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Papal Bull confirming charter of Bishop Henry Wardlaw

UYUY100

Confirmation of privileges of the University of St Andrews by Pope Benedict XIII (Pedro da Luna), issued at Peniscola, Aragon.

This bull, commonly known as the university’s ‘bull of foundation’, is in fact a confirmatory charter issued by the Pope in affirmation of the charter of incorporation already issued by the Bishop of St Andrews in February 1411/12 to the work of a group of scholars working in St Andrews from as early as 1410. Papal authority is given for the awarding of degrees which licensed graduates to teach in Theology, Canon and CIvil Law, Arts and Medicine. The six bulls arrived in St Andrews in February 1414, delivered by Henry Ogilvie, and were greeted with great rejoicings, as is recorded in Bower’s ‘Scotichronicon’.