  scripts,  cum  gusdem  Jacobi 
nonnullis  ad  eundem.  Annis  supra  miUesimtk  sexcentessimo  octavo, 
nono,  dedmo,  undecimo.  Item  Ecdesie  Scoticame  Oratio  Apologe- 
tica  ad  Regem  An.  1610,  mense  Aprilis."  This  volume  (which  is  in 
the  Library  of  the  University  of  Edinburgh)  brings  down  tfie  corre- 
spondence between  Melville  and  his  nephew  till  the  end  of  the  year 
1613.  It  belonged  to  James  Melville,  and  is  partly  in  his  hand- 
writing. Before  his  death  he  committed  it  to  the  care  of  his  friend. 
Sir  Patrick  Hume  of  Ayton,  who  has  inserted  the  following  note : 
"  Hie  visQ  est  insere  fncj  paraliepomena  qutedam  eiusdem  et  aliorQ 
qnorQ  mtv^x^mt  cum  libdlis  ipns  ipse  mihi  cdmendavit  author  paulo 
ante  obitQ.    Pa  Hume.** 

8.  "  Letters  from  Andrew  Melville  to  *  *  •  *  in  the  United  Pro- 
vinces.*' (In  Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9.  num.  42.)  They  'are  six 
in  mmiber,  and  were  addressed  to  Robert  Durie  at  Leyden. 

3.  ''  Floretum  Archiepisoopale ;  id  est,  errores  Pontificii,  asser- 
tiones  temeraric,  et  hyberbolics  interpretaiiones.**  (Ibid.  num.  47.) 
They  are  extracted  fiom  archbishop  Adamson's  academical  prelec- 
tions at  St.  Andrews,  in  Melville's  handwriting,  and  subscribed  by 
him. 

4.  Paraphrasis  Epistols  ad  Hebraeos  Andres  Melvini.**  (Harl. 
MSS.  num.  6947.  9.  It  is  a  metrical  paraphrase  of  the  whole  epistle, 
and  was  most  probably  composed  in  the  Tower. 


464  NOTES. 

5.  '<  A.  MelWnuB  in  Cap.  4.  Danielii.**  (In  BibL  CoL  S.  Tiinit. 
Dublin.)    This  I  hare  not  seen. 

There  are  Terset  by  him^  in  bis  own  handwriting,  among  the  8em- 
pill  Papen  (MS.  in  Arch.  £ccL  Scot.  toL  xxTiii.  num.  7 ;)  and  in  a 
collection  of  Letten  from  Learned  Men  to  Jamei  VI.  (MS.  in  BAL 
Jnrid.  Edin.)  On  a  Uank  leaf  at  the  beginning  of  a  eq>y  of  dtiias 
QeUimi  (transmitted  to  me  by  Dr.  Lee)  there  is  a  poem  written^  with 
this  title :  ''  Canticum  Maris,  paraphrasticos  expfcarom,  a  D.  An- 
drea Melvino  Scoto.*'  I  have  not  seen  it  elsewhere.  It  ia  fc^wed 
by  poems  of  Buchanan,  all  of  which  haye  been  pnbliahed.  The  vo- 
lume bears  this  inscription,  among  others :  **  Liber  Mflgri  Gulidmi 
Gttildej.  1610." — Copies  of  Melville's  large  Answer  to  Downkamti 
Sermon  were  at  one  time  not  uncommon.  In  enumerating  the  writers 
in  defence  of  ruling  elders,  a  foreign  divine  mentions  "  £x  Seotis, 
And.  Melvinus  in  MS.  refut.  concionis  DowuamiL"  (Voetii  PoU- 
tica  Ecclesiastica,  tom.  iL  p.  458.)  It  is  also  mentioned  by  Charters 
(Acco.  of  Scots  Divines,  p.  i.)  Charters  says  that  there  ia  a  Copy  of  a 
Latin  commentary  by  him  in  the  Library  of  the  Studenta  of  Divinity 
at  Edinburgh.  ''  1  have  seen  also  in  the  library  of  the  College  of 
Glasgow,  a  large  folio,  entitled,  Pralectionet  in  Eputolam  ad  Romanot, 
in  small  write,  said  to  be  writ  by  Mr.  MelviL"  (Wodrow*B  Life  of 
Mr.  Andrew  Melville,  p.  111.)  Neither  of  these  MSS.  is  now  to  be 
found.  Five  poems  "  ex  Musis  Andrec  Melvini,  viri  rlari^imi  et  un- 
diquaque  doctissimi,**  are  appended  by  Dr.  Koelman  of  Utredit  to 
his  Disserution,  De  Diebus  Festis.  Tn\j.  ad  Rhenum,  1693. 

In  Biographical  Memoranda,  No.  iiL  p.  108^  printed  at  Bristol  in 
1814^  an  English  ''  Poem  by  A.  Melvin"  is  given  from  a  MS.  in  the 
possession  of  the  editor.  On  inspecting  that  MS.  I  fiod  that  the 
poem  is  by  George  Herbert 

Besides  those  formerly  mentioned,  encomiastic  verses  on  Melville 
were  written  by  David  Wedderburn,  (Musae  Sacra^  tom.  L  p.  xlvii.) 
by  John  Dunbar,  (Eplgr.  p.  29,)  by  John  I^eech,  (Epigr.  py  8f»)  by 
James  Wright,  (Poemat  prsf.  Strangio,  De  Interpret.  Scnptnrc;,)  and 
by  Leon.  Moyartus,  (Lachrymc  Zelandics  in  Obitnm  Joan.  Wal- 
laaii.) 

Four  letters  from  Melville  to  David  Hume  of  Godacroft  Migt  pre- 
fixed to  the  Lusus  Poetici  of  the  latter.  They  affiled  q>f^mfnf  ff 
his  humour  as  well  as  proofs  of  the  intimate  fiiendah^  which  iuh- 
sisted  between  him  and  Hume.  One  of  them  is  suhacribadij  "  PtKf 
fellis,  quam  mellis  ;"  which  shews  that  the  play  on  hia  uun^  wJ4^ 


NOTES.  465 

wbidi  epiBOopalitn  epigrammatists  have  diferted  themaelTes  so  muchj 
ynta  not  the  invention  either  of  Dr.  Duport  or  bishop  Barlow.  Jamea 
Hume,  the  son  of  the  poet,  is  the  anthor  of  varioua  works  on  arith- 
metic and  mathematics.  In  the  edition  of  his  father*8  poems^  pub- 
lished by  him  at  Paris  in  1639,  he  has  inserted  several  epigrams 
against  Melville,  with  answers  to  them  by  his  father.  In  a  note  to 
the  latter,  he  says:  '*  Scripsit  author  alia  duo  Epigrammata  ad  MeL- 
vinQ;  sed,  quia  nimis  acerba  in  Ejnscopos  Anglicanos,  omisinuis*'* 
(Dav.  Humil  Lusus  Poet.  p.  Hi.)  From  this  it  appears  that  the 
editor  was  a  politician  as  well  as  a  mathematician. 

1  have  a  copy  of  Buchanan's  History,  with  marginal  notes  in  Mel- 
ville's handwriting.  In  one  of  these,  so  far  as  I  can  make  sense  of 
it,  (for  part  of  it  has  been  cut  off)  he  traces  his  own  descent  from  the 
loyal  families  of  Scotland  and  England,  in  the  way  of  stating  that  he 
was  sprung  from  Queen  Jane,  the  wife  of  James  I.  by  her  second 
husband,  Sir  James  Stewart,  sumamed  the  Black  Knight.  On  the 
title-page  of  the  dialogue  De  Jure  Regni,  he  has  written  these  lines: 

Libera  si  dentur  populo  sufiragia,  quia  tarn 
Perditus  ut  dubitet  Senecam  prsferre  Neroni  ? 

Did  he  Intend  this  to  apply  to  Buchanan  and  his  royal  pupil  ? 

Note  F.  p.  341. 

University  of  St.  Andrews, — At  the  opening  of  the  classes  in  1411, 
Bishop  Wardlaw,  with  the  concurrence  of  James  Bisset,  prior  of  the 
Abbey  of  St.  Andrews,  and  Thomas  Stewart,  archdeacon  of  Lothian, 
granted  to  the  masters  and  students  the  privil^es  belonging  to  a  uni^ 
•Tersity,  and  applied  in  the  usual  way  to  the  pope  for  a  confirmation 
of  what  he  had  done.  Besides  the  buU  founding  the  university, 
which  was  issued  on  theSTth  of  August,  1413,  Benedict  XIII.  signed 
cm  the  same  day  five  other  bulls  securing  its  rights. 

The  university  laboured  under  no  want  of  teachers  at  its  com- 
mencement. Before  the  papal  bulls  were  eiiecuted,  Laurence  Lin- 
dores,  as  professor  of  divinity,  began  to  read  the  fourth  book  of  the 
Sentences.  Richard  Corvel,  John  Litstsr,  John  Scheves,  and  Wil- 
Ifam  Stephani  or  Stevenson,  appeared  as  lecturers  on  canon  law.  And 
John  Gyll,  WiUiam  Fowlis,  and  William  Crosier,  Uught  the  arts  of 
l^osophy.  Thi9  is  the  account  given  by  Fordun.  (Scotichronioonj 
lib.  XV.  cap.  2S.)  Hector  Boethius  makes  Laurence  Lindores  pro- 
fessor of  laws,  and  Richard  Cor  veil  doctor  of  decretals.  (Hist.  Soot, 
lib.  xvi)    Spotowood,  though  he  refers  to  Boethius  as  his 

VOL.  11.  2  H 


466  NOTES. 

gives  a  different  stateroent;  roaUng  Scbevea^  Stephen^  and  LiaCer 
readers  in  divinity^  Lenders  in  canon  law^  and  Cornwall  in  chnl  law. 
(Hist.  p.  ST.) 

The  first  professors  appear  to  hare  had  no  salaries.  The  reipeniies 
of  the  university  for  some  time  consisted  chiefly  of  small  sums 
from  the  students  at  their  admission  and  graduation ;  and  the 
part  of  these  was  applied  to  the  defraying  of  the  common 
The  cksses  were  at  first  taught  in  such  places  of  the  city  as  were  found 
most  convenient.  Robert  de  Montrose  gave  a  house  for  the  students 
of  theology  to  meet  in,  which  was  at  a  subsequent  period  eonverted 
into  the  public  library.  And  bishop  Kennedy  appropriated  to  the 
classes  of  philosophy  certain  buildings  in  the  nei^bourhood^  wUch 
retained  the  name  of  the  Pcpdagogium  until  it  was  erected  into  a  ook 
lege  under  the  designation  of  St.  Mary's.    (Hovd  Oratio.) 

James  I.  who,  in  recorapence  of  his  long  captivity,  had  recdved  a 
good  education  in  England,  patronised  the  newly  erected  vnivcarritj 
after  his  return  to  Scotland.  Besides  confirming  its  privil^^  liy  a 
royal  charter,  he  assembled  those  who  had  distinguished  thenwelfei 
by  teaching,  and  by  the  progress  which  they  had  made  in  iMt 
studies,  and  after  coDveraing  fkmiliarly  with  them,  and  appbradiog 
their  exertions,  rewarded  them  according  to  their  merit  with  offices  m 
the  state  or  benefices  in  the  church.  (Fordun.  Hovd  Orat  Budu 
Hist.  p.  190.  edit  Rudd.) 

Note  6.  p.  348. 

Coileges  at  Si.  Andrews^^^l  shall  give  heie  some  man  ufamle  fkta 
aa  to  each  of  these  according  to  the  older  of  time  in  wfaidi  thej  woe 
erected. 

Si.  Salvaior's  Co&^.— This  college^  which  was  fooadod  by  JttMS 
Kennedy,  archbishop  of  St.  Andrews,  in  1450,  reodved  fivm  its 
fimnder  a  new  and  more  improved  fonn  in  1458.  It  mnsiated  <f 
three  professors  of  divinity,  called  the  provost  or  princqpa^  dM 
lieentiate,  and  the  bachdor;  four  maatera  of  arts,  who  wen  alss 
in  priest's  orders ;  and  ux  poor  adnilan  or  ckrka,  makiiig  ia  aD 
thirteen  persons,  aooording  to  the  number  of  the  apoatles  of  o« 
flavioor,  in  honoor  of  whom  the  college  waa  naaied.  The  provost 
WM  boimd  to  read  lessons  in  theology  onoe  a-wedcj  the  liosalitli 
thiioe  a-waek,  and  the  bachdor  every  readable  day:  the  dm^  le 
preadi  to  the  people  four  times,  and  the  seoond,  aix  times  fr-yeH^ 
Crom  the  £Diir  inaatera  of  arte,  two  at  leaat  were  to  be  aaimaUy  cImmb 
aa  ligtnta,  the  one  to  teach  logic,  and  the  othar  phyaiea  and  aHl»k 
physisB^  aceording  to  the  method  of  the  achocda  aid  tho  atatvtai  fl( 


NOTES.  461 

the  unifenity.  The  coUege  was  liberally  endowed  hgr  the  foundet 
for  the  mpport  of  the  masters  and  scholars  ;  besides  the  altan^ia 
sabsequciitly  founded  by  othei  individuals.  The  prOTOst  had  thft 
rectory  of  Cahs  oonferxed  on  him,  the  ficentiate  the  rectory  of  Kan« 
bach,  and  the  bachelor  that  of  Denino;  pariah  churches  in  the  lu^jbum 
bDorhood  of  St.  Andrews,  the  revenues  of  which  they  draw,  alter 
appropriating  a  certain  part  of  the  emolumeBts  to  the  roipeciiwr 
vious.  The  rectory  of  Kilmany  was  appropriated  far  the  eom^ 
mon  support  of  the  founded  persons,  and  of  the  servants  attached 
to  the  establiahment,  in  victuals,  &c  The  strictest  rules  wem 
laid  down  as  to  the  behaviour  of  all  the  members,  and  af  to  the  re* 
ligious  exercises,  as  well  as  the  studies,  <tf  those  who  were  admiU- 
ted  to  the  benefiu  of  the  institution.  Young  men  of  rank  or  opu* 
lence,  who  might  choose  to  study  in  the  college,  and  to  pay  fcr 
their  board,  were  bound  to  obey  the  provost,  and  to  aabodi  i» 
all  things  to  the  rules  of  the  houae  equatty  m this  bttr^sraor  poor- 
sdiolars. 

Bishop  Kennedy  was  carelhl  to  have  his  college  provided  idth  the 
most  able  teachers.  With  this  view  he  called  home  Mm  Alihehnef 
who  had  been  educated  at  At  Andrews,  but  was  then  in  tSie  univeiw 
aity  of  P«ris,  and  placed  him  in  the  situation  of  provoet  or  principal 
To  him  he  Joined  Thomas  Logy,  who  had  already  filled  the  office  of 
rector  of  the  university,  and  James  Ogilvy,  as  second  and  third  mas* 
ters  or  professors  of  divinity.  Mr.  Jo.  Athelmer  was  presented  to* 
the  '•  paroche  church  of  Qhylt"  (Cults)  Maridi  95,  1450.  He  is  often 
mentioned  as  Dean  of  Theology.  "  Mr  Jo.  Ahner,  pnipoeitas  CoU 
legii  Sti  Salv.'*  occurs  m  the  records  as  lato  as  147S.  -  James  Ogilvy 
seems  to  have  been  Uie  same  person,  who,  4ii  account  of  his  great 
learning  and  virtue,  was  designed  for  bishop  of  9t.  Andrews  by  tho 
General  Council  of  Basil,  and  who  afterwards  Uugfat  theology  in  the 
University  of  Aberdeen.  ( Boetii  Vitas  Abiedonens.  Episeop.  foL  xxtil. 
b.) 

St.  Leonard's  CoUegt^Ai^mming  to  the  churehoCSt  Leonatd,  and 
within  the  precincts  of  the  Abbey,  was  an  ancienlrfH|l|dfor  the  recep* 
tion  of  pious  strangers  who  came  in  pilgrimage  ItffBCilNl  felies  of  St. 
Andrew,  being  atiraeted  by  the  fome  of  the  mirades  ynrntj^  by  thwui 
"  The  miracles  and  pilgrimages  having  ceased  in  j^rocess  of  time,  tema^ ' 
be  bdieved,**  the  hosj^tal  was  converted  into  a  receptacle  for  aged  wo» 
m«A.  %t  the  patrons,  not  being  satisfied  with  the  conduct  of  the  new 
ol^^ofts  oi  their  charity,  resolved  to  convert  the  hoq^tal,  with  the  ad- 
joteing  ehurob,  huto  a  College,  '<  for  training  up  poor  seholan  in 

2  H  2 


^v'-- 


468  NOTES. 

leuming  and  the  arts,  to  the  gkry  of  God  and  the  apiritual  ediAe»' 
tion  of  the  people."  This  was  called  the  Co%v  o/iSr<.  i^nnoni.  The 
charter  of  foundation  was  executed  in  151S,  hy  John  Hepburn,  prior 
of  the  Abbey,  and  confirmed  by  archbishc^  Alexander  Stewart,  and 
by  King  James  IV.  The  prior  and  conventual  chapter  were  patnniB 
of  this  College,  and  retained  the  power  of  visiting  it  and  reforauag 
its  abuses.  The  teachers  were  always  taken  from  the  roonaatoy* 
Dr.  Howie,  in  his  Oration  frequently  quoted,  has  stated  that  John 
Annand  was  the  first  principal  of  St.  Leonard's  College;  and  Boeoe 
has  done  the  same.  (Vit.  Episc.  Abred.  xxvii.)  But  Alexander 
Young  was  principal  down  to  1517  ;  Gavin  Logic  in  159S — 1637; 
Thomas  Cunninghame  in  1538;  and  John  Annand  in  1544.  (Train 
Bumptum  Fundationis ;  and  subscriptions  to  the  Statutes  in  the  last 
mentioned  year.)  Gavin  Logie  is  the  person  known  for  his  early  par- 
tiality to  the  Reformation.  (Life  of  Knox,  voL  L  Note  1.)  Annand 
was  probably  the  person  who  disputed  with  Knox  at  St.  Andrews. 
(Ibid.  p.  58.)  This  College  was  intended  for  the  support  and  educa- 
tion of  twenty  poor  scholars.  The  principal  was  appointed  to  read 
on  two  days  of  every  week  a  lecture  on  the  Scriptures^  or  on  specula- 
tive theology,  to  the  priests,  regents,  and  others  who  chose  to  attend. 
And  by  a  subsequent  regulation  an  additional  salary  was  appointed 
to  be  given  to  two  of  the  four  regents,  provided  they  chose  to  read, 
twice  or  thrice  in  the  week,  a  lecture  on  the  Scriptures,  or  on  the 
Master  of  Sentences.    (Papers  of  University.) 

It  was  required  of  those  who  were  admitted  to  St.  Leonard's  Col* 
lege,  that,  besides  being  of  good  character,  acquainted  with  grammM^ 
and  skilled  in  writing,  they  should  be  sufficiently  instructed  m  tl» 
Oregwiam  mmg, — **  caatuque  Gregoriano  sufficiantcr  inatrmctan." 
(Papers  of  University.)  The  religious  of  the  Priory  of  St.  Andrews 
were  always  celebrated  for  their  skill  in  music,  and  singing  fomed 
one  of  the  regular  exercises  of  the  students.  (Boedi  Ahndon.  Spia- 
co^.  Vittt,  f.  xxvi.)  Individuals  who  had  belonged  to  it  were  eii<- 
ployed  in  composing  the  music  used  in' churches  after  tha  Bcftma- 
tioD.    (Old  Music  Book,  MS.)  .  . 

8t.  Mark's,  or  New  College, — Thera  were  atilL  uk  the  mavciw 
sity  profiessora  and  students  who  did  not  belong  to  atlher  oC-  thr 
colleges  of  St.  Salvator  and  St.  Leonard.  Thea»  comiiraeA.  I» 
tead)  in  tlie  Psdagogium,  although  they  wen  not  formsd-  iiitp  a^ 
college,  and  had  but  slender  f^nds.  Archbishop* A VridarStoWh 
ait,  who  has  been  highly  commended  by  Erasmiia  for-hia  ]ilsf»- 
ry  attainments,   intended  to  give  it  a  collegiate  Ibm^  -and  wiA 


NOT£S.  469 


view  he  not  only  repaired  the  chapel  of  St.  John  the  SYangelist, 
whidi  lerved  as  a  place  of  worship  to  the  pttdagogium^  hut  also  he* 
stowed  on  it  the  living  of  the  church  of  St.  Michael  de  Tarvet,  in  the 
neighhourhood  of  Cupar  in  Fife.  In  the  deed  of  annesuition  it  is  said, 
that  the  pcdagogium  of  the  univeriity  '*  lay  almost  extinct  in  conse- 
quence of  the  deficiency  of  funds  and  of  learned  men ;"  and.  that  the 
archbishop^  with  the  consent  of  his  chapter,  had  resolved  to  ^' endow 
and  erect  it  into  a  college,  to  the  [nraise  of  God,  the  defence  of  the 
laithy  the  increase  of  learned  men,  and  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of 
the  king,  his  predecessors  and  successors,  the  archbishops  of  St.  An- 
drews, and  all  the  faithfuL"    The  premature  death  of  the  primate, 
who  soon  after  feU  in  the  field  of  Flowden,  appears  to  have  defeated 
this  annexation,  and  prevented  the  erection  of  the  college.    It  was 
not  to  be  expected  that  the  pcdagogium  would  rival  colleges  which 
were. provided  with  extensive  funds  and  accommodations  both  for 
masters  and  scholars.    But  it  continued  to  have  regents  and  a  prind- 
pal ;  and  several  distinguished  individuals,  among  whom  were  George 
Buchanan,  received  their  education  in  it,  while  it  remained  on  its 
original  footing.    Archbishop  James  Beaton  resumed  the  design  of 
his  predecessor,  and  obtained  a  bull  from  Pope  Paul  III.  authorizii^ 
him  to  erect  buildings  for  a  college  and  chapel,  under  the  name  of  the 
Assumption  of  St.  Mary,  in  which  grammar,  logic,  theology,  medi- 
cine, and  law,  both  canon  and  civil,  should  be  taught,  divine  offices 
performed,  and  a  coUegial  table  provided  from  the  rents  of  certain 
benefices  which  were  united  and  annexed  to  the  institution.    The 
buildings  which  were  begun  on  the  site  of  the  pffidagogium  by  arch- 
hishop  Beaton  were  carried  on  by  his  nephew  and  successor,  the  Car- 
dinaL    But  the  college  was  not  finally  erected  until  1554,  after  arch- 
bMhop  Hamilton  had  obtained  a  papal  bull  from  Julius  III.  by  which 
he  was  authorised  to  alter  at  his  pleasure  the  arrangements  made  by 
his  piredecesBor. 

By  the  foundation  of  bishop  Hamilton,  Si.  Mary*t  College,  or,  as  it 
was  often  called,  the  iVeii^  College,  was  provided  with  four  principal 
professors,  denominated  the  provost,  licentiate,  bachelor,  and  canon- 
^;  eight  students  of  theology ;  three  professors  of  philosophy  and 
two  of  rhetoric  and  grammar ;  sixteen  students  of  philosophy ;  a  pro- 
visor,  cook,  and  janitor;  and  five  vicars  pensionary.  The  princi- 
pal, besides  exercising  the  ordinary  jurisdiction  of  the  college  and 
presiding  at  the  theological  disputations  once  a-week,  was  to  read 
a  lecture  on  Uie  sacred  Scriptures,  or  to  preach,  every  Monday. 
The  licentiate  was  to  read  a  lecture  on  the  Scriptures  four  times, 

ShS 


470  NOTES. 

mnd  die  btchelor  Hre  times  «-week.  And  the  eaaonist  was  to  lee- 
tare  on  canon  law  five  times  erery  wedc.  It  was  also  the  Onty  of 
«ach  of  these  professors  to  say  mass  at  stated  times.  It  bdioved  the 
Mndents  of  dlTinity  to  be  in  priest's  orders  and  initiated  into  theo- 
logy, ^so  as  to  hsTe  answered  thrice  in  pnblie^  and  given  specimen 
xi  their  erudition  according  to  the  custom  of  the  uniTersity.'' 
They  were  bound  regularly  to  attend  the  lectures  of  the  three  theo^ 
logiod  professors,  to  answer  publicly  to  the  difficulties  of  Scripture 
cf?ery  holiday,  to  uy  roass^  and  to  preach  ihrice  a»year  in  puMieL 
*nidr  continuance  in  this  situation  was  limited  to  she  years ;  fat  it 
was  expected^  ^  that  by  the  divine  blessing,  and  their  assiihuly,  they 
ahall  within  this  period  be  fit  for  becoming  licentiates  in  theology, 
and  for  discharging  higher  offices."  The  three  piofessors  of  phikao^ 
phy  were  to  teach  Ic^c,  ethics,  physics,  and  madiematics,  at  iSbe 
direction  of  the  principal ;  and  the  orator  and  grammarian  were,  at 
the  same  direction,  to  interpret  the  most  useftil  authors  in  their  re* 
spective  faculties.  And  they  were  not  to  hold  their  places  above  six 
years,  or  the  time  during  which  they  taught  two  courses,  unless  they 
received  a  new  appointment.  It  behoved  the  students  of  philosophy, 
before  thdr  admission,  to  be  initiated  into  grammar  and  the  Latin 
tongue,  so  as  to  be  able  to  express  themselves  property  in  that  language 
at  disputations  and  examinations ;  to  swear  that  they  had  no  benefice 
or  patrimony  to  support  them^  and  to  supplicate,  for  the  love  of  God, 
to  be  admitted  to  the  place  of  poor  students.  Each  tyf  diem  in  ovdcr 
was  bound  to  awake  all  the  domestics  at  five  in  the  morning,  and 
ftimish  lights  to  such  as  wished  them.  The  professors,  regents,  and 
■tudents,  were  to  wear  capes  after  the  Parisian  manner  ;  and  aD  the 
scholars,  including  the  noble  and  wealdiy,  as  wdl  aa  ihe  bunsan^ 
irere  to  wear  gowns  bound  round  them  with  a  ^rdle,  to  whidi  iht 
bursars  were  to  add  a  black  hood.  By  the  bull  of  lufiaa  III.  aswiA 
as  that  of  Paul  III.  the  collq;e  had  the  power  of  couftnlng  #qpreci 
in  an  the  fkculttes ;  and  the  Jurisdicdon  over  the  bursars  belonged 
to  the  principal,  firom  whom  an  appeal  lay  to  the  irchbisliop  and  dMi 
pope,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rector  of  die  unifeialty  xn  any  edwr 
Judge,  even  in  the  second  instance.  The  voHege  was  pfrovUed  with 
ample  Aindi^  The  revenues  of  fbur  pariah  ehmchea,  Tyuiiig|Muns^ 
Tannadice,  Inchebriok,  (including  OnSg  and  Pert)  andOmvedi  er 
Xaurence-kiric,  were  appointed  far  its  support;  in  addltfeu,  aa  it 
would  appear,  to  what  had  fbrmerly  beSonged  to  the  PMi^goghmL 
(Pnndatto  et  Biecdo  Nevi  Collegii) 

3 


NOT£».  471 

Some  «£  the  pvofeMon  <tf  the  New  CoU«ge>  mmuMited  by  ardb^ 
biBhop  Beaton^  including  the  piineipal^  hed  prefvioiiely  been  teBchen 
m  the  Pcdagogittm*  The  instnimeBt  of  PnBtntstkMi  and  Inveili* 
ture^  Feb.  S,  1538,  appoiiits  **  Megietmn  Roberimm  Bimmrwum^ 
pro  theokgo  et  primario  dicti  ooUegii  de  amunpdone  boet»  Mari»  £t 
pn>  mb-piincipttli  Mag^i  David  Guynd  pro  CanoBitta  Mag"*  Themani 
Kyncngy  pro  dvilista  Mag™  Jahem  Gkdstanis  Item  pro  regentiboft 
artkmi  ei  stodentibua  in  theologia  Magistroa  Andream  Kftuuntimt^ 
Jobannem  Focbous  WilhchBum  Young  et  WaUerum  F&thjfJ*  Thoee 
whose  names  aro  printed  in  Italics  had  prevkNulj  been  teachm  in 
the  Pffdi^gogium. 

Archbishop  Hamilton,  in  his  foundation,  omitted  civil  law  and  me-* 

didaet  which  his  predeeeason  had  appointed  to  be  taught.    But, 

upon  the  whole,  his  arrangements  appear  to  have  been  adapted  to  thi 

means  oi  instruction  which  he  had  in  his  power ;  and  in  several  points 

they  indicate  a  due  attention  to  the  progress  which  lesming  had  made 

since  the  erection  of  the  two  other  ooUeges.  He  was  equally  attentive 

in  providing  the  college  with  professors.    Archibald  Hay,  who  wm 

made  principal  soon  after  Cardinal  Beaton's  death,  appears  to  have 

excellai  most  of  his  countrymen  at  that  time  in  learning  end  libe* 

ral  views.    During  his  residence  in  the  CSoUege  of  Montague  at 

Paris,  he  published  a  panegjrrical  oration  on  archbishop  Beaton's 

advancement  to  the  puiple.    It  is  entitled,  '*  Ad  lUustriss.  Tit.  8. 

Stephani  in  Monte  Ccelio  Cavdinalem  D.  Dauidem  Betonum-— Gratift* 

latorius  Panegyricus  Archibaldi  Hayi.    Parisiis  1540."    It  is  in  4lo. 

and  ends  on  foL  lxvi.    On  the  title-page  is  a  motto  in  Greek  and 

in  Hebrew.    The  dedication  to  the  Cardinal  is  wMwcribed  <'  addio* 

tissimua  Comobriimi  vester  Ardiibald  Hayus."    In  tlM  coarse  of  this 

work  the  author  oensurcs,  widi  much  freedom,  the  ignorance,  n^^ 

gUgence;,  and  hypoerisy  of  the  dergy,  but  makes  no  illusion  to  the 

Mfiocmed  ^qpiniona  either  in  the  way  of  approbation  or  condemnation.' 

The  moat  curious  and  valuable  past  of  it  is  that  in  which  he  laji 

down  a  plan  of  tasdiing  lor  the  new  college  which  the  Cardinal  wia 

empbyed  in  organising.    It  will  be  of  fiur  mora  oonsequenoe^  he  says,' 

to  procure  teadhera  capable  of  instructing  the  youth  in  the  thne 

tieamed  langusges,  Asn  to  end^w  a  rich  but  illiterate  edlege.    If 

it  should  be  thought  proper  to  add  teachers  of  Chaldee  and  Am* 

bic,  he  would  highly  approve   of  the  arrangement.    *'  Quod  si 

visum  fuerit  linguie  caldaice  et  arabic»  interpretes  addere,  vehe- 

menter  probabo;  qiiandoquidem  cum  Hcbraica  msgnA  habent  af« 

finitatemu  et  j^urima  sunt  iUia  dnaboa  linguis  scripts,  qu»  non  pa^ 

rom  sint  habitnra  momenti  ad  leraa  pulcfaenrimanmi  inlelliflWitlMn,^ 

(FoL  lix.)    Though  he  does  not  propose  to  banish  the  Peripatetie 


472  NOT£S. 

pluloflophy  £rom  the  Mhoolsy  yet  be  would  with  to  lee  the  ttndy  of 
the  divine  Plaio  XMke  the  ]^AMee  a£  §cb^  Bm 

lamenta  the  neglect  of  the  Roman  kw,  and  extols  the  aeienee  of  nui* 
thematica.    (FoL  Ix.  b.  IxiL  a.) 

Robert  Bannerman  resigned  the  provostship,  July  19,  15i6»  on  ao- 
eount  of  his  advanced  age,  and  to  allow  the  college  to  be  pnnrided 
*'  de  alio  quovis  famoso,  juniori  et  magis  ydoneo  primario  sen  princi- 
palL"  On  the  same  day  collation  was  given  to  Archibald  Hay,  "de- 
rioo  Sti  Andree  dioces."  Oct.  1,  1647,  the  office  was  conferred  "  per* 
docto  et  spectabili  viro  Mag">  Johanni  Douglass  derioo  dunkeldeD« 
dioc"  in  consequence  of  the  death  "  quond.  Mag^  Archibald!  Hay 
ultimi  primariL'* 

Pr.  Howie  mentions  the  kind  reception  which  archbishop  Hamil- 
ton gave  to  two  Englishmen,  Richard  Smith  and  Richard  MarshalL 
(Oratio  de  Fundatoribus  Acad,  et  ColL  AndreapoL)  "  Richardus 
Martialis,  Alb.  Theologus,"  was  incorpcnmted  at  St.  Andrews  in  1549. 
In  1550,  Mr.  John  Douglas,  being  made  rector  for  the  first  time,  had 
lor  one  of  his  deputes  ''  Richardum  Mtrtialem  verbi  dei  pneconem 
cgregium."  In  1556,  the  same  person  is  styled  '*  Coll^gii  Mariani 
Lioentiatus." — ''  Doctor  Riduuxlus  Smythcus,  Anglus,"  was  incor- 
porated in  1550.  In  1552,  he  styles  himself  ''  professor  sacne 
Theologis."  Richard  Martial,  D.D.  was  of  Christ  Church  College, 
of  which  he  was  made  Dean  in  1553.  (Wood*s  Athenip  Ozon.  by 
Bliss,  voL  ii.  col.  136,  138.)  Smith  was  also  of  Oxford^  and  is  the 
author  of  a  great  many  controversial  works  against  the  protestants. 
(Wood>  ut  supra,  vol.  i.  pp.  333 — 337.)  Dr.  Laurence  Humphiey 
represents  him  spying  into  Scotland  to  avoid  a  dispute  with  his  sue- 
eessor  Peter  Martyr :  *'  Animosus  iste  Achilles,  die  ad  dispatandim 
constitute^— ad  Divum  Andream  in  Scotiam  profugeret,  ratoa  eum 
qui  in  hoc  articulo  bene  lateret,  bene  viuere."  (Joumia  Ivelli  Viis 
et  Mors,  p.  44.)  "  Those  of  hii  persuasion  acooonted  him  th*  bert 
pchoolman  of  hia  time^  and  they  have  said  that  he  baffled  ite 
llutyr  several  times.  Protestant  writers  say  thai  he  was  a  vphislv 
*— and  that  he  was  a  goggle-eyed  fellow^  and  vary  inoonataat  in  his 
(^linion.*'  {Wood,  ut  supra.)  Further  partieolais  coneeauiiy  him 
will  be  fonad  in  Bumet's  Hist,  of  the  Betom.  voL  ii*  pu  108.  App^ 
No.  54.    Gktrype'sCranmer,  p.  17S. 

Note  H.  p.  360. 

