NOTES.
Note 1. page 3.
This stone is near the highest point of the western brow of the Gowlan Hills, facing the farm-house of Raploch, and of course, to the north of the old gate which entered the Nether Bailiary of the castle, from the Ballangeigh Road. The inscription may be said to be now wholly obliterated; but the fact rests on the authority of Sir Robert Sibbald, Timothy Pont, and other antiquaries.
Note 2. p. 9.—Royal Visits to Stirling.
The magistracy of Stirling have, at various periods, exerted themselves to receive, with befitting honour, the descendants of those royal personages, who formerly rendered their castle the scene of a permanent court.
James VI., of whose boyhood it was the well-remembered scene, visited the town, in the course of the tour which he performed through his native kingdom, in 1617, after he had been fourteen years absent in England. The Council Register yet bears witness to the exertions of the civic dignitaries on this occasion. On the 12th of May, they ordained ‘the treasurer to buy some leaves of gold to gilt his Majesties armes on the croce,’ and statuted that ‘the Burrow Yett’ (that is, the gate of the town, at what is called the South Port) and also the bridge, should be repaired, preparatory to his Majesty’s arrival. On the 26th of May, they appointed ‘Mr Robert Murray, (commissary of Stirling,) to mak and deliver the speech to the Kingis Majistie, at his first entry in the towne, conform to the direction of the counsell.’ On the 15th of July, they authorised the Treasurer ‘to borrow £100 for the townes use, agains the tyme of his Majesties cumyn;’ they soon after borrowed five hundred merks, besides, to be a propine, or present to the king.
Charles I. was the next royal personage who honoured Stirling with a visit. On the 13th of May, 1633, ‘the Provest, Baillies, and Counsall, being convenit, concludis and agreis for a propine aganis his Majesties cuming to yis town, viz., a silver cup, to be maid in gude fassioun, sett with a cover overgilt with gold, at the sicht of the magistratis, on ye townis chairges, to be payit out be thair Thesaurer, quhilk sall be allowit to him in his comptis.’ On the ensuing 4th and 8th of July, it is observable, from the Register, that the whole of his Majesty’s household were admitted burgesses gratis. Among the number, which is not a small one, were William, Lord Bishop of London, (the famous Laud,) William, Lord Bishop Elect of Hereford, and John, Bishop of Ross.
It is perhaps a more interesting fact than any of the above, that Stirling gave a welcome to Charles II., when he visited it in the course of his unhappy pilgrimage in Scotland, in 1650–1, for the recovery of the kingdoms lost by his father. There are many things in the council records to denote, that the magistracy, at that trying period, and even during the dominancy of the commonwealth, retained a strong feeling of loyalty for the descendant of their ancient kings. Stirling was one of the Scottish burghs which Cromwell disfranchised, for not consenting to the union he desired to effect betwixt Scotland and England. A somewhat amusing anecdote is handed down by tradition, in reference to Charles the Second’s residence at Stirling. It seems that he thought proper to pay a personal visit to the Reverend Mr Guthrie, the puritan minister of the town; nothing at that period being practicable without the good will and influence of the clergy. When Charles entered the manse, Mrs Guthrie bustled about, with the officious kindness of a housewife, to get a chair for the king. ‘Never mind, gudewife,’ said the cynic; ‘the king’s a young man, and can tak a chair for himsel.’ We can scarcely suppose that Charles would be much offended at this singular piece of rudeness, which must have been too characteristic to fail in tickling a mind like his. Yet it might make him less anxious to save Guthrie from the death to which he was doomed, for his distinguished disloyalty, after the Restoration.
Stirling appears to have lent a good deal of money to this sovereign, during his misfortunes, besides performing other acts of service in behalf of himself and his friends. It is a pleasure to add, that he retained a grateful sense of the kindness of the citizens of Stirling, and, on arriving at his period of power, extended and confirmed their former privileges.
