THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 Thech>e£ '''^J;^ .^ ™ them v^i-.h Ae inex- 
 bsrore your reader, is to ^P „,^„^entoverBruce's 
 
 ^ve in the Abb y ^^^'^^ ^^^^ ^^d ministers, 
 %,,, , ..ee.ng ^-^- -^:;,'^,,,, '.as being held 
 along v^.'*^I'.^"U ^^^tet^\it.^,^h.n^v.e.s.K^ 
 1 ta the the To-'*"; . ^^^ labourers engaged >n 
 
 was brought o '^-^ " , Churchyard, prepara- 
 leveUing the ^^t^"' ^'^^.^'^^tvl Church, intimating 
 tory to founding the Ne^ AbW ^"^^ ' • „; 
 Jt they bai dUcoV.red a tomb ^PP^'^^'j^^,. 
 
 .ome person of -'%= "-f^°\ftheTpot personally 
 diately adjourned, and repaired to th J°t r 
 to examine the tomb and -c.rt.n^ ^^^^^ ^ 
 „E the facts "^^P^f '^".f 'Opened, and «bioh 
 vault. «hich was f-'^^ \j°C the tomb of 
 
 King Robert the Bruce otg discovery 
 
 -'Tl d '<:fttce t^ul'^ rpatriotic chord that 
 
 "' ''': \ \^l So t.bh treast, and gathering numbers 
 vibrated m the Soot uh ,^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ 
 
 soon thronged t^V^PP' . j„^bed for nearly five cen- 
 ''^^.^^'^ 'xVetrwa depSdinaninnervauUcon. 
 tune?. Thecoronwo i- rrn rpmov-inci's caver of 
 t,u.ed witbinthelarger one. On r.^^^.^ ^^^^ ^^^ 
 flag-stoues, per «ated w th ^on ^^^^ -^ .^^ ^^^ 
 dUcovered swatned in 'eaa. an ^^^^^^ 
 
 - cloth of sold «^;^^f boen pla.e^^_^ .^ ^^^^^ ^^ 
 80 as to resemble a crown^ .^ ^j^^ ,^„,t, 
 
 body lay was °;"'y J^^^i \emained, of which I 
 although a few "^'^''^'Vf '' ^ ^ friend who stood 
 poseessasmaU piece, nowa^reUct. A^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ 
 
 near me, U. u , ^ ;^ exchange 
 
 ,oM cloth, of ->ch ^e f .^r.d me p^^ ^^^ 
 
 tii:bir^ttyCtat^to-^^::Ar^ 
 
 I placed aome value ^'^. ^ tasteUdy wrought 
 cions relict for many yeara ma pleasure in 
 
 box with gl'«3^.<=»^'^''.fVhe rev historian of Dan- 
 exhibiting it to ti'-B fnends The '«^gi^ „,, P^j'"." tl . 
 fe.mliue records t^»„'/„\^\?M,ir ma.ksrcm^ia m the 
 „;,i, i„^<. v^o^aJ '/"» "-;"f fit „„ „ ia the hands of ( 
 
 ;';ece I possess, <^^^J'^^ti%fjMns ont the naOs. 
 Robert Bonnar sen when wrencng ^^ ^^^^ 
 
 Tb.8 piece of the coffia I lif ed m P ^^^ 
 
 Bonnar, his nephew, ^ntractor lor v _^^ j^._^_ 
 
 iorning, near to the cloaed vault. '■^^ V* 1819, in 
 
 in a new leaden Cutfia, ^^a emoeuo leasuie 
 
 and the vault wa, ^"''4"'"'=°^'^^.^ pTcsent at the open- 
 in relating that my ta^.h.rwb„,.^ pre _ ^^^ ^^^^ 
 
 fragmentary ^''^^<{}f}^'^3.1'^^^^ to be seen, exe- 
 
 and tne otDain conceive <if the 
 
 Et ^huVcnV'utno le,, .j;perb and^gor.eous 
 . -i lifi ejamsBlB 9qi ;>Ho^ «9n JoJ f^f: ~^< 
 „, ^»nT rl,t,s «q» pOT 'ZIH -^.P^qm VCK ""Oj 
 
 laMaomv W.!n!f qiiM 'ofilFO '""■'J 'Hi9 « -"^la 
 
 'souiv moJJ 'i;ii: 'oan»,tnojJ5i iJn.-H pa» awjn Jjim i 
 i»n,o pu« •«..« n^^ia •an.awJ^.lipaW moij '(<iJ=>n 
 lo BAiBnpxi) eooi f.joc Jo 'niaOT^ »Ap«l .« 
 qV* '"HM '•.«'"P''V 18 """J ' 
 
 taitrir^/t ILl TTloJl 'r.fiT 'lllBSJ.IAI P 
 
 !«oreo.«f tnoj) Vnoi i,-,t, -waiBmuf . jn/ii." 
 HJiiiann pn« rtjaMiuy mojj 'fraoi OflPt Jo "P™ 
 !r liia moj| 'TOoi (fin Jo iqMiiaA g 'wqnO 
 •mm oi»r. !"1IM»»* i ;a,«ouns moJj 'fi67. "'"
 
 TIE T0.V1B OF HOBERT THE BRCCE< 
 
 (From the Scrt^mon.) 
 Wc: are not likely to be suspected of much eDthii- 
 niasiii in the mutter of got-np mominients, especially 
 8Hch as that wliich lately collected " all the respect- 
 able people of Seotldiid" ia one town, and caused the 
 conBiimption of £5000 worth of eating and driiikioK- 
 We are, we hope, too much of a Scotsman in the 
 only Beiise in which it is worth l)eing one, to fear that 
 Wallace la in diingir of being forgotton in tbo land 
 and by the peoi>l« that he freed from 
 
 "Edward, chnins, »jiil filtivoiy;" 
 and we are constitutionally and all tho more from 
 oxperienc^ averse to all such national explosions and 
 social oppressionB as the late atLiir began anil ended 
 in— and which, after all, wu fcr is not ended, having 
 gone oir into an " Institute'' — and to all those 
 grotesque and untimely roarings and gambol'ings 
 of tho Saottish Linn, which so much alarm that 
 noble, and uimn the whole e::ceilent beast's best 
 friends hero, and amuse exceedingly, not its ene- 
 mies — because, as far as wo know, he has none, poor 
 fellow! — but our and his friends in the South. But 
 we have jur.t heard with great delight of something 
 in tho way of monument-raising which we entirely 
 approve and cordialise with. 
 
 Everybody knows that Kobert the Bruce lies in the 
 centre o( the floor of the tower of the Abbey Church 
 of Dunfermline. When you Hnd yourself there, you 
 know that under your feet lies all that could die of 
 our greatest king, and one of the world's great kings 
 and men. Now, if genius could raise there a worthy 
 toml), answering the desires of the caind and heart of 
 ithoso who stand there, and give themselves up to the 
 -spirit of the place and time — if this were done, 
 ■not by committees and public meetings, and pres- 
 ■Biire and " action " over the habitable globe, and 
 •paragraphs in newspapers, ueqite ad infmitum «.' 
 aa'itseam — if it were the free outcome of a generous 
 patriotic ScotuK'.an who bad the means and the 
 wi.sli and the will to make at once a worthy memorial 
 of the Bruce, and also give scope and etprossion and 
 ' permanence to tlie imagination and plastic powers of 
 a' great artist, thea we would wish it, vrith all our 
 heart, good-s|iy«d. 
 
 This, which eeenw too good to be true, is true. Mr 
 Kerr, of Dunfermline, a man of great wealth, and of 
 greater generosity, hcs empowered his townsman, Jlr 
 Noel Paton, to execute a monumental tomb over the 
 remains of the King. That the thing is to bo done ia 
 fixed— and iMr Kerr is c man who does fully what Ue 
 says; it is not, we behove, settled, the extent or the 
 material. As to the latter, it is between marble and 
 bronze; and as regards extent, it may be limited to a 
 6gure of Bruce lying with his face upwards as on his 
 bed, in hia full armour, slitathiug his sword — with his 
 lion watching at his fe.-t, and angels stooping over 
 his majestic liead; this figure, resting upon atocib or 
 chest set rcind with the sbieHs of the great national 
 worthies of the time^or to this may be added six 
 sitting statues, resting on the lower steps, representa- 
 tive of the different parts and ranks of Scotlaad, 
 keeping as it were guard 
 
 "MorS; noon, ami night iiice.?santly," 
 around their chief who is not so much dead as asleep. 
 If this design, which wo saw many years ago, is car- 
 ried out by its author and his eiugle-handod patron 
 with a spirit and power equal to the sketch, and with 
 that command of form and heroic expression which 
 we know Mr Paton has, we will liave something we 
 need not be ashamed to speak of beside that awful 
 sepulchre of the Medici, in the Chapel de Deposit! in 
 Florence — 
 
 " Tliat chamber of the dead, 
 
 Where the gig.antic shapes of Night .and Day, 
 Turned into stone, rest everlastingly; 
 Vet still are breathing ." 
 
 T 
 
 y-7 1^^ 
 
 a.
 
