28th of July

Saints Nazarius and Celsus, martyrs, about 68. St Victor, pope and martyr, 201. St Innocent I., pope and confessor, 417. St Sampson, bishop and confessor, about 564.

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Born. – Jacopo Sannazaro, Italian poet, 1458, Naples; Joseph I., Emperor of Germany, 1678, Vienna. 

Died. – Theodosius the Younger, Roman emperor, 450, Constantinople; Pope Innocent VIII., 1492; Maximilien Isidore Robespierre, terrorist autocrat, guillotined at Paris, 1794; Giuseppe Sarti, musical composer, 1802, Berlin; Sultan Selim III., assassinated at Constantinople, 1808; Andoche Junot, Duc d’Abrantes, Bonapartist general, 1813, Montpellier; Marshal Mortier, Bonapartist general, killed at Paris by Fieschi’s ‘infernal machine,’ 1835; Joseph Bonaparte, ex-king of Spain, 1844, Florence; Charles Albert, ex-king of Sardinia, 1849, Oporto.

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On this Day in Other Sources.

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Robert Blacader, Bishop of Aberdeen, and previously a prebendary of Glasgow, was the next bishop, 1484. He was much employed in the affairs of the government, went several embassies to England, probably made some journeys to Rome, and died, according to Lesley, on his way to the Holy Land on 28th July 1508. 

– Sketches, pp.29-70.

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On the 28th of July [1565], the Queen issued a proclamation, directing that the Duke of Albany should be styled King, and treated, as such. 

– Life of Mary, pp.98-126.

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The only other statute of that Parliament, in which the Queen was, particularly concerned, was the act of indemnity, granted to Douglas of Lochleven, for detaining the King’s mother. It recites the order of commitment, by Morton, and five other nobles, on the 16th of June, to take the Queen into his safe keeping, till further enquiry were made, into the King’s murder: It also recites a declaration, which he had obtained, from the Queen, on the 28th of July [1567], then passed, that she had not been violently treated by him; which several documents were recited, as produced, and shown to the Regent, and estates of Parliament; who thereupon legalized his conduct, and indemnified his heirs. We thus see, in the practice of parliament, that the documents, whereon any act was founded, were produced, and shown, in Parliament: All except the act, for justifying the nobles, who dethroned the Queen, and crowned her son, which was grounded upon supposititious letters, that were neither shown, nor produced; because they might have been seen, by those, who could have easily detected them, with other fictions, and falsehoods. 

– Life of Mary, pp.184-206.

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An effort was made at this time by the burghs to introduce a cloth-manufacture into Scotland. Seven Flemings were engaged to settle in the country, in order to set the work agoing, six of them being for says,¹ and the seventh for broadcloth. When the men came, expecting to be immediately set to work in Edinburgh, a delay arose while it was debated whether they should not be dispersed among the principal towns, in order to diffuse their instructions as widely as possible. We find the strangers on the 28th of July [1601] complaining to the Privy Council that they were neither entertained nor set to work, and that it was proposed to sunder them, ‘whilk wald be a grit hinder to the perfection of the wark.’ 

The Council decreed that ‘the haill strangers brought hame for this errand sall be halden together within the burgh of Edinburgh, and put to work conform to the conditions past betwix the said strangers and the commissioners wha dealt with them.’ Meanwhile, till they should begin their work, the Council ordained ‘the bailies of Edinburgh to entertene them in meat and drink,’ though this should be paid back to them by the other burghs, and the strangers were at the same time to be allowed to undertake any other work for their own benefit. – P. C. R. 

– Domestic Annals, pp.124-176.

¹  Say or serge, a thin woollen cloth.

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July 28 [1648]. – The Shorter Catechism recently framed by the Westminster Assembly of Divines, for the instruction ‘of such as are of weaker capacity,’ and which has since been in constant and universal use in Scotland, was this day sanctioned by the General Assembly, sitting in Edinburgh. 

– Domestic Annals, pp.257-277.

