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There are spouts at proper diftances for letting the rain down from the roofs, cut into various fhapes, as the body of a lion the head of an old man, &c.

On the weft gable is a very plain or. dinary bell-houfe, with places for two bells, and an iron crofs ftill entire at the top of it. There have been two other iron croffes, one on each corner of this gable, of which the erect parts are only now remaining: the tranfverfe pieces being quite worn away by the injuries of the weather.

fame wild agreeable variety is moft no doubt, there has been an altar, tho carefully obferved. there be no veftige of one now: When looking towards this window, on your right hand, i. e. on the fouth fide of the window, there is an ef cutcheon couped CAITHNESS and RusLIN: the fecond part couped of three. In the first part three stars or mullets : in the fecond three flowers de-luce: in the third a heurt.—in a direct line with the faid efcutcheon, on the north fide of the window, is a ragged cross very diftinct. It has had a lofty arched door, now fhut up with stone and me, on the fouth wall, by which one could enter into the veftry, without going into the large chapel above ground.-It has two fquare niches in each fide wall, wherein, I fuppofe, the facred veffels have been kept; but, particularly, in the north wall there is a large arched opening, like a prefs, in which the iron hinges, or hooks of a door, are ftill to be difcerned; in this I fappofe the clerical veftments have been laid up. There has been another like arched opening in the fouth wall, which is now filled up witha ftone and lime. In the fouth-eaft corner there is a font, with a little square nich clofe by the east fide of it. The arched roof of the facrifty is pretty plain, having only fix ragged lines cut a-crofs from fide to fide in baffo-relie vo, and one on the top, from end to end, in the fame way, and croffing the former ones at right angles.

The high roof is arched, and well Covered with flag-ftones. The entry into this grand and facred ftructure is by two doors, one on the fouth, the the other on the north fide; and no perfon can enter into it, without being Itruck with reverential awe at its au galt appearance.

The height of the Chapel within, from the floor to the top of the high arched roof, is 40 feet, 8 inches. Breadth 34 feet, 8 inches.Length 68 feet.

At the fouth-eaft corner you go down four steps to a flat, having on each hand a plain fquare nich in the wall; from which flat you defcend twenty fteps more, into a fubterraneous chapel, which has been likewife the facrifty and veftry, whofe height cannot be fo exactly afcertained, as the floor is not laid with flag-ftones, but is very uneven with rubbish and ftones: however, with the utmost exactness that can be obferved, it is in height 15 feet, 2 inches.-Breadth 14 fect-Length 36 feet.

This facrifty is only fubterraneous at the entry, or weft end of the east gable, being all above ground, occafoned by the fudden declivity of the rifing ground. There is only one window in it, which is in the east wall, and is arched and large, but without any pillar in the middle of it. Here, H VOL. XIV. No. 79

On the top of the entry, which is an arch, down to the facrifty, is the high altar, 2 feer 7 inches, by two fteps up from the fouth end of the large altar, with a beautiful font above it in the fouth wall. Part of the floor of the high altar s demolished. On the high alar, upon the east wall, is built fomething like a feat, about two feet high, whi h, perhaps, may have been a prothefis or fide-altar table.

The low or large altar is only one ftep up, though perhaps more of old, from the floor of the chapel, of fix

inches

t

58
inches and an half. It is in breadth,
11 feet, 3 inches.-Length, 26 feet,
10 inches and an half.

The roof of the altar, composed of four double arches, not being fo high as that of the chapel by one half, the height of it, from the floor to the tops of he double arches within, is fifteen feet.

There are feven pillars, or columns, on the north fide from end to end, including the pillar on the wet wall, which is cut in baffo-relievo; and as many on the fouth fide.-There are likewife two pilars exactly in the middle of the chapel, proceeding from the ftep up to the altar weftward.

The height of each pillar, including bafe and capital, is the exact fourth of the whole height of the chapel, from the floor to the top of the high arched roof.

