ROLLOCK, ROBERT, an
early and zealous promoter of Scottish literature, was born in the year
1555. He was nearly related through his mother to the noble family of
Livingston. Discovering an early aptitude for letters, he was sent by his
father, Mr David Rollock, to the grammar school of Stirling, at that time
taught by Mr Thomas Buchanan, nephew to the author of the History of
Scotland. Under the care of this teacher he continued till he was fit for
entering the university, when he was sent to the college of St Salvador, St
Andrews. By his docility, modesty, and sweetness of disposition, young
Rollock had already engaged the affections of his preceptor, and laid the
foundation of a friendship which continued till his death. The possession of
these virtues also procured him, in a short time, the particular and
favourable notice of the whole university. Having gone through the regular
course of four years’ study, which was at that time the prescribed period in
all the Scottish colleges, and taken out his degree, he was immediately
elected professor of philosophy, being then only in the twenty-third year of
his age. Here he continued for four years, discharging the duties of his
office with singular diligence, and with a success almost without example in
Scottish colleges. It was at this time, and long after this, the practice in
the Scottish universities, for the same professor to conduct the studies of
the same set of students through the whole course; and the remarkable
progress of his pupils, with the public applause he received at their
laureation, induced the magistrates of Edinburgh to fix upon Mr Rollock as a
fit person to open their university, for which they had obtained a charter
from king James the previous year. This invitation Mr Rollock was persuaded
to accept, and in the beginning of winter 1583, he entered, with all his
accustomed zeal upon his laborious office, being the sole teacher, and in
his own person comprising the character of principal and professors to the
infant establishment. The fame, however, of so celebrated a teacher as Mr
Rollock opening a class for philosophy in the newly erected seminary,
operated as a charm, and multitudes from all corners of the kingdom hastened
to the capital to take the benefit of his prelections. Having no assistant,
Mr Rollock joined all his students at first into one class, which, from the
want of preparation on the part of the students, rendered his labours at
first of little utility. All the books used, all the lectures delivered, and
the whole business of the class was transacted in Latin, without some
competent knowledge of which, the student could not possibly make any
progress. From a defective knowledge in this respect among the students, Mr
Rollock was soon under the necessity of dividing his class into two, with
one of which he found it the most profitable mode of proceeding to begin
them anew in the rudimental parts of humanity. At the recommendation of Mr
Rollock, however, the patrons of the college elected a young man of the name
of Duncan Nairn, a second master of the college, who undertook the charge of
this first class in the month of November, 1583. Mr Nairn, who was the
second professor in the college of Edinburgh, taught his class Latin the
first year, Greek the second, there being properly no humanity professor in
the university till a number of years after this. The emoluments of office
in the new university must have been very moderate, for the students paid no
fees, and any funds which had yet been provided were altogether trifling.
The town council, however, seem to have been careful of the comfort of the
new professors, as they allowed Mr Rollock on the 17th of September, 1583,
twenty pounds Scots for his expenses in coming from St Andrews to Edinburgh
at the commencement of his regency, and on the 25th of the succeeding month
of October, thirty pounds Scots for his services. They also, in the month of
November, ordered Robert Rollock, first regent, and Duncan Nairn second,
twenty pounds Scots each for boarding till Candlemas, and in the succeeding
year a committee was appointed to confer with the former "anent taking up
house." It no doubt required all the patronage the city of Edinburgh could
bestow, and all the exertions of Rollock and his associate to carry on the
seminary successfully with so little means, and in an age of so much
ignorance and poverty. Circumstances, too, were greatly against it. In
the year 1585, the plague made its appearance in Edinburgh on the fourth
day of May, and raged till the succeeding month of January, during which
time the city was deserted by all who had the means of leaving it. The
university was thus wholly deserted at a time when the students were in the
very middle of their course, a circumstance which, considering that it was
but the third year of the establishment, must have been highly prejudicial
to its interests. The professors, however, returned about the middle of
January, and the students, by an order of council, were ordered to be in
their places upon the 3d of February. In this same year the national
covenant, or confession of faith, was introduced into the college, and
tendered to every student. Mr Rollock was also created principal, though he
still continued to teach his class. His associate, Duncan Nairn, died the
succeeding year, and the council having resolved to have three classes
taught, Messrs Adam Colt and Alexander Scrimger were elected in his place.
