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

-326 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. formed of its original appearance. Not long after its erection, it became the scene of very important movements preparatory to the great civil war. On the 27th February 1638, between two and three hundred ministers met there to prepare for the renewal of the Covenant, which was received with such striking demonstrations of popular sympathy on its presentation to the public in the Greyfriars’ Church on the following day. We are informed by the Earl of Rothes, who took a prominent share in these proceedings, that he . and the Earl of Loudoun were appointed by the nobles to meet with the assembled clergy in the Tailors’ Hall, and on that occasion the Commissioners of Presbgteries were first taken aside into a summer-house in the garden, and there dealt with effectually on the necessity of all obstacles to the renewal of the Covenant being withdrawn.l The same means were afterwards successfully resorted to for removing the doubts of all scrupulous brethren.’ The garden, which was the scene of these momentous discussions, retained till very recently its early character ; but now, divested of its shrubs and forma3 Dutch parterres, it is degraded into a depositary fof brewers’ barrels. The same Corporation Hall was used in 1656 as the court-house of the Scottish Commissioners appointed by Cromwell for the administration of the forfeited estates.’ We have already referred to the very different purposes to which it was devoted in more recent times, as the refuge of the Scottish drama. Ramsay prints, in the Tea-Ta6Ze Miscellany, ‘‘ Part of an Epilogue sung after the acting of the ORPHANa nd GENTLES HEPHERinD T ailors’ Hall, by a set of young 1 Lord Rothes’ Relation of Proceedings concerning the affairs of the Kirk, p. 72. S Ibid, p. 79. “ Upon Thursday the first of March, Rothes, Lindsay, and Loudoun, and sum of them, went down to Tailyom Hall, wher the ministers mett ; and becaus sum wer come to touoe since Tupsday last who had sum aoubta, efter that they who had bein formerlie resolved wer entered to subscryve, the noblemen went with these others to the yaird, and resolved their doubts ; so that towarde thrie hundred ministers subacryved that night That day the commissioners of burrowes subscryved also.” a Nicoll’a Diary, p. 180. VIGNETTE-TailorS’ Hall.

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