The nine graves of Edinburgh

Robert Armin’s Nest of Ninnies of 1608 tells of Jemmy Camber, a fool of King James in Scotland. Ordered to court, he said he would go and make his grave, and rode to the churchyard in the high town, where by the custom of the place the sexton kept nine graves ready dug, three for men, three for women and three for children, for whoever died next. Jemmy paid him a French crown to dig one for him, and died suddenly within two hours, so he was buried there after all. The king had a marble stone set over him with a verse in Scots.