eives a leathern
purse, containing as many shillings Scots (videlicet, 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 reverend 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, so 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.

Of the charity bestowed on these aged Bedesmen in money and clothing,
there are many records in the Treasurer's accompts. The following
extract, kindly supplied by Mr. Macdonald of the Register House, may
interest those whose taste is akin to that of Jonathan Oldbuck of
Monkbarns. BLEW GOWNIS.

In the Account of Sir Robert Melvill of Murdocarney,
Treasurer-Depute of King James VI., there are the following Payments:--

"Junij 1590.

"Item, to Mr. Peter Young, Elimosinar, twentie four gownis of blew
clayth, to be gevin to xxiiij auld men, according to the yeiris of his
hienes age, extending to viii xx viii elnis clayth; price of the elne
xxiiij s. Inde, ij cj li. xij s.

"Item, for sextene elnis bukrum to the saidis gownis, price of the elne x
s. Inde, viij li.

"Item, twentie four pursis, and in ilk purse twentie four schelling
Inde, xxciij li. xvj s.
"Item, the price of ilk purse iiij d. Inde, viij s.

"Item, for making of the saidis gownis viij li."

In the Account of John, Earl of Mar, Great Treasurer of Scotland, and of
Sir Gideon Murray of Enbank, Treasurer-Depute, the Blue-Gowns also appear
thus:--