Mr Rollock continued to teach
his private class till the first laureation, which was public, and attended
by all the nobility in town. The number graduated, and who of course signed
the covenant, was forty eight. As soon as this ceremony was concluded, Mr
Rollock resigned his regency, retaining the principalship, to which was now
annexed the professorship of theology, for which, and preaching regularly on
the Sabbath, he was allowed four hundred marks yearly. It was the practice
of Mr Rollock to pray in public with the students every morning, and on one
day of the week to explain to them some passage of Scripture, which he never
failed to conclude with most pertinent and practical exhortations. With the
more advanced students he was particularly careful that they might enter
upon the work of the ministry, not only in some measure prepared for, but
with a deep feeling of its important duties. With all this diligence among
his pupils, he was a faithful and acceptable minister of the gospel. With
literary ardour, however, almost boundless, and the warmest piety, Mr
Rollock’s simplicity of character degenerated into, or rather originally
possessed a natural imbecility, not at all uncommon in minds of this
description, which disqualified him from acting a consistent, or a
profitable part in the conduct of the public affairs of the church, which at
this period were of paramount importance; involving at once the civil, and
the religious rights of the community. This facile disposition was at once
seen, and appreciated by king James, who, having now matured his plans for
reducing the church to an entire dependence upon himself, was sedulously
employed in carrying them into effect. For advancing this purpose he had
procured a meeting of the clergy at Perth in the month of February, 1597,
which by threatenings, flatteries, and bribes, and by preventing some
individuals from giving their opinion in the matter, he managed to have set
down for a general assembly, whose conclusions were to be considered as
binding upon the whole church. Naturally endowed, however, with a more than
ordinary share of cunning, he proceeded with the utmost caution. Disclaiming
all intention of introducing anything like change in any part of either the
worship, government, or discipline of the church, and professing the utmost
reverence for religion, and respect for its ministers, he submitted to this
assembly only thirteen articles to be reasoned upon; all of them worded in a
manner so gentle, and so ambiguous, as to conceal from all but acute and
narrow observers their real spirit and true meaning; which was, in the first
place, to lay open the present established order of the church to be called
in question, though it was supposed to have been set at rest by the solemn
oaths of his majesty, his council, his household, and by all who had any
concern in the matter; secondly, to circumscribe the liberty of the pulpit,
so that no warning might, through that medium, be given to the people of the
designs of the king and his courtiers, when they should come to be
discovered; and thirdly, that a commission of a few of the most prudent and
orderly of the ministers should be appointed to confer with his majesty and
council, upon all these or other questions, as opportunity or necessity
might call for, subject to the after consideration of a general assembly, to
be indicted only by his majesty, which was in the above articles not
unequivocally claimed as one of the prerogatives of his crown. With all the
diligence he exerted, however, he carried his purpose no very great length;
some of his articles being answered doubtfully, some of them disallowed, and
some of them not answered at all. Still greater diligence was therefore
necessary to prepare matters for the assembly that was to meet at Dundee in
the month of May the same year, where there was not only danger of gaining
nothing further in his advances towards episcopacy, but of all that had been
gained in the last assembly being lost. Care was taken to prevent the
regular meeting of the assembly which should have been held at St Andrews in
the month of April. Only a very few of the commissioners ventured to appear,
who, along with the moderator, made humble confession of their sins, formed,
or constituted the assembly, and took protestations for the liberty of the
kirk, continuing all summonses, references, and appellations to
the assembly following. In the following month, the assembly met at Dundee,
but it was in the new fashion; the difference between which and those that
had been held previously to that at Perth, of which we have spoken above, is
thus stated by a writer of that period of the highest respectability. "1st.
