242
NOTES AND QUERIES. [io> s. n. SEPT. 24, 1904.
or de Luci. Unfortunately the precise re
ference has been mislaid, and the entrie
relating to the FitzDuncan family are sc
numerous and disjointed that it has not been
recovered. This marriage is improbable, be
cause there is no reference to it in the manj
deeds relating to the FitzDuncan estates
but it is not impossible, because the Lascelle*
family certainly held lands formerly pos
sessed by William FitzDuncan in Scotland
Marjory, the daughter and heiress of Alar
de Lascelles, must have been born between
1175 and 1190. She married Sir Richard d
Moravia, of Skelbo and Culbin, and had four
sons : Sir Alexander, William, Sir Malcolm
and Sir Patrick.* Sir Alexander de Moravia,
as " son and heir " of Sir Eichard and Marjory
confirmed various grants made by his grand-
father Alan de Lascelles and his grand-uncle
Duncan de Lascelles. Sir AlexandeV de
Moravia married a lady called Eva, who
after his death married Sir Alexander Cumin
of Badenoch. So far as I can trace, the
Morays got no portion of the English
estates of the Lascelles family ; but it is
somewhat curious and significant that the
Morays about 1284 seem to have had a dis-
pute with the Bruere family. At least a
William Bruere, or Burcer, or Burtere he is
so variously designated slew a William de
Moravia, for which he was pardoned in
November, 1301 ('Calendar of Pat. Roll,
29 Edw. I., p. 616 ; Close Rolls, 13 Edw. L,
p. 311). The Morays of Skelbo, Culbin, and
afterwards of Pulrossie have been totally over-
looked by Scots genealogists. Yet their
pedigree is better instructed than that of any
other branch, and it will be found that it is
from Culbin that the Morays of Tullibardine,
Drumsargard, Annandale, Polmaise, Aber-
cairney, &c., descend. D. MUKRAY ROSE.
LETTERS OF WILLIAM COWPER.
(See ante, pp. 1, 42, 82, 122, 162, 203.)
Pp. 177-9 :
Letter 19 [should be 23]. ny (Olney), Apr. 4, 1772. MY DEAR COUSIN, Your letter was a welcome messenger of glad tidings ; -I truly rejoice with you, and desire to join you in praising a gracious and merciful God, who, though He chastens us sore, does not give us over unto death. I have been con- stantly mindful of you in my prayers, and shall continue to be so ; by God's help, still hoping in His mercy, that He will crown the dispensation with
- This was the Sir Patrick de Moravia who
founded a monastery at Dornoch. He appears in several Northern charters. His brother Sir Malcolm held Beath.
His goodness, and finish it in love. The last sacn
mental opportunity we had, the Lord was please 1
to favour me with much liberty in pleading ani
wrestling with Him for my dear kinsman, and h: j
afflicted mother. I can truly say, my soul travaile L
in birth, with his soul, and that I never desire L |
my own salvation more feelingly, than I was thei
strengthened to agonize for his. I could plead with
him for that precious body and blood, which I theh
saw exhibited before me, that he might be admitted
into a saving participation of that glorious mystery,
washed, sanctified, justified, in the Name of the=
Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Nor did
I leave the throne, till I received a comfortable and
sweet assurance, that the Lord would answer us in.
peace, and in the truth of His salvation.
The times and the seasons are in His own handj the ways and means entirely under His disposal,! but I mention this experience, in hopes that it may! be made a comfort to you. I remember it was* comfortable news to me, when I was at Cambridge J, attending my brother in his last illness, to hear fronr Olney, that the Lord was pleased to pour out a spirit of prayer for him, and the event answered, and exceeded, my highest expectations. I am not the only one, whom a gracious God is employing upon this occasion, to plead your cause in this place. My dear friend Mrs. U[nwin] lays it much to heart, and I can answer for Mr. and Mrs. N[ewton], that they both feel for you, and pray continually that an abundant blessing may spring up for you and yours out of this affliction.
I pray God, who has preserved him hitherto, still to preserve him, and bring him home* in peace. How I shall long to see him ! Surely I should embrace him as a brother, and more than a brother, could I but see him at Oy (Olney) devoted to that Jesus, who gave Himself, I trust, for him and for me. May he come home in the best sense, home to God, and home to the Mediator of the New Cove- nant. Then, after having been tossed, as the Lordt says, like a ball into a far country, he shall find in- ihe smiles of a reconciled God and Father, what Dr. Watts calls,
a young heaven on earthly ground, And glory in the bud.
Mrs. Unwin desires me to present her Christian espects to you. She has mourned with you, she jegins to rejoice with you, and will accompany you itep by step, through all the dispensation. Mr. N[ewton] speaks of calling upon you, when he goes next to London, for he takes a deep interest in your concerns upon this occasion. My dear cousin, may rle, who makes the widow's heart to sing for joy, bless fou and yours, and shine upon you ! Let the men ( )f this world carve it out amongst themselves ; we I vill not envy them, though we will pity and pray I or them : but may we and ours, have our portion I n God. The pearl of great price is a possession, * vhich makes us rich indeed ; but as to the earth and he glory of it, the sound of the last trumpet shall oon shatter it all to pieces. Then happy they, and; nly they, who, when they see the Lord coming in he heavens with power and great glory, shall be ble to say: Lo, this is our God, and we have waited for Him.
Yours, my dear cousin, ever, etc.
- Mrs. Cowper's note: " This came to pass, four-
ears after ! viz., his return." t Isa. xxii. 18.