Dugald Stewart

‘…While attending Mr. Dugald Stewart's class, in the winter of 1790-1, Scott produced, in compliance with the usual custom of ethical students, several essays besides that to which I have already made an allusion, and which was, I believe, entitled, " On the Manners and Customs of the Northern Nations." But this essay it was that first attracted, in any particular manner, his professor's attention. Mr. Robert Ainslee, well known as the friend and fellow-traveller of Burns, happened to attend Stewart the same session, and remembers his saying ex cathedra, "The author of this paper shows much knowledge of his subject, and a great taste for such researches." Scott became, before the close of the Session, a frequent visiter in Mr. Stewart's family, and an affectionate intercourse was maintained between them through their after-lives…’

There’s no way to truly value the worth of a great teacher, but often that worth is reflected in the achievement of one or more of his/her pupils.  Such was the case with the Common Sense philosopher Dugald Stewart and his student Walter Scott.  Stewart was himself influenced by Adam Ferguson and more importantly, Thomas Reid.  The paragraph above comes from Lockhart’s “Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott”.  Dugald Stewart was born on November 22, 1753.

Mary of Guise

Slightly less well known than her daughter, Mary Queen of Scots, Mary of Guise became Queen Consort to James V of Scotland in 1540 (February 22nd).  She also served as Regent of Scotland for her daughter between 1554 and 1560.  Mary of Guise was 24 at the time of her coronation as Queen Consort, having been born in Lorraine on November 22, 1515.

Sir Walter Scott devotes a fair amount of text to her history in his "Scotland":  'Having thus entirely new-modelled the system of church government and of national worship, the parliament of Scotland resolved to recall from France the descendant of their monarchs, whose connection with that country was broken off by the death of her husband; naturally supposing that Mary, alone, and unsupported by French power, could not be suspected of meditating any interruption to the new order of religious affairs so unanimously adopted by her subjects.


With this view, the lord prior of St. Andrew's, the queen's illegitimate brother, and a principal agent in all the great changes which had taken place since the commencement of the regency of Mary of Guise, was despatched to Paris to negotiate the return of his royal sister. The Catholics of Scotland sent an ambassador on their own part: this was Lesley, bishop of Ross, celebrated for his fidelity to Mary during her afflictions, and known as a historian of credit and eminence. He made a secret proposal, on the part of the Catholics, that the young queen should land in the north of Scotland, and place herself under the guardianship of the Earl of Huntley, who, it was boasted, would conduct her in triumph to the capital at the head of an army of twenty thousand men, and restore, by force of arms, the ancient form of religion. Mary refused to listen to advice which must have made her return to her kingdom a signal for civil war, and acquiesced in the proposals delivered by the prior of St. Andrew's, on the part of the parliament. The young queen took this prudent step with the advice of her uncles of Guise, who, fallen from the towering hopes they had formerly entertained, were now chiefly desirous to place her in her native kingdom, without opposition or civil war, in which the proposals of the bishop of Ross must have immediately plunged her.'

Robin Hood

Today's entry for November 22 covers the legendary Robin Hood. Robin Hood may have been the Earl of Huntington, who turned to raiding Sherwood Forest and its wealthy travelers after wasting his inheritance. King Edward II determined to eliminate Robin, and dressing his men and himself as monks, set himself as bait in order to capture Robin.

The ruse works. Robin Hood unknowingly extracts money from the king, then invites Edward to dinner. After a shooting contest, Hood and his men realize that they are not in the presence of monks, but of rank; including King Edward. Robin Hood begs forgiveness, which Edward grants, demanding that Robin serve as his court. Evidence of this service is contained in the royal Exchequer report, which lists payments to a Robin Hode at this time.

A year later, Robin asks for his release, which he receives on November 22, 1324. Hood rejoins his comrades after leaving Edward, and a 22 year period of robbery ensued.

Scott draws on the Robin Hood legend in his classic Ivanhoe. In Ivanhoe, Scott includes Lockesley (Robin Hood), Friar Tuck, Allen-a-dale, and Little John. Scott's Ivanhoe portrays remnants of Saxon England in conflict with the new Norman overlords.