of Lewchatt Mr. Gabriel Cuninghame Mr. George Meldrum Mr. William Violent Mr. George Campbell Mr. John Oliphant For the University of Aberdeen E. of Marshall V. Arbuthnet L. Cardros L. Elphingsston Master of Forbes Sir George Monro Laird of Brodie Laird of Grant Laird of Grange Moncrife of Rydie Mr. Alex. Pitcairn Mr. Hugh Anderson Mr. Alex. Forbes Mr. William Mitchel Mr. Robert Willie For the University of Edinburgh E. of Louthian L. Reath L. Ruthven Master of Stair L. Mersington L. Crosrig Sir Patrick Hume L. Hall Craig Laird of Pitlivier Sir John Hall Sir William Hamilton Mr. Edward Jamison Mr. Hew Kennedy Mr. John Law Mr. James Kirton Mr. Gilbert Rule When they had thus divided themselves into Committees they agreed upon the following Rules by which they were to Regulate their Tryal At Edinburgh the Twenty Fifth Day of July 1690. Instructions from the Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament to Visit Universities Colledges and Schools to the Committees Delegate for that effect Imprimis That the Committee enquire and take exact Tryal of the Masters Professours Principals Regents c. If any of them be Erroneous in Doctrine and as to Popish Arminian and Socinian Principles which is to be searched from their Dictates or to receive Information from other Persons who have been Conversant with them or have Heard them 2 o. To Enquire and take Tryal if any of the Masters c. be Scandalous or Guilty of Imoralities in their Life and Conversation 3 o. To Try if any of the Masters be Negligent and to enquire how many Conveniendums they keep in the day and what time they Meet and how long they continue these Meetings and how the Masters attend and keep them and what Discipline they Exercise upon the Scholars for their Immoralities and none Attendance and particularly to enquire at the Masters Anent the Office of Hebdomodaries and how faithfully that is Exercised and how oft they Examine the Scholars on their Notes And to take Tryal what pains they take to Instruct their Scholars in the Principles of Christianity and what Books they Teach thereanent for the Subject of these Sacred Lessons and what care they take of the Scholars keeping the Kirk and Examining them thereafter 4 o. To Enquire into their Sufficiency and that their Dictates be searched and if they be suspect of Insufficiency to ask Questions and Examine them as the Committee shall think fit 5 o. To Enquire and take Tryal what has been the Carriage of the Masters since the late Happy Revolutions as to Their Majesties Government and Their Coming to the Crown and to Enquire into their Dictates or Papers Emitted by them what are their Principles as to the Constitution of the Government by King and Parliament 6 o. Likewaies to call for the Foundations and Laws of the Universities and to consider how they are observed and to Try how they have managed their Revenues and especially Anent the Money given for buying Books to their Libraries and any Mortifications Stents and Collections and vacant Stipends and other Moneys given on any Account to the said Colledges and if the Mortifications for the several Professions be rightly applyed 7 o. To Enquire and Try the Professours of Divinity what Subjects of Divinity they Teach what Books they recommend to the Theologues and if they be remiss and careless in causing their Theologues have their Homilies and Exercises and frequently Disputes on points of Divinity as it is required 8 o. To Enquire at the said Hail Masters c. If they will Subscribe the Confession of Faith and Sware and take the Oath of Allegiance to Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary and to Subscribe the Certificate and Assurance Ordained to be taken by an Act of Parliament in July 1690. And if they will Declare that they do submit to the Church Government as now Established by Law 9 o. That the Committee appoint such of the Masters as they shall find Cause to attend the next General Meeting of the Commission which Order shall be equivalent as if a Citation should be given to them for that effect Having agreed to those Rules of Tryal they appointed the several Committees to meet at the Respective Universities on the 20th of August thereafter Accordingly the Committee appointed to Visit the University of Edinburgh met in the upper Hall and Sir John Hall was Chosen Praeses The Masters met in the Library and waited there about an hour and a half till they were called to Appear and upon their Appearance the Praeses told the Principal that they would delay the Tryal of the Masters till that day Seven-night because they were in the first place to dispatch the Schoolmasters who were at some distance from the Town and could not therefore so conveniently give their Attendance But the true Reason was That the Libels against the Masters and