Notes on the Scot Collection in St Andrews University Library

By R. V. Pringle (revised July 2011)

1. An early humanity class library: the gift of Sir John Scot and friends to St Leonard's College (1620)
2. Annotated transcript of the subscription list begun under Scot's direction in the summer of 1620
3. A note on the so-called 'Commonplace Book of Sir John Scot' (St And. Univ. Lib.  MS. 4010)
4. 'A catologue of books belonging to the Profession of Humanity in St. Leon. Coll. receaved from Mr. Colin Vilant, 1697' (St And. Univ. Muniments  SL110.R16)

An early humanity class library: the gift of Sir John Scot and friends to St Leonard's College (1620)

This article is a revised and updated version of one first published in The Bibliotheck 7 (1974/75) pp. 33-54.

For a life of Sir John Scot of Scotstarvit (1585-1670) go to this Wikipedia article

The publication of T. G. Snoddy's full-scale biography 1 in 1968 brought welcome recognition to a man regarded as one of the most important figures in the cultural, academic and political life of seventeenth-century Scotland, and one whose generosity as a patron of learning and letters deserved to be better known.  Sir John Scot of Scotstarvit's encouragement of poets such as William Drummond and Arthur Johnston, his promotion and virtual editorship of the Delitiae poetarum Scotorum, 2 and his unstinting efforts to secure the publication by Blaeu of Scotland's first Atlas, 3 based on the maps of Timothy Pont, are now well attested;  perhaps less so his endowment in 1620 of a Chair of Humanity at his old college, St Leonard's in the University of St Andrews, and his imaginative gifts to the library of that College.

On the occasion of the 1620 endowment Scot presented nine works to the College on appropriately classical subjects, and persuaded over fifty friends (including Drummond, his brother-in-law) each to donate one or two more – a total of 80 volumes.  His contract with the College included a provision that any books he donated be placed in a 'librarie quhairof the ... regent of humanitie sall have ane key';  and it is clear from the inscription on Scot's own gifts (see below) that he intended them for the specific if not the exclusive use ("In usum et utilitatem Regentis humaniorum literarum et ejusdem classis... ") of the Regent of Humanity and his pupils.

The 1620 gift represents, then, what must be one of the earliest attempts in Scotland to form a ready-made teaching or 'class' library for a specific new chair.  Unfortunately, the chair itself attracted hostility from vested interests within the University and proved difficult to establish without protracted legal action and negotiations extending over many years.4  Thus when, in 1646, following a visit to the Low Countries in connection with the printing of the Blaeu maps, Scot gifted several more 5 items of classical interest to the College library,6 it may have been to celebrate the fact that he had finally (as he thought) obtained an Act of Parliament that secured his foundation for all time.7

An important – to the donor – provision of the 1620 contract was that an 'inventar' should be made of Scot's gift in 'tua severall buiks' [ie two copies], 'ane to be keipit be ... Sir Johnne Scott and his airis and ane uther be the principall and regentis of St Leonards College'.  It is not certain that any inventory as such 8 was ever compiled, but what has survived is a subscription list 9 begun under Scot's direction in the summer of 1620 and containing the names and in many cases the signatures (see illustration, below) of the donors of particular items.  The existence of this list made it possible in the early 1970s for the present writer to reassemble what survived of the original Humanity Class Library, together with what remained of the 1646 donation, as a Special Collection within St Andrews University Library.10

From fol. 7v. of the subscription list, showing items 43-53 (reduced). Click here to see a larger version.

The contents of the library naturally reflect the purpose of Scot's endowment, which was to provide instruction in his old college in 'humanitie and Latyne authors' - presumably for students who intended afterwards to undertake the four years of the arts course.11  For a collective donation it is a surprisingly well-balanced one, suggesting perhaps that Scot took an active part in the selection of suitable volumes.12  The major authors, Cicero, Horace and Virgil, are well represented but do not completely predominate.  Ancient is balanced against modern, with Erasmus, Pico della Mirandola, Boccaccio and the Strozzis representing Renaissance letters against Ovid, Livy, Plautus, Seneca, Valerius Maximus and the satirists.  For the geography of the classical world we have Strabo, Pomponius Mela, Ortelius and Muenster;  for its history, Herodotus, Tacitus, Suetonius and a host of others, modern as well as ancient;  and for its language Pietro Vettori, the Estiennes, Valeriano Bolzani and C.S. Curio.  Agriculture is of course represented by Columella, architecture by Vitruvius, and there are the usual compends and classical anthologies as well as Draud's standard bibliography to round off the collection.

One intriguing aspect of the library is the inclusion in it of a number of Greek or parallel Greek and Latin texts (nos. 16, 20, 24, 32, 44, 51, 53, 58 and 70): editions of Plutarch, Plato, Herodotus, Strabo, Homer, Xenophon, and Drummond of Hawthornden's Aristophanes inevitably raise the question of whether Greek was included in the teaching programme of the Humanity regent at St Andrews, as it undoubtedly was at Edinburgh.  There is, alas, no clear evidence either way.  What we do know is that the regent was expressly forbidden to teach 'grammar' (i.e. elementary Latin) and he must, therefore, have concentrated for the most part on stylistic aspects, perhaps in conjunction with a rhetorical treatise of the kind used at Edinburgh.  There the Humanity Class studied 'Latine authors, poettis and orators' such as Horace, Juvenal, Plautus and Cicero, together with the Rhetoric of (in 1598) Cassander and (in 1628) Talon.13

The new regent was also required to lecture publicly each week in the 'common scholes' of the College, and it is tempting to speculate that these lectures may have encompassed somewhat broader aspects of classical civilization than the niceties of ancient rhetoric.  Were the historians of antiquity really read, as has been suggested by some authorities,14 more for their manner than for their matter, or were the historical texts which figure so prominently in Scot's 'Library of Philology' 15 actually used for historical illustration?

But that is obviously too large a question to pursue here.

In transcribing the subscription list I have taken some liberties with its lay-out in the interests of clarity.  In the MS. original, names of donors follow rather than precede each entry or group of entries (see illustration above), and the format and place and date of publication are entered in the right-hand margin;  also, I have attempted to avoid excessive length by omitting inessential matter in the titles and indicating this in the usual way.  Each item is numbered and is accompanied by an explanatory note giving the St Andrews University Library shelfmark of identified volumes, together with any available information as to provenance.

