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grandfather a spendthrift； he and his seven brothers and sisters were
brought up by a widowed mother； Agnes Heriotof whom one wishes to
know more； for the rule that great sons have great mothers probably holds
good in her case。 George gave signs； while at the village school； of future
scholarship； and when he was only fourteen； his uncle James sent him to
the University of Paris。 Those were hard times； and the youths； or rather
boys； who meant to bee scholars； had a cruel life of it； cast desperately
out on the wide world to beg and starve； either into self…restraint and
success； or into ruin of body and soul。 And a cruel life George had。
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Within two years he was down in a severe illness； his uncle dead； his
supplies stopped； and the boy of sixteen got home； he does not tell how。
Then he tried soldiering； and was with Albany's French Auxiliaries at the
ineffectual attack on Wark Castle。 Marching back through deep snow； he
got a fresh illness； which kept him in bed all winter。 Then he and his
brother were sent to St。 Andrews； where he got his B。A。 at nineteen。 The
next summer he went to France once more； and 〃fell；〃 he says； 〃into the
flames of the Lutheran sect； which was then spreading far and wide。〃
Two years of penury followed； and then three years of school…mastering in
the College of St。 Barbe； which he has immortalisedat least； for the few
who care to read modern Latin poetryin his elegy on 〃The Miseries of a
Parisian Teacher of the Humanities。〃 The wretched regent…master； pale
and suffering； sits up all night preparing his lecture； biting his nails and
thumping his desk； and falls asleep for a few minutes； to start up at the
sound of the four…o'clock bell； and be in school by five； his Virgil in one
hand； and his rod in the other； trying to do work on his own account at old
manuscripts； and bawling all the while at his wretched boys； who cheat
him； and pay each other to answer to truants' names。 The class is all
wrong。 〃One is barefoot； another's shoe is burst； another cries； another
writes home。 Then es the rod； the sound of blows； and howls； and
the day passes in tears。〃 〃Then mass； then another lesson； then more
blows； there is hardly time to eat。〃 I have no space to finish the picture
of the stupid misery which； Buchanan says； was ruining his intellect； while
it starved his body。 However； happier days came。 Gilbert Kennedy；
Earl of Cassilis； who seems to have been a noble young gentleman； took
him as his tutor for the next five years； and with him he went back to
Scotland。
But there his plain speaking got him； as it did more than once
afterward； into trouble。 He took it into his head to write； in imitation of
Dunbar； a Latin poem； in which St。 Francis asks him in a dream to bee
a Gray Friar； and Buchanan answered in language which had the
unpleasant fault of being too clever； andto judge from contemporary
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evidenceonly too true。 The friars said nothing at first； but when King
James made Buchanan tutor to one of his natural sons； they； 〃men
professing meekness； took the matter somewhat more angrily than befitted
men so pious in the opinion of the people。〃 So Buchanan himself puts it：
but； to do the poor friars justice； they must have been angels； not men； if
they did not writhe somewhat under the scourge which he had laid on
them。 To be told that there was hardly a place in heaven for monks； was
hard to hear and bear。 They accused him to the king of heresy； but not
being then in favour with James； they got no answer； and Buchanan was
manded to repeat the castigation。 Having found out that the friars
were not to be touched with impunity； he wrote； he says； a short and
ambiguous poem。 But the king； who loved a joke； demanded something
sharp and stinging； and Buchanan obeyed by writing； but not publishing；
〃The Franciscans；〃 a long satire； pared to which the 〃Somnium〃 was
bland and merciful。 The storm rose。 Cardinal Beaten； Buchanan says；
wanted to buy him of the king； and then； of course； burn him； as he had
just burnt five poor souls； so； knowing James's avarice； he fled to England；
through freebooters and pestilence。
There he found； he says； 〃men of both factions being burned on the
same day and in the same fire〃a pardonable exaggeration〃by Henry
VIII。； in his old age more intent on his own safety than on the purity of
religion。〃 So to his beloved France he went again； to find his enemy
Beaten ambassador at Paris。 The capital was too hot to hold him； and he
fled south to Bordeaux； to Andrea Govea； the Portuguese principal of the
College of Guienne。 As Professor of Latin at Bordeaux； we find him
presenting a Latin poem to Charles V。； and indulging that fancy of his for
Latin poetry which seems to us nowadays a childish pedantry； which was
thenwhen Latin was the vernacular tongue of all scholarsa serious； if
not altogether a useful； pursuit。 Of his tragedies； so famous in their day
the