1912-1913-] An Account of the Excursions (1913). 51 



Culdees being translated to officiate in the church. It was 

 afterwards made a Benedictine Abbey by David I., who 

 brought to it thirteen monks from Canterbury. Up to 1560 

 Dunfermline Abbey had thirty - nine Abbots : the first was 

 appointed in 1128, and the last was George Durie, who fled 

 to France during the Preformation. 



The most interesting feature of the Abbey, however, is the 

 burial-place of the great patriot, King Eobert the Bruce. 

 His grave is in the centre of the eastern church, below the 

 pulpit. It is marked by a simple memorial brass, plainly 

 indicating to the visitor the final resting-place of Scotland's 

 greatest king. The leader then drew the attention of the 

 members to the library, chapter-house, and scriptorium where 

 the monks patiently and laboriously transcribed the missals 

 and illuminated manuscripts which are still the admiration of 

 all lovers of art. He also pointed out the Fraters' Hall, 

 where was placed the desk or pulpit of the monk whose duty 

 it was to read aloud to the brethren at meals assembled. A 

 portion of Scripture or a homily from the Fathers was read, 

 so that both the minds and bodies of the listeners might be 

 simultaneously cheered. Beneath the Fraters' Hall are two 

 storeys of crypts or cells, probably dormitories or sleeping- 

 apartments of the monks. The cells in the clerestory were 

 dormitories also. At the end of the Fraters' Hall is a stair in 

 the tower leading to a well, which provided the water-supply 

 for meals. A subterranean passage leads from this stair to 

 the Palace. A chamber at the bottom of the tower is said to 

 have been used as the quarters of the Koyal Guard. The 

 party were afterwards conducted to the Palace, where Charles 

 I. was born on 19th November 1600. A short distance from 

 the Palace stood three mills — one for flour, one for oatmeal, 

 and the third for snuff; and adjoining these mills were 

 the bow-butts, where archery was practised. The Glen at 

 Pittencrieff was then visited, and afterwards Mr Sommer- 

 ville conducted the party over other interesting parts of 

 the town. 



On Victoria Day a large number of members went to 

 Earlston, under the leadership of Mr Geo. Cleland, Vice- 

 President. The party visited Cowclenknowes, Gladswood, 

 Bemersyde, and Dryburgh Abbey. During the walk the 



