History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

EDZELL — BURIAL VAULT. V6
large slab, having a goodly sculpture of the Lindsay and Aber-
nethy arms, and a few stray words and letters, was thrown from
the aisle at the destruction of the old kirk, and now lies broken
in several pieces in the grave yard ; and, so far as can be j udged
from the style of its carving — for it is very much mutilated and
effaced — it may be supposed to belong to about the beginning of
the seventeenth century.*
One tradition is only known regarding the family of Edzell
and this vault ; and, as a matter of course, it is fraught with
much of the romance and improbability incident to the dream-
ings of a remote age. Divested, however, of its accustomed
minuteness, tradition has failed to preserve the name of the
heroine, but uniformly affirms that she was buried in a trance,
and so loaded with rich and valuable jewellery, that the sexton's
avariciousness became excited to the highest pitch, and, bent on
obtaining the treasure at all hazards, he stole under night to her
lonely sanctuary, and soon succeeded in putting himself in pos-
session of the whole, except the massive rings which girded her
swollen fingers. These he eyed with great admiration, and
having failed to gain them by ordinary means, the idea of am-
putation flashed across his relentless heart, and instantly the
fatal blade of his large knife made a deep unhallowed incision.
A slight movement of the body, and the faint exclamation of
" Alas 1" soon staggered his valour — the knife dropped from his
guilty hand — he trembled from head to foot, and fell senseless on
the cold, damp floor, amidst crazy trestles and musty bones !
Meanwhile, the lady disentangling herself from her shroud,
snatched the glimmering taper in one hand, and, raising her
unexpected deliverer with the other, led him forth of the vault.
Restored to consciousness, he craved mercy on bended knees ;
and although the lady assured him of a handsome reward from
her husband if he would accompany her to the castle, he anxiously
prayed that he might be allowed to fly from his native land ; and
she, with a heart grateful for the restoration of life, kindly per-
* Besides sculptures of the family arms, the | " |
stone bears the initials "A. L." on the sinister
side, and " W. . . ." on the dexter. A per-
pendicular line, which runs about two-thirds
down the middle, bears these words :— "
. . . vmine . tvo . lvne."— The following umc . IOANES
are the only other words and letters decipher- i er . germanvs . o
able : — oris . ergo . posvi
vita . et . IN HORI
CHRISTVS I . . ,