Diary of John Nicoll

Diary of John Nicoll is in Stewart Books.

4th January 1661. Upone Fryday the fourt of Januar, and the fourt day of the Parliament, they aggreyit that thair fould be Lordis [of] Articles, as in former Parliamentis. And furder, red a Declaration of his Majefteis will and command that the Erle of Montros his corps, his heid, legis, and airmes fould be gadderit togidder, quhilkis wer feparat from his body in Maij 1650, and collecit and brocht from all places and pairtes of the cuntrie, quhairunto thai wer fent by ordour of the Parliament than fitting, and put up in a coffin and honorablie bureyit upone the Kinges Majefteis expends; quhilk wes punctallie performit in maner following.

7th January 1661. For, upone Monday thaireftir, being the fevint of Januar 1661, the magiftrates and counfell of Edinburgh caufit the timber and fklaites nerreft to that pairt of the Tolbuitli quhair the Erles heid was pricked and fixt to be takin doun, and maid a lairge fcaffold thairon, quhair findry pepill and trumpettoris founding wer placed, wayting thair difcoverit till his corps wer raifit, and brocht in from the Burrow mure. In the meintyme, the Toun of Edinburgh airlie, about nyne in the clok, fet out four of thair captanes with thair companyes, all of thame in thair airmes and difplayit cullouris; quha, eftir a lang fpace marching up and doun the ftreitis, went out thaireftir to the Burrow mure quhair his corps wer bureyit, and quhair findry nobles and gentrie, his freindis and favorites, both hors and fute, wer thair attending; and thair, in prefence of findry nobles, erles, lordis, barones, and utheris convenit for the tyme, his graif wes raifit, his body and bones takin out, and wrappit up in curious clothes, and put in a coffin, quhilk, under a cannopy of riche velwet, wer careyit from the Burrow mure to the Toun of Edinburgh; the nobles, barones, and gentrie on hors, the Toun of Edinburgh, and many thowfandis befyde, convoyit these corpis all along, the cullouris fleying, drumes towking, trumpettis founding, mufketis craking, and cannones from the caftell roring; all of thame walking on till thai come to the Tolbuith of Edinburgh, fra the quhilk his heid wes very honorablie and with all dew refpectis takin doun and put within the coffin under the cannopie with great acclamatioun of joy; all this tyme the trumpettis, the drumes, cannounes, gunes, the difplayit cullouris, geving honor to these deid corps. From thence, all of thame, both hors and fute, convoyit these deid corps to the Abay kirk of Halyrudhous, quhair he is left inclofit in ane yll, till farder ordour be by his Majeftie and Eftaites of Parliament for the lolempnitie of his buriall.

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Heir is to be obfervit a great chaynge, for this noble Erle wes condempnit, forfaltit, hangit, lieidit, and quarterit in the moneth of Maij 1650, his heid hung up upone the heid of the Tolbuith of Edinburgh, his twa legs and twa airmes fent to Glafgow, Sterling, St. Johneftoun, and Abirdene, and hung up thair as a traitour to the king and kingdome; and now, at this Parliament, his body and bones gadderit togidder, and careyed along to be heireftir honorablie bureyit, as his Majeftie and Eftaites of this prefent Parliament fall think expedient; and thairfoir, it maybe faid with the Pfalmift, "Oh that men wald prais the Lord for his guidnes, and for his wondrous workis to the chyldrene of men."

11th January 1661. Thair was Lordis Commiffioneris for Tredis, Navigatioun, Manufactoureis, Billis and complayntes, eftablifched upone the ellevint day of Januar 1661; as alfo, ane Act, asserting his Majefteis royall prerogative in calling and diffolving of Parliaments and Conventiones of Eftaites by himfelf or his Commiffioner, and declaring no actis nor lawis to be binding bot fuch as haif the aflent of his Majeftie or commiffioner, and refcinding all the actis maid fince the yeir 1640 in the contrare, as lykewayis repelling all actis eftablifching trienniall Parliamentis; Act declaring it to belong to his Majefteis royall prerogative to eleft Officeris of eftait, Lordis of Privy Counfell and Seffion, and repelling all aftis in the contrare:— these actis wer inacted befoir the ellevint day of Januar 1661.

