February 1581, and it was published a year later at Ingolstadt, in the same volume as the 'Velitatio in Georgium Buchananum.'

Buchanan had published his celebrated treatise, 'De jure regni apud Scotos dialogus,' in 1579, and the second edition, published in Edinburgh in 1580, soon reached the cloisters of St James, as our author informs us.1 The old Celtic fire and odium theologicum were stirred in the erudite Doctor, who gave himself the task of controverting that damaging treatise. By the 15th of May 1581, the reply was completed. It was dedicated to the Duke of Bavaria, and published conjointly with the 'Flagellum.'

But Winzet's assumption of the Benedictine habit did not contract his sympathies and wither his kindly social nature, which adversity must have mellowed, converting him into a friendless, formal solitary. We find him exchanging communications with Robert Turner, Professor in Ingolstadt, who, though a Devonshire man by birth, was proud of his Fifeshire origin; and if the professor's judgment of the qualities of his correspondent is to be accepted, the abbot must have been a fascinating monk. The professor's Latin letters, though full of a turgid adulation, display the extraordinary regard their writer had for the abbot, under whose rule he wished all the Benedictines could be trained, and to whom he offered as a love-token the use of any English books he possessed.2

1 Winzet, 'Velitatio,' &c., p. 153. Ingolstadt, 1582.

2 Turner, 'Epistolæ,' Nos. Ixxii. -lxxv. and clvi. pp. 221-225, 363-367; Col. Agrip. 1615, 8vo. Bishop Leslie and two nephews of Winzet (John and James), who were then studying in Germany, are referred to in these epistles. Cf. Irving, 'Lives,' &c., p. 107, note. One of the professor's letters is given in Appendix S.

The Benedictine snatched time from his monastic duties to compose various works, both in prose and verse.

The lighter studies took the form of epigrams and poems complimentary to his friends, of which the only specimens extant are the encomium in the preface of Leslie's History, and that appended to the translation of Vincentius. One of his effusions was in praise of Abbot Roricus.1 Dempster and other writers have been of opinion that these epigrams and poems were numerous enough to form books.2 There is no proof to show that this was the case.

One work by Winzet has entirely escaped the notice of all the biographers of the abbot-viz., a translation into Scotch of the Great Catechism of the Jesuit Father, Peter Canisius.

Father James Dalrymple, who, as a religious in the Scottish cloister, under the rule of Ninian, or very shortly afterwards, had an exceptional opportunity of knowing the writings of the superior, is the authority for the statement. This Benedictine, in his Scottish translation of Leslie's History of Scotland, adds to the paragraph relating the apprehension of John Scot and the escape of Ninian from the printing-house, an interesting biographical note, which has all the indications of being an excerpt from the Monasticon of the house. It is to the following effect :

"Mr Ninian thairefter in Rome was made Abbat of the Clostir of Regensburghe, anno D. 1577 be Gregorie 13, quhair he was Abbat geiris 15. In favour of the Scotis natione quhais author to wit of the Scotis Catechis maid be Peter Canisius that gret Catechis he turnet in Scotis. Ane volum against Buchannan of the lawis in Scotland he wrot: Quhither the king or his subjects suld be in gretter

1 Dempster, 'Hist.,' vol. ii. p. 560.

2 Ibid., p. 569; Tanner and Ziegelbauer. Cf. postea.

authoritie, called 'Velitatio in Georgium Buchananum.' Another he wrote contrare the hæretickis, Quhais title was 'the skurge of hæretickis': thame baith he dedicate to the maist honorable Prince and magnifick Duik the Duke of Byre, in Inglestade war prented: and monie vther thingis baith in prois and verse he wrote. In the monasterie quhair he was Abbot, amang the handes of his brether maist Catholiklis and holylie, he depairted this lyfe the xxi. of September, prelaturæ suæ xvi.; Sacerdotii sui lii.; Christi vero, 1592."1

The author of the 'Velitatio' refers in it to Canisius as "nostri seculi doctissimus Petrus Canisius," and indicates an acquaintance with the Jesuit's writings.2 In 1554

Canisius published his Greater Catechism (Summa doctrinæ et institutionis Christianæ), and in 1566 his Smaller Catechism (Institutiones Christ. pietatis). An edition of the former Catechism was published in 1585. It was translated into several languages. In 1588 there appeared a Scottish translation bearing the following title:—

4

"Ane Catechisme or short instrvction of Christian Religion dravven out of the Scripturs and ancient Doctours compyled be the Godlie and lerned father Peter Canisius, Doctour in Theologie.

