William & Margarert (Spens) Munro, s. Alexander

This is the written instruction to Dun Matheson to carry out the engraving of the gravestone. Unfortunately, the stone is under the turf, but it was visible in 1996 - see Highland Family History Society Monumental Inscriptions publication for this burial ground (item 264). The transcription below is taken from that publication and differs slightly from the above.

'The above to be inscribed on the grave stone in neat character of the printed kind. Particular attention to be paid to the beginning of sentences and the division of words where a part ends one line and another begins the following.  In this part common inscribers are very apt to mistake, which has a very bad effect.'

'NB the original was composed by Mr Bethune minister of Alness & was returned to him by Dun Matheson that he might overlook his engraving of it.'

Underneath this stone resting in silent dust the remains of WILLIAM MUNRO, late of Delnies, a person of solid judgement and great prudence and exemplary piety who died on the 8th day of March 1778; also the remains of MARGARET SPENS, his first spouse, who possessed many valuable excellent qualities and died in the month of August 1750; likewise the remains of Mr ALEXANDER MUNRO, his elder son*, a preacher of the Gospel whose earlie and uncommon progress in literature and the salutary knowledge of religion promised much ability** in the Church of Christ but it pleased God to remove him by death on the 22nd day of June 1777: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction:repentance shall be hid from mine eyes***." Hosea Ch13 V14

*the note says 'eldest son'. ** 'utility and success' *** the last piece is absent.

Alexander Munro was governor to the children of Munro of Fowlis.