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

234 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. for all the world.”1 It was the fate of this old mansion of the Earls of Angus to be linked at its close in the misfortunes of a Douglas. It formed during last century the banking-house of Douglas, Heron, & Company, whose failure spread dismay and suffering through a widely-scattered circle, involving both high and low in its ruin. The Chapel of Ease in New Street, erected in 1794, now partly occupies the site. Several other interesting relics of the olden time were destroyed to make way for this ungainly ecclesiastical edifice. One of these appears from the titles to have been the residence of Henry Kinloch, a wealthy burgess of the Canongate, to whose hospitable care the French ambassador was consigned by Queen Mary in 1565. An old diarist of the period relates, that ‘‘ Vpoun Monunday the ferd day of Februar, the seir of God foirsaid, thair come ane ambassatour out of the realm of France, callit Monsieur Rambollat, with xxxvj horse in tryne, gentilmen, throw Ingland, to Halyrudhous, quhair the King and Queenis Majesties wes for the tyme, accumpanyit with thair nobillis. And incontinent efter his lychting the said ambassatour gat presens of thair graces, and thairefter depairtit to Henrie Kynloches lugeing in the Cannogait besyid Edinburgh.” A few days afterwards, ‘( The Kingis Majestie [Lord Darnley], accumpanyit with his nobillis in Halyrudhous, ressavit the ordour of knychtheid of the cokill fra the said Rambollat, with great magniilcence. And the samin nycht at evin, our soueranis maid ane banket to the ambassatour foirsaid, in the auld chappell of Halyrudhous, quhilk wes reapparrellit with fyne tapestrie, and hung m a p s - centlie, the said lordis maid the maskery efter supper in ane honrable manner. And vpoun the ellevint day of the said moneth, the King and Quene in lyik manner bankettit the samin ambassatour ; and at evin our soueranis maid the maskrie and mumschance, in the quhilk the Queenis grace, and all her maries and ladies wer all cledin men’s apperrell; and everie ane of thame presentit ane quhingar, bravelie and maist artiticiallie made and embroiderit with gold, to the said ambassatour and his gentlemen.” * On the following day the King and Queen were entertained, along with the ambassador and his suite, at a splendid banquet provided for them in the Castle by the Earl of Mar ; and on the second day thereafter, Monsieur Rambollat bade adieu to the Court of Holyrood. It is to be regretted that an accurate description cannot now be obtained of the burgher mansion which was deemed a fitting residence for one whom the Queen delighted to honour, and for whose entertainment such unwonted masquerades were enacted. It was probably quite as homelya dwelling as those of the same period that still remain in the neighbourhood. The sole memorial of it that now remains is the name of the alley running between the two ancient front lands previously described, through which the ambassador and his noble visitors must have passed, and which is still called Kinloch’s Close after their burgher host. New Street, which is itself a comparatively recent feature of the old burgh, is a curious sample of a fashionable modern improvement, prior to the bold scheme of the New Town. It still presents the aristocratic feature of a series of detached and somewhat elegant mansions. Its last century occupants were Lord Kames-whose house is at the head of the street on the east side-Lord Hailes, Sir Philip and Lady Betty Anstruther, and Dr Hume of Godscroft’s History of the Douglases, p. 432. ’ Diurnal of Occurrenta, pp. 86, 87. There appears, indeed (Maitlaud, p. 149), to have been another Kinloch‘s lod,&g near the palace, but the correapondenoe of name and data Beems to prove the above to be the one referred to.

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