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buried at the Gallows Foot; their Heads; with PATRICK'S 

Hand; were brought and put upon five Pikes on the 

PLEASAUNCE…PORT。 。 。 。 Mr。 RENWICK told me also that it 

was the first public Action that his Hand was at; to 

conveen Friends; and lift their murthered Bodies; and 

carried them to the West Churchyard of EDINBURGH;' … not 

Greyfriars; this time; … 'and buried them there。  Then 

they came about the City 。 。 。 。 and took down these Five 

Heads and that Hand; and Day being come; they went 

quickly up the PLEASAUNCE; and when they came to 

LAURISTOUN Yards; upon the South…side of the City; they 

durst not venture; being so light; to go and bury their 

Heads with their Bodies; which they designed; it being 

present Death; if any of them had been found。  ALEXANDER 

TWEEDIE; a Friend; being with them; who at that Time was 

Gardner in these Yards; concluded to bury them in his 

Yard; being in a Box (wrapped in Linen); where they lay 

45 Years except 3 Days; being executed upon the 10th of 

OCTOBER 1681; and found the 7th Day of OCTOBER 1726。  

That Piece of Ground lay for some Years unlaboured; and 

trenching it; the Gardner found them; which affrighted 

him the Box was consumed。  Mr。 SCHAW; the Owner of these 

Yards; caused lift them; and lay them upon a Table in his 

Summer…house: Mr。 SCHAW'S mother was so kind; as to cut 

out a Linen…cloth; and cover them。  They lay Twelve Days 

there; where all had Access to see them。 ALEXANDER 

TWEEDIE; the foresaid Gardner; said; when dying; There 

was a Treasure hid in his Yard; but neither Gold nor 

Silver。  DANIEL TWEEDIE; his Son; came along with me to 

that Yard; and told me that his Father planted a white 

Rose…bush above them; and farther down the Yard a red 

Rose…bush; which were more fruitful than any other Bush 

in the Yard。 。 。 。 Many came' … to see the heads … 'out 

of Curiosity; yet I rejoiced to see so many concerned 

grave Men and Women favouring the Dust of our Martyrs。  

There were Six of us concluded to bury them upon the 

Nineteenth Day of OCTOBER 1726; and every One of us to 

acquaint Friends of the Day and Hour; being WEDNESDAY; 

the Day of the Week on which most of them were executed; 

and at 4 of the Clock at Night; being the Hour that most 

of them went to their resting Graves。  We caused make a 

compleat Coffin for them in Black; with four Yards of 

fine Linen; the way that our Martyrs Corps were managed。 

。 。 。 Accordingly we kept the aforesaid Day and Hour; and 

doubled the Linen; and laid the Half of it below them; 

their nether jaws being parted from their Heads; but 

being young Men; their Teeth remained。  All were Witness 

to the Holes in each of their Heads; which the Hangman 

broke with his Hammer; and according to the Bigness of 

their Sculls; we laid the Jaws to them; and drew the 

other Half of the Linen above them; and stufft the Coffin 

with Shavings。  Some prest hard to go thorow the chief 

Parts of the City as was done at the Revolution; but this 

we refused; considering that it looked airy and frothy; 

to make such Show of them; and inconsistent with the 

solid serious Observing of such an affecting; surprizing 

unheard…of Dispensation: But took the ordinary Way of 

other Burials from that Place; to wit; we went east the 

Back of the Wall; and in at BRISTO…PORT; and down the Way 

to the Head of the COWGATE; and turned up to the Church…

yard; where they were interred closs to the Martyrs Tomb; 

with the greatest Multitude of People Old and Young; Men 

and Women; Ministers and others; that ever I saw 

together。'



And so there they were at last; in 'their resting 

graves。'  So long as men do their duty; even if it be 

greatly in a misapprehension; they will be leading 

pattern lives; and whether or not they come to lie beside 

a martyrs' monument; we may be sure they will find a safe 

haven somewhere in the providence of God。  It is not well 

to think of death; unless we temper the thought with that 

of heroes who despised it。  Upon what ground; is of small 

account; if it be only the bishop who was burned for his 

faith in the antipodes; his memory lightens the heart and 

makes us walk undisturbed among graves。  And so the 

martyrs' monument is a wholesome; heartsome spot in the 

field of the dead; and as we look upon it; a brave 

influence comes to us from the land of those who have won 

their discharge and; in another phrase of Patrick 

Walker's; got 'cleanly off the stage。'





