Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 7.djvu/315

Rh in Scotiam, 1617," and the other " Propempticon Caritatum Abredonensium." Both these poems (along with five others by the author,) were reprinted in the "Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum," and the last of these, composed at the request of the magistrates, procured him a donation of fifty merks. In 1619, he was appointed to teach a lesson in humanity once a- week to the students of Marischal college, from such authors as the magistrates might select, and also to compose in Latin, both in prose and verse, an essay on the common affairs of the city. For this he was to receive a salary of eighty merks per annum. In 1625, he wrote a poem on the death of James VI., which was printed at Aber- deen by Edward Raban, under the title of " Abredonia Atrata sub Obitum Serenissimi et Potentissimi Monarchae Jacobi VI., Abredoniae, 1625," 4to, pp. 12. This was dedicated " Ad Amplissimos Curias Abredonensis Primatus," and is now so rare as to be priced at two guineas. In 1630, he completed the writing of a new grammar for the use of his pupils, and received from the magistrates a reward of 100 Scots. It was found, however, that this work could "neither be prentit nor publisht for the use of young schollaris, whome the same concernis, unto the tyme the same resaive approbatioune irome the lordis of counsall." In consequence of this, the magistrates "thocht meit and expede, that the said Mr David address himself with the said wark to Edinburgh, in all convenient diligence, for procuring the saidis lordis thair approbatioun thairto, and ordanis the soume of ane hundreth pundis moe to be debursit to him be the tounis thesaurar for making of his expenss in the sudeward." It is unknown whether Wedderburn succeeded in procuring the license of the privy council; but if published no copy of this "gramer newly reformed" seems to have been preserved. In 1635, Wedderburn lost a friend and patron in the learned Patrick Forbes of Corse, bishop of Aberdeen; and among the many d is tin. guished contributors to that prelate's "Funerals" we find the name of "David Wedderburnus Latins Scholae in Urbe Nova Abredonias Praefectus." In 1640, he was so borne down by bodily infirmity that he was allowed to retire from the rectorship of the grammar-school on a pension of two hundred merks annually. The succeeding year he was called on to mourn the death of the celebrated Arthur Johnston, with whom he had lived in the closest friendship. One of the most beautiful of Johnston's minor poems was addressed "Ad Davidem Wedderburnum, amicum veterem," and drew forth a reply from Wedderburn of equal elegance. He thus speaks of their friendship:

And Johnston dwells with much feeling on their early intimacy: