Page:History of Sir William Wallace (1).pdf/85

 ( 85 ) the middle of summer, and proceeding to Linlithgow, there fixed his head quarters. Linlithgow was anciently a place of great importance and renown, and rendered memor- able, not only by the present, but also by many other martial and national occurrences. It be- came a royal borough as early as the reign of David I. To the west of the town, upon an eminence, stands the palace, erected on the site of a roman station, forming a square, with towers at the corners. It was formerly one of the noblest of the royal residences; all even in ruins, it exhibits the most majestic and vene- rable appearance. It was greatly ornamented by James V. and one side of the square rebuilt by James VI. which continued in good repair until the rebellion in 1745, when the royal soldiers, who were quartered in it, by accidents sat it on fire. The other squares are more ancien, con- sisting of long halls and galleries communicat- ing with the rooms. The unfortunate Queen Mary was born in one of these, upon the 8th day of December, 1512; who never saw her father's face, he lying languishing to death, at Faukland palace, of a broken heart, in con- sequence of the dishonourable defeat of his army by the English, at Solway-Moss. Instead of feeling the least pensation of joy, upon the intelligence of the birth of a daughter, he mournfully exclaimed, The kingdom care. with a loss, and it will be lost with me." In one of these apartments, also, James I saw H the