History of Leith, Edinburgh

The first verse reads: ‘Ye envious Critics, try an’ guess my name : / Thousands of times ye’ve seen an’ heard the same : / Millions of times ye’ve given me offence, / But I must say, it’s for the want of sense.’ It was published by William Smith of 3 Bristo Port, Edinburgh, and includes an elaborate illustration of a showman surrounded by interested onlookers. for more click here

5 Agust 1630 zeirs.—Ordained Jn hunter
distracted of his wytte to be put in a darke
howse and shekels to be put on hime & entertained
wt vivers.
(Note.—The Kirk-Session must have regarded this
insane man as dangerous, and it was common until
quite lately to put shackles on such persons. ” Vivers ”
means provisions.)

source-South Leith Records

30 Novr. 1647.—Forsameikle as heirtofor
ye hospital compts (i.e., accounts) haith been
wryttin in pieces of paper and not in a compt
booke Therefor it was ordained yis day that yr
be two bookes bought to insert and registrat ye
said compts yrin adfuturam rei memoriam qrof
ane to be keepit be ye maisters of ye hospital
and ye uyr to be keepit be ye sessione and yr
succeiding clercks to wryt ye same.
(Note.—The Masters of the Hospital have often
been charged with loose book-keeping. In addition
to the fault here referred to it is said that the endowments
of the Hospital were gradually alienated by the
Session to members of their own body. It is certainly
the case that although the Hospital owns large tracts
of land in the town, covered with valuable buildings,
the feu-duties received from these are merely nominal.
A more enlightened administration would have made
of King James’ Hospital a wealthy institution similar
to the Heriot Trust or the Trinity Hospital in Edinburgh.
About this time the Hospital was appropriated
for the reception of aged women.)

source-South Leith Records

30 of Octor. 1647.—It was statut and
ordained yat ye Sessione sould be everie twisday
efter sermone and ye contracts to be upo ye
frydays efter sermone imediately and at ye
uptaking of ye parties names ane of or pastors
salbe pnt with ye thesaurer and ye clerck and
yat ye thesaurer receave and keep ye pands in
tymes coming and make compt yrof.
(Note.—The uptaking of names for proclamation
was known as the marriage “contract,” and a pawn
or pledge had to be consigned as security that the
marriage would be duly solemnized.)

source-South Leith Records

8 Octor. 1647.—Our Bailies James Eilies
and David Wilkie giftit to our Kirk Sessione
yis day ane silver Laver for the use of ye Kirk
of South Leith.
Ordains that ye silver warke, viz.:—The
two great bassins, the four great coups and yis
laver be dely vered to Jhone bowie pnt thesaurer
as also ye lining clothes yat appertains to ye
kirke.
(Note.—This handsome Laver or Basin made of
hammered Silver is the baptismal basin of the Church,
and continues to be in constant use. The rim, which
is flat, bears this inscription—”Gifted to the South
Kirk of Leith by James Rucheid and James Elles and
David Vilkie Bailies 1647.”)

source-South Leith Records

8 Febr. 1648. — Jhone Bowy our pnt
thesaurer was yis day elected and choysen
bailie of St Anthons for to hold courts and
collecting in of ye few duties and yearly rentes
yat appertains to our Sessione and preceptors
of St Anthons Desyrs yat yr be a court of
St Anthons holdin heir in ye sessions house
upo fryday come 8 dayes for collecting in of ye
few mealls (i.e., rents) forsaid etc.

source-South Leith Records

22 Febr. 1648.—William Trotter and
umqll James barnes who were bailies in anno
1646 gave in yis day to or sessione ane great
silver coupe for ye use of or Kirk.
The sessione desyred . . . to go to
Wm. Trotter and to ye freindes and aires of
ye said James barnes and render ym Thanks
for ye same.
(Note.—The church possesses two handsome old
silver cups with the following inscription round the lip
of each—”Dilexi Jehova Decorum Domus Tuae South
Leith.” Round the foot of the one mentioned in this
minute the following words are engraved — “Givin
to the Sout Kirk of Leith be William Trotter and
James Barnes bailies in tyme of pest anno 1645.”
These cups are still passed from hand to hand on
Communion Sundays. Bailie William Trotter belonged
to the Mortonhall family.)

source-South Leith Records

The Barbary pirates, sometimes called Barbary corsairs or Ottoman corsairs, were pirates and privateers who operated from North Africa, based primarily in the ports of Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers. This area was known in Europe as the Barbary Coast, a term derived from the name of its Berber inhabitants. Their predation extended throughout the Mediterranean, south along West Africa’s Atlantic seaboard and even South America,and into the North Atlantic as far north as Iceland, but they primarily operated in the western Mediterranean. In addition to seizing ships, they engaged in Razzias, raids on European coastal towns and villages, mainly in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, but also in the British Isles, the Netherlands and as far away as Iceland. The main purpose of their attacks was to capture Christian slaves for the Islamic market in North Africa and the Middle East. for more click here

James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose (25 October 1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed. From 1644 to 1646, and again in 1650, he fought a civil war in Scotland on behalf of the King and is generally referred to in Scotland as simply “the Great Montrose”. for more click here

The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century. Presbyterian denominations tracing their history to the Covenanters and often incorporating the name continue the ideas and traditions in Scotland and internationally.

They derive their name from the term covenant after the covenant sworn by Israel in the Old Testament. There were two important covenants in Scottish history, the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant. for more click here