Battle of Bothwell Bridge

'There was now a pause in the military movements on both sides. The government seemed contented to prevent the rebels advancing towards the capital, while the insurgents were intent upon augmenting and strengthening their forces. For this purpose, they established a sort of encampment in the park belonging to the ducal residence at Hamilton, a centrical situation for receiving their recruits, and where they were secured from any sudden attack, by having the Clyde, a deep and rapid river, in front of their position, which is only passable by a long and narrow bridge, near the castle and village of Bothwell.  Morton remained here for about a fortnight after the attack on Glasgow, actively engaged in his military duties. He had received more than one communication from Burley, but they only stated, in general, that the Castle of Tillietudlem continued to hold out. Impatient of suspense upon this most interesting subject, he at length intimated to his colleagues in command his desire, or rather his intention,—for he saw no reason why he should not assume a license which was taken by every one else in this disorderly army,—to go to Milnwood for a day or two to arrange some private affairs of consequence. The proposal was by no means approved of; for the military council of the insurgents were sufficiently sensible of the value of his services to fear to lose them, and felt somewhat conscious of their own inability to supply his place. They could not, however, pretend to dictate to him laws more rigid than they submitted to themselves, and he was suffered to depart on his journey without any direct objection being stated. The Reverend Mr Poundtext took the same opportunity to pay a visit to his own residence in the neighbourhood of Milnwood, and favoured Morton with his company on the journey. As the country was chiefly friendly to their cause, and in possession of their detached parties, excepting here and there the stronghold of some old cavaliering Baron, they travelled without any other attendant than the faithful Cuddie.'  The Covenanters were defeated at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge, on June 22, 1679.  Victory belonged to the Duke of Monmouth, John Graham.  This battle plays an important part in Walter Scott's "Old Mortality", from which the text above comes.  Hero Henry Morton is on the wrong side in this one.

Scots Worthies

John Howie, the author of "The Lives of the Scots Worthies", lived in Lochgoin, dying on January 5, 1793. The book contains lives of Protestant reformers.  According to a biography contained in an 1853 Robert Carter and Brothers publication of this work, 'the humble occupants of Lochgoin had never swerved from the faith of their fathers. It was not, however, till the period of the second Reformation, that the Howies were brought into prominent notice, by becoming sufferers for the truth. Nor were these sufferings of a trivial nature. Lochgoin, as the reader has already seen, being peculiarly favourable for concealment, had often afforded an asylum to the harrassed Covenanters when flying from their ruthless persecutors...'

From the people in this area, Howie drew material for his biographical sketches.  Howie's first subject was Patrick Hamilton, who was martyred in 1528 as a heretic. Howie begins, 'This illustrious youth, destined to the high honour of being the first to announce the truth to his fellow countrymen, and the first to seal it with his blood, was bora in the year 1504. He was of royal lineage, being the son of Sir Patrick Hamilton of Kincavil, who was the son of lord Hamilton, by a sister of king James III. By maternal descent his birth was not less illustrious; his mother being a daughter of John duke of Albany, brother to the same monarch. He was early educated with a view to future high preferment, and had the abbacy of Ferne given him that he might prosecute his studies, which he did with great assiduity....'

According to John Johnston, in "Treasury of the Scottish Covenant", 'Walter Scott refers to Howie as 'the fine old chronicler of the Cameronians'.  The Reverend John Carslaw of Airdrie wrote to Walter Scott in1827, asking Scott if he had drawn from Howie's work for his "Old Mortality".  Scott replied (May 2, 1827):

SIR,—I am favoured with your letter and in reply to your enquiry beg to assure you that I did not think of
John Howie of Lochgoin,1 the fine old chronicler of the Cameronians, when the sketch of Old Mortality was drawn. In fact that character is one of the few I have ever attempted to delineate which had a real identical existence. The real name of Old Mortality was Paterson : his Christian name I have forgotten but believe it was John. He was a mason by trade, but from enthusiasm possibly something approaching to aberration of mind he forsook his family & wandered through Scotland repairing the tombs of the martyrs. It is now more than thirty years since I met him myself as far north as Dunottar in Kincardineshire on that errand. I believe he was either a Dumfriesshire or Galloway man. John Howie was of Ayrshire. Having thus answered your question to the best of my power I have only to add that the nickname of Old Mortality was generally given to Paterson by the common people, & that many knew him by no other name.
I am. Sir,
Your humble servant

(from http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/etexts/etexts/letters10.PDF)

Battle of Drumclog

June 1, 1679 saw the Battle of Drumclog being fought, in South Lanarkshire.  The battle pitted covenanting forces against John Graham of Claverhouse.  June 1st was a Sunday that year, and the fighting commenced when Covenanters, at Sunday services, learned that Graham and his troops had moved near the area. 

