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Church. The Baron was not unknown to the priest, and the latter" doffed his cowl." Unaccustomed to meet a clergyman at so early an hour, Langlands halted, and on the common frivolities at meeting being offered and received, he seemed disposed to talk. The monk took this opportunity of making him acquainted with the object of his mission. The Baron knit his brows, and looked down, while the Churchman, having committed himself, proceeded. Though the passions of the Baron were gathering into wrath, yet he was able to suppress them for a time, and the priest went on. His honour had been repeatedly dunned for this arrear of tithes, part of which he conceived to be a villanous charge; and at length, in a stern tone, stopped the monk by exclaiming, "Who and what are you, Sir?" The clergyman assumed his dignity in turn, and replied, "I am a son of the Church, commissioned to demand a debt due to her by the Baron of Wilton. You may be the son of perdition for any thing I know," rejoined the angry Baron, and walked away. Things having come to this crisis, the descendant of Melchizedek was not to be so easily defeated; he dogged Langlands for a few yards, and reiterated his claim, The chieftain turned round, and touched the hilt of his sword. The representative of the successor of St. Peter was not to be intimidated; for, deeming his personal safety secure in the sacredness of his office, he mustered a goodly share of courage, and placing himself on the Baron's front, said, "I am the Abbot of Melrose himself, know your honour, come to claim my own; and, in name of the Church, I must inform you, that it will be well for the barony of Wilton if the tithes due on the estate are paid to me before I leave Hawick." His feudal lordship, who perhaps had never been so bearded in his life, in a momentary paroxysm of rage drew his heavy two-handed sword from its scabbard, and laid the unfortunate Abbot at his feet, "shorter by the head."

Langlands walked moodily homewards; and, before he entered the gateway of his castle, he had become sensible of the perilous plight in which his rash action had placed him. He had done the deed," however, and how was the fatal error of a frantic moment to be retrieved?

After having attempted to take breakfast, he dressed himself in courtly style, mounted the best horse in his

stables, and set off post for Edinburgh, to sue for mercy from his King.

The news of the death of their chief soon reached the inmates of Melrose Abbey, and the religious coterie made the arches of that gothic fabric ring during thirty days with howling and lamentation. The Baron was subsequently denounced from every pulpit throughout the land, and the vengeance of the Church was accumulating to effect the destruction of the murderer. In the mean time, a monument, in the form of a cross, was erected where the Abbot fell, that in latter times was known by the name of❝ Heap Cross," the remains of which have been seen by a number of the people of Hawick who are still living.

While the priesthood were preparing to launch their fiery anathemas against Langlands, he was busied in inter cessions at Court for means to ward off his impending fate. Douglas, of Drumlanrig and Hawick, was at that time a favourite with the King, as well as on friendly terms with his neighbour baron. The latter communicated to his friend the insult he had offered to the Church, at the same time concealing the death of the Abbot, but urging him to use his influence with the King to procure a pardon without delay; seeing, that when the power of the Church was to be combated, perhaps the Sovereign might hesitate to interpose his authority. Drumlanrig accordingly soon procured an audience of the Monarch. His Majesty was in high humour and spirits when he received the two Teviotdale barons at Holyrood; and Drumlanrig proceeded to business. "Please your Majesty, this is James Langlands of that ilk, and Baron of the Barony of Wilton, than whom your Majesty has not a more faithful and loyal subject. He has had a quarrel with the Church, and has some reason to guard himself against its consequences, and therefore prays most humbly that your Majesty will afford him protection, seeing that his enemies are both numerous and strong." The King having heard of the transaction in a former conference with Douglas, shook his head and smiled. "So you knocked off the bonnet of a dignitary of the Church with your sword, Langlands?" "I did in an unJucky moment, please your Majesty."" And you have thereby stirred up the evil spirit and power of the priesthood?" "It is even so, my liege." "What had the Abbot done to provoke you "He was insolent and unreasonable in demanding payment of tithes, my Sove

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reign.” “And for the indignity offered to the clerical order you crave my protection from their wrath?" "Most humbly, please your Majesty." "I grant it freely,” said the King; " and my friend Drumlanrig will see that the pardon is drawn out in proper form; as your opponents are both wily and powerful." So far all was well, and Drumlanrig and his friend took their leave of his Majesty, and proceeded to the office of the Secretary of State, where they found the minister at his desk. Drumlaurig, after having communicated to the Secretary the purport of his visit, and the King's commands thereon, retired. Langlands and the minister being left alone, the latter commenced writing out the pardon; and as he approached that clause in the document where the priest's bonnet had to be introduced, the Baron slipped a purse of gold upon the table. The pen of the functionary halted for a few seconds, his eyes being drawn as by a magnet to the shining tempters that peeped through the meshes of the netted silk, and good-humouredly asked the meaning of appearances. "You will oblige me much," said Langlands, "and probably save an ancient family from ruin, if you will put the monk's head into the bonnet." The silent eloquence of the douceur on the table could not be resisted, and the happy chief returned to his friend with the pardon in his pocket.

