A strange tragedy took place at the Cross of Edinburgh. Robert
Drummond, sometimes called _Doctor Handie_, who had been a great seeker
and apprehender of papists, had been punished for adultery by exposure
in the church and banishment from the city. Out of favour on account
of his services against popery, he was pardoned and brought back;
but being again found guilty of the same offence, he was condemned to
exposure in the stocks at the Cross, along with the companion of his
crime; after which he was to be burnt in the cheek. While undergoing
this punishment, ‘there being great science (?) of people about them,
and the Doctor Handie being in ane great furie, said: “What wonder ye?
I sall give you more occasion to wonder.” So, suddenly, he took his
awn knife, wha strake himself three or four times fornent the heart,
with the whilk he departit. This done, the magistrates causit harl him
in ane cart through the town, and the bloody knife borne behind in his
hand; and on the morn harlit in the same manner to the gallows on the
Burghmuir, where he was buried.’--_D. O._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: MAY.]
The Regent had passed an act, very agreeable to the people, to prevent
the transporting of grain out of the country. There were, however,
certain merchants who found it not difficult, by means of bribes,
to obtain from him a licence enabling them to break the law. One
of these was Robert Gourlay, originally a servant of the Duke of
Chatelherault,[90] but now a rich merchant in Edinburgh--at least so
we may reasonably infer from the grandeur of his house, not long ago
existing. Robert was driving a good trade in this way, when the kirk,
of which he was an elder, interfered to put an end to what it regarded
as an unrighteous traffic. He was pronounced by the General Assembly to
be guilty of a high offence in transporting victual out of the realm,
and was sentenced to appear in the _marriage-place_ in the church, and
publicly confess his offence, clad in a gown of his own, which should
thereafter be given to the poor. He obstinately refused to submit. The
Regent came forward as his friend, and told the minister, Mr James
Lowson: ‘I gave him licence, and it pertaineth not to you to judge of
that matter.’[91] But it was all in vain. A week after, Robert was glad
not only to go through the prescribed penance, but to crave forgiveness
of the kirk for his temporary disobedience.[92]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JULY 29.
1574.]
The press was not likely to be a friend to the Regent, and the Regent,
therefore, was not a friend to the press. At this date he induced the
Privy Council to issue an edict that ‘nane tak upon hand to emprent
or sell whatsoever book, ballet, or other werk,’ without its being
examined and licensed, under pain of death, and confiscation of
goods.--_P. C. R._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: SEP. 3.]
The town-council of Edinburgh agreed with a Frenchman that he should
set up a school in the city, to teach his own language, for which he
should be entitled to charge each child twenty-five shillings yearly,
besides enjoying a salary of twenty pounds during the council’s
pleasure.--_City Register, apud Maitland._
* * * * *
‘The summer right evil weather, and dear; the boll of malt five merk
and half merk, and the boll of meal four merk and three merk. Evil
August; wind and rain. The harvest evil weather that ever was seen;
continual weet.’--_C. F._
Consequently, in autumn and winter, ‘there was ane great dearth in
Scotland of all kinds of victuals.’--_D. O._ ‘About Lammas, wheat
was sold at London for three shillings the bushel; but shortly after
it was raised to four shillings, five shillings, six shillings, and
before Christmas to a noble and seven shillings, which so continued
long after. Beef was sold for twenty pence and two-and-twenty pence
the stone, and all other flesh and white meats at an excessive price;
all kind of salt fish very dear, as five herrings twopence. Yet great
plenty of fresh fish, and oft times the same very cheap.... All this
dearth notwithstanding (thanks be given to God) there was no want of
anything to him that wanted not money.’--_Howes._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: OCT. 14.]
‘The pest came to Leith by ane passenger wha came out of England, and
sundry died thereof before it was known.’ On the 24th, it entered
Edinburgh, ‘brought in by ane dochter of Malvis Curll out of Kirkaldy.’
The Court of Session abstained from sitting in consequence. ‘My Lord
Regent’s grace skalit his house and men of weir, and was but six in
household; I know not whether for fear of the pest or for sparing of
expenses.’--_D. O._
[Sidenote: 1574.]
In December, the kirk-session of Edinburgh, ‘foreseeing the great
apparent plague and scourge of pest, hinging universally upon the haill
realm,’ and considering that ‘the only ordinary means appointed by God
in his holy word, whereby the said apparent scourge may be removed, is
ane public fast and humiliation,’ did accordingly appoint such a fast,
to last for eight days, with sermon and prayers every day, and the
people’s ‘food to be breid and drink with all kind of sobriety.’[93]
We do not hear of the pest proving very deadly in Scotland on this
occasion.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: DEC. 25.]
