The Franciscan Monastery was founded in 1460 but destroyed in 1559 at the start of the Scottish Reformation. Franciscans are sometimes referred to as Greyfriars. The original Rule of Saint Francis did not allow ownership of property, requiring members of the order to beg for food while preaching. The austerity was meant to emulate the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Franciscans travelled and preached in the streets, while staying in church properties. The gate post and lintel at the entrance to the grounds give information on the Spey Tower, the city walls and details the site of the deaths of martyrs. The portal inscription reads:Hic genitor genitrixque siti et1 numerosa utriusqueProgenies nati et natae charique2 nepotesEt neptes necnon pronepotes3 atque proneptesHaec quicunque legis morti nos nostraeque cunctaDeberi tanquam speculo referente videbisHaec etenim transit generatio nascitur illa Transcription, notes and translations by David Bowler, 06 October 20201 The inscription reads ‘sitiet’, which makes no sense here. ‘siti et’ means ‘lying, and’, which is obviously correct.2 ‘charique’, a variant spelling for ‘carique’, meaning ‘and dear’.3 The inscription clearly reads ‘pronepotos’, which is not a latin word. Pronepotes means ‘great grandsons’, which is obviously correct. o for e is an easy mistake for the sculptor…
