An act of Privy Council, reciting that ‘vile murders have not only been
committed within kirks and other places, but even within the burgh of
Edinburgh and suburbs thereof, ewest [near] to his hieness’ palace,
to the great hazard of his awn person,’ commands the authorities of
the city, the king’s guard, the master and porter of his palace, to
‘search for all hagbuts and pistolets’ worn by any persons in the city
and king’s palace, and convey the wearers to prison, the weapons to be
escheat for the benefit of the apprehenders. In the parliament which
sat down a few days afterwards, it was enacted: ‘Whaever sall happen,
at ony time hereafter, to strike, hurt, or slay ony person within
his hieness’ parliament-house during the time of the halding of the
parliament; within the king’s inner chalmer, cabinet, or chalmer of
presence, the king’s majesty for the time being within his palace; or
within the Inner Tolbooth the time that the Lords of Session sit for
administration of justice; or within the king’s privy council-house
the time of the council sitting there; or whaever sall happen to
strike, hurt, or slay ony person in the presence of his majesty,
wherever his hieness sall happen to be for the time; sall incur the
pain of treason.’ For those who commit the like offences in places and
presences of less importance, severe penalties are denounced. Another
act aimed at strengthening the hands of the magistrates of Edinburgh in
their endeavours to apprehend turbulent persons and rebels, seeing that
the weakness of such authorities ‘is the original and principal cause
wherefra the great confusion and disorder of this land, in all estates,
proceeds.’--_S. A._ and _P. C. R._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JULY 22.]
The feud between the Lord Maxwell and the Laird of Johnston, which had
been stayed by a reconciliation, broke out again afresh in consequence
of a foray by William Johnston of Wamphray, usually called, from his
reckless, dissipated character, the _Galliard_, in the lands of the
Crichtons of Sanquhar and Douglases of Drumlanrig. The Galliard being
taken in the fray and hanged, his friends, on being pursued for the
recovery of the stolen cattle, stood at bay and fought so desperately
that many of their enemies bit the dust. A remarkable scene was
consequently presented in Edinburgh. ‘There came certain poor women out
of the south country, with fifteen bloody shirts, to compleen to the
king that their husbands, sons, and servants, were cruelly murdered by
the Laird of Johnston, themselves spoiled, and nothing left them. The
poor women, seeing they could get no satisfaction, caused the bloody
shirts to be carried by pioneers through the town of Edinburgh, upon
Monday, the 23d of July. The people were much moved, and cried out for
a vengeance upon the king and council. The king was nothing moved, but
against the town of Edinburgh and the ministry. The court alleged they
had procured that spectacle in contempt of the king.’--_Cal._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JULY 24.]
Bothwell had now been little heard of for upwards of a twelvemonth,
a long interval of quietness for such a politician. The time had at
length come for a third attempt to regain favour with the king. ‘At
eight hours in the morning, the Earl of Bothwell, the Laird of Spott,
Mr William Leslie, and Mr John Colville’ [‘to the number of twa or
three hundred men’], ‘came into the king’s chalmer, weel provided with
pistol. It was reported that the said Earl and Mr John were brought in
by the Lady Athole, at the back yett of the abbey. This earl and his
complices came not this way provided with pistols and drawn swords to
harm the king’s majesty any ways, but because he could not get presence
of his majesty, nor speech of him, for the Homes, who were courtiers
with the king, and enemies to the said Earl of Bothwell. Sae they came
into his majesty’s chalmer, resolving themselves not to be halden back
till they should have spoken with him; and sae after they came in, his
majesty was coming frae the back-stair, with his breeks in his hand,
in ane fear--howbeit he needed not. The foresaid Bothwell and his
complices fell upon their knees, and gave their swords upon the ground,
and beggit mercy at his majesty; and his majesty being wise, merciful,
a noble prince of great pity, not desirous of blood, granted them
mercy, and received them in his favour; and at four hours afternoon
proclaimed them his free lieges.’
‘There was ane great tumult in Edinburgh for this. They come all
down in arms, and cried to understand the king’s mind, who cried out
and said, that he was not captive, but weel, in case that whilk was
promised by them should be keepit; and commanded them all to the
abbey kirk-yard, to stay there till he called for them. Immediately
thereafter, [he] sent for the provost and bailies, and commanded them
to dissolve and go homeward; he houpit all should be weel.’--_Moy._
_Bir._
[Sidenote: 1593.]
For a time the Chancellor Maitland, Lord Home, and other courtiers
gave way before the replaced Bothwell. The English ambassador exerted
influence in his behalf. The zealous clergy befriended him, not for
any virtues he could be said to possess, for he had none, but for that
which was a compendium of all virtue, his professing to be for ‘the
trew religion.’ King James was obliged to seem his friend, and to be
quite against the Catholic lords. One day, as the king was travelling
by Fala, near Soutra Hill, these nobles came up unexpectedly, threw
themselves on their knees before him, and entreated forgiveness and
favour. He told them he could do nothing for them unless they satisfied
the kirk, and ‘he sent back, that same nicht, the Lord Treasurer and
the Abbot of Lindores to the ambassador of England and the ministers of
Edinburgh, _desiring that they should conceive nae evil opinion of his
part for their coming to him_.’--_H. K. J._ Such were the relations of
royalty to the priesthood in those days.
[Sidenote: DEC. 11.]
Notwithstanding such powerful support, Bothwell could not long maintain
his place at court. We soon find him again at the horn, and passing
through a rather picturesque adventure on a mountain-road a few miles
to the south of Edinburgh. ‘It fortuned Sir Robert Kerr, younger
of Cessford, accompanied only with one of his awn servants called
Rutherford, to pass out of Edinburgh, homeward to his wife quietly; in
the way of plain accident, [he] forgathered with the Earl Bothwell, and
ane Gibson with him, beside Humbie on this side of Soutra Hill; where,
meeting twa for twa, they fought a long time on horseback.... The
Laird of Cessford’s man was hurt in the cheek, and at length baith the
parties so wearied with long fechting, [that] they assented baith to
let the others depart and ride away for that time. Cessford came back
to Edinburgh, and tauld the king’s majesty of that accident.’--_Moy._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1593.