Basilideans
A gnostic sect founded by Basilides of Alexandria, who claimed to huve received his esoteric doctrines from Glaucus, a disciple of the Apostle Peter. The system had three grades-material, intellectual, and spiritual, and possessed two allegorical statues, male and female. The doctrine had many points of resemblance to that of the Ophites (q.v.), and ran on the lines of Jewish Kabalism.
Bassantin, James : a Scottish astrologer, the son of the Laird of Bassantin, in the Merse, was born in the reignof James IV.; and, after studying mathematics at the University of Glasgow, he travelled for farther information on the Continent. He subsequently went to Paris, where for some years he taught mathematics in the University. He returned to Scotland in 1562. The prevailing belief of that age, particularly in France, was a belief in judicial astrology. In his way home through England, as we learn from Sir James Melville's Memoirs, he met with his brother, Sir Robert Melville, who was at that time engaged, on the part of the unfortunate Mary, in endeavouring to effect a meeting between her and Elizabeth; when he predicted that all his efforts would be in vain ; for, first, they will neuer meit togither, and next, there will nevir be bot discembling and secret hattrent (hatred) for a whyle, and at length captivity and utter wrak for our Quen by England." Melville's answer was, that he could not credit such news, which he looked upon as false, ungodly, and unlawful;" on which Bassantin replied, "Sa far as Me-- lanthon, wha was a godly thologue, has declared and written anent the naturall scyences, that are lawfull and daily red in dyvers Christian Universities; in the quhilkis, 66 as in all other artis, God gives to some less, to some mair and clearer knawledge than till othirs; be the quhilk knawledge I have also that at length, that the kingdom of England sall of rycht fall to the crown of Scotland, and that ther are some born at this instant that sall bruik lands and heritages in England. Bot, alace, it will cost many their lyves, and many bluidy battailes will be fouchen first, and the Spaniatris will be helpers, and will take a part to themselves for their labours." The first part of Bassantin's prediction, which he might very well have hazarded from what he may have known of Elizabeth's character and disposition, and also from the fact that Mary was the next heir to the English throne, proved true. Bassantin was a zealous Protestant and a supporter of the Regent Moray. He died in 1568. His principal work is a Treatise or Discourse on Astronomy, written in French, which was translated into Latin by John Tornæsius (M. de Tournes), and published at Geneva in 1599. He wrote four other treatises. Although well versed for his time in what are called the exact sciences, Bassantin, or, as his name is sometimes spelt, Bassantoun, had received no part of a classical education. Vossius observes, that his Astronomical Discourse was written in very bad French, and that the author knew "neither Greek nor Latin, but only
Scots." Bassantin's Planetary System was that of Ptolemy.