by Sir Robert Logan of Restalrig; which Charter of Confirmation is dated at Stirling the 9th day of March 1510. And, by another Charter, disponed to them the Lands and Haven of Newhaven, with the Haven, Silver, and all other Profits, Duties, Liberties, and Immunities pertaining thereto, dated at Stirling the said 9th March 1510. Thus far was the City of Edinburgh honoured and privileged in the Reign of King James the IV. and were no less so, during the Government of his Son and Successor,

KING JAMES the V.

For during the Wars 'twixt him and the Earl of Northumberland, John Armstrang, Chief of a Gang of Thieves, was entic'd by the King's Officers to have recourse to the King, who had written a Letter to him with his Royal Hand, to attend him at his Palace of Hally Rood-House. The King hearing a distinct Account of the Crimes he was guilty of, ordained him to be committed to Goal, and suffer, with his Accomplices, according to Law. This notorious Highwayman, with the Assistance of his Followers, drew upon the King in his Chamber of Audience, who was, with much Difficulty, rescued by the Courtiers and their Attendants, and continued in their Hostilities, designing to have murdered every Soul in the Royal Palace, till it was nois'd in the City of Edinburgh that the King was in eminent Danger of being cut off by the Hands of bloody Ruffians, the Crafts of the City rose, and slew every one of the Assassins. The Story is preserv'd in Memory, not so much by our Historians, who gave but a faint Account of it, as a Balland compil'd by one of the greatest Poets of that Age.

"There dwelt a Man in fair Westmorland,
John Armstrang Men did him call,
He had neither Lands nor Rents coming in,
Yet he kept eightscore Men in his Hall, &c.
The King he wrote an a Letter then,
A Letter which was large and long,
He sign'd it with his own Hand,
And he promised to do him no Wrong.
When this Letter came John him till,

His Heart was as blyth as Birds on a Tree;
Never was I sent for before any King,

My Father, my Grandfather, nor none but me, &c.
By the Morrow Morning at ten of the Clock,
Toward Edinborrow gone was he,

And with him all his eightscore of Men,
Good Lord, an it was a goodly Sight to see.
When John came before the King,

He fell down low upon his Knee,

O pardon, my Sovereign Liege, he said,

O pardon my eightscore Men and me.

Thou shalt have no pardon thou Traytor strong,

Nae for thy eightscore Men and thee ;

For to Morrow Morning by ten of the Clock,

Both thou and them shall hang on the Gallow Tree.
Then John looked over his left Shoulder,

Good Lord what a grievous Look looked he!
Said, "I have asked Grace at a graceless Face,

Why, there is nane for ye nor me.”

But John had a bright Sword by his Side,

And it was made of Mettal so free,

That had not the King stept his Foot aside,

He had smitten his Head from his fair Bodie,
Saying, "Fight on my merry Men all,

And see that none of you be tane;

For rather than Men should say we were hang'd,

Let them report that we were slain."

God wot, the Trades of Edinburgh rose,

And soe beset poor John round,

That Fourscore and ten of John's best Men,

Lay gasping all upon the Ground," &c.

Having trac'd the loyal Actions of the Citizens, especially the Crafts of Edinburgh, thro' the Reigns of several Sovereigns, before I proceed to the Reign of Queen Mary, I must take notice of the pious donations of an eminent Citizen of Edinburgh, Michael Macquhan and his Spouse, in Favours of the Hammermen, (who dedicated and consecrated the Blue Blanket to St Eloi's Altar in St Gile's Church) for founding of the Magdalen Chapel, where they now meet, which is contain❜d in the following Charter.

.

