Read Ebook: The Scottish Journal of Topography Antiquities Traditions &c. Vol. I No. 22 January 29 1848 by Various

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Of the conventual buildings the traces are few and indistinct. The most important to their comforts--the vast kitchen chimney yet remains in all its original strength and completeness. The large walled space adjoining was probably the Refectory, with which the kitchen would communicate by the buttery-hatch.

The building is now secured from violence and wanton dilapidation, and as it has only to contend against the silent erosion of lichen and wallflower, we may hope that it will long continue to adorn our district--a monument of a far distant age and far different state of society, and a beautiful and affecting link between the past and the present.

CENTENARY OF THE "ABERDEEN JOURNAL."

ON Wednesday evening, January 5, 1848, the gentlemen connected with the city and county of Aberdeen gave a splendid entertainment to Mr David Chalmers, the present proprietor of the "Aberdeen Journal," in celebration of the centenary of that newspaper, it being exactly one hundred years that day since its first number was published.

Raban commenced business in Aberdeen under the auspices of the magistracy and University, and one of his successors in trade and patronage was Mr James Chalmers, son of the then Professor of Divinity in Marischal College, the projector of the "Aberdeen Journal," and grandfather of its present proprietor. "Early in life," said Mr David Chalmers, at the centenary celebration above alluded to, "my grandfather commenced business, as Printer to the City of Aberdeen, and was but a young man when our country became convulsed by the bold and chivalrous attempt of the last of the Stuarts to regain the throne of his ancestors. My grandfather, himself a Protestant, warmly embraced the cause of the House of Hanover, and through his press and his pen, gave wide circulation to principles of attachment to the reigning sovereign. This made him rather a marked man; so that his life was sometimes in danger; and he had on one occasion to fly from his own house, and seek refuge in that of a friend in Old Aberdeen, a Professor in King's College. In the memorable spring of '46, the town of Aberdeen had a visit from the royal army, on its way to the field of Culloden. My grandfather joined the king's standard, and took part in this battle, which forever crushed the hopes of Prince Charles and his gallant and devoted followers. The services of my ancestors were for a time rewarded by an official appointment, namely, that of receivers of the rents of some of the forfeited estates in this county; but these were soon after restored; and are now happily in the hands of their rightful owners. At this period, there were in Edinburgh but two papers, the 'Evening Courant' and the 'Caledonian Mercury': and one in Glasgow, which has long ceased to exist. It is known that, at this period, the Government of the day had much to do in order to efface the painful recollections, and to appease the angry feelings of the people, justly irritated and incensed by the needless cruelties which followed that fatal fight. They, therefore, felt anxious to see the principles of loyalty and good order widely diffused among the population of the North. My grandfather, impressed with the same views, engaged in the undertaking which has given birth to the present meeting. During the progress of, and subsequent to, the rebellion of '45, he had published occasional reports, or what would be now called bulletins, of the state of public affairs; but it was not until the beginning of 1748 that the 'Aberdeen Journal' took the form of a regular newspaper. From that period, it was published by him, with varying success, until the year 1764, when he died, and was succeeded by my venerated and respected father, who conducted it until his death, in 1810. It then fell into my unworthy hands; but with this consoling reflection, that during the last twelve years of his life, I had had the privilege and the happiness of aiding and assisting him in the laborious duties and distracting cares of an Editor. Such has been the birth and parentage of the 'Aberdeen Journal,' whose life now presents the somewhat singular feature of having reached its hundredth year during the lives of three successive generations of the same family.

The few following extracts from No. 1. of the 'Journal' will give some idea of newspaper writing one hundred years ago, and also indicate the state of public feeling at that day towards our Gallic neighbours:

"As the publick may be alarmed with the report that ran so currently yesterday upon the Exchange, that a contract is negociating for the delivery of 400,000 quarters of wheat to our mortal enemy the French, we hope every Englishman will judge so tenderly of his neighbour, as not to believe it possible any merchant can entertain so pernicious a thought, or be such a traitor to his country, at a time when our allies the Dutch have totally prohibited all commerce with that perfidious nation under the severest penalties."

