Melrose Abbey lies a little to the north-east of the town of Melrose, in Roxburghshire. It was founded in 1136 by David I., king of Scotland, as an establishment for some monks who were denominated Cistertians. "These monks were noted for their industrious habits, and their patronage and practice of such departments of the fine arts and practical science as were known in the Middle Ages; and, in common with all the monastic tribes, they regarded the embellishing of ecclesiastical edifices up to a degree as high as their scientific and financial resources could produce, as pre-eminently and even meritoriously a work of piety." "The architecture is the richest Gothic, combining the best features of its gracefulness and elaboration, and everywhere showing a delicacy of touch, and a boldness of execution, which evince the perfection of the style. The material, while soft enough to admit great nicety of chiselling, possesses such power of resistance to the weather, that even the most minute ornaments retain nearly as much sharpness of edge or integrity of feature as when they were fresh from the chisel. The abbey, though inferior in proportions to many works of its class, and only about half the dimensions of Yorkminster, is the most beautiful of all the ecclesiastical structures which seem ever to have been reared in Scotland; and has seldom, in aggregate architectural excellence, been surpassed, or even equalled, by the edifices of any land."-Gazetteer of Scotland. If thou would'st view fair Melrose aright, When the broken arches are black in night, 1 Flout, to mock. Oriel, in Gothic architecture, a bay window. 3 Buttress, a mass of brickwork or masonry to support the side of a wall of great height. "The buttresses When silver edges the imagery, And the scrolls that teach thee to live and die; And the owlet to hoot o'er the dead man's grave; Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel (Canto II.). MELROSE ABBEY AS IT WAS. Again on the Knight looked the Churchman old, For he had himself been a warrior bold, And fought in Spain and Italy. And he thought on the days that were long since by, When his limbs were strong, and his courage was high: Now, slow and faint, he led the way, Where, cloistered round, the garden lay; The pillared arches were over their head, Spreading herbs, and flowerets bright, Nor herb, nor floweret glistened there, But was carved in the cloister arches as fair. The youth in glittering squadrons start; And hurl the unexpected dart. ranged along the sides of the ruins of Melrose Abbey are, according to the Gothic style, richly carved and fretted, containing niches for the statues of saints, and labelled with scrolls, bearing appropriate texts of Scripture."-Scott. 1 St. David's pile, so called because it was founded and endowed by David I., king of Scotland. 2 The cloisters were frequently used as places of sepulture. He knew, by the streamers that shot so bright, By a steel-clenched postern door, ; On pillars, lofty, and light, and small; Full many a scutcheon and banner, riven, And thine, dark knight of Liddesdale.1 O high ambition, lowly laid! The moon on the east oriel shone, Thou would'st have thought some fairy's hand In many a freakish knot, had twined; 1 Fleur-de-lys, the common Iris. Corbels, the projections from which the arches spring, usually cut in a fantastic face, or mask. 9 The battle of Otterbourne was fought on the 15th August, 1388, between Henry Percy, called Hotspur, and James Earl of Douglas. The Scots won the day, with the loss, however, of their gallant leader. He was buried at Melrose beneath the high altar. William Douglas, called the knight of Liddesdale, was so distinguished by his valour that he was called the flower of chivalry. He was slain while hunting in Ettrick Forest, and was interred in Melrose. Triumphant Michael brandished, And trampled the Apostate's pride. Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel (Canto II.). THESE, as they change, Almighty Father, these 1 Sir Michael Scott was a person of much learning. He was addicted to astrology, alchymy, and other abstruse studies. He therefore passed among his contemporaries as a skilful magician. He is sometimes styled the renowned wizard. Majestic darkness! on the whirlwind's wing' Oh, talk of Him in solitary glooms, Where, o'er the rock, the scarcely waving pine And ye, whose bolder note is heard afar, Who shake the astonished world, lift high to heaven Ye headlong torrents, rapid and profound; Sound his stupendous praise, whose greater voice Soft roll your incense, herbs, and fruits, and flowers, In mingled clouds, to Him, whose sun exalts, "And he rode on a cherub, and did fly; yea, he did fly on the wings of the wind."-Ps. xviii. 10. |