8 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
supply of water. From thence they sallied out from time to time, as occasions offered,
and not only harassed the enemy in the neighbouring capital, but extended their inroads
even as far as into Northumberland.’
In 1341, the Castle was recovered from the English by an ingenious stratagem, planned
by William Bullock, who had previously held the castle of Coupar for Baliol. Under his
directions, one Walter Curry of Dundee received into his ship two hundred Scots, under
the command of William de Douglas, Frazer, and Joachim of Kinbak, and casting anchor
in Leith Roads, he presented himself to the governor of the Castle, as master of an English
vessel, just arrived with a valuable cargo of wines and provisions on board, which he offered
to dispose of for the use of the garrison. “he bait took; and the pretended trader appeared
at the Castle, according to appointment, early on the following morning, attended by a dozen
armed followers, disguised as sailors. Upon entering the Castle, they contrived to overturn
their casks and hampers, so as to obstruct the closing of the gates, and instantly slew
the porter and guard. At an appointed signal, Douglas and his men sprung from their
concealment in the immediate neighbourhood, and, after a fierce conflict, overpowered the
garrison, and took possession of the Castle, in the name of David 11. In the following
month the young King, with his consort, Johanna, landed from France, and, within a short
time, the English were expelled from Scotland. When, a few years afterwards, the disastrous
raid of Durham terminat,ed in the defeat of the Scottish army, and the captivity
of the King, we find, in the treaty for his ransom, the merchants and burgesses of Edinburgh,
along with those of Aberdeen, Perth, and Dundee, are held bound for themselves,
and all the other merchants of Scotland, for its fulfilment. And, ultimately, a Parliament
was held at Edinburgh, in 1357, for final adjustment of the terms of the royal ransom, where
the Regent Robert, the steward of Scotland (afterwards King Robert II.), presided ; at
which, in addition to the clergy and nobles, there were delegates present from seventeen
burghs, among which Edinburgh appears for the first time placed at the head.
After David 11. returned from
England, he resided during his
latter days in the Castle, to
which he made extensive additions,
enlarging the fortifications
so recently rebuilt; and
adding in particular an extensive
building, afterwards known
by the name of David’s
Tower,” which stood for 200
years, till battered to pieces in
the regency of James VI. ; and
here he died on the 22d February
.
1370, in the forty-second year of his age, and was buried in the church of the Abbey of Holyrood,
before the high altar. He was a brave and gifted prince, who in happier times might
1 Caledonia, vol. ii. p. 290.
VIQNETTdThe Castle, from a map engraved in 1575, showing King David’s Tower.
