ST. ANDREWS. FALKLAND PALACE. STRATH-EDEN. 147 



" Covenanters," private gentlemen of the county.* This atrocity has been made 

 the subject of a powerfully dramatic scene in the popular works of the day. Of 

 St. Andrews it may be said, Ubi Trojafuit nunc seges ; but its resident society 

 is still among the best in the kingdom. The views inland, as well as those 

 embracing a vast extent of coast and sea, are highly interesting. 



Continuing our route from St. Andrews, we cast a passing glance at the ruins 

 of Falkland Palace, already mentioned in our notice of the " Gowry conspiracy," 

 where the view is inserted.f This was the ancient stronghold of the Thanes 

 uf Fife, and devolved to the crown on the forfeiture of that family in 1425. In 

 the reigns of James VI. and his immediate predecessor, it was rebuilt and 

 enlarged ; and possessed, in its magnificent park and romantic scenery, peculiar 

 attractions for the court. With the latter monarch it became a favourite 

 residence ; and here he was enjoying the pleasures of the chase when the 

 mysterious transaction above mentioned called him to Perth. Of the royal 

 forest, hardly a tree remains ; the fine oak timber having been cut clown by order 

 of Cromwell to erect the fort at Perth. It was in a dungeon of the original 

 castle, on the ruins of which the royal palace was constructed, that Robert, 

 duke of Rothsay, brother of James I., was starved to death by direction of 

 Albany, his near relative. Of this ill-fated prince several interesting traditions 

 still exist, which the reader will find in Mr. R. Chambers's instructive work. 



Within the last ten or fifteen years, the patriotic family of Nuthill have done 

 much to arrest the progress of dilapidation. By their care the royal mansion 

 is now guaranteed as a monument that will gratify the taste of many gene- 

 rations to come. To the Lomond hills, the palace and village of Falkland, 

 we have enjoyed several interesting excursions ; and although denuded of their 

 rich forest, the former present a beautiful undulating green range, where the 

 listless shepherd and his " bleating flock " have long superseded the huntsman and 

 the " bounding deer." Falkland gives the title of viscount to the family of Carey, 

 the first of whom was raised to that dignity by James VI., on receiving the 

 announcement of Queen Elizabeth's demise. The present representative is 

 married to the youngest daughter of his late Majesty, William IV. The vale 

 of the Eden which these heights command, is one of the richest in the kingdom, 

 and embellished with many noblemen and gentlemen's seats. Among these, 

 perhaps, none is more quietly picturesque, or presents a finer back-ground of 

 tastefully arranged plantations, than Wellfield House, the hospitable mansion 



The " Murder of Archbishop Sharpe " has been made the subject ot a fine painting, recently engraved 

 (1837), in which the circumstances of the horrid transaction are faithfully depicted, 

 t See ante, " Perthshire," of the present volume. 



