402 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
for the chaplain, and four poor brethren, to have their yearly food, and perpetual sustentation
within the said hospital ; and for buying of their habits every twa year once, I mortify
these annualrents under-written,” &c.’ After very minute directions for the appointment
of the chaplain and the management of the hospital, it is provided :-‘‘ And farder, the
said chaplane, every gear, once in the year, for the said hlichael and Jonet, sal1 make suffrages,
which is, ‘I am pleased,’ and ‘ direct me, 0 Lord; ’ with ane Mess of rest, ‘being
naked, he clothed me ; ’ with two wax candles burning on the altar. To the whilk suffrages
and mess, he shall cause ring the chapel bell the space of ane quarter of an hour, and that
all the foresaid poor, and others that shall be thereintill, shall be present at the foresaid
mess with their habites, requesting all these that shall come in to hear the said mess to
pray for the said souls. And farder, every day of the blessed Mary Magdallen, patron of
the foresaid hospital, and the day of the indulgence of the said hosjital, and every other
day of the yeas, the said chaplaine shall offer up all the oblations, and for every oblation
. shall have twa wax candles upon the altar, and twa at the foot of the image of the patron
in twa brazen candlesticks, and twa wax torches on the feast of the nativity of our Saviour,
Pasch, and Whitsunday, of the dap of Mary Magdallen, and of the days of the indulgences
granted to the said hospital, and doubleing at other great feasts, with twa wax candles
alenerly.” Such were the provisions for the due observance of all the formulary of the services
of the Church, which the chaplain on his induction was bound ‘‘ to give his great oath,
by touching the sacred Evangile,” that he would neither infringe nor suffer to be altered.
It is probable that the chapel was hardly built ere the whole schefke of its founders was
totally overthrown. Certain evidence at least tends to show, that neither the steeple nor
its fine-toned bell ever fulfilled the will of the’foundress, by summoning the bedemen and
all who chose to muster at the call to pray for the repose of the founders’ souls. The
chapel is adorned at its east end with the royal arms, the city arms, and the armorial bearing
of twenty-two corporations, who unite to form the ancient body known as the United
Incorporation of Hammermen, the guardians of the sacred banner, the Blue Blanket, on
the unfurling of which every liege burgher of the kingdom is bound to answer the summons.
The north and east walls of the chapel are ’almost entirely occupied with a series of tablets
recording the gifts of numerous benefactors. The earliest of these is probably a daughter
of the founder, “ Isobel Macquhane, spouse to Gilbt Lkuder, merchant burgess of Edin’,
who bigged ye crose house, and mortified &50 yearly out of the Cousland, anno 1555.”
Another records that, “John Spens, burgess of Edinburgh, bestowed 100 lods of
Wesland lime for building the stipel of this chapell, anno 1621.” Here, therefore, is the
date of erection of the steeple, which receives corroboration from its general features, with
the old-fashioned gargoils in the form of ornamental cannons, each with a bullet ready
to issue from its mouth. appears
to have been the subject of still further delay, as the bell bears this legend around it, iu
Roman characters:-SOLI D E 0 GLORIA * MICHAEL BURGERHUYB ME
FECIT, ANKO 1632; and in smaller characters, GOD BLIS THE EIAYMEBMEN OF UGDALENE
CHAPEL.” The bell is still rung according to the will of the foundress, however
. different be the objects answered by its warning note ; and it was further applied, soon
after its erection, to summon the inhabitants of the neighbouring district to the parish
.
The furnishing of the steeple with ‘‘ The Chapel Bell
l Hist. of the Blue Blanket, &e., by Alexander Pennecuick, p. 46-48.
