The Scots College, Paris, 1653-1792

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to present a composite picture and evaluation of the Scots College Paris from the establishment of a Prefecture Apostolic in Scotland in 1653, until the eclipse of the college in 1792. In order to show the Mission needs that a Scottish college would have to meet, this study began with a preliminary survey of aspects of Catholicism from the creation of the Jesuit mission in 1584 until the appointment of a secular Prefect in 1653, followed by an exposition of what little is known about the first foundation of the College (1325-1603) and the first fifty years of the second foundation (1603-1653), This review showed that the Scots College in Paris was in an excellent position to further the aims of the Scottish Catholic Mission. The history of the college was then examined chronologically by principalships, but it was found necessary to devote separate chapters to three topics, Jacobitism, Jansenism, and the College archives. The investigation indicated that the Scots College Paris had given considerable beneficial service to the Scottish Catholic Mission, but preoccupation with the Jacobite cause, and a reactionary stance as regards the Constitution Unigenitus deflected the staff from the task of preparing students for the priesthood and ultimately led to baneful consequences for Scottish Catholicism. Quarrels with the Jesuits and internal quarrels amongst the secular clergy contributed to the decline of the college. The college did, however, assist in the education of about seventy priests, provided three of our earliest Bishops, played a major role in the establishment of seminaries on Scottish soil, and built up a library and archives of which even the remnant is an invaluable resource for historians.