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Ecclesia antiqua, or, The history of an ancient church
Ecclesia antiqua or The history of an ancient church Author:John Ferguson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III A CENTURY OF GROWTH 1424-1524 " And in Linlithgow's holy dome, The king, as wont, was praying ; While, for his royal father's soul, The chan... more »ters sung, the bells did toll, The bishop mass was saying." Scott. It appears that the church was not so completely destroyed by the conflagration of 1424 as to render it unfit for use. Bower, the only writer who refers to this catastrophe, confines the injury done to the nave. It may, therefore, be inferred that there was a chancel, and that it was so fitted up as to do duty for a complete church, till such time as the nave could be re-roofed and otherwise restored. This, though only a supposition, receives some support from the fact that Queen Joanna—the milk-white dove—was among the worshippers in Linlithgow Church on a certain Sunday in I429.1 James I., though he is credited with having described the most generous of his predecessors on theScottish throne as a "sair Saunt for the croon," followed his example much further than one, judging from such a remark, or from the troubled state of the times, would suppose. An act, expressive of the King's interest in religion, which connects his name with Linlithgow, was the founding of a chantry in St Michael's Church. This chantry was dedicated to St James the apostle, and seems to have been supported by the King; at least, there is no reference made to it after his tragic death. During his reign the priest attached to this altar was one Sir William de Lany, who had a salary from the King of £6, 13s. 4d.—not by any means an unusual stipend in those days.1 1 The Exchequer Rolls, vol. iv., p. 485. The reign of James II. is even more barren of information regarding Linlithgow Church than is that of his predecessor. In only one charter is it referred to, and the r...« less