Diary of John Scott II

.The year 1707 was when John began making regular references to his own romance, the entries in his diary being made in a mixture of Latin (he used it as a sort of code) and English. Sometimes John refers to Jean as Doa, which is short for the Latin `Domina’ The entries are here as translated into plain English by John Stevenson.

“Saturday 1st November I was in Donaghadee about eleven o’clock. I went to Mr
 Hamilton’s and met in the entrance Mrs Jean, to whom I had spoken and she
 promised to meet me about 6 o’clock near the church. At that time I disclosed to her what was in my mind, and to console me she said that she would think over the matter about which I had spoken. I was with her about two hours and we separated near the church.

“Monday November 3rd I was in Donaghadee and in the evening went down to Mr Hamilton’s. I had only a word with Doa. I went with Mr Henry Hamilton, Mr Hamilton, Mrs Jean (the Doa) and some others home with Mr James Hamilton and lady to their lodging in William McMechan’s and again accompanied Mr Hamilton and wife with, especially, Mrs Jean, home and supped with them.”

“Teusday 4th November I was in D.dee p diem only in the evening went to Mr James Hamilton’s lodging where I meet wth Doa I went home wth her to her pater’s and from thence came straight home.

“Fraiday 7th November I was in D.dee and in the afternoon went out with Mrs Jean Hamilton Mr James Hamilton & his wife to Killachyes we returned home same night; and I at my return went down to Mr Hamilton’s went in and meet Doa in armatorio
[Stevenson suggests this was probably a small room] where about the space of an hour I was wth her and had indeed a desirable time tho’ still very nice. ”

“Nov Monday 10th I was in Donoghadee during the day and in the evening went down to Mr Hamilton’s and met Doa in the small room, where I was with her for six or seven hours – father and mother in Belfast.”

Wensday 12th November I was in D.dee and did preach on Rom. 8.1.1. dinned (sic) in Mr Hamilton’s I was in the evening in Mr Hamilton’s, and took occasion to signify to Mrs Hamilton how very great love I had for Doa Jana her daughter she told me she would not be my foe but rather my friend, for wch I returned her many thanks. I was for some time at the Turf stack same night cum Doa.

“Thursday 13th November … in the evening went down to Mr Hamilton’s and meet Doa in the small room where I was with her about two hours. I supped in Mr Hamilton’s. I gave Marrion Hamilton a handkerchief and Gloves”.

“Fraiday 14th November I was in D.dee all day and in the evening went down and meet with Doa … we were in the guest chamber from 6 to half 9 Mrs Hamilton came and called Mrs Jean and so we were necessitated to part. I came straight home.”

“Saturday 15th November … in the evening went down towards Mr Hamiltons but did not see Doa & again I went and did not see her; I came home and about 9 of the clock I went down and meet wth Doa. I was with her about half an hour and gave her gloves.”

“Wensday 19th November I was at sermon and heard Mr Hamilton on Isai.55.2 In the evening I was about 2 hours wth Doa from whome I had the following encouragement (for Wednesday the 19 of November I expected a reply to what I had some time before proposed to her: whch was that if she did not alter she would accept of and in due time reward my service: but if she altered then she was to be free.”

“Fraiday 21st November … in the evening went down to Mr Hamilton’s there supped wth Mr Bigger after supper I met wth Doa at the haystack and stood about a quarter of an hour with her, and at the same time presented her with a broad piece of gold of wch wth much pressing she did accept.”

“Wednesday 26th November I was in D.dee and going to sermon went to Mr Hamilton and was told by Marion Hamilton that Doa was gone to Mr Moor’s of the Roddins, whereupon I returned home and went not to sermon, but took horse and went straight to Mr Moor’s, but found her not there, wch was to me most disquieting I came from there straight to Mr Wallace’s where I found her & had only two words wth her and returned home to D.dee so burdened wth concernedess for her absenting her father’s house that I thought I should never have got to D.dee, when I came to D.dee I went down to Mrs Hamilton and entreated that she would tomorrow send for Mrs Jane she told me seeing me so much concerned that she would.”

