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INVERURIE AND THE EARLDOM OF THE GARIOCH

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INVEETJEIE

AND

THE EARLDOM OF THE GAKEOCH

A TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF

THE GARIOCH

FEOM THE EAELIEST TIMES TO THE EEVOLUTION SETTLEMENT

GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX

OF GAEIOCH FAMILIES FLOUEISHING AT THE PEEIOD OF THE EEVOLUTION SETTLEMENT AND STILL EEPEESENTED.

BY

The Eev. JOHN DAVIDSON, D.D.,

MINISTER OF INVERURIE.

EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS. ABERDEEN: A. BROWN & CO.

187 8.

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PREFACE.

The following contribution to local history had its origin in a natural wish on the part of the author to know as much as could be ascertained with certainty of the early history of his own parish. The publications of the Spalding Club and kindred antiquarian societies have suggested and facilitated many such inquiries. In the present case the antiquities of a Eoyal Burgh, which had been obscure for centuries among the Scottish municipalities, became a tempting subject of research after the discovery that the burgh was in existence before A.D. 1200 ; to which fact, as a piece of curious information, the author's attention was drawn by the late Dr. Joseph Eobertson when that gentleman was editing Volume IV. of the Spalding Club " Antiquities of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff." A minute examination of a number of the authentic documents printed by the same Club, brought to light other highly interesting particulars respecting individual dwellers in the Burgh of Inverurie, or its neighbourhood, in long past times ; while other works by historical antiquarians and local discoveries of prehistoric remains furnished matter introductory to a continuous memoir of the topography of Inverurie and the Garioch, and of recorded inhabitants of the district from the time when Saxon civilisation was introduced into it by Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret.

The peculiar position of the Earldom of the Garioch in Scottish history, led to an investigation as to what families and estates were of local importance at the successive epochs of David of Huntingdon's Earldom, and the battles of Inverurie and Harlaw, and during the long period when the Lordship of the Garioch was withheld, along with the Earldom of Mar, by the Stuart kings from the hereditary claimants — the Erskines, descended from Elyne, daughter of Gartney Earl of Mar, and Christian, Lady of the Garioch.

vi Preface.

The local history of a large immediately succeeding period the author had opportuninity, from his position, of investigating by means of unpublished docu- ments, ecclesiastical and municipal — the Eecords of local Church Courts, and the Court Books and Sasine Eegisters of the Burgh of Iuverurie.

The information drawn from these ecclesiastical and burgh manuscripts, has, as new material of history, been given in the form of literal extracts. It has not been thought necessary to encumber the work with marginal references to the very great mass of topographical and genealogical particulars obtained from the Spalding Club books, and put into connection and historical position in this volume, — the indices to these books affording sufficient means of verification.

With the object of making the Index of greater value for genealogical refer- ence, dates have been appended to individual names; and by the same means a connected view is given of the proprietary of individual estates, which the chro- nological arrangement of the work did not make otherwise possible. The Index has also been taken advantage of to supplement in some particulars the details of matters treated of in the text. The diversity in the spelling of proper names that appears in the work has intentionally been allowed to remain, as itself a historical feature of the periods described.

The author has had the advantage of extensive aid in the topographical and genealogical portions of the work from several gentlemen, able from private sources to enhance the value of the publication in these respects. Messrs George Burnett, Lyon King of Arms, Alexander Johnston, and Charles Dalrymple, have been at much pains in giving accuracy and interest to notices of family history. The illustration at page 73, was obligingly furnished by Mr. Alexander Walker, Dean of Guild of the City of Aberdeen, from his " Life of John Ramsay," and the Genealogical Appendix has been enriched by historical par- ticulars taken from his List of the Deans of Guild of that city.

The compilation of the materials, presented in historical connection in this volume, has been the work of long time, and the inquiries rendered necessary brought to the author's notice the existence of a great mass of hitherto un- pubbshed and interesting matter. The records of the several Presbyteries of Aberdeen and Banffshires, and of some of the parishes, contain much that

Preface. vii

illustrates the condition of society in Scotland during a large portion of the seventeenth century. Numerous particulars of family history are preserved in local Eegisters of Sassine and the Protocol Books of notaries public ; and there remain, even after the lahours of the Spalding Club, charter chests that would amply repay investigation. Two of them are repeatedly referred to in this volume, — that of Balquhain, much of which was printed by the late Colonel Leslie, and that of Bourtie, — portions of which possessing historical interest the author has given in the following pages.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

Primitive Inhabitation. — The Bass and Stauners of Inverurie — 1. Dunnideer — Ardtannies — 2.

Remains of Stone Period— Cists, Urns, Cairns, and Tumuli — 3. Discovery at Broomend — 4. Ancient Highways.— Fords of Don to Dunnideer— Tyrebagger to Inverurie — Stone Circles and

Sculptured Monoliths— 5. Inverurie to Monymusk— 6. Double Road from Broomend to

Drimmies and the Warders' Castle— Branch to Caskieben— 7. Leslie to Dunnideer— 8.

Inverurie to Meldmm and Howford— The Roman Iter — 9.

Chapter I. EARLY HISTORY DOWN TO THE BATTLE OF INVERURIE.

NRURIN. — Vernacular Names— 11. Dunnideer— King Arthur— 12.

Celtic Civilisation.— Iona— Pictish Kingdoms— Mormaories of Mar and Buchan— The Garioch and Strathbogie in the Crown — King Aodh buried at Nrurin — 13. Gregory the Great — Culdees at Monymusk— Chapel of Apollinaris— Ard Tonies— Early Lords of Ardtannies— 14. Malcolm Canmore— Robert, Prince of the Catti— Traces of the Danes— 15. Bartolf, ancestor of the Leslies— "Grip Fast"— The Leslies— 16. Saxon Civilisation— The Romish Church— Parishes and Monasteries— Culdee Stations— 17. Priory of Monymusk— The Durwards — 18.

The Earldom of the Garioch— 18. David Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch— Earldom Lands, original and alienated— Knockinglews— Earl David's Lands— 19. Coroner's Lands of Blakhall —Style of Earl David— Ecclesiastical Gifts ante 1200—20. Local Priests— Tofts in Royal Burghs given to Monasteries-Mixture of Population— Flemings— 21. Food— The Legate Galo —Fortunes of Earl David— 22. His Death and Descendants— John the Scot— Isobel, wife of Robert Bruce— 23. The Four Roberts— Close of the Earldom— 24.

The Kirk of Rothael and Burgh of Inverthurin— 24. Papal Bulls to the Abbey of Lindores— Earl David's Charter— Garioch Vicarages— 25. First Churches at Inverurie— The Abbey Toft —26. The Vicar's Glebe— Date of the Burgh— 27. Burgh of Kintore— Limits of Inverurie Royalty— 28. The Davo of Inverurie— 29. Lands of the Lord Superior of Regality— 30.

The Constables of Enrourie— 30. Wealth of Scotland circa 1200— Norman Immigrants— Malcolm, Constable— Crusade— Private Estates— 31. Earl David's Preparation for the Crusade— Badi- furrow— Sir Kenneth of Scotland— 32. Prominent Surnames— Norman, Constable— Rothie- norman— Auchterless— Frendraught— Slavery— Spital of Old Aberdeen— 33. Caskieben— Norino, Constable— Isobel de Bruce and her Son— The Leslies of Fifeshire— The Bruces— 34.

b

Contents.

Royal Visits to Kintore— Thomas the Rhymer and the Bass of Inverurie— Vicarage Endowments Ratified — 35. Functions of the Abbeys — Fetternear — Birse — 36. Garioch Priests and others, 1199-1262 — Richard, Vicar of Inverurie— Bishop's Court at Inverurie — Sir Philip, First of the Meldrums — Schools of Aberdeen — Episcopal Estates — Glack and Fingask — Sir Norman de Leslie, Adopter of the Surname — 37. Leslie in Fife — 38.

The War of Independence. — Contest for the Crown — Edward I. of England— 38. King Edward's Claim of Overlordship — Selection of John Baliol — The Bruce — Bishop Cheyne — Submissions to Edward I. — 39. Edward I. in Aberdeenshire — Chief Northern Highway — 40. Wallace at Fetternear — Tactics of Edward I. — Bruce and Earl of Badenoch — Donald and Gartney, Earls of Mar — Marriages — 41. Andrew of Moray — Kildrummie Castle — Baliol Faction — 42. " Mak Siccar" — Sir Thomas de Longueville — Companions of Bruce — His Coronation — 43. Loss of Battle and Destitution — Flight by Aberdeen and Deeside to the West— 44. Kildrummie taken by the English— Captivity and Suffering of the Royal Household — Successes — 45.

The Battle of Inverurie. — John Barbour — The King's Recovered Fortunes— Sick at Inverurie— Carried to Strathbogie — 46. Cumyn, Earl of Buchan — Winter Encampment at Ardtnnnies — Yule of 1308 — 47. " Brace's Cave " — " Bruce's Camp " — " Bruee's Howe" — Companions in Camp — Thomas, Vicar of Inverurie— Attack on Inverurie by Sir David t>f Brechin — 48. The King Aroused — Pursuit and Onslaught at Barra— Subjugation of Buchan and the North — 49. Local Individuals of the Period — 50. Memorials of the Battle of Inverurie— Cumyn's Camp — 51. Old Meldrum in 1308—52.

Chapter II. FROM THE BATTLE OF INVERURIE TO THE BATTLE OF HARLAW.

The Regality of the Garioch — 53. Its Establishment, Alienation, and Seizure — The Lords of the Garioch — 54. Ancient Earls of Mar, Domnhall in 1014 to Donald in 1332 — 55. Elyne of Mar — Lords of the Garioch, Earls of Mar — Lines of Mar and of Erskine — 56. Christian, first Lady of the Garioch — Thomas, Lord of the Garioch — Margaret, Lady of the Garioch— 57. James, Lord of the Garioch — Isobel, Lady of the Garioch — Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar and of the Garioch — Bargain with the Crown — 58. Usurpation by the Crown against Sir Robert Erskine — William St. Clair, Earl of Orkney, Lord of the Garioch — Lords nominated from the Royal Family — The Erskines, Heirs of the Earldom of Mar and Lordship of the Garioch — Right of Lord Erskine acknowledged by Queen Mary — 59.

Lands and Families in the Garioch before the Battle of Harlaw. — Leslie Lands — Schyres of Rayneand Daviot— Ardlar — Lediugham and Mellinside — Caskieben— Norman, Constable — Con- glass— Balhaggardy — 60. Rothmaise, Lentush, Mill of Rayne, Crossflat, Adam of Rayne to Henry St. Michael — Newton — Threepland — Bonnytown — Tillymorgan — Williamston — Wrang- ham — Oyne, Thomas Menzies to Archibald Weschell— Hays of Errol — Constable of Scotland — Castle of Slains — Cordyce, Sir James Garioch — Drum, William Irvine — 61. Hall-forest, Sir Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland — Family of Hill of Kintore — Thanage of Kintore — The Earl of Sutherland— John Dunbar, Earl of Moray — Thainston and Foullertoun — Glasgoforest, Robert Glen — Balnacraig, Randolf, Earl of Murray to Robert Chalmers of Kintore— 62. Caskieben, Norman to Stephen the Clerk — Kinbroun and Badechash — Glack, Pilmar to Glaster — Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell — Meikle Wardes — Conglass, Balhaggardy, Boynds, Inveramsay, Drum- durnoch, Pitskurry, Pitbee, Pittodrie, Newlands, Andrew Buttergask to Sir Robert Erskine — 63. Bourtie, Goblanch the Smith, to William of Meldrum — Charters — John of Abernethie to Barclay of Kerkow— The Barclays of Tolly and Gartly— 64. Kemnay, Sir Norman Leslie to

Contents. xi

Andrew Melville — Pitfichie and Balnerosk, Henry of Monymnsk to David Chalmers. The Abercronibys — Harthill, Ardoyne, Roger Haye to Alexander de Abercromby — John of Ports- town — Aquhorties, Auquhorsk, and Blairdaff, Leslie to Abercromby — 65. First Leslie of Balquhain, Syde, and Braco — Leiths of Edingarroeh, Bothney, Harebogs and Blackbogs, Drumrossie, "William Leith — Kirklands of Little Badechash— Mill of Follethrule— Foleth- blackwater — Meiklefolla — Adam Pyngle — Lethinty, Robert Bunrard to Forbes of Pitsligo — Meldrum, Philip de Melgdrum to William Seton — 66. Fyvie, Reginald Le Chene to Meldruin — Forbes of Tolquhon — Fyvie Castle— Preston and Meldrum Towers — Bisset of Lessendrum — Straehan of Gleukindy— 67.

Historical Events. — Leading Individuals— 67. King Robert I— Bishop Cheyne — Sir Robert Keith — Sir James de Garviaeh — Christian Bruce — Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell — 68. Donald, 12th Earl of Mar — His Fortunes — Invasion by Edward Baliol — Battle of Duppliu— 69. The English Party — Siege of Kildrummie — Battle of Kilblene — 70. Relief of Kildrummie— Siege of Dun- darg — Foundation of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch — Famine and Pestilence — Local Lairds and Priests — 71. David II. — Captivity and Hostages — Public Men — Provost William Leith — John Leith— The Bell " Lourie " — 72. Norman de Leslie — League with France — Sir Robert Erskine, Chamberlain of Scotland— 73. " Lang Jonnie More "—Laurence Preston — William Earl of Douglas— Thomas Earl of Mar, Lord of the Garioch, Chamberlain of Scotland — His Charters — Courtestoun, and Fleming Law — His English connection — 74. His Journeys — Cameron of Brux — Stephen the Clerk, " Secretar to the Earl of Mar " — 75. Margaret, Lady of the Garioch, and William Earl of Douglas — Troubles of King David's Reign — Sir Robert Erskine, Arbiter of the Throne— Sir John Swinton — 76. James of Douglas — Battle of Ottej'burn — Priest Lundy — Hotspur — Ransom of Ralph Percy — Robert de Keith — 77. The " Fecht at Bourtie" — Sir Henry Preston of Fyvie — Isobel, Lady of the Garioch — Sir Malcolm Drummond — Alexander Stewart — 78.

Ecclesiastical Events.— Wild Manners of the Clergy — William de Deyn— 78. Endowments of the Garioch Churches in 1366 — 79. Endowment of the Six Chaplainries of the Chapel of Garioch — 80. Archdeacon John Barbour, Parson of Rayne— 81.

Chapter III. THE BATTLE OF HARLAW AND ITS TIMES.

State or Society. — Misrule of Regent Albany— Social Crimes — Marriages of Ladies of Rank — The Ladies of the Garioch — 83. Contracts for Mutual Defence— Chivalry— Tournaments— Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar— 84, Cateran Violence— Burning of Elgin— Battle of Glasclune— Duel on the Inch of Perth— 85.

The Earl of Mar.— His Popularity in Aberdeen— Robert Davidson— William Chalmers— 85. Seizure of Kildrummie Castle and Marriage of Isabel Countess of Mar— Sanctioned under Bargain by the Crown— Naval Exploits— 86. Expedition to France— Style in Paris— Siege of Liege- Creation of Knights— Sir Alexander Keith, Sir. John Menzies, Sir Alexander Irvine— Marriage with the Lady of Duffle in Brabant — Importation of Flemish Horses— Christmas 1410 at Kil- drummie— Bishop Greenlaw— Henry de Lichton— 87.

The Battle of Harlaw. — Albany's Wrong to Donald Lord of the Isles — Donald's Appeal to Arms — His Progress towards Aberdeen— The Earl of Mar sent against Him— 88. The Royal

]Torces Aberdeen Burgesses— Force from Angus and Mearns— Rendezvous at Inverurie — Royal

Vassals— Earldom Vassals— 89. Church Vassals— Inverurie Burgesses— The Marischal's Re- tainers Kemnay— 90. Bisset of Lessendrum — Lord Gordon — Formartine Vassals— The

Forbeses of Drumminnor, Brux, Pitsligo, and Tolquhon— Donald's Officers— Maclean of'Duart—

Contents

The Chief of Mackintosh —Cameron of Lochiel — Scene of the Battle — 91. Mar's Lines of March upon Harlaw — 92. The Struggle— Losses— Following up the Victory — The Hebrides — Lowland Supremacy Secured — Tombstone of Gilbert Greenlaw — 93. Traditions of the Battle — The Drum Stane — Rose of Kilravock — Provost Robert Davidson — Sir Alexander Keith — 94. William Tullidaff of That Ilk— The Pleyfauld— The BaUad— 95. Sir James the Kose and Sir John the Graeme— Northern Ballads — 98.

Chapter IV. THE GARIOCH FROM THE BATTLE OF HARLAW TO THE REFORMATION.

Rise of New Families. — Hereditary Sheriff — 99. Branches of Balquhain Family — Kincraigie, Wardes, New Leslie, Pitcaple — Progress of Estates — Johnston of That Ilk and Caskieben — Glack, Glaster to Elphinstone — 100. Setons of Meldrum, Blair, Barra, Bourtie, and Pitmedden — Leith of Barnes — Forbeses of Pitsligo, Kinaldy, and Lethinty — Reddendum for Lethinty — Westhall — Melvil, Ramsay, Bishop Ingeram — Auchleven, Ogilvy to Leith — 101. Reddendum for Auchleven — Ardoyne — Harlaw — Sir John Wemys — Duncanston and Glander- ston— Lord Elphinstone — Kemnay — Melville, Auchinleck, Douglas — Little Warthill — Glaster, Gordon, Cruickshank of Tillymorgan— Braeo — Drimmies, Glascha, Wood of Drumcoutane — ■ Patrick Gordon of Methlic, ancestor of the Earls of Aberdeen — Blakhall of That Ilk — Coroner and Forester of the Garioch — Barra — 102. Blakhall of Barra — King of Barra Genealogy — Thornton, Strachan of — 103. Lindores Estates — Badifurrow, Balbithan, Hedderwick, Crag- forthie — Monymusk, Forbes — Fetternear, Earl of Huntly — Temple Lands— Rothienorman — Cushnie — Pitblaine, Thomson — Rothmaise and Lentush, Tullidaff— Tuliidaff's Cairn— Close of the Original Family of Leslie — 104. Beginning of Leslies of Leslie — Social Position of Garioch Lairds — Fortified Houses — The Erskiue Claims — Social Condition — 105. Comparative Wealth of Scottish Nobles circa 1400—106. State of Society. — Europe Distracted — Albany's Government — 106. Scotland and France — Con- stable Buchan — The Maid of Orleans — Rival Popes — Morals in Scotland — Insecurity of Life and Property — Bastardy — The Wolf of Badenoch — Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquhain — Fortress of Benachie — 107. Close of the Earl of Mar's History — "Young Waters" — 108. King James at Christ's Kirk— 109. Local Government— 109. New Lords of the Garioch— William St. Clair, Chamberlain of Scot- land, ancestor of the Lords Sinclair and the Earls of Caithness — The Queen of James II. — John, his son — Kobert Cochrane — Alexander Duke of Albany, Earl of Mar and the Garioch — 110. John Earl of Mar and the Garioch, son of James III. — Alienation of Lands of Mar and Garioch — Lord Elphinstone — Thanage of Kintore and Regality Lands conveyed by James IV. to John Leslie of Wardes— 111. Flodden Victims— St. Serve of Monkegy— 112. The Seton Gordon, ancestor of the Dukes of Gordon— Lord Gordon— First Earl of Huntly—" Jock and Tam Gordons "— " Bow o' Meal " Gordons— 112. Family Alliances— Erskine and Forbes — Origin of the Opposing Factions of the Gordons and Forbeses — 113. The Burgh of Inverurie.— Southern and Northern Hanses— Laws of the Four Burghs— 113. Con- dition of Inverurie circa 1400 — Neighbours — 114. Appearance of the Place— Residents — Occupations— 115. Offences and Penalties— 116. Merchants contra Tradesmen— 117. Quali- fications of a Burgess — Provision for Children — Combinations and Strikes — Size of Burgh Properties— Walter Ydill, Vicar of Inverurie— 118. Burgh Properties, 1464-76-119. Baillie, Town and Parish Clerk, and Sergeant — 1466 and 1476 — 120. Weddings among Neighbouring Lairds — Murdoch Glaster, and Janet Lichton — John de Johnston of Caskieben and Marjory

Contents.

Lichton, Gilbert de Johnston, and Elene Lichton — Bishop Lichton — Johnston of Caskieben, 1428-1547—121. A Tocher in 1481— The Blakhalls, 1398-1491— Burning of the House of Ardendraught — Rioters in 1492 — Parishioners of Kinkell in 1473 — Decreet of Stipend — William Auchinleck, Parson — 122. Magistrates and Burgh Lairds of Kintore in 1498 — Prices in 1479 —123.

Sentiment — Violence and Pious Services — 123. Pilgrimages — 124.

Local Clekgy. — Vicars of Inverurie — Walter Ydill, William Scrogy, Robert Howieson, George Anderson, Andrew Bisset, Gilbert Cranstoun, 124. Parsons of Kinkell — Henry Lichton, William Auchinleck, Adam of Gordon, James Ogilvie, Alexander Galloway, Henry and Thomas Lumsden. Garioch Vicars — Kinkell, ecclcsia plcbania, and its Chaplainries of Kintore, Kemnay, Skene, Kinnellar, Drumblade, and Dyce — Bishop Lichton's Buildings in the Cathedral — 125. Parsons of Rayne, Archdeacons — Vicars of Bethelnie, Chancellors — Parsons of Daviot, Treasurers — Monymusk Priory — Constitution, Rental, Priors, and Denes — 126. Vicars of Monymusk — 127. Vicar of Kemnay — Kemnay House — Douglas of Kemnay — Collihill Chaplainry Glebe — 128. Masses in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch — Neigh- bouring Priests— Bishops Tenants at Fetternear, in 1511 — 129. Tenant Right— 130.

Learning. — Foundation of the Universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Aberdeen — Bishop Elpin- stone and his College — 130. Aberdeenshire Families circa 1512 — Defects in the University — 131. Bridge of Dee — Bishop Gavin Dunbar — Alexander Galloway, Parson of Kinkell — 132. Kirk of Kinkell — 133. Philosophy and Art, circa 1500 — 134. Voyage to the Western Isles by the Principal of King's College and the Parson of Kinkell — " On the Hebrideau Isles and the Goose bearing Trees " — 135. Works executed by Alexander Galloway — Cathedral Chartulary — Robbery of Cathedral Jewels by Forbes of Corsindae — 136.

Life among the Barons. — Feudal Power in Scotland — The Court of Session — Raid upon Aberdeen — 137. State of the Town — Castle of Balquhaiu Burned by the Forbeses — Difficult Reconciliation — First Leslies of Wardes— Flodden and Pinkie — 138. The Douglases of Kemnay — Inter- marriages— Slaughter of Seton of Meldrum by the Master of Forbes and his Followers— 139. Estates of Lord Forbes, in 1552 — First Laird and Lady of Warthill— 140. Manslaughter — Setons of Mounie — Subdivision of farms before 1552 — Rental in money and kind with Grassums — 141.

Parochial Matters in the Garioch.— Bishops' Court at Rayne — 141. Quarrel at Insch — Election of Parish Clerk of Inverurie— Inverurie Parishioners in 1536 — 142. James Kyd, Vicar Pen- sioner— 143. Election of Parish Clerk of Daviot— Daviot Parishioners in 1550—144.

Eve of the Reformation. — Alienation of Church Property to Powerful Laymen — Commendators of Deer and Lindores — 144. Fetternear Conveyed to William Leslie of Balcmhain — State of Preaching — Lives of the Clergy — Attempted Reformation — Rioters from the South — 145. Queen Mary at Balquhain Castle — The Earl of Huntly's Designs — Battle of Corrichie — 146. Last Days of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch — The Chaplainries of Warthill, Pit- gaveny, Collihill, and Kirkinglass erected into an Hospital of Balhaggardy — United Parish of Logiedurno and Fetternear — 147. The Last of the Priests — Dr John Leslie, Parson of Oyne, Bishop of Ross, and Mary Queen of Scots— 148. The Black Acts — 149.

Chapter V. THE REFORMED KIRK AND KING JAMES'S EPISCOPACY.

Royal Charter of Novodamus to Inverurie. — Burgh Officials and Duties in 1580—150. Prices- Manners among the Lairds— Feuds and Slaughter— 151. Demoncraft— 152. The Beginning of the Reformed Kirk.— Paucity of Ministers in 1570—152. Garioch Parishes—

Contents.

Superintendents— Patronage — Presbyteries of Inverurie and Mar— 153. Readers, Exhorters, and Ministers — 154. Professor Johnston — 155. New Parish of Chapel of Garioeh — Hospital of Balhaggardy — Papists — Jesuit Priests in 15SS — Nominal Bishops — Succession of Church Governments — 1 56.

King James's Kirks. — Vicarages of Lindores made Rectories — Lordship of Lindores — 156. The Abbey Possessions in the Garioeh — Stipends secured to the New Rectories— 157. History of Stipends, 1560-1649 — Institution at Inverurie— at Leslie — 159 ; at Premnay — at Bourtie — Mr. James Mill, Rector of Inverurie — 160. Neighbouring Ministers — Shakespeare at Aberdeen — Bishop Blackburn — Bishop Alexander Forbes — 162. Bishop Patrick Forbes — Bishop Adam Bellenden— 163.

State of Education.— Marischal College — The Franciscan Monastery, Aberdeen — Lord Altrie — George Fifth Earl Marischal— State of Clerical Education in 1573—163. The Battle of Bel- rinnes— The Popish Lords — Catholic and Protestant Factions — Dr. Arthur Johnston, the Latin Poet— 164. " Whar Gadie rins "—167. Portraits of Arthur Johnston— 168.

The School of Invekukie under King James's Episcopacy. — Education and Schools before the Reformation — 169. Want of Schools in 1601 — Inability to Write — Latin in Kintore — Country Pupils at the Aberdeen Schools, 1612 — 170. Grammar School for Inverurie, 1606— First Masters — 171. Emoluments and Duties — Mr. Alexander Mitchell, Schoolmaster — 172. Locality of Inverurie School — Backwardness of Heritors — 173.

Urbs In Rure. — Principal Inhabitants of Inverurie — Norman Leslie — 173. Johnston Families — The Cross— The Tolbooth— The Manse— 174. Midtown— The Mill Road— 175.

Ardtannies— 175. History— 176. Lairds— The Hall— 177.

The Mill of Inverurie. — Mills in Inverurie — Walter Lines, Miller, and sometime Laird, of Ard- tannies— " Mary Eerie Orie Elphinstone" — 178. His Family, Will and Inventory— 179. Ardtannies in Early Times — "The Merchants' Graves" — Ard Tonies — 180. Millers of Ardtannies, Knockinglews, and Aquhorties — 181. Contract of Multures, Inverurie, 1600 — 1S2.

The Twall-Pairt Lands. — Cultivated Common Lands — 183. Pasture Common Lands — Haughs, Folds, and Crofts— 184.

The Landward Parish. — Families in Badifurrow, Aquhorties, Knockinglews, Drimmies, Conglass, and Crol'thead, 1600-36— 1S6.

Chapter VI. LIFE IN INERURIE IN THE TIME OF JAMES VI.

A Rural Scottish Burgh in 1600. — General Appearance of Inverurie— Occupations — 187. Regula- tions enforced as to Agriculture, Trade, Building, House-letting— Rude Manners — 1-88. Exercise of Magisterial Authority and Iniluence — 1S9.

Burgh Incidents. — Rights of Pasturage — 189. Market Customs — Criminals Banished— Building Faulds— Restriction of Brewers — Watching — Protection of Crops — Election of Council — 190. Burgh Officials — Quality of Buildings — Inspection of Abuses— Ewe Buchts — Land Tax- Taking Order — Wapinschaw — Personal Armour — 191. Idlers— Mill-service — The Plague, 1608— Trade Protection— Head Court' respecting Sunday — 192. Official Salary paid in Labour — The Leslies— House-letting— Fee of Town Herd — Arbitration of Blood— Pasturing Rules and Watching of Crop — 193. Constitution of Town Council— Marches with Crichie— Charters of the Burgh — Grass Season — King's Dues — Mode cf Municipal Resignation — 194. Mill Assessment— Fold — Ale-Tasters — Drunkard Restrained — Fee of Herd— Turfing — Offences and Punishments— 195. Malt Mill and Number of Brewers— Measures Testi'd— Unfreemen —

Contents.

Good Hours— The Sabbath — Church and State Discipline — Idlers Expelled — A Troublesome Family — 196. Thatching the Kirk — Interdicts — Last Sasine in favour of the Johnstons of Caskieben — A Burgh Feud — 197. An Armed Raid upon Crops — Mill-service — Use and Wont of Common Lands — 198. Right to Fines — Violence in a Tavern — Small Debt — The Sabbath, Head Court— New Weekly Market— 199. Herd's House— His Duties — Market Laws — Con- tempt of Magistrate— Quality of Houses — The Peat Road — The Burgh Feud— 200. Armed Town Clerk, Maladministration — Rival Councils — 201. Building the Mill — Assaults — Officer Deforced — Kirk Penalties — 203. A Baillie's Troubles and Honours — Large Council — Clerk Elected Yearly — The Mill Lade — Moss of Kemnay — 201. Dinging — Protection of Vintners — Quarrel with the City of Aberdeen — Domestic Strife — Temperance and Kirk-keeping— Redding of Marches — 205. Overbuilding — Right to Fines — The Fend Terminated. Dean of Guild — Thatching the Mill— 206. Foreign Claimant of Stonehouse, 1619 — Jury Inquest— Desecration of the Lord's Day — Marches with Blakhall — 207. Mr. Mill's Registers of Baptisms and Deaths. — The Minister's Collateral Entries — 207. Wills and Inventories — John Johnston of that Ilk— 208. William Blakhall of that Ilk— Prices— Pecu- liar Articles Bequeathed — 209. Deaths of Notable Persons — Speedy Burial — 210. Criminal Jurisdiction — Remarkable Deaths and Burials— 211. Nicknames — Upper Class Christenings — 212. The Minister's Second Wife and Christenings — 213. Changes circa 1640 — The Local Aristocracy — 214. John Leslie, Tenth of Balquhain — Raid upon Aberdeen — Conjugal Sentiment — 215. The First Marquis of Huntly — Dunnibirsel — Banishment and Recall — John, Eleventh of Balquhain — Loss of Estates — Style of Landed Proprietors circa 1600 — 216. The last Leslie, Dominus Ejusdem, Served Heir to the Second Constable of Inverurie — Jame,i Leslie of Aquhorties — The Frendraught Quarrel— 217.

Chapter VII. LOCAL CHANGES BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.

New Proprietors — Conditional Stability of Landed Property — 218. Old Ecclesiastical Estates — 219.

Badiefurrow. — " Bonnie Patrick Leslie " of Kincraigie to Mr. James Ferguson, Advocate — 219.

The First Baronet of Wardes. — Lost Prestige of the Barons— New Dignity of Knight Baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia — Sir John Leslie — Wadset of the Wardes Lords — 220. John Leslie, second of Wardes — Leslies of Warthill — Alexander Leslie, third of Wardes — William Leslie, fourth of Wardes, called "William Cutt " — Wrongous Molestation of John of Balhaggardy — George Leslie of Crichie — John Leslie, fifth of Wardes — Sir John Leslie, first Baronet of Wardes — His Character and Misfortunes — 221. Sir John Leslie, second Baronet of Wardes — Sir William Leslie, third Baronet of Wardes — Norman Leslie — The Castle and House of Wardes — 222. Office of Baillie of Regality— 2-23.

Warthill. — Glaster to Leslie — Tillymorgan, Crvickshank— 223.

The First Baronet of Caskieben. — John Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben — His first and second Families— Katherine Lundy — 223. Lundy of that Ilk — Desendants of Stephen de Johnston — The Durwards — Christian Forbes, Lady Caskieben — Impoverishment of the Family — Sir George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben — 224. Claims of Earldom — Roll of Caskieben Properties wadset to Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells, 1633 — Service of Alexander Jaffray, younger, in 1645 — Newplace and Synod of Aberdeen — 225. Johnston in Leslie— John Leith, Fiar of Montgarrie— 226.

xvi Contents.

Provost Alexander Jeffrat, Sen.— Lord Crimond -The Chamberley Croft— Principal Dun— 226. Provost Alexander Jaffray, jun. — His Early Years— His Two Marriages —227.

Crichie. — Leslie of Wardes to Lord Elphinstone — 227.

Blakhall of that Ilk— 227. Genealogy of Blakhall of that Ilk, Foresters and Coroners of the Garioeh— Blakhall of Little Folia— of Barra— 228.

Bourtie.— Abernethie, Barclay, Seton— 229. Collihill Chaplains— 230. Collihill— Gilbert An- nand— 231 .

Mounie.— Seton, Urquhart, Farquhar, Seton — 231.

Aquhithie, Ardmurdo, Balbithan, Thainston, Lethinty, Fingask:, Mel-drum. — Barclay's Protocol — Templar Croft of Aquithie — Forbes and Barclay of Ardmurdo — Dalgarno of that Ilk — 231. Chalmers of Balbithan, 1490-1696— Fortieses of Tolquhon and Thainston — Urquhart of Craigfintray, Tutor of Cromarty, and the Heiress of Meldrum — Lethinty — The Fortieses of Pitsligo — 232. Fingask — Patrick Urquhart of Lethinty, Fingask, and Meldrum— Episcopal Chapter in 1615 — Charter of Old Meldrum — Church and Manse of Meldrum — 233.

Kemnat. — Douglas of Glenbervie, Sir Thomas Crombie, Strachan of Glenkindie — 234.

The Leiths. — Harthill, Edingarroch, and Licklyhead— 234.

Abercrombt of Birkenbog. — Properties in the Garioeh, 1345-1690—234.

Newton. — Gordon, Davidson— 235.

Aquhorties. — Mortimers, &c., to Leslie of Balquhain — Barony of Craigievar and Fintray — 235.

Forbes of Monymusk — 236. Pitsligo and Fettercairn — 237.

Forbes of Leslie— 237. Leslie Castle— Leith-hall— 238.

Wadsetters and Reversers in the Garioeh, 1633—238.

Clerical Changes in the Garioch since 1600— Monkegy a Separate Parish — Kemnay, do. — 239. Lunan Pedigree — 240. Captain John Logie — Character of the Garioch Clergy — Provident Marriages — 241 .

The Marquis of Huntly — Decline of Family Influence — Charles I. jealous — Sir George Johnston made Sheriff of Aberdeen in 1630 — James Crichton of Frendraught — 242. Antagonism to the Gordons — Burning of Frendraught — Decay of the Crichtons — Gift of Communion Silver- Viscount Crichton — Lady Frendraught —243. Morison of Bognie — 244.

Social Features.— Drinking Habits— The Highland Chiefs— 244. Fairs in the Garioch— Lawrence Fair— Barbour and Winton — Exorbitant Market Customs in 1606 — 245. "Oh, Minnie, I'm gaen to Lowrin Fair " — Pushing Fortunes Abroad — Social Condition of Inverurie Burgesses — 246. Baillie Alexander Hervie — Appearance of the Scottish Parliament— Election of Members for Aberdeenshire, 1616—248.

Eve of the Covenant. — Aberdeenshire Recusant— Sensible Bishops — 248. The Aberdeen Doctors — Papist Houses — Father Blakhall— Prominent Families and Individuuls on both sides— Sir Thomas Crombie— Gordon of Newton— 249. Chalmers of Drimmies —Thomas Erskine of Pit- todrie — Robert Burnet of Crimond — 250. Colonel William Johnston — Sir Robert Farquhar of Mounie— 251. John Leith of Harthill— "The Mids o' Mar"— The Forbes Families all Cove- nanters— The Master of Forbes — 252. The Fintray Family — Sir William Forbes, first Baronet — General Urrie — Urrie of Pitfiehie Genealogy — 253. Chalmers Genealogy — 254. Apostles of the Covenant— Andrew Cant — Field-Marshal Leslie — 255. General King, Lord Ythan — 256.

Burgh Lairds at the Time of the Covenant. — Contract of Teinds — 256. Owners of Eoods and Common Lands in 1633 — 257. Traces of Original Division of Lands— 259. First Minister of Monkegy— 260.

Contents.

CHArTER VIII. THE TROUBLES IN THE GARIOCH.

The Solemn League and Covenant. — Resentment of the Titheholders at Charles I. — 261. Custom of forming Leagues — The King's Encroachments— Dread of English Episcopacy — Power of the Gordons broken — 262. The Second Marquis of Huntly made Lieutenant of the North— 263.

First Appeal to Arms, a.d. 1639. — The Committee of Turriff— 263. Hostile Arrays — Aberdeen For- tified— Earl of Montrose and Marshal Leslie sent North— Fugitives from Aberdeen — Huntly's Forces and Arms— 264. Royalist Muster at Inverurie, 25th March— Covenanting Camp at Kintore — 265 — Parley at Blakhall — Huntly outwitted 5th April — First Pillage, Kemnay Girnal — New Apostles — 266. " Deer Sandys " — Temporary Submission of Catholic Lairds — Huntly a Prisoner — Lord Aboyne Intercepted at Parcock and forced to Head the Royalists — Vacillation of Covenanting Chiefs — 267. Aboyne Deserts — Covenanters resolve to Meet at Turriff on 20th May— Crowner Johnston— 268. The "Trot of Turriff "—The Local Chiefs of the Two Parties — Alarm of Aberdeen — Forbeses go there to Submit — 269. Plundering — Royalists Disband expecting Peace, and being attacked Escape to the King — Their Return— 270.

Lord Aboyne as King's Lieutenant. —Battle of the Bridge of Dee— Death of John Seton of Bourtie, and of Pittodrie's Brother — Crowner Gunu Denounced as a Traitor by Colonel Johnston — Escape of Lord Aboyne and Royalist Leaders to the King at Berwick — Pacification — Huntly and his Daughters— 271. Preparations for Conflict, a.d. 1640 — Covenanters Tax the Country — Earl Marshal and the Forbeses Quarrel over the Division of the Work — Kemnay Girnal Emptied — Attack upon Fetternear House Repulsed — 272. Balbithan, Hedderwick, Lethinty, and Newton Plundered — Five Garioch Ministers marched to Aberdeen as Prisoners — Gordon of Haddo Fined by Earl Marischal — Minister of Rayne Deposed — 273.

The Earl of Argyll Head of the Executive — Burns the House of Airly and Plunders Athol and Lochaber — 273. Argyll's Maxims — Portraits in Inverary Castle— The Dhu Loch Avenue — Rata of Military Assessment in 1640 — Quarrels over the Collection — Earl Marischal and the Master of Forbes — Disbanding of the Forbeses — League of Covenanting Chiefs against Argyll— 274. Covenant Supreme in the Garioch in 1641 — Lethinty and Haddo Fined — The Fraser Regiment — Mr. Robert Farquhar — Leith of Hartill — Personal Encounters — The Craibstane — 275. Aber- deen Crofts — Parliament, 1641 — Pacification, Honors, and Grants — Andrew Cant brought to Aberdeen — John Row — Dr. John Forbes, Professor of Divinity, Deposed — 276. Garioch Can- didates for the Chair — Reredos of Cathedral of Aberdeen cut up to make a Gallery, 1641 — Schoolboys Celebrating Christmas, 1642, in Old Aberdeen, in Defiance — John Keith, future Earl of Kintore — Andrew Cant Introduces Presbyterian Form of Communion Service — 277. Covenanters Disappointed by the Parliament of England — Rise of Independents to Power in the English Army— General King brings Treasure and Officers to the King from Denmark — Portents of War— Defections — Huntly at Aberdeen with a Declaration by the King, emitted April, 1643 — The Laird of Braco's Funeral — Lord Gordon, Earl Marischal, Lord Forbes, and Viscount Crichton at Strife over the Apportionment of Aberdeenshire — 278.

The Marquis of Huntly in Arms at Kintore, 26th March, 1644— His Supporters — Covenanting Lairds Secret their Girnals and Property — Plundering, 286. Exploits — Abduction of Aberdeen Magistrates — Muster of 2500 Royalists at Inverurie, 11th April — " Umquhil William Fergus his House" — Boastful March to Aberdeen— 280. Retreat — At Inverurie on 17th April — Deser- tion and Flight Home before the Approach of the Covenanting Army^Argyll at Inverurie in Pursuit, 4th May — Attacks Kelly, and takes Sir John Gordon of Haddo and Captain John Logie Prisoners— Proclamation as Commander-in-Chief for a Muster of the County at Turriff on

c

xviii Contents.

17th May — The Moderators of Presbyteries to give up Lists of Heritors and Freeholders — 281. Huntly Escapes with his Treasure Chest to Caithness — Argyll and Lord Gordon leave Inverurie in Pursuit, 4th June — 282.

The Marquis or Montrose — For the King — Descent from Athol— Battle of Aberdeen, 13th September, 1644 — March Ordered to the Garioch, 14th September— The Irishes — Royalist Camp from Kintore to Licklyhead — Argyll starts from Brechin slowly in Pursuit — 282. Montrose leaves Inverurie for the Spey on Monday, 18th September — Encamps in the Wood of Abernethy — Argyll Deserted at Aberdeen by the Covenanting Lords — Montrose makes a Rapid Circuit through Badenoch to Forfarshire and back to Aberdeen — Escapes between the Forces of Argyll and Marischal to cross the Dee at Crathes — Visits the Covenanting Houses of Crathes, Echt, Pittodrie, and Frendraught, reaching Strathbogie in October — Argyll's Officers Quarrel about Commands — 283. He Crosses the Garioch in Pursuit — Skirmish in the Woods of Fy vie — Montrose Retires in Triumph — Flight of Argyll at Inverlochy, Candlemas Day, 1645 — Young Harthill and Craigievar's Troopers at Inverurie, 23rd February, 1645 — Craigievar's Recompense -284. Montrose comes from Elgin — Musters the Shire at Inverurie, 16th March— Lodges with the Minister of Kintore — The Covenanters under General Urrie— The Lady of Lethinty— Sir William Forties's Booty at Kemnay, Newton, and Harthill — 285. Accessions to the King's Standard — Battles of Auldearn, Alford, and Kilsyth — Philiphaugh, September, 1645 — General David Leslie — Montrose Escapes to Norway — 286. Marquis of Huntly with Lord Gordon Rise for the King, January, 1646 — Muster at Inverurie and Kintore. — Seize Aberdeen —Ordered by the King, now a Prisoner, to lay down his Anns — Escapes to Strathnaven — Is Sold to the Covenanters — Beheaded in March, 1649—287.

Incidents of the Troubles. — Abduction of Aberdeen Magistrates — 287. Alexander Jaffray's Diary — Jaffray and Cant in Pitcaple Castle — 288. Mr. Samuel Walcar— 289. Capture of Wardes Castle — Mr. Andrew Cant and Provost Robert Farquhar— 290. Cant on Portraits — 291.

Inverurie During the Troubles. — Principal Residents and Neighbours — 291. Lime's Dragoons — Assessment— Burgh Heritors— 292. Mr. William Forbes, Minister — 293. Baillie George Leslie— The School Decayed— 294. The Plague in 1647— Watching of Town and Fords- King's College at Fraserburgh — The Engagement, 1658 — 295.

Time of the King's Death — 295. Silence of Local Records — Residence Enforced— Kemnay Moss Tack— General Disorder — 296. Correspondence with Prince Charles— Last Attempt of the Marquis of Montrose — Betrayed and led Prisoner to Edinburgh — Montrose at Pitcaple Castle- Charles II. at Pitcaple— 297. Alexander Jaffray— William Earl Marischal— 298.

Chapter IX. THE RULE OF THE KIRK.

Mr. Andrew Cant.— Renewal of the Covenant— 299.

General Government. — Malignancy — Excommunications— 301. Controversial Prints — Gordon of Newton — Kirk Repairs — The Engagement — Kinkell Dissolved— 302. Inverurie School and Kirk — Lairds of Fetternear and Blair — Signing of the Covenant — 303. Presbyterial Visitation of Parishes — National Fast — Lairds Submitting— 304. The Catechism — Charming — Property of Defuncts— Ministers Deposed — Troublesome Lairds — Mr. John Middleton of Rayne — 305. Lairds of Caskieben and Balbithan — Case of Witchcraft — 306. Lairds Submitting — Extreme Crimes — 307. Row's History — Marischal College " Economie " — Clerical Apparel — Communion Wine "mixed" — No Bible at Culsalmond— Troops Raised for Charles II., 1650 — Intercourse with Excommunicated Persons— Army Chaplains Starving — 308. Leslie and Premnay — Excommunicats — Annexation to Daviot — Synodical Visitations— Pressure of Cromwell — Steel-

Contents. xix

hand and Harthill— Mr. Tailifer of Daviot— 309. National Sins— Influence of Cromwell's Successes — Rectification of Parish Boundaries — Newton — Minister of Kemnay Deserting his Charge— 310. Ruling Elders in 1653 — Fetternear — Visitation of Inverurie — Papists in the Garioch in 1655 — Eights of Parishioners — 311. Discipline over Ministers — 312. Discipline of Parishes— Platform — 313. Provision for Paupers— Swearing to the Covenant — Cases for Dis- cipline— Sacramental Services in 1650 — 315. Sabbath-breaking — Dogs in Church — Knowledge Qualification — Alehouse Laws — The Church Catalogue— The Marquis of Montrose — Defaming a Minister — Absence from Church— 316. Breach with England — Third Marquis of Huntly— Cromwell's Independents — Elders of Inverurie— 317. Qualification of Elders — Public Causes of Anxiety — Discipline needed in Inverurie — 318. Excommunication of the Goodwife of Con- glass for Popery— Insubordination — 319. Care of the Poor — Miscellaneous Objects of Church Collections — Avoidance of " Public Burdens " by Heritors — 320. State of Inverurie Kirk in 1649—321. Pews Erected— 322. The School of Inverurie under the Covenant and Second Episcopacy.— School Ordered to be Planted, 1649— Salary Subscribed— Schoolmaster Elected for "one Quarter" — 322. Mr. Alexander Mitchell — The Electing Body — "Honest Men" — George Robertson— Failure of Salary— 323. Mart' Hay, Schoolmistress— Mr. Arthur Forbes— Mr. John Walker— Mr. William Chalmer — Security of Salary — 324. Canonical Obedience — Presbyterial Supervision — Schoolmasters Masters of Arts — 325. Garioch Schoolmasters (1661-1668) — Quality of Schoolhouses — 326.

Chapter X.

RESTORATION OF THE MONARCHY.

Changes in Garioch Families. — Alexander Jaffray at Ardtannies— Third Marquis of Huntly— 327- Caskieben and Moukegy become Keith-hall— Sir Alexander Forbes of Tolquhon— Aber- cromby of Blakhall— 328. Transferences of Land (1668-16S4)-329. Alexander Leslie of Tullos — Balquhain — Elphinstone of Meikle Warthill — 330.

Religious Reaction.— Extent of the Reformation in Scotland — The Thirty Years' War — The Scottish Church and the Stuart Kings — Papacy in Concealment— 330. New Sects — Competing Tyrannies — Society Demoralised— Sunday— 331.

Charles II. 's Episcopacy. — Scotch and English Episcopacies — Position of Bishop in the Scottish Church — Form of Worship— Successive Prayer Books — 332. Reason of Opposition to Laud's Service Book — The Readers — 333. Episcopal Synod of Aberdeen in 1662 — Purging the Church — Political Character of the New Episcopacy— 334. Jacobitism — Changes Attempted— The Four Bishops of Aberdeen— Daily Prayers— 335. Proposed Ritual — Dr. Willox of Kemnay— 336.

State of Society after 1600. — Principal Record— Harsh Discipline — 336. Licentiousness— Dis- regard of Sabbath— Lax Ministers— Public Works and Charities— 337.

Parochial Incidents.— Testimonials — St. Bryde's Kirk, Kemnay— Sunday Games— The Jongs — Hours of Worship— Churchyard Patrols— Taverns Visited— Polonian Students— Stipends Taxed for help to Universities— The Plague in London, 1665— Minister Assaulted in Church— Collec- tions for Bridge of Dee — School of Banchory and Harbours of Inverkeithing and Kilburnie — 338. Bleaching on Sunday — Conventicles — Apostacies — Catechisings — Collections for Dundee Harbour, Bridges of Don, Ythan, and Gadie, and Fire at Kilmarnock — Registers of Deaths— Clip for Dogs at Church— Holy wells— Fall of the Church of Oyne— Child Offered to the Grave— 339. Fairies — Visitation by Privy Council anent Quakers, &c. — Abuses at Public Marriages— Papist Plot— "Lifted to be Elders "—Collections for Grecian Priests, Slaves to the Turks, Bridge at Inverness, and Harbour at Portsoy — Bridge over Tone — Accidental Breach of Sabbath — 340.

Contents.

Quakerism. — Garioch Perverts — Alexander Jaffray, James Urquhart, Dr. William Johnston's Widow — Quakers Imprisoned at Inverurie — Monkegy — " Insolence of Quakers" — 341. Minister of Inverurie's Daughter — Bishop Scougal — 342.

Heritors and the Church. — Origin of Public Burdens — 342.

The Kirk of Inverurie in 1660. — Sundial — 343. The Kirk Thatched and Propped — Repaired or Rebuilt, 1668 — 344. Arrangement of Pews — Heritors in Inverurie in 1669 — The Manse— 346.

Kemnay, Oyne, and Monymusk. — Communion Elements— Table Cloths, &c — Kirkbell — School built in a day — Churchyard Dykes — 347. Kirk of Monymusk Re-seated — Seats Let— 348.

The Burgh of Inverurie at the Restoration.— Thanksgiving Interrupted by a Spate in the Don — New Tolbooth — 349. Inverurie Enrolled in the Convention of Burghs — Jurisdiction Claimed — The Regality Courts — John Earl of Mar — Transfer of Caskieben Lands — 350. Law Borrows — Sir John Keith — 351. Baillies John Johnston and William Ferguson — Marches of Town's Lands next Sir John Keith's — Kemnay Moss Rented — Public Taxes— Fishings on the Don — Proposed Purchase of the Davo Lands — 352.

The Fergusons of Inverurie. — A Geneology Vouched by the Town Council of Edinburgh — 353. " Umquhill William Ferguson" — 354. William Ferguson in Crichie — His Six Sons— 355. Openings for Scottish Youths — The Mackies of Midtown — Later Life of Alexander Jaffray — 357. Mr. William Forbes and Mr. William Murray, Ministers of Inverurie — 358. Population of Inverurie and Individual Residents — 360. Burgh Incidents — Assaults — Ale-tasters — Com- pensation for Manure — Deacon of the Shoemakers — Members of Parliament for the Burgh — 361. The Market Cross — Pay and Dress of Militiamen — 362. Protection of Artizans — Municipal Franchise — Peat-stacks and Middens — Breach of Prison — Capital Sentence — Town Council of 1677 — 363. Importance of Royal Burghs — Honorary Burgesses — Hotel Charges in 1680 — 364.

The Earldom of Kintore. — Connections between the Families of Johnston and Keith — 365. The Johnstons of Caskieben in the end of the 17th Century — Creation of the Earldom — 386. The Rescue of the Regalia — Mrs. Ogilvie and Mrs. Grainger — Crown Room in the Manse of Kinneff —Sir John Keith— 367. The Ogilvies of Barras— House of Keith-hill— 368. Gallowhill of Caskieben— 369.

Chapter XI.

THE REVOLUTION SETTLEMENT.

Political Discontent— 370. Tests Imposed— Executions— 371. The Monmouth Rebellion— Pro- clamatians— The Earl of Argyll— 372. Sir John Johnston of Caskieben— Ferguson the Plotter — 374. Brigadier General Ferguson— 376. Parliamentary Election in Aberdeenshire, 1685 — Sir George Nicolson— His Descendants— 377. Religious Customs— Seedtime and Harvest Festivals— Communion Services in 1686 — 378.

Birth of the Pretender.— Proclamation— 379. " The Late King James "—380.

The Temper of the Times.— Insubordination of Kemnay Parishioners— Neglect of Christmas— 380. Monymusk Bells and Clock — 381.

Social Condition of the Garioch— 381. The Poll Lists— Gradation of Poll Tax— Oldmeldrum in 1696— Artizans and Merchants— 382. Meat Trade in the Garioch— Scarcity in 1696— Insch in 1696— Artizans— Terms of Tavern Leases— Uses of Peat— Inverurie in 1696— Artizans and Merchants— Servants' Wages— 383. Mr. George Scott, Town Clerk— Dr. James Milne, Physician— Baillie John Ferguson— Lairds and Tenents in Inverurie Parish, 1696—384. Esta- blishments of the Earl of Kintore and Lord Inverurie— Garioch Ministers and Schoolmasters- - The Watson Bursaries— 385. The Lunans— 386.

Contents. xxi

Garioch Families. — Changein Social Distinctions — The Legal Profession — 387. New Proprietors — 389.

The Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. — Upper Roods — 389. Lower Roods — 394. The Ballgreen and School— 398.

Fetternear. — Residence of the Lairds of Balquhain — 398.

Count Leslie. — Count Walter— Death of Wallenstein — 399. Count James — Siege of Vienna — Liberation of Hungary — 400.

Leith-iiall — 400. Formation of Estate — Family — 400.

Freefield. — Formation of Estate — Family — 401.

Keith-hall. — The two lines of Earls of Kintore — 402. Silver Plate of last Earl Marischal at Keith- hall— The First Countess of Kintore— 403. The Lady of Leslie— 404.

Monymusk. — Sir Archibald Grant — Paradise — Pitfichie — "Gentle Jean o' Keith-hall" — 404. Sir William Forbes, last of Monymusk — Forbes of Pitsligo — 405.

Badifurrow and Woodhill. — Fergusons — 405. Forbes of Badifurrow — 406. Incidents of the '45 in Inverurie — 407. Johnston of Badifurrow — Fraser of Woodhill — Gordon of Manar — 410.

Warthill— 410. William Leslie, Bishop of Layback— Little Folia— 411. Meikle Warthill— Elphinstones — 412.

Glack. — Elphinstone of Glack — 412.

Logie-Elphinstone — 413. Elphinstones of Logie-Elphinstone — 414.

Westhall. — Abercromby — Gordon — Campbell — Horn — Elphinstone — Leith — 415.

Castle Fraser. — House — Lord Fraser — Inverallochy — 416.

Balbith an. — Chalmers — Forbes — Gordon — 41 6.

Inveramsat. — Smith — Charles Hacket — 417.

Pitc aple. — Leslie — Lumsden — 41 7.

Newplace — Johnston — Burnet — Synod of Aberdeen — 417.

Pittodrie — Erskines of Pittodrie — 418.

Bourtie. — Blair — Seton — Stewart — Leith — 418. Auld Bourtie — Seton — Reid — Anderson — Duguid— Barra — Seton — Reid — Kamsay — 419.

Kemnay.— House— Burnett of Crathes — 420. Thomas Burnett, 2nd of Kemnay, in the Bastile — Betty Brickenden — Beau Brickenden — George Burnett, Provost of Inverurie — 421. Kemnay Avenue — Secretary Burnett — Sir Andrew Mitchell of Thornton — 422.

Religious Disabilities. — Popery taking Courage — Bishop Nicolson, Vicar Apostolic — 422. Number of Roman Catholics in Scotland— Tactics of the Episcopalian Incumbents— Trafficking Priests — Difficulties as to Baptism and Marriage — Wedding at Barra, 1710—423. School- masters and the Confession of Faith— School Work about 1700—424.

Introduction of Presbyterian Ministers.— Designs of the Court— Mr. William Cairstairs— Indul- gence of Episcopalian Incumbents— 425. Roll of the Synod of Aberdeen in 1697—426.

The Settlement of Kemnay— 426. Leets— Delays— Mr. William Lesly Inducted— 428.

The Settlement of Meldrum.— Jus Devolutum— Communing with the Laird— Mr. John Mulligan Inducted — 428.

The Settlement of Lesly— Elders Chosen— Call under threat of Jus Devolutum— Mr. William Forbes Inducted — 429.

The Settlement at Insch.— An Intruder in Possession— 429. Parishioners Qualified to be Elders- Heritors and Heads of Families give a Call— Mr. John Maitland Inducted— 430.

The Settlement at Rayne.— Lairds Employ a Nonjuring Episcopalian— 430. Presbytery Resisted —Officers Deforced— Lord Advocate Interposes— 431. Access to the Kirk by Stratagem— Mr. Walter Turing Inducted— 432.

GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX— 435.

Keith. — Marischals of Scotland, 435— Earls Marischal, 437 — Earls of Kintore, 439.

Leslie. — The Original Family, 440 — Leslie of that Ilk — Leslie of Balquhain, 441 — Leslie of Wardes, 444— Baronets of Wardes, 445— Leslie of Warthill, 446— Leslie of Little Folia, 447.

Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben. — De Garviach — Johnston, 448 — Baronets of Caskieben, 450.

Leith.— Leith of Leithhall, 458— Leith of Freefield, 460-Leith of Overhall, 460— Leith of Harthill, 461— Leith of Treefield, 462— Leith of Bucharne, 462.

Seton, 463. — Seton of Meldrum, 464 — Seton of Mounie, First Line, 465 — Second Line, 465 — Seton of Blair, 466 — Seton of Bourtie, now of Pitraedden, 466.

Urquhart of Meldrum, 468— Urquhart of Cromarty, 469.

Elphinstone of Glaok, 470 — Elphinstone of Logie-Elphinstone, Baronets, First Line, 471 — Second Line, 472.

Erskine of Pittodrie, 473.

Fergusons of Inverurie, 474 — Descendants of William Ferguson in Crichie, 475 — I. Robert Fergu- son, the Plotter, 475 — II. William Ferguson of Badifurrow, — Ferguson of Pitfour, 475 — James Ferguson, M.P., Election Song, 1786, 476 — III. James Ferguson — Ferguson of Kin- mundy, 478 — IV. George Ferguson, Chamberlain to Meldrum — Jopp Family, 479— Beattie Family, 480 — V. John Ferguson of Stonehouse, 480 — VI. Walter Ferguson of Inverurie, 480 — Walter Ferguson, W.S., 481— Lock Family — Fergusou-Tepper Family — Scott Family, 483— VII. Janet Ferguson — Fergusons of Warsaw — Hutcheson Family — Bruce Family — Fergusons of Edinburgh, 484.

Burnett of Kemnay, Burnett of Leys — Burnett of Craigmyle — Burnett of Kemnay, 485.

Addendum to " Drimmies." — Marches of Drimmies and Conglass in 1569, 487.

Note to " Elphinstone of Logie-Elphinstone," 488.

ERE AT A.

14,	line 35, for occesus	read	oceisus.
37,	n	34, „	1272,	ii	1294.
39,	ii	31, dele, nephew of Baliol.
60,	ii	25, for Norino	read Norman.
89,	ii	14, „	Strachan	ii	Straiton.
102,	ii	22, „	Christian	i ,	Janet.
102,	9J	29, „	1596	) »	1696.
129,	ii	29, dele Sir.
136,	ii	19, for Gordon	read Stewart.
148,	ii	11, dele then snbj	irior	of Monymusk.
184,	ii	31, for William	read John.
216,	ii	27, „	Margaret	ii	Elizabeth.
237,	„	30, „	1643	ii	1743.
240,	ii	2, „	1625	ii	1628.
254,	ii	14, „	Margaret	ii	Marjory.
307,	ii	52, „	Balgownie	,,	Balgonen.
319,	it	20, „	1685	ii	1658.
319,	ii	21, „	1633	ii	1663.
326,	ii	4, ,,	1644	1 1	1664.
327,	ii	36, ,,	1549	,,	1649.
329,	ii	2, „	1679	,,	1669.
352,	ii	20, „	Freefield	,,	Treefield.
355,	ii	27, „	Ellbank	j»	Elibank.
356,	ii	19, „	daughter	,,	sister.
356,	ii	30, „	Jean	i,	Ann.
371,	ii	40, „	Queen	,,	wife.
386,	ii	9, ,,	Irving	,,	Turing.
388,	ii	36, „	David	,,	John.
418,	ii	22, „	Thomas	ii	John.
419,	,,	21, „	1552	„	1652.
424,	ii	22, „	Ferguson	i»	Farquhar.
444,	ii	31, „	120	,,	220.
458,	,,	28, „	1479	ii	1497.

IITEODUCTIOK

Primitive Inhabitation. — The Bass — The Stanners — Dunnideer — Ardtannies — Remains of Stone period — Broomend — Cists, urns, cairns, tumuli. Ancient Highways. — From fords of Don to Dunnideei — Stone circles and Sculptured monoliths — Double road from Broomend to Drimmies ; by Corseman hill and Blackhall, with branch ascending the Don — By Stanners and Inverurie Roods, Stoncfield and Kelpyfold, with branch to Caskiebm, and east side of Ury — Garioch highways farther north — Powtate and roads to Old Meldrum and Howford — The Roman Iter.

PRIMITIVE INHABITATION.

T a point about six miles south-east from the summit of Benachie, one of the extremities of the Grampians, the rivers Don and Ury descend, through valleys "which meet at right angles, to a marshy hollow where their waters are only 120 yards apart, when they are again deflected, and their junction removed a good way southward, by an abrupt mound, seemingly composed of shingle, but coated with vegetable soil, from which a triangular field, of about 40 acres in area, slopes between the two streams.

The mound and field are the Bass and Stanners of Inverurie ; and these, from their position and apparent structure, may be a memorial of the glacial period. It is evident from the strive found upon rock surfaces, that the course of the ice-slip was from Benachie to the North Sea at Belhelvie. The local meltings of the glacier left a string of moraines along the Don, in the parish of Kemnay, where the line of railway now is — the Kaims of Kemnay. A mound, called the Cuninghill, exactly resembling these, stands southward of the Manse of Inverurie, at the edge of a sandy terrace, named the Kellands, where the slope of the alluvial Eoods begins. The glacial mass, obstructed a little below that point by the narrow hollow in which Don and Ury meet, would deposit most of its sandy burden at the point where the streams would together wash its edge. That point is where the Bass now stands ; and the slow liquidation might naturally deposit the more diffused haugh stretching onwards from the Bass, which, from its stony character, bears the name of the Stanners.

Among the oracular rhymes attributed to Thomas of Ercildoune, one foretells that

Dee and Don shall run in one,

And Tweed shall run in Tay, And the bonny water o' Ury

Shall bear the Bass away.

Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The lofty flat-topped cone of the Bass, flanked on the east side by a lower mound of oblong form, rises upon the broad northern extremity of the river peninsula from the very water's edge of the Ury, barely admitting of foothold between.

The starting point of any historical description of Inverurie must be here, where both the earliest annals and remains of a pre-historic period place the associations of primitive inhabitation. A central portion of the Stanners left uncultivated for centuries of Christian times under the name of the Goodman's Croft — a sort of Devil's Acre — forms a record of the ancient times of heathen worship, and of how ineradicable the customs of superstitious observation were here as in other parts of the Christianized world.

The highway of travel must at all times have passed the Don and the TJry, at a point where the Bass commanded the passages. There the Bomans must have forded the Don on their northern expedition, as the contingent of the poor Chevalier's army did when it surprised and routed the Macleods.

The Bass probably was the fortress of Inverurie, the prison and death-chamber of the unfortunate monarch Eth, when Cyric, or Grig, having defeated him in battle at Strathallan, in Angus, a.d. 878, brought him to the fortress of Nrurin, near his own castle of Dunnideer.

Three centuries later, before 1176, the Bass contained the Castle of Inverurie, the chief seat of the royal earldom of the Garioch. Malcolm, the son of Bartolf, held it as Constable for his friend David, Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch, from whose daughter the royal houses of Bruce and Stewart, and the reigning dynasty of Great Britain, all descend. Erom the Castle of Inverurie, Malcolm may have sent his son and namesake in David's train to the crusade with Eichard Cceur de Lion, from which young Malcolm never returned. In the next century, Malcolm's other son, Norman, the Constable of Enrowrie, may have issued from the wide castle limits of the Stanners in all the pomp of the then novel decorations of heraldry, bearing on his shield the Leslie griffin and buckles, and the motto, " Grip fast".

From the time now mentioned, the Bass does not appear in history, but it is found recorded in deeds respecting the burgh lands of Inverurie, in which the nomenclature of lands in the Stanners is of antiquarian interest, as containing such monuments of the social condition of early centuries there, as the names of the Castle Park, the Castle Croft, the Mill Butts, &c.

It was at Ardtannies that Alexander Stewart, the grand, though in no sense legitimate, Earl of Mar, Lord or Earl of the Garioch, Lord of Duffle in Brabant, High Admiral of Scotland, and the hero of Harlaw, held his head courts — described as held at his Manor of Inverurie — but in all likelihood the Bass was, along with the Manor, the rendezvous of his army before Harlaw ; and there his local following may have been joined by Irvine of Drum, and Bobert Davidson, his close friend, the Provost of Aber- deen, with his bold burghers, on the celebrated 24th July, 1411, when they marched

Introduction.

to check the advance of Donald of the Isles in the sanguinary battle in which the gallant Balquhain, himself of the ancient blood of the Inverurie Constables, lost six sons.

Lying in a direct line between the Bass and Benachie, the whole parish is one pro- longed sharply undulating ascent, rising from the level of the boundar}' rivers, Don and TJry, by terraces, from which ascend rounded hills, to its highest altitude of 780 feet, the summit of Knockinglews. Looking from the meeting of the waters, the Davo hill, 523 feet in height, and Knockinglews, seem two great stepping 'stones up to Benachie. Badifurrow and "Woodhill, standing west of the Davo and 60 feet higher than it, inter- vene between the Don and Knockinglews, while north of the Davo a lower hill, the Dilly-hill of Conglass, rises from the Ury towards the same central ridge.

The contemporaneous fortresses of Nrurin and Dunnideer, commanding the south and north entrances to the inclosed strath, called the Garioch, must have been among its earliest habitations — strongholds being the first necessity of settled life. But the secluded river hollow of Ardtannies had been a place of important habitation even in the unknown times now spoken of as the Stone Period.

A hundred yards or little more west of the spot marked on the ordnance map as the site of the Hall, a knoll previously uncultivated was turned up shortly before 1870, and appeared to have been the site of a manufactory of flint arrow heads. A mass of chips lay about, and fire had evidently been used in the process, a space of twenty feet, or thereby, in breadth being full of burnt stones. The black spot remains apparent whenever the ground is under the plough. A deep draw-well at the Hall, which was closed during the same improvements, was found to be a great pit, whose sides presented the same burnt material. On the bank of the Don, a hundred yards from the place of the flints, a sharp stone axe of laminated appearance was found in January, 1874.

About a thousand feet north from the Hall, upon a platform of the hill-side above the flinty spot, there were cleared out three circular structures, the places of which are marked in the ordnance map. The largest had a width of 60 feet within its circum- ference, which was a mound of stones, about three feet in height. A fine limestone axe was found inside. Across the interior, a little from the centre, was a straight trench, about 18 inches deep, full of ashes. A circular enclosure, like the others in appearance, remains in the wood at some distance eastward, near which had been another. One of them is marked in the ordnance map.

In front of these last-named circles, which were fourteen yards in diameter, was a strong rampart. It was a curve of 120 yards in span, having ten feet of base and six of height, commanding the face of the Corseman hill down to the Don. Outside of that rampart some long barrows, on being dug up, were found full of fatty mould, over which luxuriant crops afterwards grew.

Near the circle first mentioned there were several small cairns of stones never larger than six inches, which covered earth of the same fatty character. In January, 1874,

Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

a drain having to be dug close by that spot, was found to intersect a mass of dark matter about nine feet broad, in which were fragments of bone, from an inch to two inches long, one showing the edge of a joint.

Close by the sixty foot circle a careful artistic structure appeared in the small circle marked eastward of it. It was in the form of a saucer, nine feet wide and about one in depth, the circumference being of triangular stones dovetailed together so firmly, that the ordinary tramp pick was not sufficient to unsettle the fixture. They were bedded in finely wrought tough clay ; and the bottom of the saucer was of small pebbles closely packed in the same material, making a water-tight basin.

Near by these stood upon four props a great stone, ten feet in length by five in breadth and four deep, shaped like a fishing cobble, having a broad end and a narrower point. The pillars kept it quite clear of the ground, so that it had formed a good hiding place for rabbits. The erection stood on a prepared base — a fiat space neatly cause- wayed with pebbles, oval in form, and about the same length as the table, but wider.

The platform on the shoulder of the brae above Ardtannies, on which these artistic works were found, is at a level considerably lower than the point of the Corseman hill, about four hundred yards eastward, upon which the curved rampart and the long barrows were. In the wood behind which crowns the hill there are numerous round, or long mounds, suggestive of a sepulchral character.

Evidence exists of the district of the Garioch having been inhabited very early. The remains of two British camps occupy sites near Inverurie on the hills of Crichie and Barra. Both stone circles and sculptured monoliths are frequent, and seem to have stood upon lines of primitive highway. At the beginning of the present century about thirty stone circles continued traceable. Six were to be seen close by Dunnideer, and four more in the same parish, some of which were from fifty to sixty feet in diameter, and contained stones measuring twelve feet in height. The remains of a double circle are in the woods of Mounie, five miles from Inverurie ; and, within the parish of In- verurie, a circle still entire looks over an extensive range of country from the centre of a highway on the heights of Achorthies. Another had its site where, at the place now called Stonefield, the oldest known highway crossed the boundary of the burgh near Brandsbutt, and several stood along the same road as it led southward through the parish of Kintore.

The mysterious sculptured stones abound in the district. One stood at the point where probably the Bomans forded the Don on their northward expedition. Others had their places along the highway, which passed from that point to the famous Maiden Stone on the slope of Benachie. The Newton Stone, well known to antiquaries, is in an adjacent parish.

Another evidence of very early habitation was obtained in 1867 by the discovery at Broomend — about a mile and a-half south from Inverurie — of a number of stone coffins, close by one another. The edges of the slabs were neatly closed with fine clay,

Introduction.

which was still plastic when first removed ; but the cists contained no ornaments or fictile productions, except urns of unbaked clay ornamented in simple patterns. One, at the opening of which the writer was present, contained indications of the tenant having been a person of importance. A well-formed shell lamp of leather was suspended inside the urn by a broad curved shank. The body had also been wrapt in some thick envelope, which, in decay, looked like felt. Such a wrapping is believed to have been all but unexampled.

Eemains of the same kind of sepulture have been dug up all along the Don, from Broomend to Badifurrow above Polnar chapel. On the Davo a cairn covering a cist was, until late years, the culminating point of the hill. The rising grounds, encircling Ardtannies, have yielded numerous urns to the excavations made in the course of agricultural improvement. Eight were dug up in a small area near the summit of the Davo; others near where the priest of Polnar dwelt, and at Waterside of Manar, on the hill of Crichie, and at several places on the road from Broomend to the Greenley ford of the Don. Solitary cairns were lately frequent in the district, and also some clusters, or rather fields, of such memorial structures are noticed in an antiquarian manuscript, written about 1790.

ANCIENT HIGHWAYS.

The fortress of Inverurie stood on the spot which commanded the fordable points of the rivers Don and Urie, where the Don opened a way through a long hilly region from the upper districts, and where also any southern invaders were most likely to seek a road into the Garioch. In historic times, the castle of the " Warderys " remained in a ruinous condition on the north-western entrance to the Garioch, immediately beyond Dunnideer. The earliest highway through the Garioch, it is therefore probable, passed near these strongholds. But in any district the fordable passages of the rivers determine the lines of road first in use, and for this reason, it is probable that the earliest highway known to modern times through the hollow occupied by Inverurie, was also the primitive track used by the Picts, and by their predecessors — the men who used the mode of burial so curiously exemplified in the cist dug up at Broomend in 1867, and who left behind them the debris of a workshop of flint arrowheads at Ardtannies.

The probability that the earliest known road from the south to Inverurie was that still traceable from Tyrebagger by the hill of Kintore, Dalwearie, Castlehill of Kintore, and Broomend, to the south west corner of the Stanners opposite Port-Elphinstone, is much enhanced by the fact that along that line of road there stood a close succession of stone circles and monoliths, including some sculptured stones. The Standing Stones of Dyce, several circles and monoliths between Kintore and Inverurie, sculptured stones at the ford of the Don, and at Brandsbutt, and near Drinimies, and the famous Maiden

Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Stone of Benachie, all stood upon the line of the road leading directly from the south to Dunnideer.

Half-a-rnile south of the Greenley ford to the Stanners stand the remains of a stone circle upon the lands of Broomend, around which the road from the south forked, one branch taking the east side to the Greenley ford, the other passing on the west, and going by the rising ground above Port-Elphinstone, past Windyedge to the Broadford at Overboat. Those diverging paths traversed the length of the Parish of Inverurie apart, and united again at the highest point of the lands of Drimmies.

The western branch ascended the Corseman Hill from the Broadford in a straight line till near the summit of the south shoulder of the Davo, and then struck north-west, attaining its greatest elevation at the site of the present farm-houses of Davo, close by which the "Merchants' Graves" mark the spot where, according to tradition, two pack- men, encountering on the road, fought and killed one another. So far the road is nearly all still in use, or traceable. On the height it passed westward, until opposite Blackball, where it descended by Gavin's Croft to the manor place of Blackhall, and passing Dubston, continued by the route presently in use to the meeting-point of Conglass, Drimmies, and Netherton of Balquhain. From that spot it now forms the boundary between Drimmies and jSTetherton, to the point where it was joined by the other main road, which left the stone circle at Broomend for the lower fords at the Stanners.

Between Overboat and the shoulder of the Corseman Hill, the road now described formed part of what may have been the oldest line of road within the parish of Inverurie, that leading between the Fortress, or Castle, up the Don to the territories of the Mormaors of Mar. In later times, it would be the eastern highway of the Ciddees of Monymusk ; at a later period still, the approach by the ancient kirk of St. Apollinaris to the Episcopal palace of Fetternear ; as it was, even for some part of the nineteenth century, the kirk road from Achorthies, Badifurrow, and the hill of Balquhain, and had been to nearly the same period the mill road from Inverurie to the Mdl of Davo, viz., Ardtannies. The present Donside road does not represent that primitive highway, except in one or two fragments. It had led from the Bass along the south edge of the Upper Boods, now turnpike, keeping the present line from the Bridge to Upperboat, where it entered the great highway ascending the Corseman Hill. It left the road to Blackhall, at the level shoulder of the hill, and turning sharply to the left, made for the summit, whence it descended in a straight line past the Priest's house, now Coldwells, to Polnar Chapel, and under the spot occupied by Waterside of Mauar, coming into the line of the present road somewhat east of Burnervie. Upon the Corseman Hill, the road, at its highest point, passed behind the strong stone rampart, which commanded the valley south of the road. Tumuli resembling graves lie thickly round that part of the hill.

No lower road from Overboat to Coldwells broke the privacy of the old Hall of Ardtannies, or afforded easy access to the mill, until a century ago or less. When the elevated highway descended the steep west side of the summit of Corseman to the level

Introduction.

shoulder, which contained the sixty-foot circle and others, a road, still partly preserved in the edge of the present wood, led down an unbroken green sweep to the platform on which the old manor house stood. The corns sucken to the mill had to he conveyed from Inverurie in curracks on horseback, by paths crossing the Kellands for the height of the Corseman, a chief one leading from the Sand Hole or Gallow Hill. The access from the Blackball side was past the Merchants' Graves to the saddle lying between the Corseman summit and the higher Davo, where the mill road would be entered upon.

The eastern branch of the great highroad through the Garioch, proceeding from the Broomend stone circle to the Greenley ford of the Don, divided itself there, and crossed at two fords, to meet again on the other side ; the double road making a loop which enclosed the east branch of the river and part of the island called the Broom Inch, and the Ducat Haugh. The two tracks became a single line again where the High Street of Inverurie is now entered from Keithhall Road.

One line of the double track kept the centre of the Broom Inch, until opposite the spot where the sewage niter bed was made in 1872. Crossing there, it formed the boundary between the Ducat Haugh — likely, from its name, to have been part of the Castle grounds — and the Streamhead, a part of the common lands of the Burgh. The other line crossing to the Stanners kept the water-side and the Haugh of Old Don, now Keithhall Road, on to the level of High Street, where the two paths came together again and formed the north road through the burgh of Inverurie.

The eastmost line of that double approach to the town of Inverurie, after fording the Don, skirted the Stanners until it reached the point nearest the Ury. By that water- side path young Malcolm rode south to join the second Crusade ; and, a hundred years afterwards, Norman, the son of the last of the Constables, went to take the oath of fealty to English Edward, at Aberdeen. A green loaning, called Killiewalker in recent years, led from Don to Ury, over the isthmus of the Castle peninsula, and was the highroad to Caskieben, by which the Leslies, Garviachs, and Johnstons, lords of that fine domain for four centuries, issued forth to the numerous devoirs which feudal barons had to go through. The path lay between the kirkyard and the Castle, and had been little wider than a bridle road. It connected the Garioch highroad with the other great north road, by which Edward I. went from Aberdeen, past Ivinkell, to Fy vie, and by which the Duke of Cumberland, in 1746, marched from Aberdeen, by Tyrebagger, Bogheads, Kintore, Balbithan, and Old Meldrum, on his way to Culloden. The stepping-stones still remain by which the Ury was in former days crossed by foot passengers.

On attaining the level of the modern street, the highway of the Garioch went along the present line until the middle of the west side of Market Place, where it skirted the northmost Upper Roods from between Numbers 25 and 17 Market Place, and keeping the north side of the Gallow Slack, called afterwards Porthead, entered the present line of "West High Street at Chelsea Lane, or Gallowhill. The road pro- ceeded from that point, under the Broomfold, as West High Street now lies, to cross

8 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the Overburn, sometimes difficult of passage, and ascended the Burgh Muir. The triangular nook called the Poet's Corner, and the houses adjoining it, all stand upon the primitive line which led along the side of the Market Green to Stonefield, as it till continues to do. At Stonefield the road, now obliterated, made for the highest level of Brandsbutt, and then kept a line now marked by a continuous stone dyke along the upper fields of Conglass. It crossed the march of Conglass and Drimmies, below an eerie spot named the Kelpy Fold, and, ascending to the highest point of Drimmies, it joined the road which came thither by the Davo and Blackball.

From the point of re-union the highway descended to the Castle of Balquhain, crossing the Natrick, and from the Castle gradually rose to Craigsley, from which, to the Maiden Stone, it is still open. By the north slope of Benachie it extended, after passing that remarkable monument, to a spot marked by a line of old beech-trees where a cart-track now leads from the Oyne railway station to the west summit of Benachie, and, crossing the hill of Ardoyne, passed the Gadie near the Kirk of Prem- nay, where General Wade, in 1746, bridged that stream, making thence for the hill of Dunnideer and the Castle of the "Warders.

Between Dunnideer and the first home of the Leslies, a road still open passed by the site of the ancient kirk of Rathmuriel, and is given as a boundary, in a title deed of date 1245. There King James the First witnessed the revels of Christ's Kirk fair.

Besides the highway traversing the western heights of the valley of the Garioch, another had, in very early times, gone along the opposite side of the river Ury ; pos- sibly starting from the Earl's castle, but certainly passing Balhaggardy, Sillerstrind, and the Standing Stones of Eayne, where the King's Justiciar at times held assize, and proceeding northwards to Culsalmond, where the earliest named lands in the Garioch Earldom lay.

At the time when the highway through Inverurie had been chosen, by ascending the Gallowslack, instead of taking the present line of Market Place and West High Street, the site of Market Place had been covered by a loch, known in after centuries, when it was much diminished, as Powtate. Excavations made in 1872, for drainage purposes, showed the blue clay, deposited by the stagnant pool in the deep gravel bed upon which Inverurie stands, extending from nearly the south end of Market Place to a point in the Crosslit Croft a hundred yards north of West High Street. The l^orth Burn found its ordinary basin in that sheet of water ; and the usual drainage to the Ury through the narrow passage between the Town's Eoods and the Longland Folds must have been occasionally supplemented by a spill-water discharge down the low level now leading to the Market Place Public School. As the loch was gradually shut up into narrow dimensions, the dried north bank of it which separated it from the burn formed the space now occupied by the Town-Hall and the open area before it, and became the Butts and Ball-green of the inhabitants. The Powtate, at the close of the last century, had contracted into a small muddy " dewkdub," where unwary, or incap-

Introduction.

able pedestrians occasionally lost a shoe. A well was sunk at an early period on the edge of it. The burgh or parish school, from the first record we have of its situation, was always near the well, and the juvenile clients never permitted its waters to become stagnant.

In the end of the last century, roads led from the burgh to Souterford and How- ford, but the Blackhall Road did not exist, and the present turnpike had no more representing it in the parish of Inverurie than the portion between Keithhall Road and the beginning of North Street. The road to Souterford, by which it is likely Bruce chased back the enemy's skirmishers at the beginning of the battle of Inverurie, took the east side of Powtate. Some local movement in 1671 got the "mercat cross" removed to the " pairting of the gaits be south of the draw-well "; but in 1678 a peremptory order was passed that it be " remuved back againe from "William Downie's land to the place where it stode auncientlie," which was opposite the present Station Road.

The line of the Boman iter from the camp of Baedykes in Petercidter, to that ad Itunam (on the Ythan) at Glenmailen in Borgue, has been traced confidently by antiquaries, between Kintore and the ford of Inverurie from the rule observed by the Romans in marching, which was to keep along the strath of any stream that lay in their designed route, untd they had to cross it at a bend in its course. Passing the Don at the Greenley ford and then keeping the strath of the Ury, they would find that stream lying across their course to Glenmailen at Bitcaple. The immemorial road from the lower fords of the Don along the present highway of Inverurie by the Gal- lowslacks and Stonefield, to the site of the Castle of Balquhain, exactly suits the Boman rule of selection, and the coincidence of stone circles with the road — which is so marked between Kintore and Inverurie — continues at Stonefield, and on to Bitcaple ; a great circle standing on the farm of Mains of Balquhain, beyond the Old Castle. At the present ford of Bitcaple, indications of Boman presence are said, in the Statistical Ac- count, to have been discovered in a fortified work north of Pitcaple Castle ; the foun- dations of a bridge also being found at the crossing of the Ury, and a bit of Roman road farther on in the line towards Glenmailen, at Cairnhill in the parish of Rayne.

It would be interesting to know something of the men who, in primitive times, passed along those ancient highways, and who perhaps could read with understanding the symbols of the sculptured monoliths ; or of those who went up from the Stanners to till their rigs on the Upper or Lower Roods ; or of those who were the first dwellers upon the burgage lands, the two lines of Roods which stretch like the filaments of a straight feather from either side of the highway, beginning at the Ducat Haugh and Urybank, and extending to the Gallowslack on the west side, and the North Burn on the east. The stone circles abounding in the neighbourhood have not been examined, at least extensively. The one which stands where the separation of the south road into two lines of approach to the Don took place, afforded two amateur antiquarians a

2

10 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

tantalising " find," the story of which would have delighted the author of the " Anti- quary ". It was a broad concave plate of iron, straight at one end, but worn thin and round at the other, yet betraying its original purpose of serving as the front part of a cuirass, by the thick central ridge which ran up to the point covering the gorge. After a night spent in excited contemplation of the importance of such a discovery for fixing the chronological period of stone circles, it was distressing that a more cool examination next day discovered the relic to be part of a spade.

Chapter I. EAELY HISTOEY DOWN" TO THE BATTLE OF INVEETJELE.

Nrurin. — Vernacular name— Dunnideer — King Arth ur. Celtic Civilization from Iona — Mormaors of Mar and Buchan — Garioch and Strathbogy in (lie Crown — King Aodh buried at Nrurin — Gregory the Great — Culdees at Mmiymusk — Chapel of Apollinaris —Ard Tonics — Early lords of Ardtaunics — Malcolm Canmore — Robert Prince of the Catti — Battle with Danes at Densyburn — Church tower of Monymusk—Bartolf the Hungarian — Grip fast — The Leslies — Saxon civilization — The Roman Catholic Church — Parishes and monasteries — The Culdee stations — Priory of Monymusk — The Durwards. The Earldom of the Garioch — David Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch — Earldom, lands original and alienated — Leslie lands in Inverurie — Earldom lands — First notice of parish and burgh of Inverurie — Style of Earl David — Ecclesiastical gifts in the twelfth century — Tofts in royal burghs given to monasteries — Mixture of population — Flemings — Diet — Visit of Papal Legate — Fortunes of Earl David — His death— John the Scot — Isabel wife of Robert Bruce — The four Roberts — Lordship of the Garioch. Kirk of Rothael and Burgh of Inverthurin— Papal bulls to Abbey of Lindores — Earl David's charter. The Kirk— The Abbey toft— The Vicar's manse. The Burgh — Date of royalty — Fitties's croft — Kintore. Limits of the Kotaltt — Davo of Inverurie. The Constables of Enrowrie — Wealth of Scotland — Norman immigrants — Malcolm the first Constable — Earl David's preparations for the Crusade — Badi- furrow— Sir Kenneth of Scotland — Norman, Second Constable — Slavery— Caskieben — Norino the last Constable — Isabel de Bruce— Royal visits to Kintore — Thomas the Rhymer and the Bass — Papal ratification of Vicarage stipends for the Abbeys — Value of the Abbeys — Fetternear — Garioch priests and others — Court at Inuerhury — Glack — Normand de Leslie the first Leslie — Fifeshire Leslies. The War of Independence— Contest for the crown— Edward I. — The Bruces — Bishop Henry Cheyn — Edward I. in Aberdeenshire— Wallace at Fetternear — The English King's tactics — Bruce and Comyn Earl of Badenoch — Mak siccar — Thomas de Longueville — Coronation of Robert Bruce — Loss of battle and flight — At Aberdeen — Retreat by Deeside to head of Tay — Kildrummie taken by the English — Captivity of the Royal household. The Battle of Inverurie — King's recovered fortunes — Sick at Inverurie — Carried for a time to Strathbogie — Winter encampment at Ardtannies— Attack by Sir David of Brechin — The King roused to take vengeance— Onslaught at Barra — Subjugation of Buchan and the North — Individuals of the period — Memorials of the battle of Inverurie.

NRURIN.

tHE name of our royal burgh, which Mary Queen of Scots described as being, in 1558, a burgh of great antiquity, has suffered damage from the improvements at- tempted by modern taste in names. As pronounced by " the oldest inhabitant," it has been from time immemorial, as it is represented in the legend of the burgh arms, Inrure, or more accurately NEUEI, the name omitting a final N, which is given to it in the Pictish Chronicle, at the date a.d. 878.

12 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloeh.

The name Inverurie alternating with Inverury, according to the taste of non-resi- dent town-clerks, can claim the pedantic examples of Inverurin and Inverthurin, used in the earliest royal, or papal, documents ; but the first local spelling known was Enrowry. Norman, constable of Enrowry, was witness to a charter founding St. Peter's Hospital in the Spital of Aberdeen, granted by Matthew Kinninmond, Bishop, who died in 1199.

The origin of the name is popularly connected with the meeting of the Ury and Don. In some future age of antiquarian research a different explanation may be confi- dently adopted. At the period when the expected traveller from the antipodes is to stand upon a broken arch of London Bridge sketching the ruins of St. Pauls, if the burgh seal of our town shall find a place in the treasures of some historical institute of his country, among the coins and seals of the once famous island of Britain, its legend urbs in rure may lead some well-read explorer of primitive European history to a truly classical theory upon this point. The Roman legionaries, who, far from home in their Caledonian march, beheld the Tiber and Campus Martius in the Tay and its Inches, would experience a like pleasant surprise when, after a dull tramp from Norrnandykes, they emerged from the forest of Crichie. They would suddenly behold close at hand, across the sparkling current of the Don, a hamlet of agricultural fishermen dotting the Stanners between the banks of the two rivers, with the picturesque Bass presiding over the populous little peninsula, and in the background the green or wooded heights of the Davo and Knockinglews ascending, shoulder above shoulder, to the clear-cut graceful outline of Benachie. To the Roman soldier, whose highest ideal of home comfort was rus in urbe, the exclamation urbs in rure would come naturally upon the sight, and not the less ready to be spoken out because of its punning antithesis. Many a preten- tious myth has in truth had a much narrower foundation of probability.

"Whatever degree of historic light belongs to the legend of the British King

Arthur, embraces in its dreamy radiance Dunnideer, the historic capital of the Northern

Picts. In Jhon Hardynge's map of Scotland, constructed about 1465, there appear

the " Castells of Strathbolgy, of Eothiemay, of Dony Dowre"; and he says of King

Arthur : —

He held his household and the rounde table,

Sometyme at Edinburgh, sometyme at Striviline —

Of kynges renowned and most honourable ;

At Carlysle sumwhile, at Alcluid his citie fine,

Emong all his knights and ladies full femenine ;

And in Scotlande at Perthe and Dunbrytain ;

In Cornwaile also, Dover and C'airelogion,

At Dunbar, Dunfrise, and St John's Towne —

All of worthy knights moo then a legion ;

At Donydoure also, in Muiith region,

And in many other places, both eitie and toune.

Celtic Civilization. 13

CELTIC CIVILIZATION.

The dawn of Christian civilization in Britain, which is the real subject of the legend of King Arthur, brings the Garioch into the field of history some centuries be- fore Aodh was buried at Nrurin. The parishes arranged by the Saxon Kings of Scotland, superseded in the Garioch numerous chapels, some of which perpetuated the names of Culdee founders, or patrons. Daviot was dedicated to Columba himself, who, leaving Ireland in the sixth century, made his place of refuge in Iona the- source of Christian civilization to the whole of Britain north of the Cairn.

The Book of Deer tells us that Bede the Pict, Mormaor of Buchan, when Columba with his disciple, Drostan, came from Iona in the sixth century, gave to the two apostles " the city of Aberdour and the city of Deer". The Culdee successors of these two early lights of Scotland had probably civilized the region of the Don, and planted it with the beginning of its many chapels, before the existence of Grig and Eth, at a time when the Northmen, the ancestors of the Normans of civilized Britain, were desecrating the churches on the Loire with pagan orgies. The Southern Picts, living between Forth and the Cairn o' Munth, began to be converted to Christianity in 410-432, by St. Ninian, who travelled for that work from his home at Candida Casa, in Galloway (Grub's Ecclesiastical History). The Northern picts, ruled over in the next century by Brude, the son of Malcolm, inhabited Scotland from the Cairn on the south and the Grampians on the west, to the extreme north ; even Orkney, it would seem, acknowledging the King. His residence was on the Ness. All the kings of the Picts after his time were Christian ; and the work begun by Columba, who had Brude for one of his first enter- tainers in his mission to Scotland, spread rapidly thereafter over his dominions. One Christian Pictish sovereign received the Greek St. Rule at Kindrochet (Braemar), where he built his first church.

Two great maorics almost divided what is now called Aberdeenshire between them, at the period when history first sheds a little light upon the north of Scotland. The mountainous region occupying the south and west, was under the Mormaors of Mar ; the great seaward plain, between the level portions of the Don and Deveron was held by the Mormaors of Buchan. The latter dignity goes back to about a.d. 580. Between those lords of the hills and lords of the valleys, were interposed the districts of Garioch and Strathbogie, which were " in the Crown," or more directly subject to the King.

We have no chronological figures to appeal to before the ninth century bearing special reference to the Garioch ; but when Dunnideer was the capital of the Northern Picts, as Forteviot was of the Southern, the Bass had likely been a stronghold, such as we find it in the third reign of the united Pictish kingdom, less than 40 years after the union of the Picts. Robertson, in his " Early Kings of Scotland," states that in 878, on the accession of Aodh or Hugh, elsewhere called Eth of the Swift Foot, who was the son of Kenneth Macalpine, the first king of both Pictish kingdoms, his authority was

14 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

disputed by Cyric, or Grig, who seems to have held a place of pre-eminence among the northern magnates. " Grig apparently invaded the immediate territories of Aodh, for in a contest in Strathallan, he was victorious, and Aodh, wounded and a prisoner, was con- veyed to the fortress of Nrurin, where he died after a few weeks' captivity." Cyric, or Grig, himself died at Dunnideer in 806, after a peaceable reign of eighteen years, though nothing on r3Cord warrants the title of Gregory the Great, given him in Monkish annals. The fortress of Inverurie was probably on the Bass. The dining Hill, the highest spot in the fertile Burgh Boods of Inverurie, is said to have received the remains of King Aodh. The Saxon term meaning " King's Hill," may date from the later centuries, when the southern friends of Malcolm Canmore and his dynasty were exten- sively settled in the Garioch.*

Monymusk, which about a.d. 1200 appears as a Priory, gradually adopting the forms of the Saxon and Bomish Church, had, in preceding centuries, been to the Garioch the centre of the Celtic civilization which first enlightened Scotland. From its missionary home, preachers had travelled far and wide over Mar, and their stations became sacred places. The picturesque knoll in Badifurrow, afterwards dedicated to St. Apollinaris, doubtless first heard Christian words from the lips of the humble Culdees of Mony- musk.

Did the neighbouring haugh of the Don get its remarkable Celtic name of Ard Tonies — the promontory of the little devils — from some Culdee monk in the days when fairies were 1 The deep valley, where the terraced haugh elbows the stream into a precipitous recess of the hill of Crichie, would afford an appropriate haunt for the mischievous revels of " the good people," as they were seen, with the proper degree of indistinctness, down the river from Polnar, upon misty moonlight nights.

What wearers of flesh and blood dwelt then in the sheltered dell which was afterwards to be the chief Manor of the royal Earldom, sending forth its last Earl, Scotland's greatest king, to the beginning of his patriotic victories ?

The local importance of the spot must have a higher antiquity assigned to it than

even that of the pristine earldom of David. Long before his day, stone axes, and flint

arrows were among the antiquities of war ; and the lord of " the deevilicks' knowe," in

primitive times, must have been a man of consequence. No flints are found in the

granitic formations of the Don braes, nor within a great distance ; but remains of arrow

manufacture so plentiful as to furnish a barrowful of chips in a breadth of twelve yards

* The original authorities for the story of King Aodh are the Pictish Chronicle, which records his death in the town of Nrurin, and the Ulster Annals which say that he was, in 878, occcsus a sociis in civitalc Nrurin. The other particulars of the tradition were added by later writers. Mr. Skene {Celtic Scotland) holding their authority as of no value, yet seeks to transfer the scene of the King's death to a pass in Breadalbane, where there is a place called Blairinroar, simply on account of their having made Cyric an actor in the event, and also connected him with Dunnideer or the Garioch, erroneously as Ml'. Skene holds. He omits to note the important fact that those later historians must have inherited from the early readers of the Chronicle and Annals their belief that the civitas Nrurin was Inverurie in the Garioch. By that current belief, for which they were not responsible, they might be led to locate Cyric and Dunnideer in the Garioch, if they erred in so doing.

Celtic Civilization. 15

seem to indicate, when taken along with the existence of the strong pit fortifications, the residence of some person who required to make his power known. The spot where the chips were found, and which was never tilled until the present century, exhibits un- mistakably what a mass of stones must have been, in course of time, calcined in the process, whatever it was, which was employed. Did the builder of the artistic cylin- drical erections rest in the cairn on the summit of Ardtannies, where he had kept his rude state while in life 1 Or who was that personage whose skeleton was found at Broomend, orderly laid on its side, with gathered-up knees, a carved urn, with its skil- fully moulded leather lamp within, by his side — all reverently covered over with the ample bull-hide, in his carefully luted stone sepulchre 1 "Was he lord of the Garioch centuries before David — before the Culdee missionaries of Christianity — before King Eth of the Swift Foot was buried in the Cuning Hill — before the Kornan march — in that far back early stone period, whose inscriptions and unhewn monuments now form the puzzle of antiquaries 1

The civil history of the Garioch begins to have some continuity with Malcolm * Canmore and his Queen, whose marriage brought the first of the great Leslie family, and the uplands of Inverurie, on the stage of history. It is, however, very interesting to find among the warlike followers of Malcolm's great-grandsire, Malcolm the Second, as one of the antagonists of Canute, the ancestor of the famous Keiths, Marischals of Scotland, whose representative is now the head of the chief titled family in the Garioch. In 1010, the Scots gained a complete victory over the Danes at Barry, in Angus. Camus, the Danish general, was killed by a young nobleman, afterwards named Keith, and the King rewarded him with several lands, especially the Barony of Keith in East Lothian, and appointed him Great Marischal of Scotland. According to some accounts, Robert, Prince of the Catti, the hero of this narrative, was ennobled on the field by the King, who, dipping his fingers in the blood of the dying Dane, stroked three bars on the shoulder of the victor, pronouncing the words, afterwards the motto of the Marischal family — Veritas vincit— with reference to the victory God had given him, as he had tried before the battle to assure his apprehensive followers would be their fortune. The Marischals' dignity is historically traced in the Keith family from Philip, who was Marischal under "William the Lion.

It was in connection with the romantic preserving of the royal insignia of Scotland, six and a-half centuries afterwards, that a descendant of Eobert the first Marischal, Sir John Keith of Keith-hall, was, in 1677, created Earl of Kintore. His mansion- house of Keithhall stands near a spot associated, like his family name, with the Danish times. Tradition makes the name Densyburn, in Keith-hall, commemorative of a great defeat inflicted upon the Danes (Danesburn) at Kinmuck, where a large range of fields bears the name of Blair Hussey, or the Field of Blood.— Statistical Account.

Less than two hundred years after the period assigned to the contest between Aodh

16 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

and his conqueror Grig, the first of the Saxon magnates, who became powerful in the Garioch, came to Scotland with Margaret Atheling, when, in 1068, she became the queen of Malcolm of the Great Head— great intellectually as well as physically.

Malcolm Canmore's reign contributes two events to the history of the Garioch.

One was the founding of the tower of the Church of Monymusk. The King's spear, which was the measuring rod used in marking out an extension vowed to the Church of Mortlach, after a great victory over the Danes, is said to have afforded the dimensions in length and breadth of the square tower ; and His Majesty endowed the Priory with extensive lands out of Royal possessions, which he ascertained, on the occasion, to lie in the shire of Aberdeen.

Later than the founding of the Monymusk tower, and sometime after 1067, a large portion of the lands of Inverurie, the whole of which seem to have been Crown property at the time, was given by the King to Bartolf, a Hungarian nobleman, the ancestor of the great family of Leslie. That surname his descendants, in the fourth generation, adopted from the parish of Leslie ; the lands of which, with others in the Garioch and some in Fife, formed their original barony.

The first seat of that family, and the last property held in the Garioch, by the direct line of the house, was the Castle of Lesly in the parish of the same name ; where Lesly of that Ilk continued down to the seventeenth century, retaining until that period the superiority of the Garioch lands included in the barony of Lesly.

Bartolf had been in the suite of Margaret Atheling, when, with her brother Edward and her sister Christian, she fled from the ducal court of Normandy, to avoid the Conqueror's taking vengeance upon them for the English having made a demonstration, during his absence in Normandy, in behalf of Edward and their own freedom. The Royal fugitives were wrecked at Margaret's Hope, near Queensferry ; and the Scottish King, who chanced to be there, became captive to the beauty of the Saxon Princess. She in no long time became his Queen, and proved to be the person of greatest in- fluence for the welfare of Scotland which the early times of that country record.

Bartolf, the first great laird in the parish of Inverurie, is said to have been made Governor of Edinburgh Castle, and to have married the King's sister. He was Chamberlain to the Queen, and in that capacity had the honour and responsibility of carrying Her Majesty on horseback behind him when she travelled. Once in crossing a stream she was in danger, or fear, of falling ; and Bartolf, whose belt she held by, said to her " Grip fast," to which the Queen replied, " Gin the buckle bide ". Such, at least, is the origin traditionally given to the family motto and bearings adopted after- wards,— possibly when William I. introduced armorial bearings into Scotland, choosing a red lion for his own device ; as the English King Richard had marked his shield with three lions in gold. Bartolf must have been a young man when he landed with the future Queen Margaret at Margaret's Hope ; for we find his son Constable of the Castle of Inverurie sometime after a.d. 1171, a full century after the Queen's marriage.

Celtic Civilization. 17

Knockinglews, the portion of the great lordship of Leslie which lay in the parish of Inverurie, continues — with the exception of Drimmies, Braco, and Badifurrow, its east, west, and south extremities — in the possession of descendants of Bartolf. The lands which gave the name of Leslie to the family are now in other hands ; and the existing chief line of the family — that of the Earls of Bothes — have long had their residence in another part of the kingdom.

The ancestor of the Leslies was only one of a large number of new lords of the soil, whom Malcolm Canmore and his immediate successors planted amongst their Celtic subjects. Those sovereigns sought to accelerate and secure the desired Saxon civilization by leavening the community with a sufficiency of new families "to the manner born " ; but their summary mode of proceeding was the source of much trouble for several reigns, especially in the burghs which the Kings had begun to create.

The chief policy, however, kept in view by the descendants of Margaret Atheling was to establish and strengthen, throughout Scotland, the cosmopolitan power of the Boman Catholic Church. The parochial distribution of the country seems to have been no sooner accomplished than an additional ecclesiastical influence was devised, that of central strongholds, in the form of monasteries as well as of bishoprics. Both classes of institutions were founded, or largely endowed with royal lands, by Malcolm's son, David I., " the sair saunct for the Croon " ; and portions of the revenues of many parishes were given by the kings, and by great landholders following their example, to particular abbeys, or bishoprics, not always those belonging to the locality. The tradition, or perhaps still remaining sentiment of Culdee Christianity, made this centralising policy easily engrafted on the parochial system.

The ecclesiastical system which was superseded by the Saxon institution of parishes, left traces of itself in the names of numerous sacred places, some only of which became the sites of parish churches. Monymusk, besides the Priory and an oratory at Balvach, both dedicated to the Virgin, had St. Finnan's at Abersnithic, now called Braehead. The parish of Kemnay owed fealty to St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin, but had also a church of St. Bride, where the minister of Kemnay occasionally preached in the seventeenth century, probably situated at Craigearn. Daviot honoured the Irish apostle, St. Columba of Iona, and had also St. James's at Fingask. Oyne had St. Ninian's Chapel at Pitmeddan. Bayne professed St. Andrew, and had a chapel of the Virgin at Kotmais. Kinkell was hallowed by the patronage of St. Michael, archangel. In Bourtie there was a chapel called St. John's at Barra. St. aSTachlan was tutelar of Bethelney, and a chapel of the Virgin stood beneath the house of Meldrum, where the Ladywell was long frequented, in the month of May, for " the headache ". If there was no dedicated church in Culsalmond, three sacred fountains — St. Mary's, St. Michael's, and another — represented the prevalent sentiment which reverenced spots of holy memory. Premnay honoured St. Cara, and had at Auchleven a chapel dedicated to St. James. Kintore was under the protection of the Virgin, and Fetternear claimed that

3

18 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

of St. Mnian, while Insch belonged to St. Drostan. The names of several of those patron saints indicate a date for the origin of the chapels anterior to the parochial organisation of the Latin Church. Columba, Marnan, Cara, Wolock, Ninian, and Naclilan, are liker Celtic and Culdee than Latin and Eomisk names. Many of the primitive chapels, though they never became parish churches, preserved then- sanctity in popular sentiment to comparatively recent times.

The labours and successes of the Culdee successors of St. Columba, in Buchan and Mar, are sufficiently attested by history to wan-ant us to affiliate those chapels in the Garioch to the same family, probably through its lenown representative, the Priory of Monymusk ; which had not become wholly assimilated to the Latin order of Church when parishes were long time established around.

The meeting of the two systems appears in the terms of a gift, made about a.d. 1200, by Gilchrist, Earl of Mar, to the Priory of Monymusk, of the Churches of St. Andrew of Alford, St. Marnan of Leochel, and St. "Wolock of Euthven.

Among the benefactors of the Culdee Priory, two other individuals appear about that period, whose names are of interest in Aberdeenshire genealogy. In the first quarter of the century — Thomas Durward, son of Malcolm of Lundy, doorward to the king, confirmed a grant, made long before by his grandfather and his mother, to the Culdees of Monymusk, consisting of ten bolls of malt and ten stones of cheese.

Thomas, in right of his mother, claimed the Earldom of Mar before 1228, and his son Alan, who was Justiciary of Scotland, renewed the claim in 1257. The contention as to the title failed; but Thomas had acquired, under the settlement made of the dispute in his case, vast domains in Mar, extending from Invercanny on the Dee, to Alford on the Don, and from Skene on the east to Coull on the west, where the Durwards reared a castle, some long-buried remains of which were uncovered about 1790. It had been a square building, fifty yards in length of side, having large hexagonal towers at the angles, and the walls fifteen to twenty feet in thickness. One gate remained entire, finished by a Gothic arch of freestone ; and a coin was found bearing the legend — Alexander Rex Scotorum. The branch of the Lundy family, thus taking the surname of Doorward, or Durward, from their hereditary dignity, became prominent in Forfar- shire, but has been long extinct.

THE EARLDOM OF THE GARIOCH.

In historic times, the Garioch and Strathbogie appear to have been held as an appanage of the Crown, or younger son's portion ; and gave to one of the heraldic officers of Scotland the title of Pursuivant of the Garioch, as the appanages of Eothesay and Albany had heralds named after them..

Prince Henry, the only son of David I. predeceased him. Prince Henry's children, by his wife, Ada, were according to the received genealogy — Malcolm III., born anno

The Earldom of the Garioch. 19

1142 — William I., 1143 — and David, Earl of Huntingdon, 1144 : Ada, married to Florence, Count of Holland ; Margaret, married to the Duke of Brittany ; and Matilda, who died unmarried. Wynton (Chronicle) and the interpolator of Fordun, both say that David was older than his brother William. The famous David, Earl of Huntingdon, was the first historical Earl of the Garioch, and, as was the manner of the time, held not the title only, but the Crown lands, so far as they had not been alienated before the creation of the Earldom. Malcolm III., generally called Malcolm the Maiden — bestowed the Earldom on his youngest brother, David, the most important in a genealogical point of view of the three, having been the ancestor of the subsequent royal house of Scot- land, and afterwards of Great Britain.

The territories of the regality of the Garioch had already been diminished by King Malcolm, through several benefactions made to the Catholic Church, which was the chief object of fostering care to all the family of kings immediately descended from Malcolm Canmore and his Saxon Queen, Margaret Atheling. The boundaries of the Earldom — if coincident with the parishes evidently held in property by Earl David and those gifted by his brother — were wider than the subsequent Deanery, and the modern Presbytery of the Garioch. Clatt and Kennethmont were portions of the Garioch of David of Huntingdon. The portions given away from the Crown, before his time, were the " schyres," or entire parishes, of Bayne and Daviot, and the kirk and kirklands of Ovyn (Oyne), gifts of which to the bishopric of Aberdeen were ratified by the Pope in 1157, three years before Malcolm the Maiden is said to have made his brother David Earl of the Garioch. Bethelney, on the outskirts of the Garioch, be- longed to the Earls of Buchan ; and Bourtie had been the property of an influential family named Lamberton, by whom it was bestowed on the Abbey of Arbroath, before the end of the century.

The mass of the remaining parish churches, Clatt, Kennethmont, Eathmuriel, Insch, Culsalmond, Premnay, Logydurno, Inverurie, and Monkegy, were made, by the great Earl of the Garioch, one large ecclesiastical appendage to the Abbey of Lindores, and accompanied by substantial additions of lands in several of the parishes.

In the parish of Inverurie, Earl David did not alienate any of the regality lands which became his with the Earldom. The lands of Knockinglews, said to have been bestowed by his great-grandfather, Malcolm Canmore, upon Bartolf, and which were confirmed to Bartolf s son by charters executed by David himself, were bounded by the two burns which flow out from the swampy hollow of Temping Walls — one eastward through the Kelpy Fold to the Ury at Conglass, the other southward to where the ancient Kirk of Rothael — in later times dedicated to St. Apollinaris — looks down the Don to the old haunt of superstitious belief, Ardtannies, the knowe, or promontory, of the " little deevils ".

Earl David's own Inverurie lands made up the rest of the entire parish, and were encompassed by the line formed by those two burns, and the confluent rivers Don and

20 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Ury. With the exception of the lands of Conglass, and those of Blackball, they became either in his time, or before it, the chief part of the royal burgh of Inverurie.

Blackhall was made at an early, but unknown, period, the seat of an important local officer of the Earldom, the Coroner and Forester of the Garioch — Blackhall of that Hk, whose arms appropriately included the device of a hooded falcon.

It is in the time of the Earldom of David, and in intimate connection with him- self, that the documentary history of both the Parish and Burgh of Inverurie begins with a Papal Bull of date 1195.

The graphic historian, Tytler, gives us a portrait of David, Earl of Huntingdon, in his knightly armour, as he may sometimes have appeared before setting forth with his little band of knights to join Cceur de Lion for the disastrous crusade, which caused them both to taste the bitterness of captivity. A figure of him appears on his seal. His armour, called trellissed at the time, was not of mail, but formed of cloth and leather. The cloth coat, or vest, reached only to the haunches, and had sleeves ex- tending to the wrists. It was intersected by broad stripes of leather, laid on so as to cross each other, leaving intervening squares of the cloth, in the middle of which was a round knob, or stud, of steel. The hood, called the chaperon, was of quilted cloth, and the under tunic of linen covered the knee, and hung in folds over the saddle, which was highly peaked in the shape of a swan's neck. His shield was rounded at the top, and his long spear was surmounted by a gonfalon, or war flag, on which a rose was embroidered. His helmet was conical, plain, and worn over the hood ; and the horse had neither armour nor trappings. It is interesting to find David bearing as his device the rose, which was the cognisance long after of his descendants, the later Stuarts.

Instructive glimpses of the condition of the country at the time are obtained from some of the deeds endowing the new ecclesiastical erections. About 1137, David I. bestowed upon the See of Aberdeen, the schyres or parishes of Clatt, Tullynestle, Eayne and Daviot. In 1157, the township of Fetternear, with the Church and its appurtenances already belonged to the Bishop of Aberdeen, who was confirmed in the possession by Pope Adrian IV. Churches in Tarland and Migvie had before been given by the Earls of Mar to the Canons of St. Andrews. The teinds of extensive Crown lands between Don and Spey, and all the lands of Birse, had been given by David I. and his son, Malcolm the Maiden, to the Bishop of Aberdeen ; and the Abbey of Melrose held some land in the parish of " Bane ". In the same period, Gilchrist, Earl of Mar, built the priory of Monymusk, and endowed it with the revenues of the churches of St. Andrews of Alford, St. Marnan of Leochel, and St. Wolock of Euthven. Before 1199, probably, the church of Kinkell was the property of the Knights Templars, with its subordinate ;hurches of Kintore, Kinnellar, Kemnay, Skene, Drumblade, and Dyce, and many properties besides, among others, Aquhythie in Kemnay, Christ's kirk in Kennethmont, and Warthill. The church of Bourtie appears in a rather prominent social position.

The Earldom of the Gar loch. 21

Before 1199, William de Lamberton, a name distinctive of social rank, conferred upon the priory of St. Andrews the church of Bourdin, with its tithes, common pasture, and pertinents, endowing it shortly after with twelve acres of land on the west side of the kirk, to which Badulf, Bishop of Aberdeen, afterwards added " two ploughs of land, and the manse and its curtilage, in which Hugh the rector used to live ".

The names of some of the parish priests of the time have come down to us. A portion of a monumental stone was discovered, several years ago, in the churchyard of Insch, bearing the name of Badulfi sacrdotls, in letters of the Irish character, which Mr. Jervise thinks may have commemorated a chaplain of the bishop of Aber- deen, so named, who lived 1172-1199. Adam was clericus de Helen (Ellon) at the same date. The Archdeacons of Aberdeen, who were ex officio parsons of Bayne, were — Simon before 1188, a contemporary of the first two Constables, Malcolm before 1199, Onier before 1214, and Malcolm before 1224. A neighbour and contemporary of the last was the Treasurer, William, ex officio parson of Daviot. John, vicar of Fetter- near, appears in 1242 ; Robert de la Bunce, vicar of Bourtie, in 1240 ; and Thomas de Ludan in 1268; Bicardus, vicar of Dournoch, in 1257; and Bicardus, vicar of Inuir- nry in 1262. William Lamberton was rector of Turriff, and Boger Stainforth vicar of Banchory-Ternan at the same date.

In that period the bishops and the abbeys managed to acquire tofts, or sites for houses, in most of the towns of Scotland, as part of the possessions of their establish- ments. William the Lion gave to Bichard, Bishop of Murray, a toft in each of the towns of Banff, Inverculen, Elgin, Foreys, Eren (Nairn), and Invernys. The Abbey of Lindores had from him and his brother David, Earl of Huntingdon, a toft in each of the burghs of Inverurie, Bervie, Stilling, Crail, Perth, Forfar, Montrose, Aberdeen, and Inverkeithing. In the beginning of the next century, Alexander II., his son, gave to the monks of Kinloss similar gifts in the burghs of Nairn, Aberdeen, Banff, Berwick, Stirling, and Perth, " that men of theirs might remain at thir tofts without service "-.

A noteworthy indication of the success of the Eoyal policy, which had sought to leaven the Celtic population with other elements, is found in a charter by David of Huntingdon to Malcolm, the son of Bartolf, of the lands of Leslie. The charter is addressed to all who may see it, " clerics and laics, French, English, Flemings, and Scots ". The Normans, Saxons, and Scots are easily accounted for ; the Flemings, we know, had before then colonised the west of England, where their textile skill established an enduring fame for cloth manufacture. A settlement of Flemings had evidently also held a possession in the Garioch, in Cruteryston or Courtestown, in Lesly parish ; the lands of which, two centuries later, had still the right of Fleming Law acknowledged in their charters. The place chosen by the peaceful artisans, and where tokens of them still remain in the name Flindres, belonging to one or two farms, was on some rich land near the watershed of the Gadie and Bogie. Their national acquaintance with the dangers of neighbourhood to the Danish pirates would make the Flemings select an

22 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

inland residence instead of one nearer the coast of Aberdeenshire, which was no quiet region until Malcolm Camnore finally subdued the hardy Norsemen. Malcolm himself erected the bishopric which he endowed, not at Aberdeen, but in the fastnesses of Mortlach. It is likely that the population was then most dense in the line of country, now sparsely inhabited, which leads from Perth by the upper straths of the Dee and Don to the kingdom of Moray. Evidence of that region having been extensively inhabited in pre-historic times is afforded by the numerous " Pict's houses," once to be seen on the moor of Kildrummy, and the lake dwellings traced in Loch Cannor.

Indications of an abundant population appear in several districts, and the land was already extensively sub-divided. The present names of a number of places in Birse appear in a charter of William the Lion to the Bishop of Aberdeen. The country was studded thickly with mills, and multures were already arranged. Brew-houses frequently conveyed as pendicles of estates and manses, reveal how essential an element in common diet beer, the characteristic beverage of the northern nations, had become. Malt, as well as meal, was among the items with which lands were burdened. The Prior and Twelve Culdees of Monymusk had, as already mentioned, a yearly grant of ten bolls of malt, and ten stones of cheese, in the middle of the twelfth century, from a great Deeside proprietor, Lundin the Durward.

It is amusing to learn the notion formed of the region, prior to experience, by a polished Italian of the time, the Papal Legate to England. He speaks, as his country- man Caesar might have done 1000 years before, of travelling to the depths of Scotland (in profundum Scotice). His errand was to collect fees personally ; and he seems to have been pleased with his harvest.

The story of Earl David's fortune in the Crusade is very illustrative of the times.

Hollinshed, in his chronicle, says that he was the taker of Acre for Cceur de Lion, and the manner was this : — One Oliver, a Scottish baron, was within the town. He was in banishment from Scotland for felony, and had taken service with the Saracens, whose language he had so well acquired as not to be recognisable for a foreigner. Oliver had one of the gates in keeping, on a side of the town where there was only a single wall, without trenches or other fortifications. Chancing to see one of his own kinsmen among the besiegers in David's retinue, named John Durward (probably one of the great Coull family), incontinently he called to him. They came together, and Oliver, after some reproachful remonstrance by Durward for being in such a position, bargained to sur- render the gate to the Earl, if the latter would get him restored to his lands at home. David accepting the condition, was afterwards admitted, and overpowered the town.

On his return home with Eichard, a tempest wrecked David's ship on the Egyptian coast, and he was taken and sold as a slave to Venetian merchants, who carried him to their city, then the mart of the world, where he was recognised by some English mer- chants, and ransomed by them. Before reaching home, he was again storm-tossed, and

TJie Earldom of the Garioch. 23

running into the Firth of Tay, got safely to land at a place whose name, in token of thankfulness for his escape, he changed into Donum Dei — now Dundee.

To the same grateful spirit is attributed by the chronicler, his founding of the famous Abbey of Lindores, part of his gift to which was the Kirk of Inverurie with its tithes, and the toft in the burgh. As the Crusade was in 1192, dates agree well enough with the supposition that the last and perfecting charter was given several years after Earl David's return.

