nd they would soon put an end to the
Union.

On the 23rd they made part of their words good indeed; for, as the
Parliament sat something late, the people gather'd in the streets, and
about the doors of the Parliament House, and particularly the Parliament
Close was almost full, that the members could not go in or out without
difficulty; when Duke Hamilton was coming out of the House, the mob
huzza'd as formerly, and follow'd his chair in a very great number; the
Duke, instead of going down to the Abbey as usual, went up the High
Street to the Land-Market,[28] as they call it, and so to the lodgings
of the Duke of Athole; some said, he went to avoid the mob; others
maliciously said, he went to point them to their work.

While he went in to the Duke of Athole's lodgings, the rabble attended
at the door; and, by shouting and noise, having increased their numbers
to several thousands, they began with Sir Patrick Johnston, who was one
of the treaters, and the year before had been Lord Provost; first they
assaulted his lodgings with stones and sticks, and curses not a few; but
his windows being too high, they came up the stairs to his door, and
fell to work at it with sledges, or great hammers; and, had they broke
it open in their first fury, he had, without doubt, been torn in pieces
without mercy; and thus only, because he was a treater in the commission
to England; for, before that, no man was so well belov'd, as he, over
the whole city.

His lady, in the utmost despair with this fright, comes to the window,
with two candles in her hand, that she might be known; and cried out,
for GOD'S sake, to call the guards; an honest apothecary in the town,
who knew her voice, and saw the distress she was in, and to whom the
family, under GOD, is obliged, for their deliverance, ran immediately
down to the town guard; but they would not stir, without the Lord
Provost's order; but that being soon obtain'd, one Captain Richardson,
who commanded, taking about thirty men with him, march'd bravely up to
them; and making his way with great resolution thro the crowd, they
flying, but throwing stones, and hallowing at him, and his men, he
seized the foot of the stair case; and then boldly went up, clear'd the
stair, and took six of the rabble in the very act; and so delivered the
gentleman and his family....

The city was now in a terrible fright, and every body was under concern
for their friends; the rabble went raving about the streets