Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Historie and cronicles of Scotland > Volume 1, 1899

26o
CRONICLIS OF SCOTLAND.
maister gounar witht wther small artaillze, bullat, powder
and all maner of order as the maister gounar could
devyse.1
In this meane tyme they war takin2 fourtht the
artaillze, and the king being in the Abbay for the 5
Anepro- tyme, thair was a cry hard at the marcat crose of
cliematioun
Edinburgh Edinburgh at the houre of midnight proclamand as
on the night, it had bene ane sowmondis, quhilk was nameit and
callit be the proclamer thairof the sowmondis of Plot-
cok,3 quhilk desyrit all men to compeir baitht earle, 10
lord, barone and gentillmen and all honest burgessis
withtin the toune, ewerie man specifieit be his awin
name to compeir withtin the space of xl dayis befoir
his maister quhair it sail happin him to apoynt and
be for the tyme wilder the paine of dissobedience. Bot 15
quhither thir sowmondis war proclameit be waine per-
souns night walkeris or dronkin men for thair pastyme,
or gif it was bot ane spreit as I haue schawin to zovv
befoir, I cane not tell trewlie : Bot it was schawin to me
that ane nobill man of the toun callit Maister Richart 20
Lawsone4 beand ewill dispossit gangand in his gallerie
stair foment the corse, heirand this woce proclamand
Fob 87 a. this sowmondis thocht marwell quhat it sould be, cryit
on his serwant to bring him his purse, and quhene he
had brocht him it he tuik out ane croune and cast it 25
ower the stair sayand thir wordis as efter followis:—
‘ I appeill fre that sowmondis Judgement and sentance
‘ thairof and takis me all haill in the marcie of god and
‘ Christ Jesus his sone.’ Werelie the author of this that
caussit me to wryte the maner of the sowmondis was 30
ane gentillmane landit, quho was at the tyme of
1 See Notes. 2 I has “reiking.”
3 I has “ Potcock,” Dalzell has “ Platcock,” — Pluto or the
Devil.
4 This was Richard Lawson, Provost of Edinburgh, and Justice-
Clerk. See Notes.