2-"» S. VI. 136., Aug. 7. '58.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



105 



meeting of the Glasgow Archaeological Society, 

 " On the old Tolbooth at the Cross of Glasgow," 

 taken down in 1814, may convey to distant 

 readers of " N. & Q." some idea both of the place ; 

 (the Howgate head) where the martyrs suffered, ! 

 and the circumstances then attending a penal j 

 execution. 



To consult with very remote antiquity, the 

 public place of execution is noticed as being on the 

 Gallowmuir, at the east end of the city, from 

 whence we have drawn the title of one of our 

 streets leading to the Cross, viz. the Gallowgate or 

 Gallows- gate, or road to the gallows. This place 

 was afterwards changed to the Howgate (or 

 Hollow-gale, from a deep recess in the highway 

 filled up about thirty-five years ago) on the north 

 side of the city beyond the Cathedral, and it was 

 again removed to the castle yard (the ground of 

 the Archbishop's Castle), near the present in- 

 firmary. At what period the gallows was first 

 erected on those two last sites is not ascertained, 

 but executions are stated to have taken place at 

 the Howgate head as far back as 173 years or 

 fliereby. This frightful engine, as I have under- 

 stood (from old inhabitants) was a permanent 

 fixture. A coarse representation of it may still 

 be seen cut on a stone of the wall of the cathedral, 

 on the north side, a few feet up, to commemorate 

 a hangman's grave, dated 1769, — a high post with 

 transverse beam for suspension, and the ladder on 

 which the criminal ascended, who was pushed off 

 by the executioner. It is thus mathematically 

 described and immortalised by Professor Moor of 

 Glasgow in a MS. piece of invective against some 

 one of his friends : — 



" And when in airy dance he dangles 

 Upon two sticks set at right angles ; 

 When on his throat the rope impinges. 

 His neck will then be oflF the hinges : 

 Let him cut capers in the air ; 

 The world and he will then part fair." 



On these mournful occasions we are also in- 

 formed that — 



" The criminal was led out from the Tolbooth at the 

 Cross, arrayed in a loose dress of white linen with trim- 

 mings of black. His arms being pinioned, he had his 

 station at the end of a cart, on which lay extended be- 

 fore his eyes the coffin or shell in which his body was 

 about to be deposited. He had an open Bible in his hand, 

 and was usually attended by one or two clergymen, who 

 encouraged him in his devotions by the way, and aided 

 him in his preparations for eternity. The magistrates of 

 the city, preceded by the town-officers with their halberts, 

 and accompanied by a strong military guard, formed the 

 procession. On its arrival at the Bell o' the brae (in 

 former times a very steep part of the High Street) it 

 stood still, when occasionally a verse or two of a Psalm 

 were sung, the malefactor himself giving out the line, 

 and the multitude raising their hats in token of sym- 

 pathy, whilst every window adjacent was crowded with 

 spectators. The affecting ceremony was sometimes per- 

 formed in front of the Alms House * in Kirk Street, where 



• This is a small building still standing, which be- 



the tremulous notes of the criminal were intermingled 

 with the plaintive intonations of the passing beH, and 

 the whole catastrophe was summed up by a psalm and a 

 prayei', and frequently a last speech at the execution." 



About 1784 the public place of execution was 

 transferred to the outside of the Tolbooth at the 

 Cross. G. N. 



(Tw be concljided in our next.} 



FORMS OF PRATER. 



The following notices of unusual forms are 

 mostly taken from Sale Catalogues : — 



1. An earlier form than any published by the Parker 

 Society, in their volume of Q. Eliz. Services, occurs in a 

 Catalogue of Books sold by Messrs. Puttick & Simpson 

 some time back [July 24-6, 18 — .] 



" 433. A christian meditacion or praier to be sayed at 

 all tymes whensoever God shall upset vs wyth anye mor- 

 tall plague or sicnesse. B. L. vellum, 8™. Imprynted at 

 London by W. Alben, 1551." (Has this any pretension 

 to authoritative use?) 



2. " Forme of Prayer used at Newport, in the Isle of 

 Wight, Sept. 16, 1648, for a Blessing upon the Personal! 

 Treatie betweene the King and Parliament." (This con- 

 sists of one sheet 8vo., and a copy was sold at Sotheby's 

 on the 11th June last.) 



3. " The Forme and Order of the Coronation of Charles 

 II. . . . at Scoone, Jan. 1. 1651. A description of the 

 Ceremonial is on the back of the title : the rest of the 

 book (pp. 24, 4'°) is taken up with a Sermon delivered 

 on the occasion bj' Master Eobert Dowglas, Minister at 

 Edinburgh, and Moderator of the Commission of the 

 Generall Assembly. Aberdene : Imprinted by James 

 Brown, 1651." 



4. " A Form of Prayer, with Thanksgiving, to be used 

 the 28 of June, 1660, for His Majesties happy return to 

 his kingdoms. 4«o. B. L., pp. 42. BiU and Barker, 1660." 



This form is said on the title to be " Set forth by Au- 

 thority;" but an apparently contemporary MS. note in 

 my copy states, " This booke was set forth by some priuat 

 man without lycence or authority, for which the printers 

 were questioned by the Parliament." Can this statement 

 be verified ? 



5. " Service for the Healing, 1686. Form for the Healing 

 and Blessing of Cramp Rings, 8™, 1789. Convocation 

 Service (Latin), 1689, 1700, 1701, 1703, 1747, 1807. 

 Form of Dedication and Consecration of a Church or 

 Chapel, 1703. Consecration Service of Churches (Convo- 

 cation form), 1712. Form, &c., for the dreadful Fire of 

 London, 1741, 1753. 1764." (Which of these were pub- 

 lished separately ?) 



6. " A Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty 

 God for having made his Highness the Prince of Orange 

 the Glorious Instrument of the Great Deliverance of this 



longed to the fourteen incorporated Trades of Glasgow, 

 and was anciently used as an hospital for decayed mem- 

 bers. It is situated near the cathedral in front of the 

 street, and had a small steeple or belfry containing a bell, 

 rung or tolled at the passing of a funeral to the church- 

 yard. A stone tablet below bore the inscription " Gif to 

 the puir, and thou shall have treasure in heauen." This 

 belfry (a most interesting relic of antiquity) was, by 

 whose orders I know not, ruthlessly pulled down, I think, 

 about thirty years ago, probably from the idea that, as it 

 projected a little on the public pavement, it interrupted 

 the passage along. 



