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MELTON-MOWBRAY MELVILLE 375 In later times it has been despoiled of many of its stones to furnish materials for other build- ings ; yet at the end of five centuries the Melrose Abbey. church, which is the only part of the ancient monastery remaining, is one of the best pre- served specimens of Gothic architecture. MELTON-MOWBRAY, a town of Leicestershire, England, on the Midland railway, 15 m. N. E. of Leicester; pop. in 1871, 5,033. It has much improved of late years, and the parish church was thoroughly restored in 1867. There are a Roman Catholic and various Protestant chap- els, a mechanics' institute, two large free schools, and several charitable institutions. Stilton cheese and pork pies are largely pro- duced; and there are manufactures of bobbi- net lace, breweries, and tanneries. The Melton hunt attracts hither many sporting men. MELUN (anc. Melodunum), a town of France, capital of the department of Seine-et-Marne, on the Seine, 25 m. S. E. of Paris; pop. in 1866, 11,408. Part of the town is built on an island in the Seine. The most important por- tion, on the right bank, rises in the form of an amphitheatre, and contains a large square and several fine promenades. The church of Notre Dame has two Romanesque towers, and that of St. Aspaiis is a lofty edifice of the 15th cen- tury, with double aisles, an elaborate vault, and some fine painted glass windows. The central prison is adapted for 1,200 persons; the prefecture occupies an ancient Benedictine abbey; and there are a communal college, a primary normal school, and a public library. Cloth, woollen, and cotton goods, earthenware, and other articles are manufactured. In the neighborhood, which is remarkable for its fine scenery, is Fouquet's chateau of Vaux-Praslin, where the brilliant financier was arrested in the midst of a fete which he gave in honor of Louis XIV. The town was besieged by the Normans, and on several occasions by the English, who were finally expelled. At the beginning of the 12th century Abelard, though very young, opened a school of philosophy in this town, which was at that time a favorite resort of the French court. MELVILLE, Andrew, a Scottish religious re- former, born at Baldo- vy, Forfarshire, Aug. 1, 1545, died in Sedan, France, in 1622. He was educated at the university of St. An- drews, and passed sev- eral years at. Paris, Poitiers, and Geneva, alternately studying and teaching. In 1574 he returned to Scot- land, and was appoint- ed principal of Glas- gow college. He took a prominent part in the theological contro- versies of his age, and in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland. Toward the close of 1580 he was made principal of St. Mary's college in the university of St. An- drews, and lecturer on theology and the orien- tal languages. In 1582 Melville opened an ex- traordinary meeting of the Presbyterian gene- ral assembly with a sermon, in which he vigor- ously opposed the absolute authority assumed by the court in ecclesiastical affairs. He as- sisted in drawing up the remonstrance against the policy of the court, subsequently presented to the king at Perth by a deputation of which he was the head. The earl of Arran, one of the council, being irritated at the bold tone of this document, asked fiercely: "Who dares subscribe these treasonable articles ?" "We dare," replied Melville, and immediately seiz- ing a pen, affixed his name to it. This was imitated by all his colleagues, and the coun- cil suffered them to depart uncensured. But within two years Melville was summoned be- fore the privy council on a charge of treason for words uttered in the pulpit, and Arran ex- erted himself for his conviction. The accusa- tion could not be proved, and he was sentenced to imprisonment on the charge of irreverence toward the council ; but he escaped to London, and returned to Scotland, on the fall of Arran, in November, 1585. In 1587, 1589, and 1594 he was chosen moderator of the general assem- bly; in 1590 he became rector of the uni- versity ; and in 1595 he delivered at the coro- nation of the queen a Latin poem entitled StephanisMon, which, being printed at the ^so- licitation of James VI., was read with admira- tion throughout Europe. He was accustomed to address the king with the utmost plainness