O ld M e l r o s .
flower of chivalry, who fell, an aflfallinated vi'itim to the jealouly of I
William I. Earl of Douglas. His eulogy ftyles him terrible and furl I
full in arms-, meek, milde, and gentle in peace -, the fcourge'ofEn aland] I
and fare buckler and wall of Scotland, whom neither hard faccejff
make flack, nor profperous floathfull*.
The fituation of this religious houfe is remarkably pleafantjB
feated near the Tweed, and ihaded with woods, above whofe fum-B
mits foar the venerable ruins, and the tricapitated top of
hill. On one of the heads is a Roman camp. I have fince been®
informed of others, with military ways, to be traced in v a r io u s «
places.
Pafs by Newftead, and Red-abby-Jtead, a houfe b e lo n g in g o n c e fl
to the knights Templars - f . Proceed to old Metros, n o w re d u ce® "
to a Angle houfe, on a lofty promontory, peninfulated b y the»
Tweed: a moil beautiful fcene; the-banks lofty, and w o o d ed *
varied with perpendicular rocks, jutting like buttrefies from topi
to bottom. This was the Ate of the antient abby of Cu/diuM
mentioned by Bede to have exifted in 664, in the reign o f the!
Saxon Ofay. This place was as celebrated for the au fterities o i l
Driblhelmus, as ever Finchal was for thofe of St. Godric. T h e l
Aril was reftored to life after being dead for an entire n igh t*
During that fpace, he palled through purgatory and h e ll, h a il
the beatiAc viAon, and got very near to the conflnes o f heaven *
His angelic guide gave him an ufeful leflon on the efficacy o i
prayer, alms, failing, and particularly, mafies of holy men; infallible!
* Life o f the Deugla/n, 78.
+ Mentioned in the defcription o f the pariih o f Mclret, p . 7, unnoticed bffl
Keith•
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