Christ by his spiritual office having convocated and appointed times and
places before; now timas and places are appointed by the king, claiming this
as his only due. 2nd. The moderator and brethren were directed by the word
of God, and his Spirit; now and hereafter they are to be directed by the
king, his laws, and state policy. 3rd. Matters were before proposed simply,
and the brethren sent to seek light out of the word by reasoning,
conference, meditation, and prayer; now means are devised before in the
king’s cabinet, to bring his purposes to pass, and heed is taken in public
and private what may hinder his course. He that goeth his way is an honest
man, a good peaceable minister; those that mean, or reason in the contrary,
are seditious, troublesome, coffed, factious! 4th. In reasoning, the word
was alleged, the reason weighed, and if of weight yielded unto willingly;
now the word is passed by, or posted over and shifted, and if the reason be
insisted upon, the reasoner is borne down and put to silence. 5th. The fear
of God, the care of the kirk, learning, the power of preaching, motion, and
force of prayer, and other gifts shining in those who were present, procured
before estimation, reverence, and good order; now the person, presence, and
regard to the prince’s favour and purpose swayeth all. If any had a gift, or
measure of learning, utterance, zeal, or power in exhortation beyond others,
it was employed at these assemblies; now plots are laid how none shall have
place, but such as serve for their purpose. 6th. The assemblies of old aimed
at the standing of Christ’s kingdom in holiness and freedom; now the aim is
how the kirk and religion may be framed conform to the political state of a
monarch, and to advance his supreme and absolute authority in all causes. In
a word, where Christ ruled before, the court now beginneth to govern. The
king’s man may stand at the king’s chair, use what countenance, gesture, or
language he pleaseth, but good men must be taunted, checked," &c. Such,
according to Calderwood, was the assembly held at Dundee, 1597. According to
the same authority, "After exhortation made by the last moderator, the
assembly was delayed, and the commissioners wearied till the coming of Mr
Robert Rollock, whom the king, and such as were to further his course,
intended to have moderator. He was a godly man, but simple in the matters of
the church government, credulous, easily led by counsel, and tutored in a
manner by his old master, Thomas Buchanan, who was now gained to the king’s
course. Many means were used to have him chosen, and the king and his
followers prepared him for the purpose. Sir Patrick Murray (brother to the
laird of Balvaird, the same who had been his majesty’s agent for corrupting
the assembly at Perth,) and such ministers as were already won, travailled
with others of chief note, and brought them to be acquaint with the king,
which was their exercise morning and evening." Mr Rollock having been
appointed moderator, the assembly proceeded to pass several acts strongly
tending to support the whole superstructure of episcopacy. This was effected
chiefly by a representation of his majesty "anent a solid order to be taken
anent a constant, and perpetual provision for the sustentation of the whole
ministry within this realme, to the end that they be not, as in time bygone,
forced to depend, and await upon the commissioners appointed for modifying
of their stipends, and so to absent themselves the most part of the year
from their flocks, to the great disgrace of their calling, dishaunting of
the congregation, discontentment of his majesty, whose care ever hath been,
and earnest desire continueth as yet, that every congregation have a special
pastor, honestly sustained for the better awaiting upon his cure, and
discharging his dutiful office in the same. Therefore, his majesty desired
the brethren to consider, whether it were expedient, that a general
commission should be granted to a certain number of the most wise, and
discreet of the brethren to convene with his majesty for effectuating of the
premises. This, his majesty’s advice, the assembly judged to be necessary
and expedient, and therefore gave, and granted their full power and
commission to the brethren," &c., &c. These brethren, fourteen in number,
seven of whom with his majesty were to be a quorum, were unhappily, with the
exception of one or two that were named to save appearances, already
captivated with the hopes, some of them with the express promise, of
preferment, and the assembly was scarcely risen when they began to display
all the arrogancy of a bench of bishops or a high commission court. In the
month of June they convened at Falkland, called before them the presbytery
of St Andrews, upon a complaint by Mr John Rutherford, who had been deposed
from the ministry of Kinnocher by that presbytery, and reduced the sentence.
The culprit had purchased the favour of the court by forging calumnies upon
Mr David Black, "who was a great eye-sore," says Calderwood, "to negligent,
loose, and unfaithful ministers, of which number this Mr John Rutherford was
one, but he lived in disgrace ever after, and was condemned by the bishops
themselves, because he could serve them to no further use." Proceeding to St
Andrews, they cast out Mr Wallace and Mr Black, who had but lately been
restored; banishing the latter to Angus, whence they brought Mr George
Gladstanes, soon after created a bishop, to fill his place.
