11th of February

Saints Saturninus, Dativus, and others, martyrs of Africa, 304. St Severinus, 507. St Theodora, empress, 867.

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Born. – Bernard de Bovier de Fontenelle, littérateur, 1657, Rouen. 

Died. – The Emperor Heraclius, 641; René Descartes, French philosopher, 1650, Stockholm; Macvey Napier, editor of the Encyclopædia Britannica, 1847.

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On this Day in Other Sources.

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Annual fairs for cattle, for general produce, and for coarse household stuffs manufactured by the Highland women, are held on the first Wednesday after the 11^th day of February, O. S.,..

– Gazetteer of Scotland, Inverness, pp.24-35.

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NEW BISHOP ELECTED TO DUNKELD.

In place of Geoffrey [de Liberatione], Bishop of Dunkeld, was elected Mr Richard [de] Inverkeithing, the 11th of February this year [1250], being then Chamberlain of Scotland.

– Historical Works, pp.57-77.

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MINT MOVED TEMPORARILY.

The first Mint House had been originally erected in the outer court of the palace of Holyrood, somewhere near the Horse Wynd, from whence, for greater safety, it was removed to the castle, in which a new Mint House had been built in 1559, as shown by the following entry in the accounts of the High Treasurer, under the date February, 1563:- 

“Item, allowit to the carpenter, be payment maid to Johne Achesoun, Maister Congreave, to Maister William McDowgale, Maister of Werk, for expensis maide be him vpon the bigging of the çwnge-house, within the castell of Edinburgh, and beting of the çwnge-hous within the Palice of Halierud-house, fra the xi. day of Februar, 1559, zeris, to the 21 of April, 1560, £460 4s. 1.”

– Old and New Edinburgh, pp.266-274.

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MARY AFTER THE DEATH OF DARNLEY.

The Queen, on the subsequent day, namely, the 11th of February 1567, wrote the following account of the murder to the Archbishop of Glasgow, her resident at Paris:  

“Maist Rev. Fader in God, and traist counseilor, we grait ye weil: We have receivit, this morning, your letters of the 27th of January, by your servant, Robert Dury, containing in ane part sic advertisement, as we find, by effect, overtrue, albeit the succes has not altogether been sic, as the authoris of that mischievous fact had preconceivit in their mind, and had put it in execution, gif God, in his mercy, had not preservit us, and reservit us, as we traist, to the end we may tak a rigorous vengeance of that mischievous deed, quhilk, or it sould remain unpunishit, we had rather lose life, and all. The matter is horrible, and sa strange, as we believe the like was never heard of in any country. This night past being the 9th of February, a little after twa houris, after midnight, the house quhairin the King was logit was in ane instant blawin in the air, he lyand sleipand in his bed, with sic a vehemencie, that of the haill loging, wallis, and other, there is nathing remainit, na, not a stane above another, but all either carreit far away, or dung in dross to the very ground stane. It mon be done be force of powder, and appearis, to have been a mine: Be quhome it has been done, or in quhat manner, it appearis not as yet. We doubt not bot, according to the diligence oure counsal has begun alreddie to use the certaintie of all sal be usit schortlie; and the same being discoverit, quhilk we wott God will never suffer to ly hid, we hope to punish the same with sic rigor, as sal serve, for example of this crueltie to all ages to cum. Allwayes, quhoever has taken this wicked interprys in hand, we assure ourself it was dressit alswel for us, as for the King; for we lay the maist part of all the last week, in that same loging, and was thair accompanyit with the maist part of the lordis, that ar, in this town, that same night, at midnight, and of very chance tarryit not all night, be reason of sum mask in the abbaye; but, we believe it was not chance, but God to put it in our hede. We depeschit this berars upon the sudden, and therefore wraitis to you the mair schortlie. The rest of your letter, we sal answer at mair laser, within four or five dayis, by your owne servant. And sua, for the present, committis you to Almightie God. At Edinburgh, the 11th day of Februar 1567.”  

Let this artless letter of the Queen be compared with Murray’s letter, or Maitland’s, or Morton’s, on the same occasion; and any eye will perceive her innocence, and their guilt.

– Life of Mary, pp.151-155.

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On the 11th of February, 1567, after the murder of Darnley, Mary retired to this apartment, where she had the walls hung with black, and remained in strict seclusion until after the funeral. Killigrew, who came from Elizabeth with letters of condolence, on his introduction found “the Queen’s Majesty in a dark chamber, so that he could not see her face, but by her words she seemed very doleful.”