Each range of pillars, from the oppofite wall to the centre of the colonnade, or range, is diftant -eight feet two inches; from the centre of each of the two pillars in the middle, proceeding from the face of the altar weftward, to the centre of the pillars on each hand, north and fouth, nine feet two inches; diameter of the fuft or fhaft of each pillar, at the middle point between bafe and capital, is two feet four inches; therefore the circumference must be seven feet.

The three pillars on the face of the altar have, oppofite to them on the east wall, or back of the altar, three fmaller pillars cut out in baffo relievo; and each range of pillars from caft to weft has, on the oppofite wall, an equal number of fmaller pillars, cut out in the fame way, each large pillar being united to its smaller oppofite by an architrave; excepting the three columns on the fore part of the altar, which are united to their smaller oppofites by an arch, as all the large ones are from east to weft, except fome few which fhall be remarked as we go along. Every one of the three fmaller pillars on the back of the altar has a

nich on each fide of its capital, it
which a ftatue has been placed —A
the back of the altar, on the eaft wail,
are three rifings like feats, each of
them about two feet high, which per-
haps may have been fo many prothe-
and who
fes, or fide-altar tables;
knows but that the large altar may
have been divided into three equal
parts, as fo many different altars?-
There are three little arched niches in
the caft wall, or back of the altar, ap-
parently for facred veflels to stand in ;
the bottom of each of them being al-
moft in a line with the t ps of the a-
bove rifings, like feats.

All the ornaments are in baffo-relievo, or cut out of the folid ftone, as not one of the ftatues in niches, either within or without, is now to be feen.

Each architrave is united to the oppofite architrave by a broad arch, every one of which arches is carved in like manner as the roof of the facrifty; and thefe arches, from architrave to architrave, form the roof between the outer and the inner wall, both on the north and fouth fides.

All the capitals of the pillars are prettily cut out into flower-work, foliage, or chaplets.

The principal pillar, placed at the adjoining corner of the low and high altar, juft as you go down to the facrifty, on your left hand, is commonly called the Apprentice's Pillar, but by Slezer, in his Theatrum Scotia, fol. p. 63, London 1693, the Prince's Pillar, I fuppofe from the princely founder.

At the north-weft corner, is the tomb of George Earl of Caithnels, which (though fomewhat defaced by the mob in 1688) hath this infcfiption, in capitals, ftill very legible:

HIC JACET NOBILIS AC POTENS DO

MENVS GEORGIVE QUONDAM COMES

CATHANENSIS DOMENVS' SINCLAR JVS-
DIOCESIS'
HEREDITARIVS
TICIARIVS
CATHANENSIS QUI OBIT EDINBURGI 9.

DIE MENSIS SEPTEMBRIS ANNO DOMINI
Above
1582

Above this infcription is his coat weftward. These marks are about 91 feet diftant from each other, and a fmall part of the north wall, about 3 feet from the weft gable, is actually built.

of arms, furmounted with an Earl's coronet, with a spread eagle on the top of the coronet; field, two lions rampant, and two fhips; fupporters, two griffins; motto, in capitals, comMIT THY VERK TO GOD On the top of the tomb there is a pine apple.

In the weft gable there has been a very large arched window, now entirely filled up with stone and lime. Oppofite to this window, ftraight up from the fecond pillar down from the face of the altar, is another lage arched window, out of which one could look over the roof of the altar. This window is likewife filled up with ftone and lime, except a Imall part at top. On each pilaiter of this laft window there are two niches for ftatues, almost as big as the life.

Straight up from the capital of each large pillar, in the middle area of the chapel, half way up to the top of the high roof, is a niche for a statue.

Round the whole chapel within, is a belt or line of a valt variety of wreathing-work in baffo relievo, pro. ceeding in an horizontal and perpendicular way, the better to humour the foles of the windows, but it is arched over the tops of two doors.

The infide of the high arched roof is all cut out into fquares of various figures in flower-work, particularly rofes, foliage, &c.

