The Grassmarket, Edinburgh, in Picturesque Scotland: Its Romantic Scenes & Historical Associations Described in Lay and Legend, Song and Story, v, "Table of Contents." 7.6 cm high by 10 cm wide, or 3 inches by 4 inches, vignetted; tailpiece for "Edinburgh — A Walk Along Princes-Street," page 16. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Passage Illustrated
Just beside this church the West Bow used to bend toward the Grassmarket. Down this West Bow the unfortunate Captain Porteous was borne, in 1736, by an angry mob, angry at first because of some executions which had taken place in circumstances of great barbarity, and then infuriated by Porteous's commanding his soldiers to fire upon the people when carried him to the Grassmarket, and there hung him, where, alas! many a better man had perished before him ; for the Grassmarket has well been called the "Smithfield" of Edinburgh, having been, like the latter, at once the scene of busy trade, and the spot where many a martyr sealed his testimony with his blood. [pp. 24-25]
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image, and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Watt, Francis M., and Andrew Carter. "Edina, Scotia's Darling Seat." Picturesque Scotland: Its Romantic Scenes & Historical Associations Described in Lay and Legend, Song and Story.. London: John M. Murdoch [1887?].
Created 6 June 2025