Taylor Edinburgh: The Autobiography

1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-1-78885-667-6
Verlag: Birlinn
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 368 Seiten

From one of the earliest mentions of its name in the sixth century to the Covid lockdowns of the twenty-first, this is a magnificent portrait of one of the world's great cities in its many iterations, from 'Edinburgh, the sink of abomination' to the Athens of the North and everything - including the home of the Enlightenment, the Festival City, the Aids Capital of Europe and a Mecca for tourists seeking tartan tat - in between. As the nation's capital it has been critical to its progress and a witness to epochal events, such the tumultuous reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Reformation, the Forty-Five rebellion, the Disruption of the Church of Scotland and the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament. All of these and more feature. But this is not simply a book about the great and good, the famous and infamous. There is testimony aplenty from ordinary folk who may not have made their mark on history but who have contributed to Edinburgh's ever-expanding tapestry. There are stories of body snatching and murder, drunkenness and drug-taking, sex and shopping, as well rants against inclement weather and the city council.

Alan Taylor has been a journalist for over 30 years. He was deputy editor and managing editor of The Scotsman, and for 15 years was Writer-at-Large for the Sunday Herald. He has contributed to numerous publications, including The Times Literary Supplement, The New Yorker and The Melbourne Age and was co-founder and editor of The Scottish Review of Books. He was editor of the centenary editions of the collected novels of Muriel Spark and has edited several acclaimed anthologies, including The Assassin's Cloak (2000). He also wrote the bestselling Appointment in Arezzo: A Friendship with Muriel Spark (2017). He also edited Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries (2022).

Autoren/Hrsg.

Taylor, Alan

Leseproben

600–1699

A QUEEN RETURNS

EDINBURGH CASTLE, c. 6TH CENTURY

c.

After the departure of the Romans the inhabitants of Northern Britain bore the designation of Picti, or Picts; and historians are now agreed that these were not a new race, but only the ancient Caledonians under a new name.

The most remote date assigned for the origin of the Castle of Edinburgh is that astounding announcement made in Stow’s , in which he tells us that ‘Ebranke, the sonne of Mempricius, was made ruler of Britayne; he had, as testifieth Policronica, Ganfride, and others, twenty-one wiyves, of whom he receyved twenty sonnes and thirty daughters, which he sent into Italye, there to be maryed to the blood of the Trojans. In Albanye (now called Scotland) he edified the Castell of Alclude, which is Dumbreyton; he made the Castell of Maydens, now called Edinburgh; he also made the Castell of Banburgh, in the twenty-third year of his reign.’ All these events occurred, according to Stow, in the year 989 before Christ; and the information is quite as veracious as much else that has been written concerning the remote history of Scotland.

From sources that can scarcely be doubted, a fortress of some kind upon the rock would seem to have been occupied by the Picts, from whom it was captured in 452 by the Saxons of Northumbria under Octa and Ebusa; and from that time down to the reign of Malcolm II. Its history exhibits but a constant struggle for its possession between them and the Picts, each being victorious in turn; and Edwin, one of these Northumbrian invaders, is said to have rebuilt it in 626. Territories seemed so easily overrun in those times, that the latter, with the Scots, in the year 638, under the reign of Valentinian I, penetrated as far as London, but were repulsed by Theodosius, father of the Emperor of the same name. This is the Edwin whose pagan high-priest Coifi was converted to Christianity by Paulinus, in 627, and who, according to Bede, destroyed the heathen temples and altars. A curious and very old tradition still exists in Midlothian, that the stones used in the construction of the castle were taken from a quarry near Craigmillar, the Craig-moilard of antiquity.

Camden says, ‘The Britons called it Castel Mynedh Agnedh – the maidens’ or virgins’ castle – because certain young maidens of the royal blood were kept there in old times.’ The source of this oft-repeated story has probably been the assertion of Conchubhranus, that an Irish saint, or recluse, named Monena, late in the fifth century, founded seven churches in Scotland, on the heights of Dun Edin, Dumbarton, and elsewhere. This may have been the St Monena of Sliabh-Cuillin, who died in 518. The site of her edifice is supposed to be that now occupied by the present chapel of St Margaret – the most ancient piece of masonry in the Scottish capital; and it is a curious circumstance, with special reference to the fable of the Pictish princesses, that close by it), when some excavations were made, a number of human bones, apparently all of females, were found, together with the remains of several coffins.

