APPENDIX. 439
trA model of Edinburgh was executed by the late Gavin Hamilton, bookeeIler : it was most accurat&
done, with his intended improvements of carrying a street of a gentle ascent from the Grassmarket in a line up
to the west end of the Luckenbooths, for which purpose he could shift the repmentation of the home, and
lay open his plan to public view. This finished work cost him some yeears’ labour, and was shown in a room
of the Royal Infirmary in 1753 and 1754 : but after his .death it was neglected, and destroyed for firewood
His proposals, like other commodious, salutary, and beneficial projects for the improvement of the place, were
rejected ; as was likewise the scheme of an entry into the High Street of Edinburgh from St Cuthbert’s or West
Church, along the hill side by south and west of the Castle, which by a gradual ascent might be completed at
no very considerable sum, to facilitate the easier conveyance of carriages from the south and west than by the
West Bow, a most inconvenient and steep height for horses with coals and other articles for the citizens’ me ;
this might terminate the head of the causeway on the Castle HilL A south entry to the High Street being
much wanted for the =me necessary purposes, has been of late proposed, but hitherto rejected also, from an
excessof toll all needful carriages would be subjected to, which many of the inhabitants are unable to
bear.
“Sir John Dalrymple has been at uncommon care and expence in causing to be executed an accnrate
survey and plan for an easy access inta the city from the south, by a gentle declivity and ascent from the High
Street at the head of Marlin’s Wynd to Nicolson’BPark in a streight line, without any amh.”
The following jm d’e8p-d may suffice, like some of the school-rhymed arithmetical and grammatical d e s ,
days of the month, and the like useful help8 to short memories, to preserve in the reader’s recollection some
memento of the strange associations that have already been related in sober prose as pertaining to the old
West Bow : the like of which he will in vain seek for in any existing corner either of the Old or New
Town.
THE WAST BOW.
DEDICATETDO THE HON.BO ARDOF COMMISSIONEFROSR C r r ~IM PBOVEMWXTS.
Through the auld Wast Bow, and to the Grass-Market,
Mony a ane haa gane daun fast an’ erie ;
Gentles wi’ htillands fn’ brawly besarkit*-
Covenant hauldera 0’ warld’a care fu’ weary,-
Doom gaol an’ gallows birds naething has carkit,
Fu’ dauntonly fitting it to the Gram-Market.
Hurrying doun, stoiterin’ an’ stumhlin’,
The gleger ye gang better luck against tumblin’ :
Up o’er its crooked an’ dingy suld oausey,
Fu’ atately an’ trig in their cleadin’ 0’ braws,
Our Jamiea escorted ilk royal Scottish lassie
To weddin’ and beddin’ in Holyrood ha’s ;
Our pedant, King Jamie, King Charlie the naucy,
As’ bauld Noll, rade in state, ilka ane o’er ita caueey,
Hurrying doun, 8c.
An’ Provost an’ Bailies, fu’ prudely I’se warrant,
Ha’e bided for Royalty doun the Wast Bow ;
An’ speered at the yet\ whan he cam, fur his errand,
An’ keeked round the corner, wi’ face in a IOW ;
An’ h o n an’ Guild-Dean, an’ Town-Clerk auld-farand,
Pracheging their beat bow id loyale I’M warrant.
Hurrying douti, &O .
4-40 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
An’ then there ’s the Major, sin’ less winna ser’ him,
His servitude haulds o’er the crook 0’ the Bow,
Wi’ his tittie, sin’ better folk wunna gang near him,
Come thundering at midnight in glamour a’low ;
The Deil for their coachman ; a whup wi’ some smeddum,
AE needs maun wha drive wi’ auld Clooty to lead ’em.
Hurrying doun, &c.
Or belyve, for a change, just as twal’ is a bangin’,
Whir, out frae the pend, in a whirlwind 0‘ flame,
Ilk cloot, wi’ a low frae the causey it ’8 clangin’,
The headless hell-charger gangs galloping hams ;
Ill luck to the loon says gude e’en as he ’8 gangin’,
He were better gae doun the Wast Bow to his hangin’.
Hurrying doun, Cc. .
An’ dinna forget, 0’ the auld gousty alley,
At his bidin’ on errands a shopin’ wad sally,
Yet ne’er a m wagged his tongue ‘gainst the Major’s queer vally
As he chanced on him daunderin’ doun the auld alley.
The Major’s black caddie, his stick 0’ a’ sticks,
Wad chap at the counter an’ play aff its tricks ;
Hurrying doun, &c.
An’ then there’s Jock Porteous’s gaist took an airin’,
Ance a year, at the fit 0’ the Bow dieappearin’,
Deil ane, gaist or gomrell, wad think 0’ repairin’,
To the new.fangled Bow for to tak him an airin’.
Wi’ his gun o’er his shouther just primed for a shot,
Whar the dyster’a pole ser’ed for the raxin’ he got.
Hurrying doun, &c.
Fuul fa’ the Commissioners wi’ their improvements,
May the Major, when neist bent on ane 0’ his movements,-
Whisk his coach doun the Bow, just for ilk anes behovements,
Wi’ a team 0’ Commissioners 0’ the Improvementa.
Their biggins, an’ howkins, an’ sweepins awa ;
’Tis the warst-waled retour that I wus may befa’,-
Hurrying doun, stoiterin’ an’ stumblin’,
The gleger ye gang better luck against tumblin’ !
XI. OLD BANK CLOSE. ASSASSINATION OF‘SIR GEORGE
LOCKHART BY CHIESLEY OF DALRY,
THE following is the circumstantial narrative of this savage act of vengeance, furnished in Father Hay’s
Manuscript Memoirs (Advocate’s Library, tome iii p. 135) :-
“ It was not known that the villain waa com’d fiom London till Sunday the 31st, which day he came to the
New Church, and offered money to the bedler for a part of my Lord Castlehih seat, just behind the Presidents,
whom @ designed to have murdered theri ; but not getthg the seat, he would have none at all, and
