Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Panter, Patrick
PANTER, PANNITER, or PANTHER, PATRICK (1470?–1519), abbot of Cambuskenneth, was born about 1470 at Montrose, probably at Newman's Walls, half a mile north of the burgh, where his family had resided from the time of Robert III. He was educated in Scotland, and later was a fellow student with Hector Boece [q. v.] at the Collège Montaigu at Paris. He returned about 1500, and was appointed rector of Feteresso in Mearns, and preceptor of the Maison-Dieu at Brechin. James IV entrusted him with the education of Alexander, his illegitimate son, afterwards archbishop of St. Andrews, and in 1505 gave him the post of royal secretary. In this capacity he wrote the remarkable series of state letters on which his reputation as a latinist rests. In 1510 he appears as custumar-general for Scotland. He was probably soon afterwards elected abbot of Cambuskenneth, which title he held in 1515–16. After the death of James IV he fell into disgrace on account of his opposition to the regent John, duke of Albany. In August 1515 he was imprisoned in Inchgarvie in the Firth of Forth, and his property was confiscated. He was soon, however, reconciled, and he set out for France on 17 May 1517 in the company of Gavin Douglas, bishop of Dunkeld, to aid the schemes of the bishop of Ross, and to effect the treaty with Francis I known as the treaty of Rouen. He is styled in the exchequer rolls of 1516 and 1518 rector of Tannadice. He died at Paris in 1519. He had a natural son David, who was legitimised on 12 Aug. 1513.
His official letters are extant in four manuscripts, three in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh, and one in the British Museum. A selection formed the first volume of Ruddiman's 'Epistolæ Jacobi Quarti, Jacobi Quinti, et Mariæ Regum Scotorum,' published in 1724 [see Panter, David]. A reproduction of his signature will be found in Small's edition of the 'Works of Gavin Douglas' (vol. i. p. lxxxv).
[Preface to vol. i. of the Epistolæ, described above; Boece's Murthlac. et Aberdon. Episcopp. Vitæ (Spalding Club); Buchanan's History; Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, vol. xiii.; Pinkerton, vol. ii.; Keith's Catalogue of Bishops; Gairdner's Letters of Richard III (Rolls Ser.), vol. ii. p. lxvi; Smith's Days of James IV, p. 189.]