FAC SIMILE
OF
“Mercurius Caledonius”
OF JANUARY 8, 1661.
WITH HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF
THE CALEDONIAN MERCURY
TO
JANUARY 8, 1861.
MERCURIUS CALEDONIUS.
COMPRISING
The Affairs now in Agitation in
SCOTLAND:
WITH
A Survey of Forraign Intelligence.
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Conamur Tenues Grandia.
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From Monday Decemb. 31. to Tuesday, Jan. 8th. 1661.
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From Edinburgh, Decemb. 31.
Our clouds are dissipate, the rays of Royalty, darts from the breasts of Scot‘s-men, not being in the power of the most skilfull Artificers of Treason, to stave off our Allegiance, which was bravely manifested in the reception of His Majesties High Commissioner the Earl of Middleton; (who according to the grander of his State) was welcomed seven miles from the City, by numerous Troops of Nobility, Gentry and Citizens, all in such equipage, as become both Court and Camp.
The next day, January the first, the Earl Marshall accompanied with Four hundreth Gentlemen of his own relations march’t on foot from his own Lodging to His Majesties Pallace, the present residence of the Lord Commissioner, with the Honors of the Kingdom, (viz.) He himself, carrying the Crown, the second Brother, Colonell George Keith, the Scepter: and the younger, Sir John Keith, the Sword: These three Noble Brothers hath been eminent both in their Services and Sufferings for the Royal Interest: And when the two elder were prisoners in England, by the particular care and industry of the younger; the same sacred Honors (so much hunted after by Enemies) were miraculously preserved: for which, His Majesty hath deservedly conferred upon him the Honour of Knight-Marshall of Scotland.
After the Honours were solemnly laid before the Commissioner in the presence, upon the Table, under the Cloth of State, then conform to the Ancient Custom of our Nation, and the formalities of ranging the Nobility by the King at Arms, being performed; they proceeded to the Riding of the Parliament, in manner as followeth:
The commissioners for the severall Burghs, in comely and rich Apparrell, after them the Barrons, sumptuously, but civilly cloathed, with their Lacqueis in Livery, every one two: Next, the Lords in their Robes, each with three Lacquies, with their respective Badges of Honour on back and breast, as all Noblemen at such times and Solemnities use to have; then the Viscounts with their Lacquies: then the Earls, each having four Lacquies in rich Attire: Then six Trumpets uncovered: Twelve Heraulds with their Coats of Arms: Two serjeants with Maces: Then Sir Alexander Durham, Lordy Lyon, King at Arms in his Coat, which was most glorious: Then the Earl of Mar carrying the Sword of Honor, with a Mace on each hand: Then the Earl of Sutherland * * * * * the Royall Crown in like manner.
The Lord Ramsay, Son to the Earl of Dalhousie carried His Majesties Commission in a Crimson Velvet Bagg, a little advanc’t on the Lord Commissioner on his left hand, who rode in State, all others being bare, save Duke Hammilton and the Marquesse of Montrose who immediately followed him with their Hats on.
The streets all along was Gaurded by Eighteen Companies of Citizens well armed and in georgeous Apparrell.
At their arrivall at the Parliament Yard, they were received by the Lord High Constable of Scotland: The Earl of Arroll with a hundreth Gentlemen of his Name, Armed with Swords, Pistols, and guilded Pole-axes.
The Lord Commissioner being by him conducted to the door of the House, he was received by the Earl Marshall and his Guard, consisting in like manner of Gentlemen of his Name and Relations, Commanded under himself, by Alexander Keith of Dudwharne.
The Parliament being set, the Officers of State, and all the other Members in their peculiar stations: Sermon being ended, His Majesties Commission read, the Lord Commissioner shortly, though fully delivered His Majesties carefull Inclinations towards this His Anceint Kingdom, and how graciously he was ready to restore the fundamentall Laws which had been so shrewdly shaken by the iniquity of the Times: but the present occasion will not admit of all that was spoken by His Grace, which I refer to another conveniency. It was then moved that the Lord Chancellor, according to the right of the Kingdom should proceed: Next that, the oath of Allegiance should be taken by all the Members, both which votes passed without contradiction, the one to the extirpation of all unjust Oaths, the other to lop off the former fort of Precedentship, or Chire-man, never known but in the dayes of darknesse. This was the issue of that dayes proceeding.
Only the Members of Parliament in the same order, conducting the Lord Commissioner to his Majesties Pallace of Holy-roodhouse, where his Grace, in the Preference Chamber Supped in State, and the Nobility at two long Tables on each side of the room.