CHAPTER VI。

NEW TOWN … TOWN AND COUNTRY。





IT is as much a matter of course to decry the New 

Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated 

authorities have picked out this quarter as the very 

emblem of what is condemnable in architecture。  Much may 

be said; much indeed has been said; upon the text; but to 

the unsophisticated; who call anything pleasing if it 

only pleases them; the New Town of Edinburgh seems; in 

itself; not only gay and airy; but highly picturesque。  

An old skipper; invincibly ignorant of all theories of 

the sublime and beautiful; once propounded as his most 

radiant notion for Paradise: 'The new town of Edinburgh; 

with the wind a matter of a point free。'  He has now gone 

to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant 

weather in the song; and perhaps his thoughts fly 

somewhat higher。  But there are bright and temperate days 

… with soft air coming from the inland hills; military 

music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens; 

the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street … 

when I have seen the town through a sort of glory; and 

shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor。  And 

indeed; for a man who has been much tumbled round 

Orcadian skerries; what scene could be more agreeable to 

witness?  On such a day; the valley wears a surprising 

air of festival。  It seems (I do not know how else to put 

my meaning) as if it were a trifle too good to be true。  

It is what Paris ought to be。  It has the scenic quality 

that would best set off a life of unthinking; open…air 

diversion。  It was meant by nature for the realisation of 

the society of comic operas。  And you can imagine; if the 

climate were but towardly; how all the world and his wife 

would flock into these gardens in the cool of the 

evening; to hear cheerful music; to sip pleasant drinks; 

to see the moon rise from behind Arthur's Seat and shine 

upon the spires and monuments and the green tree…tops in 

the valley。  Alas! and the next morning the rain is 

splashing on the windows; and the passengers flee along 

Princes Street before the galloping squalls。



It cannot be denied that the original design was 

faulty and short…sighted; and did not fully profit by the 

capabilities of the situation。  The architect was 

essentially a town bird; and he laid out the modern city 

with a view to street scenery; and to street scenery 

alone。  The country did not enter into his plan; he had 

never lifted his eyes to the hills。  If he had so chosen; 

every street upon the northern slope might have been a 

noble terrace and commanded an extensive and beautiful 

view。  But the space has been too closely built; many of 

the houses front the wrong way; intent; like the Man with 

the Muck…Rake; on what is not worth observation; and 

standing discourteously back…foremost in the ranks; and; 

in a word; it is too often only from attic…windows; or 

here and there at a crossing; that you can get a look 

beyond the city upon its diversified surroundings。  But 

perhaps it is all the more surprising; to come suddenly 

on a corner; and see a perspective of a mile or more of 

falling street; and beyond that woods and villas; and a 

blue arm of sea; and the hills upon the farther side。



Fergusson; our Edinburgh poet; Burns's model; once 

saw a butterfly at the Town Cross; and the sight inspired 

him with a worthless little ode。  This painted country 

man; the dandy of the rose garden; looked far abroad in 

such a humming neighbourhood; and you can fancy what 

moral considerations a youthful poet would supply。  But 

the incident; in a fanciful sort of way; is 

characteristic of the place。  Into no other city does the 

sight of the country enter so far; if you do not meet a 

butterfly; you shall certainly catch a glimpse of far…

away trees upon your walk; and the place is full of 

theatre tricks in the way of scenery。  You peep under an 

arch; you descend stairs that look as if they would land 

you in a cellar; you turn to the back…window of a grimy 

tenement in a lane:… and behold! you are face…to…face 

with distant and bright prospects。  You turn a corner; 

and there is the sun going down into the Highland hills。  

You look down an alley; and see ships tacking for the 

Baltic。



For the country people to see Edinburgh on her hill…

tops; is one thing; it is another for the citizen; from 

the thick of hi

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