36 Dr. Wilson on Linton and its Legends. 



The worshipers gazed at a distance, not without pity minghng 

 with their adorations. The maiden looked intently towards 

 heaven. At sunset the dragon issued from its retreat and 

 hastened towards the altar. But a new power was to be opposed 

 to it : innocence, shielded by the virtues, and armed with the 

 symbol, of the true faith. The maiden drew from her bosom a 

 small crucifix which she carried, and pointed it towards the 

 monster, who shrunk back trembling, and reeled over the abyss, 

 to disappear for ever. The people, strangely excited by the 

 spectacle, approached the maiden, loosened her bonds, and gazed 

 with astonishment on the little cross. She explained to them 

 the sacred emblem ; when they fell on their knees, beseeching 

 her to return to her native country, and to procure for them mini- 

 sters of her holy religion to instruct and baptize them. Thus 

 was Christianity introduced into their land ; and a chapel was 

 founded on the spot where the altar of the dragon had stood*. 

 We have already seen that it was usual with the first converts 

 to Christianity to build their churches on the sites of the heathen 

 temples. These primitive churches are still known, in some 

 parts of Scandinavia, as " Our Lady's churches ; '' having been 

 nearly uniformly dedicated to God, under invocation of the 

 Virgin Mary. The heathen temple had always, in its near vi- 

 cinity, its sacred well, in which the victims for sacrifice were 

 washed and purified. These too were usually assumed by the 

 converts of the new religion, who strove to occupy every strong- 

 hold of the ancient superstition, to be used as vantage ground 

 for the triumph of the better faith. The holy wells were dedi- 

 cated to the Virgin, or to some favourite saint, and were often 

 accredited with peculiar virtues. It is now worthy of remark, 

 that the principal early churches in this district, Kelso, Dry- 

 burgh, Melrose, Jedburgh, Eccles, and Coldingham, had also 

 their chief dedication to the holy Virgin ; and we may therefore 

 infer that the humbler church of Linton was similarly devoted. 

 If Linton had been the site of a pagan temple, it would have 

 possessed its sacred well ; and when both were transferred within 

 the pale of Christianity, to acquire a new sanctity, the spring 

 would naturally be hallowed through the same dedication as the 

 church. The fact, therefore, that there exists a well, called the 

 " Lady well t>" at a short distance eastward from the church 

 knoll, is only confirmatory of the opinion which has already been 

 hinted, that Linton especially, like so many others of the first 

 churches, has been reared upon the ruins of a former shrine of 



* Schreiber's Handbueh fiir reisende am Rhein. 



t In 1686, Janet Pringle was served heir to her father, Robert Pringle of 

 Cliftoune, in part of the barony of Lintoune, and amongst others in Lady- 

 well brae, with the privilege of commonage in Worm-den. 



