Thomas Smeton
Encyclopedia
Thomas Smeton, Smeaton or Smieton (1536–1583) was a Scottish minister and Principal of Glasgow University.
, near Perth
, was educated at the school at Perth, and in 1553 incorporated a student in St. Salvator's College, St. Andrews. A promising scholar, he was made a regent of the college, and remained there until the reformers gained the ascendency. He was then ejected, and went to Paris. There he associated with many of the reformers, and enjoyed the friendship of Andrew Melville
. Still a Catholic, he entered the Company of Jesus as a probationer, and proceeded to their college at Rome
, visiting Geneva
on his way. After continuing in Rome about a year and a half, he found himself suspect in Rome as a favourer of Protestant doctrine. He left for Paris, and shortly after proceeded to Clermont
, in both places lecturing on the humanities
. In Paris in 1571, Thomas Maitland, a younger brother of William Maitland of Lethington, persuaded Smeton to accompany him to Italy. Maitland died there, and Smeton went on to Geneva, where he conversed with the reformers, and finally decided to leave the Roman Catholic church. He was in Paris during the massacre of St. Bartholomew, taking refuge with Francis Walsingham
, the English ambassador. On arriving in England he publicly renounced Catholicism, and settled in Colchester
as a schoolmaster.
In 1577 he returned to Scotland, and was appointed minister of Paisley Abbey
and dean of faculty to Glasgow University. He soon took a prominent part in church matters. In October 1578 he was nominated one of the assessors to the moderator in the general assembly, and in the following year was himself chosen moderator. On 3 January 1580 James VI appointed him principal of Glasgow University, in succession to Andrew Melville. In April 1583 he was again chosen moderator of the general assembly. At this time Andrew Melville was anxious that Smeton should succeed him at the University of St. Andrews, but the king, instigated by the prior of St. Andrews, who was opposed to the appointment, forbade his nomination, on the grounds of the loss it would inflict on the university of Glasgow. On his return to Glasgow Smeton was seized with a high fever, and died on 13 December 1583. He married before 1575, and had a son Thomas.
, Eximii viri Joannis Knoxii, Scoticanae Ecclesiae Instauratori, vera Extreme Vitae Obitus Historia. Thomas Dempster
also attributes to Smeton Epitaphium Metellani.
Life
He was born at GaskFindo Gask
Findo Gask is a small village in Perth and Kinross in Scotland, just off the main A9 road. It is in Strathearn, the valley of the River Earn.There are nearby remains associated with the Roman Road to the south and the Roman Frontier on the Gask Ridge....
, near Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, was educated at the school at Perth, and in 1553 incorporated a student in St. Salvator's College, St. Andrews. A promising scholar, he was made a regent of the college, and remained there until the reformers gained the ascendency. He was then ejected, and went to Paris. There he associated with many of the reformers, and enjoyed the friendship of Andrew Melville
Andrew Melville
Andrew Melville was a Scottish scholar, theologian and religious reformer. His fame encouraged scholars from the European Continent to study at Glasgow and St Andrews.-Early life and early education:...
. Still a Catholic, he entered the Company of Jesus as a probationer, and proceeded to their college at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, visiting Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
on his way. After continuing in Rome about a year and a half, he found himself suspect in Rome as a favourer of Protestant doctrine. He left for Paris, and shortly after proceeded to Clermont
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, in both places lecturing on the humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
. In Paris in 1571, Thomas Maitland, a younger brother of William Maitland of Lethington, persuaded Smeton to accompany him to Italy. Maitland died there, and Smeton went on to Geneva, where he conversed with the reformers, and finally decided to leave the Roman Catholic church. He was in Paris during the massacre of St. Bartholomew, taking refuge with Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
, the English ambassador. On arriving in England he publicly renounced Catholicism, and settled in Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
as a schoolmaster.
In 1577 he returned to Scotland, and was appointed minister of Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
and dean of faculty to Glasgow University. He soon took a prominent part in church matters. In October 1578 he was nominated one of the assessors to the moderator in the general assembly, and in the following year was himself chosen moderator. On 3 January 1580 James VI appointed him principal of Glasgow University, in succession to Andrew Melville. In April 1583 he was again chosen moderator of the general assembly. At this time Andrew Melville was anxious that Smeton should succeed him at the University of St. Andrews, but the king, instigated by the prior of St. Andrews, who was opposed to the appointment, forbade his nomination, on the grounds of the loss it would inflict on the university of Glasgow. On his return to Glasgow Smeton was seized with a high fever, and died on 13 December 1583. He married before 1575, and had a son Thomas.
Works
Smeton was author of Ad Virulentum Archibaldi Hamiltonii Apostatae Dialogum, de Confusione Calvinianae Sectae apud Scotos, impie conscriptum. Orthodoxa Responsio, Edinburgh, 1579; a reply to Archibald Hamilton. With this work was a life of John KnoxJohn Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
, Eximii viri Joannis Knoxii, Scoticanae Ecclesiae Instauratori, vera Extreme Vitae Obitus Historia. Thomas Dempster
Thomas Dempster
Thomas Dempster was a Scottish scholar and historian. Born into the aristocracy in Aberdeenshire, which comprises regions of both the Scottish highlands and the Scottish lowlands, he was sent abroad as a youth for his education. The Dempsters were Catholic in an increasingly Protestant country and...
also attributes to Smeton Epitaphium Metellani.