urch in Edinburgh. In these days
it was usual to bring the criminals who were condemned to death into
that church, to attend public worship every Sunday after their
condemnation, when the clergyman made some part of his discourse and
prayers to suit their situation; which, among other circumstances of
solemnity which then attended the state of condemned criminals, had no
small effect on the public mind. Robertson and Wilson were smugglers,
and had been condemned for robbing a custom-house, where some of their
goods had been deposited; a crime what at that time did not seem, in the
opinion of the common people, to deserve so severe a punishment. I was
carried by an acquaintance to church to see the prisoners on the Sunday
before the day of execution. We went early into the church on purpose to
see them come in, and were seated in a pew before the gallery in front
of the pulpit. Soon after we went into the church by the door from the
Parliament Close, the criminals were brought in by the door next the
Tolbooth, and placed in a long pew, not far from the pulpit. Four
soldiers came in with them, and placed Robertson at the head of the pew,
and Wilson below him, two of themselves sitting below Wilson, and two in
a pew behind him.

The bells were ringing and the doors were open, while the people were
coming into the church. Robertson watched his opportunity, and, suddenly
springing up, got over the pew into the passage that led in to the door
in the Parliament Close, and, no person offering to lay hands on him,
made his escape in a moment--so much the more easily, perhaps, as
everybody's attention was drawn to Wilson, who was a stronger man, and
who, attempting to follow Robertson, was seized by the soldiers, and
struggled so long with them that the two who at last followed Robertson
were too late. It was reported that he had maintained his struggle that
he might let his companion have time. That might be his second thought,
but his first certainly was to escape himself, for I saw him set his
foot on the seat to leap over, when the soldiers pulled him back. Wilson
was immediately carried out to the Tolbooth, and Robertson, getting
uninterrupted through the Parliament Square, down the back stairs, into
the Cowgate, was heard of no more till he arrived in Holland. This was
an interesting scene, and by filling the public mind with compassion for
the unhappy person who did not escape, and who was the better character
of the two,