JACOB'S PILLAR #3
THE SECOND "OVERTURN"
About A.D.500 some imigrants led by Fergus Mor McErc (the
Great), from the Irish Gaelic Kingdom of Dalriada, invaded the
Western coasts of Scotland, the land of the Picts. In George
Buchanan's "History of Scotland", we read where Fergus of
Ireland, after invading Scotland and returning home (Ireland)
victorious: "the Scots confirmed the Kingdom (Scottish Dalriada)
to him and his posterity by an oath" (Vol.I pg.160). Being a
believer in the old prophecy attached to the Stone of Destiny
called Lia Fail, that, "wherever the Stone is found the Scottish
race will reign" Fergus desired that he be crowned upon the
Stone.
Dr.Geoffrey Keating records the circumstances surrounding
the Stone Lia Fail being transported to Scotland:
"When the race of Scots heard that the stone had this virtue (to
roar), after Fergus the great, son of Earc, had obtained power of
Scotland, and after he proposed to style himself King of
Scotland, he sends information into the presence of his brother
Muircheartach, son of Earc, of the race of Eiremhon, who was the
King of Ireland at that time, to ask him to send him this stone,
to sit upon, for the purposes of being proclaimed King of
Scotland. Muircheartach sends the stone to him, and he is
inaugurated King of Scotland on the same stone, and he was the
first King of Scotland of the Scottish nation" (Forus Feasa ar
Erim - Vol. 1 pg.207).
Andrew of Wyntown (1400 A.D.) in his ancient "Chronykil of
Scotland", gives the following account of the stone of Destiny:
"Agret stane this kying then had That fore this kynyes gete war
made, And haldyne wer a gret Jowal Wyhthin the kynrky of Spayne
hale This kyng bad this Simon to That stane and in-tye ga,
A wyn that land and occupy And halde that stane perpetually.
Fergus Ere, son fra hym syne Down discented evyn be lyne
In to the five and fifty gre, As every ne rechn and man may see
Broucht this stane wytht-in Scotland, Fyrst guhen he come and
wane that land. Now will I the werd rehere As I fynd of that
stane in vers: 'In fallat fatum Scoti quotumque in locatum In
venient lapidem, regnare tenentur ibidem'"
(Wyntown Chronykyl lib. III cap.16)
The above account may be put into more modern English as
follows:
This king had at that time a famous stone which was used as his
throne, and was regarded as a priceless jewel in Spain. He gave
it to Simon, and directed him to take it with him to Ireland and
win that country for occupation, and to hold the stone-throne
perpetually. Fergus Earcus, a lively descendant of Simon in the
fifty-fifth generation as on reckoning one may readily see
(genealogy of Victosia Heremon to Fergus inclusive records 54
generations, add one for the father of Heremon, who is here
represented as conferring it - 55 in all), brought the stone to
Scotland, when he first came over and conquered it.
When the Stone of Destiny landed on Scottish soil, it
constituted the second "overturn"; the first being its removal
from Palestine, through Egypt and Spain to rest in Ireland.
Undoubledly the Stone was set up a Dunadd, a hill-top fort,
where Fergus established his capital. Although several miles
inland today, in ancient times a navigable river ran by the hill
to the sea. It was at Dunadd that Fergus was crowned King of
Scotland on the Stone of Destiny. Near the top of Dunadd is a
large flat rock. On the surface is a basin cut into the rock, a
deeply carved footprint and a fainter barefoot mark, which may
have been connected with coronation ritual. Tradition had that
the newly crowned king would place his foot in the footprint as
an indication that he would follow the precepts of his
forefathers.
Also on the rock face are inscriptions, legible but cryptic.
Several lines of Ogam script, consisting of short upright with
diagonal lines above, begin near the snout of a carved Boar's
head. Ogam script was invented in Ireland and used throughout
Scotland about the 4th to 9th centuries A.D. Little remains now
of the once defensive enclosures upon the summit of the hill.
There is no trace remaining of the timber structures of the early
inhabitants. The two wells that supplied their water still exist,
one of which still produces water.
