Continued entries/extra info

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Plan 16D -- trace 4 -- Parish of Falkland

"The palace was begun probably by James II. And Completed by James V. It is universally admitted that James V made splended additions to the palace, for his initials and the date 1537 appear upon the walls; but we cannot ascertain which of his predecessors began the structure. It appears, from a statement made by Beatoun of Creich, who had "the Keeping of the Palace of Falkland" to the Scottish parliament in 1525, that it had then falling into disrepair, - being "riven, and the thak throf [thereof] brokin." This circumstance shows that the palace, even at that period, was an old building. We suspect it was begun by James II, by whom a charter was granted at Falkland in the year 1446." New Stat. Acct. [Statistical Account.]

"It is impossible now to ascertain whether James III. or James IV. began to build the palace, as both of these Monarchs were fond of architecture, and both of them employed workmen at Falkland; but the work was completed by James V., and the palace from that time became a favourite residence with the Scottish Monarchs. There James V. held his court in all the barbaric magnificence of the period, and here died of grief, at the disgrace brought upon his Crown and his Country by the opposition of his factions and turbulent nobility. There Mary of Guise, his widowed Queen, often resided, also Queen Mary and James The VI. and in 1635 when Charles I visited Scotland, he slept 3 nights in it." Full [Fullarton's] Gazetteer of Scotland.

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