The Baron having procured the sign-manual of his Majesty to the instrument, in. due form, now inquired at Langlands why he evinced so much anxiety on a subject apparently deserving of so little. "In gude sooth, Drumlaurig, I must now tell ye, that in striking off the priest's bonnet his head went with it." Drumlanrig was astonished, yet felt gratified in having relieved his companion from such a scrape; and Langlands returned home rejoicing in bis success.

The King had a party in the evening at Holyrood, and Langlands' errand at court was whispered round the table ; but his Majesty had not yet been informed of the real state of the case. On his demanding a toast from Drumlanrig, however, the denouement followed. "May your Majesty's. enemies," said the Baron, “all lose their bonnets like the priest of Melrose." "And what great harm would that do to them?" asked the King. "Please your Majesty, when Langlands struck off the bonnet of the priest, the poor man's head was in it."

The pardon which the offender had obtained on this oc

casion was equally calculated to alarm and irritate the priesthood, and although the Monarch enjoyed the joke along with his courtiers, and felt no way disposed to resent the trick that had been played upon him, yet he soon began to discover that by pardoning an act of such hostility to a powerful body, he had placed himself rather in awkward circumstances; but, fortunately for the credit of the Government, an incident came to the recollection of the King that seemed well suited for laying the ground-work of a propitiatory offering to the dangerous grumbling of the clergy. The Archbishop of St. Andrew's had for some time past pressed his Majesty repeatedly for an additional grant to the Church, though without effect; it now occurred to the King that the request of his Grace might be acceded to, on condition that the ecclesiastical murmuring raised throughout the kingdom on account of the Abbot's death should be silenced. The terms of reconciliation being propounded to the Archbishop by royal authority, through the medium of Drumlanrig, an agreement was im→ mediately made; and a national thanksgiving to God for a munificent Sovereign, took place of seditious wailing for the murdered monk.

Congregational Collections among Unitarians.

SIR,

Chatham, March 25, 1826, I AUGUR no small success to the Unitarian cause from the recently-formed British and Foreign Association instituted expressly for this purpose. The Committee will, no doubt, adopt every means that may be effective for augs menting its funds, which it must be obvious will require to be ample in proportion to the extent of objects to be embraced. There is, however, one procedure which I beg leave (if not considered stepping out of my province) through the medium of your Miscellany to recommend, the more especially as I believe it has never been attended to except at our Metropolitan Meeting. What I allude to is, that in addition to individual donations and subscriptions, there be congregational collections *

Since writing the above, I have seen the British and Foreign Unitarian Association Address, where such an adoption is advised, not annually but triennially. With all deference to those to whom the business of management is confided, I ask why the latter should be considered a more eligible mode, and for what reasons it can be so ascertained?

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throughout our connexion, a custom among us in other respects by no means novel or nugatory. I would therefore advise that a few weeks prior to the General Assembly in each year, there be circulars sent to the different churches, urging the propriety, and it may be necessity, of the meaCircumstances must dictate and decide as to the season most convenient for the purpose, but if one specific Lord's-day could be appointed alike in every place, it would be seen in what degree a simultaneous effort of common feeling would facilitate the desirable pecuniary supplies. These might further derive strength if the officiating minister would at the same time more particularly deliver a discourse on our distinguishing doctrines, which, if previously known, would, in all probability, lead to an increased attendance, and be followed by equal advantage. Its utility would at least appear, in this instance, were it only to evince that we are as zealously concerned for the spread of what we deem Christian truth as our brethren of other denominations, and so remove the stigma of ours being an inert, by shewing it to be an influential, faith.

On the Epistle to the Romans.

[A Letter to a Young Friend.]

T. C. A.

You say that you find a great difficulty in understanding the New Testament, and especially the Epistles, and of all the Epistles that to the Romans. You also inform me, that many have advised you not to concern yourself about these parts of the Scriptures, but confine yourself to those which are more plain; such as the discourses of our Lord and the Gospels in general, which, together with the Acts of the Apostles, will afford you a sufficient knowledge of Christian doctrine, for all the purposes of life and godliness, without perplexing your mind with abstruse questions, such as the learned have never been able to decide. You inform me also, that others have advised you differently, and wishing you to gain some knowledge of the epistolary parts of the New Testament, they have put into your hands Mr. Locke's rules for reading the Epistles, and have mentioned some commentaries, which you cannot obtain a sight of. As I feel deeply interested in your success as an inquirer after truth, and in the success of every one circumstanced and disposed as you are, I shall not hesitate to give you my

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