Series 1 > Journals of Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall, with his observations on public affairs and other memoranda, 1665-1676

STORIES OF CRIMINALS
95
Paris and cold at Edinr, headed at Paris, hanged at Edinr,
dy at Paris, live in good health at Edinr, wt infinite other
alleaged by Lerees and others.
When he was at Poictiers a Gentleman accused of seweral
murders and imprisoned escaped in womens cloaths about the
gloaming, whom we saw passe thorow the street, giveng al
ground of suspicion by the terror and amazement he was in;
letting a scarf fal in on part, his napkin in another, his goun
taille fell doune in a thrid. Yet none seazed on him. At
the port of the toune he had a horse waiting for him on
which he escaped.
A litle after that a Mareschal, or ferrier, or Smith felled
on of his boyes at the Scotes Walk because he demanded
money of him, escaped to Lusignan, wheir he was taken.
Just about the same tyme on a stormy, vindy night a rich
Candlemakers (which office is not so dishonorable heir as wt
jus, their daughters wil be going in their satins) booth was
broken up, 40 pistols, which he had receaved in payment just
the day before, and which he had left in a box of the table,
stollen. Persones wil do weill then to keip quiet any mony
they have as weill as they can: according the tenor of my
fathers letter.
On the day after Toussaint is a feste til noon called les
Trespassez.1 The papists prayes for their dead ancestres, over
their graves mumbling so many paters and so many ave’es.
They have a apple in France called pomme de Calvile, its all
rid thorow to the wery heart, pomme blanche.
In case of fire in a toune the neirest bel, or the bel of that
paroiche wheir it is, ringes.
In Octobre heir, tho reasonably sharp, they have upright2
Summer weather, its so fair.
Our peirs that growes at home are all out as delicious,
vitness the carnock, as any we have eaten in France, tho they
grow their in greater abondance. As to the Apples we most
not conteste wt them, since beseids many brave sorts they have
the pipin, which I conceive most be that they call Reynett,
brought unto France from Italy by Queen Blanche, mother
Tripassis., All Souls.
2 Equivalent to ‘downright.’