Patrick Sands (c1567-1635)

Patrick Sands (c1567-1635) was the third Principal of Edinburgh University, serving from from 1620 to 1622.

Biography

Patrick Sands was one of Robert Rollock's original class of students upon the opening of Edinburgh University in 1583. He laureated in August 1587, and is the thirty-fifth signatory for his class in Edinburgh University's Laureation Album. He returned to the university as a regent in 1589, and tutored two classes through to laureation in 1591 and 1595. Thereafter, he travelled abroad to study Law and became tutor to Lord Newbattle (Mark Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian, c1559-1609). On returning to Edinburgh, he was called to the Scottish Bar as an Advocate. Sands as Principal According to the University's historians Thomas Craufurd and Sir Alexander Grant, the Town Council of Edinburgh grew increasingly unsatisfied with the performance of Henry Charteris as Principal of Edinburgh University. One of the most prominent councillors was David Aikinhead, Sands's brother-in-law and a future Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Under Aikinhead's aegis, a plan was hatched to replace Charteris with Sands. A pretext was found to edge Charteris out in 1620, when he requested that his salary be raised to the same level as the City's Ministers. This had, in fact, been promised to Charteris, but the Town Council replied that it was not possible given the present state of University finances. It was suggested that he might profitably seek a church appointment. Charteris took the hint, resigned the Principalship in 1620, and accepted the call to become Minister of North Leith. In 1606, Sands married Marion, sister of David Aikinhead, the future Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

He contributed two Latin poems to Sir William Mure's The Muses' Welcome (Edinburgh) and a Latin epigram in praise of Patrick Anderson's Angelic Pills. He died in 1635.

Sources

• Sir Alexander Grant, The Story of the University of Edinburgh during its First Three Hundred Years, 2 vols (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884)