On the escape of Eichard Cceur de Lion from his unknown prison, David was the first to rise in arms in favour of his crusader comrade against the intrigues of Philip of France and King John, Richard's false brother ; and, in 1191, along with his brother-in- law, the Earl of Chester, he laid seige to the strong castle of Nottingham in behalf of the liberated King. Richard returned home in that year, and the King of Scotland and his brother David, went to welcome him, one of their suite being Sir William Keith, the Marischal, whose descendants, the Earls of Kintore, were five hundred years later to become the proprietors of Earl David's Inverurie lands.

The first Earl of the Garioch survived his brother, the King, some four or five years, and saw the early part of the reign of Alexander II. — William's only legitimate son — which extended from 1214 to 1249, and had as its principal work, to reduce the Celtic portion of the population into habits of subordination. In the case of the Hebridean chiefs, that object was not accomplished entirely until two centuries later, when the Lord of the Isles was able to meet the strength of the kingdom on nearly equal terms at Har- law.

David, Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch, at one time also Earl of Lennox and Lord of Strathbogie, died, an aged man, at an important epoch of Scottish history; when the strife was terminated between the Royal Houses of England and Scotland, which had lasted from the time of Henry II., whose undutiful son, Richard, had, in an attempt upon the crown, been abetted by William the Lion and his brother, David. By his Countess, the sister of Randolph Earl of Chester, Earl David had three sons, two of whom, David and Henry, predeceased him ; and the third, John, " the Scot," was left a minor.

John does not at first appear as Earl of the Garioch, that title having been given by the King, his cousin, Alexander II., to a natural son of the late King. The arrange- ment seems to have been in accordance with Scottish custom at that period, of appoint- ing over a minor in the nobility, a guardian bearing his ward's title for the time. John evidently held his father's Garioch possessions, as he granted renewals of his father's charters upon lands in that district. He became, on his mother's death, Earl of Chester. David left also three married daughters, Margaret, Isabel, and Adama, from whom sprung the rival claimants for the Scottish Crown, Baliol, Bruce, and Hastings, — whose competition led to the disastrous wars with Edward I.

Isabel, who married Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, and was great-grandmother

24 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

of the illustrious King Robert, was her brother's successor in the superiority of the Garioch, as appears by ihe Kiug Alexander II. granting, in 1248, a charter on the lands of Leslie to Norino, " The Constable," at her instance and that of her son Robert Bruce.

Robert was, of course, her successor, though he does not appear designated in any document any more than Earl John, or Isabel de Bruce, Earl of the Garioch. He married Isabel de Clare, daughter of the Earl of Gloucester ; and they had a son also named Robert.

The third Robert Bruce was the hero of the romantic incident of Turnberry woods. Marjory, Countess of Carrick in her own right, lost her husband, Sir Adam of Kilcon- quhar, by his death in Palestine in the crusade which was set on foot by Louis IX. of France in 1268. Prince Edward of England, afterwards Edward I., had been followed in that expedition by Robert Bruce, whose domains lay near Turnberry Castle. After his return home, Bruce was riding in solitude one day through the woods of Turnberry, and encountered the palfreys of the young widow's train, when she was out hawking. He turned his horse's head to withdraw, but was merrily pursued, and surrounded by the Countess and her sprightly following. Laying her hand upon his bridle, she reproached him for ungallantly fleeing from a lady's castle, and led him captive to Turnberry ; where he shortly acquired courage to brave the royal displeasure by marrying her, without the licence requisite to matrimonial union with a ward of the Crown. The son of that romantic union was Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick and King of Scotland ; who honoured his mother's title by making it the title of the heir to the throne.

In the succession of the fourth Robert Bruce, the dignities and possessions of the Earldom of the Garioch reverted to their original source — the Crown. They were issued by the King in a new form — that of the Lordship of the Garioch, occasionally called the Earldom ; and the new erection had some romantic associations. It took place when the King's arduous task of establishing the independence of Scotland was accomplished, and it was a marriage portion bestowed, in 1326, by the King upon his sister Christian — who had shared many of his misfortunes — when, after a long widow- hood, and having a son brought up from infancy in the Court of England, she was in middle age wedded to one of the steadiest supporters of the national cause — Sir Andrew Moray, Pantelar of Scotland ; for the weal of whose soul she founded the first chap- lainry in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch (the origin of the Chapel of Garioch) sometime before 1357. Erom Christian, Lady of the Garioch, the title and lands descended to the Earls of Mar.

THE KIRK OF KOTHAEL AND THE BURGH OF INVERTHURIN. When we find papal records dealing with Inverurie as a parish and a burgh in a.d. 1195, it is evident that the Garioch, and Inverurie, its seat of regality, were already

The Kirk of Rofhael and the Burgh of Inverth/in'/i. 25

advanced a great way from what may readily be supposed to have been their primitive condition.

The documentary history of Inverurie commences with a period when a composite ecclesiastical establishment and a burgh were both in existence, and already in a condition to admit of some portion of the property belonging to them being alienated by the Boyal Earl of the Garioch for the benefit of his Abbey of Lindores. Pope Celestine III., by a Bull, dated at the Lateran, eight days before the Ides of March, in the fourth year of his pontificate, a.d. 1195, confirms to the Monastery of Londores all its possessions and privileges, including the Town, Mill, Mill Multures, and Church of Londores, the Island of Eedinch, a fishing near it on the Tay, the Church of Dunde, a toft in the burgh of Dunde, and beyond the Muneth (Cairn o' Mount) the town of Tintreth, with its pertinents and its church, and in the Garviach, Lodhgavel, and Malinch, (Ledingham and Malinside in Culsalmond) the Church of Eothael with its chapels, viz. : — Inverurin aud Munkegin, the Church of Durnoch (Logydurno), the Church of Pranie (Premnay), the Church of Eadmuriel (Christ's Kirk, now part of Insch), the Church of Ingemabanin (Insch), the Church of Culsalmeil (Culsalmond), the Church of Kelalemund (Kinnethmont), with all their endowments, a toft in the burgh of Inverthurin, and the tenth of all Earl David's profits and pleas which he possessed when he made the donation.

Other possessions confirmed by the Bull had been added, between the time of David's gift and a.d. 1195, by King William and his son Eobert — a natural son of the King — called Eobert of Lundie, from whom the now existing branches of the John- stons of Caskieben derive descent, through an intermarriage contracted in 1597. The Papal deed is preserved in a transumpt, which the convent had thought good to obtain from Pope Nicholas IV., in 1291, a century later. — Spald. Club Collec, IV., 501.

In three years after the Bull of Pope Celestine, the Convent had sought another " Confirmation of Privileges " from Pope Innocent III. It was issued thirteen days before the Calends of April, at the Lateran, a.d. 1198, in the second year of his ponti- ficate. A few additions had been made to the Abbey possessions ere that time, and the spelling of the Garioch names is altered to Lethgauel and Malind, the Churches of Eitcheth, Durnoh, Eathmuriel, Inchemabanin, Munchegin, Inverurin, and Culsamuel.

The only extant charter of Earl David himself, upon these possessions, is assigned to the years 1202-1206 ; and had been for some reason desiderated after the two confir- mations. It omits the church of Eothael or Eitcheth, and includes " the church oi' Inverurin, with the chapel of Munkegin, and all their pertinents". The charter is confined entirely to the churches and church lands enumerated in the gifts by David in the preceding confirmation, and is called a " Charter of Foundation of the Church aud Monastery of Londores, in the woods of Ironsyde, within the county of Fyffe". It bears that he had founded the Abbey for the welfare of the souls of King David, his grandfather ; of Earl Henry, his father, and of Countess Ada, his mother ; of King

4

2G Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Malcolm, his brother, of King William, his brother, and of Queen Armegard ; and of all his ancestors, and of Countess Matilda, his spouse; of David, his son, and of all his successors, and of his brothers and sisters. Matthew the Falconer, ancestor of the Lords Falconer of Halkerton, now Earls of Kintore, was one of the witnesses.

THE KIEK.

A church having two dependent chapels must have been an institution of some standing when it was so described ; and the Church of Eothael may, very probably, have been an early outpost of the Culdee monastery, which is believed to have existed at Monymusk, eight miles distant, centuries before there were parishes in Scotland. The appellation Church of Eothael disappears immediately after the first charter, and Inverarin takes its place, with Munkegin as a subordinate chapel. The following sug- gestion is offered as to the origin of the primitive name. The earliest church, or the church of the date of the first charter, seems evidently to have stood where some remains of the walls of a later edifice now enclose the tiny burial-place of Polnar Chapel — a name due to the Church of Inverurie having been in later times dedicated to St. Apollinaris, Bishop of Eavenna, who lived a.d. 74-81. Pohiar Chapel stands on a pretty platform overhanging the Don, exactly opposite to a hill, the vernacular name of which is Eocharl. Eothael might, with the utmost ease, have been mis-read for Eoc- hael by the writer of the Papal Deed, the c and t in antique manuscript being frequently undistinguishable. The resemblance of Eocharl to Eothael would be quite as close as occurs in many corruptions of Garioch proper names in old documents, the true reading of which is now certainly known.

The chapel of Inverurin, which was an appendage of the church of Eothael, may have been a chapel attached to the Castle, and situated in the present churchyard, where the presence of the place of worship would lead to the gradual formation of a burying ground around it, in accordance with the universal sentiment of Christian countries. The little mound, now forming the churchyard, was separated from the Castle only by the narrow watercourse, or swampy path, of Killiewalker; which extended from the Don to the Ury, and when under water converted the Stanners into an island, and formed with the Don and the Ury a fosse around the Castle and its dependent hamlet, which lay spread out before it along the triangular peninsula. The situation, on that site, of the Chapel of Inverurin seems to be corroborated by the fact that the toft, or piece of ground sufficient for a house and garden, which Earl David of Hun- tingdon and the Garioch bestowed on the Abbey of Lindores, along with the Church of Eothael and its dependent chapels, and the tithes of his lands in Inverurie, was a spot immediately adjoining the castle and churchyard.

A toft, or house stance, within one or more of the burghs and towns of the time, was a common possession of the abbeys, and afforded a convenient place of lodging,

The Burgh. 27

to the brethren, when travelling upon the business of the monastery, or going about on preaching tours. The residence of the early vicars of Inverurie is, by local tra- dition, placed close by Polnar Chapel, on the lowest slope of the brae of Aikenhead, where the burn of Polnar separates it from the lands of Badifurrow, on which the church stood. The priest's glebe is pointed out a little in front of the houses of Cold- wells, on the very outside of the royal lands called the Davo, the tithes of which Earl David gave to his Abbey of Lindores.

Half a century elapses before we have any further mention of Inverurie as a parish. It occurs when some general order had been agreed upon as to the provision to be made, by the great abbeys, for the vicars of the parishes attached to them. The parish church may have continued long at Polnar ; as the estate of Badifurrow, on which it stood, became the property of the Abbey of Lindores. At the Reformation the Church was in the present churchyard, a heather-thatched building of small dimensions. The present parish church is the second which has had its site in the middle of the burgh.

THE BUKGH.

The original charter constituting Inverurie a royal burgh was lost long before the reign of Queen Mary. In a charter of Novodamus, granted in 1558, it is stated that Inverurie had been a royal burgh beyond the memory of man ; and King Robert Bruce, in a charter upon his lands in the Garioch, lying as well within as without his burgh?, must have referred to Inverurie in his expression, burgos nostros, which by usage was applied only to royal burghs.

The date of Inverurie as a royal burgh is, however, evidently higher, for, before 1 1 95, David, Earl of Huntingdon, bestowed, along with the tithes of his lands in Inverurie, unum toftum in burgo de Inverthurin. In the charter of confirmation, tofts in other towns of Scotland — Stirling, Forfar, and Montrose, &c. — undoubtedly royal burghs at that time — are recorded in exactly the same manner ; but these, being all gifts, not of David, but of King William, his brother, the burghs are called burga sua, except Inverkeithing — in which the toft was bestowed by "Robert of Lundores," the king's son; and in that case the place, though a burgh of David I., is called simply burgum de Inverkeithin, as Inverurie is called burgum de Inverthurin. The inference seems unavoidable that Inverurie had been then a burgh of the same rank with the others.

The interesting patch of land which gave occasion to the naming of Inverurie by its title of burgh, we can pretty confidently identify. The toft appears again in 1600, in a charter by James VI., erecting a temporal lordship of Lindores, out of the abbey possessions, after the Reformation. The description given in that document is " a house with a small garden, and a fishing boat at Futtey ". This description of the plot of ground exactly corresponds to a small patch, of half an acre, forming the south end of Urybank, and bearing the name of Fittie's Croft, and which stretches from the Ury to

28 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the " banks of old Don," along which the road to Keithhall now passes, but where the Don once flowed — converting the Ducat Haugh into an island. The fishing boat would be a natural appendage to the small establishment lying thus between the two rivers. The toft was upon the side of the King's highway, entering Inverurie from the south ; and was separated from the castle only by the churchyard and the green, frequently a ■water-course, called KUliewalker.

A higher antiquity than that of the document quoted, is traditionally claimed for the neighbouring burgh of Kintore. A toft in it was certainly given to Richard, Bishop of Moray, by William the Lion : and in the next two reigns, royal charters, dated at Kintore, bear evidence of the frequent presence in that neighbourhood of the Second and Third Alexanders — two monarchs under whom the country, for a long period, enjoyed much prosperity.

LIMITS OF THE ROYALTY.

The Novodamus of Queen Mary does not define the limits of the royalty. Local tradition makes it include the Davo hill, and extend to the burn of Polnar. The fishings on the Don, from that point, were said to have been given by a priest resident at the manse there, to the inhabitants of Inverurie, on the stipulation that a fast^day should be observed by them in memory of him. The burgh boundaries, in the absence of description by charter, must remain matter of inference ; yet all existing document- ary evidence on the point, preserved in the Spalding Club Collections and the Burgh Records of Inverurie, corroborates the accuracy of the tradition.

Ko conclusion can be come to as to what lands are included within a royal burgh, from the nature of the tenure whereby they are held. The royal burgh of Kilrenny in Fife has always held not of the Crown, but of a subject, as superior — the family of the famous Cardinal Beaton. The lands within the royal burghs of the Garioch, belonging to the Crown in the reign of Robert I., were bestowed by him on his sister Christian and her husband (Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell), in the same way as others outside the burgh were. They were described tanquam infra tanquam extra burgos nostros," and were bestowed " as well in lordship as in demesne " — the burghs therefore holding neither the property nor the superiority of these lands.

The superior of the Davo lands has never been the burgh, but the successors of Sir Andrew Murray's wife — Christian Bruce, Lady of the Garioch. Yet the " Kellands " had always been regarded as within the burgh ; and the earliest extant map of the royalty of Inverurie, of date 1795, exhibits the eastern face of the Davo, at that time surrounded by a dyke, as included in it. King Robert's charter, granted to his sister, however, seems to determine, when collated with other documents, what was the extent of the royalty. The lands conveyed by his charter were ,: those which were held of the Kings of Scotland by David, Earl of Huntingdon".

What were Earl David's lands in Inverurie'! David II., in a missing charter,

Limits of the Royalty. 29

bestowed the lands and lordship of the Garioch, on Thomas, Earl of Mar— Christian Brace's °randson— in similar terms. The Davo of Inverurie was for centuries after the days of James I., much in the law courts of the country, forming a part of the Earldom of Mar, which was litigated between the Crown and subject claimants from the time of James II. to that of Queen Mary.

James TV., in 1510, being in possession of the lands of the Earldom of Mar and Garioch, exchanged with John Leslie of Wardens, for the lands of Balcomy in Eife, the King's lands in the Garioch, including Inverurie, with the davach and mill (Inverury cum le Dav et molendirw ejusdem) " as the Earls of Mar, possessors of the said lands in remote times, possessed them freely ". What the Warderis lands in Inverurie were is well known.

These lands, held of the Crown successively by David, Earl of the Garioch, the Earls of Mar and Lords of the Garioch, and Leslie of Warderis, are described in a contract of multures, of date a.d. 1600, "the said John Leslie's half daache lands and lands in the Stanners pertaining to the said half daache lands, as also the said John Leslie's other half daache lands of Inverury, called Ardtannies, with the rnilne, mill lands, and crofts of the same". The crofts are, in subsequent titles, called Cold wells and Eashieley, and they now occupy the space between the farm of Ardtannies and the burn of Polnar.

Another document explains what David, Earl of Huntingdon, held as " lands of Inverurie," when, before 1195, he bestowed the tithes of his profits upon the recently founded Abbey of Lindores. A contract of teinds, entered into between the Magis- trates of Inverurie and Sir Thomas Crombie of Keninay, possessor of a tack of the teinds of Inverurie, which belonged to the Abbey of Lindores, and were leased in 1593, by Patrick, Commendator of Lindores, to Alexander Irvine of Drum, enumerates the teinds conveyed. They were those of " the town of Inverurie, lands thereof, milne lands and davach lands of the same, with the outsetts, pairts, and pendicles ". The holder of the lease, Sir Thomas Crombie, alienated in 1633, the teinds of Ardtannies, as having formed part of the teinds thus described.

It is hence evident that the lands held in Inverurie by David, Earl of Huntingdon, when he bestowed a toft in the burgh of Inverthurin upon the Abbey of Lindores, along with the " tenths of all his profits," were the same as Leslie of Wardes possessed in 1600, and which are now known as the Davo, Ardtannies, Coldwells, and Eashieley, and which Robert I.'s charter to "Andrew of Moray" included, when he described his gifts as lands within, as well as lands without, the royal burghs.

A much later document bearing on the extent of the Burgh of Inverurie, is the Poll Book of Aberdeenshire, a record of the taxable persons in the county, made up by commissioners appointed in every parish, and revised and examined by a quorum of the Commissioners of Supply, and attested by them, 1st April, 1696. The list of persons in Inverurie was taken up by "John Ferguson, Bailzie of Inverurie, and George

30 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Ferguson, his son, clerk and collector (of the tax levied) nominat be him for that effect". The localities in which the individuals registered had their property, are given in succession. Under the head " Burgh of Inverury," are comprehended " The town of Inverury, their proportion of valued rent " ; " Alexander Mitchell, at the Milne of Artannies ; and " Andrew Jaffray of Kingswalls, his valuation in the Artannies in Inverury paroche".

This classifying of Ardtannies, under the head of the Burgh of Inverurie by a commissioner, who was at the time a magistrate of Inverurie, John Ferguson of Stone- house, and whose ancestors had lived for centuries in the burgh, seems to afford conclu- sive evidence of the opinion held at that time concerning the boundary of the royalty ; and it has to be noted that the list was revised and examined by a quorum of the Commissioners of Supply of Aberdeenshire.

The Davo of Inverurie becomes interesting when we are able to associate it as part of the Begality lands of the Garioch, with a number of individuals and families pro- minent in Scottish history. Besides the Kellands and the Davo hill, extending from the west boundary of the Upper Roods to the Polnar burn and the Garioch Coroner and Forester's lands of Blackball, those lands included patches here and there over the Boods and Haughs of Inverurie, They are discovered in boundary descriptions con- tained in dispositions of Boods and Common Lands, and are called the lands of the Laird of Wardis ; and at an earlier date in the 15th century, when the Crown retained hold of the Earldom of the Garioch, are named the lands of the Lord Superior. The south part of the present glebe formed part of the Earldom lands, and the three Upper Boods, which have the Cuning Hill at their summit. The Cross of the burgh stood near to or at the bottom of these "three Davo Boods"; and royal proclamations of importance used to be made, with considerable fracture at times of drinking glasses, not only at the Cross, but afterwards at the Cuning Hill. The remarkable mound may have been a place associated with acts of the Superior from early times ; bearing perchance, a political sacredness from the tradition of the unfortunate monarch, Eth, having been buried within it. Among the burgh accounts for 1719 are included —

Expenses at the King's Coronation —

3 Gallons at the Cross 2 08 00

11 Pints at the Tollbuith 1 02 00

4 Pints at the Cuning Hill 08 00

THE CONSTABLES OF ENROUPJE.

At the time when we may picture to ourselves the legate Galo " saining " himself with the De profundis exclamavi, as he ventured " into the depths of Scotland," as far as Aberdeen, in quest of his fees, the country was already well studded with burghs, each dominated by its castle, according to the manner of the period. The legate had other depths perhaps to fear in Scotland than those of its natural features. He had

The Constables of Enrourie. 31

overridden his commission in the way of cursing the Scots for ohstinacy shown to his authority in some particulars; and he might not be sure how much rougher the northern barons could be in their way than the heavy-handed Italian Knights of his native country, or the stiff barons of England, who had lately humbled the over-good Christian King John at Runnymede.

His alarmed visit was made in the middle of the three prosperous reigns of "William I., and his son, and grandson, the two last Alexanders. The country was at that time more wealthy than it ever was afterwards until the union of the kingdoms; prosperous enough to appreciate the secular pains and penalties of a papal interdict. When England was greatly emptied of money, and Richard had to turn into treasure most of the gold and silver vessels to be found in the country, leaving sacred utensils only to eveTy third parish, William the Lion was able to give him a sum equal to £100,000 sterling now; and later was ready to provide £150,000 as dowry to his own two daughters, while the nobles offered to add £100,000, and the burghs £60,000.

The three reigns coincided very much with the period of the Constables of Enrourie, covering about a century. South born landholders imparted a Norman flavour to the society of the time. If, as the best historians say, a castle was necessary to every burgh, doubtless a faithful and potent Constable was expedient in every castle. "We find no reference to the Castle of Inverurie after the reign of Alexander the Third. Its constables noticed in history were Malcolm, the son of Bartolf, long the contem- porary of William the Lion ; Norman, his son, who was Earl David's constable under William and Earl John's under Alexander II. ; and Norino, who, after his father's long tenure of office, was Constable under Isabel de Bruce, the great-grandmother of Eobert the king.

We can fill up the history of the Garioch under Malcolm, the first Constable, only with what the ecclesiastical topography of the period leads us to infer as to civil events; and with the preparation which the Earl of the Garioch was making for the crusade under Richard Cceur de Lion, in which Malcolm's second son, also named Malcolm, accompanied David, but not to return, as the Earl himself did, although through sin- gular misfortunes. Malcolm, Constable, appears as a witness to charters of David I, 1165-1199.

Some lands in Rayne, known by their present names, had already passed through two or three different hands. Rothmaise and Lintush (then called Leydintoschach) were become private property in a family claiming descent from an ancestor who had borne the primitive form of name, Adam of Rane. The whole parish had belonged since Malcolm IV. 's time to the Bishop of Aberdeen, who had disponed part of it to the Abbey of Melrose. Laurence the Abbot, between 1175 and 1178, disponed a half carucate, between the church of St. Andrew of Rane and Rothemas, to Robert, the son of Hugh, the son of Spileman. These are the earliest properties recognisable by their present names in the Garioch, along with Ledingham and Malinside in Culsalmond.

32 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Others come into notice soon after ; one of the earliest being the Barony of Caskieben, the eastward neighbour of the Burgh of Inverurie.

Before Earl David set out for the Holy land, he made preparations for endowing his Abbey of Lindores, buying up for that purpose tithes and customs — a convenient form of ecclesiastical revenue. He purchased from Matthew, Bishop of Aberdeen, the tithes of Durnach, Rothkes (probably another reading of Rothael), Munkegyn, Fyntrach, and Bourdyn. The price was two carucates of land in Kelalemunde, a possession which had afterwards an interesting history. It was, under the name of Ardlar in Kenneth- mont, mortified by the famous Gavin Dunbar, Bishop of Aberdeen, in 1529, to the town of Aberdeen, for the maintenance of the Bridge of Dee, which the Bishop had built under the architectural gui&ance of an accomplished rector of Kinkell, Alexander Galloway.

"With these tithes and customs, and those of his lands in the Earldom of the Garioch, as well as with large revenues from the counties of Fife, Perth, Stirling, and Forfar, David founded the Abbey of Lindores ; the earliest extant charters of which bring first into historical view the Kirk of Inverurie. When the Abbey was abolished, Badifurrow, in Inverurie parish, was among its possessions. Malcolm may be con- jectured to have joined his royal master in contributing to the establishment of the Abbey that pretty braeside, now called Manar, out of his lands of Knockinglews, especially as it included the spot on which the Kirk of Rothael, or Inverurie stood. Such a gift would be a likely votive offering for the safety of his son, who followed David to the Holy Land.

The King of Scotland did not join Richard of England and Philip of France in their crusade. "William had paid to the English King, eager to provide funds for it, 10,000 merks, in exchange for the renunciation of the allegiance which he had been compelled, when a prisoner in England, to swear to Richard's father, Henry, and for the castles of Roxburgh, Berwick, and Edinburgh, which he had then resigned to the English King. David, it is said, could not bear that Scotland should be unrepre- sented in the holy war ; and he joined the English standard, with a few followers, as a volunteer. He did his admired friend Richard substantial service. Every one knows the romantic story of which he is made the hero in the novel of the Talisman. Sir - Kenneth of Scotland's companion, young Malcolm, does not appear in the imaginary tale there told of the treacherous overthrow of the standard of England, or we might have been able to trace to the hillsides of Knockinglews the sleuth-hound which the Prince left in charge of Richard's proud ensign when, against his better judgment and con- science, he was lured away to the tent of the Royal ladies by the coquettish reproach upon his gallantry made by Edith ; and we might have discovered in the gallant dog, and his vigorous practice upon the perfidious Conrad of Montserrat, the origin of the " grip fast " griffin, afterwards worn in coat armour by the brother of young Malcolm, oi his near descendants.

The Constables of Enrourie 33

Who were the burghers of Inverurie at that period when Malcolm had to preside over the dwellers upon its lands 1 We have not their names, but they doubtless com- prehended a proportion of the southern families introduced by the royal reformers of society, who so displeased the native race that David had to return in haste from war- like engagements in England on behalf of King Richard, to quell disturbances in the burghs, arising from the mixture of population. Inverurie may have been one of the internally unquiet burghs, as it sometimes was afterwards. The names of Lamberton, Bisset, Lindsay, Fleming, Ellis, Wallace, Boswell, Bruce, Andrews and Cumming, mostly in antique spellings, appear in the charters of David and his son, and Melvill, Pratt, Mowat, Cheyne, Randolf, Graham, Cambrun, and St. Clair, appear in the next

remn.

Malcolm, the Constable, was an older man than his relation David, the Earl of the Garioch, and may well have been his tutor in knightly accomplishments ; and when David took up the cause of the Holy Sepulchre, the most honourable knightly enterprise possible according to the sentiment of the time, Malcolm the second son of the Constable, doubtless sought to follow the royal Earl, and his little handful of knights, as the most ambitious desire then to be realised by knightly youth.

"Norman the son of Malcolm," the second known Constable of Enroury, had a long lease of office. His memory seems to have been cherished in the family, as his name became a favourite one among his descendants, several of whom made the name of Norman Leslie an honourable one. The estate of Eothie Norman may well enough date from his time, neighbouring lands being already known by their present names — e.g., Auchterless and Frendraucht. The important holder of the Earldom castle was a man of no small responsibility, and not free from anxious duties during his master's absence. The picture we have of David's knightly armour may help us to imagine the style of Norman, the Constable, issuing from his weU-moated hold on some mission of taking order. The gonfalon of the Constables would show the griffin, instead of their lord's emblem of the rose.

A document dated after Earl David's return from the Holy Land, exhibits one of the phases of social life at the time, which David's own Venetian experience illus- trates. Serfdom was an institution of Celtic life in Scotland then, as much as it was of Norman and Saxon England, where the Gurths and Wambas of opulent households were equally an appendage of the soil with its herds of deer. About 1200, " David the brother of the King of Scotland, made over to G. Earl of Mar, Gillecriste, the son of Gillekucongal, and the two GiUecristes, and Gillenema, and Gillemarte". The Constable Norman is a witness to that deed, as he likewise was to the final charter by which David, two or three years afterwards, endowed the Abbey of Lindores. In the earlier years of his office— before 20th August, 1199— Norman had witnessed a charter by Matthew, Bishop of Aberdeen, establishing the Hospital of St. Peter in Old Aberdeen, which is commemorated in the local name of the Spital. Among the witnesses was " Gille-

5

34 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

christ, Earl of Mar," probably the benefactor of Monymusk, and the owner of the serfs made over by Earl David; and also Archdeacon Simon, who officially was Parson of Rayne. The second Constable of Enrourie had to wife the daughter of Stewart of Lome.

Norman outlived his great master, and was Constable under David's only surviving son, John, Earl of Huntingdon; who, succeeding his father before 1219, lived until 1237. Norman received from Earl John a charter (without date) upon the Leslie lands held by his ancestors, with the exception of the Kirk of Leslie, which Norman, following the example of his patron and of his own family, bestowed upon the Abbey of Lindores. That charter is specially interesting in the history of Inverurie, in respect of another particular. It conveyed from the Earldom to Norman, the lands of Caskieben, which then appear for the first time in history. They were in the next century in the hands of Andrew de Garviach, from whom they descended to the John- stons, for centuries the chief family in the united parishes of Inverurie and Monkegy — " the gentle Johnstons " who, with their retainers, followed the Stuart Monarch to Flodden, where and also at the, to them, not less disastrous field of Pinkie or Mussel- burgh, in 1547, they suffered the loss of their chief, or leader.

The third Constable of Enrourie, Norino, the son of Norman, was the repre- sentive of Earl John's younger sister, who, in some way, was Earl David's heir to the Garioch lands and lordship — Isabel de Bruce, whose great-grandson, the famous King of Scotland, laid the foundation of his authority and of the national independence by the battle of Inverurie. She was the wife of Eobert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, and his widow apparently before 1248 ; as in that year the King, Alexander II., " at the instance of Isabel de Bruiss and Eobert de Bruiss her son, gave to Norino, the Con- stable, the son of Norman, the lands of Leslie in free forest ". According to the family history of the Leslies, Norino was a principal officer in the Court of his liege lady. By his marriage with a Fifeshire heiress, he increased the connection of his house with that county, which at last attracted the Leslies to Fife, and gave their name to a parish, where the Earls of Rothes, chiefs of the name, long resided. The widowed Lady of the Garioch would, doubtless, have much dependence upon her Constable. Her son was a large holder of English lands, partly from David of Huntingdon, his grandfather. Like inany southern barons of Scotland, he much frequented the English Court, and had married into the family of the Earls of Gloucester. His son, the third Robert, was a friend and follower of Prince Edward, afterwards the unscrupulous oppressor of him- self and his celebrated son, and he accompanied the English prince to the holy wars under Louis IX. of France. His romantic marriage with the Countess of Carrick, after his return, has been already noticed. There was perhaps no idea when the fourth Robert, their son, was born, that he could become a competitor for the Scottish crown. The two kingdoms had been intended to be united by the marriage of the daughter of Alexander III. to Edward's son ; and it was by the disastrous death, first

The Cundablen of Enrourie. 35

of Alexander, and next of the destined bride of young Edward, that the family of Bruce was brought into its historic prominence.

Inverurie had occasionally royal neighbours during the time of the second and third Constables. The royal forest of Kintore, lying west of the burgh in the hills now traversed by the Alford Valley Railway, seems to have been a favourite hunting ground. William the Lion, and his two immediate successors on the throne, were, with a courtly following of clergy and barons, repeatedly there; and all three executed charters at " Kintoir". Edward I. in his angry raid through Aberdeenshire, in 1296, was at Kyn- torre Manoir, on Friday, 20th July ; and Hall-forest only ceased, and that not entirely, to be a royal forest, when Eobert I. rewarded with a gift of it Sir Eobert Keith, the Marischal, for his faithful support of him and of his country's cause. It is far from unlikely that the Constable Norino had, at some time, in his castle-dwelling on the Bass, another illustrious man as his guest. Thomas of Erceldoune was a great traveller, and intimate in courtly circles ; and observation is much more likely than inspiration to have been the source of his utterance respecting the designs of the bonny water of Ury " to bear the Bass away ; " — a prophecy which Sir James Balfour, in his Collec- tions, calls a " foolysche old ryme which the inhabitants heir have alwayes in their mouthes ".

In the time of the third Constable, the new constitution of parishes in the Garioch was arranged, that was rendered necessary by the wide erection of Abbeys, such as Lindores, holding most of the ecclesiastical revenues of the churches. The national policy of the time, and that which brought the third Alexander, while yet a youth, into severe conflict with the Roman Pontiff, was to secure, or defend, the liberties and amenities of the Church ; and possibly some national pressure made the Abbeys agree, in 1257, to an adequate provision for the service of the parishes, whose tithes they had absorbed. In that year Pope Alexander IV. ratified the following emoluments secured to the vicars in the Garioch by their superior Abbeys. (The merks may be rendered into ten times the same number of pounds sterling) : —

Dournoch (Logydurno) by the Abbey of Lindores, 21 merks, the whole altarage (fees for particular masses) an acre of land for a manse next the church, three acres of land belonging to the Chapel of Eossochetis (Rosthivet 1) and a third part of a carucate of land then held by Richard the vicar.

Leslie, by the Abbey of Lindores, 12 merks, the altarage, manse and kirklands, with half the teind sheaves of the town of Henry Johnston :

Prameth (Premnay), by the Abbey of Lindores, 16 merks, the altarage, an acre of land for a manse next the church, with the teind sheaves of the land then cultivated of the town of Prameth, lying on the north side of the rivulet called the Gaudy, and with the brewhouse of Prameth :

Inchemabayn (Insch), by the Abbey of Lindores, 20 merks, the altarage, an acre

36 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

for a manse next the church, the teind sheaves of Drumrossie, and the third part of the teind sheaves of the town of Incheniabayn :

Culsamuel (Culsalinond), by the Abbey of Lindores, 20 merks, the altarage, the manse next the church, the kirkland with its tithes, the tithe of the mill, the brew- house on the kirkland, and tbird part of the teind of Normanstown :

Bethelny (Meldrum), by the Abbey of Arbroath, 15 merks, the altarage, 6 merks in teind sheaves upon the land in the parish then cultivated :

Kynnakemund- (Kennethmont), by the Abbey of Lindores, 15 merks, an acre of land beside the church for a manse, the altarage, reserving thirty lambs (probably the name of a coin like the French money then called moutons) yearly to the abbot and convent :

Eathmuryell (part of Insch), 12 merks, the altarage, a manse with two bovates of land and the great tithes of the then cultivated land of Eathmuryell :

The provision for Inveroury, of which Munkegin was a chapel, both belonging to the Abbey of Lindores, was 33 merks, the altarage, the manse belonging to the church, and the tithes of the cultivated land of Cknockinglas (Conglass).

The Abbeys and other centralising institutions of the Church were three hundred years afterwards condemned for their abuses. At the time of their institution, they were doubtless called into existence by the necessities of the time, in order to prevent abuses and as being the most promising means of securing desirable advantages. It is very probable that, in exchange for a considerable share of the tithes of the parishes be- stowed upon them, they secured the maintenance of a Christian ministry in places where powerful landholders would not have been either regular, or exact, in paying their allotted proportions of what was necessary for that object. Places of concen- trated learning and combined talent and united social influence, they came to discharge those functions in the commonwealth which were fulfilled by the great colleges and hospitals of later periods ; and they also anticipated the guilds of after-times in forming a counterpoise to the influence exercised in the State by the personal ambition of the sovereign, or the powerful nobles; while they also afforded a refuge, which modern times do not stand in need of, for the friendless, when the courts of justice were not strong enough to keep the powerful and unscrupulous in check.

Fifteen years before the date of the Papal decree referred to above, Fetternear began its interesting ecclesiastical history. The town and church had belonged to the bishop of Aberdeen in 1157. Alexander II, in 1242, erected the lands of Brass and Fethyrner into a free forest to Bishop Balph and his successors. Fetternear after that became a favourite episcopal residence; and it passed into lay hands only at the Eeformation, when the last Eoman Catholic bishop, the accomplished but libertine George Gordon, brother of the Earl of Huntly, disponed it to William. Leslie of Balquhain ; who, as sub-sheriff of Aberdeen, had, with the aid of his personal retainers, preserved the cathedral from destruction by the Angus rioters, who came to reform

The Constables of Enrourie. 37

Aberdeen by fire and sword. William was parson of Fetternear in 1236, and John his vicar then and in 1242, when the king gave it to Bishop Ralph. They are the earliest priests of the Garioeh whom we know, except Hugh, who was the rector of Bourtie before 1199.

In 1262, we come upon the first recorded vicar of Inverurie, Dominus Bicardus, who appears among the witnesses to a deed interesting for its association with Inver- urie, and with early Garioeh families. A dispute had arisen between the first Meldrum of Meldrum, Sir Bhilip de Melgdrum (husband of Agnes Cumyn, the Earl of Buchan's sister) on the one part, and the Abbey of Aberbrothock on the other, respecting the tithes of the parish of Bethelny, which had been given to the Abbey, by William Cumyn, first Earl of Buchan, the brother or uncle of Sir Fhilip's wife, and had been confirmed by Alexander II., 22nd February, 1221-2. The Bishop of Aberdeen, Bichard Fottock, an Englishman, had to decide the case. He held a court at " Inverhury," 21st January, 1262 ; and his decreet was witnessed by Bichard, the vicar, by William Lamberton, rector of Turriff, Boger Stainforth, vicar of Banchory-terny, Thomas de Bennin, rector of the schools of Aberdeen, and Boger Sharcheburg official, the office held, at least in later times, by the parsons of Oyne.

Where did the bishop hold his court ? Was the castle still standing, or did he summon the disputants to the kirk of Polnar, or to the Earldom manor of Ardtannies ? riding down the water side from his palace of Fethyrner, while the members of his chapter who attended, and the litigants, Sir Philip de Melgdrum, and the Procurator of Arbroath, rode to the place of trial up the Davo, and over the crown of the Corseman Hill ; where many a man rode afterwards, and some no further, as appears by the numerous tumuli left behind them.

The schools of Aberdeen were evidently institutions of importance at that time The period was one of the most prosperous, socially, of Scottish history ; though close at hand was the long dark period of the struggle for national independence. It was in the year after this Inverurie Court was held, that King Alexander, aided by a providental storm, finally broke the power of the Danish invaders of Scotland in the Frith of Clyde, and inaugurated the subjugation of the Hebrides to the Scottish crown.

It is in a charter of the same bishop that the lands of Glack first appear by name. The Aberdeen bishops had got the schyre and parish of Daviot from Malcolm the Maiden ; and Glack, Lethenty, and Fingask all are held by episcopal charters. In 1272, the bishop gave a charter of Glack to Ade (Andrew) de Pilmure. His son Ade succeeded him, whose daughter Alice married Glaster of Eumgair. Murdoch Glaster, their son, was the first of the Glasters of Glack.

The last of the Constables, Norino, was succeeded in his family estates before 1282, by Norman de Leslie, the first who adopted the name of Leslie, one of the unfortunate magnates who had to succumb to Edward's pretensions to be Overlord of Scotland. He is said by Sir Robert Douglas to have married Elizabeth Leith of

38 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Edingerack, the first name that appears of that long-descended Garioch family. In 1282, Alexander III. gave Norman de Leslie a gift of the lands of Fythkill, now called Leslie, in Fife. It was the year in which Margaret the King's daughter was married to Eric, King of Norway, and these were the parents of the Maiden of Norway, through whose death the succession to the crown of Scotland opened up the long period of the Edward Wars, by which Scotland from a condition of great prosperity and affluence was plunged into penury.

THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.

When Alexander, our King, was dead, That Scotland led in love and le (law) Away was sonse of ale and breid, And wine and wax, and game and glee ; Our gold was changed into lead, Christ born into virginitie — Oh succour Scotland and remede ! That sted is in peqjlexitie.

The Garioch did not suffer in the more early disputes about the Scottish crown so much as did the districts further south. It became a prey to hostile armies chiefly after the last Eobert Bruce threw himself into the patriotic struggle, when the four- teenth century had opened, and the contest between him and Cuniyn, Earl of Buchan, followed the raids and taxations of Edward.

Who was it that represented the Earl of Garioch during that distressed period 1 The title does not appear in any known charters after Isabel, the second daughter of David of Huntingdon, possessed the dignity as her father's heir, on the death of her brother John. Wynton, however, mentions it in her line. Her son had a higher title open to his claims. The right of succession to the throne of Scotland — then vacant — lay among the representatives of the three daughters of David, Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch. These were John Baliol, an English baron, grandson of the eldest ; — Eobert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, son of the second ; and Lord Hastings, also an English baron, son of the third daughter.

Hastings proposed a division of the kingdom of Scotland among the three. The Scottish nobles rejected the ignominious suggestion, and resolved to submit the claims of Baliol and Bruce to the arbitration of Edward I. of England ; a wise and powerful prince, to whose son the Maiden of Norway, Queen of Scotland, was to have been married.

The English King, however, had other views than to arbitrate. Since the time William the Lion had sworn allegiance to Henry, when deservedly in his toils, the English monarchs had never ceased trying to recover the position of Overlords of Scotland. Alexander III. married the daughter of the King Henry of his day when a boy ; and then and afterwards had to withstand renewed attempts to entangle him.

The War of Independence. 39

Edward, on being applied to by the Scottish lords, succeeded in frightening them into an admission of his claim to the lordship of Scotland.

He asked the opinion of the lawyers of the University of Paris upon the rule of succession in the case, and they decided in favour of the son of the younger daughter in preference to the grandson of the elder. Edward told his English Council of the law thus enunciated, but he was warned against risking the selection of Bruce, and in the end made choice of John Baliol, his English vassal, as the candidate most likely to be amenable to his advice or control. Bruce quietly accepted this decision ; for his estates lay close to the English border, and he had married into the family of the Earls of Gloucester, who were afterwards to display faithful friendship to his grandson the famous Robert de Bruce, King of Scotland.

Neither the second Robert Bruce, nor his son — the Crusader companion of Edward, and the second husband of the romantic Countess of Carrick — took much of active share in the national politics.

The latter resigned the Earldom of Carrick, held in right of his wife, to their son, the fourth and greatest Robert, while the future King was yet a minor, and retired to England. He took no part in Baliol's revolt from Edward in 1297 ; and Baliol seques- trated his lordship of Ananderdale, as Wynton names it, giving it to John Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, afterwards the antagonist of King Robert at the battle of Inverurie. On the resignation of Baliol, the Bruce ventured to remind his old fellow-crusader Edward, of a promise, he believed he had from him of the Crown, but was met with the answer, " Have we nothing to do but to win kingdoms for you 1 " Probably well acquainted of old with Edward's temper and strength of will, he withdrew himself into a position of personal safety ; and Sir William "Wallace, of Elderslie, became the leader of the patriots until his tragical end, in 1305.

It was not until after the new century had opened that Robert Bruce, the fourth, — always, it is said, more Scottish than his father — stung by what he saw and felt in England and at the same time in jeopardy by a traitorous act of Cumyn, Earl of Badenoch, resolved to throw himself into the cause of his country's independence. That was in 1306, only two years before he became so closely associated with the Garioch by the battle of Inverurie, in which he defeated John Cumyn, nephew of Baliol.

The victory at Inverurie was the first event that imparted courage to Aberdeen- shire in the national cause. Before that success nothing appears but humiliating, though probably defensible, submission to Edward. The resident at Fetternear, Henry Cheyne, the bishop from 1282 to 1328, and Sir Norman Leslie, the head of the Leslies, but no longer the representative of the Earls of Garioch in Inverurie, encountered the hard lot of having, as prominent persons, to play a part in the difficult transactions with the English King, which filled up some years at the meeting of the centuries. They had to do what most of the Scottish magnates had to submit to, " jouk an' lat the jaw gang bye," but nevertheless seem to have been patriots at heart.

40 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The bishop was the third son of Francis Cheyne of Inverugie, by Isabel, daughter of John Ciimyn, Earl of Buchan. He removed the early Cathedral of Aberdeen, and began the present edifice when he was interrupted by the Edward wars. He had been a Privy Councillor to Alexander III., and in 1282, was one of the magnates who address- ed Edward I. on the project of marrying the youthful Queen to Prince Edward, afterwards the fugitive from Bannockburn. The two kingdoms were, at that time, socially ripe for the union which was projected, had the juvenile Queen Margaret, the Maiden of Norway, been spared to become Edward II. 'a queen, and mother to a King of all Britain. Upon her death, and the arbitration for the Crown thence arising, Bishop Henry Cheyne was appointed by John Baliol one of the assessors on his side, and succumbed to the overbearing power, the vultus instantis tyranni, of Edward I., who demanded, before he would enter on the business, to be acknowledged by the Scottish nobles as the Superior of Scotland. In 1296, after Baliol's rebellion against his acknowledged lord, the Bishop joined in admitting Edward's more insolent claim to be Proprietor of Scotland. At Aberdeen, he swore fealty to the English monarch, along with Sir Norman de Lesselyn, Sir Alexander Lamberton, Sir Gilbert de la Haye, Sir Hugh de la Hay, and Sir William Innes ; on which sad occasion Sir Norman appears jointly with other magnates agreeing to renounce the old Scottish league with France. The Scottish nobles were, as VVynton says of the whole country at the time, " sted in perplexitie". Most of them held as large possessions in England as in Scotland, and the claimants of the crown were in the same position.

A month after those transactions at Aberdeen, Edward marched across the Garioch, but does not seem to have been at Inverurie. On Friday, 20th July, he proceeded from Aberdeen to Kintore — a Kyntorre manoir — next day to Lumphanan, and thence to Fyvie. On Sunday, 22nd July, he went to Banff — Baneff Chastel — and on Monday to Cullen — a Inverculen manoir — and on Tuesday was in the Enzie. Another ac- count makes him to have been at Kinkell on Friday, July 20, and at Fyvie next day. The " Kyntorre manoir " must have been Hall-forest, which stood on the high road from Aberdeen to the north, as Lumphanan was on that from the " Munth". The march was a remarkable one, deflecting from Kintore to Lumphanan, on the way to Fyvie.

Edward's dotour to Lumphanan— which may have been occasioned by some infor- mation received from the west of Aberdeenshire — brings to mind what was a distinctive geographical feature of the north of Scotland from earliest recorded times until after the English wars. The country was always regarded as divided into north and south by " the Munth " ; and the highway still in use over the Cairn o' Mount formed then the principal passage into the northern part of the kingdom. The remains of lake dwellings in Loch Cannor, the pond barrows and erde houses in Kildrummy moor, and the colony of Flemings settled in the twelfth century at the springs of the Gadie, all afford evi- dence that industrial population abounded upon that line. Mr. Skene has recently

The War of Independence. 41

added farther proof, in shewing that the Devana of the Romans was near Ballater, where Loch Dawain still preserves the name of the primitive historical town.

Sir "William "Wallace, Guardian of Scotland, the most disinterested of the Scottish patriots of the time, visited Fetternear the year after Edward's progress. He came north in the course of a series of rapid conquests during which he nearly expelled the English from the country, after the treachery practised upon him during truce at Ayr. He found Aberdeen deserted by Edward's forces. The name Wallace Tower, which attached to a portion of the House of Fetternear now removed, commemorates his short residence there. In the following year the last competition for the Scottish Crown, that between the Red Cumyn, Earl of Badenoch, nephew of Baliol, and Robert Bruce, grandson of Sir Robert Bruce, the first competitor, was begun ; and the Bishop of Aberdeen, who was Cumyn's relative, renounced his allegiance to Edward, espousing the cause of Bruce's opponent. On the success of Bruce, the Bishop was banished for a while by the new King ; who, however, assigned the episcopal revenues in the mean- time to the rebuilding of the Cathedral.

Other early contemporaries of Bishop Cheyne were soon to have more to do with Inverurie and its neighbourhood through the future King. One of Alexander III.'s knights, Donald, Earl of Mar, the holder of wide lands in Scotland, and, through his wife, of some in England, had been, along with the Earl of Atholl, the most powerful supporter of the claim of Sir Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, to the crown, while the Cumyns, a very powerful family, supported Baliol. Earl Donald was one of Bruce's assessors, and, as such, submitted along with the assessors on both sides to allow the position of Overlord to Edward, when, at Upsettlington on the Tweed, he agreed only on that condition to arbitrate. Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, the future King, married Donald's daughter, Isabel, in 1291 or earlier; a political step probably, as he could have been only seventeen years of age at the time. The young lady's brother also became the husband of Bruce's sister, and ancestor of all the Lords of the Garioch.

In the year 1291, in the interest of Sir Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, the Earl of Mar appealed, along with six Earls of Scotland, and the freemen of Moray, to Edward against the Wardens of Scotland — William Bishop of St. Andrews and Sir John Cumyn — because of their wasting and plundering lands and towns, and killing men, women, and boys. Earl Donald was summoned to London in 1294, to serve in the English war in Gascony, but in April, 1296, after Baliol's rebellion against Edward, he was in arms on the Scottish side. He was taken prisoner after the battle of Dunbar, and never left England free again ; and the English king, playing the hypocritical friend of Cumyn and Bruce separately, seems to have set himself to cultivate the Earl's son Gartney, the husband then, or afterwards, of Christian Bruce.

Edward made Gartney and Bishop Henry his Sheriffs in Aberdeenshire, and possibly Gartney may have continued in that dignity until 1305, when Sir Norman Leslie held it. In 1297, Gartney and the Bishop received a letter of thanks from

6

42 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Edward, for " suppression of the enormities perpetrated by malefactors " in Aberdeen- shire, and were ordered to go into Moray and Inverness to the same work, and to succour with all their power Fitz- Warren, Constable of the King's Castle of Urquhart on Loch Ness. The chief person named among those against whom Gartney had to succour the English soldier, was Andrew of Moray, whose son Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell, thirty years after, married Gartney's own widow, and had with her as a bridal dower the Earldom lands of the Garioch, including the Davo lands (Ardtannies, &c.) of Inverurie, and the estates of Conglass and Bourtie. Andrew of Moray was a chief ally of Sir William Wallace, and fell in the battle of Stirling in 1297. His brother, Will, de Mureff, whom he succeeded, was one of those who had sworn fealty to Edward I.

The Castle of Kildrummy, the style of which, exactly resembling the castles built by Edward I. in Wales, assigns it to the same period, had probably been built by Donald, or Gartney, on Edward's suggestion, during the disturbed years which succeeded the death of the Maiden of Norway. It was evidently through connection with the Mar family that it came into the Bruce's power. Donald, Earl of Mar, died after the midsummer of 1297, and Gartney his son apparently did not live beyond 1305. In that year Robert Bruce was summoned by Edward to surrender the castle to some one who should be answerable to the English King for the same. Bruce had been holding it, it is likely, as guardian of his own nephew, Gartney's son, Donald.

The future king was by that time fairly entered upon his pursuit of the war of independence, and was become Edward's chief anxiety, who had brought him upon the field of competition for the crown, after a great disappointment in his design upon Scotland in 1 302. King Edward seems all along to have tried to sow dissension among the Scots as a means to securing his own ends ; and young Bruce was to be, like his grandfather, played off against both Wallace and Cumyn.

The English King had overdone his encroaching policy in his treatment of King John Baliol; and. when Baliol resigned the Scottish crown, Edward found that he had lost the faction of Baliol in addition to that of Bruce. He had therefore to attempt fomenting their jealousy of each other so as to regain his lost ground. In the patriotic plans and undertakings of Wallace, which filled up much of the interregnum, Baliol's nearest relative, Cumyn, Earl of Badenoch, and Robert Bruce, had both taken active interest. Edward first endeavoured, and with some success, to induce both of them to suspect the Guardian of designs upon the crown ; and after he was disheartened into a temporary resignation of his position at the head of the Scottish patriots, King Edward attempted to undermine the confidence of the two heirs to the throne in each other.

In 1300, Wallace went for a time to France, at the invitation of the French King, in order to train an army for that monarch, a five years' peace having been concluded between Scotland and England ; but he was shortly summoned back, to deal with a new state of affairs. The Earl of Carrick, believing himself befriended by Edward, was

The War of Independence. 43

subduing the south-west of Scotland, while Edward again overran the rest of the country ; when he carried off the national archives and the precious coronation-stone.

In 1305, Wallace was betrayed into Edward's power, and vindictively executed at London, 23rd August of that year. Shortly after, Cumyn and Bruce, discovering in an interview that they were being made use of for the King of England's purposes, entered into a secret agreement that whichever of them could obtain the crown, the other would be content with being secured in his own estates. Cumyn basely revealed the paction to Edward, while Bruce was at the English Court ; and Edward let his suspicions of the Earl of Carrick so far escape him, that an English nobleman then present, Bruce's cousin, the Earl of Gloucester, warned the young man of his danger by sending him a purse and a pair of spurs. Bruce fled for refuge to his own domain at Lochmaben ; and probably it was about that time that he was summoned to surrender Kildrummy Castle. On the discovery of further treacherous proposals of Cumyn, Bobert Bruce and the "male siccar" Kirkpatrick, slaughtered his faithless competitor at the high altar of the kirk of Dumfries.

It is interesting to the history of Inverurie to observe that one of the great an- cestors of the Keith family, Bobert Keith, was among the allies and followers of the patriot Wallace, when Guardian of Scotland, and afterwards faithfully supported young Bobert Bruce.

Another associate of the Guardian is also connected by tradition with the Garioch. When Wallace was on his voyage to France, he encountered Thomas de Charteris, known as Sir Thomas de Longueville, who, with sixteen ships, was scouring the North Sea as a pirate. Longueville boarded AVallace's ship ; but was overmastered by the latter. He became an attached follower of his conqueror. It was LongueviEe who brought to Bruce, in Galloway, the news of the betrayal and death of Wallace in 1305 ; and he thenceforth attached himself to the interests of the future King. Longueville's grave is traditionally said to be in the kirkyard of Bourtie ; and he chose the spot him- self by shooting an arrow from the hill of Lawellside. Tradition also connects Longue- ville with the Castle of Midrnar, where Wallace is said to have given him a hunting seat.

In 1306, the decided step of the King's coronation followed a few early successes obtained in Galloway; some robes of state having been hastily inprovised, and one or two representatives of the families hereditarily officiating in that office in Scotland having been quickly assembled together at Scone, 29th March, 1306. The royal rite only began a long period of almost fugitive life to the young monarch. The small party of nobles at the King's precipitate coronation included his brother Edward Bruce, the king's nephew Bandolph, the Earls of Lennox and Atholl, Hugh de la Hay, Sir David de Berclay, and Sir Christopher Seton, who was then married to Gartney, Earl of Mar's widow, the King's sister, the Lady Christian, and soon thereafter left her a widow for a second time.

44 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

"Wynton describes the distemper of Edward at the successes of the Scots — He was kobbyd in his crap (waspish of stomach) As he had eaten an ettercap.

Enraged at Brace's fortune, he sent Aymer de Valence into Scotland ; the young king imprudently challenged him to battle at Methven, and was totally routed.

Bruce had then to take to the fastnesses of the neighbouring Grampians; whence, after a time, he and his followers emerged at Aberdeen in ragged condition, walking in shoes of raw hide which they had made for themselves. The queen and others of their ladies joined them there — a great solace, but a great addition to their cares. They had hastily to escape from Aberdeen, and make for the Western Isles and Ireland, taking their course by the Dee to the head of the Tay. Provision was obtained only by hunt- ing or fishing, in which pursuit the famous Douglas, Bruce's life-long friend, was the most expert.

Barbour describes with feeling the state of the king's depressed fortunes during

that time —

Thus in the hillis livit he

Till the maist pairt of his menyhe

Was riven and rent : na schone they had

But as they them of hidis made :

Therfore they went till Aberdene,

Where Nele the Brus came, and the queen,

And other ladies far and faraud (fair and comely)

Ilk ane for love of their husband,

That for leal love and loyalty

Wald partners of their panis be.

The English thought to surprise Bruce in Aberdeen, but he was advised of their

presence and the extent of their force.

His men in hy (haste) he gert be dicht (made ready)

And buskit of the toun to rid :

The ladyis rode richt by his sid,

Than to the hill they rode their way,

Where great defalt of met had they.

Bot worthy James of Douglass

Ay travaland (labouring) and besy was

For to purchas (procure) the ladyis met,

And it on mony wis wald get ;

For whiles he venesoun them brocht,

And with his handis whiles he wrocht,

Gynnis to tak geddis and salmounis,

Troutis, elis, and als (also) menounis :

And whiles they went to the foray ;

And so their purchasing made they.

Ilk man travalit for to get

And purchas them that they micht et :

But of all that evir they were

There was not ane emang them there

That to the ladyis profit was

Mair than James of Douglas,

And the king oft confort wes

Throw his wit and besyness.

On this maner tham governit they

Till they come to the head of Tay.

The War of Independence. 45

The fatigue of the Deeside journey was found to be too great for the ladies of the party. Before he descended from the region of Braernar, Bruce sent Queen Isabel and his infant daughter, Marjory, his brother Neil, and John, Earl of Atholl, to Kildrummy Castle, where it is probable his sister Christian, Countess of Mar, and Donald, her in- fant son, had already gone, the Countess's then husband, Sir Christopher Seton, having after the defeat of Methven, betaken himself to his own castle of Lochdoun in Ayrshire. Seton was soon thereafter taken prisoner and executed. The King's other friends, mentioned above as having been at bis coronation at Scone, except Sir James Douglas, were taken at the fatal battle of Methven, and carried prisoners to England.

The whole western coasts of Galloway and Lorn, inhabited by the adherents of the Cumyn, were in arms against Bruce. His brother Edward escaped to Ireland, from which he afterwards brought substantial help to the King ; wbo himself had to shift his quarters frequently. His wanderings on the shores of Carrick and the opposite islands, and the episode of the Brooch of Lorn, belong to that period of the Bruce's fortunes. The good Sir James Douglas was his close attendant all through his wanderings ; leaving the King only when success again returned, to perform the famous exploit of recovering his own " Castle Dangerous " from De Valence.

The King's low state of fortunes was in expressive contrast to the plenty that still prevailed in the land since the wealthy days of Alexander III. Wynton, writing a cen- tury after 1306, says : —

In Scotland that time men micht see

Of all kin vittal great plentie ;

The gallon of wine in common price

Passed not that time four pennies.

For a pint now maun we pay

As mickle near ilka day.

The Earls of Leicester and Hereford were sent by Edward against the Castle of Kildrummy. It fell into their hands not by assault, but because one of the garrison had set fire to the magazine of provisions, and so occasioned the surrender. The Queen with her infant daughter, mother of Robert II., and the others had sought safety in flight. They went to Tain, and were surrendered there to the English. Young Nigel Bruce was tried and executed at Berwick. The Earl of Atholl, attempting escape by sea, was taken and carried to London, where he also suffered death as a traitor. The Queen, more valuable as a means of influencing Bruce, was carried to England, from whence her husband recovered her only after Bannockburn. The Countess of Mar, his sister, the future Lady of the Garioch, is said to bave been sent to a convent. Her son Donald, the infant Earl of Mar, was carried to Bristol Castle. He was afterwards placed to be brought up along with Edward, the heir to the throne, and he grew up, Englisb in his associations, and very much so in his feelings.

Two years elapsed before fortune again began to show favour to the King of Scots. Edward, the great English King, died in 1307, and his son, the second Edward, proved to be unfit for the task bequeathed to him. In his patrimonial district, Bruce began to

46 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

gain advantages so unaccountably, that Aymer de Valence, the English Warden of

Scotland, became disgusted, and resigned his command. After a time the Earl of Eich-

mond was sent against the Scots, and Bruce retired into the north ; where he met with

little difficulty in subduing the country to himself. He besieged and demolished the

Castle of Inverness, being probably unable to garrison it ; and turning southward,

shortly after obtained his encouraging success in the battle of Inverurie.

Edward was about to experience the quality of the Bruces, of which his father

had been warned, when in the competition between King Eobert's grandfather and John

Baliol, he announced to his Council that he preferred the claim of Bruce. Anthony de

Beck, Bishop of Durham, one of his chief ministers, had private reasons for desiring

Baliol's success, but he warned his master —

Gif the Bruce the king sulci be Of Scotland, ware your royalty The kyng gyfe he bes of Scotland, Kepe welle your marches of England.

THE B-ATTLE OF INVERURIE.

We are indebted for what we know of King Eobert's proceedings at Inverurie to Barbour, the celebrated first historical poet of Scotland, a holder, in 1373, of offices of trust in the royal household and in the exchequer, but of interest in the history of the Garioch from his having been, as Archdeacon of Aberdeen, the parson of Eayne.

After fortune began to favour the King again, a successful engagement with Sir

Aymer de Valence, at Loudon Hill, put him in a position to assume the aggressive.

Not long after that victory he " crossed the Munth to Inverurie," in better plight than

when the ladies joined him at Aberdeen, after his former meeting with Sir Aymer.

The romantic story of his change of fortunes immediately begins, though with a

sufficient portion of troubles to bridge the transition. At Inverurie,

There him took sic ane sickness, That put him to full hard distress ; He forbore baith drink and met, His men ua medicine eoulth get That ever micht the king avail.

His brother, Sir Edward Bruce, was with him, and, deeming the plain not defensible

with their meagre following, thought it expedient to remove the King to Slevach (in

Drumblade), there to await his recovery. He was carried thither on a litter, but did

not get long leave to rest. Upon learning the condition he was in, Cumyn, Earl of

Buehan, with his nephew, Sir David of Brechin, and Sir John the Moubra, made

harassing attacks upon the King's party, which, though repulsed, wearied the little

band, and put them to great difficulties.

They hed nothing for till eat

But gif they travailit (laboured) it to get.

This was efter the Martymes,

When snaw had helit (covered) all the land.

The Battle of Inverurie. 47

Sir Edward resolved to shift quarters to Strathbogy. The King was again put in

a litter, and in the face of the enemy, they marched out with him, armed and serried

about him, Comyn not venturing to attack them.

The earl and they that with him were Saw they buskit them to far (travel), And saw how with so little affray (fear) They held furth with the King their way, Keady to ricbt wha wald assail ; Their hartis all begouth to fail, And in peace let them pass their way, And till their housis hame went they.

The royal party remained at Strathbogy until

The King begouth to couer and ga, And syn their wais talc can they, Till Innerrowry straucht again, For they wald ly intill the plain The winter sesoun ; for vittale Intill the plain mioht not them fail.

Cumyn, ignorant of th» King's whereabouts, determined to harry his Earldom of the Garioch. His allies and their followers, including an English party, were gathered to him at Slains —

And were ane full great company

Of men arrayit jolely.

Till Aid Meldrom they held the way,

And there with their men lodgit they

Before Yhule even ane nicht but mair :

Ane thousand, trow I, well there were.

They lodgit them all there that nicht,

And on the morn, when day was licht,

The lord of Brechyn, Schir Davy,

Is went toward Innerrowry

To look gif he on ony wis

Micht do skaith till his ennimyis.

And till the end of Innerrowry

He cam ridand so suddenly,

That of the Kingis men he slew

Ane part, and other sum them withdrew,

And fled their way toward the king,

That with the maist of his gadring

On yhond halch (i.e., of Ardtanuies) down was then lyand.

The circumstance of Bruce's finding a safe asylum in the Garioch and Strathbogy, while all Buchan was in the hand of his powerful enemy, is a picturesque link in the chain of historical associations, which mark out the two districts as immediate posses- sions of the Crown from the beginning of history.

The monarch's resting place on the lands of Crichie and Ardtannies was his own. The dwellers upon it, whose ancestors had held themselves loyal to Earl David and his son, and their Constables, and had been the true liegemen of Isabel de Bruce and her son, the Lord of Annandale, it is agreeable to think of as keeping devoted feudal truth to the fugitive King, till he could come to his own again. Their obscurity of rank would, perhaps, shelter them from the notice of Edward, when the Bishop on one side

Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gar loch.

of them, and Sir Norman Leslie on another, and the Lamhertons, Bissets, and other barons of Aberdeenshire had to repair to Aberdeen, in 1296, to bow to his pretensions.

The Kiug, in 1308, evidently knew that a safe-resting place awaited him in the indefensible valley ; and its topography still preserves a record of his tarrying there. " Bruce's Camp " is still pointed out on the hill of Crichie, — one of the estates of the Earldom of Garioch. " Bruce's Cave," in the face of a precipitous bank, across the Don from Ardtannies, where the river makes an elbow into the hill of Crichie between the Camp and " yonder haugh," would give him at any time a place of quick retreat, impos- sible to be approached by an enemy unseen. Near the road from Kintore to Inverurie, a long trench, eight feet deep, was known, about 1790, as " Bruce's Howe ".

Who lay around the sick king in the deep secluded dell " the knowe of the deevi- lick's " — the place of the primitive cylindrical forts and of the arrow-head armoury — the rendezvous where a century after the encamping of Bruce, the local retainers of the Earl of Mar, it is likely, mustered before they went to win the battle of Harlaw 1 The good Douglas, who after the great king's death assumed as the remaining task of his life the conveying of the heart of Bruce to the Holy Sepulchre, was seldom absent from his monarch during his life. Family annals say that Sir Bobert Keith, the hereditary Marischal of Scotland, was with his master then, as well as throughout the whole of his previous adverse fortunes. The ancestor of the lords of Caskieben, Sir James de Gar- viach, who shortly after received from Bruce a grant of some lands in Dyce, probably earned the gift at Inverurie. Thomas de Longueville had before then transferred to Bruce the fealty and patriotism which his admired captain, Sir William Wallace, was no longer alive to be benefited by. Longueville's grave, as has been mentioned, is in the Kirkyard of Bourtie. If he selected his last resting-place by an arrow shot from Lawellside, he may have been sent there with a reserve force — a service for which the place and the man were both exactly suitable.

The priest of Polnar Chapel, who had looked to sing the Christmas lauds on that Yule day, having the King for one of his flock, was to be otherwise employed hearing short shrift from some of them on the braesides of Boynds and Collyhill. In 1297, Dominus Thomas was Vicar of Inverury, and may still have been living in 1308. Bishop Henry Cheyne, who may have entertained Sir William Wallace at Fetternear, in 1297, was doubtless absent from his palace at Christmas, 1308. He wTas of the Cumyn family and faction, and the King had disendowed him for a time, assigning his revenues to the building of his Cathedral at Old Aberdeen.

The battle of Inverurie was to come before Yule day, close at hand though it was. The insolent attack of Sir David of Brechin fired the King's temper, and restored his circulation. He called for his horse : those about him represented that he was not " cowerit aneuch " yet to fight. He answered —

This their boast has made me hale and fer (strong) ; and hastily marshalling his followers, he rode after his rash enemy, and, coming up with

The Battle of Inverurie 49

the body of Curayn's " thousand men " at Barra, inflicted a punishment upon them so signal as, with the rapid following up of it over Bucb.an, the Earldom of the Cumyn, produced the submission of the whole of the north, and was not forgotten for fifty years. The parson of Bayne goes on to describe, with relish, the important engagement, which was the necessary preparation for the great and successful effort at Bannockburn, fought five years afterwards by an undivided nation to recover its freedom : —

The noble king ami his menylic, That micht well near seven hundreth be, Toward Aid Meldrom took their way, Where the earl and his menyhe lay. The discurrouris saw them cumand, With their banners to the wind wavand, And gaed to their lord speedily. That gart arm his men hastily, And them arrayit for battail : Behind them set they their power all, And made good semblance for to tieht, And they aba id niakaud great fair (show), Till that they near at meeting were ; Bot when they saw the nobill king Cum stoutly on, without stinting A little on bridle they them withdrew ; And the King, that them well knew That they were all discomfit near, Pressit on them with his banner, And they withdrew mar and mar. And when the small folk they had there Saw their lords withdraw them so, They turnit their backs all and to go, And fled all scalit here and there ; The lords that yhet together were, Saw that their small folk were fleeand And saw the King stoutly cumand, They wei-e ilk ane abesit so, That they the back gailf and to go : Ane litill stound sammyn held they, And syn ilk man has tane his way.

Fell never men so foull mischance Efter so sturdy countenance ; For when the kingis company Saw that they fled foulely, They chasit them with all their main, And some they took and some was slain ; The remanant war fleand ay ; Wha had good horse gat best away.

The King pursued the fugitives over the whole of Cumyn's Earldom. " He gart brin (burn) all Buchane," and that wide region thereafter contained but one family represen- tative of the race. The laird of Auchmaeoy, of that day, was a son of the factious Earl, but was loyal to the King. It is said that he, in consequence, had his estate secured to him ; but with the condition that he should relinquish the name of Cumyn. He adopted that of Buchan, and was the first of the long line of the Buchans of Auchmaeoy.

Local tradition has it that in the battle of Inverurie the King received valuable

7

50 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

support from a farmer, named Benzie, and his eleven sons ; and that he rewarded them by dividing the Inverurie lands among them. The story bears a strong family likeness to that told of the Hays of Luncarty and the plough-yoke. It was in Brace's timethat the magistrates of burghs began to be induced, by the Crown, to accept the lordshipof the common lands of the burghs, paying a modified feu-duty to the King, instead of having as formerly the King's bailie resident among them, collecting the dues from individual holders. Part of the common lands of Inverurie are called Twelfth Part Lands ; but there are also Sixteenths.

The surname of Benzie or Bainzie, with alterations into Badyno, Badenocht, &c, was a common one among Inverurie proprietors in the next and succeeding centuries. Was farmer Bainzie the King's own tenant at Ardtannies 1 It would be interesting to find it so. A curious document, which will be noticaid more fully afterwards, presents us with another tenant, or perhaps feudal vassal, of the King's, doing him important service in the battle of Inverurie. It is a formal declaration, by an antiquarian of credit, that he had perused documentary evidence of facts connected with the Fergusons of Inverurie, now a wide-spread family. One writing bore that " Walter Fergus of Crichie received hospitably in his own house the great avenger of his country, King Robert Bruce ; and, with his three sons and dependents, in the memorable battle of Inverurie, in the year 1308, afforded ready and manly aid, on account of which distin- guished assistance King Robert gave him ample possessions of the adjacent lands of Inverurie."

It is about the middle of the time of the great troubles that we find another of the few Inverurie individuals representative of that period. In 1297, at Fetternear, Dominus Thomas, vicar of Inverowry, witnessed a charter of Bishop Henry upon lands in Kinnethmont, which had passed through the hands of David of Huntingdon. They came into the family of Tatenal, and from them were afterwards acquired by Patrick of Rothnek (Rothnie ?).

Of other surnames, with which we can people the neighbourhood during that generation, the following are some of the class selected as witnesses of important deeds : — About 1257, Alexander Durward, William Brechin, William Bysset, John Wallace, Gilbert Stirling, Thomas Benin; in 1259, Walter Balrodyn, Roger (vicar of Aberdeen), Alexander Rewburgh, Robert Russel, Alexander Rose, Eymer Maxwell. In 1273, a charter by Alexander Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, founding an almshouse at Turriff, gVanted at Kelly, was witnessed by Alan Durward, Reginald Cheyne, Andrew de Gar- viach, Philip de Melgdrum, Walter (rector of Fovem), Robert de Leslie (rector of Slains). The charter of Glack of the preceding year was witnessed by Walter of Blackwater, John Spaldyn, Robert Gleslogy, Farquhar Belcombe, Hugh Rossnett, William Lessel, Alexander Allardyce, Malcolm Balgowny, r.nd Duncan Merser. In 1297, Dominus Roger was vicar of Rossochetes-^apparently Rosehivet.

The Rahman Rolls — lists of the signatures to the various documents belonging to

The Battle of Inverurie. 51

the affairs of Edward I. in Scotland — are the chief vouchers of family antiquity and importance for the end of that century, excepting the few families the heads of which were able or compelled to stand apart from the submitting majority*. The Rolls afford us some surnames connected with the Garioch or its neighbourhood: Hugo de Urre, may may have been ancestor of the Urries of Pitfichie, in Monymusk ; Robert le Falconer was an early chief of the Halkerton family, now Earls of Kintore : John de Elphing- ston's descendants possessed Glack two hundred years afterwards ; Patrick Skene, doubtless an early Skene of that Ilk, is a recorded name ; and Nicol de Preston bore a surname well known in Aberdeenshire afterwards. In Rayne, about 1300, Henry St. Michael acquired Lentush from the heirs of Adam of Rane.

Sir David of Brechin was a nephew of Cumyn's. His father Henry, Lord of Brechin, was a natural son of David of Huntingdon. Sir David submitted to the King, who made him Constable in the room of his uncle, but had to deprive him afterwards of that dignified office. The victory of Inverurie in 1308-9, followed by the taking of the Castle of Forfar immediately afterwards, the Town of Perth in 1311, Roxburgk Castle in March, 1312, and Edinburgh Castle some days later, led the way to the crowning victory of Bannockburn in June, 1314.

The battle of Inverurie was fought near the present Castle of Barra, in Bourtie parish, at the foot of the abrupt hill which is surmounted by the " Cumyn's Camp". A wood covered the site of the contest for long, and since the ground has been under the plough, numerous relics of the battle have been turned up.

A memorial of the great national event exists in the neighbourhood in the name of " The King's Hill," with " the King's Burn," and " the King's Ford " at the base of it, which attaches to the long ridge upon which the Kirktown of Daviot stands. The eminence, which beginning about a mile from where the battle had been fought, stretches away in a north-westerly direction for a mile and a half, is a locality whereon the King may well have made his small following take up an advantageous position, when the enemy's superior numbers retired before his impetuous onset.

The fortification, still distinct in its outlines, which has long been known as the Cumyn's Camp, is not likely to have been occupied by him on the occasion of the battle of Inverurie. Cumyn's was the attacking force, his head-quarters at the time being at Slains, — and his partizan, Sir David, was apparently ignorant of the King's presence at Inverurie, when he made the raid intended seemingly to ravage the King's Earldom of the Garioch. Three nearly parallel walls surround the spot except where a perpendi- cular piece of rock sufficiently protects it, and the entrance would appear to have been capable of strong defence. Steep declivities all around except at the gateway, must have made the camp difficult of assault, and it enclosed an area of three acres, sufficient to contain a considerable force. A Pictish fort may have first occupied the hill-head, but the remains of the fortification are so artistic as to suggest a more skilled origin.

52

Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The Aid Meldrom of Barbour's poem must not be confounded with the village of Old Meldrum, which dates from 1640. It must have been a " farm town " like Auld Bourtie, which is on record at the date 1342. The name is an early, memorial of social progress ; being, it is likely, that of the chief place of the estate before it passed out of the hands of the Cumyns, Earls of Buchan. The sons of Sir Philip de Melgdrum, the first laird bearing that surname, had abandoned the original chief messuage for a new place of baronial residence more befitting the advanced tastes of their time.

Chapter II.

FROM THE BATTLE OF INVERURIE TO THE BATTLE OF HARLAW .

The Regality of the Garioch. — Its alienation and seizure. The Lords of the Garioch. — Aneient Earls of Mar — Domlinall in 1014, to Donald in 1332 — Elyne of Mar— Christian, Lady of the Garioch — Tliomas, Lord of the Garioch — Margaret, Lady of the Garioch— James, Lord of the Garioch — Isabel, Lady of the Garioch — Alexander Stewart, Lord of the Garioch — Usurpation ay the Croicn against Sir Robert Erskine — William, Earl of Orkney, Lord of the Garioch — Lords taken from the Royal Family — The Erskine Family — Sir Robert Erskine, Great Chamberlain — Abeyance of Erskine claims on the Regality. Lands and Families in the Garioch before Harlaw. — Leslie — Raync and Daviot — Ardlar — Ledingham and Mellinside — Caskieben — Coyn- glass — Rothmaise — Lentush — Adam ofRane — St. Miclmel — Newton, Threepland, and Bonnyton — Tillymorgan, Williamston, and Wrangham — Oync — HaysofErroll — Sir James Garviach, Cordyss — Irvine of Drum — Sir Robert Keith, Forest of Kintore — Hills of Kintore— Thanagc of Kintorc — Thaynston, Foullcrtoum — Glasgo-fm-est — Chalmers of Balnacraig, <Sx. — Caskieben lairds, Norino to Stephen the Clerk — Glack, Adam Pilmor to Murdoch Glaster — Regality gifts ; Knockinglass, Mcikle- Warders, Inveramsay, Balhaggardy, Boynds, Drumdornoch, Petskurry, Pctbey, Pettodry, New-lands — Andrew Bultergask to Sir Thomas Erskine — Bourlie — The Goblaugh and William of Melgdrum— John of Abernethie — Barclay of Kercow — Kemnay — Norman dc Leslie — Melville of Glcnbervie — Pitfithick and Balnerosk—The Abcrcrombics — Harthill and Pitmeden — Agulwr- tides, Aquhorsk, and Blairdaff — First Baron of Balquhain — The Leiths of Edingerrack— Mill of Folethrule and Badechash — Lethyndy — Mcldrum — Philip dc Melgdrum to William Seton — Fyvie — Reginald Le Cheyne to Henry Preston — Byseihe of Lessendrum — Slrachan of Glcnkindie. His- torical Events. — King Robert — Settlements — Fortunes of Christian Bruce — Sir Andrew Murray — Donald, Earl of Mar — Invasion of Edward Baliol — Battle of Dupplin— Defence of Kildrummy Castle — Rescue by Sir Andrew — Siege of Dundarg — Foundation of the Chapel of the Garioch — Sufferings of the people — Local lairds and priests — David II. 's hostages — Leading public men — Provost William Leith — The Bell " Lowric " — His Sons, John and Laurence — Sir Norman de Leslie — Sir Robert Erskine — "Lang Jonnic More " — William Douglas — Thomas Earl of Mar — His English connection — Stephen the Clerk, Secretary to the Earl of Mar — Troubles of King David's reign— Sir Robert Erskine, arbiter of the Throne — The husbands of Margaret, Lady of (lie Garioch — Her Son, James of Douglas — Otterburn — Douglas and Percy — Priest Lundy — Rolf Percy's Ransom— The feeht at Bourty — Isabel of Douglas — Death of her husband, and seizure of her castle — Marriage to Alexander Stewart. Ecclesiastical Events. — Wild manners — Endowments of elutplains in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch — Arclideacon Barbour.

THE REGALITY OF THE GARIOCH.

tHE period between the battles of Inverurie and Harlaw comprehended the last twenty-one years of the reign of Robert Bruce ; also the time of David II. who came to the throne a child, spent most of his life a captive in England, and was always a weak monarch ; and the reigns of the second and third Roberts,

•54 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

during each of which last there was practically a regency under the Earl of Fife, afterwards Duke of Albany, the son of Robert II. Eobert II. was past the prime of life when he became King, and, though as Steward he had ruled with vigour, he latterly became so indolent that the Estates forced him to delegate the royal authority to his second son. The Earl was an unscrupulous man, and when his elder brother John came to the throne, assuming the title of Eobert III., had little difficulty in intriguing to keep the reins of power still in his own hand ; and, for the purpose of continuing to retain them, was even suspected of having compassed the murder of David, Duke of Rothesay, the eldest son of Eobert III. Albany continued regent after the death of Eobert III. in 1406 — James, the heir to the throne, being in captivity in England. His son, Murdac, succeeded him in the regency, and when King James managed to regain his authority, suffered death as a traitor — doubtless incurring the vengeance entailed by his father's conduct.

In the local history the period comprised in those reigns nearly coincided with the duration of the original Eegality of the Garioch, as King Robert established it in place of the ancient Earldom, which had reverted to the crown by the King himself having been Earl. The Eegality of the Garioch was afterwards seized by the Crown, along with the Earldom of Mar, in consequence of a compact with Alexander Stewart, the victor of Harlaw, the husband of Isabel of Douglas, last heir of her line as Countess of Mar, and Lady of the Garioch.

The Erskines, who were alleged to be the legitimate heirs to the honours held by the wife of Alexander Stewart, claimed the same unsuccessfully — until the occasion of the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, with Henry Lord Darnley, in July, 1565. It was in a.d. 1663, that the Scottish Earliament reappointed Inverurie as the place of the Courts of Eegality of the Garioch held by the Earl of Mar. The Earls of the royal family of Stuart had held their Eegality Courts at Dunnideer.

THE LORDS OF THE GARIOCH,

The dignity of the Earldom, which had returned to the Crown by inheritance, King Eobert bestowed in the new form of a Lordship of Eegality, as a mark of affec- tion and reward, in 1326, upon his sister, Christian, widow of the Earl of Mar, then married to her third husband, Sir Andrew of Moray, the Fantelar, or Panetarius, of Scotland, possibly the steward of the royal household. The Earldom lands, including the Davo and Ardtannies of Inverurie, were bestowed at the same time upon Christian and her husband. There can have been no surviving issue of that union, as her descend- ants by her first husband, Gartney, Earl of Mar, became the Lords of the Garioch and superiors of the Inverurie and other lands of the Earldom, and are so to the present day.

The illustrious succession of the earldom of Mar, before its junction with the Eoyal Earldom of the Garioch, may be briefly noted here.

The Lords of the Garioch. . 55

The Irish Annals mention as having fallen at the battle of Clontarf, in 1014, Domhnall, son of Emkim, son of Cainigh, " Mormaor of Mar in Albion ". The first Scottish record of the house is that Eothrie, Eotheri, or Euadri, " called Earl Eotheri," gave consent to the foundation charter of Scone by Alexander I., in 1120, and was, in 1124-27, witness to a charter by David I. As "Euadri, Mormaor of Mar," he wit- nessed a charter by Gartnait, Earl or Mormaor of Buchan, to the clerics of Deer in 11.32.

An " Earl Morgund " appears in the charters of David I. and Malcolm the Maiden, between 1147 and 1154, and is referred to in 1183 as being then deceased. Between 1 1 65 and 1171," Morgund Earl of Mar," gave the Church of St. Mahuluoche in Tarland in Cromar, to the canons of St. Andrews, and between 1153 and 1178 confirmed to them the Church of Migvie, previously granted to them by the Countess Agnes, his wife, who seems to have been countess in her own right.

Gilchrist, Earl of Mar, appears in the records of "William the Lion's reign. Between 1199 and 1207 he seems to have built the Priory of Monymusk, and endowed it with the Churches of St. Andrew of Alford', St. Marnan of Leochel, St. Wolock of Euthven, and Invernochty in Strathdon. He likewise gave the lands of Dolbethok and Fornathy to the Culde.es of Monymusk before 1211. He contested the patronage of the Church of St. Marnan of Aberchirder with King William and Brice of Douglas, Bishop of Murray, and conveyed it to the monks at Arbroath,

Duncan, son of Earl Morgund and Countess Agnes, became Earl between 1222 and 1228. He confirmed several of the gifts of his parents ; but gave the Church of Logie- Euthven, which his predecessor, Gilchrist, had bestowed on Monymusk, to the canons of the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Machar of Aberdeen, and he left his body to be interred among his venerable fathers— the bishops buried there. He also gave to the canons of Monymusk the Church of St. Andrew of Kindrocht in Braemar. Duncan seems to have had several brothers. He was succeeded in the Earldom by his son William.

Duncan's title to the earldom was contested before 1228, by Thomas DurwardT" claiming from his mother, of whom nothing is known, beyond the fact that she was wife of Malcolm of Lundin, and had made a grant to the Culdees of Monymusk of ten bolls of malt, and ten stones of cheese annually. Thomas Durward alleged the illegiti- macy of Morgund and Duncan, but says nothing about Gilchrist. The dispute was settled, and the deeds of agreement between the parties were among the national records in 1291, being then preserved in a small bag. Under the compromise, or settlement, Durward may have acquired in his mother's right his great possessions in Mar, extend- ing from Invercanny on the Dee to Alford on the Don, and from Coull on the west to Skene on the east. Thomas was Hostiarius or Doorward to the King, in David of Huntingdon's time. He was possibly the Durward that was in David's following at the siege of Acre. Before 1211, he gave the kirk of Kynernyn to the Abbey of Arbroath, by a charter witnessed by Earl David's son, Henry.

56 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Earl Duncan's son, William, succeeded him before 1234. He was one of the great barons in charge of Scotch affairs in the reign of Alexander II., and was, at the instance of Henry III. of England, removed and substituted by Alan Durward, the son of Thomas Durward, the rival of Earl Duncan, but was restored before 1258. Alan, like his father, unsuccessfully claimed the Mar title. Earl William lived beyond March, 1273, and was succeeded by his son, Donald, the father-in-law of King Eobert I.

Earl Donald had an eventful life to lead. He was knighted by Alexander III. His first wife was Muriel, daughter of Malise, Earl of Strathearn, and of Marjory Itluschamp, daughter of the Baron of Wooler. After her death, 1291-92, he mar- ried Ellen, daughter of the Earl of Fife, getting a payment of forty shillings from that Earldom as part of her dowry, in 1293-5. In 1291, Donald of Mar, one of the seven Earls of Scotland, appealed to the King of England, with the freemen of Moray, against William, bishop of St. Andrews, and Sir John Cumyn, Wardens of Scot- land, in the interest of Eobert Bruce, Lord of Annandale ; whose grandson, 'Eobert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, afterwards King, married the Earl's daughter the Lady Isabel Mar. In the same year, Earl Donald swore fealty to Edward, King of England, as Over- lord of Scotland; and in 1294 went on summons to serve in Edward's wars in Gas- cony. In 1296 he, with his son Duncan, and others of the name of Mar, took oath of fealty to the English King. The extent of the ancient family at that time is indicated by the fact that his clan thus appearing with him were gathered from the counties of Aberdeen, Perth, Inverness, Fife, and Linlithgow. The Earl of Mar took the national side in Baliol's rebellion, and was captured by the English after the battle of Dunbar, in 1296. He seems to have remained in England as a subject of Edward, for, in 1297, he had leave to repair to Scotland with the Earl of Warren, to equip himself for Edward's wars in France. His engagement binding himself to serve the English King in that war as his liege lord is extant with his seal in the Cuphic character appended. In the same year, the Earl's son and successor Gartney, served King Edward in Scotland.

Gartney was Earl of Mar for a very brief period, during which little is known respecting him. He was the first husband of Christian Bruce, sister of King Eobert I. ; but left her a widow before a.d. 1306.

The Lords of the Garioch, Earls of Mar, all descend from Gartney, Earl of Mar, and his wife Christian Bruce, who had two children, Donald and Elyne, the progenitors of two several lines of Earls of Mar.

From Donald two Earls and two Countesses of Mar inherited, who were also by inheritance from Earl Donald's mother, Lady Christian Bruce, Lords and Ladies of the Garioch, bringing the line down to Isabel of Douglas, the wife of Alexander Stewart, who, after 1404, became Earl and Lord by marriage with her.

The Lady Elyne of Mar was ancestress of the Erskine line, which now holds the combined dignities. In the 17th century, Sir George Johnston of that Hk, the first Baronet of Caskieben, as the heir and representative of the ancient Garviachs of Caskie-

The Lords of the Gfari-och.

ben, threatened to contest the right of the Erskines to the Earldom and Lordship, alleging that the Lady Elyne of Mar had been in her early years the wife of his — Sir George Johnston's — ancestor, Sir James de Garviach ; and had been the grandmother of Margaret de Garviach, the wife of Stephen de Johnston " the Clerk " ; Sir George Johnston, however, subsequently and by way of compromise departed from his conten- tion— no distinct evidence of the marriage of Sir James de Garviach with the Lady Elyne of Mar having been obtained. In reference to this descent, the Johnstons of that Ilk and Caskieben have borne, for generations bygone, and continue to the present day to carry — on the 2nd and 3rd quarters of their shield, — the arms of Mar, Earl of Mar, and of Garviach of Caskieben, composed or combined, together in one coat.

The Lady Christian Bruce was in 1326 created Lady of the Garioch; and the lands of the King, within and without burghs in the Garioch, were conferred on her and her husband, Andrew of Moray, Knight, Pantelar of Scotland, and their heirs, as freely and fully as ever they were held of the Kings of Scotland by David, Earl of Huntingdon. There were apparently no heirs of that union. The memory of Sir Andrew's marriage was to be perpetuated by the erection of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Garioch, by his widow. The chapel was endowed and augmented by votive offer- ings, of the same character, in succeeding centuries ; and sometime before the Reforma- tion it had been increased to six chaplainries.

The first Lady of the Garioch held the new dignity for about thirty years. She was succeeded therein by her grandson, Thomas, Earl of Mar, whose father Earl Donald (the Lady Christian Brace's only son), was slain in the disaster of Dupplin, in August, 1332, leaving besides his son, the said Thomas Mar, Earl of Mar, the first Lord of the Garioch, a daughter, Lady Margaret Mar, who became Lady of the Garioch upon Earl Thomas her brother's decease.

Thomas, who succeeded as 13th Earl of Mar, upon the death of his father in 1332, appears in charters as Lord of the Garioch in 1357. He died, without lawful issue, in or before 1377, and was the last in the direct male line of the old Earls bearing the Mar surname.

Lady Margaret Mar, the sister of Thomas, Earl of Mar, and wife, first of William, Earl of Douglas, and afterwards of Sir John of Swinton, next held the Earldom of Mar and Regality of the Garioch. Her first husband enjoyed both her titles. Her second spouse, Sir John Swinton (killed at Homildon in 1402— by whom the Coun- tess Margaret had no issue,) was in her right designed " Dvminus de Marr " in the investitures which, as Lady of the Garioch, she had to grant. The Countess Margaret bore to her first husband a son, James, Earl of Douglas, the renowned antagonist of Henry Percy (Hotspur) and a daughter, Isabel, who died the wife of Alexander Stewart, the victor of Harlaw. Margaret, Lady of the Garioch, survived her celebrated son, Earl Douglas, until after 5th December, 1389, at which date she with her then husband, Sir John of Swinton, granted a bond in favour of William Douglas, illegitimate son

8

58 Inverurie and the Earldom nf the Garioch.

of her son James, Earl Douglas. She had conveyed her honours to her son before 1388.

James appears on 27th July, 1388, designated Earl of Douglas and Mar, and Lord of Cavers and the Garioch. In 1385, he did not bear any titles except Douglas and Cavers and Liddesdale, which his father's death before September, 1384, had made his by succession. Within a few weeks of the date above alluded to — 27th July, 1388 — James, Earl of Douglas and Mar, fell on 19th August, 1388, at Otterburn, leaving no legitimate heir of his body.

Lady Isabel Douglas, the only sister of Earl James, became, by the decease of her brother and mother, Countess of Mar and Lady of the Gavioch, or, as she was described sometimes, Countess of Mar and Garioch. She had before then become the spouse of Sir Malcolm Drummond, designed the brother of Eobert III., as having been the brother of the wife of that Monarch — the Queen A nnabella Drummond, and Sir Malcolm adopted his wife's titles by marital right, styling himself Lord of Mar and the Garioch. After Sir Malcolm Drummond died, in 1403, the Lady Isabel became the wife of Alexander Stewart, a natural son of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, the fourth son of King Eobert II. (but better known by the descriptive epithet, the Wolf of Badenoch). By solemn deed, dated in August, 1404, the Countess Isabel invested her second husband with all her titles and lands, and he continued to hold them after her death, which event took place before 10th February, 1408.

By the death of Countess Isabel, the line of the surname of Mar holding the two honours of Mar and the Garioch came to an end, and all subsequent claimants have sought to prove .themselves heirs to her, through failure of heirs of her two marriages just specified. By a decision in the case of the Mar Peerage, pronounced 25th Feb., 1875, by the House of Peers, the ancient Earldom or Mormaorship of Mar was assumed by the Judges to have terminated on the decease of Thomas, the 13th Earl, in or before 1377.

Alexander Stewart retaining the dignities after his wife's decease, styled himself sometimes Earl and sometimes Lord of the Garioch. For some reason or other he appears towards the end of his extraordinary career to have entered into an agreement for the future disposal of the honours and lands with the King, James I., who was then about to bring relentless vengeance on the family of Stewart's uncle Albany, the principal author of the King's previous hardships. James confirmed the lands and titles of Mar and Garioch to Alexander Stewart and to his natural son Thomas, upon the con- dition that if both father and son should die without lawful heirs, the whole should revert to the Crown. Alexander Stewart died without leaving issue, in August 1435. The honours were claimed by Sir Eobert Erskine, but retained by the Crown in terms of the agreement with Alexander Stewart. Thomas Stewart predeceased his father.

The first plea stated in bar of the claim of Robert Erskine, whom the proper court served heir of Isabel of Mar, was that all rights held by King James I. must be pre-

77/c Lords of the Garioch. 59

served for his son until the latter should attain majority. The Regality was apparently held during the minority of James II., by William, Earl of Orkney, Lord Sinclair, Great Chamberlain of Scotland, perhaps the most powerful nobleman of his time. In 14-11, he as Lord of the Regality of the Garioch, confirmed a charter of Bourtie. In 1453, the Queen of James II. was Lady of the Garioch, with Sir William Leslie of Balquhain for her bailie. In 1475, John, brother of James III., was Earl of Mar and Garioch. In 1482, Alexander, Duke of Albany, another brother, got a charter of the same lands and titles. In 1486, the king's third son, John Stewart, held the same in feu and heritage, his father acting as his tutor.

In the next reign the Regality lands began to be alienated by the King. In 1507, part of them was given by James IV. to Alexander Elphinstone, son of Sir John Elphinstone, and afterwards, in 1509, more of them, including Kildrummy. The Mar Aisle in the kirkyard of Kildrummy is the tomb of the Lords Elphinstone, who bore, as a second title, that of Lord Kildrummy. In 1510, the King excambed all his lands in the Garioch with John Leslie of Wardes, for those of Balcomy, in Fife. From the hands of some feeble descendants of Wardes, the lands slipped bit by bit, and came at last to be held in superiority by the Erskines, the heirs of the original lords.

The Erskiue family, with whose blood was mingled that of the Keiths, Marischals of Scotland, at the time when they became one of the representative families of the Garioch Earldom and that of Mar, dated from the reign of Alexander II. Sir Robert Erskine, the sixth of the line, who was Great Chamberlain of Scotland in 1350, died in 1385, laird of Balhaggardy, Conglas, and Inveramsay. He was the father of Sir Thomas Erskine, whose second wife, Janet Keith, was daughter of Sir Edward Keith, Marischal of Scotland, and grand-daughter of Elyne of Mar by her husband, Sir John Menteith, Lord of Arran. On failure of the heirs of her brother Donald, the descend- ants of the Lady Elyne of Mar by Sir John Menteith, became, as was maintained by the Erskines, Earls of Mar and Lords of the Garioch. The Erskines had made pre- paration before Alexander Stewart's death to vindicate their claim. The Great Cham- berlain and his son entered into a compact, characteristic of the time, with the chief vassal of Mar, the Knight of Forbes, for the support of their right. The Sir Robert Erskine who claimed upon Stewart's decease, was grandson of the Chamberlain.

Before the time of Queen Mary Stuart, when John, Lord Erskine, fifth in descent from Sir Robert, was acknowledged the rightful Earl of Mar and Lord of the Garioch, the feudal chiefs of Scotland had passed from the ancient position of local princes, wielding power only slightly limited by the regal authority, and were more like great landholders of later times. The Earl of Mar was able, however, when James VI. was King of Scotland, to outvie his monarch in personal splendour, as the story of the borrowed hose with the gilt clocks would indicate. In the last days of the Stuarts, the house came to the end of its greatness. The Earl, who raised the " standard of King James" in 1715, at Braemar, lowered his own permanently. Attainder and for-

60 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

feiture made an end of the connection of the family with their wide lands between the Dee and the Don, and the titles merely were restored in the reign of George IV.

LANDS AND FAMILIES IN THE GARIOCH BEFORE THE BATTLE OF HARLAW.

The numerous charters on record bearing dates between the battles of Inverurie and Harlaw, exhibit with some fullness the vassalage acknowledging the local ride of the Lords and Ladies of the Garioch; and furnish a sort of ground plan of social life, in the district, within that century.

The oldest estates in the Garioch recognisable under their present names were those alienated by the earlier members of the dynasty of Malcolm Canmore ; beginning with the lands of Leslie bestowed upon Bartolf, the ancestor of the Constables of Inverurie, and the great house descending from them, which, in the fourth generation, adopted Leslie as its family name. These lands evidently extended from the Foudland Hills to the Don, and were held in David of Huntingdon's time under his superiority.

Malcolm the Maiden, the great-grandson of Canmore, a generous patron of the Church, bestowed on the See of Aberdeen the whole schyres, or parishes, of Eayne and Daviot, portions of which were, from time to time, erected by Episcopal charters into separate estates.

The Earldom of the Garioch was instituted by Malcolm, in the person of his brother David, Earl of Huntingdon ; with, it is likely, the whole of the then unalienated royal possessions in the Garioch.

The first Earl, by his gift of the land, afterwards known as Ardlar in Kinneth- rnont, to the Bishop of Aberdeen, and of Lodgavel and Malinch, now Ledingham and Mellinside in Culsalmond, to the Abbey of Lindores, gave origin to those individual holdings.

His son John, the Scot, made Caskieben a separate estate, the property of Norino, the last Constable of Enrowrie.

Knockinglass, afterwards Coynglass, appears, in 1257, in a Papal confirmation, in consequence of the tithes of its cultivated land having been secured as stipend to the Vicar of Enrowrie. Possibly from that destination, part of the lands came to be named Balhaggardy, which means the town of the priests. A part of Conglass bears the name of Priests' Leys.

After the rich lands on Gadie, Ury, and Don, given to the ancestor of the Leslies, the braes of Eothmaise and their neighbourhood seem to have become desirable posses- sions. Ledingham and Mellinside, part of Earl David's gift to Lindores, lie there ; but at an earlier date than that gift, the Bishop of Aberdeen, who received the schyre of Bane from Malcolm the Maiden, had given a half carucate of land, lying between the kirk of St. Andrew of Bayne and Eothmaise, to the Abbey of Melrose ; and in 1175-8, Lawrence, the Abbot, had disponed it to Bobert, the son of Hugh, the son of SpUeman.

Lands and Families in the Garioch before the Battle of Harlow. 61

In 1304, Ledyntoscacii (Lentush) and Eothmaise were in their third descent, at least, when Duncan, the son of Helen, the daughter of the deceased Adam of Eane, sold them to Henry St. Michael. It was found by a court of inquest sitting in 1333 — which retoured Eeginald, a brother of Helen's, as heir of Adam his father, — that the lands had been in the family beyond the memory of man, and been held of the Bishop of Aber- deen ; Ledyntoscach for homage and suit of court by one suitor, and Eothmaise for a silver merk yearly, besides the thirteenth of the corns grown on either land, payable to the Mill of Eane. In 1335, Eothmaise and Ledyntoscach, with the Crosflat, were sold again to Henry St. Michael, by other members of the family.

Newton, in Culsalmond, and Threepland and Bonnyton, in Eayne, appear in the same early period. In 1259, Eichard, Bishop of Aberdeen, and Thomas, Abbot of Lin- dores, fixed the bounds of a land called Threepland between the lands of Bondyngton, belonging to the Bishop, and the lands of Newton, belonging to the Abbot and convent. At the same period, Tillymorgan, Williamston, and Wrangham were part of the Lindores possessions ; which seem to have comprised most of Culsalmond, as the Aber- deen Bishopric did Eayne and Daviot.

With the above exceptions, the Garioch estates first appear in charters after the accession of Eobert 1. Some may have changed their lords during his reign, in conse- quence of the necessities of the owners at that troubled period ; or, as was the case in Buchan, through Eoyal Acts rewarding faithful service, or punishing what would, after Bannockburn, be held to have been rebellion.

The rolls of missing charters mention a charter by Eobert I. to Thomas Menzies, knight, of the lands of Unyn (Oyne) in the Garioch, and one by David II. of the lands of Ouyn to Archibald Weschell by resignation of Menzies of Fothergill.

Sometime after Bannockburn, and before 1318, the King gave to his faithful follower, Gilbert de la Haye, the office of Constable of Scotland ; an office held before by Cumyn, Earl of Buchan ; and after his defeat and flight, by his nephew David of of Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, who also forfeited it. The King had, before that time, given to Gilbert de la Haye, Cumyn's Castle of Slains. Haye's descendants, the Earls of Erroll, have held the office ever since.

In 1316, another true adherent, Sir James Garviach — a direct ancestor of the Johnstons of Caskieben — received from the King the lands afterwards held for several generations by the Johnstons, viz., the Forest of Cordyce (in the parish of Dyce), under burden of the fifth part of a knight's service in the King's host, and the Scotch service, used and wont, appertaining thereto.

It was some years later, viz., in 1324, that the King erected a lairdship for his attached armour-bearer, William de Irwyn, the founder of the family of Irvine of Drum. In 1306, Eobert Bruce, on leaving Galloway, to assert his right to the crown by public coronation, had taken with him the eldest son of Irwyn of Bonshaw as his personal attendant. The near descendants of the royal armour-bearer were faithful servants of

62 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the crown. One of them was the highly esteemed companion of the celebrated Earl of Mar, the victor at Harlaw.

In the same year, 1324, the first charter was issued which connected the Marischals of Scotland, the Keith family, with the neighbourhood of the Garioch. Parliament had, -in 1320, bestowed upon the Marischal, Sir Robert Keith, a large portion of the estates of Cumyn, Earl of Buchan. In the latter year, the King gave him the Forest of Kintore, exclusive of the Park. A like exception was made in the charter of the Forest of Drum — the King being evidently fond of the chase, the associations of which during his wanderings in the Grampians and Lochaber after 1306, with Douglas, Keith, Hay, Irvine, and other close attendants, remained, it may be well believed, in his lasting recollection.

At an earlier period than the gift of Hallforest, and it is likely in the King's neces- sitous days, the ancestor of the family of Hill — who are still living in Kintore — obtained a charter of a portion of land in that Burgh. The King had received from him needful or convenient hospitality, it is said. The charter, in some unknown manner, found its way into the vaults of the Advocate's Library, in Edinburgh. Mr. William Donald Hill, Provost of Kintore in 1872, is the lineal descendant of the original holder, and the land has never left the possession of the family. It now bears the name of King's Field.

The parish of Kintore was apparently not in the Earldom of the Garioch, which probably did not extend beyond the Barony of Crichie ir. that direction. There was a Thanage, afterwards called a Barony, of Kintore, which included Thainston and some duties of the Kirks of Kinkell and Dyce, and also the lands of Glasgo-forest. ' David II. granted the Thanage to his sister Maude, along with the lands of Formartine. Half of both he afterwards gave to the Earl of Sutherland and his wife. The Thanage was, in 1375, given by Robert II. to John Dunbar, Earl of Moray, and his wife Marjory, the King's sister, and, in 1383, by another charter excepting the holding (tenandia) of Thaynston. Thaynston and Foullertown, with the duty of Kinkell and Dys, were by David II. bestowed upon William Chalmers. The same King gave a charter of Glasgo-le-forest, in the Thanedom of Kintore, to Robert Glen.

The possession of Kintore by the family of Chalmers was of older date than the charter of David II. Balnacraig, a gift of Bruce's nephew Randolph, Earl of Moray, in 1324-29 to Sir James de Garviach, was conveyed by his son Andrew de Garviach of Caskieben, in 1357, to Robert Chalmers of Kintore, and Elene de Garviach his wife, Sir James's sister. The above named William Chalmers, the son of Robert, was provost of Aberdeen in 1392, and for seven years thereafter; and his descendants continued persons of influence in the municipality, and also appear as lairds of Murtle and Cults on Deeside. Chalmers of Balbithan, in the sixteenth and seventeenth cen- turies may have been of the same line.

Caskieben, which was bestowed by John, Earl of Huntingdon, before 1237, upon

Lauds and Families in the Garioch before the Battle of Harlaw. 63

Norino the Constable, re-appears in certified documents in 1357, when Andrew de Garviach possessed it. An historical annotator of the Bagman Roll says that it was possessed by a branch of the house of Mar, descended from Duncan fitz le Conte de Mar, a younger line of the Earldom. If Elyne of Mar, the wife of Sir James de Garviach, was of that younger line, the estate may have been resumed by Eobert I. in conse- quence of Sir Norman Leslie, Norino's son, having served under the English King, and been granted anew to his faithful adherent Sir James, whose son Andrew de Garviach possessed it in 1357. Andrew de Garviach had an only daughter and heiress, Mar- garet, from whose marriage with Stejjhen de Johnston, called the Clerk, sprung the family of Johnston of Caskieben, afterwards and still designated of That Ek.

Kinbroun and Badechash, in the parish of Fyvie, and Johnston in the parish of Leslie, were bestowed, in April, 1380, by Andrew de Garviach upon his son-in-law and daughter ; and they inherited Caskieben after his decease.

Glace: was held by the father of Ade of Filmor before 1294, when Henry, Bishop of Aberdeen, confirmed it to him. In 1381, Alice of Pilmor was proprietor; and in 1418, Murdoch Glaster was served heir to Alice Pilmor, his mother, in that estate. The family of Glaster, who were lairds of Dunnottar in the Mearns, held Glack until the end of the fifteenth century ; when it appears in the hands of a long continuing Elphinstone family.

The chief alienation of Garioch lands to a subject, in the period between the battles of Inverurie and Harlaw, was the bestowing by King Eobert I. of the lands of the Earldom then remaining in the crown upon his sister Dame Christian Bruce, and her husband, Sir Andrew Murray, in 1326. Several Garioch estates appear first in her charters, and others come into view in those issued by Thomas, 13th Earl of Mar, her grandson, the first Lord of the Garioch.

Knockinglas (Conglass) first named in a Papal bull of 1257, was in the reign of David II. bestowed by Christian Bruce along with Meikle-Warders and Inveralmassie (Inveramsay) upon Andrew Buttergask, who in the same reign acquired several other lands in Aberdeenshire. He, or his father, had been Clerk of the Kitchen to Eobert I. ; and John Buttergask was Bailie of the Eegality in 1359, when these lands next appear, as possessed by the ancestor of the family of Erskine, who have ever since retained part of the lands then disponed to them. Thomas, Earl of Mar, Lord of the Garioch, by an undated charter which was confirmed by King David II. in 1357, bestowed upon Sir Eobert Erskine and Dame Christian Kethe, his spouse, the lands of Balehasirdy, Bundys (Boynds), Inuiralmusy, and Mill of Inuiralmusy, and half of Drumdornauche, Petskurry, Petbey, Pettochry (1 Pittodrie) and Newlandys. Sir Thomas Erskine, son of Sir Eobert, was laird at the time of Harlaw.

The first dated charter of Garioch lands, by Christian Bruce, was upon Bourtie. A curious document of 1342 brings up the name of Old Bourty, as then in use ; as Old- meldrum was when the battle of Inverurie was fought in 1308. In 1342, on St.

64 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Philip and St. James's Day, Friar Robert, master and warden of the alms of the House of Torphichen, in Scotland, confirmed a charter by Mathew, called Goblauch the Smith, to William of Melgdrum, the son of the deceased John of Melgdrum, lord of that ilk, of a certain amount of acres in the town which is called Auld Bouharty, which the same Mathew, very much impoverished by the vicissitudes of wars, had sold to the said William, greatest necessity compelling him for his relief and the support of his life. The two Lords of Melgdrum were descendants of Sir Philip, the brother-in-law of Cumyn, Earl of Buchan, whose plea anent the tithes of Bethelny was decided at Inverurie, by Bishop Richard Pottock in 1262. Sniiddy Croft may be the place of the Goblauch's ancient holding. A place called Smiddystones is also upon Auld Bourtie ; and a well, named the Hudd's Well, at the bottom of the Hudd's Field. On Thorn- ton, in the same parish, a Temple Croft had been part of the Torphichen or Knights- Templar lands.

On 26th Aug., 1346, Christiana de Bruce, lady of the regality of the Garioch, gave a charter on the^haill lands of Bourtie to . . . Abernethie. (Minutes of Evidence in Mar Case, 1875.)

On 20th Aug., 1387, Johne de Swyntoun, laird of that like, and Dame Margaret Mar, his spouse, Countess of Douglas and Mar, and ladie of the Garioche, gave a char- ter to Alex. Barclay &o. (Do., do.)

The Precept of Sasine, in the possession of the Laird of Bourtie, contains a full description. It is issued at Kildrummy, 20th Aug., 1387, by John of Swinton, Lord of the same, and Margaret his wife, Countess of Douglas and Mar, and Lady of the Regality of the Garioch, to ... " our baillie," directing him to infeft Alexander Barclay, son of William Barclay of Kercow, in all the lands of Auld Bourty, and a third part of Petgovenie ; " which lands of Auld Bourty Margaret of Abernethy, nan vi out metu resigned in her widowhood, in plena curia cqmd Enverury tenia, and by letters of resignation in our presence at the castle of Kindrony, by staff and baton." Alexander Barclay had succeeded, in 1384, as heir to his brother John of Abernethy. His descendants continued to hold the lands of Bourtie until 1598 ; when they came, by purchase, into the hands of the family of Seton, influential in the Garioch at that period. The Barclays date, in Scotland, from about 1110, and four families were pro- minent in the time of William the Lion — two of the surname having held the office of Great Chamberlain. This ancient race came to Aberdeenshire in the same Saxon emigration which brought the Leslies, Gordons, and others, in the time of Princess Margaret. The first was John de Berkely, a younger son of Roger de Berkely, lord of Berkely Castle, in the time of the Conqueror. From John, the barons of Gartley or Garentully in the parish so named in Strathbogy (acquired by marriage), and the Bar- clays de Tolly both descended. The first Castle of Tolly had, it is said, the inscription "Sir Alexander Barclay of Tolly, fundator, decessit, a.d. 1136."

The Barclays of Bourtie were the Barclays of Tolly. King Robert gave a charter

Lauds and Families in the Garioch, before the Battle of Harlow. 65

upon Towie to Alexander Barclay of Kerco. Kerco, or Kereow, is so like the spelling of Cracow, which might have been made at that time in Scotland, as to tempt the infer- ence that Alexander Barclay was an early example of what was common from Aber- deenshire in later times — emigration by enterprising young men to "push their fortunes" in Boland, at that period a prominent State in Europe. The Russian Prince Barclay de Tolly, of 1815, was descended from a humble family in Livonia, whose arms were those of Barclay of Tolly or Towie. William Barclay of Tolly, however, in 1385, signs him- self lord of Kereow, which cannot have meant the Polish capital.

Kemnay is the Garioch estate next to Bourtie in ascertained chronological order of first appearance. From the Lord Chamberlain's accounts, it appears that the ward of the barony of Kemnay was, in 1348, bestowed by Robert, the Steward of Scotland, acting for the King, upon Norman de Leslie. At a later date, the estate belonged to the Melvilles of Glenbervie, Sheriffs of Kincardineshire. Andrew Melvyll of Camnay served as a Juryman in an inquest held in 1397, on which Andrew Tourryn of Foveran also served — an ancient Aberdeenshire family, now represented by the British Consul at the Hague. The estates of Kemnay and Glenbervie passed together from the Mel- villes to the Douglases in the sixteenth century.

Pitfithick and Balnerosk, in the barony of Monymusk, in the time of Thomas, Earl of Mar, were given by charter of David II. to David Chalmers. They had been forfeited by Henry of Monymusk, one of a family which about 1300 were lords of the estate of Forglen, which passed from them to a Fraser and afterwards to Irvine of Drum.

The Abercrombys, now styled of Birkenbog and Forglen, are descended from a race which appeared first in the Garioch in the period now reviewed. Nisbet holds the Garioch Abercrombys to have acquired their surname from Abercromby in Fife, and to have been proprietors of Harthill and Ardune as early as 1315, in virtue of a charter of Robert I. to Humphredus de Abercromby, probably bestowed as a reward of faithful allegiance. The charter is not quoted in the Spalding Club publications, which give the following particulars. Between 1345 and 1360 Alexander de Abercromby bought from Patrick Haye, son and heir of Roger Haye, part of the Halton of Ardhunyer in Oyne, with the mill and brewhouse ; one of the witnesses to the charter being John of Por- teristown (Portstown in Keith-hall, long a separate property). A century later, Hum- phrey Abercromby (Umfredus de Abercromby), had a royal charter on Harthill, Pit- medden, Pitmachy, with part of Halton of Ardovyn. The family continued in the roll of proprietors on Gadieside for two centuries; and until 1690 were lands also upon Donside.

In the end of the 14th century, the Inverurie lands of Aqdhorthies, with the neighbouring properties of Aquhorsk and Blairdaff, first appear by name. They were disponed, in 1391, by Andrew Leslie of Leslie, with consent of Sir Norman Leslie, his son, in marriage portion to David de Abercromby and Margaret Leslie his wife, sister of

9

66 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Andrew. David's descendants held Aquhorthies in whole or in part until 1688; when Francis Abercromby disponed the lands to Patrick, Count Leslie of Balquhain.

The Balquhain family itself dates from the 14th century. Norman de Leslie's youngest brother, Sir George Leslie, first Baron of Balquhain, got a grant of Balquhain from his father ; and King David II. confirmed it by charter in 1 340, for his services during the reigns of Robert I. and David II. rendered against Edward II. and Edward Baliol ; the grant consisting of the lands of Balquhain, Syde, and Braco. Descend- ants of Norman have held Balquhain ever since — subject to many mutations as to extent during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The family of Leith have, with the exception of the Leslies, been the longest represented in the Garioch (some of that surname being still extensive proprietors) from at least the year 1359, and probably from a considerably earlier period. The wife of Sir Norman Leslie, Edward I.'s Sheriff of Aberdeen, is said, in Douglas' Peerage, to have been Elizabeth Leith of Edingerrack.

In 1359, Thomas, Earl of Mar, Lord of the Garioch, gave a charter of Rothen- etk, Hareboggs, and Blackeboggs, with common pasture in the Earl's forest of Bench- ye, to William Leith, burgess of Aberdeen, for a silver penny of duty, to be paid on the feast of John the Baptist, at " our manor of Inuerowry," if asked for. The property of Drumrossie, in the parish of Insch, was, in 1369, sold to the same "William Leith, by Andrew Berkelay of Garnetuly — Earl Thomas confirming.

Lands adjoining the Johnston lands of Kinbruyn and Badechash, in the barony of Rothienorman, viz., the Kirkland of Little Badochayse, in the " schyre " of Rane, were, in 1376, granted to Adam Pyngle, burgess of Aberdeen, by the Dean and chapter of Aberdeen in excambion, for the Mill of Folethrule, with the mill land and services due by the inhabitants of Badochayse and Folethblackwater (now Meikle Folia), where, in the same year, Pyngle and his wife Marjorie Blackvatyr, founded the Chapel of St. Rule.

The roll of Garioch lands, of which we have existing records at dates anterior to the battle of Harlaw, terminates with a charter by the third and last rightful Lady of the Garioch. In 1395, the land of Lethyndy was leased by Malcolme of Dromonde, Lord of Mar and the Garioch (the brother of the Queen, and the unfortunate first hus- band of Isabel of Douglas, Countess of Mar and Lady of the Garioch) to Robert Bnrnard in Malingall, for four pounds a year, as long as the land should be in his hand by recognition from Paule Crab. That property passed afterwards into the hands of the Forbeses of Pitsligo.

The estates of Meldrum and Fyvie lying immediately adjacent to the Garioch District, but within the boundary of Formartine, are of interest in a notice of the Garioch from their frequent and close connection with the history of that district.

Philip de Melgdrum, the first of the conjoined name and estate (who held it by charter from his brother-in-law, William, the first Cumyn Earl of Buchan), was one of

Hisforicial Events.

the Justiciars of Scotland in 1252. Alexander de Melgdram is recorded in 1272. William de Melgdrum, son of John, both concerned in the purchase of the Bourtie blacksmith's small holding, was in the same embassy to England with Provost William Leith for the redemption of King David II., and had a charter of Meldrum from that monarch, 10th October, 1353. The estate came, in the reign of James I., to be the property of an heiress who, marrying William Seton, brother of Alexander Seton, first Earl of Huntly, gave origin to a long continued family of Setons of Meldrum.

Fyvie, the principal seat of the Thanage of Formartine, was the property of Eeginald Le Chene about 1250. Edward of England, to whom Le Cheyne vowed allegiance, made the Castle a halting place in his hasty ride over Aberdeenshire, in 1296. A few years later, retribution followed by the Bruce making it a royal residence and a hunt- ing seat. Robert III. gave the estate to Sir James Lindsay, Dominus de Crawford et Buchan ; whose daughter, by her marriage, made Henry Preston its lord. He was one of the companions of James of Douglas at Otterburn, where the two Percies were taken; and the ransom of Ralph Percy was a Royal Charter of the lands granted to Henry Preston, Knight.

The Preston tower of Fyvie Castle was built about 1400, and records the name which there was no son to perpetuate. Upon the death of Sir Henry Preston, his two daughters and co-heiresses divided their father's lands. One of them marrying a Mel- drum, had Fyvie as her portion, and the Meldrum Tower rose to commemorate the change. Her sister married a brother of Lord Forbes, and founded the Tolquhon family.

Just outside the boundary of the Garioch, a family name of the fourteenth century, still attached to the same estate, appears among the witnesses to the Balkaggardy charter of 1357. It is that of Walter Bysethe of Lossyndrum (Lessendrum, in the Parish of Drumblade).

Another witness to the Garioch charter was John de Strathachyn, the ancestor of the Strachans of Kemnay and Glenkindie of the seventeenth century. Adam Strachuen, probably his son, got Glenkenety from Thomas, Earl of Mar, in 1357 — Margaret, Adams' wife, being the Earl's kinswoman, as is specially set forth in the charter.

HISTORICAL EVENTS.

