F in e view.
and James VI. was much frequented by the court and thè nobili
In September, 1571, a bloody attempt was made here, by the queJ
party, on the Regent Lenox ; who was furprized, at midnight; I
rounded by his friends, and in full fecurity. Except the EaJ
■Morton, none of the numerous nobility made the leaft refiftance]
furrendered themfelves quietly to the enemy. . Morton defends!
houfe till it was all in flames. This gave the townfmen tiraetJ
■ colleit their courage : they in turn attacked the : aflailants, w
ftruck with a panick, gave themfelves up to their own prifonl
But the unfortunate Lenox fell a viftim to the manes of the an
bilhop of St. Andrew’s: Sir David Spence, to whom he had 11' I
dered, periflied in the attempt to fave him, being ihot by the bil
that flew his noble captive.
From the top of the caftle is by far the fineft view in Sctim
to the eaft is a vaft plain, rich in corn, adorned with m
and watered with the river Forth, whofe meanders are, befoij
reaches the fea, fo frequent and fo large, as to form a multiti
of rnoft beautiful peninfulas ; for in many parts the windii
approximate fo clofe as to leave only a little ifthmus of a fewyatj
In this plain is an old abby, a view of Alloa, Clackmannan, j
kirk, the firth of Forth, and the country as far as FJtim
on the north, the. Ochil hills, and the moor where the battìi
Dumblain was fought ; to the weft, the ftrath of AftrfJ
fertile as the eaftern plain, and terminated by the hH
mountains ; among which the fummit of Ben-lomond is very t(J
ipicuous.
Among the houfes of the nobility, the moft fuperb was
the Earl of Mar, built by the regent; the front ornament«^
_ arms 0f the family, and much fculpture. It is faid to have
■ n built from the ruins of Cambus-kenneth, and that being re-
■Lched with the facrilege, dire&ed thefe words, yet extant, to
¡be put over the gate :
Essp.y. SPEIK. FuRTH. I CAIR. NOTHT.
CoNSIDIR. WEIL. I . CAIR. NOTHT.
■Near the caftle are Edmonfton’s walks, cut through a little wood,
L the vaft fteeps. Nature hath ftrangely buttrefied it up with
flones of immenfe fize, wedged between each other with more
the fame kind piled on their tops. Beneath, on the flat, are
I be feen the Veftiges of the gardens belonging to the palace,
Riled the K in g ’ s knot; where, according to the tafte of the
Rmes the flowers had been difpofed in beds and curious knots, at
Ijiis time very eafily to be traced in the fantaftic form of the
Burf.
■ Above thefe walks is the Ladies hill-, for here fat the fair to fee
■heir faithful knights exert their vigor and addrefs in the tilts and
■ournaments, performed in a hollow between this Ipot and the
■able.
I The church or royal chapel was collegiate, founded by pope
Alexander IV. at the requeft of James IV. for a dean, fubdean,
■acriftan, chanter, treafurer, chancellor, archdean, fixteen chaplains,
Rnd fix finging-boys, which, with the chaplains and a mufic-
■nafter, were appointed by the king. The queen’s confefior was
■he dean, who had epifcopal jurifdiftion. The whole moft richly
■ndowed.
G leap The