Drostán, from beginning to end, in freedom from mormaer and from toisech to (the) day of judgment.

The clause translated by the words in Roman type is written with ink of a different colour from that used in the previous part of the entry,—at a later time, and after the succeeding entry had been engrossed. This may be seen by referring to Plate V., where it will be observed that the writing of the words in question is closer than the rest of the entry, and that its conclusion is carried above the line, the space below having previously been filled up. Cathal, who, as we have seen, had already mortified his share as toisech in certain subjects previously dedicated to Drostan, is now associated with Domnall and Cathal in "freeing" other subjects from the claims of mormaer and toisech. Domnall and Cainnech seem to have been mormaers, or at least in right of the mormaer's dues, so as to be entitled to surrender them.

Gartnait mac cannech acus éte ingengillemíchel dóratsat pet mec cóbrig ricosecrad éclasi críst acus petir abstoil acus docolumcille acus dodrostan sér ónáhulib dolodib cónánascad dócormac éscob dunicallenn ínócmad blíádin rígi da[bid] Testibus istis néctan escob abb[erdeon] acus léot áb brecini acus máledonn mac meic bead acus álgune mac árcill acus rúadri mórmaer márr acus matadin brithem acus gillecríst mac córmaic acus malpetir mac domnaill acus domongart ferleginn turbruad. acus gillecolaim mac muredig. acus dubni mac málcolaim.

Gartnait son of Cainnech, and Ete daughter of Gille Michel, gave Pett mac Cobrig for (the) consecration of a church of Christ and Peter (the) apostle both to Columcille and to Drostún free from all the exactions, with the gift of them to Cormac Bishop of Dunkeld in the eighth year of David's reign. Testibus istis Nectán Bishop of Aberdeen, and Leot Abbot of Brechin, and Maledonn son of Mac Be[th]ad, and Algune, son of Arcell, and Ruadri, mormaer of Marr, and Matadin the brehon, and Gillechrist son of Cormac, and Maelpetir son of Domnall, and

1 A later brehon of the province, Farhard,“ judex de Buchan," witnesses a charter of William, Earl of Buchan, to Cospatrick Mac Madethyn (Registr. Episcop. Aberd.vol.

i. p. 14); and Ferchard is one of three "judices" who were present at a perambulation of the lands of Tarves in A.D. 1236. -(Registr. de Aberbrothoc, p. 161.)

Domongart ferleighin of Turriff, and Gillecolaim son of Muredach, and Dubni son of Maelcolaim.

This entry is probably the abstract of a written grant, dated A.D. 1131-32, but the transaction retains the appearance of the earlier unwritten gift, and seems to have been completed at a great gathering of the country, probably held on the Moot Hill at Ellon, where, as we shall see, a similar gift was afterwards made at a like meeting.

On the release of the lands from all exactions, and the gift of them to Cormac, Bishop of Dunkeld, some remarks will be found in connection with the general subject of burdens in a subsequent chapter ("Celtic Polity.") Among the witnesses we find Nectan, the first bishop of the see of Aberdeen, on its foundation or translation from Mortlach about the year 1125; and Leot or Leod, Abbot of Brechin, was one of the lay abbots of that place, by whom, and by Dovenald his grandson, also abbot, portions of the church property were alienated.'

Dorat gartnait acus ingengillemicel ball domin ipet ipáir docrist acus docolimcilli acus dodrostan, Teste gille calline sacart acus feradac mac málbhricin acus málgirc mac tralin.

Gartnait and [Ete] the daughter of Gillemichel gave Ball-Domín in Pet Ipair to Christ and to Columcille and to Drostan. Witness, Gillecaline, priest, and Feradach, son of Malbhricin, and Maelgirc, son of Tralin.

No spot in the district now corresponds with the name of the place here granted.

Acus bennact inchomded arcecmormar acus arcectosech chomallfas acus dansíl daneis.

1 Registr. de Dunfermelyn, p. 8; Registr. Episcopat. Brechinen. vol. i. p. 3; Registr. Vet. de Aberbrothoc, p. 49.

And the Lord's blessing on every mormaer and on every toisech who shall fulfil (this), and to their seed after them.

This invocation, which is on the upper margin of the illumination of St. Matthew (Plate VI.), appears to have been written at a different time and by a different hand from the entries on the previous folios.

The side marginal entries on Plates VI. and VII. (fols. 4 b and 5), beginning with the grants of Donchad, son of Mac Bead, and ending with that of Colbain, the mormaer, seem to have been written at one time. The last two lines at the bottom of Plate VI., granting freedom from the toisech, have been inserted after the other writing. On the upper margin of Plate VII. have been written the words, “in nomine scte Trinitatis," which have been partially pared off in binding the volume.

