56 Transactions of the [Sess. 



and Captain of the Castle causit big ane new port at the Nether 

 Bow, within the auld port of the samyne, of aisler wark in the maist 

 strengthene maisoner : and tuik to big the sayme with all the aisler 

 stanis that Alexander Clark had gaderit of the Kirk of Kestalrig to 

 big his hous with." The Legislature themselves passed a statute 

 in 1609, the 25th chapter of which runs thus : " Understanding 

 that the Kirk of Restalrig is ruinous, and that the Kirk of Leith 

 has been the place of the convening of the parochines of Eestalrig 

 the space of fyftie ziers past, as alswa that it is most commodious, 

 pairt in respect that the toun of Leith is the greatest pairt of the 

 said parochin, whilk kirk notwithstanding has never yet been 

 erected in ane paroch kirk." Further on the Act proceeds to 

 declare " that the said Kirk of Leith be ane paroch kirk, and ordains 

 to be repute, and called heirafter the paroch kirk of Leith, and all 

 the inhabitants of Eestalrig to resort thairto as unto thair paroch 

 kirk as they have dune in tymes past ; and that the beneface par- 

 sonage thairof, gleib and manse pertaining thairto, shall be always 

 desponit to the minister serving the cure at the said Kirk of Leith 

 in all tyme coming : and that the said Kirk of Eestalrig be sup- 

 pressed and extinct from henceforth and for ever." 



The choir only now remains of this once famous and important 

 edifice. It is of the Early English Gothic description, and, though 

 small, is very neat and clean. It can scarcely date further than 

 the fourteenth century. Its roof is high, and very beautifully 

 decorated. On its walls are monuments to Dr Andrew Wood, and 

 Louis Cauvin, the founder of the hospital at Duddingstone, whose 

 remains lie just outside the door. It was rebuilt and renovated in 

 1836, through the instrumentality of Dr Chalmers and the Church 

 Extension Committee, according to plans executed by William 

 Burns, Esq. It was arranged that the second minister of South 

 Leith should always occupy the pulpit on the Sabbath at least 

 once a-day. Since, however, Dr Mitchell has been appointed, and 

 the dual charge ceased, he has contrived to make the villagers 

 assist in maintaining, if not altogether maintain, a minister of 

 their own. In 1557 John Knox wrote of Mr John Sinclair, then 

 the Dean of Eestalrig, afterwards Lord President of the Court and 

 Bishop of Brechin, as possessing so impartial a bearing to others 

 that some thought him '' not far from the kingdom of God." For 

 himself, he thought " that as he was blynd of ae e'e in his body, 

 he had lost baith in his saul." 



The burying-ground is very interesting. It is kept, as many of 

 the old country churchyards are, in a fairly tidy manner, — the cus- 

 tom of having the graves kept level with the borders, however, not 

 being yet introduced. The sexton and beadle — a man over eighty 

 years — is intelligent, a hale old man for his years, and very com- 

 municative, relating stories regarding the families whose grounds 



