i The ot’.icr Tides are more antient: in one is a room ninety-five
Reet lon<v thirty feet fix inches wide, and thirty-three high. At
line end is a gallery, with three arches, perhaps for mufic. Narrow
galleries run quite round the old part, to preferve communications
iwifh the rooms; in one of which the unfortunate Mary Stuart firft
|f}W light. Her father, James V. then dying, foretold the miferies
ghat impended over her and the kingdom. “ It came,” faid he,
i“»ith a lals, and will be loft with one.”
Hl'he chapel was built by James V. and takes up one fide of the
(fquare. The kitchen for the ufe of the kings and queens is below
jgiound. I heard here of a letter from James VI, to borrow fome flitter
fpoons for a feaft; and of another to borrow from the Earl of
Kferapair of filk Blockings, to appear in before the Englijh embaflador.
I Though I cannot authenticate thefe relations of the fimplicity of the
[ t|mes; yet I have a curious letter from the fame monarch, to borrow
! whoufand marks, or 54/. 3s. 4d. in the year 1589, being that of
Ihis wedding, telling the lender (John Boifwell, of Balmonto) “ Ye
■will rather hurt your felf veiry far, than fee the diihounour of
■your prince and native country with the povertie of baith fet
^■downe before the face of ftrangers.” - v„.
■The church would be a handfome building, if not di%raced
I filth a moft ruinous floor. I was ihewn the place remarkable for
■the perfonated apparition that appeared to James IV. while he was
■editating the fatal expedition into England; and which, as honefi:
^mdfay relates, as foon as it had,\ t ri , ‘ delivered its mefiage, ‘ vaniihed
■tike a blink of the fun, or a whip of a whirlwind.’ The tale is
■Id with wonderful fimplicity, and would be fpoiled in the abridge-
H h ment: