Fig. 917.—St. Bridget’s or St. Bride’s Church. Monument of the Good Sir James Douglas.
repaired by Lord Home, and are now in excellent condition, and a new roof has been placed on the building.
The oldest monument is, doubtless, that in the north wall ([Fig. 917]), near the doorway. It is traditionally ascribed to the Good Sir James, the staunch adherent and companion in arms of Bruce. He died in Spain, in 1331, when on his way to the Holy Land with the heart of King Robert. The tomb contains a broken effigy, having a shield on the left side, and with hands drawing his sword, but the right arm is broken off. The legs have been crossed, but the upper limb is broken off by the knee. The head rests on a cushion and the feet against a mutilated animal, probably a lion. This monument is illustrated by Blore in his Monumental Remains, and the effigy is pronounced by him to be of a date anterior to the time of Sir James. The canopy is of a much later period, probably fifteenth century.[182] It comprises a large pointed arch with fine detached and freely cut cusping, surmounted by a crocketed label moulding of ogee form, terminating in a large finial, which reaches to the top of the wall of the church. A buttress on each side, set diagonally, encloses the monument. Each buttress has a tall crocketed pinnacle and foliaged finial. The shield in the spandril of the canopy contains the heart, an addition to the Douglas Arms, made in consequence of Sir James’s mission to the Holy Land with Bruce’s heart.
To the east of the above monument in the north wall is that of Archibald, fifth Earl of Douglas ([Fig. 918]), who died in 1438. He was the son of Archibald, fourth Earl, who distinguished himself in the service of Charles VII. of France, and received therefor the Duchy of Touraine, in 1423. This Earl was killed, along with most of his Scottish followers, at the battle of Verneuil, 1424. Archibald, the fifth Earl, after serving for some time in France, returned home and died of fever in 1438.
The effigy which lies within the monument is habited in robes of state, and wears a ducal coronet. In the left hand was probably a baton of office, and the right hand holds together the cord which fastens the mantle. The feet rest on a lion couchant. Round the waist is a broad ornamental belt. Round the margin of the slab was formerly an inscription, now nearly obliterated, which Godscroft gives as follows:—
HIC · JACET · ARCHIBALDUS · DE · DOUGLAS · DUX · TOURENIAE · COMES DE · DOUGLAS · ET · LONGUEVILLE · DOMINUS · GALLOVIDIAE · WIGTONIAE · ET ANNANDIAE · LOCUM · TENENS · REGIS · SCOTIE · OBIIT · XXVIº · DIE · MENSIS IUNII · ANNO · DOMINI · MILLESIMO · QUARINGENTESIMO · TRICESIMO · OCTAVO.[183]
The effigy rests on a tomb, the front of which is divided into six panels, each containing a small figure, probably representing the family of the deceased. The figures stand on small pedestals, and are surmounted with ornamental canopies. Over the tomb is a somewhat flat arch of ogee form,