 had a very active
hand in the mob, a warrand was issued out, and King was apprehended, and
imprisoned in the Canongate Tolbooth.
This obliged the Sollicitor immediately to take up those against whom he had any
information. By a signed declaration, William Stirling, apprentice to James
Stirling, merchant in Edinburgh, was charged as haveing been at the Nether-Bow,
after the gates were shutt, with a Lochaber-ax or halbert in his hand, and
haveing begun a huzza, marched upon the head of the mob towards the Guard.
James Braidwood, son to a candlemaker in town, was, by a signed declaration,
charged as haveing been at the Tolbooth door, giveing directions to the mob
about setting fire to the door, and that the mob named him by his name, and
asked his advice.
By another declaration, one Stoddart, a journeyman smith, was charged of having
boasted publickly, in a smith's shop at Leith, that he had assisted in breaking
open the Tolbooth door.
Peter Traill, a journeyman wright, by one of the declarations, was also accused
of haveing lockt the Nether-Bow Port, when it was shutt by the mob.
His Majestie's Sollicitor having these informations, imployed privately such
persons as he could best rely on, and the truth was, there were very few in whom
he could repose confidence. But he was, indeed, faithfully served by one
Webster, a soldier in the Welsh fuzileers, recommended him by Lieutenant
Alshton, who, with very great address, informed himself, and really run some
risque in getting his information, concerning the places where the persons
informed against used to haunt, and how they might be seized. In consequence of
which, a party of the Guard from the Canongate was agreed on to march up at a
certain hour, when a message should be sent. The Sollicitor wrote a letter and
gave it to one of the town officers, ordered to attend Captain Maitland, one of
the town Captains, promoted to that command since the unhappy accident, who,
indeed, was extremely diligent and active throughout the whole; and haveing got
Stirling and Braidwood apprehended, dispatched the officer with the letter to
the military in the Canongate, who immediately begun their march, and by the
time the Sollicitor had half examined the said two persons in the Burrow-room,
where the Magistrates were present, a party of fifty men, drums beating, marched
into the Parliament close, and drew up, which was the first thing that struck a
terror, and from that time forward, the insolence was succeeded