The Earl of Atholl officiate as Cup-bearer, the Earl of Aboyne (Son to the late martyr’d Marquesse of Huntley) presented the Water, the Earl of Dundee holding the Towell, Master Murray, Brother to the Earl of Atholl, as Carver: The Dishes being served up by Gentlemen, and which was most remarkable, considering the past dissentions during the late Troubles; there was such an unexpressible harmony in that Solemnity; as their cheerfulnesse discovered them so many loving Children, who had found a lost Father.
Friday following, being the fourth, the Parliament sate again, where having first setled some small debates touching Commissions: They resolved an honourable reparation for that horrid and monstrous barbarity fixed on Royall Authority, in the person of the Great James Marquesse of Montrose, His Majesties Captain General, and Lord High Commissioner (viz.) that his Body, together, with that of the Baron of Dalgetyes, murdered on the same Account, and buried in the same place; Head, and other his divided and scattered members, may be gathered together and interr’d with all Honour imaginable.
Saturnday, Jan. the fifth.
The English Garrison in the Castle of Edinburgh were removed, and Captain Robert Straiton appointed Deputy Governour by the Lord Commissioner, possessed the place with 150 Scots Souldiers, all of them approved persons, both for courage and fidelity.
Sunday, Jan. the sixth.
The Lord Commissioners Grace, with the Members of Parliament, performed the dayes worship in the House: Mr. James Sharp carried on the work, but with so great piety and learning, as was sufficient to recover the most perverse Heretick or dissatisfied Brother, either in Law or Gospel to their Civil and Christian obedience; but least I prejudge the Author, I forbear to speak more till the world be made happy in the communication of both his Sermons.
From London the 31. Decemb.
The bottome and extent of the late Plot is discovered dayly by taking new Prisoners, viz., Unton Crook, Col. Farley, Major Audley, Capt. Edward Jones, Capt. John Smith, Quartermaster Trevour, They are all secured in the Gatehouse: A Declaration found among them against Kingly Government, and in several suspected houses were found a great number of Muskets, Pistolls, and in Capt. Blackwells, diverse Blunder-bushes, with sifficient quantity of Powder and Ball, and many Ensign-staves new shod, and all to ruine their own Country, after so signal mercies from heaven in its restitution.
There is nothing twixt his Majesty and his Parliament, but the height of mutual love, his Majesty satisfying their legall desires, and they in gratitude making provision for the entertainment of such Guards as is most becoming the preservation of his Sacred Person in this time, both of publike and private dangers; But in all this sweet concord, I must acquaiont you with fad news. I will not change the ingenuous expressions of the Parliaments own Intellgencer, viz. It hath pleased Allmighty God to take into the Kingdom of Heaven, that most Excellent Princesse Royal Mary, Princesse of Orange, sister to our Soveraign Lord the King, a Princesse of such high and admirable vertues (whether we consider her as Daughter, a Sister, a Mother, or a Princesse) that she hath left many a sorrowful heart, as well for the losse of so Excellent a Personage, as for that influence it may have on the sad thoughts of the most vertuous Prince of the whole world. Our most Precious and Dread Soveraign himself, for whose health and happy long Raign, let all that are nor enemies to themselves and Great Britain, send up their prayers, to the God of Heaven.
Because as yet wee have not established our Forraign correspondence, take a little view of the most materal things in the English Intelligencer.
Paris Decemb. 24.
The Cardinal is upon the way of recovery, the Treaty twixt the Arch-Duke of Inspruch, is concluded, the agreement with the Duke of Lorrayn goeth backward through some new Proposals made to him: The English Merchants complains much at this Court for losses sustained by the Subjects of France.
Naples Novemb. 20.
By reason of the late storms, there hath been extraordinary losse of Ships, and the Rains were so great, that they run down the Mountains like Rivers, a multitude of Vineyards utterly spoiled, especially about Sarno, the damnages valued to 300000 Crowns.
Rome Decemb. 3.
The two Kings of France and Spain are like to concern themselves to have the Pope restore Castro to the Duke of Parma, that of Comacho to Modena, and Montefelto to the Duke of Florence; But it is thought the Camera Apostolico will hazard a War, rather then part with such considerable morsels.
Hamburgh Decemb. 14.
The Pollanders victorious against the Muscoviters, and Queen Christina of Sweden disparing to recover her Soveraignty, is ready to part from that Kingdom, the Sweds resolved to prosecute the War against Muscovia.
