Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-09-21
THR GROWN OF SCOTLAND.
Its History and Strange Adve N.
Jures.

Its History and Strange Adve N.
Tures.
Chambers Journal
The ancient crown of Scotland, now
in the Castle Of Edinburg, has had ad-
ventures not unlike some of those of the
Hungarian diadem. 1t is supposed to
have been made for King Robert Bruce,
and is formed Of two circles OF gold, the
upper one being surmounted by row of
crosses and Aeurs delis, while the lower
and broader ring is adorned with pre-.
cious stones, in their rough, unpublished
state. From this rise two arches Of
gold, which unite in q ball and cross.
Even when the Stuarts became Kings OF
England, they came to Scotland, after
their English coronation, to receive this
crown at Scone. Charles l. indeed,
wished to have the crown and regalia OF
Scotland sent to London, in order that
the ceremony might take place there,
but this was regarded as an infringe
mept Of the rights Of the kingdom, and
he had to come to Scotland, where he
was crowned June Is, 1888. When
after his fathers death, Charles II as
serted his rights in Scotland, he was
crowned at Scone on January l, 1851.
On Cromwells advancing across the
border, the crown and regalia were senI
away from Edinburg to the strong castle
of Dunnottar, on the shores OF the North
Sea, lest they should ii into his hands.
They were placed under the protection
of q picked garrison, commanded by
the Earl Marischal aud 0gilvy, of Bar
ras, a veteran soldier. Several guns
were sent TO reinforce the castle
among others Mons Meg, and the
great embrasure through which this
monster was fred is still shown al
Dunnottar. On the Sd of January, 1862
the Cromwellisn General Lambert, hav.
ing closely invested the castle, sum
moned it to surrender. The summons
was rejected, and the siege begun,
0gilvy had previously asked that a ship
might be sent to carry of the crown
sceptre, and sword OF State; but Charles
had not been able to comply with his re
quest. 1t soon became evident that the
castle could not hold out long, and il
was therefore necessary to devise some
plan for saving the regalia. The chic
agent in the plot was the wife of Rev
James Granger, of Kinneff, a small
church four miles from Dunuottar. She
obtained from General Lambert per
mission to pass through his lines, in or
der tovisit the lady Of the castle, and, on
her return, secretly brought away the
Scottish crown. Her maid followed her
bearing two large bundles Of list, as il
for spinning, but in one of them the
sword of State was hidden, and in the
other the sceptre. On reaching Kinnefi
she gave them to her husband, and that
night they went into the church, raised
flag Of the pavement in front of the
pulpit, dug a hole. and buried there the
crown and sceptre. In another part oi
the church they hid the sword in the
same way.
When, on the fall of the castle, the re-
gala were found to be gone, great was
Lamhert's indignation. Tradition says
that he suspected the Graugers, and tor.
tured them in vain in order to eKtort
their secret. But suspicion was at
length lulled to rest by the report that
the crown had been sent abroad. 0cca.
sionally the minister ard his wife went
by night into the church to change the
cloths in which the crown was wrapped
in order to preserve it from the damp,
and at the Restoration they gave up the
regalia in safety to Charles II. A grant
of 1000 marks rewarded Mrs Granger
for her faithful service. After the Union,
when, on account of the strength of the
Jacobite party, the English Government
very unwisely exhibited on many occa.
sions the mistrust with which they re.
garded the sentiment of Scottish nation
ality, the crown and regRlia, as its most
striking emblems, were shut up in o
strong Golfer in the crown room oil
Edinburgh Castle, This took place in
1907 and there remained for more than
a century, until they we're again restored
to light by the commissions appointed for
that purpose in 1878.