The rock

was unable to ascertain. They may be Lydian stone. is calcareous, and is of the kind that masons would call 'freestone.' Chisel-marks are visible on one or more of its sides. A little mortar was in the sockets in which the iron rings lie, apparently not of very ancient date. To my eye, the stone appears as if it had originally been prepared for building purposes, but had never been used.

It is very difficult to settle the geological formation to which any far-transported mass of stone may belong, especially when the history of the mass is somewhat vague in its earlier stages. The country around Scone is formed of Old Red Sandstone, and the tints of different portions of that formation are so various, that it is quite possible the Coronation Stone may have been derived from one of its strata. The country round Dunstaffnage also consists of Old Red Sandstone, reddish or purplish in hue, and much of it is conglomerate near Oban, Dunolly, and in other places. In M'Culloch's "Western Isles of Scotland' there is a note (at page 112, vol. ii.), in which, writing of the Coronation Stone, he says, 'The stone in question ' is a calcareous sandstone, exactly resembling that which forms the 'doorway of Dunstaffnage Castle.' There can be little doubt that the Castle was built of the rocks of the neighbourhood, the sandstone strata of which are described, in a letter now before me, by my colleague Mr. Geikie, as 'dull reddish or purplish.' This precisely agrees with the character of the Coronation Stone itself. M'Culloch does not mention how he ascertained that 'the stone in question' (the Coronation Stone itself) is calcareous. His description, however, is correct. When the stone was placed on the table in the Abbey, the lower part of it was swept with a soft brush, and about as many grains of sand were thus detached from the stone as would cover a sixpence. Among these was a minute fragment of the stone itself. These were tested for me in Dr. Percy's laboratory by Mr. Ward, and found to be slightly calcareous. The red colouringmatter is peroxide of iron. There can be no doubt that the stonedust brushed off the lower surface of the Stone truly represents the matter of which the mass is composed. It was simply loosened by old age; and when examined with the magnifying-glass, showed grains of quartz and a few small scales of mica, precisely similar to those observed in the Stone itself.

On the whole, I incline to think (with M'Culloch) that the doorway of Dunstaffnage Castle may have been derived from the same parent rock, though, as there are plenty of red sandstones in Ireland, (from whence it is said to have been brought), it may be impossible to prove precisely its origin.

It is extremely improbable that the Stone has been derived from any of the rocks of the Hill of Tara, from whence it is said to have been transported to Scotland; for they, on the authority of Mr. Jukes, Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, are of Carboniferous age, and (as explained in one of the Memoirs of the Irish Survey) do not present the texture or red colour characteristic of the Coronation Stone.

Neither could it have been taken from the rocks of Iona, which, on the authority of my colleague Mr. Geikie, consist of a flaggy 'micaceous grit or gneiss. There is no red sandstone on it, so far ' as I know; indeed, I am quite sure there is none.'

That it belonged originally to the rocks round Bethel is equally unlikely, since, according to all credible reports, they are formed of strata of limestone.

The rocks of Egypt, as far as I know, consist chiefly of nummulitic limestone, of which the Great Pyramid is built; and though we know of crystalline rocks (such as syenite, &c.) in Egypt, I have never heard of any strata occurring there similar to the red sandstone of the Coronation Stone.2

Baldred Bisset, who was sent to the Pope (A.D. 1300) to outbid the claims put forward by Edward I. for the dominion of England over Scotland through the alleged conquest by the Trojans. 4. The chair in which it was placed at Scone seems to have been left, and continued to be used for the coronation of the Scottish sovereigns. The chair of Edward I. was regarded of such importance as to be represented on the coinage. A coin of Edward III. is in the possession of Mr. Evans (communicated by Mr. Stuart) from which it would seem that the leopards of England were derived from their appearance as supporters of this chair.

3. Verses on the Coronation Stone, written in the Reign of James I.

(From a MS. in the Library of Pembroke College, Oxford.)

DE CATHEDRA MARMOREA WESTMONASTERII, NOBILITATA VATICINIIS SCOTICIS ET REGUM ANGLICORUM INAUGURATIONIBUS.

Inspice; qua fulges Cathedra tibi fata canuntur,
Digna legi, O fatis digne Jacobe tuis.
Certa fides fatum vatumque, ubicumque locetur,
Hic lapis, ut magnes, te quoque Scote trahit.
Niliace hoc nosti, Brece hoc Iber, hoc et liberus
Fargusi; hoc notum Scote Kenethe tibi.
Frustra Edvarde studes divertere marmore fatum;
Ecce redux patrio pondere marmor ovat.
Tuque (Jacobe) redux patrio jam marmore ovato,
Et superes annis marmoris æva tuis.

