314 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
sovereign, James V.’ They were to enter the palace by a window at the head of the
King’s bed, which was pointed out by Sir James Hamilton, one of their accomplices, who
used to be the King’s bedfellow, according to the homely fashion of the times. The
energetic measures which were adopted on the discovery of this plot greatly tended to
secure the peace and good government of the capital.
At the foot of the Pleasance was the Cowgate Port, one of the principal gates of the
city, which afforded access to the ancient street from whence it derived its name. Alexander
Alesse, a canon of St Andrew’s, who left Scotland in 1532 to escape the persecutim
to which he was exposed in consequence of adopting the principles of the early Reformers,
describes the Cowgate thus :-&‘ Infiniti viculi, qui omnes excelsis sunt ornati sdibus, &ut
et Via Vaccarum; in qua habitant patricii et senatores urbis, et in qua sunt principum
regni palatia, ubi nihil est humile aut rusticum, sed omnia magnifica.” Mean and
degraded as this ancient thoroughfare now is, there are not wanting traces of those palmy
days when the nobles and senators of the capital had there their palaces, whose magnificence
excited>he admiration of strangers, though now its name has almost passed into a
byeword. A little to the westward, beyond a slight but picturesque old fabric which
forms the north side of the Cowgate Port, the large old gateway remains which gave
access to the extensive pleasure grounds attached to the Marquis of Tweeddale’s residence.
In Edgar’s map, this garden ground appears rising in a succession of terraces towards the
noble residence, and thickly planted in parts with trees ; nevertheless, the whole area
had been covered at an earlier period with the crowded dwellings of the ancient capital, as
appears from Gordon’s view of 1647 ; and now the noble gardens are anew giving place
to rude masonry. The Cowgate Chapel occupies one large portion, and manufactories,
with meaner buildings, hem it in on nearly every side. Towards the west, at the foot of
Gray’s Close, is Elphinstone’s Court, already described, and beyond it the Mint Court
still stands, with its sombre and massive turret of polished ashlar work protruding into
the narrow thoroughfare of the Cowgate.
The venerable quadrangle of the Scottish Mint is formed by an irregular assemblage of
buildings of various ages and styles, yet most of them still retaining some traces of the
important operations once carried on within their walls. The Mint House was on the west
side of the Abbey Close at Holyrood Palace, in the earlier part of Queen Mary’s reign,
as appears from evidence previously quoted. From thence it was removed for greater
safety to the new Mint House, erected in the Castle in 1559;’ and although, during the
troubled period that followed soon after, the chief coining operations were carried on at
Dalkeith and elsewhere, Sir William Kirkaldy still made use of “ the cunzie hous in the
Castle of Edinburgh, quilk cunzet the auld cunzie of the Queen.”s No other Mint House
was permanently established in Edinburgh until the almost total destruction of the buildings
in the Castle during the memorable siege of 1572. The date over the main entrance
to the most ancient portion of buildings in the Cowgate, at the foot of Toddrick’s Wynd,
1 Caledonia, vol. ii. p. 615. ’ In the Treasurers’ accounta, the following entry occura : February 1562-3 :-“Item, allowit to the Comptar, be
payment maid be Johne Achesouo, Maist2r Cwnaeour, to Yaister William M‘Dowgale, Maister of Werk, for expensia
maid be him vpon the bigging of the Cwnze-hous, within the Castell of Edinburgh, and beting of the Cwnze-how within
the Palace of Halierudhouse, fra the xi day of Februar 1559 zeris, to the 21 of April 1560, 2460, 4s. Id.”
J Diurnal of Occurrenta, p. 291.
ST LEONARD’S, ST MARY’S WYND, AND COWGATE. 315
is 1574, showing that their erection took place almost immediately after the demolition of
the Castle.
This remnant of one of the most important Government Offices of Scotland at that
early date is a curious sample of the heavy and partially castellated edifices of the period.
The whole building was probably intended, when completed, to form a quadrangle
surrounded on every side by the same substantial walls, well suited for defence against
any ordinary assault; while its halls were lighted from the enclosed court. The small
windows in this part of the building remain in their original state, being divided by an oaken
transom, and the under part closed with a pair of folding shutters. The massive ashlar
walls are relieved by ornamental string courses, and surmounted with crow steps of the
earliest form, and of elegant proportions. The original entrance, which is on the west
Bide of the projecting turret, has long been closed up, and its sill is now sunk considerably
below the level of the paving owing to the gradual rising of the street, so
common in earlier times, and of which we shall hereafter refer to much more surprising
proofs. It bears on its lintel the following legend neatly cut in Roman characters:-
BE - MERCIFVL * TO - ME - 0 * GOD * 1574, above which is an ornamental niche, not
unlikely to have contained a bust of King James. The internal marks of former magnificence
are still more interesting than these external ones, notwithstanding the humble
uses to which the buildings have latterly been applied ; in particular, some portions of a
very fine oak ceiling still remain, wrought in Gothic panneling, and retaining traces of
the heraldic blazonry with which it was originally adorned. Two large and handsome
windows above the archway leading to Toddrick’s Wynd,’ give light to this once magnificent
hall, which is said to have formed the council-room where the officers of the Mint
assembled to assay the metal, and to discuss the general affairs of the establishment.
Here was the scene of the splendid banquet given ( ( a t the requeist of the Kingis
Majestie and for honour of the toun,” to the Danish nobles and ambassadors, who came
over in the train of Anne, Queen of James VI., in 1590. The King writes, while
absent on his matrimonial expedition, to Sir Alexander Lindsay, whom he soon after
created Lord Spynie :-(‘ From the Castell of Croneburgh, quhaire we are drinking and
dryuing OUT in the auld maner,” and the entertainment of his guests on his return
appears to have shown no wish for a change of fashion in this respect. The banquet
was furnished on Sunday evening, in the great hall at the foot of Toddrick’s Wynd,
which was hung with tapestry, and decorated with flowers for the occasion; and the
wine and ale form the chief items in the provision ordered by the council for the noble
strangers.’
In the introductory historical sketch some extracts are given from the very curious
.
1 As before mentioned (ante, p. 263), several interesting houses, referred to here and on subsequent pages, have
been taken down to make way for City improvements. ’ 21at May 1590. “The quhilk day, John Arnott, Provest, Henry Charteris, &c., being convenit in the counsdl at
the requeist of the Kingis Majestie, and for honour of the Toun ; It was thocht and agreit to mak ane honourabd
banket to the Dence Imbaseadours, and the famous peraouns of thair company, quha arryvet furth of Denmark with
the King and Queynis Majesties, and this upoun the Townis chargea and expensis, to be maid in Thomas Aitchisoun’s,
Master of the Cuoyie hous lugeiog at Todrik’s Wynd fute, upon Sonday at evin next to cum ; and for the making of
the preparatioun and furneasing thairto, hes set doun and devyset the ordonr following ; to wit, that the Thasaurer CBUB
bye and lay in four punsheons wyne ; John Borthuik, baxter, to get four bunnis of beir, with four gang of sill, and to
furneis breid ; Henry Charteris and Roger Macnacht to caus hing the hous with tapeshie, set the buirds, furmis,
chandleris and get tlowres, &c.”- ~~p,. 88.
