- William Barclay (jurist)
William Barclay (1546 - 1608) was a Scottish
jurist .Life
He was born in Aberdeenshire in 1546. Educated at the
University of Aberdeen , he went toFrance in 1573, and studied law at theUniversity of Bourges , where he took his doctor's degree.Charles III, Duke of Lorraine , appointed him professor of civil law in the newly-foundeduniversity of Pont-à-Mousson , and also made himCounsellor of State andmaster of requests . In 1603, however, he was obliged to leaveFrance , having incurred the enmity of theJesuits , through his opposition to their proposal to admit his son John a member of their society.Arriving in
England , he was offered considerable preferment by James VI on condition of becoming a member of theChurch of England . This offer he refused, and he returned to France in 1604, when he was appointed professor of civil law in theuniversity of Angers . He died atAngers in 1608.Works
His principal works were "De Regno el Regali Potestate",(1600), a strenuous defence of the rights of kings, in which he refutes the doctrines of those he coins
monarchomachs : George Buchanan, “Junius Brutus” (Hubert Languet orPhilippe de Mornay ) andJean Boucher ; and "De Potestate Papae", (1609), in opposition to the usurpation of temporal powers by thepope , which called forth the celebrated reply of Cardinal Bellarmine; also commentaries on some of the titles of the "Pandects ".References
*"William Barclay, Professor of Law at Pont-a-Mousson and Angers" by Andrew F Stewart in Stair Society Miscellany V, ed H L MacQueen, Edinburgh 2006 ISBN 1-872517-18-8
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