ChangetfPr^euonmiStAmirewimlMa^-^itwnaMlttbntpropm' 
ed  that  St.  Salvator  s,  or  the  Old  Odlege,  as  it  was  cdled,  dhoidd  be 
converted  into  the  seminary  for  divinity,  on  aoooont  of  the  mimber  of 


NOTFJI.  478 

Qluplaiiirkr  founded  in  it,  which  would  Mtre  for  the  tuftentatlon  of 
the  theolog;iGtl  BtodeDtt.  And,  to  make  room  for  MelYiUe,  it  had  been 
agreed  that  Jamet  Martinei  who  waa  at  the  head  of  that  college, 
ahould  be  translated,  and  made  principal  of  the  New  College.  But 
apeii  matwrer  deliberation,  this  measure  was  thought  unadvisaUe.  It 
waa  judged  that  those  who  were  presented  to  the  chaplainriea  in  St 
6alfator*s  mi^t  study  theology  in  any  college  in  which  U  waa  wp^ 
pointed  to  be  taught.  The  re?enuea  of  the  New  College,  and  the 
number  of  bursars  in  it,  were  greater  than  those  of  either  of  the  other 
two.  And  there  was  less  need  for  dispossessing  the  founded  persona 
in  it,  in  ardor  to  make  room  for  those  who  had  been  elected  professon 
of  theology.  (Determination  anent  the  Old  and  New  College,  Sep* 
tember  0,  1579 ;  subscribed  *'  R.  Dunfermling.  P.  Sanctandros.") 
This  last  was  the  chief  reason  of  its  being  preferred.  The  General 
Assembly  had  declared  that  Robert  Hamilton's  holding  the  office  of 
provost  of  the  New  College  was  an  impediment  to  him  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duty  as  minister  of  St  Andrews,  and  had  repeatedly  enjoined 
him  to  demit  the  former  situation.  (Bulk  of  Uuiyersall  Kirk,  p«  07. 
Cald.  MS.  ToL  iii.  pp4  460,  56^)  Archibald  Hamilton,  the  second 
principal  master  of  that  collie,  who  had  long  been  disaffected  to  the 
constitution  in  church  and  state,  had  lately  avowed  himself  a  Roman 
Catholic,  and  deserted  the  university.  His  name  occurs  for  the  last 
time  in  the  records  of  the  university,  Nov.  2,  1576,  when  he  waa 
elected  one  of  the  auditors  of  the  questor's  accompts.  On  the  6th 
Oct  1574,  his  name  was  excluded  inm  the  roll  of  persons  to  be 
chosen  as  elders  in  St  Andrews,  "  because  he  being  of  befoir  nominal 
and  electit  refused  to  accept  the  office  of  elder  on  him,  and  not  to  be 
pominat  quhil  he  mak  repentance  y'foir."  (Records  of  the  Kirk  Ses- 
sion of  St  Andrews.)  The  place  of  John  Hamilton,  one  of  the  re* 
gents,  had  also  been  vacated  in  the  same  way.  John  Hamilton,  ''ex 
gymnaaio  Ms"  was  chosen  one  of  the  ezaminators  <^  the  bachdora, 
Feb.  SI,  1574.  He  conld  not,  therefore,  have  left  Scotland  earlier  than 
1515.  Lord  Hatles  (Sketdi  of  the  Life  of  John  Hamilton,  p.  2.) 
aayi  that  he  waa  in  France  in  1573  ;  proceeding  upon  the  authority 
of  Servin,  who,  in  15t6,  says,  "11  y  a  treie  ans  qu'il  demeure  en 
eesle  ▼ille.''  (Plaidoy^  de  Maistre  Lois  Servin  Advocat  en  Pailament, 
poor  Maistre  Jean  Hamilton  Escoasois,  p.  14.  Par.  1586.)  The 
PUtidoyS  was  published  by  Hamilton  himself,  which  shews  how  dif- 
ficult it  is  to  attain  to  accuracy  in  such  minute  circumstances.  The 
eoonael  who  pleaded  against  Hamilton  alleged, ''  qu'il  ne  s^ait  parler 
He  Latin  ne  FVan^ia."    Servin  replied  that  his  client  waa  leady^  to 


474  NOTES. 

give  firoof  before  the  parlUtnient  of  hb  knowledge  of  boch  UmgoageB. 
(Ibid.  pp.  59>  1 09.)  Tbe  pleading  vdmled  to  the  emre  of  St.  Cosme  and 
81.  Dftinian,  to  wbUh  HtmUton  had  been  preaented  by  the  imiTeni- 
tf,  and  oontidna  aome  eariotu  matter  aa  to  the  conatitntion  of  nniTer- 
altiea  and  the  privilegea  of  the  Soota  in  Franeew— The  ppofcawra  of 
law  and  mathionaticB  in  St.  Mary*8  College  were  tranaferred  to  81. 
Sahrator'a.  And  audi  of  the  regents  aa  were  displaced  were  allowed 
to  remain^  if  they  chose^  aa  bnnani  of  theology. 

When  diia  reformation  waa  made  on  the  uni^enity^  Patridi  Ad- 
rnnion^  aa  archbishop  of  St.  Andrews^  held  the  honorary  office  of 
Chancellor.  James  Wilkie  waa  Rector  of  the  vniyeraity^  and  Priii- 
eipal  of  the  College  of  St  Leonard^  in  which  he  had  taught  for  more 
than  thirty  years*.  James  Martine  waa  Principal  of  St.  SalTator^s 
College^  which  place  John  Rntherfhrd,  diortly  before  hia  deaths  had 
resigned  to  him  t.  Thongh  he  had  nerer  left  the  college  in  which  he 
received  his  education^  the  literary  attainmenta  of  Martine  were  re* 
apectable^  and  he  continued  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office  with 
credit  to  himself  for  nearly  half  a  centory.  (Baronii  Orat.  Funeb.  pro 
M.  Jacobo  Martinio.)  William  Skme  was  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of 
Arts^  and  Conaervator  of  the  Privileges  of  the  Unirendty. 

NoTX  I.  p.  364. 

New  Foundation  of  King* 9  CoBege,  Aberdeen. — It  appoints  a  prin- 
cipal^ sub-principal^  three  regents,  and  a  teacher  of  grammar.  The 
Utter  is  thus  described ;  ''  Volumua  preceptorem  grammatice  ▼irom 
bonum  ct  doctum  et  apprlme  yenatum  In  Latina  et  Greca  liten- 


*  In  tiie  Library  at  St.  Andrews,  there  are  Oresk  booka  which  bdoiY- 
ad  to  Jamss  WiUda,  oontainlng  M&  notss,  tnm  whioh  Dfw  Lee  it  ia* 
doeed  to  think  that  ha  was  aaquaiated  wick  that  langoage.  Iliaie  is  As 
sameaNridenoe  as  to  the  Utamry  ao^oireaMnts  of  John  Rnlihsrftird,  Wil- 
liam Kaauay,  John  Dnnimnsan,  and  Robert  WilUab 

t  On  the  MthjBaptqaibar,  157?,  **  Johne  Jftatharfwd^  ywiUgs^ 
fiiU  to  ane  yanerabiU  nan,  Mr. Johna  Bntkaifiud,  Baatar  of  dM 
sity  of  St  AndP^with  ezpiass  oanant  and  aasnt  af  the  sidd  JKr  Jahai 
his  father/'  dgnad  a  latter  af  factory  to  tlia  liaif  cf  the  trfwfl  slwans  if 
Quiks;  «^  pnessntilras  Mio  Jaoobo Martina  jpnqpsNis  diati  GoQ^P,*! *» 
6n  the  18th  DeceaoOier,  1577,  ^  Chrirtiane  Fonyth,  rsiifife  ^  nni(nnT*r 
of  umqll  lllr  Johns  Rutherfurd,  somtyme  fsovost  of  St  Salvator'a  CdJ^i^ 
and  rector  of  the  university  of  St  And*,  deiirezad  csctaia  wnit^  y^tri 
dsBtii,'*  Ac  Rutherford  must,  therefore*  liave  died  in  tk^.iplKsalkk 
twaen  the  89th  September  and  the  18th  Deoenbar,  1577.  (^paia  «f  Uai- 
▼erdty.) 


tuiti  cma  carmine  qmn  tdhiiUi  aratkm&"    Tfae  flnt  Rgent  wm  te 
teach  Greek;  tbe 4KCoiid 4iie  precepts  of  intentkki^  ^kpositbn^  and 
elocution^  in  as  easy  a  method  as  possibla;  and  the  third  die  niii» 
aieiits  «f  arithmetic  and  gecMctry.    The  aub-principai  was  to  leach 
physicrft^y  the  history  of  aaimak  as  chiefly  neocssaryi  geograi^ 
cttd  astrology^  general  oosmography^  and  the  reckoaiqg  of  time^ 
"  which  ihrowa  great  light  on  other  arts  and  the  knowledge  of  hiSK 
tory  ;'*  and  towards  the  end  of  his  oe«ise  he  was  to  initiate  the  Mtm 
4«nts  into  the  frinciples  of  the  holy  tongue.    The  prindpid  was  al^ 
temately  to  lectore on  theology,  and  explain  the  Hebrew  hnguage; 
and  he  is  thus  deecribed :  ^'  Is  in  lacfiB  Uteris  probe  institntoa,  ad 
aperienda  fidei  mysteria  et  reconditos  diTini  verfoi  thesaurosy  idoneua 
lingnamm  etiam  gnarus  et  peritus  sit  opertet,  inprimis  ?ero  Hebraioe 
«t  Syriacc,  cajus  prefessorem  esse  instituimus ;  Imgiiam  enim  sacram, 
vt  par  est>  promoveri  inter  subditqs  nostros  capimus»  ut  scripturarum 
fontes  et  mysteria  rectius  aperiantur.*'    The  teachers  were  appointed 
40  confine  themselves  to  their  own  brandies.    **  Quatuor  autem  hos 
4agentes  nohumus  (prout  in  regni  nostri  Aoademiis  olim  mos  fmt) 
novas  professiones  quotannis  immutare,  quo  facto  fuit  ut.dum  mulla 
profiterentur,  in  panels  periti  invenirentur;  verum  voluimusutin 
eadem  professione  se  exerceant,*'  &c.    (Nova  Fundatio,  Jacobo  6to 
lege.) 

This  foundatien  is  contained  in  a  Royal  Charter,  the  copy  of  wfaieh 
mow  before  me  is  without  date.  But  in  the  description  of  the  dona»> 
tieos  made  to  the  College  by  King  James  VI.  itagrees  with  the  aet 
•of  psrtiament  in  M17,  entitled,  ^fiatificatioun  to  the  Old  Colledi^ 
«iff  Abirdene.*'    (Act.  Pari.  Soot.  v6L.  iv.  p.  676^) 

The  HiiDWing  aae  some  of  die  steps  taken  respecting  this  new  erei^ 
tion.  In  April,  IMS,  Geoise,  £aii  Marischal,  Robert,  Commendaty 
lof  De&r,  and  certain  brethren  who  had  chaige  of  the  King's  Miijeity Vi , 
Omndssion,  presented  a  petkion  to.  the  General  Assembly,  desin^ 
IftieBi  to  visit  the  College  of  Aberdeen  to  take  trial  of  the  tiaveb  they 
hm\  taken  in  the  said  matter,  «nd  **  to  depute  some  persons  to  take 
trial  of  the  members  thereof  that  Ihey  be  sufficient  and  qualified  and 
9^t^brme  to  the  mew  ertctUme."  To  ihia  the  Assembly  agreed,  and 
otdaiaed  Mr*  James  Lawson,  Mr.  Andrew  MdviUet,  and  Mr.  Nioai 
Dal^eish,  ^  to  conskler  the  proceedings  of  the  said  commissioness 
Hmfhtng  the  said  erection,  and  if  they  find  the  same  allowable  and 
wed  done,  to  give  their  testimony  and  approbation  thereof  to  be  pro* 
aenied  to  the  Sde Marshal,  that  his  Lo.  may  travel  for  th^  Kings 
M.  confinnafiMi  dierecf ."  (Gald.M8.voLitLFp.836iiS37.)  Kotf^ 
havinit  been  4oBein  die  affiur,  the  AsnanMy  wh|c|b  met  ^  Qqtobior 


476  X0TE9. 

that  jetr  renewed  the  ftppointment  of  the  oimimittee.  (lb.  p.  80a) 
It  appears,  from  the  foUowing  letter,  that  thia  measure  met  with 
oppoeition  from  the  crown. 

''  Chancellor,  Rector,  and  other  members  of  our  College  of  Abd. 
we  grdt  yow  weilL  We  are  suieUe  informed  that  at  this  last  gnall 
assemblie  it  was  desyrit  by  some  persones  that  Mr.  AlexF  Arbnthnot, 
Princ^  of  our  said  College,  sould  transport  himself  to  St.  Andrews, 
and  be  minister  thairof  q'through  our  said  College  sail  be  heaTilie 
damnifiet^  and  the  foundadone  thairof  prejudged.  As  also  it  is  mcanit 
they  intend  to  pervert  the  ordour  of  the  foundatione  estabJislied  be 
our  progenitors  and  cstaites  of  our  reahne.  Quhairfore  we  will  and 
oonJand  you  to  observe  and  keipe  the  heides  of  your  fundatione,  and 
in  no  wayes  to  hurt  the  funds,  ay  and  q"  the  estaites  be  convenit  to 
ane  Parliament  At  q^^  tyme  we  will  cause  see  q'  is  to  be  refwrnit 
thairin.  And  this  ye  do  upone  your  obedience  as  ye  will  ansf^  imto 
us  therupone  notwithstanding  any  ordour  taken  pntlie  or  to  be  taken 
thairin  in  any  sort  thair  anent,  and  keep  this  our  l^^  for  your  waiw 
rand.  Thus  comittes  you  to  God.  At  halyruidhous,  85  May,  1583. 
£t  sic  subs. 

"  Jambs  Rex." 

In  1581,  Parliament  appointed  a  commission  to  '^  treate  and  con- 
ehide  on  certane  articles ;"  one  of  which  was  '<  Reformatioun  of  the 
ooll^^e  of  Abirdene."  (Act.  Pari.  Scot.  vol.  iiL  p.  814.)  In 
1584,  the  new  foundation  was  presented  by  the  profesaors  to  pariia- 
ment,  and  at  their  request  a  commission  was  appointed  to  consider  it 
(lb.  p.  355.)  In  1597,  Parliament  passed  the  following  act :  "  Oun 
-flonerane  Laard  with  aduyse  and  consent  of  the  estaittis  of  this  prestnt 
parliament  Ratifeia  [[and)]  appreviathe  newfoundatioan  of  hia  ma^ 
colledge  of  auld  abirdene  to  be  reveist  be  his  hienei  eomiaskmais 
appointit  to  that  efibct,  vis.  Mr.  Johne  lyndesay  of  balenlioas 
his  mat^  secretar,  Mr.  James  Elphingstoun  of  bamtoun  ane  «f 
the  senators  of  his  hienes  ooUedge  of  Justice  and  Mr.  danid  Cunyi^ 
hame  bischop  of  abirdene  in  aD  and  sindrie  pointia  priviledgia  libei^ 
teis  Immuniteis  daussis  and  circnmstanoet  y'of  quhatsmnciiir  cllir 
the  forme  and  tennO*  of  the  samyn.  And  oidanls  Ida  maMi  ddknf 
r^  to  ressaue  the  said  fundatioon  and  to  extend  ane  act  of  pailiamcnt 
thairvponn  in  the  mair  forme  with  extenskmn  of  all  daaatii  neidftilL'' 
(Act.  Pftrl.  Scot  vol.  iv.  p.  153.) 

The  question  as  to  the  legality  of  the  New  FonndatioB  wis  wans- 
ly  disputed  in  the  College,  between  the  years  1634  snd  IflSll.  The 
greater  part  of  the  professors,  with  Dr.  Arthur  JooskMi,  the  Bseior, 
at  their  head,  maintained  the  aflirmative,  in  oppositioii  to  the  pro- 


NOTES.  477 

fenors  of  eanoQ  bw  and  medicine.  On  the  7th  of  October^  1637^  a 
royal  letter  was  iasaed  for  viatting  iKing'a  CoUc^^  and  *' establishing 
the  new  foundation  by  James  VI. ;"  but,  in  conae^enoe  of  the  repre- 
soitationa  of  **  the  mediciner  and  canonist^"  this  Tisitation  was  not 
hdld^  and  a  new  commission  was  given  in  the  following  year^  appointing 
the  visitors  to  proceed ''  according  to  the  old  foundation."  At  this  visi- 
tation (Aprils  1S38,)  the  Rector  and  his  friends  pleaded  that  the  ori« 
ginal  deed  of  new  foundation^  subscribed  by  the  King,  privy  councfl, ' 
bishop,  and  members  of  the  coll^,  had  been  secretly  destroyed  and 
burnt  sixteen  years  ago,  which  they  ofibred  to  prove  presently ;  and 
that  the  act  of  parliament  quoted  above  was  a  valid  ratification  of  it. 
This  was  denied  by  the  other  party,  who  pleaded  that,  in  an  action  be- 
fore the  Court  of  Session  in  March,  1636,  the  Lords  had  found  that 
the  act  of  Parliament  could  *'  make  no  faith,"  forasmuch  as  ''  the 
aUedgit  fundation  wes  nevir  revised,  reported,  nor  ratified  in  Parlia- 
ment." And  with  respect  to  "  the  copie  of  the  act  of  counsall  alledgit' 
subscribed  be  his  Ma^  at  Abirdeine,  1599,"  they  argued  that  it  waa 
''  ane  tyme  of  greyt  trouble  and  confusione  in  this  land,  and  yven 
done  sine  causa  cognitionis  et  partibus  non  auditis,  if  ever  it  wes 
done.**  (Papers  of  Visitation ;  and  Kennedy's  Annals  of  Aberdeen, 
vol.  iL  pp.  432^—442.) 

Note  K.  p.  365. 

Cframmar  School  of  Glasgow. — In  the  statutes  of  the  Cathedral ' 
Church  of  Glasgow,  confirmed  in  the  fourteenth  century,  it  is  de- 
clared :  '*  Cancellarii  officium  est  in  scolis  regendis  et  libris  reparan- 
dia  et  oorrigendis  curam  impendere,  lectiones  auscultare  et  terminare." 
(ChartuL  Glascuens.  torn.  i.  p.  549 :  in  Bibl.  Coll.  Glasg.)  In  1494, 
Mr.  Martin  Wan,  Chancellor  of  the  Metropolitan  Church  of  Glas- 
gow, brought  a  complaint  before  the  Bishop,  (Robert  Blacader)  against 
M.  D.  D.  Dwne,  a  priest  of  the  diocese^  for  teaching  scholars  in  gram- 
mar, and  children  in  inferior  brandies  by  himself  apart,  openly  and  ' 
paUidy,  (<'  per  se  ac  separatim  palaro  et  manifeste,**)  in  the  said  dty^ 
without  the  allowance  and  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  the  Chancellor. 
Wan  pleaded,  that,  by  statute  and  immemorial  usage,  he  had  the  power 
<tf'  appointing  and  deposing  the  master  of  the  grammar-school,  and 

of  hcenaing  or  prohibiting  all  teachers  of  youth  in  Glasgow. 

*'  inatituend.  et  destituend.  mag^  scolc  grammaticalis  dvitatis  glaa- 
guensis,  curamque  et  r^imen  dictc  scolie  ac  roagisterium  ^usdem  ha- 
bend.  sic  qius  quod  absque  illius  (sic)  mag^  martini  canodlarii  preno- 
minati  ac  canceUarii  diets  ecclesie  pro  tempore  existentis,  null!  liceat 
aeolam  grammaticalem  tenere,  scbolaresque  in  grammatica  ant  juven^  ' 


478  NOTES. 

ill  puerilibuB  per  te  cUm  aat  palam  infra  pnedletam  dvitataa  aea 
nniTenitateiii  instroere  et  dooere.*  The  bishop  having  heard  tha 
parties,  considered  the  productions^  and  examined  witnesses,  decided^ 
with  the  advice  of  his  chapter,  and  of  the  rector  and  clerks  of  the 
university,  in  favour  of  the  Chancellory  and  prohibited  Dwne  from 
all  teaching  or  instructing  of  youth  or  scholars,  without  license  spe* 
dally  sought  and  obtained  from  the  said  Mr.  Martin,  or  the  Chan« 
cellor  for  the  time  being.    (CartuL  Gla^g.  torn.  iL  p.  939.) 

It  appears  from  this  that  there  was  a  grammar-school  i&  Glasgow 
long  before  the  year  1494.  In  the  sixteenth  century  the  aitnation  of 
master  of  it  was  highly  respectable.  Among  the  mom'-regentes  nomi- 
nated to  elect  the  rector,  or  to  examine  the  graduates,  the  records  of 
the  university  mention,  in  1593  and  1525,  *^  Matthwus  Reid  msgf 
apoliD  grammaticahs ;"  in  1549  and  1551,  '^  Mag.  Alex^^  Crawfoid 
mag.  sooUe  grimaticalis  j**  and  in  1555,  ^'  Archibald*  Crawfurd  prw* 
ceptor  schoL  gram." 

At  what  time  Thomas  Jack  became  master,  I  have  not  learned.  The 
following  is  the  title  cf  his  book :  '*  Onomasticon  Poeticvm  sine  Pr<qpii- 
orvm  Qvibvs  in  svisMonvmentis  vn  svnt  veteres  Poet«,Brevis  Deacrip* 
tio  Poetica,  Thoma  Jacchieo  Caledonio  Avthore.  Edinbvrgi  Excvdebat 
Robertvs  Wald^raue,  Typographus  Regis  Maiestatis.  1592.  Cum 
Privilegio  Regali.'*  4to.  I'p.  150.  It  is  dedicated  to  James,  ddest 
son  of  Claud  Hamilton,  Commendator  of  Paisley,  who  had  been  edu« 
cated  under  Jack,  along  with  John  Graham,  a  younger  son  of  the 
Msrquis  of  Montrose.  The  dedication  is  dated  ''  £x  Sylvm,  vnlgp 
dicta,  Orientali  /**  i.  e.  Eastwood.  Prefixed  and  sulgomed  to  the 
work  are  a  recommendatory  letter  by  Hadr.  Damman  A  fiistervd^ 
and  encomiastic  verses  by  the  same  individual,  by  Robeit  AoilMki 
Hercules  Rolloek,  Patrick  Sharp,  Andrew  Melville,  and  Thamst 
Craig.  From  the  verses  of  Rohm  Rol}ock,  it  appeara  that  he  had 
been  the  schdar  of  Jack,  whom  he  calla  '^  preceptor  iUe  olim  acut 
Jacchcus."  After  mentioning  that  he  left  the  sdiool  of  Grlaigow 
''  a.  d.  V.  KaL  8ept.  1574,"  Jack  goes  on  to  say:  ''  JBo  ipso  amH^ 
mume  Nouembri,  non  sine  singnlari  numinia  provjdentii^  auc  ytii 
dectts,  et  pietatis  et  eruditionis  nomine,  Andreas  Mtlvituu  ^^■f— * 
venit,  qui  gymnasio  pneesset,  quern  baud  duUe  in  snmmum  mm  Sot 
desi«  et  Rdpub.  Scoticanc  oommodum  e6  miaerat  DeoSi  lUi^  vtr* 
sibus  meis  perlectis,  me  instanter  urgere  non  deatitit»  ut  opcria  firan- 
tem  ad  umbilicum  perducerem."  Having  mentiMied  the  rrviMl  of 
his  work  by  Bnchvttn«  (See  Irving*s  Mem.  of  Buehanan,  fi.  89lfl^  2d 
edit)  Jack  adds :  ''  Ad  Buchanaui  curam  acocssit  et  Amdnm  Jfcf- 
vMt,  Roberii  Ptmianif  et  Hadtitmi  Dammm^U  open,  qnibna  eo 


NOTES.  479 

naming  me  devinctinimuin  eonfiteor;**    (Qnomastiooii  Foetiaimv  I^ 
diclfpifit.)  In  1577,  '' Thomw JackcuB**  wm  *'Qtt«Mor  Ac^dtfUMB." 
(Annales  Collegu  Fac  Art.  GlAgg.>--F9bb  4,  U7$^  ''  Mr.  Tbwm 
Jack  vicar  of  datwod"  signs,  as  a  witneaBj  a  laek  gninM  by  Hb^ 
Cdlege  to  John  Buchanaii  of  BaUagan.  (Ibid.)  '<  Mr.  Tboioaa  Ja<ii^ 
minister  of  Rutberglen^**  was  among  those  wbp  o^^osed  the.  deotiott 
of  Montgomery  to  be  archbiflhop  of  Gla^w*     (Records  of  Privy 
ConncO,  April  IS,  1662.)    "  Tbo.  J^'  was  a  member  of  the  Gen^ 
ral  Assembly,  Aug.  1590.  (Rnik  of  UnivenaU  Kiric,  f.  159,  b.)   He 
U  mentioned  as  a  najnistfor  within  the.  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  e£ 
Fiaisley,  in  May  1593*  (Record  of  the  Piesb.  of  Glasgow.)    And 
lie  died  in  1596,  as  appears  from  the  Testamoit  Teslamentar  e£ 
''Euphame  WyUe,  relict  of  umqbill  Mr.  Thomas  Jak  min'  at 
Sastwod."    She  leaves  a  legacy  to  "  James  Scharp,  her  oy,  soiie 
Co  Mr.  Patrick  Scharp,"  and  constitutes  "  Mr.  Gabriel  Mai^well, 
ber   oy,"  her  only  executor  and  intromitter.    (Records  of  Com- 
"  missary  Court  of  Edinburgh,  Aug.  1,  1008.)    In  the  Dedication  of 
his  Onomastiam,  Jack  says^  *^  Oabrielem  Maxwelium,  nepotem  meum, 
qui  mihi  unid  filii  loco  est,  ingravesoente  hac  nostra  ctate,  tuo  com^ 
mendo  patrodnio." — Gabriel  Maxwell  was  a  minister  in  the  pres- 
bytery of  Paisley,  18th  March,  1594.    (Records  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Edinburgh.)    And  he  is  mentioned  as  "  Regens  et  Magister  A^ 
i605,"  in  a  List  of  the  Masters  of  the  College  of  Glai^w.  (M8.  by 
Principal  Dunlop,  an  Advocates  Librai7.) 

« 

Note  L.  p.  367. 

Earl^  State  of  High  School  of  Edifdmrgh.-^TlaB  adiool  had  the 
«ame  dependance  on  the  Abbey  of  Hoiyroodhouse,  which  that  of 
Ola^w  had  on  the  cathedral  church.    This  is  established  by  a  very 
curious  document,  a  royal  diarter  by  James  V,  dated  March  91, 1589, 
**  Henrico  Henrison  super  officio  Magisterii  Eruditionis  in  Schda 
Grammaticalis  de  Edinburgh."    It  ratifies  and  embodies  a  donadoa 
by  George  Bishop  of  Dunkdd,  as  Abbot  of  Holyroodhouae,  with  coa- 
aent  of  the  convent  of  that  monastery.    This  donation  bears,  that 
**  our  Louit  Clark  and  Oratour  Maister  Dauid  Vocat  piindpak 
Itfaister  and  Techour  of  our  Grammar  scule  of  the  burg^  of  Edin* 
bnigh  has  chosin  his  louit  firiende  and  disdpill  Maister  Hary  Henzisoua 
tobeComaister  with  him  into  the  Sjsid  skule,'*  and  to  succeed  to  him  §£• 
ter  hisdecease ;  "  And  because  we  die  saidis  Abbot  and  Cdue&t  under* 
s|%ndi8  y^'  said  Maister  Hary  is  abil  and  sufficientlie  qualyfyit  thato,haa 
made  mider  bun  gude  and  perite  scolaris  now  laitUe  y*  tym  that  ha 
ipaa  Maister  of-  our  scule  within  our  burgh  of  y*  Canoi^pilf,  Henii 


480  NOTES. 

for  we,  &c  ratifyia  and  approuls  y*  laid  adnrfwiomie  of  7*  ttU 
Maister  Haiy  to  be  Commaister,*'  &c  and  gives  and  gimntv  him 
"  poair 'and  licence  to  be  prindpale  maister  of  7^  said  Grnmmar  aknle 
after  7^  said  Maister  Dauid  deceiss— wit  all  and  syndrie  profitiiy  &e; 
and  dischairgis  all  utheris  of  ony  teching  of  Gramar  Slniles  within 
7*  said  Burgh,  except  7*  teching  and  lering  of  LecUmns  allenerally 
under  7*  pan78  eontenit  in  7^  Papis  Bnllis,  grantit  to  tb  7erupon. 
And  we  with  (will  ?)  7*  said  Maister  Har7  Henr7soan  heirfore  be 
ane  gude,  trew  and  thankful  servitour  to  ws  and  our  Sucoeasonris  en« 
during  his  l7ft3rnie,  and  to  be  at  hie  solemplie  featiual  t7me8  with  wa 
and  our  sucoessouris  at  7*  mess  and  ewin  sang  with  his  surplis  wpoon 
him  to  doe  ws  seruioe  7*  tjnne  7at  we  sail  doe  diwine  seniice  within 
our  said  abbe7  as  efferis.  7*  ferd  da7e  of  Septemb.  7*  7cir  of  God 
1624  7eiris.**  (£x  Diplomatnm  Collectione  M8.  vol.  ii.  p.  S50 :  in 
Bibl.  Jurid.  Edin.  Jac.  V.  4.  23.) 

During  the  disputes  between  the  magistrates  and  Mr.  William  Ro^ 
bertson,  the  right  of  the  Abbot  is  alwa78  taken  for  granted.  April  8, 
1562,  the  town-council  agree  to  write  to  Lord  James  to  deal  with 
Lord  Robert,  (Abbot  of  Hol7roodhouse,)  for  removing  Mr.  W.  Ro» 
bertson  from  the  grammar-school,  for  granting  the  office  of  roaster 
**  to  sic  ane  leirnit  and  qualifeit  man  as  7ai  can  find  maist  abill  7'fbn 
and  for  vphalding  and  sustening  y«  s*^  m.  &  doctouri^  a$  ahua  offf 
regentis  of  ane  collage  to  be  biggit  u/in  yis  burgh."    (Register  of  Town 
Council,  vol.  iv.  f.  26.)  April  11,  1562,  Mr.  William  Robertson  pn>- 
duced  '^  ane  gyft  grantit  be  abbot  cairneros  to  vmq^  Sr  Jhonc  allane." 
(lb.  f.  27.)    He  afterwards  produced  a  gift  to  himself  "  be  presenta- 
tion of  the  abbat  of  hallerudhous— of  7*  dait  7*  x  da7  of  Januar  1" 
v^  xlvi  7ers,"  to  which  it  was  objected  b7  the  procurator  of  the  town, 
(Oct  3,  1562.)  that  it  ought  to  have  had  the  seal  of  the  convent  and 
the  subscription  of  the  Abbot  of  Cambuskenneth,  administrator  and 
governor  of  the  Abbot  of  Hol7roodhou8e,  who  was  then  a  minor  under 
fourteen  years  of  age.  "  The  provost,  &c  sittand  in  jugem£t  aa  iugeis 
ordineris  to  the  persoun  of  Mr  Williame  Robertaoun,  haifand  consent 
of  Robert  commendator  of  halierudhoua— findis  7*  said  Mr  W.  vnh*- 
hill  to  exerce  7*  said  office  of  scholemaister  within  7*  said  bur<  & 
7airfore  decerns  him  to  remove,"  &c.   (Reg.  ut  sup.  ffi  44,  45.)  Thii 
is  a  ver7  curious  minute.    Robertson  continued  to  defend  hia  r^t^ 
and  on  the  6th  of  Ma7,  1565,  the  Queen  interposed  her  authority  in 
hb  favour.    (lb.  ff.  128,  129.)    On  the  6th  of  Mazdi^  lSt%  dv 
council  **  ordainis  ane  writing  to  be  maid  in  maiat  eflfectoooa  maoMr 
to  Mr  James  Quhite  scottisman  in  london — to  accept  upon  hia  7* 
mastership  of  7^  hie  gramcr  acole,  and  baeaua  yaf  ar  tfat^im  inftmlt 


NOTES.  4R1 

Pie)]  hM  greit  proffit  be  hi^Molc  in  londone^  and  y^  he  is  ane  man  of 
OLceU&at  krning  baith  in  lating  &  greik  ordanis  ane  yearlie  pendoan 
t9  be  given  to  him  of  iuj^li  (fourscore  pounds)  of  y«  readaest  of  yafr 
comoun^  gude,  besyde  and  abone  y®  profet  y^  he  sail  haue  of  y* 
baimia."  (lb.  f.  60.)  July  38,  1568,  the  treasurer  is  appointed  to 
ride  to  6t  Andrews  ^'  for  Mr  tbomas  buchquhflnane  to  be  Maist.  of 
yiur  hie  scde."  (lb.  f.  220.)  He  entered  to  the  school  on  the  11th 
of  February  following,  and  appears  to  haye  left  it  about  July,  1570. 
(lb.  ff.  294,  260.)  It  would  seem  that  he  acted  as  assistant  to  his 
unde  during  hia  residence  at  Stirling.  For  a  pension  of  £100  was 
giyen  to  *'  Mr.  Thomas  buchannane  Maister  of  y*  grammar  scole  of 
Striueling,  quha  hes  bene  in  the  nowmber  of  his  hienes  houshal^" 
and  has  bruiked  the  pension,  *'  thir  diuers  years  bygane. — Penult. 
Aug.  1578.**  (Reg.  of  Presentation  to  Benefices,  &c.  vol.  ii.  f.  2.) 

It  appears,  from  the  gift  to  Henry  Henryson,  that  in  1525  there 
was  a  grammar  school  in  the  Canongate,  distinct  from  that  of  Edin- 
burgh, and  that  both  were  originally  under  the  patronage  of 
the  abbots  of  Holyroodhouse.  In  1580,  *'  The  baiUies  counsall 
and  Kirk  of  the  bur<  of  the  canongait"  entered  a  complaint  be- 
fore the  Privy  Council,  in  which  they  stated  that  they  have  ^'  bene 
euir  cairfull  according  to  thair  duteis  that  thair  youth  sould  haue 
bene  instructit  and  bro^  vp  in  the  knowledge  of  god  and  gude 
{res  And  thairfoir  hes  had  grammer  sculis  ane  or  ma  And  that 
cot  onlie  sen  reformatioun  of  religioun  hot  also  in  tyme  of  papistrie 
&  past  memorie  o(  man,  Quhill  Uiat  Mr  H^illiam  Robertsoun  scule- 
master  of  Edinbur^  be  sum  solistatioun  purchest  of  his  hienes  in  the 
moneth  of  October  last  the  oonfirmatioun  of  ane  papisticall  gift  got- 
ten in  tyme  of  blindnes  at  the  abbot  of  halieruidhous  then  being  in 
minority  without  consent  of  the  convent  And  be  the  same  hes  stoppit 
and  dischargit  their  sculis  be  the  space  of  ane  quartir  of  ane  yeir  or 
mair  last  bipast  throw  the  qlk  thair  haill  infantes  and  children  are 

dispersit,  &c The  lordis  of  secreit  counsall  ffindis  thameselfis  not 

to  be  judges  competent  to  the  said  mater  and  thairfoir  remittis  the 
samen  to  be  decydit  befoir  the  judges  competent  thairto  as  accordis." 
(Record  of  Privy  CouncU,  9th  Sept  1580.) 

NoTS  M.  p.  372. 

()f  Alexander  S§pne. — The  following  grant  to  Alexander  Syme  fur« 
niahes  a  curious  notice  as  to  the  teaching  of  law  in  Scotland :  *'  Marie 
be  y*  grace  of  god  queue  of  Scottis  &c  Forsamekle  as  it  is  vnderstand 
to  OQre  derrest  moder  Marie  quene  drowriare  and  regent  of  oure  r»- 
alme  that  y«  want  and  laik  of  eunning  meD>  raritie  and  skaraines  of 
VOL.  II.  3  I 


482  NOTES. 

thame  to  teche  and  reid  within  oar  realme,  hes  bene  y*  ocrarionn 
of  y*  decay  of  knawlege  and  Bcienoe,  within  y  nmin  awa  ymt  jir 
mony  leria  bigane  yair  hes  bene  few  yat  applyit  yame  or  gdf 
yair  Btudie  to  obtene  letters  And  yat  ftirincheing  of  letten  knaw- 
lege and  science  nocht  allanerlie  to  y«  plesure  of  wa  and  ov 
sucoessooris^  and  to  oure  and  yair  perpetuale  honour  and  iaae 
Bot  also  to  the  greit  decoring  of  y®  coontrie  and  vntellable  profiit  if 
onre  liegis  quhilk  sail  follow  yairrpoun,  gif  be  authorising  of  cunning 
men  all  libcxall  sciences  beis  frielie  techit  floriss  and  increH^  and  We 
vnderstanding  that  oure  weilbdovite  derk  maister  Alex.  Sym  hn 
spendit  his  haill  youthdd  past  in  vertew  and  science^  and  haTing  ei« 
perience  of  him  yat  he  is  habill  to  reid,  instruct,  and  teiche  Thanrfiir 
&c"  grants  him  a  pension  of  100  lib.  Scots,  during  the  Queen*a  plea- 
sure— **  To  y®  effect  yat  he  sail  await  upoun  our  said  derreat  moder, 
and  be  hir  Lectoure  and  reidare  in  y«  lawis  or  ony  ytheris  adendi^ 
at  oure  bur^  of  Ed'  or  quhair  he  sdbe  requirit  be  our  said  dentst 
moder  yairto.  And  alsua  to  gife  aU  vtheris  young  mene  of  freseke 
and  quyk  Ingynis  occasioun  to  spply  yair  hale  myndia  to  atudSe  ftr 
like  reward  to  be  hade  of  ws  in  tyme  cuming,  &c  At  Ed.  Feb.  5, 
1555/*    (Register  of  Privy  Seal,  vol.  xxviii.  foL  10.) 

