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

I 88 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH, tion of national honour and triumph, and committed, along with the other portions of his body, to the tomb of his ancestors, in the south transept of St Giles’s Church. The north gable was not, however, long suffered to remain unoccupied. On the 27th of May 1661,- little more than four months after the tardy honours paid to the Marquis of Montrose,- the Marquis of Argyle was beheaded at the Cross, and ‘( his heia agxt upone the heid of the Tolbuith, quhair the Marques of Montrois wes affixit of befoir.” The ground floor of this ancient part of the Tolbooth was known by the name of the Purses, by which it is often alluded to in early writings. In the ancient titles of a house on the north side of the High Street, it is described as “ that Lodging or Timber Land, lying in the burgh of Edinburgh, forgainst the place of the Tolbooth, commonly called the poor folks’ Purses.” In the trial of William Maclauchlane, a servant of the Countess of Wemyss, who was apprehended almost immediately after the Porteous mob, one of the witnefses states, that ‘(having come up Beth’s Wynd, he tried to pass by the Purses on the north side of the prison ; but there perceiving the backs of a row of armed men, some with staves, others with guns and Lochaber axes, standing across the street, who, he was told, were drawn up as a guard there, he retired again.” The crime sought to be proved against Maclauchlane, was his having been seen taking a part with this guard, armed with a Lochaber axe. Another witness describes having seen some of the magistrates going up from the head of Mary King’s Close, towards the Purses on the north side of the Tolbooth, where they were stopped by the mob, and compelled to make a precipitate retreat. This important pass thus carefully guarded on the memorable occasion of the Porteous riot, derived its name from having been the place where the ancient fraternity of BZue Gowns, the King’s faithful bedemen, received the royal bounty presented to them on each King’s birthday, in a leathern purse, after having attended service in St Giles’s Church. For many years previous to the destruction of the Old Tolbooth, this distribution was transferred to the Canongate Kirk aisle, where it took place annually on the morning of the Sovereign’s birthday, at eight o’clock. After a sermon, preached by the royal almoner, or his deputy, each of the bedemen received a roll of bread, a tankard of ale, and a web of blue cloth sufficient to make him a new gown, along with a leathern purse, of curious and somewhat complicated workmanship, which only the initiated could open. This purse contained his annual alms or pension, consisting of as many pence as the years of the King’s age. Bedemen appointed to pray for the souls of the King’s ancestors and successors, were attached to royal foundations. They are mentioned about the year 1226, in the Chartulary of Moray,’ and many curious entries occurred with reference to them, in the Treasurers’ accounts, previous to the Reformation. The number of these bedemen is increased by one every royal birthday, as a penny is added to the pension of each; an arrangement evidently devised to stimulate their prayers for long life to the reigning sovereign, no less than for peace to the souls of those departed.’ ’ The origin of this fraternity is undoubtedly of great antiquity: Nicoll’s Diary, p. 335. * Statiat. ACC. xiii. 412. ’ The following items appear in the Account of Sir Robert Melvill, Treasurer-Depute of King James VI. “Junij 1590. Item, to Mr Peter Young, Elimosinar, twentie four gownia of blew clayth, to be gevin to xxiiij auld men, according to the yeiris of his hienes age. . . . Item, twentie four pur&, and in ilk purss twentie four schiling.” Again in “Junij 1617, To James Xurray, merchant, for fyftene scoir #ex elnis and ane half elne of blew claith, to be gownis to fyftie me aigeit men, according to the yeiris of his majesteia age. Item, to the workmen for careing of the gownia fra

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