It has not, alas, been possible to identify all of the donors, but one common factor for many of them is membership of a profession traditionally devoted to the pursuit of humane learning.  The Scottish advocates and writers (to which group Scot himself belonged in 1620) were of course joint patrons together with the judges and the Town Council of the Humanity Chair at Edinburgh, and it may be that this circumstance partly inspired Scot's gift to his own alma mater.

The books themselves were identified in St Andrews University Library by means of the following or similar inscription (see illustration below) in the hand of the compiler of the subscription list:

Philologie bibliothecam Andreapoli in Gymnasio Leonardino a domino Joanne Scott de Scottistarvet equite aurato cancellarie S.D.A. Regis directore erectam Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo vigesimo hujus muneris accessione adornavit et auxit [signature of donor]

Title page of item 57 (reduced). Click here to see a larger version.

Scot's own donations are inscribed:

In usum et utilitatem Regentis humaniorum literarum et ejusdem classis in Gymnasio Leonardino Andreapoli erect' hoc munus donavit Joannes Scott de Scottistarvet ... [etc.]

The inscriptions are usually found on the title, title verso or flyleaf preceding the title.  I have indicated in the notes any significant departures from the general practice.

Annotated transcript of the subscription list begun under Scot's direction in the summer of 1620

Note:  An asterisk preceding a donor's name denotes the occurrence of his signature; before an entry, it indicates that the entry is in the donor's own handwriting.  All other handwriting is that of a single unknown scribe.  Both the asterisks and the running number which appears to the left of each entry have been supplied by the present editor.

The catalogue proper begins on fol. 6 but is preceded on fol. 1 by an ornate Latin inscription (see Appendix 1), dated 28 July 1620. announcing Scot's intention to commemorate the Donors and their gifts ('either of money or books') in the pages which follow.

[fol. 6r.]

* Cal. Augusti 1620.
Hos novem subscriptos libros dominus Johannes Scott primus addidit bibliothecae
* Scottistarvett:
Sir John Scot of Scotstarvit (1585-1670), Director of Chancery from 1611 and graduate of St Leonard's College, St Andrews (1605)

1 * Commentaria Raphaelis [Maffeii] Volaterrani 38 libri. fol. Basiliae, 1530. Scot.AE3.M3B30. Donor inscription in Scot's own hand. Flyleaf inscribed 'Monasterii Carthusiae Vallus Gradus'.

2 * Bonfinii historia Ungariae. fol. Francofurti, 1581. Scot.DB924.B7. A duplicate of this volume, inscribed in an almost identical manner, exists in Glasgow University Library (pressmark Bm7-c.3). No information is available as to the circumstances of its arrival, except that it reached Glasgow before 1791. Most probably it was presented or exchanged by St Andrews University Library as a duplicate.

3 * Blondi Flavii de Roma instaurata lib. 3 et de Roma triumphante libri decem. fol. Venetiis, 1511. Scot.DG76.B5. 2 tom. (tom.1 dated 1510). Ownership inscriptions of Edward Scott and John Studley. Contemporary binding by G. Godfrey of Cambridge.

4 * Emilii Probi [ie Cornelii Nepotis] de vita excellentium Grecorum imperatorum. fol. Venetiis, 1581. Not traced.

5 * Valerii Flacci Argonauticon libri 8 cum commentario AEgidii Maserii Parisiensis. fol. Parisiis, 1519. Scot.PA6791.V4B19.

6 * Petri Victorii variarum lectionum lib. xxv. 4°. Lugduni, 1554. Scot.PA3520.V4. Ownership inscription of Hercules Rollock,16 contributor to the Delitiae poetarum Scotorum.3

7 * Strabo de situ orbis. fol. Venetiis, 1500 [ie 1502]. Scot.PA4438.A2B02.

8 * Johannis Fungeri etymologicum Latinum. 4°. Francofurti, 1605. Not traced.

9 * Johannes Boccatius de geniologiis deorum. fol. Not traced.

Mr Joannes Rae
Not identified 17

10 Nizolii observationes in Ciceronem. fol. Basiliae, 1536. Scot.PA6284.N5B36. Variant Latin inscription in donor's own hand. Ownership inscriptions of William Chalburne (1573) and Richard Basset.

Ja[cobus] Dalzell
Not identified

11 Commentarium Dionysii Lambini in Horatium. 4°. Aureliae, 1605. Not traced.

* Al[exander] Wylie
Possibly Alexander Wylie, W.S., whose father was Director-depute of Chancery.
See also John Wylie at item 41

12 Des. Erasmi Roterodami adagiorum chiliades... fol. Franco[furti], 1589. Not traced.

* Ja[cobus] Drummond
Not identified

13 Lodovici Caelii Rhodogini lectionum antiquarum libri triginta. fol. Basil[eae, 1566]. Scot.PA3520.R5B66. Previously owned by 'A.R.'

* Guilielmus Tyrie de Drumkilbo
Not identified

14 Antiquitatum Romanarum syntagma absolutissimum concinnatum primo a Ioanne Rosino... auctum deinde et exornatum a Thoma Dempstero... 4°. Coloniae Allobrogum, 1613. Scot.DG76.D3C13,

* Mr Alexander Peirson
Possibly Mr Alexander Peirson, advocate, son of the Edinburgh baillie of the same name

15 C. Cornelii Taciti opera quae extant cum commentariis Justi Lipsii... fol. Antuerpie, 1607. Scot.PA6705.A2C07.

* Ja[cobus] Scott
Possibly Sir John Scot's son, James (see also Sir James Scott at item 80)

16 * Platonis opera Graece et Latine quae extant omnia ex interpretatione Serrani, typis Henrici Stephani 1578. fol. [Geneva], 1578.
Probably Scot.PA4279.A2B78 (3 vol., of which vol. 1 is inscribed on title verso, 'Jacobus Scott illustrissimo principi Carolo a rationibus').

* Jo[annes] Sandilandis
John Sandilands of Eastbarns, advocate (adm. 1617)

17 * Q. Horatii Flacci opera cum quatuor commentariis... fol. Parisiis, 1543. Scot.PA6393.A2B43. Variant Latin inscription in donor's own hand.

[fol. 6v.]