Professours were not then so fully ready as they designed them Upon the 27th of August the Committee met and spent some time in Reading the Libels before the Masters were called to appear A little after they were pleased to call in the Principal Dr. Monro upon his Appearance Sir John Hall desired him to Answer to the several Articles contained in his Indictment which he commanded their Clerk then to read openly in the face of the Court and Spectators Accordingly The Clerk read the First and Second Articles to which the Dr. answered ut infra but finding that the Paper contained a great many Articles He pleaded That he was not obliged to Answer an unsubcribed Libel that He should know his Accuser And that this Method of Tryal was New Unjust and Illegal That Men should be obliged to Answer so many Questions ex tempore A certain Member of the Committee told the Dr. that it was no Libel but an Information The Principal answered That a Slanderous Information containing so many Calumnies to the ruine of a Man's Reputation and good Name was to him the self-same thing with a Libel at least that he was not Lawyer enough so nicely to distinguish them but that he was sure the one had the same Effects with the other and since the thing was the same he was not concerned by what Name it was called The Committee-Man told him It was to have no Effect till it was proved a Favour which they do not always grant The Principal replied That there was a double Effect That of Deprivation and the loss of his Good Name and tho' the first was not Attained without Proof yet the last was sure to follow upon such a malicious Charge since the People were but too apt to believe what was publickly informed tho' it were not proved and so that which He called an Information would have the Effect of a Libel even in the worst sense that it could be taken The Principal wearied with Jangling about a word and Conscious of his own Innocency was willing to hear the worst they could say and so
leave before But the Libeller means Mr. David Williamson the Presbyterian Mininister who hath no Legal claim either to the Benefice or Ministry there This is a piece of the ordinary modesty of the Libeller who is not concerned to enquire into this matter nor do I decline to give a reasonable account of what I have done to any body that asks it no not to Mr. Williamson if he will but prove himself the Legal Minister of that place and withall make good the New Paradox wherewith he hath lately blessed the World in his Sermon before the Parliament viz. That our Saviour died a Martyr for the Presbyterian Government then I acknowledge my self obliged â—ure divino to beg Mr. Williamson's pardon However the Child is Baptized according to the form of the Catholick Church and I hope they do not undervalue Ceremonies of Divine Institution so much as to Re-baptize him My Lord Provost I was interrogate Wednesday last upon some other things that I do not find in the Copy of Articles given me as first that I frequently Preached unfound Doctrine but this is an impertinent and indefinite Accusation there is no doubt but the Libeller would have Preached otherways than I did had he been in the Pulpit By this the Visitors may see that the Libeller had no other design in his Head than to gather together such Articles as he thought would make me most odious What is Sound or un-Sound Doctrine he as little knows as he does the Secret of the Philosophers Stone Then again That I thought my self independent on the Town of Edinburgh but I gave a full anser to this the last day Then That I went on to Laureat the last Class without acquainting the Magistrates of the Town or the Treasurer of the Colledge The Provost knows the first part to be a Lye besides that it is not practicable for this Civility and Deference to the Magistrates runs in course and cannot be omited That I did not wait upon the Treasurer is become a fault only since we had a Treasurer that mistook his Figure for when he knows himself and the Colledge better he will forbear such Impertinencies The next was That I did not punish the Scholars for Whoring and Drinking There was not one Scholar since I had the Government of the Colledge Convict of either nor so much as complained of but it is naturally impossible for him to forbear Calumny the Viper must either burst or spit his Poison I was then again interrogate about the Bursars of Theologie and Philosophy to which I gave a full Answer on Wednesday last Upon Thursday the 18th of Sept. 1690 the Inquisitors sat and some of the Presbyterian Ministers having look'd over the publick Records thought they had discovered a dangerous Plot 〈◊〉 the occasion whereof was this By King James's Proclamation for Indulgence we could not impose the former Oaths upon our Students when they commenced Masters of