Edinburgh Monday 7. 1661.
This day, in obedience to the Order of Parliament, this City was allarmed with Drums, and nine Trumpets, to go in their best Equipage and Arms for transporting the Dis-membered Bodies of his Excellency the Lord Marquesse of Montrose, and that renowned Gentleman Sir William Hay of Dalgety, murthered both for their prowes and transcending Loyalty to King and Country, whose Bodies to their Glory and their enemies shame, had been ignominiously thrust in the earth, under the publike Gibbet half a mile from Town. That of the Lord Marquesse was indeed intended for ignominy to his high Name, but that of the other ambitiously covet by himself as the greatest honour he could have, when being incapable to serve his Majesty longer, to engrave nigh his great Patron, which doubtlesse proceeded from a faith typical of a more glorious one. The Ceremony was thus performed: The Lord Marquesse of Montrose, with his friends of the name of Graham, the whole Nobility and Gentry, with Provest, Baillies and Councel, together with four Companies of the Trained Bands of the City, went to the place, where having chanced directly (however possibly persons might have been present able to demostrate) On the same Trunk, as evidently appeared by the Coffin, which had been formerly broke a purpose by some of his friends in that place nigh his Chest, whence they stole his heart, embalmed it in the costliest manner, and so reserves it: as also by the Trunk it self found without the skull, and limbs distracted in the four chief Towns of the Nation; but these through the industry and respect of friends carried to the Martyre, are soon to welcome the rest. That other of Sir William Hay of Delgety, was as surely pluckt forth, lying next to that of his Excellency. The Noble Lord Marquesse and his friends took care that these ruins were decently wrapt in the finest linnen; so did likewise the friends of the other, and so incoffined suitable to their respectful dignities.
The Trunck of his Excellency thus Coffined, was covered with a large and rich black Velvet Cloath, taken up and from thence carried by the Noble Earls of Marre, Athol, Linlithgow, Seaford, Hartfield and others of these Honourable Families: The Lord Marquesse himself, his brother Lord Robert, and Sir John Calquhoun Nephew to the deceased Lord Marquesse, supporting the head of the Coffin, and all under a very large Pale (or Canopy) supported by the Noble Viscount of Stormond, the Lords Stranaver, Fleeming, Drumlanerick, Ramsay, Matherty and Rollock. Being accompanied with a Body of Horse of Nobility and Gentry, to the number of 200, rallied in decent Order by the Viscount of Kenmure, they came to the place where the Head stood, under which they set the Coffin of the Trunk on a Scaffold made for that purpose, till the Lord Naper the Barons of Morphy Inchbrakie, Urchell and Gorthy, and severall other Noble Gentlemen placed on a Scaffold next to the Head (and that on the top of the Towns Tolbooth six Story high) with sound of Trumpet, discharge of many Canon from the Castle, and the honest people loud and joyful acclamation, all was joyned and crowned with the Crown of a Marquesse, conveyed with all Honour befitting such an action to the Abbay Church of Holy-roodhouse, a place of Buriall frequent to our Kings, there to continue in State, untill the Noble Lord his Son be ready for the more magnificent Solemnization of his Funerals.
All our Solemnities, both that of the High Commissioners reception, that of Riding the Parliament, and this great Honour done to the memory of the Grand Exemplar of Loyalty his Excellency the Marquesse of Montrose was accompanied with infinite Acclamations of the People: Great Volleys of shot by the City Companies, and thundering of Canon from the Castle: It’s many years since those sparks of Loyalty has been smothered by the ashes of Tyranny: It’s true, though a considerable part of our Nation were the first that transgressed upon their duty, yet they never reached the length of a boundlesse disobedience, for they no sooner discovered the depth of the Treason wherein their rebellious Confederates in England would have ensnared them, but they presently faced about to their Allegiance, and it is well known to the world, that since the year 1648, there was never a people enterprised such honourable and probable wayes to redeem former Escapes than we did; and though it was the pleasure of Providence to disappoint our designes, yet we never grudged neither at our Inprisonments, the losse of the dearest of our blood, nor devastation of our Fortunes; And which is our grand comfort, we have attained so much knowledge as never again to be juggled out of our reason, under the notion of specious pretences: for the drwosiest Clown of our most Northern Islands can with content smile at the cheats of Liberty, and the Good old Cause. And therefore the Blasphemers, Rumpers, and other Antimonarchicall Vermin in England must cast about some where else then for companions in Scotland.
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Edinburgh, Printed by a Society of Stationers
in the Year 1661
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