Tuesday 2nd December I was resolved to have gone to the presbytery but it proving a bad day I stayd at home; I went down before daylight to Mr Hamilton’s and was with Doa in the guest chamber from 7 of the clock till near 9. I was wth her from half eleven till half three in the afternoon: in the evening I just saw her she being bussied making a furbelow’d skerf in order to go to Mrs Mair’s Dorothy Hamilton’s burial. I gave, memorandum, to Isabel a handkerchief and pair of gloves.

“Fraiday 5th December I was in Donnoghadee and in the evening went down to Mr Hamilton’s, and was with Doa in her closet from 6 to 10 of the clock. I did same night present her wth a little bottle; she was pleased by her carriage towards me to evidence more concernedness for me and love to me than ever formerly.”

“Munday 8th December I was in D.dee … in the evening I went down to Mr Hamilton’s and was told that Mrs Hamilton and Mrs Jean were gone to Crebuy I sat for some time wth the children and came home much disconsolate that I was not favoured wth a sight of Doa.”

“Thursday 18th December I was at home all day only in the evening went down to Mr Hamilton’s and was with Doa in the guest chamber from 6 to 8 of the clock, she told me that her father same day after breakfast was speaking to her and telling her that he would not further her to keep me any longer company: because my father had never taken occasion to make known to him what was betwixt her and me, wch same night occasioned much indisposition to me, for about the space of an hour I was very bad and thought I should have fallen by; Mrs Hamilton came in and told me that Mr Hamilton was not in the least disatisfied with me, but he thought my father might have spoken to him.”

“Munday 22nd December I was at home, only in the evening I went down to Mr Hamilton’s and was with Doa in the guest chamber from six of the clock to nine, my father did same night to Mr Hamilton make known the respect I had for his daughter Mrs Jean; and his reply to him was that he would give me his daughter to wife, rather yea and sooner than to many wth 400 p annum wherewith my father was mightily taken; and indeed no wonder for it was much more than he was expecting and looking for from him.”

“Sabbath 14th March I was in D.dee and in the morning was taken wth a pain in my head wch did obleidge me to keep my room, about ten I went to bed, resolving to sweat for it, the wch I did vehemently till 8 at night. Memorandum that same day about 1 in the afternoon my father was seized wth the gravel and continued most violent to 6 of the clock Munday’s night about 7 of the clock at night Mr McCracken Mr Hamilton Mrs Hamilton and my Dear Mrs Jean came to see my father who then was much tormented Doa came to the back of the bed to me where I had occasion to see and speak wth her and had from her 3 oscula (three kisses) wch were at that time to me very refreshing.

Diary entries of a similar type apparently continued for 4 more months but after Tuesday, 20th July 1708 there is silence: he does not seem to have been appointed to any church and Jean did not marry him. Instead, in 1713, Jean became the second wife of Rev. Robert Gordon of Rathfriland, whose first wife had been her cousin, Margaret Hamilton: it is said that on her deathbed Margaret asked Gordon to marry her cousin, Jean, which he did. Fifteen years later Robert Gordon married his third wife, Esther Scott, who was John Scott’s sister.
The Reverend Robert Gordon was known as ‘greeting Gordon’ because his emotions in the pulpit often moved him to tears. He also left a diary. Stevenson, in ‘Two Centuries in County Down’, describes its contents thus: ‘A much-married man, his diary is entirely concerned with the world of himself, his wives, and his extremely numerous children. The births of 25 are noted with great exactitude as to day of week and hour.’

Thirteen of those children died very young, reminding one, (if a reminder is needed) of
how precarious life was in the seventeenth century. This is the moving tribute the Reverend Gordon wrote when Jean herself died:

‘On the Thursday following being the 8th of September (1726) my heart my life my brightest and best of wives departed this life at 12 at night. She was a godly woman, most exemplary to me and her children for true piety. She died, much lamented & the 10th of September 1726 was buried in the Reverend Mr Alexr Gordon’s grave in the churchyard at Ballyroney. This great loss I fear will never be made up for now I must say I never knew her fellow in all respects. We were marryd I bless God thirteen years except twenty days and O that I may have grace to follow her footsteps and may her children imitate her in her pious ways.’