politically. These documents had been perfidiously
sent to Scotland by General Monk. The marquis
was condemned to die the death of a traitor.
From the Castle he begged in vain a ten days?
respite, that he might crave pity of the king. ??I
placed the crown upon his head,? said he, mourn-
- fully, ? and this is my reward ! ?
An escape was planned. He lay in bed for
some days feigning iuyess, and the Marchioness
came in a sedan to visit him. Being of the same
stature, he assumed her dress and coif; but when
about to step into the sedan his courage failed him,
and he abandoned the attempt. The night before
execution he was removed to the most ancient
prison in Edinburgh-an edifice in Mauchine?s
Close, long since removed, where the Marchioness
awaited him. ?The Lord will requite it,? she exclaimed,
as she wept bitterly on his breast. ? Forbear,
Margaret,? said. he, calmly, ?I pity my
enemies, and am as content in this ignominious
prison as in yonder Castle of Edinburgh.?
With his last breath he expressed abhorrence of
the death of Charles I, and on the 27th May his
head was struck from his body by the Maiden, at
the west end of the Tolbooth. By patent all his
ancient earldom and estates were restored to his
son, h r d Lorne, then a prisoner in the Castle,
where on one occasion he had a narrow escape,
when playing ? with hand bullets ? {bowls 3) one
of which, as Wodrow records, struck him senseless.
On the 30th May, 1667, the batteries of the
Castle returned the salute of the English fleet,
which came to anchor in the roads under the
pennant of Sir Jeremiah Smythe; who came thither
in quest of the Dutch fleet, which had been bombarding
Burntisland.
Janies Duke of Alhany and York succeeded the
odious Duke Q? Lauderdale in the administration
of Scottish affairs, and won the favour of all classes,
while he resided at Holyrood awaiting the issue of
the famous Bill of Exclusion, which would deprive
him of the throne of England on the demise of
his brother, and hence it became his earnest desire
to secure at least Scotland, the hereditary kingdom
of his race. OR his fixst Visit to &e Cask, on
30th October, 1680, Mons Meg br-rst when the
guns were saluting-a ring near the touchhole
giving way, which, saith Fountainhall, was deemed
by all men a bad omen. His lordship adds that
as the gun was charged by an English gunner,
required by the obnoxious Test Act as Commis.
Goner of the Scottish Treasury; and on the 12th
Scottish manners gradually gave way before the
affability of such entertainers as the Duchess
Mary d? Este of Modena, and the Princess Anne,
?and the novel luxuries of the English court
formed an attraction to the Scottish grandees.
Tea was introduced for the first time into Scotland
on this occasion, and given by the duchess as a
great treat to the Scottish ladies. Balls, plays, and
masquerades were also attempted; but the last
proved too great an innovation on the rigid manners
of that period to be tolerated.?
The accession of King James VII. is thus recorded
by Lord Fountainhall (&? Decisions,? vol. i.) :
--?Feb. 6th, 1685. The Privy Council is called
extraordinary, on the occasion of an express sent
them by his royal highness the Duke of Albany,
telling that, on Monday the 2nd February, the king
was seized with a violent and apoplectic fit, which
stupefied him for four hours ; but, by letting twelve
ounces of blood and applying cupping-glasses to
his head, he revived. This unexpected surprise
put our statesmen in a hurly-burly, and was
followed by the news of the death of his Majesty,
which happened on the 7th of February, and came
home to us on the roth, in the morning ; whereupon
a theatre was immediately erected at the cross of
Edinburgh, and the militia companies drawn out
in arms ; and, at ten o?clock, the Chancellor,
Treasurer, and all the other officers of State, with
the nobility, lotds of Privy Council and Session, the
magistrates and town council of Edinburgh, came
to the cross, with the lion king-at-arms, his heralds
and trumpeters ; the Chance!;or carried his own
purse, and, weeping, proclaimed Jimes Duke af
Albany the ~nZy and undoubtcrt king of this realm, by
fhe-tiile of Jirnes VfL, the clerk registrar reading
the words of the Act to him, and all of them swore
faith and allegiance to him. Then the other proclamation
was then read, whereby King James VII.
continued all oAices till he had more time to send
down new commissions. . - . . Then the
Castle shot a round of guns, and sermon began,
wherein Mr. John Robertson did regret our loss,
but desiredour tears might be dried up when we
looked upon so brave and excellent a successor.
The Privy Council called foa all the seals, and broke
them, appointing new ones with the name of James
VII. to be made.?
In r68c the Earl of Argyie was committed to
the Castle for the third time for declining the oath
. having no cannon in all England so big as she.?
During the duke?s residence at Holyrood a splendid
of December ,an assize brought in their verdict, by
the Marquis of Montrose, his hereditary foe, finding