 REPORT, &c.
 
 o 
 
 ^ /-Zy-'T/y^: 
 
 -^ S^-^i^-^ § 
 
 '^/^/ /^^;>'X.--'^>^^^ 

 
 REPORT 
 
 TO 
 
 THE RIGHT Hon. THE LORD CHIEF BARON, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Hon. the BARONS 
 
 OF 
 
 HIS MAJESTY'S COURT OF EXCHEQUER 
 SCOTLAND^ 
 
 BY 
 
 ®1be Wiin^'^ axememtirancer, 
 
 RELATIVE TO THE 
 
 TOMB 
 
 or 
 
 KING ROBERT THE BRUCE, 
 
 ANI> 
 
 THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH 
 
 OF 
 
 PRINTED BY HAY, GALL, AND CO. 
 MDDIIY STREET. 
 
 1821.
 
 
 REPORT, &c. 
 
 1 HE town of Dunfermline, in the county of Fife, 
 was at an early period of our history the favourite re- 
 sidence of the Kings of Scotland. Malcolm III. sur- 
 named Canmore, who succeeded to the Crown in the 
 year 1057, usually resided in a castle situated on a 
 peninsular hill, of which a small fragment is still to be 
 seen. It continued the occasional place of residence 
 of the succeeding Kings, until the accession of James 
 
 VI. to the Crown of England. The ruins of the 
 [ija] B 
 
 52^^338 
 
 LIBRARY
 
 south wall of the Palace remain to this day^ a monu- 
 ment of an extensive fabric, which had been erected 
 in a singularly romantic situation ; and here tradi- 
 tion points out the apartment where Charles I. 
 was born. 
 
 Malcolm Canmore, at the instigation of his 
 Queen, Margaret, the grand-daughter of Edmund, 
 surnamed Ironside, King of England, founded a 
 monastery for the monks of the order of St Bene- 
 dict, and erected a magnificent cathedral chm-ch de- 
 dicated to the Holy Trinity. This church he ap- 
 pointed to be the common cemetery of the Kings of 
 Scotland, in place of the celebrated lona, or Icolm- 
 kill, in the Hebrides, which was originally the place 
 of Royal sepulture, and here both he and his Queen 
 were interred. 
 
 The Abbey of Dunfermline was originally a 
 splendid and extensive building, but was almost en- 
 tirely destroyed by the English, early in the 14th 
 century. The church, however, which had escaped 
 the merciless hands of the invaders, afterwards fell
 
 a sacrifice, in common with other Romish establish- 
 ments, to the bhnd zeal of the early Reformers ; and, 
 with the exception of the nave, was entirely demo- 
 lished in the year 1560. The nave was preserved, 
 in consequence of the Reformers having converted 
 it into a Presbyterian place of worship ; but the 
 only remains of the ancient, and once splendid ce- 
 metery of the Kings, is a large slab of coarse 
 blue marble, on the east of the choir of the cathe- 
 dral which marks the spot where the remains of 
 King Malcolm and Queen Margaret were deposit- 
 ed ; and six large flat stones over the graves of the 
 other Sovereigns who were buried there, situated on 
 the north-east side of the building, all adjoining, and 
 disposed in two parallel rows. 
 
 The following are a few short notices from our 
 ancient history, of such of the Scottish Kings as 
 were buried at Dunfermline.
 
 Malcolm III. 
 
 Malcolm was slain near the castle of Alnwick , 
 in Northumberland, when besieging it, on the 
 ISth of November 1092, in the S6th year of his 
 reign. His body was deposited at Tinmouth by 
 Earl Moubray, who unexpectedly attacked him 
 when engaged at the siege of Alnwick. His re- 
 mains were afterwards carried to Dunfermline. 
 " Rex Malcolmus (says Fordun,) postquam csesus 
 " fuerat, apud Tynemuth multis annis humatus 
 " est— et postmodum ab Alexandi'O filio suo Scoti- 
 " am ad Dumfermelyn deportatus." * 
 
 Prince Edward. f 
 
 Edward, Malcolm's eldest son, was slain at the 
 same time with his father at Alnwick, and was buried 
 
 * Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. v. cap. 25.
 
 9 
 
 at Dunfermline. " Edwardus Regis primogenitus a 
 " Northumbris lethaliter vulneratur, qui decimo 
 " septimo Kal. Decembris, anno prsenotato, tertia die 
 " post patrem apud Eadwardisle foresta de Jedwood 
 " fatis cessit, et sepultus est in Ecclesia Sanctae Tri- 
 " nitatis de Dumfermelyn, juxta patrem ante Altare 
 " Sanctae Crucis." * 
 
 Queen Margaret. 
 
 Queen Mai'garet died three days after her hus- 
 band (16th November 1093,) in the Castle of Edin- 
 burgh, and her remains were carried to Dunferm- 
 line ; a Queen whose amiable qualities and sincere 
 piety afterwards gained her the honour of a super- 
 stitious age, by being enrolled in the calendar of 
 saints. Her remains, as well as those of her hus- 
 band, were afterwards, in the year 1250, removed 
 by orders of Alexander II. from the spot where they 
 were originally buried, to a more honourable place 
 
 * Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. v. cap. 25, 
 [ija] C
 
 10 
 
 in the church of Dunfermline, in the choir above 
 the great altar, (in choro supra majus Altare,) 
 and where the simple monument of a bluish mar- 
 ble slab still remains. Fordun gives a particular 
 account of what he calls the Translatio Glebae Sa- 
 crse Sanctissimae Margaretae Reginse et viri sui Mal- 
 colmi. " Anno sequenti (1250) convenerunt apud 
 " Dumfermelyn Rex cum Regina matre ejus, una 
 cum Episcopis et Abbatibus, ac aliis Regni pro- 
 ceribus, ubi ossa et reliquias gloriosae Reginae 
 Margaritae Ata\a8e suae, de monumento lapideo, 
 in quo per multa annorum curricula quiaverant, 
 " levaverunt, et in scrinio ahiegno, auro, gemmisque 
 " redimito, cum summa devotione locaverunt," * &c. 
 And he afterwards gravely relates a singular miracle 
 which took place on the occasion, '* nee defuit ibi- 
 " dem Divinum miraculum." 
 
 This valuable coffer is said to have been carried 
 to Antwerp, during the troubles of the Reformation, 
 
 <i 
 
 a 
 
 i( 
 
 a 
 
 * Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. x. cap, 3.
 
 11 
 
 and to have been afterwards lodged in the Scotch Col- 
 lege at Douay, where it was exhibited as a pious relick 
 so late as the year 1770. It has, however, been lost, 
 in consequence of the confusion which attended the 
 suppression of the order of the Jesuits. Mr G. Dal- 
 yell has stated, but upon what authority he does not 
 mention, that certain relics, both of Margaret and 
 and Malcolm III. are said to be preserved in the Es- 
 curial in Spain.* 
 
 Edgar. 
 
 Edgar, the fourth son of Malcolm, (after the usur- 
 pation of Donald, the younger son of Duncan, and 
 of Duncan, the natural son of Malcolm,) succeeded 
 to the Throne in 1097 ; a Sovereign who, in his tem- 
 per and administration, historians have said, resem- 
 bled Edward the Confessor ; a comparison, (Lord 
 Hailes remarks,) which exhibits no very favourable 
 
 * Dalyell's Tract on Monastic Antiquities, p. 1 7.
 
 12 
 
 idea of his kingly abilities. He died on the 8th Ja- 
 nuary 1106-7, in the 10th year of his reign, at Dun- 
 dee ; or, according to some other authorities, at Edin- 
 burgh ; and Fordun informs us, " In Ecclesise Dum- 
 " fermelyna ante magnum Altare juxta patrem tu- 
 " mulatur." * • 
 
 Alexander I. 
 
 Alexander the 1st, the fifth son of Malcolm, 
 succeeded his brother in 1106-7, — a Prince of a 
 passionate and imperious demeanour, but in an ex- 
 treme degree liberal to the Church. He finished 
 the church of Dunfermline, begun by his father, and 
 greatly encreased the revenues of the monastery. 
 Among other religious endowments, he founded a 
 monastery at Inch Colm, and dedicated it to St Co- 
 lumba, in gratitude to the Saint, to whose interces- 
 sion he ascribed his deliverance from a tempest 
 which he had encountered near that island. 
 
 Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. v. cap. 85.
 
 IS 
 
 He died at Stirling on the 27th April 1124, in 
 the 1 8th year of his reign, and according to Fordun, 
 " Sepultus est apud Dumfermelyn honorifice, die 
 " Sancti Marci Evangelistse prope Patrem ante mag- 
 " num Altare^ * 
 
 David I. 
 
 David, the youngest son of Malcolm, succeeded 
 to the throne on the death of his brother Alexan- 
 der. 
 
