side of the Castle. It is mentioned in a charter of David I. in 1128, and in 1174 it was surrendered to the English, as the price of the liberation of the Scottish king, William I. surnamed the Lion, who had been taken prisoner at Alnwick. On William's marriage with the cousin of King Henry, it was restored. The English held it in the time of Edward I. but it was recovered from them by Randolph, the nephew of Robert Bruce, in 1313. During this reign, it was destroyed by Bruce, to hinder the English from taking possession of it. It was rebuilt, and given up to Edward, by Baliol; but was soon after taken from the English by Sir William Ramsay. Falling again into their hands, it was regained by Sir William Douglas. Chancellor Crichton, in the reign of James II., shut himself up in it, and defied the power of the king. In 1573, the brave Kirkaldy held the Castle for thirty-three days, against the united efforts of the English and Scottish forces, till the mutiny of his garrison obliged him to surrender. In the reign of James VI. it was held by the Earl of Morton, till a reconciliation with his sovereign took place. It was besieged by Cromwell in 1650, but held out two months, when it surrendered honourably. At the Revolution, it was held by the Duke of Gordon. for James II. It resisted the efforts of the rebels in 1715, and was vainly attempted to be taken from the royalists in 1745.

THE INTERIOR QUADRANGLE OF THE CASTLE.

This ancient building has sometimes been the palace, at other times the prison, of princes; and is rendered interesting by its history being most intimately connected with that of the country. The Parliament-house was on the south side of the court, represented in the View; the northern division was occupied by the royal gardens, the stables, and inferior offices; and the great state-rooms were on the side towards the City, which is eastward.

The following Inscription, in a room at the angle towards the south-east, points out the birth-place of King James the Sixth :

Lord Jesu Chryst, that crownit was with thornes,
Preserve the birth quhais Badzie heir is borne;
And send her sonne successive to reign still,
Lang in this realme, if that it be thy will.
Als grant, O Lord, quhat ever of her proceed,
Be to thy glorie, honer, and praise, so bied.
19th Junii, 1566.

We also learn, from the appearance of dates inscribed on the walls, that these apartments were repaired at different times, up to the year 1616.

In the year 1707, the regalia of Scotland were deposited in a room in this part of the Castle; but having never afterwards been exhibited, were reported to have been secretly conveyed to London; which was generally believed, till the year 1818, during the regency of his present Majesty, when a commission was appointed, consisting of some of the