The town was honoured in 1681, by the visit of James, Duke of York and Albany, (afterwards James II.,) who then resided in Scotland, in a sort of honourable banishment, to escape the hostility of the Monmouth and Shaftesbury party, who were endeavouring to procure his exclusion from the throne. The magistrates and council, under date, October 21, 1680, ‘recommendis to the dean-of-guild and conveiner, to speik to thair respective incorporations, anent the provyding of partizans agane his Royal Highnes reception, and to report thair opinions to the magistrats, Saturday nixt.’ On the 4th of February 1681, the magistrates and council, in full convention, received and admitted to the honours and privileges of their burgh, ‘James, Duke of York and Albanie;’ besides a great number of his attendants, among whom is conspicuous, ‘Collonel John Churchill, attending on his Royall Highness.’ This person, at the time in question, was page to the Duke; but, in after times, reached the pinnacle of greatness and fame as Duke of Marlborough. It would appear that the magistracy presented the freedom of the town to his Royal Highness, in an expensive gold box, as the following entry occurs in the register, under date, March 14, 1681: ‘Ordains the thesaurer to pay William Law, goldsmith, thrie hundreth eightin pundis, fiftein shilling, for the gold-box he furnished to his Royall Highnes burges ticket.’ [This Law must have been the father of the celebrated projector of the Mississippi Scheme.]
As a farther testimony of the loyalty of the town at this period, the following entry may be quoted: ‘The seavint day of October 1681, admittis and receaves Captain John Graham of Claverhouse, Sir Andro Bruce of Earlshall, Mr David Grahame, brother to Claverhouse, James Montgomerie, ane of the corporalls of Claverhouse troupe, Alexander Scott, writer in Edinburgh, William Dickison, son to ________ Dickison, proveist of Forfar, David Buchanan, servant to Claverhouse, John Cuming and Adam Galloway, Claverhouse trumpetters, burgesses and guild brethren of the said brugh gratis; and they present made faith, as use is. And also admittis and receaves David Neve, Robert Kerr, William Sluthers, and John Purveis, servitors to Claverhouse, John Simpson and Alexander Watson, servitors to Earleshall, John Wallace and Alexander Luggat, servitors to William Grahame, cornet of Claverhouse troupe, and John Watson, servitor to Robert Murray, ane of the said troupe, neighbours and burgesses of the said brugh, and that gratis; and ilk ane made faith, as use is.’
No other royal personage visited Stirling till Prince Charles Stuart, grandson to the ill-starred prince who was received with so much gratulation as above, forced his entrance into the town, with his army of Highlanders, on the 8th of January 1746. The town was, on that occasion, held out with considerable spirit, for two days; but was forced at last to capitulate. The letter which Charles sent to summon the magistrates to surrender, is yet extant in the town-clerk’s office.
Note 3. p. 9.—Account of the Stirling Jug.
By an act of the Scottish Parliament, in 1437, various burghs in the Lowlands were appointed to keep the various standard measures for liquid and dry goods, from which all others throughout the country were to be taken. To Edinburgh was appointed the honour of keeping the standard Ell—to Perth the Reel—to Lanark the Pound—to Linlithgow the Firlot—and to Stirling the Pint. This was a judicious arrangement, both as it was calculated to prevent any attempt at an extensive or general scheme of fraud, and as the commodities, to which the different standards referred, were supplied in the greatest abundance by the districts and towns, to whose care they were committed; Edinburgh being then the principal market for cloth, Perth for yarn, Lanark for wool, Linlithgow for grain, and Stirling for distilled and fermented liquors.
The Pint Measure, popularly called the Stirling Jug, is still kept with great care in the town where it was first deposited four hundred years ago. It is made of brass, in the shape of a hollow cone truncated; and it weighs 14 lb. 10 oz. 1 dr. 18 grs. Scottish Troy. The mean diameter of the mouth is 4.17 inches English—of the bottom 5.25 inches,—and the mean depth 6 inches. On the front, near the mouth, in relief, there is a shield bearing a lion rampant, the Scottish national arms; and near the bottom is another shield, bearing an ape passant gardant, with the letter S. below, supposed to be the armorial bearing of the foreign artist who probably was employed to fabricate the vessel. The handle is fixed with two brass nails; and the whole has an appearance of rudeness, quite proper to the early age when it was first instituted by the Scottish Estates, as the standard of liquid measure for this ancient bacchanalian kingdom.