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In one of these houses there resided for many years, and died on the 28th July, 1828, Dr. Andrew Duncan, First Physician to His Majesty for Scotland, and an eminent citizen in his day, so much so that his funeral was a public one. 

– Old and New Edinburgh, pp.373-382.

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“ ‘THE CASSIN O’ THE UNION.’

   THURSDAY last was the 180th anniversary of the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland, that historical document having been subscribed on 22nd July, 1706. Mr GLADSTONE, in his recent speech in Glasgow, reminded his audience that for many years after its accomplishment the Union was unpopular in Scotland, and that fierce agitation for its repeal took place. Mr GLADSTONE might have added, that so recently as 1844, the then Lord Advocate for Scotland mistook a humorous invitation to a dinner in Glasgow for a serious conspiracy to repeal the Union, and actually threatened to interdict the treasonable gathering. 

   In all the discussion regarding ‘repeal’ and the ‘disintegration’ and ‘dismemberment’ of the empire we have not observed any allusion to that amusing incident, which we now recall: Mr GEORGE OUTRAM, then Editor of the Glasgow Herald, and equally well known as the author of ‘Lyrics Legal and Miscellaneous,’ including the famous ‘Annuity,’ ‘was a genuine Scotchman, to the backbone, intimately acquainted with Scottish history and tradition, thoroughly familiar with Scottish peculiarities, and saturated with Scottish lore. He accordingly conceived the idea of a ‘Scotch Denner,’ to which each guest should come in the costume of some famous Scottish worthy. At this dinner all the dishes and viands were to be peculiarly Scotch, and the gathering was to be one which would ironically renew the once popular lamentations over the Union with England, as destructive of the independence and ancient prestige of Scotland. The ‘denner’ accordingly came off in Mr OUTRAM’s own house on 22d July, 1844, being the 138th anniversary of the Treaty of Union. The appearance of the guests and even the whole management of the proceedings were such as to reproduce a festive gathering of Scotchmen ‘all of the olden time.’ The invitation was as follows:- 

INVITATION.

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   ‘RICHT TRUSTIE FRIEND, – 

                                   ‘Forgie me that I steer your memorie eennow, anent that wearifu’ Treaty of Union wi’ the Englishers, whilk, as ye weel ken, was subscrivit by the unworthie representatives of our forbears, on the 22d day of July, A.D. 1706, in ane unhappie hour. For I do sae allenarlie wi’ the intent that ye suld devise means to red us for aye of that wanchancie covenant, the endurance whereof is regarded by ilka leal-hearted Caledonian with never-devallin’ scunner. Wherefor I earnestly entreat of you that , on Monday the 22d of the present month, bein’ the 138th anniversary of the foresaid dulefu’ event, ye wald attend a great gatherin’ o’ Scotsmen, to be halden after the gude auld Scottish fashion, at Scott Street of Glasgow, whan it will be taen into cannie consideration how we may now best free oursels o’ that unnatural band, either by a backspang, if we can sae far begunk the southron, or by an evendown cassin o’ the bargain, an’ haudin of our ain by the strong hand, if need be. An’ to the intent that we may be better preparit for what may come, it is designit, on the occasion of the said gatherin’, that we sall subsist upon our ain national vivers allenarlie, an’ sae pruive how far we can forega the aids o’ foreign countries in respect of our creature comforts, varyin’ our fare wi’ the flesh o’ the red deer an’ the trouts o’ Lochleven, suppin our ain Kail, Hotch Potch, or Cockyleekie, whiles pangin oursels wi’ haggis an’ brose, an’ whiles wi’ sheep’s head an’ partan pies, rizzard haddies, crappit heads an’ scate-rumples, nowtes’ feet, kebbucks, scadlips, an’ skink, forbye cistocks, carlins, rifarts an’ syboes, farles, fadges, an’ bannocks, drammock, brochan an’ powsowdie, and siklike – washin the same doun our craigs wi’ nae foreign pushion, but anerlie wi’ our ain reamin yill an’ bellin usquebaugh. 