 To the orders of this monarch has been ascribed 
 the compilation of the treatise called Regiam Majes- 
 tatem, as an authentic body of the ancient laws of 
 Scotland; but though it probably contains many 
 statutes enacted by that Prince, and though most 
 of the statutes in that collection, called the Ju. L. 
 Burgorum, were enacted, or at least enforced dm- 
 
 ■ * Forcluni Scoti Chron. lib* v, cap. 40» 
 [ija] D
 
 14 
 
 ing the reign of David T, yet the opinion of Craig 
 and Lord Stair, notwithstanding the laborious in- 
 vestigation of the learned author of Caledonia, is 
 now g-enerally adopted, that it was chiefly a tran- 
 script of a work published by Ranulph de Glanville, 
 who was Lord Chief Justice of England from 1 1 80 
 to 1189, and that it was brought into Scotland by 
 David II, whose long residence in England had ren- 
 dered him partial to the laws and customs of that 
 country.* 
 
 The excessive liberality of this King to the ec- 
 clesiastical order, occasioned the shrewd, but ill ap- 
 plied apothegm of James I. " That he was a Sore 
 *^ saint to the Crown." His character has been bet- 
 ter appreciated by historians. Buchanan, after high- 
 ly extolling the transactions of his reign, concludes, 
 " In eoque tantum profecit, ut summo ingenio ho- 
 " mines doctissimi, qui honi Regis imaginem expri- 
 
 mere contenderunt, talem non potuerint animo 
 
 a 
 
 * Ilailes' Annals, vol. 1. p. 104. Pinkerton's Scotland, 4to.p. 393. 
 Jo. Davidson's MS. Treatise, p. 15.
 
 15 
 
 " cogitare, qualem se David toto vlt?e cursu proesti- 
 " tit." * '^ The sentiment of an historian, (says Lord 
 *' Hailes,) whose principles are esteemed unfavour- 
 " able to monarchy. Such a sketch is of greater 
 " value than the studied performances of a thou- 
 ^' sand panegyrists." -j- 
 
 This King died at Carlisle, 24th May 1153, in 
 the 30th year of his reign ; and according to For- 
 dun, " Sepultus est in Ecclesia Sanctae Trinitatis 
 " de Dumfermelyn honorifice." And he afterwards 
 adds, " Corpus ejus a Carleolo delatum est ad Dum- 
 " fermelyn, et ante magnum Altare, in pavimento 
 '' medii Chori, sepultum in nobili Monasterio quod 
 " ipse construxerat, multisque possessionibus dita- 
 « verat." ^ 
 
 • Buchanan, lib. 7. f Hailes' Ann. vol. 1. p. 109. 
 
 ;|: Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. v. cap. 44. — lib. 8. cap. 1.
 
 16 
 
 Malcolm IV. 
 
 Malcolm IV. succeeded his grandfather at the 
 early age of 12, and reigned only 1£ years. " His 
 " character (Lord Hailes observes,) is delineated by 
 " all our historians without any one feature of re- 
 *' semblance. It exhibits the virtues of a nun, his 
 " life the qualities of a heroic young Prince." * 
 
 The appellation of Maiden, vulgarly bestowed 
 upon him, seems to have arisen more from his youth 
 and complexion, than from the habits of his life. 
 
 He died at Jedburgh 28th December 1165; and 
 according to Fordun, " Ejus, summo cum honore, 
 *' corpus ab omnibus Regni egregiis personis utrius- 
 " que status, usque ad Dumfermelyn latum est ; ubi 
 " in medio pavimenti, a dextris avi sui Regis David 
 
 * Hailes' Ann. vol. i. p. 128.
 
 17 
 
 " aiite majus AUare, locum sepulturce regium, huma- 
 " turn requiescit." * 
 
 Alexander III. 
 
 Alexander III. succeeded his father Alexander 
 II. in the year 1249, at the early age of 8 years. 
 
 It was in this King's reign (October 1263,) that 
 Scotland was invaded by Haco, King of Norway, 
 with a formidable fleet, which ended in the total de- 
 feat of the invader at Largs, and his flight to Ork- 
 ney, where he died ; a defeat which, three years af- 
 terwards, brought about the cession of all right to 
 the islands in the western seas of Scotland, formerly 
 enjoyed, or at least claimed, by the Kings of Nor- 
 way. 
 
 Alexander has been celebrated for his incessant 
 
 * Forduni Scoti Cbron. lib. viii. cap. 11. 
 [ija] E
 
 18 
 
 labours in distributing justice ; and although he was 
 unable to reform a rude and licentious age, yet (says 
 Lord Hailes,) his temperance and purity of manners 
 left it no excuse from the evil of the example of the 
 Sovereign. 
 
 His death, which happened on the 16th March 
 1285-6, was occasioned by an accident — insisting, 
 contrary to the advice of his attendants, to proceed 
 on his journey from the North Ferry to Kinghorn, 
 in a dark night, betwixt that place and Burntisland ; 
 Fordun says, " Ad occidentalem plagamjuxta mari- 
 '" timalem ripam sonipes in sabulo cespitavit, et, heu ! 
 " nobilis Rex a suis neghgentius observatus, fractis 
 " cervicibus expiravit, ac in ISIonasterio de Dum- 
 " fermelyn, ut Regem decuit, tumulatur ;" and he 
 emphatically adds, " Nemo, obsecro, propter subi- 
 " tationem insperatie mortis, haesitet de transitu 
 " tanti Regis ad gloriam ; quia ut dicitur, non po- 
 " test male mori qui bene vixit." * 
 
 * Forduni, lib. x. cap. 40.
 
 19 
 
 The last Sovereign whose remains are recorded to 
 have been interred at Dunfermline, is llobert the 
 Bruce, a King whose memory is deservedly dear to 
 Scotland, and will never cease to be cherished, so long 
 as the glory and independence of their country shall 
 be valued by Scotsmen. 
 
 King llobert was seized with a tedious illness, 
 ascribed to the leprosy, a disease even at that time 
 little known in the west of Europe, the natural con- 
 sequence (says the author of Caledonia,) of his pri- 
 vations, his hazards, and his struggles ; and died in 
 a castle where he occasionally resided, at Cardross, 
 in Dumbartonshire, on the 7th June 1^29^ at the 
 age of 55, after an arduous and glorious reign of 23 
 years, reckoning from his coronation at Scone. This 
 castle, of which there are now no remains, stood on 
 an eminence, called Castle Hill, a little west of the 
 river Leven. * He was, according to Fordun, " Se- 
 
 * Stat. Ace vol. 17. p. 223.
 
 20 
 
 ^< pultus apud Monasterium de Dumfeniielyn, in 
 '' medio chori, debito cum honore." * 
 
 History informs us, that upon the conviction of 
 his approaching dissolution, he enjoined the gallant 
 Sir James Douglas, the faithful companion of his 
 active life, to undertake an expedition to Jerusalem, 
 in order to deposit his heart in the Holy Sepulchre, 
 as the only mode by which he could fulfil a vow 
 he had made, at a time when he was almost over- 
 whelmed by his enemies, that if ever he should be 
 able to restore his kingdom to peace and freedom, 
 he would assume the cross against the enemies of 
 Christianity in the Holy Land, whose destruction 
 was then the favourite object of a superstitious age. 
 This singular fact, as we shall afterwards see, has 
 been established beyond a doubt. 
 
 Whether we are to ascribe this sacred injunction 
 to his religious scruples, or to what may appear 
 more probable, to a wish to prevent the dissentions 
 
 Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. xiii. cap. 13. 
 
 ^A
 
 21 
 
 which he naturally foresaw might arise from the 
 struggle of Randolph, Earl of Moray, and Douglas, 
 for the sovereign power, during a minority which 
 his death would occasion, I shall not stop to en- 
 quire ; but this much is certain, that the gallant 
 Knight resolved to fulfil the last commands of his 
 Sovereign, and set out for the Holy Land with the 
 heart of the King enclosed in a silver box, which he 
 suspended from his neck by a silver chain. Circum- 
 stances having led him however, first to Spain, to 
 assist Alphonso IX. against the Moors, a warfare 
 at that time held nearly in as high an estimation in 
 the cause of Christianity, as that against the Sara- 
 cens in Palestine, he was slain in a conflict on 
 the frontier of Andalusia, near the Moorish king- 
 dom of Grenada. His body, together with the cas- 
 ket, containing the embalmed heart of the King, 
 was conveyed to Scotland under the charge of Sir 
 William Keith ; and the King's heart was after- 
 wards buried at Melrose Abbey, by the Earl of 
 Moray. * 
 
 * Kerr's Life of Bruce, vol. ii. p. 505. 
 [i/a] F
 
 22 
 
 Elizabeth, King Robert Bruce's second Queen, 
 and daughter to the Earl of Ulster in Ireland, died 
 a short time before her husband, in the year 1 S27, 
 while he was engaged in the seige of Norham 
 Castle ; and was likewise interred at Dunferm- 
 line, " Anno Domini 1327, septimo kalendas No- 
 " vembris, obiit Domina Elizabeth regina, mater re- 
 '' gis David, et sepulta est in choro de Dunferme- 
 " ling, juxta regem Robertum sponsum suum." * 
 Of this Princess, history has recorded so little, that 
 we can only presume that her life was spent without 
 blame ; greater part of it was consumed in a long 
 captivity in England, where she appears to have been 
 treated with a liberality and attention hardly recon- 
 cileable with the manners of the age. 
 
 Having thus shewn from history, that many of the 
 Sovereigns of Scotland had been interred in the 
 church of DunfermHne ; it is rather surprising that 
 in later times the curiosity of antiquarians should 
 
 * Forduni Scoti Chron. lib. xiii. cap. 12.
 
