44 TranscLctions. 



the slaying of any other knight of the English interest in 

 Dumfries. 



There is no reason to doubt but that the patriot Seton 

 suffered at the common place of execution at that day, and 

 that this mount where the chantry chapel was so piously 

 erected for him— then described as in the neighbourhood of 

 Dumfries, being outside the town wall, — ^was the actual 

 locality. It was the Tyburn of Dumfries ; and here also, 

 as tainted and polluted ground, all suicides were buried. 



When the excavations were being made for St. Mary's 

 Church, a considerable quantity of human bones and about 

 70 or 80 skulls were dug up* — the miserable remains, no 

 doubt, of the convicts and suicides who had been buried 

 there. 



Before concluding, I will offer a suggestion. 



We are all indebted to Major Adair for collecting and 

 authenticating these relics of the old chapel, and they have 

 been preserved already for upwards of 20 years from their 

 discovery. 



But unquestionably they are not placed in the most 

 favourable situation for inspection ; and it is a curious cir- 

 cumstance that the fact of their existence is not referred to 

 in the Statistical Account of Dumfries, or in any of the 

 recent Guide Books. 



What I would suggest, therefore, is, that after due en- 

 quiry and consent, they should be removed to the interior of 

 St. Mary's Church, and placed as a tablet on an inner wall, 

 in an accessible position. 



We may safely reckon on the public spirit of the Minister 

 and Kirk-Session for their co-operation in such a matter. 

 * Dumfries Courier, 31 May, 1837. 



