88 East Lothian and the Bass, by Br. J. Stuart. 



The connexion of St. Baldred with the Bass is commem- 

 orated by the learned Alcuin in his poem, " De Sanctis 

 Ecclesise Eboracensis," under the head " Baltheri Anachoretae 

 res gestae," where the place is thus described : — 



"Est locus undoso circumdatus undique ponto 

 Eupibus horrendis praerupto et margine septico." 



(Gale Scriptores, xx„ p. 726.) 



One of the miracles recorded in the poem would seem to 

 have happened at the Bass, for — 



" Gradiens nam tempore quodam 

 Eupis in excelsse praerupto margine, casu, 

 Contigit ut caderet ; sed fluctibus illo marinis 

 Suffultus, graditur siccis super sequora plantis." 



(Idem, p. 727.) 



An original instrument in the General Register House, 

 Edinburgh, seems to fix the date of the church of which the 

 ruins are yet to be seen on the Bass. It is a commission by 

 Pope Alexander VI. to the Prior and Archdeacon of St. 

 Andrews, to investigate a claim by the prioress of North 

 Berwick against Robert Lauder of the Bass, and rector of 

 the parish of the Bass, for certain barrels of grease of geese, 

 dated 10th May, 1493, in which it is set forth that the 

 church had then been recently erected — "noviter erecta." It 

 does not appear to have been consecrated till 5th June, 

 1542, when it is recorded that, "M. Villiem Gybsone, byschop 

 of Libariensis and suffraganeus to David Beaton, Cardynall 

 and Archebyschop of Santandros, consecrat and dedicat the 

 Paris Kirk in the Craig of the Bass, in honor of Sant 

 Baldred, Bysschop and Confessor, in presence of Maister 

 Jhon Lawder, Arsdene of Teuidaill, noter publict." ("Extracta 

 ex Cronicis Scocie," p. 255.) 



I have referred to the use of caves as well as islands as 

 the retreats of our early saints. This was common both to 

 the Celtic and Saxon churches, and the custom may have 

 been in part derived from that of St. Martin of Tours, whose 

 influence in many ecclesiastical arrangements was diffused 

 from his little cell at Marmoutier throughout western 

 Christendom. The great saint of Northumbria, besides his. 

 islet of the Fame, had another place of seclusion, described 

 by Venerable Bede, which may probably be identified with 

 the cave near Howburn, which has always been known as 

 " St. Cuthbert's Cave," or " Cuddy's Cove " ; as has also 



