Vol 5 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

Languendo,—28 Transactions.Uh March, 1887.Mr Barbour, Vice-President, in the Chair.Foi"ty-five Members present.New Members.—Mr Cr. F. Scott-Elliot of Newton, Dumfries ;Mr W. R. M'Diarmid, Edinburgh and Colvend ; Miss L.Chrystie, Dumfries ;and Mr R. Barbour, Belmont.Donations.—The Transactions of the Essex Field Club werelaid on the table as a donation from that Society.Exhibits.—Mr Dods exhibited pieces of a Roman brick fromMr J. J. Armistead showed some ova ofthe wall at St. Albans.trout, and some recently hatched fish under the microscope.Belies of the Stuarts.—Mr Watson exhibited, on behalf ofJames S. Thomson, the following interesting objects, kindly lentby Mr Witham of Kirkconiiell for inspection by the members.They are :—(1) A copy of the prayer used by Queen Mary whenIt wason the scaffold immediately before her execution." 0, Domiue Deus, speravi in Te ! 0, care mi Jesu, nunc libera me !In dura catena, in misera psena, desidero Te ! gemendo,et genuflectendo, adoro, iniploro ut liberes me !"The English of which is— " 0, Lord God, I have hoped in Thee ! 0, mydear Jesus, now release me ! In hard chains, in wretched punishment, Iyearn for Thee ! Suffering, groaning, and kneeling, I implore Thee torelease me !"This interesting memorial of the unfortunate Queen was given toMr Maxwell Witham by Rev. Father Edmond Huckles, Prior ofthe Dominicans, Woodbridge, in 1879.Mr(2) A miniature portraitin oils of Mary's grandson, Charles I. This is mounted as alady's pin, and is neatly executed. The reverse of this gemcontains a replica in gold, inlaid on enamel, of the emblems ofdeath—the skull and cross bones—and the initials C.R. Thesewere formerly manufactured into a locket that had been issuedby the Royalists to the leading Jacobite families. This relic hasbeen in the Kirkconnell family for more than 150 years. (3) Amanuscript volume of letters, meditations, and prayers composedby Charles' unfortunate son, James II., when in exile at St.Germains. This volume was sent to the Kirkconnell family in1702, after the death of James, and is a copy of the original. Itis entitled " A collection of several of his late Majesty's papersof devotion, copied exactly out of the original manuscripts left