Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 « Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Cover Title Pages Contents List of Illustrations Preface Part 1: Historical Associations Part 1 Ch 1: Earliest Traditions Part 1 Ch 2: From The Accession of The Stuarts to the Death of James III Part 1 Ch 3: From the Accession of James IV to the Battle of Flodden Part 1 Ch 4: From the Battle of Flodden to the Death of James V Part 1 Ch 5: From the Death of James V to the Abdication of Queen Mary Part 1 Ch 6: From the Accession of James VI to the Restoration of Charles II Part 1 Ch 7: Historical Incidents after the Restoration Part 2: Local Antiquities and Traditions Part 2 Ch 1: The Castle Part 2 Ch 2: King's Stables, Castle Barns, and Castle Hill Part 2 Ch 3: The Lawnmarket Part 2 Ch 4: The Tolbooth, Luckenbooths, and Parliament Close Part 2 Ch 5: The High Street Part 2 Ch 6: The High Street and Nether Bow Part 2 Ch 7: The Canongate and Abbey Sanctuary Part 2 Ch 8: St Leonard's, St Mary's Wynd, and The Cowgate Part 2 Ch 9: The West Bow and Suburbs Part 2 Ch 10: Leith, and The New Town Part 2 Ch 11: Ecclesiastical Antiquities Appendix » Edinburgh Past and Present » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. +I i b * c All curious pastimes and consaitg, Cud be imaginat be man, Wea to be 8ene on Edinburgh gaits, Fra time that brauitie began : Ye might haif hard on eureie streit, Trim melodie and musick sweit.’ ‘ And so the poet goes on through thirty-four stanzas of like quaint description. At the Nether Bow, after a representation of marriage had been enacted before them, there was let down to the Queen, by a silk string, from the top of the Port, a box covered with purple velvet, and with her Majesty’s initials wrought on it in diamonds and precious stones,-a parting gift from the good town. More very good psalms followed, and so they rode home to the Palace, well pleased, it is to be hoped, with the day’s entertainments.’ A few days after, the Magistrates entertained the Danish nobles and ambassadors, with their numerous suites, at a splendid banquet, ‘‘ maid at the townis charges and expensis, in Thomas Aitchisoun’s, master of the Cunzie hous lugeing, at Todrik’s Wynd fute,”-a wellknown building, the massive, polished, ashlar front of which still presents a prominent object amid the faded grandeur of the Cowgate. The wine and ale seem to have formed nearly as important an item in the account as they did in Falstaffs tavern bills! My Lord Provost undertakes to provide “naiprie” on the occasion, and if needs be, to advance “ ane hunder pund or mair, as thai sall haif ado ; ” and the treasurer is directed “ to agrie with the fydleris at the bankit, and the samen sall be allowit in his compt~.”~ The Lord Bigh Treasurer’s accounts are equally minute, testifying to the truth of an expression used by James on the occasion, that cca King with a new married wife did not come hame every day I ” e.g., Item, be his Grace precept and special command, twentie-thrie elnis and ane half reid crammosie velvet, to be jowppis and breikis to his Majesties four laquayis. Item, for furnessing of fyftene fedder beddis to the Densis [Danes] within the Palice of Halierndhous, fra the fourt day of Maij 1590, to the auchtene day of Julij ; takand for ilk bed, in the nicht, tua schilling !” &c. ; the whole winding up with an item, to James Nisbet, jailor of the Tolbuith, for his expehses in keeping sundry witches there, by his Majesty’s orders. Few incidents, which are very closely connected with Edinburgh, occurred during the remainder of the King’s life, until his accession to the English throne. In 1596, owing to a disagreement between him and the clergy, a tumult was excited, which greatly exasperated him, so that he ordered the Parliament and Courts of Justice to be removed from thence, and even listened to the advice of several of his nobles, who recommended him utterly to erase the city from the face of the earth, and erect a column on the site of it, “as an infamous memorial of their detestable rebellion I ” The magistrates made the most abject offers of submission, but King James,-who, with all his high notions of prerogative, enjoyed very little of the real power of a king, so long as he remained in Scotland,-was The records of the Town Council contain some curious entries regarding this feast. Description of the Queen’s Entry into Edinburgh, by John Bvrel. Wataon’s Coll. of Scota Poeme. Hiat. of Jarnes the Sext., p. 38-42. Acta of Town Council, apud Marriage of Jamee VI., p. 36.

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