1st January 1661. We find in the Inglifche Diurnell, that Charles, fone to his Royall hynes James Duke of York (age 27), (onlie brother to our lord the King) wes, upone the firft day of this moneth of Januar, baptized by Gilbert Lord Bifhop of Lundon, at Worchefter hous, quhair wes prefent his Majeftie himfelf; quho, with the Duke of Albemarle (age 52), wer the two godfatheris, and the Marchiones of Ormond (age 45) godmother; thair being alfo prefent his heynes Prince Rupert (age 41), the Lord Heigh Treafaurer, the Lord Stewart, and Lord Chalmerland of his Majefteis counfall, with many uther perfonages of honor, befyde the Lord Heigh Chancellar (age 51) himfelf, father to hir heynes Anne Dutches of York (age 23), quho that fame nycht fuped with the Quene, and the nixt day dyned with his Majeftie and his hynes the Duke of York (hir hulband) in the prefence chalmer at Quhytehall. And now the good pepill of England haif thair wifches, feing thai lie a grandchyld of that verteous king, Charles the Confeffor and martyre, borne in England, quhome it hath pleafed his Majeftie to creat Duke of Cambridge; and a Dutches of York of thair awin cuntrie, and of thair awin religion.

6th January 1661. Upone the fex, fevint, nynt dayis of Januar foirfaid, these phanatik and rebellious crowell Inglifches, difpyleris of monarchy, did ryfe in feverall pairtes of the citie of Lundoun, of purpos to kill the Duke of York and Duke Albemarlie (age 52). They appeared fumtyme in fome fmall bodyes at the Royall Exchange, and at Sant Paullis; bot, being furprifed by the trayned bandis befoir thair number wes confiderable, eftir fum chaynge of fchott, quhairin fum fell upone both fydes, these blafphemeris and rebellis quicklie threw doun airmes, and fled feverall wayis, and findry takin priffoneris, and fcandalous treafonable paperis fund in thair pocketis.

6th January 1661. Befoir thai fell to this thair bloodie work, they haid a fermond upone Settirday [Sunday] the fext of Januar, preached by ane Venner, quho ftirred thame up to fight for King Jefus, alluring thame that one fould chaife ten, and ten fould chaife a thowfand; and in thair Declaratioun they tell that thair enymeis (quhicli love trewth and peace) fould not be able to touch ane hair of thair heid;— and much moir to this purpos. Bot the Mair of Lundone being advertifed a lytill befoir, did chafe thame from place to place till eftir ellevin at nycht. About 12 of the clok, about threttie or fourtie of these wer met by fum of the trayned bandis fent furth by the Lord Maior. these bandis baid the rebellis Hand, and the rebellis alkit the trayned band, "Quho they wer for?" quho anfuered, "For God and King Charles," and the rebellis replyed, "And we ar [for] King Jefus." At the fame tyme, they fyred upone the citizens, quho gave them the fame reply; quhairby fum men wer killed, at quhich fum reteired, and the rebellis fufpeding releiff cuming to the trayned band, retreated toward Aldergait; quhair having forced the watche at the Gait, went to Quhyte Croce ftreit; quhair being interupted, went on and killed the conftable, wounded the poore belman and feverall utheris thair, and in feverall uther pairtes as thai paffed. About this tyme, another partie appered of the rebellis at Bifchopegait, Cane wood, Leadenhall, and uther pairtes about, quhair findry of thame wer difeuft. The reft fled, and hes takin thamefelfis, fum to wodis, utheris to the feildis, and mony killed on both fydes, and numberis of the rebellis fecured and impriffoned.

At this tyme, viz. 8 Januar, Sir Arthour Hafilrig died in the Tour, priffoner; a traitour.

At this time alfo of these rebellis infurrection, his Majeftie wes conducting his Royall mother to Portifmouth, being than palling over to France. Since his returne to Quhytehall, thair is fyftie noblemen and gentilmen of each of the thrie natiounes apoyntit to keip gaird at the Court. Sindry of thir former phanatick rebellis being apprehendit, haif confeffed that thair is a pairtie of the lait difbandit officeris, fouldieris, and utheris, full of difcontent and feditious purposes, and a refolutioun¹ to attempt, &c.

Note 1. Nicoll has here repeated verbatim lines 10 to 19 of page 313, ending with " disbandit."

