30th of August

Saints Felix and Adauctus, martyrs, about 303. St Pammachius, confessor, 410. St Agilus or Aile, abbot of Rebais, about 650. St Fiaker, Fiacre, or Fefre, anchoret and confessor, about 670. St Rose of Lima, virgin, 1617.

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Born. – Giovanni Battista Nani, flower and foliage painter, 1616, Venice; Johann Cristoph Adelung, grammarian and linguist, 1734, Spantekow, in Pomerania.

Died. – Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, committed suicide, 30 B.C., Alexandria; Theodoric the Great, king of the Goths, 526, Ravenna; Pope Alexander III., 1181; Louis XI., king of France, 1483, Plessis-les-Tours; Sultan Soliman II., the Magnificent, 1566; Sir John Ross, Arctic navigator, 1856, London.

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On this Day in Other Sources.

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The Scottish Estates soon after met at Haddington, and entered into an arrangement with D’Essé, the French ambassador, for the marriage of the Queen of Scots to the Dauphin of France. The Scots took all manner of securities for the independence of their country, and agreed that D’Essé should take Mary away with him to France. When the English heard of this they made arrangements for intercepting D’Essé and his precious charge. The French squadron sailed down the Forth, but instead of sailing southward with the young queen as the English expected, turned suddenly northwards, and went round Scotland by the Pentland Firth to Dumbarton. Mary had been brought from her island home to that fortress. There, having embarked, she was conveyed southward along the west coast, and landed safely at Brest on the 30th of August [1548]. 

– A History of Scotland, Chapter XIII. 

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[Queen Mary & Darnley] hunted, for a few days, in Glenartney; and they visited Lord Drummond, at Drummond castle, where they were on the 30th of August [1566]. On the morrow, they returned to Stirling, where they remained together, nearly a fortnight. 

– Life of Mary, pp.136-151.

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As soon as Chartley had been sufficiently searched, by Waad, and the other commissioners, Paulet resolved to carry his charge again to that castle. He had not spoken with that lady, since their arrival at Tixhall, and did not intend to speak to her. She had not stirred out of her room, or gallery; her attendants had no access to her; and they were prevented, from having pen, ink, and paper. On the 30th of August [1586], he carried back the spoliated Queen to Chartley; as she left Tixhall, she said to the poor people, who were assembled about the door: “I have nothing for you; I am a beggar, as well as you; all is taken from me.” When she came up to the gentlemen, she said, weeping: “Good gentlemen, I am not privy to any thing intended against the Queen.” When desired Mr. Darrel to open the doors of her coffers, and when she saw, that all her papers were taken away, she said, with indignation, “there were two things, which they could not take away; her English blood; and her Catholic religion.” At this period, Fotheringay castle, in Northamptonshire, was fixed on, by Elizabeth, as the future residence of the Scottish Queen; where she is to remain a prisoner, with some regard to her degree, and quality. 

– Life of Mary, pp.293-304.

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Aug. 30 [1589]. – The king, now hourly expecting the arrival of his Danish bride, is found writing pressing letters, to all persons of substance who bore him any good-will, for contributions of means towards the proper outset of the court on the occasion. From the Laird of Barnbarroch he entreated ‘sic quantity of fat beef and mutton on foot, wild-fowls, and venison, or other stuff meet for this purpose, as possibly ye may provide and furnish of your awn or by your moyen [influence].’ 

– Domestic Annals, pp.99-123.

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On the 30th day of August, this year [1594], the prince was christened in the chapel royal of [Stirling], by [David Cunningham] the Bishop of Aberdeen, and called Henry. His godfathers were [Christian IV.] the Danish King, [Ulrich III.] the Duke of Mecklenburg, and the Estates of the Netherlands, by their commission sent by their ambassadors. Queen Elizabeth of England was his godmother, by her ambassador, [Robert Radclyffe] the Earl of Sussex. 

– Historical Works, pp.340-416.

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Having so far succeeded in annoying the marquis, Adam Gordon, after collecting a body of men, by leave of the privy council, went along with them to Germany, where he became a captain in the regiment of Colonel George Leslie. To terminate the unhappy differences between the marquis and Frendraught, the king enjoined Sir Robert Gordon, who was related to both, the marquis being his cousin-german, and chief of that family, and Frendraught the husband of his niece, to endeavour to bring about a reconciliation between them. Sir Robert, accordingly, on his return to Scotland, prevailed upon the parties to enter into a submission, by which they agreed to refer all questions and differences between them to the arbitrament of friends; but before the submission was brought to a final conclusion, the marquis expired at Dundee upon the thirteenth day of June, sixteen hundred and thirty-six, at the age of seventy-four, while returning to the north from Edinburgh. He was interred in the family vault at Elgin, on the thirtieth day of August following, “having,” says Spalding, “above his chist a rich mortcloath of black velvet, wherein was wrought two whyte crosses. He had torch-lights in great number carried be freinds and gentlemen; the marques’ son, called Adam, was at his head, the earle of Murray on the right spaik, the earle of Seaforth on the left spaik, the earl of Sutherland on the third spaik, and Sir Robert Gordon on the fourth spaik. Besyds thir nobles, many barrons and gentlemen was there, haveing above three hundred lighted torches at the lifting. He is carried to the east port, doun the wynd to the south kirk stile of the colledge kirk, in at the south kirk door, and buried in his own isle with much murning and lamentation. The like forme of burriall, with torch light, was not sein heir thir many dayes befor.”¹ 

– History of the Highlands, pp.287-313.

¹  Spalding, p. 43. 

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In 1647-8, the Commissioners appointed by the four Universities of Scotland – St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh – met at Edinburgh, and adopted measures for promoting a correspondence among them, and a uniform course of study. Some of their resolutions are worthy of notice. 

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“30th Aug. – That everie student subscryve the nationall covenant, with the League and Covenant… 

“It is fund necessar that ther be a cursus philosophicus drawin up be the four Universities and printed, to the end that the unprofitable and noxious paines in writeing be shunned; and that each Universitie contribute thair travellis thairto, and it is to be thoucht upon, against the month of Merch ensewing, viz., that St. Androis tak the metaphisicks; that Glasgow tak the logicks; Aberdine the ethickis and mathematickis, and Edinburgh the physicks. 

“It is thought convenient that quhat beis found behoveful for improving of learneing in schooles and colledgis be represented to the Parliament in Merch nixt…”

– Sketches, pp.254-324.

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2326. The Trial of James Wilson convicted of High Treason. 1823.

The “High Treason” was the unfortunate emeute at Bonnymuir, for his part in which James Wilson, a Strathaven weaver, was hanged and afterwards beheaded, at Glasgow, on 30th August, 1820. 

– Memorial Catalogue, Gallery 1.

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   ‘I have devoted myself to the cause of the people. It is a good cause; it shall ultimately prevail – it shall finally triumph.’ – Speech of Thomas Muir in the Court of Justiciary on the 30th August 1793. 

– How Scotland Lost Her Parliament, Chapter VI.