Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 208, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1913 — Holyròd, PALACE OF ROMANCE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Holyròd, PALACE OF ROMANCE

/ VMP|HE palace of Holyrood,” W • I observed R. L. Stevenson, “has been set aside JL In the' growth of Edin- . burgh, and stands gray and silent in a workman’s quarter and among breweries and gas works." The gas works have gone since Mr. Stevenson wrote, but the breweries remain, and otherwise the Environs of the palace are little changed. Among them, however, must be numbered the magnificent • royal park, the picturesque line of serrated rocks which form the Salp&bury cralgs and the lofty hill, crowned by Its noble lion’s bead, which owes its name of "Ar- > thur’s Seat” to 1)$ associations with the old Arthurian legends of Edinburgh. Of royalty itself Holyrood has seen but little since James VI. of happy' memory left It to occupy the throne of Elizabeth. The fact that the reigning British sovereigns are to reside in the palace as well as to hold state functions there has greatly increased the enthusiasm of their visit to Edinburgh. Scenes of Romantic Interest. The rarity of royal residence adds to the importance of its occurrence. King George will be the first reigning king, the second reigning sovereign to occupy the palace 7 since the time of Charles 1., while Queen Mary will be the first queen consort to reside there "stace Anne of Denmark, James Vll.’s queen, quitted its walls. In 1633 Charles I. was crowned In the chapel royal at Holyrood, and In 1641 he spent about three monthß in the palace —not very happily. From that time till George IV. visited Edinburgh in 1922 no British monarch crossed its threshold. And George IV. while holding various, state ceremonies in Holyrood resided in Dalkeith house. v Queen Victoria and the prince consort also lived at Dalkeith on the occasion of their first visit to Edinburgh, In 1842. In the autumn of 1850, however, her majesty and Prince Albert resided for a couple of days in Holyrood, and subsequently the queen when going tp or returning from Balmoral several times broke her journey at Edinburgh and spent a night in the palace. In April, 1903, King Edward held a court at Holyrood, but his majestyy and Queen Alexandra resided at Daikfeith house. It is fondly, hoped that the coming visit of their majesties to the ancient palace of the Stuarts may be the precursor of many to follow and that the dimmed brilliance of Holyrood may be restored and its past glories in soriie part at least revived. Although not. the oldest of the Scottish royal palaces, that of Holyrood house is in many respects the most interesting. It appeals to the imagination as none other does. It has been the scene of some of the most splendid. the most romantic and N the most tragic incidents in Scottish history—of coronations, royal marriages, festivities, couft revels, plots, conspiracies, feuds, Intrigues, murders. Moreover, while TJnlfthgow and Falkland palaces are of earlier date, for nearly four and a half centuries before the erection of a royal palace at Holyrood the magnificent abbey which stood there was closely associated with the Scottish sovereigns. Founded in 1128 by David 1., this religious house was frequently uhed as a royal residence; parliaments met within its walls and In' its Church &ihgs were crowned, wedded and buried. . . ' The Residence of Scottish Monarch*. The erection of a royal palace was begun about 1501 by James IV., and from this time onward its was the chief residence of the Scottish monarchy. It is notewdrthy that one of the first events connected with It was the marriage of James to the Princess Margaret daughter of Henry VH. of England—from whibh marriage came the union of the crowns. James V. extended the palace and it' has associations of a peculiarly close and interesting character with his unfortunate daughter. Mary. Here the lovely queen of Scots enjoyed a brief period of happiness after her return from France; here she read with George Buchanan, played chess with her favorites, danced with Chesterfield* listened to the music of Rizelo and held stormy Interviews with John Kn6x. Here, she wedded Darnley; here Rlzzlo was slain, and here she celebrated her nuptials with the ruffianly Both well, James VI. lived chiefly at Hcdyrood before his accession to the throne bt England, and It'was here Sir Robert Carey brought him tidings of the death es Queen Elizabeth. He visit ad the palace only once after-

wards. The two visits of Charles I. have already been referred to. While no reigning sovereign occupied Holy* rpod subsequently for a couple of centuries James 11. lived there twice while he was duke of York. The palace, too, played a romantic part fn the rising of 1745. For six weeks Prince Charles Edward held a court in it and gave receptions, balls, etc. After the French revolution Holyrood twice provided a residence for the exiled rdjal family of Frapce, In 1859 King Edward, then prince of Wales, lived in Holyrood while he was studying, and in 1863-1864 the duke of Edinburgh, afterwards duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, resided in the palace, while he was attending Edinburgh university. ■ , Of the ancient abbey of Holyrood, frequently plundered 1 and burned, nothing remains but a part of the fine church, afterwards the Chapel Royal. The palacejwas set fire to in 1544 by the English and although at once repaired was again destroyed three years later. Rebuilt almost immediately, It suffered once more during the civil ware, when most of the building was burned by Cromwell’s troopß. After the restoration ft • was rebuilt by Charles 11., Who took a great interest in the work and made several suggestions which, It is/Baid, were treated with great reripect, although they were Ignored. The existing palace, with the exception of a remnant of the building of James V. (the northwestern towers, in which are situated the historical apartments), is the structure of Charles 11. The residential part of the palace includes throne room, drawing-rooms, dining-rooms, etc., and several have a magnificent outlook toward Arthur’s seat and the Salisbury craigs. In anticipation of the present royal vißit the building has been thoroughly overhauled and extensive 1 renovations carried out externally and internally. Many modern facilities have been introduced. Most of the private apartments of the king and queen have been redecorated, and her majesty has taken tJ great interest in the details of the work. *The wall papers have been selected by herself. >

HOLYROOD PALACE