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again and again called for； and always ready。 The value of his work；
especially that for the reform of St。 Andrew's； must be judged by Scotsmen；
rather than by an Englishman； but all that one knows of it justifies
Melville's sentence in the well…known passage in his memoirs； wherein he
describes the tutors and household of the young king。 〃Mr。 George was a
Stoic philosopher； who looked not far before him；〃 in plain words； a high…
minded and right…minded man； bent on doing the duty which lay nearest
him。 The worst that can be said against him during these times is； that
his name appears with the sum of 100 pounds against it； as one of those
〃who were to be entertained in Scotland by pensions out of England；〃 and
Ruddiman； of course； ments on the fact by saying that Buchanan 〃was
at length to act under the threefold character of malcontent； reformer； and
pensioner：〃 but it gives no proof whatsoever that Buchanan ever received
any such bribe； and in the very month； seemingly； in which that list was
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written10th March； 1579Buchanan had given a proof to the world that
he was not likely to be bribed or bought； by publishing a book； as
offensive probably to Queen Elizabeth as it was to his own royal pupil；
namely； his famous 〃De Jure Regni apud Scotos；〃 the very primer；
according to many great thinkers； of constitutional liberty。 He dedicates
that book to King James； 〃not only as his monitor； but also as an
importunate and bold exactor； which in these his tender and flexible years
may conduct him in safety past the rocks of flattery。〃 He has
plimented James already on his abhorrence of flattery； 〃his inclination
far above his years for undertaking all heroical and noble attempts； his
promptitude in obeying his instructors and governors； and all who give
him sound admonition； and his judgment and diligence in examining
affairs； so that no man's authority can have much weight with him unless it
be confirmed by probable reasons。〃 Buchanan may have thought that
nine years of his stern rule had eradicated some of James's ill conditions；
the petulance which made him kill the Master of Mar's sparrow； in trying
to wrest it out of his hand； the carelessness with whichif the story told by
Chytraeus； on the authority of Buchanan's nephew； be trueJames signed
away his crown to Buchanan for fifteen days； and only discovered his
mistake by seeing Bachanan act in open court the character of King of
Scots。 Buchanan had at last made him a scholar； he may have fancied that
he had made him likewise a manful man： yet he may have dreaded that；
as James grew up； the old inclinations would return in stronger and uglier
shapes； and that flattery might be； as it was after all； the cause of James's
moral ruin。 He at least will be no flatterer。 He opens the dialogue
which he sends to the king； with a calm but distinct assertion of his
mother's guilt； and a justification of the conduct of men who were now
most of them past helping Buchanan； for they were laid in their graves；
and then goes on to argue fairly； but to lay down firmly； in a sort of
Socratic dialogue； those very principles by loyalty to which the House of
Hanover has reigned； and will reign； over these realms。 So with his
History of Scotland； later antiquarian researches have destroyed the value
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of the earlier portions of it： but they have surely increased the value of
those later portions； in which Buchanan inserted so much which he had
already spoken out in his Detection of Mary。 In that book also liberavit
animam suam； he spoke his mind fearless of consequences； in the face of a
king who he must have knownfor Buchanan was no dullardregarded
him with deep dislike； who might in a few years be able to work his ruin。
But those few years were not given to Buchanan。 He had all but done
his work； and he hastened to get it over before the night should e
wherein no man can work。 One must be excused for tellingone would
not tell it in a book intended to be read only by Scotsmen； who know or
ought to know the tale alreadyhow the two Melvilles and Buchanan's
nephew Thomas went to see him in Edinburgh； in September； 1581；
hearing that he was ill； and his History still in the press； and how they
found the old sage； true to his schoolmaster's instincts； teaching the
Hornbook to his servant…lad； and how he told them that doing that was
〃better than stealing sheep； or sitting idle； which was as bad；〃 and showed
them that dedication to James I。； in which he holds up to his imitation as a
hero whose equal was hardly to be found in history； that very King David
whose liberality to the Romish Church provoked James's witticism that
〃David was a sair saint for the crown。〃 Andrew Melville； so James
