An of-peace court room, 36 feet by 25; the justice-of-peace clerk's office and record room, with the housekeeper's rooms, besides three secure lock-up rooms, and officers' waiting room. elegant staircase leads from the principal entrance to the second or upper story, to which there is also access on the east side by a staircase. In the west front are the sheriff's room and precognition office; and, in the east end, the sheriff-clerk's office, with sheriff-clerk's room, and two record rooms attached. Behind these is the sheriff-court, 36 feet by 25, with a recess for the bench, 4 feet by 15, and relative jury and witness rooms. The area of the court is seated like an amphitheatre with rows of seats above others. The Marquis of Tweeddale, lord-lieutenant; Sir John Gordon Sinclair, Bart. ; Sir David Kinloch, Bart.; David Anderson, Esq. of St Germains, James Hamilton Esq. of Bangour, and Robert Riddell, Esq, sheriff-substitute, were the committee constituted to superintend the erection of the edifice. The building was contracted for by Messrs. Balsillie, and cost upwards of L.3000. The value of the properties retained for the site. as ascertained by a jury, was L.960. PUBLIC MONUMENTS. There are two public monuments in the parish of Haddington, erected to the memory of personages distinguished for their public virtues and generosity. The first is dedicated to John fourth Earl of Hopetoun, to whom the gratitude of his tenantry has erected a monument on Byres-hill, in East Lothian, which forms a prominent object from several points of the surrounding counties. This monument is built in the form of a spiral tower, with an ascent of 132 steps. The foundation stone was laid, with masonic honours, on the 3d May 1824, by Thomas Howden, Esq. surgeon, right worshipful master of the St. John's Haddington Kilwinning lodge. The procession, preceded by a cavalry band, which had come from Piershill for the purpose, marched northward by the Garleton hills, and returned by the Aberlady road. The following is the monumental inscription: THIS WAS ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE GREAT AND THE GOOD JOHN, FOURTH EARL OF HOPETOUN, BY HIS AFFECTIONATE AND GRATEFUL TENANTRY IN EAST LOTHIAN. MDCCCXXIV. The Hon. John Hope of Rankeilour, was sixth son of John, second Earl of Hopetoun. He was born at Hopetoun House, 17th August, 1765, completed his education by foreign travel, in which he was attended by Dr. Gillies, afterwards his Majesty's historigrapher, and entered the army in 1784. He began his active services under Sir Ralph Abercrombie; and served latterly in the peninsula. At the battle of Corunna, the command devolved on Lieutenant-General Hope, as we have already narrated. He succeeded John, third Earl of Hopetoun, and died at Paris in 1824. MONUMENT TO ROBERT FERGUSON, ESQ. This memorial has been erected at Haddington, chiefly by the tenantry of East Lothian, in memory of Robert Ferguson, Esq. of Raith, and was finished and opened to public view, on Friday the 2nd of June, 1843. The monument consists of a fluted column of Grecian Doric architecture, formed of Craig Leith stone, and is surmounted by a colossal statue of Mr. Ferguson, sculptured from a single block of granite, or blue whinstone, taken from the quarry at North Queensferry, belonging to Robert Scott Moncrieff, Esq. chamberlain to the Duke of Buccleuch. The column which is placed upon a square base, raised upon a circular mound, is ornamented at the bottom by four allegorical figures, in alto-relievo, representing Justice, Geology, Art, and Agriculture, as emblematic of the ruling studies of the deceased. The following inscription, on the base of the monument, briefly records the virtues of this accomplished gentleman : In Memory of ROBERT FERGUSON OF RAITH, M.P., A LIBERAL DISPENSER OF WEALTH, A GENEROUS PATRON OF LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART: BY THE TENANTRY OF EAST LOTHIAN, AND MANY FRIENDS OF ALL CLASSES, WHO UNITED IN ADMIRING HIS PUBLIC VIRTUES; AND TO WHOM HE WAS ENDEARED BY EVERY QUALITY THAT FLOWS FROM The monument, including the statue, is 45 feet in height above the mound. The whole has been designed and executed by Mr. Forrest, Edinburgh, the Calton-hill sculptor, and is highly creditable to his talents. The likeness, particularly the profile, is strikingly correct. The monument is placed at the entrance to Haddington from the west. The statue fronts the town. It is believed this is the first attempt in this country to use our native whinstone