Purge of Episcopalian and Jacobite Staff, 1690

On 4 July 1690, the Scottish Parliament passed an act stipulating that:

noe professors, principalls, regents, masters or others beareing office, in any university, colledge or school within this kingdom, be either admitted or allowed to continue in the exercise of their said functions, but such as doe profess and acknowledge and shall subscryve to the Confession of Faith, ratified and approven by this present parliament, and alsoe sweare and subscryve the oath of allegiance to their majesties, and withall shall be found to bee of a pious, loyall and peaceable conversation, and of good and sufficient literature and abilities for their respective imployments, and submitting to the government of the church now settled by law

Following an act of the Scottish Parliament , a visitation of the Scottish universities was instituted with the aim of rooting out Episcopalian and Jacobite sympathizers among the teaching staff. The visitation committee that examined Edinburgh University ordered the dismissal of Alexander Monro (c1648-1698), then Principal of the University, and John Strachan (c1635-1699), Professor of Divinity. Monro was replaced as Principal by one of his inquisitors Gilbert Rule (c1629-1701).