The history of the castle of Edinburgh would be an abbreviated history of the kingdom. Contending fac tions anxiously sought possession of it, and its fall was usually followed by that of the metropolis. Of old it was a royal residence, more particularly in those unsettled periods, when strength constituted the chief security of individuals.
The Abbey of Holyrood, however, at the opposite ex tremity of the city, was the principal abode of the kings of Scotland for several centuries preceding the union of the crowns ; even during the rebellion, it was occupied by the last 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 re venues. 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 render ed it a royal palace. Only the walls of the abbey re main: the eastern window, which was an elegant rem nant 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 embellished the church, at the same time providing it with an organ, a throne for the sove reign, and twelve stalls for the knights of the thistle. But the mob, in abhorrence of popery, immediately after wards broke in, and, in the fervour of their zeal, com mitted greater devastation than was wont to be done by a public enemy. Their ravages being repaired at a con siderable interval, a new roof of ponderous flag-stones was raised upon the walls, which speedily appeared very insufficient to bear it. The impending danger was com municated to the Barons of Exchequer, but no measures having been taken to prevent it, the roof fell in during tte year 1768, 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 body of
the king, was visited by some curious and intelligent persons, in the year 1683, 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 be on the head. There was also a coffin containing the body of Queen Magdalen, who died immediately on landing in Scotland in 1537. That of James was in wood, encircled by another coffin of lead. But when the roof fell in 1768, the sepulchres were violated, and the chapel again ransacked by the mob. Arnot in his History relates, that between the years 1776 and 1779, the leaden coffin of James V. and some others, were sto len. " The head of Queen Magdalen, which was then entire, and even beautiful, and the skull of Darnley, were also stolen." Several bones of enormous size, re puted to be those of this nobleman, the husband of Nla ry, were lately exhibited, as also a body called that of a Countess of Roxburghe, converted to a mummy. The entrance to the vaults containing these relics, was built up within these few years, so that the dead can be dis turbed no longer. Most of the area of the church is now covered with rubbish ; but on examining parts of the pavement, figured stones, with inscriptions of conside rable antiquity, may be discovered. It is still used, though on rare occasions, for the sepultures of different families and their connections. On the exterior, two coats armorial, with supporters of great antiquity, are vi sible, though much defaced by time.
The palace itself is a large quadrangular edifice of hewn stone, with a court within, surrounded by a piazza. The west front, which extends 230 feet in length, con sists of two lofty double circular towers at each angle, connected by a lower building, ornamented above by a double balustrade; and in the centre is a porch, which is the principal entrance, with stone columns, " sup porting a cupola in form of an imperial crown." Above the entrance are the arms of Scotland, as borne previous to the Union; and within are the same arms as borne after it. A small garden is before the east front, which is of modern architecture.