28 Transactions. 



Uh March, 1887. 



Mr Barbour, Vice-President, in the Cliair. 

 Forty-tive Members present. 



New Members. — Mr G. F. Scott-Elliot of Newton, Dumfries ; 

 Mr W. R. M'Diarmid, Edinburgh and Colvend ; Miss L. 

 Chrystie, Dumfries ; and Mr R. Barbour, Belmont. 



Donations. — The Transactions of the Essex Field Club were 

 laid on the table as a donation from that Society. 



Exhibits. — Mr Dods exhibited pieces of a Roman brick from 

 the wall at St. Albans. Mr J. J. Armistead showed some ova of 

 trout, and some recently hatched fish under the microscope. 



Relics of the Stuarts. — Mr Watson exhibited, on behalf of Mr 

 James S. Thomson, the following interesting objects, kindly lent 

 Ijy Mr Witham of Kirkconnell for inspection by the members. 

 They are : — (1) A copy of the prayer used by Queen Mary when 

 on the scaffold immediately before her execution. It was — 



" 0, Domiue Deus, speravi in Te ! 0, care mi Jesu, nunc libera me ! 

 In dura catena, in misera ptena, clesidero Te ! Languendo, gemendo, 

 et genuflectendo, adoro, imploro ut liberes me !" 



The English of which is — " 0, Lord God, I have hoped in Thee ! 0, my 

 dear Jesus, now release me ! In hard chains, in wretched punishment, I 

 yearn for Thee ! Suffering, groaning, and kneehng, I implore Thee to 

 release me !" 



This interesting memorial of the unfortunate Queen was given to 

 Mr Maxwell Witliam by Rev. Father Edmond Huckles, Prior of 

 the Dominicans, Woodbridge, in 1879. (2) A miniature portrait 

 in oils of Mary's grandson, Charles I. This is mounted as a 

 lady's pin, and is neatly executed. The reverse of this gem 

 contains a replica in gold, inlaid on enamel, of the emblems of 

 death — the skull and cross bones — and the initials C.R. These 

 were formerly manufactured into a locket that had been issued 

 by the Royalists to the leading Jacobite families. This relic has 

 been in the Kirkconnell family for more than 150 years. (3) A 

 manuscrijjt volume of letters, meditations, and prayers composed 

 by Charles' unfortunate son, James II., wlien in exile at St. 

 Germains. This volume was sent to the Kirkconnell family in 

 1702, after the death of James, and is a copy of the original. It 

 is entitled " A collection of several of his late Majesty's papers 

 of devotion, copied exactly out of the original manuscripts left 



