13th of May

Battle of Culloden & its Aftereffects (Podcast) – Random Scottish History

I know there are folk still hark back to the days of Culloden as a time where Scottish spirit was strong & couldn't be daunted. That's true to a point but the battle itself was an unmitigated disaster. A badly planned, badly executed, & badly led, farce. For the post which accompanies this podcast, with … Continue reading Battle of Culloden & its Aftereffects (Podcast) → The post Battle of Culloden & its Aftereffects (Podcast) first appeared on Random Scottish History.

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St Servatius, Bishop of Tongres, 384. St John the Silent, Armenian anchoret, 559. St Peter Regalati, confessor, 1456.

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Born. – Empress Maria Theresa, 1717.

Died. – Johan Van Olden Barneveldt, Dutch statesman, beheaded, 1619, Hague; Louis Bourdaloue, French divine, 1704, Paris; Cardinal Fesch, uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte, 1839.

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On this Day in Other Sources.

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The 13th day of May, 1390, King Robert II. departed this mortal life, at his castle of Dundonald, after he had reigned [as] King 19 years and 23 days; and was solemnly interred at the monastery of Scone. 

– Historical Works, pp.124-133.

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If we may believe Melvill, the Queen had no inclination, for warfare, nor any purpose to hazard an engagement; but, to shelter herself in the strong castle of Dunbarton; and to wait events, both from the affections of her people, and succours, from abroad. The nobles, however, who surrounded her, were too confident in their numbers, without reflecting how often the victory is won, by skill, over all the efforts of strength. The Queen, at the same time, endeavoured to obtain her object, by treaty; without adverting, that the Murrays, the Mortons, and the Maitlands, if they negotiated, it would, only, be, to deceive, and betray. The Queen’s army, which was conducted by Argyle, marched from Hamilton, on the 13th of May, 1568, with design to convey her to Dunbarton castle. The Regent, being informed of this intention, marched his inferior numbers, with some field pieces, to Langside, in Renfrewshire, which lying directly on the road, he, in some measure, fortified. The Queen’s army attacked the village; but after a sharp conflict, were repulsed. The Queen, seeing the fate of the field, left it, with speed, attended by Lord Herries; and retired into Galloway, whence, according to Lord Herries’s opinion, she could retire, by sea, either into England or France. 

– Life of Mary, pp.184-206.

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The Regent being at Glasgow, with all expedition raises and army; during which arming on both sides, there was a fast kept at Edinburgh for 8 days; and on the 13th day of this same month [May, 1568], being Thursday, both armies met in battle upon Govan-Muir, near to a hill called Langside. For the Queen was [Archibald Campbell, Earl of] Argyll and the Hamiltons, who led the [advanced guard] of her army. The King’s [advanced guard] was led by the Lord [Alexander] Home. The Regent obtained the victory with the loss only of two men; and the Queen lost some 155. She seeing herself deprived of the day, flees with [John] the Master of Maxwell, and his company of Galloway men, who escaped on their fellow’s horses that had endured the brunt of the battle.

– Historical Works, pp.340-416.

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But the presbytery did not confine themselves to pecuniary penalties. Here is what an unfortunate wight had to undergo for “dinging” his stepmother. “Quhilk daye the Presbiterie ordaine Gavin Lekprevik, for dinging of Marioun Maxwell his stepmother, to be in the joggis the nixt sondaye be the space of half ane hour afoir his minister sall entir in the kirk to preiche Gods word, that he pas on the piller within the said kirk, and thairon remane during the haill tyme of the sermont, and at the command of his minister to ask God his kirk and the said Marioun forgiveness on his kneis, for the sclandeir he hes committit be the dinging of the said Marioun and that he find souertie under the pane of xx lib money that he sall obey this ordinance.”¹

– Old Glasgow, pp.189-215.

¹  13th May, 1607.

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A body of the covenanters, to the number of about 2000, having assembled at Turriff as early as the thirteenth of May [1639], the Gordons resolved instantly to attack them, before they should be joined by other forces, which were expected to arrive before the twentieth. Taking along with them four brass field-pieces from Strathbogie, the Gordons, to the number of about eight hundred horse and foot, commenced their march on the thirteenth of May, at ten o’clock at night, and reached Turriff next morning by day-break, by a road unknown to the sentinels of the covenanting army. As soon as they approached the town, the commanders of the Gordons ordered the trumpets to be sounded and the drums to be beat, the noise of which was the first indication the covenanters had of their arrival. Being thus surprised, the latter had no time to make any preparations for defending themselves. They made, indeed, a short resistance, but they were soon dispersed by the fire from the field-pieces, leaving behind them the lairds of Echt and Skene, and a few others, who were taken prisoners. The loss on either side, in killed and wounded, was very trifling. This skirmish is called by the writers of the period, “the Trott of Turray,”¹ and is distinguished as the place where blood was first shed in the civil wars.² 

– History of the Highlands, pp.314-341.

¹  Turray is the old name of Turriff. 

²  Gordon of Sallagh. 

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   “This Morning the Rev. Mr. Willison and Mr. Macintosh set out for Scotland, being two of the Commissioners sent by that Church to petition the Parliament for the repealing the Act of Patronages made about the End of Queen Anne’s Reign; and the Bill being delayed, there is no Hopes of its passing this Session. But it is supposed the General Assembly will renew their Application next Session, Patronages being reputed by the People of Scotland to be a grievous and insupportable Burden, and the Continuance of it is what they are unwilling to bear, especially seeing it is their Right to be without Patronages, being contrary to the Articles of Union.” 

– Caledonian Mercury, Tuesday 13th May, 1735.

– Treaty of Union Articles, 1700-1750.

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“Westminster, May 13.

   His Majesty came this Day to the House of Peers, and being in his Royal Robes, seated on the Throne with the usual Solemnity, the Hon. Mr. Bellenden, Gentleman-Usher of the Black Rod, was sent with a Message from his Majesty to the House of Commons, commanding their Attendance in the House of Peers; The Commons being come thither accordingly, his Majesty was pleased to give the Royal Assent to, 

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   An Act for the more effectual Trial and Punishment of High Treason and Misprision of High Treason in the Highlands of Scotland; and for abrogating the Practice of taking down the Evidence in Writing in certain criminal Prosecutions; and for making some further Regulations relating to Sheriffs Depute and Stewarts Depute, and their Substitutes; and for other Purposes therein mentioned. 

   An Act to amend and enforce so much of an Act made in the Nineteenth Year of his Majesty’s Reign, as relates to the more effectual disarming the Highlands in Scotland, and restraining the Use of the Highland Dress, and to Masters and Teachers of private Schools and Chaplains; and to explain a Clause in another Act made in the same Year relating to Letters of Orders of Episcopal Ministers in Scotland; and to oblige Persons allowed to carry Arms, and the Directors of the Banks there, and certain Persons belonging to or practising in the Courts of Session and Justiciary, to take the Oaths; and to repeal some Clauses in an Act made in the First Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the First, whereby certain Encouragements are given to Landlords and Tenants in Scotland, who should continue in their Duty and Loyalty to his said late Majesty; and for other Purposes therein mentioned.^*

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   An Act to render more effectual an Act made in the Twentieth Year of his Majesty’s Reign, intituled, An Act for Relief of such of his Majesty’s loyal Subjects in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, whose Title Deeds and Writings were destroyed or carried off by the Rebels in the late Rebellion.” 

– Derby Mercury, 13th May, 1748.

– Treaty of Union Articles, 1700-1750.

^*  A disbound original printing of this Act of Parliament has been scanned in and transcribed in full.