Donchad mac mec bead mec hídid dorat acchad madchor docrist acus dodrostan acus do choluimchille in sóre gobrád malechi acus cómgell acus gille crist mac fingúni innaíenasi intestus. acus malcoluim mac molini.

Donchad, son of Mac Bethad, son of Hided, gave Achad Madchor to Christ and to Drostán and to Columcille in freedom for ever: Malechi and Comgell and Gillechrist, son of Fingune in witness thereof, in testimony, and Maelcoluim son of Moline.

The lands in this grant are obviously those of Auchmachar lying about three miles north-west from the church of Deer.

Cormac mac cennedig dorat goníge scáli merlec.

Cormac son of Cennedig gave as far as Scale Merlech.

The place here indicated is that now known as Skillymarno, a farm about a mile beyond Auchmachar to the north.

Comgell mac cáennaig taesec clande canan dorát docrist acus dodrostán acus dócholuim cille gonige ingort lie mór igginn infius isnesu daldín alenn ódabací gólurchári et arsliab acus achad issaere othesseach cubráth acus abennacht arcachhén chomallfas araes cubrath acus amallact arcachén ticfa ris.

Comgell, son of Caennech, toisech of Clan Canan, gave to Christ and to Drostan,

and to Columcille as far as the Gort lie mór (Great-rock field) at (the) hither (?) end which is nearest to Aldin Alenn from Dobaci to Lurchari both mountain and field in freedom from toisech for ever; and his blessing on every one who shall fulfil (this) after him, and his curse on every one who shall go against it.

The lands here conveyed adjoined those of Aden (of old Alneden), which lie along the river Ugie eastward from the church; but from the additional description, "both mountain and field,” I infer that they must have comprehended part of the high ground at Pitfour. The granter was toisech of the Clan Canan.

Robhaid colbain mormær búchan acus eua ingen garnait abenphústa acus donnachac mac sithig toesech clenni morgainn nahuli edbarta rí día acus ridrostán acus ria columcilli acus rí petar apstal onahulib dolaidib archuit cetri dabach do ni thíssad arardmandaidib alban cucotchenn acus arardchellaib . testibus his brocin et cormac abb turbrúaid et morgunn mac donnchaid acus gilli petair mac donnchaid acus malæchín acus da mac matni acus mathe buchan huli naíaidnaisse in helain.

Colbáin, mormaer of Buchan, and Eva, daughter of Gartnat, his wedded wife, and Donnachac, son of Sithech, toisech of Clann Morgainn, immolated all the offerings to God and to Drostán and to Columcille and to Peter the apostle from all the burthens for a share of four davochs of what would come on the chief residences [monasteries] of Scotland generally and on chief churches. Testibus his Broccin, and Cormac, Abbot of Turbruaid, and Morgunn, son of Donnchad, and Gille Petair, son of Donnchad, and Malaechin and Matne's two sons, and the nobles of Buchan, all in witness hereof in Elan.

This solemn mortmaining of all the offerings was executed by Colban, who was mormaer through his marriage with Eva, the daughter of Gartnat, the previous mormaer. Eva, "his wedded wife," joined in it, and the toisech of Clann Morgainn. Some remarks on the exception from the release from burdens, and the expressions "chief monasteries" and "chief churches," will be found in the chapter No. IV., "Celtic Polity."

h

The act took place at Ellon, which was of old the capital of the province and earldom of Buchan, at a meeting of the officials, and "good men" or proprietors of the district. This was doubtless held on the Moothill, a green mount at Ellon on the banks of the Ythan, where the Earls of Buchan administered justice and took investiture of their great fief.

One obvious inference may be drawn from the grants now recited-namely, that the annexation of the province to the Crown did not infer the uprooting of the primitive state of society, or the destruction of the early proprietary of the soil, for it is clear that the population and institutions of Buchan were wholly Celtic in the time of David I., and that the influences which led to a change in both must be traced to a later time, and to a concurrence of causes gradually working out their issues throughout the kingdom.

On two blank pages of the Book of Deer (folios 28 b and 29; Plates X. XI.) is written in a somewhat later hand than the colophon, the concluding portion of an office for the Visitation of the sick.1

It agrees in character with two similar offices for the visitation of the sick which are found in the Book of Dimma and the Book of Moling, two early copies of the Gospels in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

In a luminous notice and a careful collation of the three offices by the Bishop of Brechin, it has been shown that they all belong to the Ephesine family of offices, thus establishing the very important and interesting fact of the Gallican origin of the liturgy of the

1 The office is printed at p. 89, et seq.

2 Liber Ecclesie Beati Terrenani de Ar

buthnott. Preface, pp. x-xxiv. Burntisland, 1864.