The historical matter available for illustrating the state of society during the troubled century which intervened between the two important battles which were fought in the Garioch arranges itself chiefly about successive individuals; as we must expect to find to be the case in reviewing a time in which public interests were repre- sented by individuals rather than by communities.

The great King occupied the throne himself for twenty-one years of the period. The acts of forfeiture which followed his bringing the War ' of Independence to a triumphant issue, though they changed the face of the District of Buchan, through

68 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

replacing the extruded Cumyns by the loyal families of Hay and Keith, did not so affect the Garioch, or the adjacent districts of Strathbogie and Fonnartine.

The bishop, Henry Cheyne, a nephew of Cumvn, was banished and in England, but the king assigned his forfeited revenues to the erection of the Cathedral of Aberdeen which the bishop had begun. Cheyne was no inferior patriot to the secular Lords, and the Hays, Leslies, and others along with whom he had sworn fealty to Edward I. After the battle of Inverurie, and before Bannockburn, he and all the other bishops of Scotland emitted a declaration of adherence to Eobert I., and renounced all other oaths as having been unjust and extorted, and we find him restored to his office before his death which event took place in 1328.

The settlement of the King's faithful companions in distress, Sir Eobert Keith the Marischal, in Hallforest, and Sir James de Garviach, in Cordyce, and probably also in Caskieben, were local events of his reign. Sir James's descendants, the Johnstons of that Ilk and Caskieben, entertained the belief that the Lady Elyne Mar, the niece of the King, also rewarded Sir James with her hand, and that she only married Sir John Menteith after the death of Sir James de Garviach — her first husband.

The last years of Bruce's reign were passed by him in the south part of Scotland, where he died at Cardross in the neighbourhood of his early Earldom of Carrick, leaving his successor a minor, and his kingdom not as yet trained in loyalty suffi- ciently for being ruled by such a sovereign as David in his manhood proved himself to be.

Christian Bruce, Lady of the Garioch had, not only in her early matronhood, when her brother's fortunes were at the lowest, but also during much of her later years when her nephew David was king, led a life marked in a signal degree by events characteristic of the age which made the habits of a lady of rank resemble more those of a soldier than of a matron. She was from 1306 to 1314 a prisoner in England, and was for the second time a widow. Her marriage, twelve years afterwards, with Sir Andrew Murray — upon which occasion she was created by her brother, Lady of the Garioch, and endowed with all the lands he then possessed within that ancient appanage of the Crown — took place in an interval of what we may conceive to have been domestic comfort, but one which came to an end shortly after the King's death in 1329, by the renewal of national troubles.

Sir Andrew Murray of Bothwell, the third husband of Christian Bruce, was perhaps the most distinguished Scotchman in a period of great men. He had learned the art of war, and the virtues of patriotism, as the follower of Sir William Wallace, and, after the great Protector perished, was the most unsurmountable obstacle presented in Scotland to "proud Edward's power". Sir Andrew in one of the emergencies of national danger which occurred in the minority of David II., was called upon, by the nobles, to take the office of Warden of Scotland. One of the first tasks he had to undertake in that capacity, was the rescue of his own heroic wife, from a danger indirectly caused by

Hi dor Leal Events. __ 69

the incompetence of her own son for the discharge of a great duty assigned to him by the nation.

Of that son, Donald, twelth Earl of Mar, Christian had been destined to see little from his infancy. His fortunes were romantic. In 1306, he was with his mother among the fugitives from Kildrummy to Tain, two of whom — his uncle, Nigel Bruce, and his cousin, the Earl of Atholl — were taken and executed. The Queen and her daughter, and Christian Bruce, Countess of Mar, and her son Donald, then called an " infant, the son of the Earl of Mar " were retained as prisoners. He was committed to the charge of the Bishop of Chester to be detained in the Castle of Bristol ; but was, the same year, taken to be with the King in his own household, where his upbringing seems to have attached him strongly to Edward II.

Earl Donald was exchanged in 1314, after the battle of Bannockburn, along with the Bishop of Glasgow (who had crowned Robert I.) and with the Queen, the Princess Marjory, and his mother, for Edward's brother-in-law, — the Earl of Hereford — and tra- velled with his relations as far as Newcastle, but would not go on to Scotland, and returned to Edward. He was Earl of Mar himself long before that time. He visited Scotland in 1319, for six months from July to December.

In 1322, he fought against his own countrymen, under Edward II., at Bilard. In 1326, he was keeper of his early prison, Bristol Castle. Next year, when Edward was deposed by the intrigues of his worthless queen, Earl Donald of Mar came to Scotland to raise help to restore him ; and he led one of the three Scottish bands which invaded England for that purpose.

When the great King of Scotland died in 1329, leaving (by his second Queen, daughter of the Earl of Ulster), David II., his son, a child of four years old, Donald must at that time have again been a Scotchman ; for King Robert had granted him charters of two properties in 1328 and 1329.

Randolph, Earl of Moray, who was Warden of Scotland in the minority of David, having died in 1331, the Scottish Parliament, though perhaps not quite trusting Earl Donald's patriotism, elected him Warden in 1332. His first and last task in that ca- pacity was to meet the invasion of Edward Baliol, which he did at Dupplin ; and there he lost his life, with a great part of the Scottish forces, which he had ignorantly posted upon confined ground, and without a sufficient watch.

By his marriage with Isabel, only daughter of Sir Alexander Stewart of Bonkil, and sister of the Earl of Angus, he had a son Thomas, thirteenth Earl of Mar, and a daughter Margaret ; who were respectively in their time, the first Lord and the second Lady of the Garioch. His widow Isabel, Countess of Mar, seems, like the ladies of that house, to have had large experience of matrimony — having married twice afterwards.

By the surprise at Dupplin, Edward Baliol got for a short while possession of the Scottish crown ; and in 1334, lie conferred the Earldom of Mar and the Castle of Kil- drummy upon Richard Talbot, who was the great-grandfather of the first Earl of

70 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Shrewsbury, famous in the French wars of Henry VI. of England. Talbot soon lost his Earldom, as Edward did his Kingdom. He was conveyed, in 1335, as a Scottish captive to the borders of England, to be there set at liberty.

During Edward Baliol's short period of success, after the death of her son, the Lady of the Garioch, a dame worthy to be the wife of Sir Andrew Murray, had to play the part of a stout soldier. The barons who had been disinherited after the triumph of King Robert, were again powerful. Those of them belonging to the family of Cumyn, for their own ends strenuously supported Edward Baliol in his attempt on the throne of Scotland, when the death of the great king left his heir an infant. Richard Talbot was son-in-law of Cumyn, Earl of Badenoch, whom the Bruce slew at Dumfries. Lord Henry de Beaumont was son-in-law of Alexander Cumyn, Earl of Buchan. The Earl of Atholl was the son of one of the allies, David of Strathbogy, who upon Cumyn's forfeiture, was made Constable of Scotland, before Gilbert Haye, but rebelled and was attainted. Many others were banded with these. Their party, known as the English party, possessed every stronghold in Scotland, except the Castles of Dumbarton, Loch Leven, Kildrummy, and Urquhart, and the Peel of Loch Dune.

The Lady Christian Bruce with some knights and squires, was bravely holding the castle of Kildrummy, which Baliol had conferred upon Richard Talbot. Her husband had been a prisoner in England, and obtained his release only in 1334, on payment of a heavy ransom. Some new heroes, however, were appearing on the national side — William Douglas, afterwards the husband of the next Lady of the Garioch, Alexander Ramsay, Laurence Preston, and others. The office of Regent, or Warden, had become vacant by the Earl of Moray being inveigled into England and made prisoner. Edward Baliol made Atholl his Governor of Scotland. The handful of partriots forming the Scottish party, elected Sir Andrew Murray. He was soon to be called into the work congenial to him, that of clearing the country of the Baliol party, and his first task was to succour his own wife.

Edward Baliol and the Cumyn faction each wished to use the other for their own purposes, and soon quarrelled. Beaumont betook himself to Buchan, and there on a rocky stronghold in Aberdour "bigget Dundarg of Lime and Stane, and held all Buchane subject," according to Winton. Atholl, who, as representative of the last Cumyn, had views towards the throne, laid seige to Kildrummy. On hearing of his wife's danger, Sir Andrew Murray quickly raised a force in Lothian, and with Douglas, Ramsay, Preston, and some others, hastened north at the head of about 800 men. They passed the Cairn o' Mount in safety. Atholl hearing of their approach broke up the seige of Kildrummy Castle, and held " straucht to Kylblene," below Ballater. Sir Andrew took up his quarters at the Hall of Logie-Ruthven, and was soon joined by 300 men from Kildrummy. The battle of Kilblene ensued, fought on St Andrew's Day, 1335. Atholl was slain, and some of his followers sought admission to the Scottish party. One chief took refuge in the Peel in the middle of Loch Cannor. Atholl's family went to

Historical Events. 71

England, where his son became a follower of the best of the Edwards, the Black Prince. Sir Andrew Murray having relieved Kildrunimy and its valorous Castellan, his wife, hastened to Dundarg, to bring De Beaumont to terms. He had to attack the castle by the sort of cannonading then practised, and constructed a large engine for throwing stones. The garrison had tried a sortie, but were driven in. After the second stone was thrown, De Beaumont capitulated, and was allowed to retire to England.

Sir Andrew Murray died in 1338; and thereafter his widow perpetuated his memory by the erection of the Chapel of our Lady of the Garioch — the special duty of the chaplain being to sing masses for the souls of herself, her husband, and her brother. Christian, Lady of the Garioch, must have died before 1357.

The history of the Garioch during the life of the first Lady of the Regality contains some particulars illustrative of the condition of Scotland at that time.

The sufferings of the population are always great under civil war. We have an indication of the results of the long-continued struggle in the case of one of the vassals of the Lady of the Garioch, Matthew, nicknamed Goblauch, the smith, in the town of Auld Bourty, who, in 1342, had to sell his small possession in order to get the neces- saries of life, being reduced to destitution by the chances of war.

The Goblauch's fortune was a light one, compared to that of whole regions in the south of Scotland. In 1339, the country about Perth was without habitation and almost without inhabitants, — the deer often coming up to the low walls of the town. " A karle Crystie Cleek " was accused of setting snares for women and children, that he might use them for food. In 1347, a pestilence of cocks and hens occurred in Scotland; and in 1349, a pestilence of men, women, and children, whereby a third of the population was destroyed. The Pest had never visited Scotland before, not even in the seventh century, when it had over-run the rest of Britain and all Europe. Another very wide pestilence occurred in 1401.

About the time of Matthew the Goblauch's extremity of poverty (doubtless no un- common lot per discrirntna guerrarurn of which he complains), we have an interesting record of proprietors and others in the Garioch, who acted as jurors on an inquest, respecting Reginald of Rane, in 1333. They were Sir John Biune, Knight, Master Thomas of Salcop, Sir Mathew of Mar, Henry of St. Michael, Euen of Rothenay, William of Meldrum, John of Dunfermlyne, clerk, John Barkar, Gregory Bowman, William of Pilmor, John of Fyngask, William, the clerk of Sckene, Bartholf of Rane, Thomas of Graunt and Gillemuvquach. Is the last name that of the Laird of Grant 1 Fyngask and Rothenay are Garioch lands. Pilmor was of the Glack family, holding, like Fyngask, of the Bishop of Aberdeen.

David II. coming to the throne a child in 1329, had a nominal reign of forty-two years, — eleven of which he spent a prisoner in England, the result of his own rashness, which cost his kingdom much dispeace and treasure. During his occupancy of the throne, and that of his two immediate successors, ruin must have overtaken the land but

72 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

for the rise, here and there, of individuals among the nobility, who were worthy of the place of kings, at a time when the kings did not exhibit the virtues of nobles.

The Steward of Scotland, who was the next heir to the throne, had to govern as Regent during David's long minority, which he did vigorously ; though when in ad- vanced life, he succeeded him as king, and met with resistance from some ambitious nobles, he proved himself so unfit to rule that he was practically deposed.

Every citizen of influence and ability had to lend himself to the necessary duties of the troubled period which David's reign occupied. The Garioch furnished a fair pro- portion of active bearers of the national burdens ; the baron of Meldrum, and the Pro- vost of Aberdeen, ancestor of the present Garioch families of the name of Leith, were selected as ambassadors to England, to treat for the king's release. Among the men of national value who had to take a leading part amidst the necessities of David's reign, other two men who became prominent in public affairs belonged to the Regality ; viz., Norman de Leslie, and Sir Robert Erskine of Balhaggarty.

Provost William Leith went to England with the hostages for King David's ransom in 1358; an errand which his second son John repeated, in 1423, for the release of James I. from his long capitity. John was sent ambassador to England to negotiate state affairs in 1412, 1413, and 1416. Laurence Leith of Barns had, by charter dated 1388, his right as heir of his father, "William Leith, in the lands of Caprington, con- firmed. He was Provost of Aberdeen from 1401 to 1403, and in 1411 for the last time, evidently in succession to Provost Robert Davidson, slain at Harlaw.

Douglas in his Baronage says that Provost William Leith, designed of Barns, was said to be the male representative of the Leiths of Edingarioch, and was married to a daughter of Donald, 1 2th Earl of Mar, in consequence of which marriage he had the cross crosslets of the Mar arms added to his own bearings; but if this statement be correct, the lady must either have been illegitimate or have died childless, otherwise her descendants would have been nearer heirs to the Mar Earldom than the Erskines. He is at the present day represented by Leith (Hay) of Leithhall whose arms, registered in the Lyon's office, are the same as those borne by Provost William Leith — as displayed in the Coat of Arms of the latter on his monument in Drum's Aisle, Aberdeen. William Leith and his immediate descendants were of principal municipal rank in Aberdeen. He was Provost from 1352 to 1355 and again in 1373 — as mentioned in Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen — and having had the misfortune to kill one of the bailies named Catten- ach, at Barkmill, close by Aberdeen, he, after the manner of the time, compounded for the offence. He gifted to the town the Justice Mills. Provost William Leith, or according to Sir Robert Douglas (Baronage of Scotland) his son Provost Laurence Leith, bestowed the great bells Laurence and Maria, upon the church of St. Nicholas. " Lowrie " was the pride of the Aberdonians for several centuries, during which it daily pealed forth its note of time, until in the great fire which destroyed the East Church and the spire on the night of 9th October 1874, it fell crashing on the floor

Historical Events

73

of Drum's Aisle, near the spot where Provost William Leith himself was interred, and beside the wall where his burial tablet, much effaced through the lapse of time, is still to be seen.

Norman de Leslie was grandson of Sir Norman de Leslie, Edward I.'s Sheriff of Aberdeenshire, who is said to have married Elizabeth Leith of Edingerraek, and had died before 1320. Norman, the second son of Sir Andrew de Leslie, dominus ejusdem, and elder brother of the ancestor of the Earls of Bothes and of the first Leslie of Balquhain, was largely intrusted with State business. "With Sir Robert Erskine he was sent to Eome, in 1358, to solicit a contribution towards the ransom of David II. from England ; and was a commissioner thereafter to treat with the English. Next year, 1359, Norman de Leslie, "the King's armour-bearer," was com- missioned, along with Sir Eobert Erskine and Sir John Grant, to treat as plenipo- tentiaries with the Dauphin, then Regent of France, for the restoration of the old league between France and Scotland, which his grandfather, Sir Norman, had been a party to renouncing at the dictation of Edward, then overlord of Scotland. He was again in England in 1362 and 1363, with a retinue of eight squires, upon the affairs of the king — then a second time in captivity, his deliverance from which cost the country an hundred thousand merks. Norman held the ward of the estate of Kemnay in 1348.

Sir Eobert Erskine, the colleague of Norman de Leslie in the embassy to Eome in 1358, had a higher part to play in national politics. He was Chamberlain of Scotland at the time of the King's death in 1370, and by his vigorous action, supported by two or three other powerful nobles, was actually the arbiter of the throne, securing undis- puted succession to it for the rightful heir, Eobert, Steward of Scotland, against the

10

74 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

schemes of a determined and vigorous malcontent, William of Douglas, who was shortly to become a prominent personage in the Eegality.

The Garioch ballad, " Lang Johnnie More," — the Titanic personages of which, viz., Jock o' Noth and Johnnie o' Benachie, reached the English Court in two days from Benachie, to rescue from the Monarch's ire their fourteen feet tall friend Johnnie, whose charms had fascinated the Princess Boyal — includes, among the Scottish men of might who were to be appealed to against the English King, Sir John of Erskine Park. Sir John, who appears in the ballad as " thirty feet and three," was the father or grandfather of the great Chamberlain, and may have preceded him in the Garioch lands. The mythical picture is perhaps a quaint but appropriate memorial of the exceptional position, for a subject, which the first proprietor of Conglass, Balhaggarty, &c, held in Scotland ; and it seems designed also to celebrate the import- ance of the houses of Balquhain and Forbes, in later times chronic antagonists.

Among other characters of the time who played less prominent parts, were the supporters already mentioned of Sir Andrew Murray, when he cleared the country of the last Baliol faction ; Laurence Preston may have been father, or brother, of Henry Preston, the future Lord of Formartine. William Douglas was a nephew of the " good Sir James," and was himself both talented and ambitious. He acquired the Earldom of Douglas, and by his marriage with Margaret of Mar, came to hold, as her husband, the honours and influence of Mar and Garioch. Sir Robert Erskine, as Chamberlain of Scotland had, as before mentioned, on the death of King David II., to take sharp precautions against Douglas's conduct as a subject ; and the Countess of Mar and lie were separated as husband and wife by process of divorce.

The first Lord of the Garioch was Thomas, the Earl of Mar, the son of Donald. He bore the title of Lord of Cavers — how acquired does not appear, and he came into possession of the Regality before 1357, upon the death of his grandmother, the Lady Christian Bruce. He represented the combined dignities during the latter half of the reign of David II., and twelve years of that of the rather senile Robert II.

In 1359, as Earl of Mar, Lord of Cavers and the Garioch, &c, Chamberlain of Scot- land, Thomas made a grant of lands in Strathdee. He had in the preceding year, 1358, got from David II. a charter of the lands and lordship of the Garioch, to be held as freely as ever David of Huntingdon held them. Next year he gave a charter to Sir John of Mar, Canon of Aberdeen, of the lands of Cruterystoun in the Garioch (Cour- testown in Leslie), with the curious privilege of Fleming lauch, a record which associates the lands referred to with the early period of the Crusades, when Flemish colonies of cloth makers were established in many of the more settled parts of the island.

The first Lord of the Garioch was, it is likely, brought up in England, the real country of his father, and he continued in close friendship with Edward III. In the year 1359, he entered into an indenture to be Edward's liegeman against all but the King of Scotland, Edward stipulating to pay him 600 merks sterling yearly, until he

Historical Ecenta. 75

should find him a wife to his content, and also to pay him £600 sterling yearly should he, on the Monarch's account, lose his Scottish estates — no unlikely event. Two years afterwards David II. besieged and took Earl Thomas's Castle of Kildrummy, and put it in charge of Sir Walter Moigne, Knight, and his Esquire, Ingram of Winton. The latter was a relative probably of Wynton, the Prior of St. Serf's, the writer of the Chronicle, and the minute recorder of the deeds of Alexander Stewart, the famous Earl of Mar. The family of Winton owned the lands of Andat in Buchan, a good while before Harlaw ; and afterwards held some property near the glebes of the chap- lains of our Lady of the Garioch, where the church of Chapel of Garioch now stands.

Earl Thomas seems to have returned speedily to his own Sovereign's favour ; who, within the next few years confirmed several of his charters, including one of Balhaggarty, Boynds, Conglass, and Inveramsay, disponed by Earl Thomas, in 1355-57, to Sir Robert Erskine.

Thomas, Lord of the Garioch, must have been well known on the highroad between England and Scotland, which he frequently travelled with trains of from twelve to a hundred horsemen. His passports are numerous between 1357 and 1372, on religious pilgrimages, on matters of national business, and on foreign travel. In 1364, two of his esquires were sent by him from Eugland to bring 100 oxen from Scotland for his table. One of the squires was John Cameron. The Earl made him laird of Brux, the fol- lowing year, on his marrying Ellen Mowat, the Earl's kinswoman. Their descendants possessed Brux until the reign of James I., when Sir Hugh Cameron's daughter married into the family of Lord Forbes. Earl Thomas's lands in the south of Scotland may have come by his mother, who, it would appear, claimed the hereditary office of Sheriff of Roxburgh, and Warden of Selkirk Forest. He seems to have had a brother named Thomas Baliol — a record it may be of his father's English proclivities at the time of the child's birth.

The great Earl employed as his secretary at one period of his career, the first of the Aberdeenshire race of Johnston, viz., Stephen de Johnston, denominated " the Clerk," from his possessing a degree of culture not common in that age. It has been before noted that Stephen married the heiress of Caskieben, Margaret de Garviach. He came from the South of Scotland, and was said to have been brother of the Laird of Johnston, in Annandale, which was the native region of the royal house of Bruce ; but whether Stephen came north in the Earl of Mar's train, or first became known to Earl Thomas in the house of the Earl's liegeman and relative, Andrew de Garviach, the family history does not specify. From the occurrence of his name, as Stephen " clericus," in a charter granted by Margaret, the next Superior of the Regality, his intimate relations with the family of Mar, seem to have continued after the death of Stephen's patron — Earl Thomas of Mar.

Thomas, the first Lord of the Garioch, died, leaving no issue, at Kildrummy, in or before 1377 : and is said to have been buried under the east wing of the Castle of Kil-

76 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

drummy. He had been twice, if not three times, married. In 1352, he had a Papal dispensation to enable him to marry Margaret, widow of John of Moray ; and in 1354, another to marry Margaret, daughter of the deceased John, Earl of Meuteith. From her he was divorced ; and his next wife, Margaret Stewart, sister of the Earl of Angus, survived Earl Thomas of Mar.

Margaret, his sister, the wife of "William, Earl of Douglas, succeeded Thomas, in the Mar and Garioch titles and possessions. Her husband, a successful soldier of fortune, nephew and representative of Sir James of Douglas, adopted by marital right her titles, in addition to his own, and appears in the troubled stage of public life in Scotland, as Earl of Douglas and Mar, and Lord of the Garioch.

The useless life of David II. had permitted the great barons to free themselves from the habit of feudal subordination, and allowed individual ambition to rise to dangerous influence ; and the cost of ransoming the King from his repeated cap- tivities increased the poverty and discontent of the various orders of the community. In 1363, some years before his death, David added to the national annoyance which his reign had engendered, by proposing to make one of Edward III.'s sons his successor. The proposal was rejected by the Parliament ; but the succession of Robert II., son of Marjory the infant Princess who was carried off to England with her mother in 1306, was a cause of jealousy to the powerful barons, which made the reigns of himself and of his son, Robert III., a period of tumidt and insecurity. Both kings, and the second especially, had to resort repeatedly to bonds of alliance with now one now another of their powerful subjects, to aid them against all enemies of their life and authority.

"William of Douglas was one of those barons whose pride of place spoiled them as subjects. As a successful noble, and latterly holding the dignities of both Douglas and Mar — the last of which must have placed him foremost among the barons of the kingdom, he upon the death of David II., in 1370, could but ill brook the raising of Robert the Stewart of Scotland to the rank of King. Some affront probably aggra- vated his pride, and led him to meditate opposition. Sir Robert Erskine, however, had command of the three great fortresses of Edinburgh, Stirling, and Dumbarton ; and promptly joining his forces with those of the Earls of March and Moray, he made Douglas think more wisely and remain quiet — some substantial gifts and honours being, at the same time, conferred to conciliate him.

"William, Earl of Douglas, was separated by divorce from the Countess of Mar, and both married again. He must have died before the feast of the Assumption in 1384; at which date his widow completed a charter, the execution of which had been interrupted by his death. The children born of their marriage were James, the hero of Otterburn, and Isabel, who became the wife of Alexander Stewart, the most celebrated of the Earls of Mar.

Margaret, Lady of the Garioch, was married again before 20th August, 1 387 ; when her second husband, John of Swinton, concurred with her in the charter of Bourtie,

Historical Events. 77

granted to Alexander Barclay. She must have, as Scottish law permitted, decorated her son with the family titles. In the year 1385, after his father's death, be appears using the Douglas titles only; but in a charter of 27th July, 1388, he styles himself Earl of Douglas and Mar, while his mother was certainly living — as is proved by the existence of a charter granted by her, with the full titles, in 1389.

In 1388, 27th July, Earl James executed a charter giving the patronage of Cavers to the Abbey of Melrose ; which was witnessed by his sister's husband, Malcolm Drummond, brother of the queen, Sir John Swinton his " dear father," Sir John of Tours, and Murdoch Glaster (of Glack). Nine days afterwards he was buried within that Abbey.

An invasion of England had been determined on in Parliament. It was conducted by the Earl of Fife on the west marches, and by Douglas on the east. A dashing exploit of the Scottish van, daring the whole chivalry of York and Northumber- land, under the walls of Newcastle, and carrying off the pennon of Hotspur, led to the battle of Otterburn, which cost the lives of both Douglas and Sir John of Tours. Henry Preston was in that conflict ; also Sir Thomas Erskine (of Conglass, &c), the son of the great Chamberlain. He has the honour of a place in Wynton's poem, who says he was " fellely woundit in the face". Douglas, having challenged Hotspur, to recoyer his flag, had forced his way into the thick of the English spears by the power of his battle axe, but was pierced and trodden down. When he was found, his chaplain, a priest of the name of Eundie, was bestriding his dying master, and wielding his battle-axe to defend him from injury. The Scottish host bore their gallant leader's body to Melrose, in face of the great English force. In the battle, Hotspur, or Henry Percy, and his brother Ealph, were both taken prisoners : — Ealph Percy being the captive of Robert Keith, who, as substitute for his father the Marischal of Scot- land, assumed the command after Douglas fell.

It has been noted that the price of Ealph Percy's release, in 1390, was a Eoyal Charter confirming the disposition of the Castle of Fyvie, made by its then lord, Sir James Lindsay, Earl of Crawford and Buchan, to his son-in-law, Henry Preston. The peculiar connection of events may he explained by the fact that Eobert Keith, Percy's captor, was nephew to the wife of Sir James Lindsay,

Robert Keith was the chief actor in another historical event characteristic of the time. "Wynton in relating it, calls him " Eobert de Keith, a mighty man be lyneage, and appearand then to be a Lord of mycht and many lands of rycht richt". He quar- relled, for some cause, with his aunt, Lady Crawford, and besieged her in her Castle of Fyvie while the Earl was at Court. He removed some masons who were building about the Castle, and stopped those coming from the garden to the burn for water. Sir James hearing of his wife's plight, hastily crossed the Munth with 300 or 400 men for Fyvie. Eobert of Keith came south at once, probably making for shelter within his father's house at Hallforest, but he was met by Lindsay near the place where Bruce overtook

78 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Cumyn at the battle of Inverurie. "VVynton heads his short chapter, on the event,

thus —

Of a fechtyn that while was in Bourty, "When there was slane mair than fourty.

He says Keith lost fifty men and more ;

So Robert quyte "Was in that bargain diseomfyte.

Henry Preston had not taken possession of the castle then (1395), and perhaps not till two or three years later. His father-in-law, by charter, bearing a date possibly 1397, gave him additional lands (Meikle Gurdens and Parkhill). This charter is witnessed by the Marischal and Robert. Another witness was the notorious Sir John of Eamorgeny, immortalised in " The Fair Maid of Perth " as the accomplice of the Duke of Albany in the murder of the young Duke of Eothesay, in 1402.

Fyvie passed from the Preston name, as it had come, by female succession. Henry Preston left two daughters, as his heirs. One of them, having Fyvie as her portion, married into the family of Meldrum. The other brought Tolquhon, with part of the Thanage of Formartine, into one of the branches of the Forbes family ; which, in that generation, founded four long continuing houses — Druminnor, Brux, Tolquhon, and Pitsligo.

By the death of the Douglas, his sister became successor to her mother as Countess of Mar and Lady of the Garioch. Isabel was at that time wife of Sir Malcolm Drummond, the brother of Robert Ill's Queen. Sir Malcolm took the marital titles in which rank he appears, at the date 7th March, 1398.

In 1402, Sir Malcolm Drummond was surprised, and taken prisoner, in some suspicious circumstances ; and died in hard confinement. His widow had no child by him, and she appeared so tempting a prize to a needy and talented nobleman of the period, Alexander Stewart — illegitimate son of the King's brother, Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, commonly known as the Wolf of Badenoch — that, as before indicated, he managed apparently to seize her castle of Kildrummy and compel her to marry him. He was not unsuspected of having even provided for her becoming a widow.

Alexander Stewart was so much a man representative of his time, that a sketch of his history may appropriately be given later, in connection with the battle of Harlaw, an event which prominently associated him with the history of the Garioch.

ECCLESIASTICAL EVENTS.

There is but little of ecclesiastical history of the Garioch on record during the 14th century. The unsettled times were unfavourable for religious, as well as social, prosperity. One of the chief tasks of William de Deyn, who became Bishop of Aberdeen in 1341, was " to reform the manners of his clergymen — wild through the long civil war ". The

Ecclesiastical Eoenis. 79

wild manners of the clergy were, in all likelihood, due to their being, like James of Douglas's priest Lundie, somewhat accustomed to " boot and saddle " during the tumul- tuary conflicts of the civil war.

We have not the names of any of the vicars of Inverurie, and only a notice of the parish, as of others, recording a valuation of the living in 1366. The parishes in Aberdeenshire from which David, Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch, endowed his Abbey of Lindores, exhibited considerable diversity of ecclesiastical provision made by the Abbey for the support of the vicars. The Abbey seems, by the arrangement holding at that time, to have taken to itself half of the victual payments due in the several parishes, and the whole of the rents of the Church lands bestowed upon it ; while the vicars, in addition to the other half of the victual payments, had some money pay- ments belonging to the several parishes. The following table shows the various pay- ments : —

The Vicar's Money and Victual. The Abbey's Victual.

Fintray 10 m., with 20 chald. 1\ m. 20 chald. 2i m.

Kennethmont .. 6 m. 14 m. 14 m.

Insch 6 m. 22 m. 11 sh. 22 m. 11 sh.

Premnay 4 m. 16 m. 16 m.

Eathmuriel 3 m. 9| m. 9| m.

Culsalmond 6 m. 26-| m. 26 m.

Inverurie 17 m. 25 chald. 9 m. 10 sh. 25 chald. 9 m. 10 sh.

Durnoch 20 m. 30 chald. 11 m. 30 chald. 11 m.

The Abbey enjoyed, in addition, the Kirklands of Fintray, Monkegy, and Durnoch, yielding in rent 62 merks, 4 merks, and 7 merks respectively; and the lands of Newton,

6 merks, with the Mill, 100 sh. ; Culsalmond and Tullymorgan, 9 merks ; Wrangham,

7 merks; Ledingham, 6 merks 10 sh., with 12 merks for the Mill and 10 sh. for the Brewhouse; Eathmuriel, 58 sh. and 4d., with 18 sh. for the Brewhouse ; and Edelard, 1 merk. The Abbey divided with the Vicarage of Insch the rent, yielding 8 merles to each, of a piece of land, described as portio Domini Jordani, which may have been bequeathed by Canon Jordan, who appears in a charter of 1244.

At the same date, 1366, Kinkell and its Chapels appears with a revenue of only 80 merks, 30 of which went to the Brotherhood of Torphicon, then representing the Knights Templars. Bourtie possessed 30 merks, and 4 merks of Kirkland rents, the vicar's portion of the whole being 10 merks 10 sh. Daviot had 24 merks; Oyne, 30 merks ; Leslie, 3 merks, with 15 merks of victual ; Clatt, 16 merks ; Eayne, 33 merks from Kirkland rents and victual stipend, 8 merks of altarage, and £ merk for the Brew- house. The living of Monymusk Vicarage was 30 merks, and that of Bethelny, 28 merks of victual and 5 merks of money.

An attempt was made, some time after 1336, to reduce the livings of the abbey vicars ; but with the aid of the Bishop it was prevented.

80 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

One event of ecclesiastical history, possessing special local interest, belongs to the century. The famous Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Garioch had its origin in that period. It was founded some time before 1357 by Christian Bruce, Lady of the Garioch, for the performance of religious services for the souls of the founder (herself), of King Robert, her brother, and of her deceased husband, Sir Andrew of Moray — she bestowing for that purpose a toft in Drumdurnoch or Edindurnoch, and a hundred shillings sterling yearly out of her lands of Meikle "VVarthill, apparently also called Gilberthill, in her lordship of the Garioch.

Some thirty years afterwards, in 1384, her granddaughter Margaret, Countess of Douglas and Mar, and Lady of the Garioch, then likwise a widow, founded an additional chaplainry for the weal of the founder (herself), of "William, Earl of Douglas, her deceased husband, of the deceased Thomas, Earl of Mar, her brother, and of James, Earl of Douglas, her son.

The Countess Margaret conveyed for the support of the chaplain a ten pound rent, secured upon " two parts of the town of Pitgaveny, and the whole town of Colliehill, excepting the Westfield, lying in the tenement of Bourtie, and the regality of the Garioch". She had received that value for the relief of the lordship of Bourtie from Alexander Berclay, son of William Berclay of Kercow, and heir of the deceased John of Abernethie, his brother.

After Harlaw, other benefactions were added to the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch ; and it became so fashionable that the institution of new chaplainries was continued by local magnates.

Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, is said to have founded a chaplainry for the souls of his followers who fell at Harlaw.

In 1420, Isabel Mortimer, widow of Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquhain, founded a fourth chaplainry for her six sons slain at Harlaw, and for her husband killed in rebellion at Braco. A mortification in 1425, for a chaplain performing services for Sir Andrew's soul, was executed by Patrick Ogilvy, who had been the instrument of his defeat ar 1 death, and was probably an augmentation of that made by his widow.

In 1474, a fifth chaplainry was endowed by Alexander Leslie, the first baron of Wardes, for the souls of himself and his wife.

A sixth, called the Pitcaple Chaplainry, existed before 1511 ; when the patronage was confirmed by the King to the laird of Pitcaple.

The chaplainry founded by Margaret of Douglas was called the Colliehill Chap- lainry, and had two acres of land, apparently part of the present glebe, attached to it in 1500, by Alexander Galloway, then chaplain, afterwards rector of Kinked, and the architect of the Bridge of Dee. The Earl of Mar was patron.

The six chaplains served in turns, by pairs. There was probably a full service of the whole collegiate body in September, 1562, when Queen Mary, lodging at the Castle

Ecclesiastical Events. 81

of Balquhain, went up the steep brae of Craigsley to hear mass in the House of God which her ancestress had founded.

In a short time the ancient foundation remained only in the form of one or, it may be, more chaplains being still elected to the emoluments. In 1600, David, Bishop of Aberdeen, gave collation to Mr. George Seton, the brother of the then laird of Bourtie, in the Chaplainry of Colliehill, " whereof the Earl of Mar was undoubted patron"; and some years later, we find Alexander JafFray, Provost of Aberdeen, resigning a mortgage he had over lands belonging to the Chaplainry of Conglass, which had probably been that founded by Alexander Stewart. Under the Beformation, the Chapel gave place, as the scene of divine worship, to the Parish Church of Chapel of Garioch, serving the combined parishes of Logydurno and Fetternear.

A century after Queen Mary's visit, the sentiment which in the successive founda- tions of Chaplainries of the Garioch had combined religion with something of family importance, was manifesting itself there in an altered form. An hospital at Pittodrie entertained four poor men who were entitled to a peck of meal, and half a peck of malt, each, per week ; and who had to wear livery gowns, and to walk to church, on Sundays, before the family.

One ecclesiastic of note renders the history of the Garioch, in the last half of the disturbed century preceding Harlaw, illustrious by his own single presence. John Barbour, the author of the first known Scottish Poem, "The Bruce," written in the cause of national liberty, was a well-known individual at that period in the Garioch. We may figure him to ourselves, the esteemed counsellor of Sir Eobert Erskine and Norman de Leslie, and of the patriotic Lords and Ladies of the Garioch, and a guest well able to enliven their social feasts with observation on foreign lands and courts, such as only a traveller accomplished as he was can bring home. His poem, " The Bruce," presents us with the style of language then reckoned fit for courtly ears and the speech of an accom- plished man. Excepting some idioms now obsolete, it was a fairly equal mixture of modern English and the present Aberdeenshire vernacular.

The year 1396 was that of Archdeacon John Barbour's death, the parson of Bayne, and the historian of the War of Independence. It redeems considerably the idea one would form of Scottish life in the fourteenth century from the prominent occurrences of history, to find accounts of this Aberdeenshire priest, a man of no rank by birth, acquiring learning enough in Aberdeen to qualify him for high commissions in the political difficulties of the time, and to imbue him with desire of further study. In 1357, Barbour had a passport from Edward III. to travel with three scholars to Oxford to study there; and again, in 1364, for himself to study at Oxford, or elsewhere; and again, in 1365, with six horsemen, and in 1368, with two servants and their horses, to travel through England to France, for the purpose of study.

If there were fighting priests like Lundie, the chaplain of James of Douglas, and if general wildness of manners characterised the clergy, so as to make the reclaiming of

11

82 ■ Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

his clerical subordinates the special task of Bishop William de Deyn, the Bayne parson, humble of origin, was as conspicuous an honour to his country as after times have pro- duced. Priest Lundie is said to have been Archdeacon of Aberdeen, and if such was the fact, he had most likely been the immediate successor of the learned minstrel of the Bruce's wars — a not unfitting contrast for the period. The Lady of the Garioch, Earl James of Douglas's only sister, may have procured him that preferment.

Chapter III.

THE BATTLE OF HARLAW AND ITS TIMES.

State of Society. — Albany's misrule — Marriage of ladies of rank — Contracts for mutual defence — Chivalry —Cateran violence — Duel mi the Inch of Perth. The Earl of Mar. — Bis popularity in Aberdeen — Provost Davidson — Alexander Stewart's marriage — His naval exploits — Tourna- ments— Voyage to France — Siege of Liege — Second marriage — Christmas of H10 at Kildrummy. The Battle of Harlaw.— Wrony done to the Lord of the Isles — His appeal to arms — Mar appointed to oppose him — Combatants — Aberdeen burgesses — Southern barons — Mar and Garioch vassals — Church tenants — Inverurie burgesses — Crown vassals of Strathbogic — Formartine and Buchan vassals — The Ballad.

STATE OF SOCIETY.

fHE history of social life in Scotland during the greater part of the fourteenth century was such as found an appropriate termination in the terrible battle of Harlaw. From 1389 until after 1411 the royal power was held by a brother of Eobert II., a man of vigour, but utterly unprincipled; and who, in the end, was so strongly suspected of the murder of his nephew, David, Duke of Rothsay, the oldest son of King Eobert III., in 1402, that, though acquitted upon trial, he deemed it advisable subsequently to obtain a formal pardon from his helpless brother for the alleged crime. Misrule was the condition of the time, and the humbler classes of the people existed in a position of oppression by the unscrupulous and haughty barons, which had no limits.

The domestic fortunes of the three ladies, Christian Bruce, Margaret of Douglas, and Isabel of Douglas, who during that period were all Ladies of the Garioch, illustrate the necessities of social life in even the highest rank. No female who possessed wide lands and feudal influence was safe without the protection of a husband sufficiently powerful to defend her property. Christian Bruce, the widow of Gartney, Earl of Mar, was subsequently twice married. She was in her second widowhood in a.d. 1314, when released along with Robert I.'s queen from English captivity. The Lady Christian's granddaughter, Margaret, Lady of the Garioch after the death of her brother Thomas, seems upon being divorced from William of Douglas, to have very speedily espoused a second husband able to protect her — John of Swinton, a fellow-soldier of her first husband and a close friend of her knightly son, James of Douglas. Sir John Swinton ruled the regality of the Garioch in her name, while her son by Earl Douglas took up the position of his father as the leader of Scottish chivalry against England. Before the death of Countess Margaret, her daughter Isabel, who was to succeed to her lands and authority, was wedded to a husband of much influence, Sir Malcolm

84 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Drummond, brother of Annabella, the Queen of Robert III., and Sir Malcolm, as William of Douglas had done before him, assumed the titles of Earl of Mar and Lord of the Garioch. The position of husband to the Countess of Mar and Garioch was one of such consequence that her widowhood was apparently planned by the man who was himself ambitious of obtaining the hand of the bereaved relict.

These marriages were in reality only one form of alliance for the protection of property, position, or life, which had become as necessary to great barons as to the sovereign himself. Whatever claims of right arose disposable by law, had to be supported by contracts of mutual aid against all opponents, formed between the claimant and powerful friends, to secure or enforce righteous decisions. It was by a prompt treaty entered into with two or three powerful barons, that Sir Robert Erskine of Conglass was able to keep the crown for its rightful heir. His son, Sir Thomas, had to petition the King that no sanction might be given to any plan proposed by the husband of Isabel, Sir Malcolm Drummond, for diverting any part of the Mar property to Sir Malcolm's own heirs; and his son afterwards entered into bonds with Lindsay, Earl of Buchan and Crawford, then Lord of Fyvie, and with the greatest vassal of the Mar family, the Lord of Forbes, for their support in vindicating his rights against all opposition, when the chief opposition was expected to come from the King. In 1360, the Forbeses in the same way entered into a bond of mutual help with the Chief of Clanchattan and the Roses of Kilravoek.

These alliances of barons, generally completed by what were termed " Bonds of Manrent," had been rendered needful by the unequal administration of the law at a time when the Governor of Scotland, Albany, along with his immediate faction, had proved themselves to be the greatest law-breakers in the country. But it was a form of self-defence which prevailed thoughout Europe at a much later period ; and which, in Scotland, exhibited its last remarkable development in the Solemn League and Covenant of the seventeenth century.

Chivalry, which, in its extravagance, degenerated into knight-errantry, was another fashion adapted to the times. James of Douglas, and his gallant rival in knightly fame, Henry Percy, called Hotspur, were the flower of chivalry in that age in the two king- doms. Tournaments and challenges to single combat were recognised as features of high life essential to true nobility, and the records of the time abound with letters of safe conduct granted by the English Kings to Scottish knights, with certain described followings, to pass into England, or to France, or other countries, upon errands of chivalry. One of the most renowned jousters of his time was Alexander Stewart, Earl James's brother-in-law, the second husband of his sister Isabel, and the future hero of Harlaw.

A slight foreshadowing of Harlaw befell in 1392 ; the leader of the insurgent Highlanders being Duncan Stewart, a brother of Alexander, another bastard son of the Wolf of Badenoch, who had, it is said, quarrelled with Sir David Lindsay of Glenesk.

The Earl of Afar. 85

Duncan Stewart descended on the braes of Angus, holding his way from Loch an Eilan by the drove road in immemorial use between Abernethy and Braemar, and so over the Glenmuick pass on to the hills of Clova. He had with him more than three hundred caterans, a part probably of the wild and ruthless host of retainers by whom his father, " the Wolf," on the feast of St. Botolf, 1390, had sacked and burnt the town of Forres, and Elgin minster. The raid of Duncan was long remembered for the bereavement it brought to the principal .Forfarshire families. The Sheriff of Angus, Sir Walter Ogilvy, Sir Patrick Gray, Sir David Lindsay, and their armed followers went in insufficient numbers to meet the horde. A fierce battle ensued near Glasclune, west of Blairgowrie, in which Lindsay was slain. He had impaled a Highlander on his spear, and the wounded man twisted himself round on the shaft and hewed Lindsay to the ground.

It is likely that the occurrence of that raid suggested the crafty counsel of Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, which four years later brought two of the Highland clans to teach themselves, and the whole Celtic tribes, a lesson of peaceableness. The stories of the joustings and single combats of the lowland knights had travelled into the turbulent Highlands. Two clans, Clan Quhele, to which the Duffs belong, and Clan Kay, supposed to have been Dhai, or Davidson, had a long-standing feud. They agreed to settle it by a combat, of equal numbers, to be fought, like the great tournaments, in presence of the Sovereign. This idea was encouraged ; and the horrible slaughter at which the King was persuaded, against his own feelings, to preside, took place on the North Inch of Perth in 1396. It is the battle described by Scott in the " Fair Maid of Perth ". The Highlands were quiet for long thereafter. Wynton says in his account of the combat — " On the same hour of that day, a great battle of Saracens and Christians was in Hungary."

THE EARL OF MAE.

In 1398, two years after the death of John Barbour, we have the first notices of Alexander Stewart, the most noted of the Earls of Mar and Lords of the Garioch. He was then one of the " neighbours " of the burgh of Aberdeen ; and along with others was entertained by the magistrates at " various potations " to the cost of xx3, at the wine booth of Eobert Davidson, who in 1411 was Provost of Aberdeen, and who fell at Harlaw. The town at the same time bought back for xvid the bow and arrows and sword of one of Stewart's followers, which had been taken in some fight, besides paying Vs costs for some others.

Eobert Davidson's house was in the Shiprow, and he was one of the four baillies in 1398. He appears to have carried on a miscellaneous business. In 1395, he was Collector of the Great, or King's, Customs, along with William Chalmers, a name frequently appearing in deeds of the time, — probably Provost Chalmers of Murtle.

86 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Robert Davidson acted as agent for various pensioners upon those Customs, among others Sir Malcolm Drummond and the Duke of Eothesay. Kennedy states in his Annals (Vol. II., p. 231), that Robert Davidson was Provost of Aberdeen from 1405 to 1409, and again in 1410. The well-to-do merchant seems to have continued the intimate friend of Alexander Stewart, through all the greatness that awaited that celebrated man ; in his attachment to whom, however, he was but like the whole Burghal com- munity of Aberdeen.

Sir Malcolm Drummond died in 1402; and two years after, Stewart appeared before the Castle of Kildrummy with an army of caterans and stormed it in the face of every resistance. " Even under the misgovernment of Albany, this outrageous proceeding, joined with the suspicion that the same hand had brought about the murder of Drum- mond, roused public indignation. Before, however, investigation could be ordered, a strange scene was transacted before the Castle. Stewart presented himself at the outer gate, and there, in the presence of the Bishop of Ross and the assembled tenantry and vassals, was met by the Countess of Mar, upon which, with much feudal pomp and solemnity, he surrendered the keys of the Castle into her hands, declaring that he did so freely and of good heart, that she might dispose of them as she pleased. The lady, then, holding the keys in her hand, declared that she freely chose Stewart for her lord and husband, and that she gave him in marriage the Earldom of Mar, the Castle of Kildrummy, and all the other lands which she inherited. The whole proceedings were closed with solemn instruments being taken on the spot." (Tytler.)

King Robert III., who was powerless in Albany's hands, legalized this extraordinary proceeding, allowing Stewart to assume the titles of Earl of Mar and Lord of the Garioch. A further paction with King James I., however, was added afterwards, that in default of heirs of the body of Alexander Stewart himself, or of his natural son, Thomas Stewart, the whole dignities and lands should pass to the Crown ; which accordingly they did, Alexander having survived his son — which last died childless.

Tytler says of Alexander Stewart subsequent to his becoming Earl of Mar, that " after amusing his taste for adventures in foreign war, leading the life of Knight errant, and dividing his time between actual fighting and the recreations of tilts and tournaments, he became latterly a pirate, and, with a small squadron, infested the coast between Berwick and Newcastle, destroying or making jwizes of English vessels ". The explanation seems to be that this naval raid was in retaliation for an invasion of the Aberdeen coast by English ships in 1404, and the destructive interruption of the fisheries, which were very valuable at the time. Stewart was Sheriff of Aberdeenshire in 1 405. In September of the next year he went, under a safe conduct, to England to hold a passage of arms with Edward, Earl of Kent, in the King's presence. He had seventy persons in his train on that expedition. In the same month, two of his chaplains, John Stele and William Stewnyson, had a safe conduct to pass through England to Bruges on their master's affairs.

The Earl of Mar. 87

Countess Isabel died before 10th February, 1408, when a new chapter of the Earl's life began.

Stewart's great admirer, "Wynton, who probably, by family ties, was a vassal of Kildrummy, records his visiting France that year. " The Erie of Mare past into France with a nobyl cumpany, well arrayit and daintily, knychts, squires, and gentlemen full sixty." In Paris he held royal state, at the sign of the Tynnyn Plate. For " twelve ouks he kept open house and table. He was commendit of all nations for wyt, wertue, and larges." The King of France gave him a post of honour at his court, to wait upon him in state at table. The Earl remained but a short time in France, and taking leave of the French King, the Duke of Burgon (Burgundy) who " took him in special acquaintance," and the French lords, he set out on his return home. While, be waited at Bruges for weather, the Scottish Earl was suddenly applied to by the Duke of Holland to help his brother, John of Bavaria, the secular bishop-elect of Liege, whose subjects had no wish for his rule, and had themselves chosen another, a son of Sir Henry Horn, and were prepared to offer a stout resistance. He undertook the service although he had with him but twenty-eight spears and four knights. In the siege and conflicts that ensued, the van was assigned by the Dukes of Holland and Bur- gundy, to the Earl of Mar, and he had five banners besides his own. He made several knights on the eve of the attack, one of whom, was Alexander Keith — probably the third son of the Marischal, said to have been with the Earl of Mar at Harlaw — and another was his banneoure, or standard-bearer, John the Menzies — probably an ancestor of the Aberdeen family of that surname — and a third was Alexander Irvine of Drum. The battle was a most bloody one, 30,000 men being slain.. The worthless bishop was put in possession of his see; which he held until deposed by the Council of Constance.

The Earl of Mar was rewarded with lands which he had subsequently much difficulty in getting possession of, and a wife little less difficult to retain, who had been notorious for her changes of husband. One account calls her Isabel, Countess of Holland, another, Mary de Homes, Lady of Duffle in Brabant, and narrates that Mar got with her the lordships of Brabant and Walheni. He returned home under a safe conduct from Henry TV. of England, dated December 29, 1408. In deeds subsequent to 1409, he appears as Earl of Mar, Lord of the Garioch, Lord of Duffle in Brabant. This personage is said to have improved the breed of horses in Scotland by introducing from his Belgian territory Flemish stallions and mares— an advantage of a species more permanent than his matrimonial acquisition.

In December, 1410, he was evidently holding high state at Kildrummy, and signing charters by his new title, his short second marriage, probably, not then dissolved. At that time he gave a charter with consent of Sir Thomas Erskine, of lands hi Auchendoir to his faithful knight, the laird of Drum, who never left him until Harlaw. The witnesses to the charter were the Bishop of Aberdeen, Gilbert Greenlaw, Chancellor of Scotland ; Henry de Lichton, rector of Kinkell— who, after Greenlaw's death in 1422,

88 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariotih.

became Bishop of Aberdeen, and who erected Kinkell and its six chapels into a pre- bend of that see ; James Stewart, the Earl's brother ; William Chalmers, father ; and Eobert Davidson.

Seven months thereafter, in July, 1411, Robert Davidson was lying a bloody corpse on the field of Harlaw. The same carnage included the Laird of Drum, and a near relative of the bishop, whose broken tombstone on the floor of the ruins of the kirk of Kinkell, still exhibits his arms and part of his name, Gilbertus de Grie . . . the arms displayed being those of the Greenlaws of that Ilk, in Berwickshire.

THE BATTLE OF HARLAW.

The origin of the Battle of Harlaw was that the Duke of Albany, regent of the kingdom, had secured the Earldom of Boss by Boyal charter to his own son, John Stewart, Earl of Buchan, upon the Earldom being resigned in his favour by Euphemia, Countess of Boss, when, without heirs of her body, she retired into a convent. The wife of Donald, Lord of the Isles, was the rightful heiress should Euphemia die without issue. That great chief promptly disputed the legality of the action of the crown ; and, when he was refused redress, took up arms.

The Lords of the Isles had too much pride of place to brook such insults. They had frequently affected indej)eiidence of the Scottish Crown and made treaties with England ; and Bobert II., in order to strengthen himself on the throne, had given to Donald's father large additions to his possessions, and thus had made him dangerously powerful. Albany's courage was, besides, known to be small, and rebellion was a, promising enough game to play, as well as one suited to the self-importance of the Heb- ridean chief.

Donald, assembling his vassals, crossed from his island dominion, by Loch Carron and Strathpeffer, into Boss. The people of the Earldom submitted to him at once, being from of old less accustomed to look to the Scottish Kings as their lords than to the Norwegian vikings. Donald overpowered some forces sent against him at Dingwall, and soon made his headquarters at Inverness. Thence he issued a summons that all the fighting men of Enzie and the Boyne should join his standard. Sweeping through Moray and Strathbogy with little opposition, the Lord of the Isles made for Aberdeen, publishing his intention of giving it to the flames. His advance was checked in the Garioch. Albany had an excellent Lieutenant to send against the great Lord of the Isles, in the person of his nephew, Alexander Stewart, the valorous Earl of Mar, the hero of Liege, who was ambitious and brave enough to undertake any possible task. The Earl of Mar appeared at Aberdeen at the head of the bravest knights and gentlemen of Angus and the Mearns, and from thence was followed north to his own feudal lands of Inverurie by Bobert Davidson, Provost of Aberdeen — a force of the undaunted Aber- donian burgesses being added to the southern troops.

Some of the Aberdeen men, Mr. Norval Clyne, in his " Ballads " from Scottish

The Battle of Harlaw. 89

history, gives with much ground of probability. They appear in the Council registers of Aberdeen, at a date corresponding to " Harlaw," as selected to go out against the " Ketterines". They are—" Simon Lamb, Duncan Hervy, Thomas Henderson, Thomas Trayle, Guilfrid Taillour, W. Jacson, William Johnson, John for Ihomas Moden, Walter Bower, John Moden, Henry Leith, Henry Stephen, Nicholas Plummer, Will Galbraith, Thomas Chekar, John Roule, James Leask, Thomas Boide, W. Tuiyn, Gib. Menzies, David Galrygyn, John Tidach, Duthac Lowman, John Yule (with a man), Andrew Guthrie, Finlay Montague, John Pypar, John Aitkynson, Alexander Benyn (with a man), Amyer Benyn (with a man)."

' Tytler records as the leaders of the southern force — Sir Alexander Ogilvy, Sheriff of Angus ; Sir James Scrimgeour, Constable of Dundee, hereditary Standard-Bearer of Scotland ; Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum ; Sir Bobert Melville ; Sir William Abernethy, nephew to the Governor, Albany ; Sir Bobert Maule ; Sir Thomas Moray ; Alexander Strachan of Laurieston ; James Lovell ; and Alexander Stirling.

The Earl of Mar, besides these, had summoned the vassals of the Earldom from the lands between Don and Dee, and those of the Garioch. Their rendezvous was, as we may believe, the camping ground of Bruce before the battle of Inverurie — the head- quarters of the Garioch Earldom, and, as it happened, the best muster place in prepara- tion for attacking the enemy at Harlaw. There he would be joined also by the royal vassals from Formartine and Buchan. Those from Strathbogy, and the Church vassals of the Upper Garioch must already have unavoidably retired in that direction before the approach of the Highland host.

We know sufficiently well the names of those who held feoff lands under the Lord of the Garioch at that time to be able to denote the chiefs of the local force.

The oldest vassal, David de Lesly, who had gone as a youth to the Holy Land, was apparently not then in the country. His retainers were probably led by Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquhain, the lawless baron of the stone rampart of Benachie, Master of the Horse (it is said) to the Earl of Mar. Six of Leslie's sons died in the fight.

The beautiful moated mound of Caskieben was, doubtless, long ere then occupied by a strong fortalice, held by the clerkly Stephen de Johnston, the former " Secretar " of Mar's last male predecessor — the Earl Thomas. Stephen's son and heir — John de Johnston — must have attained manhood before the fight of Harlaw, on 24th July, 1411. The leal Laird of Caskieben, of that time, would, assuredly, be present at a field where both patriotism and fealty required of him military service ; situated, as Harlaw was, within two or three miles of the northern boundary of the Baron of Caskieben's own domain.

Sir Thomas Erskine of Balhaggarty, Conglass, &c, had his local following from the very skirts of the battle-field. Among them may have been " Thomas Bisset of Balhag- garty, the father of the fair maid of Kemnay," who was, in that generation, the subject of rough and unwelcome wooing on the part of one of the Leslies of Balquhain. Family

12

90 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

tradition has it that an ancestor of the present tenants (Maitland) of Balhaggarty was a tenant at that period.

Near at hand, also, were the Abercrombys of Aquhorthies, Aquhorsk, and Blair- daff, with their relatives of Pitrneddeu, Pitmachie, and Ardoyne, Melvil of Westhall ; Laurence Leith of Barns, Provost of Aberdeen afterwards, and his brother John, who was next year sent to England to negotiate the release of James I. ; William Tullidaff of that Ilk, laird then of the third part of Lentush and Rothmaise, and who fell in the battle ; Forbes of Lethinty ; and Barclay de Tolly, then laird of Bourtie.

Who would lead the numerous vassals of the church in Inverurie, Monkegy, Kin- kell, Monymusk, Bayne, Daviot, and Culsalmond ? Glaster of Glack was among these, along with the holders of Badifurrow, Balbithan, Monymusk, Wartle, Newton, and all the numerous Templands. Singularly enough, the fighting chaplain of Earl James of Douglas at Otterburn was Archdeacon of Aberdeen about the time, and, of course, parson of Bayne ; and, doubtless, the cry of boot and saddle would have been very tempting to parson Lundie, even in his riper years.

The burghers of Inverurie at' the time, and other local subjects of the regality, we can name to some extent. William de Blakhall was in the Garioch in 1398; Robert de Blakhall in 1118 ; in 1420 the family appears in fixed locality in the person of John Blakhall of that Ilk ; and held the office of Forester and Coroner of the Garioch about 1500, but how long before we know not. The Blakhalls, whose possessions were ex- tensive, including Barra in Bourtie, were important in Inverurie. The Ferguses are located, by tradition, in Crichie and Inverurie at a date a century before Harlaw. Records of the period give us also the names of Bainzie, Mearns, Cantily, Anderson, Currie, Rae, Howieson, Brown, Atkynson, and Andrew.

Bainzies, under the form of Badyno, appear a generation after Harlaw, residing where the Town Hall of 1660 stood, on two roods of land lying between lands of the Lord Superior of the Regality, and which may well have been a part of the original regality demesne, and a gift by Bobert Bruce in 1308 to the " Bainzie" of tradition ; to whom and his eleven sons, the King is said to have given all the lands of Inverurie, for their good service in the battle of Inverurie. Badyno, so distinguished in the position of his heritage, one would willingly imagine bearing, as an original Bainzie, the standard of the Garioch in the battle — the three open crowns, to which the Earl of Mar, of our narrative, himself added the checkered fesse.

The nearest neighbours of Inverurie, the dwellers on the disintegrated Thanedom of Kintore held under the Earl of Moray, had as landlords families named Chalmers and Gothnyss. Beyond were the retainers of the Marischal from Hallforest, who would mingle with the force from Buchan which Sir Alexander Keith brought into the field — most of them to lie there.

The tenants of Kemnay would attend upon their lord, Sir Robert Melville of Glen- bervie, Sheriff of the Mearns, who came north with the Earl. The subsequent fate of

The Buttle of Hurlaw. 91

the Sheriff partook of the worst barbarity of that wild time. His conduct in office had been so harsh, and so often complained of to the Eegent, that Albany, who detested trouble, allowed to escape from his lips the impatient words — " Sorra gin the Shirra was sodden and suppit in broo ". The exclamation was by the Sheriff's enemies promptly interpreted as a sentence pronounced against the object of popular hatred, and was literally carried into execution — the murderers giving what they thought legal comple- tion to the transaction by each of them actually swallowing some spoonfuls of their hor- rible pot.

The immediate Crown vassals of Strathbogy are said, by one of the poetical accounts of the battle, to have followed " Bisset," the son or grandson of Walter of Lessendrum, the Sheriff of Banffshire in 1364. The future lord of Strathbogy, Alexander Seton, husband of the heiress, was in the battle. He had been Lord of Gordon from before l!08.

The Formartine vassals and tenants, from Turriff to Tolquhon, would doubtless muster strongly under their chief, Sir Henry Preston of Fyvie, whose Preston tower of 1400 still associates him with the grand old castle. Of his two daughters, one, Marjorie already married, may have been widowed by the fight. Those two ladies were after- wards to divide their father's lands and begin new families — Meldrum of Fyvie, and Forbes of Tolquhon. Young Meldrum should have been in Preston's ^band in the tumultuary battle if the Laird of Fyvie was there in person.

It was in that generation that the now wide-spread family of Forbes made its quadruple divergence into the houses of Drumminnor, Brux, Pitsligo, and Tolquhon ;— Alister Cam marrying the heiress of Sir Hugh Cameron of Brux, the descendant of Earl Thomas of Mar's squire, became the first Forbes of Brux ; and Sir John, his brother, became the husband of Marjorie Preston, a widow, whose representative, and that of the long line of Tolquhon, is Mr. Forbes Leitli of Whitehaugh. Marjorie Preston married Sir John Forbes, in her widowhood, in 1420.

Of the Highland army we know only that Donald of the Isles had as his second in command his nephew, Hector Maclean of Duart, who was married to a daughter of the Earl of Douglas, and that he was also followed by the Chief of Macintosh. Maclean fell on the field of Harlaw, as did also, his personal opponent in that encounter — Sir Alex- ander Irvine of Drum. One of the poetical accounts of the battle, seemingly correct in many respects, adds Cameron of Lochiel to the followers of the Lord of the Isles, and makes him, when he stood on the field, the last of Donald's strong supporters, yield himself after the chief's flight, to Black Eobert of Brux, Lochiel's kinsman— a Cameron. The account does not, however, agree with either name or date in the Brux family.

The configuration of the district which was the scene of the terrible battle enables us with confidence to imagine the disposition of the contending forces. The Islesmen and their forced levies from Eoss and Moray, probably taking the least defensible entrance to the Garioch across the Foudland pass, would sweep along the braes of Cul-

92 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

salrnond and the tableland of Eayne ; the population of all the Upper Garioeh escaping before them to the Don to the protection of the royal forces. Keeping the rising grounds, they would cross Sillerstrind, and immediately find themselves in the advanta- geous position which they took up on the Harelaw. It was a confined one, but so much the more adapted to the crowded wrestle which the Highlanders made the battle become. No cavalry could do much on the narrow platform. On the west side a steep declivity lay between it and the soft bed of the Ury ; eastward, a wide morass would have been fatal to the movements of horse or heavy armed foot-soldiers ; on the north, they had merely the country which they had already swept clear of possible enemies. Then- position was only approachable, as Mar did assail it, by the long slopes of Balhaggarty, to reach which the Ury or the Lochter had to be crossed.

The immediate advance of the Earl of Mar upon Donald's position was from Inver- urie, about three miles south of Hurlaw. He came from Aberdeen with the Angus and Mearns levies, and Drum and the Deeside barons, from Mowat of Abergeldy downwards ; accompanied also by Provost Davidson, who, by one account, had Eose of Kilravock as his second in command. At Inverurie they would find the muster of the Garioeh vassals and not a few companions, met there for safety ; while the Donside men of Mar, summoned from Corgarff to Craigievar, and the Forbeses from within their boundaries, " Assach and Massach (Essat and Mossat), Bogie and Don," would hastily arrive by the " Lord's Throat " and the pass of Corrennie. The readiest and most secure position available to the royal forces — only one-tenth of the insurgents in number — was the Stanners, a field of 30 acres, encompassed on all but a few yards of its circumference by defensible water ; and, in connection with it, the traditional camping ground of King Eobert's weak force before the battle of Inverurie ; which was the Hill of Crichie and the Haugh of Ardtannies, and, it is likely, the Corseman Hill, commanding the Haugh.

If the practised leader of the royalists approached the position of his enemy in the three lines in which he is described as offering battle, the lie of the country gave the greatest facility for the movement. The left wing of his force would proceed by the path across the Corseman Hill of the Davo, by Blackball, Tempin Walls, and the two lines of road on the braes of Drimmies, and come down upon the Castle of Balquhain as a strong position, right in face of the enemy posted on Harlaw. The Leslies, the lords of the castle, all accounts say, were stationed in the left wing at the battle. The right wing, crossing the Ury to Caskieben, and making for the heights of Selby, would have a line of road on to Auld Bourty, where, from the Goblauch's old possession, they would see the position of the Highlanders across C'olliehill and the Lochter. The mounted portion of the Earl's power, which included the mail-clad knights, whom, along with the men in armour, he made his vanguard in the battle, would have a convenient line of road along the King's Gait of Inverurie, avoiding the Powtate Loch by passing along the highest egress from the town, over the site of the present West High Street

The Battle of Harlow. 93

School, and would cross the Ury at Howford. The three lines of march would bring the forces upon the braes of Balhaggarty, on three sides, converging towards the front of the Highland army.

The rebels numbered 10,000 ; the Eegent's forces only about a tenth of that amount, but having the great advantage of comprehending a compact battalion of fully equipped knights and men-at-arms. These, under the command of the Constable of Dundee, Mar put in the front, along with the Sheriff of Angus and his following, and it is likely, Provost Davidson and the burgesses of Aberdeen. He himself led the main army in the centre, placing Drum and the Leiths, Leslies, and Gordons on the left, while the Keiths and the Forbeses were together, it would seem, on the right. The Maules, Morays, Straitons, Stirlings, and Lovels, headed by their chiefs, and with their banners and pennoncelles waving amid their clumps of spears, swelled the force. The battle was a contest of arms against numbers, where equal bravery brought up both sides to exhausting carnage. The mailed Lowlanders had no difficulty in piercing the masses of the Celts, but did so only to be swallowed up, and die along with them, or find their way out of the melee by the naked crowd being sufficiently hewn down. The van composed of the steel clad knights was mostly butchered by the swarms of High, landers who, armed only with sword and dirk, fastened upon the individual horses and their riders. The Constable of Dundee, the Provost of Aberdeen, and the mass of their followers were slain; the Sheriff of Angus also, Sir Alexander Irvine, Sir Eobert Maule, Sir Thomas Moray, William Abernethy, Alexander Straiton, James Lovel, Alexander Stirling, Gilbert de Greenlaw, and about 500 men-at-arms, including the principal gentry of Buchan. Mar himself with a small number of the survivors continued the battle until nightfall. When the fight ceased it was found that Donald had retreated by Benachie towards the West. The chiefs of Maclean and Macintosh were among the fallen, and many a spot around continued long to bear the name of some of those who perished in the fight. The conqueror' was unable to pursue the fugitives, and remained on the field less a victor than deserted by his opponents. The Duke of Albany was spurred by the tremendous necessity of the case into a brave action, and immediately after raised a sufficient force to pursue Donald to his island fastnesses, where, in the following year, he reduced him to temporary subjection. Yet in a short time after, when Mar had added to his other offices that of Admiral of the Kingdom, the Islesmen, again in insurrection under a relative of Donald, met their old antagonist, and had their turn of victory, at Inverlochy. The supremacy of lowland authority was, however, permanently secured by this terrible trial of strength at Harlaw.

The only monumental record of the battle is the upper half of the tombstone of Gilbert de Greenlaw, within the roofless walls of the once richly-ornamented Templar Church of Kinkell. The knightly figure chiselled on the stone is clad in mail of chain or net work, perhaps an evidence of that style of armour having been in use at the time. A borrowed kind of sepulchral immortality was, two centuries after, sought by means of

94 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the broken stone to be secured on behalf of John Forbes, laird of Ardinurdo, who died in 1592, aged 66, and had his decease recorded on the reverse side.

The battle of Harlaw left a deep impression on the national mind. Two musical airs, both very ancient now, and three ballad narratives of it exist. Aytoun's Ballads include two of these. One, a long and largely descriptive ballad, was known before 1600. The other, which was put in print first by Aytoun, as it was lately sung in the Garioch, has more of the heroic character. The third poetical account is contained in a poem called " The Don," originally printed in 1655. The three give the same general account of the battle ; the second ballad incorrectly making the Lord of the Isles perish in the fight, and be buried in Leggat's Den, " a lang mile frae Harlaw". " The Don "■ makes the tenant of that grave Maclean, the second in command. A stone in a place called Leggat's Den close by used to be spoken of as marking the grave. A large whin- stone monolith, about 200 yards westward of the farm-houses of Harlaw, is said to mark the burial place of the females who had followed the Highland host and perished.

One tragical incident of the fight given in " The Don," — that Drum and Maclean sought each other in the fight, and fell by each other's swords — is in agreement with the traditions of both families. Another romantic legend relates that Sir Alexander Irvine on his way to the Garioch became oppressed by a presentiment of death in the expected conflict, and sitting down with his brother on a large " yird stane " in Skene, thereafter called Drum's Stane, made his " tesment". He told his brother that he had been mar- ried under some unwelcome influence, and had never lived with his lady as her husband, which gave him great concern ; and he wished him, should he come safe out of the battle, but brotherless, to marry the virgin widow, as the lands would be his. The ap- pearance of the name of Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum in charters later than the date of Harlaw is accounted for by the family tradition that the brother of the slain knight adopted the same Christian name, and that there was also a son, Alexander ; whose legitimacy would of course invalidate the story of the " tesment".

The poem of " The Don " places Keith and Forbes together in the van at the head of clan Forbes, beginning the fight — Keith and Drum leading the final charge to- gether which overthrew the power of Maclean. The poem, after the death of Maclean by Drum's onset, makes Donald in revenge, rushing in person on the victorious foe, kill Provost Davidson and bear back Kilravock and the Aberdeen men, before he sought safety in flight. The body of the valiant Provost was carried to Aberdeen, where, three centuries after, in preparing the foundation of the "West Church then to be rebuilt, his grave was discovered. A silk skull cap, which had been placed on his head, was in good preservation.

The Keith believed in the family annals to have been at Harlaw was Sir Alexander Keith, the Knight of Grandholm, third son of the aged Marischal, William Lord Keith. Sir Alexander was a younger brother of the Keith, who, second in command in his father's stead at Otterburn, took prisoner Ralph Percy, after the fall of Douglas. He

The Battle of Harlaw. 95

was uncle to a yet more celebrated man, the Duke of Albany's son, John Stewart, Earl of Buchan, the Constable of France, and Earl of Deveraux, 1421.

The only Garioch personage whose death at Harlaw is preserved in legal record, is William Tullidaff of that Ilk, one of the Church vassals in Eayne, whose son was served heir to him in 1413, with exemption from feudal payment, according to an Act passed by the Governor, Albany, in favour of the sons of those who fell at Harlaw, as Bruce had provided in the case of the slain at the battle of Inverurie.

The Pleyfauld in the estate of Harlaw, probably marks the chief scene of the con- flict according to early tradition.

The following ballad, exhibiting the exaggerated study of effect which belongs to heroic poetry, and introducing the two well-known heroes of Aberdeenshire ballads, Sir James the Rose and Sir John the Graeme, continued until the present generation to be sung in the Garioch. It first got into print in Professor Aytoun's Ballad* of Scotland, communicated to him by Lady Jane Scott, who, probably, got it from a member of the Elphinstone family in the Garioch. A copy containing three more verses appeared in " Xotes and Queries," vol. vii., May 20, 1865, communicated by Mr. A. Ferguson ; —

As I came in by Dunideer

And down by Netherha', There were fifty thousand Hielanmen, All marching to Harlaw ; (Chorus) — Wi' a drie, drie, drie de dronlie drie.

As I came on and farther on

And down and by JBalquhain, Oh, there I met Sir James the Rose,

Wi' him Sir John the Graeme.

" Oh, came ye frae the Hielans, man '! And came ye a' the wye ? Saw ye Macdonal and his men Come marching frae the Skye ? "

" Yes, she came frae the Hielans, jnan, »

And she came a' the wye, And she saw Macdonal and his men Come marching frae the Skye. "

" Oh, were ye near and near aneuch ? Did ye their numbers see ? Come, tell to me, John Hielanman, What might their numbers be 1 "

' ' Yes, she was near and near aneuch, And she their numbers saw ; There were fifty thousand Hielanmen A' marching to Harlaw."

" If that be true," quo' James the Rose, "We'll no come meikle speed : We'll cry upon our merry men, And turn our horses' heids."

" Oh no, oh no," quo' John the Graeme, "That thing maun never be ; The gallant Graemes were never beat — We'lltry what we cau dee."

96 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

As I came on, and farther on, And down and by Harlaw ;

They fell full close on ilka side, Sic fun ye never saw.

They fell full close on ilka side,

Sic fun ye never saw ; For Hielau swords gaed clash for clash

At the battle of Harlaw.

The Hielanmen with their lang swords,

They laid on us full sair ; And they drave back our merry men

Three acres' breadlh or mair.

Brave Forbes did to his brother say — " Now, brother, dinna ye see, They beat us back on ilka side, And we'll be forced to flee ! "

" Oh no, oh no, my blither dear, That thing maun never be ; Tak ye your guid sword in your hand And come your ways with me."

' ' Oh no, oh no, rny brither dear, The elans they are ower Strang ; And they drive back our merry men, With swords baith sharp and lang."

Brave Forbes unto his men did say — "Now take your rest awhile, Until I send to Drumminnor, To fetch my coat of mail."

Brave Fobes' henchman then did ride, And his horse did not fail !

For in twa hours and a quarter He brought the coat of mail.

Then back to back the brithers twa, Gaed in amang the thrang ;

And they swept down the Hielanmen, With swords baith sharp and lang.

Macdonal he was young and stout,

Had on his coat of mail, And he has gane out thro' them all,

To try his hand himsel'.

The first ae stroke that Forbes struck, Made the great Macdonal reel,

The second stroke that Forbes struck, The brave Macdonal fell.

And siccan a pilleurichie,

The like ye never saw, As was amang the Hielanmen

When they saw Macdonal fa'.

And when they saw that he was deid, They turned and ran awa ' ;

And they buried him at Leggat's Den, A lang mile frae Harlaw.

The Battle of Harlaw. 97

They rode, they ran, and some did gang—

They were of small record, For Forbes and his merry men,

Slew maist all by the road.

On llunonday, at morning,

The battle it began; On Saturday, at gloaming,

Ye'd scarce tell wha had wan.

An sick a weary burying,

The like ye never saw, As there was the Sunday after that,

On the muirs down by Harlaw.

ADd if Hielah lasses speer at ye

For them that gaed awa', Ye may tell them plain, and plain enough,

They're sleeping at Harlaw.

Another version, which the writer has seen, of the ballad taken down from singing, makes the Graeme propose, and Sir James the Eose reject, the counsel of prudence —

Quo' John the Graeme to James the Rose,

We will sheath our swords wi' speed. We will call to us our merry men,

And lightlie mount our steed.

For no ! for no ! 0 John the Graeme,

Sic things we must not do, The clan of Rose was never cowards,

We will try their valour noo.

The same version also, after the clansman's great feat of riding, — going to Druminnor from Harlaw for a coat of mail, and bringing it in two hours and a quarter — has the following : —

Lord Forbes, being young and stout,

Got on the coat of mail, And so boldly he marched up the ranks, To fecht wi' him himsel'.

The first chap that Macdonal gied,

He wounded him a deal ; The first chap that Brave Forbes gied,

The proud Macdonal fell.

The termination, with the same study of effect, is more like the roughness of an early ballad than in the printed version :

Out o' ninety thousan' men,

Gaed hame but thirty-three ; And out o' sixty thousan' men,

Gaed hame but fifty-five.

Gin ony body spier at ye

For the men ye took awa', They're sleepin' souu', and in their sheen,

I' the howe aneath Harlaw.

The intensity of the impression left by the great battle upon the mind of the nation is well seen in the exaggerations of its details, which became the popular bebef, through

13

98 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

this ballad. The one day's conflict represented by a struggle from " Munondie at inornin' " to " Setterdie at gloamin' " ; the expansion of the numbers in the contending armies from ten thousand and one thousand respectively, to ninety thousand on one side, and sixty thousand on the other ; and the extinction of the great hosts till there remained only thirty-three of the larger, and but fifty-five of the victorious army ; and the death of the great rebel, all present an appropriate mythical picture of the import- ance of the battle.

The heroic elements of the ballad, absolutely simple in narrative and void of mag- nifying adjectives, producing its effects by unstinted use of large exploits and physical grandeur of size or numbers, refers the composition to a very early date.

It bears, to a smaller extent, the same character that distinguishes the Titanic pic tures in "Lang Johnnie More," which probably celebrates the greatness of the Forheses, and of the Leslies, represented by " Jock o' Kbth " and " Jock o' Benachie," two gig- antic personages whose size and swiftness paralysed the English King and his Court with fear.

Both ballads were familiar in farm kitchens in the present generation ; and also another, celebrating the two companion knights of the Harlaw ballad, Sir James the Bose and Sir John the Graeme (pronounced in singing, Grime), if its reference be not to de- scendants bearing the same names, since the ballad incidentally makes them to have been at Floddsn. In the " Buchanshire Tragedy," the two knights are mortal foes, because of their being competitors for the hand of the Earl of Buchan's fair daughter ; and they slew each other in the woods of Deer, where Graeme, with four followers, fell upon his rival. Sir James' personal appearance is grandly described in the ballad : —

His height was like the tufted fir,

That crowns the mountain's brow ; And, waving o'er his shoulders broad, His locks of yellow flew.

Chapter IV. THE GARIOCH FKOM THE BATTLE OF HARLAW TO THE REFORMATION.

Rise of New Families — Progress of Estates— Kincraigie, Wardes, Pitcaple, Lofthillock, Leslie, Meldrum, Olack, Lelhinty, Westhall, Auehlevcn, Ardoyne, Harlow, Braco, Drimmics, Kemnay, Blackhall, Rolhmaise, Lentush, Mounie, Blair, Barra, Bourtie, Thornton, Badifurrow, Redder- wick, Cragforthic, Rothynorman, Pitblaine— Condition of Garioch Lairds — Mouse of Leslie — Lord Erskine. State of Society.— Europe distracted — Morals in Scotland — Sir Andrew Leslie — Death of the Earl of Mar — King James I. at Christ's Kirk. Local Government. — Lords of the Garioch — William de St. Clair, &e. — Alienation of Regality Lands— Winton of Drumdumoch—Kyng of Barra— Lord Elphinstone — Leslie of Wardes — St. Serve of Monkegy. The Seton-Gordon — Jock and Tarn Gordon— Bonds of Manrent — Gordon and Forbes Factions. The Burgh — Historical appearance — Individuals — Burgh Laws — Walter Yidill, Vicai — Burgh Heritors — Officials— Neighbours of the Burgh. SENTIMENT. — Pious Services and Violence — Pilgrimages. Local Clergy. — Vicars of Inverurie — Parsons of Kinkcll — Priory of Mony- musk — Kirk of Kemnay — Chapel of the Garioch- Fctterncar. Learning. — King's College — Bishop Elphinstone— Landed Gentry — Studies Pursued — Bishop Dunbar — Building of Brig o Dee — Alexander Galloway — Science about 1500 — The Claik Geis. Life among the Barons. — Court of Session — Raid upon Aberdeen — Faction Warfare — Slaughters. Parochial Matters. — Discipline - Parochial Elections. Eve of the REFORMATION. — Attempt to reform the Diocese — Queen Mary at Bulquhain — The Chapel of the Garioch — The last of the Priests.

RISE OF NEW FAMILIES.

'"il^HE century and a half which followed the epochal event of Harlaw, was a period in the history of the Garioch as distinctly marked as the prehistoric ages of geology. A new genealogical formation begins in it ; which, by the time of the Reformation, had developed into wide spread families, while some of the more early surnames became extinct. The original house of Leslie, the children of Bartolf, appears balanced by the families of Abercromby, Leith, Forbes, Johnston, Blakhall, Seton, and Elphinstone.

Along with the settlement of those names, new in the Garioch at the period now indicated, social order also assumed a different phase. The subordination to law, estab- lished by the last of Scotland's powerful kings, which, after his death, came to depend upon the isolated, or combined, action of patriotic nobles, and in the Garioch had always the advantage of being upheld by a strong Lord Superior of the Regality, was provided for in that district, after the line of its feudal Lords of Regality had teiminated, by the appointment of a king's lieutenant, or hereditary Sheriff ; who for a long series of years, was himself the head of the locally new house of Seton-Gordon.

100 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gurioch.

The influence of that representative of the Sovereign was strengthened by means of local bonds of alliance with some of the principal families. The same kind of arrange- ment was speedily resorted to by the Forbeses, and other families connected with that name by the ties of blood or friendship, for the purpose of keeping the exercise of the authority delegated to the head of the Gordon, or Huntly family, within legitimate, or reasonable, bounds.

King James I. laid the foundation for a more satisfactory mode of administering the law than had prevailed previous to his reign ; but it was not until the time of King James V., that the College of Justice, or Court of Session, was established ; although in a considerably different basis from its present constitution.

After the time of Harlaw, the still predominating race of the Leslies was developing into new forms, which reduced the old stock into the position of being little more than feudal Superiors of their ancient possessions situated in the Garioch. The earliest off- shoot of that great house was about to blossom into an Earldom — that of Eothes — and the second branch, which had became Barons of Balquhain in 1 340, was in the succeed- ing century progenitor, by Sir William, 4th Baron, of four cadets — afterwards con- spicuous in the Garioch — viz., Kincraigie, Wardes, New Leslie, and Pitcaple. The ancestors of these new houses had of course to be provided for by portions of the pater- nal barony. William, the second son of Sir William, by Elizabeth Fraser, his first wife, daughter of Lord Lovat, bought Kincraigie in 1470 from his brother Alexander, the next Baron. Alexander and George were sons by Balquhain's second wife, Agnes Irvine of Drum. Alexander got Wardes, Drimmies, and Middleton from his father about 1460. David Leslie got Pitcaple, in 1457, off the Balquhain lands. He was Sir William's son by his third wife, Euphemia Lindsay, a grand-daughter of the Earl of Crawford.

Before those estates were given off the Balquhain lands, an addition was made to the barony, in 1433, by one of the last of the charters issued by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, conferring upon Sir William the farms of Selby and Lofthillock in Monkegy.

The Abercrombys, Garioch lairds before 1350, continued on the banks of the Gadie and of the Don until 1690. They acquired the family distinction of Birkenbog in the Boyne, about 1500.

The Leiths appear about the same period of rise with the Abercrombys ; and in the families of Leith Hay of Leithhall and Leith of Freefield they continue to possess landed estates near their original possessions.

In the latter half of the fourteenth century, the Johnstons, now of that Ilk, formerly of Caskieben, first appear as heritors in the Garioch, at Caskieben ; and from 1380 to about 1633 fill a large place in the history of the Garioch.

The Glasters of Lumgair, in the Mearns, by a marriage with Alice Pilmor, who was heiress of Glack, in Daviot parish, in 1381, came into possession of that church feoff in 1418, upon her death, and continued until 1492, when Andrew Elphinstone of Selmys possessed Glack, except a tenement sold to John Gordon of Lumgair, apparently the

Rise of New Families. 101

purchaser of most of the Glaster property. Andrew Elphinstone, in 1499, disponed Glack to his younger brother, Nicholas, whose descendants were lairds of Glack for 250 years. James, the elder brother of Andrew, was the grandfather of the first Lord Elphinstone.

William Seton, second son of the first Seton Gordon, and brother of the first Earl of Huntly, (and who was killed, in 1452, in the battle of Brechin, fought by the Earl against the rebel Earl of Crawford,) was the first of the Garioch Setons. He was the husband of the heiress of Meldrum, and the ancestor of the Setons of Meldrum, Blair, Barra, Bourtie and Mounie.

Alexander Seton, Chancellor of Aberdeen and Vicar of Bethelnie, in 1566, second son of the fourth Seton of Meldrum, was apparently the first Seton of Mounie, in Daviot parish. The estate has continued ever since in the same name, except from 1623 to 1714, during which period it was held by Sir Robert Farquhar and others. The present holders are of the Pitmedden family, descended from a grand-nephew of the Chancellor. Blair, in Bourtie parish, which had belonged to George Leith of Barnes (ob. 1505), came to the Chancellor's father, Alexander Seton of Meldrum, by a second marriage with Janet Leith, daughter of George, and their son, John, appears in 1526 heir to his father in half the lands of Auchleven, Drumrossy, &c. Blair continued in the name of Seton until the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the heiress married a gentleman of the name of Stewart. Barra and Bourtie, in the same parish, were in 1598 in the hands respectively of George Seton, Chancellor of Aberdeen, and James, his brother, ancestors of the Setons of Pitmedden, sons, by a second marriage, of William Seton of Meldrum, the eldest brother of the chancellor, Alexander.

The chief vassals of the Earls of Mar — the Forbeses of Puttachie — branching into four great divisions about the date of Harlaw, sent numerous cadets widely over the shire. They appear in the Garioch more in the alliances of houses for mutual defence, than in the character of landed proprietors, until the era of the Reformation. The Pitsligo Forbeses, however, in the fifteenth century, had Kinaldie and other properties, one of which, Lethinty in Logiedurno parish, they possessed from 1455 until the Civil War.

In 1455, Alexander Forbes of Kinaldie held Lethinty, with William Grant as tenant of the town. He died in 1477, and in 1485, his grandson, Alexander Forbes, was served heir to him, as Alexander Forbes of Kinaldie and Pitsligo, in the lands of Lethinty, held of the King as Earl of the Garioch, for a pair of spurs valued at twenty merits, and ten pounds in times of peace.

Westhall belonged to John Melvil of Harviston from some date anterior to 1451, when he sold it to Alexander Bamsay, from whose brother Edward Kamsay, Ingeram, bishop of Aberdeen, purchased it three years later, and mortified it for the support of a chaplainry in Aberdeen for the spiritual weal of the founder, of King James II. and of his queen, and of David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford.

Auchleven, further up the Gadie, was held of the Earl of Mar in 1453, by Walter

-.L1URARY.J

102 Inverurie and tlie Earldom of tJie Garioch.

Ogilvy of Deskford, an ancestor of the Earls of Findlater. In that year he sold from out of it an annual rent of six merks to Lawrence Pyot, Archdeacon of Aberdeen ; who, half an year afterwards, resold it to Canon John Clatt, famous in the history of the Aberdeen Guildry. Canon Clatt employed it in the foundation of a mass for, amongst some others, the soul of that favourite of the Aberdonians, Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar. Walter Ogilvy of Auchleven appears in 1487; but in 1488, the King, as tutor of his son, John, Earl of Mar, confirmed a charter of Auchleven, Ardoyne, and Harlaw, executed by Sir John Wemyss of that Ilk, in favour of his son, David. Two years after, David Wemyss sold it to Henry Leith of Barnes, who was previously proprietor of that estate. The reddendo, to the Earl of Mar, was a gilt spur, to be paid at Auchleven yearly.

A portion of the Earldom yet further west, viz., Duncanston and Glanderston, with the mill, Rochmuriel and Tullefoure, was sometime later, in 1507, given to Lord Elphin- stone, one of the man}'' locum tenentes of the extruded Lords of the Garioch.

In 1468, the last Melville of Kemnay — apparently the son of the obnoxious Sheriff — died, and his daughter's husband, Sir John Auchinleck of that Ilk, became proprietor of both Glenbervie and Kemnay. Two generations later, the heiress of the Auchinleck family married Sir William Douglas, second son of Archibald, 5th Earl of Angus. Five generations of Douglases in succession owned Kemnay jointly with Glenbervie.

About 1480, Alexander Glaster of Glack sold Little Warthill to John Gordon of Auchleuehry. Cruickshank of Tillymorgan acquired them immediately after, whose daughter, Christian, married the first of the long line of the Leslies of Warthill, who still hold the property of their ancestress.

The family of Cruickshank continued to possess Tillymorgan down to the time of the Commonwealth.

About the time that Glack passed to the Elphinstones, the second laird of Bal- quhain parted with the north end of the parish of Inverurie to Patrick Gordon of Methlic, ancestor of the Earl of Aberdeen, to whom Braco, a part of the same lands, belonged in 1596. The deed of disposition preserves some names of places now little heard of, along with others still in use, viz., Brawkawche, Myddiltone, Knock of Kynblewis, Drummies, Glaschaw, Mill of Glaschaw, and the Wood of Drumcoutane.

The family of Blakhall of that Ilk, Coroners and Foresters of the Garioch, were conspicuous in the district for two centuries from 1447; when the name and designation of that Ilk first appear in conjunction. We may, however, fairly assume William de Blakhall, who in 1398 served on a jury of inquest retouring William de Tullidaff heir in a third part of Lentush and Rothmaise to his father, John Tullidaff, to have been of the same family. In the beginning of the sixteenth century, the principal branch of the family owned, besides Blakhall, the lands now called Little Folia. They possessed Blakhall until 1643.

Barra in Bourtie, appears for the first time about the same date, partly held by a

Rise of New Families. 103

family named Kyng, and partly by a branch of the Blakhall house, proprietors at the same time of Finnersie. Both had been possessed by John Blakhall, whose widow, Margaret Burnet, was found entitled to her terce in 1505. In 1517, William Blakhall was infeft in half of all the lands of Baroeht, Wester Eowis, Fallawe, Essenheid, Furdalhous, sixth part of Petgovny, half of the Mill of Bourtie, and a third part of Meikle and Little Finnersie, and others. William Blakhall paid tax for his part of Barra in 1548. The rest of Barra belonged, in 1493, to James Kyng, whose wife was Marjorie Barclay, probably a sister of the neighbouring laird of Bourtie.

The genealogy of King of Barra may be conveniently stated here, as far as ascertainable from the Spalding Club publications and Douglas. They had evidently been part proprietors of Barra with the Blakhall family, and of Bourtie with the Barclays. In 1493, James King of Bourtie resigned half of the lands of Westerhouse (part of Barra), in the hands of John, Earl of Mar and Garioch, for new infeftment to himself and Marjorie Barclay his spouse. Walter Barclay of Towie took instruments. He still appears James King of Bourtie in 1505. William King of Bourtie appears in 1506 ; and in 1548 was taxed for his part of Barra and of Bourtie, 3 lbs. William King of Barra was served his father's heir in Westerhouse in April, 1547 (Douglas); and had given to his son, James King, in 1537, a charter of Fallawe (a part of Barra which WUliam Blakhall possessed in 1517), to himself and Isabella Gray his wife, and hi 1548 a charter of Westerhouse, and of half the lands of Barra of Bourtie. In 1577, William King was served heir to his father, James, in half of the lands of Barra, reserving life- rent to his mother, Isabella Gray. A sister, Janet, had a life-rent charter of Wray in

1586. A much-defaced tombstone, in Bourtie churchyard, records the death of Hay,

the mother, and la. King, the spouse of some laird, or tenant, of Colliehill, in the years 1579 and 1581. In 1595, James Cheyne of Straloch and William King of Barra were at " deadlie feud," and in 1596, William King of Barra and Ins brother David and their accomplices killed Alexander Seton, Youuger of Meldrum. Douglas states that James King got a charter of. Barra, Westtrhouse, &c., between 1584 and 1587 ; and had a son, Sir James King, a soldier under Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden ; who had a command in the army of King Charles I., and was ennobled, by the latter, as Lord Eythin, in 1642. Col. Boss King of Tertowie represents a brother of Lord Eythin, and possesses a full-length, life-size portrait of the Peer.

The slaughter referred to may have arisen in some dispute about the transfer of the lands. In 1595, William Leslie, an important burgess of Inverurie, was in possession of a fourth part of the estate of Barra.

Elizabeth Seton, only child and heiress of the murdered heir-apparent of Meldrum, married the tutor of Cromarty ; and originated the line of Urquharts of Meldrum, still in possession of that estate.

Thornton, adjoining the Barra lands, belonged, before 1445, to a family named Stradachane or Strachane ; David Stradachane being in that year the son and heir-

lOt Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

apparent. He was himself laird in 1507 and 1512. The famdy afterwards, before 1663, possessed Monboddo in the Mearns. Alexander Strachan of Thornton was grandfather of Patrick Forbes of Corse, Bishop of Aberdeen in 1619, and of his brother, the first Forbes of Craigievar.

It was in the end of the period now treated of that a number of estates held by religious houses came into the hands of private individuals, although many of them were, long before, held on lease. Of this class were the lands of Badifurrow in Inverurie, Balbithax, Hedderwick, and Cragforthie in Monkegy, and the kirklands of that parish. These belonged, for 400 years, to the Abbey of Lindores, and appear first in charters only after a temporal lordship of Lindores was erected, out of the Abbey- lands, by James VI. in 1 600.

Most of the parish of Monytnusk was in the hands of the Priory until Mr. Duncan Forbes, son of the laird of Corsindae, obtained, in 1549, a charter of the lands from David Farlie, then Prior.

Fetternear and the kirklands of Kinkell both became, for the first time, the subject of charters, when the Bishop of Aberdeen conveyed them, in 1543, to George, Earl of Huntly, in acknowledgment of his services in protecting the Cathedral.

The farms in all parts of the country called Templand, formed part of the property of the Knight Templars, along with some churches, among which was Kinkell, with its six subordinate chapels. They were in lay possession in the fifteenth century.

Just outside the Garioch, the barony of Rothynorman was part of the lands entaded by Norman de Leslie, in 1390 ; and became, along with the lands of Cushnie, the pro- perty of the Rothes house ; Cushnie continuing so partly until 1682.

Among the names disappearing after Harlaw from the Garioch are De Garviach, Pilmor, and Tullidaff. Rothmaise and Lentush, forming the estate of Adam of Pane, before 1304, were, sometime before Harlaw, in the hands of John of Tullidaff, whose son, William, fell at Harlaw. Andrew de Tullidaff was, on 9th May, 1413, two years afterwards, retoured heir to his father, William, in the court of the bishop, Gilbert de Greenlaw, at Pane. Robert de Buthergask and John Thomson of Pitblaine were jurymen on the inquest. The name is perpetuated in Tullidaff's Cairn, near the Kirk of Rayne, where the last of the line was killed in revenge of the supposed slaughter of the first Leslie of Warthill, in Lowrin Fair.

The family of Leslie closed the first section of its long history shortly after Harlaw. Norman de Leslie, eldest son of Sir Andrew de Leslie, eighth Lord of Leslie, was infeft by his father, before 1390, in most of his estates. Norman's eldest son, David, was at the holy wars, and having been supposed dead, Norman executed a deed leaving most of his property to Sir George Leslie of Rothes, ancestor of the Earls of Rothes. Norman died in 1391, in his father's lifetime ; and Sir George Leslie was served heir of entail. Sir Andrew died in 1398 ; and two or three years afterwards, his grandson, David, reappeared, and was served heir, succeeding as ninth Dominus Ejusdem, i.e., of

Rise of New Families. 105

Leslie. He confirmed, however, his father's deed of entail. He and the son of Sir George went to England in 1423 — two of the hostages for the ransom of James I. H returned in 1432 ; his place being taken by a substitute, Sir "William Baillie of Hopril David de Leslie married Margaret Davidson, daughter of Robert Davidson, Provost o Aberdeen, who fell at Harlaw. By her he had one daughter, after whose birth he agaii. confirmed his father's deed of entail. The daughter married Alexander, a son of the Baron of Balquhain ; and, in her right, he took the title of Leslie of that Ilk. The southern estates went to the Rothes branch of the house ; and the Lairds of Leslie, though still superiors of Balquhain, occupied a humbler place than the former denizens of Leslie. They were not descendants of Margaret Davidson, but of a second wife, who, the family history says, poisoned Margaret's only son, John. His sister Johann Margaret's daughter, married a brother of Strachan of Thornton.

The lairds that then dwelt upon these lands were of such power under the feuda. system as causes their condition to be looked back upon as being of a grandeur unknown to modern society ; at the same time they were not exempt from troubles unknown to their descendants. Families like the Leslies, Meldrums, and Leiths, as well as those of noble rank, were esteemed as of sufficient importance to be accepted as hostages in Eng- land for persons of higher station held in captivity there. "William Leith, for example, gave himself up as one of a number of hostages for David II. in 1358. David de Leslie, the chief of his house, had a like service to endure for James I. ; and he remained nine years in his vicarious captivity. John de Leith had, after Harlaw, been sent to treat for the release of Murdac Stewart, son of the Regent Albany, who had been a prisoner in England since the Battle of Homildon, and for whose release the Regent was more desirous than for that of the King, whom he wished to be superseded in actual power by Murdac, as the late king had been by himself. Murdac, in 1420, sent him with Alexander Seton, Lord of Gordon, and others, to negotiate the return of King James whose release was finally arranged in 1423, at Pontefract or York. An Act of Parlia- ment affecting the North of Scotland, reveals that it was in a state felt to be unsafe in case of insurrection, or invasion. In 1426, it was enacted that every lord who had lands beyond the Cairn o' Mount, upon which in auld tymes there were castles, forta- lices, or manor places, should repair, or rebuild, them ; and either reside there himself, or procure another to take his place as occupant, and expend the rents of his lands in the country where the same were situated.

Throughout the long interval treated of, biding their time, and exercising such patience as they perforce had at command, Sir Robert Erskine's descendants held, in the Garioch, only the estates conveyed by Thomas, Earl of Mar; while they claimed the wide possessions they alleged to have been theirs as the rightful heirs of Isabel of Mar, the last legitimate Superior of the Regality. During her lifetime, while she was the wife of Sir Malcolm Drummond, the Erskines had, in the most earnest manner, petitioned the Crown not to sanction any scheme for depriving them of their apparent heritage, and

14

106 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

had formed the alliances reckoned constitutional in that period for self-protection. On the death of Alexander Stewart, in 1435, Sir Robert Erskine, being considered as heir by legal right, assumed the title of Earl of Mar, and, under that designation, was made a burgess of Aberdeen in 1439. His son, Thomas, claiming to be Earl of Mar, was, in 1457, nonsuited by an Assize of Error, held at Aberdeen, which declared that the king, while a minor, could not be deprived of what came to him of his father's rights. The injury was softened by the bestowal of a peerage upon the disappointed litigant, with the title of Lord Erskine. It was 1565 before the title claimed was bestowed, by Queen Mary of Scotland upon John fifth Lord Erskine, on the occasion of her nuptials, in July of that year, with Henry, Lord Darnley. During the time of the eclipse of their heritable honours, the line of Erskine were men of mark in national affairs, and probably much absent from Aberdeenshire. They continued, however, to hold their Garioch estates untd the reign of James V., when that king's secretary, Sir Thomas Erskine of Brechin, a cadet of the family of Dun, descended from an early head of the family, exchanged his Forfarshire property for the Garioch property of their chief, and originated the present family of Erskine of Pittodrie. When James I. was restored to his kingdom, Sir Robert Erskine was a hostage for the payment of the stipulated ransom, called costs of the king's maintenance, a fellow hostage being Alexander Seton, Lord of Gordon — at which time Erskine's yearly income was 1000 merks, equal to that of the Earls of Moray and Crawford ; whde that of the ancestor of the Cock of the North, was but 400, and the Marischal (Keith) and the Constable (Hay) each 800 merks.

STATE OF SOCIETY.

The century which in Scotland contained, amongst its annals, the great internecine struggle of Harlaw was a troubled one in European history. An outbreak of the plague in 1401, for the first time universal in Europe, was but a parallel to the moral condition of society. The murder of Richard II. of England was recent. Under his successor, Henry IV., the young Kin:; of Scotland, the first James, was in captivity in England, treacherously detained there, with the connivance of his uncle, Albany Governor of Scotland in his name, who had already sacrificed James's elder brother, David, Duke of Rothesay, to his designs upon the throne held at that time by his own virtuous but feeble brother, Robert the Third, in whose stead he was acting as Regent. France was torn by the factions of Orleans and Burgundy, to which the king, Charles VI., the entertainer of Stewart, Earl of Mar, was alternately subject. These rival houses were both plotted with by Henry of England, himself an usurper. He also managed the Governor of Scotland by application of fear, cajolery, or force ; on one occasion even pre- senting himself in threatening power at Edinburgh ; but his own authority was tasked to the utmost by a Welsh rebellion. He died on March 13, 1412, and the Scottish Regent in 1419. The English power was, in 1415, established for a time in France by Henry V.'s

State of Society. 107

victory of Agincourt. The prestige acquired by that battle was first broken at Bauge, in 1421, by the Scotch troops that were carried over by the Earl of Buchan, a son of the Begent Albany, under connivance of his brother, the second Duke, Governor of Scotland since his father's death. The Scottish King was with Henry Y., and made to issue orders to the Scottish troops to withdraw, but Buchan refused to obey a king in captivity. It was in reward of that victory that the high office of Constable of France was conferred, by Charles of France, upon the Scottish leader. Constable Buchan, however, in turn suffered a defeat, and the loss of his own life, at Verneuil, in 1424 ; and France had to wait her emancipation four years more, until the Maid of Orleans made her romantic appearance in the annals of war. Even the Court of Borne was in a state of hopeless dissension at that distracted period ; and a rival Pope was enthroned at Avignon. The first year of the century witnessed the first martyrdom in England, of an adherent of the religious doctrines of "Wycliffe ; which, during the next hundred and fifty years, were to work their way, partly by such means, to national adoption in the Beformation.

In Scotland, about 1400, life and property must have been to the last degree insecure, in the state of tolerated lawlessness which allowed men such as the hero of Harlaw to rise to the highest level of society. Another element essential to social wel- fare— that of domestic purity — was as conspicuously absent as was public honour. Bastardy, which in our time is assumed, with scant accuracy of comparative observation, to be the peculiar reproach of Scotland, was at that period considered to attach no shame in the highest ranks of life in either kingdom. Bobert II., in addition to four sons and five daughters lawfully born, had eight illegitimate sons, who stood around the throne in equal state with the untainted nobles of the land. Alexander Stewart, the Earl of Mar, was one of the bastard offspring of Bobert II. 's savage son, the Wolf of Badenoch ; another of whom led the cateran horde down upon the braes of Angus, where they killed the flower of the local nobility. Alexander himself, though suspected to be virtu- ally the murderer of the first husband of his wife Isabel, the Countess of Mar and Garioch, was a favourite guest with the most honourable citizens of Aberdeen, both lay and clerical, before and after his notorious seizure of the Castle of Kildrummy and his marriage of its mistress.

The Earl's " Master of Horse at Harlaw," Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquhain, was an example, wildly conspicuous in the Garioch, of the uncontrolled state of social life then prevalent. He is said to have been the builder of the rude fortress which occupies the summit of Benachie, and of the causeway which leads to it over the marshy ground on its only accessible side. To that lofty stronghold he carried off young women, whose beauty excited his unbridled passions ; and he had himself to take refuge in its fastness from the displeasure of his lord superior, the Earl of Mar, after some lawless proceedings of his family. One of his natural sons, it is said, had carried off the daughter of Thomas Bisset of Balhaggarty, the Fair Maid of Kenmay, who was at the time the betrothed of the Earl's Baillie of the Begality, Sir John Forbes of Drumminnor. Sir John, raising his

108 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

friends, attacked the castle of Balquhain, and took and burned it ; and Sir Andrew, in reprisal, immediately afterwards harried the Forbes lands, with great slaughter of the inhabitants. From the fortress on Benachie, the family traditions also say he made an excursion, with his retainers and the chief of the clan Allan, into Strathdon, and carried off a lady, called the Fair Maid of Strathdon. This lady became the mother of one of the bastard lairds whom he planted in the Leslie lands. A scandalous feud with the Fortieses afterwards drew the attention of Regent Albany's Government upon Balquhain, and the Sheriff of Angus was sent in January, 1420, to put down the insubordinate baron. Fir Andrew gave battle to the Sheriff's force at Braco, and was slain in the conflict. His widow, Isabel Mortimer, erected a chaplainry for his needy soul near the spot, and the Sheriff's family mortified some lands in Angus, with the same benevolent purpose, for another mass in the Chapel of the Garioch. Sir Andrew's son and successor, Sir William, was the common ancestor of all the Leslie families localized in the Garioch.

Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar and Garioch, lived until 1435; but, after Harlaw, his history connects him with the Garioch only by two acts of his Court of Begality. He must have been a man of singular ability. The wild cub of the Wolf of Badenoch became a skilled courtier and confidant of James I., after Murdac of Albany brought the King home, for his own purposes, in 1423 ; but he had to help the somewhat jealous- minded and revengeful monarch to make relentless reprisals upon the family of Albany, whose ambition had made away with the King's elder brother, and had kept himself so long out of the throne. The Earl was one of the jury that found Murdac, Duke of Albany, the son of his former patron, guilty of the capital offence of treason. In 1431, Stewart added to his dignities of Mar, Garioch, and Duffle, that of Admiral of Scotland, in which capacity a new Hebridean rebel, Donald Balloch, a kinsman of his old anta- gonist, Donald of the Isles, had the satisfaction of inflicting a defeat upon him, at Inverlochy ; where, two centuries later, the Covenanting Earl of Argyle, after appearing to chase the Earl of Montrose over Aberdeenshire and Lochaber, took to his galleys to escape the dashing royalist chief. By the death of Mar, who outlived his son, the King, as it has been already noticed, became possessed of both the Earldoms ; and the Pce- galitjr of the Garioch appears for a considerable period a royal appanage, latterly held by one subject after another until the time of Charles I.

The ballad of Young Waters, adds another tragic incident to Alexander Stewart's life, as a courtier of King James. It is supposed to describe the execution of Walter Stewart, the son of Duke Murdac, one of the victims of the king's resentment ; or per- haps, as the known behaviour of Walter to his own father, when governor, might suggest, one of the turbulent nobles who had to be dealt with summarily. " Young Walter," the king's own relative, on his first riding to Stirling, to offer his duty to the King, is remarked by the frank English Queen for his pre-eminently handsome person and style. Her words offend the King who was small and uncomely himself, and whose long suffering of undeserved oppression in his juvenile days, partly caused by the youth's father, had

Local Government. 109

warped his mind into habits of suspicion and vindictiveness, and he takes immediate occasion, while the courtier kneels, to reproach him with treason, of which his family had undoubtedly been guilty. He orders him to be taken to the Heading Hill, and the Earl of Mar was commissioned to be his executioner, but refused the office :

*' Oh God forbid," the Earl he said, "The like should e're fa' me, My body e'er should bear the brand That gars Young Waters dee."

Then he has loosed his trusty brand,

And east it in the sea, Says — " Never let them get a brand

Till it come back to me. "

The position proposed to Mar was a cruel one, and may have been intended to be so by the King, whose severity towards his more powerful subjects soon cost him his life.

King James must have visited the Garioch during Alexander Stewart's Lordship. He enquired personally into the particulars of the condition of bis kingdom, of which he heard endless complaints at the time of his release, and he would naturally like to look at the anticipated addition to his Royal possessions ; for poverty was one of the injuries wbich Governor Albany had inflicted upon him, by the profuse alienation of Crown lands, which he had made the means of bribing the nobility into acquiescence in his rule, and possible succession to the crown. There is no question that the humorous poem, "Christ's Kirk on the Green," of which James I. was the author, must have been written after he had seen the nocturnal fair of the Sleepy Market, which was held in the month of May, at the parish church of Christ's Kirk, or Rathmuriel, situated between Insch and Leslie. The awkward archery, which he ridiculed in the poem, must have appeared to him a dangerous defect in his subjects, knowing what he did of the skill of the English bowmen ; in the Sovereign's estimation it would be reckoned one of the fruits of Albany's utter neglect of the national interests.

The strange nocturnal fair — continued for many generations after King James's cele- bration of it — was at length changed, as to the time of holding it, to daylight, because of the excesses which had come to occur in it ; but the consequence of altering the hours of keeping it from the night season to the day time was the speedy abandon- ment of the Tryst by the country people.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

The king who had made many enemies to himself by his manner of government, was murdered, in the house of the Dominican Friars at Perth, during the Christmas festivities of 1436, leaving his son, James II., a boy of seven years old. He had not, it is likely, provided any local successor to the recently deceased Earl of Mar, in ruling the Regality. The Regency, immediately required for the kingdom, probably made pro- visional arrangements for the new acquisition, as we find one of the leading nobles, who

110 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gartocn.

had been in charge of important business under James L, acting, in 1441, as Lord of the Regality, though Sir Eobert Erskine had assumed the title of Earl of Mar from the time of Stewart's death. Erskine on 9th August, 1442, took legal protest before the King and Council that he was Lord of the Garioch.

On October 31, 1441, William, Earl of Orkney, Lord of St. Clair, and of the regality of Garviauch, Great Chamberlain of Scotland, gave precept to William Leslie, Knight, Sheriff of Garioch, to infeft Walter Barclay, as heir of Alexander Barclay, his father, in the lands of Bourtie. William, third Earl of Orkney of the surname of Sinclair, was one of the nobles who conducted James to his own kingdom in 1 423. In 1436, as Admiral of Scotland, he escorted the young Princess Margaret to France in order to be married to the Dauphin ; and he filled at different times, during the two succeeding reigns, all the principal offices of state. He was the builder of the beautiful Eoslin Chapel near Edinburgh — still in a state of good preservation. His eldest son was the first Lord Sinclair, and his second son the first Sinclair, Earl of Caithness.

The Lordship of the Garioch was, in 1453, in the hands of James the Second's Queen, with Sir William Leslie of Balquhain, her Baillie as before. In that year he had to infeft in the lands of Drumdurnoch, John of Winton of Andat, a relative of the famous Prior of St. Serf, the writer of the " Chronykil," and the second poetical historian of Scoiland, who seems to have been as warmly attached to the great Earl of Mar, as John Barbour had been to the Bruce. The Wintons retained land close by the Chapel of the Garioch down to the Reformation.

While the Queen held the Regality, Thomas, Lord Erskine, claimed the Earldom of Mar, his father having been served heir in 1438 ; but the King got an Assize composed of the Marischal and other northern nobles, to set aside that finding in 1457, and His Majesty then gave the title and lands to his son, John ; who, in 1477, directed his Baillie, William Leith of Bernis (Barnes), to infeft in the lands of Johnston, Alexander Johnston (grandson of Gilbert Johnston of that Ilk), and his spouse, Agnes Glaster, daughter of the laird ofGlack.

James III. became very jealous of his brother John, and the Lord of the Garioch died unexpectedly, under suspicious circumstances, at Edinburgh in 1479. The King then conferred the Earldom of Mar on his favourite, Robert Cochrane, who held the same until he was hanged at Lauder Bridge by the indignant nobles of Scotland. There- after the king's brother obtained the lands and dignities. He had, apparently in 1482, a charter to " Alexander Duke of Albany, Earl of March, Lord of Annandale and Mar, the King's Lieutenant^General, Great Admiral of the Realm, and Warden of East and West Marches," of the lands and Earldom of Mar and Garioch, with the Castle of Kildrummy. Such accumulation of honours was altogether undeserved. Albany had, according to the propensity of the Stewart house, been a traitor. He had been insti- gated by the great international plotter of the time, Louis XI. of France, whom Scott

Loral Government. Ill

so graphically depicts in Quentin Durward, and was afterwards received into favour at Louis' intercession ; but he speedily misbehaved again, and the King, in 1486, gavo the honours to his own third son, John.

In 1490, Nov. 15, John, Earl of Mar and Garioch, upon resignation, gave new- investiture of the lands of Westerhouse to James, King of Bourtie, and his wife Mar- garet Berclay, within the Earl's house in the burgh of Aberdeen (formerly of John Wormet ) ; Walter Berclay of Towie took instruments. One of the witnesses was James Crichton of Frendraught, Knight.

In the beginning of the following century, the next king, James IV., began to dis- tribute the possessions of both the Earldom of Mar and the Lordship of the Garioch. Some of them went, in 1507, along with part of the Mar lands, to the ancestor of the Lords Elphinstone, the husband of Elizabeth Berlay, the Queen's servant, and, it is said, too much of a favourite with the amorous monarch. The Mar Vault, in the churchyard of Kildrummy, is a relic of the Elphinstone period of possession. Andrew Elphinstone of Selmys was infefting sheriff in the Elphinstone gift bestowed by the Sovereign.

Next year the King feued to John Leslie of Wardens, the lands of the Thanage of Kintore, viz., the Over and Nether Davach of Kin tore, with the Mills, the lands of Crichie, Tavilty, Meikil Kynaldy, and the Mill, Little Kynaldy, Pitmedden, Nether Dyce, and the yearly fishings on the Don, and the lakes and bogs of the same. In the same year, he made Leslie Baillie of all the king's lands in the Garioch, in payment of certain sums due to Alexander Leslie, his father, when he was King's Comptroller in the previous reign. Two years later, 1510, the King gave him the actual property of all the regality lands remaining to the Crown, in excambion for the lands of Balcomy in Fife.

John Leslie, who thus became, in Inverurie and the neighbourhood, the feudal representative of the great Lords of the Garioch, was the son of Alexander Leslie, " familiare servant," or page, of James III. ; who had, it is likely, got that appointment when his own father, Sir William Leslie of Balquhain, was baillie of the Garioch to the future king's mother, the Queen of James II.

The lands of the regality disponed to Wardes, were " Duncanstoun, Gillander- stoun, with the Mill, Donydure, with the Mill, Rochmuriell, the Davache of Ardune with the Mill, Warthill, Durnoch, and the Mylnetown, the Mill of Durnoch, Harlaw, Tullifoure, Torreis, Knockinbarde, with the Mill, and Knockinmorgan, also Inverurie with the Davach and Mill ".

Three years after the deed now referred to, which first specifies the Regality lands lying in Inverurie, the King perished in September, 1513,* on the field of Flodden, where died with him so many members of every noble and baronial family in Scot- land, that several genealogies, in recording that period, continue the representation of the families by a posthumous son. In the unfortunate host was William Johnston, the laird of Caskieben, and with him the stalwart youths, as we may well believe, of not a

112 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

few vassal homes in Monkegy, Inverurie, Rayne, Dyce, and Leslie, where the John- ston possessions then lay. Many a heart-sore moan over them was to be made before the altar of St. Serve, in the kirk of Monkegy, whde the priest of Inverurie, vicar of both kirks, was singing masses for their souls' repose. Other victims of the King's rash- ness at Hodden were Sir James Abercromby of Pitmedden and Birkenbog, George Ogilvy, a grandson of Sir Walter of Auchleven, and two sons of the Marischal.

THE SETON-GORDON.

In 1424, Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, introduced among the lairds of the Re- gality, a man, whose descendants were destined to occupy as dominant a position in the North as lie himself had done. In that year he gave a charter of Christian Bruce's former possessions of Meiklewardes, near Dunnideer, to Alexander Seton de Gordon, the ancestor of the Dukes of Gordon, for service to be rendered to the King, used and wont, and tres sectas to the Earl, at his three head courts of regality at Inuyrowy.

Alexander Seton, who became Gordon, by marrying, in 1408, Elizabeth the heiress of Adam de Gordon deceased, was himself the second son of Sir William Seton of Seton, and his own second son, William Seton, was the common ancestor of the Garioch Setons already mentioned. Alexander fought at Harlaw, under the Earl of Mar, and at Bauge, under the Constable Buchan ; and he likewise was one of the commissioners treating for the release of James I., and also one of the hostages, after 1424, for the requisite payment.

Alexander Gordon, his eldest son, who was made Earl of Huntly by James II., about 1449-50, had been employed in state service by the late king, and in the condi- tion of rebellion which prevailed in the early part of the reign of James II. — the result of his father's firmness of government, and severe usage of those who had encroached upon the crown and its possessions — the Lord of Gordon was among the most active opponents of the rebels. In 1452, in the battle of Brechin, Huntly sup- pressed a formidable insurrection, headed by Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, on which occasion his brother, William Seton of Meldrum, was slain. The good service was rewarded with the hereditary office of Sheriff of Aberdeenshire, to which, in 1529, the Sheriffdom of Inverness was added; and the Earls of Huntly held both until the reign of Charles I., when that monarch, jealous of the power of the Cock of the North, deprived the then Marquis of both dignities.

The representatives of the female line of Gordon, who thus became the local con- trollers in the Garioch of .the wild manners of the fifteenth century, came to be distin- guished in their domain by the name of Seton Gordons ; the descendants in the male line, of an earlier generation, being called the Jock and Tarn Gordons, of which Gordon of Pitlurg is the reputed representative. The Huntly Gordons, in later times, earned for themselves the title of Bow o' Meal Gordons, because of their giving, as is said,

the Burgh. 113

that acknowledgement for the naming of a male child after the family, as a future clansman.

The raising of a family, new in the district, to the supreme magistracy of it, may have been partly owing to the necessity of providing a sufficient counterpoise to the power of Lord Erskine whose claims upon the Mar Earldom and Eegality of the Garioch could not readily be ignored. The alliances formed by Sir Eobert Erskine, before he inherited his rights, for the purpose of defending them, proved to be the origin of a local power, which, through all the succeeding period, operated as a check upon the Gordon influence. The house of Forbes, chief vassals of Mar, and ennobled about 1442, became the centre of a combination opposed to any ambitious action on the part of the Earls of Huntly. With Lord Forbes the Johnstons acted ; and during two centuries, formed matrimonial alliances — not only with the principal house, but with not a few of the Cadet families of the Forbes surname ; while the Leslies adhered to the Gordons. Other families ranged themselves, as occasion arose, on the different sides, as their natural place. When the Reformation came, the habit of association in the two factions, may have had something to do in bringing about that change in the North of Scotland ; the Protestant and Roman Catholic parties in the Garioch were, substantialy, the old Forbes and Gordon factions respectively.