The noyfe of thir broyles cuming to the knawledge of his heynes, Hie Commiffioner and Chancellar of Scotland, emittit a proclamatioun by found of trumpet, difcharging all that haid hand in the Remonftrance and Proteftatioun af the Toun of Edinburgh, and not to apeir within 10 myles to the Court of Parliament, under the payne of impriffonement and farder punifchement. The Toun of Edinburgh, alfo, did double thair gairdis and watches at this tyme, being informed that thair wes heir in Edinburgh and about findry difaffected pepill.

17th January 1661. Upone the 17 of Januar 1661, the Laird of Ardkinglas and McCondochy [of Inner]raw wer denuncit ribellis, and put to the horne as fugitives, being warnit to appeir befoir this Parliament, and diffobeyand.

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The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Eftir thir broyles and plottis by the phanatick and feditious pairtie in England, these prented paperis wer emittit, intitulat, "By the King, a Proclamatioun prohibiting all unlauchfull and feditious Meetingis and Conventicles under pretence of Religious Worlhip²."

Note 2. Dated from Whitehall, "10th January 1660 Stilo Anglico, but Stilo Scotico 1661."

2nd January 1661. In the laft yeiris Obfervationes, anno 1660, it is recordit, how that the Royall princefs of Orange depairtit this lyff in England upone the 23 day of December laft 1660; quha is now honorablie bureyed at the chapell callit Henry the fevint his Chappell, refervit as a buriall [place] for that Royall familie. these funerallis wer folempnized upone the fecond day of Januar this yeir 1661.

Execution of the Fifth Monarchists

[19th January 1661] Numberis of these foirnamed plotteris wer takin, fum of thame hangit; utheris hangit, heidit, and quarterit; fo, of many hundrethis, few of thame efcapit.

In this Parliament now fitting at Edinburgh, in the moneth of Januar 1661, many materis wer debaited, quhilkes, being many and langfum, requyres much wryting, and thairfoir I remitt thame to the prented Actis quhilk by authoritie ar to be prented. Bot becaus it may fall out, that the Oath underwrittin, takin be all memberis of this Parliament, may be omittit, it is thocht glide that the oath takin of every ane of thame, fall be infert heirintill ad futuram rei memoriam³.

Note 3. The Oath here referred to is printed in the Acts of Parliament, vol. vii. p. 7.

Execution of Deceased Regicides

[28th January 1661] The tyme of this Parliament, viz. in Januar 1661, thele odious carcages of Oliver Cromwell, Henry Iretoun, and Johnne Braidfchaw, wer takin out of thair graves, layd upon feverall kairtes, drawn and dragged to Tyborne, pulled out of thair coffynes, and hangit up at the feverall angellis of that tripill trie, quhair thai hang till the fun wes doun; thaireftir thai wer cut doun, thair heidis cuttit of, and thair loathfum carcages caffin in to ane deep hoill under the gallous, and thair heidis put up on poles.

The Marques of Ergyll being at this tyme chargit to appeir befoir the Parliament, to anfuer for his bypaft cariage, and for his many horrible facttis committit aganes the name of Lamound, M‘Coull of Lome, the Laird of Appyn, the gentillmen of Clandonald, and findry utheris inhabitantes within the boundis of Ergyll, Lome, Kintyre, and Yles; quhais lybellis and complayntes many fcheittis of paper could not contene, the dittayis and paperis gevin in aganes him being lang, contening materis of horride and heigh treafone; his defyre wes to employ the belt and molt learned laweris in Edinburgh, for thair concurrance with him in his defence aganes thofe perfutes. Lot all of thame refuifand, he was forcit to fupplicat the Parliament that thai mycht be pleafed to appoynt fum certane number of advocattis to confult in that heich buffines, and to concure with him in his defence aganes these perfutes; quha appoyntit for that end these advocattis following; to witt, Judge Ker, Mr. Andro Birny, Mr. Robert Birnet, Mr. George M‘Kenzie, Mr. Johnne Cwnynghame, Mr. George Norvell.

