Trmisactions. 85 



bright example as a parish minister, and his humorous disposi- 

 tion. He was a watchful shepherd over the flock committed to 

 his care, and it is mentioned in the Statistical Account that the 

 " Parochial registers and transactions of the Kirk-Session, among 

 which last are interspersed many remarkable occurrences, are 

 extremely accurately written by Mr Gatt, and pretty voluminous. 

 They commence in 1730 and continue for 60 years, after wiiich 

 there is an almost entire deficiency in the minutes of the Session." 

 Several extracts are given by Mr Edgar in his paper already 

 mentioned, which therefore I do not here repeat, as I wish this 

 notice to be confined as much as possible to circumstances which 

 have not yet been made public. 



The following illustrates the earnest piety of tlie pastor. It is 

 an entry in his diary of a morning reflection when i-ising at 5 

 o'clock, and is dated 20th March, 1736 : — 



" Arise ! oh James, and save from ilames 



Thy people who are sinniug ; 

 Angel ! declare nie who they are, 



It's time I was beginning." 



In 1745 Prince Charles Edward and his followers passed 

 through Gretna on their enterprise to seize London, and subjugate 

 the kingdom again to the Stuart dynasty. They rested for 

 refreshment at the Manse, but Mr Gatt having no sympathy with 

 this rebellion against tlie reigning Hanoverian Sovereign, 

 "retired," he tells us, "in a vessel to Bowness," across the Solway, 

 leaving his wife to do the honours. There is a tradition that all 

 the valuables of the parish were concealed in a garret of the 

 Manse to escape the cupidity of the rebels, and that Mrs Gatt 

 entertained the Prince and his officers so well that no theft was 

 committed. In proof of this tradition, I am able to show you 

 some solid silver spoons which, I believe, were used upon tiiat 

 occasion. They are handsome, and in good preservation, having 

 been well taken care of in my family for now more than a 

 hundred years. They bear the initials of Mr Gatt, and of his 

 wife, and also of his niece, to whom they were first bequeathed, 

 and who was a relative of the Gibson family. I consider them 

 the most interesting among my antiquarian possessions. Mr 

 Gatt was of very simple habits and primitive character, with a 

 power of humour and repartee which has been handed down from 

 generation to generation within the parish of Gretna. When he 

 first arrived there from Edinburgh an inquisitive person was 