in sculpture, and it has been eminently successful. In a short time the weather will give the statue all the external appearance of bronze; for which material it may afterwards be found a substitute. This splendid memorial cost about L.650. It is intended to surround it with a cast-iron railing, Mr. Ferguson was the eldest son of William Ferguson, Esq. of Raith, in the county of Fife. After passing as an advocate at the Scottish bar in 1791, he made the tour of Europe, and spent several years in the continental states, where he enjoyed the society not only of men of the highest rank in Italy, France, Germany, and Switzerland, but also of the most celebrated literary characters of that period. While at Paris he became a member of the Institute of France; and afterwards of the Royal Society, and of the Geological Society of London, and other scientific associations, of which he was occasionally president. Mr. Ferguson died at his house, Portman square, London, on the 3d December, 1840, in the 73d year of his age EMINENT MEN. ALEXANDER II. was born in the palace of Haddington in 1198. The most distinguished families, however, who have either been born or resided in this parish, were the Maitlands of Lethington and the Browns of Coalstoun. The former as eminent statesmen and literary characters, and the latter as lawyers, of whom was the celebrated judge Lord Coalstoun. SIR RICHARD MAITLAND of Lethington, who was born in 1496, and died in 1586, aged 90 years, was a man of distinguished merit and abilities. He was many years a Lord of Session and Lord Privy-Seal. James VI., in one of his letters, published by Sir David Dalrymple, states that Sir Richard" had served his grandsire, goodsire, good-dame, mother, and himself, in many public charges, whereof he dutifully acquitted himself." As James IV., the king's greatgrandfather fell at Flodden, Sir Richard must have been employed in public offices about 70 years. He and his lady died on the same day. WILLIAM MAITLAND, younger of Lethington, the eldest son of Sir Richard, was secretary of state during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots. The character and fate of this accomplished statesman have already come under our notice. All his brothers were men of uncommon merit and talents; and reflect a lustre on the place of their nativity. JOHN MAITLAND, next brother of the secretary, rose to the highest offices and honours in the state. He was advanced to the dignity of Lord High Chancellor of Scotland, which he held till his death on the 3d October 1595. Such was the precosity of his talents, that he held the office of Lord Privy Seal when only 22 years of age. He is eulogised by Spottiswood as "a man of rare parts, deep wit, learned, and full of courage, and most faithful to his king." Robert Johnston, the Latin poet, accuses him of having instigated Huntly to the murder of the Earl of Moray; but had such been the case, the famous Andrew Melville would have been the last man to have celebrated him as he does in the Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum, (tom. ii.) His superb and costly monument, in the family aisle, at Haddington, has been already noticed. THOMAS MAITLAND, the youngest brother of the secretary, was highly accomplished as a scholar and gentleman. He is one of the Colloqutors in Buchanan's celebrated dialogue De jure regni apud Scotos. Some of his Latin poems, published by Scotstarvet, in his Del. Poet. Scot., are extremely elegant, particularly one in praise of Lethington, the place of his nativity, on his return home after many years absence. JOHN, first EARL OF LAUDERDALE, son and heir of the Chancellor, was a nobleman of the greatest worth. He is celebrated by Dr. Arthur Johnston. JOHN, DUKE OF LAUDERDALE, eldest son and heir of the preceding, was born at Lethington, on the 26th May, 1616. His merits and rapaciousness, which are familiar to the readers of Scottish history, have already been detailed. RICHARD, fourth EARL OF LAUDERDALE, wrote a translation of Virgil. JOHN KNOX, the celebrated reformer, was born in 1505, of honest parentage. He received the rudiments of learning in the grammar-school of Haddington, and afterwards studied divinity under John Major (also a native of the county,) at St. Andrews, where he completed his education, after which he engaged as a tutor in the family of Douglas of Longniddry. The energy of his character, and his zeal in the cause of the presbyterian church, are too familiar to every Scotsman to require any comment