“In this place near the high altar of the abbey of Cambuskenneth were the remains of James III., King of the Scots, who died on June 11th, 1488, and of his Queen (the Princess Margaret of Denmark).”
Cambuskenneth at its zenith was an abbey of some importance in Scotland—a great many events of interest and national significance taking place there. As far as politics were concerned, the abbey was by far the most important in Scotland; indeed, so much was it used as a house of government that a new apartment had to be built called “Parliament Hall.” It was here that the first Scottish representative Parliament ever called together met by the order of Robert Bruce in 1324. The abbey was of the order of St Augustine, dedicated to the Virgin, and was founded by David I. in 1147 as St Mary’s of Stirling. This same king, the founder of Melrose Abbey, endowed the abbey with land and extensive property. In 1201 its name was changed to St Mary’s of Cambuskenneth, a battle having been fought on its site by King Kenneth against the Picts. In 1304, at the Feast of St Barnabas, the secret agreement took place between Robert Bruce and William Lamberton, Bishop of St Andrews, which decided the former to rise in rebellion against English power in Scotland. When the abbey was pillaged and set fire to by Richard II. in 1385, the revenues of the church would not admit of the extensive repairs necessary to restore it to its former state. About the year 1559, at the Reformation, the abbey was demolished and plundered again. The land and See of Cambuskenneth were handed over by Queen Mary to the Erskine family in the year 1562. One of the family of the Earl of Mar took stone from the abbey with which to build his house in Broad Street, thereby leaving the demolished church stripped of anything that could signify to its former pomp and influence.
A few fragments of walls, a gateway and a noble and substantial tower are all that is left of the grand old building. From the summit of the tower, which is approached by a well-preserved staircase, the imposing rock and castle of Stirling may be seen, which, in olden days, safeguarded the lives of the valley dwellers, as did the abbey of Cambuskenneth their religious interests.
PART VIII—SCOTLAND (SOUTHERN COUNTIES)
CHAPTER XIV
EDINBURGH or MIDLOTHIAN: BERWICKSHIRE
HOLYROOD: DRYBURGH
[HOLYROOD (Augustine Canons)]
1128, Founded by David I. and dedicated to the Holy Rood—1322, Plundered by the English under Edward II.—1326, Robert Bruce holds a Parliament in the abbey—1333-4, A Parliament held, at which Edward Baliol renders homage to Edward III. as superior Lord of Scotland—1385, Burnt by the followers of Richard II.—c. 1460, Abbot Crawfurd restores the church—1469, James III. marries Margaret of Denmark in the abbey church—During the abbacy of Robert de Bellenden, successor of Abbot Crawfurd, the Papal Legate of Pope Julius II. presents James IV. with a crown and sword of state at Holyrood—1543, The Earl of Hertford’s army burn “the abbey called Holyrood House”—1547, During the English invasion, Sir William Bonham and Edward Chamberlayne assault the abbey and destroy the choir transept—This rebuilt soon afterwards and repaired—1565, Mary, Queen of Scots, marries Lord Darnley—1617, James VI. restores the church of Holyrood (which since 1559, after partial restoration, had been used as a place of worship of the Reformed Church)—1630, Charles I. crowned September 29th, Charles erected Edinburgh to a Bishopric—1636, Scottish Liturgy announced—1687-8, The chapel royal re-decorated and fitted up for Roman Catholic Ritual by James II.—1688, The church plundered by a Presbyterian mob and utterly desecrated—1758, A builder, employed by the Barons of the Exchequer, restores the roof of the nave badly, which consequently fell two years later—1816-57, The church repaired.
THE imposing group of buildings which constitute Holyrood Palace lie on a piece of meadow land at the foot of an eminence known as Arthur’s Seat, on the outskirts of Scotland’s metropolis. Though the greater portion of it was the former home and dwelling-place of kings, and its walls connected with many domestic associations, there is a smaller and comparatively insignificant part, which not only has been the scene of several royal coronations and marriages, but before these ever took place was the abode of Augustine canons in the 12th century. This, the only remaining fragment of the monastery founded by David I., is now known as the chapel royal, the ruined shell of which it is pitiful to behold.
The abbey was founded by David I. Such a prince required no special intimation from heaven to prompt him to found a religious house under the shadow of a fortress where he himself resided. A miraculous interposition, however, on behalf of the king himself, when prostrate under the antlers of a “wild hart,” has been assigned as the immediate cause of the foundation of the abbey. Bellenden, the translator of Bone, relates that the event happened in the “vail that lyes to the Eist fra the said castell, quhare now lyes the Cannogait,” and which at that time was part of “Ane gred forest full of hartis, hyndis, toddis, and siclike manner of beistis.” As David was pursuing the hunt with ardour, a hart rushed at him, dashing both him and his horse to the ground with great violence. David threw both hands between the antlers of the stag to save himself from the blow when “the holy croce slaid incontinant in (into) his hands.” The wild deer fled in dismay at the sight of the sacred emblem to which it seemed about to do violence; and the king, being afterwards admonished in a dream, resolved to dedicate a house to the “Holy Rude,” the Virgin and All Saints on the very spot where “he gat the croce.” A far more likely reason for the founding of the abbey is that David built it as a repository for the fragment of the true cross brought by his mother, St Margaret, from Waltham Abbey. As in the case of many another foundation, kings and princes frequently claimed hospitality from their religious brothers; and though the monastic cellars and larders may not have boasted the delicacy and sumptuousness of a royal kitchen, their illustrious visitors would doubtless be quite content with the homely fare and good cheer offered them. This was repeatedly the case at the monastery at Holyrood, and the custom being that each visitor should present an oblation to the patron saint of the house, the monks had always the wherewithal to compensate themselves for the necessary outlay.
In the abbey church there were several chapels and altars dedicated to various saints. The Lady chapel was, as usual, in the choir at the back of the high altar, and we read of another called “the abbot’s chapel.” There were two altars, one dedicated to the Holy Cross, and another called the “Parish altar.” In the southern chapel adjoining the high altar, were those of St Andrew and St Catherine, founded by George Creichton, Bishop of Dunkeld; while there were altars dedicated to St Stephen, St Anne, St Crispin and St Crispinian. Royal patronage and favour continued to be shown, and in course of time the town became the acknowledged capital, while during the reign of James IV. the palace was begun. On its completion it became the favourite home of the Scottish royal house until James II. of England was driven from his throne at the time of the Revolution. Within the walls of the conventual church, renovated as the chapel royal by James VI., many high ceremonials took place. Several monarchs with their queens were crowned there, and it was also the place of interment of various royal and notable persons. Among these were David II., James II., James V., and the foolish Darnley, to whom Mary, Queen of Scots, plighted her troth, at the east end of the present church.