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

206 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. He particularly manifested his satisfaction during the following year, when the ejected ministers had been allowed to return to their pulpits. “All this winter the King and Queen remained in the Abbey, and came up to the toun aindrie tymes; dynned and supped in the ministers’ houses behind the kirk. For the King keeped their houses in his owne hand, howbeit they were restored to their general1 ministrie in Edinburgh.” l To resume our chronological sketch: in the year 1617, on the return of King James to his Scottish capital, the old churchyard had so entirely lost all traces of its original character that it was selected as the scene of a magnxcent civic banquet, with which the magistrates welcomed him back to his native city. The ministers appear to have been restored after a time to their manses in the kirkyard, but this-was only by sufferance, and during the royal will ; for in 1632 the ancient collegiate buildings were at length entirely demolished, to make way for the Parliament House, which occupies their site. On the 14th of August 1656 General Monck was feasted in the great hall, along with Lord Broghall, President of the Council, and all the councillors of state, and officers of the army. ‘‘ This feast,” says Nicoll, ‘‘ wes gevin by the toun of Edinburgh, with great solempnitie, within the Parliament Hous, ritchlie hung for that end. The haill pryme men, and such of thair followeris as wer in respect, wer all resavit burgessis, and thair burges tickettis delyverit to thame.” a The Duke of York, afterwards James VII., was feasted by the city within the same old hall, on his arrival in Edinburgh in the year 1680, along with his Duchess, and the Lady Anne, who afterwards succeeded to the throne. In 1685 the equestrian statue of King Charles was erected, almost above the grave of John Knox; and without extending too minutely these more striking data, we may remind the reader, that the same hall in which the Duke of York was entertained in 1680, was the scene of the magnificent banquet with which the next royal visitor was welcomed in 182X3 The open area was at length enclosed with buildings, at first only low booths, but these were soon after succeeded by the loftiest private buildings ever reared in this, or probably any other town. In 1676, a considerable portion of the new buildings were destroyed by fire. Another conflagration succeeded this in 1700, known by the name of the ‘‘ Great Fire,” which swept the whole magnificent range of buildings to the ground, and these were only re-erected to experience a third time the same fate in the year 1824. On the last destruction of the eastern and larger half of the old Parliament Close, the statue of King Charles was carted off to the Calton Jail, where his Majesty lay incarcerated for several years, until the complete remodelling of the whole locality, when he was elevated anew on a handsome pedestal, in which two marble tablets have been inserted, found among some lumber in the rooms below the Parliament House, and containing an inscription evidently prepared for the former Calderwood’s Hist., vol. v. p. 673. Nicoll’s Diary, p. 183. a The following curious remarks appear in B communisation to the Caledonian blereury, December 224 1788 :-‘‘ It is somewhat remarkable that the last public dinner that was given in the Parliament House here was to King James VII., then Duke of York, at which WRS present the Lady Anne, afterwards Queen Anne ; and that the next dinner that should be given in the eame place-vie., this day-ahould be by the Revolution Club, in commemoration of his expulsion from the throne ! The whole Court of Scotland, and a numerous train of noblemen, with the Duke, were present. And the outer hall of the Parliament House was thrown inta one room upon the occasion. Sir James Dick, the then Lord Provost, presided (aa the present will do this day). The Duke of Ybrk, and all the noblemen who were with him, were preaepted with the freedom of the city. The drink-money to the Duke’s servants amounted to S220 sterling.” The dinner was given by the Magistrates of Edinburgh. This dinner cost the city above $21400 aterling.

  Shrink   Print