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BORDER LIFE |
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Religion |
| The abbeys were sited in the most beautiful sheltered valleys. They were so rich and numerous in a land which was largely irreligious and poor. |
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While much of their wealth was accumulate by trading, a useful income
was derived from the wealthy who felt it necessary to make gifts to the
monks in order to be assured of a place in heaven. This is a service the
monks were happy to provided and probably did nothing to deny their
influence. It was lucrative source of revenue for the monks, and the violent and lawless lifestyle of their patrons ensured a steady income. There are no reports of the donors being dissatisfied with the efficiency of the service the monks provided. |
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The
Lord’s Prayer in Old Scots.
Uor
fader quhilk beest I Hevin, Hallowit weird thyne nam. Cum thyne kinrik.
Be dune thyne wull as is I Hevin,
sua
po yerd. Uor dailie breid gif us thilk day.
And
forleit us uor skaiths, as we forleit them quha skaith us.
Amen. |
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23rd
Psalm in Old Scots
The
Lord is my Shepherd; in nocht am I wantin',
In
the haughs o' green girse does He mak me lie doon;
While
mony puir straiglers are bleatin' and pantin',
By
saft-flowin' burnies He leads me at noon.
When
aince I had strayed far awa in the bracken,
And
daidled till gloamin' cam ower a' the hills;
Nae
dribble o' water my sair drooth to slacken
And
dark grow'd the nicht wi' its haars and its chills.
Awa
frae the fauld, strayin' fit-sair and weary,
I
thocht I had naethin' to dae but to dee.
He
socht me and fand me in mountain hechts dreary
He
gangs by fell paths which He kens best for me.
And
noo, for His name's sake, I'm dune wi' a' fearin',
Though
cloods may aft gaither and soughin' win's blaw.
"Hoo
this?" or "Hoo that?" - oh, prevent me frae speirin';
His
will is aye best, and I daurna say Na.
The
valley o' death winna fleg me to thread it
Though
awfu' the darkness, I weel can foresee;
Wi'
His rod and His staff He wull help me to tread it
Then
wull its shadows, saw gruesome, a' flee.
Forfochen
in presence o' foes that surround me,
My
Shepherd a table wi' denties has spread;
The
Thyme and the Myrtle blaw fragrant aroond me
He
brims a fu' cup and poors oil on my head.
Surely
guidness an' mercy, despite a' my roamin',
Wull
gang wi' me doon to the brink o' the river,
Ayont
it nae mair o' the eerie and gloamin',
1
wull bide in the Hame o' my Faither for ever.
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The religious influence of the churches and monasteries along the
Borders seem to have been less than significant. Their success in
spreading 'the word' and guiding the reiver folk towards more peaceful
pursuits, does not appear to have had much success. On one occasion, when a group of reivers were resting from their activities and having a social get together, they were interrupted by a voice asking "Are there any Christians here?" An answer came, "Nae, we're all Armstrongs and Elliots here."
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| The British Library has produced £10,000 replicas of the Lindisfarne Gospels. One will be displayed at Holy Island and the other in Durham Cathedral. The original will remain in London. |