THE BURGH.

One of the greatest national sufferings, to the cure of which James I. had to ad- dress himself, was the destructive oppression of the common people by the lawless barons, whom Regent Albany's necessities and inactivity had allowed to become so intol- erable as neighbours, that frequent insurrection was provoked. The stern administra- tion of James I., which gave a forced peace to society, allowed the growth of a middle-class, possessed of some means, and disposed likewise to take the part of a state government, which made their interests safe. The Burghs of Scotland, became, in this way, valuable supports to the Royal authority.

The Burgh of Inverthurin appearing in a deed respecting one of its ' tofts,' in 1195, is an instance, among many, that Royal Burghs dated from the earliest period of Scottish monarch}' — in imitation, it is likely, of France. Considerably before King William's time, a Hanse of Four Burghs had existed in the south, which had the power of making common laws for their internal government — the Burghs being Berwick, Roxburgh, Edinburgh, and Stirling. At any time when Berwick, or Roxburgh, fell into the hands of the English, another burgh was introduced'temporarily. The Laws of the Four Burghs were the work of that Southern Hanse. King William created a Northern Hanse, to which Inverurie may have belonged — as it included Aberdeen, and all his burgesses of Moray, and all his burgesses benorth the Munth, and those were empowered to hold their meetings when and where they pleased. The two self-

15

114 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

governing combinations may be regarded as the first effort of that exercise of the influence of the Commons in the realm, which, afterwards, took the form of the representation of every Burgh by a Commissioner or Burgess in Parliament.

Burgh life in Inverurie begins to show itself, to the antiquarian student, a little before the great battle of Harlaw. We have only probability as grounds for setting down the names of the citizens of Urbs Inrure, whom the approach of the Highland host must have " fluttered "; but we can realize something of the condition of the Burgh at the beginning of that century.

The Lady Isabel, last of that seemingly favourite name among the illustrious descen- dants of David of Huntingdon, was Superior of the Regality, holding her courts at Inrure. The progenitor of the Johnstons — Stephen, the clerkly founder of the house — was then at grassy Caskieben, across the Ury, the nearest neighbour of the burghers ; and down the water at Kiukell, the polished Henry Lichton was sometimes resident in his parsonage. His nieces — the Laird of Usan's daughters — named Elene Lichton, and her sister, Janet, one of the youthful Johnstons and young Andrew Glaster of Clack were going a courting, and, mayhap, buying "fairing" for at Michael Fail', within cry of the dwelling of the reverend uncle of the two young ladies. The Bishop of the time — Gilbert Greenlaw — was Chancellor of the Kingdom, and doubtless made a stately spec- tacle at times, riding to Fetternear, past the end of the burgh, and over the Corseman Hill. The figure of John Barbour, the genial Archdeacon, the patriotic describer of the Battle of Inrure, would be well remembered in the burgh, in his occasional passings to and fro between the Cathedral and his parochial charge at Rayne. He died only in 1396.

We know where the headquarters of the burgh was, the municipal " capitol ". The " Lord Superior of the Begality " retained, in his own immediate possession, two portions of the Upper Boods — one of which is now the south part of the Minister's Glebe, the other the Roods on which the Kintore Arms Hotel is partly built, and on which the Cuning Hill stands. Between these two " lands of the Lord Superior of the Regality," there lie two Roods, which were described in that generation as " in the middle of the burgh ; and, at a later period, particularized as being at " the Cross ". It was upon these Roods that the Town-Hall, built in 1660, was erected. The Standard, or Guage Rig — by which, probably, the Deans of Guild had to verify the measurements claimed by holders of Roods — lay close by, immediately south of the Lord Superior's lands. When we come upon records of royal proclamations, long after, we find that they were made at the Cross, and at the Cuning Hill.

The tradition of that mound being the sepulchre of the ancient King Aodh, may have led to the founder of the burgh retaining, as his own " terras," the Roods containing it, and also to these lands becoming the " sacred place " of the municipality. The owner of these Roods, bounded on both sides by the lands of the Superior, was, about the time of Harlaw, John Badyno, who also had Roods, in two other portions, in the much- divided lands of the Burgh. It would be interesting to believe this representative of

The Burgh. 115

the traditional farmer, Bainzie, to have inherited the first-named Roods, as the actual gift of the Royal Bruce, made to his ancestor, out of the superiority lands, for his stout aid at the battle of Inverurie. One of Bainzie, or Badyno's other possessions was the three northmost Upper Roods ; which were bounded by the Gallowslacks, and by the high road leading out of the Burgh at that time, when, it may be, the Powtate Loch occu- pied all the wide north end of Market Place and West High Street, overflowing th; Crosslit Croft.

The town, which, three hundred years after, was described as a single street with a very moderate number of houses, was probably in 1400 all within sight and cry of the Cross ; and the Cross "Well may have served the whole community. Who at that time turned its waters into " ail or beer," as was very largely done two centuries after, we know not, nor much about those who drank them pure or transmuted ; not long after Harlaw was fought, we find names on record which enable us to reconstruct at least the skeleton of a Town Council. The earliest denizens, however, whom we know by name appear in 1402, and belong to the less honoured of the two classes specified by the Aberdeen minister in his prayer, that the magistrates of that city might be a terror to "evil-doers, and to those that sit in council with them".

Those first personages of history in Inverurie were Michael Sutor, John Atkynson, and John Andrew. Along with John Inglis in Balbithan, Robert Watson in Fourdha- lassis (Fuirdalehouse in Bourtie), and Meg Cambrouno in Monymusk, they appear on the criminal roll of the Justiciar's Court, held at Aberdeen, under the authority of Regent Albany, for trial of offences. They were described as tannatores, i.e., tanners. They were, probably, shoemakers who made their own leather ; and their crime may have been one or other of the following offences, punishable under the common laws of Scot- tish burghs at that time, when the interests of purchasers were protected by a multitude of statutes allowing no germ of free trade to have place. The Justiciar had in his ayre, or circuit, to enquire respecting " soutars " — if they were guilty of tanning improper hides, which were defined as hides not having the ear and the horn of the same length ; if they made shoes or boots, or other graith, of the leather before it was barkit ; if they sewed with false and rotten thread, " through the which the shoes are tynt or thai be halff worne " ; if they gave their leather good oil and tallow, or only water and salt ; if they worked it before it was " courait " (curried or cured), " to the great hindering and skaith of the King's lieges ".

The principal crime tried at the circuit (1402) was that of " forestalling". The word meant, as it does now, anticipating the open market. To do that was forbidden by law ; and hucksters were enquired about by the Justiciar, whether they sold privately " in their own floor," so as to escape paying the King's custom ; a tax originally col- lected in each burgh by the King's baillie, but which began under Robert I. to be collected by the burgh, which paid a commuted revenue to the Crown for the same.

Strict laws were in force againt the sale of unsound meat. Bad salmon was to

116 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

be seized by the Baillies, and given to the " lipper folk " (lepers), if there were any — - otherwise to be destroyed.

Other laws indicate the wild state of manners prevailing during the most unsettled part of the 14th century. In burghs a gudd brother " sticking another with his niff," was fined half-a-merk, and had to make amends " at the wdl of the Alderman, the Den, and the laiff of the brethren". No burgess was at liberty to wear a "knyff" with a point, under a fine of twelve pennies. Four pennies was the penalty thought necessary to repress the unseemly practice of " stalling at the gate of the gilde, or upon the wall "• But the laws against theft were of a severity which proves property to have been to the last degree unsafe. A thief caught with a half-penny loaf was to be whipped through the town ; for a theft of value between a halfpenny and fourpence to be whipped more severely ; for stealing a pair of shoes, value fourpence, to be put on the cukstool, and after that led to the head of the town, and there made to forswear the town ; for four- pence to eightpence farthing to be pilloried in the same way, and led to the head of the town, and there he that took the thief was to cut off his ear ; for eightpence farthing the same exposure and the other ear. " If after that he be ta'en with eightpence farthing he that takes him sail hyng him." " Item, for 32 pennies 1 ob. he that tak's him may hyng him."

No doubt the frequent scarcity of food which approached starvation, made theft very common. The abnost constant state of warfare kept the counties on both sides of the border waste for a great distance ; so much so that often one great inducement to a peace was that licence would thereby be got from the English King, to import grain and other food. Even Scottish castles, held by English garrisons, had at times to be provisioned from Ireland. It was also a consequence of Albany's corrupt administration of law, against which he and his immediate party were the chief transgressors, that the powerful knights compelled to use their strength against rival neighbours for self-preservation, used it as readily for self indulgence, or in carelessness, against the humbler classes, and the whole crops of a season were frequently destroyed in that way.

It is amusing to notice amidst these serious illustrations of the times, traits of the uniformity of human nature in certain handicrafts. The complaints to be enquired into at the justice ayre included offences by weavers, — of making too long thrums, and of weighing the dry yarn when they took it from the customer, and wetting it, or mixing heavy substances with it, when they weighed the work back again. Tailors were suspected of a propensity to make too large refuse clippings, and " to take pieces, sleeves, and other small things," and to make clothes otherwise than as the customer had ordered. Dealers, of all kinds, had to be looked after for using false measures and weights, and the public weighers, lest they should show favour. A graphic ordinance sets before us the temptation that lay in the way of the public tasters, who had to examine and set a price upon the ale brewed for sale at the numerous taverns, — one of which, in Aberdeen, the famous Eobert Davidson, the Provost, kept. The tasters

The Burgh. . 117

must not go into the house, and " fars their wames (swell their bellit's) in drinking, when they sulde stand in the middle of the street before the door, and send one of their falows in with the bedal, that sail chose of what pot he will taste, the whilk he sail present to his falows, and they sail descern what price to put upon it." After days exhibit the tasters in active office in Inverurie.

In these ancient burgh laws, mostly enacted for the Southern Hanse of the Four Burghs, but doubtless used in the subsequently erected Northern Hanse, we find an interesting germ of social freedom. One of the ways in which a serf or bondsman could attain freedom was by his living within one of the burghs for a year and a day, with- out being claimed by his master, or on his behalf. It was the beginning of the principle of British law — so illustrious a contrast in after centuries to all other national law — that a slave stepping on to the soil of Britain became free.

"Within the municipality, however, " liberty, equality, and fraternity " were far from being thought of. A sort of Venetian aristocracy was kept up by the merchant burgesses into which no handicraftsman might aspire to enter. Traders were a class who held themselves as much above workmen, as the feudal lord of much later times would have conserved his rank from contact with men of the plough. Robert Davidson, the Baillie and Alderman of Aberdeen, though he sold wine in his booth, was a very different person from the baxters and fabers of his time ; and Alexander Stewart, the rising scion of nobility, would think him desirable company in his humbler days, and not unmeet company when he was the potent Earl of Mar and Garioch, and Lord of Duffle in Bra- bant. In England, so early as the reign of Edward III., some of the larger cities and municipalities set obstacles in the way of ambitious weavers and fullers seeking entrance to the Merchant Guild ; and Alexander II. gave the Aberdeen burgesses the privilege of a Merchant Guild, which should exclude these two classes. The exclusion of tradesmen from the Municipal Council naturally led to the formation of associations among the various excluded bodies, so as, in the end, to secure some voice in the election of Burgh magistrates. The earliest law known for municipal elections of baillies made the election be " by certain good men of the best and most discreet and trustworthy," — terms which did not seem to exclude any technical class of burgesses, and consequently resulted in the election being attended often with much popular excitement. It was to remedy the state of dispeace thus occasioned in a jealous community, that the famous Act of Parliament was passed which regulated all municipal elections preceding the passing, in 1833, of the Burgh Reform Act. The old enactment had declared that the " chusing of the new officiaris be in this wyse, that is to say, that the auld Consail of the town sail choise the new Consail in sic nowmer as accords to the town, as alderman, bailys, Dene of Gild, and utheris officiaris, and that ilka craft sail choise a person of the samyn craft that sail have voice in the said election of the officiaris ".

If John Badyno of H64 was the lineal descendant of Farmer Benzie, and lived on lands bestowed on Farmer Bainzie in 1308, the case brings to mind a law of King

118 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

William the Lion, respecting burghs — that a burgage holder, if impoverished and needing to sell his land, must offer it first to the nearest heir. The rule was doubtless derived from Hebrew law, and would bear with it something of a religious sentiment. If the nearest heir was out of the country in the nearest foreign kingdom, the seller must wait 40 days after giving notice of his intention. If he were in the next distant kingdom, 40 days more must be allowed, and so on. A necessary qualification for being a burgess was the possession of a " toft of land in the burgh ". " A rebelliour again the communitie," or one convicted of fraud, had, for punishment, that his house be " strycken to the erde," and himself be put out of the town. A burgess, fallen into destitution, was to be helped by the Gild ; and such a brother dying, to be " erded " decently by the Gild. A daughter left in such a case, if of good fame and approved conversation, had to be dowered for a husband by the Gild ; or if she elected to go into a religious house, then to be provided for there as she required. The next-of-kin purchasing a poor burgess's holding had to provide him in food and clothing equal to his own, the clothing to be of one colour, grey or white.

At an early period means had to be taken to protect the general interests of the community from the combinations formed in burghs for selfish ends. The history of strikes in Scotland is at least as old as 1493, when an act was passed "For the putting down of Deakons of Craftis who made statutes for the singular profite and availe of their craftis, contrair the common profite ; and also for the prevention of Maisons and other men of Crafte exacting wages for the Halie day as for the wark day, or else refusing to work ".

The importance of the Burghs of Inverurie and Kintore to a Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the 15th century, must have been small ; for they do not appear among the burghs beyond the Forth taxed by the Crown in 1483. Both were, for a long period after that, taxed in the shire. Kintore had, however, some years before, asserted its position against the assumption of the more important city of Aberdeen, by vindicating its right to try a burgess of its own, whom the authorities of that city had thought they might exercise justice upon.

Of the appearance of the single street of Urbs Inrure in those days we know but little; but the Upper and Lower Boods were possessed in much the same size of hold- ings as centuries after, and described by tbe same boundaries- — the Ourye on the east, the Davauche lands on the west (called also the Keylands, now vernacularly Kellands), with the Via Begia, or King's Gait, between, while the Common Lands of the burgh bounded the northmost Upper Boods as at present.

Master Walter Ydill was the Vicar of Inverurie in 1428, and is the first, after Doni- inus Bicardus of 1262, and Dominus Thomas of 1297, whose name has been preserved.

Six dispositions of different parcels of Boods, between 1464 and 1486, exhibit a number of burgage holders of the same names as were common in the proprietary of the burgh after 1600.

The Burgh. 119

The Bainzie family, traditionally holders from Eobert the Bruce, and disappearing from the burgh roll only in the eighteenth century, was represented, in 1464, by John, Walter, and Agnes Badenoch, all Bood proprietors. John — already mentioned as a pro- prietor at three points of the town, including the two Upper Boods where the Tol- booth of 1660 stood, and which were described, in 1464, as in the middle of the burgh, bounded on both sides by the lands of the Lord Superior of the Begality — himself lived on the northermost Upper Boods, where now the West High Street Public School is built.

His neighbour southward was Walter Young, laird of the large amount of eleven Boods above and below the high road ; who seems to have affected a seal of his own, which he appended along with that of the burgh, to a disposition granted by him in 1466.

Next to Walter Young southward, the property now containing Buby Cottage, was in the ownership of John, the son of Andrew, one of two families named Anderson, both at that time burgage lairds, and, it may be, the ancestors of Andersons who con- tinued in that position until near the nineteenth century.

The scattered distribution of the minister's glebe, which, in 1853, consisted of one portion in the Upper Boods, and four different parts in the Lower, existed in the fifteenth century ; and if we can infer anything in the matter from the upper portion being called terra vicarii, while the rest is called terrce ecclesiasticce, the vicarage may ere then have been transported from Cold wells to where the Manse stood after 1600 — the site of the present parish church, in a three cornered nook on the north bank of the Skettrie Burn. The vicar's north neighbour was John Boss, in 1476; north of whom was the senior John Anderson.

On the Lower Boods, the south neighbour of one of the terrae ecclesiasticce was ■ Alexander de Menus, son and heir of quondam William de Mernis, a name also continu- ing in the eighteenth century in the burgh lairdship. In 1476, he held the two roods on which the Episcopal Chapel is built, and next him, on the south, was Bobert the son of Hugh, possibly the same Dom. Bobert Howieson, who appears a witness on John Boss's charter, in 1476, and who may then have been the vicar's curate.

-Other names of burgage-holders preserved in the six dispositions quoted, which appear also long after, were Currie, Lesly, Bobertson, Hucheson or Hutcheon, Tailyeour, and Blakhall. Groups of neighbours on the Upper Boods were Walter Badenoch, Patrick Anderson, burgess of Aberdeen, and Andrew Anderson ; Bobert Mearns, John Boss, John Anderson, and John Blakhall ; and on the Lower Boods, William Leslie, Batrick Leslie, and William Forsyth ; John Hucheson, Bobert Anderson, and Agnes Badenoch ; Walter Curry, John Blakhall, and John Anderson, junior. The names Brakanth or Brakath, Clark, Johnston, Panton, and Henderson also appear in the deeds. Alexander de Mernis was, besides his Lower Boods, part proprietor of Blakhall, probably by temporal y mortgage or by marriage provision.

120 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The purchaser of most of the annual rents, secured by these dispositions, was Richard Forbes, Dean of Aberdeen (1466), son of quondam Alexander de Forbes de eodem, Knight. Another son of the chief of the Forbeses, William, Vicar of Edinburgh, witnesses a sasine on one of the items along with William Scrogy, chaplain curate of Inveroury, and Duncan Red, chaplain.

The name Walter Ydill appears about that date, as that of a dignitary in the Church. If it was the Vicar of Inverurie, Scrogy would be the chaplain curate, and, as he also is called presbyter, was, it is likely, the Vicar's substitute in his Garioch parish.

In these Latin dispositions, the names are almost all given as if the usage, still remaining in some parts of England, then prevailed — of naming a man by his paternity, e.g., John Alius Andre. That, may have been only the Latin rendering deemed to be correct of John Anderson ; but an interesting illustration of the origin of new names occurs in one of them. John Badenoch's neighbour, Walter Young, was the son of John, the son of Walter ; which must mean young Walter, the grandson of old Walter. He had the name of Walter Young, while his father would, in all likelihood, be called John Watson.

Henry, son of Andrew, &c, Henry Anderson, in 1466, appears in Walter Young's charter as a " baillie of said burgh," infefting the purchaser, Richard Forbes, Dean of Aberdeen. He is the first baillie whose name is preserved. In the instrument of sasine following on the Charter, we have the earliest known town and parish clerk. The pluralist was Thomas, son of Andrew, a relative, possibly, of the baillie. William Panton of Futhes (Fiddes) was a witness. In the same year, we come upon a beginning of another line of burgh Officials — the town-sergeants. That officer, in 1466, was Andrew, son of Robert. He was witness to a charter by Alexander Mernis.

Somewhere between 1451 and 1486, Patrick Leslie, burgess of Aberdeen, noticed as a proprietor in Inverurie, endowed the Altar of the Three Kings in Aberdeen, with a rent partly from his own lands, and partly from Roods belonging to William de Blak- hall, possibly the father of John de Blakhall who was de eodem in 1467.

A deed of 147G names William Chalmer, armiger, possibly a part proprietor of Thainston, which was held, sometime before, in portions by Chalmers of Balnacraig, Wardrop of Gothnys, James Herman, and Alexander Ardbekye of that ilk. In that deed, Walter Currie, baillie, and William Ra, sergeant pro temp., are named. There are also two who may have been the priest and parish clerk of the time. They are styled as such officials would be, Dom. Robert Howieson and Magister Thomas Brown.

If family tradition — confidently held — be of value, a race bearing the name of Fergus, had been, at that time, for a century owners of Lower Roods, along the edge of Powtate, and another race named Stephen, a little to the south of them, on the same line.

Of the immediate neighbourhood of the Burgh we know some particulars at different periods of the century. Murdoch Glaster was laird of Glack in 1418, as

The Burgh. 121

heir of his mother Alice Pilmor, the last of her name. From his father he inherited Lumgair, and part of Dunnottar, in the Mearns. He must have been man grown at the date of Harlaw, as his eldest son, Andrew, was married in 1428.

Andrew Glaster's marriage with the Bishop's niece, Janet Lichton, opens to our observation a little of the family condition of the household of Caskieben. It was then apparently in the second generation of the Johnston name. The marriage contract was signed, on the part of the bride, by Gilbert Johnston of Balnedache, who was, before that time, married to her sister Elene. The deed notes that he "procurit the seal of John of Johnston, his fader, to be put forthi that he has na seele of his own ". We may thence infer that the wearer of the seal — John de Johnston — was then the Head of the family, and tbat the Clerk of 1375 was no more.

The pedigree of the family contained in the Baronage of Scotland — (Title Johnston of Caskieben, now of that Ilk) records that John Johnston of Caskieben, the husband of Marjory Lichton, daughter of the Laird of Usan in Angus, by whom he had a son Gilbert his heir, lived to a great age and died in the reign of King James I. ; and that Gilbert de Johnston, afterwards of Caskieben, was in his father's lifetime designed by the title of Ballindallach, (Balnedache, now called Bendauch, in Dyce parish). Bishop Henry (Lichton) of Aberdeen, granted, in 1430 to Gilbert de Johnston, a lease for all the days of his life, of the town of Bishop Clinterty, which is in the. close vicinity of Bendauch. This lease or tack of one of the farms then belonging in property to the See of Aberdeen, bears date about a couple of years after the period of the marriage of Andrew Glaster of Glack with the Bishop of Aberdeen's niece — Janet Lichton — the sister-in-law of Gilbert de Johnston. Elene Lichton, wife of Gilbert Johnston, and Janet Lichton, the spouse of Andrew Glaster, may very likely have been nieces of Marjory Lichton the wife of John de Johnston of Caskieben — which Marjory may her- self have been sister of Bishop Henry Lichton, and thus the old Lady of Caskieben had been mother-in-law, as well as aunt, of Elene. In the pedigree of the Johnstons no mention is made of the marriage of Gilbert de Johnston with Elene Lichton. Gilbert is therein stated to have been twice married ; first to Elizabeth Vass, or Vaus, daughter of the Laird of Menie, by whom he is said to have had one son Alexander, his heir, and three daughters ; and secondly, to a daughter of Sir Alexander Forbes, second Baron of Pitsligo, which last bore to Gilbert de Johnston, a son, William, who is represented as having got from his father the lands of Bendauch, the superiority whereof was retained in the family. The said William Johnston of Bendauch was progenitor of a branch of the Caskieben race which has been long extinct. In a more recent generation of that family the young bachelor Johnstons appear to have looked kindly upon their female cousins. The son (or grandson it would seem) of Gilbert de Johnston, viz. : Alexander Johnston of Caskieben, mentioned in the Baronage of Scotland as having died in the reign of. King James III., married and had issue by Agnes Glaster, daughter of the Laird of Glack. The bride had been endowed with the moderate tocher

16

122 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

of four merks yearly, which the spouses agreed, in 1481, to resign for a payment of forty pounds Scots — the redemption money to be paid at the altar of St. Serve, in the kirk of Monkegy. The market of St. Serve (now known as St. Sair's fair) was, at this period, held on St. Serve's Hill, immediately south of the kirk of Monkegy. Its subsequent removal to the parish of Culsalmond — where it has long stood — took place, it is said, in consequence of a clause contained in a Marriage Contract. A genealogy of the Caskieben Johnstons will be found in another part of this volume. The family during the century after 1450 were forming that intimate connection with the name of Forbes which resulted in an alliance between the Forbeses and Johnstons upon all public questions, when the Reformation took place a.d. 15(J0.

The Johnstons appear following the Stuart kings in their frequent rash attacks on England ; and, with their retainers, suffered deeply for their loyalty — one head of their race having fallen at Flodden, in 1513 ; and his grandson — the Young Laird of the family — at Pinkie, in 1547.

William de Blakhall in 1398, Eobert de Blakhall in 1418, John Blakhall of that Ilk in 1447, William Blakhall from 1451 to 1486, and Robert Blakhall of that Ilk in 1491, residing on the lands called after their own names, were the near neighbours of the burgh, and principal persons, it is likely, in the parish of Inverurie within the range of these dates.

Among the neighbours of the burgh in 1476, besides the Biakhalls, we find James Kyng of Barraucht, and Alexander Seton of Meldrum. The big lairds were not then examples of quiet and orderliness. ' In 1492, Alexander Johnston of Caskieben was, among a number of persons, ordered by the Lords of the Council to pay a heavy fine to William Hay of Ardendraught, for burning the House of Ardendraught, in the parish of Cruden. Among the offenders, who seemed to have belonged to a faction of Forbeses and Johnstons then at feud with the Leslies and Gordons, we rind some neigh- bours of Inverurie — Thomas Leslie, parish clerk of Logydurnocht, John Donaldson at the Mylne of Inveramsey, Thomas Chawmir of Boundis (Boynds), and the Inverurie name of Watson, alias Curry.

A decreet obtained in 1473, by the parson of Kinkell, William Auchinleck, for his stipend, preserves an interesting list of names among his parishioners, as follows : — Andro Alanesone, Jhone Symsone, Andro Matheousone, Thome Duncan, Jhone of Kyner, Johne Baxtare, and Gawane of Myll, xxx. merkis ; Andro Scherare, William Philp- sone, Nichole Hervy, and William Garioch, ix. merkis and a half ; Isabell Scherare, vi. merkis ; Thomas Sampesone, Jhone Eobert, Jhone Thomsone, vi. merkis ; William Garioche, David Garioche, iv. merkis and a half ; William Fowlare and Andro Beldi- stoune, viii. merkis; David Colisone and Eanald Diss, vi. merkis; Adam Andersone, vi. merkis ; William Chaumer, vi. pundis ; James Hireman, viii. merkis ; David Ogilby, vii. merkis ; and the said Eanald Diss, vi. merkis.

In 1498, we obtain a glimpse of the chief personages forming the municipal body

J

Sentiment. 123

of the neighbouring burgh of Kintore. John Smerfc, William Chaumer, William Thomson appear as baillies ; and, next year, Andrew Keitht. The number of burgh lairds at the time included William Oudny of that Ilk, son of Cristina Kintor, Henry Chamer, son of Margaret Kintor, John Ketht, Stephen Dunansone, William Adamsone, Pavid Chamer, Andrew Scherar, Robert Clerk, John Forbes, William Kelly, Thomas Anfrays, John Denys, Robert Cordoner, Andrew Molisone, William Kelly, Thomas Williamson, Henry Forbess, William Myll, Fergus Philpsone.

The high value of money in the period of the Inverurie mortifications is indicated by the fact that while 6s. 8d., and 13s. 4d. were the highest annual rents secured, four acres of land were disponed in pledge for the larger sum. A curious list of prices is preserved in an inventory, dated 1479, of goods seized at Esslemont, the property of Henry Cheyne the laird. " Thre ston of woll, 24 sh. ; four ston of lint, 2 merkis ; thre pare of schetes 25 sh. lOd ; thre double blankets, 16 sh. ; twa new sekkis, 4 sh. ; a mantel, 5 sh. ; a hewin ax, 10 pun; 12 oxen, price of the peice, 24 sh." Land was sold in the Garioch, by " common use," about this time at twenty years' purchase, as appears by Johnston papers now in Lord Saltoun's possession.

SENTIMENT.

We have but scanty means of knowing what habit of thought influenced these Burghers, and Barons, and tillers of the soil.

It would almost seem as if the widespread wail over the dead who fell at Harlaw affected the sentiment of the whole generation that lived after the battle. The records of the time speak more of mortuary settlements, and masses for the dead, than of almost all other business. Isabel Mortimer, the lady of Balquhain, sought, in 1420, to perpet- uate, in this manner, the memory of her grief for her six sons slain on the fatal field, and for her husband, Sir Andrew, less honourably brought to his end. The conqueror of Harlaw, when death claimed him in his turn, had a like pious honour decreed for him in 1457, by the famous Canon Clat of Aberdeen, at his new altar of St. Kath- arine in the Cathedral of Aberdeen. There are records of some six annual rents, pur- chased from the Roods of Inverurie, between the years 1464 and 1486, with the same devout regard to the memory of other individuals. It is in the conveyances of these mortifications that we come first upon the names of important residents in the burgh.

The combination of sentiment and manners, in that century, is curiously instruc- tive. Lawless violence and piety, of the kind exemplified by the annual rents purchased in Inverurie, were not thought incompatible. In 1440, a miracle play of the Halyblude was performed at the Woolmanhill in Aberdeen, to which the religious audience was probably summoned by the great bell Laurence, in the steeple of St. Nicholas Kirk overhanging them, a memorial of Provost Leith's atonement for slaying Baillie Cattanach — a colleague, it is likely, of the Laird of Barnes in the Magistracy of

124 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariocli.

Aberdeen. To some later date, but before the end of the century, must he assigned the

record which used to be quoted by a deceased Garioch laird from his family papers —

" This day oov Jock sticket Glaster o' Clack's aul'est son, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.''

In a subsequent generation, anno 1533, Elphinstone of Glack made an offer of com- pensation, quite characteristic of the state of criminal law and religious sentiment at the time, for slaying a poor woman's husband, — pleading to be let off for little of pecuniary fine, but offering large " bodily exercise," in the shape of making pilgrimages to the three head shrines of Scotland, there to do penance, and offer " messes and suffragis for the saul " of the slaughtered man.

The belief of that age in the efficacy of pilgrimage to certain shrines for the relief of bodily, as well as spiritual, necessities, is curiously illustrated by a record lately dis- covered under the hands of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury, dated 27th July, 1445, certifying that a man from Aberdeen, travelling to the shrine of St. Mary of Segut, diverged to the shrine of St. Thomas of Canterbury, and there was cured of lameness caused by contracted feet, and grievous sores with worms, so that he danced on the ground for three days. He afterwards went to a famous shrine in Germany. The case, it may be observed, also throws light upon the habits of travel, and the ability to meet the expenses of such a journey to be found in Aberdeenshire at the time.

LOCAL CLERGY.

"We know somewhat of the local clergy of the period — the directors, as far as such officials can be, of the religious sentiment of society and the representatives of its best condition of intellectual culture. They appear characterized, as their order has been at many periods of history, by liberal expenditure of their incomes upon objects deemed in their time to be of religious importance.

The marriage contract of Andrew Glaster and Janet Lichton was witnessed by the Vicar of Inverurie — the first we can name since Dominus Thomas of 1297, who was the contemporary of Bruce and Wallace, and possibly the parish priest of the last of the Constables. In 1428, Latin had ceased to be the absolutely sacred language of ecclesi- astical nomenclature, and the vicar is named Maister Walter Ydill. Before that century ended the Vicar was styled neither Dominus nor Maister but Schir — a title, however, interchangeable with Master.

There were at least two successors of Walter Ydill and William Scrogy (and per- haps Bobert Howieson), in the kirk of Inverurie, during the century, after 1466 and 1476.

Schyr George Andersone had been Vicar before 1494, when his executors obtained a decreet of the Lords of Council for 50 merks against William Garioch, burgess of Aberdeen, which debt they had ceded to Schyr Alexander Monymele, chaplain.

In 1492, Magister Andro Bisset was Vicar of Inverurie. In that year he and

Local Clergy. 125

Duncan Scherare, rector of Clatt, each obtained a disposition by the Bishop of 16 per- ticates or roods of land in the city of Aberdeen, lying west from the Manse of Inner- nochty. Bisset was, in 1498, witness to a deed by Alexander Johnston of that Ilk, dis- poning a tenement in Old Aberdeen, lying north and west from the Manse of Mortlach, near the common passage from the Canonry of Aberdeen, which leads to the hill of Dillydron. The members of the Chapter evidently had official dwellings in that quiet and lovely spot ; and some of the parish priests, not belonging to their body, may, like Andrew Bisset, have sought admission into the social coterie, and built town manses amongst them.

After Master Andro, we know the name of only one other Vicar of Inverurie — Gilbert Cranstons, who is commemorated in affectionate terms by the celebrated Parson of Kinkell — Alexander Galloway.

The nearest clerical neighbours to the Inverurie Vicars, in the fifteenth century, were Henry Lichton, parson of Kinkell in 1410; William Auchinleck, parson in 1473, and also Collyhill Chaplain at the Chapel of the Garioch ; and Adam of Gordon in 1494. James Ogilvie, parson of Kinkell and Abbot of Dryburgh, died at Paris, May 30, 1518. Alexander Galloway was Collyhill Chaplain twelve years before that, and may have succeeded the Abbot at Kinkell. In 1454, Thomas Singlar, or Sinklar, was Vicar of Logydurnocht, and John Murray, or Mureff, Vicar of Oyne. In 1455, James Cruickshank was Vicar of Daviot.

The Kirk of Kinkell, whose sepulchral riches were, we may believe, increased by several of the heroes of Harlaw, besides Gilbert de Greenlaw, was in 1420, with its six subordinate kirks — of Kintore, Kemnay, Skene, Kinnellar, Drumblade, and Dyce — erected into a prebend of Aberdeen, by its former Parson, Henry Lichton, who was then Bishop of Aberdeen, after having held the See of Moray.

Henry Lichton was the priest who had received for sepulture, in St. Michael's of Kinkell, the body of the Harlaw soldier, Gilbert de Greenlaw. That ecclesiastic has a nobler monument existing at the present day, than most of his contemporaries of the same rank. The west front of the Cathedral of Old Machar and its two fine towers were built by Bishop Lichton, as was a part of the building which afterwards fell into ruin along with Bishop Elphinstone's central tower, built nearly a century later. Bishop Lichton had two namesakes, possibly brothers, in the church in 1422, Alexander, Prior of Torphichen. and Duncan, chancellor of Aberdeen, from 1436 to 1464.

The early history of the good Bishop's Garioch church is not known. With its six chapels it was a monument of the times of the Knights Templars (1118-1312), and had the appellation of ecclesia plebania. The ruin now existing is not part of Henry Lichton's church but of one built more than a century after his time, partly, at least, by Alexander Galloway, a man not less celebrated, though never attaining the mitre. After Alexander Galloway, Henry Lumsden appears Rector of Kinkell in 1545, and again Prebendary in 1563. Thomas Lumsden was parson in 1571.

126 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The ex officio position of the Parson of Rayne enables us to identify three of John Barbour's successors. Priest Lundie, the military hero of Otterburn, is said to have been Archdeacon of Aberdeen, and if so, must have succeeded John Barbour almost im- mediately. Thomas Tynningham appears in deeds as Archdeacon from 1423 to 1436, and Lawrence Pyot from 1450 to 1478.

If the Chancellor was always Vicar of Bethelnie, then Hugh Bennum held that cure in 1268, Alexander Inglis in 1404, Duncan Petit 1424-6, Duncan Lichton 1436-64, Alexander Inglis 1476, John Reid 1543, and Alexander Seton 1556.

The kirk of Daviot, held along with the office of Treasurer, must have been served by Andrew Liel, from 1470 to 1475, when Andrew Bell appears in 1476. Andrew Liel, probably a second of the name, is recorded in 1491 and 1501, and Robert Elphinstone, probably a younger son of the Glack family, in 1522. Patrick Myreton who witnessed the Reformation changes, was there from 1569 to 1571.

Monymusk, for some period, however long, before the Reformation, had a Vicar as well as the Monastic establishment. The latter was in the end of the fifteenth century, requiring protection from its lay neighbours the Forbeses ; one of which name, in time, succeeded in possessing himself of its wealthy territories.

The church tower, still standing, commemorates the visit of the last Gaelic-speaking King to its sacred precincts, where Celtic civilization had its first abode in the Garioch. Two Norman arches within the church, are memorials of the same period. In the fif- teenth century it continued to retain for its priests the name of Culdees ; of whom it possessed four. These were also called Denes, and were presided over by a Prior, in conformity with the constitution of the Augustinian Priory of St. Andrews, of which Monymusk was a cell.

It had been absorbed in that form into the Roman Catholic Church, before 1211. In 1337, Brice, Prior at that time, disponed part of the lands to the Bishop of St. Andrews ; and likewise the patronage of the Priory, to the extent of selecting a Prior from among three Canons, presented to him by the Culdees. The Culdees, at the same time, agreed to do the Bishop homage by meeting him in procession, on his visits to Monymusk ; and consented to have no separate burying ground attached to the Priory.

The establishment contained one oratory, one refectory, and one dormitory ; and had attached to it, besides two gardens, a croft equal to ten bolls' sowing, and pasture for six horses and fifteen wethers. The lands of Abersnithock (Braehead), Ramstone, Ardniedly and Balvack belonged to it. The ancient patronage of the churches of Kin- drocht, Keig, Alford and Leochel the Priory seems to have retained down to the time of the Reformation.

The rental of the Priory from these four parishes and the names (recognizable under their ancient spelling) of the lands yielding it, are preserved in the rent-roll of the Forbes famity.

In Alford the establishment derived from Argathyne 40 merks ; Aslong, 18 lbs. ;

Local Clergy. 127

Auchintowill, 20 lbs.; Carnav>rane, U merks ; Archballoch, 17 lbs. and 12 geese; Kynstare, 21 lbs. 6s. 8d. ; Lytilldindivie, 4 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Tullichetlie, 4 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Braidgauch of Kynstare, with the myll, 10 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Mekilldindovie, 13 lbs. 6s. 8d. ; Pofluge, 4 lbs. ; Bandly, 4 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Baddivine, .

In Keig— teind silver— Sevidlie, 19 lbs. 6s. 8d. ; Westerkeig, 16 lbs. ; Ballgawan, 10 lbs. ; Brvnye, 4 lbs. ; Puttachy, 8 lbs. ; Auchnagathill, 6 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Pittendreich, 6 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Glentoune, 7 lbs. 6s. 8d. ; Mylln of Keig, 2 lbs.

In Leochel — Craigyvare, 40 lbs.; Lenturkis, 16 lbs. : Esterfoullis, with the myll, 12 lbs. 13s. 4d. ; Westerfoullis, 8 lbs. ; Craigmyll, 3 lbs. 6s. 8d. ; Ouer Loehal, 10 lbs., twa wedders.

Kyndrocht, 45 lbs.

Temporal lands of Lochalle, 32 lbs., with 7 dissoun pultre, twa weddirs, twa boillis aitts, with the fodder; Thomebeg, 40 sh. ; Abersnythock, 11 lbs. 6s. 8d., 3 dissoun of eapones, twa wedders; the Mains of Monymusk, 26 lbs. 13s. 4d.

The vicarages paid to Alford, Leochel, and Keig by the Priory were 50 merks, 20 lbs., and 20 lbs. At some period a Jon Straquhen contracted with Lord Forbes to do the whole duties thought necessary, including quarterly preaching, paying his Lordship 12 lbs. out of the total vicarage.

Andrew, Prior of Monymusk, was a witness to a deed by Thomas, Earl of Mar, in 1365.

In 1496, when its tiends were in danger, Master Gavin Douglas seems to have been Prior; and, hi the reign of James IV., the office was held by Richard Strachan, whose illegitimate daughter was married to William Forbes of Braehead, a son of the first Forbes of Tolquhon.

Thomas Scherar was Vicar of Monymusk in 1524, when John Akynheid was Prior, and John Hay was a Canon regular.

In 1522, John Akynheid had David Farlie appointed as his colleague, the emeritus Prior enjoying certain frudus of the benefice. A document in relation to this matter records the fact that Lord Forbes was under obligation to defend the Priory in all causes and actions — a species of patronage which seems not to have induced him to interfere when his clansman, Duncan Forbes took somewhat violent possession of the whole property.

In 1534, David Farlie, with consent of John Akynheid, revoked certain tacks of land given by former Priors, Dene Alexander Spens and Dene Richard Strachan. The names of the Canons about that time included William Wilson, Andrew Mason, Patrick Anderson, and James Child. Farlie's introduction was probably required for the restoration of discipline. Insubordination seems to have crept into the small com- munity, and Dene Alane Gait, one of the Canons, was condemned to solitude, with a diet of bread and ale and water, until the Prior should judge him worthy to be released from penance. David Farlie had to defend the property of the monastery, as

128 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

well as its character, and got legal authority in 1542, to restrain a neighbour, " Bous- teous John " Forbes, from occupying four oxgang of his lands.

The Vicar of Monymusk, in 1535, was John Reid, in which year he was a witness, along with William Hurrie of Pitfichie, to a notarial protest taken by Dene Alane Gait against Prior Farlie's proceedings.

John Elphinstone, a son of the second Lord Elphinstone, was appointed coadjutor to David Farlie, in 1542, by the Earl of Arran, then Governor of Scotland ; and the two Priors, with the consent of the Canons, signed the charter of the Priory lands, which legalized the possession taken of them by Duncan Forbes, the first Forbes of Mony- musk.

The last Prior, Robert, fourth son of William Lord Forbes, elected Prior in 1556, adopted the Protestant faith, and married Agnes, daughter of William Forbes of Corse ; and, in 1570, James Johnston was parson of Monymusk, and one of the Chapter of Aberdeen ; he was possibly the last Roman Catholic incumbent.

The first half of the century that was fatal to the Church of Rome in Scotland, exhibits several incidents of quiet life in the Garioch, chiefly clerical. In 1503, William Blakhall of that Ilk appears in a charter of James IV., as Coroner and Forester of the Garioch. In the preceding year Adam Gordon, rector of Kinkell, patron of the six Churches of Skene, Kinnellar, Dyce, Kintore, Kemnay, and Drumblade, appointed as his vicar pensioner at Kemnay, John Gareaueht, with 10 lbs. of a stipend — a modest living, for which he served the cure long. In 1540, Gareaueht appointed his brother, Alexander, his clerk-depute there. The laird of Kemnay, Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, who signed the deed of appointment as witness, had come to look at his Kemnay property in 1534. When he was at the house, with a notary, taking an in- ventory of its ruinous furnishings, nothing seems to have been in repair, but two fixed beds and a gauntrees. Sir Archibald was the second Douglas of Kemnay. His father, Sir William, son of Archibald, 5th Earl of Angus, known as " Bell the Cat," was slain at Flodden ; and his son, also Sir William, became 9th Earl of Angus.

In 1505, the last addition to the chaplainry endowments of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch, was made by Sir Alexander Galloway, at that time the Collyhill Chaplain, but afterwards the best known of the Parsons of Kinkell. His gift to the ancient and honoured Chapel he had bought from the Baron of Balquhain. It consisted of two acres of land, bounded on the east and south by Balquhain's lands, on the west by the croft of the Chaplain of Pitcaple, and on the north by the lands of Lord Erskine (now Pittodrie), and of Alexander Winton of Andat. The de- scription of the acres would appear to make them part of the present glebe of the Minister of Chapel of Garioch.

The ground was for the erection of a manse for himself and successors, the Chaplains of Collyhill ; and the Collyhill Chaplain was to pay out of his rents, annually, five shillings usual money of Scotland, to the other five chaplains, in equal

Local Clergy. 129

portions of twelve pennies each, on the morrow of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, for which they, along with the Collyhill Chaplain, were, two and two together, to celebrate masses on that day for the souls of the after-mentioned persons, also saying the psalm, " Lord, thou hast searched me," — the collect, " To Thee, O Lord," — and the " De Profundis ". The service was to be for the souls of the founder and his parents, of William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen, his own special patron, of Walter Ogilvy of the Boyne, Knight, of Andrew Elphinstone of Selmys, of Duncan Schexare, once rector of Clatt, of William Leslie of Balquhain, and of his wife, Elizabeth Ogilvy. Bobert Patonsoune and David Liell, chaplains, probably two of his colleagues, were among the witnesses to the deed of gift.

The picturesque deed is the last chapter we have of the history of the aristocratic little temple, until sixty years thereafter; when it enjoyed its last brilliancy, but also the sunset of its worldly glory, in the presence at its masses of Mary, Queen of Scots, the young widow of France, then making her first progress through her ancestral king- dom, in which she had hoped never to have to dwell, and over which she was so ill prepared to reign.

At the time of Galloway's foundation, the rector, or parson, of Kinkell was James Ogilvie ; who also held the much higher dignity of Abbot, or Commendator, of Dry- burgh, where it is likely his residence was. He died at Paris in 1518 ; and seems to have been succeeded in Kinkell by Alexander Galloway.

Of the men of less mark, who were discharging the priest's office in the several parishes of the Garioch when the two important centuries were meeting, some names have been preserved. Andrew Bisset, vicar of Inverurie in 1498, had as neighbour at Kintore, Gilbert Chalmer, chaplain, like the chaplain of Kemnay, under the parson of Kinkell. Sir John Stirling was, in the same year, a notary public in the neighbouring burgh, as he was during many following years.

In 1529, Andrew Cullen was parson of Fetternear. His successor, Andrew Leslie, was also Sheriff-Clerk of the County, and held both offices until after the Beformation — doubtless by help of Sir William Leslie of Balquhain, Sheriff- Depute of Aberdeen, who for his stout defence of the Cathedral, from the southern rabble that came over the Tollo- hill to destroy it, received from Bishop William Gordon, a disposition of the Bishop's palace and lands of Fetternear, in 1566.

There is preserved a list of the Bishop's tenants in 1511, when his lands of Fetter- near were let in holdings of four oxgangs each : They were John Stevin, 4 bouate ; William Smith, 4 ; John Barcar, 4 ; Elizabeth Kow, 4 ; William Bisset, 6 ; William Cristison, 2 ; William Benzie, 4 ; Alexander Cristison, 4. Some of these may well have been ancestors of families bearing the same surnames still in the neighbourhood.

Two years later, 1513, the head of the Caskieben Johnstons fell at Flodden, as has been noticed. Among the witnesses to a charter in 1509, securing to William Johnston

17

130 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

of that Ilk the lands of Bendauch in Dyce, Antony Keith occurs,, a name well known on the Caskieben estates three centuries later ; also Mr. Alexander Seton, vicar of Bethelny, the laird of Meldruni's brother ; and Mr. Gilbert Chalmer, vicar of Tulich.

A peculiar illustration of tenant right occurred in 1514, — that of a blacksmith receiving infeftment in his office.

LEARNING.

The tumultuous century which witnessed Harlaw, had a history of remarkably con- trasting elements. Containing that episode of civil war, containing also the spectacle of the crown being able to influence a commission of Parliament, composed of the chief nobles of the land, to frustrate the just action of the Courts of Law in protecting a subject in his rights against the King, it exhibits to us the establishing of three of the great civilizing institutions of Scotland, which subsequently elevated the nation to so high a position in education, compared with its social wealth. The Universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Old Aberdeen, were founded in 1411, 1451, and 1494 respectively.

The last was due to the patriotism of a man of pre-eminent abilities, one of the honourable names belonging to the Garioch — like John Barbour before, and Arthur Johnston afterwards. Bishop Elphinstone, the founder, and, to a large extent, the first endower of King's College, Aberdeen, was a relative of the laird of Glack. He was the son of a priest, "William Elphinstone, rector of Kirkmichael, and Archdeacon of Teviot- dale, who belonged to the ennobled branch of the Elphinstones. An uncle, Laurence Elphinstone, was, after young William's education at Glasgow had been completed, the means of stimulating him to an ambitious career. He sent him to Paris, where he pursued for a time what was then the chief study of ecclesiastics, viz., the Canon Law, his knowledge of which he subsequently perfected at Orleans, then celebrated in that respect. He is said to have taken his degree of Master of Arts, and, in the same year, priest's orders, at the age of twenty-four. He was nominated bishop in 1483, only after he had shown himself, in public business, capable of great services to his country. He died, 25th October 1514, in the 83d or 84th year of his age.

Like more than one occupant of the See of Aberdeen, Bishop Elphinstone was at one time Chancellor of the Kingdom. It was not lives like those of Elphinstone and of a successor, Bishop Dunbar, that provoked the outburst of popular feeling against the clergy, which accompanied the Beformation. Yet the revival of learning, of which the institution of the three universities was an effect, took the higher clergy so much to Paris, the seat, at that period, of a great university — which became the chief model of the new Scottish universities — that the more luxurious life of the French capital had an evil influence on their fitness for their place at home among their ruder fellow-country-

Learning, 131

men. The insidious vice of the great city also doubtless corrupted the morals of many of them, and prepared for the extinction of their order in the following century.

One of Bishop Elphinstone's principal plans for the university he founded was the erection of a school of theology in it, to be called the College of St. Mary's, for the training of six students supported by endowments. Andrew Elphinstone of Selmys, who resigned Glack into the Bishop's hands, as Superior, for investiture of his brother Nicolas, helped largely by gifts from other lands possessed by him, in the provision necessary for the proposed college ; and out of his gifts the Bishop allotted to one of the students an aliment of eight pounds Scots a-year. Besides Theology, the university was designed for the study of Canon and Civil law, Medicine and Music.

A number of retours made a little before 1512, by Alexander Bannerman of "Waterton, Sheriff Depute of Aberdeenshire, afford us a list, probably not far from com- plete, of the resident landed gentry of the county ; from whose families the Bishop would expect to be produced the earliest alumni of his university. The Garioch furnishes the names of Tillydaff, Blakhall, and Johnston, — all of that Ilk ; Cruickshank of Tillymorgan (and Little Warthill), Chalmer of Strichen, Gordon of Over (and Nether) Bodome, Urrie of Pitfichie, Forbes of Kinnellar (and Thainston), Barclay of Towie (and Bourtie), Leslie of Wardes, Leslie of Ardoyne, Leslie of Balquhain, Mortimer of Cragievar (and Achorthies), Winton of Andait (and Drumdurno), Wood of Bonynton, Kyng of Barracht, Gordon of Methlic (and Braco). Other names, of which some are extinct, like part of the above, were Udny, Skene, Knox, Dunbrek, Leask, Ogston, and Allardes, — all of that Ilk ; Gordon of Schivas, Gordon of Uthaw, Gordon of Kennerty, Gordon of Abergeldy, Fraser of Philorth, Fraser of Staniewood (ancestor of Lord Fraser and Fraser of Castle Fraser), Chene of Essilmond, Chene of Straloch, Crawford of Federay, Forbes of Echt, Forbes of Tolquhon, Forbes of Towys, Vaus of Meny, Stuart of Laithers, Garden of Dorlaithers, Annand of Ochterellon, Troup of Comalegy, Hay of Ardendraught, Hay of Delgaty, Harrower of Ardgrain, Bedheuch of Tillychiddel, Mowat of Loseragy, Dempster of Ochterless, Burnet of Gask, Burnet of Balmaud, Turing of Foverne, Panton of Petmethane, Hepburn of Craigis, Duguid of Auchenhuff, Tulloch of Moncoffer, Caldour of Synaharde, Dalgarno of Dalgarno Finteray, Boss of Auchlossin, Keith of Inverugie, Crag of Cragsfmtra, Cum- minge of Culter, Buchan of Auchmacoy, Panton of Haudauch, Strachan of Glenkindie, Leith of Barnes. The names are given in the orthography of the documents.

Mr. Cosmo Innes writes that, in 1549, when Alexander Galloway, Parson of Kinkell, was Bector of the University, his record of visitation exhibits it in a low condition. There were no lay teachers, and few students ; only such as were preparing for the church, or to practice in its courts. Bursars of Arts were not admissible, unless " mere pauperes." and they were educated and maintained gratis. Beformers of the University in subsequent times found the same radical defects continuing ; and Bishop

132 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Patrick Forbes, in 1619, had to devote his influence and opportunities, not only to pro- vide a satisfactory teaching agency, but also to collect pupils to be taught. All along, it is evident that the resort to the Universities, in early times as now, was for such education or lea rning as would be of pecuniary value. Law and the universal language — Latin — were the acquisitions most helpful to promotion in Bishop Elphinstone's time ; and the alumn i of his University only studied as he himself had done. The Universities did not provide much of systematic education. They were, in reality, but recognized places where the studious, and persons professing to teach, might expect to meet for any one study or another. The graduates of a University were bound to teach in it for some time after taking their degree ; but permanent professors were perhaps exceptional Teachers moved from University to University according as their own reputation or a concurrence of students promised them better remuneration. It is to this habit of learned men travelling both for study and the hope of preferment, that we are to attribute the number of Scottish scholars whose fame connected them in former days with celebrated Continental Universities, and not to the existence of such an apprecia- tion of their value as, in modern times, leads to a teacher of eminence being invited to fill a University Chair.

In 1514, the patriotic founder of King's College died. He had contemplated another great benefaction to Aberdeen, the establishment of good communication with the south of Scotland, by a bridge over the Dee, and he left that task in charge to his friend, Gavin Dunbar, who became Bishop in 1518, after the Laird of Haddo's son had held the office for four years. To the support of the bridge, Dunbar dedicated the lands of Ardlair in Kennethmont, which the Bishops of Aberdeen got, before 1199, from David, Earl of* Huntingdon and the Garioch, in exchange for the tenths of certain Garioch parishes. Dunbar was a worthy successor of "William Elphinstone in public spirit, and began the work as soon as he was in the Episcopal chair. The bridge was completed in six; years ; and in 1529 the mortification of Ardlair for its upholding was executed, Provost Gilbert Menzies undertaking the trust on the part of the town. The bridge continued until the eighteenth century, when it was rebudt with seven arches. It was first constructed with ten.

The architect of that work was Alexander Galloway, Parson of Kinkell, an excellent example of the better class of clergy at the period, learned in the degree then possible, and munificent. His provision for the Collyhill chaplain of the Garioch has been noticed. He afterwards purchased from William, Earl Marischal, a similar benefaction, which he bestowed on his chaplain at the Kirk of Skene.

Architecture was much studied by the more educated clergy of the time. A former parson of Kinkell, Bishop Lichton, built an aisle, now destroyed, to the Cathedral, where he wished to be buried. Galloway seems to have given large attention to the favourite subject. He left some exquisite sculpture in his own Kirk of Kinkell, which

Learning. 133

the ministers of Kinkell, in covenanting times, apparently could not bring themselves to destroy completely, though repeatedly ordered, on their peril, by the Synod to obliterate the " superstitious monuments ". He probably also aided in the erection of Bishop Dunbar's magnificent episcopal palace. On his own account he made some additions to the Cathedral Close, in which he provided a lodging for the Parson of Kinkell's chaplain. The city of Aberdeen also employed him to superintend some works of importance on the city walls which were thought necessary.

His name is associated with a more enduring work, the completion of the chartulary of Aberdeen, which he directed, employing a Carmelite monk, William Scevan (Shewan) to write it out. Through that document, Inverurie is indebted to him for the first extant notice of its magistrates. Mr. Alexander Galloway seems to have been one of a class of public men, fortunately never unrepresented, who being both capable and willing, have assigued to them, by their less industrious neighbours, the combined honour and burden of executing every troublesome piece of work.

The Parson of Kinkell's beautiful church was, long after his death, utilised as he himself had been, during his life, for the relief of duties which should have been otherwise performed. In 1774, the heritors of the united parishes of Keithhall and Kinkell removed the roof of it, to form the roof of the new church they were, in 1773, obliged to build. Decay and depredation soon followed the free entrance thus permitted to the elements. The initials of the builder are seen in an accidentally protected bit of wall, still perfectly fresh, upon a small bit of as well preserved sculpture.

Other moveable portions of the disintegrated temple were transported to greater distances from their own position. The baptismal font was found some years since utilised for some gardening purpose in Aberdeen, and was acquired by the proprietors of St. John's Episcopal Chapel in Aberdeen, who had it polished and appropriated to sacred uses in their congregation. A piece of beautiful sculpture, of the same style and scale as that remaining in the ruins of the Kirk of Kinkell, is now built into the wall of the Church of Kintore. It had apparently been the reredos of an altar to the Virgin in the Kirk of that parish, which was one of the six chapels subordinate to the rector of Kinkell. The relic was found in Aberdeen, and was placed hi its present position by Mr. Eobert Shand, son of a late minister of Kintore.

The disuse of the Kirk of Kinkell, in 1773, arose from a movement made, twenty years before, by the ministers of Keith-hall (Monkegy) and Kinkell, for obtaining an augmentation of stipend. The heritors of the parishes proposed instead that the parish of 'Kinkell should be divided, and annexed to the adjoining parishes of Keith-hall and Kintore. Their design was that the Kirk of Kinkell should be retained as the Church of a united parish of Keith-hall and Kinkell ; the Kirk of Monkegy being, it is likely, dilapidated, as no remains exist of it now. The inconvenient position of the Kirk of Kinkell for the united parish led to that proposal being resisted, and the

1 34 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Court of Session ultimately ordered a new Church to be built in the centre of the parish, where the building, erected in 1773, still continues.

A writer in 1732 says that the Kirk of Kinkell had formerly a turret in the middle and a great window in the east end. Its chancel was separated from the rest of the church by a timber wall, and on the south side of the chancel it had three pillars. The pillars are now gone, and the remains still apparent are described by Mr. Jervise (Epitaphs and Inscriptions) thus: "The aumbry is flanked by two graceful scrolls, underneath is the inscription —

A. HIC. EST. SVATV. G.

A. COEP'. DE. VGIE. NATVM. G.

(Here is preserved the Body born of the Virgin.)

Below on the centre of the sill of the aumbry, a shield bears the Scotch Lion, over which is the word MEOEAEE. Upon the right are the initials A.G. ; on the left, ANO D;NtI 1528.

In the same wall, a little to the westward of the aumbry, and within a plain stone frame, is a fine carving of Our Saviour upon the Cross, with the legend ESTBI upon the arms of the calvary. A winged angel in the act of raising the host (!) kneels upon the left side of the cross, below which a ribbon between four human heads bears prs satom (preces sanctorum). Upon the right of the cross stands a draped figure with nimbus — below is the fragment of a smaller figure, apparently seated. The calvary or cross is raised upon three steps, in front of which is a chalice, also the remains of some other object. Below are the initials A.G., and incised upon the frame A.G. AjSTO. 1525. The dates probably refer to the beginning and completion of the work." The writer of 1723 read OBIJTM. A.G. 1528, which might indicate that there had been two Gallo- ways, which does not seem to have been the case.

The earliest fruits of the revival of learning in the age that preceded the Reforma- tion, were not scientific, but belonged almost wholly to the departments of aesthetic culture, with the addition of a little metaphysical philosophy. The models of taste found in the treasures of Greek and Roman manuscripts, then newly discovered, and the beauties of form exhibited by the remains of architecture and sculpture in the classic lands, awoke the fresh faculties of a new race to a fascinating enjoyment, and drew them on to the study of art, with results which no after period has excelled. It was, how- ever, a luxurious kind of intellectual life that was ministered to by the success of so many labourers as arose in the field of aesthetic study ; and, unfortunately, the sort of sensuous delight became too readily attractive to the spirits of the wealthy within, as widl as beyond, the Church ; and Pagan metaphysics did not counteract the tendency. Regent Albany, the centre of the corrupt court during the reign of the first three Stewarts, could discourse philosophy grandly. Polish and looseness of morals grew

Learning. \ 35

together among the educated clergy, and in the end provoked the Preformation even to the length of destroying many works of art associated with scandalous histories.

Science, as the word is now understood, had its fundamental principles recognized only afterwards, in the severer state of society which followed the Reformation, when the golden age of painting and architecture was past ; and it is amusing as well as instructive to read the theories formed, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, upon subjects of experimental philosophy, by men whom we must acknowledge as masters in the department of taste.

The accomplished, tasteful, and generous Parson of Kinkell, Alexander Galloway, has left behind him a study in natural science, which must amuse any reader trained to modern accuracy of observation. Along with the celebrated Principal of King's College, Hector Boethius, he made a voyage to the Western Isles of Scotland, to study some remarkable phenomena reported to exist there. The Principal has recorded their study and conclusions in a treatise " On the Nature of the Hebridean Isles and the Goosebearing Trees ".

" The Claik Geis remains now to speak of ; the geis generit of the sea namit clakis. Some men believes thir clakis grows on trees by the uebs. But their opinion is vain. And because the nature and procreation of thir clakis is strange, we have made no little labour and diligence to search the truth and verity thereof. We have saelit throw the seas where thir clakis are bred, and find by great experience that the nature of the seas is mair relevant cause of their procreation than any other thing. And howbeit the geis are bred many sundry ways, they are bred aye allenarly by the nature of the seas. For all trees that are cassen in the seas by the process of time appears first wormeaten, and in the small bores and holes thereof grows small worms. First they show their head and feet, and last of all they show their plumes and wings. Finally, when they are coming to the just measure and quantity of geis, they Hie in the air as other fowls does, as was notably proven in the year of God one thousand four hundred and eighty, in sicht of many people, beside the Castle of Pitsligo. Ane great tree was there brought to the laird of the ground, whilk soon after gart divide it by ane saw. Apperit then ane multitude of worms thrawing themselves out of syndry holes and bores of this tree. Some of them were rude, as if but new schapen. Some of them had baith head, feet, and wings, but they had nae fedders. Some of them were perfect schapen fowlis. At last the people, having this tree ilk day mair in admiration, brocht it to the Kirk of Sanct Andrew's beside the town of Fyvie, where it remains yet to our days And within twa years after happenit sic ane like tree to come in the Firth of Tay, beside Dundee, worm-eaten and full of young geis in the same manner. Sick-like in the port of Leith, beside Edinburgh, within few years after happenit sic like ane case of ane schip named the Cristofer (after that she had lain three years at anchor in one of thir isles) was brocht to Leith, and because her timmer (as appeirit) failed, she was broken down. Incontinent appeirit (as afore) all the inmost parts of her worm-eaten and all the holes thereof full of geis in the same manner as we have schawin. Attoure gif any man would allege by vain argument that this Cristofer was made of sic trees as grows allenarly on the His and that all the roots and trees that grows in the said Isles are of that nature to be finally by nature of the seas resolvit in geis, we prief the contre thereof by ane notable example schawin afore our ane. Maister Alexander Galloway, Parson of Kynkell, was with us in thir Islis gevand his mind with most earnest busyness to search the verity of thir obscure and misty doubts, and by adventure lifted up the sea tangle hyngand full of missil shells frae the root to the branches. Soon after he openit some of the musyll schells, but then he was mair astonyt than before. For lie saw no fische in it but ane perfect schapen fowl, small and great, aye effeiring to the quantity of the schell. This clerk knowin' us richt desirous of sic uncouth tilings came hastily with the said tangle and openit it with all circumstance afore rehersit. By thir and many other reasons and examples we can not believe that thir clakis are producit by any nature of trees or roots thereof, but allenarly by the nature of the ocean sea which is the cause and production of many wonderful things. And because the rude and ignorant pepyl saw ofttimes the fruits that fall off the trees (whilk stand near the sea) convertit within short time iii geis they believe't that thir geis grew upon the trees hin-

136 Inverurie and the Earldom of Hie Garioch.

gaud by tlier nibs siclike as apples and other fruits hings by their stalks, but their opinion is nocht to be sustenit. For as soon as thir apples or fruits falls off the tree in the sea flood they grow first worm-eaten and by schort process of time are alterit in geis. " — Bocthius' Oosmographie.

The estimable Alexander Galloway's incumbency at Kinkell was a long one, extending from 1518 to 1552, when he died October 6. He lived, it is likely, for a number of years before his death in the Canonry. having a vicar at Kinkell. In 1543, the duties of the parish were discharged in this way by Alexander Anderson, Sub- Principal of King's College, afterwards the last Roman Catholic Principal. Galloway and the parson of Clatt were Bishop Dunbar's executors. Mr. Alexander Spittert and they built the chaplain's house, where the Divinity Manse was until 1820. Like the Palace, which stood east of the Cathedral, it was built in a form suited for defence, that of a court having a well in the centre. As was the fashion of his time, Alexander Gallo- way founded an altar, that of St. Michael, the patron saint of Kinkell, in the Cathedral.

Galloway seems to have been the leading spirit of the Chapter, getting everything of consequence to attend to, and willingly undertaking the tasks. We are indebted to him for our earliest information concerning Inverurie burgage holders and burgh officials, from 1464 to 1487, whose names are preserved in the Cathedral Chartulary, which he employed the monk Scevan to write out. His gifts to the chaplains of the Cathedral were numerous, and in confirming one of them in 1537, Bishop Gordon, Dunbar's successor, states that he had done especial service to the Church of Aberdeen, both in Scotland and in Flanders. In 1543, he granted to the chaplains Crynes land, in Futtie. How these were his property, whether by heritage or purchase, does not appear. In 1549 he was for the fourth time Rector of King's College, where a name- sake, probably a relative, held the office of sub-principal in 1569.

Alexander Galloway had a nephew, "William Galloway, a brother's son, who got, in 1545, a feu of the Kirktown of Culsalmond from the Abbey of Lindores. In 1549, he was requested by the Chapter of the Diocese to draw up an inventory of the jewels belonging to the Cathedral, the occasion of which lets in a glimpse of the coming light of the Reformation — as the lairds of Scotland understood the reformation proper for the Church, after they were enlightened by the performances in that way of Henry the Eighth and his English barons. In 1544, two years after the disastrous rout of the Scot- tish army at the Solway Moss, and the consequent death of the King, James V., leaving his successor, Queen Mary, an infant of eight days old, the Bishop of Aberdeen, afraid of the northward progress of the English forces into the county, sent a servant with all the Cathedral plate, and jewels, and vestments, to deposit them in a place of safety. A little beyond the Bridge of Don, the man was attacked and robbed of his charge by James Forbes of Corsindae, who refused to give up the stolen goods to the Bishop, except for a perpetual feu of the lands of Montgarry, in Tullynessle, or the payment of six hundred merks ; which sum was actually paid him afterwards. Their being thus recovered, in 1549, was the occasion of the parson of Kinkell being asked to make an

Life among the Barons on the Eve of the Reformation. , 137

inventory of the various articles. In that same year Corsindae seems to have advanced some money to the Priory of Monymusk, in payment of which he is said to have pos- sessed himself of the whole lands at the Eeformation. Certain rents, payable to the Crown from the Priory of Monymusk, appear so long afterwards as in 1695, granted along with the rents of Auchlossan and of the Abbey of Crossraguel, by order of King William, to his chaplain, and chief adviser on ecclesiastical matters in Scotland, Mr. William Carstairs.

LIFE AMONG THE BARONS ON THE EVE OF THE REFORMATION.

The unfortunate condition of Israel when there was no king, and " every man did that which was right in his own eyes," represents very much the experience of social life, in Scotland, during the reigns of the Stewarts. From the days of David Bruce, the weak son of Scotland's greatest king, the country owed all its prosperity to the patriotism of its nobility, and suffered, likewise, most of its miseries from their turbulence. Feudal power continued longer with them than the great proprietors in other countries had been able to retain it ; the ablest kings of Scotland never having attained to such strength as Henry VII. of England, and Louis XL of France, managed to exercise in breaking down the influence of the great lords. James I. laid the foundation of a central administration of justice, by forming a Committee of Parliament into a body called Lords of Session, empowered to try all civil causes, and meeting for that pur- pose, when he directed them, three times in a year, for forty days at a time. James rV". created a new Court, the Lords of Daily Council, to sit daily in Edinburgh ; and James V. gave the judicial body the form and jurisdiction which Scotland now possesses, by creating the College of Justice, whose senators were, and continue to be, the Lords of Council and Session. The form did not, of course, all at once carry the power along with it of keeping order in the land. Many of the great Lords had retinues superior to that of the king himself, and might was right to no small extent. The lesser barons were as big of heart in their narrower spheres ; and what order subsisted in their different neighbourhoods was the result of a " balance of power " existing among themselves.

About the time when the busy parson of Kinkell was building the bridge over the Dee, endowed by the good Bishop Gavin Dunbar, a baronial exploit of a different character took place on the other side of the town of Aberdeen. On Sunday, 1st October, 1525, according to Kennedy's "Annals of Aberdeen," William Leslie, baron of Bakpjhain ; Alexander Seton of Meldrum ; and John Leslie of Wardes, three potent barons of the Garioch, in revenge of an injury supposed to have been done to them, entered the city of Aberdeen at night with their confederates and retainers, numbering eighty men, armed with spears and other weapons. They attacked the inhabitants with great fury, who instantly flew to arms and gave battle to the invaders. After a bloody conflict, in which eighty citizens, including several of the magistrates, were

18

138 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

killed or wounded, the invaders were repulsed and driven out of the town. Upon complaint, the affair was investigated, and was finally terminated by the arbitration of certain bishops and nobles. The barons had to become bound under a penalty of £2000 to keep the peace ; and the magistrates fortified the town better. The ports or gates were ordered to be repaired, and the vennels, back dykes, and waste places to be built up ; a watch to be kept by sixteen persons every night, and two sentinels in every steeple by day ; all able men to be supplied with culverins or cross-bows, hand-bows, and shooting pieces ; two additional gunners to be engaged for the artUlery ; and wapin- schaws to be held weekly.

The Leslie raid into Aberdeen must have required some light, in order to avoid pitfalls of a kind awkward for such gentle invaders. It was not until 1538 that the magistrates issued ordinances for the removal of " middings " from the streets of the city.

A furious state of faction warfare subsisted at that time between the Leslies and their powerful neighbour on the west side, Lord Forbes. In the local disturbances, the Castle of Balquhain was burnt by the Forbeses and their allies in 1526 ; and peace was re-established only by the intervention of Archibald, Earl of Angus, then Chancellor of the Kingdom, the Lords of Council, and nobles friends of both parties. The castle, now rapidly falling into ruin, was built in the year following.

The national calamity of Flodden, 9 th September, 1513, crossed the family history of many a Scottish house with a black line. Among those who followed the rash monarch, James IV., to that fatal field, mention has been made of Agnes Glaster's son William Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, and Sir Wdliam Douglas of Glenbervie and Keinnay, and one of the Abercrombys.

The shield-bearer of the preceding king, James III., was Alexander Leslie, the first laird of Wardes, who had been the King's familiar servant, possibly his com- panion-attendant in boyhood. He received from the King a charter of the royal lands in the Thanage of Kintore. He had enriched himself by marrying Isabella de Lauder of Balcomie, in Fife, and he founded a chaplainry in the Chapel of the Garioch, for behoof of her sold and his own. He was dead before Flodden, and though his second son, Walter, who was provided for by his mother's estate, was one of the Marshalls of the Eoyal Household, the heir, John Leslie of Wardes, seems not to have been employed about the Court. He got, in quittance of the King's debts to his father — who had been Keceiver — the Bailiary of the King's lands in the Garioch ; and, three years before Flodden, got the Regality lands themselves in excambion for Balcomie. He was the John Leslie of the raid upon Aberdeen, to which his sister's son, Alexander Seton of Meldrum, and William Leslie of Balquhain, were instigated by Provost Collison, an Aberdeen Coriolanus, Seton's stepfather then. Johu Leslie has the patriarchal record made of him, that he had five wives called after his name, by the last four of whom he had children. The son of his fifth wife, Annabella Chalmer of Balbithan, fell, as did the grandson of William Johnston of Caskieben, at Pinkie, 10th September, 1547.

Life among the Barons on the Eve of the Reformation. 139

The ancient line of Douglas, once represented in the Garioch by the last Lord anil Lady of the Eegality of the first dynasty, took a place among the lairds during the sixteenth century. The estate of Kemnay, by the death of the last Melville, the unfortunate Sheriff, passed to' his daughter's husband, Auchinleck, then of Glenbervie and Kemnay, the heiress of which family, two generations later, took both estates into the Douglas family. She was the wife of Sir William Douglas, second son of Archibald Bell-the-Cat, fifth Earl of Angus, and uncle of the Earl of Angus who had to interfere in the great feud of the Gordons and Fortieses.

The first Douglas of Kemnay perished on the field of Flodden. His son, Sir Archibald, knighted by James V., but a minor at his father's death, was not at first resident at Kemnay. On 12th June, 1534, he took a notarial instrument as to the state of the house, when the contents were found to be a table in the hall, two beds in one chamber, with a little table before each bed, an old door lying in the chamber, and in the wine cellar one gantrees. He was in Kemnay in 1540, possibly resident, when he witnessed the appointment of Alexander Gareaucht to the depute clerkship of Kemnay, of which his brother, John, had been chaplain, under the rector of Kinkell, since 1502. Sir Archibald's wife was Agnes Kejth, daughter of William, third Earl Marischal, and his only daughter, Elizabeth, married Sir Alexander Ealconer of Halkerton. His second son, James Douglas, minister of Glenbervie after the Reformation, was the common ancestor of many families. The heir, Sir William, the most illustrious in rank of the lairds of Kemnay, became ninth Earl of Angus, after contesting the honours with King James VI. He, it is likely, lived in his earlier days at Kemnay, and the neighbouring lairds found them- selves drawn to his mansion by its female attractions. His eldest daughter, Margaret, married William Forbes, second laird of Monymusk, and was the mother of the first Forbes of Leslie. The second, Elizabeth, married Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny, father of a Sir Alexander heard of afterwards. Sarah, the youngest wedded Eobert Strachan, younger of Thornton. Sir William Douglas was with Queen Mary in her progress through Scotland, when, in 1562, she visited Balquhain, and fought on her behalf in the battle of Corrichie. He died 1591, in his 59th year.

On 30th January, 1527, Alexander Seton of Meldrum was murdered, in the house of the Provost of Aberdeen, Menzies of Pitfoddels, by the Master of Forbes and some retainers ; one of whom, Alexander Forbes, an agile ruffian nicknamed " the Spangare," was, by a sort of amateur justice, slaughtered a few days afterwards by John Leslie, younger of Balquhain, Alexander Leslie of Kincraigie, and John Keith, while attempt- ing the robbery of a tenant of the Bishop on a Sunday, the day of the week frequently signalised by these outrages. They obtained a pardon from the king, dated 9th February, 1527. The murderers of Seton took refuge in France; and the Forbes and Leslie feud threatened to break out again, because the Leslies, constant adherents of the Earls of Huntly in their quarrels with the clan Forbes, agreed with other barons of the

140 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

North to obey George Earl of Huntly in his office of Lieutenant of the North, and to search for and deliver the culprits to the judge ordinary.

The Master of Forbes got a remission under the great seal, 10th Oct., 1530 ; but in that same year his clan was engaged in a new outrage. Lord Forbes bad been wont to receive a tun of wine annually from the City of Aberdeen for protecting the Town's fishings on Dee and Don. His own followers were discovered to be the principal depredators, and the black mail present of wine was withheld, greatly to the disap- pointment of the recipients. On 30th July, 1530, Forbes of Pitsligo, Forbes of Brux, and others of the clan, among whom was one known by the descriptive name of Evil Willie, invaded the town. Being expected by the citizens, the Forbeses were, after some fatal bloodsheding, surrounded, and kept prisoners in the Grey Friars' place for a day, and released only with the loss of their horses. Seven years later on the occasion of King James V. visiting Aberdeen, the same turbulent Master of Forbes was accused of entering into some conspiracy against his Majesty's safety, for which he was tried and executed ; being, by way of favour, beheaded instead of hanged.

Singularly enough, some time after the execution of the Master, his next younger brother, who became seventh Lord Forbes, was appointed by King James V. one of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber. One reason, perhaps, for both the death of John, Master of Forbes, and the favour shown to his brother was, that the family was at that time of sufficient influence to be a cause of jealousy to Lord Huntly, and to be worth being conciliated by the Monarch. The rent roll of William, seventh Lord Forbes, in 1552, which is still extant, shows him to have possessed estates in Auchindoir, Tully- nessle and Forbes, Alford, Glenmuick, Tough, Cluny, Kincardine O'Neil, Midmar, Birse, Foveran, and King-Edward. He was married to a sister of the Countess Marischal, and their third daughter was the mother of Dr. Arthur Johnston, the poet. His fourth son, Kobert Forbes, was the last Prior of Monymusk.

The first Leslie of Warthill, who was the second son of John Leslie, second baron of Wardes, and died in 1561, was, a few years before his death, knocked down in some quarrel at Lawrence Fair of Kayne, by the possessor of the other half of Warthill, Tullidaff, the representative probably of the Harlaw soldier. Leslie's father and brother were present, and supposing him to be slain, they pursued Tullidaff, and killed him on the Moor of Kayne, where Tullidaff's cairn still marks the spot.

The vigour of baronial life in those days had a curious exemplification in the person of Janet Cruikshank, the wife of the first Warthill. On the occasion of the marriage of their sixteenth child — when their" children and grandchildren present numbered thirty-four — the old couple danced with the rest ; and after his death, the widow, then above sixty years of age, and mother of twenty-one children, married again.

Half a century later, manners of a very rough order occasionally appeared. The eleventh Baron of Balquhain had to obtain letters of remission for a manslaughter.

Parochial Matters in the Garioch. 141

His father had three wives all living at the same time. The father and son, by their extravagance, brought ruin on the family represented by them.

The Elphinstones of Glack seem to have belonged to the party of the Forbeses, and were sharers in the unquiet life of the period. In 1533, William Forbes of Corsindae presented himself within the larger chamber of the Palace of the Bishop of Aberdeen, as cautioner for William Elphinstone of Glack, and Symon Elphinstone, that, as satisfaction for a homicide, they, though " sobir in guidis," would pay ten merks to the wife and bairns of the slain man, and go to the three heid pilgrimages in Scotland and get masses said for his soul.

A new Garioch family, the Setons of Mounie, was originated through the foreseeing alienation of Church lands on the eve of the Eeformation. In 1556, the Chancellor, Alexander Seton, had several of the holdings now comprised in the estate of Mounie in possession, and his brother William, the laird of Meldrum, got the rest. Upon resignation, in 1575, the whole were granted by the Bishop to William's second son, John Seton of Lumphart, thereafter John Seton of Mounie. His line is extinct, and the estate is now possessed by a descendant of his' half brother, James, the first Seton of Pitmedden, whose family are the only Setons now in Aberdeenshire.

The Forbes rent-roll of 1552 exhibits a condition of covenanted tenancy long established in Aberdeenshire, which was attempted, only fifty years later, to be forced upon the adoption of the Western clan chiefs, to prepare the way for law and order taking the place of abused patriarchal rule. All the estates had evidently been rented at a much earlier period in holdings of the uniform size of one pleuch, or eight oxgang, which had come to be much subdivided by equal partition, so that, in 1552, the original pleuch was represented by mixtures of halves, fourths, and eights, all classed under the original title, with the rent distributed proportionally. A uniform grassum of eight merks was paid for entrance to one pleuch ; and the same sum was the money part of a pleuch rent whatever the value of the holding. The rest of the rent consisted, in the upland parishes, of live stock entirely, but in the low country contained malt, meal, oats, and peats. In Tough and Cluny, a pleuch yielded eight merks, two wedders, a dozen capons, one swyne, and two leitts of peats. In Foveran, a pleuch-rent was eight merks, one boll malt, one and a half of meal, two wedders, two bolls oats, a dozen capons, one-fourth of a custom cow, and two leitts of peats. Money must have been in some degree of circulation, as the laird could demand value for the articles of rent ; a custom cow being held as worth 40s., a swyne 20s., a wedder 10s., and a leitt of peats, 2s.

PAROCHIAL MATTERS IN THE GARIOCH.

Some scraps of local history, at Rayne and Insch, at that period, are of the same rude type as the incidents just noticed. In 1535, at a Bishop's Court held at Bayne, James Hill, in Fingess, was prosecuted for banning Dominus de Johnston and the vicar of Rayne, saying — " I pray God that the ayris of Caskebenne never prospere, for the

142 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

thinggis they do to me " ; and, addressing the vicar, who had been Caskieben's repre- sentative— " I pray to God, Schir Wieair, that ye never se the faice of God ".

The next year, in Insch, where the priest and clerk both seem to have served by deputy, the deputies came to severe conclusions. The curate, William Anderson, claimed the intervention of the Dean of the Garioeh, Master Duncan Oudny, in his behalf against Andrew Gardyne, clerk-depute. The depute-priest had put the depute- clerk under some deserved, but unwelcome, discipline, and the culprit, " on the day of the holy Epiphany, said to him, in presence of the sacrament, and before the parishioners," — " And ye gar me gang furtht of the Kyrk ; gif I be cursit I sail do ane cursit deid, and gif you with ane quhynger " — threatening the same, because he com- manded the clerk to go out of the church.

The earliest parochial transaction on record, respecting Inverurie, took place 23rd June, 1536, and was the election of a parish clerk apparently by universal suffrage, in which females as well as males voted. Similar elections, about the same time, in Daviot and Leochel are on record. It is very interesting to find, at that date, a con-, stituency entirely popular, which has been supposed to be a gift of modern Liberalism. The Inverurie election gives us a long list of names of the families then resident in the parish. On the day named there appeared, within the Church of Inverurie : — " Alexander Leslie of Kincragy ; Patrick TJrcan, David Urcan, Patrick Robertson, Umphray Henre, John Urcan, Ingram Mortimar, Thomas Henry, Bessie Mortimar, Alexander Davidson, Maryiota Seitoun, George Mortymer, Thomas Crag, Patrick Mill, Thomas Mill, David Mill, "William Bennet, James Leslie, John Mortimar, Alexander Creychtoun, John Swaipe, William Smyth, Thomas Cove, William Duncanson, John Brachra, John Wat, John Wilsoune, Alexander Dikkie, William Wat, Marjorie Dikkie, Andrew Makkie, Paul Donaldson, James Andrew, David Bobertson, Patrick Endeaucht, William Henry, William Urcane, George Grub, John Makkie, Bobert Johnsoune, John Wychtman, William Cowe, William Bobertson, William Barnet, William Philpe, John Andrew, James Banyeaucht, Bobert Fergus, Andrew Bonaldson, John Tailyoure, Walter Tail- youre, Cuthbert Jhonston, John Bobertson, Patrick Coupar, William Blackhall, John Jack, Bobert Andersoune, Antony Makkie, Alexander Bonaldson, Mallie Clark, Mallie Urcane, John Huchoun, Walter Banyeaucht, John Wobstar, John Johnstoun, Dominus James Kyd, vicar, Alexander Crommie, William Wobstar — so many parishioners of Inuerovre, and gave their votes to John Leslie, to enjoy and possess the office of Clerk of Inuervry, when it should vacate by the decease of John Blackhall, last parish clerk, or any other way : Upon which the said presentee took instruments : — Done within the said parish between the hours of six before noon and one after noon, or thereabout, in presence of John Patre, John Beche, Walter Tailyeoure, Bobert Fergus, and a notary."

On 24th June, 1536, John Leslie, son of Alexander Leslie of Kincragy, appeared personally at the high altar within the Parish Kirk of Inveroury, alleging himself to

Parochial Matters in the Garioch. 1 43

have been true and undoubted elected and presented parish clerk of Inuerovry ; and, lest that Church should remain destitute of service, offering himself as prepared to serve the vicar in altar and person, in all things pertaining to the office of parish clerk. He took instruments, at ten hours, a.m., in presence of Dom. James Kyd, vicar pensioner, Walter Banyeaucht, William Duncan, John Tailyeour, and a notary, and many others of the parishioners.

The same day William Blakhall of that Ilk appeared personally, and protested that he was the depute of John Blakhall, parish clerk of Inuerovry ; and offered himself as being prepared to do service, protesting also that the election of John Leslie was void, because the parishioners had not been properly informed of the matter.

The Inverurie election seems to have been a characteristic example of parish politics ; the attempt of one important party to supplant another in local position, — a bit of village life not seldom repeated since. Blakhall of that Ilk was at the head of society in the parish, and Kincraigie — a cadet of the house of Balquhain — was then rising into influence.

Kincraigie was one of the slayers of the " Spangare ". Possibly he may have been the Abbey tenant of Badifurrow, as his grandson, " Bonnie Patrick," became afterwards owner and the first laird we know of that estate. John, the clerk elect, was Kincraigie's second son. He would be supported by the Balquhain faction, to which belonged the Mortimers — some of the Craigievar family, then resident in Auchorthies, of which they were part proprietors for a long period. Possibly others of the electors were Balquhain tenants, the same names appearing long after in the tenant-roll of that property. Not a few of the names recorded at the election will be recognised as still local names. Several of them appear in the proprietary of Inverurie immediately after 1600, e.g., Banyeaucht, Hucheon, Craig, Seton, and Johnston. Robert Fergus, in all likelihood, was ancestor of the Aberdeenshire families of Ferguson. It is possible that John Blakhall, the aged clerk, after the manner of the well-to-do clergy — with whom as a man of family he might associate — took his duties easily, and gave colourable occasion to the movement of Kin- craigie. Dominus James Kyd, vicar pensioner, was only the vicar's substitute, like the chaplain-curate-presbyter Scroggy, of the former century.

The vicar of the time seems to have been Gilbert Cranstone (a friend of the parson of Kinkell), who it is likely seldom left the polished society of the Cathedral Close, where the vicar of 1500, Andrew Bisset, built an Inverurie Manse, near Caskieben's town house and the prebendary of Clatt's residence. Before 1543, Cranstone had died at some considerable age. In that year, his friend, Canon Galloway, mortified his property of Cryne's land, in Futtie, Aberdeen, for the spiritual weal of " Mary Queen of Scots, and of the souls of James IV. and James V., of Bishops Elphinstone and Dunbar, and of hers, and lastly, of a late venerable man, Gilbert Cranstone, oncevicar of Inveroury ".

The minutes of election of a parish clerk at Daviot, in 1550, preserve the

144 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

names of a number of the parishioners at that date. John Leslie, student in Aberdeen, was elected apparently colleague to Master Andrew Leslie, the clerk. The voters were Thomas Davidsone, Mallata (Mallie) Elphinston, Andrew Greige, John Keyth, William Mathers, William Philp, William Bruis, John Johnstone, John Davidsone, Andrew Criste, John Murdo, William Senzeour, William Styll, David Senzeour, William Duncane, William Udo, John Paterson, Agnes Criste, Bessie Philp, David Hyll, John Sowtar, John Andrew, John Gouper, Thomas Kempe, Andrew Duncane, Elizabeth Cromme, Lady of Glak, William Duncan, David Sowtar, Henry Maling, Janet Kyng, Alexander Johnston, Andrew Johnston, Mallata Criste, James Duncan, William Criste, Andrew Blyth, Cristian Litiljohne, Mariota Bannerman, Andrew Duncan, John Clark, William Endeaucht, George Andersone, Alexander Henersone, Thomas Murdo, Alex- ander Fudes, John Browne, Ebbota (Eppie ?) Criste, William Browistar, William Henersone, Alexander Strath, John Philp, Thomas Andersone, William Duncan, John Findlay, James Wobstar, John Patre, John Waulcar, Patrick Quhit, Andrew Harve, William Benet, Gilbert Styll, William Hyll, Andrew Maling, Adam Hyll, Janet Hyll, John Paterson, Alexander Cowe, James Chapman, Andrew Davidsone, Elizabeth Maling, John Nicholl, John Findlay, Alexander Davidsone, Thomas Davidsone, James Myll, Thomas Myll, Alexander Myll, William Myll, William Cutberd, David Eeche, Thomas Kemp, Katrine Leslie, Margaret Trumbill, Thomas Stevin, Alexander Gowane, William Lenyeour, John Cordinar.

THE EVE OF THE REFORMATION.

It is not an uncommon experience on the eve of great changes in human affairs, to behold arrangements being made which presuppose that no such changes are within the bounds of probability. A few years were to render the generous dedication of his property, by the parson of Kinkell, futile, by making masses no longer legal in his beloved Cathedral; and were even to throw down his own altar of St. Michael, and his predecessor Parson Lichton's aisle in the great Cathedral, along with the palace which Galloway had helped to plan and decorate for his friend, Bishop Dunbar. The pious mortifications were to be begged for, scrambled for, and possibly filched, by the barons — as ready for activity in that profitable way as in making raids upon the burgesses of a town, or waylaying an offending member of a rival family, to run him through with their whingers.

The most powerful families about the seats of the great abbeys had, before then, begun to have lay members of their houses made Commendators, or lay abbots. The Abbeys of Deer and Lindores were, already, thus appropriated to scions of the families of Keith and Leslie, At the Reformation, some of these Commendators adopted the new doctrines ; and were thereby able to retain most of the revenues which they had previously administered. A temporal lordship of Lindores, vested in the person of a Leslie, son of a Commendator of the Abbey, had, in this way, a great mass of the Abbey

The Eve of the Reformation. 145

possessions appropriated to it, including the Inverurie lands, and, generally, the Garioch property of that Ahhey ; and the new Lord Lindores quickly spent it, as it was prophesied that the then Earl Marischal would do with the Buchan estates of the Abbey of Deer.

Only sixteen years after the parson of Kinkell had provided the mass for Gilbert Cranstone, and but six years after the good man's own eyes were closed upon his many works, the Bishop, William Gordon (brother of the Earl of Huntly), in 1559, consigned part of the plate of the Cathedral to the canons, for concealment during the storm that he saw impending ; and, subsequently, he handed over his Palace of Fetternear, and other Garioch estates, to William Leslie, the ninth baron of Balquhain, by a grant which received royal confirmation in 1602.

The baron of Balquhain was not among those who played for the winning game. He earned his gift of Fetternear honourably ; by protecting the Cathedral of Aberdeen from total destruction, when a body of reformers by fire and sword from the south country invaded Aberdeen. His duty as Sheriff-depute, under Lord Huntly, gave him that task to perform.

The Diocese of Aberdeen seems to have been in a bad condition when the Beforma- tion overtook it; and the clergy, who were about the bishop, themselves saw the necessity of trying to avert public indignation, by spontaneously inaugurating a change for the better. In 1547, a preaching canon was appointed to lecture on theology, in the Cathedral, twice a week, and to perambulate the country, preaching in the churches ; which evidently had been in a great measure silent in that respect, or had only some service like the quarterly preachings enjoyed by the parishes belonging to the Priory of Monymusk. In 1558, the Dean and Chapter addressed to the Bishop a " counsall," the following extract from which too well sets forth the desertion of duties, and the vicious lives, chargeable upon the priesthood : — " Imprimis that my Lord of Aberdene cause the kirkmen within his Lordschipe's diocie to reforme thaim- selfs in all thair sclanderous maner of Lyving, and to remove thair oppin concubinis, als well greit as small. . . . Item for preching to be maid within the hail Diocie. That there be sent letters monitorie upon the haill personis, abbotes and prioris to cause preching to be maid within their kirkis, betwixt this (5th January, 1558) and Fastern's Evin next, at least once in ilk paroch kirk, and an uthir tyme between that and Pasche, with continuation ; and failzeing thereof that my Lord cause send ane prechor to ever ilk kirk that is nocht prechit in Lentron thaireaftir."

Little margin of time, however, was left wherein to avert the approaching destruc- tion, by this late amendment. In 1560, the riots, which dishonoured the Eeformation, reached Aberdeen ; and Huntly, the Queen's lieutenant in the north, had to come with his Sheriff, Balquhain, to the protection of the Cathedral and of the Bishop, who, by their aid, was able to remain in his diocese, when the other Bishops in Scotland had to seek safety in flight.

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146 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The reformed doctrines received the sanction of Parliament in 1560, but the Bishop of Aberdeen retained his possessions for six years longer.

QUEEN MARY'S VISIT TO BALQUHAIN.

The fortunate, but deserving, Laird of Balquhain, William Leslie, son of John Leslie, eighth baron, and of his wife, the daughter of Patrick Leslie of Ardoyne, succeeded his father in 1561. The next year he had the honour of entertaining the young widowed Queen Mary, when, having returned home from Prance, she was making her first progress through her kingdom.

At the Castle of Balquhain she passed the night of the 9th September, 1562. It is said that, during the Queen's visit, the Pari of Huntly proposed to Balquhain that he should be his accomplice in putting to death her natural brother, Lord James Stewart, who had been recently created by her Pari of Moray — a dignity which Huntly had himself possessed. During the Queen's absence in Prance, Huntly had been deprived of several high offices ; some of which, on his pleading his cause to her, she restored to him. He, however, regarded the new Pari of Moray as his enemy, and plotted his death. Balquhain, who had, on other occasions, been able to calm the temper of the great chief, whose ally he was, managed to turn him from his violent purpose.

Huntly, however, in consequence of his being the head of the Catholic party, was, at that time, made much of by the Queen's French relatives, who perhaps believed he could restore the old religion, and they held forth, as a bait to him, the chance of the Queen taking his handsome son, Sir John Gordon of Pindlater, for her second husband. At Balquhain, Huntly had pressed Her Majesty too warmly to visit him in his Castle of Strathbogy, so that she was offended, and refused his hospitality, passing on to Inverness. He suspected, from her conduct, that other causes were at work than his ill-timed importunity, and that his enemies were too strong for him at court. Huntly permitted himself to be frightened into overt acts of rebellion and took up arms. The. result was the battle of Corrichie, fought 24th October the same year, and his own death, and the execution of his son, Sir John Gordon, a few days afterwards, at Aberdeen. Huntly himself, who was a corpulent man, was smothered in the crowd when he was taken prisoner. The tragical downfall of the Gordons, by that rash treason, gave origin to the ballad of " The Battle of Corrichie ".

An incident related of Huntly's rebellion belongs to the superstitious habits of the period In his march southward he encamped near Inverurie, on the Hill of Crichie ; but being warned, by a warlock, to beware of Corrichie, he hastily departed, thinking he was leaving the place of the fatal name behind him, and halted not until he reached the spot to which the words of doom really bore reference — the How of Corrichie, on the Hill of Fare.

Queen Mary's brief lodging place on her passage through the regality of the Garioch, the Castle of Balquhain — erected soon after 1525 — was, when she visited it, a

Queen Mary's Visit to Balquhain. 147

tall square tower, with outlying buildings, placed picturesquely on a rocky knoll, which overhangs the Natrick, — a mile, or more, eastward from the old rude Balquhain fastness on the summit of Benachie. During the last few years, large portions of this once imposing stronghold have been tumbling down, taking away angle after angle of the interesting pile. " The Queen's Tree " at Pitcaple is a tradition of her visit.

During her stay at the Leslies' castle, Queen Mary attended mass at the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch. As the Reformation was then two years old, her presence was, it is likely, among the last occasions on which its six stately chaplains assembled. The royal visit formed a fitting close to the two centuries of aristocratic history belonging to the little tabernacle — erected by the heroic Christian Bruce, first Lady of the Garioch, on the high place of her regality. Its services had always been associated with the memory of the great ; and of those who were ambitious of mixing among the great, though it were but in prayers for the weal of their disembodied spirits.

No stone of the ancient Chapel is now discernible. What became of its revenues when it was silenced, we can conjecture from knowing the destination of most of the ecclesiastical endowments ; which were carefully diverted from the possibility of ecclesiastical abuse any more, and found a safe asylum, from even religious uses, in the pockets of the reforming nobles. A document among the Bourtie papers records an appointment to one of the chaplainries, after the ditties of such office had become impossible. On 28th March, 1600, David, Bishop of Aberdeen, gave "collation to Mr. George Seton in the Chaplainry of Collihill, of which the Earl of Mar was undoubted patron ". James Seton was laird of Bourtie at the time, and accountable for the ten libs rent payable to the Colliehill chaplain, who was his own brother, titular Chancellor of the See of Aberdeen at that time.

The last legal form taken by the ancient institution appears in the following extract from a proof of the Pittodrie rental in 1797 : —

" As also the Bight of Patronage and Superiority of the Hospital of Balhaggarty, which of old was the Patronage of the Chaplainries of the Chappel of Garioch, Wartle, Colliehill, Pitgavenny, and Kh'kinglass, now erected into the said Hospital called the Hospital of Balhaggarty, by virtue of an Act of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and conformable to an Act of Parliament holden at Edinburgh the seven- teenth day of November, in sixteen hundred and fifty-one."

In 1599, the Parish Church of the united parishes of Logydurno and Fetternear was erected where the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch had been, and the new parish took the inherited name of Chapel of Garioch. An entrance gateway on one of the walls of the burying-ground, containing a stone with the date 162(3, was, until lately, a funeral porch, through which all the dead were borne into the sacred place, and under the broad roof of which the bier had, in old times, been set down during the solemn burial service.

148 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gar loch.

THE LAST OF THE PRIESTS.

The fall of the Bishop of Aberdeen was broken by several years of respite from deprivation of his lands and position, and he had time to execute a number of charters by way of feu, disposing of parts of the property of the See. These documents, always subscribed by some members of the Chapter, preserve the names of incumbents of several of the Garioch parishes, last lights of the disappearing Church.

A charter of Glastermuir, dated 1549, exhibits Alexander Galloway at Kinkell ; and Alexander Seton, Chancellor ; Patrick Myreton, Archdeacon ; and John Stewart, Treasurer — which three offices carried with them generally, if not ex officio, the charge of the parishes of Bethelnie, Bayne, and Daviot, respectively. James Wawan was the parson and prebendary of Oyne. Bobert Elphinstone, then sub-prior of Monymusk, had been Archdeaeon in 1499 and Treasurer in 1512. A charter by the Bishop of Moray, in 1545, is witnessed by Henry Lumsden, rector of Kinkell — a record which needs some explanation in the face of Alexander -Galloway's signature in the same capacity, in 1549. Henry Lumsden, however, appears in the Chapter of Aberdeen, in 1563, as at Kinkell, after Galloway's death, signing a charter of Torreleith, along with the same Chancellor, and Patrick Myreton, then Treasurer, and John Leslie at Oyne. In 1570, a charter of the Lochlands bears the subscription of Thomas Lumsden at Kinkell, Andrew Leslie at Oyne, and James Johnston at Monymusk. The Chancellor is called Gulielmus Seton ; but in a charter, dated the following year, of land in Banchory-Devenick, Alexander Seton occurs again, and also Patrick Myreton, Treasurer, and Thomas Lumsden, prebendary of Kinkell. In another deed the rectory of Fetternear appears, in 1504, conferred on James Chamer. Andrew Leslie was its last priest, in 1569.

Alexander Seton, vicar of Bethelnie, the Chancellor, was the second son of Alexander Seton of Meldrum by his first wife, a daughter of Patrick Gordon of Haddo. He was uncle of James Seton, the first Seton of Pitmedden and of Bourtie, and of George, his brother, laird of Barra in 1598, and Chancellor himself afterwards, and chaplain of Collyhill.

The last priest of Kemnay whom we know was James Garioch, in 1540. The subordinate chapels of Kinkell fared ill for a long time after the Beformation.

John Leslie, parson of Oyne, was a prominent individual in the Scottish politics of the time. He belonged to the family of Leslie of Cults, descendants of the Harlaw baron of Balquhain, Sir Andrew Leslie, by the Fair Maid of Strathdon, one of that mid baron's enforced lemans, and was himself the son of a priest, as Bishop Elphinstone was — a connection which did not then infer the entire stain of bastardy. Mani- festing at the University of Aberdeen extraordinary talents, he was, in 1544, presented by the Magistrates of the City to the office of organist and teacher of the Song School, with a salary of £20 Scots, when but eighteen years of age. In 1553, he was Canonist, or teacher of canon law, in King's College, but pursued his legal studies afterwards in

The last of the Priests. 149

Poictiers, Toulouse, and Paris, and taught both canon and civil law, and took the degree of Doctor Utriusque Juris. Dr. Leslie took holy orders in 1558, and was appointed official, or ecclesiastical judge, in the diocese of Aberdeen, and next year became pre- bendary of Oyne, the teinds of which he attempted long after to obtain against the possession of John Abercromby, the incumbent. In 1559, dread of the approach of the Eeformation led the Bishop to seek means of securing the valuable utensils and furniture of the Cathedral, and the articles were distributed in charge among the canons. On 7th July, there was confided " to Mr. John Leslie, parson of Oyne, the image of the Virgin Mary, 114 ounces, in silver". One of the witnesses to the inventory was Duncan Forbes of Monymusk, whose brother James, of Corsindae, fifteen years before, had waylaid and seized the whole of those Cathedral treasures, while on then- way to a place of safety from an apprehended incursion of the English. In the preliminary discussions of the questions of the Eeformation, which took place by order of the Lords of the Congregation. John Leslie was summoned, along with Principal Anderson, late vicar of Kinkell, Patrick Myreton, and James Strachan, to hold argument with John Knox and others, in which the rough-tongued reformer stigmatised Leslie as "a priest's giett". "When both parties in the country thought it necessary that Queen Mary should be solicited to return to Scotland, and Lord James Stewart, her natural brother, was deputed by the Eeformers to go to her, the Catholic Lords sent Dr. Leslie on their side, and he managed to get her ear first. He returned with her in 1561, and continued her close and trusted friend until her death. He joined her on her escape from Loch Leven Castle ; was one of her commissioners to appeal to Elizabeth against her inimical subjects ; and afterwards her messenger to the English Queen to remonstrate against the illegal detention of Mary in captivity. He planned the unsuccessful enterprise of the Duke of Norfolk, and for his complicity therein was seized and sent to the Tower of London, and afterwards banished from England. From his retirement in the Nether- lands he sent to his royal mistress a treatise on afflictions and tranquillity of mind, composed for her comfort. The tidings of her death so horrified him that he retired into a monastery near Brussels, where he died, in 1596, at the age of seventy.

Dr. Leslie was appointed Bishop of Eoss in 1565, and was also a judge in the Court of Session. In 1566, by means of a royal commission obtained by him, the laws of Scotland were, for the first time, collected into a volume. They were printed that year in Saxon type, from which they got the name of the Black Acts of Parliament.

Several of the Garioch priests, as well as John Leslie, had held office in Bishop Elphinstone's University. Andrew Liell, parson of Daviot, was rector, 1498 and 1501 ; in 1506, Alexander Cullan, prebendary of Oyne ; Alexander Galloway, parson of Kinkell, in 1516, 1530, and 1549— both his vicar of Kinkell, Alexander Anderson, and himself holding the rank of Sub-Principal occasionally. The rector of 1563 was the vicar of Bethelnie, Alexander Seton, Chancellor of Aberdeen.

Chapter V. THE EEFOKMED KIEK AND KING JAMES'S EPISCOPACY.

Royal Charter of Novodamus to Inverurie — Baillies and Town Clerk— Prices — Manners among the Lairds— Demon craft. The Beginning of the Reformed Kirk— Garioch Parishes — Substitutes for Ministers — New Parish of Chapel — Papists. King James's Kirks— Lordship of Lindores— History of Stipends — First Ministers of Inverurie, Leslie, Prcmnay, and Bourtie— Mr. James Mill — Shakespeare in Aberdeen — Bishops. Education — Foundation of Mariichal College — Dr. Arthur Johnston — Whar Gadie rins. The School of Inverurie under Kino James's Episcopacy — Public Schools — The Gramer Scoill of Inverurie — Masters — Mr. Alexander Mitchell. Urbs In Rure — Burgh Families. Ardtannies. The Mill of Inverurie — Walter Innes — Contemporary Matters — Contract of Multures. The Twall- pairt Lands — The Haughs — The Landward Parish.

ROYAL CHARTER OF NOVODAMUS TO INVERURIE.

J FN Inverurie, the date of the Eeformation is locally remarkable as that of the resuscitation of the municipal life of the Burgh, when Queen Mary granted it a new charter, in 1558 — which document narrated that its ancient evidents had been lost through pestilence, troubles, and negligent keeping, but that it had been a Burgh beyond the memory of man. The Novodanius charter then records and confirms the privileges which had been enjoyed from time immemorial by the Burgh.

These included the right to erect a Market Cross, and hold two weekly markets, on Wednesday and Saturday, and two annual fairs, beginning on the days of the Nativity of the Virgin and of St. Apollinaris, and each continuing eight days. The Burgh, which possessed the right to elect a provost and baillies did not, for at least a century after the new charter was granted, elect a higher magistrate than baillies ; of whom there were generally two, and sometimes three.

Of the transactions of the renovated Burgh after the Novodamus charter had rehabilitated it in municipal rank, only a single fragmentary scrap older than 1600 remains. It is a torn portion of the Michaelmas election of magistrates in a.d. 1580; and is interesting as illustrative of the State policy of the time, and the transitional condition of the affairs of the municipality : —

" The said day the haill burgesses and . . . burgh, after long and discreet reasoning ... off the necessities and weil of the toune . . . elected William

Royal Charier of Nonodamus to Inverurie. 151

Leslie and William M'Kie . . . Aue year to minister justice equalie . . . elyk without respect of persones or parties . . . maintain and defend the religion now stab . . . realme, &c.

" The said day John Johnston, John Robertson . . . and William Thomson are elected and chosen he com ... off the haill burgers and communitie to be demesters barleymen, as thai are called to . . . geir and biggings, march landis even debaitis ... of controversys among the nybours for one yeir . . ."

The town clerk of that date, and the first of whom manuscript record exists, was Mr. Alexander Davidson, notary public.

The will of David Chalmers of Balbithan, who died in 1580, affords an interesting record of prices obtaining at the time. His inventory contained — 24 drawin oxin, worth each 8 lib. ; 12 ky, four thereof with ther kair at their feitt, 8 merks each ; 3 stirkis, ane yeir auld, 30sh. each ; 8 quoyis, twa yeir auldis, 8 lib. ; 3 hors, 8 lib. each ; 3 meirs, twa with foilis at ther feit, 6 lib. 6sh. 8d. each ; 6 score auld scheepe, 20sh. each ; 50 lambs, lOsh. each ; 18 scoir bollis aittis and 26 score in the barnes and barne- yeardis, each boll with the fodder, 26sh. 8d. ; 60 bolls beir, and 5 score 8 bolls in barn and yard, 40sh. with fodder ; 12 bolls quheit, and 19 bolls 2 peccis in barn and yards, 3 libs, with fodder.

A sudden transformation of the rude manners of the people was not to be looked for from a Reformation which had religious considerations only in part, and considera- tions of plunder, in a very large measure, as its moving causes. The moral reformation had yet to come ; and the rough rule of force continued as before in the case of clashing interests.

Notice has been already taken of the action raised, in 1573, by Lord Forbes, in the Court of Session against the Sheriff of Aberdeenshire himself, the Earl of Huntly, for oppression of the kinsmen and vassals of the house of Forbes. Among the Forbes's adherents enumerated was George Johnston of that Ilk, and three of his near relatives. That laird of Caskieben was son of William Johnston, younger of that Ilk, who, in his father's lifetime, was killed in the battle of Pinkie, in September, 1547. He was himself Lord Forbes's son-in-law, and father of the well-known Dr. Arthur Johnston ; and of twelve more children, providing for whom much impaired the family estates.

In 1584, the laird of Owchorsk (Aquhorsk) was slain, in Aberdeen, by another laird, John Chalmers of Balbithan ; and six years later, in 1590, Chalmers's cousin, Alexander Seton, the young laird of Meldrum, was killed by his neighbour, William Kyng of Barraucht, and his brother, David Kyng, "and their complessis ". In February, 1587, Balquhain, with fifty horsemen, made a bragging raid upon the town of Aberdeen. Next month, his son with twenty followers, made another raid upon the house of Achnacant, in Buchan, in which murder was done. In 1595, William Kyng was at " deidlie feid " with James Cheyne of Straloch. Their two estates are now the property of one and the same owner.

152 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

So late as 1606, the heads of the principal families of Forbes came under a bond, on the part of the whole clan, to deliver up a brother of Forbes of Corsindae, and some others, for murdering a servant of Irvine of Artarnford, and for the attempted murder of some of the Irvine race, to the sentence of Alexander Irvine of Drum, their chief. The penalty inflicted was 2000 pounds for the murdered man, and for the wounding of two other individuals, 1000 pounds to each of them.

Belief in demoncraft was, in 1594, so prevalent that ministers and elders were directed by the Church to make all efforts to put an end to the superstitious practice of leaving a " good man's croft " uncultivated on a farm or estate. It was a piece of ground left to the occupation of supernatural beings, in honour of whom the tillers of the soil threw stones upon it with some ceremonies. Inverurie, Monkegy, and Forgue all furnish examples of the practice. The order of the Church must have got scant attention, for it had to be repeated a century afterwards.

In 1596, four pirates were hanged at the pier of Aberdeen ; and next year several women were burned as witches. In that same year — 1597 — a witch, Isobel Straquhan, alias Skudder, was too near Inverurie for its peace of mind. When she had brought to trial, " The haill browsteris, smythis, and millwartis within the parochin of Fintrey were summonitt to testify against her ". Part of the evidence was that " she com to the Mill of Kaskieben, and askit meill from the millwart, and he refusit to girf her ony ; and for rewenge thereof, she passed to the niillquheillis, and with her witchcraft causit both of the quheillis of the mill to brak ".

The continuous records of both the parish and burgh of Inverurie begins three years after Skudder thus "reistit," as the phrase went in minor witchcraft, the wheels of what is now the Mill of Keith-hall.

THE BEGINNING OF THE REFORMED KIRK.

Two years after the Novodainus charter was granted to Inverurie, the Scottish Parliament sanctioned the reformed doctrines ; and the General Assembly of the Eeformed Church met. The celebration of mass, in 1562, in the Chapel of the Garioch, when Queen Mary was present, is but one of several proofs that the Reformation spread slowly in Aberdeenshire. Indeed, it seems to have established itself as tardily as the Church of the Revolution Settlement, 130 years afterwards, gained ground in the country — when twenty years elapsed ere all the pxilpits of the Synod of Aberdeen could be filled with Presbyterian ministers. In 1570, only about twenty ministers were obtainable for all Aberdeenshire. There were but few in the Garioch. One only, Mr. John Abercromby, minister of Owne (Oyne) and Premnay, had the vicarage and parsonage income — an exceptional case, due, perhaps, to the circumstance that he was himself laird of Westhall, his father being proprietor also of a good deal more of the parish. Generally the ministers got but a third or other part of their benefices — from 40 to 100 lbs. Scots.

The ecclesiastical picture presented is the gradual clearing up of a chaos which

The Beginning of the Reformed Kirk. 153

resulted from the sudden vacating of all the parishes, and, along with the disappearance of the priests, the vanishing also of all the ecclesiastical revenues ; one-third only of which had gone to the Crown for the purpose of providing ministers to the parishes, while the rest went in various ways, from the Abbeys and Cathedral Chapters into the hands of lay proprietors. Up to 1600 there was constantly going on a temporary arranging of parishes in convenient groups, under the care of ecclesiastical officials holding the various positions of readers, exhorters, and ministers, who at first resided in the larger towns and only visited their districts to do duty.

Stephen Masoun, minister, was for a little while, from 1567, pluralist, in this way, of Insch, Logiedurno, and Culsalmond ; and afterwards, for over twenty years, had Bethelnie, with Bourtie and Bayne at one period, and Fyvie and Tarves at another, attached to it.

Kemnay, one of the six chaplainries of Kinlcell — which were all deprived of their stipends, Kinkell alone being recognised — shared with Echt and Dalmoak (Drumoak) the services of one minister.

It is in this way that Inverurie first presents itself after the Beforrnation, the central parish, in 1573, of a group comprising Daviot,,Monkegy, Kinkell, and Kintore, under the charge of a great notable of the time, Mr. George Paterson — whose stipend was 200 lb., or £16 3s. 4d. sterling ; out of which he paid the reader at Daviot.

Paterson appears, in the end of the century, commissioned by successive Assemblies to discharge a series of Episcopal-looking functions ; overseeing the kirks in the Garioch, the Laigh of Mar, and the Mearns north of the Mount, on the waterside ; arranging the bounds of Presbyteries as they were gradually constituted; and, in 1592, appointed to watch over the practices of the opponents of the Beformed Beligion. Three vicars, Alexander Mackie at Inverurie, Walter Innes at Leslie, and Thomas Mit hell at Bourtie, all deposed about that time, were probably of those who gave occasion for the watch thus directed to be kept.

The patronage of the kirks was assumed by the Sovereign, along with the thirds of the tithes ; which were made a common fund for payment of the ministers ; and King James appears presenting universally to the benefices.

The Presbyteries, as at first arranged by the Assembly in 1581, included a Presbytery of Inverurie, which got the name of Garioch only in the beginning of the following century ; that of Alford bearing the name of Mar for a time. The succession of ministers occupying the parishes in the Garioch, when the group finally dissolved into its individual elements, contained not a few who are favourably recorded for their status among educated men ; — if not so eminent as their predecessors, John Barbour, Archdeacon of Aberdeen and parson of Bayne, and Alexander Galloway, Collyhill chaplain and parson of Kinkell and of its six kirks. The universities seem to have at that time retained their most accomplished students, after their course of study was completed, to act as instructors, under the title of Begents. The Aberdeen colleges

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154- Inverurie and the Earldom, of the Gfarioch.

furnished not a few ministers to the Garioch from that class of the alumni ; one of whom, Eobert Burnet, was promoted to Oyne, in 1596. A number of examples occurred during the next century.

Logiedurno had a minister to itself first in 1588, when Mr. William Strathauchin served the cure for three years. Alexander Paterson, transported from Insch upon pre- sentation by the King, served from 1592 to 1620. His son became Bishop of Boss.

Bourtie was long in emerging from the system of grouped parishes. From 1578 it was in charge of James Johnston, minister of the parish of Monymusk ; but it had a minister of its own in 1595, in the person of William Barclay, who went to tnsch in 1596. Stephen Masoun is said to have served Meldrum and it for some time after ; but in 1611 Gilbert Keith became minister of Bourtie alone, and he lived through great part of both Episcopacies, as well as the intervening Covenant period.

Culsalmond, after a course of Readers from 1567 to 1595, had apparently its first minister, Thomas Spens, before 1607.

Daviot, after a period of Beader incumbency, was to have had Patrick Myreton (probably its former parson) for its first minister in 1573 ; but he did not accept the king's presentation, which was given, the same year, to the minister of Belhelvie, George Paterson, the individual who played the part of a small bishop for more than twenty years in the Garioch.

Insch, along with Logiedurno and Culsalmond, was Stephen Masoun's first charge in 1567. Before 1585, Walter Robertson, transported from Clatt, was minister of Insch, with Culsalmond, Kinkell, and Kintore added ; and leaving it for Oyne, gave place to Alexander Paterson, minister of Logie-Durno, in 1592. William Barclay, leaving Bourty, served the cure of Insch from 1596 till 1603, obtaining his presentation in 1599. The Records of the Family of Leslie name a vicar of Insch — James Spence — son of Spence of Boddam, the husband of a Leslie of New Leslie, another of which family married the minister of Inverurie, about 1603.

Inverurie appearing first under the charge of the pluralist, Mr. George Paterson, became the parish of Alexander Mackie ; whose deposition was followed by the king presenting Mr. James Mill, in 1600, to Inverurie and Monkegy.

Kemnay, a subordinate kirk of Kinkell, was left unprovided for at the Reformation ; John Walcar, the minister of Kinkell, served it for two years, before 1602, for nothing.

Kinkell, the ancient Templar Church, head of six others, had only a Reader up to 1580 ; and from 1586 to 1597 shared the services of its minister, William Johnston, with the adjoining parish of Kintore. John Walcar was there in 1599. He was formally presented in 1613 to the benefice of Kinkell, comprehending the kirks of Kinkell, Skene, Drumblait, Kemnay, Dyce, Kintore, and Kinellar.

Kintore, part of the Presbytery of Aberdeen in the Reformed Church, until it was united to Garioch in 1702, had William Forbes as its first minister ; and lost him because, like Kemnay, it furnished no stipend to a minister. He went, without authority of the

The Beginning of the Reformation. 155

Church courts, to Leslie, in 1600, where he was offered a living. His successor at Kin- tore was Archibald Eait, who, however, got a stipend of fifty rnerks (£2 15s. 6fd).

Leslie, after being served by Headers from 1574 to 1591, was occupied in 1600 by William Forbes, the starved-out minister of Kintore, who had a presentation from the king in 1602.

Bethelnie (Meldrum), the centre of successive groups — first Bethelnie, Bourtie, and Rayne, in 1574 ; next, in 1585, Bethelnie, Fyvie, and Tarves ; and later Bethelnie and Bourtie, and unconnected after 1601 — was served by Stephen Masoun, previously of Insch, from 1574 to 1612, when he removed to Slains, in Buchan.

Monymusk, the first seat of Christianity in the Garioch, was presented to, soon after the Reformation, by the King. James Murray was to have it and Kynnairny (Kinnernie), together with 100 merks of stipend. He served from 1567, and was presented in 1573 ; but apparently never collated. He continued as Reader until 1589. John Forbes, son to Duncan Forbes, laird of Monymusk, also had a presentation in 1572, .but' was not admitted. The first settled minister was James Johnston, the vicar of 1570, a cadet, it is believed of Caskieben. In 1574 he had Cluny also in charge, with a pension of 1 33 libs. 6s. 8d, or £ 1 1 2s. 3|d. In 1576, he had Monymusk only, and Bourtie was added, 1578 to 1593, after which year Fetternear was substituted. He died 19th March, 1615, aged 76. In 1607, he disponed to his son one third part of Aquhorthies.

Oyne was the only parish in the Garioch able to retain its stipend at the Reformation. The incumbent, in 1570, was the laird of Westhall in that parish, John Abercromby, son of Abercromby of Pitmedden. He had Premnay also in charge ; and, in 1574, Logie- durno likewise — he died before 1586. Walter Richardson was, in that year, presented by the king, — a presentation, in April of that same year, to the vicarage and parsonage of Rayne, " callit the arch-deaconry of Aberdeen," not having been carried out. The well-known bishop of Ross, John Leslie, who had previously been minister of Oyne, attempted to obtain possession again; but Richardson continued until 1595, when he was translated to Gartly. Robert Burnet, Regent in King's College, was promoted to Oyne, in 1596. He was permanent moderator of the Presbytery, under the first Episco- pacy ; having been appointed by the Assembly in December, 1606, the Privy Council ordering the Presbytery to receive him.

