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APPENDIX.-No. II.

BORN

ANDREW MELVIN, OR RATHER MELVILLE",

ORN on the first day of August, 1545, was the youngest of nine fons of Richard Melville, of Baldowie, in North Britain: These fons were all alive, when their father fell in the vanguard of the battle of Pinkie, on the tenth of September, 1547. Andrew was "a "ficklie tender boy, andtook pleasure in nothing fa meikle as his book." Having been inftructed in the Greek language by Petrus Marfiliers, a Frenchman and teacher of the Greek grammar, and by " that notable inftrument in the kirk, John Erskine, of Don, of most honourable "and happy memory, he profited fa, that entering thereafter in the course of philosophie "within the univerfitie of St. Andrew's, all that was teached of Ariftotle he learned, and "studied it out of the Greek text, whilk his masters understood not." He past his course in the new college, "tenderly beloved be Mr. John Douglas, provost of that college, and ,, rector of the univerfitie, who would often take him between his legs at the fire in winter, and warm his hands and cheeks, and blessing him, fay, My fillie fatherless and motherless "child, it's ill to wit what God may make of thee yet.' Sa ending his course of philofophie he "left the univerfitie of St. Andrew's with the commendation of the best philofopher, poet, " and Grecian of any young master of the land, and with all poffible diligence made his "preparation, and paffed over to France." He refided two years in the university of Paris, hearing the lights of the most shining age, and particularly Peter Ramus, in philosophy and eloquence. He became fo expert in Greek, that he declaimed and taught leffons, "uttering "never a word but Greek with fic readiness and plenty, as was marvellous to the hearers." From Paris he went to Poitiers, where he regented in the college of St. Marcian three years, hearing the best lawyers, yet always making theology his principal study, to which he was dedicated from his earlieft youth.

From Poitiers he went to Geneva, carrying nothing with him but a little Hebrew bible at his belt. He travelled on foot, as he had done before, from Dieppe to Paris, and thence to Poitiers; for he was fmall and light of body, but full of fpirits, vigorous, and courageous. Theodore Beza, to whom he was ftrongly recommended by letters, foon difcovered him to be a scholar, and appointed him Professor of Humanity in the college of Geneva. Mr. Melville continued at this place five years, attending the daily leffons and preachings of Beza. He improved the opportunity of perfecting himself in Hebrew literature. He often difputed with Many particulars are inferted in this memoir, on the authority of Mr. James Melville's Diary in MS. in the Ad vocate's Library at Edinburgh.

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with the Greek profeffor, a native of Greece, on the right pronunciation of the Greek language. The profeffor pronounced it after the common form, obferving the accents," the "whilk Mr. Andro controlled be precepts and reafon, till the Greek would grow angry, and "cry out, Vos Scoti, vos barbari docebitis nos Græcos pronuntiationem lingua noftra fcilicet "

When he was invited to return home, Beza, in a letter addreffed to the general kirk of Scotland, declared, that, as the greatest token of affection the members of the kirk of Geneva could fhew to that of Scotland, they had fuffered themselves to be fpoiled of Mr. Andrew Melville.

In 1574, he was elected the principal master of the univerfity of Glasgow, where he taught the best Greek and Latin authors, natural philofophy, chronology, chirography, befides his ordinary profeffion, the holy tongue and theology.

In the fame year he was directed, at the General Affembly, to deliver his opinion upon the jurisdiction and policy of the kirk, before the next Affembly, along with others appointed for that purpose. During During a period of five or fix years this matter coft him great pains "in "mind, body, and gear;" while it expofed him to the refentment of the regent and the epifcopal party, which he bore with fingular patience, until he fully accomplished his plan for the establishment of prefbyteries.

In 1578, in the affembly held in Magdalen Chapel, Edinburgh, in the month of April, he was chofen Moderator. It was there concluded, that the bishops fhould be called by their own names, and that lordly authority fhould be banished from the kirk "whilk has but an "Lord, Chrift Jesus."

Being accufed of "overfea dreams" and Geneva difcipline, and of difturbing the peace of the kirk, by the regent, who faid, "There never will be quietnefs or peace in the country, "till half a dozen of you be hanged." "Tufh! Sir," fays Mr. Andrew, "purpuratis tuis "ifta minitare: mihi idem eft humine, an fublimi putrefcam. Domini eft terra: patria eft ubicun66 que eft bona. I have been ready to give my life, where it was not half fa well wared, at the "pleasure of my God. I lived out o' your country ten years, as well as in it: let God be "glorified; it will not lie in your power to hang or exile his truth."

In 1580, he was accompanied by feveral of his friends to Lundey, and with the Laird thereof to St. Andrew's, where he was entered Principal of the college, and was kindly welcomed by his friend Mr. Patrick Adamfon, the bishop, for whom he often officiated in the kirk.