Art and therefore lest they should go oft without any ingagement the former Oath was comprized into this short Promise Pollicemur in Deum fidem inviolabilem in religions Christiana Reformata perseverantiam erga serenissimum Dominum Regem Obedientiam c. But it fell out so that the word Reformata was left out in some place by which they would conclude either that the Promise was indefinite or that there was a Blank left to be filled up upon occasion with a word in favours of some other Religion different from the Reformed If the first be intended it is no new thing to find the Students here Sworn to Oaths as indefinite as this is for the Puritas and Veritas Evangelii in the Oath imposed by Dr. Golvil is coincident with the Christian Religion mentioned in the Form now challenged for I never understood by the Protestant Religion any thing but Christianity unmixt But if this be said to be too general look the Records Ann. 1662 and ye shall find that there is not the least mention of Religion in the Oath Imposed If the second be said that there was a Blank left on design it is humbly desired to know what the design could be the Bibliothecarius is ready to depone that he never intended a Blank nor was he ever ordered a Blank and the rest of the Masters may be interrogate whether ever they knew of any such design So that this Phrase Religio Christiana without the word Reformata once varied is purely the Result of Chance and no Design At the Doctors first appearing it was talked of with that warmth and concern that he thought the Gun-powder-Treason was in the Belly of it so that the Bibliothecarius his Deposition who Swore that he wrote nothing in the Book but by Order is not to the purpose unless he acknowledge a Blaâ—â—â—â—â—gned by him in that manner of Writing and Ordered by the Doctor or some of the Masters all this bustle comes to nothing unless the Christian Religion in the formula of Promise now challenged signifie the Anti-Christian Religion and if that be I have no more to say in his defence The Report of the Committee concerning Doctor MONRO At Edinburgh September 23 1690. THE Committee considering that Doctor Monro Princicipal of the Colledge of Edinburgh did Judicially refuse to comply with the Qualifications required by the Act appointing the Visitation of Colledges except as to his Subscribing the Confession of Faith as also it appears by his written Answers Read and given Judicially by him that such as were Mr. Lidderdale's Scholars the preceeding year should be Taught that year in no other Class save Mr. Burnets who he confesses lay under the suspition of being Popish under pretence of making a gap in the Colledge and for other Reasons known to the Primar himself as the Act bears and he does not alledge that he used Means to cause Master Burnet purge himself of the said suspicion And further that he did take down the Pictures of the Protestant Reformers out of the Bibliotheque at a time when the Earl of Perth the late Chancellour came to Visit the Colledge without any Pretence or Excuse but that the late Provost of Edinburgh did advise him thereto And that on the 23d of August last he Baptized a Child in the Parish of the West-Kirk without acquainting of the Minister of the Parish or License from him which is contrare to the Rules of the Established Church Government As also that he acknowledged that he had no Publick Dictates one whole year but only Catechizing And that it appears by the Publick Registers of the Magistrand Laureation That whereas from the year 1663 and till the year 1687. the Magistrands were alwaies Sworn to continue in the Verity and Purity of the Gospel or in the Christian Religion Reformed according to the Purity of the Gospel yet in the year 1687 and 1688. when Doctor Monro was Principal he takes the Magistrands obliged only to persevere in the Christian Religion and this Blank is found
might preserve its independency upon the State so this Law was not made for the Saints but for Wicked Men and Malignants They know they may dispatch the rest of the Clergy by methods such as are frequently complained of For who can stand before the force of Presbytery Sternit Agros sternit sata laeta Boumque labores Praecipitesque trahit Silvas Like an impetuous Torrent that runs all down before it Report As also it appears by his written Answers read and given judicially by himself that he made an Act of the Faculty that such as were Mr. Lidderdale's Scholars the preceeding year should be taught that year in no other Class than that of Mr. Burnet's who he confesses lay under the Suspition of being Popish under pretence of making a Gap in the Colledge and for other Reasons known to the Principal himself as the Act bears And he does not alledge that he used means to cause Mr. Burnet purge himself of the