tained to the age of majority; and Buchanan might only embrace a favourable opportunity of revisiting his relations and friends. Their connection however did not immediately dissolve. While he was residing at the earl's seat in the country, he composed a little poem which rendered him extremely obnoxious to the ecclesiastics, an order of men whom it is generally hazardous to provoke. In this poem, which bears the title of Somnium, and is a happy imitation of Dunbar,' he expresses his own abhorrence of a monastic life, and stigmatizes the impudence and hypocrisy of the Franciscan friars. The holy ish College. Buchanan relates that in the former seminary he taught about three years, and at the expiration of that term, was engaged by Lord Cassilis. In the dedication of his version of Linacre, published in 1533, he remarks that he had been employed in superintending that nobleman's studies during the preceding year. From a comparison of these dates, it is obvious that he was admitted as a regent or professor in 1529, and resigned his office in 1532. The biographical narrative proceeds thus: "Interea cum Gilbertus Cassilissæ comes, adolescens nobilis, in ea vicinia diversaretur, atque ingenio et consuetudine ejus oblectaretur, eum quinquennium secum retinuit, atque in Scotiam una reduxit. Inde cum in Galliam ad pristina studia redire cogitaret, a rege est retentus." Lord Cassilis retained him as his domestic tutor from 1532 till 1537, and having then completed the course of his studies, carried him to Scotland. Buchanan does not aver that their former relation still subsisted. Towards the close of the year 1536, King James found the earl of Cassilis residing in France. (Leslæus De Rebus Gestis Scotorum, p. 421.) He returned to Scotland in the ensuing May, and was most probably accompanied by that young nobleman and his preceptor. This supposition will readily account for Buchanan's subsequent connection with the court. Compare Buchanan's Somnium (Frat. Frater. xxxiv.) with the poem entitled "How Dunbar wes desyred to be ane Frier;" which occurs in Lord Hailes's Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 25. Edinb. 1770, 12mo. fathers, when they became acquainted with this specimen of his sarcastic wit, speedily forgot their professions of meekness, and resolved to convince him of his heterodox presumption in disparaging the sacred institutions of the church. It has repeatedly been alleged that Buchanan had himself belonged to a religious order which he has so frequently exposed with the most admirable powers of ridicule ; but this seems to have been a tale fabricated by the impotent malice of his theological enemies. That he had actually assumed the cowl, has never been affirmed by any early writer sufficiently acquainted with his history it is not however improbable that during the convenient season of his youthful misfortunes, the friars were anxious to allure so promising a novice; and this suggestion is even countenanced by a passage in one of his poetical productions.a It was a circumstance extremely for Z "Georgius Buchananus Minorita excucullatus, Bacchicus bistrio, et atheus poeta, inquit Gilbertus Genebrardus Chronologia ad annum M.D.LXXII. De religione enim Catholica pessime est meritus, et ideo contumeliosas voces facile viro religioso dono, cui majoris fuit momenti pietas quam eruditio." (Dempsteri Hist. Ecclesiast. Gentis Scotorum, p. 108. Bononiæ, 1627, 4to.) Vir religiosus must be translated, a man who wore a certain habit; for such impudent defamation exhibits a curious proof of his religion. The same passage is quoted with seeming approbation by Spondanus, Annalium Baronii Continuatio, tom. ii, p. 456. a Ergo cave ne te falso sub nomine mendax olim BUCHANANI Franciscanus, p. 2. B tunate that he never surrendered his understanding to the tyrannical control of any ecclesiastical corporation, but left his bold and vigorous faculties to speculate with the freedom of a philosopher, and with the sincerity of a Christian. The earl of Cassilis seems to have reflected no discredit on his preceptor. When he afterwards mingled in the political transactions of those turbulent times, he distinguished himself by his sagacity, his firmness, and his integrity but his country did not long reap the benefit of his services; and Buchanan lived to record his virtues and his premature death. The father had been assassinated in Scotland, and the son was poisoned in France. In the year 1558 he was associated in a splendid embassy to the French court; but after they had concluded their mission, the earl of Cassilis and three of his colleagues, together with several of their retinue, were suddenly arrested by one common destiny. Buchanan had determined to resume his former occupations in France; but King James, the fifth of that name, retained him in the capacity of preceptor to one of his natural sons. This son was not, as has generally been supposed, the celebrated James Stewart who afterwards obtained the regency, but another who bore the same baptismal name. His mother was Elizabeth Shaw, of the b Buchanani Hist. p. 268, 283, 306, 310. c Buchanani Hist. p. 268. Epigram. lib. ii, 9. Man's Censure of Ruddiman, P. 349. family of Sauchie; and he died in the year 1548 It was perhaps in the year 1537 that Buchanan entered upon his new charge; for in the course of that year, the king made an arrangement with respect to his four sons. The abbacies of Melrose and Kelso were secured in the name of Bu chanan's pupil, who was the eldest. What lettered society he now enjoyed in his native country, can only be gleaned from his poems. Notwithstanding the complexion of his religious sentiments, he was admitted to the hospitable and elegant table of Gavin Dunbar, archbishop of Glasgow; who probably was not aware that his inviting Buchanan to a banquet would contribute more to the perpetuation of his fame, than all the ecclesiastical and civil honours to which he attained. The poet has recorded his gratification in glowing terms. Præsulis accubui postquam conviva Gavini, Dîs non invideo nectar et ambrosiam. Cœtus erat Musis numero par, nec sibi dispar Leslaus de Rebus Gestis Scotorum, p. 425. Nec licet in servi dominus descenderit artus, A magis in mediam venerit aula scholam. Dum mihi concedas præulis ore frui.f In his history, Buchanan commemorates this prelate as a learned and worthy man. He had been preceptor to James the fifth; obtained the archbishopric in 1522;5 and in 1527 was nominated chancellor." Sir Adam Otterburn, a poet, a lawyer, and a statesman, also occurs in the list of his friends. He appears to have been a man of considerable influence in the Scotish court: he was a member of the privy council and king's advocate ;* and he frequently visited England in a diplomatic capacity. Buchanan has addressed him in one of his epigrams, and another of them is professedly transformed from Otterburn's hexameters.1 Of his poetical works, however, not a f Buchanani Epigram. lib. i, 43. 8 Leslæus de Rebus Gestis Scotorum, p. 381. h Buchanani Rerum Scotic. Hist. p. 270. i Rymer, tom xiii, p. 736, 739, 744. k Rymer, tom xiv, p. 91, 113, 481.-The name of Otterburn occurs in almost every Scotish commission dated within a considerable period. His earliest appellation is Adam Otterburn of Auldham; but he is afterwards styled Sir Adam Otterburn of Reidhall. Some original letters of Otterburn and of Archbishop Dunbar are preserved among the Cotton MSS. A copy of a letter from Dr. Thomas Magnus to the former, occurs in Calig. B. vii, 121. 1 Buchanani Epigram, lib. ii, 15, 16. |