James Melville

James Melville (26 July 1556 &ndash. 1614) was a Scottish divine and reformer, son of the laird of Baldovie, in Forfarshire.

Life Melville was born at Baldovie in Angus in 1556

Legacies

Source materials Melville left ample material for the history from the Presbyterian standpoint in correspondence with his uncle Andrew Melville. It was written directly in its descriptions of contemporaries. His sketch of John Knox at St Andrews is one of his best passages.

Verse As a writer of verse he compares unfavourably with his uncle. All his pieces, with the exception of a libellus supplex to James VI, are written in Scots. He translated a portion of the Zodiacus vitae of Palingenius, and adapted some passages from Scaliger under the title of Description of the Spainyarts naturall. His Spiritual Propine of a Pastour to his People (1598), The Black Bastill, a lamentation for the kirk (1611), Thrie may keip Counsell, give Twa be away, The Beliefe of the Singing Soul, Davids Tragique Fall, and a number of sonnets show no originality and indifferent technical ability.

The Diary was printed by the Bannatyne Club in 1829, and by the Wodrow Society in 1842. Large portions of it are incorporated in David Calderwood's (1575-1650) History of the Kirk of Scotland (first printed in 1678). For the life and times, see Thomas M'Crie's Life of Andrew Melville.