Domestic Annals of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution, Volume 2 (of 2)Chambers, Robert
History
Domestic Annals of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution, Volume 2 (of 2)
Chambers, Robert
Scotland -- History -- 16th century; Scotland -- History -- 17th century
would leave the Grassmarket for Inverness every Tuesday, God willing,
but on Wednesday _whether or no_.’
[Sidenote: 1667.]
The interest connected with this important institution may perhaps
justify the preservation of one or two notices in themselves trivial.
February 20, 1668, a complaint was made to the Privy Council by certain
Edinburgh merchants, against Robert Mean, as to his charges of 1d. for
each single, 2d. for each double, and 3d. upon each triple letter,
in addition to the former dues of 4d., 8d., &c., and Robert was
peremptorily ordered to discontinue these extra charges.--_P. C. R._
In August 1672, Anna Keith, relict of John Wales, keeper of the
Letter-office in Aberdeen, complained to the Privy Council against
the magistrates of Aberdeen, for having, on her husband’s death,
extruded her from the office, in contravention of the contract between
them and her husband, which provided that, in the event of his death
before the expiration of the seven years engaged for, his heirs and
representatives were to have the option of carrying on the business, by
providing a qualified substitute. The magistrates had gone so far as
to incarcerate Mrs Wales’s servants for going about their duties, ‘and
by touk of drum discharged all persons from employing the complainer
any further in the said office.’ They had also conferred the office
on another person, without waiting to set it up to auction, ‘though
several of the burgesses did offer considerably for the same.’ The
Council replaced Mrs Wales in her husband’s office.--_P. C. R._
There is a whimsical incongruity in the connection of a Graham of
Inchbrakie with a thing of such modern and commercial associations
as the Post-office. Patrick--his common name was ‘Black Pate’--was
a semi-Highland cavalier of the purest lustre. It was at his house,
situated on the skirts of the Highlands, that Montrose had raised his
meteor-like standard in 1644. The trouble he had given to the lords of
the Covenant and to Cromwell could only be rewarded at the Restoration
with this office, which in 1674 descended to his younger son John.
One could scarcely imagine a more heterogeneous assemblage of ideas
than that of Montrose’s friend as postmaster-general, and the son of
the lady who threw the anti-prelatic stool in 1637 as keeper of the
Edinburgh office under him.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: APR.]
[Sidenote: 1667.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account