east-lothian-1924/05-209

Transcription

TRANENT.] -- HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. -- [TRANENT.

In the north transept there is a tomb recess
beneath the gable window. The head is
segmental and is wrought with heavy and very
coarse filleted rolls and flanking hollows. On
the jambs are equally coarse filleted shafts and
flanking hollows with moulded capitals and bell-
shaped bases.
On the blank east wall is an ornate Renais-
sance mural monument to " James Ogilvie of
Birnes 1618," who married Beatrix, fourth
daughter of George, sixth Lord Seton, and died
on 29th January 1617. The date 1618 possibly
records the erection of the monument. The
finials of the entablature are surmounted by
the Seton crescents and in the tympanum are
the undernoted armorial bearings. The main
shield is quartered, the 1st and 4th quarters
bear a lion passant regardant, crowned (Ogilvie)
2nd and 3rd three papingoes two and one
(Hume of Fast Castle), while an inescutcheon
at fess also quartered has 1st and 4th a lion
rampant surmounted of a ribbon (for
Abernethy), 2nd and 3rd three piles (Wishart).
Above the achievement is the motto EX
VNGVIBVS LEONEM. (" From the claws [one
knows] the lion.")
A row of beam holes has been cut on the
east wall of both transepts. Similar mortises
are found in other churches which have been
put to secular uses, as Seton was. The south-
eastern internal angle of the north transept
deserves notice; the basement course of the
choir is continued for a short distance along
the east wall, as though the angle had termin-
ated originally in a buttress; the lower member
of the basement course returns along the
north-eastern pier of the crossing.
The south transept has, beneath the gable
window, an arched tomb recess with a semi-
circular head, on which are wrought filleted roll
and flanking hollow mouldings. In the east
wall is an ornate piscina with an ogival head,
which was originally filled with cusping (fig. 27).
The outer member of the head is crocketed and
on either side of the jambs is a buttress with a
gableted, crocketed and pinnacled top stopp-
ing on and incorporated in a horizontal band
of continuous ornament surmounting the whole.
The basin, which is circular, appears to have
no outlet. On each side of it is a circular
depression 2 3/4 inches in diameter, in which
probably the cruets were set. The projecting

118

portion of the basin is corbelled out from the
wall and is carved with a winged grotesque
with pointed ears.
Adjoining this piscina is an elaborate Re-
naissance mural monument of freestone and
marble, which has been covered with poly-
chromatic decoration (fig. 3). The monument
is to the memory of James, First Earl of Perth,
who married Lady Isabel Seton, daughter of
Robert first Earl of Winton, and died at Seton in
1611. In the tympanum is a shield with helm,
mantling and supporters, the dexter being a
savage, sinister, a unicorn chained ; the shield
is charged per pale : dexter, three wavy bands
for Drummond ; sinister, the Seton arms
quartered with three garbs (Cumming). An
inescutcheon is charged with the royal arms
of Scotland. These coats are repeated on
separate shields, each surmounted by a coronet,
on either side of the missing central panel.
In a description of these mural monuments
in the Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot. vol. xxii., p. 178
it is stated that the central panel, which is
now missing, was of marble and was inscribed
" Conditum hic est quicquid mortale fuit
Jacobi Drummond, familiæ principis, quique
primus familiam titulo Perthiam (sic) comi-
tatus illustravit. Monumentum hoc posuit
amantissima et maestissima conjunx D. Isabell
Setoun Roberti Wentoniæ unica. An . Sal . . "
Below the panel were two kneeling figures ; a
fragment of the male figure lies in the choir.
The rounded marble cushioning towards the
base is divided by a freestone strap bearing
beneath an earl's coronet initials in monogram,
of which the letters are I. D. E. P. S. C., for
James Drummond Earl of Perth, Isabella
Seton Countess. The cushioning bears the
epitaph composed by Wm. Drummond of
Hawthornden

" IN STEED OF EPITAPHES AND AIRYE PRAISE
THIS MONVMENT A LADYE CHASTE DID RAISE
TO HER LORD'S LIVING FAME AND AFTER
DEATH
HER BODYE DOTH VNTO THIS PLACE BEQVEATH
TO REST WITH HIS TILL GOD'S SHRILL TRVMPET
SOVND
THOGH TYME HER LYF NO TYME HER LOVE
CAN BOVND."

The mural monuments originally stood in the
choir.