LOCHFERGUS. 193 



joined Alexander in an invasion of England, and marched into 

 the western counties. There they sacrilegiously burned the 

 Abbey of Holmcultran, despoiled the country, and took many of 

 the inhabitants prisoners. Disaster, however, overtook them in 

 their depredations, for nearly 2000 of their number were drowned 

 by the overflowing of the river Eden. Either their excesses or an 

 insurrection must have disgusted the King, for the Gallovidians 

 were dismissed from the army in disgrace. In view of this be- 

 haviour, it appears that the natives of Galloway were still un- 

 cultured and savage in their nature. About this time we learn 

 from the " Chronicle of Melrose " that a most remarkable aurora 

 borealis appeared in Galloway, a phenomenon, which, in those 

 unlearned times, was always looked upon as an evil omen. 



"Fearful lights that never beacon, 

 Save when kings and heroes die." 



Death of Alan. 



Alan died in 1234, and was buried in the Abbey of Dun- 

 drennan. The tomb is in the north transept in a niche cut out 

 of the wall, formed by a Norman arch, with a single round filleted 

 moulding. The effigy, usually called the "Belted Knight," is 

 practically demolished, but the remains show chain armour at the 

 neck, the armpits, and knees, and on the head. A belt, buckled 

 in front, encircles the waist, and another passes over the right 

 shoulder, and the right hand seems to have been clasping a sword. 

 His lady is said to have been buried on the west side, also in a 

 niche. Alan was a wise and patriotic ruler and a brave soldier. 

 He had a most unruly and rude lot of vassals to deal with, but 

 nevertheless he spent much of his time and energies in reforming 

 the laws and advancing religion. Chalmers says he was one of 

 the greatest nobles of his age, and Buchanan says that he was by 

 far the most powerful of Scotsmen of the period. Mackenzie, in 

 his history, says : — " His bounties to Monasteries were very con- 

 siderable, for he either granted or confirmed many charters, and 

 relieved Galloway from the Monks of Kelso." Alan was long 

 distinguished by the epithet of " The Great. ' ' He was the last in 

 the male line of the Lords of Galloway. Thus, it will be seen 

 that this line of the Lords of Galloway barely lasted a century. 

 During their regime, however, Galloway had undergone many 