It will be interesting to all votaries of antiquity to know, that this vessel, which may in some measure be esteemed a national palladium, was rescued, about eighty years ago, from the fate of being utterly lost, to which all circumstances for some time seemed to destine it. The person whom we have to thank for this good service, was the Reverend Alexander Bryce, minister of Kirknewton, near Edinburgh, a man of scientific and literary accomplishment much superior to what was displayed by the generality of the clergy of his day. Mr Bryce (who had taught the mathematical class in the College of Edinburgh, during the winter of 1745–6, instead of the eminent Maclaurin, who was then on his death-bed,) happened to visit Stirling in the year 1750; when, recollecting that the standard Pint Jug was appointed to remain in that town, he requested permission from the magistrates to see it. The magistrates conducted him to their council-house, where a pewter pint jug was taken down from the roof, whence it was suspended, and presented to him. After a careful examination, he was convinced that this could not be the legal standard. He communicated his opinion to the magistrates; but they were equally ignorant of the loss which the town had sustained, and indisposed to take any trouble for the purpose of retrieving it. It excited very different feelings in the acute and enquiring mind of Dr Bryce; and, resolved, if possible, to recover the valuable antique, he immediately instituted a search; which, though conducted with much patient industry for about a twelvemonth, proved, to his great regret, unavailing. In 1752, it occurred to him, that the standard jug might have been borrowed by some of the coppersmiths or braziers, for the purpose of making legal measures for the citizens, and, by some chance, not returned. Having been informed that a person of this description, named Urquhart, had joined the insurgent forces in 1745—that, on his not returning, his furniture and shop utensils had been brought to sale—and that various articles, which had not been sold, were thrown into a garret as useless, a gleam of hope darted into his mind, and he eagerly went to make the proper investigation. Accordingly, in that obscure garret, groaning underneath a mass of lumber, he discovered the precious object of his research.
Thus was discovered the only standard, by special statute, of all liquid and dry measure in Scotland, after it had been offered for sale at perhaps the cheap and easy price of one penny, rejected as unworthy of that little sum, and subsequently thrown by as altogether useless; and many years after it had been considered, by its constitutional guardians, as irretrievably lost.
Mr Bryce, being permitted to take the valuable utensil with him to Edinburgh, there subjected it to a variety of experiments, from which he deduced the following facts:—
The weight of the contents of the Stirling Jug, in ‘clear water,’ is equal to 26,180 grains, English Troy.
There are 103⁴⁰⁴⁄₁₀₀₀ cubic inches in the standard Scottish pint.
It being ascertained, from an act of Parliament, 1618, that the wheat and pease firlot was statuted to contain 21¼ pints, and the bear and oat firlot 31 pints of the Stirling jug; and it being likewise ascertained that there are 103.404 cubic inches in the standard Scottish pint; Mr Bryce found that there are 2197³³⁵⁄₁₀₀₀ cubic inches in the wheat and pease firlot, and 3205⁵²⁴⁄₁₀₀₀ cubic inches in the bear and oat firlot; and so on in the smaller measures.
The excess of a boll of bear (barley) above a boll of wheat was found to be precisely 5 pecks bear measure, and 1 mutchkin, without the difference of a single gill; or a boll of bear is more than a boll of wheat by 7 pecks 1½ lippy, wheat measure, wanting 1 gill.
For ascertaining these and many similar facts, and for his ‘good services’ in recovering the Stirling Jug, Mr Bryce was presented with the freedom of the city of Edinburgh, January 1754. The canons which he thus instituted for public measures, continued in use till the late general change of weights and measures throughout the United Kingdom.
Note 4. p. 10.
It also comprises the lands of Raploch belonging to Cowan’s Hospital, and Southfield belonging to Spittal’s Hospital, neither of which are burgal, and the village of Cambuskenneth, and farms of Hood and East and West side of Abbey, which belonged to the abbot. It is very doubtful whether it includes the constabulary of the castle, or crown lands, viz. the greater part of the site of the Castle, the Gowlan Hills, Butt Park, King’s Park, and the Royal Gardens; all which are without burgh. It is likewise very doubtful whether it includes the Ladies’ Hill, the Crandy Hill, and the Haining, lands which were gifted by the Crown to the Mar family, and which are likewise undoubtedly without the burgal territory.
Note 5. p. 12.
