The Castle of Edinburgh was originally denominated _Castelh Mynyd
Agned_, that is, “the fortress of the hill of Agnes;” and the hill
itself was termed _Mynyd Agned Cathre-gonion_, which implies
in the language of the ancient Britons, “the Hill Agned nigh the
fortress.” From which appellations it would appear that the Castle
was founded after the introduction of Christianity to Scotland. At a
subsequent period, the fortress was called _Castrum Puellarum_,
because, as some assert, the daughters of the Pictish chiefs received
“their education” in the Castle. It is beyond a question that a very
short period would have been sufficient for all the instruction
which the rude chieftains of the Picts were anxious to bestow on
the daughters; but the Castle answered a more needful purpose, by
protecting those high-born damsels from the indignities to which they
might have been subject in a residence of less strength, while their
fathers and brothers were despoiling neighbouring territories, and
making free with the families of conquered rivals. Some persons have
wished to ascribe a very remote origin to Edinburgh Castle; but it is
certain that a battle was fought on the site of the building by Arthur,
King of the Britons, towards the close of the Fifth Century.
The ground-plot of the fortress occupies about six acres. At the
western extremity is the outer barrier, which is formed of strong
palisadoes. Beyond this are a dry ditch, a drawbridge and a gate,
defended by two flanking batteries.
In the south-east quarter of the castle, state-prisoners were formerly
kept, and here, in an apartment called the _crown-room_ it is by
some pretended that the regalia of Scotland are still deposited. It is
well known that they were lodged here, with much formality on the 26th
of March, 1707.
Neither history nor tradition records any circumstance in which
Edinburgh Castle is conspicuous, till the year 1093. On the authority
of Fordun and Dalrymple, the following story concerning that period
is related:--when Malcolm Canmore was slain in battle, his widow,
Queen Margaret, took refuge in the Castle of Edinburgh, where she very
shortly died. “Donald Bane, uncle to Malcolm’s children, having usurped
the throne, now besieged the Castle in which the orphan-heir to the
crown resided. The usurper, presuming from the steepness of the rock
that Malcolm’s children could escape only at the gates, ordered them
alone to be guarded. But those in the garrison, knowing this, conveyed
the body of the Queen through a postern gate on the west side of the
Castle, to the church of Dunfermline, where it lies interred: and the
children escaping to England, where they were protected and educated by
their uncle, Edgar Atheling.”
After the murder of James I. at Perth, the son and successor of that
Monarch, who inherited the crown at the age of seven years, was
placed under the care of Crichton, the chancellor, while Sir Thomas
Livingstone was appointed regent. But a quarrel occurring between
the two great officers of state, James was detained, in splendid
confinement, at Edinburgh Castle, by Sir William Crichton. But the
Queen-Dowager, who favoured the opposite party, resolved to rescue
her son, and place him in the hands of the regent. In pursuit of this
purpose, she paid a visit to the youthful Sovereign, during which
she affected to display great friendship towards the chancellor,
and asserted an intention of never interfering in matters of state.
Crichton was deceived by these assurances, and readily granted the
Queen permission to remove certain articles from the Castle, which
would be wanted by her in the course of a pilgrimage to a church in
East Lothian, which she was on the point of undertaking. The effects
were conveyed from the Castle at an early hour of the morning, and
among them, concealed in a trunk, was removed the young King, who was
supposed to be asleep and secure in his chamber. A vessel was ready,
and he, the same night, reached Stirling, where he was received with
open arms by the triumphant Queen and regent.
But the fruit of the Queen’s ingenuity was soon wrested from her by the
superior address of the chancellor. Crichton knew that the King hunted
frequently in the woods near Stirling, and he watched an opportunity
during the absence of the regent, to conceal himself, and a determined
band, in the deep shade of a wood through which it was likely the King
would pass. James fell into the snare, and the chancellor, with many
protestations of respect, and much show of real courtesy, conducted him
to his former place of secluded residence.
The over-weening power and extreme insolence of the _Earl of
Douglas_ caused a reconciliation to take place, shortly after
this event, between the chancellor and the regent, who were mutually
apprehensive of the ill consequences of a division in the state, while
the ambitious Douglas was daily increasing in authority and turbulence.
Convinced of the inefficacy of the executive power to inflict justice
on the Earl, or to put a stop to his oppressive proceedings, the two
new co-adjutors resolved on proving the sincerity of their alliance, by
the assassination of their rival; and, for this purpose, the chancellor
decoyed him into the Castle. Lord Douglas was treated with so much
well-counterfeited respect that he felt assured of security, and
consented to share a banquet with the King and the two great officers
who ruled in the Monarch’s name. Here smiles and hilarity prevailed:
the regent flattered the pride of Douglas, and the chancellor pressed
his hand, with warm assurances of attachment. But, towards the
conclusion of the entertainment, _a bull’s head_ was set before
the unsuspicious guest. Douglas understood the fatal symbol, and sprang
from the table; but he was instantly surrounded by armed men, who
dragged him, in spite of the King’s tears and supplications, to the
outer court of the Castle, where he was murdered.