"NO MORE GAMBOLS.

'Twas merry at Christmas, when money was plenty, And taxes took off not above five in twenty: But how is it possible mirth should arise? Now all that can make it is under Excise. When light is not free in the worst of dull weather; Wheels pay, if we ride; if we foot it, shoe-leather."

Such was the "Aberdeen's Journal" a hundred years ago. Its first number contained 39,560 separate pieces of type; its 5217th No. extends to above 750,000, or in other words 3 of the 48 columns of the present paper contains an entire reprint of the first No.

CHARTER,

Extracted from the Records.

ORIGIN OF THE GUIDE-BOOKS OF SCOTLAND.

Jan. 27, 1772.

Sir--It is now become fashionable among the English to make a tour into Scotland for some few weeks or months; and there is a moral certainty of the fashion increasing, as the foolish prejudices against the country and its inhabitants daily decrease. But it is to be regretted, that an intelligent curious traveller from England has no proper helps to assist him; so that it often happens, that many return without having seen one third of what is most curious in the country, although, perhaps, they have passed within some few hours ride, or rather some few yards, of such articles of importance; owing to the want of proper information, or too great hurry in making the survey.

To remedy this, it is proposed, that a new tour through Scotland be published, in two pocket-volumes, divided into a number of little circuits of some few days ride, which may be laid down from the map. This work, if properly executed, will be useful to the country in general, to the traveller in particular, and advantageous to its author.

Then a ride in the end of June, or beginning of July, to Dumfries, Drumlanrig, Kirkcudbright, Air, Saltcoats, Irvine, Greenock, Paisley, Glasgow, Hamilton, Linlithgow; back to Edinburgh.

In the end of August, or beginning of September, to Hopeton, Borrowstounness, Falkirk, Carron, the Canal, Stirling, Alloa, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Dunybristle, Kinghorn; back to Edinburgh.

Next year, in May, to Kinghorn, coast-side to St Andrew's, Cupar, Falkland, Abernethie, Perth, Scoon, Carse of Gowrie, Dundee, coast-side to Inverness, making little excursions from the coast into the country, to remark what is curious, as Forfar, Glammis, Brechin, &c.

Then let the curious traveller take a proper time to journey into Rosshire, Sutherland, and Caithness, to John o' Groat's House. If he thinks fit to stretch his tour into Orkney and Zetland, he will find many particulars worthy of observation. In returning, let him visit the Weem, Blair of Athol, Dunkeld, Taymouth, Inverary, Loch-Lomond, &c.

The traveller will find his curiosity particularly gratified in traversing the Highlands of Scotland. Icolmkill, though visited by many, and though there are some accounts of it, with drawings, both in manuscript and in print, ought not to be omitted.--Roslin and Hawthornden should by no means be overlooked.

A map of Scotland prefixed to this work, with a preliminary discourse, giving a concise, geographical description of the country, of its monarchy, the changes made, first, by the union of the two crowns, usurpation of Cromwell, then by the restoration, revolution, and union of the two kingdoms, could not fail to be acceptable to the inquisitive and candid reader.

But the greatest care should be taken to stand clear of all party-work, either in religion or politics, because such peculiarities will disgust some readers, and thereby effectually condemn the work, be its merit otherwise ever so great.

Many helps may be had to compile such an useful and entertaining performance: such as Maitland's History of Scotland; his History of Edinburgh; Guthrie's History of Scotland; Gordon's Itinerarium Septentrionale; Chamberlain's Present State; The Tour through Britain, vol. 4; Martin's History of the Isles; Macaulay's ditto of St Kilda; Sacheverell's Voyage to Icolmkill; History of Orkney, now to be published by Coke; Sibbald's History of Fife; Sir John Dalrymple's Late Memoirs; Moyes's Tour; Pennant's Tour, &c.

