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Scotland in the Middle Ages
Appendix


I.—P. 29. Capitular of Charlemagne, De villis imperialibus.

This ordinance was made in the year 812. It runs in the name and person of the Emperor, and bears marks that much of it is his own in meaning, if not in words.

[The Judex was the steward upon each Villa. The Maior under him was not to have more in charge than he could oversee in one day. The Villæ, or estates of the Emperor, many of them of great extent, are here (for convenience) rendered Manors.]

C. 8. The Emperor commands each Judex to have care of the vineyards in his manor, and to put the wine in good casks, and diligently care that there be no miscarriage (naufragium).

C. 9. Measures of liquid and dry to be kept of the same standard as those of the palace.

C. 11. No Judex to take quartering for himself or his dogs upon our men (super homines nostros) in forests.

C. 13. Stallions to be provided.

C. 14. Care to be taken of the stud mares, and the colts to be separated at the proper season.

C. 17. Bees to be kept at every manor.

C. 18-19. Poultry to be kept at mills and at the royal stables; in the chief manors, not less than a hundred poultry and thirty geese.

C. 21. Every Judex to keep up fish ponds, and increase them by all means.

C. 23. In every manor the Judex to have byres, piggeries, houses for sheep, goats, and kids. Lame oxen, and cows or horses, free of scab or disease, to be given for the dogs' food, but so that neither our byre nor our plough be deprived of cattle.

C. 27. Our houses to have continually fires and watches for safety.

C. 32. The best seed each season to be prepared by purchase or otherwise.

C. 34. It is especially to be cared, that all things made with the hand, as lard, preserved meat, wine, vinegar, mustard, butter, malt, mead, honey, wax, flour, shall all be made and prepared with extreme cleanliness (summo nitore).

C. 35. Tallow to be made of fat sheep as well as pigs; and not less than two oxen to be fattened in each manor, either for tallow or for sending to us.

C. 36. Our woods and forests to be well kept. The Judex to superintend needful grubbing of wood, and not to allow our wood to be turned into arable. To preserve well our beasts of chase in the forests, and to protect hawks' nests. To collect diligently the dues of the forest, and if he send his own swine into our wood to fatten, let himself be first to pay the tithe for good example.

C. 37. To manage skilfully our fields and farms, and set up our meadows for hay in due time.

C. 38. To have plenty of fed geese and fatted poultry for our use.

C. 39. The poultry and eggs paid by the labourers and cottars (servientes et mansuarii) to be received, and where more than required for use, to be sold.

C. 40. On all our manors, the Judex to have swans, pea fowls, pheasants, geese, pigeons, partridges, turtles, for ornament (pro dignitatis causa.)

C. 41. The stables, kitchens, bake-houses, wine-presses, to be carefully prepared, in order that our servants may properly, well, and cleanly perform their offices.

C. 42. Every manor to have in the mansion (camera) beds, feather-beds and bed-clothes, table linens, dish towels, seat covers, vessels of brass, lead, iron, wood, fire dogs (andedos), chimney chains and hooks, hatchets, wedges, shovels, and all other utensils, so that it may not be necessary to borrow. And weapons used against the enemy, so far as useful at home, should be placed in the mansion on their return from war.

C. 43. In the women's work-room should be lint, wool, woad, vermilion and other dye stuffs, wool combs, teazles, soap, grease, vessels, and other necessaries.

C. 45. Every Judex to have in his employment good artificers, that . is, blacksmiths, workers in gold or silver, shoemakers, turners, carpenters, shield makers, fishers, falconers, soap-makers, brewers who can make cider, beer, perry, and other drinks; bakers able to make fine bread for our use; makers of nets for hunting, fishing, and fowling, and other artisans whom it would be too long to enumerate.

C. 46. The Judex to take great care of the fences of our parks, mending from time to time, not waiting till a complete new fence is required; and so in all our buildings.

C. 48. Wine-presses to be prepared. No one to presume to press our grapes with the feet, but all to be done cleanly and decently.

C. 53. Every Judex to take care that our men in their employment be not thieves or criminals.

C. 54. That our family labour industriously, and do not go idling to fairs.

C. 55. Accounts to be kept and sent us of income and expense.

C 56. The Judex to hold courts and administer justice.

