L UCKENBOOTHS AND PARLIAMENT CLOSE. 207
pedestal. Its panegyric we suspect had proved too fulsome even for the sycophantish
period in which the statue was erected ; but it now forms the most interesting, and we
may add amusing, feature of this old monument of civic royalty.’
A view is given of the new Parliament House at page 99, as it appeared when first
erected, standing disengaged from all other buildings, with an open area to the east and
south. The same isolated position is s h o h in the bird’s-eye view in Gordon’s map of
1648, where the ground slopes down in open terraces from the Parliament Close to the
Cowgate ; but the value of this central spot through which the nobles, judges, and magistrates,
and all their numerous attendants and solicitors, were daily passing, soon led to
its selection as a convenient Bite for building. So early as 1628 the southern side of the
church walls had been concealed by krames and booths stuck on between every buttress
and angle; and about the year 1663 the open ground was let out by the magistrates for
the purpose of erecting small shops. These were succeeded, in 1685, as appeared from
the date on one of the lands, by the loftiest buildings existing in the Old Town, which
towered in their southern elevation to the height of fifteen stories, and converted the once
solitary churchyard into the busiest and most populous nook of the ancient capital.
We have examined a set of original documents,’ relating to a judicial sale of the property
in the Parliament Close, drawn up in the year 1698, which furnish some curious
and minute information as to the extent and occupation of the old lands, and introduce
the names of citizens of note and influence at the period, as concerned in the various
transactions. “ My Lord Pountainhall, George Warrender, ane of the present bailies,”
ancestor of the Baronets of that name, ‘‘ George Home, merchant, and now Provost,”
knd others, appear as creditors and trustee^.^ A few extracts will furnish a peep into the
domestic arrangements of the fashionable residenters in the Parliament Close towards the
close of the seventeenth century. Sir George Campbell of Cessnock, ancestor of the
Earls of Marchmont, occupied a lodging on the fourth story above the close, (( entering
by the scale stair from the Parliament Close and Kirk-heugh,” at a yearly rent of five
hundred and fifty merks Scots, and (( consisting of seven fire rooms, and a closet with
ane fire ! ” and above him was Sir Williarn Binning of Wallyfordz in the fifth story, with
equal accommodation, at a somewhat lower rental.
In the next scale stair entering from the close, “ The Lord Mersington ” is mentioned
as occupying a house of eight fire rooms and a cellar on the fifth floor, at the rent of two
hundred pounds Scots, Alexander Swinton, who assumed this title on his elevation to
the Bench in 1688, is a character of some note among our older citizens. So zealous
A correspondent of the Cirledonkm Mercury, Nov. loth, 1788, who dates from 8t Eernard’s (Walter Rosa, Esq.,
we presume), supplies aome intemting facts regarding this monument:-“ The statue of Charlea II., placed on the spot
intended for that of Cromwell, and superior to everything of the kind in Britain, is said by Naitland to have been
erected at the expense of the citizens. The
statue was placed by the Xagistrates and Council. In the accounts of George Drurnrnond, the town treasurer, in 1684-6,
he charges E2580 Scots (E215 sterling), the contents of a bill of exchange drawn by ‘ James Smith upon him, for the
price of King Charles II., his atatue.’
If he means that it was by a contribution for the purpose, it is a mistake.
The bill seems to have come from Rotterdam.”
. * In the possession of David Laing, Esq., Signet Library.
a The property is thus described :-“A11 and haill these great lodgings, duellingkouaea, shops, vaulta, sellars, and
pertinent6 of the same, lying within the brugh of Edinburgh, betwixt the King’s High Street therein, called the Cowgate,
on the south, the Veonel commonly called the Kirk-heugh, and the tenement of land belonging to me, the aaid
Thomas Robertson, on the east; the Parliament Closa on the north, and the Parliament House, and little yard belonging
to the same, and the void commonly called the Leather Mercatt on the west parts,” &.
208 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
was he in his attachment to Presbyterianism, that he relinquished his profession as an
advocate in 1681 rather than take the !Pest. Nevertheless, he learned soon after to hold
the favour of royalty in greater esteem. By a special dispensation from the King. he
was restored to his rank as an advocate j and on the removal of Lord Edmonston from
the Bench, in consequence of his opposition to the royal inclinations in one of his votes
as a judge, Swinton, the once resolute declaimer against the encroachments of royalty,
was selected as the most pliant successor that could be found. The poor King, James
VII., displayed at all times little judgment in the choice of his friends, and in this case
his selection appears to have been peculiarly unfortunate. The Revolution ensued
immediately after Swinton’s elevation to the Bench, and if Lord Balcarras’s account is
to be believed, the new judge took a leading share in some of the strangest proceedings
that followed. The mob signalised the dethronement of the King by an assault on the
Abbey Chapel, in which several of them were killed and wounded by the guard who were
stationed to defend it. On the following day Lord Mersington headed a rabble, accompanied
by the Provost and Magistrates, and renewed the attack on Captain Wallace
and his men. The guards were speedily put to flight, and my lord and the rest of the
rioters completely gutted the chapel, which had been fitted up in the most gorgeous and
costly style. Balcarras styles Lord Mersington “ the fanatical judge,” and, according
to his description, he figures on the occasion girt with a broad buff-belt, with ‘( a halbert
in his hand, and as drunk as ale and brandy could make him.”l He was the only
judge on the Bench at the Revolution that was reappointed by the new government.
On the third floor in the eastern turnpike of the back land, Sir David Home, Lord
Crossrig, resided,-one of the first judges nominated after the Revolution, and shortly
afterwards knighted by King William. The judicial report of tenants and valuations
exhibits a curious assemblage of occupants, from the renters of garrets, and laigh houses ‘‘ beneath the grund,” at the annual rate of twelve pound Scots, to my Lord Crossrig, who
pays three hundred pounds Scots for his flat, and share of the common stair 1 The Laird
of Merchistoun, Lady Hartfield, Sir James Mackenzie, Sir Patrick Aikenhead, Commissar
Clerk, Lady Harviston, Lady Colston, with Bailies, Merchants, and humble craftsmen, all
figure in the impartial articles of sale ; sharing together at their several elevations, above
and below ground, the numerous lodgings of this populous neighbourhood.
While the sale of%his property was going on, the “ Great Fire ” suddenly took place,
and made a settlement of all valuations and purchases by reducing the whole lofty
range to a heap of ruins. “ The fire broke out in the lodgeing immediately under the
Lord Crossrig’s lodgeing, in the Meal Mercat of Edinburgh, while part of his family
were in bed, and his Lordship going to bed; and the allarum was so sudden, that
he was forced to retire in his night cloaths, with his children half naked; and that when
people were sent into his closet to help out with his cabinet and papers, the smoke was
Brunton 8; Haig’s Senators of the College of Justice, p. 432. In contrast to this account, we may add the
notice of his death, by.Sir James Stewart, Lord Advocate, in a letter to Carataira. ‘‘ On TueBday last the Lord
Mersington dined well with a friend in the Merse, and went well to bed, but was found dead before four io the morning,
his lady in bed with him, who knew nothiog of his dying. He waa a good mau, and is much
regretted”
A warning stroke.
