gathered vigour in his 'teens and grew up a manly youth. He
was of short stature and great agility, high-spirited, brave, the
cheeriest of companions, full of resource in emergencies, and with an
artful humour by which he made his escape from many a difficult
situation incident to Continental travel at the time. On the journeys
from town to town on the way to Geneva he held out better than any of
his comrades, stepping along with no impedimenta but his Hebrew Bible
which he had slung at his side--the same Bible which he afterwards
'clanked' down on the board before the King and Council in
Edinburgh,--the freshest of the company when the day's journey was
ended, so that he 'wad out and sight' the towns and villages
whithersoever they came while the others lay down 'lyk tired tykes.' On
reaching Geneva he and one of his fellow-travellers, who was a
Frenchman, presented themselves at the gates together, when they were
challenged by the guard. 'The ports of Genev wer tentilie keipit,
because of the troubles of France and multitud of strangers that cam.
Being thairfor inquyrit what they war, the Franche man his companion
answerit, "We ar puir scollars." But Mr. Andro, perceaving that they
haid na will of puir folks, being alreadie owerlaid thairwith, said,
"No, no, we ar nocht puir! [though he admitted afterwards that they had
'but a crown to the fore' between them]. We haiff alsmikle as will pey
for all we tak, sa lang as we tarie. We haiff letters from his
acquentance to Monsieur di Beza; let us deliver those, we crave na
fordar."'

In Geneva Melville received a warm welcome from Beza, who reigned there
in place of Calvin, and through his influence he at once obtained an
appointment to the chair of Humanity in the College. During his
residence in that city, which lasted for five years, he had the
opportunity of mingling with many of the first scholars of the age, and
of the leaders of the Reformed movement in Europe. After the massacre of
St. Bartholomew in 1572, Geneva was filled with Protestant refugees from
every Continental country. Never probably before or since has there been
found within one city such an assemblage of masters of intellect and
learning, or such a cloud of distinguished witnesses for truth and
liberty. In Geneva, Melville, like Knox, received much of his
invigoration for the work that awaited him on his return to his native
land.

His residence there was made still more agreeable by the hospitality