Melville says； found fault with the style。 Buchanan replied that he could
do no more for thinking of another thing； which was to die。 They then
went to Arbuthnot's printing… house； and inspected the history； as far as
that terrible passage concerning Rizzio's burial； where Mary is represented
as 〃laying the miscreant almost in the arms of Maud de Valois； the late
queen。〃 Alarmed； and not without reason； at such plain speaking； they
stopped the press； and went back to Buchanan's house。 Buchanan was in
bed。 〃He was going；〃 he said； 〃the way of welfare。〃 They asked him to
soften the passage； the king might prohibit the whole work。 〃Tell me；
man；〃 said Buchanan； 〃if I have told the truth。〃 They could not； or would
not； deny it。 〃Then I will abide his feud； and all his kin's； pray； pray to
God for me； and let Him direct all。〃 〃So；〃 says Melville； 〃before the
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printing of his chronicle was ended； this most learned； wise； and godly
man ended his mortal life。〃
Camden has a hearsay storywritten； it must be remembered； in James
I。's timethat Buchanan； on his death…bed； repented of his harsh words
against Queen Mary； and an old Lady Rosyth is said to have said that
when she was young a certain David Buchanan recollected hearing some
such words from George Buchanan's own mouth。 Those who will； may
read what Ruddiman and Love have said； and oversaid； on both sides of
the question： whatever conclusion they e to； it will probably not be
that to which George Chalmers es in his life of Ruddiman： that
〃Buchanan； like other liars； who； by the repetition of falsehoods are
induced to consider the fiction as truth； had so often dwelt with
placency on the forgeries of his Detections； and the figments of his
History； that he at length regarded his fictions and his forgeries as most
authentic facts。〃
At all events his fictions and his forgeries had not paid him in that coin
which base men generally consider the only coin worth having； namely；
the good things of this life。 He left nothing behind himif at least Dr。
Irving has rightly construed the 〃Testament Dative〃 which he gives in his
appendixsave arrears to the sum of 100 pounds of his Crossraguel
pension。 We may believe as we choose the story in Mackenzie's 〃Scotch
Writers〃 that when he felt himself dying； he asked his servant Young about
the state of his funds； and finding he had not enough to bury himself
withal； ordered what he had to be given to the poor； and said that if they
did not choose to bury him they might let him lie where he was； or cast
him in a ditch； the matter was very little to him。 He was buried； it seems；
at the expense of the city of Edinburgh； in the Greyfriars' Churchyardone
says in a plain turf graveamong the marble monuments which covered
the bones of worse or meaner men； and whether or not the 〃Throughstone〃
which； 〃sunk under the ground in the Greyfriars；〃 was raised and cleaned
by the Council of Edinburgh in 1701； was really George Buchanan's； the
reigning powers troubled themselves little for several generations where
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he lay。
For Buchanan's politics were too advanced for his age。 Not only
Catholic Scotsmen； like Blackwood； Winzet； and Ninian； but Protestants；
like Sir Thomas Craig and Sir John Wemyss； could not stomach the 〃De
Jure Regni。〃 They may have had some reason on their side。 In the then
anarchic state of Scotland； organisation and unity under a mon head
may have been more important than the assertion of popular rights。 Be
that as it may； in 1584； only two years after his death； the Scots Parliament
condemned his Dialogue and History as untrue； and manded all
possessors of copies to deliver them up； that they might be purged of 〃the
offensive and extraordinary matters〃 which they contained。 The 〃De Jure
Regni〃 was again prohibited in Scotland； in 1664； even in manuscript； and
in 1683； the whole of Buchanan's political works had the honour of being
burned by the University of Oxford； in pany with those of Milton；
Languet； and others； as 〃pernicious books； and damnable doctrines；
destructive to the sacred persons of Princes； their state and government；
and of all human society。〃 And thus the seed which Buchanan had sown；
and Milton had wateredfor the allegation that Milton borrowed from
Buchanan is probably true； and equally honourable to bothlay trampled
into the earth； and seemingly lifeless； till it tillered out； and blossomed；
and bore fruit to a good purpose； in the Revolution of 1688。
To Buchanan's clear head and stout heart； Scotland owes； as England
owes likewise； much of her modern liberty。 But Scotland's debt to him； it
seems to me； is even greater on the count of morality； public and private。
What the morality of the Scotch upper classes was like； in Buchanan's
early days； is too notorious； and there remains proof enoughin the
writings； for instance；