Lesmahagow

Ribandeneira, in his work upon the "Lives of the Saints," describes Machutus as of Irish origin, and mentions that he was nearly related to the illustrious saints Samson and Magloire.   Other authorities point to his Welsh or British origin.   The legend of Ribandeneira, like all which are monkish, requires to be received with caution.  He informs us that his mother, at an advanced age, gave birth to the saint in the church of the Monastery of Carvemine, and that thirty-three children, who all became conspicuous for virtue in after life, were born in the same neighbourhood about the same period.  He was baptized by St. Brendan the abbot, and studied in the monastery, where he displayed great virtue, and practiseed great austerities.  He is said to have fallen asleep one evening on the sea-shore, within water mark, but the waves would not drown him, and his psalter was not even wetted.  His voyage with St. Brendan and one hundred and sixty other saints in search of some land where men led an angelic life lasted seven years, and resulted in the discovery of an island, believed to be one of the Orkneys, where the inhabitants were idolaters, but who were converted through his instrumentality and that of his fellow-saints.  When the expedition returned to Wales, Machutus, on entering the convent church heard a voice exclaiming "Whosoever leaveth not father mother and sister for me, is not worthy of me," whereupon he made his escape, contrary to his father's will, and embarked in a vessel which he found on the shore, steered by a beautiful child.  The vessel reached the French coast, and the saint became a hermit at Aleth in Brittany.  He was there made a bishop, but being persecuted by a lord of the country, he retired to Zaintes in Aquitaine, where he cured the son of the governor from the bite of a serpent.  On account of the maltreatment which the saint had experienced in Brittany, that province was punished by a great drought, and it was deemed expedient to recal him, which being done, rain immediately fell.  He subsequently returned to Saintes or Zaintes, where he died circa A.D. 630.  This narration is confirmed by Butler in his "Lives of the Saints," and appears in "Brittannia Sancta;" but the former of these authorities states that he expired A.D. 575.  Machutus was buried without the walls of Zaintes by Bishop Leontius, who built a church over his sepulchre.  His remains were afterwards removed to St. Malo, and from thence, on the invasion of the Normans in the tenth century, conveyed to Paris, where they were deposited in the church of St. Magloire, or, as others state, in the church of St. Jacques, along with those of Saints Magloire and Samson, his relations.  From "Brittannia Sancta" we learn that in the year 1745 they were then and there honoured, but this is not inconsistent with the statement of Butler that Hugh Capet allowed some portion of Machutus' remains to be conveyed hoome by the British monks; and Lobineau ("Histoire de Bretagne") mentions that there were thefts by  monks of reliques in the eleventh century.  There is no countenance for the opinion that Saint Machutus either lived or died in Lesmahagow, his tomb there being probably an altar-tomb, a monument to his memory, or pious fraud.   In the sixteenth century however, James V. having obtained a bone of the saint, expended nearly £20, in having it encased in silver, gilt by John Mosman, goldsmith in Edinburgh.  The following is a copy of the treasurer's account in reference to this transaction, extracted from Pitcairn, vol. iii, p 306:-

9th Oct. 1540. -Item, Deliuerit to Johnne Mosman xii vnces, quarter vnce siluer,

to be ane Relique to ane Bane of Sanct Mahago,  .  IX li., III s., III d.

Item, Gevin to gilt ye said Relique with, twa rois-nobillis,   .    .   .   V iil., VI s.

Then follows an entry about another saint, followed by

Item, Gevin to him for making of ye vper (upper) Relique of Sanct Mahago,    -   III li.

Item to Johnne Patersone for making twa caissis to ye said Reliquis,                 - XXII s.

The grant of David I. was confirmed by King Malcolm, Commonly called the Maiden, circa 1153-1165, and recognised by Bishop Joceline, A.D.  1174-1199, Bishop William, A.D. 1199-1202, and Bishop Walter, A.D. 1232, all of Glasgow.  The deed of Pope Innocent IV., about the middle of the thirteenth century (A.D. 1243-1254),   confrims the rights of the church and cell of Saint Machutus of Lesmahagow. 

(L. de Cal., 7, 3; 11, 12; 318, 413; 316, 409; 229, 279; 332, 433; 350, 460.)

Gillemor, son of Gilleconal, for himself and his heirs, granted to the church of   Saint Machutus of Lesmahagow, the yearly sum of half silver marc, that he might be received into fraternity with the monks.  (I bid, 153, 187.)