C. 57. Not to prevent complaints made to us from reaching us.

C. 62. At Christmas, yearly, every Judex shall report to us, separately, distinctly, and in order, what he has out of his administration, what of land tilled for himself; what from rents and duties; what from fines; what from beasts of chase, taken in our forests without our permission; what from diverse compositions; what from mills; what from forests; what from breweries; what from bridges or ships; what from free men, and centeni who are attached to our estate; what from markets; what from vineyards; what from those who pay wine; what from hay; what from timber, faggots, and shingles, and other produce of the woods; what from peat mosses; what from pulse; what from millet and panic; what from wool, lint, and hemp; what from the fruits of trees; what from nuts larger and smaller; what from grafted trees; what from gardens; what from rape-lands; what from fish-stanks; what from hides, skins, and horns; what from honey and wax; what from tallow, lard, or soap; what from mulberry drink, made wine (vino cocto), mead, and vinegar; what from beer; from wine, new and old; from corn, new and old; what from chickens and eggs, and geese; what from the fishers; what from the blacksmiths; from the shield-makers or shoemakers; what out of the great chest, and the smaller boxes; what from the turners or saddlers; from smelters of iron or lead; what from tributaries; what from colts and fillies — that we may know what or how much we have of each thing.

C. 63. In all the foregoing, let it not seem harsh to our Judices that we require these accounts, for we wish that they, in like manner, count with their subordinates, without offence. And all things whatsoever any man should have in his house or in his "villa," our Judices ought to have in our "villas."

C. 64. Our cars for war to be litters well made, covered with hides so closely sewed, that if necessity occur for swimming rivers, they may pass through (after being lightened of their contents), without water entering. We will also, that flour be sent for our household in each car, 12 bushels of flour ; and in those which bring wine, 12 modia of wine, according to our modius. And with each car let there be a shield and a lance, a quiver of arrows and a bow.

C. 65. The fish of our ponds to be sold for our profit when we are not resident, and others put in their place.

C. 68. Good barrels, hooped with iron, to be used both in expeditions with the army, and for sending to the palace ; and no butts to be made of skins.

C. 69. The Judices to report to us, always, how many wolves each has caught, and send us their skins. And in the month of May, to search and take the cubs with poison and hooks, as well as with pits and dogs.

C. 70. Volumus quod in horto omnes herbas habeant, id est lilium, rosas (then follow about seventy names of plants, mostly herbs, and even those now valued as flowers, perhaps then used in the kitchen or still-room). Hortulanus habeat super domum suam Jovis barbani. Of trees, we will that the Judices have apple-trees, pears, plums, service trees, medlars, chestnuts, peaches of diverse kinds, quinces, filberts, almonds, mulberries, laurels, pines, figs, cherries of diverse kind; the names of the apples, gozma-ringa, geroldinga, crevedella, spirauca; some sweet, some more acid; one sort for keeping all winter, another for immediate use ; early and late.

Pertz, monumenta Germaniœ historica. Legum. tom, i. p. 181.

II.—P. 269. Aelfric's Homilies in Anglo-Saxon.

Aelfric, monk and mass priest, as he calls himself, in his preface to his homilies, was afterwards Archbishop of York, and died in 1052. His reason for writing in Anglo-Saxon, rather than Latin, was, that he " found much error in many English books, because his countrymen had not the Gospel lore among their writings, except only the men who knew Latin, and except the books which King Alfred wisely turned from Latin into English, which are to be had." For the same reason, he says, he used no obscure words, but simple English (seal simplicem Anglicam), that it may more easily reach the hearts of readers and hearers, to the weal of their souls ; for they cannot receive instruction in any other language than their native tongue.

Aelfric's "Sermones Catholici," are forty discourses on the solemn days of the Christian year, with a few in commemoration of the Virgin, St. John Baptist, Michael the Archangel, and the greater Apostles and Saints. They are for the most part plain intelligible explanations of Christian doctrine, and narratives of Bible history, suited to people who drew their instruction chiefly from the priest's sermon. But the language is always pure and vigorous, and sometimes rises with the subject to considerable rhetorical power. The translation is by Mr. Thorpe, who has edited the book with his usual care, but leaves his readers disappointed that he does not bestow on them more of the rich stores of his ripe learning. Here is a sentence from the homily of Easter Sunday, as translated by Mr. Thorpe.

"Unhappy was the Jewish people that they were so unbelieving. All creatures acknowledged their Creator, save only the Jews. Heaven acknowledged the birth of Christ; for when he was born, a new star was seen. The sea acknowledged Christ when he went with dry feet on its waves. Earth acknowledged him, when it all trembled at Christ's resurrection. The sun acknowledged him, when it was darkened at Christ's passion, from mid-day to the ninth hour. The stones acknowledged him, when they burst asunder at their Creator's departure. Hell acknowledged Christ, when it led forth its captives through the harrowing of Jesus ; and yet the hard-hearted Jews, through all these signs, would not incline with faith to the merciful Jesus, who will help all men who believe on him." I. p. 229.

