P ro b a b ly after Lis death it became forfeited, and added to the
»petty of the crown ; for, on the acceffion of Robert the lid,
it w as bellowed (then a royal palace) on his favourite, Sir J o h n
L y o n , propter lau'dabili et fideli fervitio et continuis laboribus. The
antient buildings were of great extent, as appears by a drawing
from an old print, which the Earl of Strathmore did me the honour
tolprefent to me. The whole confifted of two long courts, divided
b y buildings : in each was a fquare tower, and gateway beneath;
and' in the third, another tower, which conftitutes the
prefent houfe, the reft being totally deftroyed. This has received
; many alterations, by the additions of little round turrets, with
grotefque roofs; and by a great round tower in one angle, which
¡ was built in 1686, by the reftorer of the caftle, Patrick Lord
Mmes, in order to contain the curious ftair-cafe, which is fpiral;
■ one end of the fteps refting on a light hollow pillar, continued to
the upper ftory. Befides the fpot of afiaffination, is Ihewn the
I feat of poetry and mufic, and antient feftivity; where the bards
took their place, and fung the heroifm of their patron and his
l||ceftors. In early times a chieftain was followed to court by
hi poets, and his ableft muficians : hence it was, that in the hall
of a Celtic prince, a hundred bards have ftruck up at once in
morns *. And even about a century ago every chieftain kept
two bards, each of whom had his difciples, infeparable attendants.
■ The moft fpacious rooms are, as ufu.al in old caftles,. placed in
the upper ftories, and furniihed with all the tawdry and clumfey
ptagnifkence of the middle of the laft century. Tfye habitable
* Doftor Macpher/on, 219*
Z 2