Standard by which we must judge of his Country, I humbly conceive, that Halywood is better than Haligwalde, efpecially fince it is from the French, from whom we have a great many of our Names.

Radulph Strode () is made an English Man, for no other Reason, but because be ftudy'd at Merton College, in Oxford. And this is all that I have to fay in Vindication of what I have written in the First Volume of this Work, having met with no confiderable Objections, either as to my Defign, Method or Undertaking. Only that, by a Miftake in the printing, the Union of the Two Houles of York and Lancafter, is faid to be in the Per fon of John of Gaunt inflead of Henry VII.

In this Second Volume, amongst the vaft Varieties of Subjects that my Authors have written upon, I have only infifted upon those which I thought the moft agreeable and inftructive, always illuftrating and explaining from others, that have written upon the fame Subjects, what I thought was wanting, accor ding to the Method I had obferved in the First Volume; but still bunning to treat of any Thing that I had formerly spoke to: My great Defign being not only to collect the Lives of our Learned Men, but likewife to make my Book as useful as I could to those who have encouraged my Undertaking by their Subfcriptions. Thus, in the Lives of Bishop Elphiniton and Bishop Lefly, who bave both of them written the Hiftory of our Country to their own Times, I bave, from them and our other Hittorians, fuch as Forden, the MS. of Icolmkill, Hector Boris, Joannes Major, Ballenden, Andrew Winton, Hawthornden, Lindlay of Pitfcotty, Buchanan, Spotfwood, and several other MS. Collections, Chartularies and Charters, I had Occafion to fee; as likewife from the beft English Historians, fuch as Rawleigh, Daniel, Speed, Holinfhed, Hall, Tyrell, Echard, Baker, Bacon, Goodwin, Drake, &c. Ifay, I have from them given an Abridgment of our Hiftory, from the First Rife of our Nation to the Death of King James V. which, God willing, in the Third and Laft Volume, fhall be continued till the Union of the Two. Kingdoms. But here I would not be understood as if I defign'd a Hiftory of my own; No, that is none of my Province, but to give a brief View of what our Hiftorians have faid of our Tranfactions, as being only answerable to my Defign. And 'tis very obvious to any unbyass'd Reader, that all Parties mif reprefent Facts in fuch a Manner, efpecially where there is a National or Religious Concern, that it is an infinite Trouble to fift out the Truth, each Side difplaying what is moft to their Advantage; or diffembling, or but faintly reprefenting, what is not in their Favours. And, How is't poffible to feparate Truth from Falfhood under fo many fraudulent Difguifes? Befides, How difficult and laborious a Task is it, to know the true Age of MSS. Charters, Titles of Writs, Seals, Subfcriptions, Dates, Witneffes, &c. and diftinguifb them from Counter fits? And to illuftrate this, nothing can be more appofite than the Controverfy which happened between Two of the learnedest Antiquaries of this Age, F. Mabillion, a Benedictine Monk, and F. Germon, a Jefuite. Father Mabillion published, in 1681, at Paris, a large Volume in Folio, under the following Title, De Re Diplomaticâ, Lib. 6. in quibus quicquid ad veterum inftrumentorum antiquitatem, materiam, fcripturam & ftylum, quicquid ad figilla, monogrammata, fubfcriptiones ac notas chronologicas; quicquid ad antiquam hiftoricam, forenfemque difciplinam pertinet, explicatur & illuftratur. Accedit Commentarius

(e) Tom. 2. p. 336.