 23 
 
 not have been excited to know whether any of the 
 Royal remains existed in those repositories where 
 they were said to have been entombed : And it was 
 not till the year 1807, that any attempt was made 
 to ascertain this, when Mr Graham Dalyell, advo- 
 cate, a gentleman well qualified for making such an 
 investigation, undertook it : And in his interesting 
 publication on the subject, he observes, " It was 
 lately considered peculiarly interesting, to ascertain 
 whether any relics of the tombs or repositories 
 of the Royal remains, might still be extant. There- 
 fore, having previously obtained the acquiescence 
 of those who could have opposed the research, the 
 middle stone of the west row, being the largest, 
 was removed early on the mornmg of the 28th of 
 July 1807. An early hour was preferred, on 
 purpose to prevent interruption ; for the walls 
 surrounding the psalter church-j^ard were insuffi- 
 cient to guard against the intrusive curiosity na- 
 turally expected on the occasion. 
 
 " The earth immediately below the surface, and 
 '* even to the depth of two or three feet, had the
 
 24" 
 
 '^ appearance of having been dug before, though 
 " perhaps at a remote period ; and nothing whatever 
 '* was found among it, excepting a few human 
 " bones, brittle and rotten. Under this, however, 
 *' about four or five feet from the surface, a cofFm, 
 " rudely built of small irregular pieces of sand-stone, 
 " along with a scanty portion of lime, and covered 
 *' in the same manner with similar materials, was 
 found, containing the skeleton of a full grown 
 person, pretty entire. Its position was not di- 
 " rectly below the large stone, but one half of the 
 ** length further west. It lay among soft humid 
 *' clay, completely filling the coffin, from which the 
 " bones had imbibed so much moisture, that, on 
 " lifting a broken one, the water poured from the 
 *' lower end as on squeezing a sponge. The head, or 
 " upper part of the coffin, towards the west, was 
 *' contracted into narrow compass, just admitting 
 *' the skull, which was quite fresh, and the teeth 
 " sound. 
 
 *' This coffin had certainly never been opened, 
 '* and I am inclined to ascribe its structure to a 

 
 25 
 
 ce 
 
 more ancient date than the decease of the Kings 
 " whose bodies are said to be deposited in the ab- 
 " bey ; for I do not conceive that any of them are 
 *' contained in it. AH the bones were returned to 
 " their original situation, and the pieces composing 
 " .the top of the coffin put over them, 
 
 ^* The morning, by this time, being far advanced, 
 " the whole excavation was filled up, and the cover- 
 " ing replaced ; which operation, as well as remov- 
 *' ing it, was a matter of considerable difficulty, as 
 " at is above nine feet long, more than one half as 
 " broad, ,and several inches thick," * 
 
 From this investigation, however, little informa- 
 tion on the subject appears to have been obtained : 
 But in the year 1817, the parish church, occupying, 
 as I have already mentioned, the nave of the an- 
 cient cathedral, having become ruinous and unsuit- 
 
 • Dalyell's Tract on Monastic Antiq. p. 3> 
 [ija] G
 
 26 
 
 able for a place of worship. The heritors of the 
 parish of Dunfermline, and the Magistrates of the 
 Burgh, came to the resolution of building an entire 
 new church, and procured from Mr Burn, architect, 
 of this city, a plan highly creditable to his talents, 
 and displaying most correct taste in Gothic architec- 
 ture. The structure is remarkable for its simpUcity ; 
 and though not loaded with unnecessary ornaments, 
 will be executed for ^8,700. An elevation of the 
 whole building is annexed.— *S^e Plate, No. 4. 
 
 By this plan it was proposed to keep up the old 
 church, or nave, and add to it an entire new church 
 on the east, occupying nearly the whole space of 
 the ancient cathedral, leaving the old part (after re- 
 moving the seating in it) to remain as the entiy or 
 approach to the new church, which will have a sin- 
 gularly grand effect. In the execution of this plan, 
 however, it was discovered, that it would interfere 
 with the spot where the ancient Kings had been 
 buried, on the north side of the cathedral ; — and the 
 Magistrates, in the month of January 1818, applied 
 to your Lordships for permission to remove these
 
 a 
 
 I" 
 
 3 
 •r. 
 
 £ 
 
 ^ 
 
 3 
 
 
 sd 
 
 H 
 
 ^ 
 
 a 
 fe 
 ^ 
 5 
 
 y 
 ^ 
 
 
 g 
 tJ
 
 27 
 
 remains to another part of the church-yard, near to 
 the tomb of Malcohn and Queen Margaret. But 
 your Lordships, conceiving this to be improper, re- 
 fused your consent, and gave strict injunctions that 
 this spot should not be disturbed by any part of the 
 buildings of the new church. 
 
 In order to get quit of this difficulty, the heritors 
 at once acceded to a proposal to extend the plan, 
 and found the north wall beyond the limits of this 
 spot, so as to include it in the new building. And 
 upon the 14th February 1818, I went to Dunferm- 
 line, along with Baron Adam, (Lord Chief Com- 
 missioner,) and had a communication with the Ma- 
 gistrates and heritors, when it was finally agreed 
 that this should be done. It has accordingly 
 since been executed, and the spot is now enclosed, 
 and forms the north end of the transept of the new 
 church, leaving the burial-place of the ancient Kings 
 undisturbed. And this may be still more completely 
 accomplished, by appropriating this spot for the seat 
 or gallery which His Majesty is entitled to have in 
 the church, which may be fitted up in a manner not
 
 2S 
 
 to interfere with, but to give decoration to these re- 
 mains of our ancient Monarchs, and to allow them 
 to continue in the same state in which they have 
 been for ages. 
 
 Mr Burn, in the course of his preparations for the 
 building of the new church, has been enabled to 
 make out a very interesting ground plan of the an- 
 cient cathedral, taken from the remains of the old 
 walls which he discovered in the course of the work, 
 and a copy of which he has obligingly furnished me 
 with, by which the exact situation of the ancient 
 tombs is better explained than by any description, 
 and to which I beg to refer. — See Plate, No. L, 
 
 In the progress of these operations, the workmen, 
 on the 17th February 1818, came by accident upon 
 a vault, in a line with the very centre of the ancient 
 cathedral^ which was covered with two large flat 
 stones, of different sizes ; the one on the west form- 
 ing the head stone of the vault, which measured in 
 breadth 28^ inches, and in length 18 inches, the 
 lower one six feet in length, and 2Sr inches in
 
 ^1 
 
 1^1 
 
 1^ 
 
 -'SI 
 ? "I .5 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 
 !: -5: 
 
 
 P2^AT£ Ko. 1. 
 
 
 
 " •■ —
 
 29 
 
 breadth. The head stone was entire, but the low- 
 er one was fractured into several pieces, probably 
 by the fall of the ruins of the cathedi'al. 
 
 In the lower one, there were six iron rings, or ra- 
 ther handles, which had been fixed in with lead. 
 The stones are of a soft gritty sand-stone, and very 
 easily fractured. 
 
 28 i Inches. 
 
 00 
 
 D 
 o 
 sr 
 n 
 m 
 
 n 
 
 
 HEAD 
 
 STONE 
 
 
 Iron Rings or Handles. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 [IJA] 
 
 H
 
 30 
 
 ^ose stones being removed, a body was found 
 lying in the vault, enclosed in lead, with an embroid- 
 ered Unen cloth over it, much decayed. — The lead 
 appeared quite entire, except at the feet, and at 
 one of the knees, where it was decayed, through 
 which the bones of a skeleton appeared ; and over 
 the Head the lead was formed into the shape of ^ 
 rude crown. Mr Burn having luckily been on the 
 spot at the time, prevented any further investi- 
 gation, and ordered the spot to be carefully watch- 
 ed till your Lordships' orders should be given as 
 to any farther investigation ; and immediate no- 
 tice having been sent to me of the discovery, I was 
 directed by your Lordships to order the Sheriff to se- 
 cure the vault from all further inspection, until a more 
 complete investigation of this interesting spot could 
 take place ; which, from its situation, there could be 
 no doubt must have been the Tomb of King Robert 
 'Bruce. Directions were accordingly given through 
 the Sheriff to secure it in every possible way from 
 idle curiosity ; and particularly, to place large stones 
 upon the top of the vault in place of those which 
 had been removed, and to fix them together with
 
 51 
 
 strong iron bars. Directions were at the same time 
 given to secure the other six tombs on the north side 
 in a similar manner; and all these orders were im- 
 mediately executed. 
 
 Your Lordships afterwards resolved, that so soon 
 as the walls of the church should be completed, and 
 the whole roofed in, an accurate investigation at the 
 sight of, and with the assistance of gentlemen of 
 science and knowledge of such subjects, should take 
 place, in order to ascertain the exact situation of 
 this ancient vault, and of the Royal remains that 
 were deposited in it. 
 
 Accordingly, upon the 5th November 1819, the 
 new building being in a state of forwardness, I went 
 to Dunfermline, agreeably to your Lordships' direc- 
 tions, to prepare for the opening and inspection of 
 the vault, with the assistance of Mr Burn, who had 
 previously made the necessary arrangements for the 
 occasion. 
 
