To give something like historical authority to these stories, which are in a great measure mere matter of tradition, I may mention, that a clergyman, writing a letter to James the Sixth, in 1597, within fifty-five years after the death of their hero, says, ‘Wald your Majesty hazard to imitat King James the Fifth, of famous memorie, and travell as a privat and unsuspected man, alone, through the country, ye wald get more information of your Majesties subjects affection towards you, and that in half a-year, nor hitherto ye have done in all your life long.’ _Calderwood’s Church History, M.S., Advocates’ Library, vol. 5, p. 158._ NOTE 7. p. 19. These letters, in the Saxon character, and arranged in a peculiar way, form a common ornament on the corners of the gothic pillars, and on other parts, of our principal old churches throughout the country. They seem to have escaped the pious fury of the Reformers, by virtue of their unintelligibility. NOTE 8. p. 21. In Herbertshire House, the seat of William Morehead, Esquire, is an old painting, representing the Gardens and King’s Park in their original state. A lady is seen walking in the gardens; and a deer is poking its head over the wall which divided them from the park. NOTE 9. p. 23. This wall is of greater antiquity than that around the King’s Park at Edinburgh, which was built by James V. It appears to have existed so early as 1505; and, in all probability, it was built many years earlier than even that remote date. It is thus alluded to in a charter granted by James IV. to the magistrates of Stirling in 1505: ‘Quia, pro singulari favore quo gerimus erga dilectos nostros burgenses et communitatem burgi nostri de Striveling, et in recompensatione pro terris suis communibus de _Gallohillis_, dicto nostro burgo per ipsos nobis concess., et nunc wallo per nos. castro et peke [_q. d. park_] de Striveling inclusis; dedimus et concessimus hereditarie dictis burgensibus et communitati, totas et integras acras nostras terrarum quae olim fuerunt de le _auld park_ prope Striveling, jacen. INTER MURUM LAPIDEUM nove peke nostre antedict. ex parte occidentali, et terras nuncupatas _Bennies Croft_,[B] ac croftam leprosorum, ex parte orientali, et terras nuncupatas le _Southfield_ pertinen. abbati et conventui monasterii nostri de Dumfermling ex parte australi, et terras nuncupatas le _Rudecroft_ ex parte boreali; una cum jure patronatûs et donatione capillanie altaris Sancti Michaelis,[C] per quondam Magistrum Thomam Carmichaell vicarium de Striveling, intra ecclesiam parochialem fundat. ad nostram dispositionem et donationem quotiens vacaverit nunc spectan.’ [B] _Bennies Croft_ is now the well known field of _Allan Park_.