The name of "Colonel Monro," as applied to a
half-crazed old man who used to frequent the streets of Edinburgh, is
familiar to many of the older inhabitants, but almost nothing is known
of his history. He obtained the soubriquet of "Colonel" from
having fought under the banners of Prince Charles Edward; and to the
last he continued to profess his devotion to the house of Stuart. In
token of his sympathy for the fallen race, he always wore a white
cockade in his bonnet or hat. His Jacobitical predilections, however,
did not prevent him from participating in the bounty of the reigning
dynasty; hence the lines of the artist—
"Behold courageous Colonel Monro,
A Highland hero, turned a Blue-Gown beau."
Of the Blue-Gowns, or Bedesmen, whose dress and
appearance are represented in the Print, Sir Walter Scott has given the
following account in his notes to the Antiquary:—
"These Bedesmen are an order of paupers, to whom the
Kings of Scotland were in the custom of distributing a certain alms, in
conformity with the ordinances of the Catholic Church, and who were
expected in return to pray for the royal welfare and that of the State.
This order is still kept up. Their number is equal to the number of
years which his Majesty has lived ; and one Blue-Gown is put on the roll
for every returning royal birth-day. On the same auspicious era, each
Bedesman receives a new cloak, or gown, of coarse cloth, the colour
light-blue, with a pewter badge, which confers on them the general
privilege of seeking alms through all Scotland. All laws against sorning,
masterful begging, and every other species of mendicity being suspended
in favour of this privileged class. With his cloak each receives a
leathern purse, containing as many shillings Scots (videlicit,
pennies sterling), as the Sovereign is years old—the zeal of their
intercession for the King's long life receiving, it is to be supposed, a
great stimulus from their own present and increasing interest in the
object of their prayers. On the same occasion, one of the Royal
Chaplains preaches a sermon to the Bedesmen, who (as one of the rev.
gentlemen expressed himself) are the most impatient and inattentive
audience in the world. Something of this may arise from a feeling, on
the part of the Bedesmen, that they are paid for their own devotions,
not for listening to those of others. Or more probably it arises from
impatience, natural, though indecorous in men bearing so venerable a
character, to arrive at the conclusion of the ceremonial of the royal
birth-day, which, as far as they are concerned, ends in a lusty
breakfast of bread and ale ; the whole moral and religious exhibition
terminating in the advice of Johnson's ' Hermit hoar' to his proselyte,—
' Come, my lad, and drink some beer.' "
In addition to this account by the "Author of
Waverley," it may be added that the King's Bedesmen, as they are called,
derived their name from the nature of the devotions they were enjoined
to perform, having annually to "tell their beads" as they walked
in procession from Holyrood to St. Giles's. It is not precisely known,
though it is probable the Bedesmen had their origin in the reign of the
first James, whose attempts at national reform, and his endeavours to
suppress the hordes of wandering vagrants who prowled upon the country,
might naturally suggest the granting of such privileges as were
conferred on the Bedesmen. The paupers thus distinguished were such only
as, by their military services, had a claim on the royal bounty. In the
household accounts of succeeding reigns, the "blew gownis" are
frequently mentioned. Two extracts from these, furnished by Mr.
Macdonald of the Register House, are given in the "Notes to the Waverley
Novels;" the one of date 1590, the other 1617, in which the cloth for
"blew gownis" and various other items for the Bedesmen are minutely set
down.
"With respect to licensed beggars, we may remark that
Dr. Jamie-son, neither in his Dictionary nor in his Supplement, offers
any conjecture respecting the origin or cause of the Bedesmen, who are
privileged to beg, receiving a blue gown, whence they take the name
commonly given to them. Pliny informs us, that blue was the colour in
which the Gauls clothed their slaves; and blue coats for many ages were
the liveries of servants, apprentices, and even of younger brothers, as
it is now of the Blue Coat Boys, and of other Blue Schools in the
country. Hence the proverb in Pay, 'He is in his better blue clothes,'
applied to a person in low degree, when dressed very fine."—
Edinburgh Review.
Almshouse, according to Dr. Jamieson, is
frequently styled a bcde-house; and a bedeman he defines
as one who resides in an almshouse. The origin of the term is evidently
referrible to the devotional services enjoined on those who were in
former times the objects of any special charity.