13th February 1661. Upone Weddinfday the 13 day of Februar 1661, the Marques of Ergyll (age 53), being prilfoner in the Caftell of Edinburgh, was callit for to anfuer to findry poyntis of horrid treafone, and, in his douncuming to the Parliament, wes gairdit with a number of mulketeiris; and thair, eftir fum fmall debaitt quhidder he fould be fuffered to fpeik befoir the reiding of the indictment; it wes caryed in the negative aganes him. So the accufation wes red, quhich wes of fourtene articles of treafone, and heich and liynous treafone, and being demandit Giltie or No Giltie; befoir he anfuered he had a long harangue, much relating to purge him felff by folempne oathes and proteftationes that he was frie of his Majefteis blood, that of the Marques of Huntleis and Montrois, as alfo of the Duke of Hammiltoun. He pretendit want of tyme to confult the proces with his advocattis, and fo the Parliament hath given him the 26 of this moneth of Februar, to prepare his defencis aganelt that tyme. Then the Lord Proveft of Edinburgh, wes ordored to returne him priffoner to the Caftell, quhilk wes reallie performit by a ftrong gaird of mulketeiris. Yit eftir this day, viz. the 26 day of Februar, upone the Marques fuplication to the Counfell, the Eftates of Parliament wer pleafit to grante a farder day to advyfe and confult his proces with his advocattis, viz. to the 5 of Marche thaireftir.

At this tyme, our gentrie of Scotland did luik with fuch gallant and joyfull countenances, as gif thai haid bene the fones of princes; the beaftes alfo of the feild, the numberis of the fifches of the fea, and flowers of the feild, did manifeft Godis goodnes towardis this kingdome; and it wes the joy of this natioun to behold the flower of this kingdome, quhich for famony yeiris hath bene overcloudit, and now to fie thame upone brave horfes, pranfing in thair acultomat places, in tilting, ryneing of races, and fuchlyke, the lyke quhairof wes nevir fene in mony fkoiris of yeiris befoir.

The pure fwanis alfo, quhais wonted habitatioun wes in the Loch at the north fyde of Lythgow, tuik banifchment upone thame at the incuming of these Inglilche ufurperis, and did feik another domicile, by the fpace of ten yeiris, and nevir returned till the Kinges Majeftie returned to England, and wes proclamed King.

Another thing obfervabill is this, these Inglifche ufurperis biggit up a ftrong citidall in the Toun of Peerth, and upone the poirt thairof wer placed the airmes of the pretendit Commonwelth. Out of the fame pairt of the wall quhair the fcutcheon wes fixed, thair did in Apryle laft 1660, a thriflell cum furth, quhair [which] befoir the midle of Maij thaireftir did over grow these airmes of the Commonweltli. It is weill knawn, that the thriffell is ane of the Royall cognizancis of our Croun and Baidge of Scotland, with this impreflion, Nemo me immune laceffit.

In Marche 1661, a Proclamation aganes the phanatik minilteris in Yreland, difcharging the pepill in Scotland to refave thame in thair famileis, till thai intimat thair cuming to the magiftrat.

The trew relation of the Marques of Montrois funerallis:

Firft, It wald be remembred, that upone the 21 day of Maij 1650 the Marques, being his Majefteis capitane-generall of his airmy over Scotland, wes condempnit, hangit, heidit, and quarterit, for alledgit ryling in airmes aganeft the King and cuntrey, as my former paperis of that yeiris Obfervationes will moir fullie proport; for this caus he and ftndry utheris, his freindis and favoreris, wer crowelly execute under pretext of a law, (as wes alledgit). Bot eftir his Majefteis returne to his governament of his thrie kingdomes, quhilk wes in Maij 1660, having takin to his confideration the deip fufferingis of that noble man, his Majeftie wes plealit to confer all poflible honores upone that honorable perfone, and for that effect, ordaned his Parliament heir in Scotland, than fittand in Januar 1661, to caus thame pas ane act for taking up his bones from the Burrow Mure, quhair he wes laid at the gallous, and to gader from all the pairtes of the kingdome the reft of his memberis, quhilkis wer fent to Glafgow, Sterling, Peerth, and Abirdene; — Quhilk wes accordinglie done and brocht to Edinburgh, quhair his heid wes takin doun from the Tolbuitli thairof, quhairon it wes affixt, and all of thame togider put in ane coffin and careyit moft honorablie, with all folempniteis requifite, to the Abay kirk of Halyrudhous, thair to remayn till the day of his funerallis fould be compleit in a moft folempne maner; as is fpecifeit in my laft paper, writtin in Januar laft 1661.