In  1562,  Mr.  Alexander  Sym  was  appointed  one  of  the  examinaton 
of  the  master  of  the  High  School  of  Edinburgh,  "  in  grammar,  gidk, 
and  latdn."  The  following  is  a  list  of  these  ''  men  cQning  and  ei- 
perte  in  the'saidis  sciences,**  who  may  be  presumed  to  have  been  the 
most  distinguished  for  learning  in  the  country :  ^'  Maiaters  Geotge 
baquhannane,  George  Hay,  Alexander  Sjrm,  David  Colaaa,  Johnae 
craig  minister  of  halierudhous,  James  panter,  Jamea  Kinponte,  Cle- 
ment litill,  Johnne  henderson,  and  Johnne  Spottiawood  supcrinleDdsBt 
of  Lothian.**  (Register  of  Town  Council,  Oct  3,  1563.)  In  1567| 
Mr.  Alex.  Sym  was  appointed  one  of  the  procuratora  for  the  Ghnrdi. 
(Cald.  ii.  61.)  He  was  alive  in  1573,  when  he  waa  appointed  praea- 
rator,  along  with  Edwart  Henderson,  fat  the  College  of  8u  Leoond 
before  the  Lords  of  CounseL  (Pap.  of  Univ.  of  St  Andrews) 

Note  N.  p.  375. 

Of  Edward  Henry ion. — Henryson*s  first  work  waa  a  translation  of 
a  treatise  of  Plutarch :  ^''Plutardii  Septem  Sapientvm 
fmblished  in  ''  Moralivm  Opvaevlorvm  Plvtardii  Tomiia 
npvd  Oraphivm,  Lvgdvni  1551."  19mo.  The  Dedication  ia  inaeriM 
<'D  Hvldrioo  Fuggero  Edvardvs  Heniisd  8.P.  D.**  Aeopyof  ^ 
book,  belonging  to  the  University  of  St  Andiewa,  has  on  dw  Citl^ 
page  the  author's  autograph,  '^  Edward  HenryaoD^*"  with  a  mniber 


i 


NOTES.  483 

of  oorrectionB  of  errors  of  the  press  by  the  same  pen.     Thb  book 
his  also  the  aatograph  of ''  G.  Hay  rvthwen  *.** 

In  1555,  Henry  son  published  a  defence  of  Baro  against  Govea,  on 
the  sutject  of  the  distinction  between  magistratical  and  judicial  au- 
thority. "  Edvardi  Henrysonis  Pro  Eg.  Barone  adversus  A.  Goto^ 
«mn  de  Jurisdictione  Libri  II.  Parisiis  1555."  9vo.  fol.  80.  The 
Dedication,  '^  Ad  Huldrichum  Fuggerura  Kirchbergi  &  VTcissen* 
horniss  dominum/'  is  dated  **  Biturigibus  quarto  nonas  Octob.  An. 
doi.  M.  D.  Liv."  He  informs  Fugger  that  he  had  planned  the  work  in 
his  houso  "  in  Michausa  tua,*'  and  that  he  considered  all  his  literS" 
ry  labours  as  due  to  him  in  virtue  of  the  pension  which  he  had  from 
him — "  tibi  tui  stipend^  lure  debentur.*'  A  copy  of  this  work  in  the 
Adrocates  Library  has  the  following  inscription  in  4>e  author's  hand- 
writing :  "  D.  Joanni  Henrysoni  Eduard  Henryson  author  amoria 
ergo  D.D.  postridie  Calend.  No.  1555." 

This  work,  as  well  as  Henryson's  Commentary  on  the  title  of  the 
Institutes  De  TestamentU,  was  republished  by  Meerman:  Notus 
Thesaurus  Juris  Civilis  et  Canonici,  torn.  iii.  Meerman  says  the 
Comment,  de  TestamentU  ordinandis,  was  printed  at  Paris,  1669,  in 
8to.  In  the  dedidition  of  it  to  Michael  d'Hopital,  dated  fVom  Bourges, 
'^  7  CaL  Jul.  1555,"  Henryson  says,  that  the  second  year  of  his 
teaching  Civil  Law  in  that  place  was  then  running.  His  name,  how« 
ever,  does  not  occur  in  two  published  lists  of  the  professors  of  that 
university.    (Meerman,  Nov.  Thes.  tom.  iii.  Prefat  p.*vii.) 

The  following  note  is  written  on  a  blank  leaf  of  Arriani  Epictetvs, 
Or.  in  the  Library  of  Edinburgh  Coll^;e.  (A.  T.  a.  10.)  It  is  in  the 
liaiidwriting  of  Henryson's  son.  **  Fuit  hie  Doctoris  Eduardi  henry- 
•ODis  liber  E  quo  transtulit  in  linguam  latinam  Epicteti  Enchiridium 
•t  arriani  Commentaries  de  Epicteti  dissertationibus  in  iEdibus  Reue« 
rendissimi  viri  Henrici  Sancto  Claro  tum  decani  Glasguensis  poatea 
Bpiscoja  Rossensis  Eduardi  Msecenatis  Anno  5S  post  Milleslmum 
Quingentissimum.  Antequam  in  publicum  prodierunt  Jacobi  Sdieggii 
Eruditissimi  Et  Hieronymi  volphii  iElingensis  Interpretis  optimi 
Eruditie  Et  docts  oonuersiones.  Mentionem  fadt  Volphius  Interpre- 
tationis  Thoms  Naogeorgii  quam  non  videre  mihi  contigit  licet  sedu- 

*  Geoige  Hay,  sometimes  called  parson  of  Ruthven,  and  at  other  times 
parson  of  Eddilston,  was  a  brother  of  Andrew  Hay,  parson  of  Benfrew, 
who  fflled,  for  many  years,  the  office  of  Rector  of  the  University  of  Glas- 
gow. (Cald.  ii.  618,  619.)  An  account  of  his  Answer  to  the  Abbot  of 
Crossraguel  has  been  given  elsewhere.  (Life  of  Knox,  ii.  131,  446.)  Tn 
April,  1576,  ^*  Certane  brether  appointit  to'oversie  thebooke  wrytia  be  Mr. 
Oeoi^  Hay  contra  Tyrie.**    (Buik  of  Univ.  Kirk,  p.  65.) 

SiS 


484  NOTES. 

lo  perquisieriin.  Cur  autem  pater  auam  venioiiem  Henrico  Sandaio 
dicatam  uon  Ediderit  Secuta  Luctuosiasima  illi  Mvoenatia  mora  £t  ty* 
pographorum  Apud  noa  penuria  Et  Statim  poatea  tantorum  virorum 
lucubrationes  Editc  in  Gallia  fuere.'*  Some  of  tbe  atatementa  in  tliia 
note  are  at  least  dubious.  Henry  Sinclair,  biahop  of  Roea,  did  not 
die  until  Jan.  2,  1565.  The  translation  of  Arrian  by  Scheggius  was 
published  in  1554.  Henryson  was  with  Fugger  in  1551  ;  and  it  is 
not  very  probable  that  he  was  in  Scotland  during  the  following  year. 
—Dempster  (Hist  Ecd.  Scot  p.  S50.)  mentions  a  tianalation  of  aniH 
ther  work  of  Plutarch  by  Henryson :  '*  Plutarchi  CommentarinlB 
Stoicorum  ContrariorQ.   Lugduni,  1555." 

In  1563  ^'Maisteris  James  Balfour  persoun  of  fliskj  Ed.  henry- 
soun^  Clement  littill  aduocatis  and  robert  Maitland,**  were  eaC»- 
blished  Commissaries  of  Edinburgh:  Balfour  had  400  merlo^ 
and  the  rest  300  merks  each,  for  their  '<  feis  yierlie.**  (Reg.  of  Priiy 
Seal,  vol.  xxxii.  fol.  79.)  Henryson  is  known  as  the  editor  of  the 
Scots  Acts  of  Parliament,  which  appeared  in  1566.  Hia  name  occim 
in  a  list  of  advocates.  May  22,  1585.  (Papers  of  Hospital  of  Perth.) 
He  was  dead  before  March  1 0,  1 59 1 .  ( Inq.  Retom.  Edinburgh,  nun. 
1414.)  Several  particulars  as  to  his  family  are  mentioned  in  Mait- 
]and*s  History  of  Edinburgh,  p.  198.  And  his  talents  and  hia  patron- 
age of  science  are  celebrated  by  John  Rutheifurd*  (De  Arte  Diaie- 
rendi,  Prtefat.) 

NoTB  O.  p.  384. 

Of  Archbishop  Adamson, — ^Dr.  Mackenzie  is  offended  at  thepreaby« 
terian  historians  for  asserting  that  the  Archbiahop*8  name  was  Patrick 
Comttance,  and  that  he  was  a  minister  of  the  church  of  Scotland  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Reformation.  (Lives,  iii.  365.)  Thai  he  was  called 
Constyne,  Constance,  or  ConsUtniine,  ia  moat  unquestionable.  Reooiii« 
mendatory  versea  by  James  Lawson  and  Robert  Pont  are  prefixed  to 
'*  Catechiamvs  Latino  Carmine  redditva— Patiicii  Adamaoni  SeoCi 
poets  elegantiaaimi  operar— Lekprevik,  1581  *•"  In  hia  Tcnes  Font 
aaya: 

•  This  work  was  first  prmttd  at  St.  Andrews  in  1573.  (Mdvillle's  Dlsiy, 
pp.  27,  88.)  Charters  mentions  both  editions,  ( Acoo.  of  Sooes  Divinasy  p^  ff,) 
as  does,  also  Sibbsld.  (De  Script  Scot.  p.  24.)  In  Ids  dcdieatioD  of  itiadie 
youngjLing,  the  aotbor  hiforms  James,  that  he  had  composed  It  wteli  the  viev 
of  aisistfaig  in  his  edncatioo . 


NOTES.  485 

Vidit  PatridTS  cum  Constantiniu  c^lt?, 
Admouitqne  msnum  noster  Adamsonivs* 

The  following  is  the  title-page  of  the  first  edition  of  one  of  Adam- 
8on*8  earliest  works :  "  De  Papistarvm  Svperstlosis  Ineptiis  Patricij 
AdamsonQ,  Alias  Constantini  carmen.  Matth.  15.  Omnis  plantatio 
&c  Impressum  Edinborgi  per  Robertum  Lekprewick.  Anno  1564." 
(In  BibL  Coll.  £din.)  Wilson,  perhaps  thinking  the  alias  discredit- 
able to  his  father-in-law,  omitted  the  second  name  in  his  edition.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  produce  other  proofs.  If  any  of  the  presbyterian 
historians  have  asserted  that  the  archbishop  changed  his  name,  they 
are  mistaken ;  for  he  inherited  both  designations  from  his  ancestors. 
Dionysius  Adamson  or  Constantiue  was  Town  Clerk  of  Perth  toward 
the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century.  He  is  mentioned  in  thirteen 
diarters  from  1491  to  1500,  and  is  sometimes  called  Adamson  and 
sometimes  Constantine,  (Extracts  from  Registers  of  Births,  &c.  in 
Perth,  by  the  Rev.  James  Scott ;  now  in  the  Library  of  the  Advo- 
cates.) The  writer  of  Vita  P,  Adamsoni,  suljoined  to  Melvini  Musof, 
(p.  45,)  says  the  bishop  was  the  son  of  Patrick  Coustan,  a  baker. 
Mr.  Scott  says  that  Patrick  Adamson  or  Constantine,  who  was  a  ma- 
f^trate  of  Perth  in  1541,  and  died  Oct.  S3,  1570,  had  a  daughter 
named  Violet,  and  three  sons,  Patrick,  Henry,  and  James.  Violet 
married  Andrew  Simson,  master  of  the  grammar  sdiool  of  Perth. 
Patrick  became  archbishop  of  St.  Andrews.  Henry  was  killed  on  the 
street  of  Perth,  April  16,  1559.  James  held  the  office  of  provost  of 
Perth  from  1609  to  1611,  and  was  the  father  of  Mr.  Henry  Adam- 
son, the  author  of  the  poem  entitled  Gaits  Gabions.  (Extracts  from 
Registers,  ut  supra.) 

In  1558,  **  PatriciuB  Const^e,"  of  St.  Mary's  Collie,  was  lau- 
reated.  (Rec  of  Univ.  of  S.  And.)  In  1560, "  Mr.  Patrik  Coustone" 
(Constone)  was  declared  by  the  General  Assembly  qualified  ''  for 
ministring  and  teaching."  (Keith's  Hist.  p.  498.)  Dec.  156S,  ''  Mr. 
Patrik  Couston  {Constance,  Bulk  of  Univ.  Kirk,)  if  he  be  not  chosen, 
for  St.  Johnston,  for  Aberdeen."  (Keith,  519.)  June,  1564,  "  Mr. 
Pktrick  Constance  minister  of  Sjrres  desyreing  the  licence  to  pass  to 
firanee  and  vther  countreyes  for  augmenting  of  his  knowledge  for  a 
tyme.  The  haill  asaemblie  in  ane  voice  dissentit  y'fra."  (Buik  of 
Univ.  Kirk,  p.  11.)  "  Acdngenti  se  ad  iter  vir  Dei  Johannes  Cnoxus 
nndedixit,  quod  tam  ampla  messe  et  tanta  operariorum  penuria  gre- 
gem  deseruisset,  ut  ea  que  sunt  mundi  quereret."  (MelviQi  Musipj 
&9*  P*  45.) 

«I« 


486  NOTES. 

The  presbytcrian  writers  say,  that  Adamson^  on  hii  return  to  Scot- 
land, betook  himself  a  second  time  to  the  ministry,  and  that,  being 
disappointed  of  the  archbishopric  of  St.  Andrews,  he  preached  a  ser- 
mon, about  the  time  of  Douglas's  consecration  to  that  See,  in  whidi 
he  told  the  people,  "  There  aie  three  sorts  of  Bishops ;  my  Lord 
Bishop,  my  Lord  s  Bishop,  and  the  Lord's  Bishop.    My  Lord  Biabop 
was  in  the  time  of  Popery :  my. Lord's  Bishop  is  now,  when  my  Lord 
gets  the  benefice,  and  the  bishop  serves  for  nothing  but  to  make  his 
title  sure :  and  the  Lord's  Bishop  is  the  true  minister  of  the  gpapd^" 
Dr.  Mackenzie  summarily  rejects  this  statement,  as  inoonaistent  with 
Adamson's  account  of  himself,  "  that  he  was  then  at  Bruges  (Bourges) 
in  France,  nor  did  he  return  to  Scotland  till  the  year  1573."    (Lives, 
iii.  365, 366.)     The  writer  of  the  life  of  Adamson  in  the  Biqgraphia 
Britannica  adopts  Mackenzie's  statement,  but  blames   him  for  not 
exposing  more  particularly  the  anachronisms  of  which  the  presbyte- 
rian  writers  have  been  guilty ;  and  having  referred  to  dates  and  an« 
thorities  *'  to  put  this  matter  out  of  dispute,"  he  condudea  that  the 
whole  is  a  scandalous  story,  fabricated  by  men  who  were  induced  by 
*^  great  spleen  to  write  any  thing  that  came  into  their  heads,  provided 
always  the  enemies  of  the  Kirk  were  the  objects  of  their  invective.'' 
(Biogr.  Brit.  vol.  i.  p.  39,  2d  edit.)    But  it  has  happened  to  this 
writer  as  to  those  who  contradict  others  on  a  subject  on  which  they 
are  themselves  superficially  informed.    For,  in  the  Jirst  place,  Ban- 
natyne,  who  was  on  the  spot,  has  recorded  in  his  Journal,  (p.  383,) 
that ''  Mr.  Patrik  Cousting  (Consting)  preached"  at  St.  Andrews  on 
the  Friday  before  Douglas's  consecration  ;  and  James  Melville  aays 
that  he  heard  the  sermon,  and  has  given  the  words  used  by  the 
preacher,  as  quoted  above.    (Diary,  p.  87.)    In  the  second  place,  in 
spite  of  the  averments  and  presumptions  of  the  writers  referred  to,  it 
is  unquestionable  that  Adamson  had  left  France,  and  was  in  Scot- 
land, when  Douglas  was  appointed  to  the  archbishopric  of  St.  An- 
drews, and  even  before  the  death  of  Hamilton,  the  fomiflr  incam- 
bent     Archbishop  Hamilton  was  esLecuted  April  1,   1571;  and 
Donglaa  was  elected  to  the  bishopric  on  the  6th,  and  oonBecrated  oi 
the  10th  day  of  February,  1578.    Now,  Mr.  Patrick  Adamaon  pn- 
aented  a  petition  to  the  General  Assembly,  which  met  on  the  6di  of 
March,  1579,  **  requesting  them  to  ratify  hia  pensioa  of  500  meiks 
out  of  the  parsonage  of  Gla&gow,  becauie  he  was  willing  to  aerte  in 
the  ministry."    (Cald.  u.  84d.)    ''  The  Assembly  (A^  1571.)  bnrth- 
crly  required  Mr.  Patrick  Adunaon  to  enter  again  in  tli^  mimatry." 
He  answered  that  he  would  advise  till  next  Assembly.    (Ibid*  li.  896.) 


NOTES-  487 

''  In  the  tenth  Session  (of  the  Assembly  which  met  March  1^  1570.) 
Mr.  Patrick  Adamson  dliewing  that  he  was  appointed  by  advice  of 
the  brethren  then  convened  at  £din'  to  await  on  Court,  and  preach 
to  my  lord  Regent's  Grace^  and  for  that  purpose  was  modified  to  him 
500  merks  be  year,  and  had  served  3  months  upon  his  own  expences : 
dierefore  requested  the  brethren  to  appoint  when  he  should  recdve 
payment  of  hia  stipend  pro  rato,  w<^  was  done."  (lb.  iL  166.)  But 
the  following  document  puts  the  ipatter  beyond  all  doubt.  *'  Gift 
of  ane  yeirlie  pensioun  of  the  soume  of  fyve  hundreth  merkis  money 
of  this  realme-^to  Maister  Patrik  Adamsoun — from  the  personage  of 
Glasgow  &C.  S5  day  of  August  1570.**  (Register  of  Benefices  dis* 
ponit  sen  the  entres  of  the  Noble  and  Michtie  lord  Matthew  erle  of 
levinax,  lord  demelie,  to  the  office  of  R^;entrie,  foL  2.) 

These  authorities  would  have  outweighed  the  testimony  of  Adam- 
son  himself,  though  he  had  asserted  the  contrary.  But  he  has  done 
no  such  thing.  His  words  are :  "  Scripsi  quidem  in  Gallia  in  ipso 
belli  furore"  (Dedic  in  Catechis.) ;  meaning  the  civil  war  which  raged 
in  1567,  and  1568.  Misunderstanding  this,  his  son-in-law  has  said, 
''  dum  Martyrii  Parisiemis  rabiis  conflagraret ;"  and  Thomas  Mur- 
ray, proceeding  on  this  mistake,  adds,  "  in  medio  belli  civilis  quo 
Chdiia  anno  1578  conflagrauit,  incendio.'*  (Prsfat.  et  Carm.  ante 
Jobum.)  In  this  way  carelessness  creates  blunders,  and  blunders, 
acting  on  pr^udice  and  spleen,  produce  calumny.  1  have  entered 
into  this  examination,  not  on  account  of  the  importance  of  the  facts 
to  which  it  immediately  relates,  (although  truth  is  preferable  to  error 
in  all  things,)  but  because  it  afibrds  a  specimen  of  the  ease  with 
which  the  common  charges  of  falsification  which  writers  of  a  certain 
description  have  brought  against  Knox,  Buchanan,  Calderwood,  and 
other  presbyterian  historians,  may  be  refuted. 

It  would  seem  that  Adamson  had  some  connexion  with  the  Uni- 
versity of  St.  Andrews,  while  he  was  minister  of  Ceres.  At  least, 
the  preface  to  his  poem,  De  Papittarum  Inepiiis,  is  dated,  "  Sanc- 
tiandrec  4.  caleudaa  Septembris.  Anno  1564.  Ex  pcdagogia"  Among 
the  works  ascribed  to  him  is  a  eucharistical  poem  to  Queen  Elizabeth 
liar  the  liberation  of  Scotland  from  civil  war.  (Graii  Oratio  de  Illustr. 
Scot  Script,  p.  xxxii.  Mackenzie's  Lives,  vol.  i.  Charters.  Sibbald.) 
He  was  probably  the  author  of  the  Latin  translation  of  the  Scots  Con- 
fession of  Faitli,  published  by  Lekprevik,  "  Andreapoli  Anno  Do. 
M.D.LXxii."  Subjoined  to  it  are  a  specimen  of  his  paraphrase  of  Job, 
and  an  epiUph  by  him  on  Walter  Mill  the  martyr.  This  is  the 
epitaph  inserted  in  SpoUwood's  History^  p.  97.    Among  the  Cottonian 


488  NOTES. 


MS8.  are  two  epitaphs  '^  per  Patricia  Constantina  Scotom  ;"  one  on 
Bishop  Jewel,  and  another  on  the  Duke  of  Giiiae.    (Calig.  B.  5.  a6.) 


NoTB  P.  p.  388. 

CffJohn  Davidson,  Principal  of  the  College  of 
in  I^  account  of  Scottish  Divines,  and  Wodrow,  in  his  Life  of  John 
Davidson,  have  confounded  the  Principal  with  the  peraon  who  ia  the 
sul^ect  of  the  succeeding  note  *.  The  latter  (who  becanne  miinsler 
of  Lihherton,  preached  for  some  time  in  Edinburgh,  and  died  miaii* 
tar  of  Prestonpans,)  was  a  student  of  St.  Leonard's  College,  in  the 
University  of  St.  Andrews,  from  1567  to  1570.  The  former  had  beoi 
at  the  head  of  the  College  of  Glasgow  many  years  before  thmt  psriod. 
*'  Die  xxivo  octobris  anno  1556.  Inoorporati  sub  preacripto  Rectore-r 
Mag<^  Joannes  Dauidson  vicarius  de  alness.*'  The  same  year  be 
was  chosen  one  of  the  four  intrants  for  electing  the  Rector.  And  on 
the  25th  of  Oct  1557,  he  is  styled  ''prindpalia  regens  ped^iqgii 
Glasguen.**  (Annal.  Univ.  Glas.)  In  1559, ''  Mag.  Johftnea  Damd- 
soun  principalis  regens  pedagogii  sen  universitatis  Glasguen*'  s^ns 
two  deeds  rdadng  to  the  College  rents;  and  in  1560  another  ia  sub* 
scribed  by  "  Mr  Johne  Dauidsoun  principall  regent  of  y«  psedagog  of 
Glasgow.*'  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  at  what  time  he  died, 
but  believe  his  name  occurs  for  the  last  time  in  the  records  of  die 
university  about  the  year  1 572. 

The  following  is  the  title  of  a  book  published  by  him  :  ''  Ane 
Answer  to  the  Tractiue,  set  furth  in  the  zeir  of  God,  1558^  be  Maister 
Quin  tine  kennedy,  Commendatar  of  Crosraguell,  for  the  establiadiing  of 
ane  Christiane  mannis  conscience  (as  he  alledgis)  the  Forth  and  stienth 
of  his  Papistrie,  and  all  vthers  of  his  Sect,  as  appearis  weil  be  his 
Epistle  direct  to  the  Protestantes,  and  Prentit  in  the  last  part  of  this 
Buik.  Maid  be  Maister  Johne  Dauidsone,  Maiater  of  the  Pcdagog 
of  Glasgw.  Coiloss.  2.  Bewarre  &c.  Imprentit  at  Edinbui]^  bgr 
Robert  Lekprewik.  Cum  priuilegio.  1563."  4to.  84  leavea.  The 
running  title  is :  "  The  Confutatione  of  M.  Q.  Ken.  Papialicall 
Councels." 

After  an  address  ''  To  the  Beneuolent  Reader"  is  a  dedication  f'  To 
the  maist  Noble  and  vertuous  Lorde  Alexander,  Earle  of  Glencai^ 


#  There  was  a  third  penon  of  this  name  who  was  alive  at  the  nme  tim^ 
Mr.  John  Davidfone  was  minister  of  Hamiltoo  in  1567,  (Keith  pb  575,)  in 
)578,  (MelTiUe's  Diary,  p.  43,)  and  in  1589.   (Cald.  ir.  139.) 


NOT£S.  48$ 

den."  Having  praised  die  exertions  of  his  Lordship  in  the  Refor« 
nation  of  religion,  and  stated  that  this  answer  was  undertaken  at  his 
desire,  the  autiior  goes  on  to  say :  ^*  And  hecause  this  huik  of  M.  Q. 
contenit  so  many  absurditeis,  qnhilk  wald  hane  consumit  great  tjrme^ 
to  hane  confutit  thaim  all.  It  chancit  weill,  ,that  ane  lytle  space  be» 
fbre  the  beginning  of  the  reformation  of  the  religion,  he  exeerptit 
ftlrth  of  this  hale  Buik,  ane  Schort  tractiue,  oontening  the  hale  ma^ 
ter  of  his  Buik,  as  the  Coppy  bearis  that  he  send  me,  to  present  to 
James  Betoune,  Archebischop  of  Glasgw  (quha  was  my  gude  Maister 
and  liberal  freind,  qohowbeit  for  religione  we  are  now  seperatit  in 
ane  part,  as  mony  fathers  and  sonnes  is,  in  thir  our  dayis)  to  quhom 
I  pray  God,  send  the  treuth  and  knawledge  of  his  worde :  that  may 
vnit  vs  in  Spirit  and  mynde  againe  together,  that  hes  seperatit 
▼s  (as  apperis)  in  our  warldly  kyndenes."  At  the  end  of  the  book  is 
an  answer  to  **  Maister  Quintine  kennedeis  Epistle  to  the  Brethren 
Protestantes,"  in  which  Davidson  reminds  the  Abbot  he  had  sent 
him  his  Sehori  Tractive^  ''  to  haue  bene  presentit  in  that  troublus 
tyme  to  James  Betoune  archebischope  of  Glasgo,  our  gude  Lorde 
and  Maister,  to  haue  had  his  Judgement  and  mynde  of  zour  said  buik^ 
before  that  tyme  laitly  Prentit :  quhilk  for  tiiat  present  tyme,  we 
approuit  baith  to  be  gude  and  godly,  hot  sen  syne,  I  finding  the 
Scriptures  sa  weill  oppinnit,  be  the  ordinarie  meanis,  quhareby  God 
communicatis  vnto  men,  the  vnderstanding  of  his  Scripturs,  that  I 
could  nocht  be  langer  of  souropinione,  without  I  wald  haue  mantenit, 
as  ane  shameles  man,  that  thing  quhilk  had  nother  ground  of  Scrips 
ture,  gude  reasone,  nor  approbatione  of  the  Ancient  Doctours.  Quhare^ 
fore,  for  the  brotherly  lulfe  I  beare  to  all  men  in  Christe,  and  for  the 
auld  Parisiane  kyndnes,  that  was  betuix  vs  *,  to  brjmg  zour  L.  and 
the  people  of  this  countrie,  fVa  the  errour  and  blyndnes  that  this 
lytle  bulk  of  zours,  hes  haldin  zow  and  thaim  baith  in.  Be  sindrie 
Scripturs  and  reasonis  I  haue  trauellit,  vsing  me  heirin,  efter  the 
eommone  maner  of  Reasoning,  vnthout  dispyte,  or  reproche,  and  on 
the  maist  gentile  maner  I  could,  I  haue  schawin  zow,  quhow  ze 
haue  far  ouersene  zour  self  in  this  bulk,  of  the  quhilk,  in  my  hart 
trewly  I  am  sorie.    Praying  zour  L.  heirfore>  gif  ze  finde  the  Rea- 

*  A  coromiesion  by  the  Bishop  of  Aberdeen  wy  executed  at  Paris,  Sept, 
\%^  1652 :  **  coram  bU  tettibus— MagiBtrit  Joanne  Davidson  vicsrio  de  ^yg^*' 
&C.  (kei«h*s  Scot.  Biahope,  p.  74.)  But  I  cannot  assert  thi^t  this  is  t|i(^ 
individual  who  was  afterwards  principal  of  Glasgow  College. 


490  NOTES. 

fonis  I  bring  in  aganis  zoun,  to  haue  evacoat  the  reaaonis  of  loar 
bulk  in  ony  aorte :  Tndentand  my  laboora  not  to  be,  that  I  deayre 
lour  L.  (quha  excedis  roe  flur  in  vnderetandingy  and  in  m11  kynde  of 
anbtile  reasoning)  to  acknawledge  zour  self  to  be  ouercom  be  me,  bot 
lat  the  yeritie  beare  away  the  victorie  fra  tb  baith." 

The  following  notice  is  bestowed  on  Davidson's  book  by  Ninlan 
Winget.  ''  Of  this  mater  I  heir  of  a  buke  set  furth  be  an  honorable 
edfessonr  of  y«  trew  catholik  fayth  M.  Q^^^®  kennedie,  a  work 
cdmendit  be  sindry  canning  men  als  weil  of  Ingland  as  of  Scotland. 
And  also  laitlie  I  heif  sein  certane  datteris  &  I  wale  nocht  quhat, 
nameit  cdtomeliouslie  in  hie  contempt  of  y*  kirk  of  God,  A  eof^fistof 
Uown  of^  said  M.  QunUinis  Papistical  amnselis.  Put  oat  be  ane  of 
oar  windfallin  brether,  laitlie  snapperit  in  the  cummeranoe  of  Caloin. 
M.  Johne  Dauidsone,  Quba  for  his  parte  of  the  new  padaeane  of  his 
desperat  brethir,  wald  be  haldl  a  Dauidsone  so  doughtie,  yat  with  a 
puft  of  his  mouth  he  micht  be  iudgeit  to  deik  fra  y«  counselis,  als 
weil  general  as  wtheris^  al  auctoritie :  in  yat  he  dar  be  sa  temerarious 
as  to  call  yame  papistical :  yat  is^  as  he  intendis  conturoeliouslie  be 
yat  terme,  dissaitful,  wickit^  leing  fld  erroneous.  And  sua  impudent- 
lie  dar  he  affirme  few  Godly  coQselis  to  hef  bene  othir,  sen  Syluestris 
days  or  afore : — sit  he  thinkis  nocht  al  yat  venum  aneuch :  bot  af- 
firmis  als  that  yai  hef  bene  few  guid  pastouris  in  y«  kirk  sen  y«  said 
Byluester.  O  ingentem  confideniiam  I  My  toung  treulie,  Madame, 
failzeis  me  to  express  y*  zele  yat  a  faythful  Christiane  suld  haif,  for 
the  house  of  God,  aganis  yir  schameles  leans,  aganis  y*  folie,  yea  y* 
phrenesie  of  yir  proud  pestilent  protestantis,  euery  day  deseeding  a 
atep  feryer  to  yair  maister  in  heL"  (Epistle  Dedicatory  "  To  p 
maist  Catholik,  Noble,  and  Gratious  Souerane  Marie  Qnene  of 
Soottis,"  prefixed  to  ^*  Vincentivs  Lirenensis  of  the  natioun  of  GaUis, 
for  the  antiquitie  and  veritie  of  the  catholik  fayth,  aganis  y«  prophane 
nouationis  of  all  hereseis,  A  richt  goldin  bake  writtin  in  Latin  aboot 
xi.  C.  seiria  passit,  and  neulie  translatit  in  Scottia  be  Niniane  Win- 
aet  a  catholik  Preisfe— Antyerpie  Ex  offidna  iEgidii  Dieat,  1  Deeemb* 
156S-") 

Aa  a  number  of  books  in  favour  of  the  Roman  Catholic  RelJigioo 
were  about  this  time  translated  into  the  Soottiah  language,  so  the 
Reformers  procured  the  translation  of  the  roost  uaeftd  writings  of 
foreign  protestants.  One  of  these  appeared  onder  the  fblkwing 
title :  "  Ane  Breif  Gathering  of  the  Halie  Signea,  Sacrifices  and  8a- 
eramentis  Inatitutit  of  God  sen  the  Creation  of  the  warlde*  And  €i 
the  trew  originall  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Masse.    TranftUtit  ool  of 

5 


NOTES.  491 

Frendie  into  Soottb  be  ane  Faithful  Brother.  Math.  15.  Eiierie  plant 
&C.  Imprentit  at  Ediubvigh  be  Robert  Lekprerik.  v.  d.  lxv."  4lOt 
46  kafea.  Judging  from  internal  eyidenoe^  I  would  be  diapoaed  to 
oondude  that  the  epistle  of  *'  The  Tranalatovr  to  the  Reader^  waa 
written  by  Jfiibn  Knox.  ''  I  finding  the  commoditie  of  aume  aonng 
men  weill  acqumtUwith  7*  French  toung  quhaia  laboniia  releuit  ma 
mekle  in  yis  behalf:  I  haue  cauait  yia  litle  Bvike  be  aet  furthe  in 
our  Scottia  toung  to  mak  y®  treuth  knawin  to  all  our  eountiie  nien> 
yat  hea  not  y*  knawledge  of  y*  vther  leid  and  yat  it  may  be  partely 
ane  answer  to  Winaeta  QuestioQSy  quhil  j^  compldt  anawer  be  pro* 
paxed  iar  y«  rest." — It  appears  from  the  following  entry  that  a  penaioii 
was  for  some  time  assigned  to  an  individual  whom  the  General  Aa> 
aembly  employed  to  translate  foreign  books. 

''  And  of  the  soume  of  ane  hundereth  thretty  thre  pundia  aax 
achillingis  aucht  pennies  pait  be  j^  oomptare  to  WiUiame  afewart 
Translator  of  y«  werkis  and  builds  as  is  tho^  necess'  be  y*  kiric  to  be 
translatit  for  edificatioun  of  y*  people  Conforme  to  the  appointment 
of  y«  said  buke  of  modlficatioun 

j«xxxigiivjsviyd." 

(Acoompt  ColL  General  of  the  Thridda  of  Benefices  for  the  year 
1651.) — ^Another  entry  in  nearly  the  same  terms  is  made  in  the  ao- 
compt  for  1562. 

NoTx  Q.  p.  394. 

OJDavidton^t  Memorial  qf  Kinyeancleuck, — ^The  following  is  the 
title  of  this  rare  poem :  ^*  A  Memorial  of  the  life  &  death  of  two 
worthye  Christians,  Robert  Campbel  of  the  Kinyeandeugh,  and  hia 
wife  Elizabeth  Campbel.  In  English  Meter.  Edinbvrgh.  Printed 
by  Robert  Walde-graue  Printer  to  the  King^s  Maiestie.  1595.  Cam 
priyilegio  Regali."  Black  letter,  C  in  eights.  The  running  title  la : 
^*  A  Memoriall  of  the  life  of  two  worthie  Christiana."  The  dedica- 
tion *'  To  his  loving  sister  in  Christ,  Elizabeth  Campbel  of  Kin* 
yeandevch/'  is  dated  '^  From  Edinburgh  the  34.  of  May.  1595. 
Your  assured  Friend  in  Christ  I.  D."— ''  Finding  this  little  Treatiae 
(Sister,  dearlie  beloned  in  Christ)  of  late  yearea  amongst  my  other 
Papers,  which  I  made  about  twentie  yeares  and  one  agoe,  Imme« 
diatlie  after  the  death  of  your  godlie  Parentes  of  good  memory,  with 
whome  I  was  most  dearlie  acquainted  in  Christ,  by  reason  of  the 
treble  I  sufiered  in  those  dales  for  the  good  cause,  wherein  God  made 
them  chiefe  comfortera  vnto  me  till  death  separated  vs.  As  I  vewed 
it  over,  and  reade  it  before  some  godly  personcs  of  late,  (hey  were 


493  NOTES. 

roost  instant  with  me/ that  I  woulde  soflfer  it  to  come  to  lights  to  the 
ttirring  yp  of  the  seale  of  God's  people  among  yb,  which  now  he- 
ginneth  ahnost  to  be  quenched  in  all  estates  none  excepted.  So  that 
the  saying  of  the  worthie  servaunt  of  God  John  Knox,  (among  many 
other  his  fore-speakings)  proueth  troe^  that  is  ;  ''  That  as  the  gospel 
erUred  among  vs  and  was  receiued  withfervencie  and  heat :  so  he  fear* 
ed  it  should  decay  and  lose  the  firmer  bewtie,  through  coldnes,  and  loth* 
somnesse,  howheit  (as  he  saide  many  times)  it  should  not  be  vtterUe 
overthrown  in  Scotland,  til  the  coming  of  the  Lord  lesus  to  iudgment, 
in  spite  of  Saihan  Sf  malice  of  all  his  ii!ai(««."— Elizabeth  was  the 
heiress  of  the  two  worthie  Christians,  "  after  the  death  of  their  onely 
Sonne^  Nathaniel.*' 

I  have  already  given  an  extract  from  this  Poem.  (See  above,  toL  i. 
p.  419.^  After  mentioning  that  poets  in  all  ages  had  celebrated  those 
who  excelled  in  any  /'  vertuous  deid,"  or  deed  which  appeared  to 
ihem  *'  like  vertue,"  the  author  says : — 

So  we  finde  deeds  of  vassalage. 

