CADYOW CASTLE.

THE ruins of Cadyow, or Cadzow castle, the ancient baronial residence of the family of Hamilton, are situated upon the precipitous banks of the river Evan, about two miles above its junction with the Clyde. It was dismantled, in the conclusion of the civil wars, during the reign of the unfortunate Mary, to whose cause the house of Hamilton devoted themselves with a generous zeal, which occasioned their temporary obscurity, and, very nearly, their total ruin. The situation of the ruins, embosomed in wood, darkened by ivy and creeping shrubs, and overhanging the brawling torrent, is romantic in the highest degree. In the immediate vicinity of Cadyow is a grove of immense oaks, the remains of the Caledonian Forest, which anciently ex

tended through the south of Scotland, from the eastern to the Atlantic Ocean. Some of these trees measure twenty-five feet, and upwards, in circumference; and the state of decay, in which they now appear, shews, that they may have witnessed the rites of the Druids. The whole scenery is included in the magnificent and extensive park of the Duke of Hamilton. There was long preserved in this forest the breed of the Scottish wild cattle, until their ferocity occasioned their being extirpated, about forty years ago. Their appearance was beautiful, being milk-white, with black muzzles, horns, and hoofs. The bulls are described by ancient authors, as having white manes; but those of latter days had lost that peculiarity, perhaps by intermixture with the tame breed.*

In detailing the death of the Regent Murray, which is made the subject of the following ballad, it would be injustice to my reader to use other words than those of Dr Robertson, whose account of that memorable event forms a beautiful piece of historical painting.

* They were formerly kept in the park at Drumlanrig, and are still to be seen at Chillingham Castle in Northumberland. For their nature and ferocity, see Notes.

"Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh was the person who "committed this barbarous action. He had been con"demned to death soon after the battle of Langside, as

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we have already related, and owed his life to the re

*

gent's clemency. But part of his estate had been be"stowed upon one of the regent's favourites, who "seized his house, and turned out his wife, naked, in

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a cold night, into the open fields, where, before next 66 I morning, she became furiously mad. This injury "made a deeper impression on him than the benefit he "had received, and from that moment he vowed to be "revenged of the regent. Party rage strengthened and "inflamed his private resentment. His kinsmen, the

Hamiltons, applauded the enterprize. The maxims of "that age justified the most desperate course he could "take to obtain vengeance. He followed the regent "for some time, and watched for an opportunity to "strike the blow. He resolved, at last, to wait till his "enemy should arrive at Linlithgow, through which "he was to pass, in his way from Stirling to Edin

*This was Sir James Ballenden, Lord-justice-clerk, whose shameful and inhuman rapacity occasioned the catastrophe in the text. -Spottiswoode.

*

“burgh. He took his stand in a wooden gallery, "which had a window towards the street; spread a "feather-bed on the floor, to hinder the noise of his "feet from being heard ; hung up a black cloth behind "him, that his shadow might not be observed from "without; and, after all this preparation, calmly ex66 pected the regent's approach, who had lodged, du<c ring the night, in a house not far distant. Some in"distinct information of the danger which threatened "him had been conveyed to the regent, and he paid so "much regard to it, that he resolved to return by the same gate through which he had entered, and to fetch a compass round the town. But, as the crowd about "the gate was great, and he himself unacquainted with "fear, he proceeded directly along the street; and the

throng of people obliging him to move very slowly, 66 gave the assassin time to take so true an aim, that he "shot him, with a single bullet, through the lower part

* This projecting gallery is still shewn. The house, to which it was attached, was the property of the Archbishop of St Andrews, a natural brother of the Duke of Chatelherault, and uncle to Bothwellhaugh. This, among many other circumstances, seems to evince the aid which Bothwellhaugh received from his clan in effecting his purpose.

"of his belly, and killed the horse of a gentleman, who "rode on his other side. His followers instantly endea"voured to break into the house, whence the blow had

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come; but they found the door strongly barricaded, "and, before it could be forced open, Hamilton had "mounted a fleet horse,* which stood ready for him at

a back-passage, and was got far beyond their reach. "The regent died the same night of his wound."-History of Scotland, book v.

Bothwellhaugh rode straight to Hamilton, where he was received in triumph; for the ashes of the houses in Clydesdale, which had been burned by Murray's army, were yet smoking; and party prejudice, the habits of the age, and the enormity of the provocation, seemed to his kinsmen to justify his deed. After a short abode at Hamilton, this fierce and determined man left Scotland, and served in France, under the patronage of the family of Guise, to whom he was doubtless recommended by having avenged the cause of their niece, Queen Mary, upon her ungrateful brother. De Thou has recorded, that an attempt was made to engage him to assassinate Gaspar de Coligni, the famous admiral of France, and

* The gift of Lord John Hamilton, commendator of Arbroath.