The etymology of the word Links has been a
puzzle to Scottish antiquaries. By some it has
been supposed, that fiom the position generally
occupied by links, in the vicinity of the sea or
great rivers, the word is a corruption of Innis,
or Inches, signifying islands ; and it is said that in
some of the old records of Aberdeen the word is
spelt Linchs and Linkkes.
The whole of Leith Links must, at one time,
have been covered by the sea, and above their
level there stand distinctly up the great grassy
mounds (one named by children the Giant?s Brae)
from which the guns of Somerset and Pelham
bombarded the eastern wall of Leith during the
siege in 1560.
During the seventeenth
and eighteenth
centuries, the Links of
Leith were the chief
resort of the aristocracy
resident in Edinburgh
as .the best
place for playing golf;
nobles of the highest
rank and the most
eminent legal and political
officials taking
part with the humblest
players-if skilful-in
the game.
In 1619 a curious
anecdote is recorded,
connected with golfing
on Leith Links, by
Row, in his ?History of
the Kirk of Scotland.?
no such thing,? he was silent, went home trembling,
took to bed instantly, and died.?
The (( Household Book ? of the great Montrose
shows that in 1627 hewas in the habit ofgolfing here.
March 10. Item: for balls in the Tennis Court
Item : for two goffe balls, my Lord
of Leith.. ............................... 16sh.
going to the goffe ther .............. 10 sh.
in Leith that nicht in come and
Item : to the servant woman in the
Item : for carrying the graith to the
9- ?I. Itern : for my horse standing
straw 7 sh. 8d. ....................................
house .................................... 12 sh.
(Bumtisland) boat .................. 3 sh.
SCULPTURED SSONE, COBOURG STREET.
William Cowper, Bishop of Galloway, ((a very
holy and good man, if he had not been corrupted
with superior powers and worldly cares of a
bishopric and other things ? (according to Johnston),
became involved in various polemical controversies,
among others, with ((the wives of Edinburgh
;? and one went so far as to charge him with
apostasy, and summoned him to prepare an answer
shortly to the Judge of all the world, at a time
when it would appear that the health of the bishop
was indifferent. ((Within a day or two after,?
says Row, ((being at his pastime (golf) on the
Links of Leith, he was terrified with a vision or
an apprehension; for he said to his playfellows,
after he had in an affrighted and commoved way
cast away his playinstruments (i.e., clubs) : ?I vow
to be about with these two men who have come
upon me with drawn swords !? When his play
fellows replied, ? My Lord, it is a dream : we saw
Charles I., who was
passionately fond of
golf, was engaged in
the game on the Links
of Leith when news of
the Irish rebellion
reached him in 1642,
and the circumstance
is thus detailed in
Wodrow?s amusing
?Analecta,? on the
authority of William,
Lord Ross of Hawkhead,
who died at a
great age in 1738, and
to whom it had been
related, when in England,
by Sir Robert
Pye :-
The latter was then
an old man of eighty
years, ?and he told
him that when a young man, he came down
(1642) with King Charles the First to Edinburgh.
That the king and court received frequent
expresses from the queen ; that one day the
king desired those about him to find somebody
who could ride post, for he had a matter
of great importance to despatch to the queen,
and he would give a handsome reward to any
young fellow whom he could trust. Sir Robert
was standing by, and he undertook it. The king
gave him a packet, and commanded him to deliver
it out of his own hand to the queen. Sir Robert
made his journey in less than three days, and
when he got access to the queen, delivered the
packet. She retired a little and opened it, and
pretty soon came out, and calling for the person
that brought the letters, seemed in a transport of
joy; and when he told her what he was, and his
diligence to bring them to her Majesty, she offered
