56 



Communion Tokens. 



munion Tokens. Thus the M F in monogram on the FYVIE 

 brass for " Meiklefolla ;" MK on the KILSYTH token of date 

 1755, for "Monyabroch Kirk;" " Conveth " for LAURENCE- 

 KIRK; "Seil" for KILBRANDOX & KILCHATTAN ; and 

 I K on the token of BUCHANAN (1712) for " Inchcalzeoch 

 Kirk." Ancient and illiterate spellings may be noticed on manv 

 pieces. A few instances will suffice: " Aflflek " for AUCHIN- 

 LECK; "Air " for AYR; " Balbiggie " for BALBEGGIE A.C. ; 

 " Damhelentoun " for DALMELLINGTON ; " Monigoff " for 

 Minnigaff; " Minnihive " for MONIAIVE A.C; " Marhline " 

 for MAUCHLINE ; " Musslburgh " for Musselburgh R. ; " Neu- 

 bigging " for XEWBIGGING A.C; " Yethlom " for YET- 

 HOLM A.C. ; and others. The word " Relief " appears to have 

 been an ancient source of trouble. At CAMPSIE in 1786 it is 

 rendered "Releif, " and " Relife " at Couper-Angus in 1791. 

 Peculiarities like these, and there are many others, lend an 

 interest to the pursuit of what might be made a very instructive 

 hobbv. 



MONIAIVE. 



III. — The Antique: Its Survival and Interest. 



In olden days Communion Tokens were struck on a handsome 

 scale. Thus it is recorded in the minutes of the GLASGOW 

 Kirk-Session, 31st May, 1664, "that all the old tickets be struck 

 upon the back with a 4th figure and new ones made, and out of 

 the new and old to be made 4000." On a similar scale, according 

 to the requirements of the parish, tokens were struck in these large 

 numbers. The notable thing is that few if any of these early 

 century tokens have survived. Many ancient pieces are of un- 

 known date. The period of others is deteniiined by the initials 

 of the minister. Of these a comparatively small number belong 

 to the sixteenth or early seventeenth century. A list will be 

 found in the succeeding chapter. Fewer still bear a seventeenth 

 century date. Of these also a list is added. The question 



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