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de antiquis Regum Francie Palatiis, veterum fcripturarum varia fpeciminina, Tab. LX. comprehenfa; nova ducentorum amplius monumentorum Collectio. This Work was lookt upon, by all the Learned Men of Europe, and defervedy too, as a Mafter-piece inits Kind, and as containing the Principles and Rules of an Art, that we had but hitherto very confufed Ideas of. And it was noways doubted but that now all might eafily judge, bow to diftinguish true from counterfit Writs; and that the World would be no more impofed upon by Cheats of this Nature. When bebold, Father Germon, at the fame Place, in 1703, publishes his Book, De veteribus Regum Francorum diplomatibus, & arte fecernendi antiqua diplomata vera a falfis, Difceptatio ad R. P. D. Joannem Mabillionem, Monachum Benedictinum, Auctore P. Bartholomeo Germon, Societ. Jefu, Presbytero. Parifiis 1703, in 12mo. wherein be vigorously attacks Father Mabillion. Now this Learned Benedictin, to esta. blish fure Rules for diftinguishing the falfe Titles of Writs from true ones, cau fed engrave a great Number of thefe Titles, which he affirmed to have been written in the Times of the French Kings of the Firft and Second Race; and Jays, That by examining attentively the Form of the Writing, the Style, Date, Subfcriptions, Seals, the Egyptian Paper, the Bark, and all the other Characters of thefe true Titles, we are to judge of others; and, if they have all the Marks of thefe, they ought to be looked upon as unquestionable. And if they want any of them they ought to be rejected, or at least looked upon as fufpected. Father Germon, on the contrary, Jays, That Father Mabillion fuppofes that which is in Question. For the Matter being to give Rules for diftinguishing true Titles from thofe that are falfe or uncertain, he ought firft to have proven the Truth of those, upon which he has formed his Rules; because, if these Titles can be reasonably fufpected to be forged, it follows that the Rules which are formed upon thete Writs become useless, and only serve to increase our Miftakes. So that the Question is, If the Titles produced by F. Mabillion can reasonably be thought fuppofititious or forged? And this Father Germon thinks he has fufficient Proofs for. And because they may be eafily applied in Vindication of our Hiftorians, I ball make Mention of a fer of them here. And Firft, Jays be, it is hard to be believed, that these Pieces that are fuppofed to be written under the Reigns of the Kings of the First and Second Race, fhould ftill be remaining intire to our Days. They were written upon Egyptian Paper, upon Barks or Skins, all of them Subjects very liable to Corruption. By this Rule me may judge hom little Reafon the Irish Antiquaries bave to value themselves upon their Records, which they would make the World believe are still extant and much older than thefe. Moreover, the Places where thefe Writs were depofitate were not very well guarded, being frequently pillaged, burnt and deftroyed, as we learn from the Hiftory of the Benedictin Monafteries. Upon this Rule our Antiquaries have for a long Time infifted in vindicating our Hiftorians, no. Nation having had their Records more embazled, their Religious Houfes and other Places where they were kept oftner burnt, pillog'd and deftroyed than ours have been, by the frequent Incurfions and Devaftations of our powerful Neighbours. Father Mabillon acknowledges, That at all Times and in all Ages, there have been Writs forg'd; and he brings us feveral Reafons for it, in fupporting the Intereft of Parties and Pretenfions of Sovereigns; that they knew fo well how to counter fit the Seals, Signatures, Dates, Witneffes, &c. that there have been Writs undeniably falfe amongst the fame

and

Archives,

Archives, from whence those, which have been produced as true Ones, have been taken, that it was almoft impoffible to diftinguish them. Of mich he gives feveral Inftances, and we have feen, in this and the preceeding Age, Wits of the fame Nature, from the Archives of the Tower of London, which have been proven unquestionably forged in relation to our Affairs. And lastly, I be only Records that cannot be fufpected, are those which have not fallen into the Hands of any that could be tempted to vitiate them. And upon this Rule, we may fafely correct our Hiftories, as to the Chronology, Dates of Places, Names of Perfons, and other Circumftances of Story, from our Charters, Chartularies, Obituaries, Treaties of Peace, Contracts of Marriage, &c. agreed to and owned by all Parties concerned. But befides all this, there is the different Hands of Writ in each Age, the Characters of the Letters, the Style, and a great many other Things to be confidered which are to be found in that never too much to be commended Book of F. Mabillion's. What relates further to this Difpute is foreign to my Purpose: Neuber do I defin by this to put the leaft Disrespect either upon our own, or our Neighbour Hiftorians; but, on the contrary, to show how much they ought to be valued for their Performances in a Matter of fo great Difficulty, and that I am firmly of the Opinion of a Modern Critic (ƒ), That we fhall never see a compleat Hiftory published but in that Year in which the Philofopher's Stone is found out.

