218 Two Irongray Traditions. 



from the Castle as any part of Edinburgh could be in those 

 days. If he had read on to the end of the chapter, he would 

 have found no record of the head being" removed, but the 

 curious story which was " very confidently asserted at that 

 time," that some weeks after Guthrie's head was fixed to 

 the Nether Bow Port the Lord Commissioner (Middleton) 

 was passing under it, when suddenly the head began to bleed 

 and some drops of blood fell on the coach, which neither all 

 their art nor diligence could wipe off. Wodrow, who had 

 a taste for the supernatural, adds : — " I have it very con- 

 fidently aflfirmed that physicians were called and inquired if 

 any natural cause could be assigned for the blood's dropping 

 so long after the head was put up, and especially for the 

 not washing out of the leather; and they could give none." 

 Wodrow, however, does not vouch for the story. " The 

 above report I shall say no more of. It was generally spoken 

 of at the time, and is yet firmly believed by many ; at this 

 distance I cannot vouch it as certain, perhaps it may be 

 thought too miraculous for the age we live in now." If 

 Guthrie's head had been carried off from the gate, as Irving 

 tells us, it is strange Wodrow makes no mention of it. 



3. It is strange how unconscious of the lapse of time 

 Irving is : he speaks of Guthrie as a youth when he returned 

 from his exile in 1688. If he was a youth when he went into 

 exile, he must at least have been 48 when he returned home. 

 According to Scott's Fasti, Guthrie of Irongray was 81 years 

 old when he died. That means he was born in 1675. -^^ 



Forasmuch as mr James Guthrie and Levtenant William Given ar 

 for certane treasonable crymes comitted forfaulted and declared 

 trators by sentance of parliat. Therfor the Lord Comissr and 

 States of parliat. for puting of the for said sentance to executioune 

 do ordaine the magistrats of Edr to tak the bodies of the saids mr 

 James Guthrie and Levtenent Wam Given furth of the tolbuth of 

 Edr to the crose of Edr upon Setterday the first of June at tuo of 

 the clocke in the efternoone and cans hang them till they be dead 

 and therefter to cut of ther heads and affix the head of the said 

 mr James Guthrie upon the netherbow and the head of the said 

 Levtenent wam Given upon the west port conforme to the forsaid 

 sentance of parliat. of the dait of tliir pntes Qranent tlies pntes 

 slialbe to the said magistrats an sufficient warrand. Sub<l thus 

 Craufurd Lyndsay, thear I P D Pai"^." 