Mary is stated by tradition to have established a regular garrison corps for the protection of Stirling Castle; the dress of which, according to the same uncertain authority, was the Lorrain uniform. Certes, till the year 1802, the Castle was garrisoned by a corps of about a hundred men, who were commanded by a lieutenant and ensign, and wore a dress decidedly different from all other British uniforms. The men had a small French-looking cocked hat, a long red coat, with green facings, red breeches, and long black leggens. The officers wore clothes of superior material, but of the same hue and fashion; the drummer alone having a short coat of a different colour—namely, of green. At a former period, the breeches were blue, and the belts black; latterly, the breeches were as stated, and the belts white. The arms were latterly a musket and bayonet, with a sword; but, at a remoter time, they are said to have carried Lochaber axes, like the town-guard of Edinburgh. The only objection to the popular theory of their having been instituted by Mary of Lorrain, and dressed to her taste, is, that in each of the other three fortresses, appointed by the act of Union to be kept up in Scotland, there was a corps of the same description. The whole were broken up in 1802, when the government found it necessary to substitute veteran battalions in the Scottish fortresses. It is to be regretted that so conspicuous a memorial of the old times of Scotland’s independence should have been permitted to perish, even for so good a cause as that of protecting the country against French invasion.
⁂ Perhaps it is worthy of being remarked, that the dress of the governor of Stirling Castle, which is now turned up with blue, was formerly faced, like that of the garrison corps, with green.
Note 6. p. 15.—The Ballangeigh Adventures.
‘James V. was a monarch whose good and benevolent intentions often rendered his romantic freaks venial, if not respectable, since, from his anxious attentions to the lower and most oppressed class of his subjects, he was, as we are told, popularly termed the King of the Commons. For the purpose of seeing that justice was regularly administered, and frequently from the less justifiable motive of gallantry, he used to traverse the vicinage of his several palaces in various disguises. The two excellent comic songs, entitled, ‘The Gaberlunzie Man,’ and ‘We’ll gang nae mair a-roving,’ are said to have been founded upon the success of his amorous adventures when travelling in the disguise of a beggar.’—Scotsman’s Library.
‘Once upon a time, when he was feasting in Stirling, the king sent for some venison from the neighbouring hills. The deer were killed and put on horses’ backs, to be transported to Stirling. Unluckily they had to pass the castle-gates of Arnpryor, belonging to a chief of the Buchanans, who had a considerable number of guests with him. It was late, and the company rather short of victuals, though they had more than enough of liquor. The chief, seeing so much fat venison passing his very door, seized on it; and to the expostulations of the keepers, who told him it belonged to King James, he answered insolently, that if James was king in Scotland, he, Buchanan, was king in Kippen, being the name of the district in which the castle of Arnpryor lay. On hearing what had happened, the king got on horseback, and rode instantly from Stirling to Buchanan’s house, where he found a fierce-looking Highlander, with an axe on his shoulder, standing centinel at the door. This grim warden refused the king admittance, saying that the Laird of Arnpryor was at dinner, and would not be disturbed. ‘Yet go up to the company, my good friend,’ said the king, ‘and tell him that the Gudeman of Ballangeigh is come to feast with the king of Kippen.’ The porter went grumbling into the house, and told his master that there was a fellow with a red beard, who called himself the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, at the gate, who said he was come to dine with the king of Kippen. As soon as Buchanan heard these words, he knew that the king was there in person, and hastened down to kneel at James’ feet, and ask forgiveness for his insolent behaviour. But the king, who only meant to give him a fright, forgave him freely, and, going into the castle, feasted on his own venison, which Buchanan had intercepted. Buchanan of Arnpryor was ever after called the king of Kippen.’—Tales of a Grandfather.
It is melancholy to add to this story, that the last king of Kippen was hanged at Carlisle, in 1746, for fighting in behalf of the ill-fated descendant of the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, Prince Charles Stuart.