Set  foorth  by  Poets  in  all  age. 
Even  of  Gray-SteiU,  wha  list  to  luke. 

Their  is  set  foorth  a  meikle  buke. 
Yea  for  to  make  it  did  them  gude 

Of  that  rank  Rouer  Robene  Hude : 
Of  Robene  Hude  and  little  lohne, 

With  sic  like  Outlawes  many  one : 
As  Clim  of  the  Clewgh  and  CliddisUe, 

Because  of  their  fine  archerie. 

•  •  •  •  • 

Then  to  beginne  but  prooes  more. 

We  haue  had  worthie  men  before. 
Of  all  degries  these  fyftene  yeers. 

As  the  gude  Regent  with  his  feeres ; 
John  Knox  that  valyant  Conqueroiir, 

That  stood  in  many  stalward  stonr ; 
For  Christ  his  maister  and  hb  woid. 

And  many  moe  I  mig^t  record : 
Some  yet  aliue,  some  also  past, 

Exle  Aexamder  is  not  last. 
Of  Glencame,  but  these  I  paase  by^ 

Becana^  their  deeds  are  alreddy 


NOTES.  493 

By  landrie  Poets  pat  in  write, 
Qahilk  now  I  neid  not  to  recite. 

Kinyeancleugh*8  zealous  and  active  exertions  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Reformation  are  commemorated  thus : 

8a  priuatelie  in  his  lodgeing. 

He  had  baith  prayers  and  preaching: 
To  tell  his  iremds  he  na  whit  dred. 

How  they  had  lang  bene  blindlins  led : 
By  shaueling  Papists,  Monks  and  Friers, 

And  be  the  Paipe  these  many  yeares : 
When  sonie  Barrones,  neere  hand  him  by. 

And  Noble  men  he  did  espie. 
Of  auld  who  had  the  truth  profest^ 

To  thenx  he  quicUie  him  addrest : 
And  in  exhorting  was  not  slak. 

What  consultation  they  would  tak. 
How  orderlie  they  might  suppresse; 

In  their  owne  bounds  that  Idole  mease : 
In  place  thereof  syne  preaching  plant. 

To  quhilk  some  noble  men  did  grant. 

•  •  •  •  • 

Qahilk  they  did  soone  performe  in  deede 
And  made  them  to  the  wark  with  speede : 

And  had  some  preaching  publictlie, 
Wliere  people  came  maist  frequentlie : 

Whiles  among  woods  in  banks  and  brais. 
Whiles  in  kirkyards  beside  their  fais : 

Thir  Novells  through  the  Countrie  ran, 

Quhilk  stirred  vp  baith  wife  and  man. 

•  •  •  •  • 

^yhen  they  puld  down  the  Friers  of  Air, 

Speir  at  the  Friers  gif  he  was  thair : 
The  Lard  of  Camele  yet  in  Kifle, 

Quha  was  not  sleipand  al  this  while. 
And  Robert  wer  made  messengers. 

Send  from  the  rest  to  warne  the  Friers 
Out  of  those  places  to  deludge, 

Howbeit  the  Carls  began  to  grudge : 


494  KOTES.     ' 

Either  with  good  will  or  with  ill. 

The  keyes  they  gave  thir  twa  vntill : 
After  their  gudes  they  had  oat  tane. 

So  greater  harme  the  Friers  had  nane : 

Far  ynlike  to  their  crueltie. 

Id  their  maaaacring  boutcherie. 
•  •  •  •  • 

Then  Robert  like  a  bane  Bie, 

Did  ride  the  post  in  all  Countrie : 
Baith  North  and  8owth>  haith  East  and  West^ 

To  all  that  the  gade  cause  profest : 
Through  Angus,  Fyfe,  and  Lawihaine, 

Late  ioumiea  had  he  many  ane : 
By  night  he  would  passe  forth  of  Kyle, 

And  slip  in  shortly  to  Argyle : 
Syne  to  Stratheme  and  to  all  parts. 

Where  he  knew  godly  zealous  harts. 
Exhorting  them  for  to  be  stoute. 

And  of  the  matter  haue  no  doubt : 
For  although,  said  he,  we  be  few. 

Having  our  God  we  are  anew* 

Davidson  praises  Kinyeancleugh*s  lady  for  enoonraging  hnn  in 
these  disinterested  expeditions,  instead  of  grudging,  as  aonie  vrivet  did, 
the  expense  which  he  incurred.  In  describing  the  ungracioas  ieeep« 
lion  which  the  husband  of  one  of  these  thrifty  dames  reodved  at  hb 
home-coming,  the  poet  informs  us  of  the  arrival  in  Scotland  of  a  sin- 
golar  female  colony,  whose  race,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  ia  now  eztiiict 
among  us ;  although,  perhaps,  some  acute  and  keen-aet  antiquary 
may  be  able  still  to  track  them,  and,  stoically  fearless  of  ''  a  re- 
begeaster,"  to  point  out  some  descendants  of  these  Norwegian 
Amasons. 

He  might  look  as  they  tell  the  tail. 

When  he  came  hame  for  euill  cooled  kaill : 
Ze  haite  sa  meikle  gear  to  spend 

Ze  trow  never  it  will  haue  end : 
This  will  make  you  full  bare  there  ben, 

Lat  see  (sayes  she)  what  other  men. 
So  oft  ryding  a  field  ye  finde. 

Leaning  thair  owne  labour  behinde. 


NOTES.  495 

This  and  farre  mair  had  oft  bene  told^ 

Be  many  wiues^  yea  that  we  hold 
Not  of  the  worst  in  all  the  land^ 

I  speak  not  of  that  balefull  band : 
That  Sathan  hes  sent  heir  away, 

With  the  black  fleete  of  Norroway : 
Of  whome  ane  with  her  Tygers  tong. 

Had  able  met  him  with  a  rong : 
And  reaked  him  a  rebegeastor. 

Calling  him  many  warlds  weastor. 

Kinyeandengh,  accompanied  by  Davidson^  who  was  then  under 
concealment,  had  gone  to  Rusko,  a  seat  of  the  Laird  of  Lockintfor, 
where  he  sickened,  and  died  on  the  92d  of  April,  1574.  His  wife 
died  in  the  month  of  June  following.  Davidson  praises  his  protee- 
tor*s  piety,  charity,  lenity  to  his  tenants,  and  his  wisdom  and  in  teg* 
rity  in  settling  private  differences,  on  which  account  he  yr&s  employ* 
ed  by  rich  and  poor,  both  of  the  popish  and  protestant  persuasion. 

Note  R.  p.  397. 

Bishop  ReicTs  Legojcy  for  building  a  College  in  Edinburglw^The 
following  are  the  facts  respecting  this  legacy,  of  which  Maitland 
(Hist,  of  £din.  p.  356,)  has  given  an  incorrect  statement.  Robert  Reid, 
Bishop  of  Orkney  and  Zetland,  (who  died  in  1558,)  **  be  his  testament 
and  latt'  will  left  the  sowme  of  aucht  thousand  merkis  money  of  this 
realme — ^for  hying  of  the  landis  and  yairdis  lyand  in  the  said  burg^ 
(of  Edinburgh)  qlkis  sumtyme  pertenit  to  vmq^  S'  Johnne  ramsay  oC 
balmane  And  for  founding  of  ane  college  for  exercise  of  leamlg  thair^ 
into,  be  the  aduise  counsale  and  discretioun  of  vmq^  Maister  Abraham 
creightoun  prouest  of  dunglas,  Maister  James  Makgill  of  rankelooxe 
nether  clerk  of  the  registre,  and  vmq^  Maister  thomaa  makealzeane 
of  diftonhall.**  As  the  money  had  not  been  applied  according  to  the 
will  of  the  disponer,  and  ''  all  the  three  persons  to  whose  discretion 
the  accomplishing  of  the  work  was  committed*'  were  dead,  the  legacy 
was  considered  as  having  fallen  to  the  king ;  and  the  town  council^ 
in  1582,  supplicated  the  privy  council,  that  his  Migesty's  right  in  the 
matter  should  be  conveyed  to  them,  and  that  they  might  have  tuJl 
power  to  pursue  Walter  abbot  of  Kinloss,  *'  ane  of  the  executors  tet- 
tamentares  of  the  said  vmq^*  Robert  bishop  of  Orkney^"  and  othen 
indebted  for  the  said  sum.    This  supplication  was  granted  by  the 


496  NOTE&. 

privy  council,  on  the  town  boundl  giving  security  tbai  they  would 
apply  the  money  recovered  to  the  support  of  a  college.  (Record  of 
Privy  Council,  April  11,  1582.)  On  the  6th  of  Julyi  1593,  the 
town  council  had  recovered  the  money  in  the  hands  of  th«  ahbot  of 
KinloBS,  which  amounted  to  4000  merks.  (Record  of  Town  Council, 
vol.  ix.  f.  207.)  There  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  grooixl 
for  the  charge  brought  against  the  R^ent  Morton  of  having  seized 
on  the  legacy,  as  stated  in  Gordon's  GeneaL  Hist,  of  Earldom  of  Suth- 
erland, p.  176,  and  in  Keith*s  Scot.  Bishops,  p.  184. 

Note  S.  p.  404. 

Resort  of  Foreign  Students  to  Scotland, — The  reputation  of  the 
University  of  St.  Andrews  had  extended  to  France  in  the  year  1586, 
in  consequence  of  which  the  father  of  the  cdebrated  Andrew  Rivet 
purposed  sending  him  to  study  at  it.  (Dauberi  Oratio  Funebris,  sig. 
*  *  2.  prefix.  Riveti  Oper.  tom.  iii.)  But  the  troubles  of  Scotlaad 
discouraged  foreign  students  from  visiting  it  between  1584  and  1586. 
The  reader  must  not  consider  the  following  list  as  containing  all  the 
foreigners  who  studied  at  St.  Andrews.  After  the  year  1579,  the 
names  of  those  who  entered  the  New  College  (which  was  then  appro- 
priated to  the  study  of  theology)  are  not  usually  recorded  in  the 
books  of  the  University.  A  separate  list  of  them  appears  to  have 
been  kept;  but  during  Melville's  principality,  from  1580  to  1607, 
the  original  list  has  been  lost,  and  there  remains  only  an  imperfect 
copy  of  it,  apparently  taken  by  Robert  Howie,  his  successor.  Blanks 
are  frequently  left  in  it,  and  sometimes  only  a  part  of  the  name  is 
given.  During  the  time  that  Howie  was  principal^  the  list,  which  is 
in  his  handwriting,  may  be  considered  as  complete.  The  following 
names  are  collected  from  different  records  of  the  University.  I  have 
not  included  the  names  of  students  from  England  and  Ireland.  The 
greater  part  of  the  foreigners  attended  the  University  during  several 
years ;  but,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  their  names  are  not  repeated. 

List  of  Foreign  Students  at  St  Andrevre. 

An.  1588. 

.  Isaie  Chevallier  *. 
Gulielmus  Ousteus. 


•  This  individuil  was  made  AM.  in  1592,  uKder  the  des^oatioD  of 
«•  Iniai  Chevsleriut,  Frsncuf  Rupdlcnsif.'* 


N0T£8.  497 

1591.  , 


Jacobus  Maoeiu,  Gallus. 
Petrus  ThabinuB,  GaUus. 

1594. 

Joannes  BurdigaUsmu 
Claudius  Haraldus,  Niortensia  GaUos* 
Greorgiua  Rinooiua,  natione  Galhu  RapeUeoda. 
Isaacus  Cuvillus,  natione  GaUus  Sammaxantinus. 
Daniel  Couppeus,  natione  Gallua  And^gavensis. 
Daniel  Chanelus^  natione  Gallus  Rupellensis. 
Joannes  VignmuM,  Gallus  Nannetensis. 

1595. 

Andreas  Swendius,  NobiUs  Danus. 

Petrus  Crombaldus. 

Petrus  Chevaltus. 

Joannes  Guivinellus. 

Antonius  Massonus. 

Joannes  Raymondus. 

[[ChristophoruB  Johannides,  Danus  *.]] 


1596. 


Joannes  Doucherus. 
Jacobus  Tholoacus. 
Petrus  Menancellus. 

Goddeus^  Belga. 

Gallus. 

GaUus. 

1597. 

Georgius  Rouellus. 
Jacobus  Weland. 

*  This  DAine  does  not  occur  in  tbe  ficoeids,  but  it  if  added  on  the  autho- 
rity of  the  following  printed  Thesis :  <•  De  Pradettinatioiie,  si?e  De  Csfiii 
SalTtis  et  Dimnationis  ^temsB  Dispntatiot  in  qua  piide  D.  Ain>ajBA 
Mklvino,  Sacrar.  Litennrm  Frofestore,  et  reetore  AcsdemisB  Begia  An- 
drcaosB  in  Scotia,  Deo  Tolente,  Chbistopbobvs  Jobakvidbs  Davts  re- 
■pondebit  £dinburgi  Excudebat  RobertTs  Wald^gnnie  Tjpognphni  Re- 
ghis.     1595." 

VOL.  II.  2  K 


498  NOTES. 

1598. 

JacobuB  Rouellus. 

Gerhardus  Kreuterus^  Gennanoi  Hmsos  H^flfendennk 

I59t. 

Jacobus  Cokatochhu,  (Kosteckj)  Pokmus. 

Samuel  lieonardtiB  Rafeaeaki,  Polonua. 

Joan.  Caaimirua  Frandad  Junii  F  Heidelbergeiiais 

Gcrmanua* 
Daniel  Demetriuay  Frandcendaleliaia. 
Joannes  Scheaeasins. 
Raphael  Colinus. 

1600. 

Joannes  Valace^  Belga. 
Tobias  Merbeddusj  Belga  *• 
Gulielmus  Teellingius. 
Samuel  Gerobulus  R. 

1601. 

Johannes  Quada  k  RaTeateyn. 
Isaacus  Masailius. 
Petrus  k  Scharlahen. 
Jobua  Danche,  Dordracenus. 
Andreaa  MichaelL 
Guilielmus  Latinus. 

1603 1. 

Albertus  Lothoffell^  Regiomontanua  Boruasus, 
Chrisdanua  Hofifaieister^  R^omontanua  Boruaaua. 
Hugo  Trajanus. 

1604. 
Joannes  Gaacus. 

1606. 
Johannea  Bochsrdoa,  Belga. 


«  8m  ABAii  Tjp.  Ant.  p.  15S1. 

t  The  regiiter  of  the  New  College  ffom  1603  to  1607  ii  almost  a  btenk. 


NOTES.  49& 

Jonas  Charuiu8  SeTeriniu,  Haffbiensis  Danus. 
Petrus  Petrejus,  Hiennius  Danns. 
Johannes  Rhodius,  Danua. 

1607. 

Michael  ParisiiUj  Gallus^  oommendatos  Collegio  ab  Ecclesia 

Diepena. 
Martinua  ClaudhiSj  Danua. 
[[  Claudius^  DanU8.]3 

[[Andreas  Paulie  *.]] 

1609. 

Ericus  Julius^  Nobilis  Danua. 
Petrus  Magnus^  Danus. 
Andreas  Claudius.  Danus. 
Magnus  Martini,  Danua. 
David  Bariandus. 

1610. 

Francisco  k  Parisiis,  Italus  Neapolitanus. 
Dauid  Baijon,  Gallus  Aquitanua. 
Andreas  Andres,  Danus. 

From  1610  to  1616,  only  one  new  foreign  name  occurs.  From 
1616  to  1633,  there  is  a  considerable  number  of  them,  including  a 
Neapolitan. 

Foreign  Students  at  Glasgow. 

1585 1. 
Isaac*  Mazerius,  GraUus. 

1589. 
Jeremias  Barbsus,  Celta. 

*  In  the  Testament  of  Walter  Ramsay,  oeconomns  of  St.  Salvator*8  Col- 
lege, who  deceased  12  Sept.  1611,  are  the  following  articles  among  *•*•  dettis 
awand  to  the  deid.**— -^^  It.  be  Martine  Claudii  Datcfaman  for  himself  & 
his  twa  brether  40  lib.  6  s.  8  d. 

It.  be  Androu  Paulie  Dutchman  as  rest  of  his  buird  9  lib.*' 

<f  During  this  year  Melville  was  at  Glasgow*    See  voL  i  jp.  S69.       • 

2k« 


500  KQTJES. 

1590. 

Petnis  BuyberttUy  Celta. 
Honoratas  Guibmt,  Celts. 
Jofua  BuybertuBy  CelU. 

159S. 

Joihaiiiies  Riuetus^  Celta. 
Jacobus  ChoquetoSy  Celts. 
Sslomon  Csilhaudtu,  Celta. 
Renatos  PatquiTitu,  Celta. 
Joannes  Bladdyian,  Celts. 

1695. 
PetruB  Baalus,  Celta. 
Jacobus  Tbirellus,  Celta. 
Theodorus  Thyrellus»  Cdta. 
Renatus  Osaeus,  Celta. 
Carolus  Ossoeus,  Celta. 
Gulielmus  Riuetus,  Celta. 

1598. 

Petnis  Pagodusj  Celta. 
PetruB  Verngodus^  Celts. 

No  other  foreign  nsmes  occur  in  the  Records^  unless  in  lgg8    ICM^ 
when  Csmeron  was  prindpsl  of  the  UniirerBity. 

Foreign  Students  st  Edinburgh 

An.  1598. 

GulielmuB  OustKUs,  minister 
Dsniel  Plsteusy  Gsllus  proyinds. 
Gsbriel  Bounerin^  Gsllus. 

1595. 
Thomss  Msserius,  Gsllus. 

1597. 
Joannes  Olivsrius^  Gsllus. 


NOTES.  501 

J.  Baldoynus^  Gallus. 
CMr.  JBolt  •.;] 

1598. 
Joannes  Argerias,  Gallus. 
Petrus  Balloynu8>  Gallus. 
Honorios  Argerius,  Gallus. 
Stephanus  Baldoynus. 

1600. 
Joachimus  Dubouchd,  Osllos. 
^  Theodoras  Du  Bouizet,  Gallus. 

Joannes  Warding  Xanctoniensis. 

1614. 
Petnis  Coeseliusy  Gallos  DIepensis. 

1629. 
Joannes  Fabritius^  Genevensis. 

NoTB  T.  p.  409. 

Parochial  SchooU^^The  Record  of  the  ''  Synod  of  that  part  of  the 
Diode  of  St.  Andrews  qp^  lyeth  benorth  ForUi"  contains  a  report  of 
the  visitation  of  parishes  in  the  years  1611  and  1613.  This  report 
afSnrds,  perhaps^  one  of  the  best  means  of  ascertaining  the  exact  state 
of  schools  within  a  short  time  before  the  first  legislatiTC  enactment  on 
this  subject.  It  must  be  recollected^  however^  in  any  inferences  that 
may  be  drawn  from  it>  that  the  Tisitation  by  no  means  extended  to  aU 
the  parishes  within  the  bounds  of  the  Transfbrthian  division  of  the 
diocese  of  St.  Andrews. 

The  parishes  of  Tannadice,  Perth,  Fettercaira,  Straybrock,  Falk* 
land,  Forgound,  Ebdie  or  Newbnigh,  Innerkillor,  Baxrie  or  Pan« 
bryde,  Kinfaunds,  Kinnaird,  Inditure  andBenvie,  Mains  and  Stride- 
martine,  Brantisland,  Inneraretie  and  Mathie,  and  Errol,  were  pro- 
vided with  schools.  Those  of  Rasoobie,  Ferry  of  port  on  Craig,  St. 
Vigeans,  Kilspindle  and  Rait,  JJff,  Logie  and  Innergowrie,  Muirhoua, 


•  Mods.  M6Lt  writes  a  letter  from  Edlnbuigh,  April  5,  1597,  to  Mods. 
Tuile,  mintBter  at  Mouchap,  reeommsndiiig  Robert  Boyd  of  Tiochrig*  He 
•peaks  of  leversl  of  his  eountrymen  having  gone  to  study  at  Gbugow. 


502  NOTES. 

and  Manifuith,  were  destitute  of  gchoola.  Thua  the  parishes  which 
had  schools  were  more  than  double  in  number  to  those  which  wanted 
them.  Where  they  were  wanting,  the  visitors  ordered  them  to  be  set 
up,  and  where  the  provision  for  the  master  was  defective,  they  made 
arrangements  for  remedying  the  eviL  The  following  are  extracts. 
**  Forgound,  August  14,  1611. — The  skole  entertained,  and  for  the 
better  provision  of  it  thair  is  ordained  that  ilk  pleuch  in  the  paroche 
sail  pay  to  the  skolemaister  xiijs.  ii\jd.  and  ilk  baime  of  the  paroche 
sail  pay  vis.  vigd.  in  the  quarter.  Strangers  that  are  of  ane  uthcr 
paroche  sail  pay  xx.  or  xxxs.  as  the  roaister  can  procuir :  As  it  is 
agried  in  uther  congregationis."  This  was  ^'  the  common  ordor." — 
*'  Straybrok,  July  1,  1611.  It  is  ordenit  w^  comon  consent  that  the 
parochineris  sail  give  among  them  all  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
Bcoole  and  scoolmaister  yeirlie  fyftic  merkis,  and  the  minister  sail 
give  iiij  libs." — "  April,  1613. — It  is  reported  that  as  yet  y'  cannot 
be  had  ane  grammer  scole  in  Bruntisland,  the  councell  of  the 
toune  being  slaw  y'in  and  contenting  y™selfis  w^  ane  q^  teiches 
y'  bairnes  to  reid  and  wreite.  Forsameikle  as  it  was  anes  concludit 
in  ane  visitatione  that  ane  grammer  scole  salbe  had  w^in  that  bruche 
and  it  is  most  necess'  that  it  be  so,  y'fore  it  is  ordained  that  letters 
be  raysed  upon  the  act  of  visita^n."  IL  do  not  know  on  what  autho- 
rity these  letters  were  raised  unless  it  were  the  7th  act  of  the  parlia* 
ment  1593.  (Act  ParL  Soot.  iv.  16.)  The  visitors  tried  the  quali- 
acations  of  the  teachers.  ''  Perth,  Apr.  18,  1611.— Mr  Patrik  Mak- 
gregor  scolem'  found  to  have  passed  his  course  of  philosophy  in  St 
Leonard's  College — apfMroved." 

There  is  frequent  reference  to  the  .trial  and  inspection  of  school- 
masters in  all  the  registers  of  the  church  courts.  "  Andrew  disching- 
ton  schoolm'  of  Dunbar.  The  act  of  the  last  aynodall  assembly  giv- 
ing the  presbyterie  commission  to  try  Andro  dischingtoun  school- 
inaster  of  Dunbar  not  only  in  his  hability  to  travell  in  the  ministry 
but  also  to  teache  ane  grammer  schoole  being  presentit  to  the  presby- 
terie the  brethren  ordainit  him  to  cum  heir  yis  day  aucht  dayet  and 
for  beginning  of  his  tryall  to  teache  ane  piece  of  the  first  booke  of  the 
georgyckes  of  Virgill  at  the  beginning  y'of  to  try  quhither  he  be  able 
tp  teache  ane  grammar  schoole  or  not"  (Reo.  of  Presb.  of  Hadding- 
ton, Sept.  4,  1594.) — "  It  wea  ordanit  be  the  presbyterie  that  the 
haiU  schoolm"  w^in  yair  bounds  sould  be  chargit  to  compeir  befoir 
tbame  that  thay  my^  not  only  knaw  how  yai  wer  abill  to  inaUmct  the 
yowt  Bot  also  charge  thame  to  kdp  the  ezerdae  ibat  yii  myt  be 


NOTES.  508 

the  better  frequented  with  the  heids  of  religioun."    (Ibid.  June  9, 
UBS.) 

The  following  extracU  from  the  Record  of  the  Kirk  Seaaion  of 
Anstruther  Wester  conyey  cariom  information  both  as  to  the  cnstomt 
of  the  timesy  and  as  to  the  seal  with  which  the  education  of  the  youth 
was  urged.  *'  Oct  29, 1595.  Anent  the  oomplent  given  in  by  Henxie 
Caningham  doctor  in  the  school!  the  Session  thinks  meit,  that  all 
the  yowth  in  the  toun  be  caused  com  to  the  schooll  to  be  teached.  and 
that  sic  as  are  puir  shall  be  furnished  Tpone  the  cdmone  expenses 
and  gif  ony  puir  refuiss  to  com  to  scholl^  help  of  sic  thing  as  thay 
neid  and  requir  shall  be  refused  to  them.  And  as  for  sic  as  are  able  to 
sustein  their  bames  at  the  schooll  &  do  their  dewitie  to  the  teacher  for 
them,  thay  shall  be  commandit  to  put  tbem  to  the  school  that  they 
may  be  brought  vp  in  the  feir  of  God  and  vertue.    qlk  if  thay  refuse 
to  do,  thay  shall  be  callit  before  the  session  &  admonished  of  ther 
dewetie  and  if  efter  admonition  they  mend  not  then  farther  ordo^ 
shall  be  taken  wt  them  at  the  discretion  of  the  session    And  the  mt^ 
gistrates  &  counsale  shall  be  desyred  to  tak  fra  them  the  quarter  pay^- 
ments  for  ther  child  and  ane  dewetie  efter  ther  discretion  for  the 
dayesmeatas  it  shall  c6  abovt  vnto  them,  whidder'they  put  ther 
baimes  to  the  schooll  or  not." — '*  18  of  November.    Anent  the  puin 
it  is  thoght  melt  that  a  visitation  shall  be,  and  that  sic  help  shall  bt 
maid  to  them  that  ar  altogether  vnaUe  that  may  not  travell  to  seik  to 
them  selfs  and  the  yowng  shall  get  na  almess  hot  on  condition  that 
thay  com  to  the  schooll,  qlk  sa  mony  as  does  shall  be  helpit;,  and  thf 
manner  of  ther  help  shall  be  thay  shall  haif  thrie  hours  granted  to 
them  everie  day  throw  the  town  to  seik  ther  meat,  ane  hour  in  the 
morning  fra  nyn  to  ten,  at  midday  fra  twell  to  ane,  and  at  nyght  fira 
sax  hours  furth  and  the  peiple  are  to  be  desyred  to  be  helpful  to  sie 
as  will  give  themself  to  any  vertue,  and  as  for  others  to  deall  lyardly  w^ 
them  to  dryve  them  to  seik  efter  vertue." — "  Apr.  18,  1596.    Euerie 
msn  within  the  town  that  hes  baimes  suld  put  his  baimes  to  the 
schoolle    and  for  everie  baime   suld  giv  ten  sh.   in  the   quat* 
ter  and  be  fired  of  given  meat  hot  at  y'  owning  plesuze." — ''  Sept  7, 
1600.    Item  anent  the  schooll  agreid  w^  henrie  COnyngham  that  the 
pure  of  the  town  shall  be  put  to  the  [[schocd^  and  sa  many  of  them  as 
has  ingyne  and  he  takes  paines  upone  shall  giv  fyv  sh.  in  the  quarter 
qlk  the  session  sail  pay,  he  shall  try  out  the  baimes  they  sail  be 
broght  befoir  the  session  be  the  elders  of  the  quarters  the  session  sail 
enter  them  to  the  sooU  and  try  their  perfiting  &  sa  cans  reoompens 

according  to  his  paines  &  ther  p'fiting  and  as  finr  vther  y t  are  not  able 

1 


504  NOTES. 

to  p4t  7^  thay  may  rdd  or  wret,  whidder  it  be  for  want  of  ingyn  or 
tym  to  await  on,  gic  sail  be  caused  to  learn  the  Lordea  prayer  the 
cdmfldes  &  bder  the  heades  of  the  catechisme  y^  ar  demanded  on  the 
examination  to  the  commtmion  q^  traTell  alao  the  aeaaion  will  addiow- 
ledge  and  recompense  and  as  for  the  standing  yearlie  dewetie  reftrei 
that  to  the  coonaall  of  the  town  to  tak  ordo^  w<."    (Record,  at  aap.) 

Note  U.  p.  41S. 

Alexander  iTtim^.— Three  persons  of  this  name  studied  in  'St.  Mary^t 
CoUege,  St.  Andrews :  one  of  them  was  laureated  in  1571,  another 
in  1572,  and  the  third  was  made  bachelor  of  arts  in  1574. 

1.  Mr.  Alexander  Hume,  Minister  of  Dunbar. — He  contimied  in 
this  situation  from  the  year  1582  to  1601.  *'  Mr.  Alexander  Home, 
minister,  presented  to  the  personage  of  Dunbar,  vacand  be  demiwion 
of  Mr»  Andro  Symsoun,  Sept  13,  1582."  (Reg.  of  Presentations, 
Tol.  ii.  f.  77.)  "  Mr.  James  Home,  minister,  resident  at  the  Idri^  of 
Dunbar,  presented  to  the  personage  of  the  same  be  demiaaion  of  Mr. 
Alex.  Home,  May  21,  ISOl.**  (Reg.  Sec  Sig.  lib.  facxii.  f.  56.)  The 
latter  appears  to  have  retained  his  designation.  ''  Mr.  Alex.  Home, 
persone  of  Dunbar,"  and  **  Mr.  James  Home,  minister  at  Donbar," 
are  witnesses  to  a  deed.  May  27, 1 605.  (CSen.  Reg.  of  Deeds,  toL  cix.) 
^'  Mr.  Alexander  Home  of  Houndwood,  sumtyme  person  of  Dnnbar,^ 
died  in  December,  1623.  (Testament  in  Rec.  of  Commissary  Court 
of  Edin.)  He  appears  to  have  been  a  half-brother  of  Sir  €reoige  Home 
of  Broxmouth.  (Teist  of  Janet  Gibson,  Lady  Broxmouth,  ibid.  Dee. 
I,  1589.) 

2.  Mr.  Alexander  Hume,  Minister  of  Logie.-^^He  waa  the  anthor 
of  **  Hymnes  or  Sacred  Songs,"  and  is  mentioned  as  *^  aone  to  nmq*" 
Pat.  Home  of  Polwart"  (Gen.  Reg.  of  Deeds,  vol.  cxix.  May  28, 
1606.)  '*  Mr.  Alex.  Home,  min'  at  Logie,  and  Marioun  Dancan- 
aone,  dochter  of  Jo^  Duncansone,  minister  Ho  the  kingis  Ma^^,  Ma 
qpous."  (Gen.  R^.  of  Deeds,  vol.  cvii.  May  SO,  1605.)  He  waa 
admitted  minister  of  Logie  in  August,  1597 ;  and  died  on  the  4tfi  of 
December,  1609.  (Record  of  the  Presbytery  of  Dunblane.)  **  Mr. 
Alex'  Home,  minister  at  Logie,  beside  Stirling, — has  left  ane  admo- 
nitione  in  write  behinde  him  to  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  whet«in  he 
affirms  that  the  bishops  who  were  then  hat  risinge  up  hes  left  die 
sincere  ministers,"  &c    (Row's  Hist  pp.  94,  95.)' 

3.  Mr.  Alexander  Hume',  the  Orammarian. — He,  I  am  inclined  Co 
think,  was  the  author  of  all  the  books  which  appeared  undar  die 
name  of  Alexander  Hume,  with  the  exception  of  the  Hymns.    He 


NOTES.  505 

has  gjiyen  an  account  of  himself  in  the  preface  to  hit  Gramfnaiica 
Nova.  To  hit  Treatise  on  the  Lord*8  Supper  ii  prefixed  an  Bpittle 
**  to  Mr.  John  H«milton^  his  olde  regent."  He  was  incorporated  at 
Oxford,  Jan.  96,  ISSO,  as  ''  M.A.  of  St.  Andrews,  Scotland.*'  (Wood'p 
Fasti,  by  Bliss,  817.)  Could  he  be  the  audior  of  HumH  Thesei!^ 
Marpurgi,  1591  ?  He  was  Jxrindpal  master  of  the  Hig^  School  of 
Edinburgh,  ftom  1596  to  1606,  when  he  went  to  Prestonpans.  He 
had  left  the  latter  place  in  1615,  and  appears  to  have  become  master 
of  the  grammar  school  of  Dunbar.  Charters,  ( Aeoo.  of  Scot.  Writers, 
p.  3,)  and  Sibbald,  (De  Script  Scot  p.  S,)  call  him  sdioohnaster  of 
Dunbar.  '^  Mr.  ^xander  Home,  schoolmaster  of  Dunbar,"  is  a 
witness  to  a  deed,  June  Si,  1623 ;  (Gen.  Reg.  of  Deeds,  yoL  cccxli) 
and  to  another,  Nov.  87,  1627.    (Ibid.  toL  cccxdx.) 

His  Grammar  is  entitled,  "  Chrammatica  nova  in  usum  juTcntutis 
Scotice  ad  methodum  revooata.    Ab  Alexandro  Hvmeo,  ex  antiqua  et 
Nobili  Oente  Hunuorum,  artium  Magistro.    £t  auetoritate  senatus, 
omnibus  Regni  Scholis  imperata.    Edinburgi^-1612."   ISmo.    (Cq^y 
in  the  Library  of  the  High  Schocd  of  Edinburgh.)    The  words  here 
printed  in  Italics  are  not  in  the  common  copies.    The  author  had 
prcTiously  published  Latin  Rudiments.     (Gram.  Part  ii.  p.  25.) 
The  tract  entitled  BeUum  Grammaticale  was  not  composed,  but  only 
revised  by  Hume.    It  is  a  humorous  tragi-comedy,  in  which  tbe 
different  parts  of  speech  are  arrayed  on  opposite  sides,  in  a  contest 
concerning  the  respective  claims  of  the  noun  and  verb  to  priority. 
It  is  probaUe  diat  it  was  acted  by  the  boys  in  schools.    He  left  be- 
hind him,  in  MS.  a  compend  of  Buchanan's  History  (in  Bibl.  Jurid. 
Edin.)  and  a  grammatical  tract,  probably  in  defence  of  his  own  gram- 
mar.   (Ruddimanni  Bibl.  Rom.  p.  61.    Sibbald,  De  Script  Scot, 
p.  3.)    His  Grammar  was  appointed  to  be  used  in  all  schools,  both 
by  the  Privy  Council  and  Parliament    (Grammat  Part  ii.  Ad  Leet. 
Comp.  Act  Pari.  Scot  iv.  |57,  374.    Act.  Seer.  ConciL  Feb.  1610 
»Oct  1612.    Minute  Book  of  Processes  before  the  Privy  CouncQ, 
Sept  1611,  and  July,  1612.)    Hume,  in  a  letter  to  Melville,  Dec  6, 
1612,  gives  an  account  of  the  opposition  which  his  work  had  en- 
countered.   (Melvini  Epistolc,  p.  309.)    Casaubon,  in  a  letter  to 
Hume,  denies  having  prepossessed  the  King  against  his  Grammar, 
but  does  not  conceal  his  disapprobation  of  it    (Casauboni  Epistolc, 
ab  Almdoveen,  epist  878.)  That  learned  man  represents  it  as  an  imi- 
tation of  Ramus.    Hume  expressly  allows  that  Ramus  had  not  suc- 
ceeded in  Grammar.    (Grammat  Part.  L  Ad  Led.) 


506  NOTES. 


Note  V.  p.  414. 

Improvemenis  on  the  High  School  of  Edifdturgk — The  foUowing 
minutes  of  Town  Council  contain  the  etrliest  regulationt  for  thu  le- 
minary  that  I  have  observed. 

"  July  8I«  1598.  The  samin  day  the  fmrme  and  ordour  of  thair 
Grammer  schole  being  presentit  and  red  before  thame  They  ratifyet 
and  approve  the  samin  And  ordanis  it  to  be  regpstrat  in  thair  Counsall 
buiks  quhairof  the  tenor  foUowis. 

