s has inevitably
declined; and it is at present regarded as a venerable relic of former
strength, rather than as a place of defence. But, in ancient days, the
Warden of the Marches, selected from among the nobles of tried fidelity
and courage, attracted to the castle of Carlisle a host of youthful
aspirants for military renown, who there sought to be trained to arms,
amid contests not depending upon a single achievement, but requiring
watchfulness, patient labour, and skill, slowly and painfully to be
acquired.

Founded by William Rufus, who restored the city after it had lain two
hundred years in ruins, owing to the depredations of the Danes; and
improved and enlarged successively by Richard the Third and Henry the
Eighth; the castle had received the unhappy Mary Stuart: and here she
was treated with an insidious respect which soon threw off the mask. In
the time of Queen Elizabeth, the citadel, which was entirely built by
Henry the Eighth, fell into decay; and after the prohibition of all
incursions on England on the part of King James the Sixth, Carlisle
ceased to be of so much importance as a military possession; and its
position, as one of the keys of England, did not avail to secure any
great attention to its dilapidated state. At the time of Charles
Edward's arrival in Cumberland, the fortifications of the City had been
neglected for several centuries; but it still bore the outward aspect of
former strength.

The works, which had thus been left to moulder away, were in the form of
a triangle, and were separated from the town by a deep ditch. Upon the
east angle, which is also cut off from the Parade by a ditch, is seated
the Castle, properly so called, though the whole generally goes by that
name. These works consist of a dungeon, the walls of which are twelve
feet in thickness; a tower, called the Captain's Tower; two gates, one
to each ward; there being an inward and an outward ward. In the castle
there is a great chamber, and a hall, but no storehouse for ammunition.
In the walls of the town, three gateway towers, a semi-circular bastion
called Springeld Tower, and the citadel, complete the fortifications:
unless we comprise several square towers with which the city walls are
furnished; especially one at the west sally-port, and the Tile Tower,
both of considerable strength.[77]

The foreground of the castle is formed of green and level meadows washed
by the river Eden; and, in modern days, two fine stone b