Thomas Peebles, goldsmith in Edinburgh, was convicted of forging
coin-stamps and uttering false coin--namely, _Testons_, _Half-testons_,
_Non-sunts_, and _Lions_ or _Hardheads_. It appeared that he had given
some of his false hardheads to a poor woman as the price of a burden
of coal. With this money she came to the market to buy some necessary
articles, and was instantly challenged for passing false coin. ‘The
said Thomas being named by her to be her warrant, and deliverer of the
said false coin to her, David Symmer and other bailies of the burgh of
Edinburgh come with her to the said Thomas’s chalmer, to search him
for trial of the verity. He held the door of his said chalmer close
upon him, and wald not suffer them to enter, while [till] they brake up
the door thereof upon him, and entered perforce therein; and the said
Thomas, being inquired if he had given the said poor woman the said
lions, for the price of her coals, confessit the same; and his chalmer
being searched, there was divers of the said irons, as well sunken and
unsunken, together with the said false testons, &c., funden in the
same, and confessit to be made and graven by him and his colleagues.’
Thomas was condemned to be hanged, and to have his property escheat to
the queen.--_Pit._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: MAR. 22.]
In consequence of the slaughter of the Laird of Cessford, in an
encounter with the Laird of Buccleuch, at Melrose, in 1526, a feud
had ever since raged between their respective dependents, the Kerrs
and Scotts. In 1529, there had been an effort to put an end to this
broil by an engagement between Walter Kerr of Cessford, Andrew Kerr
of Ferniehirst, Mark Kerr of Dolphinston, George Kerr, tutor of
Cessford, and Andrew Kerr of Primsideloch, for themselves and kin on
the one part, and Walter Scott of Branxholm, knight, with sundry other
gentlemen of his clan on the other side, whereby the latter became
bound to perform the four pilgrimages of Scotland--that is, to the
churches of Melrose, Dundee, Scone, and Paisley--as a reparation for
the slaughter. Bad blood being nevertheless kept up, Sir Walter Scott
of Branxholm, Laird of Buccleuch, was slain on the streets of Edinburgh
by Cessford, in 1552.[25]
[Sidenote: 1563-4.]
At the date now under attention, a meeting of the heads of the two
houses took place in Edinburgh, and a contract was drawn up, setting
forth certain terms of agreement, and arranging that, ‘for the mair
sure removing, stanching, and away-putting of all inimity, hatrent,
and grudge standing and conceivit betwin the said parties, through the
unhappy slaughter of the umwhile Sir Walter Scott of Branksome, knight,
and for the better continuance of amity, favour, and friendship, amangs
them in time coming, the said Sir Walter Kerr of Cessford sall, upon
the 23 day of March instant, come to the perish kirk of Edinburgh, now
commonly callit Sanct Giles’s Kirk, and there, before noon, in sight
of the people present for the time, reverently upon his knees ask God
mercy of the slaughter aforesaid, and sic like ask forgiveness of
the same fra the said Laird of Buccleuch and his friends whilk sall
happen to be present; and thereafter promise, in the name and fear
of God, that he and his friends sall truly keep their part of this
present contract, and sall stand true friends to the said Laird of
Buccleuch and his friends in all time coming: the whilk the said Laird
of Buccleuch sall reverently accept and receive, and promise, in the
fear of God, to remit his grudge, and never remember the same.’ A
subsequent part of the agreement was, that the son of Cessford should
marry a sister of Buccleuch, and Sir Andrew Ker of Fawdonside another
sister, both without portion.[26]
This singular meeting would of course take place, but with what effect
may well be doubted. It appears that the feud which had begun in 1526
still remained in force in 1596, ‘when both chieftains paraded the
streets of Edinburgh with their followers, and it was expected their
first meeting would decide their quarrel.’[27]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: MAR. 24.]
At a time when the most prominent events were clan-quarrels and the
rough doings connected with the trampling out of an old religion, it
is pleasant to trace even speculative attempts to enlarge the material
resources and advance the primary interests of the country.
At the date noted, the queen granted to John Stewart of Tarlair,[28]
and William Stewart his son, licence to win all kinds of metallic ores
from the country between Tay and Orkney, on the condition of paying
one stone of ore for every ten won; and this arrangement to last for
nine years, during the first two of which their work was to be free,
‘in respect of their invention and great charges made, and to be made,
in outreeking of the same.’ In the event of their finding any gold and
silver where none were ever found before, they had the same licence,
with only this condition, that the product was to be brought to her
majesty’s cunyie-house, ‘the unce of gold for ten pund, and the unce of
utter fine silver for 24s.’ It was too early for such an enterprise,
and we hear no more of it in the hands of the two Stewarts of Tarlair.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1564.