king must have caused on this last visit of his a great deal of running and riding through this grand old gateway.
In 1216 another Scotch King appears on the scene–Alexander, successor to William the Lion. In this year that king took the city, after a long and miserable siege, gracing, undoubtedly, these dim walls with his daily presence for some short time. But his sway here was but of one year's duration, for, though England was in a troubulous state then–the first year of Henry III. the English won back the city in 1213, and Walter de Grey, Archbishop of York, was made Governor of the Castle.
But the century did not close over the city and castle peaceably, for in 1296 siege was again laid to the city by the Scotch, though ineffectually this time, owing to the bravery of the inhabitants–the women even pouring boiling water over their heads from the walls, so that in three days it was abandoned by them. Stirring times these for these old walls, shrill women's voices even mingling with the martial din constantly pervading here!
At this very time–Scotland's fiercest foe, the fiery Edward the First, was pouring thousands of soldiers into the Border country, Dunbar and Falkirk battles being fought in 1296 and 1298, in which year the victorious Edward having reigned twenty-six years, and being at the height of his fame–marched his army here on their way from Falkirk; and in the September following, while the white autumn mists silvered field and fell in the holy hours of twilight, winning to ecstatic contemplations and devotions, unknown, but
