Andrew's (St), a town of Fife-shire in Scotland, once the metropolis of the Pictish kingdom, lying in W. Long. 2. 25. N. Lat. 56. 18. If we may credit legend, St Andrew's owes its origin to a singular accident. St Regulus (or St Rule, as he is likewise called), a Greek of Achaia, was warned by a vision to leave his native country, and visit Albion, an isle placed in the remotest part of the world; and to take with him the arm-bone, three fingers, and three toes, of St Andrew. He obeyed, and set sail with his companions, but had a very tempestuous passage. After being tossed for some time on a stormy sea, he was at last shipwrecked on the coasts of Orkneyland, in the territories of Hergufius king of the Picts, in the year 370. On hearing of the arrival of the strangers, with their precious relics, the king immediately gave orders for their reception, afterwards presenting the saint with his own palace, and building near it the church, which still bears the name of St Regulus.
At this time the place was styled Murici, or the land of boars: all round was forest, and the lands below flowed on the Saint were called Byrebid. The boars equalled in size the ancient Erymanthian; as a proof of which, two tusks, each fifteen inches long and four thick, were chained to the altar of St Andrew's. St Regulus changed the name to Kilrymont; and established here the first Christian priests of the country, called Culdees. This church was supreme in the kingdom of the Piets; Ungus having granted to God and St Andrew, that it should be the head and mother of all the churches in his dominions. He also directed that the cross of St Andrew should become the badge of the country. In 518, after the conquest of the Piets, he removed the episcopal see to St Andrew's, and the Bishop was styled maximus Scootorum episcopus. In 1441, it was erected into an archbishopric by Sextus IV. at the intercession of James III. In 1606, the priory was suppressed; and, in 1617, the power of election was transferred to eight bishops, the principal of St Leonard's college, the archdeacon, the vicars of St Andrew's, Leuchars, and Coupar. This see contained the greatest part of the shire of Fife, with a part of Perth, Forfar, and Kincardine shires, and a great number of parishes, churches, and chapels in other dioceses.
The town of St Andrew's was erected into a royal borough by David I. in the year 1149, and their privileges afterwards confirmed. The charter of Malcolm II. is preserved in the tolbooth; and appears written on a bit of parchment, but the contents equally valid with what would at this time require whole skins. Here also are kept the silver keys of the city; which, for form's sake, are delivered to the king, if he should visit the place, or to a victorious enemy, in token of submission. In this place, likewise, is to be seen the monstrous ax which, in 1646, took off the heads of Sir Robert Spotwood and other distinguished loyalists. The town underwent a siege in 1337; at which time it was possessed by the English, and other partizans of Baliol; but the loyalists, under the Earls of March and Fife, made themselves masters of it in three weeks, by the help of their battering machines.
St Andrew's is now greatly reduced in the number of its inhabitants; at present scarcely exceeding 2000. It is impossible to ascertain the sum when it was the seat of the primate: all that can be known is, that during the period of its splendour, there were between 60 and 70 bakers; but now 9 or 10 are sufficient for the place. It is a mile in circuit, and contains three principal streets. On entering the west port, a well-built street, straight, and of a vast length and breadth, appears; but so grass-grown, and presenting such a dreary solitude, that it forms the perfect idea of having been laid waste by the pestilence.
The cathedral of St Andrew's was founded by Bishop Arnold in 1161, but did not attain its full magnificence till 1318. Its length from east to west was 370 feet; that of the transept, 322. But tho' this vast pile was 157 years in building, John Knox, in June 1559, effected its demolition in a single day; and so effectually has it been destroyed, that nothing now remains but part of the east and west ends, and of the south side.
Near the east end is the chapel of St Regulus; the tower of which is a lofty equilateral triangle, of 20 feet each side, and 103 feet high; the body of the chapel remains, Andrew's remains, but the two side-chapels are ruined. The arches of the windows and doors are round, and some even more than semicircles; an undoubted proof of their antiquity.