Sermones Catholici, or homilies of Aelfric, in Anglo-Saxon, with an English version by Benjamin Thorpe. London, 1844.

III.—P. 270. Library of the Culdees of St. Serf's, a.d. 1152

The charter granting the isle of Lochleven to the Priory of St. Andrews, is without date, but the granter, Bishop Robert, and the witnesses, mark it to have been made about the year 1152. It conveys to the Canons regular, the abbey of the island, hitherto held by the Culdees, with all its pertinents, namely, Findahin; Portemuoch; the mills at the Bridge; a mill in Findahin; Chircness; Half Urechan; Sconin; twenty melis of cheese, one pig from Markinche; twenty melis of cheese, and four melis of malt, and one pig from Admor; twenty melis of barley from Balcrystin; twenty melis of cheese, and one pig from Bolgin son of Torfin; the tithes of our house of the island; the tithes of the whole rent which we are to receive at that house ; the church vestments which the Culdees had ; these books, namely,—

A pastoral.

A gradual.

A missal.

An Origen.

The "Sentences" of the Abbot of Clairvaux (St. Bernard), 'a commentary upon the famous collection of theological subtleties.

Three quires concerning the Sacraments.

A part of a collection called the "Bibliotheca," probably the Vulgate of St. Jerome.

A "Lectionarium," which seems to have been a collection of the portions of St. Paul's Epistles used at mass.

The Acts of the Apostles.

The text of the Gospels after St. Prosper (a follower of St. Augustin). Three books of Solomon. Glosses on the Song of Solomon. Interpretations of phrases. A collection of the "Sentences." A commentary on Genesis. Exceptions of Ecclesiastical rules.

Registrum prioratus Sancti Andreœ, p. 43.

IV.—P. 255. Lease between the Abbot of Scone and Hay
of Leys. Anno 1312, with a translation interlined.

The interlineation is, of course, more recent than the body of the indenture; but the hand and the reason of the translation preclude the idea of its being more than a few years later. The words translated are:—

Concesserunt ....................Has grantit.
Dimiserunt ........................Has lettin.
Pertinenciis........................Purtenauncis.
Rectis divisis .....................Richtuis diuisis.
Solebant............................Was wont.
Linealiter ...........................Euin in line.
Ex latere............................On side.
Procreandis........................To be to gitt.
Descendentibus .................Descendit.
Triginta ..............................Thritti.
Annuatim............................Iere bi iere.
Hyeme ..............................Wyntir.
Immediate sequentes .........For utin oni mene foluand.
Quod molent .....................That thai sal grind.
Pro sustentatione sua ........For ihair fode.
Molendinum........................Miln.
Vecesimum quartum vas .....Four and twentiand fat.
Jure seruientis molendini......i.e. cnaveschipe.
Prestabit ...........................Sal gif.
Genere...............................Kynd.
Natiui ................................In born men.
Preparacionem...................Grafting.
Sustentationem .................Vphalding.
In circuitu ..........................Abute thaim.
Forinsecum........................Forayn.
Percipient focale ................Sal tak fuayl.
Alienabunt..........................Do away.
Eorum successoribus .........Tha that comis in ihair stede.
Vsufructu ..........................Gres water and other prqfitis.
Indiguerint .........................Thay haf mister.
Exorte fuerint......................Haf grouyn.
Decidentur ........................Haf fallin (a misreading).
Reseruari ..........................Be yemit.
Dominio.............................The lauerdscape.
Requisiti............................Requerit.
Simulatione.......................Feyning,
Accedere...........................i.e. venire.
Contingat...........................Impersonaliter.
Revocare...........................Cal agayn.
Sui recessus ....................Of thair parting.
Recedent..........................Sal depart.
Edificia.............................Biging.
Construi facient ................Sal ger be made.
Competentia.....................Gaynand.
Dimittent edificata.............Sale leue bigit.
Cyrographi .......................Hand chartir.
Confecti ...........................Made.
Penes .............................Anentis (a mistake).
Residenti..........................Duelland.
Appensum........................Hingand.

Liber de Scona, p. 104, where the original indenture is represented in facsimile.

V.—P. 270. Catalogue of Books in Glasgow Cathedral. a. 1432.

This list of books is preserved in the ancient Register of the Bishopric.

