Andrews had superiority over the priories of Pittenweem,
Lochleven, Monymusk, and the Isle of May, and was also a lord of
regality. In Parliament he took precedence of all priors, and he,
his sub-prior, and canons formed the cathedral chapter. The priory
possessed in all thirty-two churches or their great tithes. From
1144 to 1535 there were twenty-five priors; from 1535 to 1586 the
lands were in the possession of the Earl of Murray and Robert
Stewart, as lay commendators; from 1586 to 1606 they were held by
the Crown; from 1606 to 1635 by the Duke of Lennox; from 1635 to
1639 by the Archbishop of St. Andrews; from 1639 to 1661 by the
University; from 1661 to 1688 by the archbishop again; from 1688 by
the Crown. The part within the abbey wall was sold by the
Commissioners of Woods and Forests to the United Colleges.[317]

_Holyrood Abbey (Midlothian)._--The abbey of Holyrood was founded by
King David I. in 1128 for the canons regular of the order of St.
Augustine, and was dedicated in honour of the holy cross or rood brought
to Scotland by his mother, Queen Margaret. This cross, called the Black
Rood of Scotland, fell into the hands of the English at the battle of
Neville's Cross in 1346. The abbey was several times burned by the
English, and the nave on the last of these occasions, 1547, was
repaired with the ruins of the choir and transepts. This was used as the
parish church till 1672, when it was converted into the chapel royal. In
1687 it was set apart by King James VII. for the service of the Roman
Catholic Church, but was plundered and again burned at the Revolution in
the following year. It remained neglected until 1758, when it was
repaired and roofed; the new roof, proving too heavy for the walls, fell
with a crash in 1768, destroying all the new work. It suffered neglect
again till 1816, when it was repaired, and in 1857 it was still further
improved.

The abbey early became the occasional abode of the kings of Scotland,
and James II. was born, crowned, married, and buried in it. The
foundations of a palace apart from the abbey were laid in the time of
James IV., Edinburgh having then become the acknowledged capital of the
country. Holyrood Palace was henceforth the chief seat of the Scottish
sovereigns. In it the nuptials of James IV. were celebrated; here also
Mary Queen of Scots took up her abode in 1561 on her return from France,
and here James VI. dwelt m