164 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
the most eminent venerators of antiquity, during the latter part of the eighteenth century.
Two small volumes of the Paton Correspondence-now rare and valuable-have been
published, which serve to show the very high estimation in which he was held as a literary
antiquary, and the numerous contributions furnished by him towards the most eminent
works of that class, only a small portion of which has been acknowledged by the recipients.
George Paton was a man of extreme modesty and diffidence,-a bachelor of retiring and
taciturn inclinations ;-yet he was neither illiberal eor unsocial in his habits ; his time, his ,
knowledge, and his library, were all at the service of his friends, and though not only temperate
but abstemious in his tastes, his evenings were generally spent with Herd, and
other kindred spirits, in Johnie Dowie’s Tavern, in Libberton’s Wynd, the well-known
rendezvous of the Scottish literati during that period. He was methodical in all his habits ;
the moment eleven sounded from St Giles’s steeple, his spare figure might be seen
emerging from the wynd head, and the sound of his cane on the pavement of Lady Stair’s
Close, gave the signal to his housekeeper for his admittance. This interesting old Edinburgh
character bears in many respects a resemblance to the more celebrated ‘‘ Elia ” of
the East India House. He obtained a clerkship in the Custom House, the whole emoluments
of which, after an augmentation for many years’ service, never exceeded $80 ; and
yet with this narrow income he contrived to amass a collection of books and manuscripts
to an extent rarely equalled by a single individual; On his death in the year 1807, at the
advanced age of eighty-seven, his valuable library was sold by auction, occupying considerably
more than a month in its disposal ; and its treasures were strenuously contended for
by the chief bibliopolists assembled from distant parts of the kingdom.’
The old mansion in Lady Stair’s Close bears over its entrance this pious inscription,
“ FEARE THE LORD, AND DEPART FRON EVILL,” with the date 1622, and the
arms and initials of its original proprietors, Sir William Gray of Pittendrum,-the
ancestor of the present Lord Gray,-and Geida or Egidia his wife, sister of Sir John
Smith of Grothill, Provost of Edinburgh. Sir William was a man of great influence and
note ; although, by virtue of a new patent, granted by Charles I., the ancient title of Lord
Gray reverted to his family, he devoted himself to commerce, and became one of the most
extensive Scottish merchants of his day, improving and enlarging the foreign trade of his
country, and acquiring great wealth to himself. On the breaking out of civil commotions,
he adhered to the royal party, and shared in its misfortunes j he was fined by the Parliament
100,000 merks, for corresponding with Montrose, and imprisoned first in the Castle
The correspondence between Paton and (Xough-full of matter deeply interesting to the antiquary and topographer
-war4 wme yeara since prepared for publication by Mr Turnbull, Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries, but owing
to the paucity of subscribera, $,he MS. waa thrown aside, to the great losa of literary students.
THE LA WNMARKE T. 165
and afterwards in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, till the penalty was modified to 35,000
merks, which was instantly paid.’ Other and still more exorbitant exactions followed,
until his death in 1648, which was believed to have been accelerated by his share in’the
troubles of the period. Other cares, however, besides those attendant on civil strife,
embittered the latter years of the noble merchant. From Sir Thomas Hope’s diary, 12th
May 1645, we learn that “ a dauchter of Sir William Grayis departit off the plaig, quhilk
put us all in greit fear.”’ So that the old mansion in Lady Stair’s Close remains a
memorial of the terrible plague of 1645, the last and most fatalvisitation of that dreadful
scourge which .Edinburgh experienced, and which, like its first recorded appearance in
1513-the memorable year of Flodden-followed in the wake of a dismtrous war, while
the city was awaiting, in terror, the victorious forces of Montrose.
The “Statuts for the Baillies of the Mure,”3 first enacted in 1567, were renewed
with various modifications at this period, sealing up the houses where “ the angel of the
pestilence” had stayed his boding flight, and forbidden to his victims the rites of sepulture
with their kindred. One interesting memorial of the stern rule of “the Baillies of the
Mure,” during this terrible year, still remains in a field to the east of Warrender House,
Bruntsfield Links,-a central spot in the Old Borough Moor. Here, amid the luxuriant
pasturage of the meadow, and within sight of the busy capital, a large flat tombstone may
be seen, timeworn and grey with the moss of age ; it bears on it a skull, surmounted by
a winged sandglass, and a scroll inscribed mors pace . . . . hora c d i , and below this a
shield bearing a saltier, with the initials M. I, R., and the date of the fatal year 1645.
The M. surmounts the shield, and in all probability indicates that the deceased had taken
his degree of Master of Arts. A scholar, therefore, and perhaps one of noble birth, has
won the sad pre-eminence of slumbering in unconsecrated ground, and apart from the dust
of his fathers, to tell of the terrors of the plague to other generations.
The lady of Sir William Grey appears to have long survived her husband, as in the
writs of some neighbouring properties, the old alley is styled Lady Grey’s Close. The
Countess of Stair’s house, we may add, is proved from the titles to have been the upper
story, I‘ immediately above the dwelling-house, which partained to the heirs of David
Gray, merchant burgess,” doubtless a descendant of its builder ; and her successor is a
Lady Clestram, the relict of some worthy laird, whose honours did not prove strong enough
to overcome the ecldt of a Countess’s name.
. The associations of the adjoining close connect us with CL period much more recent,
and with characters yielding in interest to none with whose memories the localities of
Edinburgh are linked. Here, in the pear.1786, the poet Burns,-just snatched from exile
by the generous intervention of the blind bard, Dr Blacklock,-found his way, fresh from
Wood’s Peerage, vol. i p. 672. a Sir Thomas Hope’a Diary, Eann. Club, p. 219.
a “ Stututa for the Baillieo of the Mure, and ordering th.e Pest. For ordouring of the aaid mure, and pepill infectit
thairupouo, for clengeing of houasis within the toun,” &c. “That the Thesaurer causa mak for everie ane of the
Baillies, Clengers, and Bereara of the deid, ane gown of gray, with Sanct Andmiss corn, quhite behind and before ; and
to everie me of thame, ane staff, with ane quhite clayth on the end, quhairby thay may be knawin quhairevir thay para
That thair be maid twa cloia beria, with foure feet, colorit over with blak, and me quhite crow, with me bell to be
hung in upouo the side of the said beir, quilk aall mak warning to the pepill. . . . . That with all deligence posaible,
aa 8one 88 ony h o w sal1 be infectit, the haill houshald, with their gudda, be depescit towert the mure, thd deid buriet,
and with like diligence the houm clengit,” &c.-Council Register, 1668. Yaitland, p. 31.