said Suspition Review There are here a great many things jumbled together and therefore they must be explained more particularly But it was not possible for the Ministers that drew up this Report to have contained more Non-sence and Malice in so few words And some Persons of Quality who were Members of this Visitation doe confess that the Doctor did nothing in Mr. Burnet's affair but what they would have done if they had been in his Circumstances But the matter of Fact is this There fell a Regents place vacant in the Colledge of Edinburgh by the Death of Mr. Lidderdale Mr. Burnet had his eye upon this place a good while before Mr. Lidderdale died and so prevented the diligence of all Competitors He was recommended very strongly to the Provost and other Magistrates of Edinburgh who are Patrons The Doctor upon the death of Mr. Lidderdale fixed his eye on Mr. James Martin Professour of Philosophy in the Old Colledge of St. Andrews his particular Friend and Acquaintance who had taught Philosophy several years in that Famous University with great Success and Applause and did recommend him with all the Zeal imaginable to the Magistrates that he might be chosen in the room of Mr. Lidderdale now deceased Several Divines and Physicians Men of unquestionable Learning and Reputation in the City know that the Doctor used all means to keep Mr. Burnet out of the Colledge But Mr. Burnet being recommended by the Duke of Gordon and his Friends at Edinburgh being pre-ingaged to lay hold upon this advantage as soon as there was occasion prevailed in this Competition notwithstanding the Doctor and several other Friends did with all Vigour interpose in Favours of Mr. James Martyn Mr. Thomas Burnet had emitted some Theses in which were some positions favourable to the Absolute Power of Kings and particularly the King of Scots It seems this was magnified by the Person of Quality that recommended him to the Town of Edinburgh several People did upon this suspect him either to be a Papist or not far from Popery if any strong temptation did assault him and this was industriously propagated by some against him so that many were determined to keep back their Children either from his Class or from the Colledge for good and all The Doctor found that the Colledge was at a disadvantage by such Reports as were founded on slight Surmises and therefore he was at the pains to undeceive some Citizens and others that Mr. Burnet was no Papist and this he had good reason to do because Mr. Burnet as soon as he entered Regent in the Colledge of Edinburgh offered chearfully to sign the Test and Renounce all Popery and Phanaticism And therefore the Doctor having nothing in his view but the publick advantage of the House and that there might be an even ballance betwixt the four Professours of Philosophy and that none of them might make a Monopoly either of the Scholars that came to be taught or of the Profits got by them took all possible care to make Mr. Burnet as useful as he could tho' he was thrust into that Colledge against all the endeavours the Doctor could use to keep him out of it If he had done otherways and suffered such reports to flie abroad the Country would have concluded all the Masters in the House were Popishly affected and so withdrawn their Children from the Seminary The fear that many would absent themselves from the Colledge on this occasion touched the Doctor to the quick and made him struggle with all possible Industry to keep up the Reputation of that House especially since the Government of it was committed to him and that it had flourished for many years before he entered under the Inspection of his Learned Predecessours And lest some other Professours might take advantage of the misfortune Mr. Burnet lay under he procured that an Act of the Faculty should pass that the Scholars who had been in the preceeding year taught their Greek in Mr. Lidderdale's Class should be admitted to no other Class for that year but Mr. Burnet's who was orderly brought into his place This was the current uninterrupted Practice of the House and of all other Philosophy Colledges in the Nation Here was no Arbitrary stretch nor no Statute of the House violated and no Member of the Faculty was forced to Vote otherwise than they pleased This account of the Act that passed in the Faculty in favours of Mr. Burnet is in it self Reasonable Just and True how then can the Inquisitors pretend there was another Design than what is alledged by the Doctor They 'll tell you there was another Design the Doctor favoured Papists Mr. Burnet was a Papist and that was the Reason why the Doctor wished many Scholars to be taught by Mr. Burnet It is natural for such as never designed well in their life and never with regard to the publick advantage to suspect the most Laudable and