The Covenanters under Robert Hamilton took up a position at Drumclog, which Claverhouse and his troops could not get through, due to its boggy nature.  William Cleland attacked for the Covenanters as Graham was mired, and won the day.

Walter Scott included this battle in his novel "A Tale of Old Mortality":

"...The company had not long left the Howff, as Blane's public-house was called, when the trumpets and kettle-drums sounded. The troopers got under arms in the market-place at this unexpected summons, while, with faces of anxiety and earnestness, Cornet Grahame, a kinsman of Claverhouse, and the Provost of the borough, followed by half-a-dozen soldiers, and town-officers with halberts, entered the apartment of Niel Blane.

"Guard the doors!" were the first words which the Cornet spoke; "let no man leave the house.--So, Bothwell, how comes this? Did you not hear them sound boot and saddle?"..."

Ruthwell Savings Bank Founded

The creation of the world's first savings bank is credited to Reverend Henry Duncan of Lochrutton.  According to scotsbank.org, the Ruthwell Savings Bank did not lend to businesses, or issue bank notes.  Instead, deposits were invested with the Commissioners of the National Debt.  Duncan's vision was for "the erection of an economical bank for the savings of the industrious", which would help the poor achieve financial independence (http://www.rampantscotland.com/famous/blfamduncan.htm).

Henry Duncan had a deep appreciation of literature, and knew Robert Burns, among others.  His connection with Sir Walter Scott is somewhat a reactionary one.  Duncan derived from a line of Covenanters - on both the paternal and maternal sides.  Reportedly, Duncan enjoyed Scott's works, but felt the treatment afforded to Covenanters in "Old Mortality" was inequitable.  He therefore endeavored to set the record straight with a novel of his own.  In 1926, Duncan published "William Douglas, or the Scottish Exiles".

Old Bailey

On May 8, 1701, the trial of William Kidd began at the Old Bailey in London.  This court deals with major criminal cases, and Kidd was of course tried for piracy.  The Central Criminal Court became known as Old Bailey for its location, on Old Bailey street.  The Kidd trial seems to have generated a market for stories about the trial, as there is a reference in the Ordinary's report of May 16, 1701, concerning Capt. Kidd (from http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/index.jsp):

Paul Lorrain, Ordinary .


WHereas a certain Book, now lately publish'd, (said to be Printed for E. Hawkins near Fleet-bridge) under the Title of A Sermon preach'd last Sunday by the Ordinary of Newgate before Capt. Kidd and other Prisoners there; These are to give notice, that the said pretended Sermon is a Sham-Paper, having little or nothing on it (besides the Text) of what was there deliver'd in the Pulpit.

Walter Scott included Old Bailey in his novel "Old Mortality":

"... Secure them," said the barrister, " against any great increase of professional thieves and depredators, but not against wild and wayward starts of fancy and passion, producing crimes of an extraordinary description, which are precisely those to the detail of which we listen with thrilling interest. England has been much longer a highly civilized country; her subjects have been very strictly amenable to laws administered without fear or favour, a complete division of labour has taken place among her subjects, and the very thieves and robbers form a distinct class in society, subdivided among themselves according to the subject of the depredations, and the mode in which they carry them on, acting upon regular habits and principles, which can be calculated and anticipated at Bow Street, Hatton Garden, or the Old Bailey..."

Candlemas

The Purification of the Virgin occurs on February 2nd, which coincides with the Februation, or purification, of the people in pagan Rome.  The term candlemas derives from the blessing of the candles which occurs on this day.

Scott uses Candlemas as a time reference in, among other works, "Old Mortality":

"For," said Harrison to himself, "the carles have little eneugh gear at

ony rate, and if I call in the red-coats and take away what little they
have, how is my worshipful lady to get her rents paid at Candlemas, which
is but a difficult matter to bring round even in the best of times?"