Premnay, carried on by Readers from 1567 to 1599, had Robert Burnet as its minister in 1601 ; and Robert Irving in 1607-8.

Rayne was served by Readers from 1567 to 1580. The first minister, Walter Aber- cromby, was presented, in 1585, by James VI., having Kennethmont and Christ's Kirk also in charge. Next year he was presented to the vicarage and parsonage of Oyne.

Among the notabilities of the Reformed Kirk was one of the Garioch Johnstons — John Johnston, of the Crimond family. He was, at the request of Andrew Melville, appointed his colleague in the Theological department of the University of St. Andrews, when it came under Protestant rule.

156 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The parish, church of Logiedurno was disused in 1599, and a church for the united parishes of Logiedurno and Fetternear (which was still a separate parish in 1586), erected where the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Garioch had stood, the comhined parish inheriting from that old foundation the name of Chapel of Garioch. As has heen noticed, the Pittodrie family, by an Act of Parliament long after the Eeformation, got the patronage of five, or four, of the Chaplanaries of the ancient Chapel conferred upon them ; and these were erected by the General Assembly into an Hospital of Balhaggarty. It was this Hospital which, at some later period, was described as being contained in " two chambers and one mid-room, upholding four poor men who ought to have each one peck of meal and half a peck of malt weekly, to wear livery gowns, and go to church on Sundays before the family ".

In the Garioch, the Romanists, when Mr. George Paterson was appointed in 1592, had in 1588 been too much for his predecessor in the superintendence, Mr. Peter Blackburn. Some Jesuit priests — James Gordon, Edmond Hay, Alexander MacWhirrie, John Scott, Alexander Meldrum, Arthure Pantone — residing chiefly in Moray and Strath- bogy, were complained of by the General Assembly as seducing everywhere in Buchan, Garioch, Aberdeen, and Mar. In the Garioch, the Laird of Leslie, and Andrew Leslie of the Peill, and young Glenbervie (and Kemnay) were named. They had public mass celebrated in the laird of Leslie's chapel, with " twa idols above the altar," and Mr. Peter Blackburn was compelled to desist from visitation by king's letters purchased by the Bishop of Aberdeen. Young Douglass did not continue laird of Kemnay and Glen- bervie, which went to his brother, Sir Robert, he himself becoming tenth Earl of Angus upon his father's death, in 1591. He had become a Roman Catholic, and, in 1592, joined Lords Erroll and Huntly in a plot to restore the old religion, by the help of the King of Spain. He spent the latter years of his life a devotee in Paris, where he built the church of St. Germain de Prez, where there is a monument to his memory.

The nominal bishops superadded to John Knox's Presbyterian form of church, were removed in 1592, to re-appear from 1606 to 1638, and, after another aboli- tion lasting until 1662, were restored for nearly thirty years before the final establish- ment of the present form of Church government in Scotland.

Scottish history, during the seventeenth century, was to be almost entirely ecclesiastical. In the Garioch, the first year of that century brought the first of four or five successive forms of church government which the next hundred years were to see.

KING JAMES'S KIRKS.

The King established the Garioch vicarages of Lindores into parishes in 1600 ; when he erected the bulk of the Abbey possessions into a short-lived temporal Lordship of Lindores, in the person of Patrick Leslie. He was grandson of the Earl of Rothes, and son of Sir Patrick Leslie, whom King James had made Commendator of Lin- dores, when that office was resigned, five years after the Reformation Parliament, by

King James's Kirks. 157

John Leslie, Bishop of Eoss, parson of Oyne in 1569. The King, in 1602, gave John Leslie, son of William Leslie of Balquhain, the defender of the Aberdeen Cathedral, per- manent possession of the Bishop's lands of Fetternear, with the title of Constable of Fetternear, and an annual rent from the Bishop's lands in Clatt.

The charter of erection of the lordship of Lindores, dated 31st March 1600, evi- dences what lands and livings had come into possession of the great Abbe}', founded above four hundred years before by David, Earl of Huntingdon and Garioch. The list included numerous lands and rents in the counties of Fife, Perth, Forfar, and Kincardine. In Aberdeenshire, the Garioch, with the parish of Fintray, was the area within which the Abbey drew extensive revenues and upheld religious ordinances. The Abbey pos- sessions included the lands and barony of Wranghame ; the lands of Craigtoune, Kirk- hill, Wostoune, Christ's Kirk, the Mill of Leslie, the Kirklauds of Auld Leslie ; the lands of Largie, Newton, Wranghame, with the mill and ward of the same ; Kirktown of Cul- salmond, Pilquhyit, Ledinghame, and Williamston, with the mill ; Malingsyd, Flindirs, Logydurno, Etherlik, Kirktown of Insch ; Kirktown of Premnay ; Tillymorgan ; the Kirklauds of Kennethmont, Christ's Kirk, Premnay, Insch, Culsalmond, and Logydurno ; the Chapel Lands of Garioch ; the lands and barony of Fintray ; the lands of Logy- fintray, Fosterissait, Wester Fintray, Langcruick, Milton of Fintray, Balbithan, with the fishing in the Don ; Hedderwick ; Craigforthie ; Badiforie, with the fishing in the Don ; Monkegie ; Westbynnes ; Kinmuck ; Tullycherie ; Wester Disblair ; Easter Disblair ; Cavilsmill ; Middle Disblair ; Smedyhouse ; Smedycroft ; Ailhouscroft ; Inschdero- croft, the salmon fishings on the Don, and house and small garden, and coble fishing at Futtey ; annual rents from Balhagartie, Kellie, and Inverurie ; the Kirklands of Fintray, Inverurie, and Montkegie. The patronage of sixteen churches, including Fintray, Inverurie, Montkegy, Logiedurno, Culsalmond, Insch, Kennethmont, Christ's Kirk, Auld Leslie, and Premnay, were included in the temporal lordship ; but these were all sold by the first holder of the Lindores peerage.

The charter burdened the Lordship with certain stipends to the ministers of those churches. The King had an idea, which he managed by degrees to carry out, that the right kind of Kirk for the monarchy to have in Scotland would be, not the self-governing Presbytery which had been so intractable under his mother, but an Episcopacy in which the Bishops should be dependent on him for their positions of honour, — neither presbyters nor bishops, being, however, in such pecuniary condition as should permit them to be re- fractory. The King, therefore, gave most of the revenues of the abbey vicarages, which he could command, to temporal impropriators ; endowing the parish ministers with the smallest part of them. Each minister, or rector as he was also called, was to possess the small vicarage tithes of the kirk, or kirks, which he served ; and, in addition, a fixed sum of money, namely, Fintray, a hundred pounds ; Inverurie, with Monkegy, a hundred merks ; Logydurno (the kirk to be at the Chapel of Garioch), a hundred merks ; Cul- salmond, a hundred merks ; Insch, eighty pounds ; and Premnay, forty pounds.

158 Inverurie and the Earldom of tlie Garioch.

The way in which the Garioch ministers, successors of the Lindores vicars, came to have so moderate a living secured to them, out of the church jsroperty of their parishes, is explained, in a manner characteristic of the times, by an Act of Secret Council obtained, in 1572, by John, Master of Forbes, against Master James Harvy, factor of the Kirks of the Abbey of Lindores. The Master of Forbes had obtained, under the Privy Seal, during the distribution of clerical spoil after 1560 which rewarded the new orthodoxy, a gift of all the teinds, fruits, and emoluments of the parish kirks of Fintray, Monkegy, Enrowry, Logy-Durno, Prymna, Leslie, Culsalmond, Inche, Christ's Kirk, and Trewle Kirk ; but Master James Harvy, accustomed to the mode of collecting these, had been too sharp for him, and the Master of Forbes was likely to find his Protestant virtue its own sole reward, and so invoked the aid of the Secret Council.

The vicar's living at Inverurie, in 1297, was 33 merks, with the altarage and the tithes of Conglass. The Bishop of Aberdeen had, in that century, obtained a Papal order that the vicars of abbeys within his diocese should have but 15 chalders ; but the abbeys of Arbroath and Lindores got the order withdrawn. In 1366, the ecclesiastical revenue of the parish amounted to 17 merks per vicarium, 25 chalders of victual, 9 merks, and 10 shillings. After King James fixed the ministers' living at 100 merks, we have two valuations of benefices, in 1644 and 1677, when that of Inverurie appears in those different years, £2547 and £2317 — large sums to whomsoever the overplus went which was left after payment of the minister's 100 merks.

A short notice of the manner of the transition, from the ancient endowments to the modern system of stipends, may be here of some historical interest.

The Papist clergy offered Queen Mary part of their revenues, in order to avert the greater revolution then impending. The Crown agreed to take one-third, wherewith to pay stipends to the parochial clergy. The returns of incomes made, beginning with 1560, showed the maximum stipend, paid out of that third, to be but 300 merks, or £16 13s. 4d. In 1564, the General Assembly applied to the Queen for more ample support to the ministers; and a little more was given. In 1567, an Act was passed upon the narrative that the ministers had been long defrauded of their stipends, ordering the payment of the third to the ministers, and their collectors, notwithstanding of any discharge granted by the Queen, "aye and until the kirk come to their full possession of their patrimony, whilk is the teinds ". Some years later, the reformed clergy were induced, by promise of a more liberal provision, to allow the third to be uplifted, as before, by the Crown's collectors ; and a Commission was appointed to modify stipends out of the third. The stipends were not, however, found out of the local teinds, but out of the general fund, and the Bishop's rents were exempted from payment into it. Until 1617, stipends were not provided from the teinds of the respective parishes. By an Act of that year a Commission was empowered to modify a perpetual local stipend. The minimum was to be 500 merks, equal to £27 15s. 6|d., and to consist of five chalders of victual and mone}', together equal in value to 500 merks, exclusive of manse

King James's Kirks. 159

and glebe. The maximum was to be ten chalders, or £55 lis. l^d., and a manse and glebe. The Commission consisted of thirty-two persons, eight being selected from each of the four estates of bishops, lords, barons, and burgesses. In 1621, another Act reduced the Commission to six of each estate, and removed the limit to the stipend that should be modified, but prohibited the Commission from altering or meddling with any stipend settled by the Commission of 1617. King Charles I., in 1625, by an Act of Privy Council, revoked all former grants of ecclesias- tical property made by the Crown, and all Acts of Parliament relating thereto. The nobles, in alarm, petitioned the King, in 1626, to appoint a Commission. A Commission of Surrenders and Teinds was accordingly issued, inter alia, " to make sufficient provision for those churches of which the teinds will be received, if the said churches be not already sufficiently provided ". The carrying of the Surrender into effect was one of the causes of the King's losing the favour of such of the Scottish nobles as had got possession of the church property. These were so incensed at the measure that, it is said, a conspiracy was formed to massacre, during the sitting of Parliament, the nobles whom the sovereign had got to promote his views. In 1641, an Act authorised augmentation of stipends to a minimum of eight chalders, or 800 merks. The Act was renewed in 1644 and 1649, and appointed three of the chalders to be in victual, and the rest in money. In the seventeenth century, the usual amount of a stipend was eight chalders.

The first- minister settled in the Garioch under the new arrangement of the Lindores benefices, was Mr. James Mill, presented to Inverurie and Monkegy by the King him- self. The process of settlement is interesting as differing much from the present usage. The King's presentation, dated 16th January, 1600, at Holyrood, gave Mr. Mill the be- nefice, " in room of Alexander Mackie, formerly vicar, deposed ". His institution, as it was called, took the form of a feudal investiture ; and is recorded in the protocol book of George Barclay, notary public, at that time Town-Clerk of Inverurie. It proceeded upon certain documents, viz. : — the King's presentation, and the letter patent under the hands of the Moderator and Clerk of the Presbytery of Garioch, addressed to Mr. John Walker, minister of Kinkell, directing him to put Mr. James Mill in corporal and actual possession of the said vicarages of Inverurie and Monkegy, and all their tithes.

Three other institutions of that period appear in Mr. Barclay's protocol. The King, in 1602, presented Mr. William Forbes to Leslie, vacant by the deprivation of Walter Innes. Along with the presentation, a deed of collation and admission passed upon it by the brethren of the Presbytery of Mar, was put in the hands of Master Alexander Guthrie, parson of Tullynessle, directing him to give ordination, " which letters he gladly received, and in presence of the persons concernit, openly read the said letters . . . and for obedience thereof received the profession of the said Mr. William his faith to God . . . with his aith of obedience to his ordinar and lawful execution of his office . . . Also he deliverit to the said Mr. William Forbes the bybill within the

1 60 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

said kirk of Leslie . . . and actual, possession of the glebe, manse, and kirkland . . . be erde and stane ". Mr. Forbes thereupon took instruments in the notary's hands.

In 1604, on a presentation by the Commendator of Lindores, and patent letters of collation by the Presbytery of Garioch dated 1st May, Mr. AVilliam Barclay was insti- tuted in Premnay by Mr. George Paterson, rector of the Church of Daviot, on 5th August, " by giving him the book of sacred books, none opposing or contradicting ".

In 1611, at the institution of Mr. Gilbert Keith, in Bourtie, a new document ap- pears ; the first Episcopacy begun in 1606 having attained full recognition in 1610. The presentation issued by Ludovicus, Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley, Lord of St. Andrews, Methven, and Aubigny, dated Lyons, April 29, 1611, was addressed to the venerable Peter (Blackburn) Bishop of Aberdeen ; whose letters of collation, dated 11th July, were addressed to Mr. Robert Burnett, rector of Oyne, and moderator of the Presbytery of Garioch. These were, along with letters of special mandate from the said moderator, to Mr. James Mill, minister of the church of Inverurie, ordaining him to give institution to Mr. Gilbert Keith, in the room of Mr. Thomas Mitchell, the former vicar, deposed. The institution took place 15th July, within the Church of Bourtie, where Mr. Keith took instruments in the notary's hands at ten o'clock, ante meridiem. The witnesses were — Ninian Seton, in Kirkton ; Gilbert Cooper, in Thornton ; John Wischart there ; Andrew Thomson, in Muirton ; James Brewster there. Mr. Keith continued minister of Bourtie, through the whole of King James's Episcopacy and the Covenanting Church which suc- ceeded ; and lived to see the second Episcopacy set up in 1660.

Gilbert was a family name among the Keiths of Aquhorsk, now represented by the grandson of Dr. Skene Keith, once minister of Keith-hall. A Mr. Gilbert Keith was master of the Grammar School of Inverurie, in 1607. About the date of the Bourtie settlement, Mr. Gilbert Keith, Aquhorsk, registered at Inverurie his sasine of a property in Keninay, and one in Schoolhill of Aberdeen. If he was the presentee to Bourtie, he might naturally register at Inverurie rather than at Aberdeen. Another Gilbert Keith was, while barely qualified, promoted from being a Eegent in King's College, Aberdeen, to be minister of Skene where he died before 1638.

The best known to us of these four rectors was the minister of Inverurie. It was his fortune to begin life at the time when the King had a strong desire to establish Epis- copacy in Scotland, as being a form of Church government more likely to help his mon- archical views than he remembered the Church of John Knox to have been under his Royal mother. King James was a manoeuvering monarch, and treated the Assembly of the Kirk to a good deal of browbeating, besides favouring it with not a few fast and loose promises. Mr. James Mill had, in his youthful zeal, taken part in a meeting of the General Assembly convened, in 1604, at Aberdeen, which showed more front against the King's practices than the Sovereign was prepared to permit ; aud the Privy Council took the opportunity to teach the few ministers who attended a sharp lesson, which

King James's Kirks'. 161

others might perhaps read, and thus save future trouble. Some were imprisoned. Mr. Mill was admonished to restrict himself to the clerical duties of his own parish ; and seems to have thought the advice a prudent one to follow. "We owe some interesting notices of his times, to his enforced abstinence from ecclesiastical politics. He became a quiet overseer of his diversified flock, enjoying social position — and apparently culti- vating it in each of his two marriages ; sometimes taking a share in municipal business as a Town Councillor, and seeking the permanent benefit of his parish by means of improved educational machinery. He was fond of recording events, in his parish, in connection with christenings, and last wills, and deaths ; some of his records being of value as illustrating the events and manners of the time. An example of Mr. Mill's evidently enjoyed registrations is afforded by his entries as to his own family :

Mr. James Mill, minister of Inverurie, ane lawful son bnpt. called James. Wit : — Sir George Jonstonne of that Ilk and Caskieben, James Elphinstone of Glaek, Alex. Leslie of Tullos, and Mr. Andrew Logy, parson of Rane, 13th October, lb'30. Quha was borne 2nd October, 1630. Whilk day Jas. Lesly of Achorthies was schot in the richt arm be the laird of Condlan in Frendraneht's conipanie. 9 October, 1630, Frendraucht's house brunt : within it six men brunt deid.

Master James Will, minister, ane lawful dochter borne the sixtent day of Februar, 1632, being Thursday ; and was baptisit the twentie-ane day thereoff, callit Elizabeth. Wit : — George Leslie of Kiiiiiaigie, elder, James Reid in Artonies, Wr. Jon. Cheyne, Mr. Andro Logy, and Mr. Wm. Strachan.

Mr. James Mill ane lawful dother the twenty nynt day of October, being Tysday, 1633, bapt. callit Jeane. Wit : — George Leslie of Kiucraigie ; and Mr. Wm. Strachan, person of Daviot ; and Mr. Patrick Leslie, minister of Kinkell.

James Mill, minister of Inverury, ane lawful son, bapt. callit Andrew. Wit :— James Elphinstone of Glack ; Basting limes, at the Mill of Saphock ; and Mr. Samuel Walcar, 4 Oct. ; who was born 3 of the same, 1635.

Master James Mill and Mariorie Elphinstone, ane lawful sone, borne the fourt day of Januarie, 1637, being Wednesday last, about supper time, bapt. the tent, day of Jan., 1637, callit Alexander. Wit :— Alexander Leslie of Tullos ; Wr. Gilbert Keith, minister of Borty ; Ml'. Samuel Walcar, minister at Montkegy ; George Grub, in Inverurie ; Mr. Alex. Mitchell there.

Master James Will, minister of Inverury, and Mariorie Elphinstone, ane lawful son borne the 28 day of August, being Tysday, bapt. 29 Aug., 1638, callit George. Wit : — G. Lesl}', son to George Lesly callit of Bogis, George Leslie of Kincraigie, Wm. Johnstone, bailyie in Inverury.

James Will, minister at Inverury, and Mariorie Elphinstone, ane lawful dother, bapt. callit Mariorie. Wit : — Patrick Forbes of Blairtone, and Wr. Samuel Walcar, minister at Wonkegy, 31 March, 1640.

The first Mrs. Mill, named Margaret Leslie, the widow of Alexander Leslie, was a sister of the laird of New Leslie. She bore no family to her husband, Mr. Mill. He had married her early in his ministry ; and she brought him considerable means. Mrs. Mariorie Elphinstone's contributions to the population of the manse were abundant for her time. They ceased with her name-daughter : and the minister's last entry was made in the next year, 1641. Of his sons, James — who was born a week before "the burn- ing of Frendraught " — became a physician in Inverurie ; and Alexander, who appeared, on the mundane stage in 1637, on ""Wednesday last, about supper time," was, in his time, minister of Glasgow. Both changed the spelling of their surname to Milne.

The two brothers — admitted burgesses of Inverurie, 23 August, 1675, a few days afterwards had the same honour conferred at Aberdeen. Alexander was ordained to the ministry in Glasgow in 1664, having charge of the west district of the city and parish of

21

162 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Glasgow, till 1689, when Presbyterianism was established ; he was annually elected Dean of Faculty by the University, in the years 1679-81, and died in 1691. His wife who died April, 1716, was Ann, youngest daughter of James Hamilton of Broomhill, Lord Bishop of Galloway. They had three sons, James, Alexander, and John, and two daugh- ters, Barbara and Margaret, who married (as his second wife) her cousin, John Birnie of Broomhill, and had issue. Dr. James Milne, who became a considerable burgh pro- prietor, was in his time the only doctor between Aberdeen and Huntly.

From Mr. Mill's registers, and the Protocol of George Barclay, Notary Public, and once town clerk of Inverurie, as well as from the court books of the burgh, we have the means of illustrating the condition of Inverurie, and, to some extent, the general manners and social life of that period.

Who the clerical neighbours of the worthy rector were, he so far informs us in the above records of christening. They had, in the first generation of the seventeenth century, changed considerably. In Inverurie the welcome given to Mr. James Mill him- self may not have been entirely cordial. The magistrates of Inverurie, in 1600, whose names we have in a contract of multures of that year, do not appear witnessing his induction. The lukewarmness may have originated from local discontent at the depriva- tion of Alexander Mackie, and at the new erection of the parish by King James, in a condition of impoverishment for the benefit of Lord Lindores. Mr. John Walker, then minister of Kinkell, inducted Mr. Mill, by order of the Presbytery ; who took notarial instruments, in presence of Mr. William Forbes, minister of Kintore, William Kyd in Inverurie, James Tailyeour there, John Gibb and Alexander Udny in Monkegy, Mr. Bartholomew Bobertson in Inverurie, Arthur Forbes, George Kyng, and Bonald Chein.

The year after King James presented Mr. Mill to Inverurie, his Majesty was in Aberdeen, and had in his suite a company of players, one of whom was William Shakespeare — as believed by the great dramatist's latest commentator, Mr. Charles Knight.

The Bishops under whom Mr. James Mill served the cure of Inverurie were mostly connected with the Garioch district. Mr. Peter Blackburn, the second Protestant Bishop of Aberdeen, was brother-in-law of John Johnston of that Bk and Caskieben and of Dr. Arthur Johnston. He held many offices, having been, under the Beformed Kirk, Commissioner, before Mr. George Paterson, over the Kirks of the Garioch, Laigh of Mar, and the Mearns north of the Munth, on the side of the Dee, and after 1606, King James' Bishop of Aberdeen — being all the while minister of Aberdeen and a Begent of Marischal College. Bishop Blackburn died in June, 1616.

Bishop Alexander Forbes, who succeeded Blackburn, was previously Bishop of Caithness ; to which rank he had been promoted from being minister of St. Cyrus in Kincardineshire. He was son of John Forbes of Ardmurdo, whose death (July 8, 1592, aged 65) is recorded on the back of the tombstone of Gilbertus de Grie . . , in the church of Kinkell ; and which John was the fourth laird of Ardmuido of the surname

State of Education — Foundation of Marischal College. 163

of Forbes. The Bishop died after less than two years' incumbency of the See of Aberdeen.

The successor of Alexander Forbes was the celebrated Bishop Patrick Forbes, laird of Corse, Bishop of Aberdeen from 1618 to 1635. In his care to foster education within the two Universities contained in his diocese, he was a worthy successor of the early bishops, Elphinstone and Dunbar.

Adam Ballenden, who appears in Mr. Mill's entries, was the last Bishop of Aber- deen of the succession revived by King James. The General Assembly of 1638 de- posed Bishop Ballenden for consecrating a chapel to " an infamous woman, the Lady of Wardes ".

STATE OF EDUCATION— FOUNDATION OF MARISCHAL COLLEGE..

The end of the sixteenth century, which was almost reached before the desolated parish churches were supplied with permanent ministers, brought about one event to be set against the universal dilapidation of churches and schools which the barons of the Beformation effected. The Marischal College was founded in Aberdeen in 1593, con- sisting of a principal and four professors of philosophy ; a small equipment, which was, however, augmented speedily, and by a succession of benefactors, making it ultimately an institution of incalculable value to the North of Scotland ; which, by means of it and the much older King's College, came to attain pre-eminence in education over the whole kingdom. It was founded as a Protestant University by the inheritor of the revenues of the Abbey of Deer, George, fifth Earl Marischal, nephew of Bobert, Commendator of Deer, who had been created Lord Altrie, with a charter of the possessions of the Abbey, but died without male issue. The Earl was aided in his patriotic plans by the Magis- trates of Aberdeen, who made over for his college the buildings of the Greyfriars' Monastery, which they had purchased for 1800 merks. The monastery was built about 1471, on lands granted in 1469 by Bichard Vaus of Meny, burgess of Aberdeen, to the Franciscan Friars, lying on the east side of vims fur ear am, or Gallowgate, and at the Beformation was ordered by Begent Morton to be set in heritable feu, except as much as was necessary for the use and sustenance of the poor.

The Earl Marischal who founded the College was one of the most accomplished of his line; and of such pre-eminence in the State as to be chosen, in 1609, by King James, then King of England, Commissioner to represent him in the Scottish Parliament. He had doubtless been observant of the need existing for a better educated clergy. Twenty years before he founded his University, the General Assembly forbade any person to be admitted to the ministry who could not interpret the commentaries made in Latin, and speak congruous Latin, and ordered ministers who had not books to be supplied with them by the collector of stipends and paid from their stipends.

The erection of the Protestant College was an outcome of that already eventful struggle between the old and the new forms of religion, which was for a hundred years

164 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

more to give rise to the most important contests which marked that period in the district served by the University. In the year after Marischal College was founded the Battle of Balrinnes, celebrated in song, was fought hi Glenlivat, the first of many conflicts in which the houses of Gordon and Forbes, long feudal antagonists, stood against each other in arms for religious causes. The Popish Lords as they were called, viz., the Earls of Huntly, Erroll, and Angus, (the last the son of the laird of Kemnay and Gleii- bervie) had been engaged in the conspiracy with the King of Spain to reimpose Popery upon England and Scotland, which led to the disastrous attempt of the Spanish Armada — one of whose ships was sunk near Lord ErroU's Castle of Slams. The Aberdeenshire allies were, in 1594, in arms again for mutual defence against the apprehended severity of the Crown. In the royal force sent against them under the Earl of Argyll, then a youth of nineteen, the eighth Lord Forbes was second in command. A marriage had united the houses of Gordon and Forbes by ties of blood, but the irreconcdable religious and worldly interests of Protestantism and Eoman Catholicism, continued to arrange them against one another ; along with the Hays, Leslies, Setons, and Leiths on the Gordon side, and the Johnstons, Keiths, Elphinstones, and Frasers on that of Forbes. Lord Forbes married a daughter of the Earl of Huntly, who fell at Corrichie, and it was against her nephew, afterwards first Marquess of Huntly, that he was present in Glenlivat. The Protestant Lord Forbes was also nearly related to the Earl Marischal ; and his sister was the mother of the large family left orphans at Caskieben the year before, of whom the youngest son was to be the first Professor of Mathematics in the Marischal College, in 1626. In less than half-a-century after the latter date, the ancient barony of Caskieben was to pass through the hands of a bondholder, from the Professor's nephew to a grandson of the learned Earl Marischal, the first of the Earls of Kintore.

The foundation of Marischal College serves to bring into our notice Dr. Arthur Johnston, afterwards celebrated as a Latin poet, who was one of the earlier students in the new institution, and was a cadet of the house of Caskieben. His father, George John- ston of Caskieben (the son of William Johnston, who fell at Pinkie), died in 1593, the year in which Marischal College was founded, leaving six sons and seven daughters by his wife, Christian Forbes, dauglrter of Lord Forbes, who survived her husband untd 1622. The second daughter, Isabel, married Mr. Peter Blackburn, already noticed. Under his care doubtless it was that Arthur Johnston and his younger brother William were sent to the new college ; where William, after studying medicine, as Arthur did, and acquiring by foreign travel and study such a position that he taught for some time in the University of Sedan, became the first Professor of Mathematics in his alma mater. These two boys, deprived of their father's care when the elder was but in his sixth year, owed the upbringing which prepared them for the eminence they attained, to their brother, John ; who was already in his majority when Arthur was born. In the poem upon his birthplace, quoted below, Arthur refers with delicate feeling to his eldest brother in the lines —

State of Education — Dr. Arthur Johnston. 165

Beside the stream a castle proud Rises amid the passing cloud

And rules a wide domain, Unequal to its lord's desert.

John Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben ruled his domain from 1593 to 1613, discharging, as will afterwards appear, the duties of his station in a manner fully accordant with the supposition of his having, when in early manhood, acted the part of a father to the younger brothers who were left under his guardianship.

Dr. Arthur Johnston was born at Caskieben in 1587 — when the last of the vicars of Inverurie was giving place to the makeshift ministrations of an exhorter, or reader ; which function Andro Spens was discharging at Monkegy for 20 lbs. Scots a-year. Andro's Latin, it is likely, was not abundant ; for young Johnston was sent to learn that tongue at the school of Kintore, from which he went to the new University of Marischal College. On leaving Aberdeen he travelled, as was then customary among Scottish students of family. He studied medicine and took his degree of doctor at Padua in 1610; and in the same year was Professor of Logic in Sedan. About that time he was, in Paris, laureated a poet before he was twenty-three. He subsequently travelled through Italy, Germany, Holland, and Denmark, settling for several years in Prance. He married, it is likely during that period, his first wife, Mary Kynuncle, a native of Mechlin in Brabant, who died in Aberdeen in 1624. They had at least four sons and two daughters. After his return to his native country, Charles I. appointed him his physician in ordinary, before 1628 ; a promotion for which he was possibly indebted to Archbishop Laud, who was his friend, and at whose request he made his translation of the Psalms of David into Latin, published in 1637, in which year he was rector of King's College, Aberdeen. Several of his children died before 1630. Before 1629 he had again married. His second wife, Barbara Gordon, had a son, "William, baptised at Aberdeen in December, 1636, and noticed in 1659 as his eldest son. William Johnston became professor of Civil Law in King's College in 1669, in which office, he was succeeded in 1673, by a native of Aberdeen, Sir George Meolson of Kemnay, a Judge of the Court of Session by the style of Lord Kemnay. Barbara Gordon survived her husband, and died at Aberdeen in March, 1650. He himself died in 1641 at Oxford, where he had gone to visit a daughter married to an English clergyman, and was buried there. The daughter in whose house he died was either Mary or Susannah, his first wife's chddren. Of the second family there were at any rate three daughters, Barbara, born 1631; Elizabeth and Margaret. According to the Inverurie registers, Margaret was married in January, 1652 — then residing in her sister's house in Inverurie — to George Dalgarno, son to Dalgarno of Peathill in Kinkell. Barbara, in 1656, married, as his second wife, Provost George Cullen of Aberdeen, whose daughter Helen her brother William wedded in 1662.

Arthur Johnston's poetical talent did not leave his native spot unnoticed. In Latin verses of great beauty he described his recollections of Caskieben and Inverurie. He has been ridiculed for the terms in which he fondly recalls the scene ; which is, how

166 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

ever, in certain states of the atmosphere, one of uncommon loveliness. The following is a translation printed of Johnston's ode on his birth place. In an epigram upon Inverurie, he notices that at the ecpainoxes the shadow of Benachie, when the sun was setting, fell upon his native place : —

Here, traveller, a vale behold, As fair as Tempe famed of old,

Beneath the northern sky. Here Urie with her silver waves Her banks in verdure smiling laves,

And winding wimples by. Here Benachie high towering spreads Around on all his evening shades,

When twilight grey conies on. 'With sparkling gems the river glows ; As precious stones the mountain shows

As in the east are known. Here nature spreads a bosom sweet, And native dyes beneath the feet

Bedeck the joyous ground ; Sport in the liquid air the birds, And fishes in the stream : the herds

In meadows wanton round. Here ample barnyards still are stored With relics of last autumn's hoard

And firstlings of this year. There waving fields of yellow corn. And ruddy apples that adorn

The bending boughs appear. Beside the stream a castle proud Rises amid the passing cloud

And rules a wide domain (Unequal to its lord's desert). A village near with lowlier art

Is built upon the plain. Here was I torn ; o'er all the land Around the Johnstons bear command,

Of high and ancient line. Mantua acquired a noted name. As Virgil's birthplace, I my fame

Inherit still from mine.

The concluding line, in its modesty, described the exact reverse of what time has brought about. No part remains of the dwelling of the Johnstons, unless a narrow and tall pile of vaulted structure, forming part of the house of Keith-hall, and called by the servants Caskieben, be accepted as a relic of the Johnstons, notwithstanding its bearing the date 1665 over one of its windows. A deep circular moat amidst fine old trees, near the present house, encloses a space where the ancient and mediaeval lords of Caskieben, from Norman the Constable to the poet's father, held their state. John Johnston died, and the children of Sir George Johnston, his son, were born in Ardi- harrall, another house on the property.

Dr. Arthur Johnston at one time possessed the lands of New Leslie, on Gadie- side, and tradition has given him as the author of a song, which is said to have

State of Education — Dr. Arthur Johnston. 167

discovered to some Scottish soldiers at the siege of Pondicherry the neighbourhood

of a compatriot in captivity — a lady, who made known her place of confinement by

singing—

" Oh ! gin I war where Gadie rins, At the back o' Benachie."

The delightful verses now sung to that refrain are not so old as the siege of Pondicherry, and were written by the late Eev. John Park, D.D., minister of St. Andrews, when a young man. They, with a slight poetic licence, describe the locality of the fertile stream faithfully :

I WISH I WERE WHERE GADIE RINS.

I wish I were where Gadie rins, Where Gadie rins, where Gadie rins, I wish I were where Gadie rins, At the back o' Benachie.

Ance mair to hear the wild bird's sang, To wander birks and braes amang, Wi' friends and fav'rites left sae laug, At the back o' Benachie.

I wish I were, &c.

Oh ! mony a day in blithe spring time, Oh ! mony a day in summer's prime, I've wandering wiled awa' the time, At the back o' Benachie.

I wish I were, &c.

Oh ! there wi' Jean, on ilka night, When baith our hearts were young and light, We've wandered, by the cool moonlight, At the back o' Benachie.

I wish I were, &c.

Oh ! Fortune's flowers wi' thorns are rife, And wealth is won wi' toil and strife — Ae day gie me o' youthful life, At the back o' Benachie.

Ance mair, ance niair, where Gadie rins, Where Gadie rins, where Gadie rins — Oh ! let me die where Gadie rins, At the back o' Benachie.

Arthur Johnston makes reference to the Gadie in one of his Latin compositions —

" Crede mihi, toti notus jam Gadius orbi est,"

and there used to be sung to the well-known air some verses which the writer has heard,

in a form evidently impaired, which may have been part of the song traditionally

ascribed to Johnston- —

Oh ! gin I war where Gadie rins, Where Gadie rins, where Gadie rins, Oh ! gin I war where Gadie rins, At the back o' Benachie.

168 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

I wad ne'er seek hame again, Seek hame again, seek hame again, I wad ne'er seek hame again, To view my ain couutrie.

For its there the bormie lassie lives, The lassie lives, the lassie lives, For its there the bonnie lassie lives, "Wha's promised to be mine.

An' I'll buy to her the silken hose, The silken hose, the silken hose, An' 1 '11 buy to her the silken hose, To deck her ankles fine.

An' a gowden band sail belt her waist,

Sail belt her waist, sail belt her waist,

An' a gowden band sail belt her waist,

Wi' a diamond clasp to bind.

An' I'll braid her hair o' the chestnut hue, The chestnut hue, the chestnut hue, An' I'll braid her hair o' the chestnut hue, As it waves in the summer wind.

Wi' the rose sae red and the rose sae white, Wi' the rose sae red and the rose sae white, Wi' the rose sae red and the rose sae white, For she's to be my bride.

An' syne-awa' to the kirk they've gane, To the kirk they've gane, to the kirk they've gane, An' syne awa' to the kirk they've gane, Where they stood side by side.

An' the bands were tied an' the blessin' said, An' the blessin' said, an' the blessin' said, An' the bands were tied an' the blessin' said, An' a happier pair than they

You wadna hae seen whar Gadie rins, Whar Gadie rins, whar Gadie rins, You wadna hae seen whar Gadie rins, In a lang, lang summer day.

Two portraits of Arthur Johnston exist, both the work of his friend, George Jameson. One is in Marischal College, dated 1623,— the year after the poet was ad- mitted a Guild Burgess of Aberdeen, and when he was contemplating a period of foreign residence, in prospect of which he nominated guardians to his children — James, Ludovick, Nicolas, George, Mary, and Susannah. The curators were Mr. Duncan Forbes of Balnagask and his son, John Forbes, and Gilbert Johnston of Forresterhill, Dr. Johnston's own brother. The other portrait (hanging in King's College) was painted in 1629, about the time of his second marriage, and the year after he published Elegias Dure, at Aberdeen, when the author is styled Medicus Begins. The warm tints, characteristic of the works of the Scottish Vandyke, clothe the gentle and intellectual countenance of the poet with a pleasing atmosphere of colour.

The School of Inverurie under King James's Episcopacy. 169

THE SCHOOL OF INVERURIE UNDER KING JAMES'S EPISCOPACY.—

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

One of the most interesting and honourable efforts of the burgh towards a substantial condition of prosperity in the early times of its renascence, was made in the way generally considered as characteristic of Scotland, and most associated with the welfare of the country. In the beginning of the century, the magistrates had obviously been in communication with the lairds and parish ministers around, regarding the possibility of erecting a school of a superior order ; and the result was that the Laird of Caskieben, Arthur Johnston's eldest brother, became a baillie for one year, and, along with Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, and Xorman Leslie, two other of the baillies, got the council and community to adopt a formal resolution to erect and uphold " a grajier scoill " ; — the neighbouring gentlemen and ministers contributing half the maintenance of the teacher.

The term Grammar School, employed to designate the school proposed to be established, is instructive. It is not likely that any general system of popular education existed before the Eeformation ; and the only schools existing, outside the monasteries, would be grammar, or Latin, schools. Within the religious houses an excellent education was often to be obtained ; and the monks, going constantly about among the people, would select talented youths — as the Scottish parish schoolmaster generously did long afterwards — and induce them to be trained in liberal acquirements, or in skilful handicraft. Men of superior parts were thus secured for the priesthood, as John Barbour had been. Within such religions houses, it is likely, more than in the few schools found in the country, exceptional youths of the upper ranks acquired their accomplishments, who gained for themselves positions of distinction in a rude age, like Stephen De Johnston, " the Clerk ".

In important localities schools had, it is likely, existed for centuries. Thomas de Bennin was rector of the schools of Aberdeen in 1263. The scheme of John Knox to devote a third of the ecclesiastical revenues, confiscated at the Eeformation, to the education of the people, if it referred to the establishment of a novel institution, would be more readily checked bjr the sneers of the reforming lords at the proposal, as a devout imagination, than if it had been a suggestion to render more efficient the then existing means of education.

There had, doubtless, been a school at Inverurie before the beginning of the seventeenth century; but the first notice of such an institution is in 1608, when it is mentioned as being enjoined by the feudal charter of the burgh's lands.

During the first generation after Popery was disestablished in 1560, it must have proved nearly as difficult to find schoolmasters for the schools, as it was to have the parishes served by competent clergymen. The readers, who very defectively supplied the place of parish ministers, may generally have acted, as they certainly in some cases

170 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

did, as schoolmasters ; and many of them being former schoolmasters, or conforming priests, would be qualified to overtake the work in so far as their numbers went.

In 1601, schools were very deficient; for in that year the General Assembly complained of the decay of schools, and of the imperfect education of the youth in the knowledge of good letters and godliness — especially in the uplandish parts — for lack of sufficient provision to entertain a qualified schoolmaster.

The state of education in the beginning of the century is indicated by the number of notaries who found employment ; places like Kirktown of Chapel and Eocharrald appearing as the residences of such officials, as well as cities, burghs, and villages. The frequent granting of wadsets at that period would give much occasion for their services, but the proportion of the population having occasion to transact business, who were unable to write, was large. At the contract of the multures, entered into by the magistrates of Inverurie with the laird of Wardes, hardly one of the burgesses, parties to the deed, signed, except with his hand at the notary's pen.

Inverurie probably contained one of the decayed schools. Dr. Arthur Johnston, son of the laird of Caskieben, laid the foundation of his much admired facility in Latin at the school of Kintore. His school days fell in the latter part of the sixteenth century, when Kintore parish engaged the entire services of a reader, John Chalmers, at 20 lbs. Scots a-year ; besides sharing with Kinnellar in the ministerial services of Mr. George Paterson, appointed at Beltane, 1570, with a stipend of 100 lbs. Scots. The erudition of Andro Spens, who was reader at Monkegy, at 20 lbs. a-year, was not, it is likely, deemed sufficient for the training of the talented Johnston.

The Burgh Eecords of Aberdeen of 1612, afford instructive illustration of the condition of school discipline at that period, the nature of the higher schools, and the resort of the young squirearchy to the schools of large burghs ; at the same time notably exhibiting the difficulty of making great changes by law in social customs. Under date 3rd December, 1612, it is recorded that "the quhilk day Alexander Gordoune, sone to Maister AVilleame Gordoune, commissar of Moray ; Alexander Gordoune, sone to James Gordoune of Lesmoir ; Johnne Innes, sone to Alexander Innes of Coltis ; Johne Johnestoune, sone to Bobert Johnestoune at Kayesniylne ; Hew Cummyng, sone to Umquhill Alexr. Cummyng of Culter ; and Willeame Fraser, sone to [ ] Fraser of [ ], wer accusit this day be Alexander Butherfurd,

provest, for the great enormities, disordour, and abuse done and committit be thame and thair associat scollaris within the Grammer, Sang Schuill, and Writing Schuillis of this burghe, in tacking of the said Sang Schuill upone the first day of this instant December, lang befoir the superstitious tyme of yuill, against the laudabill Actis and statutis maid thairanent obefoir, nochtwithstanding that souirtie wes found be thame that they sould not tack the saidis scuillis at that tyme, nor na uther tyme of the year ; and that thay sould observe gude ordour and discipline within the saidis schullis ; lykewayis for wearing of mines and schoitting thairwith, alswoll on the nicht as on the day, and for

The School at Inverurie under King James's Episcopacy. 171

greit deidis of oppressioune and ryottis committit be thame sen the first day of December, againis diveris nichtbouris of this burghe, in cumeing to thair houssis, and bracking up thair durris and windowis, and maisterfullie away tacking of thair foullis, pnltrie, breid, and vivaris, and als for tacking, at thair awin hand, of fewall and vivaris, cumeing to this burghe and mercat thairof, &c." It appears that the lads had taken possession of the writing school on the first of December, and held it until the afternoon of the third, with hagbuttis, pistollis, swordis, and lang wapynnis, until the magistrates took the insurgents by force, and incarcerated them in the " Tolbuith ". Gil- bert Leslie, reader, and master of the writing school, joined the magistrates in the attempt to establish order, and engaged to receive no scholars in future without sufficient caution for their good conduct. In consequence, he was attacked next day by a party of youths from the country ; and though they were punished, the attack was repeated soon afterwards, for which repeated offence the delinquents were fined, and ordained to receive public rebuke in the aukl kirk of the burgh, in front of the pulpit ; and there to beg pardon of God, and of the magistrates, turning to their " dask " ; and lastly, " to crawe the said Gilbert Leslie, qnhome thay hurt, pardoun and forgiveness for the same, schak handis with him, and promeis newer to do the lyk in tyme cumming".

This account of the " tacking " of the schools, and holding them with offensive weapons, reads exactly like an account of " barring-out " in an English public school fifty years ago — appropriate testimony to the identity of boy nature. The source of the riot — which was the alleged suppression of the customs of the Christmas season — was one that gave much trouble for half a-century to the Church authorities, in the case of the rural population. The circumstance of the culprits in the Aberdeen riot having been all gentlemen's sons from the country, points to the great deficiency of schools in the rural districts, which is noticed in other documents.

The Gramer Scoill of Inverurie appears in its origin as follows : —

20 Oct., 1606.— The Council electit John Johnston of that Ilk, Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, and Normand Leslie, Bailies.

Said day it is statute and ordanit be Advyse of the said bailies, and common consent of the counseill and communitie, to have ane Gramer Scole erectit and upholdin within the said bruch. And for the upholdin and sustenation of the said scole the haill township, be this present act, binds and obleises them to gitf yearlie twenty punds money to help to pay the Scoillniaister's build ; where- upon the said bailies took act and instrument.

19 Oct., 1607.— At the Kirk of Inverurie—

The bailies and counseill being agreeit that the Mr of Scoill, Mr. Gilbert Keyth, his stipend of twenty lbs., for this year for bygane, sail be payit, quam primum, and the saidScoil be main tenit from henceforth : And the said twentie lbs. for the Mr of Scoill's fee, to be payit yearlie as follows, viz., 5 libs, at Ilk quarter. And that out of the common guid.

23 Oct., 1607. — According to ane former act set down be the bailies and conseil for upholding of ane Gramer Schoill, conforme to the narrative of the feu charters of the toune lands : It is contractit and finalie agreeit between the said bailies and conseill on the ane part, and Mr. Adam Barclay on the other part, for teaching of ane Gramer Scoill for ane year, as efter follows, viz : — The said Mr. Adam sail faithlullie and diligentlie discharge his dewtie in teaching the said schoil for ane year, his entrie being at this present Hallowday, iu anno 1607 years. And for sure performance of his dewties — The laird of Corse is become cautioner to the Presbyterie of Garioch, be his letter. And the said Adam has subscribit the present Act. And the bailies and conseill of Inverurie sail gyff to the said Mr. Adam 20 lbs. money, to be payet quarterlie; for the qlk the Thcsaurer William Kob'sone is become

172 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

cautioner, with ane free house and ane chawmer. And the other 20 lbs. to be payit, be the gentlemen and ministers next adjacent to Inverurie, be ane voluntarie collection, for the qlk Mr. John Walcar, minister at Kynkell, is become obligit ; and for the observing of the hail contract hereof the saids parties hes subscryvit thir presents with their hands, day, year, and place above written. Mr. Adam Barclay with my hand. Kincraigy, Normand Leslie, ballyie. Will. Robertson with my hand.

24 Dec, 1608. — Said day, according to ane former Act sett doune be the baillies and consall, for upholding of ane Gramer Sehoill according to the narrative of their feu charter upon the common lands, it is contractit and agreeit betwixt the said bailies and consall of the said bruch, on the ane part, and Mr. George Keith on the other part, for teaching of ane Gramer Sehoill for ane year as fol- lows, viz., the said Mr. George Keith sail faithfullie and diligently discharge his dewties in teaching the said sehoill, for ane year, his entrance to be at the present, as giff it had been at hallowday last 160S. And for performing the said Mr. George Keith his dewties therein, the said Mr. George obleisit him to discharge his honest dewtie. And that onlie on conditions as sail be intiraat to him be the presbeterie, bailzies and consall of the bruch ; and in testification hereof the said Mr. George Keith has subscrivit thir presents, and the said bailies sub. and binds them to pay yearlie to the said Mr. George Keith for the said yeir, 20 lbs., viz., 5 lbs. quarterlie : And other 20 lbs. yeirlie to be payit to the said Mr. George, be the gentillmen and presbyterie of Garioch, for which Mr. James Mill and Mr. John Walcar become cautioners.

10 Oct., 1612. — Court held be Patrick Leslie of Kincraigy and William Robertson, Bailzies ; the sergent calls the court, lawfullie fencit and affermit.

The said day anent the election of Mr. Alexander Mitchell, sehoill master within the bruch, for the educating and instructing of the youth of the same in the Latin Tiling. And to the effect the said Mr. Alex, may haif the better courage to behaif himself diligentlie in his said caling, compeirit the persons and ratit themselffis in payment to the said Mr. Alex, of the soumes of silar and victual respectively following : — Viz., Alex. Porter, Alex. Fergus, ane peck meill ; Mr. James

Mill ane firlotte meill ; John Johnston ; George Mackieson, 20sh. ; John Angous, four sh. 4p. ;

Andrew Hutcheon, 6sh.8p. ; George Grub, lOsh, ; John Mackieson, 26sh. 8p. ; Wm. Robertson, two tirlots meill ; Alex. Badyenot, two pecks meill ; John Rotsone, 6sh.; Thomas Smyth Alex.

Smyth, 12sh. ; John Ronald, ane free house ; Wm. Johnstone, younger, a perk, and lOsh. ; AVm. Stevin, a peck meill ; Wm. Johnstone, elder, 13sh. 4p. ; Wm. Smyth, 13sh. ; John Thomson ;

William Thomson ; umquhille John Johnstone, Robert Taylor, 6sh. ; George Smyth, ane firlott meill ; Patrick Leslie of Kincraigy, ane bow meill ; Walter Innes, of Ardtannes, ane bow meill : Whilk par- ticular persons agreeit the execution of poynding follow.

Lyke as the baillies and consall give special command and direction to pay to the said Mr. Alexander twenty pounds money out of the common guid, and the thesanrer at his next collecting to pay the same : Quhilk particular soume of money and victuale sail be quarterlie callit and upliftit be the bailies for the time, and delivered to the said Mr. Alexander ; the first collection being at Hallow- mas next, the second at Candlemas following, the third at raid Day, the fourth and last at lambas.

And that the said Mr. Alex, may reseid and continue still at the same carriag, during the space above specified : Compeired Patrick Leslie of Kincraigy, and became cautioner to the effect aforesaid,

Whereupon the said Mr. Alexander, for himself and Mr. James Milne, minister of the Kirk of Inverurie, in name of the tuik acts and instruments.

Mr. Alexander Mitchell appears once, or oftener, as re-elected. Trie Burgh records are wanting from 1620 to 1646, and after the latter date they bear no reference to the school, which appears first again, in 1649 in the minutes of the Presbyteiy. His name occurs in the minister's register frequently, and he seems to have discharged his duties with a degree of comfort and security, contrasting strongly with that apparent in the condition of Inverurie schoolmasters when the century was half through. He continued schoolmaster until 1636 ; and possibly until the Covenanting troubles unsettled parochial affairs a second time, and brought on numerous depositions and suspensions of ministers, and excommunications of laymen for malignancy — a constructive crime, charged against those who desired to retain their allegiance to King Charles I., irrespective of the resolutions of the Solemn League and Covenant.

Mr. Mitchell married, apparently, a sister of George Leslie of Eothmaise, one of the

Urbs in Rare. 173

aristocracy of the town and neighbourhood, which comprehended the lairds of Blakhall, Badifurrow, Glack, and Caskieben ; with whom, and the municipal dignitaries, the schoolmaster exchanged such friendly offices as that of witness at baptisms, will makings, &c. Mr. Alexander Mitchell was appointed, in 1636, by the Bishop along with the minister of Inverurie and Kinkell, the baillie of Inverurie, and the Laird of Kincraigie to hold an inquest upon a child, supposed to have met its death by cruel means.

Mr. Mitchell possessed, in security of the marriage portion with his wife, the rood of land in the Upper Eoods, on which the row of cottages, No. 107 High Street, now stands — George Leslie of Bothmaise then living on the lands afterwards called Stone- house. The Over Cobill Haugh (a part of the burgh lying south of the Don), as well as the Broadholme, and the Little Croft, now the north part of Urybank, all belonged, at one time, to Mr. Mitchell. His name does not appear amongst the burgh heritors in a list dated 164:5-6 ; and four years later a charge of horning appears against Alexander Mitchell, son of Alexander Mitchell, at the instance of Alexander Paterson, the burgh Thesaurer.

"What sort of schoolroom the Inverurie teacher then occupied does not appear. Later records respecting repairs of both school and kirk, indicate a shortcoming inclination on the part of heritors to spend money on public objects of that description. The " free house " which John Ronald could give, must have been in Market Place ; the locality occupied by all the Parish Schools of after times. An Act of Privy Council in 1616, which was followed by an Act of Parliament in 1633, had to be resorted to in order to compel provision for the education of the young ; and, evidently, the duty was neither welcome nor extensively performed ; unceasing efforts on the part of the Church, and by degrees the compulsion of the Court of Session, were required to make educational provision general.

In 1649, when the country was settling down again, after the prolonged tumult in social life which accompanied the Solemn League and Covenant, the Inverurie school had to be recommenced, as if it had never existed.

URBS IN RURE.

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, when local records first throw light upon the life of Inverurie, several families of Johnstons, all, it is likely, originally offshoots of the house of Caskieben, had formed the municipal aristocracy, along with a single family of Leslies, who, in a state of ascending fortunes, were becoming, by purchase, or heritable bond, masters of numerous holdings, the former property of Johnstons, Thomsons, and others.

Norman Leslie, a brewer of local importance, had his inclosed square of houses with yards, where Kirkland Terrace now spreads itself ; and he looked across the King's Gait upon a wide expanse of eighteen roods, which he called his own, separated from the

174 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Stream Head by the Mill Gait. Norman had no child ; and a much younger brother, George, succeeded to his property when a boy in 1610 ; and became himself, afterwards, the great man of Inverurie, building a mansion, called the Stone House, on the eighteen roods, and making out for himself a garden, of nine roods' breadth, on the site of his brother's former abode. Alexander Leslie, their father, after succeeding his own brother, William, who was laird, about 1590, of fourth part of Barra, and in Inverurie of the Castlehill and Castleyards, had died sometime before 1G00 ; and his widow married the minister, Mr. James Mill, in 1603. He had a son, James, older than Norman, who went, like many of the Scottish youth of the period, to Poland, and Andrew the son of James, claiming the heritage long after, brought George Leslie apparently to the end of his prosperity.

Different families of Johnstons, almost all having a "William among their sons (and so obliged to use distinctive names, such as Rob's Willie), possessed all the Lower Roods, from near Norman Leslie's to opposite the present church, upon the site of which the manse then stood ; a Fergus family occupying the land where the Station Eoad now is.

The opposite Upper Roods, northward from Norman Leslie's large possession, were in the hands of Johnstons, Fergusons, Andersons, Bainzies, Gibs, and Bodwells. Several kilnbams, recorded as standing on the ends of these roods, preserve the memory of the brewing done in that end of the town.

The market cross stood in the only street of the Burgh, near the spot where the top of it is now built into the garden wall of the hotel. The Gauge Rig, presumably the standard rood, was alongside the Cuninghill or Dava Roods, belonging to the Lord Superior of the Regality. The Town-House, frequently dated from as the Prajtorium in the earlier minutes of the burgh courts, was, it is likely, near by.

The house used for the earliest tolbooth now traceable, was bought by Baillie George Leslie, from James Fergus and his wife, as late as 1643, and stood where No. 81 High Street now is ; part of the regality lands, and the then glebe lands, lying north of it.

The Sketry Burn, crossing the glebe angularly, cut off a five-sided nook of land, upon which the minister's modest square of buildings stood, enclosed by the regulation wall of an ell height of stones, and the rest of turf. His dwelling-house, if like the manse of a century later, had borne a resemblance to two boxes placed one a-top of the other, the upper being reached by a stair, built on to the side of the rooms, and covered over by an ordinary roof and wall, forming a hall, which contained a cellar as well. The kitchen was a detached work of drystone and turf, with three little windows ; — and also detached were a cow-house, hen-house, and barn.

In the Lower Roods, north of the Sketry Burn, now covered over, a rood, wadset in 1580 by a Robert Fergus to Gilbert Craig, was succeeded by a holding of six roods, belonging to John Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, also held in wadset, as many lands then were. Johnstons, Robertsons, Ferguses, Ronalds, Hutchesons, all old

Ardtannies. 175

families succeeded ; a narrow rood of the Kirk Glebe, separating them from other possessors, named respectively Angus, Fergus, Craig, Bowman, Webster, Scott, and Steven,- — to where High Street and Market Place meet. Then followed Johnston, Eonald, Ferguson (the Crichie family) ; a large family of Eobertsons terminating the Lower Eood hardship, and possessing, also, the adjacent Burn Eigs across the Overburn.

Over against these, upon the Upper Eoods, between the manse and the Gallowslack Croft, along which the high road went, bounding the Upper Eoods on the north, were in several cases the same proprietors ; the possessions being generally of portions on both sides of the King's Gait. The early family of Grub mingled with the departing Johnstons north of the glebe ; Baillie William Johnston appearing in a constant succession of heritable bonds, granted over one or other of his many roods, to one great man after another — Wardes, Kincraigie, Blakhall, &c. ; or to smaller neighbours, who became at last proprietors of his holdings, as Norman Leslie did of many of them.

Midtown of Inverurie, occupying the space from 31 to 27 High Street, was in the possession of a family named successively Makkie, Mackieson, and Mackie, their next neighbours being the Craigs, and next the Andersons, both dating from about 1580, after which Angus, of the same date, then an early Walter Fergus succeeded, the Grubs coming next in order. Their large possession, along with Walter Fergus's, filled up the side of Market Place, until other Mackiesons completed the succession of Upper Eood proprietors.

A number of these burgh holders appear in the local records of the time. The body, however, included several non-residents ; even the baillies of the burgh frequently not being indwellers therein, but living, it may be, three or four miles beyond the parish boundaries. A household of the immemorial Bainzies, with possibly one or two Fergus and Johnston neighbours, had their thatched abodes upon the line now occupied by the Town Hall, and stood many a summer afternoon, under their eaves, criticising the play going on among the leisurely burgesses upon the Ball Green, which came up to their doors ; and in winter, looked out upon the skating rink of Powtate, and the snow-ball practice pretty sure to be exhibited when the school discharged its boisterous tenants.

The single street, along which the burgh habitations at that time extended, in the two lines now indicated, began at the Mill Eoad, as it was called as often as by its other name of Kirk Eoad, which crossed from the kirkyard along the edge of the brae above Streamhead and the Heugh Butts, to the Corseman Hill and Ardtannies. Northwards the street and town terminated at the Ball Green. Beyond the Ball Green — east, or west, or north — no bouse was built for about two centuries after 1600.

ARDTANNIES. Before proceeding to give some notices of burgh life in the beginning of the 17th century, which we find in the registers of the burgh, and in those left by Mr. Mill, it

176 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

may be convenient to take a historical glance at the important residence of Ardtannies, the oldest inhabited spot in the royal burgh, and to set before the reader the inhabited condition of the parish around.

" The Ard tonies " is the knowe or promontory of the imps or " little deevils ". Those unembodied spirits which fill up many effective corners of the mythological tableaux vivamts of ancient Scotland, must have had assigned to them, in early times, the deep set angular haugh and its often misty surrounding river, for their shadowy moonlight revels. The spot had, also, undoubtedly active and well-clothed spirits frequenting its rich fishing grounds, and its grassy terraces for peaceful or warlike residence, ages before means existed of recording their names.

Ardtannies first appears in history when the great Scottish King, whose chief messuage (as the Earl of the Garioch) it was, resorted to it, in his heavy sickness, as a quiet resting place ; lying for safety in the hollow, since called Bruce's Cave, situated in the inner angle of the hillside, across the Don from the point of the Ardtannies haugh ; while the select following he had, in his yet struggling fortunes, lay around him, as Barbour describes, on " yonde hauche," and as tradition adds, in the fortified Bruce's camp on the hill of Crichie overhanging his resting-place. From that point he issued to his first decided success, by the battle of Inverurie, in 1308. If we believe, as strategic considerations perhaps compel, that Alexander Stewart, the Earl of Mar, marshalled part of his valiant companions on the haugh of Ardtannies, before marching upon Harlaw in 1411, we know also that he, and successive holders of the Garioch Earldom before his time, held, at that spot, their feudal courts, receiving resignations, and granting investitures, of surrounding estates, to successive generations of lairds.

The next appearance of Ardtannies is in local manuscripts. The Earldom sank out of notice when it was roughly appropriated by the Crown ; and its chief manor-place comes into notice again, in 1510, when it was the property of the second Leslie of Wardes, who was the son of James the Third's treasurer, and acquired the Garioch lands from that King's successor. By the second of his five marriages he was the father of the first Leslie of Warthill At the period now treated of, Ardtannies was, apparently, the occasional residence of Wardes ; but in the way of being occupied by tenants of some social position. Mr. Mill had to record christenings there to Walter Innes up to 1615; afterwards to William Coutts, fiar of Auchtercoull ; afterwards to John Leslie, the son of Badifurra. Norman Leslie, the laird's brother, and Walter Innes's successor in marriage, and ancestor, by a second wife, of the present baronets of Wardes, also lived at Ardtannies.

The Dava with the mill thereof, as the Ardtannies property was described in David, Earl of Huntingdon's deed of gift to the Abbey of Lindores, was, in 1600, styled Ardtannies and the Mill of Enrowrie — Walter Innes being the miller. Among the earliest transactions of the burgh on record is the agreement between the tutor of Wardes and the Magistrates respecting the mill.

Ardtannies. 177

Walter Innes was, in some way, — probably as wadsetter, — possessor of Ardtannies before 1608 ; as his wife is recorded as resigning her terce of the lands. Walter wa8 subsequently farmer, as well as miller.

Gilbert Johnston, brother of John Johnston of that Ilk, and of Dr. Arthur Johnston, had possessed Ardtannies in the later years of Walter Innes's tenantcy of the land, as he is called "of Ardtannies," in 1613, being, it is likely, the then wadsetter of the estate.

In 1621, John Leslie of Wardes gave a charter of Ardtannies to William Coutts, appearand of Auchtercoull, and Janet Gordon, his wife ; which couple had a son, Alexander, christened there in 1622, and Eobert, the year after; — -the baronet of Cluny, Sir Alexander Gordon, and his son, and the laird of Wardes, being witnesses. That period was a rude enough one in such houses. Mr. Mill records a homicide, at Ardtannies, thus : — " John Johnston, callit of Inglistown, son to umquhill Patrick Johnston, dwelling in Inverurie, upon the sevent day of May, 1623, being Saturday, at Ardtannies, was woundit in the left side of his head by ane gryte straik, alledgit strucken by John Leslie of Badifurra, in ane meeting after drinking. Stricken down of the straik, departit this life the 28th May, being Thursday, at nicht — buriet in Monkeggy."

In 1636, David Makkie was miller at Ardtannies. John Leslie of Badifurra was himself the resident at the Hall in 1631 ; where his father-in-law, William Strachan of Tipperty, died in that year.

The transference of Ardtannies from hand to hand was frequent. Sir George Johnston, the first baronet of Caskieben, acquired all the Wardes lands in Inverurie ; he held them only for a short time, when they passed from him, in wadset, to Alexander Jaffray, Provost of Aberdeen. Alexander Jaffray, his son, was served heir, in 1645, in the wadset lands, including Ardtannes ; and, after great part of those wadset lands had passed into the possession of Sir John Keith, the first Earl of Kintore, Andrew Jaffray, grandson of the Provost, was laird of Ardtannies, and was registered in that character in the Poll Book in 1696.

The ancient Hall, which had such a variety of tenants in that changeful century, stood near where a solitary tree, once part of its ornamental planting, remains on the edge of a broad platform overhanging the river haugh. It was a two-storey house, having the form of the letter T. Its tenants in the end of the century proved but of small comfort to the minister, Mr. William Forbes (Mr. Mill's successor), whose misfortune it was to experience the zealous times of both the Covenant and the second Episcopacy. During the proprietorship of the second Alexander Jaffray, the famous Quaker — author of the interesting diary called by his name — a tenant, George Ferguson, was delated by Mr. Forbes before the Bishop, for assault during public worship, for which George had to " satisfy " in sackcloth. Some years later, Jaffray's tenant, or principal servant, a convert to his master's ecclesiastical notions, being, according to the mistaken ideas of duty on the part of the Church, in all its phases, during that century,

23

1 78 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

prosecuted for Nonconformity, made the most of his position to exhibit himself as a martyr, and, without any suffering to himself, contrived to bring down on the minister's head the ban of a persecutor — the Quaker narrative making him be visited with a judicial death in the pulpit.

During the last days of the Hall being occupied as a residence, its close neighbour, the mill, was a busy scene, and continued to be so until a generation ago.

THE MILL OF INVERURIE.

The Mill must everywhere be an institution as old as, if not older, than the Kirk, with which the Scotch proverb associates it. Several mills appear in the Inverurie records. The Castle had, in early times, had a mill on the TJry, the place of which is indicated by the Mdnbutts and the Damriggs. The Mill of Knockinglews was the Mill of Glascha. Aquhorties, long a separate property from Knockinglews, had a mill of its own on the same stream, on the west side of the estate, not far from Glascha. The Mill of Woodhill and Badifurrow stood on the burn of Polnar, where the foundation of it is still to be seen, about twenty yards below the bridge. Conglass and Drimmies were sucken to the very ancient Mill of Inveramsay. The mill known as the Mill of Inverurie was the Mill of Ardtannies. The royal charter of the Garioch lands, given by James IV. to John Leslie of Wardes, in 1510, included Inverowry, with the Dava and the Mill of the same, all as they were held formerly by the Earls of Mar.

The first Ardtannies' miller whose name we have, was "Walter Innes ; he, in 1604, was conjoint with John Leslie, the proprietor, in a contract of multures, which they entered into with the Magistrates of Inverurie, who took burden upon them for themselves, and the burgh heritors. The tombstone of this "Walter Innes is still in the kirkyard of Inverurie, recording his death in 1616, as well as that of his wife, Mariorie Elphinstone, in 1622.

Walter Innes was a man of importance in the community. Living close by the Hall of Ardtannies, the residence of a succession of lairds who dwelt there either as proprietors, tenants, or wadsetters, he appears in the records of christenings associated with the families of Caskieben, Blakhall, Glack, &c. His wife had apparently been one of the Glack Elphinstones. In her widowhood she married Norcnan Leslie, a brother of the unfortunate laird of Wardes, who lost Ardtannies. Marjorie Elphinstone removed with Norman Leslie to Whitehaugh, on Fetternear, where she died. On being buried, she was said to have been awakened from the death-sleep by the gravedigger trying to cut the wedding ring off her finger, and to have gone back to her first home at Ardtannies. The legend has, fittingly, corrupted her name into "Mary Eerie Orie (Meriorie) Elphinstone ". Norman, by a second wife, was ancestor of the more recent baronets of Wardes.

The Mill of Inverurie. 179

"Walter Innes was the father of a large family, some of -whom were infants at the period of his death. His eldest son was a captain in the army ere that time. Besides these he had Walter, who died in 1622, Alexander and John, and three daughters — Janet, Marjorie, and Margaret. He left as tutors to them in their nonage "William Buchan ; Henrie Petrie, burgess in Aberdeen ; James Elphinstone of Glack ; and Mr. James Mill, minister of Inverurie ; nominating also, as " oversmen to his bairnis," my Lord Elphinstone, and his eldest son, my Lord Kildrimmie, the guideman of Auchter- coull, and the Tutor of Cromarty. Lord Elphinstone was, at that time, proprietor of the neighbouring barony of Criehie, by a charter from Wardes, dated 1616, includ- ing the lands of Meikle Warthill.

Margaret seems to have married the miller of Cromlet. in Bourtie, or his father. A family bible, printed 1613, London, belonging to " Waltere Gordon and Marit Inis," went to George Gordon at the Miln of Cromlet (1640-1660), and now belongs to Sir Charles Shand (Chief Justice of the Mauritius), a descendant.

"We are indebted to the singular liking to register facts which the minister possessed, for an interesting glimpse of the social position of the miller of Ardtannies at the time. His will was made, as were many of those registered by Mr. Mill, immediately before his death, being dated 26th June, 1616, the day before Walter Innes's death. The witnesses were John Gordon, in Drimmies ; George Leslie, hi Broomend ; Robert Murdo, in Ardtannies ; Henrie Petrie, burgess of Aberdeen ; and the minister himself.

The inventory included 10 plough oxen, overhead 16 libs, each; 2 old nowt oxen, 10 merks each ; 5 kie and 12 car, 12 m. a-piece ; 6 two-year-old steers, 20 merks each; 2 quyocks, 5 sh. each ; an auld cow, 10 merks; 3 wark horse and mares, 20 merks each ; 60 sheep, at 35 sh. each ; 33 lambs, 7 sh. each. Beir and corn 8 bolls, oats sown 3 sc. (score) bolls ; small corn 60 bolls, and 8 bolls corns in the intowne, insight and plenishing 100 lbs. Item, 7 years' tack of his roume, paying theirfor yearly 16 m. maill and mill suken, 1 2 capons, according to the assedation ; and for the mill and mill croft and the brew croft according to the assedation.

Walter Innes was a somewhat extensive creditor. The young laird of Balquhain, whose family was then getting into prolonged difficulties, as others in that vicinity were, likewise, soon to do, owed him 1200 merks. Among the cautioners were Gilbert Baird of Auchmedden and George Leslie of Kincraigie (son of Bonny Patrick, who died in 1613), and Thomas and John Crombie, in Fetternear.

On the other hand Walter owed Marjorie Innes, his brother's daughter, 300 m. 20 libs. ; James Innes, " now in Pow," 200, and a Gilbert Johnston, merchant in Inver- urie (the first " merchant " we read of) 20 libs. Several individuals are mentioned in the Inverurie records about that period as resident in Pow or Poill, (Poland).

Ardtannies, in Walter Innes's time, was a secluded nook, with no approach up or down the river side, except by a steep path from the top of the height behind it, passing

180 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

the circular structures and table-stone before noticed. The abrupt descent led from the high road which led from Inverurie, along the top of the Corseman to Polnar, Badifurrow, and Fetternear. By that mountain road the vassals of the Earl of Mar, in earlier centuries, had come to the regality courts, held on the haugh where the Bruce encamped in the winter of 1308. On the Sunday mornings of Mr. Mill's early ministry, the form of the stalwart miller would be seen climbing the whinny brae to the level of the " Miller's Park," with his well-connected wife, on their way, to the Kirk, accom- panied by their neighbours Gilbert Johnston, or Norman Leslie, or young Auchtercoull. At the top of the steep they would meet with Kincraigie and his following, or a little further on with Blakhall of that Ilk, whose road was by the ancient highway, across the Dava, past the "merchants' graves". And the appearance of the well-known figures on the height of the Overboat hill would apprise William Davidson, the bellman, looking out from the Kirk green down at the Bass, that the "gentles" were coming. Innes would also have an occasional Sunday talk with other more professional friends, the Glennies, who held the mills of Aquhorties and Glascha ; and while Mrs Marjorie Elphinstone stepped on with her future admirer, Norman Leslie, would discuss the probable multures of the season, as the manner of millers has been since the time when Scott's miller of Kennaquhair paid his annual harvest visit to Dame Glendinning. In Scotland, the Kirk and the Kirk road were, for the two centuries after "Walter Innes left this world, the most usual agricultural exchange ; and no doubt the Corseman hill had its associations of bargain-making as well as the Bialto.

The sheltered winding river hollow must have been a sweet spot in those days ; and as its name indicates, was, it is likely, the scene of legends of the smaller super- natural experiences of earlier times. The broad river haugh, towered over by the steep banks rising on the other side of the abrupt bend of the Don, was the constant prospect looked upon by the solitary priests of Apollinaris Chapel. Unless they and their less instructed clerks, and their humble neighbours on the braes of Badifurrow, were more free from superstition than the rest of Scotland then was, the frosty mists and hazy moonshine which frequently filled the hollow of Ardtannies must have, now and then, to their eyes and ears, sheltered and revealed the forms of the fairy folk, or little devils (tonies), and their rougher confreres, the kelpies — those powerful, but untrustworthy, miller's men whose tricks found as much credit with our despised ancestors, as spirit- rapping does now with some advanced philosophers, who are at the same time above believing in the supernatural narratives of the Bible. The miller's profession continued long to be associated in Scotland with the "black art" or " millerty," as it was called, whereby mill-wheels could be stopped or broken, as the Skudder did with the wheels of the mill of Caskieben.

"Walter Innes had become tenant of the whole lands of Ardtannies, and seems to have given up the mill before 1609 ; for in that year the burgh gained a lawsuit against the Laird of Wardes and Maister George Bisset, his tenant in the mill.

The Mill of Inverurie. 181

A family of Eeids were either miller's men, or millers at Ardtaimies for a consider- able time. In 1611, William Eeid, "at the mill," had a daughter Janet. John Eeid was miller in 1626, when he had a son James baptized, and had been there four years. So late as 1708, George Eeid, mill of Ardtannies, was a baillie giving sasine in a Badi- furrow infeftment. In 1636, David Makkie was at the mill of Enrowrie ; and was, it is likely, one of the locally important family of Mackieson or Mackies, some of whom lived long in Badifurra, and others were prominent burgesses, and one a notary in the burgh.

Contemporary with these early millers of Inverurie, officials of the same craft and monopoly presided in the baronies of Knockinglews and Aquhorties.

The mill of Knockinglews, by that time called the mill of Glascha, stood where the farm called Mill of Braco has its buildings now. Nether Glascha was near it ; and Upper Glascha at the west edge of the wood, near the mansion-house of Braco ; a Brae Croft occupied another section of the slope. The house of Braco, then existing, was on the opposite slope, on the lower grounds of Benachie. A family named Glennie occupied the mill of Glascha, in the first years of the century ; John, William, and Alexander Glennie appearing as witnesses to sasines between 1604 and 1608. In 1622, William Ferar was at the mill of Balqiihain, the same mill. In 1626, William Simmers was miller, and had a daughter, Janet, baptized ; and another, named Elizabeth, in 1634.

The mill of Aquhorties — of which no trace now remains, except the name of the "Milltown Bark" — was occupied from 1611 to 1622 by Glennies, apparently those who had before been in the mill of Glascha : George and John Glennie, were both at the mill of Aquhorties in 1615, and their sons, Alexander, "Walter, and Fatrick were on the estate.

George Glennie, at the mill, and Margaret Forbes had, when they came thither, two sons, William and James. A daughter, Elspet, was born in 1615 ; George died in October, 1623, some weeks before the birth of a twin boy and girl, of whom the boy died, when on the way to the kirk to be christaned, on the 10th December.

The next miller of Aquhorties — Gilbert Johnston — seems to have had the mill before George Glennie died, being called Myllwart in Achorthes on 18th July, 1622 — on the occasion of the christening of twin daughters, Margaret and Isobel. His juvenile inmates were augmented in number, by George, 1623; Mariorie, 1625; James, 1627 William, 1629; and Christian.

William Snape seems to have been miller's man to both these millers of Aquhor- ties. He was there from 1611 to 1631 : and had a daughter in 1611, buried in 1627.

The history of the mill of Laverurie, as a place of importance, continued until a late period. The law of the sucken, as it obtained in Inverurie during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is, however, a matter of interest. The earliest burgh transaction, a fully preserved record, is a renewal of a contract between the young laird of Wardes and the magistrates and inhabitants of Inverurie, respecting the Mill of Inverurie, and

182 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the Dava lands belonging to him. It places before us in one view the notables of Inverurie in 1 600 — the same year in which the new order of Church was fairly inaugu- rated, recalling the Scotch adage of making a " kirk and a mill o't " :

Contract of Multures and Set of Daaehe Lands between John Leslie of "Wardes and the town of Inverary.

At Aberdeen, Dyce, and Inverury, upon the tenth and eleventh days of May, year of God, one thousand six hundred years, it is appointed, contracted, and faithfully agreit betwixt honourable men John Leslie of Cultis, with consent and assent of James Gordon, fiar of Newton, William Leslie of Wardes, George Gordon of Terpersie, John Leyth, appearand of Harthill, curators to the said John Leslie of Cultis, Mr. William Leslie of Warthill, James Leslie of Milnton of Durnoch, John Leslie of Flinders, Robert Spens of Boighall, and James Leslie of Ardoyne, cautioners and sureties for the performance of the said John Leslie's part of the present contract on tbe ain pairt ; William Johnston in Inverury, Robert Anderson there, bailies of the said burgh ; Alex. Leslie there, John Johnston there, Alexander Makysone there, William Robertson there, Robert Fergus there, James Badyno there, William Macky there, and George Macky, his son, John Ronald there, persons of the counsal of the said burgh ; Andrew Innes, Robert Johnston, Thomas Johnston, Alexander Badynoch, Walter Hutcheon and Andrew Hutcheon, and James Tailyeour, for themselves and taking burden on them for the remanent inhabitants and communitie of the said burgh bind themselves, their airs,

and assignees.

That the said baillies, counsal, and communitie shall grind the haill cornes of the said burgh of Inverury, at John Leslie's niitn of Inverury, in all tym coming as iusucken (the fue teynd and myrbeir being deducted as follows), and to pay to the said John Leslie of Cultis his airs and assignees, the multures of the said miln, the twenty-four peck for the multure and ane peck of ilk six bolls for the knaveship yearly, as iusucken duty as said is.

Farther agreed that the said haill inhabitants of Inverury, and the occupiers of the said John Leslie's half daaehe lands, and lands in Stanners pertaining to the said half daaehe lands, as also the said John Leslie's other half daaehe lands of Inverary, called Ardtanis, with the mill lands and crofts of the same ilk ane of them pro rata sail uphold the said mill of Inverary in the manner following — They shall uphold and big the mill-house, big the mill-damis, cast the watter gang, carry stanes and trees to the said mill as insucken for upholding of the said mill and water lead and mill-house, as said is, and the millers of the said mill shall find the hail timber on their own expenses.

If the miller fail of doing his work sufficiently, he shall be tried in a court holden by the baillies, with advice of said John Leslie, &c. &c, as titular's of the said Milne, his baillie or baillies for the time being, and the said miller condemned, shall be fined double of the skaith suffered, and the said miller be removed at Witsunday thereafter, and a sufficient miller provided.

If the inhabitants or any of them abstract corn that should be ground at the mill, and take it to be ground elsewhere, they shall pay double of the multures abstracted to the miller.

Also, said John Leslie shall set in tack and assedation to the said baillies and consal contractors above written, and to sic other inhabitants of the said burgh as they shall all and haill the

said John Leslie's half daaehe lands of Inverury above written last occupied by the said inhabitants of Inverury, at the least ane guide pairt thereof (exceptand always the Stanners' raids and tofts pertain- ing to said John Leslie, and his said half daaehe lands of Inverury above expressed), for all the days and terms of five years next to the year following the said baillies and counsal entries thereon, which was at the feast of Whitsunday last bypast, in the year of God one thousand six hundred years, Payand therefore the said baillies counsel and sic other inhabitants as the said bailies and

coxinsel thinks good to the said John Leslie of Cultis and his forsaids, titulars, for the said half daaehe lands, the sum of forty ponds usual Scottish money, at Whitsunday and Martinmas in wynter, by equal portions allenarlie, beginning the first demi-payment at Candlemas, and if the baillies shall happen to make a set of the said half daaehe lands (deducting as said is), to any other inhabitants, said John Leslie binds himself to agree thereto.

Item, that the said inhabitants of Inverary shall cast eird, fewall, fail], and divots npon the said half daaehe lands, hoil stane therein, lead and transport the same, togedder with the eird, fewill, faill, and divots, to their own use during the five years of their tack.

In witness whereof said parties subscribe this presents written by John Maekj'sonne, son to Alexander Mackysonne, burgess of Inverary, day year and month before represent, before witnesses, James Leslie of 'Ardoyne, Mr. John Leyth, Advocate, John Leslie, servant of the said Mr. William Leslie, Alexander Leslie, burgess of Aberdeen, and said John Mackysonne, writer of the paper.

Parties : — John Leslie of Cultis, Mr. William Leslie of Warthill ; John Leslie, commissioner ;

The Twal Pairt Lands. 183

James Leslie, commissioner ; James Gordon, Fiar of Newton as curator consents. John Leyth, appearand of Harthill as curator consents. AVilliam Johnston, one of the baillies ; AVilliam Robertson, Alexander Mackison, John Johnston, Robert Anderson, James Badynach, and William Fergus, with our hands at the pen led be the notar underwritten at our command. Ita est M. Johannis Leyth notarius publicus de speeiali mandate dictarum personarum scribere rogatus.

George Mackay, Alexander Badynoch, Walter Hutcheon, Andrew Hutcheon, James Tailyeour, Andrew Innes, James Johnston, John Johnston, with our hands at the pen led by the notar, under- writin because we cannot wreit ourselffs. Ita est Joannis Mackieson, not. pub.

Alexander Leslie, in Inverury, with my hand at the pen led by the notar. Ita est Alexander Davidson, not. pub.

Alexander Leslie, wit. ; John Lesly, wit. ; George Leslie, wit. ; James King, wit. ; George Forbes, fiar of Kynstar, wit. ; to the subscribing of Alexander Leslie, Alexander Leslie, servant to John Leslie of Cultis, witness to the subscribing of Alexander Leslie, in Inverury.

The number of municipal dignitaries who were unable to write exhibits the state of education at the period, and also explains the occurrence of so manj' notaries as appear over the country for a long time after 1600.

The contract of multures was prosecuted on in 1604, by John Leslie of Wardes, " and "Walter Innes, niilner at the said John Leslie's miln of Inverury, callit the milu of Artanies ". Young Wardes, it is likely, held Cults in marriage provision.

The connection of the burgh with the mill appears frequently afterwards in some- times graphic orders by the magistrates, for the muster of the burghers, about the dam- dyke, and other works, which they had to keep in repair. From a case at Leslie, in 1601, it appears that seisin of a mill was given by putting the mill clap into the hands of the new proprietor, as the appropriate symbol of ownership.

THE TWAL PAIRT LANDS.

In the latter half of the preceding century the formation of crofts out of the common lands of the burgh had been begun. All the lands within the burgh boundaries, lying around the two ranges of Upper and Lower Eoods, held immediately of the Crown by individual proprietors, were originally the property of the burgh ; except the Dava lands enumerated in the contract of multures given above, which were the por- tions retained by the Lord Superior of the Kegality from David of Huntingdon's time, until King James IV. bestowed the same on John Leslie of Wardes.

The common lands were of various values. Among the untilled rough pastures lay portions of better quality, which were early brought under cultivation. These were known by peculiar names. The Burn Rigs lay north of the Overburn and the Ballgreen at right angles to the burn. Across their northern extremity were a few strips called the Content Butts. East of these rigs and butts lay a fan-shaped cluster of long triangular strips named the Crawstane Butts ; and eastward from these, abutting on the Northburn, lay a wide range of long rigs, intersected by the road to Meldrum, called the Longland Folds, extending from the Crawstane Butts nearly all the way to the Ury, and had the North Burn for their south boundary. Other minute portions of cultivated twelfth-part lands lay in the Stanners, Currie's Haugh, and the Hungry Hill.

From an unknown date — possibly that assigned by local legend to farmer Bainzie

184 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

and his eleven sons, the good soldier of Eobert the Bruce at the battle of Inverurie — these cultivated patches of the common lands had been divided into twelfth parts, to each of which was appended in property a portion of pasture ground in the haughs or moors, which lay uncultivated on the outer edges of the burgh lands. Whether the term " Twal Pairt," the designation of those lands held in feu of the community, was due to an original distribution into twelve equal portions by royal gift, or to any other circumstance connected with the lands themselves, is unknown ; but the parts had, by the time of the earliest notices, become divided into half-twelfths and quarter-twelfths, and some were aggregated into larger holdings.

Crofts existed also of the common lands. Within the cultivated twelfths, now described, were Eobin's Croft, now the east side of Constitution Street ; and the Crosslet Croft at the junction of West High Street with Market Place ; whde the Gallowslack Croft at the Porthead lay opposite, bounding the Upper Eoods. Brandsbutt very early appears at the Burgh's march with Blackball ; and on the opposite side of the burgh was Crofthead on the Don adjoining Upperboat, the east extremity of Ardtannies.

The common lands called Twelfth Parts had, within the memory of persons living in the beginning of the seventeenth century, been held not in absolute property, but merely by a right of cropping in turn. Originally, or at anyrate, about the middle of the seventeenth century, the owners of Twelfth Parts had their lands divided among them periodically by lot, according to the number, or the fraction, of the standard " part " to which they had right ; and the pieces falling to them were cultivated by them untd a new distribution was resolved upon. This method of cultivation had been felt to be so inconvenient that, before 1580, it was entirely abandoned, and the magistrates issued charters giving the twelfth-part owners possession of allotted shares in permanence.

That completion of the settlement of the twelfth-part properties, in this form, was established on evidence in 1616, in a process before the Burgh Court, which originated in a prosecution for the strong-handed uplifting of a neighbour's crop from a portion of twelfth-part lands. The offender was the John Mackieson, the 'writer of the multure con- tract. He pleaded, in defence, the old custom of the burgh of working the common lands in cavel, or turns arranged by lot ; and William Johnston, the baillie, contracting in the same multure settlement, who was in 1616 a very old man, gave evidence as to the system being changed in, or before, his boyhood.

These cultivated, or intown twelfth-part lands lay close to the Roods, almost all on the north-east side. Outside the Roods and twelfths lay a number of less valuable portions, seldom tilled, some of them never cultivated, which were let to individuals, or used as common folds for the burgesses' cattle or sheep. Others were outfield portions of the twelfth-parts, belonging to the owners of particular intown portions.

Beginning at the southmost meeting point of the Regality Dava lands with the Burgh Lands — Crofthead, the Heugh Butts, the Streamhead, and the Ducat Haugh and

The Twal Pairt Lauds, 185

Donbraes filled up the bank of the river Don, to the point where Killiewalker, an occa- sional water course lying between the Don and the Ury, is crossed to the great peninsula called the Stanners. The Royalty included the Broominch, lying in the Don, and, across the river, the Over Cable Haugh, between the stream and the barony of Crichie.

Filling up the centre of the Stanners in an order from north to south, the Bearbutts, adjoining Killiewalker and the Kirkgreen — were followed by the Short Croft and Cairnbutts, in line with the Long Croft ; the Madder Yards lying south of the former while Goodman's Croft, Castle Croft, lay south of Long Croft ; a large patch of culti- vated Common Butts farther south completed the middle portions. Bound the river side the Coble Haugh and Cable Tack were upon the Don, with the Greenleyford, and the Feaseland, in continuation — on to the junction of the Ury with the Don. Along the Ury northwards, the Child Big, Dambutt, and Millbutt, separating the Broadbank from the river, conducted to the Castle Yards ; which occupied the broad north end of the Stanners containing the Castle Hill commonly called the Bass.

Upwards, along the Ury from Killiewalker, small patches called Grant's Barrel, Gibbon's Butts, and the Sax Bigs, led to the meeting of the Lower Boods with the river ; which north of that point sweeps round an extensive haugh, almost level with the stream, called the Cruick, the north end of which is the Broadholme and the Horn Butts. The Bive Haugh, containing the Lint Butts, lies between the Cruick and the immemorial skating ground of the Inverurie school boys, the Currie, on Currie's Haugh. Gordon's Haugh next fills the space between the Boods and the Ury to the North Burn. Beyond the Burn the Souterford Haugh, marching with the great field of Longland Folds, reaches from Jossford to Souterford, where the high road to Old Meldrum crosses. The Boat Haugh there lies between the river and a mass of common lands called the Hungry Hill, the Scabbedley Folds and Faughs, and the Harps Haugh. The Puddockburn Butts are next on the river side, and the Willanwell Haugh which includes a Swandale Haugh. Patches of Boynds and Portstoun separate these from each other, and from the Sandyknow at the north-east corner of the Upper Haughs, where the Ury receives the Lochter Burn. The Ury, straightened in 1875, had formerly numerous sharp turnings on the north end of the haughs, one of which gave form to a rectangular little tongue of land called the Butt of Balhaggarty. Where the course of the Ury is again north and south, lay Johnnie Aukl, and Leslie's Horn, and the Coble Haugh, one north of the other until Howford and the boundary of the Boyalty was reached.

Inside the bounding line of haughs now described, lay the Burghgate Folds, south of which came the Fouldub Folds, reaching nearly to the Content Butts. A wide central tract of uncultivated " Dava," called the Burgh Muir, lay west of these, skirted on the north and west by the Calfward, the Whiteleys, and Leslie's Croft, and on the south-west by the Corsfaulds, Middlemuir, and the Rutherfords ; while south of the Burgh Muir, the Gallowfold, of which the Broomfold was a part, filled up the space to the Upper Boods and Kellands, called in early deeds Keylands. Eastward of the

24

186 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Gallowfold, Robin's Croft, now the east side of Constitution Street, adjoined the Bum- lands, of which Crosslit Croft was a part, opposite to which the Gallowslack Croft, afterwards called Porthead, lay close to the Upper Eoods. A later addition was Chelsea Croft in West High Street.

THE LANDWARD PARISH.

The little burgh, rising into busy life, and asserting its vitality in Queen Mary's Charter of Novodamus, was not without a numerous population surrounding it in the parish, as well as in the Garioch generally. Badifurrow, with its "town" of Apollinaris' Chapel, as well as Colliston Croft and Woodhill, had many more homesteads upon it than it has now ; for then Bonnie Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, living in the mansion house — if there was one — had around him families named Angus, Nuccoll, Smythe, Ledigen, Crombie, Bichie, Mackieson, Pirie, Donald, Glennie, and Bonald.

A large diversity of family names had local habitations along the braes of Aquhorties, in its various towns of the Mill, Netherbiggin, Overtown, Muirhead, and the Manor-house. John Glennie died at the Mill of Aquhorties (long since obliterated), in 1616 ; and Gilbert Johnston ground corns and had annual christenings after him, from 1622, for a dozen years, until David Pirie succeeded him in both functions — their neighbour, John Anderson, nicknamed " Ginkin," weaving, and "William Crombie tailoring, for a host of Glennies, Snapes, Lightons, Weirs, Taylors, Robertsons* Hendersons, Andersons, &c, who surrounded them.

In the three towns of Oldtown, Middletown, and Nethertown of Knockinglews, and the western brae of Upper and Nether Glascha and its Mill, the names of Watt, Dikkie, Thomson, Ronald, Lyon, Glennie, Mill, Davidson, and Lighton, were represented by parents and children ; and by occasional contracts of marriage, in which tochers were secured by bonds upon neighbouring properties.

Drimmies, the property of William, and then of John, Gordon, and, in 1636, of Alexander Chalmers, had its proportion of households bearing the surnames of Melin, Black, Murdo, and Smith.

Donalds, Blacks, Andersons, Whytes, Papes, Patersons, Smyths, and Wrights, and in later years, Strachans and Murdos, were christened and reared on Conglass.

Crofthead, now part of Upperboat, was a small hamlet in which a family of Stephens were the principal people.

Chapter VI.

LIFE IX INVERUKIE IN THE TIME OF JAMES VI.

A Rural Burgh in 1600. — General nature of buildings, occupations 'and manners. Burgh Inci- dents.— Pasturing rules — Criminals — Brewing — Buildings — JVapinsehaw — The Plague — Sunday — The Eerd— Town's Charter — Ale Tasters — Offences and Punishments — Idlers. A Burgh Feud. — Contempt of Court — Protection policy — Quarrel with City of Aberdeen. The Leslies. Mr. Mill's Eegisters oe Births and Deaths. — Hills — Natural events — Records of character. Social Intercourse. — Resident and neighbouring Lairds — Two dashing Barons of Balguhain — Style of the Lairds.

A RURAL BURGH IN 1600.

tHE period here selected for description, generally represents the duration of the first Episcopacy, and the continuance of Mr. Mill's incumbency. The Common- wealth and the domination of the Solemn League and Covenant came immediately after, and brought with them, without doubt, new conditions of life. It has to he marked, however, as illustrative of the manner wherein changes of very considerable con- sequence to a country, and which are to take their place in the works of subsequent Historians as the great events of the nation's life, pass over little noted in contemporary records, that the ordinary business of the rather busy burgh went on, during all the troubled 17th century, with hardly a notice of the great occurrences taking place in Church and State having been known there.

The municipal town of Enrowrie, when its extant registers first let us see the manner of its life, was fitly describable by the appellation of an urbs in rure.

Its single short street was sparsely studded with buildings, whose walls of drystone and turf, supporting low-thatched roofs, contained both the dwelling-house and shop of cordiners, tailzeours, fabers in wood or in iron, wabsters, browsters, and merchants. Barns and byres stood alongside most of the houses ; kilnbarns marking the several brew-houses that supplied the ale, which formed at that time an important article of food.

Every artizan, or trader, lived as much by the plough and spade as by his urban calling. His house and shop stood on the end of his own burgh roods. These roods he laboured with his own hands ; and one of his most valuable interests was his rights, as a freeman, to the burgh pasturages; and, if he was a holder of " twelft-part" lands, or

188 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

a renter of Dava lands, the privileges then attached to these agricultural possessions. Burgesses were occasionally fined for non-residence.

The Dava lands, including the Kellands and the hill, were rented, from the Lord of Kegality, hy the magistrates, and re-let to indwellers. The fields and open pastures of the rest of the burgh lands formed commons, on which the burgh heritors and twelfth- part proprietors had right to graze a limited number of cattle and sheep, under the charge of a common herd.

Agriculture having been the principal interest of the burghers, the routine business of the magistracy was confined to the regulation of the pasturage and the protection of crops ; fixing the duties of the common herd, aud his emoluments ; collecting the " Dava duties " or rents ; summoning the burgesses to the annual building and watching of the folds, and for the repair of the mill and its dam dyke, or mill lead or kiln, and of the road to the Kerunay moss ; which had, from time to time, to be put into a state to ad- mit of the primitive carts then in existence getting with safety through the Don at Ardtannies, and along the braes of Crichie and Bogfur.

The burgh laws enacted, so far back as the 14th century, by the great burghs, still directed the principal municipal government. The rights of freemen were carefully conserved, and the common interest of the community protected from individual en- croachment. The staple article of provision, beer and ale, was annually appraised or taken proof of, by public tasters. The minimum strength of house walls and boundary dykes was regulated by statute. Strict limits were set to the extent of house accomo- dation which every burgh proprietor could erect for the purpose of letting ; and he was made responsible for his tenants having a sufficient provision of kail and peats. It is interesting to compare this precaution, taken against pauperism, with the burgh law recently in full force in the free city of Hamburgh, by which, licence to marry coidd be obtained only after security had been given that the parties had a certain income to live upon. Enactments of the same economical tendency prevented the harbouring of idlers, or of servants deserting tbeir engagements.

Considerable rudeness of manners is recorded in the appropriate form of frequent complaint made, before the baillies, of assault, under the various descriptions of " ding- ing," " bluid drawing," and occasional "sticking with a durk," or sword. Inhibition, occasionally, had to be laid upon all the brewsters and ale sellers of the place against supplying drink to some unruly indweller, whose drunken and violent conduct had become " habit and repute ". No unusual occasion of rough dealing was supplied by " the moss," where people had annually to congregate, by summons, to prepare their winter's fuel; and complaints were often enough made, by individuals of the male gender, against the heavy hands of the gentler sex. Probably the complainers were crabbed dyspeptics of the sedentary occupations ; but the softer sex in Inverurie, at the time, was seasoned with a considerable proportion of "randies" — whose tongues were exercised upon their neighbours, and at times upon even a civic dignitary,

Burgh Incidents. 189

with a degree of freedom sufficient to bring them into trouble. Offences charged were frequently referred to the oath of the accused, but perjury never seems to have been attempted.

The occurrence of using the dirk, in hasty quarrels between neighbours, indicates that that weapon was commonly worn at the time. The Wapinschaws ordained, at a later period, to be held everywhere, afford evidence of the extent to which personal armour was still used in the country. Inverurie, in 1608, could have furnished abun- dant materials for a picture such as those which commemorate the appearance of the historical Cavaliers and Eoundheads when equipped for fight. The kindred sight was

not unexampled of

The good old rule, the simple plan,

That they shall take who have the power,

And they shall keep who can.

A case long occupied the bench of justice in the Burgh about the period now treated of, and proved rather too much for the strength of magistrates possessing only the social position held by the baillies then in office. It arose out of a piece of rural burglary — the cutting and violent awaytaking of a burgess's crop by a former town-clerk, who was supported by an armed band, partly furnished by the chief man of the neighbourhood — the Laird of Caskieben — himself afterwards Sheriff of the county, and a competitor for the honours of the peerage.

In criminal law, municipal justice did not apparently go further, in the punishments inflicted, than banishment from the burgh ; but an instance of capital punishment is recorded in Mr. Mill's registers, when death by drowning was inflicted by the Sheriff.

More satisfactory reading in the Inverurie papers exhibits sustained endeavours on the part of the burgesses, with the help of the neighbouring lairds and ministers, to establish and uphold in Inverurie a superior kind of school, affording instruction in Latin.

Repeated burgh minutes also record something like head courts adopting resolutions, on the part of the community, for the purpose of constraining unruly and careless indwellers into respect for the ordinances of religion. The proceedings, as recorded, re- mind one of the present American Liquor Law of Maine, which is wished to be copied into the British Statute Book by some who would deem the Inverurie Head Courts against ungodliness an intolerable intermeddling with individual liberty.

BURGH INCIDENTS.

The following selection from the records of the Garioch municipal town give a somewhat realistic picture of the life led within a rural royal burgh in Scotland during the first twenty years of the seventeenth century : —

RIGHTS OF PASTURAGE.

1605, 1st June. — Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, Normand Leslie, and Alexander Mackieson, bailies ; George Barclay, not. pub. and clerk. It is statute and ordeinit be the bailies with consent of

190 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the hail community that no twalff pairt man haiff rit or power to hold na mair nor sax nowlt, twenty scheip ; and every half twealff pairt half als mony, and that no tacksman to haiff power to hold ony mair but ane kow with ane follower, with sax scheip ; — except libertie he socht and obtained by ony freeman or ontacksman at the baillies and counsalls hands. And na tacksman lessand ane twalff pairt to hold any byhaimis except ane teddert beist upon their own hainit girs, and any person contravener of this to pay ffourtie sh. and so often to be dowbellit.

CUSTOMS.

28 June. — Wm. Stewin ordenit to take up the haill customs of our twa markets, Pollinar and Letter-Marieday, with the toft maill, and James Grub's few mail of Bransbutt ; for which he under- takes the chakker compt and to keep the towne skaithless at the hands of the lords of chakkir (the Lords of Exchequer).

OFFICER DEPOSED.

21 July. — Thomas Johnston, officer, accusit and convictit of troubling his neighbours, is deposed from his office.

CRIMINALS BANISHED THE TOWN.

September. —Margaret Johnston, Margaret Wytman, and Elspet Rob, ilk ane convictit in judgment as infamous persons being baneisit the town of befor for unworthie demeritt, and newlie challencit for steilling of lint being spread upon the land, and that upon the last day of August — the magistrates, with consent of the haill inhabitants, decreit they be baneisit the town for ever, and every resetter of them to be fined 2 lbs. for the first fault and doubltt for every repetition.

BUILDING FAULDS.

1 Nov. — All occupiers of the burrow lands or Dava lands sail big their pairt of the fauld this yeir in dew time ; as well the remover as the resident dweller, the remover to be satisfiet be the entering tenant for his troubill.

RESTRICTION OF BREWERS— WATCH AND WARD.

1606, 3 July. — It is statut and ordanet that na breweris be within this bruch, bot thrie only— viz., Normand Leslie, William Fergus, and William Davidson, except everie to brew his own drink, under the pains of confiscation of ther haill guids and fourtie lbs. of penalties, and the present brewst to be confiscat and selt at the Cross ; lykwise, that na personne nor personnes, householders within the bruch, sail, fra this present hour foreward, resave na stranger nor passenger of na estate nor degrie within their house, under the pains of confiscation of ther haill geir.

The said day it is statut and ordainit that everie twa householders beand free men within the town sail keep the hail town thair day about, under the pain of ten lbs. . . . And to begin at the south end of the bruch, on the east side of the samyn, at the house of Normand Leslie, and sua to continue ordeiiie in watch and ward as said is, qll. the samyn be dischargit be advyse of the bailies and counsall.

OATH ANENT STEALING CORN IN HARVEST.

19th August.— The haill inhabitants of the bruch of Inverurie comperit in judgment, and ther has giffen ther aiths, particularlie ilk ane for ther own pairts, that they will compeir at the next court after the harvest, after lawful warning thereto ; and purge themselffs, ther wyffs, bairnis, servauds within the hous, and sub-tenants haiffing houses of ther own, of uther men or nybor's cornis, lint, geis, or fowlis, peattis, kail, or cassin faill, or divotts.

NEW COUNCIL.

20th October. — Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, Normand Leslie, and William Johnston resign their offices in the hands of the clerk. The Council choose as their successors for a year John Johnston of that Ilk, Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, and Normand Leslie. William Robertson was elected treasurer, and John Johnston, William Johnston elder, Alexander Mackie, George Mackie, William Robertson, James Bainzie, persons of Council.

The number of the baillies in the preceding century, and also after Patrick Leslie's death, in 1613, was two. Kincraigie had been taken into the magistracy as a man of weight ; and from the date of his election, as a third baillie, the business of the burgh seems to have been conducted with vigour. The other influential neighbour of the town, the Laird of Caskieben, was introduced in 1606, and continued for a year only,

Burgh Incidents. 191

attending but few meetings. The end to be served by bis election seems to have been the establishment of a Grammar School.

George Barclay, clerk, resigned, and was re-elected for a year ; the Ufe tenure of his office was not then in use. The number of Councillors seems not to have been a uniformly fixed one. A case occurs in which an application, made and agreed to, for admission into the freedom, and into the office of Councillor, was on the ground that the applicant was the son of a baillie. The officials comprised one or sometimes two doomsters, and two officers, the clerk, and at times a clerk-depute, all elected for a year, — the depute for a shorter time.

TURFING — QUALITY OF BUILDINGS.

1607. — No person to cast faill or divott, nor futt fail nor turfs within the territorie of Inverurie, until sic tym as the persons of the couusell and bailies of the hruch convene and sicht everie man's necessitie, what everie man's need requires to serve his bigging, and the same to be restrictit be the said bailies and conseil where they may cast and how meikill.

No yaird dykes or yairds or others be bigit bot of stein and mud till it be sax quarter heigh or heigher as they pleise, with only three gang of faill above the sam.

VISITATION OF BOUNDARIES, &C.

The same day ane of the bailies with the counsell of the towne has passit throch the haill town :

and has wisseit the greves (offences) of the towne, conform to ane auld order set doun be the

bailies and conseill of the toun and has fund certain greves, viz., making of yeird middings, casting

of reiskyerd forder nor they oueht to haiff downe, to wit John Eandal, John Angus, and George Grub.

THE EWE BUCHTS.

9th July. — All ewes within the toun to be milked at the buchts from this night furth.

A LAND TAX, 19th October. — Ane taxation to be raissit of merks for sending south to the parliament,

the twa pairt to be raisit aff the ruids and the threid aff the common lands, to be given to Kincraigie, for payment of the said sowme being borrowit fra him.

TAKING ORDER.

1608, 18th March. — No swine to be kept within the town except the owners keep them frae other men's skaith, either be corn, kell, or girs.

It is statut and ordanit, in respect of the informalitie of Jou Rae being so often mistemperit he drink, that na browster give to the said John Eae nor sell him ony aill within ther hous, under pain of 40 shillings for ilk offence,

John Angus complained upon William Johnston, son of Robert, for stricking him with ane rung at the But of Balhagartie.

A WAPINSCHAW.

6th June. — At a court held within the Tolbuith by Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie ; Norman Leslie ; and John Johnston, bailie,

John Robertson, found sufficient in arms, viz., knapska, plait steil, and sword ; the said John being ane barkar of craft.

Alex. Smyth of the same craft siclyke.

Wm, Fergus, ane horsman, sufficientlie in arms conform to the proclamation.

Thomas, footman, sufficient in arms.

John Ronald, futman, sufficient, conform to the proclamation.

John Scot, sufficient futman, according to the proclamation.

William Johnston, elder, horsman sufficient.

Wm. Johnston, son to umqll Robert Johnston, ordanit to haiff ane jack, otherwise sufficient.

Wm. Smith, craftsman, ordanit to haiff plaitstellis, otherwise sufficient.

John Thomson, onsufficient in all things.

Robert Tailyeour, found sufficient in armor, and ordeint to be ane horsman.

Norman Leslie, found sufficient in hors and armor. »

John Gib, fund sufficient, and ordenit to haiff plaitstellis.

192 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

James Bainzie, in hors and armor sufficient.

Alex. Fergus, in geir sufficient.

John Johnston, bailie, hors and armour sufficient.

Andrew Innes, ordanit to haiff sufficient armor.

John Angus, fund sufficient in hors and armor.

Andrew Hutcheon, ordeinit to be suffieientlie provydit.

Wm, Porter, tailzeour, sufficient, ordeiut to haiff ane staff.

George Grub, ane knapska, plaitstellis, sword, gauutlettes, and ordanit to be haiff ane ff

Alex. Mackieson, in hors and geir.

Wm. Chein, craftsman, sufficient.

Wm. Robertson, absent.

James Tailyeour, wright, sufficient in geir.

Alex. Bainzie, sufficient in geir, and ordaint to haiff ane hors.

Wm. Steven, officer, sufficient.

IDLERS.

Said day it is statut that all servands being vagabonds, and no wayis stapillit and fied to maisters, not to be Rscept be any within the towne at ludgiug or meitting, and who that giffis thame ludging to pay therefor ten lbs. for ilk night toties quoties.

MILL SERVICE.

13 June. — The haill inhabitants ordeint to compeir at the Mill of Ardtannies on the 14 of this instaut, by sax hours of the morning, and that to pairt the mill water and big in the same.

THE PLAGUE,

18 October. — No brewer be grantit to brew fra this day furth except Kormand Leslie, John Gib, Alexander Fergus, Wm. Davidson, and Wm. Ferguson. And thois persons only to be brewers during this trubsom tym of the plaig, and not anie of thame to be resetters of any strangers within their houses, without ane sufficient testimoniall producit to the bailies or minister of the towne.

The said day Andrew Innes is permitted to brew with the rest.

The Treasurer's accounts of the City of Aberdeen show 33s. 4d. allowed him, at this date, for horse hire, to go to Kintore and Inverurie, to try the truth of a report of the plague.

In the election for 1608, the minister was chosen one of the Council, of which he was frequently a member afterwards. The oath administered to the municipal authorities no longer contained, as it did in 1580, a vow to maintain and defend the religion now established, but respected only the burgh privileges which they were taken bound not to conspire against. Norman Leslie died shortly after his election at Michaelmas of that year.

BREACH OF BURGH LAWS.

1608, 25th October. — Alex. Bodwell and John Gib compeared in judgment and complained upon the not keeping of the fredome conform to the laws of burrows, and in speeiall for the sellers of roch ledder. It is statut that no burgess nor freeman within the town offer onie roch ledder to other crafts or dwellers without the town, or sell the same ; the sellers thereof sail be halden to pay for selling or offering of geir to be sould the sowme of toties qtcotics. And that

nather beir, aitts, ledder, or uther , be offert first to the Indwellers and freemen within the

said bruch, and to be sauld to ony within the towne willing to by, of sic pryces as the same is sauld to uthers. And giff it sail hapen ony geir be sauld better schaip to uther men, nor it is offert to thame within the towne, the sellers thereof to be holden to pay the sowme above written;

HEAD COURT RESPECTING SUNDAY.

30 November. — It is statut and ordeinit be the bailzies consall and inhabitants of the town that the haill inhabitants of the toune sail convene baith at preaching and prayer. And na drink to be sauld befor the same, and whosomever contravenes the samyn, ether be selling of drink, or drynking before preaching, or absenting themselffs, sail, ilk person, pay toties quoties, without ane lawful excuse admittet be the session sail pay sex sh. 8d. Whereon Mr. James Mill, minister, took

Burgh Incidents. 193

act of Court, and instructit and ordeint the kirk officer to concur with the town officer for poynding and uptaking of the soumes.

TAYMENT OF TEIND COLLECTOR.

The said day it is statut and ordeinit be the bailzies and eonsall of the bruch, that George Mackie sail gang to the laird of Drum, and ileal] with him for payment of the teind wittall to be payit at this term : And for the said George Mackie his recompense for his travell, because he is but ane of the towne and doan the cowmond turn, the said bailzies ordenis the persons under written to help the said George Mackie with their hors in mucking ane day quam primum, viz., the haill inhabitants within the town benorth the said George Maekie's dwelling.

Irvine, laird of Drum, was then tacksman of the teinds, under a lease from the Commendator of Lindores. George's dwelling was, it is likely, opposite the present Parish Church.

CONTRACT ENFORCED. The said day James Tailzeour is decernit to mak ane bed and ane chair according to the pactiouuis, viz., Win. Cheinis bed and Win. Grub's chair, and deliver the same to Wm. Smyth within term of law, under pain of poynding for the sowme of ten merks monie.

THE LESLIES.

6th December.— Mr. James Mill, minister, gave in ane brief of inquest finding George Leslie heir to his brother Normand Leslie.

George Leslie, a minor, was the half brother of Norman Leslie. The minister married George's mother, in her widowhood. He became George Leslie of Eothmaise, and after 1640 was, for a time, chief badlie of the burgh. He was the builder of the first stone and lime dwelling house in Inverurie — named, in consequence, Stone House.

HOUSES TO BE LET ONLY WITH CONSENT OF THE MAGISTRATES.

1609 — 31st January. — The setters of houses by consent of bailies and eonsall to be fined 10 lbs. each, viz., Alex. Bainzie, James Grub, Thomas Smyth, Andrew Hutcheon, for twa tenants ; George Mackie, for Barbara Inging, Isabella Malan ; William Reid, for setting of John Rae ; Robert Tailyor, for setting of Janet Fergus ; James Andrew, for re-setting of ane baneist person.

20th April. — The bailies and eonsall tolerate James Andrew to take home his dochter, and her husband, in household with them at Whitsunday next.

FEE OF THE COMMON HERD.

14th April. — Statut by the bailzies, with the consent of the haill inhabitants for the maist pairt, —That the haill guids within the town of Inverurie sail pay to the cowmond herd for everie beast, except the hairst milk ky with their followers, ane peek of meill, and everie auld sheep 12d., and for everie hog 6d. But the ontaxinen to pay for their milk ky pro rata, because they haill' na hainit girs of their own to keep their ky.

William Jack is admittit cowmond herd for this year, to keep baith sheip and nowdt qll (until) Michalday next or trewillday next ; for the keeping of the qlk guids the said William sail haiff for ilk week four pecks meill mett with ane peck, with ten merks silver for the scheip ; and that at three terms, viz., ane threid at midsymer, ane threid at lames, and the last threid at trewilday, with ilk twall pairt ane led of peitts, to be led to the said William Jack's house. And as to the onfreemen ; to be sensurit be the counsall what they sail pay of peitts to the bird ; and the said bird has giffen his aith to be ane sufficient bird and puudler till the corne be iu the yairds.

ARBITRATION OF BLOOD.

13th May.— John Mackieson, son to Alexander Mackieson, and William Johnston, son to Robert Johnston, has submitted the action of bluid depending betwixt them to meutuall friends, viz: — for John Mackieson, John Leslie, Baleairn, and Gilbert Johnston of Muirtou : and on the part of William Johnston, John Leslie of Largie, and Walter Inues ; who are to convene at the Kirk of Inverurie, 16th instant, and decide the same.

PASTURING RULES, AND WATCHING OF CROP.

26th May. — Ordeinit that the weitt fauld be biggit and hainit betwit tliis and the elevent day of

25

194 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

June next, to the effect that the car may be keipit therein from polliuar day furth : And na uther hors nor beast be put therein until the hairst begin.

Fra this nicht furth everie twa twalt pairts men, and evry twa Davanch men, their nyt about sail, gang and vissie and sicht baith corns and liainit girs until the corns be begun to scheir ; and the said persons to haiff power to poynd any trespasser.

CONSTITUTION OF TOWN COUNCIL.

25th October. — Patrick Leslie, John Johnston, and George Mackie are elected and chosen bailzies for the year ; Wm. Johnston, elder, Wm. Robertson, James Bainzie, Mr. James Mill, and Win. Randall, persons of Consall ; George Barclay, not pub., cowmond clerk for a year ; "Wm. Stewin, and Thomas Fergus, officers ; and Thomas Johnston, alias Commissar, Dowmster.

1610, 26th Apryle.— John Mackie gave in ane suit for to be accepit as ane of the numer of the senate and of the consall of the bruch, conform to the order of the town, and that because he is the son of ane magistrate, and is willing to do therein according to their judgment.

Item. — "William Johnston younger, son to John Johnston, gaiff in the lyk suit ; which persons be the cowmond wreitt of the bailzies and persons of consall are admittit consallers conjunct with the rest.

The said day George Leslie of Crichie, Alex. Hervie in Inverurie, and George Leslie, pupill, gaiff in their several bills for to be admittet burgesses.

The set of the burgh — if there was one — evidently did not precisely define the number of the council ; nor were minors ineligible to the rank of burgesses, as the above entry shows.

CONDITIONS OPPORTUNELY MADE.

15th May. — Contiuuit the bills of George Leslie of Crichie, George Leslie, pupill, brother German to umnuhill Norman Leslie, And Alexander Hervie : After mature deliberation it is found that said persons audit not to become burgessis of the said bruch, nor their suit grantit, till the said persons ather be themselfis, or be their tutoris and curators, conform to the conditions following, viz. — the said George Leslie of Crichie merche with the said brach, and sett perfyt division betwix the proper bunds of Crichie and the cowmond lands of the said bruch ; And also to infeft the said inhabi- tants in the peit gett, as the said was propit of Auld : George Leslie, pupill, and his curatoris and tutors, to giff and deliver to the town's bailzies and consall the town's charters and principal wreatts, the wliilk was in the keeping of the said umquhill Norman, and within his possession the tym of his deceis : Or other ways cais (i.e. cause) the said wreatts extract out of the register, and bring it hame as said is ; And for performance thereof, ilk ane the saids tutors and curatoris to gyff and subscribe ane sufficient obligation for the soume of ane thousand pounds.

Alexander Hervie had married Janet Leslie — Norman Leslie's widow. He became, in a few years, a principal member of council, and head of a faction opposed to that of the Johnstons. His social importance procured his being made a baillie on his first entrance into the council. George Leslie of Crichie was a brother of the laird of "Wardes; Crichie was conveyed to him in 1607; and in 1616, to Lord Elpbinstone. The Novodamus Charter of Queen Mary was given up in 1613, 16th March to George M'Kie, the treasurer, by Andrew Leslie of New Leslie, uncle of young George Leslie.

GRASS SEASON.

21 July. — None allowed to feed or seiner girs on the haughs fra this day furth.

TOFT MAIL — KING'S DUES.

Said day it is statut and ordeinit that payers of the toft maill, otherways callit the King's few dewtie, who do not pay the same this day be six hours at even, be answerable lor the King's uulaws.

MODE OF MUNICIPAL RESIGNATION.

22 October. — Curia capitalis tenia in praitorio, &c, Comperit Patrick Leslie, John Johnston, and George Mackie, bailzies, and freely dischargit thame of their offices of bailzies, and jurisdiction thereof, be deliverance of the wand in the hands of the clerk and consall.

Burgh Incidents. 195

MILL ASSESSMENT.

4 December. — Ordeinit a taxation of three pennies be taken upo ilk lang mid in Inverurie, . according to the sett and rentall of the tiend, for bringing of the milne dore.

THE BRO0MF0LD.

Said day it is statute and ordainit that the brayfauld of the Gallowfauld be dykit and sawin with the breim.

ALE TASTERS.

The said day John Ronald, Wm. Fergus, Wm. Johnrstowne, yoimger, and John Angus, are appointit taisters funsters of aill within the bruch, wliilk persons sail everio oulk anee visie the taverners and their hous, and sett such prices on the aill as they think the samyn worth on their consciences. And that they be dewdy advertisit be the brewsteris when the samyn are staill And thereafter that ane or twa of thame pas within the lions wdier the aill is, and draw furthe of ony stand or bowie he lyke ane chapiu aill, and carie the saime furthe to ther nybors taisters to be taistit and valuet. And that finalie thereafter, befoir ony com to drink ony of the aill within the said hous, they giff furthe the pryce of the aill. And whosoever resaves ony gryter price nor the taisters Impoiss, they are to be in amerceament of fourtie sh. for ilk browst. And so often as they happen to brew and hous staill aill, the parties advertise the taisters to com ami put ane pryce thereon befoir ony be sauld, under the pains forsaid ; and who evere refuses to gif lawful obedience to the funsters or Bailis, and upbraidis them in word or deid, publicklie or privatlie, to be Imeditle poyndit for the said penaltie, Anil the samyn to be employit to the particular weill of the funsters.

POLICE. 1612, 28 Januar. — In respect of ane ha;, nous complaint giffen in by John Ronald upon Wm. Ronald, his son, for troubling and molesting him, and putting hand on his father, within his hous, as also troubling of dyvers persons within the toun. . . . It is statnt and ordeinit be the bailzie that na browster in the toun, frae this day furthe, sell ony aill to the said William Ronald, to be drunken within their own hous.

EMOLUMENTS OF COMMON HERD. August.— Every twalf pairt within the bruch sail be haulden to pay to John Wischert, common herd, twa pecks meill, for the whilk he sail four heid of nowt ; and whatsomever

possessor of the twelf pts. hed ane greater number of yauds, to pay for ilk heid of the superflus ane peck meil. Lyk as ilk ane of the and indwallers of the bruch shall be haulden to pay ane peek

meal for ilk pare of their cattels whilk pasture in the common herd, togedder with ane cart full of peitts, of ilk househaulder who hav horse passing to the moss ; And failing of the cartful of peitts, sax sh. the pryce of the peek meill sex sh. audit pence.