"  The  opinioun  Counsall  and  advyse  of  the  rydit  honoralnll  Mr. 
John  prestoun  of  bamis  ane  of  the  Senators  of  the  CoUege  of  Justice 
M"  Jhone  scherp  Thomas  Craig  John  Nicolsoun  John  Russell  Wil- 
liam Oliphant  &  James  Donaldsoun  advocates  Mr.  Robert  RoUocfc 
prindpall  of  the  colledge  of  £d'  Henry  Nesbit  provost  Alex.  Peirsonii 
James  Nesbit  baillies  of  £d^  William  Napier  deyne  of  gild  of  the 
laymn  M"  Walter  balcamquill  James  Balfour  and  William  WatBOun 
ministers  at  £d'  Mr  William  Scott  writtw  convenit  in  the  said  col- 
ledge 26  Dec.  1597  for  provyding  of  Maisters  to  the  Grammer  schole 
of  £d' as  follows: 

"  In  primis  Thay  think  best  and  expedient  that  thair  be  fonre 
lemet  and  godlie  men  appointit  regents  to  teache  the  Grapamer  scfade 
of  £d'  in  all  time  cumming  be  foure  severall  classes  in  manner  fd^ 
lowing. 

"  The  first  das  and  regent  thairof  sail  teache  the  first  and  lecnsd 
rudiments  of  Dumbar  with  the  Colloques  of  Corderius  And  on  Son- 
day  Catechesis  palatinatus.  The  secund  regent  saU  teache  the  rules 
of  the  first  part  of  Pelisso  with  Cioerois  familiar  epistillea  And  to  mak 
iom  version  thryse  in  the  oulk  And  to  teache  thame  on  aonday  the 
foresaid  Catechise  laitlie  sett  owt  in  latime  *  with  ouid  de  tristihtu.  The 
third  r^nt  sail  teache  the  secund  part  of  Pelisso  with  the  supplement 
of  Erasmus  Sintaxis  Terence  The  l^tamorphosis  of  Onide  with 
buquhannanis  psalms  on  Sonday. 

"  The  ferd  mJI  teache  the  third  part  of  Pelisso  with  Buquhannmii 
Prosodia,  Taleus  figures  &  rhetorick  figure  Constructlonis  Thome 
Linacri  Viigelius  Salustius  Cesaris  Commentaria  &  flonu  Ooiciy 
epiatole  and  die  heroick  psalmes  of  Bnquhannane  on  Sonday. 

*^  Ilkane  of  the  foresaids  four  r^gentis  saU  teache  thair  das  ia 
aevcrall  howsais  and  to  this  eflfect  the  hie  schole  sail  be  drryditii 
four  howiiia  be  thre  parpennis. 


*  «<  The  Catediesifl  hutlie  sett  oat  in  htin  verse.**    (Mianie  of  Oct.  1^ 
1598,  fol.  206,  b.) 


NOTES.  507 


€€ 


Item  to  the  effect  thair  may  be  the  better  harmonye  betwix  the 
laidis  foar  regentis  in  their  procedour  ai.d  tcacheing  and  that  thai 
may  the  bettir  answer  for  their  dewtie  dischairges  simpliciter  maiaters 
or  others  persons  quhatsumevir  of  teacheing  of  ony  rudiments  or  ony 
uther  buik  of  latine  in  ony  of  thair  lecture  scholis  Swa  that  the  first 
F^ent  may  be  the  mair  answerabill  in  grunding  and  instructing  thame 
in  Rudiments. 

''It  is  alwayis  provydit  in  favoures  of  the  lecture  scholis  That 
nane  sail  be  resauet  in  the  said  first  das  hot  he  quha  can  reid  first 
perfectlie  Inglis  with  sum  writt  and  the  said  first  regent  sail  nawayes 
be  sufiTerit  to  teache  any  the  first  a  b  c  in  reding. 

"  Item  the  said  ferd  regent  sail  be  principall  of  the  said  schole  and 
n^entis  and  have  the  owersicht  of  thame  all  viz  he  sail  sie  and  ani- 
madvert that  every  ane  of  the  regents  keip  thair  awin  houres  maner 
and  forme  of  teacheing  presentlie  sett  doune  and  that  thai  and  ilkane 
of  thame  contiuuallie  awaitt  all  the  day  lang  upoun  the  schole  in 
teaching  &  exemining  thair  baymis  And  that  all  the  saids  regents  the 
^xrincipall  as  well  as  the  other  thrie  infireouris  ilkane  of  thame  teache 
thair  awin  dass  and  that  ilkane  of  thame  use  correction  upoun  thair 
awin  disdples  except  in  grdt  &  notorious  falts  all  the  foure  to  be 
assemblit  in  ane  hous  and  have  the  prindpall  regent  to  puneis  the 
same. 

"  Item  the  Regent  of  Humanitie  erectet  in  the  college  sail  teache 
searlie  y^  Rhetorick  of  Cassander  The  oradounis  of  Cicero  And  sail 
cans  his  scholkrs  owlkUe  mak  schort  declamatioims. 

'*  Item  he  sail  teache  Horace  Juvenall  Plautus  The  greik  gram- 
mer  with  certane  greik  authores  And  as  the  baymis  leamis  ane  Ora- 
doun  of  Cicero  he  sail  cans  thame  every  ane  of  thame  severally  de- 
dame  the  samyn  publictlie  in  the  schole. 

"  Convenit  in  the  Counsale  hous  9  Jan'U  1597  Be  directioun  of  the 
kixk  and  Counsell  zisderday  ^he  provost  James  Nesbit  Alex'  Peir- 
soun  baillies  with  Mr.  Wfdter  balcanqull  &  Mr.  William  Watsoun 
ministers  Mr.  James  Donaldson  &  Mr.  WiUiam  Scott  Agreyes  that 
the  persones  following  Mr.  George  Haisting  sail  be  the  first  regent 
Laurence  Paook  secund  Mr.  Jhoun  Balfour  thrid  &  Mr.  Alex.  Home 
ferd  and  prindpall  &  sail  gif  ane  pruif  of  their  teacheing  quhill  mer- 
tjmes  next  allanerlie  And  to  begin  at  Candilmas  next  And  to  publeis 
aucht  dayes  before  be  proclamatioun  throw  the  town  the  provisioun 
of  the  Grammer  schole  with  sufficient  maisters  That  the  baymia  may 
convene. 

''  Hes  thocht  guid  to  mak  the  feyis  and  quarter  payments  of  the 


508  NOTES. 


regents  in  this  maner  yiz  The  first  8c  secund  rpgenti  sail  hsif 
quarterUe  ilkane  threttein  schilling  four  penneia  The  tloid  f^ftn 
schillings  and  the  ferd  and  principall  twenty  shfllinga. 

''  Thair  feyis  the  first  and  secnnd  ilk  ane  twenty  |mnd  The  flnii 
foorty  merks  and  the  principaU  twa  hunder  merles  The  samin  diy 
the  foresaids  provests  haillies  and  Coansall  dxachAizgiea  aH  mastoi 
regents  and  teachers  of  haymis  in  thair  Grammer  sdhole  of  all  cnfiag 
&  resaving  of  any  hleyis  syWer  of  their  harynis  and  sdioJera  As  ikwt 
of  any  hent  sylver  exceptand  four  penneis  at  ane  tyme  mUaneriie.* 
(Raster  of  Town  Council  of  Edinhurgh^  toL  x.  fbL  193,  b.) 

The  following  minute  shews  that  die  Town  Conncfl  were  on  tk 
eve  of  destroying  an  institution  which  has  done  them  so  mncih  honoar. 
It  is  prohahle  that  the  had  humour  of  some  foolish  individoal  bad 
hurried  them  into  the  rash  resolution^  which  is  nerer  afterwards  sl- 
hided  to  in  the  minutes.  **  September  8nd,  1001.  The  sam  da; 
after  lang  dellheratioun  fynds  guid  yat  yair  hie  sebole  be  hrodit 
to  y®  awld  ordo^  of  ane  maister  and  ane  schole  And  to  alter  and  di^ 
diarge  the  last  forme  of  four  maisters  &  fo'  scholes  In  respect  yat  y' 
said  maisters  keippet  nocht  y*  ordd'  gevin  yame  Q*h7  many  Incoim^ 
nients  hes  followet  And  ordanis  Thomas  fyscheares  &  Pk^  Saade^ 
lands  to  report  y«  sam  to  y*  foure  Sessiouns  of  y«  kirk  That  ibrder 
ord6'  may  be  tane  w^  the  said  schole."    (Ibid.  yoL  xi.  f.  55.) 

**  Nov.  9,  16U.  The  quhHk  day  the  Provest  bailliea  &c  Ordaiui 
in  all  tyme  cuming  Mr  Johnne  Rea  m'  of  thair  hie  seocde  To  kop 
and  observe  the  reullis  and  ordouris  following  In  teidbing  the  sd^il- 
lers  of  the  samine  Imprimis  that  the  Rudimentaria  be  all  under  ase 
doctor  And  that  Dumbar  Rudiments  be  onlie  tesdied  as  maist  ap- 
proved &  ressavit  in  the  cuntrie  the  first  pairt  whsirof  is  ane  intio- 
daction  to  the  first  pairt  of  the  Dispauteris  grammer  and  the  uther 
part  serveing  as  ane  introductioun  to  the  secund  pairt  of  Denanter 
And  that  thair  be  conjoynit  thairwith  -the  vocable  of  Stanislmrgiai 
for  practise  of  declyning  dicta  sapietitum  and  the  distidies  of  (^io, 
As  for  praxis  to  the  wther  pairt  of  the  rudimentia. 

**  That  the  secund  classe  learn  Despauters  first  pairt  and  coqjoyDe 
thairwith  Corderius  Minora  Colloquia  Erasmi  The  select  epistles  of 
Cicero  Collectit  be  Sturmius  And  quhowson  thay  enter  into  the 
thrid  buik  of  the  first  pairt  That  thai  be  exeroeiait  in  theamfa  aad 
verdonis  altemis. 

''  That  the  third  classe  leame  Despauters  secund  pairt  and  thair- 
with the  familiar  epistles  of  Cicero  his  treatise  de  Senectute  or  de 
Amicitia  and  that  Terence  be  ever  ane  of  their  lessones  And  gif  it 


NOTES.  509 

be  fond  gude  to  gif  thame  sum  ingrew  in  poeiie  for  interpretatiouii 
u  of  Ovideg  epiBtlfls  or  his  tiiatis  As  also,  to  hald  tham  exerctisit  in 
Iheamis  and  epistles. 

**  And  that  the  focd  dasse  leame  the  third  and  fonrt  pairtis  of 
Despauter  with  some  fables  of  Ovid  his  metamoq^hose  or  VirgiU  ad- 
joyning  thairwith  Quintus  Cnrtius  or  Cesaris  Gommentaris  And  gif 
thai  be  mair  c^aUe  Suetonius  And  that  thair  cxercases  be  in  tct- 
siounis  making  of  Theamis  braking  and  making  of  Tersis  as  thair 
s[ntits  sends  thame. 

**  And  that  the  hie  dasse  karne  the  Rhetorique  some  of  Cicero 
his  Oratioimes  or  de  Oratore  or  de  Claris  Oratoribus  Salust  Flautas 
Horace  Juvenale  Pendus  And  that  thai  be  exercised  in  Oratiounis 
Compodtiounis  versiouns  and  in  Terse  quhois  gift  serves  thaim  And 
that  prose  and  verse  be  taught  alternative  And  to  tdtche  the  greik 
gramSr  Lyetiod  and  Theogius^    (Hesiod  and  TheognU  9 J 

'*  And  that  thair  be  repeiitiouns  and  disputes  everie  oulk  sidyk 
tayse  publict  examinatiounis  yeirlie  in  presence  of  the  ministeris  and 
magistratis  The  first  to  be  in  the  begining  of  May  and  the  uther  the 
twentie  day  of  October  quhen  the  hie  dasse  passis  to  the  Collcige 
And  that  nane  be  sofferit  to  assend  in  the  schoole  or  pas  to  the  Cd- 
kge  hot  quha  efter  examination  ar  Judgit  worthie."  (Ibid.  voL  xii. 
foL  167,  b.) 

NoTi  W.  P.  414. 

Grammar  School  of  PresUmpam^^The  following  is  the  account  of 
Hume's  admission  to  this  school :— ''  At  hadintoun  y«  S5  of  Juny 
1606.  The  q^day  Mr  Ji^ker  minister  of  y«  panis  produdt  y^pr&itatPne 
of  Mr  Alex'  hoome  to  be  schoolm'  of  y*  Schoole  of  y*  panis  foundit 
be  Mr  Jo  Davedsone  for  instructioune  of  the  youth  in  hebxew  greek 
and  latine  subscryvet  be  ysis  to  quhome  Mr  Jc^  davedsone  gave 
power  to  noiAt  j*  man  q^  prtotatPne  y*  pr€brie  allowit  and  ordenit  y« 
moderator  &  derk  to  subscrive  j*  samine  in  y'  names  q^  yay  ded. 
As  also  ordeanit  y^  y«  said  kirk  of  y*  panis  suld  be  visited  vpon  y 
dght  day  of  Julg  next  to  come  for  admissione  of  y*  said  Mr  Alex' 
to  y«  said  office  The  visitors  wer  appoyntit  Mr  Ar^  Oswald  Mr  Robert 
Wsllace  Mr  George  greir  Mr  andro  blackball  &  Mr  andro  Ma^^ye  to 
teadu"— ''  At  Sal^urestoun,  July  8,  1606.  The  haill  parisdumcrs 
being  poisit  how  yay  lyddt  of  y  said  Mr  Alex'  w^  vniforme  consent 
being  particularly  inqwyrit  schew  y'  guid  lyddng  of  him  and  y'  will« 
ingnes  to  accept  and  reodv  him  to  y  said  office  Q'upon  y^said  Mr 
Alex'  wes  admittit  to  y«  said  office  &  in  token  of  y  approba^ne  both 


510  NOTES. 

of  vlBitort  &  of  y«  parischonSs  p^tit  both  y  ane  and  y*  yother  tdk  f 
said  Mr  AlexT  be  y«  hand  &  y«  haill  magistratis  gentlemen  and  le- 
man£t  parischoners  p'nt  faithfullie  p'misit  to  cacurre  for  y^  fdiibaitt 
of  y«  work  y^  yit  restis  to  be  done  to  y®  said  schoole  as  also  to  kdpt 
y*  said  Mr  Alex'  and  his  scholleris  skaithlis  flnallie  for  farther  to- 
thoriang  of  y«  said  fsicj  it  wes  thought  mdtt  y'  y«  haill  Tisiton  & 
parichon&i  p%t  snid  enter  y«  said  Mr  Alex'  into  y«  said  schoole  &  f 
heir  him  teache  q^  also  wes  dooae."  (Rec.  of  Preab.  of  Haddiii|- 
ton.) 

The  Parliament  in  the  course  of  that  year,  erected  *'  in  ane  p^ 
rodie  kirk/'  the  kirk  builded  "  be  the  labonris  paynia  and  expens 
of  nmqf^  Mr  Johne  dauidsoun"  and  ratefled  the  school  foonded  sal 
doted  by  him  "  for  teaching  of  Latin  grek  and  Hebrew  tonngis.'' 
(Act.  Pari.  Scot  iy.  302.) 

In  a  charter,  granted  Not.  19,  1015,  by  John  Hamilton  of  PrestOB, 
as  superior  of  the  lands  on  which  the  kirk  and  school  were  buil^  it  k 
narrated,  that  the  late  Mr.  John  Davidson  had  deserved  highly  of 
the  whole  church  and  commonwealth,  and  particularly  of  the  psriA 
of  SaltprestOD,  "  he  having  preached  for  many  years  in  tfaia  ptiish 
without  any  fee  or  reward,  built  at  his  own  expence  a  splendidl 
church,  furnished  with  a  large  clock,  a  manse,  garden,  and  odier 
pertinents,  with  an  acre  of  arable  land  for  a  glebe  to  the  minister; 
and  having  resolved  (as  appears  from  his  testament)  to  sell  his  whole 
patrimonial  inheritance,  consisting  of  valuable  houses  and  lands  ia 
Dunfermline,  and  to  devote  the  whole  produce  to  the  snppcnrt  of  the 
church  and  ministry  of  the  said  parish,  which  purpose  he  would  hate 
carried  into  execution  if  he  had  not  been  prevented  by  death."    It 
then  goes  on  to  state :  ''  Dlctus  quondam  Magister  Joannes  Daned- 
soun  Aream  quondam  vulgo  vocat.  harlaw  hill,"  &c.     **  On  an  area 
which  he  purchased  from  me  he  finished  an  excellent  house  to  sene 
as  a  school  for  the  education  of  the  youth  of  the  pariah  in  good  let- 
ters, sciences,  and  virtue,  [|a  dwelling-house  for  the  master  is  after- 
wards specified]]  and  to  furnish  a  stipend  for  the  master  of  the  sciiool 
he  bequeathed  all  his  moveables,  to  wit,  his  household  ftimitmie,  hv 
clothes,  his  library,  consisting  of  a  large  collection  of  books  of  all 
kinds,  his  bills  and  obligations  for  debts  owing  him,  and  all  the  money 
in  his  possession,  with  the  exception  of  certain  legacies  to  his  fHends." 
(Charter  of  Mortification,  among  the  Papers  of  the  Kirk  Session  of 
Prestonpans.) 
It  appears  from  this  document  that  Davidson  was  a  native  oi  Dun* 


NOTES.  511 

fermline.  ''  Mag^  Joailnes  Dalzel"  was  master  of  the  graikimar 
■dioolj  when  this  charter  was  granted^  and  continued  to  hold  that 
ntoatbn  in  1693.  (Gen.  Reg.  of  Decreets^  toL  cccckvL  17  July, 
1633.) 

NoTB  X.  p.  433. 

Of  Welwood^s  Experiments, — The  patent  was  granted  to  him  and 
John  Geddy.  "  Knawing  alsiia  that  the  advancement  of  curious  and 
quick  spreittis  yat  heirtofoir  hes  be  their  singulare  ingyne  inventit— 
ony  perfyct  art  or  deuise — ^is  gretelie  to  be  helpit^  fauourd  and  sup- 
portit^thairfor  vnderstanding  yat  his  hienes  bdouit  derkis  Mr.  W™ 
Walwode  and  Mr.  Johne  geddy — ^hes  be  yair  awin  singular  moyen 
naturall  Industrie  curious  Ingynis  and  knawledge  in  sciences  Inyentit 
^^m  easie  perfite  and  suddane  way  of  eleuatioun  of  watteris  out  of  coOl 
pottis  sinkis  and  vtheris  low  places,  heirtofoir  neuir  hard  or  at  the 
liest  neuir  put  in  practize  within  this  his  hienes  reahne,  &c.  Geyand 
license  &c"  Not.  13,  1577.  (Record  of  Privy  Seal,  vol.  xliv. 
f.  116.) 

The  book  in  which  he  explains  his  plan  is  entitled,  '^  Gvilielmi 
Velvod  de  Aqva  in  altum  per  fistulas  plumbeas  facile  exprimenda 
apologia  demonstratiiuu  Edinburgi  apud  Alexandrum  Arbuthne- 
tum,  Typographum  R^um,  1588."  Six  leaves  in  4to.  The  dedi- 
cation is  dated  "  Andreapoli  pridie  nonas  Nouembris  1589."  Prefix- 
ed to  it  is  a  copy  of  verses  by  Melville.  If  Welwood  had  persevered 
in  his  experiments  he  might  have  accidentally  made  the  discovery 
which  afterwards  occurred  to  Galileo.  He  proposed  to  produce  the 
effect  by  means  of  a  leaden  pipe  bent  into  a  syphon  and  extended  on 
the  exterior  so  as  to  discharge  the  water  at  a  point  below  the  surface 
of  the  well.  Having  shut  up  the  two  extremities  of  the  pipe,  he  in- 
troduces water  into  both  its  legs,  by  an  aperture  at  the  upper  point 
or  elbow  of  the  syphon,  till  they  are  completely  full ;  and  then  dos- 
ing this  aperture  with  great  exactness,  and  opening  both  ends  of  the 
syphon,  he  maintains  that  the  water  will  flow  out  of  the  exterior  or 
longer  leg,  as  long  as  there  is  any  in  the  welL  It  cannot,  he  argues, 
flow  out  of  the  short  1^  for  it  has  no  head  or  difference  of  level  to 
give  it  the  power  of  issuing  in  that  direction :  It  cannot  flow  out  of  both 
legs  at  the  same  time ;  for  then  it  behoved  it  to  separate  somewhere 
in  the  middle,  which,  according  to  him,  is  impossible,  as  nature  ab» 
kors  a  vacuum :  Therefore,  it  must  flow  out  of  the  well  by  the  longer 
leg.    The  well  is  supposed  to  be  45  cubits  deep ;  for  our  author  was 


513  NOTES. 

not  ponetied  of  the  important  fact  that  water  will  not  rite  to  a  hdg^t 
above  S3  feet.  In  other  respects  the  principles  of  his  demoostiatiaB 
are  not  more  unscientifical  than  those  which  Gralileo  would  have  em- 
ployed sixty  years  after  the  time  of  Welwood. 

In  the  year  1598,  the  parliament  granted  to  two  individuals  the  aak 
right  of  making  certain  "  pompis  for  raising  and  foroeiiig  of 
furth  of  mynes,"  Sic.    (Act  ParL  Scot  Iy.  176.) 


^ 


APPENDIX, 


CONSISTING  OP  ORIGINAL  PAPERS. 


No.  I.     [|Orig.  Brit.  Mus.  Lansdowne  MSS.  num.  15^  24.]] 

Letter  from  Charge  Buchanan  to  Sir  Thomas  Bandolph, 

To  his  sii^;ular  freynd  M.  Randolph  maister  of  postei 
to  the  queines  g.  of  Ingland.     In  london. 

I  resBuit  twa  pair  of  lettres  of  you  sens  my  latter  wryting  to  you. 
wyth  the  fyrst  I  ressavit  Marianus  Scotus,  of  quhylk  I  thank  you 
greatly,  and  specialy  that  your  ingles  men  are  fund  liars  in  thair  cro- 
nicles  allegyng  on  hym  sic  thyngs  as  he  never  said.  I  haif  heyne 
vexit  wyth  seiknes  al  the  tyme  sens,  and  geif  I  had  decessit  ye  suld 
haif  losit  hoth  thankis  and  recompens,  now  I  most  neid  thank  you 
hot  geif  wear  hrekks  vp  of  thys  foly  laitly  done  on  the  border,  than  I 
wyl  hald  the  recompense  as  Inglis  geir.  hot  gif  peace  foUowis  and 
nother  ye  die  seik  of  manage  or  of  the  twa  s3rmptomes  following  on 
mariage  quhylks  ar  jalozie  and  cuccaldry,  and  the  gut  cary  not  me 
away,  I  most  other  find  sum  way  to  pay  or  ceis  kyndnes  or  ellis  geif- 
ing  vp  kyndnes  pay  zou  w^  evil  wordis,  and  geif  thys  fasson  of  deal- 
ing pleasit  me  I  haif  reddy  occasion  to  be  angry  wyth  you  that  haif 
wissit  me  to  be  ane  kentys  man,  quylk  in  a  maner  is  ane  centaur  half 
man,  half  beast,  and  yit  for  ane  oertaine  consideration  I  wyl  pas 
over  that  iniury,  imputyng  it  erar  to  your  new  foly  than  to  aid  wia- 
dome,  for  geif  ye  had  beiue  in  your  ryt  wyt  ye  being  anis  escapit  the 
tempesteous  stormes  and  naufrage  of  mariage  had  never  enterit  agane 
in  the  samyng  dangeris.  for  I  can  not  take  you  for  ane  Stoik  philo* 
•opher,  having  ane  head  inexpugnable  w^  the  frenetyk  tormetis  of  Ja» 
lozie,  or  ane  cairleas  \jnargm,  skeptik]]  hart  that  tales  cuocaldrii  as 
thyng  indifferent.    In  this  caise  I  most  neidia  prefer  the  rude  Sooitii 

VOL.  II.  2  L 


514  APPENDIX. 

wyt  of  capitaine  Cocburne  to  your  inglis  solomonictl  sapience^  quhylk 
wery  of  ane  wyfe  deliuerit  hir  to  the  queyne  againe^  bot  you  deliuerit 
of  any  wyfe  castis  your  self  in  the  samyn  nette^  et  ferre  potes  domi" 
nam  saluis  tot  restibus  ullam.  and  so  capitaine  cockbume  is  in  better 
case  than  you  for  his  seiknes  is  in  the  feitte  and  zouris  in  the  heid. 
I  pray  you  geif  I  be  out  of  purpose  thynk  not  that  I  suld  be  maryit. 
bot  rather  consider  your  awyn  dangerouse  estait  of  the  quhylk  the 
spoking  has  thus  troublit  my  braine  and  put  me  so  far  out  of  the 
way.  As  to  my  occupation  at  this  present  tyme,  I  am  besy  w<  our 
story  of  Scotland  to  piu-ge  it  of  sum  Inglis  lyis  and  Scottis  yanite^  as 
to  maister  knoks  his  historic  is  in  hys  freindis  handis,  and  thai  ar  in 
cosultation  to  mitigat  sum  part  the  acerbite  of  certaine  wordis  and 
sum  taintis  quhair  in  he  has  followit  to  much  sO  of  your  ing^  writ- 
aris  as  M.  hal  et  suppilcUorem  eius  Graf  tone  &c.  As  to  M.  Bexa  I  fear 
yt  eild  quhylk  has  put  me  from  verses  making  sal  deUure  him  sone  a 
Scabie  poetica^  quhylk  war  ane  great  pitye  for  he  is  ane  of  the  moit 
singular  poetes  that  has  beine  thys  lang  tyme.  as  to  your  great  pra- 
syng  gevin  to  me  in  your  Ire  geif  ye  scome  ftot  I  thank  you  of  luif  and 
kyndnes  towart  me  bot  I  am  sorie  of  your  corrupt  iugement.  heir  I 
wald  say  mony  iniuries  to  you  war  not  yat  my  gut  cdmandia  me  to 
cesse  and  I  wyl  als  spair  mater  to  my  nixt  writings*  Fairwcall  and 
god  kdp  you.    at  Sterling  the  Sext  of  august 

Be  youria  at  al  power 

G.  BUCUAKAK. 


No.  II.    QCotton  MSS.  Calig.  Cvii.  11.;] 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Henry  Woddrington  to  Secretary  Walsmgiam. 

ISS2,  Man  86. 

Upon  Wednesday  erening  the  xxiii4  of  this  instant  Mr  Jdni  Dmy 
preached  in  the  Cathedrall  church  of  £denbroughe  where  dinen  nobk 
men  were  present  the  effect  therof  tending  to  the  reproof  of  the  bishop 
of  Glasco  as  playnly  tearmyng  him  an  apostate  and  maynawome  tny« 
tor  to  god  and  his  churche  And  that  even  as  the  scribea  and  pbarises 
eonld  fynd  none  so  mete  to  betray  Christ  as  one  of  his  owne  sdhiolleis  ft 
disciples  efen  so  this  duke  with  the  rest  of  his  liictioii  can  not  ffnd  st 
mete  an  instroment  tosubuert  the  idlg^  planted  in  ^gffrland  as  0ab 
of  their  owne  nombre,  one  of  their  owde  brethiinei  and  one  nour- 
ished amonge  their  owne  boweb.-  '    ■    And  lykewto  be  toQcM 


APPENDIX.  515 

the  present  sent  by  the  duke  of  Guyse  to  the  k.  in  this  maner  of 
•peaches. 

I  pray  you  what  should  move  Guyse  that  bluddy  p'secntoTj  yt  ene- 
my vnto  all  treuth,  that  piller  of  the  pope  to  send  this  present,  by 
one  of  his  trustiest  servants  vnto  o'  k.  ?  not  for  any  love  no.  no.  his 
pretence  is  knowen.  And  I  beseach  the  lord  the  church  of  Scotland 
feale  y^  not  ouersone.  The  k.  matie  was  perswaded  not  to  receave  y^ 
for  why  ?  what  amytie  or  freindshipp  can  we  looke  for  at  his  hands 
who  hath  bene  the  bluddiest  persecutor  of  the  professors  of  the  trothe 
in  all  france  neither  was  any  notable  murder  or  havock  of  gods^  but 
he  was  at  that  in  person.  And  yet  for  all  this  the  duke  and  Arrain 
will  nedes  haue  o'  king  to  take  a  present  from  him. 

If  god  did  threaten  the  captivitie  and  spoyle  of  Herusalem  because 
that  there  king  Hesekia  did  receave  a  Ife  and  present  from  the  king 
of  Babylon,  shall  we  think  to  be  free  cdmytting  the  like  or  rather 
worse  ?  And  because  yo^  my  U*  w<^  both  doe  see  me  and  even  at  this 
pnit  heares  me  I  say  because  you  shall  not  be  hereafter  excusable  I 
tell  yo^  that  tho"  with  teares.  I  feale  such  confusion  to  ensewe^  y^ 
I  feare  me,  will  be  the  subuersion  and  ruyne  of  the  preaching  of  gods 
Evangile  here  in  the  church  of  Scotland.  I  am  the  more  playne  w^ 
you  because  I  knowe  their  is  some  of  yo^  in  the  same  action  wth  the 
rest  I  knowe  I  shalbe  called  to  an  accompt  for  thes  words  here 
spoken,  but  let  them  doe  with  this  carkasse  of  myne  what  they  will 
for  I  knowe  my  sowle  is  in  the  hands  of  the  lorde  and  therefore  I  will 
speake  &  that  to  yo'  condemnadn  vnlesse  yo^  spedely  retume. 

And  then  in  his  prayen  made  he  prayd  vnto  the  Lord  either  to 
convert  or  confound  y«  duke. 

The  sermon  was  very  longe,  godly,  and  plaine,  to  the  great  comfort 
and  reioice  of  the  most  nombre  that  herd  yt,  or  doe  here  of  yt.  And 
for  thes  points  w<^  I  am  enformed  of  I  thought  yt  convenyent  to  sig- 
nifie  the  same  vnto  yd'  honor. 


No.  III.    [;Orig.  Harl.  MSS.  num.  7004.  S.^ 

Letter  qf  Andrew  Melville  to  T.  Savile  and  O.  Carleton, 

Doctissimis  adolesoentibus  et  amicis  integerrimis  D.  Th. 
Savile  et  G.  Carletono  Oxoniensibus.    Oxoniam. 

Humanitas  erga  me  vestra  incredibilis,  et  amor  in  tos  mens  tingu- 

2l8 


516  APPENDIX. 

larii  flagitabant  a  me  iamdiu  literas :  easq  ad  singulos  vestrum  prs* 
cipuas  potius^  quam  utrunq  communes.    Verum  nee  antea  quidquam 
ad  vos  literarum  de4j>  lis  de  cauaia^  quaa  fadlius  est  vobis  existimare 
quam  mihi  scribere :  et  nunc  demQ^  cum  a  me  vt  scribam  impetro, 
non  ausim  disiungere  epistol^^  quos  tot  interiores  liters^  tanta  moram 
similitudo  bonorum,  tarn  prtpclara  honestissimarum  artium  studia  arc- 
tioribus  amidtiie  vinculis  coniungunt:  nee  distrahi  patitur  anteactr 
vits  iucundissima  consuetudo.    Quare  vos,  pro  vestram  iatam  vete- 
rem>  et  uuperam  banc  inter  nos  amicitiam  oro  atq  obtestor,  vt  prc- 
teritam  cessationera  meam  mihi  pro  vestra  bumanitate  condonetis :  et 
has  vnas  ad  vtrunq  literas,  binarum  aut  etiam  plurum^  ad  singulos 
vestrum  loco  esse  patiamini :  Nee  me  propterea  non  virum  bonum  esse 
putetis,  si  vobis  videar  duos  parietes  de  eadera  fidclia  dealbare :  Quan- 
quam  pictorum  mos  est ;  tamen  finitimus  pictori  poeta  nee  pigmen- 
torum  arculis  liberatior^  quam  liberior  audendi  licentia.     Verum  hcc 
parcius :  ne  dum  me  excuso,  de  Carletoni  aut  arte  aut  gloria  detn- 
ham.    Cuius  spiritu  in  poesi  nihil  generosius^  nihil  edoga  duldus, 
nihil  cultius  aut  argutius  epigrammate :  adeo  vt,  si  omnia  hoc  modo 
acripserit,  non  solum  s?quales  omnes  superare,  sed  etiam  cum  omni 
antiquitate  certare  videatur.    De  munere  literario,  qua  me  re  de  fade 
quidem  antea  ignotum  vterque  vestrum  affedstis,  habeo  gradam; 
Vt  cfetera  omittam  humanitatis  officia,  tum  ab  vniversa  fere  academia 
in  nos  homines  ignotos  profecta,  tum  a  vobis  in  me  pnecipue  collata. 
Ita  viuam  vt  nihil  usquam  viderem  in  omni  vita  splendidiua  aut  mag- 
nifloentius  vestra  academia :  nihil  gravius  pneceptoribus  aut  disdpalii 
humanius :  nihil  vobis  duobus  aut  amabilius  aut  amantius :  fortumati 
ambo :  si  quid  mea  carmina  possunt,  etc    Immo  tua  Carletone  potiiu^ 
qufi  plurimQ  atque  adeo  omnia  possunt  ad  te  et  alios  a  mortalitatis  et 
oblivionis  iniuria  vindicandos.    Ad  quam  mirificft  in  pangendis  versi^ 
bus  felldtatem  accedit  incredibilis  rerum  roathematicarum  adentia. 
Diuinum,  Sauile,  ingenium,  et  erudltio  tanta,  quantam  in  istam  eta* 
tern  credere  nunquam  puta^j.    Quid  multa  ?  /»«atT  «Um»  rtunt  ixu 
#AXrMn^v  iv  itfm*  f  «wmv  iUt^m  I^^mv  V  tu^t^*  &C.     Verom  de  vobis 
alias  et  apud  alios.   Quod  reliquum  est,  suauisaime  idemq  docttasime 
Sauile,  expectatione  promissi  tui  fretus  humanitate  tua,  moneor,  vt 
admoneam  te,  non  vt  flagitem :  quid^est  ?  fortasae  iiiquia.    Maniliani 
tua,  vel,  si  mauis,  Scaligerana,  lioeat  mihi  per  te  (vel  too  pocioa  be- 
neficio  cobeedatur)  ex  interuallo  r^gustatakr    St^erioim  toa  in  me  be- 
nefida  hac  etiam  acoessione  (mihi  crede)  non  ptnun  cnmaUfais.    Sa- 
lutem  a  me  et  fratribus  toti  Academic  et  nominatim  vestro  eolksii 


APPENDIX.  517 

prefecto  ceterisq  amicis  communibus.    Valete  <»  «v(«*»-    Raptim  Lon« 
dini.  15  Decemb.  1584. 

Vestri  Studiodssinius 

And:  Mklyinus. 


No.  IV.     n^ig.  Harl.  MSS.  num.  7004.  S.]] 

