OS1/34/45/12

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 12

"Carribber a baronie the seat of Mr. Hay a Chirurgion a pleasant dwelling upon a hight invironed with planting and a large enclosure near the house there is a cataract by the fall of a brook over a high rock perpendicular for the hight of two or three spears length there are many [furze ] in the bank and in the haugh at the bottom of it there is a vitrolick well". - Sibbalds Hist. [History] of Linlithgowshire page 17.

"Among the attendants of James the Sixth was a distinguished personage of a class which may be found in most places of publick resot. This was the celebrated Rob Gibb the King's fool or jester. Fool as he was Rob Gibb seems to have understood his own interest. Upon one occasion it pleased his sapient Majesty King Jamie to instal in his own royal Chair the sport being to see how he would demean himself as sovereign. The courtiers entered into the King's humour overwhelming him with petitions for pensions and benifices not sorry perhaps to have an opportunity of hinting in the presence of the real sovereign secret hopes and wishes which they might have no other opportunity of expressing. But Rob Gibb sternly repelled the whole supplicants together as a set of unmercifully greedy sycophants who followed their worthy King only to see what they could make of him. Get ye hence ye covetous selfish loons he exclaimed and bring to me my own dear and trusty servant Rob Gibb that I may honour the only one of my Court who serves me for stark love and Kindness. It would not have been unlike King Jamie to have answered "that he was but a fool and knew better". Rab's presence of mind probably did not go unrewarded for either on this or on some further occasion he was in such good foolery as to get a grant of a small estate in the vicinity of the burgh, "Rob Gibb's Contract Stark love and Kindness" is still proverbial in Scotland to express a match for pure love". Sketch of the history of the Town & Palace. 1845