1 3^ iescrtptlon of the plate. Sept. 26. 



God, and the monks of this monastery, for a burial 

 place in their church for himself and his family, 

 ^ut these monks, instead of fulfilling the testator's in- 

 tention, by interring their benefactor in their church, 

 are said to have thrown the corpse in a leaden coffia 

 into the sea, as they were bringing it from Aberdour. 

 The place where this infamous sacrilege was com- 

 mitted is called Mortimer's deep to this day. Some 

 time after this adventure the lordfhip of Aherdour^ 

 about the year 1126, descended to the /^/^ow^i from 

 the Mortimers, by marriage. After the destruction 

 of monasteries, the island cam.e to the Stewart {■\va\\j \ 

 aiid now, with the western half of the manor of . Aher- 

 dour, belongs to the earl of Murray, descended from 

 the well known regent of this kingdom. 



The island itself is situated near the north side of the 

 Forth opposite to Aberdour, scarcely two miles distant. 

 It is of small extent, not exceeding, on the whole, half 

 a mile in length from east to west ; and the greatest 

 width lefs than a quarter of a mile. It consists of 

 two eminences, with a neck of low land between, 

 "where the island is nearly cut through by the sea. 

 On this low neck the monastery is built. The soil 

 seems to be abundintly fertile ; but it is, at present, 

 -so overrun with rabbits, that no use can now be made 

 «f its produce. 