AGAINST TURFING.

No futt faill to be casten upon the burrowfauld of the bruch, from this day furth, whether to big slapis or dykes, or ground middingis, under the poinne of ten pounds.

COMPLAINTS AND OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS.

19 June. — Compeirit Alex. Stiven, son to umquhil John Stevin, barges of the bruch, aud gave in ane complaint against Alexander Bodwill and Isobel Chapman, for wrong and molest and bluid- drawing upon him and his spouse Jeane Keith, the said Alexander his richt leg, and the said Jeane her hed and brow.

12 Deer. — Janet Johnston, spouse to Andrew Hutcheon, fined 10 sh. for bluid-drawing of Normand Hutcheon, her son-in-law.

Margaret Mackieson is ordaint to big ane cassie, the bred of her toft beginning at John Ronald his house, and Wm. Fergus toft, the bred four futt in all pairtis sufficientlie sairt and cassiet, betwixt and the aucht day of Januar next, under pain of 10 lbs. money.

1613, 4 Feb. — John Mackieson complainit upon George Grubb, for raising of certain merch staues betwixt their lauds.

18 June. — William Johnston, alias Kelt, fined 4 lbs. for putting of violent hauld on Andrew Gib, in presence of the bailies.

29 June. — Ordeint in respect of the disobedience of Wm. Johnston, son of Robert, that he sail no ways bring peitts or fewall furth of the moss designit mercht aud appointed to the inhabitants of the bruch, without licence and consent of the magistrates, under pain of tinsel of his freedom, and 10 lbs. money for wrong and onlay (fine).

196 Inverurie and the Earldom of the. Garioch.

. . . For every calf found within the bruch, the apprender to receive from the owner 6sh. 8d. toties quoties.

No geis to be found from this day within the bruch under pain of 10 sh., and if the geis be put in a hous the onlay to be added.

27 July. — Statute that whatsomever inhabitants of this bruch resettis, maintains, or gifes meat or drink, or hospitalitie and retreat to any nybors trends, indwellers within the same, passing from their maister's service, shall be poyndit for ten lbs. monie, toties quoties, the ane half to the pairtie offendit, the other to the bruch.

5 October.— John Mackieson complains upon Geo. Grub, for the slauchter of ane guise poyndit be him, allegit commitit be the said George, his wife, and woman servant, be hounding of ane dog.

THE MALT MILL, AND NUMBER OF BREWERS.

5 October.— Robert Fergus, John Thamson, John Gib, Alex. Fergus, John Clerk, Win. Davidson, Wm. Fergus, Geo. Smyth, and John Stevin, brewsters and ail-sellers, sucken to the mill, are decreit to put up the malt wall of the mill sufficientlie, with stack and clay doub, at the sicht of Walter Innes of Ardtannies within aucht days.

ALE MEASURES REGULATED.

1614, 6th November. — Ordeint that na aill be sauld fra this day furth darer nor 12d the pynt, under the pain of . . . sh. toties quoties and that na brewster saill aill with ony met, lowme, stoup, or coig, bat with sick as ar seilit with the cowmond seill of the town. [The ale was raised to 16 pennies in the following February, and the beer to 18, by statute.]

UNFREEMEN OF CORDWAINERS' CRAFT.

15th November. — James Hill, James Hutcheon, and John Fergus, cordiners, sail not cut ony new lether from this day furth, under penaltie of ten shs., until they mak themselves freemen of the said craft.

GOOD HOURS.

No tavern within this town to sell aill to ony person behind the nyn hours at even, under the pain of ten shs., and giff ony towne's peopill beis found wagand on the gaitt after the hour of ten, the person fund wagand sail be poyndt as if they wer wagands.

THE SABOTHE — GAMES.

1615, 3 January. — Statute and ordeint thattheSabothebehaden and keepit be the haill indwalleris of this bruch, in keeping of the kirk before noon at preaching or prayers, and efternoon at the evening prayers, under the pain of sex schillings money, to be exact of ilk contravener, the maister of familie, or unoccupied domestick. And sicklykes, that na person outwith the aig of fourteen yeris, be fund at the futball on the Sabothe days.

CHURCH AND STATE DISCIPLINE.

14 February. — The said day George Mackie is become caution that Alex. Fergus, younger, sail compeir before the minister and session and obey the discipline of the kirk, according to the will of the minister and session, in all the whilk the said minister and session choose to enquire.

PURGING THE TOWN OF IDLERS.

14th March. — Statute and ordeint for purging of this bruch from evill memberis ydellars, not haiflng moyen and Industrie to sustain themselns honestlie, without damage to the common walthe and members thereof : that it sail not be lesum to ony burghes or Indwaller, of whatsomever station or condition they be, to sett upon ther possessions or onsteds inwithe this bruch ony girsman, cottar, or bot That thae and like ane of thame fulfil and keep the particular rente set down to every ane

of thame in manner following — That is to say that Alex. Hervie sail be ony licentiate to haif on his possession ane cottar, and ane girsman or gras house kindlinge only twa fyres ; John Badyeno younger, ane ; Alex. Fergus, ane ; Mr. James Mill, ane ; John Jackson, ane ; George Mackieson, ane ; George Grub, ane croftsman allenarlie ; John Mackieson, ane ; William Robertsone, ane ; Wm. Fergus, ane ; John and William Ronald, ane croftsman ; Wm. Jonston, alias Robert's Willie, and Robert Tailyour, ane ; Wm. Stevin, ane ; Whilkis, particular persons above rehersit sail be anseribill, ilk ane respectivelie, to furneis their own tenants conform to their desiguation, with sufficiency of kaill and peittis, be the sicht of visitors to be appoyntit for that effect, who sail sicht the biggings and furniter upon the tent of August.

A TROUBLESOME FAMILY.

14th March. — John Ronald fined for wrongous troubling and dinging of James Hutcheon,

A Burgh Fetid. 197

within the yaird of the said James Hutcheon, and missmacking and spoilling of the new sawn beddis and skailling of the seids, as was judiciallie proven.

1 July. — Ordeiut that William Ronald sail keip his own house in mieting and susteuta- tion of himself, and not to drink in the ostlar house ; and gyff the said William Ronald, from this time furth, be found drinking in the ostlar house the said Wm. sail be poyndit for fourtie sh., and the browster with whom he drinks four punds.

18th July. — Robert Fergus, Janet Thomson, Alex. Barclay, Thomas Johnston, and John Fergus ilk ane of them convictit for break of the former Act, maid anent selling of aill to Wm. Ronald. Each fined 4 lbs. and Wm. Ronald 40 sh. to the common good, and 40 sh. to the bailies. The same day Wm. Ronald sought law burrows against his father.

THATCHING THE KIRK. 18 July. — Ordeint that whatsomever person bringis not in ther kirk hedder, according to fyve thraive ilk twall ruids, and fyve thraive ilk twalff pairt, sail be poyndit ten lbs. monie. [This order was supplemented 21 July.] The inhabitants of Inverurie ilk ane of them sail inbring, to the kirk, half als meikill hedder as they have done alreddie, and that upon the last day of present instant under pain of 10 lbs.

INTERDICTS.

21 July. — Ordeint that no man or inhabitant receipt, nor receive, Wm. Johnston, servitor to John Johnston, either by day or uicht, under penalty of 40 sh. Mies quolies.

4 Aug. — No hors to be out of the hous fra this nicht forth, except it be within his own proper girs : And in especiall Middlemuir, Whitleys, and Weetsweils.

The act anent the cruiffing of fowlis, geis, and swyn is ratifiet, approvit, and confirmit, with the addition that it sail be lesum to fell, or ston, them, by (without) the owner's permission.

Whosoever be challencit or apprehendit within the yairds, outsides, or on the dykes thereof, cutting, barking, or demolishing, or destroying, the plantit wood or herbs, within the

said yairdis, sail be immediatlie poyndit 5 merks.

9 Sept. — No inhabitant to give to his bestiall, ayther be nyt or day, any cornis, ayther of their own or uther menis, in tyme of harvest, or until the cornis be put halelie within dykes.

LAST SASINE IN FAVOUR OF THE JOHNSTONS OF CASKIEBEN.

24 August. — Sasine, upon Charter under the Great Seal, in favour of George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, and Elisabeth Forbes, his spouse, of the lands of Johnston and the Mill ; Caskieben, with the tower, fortalice, manor, orchards, and gardens thereof ; Mill of Caskieben ; and towns of Ingliston, Isaackstoun, or Jackstoun, Mill called Pettiesmill, Leggat, Fawels eighth part of Ardoun, half lands of Crimond, and mill and mill lands of the same, all lying within the barony of Johnston ; also of the lands of Boynds, Porterstoun, Bendauch, Begsley, Craig, Corshill, Buchthills, Standiustanes, Sleepiehillock, Woodhead, Overtoun of Dyce, Boginjoss, and Pleyheuchs.

A BURGH FEUD.

The magisterial bench had lost its social prestige by the death of Kincraigie and the good John Johnston of Caskieben. Alexander Hervie who married Norman Leslie's widow, had acquired some consequence, as administrator of that relict's life-rent in her first husband's large burgh property. Hervie appears to have been disliked by the Johnstons — long the burgh great people — and not reverenced by the officials who had served under the influential magistrates above-named. Alexander Hervie and Wdliam Johnston, junior, were bailies from 1613 to 1614. Next year they were replaced by the elder Johnston and John Bainzie, a member of the ancient family of Badynoch — denominated " right worshipful men ". During that year a riot of extraordinary character occurred — partly meant to annoy Baillie Hervie — which merits notice on account of the parties concerned in it, as well as from its graphic exhibition of the state of society, and the glimpse it gives of the tenure by which the common lands were held some time before. The chief rioter was the town clerk, and his principal abettors

198 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

were a former baillie and the Laird of Caskieben, who had, shortly before, succeeded his father, John Johnston, in the family estate.

1615, 16 Sept. — Court : BailHes — William Johnston, elder ; John Bainzie, younger ; Bobert Fergus and AVilliam Stewin, officers ; and Wm. Johnston, son to umquhile Alexander Johnston, Dowmster. Comperit— Alexander Hervie, John Johnston, John Bainzie, younger, and compleinit upone William Botsone and John Mackieson, eomburgeises of this brouch, that quhain they, accom- paniet with the laird of Caskieben, his servands and friendis, Bodin in fear of weir and convocation of the Kingis legis, with Jackis, steill bonnetis, speiris, lances, and swourdis, this day forsaid, bein the sixtein day of September above wretin, came to their proper lands callit the Cowmonttie of Curries Hauch ; and these schore and led away, and with horse and nowlt eit and destroyit, their cornis growing in and upon the saids lands. And mr fullie led away and put thereof to the Mains of Caskieben ; quhilk deid was done as they allegit under silence of nyt, at lest before the sone rysing ane hour or thereby. [The baillies appointed a trial to take place some days afterwards.]

22 Sept. — Compeirit anent the action of allegit sheiring comitit by the persons contenit on ane bill gifin in be the saids persons above wreitin against the defenders therein contenit, whereof the tenor follows : — Unto your wisdomes huniblie meins and complains Mr. Alexander Hervie, John Johnston, William Johnston, his son, and John Benzie, ane of the baillies of this bruch, upon George Johnston of Caskieben, Wm. Bobertson and John Mackieson, burgesses of this bruch, — that they upon Setterday last, the sixtein day of this instant September, under silence of nyt, at lest before sone rysing, they and their complcssis, with convocation of the King's legis, boden in fear of weir, with lang staves and speirs, lancis, swordis, and steell bonnetis, came to the cowmond land of Inverowrie, callit the cowmontie of Curries Hauch, and there cuttit, sehure, tuik away at their plesure, our cornis of the saids lands ; aud convenit horse and nowlt, eit and destroyit the rest thereof, to our heavie hurt and skaith in manifest contempt of His Majestie his Highnpss laws, And evil example to uthers, neighbours of this bruich, to do the lyk in tym coming ; quhilk giff it become ane cowmond practice to uthers, barones and nyhbours without this bruch, and within, may turne to the utter wrak, and thereof, not onlie to particular persons bot to the haill inhabitants of the bruch without Kemeid be provydit.

Mackieson was the late Town Clerk, and Robertson had recently been a baillie. They appeared for the accused, and gave in a number of defences, denying the juris- diction of the court, and claiming the lands as their own. The baillies repelled their defence ; ordered the defenders to produce their evidents, and fined them 20 merks each, besides the value of the property taken away. The defenders gave in pleadings, but continued insubordinate.

MILL SERVICE.

10 Oct. — Statut that the haill inhabitants of this bruch, sail immediatelye after the rysing of this court pass presentlie to the mill, and bring in faill and stanis to the mill watter, And the haill taxmen to have horse and cartis, and the untaxmen to have fut spades.

14 Oct. — No swyne to be permitted to be kept outwith the house of the owners.

THE FEUD. — USE AND WONT OF COMMON LANDS.

Statement given in by John Mackieson, as procurator for the defenders, including himself.

The possessors of the cowmontie were in use to part and cavaill the same be equal divisions. That umquhil, Wm. Leslie, umquhile James Fergus and John Johnston, possessors for the time of the sun half of the Cruik, finding themselves to have the better part, howso the same came in their possession by ane cavel ; and after the occupation thereof at the expiry of the year or years of cavel being desired by umquhile John Bobertson, umquhile Wm. Thomson, umquhile John Banzie, and umquhile Walter Banzie, the possessors of the shaddow half of the said lands to part cavel and divide of new again, refused alloterlie to do the same ; but granted to anex eik and to the shaddow

half of the said Cruik ane piece of land, to make the shaddow half so good as the sun half. And for the effect assigned, the cowmontie and Curries Hauch to be adjoinit to the said shaddow half there- with, aye and until there happened ane new partesing of the haill lands of the bruch.

The above written possessors of the shadow half lands, accepting the said augmentation, intromittit with the same ; which cowmontie of Curries Hauch they and their successors possessit still aye and until the time of the wadsetting thereof to John Bonald and John Grub. And the umquhile

A Dunjh Feud. 109

possessors of the Sim half neither by themselves nor their snecessoris, neither yet John Johnston, who enterit never thereafter with the said conimontie, neither had the possession of the same since the time of the wadset. (Signed) John Mackieson : Wm, Robertson.

Deposition of John Johnston. That lang sene, be the space of thretie years and mair, they were in use to cavel the cowmontie, but never sin syne, and was ordeinit and pairtit so to stand in all tyme coming as it now stands, and everie one to have their own rig in the said cowmontie of Currie's Hauch, As well the possessors of the sun half of the said lands, as the possessors of the shadow.

That the cowmontie of Currie's Hauch was never grantit to be adjoinit to the shaddow half of the Cruik ; Albeit, the same was craved by the possessors of the shadow half of the Cruik, But everie one kept their own rig of the cowmontie of Currie's Hauch, both sun and shadow possessors.

That the occupants of the shadow half of the Cruik had never the occupation nor possession of the sun half of the said cowmontie of Currie's Hauch before the wadset.

Deposition of James Benzie as before.

Deposition of John Benzie. Being but a young man remembers nothing of the sun side of the lands coming into cavelling. He remembers none that the sun half of Currie's Hauch was ever given to the shadow half. He never saw the possessors of the shadow half lands in possession of the sun half of the cowmontie of Curries's Hauch.

The court found that the pursuers and defenders should each have an entrie to their own rigs, and the defenders are liable to the pursuers for bolls of white oats.

THE BAILLIEs' KIGHT TO FINES,

19 Oct. — Ordaiued by the bailies, with advice of the haill counsel, except onlie John Mackie- son, that the bailies now present sail have the haill onlays fallen in their time, accordinge to the modification presentlie set down.

RONALD AGAIN.

30 Oct. — Court : Assault by Wm. Ronald, upon Thomas Johnston, on Sabbath, at even, the 20th instant : Proved by witnesses that Wm. Ronald, accompanied by Alex. Fergus, younger, came to Thomas Johnstou's house at night, and called for drink, and would have compelled him to give it to them, and likewise offered to ding John Ronald, father to the said William. And the said Thomas commanding them to his door, and to give him God's peace and the King's, they fell on him and dang, oppressed him and bled him, within his own house, and upon the King's gaitt. And that said Thomas goiug to complain to the magistrates, the said William Ronald, accompanied by the said Alexander Fergus, the said Thomas back coming to his own house, sett on him again, dang and oppressit him : Fined 5 punds.

SMALL DEBT. 1616., Feb. 14. — James Hutcheon decernit to restore to Alex. Mackieson ane sword of the said Alexr. presentlie ; and decerns the said Alexr. to deliver to the said James nine shilling four pennies bebursit by the said James to ane Wilkieson.

DIVISION OF TWELFTII-rART LANDS.

16th March.— The bailies and consal, with consent of the most part of the possessors of the common lands, anent of that part of the haughs of Inverowrie, which is over the water

of Urie, lying adjacent to the lands of Balhagartie, For eschewing of confusion among the haill neighbours, possessors of 1he said lands, The bailies, with advice present decerns and ordeins that everie single possessor of the said haill twelfth part sail conven upon the said lands and ground thereof, ,, and there sail be the bailies forsaid, and perfatalie sett down to everie twelft pairt and everie

occupear.

SABOTHE. — HEAD COURT.

19 March.— Ordeint by the bailies, with full consent of the persons of the counsal, and haill consent of the haill bodie of the toun, That all the haill Inhabitants of the toune sail convene every Sabothe efternoon before three hours efteruoou, and there to remain until the prayers be eudit ; and when there bides away any man or wyfT or serwand at the said hour, ilk person to be poyndid for aucht sh. toties qiwtics, and the soume to be doublit ay as aft as the happen to break order as said is. Mr. James Mill took act of court.

A NEW WEEKLY MARKET. 8th April. — The said day it is statut and ordeint be the bailzies, with advyce of the consall, be virtew of ane warraud grantit be our Sovran Lord, And his henis' consall, Be the whilk ther is decreet contenand proclamation of ane weeklie market upon Wednesday within this bruch of Inverurie ; for the whilk rasous Alex. Hervie and Wm. Johnston, elders, bailies of this bruch, decreitis this

200 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

present with the berer hereof To mack publication and proclamation of the forsaid market to hold everie Wednesday weeklie as said is : The said publication to be maid be the berer forsaid in all places necessar, Bayth in cowmond markets and at paroch Kirks, And bruchs, within the Shrefdom of Aber- deen. And for the better Weill "and comodite of our sovran lords legis, who pleiss to repair to the markett forsaid, They sail have all kinds of wairs whilk they please to put within the said bruch of Inverurie to by and sell, on fallin custome, for the space of twa years next and Immedeatlie following this present Wednesday next the seventeen of this instant, Apryll, 1616 years.

BUILDING THE HEED'S HOUSE.

14th May. — All inhabitants who have hors, sail yok ane hors be six hours on the morning the 15th day of May, and bring in and lead faill and divotts to the herds hous ; And also they that has not hors to yok, to be thair tharneselffs to bigg the said hous.

HEEDING EEGULATIONS.

2 April. — Ordenit that George Wightman, herd, sail enter baith with seheip and nowlt upon the third day of this instant Apryll ; and the said George shall have for keeping of the nowlt and sheip ane hadish meill of everie house having nowlt or sheip, ilk day until the three day of May next.

1st June. — No inhabitants sail bring any sheip to the hous, either to be milkit or otherwise, fra this time furth, except to be clippit, or to Spain the lambis, but not to be kept or holdin fra the fauld till the said lambis be fully spainit, but only to tak them up, and the said lambs to be put out of the town and spaint ; and wha that taks hame the yowes or other sheep, and breaks this . . . sail be rinet 40 sh.

Likewise the buchts ordainted to be biggit at the outfields for milking.

No horse nor novvte be led or fed upon banks, waterside, or lochs within haining fra this tiuie furth, within corns, and especially within hammock of the haughs, Barnskell, Weitfaulds, and Schaw- fields.

MAEKET LAWS.

5th June. — All craftsmen within the bruch, sic as cordiners, coupers, and other craftis, upon everie Wednesday or ordinarie market day, sail set furth and bring to merkat to be sauld, or at least presentit and offered to be sauld, ony geir they may have to be sauld. If they do not they are to be outlawit for 40 sh., toties quoties.

CONTEMPT OF A MAGISTEATE.

Margaret Chalmers, spouse to William Stephen, convictit for blaspheming Alex. Hervie, bailzie, be outrageous language against him being a magistrate, condemnit 1. to appear presentlie in visage of the Court, and ask the said Alex. Hervie magistrate's forgiveness, upon her bair knees, in the presence of the haill Court : 2. To compeir upon Sunday next within the Kirk of Inverurie, and sail set on the stool of repentance the time of preening, and sail crave first God her sin, and the said Alex. Hervie his forgiveness, and haill congregation, for her offence comittit against the said Alex. Hervie.

QUALITY OF HOUSES.

19th June. — Ordeint that na person big fire house nor chalmers but they be fundit with stein ane ell hyt round about, and then to get mud and faill to serve the rest of the house.

THE TEAT EOAD.

Ordeint that thair be ane out of everie reikand hous come and convene at sex hours the morn, the twenti day of this instant, At the peit third, to stain the fuird, and stain the gett, and big in the « cowmond watter of the mill dam, and to mak cart gett sufficientlie red to the moss fra that furth.

THE BURGH FEUD.

24 August— The court of Inverurie, holden within the tolbuith of the same, the twentie-fourt day of August, 1616 years, Be Wm. Johnston, and Alex. Hervie, bailies ; George Barclay, and Mr. George Hervie, notary publick, clerks ; Wm. Stevin, and Robert Fergus, officers ; and Thomas Johnston, dowmster. The sectis callit, the court lawfullie fensit and affirmit.

The said day compeirit Alexander Hervie, bailzie of Inverurie, and having in his hands the court buik of Inverurie, reddie to produce the same, according to the chairge giffin to him for exhibition of the said buik ; But refusit to deliver the said buik to John Mackieson, cowmond clerk of Fraser's-bruch, who can not be clerk in Inverurie dwelling in Fraser-bruch, in respect of the distance of the places, And come no ways to serve our use sen our last election : That George Barclay, not. public, was chusen cowmond clerk, till now, that within this few days, the said Jon. came to this town to foster sedition and insurrection in our towne for girling away of the cowmond lands to Wm.

A Burgh Feud. 201

Johnston, elder bailzie, of our brnch, whilk is like to come to the utter wrack and ruing of the samyn, whereupon the said Alex. Hervie tuik Act of Court and Instrument.

Syklyk the said John Mackieson, upon the tent day of August instant, came to our Court, and there wald gilt' no silense, but rais up, with sword and gauntlet, braiging and minassing the said Alex. Hervie, bailzie, George Barclay, clerk, and Mr. James Mill, our pastour, who came to gitf their consall for sattling of the cowmond affairs of the towne, according to conscience and justice, The said Jou. being commandit silence oft-tymes, — In his M. name and authoritie of the bailzies ; And sua raisit sic ane tumult and parturbatiou into the court, being lawfullie fensit and ahirmit, that na justice culd proeeid ; desyriug, or rather commanding, to gif him aue act that he was chosen and electit pr. for the commuuitie and cowmond caus of the towne ; whilk the haill burgesses of the towne, Except five or sex in numer whilk the other bailzie, Win. Johnston, and the said Jon. Mackieson haid seducit, Kaiss up and plainlie oppouit agains the samyn ; And therefor the bailie, Alex. Hervie, with advyse of the haill body of the town feuers, disolvit the said court and comandit that nane war sae pervert as to brak his M. paice under all pain and chairge that after may follow for the whilk cause. The said Alex. Hervie being removit and the haill bodie of the town, the said Win, Johnston, the uther bailzie, satt down with the said John Mackieson, and fensit aue new court, and, without any kind of lawfull order, deposit the said Alex. Hervie, the bailzie lawfullie chosen for ane yeir Be cowmond voittis of the maist part of the lawfull comburgessis of the bruch, upon what raison is unknown to the said Alex, and because no citation past a befoir known to the said Alex. Hervie for that effect ; whilk most wilful proceedings the said Alex, referris to the tryal of his M. secret consall, or session and consall ; And, therefor, the said Alex. Hervie, with the advyse of the bodie of the toun aforesaid, discharges Wru. Johnston, bailzie, and the said persons of consall and clerk, viz., John Johnston, Wm. Johnston his sone, Wm. Bobertson, outland burgess dwelland furth of the toun, Wm. Fergusone, Alex. Mackieson, And, in his hienes name and authoritie and myn, discharges the foresaid Wm. Johnston, bailzie, and they of his counsellors seducit be him till these malicious intentions, that they nor nane of them tack upon hand to hold court or pleid within this bruch till the new election of magistrattis : And the said Thomas Johnston, dowmster, prouuncit dowm therein ; whereupon the said Alex. Hervie and George Mackieson, thesaurer, in name of the haill bodie of the towne tuik act of court and instrument.

The said day George Mackieson, thesaurer, being callit and pursuit this day be the said seditious persons, for macking of compt reckoning and payment of the cowmond guid of this bruch sen his first election to the office, extending to the number of fourtein yeirs as thai allege, and twa or threi of the saids persons themselfis occupiet the place of thesaurer within the said yeirs, wilfullie Bufisit to giff the said George Mackieson any lawfull day to defend agains this ther malicious Intention, notwith- standing thameselffis, (at leist) the maist part off thame, has ruellit with the said cowmond guid, and applyit to ther proper uses, without consent of the said George Mackieson, swa that the said George deponis upon his consience that he was never Intromiter with the said cowmon guid, but only thai usit his name to the said office, And compellit him, under tbe pain of amercement of court, sic as thai plesit to inipois upon the said George, to giff acquitanees and discharges to thamsclffis, and now charges the said George mellinger for the same. Therefore the said Alex. Hervie continews the proceeding of the said action agains the said George till the first tysday after Michelmas, whilk is the first of October, till the new election of magistrates. Whereupon the said George Mackieson tuik act of court and instrument.

William Johnston, elder, the then baillie, one of Mackieson's party, held opposition

meetings of council, whereof the following is one of the minutes : —

1616, 10 Sept. — William Johnston, baillie, sitting in court, fines James Barnett for refusing to supplie the office of doomster in absence of the ordinary doonister. The Court goes on with process against George Mackieson to give complete reckoning, and pay the common good to William Johnston, present thesaurer.

On 19th September the other baillie, Alexander Hervie, with the acting clerk,

officers, and the doomster, held court and suspended the action against George Mackieson

until 1st October, the day of the new election. Mackieson's party wound up this

contest with a practical joke : —

21 September — The said day compcrit Alexander Hervie, bailzie of this bmgh, Mr. James Mill, minister, John Bainzie, younger, sumtyme bailie, George Mackie, thesaurer, Be verteu of ane chairge giffen be Wm. Stewin and Eobert Fergus, officers, At the instance of William Johnston,

26

202 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

elder, allegit bailzie of this bruch, charging us upon commandment of our counsall to compeir about said tulbuith this day, at sex hours in the morning, for what caus we know not. Thairfor the said hour being past by the space of twa hours, and the said William not compering, nor the remanent of the consall for the iuterestit parties, as we allege, Thairfor the bailzie, Alexander Hervie, with the advyss of the persons forsaid convenit for the tyme, and thai for their own interest, taks instruments and act, that nathing doune nor to be doune be the said William or his seducit faction be hurtfull or prejudicial to the cowmond Weill of this bruch, Ather for disposition of our cowmond lands, or appro- priating of the samyn to their own particular uses, privat or public assignations to our cowmond guid, or onlaws, amercements of court, or any uther thing that may be hurtfull or prejudicial to our cow- mond Weill or liberties of our bruch, whilk, giff thai do, the same to be null and of non effect ; where- for the balizie forsaid, Mr. James Mill, minister, George Mackieson, and John Bainzie, tuik act and instruments.

The said day the bailzie forsaid in his M. name and authoritie and his, inhibits John Leslie, cowmond clerk of Kintor, being present, no wayes to mell or intromitt with ony thing, at the command of the said allegit Bailzie, in prejudice of the cowmond weill.

THE MUNICIPAL DEFEAT OF THE JOHNSTONS.

The court of Inverurie, holden within the Towbuith of the same, the first day of October, the yeir of God one thousand sex hundred and sexteen yeirs, Be Alexander Hervie and William Johnston, elder Bailzies. Present— George Barclay, not. publick, clerk ; William Stewin and Robert Ferguson, officers ; and Thomas Johnston, dowmster : The sectis callit, the court lawfullie fensit and affirmit.

The said day comperit William Johnston, elder, and confessit in judgment to have alreddie de- mittit his office of bailzie. Likewise comperit Alexander Hervie, and judiciallie demittit his office of bailzie forsaid, in favors of the town. The said day comperit William Stewin and Robert Fergusone, officers, and demittit ther offices of officiaris.

The Court of Inverurie holden of new again, be Alexander Hervie and John Bainzie, Bailzies, lawfullie electit and chosen, the said first day of October, 1616 yeirs, and admittit be cowmond consent of maist of the bodie of the towne : And persons of consall, viz., George Mackieson, thesaurer ; George Grub, Andrew Angus, Robert Fergusone, elder ; Alexander Fergus, elder ; Gilbert Johnston, merchand ; James Tailyeour. younger ; John Bainzie, elder ; John Robertson, Alexander Smyth, John Ronald, John Thomson, William Johnston, son to umquhil Robert Johnston ; and Mr. James Mill, minister. George Barclay, cowmond clerk ; William Stewin and Walter Ferguson, officers ; and George Wytman, doomster — all members of court, lawfullie electit and chosen for one year.

The said day the bailzies, counsall, and communitie hes sensurit William Johnston, elder, John Johnston, his brother, William Johnston, his sone, William Ferguson, sister's sone to the said William Johnston, elder, William Robertson, in Hilbrae, Alexander Mackieson and Andrew Hutcheon, whilk persons, being seven in numer, comperit this day at our tolbuith, befour seven hours in the morning, whilk is our lawful tym of day for holding of courttis, And ther without the consent of the uther bailzie, consell, or communitie, or ony wreit of thers, or of ony four com-burgessis of this bruch, And fiatlie agains their consents minassing and bosting thame with injurious words, calling thame liars and knaves that opponit or reasonit against thame. Thairfor, the Bailzies, with advyss of the consell and communitie, decernis thame in aue amercement of court and ilk ane of them for the sowme of ten punds, to be payit within term of law, efter the chairge giffen to thame for the same, be the officers ; whilk term of law being bypast, whilk is fyftein days, immediatlye efter the officers poynd the saids persons.

The said day William Johnston, elder, John Johnston, his brother, William Johnston, sone to the said Jon., William Ferguson sister's sone to the said William, William Rotsone, Hilbrae, John Mackie, Alexander Mackie, and Andrew Hutcheon are sensurit be the bailie, consell, and communitie, And dischairgit of holding the office of Bailzie, consalour, clerk, or officer, and never to court any of the said offices in all tym coming, And that becaus the saids persons has maist wickedlie and wTang- ouslie, Be thair seditious faction sen the beginning of Junii last bypast, down manifest wrang to the haill bodie of the communitie of this bruch, In giffing away their cowmond lands, appropriating the samyn to thaim selffis, alleging at ther meitings and drynkings that thai may be thaiui selfis, without the consent of the honest neighbours and four burgessis, communitie, ather bailzie, consell, uther nor thame selfis, sell and dyspon the haill cowmond lands of this bruch, and appropriat the samyn to whatsomever person or persons thai pleiss, for the whilk causes the bailzies, forsaid consall, and com- munitie dischairgit thame, as is above specifiet.

4 Oct. — All acts done in court be William Johnston, elder bailie, from the first June, 1616, declared null and of no effect, and he and his accomplices declared incapable of holding office in time coming.

A Burgh Feud. 203

Alexander Stevin, brother to Jon. Stevin in Croftheid, inhibited from acting as officer, for insist- ing in the office of officer, being inhibited be the bailzies, and taking it on at command or desire of William Johnston and the others ; And for being art and part of knaverie with Thomas Bonner, who was baniest a lang tym sen syn, The particular cause whereof is perfectlie known to the bailzies, counsal, and communitie.

From the above it would appear that a Court could be held at the requisition of four burgesses. John Mackieson, the turbulent clerk, disappears from the record after this. William Johnston, elder, was, before 1616, immersed in wadsets, from which he never got free. The distracted state of the Council at this period contrasts with the harmony of Kincraigie's time, when also the quiet and prudent John Johnston of that Ilk was the town's influential neighbour. His son George subsequently Sir George Johnston, whom the gauntletted Town Clerk got to back him in the reiving attack upon Curries- haugh, waxed ambitious, and had to burden his property irremediably, as before re- marked. Alexander Hervie owed his then position to having married Norman Leslie's widow, as during the minority of George Leslie, Norman's younger brother, he became the head of the family and its faction untU George came of age.

BUILDING THE MILL.

4 Oct. — All inhabitants convene at the Mill of Ardtannes the morn, the 5th of this instant, by seven hours in the morning, with horse, servants, thak and raipes, to big and theik the mill, ilk ane for his own pairt.

OFFENCES.

1617, 7 January. — Andrew Angus cnmpleins upon AValter Fergus that he dang him in the face, and bluidit him with straiks, under silence of nyt in the hous of Jon. Eeid in Ardtannes.

7 March. — Mariorie Elphinstone, guid wyffe of Ardtannes, persued Alexander Hill for his dog worrying a scheip of hers, and that though desirit be the guidnian of Ardtannes to put away hia dog as a scheip worrier, fined 33s 4d.

Also that George Smith, iu Bransbutt, had abstracted his multures and haill comes, for the years 1614, 1615, and 1616.

THE OFFICER DEFORCED.

7 March. — The said day William Stewin, officer, gave in ane bill of complaint agains James Mitchell, skynner, whereof the tenor follows : — I, William Stevin, officer ordinal' of Inverurie, humblie meins and compleins upon James Mitchell, skynner, that upon the first day of this instant March, I being in execution of ane decreit pronuncit against the said James in ane court held within the tolbuith of this bruch, upon the seventeen day of Januar last, the said James wilfullie deforsit me in my punding, and wold not suffer me to poynd : But minassit me with ane sword in his hand ; And said girf I poyndit any geir that he suld gitf me as mukle as my nybour bed gotten. And in respect of his disobedience to his M. lawis, I moneist him in his M. name to suffer justice to proceed, qho

anserit me irreverentlie in saying " upon you and your charge bayth ". In respect whereof I,

conform to the order, brak my wand on him, whereof 1 crave justice.

MORE OF THE FEUD.

Compeirit Andrew Angus, and producit three recent wounds bluiding giffin him be William Johnston, younger son to umquhile John Johnston. Accused not appearing, proof was taken by witnesses that he committit the said fact and deid, with ane lance staff and ane durk ; for the whilk he was fined 40 lbs.

KIRK PENALTIES.

24 March. — John Leslie, in Badifory, collector to the Kirk Common Guid of Inverurie, purseuit William Johnston, son to late John Johnston, for a fine imposed in the session of July, 1615, amount- ing to lOmerks, for sklander against Walter Angus. Also for 10 merks for satisfaction of his lata father's burial.

Also 10 lbs. penaltie by John Banzie, younger, for his inconstancie in lowping back fra marriage of Christian Tailzeour.

18 Apryll. — Claris Hutcheon, wife of William Donaldson (the drunkard of former notices),

S04 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

persewit for stopping and molesting Alexander Hill, in labouring his laud, taking his hors out of his cart, aud saying he suld never labor the laud while she levit.-

a baillie's troubles and honours.

3rd June. — Alexander Hervie complenit against James Mitchell, skynner, that he has abusit the said Alexander Hervie, his magistral;, in blasphemous language and disobedience to the said bailie in execution of his office, at wbilk tym the said James said he was als honest as he or ony he in Inverurie, or in the land that he was in, and offerit to draw ane durk to him, upon the wbilk the bailie aforesaid causit the officer chairge him to the tolbuith, when lykeways he disobeyit. Upon the wbilk the said bailzie causit the officer with his assistants bring him to the tolbuith, where the other bailzie, with the advyss of the eonsall, convicts the said James to ward in the tolbuith at his own expensiss, and to ly in the stocks ay and until he gett sufficient caution to satisfy the bailies and consell.

13th June.— The bailzies and consell elected, nominatit, and choise Alexander Hervie com- missioner to pass to the Parliament to be holden in Edinburgh, the day of June, 1617 ; and order George Mackieson, thesaurer, to pay him 40 lbs. for his expensise.

July 12. — Compeared Alexander Hervie, one of the bailzies, and complains as follows ; —

Unto their wisdoms the bailzies, humblie meius and complains upon Win. Johnston, elder, burgess of this bruch, that he cam to the yett of my dwalling-house upon the twenti-sext day of June last by-past ; and there with forthocht fellonie, boden in feir of weir with sword whinger and plait stellis, of intention as appearit to half murdert me and tain my life, — And finding me, the said Alex. going in maist sober maner, putting my scheip out of an house to the feding, without onie wapiu on me invasive, ther he most cruellie set upon me, and, or I was wair of him, with anp drawn sword he struck me in the womb (wame ?), to the gryt hasert of my lyffe, and effusion of my bluid.

George Leslie was now of age to be infeft in his brother Norman Leslie's lands ; and on 23rd September, 1617, the minister, one of his curators, appeared in Court, craving a charge to Alexander Hervie to remove furth of certain of these lands.

A STRONG TOWN COUNCIL.

30th September. — The new Council which took office at Michaelmas after the civil conflict was terminated, must have formed a large per centage of the community. They consisted of Alex. Hervie and Wm. Johnston, younger, baillies. Persons of Council — George Mackieson ; John Benzie, younger ; Alex. Ferguson, elder ; Alex. Mackieson ; John Mackieson ; John Thomson ; Robert Fergus, elder ; John Benzie, elder ; Robert Tailyeour, younger ; William Johnston, son to Robert ; James Tailyeour, wright ; John Robertson, Alex. Smyth, John Ronald, George Grub, Andrew Angus, Gilbert Johnston, and James Bainzie :— Clerk, George Barclay, for a year; Officers for the year, William Steven and Walter Ferguson ; Doomsters, George Wytman and Thomas Johnston, alias Comissar.

THE MILL LADE.

1618 — 19th January — Ilk occupier of ane hail twelf-pairt to go to the mill-water, himself and ane servant, ilk occupier of ane half twelf himself : the occupiers of the ruids to gang themselfs. And who that gaes not with schoillis, spaids and uther materials needful to cast the thrott of the laid, and put the parts of the mill-water sufficient, to be poyndit 14s. 4d.

MOSS DUTY.

13th Way — The haill persons within the bruch, stentit for myrbeir (moor rent), to pay their pairt to the laird of Glenbervie, at his mains of Kemnay, within 24 hours.

TUREING FORBIDDEN.

11th June— Fra this day the common muir of the bruch be hanit, and not brocken be casting of turves thereon.

Burgh Incidents. 205

DINGING.

7th July — Andrew Gib accusit Mariorie Anderson for dinging and misusing him ; and she accusit him for dinging and misusing her, — botli at the moss.

John Bainzie found guilty of troubling "William Stevin, and dinging him with ane tow on the head : fined 10 lbs.

PROTECTION POLICY.

21st Jnly. — Statut that henceforth in na yeir to come at the time of the comon markets in Schent Apollinar and Lettermarie fair, that na burgess or other inhabitant sett hous to ony outland browster under the pain of ten merks nionie, to be presently thereafter upliftit and delyvert to the bailzies of the bruch. And gif it hapin ony outland browster to be that bald as to erect ony tent or pailzean (pavilion) to sell either aill, wyn, or heir, within the fredom or territorie of the said bruch, during the tym forsaid, in that case the said browster, or erector of the tent or pailzean, to be pundit for the said sum of ten merks, and the hail aill, beir, or wyn eschectit, and delt frelie to all men.

QUARREL WITH THE CITY OF ABERDEEN. 5th August — The whilk day the bailzies, consell, and communitie of the bruch of Inverurie, hes nominat, electit, and chosen Gilbert Johnston, burges of the said bruch, ther commissioner, actor, factor, and speciall erraud-berer to compeir before the Lords of Couusell and Session. And ther, in name of the said bruch, and for defence of the liberties thereof, to produce the evident grantit be his JI. to testifie to the Lords of Session and Consell forsaid ; That the bruch of Inverurie is ane free bruch of royaltie ; and the said Gilbert Johnston, ane of the free burgesses of the said bruch being chairgit, be virtue of our sovran lord's acts grantit in presence of the provost, bailzies, and bruch of Aberdeen, agains forstallers, be vertue wherof thai hav chairgit the said Gilbert Johnston, as ane forstaller he being ane free burges of the said bruch of Inverurie as said is.

A compromise of the case seems to have been thought advisable.

11th August. — The bailzies, with advyss of the counsell, hes nominat, electit, and chose Alex. Hervie and Win. Johnston, bailzies of bruch, ther commissioners to compeir for us and in our names, before the provost bailzies and consell of Aberdeen, there to solisit, reason, and desire the saids provost, bailzies, and consell, that they will desist and seis fra the execution of the chairges usit at thair instances against our said bruch, in especial agains Gilbert Johnston. ... In respect the auld inhabitants and free burgesses of Inverurie has ever fund the provost, bailzies, and consell of the bruch of Aberdeen ther freindis in all ther honest actionis. . . George Mackieson, thesaurer, ordenit to giff to Alex. Hervie fourtie sh. for two days' expenssis in ryding to Aberdeen . . . and to Win. Johnston, bailzie, for ane day's going to Aberdeen, 10 sh.

PEASE NEEDING PROTECTION.

The said day statut that the haill inhabitants be answerable ilk for his familie, man, wyff, bairn, and servand, that nain gang to ony manis peis, to pull or tak away any of thame.

DOMESTIC STRIFE. 21st Aug. — Andrew Angus compleins upon his brother germane, Walter, for dinging his wyff in his own house : Walter denied and referred to the oath of Cristen Smith, Andrew's wyff. She swoir that, within her own house, the said Walter keist her down, and dang her wi' ain iron taingis.

TEMPERANCE AND KIRK-KEEPING.

7th Oct. — First Court day of the new Council. Statute After this day furth that na person within this bruch be extraordinar in ther drynking, either be day or after nin hours at even ; and that all inhabitants within this bruch on the Sabbath, if he be absent frae the kirk either at the preaching before nown, or prayer after nown, they being admoniest out of the pulpit be the minister : Ilk person found culpapill in any of that particular several poyntis, ilk person to be poyudid for four- teen shillings Mies quoties.

REDDING OF MARCHES ROUND THE BURGH LANDS AND MOSS.

1619, 2nd April. — All inhabitants having comoditie and fogage, fewall, faill, or devatts, within the said bruch and comontie thereof, sail gang, being advertist he the officer to cast ane fowse directlie at the marches betwix the towne's lands of Inverurie, and uther nybors' lands, next adjunct, round about.

27th May. — Ordeint that all inhabitants of this bruch, payers of the myerbeir, be in the moss the morn, the 28 day of Maie, with spaids, fut spaids, and schullis and qnhell barrows, be aueht hours, to cast the fousis ordeint to be cassin in the moss, according to the dowusett of the quarter maister and George Foular, bailzie of the saids lands of Kemnay.

206 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

OVER BUILDING.

1619— 11th Aug. — William Ferguson sensurit for building out on the wast end of his fyrehous ane stain wall, in augmentation of the said William Ferguson his propertie, furder nor the rest of the towne, contrar to the laws of burrows, and lykwise for disobeying of the bailzies cornand, being inhibit : Fined 500 merks.

John Ronald, fined 20 lbs. for building out upon the Kingis gett, by (contrary to) the law of burrows.

THE FINES THE ONLY PERQUISITE OF THE BAILLIES.

27th Sept. — The bailzies— Wm. Johnston, younger, and John Bainzie, younger — requirit the thesaurer, George Mackiesone, to pay and deliver to thame ther bailzie fees, sic as usit to be giffen to the preceding bailzies yeirlie out of the comond guid, or else to allow the same to them on the first end of ther own few maill. To the whilk their dosyr the said thesaurer wald gift Da anser, By adwyss of the remanent persons of Consal and inhabitants of the said bruch ; who all being ryplie and maturlie adwysit therewith, plainlie Refusit to gif to thame any of the cowmond guid, Be rasoue ther was uther cowmond affairs to be down therewith, sic as Redemption of the puddock-buttis and uthers. And affirniit plainlie they wuld giff nain uther for ther fee to thame bot sic unlaws convickit be decreit of Court ; wherewith they ordeint the said bailzies to satisfie thame selfs for ther fee this year sen their election, whilk was upon the first day of October last, 1618 yeirs.

THE FEUD.— THE OFFENDERS RESTORED TO PRIVILEGE.

The Court was taken up during 1618 and 1619, chiefly with matters of debt and

transfer of land, and occasional riots. The feud still continued, the last act of it, the

assault by "William Johnston, in full armour, upon the sober magistrate, Alexander

Hervie, having found its way before the Lords of Council and Session. In return, the

old pugnacious Baillie Johnston, watched his opportunity of procuring some magistrates

favourable to him, in order to attack Hervie before the Burgh Court. The schism was

at last healed.

6th Oct. — The bailzies with advyss of consall, considerit the humilation made be Wm. John- ston, younger, Alex. Mackieson, John Mackieson, his brother, Andrew Hutcheon, and Wm. Robert- son comburgessis of this bruch, for ther former transgression and disobedience. The said bailzies, with advyss forsaid, has remittet the. saids persons ther former transgressions, because thei are adjudged be court alreddie, and hes satisfeit in all poyntis.

HONOUR OF RE-ELECTION : — A DEAN OF GUILD FIRST MENTIONED.

The said day Wm. Johnston, younger, and John Benzie, bailzies, giff over the offices of bailzies deliverit the wand thereof.

The said day the hail consal and communitie . . . finds na uthers persons within the bruch for the present sae meitt to exercise the said office of bailzie . . . Thai are of new admittit.

George Mackieson is continuit in the office of thesaurer, and George Grub, Dain of Gild for an year.

Council George Mackieson, Alex. Fergus, elder, George Grab, Andrew Angus, Alex. Hervie, John Robertson, Alex. Mackie, Robert Fergus, elder, Robert Tailzeour, younger, James Tailzeour, wricht, and Wm. Robertson.

This is the last magistracy we have any record of, until 1645 — the court books

from 1620 to 1645 being lost.

THATCHING THE MILL.

14th Oct. — Ordainit that all twallT-pairt men within the bruch according to his own pairt thereof, bring with them to the miln betwixt and Setturday next, ilk twalff pairt man twa thack scheives, ilk half twalff-pairt man ane scheff, ilk qrt. twalf ane schaiff, with raipes conform ; and also ilk ane oxgait man ane thack scheff, with the raipes and twa winlingis of stray.

Mr. Mill's Registers of Births and Deaths. 207

THE LESLIES :— A FOREIGN CLAIMANT.

5th November, William Davidson, Advocate in Aberdeen, procurator for George Leslie of Bogs of Leslie, produced a brieve from the Chancery for serving heir to all the lands of Norman Leslie, now claimed by George his youngest brother, and partly life- rented by his (Norman's) widow, (Alexander Hervie's wife). George Leslie, of Bogs, acted on behalf of Andrew Leslie, pupil, in Cryn in Poill, son of the deceased James Leslie, burgess of Cryn, eldest lawful son of Alexander Leslie, burgess of Inverurie, Norman's father.

The plea urged against the lad — Andrew Leslie, then in Poland, or at least against

the Baillies' at once proceeding to inquire as to the beads of inquest, is curious :

Mr. Wm. Rae, burgess of Aberdeen, as procurator for David Cargill, also of the said brucb, compeirt, and under protestation, nowayis admit.tand the bailzies presently sittand in judgment judges competent to cognosce on the showin desyrit this day, and siclike for nullitie of . . . this day, — being the fyft day of November, apoyntit to be free, when na judges, ather superior or inferior, can sit and cognosce iu any cause being appoyntit to be solemnizit for his M. Releise of powder trasin intendit agains bim.

This plea was repelled ; and nothing having been produced to contradict the state- ment of propinquity, as set forth in the Chancery brieve ; an inquest was impannelled to judge of the case, the jury consisting of John Leslie of Wardes ; William Johnston, elder ; Alexander Bodwell ; Thomas Johnston ; John Stevin ; George Mackie ; Andrew Angus ; William Davidson ; William Fergus ; Alexander Fergus, elder ; John Bobert- son ; John Bonald ; John Bainzie, elder ; Alexander Mackie ; George Grub ; James Tailzeour ; Bobert Tailzeour, younger ; William Johnston, son to Bobert Johnston, and William Smith. The Men of Inquest, (except George Mackie and Andrew Angus) found Andrew Leslie to be lawful heir in all the subjects contained in the petition, and served him as such heir accordingly. The Stonehouse lands were afterwards sold to John Galloway, merchant in Aberdeen, from whose son, Alexander Galloway, gold- smith there, John Ferguson bought them.

DESECRATION OF THE LORD'S DAY.

1620, 21st April. — Court held by Wm. Johnston, younger, and John Badyno : complaint given in be George Grub, dean of gild, agains James and George Smyth and James Scott, makand mention that the saids persons on Sonnday last, the 16tli day of Apryle, being pace day, being at the buttis of the said bruch, at ther unlesum games and pastymes, not worthy to be usit on such ane day, strack dang and keist and kepit uthers, trublit molestit the haill town, being the day of the adminis- tration of the communion : fined 40 sh. each.

MARCHES WITH BLAKHALL.

13th May. — The heritors, bailies, counsall, and communitie, agres to refer to George Johnston of Caskieben, the marches between their lands and those of William Blakhall, fiar of that Ilk.

MR. MILL'S REGISTERS OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS.

The registers left by Mr. James Mill, minister of Inverurie and Monkegy, form the only record available of local events for some years after 1620, and until the covenant- ing period was at hand. They afford glimpses of the domestic condition of the people as

208 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

interesting in their way as the pictures of out-door life yielded by the disputes and judgments written in the doings of the baillie court. Two imperfect volumes now in the Eegister House, Edinburgh, record baptisms performed by him from 1611 to 1641, and deaths occurring from 1609 to 1638.

Mr. Mill took, at times, an active share in the business of the burgh, being repeat- edly " a person of counseil," and was, as the minister, much employed to draw Wills made within his two parishes, from the great lairds down to very meagrely endowed testators. Evidently formal in his habits, he has recorded interesting catalogues of household properties, both articles of furniture and of personal apparel, particulars of farm-plenishing, with the prices of the items, as well as the value of the personal or moveable estate then to be found in families of widely different social positions.

The notices of baptisms and burials, afford frequent illustrations of habits and sentiments, characteristic of the period; and compendious descriptions of individual character are at times recorded, as well as references to remarkable contemporaneous events.

In 1613, Mr. Mill had to write the Testament of John Johnston of Caskieben ; in 1616, that of Walter Innes, the miller and tacksman of Ardtannies ; and in 1623, that of William Elakhall of that Ilk. These testamentary documents exhibit something of the pecuniary means which may have at that era supported a place in the upper rank of local society.

1613 — 4th February. — John Johnston, of Caskieben, departit this life, buriet 5th February, in Monkegy Kirk — ane very godlie and verteous man. His testament, made be his own mouth — in his own house in Ardyharrel — the 23rd day of January, 1613, before witnesses, Mr. James Cargill, Mr. John Walker, minister of Kinkell, Ronald Cheyne in Ardyharrel, Gilbert Johnston of Petty 's mill, and Mr. James Mill.

The testator directs his inventory to be given up by his brother Gilbert Johnston, whom he nominates his executor, with a legacy of 2000 merks — the testator's eldest son George being then a minor. To his sons, John and Gilbert, he leaves 4000 merks each, and to his son James, and to his daughters Jean, Margaret, and Christian, 3000 merks each — to be payable as these children severally became of age — his eldest son to inherit the share, or shares, of any of them who might die in minority, and in the meantime, the minor children to be honestly brought up in virtue, and entertained in food and raiment by his eldest son. It is further stated that — by contract with Katherine Lundy, the testator's then wife — Thomas Johnston, the eldest son of the testator's second nuptials, afterwards Thomas Johnston of Craig, in Dyce — was pro- vided with the sum of 15,000 merks. The will opens with the solemn declaration —

"The Laird of Caskieben, sick in body, but whole in spirit, assured of salvation in the merits of Jesus Christ only, and attending for his last delivery out of this mortal life, commands his body to be honestly buried among the faithful at Monkegy, without pomp of gorgeous funeral."

Walter Innes's will has been noticed above (p. 179), the inventory recording the displenish of Ardtannies, with the valuation of cattle and corns.

Mr. Mill's Register of Births and Deaths. 209

1623, 27 Nov. — William Blakhall of that Ilk, departit this life, buried in the Kirk of In- verury.

William Blakhall died proprietor, by wadset, of Auldtown of Knockinglews, of which the rent due for that year by Thomas Dicky, Win. Duncan, and Wm. Wat, consisted of 5 chadder of ferme meal, two parts meil, third part beir at 5 lbs. the boll. He was due the minister 100 nierks for ane chadder of victual teynd, twa part meil, third part beir. He left, as curators to his bairns (John, Margaret, Janet, and Catherine), Sir Thomas Burnet of Leys, James Burnet of Craigmyle, Mr. Robert Burnet, advocate in Aberdeen, John Strachan, tutor of Thornton, Mr. Patrick Maitland of Auchencrieff, and John Seton of Minnes. His wife was named Elizabeth Strachan.

The inventory exhibits 10 draught oxen, 18 merks each; 7 cows, 8 lbs. each; 6 steers and 1 quey, 80 lbs. ; 4 two-year-olds, 40 sh. each ; 60 old sheep, 30 sh. each ; 12 hogs, 13sh. 4d. each ; 4 horses, 24 merks each ; 2 mares, 20 merks each ; 200 bolls oats, 4 lbs. per boll, 80 bolls beir, 10 merks per boll.

The tenants of Badifurrow and Crimond, left inventories, showing prices in 1(311 and 1616.

1611 — Dec. — John Duncan, in Badifurra, made his testament before witnesses, Patrick Leslie of Badifurra, Will. Garioch there, John Donald in Fetternear, and Sir. James Mill.

Inventorie : Imprimis — 4 ox at 4 lb. ; 4 quyacks at 10 m.; 4 young steers at 5 lbs. ; 2 meires at 10 m. ; 2 year auld stasis at 4 lbs. ; 7 auld sheep. Insight and plenishing, 10 m. In yeard and barn, 60 bolls aits, at 40 sh. ; 10 bolls beir at 4 lbs. Debts, among others his master (landlord, as rent), 10 bolls, two part meal, third part beir.

1616, 19 March— Charles Chalmers in Crimond made his testament. The inventory: — 9 draught oxen and a plough — price of the piece 10 lbs. ; 2 steers 10 m. each ; 2 quyacks 5 lbs. each ; work naigs 20 m. the pair ; young staigs 5 lbs. ; 2 hogs 20 sh. each.

The articles bequeathed include at times very trifling items, some of them of a kind not comprehended in the testaments of later times.

1613, 25 October. — Patrick Lesly of Kiucraigie departit, buried in the Chappel of Garioch. His sister Margaret, in Schielbog, died 1 May, 1614 ; leaving 100 m. and her claes to her oy Marjorie Anderson ; and 200 m. to her son George Anderson, now in Poill.

2 December. — Testament of Gilbert Norowaymade by his own mouth in John Thomson's house in Inverurie. He has makin black claes, as well as three eln or thereby of walkit claith, whilk is at Steven Stewart's, and John Steven in Cluny has them. He has ane new plaid, and twa auld plaids, and his ganging claes ; and ane coat in William Sangster's house.

1615, 24 Jan. — John Anderson in Inverurie's testament.

Inuentorie. — Item, ane meir estimat at 8 lbs. ; five yowes at 2 merks the piece ; ane chair, 25 sh. ; a buik, 10 sh. ; a tub, 8 sh. ; a kist, 20 sh. ; a cannas, 4 m. ; a little pan and a pot, 5 m. ; a tangis, 5 sh. ; two plaids— ane at 3 lb., the other 48 sh. ; two tailor's shears — aue at 7 sh., the other at 6sh.

1615, 19 March.— James Johnston, parson of Monymusk, departit this life ganging in his 77th year of his age — leaving his son James his executor, with the by-rents of Isaaekston.

4 September. — The testament of Elspet Symmers, spouse to Gilbert Brown in Monkegy, bequeaths, among other articles, a halved plaid and a white wallicoat — a part of female dress mentioned in other wills.

Under dates 1625, 3 October, and 1626, 13 August, appear — "Gilbert Banzie in

Inverury departit ; testit 8th day of Aug.," and " Mariorie Meklrum, relict of Gilbert

Banzie, Inverurie, dep. buriet in the kirkyard of Monkegy." Gilbert's will shows that this

head of the Bainzies, for the time, was a comfortable burgh farmer. He lived on the

upper rood south of the present hotel, and was one of the Dava tacksmen, and had

27

210 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

three sons-in-law to inherit bairns' gear. One of his bequests is illustrative of the time- being his sword and steel bonnet, which he left to his brother. He left 20 m. 6 sh. to pay °for his lair within the kirk of Inverurie. (To be buried in templo seems to have been then no small distinction). An entry in the widow's will shows the change about to come upon the house of Caskieben. She was a tenant on the estate, and owed " 20 merks of maill to Caskieben and Mr. Alex. Jaffray, for the duty of her roods, this year and the last". Mariorie seems to have been rich in plaids, having left her " Hielan plaid," " her plaid at the wobster," and " her plaid at the litster," to three several legatees:

The deaths of notable persons are entered with occasional indications of the minister's opinion of the defunct. Burial very soon after death seems to have been common.

1616, 29 July— Katherine Lundy, Lady Caskiben, departit this life in Ardycharral, and buriet in

1620 22 Auc. — "William Johnston, son to George Johnston of Caskieben.

1622', 8 January.— Christian Forbes, Lady Caskieben, departit this life, of age three score and

1622, 17 Dec.— John Johnston, brother to the Laird of Caskieben, dep. in his own house, buriet

lei624 20th°Aiiniy— Janet Leslie, Ladv Kincraigie, relict of umqll Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, ane aged woman of four score years, departit. Buriet in the chappel of Garioch 21st April ; ane Godly graiff woman, ane verteous woman. ok™.™

1635, 24 January.— George Barclay, notar m Inverury, ane aged man, about 84 or 85 years, dep. in ane gryte storm.

Mr. George Barclay had commenced professional life, as a notary public, in 1599, residing at Chapel of Garioch; and was afterwards town-clerk of Inverury. His protocol book forms the oldest register of sasines in the burgh ; and contains numerous entries of interest respecting transactions within a considerable circuit round Inverurie. His widow, Christian Leslie, died 18 November same year.

1622 15th Nov — Meriorie Elphinstone, sometym spouse to Walter Innes in Artoneis, now spouse toNorman Leslie, brother to the laird of Wardes, dep. this life at the Mill of Whitehaugh, and was buriet in the Kirk of Inverury.

The mural tablet, now lying in the Churchyard of Inverurie, recording the deaths of Walter Innes and his wife, makes no mention of her second marriage. The tradition of her rising from her grave, and going home to Ardtannies, and not to Whitehaugh, would indicate that the earlier conjunction had been the one most agreeable to her.

1629, 20 April.— Margaret Leslie, spous to Mr. James Mill, minister of Inverury, dep. :— About 77, ane godly virtuous woman, buriet in the kirk of Inverury.

When Mrs. Margaret wedded the minister in 1603, she must have attained the unromantic age of 51, and been considerably older than her husband, who lived until 1641. She was a daughter of the Laird of New Leslie.

1629 2 May.-George Leslie burgess of Aberdeen, callit of Bogis, dwelling in Inverury, departit this life : an aged man of 70 or thereby ; carriet to the kirk of Premnay, and buriet there beside his mother, Bessie Forbes, first guidwyfe of New Leslie, thereafter guidwyfe of Laws.

George Leslie seems to have been one of the small lairds who found the burgh a

Mr. Mill's Register of Births and Deaths. 211

convenient place of residence. His son Patrick died there 2nd January next year. George of Bogis was the brother of the minister of Inverurie's first wife, Margaret Leslie.

1634, 2 Feb. — John Black, husband to Violet Mathieson, husbandman in Conglass, about the age of 45, dept.

The peculiar entry of John's connubial position is accompanied in his ■will with an exceptional provision of an anticipatory, or at any rate precautionary nature, viz., that his children be left with their mother as long as she does well with them ; and during their tutor's pleasure. !?he speedily married again.

The minister's notices of defuncts were not always commendatory.

1629, Nov. 20. — John Roualdson dept., an old man of four-score.

The minister gives no character of this patriarch, who probably did not possess

one which would have graced a register. He was the father of the drunkard, William ,

whose wife attained a distinctly expressed record of her conduct.

1633, 14 Nov. — Claris Huchone, wife to Wm. Ronald, in Iuverury, dep. ; quha was ane very evill kirk keeper.

The following entries are of interest as regards the criminal jurisprudence of

Scotland at the period.

1629, 4 Aug. — Alexander Fergus, alias Walace, in Inverurie, attached by the Sheriff of theft, and drowned in Uryf in the pot called the Ginken holl till he was deid ; buriet in the kirkyard of Inverurie.

The execution of " "Walace " must have had an impressive effect. He was a

resident in Inverurie, the father of a family ; the youngest of whom was baptised but

two months before August 1629.

6 Aug., 1636. — John Pirie, son to Wm. Pirie, in Fetternear, dep. this lyff in his father's house in Fetternear, buriet in the kirkyaird of Inverury. Was raissit again upon the 13 day of Augt. upon ane bruit that he had gotten wrong, in cutting his genitals from him. The body being viewed by sundry feirnouss and honest persons at the command of Adam Ballantyne, Bischope of Aberdeen for the tyme, it was found that the body of the said John Pirie had gotten no wrong. Tryers of the corpus, Mr. John Clieyne, parson of Kinkell ; Mr. James Mill, minister of Inverurie ; William Johnston, B., there ; Mr. Alex. Mitchell, there ; and George Lesly of Kincraigie.

Affecting, or otherwise remarkable deaths, or burials, drew graphic notices from the reverend registrar.

1620. — John Johnston, son to Robert Johnston, in Corsehill, plenisher of Lofthillock, in his passing through among friends for cornis, was slain be aue schot be Harie Gordon, in Haddo, at the said Harie his upon 24 day of March, and buriet in Monkegy, 25 day of March.

1622, 4th May. — Elspet Anderson, dother to Will. Anderson in Conglass, made her testament with her own mouth, in the house of Thomas Smyth in Inverury. She leaves all to Wm. Ferguson, to whom she is coutractit in marriage ; and to whom she has borne ane man bairn. She leaves to the said William wliatsomever my justly appertain to her also be the death of her mother, Margt. Smyth, and be decease of her guiddam, Isobel Benzie, or by promise of her father, and what she has in her own ; and leaves her young bairnie to the said Wm. Ferguson, his father, charging him, as

he will answer to God, to do his fatherly duty to the bairn, not as to ane bastard, but as to ane lawful bairn, because it was gotten under the promise of marriage. Whilk the said William Ferguson, faithfully and solemnly promised to do. And she nominates the said William her executor and intromiter with her whole geir.

The touching record of penitence expressing itself in this poor girl's anxiety for the protection of her infant from shame, and exacting a vow from her lover to protect

212 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

it, while she lay dying in her grandfather's house, where she had sought refuge pro- bably from her own home, was signed by Mr. Mill, who adds — " The same said day the said Elspet departit this life."

1620, 20 Dec. — William Reid, girseman in Meikle Wardes, travelling from Aberdeen, was found dead at the Arnfield Loch, and buriet in the kirkyard, Inverurie

1624 — Annes Davidson, dep. : deid there out at the fauld dykes of Netkertou, being ane cauld stormie nieht.

1621, 11th April. — "William Johnston, elderin Inverurie, departit, buriet in the kirk of Inverury (This was the noted baillie of 1616).

1621, 27 Aug. — Isabella Mackay, spouse to Robert Taylor, elder, departit this life in the Ord ; and was carriet to the kirk of Inverury, and buriet the stone on the south syde there.

Same nicht raissit agane be her father and friends, and buriet in the north east nuik of the said kirk.

1621, 8 Sept. — Wm. Couper, servand to Wm. Johnston, Bailzie, departit this life. Alleged felled be George Morgan, for the qukilk the said George suffered the inquest of ane assize, and was absolvit.

1623, 28 May — John Johnston, callit of Ingliston, son to umquhill Patrick Johnston, dwelling in Inverury, upon the 7 day of May, 1623, being Setterday, at Artoneis, was wondit in the left side of his head by ane gryte straik, allegit strueken by John Leslie of Badifurra, in ane meetin after drink- ing. Striken down of the straik, and departit this life on the 28th May, being Thursday, at night.

1623, 10th Dec. — Margaret Forbes, relict of umqll George Glennie, was delyverd to him of twa twinns, ane lass and ane laid ; the laid departit coming to the kirk, the lass baptisit callit Meriorie — witnesses — Alex. Glenny in Auchorthes ; Wat. Glenny there.

Baptism in church must have been then the rule, else infants would not have been

carried from mill of Aquhorties to Inverurie in the month of December. Their father

had died in October — one of a large family of Glennies.

1623, 28th Dec. — Bessie Chalmers, beggar, died in Thomas Johnston's house in the Eirkgreen.

1624, 19th January. — John Cuming, traveller, with a wife and six bairns, from hielauds to low- lands, departit this life in Alex. Glenny's house in Auchorthes.

Among the last mortuary entries in Mr. Mill's Eegister is the following touch- ing one : —

Walter Malcolmson, son to John Malcolmson in Woodhill, being ane boy of three years of age, upon ane Wendesday, ane fair sun Schyning, the aught day of Februar, 1637, strayed out of his father's house in Woodhill, and after long seeking was found dead a little south-east from his father's house the threttie day of Feb. 1637.

1626, 4 July. — Walter Cheyne, son to William Cheyne, tailzeour in Inverury, being in service with George Grubb, in Inverury, coming from the peat moss with his Mr. The said W alter drowned coming over Don, in ane salmon coble, upon the black pot of Artoneis.

1628, 17 Feb. — Helen Glennie, spouse to Wm. Walker in Inglistonne dep. Buriet in the kirkyard of Inverury, with the rest of the Glennies.

The recording of nicknames did not offend the minister's graphic pen.

1620, 11 Dec. — Barbara More, in Inverury, spouse to Alexander Henderson, alias Danser, departit.

1624, 31st January. — Themas Johnston alias Comissar, departit.

1633, 18 June. — William Lightoune, burgess of Enrowrie, alias callit Barrone Lightoune, dept."

14 Dec. — Margarit Banzie, alias feel Magie, a natural foul from her birth, dep."

1622, 20 Oct. — Alexander Anderson, alias Genkin ane lawful son, baptisit.

The name appears also Genkin, alias Anderson.

The records of births occasionally are interesting for the names of the christening

company ; which enable us to see who were recognised as of the better sort in the parish

society.

1611, 18 April — John Leslie in Badifurra had a son baptised Patrick— wit. : Patrick Forbes of Corse, John Leslie fiar of Balquhain, and John Hervie.

Mr. Mill's Register of Births aud Deaths. 213

1627, 9 July. — James Leslie of Auchorthes, ane lawful dother bapt. callit Elspet — wit. : John Lesly of Balquhain, and Patrick Gordon of Bracca.

1617, 11 March — William Blakhall of that Ilk had a son baptiset ; witnesses — John Strnchan of CoTskie ; Wm. Wood of Colpnay ; Alex. Tulloch of Craignesin ; William Johnston, baillie of Inverury, and Mr. Alexander Mitchell, schoolmaster there.

1618, 1 Feb. — George Johnston of Caskieben, his oldest dother born in Ardiharral, baptisit the 15th Feb. ; whilk day the laft at the Kirk of Monkegy fell.

1622, 19th May. — William Blakhall of that Ilk, ane dother baptisit callit Katherine. Witnesses- William Colitis, fiar of Auchtercoul, Norman Leslie in Inverury, and William Johnston, baillie there.

23rd May. — Maister Alexander Mitchell, ane lawful dother baptisit callit Meriorie. Witnesses, William Blakhall of that Ilk, George Leslie, guidman of Rothmaise, Nomian Leslie in Ardtannes, and John Leslie of Badifurrow.

Norman Leslie must have left Ardtannies at the "Whitsunday of that year, 1622, as his wife and her second son by her first husband, Walter Innes the miller, both died at Whitehaugh, the son on 28th September, and the mother 15th November, 1622.

1622, 20 Oct. — Wm. Fergus in Inverury, ane lawful son, baptisit callit Robert.

It is possible that this Ferguson was Spalding's Baillie William, and father of William of Crichie, the common ancestor of the Aberdeenshire families of the name.

1622, 15th Oct. —William Coutis, fiar of Auchtercoull, dwelling in Artoneis, ane lawful sone, baptisit callit Alexander. Witnesses— Sir Alex. Gordon of Cluny, Kt. ; Alexander Gordon, appearand of Cluny ; John Lesly of Wardes.

On the previous December 15, 1621, Wardes had disponed Ardtannies to William Coutts and his wife, Janet Gordon, and they were infeft on 22nd December, 1622. Wardes was then close upon his ruin, and the Knight of Cluny, his helper thereto, was in much the same state.

1626, 28th April. — William Johnston, bailzie in Inverury, ane lawful son baptisit, callit James — wit. : Mr. James Mill, minister, James Fergus, George Leslie in Rothmaise.

The presence of the Baillie at christenings in the families of the upper class, around

as well as in the municipality, indicates that his position, as head of the burgh, was one

which imparted some degree of social prestige. George Leslie ere long became his

colleague, and, in turn, appears to have been principal baillie. No provost was elected

until the next century.

1630 — 1 April. — John Leslie, in Artoneis, ane lawful dother bapt., callit Margaret — wit. : George Leslie of Kincraigie, and Hector Abercromby of Fetternear.

13 October. — Mr. James Mill, minister at Inverurie, ane lawful sone bapt. callit James — wit., Sir George Johnstonne of that ilk and Caskieben ; James Elphinstonne of Glack ; Alex. Leslie of Tullos, and Mr. Andrew Logy, person of Rane. Borne 2 Oct., 1630.

The minister seems to have been cordially disposed to celebrate his accession to the dignity of paternity ; and that by a wife belonging to one of the county families, probably considered as an advance upon his previous twenty-six years alliance with a ruling burgh house. The laird of Glack may have been the father of his wife, Meriorie ; who collected her husband's friends at christenings pretty frequently afterwards. Caskieben, the son of Mr. Mill's old friend — godly and virtuous John Johnston — had been five years a baronet in 1630, and was Sheriff of the county, in succession to the Earl of Huntly, removed by Charles I. in his policy of curbing the great nobles. Mr. Mill's other christenings, with their graphic records, have been noted already. He

214 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

appends to this, the first of his Mause baptisms, notice of an historical event, which made a great commotion at the time, " the burning of Frendraught," supposed to have been a malicious and cruel act. of faction strife. The date of the birth was 2nd October, 1630, the same day that the sad tragedy had its beginning.

Ilk day Jas. Leslie of Achortheis was schot in the richt arm be the laird of Condlan in Fren- draucht's coinpanie. 9 Oct., 1630, Frendraucht's house brant ; within it six men brant deid.

1635, 7 March. — John Leslie of Balquhain and Janet Innes, ane son bapt., callit Alex. Wit. — Alex. Leslie in Tullos, Wm. Leslie of Carchnie, in respect there was no minister at the Chappel after the death of Mr. Andro Straqn.

For three years later the minister's register of baptisms goes on in the same general style of entry; recording in 1639 a birth to Eobert Nuccol, pyper, and his wyfe ; and also one to Violet Mathieson in Conglass, whose first husband, John Black, had exhibited in 1634 some want of faith in her doing well with his children, and who, in 1640, appears as the wife of John Johnston. Two notaries resident together ■ in Inverurie appear, John Mackyson, notar, having a daughter Mariorie, by his wife Margaret Lyndsay, 10th January, 1636 ; and John Macky, notar, who made his will 23rd March in the same year, in the schoolmaster's house, when one of the witnesses was a new laird of Drimmies, Alexander Chalmers, whose son William succeeded him before 1660.

A different hand is apparent in a portion of a baptismal register, added to Mr. Mill's, and beginning 21st May, 1643. An entry in 1644, shows the old minister to have been replaced by Mr. William Forbes ; who was to live through the most charac- teristic period of the century — that which saw the beginning and the end of the covenant- ing rule.

1644, 15th April — Mr. William Forbes, minister, and Margaret Strachan, ane lawful son, baptisit William. Wit. : — Mr. Samuel Waker, minister at Monkegy, and Mr. William Leith, minister at Kinkell.

Mr. Waker was deposed for malignancy by the covenanters, and reponed after 1660 by the Episcopal Synod, Mr. Leith was "dealt with" in 1647, and deposed in 1649.

A new baillie is prominent in the new register, making occasional entries, viz., John Johnston : whose initials appeared on the Town-House of 1662.

In 1646, William Eobertson of Aquhorties, with a second wife, Margaret Collieson, registered a daughter Jean. William Fergus in Crichie, the ancestor of the Fergu- sons of Aberdeenshire, appears witnessing (6th Aug., 1645), the christening of William, son of James Fergus, notary, Town-Clerk of Inverury, by his wife Jean Rait.

The christening parties invited by the minister and schoolmaster of Inverurie, illustrate the intercourse that obtained in the higher social grade of the Garioch burgh, when James the Sixth was king. Its municipal rulers were then almost all Leslies and Johnstons, cousins, by at least Scotch reckoning, of the neighbouring lords of Balquhain and Caskieben. Several lairds, cadets of the former family, had their homes in Inverurie — their properties possessing, it is likely, no mansion houses. Leslie of Rothmaise and

Mr. Mill's Register of Births and Deaths. 215

Leslie of Bogs lived in the burgh, and the Kincraigie family had done so for three, if not six generations. Ardtannies in Mr. James Mill's time, was the residence in succes- sion of Leslie of Wardes the proprietor, of Walter Innes the wealthy miller of Inverurie, brother-in-law probably of the laird of Glack, of Gilbert Johnston, Caskieben's next younger brother, of William Coutts the young laird of Auchtercoull, newly wedded to a daughter of the baronet of Cluny, and of John Leslie of Badifurrow, Kincraigie's second son ; all of whom were in tbeir turn wadsetters of Ardtannies. The Blakhalls of that Ilk, Coroners and Foresters of the Garioch were close by, and in near neighbour- hood, James Elphinstone of Glack, father-in-law in 1630 apparently to both the middle aged minister of Inverurie and Monkegy, and to Alexander Leslie of Tullos then a young man, who forty years afterwards became fourteenth baron of Balquhain, and a Count of the Holy Boman Empire — which dignity his brother Walter, pushing his fortunes abroad, had attained in the service of Austria.

We find no sign of Alexander Leslie's father or brother, the tenth and eleventh barons of Balquhain, and local chiefs of the Leslies, associating with the burgesses of the town, in the familiar friendship indicated by the christening entries of Mr. Mill, Both these gentlemen were of extravagant habits, and between them wasted the wide property, which the preceding laird, William — the entertainer of Queen Mary — ruled over with honour.

John, tenth baron, who was the great man of the Garioch from 1571 to 1622, kept up the dashing and turbulent style common in his class when he was a boy, and used never to ride out but with a retinue of twenty mounted vassals and retainers. He was the chief actor in the following feat recorded among the historical incidents belong- ing to the town of Aberdeen.

On the 6th of February, 1587, the laird of Balquhain came to the Justiss Port, with sertan horsmen to the noumer of fifte, to be in the toune contrar the will of the haill magistratts and commands, quha was repulsit, and got na entrans, the haill toune beand in armour withstanen the said laird. On the niorne he came to the Crabstane with his horsmen to se gyff the. toune wald come out, quha came outt to the croftis on the north syd of the toun, and thairefter came to the Womanhill in ordour, and foynd nane of themye thair.

Only two months later his son John, with a company of twenty persons including his father, attacked and plundered the house of Achnacant, in Buchan, murdering a servant of Alexander Cullen, the proprietor ; for which he got a remission under the Privy Seal, in 1620.

The conjugal sentiment of an age that could tolerate Henry VIII. of England, was not delicate ; and John, tenth baron of Balquhain, is recorded as having had three wives, said to have been all on one occasion present in the kirk of Chapel of Garioch at the same time. When the Earl of Huntly was in his brief ostensible banishment for the Spanish Armada conspiracy, Balquhain was made principal Sheriff of Aberdeen- shire in 1594. He was in risk of being mixed up with the expedition against the Catholic lords in that year. The Earl of Argyle, King's Lieutenant, had summoned the incongruous houses of Leslie, Forbes, Drum, and Ogilvie, to attend him on his march,

216 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

but a chance death in the gathering gave rise to such mutual suspicion as caused the breaking up of the Aberdeenshire portion of the army. Huntly was a favourite with the small-minded and shifty King. He had served him acceptably when being commissioned to put down the Earl of Moray, he had, in February, 1591, burned Dunnibirsel, and slain the earl ; who it is said owed the monarch's displeasure to the Queen's remarks on his handsome figure, a speciality of approval which had been so fatal to " Young Waters " in the court of the first King James. The king did not regret the defeat of the royal force under Argyll and Forbes by the Earl at Balrinnes, and in 1599 Huntly's banishment ended in recall and his elevation to the rank of Marquis. His Sheriffdom was restored, and that of Inverness added ; both which the Marquis continued to enjoy until Charles I., jealous of his almost regal power in the north, deprived him of them in 1630. Three of John Leslie's sons became barons of Balqu- hain, with the diminishing pride of place which his extravagance had assured to them.

His eldest son John eleventh baron, succeeded in 1622. While yet only fiar of Balquhain, he was, in 1616, elected along with John Cheyne of Arnage, commissioner for Aberdeenshire in Parliament. Having the same tastes as his father, he had to continue the process of alienating portion after portion of the lands in wadset, until he could leave his son in 1638 little but the Castle and Mains of Balquhain, and the young man went into the Scottish army under his relative General Leslie, and afterwards into the Mus- covite service. Fetternear, the fine property earned by William Leslie's defence of the Cathedral of Aberdeen, his grandson Hector Abercromby of Westhall, second son of Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog, acquired in 1627 from Sir Alexander Hay of Delgatie, to whom John Leslie in the previous year had disponed much of his property. The eleventh baron of Balquhain, and several of his successors, professed Protestantism with the scant sincerity which brought not 'a few of the less powerful lairds over to the religion of King James VI. Hector Abercromby was one of that class ; and Margaret Leslie, a full sister of Alexander Leslie of Tullos, who married first a brother of Delgatie' s, and on his death William Grant in Conglass, reverted to popery when an elderly woman, and drew her husband after her, who had been a prominent elder of the kirk of Inverurie under the Covenant. Their prosecution by the church courts caused much excitement and local disturbance.

In the friendly socialities of the Garioch burgh exemplified in the christening gatherings, there would be no risk of the proper respect being lost sight of that was due to individuals of superior rank. The position of "the Laird" was one cordially recognised in Scottish life centuries later. In the time now referred to, it was kept graphically prominent. As a rule, every bondholder over a property assumed a territorial designa- tion from the lands wadset to him, and occasionally at any rate, lairds appended their designation instead of their names to important documents. When John Johnston of that Ilk, and Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, during the time they were Baillies of Inverurie signed the minutes of council, it was as " Caskieben " and " Kincraigie " ; the peerage like style

Mr. Mill's Register of Births and Deaths. 217

contrasting effectively with the other signatures — done " with my hand at the pen ". Such honours of long descent are rare in any land as were recognised in that generation in the person of a small laird, George Leslie the last Leslie of Leslie — who could trace his forebears six centuries back, and be declared the representative of the father of a crusader. On 27th January, 1623, George Leslie of that Ilk was served heir of Malcolm Leslie, the great-great-great-great-grandfather of the great-great-great- great-grandfather of his father ; of Norman Leslie the great-great-great-great-grandfather of his great-great -great-great-grandfather ; and of Norman Leslie the great-great-great- great-grandfather of his great-great-grandfather. Malcolm and Norman were the Constables, the son and grandson of Bartolf ; the second Norman was Sir Norman Leslie, the first who adopted the surname, Edward I.'s Sheriff of Aberdeenshire.

James Leslie of Aquhorties, who was shot through the arm on the day when Mr. Mill's eldest son, afterwards Dr. James Milne, came into the world, was the second son of John Leslie, sixth baron of Pitcaple ; in whose line royal blood flowed, from their ancestress, Euphemia Lindsay of Crawford, third wife of Sir William Leslie of Balquhain, and great-grand-daughter of King Eobert II. The shot was fired by Eobert Crichton, a relative of Frendraught, in the grounds of Pitcaple, whither the Crichtons had come in pursuit of John Meldr'um, Pitcaple's brother-in-law, a rough character of the period, who had rendered some service to Erendraught, and thinking himself under- paid, helped himself to two of his horses. The wound was supposed to be mortal, and vengeance was immediately sought by the Leslies ; in conseqnence of which the hasty journeys ensued that terminated in the terrible calamity of " the burning of Fren- draught," seven days after, for which the same John Meldrum was hanged. James Leslie survived his wound to meet a more honourable death, twenty years afterwards, on the field of Worcester, 3d September 1657, fighting for Charles II. ; on which occasion his elder brother, John, then laird, also received his death-wound.

28

Chapter VII.

LOCAL CHANCES BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.

New Proprietors. Badifurrow. — Leslie of Kincraigic. The First Baronet of Wardes. — Castle of Wardcrys. Warthill. — Leslies. The First Baronet of Caskieben. — The iMndys—Ncwplace. Provost Alexander Jaffray. — Chambcrley Croft. Criciiie. — Leslie — Lord Elphinstonc — Elphinstonc of Warthill. Blakhall of that Ilk. Bourtie. — Barclay dc Tolly — Scton — Collyhill — Clutplains. Mounie. — Scion— Farquhar — Scion. Aquhithie. Ardmurdo. Balbithan. Thainston. Lethinty. Findgask. Meldrum. — Templar Lands— Dalgarno of that Ilk —Chahner of Balbithan — Forbes of Thainston— Patrick Urquhart — Forbes of Pitsligo — Cathedral Chapter in IG15. Kemxay. — Douglas— Crombie— Slrachan. The Leiths. — Harthill — Licklyhcad. Abercromby of Birkenboo. — Fclterncar — Lord Glassfoord. Newton. Aquhorties. — Barony of Craigicvar and Fintray— Mortimer of Craigicvar. Forbes of Monymusk. — Pitsligo and Fcltcrcairn. Forbes of Leslie. — Leslie Castle— Lcithha.ll. Wadsetters and Reversers. Clerical Changes after 1600. — Cha- racter of the Garioch Clergy. The Marquis of Huntly. The Burning of Frendraught. — Lady Frendraught. Social Features.' — Drinking Habits — The Highland Chiefs — Fairs— Lowrin Fair — Burgh Magistrates — Members of Parliament. The Eve of the Covenant. — Aberdeenshire Becusant— Bishops of Aberdeen — The Aberdeen Doctors — Papist Houses— Father Blackhall— Prominent Families and Individuals — Balqahain — Drimmics —Piltodrie — Burnet of Crimond— Bishop Burnet— Crowncr Johnston — Farquhar of Mounie — John Leith of Harthill — Sir William Forbes— General Urrie — Urric ofPilfichu — Chalmers of Cults — Field-Marshal Leslie — General King. Inverurie Burgh Lairds. —Contract of Teincls — Monkegy.

NEW PROPRIETORS.

Cif.

[N the seventeenth century the well-peopled Garioch could hardly escape being ^Ji the scene of social changes, the result, in local details, of the disturbance which

the great regulating institutions of the country had undergone. Such over-turnings in the constitution of the State, following those of the national Church, have never taken place but with the accompaniment of old families being every now and again, replaced by others in the holding of property. The Landlord has always, as a national institution, possessed the same great, or little, stability which has been allowed to the throne, the church, or other great expressions of national agreement. In the Garioch, and prominently about its chief town, wadsets, ending in alienation, of estates, were as extensive during the first half year of the century as were the changes in civil and eccle- siastical authority.

It has been noted that the seventeenth century began in the Garioch with the

Badifurrow. 219

institution, by King James, of a new foundation of churches, taking the place of the ancient vicarages of the Abbey of Lindores — but endowed with only a small portion of the parochial revenues.

The great bulk of the Abbey's possessions secularised by the king, had been erected into the temporal lordship of Lindores, which shortly sank into poverty, through the dispersion of what was regarded by many as " illgotten gear." The sale of the lands originated a number of lairdships new to the proprietary roll of the country.

BADIFURROW.

One of these was Badifurrow, now the chief portion of Manar ; which had been a property of the great Abbey from, probably, the time of Malcolm Leslie, the crusader companion of David Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch. The Leslies of Kincraigie in Tough, were the first Lairds of Badifurrow. The family had lived in Inverurie from before 1536, being then of such local importance that they succeeded in carrying, for a second son, the election to the clerkship of the parish against the influence of the oldest family in the same parish, viz : the Blakhalls of that Ilk. It may be that the laird of Kincraigie had rented Badifurrow from the Abbey, and had resided upon it during that period. Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie called " Bonnie Patrick," was laird of Badifurrow, before 1610 ; in which year he bonded it for 10,000 nierks, as a marriage provision for his second son John, on his wedding with Marjorie Strachan, daughter of the laird of Tipperty. The money was payable into the hands of the bride's father, within the parish church of St. Nicholas, Aberdeen, and evidently was not paid for a long time. Patrick Leslie was an active chief magistrate in Inverurie, and in 1606, along with John Johnston, of that Ilk and Caskieben, then officiating as a baillie, effectually aided the well-wishers of the burgh, with the aid of the neighbouring gentleman and ministers in establishing a Grammar School in the town of Inverurie.

George Leslie of Kincraigie, eldest son of " Bonnie Patrick," succeeded in 1613. He does not appear in the local records as a public man. He continued in possession of the property until 1643. His brother John was still called of Badifurro, in 1020, the redemption money probably being still unpaid. In that year ho became proprietor in wadset of Netherton of Knockinglews ; and he was at one time also styled of " Artoneis." In 1627, George Leslie and Magdalen Wood of Bonnyton, his spouse and cousin were in possession of Badifurrow, as in that year they pledged the town and lands of Appolinaris Chapel for 800 nierks to Mr Mill the minister of Inverurie and his wife Margaret Leslie. Magdalen Wood was among the last of an old Garioch family (p. 131).

In 1632, their son George, younger of Badifurrow, married Lucretia Abercromby, daughter of Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog, and got a charter in provision from thorn, upon which infeftment in favour of George Leslie, younger, from the laird of Leslie, passed in 16-13. In 1655, the second George who had a large family, by which he was

220 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariuch.

much impoverished, sold the estate of Badifurrow, with consent of his son, Patrick, to William Ferguson in Crichie, the father of the Ferguson families of Aberdeenshire, and to his son William, whose son Mr James Ferguson, an Edinburgh advocate, disposed of it in 1699, to Mrs. Jean Forbes, widow of a then lately deceased minister of Fintray; about which period Mr. James Ferguson acquired the Estate of Pitfour in Buchan.

THE FIRST BARONET OF WARDES. •

Neglect of economy, or want of management, gave occasion to greater changes, about that time, in the lairdship of the neighbourhood. Social ostentation and its natural result of ruined fortunes marked the period of the two Charleses. The impover- ishment which appears, in those two reigns, to have befallen families previously wealthy, was not entirely the result of events occurring in that time of universal unsettlement. In earlier generations, the great, and also the lesser, barons had possessed an individual importance in both national and local affairs, which, of course, they ceased to be able to retain in the same form of actual power when the King of Scotland, sitting on the English throne, could wield a vastly increased central authority. The heads of families who, in I his way, had begun to find themselves without the old family prestige, adopted the modes of self-assertion which after times have seen resorted to when constitutional changes had worked similar levelling of political ranks. They affected a social conse- quence which would keep them distinct from the community around them, in as marked a fashion as the immemorial dignity of baronial rank had of old kept their ancestors. The case of the tenth and eleventh barons of Balquhain has been already noticed. Distinc- tion was sought by every available means of display, but at the inevitable cost of fatally encumbering old family estates. The new dignity of Knight Baronet of Nova Scotia gilded the sunset of several families, which were in a former day more substantially up- held in society. Notably the houses of Wardes and Caskieben had their decline immediately prefaced by the acquisition of that title. John Leslie of Wardes, the repre- sentative in Inverurie of the grand old Earldom of the Garioch, was, in the first quarter of the century, a dissipated member of the cavalier aristocracy driving fast to ruin by his own habits and the misconduct of a bad 'wife. A succession of wadsets, beginning before 1G08, deprived him, every now and then, of portions of his Inverurie property; until it fell at length into the retentive hands of Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells.

That wadset marked the fall of a family in its time more than locally important, whose fortunes were illustrative of the age. The Wardes lands comprehended Glander- stown, with the mill; Tullyfoure; Duncanstown; Donydure, with the mill; Eochmuriel; Knockinbard, with the mill ; Ardown ; Buchanstown, with the mill ; Harlaw ; Meikle Durno, with the mill ; Torreys ; Eihill ; Warthill ; and the Davache of Liverurie, with the mill. The office of King's Baillie of the Kegality of the Garioch was attached to the lands of Wardes About the same time the King granted John Leslie of Wardes,

The First Baronet of Wardes. 221

a charter of feuferm on the lands of Crichie ; Tavilty ; Mekil KyxmaLdy, with the mill ; Litill Kynnaldy ; Pitmeddm ; and Nether Dyee.

John Leslie, second baron of Wardes, who got these lands from the king, James IV., was five times married. He is now represented in the Garioch by the Leslies of Warthill, descended from a younger son. His heir, Alexander, born by his second wife, Margaret, daughter of William Crichton of Frendraught, was thrice married, the last time when in his eightieth year, and died in 1573.

William Leslie, eldest son of Alexander, and of his first wife Margaret Forbes, daughter of Alexander Forbes of Towie, was Falconer to King James VI. He was extremely swift of foot, and it is said cut the ground when he leaped. His feats in that way were unequalled at the Court, and got him from the not over-dignified Monarch the appellation of " William Cut". He seems to have had the common " yird hunger " of lairds in unsettled times, and had tried to encroach upon the Benachie possessions of John of Balhaggarty, who, in 1589, received from the King licence, "notwithstanding the proclamation regarding the pest, to pursue William Leslie of Wardis, and John Leslie his son, for wrongous molestation in his possession." William Leslie had a large family. Two daughters were married to Sir George Meldrutn of Fyvie, and George Chalmer of Balbithian. His second son, known as George Leslie of Crichie, had a son, Dr John Leslie, Bishop of Clogher and Baphoe, ancestor of the Leslies of Glaslough, in Ireland.

John Leslie, eldest son of William Leslie, and his wife, Janet Lines of Invermarkie, succeeded his father in 1602. He married Jane Crichton, daughter of Sir James Crichton of Frendraught, and died about 1620.

The first baronet, Sir John Leslie, his eldest son, apparently while a minor, had the misfortune to marry Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of John Gordon of Newton, and by her infidelity and his own reckless conduct the lands were, before his death, entirely separated from the baronetcy. He was probably a weak-minded man, and latterly was of very dissi- pated habits. The first appearance he and his wife make in local records is in 1601 ; when they were dealt with by the Presbytery of Aberdeen as contumacious Papists. The lady was the more obstinate of the two, and prevaricated less than her husband ; who tried the usual subterfuges then employed to escape the close pursuit which Boman Catholicism had, in its turn, to suffer from the dominant party.

It is said that Sir John Leslie's disorderly habits left his wife too much in the company of a ruined laird, Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny, who seems to have sorned upon them, and the lady and Cluny became over intimate. After Wardes died, Sir Alexander married her, and they lived a deservedly unhappy life until she died in December, 1642, at Durham, a miserable death from cancer in one of her breasts. Spalding describes her as a " woman of suspect chastetie, and thocht over familiar with Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny thir many years bygone in hir first husband's time ; and thocht an evill instrument to the doune throwing of both ther fair and flourishing estates."

222 Inverurie and thu Earldom of the Garioch.

The immediate occasion of Sir John Leslie losing his lands is said to have been a bargain made by him with Mr. Robert Farquhar of Mounie for delivery of meal hi Aberdeen under a penalty. He failed in his undertaking, and let his estate be seized upon. He happened at the same juncture to be pursued by the Earl of Mar for arrears of feu-duties ; and in his difficulties, and probably in a besotted incapacity for business, tried to evade his obligation by making over his lands to Cluny — who himself was bankrupt — and then to the Earl of Rothes, who apparently would not meddle in the affair. The result was the lands passed, about 1630, into the hands of Sir George Johnston of Caskieben, who being unable to retain them had to let them "o in mort"a"e along with his own estates to Provost Alexander Jaffray, of Aberdeen, from whom, and Farquhar, then Sir Robert) Sir John Keith, the first Earl of Kintore, acquired a great part of them in the latter end of the century. Sir John Leslie died in 1640, and " was buriet," Spalding says, " in his own chapel at Tullyfour, where never laird of "Wardes was buriet before, and himself being the last laird of Wardes was first buriet there. He had three sons who all went to Germany, where the two youngest died in the wars."

Sir John Leslie, the eldest son of the last laird, is thus noticed by the quaint wrriter of the "History of the Trubles in Scotland". Speaking of 1642, Spalding says: — ■ " About this time Sir John Leslie, eldest son of the defunct laird of Wardis came home out of Germany, but his father's fair estate was dilapidated, and little or nothing left him whereupon to live, so that he behoved to shift for himself and went south to Edinburgh." He adds, under the year 1645, "upon the third of February, Sir John Leslie of Wardes, knight-baronet, departit this life in new Aberdeen, a great enemy to the laird of Cluny who had melit with his estate. Cluny wairdit in the tolbuith of Edinburgh."

Sir William Leslie, his uncle, brother of the first Baronet, succeeded to the title, hut did not adopt it. The barony of Wardes in Kinnethmont was lost by the family about 1650, and after being the property for some years of Robert Farquharson of Invercauld, who wedded a daughter of Erskine of Pittodrie, was sold to Sir John Gordon of Beldor- ney whose descendants still possess it.

Norman, another brother of the first Sir John, continued about Inverurie, and married Marjorie Elphinstone, the widow of Walter limes, the wealthy miller of Ardtannies. He became, by a second marriage, the ancestor of the present line of Baronets of Wardes.

The house of Wardes, in which the later generations of the Leslies perhaps lived, and which is now thrown down, stood about an English mile west from the Castle of Dunideer, upon the site of an ancient castle, some features of which were discernible in the end of last century, or at least were known by tradition. A manuscript, written with a view to the first Statistical Account of Scotland, says, " It had been built on a rising ground, in a valley between two hills, upon the water of Shevock. It has had a moat of water round it. The ditch may still be traced, but the castle is in ruins. It

The First Baronet of GasMeben. 223

is said to have been a high house, but of little breadth or length. The walls had been very thick, and formed of rough stones, with very few windows, and of the narrow slit kind. The lowest fiat had been arched. The entrance to it had been a draw bridge ; it had been incapable of containing many men. There was a new house built beside the old castle, about 80 or 90 years ago ; but it is in ruins also."

The position of the ancient building, on the border of the Garioch in the widest opening from the hills, and the name of Warderys originally borne by the estate, sufficiently vouch for the Warders of the Garioch having had their official residence in that principal scene of their duties.

The office of Baillie of the Legality of the Garioch, conferred by King James IV upon the second Leslie of Wardes, was, about 1700, held by the Leslies of Warthill, the representatives in the Garioch of the Wardes line.

WARTHILL.

Warthill is one of the properties that took a new place in the Garioch, in the period now treated of. The estate came unto the family through the marriage of William, second son of John Leslie, second Baron of Wardes, with Janet Cruickshank, daughter of John, the son of Adam Cruickshank of Tillymorgan, whose family had been tenants of Tillymorgan, under the Abbots of Lindores, and were proprietors after the Eeforma- tion down to Covenanting times. In 1482, Adam Cruickshank had bought half of the Templar lands of Warthill, from Alexander Glaster of Glack; and that purchase became the dowry of his grand-daughter, Janet, and gave the title of William Leslie of Warthill to her husband. William Leslie acquired afterwards the other half from the heirs of a former wadsetter, Tullidaff, the representative of William Tullidaff who fell at Harlaw. The mural tablet erected in the kirk of Bayne, opposite the grave of the first seven lairds of Warthill, gave the ages of the second, third, and fourth, at the remarkable number of 90, 80, and 105.

THE FIRST BARONET OF CASKIEBEN.

John Johnston of that Ilk, the eldest brother of Dr. Arthur Johnston, succeeded in 1593, to their father George Johnston, in his various possessions. John was twice married, His first wife, the mother of his heir, and of a son and two daughters besides, was Janet Turing of Foveran. John Johnston's second spouse, Katherine Lundy, whom he married in 1597, was a descendant of Eobert, the illegitimate son of William the Lion, and her descendants now quarter the Eoyal Arms. She was a daughter of William Lundy of that Ilk in Fife, a member of the Scottish Bar. With his aged father, Walter, ho is recorded as an active promoter of the Preformation principles. Katherine Lundy brought her husband several children, who were all left young by their father's death in 1613. She survived him three years, and died at Ardiharrall now called Kendal, in Keith-hall, on the 29th July, 1616, and was buried in the Kirk of

224- Inverurie and the Earldom of the GaHoCh.

Monkegy. The mother of this Lady of Caskieben was Christian Euthven, sister to Patrick Lord Euthven, who was concerned in the slaughter of David Rizzio at Holyrood House, in March, 1566. "William Lundy of that Ilk, her father, held the distinguished position, in 1580, of being King James's Commissioner, along with the titular Prior of Pittenween in the General Assembly.

The whole of the male representatives now known to exist of the family founded by Stephen de Johnston, are the descendants of Katherine Lundy ; whose ancestors had very early association with the Garioch and its neighbourhood. The female repre- sentative of the house was married by Robert, son of William the Lion — one of the donors, under the acquired name of Robert de Lundi, to David of Huntingdon's Abbey of Lindores. The Durwards who were lords of Coull, and in the reign of Alexander II. claimed the Earldom of Mar, were of the family; they took the name of Doonvard from the hereditary office of Hostiarius held by the Lairds of Lundy. The Lundys of that Ilk held an honourable rank throughout Scottish history. One of the chiefs of the house fell at Otterburn; where one of his kinsmen, Priest Lundy, afterwards Parson of Rayne, was the protector, battle-axe in hand, of the slain Earl of Douglas — whose chaplain he was.

John Johnston's " godlie verteous " life has been noticed, and his death at Ardiharrall, 4th February, 1613-14. His mother, the old lady of Caskieben, Christian Forbes — who saw her husband, her oldest son, and both his wives, all laid in the grave — lived herself until 1622, attaining the age of seventy-six, notwithstanding the burdens of maternity recorded of her in the family history, that she " buir ane fair bearntyne " to her husband. The provision required for the six sons and seven daughters, who of her children attained maturity, dilapidated the once extensive estate, and along with further alienations required for John Johnston's family, prepared the way for his son, the first baronet, being likewise the last proprietor of Caskieben.

Sir George Johnston of that Ilk succeeded his father in the lands ; and in 1625 or 1626, was made by Charles I. a Knight Baronet of Nova Scotia for the services of his family and himself to the Crown ; and according to Douglas was not improbably the premier Baronet of that order. In 1630, when the Hereditary Sheriffship of Aberdeen- shire was taken from George, Marquis of Huntly, the Laird of Caskieben was by Royal Commission appointed Sheriff for a year. In the first year of his lairdship, he would have have considered as scarcely qualified for such an office, having been engaged in the cause of a deprived Town-Clerk, in a boot-and-saddle association with some unruly burghers of Inverurie which strongly smacks of the manners of the period. George Johnston married Elizabeth, daughter of William Forbes of Tolquhon, and had by her his successor, George, also John of ISTewplace and William, besides two daughters, Jean, married to Irvine of Brucklay, and Christian, married to William Keith of Lintush, minister of Monkegy in 1650, and ultimately of St. Cuttibart's in Edinburgh, where he was, from 1664 to 1674, Professor of Divinity.

The First Baronet of CasMeben. 225

Sir George was making efforts to attain high rank for his family when his landed estates were on the point of departing from the name for ever. About 1628 he contended against John Erskine, Earl of Mar, for the Earldom of Mar and Garioch, claiming from Helen of Mar, whom he alleged to have been the wife of Sir James de Garviach, grandmother of Margaret the wife of the first Johnston of Caskieben. The matter was compromised, as has been already noticed. Sir George had acquired from the down-going Wardes family all the lands in Inverurie, belonging to the Eegality, viz., the Dava, the Eegality Upper Eoods, and lands in the Stanners. He drew his last rent, how ever, apparently in 1633, and the whole of his property fell, by wadset, into the hands of Alexander Jaffray, of Aberdeen, Provost of that city, and for some time its Commis- sioner in the Scottish Parliament. The service of Alexander Jaffray, younger, in 1645, in his father's wadset possessions, exhibits the extent of the estate which Sir George Johnston had to abandon, when failing in the struggle to elevate the rank of his paternal house. It included the town and lands of Inglistown, with the Mill and Milltown of Caskieben ; the town and lands of Newplace, Isaackstown, Legats Old and New ; the town and lands of Corshill, Buchthills, Standanstanes, Sleipiehillock, Over- town of Dyce ; the dominical lands of Caskieben, with the haughs on each side of the Urie ; the town and lands of Newplace of Caskieben ; Over and Nether Crimond, with the Mills of Crimond ; the town and lands of Shielbog and Ardiharrald ; with the teind sheaves of the foresaid lands — all situated respectively in the parishes of Dyce, Monkegy, and Inverurie ; the town and lands of Porterstown, with the Mill ; the town and lands of Boynds, and the crofts called the Braidmyre ; the town and lands of Loft- hillock ; the town and lands of Muirtown, with the Fulling Mill ; the lands called the Davach lands of Inverurie ; the town and lands of Ardtannies, with the Mill of Inver- urie, now called the Mill of Ardtannies, and the roods called the Davach roods ; Third Part lands in the Stanners, with the ferryboat and its croft, called the Over Boat of Inverurie, with the salmon fishings belonging to the said lands, upon the water of Don — with the Bailliary of the foresaid lands ; within the lordship of Garioch, and parish of Inverurie, and the teind sheaves of the foresaid lands.

Newplacenow belonging to the Synod of Aberdeen, was in 1619, wadset by George Johnston of that Ilk, to John his brother, and Beatrice Hay, his wife. John disponed it in 1621, to his nephew, John (of Newplace), who married his cousin, Margaret, daughter of Thomas Johnston of Craig. Their son, Sir John, who succeeded to the family title after the tragic death of his cousin (vindictively executed for abetting an abduction, the perpetrator of which was left unpunished), had to let Newplace go to his father's creditors. Andrew Burnet of Elrick acquired it in 1707, and his son John sold it in 1739, for £3746 2s. Scots, to the Managers of the Synod's Fund for indigent widows and children of ministers.

Sir George's father, John Johnston of that Ilk, seems to have been obliged, in 1595, to sell a very early possession held by his ancestors in the Garioch — the estate of

29

226 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Johnston in Leslie parish. John Leith, fiar of Mongerrie, bought it, and his des- cendant, the late Mr. Forbes Leith, sold it 260 years afterwards.

PKOVOST ALEXANDER JAFFRAY.

Provost Alexander Jaffray was a man of the period — a successful politician, and an extensive money lender. He represented the Burgh of Aberdeen in the Scottish Parliament, in what radical politicians would reckon a golden age, viz., at a period when members of Parliament were paid. By his mother, Jaffray was descended from the Burnets of Leys, and was cousin to Mr. Eobert Burnet of Crimond in Keithhall parish, advocate in Edinburgh, father of the celebrated Bishop Burnet. The Bishop's father, who was elevated to the bench, took the title of Lord Crimond.

The provost had another connection with the Garioch, having been brother-in-law of the laird of Pittodrie. He was infeft in 1615, in the Chamberley Croft of the chaplainry of Coynglass — possibly in payment, or security, of a marriage portion; a kind of endowment which he afterwards obtained in very business-like fashion for his son. Alexander Jaffray's connection with the Croft of the Chaplain of Conglass, forms an interesting and picturesque ending to the history of the famous Chapel of Our Lady of the Garioch ; beginning with the chivalric dame, Christian Bruce, the sister of the patriot King, and concluding with a wary Aberdeen money-lender.

Provost Jaffray's relative, Pittodrie, was one of the heads of Garioch families which do not appear at that epoch with dilapidated fortunes. The Erskines had represented Pittodrie from the time of the first Stewarts, — the lands having passed from one line of the house to another. In 1604, John Erskine of Balhaggarty, and his son John, entered into contract with Sir John Gordon of Cluny, and Marjorie his daughter, for the marriage of the two young people ; and in that year Pittodrie gave a disposition, fulfilling the contract, upon Coynglass, Drumdurno, and Dorlaithen, excepting the croft of Chappleton of Garioch, probably that held by Alexander Jaffray.

Jaffray's great feat in the chosen object of his life was the acquisition of the entire lands of Caskieben, about 1633.

Alexander Jaffray, who was Provost Jaffray's son and successor in this great wadset, tells us of the keen eye his father had to money. He married him in 1632, at the age of 18, to Jean, daughter of Principal Dun, " for materis and ends not right, but carnal and worldly," and taking the young lady home to his house after the marriage, sent the youthful bridegroom away to travel. Jaffray appears to have continued a hard business man to the end ; although his son looking back upon his whole recollections of him, called him a kind enough father. In 1640 the Provost lost his wife, and made an economi- cal bargain with his son and daughter-in-law that they should board with him. After- wards when the Irish rifled his house in Aberdeen, in 1644, he boarded with his son, who became a widower in that year. The old man died in the next January. His son, in his religious diary, besides the incidental illustration he gives of the Provost's

Blackhdl of that Ilk. 227

close habits in money matters, supplies a glimpse of the father's character, in speaking

of his death : " He was much reformed, and withdrawn from company-keeping in

1 averns before his death ". It must be stated to his credit that he was one of the early

•nefactors of Marischal College, in the way of endowing it.

By the death of the first wadsetter of the Caskieben and Ardtannies lands, these

came, from 1645, to be represented by Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells, who was

also in his time Provost of Aberdeen ; and who as will appear afterwards, played a

prominent part in national politics, upon the covenanting side, although he ended in

becoming an active propagator of Quakerism, especially in the Garioch.

"When married, and twenty days afterwards sent away by his father on his travels,

young Jaffray witnessed the coronation of Charles I., at Edinburgh, in January, 1633.

The King had given the town of Aberdeen authority to establish a house of correction,

in which prisoners were to be employed in weaving woollen cloth ; and Jaffray, possibly

by his father's directions, went to the towns of Leeds and Wakefield to see the

business of cloth manufacture, as carried on in Yorkshire. A company conducted the

business at Aberdeen, under the King's patent, for several years. Alexander Jaffray

thereafter went to France in September, 1634, where he spent about a year, with the not

profitless result of being able to recommend that young people should not be sent thither

until they had acquired sufficient principle and sense to take care of themselves.

By his first wife — an excellent person apparently, and who was enabled to live

agreeably with his parents, and also to give good counsel to her own relatives at her

death — he had ten children, of whom only one son grew up, but who did not live to

succeed him, dying the year before his father. Jaffray, in 1647, married for his second

spouse, Sarah Cant, the daughter of Mr. Andrew Cant, minister of Aberdeen, one of the

most active and best remembered of the numerous clerical politicians of the time. His

eldest son by her, born 8th August, 1653, was Andrew Jaffray, laird of Ardtannies

in 1696.

C R I C H I E.

The break up of the Wardes lands brought, for a time, into the roll of local proprie- tors Lord Elphinstone, then holder of the Kildrummy heritage of the Earls of Mar. The Mar vault, which rises like a small chapel from the summit of the conical church- yard of Kildrummy, was erected by that race of quondam representatives of the great Earldom. Lord Elphinstone became by a disposition from John Leslie of Wardes, in 1616, laird of Crichie, and also of Meikle Warthill. Those estates had been held in 1609, by George Leslie, a younger brother of the Wardes house — in succession to his brother "William. Lord Elphinstone's son, John, became Elphinstone of WarthilL-

BLAKHALL OF THAT ILK.

One of the families bearing the peculiar Scottish rank of that Ilk, who had named their lands after themselves, or taken their name from the estate, dwelt long upon

228 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the rising ground at Blakhall, in Inverurie, which became in the middle of the seven- teenth century busy repeatedly with the encamping of Argyll, Montrose, and Huntly.

The origin of the Blakhalls of that Ilk is not known, nor that of the dignity they enjoyed of hereditary Foresters and Coroners of the Garioch. In right of that office, they carried arms " gules, a hand issuing out of the sinister flank ; and thereupon a falcon perching and hooded, or ; and on a chief argent, three mullets azure ". The following dates are associated with the name —

In 1398, William de Blakhall was on the jury serving William de Tullidaff of Lentush and Botmaise, heir to his father John de Tullidaff, who afterwards fell at Harlaw. In 1418, Bobert de Blakhall was on an inquest regarding the lands of Glack. In 1424, John Blakhall was baillie in a sasine on Little Warthill in favour of Alexander Forbes.

In 1447, John Blakhall of that Ilk witnessed a disposition of annual rents of some lands in Inverurie; and again William Blakhall, between 1451 and 1486. In 1491, Bobert Blakhall of that Hk received by charter a fourth part of the lands of Blakhall from William de Merenys, the son, probably, of Alexander de Merenys, who held land so described in 1466 — very likely possessing it in marriage portion.

In 1503, King James IV. granted a charter to Wilbam Blakhall of that Ilk, of half the lands of Folablackwater, in the barony of Kynedward, and the whole lands of Blak- hall and pertinents, and also upon the offices, of Foresters and Coroner of regality of the Garioch, which belonged to the said William, hereditarily. His wife's name was Isabel Hay. The Folablackwater here mentioned was the land of Little Folia, in Bayne known in 1376 as Folethrule; one of the Bules, or places named after St. Bule or Eegul- us, and the early site of a chapel dedicated to that famous missionary, which stood near where the Episcopal Chapel of Little Folia now is situated. In 1519, Bobert Blakhall obtained sasine on Little Folia.

Another William Blakhall at the same time was laird of Barra in the parish of Bourtie, probably the " goodman of Barra, Blackhall," who married a daughter of Gilbert Johnston of Caskieben. In the middle of the century a succeeding laird married Katherine Gordon of Lesmoir.

La 1536, William Blakhall of that Ilk claimed the right to discharge the duties of parish clerk of Inverurie, as deputy of his brother, John Blakhall. The clerk may have had to wife, Margaret, daughter of the Laird of Caskieben, who fell at Flodden — she having married, " a son of Blakhall of that Ilk ". During that century the family was prosperous, and held large wadsets upon the neighbouring lands of Balcjuhain, the owners of which were for a long period in a depressed condition.

In 1547, William Blakhall was served heir to his father, William Blakhall, in the regality offices. He died at Aberdeen, 5th August, 1589, leaving a daughter, Margaret. His cousin, Alexander, was in 1591, served heir to him, in the estates and offices. Alexander Blakhill of that Ilk, in March, 1592, subscribed the "Band anent the

Bourtie. 229

Religion " at Aberdeen — the Protestant Covenant, which probably suggested the forma- tion of the Solemn League of the Covenanters of the next reign.

Before 1600, the time when Inverurie begins to appear much in existing docu- ments, the family had begun to decay. Alexander Blakhall had to mortgage a part of his land in that year, and another in 1613. His son William Blakhall's wife, named Elizabeth Strachan, gave up in 1615 her life-rent of the Ledingham Croft and Gawain's Croft, then bonded. In 1613, King James VI. granted a charter of Blakhall, and the offices of Forester and Coroner to Alexander Burnett of Leys. The Laird of Leys was a relative — being grand nephew to Isabel Burnet, Lady Blakhall, possibly the wife of William, the Laird, in 1547. In 1643, John Blakhall was served heir to his father, William Blakhall of that Ilk, in the Blakhall lands and offices, as well as in the town of Auldtoun of Knockinglews. The charter was in preparation probably for the final alienation of the estates. The marches between Blakhall and the Burgh of Inverurie were, in 1620, referred to the arbitration of George Johnston of Caskieben.

An entry appears in 1647 among the brieves of birth in the burgh records of Aber- deen, " William Blakhall, now in the university of Broomyberrie, within the dukedom of Spruce, is found son of late Robert Blakhall, burgess of Aberdeen, and Elspet Shand, his spouse, and lineally descended on the father's side from the Blakhalls of that Ilk and the lairds of Ury, Hay, and on the mother's side lawfully descended from the lairds of Pitfodels, Eeid, and Menzies of Durn ".

The Blakhalls and Johnstons adopted the Eeformed faith, while the Wardes family, like their chiefs of Bahpihain, continued in the proscribed allegiance to Eome. In the registers which Mr James Mill was fond of keeping, of events in the lives of his parish- ioners, christenings at Blakhall of sons and daughters of William Blakhall of that Ilk appear in due number, graced by the presence of the aristocracy of the burgh and its neighbourhood. John who was served his father's heir in 1643, made his entrance thus into society, 11th March, 1617 — the last child but one baptised to his father whose final appearance in Mr Mill's registers is in the record of his last will made in September, 1623, and his death two months afterwards (p. 209). In the pious language of testamentary deeds of the time, he left his soul to God, and then his gear to be equally parted amongst his four bairns, John, Margaret, Janet, and Catherine ; their mother, Elizabeth Strachan, being nominated their tutor.

The family has now altogether disappeared from the Garioch. John, the son above noticed, was in February, 1648, married at Aberdeen, as Captain John Blakhill of that Ilk, to Isabel Bobertson.

BOURTIE.

The estate of Auld Bourtie, with part of Pitgaveny, which Christian, Lady of the Garioch, gave a charter of to . . . Abernethie in 1346, and which Margaret, Lady of the Garioch in 1387, confirmed to John of Abernethie's brother, Alexander Barclay,

230 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

son of William Barclay of Kercow in the Carse of Gowrie — was down to 1598 generally a younger son's portion among the possessions of the Barclays de Tolly, but frequently recurring to the head of the house.

The ancient house of Barclay of Tolly is very widely represented in the present day. Their connection with the Garioch was their being possessors of the estate of Bourtie. The charters of 1346 and 1387, have been noticed above (p. 64). The titles of the lands of Bourtie contain the following documents in continuation.

In 1441, Walter Barclay was infeft in the Bourtie lands as heir -to his grandfather, Alexander (of 1387), upon precept for William Earl of Orkney, Lord of the Begality.

In 1458, the king granted charter on the lands of Auld Bourtie, and third part of Pitgaveny to Walter Barclay de Tolly.

In 1503, Patrick Barclay and Elizabeth Barclay his spouse, got a crown charter of the same lands on resignation by Walter, his father.

In 1531, Patrick Barclay, was retoured heir to Patrick Barclay of Tolly, his father, Alexander Ogilvie of that Ilk, Sheriff Principal of Aberdeen, ordered George Bisset Mair offer to infeft him.

In 1551, Queen Mary granted charter of Auld Bourtie and Hillbrae to Patrick Barclay de Tolly and Elizabeth Forbes, his wife.

In 1.584, John Barclay was returned legitimate and nearest heir of Patrick Barclay and Elizabeth Forbes on the same lands.

In 1598, Walter Barclay of Towie with consent of his son Patrick, sold Old Bourtie, the Mill-lands, and Hillbrae for 20,000 merks, to James Seton, portioner of Barrack, and John Urquhart, Tutor of Cromarty, his cautioner, which last was the husband of his relative, Elizabeth Seton, afterwards heiress of entail of the lands of Meldrum, and by her was ancestor of the Urquharts of Meldrum. Janet Elphingston, the wife of Patrick Barclay of Towie, resigned her life-rent of the lands at the same time.

A crown charter of Bourtie was granted in 1608, by which time James Seton was married to Margaret Holland, daughter of Mr. William Holland, King James VI. 's Master of the Mint at Aberdeen. He became, before 1619, James Seton of Pitniedden, a property in Udny still held by his representative, Sir William Coote Seton. John Seton, the grandson of James Seton of Bourtie and Pitmedden, was prominent in the Civil War in Scotland, and was killed at the Bridge of Dee in June, 1639. His two sons were left children, and impoverished. The heir, James, sold Bourtie in 1655 to Mr. James Reid, Advocate in Aberdeen, and Isabel Hay, his spouse.

