Editing William Barclay (jurist) (section)

==Life==

Barclay was born in [[Aberdeenshire (historic)|Aberdeenshire]] in 1546. Educated at the [[University of Aberdeen]], he went to [[France]] by 1572, and studied law at the [[University of Bourges]], where he took his doctor's degree. [[Charles III, Duke of Lorraine]], appointed him professor of [[Civil law (common law)|civil law]] in the newly founded [[university of Pont-à-Mousson]], and also made him [[Counsellor of State]] and [[Master of Requests (France)|master of requests]]. Here, he was colleague to the French jurist [[Pierre Grégoire]], with whom he entered into a dispute with the Jesuit faction in the university. In 1603 he was obliged to leave [[France]], having incurred the enmity of the [[Jesuits]], through his opposition to their proposal to admit [[john Barclay (1582-1621)|his son John]] a member of their society.

Arriving in [[England]], Barclay was offered considerable preferment by [[James VI and I|James VI]] on condition of becoming a member of the [[Church of England]]. This offer he refused, and he returned to France in 1604, when he was appointed professor of [[Civil law (common law)|civil law]] in the [[university of Angers]]. He died at [[Angers]] in 1608.