The priory was founded by Alexander I. in 1122; and the monks (canons regular of St Augustine) were brought from Scone, in 1140, by Robert, Bishop of this see. By an act of parliament, in the time of James I., the prior had precedence of all abbots and priors, and on the days of festival wore a mitre and all episcopal ornaments. Dependent on this priory were those of Lochleven, Portmoak, Monimusk, the Isle of May, and Pittenweem, each originally a seat of the Culdees. The revenues of the house were vast, viz. In money £237 l. 2 s. 10½ d.; 38 chaldrons, 1 boll, 3 firlots of wheat; 132 ch. 7 bolls of bear; 114 ch. 3 bolls 1 peck of meal; 151 ch. 16 bolls 1 firlot 1 peck and a half of oats; 3 ch. 7 bolls of peas and beans: 480 acres of land also belonged to it. Nothing remains of the priory except the walls of the precinct, which show its vast extent. In one part is a most artless gateway, formed only of seven stones. This inclosure begins near the cathedral, and extends to the shore.
The other religious houses were, one of Dominicans, founded, in 1274, by Bishop Wishart; another of Observantines, founded by Bishop Kennedy, and finished by his successor Patrick Graham in 1478; and, according to some, the Carmelites had a fourth.
Immediately above the harbour stood the collegiate church of Kirk-leugh, originally founded by Constantine III., who, retiring from the world, became here a Culdee. From its having been first built on a rock, it was styled, Propositura Sanctae Mariæ de rupe.
On the east side of the city are the poor remains of the castle, on a rock overlooking the sea. This fortress was founded, in 1401, by Bishop Trail, who was buried near the high altar of the cathedral, with this singular epitaph:
Hic fuit ecclesia directa columna, fenestra Lucida, thuribulum redolens, campana sonora.
This castle was the residence of cardinal Beaton; who, after the death of George Wishart, apprehending some danger, caused it to be fortified so strongly as to be at that time deemed impregnable. In this fortress, however, he was surprised and assassinated by Norman Leslie with 15 others. They seized on the gate of the castle early in the morning of May 29, 1546; it having been left open for the workmen who were finishing the fortifications; and having placed sentinels at the door of the cardinal's apartment, they awakened his numerous domestics one by one; and, turning them out of the castle, they without violence, tumult, or offering an injury to any other person, inflicted on Beaton the death he justly merited. The conspirators were immediately besieged in this castle by the regent, earl of Arran; and notwithstanding they had acquired no greater strength than 150 men, they resisted all his efforts for five months. This, however, was owing to the unskillfulness of the besiegers more than to the strength of the place or the valour of the besieged; for in 1547 the castle was reduced and demolished. The entrance of it is still to be seen; and the window is shown, out of which it is said the cardinal leaned to glut his eyes with the cruel martyrdom of George Wishart, who was burnt on a spot beneath.
In the church of St Salvator is a most beautiful tomb of bishop Kennedy, who died, an honour to his family, in 1466. The Gothic work is uncommonly elegant. Within the tomb were discovered six magnificent maces, which had been concealed here in troublesome times. One was given to each of the other three Scotch universities, and three are preserved here. In the top is represented our Saviour; around are angels, with the instruments of the passion.
With these are shown some silver arrows, with large silver plates affixed to them, on which are inscribed the arms and names of the noble youth, visitors in the annual competitions in the generous art of archery, which were dropt but a few years ago; and golf is now the reigning game. That sport, and foot-ball, were formerly prohibited, as useless and unprofitable to the public; and at all weapon showings, or reviews of the people, it was ordered, that fute-ball and golfe be utterly cryed down, and that bow-markers be maid at ilk parish kirk, a pair of butts and schutting be ufed; and that ilk man schuttis sex schottis at leaft, under the paine to be raiped upon them that cummis n't, at leaft twa pennyes to be given to them that cummis to the bow-markers ta drinke.