The culminating period of the Garioch was about 1600. George Seton, the elder brother of James Seton, who acquired Bourtie, was then laird of Barra. He was Chancellor of Aberdeen, vicar of Bethelny, and Collihill chaplain. The Collihill chaplainry founded by Margaret of Douglass in 1384, was endowed with ten pounds from the lands of Collihill. These lands are now conjoined in property with Bourtie. In 1542,

Aquhithie, Ardmurdo, Balbithan, TJiainston, Lethenty, Findgask, Meldrum. 231

Collihill belonged to Gilbert Annand and Agnes Hay his wife, possibly the persons com- memorated on the broken tombstone in Bourtie churchyard (siqjra, p. 103). In that year, Mr. William Hay, vicar of Migvie, and chaplain of Collihill, made over the security to Gilbert Annand and his wife. Three chaplains are mentioned in the Collihill documents after the vicar of Migvie, viz., Thomas Hay, Cuthbert Herd, probably the chaplain of Queen Mary's visit, and James Wardlaw who was instituted 22nd August, 1567 — the presentation having been made that year by John Earl of Mar, Lord Erskine, upon the resignation of Cuthbert Herd.

MOUNIE.

The lands of Mounie continued in the first Seton family who held them, until 1623, when "William Seton sold them to the Tutor of Cromarty, and his wife Elizabeth Seton. Their son Patrick Urquhart, then of Lethinty, disponed Mounie to Mr. Robert Farquhar, baillie of Aberdeen, from whom it passed by disposition in 1633 to Patrick Farquhar, eldest son of Mr. Alexander Farquhar of Tonley. The price seems never to have been paid by the Aberdeen baillie, who was Wardes's fatal creditor, and a busy man in those troublesome times. Sir Eobert Farquhar's heirs were prosecuted by Sir John Urquhart of Cromarty in 1669. Alexander Farquhar of Mounie's property was all se- questrated in 1701-2 for debt, and in 1714 George Seton, second son of Alexander Seton of Pitmedden repurchased the estate; and it is now held by descendents representing, with the adopted name of Seton, his eldest daughter, Margaret, wife of James Anderson, LL.D., of Cobenshaw. Her grandson was the Colonel Seton of the heroic story of the loss of the Birkenhead, in 1852.

AQUHITHIE, ARDMURDO, BALBITHAN, THAINSTON, LETHINTY, FINDGASK, MELDRUM.

In 1611, Mr. George Barclay's protocol book records several interesting sasines of these properties. One is of the Templer croft of Aquhithie in Kemnay, the charter being granted by Lord Torphichen, the representative in Scotland of the ancient Knight Templars. The charter included also a Temple Tenement in Aberdeen in vico montis scolaris, the village or street (originally synonymous), of Schoolhill, marching with property of the chaplain of St. Nicholas. The person infeft was Mr. Gilbert Keith in Aquhorsk, probably he who became the minister of Bourtie in the July of that year.

In 1612, John Forbes of Ardmurdo died ; and in 1623 William Barclay, advocate, Aberdeen, and Agnes Hay, his wife, conveyed that estate to William Lumsden, advocate, Aberdeen.

In 1615, a crown charter of Caskieben presents us with "the names of William Dalgarno of that Hk, representative of a family dating from at least 1400, then, or soon after, laird of Peithill ; and whose son George, 24th January, 1652, married Margaret Johnston, a daughter of the celebrated Dr. Arthur at Inverurie.

232 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Balbithan in Kinkell, part of the possessions of the Abbey of Lindores, and included in the temporal Lordship of Lindores, had probably been feued long before the Keformation by the Chalmers family, originally of Ivintore, afterwards of Balnaeraig, a section of which, distinguished in municipal rank in the city of Aberdeen, terminated in a daughter, the mother of Sir John Urrie, the soldier of the Covenanting period. John Chalmer or Chalmers of Balbithan, about 1490, married Christian Leslie.

About 1526, Annabella Chalmer, possibly his daughter, became the fifth wife of the second Baron of Wardes, by whom she had a son, Robert, one of the victims of Pinkie, 10th Sept., 1547.

In 1565, David Chalmer was laird of Balbithan. He or a namesake died in 1580 ; and his will was proved in 1588, by his executors dative, Mr. William, Mr. James, and Henrie Chalmer, his sons.

In 1584, John Chalmer, probably his heir, was laird, and killed the laird of Aquhorsk of Aberdeen. His wife was Margaret Seton of Meldrum.

Before 1 600, George Chalmer of Balbithan married a daughter of "William Leslie of Wardes. The estate appears in 1627 in the hands of John Irvine, a cadet of the Drum family, and in the Poll Book (1696), as belonging to James Balfour, merchant in Edinburgh, another entry being the name of James Chalmers, lately of Balbithan, whose labouring was valued at £50.

Thainston originally possessed in part by the Chalmer family, and so much of it acquired by Henry Forbes of Kinnellar in 1467, and the rest in 1535 by Henry Forbes of Thainston, belonged to the Forbeses of Tulquhon from at least 1610 until about 1716, when it passed into the hands of Thomas Mitchell, an Aberdeen citizen, whose only child, Barbara, married Andrew Mitchell, afterwards Sir Andrew Mitchell, British Minister to Frederick the Great. Sir Andrew having no heir of his body, left the property to the second son of his friend, Sir Arthur Forbes of Fintray, from whom the present Thainston family descends.

Patrick Urquhart, son of John Urquhart of Craigfintray (commonly called the Tutor of Cromarty), and Elizabeth, sister of Meldrum, was a prominent person in the transfer of Garioch lands in the beginning of the seventeenth century ; becoming in his time, laird of the long-descended estates of Lethinty, in the Regality of the Garioch, and of the Episcopal lands of Findgask, and was the first Urquhart of Meldrum.

Lethinty had been in the hands of the Forbeses of Pitsligo, from at least 1455 (p. 101).

In 1477, Sir Alexander Forbes of Kynaldy died, vested hi Lethinty.

In 1485, George, his son, sold for an annual rent, his rights to his son Alexander Forbes, who had been served heir to his grandfather in 1477.

In 1496, John Forbes of Pitsligo was infeft as heir to his father Alexander, in Pitsligo and Lethinty, when only nine years of age. In 1524, Isabella Wemys, lady of Pitsligo, granted a lease of her terce " to her lovit carnale sone, John Forbes of Pitsligo ".

Lethinty, Findgask, Meldrum. 233

Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo, John's son, was succeeded by his son, William Forbes, of Melgum ; who in 1551, as grandson of John Forbes of Pitsligo, obtained for himself and Katherine Gordoun, his wife, a feu of the Lands and Mill of Findgask, from "William Bishop of Aberdeen, for a grassum, a rent of 131bs. 6s. 8d., two chalders meal and malt, two marts, four sheep, four bolls of oats, four dozen capons, six-and-eight- pence for bondage, forty shillings, one fed swine, twelve well-fed capons, or two shillings for every capon, twelve hens, two bolls mair malt; with arriages and carriages.

William was infeft in Pitsligo in 1563, as his father's heir, and in the same year granted precept to infeft in various lands, including Lethinty, Alexander Forbes of Auchanaseis, to whom they had been sold by him, reserving his own life-rent and the terce of Katherine Gordoun his wife.

Lethinty disappears from the charters and services of Pitsligo of 1577 and 1600; but in 1614, Duncan Forbes of Balnagask, in Nigg, obtained sasine of the lands of Lethinty, with the pendicle of Auchenclyth, which had belonged to Janet Forbes, relict of Mr. Duncan Davidson, rector of Eathen, one of the two daughters and co-heiresses of William Forbes of Pitsligo. In 1634, it belonged to Patrick Urquhart, who two years later had a charter of the lands of Meldrum. He married Margaret Ogilvy, daughter of James, first Earl of Airly. In March, 1645, her father, ill of fever, was sent to Lethinty to be nursed by her, from Montrose's army, then lying at Kintore, a guard of 300 men accompanying him.

In 1615, sasine of Findgask, originally granted by the Bishop of Aberdeen, in 1551, to William Forbes, grandson of John Forbes of Pitsligo, was given to John Urquhart of Craigfintray and Patrick Urquhart, his son by his wife Elizabeth Seton. The charter by Alexander Forbes of Findgask, and John Forbes of Pitsligo, was dated at Boyndlie, 25th April, 1615. The confirmation by the superior is interesting, as being one of very few acts of Cathedral chapters at a date so modern.

The subscribing clergy were Peter Blackburn, Bishop ; David Bait, dean, and primarius collegii ; Bobert Jamieson, minister and parson of Clait and Forbes ; Eobert

Merser, rector of Banchory Devenyck ; ■ ■ Strathachin, rector of Coldstaen ;

John Walker, rector of Kinkell ; Alexander Scrogy, parsone of Drumoak ; W. Forbes, rector of Monymusk ; George Seton, chancellor of Aberdeen ; Alexander Guthrie, rector of Tullynessle ; Walter Abercromby, Archdeacon — the office attached to the rectory of

Bayne ; John Strathachin, rector of Kincardin ; ■ clerk person in Ahindor ;

George Hay, rector of Turreff ; Bobert Burnet, person of Oyne.

Patrick Urquhart's mother, Elizabeth Seton, was heir of line of the Meldrum estates, and her son became the first Urquhart of Meldrum.

The charter of Old Meldrum as a Burgh of Barony bears date 1672. The village is some thirty years older. About 1634 the population of the new place had so greatly increased, as to procure the removal of the parish church from Bethelny to its present

locality; the position of the manse being changed in 1710.

30

234 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

KEMNAY. The Douglas family, whose time in the Garioch coincided with that of the Blakhalls of that Ilk, left Kemnay about 1624. The Earl of Angus was succeeded in his estates of Glenbervie and Kemnay by his second son, Sir Robert, in 1591 ; and Sir Robert's son, William, who was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, was the last Douglas of Kemnay. His sister was married to Sir Thomas Burnet of Leys, one of whose descendants was to become laird of Kemnay in 1688. The author of the Peerage, Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, was the lineal descendant of Sir William. Sir William acquired the pro- perty of the Teinds of Inverurie in 1623, from Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum, and in June, 1624, disponed them again to Sir Thomas Crombie, and it is likely conveyed the Kemnay estate at the same time. The new laird was Sheriff of Aberdeenshire in 1633-34. The plundering of his girnals at Kemnay House in 1639 was the first overt act of the Civil War. Sir Thomas Crombie was the builder of Kemnay House, altered since his time. He died about 1644, and a few years afterwards the estate was sold by the heir portioners, a sister and a nephew, — to Alexander Strachan of Glenkindie, whose

son retained it until 1 682.

THE LEITHS.

The numerous family of Leiths on Gadieside were in a state of considerable mutation during the period now treated of. They retained Harthill upon which, in 1638) they built the Castle now in ruins. Edingarroch and Licklyhead were, in 1629, sold to the new family of Forbes of Leslie, powerful for a time, who built the present Castle of Leslie. Licklyhead Castle dates from 1609.

On the lower Gadie the Leiths had succeeded as proprietors to the Abercrombys ■ Henry Leith of Barns, the common ancestor of the existing Garioch families of the name, possessing Harthill, in 1490, when he was also proprietor of Licklyhead, Auchleven, Ardoyne, Harlaw, and Drumrossie.

ABERCROMBY OF BIRKENBOG.

This family appears in the Garioch under the following dates. (P. 65.)

1345-60, Alexander Abercromby bought part of Halton of Ardhunyer (Ardoyne) in Oyne.

1360, Alexander Abercromby pledged Pethnialwhy and Herthill for payment of a feu-duty.

1407, John Abercromby, his heir, was found liable for the payment.

1457, Humphrey Abercromby had a crown charter on Herthill, Pitmedden, Petmachy, and eighth part of Ardoyne. His son Alexander succeeded him.

1484, Alexander Abercromby got sasine of the same lands as heir to his father, Alexander. They succeeded James Abercromby of Ley and Birkenbog, designed also of Pitmedden, one of the victims of Flodden.

1505, George Abercromby was retoured heir to his father, Alexander, in the same lands.

Aquhorties. 235

1544, William Abercromby, eldest son, and heir of James Abercromby of Pitmedden, feued Westhall from Laurence Young, chaplain, with consent of William, Bishop of Aberdeen.

1570, John Abercromby of Westhall, son of James of Pitmedden, was minister of Oyne.

Circa, 1593, Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog, married Margaret Leslie, daughter of William, ninth Baron of Balquhain, the first laird of Fetternear.

1626, Hector Abercromby, their second son, acquired the wadset right of Fetternear.

1670, Alexander Abercromby, succeeding Hector, his father, had a papal charter of Fetternear. He married Jean, daughter of John Seton of Newark, and by her had Francis Abercromby, their eldest son, who succeeded to Fetternear. He married Anna, Baroness Sempill, who died in 1698. Francis Abercromby was in 1685 created Lord Glasfoord, for his own lifetime only. He sold Fetternear to Patrick Leslie of Balquhain in 1690. His descendants by Lady Sempill bear the title of Baron Sempill.

NEWTON".

The estate of Newton, in the parish of Culsalmond, one of the possessions of the Abbey of Lindores was, about 1600, in the hands of George Gordon, second son of George, the third Gordon of Lesmoir. The Gordons of Newton possessed the pro- perty until well through the century, when it was sold to Alexander Davidson. The family inter-married extensively with the Garioch lairds, and in the "troubles" were among the must prominent supporters of their chief, the Marquis of Huntly.

AQUHORTIES.

Among the changes occurring in the first half of the seventeenth century, was the disappearance of the Mortimers, formerly of Aquhorties, from the roll of landholders, and the transfer of the estates of Craigicvar and Fintray, to the family of Forbes still possessing them. In 1610, John Mortimer, and Helen Symers, his spouse, sold Craigie- var to Master William Forbes of Meny; and, in 1617, Mr. William Forbes, and William, his eldest son, had Logie Fintray erected into a Baron}', comprehending the lands of Logie Fintray and Frosterseat, with the advowsons of the churches of Fintray, Cul- salmond, Kincardine O'Neil, Glentanner, Lumphannan, Cluny, Midmar, and Auchter- coull. The right of presentation to most of these churches remained in the Craigievar Forbes family until the abolition of patronage in 1875.

When Aquhorties, Blairdaff, and Aquhorsk were given by Sir Andrew de Leslie, dominus ejiisdem, to his sister and her husband, David de Abercromby, hi 1391, the wife of the contemporary laird of Balquhain, Sir Andrew Leslie, was Isabel, daughter of Bernard Mortimer of Craigievar. In 1513, his descendant, William Mortimer of Craigievar, was infeft in half of the above lands, and his descendants held the whole of

236 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

tliem. Some of them must have resided on the place in 1535, when four Mortimers appear, including a female, voting in the election of a parish clerk of Inverurie. Mortimer of Craigievar received or granted charters of Aquhorties lands down to 1627 — William, in 1528 ; William, in 1554, when John, the grandson of Alexander, was his heir; George, in 1563; William, in 1573; James, in 1594. James Mortimer disponed the sun half, in 1616, to John Leslie, fiar of Balquhain, and the shadow-half, in 1627, to James Leslie, second son of the laird of Pitcaple, who appears repeatedly in Mr. Mill's registers. John Mortimer of Craigievar was buried at Aberdeen, in July, 1615, and James Mortimer sometime of Craigievar, in September, 1631. The Mortimers had been partially alienating Aquhorties before 1616. In 1588, Thomas Dempster appears possessing the shadow-half. In 1607, James Johnston, rector of Monymusk, executed at Caskieben, a charter to his second son James of a solar third of Aquhorties, con- firmed by James Mortimer, fiar of Craigievar, and in 1611, Thomas Dempster of Aquhorties appears witness to a sasine on a solar plough of Fetternear, belonging to George Leslie of KLncraigie. Later in the century, William Robertson of Aquhorties lived in Inverurie, from 1638 to 1646, and in 1663, Major Thomas Forbes of Aquhorties. Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie resigned Aquhorties in 1688, to Patrick Leslie of Balquhain.

FORBES OF MONYMUSK.

Monymusk was one of the ecclesiastical properties that came into secular lairdship before the Reformation. Prior David Farlie and his coadjutor, John Elphinstone, then heads of the Priory, made that estate over in 1549, to Mr. Duncan Forbes; and his son, named William Forbes, got the ruinous buildings of the Monastery, sometime after 1556, from Robert Forbes, then the Commendator, out of which the mansion house was after- wards erected.

James, second Lord Forbes, by his wife Egidia Keith, daughter of William, first Earl Marischal, had three sons, William, Master of Forbes, Duncan Forbes of Corsindae, and Patrick Forbes of Corse, ancestor of the Forbeses of Craigievar.

Duncan Forbes of Corsindae had a son, William of Corsindae, whose second son was Duncan Forbes of Monymusk ; who in 1554 had a crown charter of Coclarachie, and in 1581, another of the teinds of Torry, near Aberdeen, with certain salmon fishings on the river Dee. He had a son, John, afterwards Forbes of Camphill, who was pre- sented in 1572, by the king, to the parish of Monymusk, but was not admitted. Duncan died in 1587. His wife's name was Agnes Gray, daughter of Baillie William Gray of Aberdeen.

William Forbes of Monyrnusk, his eldest son, married his neighbour, Margaret Douglas, daughter of Sir William Douglas of Kemnay, who, in 1588, became ninth Earl of Angus. By her he had two sons, of whom the second, John Forbes, acquired the lands of Leslie from George, the last Leslie of that Ilk. Isabel Forbes, their eldest

Forbes of Leslie. 237

daughter, married Gordon of Newton. Both sons figured in the "troubles" of the Civil "War, active Covenanters.

Sir William Forbes, the eldest son, succeeded before 1618, when he had a charter of Portlethen, and another of the barony of Torry, both in Kincardineshire, in favour of himself and Elizabeth Wishart of Pitarrow, his wife. He was created a Knight Baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia in 1626, by Charles I. His eldest daughter, Jean, married the parson of Monymusk, Mr. Alexander Lunan, who removed to Kintore in 1628.

His son, Sir William Forbes, second Baronet, married Jean, daughter of Sir Thomas Burnet of Leys, by whom he had, besides one daughter, a son (laird in 1653, but a minor),

Sir John Forbes, third baronet ; who was twice married. His first wife, Margaret, daughter of Eobert, first Viscount Arbuthnot, was the mother of his heir. By his second wife, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Dalmahoy of that Ilk, in Midlothian, he had among other children, Barbara, who married Thomas Mitchell of Thainston, whose only daughter, Barbara Mitchell, wedded her namesake, Andrew, afterwards Sir Andrew, Mitchell of Thainston, British Minister at the Court of Frederick the Great of Prussia.

Sir William Forbes, fourth Baronet, was served heir to his father in 1702. About 1680 he had married Lady Jean Keith, daughter of John, first Earl of Kintore. Their third daughter, Jean, married in 1719, Mr. George Moir, Minister of Towie. Mary, their fourth daughter, married William Urquhart of Meldrum. Their elder son, John Forbes, who predeceased his father, married the Honourable Mary Forbes, daughter of Alexander, third Lord Pitsligo. She was the oidy sister of Alexander, fourth Lord Pitsligo, who was forfeited for his joining in the rebellion of 1745, and died at Auchiries in Eathen, in December, 1762 ; and when Lord Pitsligo's only son John died without issue in 1781, her descendants represented the Pitsligo line. The Forbeses sold the estate of Monymusk, in 1712, for £116,000 Scots, to Sir Francis Grant of Cullen, one of the Senators of the College of Justice.

Sir AVilliam Forbes, fifth Baronet, son of John, succeeded his grandfather. Sir William was an advocate in Edinburgh, and was Professor of Civd Law in King's College, Aberdeen. His eldest son John died young. He himself died, aged 36, in 1643, and was buried at Kearn.

Sir William, sixth Baronet, his second son, succeeded to the title, in 1643. Through the death of John, Master of Pitsligo, in 1781 he became Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, and from him is descended in the direct male line the representatives of the Forbes of Pitsligo and Fettercairn. This Baronet was the senior partner of the eminent banking firm in Edinburgh, Sir William Forbes, Hunter, and Company.

FORBES OF LESLIE.

John Forbes, second son of William Forbes of Monymusk, and Lady Margaret

Douglas, obtained the lands of Leslie, about 1620, from George Leslie of that Ilk,

having paid the debts lying upon them. He married Jean Leslie, sister of Patrick

second Lord Liudores, from whom he is said to have got for a trifling sum a considerable

238 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

portion of the estates of that quickly dissipated Lordship. He bought Edingarroch and Licklykead from Patrick Leith in 1625. Along with John Leslie, younger, of Pitcaple, he made a representation to the Covenanting Lords against the blockade of the harbour of Aberdeen, 31st May, 1639. An active covenanter, he had his property of Durris on Deeside plundered, and was himself engaged in the burning of Pitcaple Castle, 9th September, 1645, at the time when Messrs Jaffray and Cant were prisoners there.

He was succeeded by William Forbes, his son, who, according to his tombstone in the kirkyard of Leslie, " lyved fifty-fyve yeers, and departed this lyfe, November 12, 1670 yeers". He is believed to have been the continuator of Mr. Matthew Lumsden's Genealogy of the family of Forbes, from his death in 1580 to 1665. Leslie Castle — now a picturesque ruin, which might have been preserved at little cost in a habitable condition — was rebuilt or repaired by him, as appears by an inscription on the wall, dated 17th June, 1661.

John Forbes of Leslie, his son and successor, married, in 1662, Helen Scot, daughter of the laird of Ardross, in Fife, by whom he had several daughters. One of these, Christian Forbes, was married, first to John Skene of Dyce, and secondly, in October, 1734, to John Paton of Grandholme. To John Leslie, David, his younger brother, was served heir in October, 1691 ; but soon thereafter the lands of Leslie were purchased by John Leith of Leithhall, the great-grandnephew of Patrick Leith of Edingarroch, who had sold part of them to John Forbes, the first of Leslie.

WADSETTERS AND REVERTERS.

The early part of the seventeenth century might be termed the period of wadsets ; so frequent was the burdening of landed property, doubtless occasioned, in a great degree, by the distress of the times. A list of "Wadsetters in Aberdeenshire, made up by the Sheriff in 1633-34, contains the following names of creditors and reversers in wadsets, resident in Inverurie and elsewhere in that neighbourhood. They are of interest as showing us some of the witnesses, as well as active participators, in the " troubles ".

James Leslie of Auchorthies ; John Mackie, notar, Inverurie : Hector Abercromby of Fetternear ; Thomas Bruce in Kemnay ; James Black in Inverurie ; Mr. John Cheyne, Parson of Kinkell ; Charles Dune in Kinkell ; Sir John Leslie of Wardes ; George Chalmer of Balbithan ; James Crichtoun of Frendraucht ; George Leslie of Crichie ; Thomas Erskine of Balhaggarty; Walter Forbes of Thaynistoun; John Leith of Harthill ; George Leslie, elder of Kincraigie ; Sir William Forbes of Craigievar ; George Leslie, portioner of Inverurie ; John Leslie of Balquhain ; George Leslie of Eothmaise ; John Leslie of Pitcaple ; John Irving of Balbithan ; Sir George Johnston of that Ilk ; Sir William Forbes of Monymusk ; Andrew Steven in Kinmuck ; George Gray in Isaackstown ; John Forbes of Ardmurdo ; John Keith in Achorsk and Eobert Keith his brother ; Adam Abercromby of Auld Eayne ; Mr. William Chalmer of Wester Disblair; Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny ; George Gordon of Newton; Mr. Andrew

Clerical Changes after 1600. 239

Logie, Parson of Eayne ; William Seton of Meldrum ; Alexander, Master of Forbes ; John Forbes of Leslie ; Patrick Leith of Whitehaugh ; Alexander Chaliner in Kinkell ; "William Smyth in Blairdaff ; Widow Gray in Ardmurdo ; Alexander Smyth in Cowlie ; Marie Cruickskank, guidwyfe of Bothniaise.

CLERICAL CHANGES AFTER 1600.

Logie Durno was served for some years after 1608, by Mr. Andrew Strachan, formerly a regent in King's College, who returned thither in 1633, to become Divinity Professor ; when his brother, Alexander Strachan, succeeded him in Logie Durno parish.

Bourtie was under the long-lived Mr. Gilbert Keith till the second Episcopacy. A namesake, possibly a relative, was presented at a later period to Dunnottar by Earl Marischal.

In Culsalmond, George Leith, University Eegent, succeeded Thomas Spens before 1635, and in 1647 Arthur Ore succeeded, and remained for the whole remaining period of the Covenant, dying in 1664, on Sunday, 16th September.

In Daviot, after 1608, was the minister of Inverurie's friend, Mr. William Strachan ; afterwards a stiff opponent of the Covenant, whose politics cost him his place in 1649.

At Insch, John Logie, son of an advocate, presented while a student, was minister from 1607 to 1613, after which he went to Bethelny. Alexander Eoss, son of Mr. James Eoss, minister of Aberdeen, left Insch, for Footdee. in 1631 ; and another Alexander Eoss succeeded, and held the cure for a time, at least from 1651 to 1660.

Inverurie lost Mr. James Mill about 1643, and Mr. William Forbes appears in his place in 1644.

Monkegy ceased to be under the charge of the minister of Inverurie in 1630, and got for its first incumbent Mr. Samuel Walcar, a long-lived witness of ecclesiastical changes, amidst which he was himself deprived and excommunicated for " malignancy " (the crime of favouring the cause of Charles I.) ; he was relieved soon from excom- munication, after well-catechised penitence ; and, under the second Episcopacy, was re- stored to his parish, as having been illegally extruded.

The Kinkell chaplainry of Kemnay was erected into a parish, by the Assembly, in 1632 ; and Alexander Sibbald brought from Kinneff to serve the cure. His successor, John Seaton, Eegent in Marischal College, was there from before 1641 to 1649, when he left for Foveran, and was succeeded by Mr. David Leith, deprived in 1653 for de- serting his parish. Dr. Scott (Fasti) calls him Leiche, and says he was made D.D. in 1653.

At Kinkell, Mr. Mill's baptism registers show Mr. John Walcar no longer there, but Mr. Patrick Leslie. It is suggested in Scott's Fasti, that Mr. Leslie was helper to Mr. John Cheyne, whom Dr. Scott believes to have been minister of Kinkell from 1623 to 1643. William Leith is also called minister of Kinkell in 1640. He was deprived in 1649.

240 Inverurie unci the Earldom of the Garioch.

Archibald Bait continued at Kintore from 1602 to 1624; Mr. Alexander Lunan came thither from Monymusk in 1625. In 1632, he married Jean, eldest daughter of Sir William Forbes, first baronet of Monymusk. (Their son, William Lunan, born at Kintore in 1633, had a son, William, born at Delab, in Monymusk, 8th Nov., 1664, who married Isabel, daughter of William Thain of Blackball, 4th October, 1691. Their fourth child, John Lunan, born 1698, had a daughter, Jane, married 21st December, 1748, to David Shirreffs, by whom she had two sons, Alexander Shirrefs, Advocate, Aberdeen, and Dr. James Shirrefs, minister of the West Kirk there). Mr. John Cheyne was minister of Kintore in March, 1645, when he entertained the Marquis of Montrose in the manse there. Andrew Strachan, translated from Tullynessle, succeeded Mr. Cheyne before 1649, and was minister of Kintore until his death in 1679.

In Leslie, John Middleton — a zealous Covenanter in his time — was incumbent some time after Mr. Forbes, and was translated to Bayne in 1643, leaving the pulpit of Leslie open to the services of Duncan Forbes, fourth son of Duncan Forbes of Byth. John Gellie, younger, took his place in 1647, and left for Kinkell in 1651.

Stephen Mason's successor, after 1614, at Bethelny, was John Logie, formerly the minister of Insch, who again left for Bathven in 1629. William Wedderburn. Begent in Marischal College, presented by Charles I., 1st November, 1633, was repeatedly under censure. George Leith, transported from Culsalmond, was minister of Bethelny from 1647 until after 1660.

At Monymusk, James Irvine, translated from Tough, was, after some delay, admitted in 1613, but was deprived before October, 1615. William Forbes was presented by James VI., and translated from Alford, 1615, and went in a year or two to Aberdeen. Thomas Forbes succeeded him, and demitted before 1622 ; Adam Barclay, minister of Leochel, being next incumbent until he changed to Alford, in 1625. In that year, Charles I. presented to the living of Monymusk, Alexander Lunan, regent in King's College, Aberdeen, who next appears as minister of Kintore in 1628. The King's next presentee was John Gellie, elder, minister of Fremnay, a Covenanter, who continued from 1629 until his death about 1652. He is still represented in Aberdeen- shire. A quickly carried out call translated Alexander Boss from Kinernie in October, 1653 ; and he continued at Monymusk until his death, after March, 1674. By his wife, Anna, daughter of John Forbes of Balfluig in Alford, he was father of Dr. John Boss, minister of Foveran, and of Bishop Boss of Edmburgh.

Mr. Bobert Burnet, the moderator of the Presbytery, continued at Oyne until 1613. An Alexander Burnet was there — possibly assistant — from 1613 to 1615 ; and one William Burnet was minister from 1647 to 1660 — the interval of the Covenanting rule — disappearing before John Strachan, son of the minister of Kintore, appointed about 1661.

How long Bobert Irving remained at Premnay after 1608, does not appear. John Gellie was translated from Premnay to Monymusk, after September, 1629. His

Clerical Changes after 1600. 241

successor, George Myln, had a long incumbency. He had. been a regent of King's College, and was Clerk of the Synod of Aberdeen during much of the Covenant period, and under the second Episcopacy, until 1664. He died in 1669.

One of Mr. Mill's christening witnesses in 1632, Mr. Andro Logie, was twice minister at Eayne. He succeeded Mr. Abercromby sometime before 1624. He was a steady opponent of the Covenant, and had a son, Captain John Logie, who suffered death by beheading at the Cross of Edinburgh, along with John Gordon of Haddo, in July, 1644, in tbe cause of Charles I. Logie was deposed in 1640. The sentence was relaxed in the next year; but he was again deprived in 1643. Two Middletons succeeded him, John, a Covenanter, who died in 1653, and Alexander, of the opposite politics, whom the Covenanting party turned out of the Sub-Principalship of King's College. Mr. Logie was restored, in 1662, to the pastoral charge of Rayne, on the restoration of Episcopacy.

The Garioch clergy of the seventeenth century had evidently held a good literary position. Several of them were University teachers, as Regents, before being appointed to parishes. Robert Burnet was promoted to Oyne from that University position in 1596, Alexander Lunan to Monymusk in 1625, Andrew Strachan before that time to Logie Durno, from which he returned as Divinity Professor to the University again in 1633 ; William Wedderburn to Bethelny in 1633, George Leith to Culsalmond before 1635, John Seaton to Kemnay in 1641, George Myln to Premnay after 1628. Alexander Middleton, minister of Rayne in 1656, had been Sub-Principal of King's College. Several of those who lived in the most troubled periods of the seventeenth century, won for themselves some literary reputation. Dr. David Leith, minister of Kemnay from 1650 to 1653, corresponded with Drummond of Hawthornden, and is spoken of by Sir Thomas Urquhart as a most fluent poet in the Latin tongue, an ex- quisite philosopher, and a profound theologian. He had published a work called Philusoplda Illachryma in 1633. A volume of Latin poems, Parerga, appeared at London in 1657, and he also printed Oratio Funebris in obitum Patricii Episcopi Ahenlonensis. ■ Andrew Logie, who was minister at Rayne under both Episcopacies, and a deposed minister in the interval, was the author of several polemical writings against both Roman Catholics and Presbyterians. Scott's Fasti also notices a religious work on the festivals of the Church, by Alexander Lunan, the last indulged minister of Daviot, and one on Rhetoric, by Robert Brown, minister of Bourtie, from 1666 to 1675. Mr. Brown's initials and the date 1671 are upon an ornate wooden collection ladle still preserved in Bourtie.

How did the various rectors, parsons, and ministers contrive to exist upon the small allowances conceded by such arrangements as King James had made for his Kirk in that ecclesiastical age; when he also created as Bishops, Churchmen who were styled " Tulchans " — or mediums for allowing of the benefices being sucked of their revenues for the benefit of the Lay Impropriators?

31

242 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Perhaps young parsons, in those days, took example from impoverished lords and lairds, who, then as well as since, married where money chanced to come along with the object of affection. Mr. Mill of Inverurie wedded a wealthy widow, old enough to have been his mother, if he had married as young as did Alexander Jaffray, junior. Mr. Robert Burnet, the parson of Oyne, had performed much the same exploit before him ; and figures, in Barclay's Protocol in 1601, as having a large claim upon Gight, on the part of his wife, Marjory Auchinleck, widow of Captain John Gordon. The poverty of the clergy became at length so great a scandal that King James passed an Act, in 1617, raising their stipends to the minimum value of 500 merks — with 800 merks as a maxi- mum endowment.

THE MARQUIS OF HUNTLY.

The numerous cases of social depression which marked the first half of the 17th century in the Garioch included the Balquhain family. The cause was partly that already referred to — the extravagance of two of the Balquhain lairds. Another cause was, however, of a more public nature. The Leslies belonged to the party of the Marquis of Huntly, whose bonds of manrent had drawn around him such a following as alarmed the first Charles, to whom the great noble's power appeared incompatible with that exercise of sovereignty which lie, the first declarer of divine right, believed that a king ought to possess. Huntly had been a great favourite with the more light-minded King James, whose good fortune as actual inheritor of the English throne, allowed him to be tolerated in many an attempt on the liberties of his Scottish subjects, and made him also less exasperated by the effectual resistance which his encroachments frequently en- countered.

King James had, however, in his time, been forced into laying the strong hand upon the Cock of the North when the papist conspiracy was active, and had destroyed his Castle of Strathbogy; at which time he also inflicted similar punishment upon Huntly 's clansman, Gordon of Newton.

His successor, Charles, of a more determined temper, and more grave in character, never let drop what he planned, but waited opportunities of advancing towards his purpose. He set about undermining Huntly's local influence by increasing the power and position of that nobleman's neighbours, while he lowered the official condition of the great Marquis by depriving him of the hereditary Sheriffships of Aberdeen and Inver- ness. Sir George Johnston of Caskieben, who, in 1630, was the first Sheriff-Principal of Aberdeenshire appointed after Huntly, belonged to the faction opposed to the Gordons ; and it is possible the Baronetcy granted to Caskieben, some years before, was conferred not without the intention of elevating one who was a steady opponent of the Marquis's influence.

James Crichton of Frendraught was made the chief agent in the design of King Charles of fomenting local opposition to the powerful Marquis ; and the tragedy of the

The Marquis of Huntly. 243

Burning of Frendraught, in October, 1630, noticed by Mr. Mill in bis register of the birth of his own eldest son, was indirectly the result of this weak royal policy.

The favourite — Crichton — did not possess power sufficient for the position of local opponent of the great chief who had ruled the North for long. The vassal families of the Huntly league were settled all around Frendraught. The habits of the time afforded ample opportunity for quarrels, ending in bloodshed or slaughter. In one of these ren- contres "James Leslie of Aquhorties was shot through the arm in Frendraught's company" by a relative of Crichton's, as already related, and the wounded man's father was watching for vengeance at the time when the great tragedy was enacted. Frendraught, possibly intoxicated with the royal favour, had sometime let expressions escape him of enmity to the Marquis, and these were quoted against him when the Marquis's son lost bis life in the conflagration. The day before the burning of his bouse he was at the Bog of Gicht, as Gordon Castle was then called, in order to make amends, by a heavy money payment, for wrong done to one of the great lord's friends, and was escorted back to Frendraught by Viscount Melgum, the Marquis' second son, and a party from the Castle. Crichton and his lady pressed the Gordons to remain over the night, and accept a re- turn of the hospitality witli which Huntly had entertained him on his errand of peace- making. The Gordons consented, and, after an evening spent according to the manner of the time, they were all lodged in one wing of the house. Their lodging was not shut upon them, as the ballad represents ; but when the outbreak of fire in the middle of the night awoke them, all, except three of the party who escaped, seem to have lost their presence of mind, and eight persons, including the Viscount and young Eothiemay, into whose bedchamber he had run, failed to make their way out, and perished in the flames.

The fire appears to have been accidental, but the contrary was suspected at the time, and a long criminal trial of the Crichtons was held. Several incidents transpired that seemed to exculpate them, and to fasten the guilt upon an enemy of the house, who, it was believed, had set fire to the building out of private revenge. That individual — John Meldrum — was, in August, 1633, tried, convicted, and executed at Edinburgh; but this fact did not save Crichton from ruin. He became the unprotected prey of every lawless attack upon his property ; and the family ceased, ere long time had elapsed, to have a place in the country.

In 1633, after his acquittal, James Crichton bestowed a set of silver communion vessels upon each of the parishes of Forgue, Inverkeithnj', and Marnoch. He filled the office of an elder in Forgue in 1640. His son was in 1642 created a Viscount by King Charles I., the Laird declining the rank; which was offered him as male representative of Lord Chancellor Crichton. The Lady of Frendraught, Lady Elizabeth Gordon, eldest daughter of John, twelfth Earl of Sutherland, who had been suspected of the fire- raising at Frendraught, turned Eoman Catholic. After the family removed to Kinnairdie, in the parish of Marnoch, the Fresbytery of Strathbogy found her ladyship a fit

241: Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

subject of numerous entries in its minutes. Her communion cup, a silver chalice and paten, is in the kirk of Forgue, presented by her son after he had been created a Viscount. It is of the kiud made at that period for the use of wandering priests, capable of being taken to pieces and carried about easily. The Frendraught estate afterwards passed into the hands of the Bognie family, by the marriage of the widow of James Crichton, second Viscount Frendraught, with her neighbour and factor, Morison of Bognie.

SOCIAL FEATURES.

The Burgh Court Book of Inverurie and Mr. Mill's entries in his registers afford some indications of the excesses gone to in convivial drinking, which so often, as in the case of Frendraught, preceded serious acts of violence. A valuable paper by the late Dr. Joseph Eobertson, the historical antiquary, presents a picture of drinking habits in the Highlands in 1616, which, if unvouched, would now surpass belief.

The consumption of foreign wines in the Hebrides is illustrated by the fact that the arrival of a vessel bringing a cargo of wine from France occasionally drew the whole local population near the landing place ; when an orgy took place which was terminated only by the exhaustion of the supply that had arrived. The Privy Council felt the ne- cessity of imposing restrictive regulations upon the use of French wines by the Highland chiefs ; and an energetic attempt was made by the crown to introduce habits of industry and domestication among the Celtic population. Broken clans were disinherited ; and the Highlands and Islands were partitioned among a few great chiefs from Argyll on the south to Seaforth on the north. These were ordered to erect mansion houses, with certain amenities, in spots appointed to them ; to establish home farms, as an example of cultivation ; and to let portions of land, at fixed rents, to their clansmen, and no longer retain these, as idle followers, fed at the chief's table. The chiefs were, at the same time, obliged to send their own children to the Lowlands to be educated.

The quantity of wine which each great landholder was at liberty to purchase, during a year, was fixed according to the extent of his dominion ; but the smallest allowance was enormous. The least important of them had four hogsheads — equal to about 220 dozen ; whde some — of whom was Macleod of Dunvegan — might jmrchase four tuns, or 876 dozen.

At that period, Ireland, under the great chiefs who then ruled the population, frequently in resistance of English rule, presented pictures of even greater drinking and excess. Native whisky, or poteen, was a large component of Irish debauches. The whisky of Scotland is of later date. Brandy is the only addition to ale, or wine, that appears, even in the next century, in the Inverurie Thesaurer's accounts, for the dinners and other entertainments of the baillies. Unless otherwise named, wine meant Claret in the Lowlands, as well as in the Hebrides and West Highlands. In Aberdeenshire, Claret was largely used untd two generations back ; and it was probably sold in bulk in the few great fairs, much after the date when Leslie of Pitcaple bought up all the wine

Social Conditions. 245

to be got in Lawrence Fair of Eayne, to entertain Charles II. withal, on his way south to make his first experience of the Scottish crown.

The local fairs, which date from an immemorial period, when they began with the opportunities afforded for business transactions by the religious gatherings that took place on certain saints' days, formed an important feature in social life in the Garioch during some centuries preceding the rise of modern agriculture in Aberdeenshire. St. Sair's Fair, originally held in Monkegy, now in Culsalmond, Lawrence Fair in Old Eayne, Polander (or Apollinaris) Fair in Inverurie, and Michael Fair in Kinkell, are now little conspicuous in the Garioch calendar, amidst the unbroken succession of cattle markets that have been established to supply London with so much of the roast beef of Old England. The saintly association of the old markets, or so much thereof as ever existed, seems also lost in the crowd, if one may judge by the advice tendered in Aberdeenshire Doric to a minister of Eayne on St. Sair's morning, by one of his parishioners — " Ye're nae gaen to the market, sir, I houp 1 " " Foo that, Johnl " " Cause, sir, it's just oon- possible, near, to keep fae leein' an' cheatin' ; an' I think that's fat ministers sidna dee."

The Garioch fairs are still prominent, to some extent, among the markets, and exhibit remains of the ancient miscellaneous assemblages of dealers and wares, though they have for long ceased to gather together the whole aristocracy of the district, as they did when that class was more numerous and continuously resident than is the case now.

Lawrence Fair, vernacularly Lowrin Fair, stands in the town of Old Eayne — originally, it would seem, an Episcopal hamlet, gathered beside a Palace of the Bishop of Aberdeen. A market cross, of great age, still rears its rough granite pedestal in a widened part of the highway. Here, in the end of the 14th century, Archdeacon John Barbour, the parson of Eayne, had, we may believe, many a glowing talk about the hero of his immortal poem, the Patriot King, with old men who had marched by Brace's sick litter, on the snowy Martinmas, to Slevach ; or who had, at the following Yule, followed the warrior in hot haste from Ardtannies, in his impetuous ride through Inverurie, when he broke the power of the Comyn, and fairly began his triumph in the cause of Scot- land's freedom — that " nobyll thynge ". In the next century, standing by the old cross, Winton, the famous " cronikler," may have enriched his knowledge of his chosen subject of poetical laudation— the Yerl o' Man — in meeting with old Harlaw men. He had relatives who were portioncrs near the Blessed Virgin's Chapel of the Garioch.

In the beginning of the 17th century we find the market customs levied at the fair, a matter of such moment to the Aberdeenshire lairds, and even to the city of Bon- Accord itself, as to make them unite in trying to bring the heavy hand of the Court of Session down upon the superiors of the markets, i.e., the receivers of the market dues.

Harthill, and the superiority of Lawrence Fair, belonged, before 1606, to the Leiths, who held the lands until a later period, and who took a prominent part on the side of Charles I. in the civil war. The subjoined extract from the burgh records of Aberdeen, bearing date 1st April, 1606, indicates a disposition towards high-handed behaviour,

24:6 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

which the ecclesiastical records of the neighbourhood exhibit in the same family at a later date : — George Leslie of Creychie, in name of the Council and Community, and also in that of " Johne Leslie of Wardess, Johne Leslie of Pettcappil, George Leslie of Creychie, George Leslie of Auld Craig, James Arbuthnot of Lentusche, for thame selffis, and utheris thair tennentis and servandis " had raised letters summoning John Leith, elder of Harthill, and John Leith, younger, his son, to compear before the Lords of Council for imposing an exorbitant tax on goods sold at St. Lawrence Fair, in Auld Eayne. The charge made had been — for every stand set down for holding of merchan- dises, 13s. 4d. ; for every ox, cow, or horse, 16d. ; for every sheep, 8d. ; for every stone of wool, one pound of it ; for every elne of linen, or woollen cloth, 4d.

The following ditty evidently belongs to the Garioch of a more recent century, but exhibits the miscellaneous character of the merchandise then still sold : —

Oh, minnie, I'm gaen to Lowrin Fair, Oh, Jamie, fat are ye gaen to dee there ? To buy some harrow-graith and some bows, To strick up a pleuch in Ba'eairn's knowes :

Sae whilk o' ye lasses '11 gang to Ba'caim ?

Whilk o' ye lasses '11 gang to Ba'cairn ?

Whilk o' ye lasses '11 gang to Ba'cairn,

An' be the goodwife o' bonny Ba'cairn ?

I'm nae for the lass wi' the gowden locks, Nor yet for the lass \vi' the ribbon-knota, But I'm for the lass wi' the bonny bank-notes, To plenis' the haudin' o' bonny Ba'cairn. Sae whilk o' ye lasses, &c.

An' I'll get a thiggin' fae aul John Black, An' I'll get ane fae the Leddie o' Glack, Wi' some harrow-graith fae James Gray, For haudin' his owsen sae lang on the brae. Sae whilk o' ye lasses, &c.

There sits a man on Ba'eairn's knowes, Wi' legs as crooket as twa owson bows ; 'Twad set him far better to be herdin' at yowes, Than fermin' the haudin' o' bonny Ba'cairn.

Sae whilk o' ye lasses '11 gang to Ba'cairn ?

Oh, whilk o' ye lasses '11 gang to Ba'cairn 1

Whilk o' ye lasses '11 gang to Ba'cairn,

An' be the goodwife o' bonny Ba'cairn ?

The extracts from the Inverurie registers afford some insight into the social position at that day of the dwellers in the Eoyal Burgh. Many possessed, at the time of their decease, some means. A few families had members " pushing their fortunes abroad," in Northern Germany or Poland — the land of enterprise of the time. Some householders in tha burgh employed servants, but merely as a help in their own labour, and not as substitutes. Few in the burghal community rose, in means or dignity, above the common level, so much as to esnimand reverence without asserting it ; and the trans- ference of the magistracy from men of wealth and family like the Lairds of Caskieben and Kincraigie, who would sign council minutes and decrees with their territorial

Social Conditions. 247

designation, to a burgage rood proprietor of a rig or two, occasioned some difficulty in keeping up that observance of respect for the bench which is considered essential to good government.

Baillie Alexander Hervie had evidently found the Chief Magistrate's wand of office no magic sceptre. He was, likely enough, a fussy upsetting body, and would not, may- hap, be the more respected for having attained his position, as a principal burgh laird, through marriage with the widow of the wealthy head of an old family — the brewer, Norman Leslie. Hervie also complained over-much about his dignity being disregarded ; and was, it is probable, more solicitous in caring for it, and more anxious to acquire fresh honours, than the baillies of Inverurie of older standing, and of more established social position, had deemed it needful, or meet, to be. Baillie Hervie does not appear, in the minister's registers of christenings and burials, as associating with the neighbouring gentry, like his predecessors and successors in the civic- dignity. He is, however, the first who appears, in the extant burgh records, as seeking the position of member of Parliament for the Burgh. The provision made at that time for upholding the repre- sentatives of the royal burgh in the Supreme Council of the nation was not extravagant. A sum of 40 lbs. Scots was ordained to be paid to the Commissioner by the Thesaurer of the Burgh.

The Assemblage of the Scottish legislators, about that period, within the ancient Hall of Parliament at Edinburgh, must have been a motley one, and doubtless included, at times, some as ragged elements as the beautiful chamber, now known as the Parlia- ment House, occasionally presents in the different class which is fascinated by its dire attractions. Sixty years later than the time of Baillie Hervie's parliamentary career, the 'Fife burghs are recorded as having, in some cases, to provide large cloaks, to be worn by their Commissioners, when seated among the nobles, knights of shires, and well-to-do repre- sentatives of the larger towns, so that the imperfect state of their garments might not appear, and put them, and the royal burghs represented by them, to shame. The Com- missioners were paid 6s. 8d. daily, during their attendance; and in Anstruther, in 1686, the Baillies and Council, considering that the heavier burdens of that burgh made it un- able to send and keep a Commissioner to attend to their interests in Parliament, for warded a blank commission — along with a blank burgess ticket, or diploma — to the King's Commissioner, in order that the Kepresentative of Eoyalty might, himself, select some suitable man to act as a burgess and as M.P. for that burgh, in that Convention of Estates.

John Leslie — fiar of Balquhain — sat in the same parliament with Baillie Hervie as one of the two members chosen for the Shire of Aberdeen. The other Commissioner for the county, elected along with Balquhain, was Mr. John Cheyne of Arnage. At this, the earliest, election for Members of Parliament appearing in the Sheriff Court records of Aberdeen, twenty-two barons and freeholders of the shire are mentioned in Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen as having been convened at the Michaelmas Head Court, held

248 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariocli.

within the Tolbooth of Aberdeen, on 1st October, 1616. Among them were several lairds belonging to the Garioch, viz., John Setonne of Meldrum, John Leslie of Wardes, John Leslie of Pitcappill, George Johnstone of yat Ilk, John Erskine of Balhagartie, and ]NIr. George Settone of Barra.

EVE OF THE COVENANT.

"When Scotland, from the Solway Firth to Caithness, gave adherence to the Solemn League and Covenant, the City of Aberdeen and most part of the County persistently refused to accept it. The consequence was that Aberdeenshire, and, in a marked degree, its central district, the Garioch, became a principal theatre of the " troubles," as Spald- ing terms them, which characterised the beginning of the Covenanting times, but which were too soon succeeded elsewhere by events of an appalling nature.

The Civil War began its afterwards tragic course with some plundering in the Garioch. A portion of the local ministers soon afterwards found themselves in prison ; and the exercise of ecclesiastical discipline, on account of the political question of the Covenant, brought on, in that district, a social struggle of ten years' duration, which, involving, as it did, all classes of the community, renders the history of it an instructive study of the peculiar cause and times.

Aberdeenshire had not had so much reason as some other parts of Scotland to be discontented with the Presbyterian Episcopacy, which had been the form of the National Church since the Reformation, with the exception of the years between 1592 and 1606. The Bishops of Aberdeen whom King James had added to the Presbyterian Synod of the Church had been men of good sense ; and it is likely that they had exercised their functions with better understanding and acceptance, that after 1606, they belonged to or were connected with local families. The first of the new line of Bishops introduced at that date was Mr. Peter Blackburn, already well-known as an Aberdeen clergyman, and one of the original Eegents of the Earl Marischal's new College. Bishop Blackburn cultivated popularity — although not with complete success — by abstaining from exacting his Episcopal dues. His successor, Alexander Forbes, bishop from 1615 to 1618, was a son of the laird of Ardmurdo, in the parish of Kinkell. After him an exceptionally worthy prelate had been appointed — Patrick Forbes — himself the laird of Corse, in Coull parish, and who, from 1618 to 1635, fulfilled the duties of his prominent position with the most beneficial results to his diocese ; in especial, by his government of the two universities under his care, -conferring such benefit upon the community as made his name worthy to be connected with that of the originator of university education in the North. Bishop Patrick Forbes had found both Bishop Elphinstone's and the Earl Marischal's Colleges in a disorganised condition, and nurtured them back into such effi- ciency as for long placed Aberdeen before the other University seats in Scotland. He was paralytic for several years before his death, and able only to be carried to church,

Eve of the Covenant. 249

or to preside in the Synod; and he died on Easter Eve, 1635, two years before the first private conferences began which resulted in the Solemn League and Covenant.

The Aberdeen Doctors, often referred to in the history of that period as having alone in Scotland entered into argumentative controversy with the leaders of the Cove- nant, were but the exponents of the political sentiment which prevailed in the district. These courageous worthies were the Bishop's son, Dr. John Forbes, Professor of Divinity in King's College ; Dr. Eobert Baron, Professor of Divinity, and Minister in Aberdeen ; Dr. Alexander Scrogie, Minister of Old Aberdeen ; Dr. William Leslie, Principal of King's College; and Drs. James Sibbald and Alexander Eoss, both Ministers in Aberdeen.

Perhaps there still existed the restraining influence of the sharp check which King James administered to freedom of opinion on the occasion of the Aberdeen Assembly of 160-4 ; but there was in the district at the time a leaven of the element of society then most antagonistic to the Covenanting Church. The General Assembly of 1606 com- plained to the King that the Papist Earls of Huntly and Erroll, and the lairds of Gicht and Newton, were always protected from the efforts of the Church to bring them to the knowledge of the truth, legal writs being granted, discharging the Church Courts from exercising upon them the necessary discipline. In the year 1637, Father Gilbert Blakhall was perambulating the shires of Aberdeen and Banff as a missionary of the Eomish Church notwithstanding the penal laws enacted in the beginning of the King's reign. Blakhall made his rounds periodically to certain stations to hear confession ; his houses of call being Blair, Schivas, Gicht, Artrochy, Cruden, Strathbogy, Cairnburrow and Craig. The laird of New Leslie, and his daughter, sometimes confessed at Cairnbur- row, where also others met the Father. In Huntly — then called the Eaws of Strathbogie — he received the poor Catholics at an hostelry kept by one Eobert Eennie. The laird of Blair himself — Dr. James Seton — a physician, was, sometime later, looked upon by the Church Courts as, under cover of his medical opportunities, a propagator of the for- bidden faith.

Of the local families, the Leslies, Leiths, Urquharts, Setons, Abercrombys, and Gordons, were avowed, or concealed Papists. The Elphinstones and Johnstons were supporters of the King in the political struggle. Sir Thomas Crombie of Kemnay appears as a frequent sufferer at the hands of the Covenanters. A family now unrepre- sented in the Garioch, Wood of Bonnyton, appears at that time extensively intermarry- ing with the Leslies, Elphinstones, &c, and evidently was of the Catholic party.

The rule of the Church, when the Covenant became dominant, was not far from creating a reign of terror ; and strange changes of part in the drama occurred — the Gordons of Newton appearing at one time as elders in the parish church of Culsalmond, and being at another extruded as obstinate recusants. George Gordon of Newton, second son of the third Gordon of Lesmoir, by Katharine Forbes of Tolquhon, his wife, was as well as his son, mixed up with the acts of the Popish Marquis of Huntly, as were

32

250 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

also Gordon of Haddo, Gordon of Gicht, and Patrick Gordon, nicknamed Steelhand. George Leslie of Badiefurrow is not mentioned in the politics of the time, but his wife, Magdalene "Wood of Bonnyton, was excommunicated for Popery. Sir George Johnston was out of his estate, and does not appear in the troubles, except as subscribing the Covenant, at the instance of the Presbytery, for the second time, about 1650. His uncle, Dr. Arthur Johnston, was Eector of King's College in 1G37, but it is likely was not, at that time, permanently resident in Aberdeenshire.

The successive heads of the Balquhain family were mostly abroad during the Civil "War. John Leslie, the twelfth baron, was a Protestant, and served, from 1639 to 1647, in the Scottish army under Field-Marshal Leslie, the leader of the Covenanting army, and subserviently of that sent into England in support of Charles II. Balquhain went abroad afterwards, and took service in Bussia, and died during the invasion of Poland in 1655. His uncle William, also a Protestant, succeeded him. He had been a faithful servant to King Charles I., both in the Council and in the field ; and after the slaughter of his Sovereign he left the country and lived in Holland. He resigned the estates to his brother "Walter, a soldier of the Boman Catholic League under the Emperor of Austria. "Walter passed his Garioch heritage to his brother Alexander ; who appears, in the Inverurie documents as Alexander Leslie of Tullos, living quietly at the House of Tullos, at the foot of Benachie, a real, or apparent Protestant, but needing to be enjoined, by the watchful Presbytery, to " keep his parish kirk of Oyne ".

The laird of Drimmies of the time, Alexander Chalmers, was among the Boyalists, though Protestant ; his son, actively so, was to fall, sword in hand, into the power of Argyll at the taking of the House of Kelly. Cruickshank of Tillymorgan was on the same side. The laird of Fetternear, Hector Abercromby, appears, along with his wife, long exercising their ingenuity to keep their fidelity to the Church of Borne a secret. The laird of Pittodrie of the time, Thomas Erskine, brother-in-law of the elder Alexander Jaffray, was Protestant and Covenanting, as were the whole of the Erskines, though both his mother and wife belonged to families of the opposite side, the one being a Gordon and the other a Seton.

Another relative of Provost Jaffray, Bobert Burnet, advocate, laird of Crimond, in Monkegy, and before his death a judge of the Court of Session by the title of Lord Crimond, was an exception to all of his name and family, — the Burnets of Leys, who espoused the side of the Covenant. He was younger brother of Sir Thomas Burnet, first baronet of Leys, and of James Burnet of Craigmyle, the father of the first Burnet of Kemnay, and was a man so honest and single-minded as to be misunderstood by his contemporaries. His reproofs of the proceedings of the bishops in 1637, which disgusted him, made him be regarded by them as a Puritan, but when he saw that the Covenanters, instead of merely reforming, meant to subvert the existing order of things, he espoused the side of the Crown so decidedly that he had to spend some years in exile. Bobert Burnet, Lord Crimond, is remarkable in the history of the time for more than his own

Eve of the Covenant. 251

position and merits. Gilbert Burnet, minister of Salton in East Lothian from 1665 to 1669, subsequently Professor of Divinity at Glasgow, after the Eestoration, and after- wards Bishop of Salisbury, was one of his sons— the fifth and youngest. Gilbert was born in 1643 at Edinburgh, and of course was but a child in the most interesting years of the Covenant. When very young, he was employed as a messenger in the many com- munications held by Charles II. with his friends in Britain, and had his memory stored with the details put on record afterwards in his History of his own Times. Mr Bobert Burnet acquired the property of Crimond in 1634, about the date of Alexander Jaffray's getting possession of the Caskieben estates, of which it at one time had formed part. His second wife, the mother of the bishop, was sister of Sir Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston, the most prominent Scottish statesman in the Commonwealth period. There is something so redeeming to the times in the tribute paid to Lord Crimond's .memory by his grandson, a son of the bishop, and himself a Judge of Common Pleas in England, that it is well to have it to read in connection with a state of society so un- attractive morally as that in which the Covenant had to play its part in the progress of the Eeformation. " He was eminent for probity and generosity in his practice, insomuch that near one-half of his income went in acts of charity and friendship. Erom the poor he never took a fee, nor from a clergyman, when he sued in the right of his church." Bobert Burnet of Crimond, appointed a Judge at the Eestoration, lived to hold the office of a Lord of Session only three months. His descendants were numerous and several of them distinguished.

A previous laird of Crimond was Bobert Johnston (a cadet of the Caskieben stock, and also brother-in-law of John Johnston of that Ilk). He was chosen Provost of Aberdeen in Autumn 1635, but was removed by the Lords of Privy Council in January 1636, when Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells was appointed Provost in his stead. Bobert Johnston was again elected Provost in 1637 ; and held office for a year. As with Lord Crimond, he is less noted in history than his son — Lieutenant-Colonel AVilliam Johnston — the most efficient officer that the Boyalist cause had in the North at the beginning of the Civil War, and the actual leader in the few successes then obtained by the Aberdeen- shire barons. Like Leslie, General of the Covenanting army, and the Master of Eorbes, one of its local chiefs, AVilliam Johnston had learned the art of soldiery in the Protestant army of Gustavus Adolphus, then carrying on the long contest against the Eonian Catholic League. Of this gallant Cavalier, Commissary Clerk Spalding writes : — " Generall Johnstoun for his wit and policie was honored amongst them all, and had the first place at all thair meittiiigis ": i.e., the meetings of the Aberdeenshire Eoyalists.

Mr Bobert Farquhar of Mounie, a Garioch laird, who, on the Eestoration, became Sir Bobert, was apparently a zealous Covenanter. He was intimately associated with Alexander Jaffray, the younger, in the civic politics of Aberdeen, as well as in business transactions. Farquhar's chief employment seems to have been that of a wholesale dealer in victual. A transaction of that nature brought the Baronet of Wardes into his

252 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

power, as has been noticed. During the Civil War bis political action brought him into trouble, at times, with the Gordons ; and under the Covenanting rulers his department .was in the profitable line of the Commissariat ; hi which, however, he met occasionally the fate of other creditors.

A principal actor in the troubles which began in the Garioch with 1639, was John Lcith of Harthill, an ardent Eoyalist, whose somewhat insane actions led to his spending much of his time in irons within the " Mids o' Mar," as the Aberdeen jail was called, or in the companion prison of the capital, " the Heart of Midlothian". Leith's first exploit was forcing his way, on the 24th December, 1639, into the Provost's pew in the Old Kirk of Aberdeen during the second prayer; swearing at the Town-serjeants, who offered him another seat, " By God's wounds, I shall sit beside the Provost, and in no other place of the kirk," and drawing bis sword upon the town's officer. He was with difficulty secured and taken to the Tolbooth, terrifying the Eaillies by a threat that he would break out and burn the town. At the examination, held immediately after the service, he told the officer he should fence the Court in the Devil's name; calling the Provost "but a doittit cock and ane ass ; and while the Clerk was reading the complaint and accusation against him, not only did Harthill violently pluck the paper furth of his hand, and tear the same in pieces, but likewise took the Clerk, Mr George Robertson, his penner and ink- horne, quhilk was lying befoir him on the table, and cast the same eagerlie at his face, and thairwith hurt and wounded him in two several parts, to the great effusion of his blood". The case proved too much for the minds of the magistracy to deal with, and they put him in prison ad interim ; but he first nearly set the place on fire, and next made such a breach in the wall as cost the sum of £35 3s. Scots to repair; and having got arms from his friends, he attacked his jailors and fired out upon the citizens outside, and at length had to be put in irons. His manacles soon disappeared, and he afterwards ex- plained that "he had sent them up to Harthill". He made himself master of the jail, and set all his fellow-captives free, while he remained himself " going throw the hous as ane commander". He next " rameforced" the outer door of the Tolbooth against all entrance, and refused to come out. After an imprisonment of nine months and fifteen days, he was, by order of the Committee of Estates, removed to Edinburgh, where he remained in confinement till Montrose made himself master of the city, Harthill seems to have been regarded as a madman and left at liberty. Long after he appears in the Presbytery records of the Garioch exhibiting the like frantic violence in that Court, and against in- dividual ministers, about some communion cups which his son had given to the parishes of Oyne and Eayne.

On the Covenanting side, at the beginning of the troubles, the leaders in the Garioch were the old hereditary antagonists of the Marquis of Huntly — the Forbeses, of whom the lairds of Monymusk and Leslie were at that time persons of means and influence. Pitsligo, Tolquhon, and Echt were always along with these, — their recognised chief being the Master of Forbes, one of the soldiers of fortune of the time, trained in the

Eve of the Covenant. 253

Swedish army. A prominent individual on the Covenanting side in the Garioeh, when in 1639 open strife first began by an appeal to arms, was the Knight of Craigievar, Sir William Forbes, made a Baronet of Nova Scotia by Charles I. in 1630. He was a nephew of the good Bishop, Dr. Patrick Forbes of Corse, but became the most active oppressor of those who sympathised with the Bishop's sentiments and sought to defend the King's position, in the country. He died before the tragic conclusion of the Civil War.

The Craigievar family of Forbes now represents the line of Corse, which sprang from Patrick, third son of the second Lord Forbes ; in the generation in which the Cor- sindae branch of the name began with Duncan the second son of the same Lord Forbes, and progenitor also of the families of Monymusk and Leslie. The bishop was the fifth Forbes of Corse, and was succeeded by his two sons, William, the elder, and John, who was extruded from the Professorship of Divinity in King's College Aberdeen, by the Covenanting Church. Neither of these sons has now any' male representative. The bishop's brother, William, was aided by him in a mercantile career, which he chose ; and he became laird of Meny about 1607, and, before 1610, acquired the lands of Craigievar, which had long been possessed by the Mortimer family. His son was the first baronet, Sir William Forbes of Craigievar, Salton, Glencorse, Logy-Fintray, &c. The present baronet is his representative in an unbroken lineal descent from father to son. The fourth baronet, Sir Arthur, was in the time of the rebellion of 1745-6 repre- sentative of Aberdeenshire in Parliament, and was an intimate and valued friend of Sir Andrew Mitchell of Thainston, British Plenipotentiary at the Court of Berlin ; by whose will Mr. Duncan Forbes, a younger son of Sir Arthur, became laird of Thain- ston, taking the name of Forbes-Mitchell, by which family name the representative of that line continues to be designated.

Another Garioeh name deserves to be noticed among the actors in the troubles which preceded the death of King Charles. The subordinate general in the Covenanting army, sent north in 1645 against the Marquis of Montrose, was Sir John Urrie or. Hurrie, of the family of Urrie of Pitfiehie, in Monymusk parish. He seems to have been one of the officers trained in foreign service who came to the front in the military actions of the time. His wife was apparently of one of the Spanish families settled in Holland — Maria Magdalena van Jaxheim, daughter of Christopher Sebastian van Jaxheim de Erlabrun in Germany. A brief of birth obtained by his daughter, Mary Margaret Urrie, Lady Lamont, in 1669, exhibits him as the ninth Urrie of Pitfiehie in lineal descent. He may have had as his ancestor the Urrie who appears in the Eagman Bolls. On the mother's side he was of the blood of the Chalrderses of Cults, an Aberdeen family, of municipal rank, descended from the House of Balnacraig, trace- able to the latter part of the 14th century. The pedigree was a long one, and worth recording if any one lives now to whom it is part of his own origines. Besides the entry in the Bagman Bolls the name Urrie appears in 1388 in aForglen charter of some

254 Inverurie and the Earldom of the GariocJi.

lands resigned to John Eraser by Gilbert Urrie and bis spouse Joanna, heir of deceased Marjorie, the wife of John Fraser, daughter and heir of Sir John of Monymusk ; and again in 1466 the name of Andre Uurrie in connection with the same lands. The family bearing the territorial name of Monymusk had possessed Pitfichie, but forfeited it (p. 65). The pedigree sanctioned by the Heralds College in 1669 to Lady Lamont, and partly corroborated by documents which the Spalding Club has printed, gives the following description from father to son of Lairds of Pitfichie : —

John Urrie of Pitfichie married Catherine, daughter of Lord Forbes ; Gilbert Urrie, a person of distinction, married Elizabeth Lawder, daughter of the Laird of Basse; William Urrie married Barbara Crichton, daughter of the Laird of Frendraught ; David Urrie married Joanna Leslie, daughter of the Laird of Balquhain; George Urrie, married Elizabeth Fraser, daughter of the Laird of Muchals ; William Urrie married Agnes Leslie, daughter of the Laird of Wardes ; William Urrie, married Elizabeth Erskine, daughter of the laird of Dun ; John Urrie married Margaret Chalmers, daughter of Alexander Chalmers of Cults. Sir John Urrie was their son.

William Urrie of Pitfichie appears on numerous juries of inquest about 1506. In 1535 William Urrie of Pitfichie was a witness to transactions of the Prior of Mony- musk. In 1531 Thomas Fraser of Staneywood, ancestor of the Lords Fraser of Muchals, had a charter of Wester Corse and JSTorham, which lands belonged in 1540 to Urrie of Pitfichie. The records of the Leslie family make Ann Leslie, daughter of 3rd Lord of Wardes, widow of Urrie of Pitfichie in 1580.

The maternal pedigree of Sir John, obtained by his daughter, traces from the Chalmerses of Balnacraig, who were also of Kintore (p. 62), and held high municipal position in Aberdeen. In 1388 William Chalmers had a lease of Murtle from Adam, Bishop of Aberdeen, and in 1402 bis son Thomas (also Laird of Findon) had a renewal from Bishop Gilbert, and in 1488 Alexander Chalmers of Cults renounced it. The pedigree of 1669 (father and son) is as follows : —

Alexander Chalmers of Cults, son of the House of Balnacraig, married Agnes Hay, daughter of Earl of Erroll ; Alexander Chalmers married Janet, daughter of John Leslie of that Ilk ; Alexander Chalmers married Elizabeth Douglass of Glenbervie ; Thomas Chalmers married Mary Menzies, daughter of the Laird of Pitfodels ; Alexander Chalmers married Helen Eait, daughter of the Laird of Halgreen ; Alexander Chalmers married Janet Lumsden, daughter of the Laird of Cushnie ; Gilbert Chalmers married Elizabeth Fraser, daughter of the Laird of Durris ; Alexander Chalmers married Janet, daughter of James Irving, brother of the Laird of Drum ; Marjory Chalmers, their only child, was mother of Sir John Urrie.

There was no John Leslie of that Ilk ; the first John Leslie of Balquhain died in 1561 ; the first John of Wardes died in 1546. In 1505 Thomas Chalmers was served heir to his father Alexander in the lands of Cults and Little Methlick. The same jury found Mariot Matheson, widow of Alexander Chalmers, entitled to her terce of two-

Eve of the Covenant. 255

thirds of Cults and her terce of Methlick, excepting ten pounds formerly granted to Thomas Chalmers and Elen Rate his wife. In 1 548 Thomas was on an assize. Alex- ander Chalmers was Provost of Aherdeen in 1567, and had two sons, Gilbert, his successor, and Mr. William, Minister of Boyndie. Gilbert in 1601 had a Great Seal Charter of Cults. He sold Cults in 1612 to the Laird of Lesmoir.

The Solemn League and Covenant, evoked by the King's introducing the Service Book prepared by Archbishop Laud, was the national protest against his con- firmation of Episcopacy in a strict form, of which that book was a symbol. The Cove- nant was first signed upon the first day of March, 1638, by a multitude of all classes, upon tables erected in the churchyard of the Grey friars in Edinburgh ; and committees of nobles, lairds, and ministers were appointed to carry it to different parts of the country for the signature of the whole nation. One of the clerical commissioners who perambulated the North was Mr. Andrew Cant, the first parish minister of Pit- sligo, in Buchan, an individual typical of the period, and afterwards much recorded in its annals. Henderson and Dickson, his colleagues, were with him only in Aber- deen.

The marvellous success which attended those commissioners — Apostles of the Cove- nant as they were termed — was partly due to the foresight of the Earl of Eothes, the head of the Protestant branch of the great House of Leslie, the junior Balquhain branch whereof continued partly to be Roman Catholic. The Earl of Eothes had before the outbreak sent for his kinsman, Field-Marshal Leslie, from the Queen of Sweden's service, and secured his co-operation in the national rising then anticipated. That dis- tinguished soldier was an illegitimate descendant of the New Leslie branch of the House of Balquhain. Utterly destitute of education, so that it was believed he never could sign his own name, he manifested ■ such ability as a military commander, and so much strength and worth of character, that he was well fitted to uphold the dignity of Earl of Leven, which he ultimately attained. On coming home Leslie set at once about train- ing the tenants of the Earl of Rothes and others obtainable ; and sent quietly for certain Scottish officers serving abroad, whom he selected for their fitness for the expected work. In consequence he had, when the force of arms came to be appealed to, a trained body of troops for the nucleus of the Covenanting army; a provision which gave his followers great advantage over the feudal levies brought against him, which, according to immemorial custom, were never for any long time kept together, but were assembled only when occasion arose, and were disbanded after either victory or defeat. Leslie was the actual leader of the combined force, although the title of Lord-General was given to some nobleman, the Earl of Montrose holding that position at the beginning, and the Earl of Argyll at a later period.

The camp of the Covenanters, when under General Leslie's command, is described as a scene of singular and becoming order — Divine worship regularly uniting the entire host, aud harmony of action being procured by the Marshal's prudent and firm manage-

256 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

ment of the self-seeking nobleinen and hot-headed clerical delegates, who were con- stantly wishing to interfere with the action of the army.

The principal General of King Charles, though also with a subordinate rank, was sprung from a Garioch family— General King, whom Charles I. made Lieutenant- General of his army under the Earl of Newcastle, which last, Clarendon says, was unac- quainted with the art of Avar. Sir James King was the son of the last of the family of King, who was proprietor of Barra, and himself retained the designation, being called of Barraucht and Birness — a property in Buclian which he had, it may be, acquired by purchase. Like his contemporaries — Marshal Leslie, Crowner Johnston, and the Master of Forbes — he was a pupU of the soldier King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus, and had attained the rank of Lieutenant-General, as well as the highest reputation in that monarch's service. King Charles in 1642 conferred on him the title of Lord Eythin or Ythan, from the river so named not far from his Buchan property. The Scot- tish Parliament passed an Act of forfeiture against him in 1644, and rescinded it in 1647. The title became extinct by his death without heirs male. A daughter of Lord Ythan's seems to have resided at one time near Peterhead.

BURGH LAIRDS AT THE TIME OF THE COVENANT.

"We are enabled to ascertain, with accuracy, who were holders of Burgh Eoods and Common Lands of Inverurie shortly before the Civil War began, from a contract as to the Teinds between Sir Thomas Crombie of Kemnay and William Johnston, George Leslie, and James Eergus, baillies and burgesses of the burgh, acting for themselves, and on behalf of certain holders of burgage lands and common lands in the burgh. The contract was signed at Inverurie, in April, 1633, before witnesses — Sir George Johnston of that Ilk, "Walter Forbes of Thaynestoun, William Gell, servitor to the said laird of Kemnay, and William Smith, servitor to Caskieben, and was written by Patrick Smith, Notary Public.

The contract narrates rights disponed by Sir Thomas Crombie to the Burgh : —

1. Tack and assedation, of dait the ellevent day of May, 1593, granted by um- quhille Patrick commendator of Lyndoris, and convent thereof, to umquhillo Alexander Irving, styled for the time fiar of Drum, and his airs and assignees, for his lyfetime, and three nynteen years thereafter, of all and sundrie the teind sheaves of the said town of Inverury, lands thereof, niilne lands and davauch lands of the same, with the outsettis, pairts, pendicles and pertinents ; for the yearlie payment of twenty-four pounds Scots money. Whilk was ratified and approved, thereafter, by Patrick, Lord of Lyndoris, heritable proprietor of the same, at Edinburgh, aucht day of May, 1615.

2. Another tack and assedation made by said Patrick, Lord of Lyndoris, to said umquhille Alexander Irving of Drum, in lyferent and three nyneteen years next after the entrie, whilk was appointit to be at Lambas, 1615, for yearlie payment of twenty-

Burgh Lairds at the Time of the Covenant. 257

four pounds, and relief of taxation, reparation of kirk, and furnishing of elements. Which tack was assigned, same date, by Alexander Irving to Sir Alexander his son. Sir Alexander, with consent of Dame Margaret Scrimgeour, his spouse, disponed the same on ninth and twelfth May, 1623, to Sir "William Douglas of Glenbervie. The said Sir William, by assignation twenty-twa day of June, 1624, disponed the said tack to Sir Thomas Crombie.

There were excepted from the whole teinds of the town of Inverurie thus disponed the teind sheaves disponed by the said Thomas to Sir George Johnston of that Ilk, knight baronet, viz., the Davauch lands of Inverurie, lands of Ardtannies, milne lands, ruddis, crofts, and others, at Edinburgh, the sixteen day of March, 1632 ; Also, those ruddis and lands which belong to the laird of Wardis, upon the syid of the said town of Inverury, which are presently possessed and occupied by the said William John- ston, baillie, the teind sheaves of which it shall be lessum to said Thomas to dispone at his pleasure ; Also reserving to said Thomas to dispose of at his pleasure, the teind sheaves of that piece of land pertaining to Thomas Johnston ; Likewise the heritable richt made by said Thomas to John Stiven, upon that raid callit Susan Stiven's raid, shall remain with the said John and his heirs, so that it shall be lessum to them to dispose upon it.

For the portion disposed of by contract with the baillies for themselves and others, they became bound to relievethe said Thomas and his successors of the sowme of auch- teen poundis Scottis, as the just pairt and portion of the sowme of twenty-four poundis money, quhilk he by his infef tment is obleisit to pay yearlie to the minister of Inverurie and of his majestie's annuitie imposit, or to be imposit, upon the said teynd sheaves ; and of all taxations, impositions, and other burdings, repairing and upholding the kirk, furneising of elements to the communion; and of all others, pro rata, according to the value of the teind sheaves, — provyding his majestie's confirmation be purchesit and obtained by the said baillies and heritors by their own nioyen, and at their own charges and expenses.

The following are the burgh properties included in the contract : — _ Auchtene ruddis of land, lyand on the west syd of the burgh of Inverury, above the said George Leslie's mansion and dwelling-house [Afterwards Stonehouse, extending to Streamhead] ; Ane twelff part bu'row lands with pairts, pendicles, and pertinents thereof ; ane piece callit the Castell yardis and Milne butts.

The lands callit the Twa pairt and Three pairt Stanners ; the Gudeman's Croft ; the Dowcot and Cobill hauchis ; the lands callit the Garden ruddis, lyan before the said Geo. Leslie, his dwelling- house, extending to nyne ruddis land ; the Barbuts, Boutrie bous riggis, and the Dame rig, in the Stanners ; all pertaining to George Leslie.

Four ruddis on west side of burgh, pert, to Walter Fergus.

The Litell Croft pert, to Mr. Alex. Mitchell. [Part of Ury Bank.]

Six ruddis on east syde of burgh, and ane half!' twalff pairt burrow lands, pert, to James Fergus.

Fire ruddis on east syde of burgh ; twa ruddis on west syde ; ane quarter twalff pairt burrow lands ; all pert, to William Ronald.

Ane rude on west syde, pert, to Ion Gib.

Ane rude on west syde ; ane croft callit the Barcroft of Cobill Seat ; with the hauchis thereof, called Susana Steven's rude [west side of Stanners, where the boat was] ; pert, to Ion Steven, or Susana his sister.

33

258 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Thrie ruides on west syde ; Time come buttis and four common buttis on east syde, pelt, to Andro Gib.

Fyve ruidis on the west syde ; the Mather Yard in the Stanners ; twa ruiddis there ; the Short Croft ; ane and a quarter rude of the Gudeman's Croft ; ane twalff pairt Common laudis ; pert, to James Black.

Twa rudes and half ane rude on east syde, pert, to Christian Tailyier.

Twa rudis on the east syde ; ane rude in the Stanners ; ane halff twalff pairt common lands ; pert, to Wm. Johnston, alias Kobb's Willie.

Twa rudis on west pairt ; Fyve rudis on east pairt ; ane quarter twalff pairt burrow lands ; twa rudes on the Stanners ; pert, to Alex. Fergus.

Ane rude on east pairt ; the Lint Butt ; ane sixteine pairt burrow lands ; pert, to Mr. James Miln. Twa rudis in the west pairt, pert, to Ion Anderson.

Thrie rudis and three quarteris on the west syde, pert, to William Davidson. Fyve rudis on the east pairt ; Fyve rudis on the west pairt ; ane twellf pairt burrow lands, with the pendicles thereof callit Content, Crawstone but and the Burn rig ; which Burn rig pertains to Wm. Robertson, burgess of Aberdeen, and all the rest heritably in propertie to William Johnston, bailie.

Aucht rudis and half ane rude on west syde [from 23 to 27 High Street, once known as Mid- town of Inverurie] ; ane twelff pairt burrow laudis and haill pendicles, [in Burnland, Contents, Crow- stone, Longlands, Dpperhaugh, and Burghmuir] ; pert, to John Mackiesoue, younger.

Twa rudis and ane quarter on west syde ; thrie rudis on east syde ; pert, to James Anderson. Six rudis on the west pairt ; four rudis on the east pairt, whereof twa rudis belongs to Mr. Charles Angus, br. to Andro.

Twa halff twelff pairtis burrow lands, with the Crawstone but and Content, pertaining heritablie to Wm. Robertson, burges of Aberdeen, presently possessed by Christiane Mathewsone ; all pert, herit- ablie to Androw Angus.

Ane rude and ane half on west pairt, pert, to James Hutcheown.

Twa rudis and half rude on west syde ; third pairt rude in Currie's hauch ; pert, to James Benzie and Marjorie Ronald.

Ane rude and half ane rude on west syde ; ane twa pairt rude on east syde; pert, to Wm. Porter and Geo. Grub, wobster. '

Seven rudis and half ane rude in west pairt ; the croft of Brandsbutt; pert, to George Grub. Twa rudis and half ane rude in west pairt ; four rudis on east pairt ; ane twelff pairt burgh lands and hail pendicles ; pert, to John Mackieson, elder, notar. Anne rude on west pairt, pert, to Ion Porter. Burn rig, Crawstonbut, and Content rig, pert, to Thomas Smith. The Croslitt Croft ; a little rig on the Langlands fauld ; pert, to James Tailzier. Twa rudis on west ; ane croft of laud in the Burne lands ; ane twellf pairt and half twelff pairt burrow laudis, of ane rig in the Burn lands, Crawstone but, and Content ; pert, to John Benzie. Ane rude and half ane rude on east pairt, p. to John Robertson. Twa rudis and halff rude on east pairt, pert, to James Robertson. Ane quarter twelff pairt, pert, to Patrick Robertson.

Ane sixteine pairt in burrow lands, Crawston but, and Content, pert, to William Anderson. Fyve rudis and halff rude on east pairt ; ane burne rig ; ane Crowstone but rig ; ane rig on tha Stanners ; pert, to William Steven.

Twa rudis on east pairt, pert to William Lichtoun. Ane rude on east pairt, pert, to Wm. Johnestoun, alias Kelt.

Thrie rudes on east pairt, pert, to Ion Fergus ; twa rudes to George Fergus. Burne land, Craw- stone but, and Content to James Fergus ; conform to their several rights. Twa rudis and a halff on east pairt ; pert, to Alexander Barclay.

Fyve rudis and a half ane rude on east pairt ; the Castle Croft in the Stanners ; Thrie hillock riggis ; thrie riggis, and twa Dam riggis in the Stanners ; pert, to Gilbert Johnestoun.

Three rudis and halff ane rude in the wast pairt ; fyve rudis and halff ane rude in east pairt ; ane rig in the Stanners ; the Guage rude on the west, [now part of the hotel feu — probably the standard rojd of the Burgh] ; Pert, to John Thomesonne.

Twa rudis in the west pairt ; twa riggis in the Burne land ; the Gallow Croft and Slackis thereof; pert, to Alex. Joise.

Twa rudis and half ane rude on east syde ; ane quarter twelff pairt ; pert, to James Smith. Ane half twelff pairt burrow lands (burn rig), occupied by said James Smith, whilk pertains to James Tailyer and to the said James Smith in wadset.

Thrie rudis on east pairt of burgh, pert, to Alexander Webster.

Burgh Lairds at the Time of the Covenant. 259

John Steven's rood, called " Susana Steven's rude," was in the Stanners, near the ferry.

Thomas Johnston lived at the Kirkgreen. His "piece of land" may have been the original " toft" belonging to the Abbey of Lindores, now Fittie's Croft, which belonged to persons named Johnston in the eighteenth centurj'.

The Burgh took sasine of the teinds in 1644 — the representing bailhes being George Leslie, John Johnston, and Alexander Eeid.

By Act of Parliament, the King's annuities became commutable at ten years' pur- chase. Those of the Inverurie " aikers " had been acquired from the King by John, Earl of Lowdon, and he disponed them to the Burgh, in 1655, for 1431bs. 13sh. 8d., the baillies receiving being Walter Ferguson, Alexander Paterson, and Bobert Ferguson.

The above list exhibits both the Boods which were burgage holdings, and the Twelfth Parts, which were common or burgh lands, in a much divided condition. There are several indications that the Boods had, anciently, been held in portions of about nine roods, or four and a-half Scots acres, and that the same proprietor had pos- sessed both Upper and Lower Boods, lying opposite to each other, separated only by the King's gait. Abstracting the Minister's glebe, which consisted of about nine roods, there would be very close upon twelve double portions of nine Upper, and nine Lower Boods. The earliest records show an entire twelfth part of Common Lands held along with about nine Boods ; and half, or quarter, twelfths, associated with smaller portions of Boods.

One or two of the families dating, by their own tradition, from the division of lands said to have been made by the Bruce after the battle of Inverurie, appear as burgage and twelfth part heritors so late as 1795; when the earliest extant plan of the burgh lands was made by Colin Innes, Land Surveyor in Aberdeen. The Fergusons ceased to be burgh heritors only about 1806. The last representative of an old race, named Mackie or Mackieson, of Midtoune of Inverurie, parted with an unbroken burgage and twelfth part holding, when a merchant in Culm, in Polish Prussia, about 1730, and it passed through the respective hands of Elphinstone of Glack, Burnet of Kemnay, and the Earl of Findlater, into the possession of the Earl of Kintore. Another Mackieson was ancestor of Baillie Lyon, a noted chief magistrate of Inverurie some sixty or seventy years ago. The Benzies had all disappeared before Colin Innes made his survey, and one only of the claimants of aboriginal rank, besides the Fergusons, remained — Widow Stiven, the representative of the William Stephen, of the teind list. Her grandson is the present Mr Bobert Boyd Tytler, of Ceylon, whose father, the husband of a co-heiress, concurred in selling the property about 1810.

The contract of teinds is so far associated with the erection of Monkegy into a parish separate from Inverurie. Sir George Johnston of Caskieben became proprietor of his part of the Lindores teinds, a little before the Inverurie teinds were conveyed; and the Presbytery and Synod minutes, of a later date, contain references to his having pro-

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Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

mised the small teinds of Monkegy for provision to a minister there. The first minister, Mr. Samuel "Walcar, was appointed ahout 1630; and was one of the earliest clerical victims of the Covenant, which he had characterised, after Montrose won the battle of Kilsyth, in terms so contumelious as were not to he forgotten when the Covenant was all powerful again, but cost him his place, and the humiliating submission required in those days, and a life of privation afterwards, until the second Episcopacy restored him — a martyr to the truth — to a new lease of life as Parson of Monkegy.

Chapter VIII.

THE TROUBLES IN THE GARIOCH.

The Solemn League and Covenant. — Power of the Gordons Broken — The Second Marquis of Huntly. First Appeal to Arms. — A.D. 1639 — The Committee at Turriff— The Earl of Montrose and General Leslie in the North — Runthj's Commission Published — Inverurie the Scene of the First Muster — Covenanting Army at Kintorc — Conference at Inverurie, the Marquis Overreached — Kemnay's Girnal Plundered— Temporary Submission of Catholic Lairds — Lord Aboyne Compelled to Rise — Vacillation of Covenanting Chiefs— Aboyne Deserts — Crowncr Johnston — The Trot of Turriff — The Local Chiefs of the Tioo Parties— Plundering — Prompt Action of the Tables- Flight and Return of the Royalist Barons. Lord Aboyne Kino's Lieutenant. — Plundering — Battle of the Bridge of Dee — Death of John Scton of Bourtie— Flight of Royalist Officers and Lairds to the King at Berwick — Pacification — A.D. 1640 — Preparations for Conflict — Sliarcs of Spoil — Pillaging of Garioch Mansions and Seizure of Ministers. The Earl of Argyll. — Burning of Airly — Taxation for the Army— Quarrels over the Collection— Combination to Resist Argyll — A.D. I64I — Tlic Covenant Supreme in the Garioch— Universal Plundering — Another Pacification — Distribution of Honours and Gifts — Andrexo Cant and John Row — A.D. 1643 — Attempt to Suppress Festivals — John Keith — Changes in Worship — A.D. 1643 — Portents— Divisions — Argyll Supreme. The Marquis of Huntly in Arms. — Flight of Covenanters— A.D. I644 — Camp at Inverurie — Argyll in the Garioch— Huntly 's Desertion and Escape. The Marquis of Montrose.— In the Garioch — The Irishes — Argyll Deserted by Covenanting Lords — Leaders at Feud— Quasi Pursuit of Montrose — Young Harlhill at Inverurie — Montrose at Inver- urie— Earl of Airly at Lcthintic — General Urrie — Craigievar's Share in the Wars— Accessions to the King's Standard — End of the Conflict — Montrose leaves the Kingdom — Huntly again in Arms at Inverurie and Aberdeen — Retired to the Highlands — Sold and Executed. Incidents of the Troubles. — Pitcaple Castle — Mr. Samuel Walcar — Wardes Castle— Mr. Andrew Cant and Provost Robert Farquhar. Inverurie About 1645. — Burgh Heritors — Military Assess- ment— Rev. William Forbes — Burgh Rulers — The Plague in 1647 — Time of the King's Death — ■ The Marquis of Montrose at Pitcaple — Charles II. at Pitcaple.

THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

JHE purchase of a heritable right to the Inverurie teinds, which first brings the names of the burgh heritors in a body to our notice, marked an important epoch in Scottish history. The subject of teinds had just been put upon a legal footing by King Charles L, with the concurrence of the Estates. The clergy, who were left bare by the new ecclesiastical lairds, were secured only in a very moderate share of the Church property ; while the king earned much ill-will by his honest attempt to arrange by arbitration the payment of ministers' stipends. The reforming barons were unwilling to part with the revenues of the Church, which they had got hold of, and

262 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

though they obtained a large slice for themselves by the King's decreet, in order to induce their acquiescence, they yet grudged his settling the property by law ; and in 1638 the Solemn League and Covenant was much more extensively signed in consequence of discontent at the settlement of the teinds, and the apprehension that, if the king succeeded in his desire to establish Episcopacy, the result would be the surrender of still more of the plunder of the Kirk. The king's policy, in other respects, was, however, producing such alarm that the nobles and large landowners took a much greater part in the wide-spread combination to withstand him than was done by the clergy, whom popular ideas credit with being the head and front of the Solemn League and Covenant. Montrose himself, as well as others who became leadersof the Eoyalist party in later times, was at first a Covenanter.

That famous combination, which was at the time so generally felt to be necessary for the defence of civil and religious rights, bears something of the appearance of rebellion, when viewed in the light of the sentiment which constitutional government has, in our day, produced in the subjects of a State. It was a proceeding, however, entirely in harmony with the habits of public life at the time. A Eoman Catholic League then united the most powerful sovereigns of Europe in an effort to nndo the work of the Eeformation ; and James, the late king, had originated a National League against Eopery. The Scottish nobility had inherited an immemorial practice of forming bonds of Manrent, by which they engaged followings, as numerous as they could, to support them in cases of apprehended necessity, and also of forming combinations with one another to force from the Crown national or party advantages. The latter pro- ceeding had in fact practically the same meaning and value as the formation of parties for combined Farliamentary action now possesses.

A dozen years' experience of the King's conscientious belief in his divine right to govern according to his own opinions of national welfare, and of his persistent turn of mind, which never abandoned a projected measure though he might keep it in abeyance, demanded that those whose civil or religious liberty was threatened should take means to protect themselves. The necessity for resistance, on one account or another, was almost universally felt.

In Scotland the king's attempt to force Episcopacy upon the country in a mode generally distasteful, gave occasion to the League and Covenant being addressed against that form of church government, to such an extent as naturally to raise opposition on the part of Episcopalians, who otherwise would willingly enough have joined their neigh- bours in restraining the king's encroachments upon civil liberties. The Eoman Catholic lords and their followings, were, however, the only class standing in fixed opposition to the new combination ; and to them the King was obliged to turn for support in resist- ing the demands to which he was unwilling to yield.

King Charles, who had in 1630 jealously removed the Cock of the North from his pride of place, misapprehending the character of the Marquis, which was peaceable and

First Appeal to Arms. 263

the reverse of enterprising, had now to look to his son as the only likely individual to head a party in support of the Eoyal authority. But the name of the Marquis of Huntly was not a word of influence so powerful as when the prestige of long descended hereditary authority belonged to it ; and the violent unsettling of Lord Huntly's position in the north had likewise done something to slacken the connection that for long had bound numerous subordinate families to him, by these contracts of Manrent which made Huntly their chief as well as their protector. Since the Marquis was deprived of the Sheriffships, a dangerous, because largo and irritated and unscrupulous, body of his old adherents had for a while held the country in terror, and the authorities were unable to restrain their violence.

The old Marquis was by this time dead. He had been for some time in prison in Edinburgh, upon the complaint of Crichton of Frendraught ; who had been the chief sufferer from the " broken men," as they were significantly termed, and accused the Marquis of hounding them on to such depredations upon the lands of Frendraught as were ruining him. The Marquis had been released, and got leave to go home, but died on his way at Dundee, 13th June, 1636, at the age of seventy-three. The second Marquis, to whom, in 1639, the king gave commission as his Lieutenant from the river Esk to Caithness, was not possessed of qualities requisite for the work desired by the king ; even if he had not laboured under the diminution of his family influence that the monarch himself had brought about. He was little known in the country, having been abroad at the beginning of the national difficulties, in the service of the King of France ; and the Covenanters even ventured to make overtures to bun, doubtless counting upon his close relationship with the leading spirit among them — the Earl of Argyll — whose brother-in-law he was.

FIRST APPEAL TO ARMS.

AVhen the Covenanting lords, who had hitherto resisted the king's measures only by protests and petitions, appeared in the field, Charles issued his commission to the Marquis of Huntly, but with the direction not to publish it until it became necessary, and to avoid striking the first blow. Huntly acted in the spirit of his instructions, and some bloodless meetings took place in the Garioch, before the tragic conflict broke out ; and these were the first overt acts of the Civil War.

The year 1639 was to be a year of constant trouble in Aberdeenshire; and the south part of the Garioch was seldom, for many weeks, free from the presence of armed gatherings.

The first meeting of hostile forces took place at Turriff, which was the point selected by the Tables — the central authority of the Covenanters — at which a deputed committee was to meet periodically for the conduct of their designs in Aberdeenshire. A meeting was appointed by the Tables to be holden there on the 14th February, in order to stent

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264 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the country and ascertain who were adherents, and who not adherents, to the Covenant. The Committee that sat there included the Earls of Montrose and Kinghorn, Lords Couper and Fraser, and the Master of Forbes. The Marquis of Huntly, then having his headquarters in Aberdeen, was twitted with allowing such a meeting to be held with impunity, and he hastily resolved to attack them, with his two sons Lord Gordon and Lord Aboyne, the Earl of Findlater, the Master of Eeay, and the Lairds of Drum, Banff, Gight, Haddo, Eitfoddels, Foveran and Newton — his force nunibsring about 200 men, imperfectly armed. On reaching Turriff on the 14th, from Kelly (now Haddo House), where he had halted for the night, he found the Covenanters aware of his approach, and too well posted to be meddled with, and he thereupon disbanded his following, and went himself to Forglen House, the residence of Ogilvy, Laird of Banff. The Committee quietly continued their task, and then marched south by Inverurie and Kintore to Lord Fraser's house of Muchalls (Castle Fraser). On their march further south they were hospitably entertained at Dunnottar by the Earl Marischal, a youth of twenty-three, who by that overt act first declared himself of the Covenanting party.

The Lord Fraser who appears in the narrative of the " Troubles " was Andrew Fraser, great-grandson of Thomas Fraser of Stonywood (1528), and was ennobled in 1633. He was one of the Parliamentary Commissioners for putting down rebels and nialignants in the North in 1644. He is now represented, through a female descendant, by Fraser of Castle Fraser and Inverallochy.

The citizens of Aberdeen, which was the only place of consequence holding out against the Covenant, were fortifying the town, and Montrose resolved to reduce both the city and the outstanding district north of it to obedience by force of arms. A force of 9000 from the Covenanting army, then in the south under the command of Field-Marshal Leslie, was ordered to proceed to Aberdeen, to be joined there by those who could be brought into the field by the Forbeses, Frasers, and Keiths; who, accordingly, mustered their dependents at Kintore, to the number of 2000 men. On that occasion — which was to be the beginning of actual violence — General Leslie first appeared in the North. The Earl of Montrose bore the title of Lord General, and there were with him the Earls Marischal and Kinghorn, and Lords Carnegie and Elcho. At the head of the other contingent were Lord Fraser, the Master of Forbes, and Alexander Forbes of Boyndlie, tutor of Lord Pitsligo. This action of the Covenanting Lords was hastened by a Eoyal proclamation, issued in England, declaring the Covenanters to be rebels ; the publication of which in Scotland they resisted, upon the legal plea that they could not be called rebels without trial.

The threatened attack upon Aberdeen caused extreme consternation. King's Col- lege broke up its sittings, and several of the professors, as also the Aberdeen Doctors, the Bishop, and the lairds of Drum, Pitfoddels, young Foveran, and others fled the country by sea. The Marquis, in Aberdeen, was not well prepared for the danger that was imminent. He was not apparently possessed of the resources and courage requisite for

First Appeal to Arms. 2G5

the task imposed on him ; and the King's policy of delay had, besides, seriously hampered him. On the 17th March, however, he received from the King, by the hands of Sir Alexander Gordon of Cluny, whom he had sent to the royal headquarters, a supply -of arms — 2000 muskets, bandoleers, and musket-staves, 1000 pikes, with harness and arms for footmen and horsemen, carabines, pistols, lead and match, and gunpowder. The kind of troops available to the royalists were merely the undrilled and somewhat tumultuary feudal gatherings of tenantry, who were never called out except when action was immediately in prospect, and could not be kept together should family cares or harvesting or other work require their presence at home. Huntly's force would consist partly of the broken men of his name, lawless, and of more value for harrying the country than for being handled in the field. To have encountered with such materials the army which General Leslie and the skilled officers fetched by him from Germany, had been accustoming to discipline, was a prospect ■which apparently paralysed the royalist lairds, except a few daring spirits like Sir George Ogilvie of Banff, John Leith of Harthill, and John Seton of Bourtie. There was indeed but one well trained officer among them, Lieutenant Crowner Johnston, already referred to ; and Colonel Johnston was in practical command at any successes obtained by the royalists after hostilities had begun.

Huntly published his Commission of Lieutenancy on 16th March, and summoned, by proclamation, all the king's liege subjects, between the ages of sixteen and sixty, to meet him at Inverurie, on the 25th, with fifteen days' provisions. He sent charges to the same effect to all the Covenanting lairds still professing to be loyal subjects, but of course 'without effect.

On the twenty-fifth of March — which was a Monday — the Marquis, leaving directions for his family to be removed to Strathbogy, rode out of Aberdeen with 100 horse to the rendezvous, accompanied by the Lord Seton. Two hundred men from the Old Town, Spital, and Seaton followed him. At Inverurie, about 5000 answered to the Lieuten- ant's summons — well armed, but not trained. The Earl of Findlater failed to appear, and shortly thereafter took the opposite side, as the Marquis's eldest son, Lord GcHkm, was likewise induced to do by his uncle, the Earl of Argyll, sometime afterwards.

On the twenty-eighth, three days later, the Aberdeenshire Covenanters met so near Huntly's camp as Kintore, and marched to Aberdeen ; every man upon Earl Marischal's lands of Hall-forest being pressed into the service. The well-eqvffpped army of General Leslie halted on the Tollo Hill, immediately south of the Bridge of Dee, on the twenty- ninth, and next day occupied Aberdeen. They had five colours, Montrose exhibiting one with the motto, " For Eeligion, the Covenant, and the Country " ; and all wore a blue ribbon as a badge — the Eoyalists showing one of a flesh red colour. The main army did not remain in Aberdeen, but, the same day, under General Leslie and the Earls of Montrose and Marischal, advanced to Kintore. They encamped apparently at Tilty, and next day, being Sunday, 31st March, had divine service conducted by a minister of their

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266 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

own — the parson, Mr. John Cheyne, being of the opposite side. Next day, 1st April, they marched two miles towards Inverurie, where they encamped. They must have halted south of the Don, on the advantageous position of Crichie, and Huntly had held his post apparently as far north as about the Castle of Balquhain.

The next step in the Marquis's actings was perhaps the most advisable in the cir- cumstances, when no blood had yet been shed ; but it led to ruinous cousequences to himself, and ultimately to the king's interests, when Montrose became His Majesty's principal general.

Lord Huntly sent Mr. Eobert Gordon of Straloch and Dr. Gordon, physician in Aberdeen, to the Earl of Montrose, proposing an interview at the "Sparrmuir" (probably spare moor or common), near Blakkall, two miles distant from the camp. They met on Thursday, 4th April, Huntly having with him Lord Oliphant, his own son James Lord Aboyne, and nine others — eleven persons likewise accompanying the Earl of Montrose, of whom Lords Elcho and Couper were two. After an ineffectual parley, Montrose rode back to his camp, and the Marquis went to Legatsden, where he dined, and then to Pitcaple for the night. They met again next day, and came to an agreement, by which, however, Huntly in a few days found himself entrapped and a prisoner in the hands of the Covenanting lords, when, in compliance with his agreement, he went to Aberdeen to exercise his influence in establishing peace.

The army of General Leslie broke up their camp on the 6th, and the first violence committed in Scotland in the Civil War took place on that occasion. The Covenanting army left Inverurie on the Saturday somewhat full-handed, having plundered Sir Thomas Crombie's girnal, at Kemnay House, of twenty-two score bolls of meal ; which they were unable to carry away, and sold cheaply at 6s. 8d. the boll. The Earl Marischal's men were very busy, Spalding says, about this plundering. At the same time, the lands of Barra were harried. On their way south, the Generals met 500 Highlanders sent by Argyll to join their force, and having no immediate occasion for their services, sent them to Deeside, to find their living, in the meantime, upon the lands of Drum and Pitfoddels, and to keep together (which in such circumstances they readily did) until further orders. Lord Erskine at the same time plundered the lands of Kildrummy.

Gordon, parson of Bothiemay, in his History of Scots Affairs, gives an amusing account of the effect of the encamping of the Covenanting army at Inverurie. " The Covenant began to be propagated by another sort of apostles, for no sooner was Mon- trose come to Innerowyre but his men must be billetted, most pairt upon free qwarter, a langwage that till then was not understood in thes places, though afterwardes evry body came to know weall eneuch what it meand. Nor was this all, for being that most pairt of the countrey next adjacent to ther qwarters was anti-Covenanters, the souldiers wer connived at for to carry rudly in their qwarters, and had underhand warrant for to rifle the houses of some gentlemen who were fledde." The alarm of plundering brought many converts to the Covenant. The Covenanters had some field pieces with them at

First Appeal to Arms. 267

Inverurie, which were afterwards much used by them. They were a sort of small cannon, about three feet long, and somewhat wide, nicknamed Deer Sandys, after their reputed inventor, Colonel Alexander Hamilton.

One consequence of Huntly's submission to the Covenanting lords, which his agree- ment practically amounted to — and it may be in no small degree of Field-Marshal Leslie's presence with such a following — was that, as Spalding narrates, the lairds of Gight, Haddo, Newton, Foveran, Pitmedden, Harthill, and divers others came in per- force and subscribed the Covenant ; but nothing could move the laird of Banff to com- ply. Upon the Marquis's being found to have been overreached, these gentlemen, most or all of whom were Roman Catholics, appeared within a few days in the field again.

Huntly, it seems, agreed to a pledge at Inverurie to maintain, along with his loyalty to the king, the liberties of Church and State. He received there a written assurance of full liberty to retire to his own house within a certain time, whether he came to agreement with the Covenanting leaders or no. On the faith of this he went, after taking this modified pledge instead of the Covenant, to Aberdeen, where he was detained, Gordon says, by the influence of the Erasers and Forbeses, and of James Crichton of Frcndraught, his personal enemy, and was carried under a guard to Edin- burgh. He suspected Montrose of duplicity in the matter, which occasioned permanent enmity between them, so that when, afterwards, Montrose joined the King's party, and became his chief general, Huntly would never act with him heartily. Spalding, whose sarcastic humour sometimes reveals his opinion of individuals, does not seem to have greatly admired the Marquis, for he refers to him at an after period as living in the Canongate of Edinburgh, a good Covenanter.

When in the hands of the Covenanters Lord Huntly was persuaded to give up his Royal Commission, as an informal document which had not passed the legal office in Scotland. By his resignation of the Lieutenancy, and his personal absence, the Royalists of the north felt themselves at disadvantage — being without any recognised leader and chief — and they insisted upon the Marquis's second son, Lord Aboyne, taking his father's place. Huntly had sent for him to bring his necessary baggage, and a supply of money, to Edinburgh. Lord Aboyne, on his way thither, was breakfasting, on the 1 6th April, at the small hostelry of Parcock, near Oldmeldrum — where the Tree of Parcock still marks the site — when the lairds of Haddo, Gight, Foveran, and some others inter- cepted him, and told him that he should not go south, but remain in the country, now left headless, and that it was too great a pledge to have both his father and brother south at the Green Table already. Lord Aboj'ne yielded somewhat unwillingly, as it afterwards appeared ; and, sending his charge back to Strathbogy, prepared for joint action.

The new movement of the Royalists occasioned much perturbation among the local Covenanting leaders. The Tables had appointed a Committee to be holden at Turriff on the 24th April, by the Lords Marischal and Seaforth, Lord Fraser, and the

268 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

Master of Forbes, to which, all who had not subscribed the Covenant were required to come and do so under pain of plundering. The Master of Forbes was one of the Scottish officers trained under Gustavus Adolphus, and was little in Scotland. His cousin, Patrick Gordon, Earl of Sutherland, was of the same side in politics. Their mothers were daughters of Alexander, the fourth Lord Elphinstone, noticed in the will of the Miller of Ardtannies (p. 179). On the occasion of their marriage, 1st February, 1 600, the observance of Lent was delayed to give time for the festivities.

The members of the Committee met, on the 22nd April, at Monymusk, to advise about proceedings, but there they postponed the Turriff meeting to the 26th, and adjourned to meet again at Kintore on the 24th, in the hope that by that day they would be re- inforced by help from Caithness, Sutherland, and Boss ; where all, including Lord Lovat, were ardent Covenanters. At Kintore, about fifty musketeers attended from Aberdeen by command of the Lords, but turned back on hearing of Aboyne being ready for action. Earl Marischal took Lord Seaforth with him to Hall-forest for the night, and, next day, another council was held at Aberdeen ; where finding a force of about 3000 men come in from the Covenanting lairds in Buchan, Mar, and Garioch, Marischal took possession of the town. The day following was that appointed for the Turriff meeting ; but the cautious Earls made no appearance. Leaving their retainers to muster under then' respective officers, and formally postponing the meeting to the 28th, they betook themselves to their own homes in the meantime. A muster took place at Turriff of the deserted retainers of Marischal, Seafortb, Findlater, Erroll, and Pitsligo ; and the lairds of Grant and Lines, with 1600 men, had come from Moray to join them. The appointed actors in the demonstration having failed to appear, " the committee dissolved, and each man went home, being the first committee that ever was so dissolved without more ado". Sir Eobert Douglas who in his Peerage and Baronage gives the Earl Marischal and Forbes of Monymusk the character of devoted servants to the King, had not read of this.

The Eoyalists were in a few days again to be disappointed by the conduct of their chief. The Marquis of Huntly was in prison, carrying on a legal contest with the Tables in the form of declarations, accusations, and defences ; and his son, Lord Aboyne, seeing some reason for being at Court, disbanded his army, and going home, took ship on Friday, 3rd May, at Crooked Haven, in the Enzie, and went to the King, to the delight of his enemies. The Eoyalist lairds, however, declined to disband. They had Colonel Johnston with them, and, on the 7th of May, the laird of Banff got them and their fol- lowing together at Auchterlcss, whence they started upon a round of domiciliary visits, in order to impose an Engagement against the Covenant.

On the 8th of May, the Forbeses and Frasers, having heard of Lord Aboyne's de- parture, met at Inverurie, and resolved upon a committee at Turriff, to be held on the 20th May, a special object being to harry the laird of Banff, and other individuals. The leaders of their party could hardly for shame avoid the risk of holding the so-frequently postponed meeting ; and Colonel Johnston's Eoyalist force, well in hand by their occupa-

First Appeal to Arms. 269

tion of daily riding over the country, -were in the best condition they could expect to he in, for an exploit upon the occasion. Hearing, upon the 13th May, that the Covenanting lairds due at the appointed Committee were beginning to assemble, the Boyalists pre- pared to attack them. About 1200 horse and foot were at Turriff on the 13th, compris- ing Earl Marischal's men from Buchan — without himself; the retainers of the two Lords Enroll and Pitsligo, who were themselves minors at the time, under Hay of Delgatie and Forbes of Boyndlie ; Lord Fraser ; the Master of Forbes ; Barclay of Towie ; Keith of Ludquharn; Skene of Skene; and the lairds — all Forbeses — of Craigievar, Edit, Tolquhon, and "Waterton. The Donside Forbeses seem to have been unrepresented. The barons under Colonel Johnston, Abraham Forbes of Blaktown, and some other com- manders, had but 800 men, with four brass field-pieces — the lairds present being Ogilvie of Banff, the Gordons of Abergeldie, Haddo, Craig, Auchendoir, Gicht. and Newton, young Cromarty (Urquhart), Turing of Foveran, Leith of Harthill, Udny of Udny, and the laird of Crommie. They resolved to attack the Turriff gathering, and on the same day (Monday the 13th) Spalding records that they began to march in very quiet and sober manner, " quhairof the Covenantiris watches could have no knowledge, to the town of Turef, the trumpettis schortlie began to sound, and the drums to touk. The Covenantiris, quhairof sum were sleiping in their bedis, uther sum drinking and smoking tobacca, utheris sum walking and moving up and down, heiring this feirfull noiss of drums and trumpettis, ran to their armes, and confusedlie to array and recollectis thame- selffis. And, be now, both the Covenantiris and Anti-covenantiris ar standing in uther sightis, in ordour of batteLL Thair was twa schottis schot out of the Erll of Errollis hous ogainst the barrones, quhilk thay quiklie ansuerit with twa field peices. Then the Covenantiris began on hot service, and the Barrones both, and schot many muscat schot. Then the Barrones schot ane field peice in amonges thame, quhilk did no skaith, but fleyit the commons. Both pairteis playit on uther. At last ane uther field peice was agane schot, the feir quhairof maid thame all cleirlie to tak the flight. Follouit the chase. The Lord Fraser wes said to have foull fauldingis ; he wan away ; the lairds of Echt and Skene and some others, were taken prisoners ; there was some hurt and some slain ; the Barrones sounded the retreat, and came presently back to Turriff, where they took meat and drink at their pleasure, and fleyit Mr. Thomas Mitchell, minister of Turref, veray evill ; and so this committee wes efter this manner discharged at this time ! "

The Boyalists designated this exploit "The Trot of Turriff" — a little of grim plea- santry being, as yet, admissible in the conduct of the civil broil. Plundering ensued, with, of course, a change of actors. The Barons marched to Aberdeen from Turriff on the 15th. The chief Covenanters escaped from the City, except the Provost, Mr Alexander Jaffray, " who for schame could not weill flie ". The Covenanters' wives and bairns, however, supplied the soldiers abundantly, and many of the Covenanters of the name of Forbes — " throu plane fear "— came on to Aberdeen and yielded to the Barons. The Boyalists of Deeside came down with Gordon of Abergeldie and Donald Farquharson

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270 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

who commanded a party of Huntly's retainers, and -was accompanied by Lord Ludovic Gordon, fourth son of the Marquis, a schoolboy, who had escaped from his guardians to be in the midst of the general fray. One of the leaders of the broken men of the Gordon faction also appeared with 500 men at his back. Durris, belonging to John Forbes of Leslie, was pillaged by them ; and Echt, Skene, Monymusk, and other houses pertaining to the name of Forbes, were next visited for the same purpose.

The victorious Barons attempted to come to an agreement with the Earl Marischal, at Dunnottar, on the part of their opponents. His answer led them unwisely to resolve upon disbanding, which accordingly they did on the 21st ; whereupon Marischal convened immediately the strength then lying in Angus and Mearns ; and the Aberdeenshire Covenanters were at once raised again under their former leaders, and encamped in and about Aberdeen, to the number of 2000. Craigievar, who seems to have been desti- tute of equipment, took arms from the citizens for his men, also pillaging the Bishop's palace — the residence of his uncle a few years before.

The Royalist success of Turriff naturally led to the Tables concentrating their forces upon Aberdeenshire — the only outstanding part of the country ; and the Covenanting army was marched thither at once. Earl Marischal and the Forbeses in possession of Aberdeen were joined, on the 25th, by the Earls of Montrose and Kinghorn, Lords Drummond and Couper, the Master of Gray, the Constable of Dundee, and the Earl of Atholl ; when the combined force amounted to above 7000 men. Four thousand more were expected from beyond the Spey, under the leadership of Lord Seaforth, Lord Lovat, Lord Beay, the Sheriff of Moray, and the lairds of limes and Pluscardine ; but these were persuaded to remain where they were, by the prompt action of the laird of Banff and the Gordon men, who boldly crossed the Spey to check them.

The Aberdeenshire. Royalists, hopeless in the face of such power, gave up the con- test ; and the lairds of Banff, Foveran, Fedderat, Newton, and others, arranged to escape to the King, who was then at Berwick ; and getting into a small craft at Downies, a rocky creek south of the bay of Nigg, put to sea. They soon were met on their voyage by a collier vessel bringing, from the King, Lord Aboyne, with a commission as King's Lieu- tenant, the Earls of Glencairn and Tullibardine, the laird of Drum, and some English officers ; one of whom, Colonel Gun, was to be Aboyne's general guide, but was afterwards suspected of having betrayed him. The fugitives went on board Aboyne's ship, and re- turned to Aberdeen. A larger vessel containing stores accompanied the lords, and put into the Firth of Forth to correspond with the Marquis of Hamilton, the King's Admiral; who, however, being an undecided politician, spoiled Aboyne's intended operation, by leaving him without the troops he was ordered to send off to his lord- ship to Aberdeen. The larger vessel also contained some ministers, sent back from their flight to the King, among them Mr. Thomas Thoirs, minister of Udny, and shortly after his return, of Daviot, and, for a time, a penitent professor of the Covenant.

Lord Aboyne, the King's Lieutenant. 271

LORD ABOYNE, THE KING'S LIEUTENANT.

The landing of Lord Aboyne on the 6th June, along with the news that the King was at Berwick with an army, caused a speedy retreat of the Covenanting host from Aberdeen. Part of it was then besieging the house of Gicht, but being warned, marched south. Marischal betook himself to Dunnottar again, and the town of Aberdeen was once more in the hands of the Boyalists, and Aboyne then published his commission. Four days afterwards he set out, with a force of 2000 men, to Kintore, to impose the oath and a Bond of Allegiance to the King, devised in opposition to the Covenant. Hall-forest was there surrendered and plundered ; and Gordon of Haddo, whose house Craigievar's friends had just been investing, had the satisfaction of pillaging Fintray. Lord Fraser was next waited upon at Castle Fraser, but was absent. These plunderings took place on 10th, 11th, and 12th of June. On the 14th Aboyne marched from Aberdeen for Stonehaven, but his Highlanders having got a scare near Stonehaven by the sight of some cannons fired in their faces, he returned to Aberdeen. He was speedily followed, and crushed by losing the battle of the Brig o' Dee, where Montrose outmanoeuvred him.

The bridge — little more than a mile south of Aberdeen — was properly fortified by Colonel Johnston, but Montrose, by making a feint of crossing the river above the bridge) drew Lord Aboyne away from the works, and carried the bridge, which Johnston had de- fended up to the time of his being carried to Aberdeen severely wounded. John Seton of Bourtie, carrying the Boyal colours, was killed in the fight. Montrose had such respect for him that he honoured his remains by a military funeral, along with these of Bamsay of Balmain's brother, an officer of his own, who had also fallen. The Covenanters firing over the body of the latter, at the door of the Old Kirk, now the "West Church of Aberdeen, shot through the head William Erskine, brother of the laird of Pittodrie, and one of their own supporters, " Quhairof," says Spalding quaintly, " never word nor tryell wes gottin, quhilk wes thocht mervallous, bot indeid he wes a wilful], malitious Covenanter". Colonel Johnston had offered to check the Covenanting force at a place south of the Dee, but his counsel was overruled by Crowner Gunn. Johnston believing the decision to have been given in bad faith, soon thereafter gave up the King's cause and went beyond seas, after denouncing in the Boyal presence, at Berwick, his former commander, Gunn, as a traitor, challenging him to single combat — a challenge not accepted by his opponent.

Lord Aboyne, with the English officers who came with him, and the traitor Gunn, as he is called by Spalding, escaped on board their vessel, which continued to lie off Aberdeen, and joined the King again at Berwick. His Majesty, however, was at that juncture in possession of such a force that the Covenanters made overtures for a pacifica- tion, which resulted in Charles agreeing to abandon the attempted encroachments upon the Presbyterian forms of worship and government. The Marquis of Huntly was released from prison, but thought fit to take up his abode in Edinburgh, where, Spalding says, he

272 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch,

had two daughters married ; one a precise Puritan, the other a Eoman Catholic ; the Marquis himself being a good Covenanter at the time. The historian's notice of the diversified household is quite in keeping with the times. The Earl of Argyll, the uncle of the young ladies, was match-maker in the Papist as well as the Puritan alliance. Huntly soon after seems to have thought the King's quarters the safest place for him, and re- moved thither with his sons Lords Gordon and Aboyne, securing also a safe conduct for Ludovick, the fourth son, to follow. Sir Thomas Crombie of Kemnay speedily made after him, and next the lairds of Cluny and Poveran.

The pacification agreed to was evidently not likely to continue ; the early part of 1640 was accordingly employed by each party in making ready for a renewal of the conflict. The English Parliament summoned by the king would not support him against the Scottish Covenanters ; and the king was indebted to the purses and the influence of the English clergy for the means of raising a new army, and that one not quite trust- worthy, in his cause. Between that force and the Scots no collision took place until August, 1640, when the Covenanting troops, having marched into England, routed the king's forces at Newcastle while Charles was himself at York. But General Leslie had been, in April, called again to take command of the Scottish army, and the Covenanting chiefs set about imposing a new engagement upon the country in the form of a bond to assess all property for the maintenance of the executive of the Covenant. The local committee that was to deal with the tax to be levied on Aber- deenshire were Lord Fraser, the Master of Forbes, the Lairds of Philorth, Mony- musk, and Craigievar, and George Baird of Auchmedden. Walter Forbes of Thainston, called Young Tolquhon, was a subordinate. His son Sir Alexander, then a boy, fought for Charles I. at Worcester. The proceedings of those tax-masters were of an interesting and instructive character. The Earl Marischal, being General of the North, took an oath of the committee that they should do nothing but by his advice. In the matter of taxation, congenial to the whole of them, he seems to have displayed his skill as a strategist, collecting from some parishes what the Forbeses thought had been assigned to their handling, and the loss of which made them complain more loudly than collectors for a common purse generally do when they are saved trouble by some part of their work being done for them. The taxation made was evidently of that elastic kind which could supplement itself by a little plundering ; a protective force, under General Munro, having been sent to Aberdeen to let the appointed work be carried on without resistance.