   ‘Trustin that you, an’ mony anither leal Scotsman will forgather at the foresaide time an’ place, to bend the bicker, after the manner of our worthie forbears when guid auld Scotland was a kingdom, 

‘I subscrieve myself, 

                  ‘Yours to command, 

                                               ‘GEORGE OUTRAM. 

   ‘Given at Scott Street of Glasgow, on the eleventh day o’ July, Anno Domini, mdcccxliv.’ 

   On the back of the letter, under the address, were the words:- 

   ‘Be this letter delivered with haste – haste – post haste! 

Ride, villain, ride! 

For thy life – for thy life – for thy life!’ 

   Lord Cockburn, frightened by the apparently serious terms of the missive, threatened to interdict the ‘treasonable’ meeting; but his official apprehensions were removed, and the festive meeting was duly held, and the following was the bill of fare:- 

‘ANE BUIK O’ ANCIENT SCOTCH DISHES

FOR THE GATHERIN’.’

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TABLE I.

‘There’s pea intil’t, an’ there’s beans intil’t,

An’ there’s carrots, an’ neeps, an’ greens intil’t.’

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‘Lang may she live, an’ lang enjoy

Ilk blessin’ life can gie,

health, wealth, content, an’ pleasour,

An’ cockie-leekie.’

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TABLE II.

‘Can ye tell me, fisher laddies,

What’s gotten into the heads o’ the haddies?’

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‘Stove him weel wi’ wine an’ spice,

An’ butter in the bree;

I’se warrant he’ll ken neist time

A feather frae a flee.’

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TABLE III.

‘Fair fa’ your honest sonsie face,

Great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race.’

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‘John Anderson, my jo,

Cum in as ze gae by,

An ze sall get a sheip’s head

Weel baken in a pie.’

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‘An first they ate the white puddins,

An’ syne they ate the black.’

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‘Gie me lock brose, brose,

Gie me lock brose and butter.’

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‘They a’, in ane united body,

Declared it a fine fat howtowdie.’

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‘He pang’d himsel’ fu’ o’ collaps an’ kail,

Syne whang’d at the bannocks o’ barley meal.’

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‘It was fed wi’ fouth o’ gerse an’ oats,

An’ was wirried  an’ sauted at Johnnie Groat’s.’

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‘My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer.’

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TABLE IV.

‘There’s bread an’ cheese at my door cheek,

An’ pancakes the riggin’ o’t.’

The following was the toast list:-

‘ORDER OF THE TOASTS AT THE GATHERIN’ ON

THE 138 OWERCOME OF 22D JULY 1706.

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1. The Majestie o’ this Realm, being the Land o’ Cakes. 
2. The Memorie o’ the Last Queen o’ Scotland.
3. The Cassin o’ the Wanchancie Covenant.
4. The Abolition o’ a’ Assessments an’ Blackmails.
5. A speedie Parliament in Parliament House.
6. The Abolishment o’ Stake Nets, an’ the restoration o’ the auld Manier o’ Fishin’.
7. A Dour Douncome to the Cadgers, an’ a Kittle Cast to the Customs.
8. The Buirdly Barons o’ the Borders, an’ the Auld Road to Carlisle.
9. The Laird o’ Raasay and Commissioners o’ Benachie.
10. True Thomas o’ Ercildoune, Sir David Lyndsay o’ the Mount, an’ a’ the Famous Scottish Menstrils.’’

   ‘Nota bene. – The farder order o’ the ceremonie at the pleasour o’ the companie.’ 

   The toasts on the occasion were alternated with many of the chairman’s most amusing songs, some of them being composed for the occasion, and which, with the ‘order o’ the ceremonie,’ protracted the ‘pleasour o’ the companie’ till an early hour the following morning.” 

– Kirkintilloch Herald, Wednesday 28th July, 1886.

– Treaty of Union Articles, 1875-1900.