After what we have seen of the hardness of general feeling towards
the Catholic religion during the last hundred years, it may be
well understood that the fitting up of a popish chapel, college,
and printing-office in Holyrood Palace would be regarded with no
resigned feelings by the multitude, whatever might be the views of
state-councillors, under a sense of delicacy or deference towards
the king. At the ‘skailing’ of the chapel one day, some of the
populace threw dirt and called names to the worshippers, and one of
the offenders, ‘a baxter lad,’ was consequently whipped through the
Canongate. On the youth being rescued by the mob, the guards were
called in, and a woman and two men were shot. ‘Then all were commanded
off the streets, and all ordained to hang out bowets [lanterns]; and
some being apprehended, the next day a woman and two men were scourged
... guarded all the way betwixt two files of musketeers and pikemen,
for fear of being deforced again.’ Afterwards, a drummer who said
he could find it in his heart to run his sword through all papists,
was shot; and one Keith, a fencing-master, who spoke some sentences
in a jovial company approving of the tumult, saying, ‘if the trades
lads would fall upon the Town-guard, he would secure Captain Patrick
Graham,’ was tried, condemned, and hanged, ‘dying piously in much
composure.’--_Foun._
Such were the symptoms of popular feeling which heralded the Revolution.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: FEB. 16.]
The Archbishop of St Andrews and Bishop of Edinburgh departed for
London, ‘in the _retour coach_ which had, the week before, brought down
the Marquis of Athole and Sir William Bruce from thence.’--_Foun._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: APR.]
‘Two charlatans came to Edinburgh, with recommendations from his
majesty, called Doctor Reid and Salvator Moscow, from Sicily.’
They ‘erected stages, and in their printed papers did brag of
admirable cures, as sixty-four blind persons restored to sight,
who had never seen from their birth, with many other extravagant
undertakings.’--_Foun._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JUNE 14.]
[Sidenote: 1686.]
The parliament passed an act to encourage Mr John Adair to proceed with
a design he had formed and in part executed, for producing serviceable
maps of the counties of Scotland, and a hydrographical description of
its sea-coasts for the use of mariners. It was arranged to remunerate
Adair by a small tax on tonnage. He accordingly proceeded with his
work, obtained mathematical instruments to the value of £100 from
abroad, brought one Maxon an engraver from Holland at a cost of
£70, and ‘did truly survey, navigate, and delineate the coast from
Sunderland Point in England to Buchan-ness, in eight large maps,
including the rivers and firths of Forth and Tay, likewise the Firth of
Clyde on the west sea in one large map; upon which he bestowed (having
ordinarily paid 20s. sterling _per diem_ for boats) £200 sterling.’
At a time when, even in England, Flamstead’s salary of a hundred a year
was often in arrears, it was not to be expected that any government
patronage to science in Scotland should be effectively carried out.
It appears that the tonnage-rate assigned to Adair proved, from one
cause and another, unproductive, and he was left with the work on his
hands, seriously embarrassed by his expenses, and unable to publish
what he had executed. About 1691, an effort was made to get the maps
engraved and published by a subscription at one pound per copy; but
of seven hundred subscribers required, no more than a hundred could
be procured--so few were then the individuals possessing the union
of taste, public spirit, and means necessary to make them encourage
such a project. At length, in 1694, on Adair’s petition, the Privy
Council made some arrangements for supplying him with funds, and he was
commissioned to go on with his labours. It was at the same time made an
instruction to him that, while conducting his surveys, he should obtain
information regarding the natural curiosities of the country, and also
its antiquities. Among the former were mentioned, clays and marls dug
from the ground, and crystals, flints, and ‘figured stones, having the
_shapes_ of plants, shells, animals, &c.’--such being the conception of
that age regarding those _fossils_ in which the geologist now sees the
actual remains of the organisms of the earlier epochs of creation! The
funds, derived from a tonnage-rate, seem to have come in very slowly
and in inadequate amount. Adair nevertheless, had a hired vessel for a
succession of summers along the western coast, and in 1703 he was able
to bring out a volume in folio, containing maps of the east coast, with
letter-press descriptions. He described himself next year as having
received £1800 sterling to account, while about £500 remained due. He
adds that, even if that balance were paid, he would have no profit for
his own trouble, or anything to reimburse him for what he had spent in
the support of his numerous family while absent on his surveys.
[Sidenote: 1686.]
