Melville, ANDREW, a champion of Scottish Presbyterianism, was born 1st August 1545, at
Baldowie, near Montrose. He was educated at the grammar-school of Montrose, whence he removed in his fourteenth year to the university of St Andrews. Here he remained four years, and left it with the reputation of being 'the best philosopher, poet, and Grecian of any young master in the land.' He then proceeded to Paris, where he continued his studies for two years. His reputation must have been already considerable, for in his twenty-first year he was chosen regent in the college of St Marceon, Poitiers. Some time afterwards he proceeded to Geneva, where through the influence of Beza, with whose opinions in religion and politics he already sympathised, he was appointed to the chair of Humanity in the Academy. On his return to Scotland (1574) he was appointed Principal of the college of Glasgow, where he did the highest service to the cause of learning throughout the country. He had a very important share in drawing up that charter of the Presbyterian polity, the Second Book of Discipline (see DISCIPLINE). In 1580 Melville was chosen Principal of St Mary's College, St Andrews. Here, 'besides giving lectures on theology, he taught the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Rabbinical languages.' In 1582 he preached the opening sermon before the General Assembly, and boldly 'inveighed against the bloody knife of absolute authority, whereby men intended to pull the crown off Christ's head and to wring the sceptre out of his hand.' Two years later Melville was summoned before the Privy-council on account of a sermon preached at St Andrews; and to escape imprisonment he removed to London. Here he remained till the downfall of Arran in the following year, and then after an absence of twenty months returned and resumed his office at St Andrews. He was repeatedly elected moderator of the General Assembly and rector of the university. At Cupar in 1596 Melville headed a deputation to 'remonstrate' with the king; and when James reminded the zealous remonstrant that he was his vassal, 'Sirrah!' retorted Melville, 'ye are God's silly vassal; there are two kings and two kingdoms in Scotland: there is King James, the head of this commonwealth, and there is Christ Jesus, the King of the church, whose subject James the Sixth is, and of whose kingdom he is not a king, nor a lord, nor a head, but a member.' In 1606 Melville, with seven other ministers, was called to England to confer with the king. Having ridiculed the service in the Chapel Royal in a Latin epigram, he was summoned before the English Privy-council, when he broke out into a torrent of invective against the Archbishop of Canterbury for encouraging popery and superstition, profaning the Sabbath, &c. The king, violating every principle of justice, immediately sent him to the Tower, where he remained for more than four years. In 1611 he was released through the Duke of Bouillon, who wanted his services as a professor in his university at Sedan in France. Melville, now in his sixty-sixth year, would fain have returned to Scotland, but James would not listen to his request. He died about 1622, but neither the date of his death nor the events of his last years are ascertained. See Lives by McCrie (2 vols. 1819) and W. Morison (1899).
JAMES MELVILLE, nephew of Andrew Melville, was born near Montrose in 1556. After receiving the best education that Scotland could then offer, he became regent or tutor in the college of Glasgow, and afterwards professor of Oriental Languages in the university of St Andrews. In 1586 he settled as minister in Kilmrenny, Fife, taking an active though not a commanding part in the affairs of the church at large. He is mainly remembered, however, for his so-called Diary, extending from 1556 to 1601. Ejected in 1606, he died in 1614 at Berwick-on-Tweed. Melville sees all the persons and events of his day from his own point of view as a Presbyterian minister. Nevertheless his record is of real interest and importance for students of the period which it covers. There are editions in the Bannatyne Club (1829) and Wodrow Society (1842).