Power and the people: a volatile mixture

"The French were hardly dealt with in their purchases; and whenever they wanted to buy horses, they were asked, for what was worth only ten florins, sixty and a hundred: with difficulty could they be found at that price besides, whenever their servants went out to forage, they were indeed permitted to load their horses with as much as they could pack up and carry, but they were waylaid on their return, and villainously beaten, robbed and sometimes slain, insomuch that no varlet dared go out foraging for fear of death.

"When the admiral and his barons, knights and squires were returned to the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, they suffered from famine, as they could scarcely procure provision for their money. Upon this many knights and squires obtained a passage to France, and returned through Flanders, or wherever they could land, famished, and without arms or horses, cursing Scotland, and the hour they had set foot there. They said they had never suffered so much in any expedition, and wished the King of France would make a truce with the English for two or three years, and then march to Scotland and utterly destroy it: for never had they seen such wicked people, nor such ignorant hypocrites and traitors."

The Union of the Crowns, March 24, 1603 By Robert Carey A few hours after the death of Queen Elizabeth, Robert Carey, a warden of the marches responsible for border security, set out from London to bring the news to her nephew James VI that he was now king of England as well as Scotland.

"The Queen grew worse and worse. There was no hope of her recovery, because she refused all remedies. On Wednesday, the 23rd of March, she grew speechless. That afternoon, by signs, she called for her Council, and by putting her hand to her head, when the King of Scots was named to succeed her, they all knew he was the man she desired should reign after her.

"About six at night she made signs for the Archbishop and her Chaplains to come to her, at which time I went in with them, and sat upon my knees full of tears to see that heavy sight. I went to my lodging, and left word with one in the Cofferer's chamber to call me, if that night it was thought she would die, and gave the porter an angel a coin to let me in any time when I called. Between one and two of the clock on Thursday morning, he that I left in the Cofferer's chamber brought me word the Queen was dead.

"That Friday night I came to my own house at Witherington, and presently took order with my deputies to see the borders kept in quiet, which they had much to do: and gave order the next morning the King of Scotland should be proclaimed King of England.

"Very early on Saturday I took horse for Edinburgh, and came to Norham about twelve at noon, so that I might well have been with the King at supper time: but I got a great fall by the way, and my horse with one of his heels gave me a great blow on the head that made me shed much blood. It made me so weak that I was forced to ride a soft pace after, so that the King was newly gone to bed by the time that I knocked at the gate.

"I was quickly led in, and carried up to the King's chamber. I kneeled by him, and saluted him by his title of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. He gave me his hand to kiss, and bade me welcome. After he had long discoursed of the manner of the Queen's sickness and of her death, he asked what letters I had from the Council? I told him, none. And yet I had brought him a blue ring from a fair lady, that I hoped would give him assurance of the truth that I had reported. He took it and looked upon it, and said, It is enough: I know by this you are a true messenger.' Then he committed me to the charge of my Lord Home, and gave straight command that I should want nothing. He sent for his chirurgeons surgeons to attend me, and when I kissed his hand at my departure he said to me these gracious words: I know you have lost a near kinswoman, and a loving mistress; but take here my hand, I will be as good a master to you, and will requite this service with honour and reward.' "So I left him that night, and went with my Lord Hume to my lodging, where I had all things fitting for so weary a man as I was. After my head was dressed, I took leave of my Lord and many others that attended me, and went to my rest."

The Run-Up to the Union of the Scottish and English Parliaments, 1707 By Daniel Defoe The English writer and government agent Daniel Defoe was sent to act as a spy in Scotland in the run-up to the Union. He was taken aback to discover the strength of feeling against the proposed merger, as witnessed here in Edinburgh.

"I had not been Long There but I heard a Great Noise and looking Out Saw a Terrible Multitude Come up the High street with A Drum at the head of Them shouting and swearing and Cryeing Out all Scotland would stand together, No Union, No Union, English Dogs, and the like. I Can Not Say to you I had No Apprehensions, Nor was Monsr De Witt the Dutch statesman had been killed by a mob in The Hague quite Out of my Thoughts, and perticularly when a part of This Mob fell upon a Gentleman who had Discretion little Enough to say something that Displeased them just Undr my Window. He Defended himself bravely and Call'd Out lustily also for help to the Guard who being within Hearing and Ready Drawn up in Close Ordr in the street, advanc't, Rescued the Gentleman, and took the person he was Grappld with prisoner. The City was by this time in a Terrible fright. The Guards were Insulted and stoned as they stood, the Mob put out all the lights, no body could stir in the streets, and not a light be seen in a windo' for fear of stones."

Smuggling, c1816-26 By Joseph Mitchell Joseph Mitchell, an engineer's son who trained as an engineer himself with Thomas Telford, wrote a memoir in which he evokes the Inverness and Highlands of his childhood and early working life.