 We proceeded to the church at 9 o'clock in the
 
 32 
 
 morning, and having removed the large stones which 
 had been placed over the vault in 1 81 8, we laid the 
 whole open ; and after carefully covering it over 
 with boards, waited the arrival of the Lord Chief 
 Baron and Mr Baron Clerk Battray ; Mr Baron 
 Adam having been prevented by indisposition from 
 attendmg ; which was deeply regretted, as he had 
 taken a great interest in the matter, and much trou- 
 ble in making the previous arrangements for this in- 
 teresting investigation. 
 
 Their Lordships arrived at 1 1 o'clock, when, with 
 the Magistrates, a considerable number of the heritors 
 and gentlemen of the county, and of the principal in- 
 habitants of the town of I>unfeiTnline, Dr Gregory, 
 his Majesty's first physician for Scotland, Dr Munro, 
 the professor of anatomy in the University of Edin- 
 burgh, and other gentlemen of science, we proceed- 
 ed to the examination of the vault. The boards pre- 
 viously laid over the vault being removed, it was mi- 
 nutely examined. The vault was formed of regular 
 built masonry, of a soft gritty sand-stone, per- 
 fectly smooth, each stone about a foot square, and
 
 S3 
 
 having a particular and distinct mark or figure cut 
 upon its surface, supposed to be the private mark of 
 the operative mason who had executed the work ; 
 the vault was seven feet long, twenty-two and one 
 half inches in breadth, and eighteen inches in 
 depth, originally covered with the large flat stones, 
 with the iron rings which had been removed in 
 1818. The bottom was paved with large stones of 
 similar construction with the sides ; but in which 
 there was a fracture or opening through the whole 
 length of about two inches in breadth. This vault 
 or grave was situated in a larger vault of an oblong 
 form, with a circular end towards the east, also 
 built of regular masonry ; but the west end I 
 was not able to trace minutely, though I am dispos- 
 ed to think it was of a square form. 
 
 E. 
 
 X 
 
 /' 
 
 
 / 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 P3 
 
 PS 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 ta 
 
 
 , 
 
 a 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 
 w.
 
 S4 
 
 In the smaller vault, or grave, a human skeleton 
 was found, wi-apt up in lead, but in a state of great- 
 er decay than it was represented to have been at the 
 first opening of the vault in February 1818, as 
 there were several holes in the lead, through which 
 the bones of the skeleton were quite apparent, of a 
 brownish colour ; — at the bottom there was a consi- 
 derable quantity of rubbish, to the depth of about 
 two or three inches, which, upon examinatioUj was 
 found to consist of the remains of a wooden coffin, 
 apparently of oak, in a very damp state : — None of 
 the pieces of wood were larger than two or three 
 inches, and quite decayed and soft. I carefully ex- 
 amined the whole of this rubbish, and particularly 
 under the hands, in expectation of being able to 
 discover any rings that might have been upon the 
 fingers, but without success, having only found two 
 or three iron nails with very broad heads which had 
 certainly been in the wooden coffin. The building 
 on the south side of the vault was carefully taken 
 down, in order to enable us to thrust under the body 
 and wrapper of lead, a wooden board of 1 8 inches 
 in breadth, and made very thin at the edge, by
 
 S5 
 
 which the whole was raised up, disturbing the ske- 
 leton as little as possible, and was carefully placed 
 upon the edge of the vault, in order to enable us to 
 inspect it more minutely. 
 
 The lead consisted of two separate and distinct 
 coverings, which had been wrapped round the body 
 like a sear-cloth, each about the eighth of an inch 
 thick ; the upper coat of lead was much decayed and 
 corroded, but the i^ier one was in better preserva- 
 tion. Both coats were broken in many places, and 
 were much depressed over the abdomen. That part 
 of it over the head was so firm and entire, that we 
 were obliged to saw it off to get at the skull, but 
 there were no remains of the rude crown which had 
 been observed at the first opening, it having probably 
 been carried off at that time by some of the spectators. 
 The whole being removed from over the body by 
 folding it back, the skull was taken up, and found 
 in a most perfect state, the os hyoides was entire, 
 and several cartilages of the larynx were visible, 
 from having, it is supposed, been ossified ; but all 
 the other cartilages of the body, the ligaments, ten-
 
 36 
 
 dons, and other softer parts were entirely gone. I 
 found a considerable quantity of water, upon thrust- 
 ing my finger into the foramen magnum, arising 
 from the dampness of the place. The whole teeth 
 in the under jaw were entire and in their places, but 
 there were four or five in the upper jaw wanting, 
 with a considerable fracture of the jaw-bone in 
 front, evidently occasioned by a blow, which the 
 King is supposed to have received in one of those 
 many extraordinary adventures W which he was ex- 
 posed in the early part of his life. 
 
 The skull, after being prepared, was given to Mr 
 Scoular, an artist of talent brought for the purpose, 
 who proceeded to make a cast of it in Paris plaster, 
 which he executed with great skill, as your Lord- 
 ships will perceive upon examining it. 
 
 The formation of this skull has many peculiarities, 
 which are explained in some remarks in the Appen- 
 dix by an able anatomist. ( Vide Appendix A.) 
 
 We then proceeded to examine the other bones
 
 37 
 
 of the skeleton, which we found in a perfect state, 
 in their natural position ; one of the vertebrae only 
 being separated from the corresponding one about 
 the distance of an inch. The whole were minutely 
 examined, and found in an entire and perfect state ; 
 and being accurately measured, the proportions were 
 as in the annexed plate, No. 2, from which it ap- 
 pears pretty clearly, that King Robert was a man of 
 about 5 feet 1 1 inches to 6 feet in stature. 
 
 But the most remarkable circumstance which we 
 observed upon examining the skeleton, was the state 
 of the sternum, which we found had been sawed 
 asunder longitudinally from top to bottom,* — the 
 most satisfactory evidence that it was the body of 
 King Robert Bruce ; as it proved beyond a doubt 
 that it had taken place previous to his interment, in 
 order to get at the heart, which, as already men- 
 tioned, he had directed to be carried by Douglas t6 
 the Holy Land, and which the ignorance of the ana*^ 
 
 * Vid^ Plate. 
 [ija] K
 
 S8 
 
 tomists of those days had made them perform, in or- 
 der to enable them to comply with their Sovereign's 
 last commands. 
 
 Upon the lead we found the fragments of the em- 
 broidered lineii cloth already mentioned, which was 
 now entirely reduced to fragments of not more than 
 a few inches in size, and so decayed that it could 
 hardly be touched without mouldering into dust ; it 
 had apparently been thrown loosely over the lead as 
 a shroud, after the body had been deposited in the 
 coffin. I took some of these fragments out, and 
 have preserved them, by placing them betwixt two 
 pieces of glass, closely secured at the edges, which 
 will give some faint idea of what the cloth once 
 was. 
 
 This cloth or shroud was evidently of fine linen, 
 interwoven with threads of gold, and not of silk ; as 
 has been ascertained from burning a small fragment 
 of it, which had not the slightest smell of burnt 
 silk, or any other animal substance, and most pro- 
 bably was of the same kind of cloth which, in our
 
 39 
 
 old records, is called Toldour, Toldore, and Twoldere, 
 most likely, as Dr Jameson remarks, a corruption of 
 French toile d'or, or cloth of gold. 
 
 From the state of this cloth, and indeed of the 
 lead, it is clear, that a very rapid decay of these had 
 arisen from the time it was first opened in 1818, 
 though it is not likely that any change had taken 
 place on the skeleton. 
 
 After this minute examination, the skeleton was 
 carefully wrapped up again in the lead covering, all 
 the bones being placed in their natural position, and 
 eady to be deposited in a large leaden coffin which 
 had been prepared to receive it. This coffin was 
 formed of strong sheet lead of half an inch thick, 
 seven feet long, two feet five inches broad, and two 
 feet in depth, and was placed close by the vault. 1 
 
 Into this coffin was first poured melted pitch, to 
 the depth of about four inches, and then the follow- 
 ing articles were deposited: 
 
 1
 
 40 
 
 Barbour's Life of Bruce, in black letter, 4to. edi- 
 tion of 1714', given for the purpose by the 
 Rev. Dr Jamieson. 
 
 Lord Haile's Annals of Scotland, 2 vols. 8vo. 
 
 Kerr's History of the Reign of King Robert, 
 2 vols. 8vo. 1811. 
 
 The History of Dunfermline, by the Rev. John 
 Fernie, 8vo. 1815. 
 
 The Edinburgh Almanack and Directory for 
 1819, with a variety of the Edinburgh News- 
 papers of the day. Together with the fol- 
 lowing Coins, of the Reign of His !BIajesty 
 King George the Third, 
 
 Gold. 
 
 1. One Guinea, 1798. 
 
 2, One Half do. 1791. 
 S. One do. do. 1802. 
 
 4. One Sovereign, 1817. 
 
 5. One Half do. 1817. 
 
 6. One Seven Shilling piece, ISIQ*. 
 
 7. One Quarter Guinea.
 
 41 
 
 Silver. 
 
 1. One Crown Piece, 1819. 
 
 2. One Half Crown, 1816. 
 
 3. One do. do. 1819. 
 
 4. One Shilling, 1816. 
 
 5. One ditto, 1819. 
 
 6. One ditto, 1787. 
 
 7. One Sixpence, 1787. 
 
 8. One ditto, 1816. 
 
 9. One ditto, 1819. 
 
 The coins were first put into a small copper box^ 
 and then enclosed in one of lead ; and all the other 
 articles were enclosed in leaden boxes closely se- 
 cured. 
 