> Sir Thomas Smith and his friend Mr. Cheke, introduced at Cambridge the new mode of pronouncing the Greek language. While the former was once at Paris, he made a vifit to a learned Greek, a courteous and affa ble man. His chief business was to be fatisfied from him what founds the Grecians themselves did ufe in Greece. And when Smith began to speak of the new way, the Greek grew angry, and called Erafmus Badin, that he, being a Dutchman, had brought into Greece, whence he was fprung, fuch vaft founds, as he expreffed himself, and abfonous diphthongs. (Strype's Life of Sir John Smith, p. 23.)

In this art he excelled. He has addressed a Latin epigram to Mrs. Efther Inglis, who was noted for her beautiful hand-writing, and who surpassed Ascham, Davies, and others eminent for that extraordinary talent,

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kirk. His zeal for introducing a new mode of academical education met with much oppofi tion, all which he vanquished; so that the regents in philosophy came over to his opinions, and acknowledged their wonderful transportation from darkness to light. He fuftained every attack upon him with undaunted fortitude; and the punishments, with which he was menaced, not unfrequently fell upon his adverfaries.

In 1581, he attended the General Assembly at Glasgow, where the book of policy, after a labour of many years, was ratified, and ordered to be recorded.

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In 1583, he appeared before the king, at Edinburgh, to answer an accufation of uttering treasonable and feditious fpeeches from the pulpit. He was accompanied on this occafion, with fome of his fcholars and friends. As no criminal charge was brought against him, he declined the judicature of the king and council. He plainly told them, that they had no power to control the ambassadors and meffengers of a king and council greater than they were. " And that," fays he, "you may fee your weakness, overfight, and rafhnefs, in taking upon that which ye neither ought nor can do," (loofing a little Hebrew bible from his belt, and throwing it down on the board) "there is my inftructions and warrant: let's fee whilk "of you can judge thereon, or controlle me therein, that I have past my injunctions." The chancellor, opening the book, finds it to be Hebrew, and puts it into the king's right hand, faying, "Sir, he fcorns your Majefty and council." " Nay," fays Mr. Andrew, "I fcorn "not, but with all earneftnefs, zeal, and gravity, I ftand for the caufe of Jefus Chrift, and "the kirk." He was at length ordered to be put in ward in the Castle of Edinburgh, during the king's will. And when it was known that the place of his confinement was changed to Blackness, he followed the advice of his friends, and fled to Berwick, and afterwards took refuge in England.

Upon this occafion, "the pulpits of Scotland," as Dr. Robertson informs us, "refounded "with complaints, that the king had extinguished the light of learning in the kingdom, and deprived, the church of the ableft and most faithful guardian of its liberties and difcipline.

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In 1587, we find him resident in the university of St. Andrew's; for in that year the celebrated Sieur du Bartas came into Scotland to attend his lectures.

In 1591, Mr. Cartwright and Mr. Travers, the great defenders of Puritanism in England, were invited to be Divinity Profeffors in his univerfity. It must be owned, that in the elegant letter addreffed to them, on this occafion, which was probably penned by Mr. Melville himself, there is an acrimony of language perfectly inexcufabled. His inveterate oppofition to the difcipline of the church of England has betrayed the writer into the use of the most opprobrious terms.

In 1599, the king publifhed the "Doron Bafilicon," addreffed to his fon, Prince Henry. Sir James Semple, one of his Majesty's fervants, having transcribed that treatise, fhewed it to Andrew Melville, his intimate friend, who reading it, was offended with fome paffages that

regarded

d This letter is inferted in "Fuller's Ch. Hiftory," B. ix. Sect. vii. p. 52.

regarded the miniftry and discipline of the kirk. Melville took copies of the book, and difperfed them among the minifters, fome of whom preferred a libel to the Synod of St. Andrew's, wherein the exceptionable paffages being fet down, it was alked, "What cenfure fhould ❝ be inflicted on him, that had given such inftructions to the Prince, and if he could be thought wellaffected to religion, that had delivered fuch precepts of government ?"

To vindicate himself, on this occafion, the King determined to publish the work, "which "being come abroad, and carried to England, it cannot be faid how well the same was ac"cepted, and what an admiration it raised in all men's hearts of him, and of his piety and "wisdom."

I omit feveral circumflances of his life, which are mentioned in "Calderwood's History of Scotland." Mr. Melville was present at a conference at Hampton Court, in 1606. As he was esteemed one of the most learned men of his time, the King principally dreaded his influence, in refifting his favourite plan for the establishment of Epifcopacy. He had been confined fome years before, by a royal warrant, within his own houfe, at St. Andrews; and in 1606 was invited to the English court, along with fome other minifters, under the pretence of holding an amicable conference. It has been conjectured, that the only motive for this invitation was to relieve the Scotch bishops from the oppofition, which they had reason to expect from Melville's perfonal zeal and fplendid abilities.

