stirling-1963-vol-1/05_182

Transcription

No. 137 -- ECCLESIASTICAL MONUMENTS -- No. 137
mediaeval Scottish effigies, but one or two examples
occur in Northern England, e.g. at Lowthorpe, Yorkshire,
while a rather closer parallel is provided by an effigy
which is preserved in the Musée des Antiquaires de
l'Ouest at Poitiers. The Airth figure has been ascribed
to the first third of the 14th century and is considered
to be a product of a Yorkshire or Durham workshop. ¹
Four detached fragments are preserved within the
church and lie close to the N. wall of the nave. (i) A
carved panel (Pl. 34 C), now rather worn, measuring
1 ft. by 1 ft. 9 in. and containing, within and ogival-
headed recess, a shield with helm, wreath and crest, the
last now unidentifiable, and, for supporters, two wood-
houses. The shield is charged: A saltire and chief, with
a mullet in dexter chief, the achievement evidently
representing one of the Bruces of Airth. It is uncertain
whether the stone derives from the castle or from the
church. (ii) A crudely carved female head set upon a
square base, the whole measuring 7 in. by 10 in. The
stone is probably of 17th-century date. (iii) A carved
panel (Pl. 34 A) which measures 1 ft. 3 in. by 1 ft. 2 in.
and contains a shield within an ornamental border. The
shield bears a heart, pierced by three Passion nails,
and above it the same initials, IL and MP, as appear
on the Logan monument in the graveyard (infra). (iv) A
well-preserved stone (Pl. 34 B) measuring 2 ft. by 1 ft.
8 in. which evidently at one time formed the upper half
of a mural recess, perhaps a piscina. The recess is 6 in.
deep and has a cusped ogival head outlined by a moulded
border. Two recessed shields are carved in the spandrels,
that to the dexter charged: A saltire bearing a mullet,
in dexter chief a mullet, and that to the sinister: A
woman's head and neck, in chief three mullets. The
hair is shown as upswept and the stone is of late
mediaeval date; but while the dexter coat is probably
that of a member of the family of Bruce of Airth, the
significance of the sinister one is uncertain.

GRAVE-SLABS IN THE ELPHINSTONE AISLE. An interest-
ing set of seven heraldic grave-slabs, dating from 1593 to
1638, lie side by side on the floor of the Elphinstone
Aisle. Inscriptions and heraldry are in relief except in
the case of (vi), where both are incised; five of the
inscriptions are cut partly round the margins of the slabs
and partly on the central spaces, and on (i), (ii) and (iv)
the beginning of the inscription is marked by a pointing
hand. The relief lettering is good. The slabs are described
below in their chronological order.
(i) Robert Bruce. This shield is flanked by the
initials RB and charged: A saltire and chief. The
inscription runs round the margin, continues below the
opening line on returning to the head, and finishes
below the shield; it reads HEIR LYIS [ROB] ERT /
BRVCE SERVITOVR TO A [L] EXANDER LOR / D
ELPHINSTON / THAT VAS SLAINE IN PINKIE
FEILD / QVHA IN THE H / OVS OF ELP / HINSTONE
SERVIT THE SPA / CE OF THRIE / SCOIR AVGHT /
ZERIS / AND DEIT THE / LAST DAY OF / NOVEMBER /
1593 ZERIS.
(ii) John Drummond. This slab (Pl. 44 B) bears a
raised shield flanked by the initials ID and charged:
A fess undy, in centre chief a mullet. Above the shield,
and to the dexter of the central line, appears a small
roundel. The inscription begins at the top dexter corner,
runs round the margin, continues below the top line and
finishes below the shield. It read HEIR LYIS ANE /
VOR [T] HY GENTIL MANE CALIT IOHNE DRVMOND /
SONE TO GD OF / BLAIR AND SERVITOVR TO YE
ERL OF HVN / TILYE [uninscribed space] / QVI OBIIT
IN ELPHINSTONE / 18 DIE MENSIS / OCTOBRIS /
AD 1593.
(iii) Lady Elizabeth Leslie (Pl. 44 A). The shield
occupies the head of the slab and is charged: Quarterly,
1st and 4th, a lion passant, 2nd and 3rd, three buckles
on a bend. The lions are upside down. This coat may be
compared with that of Leslie, Earl of Rothes, though
the quarters are reversed. The shield is flanked by the
initials EL, and below it is the inscription ELIZABETHA /
LESLY OLIM DO / MINA LVGTO / VNE OBIIT 4 /
NOVEMBRIS / ANNO DOMI / NI 1597 / AETATIS
AVTEM / SVAE 61. Lady Elizabeth Leslie was the
daughter of George, 4th Earl of Rothes, by his third
wife, Agnes Somerville. She married Patrick Crichton,
younger of Lugton. ²
(iv) Robert, 3rd Lord Elphinstone. The arrangement
here is similar to that of (i) above, but the shield is in a
blank space on the upper part of which the inscription
fades out. The shield is charged: A chevron between
three boars' heads erased, and about it are set the
initials L / RE, for Lord Robert Elphinstone. The
inscription, which is badly mutilated along the sinister
margin of the slab, reads HEIR LYIS A [N / E NO] BLE
L [ORD ROBER] T LOR [D ELPHINS] / T [OVN] WHO
DEIT / YE XV [I] I OF MAY 1602 [Z] EIRIS OF THE
AIG / E OF LXX [?] / ZEIRIS & --
(v) Lady Jane Livingstone. Shield and inscription
are here arranged as on (i) above, except that the shield
is placed below the terminal line of the inscription. The
shield, which is much wasted, is charged: Quarterly,
1st and 4th, three gillyflowers; 2nd and 3rd, a barrulet
between six billets; over all an inescutcheon, now
illegible. About the shield are set the initials D / IL,
for Dame Jane Livingstone. The inscription, which is de-
fective owing to damage to the sinister margin of the slab,
reads HEIR LYIS A [NE] / H [ONOVRABL] E GVID [???]
AND VERTE [V] S / [L] ADY IANE L [IVI] NG / STOVNE
LADYE ELPH [IN] STOVNE VHO D [E] IT / YE XV OF
SEPT /EMBER 1621 / ZEIRIS OF YE / AIGE OF LXI
ZE [I] RIS. This lady was the daughter of William, 6th
Lord Livingstone, and wife of Alexander, 4th Lord
Elphinstone, whose tomb is noted below.
(vi) Sir Michael Elphinstone. This slab is fitted
with two iron rings and has been broken irregularly

1 The Commissioners wish to acknowledge the help given
by Mr. Lawrence Stone of Wadham College, Oxford, and
Dr. G. Zarnecki of the Courtauld Institute, both in suggesting
the date for the Airth effigy and for drawing attention to
comparative examples.
2 The Scots Peerage, vii, 291.

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