JAMES, a Scotch astronomer, son of the laird of Bassantin in Mers, was born in the reign of James IV. He was educated at the university of Glasgow, travelled through Germany and Italy, and then fixed his abode in the university of Paris, where he taught mathematics with great applause. Having acquired some fortune in this occupation, in 1562 he returned to Scotland, where he died in the year 1568. From his writings, he appears to have been no contemptible astronomer, considering the times; but, like most of the mathematicians of that age, he was not a little addicted to judicial astrology. Sir James Melvil, in his Memoirs, says that his brother Sir Robert, when he was exerting his abilities to reconcile the two queens Elizabeth and Mary, met with one Bassantin, a man learned in the high sciences, who told him, "that all his travel would be in vain; for, said he, they will never meet together; and next, there will never be anything but dissembling and secret hatred for a while, and at length captivity and utter wreck to our queen from England." He added, "that the kingdom of England at length shall fall, of right, to the crown of Scot-

land: but it shall cost many bloody battles; and the Bassantin Spaniards shall be helpers, and take a part to themselves for their labour." Sir James Melvil is an author of credit; therefore it is probable that our astrologer ventured to utter his prediction: but, as it proved true only in part, either he misunderstood the stars, or they deceived the astrologer. His works are, 1. Astronomia Jacobi Bassantini Scotti, opus absolutissimum, &c., ter editum Latine et Gallice. Genev. 1599. fol. This is the title given it by Torneius, who translated it into Latin from the French, in which language it was first published. 2. Paraphrase de l'Astrolabe, avec un amplification de l'usage de l'Astrolabe. Lyons 1555. Paris 1617, 8vo. 3. Mathematica genetliaca. 4. Arithmetica. 5. Musica secundum Platonem. 6. De Mathesi in genere.