These extracts are from "Early Records of the University of St Andrews", edited by J M Anderson Ll D, published by the Scottish History Society, Edinburgh 1926.

Matriculation Roll 1554

Quartus Rectoratus Magistri Joannis Douglasii, Praepositi Novi Collegii Mariani, 1553.
Nomina Incorporatum sub eodem anno suprascripto, 1553.

In Collegio Divi Salvatoris.
[list of 13 students includes...]
Patricius Creich.

Graduation Roll 1556

Nomina Determinantium omnium trium Collegiorum anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo sexto.

In Collegio Sancti Salvatoris.
[list of eight graduands includes...]
Patricius Creycht, pauper

Graduation Roll 1558

Nomina Intrantium omnium trium Collegiorum anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo octavo.

In tertio [circulo].
[list of five graduands includes...]
Patricius Creycht.

[Footnote to page 157:] At a meeting of the Faculty of Arts held on May 15, 1559, all the graduands of that year were held to have graduated, because the ancient ceremonies were prevented from being held by the disturbed state of the country and the reformation of religion. Their names however have not been recorded.

Commentary

In spite of the spelling variations it is clear that the three references are to the same person. They show that Patrick Creich was incorporated (accepted as a student) in Saint Salvator's College, one of the three Colleges of the University of St Andrews, in 1554.

He was listed in the Graduation Roll as a "Determinant" in 1556. This was apparently when he would have obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree. The reference in 1558 was as an "Intrant" which appears to be when he finally graduated as Master of Arts.

In his "Introduction to Early Records of the University of St Andrews" Anderson points out that "the full curriculum in Arts extended over four years, the degree of Bachelor of Arts being obtainable about the end of the second year, and the degree of Master of Arts at the end of the fourth. Many exceptions to these periods will be found in the lists but as a rule they hold good." Patrick Creich seems to have followed the norm.

The division of the Master of Arts graduates into three "circles" is not fully understood but is most likely to be an indication of levels of achievement in the examinations, similar to the modern "classes". Patrick Creich is listed "in tertio circulo" and may therefore have achieved a third class degree.

Anderson states that, "Fifteen may be regarded as the normal age at which a student was deemed fit to enter upon an academic career in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries." There were many exceptions however. This enables us, if very tentatively, to assign a birth year to Patrick Creich of about 1539.

It may be an understatement to say that this would have been an interesting time to be a student at St Andrews. The main purpose in attending university was to become a Minister. With the Reformation occurring in 1560 Patrick Creich was one of the last students to graduate under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church

As we see in 1568-72: Patrick Creich - Minister of North Berwick he seems to have become a Minister in the post-Reformation period and therefore must have made a successful transition to Protestantism. This document is now shown in the Scotland post-1560 set of pages.