A soldier was buried in St Andrews churchyard on May 16th 1640 after being executed at the Bigg Market in bizarre circumstances. He and another soldier were accused of mutiny and were made to play a game of dice to decide which of them would be killed.
Anthony Vickers was one of seventy horsemen in a Royalist regiment commanded by the splendidly named Sir Fulke Huncks, who had come to the North East to fight the Scots. Anthony and his comrades weren’t happy about the tuppence pay they’d received so Huncks had him arrested. Twenty other soldiers complained about their pay, so another of them was arrested too.
Huncks condemned the pair to be hanged for mutiny and ordered his men to build gallows outside Thomas Malaber’s shop in the Bigg Market, believing their deaths would terrify his men into obedience. Their comrades refused to carry out the hangings so Huncks decided the death of one of the men would be sufficient deterrent.
The two soldiers were ordered to play a game of dice, which Anthony lost. He was placed against a wall in the Bigg Market and shot dead by six of his comrades, and buried at St Andrews the same day.
The story is told in the church’s parish records, although it takes a bit of deciphering:
“2 sogers, for denying the Kinge’s pay, were by a kownsell of war apoyted to be shot at, and a pare of galos set up befor Tho. Malabers dore in the byg market. Thay kust lotes wich should dy, and the lotes did fall of one Mr. Anthone Wiccers, and he was set against a wall, and shot at by 6 lyght horsmen, and was bured in owre church yard the sam day, May, 16 day.”