A Breach Of The Peace Edinburgh 1596
Combat between James Johnston of Westerhall and a gentleman of the house of Somerville
A breach of the peace in Edinburgh
Written in Auld Scots so it is a bitty hard to read .
This is round three or four ,these guys quite frankly ,just did not get on.
At the Bowhead there happened, in the year 1596, a combat between James Johnston of Westerhall and a gentleman of the house of Somerville, which is thus related
'The other actione wherein Westerhall was concerned happended three years thereftir in Edinburgh, and was only personal on the same account, betwext Westerhall and Bread (Broad) Hugh Somervill of the Writes.
This gentleman had often formerly foughten with Westerhall
upon equal termes, and being now in Edinburgh about his private affaires,
standing at the head of the West Bow, Westerhall by accident comeing up the
same, some officious and unhappy fellow says to Westerhall: "There is
Bread Hugh Somervill of the Writes." Whereupon Westerhall, fancying he
stood there either to waitt him, or out of contempt, he immediately marches up
with his sword drawen, and with the opening of his mouth, crying: "Turne,
villane;" he cuttes Writes in the hint head a deep and sore wound, the
foullest stroak that ever Westerhall was knoune to give, acknowledged soe, and
much regrated eftirwards by himself.
Writes finding himself strucken and
wounded, seeing Westerhall (who had not offered to double his stroak), drawes,
and within a short tyme puttes Westerhall to the defensive part; for being the
taller man, and one of the strongest of his time, with the advantage of the
hill, he presses him sore.
Westerhall reteires by little, traverseing the
breadth of the Bow, to gain the advantage of the ascent, to supply the defect
of nature, being of low stature, which Writes observing, keepes closse to him,
and beares him in front, that he might not quyte what good-fortune and nature
had given him.
Thus they continued neer a quarter of ane hour, clearing the
callsay (causeway), so that in all the strait Bow there was not one to be seen
without their shop doores, neither durst any man attempt to red them, every
stroak of their swords threatening present death both to themselves and others
that should come neer to them.
Haveing now come from the head of the Bow neer to the foot thereof,
Westerhall being being in a pair of black buites, which for ordinary he wore
closse drawen up, was quyte tyred. Therefore he stepes back within a shop
doore, and stood upon his defence. The very last stroak that Writes gave went
neer to have broken his broad sword in peaces, haveing hitt the lintell of the
door, the marke whereof remained there a long tyme.
Thereftir, the toune being
by this tyme in ane uproar, the halbertiers comeing to seize upon them, they
wer separated and privately conveyed to ther chambers.
Ther wounds but slight,
except that which Writes had upon his head proved proved very dangerous; for
there was many bones taken out of it; however at lenth, he was perfectly cured,
and the parties themselves, eftir Hugh Lord Somerville's death, reconcealled,
and all injuries forgotten.'
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| Jolly well stings old chap, I am fucked if I can remember how it happened |