In the Lives of Nicolaus Hepburn, of the Order of S. Francis; Mr. Patrick Hamilton, Abbot of Ferm; Alexander Aleffe, Profeffor of Theology at Lypfic; Robert Wauchop, Arch-Bibop of Armagh; John Frazer, of the Order of S. Francis; there is an Account of the First Rife of the Reformation, amongst the Brethren of Bohemia; The Proceedings of the Council of Conftance against John Hufs and Jerome of Prague; hom it was carried on in Germany, by Luther, Zuinglius, OEcolampadius, Melanchton, and the other Reformers. Likewife, the Proceedings of the Council of Trent; The Hiftory of the Pragmatick Sanction; and how the Reformation begun and advanced in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland, France, England and Switzerland; with all the different Opinions of the Reformers, taken from their own Writings.

In the Life of George Wauchop, Professor of the Civil Law at Caen in Normandy, there is an Account of all the Ancient Customs amongst the Romans, their Government, Civil and Military. The First Rife and Progress of the Civil Law; likewise the Firft Occafion of a great many particular Laws, and a Number of other Incidents, abfolutely neceffary to be known, for understanding the Roman Hiftorians and Claffic Authors.

In the Life of Alexander Barkley D. D. there is an Account of the Jugurthine War and the Life of S. George, Patron of England. In the Life of John Major, there is an Account of the Hebrew Goipel of S. Matthew, and in what it differs from the prefent; likewife of all the other Gospels forged by the Heretics in the Primitive Times. An Account of the Diftinction betwixt the Civil and Ecclefiaftic Power, and the different Obligations we owe to them. The various Opinions of the Learned concerning the Situation of Paradife; wherein several difficult Paffages of the Sacred Scriptures are explained, and a great many Things concerning the Geography of the Holy Land.

(f) M. Le Moyn's Reflect. on Hift.

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In the Life of Hector Boeis there is a Geographical Defcription of the Nation; in which I doubt not but that there are a great many Efcapes and Mi flakes, we never having had any tolerable Defcription of it as yet. But in this I have followed the best we have to wit, Major, Boeis, Lefly, Buchanan, Cambden, and Mr. Martin bis Defcription of the Ifles. In the Life of George Dundafs, there is the Hiftory of the Knights of S. John of Jerufa lem. In the Life of Mr. John Schevez, Official of S. Andrew's, there is the Hiftory of the Rife and Progrefs of the Canon Law, with that of the Inquifition. In the Life of Doctor Robert Turner there is an Account of the Famous Jefuite, Edmond Campian. In the Life of Dowgal Mackenzie, Profeffor of Philofophy, there is an Account of the Sybils and their Oracles, together with the Ceremonies used by the Heathens in confulting them, and the ftrange Agitations of their Priefts, fo perfectly imitated by our new Sect of Enthufiafts, called the Prophets. In the Life of John Bal lenden, there is an Account of Pithagoras, and his Noble Difcoveries in Geometry and Aftronomy. In the Life of John Wadlock, there is an Ac-> count of the Kife and Progrefs of Judicial Aftrology, with an Account of the Famous Apollonius Tyaneus; the various Methods taken by the Ancients and Moderns in the Menfuration of the Earth; And fome curious Obfervations concerning the Heighths of Mountains and the Depth of the Sea. And Lastly, in the Lives of Gawin Douglass, Bishop of Dunkeld; Henry Scrimzeour, Profeffor of the Civil Law at Geneva; and Adrian Turnbull, Profor of Philofophy at Paris; there is an Account of the Lives and Actions of a great Number of the Ancient Philofophers and Poets, fuch as Virgil, Horace, Athenæus, Strabo, Plutarch, Phornuthus, Palæphatus, Diogenes Laertius, Cicero, Caius Plinius Secundus, Ariftotle, Theophraftus, Philo Judæus, Demetrius Pepagomenes, Arian and Oppian; and these are the principal Subjects upon which the Authors in this Volume have

written.

After that I had printed off the Lives of Arch-Bibop Wauchop and Joannes Major, I bad fome Memoirs fent me, concerning them, from the Regifter of the University of Paris; which I fball bere fet down, to compleat what I bave faid of thefe Two Great Ornaments of our Nation. But, before I fpeak of them, it will not be amifs to give the Reader a brief Hiftory of the Scots College at Paris, in which, not only they, but many others, whom I have al ready mention'd and am to mention, had their Education, to the great Honour of our Nation; and this I fhall do from Authentic Documents tranfmitted to me from a Learned and Worthy Member of that University.

