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STIRLING CASTLE




  PUBLISHED BY

  JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS, GLASGOW,

  Publishers to the University.

  MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD., LONDON.

  _New York_,   _The Macmillan Co._
  _Toronto_,    _The Macmillan Co. of Canada_.
  _London_,     _Simpkin, Hamilton and Co._
  _Cambridge_,  _Bowes and Bowes_.
  _Edinburgh_,  _Douglas and Foulis_.
  _Sydney_,     _Angus and Robertson_.

  MCMXIII.

[Illustration: STIRLING CASTLE.]




  STIRLING CASTLE

  ITS PLACE IN SCOTTISH HISTORY

  BY

  ERIC STAIR-KERR

  M.A. EDIN. AND OXON., F.S.A. SCOT.

  AUTHOR OF “SCOTLAND UNDER JAMES IV”

  _WITH EIGHTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS BY
  HUGH ARMSTRONG CAMERON_

  GLASGOW
  JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS

  PUBLISHERS TO THE UNIVERSITY

  1913




PREFACE


Stirling Castle is a many-sided subject that can be treated in more
than one way. The story of the castle might be dealt with in a book
divided into sections, each one taking up a special part, such as
Military History, Stirling as a Royal Palace, Notable Visitors, etc.;
but I have thought it better to set forth the whole of the castle’s
history in chronological order, and, after discussing the buildings and
their associations, to bring together the salient events connected with
the three chief Scottish strongholds, and to record what the poets have
said about Stirling.

With regard to dates, for the sake of simplicity I have adopted the
historical computation; that is to say, the years have been reckoned as
if they had always begun on the 1st of January and not on the 25th of
March, as was the rule in Scotland until 1600. For example, the date of
Prince Henry’s birth is given as February, 1594, although the event
was considered at the time to belong to the year 1593.

I am glad to express here my thanks to my uncle, the Rev. Eric
Robertson, for suggesting that I should undertake this work, and
for valuable hints given from time to time; to Mr. David B. Morris,
Stirling, who has always responded most willingly to any appeal for
help, and who has kindly read the proofs; and to Mr. James Hyslop,
Edinburgh, for guidance in the subject of the buildings of the castle.
To the artist, Mr. Cameron, I am grateful for the whole-hearted
interest which he has taken in my part of the work as well as in his
own.

  E. S. K.




CONTENTS


  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE
     I. EARLY HISTORY                                                  1

    II. THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE                                       18

   III. THE EARLY STEWARTS                                            36

    IV. JAMES V. AND MARY                                             57

     V. JAMES VI.                                                     79

    VI. LATER HISTORY                                                114

   VII. THE BUILDINGS, THE PARK, AND THE BRIDGE                      133

  VIII. THE ASSOCIATIONS OF THE BUILDINGS                            161

    IX. STIRLING’S POSITION WITH REGARD TO OTHER CASTLES             178

     X. STIRLING CASTLE IN POETRY                                    197

        INDEX                                                        214




ILLUSTRATIONS


                                                                    PAGE
  Stirling Castle                                         _frontispiece_

  The Highlands from Stirling Castle                                  13

  The Abbey Craig and River Forth                                     21

  Stirling Castle from Bannockburn                                    29

  *The Prospect of Stirling Castle                                    32
    _From Engraving by Captain John Slezer, circa 1693._

  The Douglas Window                                                  45

  James IV.’s Gateway (where Margaret Tudor defied the
        Commissioners)                                                59

  The Pass of Ballengeich                                             67

  The Keep and the Prince’s Walk                                      89

  The Chapel Royal                                                   109

  *Stirling Castle                                                   112
    _From Engraving by Robert Sayer, 1753._

  Turret on Queen Anne’s Battery                                     125

  The Old Mint                                                       135

  Portcullis in James IV.’s Gateway                                  139

  James V. as the Gudeman o’ Ballengeich                             143

  *The Prospect of Their Majesties’ Castle of Stirling               144
    _From Engraving by Captain John Slezer, 1693._

  Stirling Old Bridge                                                155

  The Parliament House                                               163

  Old Entrance from Ballengeich                                      167

  Old Buildings in Upper Square                                      189

  A Chimney of the Palace                                            193


  _All the Illustrations, with the exception of the three marked
  with an asterisk, are by