James, a Scotch astronomer, son of the laird of Bassantin, in Moray, was born in the reign of James IV. Educated at the university of Glasgow, he 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, he returned in 1562 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 Melville, in his Memoirs, says that his brother Sir Robert, when 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 any thing 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 right of right to the crown of Scotland; but it shall cost many bloody battles, and the Spaniards shall be helpers, and take a part to themselves for their labour." Sir James Melville is an author of credit, and therefore it is not improbable that Bassantin ventured to utter his prediction; but, as it proved true only in part, he either misunderstood the stars, or the stars deceived the astrologer. His works are, 1. Astronomia Jacobi Bassantini Scoti, opus absolutissimum, &c. ter editum Latine et Gallice. Genev. 1599, folio. This is the title given it by Torneusius, 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 Genethliaca. 4. Arithmetica. 5. Musica secundum Platonem. 6. De Mathesi in genere.