Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time

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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

308 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. authority on which this rests, it is probable that the utmost countenance afforded by these divines waa their presence at the rehearsal, and the dinner which succeeded it in the Erskihe Club, at the Abbey.’ The old tenement, wherein this singular assemblage took place, has been entirely demolished to make way for a chapel and school founded by the Duchess of Cordon for the inhabitants of the Sanctuary. The antique building to the south, separated from this by the vennel mentioned above, appears from the titles to have been the residence of Francis Lord Napier at the memorable era of the Union Parliament. The ancient Tennis Court, the frequent scene of the dramatic amusements of the royal occupants of Holyrood, which survives now only in name, immediately without the Water Gate, has been repeatedly referred to in the course of the work.’ The game of Tennis, which was a favourite sport throughout Europe during last century, is now almost unknown. Its last most celebrated Scottish players are said to have been James Hepburn, Esq. of Keith, and the famous John Law, of Laurieston, afterwards Comptroller- General of the finances in France.8 The whole ground to the eastward of the Tennis Court appears in Edgar’s map as open garden ground attached to the Palace, with the exception of the small building known as Queen Mary’s Bath; but shortly after Lord Adam Gordon, Commander of the Forces in Scotland, took up his residence at Holyrood Palace in 1789, he granted permission to several favourite veterans, who had served under him abroad, to erect small booths and cottages along the garden wall; and they so effectually availed themselves of the privilege that several of the cottages have since risen to be substantial three and four storied lands. John Keith, a favourite subaltern, obtained at that time the piece of ground immediately adjoining Queen Mary’s Bath, and in the course of rearing the large building, which now remains in the possession of his daughters, he had to demolish part of a turret staircase which led to the roof of the Bath. Here, on removing a portion of the slating, a richly-inlaid dagger of antique form, and greatly corroded with rust, was found sticking in the sarking of the roof. It remained for many years in the possession of the veteran owner, and used to hang above the parlour fire-place along with his own sword. His daughter, to whom we owe these particulars, described the ancient weapon (( as though it had the king’s arms on it, done in gold.” It was finally lent to a young friend, to add to his other decorations, preparatory to his figuring in one of the processions during the visit of George IV. to Edinburgh in 1822, and was lost through the carelessness of the borrower. This very curious relic of antiquity has been supposed, with considerable appearance of probability, to have formed one of the weapons of the murderers of Rizzio, who are known to have escaped through this part of the royal garden^.^ This curious and exceedingly picturesque lodge of the ancient Palace is well worthy of preservation, and it is to be hoped will meet with due care in any,projected improvements in the neighbourhood of Holyrood House. The tradition of its having been used as a bath by the Scottish Queen is of old standing. Pennant tells us ic Pi& Burton’s Life of Hume, VOL i. p. 420, where it is shown that Dr Robertaon was not then principal, nor Dr Ferguson, professor; though thin is of little account, if they lived at the time in friendship with Home. Among the company at the Abbey were Lord Elibank, Lord Milton, Lord Kamea, and Lord Yonboddo. a Ants, p. 103. ’ Ante p. 76. * Archseol. Scot., voL i. p. COS. We have made thie curioue discovery the subjed of careful investigation, and feel aesured that no one who make, the name inquiries at the respectable proprietora of the house will entertain any doubt on the subject.

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THE CANONGA TE AND ABBEY SANCTUAR Y. 309 seriously that Mary is reported to have used a bath of white wine to exalt her charms, a . custom, he adds, strange, but not without precedent.’ Other no less efficacious means have been assigned as the expedients resorted to by Queen Mary for shielding her beauty against the assaults of time, but the existence of a very fine spring of water immediately underneath the earthen floor might reasonably suggest her use of the pure and limpid element. Beyond this lies the district of Abbey Hill, an old-fashioned suburb that has risen up around the outskirts of the Palace, and includes one or two ancient fabrics that have probably formed the residence of the courtiers of Holyrood in days of yore. Here is a narrow lane leading into St Anne’s Park, which bears the curious Gaelic title of Croftan- rzgh, or the King’s Field; a name that furnishes very intelligible evidence of its former enclosure within the royal demesnes. One ancient tenement near the Palace has the angles of its southern gable flanked with large round turrets, in the castellated style of James VI.’s reign, while the north front is ornameuted with dormer windows. This antique fabric answers generally to the description of the mansion purchased by William Graham, Earl of Airth, from the Earl of Linlithgow, at the instigation of his woefull wyse d e . It is described by him as the house at the back of the Abbey of Holyrood House, which sometime belonged to the Lord Elphinstone ; and though, he adds, ‘‘ within two years after, or thereby, that house took fyre accedintallie, and wes totallie burned, as it Btandeth now, like everie thing that t.he unhappie womau, my wyfe, lade hir hand to,” ’ many of our old Scottish houses have survived such conflagrations, and still remain in good condition. Pennant’s Tour, vol. i. p. 71. Minor Antiquities, p. 271.

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