310 An Account of Simprin, Berwickshire, by Jas. Hardy. 



at Linton, March 4th, 1725. " The presentee turned out another man than the 

 parishioners had anticipated, and a highly consistent and Christian deport- 

 ment in the course of years caused the asperities of his settlement to he 

 forgotten.*" Mr Chrystie was married to Sarah, daughter of Mr Gilbert 

 Laurie of Hutton. He lived respected and died regretted. 



12. James Landreth, A.M. Having graduated in the University of 

 Edinburgh, April 12th, 1715, he became chaplain to Sir James Stewart of 

 Goodtrees; was licensed by the Presbytery of Hamilton, May 26th, 1724; 

 called to Simprin, Sept. 16th, and ordained Sept. 23rd, 1725. He was also 

 Synod Clerk Dr Carlyle tells how the merry company of clergymen, who in 

 February, 1775, escorted Mr. John Home across the borders, to try the 

 fortunes of " Douglas'' in London, contrived to borrow Mr Landreth's 

 saddle-bags used for the carriage of the Synod's documents, to ensure the 

 safety, as far as "Wooler-Haugh-head, of the precious MS. of that production, 

 which Home, with habitual carelessness, had stuffed into the pocket of the 

 great-coat in which he rode. At the same time, Mr Cupples of Swinton, 

 who never had any money, contrived to borrow half-a-guinea from his neigh- 

 bour. Mr. Landreth, to defray the expence of the excursion. f Mr Landreth 

 died unmarried, Oct. 3rd, 1756, in his 65th year. The inscription on his 

 tombstone, has been carefully copied for me by Mr Paul. " Hie conduntur 

 reliquiae verecundi et eximii viri Jacobi Landreth verbi Dei apud Simprin 

 Minister Qui 4 Nonas Octobri 1756 iEtatis 65 Ministerii vero 31 animam 

 efflavit. Hunc pietas haud f ucata fidelitas et diligentia in munere perfungendo 

 integritas incorrupta Prudentia Charitas et Philanthropia demq : ardens veris 

 ornarunt laudibus memoriam summo dignitam honore posteris tradunt." 



Mr Landreth is reported to have kept for a long time a Sabbath- school 

 for children, which was celebrated throughout Berwickshire for its good 

 effects, and was one of the earliest established. 



13. John Jolly was licensed by the Presbytery, June 4th, 1757, presented 

 by George II., in March, and ordained May 12th, in the same year. He was 

 translated to Coldingham, Aug 25th, 1761. 



When Mr Jolly left, Swinton and Simprin became one parish, 

 by annexation. 



Wben Mr Paul visited Swinton lately, be endeavoured to 

 decipher inscriptions on two otber tombs "in tbe burial place of 

 tbe ministers," but failed. He writes, "I got tbe earth and 

 dirt removed off two stones, which lie betwen Gibson's and Lan- 

 dreth's stones. Both of these have been covered with inscrip- 

 tions, but they are wholly illegible, save the words : "In Eev- 

 erendum et clarum virum Magist ;" on the one next to Landreth's ; 



* lb., pp. 203, 204. Note to Eobert Davidson of Morebattle's Poems, p 225 ; 

 the traditions regarding the event, being embodied in his verses, entitled 

 '• The Ordination " 



f Carlyle' sAutobiog. pp. 362, 303. Mackenzie's Life of Mr John Home, 

 pp. 36, 37. 