Archbishop  Adamson  to  Archbishop  Whitgtft, 

Pleis  your  grace  imediatle  aftar  my  retouminge  in  Scotland  the  king 
his  maieste  held  his  parliam^t  where  besides  many  loveable  actis  his 
hienes  hath  restored  in  integrQ  the  estate  of  Bishops  and  hath  con- 
tramandet  the  seignords  presbitereis  not  only  be  good  reasoun  of 
Scripture  and  antiquite,  bot  likwayis  in  respect  his  hienes  had  livele 
experience,  that  they  wer  gret  instrumStis  of  unquietnes  and  rebel* 
liouu  be  there  pc^ulare  disordo'.  I  doubt  not  your  G.  hathe  beene 
suffidStlie  enformed  of  the  late  attemptatis  moved  be  some  of  o'  no- 
bilitie  whervnto  many  ministeris  being  prive  and  their  seignoreis  and 
therefore  not  able  to  abyde  the  triall  of  the  law  are  fugitive  in  Eng- 
land where  they  pretext  as  I  am  certeynle  enformed,  the  cans  of  re- 
ligioun  albdt  it  be  of  an  vndoubted  truth,  that  they  have  no  other 
cans  bot  there  practizinge  counsellinge  and  allowing  of  the  last  sedi- 
tious factis  and  the  refosinge  of  the  lawfull  authoritie  of  there  ordi- 
nareis  the  Bishops,  wherevnto  notwithstanding  the  godle  and  quiet 
spirites  w^in  the  realme  hathe  willingle  aggreit  and  subscryved  The 
quhilk  I  have  thoght  most  necessare  to  advertez  your  grace  vpon 
whose  shoulderis  the  care  of  the  spirituall  estate  dothe  chefle  repose^ 
that  your  grace  may  be  moste  assured,  that  the  king  his  maiestie  o' 
master  his  entention  is  with  the  sincerite  of  the  word  qlk  his  hienes 
in  his  heart  dothe  reverence,  to  conforme  sik  an  police  as  may  be  an 
example  to  other  cdmounwcalthis,  as  I  did  show  yo'  g.  in  particulare 
conferee  at  yo'  awin  hous  of  Lambeth,  I  am  assured  divers  misre- 
portis  wilbe  made  vnto  yo'  G.  of  the  banishment  of  so  many  minis- 
teris bot  your  g.  shall  beleve  that  there  is  never  one  banished,  nether 
have  they  abiddin  that  notable  sentence  of  Johnne  Chrisostome,  Ego 
ex  hoc  throno  non  disoedam  nisi  imperatoria  vi  coactus,  for  they  are 
fugitive  onele  vpon  their  awin  guiltines  Swa  that  I  am  moste  assured 
if  her  maieste  be  your  g.  sbalbe  sufficientlie  enformed  of  the  truthe, 
her  hienes  will  not  suffer  sik  slaunderous  persounes  vnder  pretext  of 
religioun  to  abyde  in  her  countrey  to  infecte  the.  estate  of  Englande 

2  L  S 


518  APPEKPIX. 

ffi  their  leditious  practiBes  qlk  they  haYe  hene  aboat  to  estabUs  m 
this  countrey  And  for  my  awn  parte  your  g.  may  assure  her  hiencs 
albeit  her  m.  hathe  bene  otherwayis  enformed  at  my  being  in  £qg- 
Undx  that  after  my  small  credite  and  habilite  I  shall  endevc)'  my  xlf 
to  the  preservaoun  of  the  true  religioun  professit  in  the  whole  yle  and 
eomoun  qnietnes  and  mutuall  amite  of  her  m.  and  o''  master  In  the 
qlk  poynte  if  her  m.  had  further  employed  me  at  that  tyme  I  ooold 
have  done  what  layein  me^  But  your  g.  knawtsin  what  ielosemy 
doings  wer>  albeit  I  protest  afore  god  I  ment  nothing  bot  in  sinoerite 
of  hearty  wishing  next  o'  master  best  prosperitie  to  her  hienes  for  the 
conseryation  of  the  truth  in  this  ysknd  be  there  ooncorde.  I  shsU 
not  fbrgeit  yo'  g.  galloway  naig,  in  testimonie  of  mutuall  fiairor^  whea 
any  opportunit  oomodite  shall  present  the  sdf  be  any  auffieiet  benr, 
iprishing  heartle  your  g.  welfare  and  to  assist  ws  with  your  L  pvaycTy 
help  and  gudwill  at  her  hienes  hande  in  maynteininge  of  thia  goode 
work  against  the  pretended  seignoreis^  the  end  whereof  tendia  to  CTcrt 
monarcheis  and  destroy  the  soepto'  of  princes  and  to  confoonda  the 
whole  estate  and  iurisdictloun  of  the  kirk  qlk  I  should  be  Tcrie  sve 
tfler  so  bnge  continewance  of  tyme  to  see  decaye  in  oordayia,  Nostia 
seootdia  et  ignauia  qui  ad  dayum  sedemus.  It  wilbe  yodr  g.  pie«ar 
to  salute  my  lorde  bishope  of  London  in  my  name  and  my  lonke  aidn 
bishop  of  york  his  grace  for  the  goode  entertenement  I  reaaTed  at  hk 
house,  thanking  her  hienes  most  humble  therfore^  committis  your 
g.  to  the  protectioun  of  god  frome  S^  Andross  the  16  of  Jonjj  1584 

Yo^  grads  verie  lovinge  and  assured 
brother  symmyste  and  oooperue 
in  the  lord  his  Tyneyard 
Patrick^  Archbischop  of  8<  SanctaodriMs. 
To  my  lorde  his  grace  of  Canterburie  geoTC  these. 

No.  V.     [[Cotton  MSS.  Calig.  C.  viii.  54,  «S,  78.] 

JS^firacU  of  Letters  from  WiUiam  Davison  to  Secretary  WmlsingA&m, 

concerning'  the  Administration  ofArran, 

Edinb.  June  15,  1584^ 

Upon  a  If e  written  to  the  Magistrate  of  thia  towne  by  Mr. 

Ja:  Lawson  signifyinge  the  causes  of  his  withdrawinge  himself  from 
his  charge  the  k.  had  caused  an  answere  to  be  drawen  &  aent  hethcr 
to  the  said  Magistrate  &  Burgesses  to  besubsigned  by  them  fthaTgify 


APPENDIX*  519 

Mr.  Ja:  and  his  fellowministers  w^  hereticall  and  seditious  doetrinei^ 
w^  other  things  verie  hard  in  their  refkroche  w^h  heinge  presented/ 
mto  them  and  redd  in  open  coonsell  the  Provost  who  hathe  hen  here- 
tofore condempned  as  a  man  to  plyable  to  the  hard  oommandmente 
of  this  courte  suddenlie  brake  forth  into  an  exdamaCon  desireinge  to 
ly  ve  no  longer  as  one  that  hadd  ahreadie  seen  too  much  of  the  miseryM 
to  come  vppon  his  country  and  immediatelie  beinge  readie  to  swonne 
in  the  counsell  was  conveiged  home  extreamlie  sick  and  now  lieth  veria 
hardlie  and  not  like  to  escape.  Notwithstanding  both  he  and  the  real 
thought  it  good  to  deput  certen  of  their  companie  to  repaire  vnto  th* 
k:  w^  their  humble  excuse  and  petition  that  thei  might  not  be  forced 
against  their  consciences  to  slaunder  thos  against  whos  integritie  of 
lief  and  aoundnes  of  doctrine  thei  cold  neyer  take  oLception,  but  in 
fine  the  p'laiis  and  hfe  are  retomed  with  flatt  charge  to  subscribe  it 
in  the  forme  it  is  or  aunswer  the  contempt  at  their  p'ills.  The  Secre* 
tary  Mateland  beinge  appointed  to  see  it  don  and  to  take  the  names  of 
soche  as  shall  refuse  the  same. 

At  St.  Androwes  the  Bushopp  hathe  in  the  meantyme  played  his 
part  so  weU  in  the  pursute  of  good  men  as  that  both  the  professor 
and  students  in  the  CoUedge  of  Theologie  haue  abandoned  the  pkct 
and  w^mrawen  themselves  for  ther  suerties  where  thei  can  find  safeeal 
refuge. 

Edinb.  July,  1584. 

Mr.  James  Skeene,  the  Jesuit  of  whome  I  haue  heretofore  ad* 

uertised  your  bono'  had  as  I  credibly  leame  previe  access  [to  a  con]] 
ference  with  40  *  at  St.  Androwes  It  is  assured  me  that  [^he  hath]] 
secrett  cdmisdon  both  from  20  and  others.  &  haih  desyred  sorely 
for  the  home  coming  of  diuers  of  his  fellow  Jesuitts  w<^b  he  hathe  thus 
farr  obteyned  that  they  shall  be  ouirseen  and  not  troubled  by  his 
Ma^  or  his  lawes  so  they  will  tak  their  hazard  against  the  popular 
fury^  &  with  this  caution  that  they  be  not  ouirhasty  therein  till  mat- 
ters be  better  settled  w<=^  trafficque  w^^  him  &  others  of  his  sorte 
doth  wonderfully  increase  the  fear  &  suspicion  of  this  k.  desertion 
or  careles  accompt  of  religion. — Your  honor  may  have  some  ghess  of 
o'  good  natiu-es  in  Court  by  their  sorrow  for  the  murther  of  the  poor 
pr.  of  orenge  w<^  40  hath  openly  confessed  to  be  such  an  end  as  he 
deserued.  &  is  generally  allowed  and  rdoyoed  at  amongst  the  most 

*  It  appears  from  another  letter  of  Davison,  (Cal.  C.  viii.  79.)  that  40 
Is  the  cipher  for  the  King  of  Scotland. 


520  AfPENDIX. 

part  of  our  poUitiqiKS  theaie.  Having  written  thus  fiurr  ^is  letter 
being  vndoted  till  this  morning  by  occasioii  of  fome  expected  adnjM 
from  a  friend  or  two  I  have  in  the  mean  tyme  Tnderstood  tkat  Mr. 
John  Howeion  miniHter  of  Paday  is  apprehended  &  to  pees  ob  asvfie 
the  xxii^  of  this  p'nt  at  Perth>  for  inveighing  againat  the  late  acli 
of  p'liament  &  course  taken  against  religion  for  w^  he  ia  lyk  to  be 
executed.  And  the  whole  Regents  &  others  of  the  Ck>llege  of  Glsa- 
eow  for  the  same  opinion  sumoned  super  inqoirendis  so  as  70^  may 
tee  we  are  afrayd  of  nothing  les  Qthan  that]]  the  world  should  be  ig- 
norant what  mark  we  shoote  at. 

Edinb.  Aug.  16>  1684 

''  On  thunday  prcIam9on  was  made  here  that  all  ministen  should 
g^ne  vpp  the  rentalls  of  their  benefices  into  the  excdiequi^Ho  th'esd 
that  none  hereafter  receave  any  p^tt  of  their  livings  but  such  only 
as  shall  submit  themselues  and  subscrybe  to  their  new  framed  poDiey. 
Mr.  Andrew  Hay  who  w^  diuers  others  .hath  absolutely  refused  yt 
is  cdmaunded  to  dep't  the  country  yt^in  xz  dayea  w^  speciall  inhi- 
bition not  to  repayre  into  Ingland  or  Ireland  whose  ayre  tkey  hcddas 
contagious  and  for  the  same  cause  the  vniversity  of  Glasoow  ia  by  the 
Bishopps  diligence  made  vtterly  vacant  the  ooUedge  was  lockt  vpp, 
the  students  dismissed^  &  the  Regents  and  M"  commy  tted»  the  lyk 
Gurtesie  being  exercised  towards  them  of  St.  Androwes  and  Abir* 
deene  as  if  theis  bishopps  thought  their  glory  and  surety  to  stand  in 
bringing  in  ignorance  and  confusion  into  the  schooles  &  by  the  same 
degrees  corruption  &  Atheisme  into  the  church  wherein  their  labF 
hath  great  appearance  of  effect^  if  this  course  be  longe  oontinewed. 

The  B.  of  St.  Androwes  hath  addressed  one  Mr.  Archibald  Har- 
bishoune  into  England  aswell  to  call  home  some  of  his  countrymsa 
w^  vs  &  of  his  own  humor  to  occupy  the  roomes  of  honeate  men  as 
for  some  other  purposes  with  the  fr.  ambassador. — There  ia  little  ap- 
pearance that  the  Bishopps  here  can  longer  brooke  their  newe  empyre 
wth  quiet  either  in  respect  to  th^^  cause  or  th'  p'sons  vr^  are  gn€ally  coa- 
dempned.  At  St.  Androwes  there  was  the  last  week  an  alarm  givw 
to  the  Bishopp  by  certain  of  the  students  remayning  there  &  othen 
to  the  number  of  xx  or  xxx  p>^sons  euery  man  with  his  harquebost 
who  bestowed  the  most  p't  of  the  night  in  shooting  against  the  wyn- 
dowes  both  of  the  Castell  where  the  B.  laye  and  of  his  house  in  the 
towne  leaving  a  testimony  behind  them  of  their  good  meaning  to- 
wards him.  On  the  morrow  the  BisIk^  thinking  to  haue  gotten 
tryall  of  this  &ct  caused  the  few  students  of  the  ooUedge 


APPENDIX.  5S1 

remaning  to  be  eonyeened  in  the  pablie  wcbooUB  making  very  dili* 
gent  inqiii8i9on  of  the  former  nights  disorder  but  found  nothing  sare 
that  sadi  as  were  suspect  and  examined  though  they  denyed  their 
presence  confessed  they  wished  the  Bishopp  so  well  as  it  was  not 
so  sdender  a  revenge  as  that  could  satisfie  them  for  the  publique  hurt 
he  had  done>  and  willed  him  to  remember  how  fatal!  that  sea  had 
been  to  his  predeoessoiurs  Ik  to  looke  for  no  better. 


No.  VI.    C!^S*  ^  ^^^  Jurid.  Edin.  M.  6.  9.  num.  34.]] 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Mr,  D.  Andersone  to  certain  Minitters  tn 
Scotland,  conveying  inforwuUum  respecting  Scotch  Fapitte  in  Oer^ 
many. 

From  Auspurgh  in  high  Almanie  the  37  of  April  1696. 

Right  worshipfull  and  deare  bretheren  in  Christ— I  foreseeing  the 
storme  imminent  and  hearing  of  the  pernicious  intentions  of  the  ene- 
mies^ haue  not  desisted  till  I  came  to  the  knowledge^  (yf  not  of  all) 
yet  of  the  most  part  of  ther  intentions  actions  &  purposes^  by  using 
the  help  of  good  Christians,  abhorrers  of  idolatrie,  men  secrete,  fayth« 
full  and  prudent  At  Rome  Tirie  the  Jesuit,  and  Archibald  Ha« 
milton  the  apostat  with  great  instance  and  msnifold  supplications 
have  sollidted  the  pope  Clement  the  8,  and  College  of  Caidinals  to 
erect  a  Seminarie  ther  for  the  education  in  Romish  impietie  of  sudt 
younglins,  as  by  their  direction  doe  come  from  Scotland  ;  who  after- 
wards being  made  masse  priests  and  Jesuits  may  be  sent  into  Scot- 
land for  the  propagation  of  popish  religion  with  the  mine  of  the  pre- 
sent estate  of  that  realme:  but  nothing  as  yet  is  determined ;  not- 
withstanding they  are  in  hope  that  tber  petition  shall  take  effect, 
seeing  Gregorie  the  13  builded  three  seminaries  in  Rome  for  strangers^ 
one  for  the  English,  another  for  the  Dutche,  and  the  third  for  the 
Mauretanians  or  Africanes :  but  the  matter  is  not  so  hottlie  prose- 
cuted now  as  it  was  before,  by  reason  of  Hamiltons  death,  who  de- 
parted at  Rome  the  30  of  Januarie  1596.  Leslie  bishop  of  Rosse, 
John  Hsmilton  popish  priest  and  Ligeur ;  William  Chricbton  and 
James  Gordon  Jesuits,  who  remayne  most  commonlie  in  Brusels  (ex- 
cept Gordon,  who  is  most  commonlie  with  Huntlie,  and  Arole,  either 
at  Leids  with  the  bishop  of  Colen,  or  st  Namur  in  the  companie  of 
« Spaniards)  are  verie  bune  with  Albert  Cardinall  of  Austria,  presentiie 


5SS  APPENDIX. 

lieateiiAiit  ton  the  SpAnirii  King  in  tlie  Nethcrlanday  for  obttum^ 
of  nun  aide  to  aaeiBt  Hnntlie  and  Arole  with  their  complicet  in  Soot- 
land  for  the  extermination  of  all  the  professon  of  the  trme  lelbraied 
religion  in  that  realme ;  I  heare  that  Walter  Lyndeaay  for  die  for* 
'  therance  of  ther  matters  is  Msat  unto  the  King  of  Spaine;  but  I  hope 
in  Godj  that  they  shall  oome  short  of  ther  expectaticma  ;  seeing  the 
Spaniard  hath  more  ymes  in  the  fyre  than  he  can  w«dl  handlei  and 
more  mightie  princes  in  Christendome  jnstlie  hie  enemies,  than  he 
'  ■  '^^      with  all  his  forces  is  able  to  resist    The  Spanish  concile  also  taxeth 
the  foresaid  Earles  of  the  breach  of  ther  promise^  who  in  the  jeaie 
1598,  (when  the  Spaniard  concluded  to  aid  the  papists  in  SootUnd 
with  90000  men)  after  the  recete  of  great  summes  of  Spanish  goU, 
not  only  then  but  at  diverse  other  tymes,  oblished  themselTeB  to  take 
armes  with  all  possible  diligence  agaynst  all  those  of  the  refomed  r>- 
ligion  in  Scotland,  and  also  to  advance  the  King  of  Spayns  pg^^'tifw 
not  only  ther,  but  also  in  England  and  Ireland,  to  the  attermost  oi 
ther  power  ;  which  nevertheless  according  to  promise  they  have  not 
performed.     But  they  to  excuse  themselves,  first  alledge  the  lerdii^ 
of  ther  intentions,  secondlie  that  Robert  Bruce  (a  principal  traffidur 
in  those  treasonable  affityres)  delivered  not  those  summes  of  maogf 
unto  them  which  were  promised,  partlie  for  the  hyzing  of  sonl- 
diours;  and  partlie  for  the  gratifying  of  gentlemen  Romish  Catho- 
likes,  and  Clannes,  to  make  them  the  more  prompt  and  oourageoos 
in  the  Spanish  service :  for  which  cause  Brusse  is  straitlie  imprison- 
ed ;  and  sharply  accused  by  the  forenamed  Earles.    In  high  Genni- 
nie  the  Scotish  Papists  have  some  abbayes  prsesently  in  p^mipniriiin  * 
as  at  Reusburgh  in  Bavaria,  the  abbots  name  is  James  Whjte  borne 
neere  aberdene:  the  prior  is  called  James  Wlnniet  (Ninian  Wid- 
nisls  nephew  Whits  priedecessour) ;  monkes  ther,  Lesslie  oosin  to 
Lesslie  die  bishop ;  Dampull ;  James  Bog,  John  Bogs  sone  one  of 
his  mtgesties  porters;  two  novices  are  gone  from  thmioe  to  Rome,  the 
one  his  name  is  Wddard  borne  in  Edinburgh,  he  studied  in  pisge 
with  the  Jesuits :  the  other  is  one  Lermonth  borne  neere  Sanctan- 
drdsse  the  laird  of  Darsies  brother  sone.    Ther  is  also  anotha  popish 
priest  sent  to  Rome  by  the  Scottish  abbots  as  I  suppose,  to  obtaine  s 
Uoense  of  the  pope  thst  some  of  them  may  return  into  Scotland,  to 
Iraffick  ther  with  the  papists  and  to  bring  some  number  of  yoong 
boyes  with  them  into  Germanie  (but  more  hereafter  of  this  purpose.) 
The  popish  priest  that  is  sent  to  Rome  is  called  Adame  Sympson 
borne  in  Edinburgh,  he  was  long  a  servant  in  Newbattle,  afterwaid 
in  franco  he  served  Archibald  Hamilton  the  apostat,  and  fion 


APP£KJDIX.  528 

he  went  with  the  Earle  of  Wettmorland  into  Spaine ;  laailie  he  serv- 
ed Geoige  Carr,  Trafficker  for  the  Spaniarda  in  Scotland.    In  the 
yeare  of  God  1594  and  1595  he  said  masse  sometymes  in  the  Lord 
Herise  hous;  sometymes  in  Arols  hous,  and  in  the  young  lord  of 
Bonitons  hous  called  Wodd:  he  came  last  out  of  Scotland  in  the 
oompanie  of  Huntlie;  he  is  a  verie  craftie,  cruel^  and  pestiferous 
papistj  but  unlearned.    The  second  Scottish  abbey  in  Grermanie  is  at 
Wirtzburg  in  Frankland ;  the  abbot  ther  is  Kidiard  Wrwin  borne 
about  Dumfrisse^  he  was  sometymes  senrant  to  the  old  Lord  Kerlse^. 
and  attended  at  Santandrosse  in  the  old  coUege  on  his  sone  Edward 
Maxwell  now  abbot  of  Dundrennen  and  lard  of  Lamington :  he  wap 
sent  from  Parise  by  the  popish  bishop  of  Glasgow  to  Winiet  abbot  of 
Reusburg^  and  ther  made  a  monke ;  he  is  a  drunken,  ignorant^  subtiU 
and  malicious  fellow.    The  prior  at  Wirtzburg  is  called  fiances  Ha^ 
milton  of  the  hous  of  Stanhouse>  as  he  sayeth^  but  1  rather  thinke 
that  he  is  one  of  the  Hamiltons  of  Santandrosse ;  he  was  sometymes 
at  pent  mison  in  Loraine^  and  afterwards  studied  under  the  Jesuits  at 
Wirtzburg  and  Reusburg ;  ther  is  not  a  more  blasphemous  cruel  and 
▼tragious  enemie  against  the  gospel  of  Christ  of  our  nation  then  this 
Hamilton ;  but  withall  a  proud  unlearned  bodie :  The  third  Scotish- 
man  at  Wirtzburgh  his  name  is  John  Stuard  borne  about  Glasgow  a 
boy  of  18  years  of  age ;  more  monkes  Scotishmen  they  have  not,  be* 
cause  none  of  our  nation  that  feareth  God  will  enter  into  so  infamous 
and  idolatrous  a  sodetie.    The  third  Scottish  abbey  is  at  Erfurd  in. 
the  land  of  Thuringia,  the  abbot^  name  is  John  Walker^  borne  I 
think  about  Disert  in  Fyfe ;  he  is  all  alone  for  want  of  Scottish 
papists.    The  Scottish  papists  of  the  foresaid  places  haye  had  a  meet- 
ing at  Wirtzburg  the  19  of  April  1590  according  to  the  direction  of 
the  pops  legat  in  Germanic^  and  the  bishop  of  Wirtzburgh,  caUed 
Julius  Extar  (one  of  the  greatest  enemies  that  the  gospd  of  our  Sap* 
Yiour  hath  in  Germanic)  for  the  electing  of  some  of  these  Scottish 
papists  to  send  into  Scotland  this  yeare,  and  that  for  two  causes 
cheiflie ;  first,  that  they  may  leame  the  whole  state  and  condition  of 
the  countrey,  and  consult  with  the  papists  ther,  what  is  to  be  done 
for  the  subversion  of  the  present  state  of  religion  in  Scotland ;  se-. 
condlie  to  make  a  choice  of  childrene  between  the  age  of  12  and  18 
years  to  be  broght  into  Germanic,  partlie  for  the  furnishing  of  their 
abbeys,  not  only  which  prssentlie  they  possesse,  but  also  of  thoee 
places  which  they  are  in  hope  to  obtaine  at  the  pops  and  Emperours 
hands ;  the  abbayes  are  there,  one  in  Vienna,  two  at  Colen,  one  at 
Newstat,  one  at  Ments,  and  another  at  Wormes;  and  partlie  that 


5S4  APPENDIX. 

these  younglingB  may  be  educated  with  the  Jesuits  to  be  sent  after* 
wards  into  Scotland  for  the  effecting  of  ther  purposes :  the  bishop  of 
Wirtzburg  hath  promised  to  maintain  at  his  charges  threescore  of  these 
yong  boyes,  the  Bishop  of  Saltzburg  fortie,  and  the  bishop  of  Reusburg 
twentie  iHl  they  be  able  to  be  made  masse  priests^  Jesuits  or  monkes: 
It  is  thought  that  either  Wrwin  or  Hamilton  shall  be  sent  this  sum- 
mer into  Scotland  for  that  purpose.  The  lard  of  Lethington  called 
Metalen  departed  from  the  Earles  at  Ldeds  about  the  80  of  August 
1595  towards  Rome,  in  all  his  journey  he  had  long  and  serious  con- 
ferences with  the  Jesuits:  Gordon  and  Crichton  Scots  Jesuits  and 
one  called  Hdt  an  English  Jesuit  gave  him  letters  of  recommendation 
to  all  those  places^  as  also  a  direction  to  receave  of  the  Jesuits  at 
everie  neede  three  hundzeth  crownes  for  the  better  expedition  of  his 
affiures :  what  letters  he  had  to  the  pope,  coll^;e  of  Cardinals  or  the 
Spanish  Ambassadour  at  Rome^  either  from  enemies  at  home  or 
abroad  I  know  not :  your  wisdomes  may  judge  that  his  going  so  long 
and  tedious  a  journey  was  not  for  small  trifles.  Whiles  he  remayned 
in  Sootknd  in  the  Lord  Uerise  his  father  in  laws  house  he  had  great 
intelligence  with  many  popish  priests  both  English  and  Scottish  but 
namely  with  one  Sicill  an  English  priest  that  lurketh  most  commonfie 
in  the  Lord  Herises  hous  or  in  the  borders  not  fan*  from  thence :  they 
use  commonlie  the  help  of  a  poore  craftie  knaye,  unsuspected  of  any 
man  because  of  his  outward  simplicities  in  carying  and  recarying  of  let- 
ters between  the  papists  of  England  and  Scotland  whose  surname  is 
Horsburgh,  he  hanteth  in  Dumfrisse  and  those  quarters.  Places  most 
dangerous  in  Scotland  are  the  Southwest  and  Northeast  where  God^ 
the  kings,  and  whole  realms  enemies  are  receaved,  harboored  and  in- 
terteyned.  In  Scotland  presentlie  (yf  they  be  not  of  late  departed 
out  of  the. land)  there  are  Jesuits,  Mackwhinry,  Mirton,  Abermmie 
and  ane  Murdoch,  spies  for  the  Spaniard,  and  notorious  traitors  to 
God,  his  church,  the  kings  tnigestie,  and  the  whole  land.  There  Is 
also  in  Germanic  one  named  Archibald  Anderson  who  is  my  half 
brother  by  the  flesh  a  professor  of  the  Greke  tongue  in  the  Jesuits 
CroUedge  at  Grata  in  the  countrey  of  Stirla,  whom  I  soght  to  reduce 
from  that  papisticall  bondage ;  but'  he  knowing  of  my  coming  to 
Cramaw  in  Bohemia  where  then  he  remayned  was  suddenlie  trana- 
ported  from  thence  by  the  Jesuits  to  Vienni 


APPENDIX.  625 

No.  VII.     [[Orig.  in  Bibl.  Jurid.  M.  6.  ».  num.  32.;] 

Letter  from  John,  Earl  ofGowrie  *. 

To  my  beloved  brother  M.  Jhone  Malcome  Minister 

at  Perth. 

Beloved  brother 

Having  taken  occasione  to  wret  to  Scotland  wald  not  omitt  my 
deutie  to  you  in  visiting  you  with  this  letter,  that  therby  ye  my^  vn- 
derstand  of  ray  present  estate  quhUk  continues  as  of  before,  praising 
God  from  my  hairt  that  of  the  riche  abundance  of  his  gude  grace  and 
mere  mercie  hes  maid  the  beames  and  licht  of  his  countenance  to 
shine  upon  me  most  fauorably  to  be  ane  guide  to  conduct  me  saiflie 
f>er  hunc  Avemmm  quherin  mony  here  (quorum  oculi  densa  caligine 
et  nebulis  obfiucati  sunt  J  o  miserum  spectaculum  I  are  drouned  in  his 
justice.    I  meane  not  all,  absit;  for  I  am  acquainted  with  diuers  heir 
qui  etiam  inter  has  paludes  stigias  hes  neuer  boued  ther  kne  to  Baal : 
quhat  ane  maruell  is  this  and  quha  can  beleue  it ;  and  yet  it  is  oer- 
tanly  true,  ghrificetur  igitur  Deus  in  ojfibus  suis  ac  eo  magis  quo  sunt 
mirabiliora  et  •'ifcfs  rnv  fi/n*.      There  was  ane  notable  exemple  of 
constancle  not  long  ago  in  ane  Silesian  minister  of  some  threscore 
yeares  and  mair  quha  efter  he  hes  beine  deteined  in  prisone  about 
nyne  yeares  and  the  Jesuites  had  trauailed  with  him  to  recant  bot 
persaiffing  that  thei  could  prevaile  nothing  at  his  handis  caused  bring 
him  to  the  fyre  lyke  bludie  dogges  quhere  efter  he  had  maid  ane  ex- 
cellent discours  and  harang  to  the  people  shauing  them  the  grat  honor 
he  was  callit  to  in  suffering  for  Christis  sake  and  exhorting  them  to 
conuersione  abode  most  patientlie  without  ony  shrinking  all  tor- 
mentis  magnifeing  Godis  holy  name  and  praying  that  ther  sinnea  myt 
be  forgiuen  them.    Efter  he  wes  bront  not  being  yet  satisfied  of  the 
cruelde  that  thei  had  usit  against  him  quhen  he  wes  lining  did  cast 
ane  gret  heap  of  stones  vpon  his  ashes  muUo  scsviores  quam  erant 
Judasi  adversus  Stephanum.      Ther  were  vtheris  quha  for  feare  of 
death  ett  that  same  tyrae  maid  filthie  apostacie  fra  the  true  Religione 
to  that  damnable  Idolatrie  and  at  that  instant  that  ane  of  them  be- 
gane  to  deny  Christ  in  making  defectione  there  isshued  blude  out  of 

*  Tills  is  the  nobleman  who  is  i$o  well  known,  in  eonsequenre  of  his  name 
having  been  given  to  that  much  contested  and  dark  affair— the  Gwrrie 
CoNSfiracy, 


526  APPENDIX. 

his  nose  in  suche  gret  abundance  that  all  did  see  him  thout  he  sould 
haue  dyed  presentlie  this  wes  ane  yisibill  signe  of  the  hand  of  God 
that  chopped  on  him  quha  hed  done  suche  ane  yillanie  aganist  his 
conscience  for  to  purchase  his  owen  lyffe  quhilk  he  wes  not  worthee  to 
bruik  by  the  loss  of  his  soule.  Bot  these  renegates  not  the  les  es- 
caped not  ther  awin  punishment  for  they  all  were  send  ad  triremes, 
ubi  nan  vntus  hora  spaiio  vitamjinituri  sed  morientes  semper  nee  iamen 
morientur,  Laitlie  efter  these  thingis  ane  certane  Inglishe  man  being 
moved  on  zele  to  cast  ther  sacra  hosiia  (as  the!  most  falslie  caUis  it) 
out  of  the  priestis  handia  that  wes  careing  it  in  processione  to  the 
grund,  and  to  stramp  on  it  with  his  fete  wes  apprehendit  and  denudit 
of  his  clothes  therefter  ane  hude  putt  on  his  heade  quheron  wes 
painted  the  deuilis  image  and  some  with  bleaais  quha  brunt  him  con- 
tinually in  the  backe  and  brest  as  he  walked  fordwart  bot  he  in  the 
meane  tyme  wes  occupiet  in  shauing  the  people  hou  thd  were  scham- 
fullie  abused  be  there  miscent  Iddolers  quha  wer  leading  them  to 
there  auin  daronatione.  In  end  he  spake  with  suche  ane  vehemende 
that  the  enymies  caused  knett  his  toung  fearing  some  uprore  to  enseu 
if  he  had  gottin  ony  forder  libertie  to  speke  so  he  wes  brot  to  the 
place  of  executione  quhere  lifting  yp  his  eyis  to  heauen  and  on  his 
knees  kissing  the  chaine  he  wes  bund  with^  they  caused  first  cut  of 
his  hand  for  the  fact  he  had  committed  with  it  and  nixt  bume  him 
quicke.  All  thir  thingis  were  done  in  Rome  that  mother  of  all  Tyce 
and  hocndshe  synagog  of  deuils.  I  am  sory  that  my  absence  will  not 
permitt  me  to  kyth  my  mynd  and  gudwill  in  helping  to  sett  furth 
Godis  glorie  ther  cut  totus  ex  animo  incumberem  bot  quhen  at  hisgude 
pleasure  I  retume  sail  with  his  grace  indeuore  my  self  to  amend 
quhatsomeuer  is  omitted  for  laike  of  my  presence.  I  thank  you  most 
hartfully  of  your  remembrance  of  me  in  your  prayeris  deayring  you 
eamestlie  to  contineu  according  to  the  loue  ye  cary  to  the  salvatione 
of  my  soule.  Thus  remembering  my  very  loving  commendatioiiis 
to  yoursdff  with  the  haill  nytbonris  of  the  toune  Committia  yoa 
with  them  aU  to  the  protectione  of  the  Omnipotent. 
At  Padoua  the  88  of  Nouembo:  1596. 

Youria  alwayia  a^ccionat 

GOWKYS. 

I  dout  not  bot  ye  haue  hard  long  since  of  the  Papea  benedictioDe 
given  to  the  king  of  France  quhilk  hes  turned  to  ane  maledie* 
tione.  No  vthcr  neuis  occurria  heir  for  the  present,  bot  now 
againe  laitly  ther  is  some  Ingliahmen  pat  in  the  hoiis  of  in- 
qulsitione  in  Rome. 


APPENDIX.  687 

No.  Vlli.    CMelTini  EptatoUe  MSS.  p.  ^r\ 

Melvinus  ad  Senatum  Angiicanufiu 

Artaxerxea  cognomento  memoriosas  in  Teterem  Judeonun  eodesiAm 
ab  exilio  reduoem  Penarum  Monarcha  beneficentissiniiii^  Legem  de 
cnltu  diTino  et  religione  moderanda  sanxit  diTinittts  in  hsec  verba : 
Qftidquidesi  de  sententia  Dei  ccelestis  perficitur  diUgtnter  m  domo 
Dei  ccdesHt :  mt  turn  sit  fervens  ira  in  refruum  regem  et  jUias  ejus* 
Hano  ego  legem  com  nmilibuB  aacrc  scrip  tune  locia  nmi  negHgentia- 
aime  coraparatam,  molto  anteqnam  Angliam  hac  vice  cogitasaem, 
tepe  meeom  et  din  multumque  pro  muneris  mihi  dinnitus  mandati 
ratione,  meditataa^  tertio  abhinc  anno,  "Septembri  mense  veigeirte  in 
ftde  Hamptoniana  jiusua  sacris  intereBse,  tarn  speotatet  quam  audi- 
tor inaolens^  pro  re  nata  carmen  brevfe  et  I>ramaticttm>'  RegiaB  m^e« 
stati»  invoeato  nomine,  recitandom  feci.  Gi^us  exemplniBtiinfoio  me 
deecriptum  et  depravatom  et  mutilum  postea  Nonerabrii  vpneci|iite^ 
mihi  coram  amplksimo  senatu  eriminis  loco  oljectmni  et  anftU'lna^ 
quimtia  adulto  yere  denuo  exacerbatum  fuit  In  bao  caoaa  dicenda 
aine  fvcaet  fallaciis  more  migoTum>  et  meis  Tersicolb  a  crimtnis  atro- 
citate  ei^na  affiois  non  essem  libere  vindicandis,  A  quid  mihi  tarn.  Ue- 
oneario  tempore  meo,  minus  deoore  pro  bi^Jus  geniis  indole  et  regni 
moribnt  retpondenti  humanitus  excidit,  quod  quemquam  mertalitdn 
jure  affendertt,  nedum  Senatum  amplissimum,  ut  ejus  ego  stvecno- 
ris  oiTe  ifuatidtatia  pc^nam  biennali  careere  adhuc  luot  ita  veniitei 
fopfdex  primum  a  Deo  patre  indulgentisBimo,  deinde  a  Brttajmiarum 
B^ge  ClemeBtwdmo,  denique  ab  ampUsiimo  Senatns  wingnlari  gqua* 
ttimitate,  etiam  atque  etiam  peta 

No.  IX.    ZfMg.  in  Ardi.  Ecdee.  Scotia  vol.  xxviii.  num.  6.]] 

Letter  from  Andrew  Melville  to  Sir  James  SemfiU 

ofBeltrees. 

