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

I12 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. The church was crowded with an unusually numerous auditory, among whom he recognised many Jacobites, as well as a number of the Highland soldiers, attracted by the report of his intentions, and the knowledge of his intrepid character. He prayed, as usual, for King George, by name, and then added,--“And as for this young man who has come among us seeking an earthly crown, we beseech thee that he may obtain what is far better, a heavenly one ! ” When this was reported to Prince Charles he is said to have laughed, and expressed himself highly pleased at the courage and charity of the worthy minister.’ For some days after the Battle of Prestonpans, the communication between the town and the Castle remained uninterrupted. But the Highlanders, who kept guard at the Weigh-house, having received orders to prevent all further intercourse with the fortress, the governor, retaliated by threatening to cannonade the town. Messengers were immediately despatched by the Lord Provost to the Palace, informing the Prince of the danger the city was exposed to ; but the governor having waited in vain for a favourable answer, a severe cannonading at last took place, killing and wounding several of the inhabitants, besides damaging many of the houses nearest the Castle, and spreading such consternation through the town, that a great portion of the citizens were prepared for immediate flight. The consequences that were apprehended from such proceedings were, however, happily averted by a proclamation of the Prince, declaring the infinite regret he felt at the many murders committed on the inhabitants by the commander of the garrison, and that he had ordered the blockade of the Castle to be taken off, and the threatened punishment of his enemies to be suspended, when he found that thereby innocent lives could be saved. Shortly after this the Prince left Edinburgh, on his route to England, at the head of an army of about five thousand men ; from thence he was followed, on his return northward, by the Duke of Cumberland, who, on his arrival in Edinburgh, occupied the same apartments in the Palace which had so recently been appropriated to the use of the Prince ; and during his stay there, the paintings of the Scottish monarchs, in the great gallery, were slashed and otherwise greatly defaced by the English soldiers. After the final overthrow of the Highland army at Culloden, a species of triumph was exhibited in Edinburgh, in full accordance with the magnanimity of the Duke, who claimed the entire credit of a victory, achieved rather by the policy of Duncan Forbes of Culloden. Fourteen of the standards that had been taken from the insurgents were burnt at the Market Cross with every mark of contempt. They were ignominiously carried thither by chimney sweepers,-the Prince’s own standard being particularly distinguished by being borne by the common hangman ; and as each wa8 thrown into the fire, the heralds proclaimed the names of the commanders to whom they had belonged! . The usual election of magistrates having been prevented by the presence of the Highland army in Edinburgh, they were chosen in the following year by virtue of a royal mandate, and the newly-elected Council testified their loyalty to the Hanoverian dynasty by voting the freedom of the city to the Duke of Cumberland, and presenting to him the charter of citizenship in a massive gold box, embossed with the city arms outside, and having the Duke’s own arms, with a suitable inscription, engraved within. The overthrow of the adherents of Prince Charles was followed up by fines, imprisonl Hist. of the West Kirk, p. 119.

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