A great _tulyie_ or street-combat this day took place in Edinburgh.
[Sidenote: 1594-5.]
The Earl of Montrose, head of the house of Graham, was of grave
years--towards fifty: he was of such a character as to be chosen, a few
years afterwards, as chancellor of the kingdom: still later, he became
for a time viceroy of Scotland, the king being then in England. Yet
this astute noble was so entirely under the sway of the feelings of
the age, as to deem it necessary and proper that he should revenge the
death of John Graham (see under February 13, 1592-3) upon its author,
under circumstances similar to those which attended that slaughter. On
its being known that the earl was coming with his son and retinue to
Edinburgh, Sandilands was strongly recommended by some of his friends
to withdraw from the town, ‘because the earl was then over great a
party against him. His mind was, notwithstanding, sae undantonit,
and unmindful of his former misdeed, finding himself not sae weel
accompanied as he wald, he sent for friends, and convokit them to
Edinburgh, upon plain purpose rather first to invade the said earl than
to be invadit by him, and took the opportunity baith of time and place
within Edinburgh, and made a furious onset on the earl [at the Salt
Tron in the High Street], with guns and swords in great number.[201]
The earl, with his eldest son, defendit manfully, till at last Sir
James was dung [driven down] on his back, shot and hurt in divers parts
of his body and head, [and] straitly invadit to have been slain out
of hand, gif he had not been fortunately succoured by the prowess of
a gentleman callit Captain Lockhart. The lord chancellor and Montrose
were together at that time; but neither reverence [n]or respect was had
unto him at this conflict, the fury was sae great on either side; sae
that the chancellor retirit himself with gladness to the College of
Justice. The magistrates of the town, with fencible weapons, separatit
the parties for that time; and the greatest skaith Sir James gat on
his party, for he himself was left for dead, and a cousin-german of
his, callit Crawford of Kerse, was slain, and mony hurt: but Sir James
convalescit again, and this recompense he obteinit for his arrogancy.
On the earl’s side was but ane slain, and mony hurt.’--_H. K. J._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: FEB. 18.]
Hercules Stewart was hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh, for his
concern in the crimes of his brother the Earl of Bothwell. The people
lamented his fate, for ‘he was ane simple gentleman, and not ane
enterpriser.’--_Moy._ He ‘was suddenly cut down and carried up to the
Tolbooth to be dressed; but within a little space he began to recover
and move somewhat, and might by appearance have lived. The ministers,
being advertised hereof, went to the king to procure for his life; but
they had already given a new command to strangle him with all speed, so
that no man durst speak in the contrary.’--_Pa. And._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: MAR. 10.]
[Sidenote: 1595.]