on this subject. He died at Edinburgh in 1572, in the 67th year of his age. It has been generally imagined that Iaddington was the birthplace of the Reformer, in consequence of a family of the name of Knox, residing more than a century ago in a spot in the Nungate called the Giffordgate; but it is not evident that this family, even although they had been his relatives, dwelt in this place till twenty-six years after his death. On the 18th February, 1598, William Knox in Morehame, and Elizabeth Schorter, his wife, were infeft in subjects in Nungate of Haddington, in virtue of a crown charter. This charter (now in the possession of the Earl of Wemyss.) contains no statement of the warrants on which it proceeded farther than that the lands formerly be longed to the abbacy of Haddington, and were annexed to the crown.-See M'C' Life of Knox. There is a great probability that Knox was either born on the lands of Morham, or the contiguous ones of Gifford. In a conversation with the Earl of Bethwell, (when pleading for some favour) Knox gives the following account of his ar cestors. "My lord (says he) my great grandfather, gudeschir, and father, have served your lordship's predecessors, and some of them have died under their standards; and this is a part of the obligation of our Scottish kindness." Mainshill, and the eastern part of Morham parish, belonged at the time Knox flourished to the Earls of Bothwell. Beza, who was contemporary, and personally acquainted with the reformer, styles him" Joannes Cnoxus, Scotus, Giffordiensis," evidently meaning that he was a native of the town of Gifford. Spotiswood, who was born seven years before Knox's death. and who could gain information from his contemporaries, says that "he was born in Gifford, within Lothian ;" and David Buchanan, in the memoir prefixed to the edition of" Knox's Historie," in 1677, gives the same account. In a Genealogical account of the Knoxes, in possession of the family of Mr. James Knox, minister of Scoon, it is said that the reformer's father was a brother of the family of Ranferlie, and "proprietor of the estate of Gifford," which, although a palpable mistake, shews at least that be was connected with that district. We are told, on the other hand, by the advocates of awarding the honour of his birth to Haddington, that Gifford, as a village, is of modera erection; but the same rule does not apply to the old term of Giffordha'. If it is neecessary, however, that Knox should have been born at a Gifford-gate, on turning to the Peerage the reader will find one in the neighbourhood of Duncanlaw, which has escaped the notice of other writers on this subject. "Sir David Hay of Yester was "served heir of his brother Thomas, (6th April 1434,) and had a charter of Yester, "Morham, Duncanlaw, and Giffardgate, in exchange for the barony of Teyling, in "Forfarshire, from Robert Boyd, Kilmarnock, 10th January, 1451-2." From all these circumstances we are led to believe that Knox was born on the lands of Gifford, wherever the hamlet might be situated. SIR PETER LAURIE, Knight, who some years ago was Lord Mayor of London, and is still distinguished as an active justice-of-peace in the courts of the metropolis, was born in the small farm-house of Sandersdean, on the estate of Coalston, where his father was tenant. Sir Peter was bred a saddler; and it is believed that some favourable government contract paved the way to his fortune. He early evinced considerable oratorial powers, with a talent for public business. RICHARD GALL, a promising Scots poet, was born at Linkhouse, near Dunbar, in 1776, but received his education at the schools of Haddington, whither he had come at the early age of five years; and for which, in several of his poems, he breathes the warmest attachment. He was engaged at the early age of eleven as apprentice to his maternal uncle, who was a house-carpenter and builder, and who was shortly afterwards employed at the building of Gosford-house. Gall, howerer, relinquished this business for that of a printer in the office of the Edinburgh Evening Courant, where he was afterwards employed as travelling-clerk. Gall enjoyed the friendship of Burns, Macneill, Campbell, and other eminent Scotsmen; but he died before his promising genius was fully ripened, in 1801, in the 25th year of his age. LIBRARIES. Town of Haddington's Library.