One that has made some trips into the Highlands of Scotland, depictures them in the following manner:

"Let others think and rove as they please; for my own part, I look upon the Highlands of Scotland as the most delightful country in the world during the summer-season: where one cannot fail to be seized with a kind of religious veneration, when viewing, with an heedful eye, the high hills and lofty mountains, whose summits are in the clouds, and their sides covered over with the verdant grass, the flowery heath in its purple glow, or the tall trees, particularly the towering firs, waving their tops in the heavens; the awful rocks hanging over the heads of the travellers, and threatening, as it were, to tumble down upon them; the fine natural falls of water here and there, cascading with a mighty, noisy, and resounding rush; the large extended lakes, enriched with innumerable finny tribes of different kinds, and their grassy banks forming beautifully-spangled lawns; and sometimes the curling waves, or the roaring billows, of the majestic and far sounding-ocean.

"What a delightful jaunt is it to move, for some miles together, through a wood of the fragrant birch, bending down its leaves to regale the nose of the traveller. The beauties of a country-seat, wood and water, are here in the greatest abundance. But if we pass from the inanimate to the animate part of the creation, exhibited here in a luxuriant valley, the sylvan scene is completed.

"The gentleman can beat up all kinds of game; the deer and the roe bounding up and down; the partridge, the tarmachan, the muir-fowl, the wood-cock, the black-cock, and the heath-hen, and many others I cannot name, whirling through the air, or whidding up and down upon the ground; the wild-goose, gagling, and the wild-duck quack-quaking, in their watery regions, or in their soaring flights.

"The feathered choir vie with one another to regale the ear of the listening traveller, hopping from leafy spray to trembling twig, swelling their throats, and warbling out their lays in a wild variety of harmonious notes.

"The primitive simplicity and the open hospitality of the natives, are past all description, though set off, either in the flowers of the orator, or in the flash of the poet, enough to make the citizen, the court-bred gentleman, and the delicate lady, stand amazed, and even to furnish them with a new lesson in life. Common decency and natural good manners are daily to be seen amongst the vulgar in the Highlands of Scotland; and their conduct is marked with a penetrating sagacity. Their apparent devotion at public worship is extremely remarkable and affecting, so as to draw tears of joy and admiration from the eyes of a stranger!"

