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

LEITH, AND THE NEW TOWN. 357 hold still frowns above the crag that rises from the eastern bank of Lochend; and after the royal grant of the Harbour to the Town of Edinburgh by Robert I., Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig, Knight, the baronial lord of Leith, appears as a successful competitor with the magistrates of Edinburgh for the right of road-way and other privileges claimed by virtue of the royal grant. The estate of Restalrig extended from the outskirts of the Canongate to the Water of Leith, including the Calton, or Wester Restalrig, as it was styled ; but Logan was easily induced to sell the rights of his unfortunate vassals to their jealous rivals. The Logans, however, continued long afterwards to possess nearly the whole surrounding property, and thereby to maintain their influence and superiority in the burgh) where they appear to have always had their town mansion. The following allusion to it, in the reign of Queen Mary, by a contemporary, shows its dignity and importance, at a period when a greater number of the nobility and higher clergy were residing in Leith than had ever been at any earlier date. ‘ I Vpoun the xviij of May 1572, thair come to Leith ane ambassatour fra the King of France, nameit Monsieur Lacrok, a man of good knawlege, to intreat for peace betuix the pairties; at the quhilk tyme of his entrie, the hail1 inhabitaris and remanaris within the burgh of Edinbnrgh wer in thair armour wpone the fieldis in sicht of thair aduersaris, quha dischargit fyve peices of artailzerie at thame, and did na skaith. Vpoun the xxj day, the foirnameit ambassatour come to Edinburgh Castell, met be George Lord Seytoun, at quhais entrie certane mvnitoun wes dischargit; quha past the same nycht to Leith agane, and lugeit in Mr Johne Loganes lugeing thair.”’ The whole possessions of this ancient family were at length forfeited in the reign of James VI. by the turbulent baron, Robert Logan of Restalrig, being involved in the Gowrie conspiracy; though his share in that mysterious plot was not discovered till he was in his grave. The forfeited estates were transferred to the Elphinstons of Balmerinoch, new favourites who were rising to wealth and power on the spoils of the church and the ruin of its adherents. One of the descendants of the barons of Restalrig appears to have retrieved in some degree the failing fortunes of the family by a gallant coup-&-main, achieved against a host of opponents,. A gentleman in Leith has now in his possession the marriage-contract between Logan and Isaballa Fowler, an heiress whom tradition &rms to have been the celebrated Tibbie Fowler 0’ the glen, renowned in Scottish song, whose penny siller proved so tempting a bait that the lady’s choice involved the defeat of forty disappointed wooers1 With Tibbie’s siller he appears to have built himself a handsome mansion at the head of the Sheri€F Brae, which was demolished some years since to make way for the Church and.Alms Houses erected by Sir John Gladstone of Fasque, Eart. It was decorated with a series of sculptured dormer windows, one of which bore the initials I. L., with the date 1636.’ Among the antiquities of Leith, as might be anticipated, there are none of so early a character as those we have described in the ancient capital. Its ecclesiastical establishments apparently claim no existence prior to the fifteenth century ; while the oldest date we have found on any private building is 1573. It is nevertheless a quaint, old-fashioned Diurnal of Occurrenta, p. 263. ’ Campbell’s Hiat. of Leith, p. 315, Gemye, grandson of Robert Logan, who waa forfeited, married Isabel Fowler, daughter to Ludovick Fowler of Burncastla-Nkbet’s Heraldry, VOL i. p. 202.

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