two hundred who were drowned off the Orkneys; nor
so much as a poor, over-driven, Covenanting slave
in the American plantations; but can lay claim to
a share in that memorial, and, if such things interest
just men among the shades, can boast he has a monument
on earth as well as Julius Caesar or the Pharaohs.
Where they may all lie, I know not. Far-scattered
bones, indeed! But if the reader cares to learn
how some of them — or some part of some of
them — found their way at length to such honourable
sepulture, let him listen to the words of one who
was their comrade in life and their apologist when
they were dead. Some of the insane controversial
matter I omit, as well as some digressions, but leave
the rest in Patrick Walker’s language and orthography:-
’The never to be forgotten Mr. James Renwick
told me, that he was Witness to their Public
Murder at the GALLOWLEE, between Leith and Edinburgh,
when he saw the Hangman hash and hagg off all their
Five Heads, with Patrick FOREMAN’S Right
Hand: Their Bodies were all 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
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