Summer at the Lake of Monteith

1 6 The Lake of Monteith.
year 1098 to 1107, resided frequently on the island. There
is, however, no other historical notice of royalty having
been on the island till Bruce's visit on the 15 th of April
13 10, and it was then the scene of his issuing some royal
prerogatives. One of these is the confiscating of all the
goods, moveable and immoveable, of John de Pollox, who
is described as an enemy of the King; and concludes,
" Given at the island of Saint Colmocus, the fifteenth day
of April, in the year of grace one thousand three hundred
and ten, and fifth year of our reign." Queen Mary was
carried to Inchmahome by her guardian, the Marquis of
Montrose, and Lord Erskine, immediately after the battle
of Pinkie, in September 154&.* It is not correctly known
how long Mary resided here, but there is a space of three
months from the date of Pinkie to the time when she sailed
from Dumbarton for France, and it is generally believed that
the most of that time was spent on Inchmahome, where she
planted the boxwood bower that still retains the name of
its royal founder.
James VI. is said to have been the last crowned head that
sought the sweets of retirement in Inchmahome, and this
is supposed to have been when the King was on a visit to
his old class-fellow, the Earl of Mar, at Cardross House.
Among the many royal sports practised on the Island of
Inchmahome, none is said to have been so popular with
the " crowned heads," as that of fishing with geese. This
singular and original mode gave much amusement to the
spectators, and was of a most interesting kind. A number
of geese were let loose upon the lake, each having a line '
* Some writers say three months, others two years.