* A. Stuart
Not identified

18 * Virgilius commentariis Ascensii, Servii et Donati illustratus. fol. Par[isiis], 1515. Not traced.

* Jacobus Ballivus
James (afterwards Sir James) Baillie of Lochend, Treasurer-depute,
member of the Privy Council from 1629

19 Thesaurus linguae Latinae [of Coelius Secundus Curio]... in tres tomos distinctus. fol. Basileae, 1576. Scot.PA2361.C8B76

* Patricius Nisbetus
Possibly Patrick (afterwards Sir Patrick) Nisbet of Drydane, advocate (adm, 1608)

20 Herodotus Grece. fol. Venetiis, 1502. Scot.PA4002.A2B02. Previously owned by Sir Henry Sinclair, Sir Thomas Henryson of Chesters (donor of item 46) and Sir Thomas Nicolson of Carnock (donor of item 53). Contemporary Parisian 'acorn' binding.

21 Justi Lipsii de militia Romana libri quinque, commentarius ad Polybium... fol. Antuerpiae, 1598. Scot.DG89.L5B98. Actually a quarto, and the volume includes Lipsius' Poliorceticon (1596). Ownership inscriptions of Anthony Lynton (1601) and Alexander Drummond (1611).

* Mr Alex[ande]r Moresone
Mr (afterwards Sir) Alexander Morrison of Prestongrange, advocate, later Rector of Edinburgh University

22 Corpus omnium veterum poetarum Latinorum secundum seriem temporum et quinque libris distinctum... 4°. Lugduni, 1603. Not traced.

* Mr Joannes Dauling
Mr John Dawling, advocate, graduate of St Andrews (1581)

23 D. Junii Juvenalis satyrarum libri quinque, preterea A. Flacci Persi satyrarum liber unus cum analysi et commentariis Eilhardi Lubini. 4°. Hanoviae, 1603. Not traced.

* Alex[ande]r Davidsoun
Not identified

24 * Lexicon Graecolatinum recentissimum ad formam ab Henrico Stephano et posthunc a Jo. Scapula observatam... fol. Lugduni, 1602. Not traced.

25 * Strozzi poetae pater et filius. 8°. Parisiis, 1530. Scot.PA8585.S7A17. From the library of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross.18

* Mr A. Aytoune
Possibly Mr Andro Aytoun of Logie, advocate (adm.1611)

26 Joannis Pierii Valeriani Bellunensis hieroglyphica sive de sacris AEgyptiorum aliarumque gentium literis commentariorum libri 58...fol. Francofurti ad Moenum, 1614. Scot.PJ1093.V2Cl4. Actually a quarto; pt. 3 is dated 1613.

* Jo[annes] Schairpe
Mr John Schairp, the younger, of Houston, advocate; not his father, John senior, also an advocate

27 Caii Suetonii Tranquilli de duodecim cesaribus libri octo, ejusdem de illustribus grammaticis et de claris rhetoribus cum animadversionibus Isaci Casauboni. 4°. Apud heredes Jacobi Chovet, [Geneva], 1611. Possibly Scot.PA6700.A2C11, vhich carries the words, 'Philologie bibliothecam', deleted, on the title verso.

28 Ammiani Marcellini rerum gestarum qui de 31 supersunt libri 18. 4°. Hamburgi, 1609. Not traced.

* Mr Ro[bertus] Nairne
Possibly Mr Robert Nairn of Strathurd, advocate (adm. 1605), father of the 1st Lord Nairn

29 In omnes.C. Plinii Secundi naturalis historie libros Stephani Agnei... commentaria. fol. Parisiis, [1530]. Scot.PA66l4 A2L2. Previously owned by an earlier Robert Nairn (father of the donor?).

30 Opera Ciceronis rhetorica, oratoria et forensia, et epistole omnes. fol, Parisiis, 1522 [altered from '1511']. Scot.PA6278.A2 (2 vol., of which vol. 1 is dated 1527, vol. 2 1522).

31 Antiquitatum variarum volumina ab [Ioanne] Annio theologo. folio, Parisiis, 1512. Scot.G107.A6. Ownership inscription as in no. 29 above.

[fol. 7r.]

* Guilielmus Drummond de Hawthorn-den
William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585-1649), Scot's brother-in-law.19

32 * Aristophanis comoediae undecim cum scholiis antiquis... fol. Genev[ae], 1607. Scot.PA3875.A2C07 (Gk. & Lat. texts). Variant Latin inscription in donor's own hand. Ownership inscriptions of Mr William Whytlaw (1612).

* Laurentius Scott
Mr Lawrence Scott of Harperrig, advocate (adm.1607), a kinsman of Sir John Scot

33 Onomasticon historiae Romanae Joanne Glandorpio auctore, addita precipuarum familiarum stemmata eodem auctore. fol. Francofurti, 1589. Not traced.

34 Adriani Turnebi adversariorum lib. triginta... 4°. Aureliopoli, 1604. Possibly Scot.PA27.T8, which carries the words 'Philologie bibli[othecam]' on the title verso.

Abrahame Saushell
Abraham Sauchelle of Middelburg (Holland), a student at St Mary's College (from 1617).20 29

35 M. Acci Plauti Sarcinatis comoediae viginti superstites cum annotationibus I. Philippi Parei. 4°. Franc[ofurti], 1610. Not traced.

Mr William Murray
Not identified

36 Titi Livii Patavini Romanae historiae principis libri omnes quotquot ad nostram aetatem pervenerunt... 8°. Francofurti, 1588. Not traced.

37 Ejusdem Livii tomus 2° cum observationibus et commentariis Wilhelmi Godelevii. 8°. Francofurti, 1588. Not traced.

Cornelius Stewartus
Cornelius Stewart of Bergen-op-Zoom, a student at St Leonard's (from 1619).21 29

38 Sphinx theologico philosophica Godefridi Heidefeldii. 8°. Herbornae, 1612. Not traced.

Servatius Carpentarius
Servaes de Carpentier, a Dutch student at St Mary's (in 1618).22 29

39 Joannis Philippi Parei electa Plautina... 4°. Neapoli Nemetum, 1617. Not traced.

40 Libri de re rustica: Marci Catonis, Terentii Varronis libri tres, Palladii Rutilii... libri quatuordecim cum Petri Victorii explicationibus in Catonem, Varronem et Columellam... 8°. Parisiis, 1543. Scot.PA6139.R8. Variant Latin inscription in donor's own hand.