– Old and New Edinburgh, pp.66-79.

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THREE DIE FALLING THROUGH ICE IN EDINBURGH.

Feb. 11. [1682] – Three men were drowned this day by falling through the ice on the North Loch (which then occupied the place of what is now the Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh). ‘We have a proverb that the fox will not set his foot on the ice after Candlemas, especially in the heat of the sun, as this was at two o’clock; and at any time the fox is so sagacious as to lay his ear to the ice, to see if it be frozen to the bottom, or if he hear the murmuring and current of the water.’ – Foun.

– Domestic Annals, pp.322-337.

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   “Continuation of the Abstract of the ACT Ratifying and Confirming the Treaty of Union, with the Additions and Explanations, &c. 

   VIII. Article. That from and after the Union, all Foreign Salt which shall be imported into Scotland, shall be charged at Importation there, with the same Duties as the like Salt is now charged at Importation there, with the same Duties as the like Salt is now charged with, being imported into England, and to be levied and secured in the same Manner; [Here the following Words are added, viz. But in regard the Duties of great Importers, That therefore, all Foreign Salt imported into Scotland, shall be Cellared and Locked up under the Custody of the Merchant Importer, and the Officers imployed for Levying the Duties upon Salt; And that the Merchant may have what Quantities thereof his Occasion may require, not under a Weigh or Fourty Bushels at a Time, giving Security for the Duty of what Quantity he receives payable in six Months.] But Scotland shall, for the Space of seven Years from the said Union, be exempted from paying in Scotland for Salt made there, the Duty or Excise now payable for Salt made in England: But, from the expiration of the said seven Years, shall be Subject and liable to the same Duties for Salt made in Scotland, as shall be then payable for Salt in England, to be Levyed and secured in the same Manner, and with proportional Draw-backs and Allowances as in England; [Again, the following Words are added, viz. With this Exception, That Scotland shall, after the said seven Years, remain exempted from the Duty of two Shillings and four Pence of Excise on the Bushel of Home Salt, Scotland shall, after the said seven Years, bear a Proportion of the said Fund, and have an Equivalent in the Terms of this Treaty.] [Again the following Words are added, viz. And that, after the said Seven Years, how long the said Duty of Two Shillings Four Pence a Bushel upon Salt is continued in England, the said Two Shillings Four Pence a Bushel shall be payable for all salt made in Scotland and imported into England, to be levied and secured in the same Manner.] [Then, towards the End, the following Words are added, viz. And for establishing an Equality in Trade, That all Fleshes Exported from Scotland to England, and put on board in Scotland to be exported to Parts beyond the Seas, and Provisions for Ships in Scotland, and for Foreign Voyages, may be salted with Scots Salt, paying the same Duty for what Salt is so employed, as the like Quantity of such Salt pays in England, and under the same Penalties, Forfeitures and Provisions, for preventing of Frauds, as are mentioned in the Laws of England.] And that, from and after the Union, the Laws and Acts of Parliament in Scotland, for Pineing, Curing and Packing of Herrings, White Fish or Salmond, for Exportation, with Foreign Salt only [the Words, without any Mixture of British or Irish Salt, are here added] and for preventing of Frauds, &c. [And lastly the following Words are added, viz. And that, for Encouragement of the Herring Fishing, there shall be allowed and payed to the Subjects Inhabitants of Great Britain, during the present Allowances for other Fishes, Ten Shillings Five Pence Sterling, for every Barrel of White Herrings, which shall be exported from Scotland: And that there shall be allowed Five Shillings Sterling for every Barrel of Beeff or Pork, salted with Foreign Salt, without Mixture of British or Irish Salt, and exported for Sale from Scotland to Parts beyond Seas. Alterable by the Parliament of Great Britain. 

    IX. Article. No Addition, nor Explanation.

    X. Article. No Addition, nor Explanation.

    XI. Article. No Addition, nor Explanation.

   XII. Article. No Addition, nor Explanation. 

   XIII. Article. No Addition, nor Explanation. 

   This to be continued.”

– Caledonian Mercury, Thursday 11th February, 1725.

– Treaty of Union Articles, Abstract of the Act, Ratifying and Approving the Treaty of Union.

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“Coiling the Atlantic telegraph cable in one of the tanks on board the Great Eastern,” ‘Illustrated London News,’ Feb. 11, 1865, p.129 – from RSH’s newspaper collection.

– Book of Blunders, pp.13-15.