Innocent Actions to proceed from the worst Principles and Designs Did Mr. Burnet truly teach any Popery Or did the Doctor recommend to him to teach Popery Did any of his Scholars ever hear him teach any thing that looked like Popery No that cannot be alledged but it was fit for the Presbyterians to say so and tho' they could bring no proof for what they say yet they impudently insist on it If they had not lost all sence of common Modesty they might have learned more Discretion But let us examine more narrowly the Reasonings of this part of their Report They tell us in the first place that the Doctor made an Act of the Faculty This is an Impertinence for tho' he presided in the Faculty when it met he could by himself make no Act. The Reasons perhaps he alledged for the Act might determine his Brethren to Vote as he did in that juncture They tell us next that the Doctor confesses that Mr. Burnet lay under the suspicion of being Popish It is true that in the second Article of the Libel formed against the Doctor the
Presbyterians say that Mr. Burnet lay under the suspicion of being Popish Those words of their own Libel the Doctor repeats in his Answer to the second Article and this Repetion of their own words they make to be the Doctors Confession This must needs proceed from either unpardonable Malice or Stupidity For in what sence can it be said that the Doctor confessed that Mr. Burnet was suspected of Popery Was it any fault of his that Mr. Burnet was suspected or can Mr. Burnet himself be blamed that he was suspected The least mistake may occasion one to be suspected and yet he may be very innocent notwithstanding of all the Suspicions that may be to the contrary This is a malicious and foolish way of Reasoning for the most publick Spirited and most innocent Men may be Suspected and Libelled too by Malice and Envy and yet continue in their Integrity Let me expose this way of Reasoning a little more familiarly A very Eminen Member of the pretended General Assembly is suspected to have Inriched himself with a part of the Money given by the Sectarian Army to the Presbyterians when the King was delivered up at New-Castle Is the General Assembly to be blamed because they did not oblige this Man to vindicate himself from this Suspicion before he sat in the Assembly or was that Member himself to be blamed because he was suspected of it unless there can be some evident proof brought that he did actually receive a considerable Sum of Money from the Sectarian Army upon the former consideration I believe neither that Member nor the General Assembly will allow of this way of Reasoning when it is applied to their own Case I 'll make it more clear yet by one or two Instances Another great Reformer in Fife is suspected of being accessary to the Murder of Dr. Sharp Lord Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews and it may be this Suspicion is founded upon better Reasons than the other of Mr. Burnet's being a Papist do they therefore think it reasonable to treat him as if he were a Murtherer There is no doubt they will be more merciful if they remember his Service to their Cause There is one Urqhart who is suspected to have spoken Contemptuously of the Lords Prayer and our Blessed Saviour for having Composed it and of doing this in the most blaspemous Expressions do they therefore think he should be ston'd to Death upon the account of this Suspition For my part I do not think Suspition a just Reason against any Man Our Saviour himself was said to be a Wine-bibber a Friend to Publicanes and Sinners and all the Innocence of Heaven and Lustre of his Divinity could not keep him from being Censured by the Pharisees so I hope we need no more insist upon this When the Doctor is turned out and when they consider seriously they may perhaps acknowledge they ought to have Reasoned better But we are told the Favour done to Mr. Burnet was under pretence of making a Gap in the Colledge so it is insinuated that what-ever the Doctor pretended the true design was to advance Popery at this rate it was not possible to do or say any thing no nor to look to any quarter of the Colledge but what might be suspected of having some Popish Plot in it But was the Doctor observed to keep Company with Mr. Burnet more familiarly than he did with other Masters no this is not nor cannot be alledged for to tell the plain Truth he never Treated any Man in his Life so roughly as he did Mr. Burnet sometimes for which he blamed himself afterwards then in the Name of Common Sense and Modesty tell me where lay the Popish Plot If the Doctor had not obviated the Lying Reports that went abroad of Mr. Burnet's being a Papist one of the four Classes had been wanting in the Colledge and if this had truly fallen out by his Laziness had it not been a great disadvantage