* Jo[annes] Wylie
Son of Alexander Wylie, W.S. (possible donor of item 12)

41 Claudi Claudiani poetae quae extant cum animadversionibus Casparis Barthi. 8°. Hannoviae, 1612. Not traced.

[fol. 7v.]

* Patricius Sandeus
Not identified 23

42 Polydorus Vergilius de inventione rerum in tres libros distinctus, cui adjecta sunt instituta Christianae religionis aliarumve gentium... 4°. Parisiis, 1528. Not traced.

43 Davidis Chytrei chronologia historie Herodoti et Thucydidis, cui adjecta est series temporum a creatione ad annum 1593, cum calendario veteri Romano. 4°. He[l]mastadii, 1593. Not traced.

* Th[omas] Nicolson
Thomas Nicolson of Cockburnspath, Professor of Civil Law at Aberdeen in 1619

44 Plutarchi opera Grece duobus tomis. fol. Basileae, 1542. Probably Scot.PA4367.A2, 2 vol., consisting of the Greek texts of a) the Vitae paralelae, Basle, 1533; and b) the Moralia, Basle, 1542. Both volumes are folios and carry Nicolson's arms on the binding as well as his signature and printed bookplate (1610) on the titles. Both were previously owned by Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross,18 and by 'G. Hay'.

* Jacobus Peirsoune
Not identified

45 Hortensii explanationes cum Sulpitii commentariis in Lucanum. fol. Basileae, 1578, mense martio. Scot.PA6478.A2B78 (Pharsalia). Variant Latin inscription in Peirson's own hand dated 3 October 1620.

* T. Henryson
Mr Thomas Henryson, advocate (adm.1592), afterwards Sir Thomas Henryson of Chesters, Lord of Session and member of the Privy Council. See also item 20

46 Abrahami Ortelii thesaurus geographicus. fol. Antuerpiae, 1596. Probably Scot.G107.O77. Title wanting, but leaf *2a is autographed 'T. Henryson'.

Dominus Georgius Keith
Possibly Sir George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal, founder of Marischal College and High Commissioner to the Scots Parliament, 1609-1623

47 Novissima polyanthea [Dominici Nani Mirabelli] in libros viginti dispertita novissime a Josepho Langio adaucta. fol. Francofurti, 1613. Not traced.

* James Duncane [of Ratho]
Not identified

48 Lucae Annei Senece philosophi et Marci Annaei Senece rhetoris quae extant opera. fol. Parisiis, 1619. Scot.PA6661.A2C19; pt. 2 dated 1613. Inscription in Scots in donor's own hand, dated 24 November 1620, and signed 'James Duncane of Ratho'.

* Mr J. Peblis
Not identified

49 Auctores linguae Latinae cum notis Dionysii Gothofredi. 4°. S. Gervasii,1620 [i.e. 1602]. Probably Scot.PA6l39.G7G7, inscribed on leaf *2a, 'M. J. Peblis dedicat'.

50 Pomponii Melae de situ orbis lib. 3 cum commentariis Joachimi Vadiani Helvetii. fol. Parisiis, 1540. Probably Scot.PA6512.A2B40, inscribed on title 'Mr J. Peblis dedicat'. Ownership inscriptions of Alexander Coill, Thomas Galbraith and James Cockburn.

* Sir W. Oliphant
Sir William Oliphant of Newton, Lord Advocate from 1612

51 Homeri que extant omnia... cum Latina versione omnium, Jo. Spondani... commentariis illustrata. fol. Basilee, 1583. (Gk. & Lat. texts) Not traced.

* Mr Laurens Makgill
Mr Laurence MacGill, advocate (adm.1592), a graduate of St Andrews (1583)

52 Bibliotheca sive catalogus officinalis... authore M. Georgio Draudio. 4°. Francofurti... 1611. Scot.Z70l6.L8C11

* Tho[mas] Nicolson
Mr (afterwards Sir) Thomas Nicolson of Carnock, advocate (adm. 1612), later King's Advocate (1641). See also item 20

53 Ευσαδιου αρχιεπισκοπου Θησσαλονικης παρεκβολαι εις του Ομηρου Ιλιαδα in duobus voluminibus. fol. Romae, 1542. Scot.PA4019.A2B42. Tom. 1-2 of a three-volume work. From the library of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross;18 previously owned by Sir William Sinclair of Roslin.

* Mr Ro[ber]t Wynrame
Possibly Mr Robert Winram, W.S., Agent of the Convention of Royal Burghs and factor to the burgh of Edinburgh

54 Cosmographie universalis lib. sex autore Sebastiano Munstero. fol. Basilee, 1550, mense martio. ScotG96.M8B50. From the library of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross;18 previously owned by Robert Keith, Commendator of Deer.

[fol. 8r.]

* W. Chalmeris
Describes himself as an alumnus of St Leonard's College and a graduate; a William Chalmers entered St Andrews University in 1597

55 Joannis Pici Mirandulae Concordiaeque comitis opera. Item Francisci Pici opera quae extant omnia. fol. Basileae, 1601. Scot.B785.M5C01. 2 vol. (in 1).

56 Divi Erasmi Roterodami operum nonus tomus complectens ipsius apologias. fol. Basileae, 1540. Scot.B785.E6B40. From the library of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross;18 also owned by Robert Forrest.

* Johne Belsches
John Belsches of Tofts, advocate (adm.1608)

57 Adriani Turnebi... opera in tres tomos tributa uno volumine. fol. Argentorati, 1600. Not traced.

* W(?) Oliphant
Not identified

58 Ξενοφωντος ... omnia que extant opera Joanne Lewenklaio interprete. Editio secunda. fol. Basileae, 1572. Scot.PA4494.A2B72 (Gk. & Lat. texts). Ownership inscription of Adam King.24

* Mr Robertus Balcangallus
Not identified

59 * Pauli Jovii Novocomensis... historiarum sui temporis tomi tres. 16°. Lugduni, 1561. Not traced.

* Mr Da[vid] Prymrois
David Primrose of Whitehouse, advocate (adm. 1609)

60 Michaelis Beutheri fastorum libri duo ... Item ephemeris historica eodem autore. 8°. Basileae, 1556, mense martio. Scot.CE35.B4. Variant Latin inscription in donor's own hand dated 13 December 1620.

