This spring, there was ‘sic increase of sawing, that the like has not
been heard of before. Ane man of Libberton, callit Douglas, had, of ten
pecks of beir sawn thirty-one thrave, and every threif had ane boll of
beir and ane peck.’--_Bir._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: APR. 20.
1597.]
‘At this time, one Sir James Mac Oniel [Mac Connel], _alias_ Sorley
Buie, a great man in Ireland, being here for the time to complain of
our chief islesmen, was knighted, and went with his train and dependers
to visit the Castle and provision therein, and gave great and noble
rewards to the keepers.’--_Pa. And._ ‘The 7th of May, he went homeward,
and for honour of his _bonalley_[226] the cannons shot out of the
Castle of Edinburgh.’--_Bir._ ‘This Sir James was ane man of Scottis
bluid, albeit his lands lies in Ireland. He was ane braw man of person
and behaviour, but had not the Scots tongue, nor nae language but Erse
[Irish].’--_C. K. Sc._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JUNE 6.]
There was a proclamation ‘that no man take upon hand to give out money
any dearer nor ten for the hundred [ten per cent. interest], or victual
according thereto, under the pain of confiscation of their goods, and
punishing of their bodies as usurers.’--_Bir._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JUNE 10.]
Died Hugh Rose of Kilravock, at an advanced age. A descendant describes
him as ‘ane excellent person.’ ‘He found the fortune [of the family]
low, and under great burden, which he not only defrayed, leaving it
free to his son, but also acquired the whole lands now holden of the
Bishop of Moray. He had seventeen sisters and daughters, all whose
portions, mediately or immediately, he paid, though their very portions
were a considerable debt. He lived in a very divided factious time,
there falling out then great revolutions in church and state; religion
changed from popery to protestant, and the queen laid aside, living
in exile; yet such was his even, ingenious, prudential carriage, that
he wanted not respect from the most eminent of all parties. He had
troubles from neighbours, which he prudently carried, and yet knew how
discreetly to resent them, as appears, that a debate being betwixt him
and two neighbours, he subscribed: “Hucheon Rose of Kilravock, ane
honest man, ill guided betwixt them both.” This was _ridentem dicere
verum_.
‘He was a man that could make good use of his troubles, as appears by
his answer to King James, who, being in Kilravock in his progress to
the north (in the year 1589, as I suppose), inquired how he could live
amongst such ill turbulent neighbours; [he] made this reply: “That they
were the best neighbours he could have, for they made him thrice a day
go to God upon his knees, when perhaps otherwise he would not have gone
once.” And at the same time, as I have learned many years ago from old
persons, the king was pleased to honour him with the name of Father,
and desiring he might be covered.
[Sidenote: 1597.]
‘As to his person, I have had it from such as knew him, that he was of
a tall, and of a square well-compact body, but not corpulent. He was
of a venerable grave aspect; his beard white and long in his old age.
He died full of days, not so much of sickness as nature being worn
out. The night before his death, he went forth to his orchard, and
there supped upon a little broth, and then going to his bed, died the
next morning, without trouble, muttering these words in Latin at his
expiring: “In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum.”‘[227]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JUNE 26.]
This was a day of great joy to the friends of the reformed faith,
for the Earls of Huntly and Errol had at length been wrought upon
to make profession of the true religion, and so be relaxed from the
pains of excommunication. Though the pressing nature of the motive was
obvious, no dread of insincerity seems ever to have entered the minds
of the honest zealots who left these lords no other course for their
preservation. The affair took place in the kirk of Aberdeen, and was
in several respects noticeable. The evening before, the Earl of Huntly
shook hands in token of reconciliation with Lord Forbes and young
Irvine of Drum, and signed the articles of the established religion,
swearing not to decline therefrom. On the Sunday, which was observed as
a fast, on account of the importance of this conversion, the two nobles
appeared in the marriage desk or pew in the Old Kirk, where was ‘sic a
confluence of noblemen, barons, gentlemen, and common people, as that
the like was never seen in that kirk.’
[Sidenote: 1597.]