Owing to the difficulty of obtaining the needful funds, the remainder
of Adair’s work, though in a state of forwardness, was never presented
to the world. It appears that he died in London towards the close
of 1722, probably in reduced circumstances. His wife was next year
honoured with a pension of £40.[317]
A man of kindred talents was endeavouring at the same time with Adair
to produce a work which was calculated to reflect some honour on the
country. We refer to John Slezer, a German or Dutchman, who had come
to our northern land in 1669, and been patronised by several of the
nobility, who by and by procured for him a commission as engineer in an
artillery corps. He was afterwards encouraged by Charles II., the Duke
of York, and other great personages, to undertake a work descriptive of
Scotland; and the first result appeared in 1693, in a folio entitled
_Theatrum Scotiæ[_, containing fifty-seven views of palaces and
noblemen’s seats. The country was vain enough to desire to see such a
work executed, but too poor to give it a remunerative sale. Yet Slezer
struggled on to complete it by other volumes. The Scottish parliament,
on his petition, made some arrangements to assist him with money, but
they were attended with little good effect. Two volumes of additional
drawings, therefore, remained for years unengraved, or at least unready
for publication; and the poor author had to betake himself to the
sanctuary of Holyroodhouse, where he and his talents lay useless for
thirteen years, while his family lived miserably in the city. Here he
died in November 1717, leaving debts to the amount of £2249, and claims
on the government to a nearly equal amount.[318]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JUNE and JULY.]
[Sidenote: 1686.]
‘In the year 1686,’ says Patrick Walker, ‘especially in the months of
June and July, about Crossford, two miles below Lanark, especially at
the Mains on the water of Clyde, many people gathered together for
several afternoons, where there were showers of bonnets, hats, guns,
and swords, which covered the trees and ground; companies of men in
arms marching along the water-side; companies meeting companies all
through other, and then all falling to the ground, and disappearing,
and other companies appearing the same way. I went there three
afternoons together, and, as I could observe, there were two of the
people that were together saw, and a _third that saw not_; and _though
I could see nothing_, yet there was such a fright and trembling upon
those that did see, that was discernible to all from those that saw
not. There was a gentleman standing next to me who spoke as too
many gentlemen and others speak. He said: “A pack of damned witches
and warlocks that have the second-sight! De’il haet do I see!” And
immediately there was a discernible change in his countenance, with as
much fear and trembling as any woman I saw there; who cried out: “Oh,
all ye that do not see, say nothing; for I persuade you it is matter
of fact, and discernible to all that is not stone-blind!” Those that
did see, told what works the guns had, and their length and wideness;
and what handles the swords had, whether small, or three-barred, or
Highland guards; and the closing knots of the bonnets, black and blue;
and these who did see them there, wherever they went abroad, saw a
bonnet and a sword drop by the way.’
The explanation of this kind of marvel has already been given under
1668. In the present instance, the subjective character of the
phenomenon is borne out by what Walker tells of some, including
himself, not being able to see anything, and of a gentleman suddenly
becoming sensible of the vision.
[Sidenote: 1686.]
Honest Patrick acknowledges having been afterwards much twitted
and laughed at by ‘learned critics,’ and even ‘young ministers and
expectants,’ about his report of the Crossford visions, on the score
of his having been himself present, without witnessing the alleged
prodigy. He admits that he was there _three days, and saw nothing_,
but goes on: ‘Will these wild-ass colts tell me what stopped the eyes
of the long clear-sighted Balaam, that saw a star arise out of Jacob,
... yet saw not the angel standing with a drawn sword in his hand, and
his dull ass saw him, and stopped three times? And what stopped the
eyes of the men that were with Daniel, at the river Hiddekel, when he
saw the vision, but they saw not, but greatly quaked? And what stopped
the ears of Paul’s companions in wickedness, going the devil’s errand
to Damascus, that saw the light and made them fall to the ground, but
heard not the words of the voice that spake to him? And what stopped
the ears and eyes of the captain of the Castle of Edinburgh, who was
alarmed three times at night, while the sentinels were with him; but
when they were sent off, he both saw and heard the different beating
of drums, both English and Scots, in that strange apparition in the
year 1650, before the English came to it?’
* * * * *
‘This winter, there happened three fires at Edinburgh, and all on
the Sabbath-day, to signify God’s displeasure at the profanation of
his day.’ And yet ‘there is no certain conclusion can be drawn from
these providential accidents, for a few would draw just the contrary
conclusion--that God was dissatisfied with our worshipping him on that
day: so these providences may be variously interpreted.’--_Foun._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1687.