61 J. Lipsii saturnalium sermonum libri duo qui de gladiatoribus. 4°. Lugduni Batavorum. Not traced.25

* Lud[ovick] Fouler
(Captain) Ludovick Fouler of Burncastle, portionary of Restalrig

62 Francisci Guicciardini Patricii Florentini historiarum sui temporis libri viginti... una cum Bartholomei Facii rerum gestarum Alfonsi Primi regis primi Neapolitani. fol. Basilee, 1566. Scot.DG539.G8. Previously owned by 'J. Fouler'. Contemporary London binding by 'H. R.'

63 Dictionarium historicum ac poeticum [Caroli Stephani]. 4°. Lutetiae, 1578. Not traced.

64 Commentaria symbolica tomus primus Antonio Ricciardo Brixiano autore. fol. Venetiis, 1581 [ie 1591]. Scot.AE3.R5 (vol. 1).

65 Commentariorum symbolicorum tomus [secundus] Antonio Ricciardo Brixiano autore donatus ab eodem Ludovico Fouler. fol. Venetiis, 1581 [ie 1591]. Scot.AE3.R5 (vol. 2).

[fol. 8v.]

Al[exander] McDuff 29 ecclesie Scoticane
que est verie in Zelandia pastor
Graduate of St Andrews (1603), alumnus of St Leonard's and minister of the Scots Church at Campvere, 1614-1625

66 Symbolarum libri 17 quibus P. Virgilii Maronis Bucolica Georgica AEneis... illustrantur. Per Jacobum Pontanum de Societate Jesu. fol. Lugduni, 1604. Not traced.

Samuell Wallace
Probably the son of John Wallace, Deputy Conservator of Scottish interests at Campvere.26 29

67 Joannis Passeratii... commentarii in C. Val. Catullum, Albium Tibullum et Sex. Aur. Propertium cum tribus in dicibus. fol. Parisiis, 1608. Not traced.

Williame Maxwell [of Kirkhouse]
Burgess and guild brother of Edinburgh in 1626.27

68 Dionysii Halicarnassei scripta que extant omnia et historica et rhetorica Grece et Latine opera et studio Friderici Sylburgi veterensis. fol. Francofurdi, 1586. Scot.PA3966.A2B86. Donor inscription, in Scots, in scribe's hand but signed by Maxwell.

* R. Boyd
Possibly Mr Robert Boyd of Kipps, advocate (adm.1605)

69 Brissonii... de solemnibus populi Romani verbis libri octo. 4°. Francofurti, 1592. Scot.DG88.B8B92. Variant Latin inscription in donor's own hand. Ownership inscription, dated 10 January 1603, of Charles Lumisden, Professor of Philosophy at Edinburgh.

70 Των παλαιστατων ποιητων Γεωργικα, Βουκολικα και γνωμικα τα σωζωμενα. Cum Is. Hortiboni Theocritarum lectionum libello. Not traced.

* J. Prymrois
Not identified

71 Lamberti Hortensii Montfortii enarrationes... in duodecim libros P. Virgilii Maronis AEneidos... fol. Basilee, 1596, mense martio. Not traced.

* Mr J. Hannay
Mr John Hannay, graduate of St Andrews (1618)

72 Caii Julii Caesaris rerum gestarum commentarii xiiii... 4°. Lugduni, 1612. Not traced.

* J[oh]n Oliphant
Possibly Mr John Oliphant, portioner of Broughton, an advocate in 1625

73 T. Petronii Arbitri... satyricon cum Petronicorum fragmentis notis et observationibus variorum illustratum. 4°. Helenopoli, 1620. Not traced.

74 Valerii Maximi dictorurn factorumque memorabilium libri novem olim a Stephano Pighio emendati, cum animadversionibus Cristopheri Coleri. 4°. Francofurti, 1601. Not traced.

* Sir A.(?) Gordone
Not identified

75 M. Vitruvii Pollionis de architectura libri decem cum Guilielmi Philandri annotationibus. 4°. Lugduni, 1586. Not traced.

[fol. 9r]

* Mr Jo[annes] Skene
Not identified

76 Matthaei Raderi ad M. Valerii Martialis epigrammation libros omnes curae secundae. fol. Ingolstadii, 1611. Scot.PA6501.A2C11.

77 L. Apuleii philosophi Madaurensis opera in tres tomos tributa cum commentariis Philippi Beroaldi. 8°. Basileae, 1597. Not traced.

Mr Thomas Hopeus
Possibly Mr (afterwards Sir) Thomas Hope of Craighall, advocate (Lord Advocate in 1626).

78 Publii Ovidii Nasonis Sulmonensis poetae operum tres tomi cum variorum doctorum virorum commentariis... fol. Francofurti, 1601. Not traced.

* Mr R. Lermonthius
Possibly Mr Robert Learmonth of St Nicholas, advocate (adm. 1595)

79 Junii Juvenalis satyre sexdecim cum veteris scholiastie et Johannis Britannici commentariis... Item Auli Persii Flacci satyrarum liber cum antiquissimis commentariis qui Corinto tribuuntur ... fol. m. Lutetiae, 1613. Not traced.

* Sir James Scott
Probably a late addition by Sir John Scot's son, James.28 (See also the entry at item 16)