During the Reign of Robert the Bruce, David Murray Bishop of Murray, defcended from the Murrays of the House of Duffus, bought up fome Lands, in a Village call'd Grify in the Diocefe of Paris, in order to make a Foundation in that Univerfity for Scots Students of his own Diocefs; whereof the.. Charter does yet remain, dated at Paris, in February 1325 Stylo veteri, and 1326 Stylo novo. This Learned Prelate took, for fettling of this Foundation, the favourable Opportunity of Thomas Randulph, Earl of Murray, bis being fent over, by King Robert Bruce, Ambaffador to Charles le Bel King of France, for renewing the League betwixt France and Scotland; which was done about the fame Time, as appears by the King of France's Charter of Confederacy given at Courbency, in April 1326. And, in Auguft following, the Jame King granted his Royal Patent for establish

;

ing of this Foundation; and that gratis, without paying the ufual Dues of Amortiffement, out of Favour to the Scots Nation, and in Confideration, as it appears, of the Love and Favour be bore to the Earl of Murray. This Patent is fill extant, dated at Ipres, in Auguft 1326; but the worthy Prelate happening to die whilst this was adoing, the Foundation bad not subsisted, bad it not been for the Care and Diligence of his Succeffor, John Pilmore, who bappily finished what his Predeceffor had begun, as is evident from another Original in the Tear 1333. This Eftablishment fubfifted in the University of Paris, by the Name of the Scots Foundation, or College of Grify, du ring the following Ages till the Reformation, and was always adminiftrated by the Authority of the Bishops of Murray; who, in Quality of Founders and Patrons thereof, prefented to the Houses and fettled Directors or Superi ors: There are remaining as yet feveral of their Ancient Patents with their Seals appended. And about this Time of the Reformation it was, that these Two Great Men, Joannes Major and Arch-Bishop Wauchop lived. The exact Chronology of whofe Lives from the Register of the University of Paris, as I have faid, is as follows.

John Major was born, in the Year 1469, at a little Village call'd Gleghorn, near the Mouth of the River Tinn, in the Parish of Northberwick and Conftabulary of Haddington; and by this laft Place, as best known,be designs bim Self commonly. He came to Paris, in the Tear 1493, where be commenced Mafter of Arts, in 1496. Mr. John Harvy a Scots Man and Burfer, or Fellow of the Scots College, being then Rector of the University of Paris, be paft thro' all the Honourable Places of the Faculty of Arts; being firft Procurator and then Queftor; and defigns himself thus in the Re gifter, M. Joannes Mair Glegernocenfis Diocefis S. Andrea. He was made Doctor of Divinity in 1505. In 1517 and 1518, he wrote his Hil ftory at Paris, and then immediately departed for Scotland; fo that it was printed in his Abfence in 1520. He remained in Scotland about Five Years, and taught Theology in the Univerfity of S. Andrew's. In the Tear 1526 be returned to Paris, where he remained conftantly till 1530; in which be went back again to Scotland, and taught Theology at S. Andrew's, till be came to a great Age: For in the Year 1547, at the National Council of the Church of Scotland at Lithgow, be subscribed, by Proxy, in Quality of Dean of Theology of S. Andrew's, not being able to come himself by reason of bis Age, which was then 78, and shortly after he died. And here I cannot omit to obferve, That bis Hiftory being printed in his Abfence, 'tis no wonder there are fo many Mistakes in it; and, among ft Faults of this Kind, that of his making but Fifteen Kings, betwixt Fergus I. and Fergus II. (whereas all our other Hiftorians make Fourty Nine) is evidently a Fault in the Copiift, or Printer, who has read a 1 for a 4 Figure and 5 for a 9. and printed the Mistake in Letters at length. For, by his whole Hiftory, and that Paffage in particu lar, that he had read either Fordon or an Abridgment of him, is evident.

Robert Wauchop of Nidrie, Marifchal, was made Mafter of Arts in the Univerfity of Paris, in 1519. Principal of the College of Mans, in 1524. Regent of Philofophy, in February 1525, for the First Course. Again for the Second Courfe, with Hector Boeis, in September 1526. Vifitator, in 1526. Procurator Eight Times in feveral Tears, and a Ninth Time in a Contest betwixt Mr. George Buchanan and another Mafter, for that Place, in May 1528. Procurator again in 1531. For a long Time Dean of the Scots Nation, and Doctor of Theology, in 1532.

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