length, and is 4 feet 6 inches in height outside. The stone at its east end is 6 feet 7 inches high, and 4 feet 6 inches wide at base. About two hundred paces eastward are two stones, a few paces distant from each other, and about seven feet high. These are not seen in the plan.

The Temple at Seanhinny, in the parish of Midmar, seems to remain as it originally stood, at least in the number and position of its stones; and has been, from a proper feeling, surrounded with trees by the proprietor. There is a central small ridge of stones, but it is not clear whether it has been a circle, or a cairn subsequently opened. The whole area seems full of loose stones, which have been probably thrown into it in clearing the neighbouring fields. The altar is 16 feet 4 inches long, 4 feet 6 inches where broadest, and 2 feet 9 inches high. The lateral stones are 7 feet 6 inches, and 6 feet 7 inches in height, by 5 feet 6 inches, and 4 feet 10 inches in breadth at bottom. As I have taken the measurements of this Circle carefully, I think it will be satisfactory to give a plan of it with these inserted.

From this we find, that nineteen feet is the average distance between the stones. The Altar being less, some of the other intervals are made greater. The distance between the two stones in the circle at Old Keig is also nineteen feet. Part of the Altar has been broken off, and lies beside it.

The remains at Auchorthie are also very entire, and exhibit a curious arrangement. Most part of the exterior line of stones has been filled up, to constitute a fence; it is consequently difficult to determine whether there has been originally any intervening stones in this part, but the inner circles and a part near the Altar are evidently of the original plan. The two stones placed between the exterior and second line are nearly level with the ground. The largest stones are towards the south, but the whole are of rather moderate dimensions. The Altar is 8 feet 6 inches in length. The name may be from the Gaëlic, auch, field, and ortha, prayer.

In conclusion, I shall make one or two general remarks. The Altar stone is always plain on the outside, so much so, in some cases, that I doubt whether it has not been produced by art; the ground is generally lowest on the exterior; and the stone is somewhat higher at its eastern than at the other end.

I am, my Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient servant,

VOL. XXII.

2 E

JAMES LOGAN.

XVI. Transcript of a Chronicle in the Harleian Library of MSS. No. 6217, entitled, "An Historicall Relation of certain passages about the end of King Edward the Third, and of his Death:" communicated in a Letter addressed to the Right Honourable the EARL OF ABERDEEN, K.T. President, by THOMAS AMYOT, Esq. F. R. S. Treasurer.

Read 31st January 1828.

James Street, Westminster, 30th January, 1828.

MY LORD,

CONCEIVING that the pages of our Transactions cannot be better occupied than by the publication of such early and authentic manuscripts as may serve to throw light on obscure periods of our ancient History, I beg leave to lay before the Society a transcript which I have caused to be made from the Harleian Library of a Chronicle containing a very minute relation of some remarkable events in the two last years of Edward the Third, which, as our Vice President, Mr. Hallam, has observed in his History of the Middle Ages, have been slurred over by most of our general historians.

My attention was drawn to this Manuscript some years ago by a note subjoined to a luminous and elaborate disquisition on parliamentary Impeachments, in the Annual Register for 1791. The Article referred to, if not written by Mr. Burke himself, was probably from the pen of his friend, the late learned Dr. Laurence, who at that period I believe had succeeded him as the Editor of the historical portion of Dodsley's Register. It seems most probable indeed that a paper of so much importance in the vindication of the course which had been pur