236 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
the 17th December’ 1596, already described, when the king was besieged in the Tolbooth
by the excited citizens, Andrew Hart is specially mentioned as one of the very foremost in
the rising that produced such terror and indignation in King James’s mind ; in so much
so, that he was soon after warded in the Castle of Edinburgh, at his Majesty’s instance, as
one of the chief authors of (‘ that seditious stirring up and moving of the treasonable
tumult and uproare that was in the burgh.”’ We can fancy the sturdy old printer sallying
out from the close, at the cry of “ Armour! armour ! ” hastily armed with his loug spear
and jack, and joining the excited burghers, that mustered from every booth and alley to
lay siege to the affrighted monarch in the Tolbooth, or to help ‘‘ the worthy Deacon Watt;”
in freeing him from his ignoble durance.
The house which stauds between the fore and back lands of the famed typographer, was
celebrated during the last century as one of the best frequented taverns in the neighbourhood
of the Cross, and a favourite resort of some of the most noted of the clubs, by means
of which the citizens of that period were wont to seek relaxation and amusement. Foremost
among these WLS the Cape Club, celebrated in Ferguson’s poem of Auld Reekie.
The scene of meeting for a considerable period, where Cape Hall was nightly inaugurated,
was in James Mann’s, at the Isle of Man Arms, Craig’s Close. There a perpetual High
Jinks was kept up, by each member receiving on his election a peculiar name and character
which he was ever afterwards expected to maintain. This feature, however, was by
no means confined to the Cape Club, but formed one of the peculiarities of nearly all the
convivial meetings of the capital, so that a slight sketch of ‘(the Knights of the Cape ”
will suffice for a good sample of these old Edinburgh social unions. The Club appears
from its minutes to have been duly constituted, and the mode of procedure finally fixed, in
the year 1764 ; it had however existed long before, and the name and peculiar forms which
it then adopted were derived from the characters previously assumed by its leading
members.2 Its peculiar insignia were-lst, a cape, or crown, which was worn by the
Sovereign of the Cape on state occasions, and which, in the palmy days of the Club, ita
enthusiastic devotees adorned with gold and jewels; and, 2d, two maces in the form of
huge steel pokers, which formed the sword and sceptre of his Majesty in Cape Hall,
These, with other relics of this jovial fraternity, are now appropriately hung in the lobby
of the Societies of Antiquaries.
The first Sovereign of the order after its final constitution was Thomas Lancashire, the
Once celebrated comedian, on whom Ferguson wrote the following epitaph :-
Alae ! poor Tom, how oft, with merry heart,
Have we beheld thee play the sexton’s part I
Each merry heart muat now be grieved to Bee
The sexton’s dreary part performed on thee.
The comedian rejoiced in the title of Sir Cape, and in right of his sovereignty gave name
to the Club, while the title of Sir Poker, which pertained to its oldest member, James
Aitken, suggested the insignia of royalty. Tom Lancashire was succeeded on the throne
by David Herd, the welI-known editor of what Scott calls the first classic edition of Scottish
songs, whose knightly soubriquet was Sir Scrape. His secretary was Jacob More, the
, ’ Calderwood’e Hit. vol. v. pp. 512, 520, 535. * A different account of the Knights of the Cape has been published, but the general accuracy of the text may be
relied upon, being derived from the minute books of the Club.