The weft gable is extended farther than the fide walls of the chapel 26 feet fouth, and as many north; and on the east fide of each extenfion there are two pillars equi-diftant from one another, and from each corner, which have been intended to run up into turrets or fpires; from all which, it plainly appears that a much larger building has been defigned to the weft, of which the prefent chapel would have only been the choir. And indeed the marks of the welt gable are very plain, from whence the fide walls were to have been advanced, whofe foundations have been difcovered in plowing up the ground, a good way

On the outfide of this gable you fee three large doors, all filled up with ftone and lime, whofe lintels and fome of the jams are cut out into foliage and flower-work, and others of the jams are figured into pillars, with flowered capitals; the fouth pilafter of the fouth dor, and the north pilafter of the north door, running up, each from its flowered capital, into small genteel pillars, equally-high in their capitals with the tops of the inner-fide wall of the chapel.

There are feveral fonts curiously ornamented, on the outfide of the weft wall; particularly two, one on the north, the other on the south of the three doors; each of which is inclofed within two very pretty little flowered pillars or fpires, ending in top with pieces of fculpture refembling fmall flowered vafes.

WILLIAM St CLARE, Prince of Orkney, Duke of Holdenbourg, Earl of Caithuefs, &c. Baron of Roflin, &c. the feventh of the name from the days of Malcolm Kenmore; and defcended of noble parents in France, founded this curious chapel or college, for a provoft, fix prebendaries, and two fing ing boys, in 1446, and dedicated it to St Matthew the Apoftleand Evangelift,

The facrity or veftry was founded by his firft Lady, Dame Elizabeth Douglafs, formerly Countets of Buchan, and daughter of Archibald, the fecond of that name.

Prince William endowed the cha pel with the church lands of Pentland, four acres of meadow near that town, with the kips, and eight fowms grafs in the town of Pentland.-A fucceffor of his, alfo William of Rollin, endowed it by his charter of February 5th 1523, with fome portions of land near the chapel, for dwelling-houses, gardens, &c. to the provoft and prebendaries. And yet, fuch is the fta

H 2

bili

bility of human affairs, juft forty-eight years after this laft endowment, 1571, February 26th, we find the provost and prebendaries refigning, as by force and violence, all, and every one of the feveral donations, into secular hands unalienably and withal complaining, that for many years before, their revenues had been violent ly detained from them; infomuch that they had received little or no benefit from them. To this deed of refignation, or charter, as it is actually called, the feal of the chapter of this collegiate church was appended, being St Matthew in a kirk, red upon white wax; as alfo the feat of the then Sir William St Clair of Roflin being a ragged crofs, red upon white wax. Hay's MS. Memoirs, vol. II. p. 350. In the charter of February 5th 1523, four altars are particularly named; firft, that of St Matthew; fecond, that of the Virgin Mother; third, that of St Andrew; and, fourth, that of St Peter: which two laft, perhaps, have been leffer altars placed at two of the pillars; or, rather, I am inclined to think, as formerly hinted, that the large altar has been divided into two or three; which, with the high altar, and that of the bleffed Virgin, which has been, I fuppofe, in the facrifty, though there be no veftige of it now, made four or five in all.

That this noble defign might be executed according to taste, and with the greater fplendor, the Prince invited the most accomplished artificers, mafons, carpenters, fmiths, &c. from foreign parts: and that they might be the more conveniently lodged, for earrying on the work with the greater eafe and difpatch, he ordered them to build the village or town of Roflin, where it now is, nigh to the chapel, the old one being half a mile dif tant from its prefent fituation, and he gave each of them a house and lands, in proportion to character. Befides, he gave to the mafter-mafon forty pounds, and to every other mafon

ten pounds yearly; and rewarded the other workmen with fuch wages as their labours entitled them to.