Pleas your Gratious Maiestye,

This prasent is to giwe your maiestye most hartelye thanks for all your maiestyes fauors touards me, speciallye for the constant continuance of your maiestyes loue with me, as it vas vount, assuring your maiestye you haue the man vho neuer vas nor shall, Godwilling, be found alterable in his duetifull affection to serue your maiestye, as becomes him. If it fall out that I suspend my judgment in something is proponed to me affhand, till I got fuller resolution both to speak and to stand honestlye to that vhiche I speak assuredlye, it arryses of no vnsound and altered affection touard your maiestyes seruice, bot onlye off laik of foreinforming, vhiche geues light and curage to men to doe; and for the clearing of this point I referre my self to my Lord of Dunbars testification, who can and will giue iust information to your maiestye of it. I heare that your maiestye is ressolued to haue the ministree of Edinburgh plainted, the estate vhereof is more miserable and desolat nor ony toune or kirk in Scotland; and, whiche is vorse, the pulpittis ar sometymes possessed with yong people and persones vnmeete for that place, vhiche bringis the Gosple and ministree into a contempt and will ouerturne all in end if it be not remeadit. The planting of it will doe great good to all the countrey, and help to amend mony thinges amisse, and procure great forderance of your maiestyes seruice and quyat of this kirk, provyding the persones be good teachers, peaceably disposed, and weyll affected. I heare also that your maiestye is somequhat moued to haue me placed there; bot, Ser, beleefe me, in truth I am not for it, in respect of mony thinges in thame, and more in me vhiche can not concurre weyll to make vp so good manage betuix vs. I need not to vse mony vordes with your maiestye who knoues vs both alsueyll as our selfis doe. I mynd, Godwilling, to teache euery Sabboth, where euer I be, so long as I may, and to be readye in most duetifull maner to concurre in your maiestyes seruice, as I salbe employed, bot to take on the charge of a particular flock, and such are flock, my heart cannot yeeld, and I hope your maiestye sall not burden me with it. The bearer hereof, Mr Peter Heuat, is ane honest man, and your maiestye may reiose in the planting of him, being ane of your maiestyes owne plantation there, and ansuring to your maiestyes expectation of him in all pointis, and can truely and sufficiently informe your maiestye of all particulars here; bot he is not, as he deserues, and as your maiestye appointed for his encuragement, ansured of his small pension assigned to him, vhiche is pitie, and wald be helped to put difference betuix those that are your maiesties owne men and others. If Mr Jhone Hall, ane honest man, and ane of your maiestyes owne planting also, and he war remoued, I wat not vhat suld become of Edinburgh, your maiestyes cheefe toune her. Bot leafing those particulars, appardone me, Ser, to speak one word of the common cause. Ser, at Ligbqubo, my Lord of Dunbar did good seruice to your maiestye, and by God blissing his vyse and canny forme of doing, he prevailed so as I neuer sawe ane more peaceable and ordourlye assembly in my tyme, bothe in the progress and end, as it was, and therefore was admired and praised in all the publique sermones and privat speaches. The hope of taking order with Papists and quyating of distraction among ourselves be constant moderation led all menn joyfullie to your maiestys vay, and if that course selected there be prosequute your maiestey may assure yourself of peace here during our dayes, that is, if Papistis can be keeped under be your maiestys auctorite soundly used here, and the kirk censures be suffered to have their awne place against thame, our pace will grow, ill tongues wilbe silenced, and all things will go calmely to your maiestys contentment. Your maiestys glory hath bene, and is the professing and manteaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and all the vorld sees your maiestys multiplyed preferments and preservations to aryse of the presence of Jesus, the Lord of the Gosple with you, and to tend to the preservatioun and advancement of it by your maiestys preservation and advancement, tuo thinges inseparably united sense your maiesty hade being. Lat thame therefor be computed your enemyes that will not conforme thame selfis to it, and God sall continue his blessing with your maiesty, and croune you with an incorruptible croune of Glory in the end. So, most humblye taking my leefe I commend your maiestys persone, familye, kingdome and affaris to the blessing of God. From Edinburgh this 7 of Aprle 1607.

Your maiestys awn & most humble

& affectionate Servitour

Mr P. GALLOWEY.

MINUTES OF IRVINE PRESBYTERY.

A visitation of the kirk of Kilmaurs, 24th Aug., 1649.--The Laird of Craig an elder complains that they had not gotten the communion 3 years bygone, and generally complains of the inefficiency of their minister, Mr Wm. Crooks--other elders agree as to this, and Mr William offers to allow the Presbytery "to disposit in the matter of stipend" in order to obtain a colleague. The Elders approve of this, and it is recommended to proceed therewith. A Presbyterial visitation of Cumbraes ordered, the minister being often absent from meetings, and no references from that island, and that it should take place as soon as the men came home from the fishing.

Compeared the Provost and Bailie of Irvine, who promised, if Dreghorn was annexed to Irvine, they would do their utmost for a competence to the colleague, &c. Lord Eglinton declared, That if the Presbytery would condescend to the annexation of Perston to Irvine, he would be content to give the 24 bolls of victual that now he pays to Perston to make up the competence to Irvine, and if this was not agreed to, he would make no offer at all.

PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF ORDINARY DELINQUENTS.