Rex nate O nobis, seclo sed note priori,

Quo nobis cecinit te lapis iste ducem,

Non mirum est læti si nos tibi metra canamus,
Iste canat lætus quum tibi metra lapis.
Jam mihi marmor iners, vel inerti durior isto est
Marmore, qui lætus non tibi metra canit.
Marmore in hoc fertur Patriarcha quiesse Jacobus,
Quum scala Astricolas ire, redire, videt.

Id dubium est; verum hoc scio, quod Patriæ-archa Jacobus
Marmore jam sedet hoc; sed sedet ille vigil.

Cœlitus (Astricolæ) Primo omina ferte Secunda;
Illius et Populi vota referte Deo.

Pulchra Rahel sexta bis prole beato Jacobum ;
Arx eris et Patriæ, dum Patriarcha vir est.
Quum Rex et Vates idem sis, maxime Regum,
Quid non speremus, qui tua turba sumus?
Rex Populusque cluet felix, par quando Davidi,
Regius es vates, Golia-cida potens, etc.

Joh. Barchamus, E Coll. C. C. Art. Magist.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER III.

I. SUPPOSED GRAVE OF EDWARD THE CONFESSOR. Letter of Mr. Edward Buckland on the discovery of a Grave commonly supposed to be that of Edward the Confessor.

When the old stalls, and wooden screens separating the Choir from the Transepts, were removed (about 1848), it was found necessary to lower the old flooring of the Choir, which was nearly three feet above the flooring of the Transepts, there having been three or four steps to ascend to enter the Choir from the Transepts. In clearing away the old pavement, the workmen came upon a grave in which were a skull and other bones, about on a level with the flooring of the Transept. It was a single grave, not a vault.

I remember being present on the spot when the question was discussed whether it would not be necessary to deepen the grave in order that the bones might be lowered (remaining on the same spot), to allow of the levelling of the flooring throughout.

I remember hearing, subsequently, that it had been found unnecessary to lower the grave, as in laying the new pavement there proved to be just sufficient space to allow the newly-laid stones to rest on the grave without disturbing the bones. If this was the case, the bones will be now lying immediately beneath the pavingstones. This grave was under the lantern, a little on the north side of the centre.

I remember the flooring under the lantern being all broken up on this occasion, but have no recollection of any vault being exposed to view. The flooring within the railing of the Choir is now slightly higher than that of the Transepts, and my impression is that it was left so purposely, to avoid disturbing the bones in the grave. I cannot recollect whether there were any remains of a wooden or stone coffin.

II. DECLARATION OF HENRY III.'S INTENTION TO BE BURIED IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

(From the Abbey Archives.)

Henricus Dei Gratia Rex Angliæ Dominus Hyberniæ Dux Normanniæ Aquitaniæ et Comes Andegaviæ, Archiepiscopis, Episcopis, et omnibus aliis prelatis Angliæ, et omnibus fidelibus suis ad quos presentes literæ pervenerint, salutem. Ad omnium vestrum noticiam volumus pervenire quod cum inter omnia nobis a divina commissa clemencia post animam nostram quam Creatori altissimo commendamus, super electione loci idonei quo post decessum nostrum corpus nostrum conveniencius collocari valeret deliberatione pensata, solicitudinem diutinam gereremus, tandem ob reverenciam gloriosissimi Regis Eadwardi, cujus corpus in monasterio Westmonasterii requiescit, nostri corporis sepulturam in bona sanitate mentis eciam serenitate et potestate legitima constituti secundum deum et mundum omnibus provide circumspectis, presentibus testibus infrascriptis, finaliter elegimus in eodem, nullis litteris obstantibus super electione loci alterius sepulture confectis. Hiis testibus W. de Cantilupo, Philippo Basset, H. de Vivoñ, B. de Crioyl, Johanne Maunsell Cancellario Londinensi, S. Archidiacono Cestrie, Magistro L. de Sancto Martino, Guidone de Palude. Datæ per manum nostram apud Westmonasterium vicesimo tercio die Octobris anno regni nostri tricesimo.

(Endorsed) Carta Regis Henrici tercii super electione sepulturæ corporis.

(Great Seal appended)

III. WARRANT FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE BODY OF JOHN OF ELTHAM.

(From the Abbey Archives.)

Edward par la grace de dieu Roi Dangleterre Seignour Dirlande et Ducs Daquitaine, As noz cheres en dieu Abbe et Covent de Westmonster salutz. Nous vous prioms cherement que selonc la esleccion et le devis de nostre treschere dame et miere Isabel Roine Dengleterre, vueilletz ordiner et suffrir que le corps de nostre trescher frere Johan jadis Counte de Cornewaill peusse estre remuez et translatez du lieu ou il gist jusques a autre plus covenable place entre les Roials. Faisant toutesfoitz reserver et garder les places plus honourables illoeques pour le gisir et la sepulture de nous et de noz