take the benefit of his prelections. Having no assistant, Mr Rollock joined
nil his students at first into one class, which, from the want of preparation on
the part of the students, rendered his labours at first of little utility. All the
books used, all the lectures delivered, and the whole business of the class was
transacted in Latin, without some competent knowledge of which, the student
could not possibly make any progress. From a defective knowledge in this respect among the students, Mr Rollock was soon under the necessity of dividing
his class into two, with one of which he found it the most profitable mode of
proceeding to begin them anew in tho rudimental parts of humanity. At the
recommendation of Mr Rollock, however, the patrons of the college elected a
young man of the name of Duncan Nairn, a second master of the college, who
undertook the charge of this first class in the month of November, 1583. Mr
Nairn, who was the second professor in the college of Edinburgh, taught his
class Latin the first year, Greek the second, there being properly no humanity
professor in the university till a number of years after this. The emoluments
of office in the new university must have been very moderate, for the students
paid no fees, and any funds which had yet been provided were altogether
trifling. The town council, however, seem to have been careful of the comfort
of the new professors, as they allowed Mr Rollock on the 17th of September, 1583, twenty pounds Scots for his expenses in coming from St Andrews to Edinburgh at the commencement of his regency, and on the 25th
of the succeeding month of October, thirty pounds Scots for his services.
They also, in the month of November, ordered Robert Rollock, first regent,
and Duncan Nairn second, twenty pounds Scots each for boarding till Candlemas, and in the succeeding year a committee was appointed to confer with the former " anent taking up house." It no doubt required all the patronage the
city of Edinburgh could bestow, and all the exertions of Rollock and his associate to carry on the seminary successfully with so little means, and in an ago of so much ignorance and poverty. Circumstances, too, were greatly against it.
la the year 1585, the plague made its appearance in Edinburgh on the fourth day of May, and raged till the succeeding month of January, during which time the city was deserted by all who had the means of leaving it. The university was thus wholly deserted at a time when the students were in the very middle of their course, a circumstance which, considering that it was but the third year of the establishment, must have been highly prejudicial to its interests. The professors, however, returned about the middle of January, and the students, by an order of council, were ordered to be in their places upon the
3d of February. In this same year the national covenant, or confession of faith, was introduced into the college, and tendered to every student. Mr Rollock was also created principal, though he still continued to teach his class. His associate, Duncan Nairn, died the succeeding year, and the council having resolved to have three classes taught, Messrs Adam Colt and Alexander Scrimger were elected in his place.
Mr Rollock continued to teach his private class till the first laureation, which was public, and attended by all the nobility in town. The number graduated, and who of course signed the covenant, was forty eight. As soon as this ceremony was concluded, Mr Rollock resigned his regency, retaining the principalship, to which was now annexed the professorship of theology, for which, and preaching regularly on the Sabbath, he was allowed four hundred merks yearly. It was the practice of Mr Rollock to pray in public with the students every morning, and on one day of the week to explain to them some passage of Scripture, which he never failed to conclude with most pertinent and practical exhortations. With the more advanced students he was particularly careful
