64 Transactions. 



" ' As Lag and bloody Bruce command, 

 We were hung up by hellish hand ; 

 And thus their furious rage to stay, 

 We died near Kirk of Irongray. 

 Here no\y in peace sweet rest we take, 

 Once murdered for religion's sake.' " 



Some years ago the old stone which lies flat on the ground 

 over the graves of the two martyrs was enclosed with a railing, 

 and a monument was erected, which bears an inscription to 

 the effect that a sermon was preached in Irongray Church- 

 yard by the Camerouian minister of Dumfries of that time 

 (the Rev. Mr M'Dermidj ; and with the proceeds of the col- 

 lection made on that occasion the surrounding railing and 

 monument were erected, to testify the sympathy which the 

 present generation felt for the principles of the Covenanters. 

 Now, certainly, I have nothing to say against the feeling 

 which prompted the erections refeiTcd to, but I question very 

 much the taste which has been disjjlayed : in fact, as an an- 

 tiquarian, 1 think the effect which the old stone itself was 

 fitted to produce has been greatly marred. It is fortunate, 

 I think, that no such attempt at embellishment or moderniz- 

 ing has been made at the Communion Stones. There is a 

 meaning in the very bareness, rudeness, and simplicity of 

 these memorials which the hand of the renovator tends to 

 weaken rather than intensify. 



I shall conclude this paper by a short account of the two 

 interesting relics which I now exhibit to the Society. They 

 are a Covenanter's Banner and the Sword of the Standard 

 Bearer. Their story is soon told, and I am sorry that my 

 information res^Decting them is not more complete. As it is, 

 I believe it to be quite authentic. These relics belong to a 

 family residing in the parish, and have been handed down 

 from one generation to another, and carefully preserved. 

 Their history, however, has dwindled down to the merest 

 tradition. The person who now owns them knows only that 

 one of his ancestors, of the name of Clerk, carried them at 

 Drumclog and Bothwell. The banner is of home-made linen, 



