Dr. Wilson on Linton and its Legends. 43 



period of the final triumph of Christianity over heathenism, as 

 that near which we are to date the real origin of the dragon tra- 

 dition of Linton. The legend of the sisters has been probably 

 somewhat more recent. 



The church and fortalice of Linton would naturally collect 

 around them a considerable body of retainers and dependents ; 

 and we find accordingly that in former times the village was of 

 considerable extent. Many of the old dwellings have been re- 

 moved, even within the memory of those still living ; and the 

 foundations of others are still occasionally detected by the plough. 

 Tradition states that the cross stood nearly opposite the present 

 farm-house, and in the close vicinity were the Butts, where the 

 inhabitants met to practise archery. A circular encampment, 

 the relic of a far more ancient system of warfare, existed on the 

 hill of Wormington, within which, now forty years ago, several 

 weapons of brass were discovered. The whole neighbourhood, 

 indeed, is teeming with the remains of a remote antiquity, which 

 neither my scope nor limits permit me to notice, but from which, 

 however, as from the Bautasten on the contiguous moor of 

 Whitton, 



" Where on the heath, beneath the stone, 

 The monarch lies in peace *," 



I turn with some reluctance. I shall only add, as a compara- 

 tively recent trait of the inhabitants of the village itself, which it 

 may be interesting to the members of a Berwickshire Club to 

 learn, that on the "first daie of Februarie," 1596, " Robyn 

 Daglisse and John a Daglisse of Lynton/' with two others, 

 came into the " Bowndes of Barwicke," and took six horses 

 " owt of the Snooke and Mawdlen tildes : " for which act of 

 temerity they suffered a severe retribution, one of the party 

 having been afterwards taken within his house by a troop of 

 English horsemen, who "cutt him all in peces, and so came 

 their waies, all the countre beinge up at the cryes \." 



Such are the associations which gather themselves round the 

 little church of Linton. Many of them belong to that remote 

 period, which occurs in the history of every people, when the 

 myth and the authentic narrative approach and melt into each 

 other. Through this neutral ground we are led to wander, 

 darkly for the most part, yet not always doubtfully ; for if the 

 objects we contemplate seldom reach us clearly through any light 

 of their own, it is yet often possible to reflect other lights upon 

 them, so as to enable us to discern each with tolerable accuracy. 

 There is something soothing in the calm interest with which we 



* Swedish ballad of " Kung Anes Fall." Afzelius, D. i. p. 95. 

 t Letter of Sir John Carey to Lord Hunsdon, 3rd July, 1596. 