John Bryden in Kilbirnie, being summoned for calling his minister's doctrine dust and grey mould appeared, and ingeniously confessed his fault. The Presbytery considering how prejudicial such speeches were to the whole ministry, after mature deliberation, does ordain that first upon his knees he make a confession of his fault before the Presbytery, and after he go to his own congregation, and there in the public place of repentance make are acknowledgment of his fault likewise, and Mr Hugh M'Kaile to go to Kilbirnie and receive him.

The Presbytery taking to their consideration the condition of John Armour in Dreghorn, who remains still obstinate in the denial of the fact of adultery, notwithstanding that the woman had fathered the child upon him, does find that it was to no purpose to deal any longer with him, and therefore it is appointed that the said John Armour, partly for his disobedience to the Presbytery, and partly for his scandalous carriage which he acknowledged, should stand three Lord's days in sackcloth, and that upon the last day he purge himself solemnly before the congregation.

Note--"One of a troop of dragoons was my daddy, No wonder I'm fond of a soger laddy"--

the Presbytery conceiving that it was but a subterfuge to cloak the sin of adultery, does refer the said Euphemia to her own session, to try to the utmost that business, and whether there was any scandal between her and any other man.

N. B.--The last minute of Presbytery in the volume from which the above extracts are taken, is the above. The following volumes are lost till the one commencing 17th August, 1687.

THE EARL OF SUFFOLK TO JOHN MURRAY, AFTERWARDS EARL OF ANNANDALE.

SIR,--I have bene with my lord Chaunceler even now to confer with hym concerning the kyngs maiesties busynes in hande. The Aturney was ther, whereby speach yt fell into consederation what company of Lords and counsellors wolde be ther. My Lord Admyrall desyers to be excused; my Lord Touch wyll not be heer; my Lord Stanhop dare not this weather be so long in so cold a place; Mr Secretary Harbert can not, for the Stranguery afflycts hym so; my Lord of Shrewsbery hath bene so yll both of goute and sharpnes of water, as he hath never yet come to this end of the toune; and in truth my lord Chancelor hym selfe is in no case to be at such a busines on fryday. The last day of the tearme may happyly geve more health to some of thes. My lord Chauncelor wyll not have the stay to be for hym yf he dye for yt; therfore I thought fytt to sygnifye thus much. The Lords that are able are all apoynted to assemble at my Lord Chauncelors house to morrowe, wher no dowbt the day wylbe put of vntyll the end of the tearm at the soonest; therfore, Mr Murray, I pray you acquaynt his maiestie with thus much, to the end that my Lords who are apoynted to come away from thence to morrow may stay vntyll the next advertysment, which shalbe presently after ther meeting to morrow at my Lord Chauncelors, wher the dyspatch shalbe made. In hast, from Northampton Howse, Twesday the I of February,

Your loving frend, T. SUFFOLK.

ADUCATE housoone the assyse is admittid remember to exhorte and admonishe thame according to my former information writtin with my auin hande and adde thair to hou farre it is against all

lau to admitt a mannis denyall againis his auin preceiding confession in sa farr as he deponis contra suum caput allanerlie speciallie his deposition being freelie geuin without torture and not to the exemaris onlie bot being uillinglie repetit be him self to the erl of marr and sindrie other noble gentlemen be uaye of discourse besydis his causing aprehend and with his auin mouth accusing the deid doer and his brekking uarde thairefter and that ioined uith are other murther and uillfull remaining at the home sensyne and of lait his offers be the bishop of brichen and sindrie others to my self of tua thousande crounis to me and tenn thousande markis to the pairtie and to be baneist the cuntrey during the pairteis will and last nou quhat he lies confest sen his aprehension baith to the bailleis and ministeris of this toune lett thaime selfis beare recorde according to thaire consciences as to my earnistness in this turne as godd sall iudge me it is onlie in respect of the odiousnes of the deid and the infamie that uill redounde to oure haill nation thairthrouch gif sa abominabill a cryme be not als notoriouslie punished.

JAMES R. His Maties. direction xi Martij writtin with his maiesties awin hand.

Indorsed by Lord Binning.

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