AFTER the royal marriage and coronation of
Tames 111. with Margaret of Oldenburg-both of
which ceremonies took place with great pomp at
Edinburgh in 1476, he unfortunately contrived to
lisgust his proud nobility by receiving into favour
many persons of inferior rank. Thus, deep and
dangerous intrigues were formed against him, and
by those minions he was soon made aware that his
brothers-Alexander Duke of Albany, and John
Earl of Mar-were forming a conspiracy against
him, and that the former aimed at nothing less than
wresting the sceptre from his hand, and getting
himself, with English aid, crowned as Alexander IV.,
King of Scotland and the Isles-a fact since proved
by authentic documents.
Instead of employing his authority as Warden of
the Marches in the repression of outrage, Albany
THE ROYAL LODGING OR PALACE, FROM THE GRAND PARADE.
I than once; he slew John of Scougal in East
Lothian; and surrounded himself with a band of
desperadoes, who at his behest executed the most
nefarious crimes.
The dark accusations under which he lay roused
at length the suspicions of the king, who ordered
the arrest of both him and Mar. Over the latter's
fate there hangs a strange mystery. One historian
declares that he died of fever in the Canongate,
under the spells of witches who were burned
therefor. Another records that he was bled to
death in Craigmillar Castle; and the singular discovery
there in 1818 of a man's skeleton built erect
into the north wall was thought to warrant the
adoption of the last account.
In 1482 Albany was committed to the Castle
of Edinburgh, a close prisoner in the hands of
throne would ensure their total destruction, yet
he escaped them. Aware that a day of trial was
coming, and terrified by the unknown fate of Mar,
some of his numerous friends contrived to acquaint
him that in the Roads of Leith there lay a small
vessel laden with Gascon wine, by which he might
and also a strong rope, with a waxen roll
enclosing an unsigned letter, urging, "that he
should lose no time in escaping, as the king's
minions had resolved that he should die ere the
' morrow's sun set," but that the boats of the French
vessel would await him at the harbour of Leith.
EDINBURGH CASTLE IN 1647. (From Gmda o/ Rofhiemuys Mu#.)
U, the Castle; 6, the Castle ChapeL
escape if he made an effort. It is supposed that
he was confined in David's Tower, for we are told
it was one that arose from the northern verge of
the rock, where the height of the precipice seemed
to preclude the possibility of escape. He had
but one attendant (styled his chalmerchield) left
to wait upon him, and to this follower he revealed
his intention. From the vessel there came to
him two small runlets said to contain wine, and
they were camed to his apartment unexamined,
The duke found that they contained malvoisie,
U b,.
To lull suspicion, Albany invited the captain of
the guard and three of his principal soldiers to sup
with him, and all these he succeeded in partially
intoxicating. They sat drinking and gaming until
the hour grew late ; and then the royal duke found
that the moment of fate had come !
Snatching the captain's long dagger from his
baldrick, Albany buried it again and again in his
glittering breast ; he despatched the intoxicated
soldiers in the same fashion, and, in token of his
hostility, with the assistance of his chalmer-chield
castle rock
castles
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