During the civil commotions of the seventeenth
century, and under the Cromwellian sway, no notice of the Bedesmen
occurs, their Order having doubtless shared in the common wreck of
Royalty. On the Restoration, however, the Blue Gowns were not
overlooked; and in the Royal birth-day pageants, dictated by the intense
loyalty of the times, they formed an interesting group. The following is
an account of one of the annual rejoicings—the fifth after the
Restoration :—
"Edinburgh, May 29, 1665, being his Majesty's birth
and restoration-day, was most solemnly kept by people of all ranks in
this city. My Lord Commissioner, in his state, accompanied with his Life
Guards on horseback, and Sir Andrew Ramsay, Lord Provost of Edinburgh,
Bailies and Council, in their robes, accompanied with all the trained
bands in arms, went to church, and heard the Bishop of Edinburgh upon a
text as fit as well applied to the work of the clay. Thereafter,
thirty-five aged men in blue gowns, each having got thirty-five
shillings in a purse, came upfront the Abbey to the great Church,
praying all alonq for his Majesty. Sermon being ended, his Grace
entertained all the nobles and gentlemen with a magnificent feast and
open table. After dinner, the Lord Provost and Council went to the Cross
of Edinburgh, where was planted a green arbour, loadened with oranges
and lemons, wine liberally running for divers hours at eight several
conduits, to the great solace of the indigent commons there. Having
drank all the Royal healths, which were seconded by the great guns of
the Castle, sound of trumpets and drums, vollies from the trained bands
and joyful acclamations from the people, plentifully entertained the
multitude. After which, my Lord Commissioner, Provost and Bailies, went
up to the Castle, where they were entertained with all sorts of wine and
sweet-meats; and returning, the Lord Provost countenancing all the
neighbours of the city that had put up bonfires, by appearing at their
fires, being in great numbers; which jovialness continued with ringing
of bells, and shooting of great guns, till twelve o'clock at night."
Formerly, the purses gifted to the Blue-Gowns were
delivered to them at the Old Tolbooth ; from which circumstance a
portion of the building was designated the "Poor Folks's Purses." In
later times, the whole ceremony was confined to the Canongate, the
parish church of which was built about 1688. Here the Blue-Gowns heard
sermon ; then assembling in the aisle, they received from the King's
Almoner, or his deputies, the usual allowance of bread and beer, their
new gowns, and purses. These, as already mentioned, were made of
leather, and furnished by the King's Glover.
At no period did the Blue-Gowns muster in greater
strength than during the patriarchal reign of George the Third; and
although no longer required to "tell their beads" in procession as of
yore, their assembling in the capital from all parts of the coi;ntry to
receive their aumous, was a day of momentous interest to the poor
old veterans. Fergusson, the laureate of "Auld Reekie," thus alludes to
their feelings on such occasions :—
"Sing, likewise, Muse ! how blue-gown bodies,
Like scarecraws new ta'en down frae woodies,
Come here to cast their clouted duddies,
An' get their pay:
Than them what magistrate mair proud is,
On King's birth-day?"
As George the Third lived to the advanced age of
eighty-two, there were an unusual number of Blue-Gowns on the roll at
the conclusion of his reign. At the present moment it is believed there
are about thirty in existence. For the last few years no new badges have
been issued, and the annual bounty is no longer to be continued after
the demise of the present recipients. One reason assigned for abolishing
this ancient aristocracy of beggars is, that the original object of the
privileges granted to them is superseded by the provision of Chelsea
Hospital. Until the erection of this institution, no badge or gown was
couferred on any oue save those who had served in the army, although
latterly the King's Almoner was instructed to use his own discretion in
the selection of objects of charity.
The late Rev. John Paton, of Lasswade, was the last
Almoner. Mr. C. Campbell, teacher, and formerly precentor in the
Canongate Church, for many years officiated, not only at the desk, but
in distributing the alms of his Majesty to the assembled Bedesmen. For
these duties he was allowed one guinea per annum, which was regularly
paid until the year 1837, when it was discontinued by her Majesty's
Remembrancer. (His salary was originally two pounds eighteen shillings,
Scots—i.e., four shillings and tenpence, sterling. He was indebted for
the augmentation to a son of the late Lord Chief Baron Dundas, of
Arniston, who, then a youth, and happening to be in Edinburgh on the
King's birth-day, 1814, he was curious to witness the ceremonial
connected with the Blue-Gowns. Accompanied by his tutor, the Rev. Mr.
M'Kenzie of Lasswade, he proceeded to the Canon-gate Church, and with
much affability lent a hand in dispensing the charity. On questioning
Mr. Campbell as to the amount of his salary, he expressed his
astonishment at the smallness of the sum, and that year, through his
father, the Lord Chief Baron, procured the addition already stated.
