cause the Celtic or Gaelic etymology of the name Durach Antiquities. bruach, or Durach brugh, or Dryburgh, can be no otherwise interpreted than the bank of the sacred grove of oaks, or the settlement of Druids; and we know that it was usual for the first planters of Christianity, in Pagan countries, to choose such sacred haunts for the propagation of the gospel.

Bede, however, in his Ecclesiastical History, is silent on this subject; and as more than a century had elapsed from the days of Modan to those of the venerable historian, it is probable the religious residence had been transferred to Melrose long before he composed his annals.

The new Abbey of Dryburgh was founded by Hugh de Merville, Lord of Lauderdale, and his wife Beatrix de Beauchamp, about the year 1150, who obtained a charter of confirmation from King David the First, who assumes in the deed the designation of founder; and to this charter Hugo de Merville is a witness: but it sufficiently appears, from the chronicle of Melrose, that this abbey,, on its new foundation, owed its establishment to these illustrious subjects, and was afterwards taken under the protection of the sovereign. The church-yard was consecrated on St Martin's day 1150, as appears from the following entry, quoted by Hog in his Reliquiæ Sacræ Scot. p. 301. vol. i. Quo die cæmiteriæ sacris usibus consecratæ sunt, ne demones in iis grassarentur."

66

The monks of the order of Premontre (Premonstratenses) were brought to Dryburgh from Alnwick in the year 1152. Hugh de Merville died in 1162; the time of Beatrix de Beauchamp his wife's death is not known. The first abbot, Roger, resigned in the year 1177, and was succeeded by Gerard, the prior of the house. Galfridus, abbot of Dryburgh, was translated to Alnwick in 1209; and VOL II.

B

Antiquities was succeeded by William, concerning whom no particu lars are recorded. Henry, abbot of Holyroodhouse, after he was elected bishop of Galloway anno 1253, ratifies all the churches in his diocese which had been granted to the Abbey of Dryburgh.

Patrick, of the reformed order of Premonstratenses of Dryburgh, is recorded as a man of learning and a writer in the 14th century, about the year 1330.

Radulphus de Strode, a monk of this house, travelled through England, Germany, France, Italy, and Palestine. Dempster mentions him as a poet of eminence, and esteemed by Chaucer. He was one of the numerous antagonists of Wickliffe the reformer.

This Abbey was burnt, and a considerable part of it destroyed, by the army of Edward the Second, in the year 1323, and was repaired at the expence of King Robert the First. From several appearances in the ruins now remaining, there is reason to believe that there had been buildings at Dryburgh of the ancient foundation when the new works were erected by Hugh de Merville and Beatrix de Beauchamp; fragments of a more ancient style of architecture being mixed with those of the age of King David.

Andrew Forman, bishop of Moray, afterwards archbishop of St Andrews, ambassador to France, and intrusted with the most important offices in the kingdom of Scotland during the reigns of James the Fourth and Fifth, held the monastery of Dryburgh in commendam with those of Pittenweem, Coldinghame, and Dunfermline : He resigned that of Dryburgh to James Ogilvy of the family of Deskford, on his being disappointed of the bishopric of Aberdeen by the intrigues and influence of the Earl of Huntly, who obtained that benefice for a profligate relation of his own, Alexander Gordon, who was a disgrace to the

nitre, and to the sacred function. These appointments Antiquities. were made soon after the death of Archbishop Elphingstoune in the year 1506. James Ogilvy was several times employed in negociations of state, both at London and Paris, and continued abbot of Dryburgh till his death, about the year 1556, when David Erskine, natural son of the Lord Erskine, eldest son of John Earl of Mar, elder brother of the regent, was appointed abbot.

venue of

The rental of this monastery, as produced at the time of Ancient rethe annexation of church-lands to the crown in 1587, was Dryburgh as follows:

In money,
In barley,

In meal,

In oats,

Abbey.

In wheat,

Scots money, The ancient revenue of this monastery had suffered considerable waste immediately after the reformation; and considering the value of money and grain in those times, and that of the domain lands cultivated by the servants of the monastery, which consisted of about four hundred acres of the best land in the country, the whole yearly income of the monastery may be fairly estimated at what would now be equal to L. 2000 Sterling; a goodly support for the house, which does not appear at any time to have maintained above fifty monks; yet by no means proportioned to the magnificence of the structure which was reared by ancient piety for their accommodation.

L. 1044 16 8-53 5 10 10/1/1

The free-stone, of which the monastery of Dryburgh, and the most elegant parts of the Abbey of Melrose, was built, is of a most beautiful colour and texture, and has

Antiquities defied the influence of the weather for more than six centuries: nor is the sharpness of the sculpture in the least affected by the ravages of time. The quarry from which it was taken is still successfully wrought at Dryburgh ; and no stone in the island seems more perfectly adapted for the purposes of architecture, as it hardens by age, and is not subject to be corroded or decomposed by the weather, so that it might even be used for the cutting of bas reliefs and of statues.

Home Cas

dc.

The Castle of Home merits particular notice. The family of Home is by Douglas, in his Peerage, deduced from Cospatrick, third Earl of Dunbar.

The territory of Home occurs as early as the year 1240, in a donation to the monastery of Kelso, by Adda, daughter of Patrick the fifth Earl of Dunbar, wife of William the son of Patrick, who was the second son of Cospatrick above mentioned.

From the lands and castle of Home this William took his surname; the family of March having assumed that of Dunbar a few years before. He also carried the armorial bearings of the Earl of Dunbar; which his posterity, the family of Home, have continued to do ever sincè with little variation.

In this family the castle continued thro' a long succession of descendants; among whom we find many gallant soldiers, ambassadors, privy-counsellors, statesmen, and others, occupying the highest places of honour and trust.

In the parliament held by King James the Third, anno 1465, Alexander Dominus de Home sat as a Lord Baron, He was actually created a Lord of Parliament by the title of Lord Home, the 2d of August 1473; and, March 4th, 1604, Alexander, the 6th Lord Home, was by King James the Sixth raised to the dignity of Earl of Home, Lord Dunglas,

The particulars attending the taking of this castle are Antiquities circumstantially mentioned by Patten in his account of

the Duke of Somerset's expedition.

The next year the Scots seized this castle by stratagem, and slew the garrison, in 1549. The Lord Grey unsuccessfully attempted to recover it.

Eccles.

The parish of Eccles is supposed to have derived its Nunnery of name from a great part of it having been ecclesiastical' property. Here was a Cistertian nunnery, supposed to have been founded in the year 1154. This ancient nunnery appears to have consisted of a square of nearly six English acres. The only vestige remaining of it above ground consists of two vaults, which have been converted into cellars for holding wine and other liquors. The burial ground contiguous to these vaults is all paved with fine stones four feet beneath the surface; which is a clear proof that there have been many more cells of a similar kind to the former; and as the ground, when turned up, exhibits only a mixture of sand, lime, and earth, it appears to be nothing but the rubbish of the fallen vaults. It is said that the principal entrance to the nunnery was from the west, where there was a very spacious gate, beautifully sculptured, and adorned with a variety of figures. Before the front-door of the mansion-house of Eccles a stone coffin was dug out, above six feet long, and covered above with flag-stones. As it had been buried above 200 years, every part of the body was reduced to ashes; and as the inside of the stone was pretty smooth, and the whole portrait of the person visible (though in ashes), the late Sir John Paterson had the curiosity to collect the whole, and (wonderful to tell!) it did not exceed in weight an ounce and a half.

In the same parish is a monument erected to one of the Ancient Percies, who fell in a bloody engagement with one of monument