‘Another adventure, which had nearly cost James his life, is said to have taken place at the village of Cramond, near Edinburgh, where he had rendered his addresses acceptable to a pretty girl of the lower rank. Four or five persons, whether relations or lovers of his mistress is uncertain, beset the monarch, as he returned from his rendezvous. Naturally gallant, and an admirable master of his weapon, the king took post on the high and narrow bridge over the Almond river, and defended himself bravely with his sword. A peasant, who was threshing in a neighbouring barn, came out upon the noise, and, whether moved by compassion or by natural gallantry, took the weaker side, and laid about with his flail so effectually as to disperse the assailants, well threshed, even according to the letter. He then conducted the king into his barn, where his guest requested a basin and towel, to remove the stains of the broil. This being procured with difficulty, James employed himself in learning what was the summit of his deliverer’s earthly wishes, and found that they were bounded by the desire of possessing, in property, the farm of Braehead, upon which he laboured as a bondsman. The lands chanced to belong to the Crown; and James directed him to come to the Palace of Holyrood, and enquire for the Gudeman of Ballangeigh. The poor man came as appointed, and, as the king had given orders for his admission, he was soon brought into the royal presence. James, still dressed in his travelling attire, received him as the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, conducted him from one apartment to another, by way of shewing him the palace, and then asked if he would like to see the king. John Howison—for such was his name—said that nothing would give him so much pleasure, if he were only sure that he might be brought into the king’s hall without giving offence. The Gudeman of Ballangeigh, of course, undertook that the king would not be angry. ‘But,’ said John, ‘how am I to know his grace from the nobles who will be all about him?’ ‘Easily,’ replied his companion, ‘all the others will be bareheaded—the king alone will wear his bonnet.’
‘So speaking, King James introduced the countryman into a great hall, which was filled by the nobility and officers of the crown. John was a little frightened, and drew close to his attendant, but was still unable to distinguish the King. ‘I told you that you should know him by his wearing of his hat,’ said his conductor. ‘Then,’ said John, after he had again looked round the room; ‘it must be either you or me, for all but us are bareheaded.’
‘The king laughed at John’s fancy; and, that the good yeoman might have occasion for mirth also, he made him a present of the farm of Braehead, which he had wished so much to possess, on condition that John Howison, and his successors, should be ready to present an ewer and basin, for the king to wash his hands, when his Majesty should come to Holyrood Palace, or should pass the bridge of Cramond. Accordingly, in the year 1822, when George Fourth came to Scotland, the descendant of John Howison, who still possesses the estate which was given to his ancestor, appeared at a solemn festival, and offered his Majesty water from a silver ewer, that he might perform the service by which he held his lands.’ Tales of a Grandfather—Notes to Lady of the Lake.
Another of James’ frolics is thus related, by Mr Campbell, from the statistical account. ‘Being benighted when out a-hunting, and separated from his attendants, he happened to enter a cottage in the midst of a moor, at the foot of the Ochil Hills, near Alloa, where, unknown, he was kindly received. In order to regale their unexpected guest, the goodman desired the goodwife to fetch the hen that roosted nearest the cock, which is always the plumpest, for the stranger’s supper. The king, highly pleased with his night’s lodgings and hospitable entertainment, told mine host, at parting, that he should be glad to return his civility, and requested that, the first time he came to Stirling, he would call at the castle, and enquire for the Gudeman of Ballangeigh. Donaldson, the landlord, did not fail to call on the Gudeman of Ballangeigh, when his astonishment, at finding that the king had been his guest, afforded no small amusement to the merry monarch and his courtiers. To carry on the pleasantry, he was henceforth designated by James with the title of the King of the Moors, which name and designation have descended from father to son ever since, and they have continued in possession of the identical spot, the property of the Earl of Mar, till very lately, when this nobleman, with reluctance, turned out the descendant and representative of the King of the Moors, on account of his Majesty’s invincible indolence, and great dislike to reform or innovation of any kind; although, from the spirited example of his neighbour tenants on the same estate, he was convinced that similar exertion would promote his advantage.’
To give something like historical authority to these stories, which are in a great measure mere matter of tradition, I may mention, that a clergyman, writing a letter to James the Sixth, in 1597, within fifty-five years after the death of their hero, says, ‘Wald your Majesty hazard to imitat King James the Fifth, of famous memorie, and travell as a privat and unsuspected man, alone, through the country, ye wald get more information of your Majesties subjects affection towards you, and that in half a-year, nor hitherto ye have done in all your life long.’ Calderwood’s Church History, M.S., Advocates’ Library, vol. 5, p. 158.
Note 7. p. 19.
