“Those harmonious blasters maintained their delectable music while the Queen rode through the tilt-yard to the grand entrance of the castle, which was washed by the lake.
“As she passed, a movable island approached, on which sat the Lady of the Lake, who offered up her dominion to her Majesty, which she had held since the days of King Arthur.
“This scene ended by a delectable harmony of hautbois, shalms, cornets, with other loud musical instruments, playing while her Majesty passed into the castle gate.
“When she entered the castle, a new scene was presented to her.—Several of the heathen gods brought their gifts before her—Sylvanus, god of the woods, Pomona with fruit, Ceres with corn, Bacchus with grapes, Neptune with his trident, Mars with his arms, Apollo with musical instruments,—all presented themselves to welcome her Majesty in this singular place. An inscription over the gate explained the whole.
“Her Majesty was graciously pleased to accept the gifts of these divinities, when was struck up a concert of flutes and other soft music. When, alighting from her palfrey, she was conveyed into her chamber, when her arrival was announced through the country by a peal of cannon from the ramparts, and fireworks at night.”
Here the Queen was entertained for nineteen days, at an expense of £1000 a day. The Queen’s genius seems to have been greatly consulted in the pomp and solemnity of the whole, to which some have added the entertainment of bear-baiting, etc.
The great clock was stopped during her Majesty’s continuance in the castle, as if time had stood still, waiting on the Queen, and seeing her subjects enjoy themselves.
DAVID RAMSAY.
“NIGEL.”
“In the year 1634, Davy Ramsay, his Majesty’s clockmaker, made an attempt to discover a precious deposit supposed to be concealed in the cloister of Westminster Abbey, but a violent storm of wind put a stop to his operations.”—Lilly’s Life, p. 47. This Ramsay, according to Osborne, in his Traditional Memorials, used to deliver money and watches, to be recompensed, with profit, when King James should sit on the King’s chair at Rome, so near did he apprehend (by astrology, doubtless,) the downfall of the papal power. His son wrote several books on astrological subjects, of which his Astrologia Restaurata is very entertaining. In the preface he says that his father was of an ancient Scottish family, viz. of Eighterhouse, (Auchterhouse,) “which had flourished in great glory for 1500 years, till these latter days,” and derives the clan from Egypt, (it is wonderful that the idea of gipsies did not startle him,) where the word Ramsay signifies joy and delight. But he is extremely indignant that the world should call his father “no better than a watchmaker,” asserting that he was, in fact, page of the bedchamber, groom of the privy chamber, and keeper of all his Majestie’s clocks and watches. “Now, how this,” quoth he to the reader, “should prove him a watchmaker, and no other, more than the late Earles of Pembroke ordinary chamberlains, because they bore this office in the King’s house, do thou judge.”—Mr. Sharp’s Notes to Law’s Memorialls.