Edward Balliol Abdicates

‘…At no period of her history was Scotland devoid of brave men, willing and able to defend her rights.  When the scandalous treaty by which Baliol had surrendered the independence of his country to Edward [Edward III of England] came to be known in Scotland, the successors of Bruce’s companions were naturally among the first to assert the cause of freedom.  John Randolph, second son of the Regent, had formed a secret union with Archibald Douglas, a younger brother of the Good Lord James, and they proceeded to imitate the actions of their relatives.  They suddenly assembled a considerable force, and attacking Baliol, who was feasting near Annan, they cut his guards in pieces, killed his brother, and chased him out of Scotland in such haste, that he escaped on horseback without time to clothe himself, or even to saddle his horse…’

The text above comes from Walter Scott’s “History of Scotland”.  Edward Balliol abdicated the throne of Scotland on January 20^th, 1356. 

Monody - On the Death of David Garrick

MONODY



ON THE DEATH OF DAVID GARRICK, ESQ.


Prize Poem at Bath-Easton.


Dim sweeps the shower along the misty vale,
And Grief's low accents murmur in the gale.
O'er the damp vase, Horatio, sighing, leans,
And gazes absent on the faded scenes.


Soft melancholy shades each sprightly grace,
That wont to revel o'er his Laura's face,
When, with sweet smiles, the garlands gayshetwin'd,
And each light spray her roseate ribbons bind.


Dropt from her hand the scattered myrtles lie;
And lo ! dark cypress meets the earnest eye!
For lifeless Garrick sighs from Genius breathe,
And weeping Beauty culls the funeral wreath. ...
 
Monody, the beginning of which is shown above, was published in "The Poetical Works of Anna Seward...", by Anna Seward; edited by Sir Walter Scott.  It memorializes fellow Lichfieldian David Garrick on his death, which occurred on January 20, 1779. 
 
Evidently Seward held warmer feelings for Garrick than for the more famous son of Lichfield, Samuel Johnson.  Seward was the source of several erroneous or misleading anecdotes about Johnson, which James Boswell spent significant time vetting.
 
By Johnson's account, and by most others', Garrick was one of the most talented and generous individuals a person could come across.  As related in Anna Bird Stewart's "Enter David Garrick", Garrick exhibited acting talent at an early age.  He brought a natural style of acting to the stage, once he finally began acting professionally, changing the profession profoundly.  Garrick put Shakespeare's Stratford on the map, through his acting, and by his development of the Stratford Shakespeare festival.  Garrick was also noted for his social gatherings, and behind the scenes supported a great many people financially.
 

Trial of Charles I of England

The trial of Charles I began on January 20, 1649.  Charles refused to plea, as no court had jurisdiction over a monarch.  Fifty-nine Commissioners to the court found Charles guilty, and condemned him to death.

Sir Walter Scott refers to this trial in "Peveril of the Peak":

Moultrassie Hall, the residence of Mr. Bridgenorth, was but two miles distant from Martindale Castle, the ancient seat of the Peverils; and while, as Bridgenorth was a decided Roundhead, all friendly communication which had grown up betwixt Sir Geoffrey and his neighbour was abruptly broken asunder at the outbreak of hostilities, on the trial and execution of Charles I., Bridgenorth was so shocked, fearing the domination of the military, that his politics on many points became those of the Peverils, and he favoured the return of Charles II.