Anniversary Address. « 



Duke of Lauderdale, to the gude wife of Tollies-hill, in 

 acknowledgment of services rendered to him in the days of 

 his adversity, and which was kindly lent for the occasion by 

 her descendant, Mr. Thomas Simson of Blainslee. He also 

 presented the members with printed copies of the Charter 

 granted to Lauder by. James IV., 1502, and of. a printed 

 memorandum of the Burgh property, together with an im- 

 pression of the Burgh Seal, bearing a standing figure of the 

 Virgin and child, and the legend, "Insignia Burgi de 

 Lauder," but apparently of no great antiquity. Mr. Steven- 

 son showed a fine specimen of a celt, of the Neolithic period, 

 from the neighbourhood of Coldstream ; after which Mr. Wm. 

 Boyd read a communication from Lady John Scott, pointing 

 out the objects of interest in the neighbourhood, which proved 

 of great use in arranging the excursions of the day. 



The Tollies-hill girdle, which was examined with much 

 interest, is formed of silver wire, twisted in a double-curb 

 pattern, attached to a round plate chased with arabesques of 

 foliage, and having in the centre the letters B. C. The other 

 extremity terminates in a silver cone, with a hook at the end 

 fitting into an eye under the circular plate, and if need be, into 

 rings at various lengths of the chain to meet the increasing 

 rotundity of the dame's waist as she advanced in years. The 

 length to the first ring is 25 in., and the next is 2 in. more, 

 and so on by successive rings, the distances enlarging between 

 each to 2\, 3, 4, 5§, and 6| in., making in all 51f in. ; and 

 with the plate, which is £§ in. in diameter and the cone 2\ in. 

 in length, a total of 57 in . The weight is 7 oz. 11 dwts.. 

 The signification of the letters B. C. is not apparent, nor does 

 the story afford a clue to their meaning. The Rev. J. Walker 

 of Greenlaw, formerly incumbent of Legerwood parish, who 

 was well acquainted with the Sirnson family informed me 

 that these letters were believed to be the initials of her name, 

 which could not therefore have been Maggie, and was probably 

 a household or pet name. The incident was first mentioned by 

 Chambers in his Picture of Scotland, on which Miss Margaret 

 Corbet founded her story of "Muirside Maggie," communicated 