My  dewtie  humblie  remembered  Please  yo^  w.  being  prevented  by 
jnf  undeserved  kindness,  I  am  emboldened  to  aske  your  oounsd  and 
good  advice  at  diis  tyme.  I  heare  that  the  Duke  of  Bullon  hath  re- 
quested his  Ma.  by  letters  and  by  my  Lord  Wotton  Ambassadour,  in 
my  favour,  and  that  hia  Ma.  ia  not  unwilling  to  shew  me  some  gra- 

1 


528  APPENDIX. 

cious  fayour.  Therfor  I  thought  it  my  dewtie  to  oflfer  my  humble 
gervice  unto  the  Prince  Highnes  as  a  naturall  subject.  And  if  baah- 
fuhies  wold  suffer  me  to  speak  the  truths  one  come  of  those  whome 
his  royell  progenitors  hath  acknowledged  not  only  faithfull  servants 
but  also  friendly  kinsfolk.  So  that  naturall  afiection  should  command 
me  reverently  to  bono'  and  faithfully  to  serve  his  Ma.  and  progeny, 
namely  his  highnes  whome  the  Lord  advanceth  to  succeed  in  the 
toyall  throne^  which  is  established  by  two  ground  pillars  Justice  and 
Relligion^  whereof  the  last  hath  been  my  calling  and  exerceis  these 
36  years  at  the  least  in  my  owne  native  countries  except  so  much  as 
£ngland  hath  broken  off  the  course  of  my  ordinarie  traveles.  1  was 
transported  thirtie  yeers  ago  by  the  advice  &  authoritie  both  oi  gene- 
Tall  Assembly  and  three  estats  at  his  Ma.  command  from  Glasoo 
(where  six  yeers  the  Lord  had  blessed  my  labours  in  letters  &  relli- 
gion  to  the  comfort  of  the  church  &  honour  of  the  countrie)  unto 
6t.  Androis  for  reforming  of  the  Universities  and  erecting  a  oolledge 
of  Divinitie  for  the  profession  of  learned  tongues  &  Theologie  against 
the  Seminaries  of  Rems  and  Rome :  wherein  1  was  placed  by  Com- 
missionars  both  of  Church  and  CounseU^  authorized  with  his  Ma. 
commission  in  most  solemn  manna:.  And  I  for  my  part»  in  modestie 
to  utter  the  truth,  I  dare  not  say  but  I  have  been  faithful!  in  my 
great  weaknes  notwithstanding  mighty  opposition:  but  these  four  jetn 
bypast  and  more  I  have  been  withholden  £rom  y*  doing  of  my  dewtie 
to  my  countrie  and  church  of  God  therein,  as  is  notoriously  knowen, 
to  ray  great  regrate.  Now  Reason  and  Conscience  bind  me  to  this 
obligation  of  my  calling  and  discharge  of  my  dewtie,  if  ao  it  wold 
please  his  Ma.  And  1  feare  the  neoessitie  of  that  holy  work  wold 
crave  help,  that  the  fontaines  of  Learning  and  Relligion  be  not  dryed 
up  in  our  barren  country.  And  my  old  age  doth  no  leaa  crav^  if  not 
rest  from  travel,  at  the  least  an  honest  retreat  from  warefkre  withii 
my  own  garison  and  corsgard,  with  hope  of  boriall  with  my  ances- 
tors. In  the  meanetyme  I  offer  my  humble  service  unto  the  Pnnce 
his  highnes,  if  your  w.  think  it  expedient,  with  the  advise  of  my  two 
intire  and  speciall  friends  Sir  James  Fowlarton  and  Mr.  Tbonus 
Murray,  to  whom  these  presents  will  make  my  heartie  cdmendatioiii. 
8o  taking  my  leave  I  recdmend  you  S'  to  the  grace  of  God  till  a  joy- 
ijul  meeting  at  his  good  pleasour. 

Yo"  in  y  Lord  to  be  commMidh 

Am.  Mbltiki. 

London  Tower  this  first 

of  December  1610. 


APPENDIX.  589 

No.  X.    [[Bibl.  Jorid.  Edin.  M.  ^.  9.  num.  48.;] 

Letter  from  Andrew  Melville  to  Robert  Dwrie  at  Ley  den. 

Right  reverend  and  dearly  beloved  father  in  the  Lord  Jesns^  yonr 
last  letter  was  fiiU  of  kyndly  staffe^  and  so  was  very  sweet  to  me« 
namely  yonr  owne  godly  and  constant  resolution^  quhareunto  adscrihe 
me  socium  in  uintmque  tuum  paratum,  ad*  *  *  ant  manendum,  or* 
bitratu  nostri  Cf*Ctvr»u  M*t  mym$itT»v,  Tecum  ego  viuere  amem,  etiam 
obeam  ego  Hbens*  Receave  fra  this  bearar^  your  sone  Johne,  his  ora« 
tion  with  thanks^  and  great  hope  he  shall  be  a  good  instrument  after 
our  departing.  We  have  heard  nothing  farther  of  Scotts  or  Inglish 
newes^  but  only  the  returning  of  Mr.  Digbie  ambassadar  from  Spaine 
who  be  now  a^joyned  to  the  secret  counsall  for  his  faithfull  service. 
So  that  we  look  to  hear  shortly  of  the  L.  Somerset  &  his  la.  and  vyers 
their  complices.  We  expect  the  returning  of  our  duke  and  prince  from 
Parise  this  weeke  at  the  farrest^  the  peace  being  ratified  from  the 
parliament  of  Parise.  From  Mr.  Johne  Forbess  neuer  a  word  haue 
we  yet  receaved,  and  so  remaine  we  in  suspence :  only  the  ministrie 
of  Flissing  as  you  wrait  appears  to  say  sumthing^  whereof  I  gather 
title  comfort  or  gratious  answer  from  the  monarches  Lord  be  merci- 
full  to  his  chosen  and  faithfull  servants^  quibus  vbi  desinet  humanum 
ibi  incipit  diuinum  anxilium.  In  uno  Christo  sunt  omnia  ad  bene 
beaieque  viuendum.  Ipsa  est  lux,  via,  Veritas  et  vita.  Ab  ipso  est 
Paracletus,  ««u  «'«(«sXffri;,  z»t  re  ^m^ctfMtff*  Ttit  »yenns.  I  thank  you  for 
Rosens  and  Godartius.  things  goes  not  euill  as  we  haue  heard.  Bot 
we  cannot  bot  feare  the  act  from  the  state  to  the  classes^  howbeit  we 
know  not  as  yet  the  contents  thereof.  I  thank  you  also  for  Mr.  Ro- 
bert Bruce  that  constant  confessor  and  almost  martyr  of  our  Lord 
Jesus.  The  Lord  Qkeep^  him  and  his  for  ever.  1  never  remember 
him  and  his  wk)ut  comfort  and  heart  lift  up  to  God  And  so  doe  I 
when  I  remember  or  bears  or  speaks  of  any  of  you  all  that  suffers  for 
Christ  and  his  church.  Faine  wold  I  heare  good  things  from  Mr. 
William  Scotte,  Mr.  Johne  Carmichell  &  Mr.  Johne  Dykes  whom  I 
hope  the  Lord  hath  not  left  destitute  of  his  good  spirit,  but  that  they 
shine  as  burning  lamps  in  the  mids  of  that  confused  darkness.  Mr. 
Patrick  Symsone  triumphes^  whose  ecclesiastick  history  I  heare  be 
cum  fiirth  bot  not  cum  to  our  hands,  quam  ego  pretio  duplicato  redi' 
mam.  I  cannot  tell  whats  becum  of  Mr.  Jas.  Carmichells  labours, 
or  whether  he  be  yet  aliue.    Mr.  Johne  Davidsone  left  sum  nots  be« 

VOL.  II.  2  M 


580  APPENDIX. 

hind  of  oar  tyme^  and  so  did  Mr.  Johne  Jonstoun.  I  ipeak  nothing 
of  my  oonnng.  I  wold  all  were  safe  to  mak  out  a  true  narratioim  to 
the  posterity.  I  left  with  my  lufing  and  faithful  gossep  your  father 
in  law  Mr.  Knox's  letters.  I  wish  them  to  be  furthcuming.  Mak 
my  hartly  commendations  to  him  &  his,  and  leame  what  you  can  of 
alL  Let  the  bishops  be  mowdewarps,  we  will  lay  our  treasure  in 
the  heavins  quher  they  be  sure.  FUL  idche  nearer  to  St«  Andnna  nor 
Darisie  could  not  [[saue]]  their  fed  sowe  from  the  graue.  My  cdlect, 
grauell  and  gutte  be  messengers  (hot  not  importune)  to  spoyle  mj 
patience^  bot  to  exercise  my  faith.  My  health  is  better  nor  I  wdd 
looke  for  in  this  age,  praised  be  the  true  mediator.  To  whose  glorj 
it  may  aenie^  to  the  bmefitt  of  his  church.  My  cummer  and  aU  the 
bairns  be  locked  wp  in  my  heart,  whom  I  recommend  with  yoa  to 
the  grace  of  our  heavenly  Father  in  the  bowela  of  the  Locd  JenUk 
This  in  great  haist,  with  commendations  to  all  firienda  thais. 

.    ,1     <•,,...•:./  Ikmsut  nmsg 

'  '*  Ak.  Mbuhll. 

SadamMMay  ;16l6w 


'      .  ■    .      -I  ». 


-li 


•1'  -. 


INDEX. 


A 

Al^t,  (}eofge,  Archbif&op  of  Cantei'huryi  prcAchet  before  the  Genemt 
Assembly  in  Scotland,  ii.  239,  240. 

AhereromhU,  Oiles,  the  mother  of  Melville,  i.  3. 

Adatntan,  John,  iL  S17,  468. 

,  Patrick,  his  conduct  respecting  the  Book  of  Policy,  i.  142^145. 

His  designs  counteracted  by  Melville,  L  218,  222.  Author  of  the  King's 
Declaration,  i.  229.  Of  a  reply  to  Lawson,  L  233.  His  treatment  of 
the  Inniahed  Ministers*  wives,  i.  237.  Inflames  the  King  against  Mel- 
ville, i.  267.  His  unpopularity,  i.  268,  270,  27& :  IVicd  and  eaetai^ 
municated  by  the  Synod  of  Fife,  i.  271.  He  excommunicates  the  Mel- 
villes,  i.  272.  His  excommunication  removed,  L  276,  277.  Deposed 
by  the  General  Assembly,  L  312 — 314>.  Deserted  by  the  King,  i.  315. 
Relieved  by  Melville,  ib.  His  recantation  and  death,  i.  316—318.  Fur. 
ther  particulars  of,  il.  462,  463,  184  ■  18a  His  letter  to  Archbishop 
Whitgift,  u.  517. 

Adt,  or  Adamtorif  John,  L  438. 

Alexander,  Sir  William,  (Earl  of  SUrling,)  il  438,  439. 

Anderion,  D.  a  letter  from,  ii.  521. 

,  James,  minister  of  Collace,  t.  346. 


.,  Thomas,  Melville's  preceptor  at  Montrose,  i.  6. 


Andrews,  Dr.  Bishop  of  Chichester,  his  sermon,  ii.  153. 

Angus,  Archibald,  Earl  of,  i.  231,  236.     His  disinterestedness,  i.  244. 

— ^  Popish  Earl  of,  i.  352,  353,  355,  356. 

Annand,  John,  Principal  of  St.  Leonard's,  ii.  468. 

Anne,  of  Denmark,  queen  of  James  VI.  Melville*s  poem  on  the  corona- 
tion of,  i.  .301—303,  462—465.  Her  displeasure  at  Oowrie's  death,  iL 
87.     She  procures  a  relaxation  of  Melville's  confinement,  ii.  96. 

Arbuthnot^  Alexander,  Principal  of  King's  College,  Aberdeen,  co-operates 
with  Melville  in  establishing  presbytery,  i.  138,  153.  Appointed  along 
tirith  Melville  to  a  council  at  Magdeburgh,  i.  146.  Consults  with  Mel- 
ville about  the  refonnation  of  the  universities,  i.  158.     His  call  to  St. 

2  M  2 


582  INDEX. 

Andrews,  L  189,  452.  Death  of,  i.  194<.  Letter  from,  L  453.  Ac 
count  of,  iL  375 — 379.    Extracts  from  his  poems,  ii.  378. 

Arhuihnotf  Alexander,  a  printer,  Bible  published  by,  i.  446     150, 

ArminiuSf  Jacobus,  writes  to  Melville,  ii.  200.     Character  of,  ii.  201. 

Arran,  James  Stewart,  Earl  of,  L  172.  Melyille's  reply  to  his  menace,  L 
183.  Removed  from  the  King,  i.  185.  Again  received  at  Court,  L  195. 
His  conduct  on  Melville's  trial,  i.  202.  His  violence,  L  224 — ^226,  238. 
Flies  on  the  return  of  the  banished  lords,  L  240.  His  corrupt  influence 
on  the  King,  i.  257 — ^259.    His  return  and  professions,  L  348— <350. 

Athley,  Sir  Anthony,  ii.  167. 

Athekner,  John,  ii.  467. 

Atkin*on,  Thomas,  answers  a  poem  of  Melville,  ii.  105u 

Ayton,  Sir  Robert,  ii.  439, 441. 

B 

BalcanquhaU,  Walter,  minister  of  Edinburgh,  flies  to  England,  L  224. 
Preaches  in  London,  i.  235.  Disputes  in  the  pulpit  with  King  James, 
i.  263.    Again  retires  to  England,  and  is  outlawed,  iL  6. 

Baldvktj  Francis,  Melville  attends  his  lectures  on  civil  law  at  Pkris,  L  27. 

Balfbur,  James,  minister  of  Edinburgh,  iL  6,  80.  Called  up  to  London, 
iL  136.     Confinement  and  death,  ii.  183. 

,  James,  of  Burley,  i.  334.     Broil  between  Melville  and,  L  379. 

Balmerino,  James  Elphinston,  Lord,  iL  70,  1 20,  476. 

Bamford,  James,  a  nonconformist,  offers  a  sum  of  money  to  the  Scotch  mi- 
nisters at  London,  ii.  184. 

Bonerqfl,  Dr.  Richard,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  writes  against  the  dimcfa 
of  Scotland,  L  305 — 310.  Melville's  attack  upon,  iL  159.  Book  against 
King  James's  succession  by,  ib.  Interview  between  the  Scotch  ministers 
and,  ii.  169. 

Bannerman,  Robert,  ii.  471—472. 

Barlow,  Dr.  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  sermon  by,  ii.  153.  Melville's  attach  on, 
ii.  160. 

Barias,  Guillaume,  du,  a  French  poet,  visits  Scotland,  L  286.  Hears 
Melville  lecture,  i.  288—290. 

Battandyncj  Bassenden,  Thomas,  his  will  quoted,  i.  86,  161.  Bible  print- 
ed by,  i.  448. 

Beaton^  Cardinal  David,  i.  438 ;  ii.  469,  471. 

_,  James,  Archbishop  of  Glasgow,  i.  56;  iL  71. 

,  James,  Archbishop  of  St  Andrews,  ii.  341,  469—471. 

Bene^t  XIH.  Pope,  founds  the  University  of  St  Andrews,  ii.  338, 

Bertram,  Cornelius,  Melville  studies  Oriental  languages  under,  L  331. 

Bexa,  Theodore,  Melville's  introduction  to,  L  32.  Character  of,  L  35-.37. 
Melville's  intimacy  with,  i.  38.    Account  of  a  soppresaed  political  ttact 


INDEX.  533 

by,  i.  50,  427—430.  Recommendation  of  Melville  by,  i.  53.  Treatise 
on  Episcopacy  by,  i.  152,  456.  Melville's  epistolary  correspondence 
with,  i.  153,  154,  431. 

Busety  James,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  University  of  St  Andrews,  i.  465. 

Bizzaruty  Petrus,  an  Italian,  verses  on  Melville  by,  i.  16,  17. 

Black,  David,  minister  at  St  Andrews,  L  338.  Defended  by  Melville 
against  Burley,  L  378—380.  His  trial  and  declinature,  L  395—400. 
His  removal  from  St  Andrews,  and  death,  ii.  34—36.  Vindicated 
against  Spotswood,  ii.  452,  453. 

Blackburn,  Bishop,  Peter,  teaches  in  Glasgow  College  under  Melville,  L 
70,  73.  Melville  appointed  to  examine  his  answer  to  Gordon  the  Je- 
suit, i.  264.  His  dream,  i.  440.  A  bene&ctor  to  the  Library  of  Glas- 
gow, i.  444.  His  presbyterial  exercise,  L  446,  447.  Appointed  Bishop 
of  Aberdeen,  ii.  63,  64. 

Blackhali,  Andrew,  tried  as  reui  ambitus,  i.  468,  469. 

Boderie,  M.  de  la,  the  French  ambassador,  his  account  of  Melville's  i^ppeer- 
ance  before  the  £nglish  Privy  CouncD,  iL  173«>175.  His  interview 
with  the  King  about  MelviUe,  iL  263—1^65. 

Bonnefay,  Edmond,  the  civilian,  i.  44. 

Bothwell,  Earl  of,  makes  public  satisfaction  in  the  church,  i.  300.  Mini- 
sters aspersed  as  favouring,  i.  363—367.  General  Assembly  warn  the 
people  against  him,  i.  372. 

BouiUon,  Duke  of,  procures  Melville's  release  from  the  Tower,  and  invites 
him  to  Sedan,  ii.  262,  271.     His  caie  of  the  University  of  Sedan,  iL 
279.    Melville's  poem  on  the  Marriage  of  his  Daughter,  iL  310. 

Boyd,  Archbishop  James,  urges  Melville's  settlement  in  Glasgow,  L  6S. 
Defence  of  Melville's  behaviour  to,  L  137—142.     A  bene&ctor  to  the 
Library  of  the  College  of  Glasgow,  L  444. 
,  Mark  Alexander,  anecdote  of,  L  80. 

,  Principal  Robert,  of  Trochrig,  L  78.  His  testimony  to  the  friend- 
ship between  his  father  and  Melville,  L  142.  His  eulogium  on  Mel- 
ville,  ii.  320,  321.     Character  of  his  writings,  ii.  426. 

Broughton,  Hugh,  called  to  the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  i.  332. 

Brofwn,  Gilbert,  a  priest,  treatment  of,  iL  122. 

,  Robert,  the  independent,  visits  Scotland,  L  236,  307. 


Bruce,  Robert,  minister  of  Edinburgh,  i.  299.  His  fovour  with  the 
i.  300.  Crowns  Queen  Anne,  i.  301.  Vindicates  his  loyalty,  i.  364^ 
373.  Minute  of  his  election  as  minister  of  St.  Andrews,  i.  467,  468. 
His  exertions  to  repress  a  tumult,  i.  407 — 410.  Is  denounced  rebel, 
ii.  6.  His  letter  to  Lord  Hamilton  vitiated,  ii.  7.  His  banishment 
and  harsh  treatment  on  account  of  the  Gowrie  conspiracy,  iL  79—84. 
His  constancy,  iL  293, 297,  529.    Character  of  his  sermons,  422^424. 

2  m3 


5S4  INDEX. 

Buchanan^  George,  Melville*8  early  acquaiiitance  with,  i.  14,  1^  Appoim- 
ed  with  Melville  to  examine  Aiiamson's  p9^>  i*  63.  Death  and  dtt- 
racter  of,  L  191,  192.  Account  of  tlie  last  interview  betweei^  Mdrilk 
and,  i.  193.  His  conduct  as  preceptor  toth/^king^  L  253  g57.  H^ 
letter  to  Randolph,  ii.  5ia 

I ,  Thomas,  nephew  to  the  poet,  i.  64.  Made  provost  oC  Kids- 
heugh  and  minister  of  Ceres,  i.  168.  Teaches  divinity  ^t  St.  Andress, 
L  228.  Altercation  between  Melville  and,  L  343.  His  defionce  q(  ibe 
rights  of  the  church,  ii.  19.  Gained  over  by  thi^  king*  il*  20.  Initrrvpts 
Melville  in  the  synod  of  Fife,  iL  40.    Argues  for  th^  mioisters*  vote  in 

'   parliament,  ii.  45.    His  death,  ii.  67.    Hif  teaching  in  the  High  Scfaool 
of  Edinburgh,  and  at  Stirling,  ii.  366,  367. 

Butkridge^  I>r.  preaches  to  the  Scotch  ministers  at  Hampton  Court,  iL  lol 

BudcnUf  Gulielmus,  recommends  the  founding  of  the  Rojral  Trilingual  Col- 
lege at  Pajcis,  i.  19., 

JltmcA,  I>uncan,  books  presented  to  ^e  Univarsity  of  Glasgow  by,  L  43^ 

BurUc,hotA,n,l^.,.       .         . 

Bmmei,  ^x»nde^»  £oUpip^  pf  Wickliffe,  i.  420. 

t  1^ 

C 

Caldd^ught  JobV  rvnco^tre  between  Melville  and,  i.  169.     Deprived  of 

his  profess^rshijK  at  St,  Andrews,  i«  330—332.     The  occaaion  of  a  riot 

against  MdviUe,  i.  333,  47a 
Camirmf  Principal  Johiv  Melville  visited  in  the  Tower  by,  ii.  2581    Cha- 
racter of,  u.  425,  426. 
CamfMlf  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Brechin,  Melville  returns  from  Geneva  with, 

i.  52—54.    Incidents  in  the  journey,  54— 156. 

>  Robert,  of  fUnyeancIqugh,  poem  tp  the  memory  oC  i.  419 ;  iL 

394,491—49^ 
Capd^  (Gapellus)  Aaron,  minister  of  Jthe  French  church,  London,  a  friend 

of  MelviUe,  iu,^62,  275^  280. 
CapeOus,  Jacobus,  professor  at  Sedan,  iL  250,  280.     Intimacy  between 

Melville  and,  ii.  #281. 

,  Ludovicus,  ii.  280,  426. 
Carkiamt  George,  Bishop  of  Chichester,  i.  23l.    BfelviUe's  letter  to,  iL 

515. 
CamUi^tael,  James,  minister  of  Haddington,  L  229,  261 ;  ii.  162,  286,  412, 

431, 529.  . 

,  John,  minister  of  j^ilcon^uhar,  rea^ns  against  the  ministers* 

vote  in  Parliament,  ii.  45.    Called  up  to  London,  ii.  136L   His  constancy, 

U.  286,  529. 
Curptntariuty  Jacobus,  Melville  attends  his  lectures  at  Paris,  i.  24,  25. 


INDEXi  535 

Carpentariut,  Petrus,  his  apology  for  the  massacre  at  Paris,  L  50. 

CartctpeU,  John,  Bishop  of  the  Isles,  his  Gaelic  prayer-book,  ii.  91.  ^ 

Casaubon,  Isaac,  writes  to  Melville,  ii.  99,  100.  Visits  him  in  the  Tower, 
iL  258— 260. 

CasHlit,  £arl  of,  appHes  to  the  king  m  behalf  of  MeWille,  ii.  27d. 

€^toif  M.  minister  of  the  French  church  in  London,  MelviUe  write*  to,  u 
t20. 

Charpentier,    See  Carpentariui,  Petrus. 

CKaffoiS  Nicholas,  i.  25. 

CheoaOer,  (Cevalerius)  Rodolphe,  piY»fes8or  of  Hebrew  at  Geneva,  i.  9S. 

Chrittiion,  William,  minister  of  Dundee,  La 

Cinq  Arhrct.     See  Qitinquarboreui. 

Cockburnet  James,  specimen  of  his  poetry,  ii.  437,  438. 

CoUace,  (Colless)  William,  regent  at  St  Andrews,  L  59,  422,  4S1.  Ifis 
mode  of  teaching,  iL  347. 

Colt,  Adam,  minister  of  Musselbui^h,  called  up  to  Lo<ldon,  ff.  136. 

Co^oiUe,  John,  minister  of  RllbHde,  1.  76. 

Corpettj  Richard,  an  early  teacher  at  St.  Andrews,  iL  465.       "     ' 

Cowper,  John,  imprisoned  for  not  piayhig  for  Quieeti  fiftuy,'  i  28S.  ' 

,  William,  Bishop  of  GaUoway,  iL  208,  297.    Anecdote  of,  iL  23a 

Character  of  his  writings,  iL  429. 

Craig f  John,  i.  46.  Nominated  to  reason  against  Episcopacy,  i.  113. 
Draws  up  the  National  Covenant,  L  174.  His  bold  reply  to  Arnui,  L 
225.    His  compliance,  i.  226,  247.    His  death,  iL  69,  TOL 

Craiff,  Sir  Thomas,  L  297 ;  ii.  84.  Character  of  his  writnigs,  iL  491,  441. 
Employed  in  drawing  up  Regulations  for  the  High  School  oif  Edinbui^gfa, 
iL  506. 

CrantUm,  Michael,  his  concern  in  the  ti^ult  of  Edinbutgh,  L  408.  Re- 
ceived into  &vour  by  the  king,  iL  4. 

,  William,  principal  of  St.  Salvator^s,  IL  345. 

Craw/urd,  Alexander,  master  of  the  Grammar  School  of  Glasgow,  iL  478. 
,  Archibald,  rector  of  the  University  of  Gtacigow,  L  444. 


,  Archibald,  master  of  the  Grammar  SdiooT  of  Glasgow,  ii.  478. 
Craw,  Paul,  a  martyr,  L  420. 

Croilay,  Mr.  offers  money  to  the  Scotch  ministers  at  London,  iL  184. 
Cuirot,  Lady,  character  of  her  poem,  iL  437. 

Cunnhighamef  Alexander,  assaults  James  Melvilte,  L  81.    His  submission, 
L  82— 84^441. 

■  ,  David,  subdean  of  Glasgow,  intimiite  with  Melville,  1.  132. 
Suspected  by  him,  i.  143.    Is  made  chaplain  to  the  Regent,  and  Bishop 
of  Aberdeen,  L  145.    Baptizes  Prince  Henry,  L  377.' 
,  Henry,  schoolmaster  of  Anstruther,  ii.  503. 


536  INDEX. 


D 

Dahimy  Jean,  professor  at  Paris,  i.  25. 

DalgHeth,  Niool,  minister  of  St  Cuthbert*8,  condemned  to  die,  i.  224.    No- 

minated  to  the  principality  of  King's  College,  Aberdeen,  i.  454. 
Damnum^  Sir  Adrian,  i.  411,  464.,  465 ;  iL  47a 
Anee^  or  Dancus,  Lambert)  L  41,  430. 

Daotdam^  John,  principal  of  the  College  of  Glasgow,  i.  65  ;  iL  388,  48& 
■       ,  John,  minister  at  Libberton  and  Prestonpans,  ii*Hii»rj»«  Mmt* 


gomery*s  excommunication,  i.  180.  Preaches  at  LondoB,  L  235. 
replies  to  Bancroft,  i.  309 ;  ii.  159.  His  activity  in  the  renewing  oC  tht 
Covenant,  L  382—385.  Extracts  from  a  poem  by,  i.  419 ;  ii.  491-405. 
Warns  his  brethren  against  episcopacy,  pi,  41.  Opposes  the  kiqg's 
measures  in  the  Assembly  at  Dundee,  iL  44—46.  Prosecuted  for  this, 
ii.  47.  His  death,  character,  and  writings,  ii.  109.— Ill,  529.  Pro- 
cess against  him  for  a  poem  on  pluralities,  iL  368—390.  E¥lTi>fti  froa 
it,  ii.  391 — 393.    Grammar  school  founded  by,  iL  414^  509. 

Daviton^  William,  English  ambassador,  extracts  from  letters  o<^  ii.  518b 

DitchingUmy  Andrew,  schoolmaster  at  Dunbar,  iL  502. 

Dtmaldton,  Walter,  principal  at  Sedan,  ii.  280. 

Jkmghif  Geoige,  bishop  of  Murray,  L  106. 

,  John,  Provost  of  St.  Mary*8  College,  and  Ardibishop  of  Si.  An. 
drews,  his  kindness  to  Melville,  L  13.  Melville  intended  as  his  sueces. 
sor,  L  62,  145.  Sits  as  an  elder  in  the  Idrk  session,  L  336.  Hia  ^nau^ 
tation  to  the  provostship,  ii.  472. 

Dffwnham,  Dr.  Melville  *8  answer  to  his  sermon,  ii.  206,  464. 

Drummtmd,  Sir  Edward,  studies  under  Melville,  L  71. 

,  William,  of  Hawthomden,  lines  by,  ii.  427,  439. 

Dukbary  Earl  of,  disgraceful  methods  by  which  he  procured  the  condemna- 
tion of  six  ministers,  iL  119,  120.  Advises  Melville  and  his  brethren  to 
go  to  London,  ii.  136.  Commissioner  to  the  Assembly  which  restoies 
episcopacy,  iL  247—250.  Melville*8  denunciation  against,  ii.  254.  De- 
ceitful treatment  of  James  Melville  by,  ii.  256. 

Dunamy  Andrew,  minister  of  Crail,  i.  171.     Found  guilty  of  tzeasoo,  iL 
119.    Banished  to  France,  ii.  122.     Professor  in  the  College  of  RocheUe, 
iL  292.     Returns  to  Scotland,  iL  295.    His  Grammar,  iL  412. 
,  John  Andrew,  an  early  protestant,  account  of,  L  420t. 
,  Dr.  Mark,  professor  at  Saumur,  L  421,  422 ;  iL  441. 
,  Mark,  {De  CeruanUsy)  L  421. 

Duncansony  John,  principal  of  St.  Leonard*s,  and  minister  to  Che  Kinfc  iL 

,  Thomas,  schoolmaster  at  Stirling,  iL  367. 


INDEX.  537 

Dury,  John,  minister  at  Edinburgh,  his  motion  against  episcopacy  support- 
ed by  Melville,  L  1 10,  133.  Accompanies  Melville  to  St.  Andrews,  L 
164.  Banished  from  Edinburgh,  i.  181.  James  Melville  married  to  a 
daughter  of,  i.  328.  His  death,  ii.  69.  Account  of  a  sermon  by,  iL  dl4<, 
515. 

Dwry,  John,  a  student  at  Sedan,  ii.  303,  529. 

— ^,  Robert,  minister  of  Anstruther,  1.  328.  Preaches  in  the  Island  of 
Lewis,  iL  91.  Found  guilty  of  treason,  ii.  119.  Banished  to  France, 
ii.  122.  Minister  at  Leyden,  iL  292.  Melville's  letters  to,  ii.  302,  306^- 
306,  529.     His  death,  iL  309. 

Duretut,  Melville  attends  his  lectures  at  Paris,  i.  24>. 

Zhvfir,  an  early  teacher  at  Glasgow,  ii.  477. 

Dykes,  John,  assistant  minister  at  Anstruther,  iL  75, 229,  231,  233,  241, 
529. 

E 

EgUsham,  Dr.  answers  Melville's  epigram,  ii.  157, 158. 

SUemtere,  Lord  Chancellor  of  England,  his  advice  to  Melville,  iL  161,  177. 

MlphimUme,  Bishop,  L  437 ;  iL  363. 

Mrasmui,  i.  19. 

Erroi,  Earl  of,  i.  352,  356. 

Erakinej  Adam,  L  858. 

,  Sir  Alexander,  of  Oogar,  L  252. 

,  David,  L  252. 

,  John,  of  Dun,  a  pupil  of  Melville's  brother,  L  10.     Studies  under 
Melanchthon,  L  11.     His  death,  L  345.     Verses  on,  L  347. 


Foyef  Antoine  de  la,  i.  430. 

Fergutofif  David,  minister  of  Dunfermline,  his  address  to  the  Synod  of 
Fife,  L  385 ;  iL  41.     His  death,  and  writings,  iL  67. 

Ferme,  Charles,  principal  of  the  College  of  Fraserburgh,  IL  400. 

Forbes,  John,  minister  of  Alford,  ii.  114.  Moderator  of  the  Assembly  al 
Aberdeen,  ii.  116.  Found  guilty  of  treason,  ii.  120.  Banished  to 
France,  iL  122.  Settles  in  Holland,  ii.  292.  Letter  to  James  MelviUe 
by,  iL  294*296.  His  firuitless  journey  to  England,  iL  308.  His  death, 
u.  310. 

,  Bishop  Patrick,  of  Corse,  accompanies  Melville  to  London,  L  229. 
His  writings,  L  429. 

ForcaieUus,  Melville  attends  his  lectures  at  Paris,  L  24. 

Forester,  Andrew,  L  468. 


588^  IND£»X. 

France,  Queen  Regent  of,  opposes  Melville*8  going  to  Sedan,  ii.  263 — 2&j^ 

Francu  I.  of  France,  founds  the  Royal  Trilingual  College  at  Pansi,  i.  19. 

Prater,  Sir  Alennlder,  of  Phillorth,  founds  a  Ck)llege  at  Fraserburgh,  ii. 
399. 

Fugger,  Ulrich,  a  patron  of  learning  in  Germany,  i.  40 ;  U.  463.  v. 

FuUerUm,  Sir  James,  his  early  education,  i.  71 ;  ii.  407.  £6tahtidKS  % 
school  at  Dublin,  ii.  405—408.  Acquaint*  Melville  with  the  4eath.  of  hi& 
nephew  James,  ii.  298.    His  friendship  to  MelTille^  ii.  269»  406. 

O 

Gatttmay,  Patrick,  i.  394,  451. 

G€idif^  John,  transcribes  Buchanan's  Histocy,  L  223.     FfttenI  to,  ii.  511. 

Gibton,  James,  minister  of  Pencaitland,  imprisoned  for  a  sennon,  L  Sg^ 

266,  477,  47a 
Gitbertf  Miphael,  Qpf>osition  to  his  settlement  at  North  Berwick,  i.  469^ 

47a 
Gi^i^,,  (Geiorgei  regentiat  St.  Andrews,  L  431. 

Gladstanes,  George,  gained  over  by  the  court,  ii.  20.  Made  minister  id  St 
Andrews,  ii.  35.  Bishop  of  Caithness,  ii.  64w  Archhiahop  of  St.  An- 
drews,  u.  111.  His  hostility  to  Melville,  iL  93,  113,  191,  211.  Extziets 
from  hi3  letters  to  the  King,  ii.  18,  132,  137, 192,  282.  Qoes  to  Urn- 
don,  iL  140.  His  perfidy,  ii.  252.  His  anxiety  to  have  doctoiB  of  divi- 
nity created,  ii.  313—316. 
Glammit,  Chancellor,  his  death  and  character,  i«  151.    His  correspondotce 

with  Besa,  i,  152. 
— ,  Master  o^  i.  231*  «        ; 

Qfa^gov,  John,  Bishop  of,  books  presented  to  th.e  University  by,  L  435, 
Oomet,  Don  Jan  de  Medina,  a  Spanish  commanderi  intcynriew  between  him 

and  James  Melville,  i.  293<r^97* 
Gordon,  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Galloway,  L  97 »  ii-  189. 
»  of  Erlston,  i.419.   ,; 
,  James,  a  Jesuit,  his  iMspute  with  the  King,  i.  264^ 

,  Dr.  John,  Dean  of  Salisbury,  ii.  138-^40,  154^  157. 

GotUari,  Simon,  i.  431. 

Gomrie,  Countess  of,  Arran*s  inhuman  behavioiu]:  to,  L  236. 

■  *    I     ,  John,  Earl  of,  v^tnisters  prosecuted  for  not  believing  the  conspiia^ 

cy  of,  ii.  7^  81.    Letter  from,  ii.  525. 
Grahavh  oi  Fintry,  apprehended  and  executed,  i.  353,  355. 
Gray,  William,  minister  at  liOgie,  Montrose,  i.  44Q. 
GrotU4,  Jerora,  Sieur  dc  I'lslc,  i,  254. 
Gnynd,  David,  ii.  471. 
Gytl,  John,  ii.  465. 


INDEX.  59^ 


H 

Haddistann  James  of,  U.  34>1. 
Halyburton,  Golonel  James,  i.  57. 
HamOttm,  AMhibald,  i.  382;  ii.  47a 
•      '■     .■,  James,  afterwards  Earl  of  Olanbrissel,  i2.  405—407. 

,  John,  ii.  473, 504. 

,  Lord,  conversations  between   King  James  and,  i.  357,  461. 
Bruce*s  letter  to,  ii.  7,  8. 

-,  Patrick,  not  the  first  who  introduced  the  reformed  opinions  into 


Scotland,  i.  8. 

't  Robert,  minister  of  8t.  Andrews,  and  prorost  of  St.  Mary*8,  i: 


167,  186 ;  iL  473. 

.,  Sir  Thomas,  Lord  Advocate,  ii.  120,  146— I4a 


liay,  Alexander,  clerk  to  the  privj  coimdl,  waits  on  Melville  on  the  part 
of  the  Regent,  L  57.  Receives  him  at  liondon,  i.  138.  Reads  a  chaige 
to  him,  ii.  148.  Presents  a  copy  of  Tcrses  fiy  MelvHIte  to  the  King,  ii: 
202.  ^ 

Andrew,  uiges  Melville's  settlement  in  the  College  of  Ghi^ow,  i  63. 
l^ssents  against  Melville's  removal,  i.  160.  Banrshed,  i.  227.  Presses 
Melville  to  resmne  his  situation  in  Glasgow,  i.  269.  Further  particolari 
of,  iL  222,  483. 

Archibald,  ii.  471. 

Edmund,  i.  26.    His  friendship  to  Smeton,  iL  380,  381. 
€^rge,  nominated  to  dispute  in  favour  of  episcopacy,  i.  1 13,  l37.  To 
go  to  Magdeburgh,  L  146.     Further  particulars  of,  222,  463. 

Henry,  Prince,  Melville's  poem  on  the  biith  of,  L  376,  377.  Offers  hit 
services  to,  iL  269.    Death  of,  ii.  291. 

Henryton,  Edward,  a  civilian,  ii.  374,  375,  462—464. 

Hepburn,  John,  foimds  St.  Leonard's  College;  IL  466.   ' 

Herbert,  George,  the  poet,  his  panegyric  on  Kin^  Jtanen;  H.  T4  His  «n- 
swer  to  Melville,  iL  104.     A  poem  by,  iL  464u  ' 

Heriot,  Andrew,  excites  a  tilffltih  agahist  MeMlle,  i.  76,  79. 

