Statistical tables relative to the city of Glasgow, with other matters therewith connected online

Andrew Martin and others to keep a conventicle.

1668 Fort-Glasgozv. — Charles II. granted the magistrates of Glasgow a charter for erect-
ing Port-Glasgow into a barony with civil and criminal jurisdiction. In the follow-
ing year, the magistrates received a royal charter for the lands of Provan.

1669 Communioji. — The presbytery, on 17th August, directed that the day of prepara-
tion before the communion, should be a day of fasting and humiliation. From the
Union downwards, the communion seems to have been given twice in the year in this
city.

1669 Sugar-house. — The wester, or Stock well sugar-house, was built this year.
1671 Arch of Bridge fell. — The southmost arch of the bridge at Glasgow fell on the
Wednesday of the annual fair, xvithout doing injury to any person.

1673 Conventicles. — Feb. 20. A man referred to the presbytery for frequenting conven-
ticles. A woman imprisoned because she keeps not the kirk; after dealing with her,
and after further imprisonment, she engages in a bond to observe the kirk, under
pain of losing the benefit of Hutchison's hospital, and that she shall not go to any
conventicles.

1674 Whale Fishing and Soap manufacture. — Sir George Maxwell of Pollock, Bart,
provost Anderson, and others, commenced a business for carrying on the whale
fishing and manufacture of soap in this city. The company employed five ships,
the premises for the manufiicturing of soap, then termed the soaperie, were in the
Candleriggs, where the Commercial buildings are now erected. The company had
extensive premises at Greenock, for their blubber and fish-curing, known by the
name of the Royal close.

1676 Convenlicles. — Mr. James Dunlop of Househill, on the information of archbishop
Burnet, was summoned before the privy council and fined 1000 merks for neglect
of duty as baillie depute of tlie regality of Glasgow, in allowing conventicles to be
held at Paitick, Woodside, &c. and was declared incapable of holding his office, al-
ihouTh he was not accused of raal-administration. In the same year, colonel Borth-
wick, commanding the forces at Glasgow, on the 2d May, received an order from
the privy council, to place guards at the city gates on the Sabbath mornings, so as to
prevent persons from going to conventicles in the fields.

1677 Great Fire. — A great fire took place in Glasgow, 130 houses and shops were de-
stroyed. As the jail was crowded at that time with persons who would not confonn
to episcopacy, it was broken open under pretence of saving the persons from the fire.

1677 Persecution of a Citizen. — Mr. John SpreuU, ajiothecary in Glasgow, was taken
before the privy council on 1 4th Feb. on suspicion of being concerned with the coven-
anters; he was asked if the killing of archbishop Sharp was murder. Mr. SpreuU
having refused to answer, the preses. Lord Haltown, told him, that unless he would
answer and confess his guilt, he would be put to the torture; having still refused,
his foot was put in the boot, on which the Duke of York (afterwards James II.)
rose up and said with a frown, " Sir, would you kill the king?" Mr. SpreuU
addressing the chancellor, said, " I\Iy lord, I bless God I am no papist, I loathe and
"abhor all Jesuitical, bloody and murderous principles; neither my parejits nor the
" ministers 1 have heard, ever taught me such principles." Having been sent back
to jail, he was, on 14th Feb. 1678, again brought before the privy council, when it



APPENDIX.. 183

Years.

was referred to his oath, whether he did not assist the rebels; hr.ving refused to
swear, he was fined in £500 sterling, and sent to the Bass, wlicre having remained for
six years, he got the appellation of Bass-John.

1678 Whig and Tort/. — The parliament determined to check tlie growth of poperv. In
this year they excluded the duke of York from the crown of England and Ireland.
They then voted the king's standing army and guards to be illegal. It was at ibis
period that the famous statute, " The habeas corpus act" passcxl, which confirms tlie
subject in an absolute security from oppressive power. At this period the country
was divided into two political parties, which, for the first time, were called whig and
tory, as terms of reproach. The whigs were so denominated from a cant name given
to the sour pi-esbyterian conventiclers, (whig being milk turned sour.) The tories were
denominated from the Irish banditti so called, wliose u:,ual manner of bidding the
people deliver, was by tlie Irish word '• toree," or " give me."

Ifi78 Conventicles. — The privy council prepared a bond, obliging the subscribers, their
wives, servants, tenants and cottars, to abstain from conventicles, and not to associate
with what they called the vagrant ministers who had forfeitc-J their places; this bond
was subscribed at Glasgow by provost Campbell, and baillies Johnston, Camjibcll and
Colquhoun, the whole council, and several merchants and tradesmen, amoimtinij in
whole, to 153. The privy council remained ten days in Glasgow, they sat on Sun-
day during divine service, in the fore hall of the college, administerin