Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 « Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Cover Title Pages Contents List of Illustrations Preface Part 1: Historical Associations Part 1 Ch 1: Earliest Traditions Part 1 Ch 2: From The Accession of The Stuarts to the Death of James III Part 1 Ch 3: From the Accession of James IV to the Battle of Flodden Part 1 Ch 4: From the Battle of Flodden to the Death of James V Part 1 Ch 5: From the Death of James V to the Abdication of Queen Mary Part 1 Ch 6: From the Accession of James VI to the Restoration of Charles II Part 1 Ch 7: Historical Incidents after the Restoration Part 2: Local Antiquities and Traditions Part 2 Ch 1: The Castle Part 2 Ch 2: King's Stables, Castle Barns, and Castle Hill Part 2 Ch 3: The Lawnmarket Part 2 Ch 4: The Tolbooth, Luckenbooths, and Parliament Close Part 2 Ch 5: The High Street Part 2 Ch 6: The High Street and Nether Bow Part 2 Ch 7: The Canongate and Abbey Sanctuary Part 2 Ch 8: St Leonard's, St Mary's Wynd, and The Cowgate Part 2 Ch 9: The West Bow and Suburbs Part 2 Ch 10: Leith, and The New Town Part 2 Ch 11: Ecclesiastical Antiquities Appendix » Edinburgh Past and Present » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

THE CAiVONGA TE ANB ABBE Y SANCTUAR Y. Earl, who took an active share in promoting the Union. He was soon after elevated to a dukedom in the British Peerage, and successively filled the offices of Keeper of the Privy Seal and Secretary of State for Scotland. At the head of Reid’s Close stands the ancient and picturesque stone tenement, designated in the accompanying engraving Nisbet of Dirleton’s House, which appears by the date on it to have been erected in the year 1624. Its basement story is substantially arched with stone, in accordance with the fashion of that age, when a citizen’s mansion had occasionally to be made his castle, in a very different sense from that which is now maintained as the theory of Britis& law. This edifice, which was probably reared by eome courtier of note and influence at that period, afterwards became the residence of Sir John Nisbet, who waa promoted to the Bench in 1664, under the title of Lord Dirleton, and was the last who held the office of Lord Advocate conjointly with that of a Judge. He was the predecessor of Sir George Mackenzie as Lord Advocate, and is accused, both by Kirkton and Wodrow, of making himself the tool of the Bishops. The latter relates a curious instance of his zeal in persecuting the unfortunate Covenanters. Robert Gray having been brought before the Council, and examined a8 to his knowledge of the hiding places of some of the leaders of that party, withvut their succeeding in obtaining from him the desired information, Sir John took a ring from the man’s finger and sent it to Mrs Gray by a trusty messenger, who informed her that her husband had told all he knew of the Whigs, and that he sent this ring to her in token that she might do the same. Deceived by this ingenious fraud, the poor woman revealed their places of concealment; but her husband was so affected that he sickened and died a few days after. The south front of the house &ppears in the engraving of Reid’s Close, and is singularly A little further to the eastward, on the same side, is the huge mansion erected by William, first Duke of Qneensberry, the builder of Drumlanrig Castle, who exercised almost absolute power in Scotland during the latter years of the reign of Charles II., and presided as High Commissioner in the first Parliament of James VII. He afterwards took an active share in the revolution that placed the Prince of Orange on the throne ; a step which did not prove sufficient to redeem him from the hatred of the Presbyterian party, against whom his power had been used in a very cruel and arbitrary manner. Ee died in the Canongate in 1695. His character was made up of the strangest contradictions ; a great miser, yet magnificent in buildings and pleasure grounds ; illiterate, yet a collector of books, and commanding in his letters-which he dictated to a secretarya style that is admirable.‘ Hia son, the active promoter of the union, and the Lord High Commissioner under whose auspices it was accomplished, kept court here during that stormy period, and frequently found his huge mansion surrounded by the infuriated mob who so pertinaciously pursued every abettor of that hated measure.’ But the most - picturesque, and somewhat unique in its character. - , A collection of his lettem now in the possassion of C. E. Sharpe, Esq., would form a curious and valuable acquisition to the liter.ary world if published. ’ A myaterioua and horrible story is related in the “ Traditions of Edinburgh,” comerning the Duke’s eldest son, Lord Drumlanrig, an idiot, who, being deaerted by his keeper on the day the union was passed-the whole household having gone off, with the exception ol a little kitehen boy-escaped from his confinement, murdered the boy, and was found roasting him at the fire when the domestics returned in triumph b o r n the Parliament Close. The dreadful tale soon became known, and it waa universally regarded as a judgment on the Duke for hia ahare in the union.

  Enlarge  

300 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. eminent occupants of Queensberry House are Charles, the third Duke, who was born there in 1698, and his celebrated Duchess, Lady Catherine Hyde, the patroness of the poet Gay, and the beauty of the court of George I., whose sprightliness and wit have been commemorated in the numbers of Pope, Swift, and Prior ; and whom Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, celebrated in her old age as- Prior's Kitty, ever fair ! The eccentric beauty espoused the cause of Gay with such warmth, that on the Lord Chamberlain refusing to 'sanction the representatiod of PO&, a piece intended as a continuation of the Beggar's Opera, she received the poet into her house as her private secretary, and both she and the Duke withdrew in high dudgeon from court. Gay accompanied his fair patroness to Edinburgh, and resided some time at Queensberry House. !ilk hl!..? L. h . /;2-': His intercourse with the author of "the Gentle Shepherd," has already been referred to, as well as his frequent visits to the poet's shop at the cross.' We furnish a view of another .and much humbler haunt of the i poet during his residence in Edinburgh. It is a small lath and plaster edifice of 1 considerable antiquity, which still stands directly opposite Queensberry House, and is said to have been a much frequented tavern in Gay's time, kept by an hospitable old dame, called Janet Hall; and, if tradition is to be believed, Jenny Ha's changehouse was a frequent scene of the poet's relaxations with the congenial wits of the Scottish capital.'' The huge dimensions of Queensberry House are best estimated from the fact of its having been subsequently converted into barracks and an hospital. The latest purpose to which this once magnificent ducal residence has been applied, as a House of Refuge for the Destitute," seems to complete its descent in the scale of degradation. Little idea, however, can now be formed, from the vast and unadorned proportions which the ungaiuly edifice presents both externally and internally, of its appearance while occupied by its original owners. "he wings were surmounted with neat ogee roofs. The centre had a French roof, with storm windows, in the style of the Palace of Versailles, and the chimney stalks were sufficiently ornamental to add to the general effect of the building, so that the whole appearance of the mansion, though plain, was perfectly in keeping with the residence of a nobleman and the representative of majedy. The internal decorations were of the most costly description, including very richly carved marble chimney pieces. On the house being dismantled, many of these were purchased by the Earl of Wemyss, for completing his new mansion IIl,ii~~~,,,~_~--i,- l ,~y<I~z~- I~. J' / . L ~ ~ - - - !\i,llAl' ~c l<-. $ &+I /--L \ i "&A J,, ;I -=- ' The whole building was then a story lower than it is at present. . Ante, p. 199. a Traditions, vol. i p. 291.

  Enlarge     Pictures