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doch Duke of Albany, Duncan Earl of Lennox, his fatherin-law, and his two sons, Walter and Alexander Stuart, were beheaded in 1425. The execution of Walter Stuart is supposed, with great probability, to be the groundwork of the beautiful and pathetic ballad of "Young Waters." This " heading-hill" now commonly bears the name of Hurley-Hacket, from its being the scene of an amusement practised by James V. when a boy, and his courtiers, which consisted in sliding in some sort of chair from top to bottom of the bank. On the south side of the Castle Hill is a small piece of ground called the Valley, with a rock on the south side denominated the Ladies' Rock. On this spot tournaments used to be held. The view from the Castle Hill is remarkably magnificent. To the north and east are the Ochil Hills, and the windings of the Forth through the Carse of Stirling, with its fertile fields, luxuriant woods, and stately mansions. On the west lies the vale of Menteith, bounded by the Highland mountains. The Campsie hills close the horizon to the south, and in the foreground, on the east, are the town, the Abbey Craig, and the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey, and, in a clear day, the Castle of Edinburgh and Arthur's Seat are seen. Stirling Castle is one of the four fortresses of Scotland which, by the articles of the Union, are always to be kept in repair. It is now used as a barrack. South-west of the Castle lies the King's Park, and to the east of it are the King's Gardens, which, though now unenclosed, and reduced to the condition of a marshy pasture, still retain the fantastic forms into which they had been thrown by the gardeners of ancient times.

The Greyfriars or Franciscan church of Stirling was erected in 1494 by James IV., and some additions were

made to it by Cardinal Beaton. It is a handsome Gothic building, and, since the Reformation, has been divided into two places of worship, called the East and West Churches. In this church the Earl of Arran, Regent of the kingdom, abjured Romanism in 1543; it was also the scene of the coronation of James VI., on the 29th July 1597, when John Knox preached the coronation The celebrated Ebenezer Erskine, founder of the Secession Church, was one of the ministers of the West Church.

sermon.

To the north of the Church stands the ruins of a haggard-looking building called Mar's Work. It was built by the Earl of Mar out of the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey. This conduct excited a great deal of popular dissatisfaction, in allusion to which the Earl caused several inscriptions to be affixed to his house.

In the immediate neighbourhood of this building is a spacious edifice called Argyle's Lodging, which was built by Sir William Alexander, the poet, created Earl of Stirling. It afterwards passed into the hands of the Argyle family, and is now used as a military hospital.

Stirling has long been celebrated for its schools, and also for the number of its hospitals or residences for decayed persons. By an act of the Scottish Parliament in 1437, Stirling was appointed to be the place for keeping the Jug, or standard of dry measure, from which all others throughout the country were appointed to be taken, while the Firlot was given to Linlithgow, the Ell to Edinburgh, the Reel to Perth, and the Pound to Lanark. The Stirling Jug is still preserved with great care. In 1831, the population of the town and parish was 8340. Stirling Bridge was long a structure of great importance, having been, till lately, almost the only access into the

northern part of Scotland for wheeled carriages. At a very early period there was a wooden bridge over the Forth about half a mile above the present structure, which was the scene of one of the most gallant achievements of Sir William Wallace, on the 13th of September 1297. An English army of 50,000 foot and 1000 horse, commanded by Cressingham, advanced towards Stirling in quest of Wallace, who, on his part, having collected an army of 40,000 men, marched southward to dispute the passage of the Forth. He posted his army near Cambuskenneth, allowing only a part of them to be seen. The English hurried across the river, to attack the Scots. After a considerable number of them had thus passed over, and the bridge was crowded with those who were following, Wallace charged those who had crossed with his whole strength, slew a very great number, and drove the rest into the river Forth, where the greater part were drowned. The remainder of the English army, who were left on the southern bank of the river, fled in great confusion, having first set fire to the wooden bridge, that the Scots might not pursue them. Cressingham himself was among the slain, and his rapine and oppression had rendered him so detestable to the Scots, that they flayed off his skin, and cut it in pieces to make girths for their horses.

The view of Stirling Castle, with which our text is illustrated, represents the scene in Waverley, where the party of Balmawhapple, upon passing the fortress, are saluted by a bullet from its walls. The artist has selected the moment when the valorous laird is returning the compliment by discharging his pistol at the inhospitable rock.

FIFTH TOUR.

FROM EDINBURGH TO STIRLING, BY STEAM-BOAT.

*

Looking straight across the Firth, upon leaving the Chain Pier, the burgh of Burntisland may be observed directly opposite. On the same side as the Chain Pier, the Duke of Buccleuch has lately built a low-water pier, for the better accommodation of steam-boats. After passing Granton, may be seen Lauriston Castle, the residence of John Law, the projector of the Mississippi scheme. On the north shore is the town of Aberdour, and near it the seat of the Earl of Morton, who is known here by the title of the Gudeman of Aberdour." North of the castle is the mansion-house of Hillside, and a little farther on is Dalgetty Church. Near this point is the island of Inch Colm, with the remains of a monastery, founded, in 1123, by Alexander I. On the south shore, at the mouth of the river Almond, stand the village of Cramond, and Cramond House, (Lady Torphichen,) and a little farther west is Dalmeny Park, the seat of the Earl of Rosebery. Near it are the ruins of Barnbougle Castle, an ancient seat of the family of the Moubrays, now extinct. Directly opposite is Donnibrissal, a seat of the Earl of Moray, the scene of the atrocious murder, by the Earl of Huntly, of the youthful Earl of Moray,

*Steam-boats sail for Alloa and Stirling every day, from Trinity Chain Pier. Coaches to the boat run from the Duty House, end of North Bridge, where correct information as to the Sturs of sailing may be obtained.

son-in-law of the celebrated Regent Murray.* A short way to the westward lies the ancient burgh of Inver

*"The Earl of Huntly, head of the powerful family of Gordon, had chanced to have some feudal differences with the Earl of Murray, in the course of which John Gordon, a brother of Gordon of Cluny, was killed by a shot from Murray's castle of Darnaway. This was enough to make the two families irreconcilable enemies, even if they had been otherwise on friendly terms. About 1591-2, an accusation was brought against Murray, for having given some countenance or assistance to Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, in a recent treasonable exploit. King James, without recollecting, perhaps, the hostility between the two Earls, sent Huntly with a commission to bring the Earl of Murray to his presence. Huntly probably rejoiced in the errand, as giving him an opportunity of revenging himself on his feudal enemy. He beset the house of Dunnibrissle. on the northern shore of the Forth, and summoned Murray to surrender. In reply, a gun was fired, which mortally wounded one of the Gordons. The assailants proceeded to set fire to the house; when Dunbar, sheriff of the county of Moray, said to the Earl, Let us not stay to be burnt in the flaming house: I will go out foremost, and the Gordons, taking me for your Lordship, will kill me, while you escape in the confusion.' They rushed out among their enemies accordingly, and Dunbar was slain. But his death did not save his friend, as he had generously intended. Murray, indeed, escaped for the moment, but as he fled towards the rocks of the sea-shore, he was traced by the silken tassels attached to his head-piece, which had taken fire as he broke out among the flames. By this means, his pursuers followed him down amongst the cliffs, near the sea; and Gordon of Buckie, who is said to have been the first that overtook him, wounded him mortally. As Murray was gasping in the last agony, Huntly came up; and it is alleged, by tradition, that Gordon pointed his dirk against the person of his chief, saying, 'By heaven! my Lord, you shall be as deep in as I;' and so he compelled him to wound Murray whilst he was dying. Huntly, with a wavering hand, struck the expiring Earl in the face. Thinking of his