Broadside entitled 'Elegie'

Commentary

This memorial notice begins: ON the Death of his Grace JOHN DUKE of ROTHES, LORD High CHANCELLOUR of SCOTLAND, &c. ELEGIE.' The elegy which follows begins: 'ISRAEL for Moses fourty days did Mourn, / Our Joy to Grief, twice fourty days may turn; / Scotlands Conductor, ROTHES, Wise and Brave, / Ah! Now Himself Conducted is to Grave'. The publication date of this broadside is not given, but it is likely to have been published some time in 1681, as the subject died on 27th July 1681.

John Leslie (c.1630-81), 7th Earl of Rothes, remained faithful to the House of Stuart during the civil war of the seventeenth century, and after the restoration of Charles II he was richly rewarded for his loyalty. In 1660 he was appointed President of the Privy Council of Scotland and in 1661 Lord High Chancellor of Scotland for Life. In 1680 he was created 1st Duke of Rothes. On his death the Duke was awarded a state funeral. His loyalty and accomplishments are lavishly praised in the elegy on this broadside.

Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them.

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