is known of him; yet it can never be said we are altogether unacquainted with one who has written and printed books. optimis literis, amoenissimo ingenio, suavissimis moribus singulari probitate, gravitate, fide atque constantia præditum. The next work which we know of Vaus is," Rudimenta puerorum in artem grammaticam, per Joannem Vaus Scotum." The first edition is not known. The second gives no introduction nor personal notice of its author. It is a small quarto, not paged, with signatures, double letters, A—H, all of eight leaves, except G and H, which have each only six. A fine colophon of the Ascensian press gives, Hæc rudimenta Grammatices impressa sunt rursus prelo Iodoci Badii Ascensii Scoticæ linguæ imperiti: proinde si quid in ea erratum est, minus est mirandum. Finem autem acceperunt viii Calend. Novvemb. 1531. This is a good specimen of early printing, especially the part in black letter, and beyond measure valuable to a Scotchman studious of the early language of his country, a great part of the book being in Scotch, though devoted only to Latin Grammar. Indicativo modo is translated "schauand mode," Optativo modo, "yarnand mode." In the chapter de verbo we find-" The imperative mode, it biddis or exhortis, as ama, lwf thow amemus, lwf we. The optative mode it yairnes or desiris, as vtinam amarem. The coniunctiue mode it spekis of dowt, as cum amem, quhen i lwf." The chapter de constructione oratoria ends thus; "Bot yit of ane thing vill ye be aduertit, that rewlis of oratre ar changeable eftyr the iugment of weill imbutit eiris, for nay thing is mair delectable in eloquens thane variete, and craiftius spekyne without greit apperans of the sammyn, for les offendis the eir (at the leist in our quotidiane spekyne) facile fluand congruite thane thrawine effekkit eloquens apperand ouyr crafty." Another edition of the "Rudimenta," with many changes and a different concluding chapter, has the title Rudimenta artis grammatica per io. vavs scotvm selecta et in duo diuisa . . . Parisiis ex officina Roberti Masselin, 1553. Vaus had been long dead, and at the end of this edition, is an address by Alexander Skene, congratulating Master Theophilus Stewart (the humanist) and the students at Aberdeen sub illius ferula militantibus, on the completion of the work which he had conducted. The book is of the same size with the former; the signatures A-E all eights, except G which has only five leaves, A-D all fours. At D ii are three pages of the "Statuta et leges ludi literarii Grammaticorum Aberdonensium" which have been printed in the Miscellany of the Spalding Club, vol. V., p. 399. The boys might not speak in the vernacular, but were indulged in "Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French, or Gaelic !" These several works or editions of Vaus in the library of King's College are at present bound up with a tract of Joannes Ferrerius, defending the poetry of Cicero, Paris, 1540. This last is dedicated to Bishop William Stewart in an epistle (dated at Kynlos, 4 Cal. December, 1534) which speaks of the University of Aberdeen as then of high reputation-celeberrimam apud Scotos hoc potissimum tempore (absit verbo invidia) Academiam. Ferrerius does not help us to new names, but his notice shows that the continental scholar esteemed the teachers of the new school, while he excited them to greater exertions. "Viros quos habes in ditione tua doctissimos et veteranos in re literaria milites, huc bene adigas, viz., ut scholas in tantum curent ne quid etiam apud Scotos in melioribus It is pleasant to mark the history of our University by the contemporary progress of the art which seems so essential to learning, that we cannot now easily conceive how education could go on without it. It was apparently by the influence of the founder of King's College that the first printing press was established in Scotland; and its first sustained effort was in giving to the world his "Breviary of Aberdeen." Twelve years later, two of the teachers were at press with works connected with the University-Boece with his Lives of the Bishops of Aberdeen, and John Vaus with his first Essay in Grammar. We have no means of ascertaining the success and popularity of the new school in its first age. The number of. its students must have been considerable, to have afforded such a list of distinguished scholars as Boece collected before 1522. We might suspect some partiality or compliment in the praises of the Parisians, who regarded Aberdeen as the daughter of their own University, but Ferrerius had no such motive, when in 1534 he spoke of Aberdeen as the most celebrated of the Scotch Universities at that time. literis desiderari possit amplius. Nec est quod vereare ne non sint hi qui tuis in hac parte votis respondere possint. Sunt enim multi quos probe (nisi mea me fallit opinatio) novi, qui ab eruditione multiplici, non Aberdoniis tantum sed et in præstantissima universi orbis academia principem locum meritissime ac preter omnem ambitionem retinere queant. Quid enim cum in cyclicis disciplinis omnibus, tum historiis Hectore illo Boethio eruditius simul et elegantius quid in sacrarum literarum mysteriis Gulielmo Haye expeditius et jucundius! ad sublevandas autem corporum ægrotationes, geographiæque peritiam, quid Roberto Gray doctore medico magis aptum atque blandum cogitari potest! In sacrorum vero canonum et pontificiarum legum The year 1541 was one of great honour to our University. In the summer of that year, James V. and his queen, after the death of the two infant princes, made a progress to the north, and were entertained by the Bishop of Aberdeen for fifteen days, being lodged apparently in the College buildings.' Bishop Leslie, who must have been present, informs us, that they were received there "with diverse triumphes and playes maid be the town, and be the university and sculis theirof, and remainit thair the space of fiftein dayes weill entertenit be the bishop; quhair ther was exercise and disputationes in all kind of sciences in the college and sculis, with diverse oratiouns maid in Greke, Latine, and uther languages, quhilk wes mickell commendit be the King and Quene and all thair company." These imperfect notices of the prosperity of the University bring us to the verge of that great revolution which after years of