The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-01-13
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QUE FoRELcN Letter.


We were told that some years since, some
workmen were repairing the walls near the
crown room Of Edinburgh Castle, when
mason detected hollow sound with blow
of the hammer curiosity led him to remove
a block of stone, where lay in the cavity of
the wall the wasted form of an infant,
wrapped in a delicate blanket, upon which
were wrought the initials J. r. Who can
solve the mystery? From this dark cham
Der, where Queen Mary first tasted the full
cup of mothers joy in beholding the sweet
face of her babe, but which she soon emp
tied, to drink the bittere st dregs of shame
and grief, we went to the apartment where
the crown jewels and Scotch regalia are pre-
served. The story of the various yicissi-
tudes through which this sceptre and
crown have passed may have been
forgotten by many, and will bear
repetition. In the troublous days of
Charles l. great fear was felt by the Scotch,
who dearly loved their freedom, and cher
ished with tender generation its outward
symbols, that their tyrannical neighbors,
who envied them their antiquities and were
constant disturbers of their peace, would
get possession Of these treasures. Not being
safe in the exposed castle of Edinburgh they
were carried to Dunottar, a lonely fortiica-
ton on point of land in the German ocean
At last, when this stronghold was threat
ened, the knights and state officials lost their
courage and confidence in their own right
arm to protect these idols of the people; and
had not the shrewd device of Countess Mar
eschal and the adroit hand of Christian
49,
had been forever lost.
Dame Fletcher asked permission of the
English officer to pass the lines of the block
aiding army to pay a little visit to the gov
ernor's wife. This innocent request was
granted When the good woman returned
she concealed the crown beneath her apron
while the officer CALAMITY lifted her to her
saddle; her maid followed with the sword
and sceptre wrapped in hards or bundles of
lint, which she said were to be spun for the
governors lady. When fairly beyond the
picket's line, the heroine urged on her pal
frey, nor stayed for breath until the precious
trust was safely deposited in the small
church of which her husband was pastor.
Often at night the good couple crept into the
church and carefully raised the stones close
to the pulpit to assure themselves their
treasures were unmolested and to wrap
them in dry linen to protect them from the
dampness of their hiding place. When the
fort was obliged to surrender, the English,
discovering the loss, made every effort to
find them, fully approaching the magic
power the glitter Of these baubles might
have in stirring the patriotism of the Scots
should the time ever come when they felt the
strength to assert their independence. Once
more fortune favored the Scots, and these
emblems of power were raised from their
tomb and hailed with the widest enthusi-
assn. They did not long enjoy either the
outward signs or inward peace of freedom,
since in 1907, when the union was formed,
England proposed to place for safe keeping
the regalia in the Tower, which so many
wearing regalia and courtly robes had en-
tered, and from which SO few had lived to
return. AT this the subdued lords of Scot
land, their spirits not broken by the forced
surrender of their arms, rebelled, deeming
it an insult added to injury. Their con-
querors, fearing another outbreak, compro-
missed, and made a compact for all time, by
which Scotland should have the custody of
its regalia within its own realm They were
placed in an oak chest, with triple locks, in
this inner dark chamber, which was closed
with double doors barred and bolted. After
most of the witnesses Of these scenes had
passed to the silent world, by insidious con-
trivance the keys to the crown room were
lost. and report circulated among the peo-
pie that the chest had been stealthily re-
moved to London. This was confirmed by
the fact that a spurious crown was exhibited
at the Tower to thousands as the crown Of
the kings Of Scotland. After more than a
century had passed, when all the bitterness
against the perpetrators of the wrongs suf-
fered by their fathers had been forgotten,
and the united kingdoms lived in peaceful
brotherhood, the Prince Regent ordered
goodly number of state officials, represent
ing the ancient houses OF the Rose and
Thistle. to assemble and witness the open
ing of the room. Such mystery had
hung over the history and somewhat
doubtful existence of the Crown and Re
gala they might well tremble lest
some evil genius had spirited these gods
from their sarcophagns. 1t is said Sir
Walter Scott stood by with deep emo
ton, as tile blacksmith brought with sin
envy arm, stroke after stroke upon the chest,
before the oaken lid would yield.
At last when the crown was raised from
its long entombment to the light of day. the
shouts of the people made the old castle ring
with joy, as it had not since the days when
its walls resounded with the clang of knight
ly armor and the tramp Of their war steeds.
The Royal Standard was raised and the joy
full welcome was re-echoed by the multitude
congregated on the Castle hill beneath.
NJ c. p. B.