 The skeleton was then placed upon the top of the 
 leaden coffin, resting upon the wooden board by 
 which it had been raised ; and in order to gratify 
 the curiosity of an immense crowd of people, who 
 were assembled on the outside of the church, the 
 south and north doors of the church were thrown 
 open, and the people were allowed to enter by the
 
 43 
 
 south door, passing along the side of the vault, and 
 retiring by the north ; which they did in the most de- 
 cent and orderly manner. As soon as the public curi- 
 osity was gratified, the vault was levelled to the floor, 
 which was also taken up arid laid level, and upon the 
 top of it was placed a bed of bricks laid in mortar, on 
 which, and in the exact situation in which the ske- 
 leton was found, the leaden coffin was placed, and 
 the body carefully deposited in it. It was then fdl- 
 ed up within two inches of the top with the melted 
 pitch, and the top soldered on ; Upon which was cast, 
 in raised letters, the following inscription, denoting 
 the year of the King's death, and of his re-interment. 
 
 KiHG RoBiRT Bruce. 
 13S9. 
 1S19.
 
 43 
 
 The sides of the vault were then built up with 
 bricks, the whole arched over, and a strong stone 
 wall, 18 inches thick, was built all round the brick 
 arch. 
 
 In the course of clearing out the rubbish of the 
 large outer vault, the workmen came upon a small 
 leaden box, 2 feet 6 inches in length, 9 inches in 
 breadth, and 5 inches in depth, lying about 1 1 feet 
 6 inches distant from the east end of the outer vault, 
 in a north-east direction from the tomb ; this we 
 carefully examined, and found in it, a considerable 
 quantity of a substance resembling lime, and a small 
 substance, from 6 to 8 inches in length, and 4 inches 
 in breadth, and about half an inch thick, of a tuff 
 and firm texture, apparently of animal substance ; 
 it was most probably the bowels of some person of 
 consideration, who had been buried in the church ; 
 but not likely those of King Robert, as it was found 
 at so great a distance from his tomb, and not even 
 within the outer vault already described ; but it was 
 judged proper to deposit it in the large leaden coffin, 
 along with the skeleton.
 
 44 
 
 I have thus endeavoured to describe, perhaps with 
 too gi'eat minuteness, the circumstances attending 
 the discovery of the tomb of King Robert Bruce ; 
 from which it does not appear that any doubt can 
 exist, that they were the remains of that illustrious 
 Prince which were then discovered ; but a circum- 
 stance afterwards occurred, which puts the matter 
 beyond the possibiHty of doubt. 
 
 The workmen, in the course of their operations, 
 a few days afterwards, (10th November,) found a 
 plate of copper, 5^ inches in length, and 4 in breadth, 
 and about one-eighth of an inch in thickness, with 
 holes at each corner for fixing it on the coffin, bear- 
 ing this inscription, " Robertus Scotorum Rea:," the 
 letters resemble those on the coins of this King. A 
 cross is placed under the inscription, with a mullet 
 or star in each angle, with the crown, precisely of 
 the form in those coins. It was found among the 
 rubbish which had been removed on the 5th, close 
 to the vault on the east side, and most probably had 
 been adhering to one of the stones of the vault, and 
 had thus escaped our notice at the time.
 
 j^'AO srmrJSJil ) 
 
 z' 
 
 
 JlVLJlT-fi in. 
 
 V/"///:jf ^f ///f////. 
 
 (. 
 
 r 
 
 y 
 
 77>r /V////' yrf/s f/rjt't'.v//rr/ Yr///> //'f 
 
 r y / 
 
 < ^ y^ '^// 
 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 iLlH^l.i«niniii of vyivibi'ifiuT.
 
 45 
 
 Immediately, upon this important fragment being 
 found, the chief Magistrate, Provost Wilson, very 
 obligingly sent it to me ; and, by your Lordships' di- 
 rections, it has been deposited in the Museum of 
 the Society of Scottish Antiquaries ; and an engrav- 
 ing has since been made of it from a very accurate 
 drawing, by James Skene, Esq. Vide Plate, No. 3. 
 
 That no expense had been spared to render this 
 tomb worthy of receiving the earthly remains of the 
 restorer of the Scottish monarchy, is sufficiently prov- 
 ed from the inspection of the Chamberlain Rolls, 
 where various items of the expenditure are mention- 
 ed, and from which it appears, that the monument 
 had been ordered by the King himself during his 
 long and tedious illness : That it was made in Paris, 
 and brought to this country by the way of Bruges. 
 I subjoin a few extracts taken from the record of 
 these different expenses. (Vide Appendix C.) 
 
 Unfortunately no trace of its form now remains ; 
 but that it had been extremely splendid there can be 
 no doubt ; and from being of foreign workmanship, it 
 [ija] M
 
 46 
 
 was probably beyond the skill of the Scottish artists 
 at that period. It must either have been pillaged 
 at the time of the Ileformation, or destroyed by the 
 falling ruins of the church ; — from the few frag- 
 ments that have been found, it appears to have been 
 formed of fine white and black marble, with various 
 ornaments cut in stone. A few of these have es- 
 caped the ravages of time, but so very few, that 
 from them no idea can be formed of the shape or size 
 of the monument. Directions were given, that the 
 fragments should be carefully preserved at Dunferm- 
 line ; but two small pieces of the marble ornaments 
 have been deposited in the Museum of the Society 
 of Scottish Antiquaries ; together with a small head, 
 cut in soft stone, which appears to have been in- 
 tended to represent the head of the King. The face 
 is unfortunately destroyed, but the crown on the 
 head, and the hair under it, are precisely of the form 
 and style represented in the coins. — These pieces of 
 marble still bear the marks of the gilding, of which 
 30 profuse a use was made, from the quantity men- 
 tioned in the Chamberlain Rolls, and said to have 
 been brought from Newcastle and York.
 
 jyi^^SUJiSJiLElSrT OF THE METF.LETOjy 
 
 j'jlat:b ml. o.
 
 EXPLANATION OF THE ANNEXED PLATE. 
 
 Vertical Measureinents. 
 
 1. Vertical distance from the vertex of the Head to the Symphysis of the 
 
 Chin, •.^^^»»..^»w«^»*»w.~w»^»^.,^,^»».„ ^^„ _^ Q 
 
 2- ■ distance from the vertex of the Head to the top of the Ster- 
 
 ^' ' distance from the vertex of the Head to the Symphysis of the 
 
 Os Pubis, ,^»»^»^v^v»»»^^»^ ^»^*^, .v»*^^v»»^v»^^»wv 3 
 
 4. Length of the whole figure, v^^>»,^.v^ 5 11 
 
 Transverse Measurements. 
 
 5. Transverse diameter of the Face between tlie Cheek Bones, ^ ^^ 5;^ 
 
 ^- — diameter between the heads of the Ossa Humeri, 1 4^ 
 
 '^^ superior diameter of the Pelvis between the crests of the 
 
 Ossa Ilium, 11^ 
 
 Measurements of Extremities. 
 8. Length from the Acromial Process of the Scapula to the Olecranon of 
 
 the Ulna, ^^» ^,^^^ j g 
 
 ^- from the Olecranon to the extremity of the Carpal bones, ^0 10 
 
 ^^' °f Metacarpal Bones, »^^.^^»>^,»»^.^„»^„^»^^,^^^»^,^^^,^^^„^^ 3 
 
 '1- from the crest of the Os Ilium to the top of the Patella, 1 7^ 
 
 12 from the top of the Patella to the concave side of the Meta- 
 tarsal Arch, »»%»»»»^»^»^»-..»^»^,»»^»,»^».,^»^^»»^^»^»»^»,,^»^^^^»^^,,^^„,^,^ 1 6r 
 
 Measurements of separate Bones. 
 
 13. Os Femoris, »-..»»»»»»»^v»»^»»^»^»^^»»«»^^^»^»»»»^»^»^^»^»»^,^^»^^^,^^ 1 51 
 
 14. Os Tibia;, »^.»»»»^^»,v^»,»»»^»^»^»^»»»»»»^ ^.»»»»»»^v^»»»»» » ^^ 1 3i 
 
 longest Rib, 10 
 
 (a) The Sternum, or Breast Bone, sawed through longitudinally, as de- 
 scribed at page 37. 
 
 2 
 
 NOTE. — The annexed engraving is to be considered as a diagram, intend- 
 ed to illustrate the measurements stated above, which were accurate- 
 ly taken from the real Skeleton, and not as a correct representation 
 of the dimensions of the skeleton of Kixg Robeet Bruce.
 
