The reformation and the University.

The University was originally founded in the year 1450 by a Bull of Pope Nicholas V. obtained at the request of King James II. Bishop Turnbull, who then held the See of Glasgow, and his successors, being appointed chancellors of the new institution. A body of statutes for its government, were prepared by the bishop and his chapter in 1451, from which we learn, that it at this time consisted—besides the chancellor—-of a rector and four masters of faculties. 

Upwards of one hundred members were incorporated by the rector within the first two years—most of whom were belonging either to the secular or regular bodies of clergy. For some time, however, the institution appears to have had little more than a nominal existence; it had no property of any kind bestowed upon it; nor were lectures read in any of the sciences.

 Afterwards, however, lectures were read on theology, and the civil and canon law, in the chapter-house belonging to the Dominican Convent  the “ Congregatio Universitatis,” or meeting of the whole members, being held in the Cathedral.

In 1453, a royal charter was granted, exempting all connected with the University from taxes and exactions of every description. It does not appear to be distinctly known when the first buildings set apart for the purposes of the institution were erected, but it must have been previous to 1459. The original buildings, part of which still remain, were situated on the north side of the Rottenrow: here, in this Paedagogium, or College of Arts, as it was styled the youngest part of the students lived, and were governed and taught by certain masters, who were called Regents in Arts.

The Paedagogium, or College of Arts, was certainly the most useful branch of the University —as being intended for the instruction of youth; and it seems to have been considered so at the time, for it very soon came to be possessed of property. In 1459, a “ tenement, with the pertinents, lying on the north side of the Church and Convent of the Predicators, together with four acres of land in the Dowhill, was bequeathed to it by James Lord Hamilton.” This gift soon received many additions and improvements; and in 1466, an adjoining tenement was bequeathed by Mr. Thomas Arthurlie. These buildings were situated on the present site of the University; but what their exterior appearance may have been, is entirely unknown. The most ancient portions of those now existing, are undoubtedly of a date subsequent to the Reformation.

The Reformation in 1560 for a time seemed to have given a death-blow to the University. Its masters and doctors were the dignitaries of the Church of Rome; and many of its students and pupils were no doubt coming forward with a view to that church. The power of that mighty superstition which had heretofore so swayed the moral and religious world, was in Scotland utterly annihilated; her clergy dispersed abroad; and the University, notwithstanding its numerous advantages, had almost been destroyed in the general wreck.

 The Paedagogium, however, though not the most dignified, yet the most useful part of the University, although it suffered, survived the storm; but in so shattered a condition, that in a charter of Queen Mary it is said, that it “ appearit rather to be the decay of ane University, nor ony ways to be reckonit ane established foundation.”

 The queen was the first who, after the Reformation, took any interest in the University; and she, by the charter just alluded to, founded five bursaries for poor children, and granted to the masters of the University, for their “ sustentation,” the manse and church of the Friars Predicatores, thirteen acres of ground adjoining, and several other rents and annuities which had belonged to the friars. The magistrates and council of the city, sensible of the loss the community had sustained from the decay of the University, and desirous to aid in its restoration, in the year 1572 bestowed considerable funds on it, arising from the church property and rent which had fallen into their hands; and prescribed regulations for its proper management. This charter affords a very humbling view of the state of the University at this time; for from it it appears that the whole members, regents, and students, residing within it, amounted only to 15 persons. Even this small number, however, and notwithstanding the increased donations, it was afterwards found necessary to diminish; indeed it appears from the rental, that at this time all the sum which it was found possible to make effectual, was only £300 Soots yearly.

A new charter of foundation was given by King James VI. in the year 1577 during his minority, with the advice and consent of the Earl of Morton, Regent of the kingdom; and along with this, a grant of the Rectory and Vicarage of the parish of Govan. This charter, in its most essential points, continues to be in force to the present day. The offices appointed by it are twelve; a principal, three regents or professors, four bursars, a steward, a cook, and a servant to the principal. The languages and sciences taught at this period were Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, rhetoric, dialectics, morals, and polities, the elements of arithmetic and geometry, physiology, geography, chronology, and astrology.

 Soon after the new foundation, in 1581, the Archbishop gave a donation of the customs of the city of Glasgow; in consequence of which a fourth regent or professor was founded. A new body of statutes were also at this time formed, which are still in existence. In 1637, the Professorship of Humanity seems to have been founded. 

The College, in 1641, received from Charles I. the temporality of the Bishopric of Galloway, reserving a power of burdening it with the sum of £100 sterling to any person he should name.

From the period of its new erection in the reign of James VI., the University continued to prosper until the era of the Restoration; at which time it had, besides a principal, eight professors, a librarian with a tolerable library, the number of its bursars increased, and a great addition of students of all ranks. The buildings too, which had become ruinous, were begun to be rebuilt in a more enlarged and elegant manner, than they had formerly been. The re-establishment of Episcopal government in the church, however, which took place at the restoration of Charles II., gave a severe check to the prosperity of the University by depriving it at once of the best part of its revenue—the Bishopric of Galloway. In consequence of this, notwithstanding of its revenue otherwise, a large debt was contracted, and it was found necessary to reduce three out of the eight professorships; while the emoluments of those which remained were very much reduced. Notwithstanding a report made in favour of the University, by a Visitation appointed by Parliament in 1664, it was allowed to remain in the distressed state we have just described, till after the Revolution. It no doubt during this time received considerable donations and mortifications; but these were all appropriated by the donars, either to the carrying on of the building, or to the foundation of bursars.

In the year 1693, each of the Scotch Universities obtained a gift of £300 a-year, out of the bishops' rents in Scotland. The sum payable to the University of Glasgow was allocated upon the Archbishopric of Glasgow ; and soon after, as the Bishopric of Galloway could not be recovered, a lease was obtained of the whole rent of the Archbishopric of Glasgow for fifteen years, which has been since periodically renewed by the Crown.

In consequence of these gifts, the University now began to revive from the long state of depression in which it had remained; and the exertions which now began to be made, were greatly encouraged by the increased number of students. The students of theology, Greek, and philosophy, amounted in year 1702 to 402.

 In the year 1706, the professorship of humanity was revived. Queen Anne granted to the University, in 1708, £210 sterling, yearly, payable out of the exchequer;— one part of which was set apart for salaries to a professor of anatomy and botany, and to a professor of oriental languages; and another part of it for augmenting the salaries of the principal and professors.

This gift has been renewed by all subsequent sovereigns. A new gift of £170 per annum was granted by King George I. out of the rents of the Archbishopric, which was appropriated for a salary to a professor of ecclesiastical history, and for augmenting the smaller salaries of the other professors.