80 Atlas mundi maior ultimae editionis. Not traced.

Notes

1. See T. G. Snoddy. Sir John Scot Lord Scotstarvit : his life and times. Edinburgh, 1968.
2. Delitiae poetarum Scotorum hujus aevi illustrium [compiled by Arthur Johnston]. Amsterdami : apud Iohannem Blaeu, 1637.  2 vol.  Includes poems by Patrick Adamson, Henry Anderson, Robert Ayton, John Barclay, William Barclay, Alexander Bodie, Robert Boyd of Trochrig, Thomas Craig, James Crichton, George Crichton, Henry Danskin, Thomas Dempster, David Echlin, Peter Goldmann, James Hakerston, David Hume, John Johnston, Adam King, David Kynloch, James MacGill, Andrew Melville, John Maitland, Thomas Maitland, Thomas Moray, Andrew Ramsay, Thomas Reid, Hercules Rollock, John Rose, Alexander Ross, John Scott, John Scott of Scotstarvet, Thomas Seggat, George Strachan, George Thomson, Florence Wilson and David Wedderburn as well as Arthur Johnston himself.
3. Joannes Blaeu, Theatrum orbis terrarum sive Atlas novus vol. 5 (1654)
4. See Appendix 3   I am grateful to Mr Ronald Cant, sometime Reader in Scottish History at St Andrews University, for pointing me in the direction of the original 1620 contract referred to there.
5. 'Sixteen important books' is the phrase used by J.M. Anderson, Votiva tabella ; a memorial volume of St Andrews University. Glasgow, 1911, p.96, apparently quoting from an untraced contemporary source. Of these only ten works (fifteen volumes) survive, all now incorporated into the Scot Collection of St Andrews University Library.  They are:
   • Boulenger, J.C., De imperatore & imperio Romano libri XII. Lyon, 1618 (fol.);
   • John Stobaeus, Sententiae. Geneva, 1609 (fol.);
   • Maimonides, De idolatria (tr. D. Vossius), 2 vol., Amsterdam, 1642 (4°);
   • Martialis, M.V., Epigrammaton. Mainz, 162? (fol.);
   • Panvinio, O., De ludis circensibus. Padua, 1642 (fol.);
   • Pighius, S.V., Annales Romanorum. Antwerp, 1615 (fol.);
   • Spigelius, A., Opera omnia. Amsterdam, 1645 (fol.);
   • Strabo, Rerum geographicarum libri XVII. Paris, 1620 (fol.);
   • Suidas, Opera (Gk.), 2 vol., Geneva, 1619[-30] (fol.);
   • Zwinger, T., Theatrum humanae vitae. 4 vol., Basle, 1604 (fol.).
   All were specially bound for the occasion in a uniform style.
6. The inscription on these volumes might be taken to imply that, unlike the 1620 gift, they were not actually designated for the Humanity class as such,
   Post suum e Belgia reditum dono dedit D. Joannes Scotostarvatius Col. Leon. Anno Dom. 1646, [signed] Scottistarvet
   There is however in St Andrews U.L. a two-volume Alsted, Encyclopaedia (fo. Herborn, 1630 - shelfmark sf.B765.A76), inscribed as follows:
   21 Febrii 1646.  I heave gevin thir tuo volumes of Alstedius to St Leonards Colledge in St Androis for the behuiff of the Regent of Humanity thairin & his successours foundit by my nobill freind Sr Johne Scott of Scottistarvett ... [signed] Jo. Wod  [possibly John Wood, originator of Wood's Hospital, Largo].
   This suggests perhaps that the other volumes presented in 1646 were similarly intended for the special use of the Humanity Regent - and indeed there is evidence (see Appendix 2) not only that the 'Humanity Class Library' was kept together as a separate entity until at least the end of the seventeenth century, but that it also included items donated in 1646 as well as in 1620.
7. See Rev. Charles Rogers' introduction to Scot's Staggering state: Scot, Sir John, of Scotstarvet, The staggering state of the Scots statesmen, for one hundred years, viz. from 1550 to 1650. Edinburgh, 1754.  Republished with a "Memoir of the Author and Historical Illustrations by the Rev. Charles Rogers, Historiographer to the Historical Society". Edinburgh : William Paterson, 1872, p.10.  The Act was passed on 13th June, 1644.
8. There is however some indication that the Regents of Humanity were required to give receipts for the books handed over to their care, at least until the end of the seventeenth century - see the Vilant/Preston handover catalogue mentioned at note 6 and listed at Appendix 2.
9. The subscription list consists of the first four of nine detached foolscap leaves (foliated 6-14) which came into St Andrews University Library following the sale of the Lee MSS. in 1861, and which were afterwards reunited with their parent volume, the so-called "Commonplace Book of Sir John Scot" (S.A.U.L. MS.4010).  In spite of its name, internal evidence indicates (see Appendix 1) that the volume was in fact intended originally to house the subscription list and hence to serve as a permanent memorial to the Humanity Class Library's donors, and that its use by Scot as a commonplace book (which is undisputed) came later when, realizing that further donations were unlikely, he was reluctant to allow the considerable number of blank leaves in the rest of the volume to go to waste.
10. The books were kept together in St Leonard's College Library until the latter's amalgamation with the library of St Salvator's College in the eighteenth century.  Thereafter they found their way with the rest of the United College library into the University Library where, after a long period of dispersal, they were reunited.  The collection now numbers over sixty volumes.
11. This propaedeutic function is not actually specified by Scot, but it would seem likely that the St Andrews Chair was intended to fulfil more or less the same role as the Humanity Chair at Edinburgh (of which Scot was a patron by virtue of his membership of the Faculty of Advocates), where the Humanity class acted as a bridge between the High School and the Town's College.
12. Most of these, however, were not new purchases but culled from the donors' own libraries.
13. Extracts from the records of the burgh of Edinburgh. 1589-1603. 1927, p.225; and Extracts ... 1626-1641. pp.285-6.  William Drummond, in his epitaph on John Ray, the Humanity regent at Edinburgh, mentions being taught Quintilian, Plautus, Martial, Virgil and Cicero (Kastner II, 249).  Glasgow would appear not to have had a separate 'Maister of the Humanitie' until 1637, the year in which the St Andrews Humanity Chair was refounded (see note 5 above) - see J. Kerr, Scottish education. Cambridge, 1910, p.121.
14. See R.H. MacDonald, The library of Drummond of Hawthornden. Edinburgh, 1971, pp.115-7.
15. 'Philologiae bibliotheca' is the Latin phrase used both in the books donated by Scot's friends and in an ornate Latin inscription which precedes the subscription list proper.  Evidently this was how Scotstarvit himself intended the gift to be known.
16. Master of the High School at Edinburgh 1584-1595; he "subsequently held some office in connection with the courts of justice" (DNB).
17. Not, apparently, the former Regent of Humanity at Edinburgh and then Master of the High School, whose signature (?) occurs in Edinburgh University's Laureation Book.
18. See T.A.F. Cherry,'The library of Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross, 1560-1565', The Bibliotheck. vol.4 (1963), pp.13-24.
19. He graduated from Edinburgh in 1605 and studied law at Bourges between 1607 and 1609. It is, however, almost certain that he never practised.
20. Scot seems to have been his benefactor in some way to judge from a document in the National Library of Scotland's collection of "Letters from Learned Men to Scotstarvatt" (Adv MSll7.1.9, item 102).
21. Like Abraham Sauchelle and Servaes de Carpentier, he would seem to have been a beneficiary of Scot (NLS Adv MS 17.1.9, item 112).
22. Like Abraham Sauchelle and Cornelius Stewart, he would appear to have benefited from Scot's patronage (National Library of Scotland Adv MS l7.1.9, item 109).
23. Not, apparently, the Principal of Edinburgh University (1620-22) whose signature(?) occurs in the University's Laureation Book.
24. Professor of Philosophy and Mathematics at Paris and a contributor to the Delitiae poetarum Scotorum (see note 3 above)
25. St Andrews U. L. also possesses a folio edition of Plautus' Comoediae, Paris, 1530 (classmark Don.f.PA6568.A2B30 - part of the 1915 Donaldson bequest), inscribed as follows: 'Decimo tertio die mensis decembris 1620 volumen Mr D. Prymrois humanitatis Profcssori in Collegio Leonardino D.D. M[r] D(avid) P(rymrois).'  The date corresponds to that inscribed on no. 60: it is possible the volume was intended as a substitute for no. 61.
26. He later acted as Scot's agent in negotiations with the publisher, Blaeu.
27. Identified from the full form of the name in the donor inscription.
28. James was knighted by King Charles I some time after the latter's accession to the throne in March 1625, and could not therefore have been 'Sir' James in 1620.
29. Alexander McDuff, Abraham Sauchelle, Cornelius Stewart, Samuel Wallace and Servaes de Carpentier also figure in surviving pages from Scot's autograph album: see J. K. Cameron, 'Leaves from the lost Album amicorum of Sir John Scot of Scotstarvit, Scottish Studies 8 (1987) 40 seq.

