Transactions. 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 which 
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 the pastor. It is 
an entry in his diary of a morning reflection when rising at 5 
o’clock, and is dated 20th March, 1736 :— 
** Arise ! oh James, and save from flames 
Thy people who are sinning ; 
Angel ! declare me 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 the 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 that 
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 
