ANSTRUTHER HISTORICAL. 



central to the "Highlands" and "Lowlands" became 

 intimately bound up with the general history of 

 Scotland from the period, far distant, of its Keltic 

 aborigines, down to the Eoman innovator and the 

 monkish settlers, with whom, as the ancient ballad 

 would have it — 



" The King sits in Dunfermling toune 

 Drinking the blnde-reid wine ;" 



and whilst it shared in the warlike attitudes and theo- 

 logical feuds of the nation at large, it took the initia- 

 tive in industrial pursuits, and, with a loyalty worthy 

 of a better following, held to the last by the Stuart 

 cause. At a later date, with the close of the 18th 

 century, Fife felt the varied impulses that swayed 

 Scotland in happy bondship with England — to-day 

 improving its material resources ; to-morrow solicitous 

 about its commerce menaced by France or Spain ; and 

 on Sundays, all the year round, keenly alive to eccles- 

 iastical polity and the fresh indoctrination of her pul- 

 pits. 



On the south-east coast of Fife are two small ship- 

 ping ports— Anstruther "Easter" and "Wester" — hold- 

 ing the position of royal burghs from 1583-7 down to 

 1832, when they were united with Cupar and St. 

 Andrews in a single Parliamentary representation. 

 " Easter " Anstruther, which affects this narrative, and 

 in population has seldom exceeded 1000 inhabitants, 

 has its business limited to boat-building, dyeing, and 

 coast fishing. This Anstruther, or " Anster," had its 

 traditions of naval encounters when Fife saw "the 