Dunadd, before becoming the capital of the Celtic Scots from
Ireland, may have been a Pictish fort built to oppose the Celtic
invaders from the sea as well as the hills. The remains of a
net-work of ancient hill-top forts designs and types. They seem
to serve different purposes: to guard passes or landings; to
provide refuge for a few families. and to protect cattle from
wolves. Archaeological excavations indicate Dunadd had been
occupied from Middle Stone Age times.
The Picts (or in Gaelic, "Cruithne", meaning "Pictured Men",
because they painted themselves) were a confederation of Celtic
tribes, mainly in the north and east. They spoke a slightly
different language than Celtic and having different customs from
the Gaels of the west and the Britains of Strathclyde, though all
were Celts (originally Cimmerians). Unlike the Scots who were
pure nomads in those days, the Picts had fixed homes. They tilled
the soil; raised crops; tended their cattle on their own pasture
land. Often confused with the Picts are the Caledonians, another
branch of the same people.
For a time Dalriada appears to have been dependent upon
Irish Dalriada, but about 575 A.D. Aidan (son of Gabran, king of
Dalriada) secured its independence and was crowned King of
Scotland upon the "Stone Lia Fail." For this occasion, the Stone
was taken to Iona (a tiny island of the Inner Hebrides), Scotland
by St.Columba, the missionary grandson of Fergus the Great. Iona
is where Columba founded his first Scottish monastery. It was
famous as a center of Celtic Christianity from where missionaries
were dispatched for the conversion of the pagan tribes in
Scotland and Northern England.
Aidan was crowned King of Scotland in a coronation rite that
has been use ever since by the succeeding monarchs of Scotland
and England. The ritual included a consecration declaring the
future of Aidan's children, grandchildren, and great -
grandchildren, exactly as was done by Jacob when he blessed his
sons before he died.
Columba seems to have had the gift of prophecy, for apart
from declaring the future of Aidan's posterity, he seems to have
foretold the future of Iona in these words: "Unto this place,
small and mean though it be, great homage shall yet be paid, not
only by the kings and peoples of the Scots, but by rulers of
foreign and barbarous nations and their subjects. I great
veneration too, shall it be held by men of other churches."
This prophecy has been remarkably fulfilled. Not only did
the centuries provide a continuous stream of travelers from all
over the civilized world, but for many generations the bodies of
princes, chiefs and kings were brought to Iona to lie in its
hallowed soil.
Buchanan's "History of Scotland" gives the following record:
"In the Abbey of Saint Columba, the bishops of the Isles fixed
their residence, after their ancient seat in Eubonia was taken
possession of by the English. Amidst the ruins there remains
still a burying place or cemetery, common to all the noble
families of the Western Islands, in which, conspicuous above the
rest, stand three large tombs, at a little distance from each
other; on these are placed sacred shrines turned toward the East,
and on their Western sides are fixed small tables, with the
inscriptions indicating to whom the tombs belong. That which is
in the middle, has as its title, 'Tumulus Regum Scotiae' the Tomb
of the Kings of Scotland, for there forty-eight kings of the
Scots are said to have been buried. The one upon the right is
inscribed, 'Tumulus Regum Hiberniae', the Tomb of the Kings of
Ireland, where four Irish kings are reported to rest. And upon
the one on the left is engraved, 'Tumulus Regum Norvegiae, the
Tomb of the Kings of Norway', general rumour having assigned to
it the ashes of eight Norwegian kings" (pg.47).
On Iona, the "Stone Lia Fail" continued to be used as the
Coronation Stone of the Dalriadic kings until its removal to
Dunstaffnage, on the mainland of Scotland just east of Iona,
where the Lords of Scotland were made princes. Tradition has it
that the Clan Mac Dougall was made custodian of the Stone at
Dunstaffnage till its removal to Scone Scotland.
There is an old tradition at Dunstaffnage to the effect that
if a true descendant of the Mac Dougall's with red hair and
without freckles should stand in the ancient chapel of
Dunstaffnage and shout the battle cry of the Scots, "Strike for
the Silver Lion", instead of an echo he will hear a ghostly voice
say, "Where is the Stone?"