These letters, in the Saxon character, and arranged in a peculiar way, form a common ornament on the corners of the gothic pillars, and on other parts, of our principal old churches throughout the country. They seem to have escaped the pious fury of the Reformers, by virtue of their unintelligibility.
Note 8. p. 21.
In Herbertshire House, the seat of William Morehead, Esquire, is an old painting, representing the Gardens and King’s Park in their original state. A lady is seen walking in the gardens; and a deer is poking its head over the wall which divided them from the park.
Note 9. p. 23.
This wall is of greater antiquity than that around the King’s Park at Edinburgh, which was built by James V. It appears to have existed so early as 1505; and, in all probability, it was built many years earlier than even that remote date. It is thus alluded to in a charter granted by James IV. to the magistrates of Stirling in 1505:
‘Quia, pro singulari favore quo gerimus erga dilectos nostros burgenses et communitatem burgi nostri de Striveling, et in recompensatione pro terris suis communibus de Gallohillis, dicto nostro burgo per ipsos nobis concess., et nunc wallo per nos. castro et peke [q. d. park] de Striveling inclusis; dedimus et concessimus hereditarie dictis burgensibus et communitati, totas et integras acras nostras terrarum quae olim fuerunt de le auld park prope Striveling, jacen. INTER MURUM LAPIDEUM nove peke nostre antedict. ex parte occidentali, et terras nuncupatas Bennies Croft,[B] ac croftam leprosorum, ex parte orientali, et terras nuncupatas le Southfield pertinen. abbati et conventui monasterii nostri de Dumfermling ex parte australi, et terras nuncupatas le Rudecroft ex parte boreali; una cum jure patronatûs et donatione capillanie altaris Sancti Michaelis,[C] per quondam Magistrum Thomam Carmichaell vicarium de Striveling, intra ecclesiam parochialem fundat. ad nostram dispositionem et donationem quotiens vacaverit nunc spectan.’
Note 10. p. 35.
Immediately behind Mar’s work, is a garden surrounded by an old wall, in the west part of which there appears to have been an arched gate; but, besides this garden, the Mar family had other pleasure grounds in the vicinity, to which the gate alluded to led. Annabella, the widow of the Regent, obtained from the crown, a charter of the ‘Parkhill of Stirling,’ on the 16th April 1582, and a charter ‘de rupe lie Heugh et Brae de Parkhill de Stirling, &c.’ on the 29th of August 1588. These grounds appear to be those now known by the name of the Ladies’ Hill, Crandy Hill, and the Haining, still belonging to the family; and, at this time, they were undoubtedly connected with the Royal Gardens, and the King’s Park, which are immediately adjacent to them. In that part of them, beside the Butt-well, may still be seen the remains of a garden in a very warm and delightful spot; part of the beautiful public walk, lately formed there, runs upon the very terrace; and, in various parts of the hill above, were decayed fruit trees within the memory of old people still living. At the south corner of the Crandy Hill, now so tastefully enclosed by Dr Patrick Doig, stood a small house [depicted in Slezer’s views of the castle,] which was inhabited by the Earl of Mar’s gardener, previous to 1715. This gardener, probably, had charge not only of the Earl of Mar’s grounds, but of the Royal Gardens and King’s Park, beyond them; for the Mar family were generally captains or constables of the castle of Stirling, and keepers of his Majesty’s Gardens and Park, down till the union of the two kingdoms; and even appear to have retained their connexion with Stirling Castle, from 1705 till 1714; Colonel John Erskine having been, during that period, deputy governor.
In Mar’s Work, while in the possession of Annabella, James the Sixth and his Queen took up their abode in December 1593, while the castle was preparing for their reception, a fact which we state on the authority of Moyse’s Memoires of the affairs of Scotland; and here, according to Sir Robert Sibbald, the Earl who headed the first Rebellion lived, in 1710, in great splendour. This Earl first introduced the wilderness mode of planting into Scotland; and his gardens at Alloa, in that style, were much visited and admired. It may reasonably be supposed, that he gave some share of his attention to his grounds in the Parkhill of Stirling; but the splendour of this residence sunk with the catastrophe of 1715; and from that æra, so fatal to his name, do we date the utter neglect into which the Parkhill, the Royal Gardens, and King’s Park, still so beautiful amidst all their desolation, have fallen.