BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 219
was executed upon Patrick Ogilvie,’ in the Gmsmarket of Edinburgh; but
Catherine Nairne, whose sentence had been delayed in consequence of pregnancy,
made her escape from the tolbooth soon after her accouchement. She
effected this by assuming the garb and demeanour of the midwife, Mrs. Shiells,
who had for several days previously attended on her patient with her head
muffled up, under pretence of a violent attack of toothache.
There is every reason to believe that the stratagem was matured under the
connivance of her uncle Sir William, then Mr. Nairne; and at least some of
the prison guards were not ignorant of what was to take place. There have
been various conjectures as to the precise time Catherine Nairne quitted the
city-some asserting that she remained concealed in Edinburgh for some days
prior to her fight to the Continent. It, appears almost certain, however, that
she left the city the same night (Saturday the 15th March 1766) on which she
escaped from the jail;-a carriage was in waiting at the foot of the Horse
Wynd; in which was Mr. Nairne’s clerk-the late Mr. James Bremner, afterwards
Solicitor of Stamps-who accompanied Mrs. Ogdvie as far as Dover, on
her way to France.
Notwithstanding her very criticalIsituation, Mr. Bremner was in momentary
dread all the way of a discovery, in consequence of her extreme frivolity of
behaviour, as she was continually putting her head out of the window and
laughing immoderately. She was, as previously noticed, very young, and had
only been married in January 1765 j and the crime for which she was tried was
completed, by the death of’ her husband, in the month of June following. She
was described, in the proclamation issued for her apprehension by the magistrates
of Edinburgh, as attired in ‘‘ an officer’s habit, with a hat slouched in the
cocks, and a cockade in it j ” and “ about twenty-two years of age, middle-sized
and strong made; has a high nose, black eyebrows, and a pale complexion.”
Two rewards were offered for her apprehension,-one by Government, and another
by the city of Edinburgh, of one hundred pounds each. It is said she
was afterwards very fortunate, having been married to a Dutch gentleman, by
whom she had a numerous family. Rumour also represents her as having ultimately
retired to a convent and taken the veil ; and adds, that she survived the
French Revolution, and died in England in the present century.
* He was 8 great player on the violin ; and the interval between his condemnation and execution
wa almost exclusively devoted to his performance on that instrument. Great influence waa used to
save him ; but the feeling waa 80 strong against him, that the efforts of his friends were wholly
ineffectual.
It is now
enclosed, and used &B a furniture waiwroom.
9 The principal entrance, at that period, to Minto House, waa from the Horse Wynd.
