Volume 1

Domestic annals of Scotland : from the reformation to the revolution / by Robert Chambers.

  • Robert Chambers
Date:
1858-1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Domestic annals of Scotland : from the reformation to the revolution / by Robert Chambers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    57/574 page 41
    Buchanan relates two 'prodigies’ which happened in connection i«ss-7. with the death of Darnley. 'One John Lundin, a gentleman of Fife, having long been sick of a fever, the day before the king ■was killed, about noon, raised himself a little in his bed, and, as if he had been astonished, cried out to those that stood by him, with a loud voice, to go help the king, for the parricides were just then murdering him ; ” and a while after he called out with a mournful tone, Now it is too late to help him; he is already murdered;” and he himself lived not long after he had uttered these words.’ The other circumstance occurred just at the time the murder happened. ‘ Three of the familiar friends of the Earl of Athole, the king’s cousin, men of reputation for valour and estate, had their lodgings not far from the king’s. When they were asleep about midnight, there was a certain man seemed to come to Dugald Stewart, who lay next the wall, and to draw his hand gently over his beard and cheek, so as to awake him, saying, Arise, they are offering violence to you.” He presently awaked, and was con- sidering the apparition within himself, when another of them cries out presently in the same bed, 'Wlio kicks me? ” Dugald answered, Perhaps it is a cat, which used to walk about in the night;” upon which the third, who was not yet awake, rose presently out of his bed, and stood upon the floor, demanding who it was that had given him a box on the ear?” As soon as he had spoken, a person seemed to go out of the house by the door, and that not without some noise. Whilst they were descanting on what they had heard and seen, the noise of the blowing up of the king’s house put them into a very ternble consternation.’ '. . . . whilk was Sanct Mark’s even, our sovereign lady, liding apu! w, frae Stirling (whereto she passed a little before to visie her son) to Edinburgh, James Earl of Bothwell, accompauiet with seven or aucht hundred men and friends, whom he causit believe that he would ride upon the thieves of Liddesdale, met our sovereign lady betwixt Kirkliston and Edinburgh, at ane place called the Brigrjis, aecompaniet with ane few number, and there took her person, [which he conducted] to the castle of Dunbar. The rumour of the ra'vdshing of her majesty coming to the provost of Edinburgh, incontinent the common bell rang, and the inhabitants ran to armour and weapons, the ports was steekit, [and] the artillery of the Castle shot.’—D. 0. The place indicated was well ehosen for the purpose, being in an angle of ground enclosed by the Almond Eiver and the Gogar
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3