Vith ane Kallendar perpetuale contining baith the awld and new Kallendar Vvith dyvers vthers thingis pertining thairto verie profitable for all sort of men: maid be M.

1 Leslie, 'Hist.,' book x., translated by Father James Dalrymple. MS. Fort Augustus.

2 Petrus Canisius, born at Nimegue 8th May 1521, died at Fribourg-en-Suisse on 21st Dec. 1597. 'Biog. Univ.,' t. xvi. p. 544.

3 Herzog, ‘Real Ency.,' vol. ii. p. 550.

4 'Opus Catechismum sive summa Doctrinæ Christianæ,' &c. P. Buseé, Paris 1585, fol. 'Biog. Univ.,' t. xvi. p. 544.

Adame King, professeur of Philosophe and Mathematikis at Paris.

"In the end ar adionned certian godlie prayers and ane schort method Vvhairby every man may exame his conscience howe he hes offendet the maiestie of God or his nichtbour. At Paris. Imprented be Peter Hyry, 1588.”1

The prefatory epigram addressed to the reader is signed "Ada. Regius. Edimb."; but whether the title - page is meant to convey the impression that Adam King was the translator of the Catechism, or only the compiler of the Calendar, the reference to which is printed in italic letters, as above,-is a question the solution of which can only be a matter of conjecture, in the absence of information regarding the abbot's translation. Although bibliographers have not recorded the existence of the Ratisbon Canisius, there is no antecedent improbability that, according to a loose custom prevailing in a disturbed time, a popular work like this Catechism was printed without the name of the translator; and that for commercial purposes, only the name of the editor supplying a special addition to the original work was published. On the other hand, Dalrymple may have mistaken the 'Buke of Four Scoir Thre Questions' for a translation of Canisius.

Of the many other treatises in manuscript concerning Scottish affairs in Germany and France,-long preserved in the archives of the monastery as proofs of the industry of its superior, none have been handed down to us.3

1 A copy exists in the Advoc. Lib., 8vo.

2 Cf. Welsh Translation by Rozier Smyth. Paris 1611. In Glasg. Univ. 3 Ziegelbauer, 'Hist.,' p. 361. "Extabant etiam alia plura hujus viri manuscripta opuscula, præsertim res Scoticas in Germania et Gallia concernentia, quæ tamen vel latent incognita aut plane interciderunt. Ex symbolis Bernardi Baillie, Abbatis Scotorum Ratisbonæ aliisque notitiis addidit P. Oliverius.”

XII.-DEATH OF ABBOT NINIAN.

Time and toil began, however, to lay in their claims upon the unwearied abbot, calling a halt here to

"A fiery soul, which, working out its way,
Fretted the puny body to decay,

And o'er inform'd the tenement of clay."

Death overtook him on the 21st of September 1592, in the monastery, when he had attained to his seventy-fifth year, and after he had for sixteen years ruled the monastery in a manner deserving of praise, as the Monasticon declared: "Ninianus Vinzetus annis sexdecim hinc asceterio laudabiliter profuit anno 1592." 1

The brethren in whose hands he died, laid the father abbot to rest within the ancient church of St James, in the sanctuary on the gospel side, about twenty-four feet from the high altar, with obsequies in keeping with his office and dignity. They placed a monument over his place of sepulture, where it is still to be seen. On its upper half is carved in bas-relief the figure of an abbot in his vestments, and with the insignia of his office on its lower half the following epitaph bears witness to the esteem in which this learned, zealous, and pious Scotsman was held :

D.O.M.

NINIANUS (WINZETUS), SACRO-SANCTE THEOLOGIE DOCTOR,

VIR PIUS ET ZELOSUS MONASTICAM HIC DISCIPLINAM

1 Strachan MS., p. 105. date of the abbot's death.

RESTAU

Dempster and other writers were not aware of the Dempster writes: "Quando obierit, aut quando Abbas sederit et an in Germania excesserit, an in patria pro comperto non habeo."-Hist.,' vol. ii. p. 569.