two parties of gallants, a melee
after the old mode of Clear the Causeway, a hurried shutting of shops
and pulling forth of halberds. For the younger population, at least, no
doubt these risks were almost the best part of the play.

[Illustration: OLD HOUSES AT HEAD OF WEST BOW]

Thus Edinburgh breasted its ridge of rock--a fair sight across all the
green country; its sentinel mountain crouching eastward between the
metropolis and the sea, its suburbs growing and expanding; this full of
the fine people of the Court, that of the quiet wealth and enjoyment
which made no extravagant demonstration. It had never been so
prosperous, never so much the centre of all that was splendid in the
kingdom, as in the reign of the fourth James--the knight of romance, the
gayest and brightest representative of the House of Stewart, though
unable to defend himself from the tragic fate which awaited every
sovereign of his name.

Among the finest sights seen in Edinburgh must have been those which
occurred very early in his reign, when the great Admiral, Sir Andrew
Wood, he who had met so proudly the inquisition of the lords, came from
sea with his prisoners and his spoils. Wood had not pleased the reigning
party by his rough fidelity to the dead King, but they could not induce
the other sea captains, by any promise of reward or advancement, to
attack and punish, as was their desire, the greatest sailor in Scotland.
And when an English expedition began to vex the Scottish coasts, there
was no one but Wood to encounter and defeat them, which he did on two
different occasions, bringing the captains of the rover
vessels--probably only half authorised by the astute King Henry VII, who
had evidently no desire to attack Scotland, but who had to permit a raid
from time to time as the most popular thing to do--as prisoners to the
courteous King, who though he "thanked Sir Andrew Wood greatly and
rewarded him richlie for his labours and great proof of his manhood,"
yet "propined (gave presents to) the English captain richlie and all his
men and sent them all safelie home, their ships and all their
furnishing, because they had shown themselves so stout and hardie
warriours." "So he sent them all back to the King of England," says the
chronicler, with full enjoyment of James's magnanimous brag and of thus
having the better of "the auld enemy" both in prowess and in courtesy,
"to let him understand he had as manlie men in Scotland as he had in
Engl