While they thus broke down
the hedge of the church, by thrusting out two of her most faithful
ministers, and bringing in Mr Gladstanes without the consent of either
presbytery or people, they also interfered with the laws of the university;
obliging Andrew Melville to demit his rectorship, and forbidding all
professors within the university, especially professors of divinity, to sit
in the presbytery upon any matter of discipline. Robert Rollock, moderator
of the last assembly, and consequently of the meetings of the commissioners
with the king, betrayed, according to Calderwood, "great weakness, which
many that loved him before construed to be simplicity." By the aid of Mr
Rollock, and his friends the commissioners, however, his majesty was enabled
to restore the popish earls of Huntly, Angus, and Errol, with whose
assistance he carried in parliament an act for ministers of the gospel to
have a place and a vote in that assembly. This act declared, "that such
pastors and ministers, within the same, as at any time his majesty shall
please to provide to the office, place, title, and dignity of a bishop,
abbot, or other prelate, shall at any time hereafter have vote in
parliament, siclike and as freely as any other ecclesiastical prelate had at
any time bygone. It also declared, that all or whatsoever bishoprics
presently vaiking in his majesty’s hands, which are yet undisponed to any
person, or which shall happen at any time hereafter to vaik, shall be only
disposed by his majesty to actual preachers and ministers in the kirk," &c.
Soon after this, Mr Rollock
was seized with an illness, which confined him to his house, and finally
terminated his existence. While on his death-bed, he requested two friends,
who called upon him, to go from him, as a dying man, to the king, and exhort
him to cherish religion and the church, and to protect and comfort its
pastors, and to proceed with these good works with an unfaltering step till
the last hour of life; and not allow himself to be drawn from it, either by
the hope of enlarging his authority, or by the evil advices of wicked macn.
To the same persons he added, "You will remember that I was chosen by the
assembly at Dundee, to watch for the interest of this church. In this I had
the glory of God, and the safety of the church, miserably tossed with
tempests and shaking, before mine eyes; and I can now declare, that my
conscience does not smite me with any wicked departure from duty, in
doubling the number of the ministers of Edinburgh; and particularly, in my
activity to bring in two (Messrs Robertson and Stewart) who studied under
me, when I thought I saw in them gifts suitable to such a trust, and hoped
God would bless their labours. I am so far from repenting any share I had in
this, that to this hour it is satisfying to me. I am persuaded the wise
Maker of the world has tied the church and state together with a brotherly
and adamantine chain; and it hath been my great care to advance the good of
both: and yet the love of peace hath not so far bewitched me, that I could
not distinguish between genuine and adulterous peace; neither hath my
affection to my sovereign carried me that length, that to please him I
should submit to the least stain on my conscience. I hope the integrity and
candour of my conduct shall appear when I am dead. In a word, brethren, join
together with the most intimate love and concord in the work of the Lord.
Let me put you in mind to pay every obedience to the king. You live in happy
times, and enjoy a singular felicity. You are blessed with a prince who
drank in religion with his milk; who hath guarded your doctrine with a right
discipline, and covers both the doctrine and discipline of religion with his
protection; who hath taken the church so much into his care, as by open and
plain unanswerable documents, to make it evident, that he will never desert
her while he breathes. Therefore, what you may easily and pleasantly enjoy,
it will be folly to seek after by harsh methods. You will, then, take
particular care, that the church be not ruined by a fall from such high
happiness." Mr Rollock died on the 8th of January, 1598, in the forty-third
year of his age. His remains were attended to the place of interment by
nearly the whole population of Edinburgh, who considered him as their
spiritual father, and regarded his death as a public calamity. The town
council had paid his house rent for many years, and they allowed his widow
the one half of his salary for five years, and to his posthumous daughter
they gave, from the city funds, one thousand merks, by way of dowry. He
published several works, chiefly commentaries on parts of Scripture, several
of which were printed at Geneva, and obtained the warm approbation of the
learned and judicious Beza. These works are still to be met with, and,
though tinged with the scholastic theology of the times, discover great
natural acuteness, a full acquaintance with his subject, and very extensive
learning. His whole life seems, indeed, to have been devoted to literature.
Select Works of Robert Rollock
Principal of the University of Edinburgh, reprinted from the original
editions, edited by William M. Gunn, Esq., in two volumes (1849)
Volume 1
| Volume 2 |