|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 8th 1633 |
|
Charles 1st comes to PerthFrom the register of the Glovers“His Majesty King Charles (Charles 1st) of his gratious favour and love denzeit (deigned) himself to vizit his own city and burgh of Perth, the eighth day of July, quhair, of our South Inch port he was receivet honourably be the Provost, Bailzies and Aldermen, and be delivery of an speache mounting to his praize, and thanksgiving for his Majesty’s coming to visit this our city, wha stayit upon horse-backe, and heard the samyn patientlie; and therefor convoyed be our young men in guard, with partizans (long handled spears) clad in red and whyte, to his ludging at the end of the South-Gate. The morrow thairefter came to our churche, and in his Royal seat heard a reverand sermone, immediately thairefter came to his ludging and went down to the gardine thairof, his Majestie being thayne set upon the wall next the water of Tay, quhair uppone was any fleeting (floating) staige of tymber, clad about with birks, upon the quhilke, for his Majestie’s welcome and entree, thretteine (thirteen) of our brethren, of this our calling of Glovers, with green cappis, silver strings, red ribbons, quhyte shoes and bells about thair leggis raperis in thair handis, and all uther abulzements (arms), dauncit, shewing our sword daunce with mony deficile knottis, fyve being under and fyve above, upon thair shoulders, three of theme dauncing through thair feet and above them, drinking wine and breking glasses. Quhilk, God be praisit, wes actit and done without hurt or skaith (injury) til any. Quhilk drew us greit chairges and expenses amounting to the sowme of 350 merks, yet not to be rememberit, because graciouslie acceptit be our Sovereigne and both estatis, to our honour and great commendation.” Though Charles 1st was crowned in 1625, it was 1633 before he paid his first visit to Scotland. After his coronation at Holyrood in June, Charles travelled on to Perth. He had already alarmed and antagonised the Presbyterians by the ceremony at Edinburgh where bishops in white rochets and white sleeves performed the ceremony with candles and a crucifix before which they bowed. Worse still he had brought Bishop Laud to Scotland with him. James 6th had already forced Episcopalianism upon the Church of Scotland but it appeared to many that his son Charles was preparing to travel even further down the road to Rome. Added to this, Charles lacked the common touch, he was cold and arrogant and made little attempt to win over those who disagreed with him. All these facts were known before Charles reached Perth, still with Bishop Laud, which makes one wonder how genuine was the welcome described by the Glovers. They might well reflect in later years that the 350 merks spent on the performance had been somewhat wasted as sixteen years later Charles 1st was executed by the English. |