The celebrated university of this city was founded in 1411, by bishop Wardlaw; and the next year he obtained from Benedict III., the bull of confirmation. It consisted once of three colleges. 1. St Salvator's, founded in 1458, by Bishop Kennedy. This is a handsome building, with a court or quadrangle within: on one side is the church, on another the library; the third contains apartments for students: the fourth is unfinished. 2. St Leonard's college was founded by prior Hepburn, in 1522. This is now united with the laf, and the buildings sold, and converted into private houses. 3. The new, or St Mary's college, was established by archbishop Hamilton in 1553; but the house was built by James and David Bethune, or Beaton, who did not live to complete it. This is said to have been the site of a schola illuftris long before the establishment even of the university; where several eminent clergymen taught, gratis, the sciences and languages. But it was called the new college, because of its late erection into a divinity college by the archbishop.
The university is governed by a chancellor, an office originally designed to be perpetually veiled in the archbishops of St Andrew's; but since the reformation, he is elected by the two principals, and the professors of both the colleges.
The rector is the next great officer; to whose care is committed the privileges, discipline, and statutes of the university. The colleges have their rectors, and professors of different sciences, who are indefatigable in their attention to the instruction of the students, and to that essential article their morals. This place possesses several very great advantages respecting the education of youth. The air is pure and salubrious; the place for exercise, dry and extensive; the exercises themselves are healthy and innocent. The university is fixed in a peninsula country; remote from all commerce with the world, the haunt of dissipation. From the smallness of the society every student's character is perfectly known. No little irregularity can be committed, but it is instantly discovered and checked; vice cannot attain a head in this place, for the incorrigible are never permitted to remain the corrupters of the rest.
The trade of St Andrew's was once very considerable. So late as the reign of Charles I, this place had 30 or 40 trading vessels, and carried on a considerable herring and white fishery, by means of bustles, in deep water; which fisheries had for ages been the grand source of their commerce, wealth, and splendor. After the death of the king, this whole coast, and St Andrew's in particular, became a scene of murder, plunder, and rapine; every town suffered in proportion to its magnitude and opulence. Nor were those hypocritical ruffians satisfied with the shipping, merchandise, plate, cattle, and whatever came within their sight; they also laid the whole coast under contribution. St Andrew's was required to pay £1000l. but the inhabitants not being able to raise that sum after being thus plundered, the general compounded for £500l., which was raised by a loan at interest, and hath remained a burden upon the corporation, it is believed, ever since.
The harbour is artificial, guarded by piers, with a narrow entrance, to give shelter to vessels from the violence of a very heavy sea, by the encroachments of which it has suffered much. The manufactures this city might in former times possess, are now reduced to one, that of golf-balls; which, trifling as it may seem, maintains a great number of people. It is, however, commonly fatal to the artists; for the balls are made by stuffing a great quantity of feathers into a leathern case, by help of an iron rod, with a wooden handle, pressed against the breast, which seldom fails to bring on a consumption.
Andrews (Lancelot), bishop of Winchester, was born at London in 1555, and educated at Cambridge. After several preferments, he was made bishop, first of Chichester, then of Ely, and, in 1618, was raised to the see of Winchester. This very learned prelate, who was distinguished by his piety, charity, and integrity, may be justly ranked with the best preachers and completest scholars of his age; he appeared to much greater advantage in the pulpit than he does now in his works, which abound with Latin quotations and trivial witticisms. His sermons, though full of puns, were suited to the taste of the times in which he lived, and were consequently greatly admired. He was a man of polite manners and lively conversation; and could quote Greek and Latin authors, or even pun, with King James. There is a pleasant story related of him in the life of Waller the poet. When that gentleman was young, he had the curiosity to go to court, and stood in the circle to see King James dine; where, among other company, there sat at table two bishops, Neale and Andrews. The king proposed aloud this question, Whether he might not take his subjects money when he needed it, without all this formality of parliament? Neale replied, "God forbid you should not; for you are the breath of our nostrils." Whereupon the king turned, and said to the bishop of Winchester, "Well, my lord, what say you?" "Sir" (replied the bishop), "I have no skill to judge of parliamentary cafes." The king answered, "No put-offs, my lord; answer me presently." "Then, Sir" (said he), "I think it lawful for you to take my brother Neale's money, for he offers it." Mr Wal-