 47 
 
 Several years ago, a monument had been erected 
 to the memory of the late Earl of Elgin, (who died 
 in 1771,) in the immediate vicinity of the tomb of 
 King Bobert Bruce, and which, upon its interfering 
 with the plan of the new church, was, by the orders 
 of the present Earl, removed to another part of the 
 church-yard ; and the workmen, in the course of 
 their operations, came upon a stone vault, part of 
 which I saw in February 1818. Its appearance was 
 very similar in its construction to King Robert's, 
 but of smaller dimensions. — In this, I was told the 
 remains of a human skeleton were found ; and it has 
 even been asserted, that it was ascertained to be 
 that of a female. From the situation of this vault, 
 being wdthin a few feet of the outer one already de- 
 scribed, I am inclined to think it contained the re- 
 mains of King liobert's Queen, who, as Fordun says, 
 was placed J?/,rfa sponsum suum; but the skeleton 
 was removed from the place before I had an oppor- 
 tunity of seeing it. — A plan and section of it is de- 
 lineated in plate No. 2. 
 
 I cannot conclude this Report without humbly
 
 48 
 
 suggesting to your Lordships, that in order to pre- 
 serve these very interesting remains of antiquity, 
 a proper monument should be erected over the grave 
 of King Robert ; — that an inscription should be 
 placed on the wall of the transept, enumerating the 
 different sovereigns who were interred in that place ; 
 — and that some monument or inscription should be 
 erected over the tomb of King Malcom and Queen 
 Margarate, to whose pious zeal this ancient fabric 
 owed its origin. 
 
 I have been the more induced to submit this sug- 
 gestion to your Lordships' consideration, that in or- 
 der to designate the church as covering the grave 
 of our Patriot King, the heritors and magistrates 
 directed the architect, Mr Burn, to consider how 
 this could be marked externally ;• — and notwithstand- 
 ing the great cost of the building, they left it to 
 him, without restraint, to devise the manner of fi- 
 nishing the centre tower, in order to attain so de- 
 sirable an end. He has accordingly, with great 
 taste and genius, topped the pinacles of the tower 
 with royal crowns ; and in place of an ordinary bal-
 
 49 
 
 lustrade of Gothic architecture, he has contrived to 
 introduce the four words King Robert The Bruce on 
 the four sides, in large letters, capable of being read 
 at a considerable distance, yet with perfect symnie- 
 try, and good architectural effect. 
 
 The Heritors and Magistrates farther intend to 
 obtain from Mr Burn a design for a pulpit, calcu- 
 lated to adorn, and not to obscure or interfere with 
 the grave or sarcophagus which may be erected over 
 it, and which will no doubt be submitted to your 
 Lordships' consideration. Upon the whole, I can- 
 not but observe, that the attention and liberality 
 which has been shewn by this parish, to the pre- 
 servation and decoration of this interesting spot, me- 
 rits encouragement, and deserves much praise. 
 
 All which is submitted by, 
 
 HENRY JARDINE, 
 
 King's Remembrancer. 
 [ija] N
 
 APPENDIX A. 
 
 ANATOMICAL REMARKS on the SKULL, 
 
 by Robert Liston, Esq. Surgeon. 
 
 The division of the cranium behind the meatus au- 
 ditorius is large in proportion to that situated before 
 it. The skull is also remarkably wide and capa- 
 cious in that part ; whereas the forehead is ra- 
 ther depressed. The marks made by the origins of 
 the muscles on the sides of the head, as well as by 
 their insertions into the lower jaw, are remarkably 
 strong. The superior transverse ridge of the occi- 
 put, is also large, and such as is found only in sub- 
 jects who have employed great exertions with the 
 muscles of the back and neck. The other processes
 
 52 
 
 of the bones are also well marked. The ossa malae, 
 or cheek bones, are particularly strong and promi- 
 nent. The zygoma, or arch under which the tempo- 
 ral muscle passes, is wide ; and by this circumstance 
 we are assured (as in examining the heads of carnivo- 
 rous animals,) of the great strength and bulk of this 
 mass of flesh. There is a kind of mark on the right 
 side of the sagittal suture, most probably the conse- 
 quence of a severe injury, and of subsequent exfolia- 
 tion. The four incisors of the upper jaw are want- 
 ing ; and the loss of the left central, and two right 
 ones, seems to have been attended with considerable 
 fracture of the sockets. The left lateral one appears 
 to have dropped out at a later period, as part of the 
 alveoloer process is unabsorbed. The lower jaw is 
 remarkably strong and deep. This has always been 
 considered as a mark of strength ; and hence the 
 ancient sculptors, in their imaginary figures of the 
 divinities, have combined depth of this bone, along 
 with the shortness peculiar to youth. The ramus 
 rises almost perpendicularly from the base of the bone.
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN, AS INDICATED 
 
 BY THE SKULL, 
 
 BV 
 
 GEORGE COMBE, Esq. 
 
 ORGANS. 
 
 2. Amativeness, rather fulL 
 
 2. Love of children, large. 
 
 3. Inhabitiveness, moderate ; function not ascer- 
 
 tained. 
 
 4. Adhesiveness, large ; gives strong attachment. 
 
 5. Combativeness. ") C Bold, and prone 
 
 6. Destructiveness; J ' \ to anger. 
 
 [ija] O
 
 54} 
 
 7. Constructiveness, small. 
 
 8. Acquisiteness, or the desire for property, not 
 
 large. 
 
 9. Secretiveness, or the tendency to concealment 
 
 and savoirfaire, large. 
 
 10. Self-esteem, or pride, considerable ; but when 
 
 compared with the next organ, not out of 
 proportion. 
 
 11. Love of approbation, which gives the desire for 
 
 praise, and the sentiment of ambition, decid- 
 edly large. 
 
 12. Cautiousness, or circumspection, large. 
 IS. Benevolence, small. 
 
 14. Veneration, very large. ^ These give a tenden- 
 
 15. Hope, large. ) cy to religion. 
 
 16. Ideality, or poetical sentiment, small. 
 
 17. Conscientiousness, or the sentiment of justice, 
 
 small. 
 
 18. Firmness, or determination, large. 
 
 19. Individuality, or the power of observing facts, 
 
 full. 
 
 20. Form, large.
 
 55 
 
 uncertain. 
 
 21. Size, 
 
 22. Weight, 
 
 23. Colouring, 
 24-. Locality, or the power of estimating the locali- 
 ties and capabilities of places, large. 
 
 25. Order, moderate. 
 
 26. Time, uncertain. 
 
 27. Number, ") 
 
 28. Tune, j ™'''*'''"^- 
 
 29. Language, supposed rather large from his por- 
 
 trait, the cast does not shew it. 
 
 SO. Comparison, "| 
 
 ^. p ,. ^ or the reflective powers, small. 
 
 32. Wit, small. 
 
 33. Imitation, small. 
 
 34. Wonder, lying betwixt 33 and 16, small. 
 
 In the above head, the organs of the lower pro- 
 pensities common to man and animals, are very con- 
 siderably developed ; while the organs of the moral 
 sentiments, with the exception of Veneration and 
 Hope, not conspicuously large. The organs of the 
 Knowing Faculties are full. Their function is to
 
 56 
 
 give Perception, — in the phraseology of Dr Thomas 
 Brown, Simple Suggestion, — or, in common lan- 
 guage, Acuteness ; and especially Locality and Form 
 are large, which give the kind of tact called " a good 
 *' eye," or the power of estimating the bearings and 
 capabilities of places. 
 
 The organs of the Reflecting Faculties, (SO and 
 ol,) or those which give profundity and comprehen- 
 siveness of understanding, and which are indispensa- 
 ble to the moral and political philosopher, are de- 
 cidedly small. The general character di-awn from 
 the development would be this : — 
 
 The individual would possess great activity, cou- 
 rage, and determination, modified by prudence and 
 cautiousness. He would be acute in perceiving 
 what was presented to his mind, and decided in de- 
 termining on his course of action. But his view 
 would not be extensive : He would not see far be- 
 fore him what was to be the remote consequence of 
 his present doings. He would not be naturally 
 amiable ; but he would know how to please others
 
 5T 
 
 when his interests required him to do so. He would 
 be steady in his attachments, although he would not 
 always use his friends well. He would be disposed 
 to religion ; but his small portion of reflection and 
 benevolence, would give it a tendency to run into 
 superstitious observances. He would be fonder of 
 power than of money. 
 
 EXTRACTS 
 
 FROM 
 
 Illustrations of PHRENOLOGY, by Sir G. S. 
 Mackenzie, Bart, relative to the SKULL 
 of King Robert Bruce. ' - 
 
 Phrenology points out those qualities which must 
 belong to the being who is born to command ; and 
 
 [IJA] P
 
 on examining the skull of Bruce, we discover them, 
 although it does not appear that he was a man 
 above mediocrity in point of intellectual powers ; nor 
 do we find in history any proof that he did possess a 
 strong intellect, or could take extensive views before 
 he acted. Bruce possessed great courage, and as- 
 tonishing perseverance ; and it is evident from the 
 conformation of his head, that he felt the impulse 
 of ambition. Misfortunes did not make him swerve 
 from his purposes ; and we all know what miracles 
 may be wrought by long and steady perseverance in 
 the pursuit of one object 
 
 After freeing his country from a foreign yoke, the 
 subsequent conduct of Bruce, in administering the 
 government, was remarkable, more from the checks 
 which he gave to the loose marauding habits of his 
 people, and for his attempts to restore order, than 
 for any display of uncommon wisdom in regulating 
 institutions already existing, or in forming othei-s, 
 by which the condition of the country might be per- 
 manently improved. On examining his skull, we 
 find, that while it indicates but middling talent, it
 
 69 
 
 exhibits all the qualities of the Leader and War- 
 rior ; — qualities which, in the time of Bruce, were 
 more admired than any others which fall to the lot 
 of man. We see Courage largely developed, and 
 Firmness in great proportion ; as well as Love of Ap- 
 probation and Self-esteem. Destructiveness too is 
 large ; and there is no doubt that Gumming fell by the 
 hand of Bruce. No. 9, (Secretiveness,) so necessary 
 to a man who undertakes the management of public 
 afFaii's, is also large ; but the sense of justice, even 
 when 11, (Love of approbation,) and 6, (Destructive- 
 ness,) were inactive, seems to have been scarcely suf- 
 ficient to guide him in the path of rectitude. Ve- 
 neration is well marked ; but Benevolence is not 
 particularly prominent. The former led him to re- 
 gret that he had not accompHshed his purpose of 
 visiting the Holy Land, and to direct that his heart 
 should be carried thither after his death. 
 