Appendix 1 : A note on the so-called 'Commonplace Book of Sir John Scot'

S.A.U.L.  MS. 4010 is a manuscript volume known as the 'Commonplace Book of Sir John Scot.'  Although undoubtedly used as such at some stage by Sir John, it is doubtful whether the name truly reflects the volume's original purpose.  An inscription on fol. 1 might tend, rather, to suggest that its primary function was to serve as a permanent record of the Humanity Class Library founded by Scot in 1620.

The binding, with its gold-decorated covers and spine (an oval-shaped centre stamp of formal pattern on both covers, surmounted by the initials 'S.I.S.' and enclosed within a border formed by a single fillet;  with fleurons on the spine), is not unusually ornate for a commonplace book;  but neither would it be out of place on a volume commissioned by Scot to commemorate the new Chair of Humanity:  it matches the decorative nature of the calligraphic inscription on fol. 1, which reads as follows:

The volume as it now stands consists of seventy-seven leaves of roughly foolscap size (35 x 22 cm.), but it is clear from the foliation that there were originally at least ninety-six leaves, made up of twelve eight-leaf gatherings.  The foliation begins on the second leaf and runs from 1-80 (fols. 12, 15, 18-20, 22-30 and 33-34 are missing), with twelve leaves unfoliated after fol. 80.  Fol. 10 and every tenth leaf thereafter (up to and including fol. 80) are signed by Scot.  A separate sequence of pagination begins at the opposite end of the volume and runs, the opposite way up from the foliation, from 1-107, with twenty-three (surviving) leaves unpaginated, so that pp. 24-107 correspond to fols. 39v.- 80,  The writing (not all - see below - in Scot's hand) follows the direction and polarity of the foliation (and the binding) on fols. 1-35r. and the leaf preceding fol. 1; and of the pagination on fols. 35v.-[92], i.e. pp. 1 - [113].

The contents of the foliated sequence, leaving aside the missing fols. 12, 15, 18-20, 22-30 and 33-34, are :

• (leaf preceding fol. 1) extracts, in Scot's hand, from Buchanan's De iure regno
• (fol. 1) the inscription, reproduced above, dated 28 July 1620;
• (fols. 2-5) more extracts from Buchanan, in Scot's hand
• (fols. 6 - 9) a subscription list of donations to the Humanity Class Library, begun by Scot on 1 August 1620
• (fol. 10) blank
• (fol. 11) a list of books, not in Scot's hand (I shall call this hand 'A'), with places and dates of publication, none later than 1644;
• (fols. 13-14) Buchanan De iure ... continued, still in Scot's hand
• (fols. 16-17) a list of 127 books, in Scot's hand, headed 'Catalogus librorum meorum'
• (fol. 21) unidentified jottings, also in Scot's hand
• (fols. 31-32) blank
• (fols. 35v.-[92]) = pp. 1-[113]

The contents of the paginated sequence are as follows:

• (pp. 1-57) extracts from Zwinger's Theatrum vitae humanae, in what I shall call hand 'B'
• (pp. 57-90) extracts from Gesner's De quadrupedibus, first in hand 'B' (to p. 74), then in Scot's own hand
• (pp. 90-97) notes from Pedro Mexia's Lives, also in Scot's hand
• (pp. 97-[l12]) unidentified jottings in a fourth hand (hand 'C')
• (pp. [112]-[113]) unidentified jottings in hand 'B'

The paste-down leaf on the lower cover of the volume (preceding p. 1) contains verses headed 'Gemme ex Storginiano Ovidiano", all in Scot's hand with his signature at the foot.

It is possible that what I have called hand 'C' is in fact a developed form of Scot's own hand.  Even so, there would seem to be at least three distinct hands in the Scotstarvit volume.  Thus, although the volume was undoubtedly used by Scot at some time as a commonplace book, it is by no means certain that this was his original intention, and in fact the evidence points convincingly to a prior function.  The sequence of foliation is undoubtedly earlier than the pagination and that sequence is occupied, on fol. 1, by an inscription announcing Scot's intention to make a permanent record of the collective donations, and on fols. 6-9, by the list of donations itself.  (That the intervening script on fols. 2-5 is later, is proved by the fact that at the foot of fol. 5r. Scot has inserted the direction 'vide fol. 13', thus implying that fols. 6-12 were already otherwise occupied.)

