[MR] Wikipedia: Melrose Abbey

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots

It seems to have been a slow week in history, and I've had little fodder
for comments here. So this morning I was casting about for something to
share and felt Melrose Abbey would be an interesting topic. A Scottish
topic, of course.

The current abbey was founded in 1136 as a Cistercian House in
Roxburghshire just north of the Scottish-English border. It replaced Old
Melrose, a nearby ruined abbey founded by St. Aiden of Lindesfarne, and
where St. Cuthbert received his monastic training. Over the years, Melrose
II grew into one of the great monastic houses of Scotland. The tomb of St.
Waltheof made Melrose one of Scotland's major pilgrimage destinations.

Melrose was right in the crosshairs of invading English armies, and was
several times sacked, burned or otherwise vandalized. Today it is a
picturesque ruin managed by Historic Environment Scotland:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melrose_Abbey .

Melrose is supposedly where King of Scots Robert the Bruce's heart is
buried. Melrose was one of the King's favorite churches, and he paid to
have the abbey rebuilt after it was trashed by the English in the First
Scottish War of Independence. In penance for his part in the 1306 murder of
his rival John Comyn in Greyfriars Church, Dumfries, The Bruce promised the
Pope he would crusade in the Holy Land. The press of Royal Business meant
he never fulfilled this vow. On his deathbed in 1329, The Bruce instructed
his followers to cut out his heart and take it on crusade. His men did as
told, but found a convenient war in Spain instead, where they joined in
fighting against the Moors at Teba. Surrounded by their enemies, Sir James
Douglas is said to have thrown the heart (in a reliquary) at the Moors with
an oath, and led his men on a suicidal charge. The heart was later
recovered by surviving Scots, and returned for burial at Melrose as the
King had requested. A lead container thought to contain the heart was found
during restoration in 1921. It was unearthed again in 1998 and reburied
under a suitable monument.

Melrose Abbey is also thought to have been the burial site for the famous
astrologer, mathematician, philosopher (and alleged wizard) Michael Scot
(1175-1232): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Scot .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