222 PENNANT*S SECOND TOUR. IN SCOTLAND .

very ornamental, and on fome grave-ftones are infcriptions in memory of the martyrsof the country, or the poor victims to the violence of the apoftate archbilhop Sharp, orthe bigotry of James II. before and after his acceffion. Powers were given to an in-human fet of mifcreants to deftroy upon fufpicion of difaffe&ion ; or for even decliningto give anfwers declarative of their political principles; and fuch who refufed (beforetwo witneffes) were inftantly put to death. Many poor peafants were fhot on moors,on the Ihores, or wherefoever their enemies met with them : perhaps enthufiafm mightpoflefs the fufferers; but an infernal fpirit had poffeffion of their perfecutors. Thememory of thefe flagitious deeds are preferved on many of the wild moors by infcribedgrave-ftones, much to the fame effett as the following in the church-yard in thiscity:

On John Grierfon, who fuffered Jan. 2, 1667.

Underneath this ftone dath lieDull facrificed to tyranny ;

Yet precious in Immanuel’s fight,

Since martyr’d for his kingly right ;

„ When he condemns thefe hellifh drudges

By fufferage, faints fhall be their judges.

Another on James Kirke, Ihot on the fands of Dumfries, fhall conclude this dread-ful fubjefl;:

‘ By bloody Bruce and wretched Wright

I loft my life in great defpight.

Shot dead without due time to tryAnd fit me for eternity.

A witnefs of prelatic rageAs ever was in any age.

This place like moft other confiderable towns in Scotland , has its feceders’ chapel:thefe are the rigid prefbyterians who poflefs their religion in all its original fournels ;think their church in danger becaufe their minifters degenerate into moderation, andwear a gown; or vindicate patronage. To avoid thefe horrid innovations, they fepa-rate themfelves from their imaginary falle brethren ; renew a folemn league and cove-nant, and preferve to the belt of their power all the rags and rents bequeathed to themby John Knox , which the more fenfible preachers of this day are driving to darn andpatch.

Here I firft found on this fide the Tweed , my good old mother church become amere convemicler, and her chaplain fupported by a few of her children, difpofed to flickto her in all conditions.

Inquired for the convent of Dominicans, and the church in which Robert Bruce andhis affociates flew John Cummin, Lord of Badenock, and owner of great part of the lord-fhip of Galloway. Cummin had betrayed to Edward I. the generous defign of Bruce to relieve his country from flavery ; in refentment Bruce flabbed him ; on retiring,was afked by his friends, whether he was fure of his.blow, but anfwering with fomedegree of uncertainty, one of them, Roger Kirkpatric, replied, I mac ficker , returnedinto the church and completed the deed. In memory, the family aiiumed a bloodydagger for a creft, and thofe words as the motto. The church thus defiled with bloodwas pulled down ; and another built in a different place, ana dedicated to St. Michael,the tutelar faint of the town. Robert Bruce alfo built a chapel here, as foon as he gotfull poffeffion of the kingom, in which prayers were to be daily offered for the repofeof the foul of Sir Chriftopher Seton, who was moft barbaroufly executed by Edward I. for his attachment to Bruce , and for his defence of his country.

Dumfries