I 70 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
Lawson, the colleague and successor of Knox, the true founders’ of ‘‘ King James’s College;”
that royal pedant having in reality bestowed little more on the University than a
charter and his name ! In 1580, Clement Little, advocate and commissary of Edinburgh,
dedicated all his books, consisting of three hundred volumes, “ for the beginning of ane
library,”-the undoubted foundation of that magnificent collection which the College now
possesses. This generous gift waa bestowed during his lifetime, and the volumes “ were
put up in Mr James Lawson’s galery, an part of the lodgings appoynted for the ministry,
situated where the Parliament House is now found.”
James Lawson is well known for his uncompromising resistance to the schemes of
King James for “ re-establishing the state of bishops, flatt contrare the determination of
the kirk.” On the assembly of the Estates for this purpose in 1584, the King sent word
to the Magistrates to seize and imprison any of the ministers who should venture to speak
against the proceedings of the Parliament. James Lawson, however, with his colleague
Walter Balcanquall, nothing daunted, not only preached against these proceedings from
the pulpit, but the latter appeared, along with Mr Robert Pont, at the Cross, on the
heralds proceeding to proclaim the act, and publicly protested, and took instruments
in the name of the Kirk of Scotland against them, in so far as they prejudiced the
former liberties of the kirk. ‘‘ Arran made manie vowes that if Mr James Lawson’s
head were as great as an hay stacke, he would cause it leap from his hawse I ” (I Both he
and his colleague were accordingly compelled to make a precipitate flight to England,
where James Lawson died the same year ; Walter Balcanquall, however, returned afterwards
to his charge. Two years later, in 1586, we find him preaching before the King,
“ in the Great Kirk of Edinburgh,” when “ the King, after sermoun, rebooked Mr Walter
yubliclie from his seat in the loaft, and said he would prove there sould be bishops I ”
&c. The royal arguments were not altogether thrown away, as it would seem; the
young Walter, son of the good man,-having probably listened to this rebuke from ‘‘ the
minister’s pew,”-afterwards became the well known Dr Balcanquall, Dean of Durham
and Rochester, ‘‘ special favorite to King James VI. and King Charles I. ; ” to whom his
relative, George Heriot, committed the entire regulation and oversight of his magnificent
foundation.‘
On the 28th of April
1572, proclamation was made at the Cross, ‘‘ that Mr Robert Maitland, Dene of Aberdene,
ane of the senatouris of the College of Justice, and Mr Clement Littill and Alexander
Sim, advocattis, commissaris of Edinburgh, wes present in Leith, partakaris with the
King, and rebellis to the Quene and her lieutennentis, thairfoir dischargit thame of thair
offices, in that pairt for euver.” The proclamation would appear, however, to have led
to no consequences of very permanent import.
Clement Little also bore his share in the troubles of the period.
Bower’# Hist. of the University, vol. i. p. 69. Craufurd‘a Hiat., p. 20. a Caldemood, vol. iv. p. 65. ‘ The following items from the will of Mr James Lawson, including a bequest to hie colleague, are curious :-
U Imprimis, Yee sall deliver to the Frenche Kirk at London, three angells, to be diatributed to their poore. Item, To
Yaistresse Vannoll, who keeped me in my sicknesse, an angell. Item, I will that my loving brother, Mr James Carmichaell,
sall bow a rose noble inatantlie, and deliver it to my deere brother and loving friend Mr Walter Balcalquall,
who hath beene so carefull of me at all times, and cheefelie in time of this my present sicknesse ; to remaine with
him aa a perpetuall tokin and remembrance of my special1 love and thankfull heart toward8 him.”-Calderwood’s Hist.,
vol. iv. p. 206. ’ Dr Steven’s Memoir of G. Heriot, Appendix, p. 148. Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 295,
