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

382 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. altar, are the arms of Thomas de Cranston, Seutifer Regis, a man of considerable influence in the reign of James IL, and a frequent ambassador to foreign courts, who died about 1470; and on the engaged pillar to the south, the arms are those of Isabel, Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox, who, in 1450-about a year before her death-founded the Collegiate Church of Dumbarton, and largely endowed other religious foundations.’ Maitland remarks-“ In the year 1462, a great work seems to have been in hand at this church ; for it was by the Town Council ordained that all persons presuming to buy corn before it was entered should forfeit one chalder to the church work.” This may be supposed to refer to the same additions to the choir begun in the reign of James 11. and then in progress, though it will be seen that other works were proceeded with about the same time. The work had no doubt been aided by the contributions of that monarch, and may have been further encouraged by the gifts of his widowed queen for masses to his soul. The repetition of the royal arms on the King’s Pillar is probably intended to refer to James III., in whose reign the work was finished. To the south of the choir, a second aisle of three arches, with a richly-groined ceiling, forms the Preston Aisle, erected agreeably to a charter granted to William Prestoune, of Gortoune, by the city of Edinburgh in 1454, setting forth (‘ pat forasmekle as William of Prestoun the fadir, quam God assoillie, made diligent labour and grete menis, be a he and mighty Prince, the Eing of France, and mony uyr Lordis of France, for the gettyn of the arme bane of Saint Gele ;-the quhilk bane he freely left to our moyr kirk of Saint Gele of Edinburgh, withoutyn ony condition makyn;-we considrand ye grete labouris and costis yat he made for the gettyn yrof, we pmit, as said is yat within six or seven zere, in all the possible and gudely haste we may, yat we sal big an ile, furth frae our Lady Ile, quhare ye said William lyes in the said ile, to be begunyin within a zere ; in the quhilk ile yare sall be made a brase for his crest in bosit work ; and abone the brase a plate of brase, with a writ, specifiand, the bringing of yat relik be him in Scotland, with his armis ; and his armis to be put, in hewyn marble, uyr thre parts of the ile.” ’ The charter further binds the Provost and Council to found an altar there, with a chaplain, and secures to the lineal descendants of the donor the priyilege of bearing the precious gift of St Giles’s arm bone in all public processions. The aims of Preston still remain on the roof of the aisle, as engaged to be executed in this charter ; and the same may be seen repeated in different parts of their ancient stronghold of Craipillar Castle ; where also occurs their Rebus, sculptured on a stone panel of the outer wall : a press, and tun or barrel.’ They continued annually to exercise their chartered right of bearing the arm bone of the Patron Saint till the memorable year 1558, when the College of St Giles walked for the last time in procession, on the 1st of September, the festival of St Giles, bearing in procession a statue hired for the occasion, from the Grey Friars, to personate the Great Image of the Saint, as large M life, because ‘( the auld Saint Geile” had been fist drowned in the North Loch as an adulterer, or encourager of idolatry, and thereafter 1 A letter on the subject of these armorial bearings, signed A D. [the late Alexander Deuchar, we presume, a firatrate authority on all matters of heraldry], appeared in the Scota Nagaaine, June 1818. The writer promises to send the result of further observations, but he does not appear to have followed out his intentions. ’ Maitland, p. 271. a Archmlogia Scotica, vol. i. p. 575. ’ The Rebus of Prior Bolton, in Westminster Abbey, is very similar ta this : a tun, or barrel, with a bolt thrust - through it.

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