John of Kelso, who was elected Abbot in 1160, granted the town of Little Draffan to Robert son of Warnebald.  The said Robert, circa 1170, granted to the Monastery of Kelso and its monks, for the use of Lesmahagow, the church of Kilmaurs, "his town in Cuningham," with half a carrucate (plough-gate) of land belonging to the church, on condition that they should receive him into fraternity, and at his death binds himself to give tow-thirds of his substance to the church of Kelso.  The transaction was declared to be entered into for the safety of his own soul and that of his ancestors and successors.  (L. de Cal., 231, 283.)  This grant was confirmed by Richard de Morville, Constable of Scotland, and by Engelram, Bishop of Glasogw, reserving to Hugh de la Rokelle the half of the said church during his lifetime.    (Ibid., 232, 285; 233, 286.)  In 1189, there is a charter of Kilmaurs in favour of Kelso, by Robert, son of the original granter.  (Ibid., 232, 284.)  The monks seem however for a time to have lost possession of it,   but in 1245 it reverted to Lesmahagow by grant of William, Bishop of Glasgow, saving the life-interest fo William de Conynham , the rector.  In the following year there is a confirmation of the above grant by William Lyndesheye, Dean and Chapter of Glasgow, also reserving the rights of the rector.  The good and fruits were to be spent for the use of the cell of Lesmahagow, and if applied to any other use, the grant to be void.   That Lesmahgow possessed lands, called the Girnal Croft, in Kilmaurs until 1505, is proved by a grant in that year, by Robert, Abbot of Kelso, to William Conynghame of Craganis, and Mariotte Hauchynlek, his wife, of all ecclesiastical lands of their church of Kilmaurs, on payment of six shillings and eight pence yearly.  (Ibid., 231, 283; 232, 284 and 285; 233, 286.)  See also "Chamberlain's Accounts", page 16 of this work.

From teh "Chronicles of Melrose" we learn that Osbert, Prior of Lesmahagow, was made Abbot of Kelso in 1180.  Two years afterwards he went to Rome with Joceline, Bishop of Glasgow, and Arnold, Abbot of Melrose, and was a party to the decision of the disputes with Melrose by William the Lion in 1202.  He died the following year.   (Chron. de Mailros, 90, 92, 105.)  He was succeeded as Prior of Lesmahgow by Bricius, a younger son of the house of Douglas, who was same year promoted to be Bishop of Moray, Geoffrey and Richard de Cane being then Abbots of Kelso.  (Chron. Mail. and Reg. Mor.)

The next Prior was probably Waldevus, as about the middle of the century his name appears as witness to a charter of a stone of wax to light the Cathedral of Glasgow, granted by Robertus de Loudonus, brother of Alexander II. (Reg. Glas.,115, 136.)

Alexander II. granted letters of protection to the Prioty of Lesmahagow in 1222 and in 1230.  (Lib. de Cal. 151, 184; 152, 185.)

In 1228, Hugo of Biggar (de Bigris), son of Robert, son of Waldeve of Biggar, patron of the church of Strathauan (Strathavon), for his soul's weal and that of his ancestors and successors, granted to God, St Machutus of Lesmahagow, and the monks there serving God, in pure and perpetual alms, the whole teinds of land of Richard de Bard lying on the south side of the Auan (Avon), viz, The greater and lesser Kyp, and Glengeuel, and Polnebo, and Louhere, and of all the lands lying on that side, which are or can be cultivated; to be held as simple benefice, quit of all service, custom, or exaction; the monks to pay out these annually 20 bolls of oatmeal to the chaplain serving the chapel of St. Bridge (St. Bride or St. Bridget) of Kyp.  As the granter was under age, he confirmed his gift by an oath before the chapter at Kelso, renouncing the benefit of extraordinary and common law and the plea of minority.  (Ibid., 152, 186)

In 1240, Richard Bard, styled aslo de Bard, granted to the Priory of St. Machutus and the monks serving God there, the whole land called LittleKyp, with the consent of his over-lord, Robert son of Waldeve, accoding to the following boundaries, viz, From the head of the water which is called Kyp, in the straight direction as far as the green moss which is below the two Haresawes; and from the same moss as far as the first stone which is placed beside the ditch, which is made for a march, and the stone erected from the foresaid moss as far as the the other stones placed at the head of Bradewude; and from the head of Bradewude as far eastward in a straight line to other stones placed as far as the burn which runs from the other eastern side of the head of Bradewude, and falls into the foresaid water of Kyp, and ascending by the said water as far as the source of Kypes water.  (Ibid., 150, 181.)  Alexander II. confirmed this charter; and the previous one relating to the teinds was confrimed by Walter, Bishop of Glasgow, at the instance of Hugh, son of Robert of Biggar, patron of Strathaven, , and of Reginald, son of Lord Reginald de Craawford, parson of Strathaven.   (Ibid., 150, 182; 230, 280.).