There are many editions of his work. The "lunatic" and
the "poet" were certainly in his case not far removed.
A very different man was the illustrious author and historian of Scotland,
George Buchanan, who was born in 1506. After studying in Paris, he
returned to Scotland, and became tutor of the Earl of Murray, the natural
son of James V. The Franciscan monks were not very popular at this period,
and at the suggestion of the King Buchanan wrote a satirical poem entitled
_Silva Franciscanorum_, in which he censured the degenerate followers of
St. Francis, and harassed them in many ways. This poem so enraged the
monks that they seized him and imprisoned him in one of their monasteries.
One night, while his guards slept, he contrived to escape by a window, and
underwent great perils. He published two other severe satirical poems on
the Franciscans, entitled _Fratres Fraterrimi_ and _Franciscanus_. It is
scarcely necessary to follow his fortunes further, as Buchanan's history
is well known. After teaching at Paris, Bordeaux, and at Coimbre in
Portugal, he returned to Scotland, and was entrusted by Mary, Queen of
Scots, with the education of her son. Buchanan then embraced
Protestantism, opposed the Queen in the troubles which followed, and
received from Parliament the charge of the future Solomon of the North,
James VI. of Scotland and I. of England. He devoted his later life to
historical studies, and produced his famous _History of Scotland_ in
twelve books, _De Maria Regina ejusque conspiratione_, in which he
attacked the reputation of the Queen, and _De jure regni apud Scotos_, a
book remarkable for the liberalism of the ideas which were therein
expressed.
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