The History of Leith

The ship of Lynne

In the “Talbot Papers’ published by the Martland
Club, there is a letter, dated 4th July, 1555,
from Lord Conyers to the Earl of Shrewsbury.
After stating that some ships had been captured,
very much to the annoyance of the Queen-Regent
Mary of Lorraine, she sent a Scottish ship of war to
search for the said ship of Lynne; and, as the
former passed herself on the seas as a merchantman,
the crew of the Kait ” schott a piece of ordnance,
and the Scottis shippe schott off but a slinge, as
though she had been a merchant, and vailed her
bonnet,” or dipped her ensign.
The crew of the Kait then hailed, and asked
what she was laden with, and the reply was, ” With
victualles; and then they desired them to borde, and
let them have a ton of bacon for their money.”
The Scots answered that they should do so, on
which there swarmed on board the Kait a hundred
or eighty men, “well appoyntit in armoure and
stoutlie set,” on the English ship, which they
brought, with all her crew, into the haven of Leith;
” and by that I can learn,” adds Lord Conyers,
” there is at least iij. or iiij. of the cheefest of the
Englismenne like to suffer death. Other news I have
none to certifie yr Lordschippe, and so I committ
the same unto the tuicion and governmente of
Almichtie God.”—Berwick, 4th July, 1555.

source-Old and New Edinburgh