18 



SCOTLAND ILLUSTRATED. 



In all its buildings, piers, bridges, public edifices, and private residences, die 

 same pervading aspect of massy structure and prison-like security predominates, 

 and furnishes a still vivid notion of those times when, in situations like this, no 

 town could be considered beautiful that was not impregnable. The castle of 

 Berwick, the theatre of so many stormy assaults and secret stratagems, is now a 

 mass of unheeded ruins, with a windmUl rising from its centre, as if to proclaim 

 the triumph of more peaceful times, and serve as a fitting comment on the perish- 

 able nature of human strength and grandeur. Nothing could be more appropriate; 

 and it were well for the inhabitants of other countries if the pomp and circum- 

 stance of war were replaced by the same unequivocal emblem of peace. 



It was in the hall of this castle that Edward I. determined the competition for 

 the crown of Scotland, which afterwards led to those projects of conquest on his 

 part, by which so many lives were sacrificed, and so many calamities entailed 

 upon the country. All his ambitious schemes, however, though prosecuted at an 

 enormous cost in blood and treasure, and din-ing a period of thirteen years' 

 intrigue or war, only held Scotland in subjection for four months. 



In the Freirs of Berwick, a tale supposed to be written by the early Scottish 

 poet Dunbar in 1539, the opening lines give so correct, brief, and graphic a 

 sketch of the town, its monastic institutions, and its ' ladies fair of face,' that 

 we subjoin the whole passage.* 



The scenery of the Tweed, which opens on the view as we quit Berwick and 

 continue our progress through the Merse, is only equalled by the high state 

 of cultivation and productive qualities of the soil, which so eminently distinguish 

 this garden of the Border, which is rendered doubly interesting by contrast 

 with its early liistory, when " he who sowed knew not who should reap." 



" As it befell, and hapint upon deid, 



Upon ane rever, the quiiilk is callit Tweid ; 



At Tweidis mouth thair stands ane noble toun 



Quhair mony lords hes bin of gi'it renoun, 



And mony wourthy ladles, fair of face, 



Quhair eke fou mony frische young galand was. 



Into tliis toune the quhilk is callt, Berwik, 



Upon the se, it hes na uther lyk, 



For it is wallit weill about with stane 



And dowbil stankis cassin mony ane. 



And syne the Castell is so Strang, and wicht 



With staitlie tours, and turrats hJ on hicht. 



With kirnals clost most craftilie of all ; 



The Portcvdis most subtelie to fall, 



That, when they list to draw it upon hicht, 

 That it may be into na mannis micht 

 To win that hous by craft or subtiltie, 

 Thereto is it most fair allenerlie : 

 Unto my sicht, qithairever I have been, 

 Most fair, most gudelie, and all best besene. 

 The tonne, the CasfeU, and the pleasant land ; 

 The sea wallis upon the uther hand ; 

 The grit croce kirh,^ and eih the Masondew* 

 The freiris of lacobinis whyt of hew, 

 The Carmelites, Augustins, Minors eik,- 

 The four ordours of freiris ware nocht to seik, 

 And all into this wourthy place y dwelling." 



Church of the Great Cross. 



3 Maison-Dieu, or Hospital. 



