Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hay, Edmund
HAY, EDMUND (d. 1591), Scottish jesuit, of the family of the Earl of Errol, studied theology at Rome, and took the degree of bachelor in that faculty. He volunteered to accompany to Scotland Nicholas de Gouda, who was engaged as nuncio from Pius IV in a secret embassy to Mary Queen of Scots in 1562. On his return to Rome he joined the Society of Jesus, and at the close of his noviceship was appointed rector of Clermont College in Paris. While holding that office he was ordered by Pope Pius V in 1566 or 1567 to go to Scotland with the nuncio on another special mission to the Queen of Scots. The nuncio proceeded no further than Paris, where, at Mary's urgent request, he remained till the times should become more tranquil; but Hay penetrated into Scotland, and during his brief stay there reconciled several persons, including Francis Hay, earl of Errol, to the catholic church. Subsequently he was appointed the first rector of the academy at Pont-à-Mousson in Lorraine. He was chosen by the French province of the Society of Jesus to attend the first meeting of delegates held at Rome in 1568. Afterwards he governed that province. Finally he was nominated assistant for both Germany and France to Claudius Aquaviva, the general of the jesuits, and he held that post till his death at Rome on 4 Nov. 1591. He is said to have left a work entitled ‘Contrarietates Calvini.’
[Burton's Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, ii. 334; Catholic Miscellany, ix. 35; Dodd's Church Hist. ii. 134; Foley's Records, vii. 347; Leith's Narratives of Scottish Catholics, pp. 64, 65, 66, 69, 72, 78, 115, 198, 206; Sacchini's Historiæ Soc. Jesu, iii. 127; Southwell's Bibl. Scriptorum Soc. Jesu, p. 184; Stothert's Catholic Mission in Scotland, p. 564; Tanner's Bibl. Brit. p. 387.]