Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-07

cause the king had conferred upon him a
position which Douglas considered should
| have been his
He made Ramsay prisoner and cast him
into dungeon and left him to perish of
hunger Douglas himself was soon af-
| ter slain by his gOd-son while out hunt
| ing. in revenge. ii is aid for the murder
Of Ramsay. The body of James. Earl
| Douglas who was slain at the lannon's
battle Of Otterburne by Earl Percy, called
| 'Hotspur, Is buried here. The battle is
known wherever the English language is
| spoken by the name of Chevy Chase
| The most precious thing ever inferred at
Melrose is the heart Of Robert Bruce,
Just before his death Bruce wrote q let
ter 10 his son in which he requested that
| ms heart might be laid before the thigh
| altar in MelrOse Abbey" afterwards ne
wished IL to be taken to Palestine and
buried near the holy sepulchre. Bruce's
loved and trusted friend. Sir James
douglas. was entrusted with the mission
but he was killed in fight with the
Saracens in Spain. THE Bruce's heart
was brought back to Scotland by Sir Will
| nam Keith where it was buried in ac-
cordance with the kings former wish in
the Abbey at Melrose. The body OF the
| good Lord James was recovered and
| buried among his ancestors.
The carving on the roof of the church
| is very beautiful. The keystones of the
arches are decorated with subjects from
Bible history. and where the groins meet
are lovely. large lunches of flowers In
the north aisle and transept are MANY
more beautiful carvings. in fact there is
scarcely a spot In the whole edifice which
is not ornamented with rich carvings Of
marvellous workmanship representing all
manner Of leaves flowers and foliage
and all are as fresh as if executed YES
terday. The cloisters are on the north
west side Of the church, the entrance 10
which from the church is close to the
transept 1t was through this door that
ha rod L. 9
ed William OF Deloraine into the abbey
when he came at the request of the Lady
Of Buccleuch TO take the magic book
from the wizards grave. In a corner is
the figure Of an angel with outspread
wings flying away from the church with
a message in his hand: and near by is the
mead of negro. grinning, with an ex-
preston of the utmost joy and satisfac-
ton on his countenance
The exterior Of Melrose is quite no
beautiful as the interior There are num-
berless inches, which once all contained
statues; ana the buttresses are all carved
and orramented no two being alike The
best view of the abbey is obtained from
The southeast corner Of the church ward.
bur. according to Scott
"if thou w0ulds't view fair Melrose
Alright.
60 visit it ny the pale moonlight;
For the gay beams OF lightsome day
Gid. hut 10 fiout. the ruins grey
Then 90. but go alone the while
Then view St. Davd's ruined pile;
And home returning sOothly swear
Was never scene 50 sad and fair"
in this corner Of the churchyard in
which lie many a gallant warrior and
venerable priest is d small red stone rest
ing upon base of the same, on which Is
inscribed these beautiful lines:
The earth goeth to the earth,
Glistening like gold
The earth goes to the earth
Sooner than it void;
The earth builds on the earth
Castles and towers;
The earth says TO the earth
All shall be ours
A whole volume might easily be writ
ter about the beauties of Melrose, and /
have done it scant justice in this article;
but | hope that all VINO read this may one
lay have an opportunity of seeing and
Judging for themselves.
IDA MAY COUSINS