In 843 A.D., Kenneth Mac Alpin was crowned on the Stone Lia
Fail as the first King of the United Kingdom of the Picts and the
Scots. One of his first acts as King was to found a church at
Scone (near Perth, Scotland) because it was there that he had
gained his principal victory over the Picts. Kenneth then had the
"Stone Lia Fail" brought from Dustaffnage and placed on an
adjoining hill named "Moot Hill" or "Hill of Credulity." For
centuries the Stone of Destiny was used as a Coronation Stone by
the kings of Scotland. One of the earliest records of a
coronation is preserved in the account of John of Fordun, the
Scottish chronicler who died about A.D.1384. He tells us that the
Stone was used in the coronation of Alexander III in A.D.1249:
"...and, having there placed him in the regal chair, decked with
silk cloths and embroidered with gold, the Bishop of St.
Andrew's, the others assisting him, consecrated his king, the
king himself sitting, as was proper, upon the regal chair - that
is, the Stone - and the earls and other nobles placing vestments
under his feet with bent knees, before the Stone. This Stone is
reverently preserved in that monastery for the consecration of
kings of Scotland; nor were any of the kings in wont to reign
anywhere in Scotland, unless they had, on receiving the name of
king, first sat upon this royal Stone in Scone, which was
constituted by ancient kings the 'sedes superior' or principal
seat."
King Kenneth II (d. 995 A.D.) had the Stone placed on a
wooden pedestal in front of the high altar of the Abbey of Scone.
This pedestal had a wooden shaft which could be raised or lowered
according the height of the monarch to be crowned, enabling the
king to sit with comfort and dignity, his kilt being arranged to
cover the Coronation Stone completely. At the same time, the King
had an inscription engraved on one side of the Stone:
Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quocunque
Invenient lapidum regnare tenentur ibidem
Translation
"If fate go right, where'er this Stone is found
The Scots shall monarchs of that realm be crowned."
This prophecy was certainly fulfilled when King James VI of
Scotland became James I of England. It should be noted that the
present Royal House of Britain is descended from the Scottish
kings, through Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia, the daughter of James
VI, whose daughter Sophia married the Elector of Hanover; their
son became Britain's King George I.
Another record relating to the kings of Scotland is found in
the book, "Scots Coronations" by the Marquess of Bute which tells
us that seven prayer were used at the ancient coronation of the
of Scotland. The following are extracts:
Prayer IV "Lord, who from everlasting governest the kingdom of
all kings, bless thou this ruling prince. Amen ... And glorify
him with such blessing that he may hold the sceptre of Salvation
in the exaltation of David, and be found rich with the gifts of
sanctifying mercy. Amen ... Grant unto him by thine inspiration
even to rule the people in meekness as thou didst cause Solomon
to obtain a kingdom of peace. Amen."
Prayer V "Almighty God give thee the dew of heaven and the fat-
ness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. Let people serve
thee and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren and
let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. God shall be thine
helper, and Almighty shall bless thee with blessings of heaven
above, on the mountains and on the hills, blessings of the deep
that lieth under, blessings of the beasts and of grapes and
apples. The blessings of the ancient fathers, Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, be confirmed upon thee. Amen."
Prayer VI "Bless, O Lord, the substance of our prince, and accept
the work of his hands; and blessed of thee be his hand, for the
precious things of heaven for the dew, and for the deep that
coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by
the sun and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and
for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the
precious things of the lasting hills, and fulness thereof; the
blessing of Him that appeared in the bush come upon the head of
(name); and let the blessing of the Lord be full upon his
children; and let him dip his feet in oil, let his horns be like
the horns of unicorns, with them shall he push the people
together to the end of the earth, for let Him who rideth upon the
heaven be his help for ever, Amen." (Pgs.49-58).
The Marquess of Bute also quotes from a pamphlet entitled,
"The Forme and Order of the Coronation of Charles, the Second,
King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland. As it was acted
and done at Scone, the first day of January" (1651). It is the
work of Sir James Balfour, the Lord Lyon King-of-Arms who
officiated upon the occasion. The minister, who gave the sermon
and exhortations from which the following extracts are taken, was
the Rev. Robert Dowglas.