This Christmas-day, the minister and reader of Dumfries having
refused to teach or read, ‘the town ... brought a reader of their
own, with tabret and whistle, and caused him read the prayers.’ This
extraordinary exercise they maintained during all the days of Yule. It
was complained of at the subsequent General Assembly, and referred to
the Regent.--_Cal._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1574.]
In this year died David Home of Wedderburn, a gentleman of good account
in Berwickshire, and father of the David Home of Godscroft, to whom
Scottish literature owes the _History of the House of Douglas_. The
son has left us a portraiture of the father, which, even when we
make a good allowance for filial partiality, must be held as shewing
that society was not then without estimable members. ‘He died in the
fiftieth year of his age, of a consumption, being the first (as is
said) of his family who had died a natural death--all the rest having
lost their lives in defence of their country.
[Sidenote: 1574.]
‘He was a man remarkable for piety and probity, ingenuity [candour],
and integrity; neither was he altogether illiterate, being well versed
in the Latin tongue.... He had the Psalms, and particularly some short
sentences of them, always in his mouth; such as: “It is better to trust
in the Lord than in the princes of the earth:” “Our hope ought to be
placed in God alone.” He particularly delighted in the 146th psalm,
and sung it whilst he played on the harp with the most sincere and
unaffected devotion. He was strictly just, utterly detesting all manner
of fraud. I remember, when a conversation happened among some friends
about prudence and fraud, his son George happened to say, that it was
not unlawful to do a good action, and for a good end, although it might
be brought about by indirect methods, and that this was sometimes
necessary. “What,” says he, “George, do you call ane indirect way? It
is but fraud and deceit covered under a specious name, and never to be
admitted or practised by a good man.” He himself always acted on this
principle, and was so strictly just, and so little desirous of what was
his neighbour’s, that, in the time of the civil wars, when Alexander,
his chief, was forfeit for his defection from the queen’s party, he
might have had his whole patrimony, and also the abbacy of Coldingham,
but refused both the one and the other. When Patrick Lindsay desired
that he would ask something from the governor [Morton], as he was sure
whatever he asked would be granted, he refused to ask anything, saying
that he was content with his own. When Lindsay insisted, says he:
“Since you will have it so, I will ask something; but you must first
assure me I will not be refused.” Then Lindsay swore to him that he
should have whatever he desired. “Let me have, then,” says he, “the
abbacy of Haddington.” “That you cannot get,” says Lindsay, “as I
received it myself some time ago. But ask something seriously; for if
you do not get a share of our enemies’ estates, our party will never
put sufficient trust in you.” To this David answered: “If I never can
give proofs of my fidelity otherwise than in that manner, I will never
give any, let him doubt of it who may. I have hitherto lived content
with my own, and will live so, nor do I want any more.”
‘David was a man of that temper, that he never was willing to offer
any injury, nor to take notice of one when offered. His uncle George
Douglas sometimes stayed at Wedderburn. He still kept up a secret
grudge at Alexander of Home on account of that controversy they had
had about Cockburnspath. Alexander happened to be at this time at
Manderston, which is within half a mile of Wedderburn. Alexander of
Manderston, with a great number of attendants, goes out with him to
hunt; and as he was a turbulent man, and much given to ostentation,
under the pretext of seeking game, he ranges through all Wedderburn’s
fields. This was intended as an affront to George Douglas, and to shew
him what trouble he occasioned to his nephew David.
‘George had resolved to bear the thing patiently, and to dissemble; but
David, knowing their intention, and not bearing that any affront should
be put upon his uncle, mounts his horse, and orders his servants to do
the like, and, taking George along with him, he presses hard upon the
heels of Alexander, who was then going home, and follows him to the
very doors of his own house of Manderston, and hunted about the whins
and broom at the back of the garden, till evening forced him to return
home.’[94]
[Sidenote: 1574.]
At this time was the conspiracy or Black Band formed against him,
which he bore patiently, and at the same time wisely repulsed. I know
not upon what account some gentlemen of the Merse entered into this
conspiracy; it is certain it was for no misdemeanour of his, nor did
they pretend any. Alexander of Manderston was the contriver of the
whole. It was a thing openly known, for in the meetings of the judges
on the Borders about mutual restitutions, the one [party] stood on
this side, and the other on that, like opposite armies.... One day,
when both parties were returning home, and among the rest Manderston,
some of Wedderburn’s followers, flushed with indignation, advised him
no longer to bear the arrogance of the confederates. He, on the other
hand, refused to stain his hands in blood, saying that Manderston was
furious and insolent in his youth, but would grow wiser when he was
old, and acknowledge his fault.’