The first section, of books for the use of the choir, consists chiefly of church service books. We find ten missals; seven breviaries, some of them small portiforia or portuas books, used for carrying abroad ; five psalters, having nothing joined with them; seven antiphonaria, or anthem books, some with psalters added; six gradalia, grails, or books of offices; five processionaria, or books giving the formulæ and the services used in church processions — each distinguished by being covered with white leather or red, being magni or parvi voluminis, solennes or non multo solennes, notati (with music), or non notati, cathenati, chained to the desks, or preserved in chests and presses. Then we have a collectariurn, or book of the collects; an ordinarium, ordinate, or ritual book — continent ordinem divinii offiici; two libri pontificates, or pontificals, books of the part of the ritual appropriate to the Bishop; a catholicon which, if it be the glossary of Joannes de Janua, and I can give no other conjecture, is oddly placed among the service books of the choir, and noted as chained beside the high altar; the Old Testament, in two large volumes; an Epistolare, or book of the epistles (perhaps those of St. Paul only), with the gospels at the end; another volume of the epistles of St. Paul; two copies of Legenda Sanctorum, books more commonly called passionaria; a small volume containing lives of St. Kentigern and St. Servan. One of the breviaries is placed outside the choir for chance comers who may be able to read it.

A processionarium was in the hands of the binder, and for the honour of Glasgow we have his name, Richard Air. But his prefix of dominus, marks him to be a churchman. The greater number of these volumes remained constantly in the choir, and were chained to the desks or stalls of the canons and vicars. Books are frequently met with, still bearing the mark of this species of durance, in two holes bored through the lower corners of the oak boards next the binding.

The next class, kept in presses, not within the library, is very miscellaneous. It contains two parts of the Pandects, described by their well-known, but hitherto unexplained symbol of ff; the Institutes of Justinian; the Acts of the Apostles; a book of hymns, collects, and capitula; Saint Augustin's treatise on the psalms; a book of the decretals and decrees; a book on the quodlibets, by a Mr. John Poysley; the venerable Bede's book of forty homilies on the gospels (are these the originals of our friend Aelfric's homilies?) a book of theology, with the arms of the Cardinal of Scotland painted in the first letter (this was undoubtedly Cardinal Walter Wardlaw, Bishop of Glasgow); a book of the sermons of St. Bernard; two volumes of the sermons of Pope Leo; a book of St. Augustin's; St. Jerome on the creed; Valerius Maximus; Peter Damian's book, Groecismus; the statutes of the Council of Tours; an exposition of the psalter; a large book beginning, Reverentia Preclare Virtutum; Ovid's metamorphoses; Aristotle's rhetoric, in Latin; Armanorum Questiones, a book by Richard Fitz Rauf, Archbishop of Armagh, against the Armenians; Friar Richard on the ethics of Aristotle; Friar Peter on the fourth book of the Sentences; the third and fourth books of Bonaventure (upon the Sentences); Saint Augustin against Faustinus the heretic; Francesco Petrarca (probably either De Remediis Utriusque Fortuna or De Vita Solitaria); a book beginning, Est Margarite; the works of Sallust, whose name, Caius Crispus Sallustius, the scribe has understood to be the names of three persons; a number of little books of paper, whose names were unknown; a work of Henri Boyc, a commentator on the Decretals, who flourished at the end of the fourteenth century; Braco, which should perhaps be Brito, who wrote Super Leges Anglie; Speculum Judiciale, perhaps the Speculum Juris of Durandus; the Summa Casuum Conscientiœ of Bartholomeus Pisanus; Boetius de Consolatione, with the gloss of Nicholas Trivet, a Dominican friar — the last five in the hands of canons of the Cathedral, either for their life, or during the pleasure of the Chapter.

The books in the library, chained, beginning at the north corner of the west shelf, are as follows:— A book of theology "of faith and its object," illuminated with gold, the binding defective; a book of theology of Saint Thomas, probably Thomas Aquinas's Compendium Theologiœ; Historia Ecclesiaslica, probably the work of Bede; the morals of Aristotle, in Latin ; Treatises of Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus (Doctor Subtilis), and Bonaventure, chiefly on various parts of the sentences of Peter Lombard; Summa Confessorum; a book of Canon Law; a concordance of the Bible, illuminated with gold; a commentary on the Five Books of Moses; the commentaries of Nicholas de Lira on the gospels; a Bible complete, illuminated with gold — a beautiful volume; a book of questions in theology; the treatise of an Anglican doctor on the four books of the Sentences; De Lira's commentary on the Psalter ; St. Paul's Epistles, with a gloss; an explanation of the Prologues of the Bible; a commentary on the Psalter according to St. Augustin.

