Appears in exhibition catalog as entry no. 237 (Sale info: To Be Auctioned).
"(60 x 90 1/2.) This picture illustrates the following extract from sir walter scott's history of scotland: 'but when, on sunday, after mary's landing, preparations were made to say mass in the royal chapel, the reformers said to each other, 'shall that idol, the mass, again take place within this kingdom. It shall not.' The young master of lindsay, showing in youth the fierceness of spirit which animated him after life, called out in the court-yard of the royal palace, that the idolatrous priest should die the death according to god's law. The prior of St. Andrews (afterwards earl murray) with great difficulty appeased the tumult, and protected the priests, whose blood would otherwise have mingled with the sacrafice. But unwilling to avow an intention so unpopular, he was obliged to dissemble with the reformers; and while he allowed that he stood with his sword drawn, at the door of the chapel, he pretended that he did not do so to protect the priest, but to prevent any scottish man from entering to witness or partake in the idolatrous ceremony." [P. 10.]
Catalogue of Pictures and other Works of Art, the property of the American Art-Union. To be sold at Auction by David Austen, Jr. At the Gallery, 497 Broadway, on Wednesday, the 15th, Thursday 16th, and Friday 17th, December, 1852. At 11 o'clock, A.M.
Topic:
Literature--Scott--History Of Scotland Search this
