Maiden of Morton

"Much, much!" answered Michael. "Herod's daughter, who did such execution with her foot and ankle, danced not men's heads off more cleanly than this maiden of Morton. [Footnote: Maiden of Morton—a species of Guillotine which the Regent Morton brought down from Halifax, certainly at a period considerably later than intimated in the tale. He was himself the first who suffered by the engine.] 'Tis an axe, man,--an axe which falls of itself like a sash window, and never gives the headsmen the trouble to wield it."

The ironic text and note above is from Sir Walter Scott’s “The Abbot”.  On June 2, 1581, James Douglas, the 4^th Earl Morton, lost his head by way of “Halifax Law”.  The Halifax Gibbet was employed on thieves, as well as such notables as Earl Morton, and its use predated Morton’s death by up to 300 years.

Prince Henry Sinclair Lands in Nova Scotia in 1398

"...This adventurous huntsman married Elizabeth, daughter of Malice Spar, Earl of Orkney and Stratherne, in whose right their son Henry was, in 1379, created Earl of Orkney, by Haco, king of Norway. His title was recognized by the Kings of Scotland, and remained with his successors until it was annexed to the crown, in 1471, by act of Parliament. In exchange for this earldom, the castle and domains of Ravenscraig, or Ravensheuch, were conferred on William Saintclair, Earl of Caithness " (Scott).

From the notes to Scott's "Lay of the Last Minstrel", which contains several St. Clair references.

Not all are convinced that Prince Henry Sinclair's voyage to what later became America occurred, but today, June 2, in 1398, is the date credited with Prince Henry's landing at Chadebucto Bay (now Trin Bay), in Nova Scotia (http://sinclair.quarterman.org/timeline.html).