both to the Town and Colledge and to the Doctor 's own Reputation Would it not been said that the Colledge Flourished formerly but now since it had a Governour that understood not the Interest of it it decayed in its Number Order and Splendor This would have been the just Consequence if Mr. Burnet had not been Vindicated from the Suspition of being a Papist And they that now manage the Argument against the Doctor would have been the first and loudest Accusers of his Conduct but it seems that they thought it no prejudice to the Colledge to want one intire Class It 's true the Doctor might have suffered Mr. Burnet to sink or swim without his Assistance and perhaps he would have done so if there had been nothing in it but Master Burnet's private Interest but when the Reputation of the Colledge was in hazard any Man of Common Sense would excuse the Doctor to interpose in that Affair with all Vigour and Application It may be they have no Notion of the Principal 's Office but that he must be some Grave un-active Thing that must be thought Wise because he cannot speak and a Prudent Governour because he dares not meddle with their Disorders But we are told That the Act runs thus That the Doctor procured the Act in favour of Mr. Burnet for several Reasons known to himself The Doctor does not deny but that when the Act of the Faculty was made some such Expression might have drop'd from him that such an Act was necessary for several Reasons not fit to be insisted on particularly in that Conference And when the Reader considers the Reasons that are already given he will find there was just Cause for that you to make such an Act tho' no Reason at all can be given for compelling the Masters to give such a particular account of their Administrations in so trifling an Occurrence But they insist on another Argument to prove that the Doctors Concern in this had in it some one Popish Design or other because the Doctor does not alledge that he used means to cause Master Burnet purge himself of the said suspition of being Popish Here is Modesty with a Witness how could the Doctor Alledge in his own Defence what he enjoined Mr. Burnet to do in Order to his Vindication unless the Inquisitors had given the Doctor a particular occasion to tell whether he did oblige Mr. Burnet to Vindicate himself or not did ever any of them that were Members of that Committee ask that particular question whether he ordered Mr. Burnet to take all just and Reasonable Methods to Vindicate himself from the Suspicion of being Popish Or did ever the Doctor refuse to give a plain Answer to all the Questions that were asked But the Inquisitors would have the Doctor such is their Ingenuity and Candor Answer all possible Questions as well as those that were proposed why did not they ask the Question in particular If they had the Doctor would have Answered that Sir Thomas Kennedy then Lord
Informers were not of their Gang nor had any liking to their Cause and therefore they took no notice of the Charge which is as follows Information against Mr. Massie THere being a Commission granted by Their Majesties and Estates of Parliament to some Noblemen Gentlemen and Ministers for Visiting the Universities of this Kingdom the said Visitors are earnestly desired to Consider and Examine the Behaviour and Management of Mr. Andrew Massie Regent in the Colledge of Edinburgh who these several years has been an useless and unfit Master of the said University 1. The Visitors are desired to consider Mr. Massie's base and indirect ways to procure Scholars to himself which is thus While he was a Regent in old Aberdeen during the whole Vacance he used to Travel up and down the Country and where ever he heard there were any young Boys without any Introduction he would impudently address himself to their Parents and Friends and assure them that the Boys were fit for the Colledge albeit very often they did not understand a word of Latin and if any of their Parents or Friends did object to him their Children not being qualified he did promise to make up the same by extraordinary pains and care by himself which he never did yet being the most superficial and unconcerned Master that ever was in an University as will appear afterwards When he came to the Colledge of Edinburgh and found that way not so practicable here his method was and is to spread confidently abroad that none of the Courses were necessary which preceeded that which he taught for the time so that he never fail'd to have Semies Bauchelours and Magistrands who were never at any Colledge before and he admitted them to be Scholars without offering them to be examined by the Principal or Masters And this he did so frequently that there was a publick Process intended against him in Anno. 1684. And as this is not our and known to the whole