ft ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 



But though the nation was thus internally con- 

 vulfed, during the reigns of Mary and James VI. 

 commerce ftill continued to ilourifh, in a certain 

 degree. 



In I543> Henry VIII. gave orders for feizing 

 feveral Scots Ihips, that were trading to France. 

 He imagined that thofe feizures would induce the 

 reprefentatives of the great burghs in Scotland to 

 vote for the marriage of their young queen to his 

 fon prince Edward j but this was fo far from being 

 the cafe, that the merchants refufed to have 

 their fhips and cargoes delivered to them on fuch 

 a condition. Thefe feizures having been made 

 in time of peace^ gave the Scottifh government 

 yery great caufe of complaint ; the anfwer returned 



....... ' ......... 



made, but all churches were either defaced or pulled to the 

 ground. The holy veflels, and whatibever elie they could make 

 gain of, as timber, lead, and bells, were put to fale : the very 

 fepulchres of the dead were notfpared;" and, among others, 

 thofe of the kings and queens, lince king Malcorh III. at Dum- 

 fcrmline, Scoon, Arbroth, Melrofs, the charter-hpule of Perth, &c. 

 infomuch, that of all the Scottifh royal family, from ages co-eval 

 with the Remans, there is not one monument left entire within 

 that kingdom. 



Of the ecclefiaflical edifices the cathedral of Glafgow only 

 efcaped the fury of the times, owing to the refolution of the citi- 

 zens. Many buildings were totally demoliftied, and the flones 

 removed for private ufes. Others, whofe walls were left Handing, 

 have ferved the purpofe of quarries to the neighbourhopd ; and, in 

 a few ages more, every veftige of thofe venerable remains will, 

 in all probability, vanifh from the eye. 



The ruins which chiefly attraft the notice of flrangers are thofe 

 of Melrofs, in theftiire of Roxburgh ; Paifley in Renfrew (hire ; 

 Dumiermlihe, and St. Andrews, in Fifeihire ; Arbroth or Aber- 

 brothic, in Angus ; and Elgin in Murraymire. 



The reader will be able to form feme judgment of the magnitude 

 of thofe buildings, by the following flatement of their dimeniions, 

 compared with the cathedral of Glafgow, which remains entire. 



Length Breadth Height Travefic 



Glafgow Cathedral 284 65 9$ 



Elgin 264 114 



Aberbrothic 275 67 j6$ 



St. Andrew's \ 370 62 



