St Pontius, martyr, about 258. St Boniface, martyr, about 307. St Pachomius, abbot, 348. St Carthagh, Bishop of Lismore, about 637.
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Born. – Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit, 1686, Dantzig; Robert Owen, philanthropic social reformer, 1771.
Died. – Henry IV. of France, assassinated at Paris, 1610; Louis XIII. of France, 1643, St Germain-en-Laye; Duc de Maine, 1736; Professor David Runkenius, 1798, Leyden.
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On this Day in Other Sources.
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In the year 1343, the 14th day of May, King David convened the whole estates of his kingdom at Inchmurdoch, of whom he exacted a particular oath of homage and fidelity, under a certain form set down in writing; and [as an] example to all others his subjects, he made his own nephew, Robert Stewart, Earl of Strathearn, first of all take the said oath on the holy Evangelicals, which is by Fordun set down word by word.
– Historical Works, pp.104-124.
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On the 14th of May 1567, she entered into a formal contract of marriage with the Duke of Orkney, which was witnessed, by her officers of state, and other respectable persons.
– Life of Mary, pp.155-184.
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The 14th of May this year [1571], there was a parliament [held] in William Cockie’s house in ther Canongate, near St. John’s Cross, by such as [maintained] the king’s authority; and [another] in the [tolbooth] of Edinburgh. by these that held for the deprived Queen, in which parliaments, each of them [forfeited] their enemies and opposites. In the end of this two headed parliament [James Douglas] the Earl of Morton, from Leith, marched towards Edinburgh, but in his march [there], he was [engaged in battle] by the Hamiltons and Homes, which were for the Queen, near to the [Quarrel-Holes]; he gave them so fierce a charge, that he forced them, with great loss, to turn their backs; many of Huntly and Hamilton’s best men being killed, the Lord [Alexander] Home was taken prisoner. The English ambassador had laboured to draw them to some atonement before the armies joined, but could not; so Morton carried the good fortune of the day to the King’s side, and that with an entire victory, [so] that the letting of this blood cooled the hottest distempers of this year.
– Historical Works, pp.340-416.
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The presbytery deals with John Stirling for forcibly entering the kirk of Cadder, during the administration of communion, “with ane drawin quhinzeir in his hand,” whereby the people were put in terror and the tables with the elements were “cassen to the grund.” For this act of sacrilege John was excommunicated. He was subsequently released from this much-dreaded sentence, but only on his finding surety to obey the injunctions of the presbytery. What these were is thus detailed; “Ye first ye said Jon paye ye sowme of fourtie merkes, qrof ten merkis to be gevin to the Kirk of Cader, and twentie lib to ye Collector in ye presbiterie to be bestoweit to godlie wses; And yt being done ye said Jon mak his publict repentance in sekclayt bairfutit, bairleggit, and bairheidit, first in ye Kirk of Cader, in maner of excommunicats – yt is, standing at ye Kirk duir of everie ane of ye said Kirkis, yan entring to ye piller yrin remaining qll ye pepell be cum furt of ye Kirk, and swa to indure wnto ye next Synodall assemblie.” It is to be presumed that John went through all this, as we hear no more of him.1
– Old Glasgow, pp.189-215.
1 Presbytery Records, 14th May, 1575.
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May 14 [1629]. – Died Jean Gordon, remarkable in our history as the lady whom James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, divorced in 1567, in order to be enabled to ally himself to Queen Mary. She survived that frightful time, in peace and honour, for sixty-two years, exemplifying how durable are calmness and prudence in comparison with passion and guilt. Since her separation from Bothwell, she had been the wife of two other husbands – first, Alexander, Earl of Sutherland; and second, the Laird of Boyne. The lady was buried in Dornoch Cathedral.
– Domestic Annals, pp.228-256.
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“Now, the union that subsists between England and Scotland is one in many respects more intimate than that subsisting in America, yet circumstances might arise that would render it justifiable in Scotland declaring it null and void. For example, all know that English representatives have an overwhelming majority in Parliament. In the event of their abusing this numerical strength by passing measures inconsistent with the conditions of the treaty of union, Scotland would be fully justified in once more declaring its independence. Suppose, for example, that our civil and religious liberties as a nation were interfered with, who can say that we should not be justified in at once apprising England of our determination to become, as of old, an independent nation? We mention these things to show that there is nothing so sacred in a constitutional point of view but the people can meddle with it.”
– Renfrewshire Independent, Saturday 14th May, 1864.
– Treaty of Union Articles, 1850-1875.