Towns > Dundee > 1809-1912 - Dundee directory > 1818

^ 11
of which they were possessed in the time of Lorci
William King of Scots, of blessed memory, before
the same William conferred the said borough on his
brother David." These rights appear to have been
confirmed and enlarged by successive charters from
many other princes; and finally confirmed by the
Great Charter from Charles I. the articles of which
were ratified by parliament, on September 14, 1641.
The town is governed by a provost, four bailies, a
dean of guild, a treasurer, and fifteen counsellors. —
In ancient times Dundee was strongly fortified, and
some remains of its ancient fortifications still remain
at the Cowgate port. It had an old castle, which
was demolished by the famoas Sir William Wallace,
who received his education in the town. The castle
had proved very useful to Edward I. when he put
a garrison into it to overawe the inhabitants ; and
Wallace getting possession, ordered it to be destroy-
ed, lest it should fall again into the hands of the
English. This treatment so exasperated Edward,
that, taking the town by storm, he set fire to it ; and
many of the inhabitants, who had taken refuge in
the churches, were burnt, along with their most va-
luable effects. It was thereafter taken and burnt by
Richard 11. and again by the English in the days of
Edward VI. It suffered greatly during the troubles
of Charles II. and the usurpation of Oliver Crom-
well ; being sometimes under one master, and some-
times at the mercy of another. It was taken by storm
by the Marquis of Montrose ; but in the last and most
destructive siege, ' it was taken by assault, and com-
pletely pillaged by General Monk j at which time,
so great were the riches of Dundee, that every pri-
vate soldier in Monk's army had 60I. sterling of
plunder to his share.
The parish of Dundee is extensive, being six miles