68 Transactions. 



testified their abhorrence of that measure by publicly burning 

 a copy of the Articles of Union. Dumfries was not by any 

 means singular in the feeling which dictated this step, the 

 union being looked upon as a surrender of the national inde- 

 pendence, and likely to affect the religion of the country. 



The fruit and vegetable stalls remain to attest the ex- 

 istence of the ancient structure, and the neighbourhood is still 

 a place of resort on hiring and other market-days. 



The Old Council Chamber 



is said to have stood on the site of the old Deanery. In very 

 old times the diocese was divided into several deaneries, and 

 this may have been the Deanery of Dumfries. 



The Old Parish Church of St. Michaels. 



This, like other St. Michael churches, stood on an elevated 

 ground at the south end of the town ; and its fine tower would 

 form a beautiful and very marked feature. There was pro- 

 bably no other turret, tower or spire then to be seen in the 

 town but this, and the massy buildings of the castle at the 

 town head. 



But though adjacent to the town, the church lay perhaps 

 outside the town wall. And if so, the church of the monas- 

 tery would naturally be regarded as the church of the town. 

 This may the more easily account for the meeting together 

 there of Bruce and Comyn and their friends on the memorable 

 day of Comyn's death. But from that time the parish church 

 appears to have at once become the resort of the Bruce or 

 Scottish party. 



The Old or Sir Christopher's Chapel 



was another edifice by the side of the town wall. It was the 



chapel erected by Bruce's sister, the widow of Crystal or 



Christopher Seton, who was taken by the English, brought to 

 Dumfries and there condemned and executed. 



