[1599/7/16]¹

Legislation: private act

Act in favour of the college of St Andrews

The king's majesty, his nobility, council and estates presently convened ratify, approve and confirm the acts and ordinances under-specified established by his majesty, with advice of the whole visitors of the university of St Andrews, upon 17 July the year of God 1597 and 5 July the year of God 1599 respectively for the better recall and order to be observed in time coming within every college of the said university: In the first, that there shall be in time coming a council of that university chosen by his majesty to have the care and oversight of the affairs thereof, which shall have power to have the stewardship in every college, with the consent of the masters thereof, together with an advocate, an agent and a writer for the whole university, appoint them their fees, prescribe to the steward and other public officers their duties and take caution of them for their upright administration; that the most part of the council nominated shall subscribe whatsoever tacks or other dispositions of any rents pertaining to the colleges with the masters in token of their consent, otherwise to be null. The act of parliament to be observed precisely in time coming by the whole masters and other founded persons except in such particular points as his majesty, with the said council, shall dispense with, that no actions regarding the rents pertaining to colleges shall be pursued hereafter but in the stewards' names. The council, with the assistance of the ordinary electors, to choose a fourth master for the new college for completing of the course of theology, and a stipend to be provided to him of the college rents, without prejudice always of the fees of the present masters according to their present possession. That there shall be a dean of faculty of theology as well as as of philosophy, to be alterable from year to year and elected in all time coming upon 3 March yearly by the actual doctors professing theology within the university, ministers resident within the said city and the principal masters of the colleges thereof, and shall have the same privilege and jurisdiction upon the students and professors of theology as the said deans of philosophy have by the foundation upon the professors of philosophy. And that hereafter such as shall be graduated in the said faculty of theology shall have likewise vote in the said election of the dean of that profession, providing that none admitted to the office be reiterated dean of faculty except after the space of three years. For the better order to be observed in time coming in the whole colleges, that all doctors and regents not being pastors in the kirk professing either philosophy or theology and astricted in daily teaching and examination of the youth shall be in all time coming freed from all employment upon sessions, presbyteries general or synodal assemblies and from all teaching in kirks and congregations, except in exercises and censuring of doctrine in exercises only; discharging them and every one of them to accept any such commission upon them prejudicial to this present exemption under the pain of deprivation and further under the pain of rebellion at the conservator's instance, the one execution not to prejudice the other. That notwithstanding hereof, there shall be yearly three commissioners nominated by the actual teachers of the university, of the which three so nominated, the council foresaid shall elect one to be present at the general assembly for that year; and that the person chosen shall not be reiterated for the space of three years thereafter. That there be yearly examinations in the college of theology as is usual in other faculties, which shall begin yearly upon 15 December, keeping likewise solemnity as is observed in other professions by division of the students in classes and degrees and the three masters present completing the course of theology to them in four years, teaching every one of them in manner following, that is to say:²

The first year the entrants shall be taught by Master Patrick Melville the holy language with the practice thereof in some of the poetical books, and by Master John Johnston a fourth part of the New Testament, and by Master Andrew Melville a fourth part of the common places, namely: concerning God the creator. The second year they shall be taught by Master Andrew Melville another fourth part of the common places, namely: concerning God the redeemer, together with the third part of the history of the Old Testament, and by Master John Johnston another fourth part of the New Testament, and by Master Patrick Melville a third part of the Prophets, with the two books of Solomon. The third year of the course they shall be taught by Master Andrew Melville another fourth part of the common places, namely: concerning God the sanctifier, together with another third part of the history of the Bible, and by Master John Johnston another fourth part of the New Testament, and by Master Patrick Melville another third part of the prophets. The last year they shall be taught by Master Andrew Melville the last fourth part of the common places, the way of the church, together with the last third part of the history of the Old Testament, and by Master John Johnston the last fourth part of the New Testament, and by Master Patrick Melville the last third part of the Prophets, so that Master Andrew Melville shall have for his auditors of the common places yearly the whole scholars and for the auditors of the historical books the scholars that have part their first year. Master John Johnston shall have for his auditors of the New Testament yearly the whole scholars, and Master Patrick Melville for his auditors of the languages the entrants yearly and for his auditors of the prophetical books such as have part the first year. The rector, the vice chancellor, the dean of faculty of theology and the principal masters of the remaining two colleges shall be the ordinary examiners yearly of every class of theology. That no rector shall be reiterated in time coming but after the space of three years. That every suppost of the university being past, master may be made rector; so being, he will keep residence within the university during his office for the most part.