We have to thank the fine red sandstone of the district, of which the church is built, for the perfect preservation of all the details of the structure. These remain, even in the minutest carving, as perfect and complete as the day they were executed.
In the south transept (see [Fig. 784]) are two remarkable inscriptions, which have given rise to much speculation. One of these is carved over the doorway in the west wall which gives access to the wheel stair, and part of the inscription is carried down one side for want of room. It runs as follows:—
Sa ye Cumpas gays evyn about
Sua trouth and laute sall do but diute
Behalde to ye hende q. Johne Morvo.
The other inscription is carved on a tablet in the wall on the south side of the same door, viz.:—
John Morow sum tym callit was I
and born in Parysse certainly
And had in keeping al masoun werk
Of Santandroys ye hye kyrk
Of Glasgw Melros and Paslay
Of Nyddysdayll and of Galway
I pray to God and Mari bath
And sweet S. John kep this haly kirk frae skaith.
In the centre of the former inscription is a sunk panel containing a shield with two masons’ compasses, arranged somewhat like a saltier, and beneath a figure resembling a fleur-de-lys.
The late Dr. John Smith, in the Proceedings of the Antiquarian Society of Scotland, considers these inscriptions as applying to one man, who may have been the master mason of the building. But Mr. Pinches, in his account of the abbey, mentions that John Murdo, or Morow, was engaged in building a church in Galloway in 1508. It thus seems likely that these inscriptions are not earlier than that date, and have been added to the building after its completion.
Since the foregoing description of Melrose Abbey was written, we have had the pleasure of reading the very interesting work by Mr. Peter M‘Gregor Chalmers, called A Scots Mediæval Architect, in which an attempt is made to identify the John Morow of the inscription in the south transept, and to trace his work in the various localities where he is stated to have “all mason work in keeping.”
This book shows a great amount of careful investigation and intelligent observation in connection with a number of our ecclesiastical structures, especially Melrose Abbey; and we have to acknowledge our indebtedness to Mr. Chalmers for some valuable hints, which are duly noted in their places as they occur.
The inscription on John Morow’s tablet states that he “had in keeping all mason work of St. Andrews, the High Kirk of Glasgow, Melrose and Paisley, of Niddisdale and of Galloway.”