struggle and convulsion was consummated in 1560. It is not to be expected that, during the fierce contest, either the actors on the scene, or those who have recorded their acts, should bestow much attention on the seats where education was still doing her noiseless work. We know few of those who were teachers at Aberdeen before and at the era of the Reformation, but it would appear the members of the College, like the members of the Chapter of Aberdeen, were of that party more numerous than is supposed, who acknowledged, and would willingly have corrected, some Rex deinde ac plurima nobilitas Reginam ad Aberdonensem Academiam comitabantur' etc. What is in the text is from the Bishop's original Scotch, which he distilled into his Latin history, p. 159. The two differ slightly. In the Latin, among the entertainments, he particularises comedies in the theatre; controversiae ex omni artium genere deprompta; and speeches -orationes Græca Latinaque lingua summo artificio instructa.-Edit. 1575, p. 430. The comedia were no doubt some of the of the corruptions, especially in life and morals, which had crept into the Church, while they were not prepared to take the great leap of the Scotch Reformers. The University must have declined from the palmy time of its early teachers, when we are first authentically informed of its constitution as reduced to practice. In 1549, Alexander Galloway, Prebendary of Kynkell,' was Rector of the University for the fourth time, and has left a record of his Rectorial visitation, held in terms of the foundation, which shows us in part the working of the University, and the inner life of the College. There were no lay teachers in the University, and there were evidently very few educating in the College who were not on the foundation, and apparently none who were not preparing for the church, or the practice of the church courts. Bursars of Arts were not admissible unless "mere pauperes," and were all educated and maintained gratis. The teachers were negligent, perhaps from the smallness of their audience. If the Collegiate body was still efficient for the service of the Collegiate Church, its first intention, and for bringing up young churchmen to perform that service, it can have had little reach beyond. The College had sunk into a convent and conventual school; and the design of the University, and the great hopes of its founder and first teachers seemed about to be frustrated. As yet, there was no alarm felt for the storm which was so near. Although "the spread of heresy" had already drawn the attention of the cathedral chapter, the new opinions are not even alluded to 'The Rector of Kynkell was a distinguished friend both to the Cathedral and the University of Aberdeen. He flourished under four Bishops-the last four preceding the Reformation, and was very active in carrying Elphinstone's and Dunbar's plans into effect. He took a great interest in the build d ings of the College and the Bridge of Dee. It was by his care and expense that the transcripts of the more ancient Church records were formed, which are now preserved in the University Library, and which have been used for the Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis.'-(Ker's Donaides, p. 17.) in the proceedings of the visitors of the University in 1549, and whatever were the opinions of John Bisset the Principal, it appears that he was not disturbed on account of them. The masters of the University were first brought to question in the General Assembly of January, 1561, when Knox and the leading Reformers had a sort of disputation or wrangle with the Subprincipal and the Canonist of King's College, without much profit or honour to either party.' 66 'Knox's account of the scene, we have in his history. He tells us that, "in that assemblie was Maister Alexander Andersone, subprincipall of Abirdene, a man more subtill and craftye then ather learned or godlie, called, who refused to dispute in his fayth, abusing a place of Tertulliane to cloik his ignorance." He gives however, some passages of the colloquy, in which, he having grounded his opponent, the latter answered, "that he was better seane in philosophie then in theologie." Then," says Knox, I was commanded Maister Johne Leslie, (the Canonist of King's College, afterwards the well known Bishop of Ross) to ansuare to the formore argument: and he with grait gravitie begane to answer-'Yf our Maister have nothing to say to it, I have nothing; for I know nothing but the Canoun law, and the greatest reasone that ever I could fynd thair is Nolumus and Volumus."' (Knox, edit. 1848, II. p. 138.) Wodrow adds-" this, afterward came to be a by-name, whereby Mr. Lesly was known." (Biogr. Col., p. 25.) There is, of course, an opposite version, but that is not so curious as the difference we find between Leslie's original narrative written among the witnesses of the affair, and his version adapted to the taste of Rome. The narrative in the vernacular is very general:-"Thair was causit to compeir furth of the Universitie of Aberdene Mr. John Leslye, Official of Aberdene, Licentiat in boith the lawis, Mr. Alexander Andersone, principall of the college, professor of theologie, and sindrie utheris; quha compeirit befoir the lordis in the tollbuith at Edinburghe and being inquirit of the articles of doctryne be John Knox, John Willox, and Mr. Guidman, ministers, thair was very sharpe and hard disputacions amangst thame, speciallie concerninge the veritie of the body and bluid of Christ in the sacrament and sacrifice of the Messe. Bot nothing was concludit, for that every ane of them remainit constant in thair awin professione, and thairfore these clarkis of Aberdene war commandit to waird in Edinburgh a lang space thaireftir, and that thay shuld not preiche in ony wyis in tymes cumming." p. 293. The Latin translation gives more of circumstance and colour-" Inter alios itaque ex clero et academia Aberdonensi Edinburgum vocati sunt primarii aliquot viri, pietate ac eruditione insigniores, Johannes Leslaeus, jur. u. Doctor, primariusque ejusdem dicecesis judex, Officialis dictus, qui paulo postea suprema Curiæ Senator, Reginæque a consiliis, Episcopus Rossensis renunciatus est, Patricius Myrtomus Thesaurarius, Jacobus Straquhinius Canonicus, Alexander Andersonus gravissimus S. Theologiæ pro |