The Pre- Reformation Churches of Berwickshire. 189 



LAUDER. 



Little has been ascertained regarding the foundation or early 

 history of the Chukch of Lauder; and it is difficult to say what 

 reliance should be placed on the assertion sometimes made that 

 it was one of the fruits of the piety of Hugo de Morville, Con- 

 stable of Scotland in the reign of David I. In 1268 it became — 

 by gift of John Baliol and Devorgilla, his wife, a descendant of 

 the De Morvilles — the property of the monks of Dryburgh 

 Abbey,* who held it as a vicarage until the Reformation. 

 Here, in 1482, the Scottish Nobility held their famous 

 conference, which resulted in the seizure of James III., 

 and the murder of his favourites, who, as old Pitscottie says, 

 were hanged " over the bridge of Lather befoir the King's eyes." 

 Both bridge and church have long since been demolished. The 

 latter stood on the north side of the town, facing Lauder Fort, 

 which now forms part of Thirlestane Castle. The present parish 

 church occupies a different site, and was erected in 1673. 



Subordinate also to Dryburgh, in this parish, were the two 

 Chapels of St. John, near Kedslie, and St. Leonards. The 

 former has bequeathed its name to the estate and mansion 

 of Chapel-on-Leader, but no remains of it now exist. At St. 

 Leonards there was, in addition to tlie chapel, a Hospital 

 dedicated to the same saint. Portions ot what were believed to 

 be the ruins of the former were extant so recently as in 1860 ; 

 and there can be little doubt that the building at the place now 

 occupied as a farm-house formed part either of the hospital or 

 the chapel. Its walls are nearly 4 feet thick ; and inserted in 

 the S.W. wall are two stones, one inscribed — 



( M ) 



I TRIVNO DEO GLORIA. 



1±^) 



and the other, which is utilised as the lintel of a window, 

 bearing the inscription — 



(fT DEYS • EST ■ PONS • VIT^. 

 I • THRIST • FOR • THE • VATER • OF • LIP. 



* Liber de Dryburgh, Nos. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 etc. 



