I just realised I have been neglecting bobbenblog in the midst of business, snowiness and christmassiness. Probably been spending too much time making up words but that isn't my fault. Currently I have been spending a lot of my time researching. For work/my masters/the sake of scottish history, whatever you want to call it. Without boring anyone unneccesarily, I've been researching the crimes committed by members of the covenanting movement in Scotland in the restoration era (from 1660). Basically covenanters are Presbyterians whose religious ways have been supressed after 1660 as the crown enforced an Episcopalian church structure on Scotland. So the covenanters decided to, amoung other things, have big unlawful religious meetings in houses or feilds (conventicles), make a mockery of the establishment by robbing, scaring, hurting and ravaging lawful ministers, as well as, y'know, rebellion and rising in arms against the crown. Day to day stuff for a covenanter. But anyway, it's a lot of work cataloguing all the names, dates etc and trials of these guys but there are some highlights to be found to keep you sort of smiling.
Yesterday, Stuart and I were working on it and we found a poor man who had his clockbag stolen. Sadly it turns out it isn't a bag for his clock, but some elaborate way of a bookmaker to keep betting slips safe. Suffice to say the ruffians were apprehended and said clockbag ordered to be returned.
The names are quite funny too. Here are a few notable ones: Mungo Kaip in Evandaill; James Greive in Mahill; and of course Andrew Darling in Apletreeleaves. Such Characters have diverse and amusing occupations. Indeed you will find shoemakers, cordiners, meilmakers, those who "keip an alehouse", nottars, wodsetters, and...wait for it... periwigmakers!
They do some ridiculous things too, take for example the man with the clockbag, well a bunch of lads happened be involved in a "henious riot seizing John Durrie of Grange and his horse, arms and clockbag; winding him".
Anyway that is what i've been up to and I'm sure there will be more fun times for all in the register of the privy council soon. Apologies to my blog, I itend to update it in festive ways as the season progresses
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