330 



EDINBURGH. 



Kdintmrgh. j., t ;,e New Town, since the year 17S3. An enormous 

 >< ~Y~*** quantity of earth has sunk into the marsh below, and 

 the whole is still yielding, from the accumulated pres- 

 sure. 



The most striking object, on appro.u-liing this city, 

 is the Castle, perched on a lolly isolated rock, ele- 

 vated on three sides from a level plain. Part of it, 

 xseially on the north, is absolutely perpendicular, 

 or somewhat overhanging the base, to the height 

 of I .">ii or -.'(X) feet; but to render the rest still more 

 inaccessible, wr read, that the governor who held it for 

 the adherents of Mary, tixik piins to '-pare away the 

 green L'r.is-" that had taken a slender root in the lis- 

 sure< of the rock. Of old, the castle was certain! v a 

 place of great strength, and it has stood many tedious 

 sieges; but, Ix-ing commanded by ground within the 

 range of artillery, its importance in modern warfare is 

 much diminished Etymologists have found equal dif- 

 ficulty in the derivation of Cnstrtt-n Alalnm, the Maiden 

 Castle, or Edinburgh ; but it seems more generally ad- 

 mitted to have been from Edwin, the Northumbrian 

 potentate, in the seventh century ; and that the town, 

 gradually seeking protection under its walls, thence re- 

 ceived the name of Edwinesburg, by which it was an- 

 ciently known. The castle is now separated from the 

 city by a vacant regular acclivity, ;>"><) feet long, and 

 nearly as broad, which lias lately been supported by a 

 strong wall, sunk several feet below the level. Its en- 

 trance is by a draw-bridge, which is raised every night, 

 over a wide dry ditch, and guarded by strong palisades 

 without, where the heaviest ordnance on the batteries 

 maybe pointed. Different gates within open into a wind- 

 ing way, which ascends to various edifices, for stores, 

 barracks, or other purposes ; and the grooves, from which 

 two portcullises descended, still denote the obstacles op- 

 po*ed to an assailing enemy. The surface of the rock, 

 extending to six or seven acres, is disposed in batteries, 

 or for the accommodation of troops, and what is requi- 

 site for a garrison ; and the highest part, np long flights 

 of stairs, consists of a square, which is used as a parade. 

 A deep draw-well is on the higher part of the castle ; 

 but as the water recedes with the firing of cannon, it 

 becomes a precarious resource : and there are instances 

 of the besieged being obliged to resort to a well with- 

 out the ramparts, which, on one occiision, an enemy 

 poisoned, and thus forced them to surrender. To 

 supply this defect, a capacious cistern has been erected, 

 which is filled by pipes brought into the castle from 

 a reservoir at a distance. There are numerous cannon 

 on the walls, whose signals have long been devoted to 

 festivities only; and there is a small armoury, which, 

 when full, can contain 30,000 stand of arms. It is said 

 that 2000 men can be accommodated in the castle: Part 

 of the liarracks are of recent erection, and by an in- 

 judicious and inconsistent style of architecture, have 

 materially impaired the grand and imposing aspect 

 which this fortress presented. King James the Sixth 

 of Scotland, under whom the island of Britain became 

 one empire, was born here in a small square apartment 

 in the south-east part of the castle. The date of hie 

 birth is painted on the wall, idso the royal arms of Scot- 

 land in good preservation, and some indifferent 

 written under them. In a late examination, no date 

 older than l/>65 could any -where be observed At the 

 time of the Union, the Scotifih regalia were deported 

 with much solemnity in a room with strong gratwl 

 windows ; and the door, which enters from a stair- 

 case, i* also strongly secured, though not built up. 

 Whether they still remain is uncertain ; but most )>ro- 



bably prudential reasons have long ago led to their de- 

 struction or removal. They were too dangerous insig- 

 nia of royalty to lie within the reach of the disaffected 

 during the rebellions of the preceding century. To- 

 wards its dose, however, a vague report having arisen, 

 that part of the records of the kingdom were contained 

 in tke same room, a warrant to search it was issued 

 from the office of the secretary of state, addro.s-tcd to 

 several individuals holding high official situations here. 

 Nothing was found but an old chest cmered with dust; 

 nn I doubts being started bv one of the deputation, 

 whether the words of the warrant contained authority 

 to go farther than simple inspection of the room, the 

 search was abandoned, and an opportunity of ascer- 

 taining the fact, not likely to recur, was lost. 



The histnrv of the castle of Edinburgh would be an 

 abbreviated history of the kingdom. Contending fac- 

 tions anxiously sought possession of it, and its f,,l| .,- 

 usually followed by that of the metropolis. Of old it v>a< 

 a royal residence, more particularly in those unsettled 

 periods, when strength constituted the chief security 

 of individuals. 



The Abbey of Holyrood, however, at the opjwsite ex- 

 tremity of the city, was the principal al>de of the a^^y O f 

 kings of Scotland for several centuries preceding the iiolyiood- 

 union of the crowns ; even during the rebellion, it house, 

 was occupied by the la-t descendant of the Stuarts ; but 

 it has never been visited by any sovereign of the house 

 of Hanover. This abbey was originally founded in 

 1128 by David I. in commemoration of his escape from 

 danger, while hunting in the neighbouring forests, and 

 endowed with ample revenues. But we know that he 

 dwelt in the castle, and that it was not until the time 

 of his successor James V. in the sixteenth century, 

 that adjoining buildings rendered it a royal palace. 

 Only the walls of the abl>ey remain: the eastern window, 

 which was an elegant remnant of Gothic architecture, 

 yielded to an extraordinary tempest in the year 1795. 

 The remainder has long been in a state of progressive 

 decay. James VI. is said to have repaired and embellish- 

 ed the church, at the same time providing it with an or- 

 gan, a throne for the sovereign, and twelve stalls for the 

 knights of the thistle. But the mob, in abhorrence of 

 popery, immediately afterwards broke in, and, in the 

 fervour of their zeal, committed greater devastation 

 than was wont to be done by n public enemy. Their 

 ravages being repaired at a considerable interval, a 

 new roof of ponderous flag-stones was raised upon the 

 walls, which speedily appeared very insufficient to hear 

 it. The impending danger was communicated to the 

 Barons of Exchequer, but no measures having been 

 taken to prevent it, the roof fell in during the year 

 I "(is, since which time the abbey itself has been a total 

 ruin. It was the royal cemetery of old, and also a 

 place of sepulture for distinguished persons. James V, 

 his queen, and several of their children and successors, 

 were entombed here. A vault, containing the Ivxly of 

 the king, was visited by some curious and intelligent 

 persons, in the year Kin;',, when they found it coloured 

 black, from the balsam in the coffin resembling melted 

 pitch. He died in the year 1542, but hair still seemed 

 to l>e on the head. There was also a coffin containing 

 tin- body of Queen Magdalen, who died immediately 

 on landing in Scotland in 1 5.17- That of James was 

 in wood, encircled by another coffin of lend. But when 

 the roof fell in 17(J8, the sepulchres were violated, and 

 the chajiel again ransacked by the mob. Arnot in hit 

 History relates, that between "the ye.-rs 177'' and 1779, 

 the leaden coffin of James V. and some others, were to- 