Herriet^  Lord,  L  79. 

Hontery  John,  his  CosmographiB,  L  69. 

Hdoker,  Richard,  his  high  respect  fbr  Cahin,  L  129.  His  embarrassment 
in  explaining  Jerom,  L  445.    His  opinion  of  Ramus,  iL  418. 

Hoitomany  Francis,  the  civilian,  i  28.  Melville  attends  his  lectures,  i. 
44,  45.    His  Franco-GalHa,  L  49,  429. 

Howie,  Robert,  succeeds  Melville  at  St.  Andrews,  ii.  191.    Account  of| 

u.  193—196. 

3 


540  INDEX. 

Hvwkton^  John,  rude  treatment  of,  i.  179.    Imprisoned,  L  t24.    Founds 

a  school,  ii.  414.     His  writings,  ii.  429. 
Hmne^  Alexander,  minister  of  Dunbar,  ii.  504. 

-,  Alexander,  minister  of  Logie,  author  of  Hymns,  ii,  437,  504b 
Alexander,  the  grammarian,  master  of  the  High  School  of  ££■- 
burgh,  u.  411.— 414,  507.     His  Grammar,  iL  412,  505.     Master  of  tk 
grammar  school  of  Prestonpans,  ii.  414,  509 ;  and  of  Dunbar,  iL  505. 

,  David,  of  Godscroft,  writings  o^  ii.  107,  435—437,  442,  464.    Met 

▼Ule's  high  opinion  of,  ii.  288,  297. 

^  Lord,  excommunicated,  L  356.    Melville  refuses  to  absolve,  L  968. 
punier,  Andrew,  excommunicates  Archbishop  Adamaon,  L  272.     DepotsA 

for  joining  Bothwell,  i.  371,  372. 
JTiMl/y,  Countess  of,  L  394. 
— ,  Earl  of,  L  311,  313,  352,  356,  357,  362,  388,  407  ;  iL  400. 


InvertyUf  Lord,  educated  along  with  King  James,  L  254. 


Jack,  Thomas,  master  of  the  grammar  school  of  Glasgow,  L  444 ;  iL  965, 
478,  479. 

James  I,  of  Scotland,  patronises  the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  iL  466. 

James  VI.  of  Scotland,  Melville  introduced  to,  L  64.  His  eariy  assump- 
tion of  the  government,  L  149.  Changes  on  his  administration,  L  185b 
195.  His  feelings  as  to  the  death  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  i.  239.  Re> 
ceives  the  banished  nobles  into  favour,  L  240.  His  altercation  with  the 
ministers  of  the  church,  L  248.  His  education  and  character,  L 
251 — 262.  His  poesy,  i.  261,  286.  Disputes  with  BalcanquhaU,  I 
263.  With  a  Jesuit,  L  264.  Confines  Melville  beyond  the  Tay,  L  280, 
459.  Restores  him,  L  282.  His  conduct  respecting  his  mother*s  exe- 
cution, i.  283 — 286.  His  visit  to  the  University  of  St.  Andrews,  L 
288—290.  His  conduct  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  Armada,  i.  291,  292. 
Thanks  Melville,  i.  302.  His  eulogium  on  the  church  of  Scotland,  L 
303,  304w  His  interviews  with  MelviUe,  L  311,  360,  374,  379,  389, 
390—393;  ii.  22,  58,  59.  Reasons  of  his  fiivour  for  the  popish  kiidi» 
L  362.  His  conduct  respecting  the  tumult  in  Edinburgh,  L  40S,  410; 
iL  2 — 6.  His  questions  to  the  General  Assembly,  iL  8w  Corrupts  the 
ministers  of  the  church,  ii.  13,  17 — 20.  Interrupts  Wallace  in  the  pul- 
pit, ii.  25.  Prohibits  Melville  from  sitting  in  the  Assembly,  iL  43L 
Takes  an  active  part  in  the  debates  of  the  General  Assembly,  iL  65. 
His  embassy  to  the  Pope,  ii.  70.    Law  of  free  monarchies,  iL  72,  73. 


INDEX.  541 

sifiGon  Doron,  iL  74—79.    His  treatment  of  Robert  Bruce,  ii.  80—84.- 

Threatens  the  Lords  of  Session,  ii.  83.  His  holiday*  ii.  85.  Renewv 
his  vow,  ii.  88.  Ck>nfine8  Melville  within  his  college,  iL  93.  His  Ac- 
cession, ii.  95.  His  treatment  of  the  English  Puritans,  ii.  105—107. 
His  severity  to  the  ministers  who  kept  the  Assembly  at  Aberdeen,  ii. 
121.  Calls  Melville  and  others  to  London,  ii.  136.  His  interviews  with 
them,  il.  141 — 147.  His  writings  against  the  Pope,  ii.  208,  209.  Re- 
leases Melville  from  the  Tower,  ii.  263.  His  character  of  him  to  the 
French  ambassador,  ii.  264. 

Jeromt  his  testimony  to  the  identity  of  bishops  and  presbyters,  L  111,  445. 

Jonston,  Arthmr,  the  poet,  ii.  333,  334,  ^41,  476. 

,  John,  professor  of  divinity  at  St.  Andrews,  i.  331.  Charged  to 
leave  Dundee,  ii.  44.  Corresponds  with  Du  Plessis,  ii.  101.  His  en- 
comium on  Melville,  and  death,  ii.  284,  288.  His  Latin  Poems,  iL  441« 
463,530. 


Keith,  George.    See  Maritchal,  Earl. 

-^— ,  William,  a  brother  to  the  former,  killed  at  Geneva,  i.  431. 

Kennedy,  Bishop  James,  founds  St.  Salvator*s  College,  iL  341,  466. 

Ker,  Sir  Andrew,  accompanies  Melville  to  St.  Andrews,  i.  163. 

— -,  George,  seized  as  a  conspirator,  L  251,  355;  ii.  523. 

Kilconquhar,  minister  of,  letter  to  the  King,  L  401,  402. 

Kingf  Dr.  Dean  of  Christ*s  Church,  his  sermon,  ii.  153,  154. 

Knox,  Andrew,  Bishop  of  the  Isles,  studies  under  Melville,  L  71,  351. 

,  John,  the  Reformer,  i.  11, 38, 48,  59,  107 ;  u.  393,  428,  530. 


Ltmgitet,  Herbert,  i.  50,  428,  447. 

LauriesUm,  Laird  of,  suspected  of  antedating  a  proclamation  against  tha 
Assembly  at  Aberdeen,  ii.  115.    Quuged  with  this  by  Melville,  iL  144. 

Law,  James,  Bishop  of  Orkney,  ii.  164. 

Lattrie,  Blaise,  professor  at  Glasgow,  L  69. 

Lnoton,  James,  minister  of  Edinburgh,  a  fellow-student  of  Melville,  L  13, 
422.  Appointed  with  Melville  to  examine  a  poem  by  Adamson,  L  63. 
Nominated  to  reason  against  episcopacy,  L  1 13.  Accompanies  Melville 
to  St.  Andrews,  L  164  Flees  to  England,  L  224,  His  death  and  char- 
acter, L  232—235. 

Leamumt,  James,  publishes  a  placard  against  Melville,  L  190. 
,  of  Dairsie,  Melville's  opposition  to,  i.  334. 

Lectius,  James,  the  civilian,  a  pupil  of  Melville,  L  42. 

JLeimumt,  William,  L  472* 


542  INDEX. 

Ldtprevkk,  Robert,  privilege  to  print  bookt,  i.  447.    Imprijoiitfd," iklM 
humoot,  Efane  Stewtrt,  Didce  of,  arrives  in  Seotlaad,  and  beeoanes  a  fi- 
irourite  of  the  King,  i.  171.    Attempts  to  veatore  epiaeopacj,  i  1 7&— J78. 
Incensed  at  Melville,  L  183.    CompeUad  to  leave  the  kiBgdomv  i  1^ 
Designs  and  conduct  of,  L  450—452.  '  > »       ■■-•  ■  ^ 

Lennox,  Eari  of,  son  to  the  fbnner,  i.  962,  878 1  ^-  175^  S8A.         

Liddel,  Dr.  Duncan,  his  medical  works,  iL  485. 

.£<fiiorf«,  Lawrence,  iL  465,  466.  > 

lAndsapy  David,  minister  at  Leith,  nominated  to  reason  Id  iMrour  of  eptt- 
copacy,  i.  113.  Imprisoned  byArran,  i.  294^  Reprored  by  Melvil^ 
ii.  66,     Made  Bishop  of  Ross,  ii.  63»  64.  .    -  — 

■  I  ,  John^  If  elviUe*s  poem  on^  i.  54, 4S0^ '  

*■        ,  John,  of  Baieanas,  secretary  of  state^  tL  34, 4B,  918. 


->  Lord,  i.408. 


lAptimtf  Jvstus,  his  high  opinion  of  Melville's  fltephanisid^ii,  i. 

LivkigtUm^  I/ady,  i.  8Mb 

LocAiavar,  Laisd  of,  ii.  405. 

Logk^  «avJi^'iL  468.         i      .  ;     <  * 

....^  ThoniM^  ii&  467*  ,      ., 

Ls»e,  Dr»  P«t&,  his  madifial  wor^s,  ii.  434. 

M  .        '    - 

MacgW^  David,  of  Cranston  Riddell,  h,  47. 

■  MM      ,  Sir  James,  of  Cranston  RiddeU,  Jhis  widow  *'?fff'^^<^  iBeooi  ^B^- 

hui;gh  by  Amui,  i.  938.    Patrick  Adamsoa  tutor  to  has  son,  «u  384^., . 
MaUiandy  John,  Lord  Thirlestane,  seoretaiy  ami  chan^^^pi^  Jtiis  Jisf^qty, 

i.  242.    His  influenpe  in  establishing  Fresbytev^^  i^  ?9f  i  2^  3j>4. 

Visited  by  Melville  qn  his  death-bed,  i«39JL4       .,  ?    .  ^  .    ^, 
■ ,  Sir  Bichard,  of  I^thington^  i.  385.  , 

u  .      I.,  Thomas,, a  feUow-student  of  3felvilk^i.  ^  422.     HIa  polili<al 

principles  and  writings^  ii<  3^5-^887.    . 
Makghe^  Andrew,  copy  of  his  call  to  QuUane,  i.  .47i0,  47i  #  .  ]/ 

Ai4Ucgregorj  Patrick,  schoolmaster  of  Perth,  iL  602*  .      , 

JIfdMm,  John,  L  171 ;  iL  463. 

MandfirtUm.  WiUiam,  L  437.  -' 

jlfor.  Countess  o^  tutrix  of  James  VI.  L  tdtl, 
the  Regent,  i.  51,  94,  99,  100,  252. 
Earl  of,  L  231,  254, 362,  380 ;  ii.  175,  289. 
Marischaly  College  in  Aberdeen,  ii.  401,  402. 

,  George,  i^srl  of,  iL  401,  475* 
Marsh,  Dr.  his  testimony  to  the  identity  of  bishops  and  presbyters^  i*  HK 
Marrittiers,  Pierre  de,  teaches  Mehille  Greek  at  Montrose,  i.  11,  12. 
Martini,  Richard,  ii.  472. 


INDEX.  846 

JMbHlM,  JaoMB,  Principal  of  St.  fiftlvator's  OoUegei  ii.  4nS,  4T4.  >^^ 

^^fff.  Queen  of  Scoto,  differences  betyreen  the  King  and  tiie  minittert 
abottt  praying  for,  it  288—S85.   MelviUe^s  verses  on,  ii  299.   Her  grant 
to  tbe  College  of  Glasgow,  i.  436. 
JUaxwdi,  Gabriel,  ii.  470. 

,  John,  a  poet,  his  panegyric  on  King  James,  ii.  154,  IM. 
,  John,  son  of  Lord  Berries,  L  78. 
MeHtsut,  Paulus,  a  German  poet  and  friend  of  Melville,  i.  41,  42. 
MeMSe,  fiunUj  of,  i.  2,  413—415. 

,  Melville  of  Baldovy,  fiunily  of,  i.  3,  415,  416. 
— — ,  David,  a  brother  of  Melville,  i.  4. 
«  ,  David,  Principal  of  Glasgow  and  St  Andrews,  L  438< 

— — ,  Sir  James,  ICelville*s  reply  to  his  advice,  i,  189. 
■  ,  James,  nephew  to  Melville,  education  of,  L  50— ^62,  4r6*-4l8^ 


431,  438.  His  flattering  aocoirat  of  the  yocmg  kiiig*s  acqinicmoitB,  L 
64.  Made  a  professor  at  Glasgow,  i.  69.  His  chaxacter  of-  -his  nncle,  1^ 
74,  75.  Assaulted  by  two  students,  L  80.— 84..  Made  professor  of 
Oriental  hmguages  at  St  Andrews,  i.  164.  Preache%>  L  IST.^  •  •Obliged 
to  fly  to  England,  i.  227,  22S,  Prosecutes  Bishop>  Adaauon,  i.  S7a 
His  interview  with  an  admiral  of  the  Spanish  Azmada,  i.  89&^29T.  Be.* 
comes  minister  at  Anstruther  and  at  Kilrenny,  i.  327.  His  disinterest- 
edness, i.  328--330.  Vindicated  from  a  calumny,  i.  365—369.  A  fo- 
vourite  at  court,  i.  368.  Accompanies  the  king  in  his  expedition  against 
the  popish  lords,  i.  375^  376.  Loses  the  king's  fiivour,  i.  380,  381. 
Warns  his  brethren  of  the  intention  to  restore  episcopacy,  ii.  40.  Hts 
account  of  an  eclipse,  ii.  42.  Refuses  to  keep  the  anniversary  of  the 
Gowrie  conspiracy,  ii  86.  His  reasons  of  protest  against  episcopacy, 
ii.  1291—131.  Called  up  to  London,  ii.  136.  His  pnblic 'appearances 
there,  iL  142,  145,  148.  Refused  ace6ss  to  his  tmcle  in  the  Tower,  ii. 
175.  Confined  at  Newcastle,  ii.  182.  Refttses  a  contribution  from  the 
Nonconformists  in  London,  il  183-^185.  His  attentions  to  his  unde 
during  his  imprisonment,  ii.  186,  198,  21%*  Extracts^  from  letters  by 
MelviUe  to,  iL  198,  804—206,  211,  212,  215,  217,  219,  221,  224,  227, 
232,  234,  242,  257,  265,  270,  271,  274,  285,  288,  297.  £ttracts  from 
letters  to  Melville  by,  u.  211,  214,  218,  226,  229,  245,  256,  267,  281, 
283,  284.  His  letter  to  Patrick  Symson,  ii.  206—208.  Corresponds 
with  his  uncle  about  his  second  marriage,  ii.  223,  233.  Refuses  a  bishop- 
ric, ii.  234.  Is  removed  to  Berwick,  ii.  255,  250.  Forbes*s  letter  to, 
ii.  294—296.  His  death  and  character,  ii.  298.1-302.  His  writings,  ii. 
455—461. 
,  John,  of  Dysart,  uncle  to  Melville,  1.  2 ;  ii.  287. 


-,  John,  brother  to  Melville,  minister  of  Crail,  i.  3,  4. 


'  i 


544  INDI^X. 

MehUkf  Pfttriek,  a  nephew  of  Melville,  teaches  Hebiew  At  OtABgoir,  i.  71. 

At  St.  Andrews,  i.  330.    His  higimtitude  to  his  uncle,  ii.  189. 

^  Richaid,  the  father  of  Melville,  killed  at  Pinlde,  L  t,  4. 
■  ,  Richard,  brother  to  Melville,  i.  3.     His  dittifiil  conduct  to  hia^ 

i.  5.     Travels  with  Erskine  of  Dun,  i.  10.    An  acquaintance  of  George 
Wishart,  L  11.    His  treatment  of  his  son,  L  $0.    His  death,  i.  64v  2S6. 

,  Robert,  brother  to  Melville,  i.  4. 

,  Roger,  brother  to  Melville,  L  2.    Accompanies  him  in  his  ili^ 


into  England,  L  205. 

— *-,  Sir  Robert,  his  advice  to  Melville,  L  198. 
,  Thomas,  brother  to  Melville,  i.  3. 


.,  Walter,  brother  to  Melville,  i.  3. 
.,  William.     See  TunglaruL 


Merceruty  (Mercier)  Joannes,  Melville  studies  Hebrew  under,  L  22. 

MUne^  Andrew,  an  early  teadier,  i.  417. 

Monbemeau,  M.  an  emissary  of  Guise,  i.  258,  4S0,  452. 

MonerieJT,  GUbert,  L  252  ;  ii.  379. 

Momtg^mery,  Robert,  made  archbishop  of  Glasgow,  by  Ijeiniox,  L  I7C 
Prosecuted  by  Melville,  ibid.  Excommmiicated,  L  180.  Submits,  and 
is  restored,  L  312,  313. 

,  the  poet,  L  144;  iL  437. 

MoutrotCf  Robert  de,  ii.  466. 

Mamypenwf/y  David  de,  i.  475 ;  iL  452. 

MortoHj  the  Regent,  wishes  Melville  for  his  domestic  teadier,  i  57.  His 
character,  L  94^  95.  His  jealousy  of  the  General  Assembly,  i.  107.  His 
queries  to  them,  i.  116.  His  displeasure  at  Melville,  L  120.  Intends 
the  bishopric  of  St.  Andrews  for  Melville,  i.  145.  Nominates  him  to  a 
council  at  Magdebuigh,  L  146.    Interview  between  them,  t  147 149. 

'  ResignstbeRegency,  L  149.  Prosecutes  Davidson  for  his  poem,  ii.  389, 
389. 

JforfM,  William  Dovtglas,  Earl  of,  his  chai«cter,  iL  134^ 

JfoaNfi,  Joachim  du,  a  Frendi  refugee,  i.  280. 

,  Pierre  du,  entertains  Melville  at  Paris,  iL  278. 

Mwrray^  Sir  David,  spedmen  of  his  poetry,  ii.  439. 

>  Sir  Gideon,  studies  under  Melville,  i.  71. 

» the  Regent,  studies  under  Ramus,  L  94r  Defended  by  MelviQe, 
L312. 

■  ■  »  Bad  of,  son  to  the  former,  public  indignation  at  his  murder  by 
Huntly,  L  311,  323,  324. 

,  John,  minister  of  Leith,  ii.  255,  288. 

>  Sir  Patrick,  employed  to  gain  over  mimsters  to  the  court,  iL  13; 
17.  Endeavours  to  intimidate  MelviUe,  H.  21.  Deputed  to  the  Synod 
of  Fife,  u.  39. 


INDEX.  545 

Murray^  Sir  M'illiam,  i.  254. 

,  Thomas,  tutor  to  Prince  Ctmrles,  a  friend  of  Mehille,  ii.  269, 
528. 

N 

Ntttm^  Duncan,  studies  under  Melville,  i.  71. 

Napier,  John,  of  Merchiston,  his  discoveries,  ii.  433,  434. 

Newton^  Sir  Adam,  studies  under  Melville,  i.  71. 

NicoUon^  James,  minister  of  Meigle,  gained  over  by  the  court,  ii.   18,  19s. 

His  distress  of  mind  and  death,  iL  165,  166. 
Nubet,  Murdoch,  i.  419. 

O 

OgUvt/f  Lord,  i.  56. 

Overall^  Dr.  Dean  of  St.  Paul's,  Melville  committed  prisoner  to,  ii.  161» 
166. 


PaHngeniust  Marcellus,  an  Italian  poet,  a  favourite  of  James  Melville,  i. 
16 ;  ii.  287,  460. 

Paschatiui,  Uamelius,  Melville  studies  mathematics  at  Paris  under,  i.  24. 

Perroi^  Charles,  i.  431. 

Pmauld^  M.  i.  431. 

Piscatory  John,  iL  101,  290.  « 

PlettUy  Philip  Momay,  Sieur  du,  corresponds  with  Melville,  iL  100,  304b 
His  striking  remark  to  Henry  IV.  of  France,  ii.  200. 

Pdwarty  Andrew,  accompanies  Melville  home  from  Geneva,  L  53—56. 
His  connexion  with  the  College  of  Glasgow,  i.  441.  Co-operates  with 
Melville  in  church  politics,  L  137— '140. 

Ponty  Robert,  minister  of  St.  Cuthbert*s,  declines  the  judgment  of  the  pnvy 
council,  in  the  name  of  the  church,  L  177.  Called  to  St.  Andrews,  L 
187.  Protests  against  certain  acts  of  parliament,  and  flees  into  £nghind, 
L  224.  Assists  David  Black  in  his  defence,  i.  400.  Asserts  the  free- 
dom of  the  Assembly,  iL  21.  A  Lord  of  Session,  iL  39.  Speaks  for 
the  ministers*  vote  in  parliament,  ii.  4.5.  His  writings,  L  448,  465 ;  ii. 
428,433,478,484. 
,  Timothy,  son  to  die  former,  ii.  428. 

,  Zachary,  anotlier  son  of  the  former,  marries  a  daughter  of  Knox,  ii. 
428. 

PoriuMy  Franciscus,  a  native  of  Candia,  31clvillc  studies  Greek  at  Gene\'a 

VOL.  II.  2  N 


546  INDEX. 

under,  i.  34.     Anecdote  of,  i.  35.     Win  defence  of  French  protesUDto 
against  Charpentier,  i.  50,  51. 
PrimroiCj  Gilbert,  commissioned  to  procure   Melville  to  tite  College  of 
Rochelle,  ii.  199. 


Quinquarboreuty  (Cinq  Arbre«)  Joannei,  Melville  studies  Hebrew  ai  Paris 
under,  i.  28,  83. 

R 

Hainoldi,  Dr.  Jubn,  professor  at  Oxford,  Melville's  encomium  on,  i.  838. 
HMkigh^  Sir  Walter,  a  fellow-prisoner  of  3Iclville  in  the  Tower,  ii.  813, 

861. 
iiamsapf  Alexander,  i.  11^ 

■  WiUiaiD,  u  871,  378. 

Batniu,  Pctrus,  Melville  attends  liis  lectures,  i.  83,  84^     Influence  of  his 

philosophical  system,  ii.  415—419.     Mehille  introduces  it  into  Scot- 
land, ii.  419-«48l. 
Bmdoiph,  Sir  Thomas,  i.  15.    Letter  of  Buchanan  to,  ii.  513. 
Reidj  Robert,  Bishop  of  Orkney  and  Zetland,  his  legacy  for  a  college  in 

Edinburgh,  ii.  307,  495.     His  provision  for  education  in  Orkney,  ii. 

898. 
Rabff^  John,  L  480. 
RiveU  Dr*  Andrew,  ii.  496. 
Robtrtton^  Jolm,  pcofiessoi  at  Su  Andrews  under  Melville,  L  164^  830.    His 

prewntation  to  be  priwipal  of  the  l^ew  College,  L  868,  458, 
,  Dr.  Williaiiit  remarks  on  his  history,  L  8,  207. 
■   .,  William,  maater  of  the  Grammar  School  of  Edinbuigfa,  iL  366, 

480. 
RoUock^  Hercules,  maiter  of  the  High  School  of  fidinburgh,  i.  464;  ii. 

409—411.    ChameCer  of  his  Latin  poema,  ii.  441. 

..,  Robert,  principal  of  the  College  of  £dinbui]g^    When  a  regent 

he  attends  Melville's  lectures  at  St.  Andnws,  L  168.    CoBcnn  wHh  the 

court  in  abridging  the  tights  of  piofesson  of  diTUiky,  ii.  31,  451,  458. 

His  death  and  character,  iL  <a    Hia  writingi,  ii.  481—423. 
Hoii^  a  preacher^  oentufcd  by  the  General  AsMmbly  for  speaking  ineve- 

rentiy  of  the  King,  i.  371. 
Aw,  John,  mtnisCer  of  Perth,  atadies  law,  i*  46.    Nowinatcwi  to  icsmmi  in 

favour  of  episcopacy,  i.  113.    His  change  of  aentimeBti  on  tluit  lul^cct, 

i.  137.     His  death  and  writings,  L  161. 
8 


INDEX.  d47 

Ruthirfitrd,  John,  minUter  of  Kilconquhar,  1.  399. 

,  John,  principal  of  St.  SaIvator*t  Collie,  ii.  367-^71,  9i9, 

His  death,  ii.  474 


Sage^  Bishop  John,  his  character  of  Melville,  ii.  330. 

Saiignacusj  Joannes,  professor  of  Hebrew  at  Paris,  i.  24,  25. 

Salisbury^  Earl  of,  his  message  to  Melriile,  iL  171—173.    JSiltnced  byldm, 

ii.  174. 
SaviUe,  Thomas,  Melyille*s  intimacy  with,  i.  231.    Melville's  letter  to,  u. 

515. 
Savoy,  the  Duchess  of,  relieves  the  French  protestant  refugees,  i.  4& 
Scaligery  Joseph,  becomes  acquainted  with  Meivilie  at  Oenevi^  L  43.    HIa 

panegyric  on  Melville's  poetry,  i.  302 ;  ii.  462.    Melville  laments  his 

death,  u.  221,  331. 

,  Julius  Caesar,  Epigrams  by  Melville  on,  >  i.  45,    Scotland  vistted 

by,  ii.  434.  .  i 

Scheuet,  John,  ii.  465.  ... 

Scot,  William,  minister  of  Cupar,  called  up  to  London  a\oiig^#hli  Mehrifle, 

ii.  136.    His  debate  with  the  Lord  Advocate,  ii.  146.     Interview  with 

Bancroft,  ii.  169— .171.    Constancy,  ii.  286. 

,  Sir  William,  Director  of  the  Chancery,  iL  422,  48S. 

SerimgeTf  Henry,  professor  of  civil  law  at  Geneva,  account  of,  i.  3Sfii.40. 

Melville's  intimacy  with,  i.  41.    Buchanan's  correspondence  with,  i.  41, 

51.    His  writings  and  library,  i.  425 — 427.  '  ' 

SeaUm^  Alexander,  Earl  of  Dunfermline,  Prior  of  Pluscarden,  President  of 

the  Court  of  Session,  and  Lord  Chancellor,  challenged  bj  Melviile*'  t 

374.     Favours  the  popish  lords,  L  S88,  389.    His  moderation,  ii.  lliL 

His  professions  of  regard  for  James  Melville  and  his  unde^  iL  211,  tXfL, 

His  saying  concerning  the  bishops,  ii.  282.  i 

Sempillf  Sir  James,  of  Beltrees,  his  friendship  for  Melville*  L  75;  iL  198. 

MelviUe's  gratitude  to,  ii.  270.    Writings  by,  iL  270,  S19.    Melville's 

letter  to,  Ii.  527. 
Serret,  (Senanus)  Jean  de,  i.  431. 
Seymour,  Sir  William,  Melville^s  verses  lo,  iL  261,  262. 
Sharp,  John,  minister  of  Kilmany,  found  gmHy  of  treason  and  banishad,  iu 

1 19,  120,  122.    Made  professor  of  divinity  at  Die  in  Franoei  ii.  292.      . . 
,  Patrick,  master  of  the  grammar  school  of  Glasgow,  testunonj.  to 

MelviUe*s  literature  by,  i.  72.     Made  Principal  of  Glasgow  Colkge,  ^ 

269.     His  writings  and  family,  ii.  425,  478,  479. 
Sibbald,  George,  receives  Melville  at  Paris,  iL  277,  278. 
Skeen,  James,  a  Jesuit,  favoured  by  the  court,  L  237 ;  ii.  519. 


548  IND£X. 

Skene,  Sir  John,  Clerk- Register,  a  regent  at  8t.  Andrews,  ii.  37S»  374^ 
WritiRga  of,  u.  4S0,  431. 

■  I.  ,  William,  commissary  and  professor  of  law  at  St.  Andrews,  i.  318 ;  iL 
ST3,  374,  474. 

Smetifn,  Thomas,  minister  of  Paisley,  succeeds  Melville  as  Principal  u 
Glasgow,  i.  158^162.  Proposed  for  Minister  of  St.  Andrews,  L  189, 
452.  His  death,  i.  194  Accoimt  of  his  life  and  wfitiiigs,  iL  379— 
383. 

SwtUhy  John,  professor  at  Sedan,  iL  280. 

,  Dr.  Richard,  u.  472. 

Snape,  an  Engfith  nonconformist,  oflters  a  sum  of  money  to  the  Scottidi 
ministers  at  London,  iL  184. 

SpoUtoood^  John,  the  superintendent,  condemns  the  civil  places  of  church- 
men, L  1281 

■■ ,  John,  archbishop  of  Olasgow  and  of  St.  Andrews,  studies  under 

Melville,  i.  71.  Remarks  on  his  history,  L  84,  115,  126 — 134,  137, 
189—142,  217,  277,  279,  283,  284,  302,  342—344,  359,  397 ;  ii.  7,  26 
—29,  47,  04,  79,  306,  452,  453.  His  injustice  to  Melville  and  his 
nephew,  L  142,  369.  Opposes  the  absolution  of  Bishop  Adamson,  L 
277.  His  letter  to  the  Presbytery  of  Haddmgton,  L  469,  470.  His  con- 
duct relating  to  the  tumult  in  Edinbuiig^,  ii.  7,  8.  Corrupted  by  the  pro- 
mise  of  a  bishopric,  ii.  20.  His  acknowledgment  of  the  duplicity  of  his 
friends,  ii.  64  Violates  his  promises,  iL  65,  252.  Intrusted  with  a 
petition  for  a  General  Assembly,  iL  114  Present  at  the  conferences  in 
London,  iL  140.  His  professions  of  friendship  for  Melville,  iL  202,  210, 
274, 309.  Extracts  from  his  letters,  iL  210,  248,  282,  312.  Promises 
to  retire  from  public  life,  ii.  210.  Made  a  Lord  of  Session,  iL  244  In- 
terferes with  the  Buighs,  iL  282.    Character  of  his  History,  iL  430. 

SUfhmiit  (Stevenson,)  William,  iu  465. 

SUfhem^  Henry,  a  friend  of  Melville,  i.  41. 

Stewartt  Lady  Arabella,  Melville's  verses  on,  ii.  261,  262. 

,  Alexander,  archbiBhop  of  St.  Andrews,  iL  468,  469. 

ii   III      ,  Esme,  Lord d*Aubign&    See  Lennox, 
,  Captain  James.    See  Arran, 
,  Thomas,  archdeacon,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  University  of  St. 


Andrews,  ii.  465. 

,  Walter,  Lord  Blantyre,  i.  254 


.,  William,  the  accuser  of  Melville,  i.  201,  203. 


Stirling,  Earl  of.     See  Alexander,  Sir  William. 

Strachan,  Alexander,  minister  of  Creigh,  condemned  for  treason  and  banish- 
ed, iL  119,  122.     HU  death,  u.  292. 
SiraiUm,  Alexander.     See  Laurision. 
Stfme,  Alexander,  reader  on  law  to  the  queen  regent,  L  372,  481,  482, 


INDEX.  5't^. 

Symp9ony  Adam,  a  popish  priest,  u.  522. 
SymwH,  Abraham,  minister  of  Norham,  ii.  425. 


I  f 


i^— ,  Alexander,  minister  at  Merton,  iL  424. 

-— ,  Andrew,  teacher  at  Perth,  and  minister  at  Ihmbar,  ii.  384,  41j?« ' 


425,  485. 

-,  Archibald,  minister  of  Dalkeith,  accouBt  of  King  JiUnes*8  edu« 


cation  by,  i.  257.     His  character  of  Melville,  ii«  320.     His  writings, 
ii.  425,  427. 
— ,  Patrick,  minister  of  Stirling,  protest  against  episcopacy  dniwn^ 


up  by,  ii.   128,  129.     James  Melville's  letter  to,  ii.  206—208,    Pro-^' 
motes  a  contribution  for  Melville  when  in  the  Tower,  ii.  272,  273.    Hia. 
constancy,  ii.  297.     Studies  Hebrew  in  his  old  age,  ii  424«    His  histd^ 
of  the  church,  ii.  427,  428.     His  death,  iL  529. 

,  William,  his  work  on  Hebrew  accentuation,  ii.  424,  425.  * 


Tafanut  (Talon,)  Audomarus,  his  Rhetorica  tanght  kf  MelviU«y  i.  67. 

TMtnuSt  Daniel,  joint  professor  of  divinity  with  M elviil^  at  Sedan,  ii*  280, 
281.  His  character,  ii.  290.  Embraces  Anninianismy  and  leaves  Se- 
dan, ii.  304,  305.     Attacks  the  Scottish  Presbyterians,  ii.  318,  319. 

Tutigland,  William  Melville,  Lord,  i«  287  ;  ii.  47. 


Vaudemontf  Prince  de,  his  opinion  of  the  English  service,  ii.  156,  157. 
Vaultt  oilier,  a  printer,  brought  to  Scotland,  i.  157,  447. 

0 

W 

fVade,  Sir  William,  governor  of  tlie  Tower,  indulgent  tO  MelTille,  ii.  261. 

Walker,  John,  abbot  of  a  Scotch  monastery  at  EriiiH,  ii.  5?5. 

Wallace^  Robert,  minister  at  St.  Andrews,  i.  338,  475.  Interrupted  in  the 
pulpit  by  the  King,  ii.  25.  Removed  from  St.  Andrews,  ii.  34.  Admit- 
ted minister  of  Tranent,  ib.  Called  up  to  London,  ii.  136,  161.  Ma^ 
ville's  friendship  for,  ii.  2S6.     His  critical  studies,  iL  425. 

IValnngham,  Secretary,  Melville's  interview  with,  L  229.  Davi^n's  letters 
to,  u.  518— 521. 

Wan,  Martin,  suppresses  a  teacher  at  Glasgow,  ii.  477,  478. 

Wardlav,  Bishop  Henry,  ii.  4G5. 

Walton,  William,  minister  of  Burntisland,  called  ap  to  London  by  the 
King,  iL  136. 


550  INDEX. 

WecJteUus,  Andreas,  a  printer,  i.  157,  447. 

Weenu,  David,  minister  at  Glasgow,  i.  140. 

Welch,  John,  minister  at  Ayr,  found  guilty  of  treAMm  mnd  banished,  iL 

119,  122.     His  reply  to  Gilfert  Brown,  iL  123.     Minister  of  Jonsack 

in  France,  ii.  292. 
WOwoody  >niliam,  professor  of  mathematics  m   SU    Andrews,  i.   167, 

456,  475.    Deprived  of  his  situation  as  professor  of  law,  iL  32.     Wrkes 

to  MelviUe  in  France,  ii.  291,  297.     His  writings,  iL  432,  433,  511, 

512. 
WhiUy  James,  a  teacher  in  London,  ii.  480. 
■  ,  James,  Abbot  of  Reusbuigh,  ii.  522. 

Whitgift^  Archbishop,  Adamson*s  communications  with,  L  220,  229.    His 

letter  to,  ii.  517. 
Whittaker^  Dr.  Williign,  professor  at  Cambridge,  L  232. 
WidiJpSy  John,  the  influence  of  his  opinions  in  Scotland,  L  8— >10,  41 8» 

421. 
WUkUy  James,  principal  at  St.  Andrews,  i.  77,  332,  455,  467. 
*      ■  ■,  Robert,  successor  to  the  former,  L  271, 370, 456, 468.     His  friend- 

ship  for  MelviUe,  ii.  190,  283. 
WUtom^  Thomas,  his  testimony  to  Melville^s  erudition,  L  165. 
Winram^  John,  L  102,  104,  190. 
Winzti^  Ninian,  ii.  490,  491,  522. 
fVisharty  George,  the  martyr,  L  11. 

Woddringtony  Henry,  L  270.     His  letter  to  Walsingham,  ii.  514. 
WrttUiy  Richard,  abbot  of  a  Scotch  monastery  at  Wurtzburg,  iL  523. 

Y 

YouMgy  Alexander,  princif*'jd  of  St  Leonard's  Ck>]lege,  i.  468. 

,  Alexander,  son  to  Sir  Peter,  i.  51. 

— ,  Sir  Peter,  tutor  to  King  James,  i.  255.    Counteracts  Buchanan  in 

his  education,  L  256,  257. 
Youngton^  Robert,  minister  of  Clatt,  anecdote  of,  ii.  118,  119. 


ZoMdk,  Dr.  his  opinion  of  Melville's  treatment  at  London,  iL  175.     His 

character  of  him,  ii.  330,  331. 
ZwOr,  (Yule)  Robert,  i.  475;  ii.  452. 

FINIS. 


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