To pursue the narrative of an eye-witness: ‘The bishop preached, and
made a godly and excellent sermon. The sermon being concluded, the
earls rises furth of their desk, comes in before the pulpit, make
ane open confession of their defection and apostasy, affirms the
religion presently confessed to be the only true religion, renounces
all papistry, &c., and of new swears never to decline again, but to
defend the samen to their life’s end. The Earl of Huntly confessed
his offence, first to God, next to his majesty, to the kirk and
country, for the slaughter of the Earl of Moray. And sae the bishop
pronounces openly their sentence of absolution frae the sentence of
excommunication. The earls are then received by the haill ministry,
being in number twelve or thirteen persons, wha, during all the time of
the sermon, sat at the table in the mids’ of the kirk, and with them
the provost, bailies, and maist part of the council. And after the
earls were received by the ministry, then Patrick Murray, commissioner
for his majesty, received them in his hieness’ name; next the provost,
bailies, and council. And sae they were received to the bosom of the
kirk. At the samen time, the Laird of Gight, before the pulpit, sat
down on his knees, and askit God, his majesty, and the kirk pardon and
forgiveness for the receipt of the Earl of Bothwell, for the whilk he
was excommunicate; and he was absolved frae the excommunication. This
being done, the twa earls, with mony mae gentlemen and barons, all the
ministry, communicate together at the table of the Lord.’...
Next day, the Market Cross was solemnly hung with tapestry, and in a
small house close by a band of musicians was placed. Four score of
the young men of the town, in their best habiliments, with hagbuts,
took their station around. There also were placed the magistrates and
council, with six maskers. On a table set out in the street were wine,
glasses, and sweetmeats. The earls’ pacification was then formally
proclaimed by Marchmont herald. ‘The twa earls sat at the Cross in
chairs, with his majesty’s commissioner and the ministry. The wand of
peace delivered to them by Patrick Murray, he receives them in his
majesty’s name; next the ministry embraces them, and then the provost,
bailies, and magistrates. Hagbuts sounded, that day nor dur could not
be heard; wine drunk in abundance; glasses broken; sirfootfeats casten
abroad on the causey, gather whaso please! After this the earls and
their kin passes to the Tolbooth, with the haill ministry; all are made
burgesses of this town, the ministry with the rest. At even, naething
but waughting.’[228]
Of course, all was a forced hypocrisy on the part of the two lords,
merely to avoid the legal consequences of their excommunication. Most
curious it would be to know if there were no misgivings on the subject
among the clergy: certainly none appear. Huntly, as might have been
expected, quickly relapsed to his popish professions, and was again
excommunicated in 1606. Nevertheless, he was some years later accepted
once more as a Protestant, and restored to his civil rights.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1597.]
A deputation of ministers went this summer through the provinces of
Aberdeen, Moray, and Ross, to complete as far as possible the planting
of them with ministers. The chief of the Clan Mackintosh surprised the
deputation by the zeal and cordiality he shewed towards the object.
He met them at Inverness, exhibited a plan for settling ministers in
his country, and subscribed it in their presence. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘it
may be thought I am liberal because nae minister will venture to come
amang us. Get me men and sey [try] me. I will find sufficient caution
in St Johnston, Dundee, or Aberdeen, for safety of their persons,
obedience to their doctrine and discipline, and guid payment of their
stipend.’--_Ja. Mel._ We have seen enough of the leading men of this
age in Scotland not to be too much surprised on learning that this was
the same Highland chief who had sent out his clan on a wild ravaging
expedition in 1592, when the hospitable old baron of Brackla was one of
their victims, and who is summed up in the _Historie of King James the
Sext_, as ‘a man unconstant, false, and double-minded, by the report of
all men.’
* * * * *
[Sidenote: JUNE 14.]
[Sidenote: OCT. 11.]
The Lanarkshire lead-mines, under the care of Thomas Foulis, goldsmith
in Edinburgh, and Bewis Bulmer, an Englishman, whom Thomas had assumed
as partner, were now beginning to be a source of profit. The lead
was transported on the backs of horses to sundry parts of the realm,
but the greater part of it to Leith, where it was disposed of for
exportation. Just, however, as all the mining difficulties had been
overcome, the enterprisers found troubles of a different kind. The
broken men of the Borders had heard of this valuable metal passing
along the uplands of Clydesdale, and it seemed to them not too
hazardous an adventure to cross the hills, and make a dash at such a
booty. We therefore now hear of the carriers of the lead, servants of
Thomas Foulis, being occasionally beset on their way, and robbed by
the borderers of ‘horses, armour, clothing, and their haill carriage.’
Nearer neighbours, too, respectable men, burgesses of Lanark and
Glasgow, were accused of lawlessly helping themselves to the lead and
lead ore, won from the mines in Crawford Muir, not scrupling for this
purpose to seize it in its passage to Leith, and dispose of it for
their own benefit. Nay, these persons, it was said, had appropriated
two horse-load of rye and white bread on its way to the mines, and
within six miles of them, thus seriously hindering the progress of the
work itself.
The Council issued a threatening proclamation against the first class
of spoliators. As the latter set represented themselves as having
lawfully purchased the lead in question, an order was issued that they
should return or pay for it to Thomas Foulis.--_P. C. R._
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1597.