The second shelf in the library contains first a collection of civil law, consisting of the code of Justinian ; the Pandects, which it was the fashion to divide into three parts, the Digestum Vetus, Digestum Novum, and Inforciatum, a name of unknown meaning and etymology; the Ten Collations, with the Authenticæ. Secondly, works on the Canon Law, viz., the Speculum Judiciale of Durandus; Summa Copiosa, a treatise on the Decretals, known also by the names of Summa Charitatis, Summa Aurea, and Summa Hostiensis, from its author, Henri de Suze, Cardinal Bishop of Ostia; Liber Innocentii, probably the constitutions of Pope Innocent IV., in the Council of Lyons, 1245; a book of Decreta; another; Liber Clementis, the constitutions of Pope Clement IV.; a book of the Decretals. Then follow a volume containing the epistles of Bernard, Abbot of Clarevalle, and the treatise of Isidore, Bishop of Seville, on Etymologies; a  commentary on Genesis; Friar Gregory's lecture on the book of Sentences; the Historia Ecclesiastica of Bede; a volume of Master Hugh of Paris, probably Hugo de Sancto Victore, who wrote De vanitate rerum mundanarum, etc.; a Bible complete; Saint Augustin on the gospel; Liber questionum Ermenorum compositus per Ricardum Radulphi, a copy of which was noticed in the second class; a fair volume of Mechanics (perhaps it should be metaphysics), with treatises of heaven and earth, generation and corruption, and many others, treatises of Aristotle; a volume commencing Finis et Fabula Rerum; the Liber Collationum of Odo, Abbot of Cluny (printed in the Bibl. Patr. Latin, t. 10, p. 236); a volume in red binding, having in the first line, Quoniam secundum Apostolum. And so the second shelf is full.

On the third shelf were placed, a book of Sermons; the book of Sentences, perhaps the original work of Lombard; Epitaphium Senecæ, containing the Epistles of St. Paul to Seneca, which were received as genuine by St. Jerome and other ancient fathers (the commencement is probably a mistake of the scribe for Lucius Annæus Seneca); a book of the sermons of St. Austin; the book of Archbishop Brad wardin (which Leland calls Divinum Opus), De causa Dei contra Pelagium; the Rhetoric of Aristotle; Epistles of St. Austin; a small volume, De Peccato Ade; the Epistles of Clement (perhaps Pope Clement IV.) to several princes; the second book of Duns Scotus, called Doctor Subtilis; a book of Landulphus, on the second book of the Sentences; a book on St. Austin's work De Civitate Dei; a book of the Quodlibets, or commonplaces of scholastic disputations ; the treatise of a John Forrest on the first book of the Sentences; the first part of the Summa Sancti Thomœ, a treatise of Thomas Aquinas on the Sentences; Saint Austin's De regulis veræ fidei; Friar Gregory's lecture on the first book of Sentences; the Liber Pastoralium of Saint Gregory the Pope; a book of the Collations, probably that commonly quoted as Authenticæ or Novella Constitutiones; a book on Faith, written against divers errors; Bonaventure on the third book of the Sentences; Saint Austin on the Trinity ; Peter of Torento on the fourth book of the Sentences; a volume containing the works of two authors, Jocelin — perhaps the monk of Fumes — and William de Monte Haudon, of whom I know nothing but the title of his book, Super apparatu Clementis; a Lucidarius, which is described in the catalogue of the ancient library of the Louvre — Le Lucidaire est un ouvrage de Théologie en vers du 13ième siècle sans nom d'auteur, traduit de Saint Ambrose. — Registrum Episc. Glasg., vol. II., p. 334.

VI.—P. 273. James Melvill's Diary.

Sa I was put to the scholl of Montrose, finding of God's guid providence my auld mother Mariorie Gray, wha, parting from hir brother at his mariage, haid taken vpe hous and scholl for lasses in Montrose; to hir I was welcome againe as hir awin sone. The maister of the scholl, a lerned, honest, kynd man, whom also for thankfulnes I name Mr. Andro Miln; [Minister at Fedresso.] he was verie skilfull and diligent. The first yeir he causit us go throw the Rudiments, againe therefter enter arid pas throw the first part of Grammer of Sebastian, therwith we hard Phormionem Terentii, and war exer-cisit in composition; eftir that entered to the second part, and hard therwith the Georgics of Wirgill, and dyvers vther things.

