school, and in 1559 entered St. Mary's College, St. Andrews; in the matriculation list his name is given as ‘Andreas Mailuile.’ His knowledge of Greek, ‘quhilk his maisters understood nocht,’ created wonder; he had gained it at Montrose (1557–9) under Pierre de Marsiliers, established there as a teacher by John Erskine [q. v.] of Dun. Since Melvill addresses George Buchanan (1506–1582) [q. v.] as ‘præceptori suo,’ McCrie thinks it possible that Buchanan may have given him ‘private instructions’ during visits to St. Andrews. There also McCrie places his introduction to Pietro Bizari [q. v.], who in 1565 addressed verses to Melvill as well as to Buchanan.
Having graduated at St. Andrews, he repaired to France in the autumn of 1564, reaching Paris from Dieppe after a roundabout and stormy voyage. He now attained great fluency in Greek, made acquirements in oriental languages, studied mathematics and law, and came under the direct influence of Peter Ramus, whose new methods of teaching he subsequently transplanted to Scotland. From Paris he proceeded in 1566 to Poitiers for further study of law. He was at once made regent in the college of St. Marceon; his skill in Latin verse and in classic oratory gave his college the advantage in literary contests with the rival college of St. Pivareau. Classes were broken up in 1568 during the siege of Poitiers by the Huguenots under Coligny. As a protestant, though not an obtrusive one, Melvill fell under suspicion of sympathy with the besiegers, but he proved his readiness to take part in the defence of the place. He left Poitiers, however, on the raising of the siege, and made his way with some difficulty to Geneva.
Beza received him with open arms, and he was placed forthwith in the vacant chair of humanity in the Genevan academy. Still young (twenty-three) he availed himself of every opportunity of study, frequenting the lectures of his colleagues. At Geneva as early as 1570 he met Joseph Scaliger and Francis Hottoman, who in 1572, after the massacre on St. Bartholomew's day, took up their abode in that city.
Melvill till 1572 did not correspond with his friends in Scotland; his home letters in that year brought him successive appeals, the earliest being from his nephew, James Melville (1556–1614) [q. v.], to devote his powers to raising the standard of education in his own country. In 1573 he published at Basle his first volume of Latin verse, and in the same year obtained his demission from the Genevan Academy. In the spring of 1574 he left Geneva, carrying a commendatory letter from Beza to the Scottish general assembly. At Paris he conducted for some days a public discussion in the Jesuits' College. Alarmed by some words of James Beaton (1517–1603) [q. v.], the refugee archbishop of Glasgow, he left Paris on 30 May 1573, and proceeding by Dieppe, Rye, and London, reached Edinburgh early in July.
Declining a post in the household of the regent, James Douglas, fourth earl of Morton [q. v.], for which he was recommended by Buchanan, Melvill stayed three months with his brother Richard at Baldovie, directing the studies of his nephew James, whom his father committed henceforth wholly to his charge. In the autumn of 1574 he was appointed John Davidson's successor as head of the college of Glasgow which had been closed since Davidson's death in 1572. After spending a couple of days at Stirling, where he was introduced to the youthful James VI, and had some consultation with Buchanan, Melvill settled in Glasgow early in November 1574.
With his appointment ‘the literary history of the university of Glasgow properly commences’ (McCrie). His plan was twofold, the introduction of an enlarged curriculum, extending over six years, and the training of ‘regents,’ to whom he might delegate the permanent conduct of special branches of study. Within six years he established four chairs in languages, science, and philosophy, reserving divinity to the principal. To the principalship was annexed on 13 July 1577 the charge of Govan, near Glasgow, where Melvill preached every Sunday. In the same year a royal charter, the ‘nova erectio,’ confirmed his plan of studies.
Meanwhile Melvill was an active leader in ecclesiastical affairs, and a prime mover in the steps by which the organisation of the Scottish church was definitely cast in a presbyterian mould. Spotiswood (his pupil) represents him as an iconoclast, ascribing to him the design of demolishing the cathedral of Glasgow as a monument of idolatry. This seems a complete misapprehension. Even the outbreak of popular iconoclasm in the early days of Knox was directed only against images and monasteries. The reforming policy was to utilise all churches for protestant worship, the larger ones being sometimes divided for the accommodation of several congregations. Melvill's attack was directed against the remaining forms of episcopacy. The first ‘book of discipline’ (1561) had permitted a quasi-episcopacy in the shape of ‘superintendents.’ The convention of Leith (1572) had re-established the hierarchy, though with limited powers. Melvill was appointed (March 1575) on the
