It is perhaps a more interesting fact than any of the above, that Stirling gave a welcome to Charles II., when he visited it in the course of his unhappy pilgrimage in Scotland, in 1650–1, for the recovery of the kingdoms lost by his father. There are many things in the council records to denote, that the magistracy, at that trying period, and even during the dominancy of the commonwealth, retained a strong feeling of loyalty for the descendant of their ancient kings. Stirling was one of the Scottish burghs which Cromwell disfranchised, for not consenting to the union he desired to effect betwixt Scotland and England. A somewhat amusing anecdote is handed down by tradition, in reference to Charles the Second’s residence at Stirling. It seems that he thought proper to pay a personal visit to the Reverend Mr Guthrie, the puritan minister of the town; nothing at that period being practicable without the good will and influence of the clergy. When Charles entered the manse, Mrs Guthrie bustled about, with the officious kindness of a housewife, to get a chair for the king. ‘Never mind, gudewife,’ said the cynic; ‘the king’s a young man, and can tak a chair for himsel.’ We can scarcely suppose that Charles would be much offended at this singular piece of rudeness, which must have been too characteristic to fail in tickling a mind like his. Yet it might make him less anxious to save Guthrie from the death to which he was doomed, for his distinguished disloyalty, after the Restoration. Stirling appears to have lent a good deal of money to this sovereign, during his misfortunes, besides performing other acts of service in behalf of himself and his friends. It is a pleasure to add, that he retained a grateful sense of the kindness of the citizens of Stirling, and, on arriving at his period of power, extended and confirmed their former privileges.