The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Student Life at Aberdeen. 175
according to the heinousness of the offence, as well as the
"disposition and age" of the offender. Whoever carried
swords or daggers on his person had them forfeited. Who-
ever was absent from the class, from prayers, &c., without
valid excuse ; whoever was late, inattentive, or unable to
repeat the lesson ;
Latin, Greek, or Hebrew ;
whoever conversed in any language save
whoever frequented bad company,
or indulged in swearing, obscenity, or scoffing at religion ;
whoever fought with feet, fists, or stones ; whoever treated
his superiors disrespectfully, was punished by reproof, or
fine, or the birch, or, as a last resource, by e collegia extermmatio
et exclusio. A fault in a bursar was doubly heinous,
and accordingly he enjoyed a monopoly of two curious
modes of punishment. For disobedience, he was compelled
to wear a white leather belt over his black or tawny gown ;
for neglecting to wear his gown and hat in the hall, in
class-room, or in church, he was deprived of breakfast,
dinner, and supper for the first offence, of two days' food
for the second, and for the third offence he was expelled.
Even t;he student of Theology was subject to the penal
code. If found guilty of encouraging the growth of a
beard, he had to remove the nuisance within three days on
pain of excommunication !
My notes would be very incomplete indeed if they
included no reference to a curious institution which existed
in Aberdeen in the 17th century, and which vividly illus-
trates the convivial tastes and habits of the students of
those days, and the extraordinary length to which they
kvere sometimes carried, in spite of rigid statute and rigor-
ous discipline. The institution in question is described in
Watson's Comic Scots Poo/is (pub. 1706-11) as a cozy little
tavern, kept by one Peter Butter, and much frequented by
students, especially those of ]\Iarischal College. They
nicknamed it the CoUegiuvi Butterense, "as affecting to
consider it a sort of University, supplementary to, and
necessary for, the completion of the daylight one, where
their friends understood them to be attending. Here