The tyme appoyntit for the folempnitie of his funerallis being cum, quhilk wes upone Settirday the elevint day of Maij 1661, his bones wer brocht bale agane from the Abay church to St. Geillis kirk of Edinburgh, at the bak of the tomb quhair his grandfehir wes buryed, and thair buryed him in maner following: — In the firft, the haill inhabitantes of Edinburgh, Cannogait, Potterraw, and Welt Port, being all in armour, to the number of 23 companyes, with thair difplayit baneris, gairdit the Toun of Edinburgh and Cannogait, on both fydes of the ftreit, from the kirk of Halyrudhous to the kirk of St. Geillis in Edinburgh. His Majefteis leiff gaird of hors, in the firft place, ryding alongs on thair hors bak, with thair carabines at thair fadillis, and thair drawin fwordis in thair handis, to the number of 160; nixt unto thame, 26 young boyis, all cled in murning habites from thair crounes and top of thair heidis to thair heillis, careying his airmes and uther branches of his familie; thairefter, marched up the proveft, bailleis, and counfell of Edinburgh, all in murning habites; and nixt unto thame, the burrowis and barones that wer memberis of Parliament; then came a gentillman all cled in bricht airmour on horfbak, with a trumpettour befoir him, ryding in a new fute of the Marques livray, and ane led hors behind him; thaireftir, come 18 gentill men, fum of thame careying in thair handis long baneris of honor, and utheris careying his fpures, gloves, breift and bak pece, all of airmour, on the poyntes of long ftaves; thaireftir, come ane led hors covered with his ryche broydered mantle, quhairwith he and his predicefforis wer wont to ryde at parliamentis, and his allakay richlie cled with liveray and airmes on breift and bak; then come the flour of the nobilitie all in good ordor; then the haill heraldis and purfevantis in thair koates of airmes, many of thame careying feverall honouris in thair handis; eftir thame came ane led hors all covered in blak; eftir him come the Lord Lyoun with his koat of airmes; thaireftir come many of the Marques freindis, all of thame in murning, and every ane of thame careying fum honoris in thair handis, one of thame haifand his parliament rob careying, ane uther a croun on a velwot cufcheon under a craip, and fum utheris with feverall foirtes of honores in thair handis; then come the corps and bones in a coffin, careyed under a riche paill, careyed by many honorable lordis and gentill men, with fex trumpetis all founding befoir; then came many noble ladyes cled all in murning behind the paill; eftir thame come the Erie of Middletoun, his Majelteis Commiffioner, in a koatche with fex hors, all cled in murning, and his koatche cled over in blak, none being in koatche bot himfelff, and the Lord Ramfay fitting in the bute bairheidit careying his commiffion; — the haill bellis of Edinburgh and Cannogait ringand all the tyme. Then come ten gentillmen careying each of thame in thair handis long flages, and uther peces of honor on the endis of long ftaves, befoir the bones of the Laird of Dalgatie, quhais bones wer raifed with the faid Marques from the Burrow Mure, quho wes alfo layd in the Abay kirk, as being beheadit for being in airmes with the Marques for the lait King; then nixt to these honores come two trumpettouris founding; eftir thame come the bones in a coffin, careyed by mony honorable gentillmen, with many epitaphes, and uther paynted paperis thairupone; and fo wes caryed in to the faid Yle of St. Geillis kirk, and layd on the rycht fyde of the faid noble Marques.

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13th May 1661. Upone the 13 day of Maij 1661, Sir Archibald Johnneftoun of Waryftoun (age 50), lait Clerk Regifter, being forfait in this Parliament, and being fugitive fra the lawis of this kingdome for his trefonable actis, he was firft oppinlie declairit traitour in face of Parliament, thaireftir, the Lord Lyon king at airmes, with four heraldis and fex trumpetteris, went to the Mercat Croce [Map] of Edinburgh, and thair maid publict intimation of his forfaltrie and treafon, rave afunder his airmes, and trampled thame under thair feet, and kuift a number of thame over the Croce, and affixt ane of thame upone the height of the great ftane, to remayne thair to the publict view of all the beholderis. Thir airmes wer croced bakward, his heid being put dounmeft and his feet upmeft.