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Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV

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2 48 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. LCowgate. the historian) became senior minister of the Cowgate chapel. One of his immediate predecessors, the Rev. Mr. Fitzsimmons, an Englishman, became seriously embroiled with the authorities, and was arraigned Two of these four, Vanvelde and Jaffie, had escaped from the Castle by sawing through their window bars with a sword-blade furnished to them by John Armour, a clerk in the city. The other two were on parole. The Hon. Henry Erslcine THE MEAL MARKET, COWGATE. before the High Court of Justiciary in July, 1790, on the charge of aiding the escape of Jean Bap tiste Vanvelde, Jean Jacques Jaffie, Re'ne' Griffon, and Hypolite Depondt, French prisoners, from the Castle of Edinburgh, by concealing them in his house, and taking them in the Newhaven fishing boat of Neil Drysdale to the Isle of Inchkeith, where they remained hidden till taken to a cartel ship, commanded by Captain Robertson, in Leith Roads. defended Mr. Fitzsimmons, who was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in the Tolbooth. In the following September 600 French prisoners (including the crew of the Vicforicux) were marched from the Castle, under a guard of the North York Militia, to Leith, where they embarked for England in care of 150 bayonets of the 7rst Highlanders, After the erection of St. Paul's Church, in York Place, the Cowgate Chapel was purchased by the
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United Secession congregation. It was then seated for 1,792, with a stipend of LZIO and LIZ allowance for sacramental purposes. And in 1856, it became, by purchase, the property of the Roman Catholic body, with whom it still remains. It was THE EPISCOPAL CHAPEL, COWGATE. (AJZLT an Enpming in tkc ?Scots? Magaaiae,? 1774.) Wynd, or street, has been pulled down ; also, the east side of the High School Wynd, with all its picturesque and overhanging timber fronts and dovecot gables. In 1784 Mr. John Franck Erskine, of the atrestored with admirable taste by the late Rev, Dr. Marshal, as a chapel-house ; but it has since been uselessly and recklessly removed by the Kmprovekent Trust, and a hideous edifice substituted in its place. Since then, with the exception of the Tweeddale archway, the whole north side of the street from the Blackfriars? Wynd to the foot of Sk. ? Mary?s SO means of ascertaining. That the ancient name of this street was the Southgate is proved by the title-page of a work presented to the Advocate?s Library in 1788- ?brir enBis the maging an8 bisport of EiJaucrr. Em= prcntit in *e eouthgaitt of QEb?inburgh be 83taIter QChepman an5 ?ZtnBrtin -jRiluIIar 4 e fourth Bag of Wrik tte giJcir of Go8 m.L4CC4Cb anb? biii Bfpits.
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