University so the same can be proven by particular Witnesses 2. The Visitors are desired to consider his way and manner of Teaching his Scholars which is so trifling and superficial that there can be no excuse given for it For 1. He never explains his Notes but unconcernedly reads them shortly over without ever making any Digression or Commenting upon them so as to make his Scholars to understand them 2. There are many in his Class at whom he will not ask one question in the whole year nor once examine them 3. He takes no notice of the Absents since many of them will be absent for some weeks and yet he never misses nor calls for them neither does he fine or punish them for their absence and the effect of this the time he taught his last course was that the trafficking Priests and Jesuits did debauch more of his Scholars then of all the other Students in Scotland beside 4. He takes as little notice and care of his Scholars when present for albeit his Class be numerous yet there will not be eight or ten taking notice of what is said or dictated while the rest in his presence are talking tossing and fighting together in the School And an effect of this is that there is more expence for mending the Glass Windows of his School than of all the other Schools besides 5. He gives very ill attendance for all along and particularly the last Session of the Colledge he never entered the Colledge till half an hour after eight in the Morning and near eleven in the Forenoon and this was so well known to his Scholars who did not expect him sooner that it made them either stay from the Colledge altogether or so disturb it that it was hardly possible for other Masters to keep their Meetings at these times 6. He has very few Meetings with his Scholars on the Lords day and takes no care that the Scholars attend since of seventy or eighty of which his Class may consist there will not be above eight or ten present 7. He altogether neglects the Office of Hebdomader which was the most useful attendance in the Colledge for preventing of Tumults in so much that the Scholars did ordinarily brag that Massie's Week was near and that then they should be reveng'd of one another 3. The Visitors are desired to examine his care anent the Library which should be very dear to all the Masters and yet Mr. Massie took no care to make his Scholars pay their dues at their Matriculation and Laureation and particularly this last three years there were to the number of 58 of his Scholars whom he would not bring to Matriculation notwithstanding he was desired thereto by the Principal and the Catalogue of these Scholars Names the Biblothecar can exhibit to the Visitors if required 2. It is evident by the Journal Books of the Library that in the Year 1680 or 1681 there was taken out of the Money belonging to the Library Twenty Pounds Sterling or thereby for uses unknown to any of the present Masters for which Mr. Massey gave his Ticket and which Ticket without paying the Money he did again take up from Mr. Robert Henderson the Biblothecar or his Father who can give the best account of these Affairs and his other Dealings anent the Library 4. The Visitors are desired to consider what he Teaches or rather what is contained in his Notes which for the gross of them he Copies from those of Mr. John Strachan who was a Regent when he entered to the Colledge of Aberdeen and afterward turned Jesuit and they will find in the questions wherein there is occasion of differing from others that his Doctrine is either such as tends to Scepticism and uncertainty of all things or such as inclines to Atheisme As when he asserts that a Creature may Create its own self and that even as the principal and efficient Cause Or such as favours Popish Transubstantiation as his Doctrine concerning the Bilocation of Bodies or such as favours Arminianism as his Doctrine de Scientia media or such as inclines to Superstition and the Diabolick Art as the Doctrine of Judiciary Astrology and particularly de Genituris which contrare to the Example of all Christian Schools he inlarges upon and Exemplifies or such as is pure incomprehensible Non-sence as when he says the Diagonal of a Square is not really longer than the side and for his publick Appearances his maintaining of Theses in the common School on the Saturdays amounts to no more than giving of the Jesuits answers to evident truths viz. That the contrair is the opinion of some Doctors and consequently probable and may be safely followed and on the last Saturday of March last in the hearing of all the Masters and some of the English Gentlemen who were accidentally present he stuck not to say in express words That Deus non justè punit peccatores And always at these publick Disputes he falls out in such passions when any thing is reasonably urged