The true nature of this commemorative volume has almost certainly been obscured by the fact that at some point in time the leaves containing the list of donors (fols. 6-14, of which fols. 6-9 form the list itself) became separated from the body of the Scotstarvit volume.  The circumstances of this separation are uncertain - on the face of it, it seems unlikely that Scot himself would choose to desecrate the memorial volume by tearing out the vital part of it - but it is known that the leaves turned up as Lot 358 at the sale in Edinburgh in 1861 of the MSS. of Principal John Lee, and documents in the University archives show that negotiations with Lee's heirs were carried out by Principal Porbes for the purpose of re-acquiring them for the University.  The leaves are now happily back in St Andrews, preserved in their rightful place as part of the 'Commonplace Book'.

Appendix 2 : 'A catologue[sic] of books belonging to the profession of Humanity in St. Leon. Coll. receaved from Mr. Colin Vilant [by James Preston], 1697' (St And. Univ. Muniments, SL110.R16).

Note :   a superscript number following an entry denotes that it was part of the 1620 gift
  the sign ++ following an entry denotes that it was gifted in 1646.

Folio

Thesaurus ling[uae] Lat[inae] 3 vol. 19
Lod[ovici] Caelii Rhodogini antiquarij lectionum 13
Senecae philos[ophi] et rhetor[is] op[era] 48
Lambinus in Plautum
Alstedii Encyclopaedia 2 vol. ++
Marii Nizolii obser[vationes] in Cicer[onem] 10
Sebastiani Cosmographia 54
Onuphrius Panvinius de ludis circensibus et triumphis ++
Passeratus in Catull[um], Tibull[um] et Propertium 67
Ortelii thesaurus geographic[us] 46
Lambertus Hortensius in Lucan[um] 45
Plutarch Illustrium Virorum vite 44
Adriani Turnebi opera 57
Virgilius cum notis Servii et Badii 18
Pontanus in Virgilium 66
Sal[l]ustius cum comment[ario]
Scaliger de emendat[ione] temp[orum]
Horatius cum notis Lambini 11(?)
Horatius cum notis variorum 17

Quarto

Authores ling[uae] Lat[inae] in unum corpus redacti 49
Rosini antiquitates 14
Lipsius de militia Romana 21
Petrii[sic] Victorii variarum lect[ionum lib. xxv] 6
Guidonis Pancerelli res memorabiles et deperdites
Turnebii[sic] adversaria 34
Bar[nabas] Brissonius de formulis et solennibus pop[uli] Rom[ani] 69
Lucretius cum notis Lambini
Dionys[ius] Vossius de idolatria 2 vol. ++
Isacus Causabonus [sic] in Sueton[ium] 27

Octavo

Plautus cum notis Paci
Titi Livii hist[oriae] Rom[anae] 36
Scaliger epistolae
[Scaliger] poemata
[Scaliger] de causis ling[uae] Lat[inae]
[Scaliger] in Catull[um], Tibull[um] et Proper[tium]
Becmannus de origine linguae Latinae
Beutheri fastorum 60
Seldeni de diis Syriis
Arianus de rebus gestis
Alex[and]ri Magni
Lucii Flori historia Rom[ana]
Hobbi elementa hist[oriae]
Gualterius Chabotius in Hor[atium]
Ciceronis Tusculan[ae] quaestiones
Belli Roma restituta
Platonis operum tomus 3tius
Ciceronis philosophia
Suetonius
Sententiae Ciceronis
Terentius cum commentario
Dionysius Halicarnasseus
Erasmmus [sic] de conscribendis epistolis
Caesaris commentaria
Martialis epigrammata
Dionysius Halicarnasseus

[signed] James Preston

Appendix 3 : Negotiations between Sir John Scot and St Leonard's College

In the original contract between Sir John Scot and the Principal and Regents of St Leonard's College, dated 8 and 29 February 1620 (Scottish Record Office, Acts & Decreets (Scott) 9-III-1620) Scot insisted that the new regent should have, as well as two rooms – one for his private use and the other as a schoolroom, 'with sufficient deskis and stoalis' – and an annual stipend of £140, complete equality of status within the College.

The College authorities formally agreed; but the last of these stipulation caused considerable difficulty since humanity was traditionally regarded as junior to the 'philosophical' subjects of the arts course, and in any case it was out of the question for the masters of St Leonard's to offer 'equality' to the newcomer without first consulting the regents of St Mary's and St Salvator's Colleges, since university rights were involved.

Indeed the new regent seems to have been looked on by his fellows as little more than a grammarian, although in fact in order to avoid conflict with the burgh schoolmaster he was expressly forbidden under the terms of the contract to teach grammar (ie Greek and Latin grammar), except to the sons of noblemen, who would not normally attend a grammar school but be educated privately.

Money was also a problem, and Scot was very soon obliged to take legal action against the College for failing to keep its side of the bargain, which included finding £40 each year to add to £100 in land rents provided annually by Scot for the new regent's salary.  The first incumbent, Alexander Scott, was not long in post before, in June 1622, the contract was suspended; and in July 1626 the College formally returned the endowed lands.

But in 1629 a new contract was drawn up by which the regentship was temporarily converted into a bursary (there were two bursars between 1629 and 1637), and in 1637 a donation of approximately £2000 Scots by James Maxwell of Innerwick made it possible to restore the post (S.R.O., Acts & Decreets (Scott). 24-VI-1629 and 20-XII-1637 : contracts dated 8 and 15 February 1629 and 13 and 26 October 1637 respectively), with Alexander Scott, by now the schoolmaster at Cupar, resuming his previous role, only to be succeeded upon his death, a few years later, by Mr Robert Norie.

In an attempt to find a compromise on the question of precedence the University Commissioners of 1642 proposed that Scot's foundation be converted to a public professorship with lectures open to students of both colleges, but Sir John was unyielding.

In 1644 however St Salvator's College found it expedient to establish their own Chair of Humanity so as not to be left at a disadvantage (R. G. Cant, The College of St Salvator, p. 179); and in June 1650 Scot finally relented, agreeing to a revised contract by which the Philosophy regents at St Leonard's College were given precedence over its 'Professor of Humanity' (St And. Univ. Muniments, SL110.R12 : copy contract dated 19 July 1650).   Conveniently the Chair had recently become vacant, and Mr James Allan, one of the existing philosophy regents, was invited to accept the post.

Thereafter the history of the foundation would see to have been continuous, the Chair of Humanity at St Andrews (until its absorption into the School of Classics) being in effect the direct descendant of the Scotstarvit benefaction.