riam in Spe, et in firma Burgi de Elgin viginti solidos, et de dominiis hominibus eorem qui sunt in Fochopir, rectitudinem piscis quæ ad Thayn pertinet. et decimam Cani de Ergathel, et de Muireff, et placitorum, et totius lucri ejusdem Ergathel, Pethenach juxta Erin per suas rectas divisas, et scalingas de Fethinechtin, et omnes rectitudines quas Monachi de Dunfermline in Muireff habere solebant."* All the lands now called the Lordship of Urquhart, the village and lands of Fochaber, the lands of Penic, near Aldern, the lands of Dalcross, a fishing on Spey, pertained to this Priory,—as did the patronage of Urquhart, Bellie, and Dalcross.

The revenues of this Priory were not given up, anno 1563, so I can give no account of them. The Priory-lands were erected in a Regality. The building stood in a hollow north-east of the church of Urquhart; but scarce any vestige thereof remains. In the year 1565, Alexander Seaton, son to Lord Seaton, was made Commendator of Pluscarden; and, August 3, 1591, he was created Lord Urquhart, and Earl of Dunfermline, anno 1605. But Earl James being forfeited, anno 1690, Seaton of Barns claimed the Lordship of Urquhart; and, about the year 1730, it was purchased by the family of Gordon. Next erected was,

The Priory of Pluscarden, which was founded by Alexander II., 1230, in honour of St Andrew, and named Vallis Sti Andreæ. It was planted by Monachi Vallis Caulium,-a reform of the Cistercians, brought into Scotland by Bishop Malvoisin of St Andrews, and settled in Pluscarden, Beaulie, and Ardchatton. They were different from the Camaldulians, or Monachi Vallis Umbrosæ, who were

• To the Prior and Brethren there serving God, Fochopir by its right divisions, and commonty of pasture, and one fishing in Spey, and twenty shillings in the Burgh of Elgin, and a right of the fishing which belongs to Thain, in the lands of the people of Fochopir; and the Teind of the Cain of Argyle and Moray, and of the Pleas, and of the whole rent of the same Argyle, Penic, near Erin, by its marches, and the Schelings of Fechinechtan, and all the rights which the Monks of Dunfermline were wont to have in Moray.

properly Hermits. Of the Monachi Vallis Caulium, only the Prior and Procurator were allowed to go without the Precinct. The Monks of Pluscarden, at first independent, afterwards becoming vicious, the Priory was reformed and made a Cell of Dunfermline.

By the munificence of our Kings and great men, the Priory became very rich. The whole valley of Pluscarden, three miles in length, in the parish of Elgin,—the lands of Old-Mills, near the town of Elgin,—some lands in Durris, and the lands of Grangehill belonged to it. At this last place the Prior had a Grangia and a Cell of Monks. Likewise the mills of Old-Mills, near Elgin, pertained to the Priory. The town lands were thirled to those mills, and Omnia grana crescentia cum allatis et invectis,* were to be grinded at these mills. King Robert Bruce also gave the Priory a fishing on the river of Spey.

The Revenue of the Priory, as given up, anno 1563, was as follows:-£525, 10s. 13d.; Wheat, 1 chalder, 1 boll, 2 firlots; Malt, Meal, and Beer, 51 chalders, 4 bolls, 3 firlots, 1 peck; Oats, 5 chalders, 13 bolls; Dry Multures, 9 chalders, 11 bolls; Salmon, 30 lasts; Grassums, Cain, Customs, Poultry, &c., omitted. Deducted, anno 1563, to ilk ane of five Monks in kething and habite, silver £16; and to ilk ane in victual, 1 chalder, 5 bolls, per annum.

The buildings stood four miles south-west from the town of Elgin, near the entry of the valley, at the foot of the North Hill, which, reverberating the Sun-beams, renders the place very warm. The walls of the precinct are almost entire, and make near a square figure. The church stands about the middle of the square,—a fine edifice in the form of a cross, with a square tower in the middle, all of hewen asler. The oratory and refectory join to the south end of the church, under which is the dormitory. The Chapter-House is a piece of curious workmanship,—an octagonal cube, whereof the vaulted roof

• All the growing corns, with such as were brought and ground there.

is supported by one pillar. The lodgings of the Prior and Cells of the Monks were all contiguous to the church. Within the precinct were gardens and green walks. In a word, the remains of this Priory show, that those Monks lived in a stately palace, and not in mean cottages.

The Prior was Lord of Regality within the Priory-lands, and had a distinct Regality in Grangehill, called "the Regality of Staneforenoon." At the Reformation, Sir Alexander Seaton, afterwards Earl of Dunfermline, was, anno 1565, made Commendator of Pluscarden. He disponed the church-lands of Durris and the patronage; and the lands of Grangehill, and the Barony of Pluscarden and Old-Mills, February 23, 1595, to Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, who got a Nova Damus, dated March 12, 1607, of that Barony, “Cum omnibus et singulis decimis garbalibus totarum et integrarum terrarum et Baroniæ, cum suis pertinentiis, quæ a Stipite, le Stock, earundem nunquam separatæ fuere, et quarum Prior et Conventus, eorumque Predecessores, in possessione, omnibus temporibus præteritis, existitere.* May 9, 1633, George of Kintail, brother and heir of the said Kenneth, disponed the Barony to his brother Thomas Mackenzie, from whom Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbet evited it, by a charter of appraising, anno 1649, and disponed it, anno 1662, to the Earl of Caithness and Major George Bateman. The Earl transferred his right to the Major, anno 1664; and the Major sold the whole Barony to Ludovick Grant of Grant, anno 1677. Here let it be remarked, that Alexander Brodie of Lethin, father-in-law to Grant, paid the purchase money, £5,000 Sterling, and Grant possessed Pluscarden only as tutor, or trustee, for his second son James, and, in 1709, resigned in his favour. From the said James Grant, (the

With all and sundry the Teind-sheaves of the whole Lands and Barony, with their pertinents, which were never separated from the stock, and of which the Prior and Convents, and their predecessors, were in possession in all times past.

late Sir James) William Duff of Dipple purchased it, anno 1710; and now it is the property of the Earl of Fife.

The Priory of Kingusie, in Badenoch, was founded by George, Earl of Huntly, about the year 1490. Of what Order the Monks were, or what were the revenues of the Priory, I have not learned. The Prior's house, and the cloisters of the Monks, stood near the church, where some remains are to be seen. The few lands belonging to it were the donation of the family of Huntly; and at the Reformation were justly re-assumed by that family. I now proceed to

THE CONVENTS, &c.

The Convents of Monks, Friars, and Nuns within this Province. The Monks and Friars differed in this, that the former were seldom allowed to go out of their cloisters; but the Friars, who were generally predicants or mendicants, travelled about, and preached in neighbouring parishes. Monks at first lived by their industry, and by private alms, and came to the parish church. But a recluse life was not so serviceable to the Romish church, and, therefore, Friars were under little confinement. Every Monk or Friar used the Tonsure or shaved crown, an emblem they said of their hope of a crown of glory. They vowed chastity, poverty, and obedience, besides the rules of their respective Orders. They had few Convents in this country.

The Dominicans, called Black Friars, because they wore a black cross on a white gown, were instituted by Dominic, a Spaniard who invented the Inquisition, were approved of by the Pope, anno 1215, and brought into Scotland by Bishop Malvoisin. These, with the Franciscan Grey-Friars, and Carmelite White-Friars, were mendicants, allowed to preach abroad, and beg their subsistence. The Dominicans, notwithstanding their professed poverty, had fifteen rich Convents in Scotland; and we had their Convents at Elgin, Forres, and Inverness.