I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.

Runrig in the traditional mode of agriculture a typical tounship was divided into rough strips or parcels of land known as runrigs or rigs. The earliest documentary evidence relating to the term dates from the fifteenth century, although runrig seems to have existed from the twelfth century. In a multiple-tenancy toun the rigs in the arabic land or infield would traditionally be shared out annually by the landowner or his arbiter. By the late seventeenth century in parts of the Lowlands the re-allocation process was being abandoned in favour of a system identifying a share with its previous occupier.

Despite enclosure and improvement runrig survived in the Lowlands well into the eighteenth century and even later in less progressive districts. The next logical step came with the consolidation of holdings into the familiar farm units created during the Agricultural Revolution. The runrig system can be compared with the English open field system though there were considerable contrasts in tenure and land use.

Source: A Companion to Scottish History, 1989

A Famous December Event

Casket Letters. In December 1568 during the enquiry being held at Westminster into the complicity of Mary (1542-87) in the murder of Darnley (1546 - 67) a silver box was produced by Moray (1531-70), the leading Scottish commissioner, which allegedly had been discovered in June 1567 in the possession of one of Bothwell's (c.1535-78) servants. The contents, it was claimed, comprised eight letters from Mary to Bothwell, a number of 'sonnets' and two marriage contracts. All these were supposed to have been perused by Morton (c.1516-81), Atholl (d.1579), Mar (c. 1510-72), Glencairn (d. 1574), Maitland (c.1525-73) and other notables present at the opening of the casket. Clearly the regent hoped that this evidence would provide overwhelming proof that Mary knew the details of the conspiracy against her husband, was Bothwell's mistress before events at Kirk o' Field, had contracted to marry him before his acquittal for murder or his divorce and that her claims that she had been abducted by him were bogus.

On the other hand, ever since their presentation there has been controversy about the validity of Moray's evidence not least because of the delay of eighteen months in presenting it. An additional drawback for any modern assessment has been the fact that the originals disappeared before the end of the sixteenth century and that only copies made by the clerks at Westminster survive. However, the general consensus is that some of the letters were correspondence between Mary and Bothwell, others were written by Mary to someone else, some were addressed to Bothwell by another person and that in certain of them forgery had been committed by an unknown hand.

Source: Davison, M. H. A., The Casket Letters, 1965
Source: Donaldson, G, The First Trial of Mary Queen of Scots, Batsford,1969

Now lets look at some specific dates:

1903 - December 2
Efforts were under way to secure 500 Scottish fishermen for Nova Scotia's deep-sea fishing fleet.

1331 - December 8
David II, son of Robert the Bruce, was crowned and anointed at Scone by the Bishop of St. Andrews

1676 - December 18
Extraordinary low temperatures were experienced throughout Scotland; birds 'fell down frae the air deid', strong gales froze and old folk couldn't remember the like.

1595 - December 23
An array of Scots gentry had been summoned to appear before the king to settle disputes. James was said to be 'scandalized' that murder had becme a daily occurrence.

1811 - December 31
A riotous and bloody New Year was seen in Edinburgh, with armed gangs roaming the streets. A police officer and a civilian were killed.

Source - Scotching the Myths by Jim Hewiston can be found in the History Book Section of Scottish Radiance.

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from Quotable Scots another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

The children used to kick my red boxes because they took up all my time.
Norman Lamont, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1993

I would never steal her limelight. I'd rather disappear into the heather.
Phyllida Law, actress and mother of Emma Thompson, explaining why she rejects request to appear on radio and TV chat shows since her daughter became the toast of Hollywood.

Is fheàrr an cumadair na 'n t-òr - Truth is better than gold.

You can find more articles in the archive under Scottish Flotsam.