Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 05.djvu/306

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Boece
298
Boece

versity for theology, canon and civil law, medicine and the liberal arts, and any other lawful faculty, to be there studied and taught by ecclesiastical and lay masters and doctors in the same manner as in Paris and Bologna, and for conferring on deserving persons the degrees of bachelor, licentiate, doctor, and all other degrees. The office of chancellor was conferred by the bull on the bishop and his successors. The graduates were given liberty to teach without further examination, and statutes were to be framed by the chancellor, rector, resident doctors, with a competent number of licentiates in each faculty, and circumspect students, alone with two, at least, of the king's council. The next ten years were occupied by Elphinstone, with the advice of Boece, in preliminary arrangements, and in obtaining endowments. In 1605 Elphinstone, aided by the king, the canons of his cathedral — especially Scherar, prebendary of Clatt — and others, was able to carry out his design by the foundation of the collegiate church dedicated to St. Mary in the Nativity within the university, known later as King's College. The foundation was to consist of thirty-six persons in all, which did not, of course, preclude the participation of other persons in the studies besides the foundationers. Of these four were entitled to be doctors in the respective faculties of theology, canon law, civil law, and medicine. The doctors, along with two masters in the faculty of arts, were to be the regents, or rulers, as well as teachers. Besides the doctors there were to be five masters of arts prosecuting their studies for a theological degree, thirteen poor scholars studying for a degree in arts, eight chaplains and four choristers. To the doctor in theology who was also to be principal a salary of forty merks was assigned. For each of the doctors in canon and civil law thirty, and for the doctor of medicine twenty merks were deemed sufficient, and the same sum was allowed to one of the masters of arts who was to be sub-principal; another of the masters who was to teach grammar had the prebend of the church of St. Mary ad Nives; twelve of the poor scholars had twelve merks apiece, and the thirteenth 5l. from Scherar's endowment. Other provisions were made for the masters studying theology, the chaplains, and the choristers. All the members of the college had rooms provided for them within the college except the canonist, mediciner, the master of arts who taught grammar, and the sub-principal, who had rooms without the college. The principal and students of theology, after becoming bachelors, were to read theology every reading-day, and to preach six times a year to the people, and, before becoming bachelors, every Lord's day and holiday in Latin to the students. The regents in arts were to instruct in the liberal sciences like those in Paris; the canonist, civilian, and mediciner after the manner of that university and Orleans.

Dr. Johnson, disciplined in the school of poverty, but of English poverty, smiled at the emoluments of Boece, which he estimates at 2l. 4s. 6d. of sterling money. 'In the present age of trade and taxes it is difficult even for the imagination so to raise the value of money, or so to diminish the demands of life, as to suppose four and forty shillings a year an honourable stipend; yet it was probably equal not only to the needs, but to the rank of Boethius.' Scotch writers anxious to defend their country from the imputation of poverty have rejoined that forty merks was, having regard to the comparative cost of living then, equivalent to 26l. 13s, 4d. sterling, but it is difficult to estimate the purchasing power of money in a particular age and country. The salaries of King's College were certainly on a moderate scale, and in this respect the example of the college of Montaigu was not forgotten. Want of wealth did not diminish the zeal for learning of Boece and his coadjutors. He summoned to his aid William Hay, his schoolfellow at Dundee, and fellow-student in Paris, who became sub-principal, and succeeded to the principalship after Boece's death. He was received kindly by the canons, who at Aberdeen, as well as in other cathedral cities, had already done something to supply the want of a university by lecturing on theology, law, and arts. Two continued to teach in the university Alexander Hay (who had been master of the grammar school), and James Ogilvy, as professors of civil law. Boece's brother Arthur also taught law; Alexander Galloway, rector of Kinkell, the man-of-business of Bishop Elphinstone, was lecturer on the canon law; John Adams, afterwards the head of the Friars Preachers, was professor of theology; Henry Spittal, a kinsman of Elphinstone, taught philosophy; and John Vaus, a pupil of the Aberdeen School, Latin grammar, the first of the long race of Scottish grammarians. In the science and art of healing, besides Gray the mediciner, Boece himself had some proficiency, and we hear of his being consulted by Robert Chrystal, abbot of Kimos, on his deathbed, when he made the acquaintance of John Ferrerius, a monk of that foundation, who afterwards wrote a short addition to his history. History was not specially taught, for it did not enter into the medieval curriculum; but no more assiduous collector of its materials could be found in Scotland than