History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 95

"This Graym, who as I sayde was chief of the enterprys, was borne in Denmark (as
some hode opinion) in the tyme of the Scottish men’s banishment, and had a Scottish
man to his father descended of a noble house, and a Danish lady to his mother; he
himself also married a noblewoman of that nation, and had by hir a daughter, whom
Fergus by the perswasione of the King of Denmark took to wyfe, and had issue by hir
(before his coming into Scotland) three sons, Eugunius, Dongarus, and Constantuos,
of whom hereafter mention shall be made.
"Others affryme that this Grayme was a Briton born, and that thro’ hate of the
Romanes for their cruel government he fledde forth of his native country, and
continued ever after amongst the Scottes, first in Denmark and then in Albion."
‘The Leadership of Graym’
The author goes on to relate that whilst the Britons were busy sending "ambassors" to
Rome to consult about their defenses, the Picts and Scots advanced under the
leadership of "Graym." He was chief in repulsing the "Bretagnes, and razed down the
wall of Abercorn, not leaving one piece thereon, so that only a few tokens are left to
this day of that huge and wonderful work; it is called now in these days Grams Dyke,
because that Grayme ye have heard was not only chief in repulsing the Bretagnes
from the same, but also at this time in the razing of it he was the greatest doer."
Mr. Gillespie’s History of Stirlingshire tells us this wall runs along from Castle Cary
parallel with Bonny water. After clearing Seabog Wood, it passes on to Chapel Hill,
where a small Castellum stood on the north side of the ditch. It is between this point
and Eli Hill that the wall bears the local name of "Graham’s Dyke," from the tradition
that it was at this spot "Graym" broke through the military cordon defending it.
For my purpose, the years 1125-39, with their indisputable proof of the tenure of the
Græme on Scotch soil, are sufficient. Certainly at this period, William de Grame was a
person of assured position and wealth and established (as many of his descendants
were to be also in the confidence and friendship of his king).
The first time the spelling of the name is written Graham is in the Cambuskenneth
charters in 1361. Hitherto, it has been spelt Grame or Graym.
George Graham born 1669, the Bishop of Orkney and Zetland had a large illuminated
tree of his descent which was presented by him in 1747 to Stuart Thriepland in
consequence of their relationship though the monk’s mother, Anna Smyth. This tree is
elaborately drawn out and shows 22 quarterings on either side; here and there some
blanks are left; it is illuminated on parchment folded into a red morocco leather cover,
and was drawn up to show his descent — a necessary qua Ɩf