kings, four kings of Ireland, eight Norwegian monarchs, and one king of France, who were ambitious of reposing on this holy ground, where they would not mix with vulgar dust: there was likewise another, and, probably, a greater inducement, to prefer this place as the receptacle of their remains, viz., a belief in the ancient Gaelic prophecy, thus translated by Dr. Smith of Campbeltown Seven years before that awful day, The green-clad Isla, too, shall sink, South from the Cathedral, and St. Oran's chapels, are the ruins of the Nunnery, the church of which is pretty entire, being 58 feet by 20, on the floor, at the east end of which, the tomb of the last prioress is discernible, though considerably defaced. The figure is carved, praying to the Virgin Mary, with the address under her feet: Sancta Maria, ora pro me, and with this inscription round the_ledge, in old British characters: Hic jacet Domina Anna Donaldi Ferleti filia, quondam prioressa de Iona, quæ obiit, anno mo. do. XImo. cujus animam (altissimo) commendamus. There are some monuments in the floor, but these are very much defaced. At the first establishment of the monastery, the nuns resided on a small isle near I, still called the Isle of Nuns. Columba at length relented so far as to allow them this establishment on the island, where they wore a white gown, and over it a rocket of white linen they were of the St. Augustine order. Betwixt the nunnery and the cathedral, a broad paved way extends, called the Main-street, which is joined by two others, one from the bay of Port-na-currach, and the other from the bay of Martyrs. In this way is an elegant cross, called M'Lean's cross, the only one remaining, according to Mr. Sacheverel, of 360 which were demolished at the Reformation: in the court of the cathedral also, are two elegant crosses, dedicated to St. John and St. Martin. Very near the cathedral is a cell said to be the burial place of St. Columba. ELGIN CATHEDRAL. In June, 1390, Alexander, son of King Robert II., commonly called the Wolf of Badenoch, from resentment against Bishop Barr, burned the town of Elgyn, St. Giles the parish church, Messindew, eighteen houses of the canons, and the cathedral. It is probable, Bishop Barr began to rebuild the cathedral, and that the canons and other clergy did contribute to the expense. Bishop Spynie continued the work; but from the extent of the building, and elegance of the workmanship, the progress was slow. Bishop Innes founded the great steeple, in the middle of the church, and considerably advanced it. In 1414, the chapter bound themselves by an oath, that whoever should be elected bishop, should annually contribute onethird of his renenue, for completing the cathe It was at dral, until it should be finished. length rebuilt, and remained entire many years, till, in the beginning of the sixteenth century, about 1506, the great steeple fell down. Next year, Bishop Foreman began to rebuid it, and it was finished in 1538, when the height of the tower and spire was 198 feet. In this state, it remained till 1568, when, by an order of the Privy Council at Edinburgh, the Earl of Huntley, sheriff of Aberdeen, with Sir Alexander Dunbar, of Cumnock, sheriff of Elgyn and Forres, and the bishops of Aberdeen and Moray, &c. were appointed to take the lead from the cathedral churches of Aberdeen and Elgyn, and sell it, for the sustentation of the men of war (soldiers). The roofs were stripped of the lead, and the ship employed to carry it to Holland, sunk in the bay of Aberdeen. The whole fabric, being uncovered, is gradually verging to decay. The great tower fell in 1711. This cathedral, when entire, was of Gothic, or, rather Saracenic architecture, uncommonly elegant and magnificent, all built of freestone. Its position was due east and west, and its form that of a passion or Jerusalem cross, with five towers, of which two were on the corners of the east end, one in the middle, and two on the west end. Between the last towers was the great entrance. This gate, an arch terminating in an angle, is twenty-four feet broad at the base, and twenty-four feet in height. There were aisles on each side of the church eastward from the transept, which were eighteen feet broad outside the walls. To afford due light to so extensive a building, besides the large w ndows in the aisles, there was a range of small windows above the aisles, each six feet high. In the west gable, above the gate, there was a window, in form of an acute-angled arch, twentyseven feet in height, and nineteen feet wide at the base. In the east gable, was a range of five parallel windows, each ten feet by two; and above these, five more, each seven feet high, and over all a circular window, near ten feet in diameter. In the middle of the walls of the church, and leading to the upper windows, is an alley round the whole building. Every part of the whole is richly ornamented with carvings, foliage, devices, and embellishments peculiar to this species of architecture, and all finished in the best and most elegant manner. The Chapter-house, commonly called the Apprentice aisle, placed on the north side of the cathedral, near the east end, and communicating with the choir by a vaulted vestry, is an uncommon piece of architecture. It is an octagon, thirty-four feet high, and, within walls, the diagonal breadth is thirty-seven feet. The vaulted roof is supported by one clustered pillar in the centre, nine feet in circumference. From this pillar, ribs spread along the roof to each angle of the octagon. There is a large window in each of seven of the sides, and the eighth side joins the choir. In the north wall of the chapter-house, there were five stalls, in niches, for the bishop and the dignified clergy to sit in. The middle stall, for the bishop or dean, is larger, and raised a step higher than the others. Some idéa may be formed of the extent of the whole edifice, by the following measurement; which, however, is not vouched for as being rigorously exact. Height of side walls 35 34 37 15 9 24 18 19 27 10 Height of chapter-house Diagonal breadth of ditto within walls Breadth of each side Circumference of clustered pillar Height of west window 7 10 CHAPEL OF ST. RULE, AT ST. ANDREW'S. The tower and walls of this chapel of St. Regnlus, or Rule, as the name is commonly used, still remain. The tower is square, of about 108 feet in height, without any spire. The wall consists of exterior coatings of hewn stone, the space between which is filled up with small stones and lime, now so hardened as to be more difficult to cut than the stones themselves. The arches of the doors and windows are semicircu |