James, a Scotch astronomer, son of the Laird of Bassantin, in Teviotdale, 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. His works are, 1. Astronomia Jacobi Bassantini Scotti, opus absolutissimum, sec., 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.