About that time the town of Roslin, being next to Edinburgh and Haddington in all Lothian, became very populous, by the great concourfe of all ranks and degrees of visitors, that reforted to this Prince, at his palace, or caftle of Roflin, for he kept a great court, and was royally ferved at his own table, in veffels of gold and filver; Lord Dirleton being his masterhoufhold, Lord Borthwick his cupbearer, and Lord Fleming his carver; in abfence they bad deputies to attend, viz. Stewart, Laird of Drumlanrig, Twedie, Laird of Drumerlane, and Sandilands, Laird of Calder. He had his halls, and other apartments, richly adorned with embroidered hangings. He flourished in the reigns of James I. and II.

His Princefs, Elizabeth Douglafs, already mentioned, was ferved by feventy-five gentlewomen, whereof fiftythree were daughters of noblemen, all cloathed in velvet and filks, with their chains of gold, and other ornaments; and was attended by two-hundred riding gentlemen in all her journeys; And if it happened to be dark when fhe went to Edinburgh, where her lodgings were, at the foot of Blackfriars-wynd, eighty lighted torches were carried before her. In dignity fhe was next to the Queen.

The village of Rollin was erected into a burgh of barony by King James II. at Stirling, June 13th 1456, with a weekly market on Saturday, a yearly fair on the feaft of St Simon and Jude, a market crofs, &c. The fame is confirmed by King James VI. January 16th 1622, and by King Charles I. May 6th 1640.

The Princely Founder and EDdower of this Chapel died about 1484, before the Chapel was finished; which was done by his eldeft fon of the fecond marriage, Sir Oliver St Clare of Roflin, whofe mother was Lady Mar

jorg

jory Sutherland, defcended of the blood-royal, her great grand mother Jean Bruce being younger daughter of King Robert Bruce. So that the building of this glorious edifice, worthy of a crowned head, though the work of a fubject has employed at leaft forty years; and it is a pity we

cannot now come to the knowledge of the total expence, which must have been a very great fum in those days. The father was alive for certain in 1476, as we find him granting charters on September the 9th of that year, to his fon the forefaid Sir Oliver.

Review of Bofwell's Life of Dr Johnfon: (Concluded from our laft.) our last we endeavoured to give Magazine. There is fomething curia view of

character and talents of Dr Johnfon, and of this hiftory of his life by Mr Bofwell. We proceed now to give fome account of both, a little more in detail.

The prefent work does not feem materially different from thofe formerly publifhed on the fame fubject, in its narrative of Johnson's birth, child hood, education, or introduction into life. We may except the important circumftance of the prefent Biographer's fetting the world right as to the Epitaph on the Duck, one of a brood of eleven, which he trod to death when a child of about three years old;

Here lies good master duck,

That Samuel Johnson trod on;
If it had liv'd 'twould been good luck,
For then there had been an odd one,

which Sir John Hawkins and Mr Piozzi had attributed to the child himself; but which Mr Bofwell, with a fneer at the Lady's fagacity, gives to its true author, the father.

Mr Bofwell is a good deal more

early authorship; whoever recollects the avidity with which, in the latter days of his celebrity, his company was fought, will read with a very pe culiar feeling the fubfcription to one of his letters to Cave.

"Your's, impranfus,

SAM. JOHNSON."

There is, we believe, fcarce a grea or a rich man fo unfeeling as not to wish that Johnfon had found at his table the dinner which he was that day obliged to go without.

Johnfon, however, looked for no patron but the booksellers, whose intereft was equally concerned with his own, in the production and fuccefs of his works; and amidst the difficulties and diftreffes of his fituation, he preferved a degree of patience, fortitude, and independence which men of genius and of letters have too often fail. ed to poffefs. His letter to Lord Chesterfield, on the fubject of his Dictionary, now firft published, affords an example equally of the manlinefs of his feelings, and of his power of expreffing them.

particular than his predeceffors, in his To the Right Hon. the Earl of CHES

account of Johnfon's life and employments after his arrival in London, where he earned a fcanty and precari

TERFIELD

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I have been lately informed, by

ous fubfiftence, by writing chiefly for the proprietor of the World, that two Cove, the Editor of the Gentleman's papers, in which my Dictionary is

recommended

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