7th of April

St Hegesippus, a primitive father, 2nd century. St Aphraates, anchoret, 4th century. St Finan, of Ireland. St Herman Joseph, confessor, 1226.

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Born. – St Francis Xavier, Christian missionary, 1506, Xavier Castle, Pyrenees; Dr Hugh Blair, author of Lectures on Rhetoric, &c., 1718, Edinburgh; François M. C. Fourier, French socialist, 1772; Giambattista Rubini, ‘the greatest of tenor singers,’ 1795; Sir J. E. Tennent, author of works on Belgium, Ceylon, &c., 1804, Belfast. 

Died. – Charles VIII. of France, 1498, Amboise; Jerome Bignon, French historical writer, 1656; Charles Colardean, French dramatic writer, 1776, Paris; Peter Camper, Dutch anatomist, 1789, Leyden.

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On this Day in Other Sources.

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In the end of March this year [1172], Matthew, Archdeacon of St. Andrews, is elected Bishop of Aberdeen, and consecrated [on] the 7th of April. 

– Historical Works, pp.19-38.

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This year, 1401, King Robert being now old and decrepit, hearing of the debauched life and demeanour of his eldest son David, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, sends his two trusty counsellors, Sir William Lindsay of Rossie, and Sir John Ramornie, knights, with letters to the governor of the Duke of Albany, commanding him to apprehend the said Duke, and imprison him until he were sensible of his guilt carriage, and promised to amend. He was taken between Nydie and Strathtyrum, and led captive to St. Andrews castle; but shortly thereafter removed to the castle of Falkland, where he was committed to the custody of two of the Duke of Albany’s ruffians, John Selkirk and John Wright, who handled him so roughly, that he died there the 7th of April, as they gave it out, of a dysentery; but the truth was, that through extreme hunger and famine, he ate off his own fingers. His body was interred in the abbey church of Lindores. 

– Historical Works, pp.133-144.

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This year [1516], [William] Robertson of [Struan], for many villanies committed by him, is beheaded at [Tulliemet, Logierait], [7th of April] this year, by the Governor’s command. 

– Historical Works, pp.238-275.

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A discovery of antique remains was made at Inveresk, near Musselburgh, revealing the long-forgotten fact of the Romans once having had a settlement on that fine spot. Randolph, the English resident at Mary’s court, communicated some account of the discovery to the Earl of Bedford. ‘April 7 [1565], For certain there is found a cave beside Musselburgh, standing upon a number of pillars, made of tile-stones curiously wrought, signifying great antiquity, and strange monuments found in the same. This cometh to my knowledge, besides the common report, by th’ assurance of Alexander Clerk, who was there to see it, which I will myself do within three or four days, and write unto your lordship the more certainty thereof, for I will leave nothing of it unseen.’ 

– Domestic Annals, pp.13-29.

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Profoundly grateful, in appearance at least, Crichton continued to exalt the worth of his friend in need, and when we read the following letter, which is without address, but was evidently written to Zibramonti, we find it difficult to believe the accusations of falsehood and base ingratitude brought against him after his death by the same Cornaro:-  

Illustrious and esteemed Sir,  

            Though your lordship may be much occupied in the multitude of your great affairs, you can at least comfort yourself with your own prudence, and hope to find a happy issue to every labyrinth however intricate; but in mine, I cannot indeed find the same consolation, being but little aided by prudence and, as yet, little accustomed to suffer. I, however, should not mind such accidents much were not the wicked offices of false friends added to my other misfortunes. And I know not what I should do were it not for the sincere friendship of the most illustrious Signor Cornaro (in whose mind is impressed together with all his most excellent virtues, the sweet and greatly honoured remembrance of your lordship’s great merits and incredible virtue in which he almost vies with me), which shows me how to navigate in the ocean of my greatest troubles. He has promised me to write more particularly to your lordship informing you of everything. I refer you therefore to his relation, and reverently kissing your hands with all my heart, I pray our Lord to give you a long and happy life, and to make me worthy of a particle of your favour, and that of my most serene patron.  

            Your illustrious lordship’s most affectionate Servant,  

JAMES CRICHTON. 

From Padua, 7th April, 1582. 

– Scots Lore, pp.181-192.

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   “Down to the time that the last Universities Act was passed the Imperial Parliament had always recognised its duty with regard to keeping up the universities off Imperial funds. The first break that was made in the matter was when £30,000 was taken of purely Scotch money for the purpose of assisting the universities. He always thought it was an unfortunate step to take because it appeared as if they were to absolve the Imperial Parliament from the obligation which was clearly within the terms of the Treaty of Union. If it were found in connection with other universities that need existed for putting their libraries on a more efficient footing, then, he thought, the Business Committee might also consider, in conjunction with the other universities, whether united action might not be taken at least to make a demand for more money, because last session, so far as grants to Scotland were concerned, we were about £70,000 a-year short of our fair proportion.” 

– Glasgow Herald, Thursday 7th April, 1898.

– Treaty of Union Articles, 1875-1900.