EDINBURGH NAMED, c. 600

A lord of Gododdin will be praised in song:

A lordly patron will be lamented.

Before Eidyn, fierce flame, he will not return.

He set his picked men in the vanguard:

He set up a stronghold at the front.

In full force he attacked the fierce foe.

Since he feasted, he bore great hardship.

Of Mynyddog’s war-brand none escaped

Save one, blade-brandishing, dreadful.

THE CITY CONFIRMED, 1329

Robert, by the grace of God King of Scots, to all good men of his land, greeting. Know that we have given, granted, and to feuferm let, and by this our charter confirmed, to the Burgesses of our Burgh of Edinburgh, our foresaid Burgh of Edinburgh, together with the Port of Leith, mills, and others their pertinents [minor properties], to have and to hold to the said Burgesses and their successors, of us and our heirs, freely, quietly, fully, and honourably by all their right meiths and marches [boundaries], with all the commodities, liberties, and easements which justly pertained to the said Burgh in the time of King Alexander, our Burgesses and their successors to us and our heirs, yearly, fifty-two merks sterling, at the terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas in Winter, by equal portions. In witness whereof we have commanded our seal to be affixed to our present charter. Witnesses, Walter of Twynham our chancellor, Thomas Ranulph, Earl of Moray, Lord of Annandale and Man, our nephew; James Lord of Douglas; Gilbert of Hay our constable; Robert de Keth our marischall of Scotland, and Adam More, knights. At Cardros the twenty-eighth day of May, in the twenty-fourth year of our reign.

THE THISTLE AND THE ROSE, 1503

The town of Edinbourgh was in many places hanged with tappissery, the houses and windows were full of lords, ladies, gentlewomen, and gentlemen, and in the streets war so great multitude, of people without number, that it was a fair thing to see. The which people war very glad of the coming of the said queen: and in the churches of the said town bells rang for mirth.

The same day the king supped in his chamber, accompanied of many of the part of the said queen within her own. And after that, the king went to see her, and he danced some bass dances. This done, the king took his leave, and bade her good night joyously.

The 8th day of the said month every man appointed himself richly, for the honour of the noble marriage. Between 8 and 9 of the clock everychon was ready, nobly apparelled; and the ladies above said came richly arrayed, sum in gowns of cloth of gold, the others of crimson velvet and black. Others of satin and of tinsel, of damask and of camlet of many colours, hoods, chains and collars upon their necks, accompanied of their gentlewomen arrayed honestly their guise, for to hold company to the said queen.

A little after, the queen was by said lords and company brought from her chamber to the church crowned with a very riche crown of gold garnished with pierrery [jewellery] and pearls. She was led on the right hand by the archbishop of York, and on the left hand by the earl of Surrey. Her train was born by the countess of Surrey, a gentleman usher helping her.

Thus the said queen was conveyed to the said church, and placed near to the font. Then the king was brought by a very fair company, consisting of his said brother and of the lords above said, his steward, chamberlain, the constable, and the marischall, with all their staffs of their offices, and other nobles, knights, squires, and gentlemen, richly and honestly arrayed and with good chains.

Then the king was coming near to the queen, made reverence and she to him very humbly. The king was in a gown of white damask, figured with gold and lined with sarsenet [silk fabric]. He had on a jacket with sleeves of crimson satin. The queen was arrayed in a rich robe, like himself, bordered of crimson velvet, and lined of the self. She had a very riche collar of gold, of pierrery and pearls, round her neck, and the crown upon her head; her hair dangling.

Then the marriage was performed by the said Archbishop of Glasgow; and the archbishop of York, in presence of all.

At dinner the queen was served before the king, with all the honour that might be done, the officers of arms, and the sergeants of arms, proceeding before the meal. At the first course, she was served of a wild boar’s head gilt, within a fair...