LINLITHGOW PALACE 479 THIRD PERIOD and gave John Cairns, an inhabitant of Linlithgow, the liferent of the park round the castle for so doing. From this time Linlithgow became a favourite place of residence of the Scottish kings. Robert n. and Robert in. were often here, and the latter held a Parliament in Linlith- gow in 1399- In 1424, the town, church, and castle were all destroyed by a great fire. From the Lord High Treasurer's Accounts (edited by Dr. Dickson, of the General Register House) it would appear that in 1425 pre- parations were made, under James i., for the building of a new palace, and that up to 1430 the work was actively carried on, and 2440 expended thereon, under John of Walton as Master of the Works. Under his suc- cessors, Robert Wedale, Robert Livingston, John Holmes, and John Weir, the work was continued till 1451. The part then erected was probably the west side (Fig. 413), and perhaps the north side, afterwards rebuilt by James vi. In 1467 the works were resumed under Henry Livingstone, and during the next four years considerable sums were expended. From 1488 to 1496 the south side seems to have been erected, or rather completed, as the purchase of timber for the roof of the chapel is mentioned. At this period frequent entries for materials and wages show that the reconstruction was being steadily prosecuted. The palace was much frequented by James in. and James iv., under whom a great deal of the above work was carried out. Extensive opera- tions were also undertaken by James v., who seems to have made con- siderable alterations on the palace. Thus the detached gatehouse leading from the town was erected by him, and the entrance to the castle was changed to suit the altered approach. This rendered necessary the new south porch and entrance passage. James v. spared no pains to make the palace ready for the reception of his bride, Mary of Guise, who is said to have declared, when brought home to it, that she " had never seen a more princely palace." Linlithgow Palace and lordship formed the jointure of the Queens of James HI., James iv., and James v., and in it were born James v. and Mary Queen of Scots. The palace is very pleasantly situated on a knoll which projects from the south into the loch of Linlithgow. On this knoll stands also the church of St. Michael, while the town lies in a hollow to the south. This residence has more of the character of a mansion than the other palaces of the King in Edinburgh and Stirling Castles. Such designs indicate the tendency of the age. From the time of James i. we find the Royal Family preferring mansions of this description to the more gloomy castles of their ancestors, and the pleasant dwellings of Linlithgow, Holyrood, and Falkland were the result of this desire for improvement in accommodation and amelioration of surroundings. The palace of Linlithgow is designed in the form of a mansion surrounding a courtyard.
