Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 10.djvu/387

 ii s. x. NOV. H, i9i4.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

381

LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1!,, 19 U.

CONTENTS.-No. 255.

NOTES: Yesterdays in Old Edinburgh, 381 Inscriptions in the Ancien Citnetiere, Mentone, 383 William Browne, Vitalis, and Apuleius, 384 Words in Thomas Lodge's 'Wits Miserie" " Wearie verie meanes," 'As You Like It,' 385 Wordsworth and 'The Cambridge History of English Literature 'Memorial to Spurgeon " Daud "= George " Deratization " Thos. Holcroft: the Countess de Marsac "Forlorn Hope"=Skinnishers, 386.

QUERIES: -The Greek Church in London, 386 Bismarck

ifcol

Maker Authors of Quotations Wanted Manuscript Diary of Francis Lynn Biographical Information Wanted, 387 The Height of St. Paul's Old Etonians Jane Austen and Columella The Germans Complete Versions Wanted Sir Thomas Bernard, Bart. : Francis E. Paget^Pierce Power Heart locked with a Key, 388 Vanished London Trees in Moorfields " Magna est veritas " Cardiff Newspapers Author Wanted Chats- worth The Apocrypha : Story of Judith Thomas Skot- towe, 389 'Conquest of Canterbury Court ' Anthony Herenden William Philips, 390.

BEPLIES : Dene-holes, 390" Private Hotels "Frederick Family of Old Jewry Rumney Diggle and Leonora ffrederick, 391 -Helmet worn at Flodden Field Field- ing : Sack and " the usual words " Latin Jingles, 392 Adelaide Procter's Mother Walter Scott History of England with Riming Verses" Cordwainer "Seventh hild of a Seventh Child, 393-Ozias Humphry "Mr. B ck" and "Black D " Lamb's 'Mr. H ,' 394 Thomas Arrowsmith, Artist Elkanah Settle, 395 Law against cutting Ash Trees Use of Military 'Titles Trance and England Quarterly Poets' Birthplaces, 396 Magistrates wearing Hats Dunstable Larks Sir Thomas Browne and his Books "Brother Johannes" Place- Names : Sin-ape, Thrunge, 397.

TfOTES ON BOOKS : 'The Bayeux Tapestry 'The John Rylands Bulletin ' Bruges' 'A Social History of Ancient Ireland' ' Book-Prices Current' 'Miscellanea Genea- logica ' ' The Burlington.'

Booksellers' Catalogues.

YESTEKDAYS IN OLD EDINBURGH. AN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY TRADER.

IN the Royal Mile of the city of Edinburgh, an the days of long ago, many notables had their location. The district was closely congested, but in that area there was much that was associated with the political history of the country and the municipal records of the city of Edinburgh.

It was in Mylne Square that the mer- chants to be referred to had their place of business. It was not confined to one branch of trade, but might be looked upon as a store where articles of every description could be purchased. There the brothers Lindesay had their place of merchandise.

The family originally hailed from Inver- eskendy in the parish of Edzell, and must have come to Edinburgh towards the end

of the seventeenth century. That they had entered the service of the city is shown by the fact that Robert was second Bailie in 1732, and Alexander third Bailie in 1733. The latter had been married some six years prior to that, and as an example of the proclamation of marriage prevalent at the time his may be quoted :

Edinb', 7 March, 1727.

That Alex* Lindesay, son to the deceast M r John Lindesay of Invereskendy, iu the parish of Edzell, and Margaret Lindesay, daughter to the Deceast George Lindesay of Lethnot, are orderly proclaimed through sea" Churches of this City three sea" Lords Days in order to marriage, and no objections made why the same may not be solemnized, is certified by

J. LENNOX, Sess. Clerk. One of the Edinburgh family was Com- missioner at Swinside in Roxburghshire for the Duke of Roxburghe, and a son of his, who had received his education in Edin- burgh, afterwards became Provost of the Royal Burgh of Jedburgh. At first his intention had been to go abroad, as may be gathered from the following letter, the writer of which was a partner in the banking house of Coutts Brothers & Co., which at the time had its premises on the second floor of the President's Stairs, Parliament Close, Edinburgh. The letter was to the Earl of Panmure, and is as follows :

MY LORD, M r Bobert Lindesay, who delivers this letter to you, is the son of a very worthy man in the country, who has a good many friends in Angus, and connected with a good many of your Lordship's friends in that county. I have therefore promised to recommend him to your Lordship, as your Lordship giving him a little countenance may be of great use to him. The young lad has been educated as a surgeon here, and goes abroad to endeavour, I presume, to get into some employment in the hospitalls. He has carried with him several recommendations, par- ticularly to his chief the Earl of Crawfurd. I beg your Lordship will forgive the freedom I use, and I am, my Lord, your Lor'p'a most obedt. humble servt. JOHN COUTTS.

Edinburgh, April, 1748.

What the influencing reasons are is not known, but young Lindesay, if he went abroad, did not finally settle there. The father's home being near Jedburgh, it is natural to suppose the idea of his starting as a surgeon in the county town would find favour with the family. At any rate, he did so, and evidently was able to build up a good practice and occupy a good position, for he was elected to the office of Provost about 1777. It was the daughter of this man, Isabella, who so captivated the poet Robert Burns while on his Border tour in 1787. But to return to the city, and review the affairs of the merchant brothers.