John Stuart, the titular abbot of Coldingham, a natural son of James
V., was importuned to join the Black Band, but had too much regard
for Wedderburn to do so. While he was absent in the north with his
brother the Regent Moray, his wife, who had a spite at Wedderburn, made
a strange kind of demonstration against him. She ‘ordered the men of
her faction to be present on a certain day, and to bring along with
them wains, carts, and other things fit for carrying off the corns,
all of which was carefully done. But Wedderburn with his friends
having gathered together about 500 horse, hastens to the fields, and
dissipates the scattered troops before they could unite themselves into
one, breaks the wagons, looses the horses, and drives them away. On
this they all betake themselves to flight, together with Stuart’s wife
(she was called Hepburn, and a sister of old Bothwell). A few received
some strokes; none were wounded; but so great was the terror struck
into them all, that they all sought hiding-places in their flight. Some
hid themselves among the furze or broom; others under the banks of
the river; some in the fields of corn, and all either in one place or
other. One John Edington (commonly called the Liar, as he was always
the messenger of strange news, which was commonly false) hid himself
in the ambry of a poor old woman, from which he was dislodged, to the
great diversion of his enemies and his own great terror. When their
fear a little subsided, and it appeared that none were hurt, the affair
appeared so ridiculous both to themselves and others, that Hepburn
(as she was a woman of a pretty good genius and poetically inclined)
described the whole in some verses. Nor was there ever anything
afterwards attempted by the confederates.’
[Sidenote: 1574.]
David is described as being swift of foot, and fond of foot-races.
Horse-racing was also one of his amusements. ‘He collected a number
of the swiftest horses both from the north of Scotland and from
England, by the assistance of one Graeme, recommended to him by his
brother-in-law, Lochinvar. He generally had eight or more of that kind,
so that the prize was seldom won by any but those of his family....
He was so great a master of the art of riding, that he would often
be beat to-day, and within eight days lay a double wager on the same
horses, and come off conqueror.... He went frequently from home to
his diversion, sometimes to Haddington, and sometimes to Peebles, the
one of which is eighteen, and the other twenty-four miles distant,
and sometimes stayed there for several days with numerous attendants,
regardless of expense, as being too mean and sordid a care, and below
the dignity of one of his rank.
‘Being educated in affluence, he delighted in fencing, hunting, riding,
throwing the javelin, managing horses, and likewise in cards and dice.
Yet he was sufficiently careful of his affairs without doors. Those
of a more domestic nature he committed to the care of his wife, and
when he had none, to his servants; so that he neither increased nor
diminished his patrimony.’
The writer, in the true spirit of his age, cites Wedderburn’s love of
the house of Home as ‘_not the least of his virtues_.’ The chief was
prejudiced against him, but ‘he bore it patiently, and never failed
giving him all due honour.’ At length, Lord Home being taken prisoner
by Morton at the close of the queen’s wars, and put into Leith Fort,
Wedderburn went to see him, and acted so much as his friend as to
obtain his release and secure his love.
David’s first wife, of the Johnstons of Elphinston, in Haddingtonshire,
was a paragon of benevolence. She not only supplied the poor
bountifully, but often gave large help to superior people who had
fallen back in the world. She would give the clothes of her own
children to clothe the naked and friendless. Yet, such was her good
management, that she left at her death 3000 merks in gold--‘a great sum
in those days.’ ‘Everything in the family had a splendid appearance;
and this she affected in compliance to her husband’s temper. As she
was herself, so she instructed her children in the fear of God, and
in everything that was good and commendable. To sum up her whole
character, she obtained from all the appellation of the Good Lady
Wedderburn.’
[Sidenote: 1574.]
David ‘was of a beautiful and manly make. His complexion (for a man)
was rather too fair. He had yellow hair, and an aquiline nose; his
stature rather inclining to tall, his countenance comely and majestic,
claiming at the same time both love and reverence. He much affected
elegance in his dress, but not extravagance. He was very fond of his
children, and seldom ceased to dance them in his arms.... These are the
parents who make me rejoice in my birth. These are the parents who are
an honour to their posterity. To live and die like them, loving and
beloved by all, is my great and only ambition.’[95]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1574-5.