CHAPTER VIII.

Of the Culdees of Brechin.-Whether they merely constituted the Episcopal Chapter ?—Of those at Dunblane.—Of the supposed Foundation at Muthel.-Of that of Monimusk.-Culdees at Portmoak,-Scone,-Kirkcaldy,-Culross,-Mailros.

THAT Brechin was, in an early age, a distinguished seat of the Culdees, appears from what we find in the Pictish Chronicle: This is he who gave the great city of Brechin to the Lord." In this manner does the ancient writer point out our Scottish king Kenneth, commonly reckoned the third of that name, who began to reign in the

I

year 970.

In a work lately published, it is said: "That there was a bishop established among the Culdees at Brechin, before the erection of the bishopric, by David I., is certain from his

'Hic est qui tribuit magnam civitatem Brechne Domino. Innes's Essay, Append. p. 788.

charter of erection, which was granted, Episcopo, et Kelledeis, in ecclesia de Breichen. Dalrymple's Coll. p. 219. [leg. 249."]' But, undoubtedly, the mode of expression used proves nothing more than that from this time there was a bishop here. When David granted a charter, erecting Brechin into a bishopric, it may naturally be supposed, that he had previously fixed on one to fill this station; and that he gave him the title, as was frequently done, before his actual instalment. At any rate, from an ancient charter, granted before the erection of the bishopric, it may be presumed that the Culdees here had only an abbot among them. For I will not carry the matter so far as Sir James Dalrymple does, who, in the very passage referred to, reasons thus: "In the charter of Balchristin,-amongst the witnesses is Leodus Abbas de Breichen; which is a clear evidence that at that time Brechin was not erected into a bishopric, and that Leod was abbot there." "

"At Brechin," says our industrious and learned antiquary Goodall, "the Culdees continued yet much longer," than they had done at Dunblane," to be the dean and chapter. Bricius their prior is a witness to some of Turpin's charters; and after him Prior Mallebride attests divers charters by the Bishops Turpin, Ralph, Hugh, and Gregory. The designation given him by the bishops is Prior Keledeorum nostrorum, 'Prior of our Culdees,' or Prior of Brechin;' and sometimes only Prior. The Culdees, like other chapters of epis

'Caledonia, 1. 430, Note (y).

2

Collections, p. 249.

U

copal sees, gave confirmations of charters granted by their bishops, some of which are still extant," &c. '

From what is here said, one would naturally conclude, that it appeared from ancient writs, that the prior and Culdees formally constituted the chapter of Brechin; and of course, that the Prior was the Dean. But this was not the case. To what dependence soever on the bishop the Culdees may have been reduced, it is evident that they had not been absolutely cast into the mould of a mere chapter. For, in the charter of Ralph, Bishop of Brechin, De Procurationibus, besides the designations, Gregorio Archidiacono, and Matheo Decano de Brechyn, distinct mention is made of Mallebryde as Priore Keledeorum de Brech. This Matthew is, in another charter of the same Ralph, designed Decano nostro ; and in one of Turpin, Matheo Decano de Brechyn.

4

In Turpin's charter, De Decima Retis, the witnesses are thus mentioned; Hugone Epo Sti Andree, Bricio Priore Keledeorum de Brech., W. Archid. Sti Andree, et Matussale Decano, Andrea Capellano, et Matheo Sacrista ecclae de Brechyn, et insuper Gillebryd Comite de Angus, et Dovenald Abbe de Brech.3 According to the construction, this Matussal was at this time Dean, while Matthew, afterwards advanced to this dignity, was only Sacrist. This must have been before the year 1187 ;

' Pref. to Keith's Catalogue, xi. The two charters of this description, given by Goodall, will be found in the Appendix, No. IX.

2

Regist. Aberbroth. i. Fol. 97. Macfarl. i. p. 229. It is numbered as Chart. 189.

3 Ibid. No. 185, p. 226.

♦ Ibid. No. 178.

Ibid. Fol. 98. Macfarl. MS. p. 232. No. 193.

for in this year Hugh, Bishop of St Andrews, died. Here, and in several other instances, the Prior of the Culdees takes place of the Dean.

All that can fairly be inferred from the language of these deeds, is, that the bishops here were willing that the Culdees should retain their ancient right of election, in conjunction with others. For, even in both the charters given by Goodall, the Prior and Culdees, though introduced as having a seat in the chapter, are expressly distinguished from the rest of the members: Prior, et Keledei, ceterique de Capitulo Brechynensis ecclesiae. In several others, their prior is mentioned as peculiarly as if he had had no connexion with the chapter. The bishop, therefore, must have used the phrase, Keledeorum nostrorum," our Culdees," not as if they had formally constituted his chapter, but because they were the Culdees residing within his diocese, and connected with this

see.

Maitland has fallen into a series of blunders, when speaking of the abbey of Trinitarian or Mathurine monks here ; which, he says, "probably, by its antiquity, owes its erection to King David I., who established the bishop's see in this place." His proof is; "For about the year 1178, Dovenal

'Testibus Dño Bricio Episcopo Morav. Dno Willo de Boscho Cancellar. Mallebryd Priore Keledeorum nostrorum. Magro Henrico de Norham Officiali nostro. Freskyn Moravien. ecclie Decano. Magro Henrico et Hugone de Duveglas Clericis Dni Moravien. Magro Henrico de Monros et Willo Capellanis nostris et toto Capitulo nostro. Regist. Aberbroth. i. Fol. 96, No.

187.

2

dus, Abbot of Brechin, granted to the Abbot of Aberbrothocke, Terram de Ballege le Grand, which King Alexander confirmed by charter; and, anno 1219, I find one John to have been Abbot of Brechin." There could be no Mathurines or Red Friars at Brechin A. 1178; for this order was instituted during the papacy of Innocent III., who was not elected till the year 1198. This Dovenald, of whom he speaks, was evidently a layman. His name occurs in several charters. In that to which Maitland must have referred, the land is denominated Balegille grand, and the donor, Douenaldus Abbe de Brechyn. In the charter of confirmation, immediately following, the name is Douenaldus Abb. There can be no doubt that Abb or Abbe was his surname. We have seen him conjoined, in a preceding extract, with the Earl of Angus; and they are evidently distinguished from the clergy mentioned before. In the charter immediately preceding that concerning Balegille grand, Morgund Abbe confirms the gift of fewel from his forest, which his father John Abbe had made to the abbey of Arbroath; which confirmation his father, and his paternal uncle, and his brother John, attest. The father of John had been Malis, who was proprietor of the forest of Edale, most probably what is now written Edzel, the name of a parish not far from Brechin, whence one of the principal branches of the family of Lindsay took its title. This appears from a charter of confirmation by King Wil