Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 « Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Cover Title Pages Contents List of Illustrations Preface Part 1: Historical Associations Part 1 Ch 1: Earliest Traditions Part 1 Ch 2: From The Accession of The Stuarts to the Death of James III Part 1 Ch 3: From the Accession of James IV to the Battle of Flodden Part 1 Ch 4: From the Battle of Flodden to the Death of James V Part 1 Ch 5: From the Death of James V to the Abdication of Queen Mary Part 1 Ch 6: From the Accession of James VI to the Restoration of Charles II Part 1 Ch 7: Historical Incidents after the Restoration Part 2: Local Antiquities and Traditions Part 2 Ch 1: The Castle Part 2 Ch 2: King's Stables, Castle Barns, and Castle Hill Part 2 Ch 3: The Lawnmarket Part 2 Ch 4: The Tolbooth, Luckenbooths, and Parliament Close Part 2 Ch 5: The High Street Part 2 Ch 6: The High Street and Nether Bow Part 2 Ch 7: The Canongate and Abbey Sanctuary Part 2 Ch 8: St Leonard's, St Mary's Wynd, and The Cowgate Part 2 Ch 9: The West Bow and Suburbs Part 2 Ch 10: Leith, and The New Town Part 2 Ch 11: Ecclesiastical Antiquities Appendix » Edinburgh Past and Present » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

YAMES V. TO ABDICATION OF QUEEN MARK 77 blood that had been left on its blade. This the discoverers, not unreasonably, believed to have remained there from the flight of the murderers of Rizzio. A flat stone, with some nearly obliterated carving upon it, is pointed out in the passage leading from the present quadrangle to the Chapel of Holyrood Palace, as covering the remains of Rizzio.’ It forms a portion of the flooring of the ancient Abbey Cloisters, included in the modern portion of the Palace, when it was rebuilt by Charles 11. As Sir James Melvil was passing out by the outer gate of the Palace on the following morning, the Queen observed him, and throwing open the window of her apartment, she implored him to warn the citizens, and rescue her from the traitors’ hands. On the news being spread, the common bell was rung, and the Provost, with some hnndred armed citizens, rushed into the outer court of the Palace and demanded the Queen’s release. Darnley appeared at the window in her stead, and desired them to return home, assuring them that he and the Queen were well and merry. The Provost sought to see the Queen herself, but Darnley commanded their immediate departure on his authority as King.’ She was deterred by the most violent threats from holding any communication with the chief magistrate and citizens ; and they finding all efforts vain, speedily retired.3 The Queen succeeded, soon after, in detaching her imbecile husband from the conspirators, and escaping from the Palace in his company at midnight. They fled together to Seaton, and thence to Dunbar. They returned again to the capital within five days, but the Queen feared again to trust herself within the bloody precincts of the Palace. She took up her residence in the house of a private citizen in the High Street, and from thence she removed, a few days afterwards, to one still nearer the Castle ; in all probability the house in Blyth’s Close, Castle Hill, traditionally pointed out as the Palace of her mother, Mary of Guise, the portion of which fronting the street still remaius, with the inscription upon it, in antique iron letters, LAVS DE0.4 Lord Ruthven had risen from his sick-bed to perpetrate the infamous deed of Rizzio’s murder ; he fled thereafter to Newcastle, and died there. Only two of the humbler actors in it suffered at this period for the crime, Thomas Scott, the sheriff-depute of Perth, for Ruthven, and Henry Yair, one of his retainers. The head of the former was set on the tower of the Palace, and that of the other on the Nether Bow Port. The period of the Queen’s accouchement now drew near, and she gladly adopted the advice of her Council to take up her residence within the Castle of Edinburgh. There, in a small apartment still pointed out to visitors,. James VI. first saw the light on the morning of the 19th of June 1566. The room in which the infant was born, in whom the rival crowns of Elizabeth and Marp were afterwards united, has undergone little alteration since that time ; it is of irregular shape, and very limited dimensions, though forming part of the more ancient 1 Chalmem’s Queen Mary, vol. ii. p. 163. 4 Letters of Randulph to Cecil, Wright’s “Queen Elizabeth and her Times,” vol. i p. 232. ’ Knox. p. 341. The Queen’s Letter, Keith, vol. 5. p. 418, VIoNmr~carvedS tone over the entrance b the royal apartments, Edinburgh Castle.

  Shrink   Print   Pictures