charters of Edgar (1098–1106). These venerable writs are now amongst the Coldingham charters in Durham Cathedral, and are in Latin, The earliest specimen of continous writing in the Scots vernacular language is believed to be the decreet-arbitral of 1385, by Andrew Mercer, Lord Meiklour.[1]
84. But in dealing with those far-off times, it is well to remember Doctor Johnson's observation as to the immense difficulty of getting at a fact. In the same connection one may recall that Sir Walter Scott's remark (speaking of Sir William Wallace), 'It is a great pity we do not know exactly the history of this brave man; for, at the time when he lived, every one was so busy fighting, that there was no person to write down the history of what took place, and afterwards, when there was more leisure for composition, the truths that were collected were greatly mingled with falsehood.' This is a pregnant sentence, and explains the origin of many a myth.
85. In the reign of Alexander I., who died in 1124, some signs of cosmos in chronology appear. There are then Latin charters giving the year of grace, though not the month or day thereof. As we go forward, the month with the year becomes commoner; and often the annual terms are given as so many years 'ab incarnatione.'[2] About the year 1250, the A.D. reckoning is officially disregarded. For a long time thereafter recourse is had to a rougher chronology, namely, the mentioning of a feast day, or the day of a month plus the regnal year.