I never got a strak of hys hand, whowbeit I committed twa lourd faults as it were with fyre and sword. Haiffing the candle in my hand on a wintar night, befor sax hours, in the scholl, sitting in the class, bernlie and negligentlie pleying with the bent, it kyndlit sa on fyre that we had all ado to put it out with our feet. The othir was, being molested by a condisciple wha cuttit the strings of my pen and ink horn with hys pen knife ; I minting with my pen kniff at his legges to fley him, he feared and lifting now a leg now the othir, rasht on his leg on my pen kniff and strak himself a deip wound in the schin of the leg quhilk was a quarter of a yeir in curing. In the tyme of the trying of this matter, he saw me sa humble, sa feard, sa grieved, yield sa manie teares, and ly fasting and murning in the scholl all day, that he said he could not find in his hart to punish me fordar. Bot my righteous God let me not slipe that fault, bot gaiff me a warning and remembrance what it was to be defyled with blude, whowbeit negligentlie; for within a schort space eftir, I had causit a cutler new come to the town, to polishe and scharpe the sam pen knyff, and haid bought a pennie worth of aples, and cutting and eating the same in the linkes, as I put the cheiue in my mouthe, I began to lope vpe vpon a little sandie brae, haiffing the pen kniff in my richt hand, I fell and therwithe strak myselff, missing my wombe, an inch deep into the inwart syde of the left knie, even to the bean, wherby the aequitie of God's judgement and my conscience strak me sa, that I was the mair war of knyffes all my dayes.

In Montrose was Mr. Thomas Andersone, minister, a man of mean gifts, bot of singular good lyff. God moved hym to mark me and call me often to his chalmer, to treat me quhan he saw anie guid in me, and to instruct and admonise me otherwise. He desirit me ever to rehearse a part of Calvin's Catechism on the Sabothes at efter noon, because he hard the peiple lyked weill of the clernes of my voice, and pronuncing with some feeling; and thereby God moved a godlie honest matron in the towne to mak meikle of me thairfor, and callit me hir lytle sweit angle. The minister was able to teach na ofter but ance in the ouk; but haid a godlie honest man reidar, wha read the scripture distinctly and with a religius and devot feiling, whereby I fand myself movit to gif good eare and learn the stories of scripture, also to tak pleasure in the Psalms which he had almost by heart in prose. The Lard of Done, mentioned befor, dwelt oft in the towne, and of his chairitie entertenit a blind man, wha had a singular good voice, hym he causit the doctor of our schole teatche the whole Psalms in miter, with the tones thereof, and sing tham in the kyrk ; be heiring of whome I was sa delyted, that I lernit manie of the psalmes, and toones thereof in miter, quhilk I have thought evir sen syne a great blessing and comfort. The exerceise of the ministerie was keipit oukly then in Montrose, and thair assemblies ordinarly, whilk when I saw I was movit to lyke fellon weil of that calling, bot thought it a thing vnpossible that evir I could haf the abilitie to stand vp and speik, when all held thair tongue and luiked, and to continue speaking alean the space of an houre. There was also there a post that frequented Edinburgh, and brought hame Psalm-books and ballats, namely of Robert Semple's making, wherein I tuk pleasure, and learnit something baith of the state of the country, and of the missours and cullors of Scots ryme. He schew me first Wedderburn's songs, whairof I lerned diverse par ceur, with great diversite of toones. He frequented our scholl, and from him also I lerned to understand the callender efter the common use thereof. And finallie, I receavit the communion of the body and blud of the Lord Jesus Christ, first at Montrose, with a greater reverence and sense in my saule than oft therefter I could find, in the 13 yeir of my age; whar, coming from the table, ane guid honest man, ane elder of the kirk, gaiff me an admonition concerning lightnes, wantonnes, and nocht takin tent to the preatching and word read and prayers, quhilk remeaned with me evir sen syne. Sa God maid every person, place, and action to be my teacheris, bot alas ! I vsed tham never sa fruitfullie as the guid occasiones servit, bot was carryit away in vanitie of mind with young and fullishe conceats quhilk is the heavie challange of my conscience.

The tyme of my being in Montrose was about twa yeirs, during the quhilk the common newes that I hard was of the grait praises of the government, and in end, the heavie mean and pitifull regrat amangs men in all esteatts, for the traiterus murdour of James Erle of Murro, called the Gnid Regent. — The diary of Mr. James Melvill. Edinburgh, 1829. P. 17-19.

The whole is of the greatest interest for all who desire to see the old Scotch scholar life. But the book is now well known.


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