Page:Three Years in Europe.djvu/77

Rh containing the pictures of 106 sovereigns of Scotland from Fergus I., 320 B. C. to Charles II. On the first floor is a small room in which are private stairs leading to Queen Mary's supping room. It was through this passage that Darnly led up his infuriated followers to the supping room of Queen Mary on the second floor to murder Riccio. On the top of the staircase there is a discoloration of the floor, which is pointed out as the mark of Riccio's blood.

From the Palace we went to the Edinburgh Castle. The castle is a very ancient one and built on a high hill, and is accessible only from one side.

Before artillery was invented such a castle must have been impregnable. In the castle we saw the regalia of Scotland, consisting of a crown placed on a splendid cushion, a sword with its scabbard, a sceptre, a rod, a chain and two or three ornaments of rubies and pearls. The regalia, properly so called, consists only of the crown, the sword and the sceptre. It was with much difficulty that the Scotch preserved their regalia safe when their country was overrun by the republicans and regicides of England. It was removed from Edinburgh Castle to Dubberton Castle before the former was