[Scottish National Memorials Contents]
CLOCK, from Linlithgow Palace, similar in form to the seventeenth century clock by Mills (No. 1257, p. 208), but with modernised movements. This clock came from the collection of the late Mr. Adam Gib Ellis, W.S., Edinburgh, an eminent antiquary, who was possessed of a large amount of furniture from the Scottish Palaces.
(1250) Lent by ANDREW MACGEORGE.
SWORD, supposed to have been that of the Earl of Lennox, found in a grave on the Battlefield near Linlithgow Bridge. The battle was fought in September 1526, between the Douglases and those led by the Earl of Lennox, for the possession of the person of King James V., who was then a minor. Lennox was slain there at a spot marked by a heap of stones, known as ‘Lennox’s Cairn.’ The viaduct of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway crosses the battlefield. The sword bears the motto on one side of the blade, PONO LEGES VIRTUTE (I maintain the laws by valour).
(1029) Lent by the TOWN COUNCIL OF LINLITHGOW.
ANCIENT POLE OR BATTLE-AXE, found near Borrowstoun, in the county of Linlithgow.
(1030) Lent by the TOWN COUNCIL OF LINLITHGOW.
CLAYMORE, said to have been wielded at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge by an ancestor of Robert Philip, Gormyre, Torphichen, who presented it to the Burgh.
(1031) Lent by the TOWN COUNCIL OF LINLITHGOW.
SEVEN BRANDING IRONS, used for Branding Firlot Measure, the standard of which was intrusted to the custody of the Burgh of Linlithgow by Act of Parliament dated 1587, chapter 136, whereby it was enacted that the same should contain ‘nynteene pyntys and tua joucattis, and this to be measor of all wictuall and stuff wsit in tymes bypast to be sauld be straik sic as quheit ry peys bennis meill and quheit salt sauld in mcattis or in the cuntry.’ The Commission of Inquiry into Weights and Measures, on the report of which the enactment of 1587 followed, found all the standards to be in accordance with the old Acts of Parliament, excepting the Firlot. By the Act of 1457, which made the Stirling Pint the basis of all measures of capacity, it was ordained that the Firlot should equal 18 pints of Stirling Jug. The Firlot in use was found to contain ‘19 pints and a jucat,’ and the new standard was ordered to be in capacity equal to ‘19 pints and twa joucattis.’ The Firlot was again examined by a Parliamentary Commission appointed in 1617, when it was found to contain ‘twenty-ane pints and ane mutchkin of just Sterling Jug and measure;’ and that, the Parliament of 1618 ‘found and declared, statute and ordeined to be the just and only Firlot for metting of wheat, rye, beanes, peas, meal, whyt salt,’ etc., and for ‘mault, beare, and aitis, a standard firlot for metting by straik’ was established which should contain ‘threttie-ane pynts of just Sterling Jug and measure.’ On the passing of this Act of Parliament, a warrant signed by the King was issued, charging the provost, bailies, and council of Linlithgow to ‘caus David Rowen, or ony other perfyte craftisman, mak, mett, and forme twa standertis of the messour of the firlott and pek effeir and thairts of brass conforme to the quantite and proportion specifeit’ in the Act of Parliament. The manner in which the royal warrant was executed is detailed in the following certification preserved among the municipal records of Linlithgow: Certification by the provost, bailies, and council of Linlithgow, ‘in quhais custodie the measoure of the firlot was committit of auld, and being ordairet be his hienes lait act of parliament maid upoun the twentie-aucht day of Junii last bypast to give furth to the burruois of his majesteis kingdome, and all utheris his majesteis lieges, the said measoure of the firlot’ testifying therefore that they have given forth to the burghs ‘twa measouris of the said firlot keipand the measour of wydnes, braidnes, and thicknes of the stope conforme to the said act of Parliament in all pointis, ane thair of quhilk is the auld straik firlot for metting of quheit, rey, beanes, peis, meill, quhyt salt, and such uther stuff and victuall,’ ‘containing in wydnes and braidnes under and above evin ower within the buirdis nynteine inches and saxt pairt inch, and the deipnes sevin inches, and the third pairt of ane inch, and the stop thairof conteining ane inch in thickness, with peck, half peck, and fourt pairt peck effeirand thairto; the bottome quhairof crocit with iron naillit to the same and to the ring of the said firlot; and the edge of the bottom entering within the laiging pairit outwith towardis the nether syd, and is maid inwith plaine and just reul richt: the mouth quhairof is ringit about with ane girth of iron inwith and outwith; and heaving ane croce iron bar passing from the ane syd to the uther, thrie squairit, and the edge down, and a plaine syd up, quhilk gaugis reul richt with the edge of the said firlot: and evirrie squair thairof is ane just inch in braid, and conteining ane iron prick ane inch in roundnes, with ane schoulder under and above rysing up richt out of the middis of the bottome of the said firlot, and passing throu the middis of the said ower croce bar roon it baith under and above, the ring straik of the quhilk firlot passis from the ane end of the said ower iron bar to the uther; and quhilk firlot conteinis within it twentie-ane pinctis and ane mutchkin of just Stirling Jug and measoure, and is brint and seillit as follows, viz., with the mark of four crownes upon both sydis of the bottome, with fyve impressionnes of the letter L. upon the lippis thairof; together with ane peck, contening ane half peck on the bottome thairof, and ane fourt pairt peck effeir and thairto, markit as follows, viz., the peck is markit with the crowne twyse on the bottome, and with the letter L. four tymes on the lippis thairof; and the halff peck is markit lykwayis anes with the croune on the bottome, and with the letter L. thryse on the lippis; and the said fourt pairt is markit ouer with the croune on the bottome thairof, and with the letter L. thryse on the lippis, and the bottome thairof is lykwayis markit with the letter L. twyse on the lippis; and the uther of the saidis firlottis, quhilk is ane new firlot for metting of malt, beir, and aitis by straik in all tyme coming, conteining threttie-ane pinctis of just Stirling Jug and measoure, and in wydnes and braidnes equal and conforme to the former firlot, and in deipness ten inch and ane halff inch, with peck, half peck, and fourt pairt peck, conforme in proportionne to the same last firlot: quhilk new firlot is aggrieabill in forme in all uther respectis with the said auld straik firlot above writtin, hawand ane iron girth moir in the midis thairof outwith, and markit with the impressionne of the letter H. in pairtis on the outmest sydis thairof; and the said peck having the impressionne of the letter H. on thrie sindrie pairtis on the outmest sydis thairof and the said fourt pairt heaving the impressionne of the same letter H. on twa sindrie pairtis on the outmest sydis thairof.’
(1032) Lent by the TOWN COUNCIL OF LINLITHGOW.
LETTER, by King James VI. to the Convention of Royal Burghs assembled at Edinburgh, in regard to a Contract with the King and the Burghs, whereby the Tack of all the King’s Customs is granted to the Convention. Dated 1st June 1583.
(1035) Lent by the TOWN COUNCIL OF LINLITHGOW.
LETTER, by King James VI., given under the Signet, granting to the Provost, Council, and Community of Linlithgow the privilege to ‘remane and abyde at hame fra our present Oist and Raid appointed to convene at Edinburgh and Biggar respective, and fra thime to pass fordwart toward the Bordouris for persute of Francis, sumtyme Erll Bothwile, and his associates culpable of the late treasonable attemptat perpetrat agains our awin persoun at Falkland upon the xxiii day of Junii last bypast, undir silence of nycht.’ Subscribed by the King at Edinburgh, July 1592. (Paper writ in vernacular.)
(1036) Lent by the TOWN COUNCIL OF LINLITHGOW.