—This valuable library was established by Mr. John Gray, episcopal minister of A berlady, about the year 1717. As a mark of regard for the place of his nativity, he left the whole of his private library for the use of the community, together with 3000 merks Scots, the interest of which was to he devoted to charitable purposes, under the management of the magistrates and town-clerk. Of this sum 25 merks Scots was set apart for the suppport of the library. In 1807 the town-council voted a further allowance of L.2, 10s. annually for the same purpose, when several additions were made; and, in 1828, the library was re-arranged and new catalogued by James Miller, and many valuable works added. The library (1843) consists of 1738 yols. In 1738, April 18th, Hugh Bennet was allowed L.1, Is. sterling, for cutting and setting up the Town's arms on the library. A remarkable circumstance lately occurred in regard to one of the books which were amissing when the new catalogue was made. The "Westminster Hebrew Grammar," (Lond. edit. 1750,) was returned to the librarian, under a post-office cover, after more than fifteen years absence. Presbytery Library. This library, which was the gift of a society of pious persons in London more than a century ago, is kept in an apartment of the parish church.-There is also a Parish Library established from the funds of the late Mr. Andrew Begbie, farmer in Barnymains; and a branch of the East Lothian Itinerating Libraries, instituted in 1817, by the late Mr. Samuel Brown. There is an excellent Subscription Library, which contains upwards of 1000 volumes of miscellaneous literature. CHAPTER VI. “Commerce brought into the public walk The busy merchant; the big warehouse built; Raised the strong crane, and choak'd the loaded street." THOMSON. TRADE AND COMMERCE-MARKETS-THE WOOLLEN TRADEBANKING.-PRINTING.-DISTILLERIES.-REVENUE OF THE BURGH.-PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS LIBRARIES- SOCIETIES. -CLUBS. LODGES. - MUTUAL RELIEF ESTABLISMENTS. SITUATED in a rich agricultural district, Haddington has been reckoned amongst the greatest markets in Scotland for all kinds of grain. It is held on Friday, when the crowd and bustle of that day form a striking contrast to the monotony of the rest of the week. The prices are not only published in the newspapers for the guide of other counties; but the method of striking the fiars, which was introduced by Mr. Sheriff Law, has been held in such repute, as to be referred to by high judicial authorities in settling disputes. The modern traffic of Haddington, consequently, depends chiefly on its corn market. In early times tanning seems to have been a trade of great importance in the burgh; for, in 1296, Alexander le Barker, the provost, swore fealty to the king. About the end of the seventeenth, and during the last century, the manufacture of woollen was entered into by many speculators with indifferent success.* • During the protectorate of Cromwell, an English company, of which one Colonel Stanfield was the principal person, expended a considerable sum of money in establishing a manufactory of fine woollen cloths. For this purpose they purchased some lands formerly belonging to the monastery of Haddington, erected fulling mills, dying houses, &c. and called the name of the place New Mills. After the restoration, several Scots acts of parliament were made for the encouragement of this company; and Colonel Stanfield had the honour of knighthood conferred on him. Sir James Stanfield, as we have narrated, was found barbarously murdered. After his death the manufactory declined, and the affairs of the company going into disorder, Colonel Charteris purchased their lands and houses, and changed the name of it from Newmills to Amisfield. Under the auspices of Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton, (one of the senators of the college of justice), a company was established at Haddington in 1750, for carrying on the woollen manufactory; but the trade proving unsuccessful, the company was dissolved and a new one formed, consisting in part of the former members, by whom it was continued on a smaller scale. This company was also dissolved in 1775, and the business was then carried on by Mr. Sawers, clerk to the former company. By him broad cloths, flannels, and particularly blankets, were manufactured, which last were esteemed equal in quality to those of Witney, in Oxfordshire. On the death of Mr. Sawers in 1787, the house and utensils were purchased by Mr. William Wilkie, by whom a manufactory of coarse woollens was begun. Many weavers in the Nungate also carried on a similar manufacture; but they soon diminished. |