"When the King was set down upon the throne, the Minister spoke
to him a word of exhortation: Sir, you are set down upon the
throne in a very difficult time; I shall therefore put you in
mind of a Scriptural expression of a Throne; it is said: 'Solomon
sat on the Throne of the Lord', Sir, you are a king, and a king
in covenant with the Lord ... It is the Lord's Throne, Remember
that you have a King above you, the King of Kings, and Lord of
Lords, who commandeth thrones ... Your Throne is the Lord's
Throne, and your people are the Lord's people. Let not your heart
be lifted up above your brethren (Deut.17:20). They are your
brethren, not only of your flesh, but brethren by covenant with
God ... Your Throne is the Lord's Throne. Beware of making His
Throne a Throne of iniquity ... But as the Throne is the Lord's
Throne. let the laws be the Lord's laws, agreeable to His Word
... Lastly, if your throne be the Throne of the Lord, take a word
of encouragement against Throne adversaries. Your enemies are the
enemies of the Lord's Throne" (Pgs.191-201).
The ancient Abbey of Scone was destroyed in 1559 A.D. at the
time of the Reformation. Today, that site is occupied by Scone
Palace, the home of the Earls of Mansfield. On Moot Hill stands a
stone chapel, marking the place where the Stone of Destiny had
rested and where the kings of Scotland presided over their
Parliaments until Edward I of England removed the Stone to
Westminster Abbey in 1296 A.D.
Before the third overturning of the ancient relic, an event
occurred that was most noteworthy. Its took place in Arbroath
Abbey. Following, the removal of the Stone to Westminster, King
Robert "the Bruce" of Scotland was visited by two emissaries of
Pope John XXII to whom Edward II of England had appealed for help
to compel Scotland to acknowledge England's lordship. These
emissaries bore a message from the Pope advising Bruce to submit
to Edward's claims, but Bruce and his nobles drafted a letter
which they addressed to Pope John XXII and which can still be
seen in the Register House in Edinburgh. It had attached to it
coloured ribbons and seals with the signatures of Robert the
Bruce and twenty-five of his nobles. The letter which is dated
April 6, 1320, reads in part:
"We now Most Holy Father and Lord, and from the chronicles and
books of the ancients gather, that among other illustrious
nations, ours, to wit, the nation of the Scots, has been
distinguished by many honours; which passing from the greater
Sythia through the Mediterranean Sea and Pillars of Hercules and
sojourning in Spain among the most savage tribes through a long
course of time, could nowhere be subjugated by any people
however barbarous; and coming thence one thousand two hundred
years after the outgoing of the People of Israel (Exodus), they
by many victories and infinite toil, acquired for themselves the
possessions in the West which they now hold ... In their kingdom
- one hundred and thirteen kings of their own royal stock, no
stranger intervening, have reigned..."
This letter thus asserts that the Scots who had the Stone
were connected with the ancient people of Israel (the so-called
Lost Tribes); whom archaeology has established became the
Scythians and the Cimmerians of history, whose origin had been a
mystery. Lost to their identity as foretold in the Scriptures,
(Rom. 11:25), the Israelites migrated to their appointed land (2
Sam.7:10); some crossing Europe by land, others by ships through
the Mediterranean to the coast lands of Europe and the Isles in
the West. The Scots claim ancestry to the branch of the
Cimmerians (Celts) that dwelt in Spain for a period, and
eventually came over to the Islands of Britain. They also claim
that their royal line of kings (Zarah) has remained unbroken
throughout their migrations.
Josephus, the historian, writing in A.D.70, seems to have
had knowledge of the migrations of most of the Israelites from
Asia toward Europe for, in his "Antiquities of the Jews" he
writes: "...wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe
subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond the
Euphrates till now (A.D.70) and are an immense multitude, and not
to be estimated by numbers" (Book 11, chap. V).
"His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns
are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the
people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten
thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh"
[Deut.31:17].
...................
To be continued
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