St John's College (or Auld pedagogy) of the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

as a constituent college founded between 1418 and 1430 and was the precursor to present-day St Mary's College. The founder of the college was Lawrence of Lindores (1372-1437) under the chancellorship of Bishop Wardlaw.

History

King James I used the rivalry between Bishop-Chancellor Wardlaw and Lawrence, to petition the

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

, in 1426, to transfer the University from St Andrews to

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

, in line with the King's policy of bringing the Scottish Church under royal control. This move failed, but it made the academic community aware of its common interests. The college was located on South Street, on the present site of the King James library and Parliament Hall, to the immediate east of the present St Marys College buildings. Parts of the original college buildings were incorporated into the King James library and adjoining structures in the nineteenth century. St Johns College was refounded by Cardinal

David Beaton David Beaton (also Beton or Bethune; 29 May 1546) was Archbishop of St Andrews and the last Scotland, Scottish Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal prior to the Scottish Reformation, Reformation. Career Cardinal Beaton was the sixth and youngest ...

under the name the "New College of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary" or " St Mary's College" in 1538. St Mary's preserves the link to St John's in its motto, 'In Principio Erat Verbum', from the

gospel of St John The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...

, 1.1, English translation 'In the beginning was the word'. The motto can be seen above the entrance gate to the college. St Johns College coat of Arms was the red phoenix of St John the evangelist on a silver background with the motto 'in principio erat verbum' diagonal across the phoenix.

References

Colleges of the University of St Andrews 15th-century establishments in Scotland Former colleges of universities in the United Kingdom {{UK-university-stub