"The Highlanders seem to have liked the idle, risky and adventurous trade, and they felt they had the public sympathy in their favour. There was a romance about it. The still was generally placed in some secluded spot, in the ravine of a Highland burn, or screened by waving birch and natural wood, so that the smoke of the fire could scarcely be observed. There were scouts placed around, often three or four savage-looking men, sometimes women and boys.

"So general was smuggling that at Inverness there were two or three master coppersmiths who had a sign about their shops of a whisky still, indicating their employment. I recollect the mysterious manner in which my mother got her supply of whisky, and in perfect safety, although the collector of Excise lived some six doors away. Everybody declared small still' or smuggled whisky was the only spirit worth drinking. The Highland smugglers baffled the Government.

"One morning as I was driving up Glenmoriston before breakfast I saw before me at some little distance about twenty-five Highland horses tied to each other, and carrying two kegs of whisky each. They were attended by ten or twelve men, some in kilts and all with bonnets and plaids, and carrying large bludgeons. Two of them fell back until I came up with them. They scrutinized me sharply and said, It is a fine morning, sir,' to which I responded. Then one turned to the other and said, Ha rickh shealess ha mach Mitchell fere rate - mohr,' the literal translation of which is You need not mind; it is the son of Mitchell, the man of the high roads.' "He then turned to me and said, Would you took a dram?' and on my assenting he took out of his pocket a round tin snuff-box holding about a large wine-glassful, and filled it with whisky from a bottle which he took from his side-pocket. After some kindly greeting and talk and drinking my dram, I passed on, the other men politely touching their bonnets as I left.

"Almost all wines, spirits, and foreign commodities supplied to the Highlands were smuggled, chiefly from Holland. I recollect being brought to a cave where a whole cargo of kegs of foreign spirits was piled up. The last cargo from Holland run' in the Moray Firth was in 1825, brought by one Donald MacKay, the fishermen of Campbelltown assisting.

"I happened, with a friend, to be visiting an official of the fort, who had a cottage on the moor outside; and on our admiring the brandy, he said if we liked we might have a supply; it was part of the cargo lately run' on the adjoining beach. His gardener placed two kegs (which with others were buried in the garden) in my gig, in which they were triumphantly carried to Inverness, notwithstanding the proximity of the collector of Excise."

Red Clydeside Erupts, January 31, 1919 From The Strike Bulletin SOME 100,000 strikers demanding a 40-hour week gathered in George Square, Glasgow, while their leaders met in the City Chambers to press their case to the government. Alarmed by the crowds, the authorities over-reacted and the police attacked. By the time the following report was published, 1000 English troops, 100 army trucks and six tanks had been rushed to Glasgow to protect the citizens from what was believed to be a "Bolshevist rising".

"Henceforth January 31, 1919, will be known in Glasgow as Bloody Friday, and, for the crime of attacking defenceless workers, the citizens will hold the authorities responsible. The police have once more been used as hirelings to bludgeon the workers. The workers will not forget.

"The meeting in front of the City Chambers was quiet and orderly, and was being addressed by members of the Strike Committee until the deputation returned from the interview with the Lord Provost. The audience, which was turned towards the Gladstone statue, on which the speakers were perched, overflowed into the street fronting the Chambers, and in this avenue the police allowed two motors to run into the crowd, with the result that two men were knocked down and injured. This annoyed the strikers, who appealed to the police to turn the vehicular traffic by another street - a not unreasonable request.

"The reply was: a police attack on the strikers, who stood their ground, and the police withdrew after an appeal from the speakers. The mounted police then arrived, and, in a display of trick riding, two of them allowed their horses to fall, which caused the crowd to chaff the bulky Tod Sloans. This chaff was an awful violation of the sacred dignity of the police, who apparently lost their reason, and made a mad rush with drawn batons on the defenceless crowd. The infuriated men in uniform struck wherever they saw a head. The strikers put up the best defence possible but, being unarmed, they were gradually forced back, retreating in order and without panic. The strikers did nobly against big odds, and if they had not been without the means of defence, there would have been a different story to tell.

"The affair looks like a plot to smash the strike by force. Threats of that nature have been made the attack was made while the deputation was kept waiting inside the City Chambers. Think it over." Extracted from Scotland: The Autobiography, by Rosemary Goring, published by Viking on October 4, priced £25.

Rosemary Goring 2007.

Help make history If you have lived through an interesting, exciting or thought-provoking moment of Scottish history, you could get your eyewitness account of it into the paperback edition of Scotland: The Autobiography. Your story should be a succinct retelling of something you recall personally. The best entries received will be published in The Herald before the end of 2007, and the winning entry will be published in the paperback edition in 2008. Stories must be no longer than 700 words, and the winning entry may be edited for publication. Send your story, by October 31, to: Rosemary Goring, Literary Editor, The Herald, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, or e-mail by clicking on the author's name at the top of this page.