6

O all and sundry, to whois Knowledge thir Presents sall come, and be seen, I, Jonet Ryne, Relict, Executrix, and only Intromissatrix with the Goods and Gear of umquhil Michael M'Quhan, Burges of Edinburgh, wishing Peace in our Lord, <makes known by thir Presents, That when the ' said Michael was greatly troubled with an heavy disease, and oppressed with Age, zit mindful of Eter'nal Life, he esteemed it ane good Way to obtain Eternal Life, to erect some Christian Work, for ever to remain and endure, he left Seven hundered Pound, to be employed for the Supplement of the Edifice of the Magdalen Chapell, and to the other Edifices for Foundation of the Chapell, and Sustentation of several poor Men, who should continually there put furth their Prayers to God Almighty; for there was many others that had promised to mortifye some Portion of their Goods for perfeiting and absolveing of the said Wark, but they failzied, and withdrew from such ane holly and religious Work, and altogether • refused thereupon to confer the samen. Quhilk Thing I taking heavyly, and pondering it in my Heart, what in such ane deficle Business sould be done; at

6

last, I thought Night and Day upon the fulfilling of " my Husband's Will, and took upon me the Burden of the haill Wark, and added two thousand Pound ⚫ to the 7007. left be my Husband: And I did put furth these Soumes wholly, after his Death, upon the Edi'fication of that Chapell, Ornaments thereof, and Building of the Edifice for the Habitation of the Chaplane, and seven poor Men, and for buying of Land, as well Field Land as Burgh Land, and yearly Annualrents, for the Nourishment, Sustentation, and cloathing of them, as hereafter mair largely 'set down. Therefore wit ye me, To the Praise and honour of Almighty God, and of his Mother the • Blissed Virgine Mary, and of Mary Magdallen, and of the haill Celestial Court, to have erected and edi'fied ane certain Chapell and Hospital House, lyeing in the Burgh of Edinburgh, upon the South Side of the King's high Street, called the Cowgate, for Ha⚫bitation of the foresaid Chaplain and Poor, and that from the Foundation thereof; and has dedicate the samen to the Name of Mary Magdallen, and has 'foundit the said Chaplain, and seven Poor, for to give furth their continual Prayers unto God for the • Salvation of the Soul of our most illustrious Mary Queen of Scots, and for the Salvation of my said umquhil Husband's Soul and mine: And also, for the Salvation of the Souls of my Fathers and Mothers, and for the Salvation of all the Souls of ⚫ those that shall put to their helping Hand, or sall give any Thing to this Work: As also, for the Patrons "of the said Chaple: And also, for the Souls of all those of whom we have had any Thing whilk we • have not restor'd, and for the whilk we have not gi

ven Satisfaction; to have given and granted, and by

6

6

6

this my present Charter in poor and perpetual Alms, and to have confirm'd in Mortification: As also, to give and grant, and by this present Charter, gives ' in poor Alms and Mortification, to confirm to Almighty God, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the said Chapell and Chapell House, for the Sustentation of ane secular Chaplain, and seven poor Men, and for Chaplain, and four poor Brethren, to have their Food, and perpetual Sustentation within the said Hospital, and for buying of their Habits every twa Year once, I mortify these Annualrents under-written; to wit, Ane yearly Annualrent of aughtscore and aught Merks Money of Scotland, out of that Annualrent of threescore Pounds yearly, to be uplifted and tane at twa Terms yearly, Whitsunday and Martinmass in Winter, be equall Portions, out of all and haill the Barony of Carnwath Miln, and Pertinents thereof, and the other two Merks of the said Annualrent of threescore Pound, to be ap 'ply'd and used for my Use, during my Lifetime, and ' after my Decease, to the poor Brethren under-written: As also, for the Dyet and Sustentation of other three poor ones, and buying of their Habites ilk twa Year, after the Decease of me the said Jonet, reserving to me my Liferent during my Lifetime, viz. • The foresaid Annualrent of twa Merks of the said • Annualrent of threescore Pounds yearly, to be up• lifted out of the Lands of Carnwath: As also, another yearly Annualrent of twenty Merks Money of Scotland, yearly to be uplifted, as said is, out of all and haill the Lands pertaining to Kathrine Gillespie and John Cockburn her Spouse, lyand in the Burgh of Edinburgh, upon the south side of the high Street thereof, betwixt the Trans of the Vennel called

6