The behaviour of Mr. Melville during the conference afforded no pretext for detaining him in England. Another expedient fucceeded. Melville and his companions were invited to attend the royal chapel on the Lord's day, when the King and Queen received the facrament, according to the ufage of the Church of England. It was natural to fuppofe that a view of thofe rites and ceremonies, againft which Andrew Melville had always warmly contended, would have produced a confiderable effect upon his temper. But he allowed nothing to escape him in public which could give the least offence. On his return from his lodgings, he amused himself with writing fome Latin verfes on the decorations of the altar f. They were fhewn to 3 K James

• James appointed four divines of the Church of England to attend during this conference; and to preach, by turns, on the subjects propofed to them. Dr. William Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln, endeavoured, from Alts xx. 28, to prove out of the Scripture and Fathers the fupremacy of bishops above prefbyters, and to fhew the inconveriences of parity in the church. Dr. Buckridge, then Prefident of St. John's College, Oxford, and afterward Bishop of Rochester, took for his text the precept of the apostle, "Let every foul be subject to the hig er powers,” Rom. xiii. 11.; "where," fays Spotswood," falling to fpeak of the King's fupremacy, in caufes ecclefiafticil, he “did handle that point both foundly and learnedly, to the fatisfaction of all the hearers: only it grieved the Scots "minifters to hear the Pope and Prefbyterie so often equalled in their oppofition to fovereign princes." Dr. Andrews, Bishop of Chichester, followed, who, from the first verfes of Numbers x. confirmed the power of kings in convocating fynods and councils. The fourth was Dr. King, then Dean of Chrift-church, and afterward Bishop of London, who, difcourfing on the 11th verfe of the eighth chapter of Canticles, did prove lay-elders to have no place, nor office in the Church. See "Spotfwood's Hiftory," &c. B. VII.

f Fuller in his "Church History of Britain," B. X. Sect. iv. 41, has preferved a copy of thefe vcrfes, which Archbishop Spotswood calls "fcornful and bitter :".

" Quod

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James Melville, his uncle, and perhaps to fome other minifters. The King obtained a copy, and Mr. Andrew Melville was brought before the King's council, along with Mr. James Melville, and Mr. Wallace, another of the minifters, to anfwer for the verses, which the council affirmed to be "a Pafquill, tending to the difhonour of God, and scandal of the Church of "England." He acknowledged himself to be the author; though as they had never been given out of his hand, he could not discover how they came into the poffeffion of the council. His two companions were difmiffed, while he was taken into cuftody, and delivered over to the Dean of St. Paul's, in whofe house he remained as a prifoner, till the 9th of March 16075, when he was ordered to be sent to the Bishop of Winchester's. This order however was not executed, and he was permitted to live in his own lodgings. On the 6th of April following he appeared again before the council, and after a long èxamination was fent by water to the Tower, where he was confined upwards of four years. When the other minifters were allowed to return to their own country, no perfuafion whatever could prevail upon the King to releafe Andrew Melville. His office of Principal, or Provoft, of the New College of St. Andrew's, was declared vacant by Gladstones, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, who convened the univerfity, and told them that it was his Majesty's pleasure, "that Mr. Robert Lourie should "be placed Provoft in that College, Mr. Andrew Melville being, for treasonable words, put in "the Tower of London." The university in vain protefted against this proceeding.

He had been two years in the Tower, when Bishop Coupar and Archbishop Spotswood were fent to perfuade him to make an acknowledgment to the King, which they gave him reafon to hope would procure his liberty. He delivered to them a written apology in Latin, in

"Quod duo ftent libri claufi Anglis regiâ in ARA,

"Lumina cæca duo, pollubra ficca duo:

"An claufum cæcumque Dei tenet Anglia cultum
"Lumine cæca fuo, forde fepulta fuâ ?
"Romano et ritu, dum regalem instruit ARAM,

"Purpuream pingit luxuriofa lupam?

"Whereas, one Andrew Melville, a minifter of Scotland, hath by his Majesty's commandment been called "before us, at the council-board, where he hath confessed himself to be the author of some certain verses, or rather "a Pafquill, tending to the dishonour of God, and scandal of the Church of England, for which his great offence "he has been cenfured to be restrained of his liberty, until fuch further proceeding shall be taken with him, as "shall seem good unto us, in such a case as this is, and by impunity may prove to be. You shall hereby un"derstand, that his Majefty hath made choice of you for the present to receive him in your cuftody. Wherefore, "in his Majesty's name and authority, we require you forthwith to receive him accordingly to remain at your "house at Paul's, not suffering any to have access to him, until his Majefty's further pleasure herein to you be “fignified.—It is alfo thought convenient, that yourself do at all convenient times confer with him on fuch "points as you shall find him differing from the Church established, for his better fatisfaction and conformity, "wherein by your good endeavours you may deserve well of his Majefty, and us," &c. &c.

The above warrant, dated Nov. 30, 1606, is addreffed to the Dean of St. Paul's, Dr. John Overhal, afterward Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry.

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