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

224 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. quhill ane hour efter dinner ; and the saidis dyvoris, before thair libertie and cuming furth of the tolbuith, upon thair awn chairges, to cause mak and buy ane hat or bonne‘t of yellow colour, to be worn be thame all the tyme of their sitting on the said pillery, and in all tyme thairefter, swa lang as they remane and abide dyvoris.”l Sundry modifications of this singular act were afterwards adopted. In 1669 ‘‘ The Lords declare that the habite is to be a coat and upper garment, which is to cover their cloaths, body and arms, whereof, the one half is to be of yellow, and the other half of a brown colour, and a cap or hood, which they are to wear on their head, party coloured, as said is,” a coloured, as is enacted at a subsequent period, “conform to a pattern delivered to the magistrates of Edinburgh to be keeped in their Tolbooth.” The effect of such a custom, if revived in our day, amid the bustle and fever of railway schemes, and ‘‘ bubble speculations” of all kinds, could not fail to exercise a very pleasing influence in diversifying the monotony of our unpicturesque modern attire, and giving some variety to our assemblies and promenades ! How far commercial solvency would be promoted by the frequenters of the Stock Exchange being thus compelled to wear their credit on their sleeve, we must leave these shrewd speculators to determine at their leisure. Cowper, in his ‘‘ Epistle to Joseph Hill, Esq.,” discusses a somewhat analogous device, adopted by an Eastern sage, for distinguishing hone& men from knaves, and which consisted in the convicted defaulter wearing only half a coat thereafter ; but he adds for the comfort of all contemporaries :- 0 happy Britain ! we have not to fear Such hard and arbitrary measures here ; Else could a law, like that which I relate, Once have the sanction of our triple state, Some few, that I have known in days of old, Would run most dreadful risk of catching cold ! In the steep and narrow closes that diverge on each side of the High Street, were once the dwellings of the old Scottish nobility, and still they retain interesting traces of faded grandeur, awaking many curious associations which well repay the investigator of their intricate purlieus. Dunbar’s Close, of which we furnish a view, has already been mentioned as the place pointed out by early tradition where Cromwell’s ‘( Ironsides ” were lodged, and its whole appearance is both unique and singularly picturesque. Over the entrance to the Rose and Thistle Tap,-the traditional guard-room of the victors of Dunbar,-there is a beautifully carved inscription, bearing one of the oldest dates now left on any private building in Edinburgh. The stone is rebuilt into a new portion of the house, but is still nearly as sharp as when fresh from the chisel ; the inscription is :- FAITH * IN - GRIST a ONLIE a SAVIT * 1567. 1 Acts of Sederunt, 17th May 1606. 4 The following Act of Sederunt, for 13th December 1785, describes the latest version of the Edinburgh Cross, if we except the radiated pavement that marks its site :-“ The Lords having considered the representation of the Lord Provost and Magistrates of the city of Edinburgh, setting forth, that when the Cross was taken away in the year 1756, a stone was erected on the side of a well on the High Street, adjacent to the place where the Cross atood, which, by Act of Sederunt, was declared to be the Market Cross of Edinburgh from that period. That since removing the city guard, the aforesaid well was a great obstruction to the free passage upon the High Street, which therefore they intended to remove, and instead thereof to erect a stone pillar, a few feet distant from the said well, on the same side of the High Street, opposite to the head of the Old Assembly Close. Of which the Lords approve, and declare the new pillar to be the Market Cross.” We suppose the more economical marking of the pavement was the only result. Ibid, 26th February 1669. Ibid, 18th July 1688.

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