THE OLD TOWN. 43
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and La Roche, levied once so heavy a tax upon the tears of Scotland-nay,of
the civifised world ; here also a small unhewn stone marks the grave of the
Regent Morton.
But there are yet nobler sleepers in this ' God's Acre,'-an innumerable
company of martyrs. Here stands what is called the Martyrs' Monument,
with the following inscription :-$ From May 27, 1661, that the most noble
Marquis of Argyle was beheaded, to the 17th Feb. 1688, that Mr. James
Renwick suffered, were one way or other murdered and destroyed for the
same aboirt 18,000, of whom were executed at Edinburgh about 100 of
noblemen, gentlemen, ministers, and others,-noble martyrs for Jesus Christ.
The most of them lie here.' Hire, in a spot as shown in our illustration,
two hundred of the prisoners of Bothwell Bridge were lodged for five months,
COVKNANTBRS PRISON. YACKKNZIE'S TOMB.
half-starved and brutally used, while those who survived were .shipped off to
Barbdoes. The child leaning against the original gate looks into this glorious
Golgotha, this consecrated Aceldama And near them lies buried their main
foe, the ' master-fiend ' Mackenzie j and here fancy stilI dreams that his spirit
keeps restless and wretched guard, like a sentinel of Hell, around the circle
of his victims; and boys used to cry in at the keyhole of his monument,
' Bluidy Mackenzie, come out if ye daur ;
Lift the sneck and draw the bar.'
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