ABERDEEN, Old, is a place of great antiquity. According to tradition, it was of note in the reign of Gregory, who conferred on it some privileges about the year 893. In 1004, Malcolm II. founded a bishopric at a place called Mortlich in Banffshire, in memory of a signal victory which he there gained over the Danes: which bishopric was translated to Old Aberdeen by David I.; and in 1163, the then bishop of Aberdeen obtained a new charter from Malcolm IV. There is extant a charter of Alexander II. by which, in 1217, the king grants to Aberdeen the same privileges he had granted to his town of Perth.
The Old Town lies about a mile to the north of the New, at the mouth of the river Don, over which is a fine Gothic bridge, of a single arch, greatly admired, which rests on a rock on each side. This arch, said to have been built by a bishop of Aberdeen about the year 1290, is 67 feet wide at the bottom, and 34 feet high above the surface of the river, which at ebb tide is here 19 feet deep. The Old Town was formerly the seat of the bishop, and had a large cathedral commonly called St Machar's. Two very antique spires, and one aisle, which is used as a church, are now the only remains of it. The bishopric was founded in the time of David I. as above mentioned. The cathedral had anciently two rows of stone pillars across the church, and three turrets; the steeple, which was the largest of these turrets, rested upon an arch, supported by four pillars. In this cathedral there was a fine library; but about the year 1560, it was almost totally destroyed. But the capital building is the King's College on the south side of the town, which is a large and stately fabric. It is built in form of a square, with cloisters on the south side. The chapel is very ruinous within; but there still remains some wood work of exquisite workmanship. This was preserved by the spirit of the principal at the time of the Reformation, who armed his people and checked the blind zeal of the barons of the Mearns; who, after stripping the cathedral of its roof, and robbing it of the bells, were going to violate this seat of learning. They stripped their sacrilegious booty, with an intention of exposing it to sale in Holland: but the vessel had scarcely gone out of port, when it perished in a storm with all its ill-gained lading. The steeple is vaulted with a double cross arch; above which is an imperial crown, supported by eight stone pillars, and closed with a globe and two gilded crosses.
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Aberdeen. crosses. In the year 1631 this steeple was thrown down by a storm, but was soon after rebuilt in a more stately form. This college was founded in 1494, by William Elphinstone bishop of this place, lord chancellor of Scotland in the reign of James III. and lord privy seal in that of James IV. But James IV. claimed the patronage of it, and it has since been called the King's College. This college, and the Marischal College in the New Town, form one university, called the University of King Charles. The library is large, but not remarkable for many curiosities. Hector Boethius was the first principal of the college; and sent for from Paris for that purpose, on an annual salary of forty marks Scots, at thirteen pence each. The square tower on the side of the college was built by contributions from General Monk and the officers under him then quartered at Aberdeen, for the reception of students; of which about a hundred attend the college, many of whom lodge in it.