 At this moment, when a sort of enthusiasm has 
 been kindled for the memory of Bruce, such an es- 
 timate of his character may lead many to think that 
 our system is faulty ; and from its being difficult to
 
 60 
 
 iiake them believe, that a, hero may be both a bad 
 man and not remarkably clever ; that Bruce was 
 neither very superior in intellect nor in generosity ; 
 not very strictly just or merciful. No. 9, (Secre^ 
 tiveness,) 11, (Love of Approbation,) and 12, (Cau- 
 tiousness, or Fear,) may have led him to do great and 
 generous actions when they seemed necessary to 
 clear his way ; but if the skull found be really that 
 of Bruce, of which there is no reason to doubt, it is 
 certain, that whatever his conduct may have been> 
 his feelings were those of a man of quick percep- 
 tion, whose courage was equal to his ambition ; his 
 perseverance equal to his confidence in his prowess ; 
 his ferocity of temper subservient to these ; and his 
 intelligence no greater than to be sufficient to enable 
 him to know how to manage the Scotch as they 
 then were, and to make his own use of the name 
 and character of a hero, who had conquered the 
 enemies of his country. He has been celebrated 
 for nothing else ; and no acts are ascribed to him 
 to mark him as a being possessed of superior wisdom, 
 or of a character particularly amiable.
 
 APPENDIX C. 
 
 EXTRACTS from the CHAMBERLAIN 
 
 ROLLS. 
 
 Clericus Liberationis, m.ccc.xxix. 
 Compotum Johannis de Dunfermlin Clerici liber- 
 ationis domus domini nostri regis, Redditum 
 apud Sconam. 
 
 Et Johanni de Lithcu pro expensis faciendis circa 
 sepulturam regis xix li. de quibus respon debit. 
 
 [ux] Q
 
 62 
 
 Idem onerat se de xxiii petris et dimidio cere de 
 Camerario, quas liberavit Johanni de Lithcu, et 
 sic eque, 
 
 Cindo. Memorandum, quod de Cindone et libris aureis 
 liberatis per Camerarium, receptis per empcionem, 
 liberantur Johanni de L.ithcu, v begynis cindonis, 
 et V libri foliorum aureorum, pro luminari et appara- 
 tu sepulture regis : Et Thomse Armoure, xxiiii 
 begynis et dimidium ulne : Et totum residuum circa 
 herciam, et vestimenta circa altare, preter novem 
 beginis et tres libros aureos remanentes penes sacris- 
 tam de Donfermlin. 
 
 Computat in solutione facta pro vestimentis et co- 
 fris, et uno coopertorio lecti ad opus domini regis, 
 viii li. viii d. Et Thome de Carnoto pro tumbis 
 domini regis faciendis apud Parisios, Ixvi li. xiii s. 
 iiii d. de quibus respondebit. 
 
 Johanni Apotecario de dono regis, xiiii li. xiii s. 
 iiii d. Et eidem pro feodo suo xviii li.
 
 6S 
 
 Johanni Apotecario de mandato regis, Ixvi s. viii d. 
 Et eidem pro una roba, xxvi s. viii d. 
 
 Cimentario tumbarum pro vadiis suis, et curiali- 
 tate sibi facta per custodem, per certum computum 
 habitum cum domino Waltero de Twynham, xxxviii 
 li. xii s. 
 
 Et Ricardo Barber de anno precedente, pro dictis 
 tumbis, xiii li. vi s. viii d. 
 
 Et operario tumbarum pro naulo dictarum tumba- 
 rum, et pro expensis suis de Parisiis usque Bruges, et 
 in Anglia et alibi usque Donfermelin, xii li. x s. 
 
 Et in empcione duorum equorum pro lectisternio 
 portando, x li. xiii s. iiii d. Et pro bordis de Est- 
 landia emptis pro capella facta super corpus domini 
 regis, die sepulture sue, xl s. 
 
 Et domino David de Berclay pro expensis suis
 
 64f 
 
 apud Donfermelin, tempore quo fuit Provisor circa 
 sepulturam domini regis, xxviii li. 
 
 Et Abbati de Donfermelin pro oblatione die sepul- 
 ture regis, per finem factum, Ixvi li. xiii s. iiii d. 
 
 Et rectori ecclesie de Cardros, pro oblatione ipsum 
 contingente de sepultura domini regis, xx li. 
 
 Idem computat in solutione facta Henrico de 
 Driden pro anima regis, in partem recompensationis 
 dampnorum que sustinuit, ratione feodi sui centum 
 solidorum de multuris molendinorum de Munros 
 subtractis per Dominum David de Grahame, c. s. Et 
 Brymbill ex elemosina pro anima regis, vi s. viii d. 
 
 Et in empcione mille centum foliorum aureorum 
 emptorum apud Novum castrum et Eboracum. — 
 Sexies centum foliorum aureorum bipartitorum, cum 
 papiro et una cista pro eisdem imponendis. — Septem 
 Begynis et quinque ulnis Cindonis, una cum expensis 
 factis circa eadem, pro sepultura domini regis, vii li. 
 xvi s. iii d.
 
 65 
 
 Et in empcione qiiatuor peciarum Cindonis, mille 
 qiiingentorum foliorum aureorum liberatorum Tas- 
 kyno Armatori, pro sepultura domini regis, vi li. vi s. 
 vii d. 
 
 Et Johanni de liithqu per literam circa sepul-Cera. 
 turam domini regis, iiii^ Ixxviii petrge, et iiii li- 
 brae; Et ridem ob eandem causam, iiii*^ iiii pe- 
 trae et i libra. 
 
 Compota Camerarii m.ccc.xxx. 
 
 Compotum Domini Malcolmi Fleming Senes- 
 calli domus domini regis, a 27 Februarij 1S29, ad 
 10 Januarij sequentem. 
 
 Et pro vestura Senescalli et sociorum suorum ad Panni. 
 funus domini regis, i peciam (panni.) 
 
 turn. 
 
 Militibus pro vestura circa funus regis, iii surtu- Buge 
 nicas, et ii capucia de nigro bugeto. 
 
 Johanni de Lessyduyn pro roba sua convention- 
 ata, pro factura ferrorum circa tumbam regis, XX s.
 
 66 
 
 Et in factura ferrorum circa tumbara domini nos- 
 tri regis defuncti, preter unam robam alibi allocatam, 
 xxi li. viii s. ii d. 
 
 Et pro uno dolio vini empto et dato fratribus pre- 
 dicatoribus de Perth, pro anima regis, Ixvi s. viii d. 
 
 -ri 
 
 Compotum 25 Junu 1330. 
 
 Et pro quibusdam expensis circa funus domini nos- 
 tri regis factis apud Donypas et Cambuskynneth, de 
 quibus expensis Vicecomes de Strivelin habet reddere 
 rationem, xiiii li. xiii s. iiii d. 
 
 Farina. Et septem pauperibus pro anima regis, per unum 
 (annum) finitum ad festum Sancti Petri ad vincula, 
 vii celdre ix boUe et tercia pars unius bolle. 
 
 Compotum 12 Marcij 1330. 
 
 Frumen- Et domino Malcolmo Flemyng ad obsequia do- 
 mini regis, V bolle iii firlote. 
 
 ti 

 
 67 
 
 Clericus Coquine. 
 
 Domino Malcolmo Fleming ad obsequia domini Muiton- 
 regis apud Dunfermlin, Ix (multones.) 
 
 Compotum redditum 14 Marcii 1330. 
 
 Et Abbati de Dunfermelin, pro pecunia sibi debi- 
 ta ratione funeris domini regis defuncti, Ixvi li. xiii 
 s. iiii d. 
 
 Et fratribus predicatoribus de Berwic, ex consider- 
 atione auditorum compotorum, pro anima regis de- 
 functi, pro una celdra frumenti et una celdra brasei, 
 
 .... ». 
 im li. 
 
 Compotum Camerarii 14 Dec. m.cccxxxi. 
 
 Et septem pauperibus pro anima regis, de anno Yuiat. 
 hujus compoti fmito ad festum Sancti Petri quod di- 
 citur ad vincula proxime futurum, vi celdre ix. bol- 
 le et iii pars unius boUe. 
 
 HAV, GJLL, 4 Cu. Printer!, EdinJburgk.
 
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