The Garioch was of course attended to along with other districts. A pillaging force from Aberdeen visited the Kemnay girnal once more and emptied it, and then went on to Fetternear ; but being prepared only to steal, and not to fight, turned back upon finding Hector Abercromby have his gates barred and himself ready to shoot his un- welcome visitors. The fall of a soldier caused the whole foraging party to retire forth- with ; hut the laird, anticipating another attack, immediately packed up all he could

Tlie Earl of Argyll 273

transport, and with his family set off for the universal refuge — the King. Shortly after- wards, on the 27th of June, a force of 200 witb their officers plundered the Houses of , Balbithan and Hedderwick (Chalmers) and Lcthinty (Urquhart), and destroyed the doors and gates of Newton (Gordon) ; and crowned their day's exploits by seizing some anti-Covenanter ministers of the Garioch, whom they forced to march on foot to Aberdeen to prison. These were Mr. Andrew Logie of Bayne, Mr. John Cheyne of Kintore, Mr. William Leith of Kinkell, Mr. William Strachan of Daviot, and Mr. Samuel Walcar of Monkegy. The Garioch pillaging party, with their prey and prisoners, reached Aber- deen on 1st July. Next day the young Earl Marischal returned to Aberdeen from Edinburgh, and set about the work in which, while a Covenanter, he is seen more in than in fighting. His kinsman, the Laird of Haddo, had, in order to save his property,"'' professed to join the Covenanting party, giving in his adherence personally to the Earl ; and Marischal let him go home from Eunnottar to Kelly, after making him unexpectedly pay a smart fine of 1600 merks, which he had thought to escape by submission. Gordon of Newton sought safety in the same way, but, with the degree of faith prevalent at the time, only speedily to break his oath. The utter insecurity of property Spalding illus- trates by one example : — " In the meintyme Marschalli's men, who wes plunderit be the Gordouns and thair companie at Straquhan, Kintor, and Halforrest, as ye may reid befoir, wes soundlie payit bak at thair owne hand with the annuellis, but making of price. So an evill turne meitis ane uther." Safe plundering, combined with prudent avoidance of danger in fighting, is the kind of occurrence that is with amusing frequency set before the reader of the Aberdeen Commissary Clerk's graphic notes; and no one can read them and entertain much respect for the mass of tbe actors in a contest which was all the while resonant with professions of high principle. Indeed the his- tory of the Eeformation in Scotland from the beginning, as far as the great lairds were actually engaged in it, was too generally such as to make the plundering of the girnal its appropriate type. One of the Garioch clerical prisoners of 1st July, Mr. Logie, was suspended by a committee of Assembly then sitting in Aberdeen, and on 28th July the General Assembly sitting at Aberdeen deposed him.

THE EARL OF AKGYLL.

It was during the suspension of active hostilities against the King, in 1640, that the Earl of Argyll, afterwards a moving spirit in the tragic events of the Civil War, appeared first as a leader. The Committee of Estates assigned to him the task of harrying the property of some of his personal foes, especially that of burning " the bonnie House o' Airly". The Earl of Airly had fled to England, and Argyll had the work of destroying an undefended house and thoroughly ravaging the lands around it. That bit of cateran-like violence took place in June, and at the same time Athol and Lochaber were reduced to subjection, while opportunity continued of getting opponents easily put down.

35

274 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Gordon says about the affair — " In this acte it was observed by all that Argyll was the first who raised fyre in Scotland, by burning Airly's house, as Generall Lesly had first begunne plundering at Inverowrye." Argyll had two mfeims often on his tongue, which were of very comprehensive consequence in his subsequent practice : " Absein- dantur qui nos perturbant " ; and " Mortui non mordent ".

The Earl of Argyll was at that time forty-two years of age, and had twenty years of a painfully eventful life before him, which terminated in his own execution eleven years after he had indulged himself in the bitter satisfaction of seeing the Marquis of Montrose suffer a similar fate. Two portraits of Argyll hang in the Castle of Inverary, showing very different countenances. One, which might be of the date of his first ap- pearance, is a disagreeable one— a hard cynical look being intensified by something like a cast of the eyes. The other portrait, painted long after, exhibits a countenance burdened with care, irresolute in expression, and as if under a forecast of fear. A like- ness of Montrose hangs above this portrait, a younger face of course, for he suffered at the age of 38. It shows a heavy jaw, broad firm features, and a rather low brow. A memorial of Argyll still remains near Inverary, but is wasting now. It is the fine beech avenue of the Dim Loch which he planted in 1660, the year before his death.

During 1640 the Committee of Estates, then an instrument in the hands of the - Covenanting Nobles, was, while professing loyalty to the King, levying taxes to make war upon him. The rental of the country had been taken up, and every rent of 50 chalders was required to furnish one rickmaster, with sword, pistol, carbine or lance, and a horse worth 80 pounds Scots. A receipt from the Earl Marischal dated 7th August, 1640, certifies " George Leslie, late Eailie of Inverurie, and the rest of the communitie, has given aucht men to Capitanne Thomas , all furnished according to their stent ".

The serious work of the Covenanters was at this time resting on the shoulders of General Leslie, who was upon the Eorder or in England with his army, in which his relative, the Baron of Balquhain, was serving. The North under the presidency of General Munro was chiefly a scene of plunder. The Earl Marischal and the Master of Forbes, rivals for local supremacy, had to be quieted by the Committee of Estates. Each wished to have the chief handling of the assessment imposed ; Marischal because he was commander in the district, and the Master because he was chief of a clan, and bound to give obedience to no man. Forbes was to be disbanded by the Estates, but he rode to General Leslie who established his regiment; but in February, 1641, it was disbanded, not without the Earl Marischal's " procurement in sum measour becaus they war hot sillie poor naikit soldiouris burdenabill to the countrie, and not meit for soldiarie. Thus is he set besyde the cushioun for his sinceritie and forwardnes in the good causs."

The pressure of Argyll's political influence was becoming disagreeable in the self- seeking community of Lords, and a new league and covenant upon a small scale was secretly signed by the Earls Montrose, Marischal, Marr, Strathearn, Southesk, Seaforth, Wigton, Perth, Lord Napier, and others, to cast off the peremptory rule sought to be

The Earl of Argyll. 275

established by the Earls of Argyll and Eothes, Lords Lindsay, Loudoun, Balmerinocli, Couper, and others, " over as worthie nobles as thanieselffis". This document had to be burned in presence of the Committee of Estates, in order to prevent the common enemy from taking advantage of the evident disruption of confidence evinced by it. Only a nominal harmony was restored, however ; and the way was opened for a new formation of parties, two or three years later, when the successes of the English Parliamentarian party made the Scottish barons and clergy generaUy aware that the English would look to their own objects more than to the special ecclesiastical desires of the northern kingdom. Argyll pursued his self-aggrandising policy with unscrupulous perseverance, until he became the chief power in the state; and in his course had first to set himself to suppress all his most powerful confederates of former years, as dangerous rivals. Mon- trose was shortly in prison, and when he appeared in the face of the country again it was as the best soldier of King Charles, leading a brilliant but not successful enterprise on his bahalf, with Argyll generally keeping out of his way.

In the spring of 1641 submission to the Covenant was the universal policy ; because of the cost of standing apart when there were so many administrators of the rough and ready discipline of plundering. In March, 1641, Lethinty was visited by a new exactor, Lord Sinclair, who had received from the laird, Patrick Urquhart, 600 merks of cess for his regiment, and immediately needed 3000 more in lieu of harrying his lands. The crafty Commissary for the Northern Shires — Mr. Eobert Farquhar of Mounie — was like to be in some trouble for paying the Aberdonians in mity meal for quartering the regiment of Frasers, which seems to have been a despicably debauched body, causing Aberdeen much shame. The Laird of Haddo had tried to purchase immunity from being pillaged by asking the Earl Marischal, his relative, to receive him as a Cove- nanter, and paying him a fine. He had, however, fixed himself in the recollection of Andrew Lord Fraser, and of John Forbes of Leslie by plundering Muchalls, and taking Forbes to Strathbogy, and pjutting him to ransom at 1000 merks, besides appropriating his best horse ; and the two got him condemned by the Committee of Estates to pay 10,000 merks to Lord Fraser and 3500 to the Laird of Leslie. The most indomitable of the Garioch Eoyalists, John Leith of Harthill, was at that time chained by the foot in the prison of Aberdeen, as much a terror to the authorities as if he had been a wild beast. In January of that year Lord Gordon subscribed the Covenant at Newcastle.

The custom of wearing arms, which unavoidably arose in the existing condition of the country, led to many unfortunate encounters. One occurred on Monday, 31st October, 1642, between John Forbes of Leslie and Sir Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels. The two were on indifferent terms because of some old revenges ; Leslie's father having killed Pitfoddels' goodsire's brother unworthily, and Leslie having broken tryst with Menzies anent a meeting to settle a dispute about a Moss. They chanced to meet, on the Monday named, at the Craibstane, the scene of several encounters of country lairds with Aberdeen citizens in earlier times. Spalding describes the encounter thus : " Thay

276 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

meit, gois by, but salutation. Pitfoddellis took it unkyndlie, and pursewis, betwixt whome sindrie schottis was schott, as is said. Aluays thay pairtit, both cumis on to the towne. Pitfoddelis gois to his owne houss, and Leslie to Mr. Robert Farquharis hous. He lay under care quhill Januar, 1643, and then began to walk upone ane staf feblie, and not soundlie heallit." The Craibstane in Hardgate of Aberdeen is still to be seen at the back of "West Craibstone Street. In those days a region of crofts possessed by the burgesses occupied the site of modern Aberdeen west of the Denburn and its Bow- brig, by which the King's highway issued southward, climbing and descending the Win d- millbrae and the Hardgate, along many a gradient, to the Brig o' Dee. Historical names survive in the titles of the crofts, one called Ediepingle, thus commemorating Adam Pyngill, burgess of Aberdeen in 1376, at that time a small laird in the Garioch (p. 66).

By midsummer, 1641, a new phase came upon Scottish affairs. The Scots army under General Leslie had come in sight of the King's English force in the north of Eng- land, and an interview granted by his Majesty to the General led the way to a pacifica- tion. The King accompanied Leslie to Edinburgh : a Parliament was held, and political prisoners were set at liberty. Both parties were gratified by the bestowal of honours from the Crown : Argyll was made Marquis; Loudoun an Earl; General Leslie created Earl of Leven; Sir George Ogilvie created Lord Banff; John Gordon of Haddo a Baronet ; while the Earl Marischal got a profitable tack of the customs of Aberdeen, and the new Marquis of Argyll valuable wadsets from his brother-in-law the Marquis of Huntly. The young Laird of Frendraught was created Viscount Crichton, his father refusing to be called anything but Laird.

In August of that year, Aberdeen acquired the but partially welcome possession of Mr. Andrew Cant as one of its ministers, the General Assembly settling him against opposition. Mr. Andrew Cant had been minister of Pitsligo, and in 1639 was translated to Xewbottle. He was chosen one of the three clerical members of the Tables, and learned there the exercise of a dictatorial temper, which made him a prominent indi- vidual for the next twenty years. The other clerical leaders were Henderson and Dickson. The famous Gillespie had also been proposed by the General Assembly as a proper minister for the stiff-necked city of Bon-Accord, but had refused to go. During the general conciliation the King bestowed pensions on both Henderson and him ; Cant we may believe presented no promise of friendliness. He was in after life tyrannical when in power, and insubordinate where he might, when in a minority ; patronising heresy when he chose, and using his influence to overstep the law, in getting arrests executed on the Sabbath, for his own purposes. In the following year Cant contrived to get Mr. John Bow, schoolmaster of St. Johnston, brought to one of the Aberdeen churches and the pair afterwards dominated in the Presbytery and Synod, or set the rest at defiance by means of personal boldness ; and when threatened with discipline for schis- matic proceedings, procured the intervention of Cromwell's Colonels. Dr. John Forbes, Professor of Divinity in King's College, the late Bishop's son, was deposed as an

The Earl of Argyll. 277

anti-Covenanter, and the Garioch Presbytery, which contained at the time several ministers of a high class, sent two candidates to the competition for his chair — Mr. John Seton of Kemnay and Mr. George Leith of Culsalmond. The minister of Forgue, Mr. William Douglas, was elected. .-- .

In 1642, the first gallery was erected in Old Aberdeen Cathedral. The reredos of the higli altar had remained since the Keformation — a magnificent wall of carved oak. The minister broke it down, making a gallery of the cut-up ornament. He could not get a carpenter to do the work until he first put his own hand to the Vandal- like act. The students and schoolboys of that time were wont to put the dicta- torial clergy to no small trouble. Yule-day happening in 1642 to fall on a Monday, the ministers of the Old Town sent out the bellman, ordering all manner of men to open their booth doors and go to work ; but the students fell upon the man and took the bell from him, and the people kept Christmas according to their own tastes. On Candlemas- day, next year, the boys of the Old Town Grammar school ostentatiously arranged a new kind of procession. They marched bearing lighted candles, to set a torch upon the top of the Cross, and then, with their candles burning, conducted home, to his lodgings in the Chanonry, John Keith, the • Earl Marischal's brother, afterwards the first Earl of Kintore, whom they had chosen for their king on the occasion.

The sympathies of the Aberdonians were evidently much with the forms and customs of public worship to which they had been accustomed. The fatal Service Book, which in Edinburgh was the occasion of the irresistible combination being formed against the king's ecclesiastical measures, was accepted pleasantly enough in Aberdeen. The Presbyterian form of communion observance was a novelty there in 1641, al- though forty years later, under the second Episcopacy, nothing else was known in Scotland, even in the Cathedrals. Spalding describes the service in 1641, as conducted by Mr. William Strachan in Old Aberdeen, exactly as an Englishman might describe the service now, noting the same differences from what he had been accustomed to. In 1643, he depicts with his own realistic talent how the service was held by Mr. Andrew Cant " not efter the old fashion, kneilling, bot sitting, nor the people sufferit to pray when Mr. Androw Cant prayit, as their custom wes befoir, but all to be silent and dum, nor their communiun breid baikin nor distribute as wes wont, bot efter ane new fashioun of breid, for it was baikin in ane round loaf lyk ane trynscheour, syne cuttit out in lang scheives, hanging be ane tak ; and first the minister takis ane scheive efter the blissing, and brakis ane peice, and gives to him who is narrest, and he gives the scheive to his nightbour, who takis ane peice, and syne gives it to his nightbour, whill it be spent ; and syne an elder gives in ane uther scheive where the first scheive left, and so forth. The like breid and service wes nevir sein in Abirdene befoir the cuming of Mr. Androw Cant to be thair minister."

In 1642 the Covenanting leaders deceived themselves grievously in their negotia- tions with Ihe Parliament of England. When a severe contest with the King was

278 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gfarioch.

plainly imminent the Parliament looked for aid to a Scottish army. The Episcopalian hierarchy were in England the chief support of the Royal cause, and perhaps to punish them as well as to conciliate the Scots the Parliament adopted the Solemn League and Covenant. To the wishful thoughts of the Tables that was the adoption of Scottish Presbyterianism for the national religion of Britain, and they accepted a subsidy of £10,000 for the purpose of equipping a Scottish force to co-operate with the army of the Parliament in the great cause. They discovered their mistake as soon as the contest had resulted in the defeat of King Charles ; when they found the Independents, who abounded in the English army, asserting themselves with something of the power of the sword against all ecclesiastical organisations and offices alike. Before long Cromwell's Colonels commanding in Scotland were a fixed thorn in the side of the Kirk.

When in February, 1643, the king was engaged in hostilities with the army raised by the English Parliament, the Lieutenant-General of the royal forces was General King, the last nominal King of Barra. He had just brought from Denmark to Charles, £500,000 and a number of good officers. Whether the product of imaginations excited by the incessant troubles then occurring, or having an ex post f ado origin, various portents of the victories obtained by the king were reported from different places as having occurred, in the form of drums heard beating at Ellon, armies seen in the air at the Muir of Forfar, a battle fought by a great army of horse aud foot, seen in the mist, at eight in the morning, on the Brimmond Hill, near Craibston, in Aberdeenshire.

In the summer of 1643, the Scots in England were finding themselves cavalierly treated by the leaders of the Parliamentary army, and defections were taking place. General Urrie resigned the command he held in General Leslie's army, and went to the king. He soon left him again, and we find him afterwards serving in the Garioch, on the Covenanting side, and defeated by Montrose. Proclamations and counter decla- rations, by the King and the Estates, were pleading the opposite sides before the country. On 15th June, the Marquis of Huntly, by his Majesty's command, convened his friends at Aberdeen and then at Inverurie, and published a declaration, emitted by the king at Oxford, 21st April, 1643, rebutting the allegations of the Covenanters. At Broomend, near Inverurie, a little later, on the occasion of the laird of Braco's funeral, Sir John Gordon of Haddo, Braco's relative, quarrelled with Alexander Jaffray, junior, afterwards of Ardtannies, who, with his father and brother, were there, and assaulted the Baillie seriously, following up the violence by a foolish bravado in the streets of Aberdeen. This attack was an item in the catalogue of offences that caused Haddo to be condemned to death and executed at Edinburgh, in July, 1644.

The inevitable falling out of confederates in a double-minded counsel went on apace in 1643. Lord Gordon, the Covenanter — whom his father, the Marquis of Huntly, could not be prevailed upon to receive into favour and support farther than to let him have the use of his house in Aberdeen, and the supply of peats stacked in the court — had to be provided for. The Committee of Estates divided the Sheriffdom of Aberdeen

The Earl of Argyll 279

between him and Earl Marischal. Discontent was first bred by this in Lord Forbes, whose influence had not been sufficient to procure him a share in the taxable territory ; and next in Marischal, because Lord Gordon had got the biggest share. A portion had to be found for Lord Forbes, who thereupon had a rival presenting himself in the person of Frendraught, now Viscount Crichton, but succeeded in securing the new place for himself. Inverurie, it is likely, was included in the Earl Marischal's slice of the county, as he appears there frequently at that time.

THE MARQUIS OF HUNTLY IN ARMS.

Argyll was now fairly at the head of affairs, Lord General of the Earl of Leven's army, an ornamental post, which, well for him, had inferred no necessity of military skill, but which must have exercised Leslie's remarkable power of management to keep from resulting in abundant harm. Among the nobles not attending the army, the new Marquis was becoming more and more suspected and dreaded, and matters were rapidly becoming ripe for the appearance on the field of Montrose — likewise bearing the rank of Marquis, but now holding the King's Commission. , — »

The Marquis of Huntly was not in arms at that time ; but, being suspected by the Estates, an order was issued for his arrest — by authority of the Committee of Estates — addressed to the laird of Drum, Sheriff-Principal of the County of Aberdeen, which order Drum seemed to fail in executing. Huntly resolved to rise in his own defence, while he had yet time. He tried Earl Marischal and others to co-operate with him ; but caution still prevailed in that party, however discontented with Argyll they were. On 26th March, Gordon came to Kintore with 240 horse, and, largely reinforced by the lairds of his old party, he rode to Aberdeen and published a declaration that he was forced to rise in defence of his personal liberty. There stood by the Marquis in that demonstration young Drum (his father keeping quiet) ; the Lairds of Echt, elder and younger ; Newton, elder and younger ; Haddo, Abergeldie, Carnburrow, Letter- furie, and Invermarkie, Arradoul, and Ardlogie — all Gordons ; Innes of Tibberty, Innes of Balveny, Seton of Schethin, Leith of Harthill, Meldrum of Iden, and — a sign of new councils — some of the Earl Marischal's men joined him at Kintore.

The Marquis's appearance in such guise alarmed all the Covenanting local chiefs. They hastily removed their meal girnals and other goods to such places of safety as they could. Craigievar, Echt, Tolquhon, Waterton, and Monymusk all prepared to defend their own houses. Lord Fraser carried all his victual to Cairnbulg, except his corn ricks at Stoneywood, and these he threshed out, and sowed the grain upon untilled ground, ploughing down the seed hastily. The Lord Forbes fled to Kildrummj'. One armed band was roaming the country, which respected no one worth plundering. It was a party of the broken men under James Grant, a notorious partisan of Huntly in former times. He rifled the royalist house of Kemnay of 600 merks of money and

280 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

all its valuables, and next the Covenanting laird of Pittodrie's lands, and house of Mounie, at that time the property of Mr. Eobert Farquhar. The last Seton of Meldrum, son-in-law of Frendraught, and " a precise puritane," was a sufferer at the same time — the Laird of Haddo, Sehethin, and Tibbertie, with 20 horse and 80 musketeers, having visited him, as at the same Straloeh, Turriff, Towie, and Barclay, with the customary results.

The dashing exploits of Huntly's followers he was never engaged in himself. The first was a picturesque one. On the 1st March, Sir John Gordon of Haddo, Alexander Irvine younger of Drum, Eobert his brother, "William Seton of Shethin, William Lines of Tibberty, and some others, with about sixty horse, galloped through the Old Town of Aberdeen about seven in the morning to the city, and took Provost Leslie, Mr. Eobert Farquhar, and Alexander Jaffrey, junior, and his brother John, out of their houses, and plundered the laird of Pittodrie's saddle horse, and some others, and left the town only about ten o'clock without any opposition, riding through the Gallowgate back to the Old Town. They rode through the Loch Wynd, drank at Kintore, lodged all night at Legatsden, and carried then- captives to Strathbogy, whence they were taken to Auchin- doun. Huntly in a few weeks set them free in a fright while he was starting upon a solitary night before the enemy he had never boldly faced. The insult to the city seems to have been deeply felt, and revenge was sought through the Committee of Estates.

The Garioch was immediately to become the scene of the assembling of the oppos- ing Scottish parties, which the timidity of both the antagonistic Marquises made little more than an affair of masters. Inverurie was the place of a gathering on behalf of the King, on 11th April, 1644. Huntly had appointed the rendezvous, and there were present about 2500 troops, of which 400 was cavalry. The lairds of Gicht and Newton were with him, and the Tutor of Struan came out of Athol with about 60 men to him. " He stayit at Innerurie Saterday and Sonday, and lodgit in umquhil William Fergus, his hous," and his men quartered about him within the town. His lodging was on the east side of Market Place, in the part of the house which William Ferguson was fined 1 00 lbs. for building beyond his ground in 1619. On that Sunday Huntly and several of them that joined him at Kintore were excommunicated in the Church of St. Giles, Edinburgh.

This display was the forerunner of but little action ; to account for which at least in part, it has to be recalled to mind that the Marquis of Huntly had suffered badly from previously trusting Montrose. He in consequence shrank from confiding in the new Marquis, even when now in command for the King.

They marched to Aberdeen on Monday, about six hours at even, with a banner bearing " C.E. For God, the King, and against all Traitors. God save the King." Spalding says, " The Marquis and his followers weir ane black tafletie about their craig, quhilk was ane signe to fight to the death ; but it provit otherwayes," he quaintly adds. Hearing at Aberdeen, on Wednesday the 17th April, that the Covenanting party were drawing strongly to a head against him — Lord Elcho having arrived at Dundee with 500

The Marquis of H until/ in Ann". 281

Fife men, the Earls of Kinghorn and Soutliesk bringing 800, the Marquis of Argyll having 500 from Perthshire and 1000 from Argyll, with 800 from Ireland, and Earl Marischal and Lord Arhuthnot bringing 500 out of the Mearns. Huntly seems to have been backward to take action at first, but on the urgency of his friends, he ordered by sound of trumpet at the cross of Aberdeen, all who had his protection to meet him at Inverurie next day, 18th April. Leaving Major Hay with some horse and foot to keep Aberdeen, he rode to Inverurie on the 17th, Alexander Irvine of Drum following him in the afternoon with some 40 horse. He quartered his men in Inverurie, Kintore, and Castle Eraser, and lodged again in William Ferguson's house on Wednesday and Thurs- day. He despatched an expedition into Forfarshire, under the Tutor of Struan, with M'Eanald, and Donald Farquharson of Invercauld or Monaltrie, a man much esteemed by the king, and returned himself to Aberdeen on the Friday. He lay inactive in Aberdeen until Argyll, after some check by the party sent into Forfarshire, approached in force, and the Forbeses and Frasers and other Covenanters came out again — who had taken to their defensible houses upon Huntly showing some courage at first. He was urged to go out of the town, to meet the enemies approaching, but pleaded that the Aberdeenshire Covenanters would immediately seize it. In a few days he resolved to retire to his own fastnesses at Strathbogy, Auchindoun, and the Bog.

On the 4th May, Argyll was at Inverurie in pursuit, after plundering the house of Drum, on account of the young laird's partnership with Huntly. His troop encamped from Kintore to Inverurie, and were provisioned from Aberdeen. From Inverurie he held some communication with the Marquis of Huntly at Auchindoun, and on Monday, 7th May, he made an expedition to Kelly (Haddo House) where the laird, a partizan of Huntly's, had fortified himself. Baillie Jaffray reached his force there from Auchin- doun. With Argyll there went from Inverurie the Earl Marischal, the Lord Gordon, the Lord Fraser, the Master of Forbes, and divers other barons. The regiment of Irishes was left behind at Inverurie. The laird of Haddo had to surrender, and among his party holding out Kelly with him were Captain Logie from Eayne Manse, and a son of Chalmcr of Drimmies.

At Inverurie, Argyll, as commander-in-Chief, under the Convention of Estates, issued, on 6th May, his proclamation to the heritors and freeholders within the Sheriff- dom of Aberdeen and Banff, to repair to Turriff by 10 forenoon on 16th May instant, with their best horses and horsemen, arms, and 48 hours' provisions. He ordered the proclamation to be read from the pulpits, and recommended the moderator of every Presbytery in the bounds to give up lists of the heritors and freeholders in their dis- tricts. Another act was to be read out of the pulpits at the same time, excommunicating Huntly and his chief adherents. The proclamation was pretty well obeyed, and the muster at Turriff amounted to 709 horse and 1300 foot. "They met on the Inch at Turriff, and had ten colours, ten drums, six trumpeters, with brave captains, and well- armed soldiers." Huntly, with continuing pusillanimity, left Auchindoun on the

36

K

282 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

threatening approach of Argyll, and, carrying what money and goods with him he could, escaped alone per varios casus to Caithness. One of his party was caught in the attempt to rifle his treasure chest. The Laird of Drum, son-in-law to the Marquis, with some others, went after him to Caithness, and were sold to the Covenanters by Francis Sinclair, brother of the Earl of Caithness.

Argyll's departure from Inverurie has its date probably fixed by the following receipt : " 1644, 4th June. Capitaine William Erskine, of my Lord Gordon his regi- ment, grants the receipt of William Petrie and Alexander Hay, from George Leslie and Thomas Eandall, on behalf of the towne of Inverurie, complete arms, lin arms, and trans- port money, and their half of ane baggage hors." Argyll, with Lord Gordon, in hot haste went north, and, missing both Marquis and treasure, set his Irishes upon Auchin- doun. His own turn to retreat, however, was at hand, and Inverurie received another visit from his pursuer, Montrose, who was now in arms for the King, and bearing the title of Marquis.

THE MARQUIS OF MONTROSE.

The historian Hume attributes Montrose's adherence at first to the Covenant to resentment at having been slighted by the King, through the jealous management of the Marquis of Hamilton, when, on coming home from his travels, he was first presented to his Majesty ; and says that afterwards, when he had an interview with King Charles as an envoy from the Tables, the reception he received fascinated him so, that he from that day became a devoted Eoyalist. When he took the field for the King it was at the head of a force which he had assembled in Athol. He was joined by the Early of Airly, Lord Spynie, Lord Dupplin, and a number more. His following contained a valuable con- tingent of Irish soldiers, much heard of afterwards. He made for the North, marching with pretty steady success, by the same route Argyll had taken against Huntly, through Perthshire, Angus, and Mearns, towards the Dee. He crossed at the Mills of Drum, and made his head-quarters in Crathes, which the Baronet of Leys surrendered. On the 1 3th September he fought the Battle of Aberdeen at the Two-mile Cross on Deeside — his Irish soldiers securing the victory, and getting as reward the town to plunder, which they did with sufficient activity. The appetite of the Irish in that way was omnivorous, as ap- pears from minutes of Presbyterial visitations of parishes about 16G0, which report that the passage of the " Irishes " over the Garioch left the kirks bare of pulpit bibles, com- munion tablecloths, &c. On Saturday, 14th September, the Marquis ordered the march of his troops, with the exception of the Irish plunderers, to Kintore, Inverurie, and the Garioch. He himself stayed in Aberdeen over Sunday, and on Monday marched with the part of his forces left in Aberdeen. His camp extended from Kintore to Liklyhead. Sir William Forbes of Craigievar, who had been made prisoner in the battle, he carried with him, but very speedily granted him liberty on parole, which that baronet broke.

Argyll was at Brechin when he heard of the Eoyalist victory. After consultation with the Earl Marischal, Lord Forbes, Lord Fraser, and Lord Crichton, he started in his

The Marquis of Montrose. 383

peculiar way of pursuit, ami reached the Dee the day after Montrose left Aberdeen ; but stopped before going further, to plunder the lands of Drum, proclaim Montrose a traitor, and offer a reward for his body living or dead, instead of going to take it himself.

Montrose left Inverurie on 1 8th September, on hearing of Argyll's neighbourhood with such a force as he was reported to have had. He retired upon the Spey, and being unable to cross it for want of boats, and also finding the county of Moray opposed to him, went westward and took up a position in the wood of Abernethy. Argyll, after waiting until his enemy had two days' start of him instead of half-a-day's, followed him from Drum the length of Strathbogy, but retired again to Aberdeen, where the Earl of Findlater and several county barons met him. There he held a council of war on 23rd September, attended by Earl Marischal, Lord Gordon, Lord Forbes, Lord Eraser, Lord Crichton, &c; but they seem to have given counsel alone, and no assistance for the f ui'ther pursuit of the enemy. The Eoyalist Marquis, on finding himself not fol- lowed, left the wood of Abernethy and got to Eothiemurcus ; thence proceeded through Badenoch and Athol, adding much to his following ; and sweeping down again upon Forfarshire, seized the House of Dun, where much property of the burgesses of Mon- trose was laid up for safety, and also four brass field-pieces, lost by Lord Aboyne at the Bridge of Dee.

That exploit forced his politic but unsoldierly opponent into action again ; but \ under the serious difficulty of having the Covenanting lords in a state of chronic dis- content with him. Argyll was at the Bog of Gight. He resolved to attack the Boyalists, and planned with the aid of the Earl Marischal, who was in possession of Aberdeen, to environ then at the Bridge of Dee. The Eoyalist leader, a more skilled strategist, escaped with his smaller force between the two. He crossed Hhe river at Crathes (where the laird entertained him), marched through Echt, burning the Kirktown, — burned Pittodrio on 18th October, — dined at Monymusk on Saturday, the 19th, with the Lady (the Laird of Crathes' daughter), who managed to get the place exempted from pillage — and next day, Sunday, marched towards Frendraught, and, foraging, went on to Strathbogy. Douglas in his Baronage records his relative, Sir William Forbes of Monymusk, as a great loyalist who suffered much in the Eing's cause. His only suf- ferings were, as an active Covenanter, from the King's actual supporters. The lairds of the harried houses got authority from the Estates subsequently to recoup them- selves out of the rents of certain " Papists ".

The Aberdeenshire Covenanters were getting into a state of suicidal disagreement. Lord Gordon had been nominated, by the Committee of Estates, Lieutenant of the North ; but when he appointed a rendezvous at Eildrummy for 2nd September, Lord Forbes, Lord Fraser, and Lord Crichton would not condescend to follow him ; and he was left with his own force, afraid to quit the Erskine stronghold. The Committee, in order not to lose the services of their so-called clans, revised the commissions issued, and gave a command to Lord Forbes ; whereupon Lord Gordon withdrew, and, as the

284 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gar loch.

\ result of bis chagrin, Ire ultimately joined Montrose. The Covenanting muster, which \ was ordered to take place at Aberdeen, of the sheriffdoms of Kincardine, Aberdeen, iand Banff, wanted all Kincardine and most of Banff, Lord Gordon, and the Earl Marischal. Only the Forbeses of Monymusk, Leslie, Tolquhon Ecbt, Corsindae, Lairgy, and Waterton, Lord Forbes, the Frasers, the Crichtons, Skene, Udny, Glenkindie, Lord Erroll's men, and some Keiths from Buchan, arrived at the muster.

On Friday, 25th October, a week after Montrose bad burned the place of Pittodrie, the Marquis of Argyll crossed the Gariocb in pursuit of him from Aberdeen with a force of 2000 men. He slept the first night in Kintore, next night in Inverurie, and heard sermon there on Sunday. Lord Lothian's regiment came to him there, but neither Mariscbal nor Lord Gordon would rise with him, such was their dread of Montrose. Mon- trose had gone down to Fyvie, where, and at Tolly Barclay, he was able to provision himself. On the Monday, Argyle marched from Inverurie to the wood of Fyvie, where be learned that the Royalists were lying, but their commander made excellent use of his position in the wood against the enemy's horse. In a hot skbmish which ensued, Alexander Keith, brother to the Earl Mariscbal, fell ; and, during Tuesday and Wed- nesday, Montrose, with little loss to himself, inflicted great slaughter on his assailants. Argyll retired to Cricbie in Formartine, and his enemy marched off after that in " fair day licht " to Turriff, which he plundered, and next to Eothiemay, which place met with a similar fate. The flight of Argyll on board his galleys at Inverlochy before the army of Montrose followed on Candlemas day, 1645.

The Gariocb until next year was free from the presence of the main forces of either side, and had only to endure the local plunderings, flights, and revenges, which were always sure to till up gaps in the tragic action of the time. A clever seizure, effected in order to help out the furnishing of a troop to serve Montrose, took place on 23rd February, 1645, at Inverurie. Young Gicht, young Harthill, and some acconipbces, took ten of Craigievar's troop lying carelessly on their beds within their quarters at Inverurie. They took their horses, their moneys, their apparel and arms, and gave the men liberty to go ; " whairat," Spalding needlessly adds, " Craigievar wes heichlie offendit ". Craigievar liked better to plunder than to be plundered.

Patrick Leith, Younger, of Harthill, paid for this exploit with his life. He was shortly after taken, and at the age of twenty-five suffered death at the hands of the relent- less party then in power. Craigievar obtained afterwards a revenge more gratifying than creditable ; that of turning the Lady of Lethinty out of her undefended house, and emptying it, and afterwards putting the Laird of Kemnay's widow to the door. She lost Sir Thomas Crombie in 1644. The Covenanting Committee of Aberdeen had the year before assigned to Craigievar the duty of going to Harthill and turning out the lady, with her children and servants, while her husband was lying in prison in Edin- burgh and no one left to defend his house.

After chasing Argyll into the sea at Inverlochy, Montrose was supreme in the

The Marquis of Montrose. 2S5

North. He made his head-quarters at Elgin, where he was joined by the Laird of Grant ; and punished the Covenanting barons,, especially harrying the lands of the Earl of Findlater and the Laird of Frendraught. The town of Aberdeen made terms with him, and on the 10th March he wrote ordering the drum to summon all within the shire, between 16 and 60, to meet him, with their best arms and best horse, on the 15 th March, at his camp at Inverurie, under pain of fire and sword. He had to make this preparation to meet the approach of a new commander— Lord Balcarras — sent against him by the Estates. He marched on 12th March from Frendraught to Kintore, Kinkell, and Inverurie, in which neighbourhood his army was quartered. He himself lodged in the house of Mr John Cheyne, minister at Kintore. Balcarras' force threatened to give him trouble, chiefly under the command of Major-General Urrie, the repre- sentative of two long lines, those of Urrie of Pitfichie, in Monymusk, and Chalmers of Aberdeen, but in 1645 a soldier of fortune.

When the opposing forces approached each other in the Garioch, both sides seem to have avoided making an attack. Montrose marched southward ; and the Aberdeen- shire Covenanters who — according to their wont — had kept separately quiet while he was near, came forth again to execute small reprisals upon the lairds who adhered to him. Among others, Hector Abercromby of Fetternear was taken to Fendraught, but soon set at liberty. Montrose had been obliged to send the Earl of Airly, who fell sick with him when at Kintore to the House of Lethinty, and thereby brought upon it the ire of the Forbeses and Erasers. The Lady of Lethinty was Lord Airly's daughter, and next year she bravely effected the escape of her brother (whom she very much resembled) from prison at St. Andrews, on the night before he was to be executed, by changing clothes with him, when she had got leave to pay a visit to him in his cell.

General Urrie was never allowed by his superiors to attack Montrose ; but was ordered north, apparently to go over the country and re-possess it after Montrose's occu- pancy. He had to quiet a mutiny at Aberdeen among his soldiers, whom the Com- mittee of Estates had left but ill provided. The Burgh of Aberdeen seems to have had a good deal to bear on this occasion. Immediately after, on 19th April, Urrie marched towards Kintore and Inverurie, and from that to Old Eayne, plundering the lands of Newton and Harthill.

The House of Kemnay — where the first act of violence in the Civil "War was com- mitted— seems to have possessed peculiar attractions for the Covenanters. Sir WiHiam Forbes took his turn of it now. On the 23 th April, Spalding says he seized and garrisoned it, "it being stankit about and of good defenss ". " He plunderit cornes and victuallis for his soldiers from the Laird of Kincraigie (probably from Badifurrow, winch was his property), and seized his best saddle horse." It would seem from this that the Leslies of Badifurrow were like their neighbours at Fetternear, of the King's party. Craigievar's visits at that time extended to Newton and Harthill. His booty included 160 oxen, which he sent to Fife to market. After Montrose's victory at Alford he

286 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

abandoned Kemnay House, which was then manned hy young Abercrornby of Birken- bog. Craigievar had the army at his back at Aberdeen at that time, where Committee meetings were again going on, dictating to the parishes and lairds the payments re- quired of them.

Lord Gordon had joined Montrose ere then ; and Lord Aboyne, the Master of Napier and Hay of Delgaty (the Earl of Erroll's representative), who had been prisoners in England, but broke out of Carlisle, and with 28 horse forced their way through General Leslie's forces, also reached the Royalist chief. Probably Earl Marischal began about that time to earn the loyalist reputation he afterwards merited.

Sir Robert Douglas (Peerage) gives an incorrect impression of the conduct of the Earl Marischal in the beginning of the "Troubles," when he states that he in 1641 joined the association in favour of Charles I. at Cumbernauld. He did stand for the King afterwards, as more of the early Covenanters did. In 1648 he raised a troop of horse for the engagement to attempt the rescue of the King. He escaped from the route at Preston; and in 1650 entertained Charles II. at Dunnottar. The Earl Maris- chal's younger brother and successor, George, was also at Preston, and fought after- , wards at Worcester in behalf of Charles II.

Severe repiisals followed the acts of violence noted above. Montrose turned and pursued after Urrie, whom he overtook and engaged at Auldearn upon 9th May, 1645, defeating his forces with very great slaughter'; after which he spoiled and destroyed most of the houses and lands of his opponents in Moray and Banffshire. A few days later he inflicted another defeat upon Urrie at Afford, and going south gained his last victory at Kilsyth, 5th August, after which irretrievable misfortunes overtook the Royal arms, and the absolute dominion of the Covenanters began. The two opponents were soon at the end of all their battles : Urrie, whose last change was to the Royalist cause, was with the Marquis of Montrose when in 1650 he raised the standard of Charles II. He was made prisoner along with him, and they went to the scaffold together.

The Marquis of Montrose was utterly defeated at Philiphaugh on 13th September, 1645, by General David Leslie, one of the many soldiers trained under Gustavus, King of Sweden. He had, in 1644, been appointed Major-General in the Earl of Leven's army in England, and was despatched in 1645 to Scotland to check Montrose in the career which the Battle of Kilsyth seem to be opening to him. He was the fifth son of Patrick, Commendator of Lindores, and himself the first Earl of Newark. The ruins of his castle at Newark are a prominent object on the rocks of the East Neuk of Fife.

Montrose retired after his defeat into the Highlands, where he carried on an obscure mountain warfare for about a year, and disbanded his army only at the urgent command of the King, who was then in the hands of the Earl of Leven's army, and afraid for the safety of Ms chivalrie general. With a few adherents, who were too obnoxious to the Covenanting chiefs to surrender with safety, he escaped to Norway 3rd September, 1646.

Incidents of the Troubles. 287

Two months after Montrose's defeat the Marquis of Huntly took the field a^ain with his own following, which ho had kept back in the time of greatest need — all but a body of them which his son, Lord Gordon, persuaded to join the brave leader with him. In January, 1646, the Estates had to watch the movements of both chiefs, and for that purpose sent General Middleton to occupy Aberdeen. In April that officer had to march against Montrose then engaged in the siege of Inverness. On 13th May, Huntly was again in the Garioch. He mustered his forces at Inverurie and Kintore. Colonel Mont- gomerie, left in Aberdeen with a regiment of foot and another of horse, made a sudden attack upon the Gordons but was repulsed with loss, and followed to Aberdeen, where Lord Aboyne, getting entrance into the town through a part which had been set on fire, made a furious charge upon Montgomerie's force and put it to utter rout with consider- able slaughter, taking three hundred prisoners, sixteen colours, and a large quantity of ammunition, he himself losing but twenty men.

This Eoyalist victory came too late, the King having already surrendered himself, and having as a consequence to order Huntly to lay down his arms, as he afterwards with difficulty got Montrose to do. Huntly, whose estates were in the hands of his relative and enemy the Marquis of Argyll, was a doomed man from that date. He was excepted in a pardon granted in 1647 to so-called rebels, and escaped to hide himself in Strathnaven. A proclamation had, however ,been hanging over his head since 1644 of a reward decreed by a Committee of Estates sitting in Aberdeen for delivery of his body living or dead. The reward was 12,000 lbs., chargeable upon the Marquis' estates, and it was paid at Inverary by the Marquis of Argyll, 24th June, 1648, to Colonel James Fraser, and Huntly was in March, 1649, tried at Edinburgh and beheaded at the Market Cross. The slaughter of the King in January made meaner blood easily shed.

INCIDENTS OF THE TROUBLES.

We have not on record much of personal details, beyond what has been incidentally noticed, illustrating the manners prevailing during the internecine strife which afflicted the 17th century. Alexander Jaffray's Diary, however, affords some interesting items of individual experience of the time.

The son of the Wadsetter of Ardtannies and Caskieben — Alexander Jaffray, the younger — was a sufferer in the strife, and behaved in a manner sufficiently creditable. Spalding narrates that upon Tuesday, 19th March, 1644, the young laird of Drum, Eobert Irvine, his brother, the lairds of Haddo, Gicht, and some others, about the number of sixty horses, about seven hours in the morning, came galloping through the Old Town to .New Aberdeen, and suddenly took Provost Leslie, Mr. Eobert Farquhar, and Alexander Jaffray, late baillies, and John Jaffray, Dean of Guild, his brother, out of their houses, and had them to Skipper Anderson's house. It is said that there was plundered, out of Alexander Jaffray's house, some gold rings and chains, but little money. They missed Mr. Alexander Jaffray (the father), for he was not in the town.

288 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Jaffray in his diary narrates : —

They carried us to Strathbogy Castle, where we were kept ten or twelve clays ; after we were sent to Auchiudoun Castle, and left there five weeks close prisoners, until, by the Marquis of Argyle's com- ing north, the Marquis of Huntly aud his freinds quitted the field ; himself came to Auchindoun, where any little treasure he had was ; and fearing that the keeping of us prisoners might have drawn some siege to that house, he dismissed us. We were by him and his order very cruelly used all the time of our imprisonment. The quarrel he alleged against us was that we were Covenanters, and had given bad information against him and his friends. We being dismissed by him went first to Murray, where we were kindly received by our friends there, thereafter to Keelie (Kelly), the laird of Haddo's house, about which the Marquis of Argyle and his forces were then lying. The house being rendered, I had leave to go in with an order to the laird to render me some rights (documents), and my wife's rings and chains, and some other silver work he had taken from me at my seizure in Aberdeen, the most part of which afterwards I had back from him. I spoke my mind to him there some way freely, exhorting him to repent for the wrong he had done to me — especially that great wrong above all the rest — his fury and violence in taking me, by which he had hastened the death of my dear wife, who, within three or four days after my being taken, departed this life. . . In that contest I had with the laird of Haddo, I was wonderfully delivered from extreme danger. The first time that we encountered near Kintore, he fired two pistols at me, one after another, being then twice the length of his horse from me ; both of them mis-served, whereat he was in great fury, alleging they had never done the like before. And that same night in Old Aberdeen, to try them if they would mis-serve again, he put out the candle at which he shot. The other time was that day when he took me prisoner. He, having entered my father's study, fired a pistol at me from the window, whence he pursued me in another study. Just opposite the window where he was that pistol also mis-served, whereat he cursed, alleging that he would never get me felled. I knew nothing of this second attempt before he himself told it me in Aberdeen, as he was going prisoner to Edinburgh, sent by the Marquis of Argyle, after taking of his house.

Shortly after this (in 1644) the Irish that entered Scotland under Alister Macdonald and Mon- trose, having come the length of Aberdeen, were fought by a regiment of the country soldiers under the command of Lord Burghly, accompanied with some country gentlemen and most of all the citizens of Aberdeen, when about seven or eight score men, besides women and children, were killed. I was at that time in no small hazard, having stayed too long on the field after our men began to run ; yet it pleased God to deliver me. Being very evily horsed, I was well near among the Irish hands ; yet, by the good providence of God, I escaped, carrying a pair of colours with me, which I had taken from one of our soldiers, who was casting the same from him in the flight.

Thereafter the country being so torn and broken, I could not safely stay at Aberdeen, so went with sundry other honest families to Dunnottar, where we were very kindly received by the Earl Marischal, having house-room from him and our entertainment from Aberdeen and Stonehaven. One day having gone with Mr. Andrew Cant (whose daughter became Jaffray's second wife) to Crathes to visit his son, Mr. Alexander (minister of Upper Banchory), on our way back we were encountered by the Laird of Harthill, the younger, who was then returning from the Battle of Kilsyth, where Mon- trose had gained the sixth and last battle he had over Scotland. We were by the said Harthill and the Laird of Newton (Gordon) taken prisoners (Mr. Andrew Cant, my brother Thomas, and I) after very much threatening presently to have killed us — especially I was threatened as being guilty, they alleged, of Haddo's death, who had been executed for his rebellion against the State ; yet it pleased the Lord to restrain their fury. We were that night kept prisoners at Aberdeen, and the morrow carried to Pitcaple, where we were kept under the custody of one Petrie Leathe, brother to Old Hart- hill. Many things I might remember that would be too tedious here to insert, only some few I shall point out whereiu the Lord's goodness aud His wonderful hand in delivering us did most eminently appear.

At first, on our taking, when they with great fury and main fearful oaths did threaten sore yet not one of our heads did fall to the ground ; secondly, all the time of our being prisoners, which was for the space of five or seven weeks, though they were a company of as vile profligate men as any I did ever see, yet there, was so much restraint laid on them as that they carried themselves civilly before us. Aud sometimes some of them were content to be present at our private exercise of worship, morning and evening, which was constantly performed by that gracious and worthy man, Mr. Andrew Cant, who on the Lord's day occasionally preached publicly in the Great Hall. Sometimes all of them were present, and had something like convictions at the hearing of the word, which was preached unto them with much boldness and freedom. Yet they did go on in the frequent practice of their drunkenness and abominable vices ; so that we, being very weary of their company, frequently would project and talk among ourselves of ways to escape. At last we attempted a very desperate like piece of service, which

Incidents of the Troubles. 289

had it not pleased the Lord in a wonderful manner both to give us courage and success more than ordi- nary, we would never in any probability have been able to have carried through. One day in the afternoon, all the men except two being abroad, whereof one was an old decrepit body, we resolved to go and shut the gate. Having had advertisement that some of our friends, commanded by Major- General Hamilton, were that night in Aberdcon, having come north after the Battle of Philiphaugh, which took place on the 13th of the month called September (the beginning of Royal defeats in Scot- land), we were confident that if we could get possession and maintain the house till the morrow morn- ing our friends would before that time be at us for onr relief. "We having gone down (I and my brother Thomas, with a soldier of Middleton's, whom the garrison had taken straggling from his colours), found, by our expectation, two as able men as any in the company standing in the very passage of the door, being about the flaying of an ox, which they had laying within the door. I being first, when I saw them, began to think of retiring, but fearing that they would espy what we were about by the others following me, I resolved to go forward, and was much encouraged by them withdrawing a little without the door, to make sharp their knives for the work they were abont. Finding them without, though they were close at the door, we went down and offered to make it fast, which at last, with much ado, we got done. Then having full possession of the house, we made fast the iron gate, and put ourselves in a position of defence. The rest being advertised, came about the house, and so con- tinued until night. By reason of their being there, one of our servants who had undertaken to give advertisement to onr friends at Aberdeen that they should come for our relief, was forced to lie and hide himself all that day, so that it was the morrow at one hour before he came to Aberdeen, and then our friends were gone. So our help that way was disappointed ; but the Lord provided for us another way. The Laird of Leslie, the younger, having advertisement from the country people that we had taken the house, gave advertisement to some friends, who came on the morrow by one or two hours in the afternoon, the Lord Frisell, the Laird of Echt, Colonel Forbes, with the number of 30 horse or thereabout, and 50 or 60 foot. This was very observable that, as they came without any advertise- ment from us, so did they come in the most seasonable time when we were well near spent, having been pursued very sharply for nine hours till then. After we had beaten them several times off, and killed one of them at least, they were driving through the wall at a place where we could get no sight of them, and when they were almost gotten fully through them, our friends came when we were even fainting and giving it over. We received our friends and entertained them the best we could, and parted that night with them, having set onr prison on fire, it not being tenable.

From the Parliamentary Records of Scotland, 19th February, 1649, it appears that of that date a supplication had been presented (which was remitted to the con- sideration of a Committee of the Estates) craving on the part of John Forbes of Leslie, Alexander Jaffray, Baillie of Aberdeen, Mr. Andrew Cant, Minister of God's Word at Aberdeen, and Thomas Jaffray, that an Act of Approbation be passed by the Parliament and granted in favour of the Master of Forbes, the Lord Fraser, the Lairds of Skene, Monymusk, Echt, young Forbes of Leslie, and others, their friends and followers, for having burned in September, 1645, the House of Pitcaple. The Committee having reported that in their humble opinion the desire of the supplication ought to be granted as most just and reasonable, the same was on 2nd March read, voted, and approved of by the House. jSTo similar act of grace had been accorded to the opposing party ; for the Laird of Haddo suffered capitally at the Cross of Edinburgh under a vote of the Scottish Parliament dated July 10, 1644, for his taking Patrick Leslie, Provost of Aber- deen, Mr. Robert Farquhar, Commissary for the Public, Baillie Jaffray, and his brother, the Dean of Guild, and putting them in prison, " they being the king's free leidges and public persons".

Alexander Jaffray appears shortly afterwards on the Commission for the trial of the malignants, which was the term applied to the opponents of the Covenant. One of these in the Garioch was Mr. Samuel Walcar, Minister of Monkegy, whose crime is

37

290 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

worth noticing as probably a specimen of the feeling and language ready to be adopted on either side as the scale of victory turned. In the next century, the first victories of Prince Charles Stuart sent the Jacobites of the North well-nigh out of their senses. Mr. Samuel Walcar had been similarly affected by the news of Montrose's victory at Kil- syth ; and on the Sunday after the news came the pulpit of Monkegy exhibited his sym- pathies too prominently. He reminded his congregation that he had often told them that the Covenant would come to nothing, but go off like a blast of stinking wind, and now it had come to pass. He was tried for malignancy soon after, upon the Cove- nanters getting in their turn the upper hand. Mr. Alexander Jaffray may have been one of his judges. Deposition, and even excommunication, followed his conviction. The church courts were willing to relieve him speedily from the latter sentence, but his neighbours and old friends who had to deal with him had difficulty for a long time in coming to a confident report that he was penitent for his racy speech ; and he had to do penance in sackcloth, from kirk to kirk, for a while.

When the reverses of the Eoyal forces had come, the Garioch furnished a parallel case to the imprisonment of Jaffray in the House of Pitcaple. A small body of "Irishes" was besieged in the moated House of Wardes, in Insch. A neighbouring miller, a Eoyalist himself, but who had a son in the garrison, in order to save his boy offered the Covenanting besiegers to make a way for them to the house. The miller got the ditch tapped during the night, and so destroyed the defence of the garrison ; which was therefore conquered and put to the sword. The place where the Irish soldiers were buried was known, even up to the end of last century, as the Irish Fauld.

An amusing story is told by Sir James Balfour of the kind of management to which persons like Andrew Cant, to whom temporary circumstances had given a species of importance and had rendered influential for a brief period, were subjected in the sort of reign of terror exercised about this period by the Covenanters.

The hero of the following anecdote was the crafty Provost of Aberdeen, Mr. Robert

Farquhar, who had in 1648 been one of the engagers for the rescue of the King : —

In the beginning of 1649, Mr. Robert Farquer in Aberdeine, being fallen in disfyke with the Campbells and present governours for his agility in the late expeditione to England, being then Com- missarey for the Northern shyres, was now called to ane aecompte, and summoned to Edinburgh for that end. He was greatly perplexed, fearing that if he came in their handes without some holy recommendatione, per expressum, notwithstanding the natural dryness of his laucke lean body, yet they would so squisse him with their screws, so long as they could perceave any comfortable juice in him, that heirafter he would look rather lyke ane thunderslaine than a living creature. Bot he, a sutle craftie fellow, having wexed himselve a long tyme qnhat coursse to take to evitt the rackes and gins layed for him, at last bethinkes himselve of one way of addresse as the moste essured of all otheres, wich was thus : The tyme of his comperence at Edinburghe drawing neir (for he behoved to take jorney one Monday), causses against Sunday at night lies wyffe make good cheire, and sends a parti- cular confident of his to Mr. Andrew Cant, the Minister of Aberdein (one quhose northerly motion hade werey grate influence one the south, he knowing Arcana Imperii), to invitt him to supper. He refuses to come, once, twyce ; at last Mr. Robert resolves with himselve to have him at aney rait, and furthwith goes to his housse himselve, and werey earnestly in submissive and humble termes entreats him to lett him be honoured with his company at supper. The minister refusses, in respecte of the coldness of the night ; he still urges him to goe, and he should find ane sure antidote for any cold. At last, being overcome by Mr. Robert's importunity, he goes home with him (all this tyme it is observ-

Inverurie during the Troubles. 291

able how he caled him no other but still Master Robert), and being sett by the fyre, and made werey veleome, Mr Robert goes to his closet and brings to the hall a goune of blacke velvett, lyned with martrickes, and wold have Mr. Androw putt it one, wich with small entretty he did (thereafter in all his discourses he calls him either Provost or Comissary, and not Mr. Robert) ; and so having supt, and made plentiful! meall, and being againe sett by the fyre, Mr. Robert asks the minister if he had any service to command to Edinburghe, for he was eitted to appeir ther before the Parliament to make his accompt, and therefor besought Mr. Androw that he would recommend him to some of his most confident friends, which he promised to doe. At last, bed tyme drawing neire, Mr. Androw rysses to be gone, and wold have casten off the goune, but Mr. Robert intreatted him not to doe so, nor wrong him that farr, in respect he had brought him from his oven varme house in so cold and rigid a night, to partake of so homely fair, for no other end bot to bestow that chamber goune on him, as befitting his age and gravity, wishing it had been better for his causse ; but such as it was he humbly intreatted him to accept of it, as ane assurance and tokin of hes love and affection to him, which Mr. Androw did without more ceremonies. So Mr. Robert did accompany him home with his goune on his shoul- ders, and at parting Mr. Androw told him he should not doe well to goe without his letters. He said he wold not. To-morrow he got his letters, one to Argyle, one uther to Lothean, and the 3d to the Register, Waristone, with 2 to some ministers, wich made him veleome to Edinburghe, and afterwards to dance about that fyre wich, as he fearid, should, if not burned him, yet at least scalded him verey sore.

The Provost had told the story afterwards to some appreciative hearer. Sir James Balfour

adds — " This history I had from a werey confident and intrinsicke friend of Mr. Robert's,

quho had it from his aven mouthe, and told it to me the 10th of September, 1669."

The self-complacency of Mr. Andrew Cant here recorded agrees with the story told of

him, that though he could not, in his fear of Popery, sleep in a room containing a

portrait of the Apostle Peter, he had his own likeness painted by George Jameson.

Mr. Robert Farquhar received the honour of knighthood from Charles II. "While

his friend Jaffray, wandering through the mazes of conceited Puritanism, lived a moral

life, Sir Robert appears in later years in the Church records in the character too

common in the reign of the second Charles.

INVERURIE DURING THE TROUBLES. The Garioch records of the period of the Troubles are lost, or the'minutes of burghal or sessional proceedings would have illustrated to some extent the frequent military occupations of the district, and we miss in the notes of Spalding local names well known to us. The resident Leslies and Elphinstones and Johnstons are not men- tioned. The Caskieben family was in a depressed condition. Alexander Leslie of Tullos, the local representative of the house of Balquhain, was in similar circumstances, and James Elphinston of Glack was a very old man. The prominent persons on both sides were plainly in frequent difficulty what to do, and others with peculiar do- mestic cares lying upon them may well enough be conceived to have kept as quiet as they could. Among the ministers figuring as sufferers for the part they took Mr. James Mill does not appear. In the spring of 1640, when the Covenanting lords were arrang- ing to harry the district in the form of stenting for the raising of a military force, the minister, then probably wearing towards the threescore years and ten, was rocking his last baby, christened 31st March without the presence of any of the lairds from Caskieben, Glack, Badiefurrow, or Tullos, that rejoiced with him over the first chdd of his mature life ten years before. His witnesses were only Patrick Forbes of Blairtonne and his

292 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

young friend Mr. Samuel Walcar, minister of Monkegy, whose outspoken despising of the Covenant was ao soon to bring both deposition and excommunication upon him. Mr. Mill's youngish wife and the bairns, as well as a little prudence inherited from his experience in 1605, would keep his patriotism quiet. His widow appears in the list of Inverurie proprietors taxed for the Covenanting troops in 1645. When in May, 1644, Argyll spent a Sunday at Inverurie, Mr. Mill was away where the wicked cease from troubling ; and as the new minister was a Forbes and his wife a Strachan, both which names were prominently loyal to the Argyll Covenant, the Marquis may have been able to hear preaching by the parish minister instead of by an army chaplain, such as he had before to employ at Kintore — the doctrine of Mr. John Cheyne, the niiuister, being of the wrong complexion, and perhaps not safe for troops to hear.

In 1645 Inverurie had a taste of compulsory assessment. The Earl of Balcarras, commanding for the Covenant against Montrose, was in Aberdeenshire some weeks before the two defeats which the Royalist leader inflicted upon Urrie at Auldearn and Alford. Some of Balcarras' dragoons under General Urrie were about Inverurie, and gave occasion to the following Act of Council framed in haste : —

Upon the twenty-four of April ane thousand sax hundred fourtie-tive years, the Baillies now sub- scribing, has appoyntit, be the advyse of sik of the Counsell as was present, George Leslie, the collector for uptaking the taxation of the dragowneis, aud ordains him to lift half murks for the boll teuid, within twentie four hours after the dait of thir presents, under pain of doubling.

Jacobus Fergus, no. p. W. Johnston.

ac clcricas dicti bwrgi. John Mackie.

Walter Fergus.

The collector's note of his receipts presents us with names of ratepayers on the occasion, affording, of course, a complete roll of the burgh heritors twelve years later than the purchase of the teinds : —

James Fergus, 4s. 2d. ; William Downie, 6s. 4d. ; Marjorie Elphinstone, 2\ merks ; . . . 18s. ; Jon Steven, 6s. 2d. ; James Anderson, 20s. 5d. ; William Anderson, 40s. 2d. ; Alex. Stiven, 16s. 8d. ; Isabel Blak, 20s. ; Christian Matheson, 6s. 6d. ; John Fergus, 5s. 8d. ; John Mackie, 20s. 5d. ; Gib Buchan, 5 merk ; Alex. Johnston, i merk ; James Fergus, ; Cirstan Tailyr, 5s. 4d. ; Andrew Gib, 12s. ; James Johnston, 42s. 6d. for himself and his mother, and Jean Blak ; John Gib, 3s. ; George Fergus, 3s. 2d. ; Cristan Gairdein, 3s. 2d. ; Alex. Fergus, 8s. 4d. ; George Randall, 30s. ; George Grub, 40s.; Janet Petrie, 15s. ; John Webster, 4s. 2d. ; the old baillie, 10s. 4d. ; George Grub, 22s. 6d. ; John Stiven and William Robertson, 9s. 2d.; Robert Tailyeour, 4s.; Agnes Benzie, 4s.; John Tailyeour, 14s.; Janet Robertson, 18s.; John Stiven for . . 9s.; Thomas Mackie, 4s. ; John Robertson, 4s.; Alex. Fergus, younger, 4s.; Alex. Benzie, 80s.; Robt. Johnston, 20s.; James Roland, 2s.; Robert Murdo, 32s.

Restaud by Robert Tailyour, 20s.

Twentie lbs. for Dragonnis to Urrie.

In the same year the baillies had to meet an account illustrative of the times. By a bond, of date 9th June, 1644, they had agreed to pay thirteen score merks to John Johnston, of New Place of Caskieben, sister's son to Mr. William Forbes ; he engaging to furnish to the burgh, before the 23rd June, 1644, a man and horse, well furnished with all arms pertaining to a trooper, and to produce a sufficient discharge from the routmaster, upon the receipt of the said man and horse and arms. Johnston did not furnish the trooper, which the burgh had to do, but he assigned the burgh's bond to his uncle, who pursued for recovery.

Inverurie during the Troubles. 293

Another taxation, speedily following, exhibits a considerable change of proprietors in two years : —

1646, July 10.— Alexander Cheyne of Pitfichie gives receipt to Thomas Ronald, burgess of In- verurie, for 26 lbs. , for outputting of an horse and man to the Maister of Fraser.

Aecompt for outputting the foot souldiers.

Item for , futman of , and ane part of an baggage horse, four poundes, four

shillings, and this for the part of five.

Item, thrie score ane pound five shillings.

Mair, for three muskets threetie poundes with the

Bandoliers for two pikes, 6 lbs.

For five swords, twentie pounds.

Inde fifty-six poundis.

Mair, to twelve shillings for apparel.

The Maister of Forbes, his first taxation, the fourt of September, 1646.

Geilly Ross, 5s. 8d. ; James Smyth, 1 lb. 12s. ; Isobel Blak, 8s. ; Jon. Fergus, 1 lb. 6s. ; Alexander Paterson, 4 lb. 3s. ;.Jon. Mackie, 6 lb. ; James Anderson, 6 lb. 5s. ; Cristain Gairden, 14s. ; Cristan Matheson, 18s. ; Thomas Randall, 1 lb. 12s. ; Robert Fergus, 3 lb. 12s. ; Jon. Wobstar, 1 lb. 6s. ; James Fergus, younger, 4 lb. ; George Grub, 16s. ; Alexr. Johnston, younger, 3 lb. 12s. ; Jon. Gib, 6 lb. 6s. ; John Mackie, 16s. ; John Stiven, elder, 1 lb. 4s. ; James Johnston, 8 lb. 12s. ; George Fergus, 14s. ; Cristan Tailyeour, 1 lb. 8s. ; Alex. Johnston, elder, 1 lb. 6s. ; Gilbert Buchan, 1 lb. 12s. ; John Banzie, 1 lb. 4s. ; William Anderson, 15s. ; Andrew Gib, -2 lb. 18s. ; William Robertson, 1 lb. ; Janet Anderson, 1 lb. 6s. ; John Johnston, bailie, 7s. 6d. ; Alex. Porter, 4s. ; John Tailleour, 6s. 4d. ; John Johnston, 4s. ; Lewis Fergus, 1 lb. 17s. ; Wm. Johnstone, 3 lb. ; George Porter, 12s. ; Alex. Fergus, 1 lb. 18s. ; John Robertson, 19s. 8d. ; James Smyth, 8s. 8d. ; Marjorie Elphinstone, for her and Agnes Bainzie, 8 lb. 13s. ; William Fergus, younger, 16s. ; William Downie, 1 lb. 10s. ; janot Mackie, 12s. ; William Fergus, elder, 18s. ; Alex. Banzie, 2 lb. 2s. ; Adam Hill, 1 lb. 12s.

These formed an important part of the parishioners of Inverurie, upon whom the severe discipline of the Covenanting Kirk was to descend ; when the result of the civil war invited Cromwell in England, and the emancipated Presbyterian Church in Scot- land, to follow up, more Jiumano, the enjoyment of freedom from royal tyranny by the exercise of a tyranny of their own.

At the Kirk of Inverurie, after the death of Mr. James Mill, Mr. "William Forbes, must have been admitted in or before 1644, in which year he granted receipt to George Leslie, baillie in Inverurie, for part of his stipend ; and he continued minister of In- verurie until 1C78, as appears by a discharge to John Keith and John Anderson, baillies, for 27 lb.^10 sh. silver stipend, payable at the feast and term of Whitsunday, 1678, the discharge being written by Eobert Forbes, his lawful son. The Eev. Mr. Forbes was married to Margaret Strachan. He had at least another son, born 15th April, 1644, named William, and a daughter, Margaret, born 1646 ; and a daughter, Jean, who became a historical personage. His son Robert was a licentiate of the Church.

The successor of Mr. Mill became, it is likely, minister by popular election. The patronage of the kirk of Inverurie had passed, in 1617, from Lord Lindores to Mr. Duncan Forbes of Lethinty ; but Presbyterianism, at the time of Mr. Forbes's induc- tion, excluded lay patronage. The records of his incumbency, unlike the quaint registers of family events which Mr. Mill delighted to keep, tell in their earlier years of the offi- cious and stern ecclesiastical discipline which, becoming oppressive in inconsiderate hands, was to lead to its own defeat.

294 Inverurie mid the Earldom of the Garioch.

The Inverurie court book for 1645-1G82, helps us to a few of the names of the local rulers during those brief but burdensome military musters, of which Inverurie %vas gene- rally the centre.

" Umquhile William Ferguson," in whose house the Marquis of Huntly lodged when encamping at Inverurie, was, it seems pretty certain, the father of the "William Ferguson in Crichie, ancestor of the present Pitfour, Kinmundy, and other families of the same name.

The collector of the assessment for Urrie's dragoons was the last of the Leslies who had so long been burgesses of Inverurie, and proprietors of extensive Roods in the south end of the burgh. The late minister's ward and stepson, George Leslie, half brother of the eminent Baillie Norman Leslie of forty years before, had been himself repeatedly baillie. He inherited his brother's extensive burgh property, and built a stone mansion upon his eighteen Upper Eoods, from which they have had the name of Stonehouse ever since ; and spread a spacious garden of nine roods' breadth upon the Lower Eoods oppo- site. The burgh minutes show him, in 1646, one of a triumvirate, as his brother Nor- man had been. He was elected, 2nd March, 1648, Commissioner for Inverurie in the Con- vention of Estates ; and received two-and-sixpence a-day during his attendance, and " whatever other expenses he might bestow upon Lawers and other offices expedient and needful". He died, apparently unmarried, before July, 1655 ; and Stonehouse was sold to John Galloway, merchant and burgess of Aberdeen, by Sir Patrick Leslie of Whyt- ball, and Alexander Leslie of Tullos (the Balquhain of the time), who possibly may have been George Leslie's executors.

The other baillies were Walter Ferguson and John Johnston, which last afterwards had the honour of placing his initials upon the entablature of the new town-house. He was the grandson of the Baillie William Johnston noted in the great burgh feud.

The baillies seem, at that disturbed period, to have felt the need of some substitute for the " divinity that doth hedge " legitimate authority as much as Baillie Hervie of the past generation did. The following ordinance and illustration are on record : — ■

1646, Oct. — Whatsotnever indweller troubles the bailies or other office men, either be injurious speech or any other wrong, shall pay 40 lbs.

1647, 6 April. — George Leslie, bailie, complained on Gillie Ross and Annas Grub, her dother, for putting violent hands on his body, and deforcing him of his office. The bailies ordain her to pay 100 lbs. fine, and 40 lbs. damages ; and appoint the officer to poynd her goods, and put the accused in ward.

Mrs. Grub was the widow of George Grub, laird of Brandsbutt, and of several Eood holdings. Of two families of the name, individuals appear continuously afterwards holding municipal office. The family is commemorated in the Grub mortification, left by the last representative — an Aberdeen stocking merchant — who died about 1850, and whose portrait hangs in the Council Chamber of Inverurie.

Mr. Alexander Mitchell, the schoolmaster of 1616, was still alive ; but apparently his school, like many others in the neighbourhood, was abandoned for want of main- tenance. The Synod, four years afterwards, ordered a school to be " sowne " at Inver-

The Time of the King's Death. 295

urie ; and, upon a contested election, Mr. Mitchell was appointed to the charge for a period of three months, which he did not complete. His son, Alexander, a somewhat unruly youth, who afterwards became what passed for a staid magistrate and respectable elder, was served heir to him in 1652.

A month after Mrs. Grub's case, a more serious matter occupied the attention of the burgh court for some time. The town had to be kept by watch and ward for six months, against the approach of the plague.

1647, 10 May. — Ordeinit that the haill inhabitants, widowes and others, sail watche, twa of them nichtiie, Induring the spaice of twenty-four houres, at both the ends of the burghe, under paine of ane hundred pounds failzie, and to continue during the time of suspitione of the plague ; the haill bottis (ferry-boats) landing within our freedom, to wit, Croftheid, John Fergus and Andrew Steivin's bot, to be drawn during the spaice aforesaid, two widows to furnish ane man.

18th Nov. — Ordenit that the watchers sail continue till ten hours at even nichtiie, and enter on be the sky-rysing in the morning, and to delyver and set in the pykes in George Leslie and Robert Murdo's hous (the south and north extremities of the burgh), whereupon they may challence the trewth of their keeping of their dewtie.

30th Nov. — No stranger to be received be onie inhabitants without convoy of the guard, with ane warrant from the bailie or minister, either of them.

3d Dec. — Statute that no inhabitant, indweller, or onie other person within this burgh, pass without this toune without libertie of the bailies or minister, under paine of 10 lbs. money in case of failzie.

Also no indweller have ane sickness, either man, woman, or bairne, but sail acquaint the minister and bailies of their sickness in all tynies coming, under pain of 10 lbs. in case of failzie, before that ouy neighbour visit him.

Alexander Porter is dicernet to pay 10 lbs. money, for passing without this our burgh, bot libertie grantit to him to ane burial at least suspectit ; and siclyke James Taylor is decernit to pay fourtie schillings money, for going with him as accompliss.

The session of King's College was held that year at Fraserburgh, with the exception of the divinity class, which the Synod appointed to meet at " Kintoir," because of the cost to which Mr. William Douglass, the professor, would be put, if he removed his numerous family to Fraserburgh.

The meeting of Estates in which Baillie George Leslie represented his Majesty's royal burgh of Inverurie, had to deal with the Engagement which Charles, in his prison at Newport, in the Isle of Wight, secretly entered into with the Scotch Commissioners who visited him there, that he would be " the Covenanted King of a Presbyterian people". We may place the member for Inverurie in the majority which ratified that agree- ment on the part of the Kingdom of Scotland ; and which ordered an army to be raised to proceed into England, to the help of the king. Argyll headed a party who resisted the agreement ; and the Church took that side, being distrustful of an alliance with English Presbyterians and Cavaliers, as an unfaithful union with prelatical malignants. In the battle of Preston Cromwell routed the Scotch army, and Argyll and the ecclesiastical party became supreme in Scotland. The Church Courts for years after- wards, exacted from those who had been royalists at that juncture, penance for having been concerned in the " unlawful engagement ",

THE TIME OF THE KING'S DEATH. Historical critics have not infrequently assumed that events of unusual importance

296 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

to a community ought to be found referred to in almost every contemporary public re- cord. Unless the event had produced immediate local effects, it is much more likely not to be noticed in local records. The minutes of burghal and ecclesiastical courts in the Garioch contain not the slightest reference to the death of Charles I. on 30th January, 1649 : and none to the establishment of the Commonwealth, except the following summons addressed to runaway burgesses to return home in order to be taxed : —

1649, 9 May. — No inhabitant or indweller to remove themselffis furth of this burghe in tyme coming under failzie of 200 lbs., and those who have removit to return home and make their actual residence, within fifteen days, under failzie aforesaid. Because they remove themselffis at ther pleasure for eschewing of the present taxes, letters, and quarterings imposit, or to be imposit, be the estates and committees of schyres, for the public calamities of our countrie.

The " happy restoration " of Charles II. in 1660, would have left just as little notice behind it, in the local records of his royal burgh, had it not been that the Don was in spate on the Sunday when the minister of Inverurie was to render thanks for the memor- able event ; and as the people could not get to the flood-encircled church, the minutes ' of session bear that the beadle was to go through the parish, during the week, to give notice of thanksgiving for the following Sunday.

The burgh was busy with its own important, or most trifling, public affairs at the time when London was in agonies of spirit over the terrible consummation of the political struggle between Charles I. and his excited and exasperated subjects. Actions for "bluiding" and "dinging" occupied the bench as of old time, along with the infeftments of heirs, collection of public burdens, ordinances as to the mill, the folds, the roods, the herd's fee, the prices of ale, the regulation of pasturage, and prosecution of careless tres- passers upon the corn, bear, and peats of neighbours. An official residence was being built for the town herd ; and in the month which witnessed the execution of the King, the most important transaction of the burgh court was the granting leave to two single women, Isobel Davidson and Isobel More, to remain unremovit until Whitsunday next, 1649, they being sufficientlie provydit in kaill and peitts.

In the month of May following, on the same day that the order was issued ordering the return of fugitives from taxation, the first tack of the moss of Bogfur from Alexander Strachan, younger of Glenkindie, laird of Kemnay, was agreed to by the haill inhabitants, except Thomas Ronald and Robert Murdo. The bargain was renewed from time to time until, at least, 1740. Alexander Strachan, elder and younger, of Glenkindie on Don- side, had, a few. years after Sir Thomas Crombie's death, purchased Kemnay from a a sister and nephew of Sir Thomas, who were his heirs portioners.

The rude state of society within the burgh, where the magistrates were at the time issuing hruta fuhnina, in the form of fines imposed but not paid, for violence committed by respectable indwellers, was of a piece with the state of the neighbourhood, as we find it indicated in the measures taken, by the church courts, to have morals and manners re- duced to. order, schools re-opened, churches made wind and water-tight, pulpit-bibles

The Time of the King's Death. 297

and communion tables and table cloths provided, the property of defuncts protected from abstraction, and such like.

The course of small events of local consequence, making up the history of the Garioch at that epoch, was crossed by two short scenes of national history — the passage southward of Montrose as a prisoner going to his death, and of Charles II. conducted, as he imagined, to his kingdom.

After the slaughter of Charles I. by the dominant party in England, the Scots, terrified for their own liberties, on account of which alone they had been at variance with the King, deemed it their best national policy to treat with his son, and offer him the Crown of Scotland, upon condition of his accepting the Covenant. Commissioners were sent to him in Holland, of whom Alexander Jaffray was one ; and they succeeded in persuading him to take the pledge, which Jaffray and others were clear-sighted enough to foresee would not be regarded by him. Montrose, at the same time, conceived a plan for placing Charles on the throne untrammelled. The Prince entertained both proposals, little heeding the consequences which the failure of either might bring upon his other friends.

Montrose, with a force of about 6000 German mercenaries, and a small number of Royalists — like himself, refugees — landed in March, 1650, in Orkney. The inhabitants, instead of joining his army, fled at its approach. He was met at the Pass of Invercharron, in Ross-shire, by General Leslie's troops, and totally defeated. He sought refuge with Macleod of Assynt, and was given up by him. Montrose was afterwards carried south, a prisoner, to Edinburgh, in a manner dishonourable to his captors. He was dressed meanly, in the garb wherein he had disguised himself for concealment, and mounted on a Highland pony, having his feet tied with straw ropes, a herald, with needless parade, riding before him and proclaiming, " Here comes James Graham, a traitor to his country ". In this state Montrose passed through the Garioch, Pitearjle Castle being made his prison for a night. The laird's wife was the Marquis's own cousin, and she tried to induce him to attempt escape, by a hole in the wall, which led out by a subter- ranean passage, but he refused and was borne on to the capital, where he was beheaded, 21st May, 1650, in virtue of a sentence passed upon him before he was taken. Sir John Urrie, one of the officers of his expedition, suffered at the same time. The room in Pitcaple, occupied by the fallen chief is still known as Montrose's Room.

Pitcaple Castle next received the unworthy master for whom Montrose bad sacrificed himself. Charles landed at Garmouth, or Kingston, on the Spey, in July, 1650 ; and lodged at the Bog of Gight near that creek. Prom that seat of his late subject the Marquis of Huntly, he set out on his progress, accompanied by Huntly's greatest enemy, Argyll, and the Duke of Buckingham. The royal party entered the Garioch by the passage through the Hills of Poudland, and while St. Sair's Pair was being held ; the tents of which they mistook for an encampment of Covenanters, and made a detour to avoid their neighbourhood. The laird of Pitcaple, knowing that his house was to be a resting

38

298

Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

place, purchased all the claret brought to St. Sair's Fair on that occasion. In the grounds of Pitcaple stands a large thorn tree, under which the royal party is said to have danced on the night of the sojourn, when all the Royalists of the neighbourhood had assembled to welcome the young prince and a ball took place. Charles, in after days, would recollect the Pitcaple thorn more pleasantly than the Royal Oak which afforded him shelter sub- sequently. A field near the Castle is still called England, from a remark of the Prince that the view reminded him of England. On his departure from Pitcaple, with Buckingham riding on his right hand, and Argyll on his left, the Goodwife of Glack is said to have addressed Charles in a loud tone from amidst the onlooking assemblage, invoking blessings on his journey, but bidding him beware of the man on his left hand, who had taken off his father's head, and if he did not take care would have his next. The Laird and his brother James Leslie both gave their lives to the ineffectual support of his cause next year on the field of "Worcester.

Alexander Jaffray was one of the Commissioners who brought Charles to his then short-lived reign. Jaffray would experience peculiar sensations, upon finding himself within his former prison again, in so different a position.

William, Earl Marischal, eldest brother of the first Earl of Kintore, received the young King, some days after, at Dunnottar Castle ; and his brother, George, was taken prisoner, sword in hand, at the fatal battle of "Worcester. The King had forbidden Earl "William to leave his charge of Dunnottar Castle, where the Eegalia was to be preserved.

Chapter IX.'

THE RULE OF THE KIRK.

Mr. Andrew Cant. General Government. — Discipline — Controversial Books — Tlie Engagement — Gerdon of Newton — Visitation of Inverurie — Lairds' Processed — Renewal of the Covenant — Visi- tations— Bourtie, &c. — Lairds Submitting — Property of Defuncts — Depositions — Residents — Witchcraft — Extreme Crimes — Row's History — Marischal College — Clerical Dress — Mixed Wine --Submissions — Converse with Excommunicates— Military Chaplains— Daviot Annexations — Pressure of Cromwell — Rectification of Parish Boundaries — Kcmnay Kirk and Minister — Laird of Fettcrnear — Papists — Visitation of Inverurie^Rights of Electors. Discipline op Ministers. Discipline of Parishes. — Platform of Sessional Duties — Paupers — Manners — Communion Ser- vice— Sabbath-breaking —Alehouse Restrictions — Kirk Catalogue — Cromwell's Independents — Elders — Rough Manners — Kirk of Inverurie. Schools under the Covenant and Second Episcopacy. — Schoolmasters of Inverurie, lGIfi to 1670 — Oarioch Schoolmasters.

Mr. ANDREW CANT.

"*HE state of society in Scotland during the years from 1649 to 1660 was practically an Ecclesiastical Government, which was perhaps most strenuously exercised in Aberdeenshire, the part of the country that had been but imperfectly subdued. Disappointment in the expectation formed by the party of the Marquis of Argyll that Scotland was to be followed by the larger Kingdom in Presbyterianism, and the existence of much reaction of feeling respecting the Covenanting policy — which had been one of the lines by which the country had been led to the awful regicide — made the party in power in Scotland apparently feel it to be necessary to fortify their position by enforcing the bonds of the Covenant anew. They made its adoption a condition in offering the crown of Scotland in 1649 to the son of the slaughtered King, and the ecclesiastical records for some years after exhibit a renewal of subscription to the Covenant being enforced upon all classes of the people.

In Aberdeenshire the director of ecclesiastical affairs, during this revival of dis- cipline, was Mr. Andrew Cant, who dominated in the Synod, and was, in all likelihood, the constructor of the remarkable code of laws under which the kirk-sessions of the parishes were ordered to address themselves to secure the faithfulness of their parish- ioners. Beyond his public life there is not much known of the celebrated Aberdonian, from whose name the Spectator of Queen Anne's days derived the term " cant " used of a certain style of religious language. A Mr. Andrew Cant of Glendy married, in 1655, Anna, a daughter of the Covenanting baronet of Leys, Sir Thomas Burnet, of

300 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

whose parish of Banchory-Ternan Mr. Cant's sou Alexander was minister from 1649 to 1660; and Mr. Andrew was at one time proprietor of some lands in Alford. Cant is said to have hegun his university attendance late in life ; a circumstance quite in accordance with his force of character, which may have impelled him into a more active life than he had originally fallen into. He graduated at King's College, Aberdeen, in 1612, when twenty-eight years of age, and had been of such eminence in scholarship that he held the office of Humanist in 1614, and not later than 1617 became minister of Alford, where he still was in 1629. In 1625 he purchased "Wellhouse and part of Ardgethin from the Master of Forbes, and in 1629 two crofts in the Kirktown of Alford, all which he renounced in 1649 to John Forbes of Leslie for 4800 nierks. In the deeds of renunciation a deceased son James is named, also Alexander, Andrew, Sarah (wife afterwards of Provost Jaffray), and Margaret. All these seem to have been born after 1625, the date of his first purchase, except Alexander. Andrew, the son, was Mr. Andrew in 1649. An anonymous writer states that Mr. Cant resigned his parish because in bad odour with the dominant party, and became tutor to Lord Pitsligo's family and first minister of Pitsligo in 1634. Heap- pears, however, as minister of Pitsligo in 1633, when he took part with the other heritors of Alford in the honourable work of providing a permanent salary for the school of Alford, of which Mr. John Leslie was master. The kirk of Pitsligo, long called Cant's kirk, is still in use. It had a medallion portrait of Mr. Cant inserted in the wall.

The characteristic period of Mr. Cant's life began when resistance to the Epis- copalian encroachments attempted by the King roused active resistance within the Scottish Church. With Henderson and Dickson he rushed to the front ; and he was able to hold position as a leader duriug the fierce contest then entered upon. He was one of the three members of the Clergy's Table, formed along with the Tables of the Barons and of the Burgesses, for the promulgation or enforcement of the Covenant. Spalding, writing of the year 1629, says: " Vpone the first of Marche Mr. Androw Cant, minister at Petsligo, cam with his wyf and children to Old Abirdein, whair he lodgit all nicht ; and vpone the nixt Sonday in his journey teichit at Banchrie-Devnik, to whome flokkit sindrie puritanes out of Abirdein to heir him — a gryte Covenanter, veray bussy in thir alterationis and mortal enemy touardis the bischoppis." He had been one of the Commission sent to enforce the Covenant upon the Aberdouians in 1638, and was, much against the wish of the citizens, next sent to be minister there in 1640. He seems to have possessed a fierce eloquence and indomitable courage, which appeared not only in his domination of the city, but also in his defiant advocacy of Charles II. in the face of Cromwell's colonels who were sitting in his audience. His vanity and inconsistency has been noticed above. His singular force of character and confidence in himself and his cause gave form to the proceedings of the Kirk in the Garioch after 1649. He seems to have regarded the Synod as his own court, where

General Government. 301

lie was ably supported by Mr. John Bow, whom ho had brought to Aberdeen, and who became Principal of King's College during Cant's period of domination, from 1651 down to the Eestoration. Eow was for his learning worthy of the promotion he received. In political spirit he was a meet ally of Mr. Cant. The two with a single follower, Mr. John Menzies, Professor of Divinity in Marischal College, attempted to organise a secession upon the plea of purity of communion. Eow and Menzies, with Mr. John Seaton of Old Aberdeen, were dealt with for independency in 1652, and when the Synod, after enduring their unruly conduct for a while, sought to reduce them to order by discipline, they procured an injunction from the military commandant in the town to desist from processing them. The universal revulsion of feeling which resulted in the Eestoration of the Monarchy put an end to Cant's power though not to his grand courage. An outrageous attack from the pulpit upon those engaged in celebrating the return of Charles II. to his kingdom made him be summoned before the Town Council upon the complaint of those he had vilified, and he fled the town, taking refuge with Andrew his son, then minister of Liberton, who had deserted his father's colours and adopted the new Episcopacy, and afterwards became Principal of Edin- burgh University. He returned to Aberdeen where he was deposed. He died 30th April, 1663, and was buried in St. Nicholas Churchyard, Aberdeen. The explanation of Cant's prolonged domination is that he was practically, and it would appear recog- nised, the representative in the North of the Marquis of Argyll, during all the years that nobleman ruled Scottish affairs, in progress as a Covenanter, the patron of Charles II., and an ally perforce of Cromwell.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

Eecords of the Synod of Aberdeen from 1647, of the Presbytery of Garioch from 1617, and of the Kirk-Session of Inverurie from 1619, and of the Court- Book of the Burgh of Inverurie from 1645, afford illustrations of the general condition of society and of the measures thought necessary by the existing powers for the public weal. The Church Courts appear exercising a rigorous supervision of morals, social habits, and re- ligious observances, and exacting provision for religious ordinances, for schools and the poor. The latter three matters were inquired into at periodical visitations of parishes made by the local Presbytery ; while the Synod issued general instructions as occasion arose, and superintended the exercise of discipline, flagrant cases of immorality, and in others con- nected with national politics. Mabgnancy, comprehending all disinclination to the Covenant, was a standing crime in the ecclesiastical calendar; and after 1648 another was the Engagement — the futile attempt, made in accordance with a resolution of the Scottish Estates, to rescue the King from the Parliament of England.

(Synod) — discipline and orders.

1647, Oct. — Exconimunicat persons in the Garioch — Patrick Leith, younger of Harthill ; Wm. Gordon of Newton ; Setons of Blair, elder and younger, and Jean Mallin.

302 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Ordained that whosoever haunts the company of excommunicat persons, or resets them in their houses, be according to the ordinance of the Assembly (Synod). The Assembly recommends

the judicatories to be erected in everie parochin, for censiing of sweirers, mockers of pietie, drunkards, Sabbath-breakers ; and the mrs. that shall be found remiss herein to be sharplie censered, and ilk presbyterie, at the'next meeting, to take tryall of the diligence of the minrs. thereanent.

The Presbytery of Garioch is ordained to give Mr. William Leith presentation to the whole bene- fice of the kirkes of Kinkell, aud he thereafter to dissolve the said benefice in a legall way by sight of the Presbytery for provision of the several kirks of that benefice (Kinkell, Kintore, Drumblat, Skein, Kinnellar, aud Dyce), and that he do this in that way that may satisfy the Assembly, and to report ther diligence, as they shall be anserable to the next Assembly.

It is ordanit that sermon begin in ilk landwart parochin at ten hors in the winter season, and halfe to ten in the summer ; and the mini', to kep the sd hors, and to atend the dyet of none.

(Presbytery)— controversial prints.

23rd March. — A letter received this day from the moderator of the General Assembly, requyring payment to James Murray, for the printed papers, with the fourtene copies of the hundred and eleven propositions, at 5 shs. the piece, and fourtene Catechisms at 10 shs. the piece.

NEWTON.

13 Apryll — James Gordon, younger of Newton, compeared, neglecting of the public

and private worship of God, and taking away the registers of the presbytery, the session book, and their own minister s books of Culsalmond, and not countenancing the ministers of the gospel, but rather persecuting the same, ever since he was a man. And being present this day, was called and compeird in sackcloth, confessing with grief and sorrow his accession to the late horrid rebellion, whereby he had been an enemie to the cause and covenant of God, begging of the Lord and

forgiveness of the same, and promising by the strength and power of God's grace, to amend all his former wicked wayes and workes, and to avoid all such wickedness with the authors and

favourers thereof, and in face of the Presbyterie, with an uplifted hand, subseribt the Covenant, and is ordained to go to his own parish church, and sit in sackcloth before the congregation, aud subscryve the national Covenant, with the solemn League and Covenant,

(Synod) — market, kirks, burials.

1648, April. — The Satterdy market at Insch ordained to be changed.

The heritors in all parishes are ordained to keep the kirk wind-fast and water-tight, and glass the same.

The groundless custom of not burying at the back of the kirk, is referred to the General Assembly, that they may pass an Act upon it.

(Presbytery) — FOOTBALL— THE ENGAGEMENT — NEWTON.

Scandelous behaviour reported of diverse of the parishioners of Raine and Culsalmond iu conven- ing themselves upon the Lord's day to a public footballing.

1 June. — A letter was read from the commission of the General Assembly, with twentie copies of informations, and desyring the brethren not to give assistance in any way to the proceedings of the high court of Parliament.

4 Julie. — Act of Commission of Assembly read, requiring moderators to see if every brother had declared against the present engagement, and given public information to the people of the unlawful- ness thereof.

1 7 Aug. — The minister of Culsalmond reports that George Gordon, elder, of Newton, being urged to subscribe the Solemn Leage and Covenant, as he had faithfullie promised, refused in regard the Scots armie is now gone into England against it : whereat the Presbytery was highly offended, and the minister of Culsalmond ordained to require him, and to process him if he refuse to attend.

(Synod) — kinkell.

October — The provinciall assemblie thinks it incumbent for the Presbyterie of Garioch to put up their grievances to the Parliament for ratification of the disollution of the Kirk of Kinkell in particular, according to the Acts of Parliament passed alreadie.

Every minister to advertise his people that the magistrates of Aberdeen have promised to take order with swearers, drunkards, and turbulent persons from the country, and put them in firmauce.

General Government. 303

INVERURIE SCHOOL AND KIRK.

Mr. William Forbes, minister of Inverurie, is ordayned to have a care to sowe a school there to propagate the gospell, and use all diligence to have the kirk helped ; and for the better effectuating of these things, the Presbyterie of Garioch is ordained to have a visitation of that church with all con- venient diligence, and Mr. Andrew Strachan, Mr. James Jarvie, and Mr. Andrew Abercrombie to be assessors.

Account to be taken of all heritors and wadsetters who had sent out men to the unlawful engagement.

The keepers of Youll day, and setters on of midsummer fires and candles, to be. punishit.

Eecommended to the whole ministers within the province, to have a week-day for lecturing and catechising.

(Presbytery) — lairds op fetternear and blair.

28 Dec. — Mr. John Gellie, at Monymusk, reported that he and Mr. John Seaton had conferred with the Laird of Fetternear ^Abercromby) and his lady, anent their dishaimting their paroch kirk, and Recepting of Seminarie priests ; who utterlie denied any fellowship, privatlie or publiclie, with men of that stamp ; and that they were willing to purge themselves by their oath that such persons were never in their eompanie ; and as for their keeping of the kirk of Fetternear, declared that he ordi- norlie keeped the same, except on a tempestuous day, and should strive to keep the same in all tyme coming ; and for his Lady he urged she was great with child, and far distant from his own paroch kirk, and he besought the Presbyterie for the favour to suffer his Lady to keep Kemnay, being the nearest paroch kirk, until she should be delyvered.

They were, however, Roman Catholics all the time, and the minister of Kemnay's wife was much the same. Mr. John Row next year demanded on the part of the Synod that she should be given up to discipline for papistical practices. Her husband, Dr. David Leith, left his parish for years, and was found, after much inquiry, to be officiat- ing in a chapel near London, whereupon the Synod ordered him to be deprived.

VISITATION OF INVERURIE.

1649, 13 Feb. — Report — Collections for the poor were verrie small, and the compt of the distri- bution thereof was not insert in the Session Book.

The officer, John Gibb, approven in his calling.

The elders were too few, in regard many of them were debarred from the function, be reason of their subscribing the Parliamentarian Act, and the minister was desired to make choice of some other elders, free of the like guiltiness, to concurre with him in furthering Kirk discipline.

Next year, John Johnston, the baillie, one of the guilty, was allowed to renew the

Covenant, in face of the congregation of Inverurie. The instruction as to the Schools

was carried out. ( Vide Schools under the Covenant, and the Second Episcopacy).

(Synod) — seton of blair.

April.— It is ordanit that Seton of Blair, excommunicat papist, giving great offence to the

professors of the truth by being employed, as a physician through all the parishes of the country, the Assembly, as of befor, ordaynes ilk minister within the province to take notice of the pairts wherein he haunts, and the employers and receptors of him, and discharge the same, and prepare discipline against the Transgressors of the Acts, as they will be answerable to the next provincial Assembly.

(Presbytery) — signing of the covenant by parishes.

29th March. — The said day the whole Brethren were posed how farr the League and Covenant " was advanced within their several congregations. In the most part they declared it was subscryved by the whole congregations except such as were debarred by Act of Commission ; and Mr. John Mid- dleton (Rayne), Mr. William Leith (Einkell), and Mr. William Strachan (Daviot), declared that the most part of the parishioners refused to subscribe at all.

(Synod) — the covenant.

April.— Every minister to convene his Kirk-S^ssion, and ascertain why they have not sub-

304 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

scribed to the Solemn League and Covenant, and urge them to do so ; which if they refuse to, declare them, out of the pulpit, enemies to the work of the Information.

At everie third meeting of Presbyterie, in winter, and every second, in summer, the Moderator to inquire at every member what his text for lecture was, and how the Lord's day was spent be the people.

Ignorant persons to be catechised before baptism, or marriage.

(Presbytery) — visitation of bouktie.

18 Aug. — This day being appointed for the visitation of this church, the names of the elders were given up be the minister, and called one by one.

The Moderator showed the end of their coming there, conform to the practice of the apostles, and those that lived in the primitive church, was to visit the state of the congregation, and accordinglie to see how the gospel prospered among them, and how the work of God was done both be pastor and people.

The minister being removed, the elders sworne one by one, with uplifted hand, to answer to the platforme of queries, declare, as in the sight of God, that the minister is powerful in his doctrine, careful in his discipline, and unblameable in his lyffs, and accomplished and faithful and forward in the work of Reformation ; his Lecture on the Lord's Day on the 12 Joshua, and his Sermon before and after noon 28 Acts, 27-28 verses : his Lecture on the Week Day, 4 Job and proceedes ; he observes the directory and Acts of General Assemblie. There is no school, nor schoolmaster, for want of maintenance.

The minister being called, it is ordained he deall with the parishioners for maintenance to ane schoolmaster. There is found two hundred merks of mortified moneys be the laird of Pitmedden, now in the tutor his hands ; the minister ordayned to deal with the tutor for securitie thereof, and report to the presbiterie before the provincial assemblie. [The Laird of Bourtie and Pitmedden, Johu Seton, was a minor, and the Earl of Winton was his tutor.]

The minister ordayned to cause labour the Dominie his croft.

Within that congregation the stipend is aucht chalders of victual. The minister has no grass. Ordayned to serve an edict for that effect, that counsel may be taken thereanent. There is no magis- trate erected as yet. The session book visited and allowed. The officer, Thomas Middleton, admo- nished aud exhorted to obedience.

The elders removed, and the'minister posed what he knew of them, desyrs them to be gravelie admonished, which they were, and took it in good part. The moderator exhorted the minister to continuance, the elders to faithfulness, and all of them to a love of the truth, and assured them of a blessed and glorious reward in the end.

national fast.

A fast appointed by the General Assembly for the last of this present August. Causes : witch- craft, opposition to the work of God's people by sectaries in England, and malignants in Ireland, the King's not yet granting the just and necessary desyrs of this kirk and kingdom, and his making peace with the Irish rebells, who have shed so much blood of the Lord's people, and giving them the full liberty of poprie.

Young King Charles had been difficult of persuasion to comply with the conditions prescribed by the Commissioners sent to him.

(Presbytery)— visitations.

Leslie, 30 Aug. — Minister characterised in the same terms as at Bourtie. No school for want of maintenance. In the Kirk some " pumfells " to be demolished, primo quo tempore.

Bethelnie, 15 Sept. — Minister's stipend, 500 merks of money, 24 bolls victual ; no grass designed ; no schoolmaster for want of maintenance ; the Act of Parliament respecting the poor not yet put in force, but about to be.

Kinkell, Sept. 27.— Stipend, 34 bolls, victuals, 3 firlots ; 100 merks money, 4 sh. less, with the vicarage ; no grass nor desyned moss.

The monuments of idolatrie in the kirk ordayned to be demolished, against the next meeting, be the minister and elders, as they will be answerable.

lairds submitting.

John Leslie of Pitcaple ; James Elphinstone, younger of Glack ; John Gordon, Eothmaise : and

General Government. 305

others of that nature, compeared before the Presbyterie, and desired to be received and admitted to the Renewing of the League and Covenant. The moderator asked them if they were willing to sub- scrive the late acknowledgment and declaration of the General Assembly ; answered they could not take upon them the guiltiness contained therein. Their petition was refused.

(Synod)— catechism — charming — general orders.

October. — Children to be brought up with the lesser catechism in every parish ; and the old catechism to be discharged.

All ministers recommended to make search for trying out of charmirTg and witchcraft ; and if they find any solid ground for ane commission, to send for it.

Every minister who keeps his session scrolls unbooked longer than three months to be censured.

property of defuncts.

The Assemblie taking into their serious consideration the great loss sustained by orphans, widows, legatees, and lawful creditors, by entries with defuncts' goods and geir, dilapidating the same before any finding of caution and confirming of the defuncts' tesments, tand especially by relicts who enter into second marriages, before they give up inventors or confirm their defunct husbands' tes- ments. Therefor, upon the special petition of the Comissar of Aberdeen remonstrating the great abuse and prejudice in the forsaid, they have ordained that no minister within the province sail marry any relict, or husband, of any defunct person, until they report ane confirmed testament of the de- funct ; and that every minister send in to the procurator fiscal!, or clerk of the comissar, within

days, the whole names of the defuncts within their parishes the six years bygone ; and in all time coming, to send them in twice in the year, to wit at the provincial meetings, to the effect forsaid, and also the name of intromitters with the goods, and such information as they can give of the inventors and wreits of the defunct.

(Presbytery) — depositions.

29th November.— Mr. John Middletou reported he had gone to the Kirk of Monkegye, and declared it vacant, by the deposition of Mr. Samuel Walter for malignancy.

Mr. George Mill reported he had gone to the Kirk of Daviot, and did intimate the suspension of Mr. Will. Strachan, late minister there.

Mr. George Leith reported he had declared the Kirk of Kinkell vacant, by the deposition of Mr. William Leith.

troublesome lairds.

1650, 15th January. — The Lairds ofWardhouse, elder and younger, summoned for dishaunting the public worship of God at their Parish Kirk, so far as the Presbyterie could learn, and for wilful withstanding to subscribe the Solemn League and Covenant, save only that old Wardhouse had subscribed the League, with a reservation whereof the Presb. could noways allow ; Called, and not appearing, summoned^™ teriio.

Mr. Will. Burnet regretted to the Presbyterie the great wrong and violence offered to him be John Leyth of Harthill in the time of divine service.

HarthLU's violence appears repeatedly again. The above deposed or suspended ministers, along with Mr. John Cheyne of Kintore, had been outstanders against the Solemn League and Covenant ; and were removed from their offices by a judgment of the Synod in June, 1649.

Mr. John Middleton, a hot Covenanter, whose zeal had not begun to be tempered by years, would find the task congenial of declaring the deposition of the malignant minister at Monkegy. He had been chaplain in General Middleton's force for the months from March to July, and October to December, 1645, and in March and April, 1 647 ; for satisfaction whereof Mr. John had applied to the Estates for some reparation for his losses and sufferings sustained from the rebels and enemies of the kingdom, by his fidelity and constancy to the Covenant and country. His important services to society wero terminated in 1653, when he died at the age of forty-four. His memory was perpetuated in the following epitaph : —

39

306 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Whereas I stood in pulpit round,

And now I ly alow the ground ;

When as you corse (cross) my corpse so cold

Remember the words that I you told.

Mr. John Middleton got the living of Rayne after Mr. Andrew Logie was extruded upon an accusation of heresy in 1643. Logie was a man of talent, and in strong sym- pathy in all matters eft national politics with the general population of the Garioch ; circumstances which explain the fact that he continued to act practically as the minister of Eayne though deposed. The people had unanimously, it would appear, refused to subscribe the Covenant ; and after the removal of Middleton's successor to Old Machar, in 1661, Logie was replaced in his original charge.

CASKIEBEN AND BALBITHAN".

Mr. Gilbert Keith appointed to go next Lord's Day to the Kirk of Monkegy, and receive the Laird of Caskieben to the renewing of the Solemn League and Covenant. Mr. Arthur Ore to go to Kinkell, and receive William Chalmers to repentance, in the most humble manner, for his compliance and other malignant anoyance, and upon his repentance to receive him to the renewing of the Solemn League and Covenant.

CASE OF WITCHCRAFT.

At Insch, 12 March. — This day, according to the ordinance of the Presbyterie, convened the Laird of Pitodrie, Alexander Erskine, with the ruling elders of Insch ; and Mr. George Mill, Mr. Robert Cheyne, Mr. Arthur Ore, Mr. Alexander Ross, and Mr. Alexander Strachan, for tryal of Mar- garet Ogg, challenged for witchcraft ; and Maister Alexander Ross declared that he had caused sum- mons all pairties that could give Light and Information on the said businesse : And therefore Isabel Ro'tson, Margaret Cgg, and Janet Johnston, her daughter, George Mortimer, Andrew Walker, George Traile, Elspet Ross, Margaret Wyllie, Elspet Ro'tsone, Patrick Chrystie, Marjorie Garioch, and James Wyslie.

Imprimis : — Isabella Ro'tsone being deeply sworne, what she knew against Margaret Ogg, what scandall of witchcraft, and being posed anent the particulars following, declares that she had mett three several times with Margaret Ogg since she was challenged of witchcraft, and desyred her to go to the p'trie to clear her, and she would give her ane handiss of meall ; who declared she would have nothing of her's, nor would she go with her : Declares also that Margaret Ogg prayed to God and our lady, to help her daughter in travailling, and that her mother came to her in tyme o' sickness ; and that her mistress, Janet Johnston, being extremely diseased and one her knees, would have none to come into her until her mother, Margaret Ogg, should come : Item— She declares that when her mother came to her they fell asleep together, and that her mother went away in the morning . Hem, that after her mother's waygoing, the sick woman, Janet Johnston, did break some bread to her- «elffe and the children, and gave some thereof to Isabel Ro'tsone, and cold kaill, and imediatlie after her eating thereof there came ane great pain in her bellie, and after the swelling of her wombe she did vomit until her bellie came to her very back, and the pain did continue with her, from Fryday in the Biorning, until the Lord's Day at night : Item, she declares she was pained in her back and bellie and shinbone, &c, be reason whereof she did gnaw her finger and shack the kist and the crook, and acknow- ledged she had seen women in travail, and thought she had such pains : Item, she declares she fell asleep on the Lord's Day at night, and thereafter her mistress' pains overtook her, and when she did waken out of sleep her mistress was delyvered, and thereafter the pains left her, except some stoundiugs of the grinding that continued with her, for the space of ane month, in the same pairts of her body that she was troubled before : Item — She declares that country people docs curse her and her mother ever since the time, Margaret Ogg was challenged of witchcraft.

Master Robert Cheyne declares that Margaret Ogg confessed to him that her daughter was de- lyver upon Monday in the morning, about the whilk tyme she hard the lass was eased of her pain ; whilk the said Margaret Ogg denyed in the presence of the brethren and ruling elders.

George Mortimer, being deeplie sworne, declares that he did see Isabel Ro'stone in her sickness, and that she cryed on her back and bellie, and did strike the wall ; and that he heard women say it was lyke the sickness of a woman in traivall, as also that Isabel Ro'tson was eased of her pains after the sick womi.n was delyvered.

Andro Walker, being deaplie sworne, declares onlie that he saw Isabel Ro'tsone in her sickness, hut knew not the nature of it.

General Government 307

George Traill, being deeplie sworne, declares that Isabel Ro'tsone was sick in his house, and did cry on her back and bellie ; and that some women said it was lyke the sickness of a woman in traivell ; and that the said Isabel Ro'tsone tok the pains on fryday at ten hours, and that the paines left her on the Lord's day at 4 hours.

Patrick Chrystie, being deeplie sworne, declares he heard Margaret Ogg say, after her attending before the committee in the churchyard of Inch, "Alas ! alas ! for me and my fyve children ; but if I thole any skaith, them that hald their head higher shall thole skaith as soon as I."

The case was sent to the Synod.

LAIRDS SUBMITTING.

21 March. — Alexander Abercromby of Fetternear, William Leith of Auldrayne, George Gordon of Newton, and George Gordon of Rayne, compeared and acknowledged their fault in subscribing the unlawful Act of Parliament (the Engagement).

Alexander Lesly, younger of Pitcappell, confessed being in that unlawful engagement against England, wished leave to subscribe the League and Covenant.

James Leslie of Auquhorsk compeared and desired the appointment of some brethren to converse with him as to his doubts anent the Solemn League and Covenant.

Auquhorsk is, at next Presbytery, reported as^having promised to come and confer

with the brethren, but " did nothing but slight the Presbytery, and keeps no promise ".

His wife came and declared herself convinced, and subscribed the Solemn League and

Covenant publiclie.

"William Leslie, younger of Wardhouse, compeared and promised satisfaction, and was admitted to renew the Covenant. His father and mother frequent the Kirk of Oyne, and are to subscribe.

(Synod) — extreme crimes. April. — Presbytery of Aberdeen. — William Lumsden, sometime advocate in Aberdeen, Helen Bar- clay, his spouse, Jean and Agnes Lumsden, his daughters, Robert Irvine and Jean Menzies, Jean Robsone, Isabel Blackhall, relict of umquhill Mr. Thomas Blackhall, Jeane Anderson, relict of umquhill Mr. Alex. Paip, Thomas Menzies of Balgownie and his wife, Mr. Alex. Irvine and Marjorie Menzies his wife, Thomas Menzies, brother's son to Balgownie — all excommunicated for popery. Alexander Irvine, sometime of Beltie, for rebellion and poperie ; Alexander Davidson, ane enemie to the cause of God and the work of Reformation; Ludovick Garden, formerly of Froghall, Alexander Irvine, younger of Drum, Patrick Gordon, alias Steelhand, Alexander Gordon, Arradoul — all excommuni- cated as rebells.

Robert Mill and John Bird for murther ; William Robb and Christian Farquhar for adulterie ; Menzies for incest.

Fugitives — James Burnett, incestuous ; Mr. John Gordon, late minister of Elgin, excom. for blasphemous railing against the cause, and other vicious facts.

Presb. of Deer — George, Elizabeth, Henry, and Janet Smith, for poperie ; Alexander Burnett,

Violet Smith, ■ couper, and George Petrie, for adulterie ; and also Patrick Robertson, railing

vagabond.

Fugitives— Bessie Dickie, James Antone, Isabel Copland, adulterers. Presb. of Turriff— Patrick Meldrum, sometime of Iden, exc. for murther.

The Laird of Delgaty, Sophia and Anne Hays, his daughters, Janet and Marjorie Malcolm, for poperie ; and also James Cove, who is now returned to the country again.

Fugitives— Patrick Reid and Isabel Burgess, adulterers, Turriff; Alexander Walker, Jean Bisset, and Katheren Ro'tsone, contemners of the truth, King-Edward.

Presb. of Ellon — Isabel Hay, spouse to Captaine Strachan, the L. of Sehivas and his lady, and

Susannah for poperie ; Mr, William Maitland, for rebellion ; Gilbert Fraser, for murther ;

the L. of Schethin for malignancy and rebellion.

Presb. of Kincardine,.— Fugitives — Isabel Rait, from Banchorie, exc. for fornication ; Margaret

Davidson, Tarland, for incest ; Thomas Cordner, from Aboyne, ■ Farquharson, from Glen-

muick, for poperie.

Presb. of Al ford— James Gordon, brother to William Gordon of Balgownie, Patrick Gordon of Kincraigie, Magdalen Wood, relict of George Leslie of Kincraigie, for poperie.

Presb. of Fordi/ce — George Shand, for adulterie, also John King and Jean .

Presb. of Garioch — Mr. Samuel Walker, min. of Monkegy, excommunicated at the ordinance of the provincial Assembly for affirming, in a sermon on a Sabbath Day, shortly after the battle of

303 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garlocli.

Kilsyth, in September, that he had told them often that the Covenant and work of reformation was a cloud, and now it was dispelled in a ruck of stinking wind.

Presbytery of Garioch to take care that the laird of Newton, and James Cruickshank of Tilly- morgau, being men of bad conversation heretofor, and now were found customary swearers, be exauc- torate of the charge of eldership, which they have in the church of Culsalmond.

PROJECTED HISTORY OF THE TIMES.

All who can furnish historical narrations, conducing to the history of the times, are appointed to send in the same to Mr. John Row, betwixt and fifteen day of May next to come. [This instruc- tion was repeated afterwards.]

MARISCHAL COLLEGE. "ECONOMIE".

The Assemblie, taking to heart the commendable aim of the masters and members of the college, in New Aberdeen, to have ane economie erected, appoint everie minister to collect donations in his parish for it.

A new paraphrase of the Psalms, to be had from Mr. Andrew Ker, recommended to be bought with all convenient speed : The price is 16s. the piece.

CLERICAL APPAREL.

■ It is seriouslie recommended to everie minister to refrain from lightness of apparel, — such as slakers at the knees, — according to ane Act of the General Assembly, 1646.

COMMUNION WINE.

Question to be added to the platform for visiting kirks — "Is your wine, for the Holy Com- munion, mixed with water or not ?"

(Presbytery) — submissions.

23rd May. — James Gordon of Deuchries, Oyne, Major George Meldrum, Colonel Andrew Meldrum in Rayne, supplicate to be received for their being in the sinful engagement, Alexander Gordon in Culsalmond, and James Elphinstone of Warthill, and George Seton of Blair, supplicate to be relieved from excommunication.

VISITATIONS.

Culsalmond, 17th July. — No Bible since the Irishes took it away; exhorted to buy one. No cups. No schoolmaster, he being lately removed ; since which time the minister is session clerk himself.

Oyne, 8th Aug.— Sacrameut given once in the year, and all in one day. No communion tables, nor tablecloths. The wine mixed with water, but not since the ordinance of Prov. Ass. The day called Yule Day not forgotten, in regard they neither plough nor spin. There are three pieces of land called " the Goodman's fold "not laboured. The minister is ordained to process them, aye and while they labour the same.

Troops Raised for Charles II.

22nd Aug. — John Leslie of Pitcaple, commissioner from the Committee of Aberdeen, did desire the brethren to intimate to their parishioners, and others liable for maintenance, to be present at Coupar of Angus, with their best horses and arms, upon the 2nd of September, 1650.

(Synod) — converse with excommunicats.

A select committee of ministers and elders shall be chosen be everie presbeterie, who shall summon such before them, and examine them upon oath:— 1. If they have conversed with excom- municats, being particularlie interrogat of every one within the roll of excommunicats, especially those who have most ordinarie residence in their own bounds. 2. Whom they know to have conversed with them ; and as many as are delated to summon them, and examine them on oath, as the rest. 3. If they have seen, or been in companie with, any priest, particularlie Bruce, Seaton, Smith, Thomson, Leslie, Green, &c. 4. If they have seen mass in companie, or out of companie, particularly in Old, or New Aberdeen, Grandom, Kairnfield, Susan Leithe's, or other suspect places. 5. Whether they have partaken of masse, and whom in particular they have seen there. 6. If they have eaten and drunk- en, and how oft. If they have received them to lodging, or lodged with them, bought or sold with them, approved their business, &c. 7. If they have crucifixes, or any such superstitious things in their houses.

(Presbytery) — ministers with the army.

7th Nov. — The Moderator read an ordinance from the Commission, for getting ane collection to our pastors in England, who are dying for hunger and cold— the collection to be directed to John Short, Provost, or Duucane Nairne, Dean of Guild, of Stirling.

General Government. 309

(Presbytery) — Leslie. 1651. 26th March. — Leslie vacant, and the people refuse to call a minister, until there be a com- petent provision for him. [A proposal to annex Leslie to Premnay was agitated for some years, but abandoned. ]

EXCOMMUNICATS.

3rd Apryll. — The Commission of Presbytery chosen to try persons having intercourse with excom- municats, met at Inverurie, 18th September, 1650 ; Bourtie, ISth March, 1651 ; Inverurie, 28th March ; and at Chappell. The report approved ; — culprits classified.

1. — Those that did eat and drink, and ordinarilie converse with them, making no difference for conscience sake betwixt them and others, as Ninian Black and Alexander Byrs, parishioners of Bourtie, to satisfie in sackcloth ; and the said Alexander Byrs, being an elder, to be exautorate. 2. Those that had fallen out of infirmitie and occasionally meeting with such, and never more, as Gilbert John- ston, John Byrs, James Yet, Alexander Bannerman, parishioners of Bourtie, James Simpson, parishioner of Daviot, to appear before the congregation, apart from others, on ane Lord's day, and in ane most humble manner confess their sin.

daviot Quoad Sacra. 11th Apryll. — Mr. George Tailifer, present minister of Daviot, presented an Act of Annexation, made by the Provincial Assemblie of Aberdeen, of the date 22nd Oct., 1623, wherein the lands of Lethentie and Saphock are appointed to have their ense at Daviot in all time coming ; and frequent the said kirk for the benefit of all church ordinances. The minister protested against liability to give ministerial service to the indwellers in these lands, as they were still held liable for all duties to the kirks of Fyvie and Chapel, and no stipend was paid to him for the annexed lands.

(Synod) — stnodical visitation. April. — A commission appointed to visit the kirks of Eght, Cluny, Midmar, Coul, Crathy, Kindroucht, Glenmuick, Glengarden, TuLUch, Auchindoir, and Kildrummy, in order, beginning at Eght, on the third Tuesday of June next.

PRESSURE OF CROMWELL.

Each Presbytery to prepare a full and clear representation of the pressures within the bounds thereof, through the oppression of souldiers, particularised and qualified nominis in re factis, to be sent to the Commission of the General Assemblie, at their next quarterlie meeting.

(Presbgtcry)— steelhand and harthill.

Lesly, 18th Sept. — Patrick Gordon, alias Steelhand, dealt with for his malignancy, by order of General Assembly. He had subscribed the Covenant National, called the League. His backsliding to the malignant party was after the battle of Kilsyth. He was with his chief, the late Marquis of Huntly, and did not serve under James Graeme. He was with Huntly at Banff, and the onfall at Aberdeen. Had no special hand in the robbery there committed.

John Leyth of Harthill, this day, as divers tymes before, in ane most unchristian way, with cursing and swearing, compeared and required the silver cups mortified by his umquhile sone to the churches of Oyne and Rayne. The Presbytry ordaint Mr. Wm. Burnet, minr. at Oyne, and Mr. John Middleton, minister at Rayne, to bring the cups to the Presbytry, that they may be disposed upon.

(Presbytery) — minister censdred.

Daviot, 2nd Oct. — Visitation.— Sacrament not dispensed since the minister's entry, in regard to the evil tymes ; and he has not visited all his parishioners. The bookis not filled up particularly anent the tymes. The minister and elders directed to repair the fabric of the church with all diligence, to build communion tables and buy table-cloths ; and for that effect appoint a collection, on ane Lord's day amongst the parishioners.

The parishioners have received the Solemn League and Covenant.

Air. Tailifer had been petitioned for by the people when Mr. Strachan was deposed. He speedily protested against doing duty at Lehinty and Saphock without payment ; and afterwards declined to obey the injunctions of the General Assembly, as to national matters. In the end he was deposed for treasonable speeches, and the first Lunan succeeded him as minister of Daviot.

310 Inverurie awl the Earldom of the Garioch.

(Synod)— national sins.

Oct. — A fast to be kept 28th November next. Reasons : —

The sins of the land ; as atheism in many ; gross ignorance of God and of His Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, in His person, natures, offices, aperances, excellencies, suerties, lov, laws, majestie and power ; barrenness under the Word ; the rode swearing, cursing, blasphemy, perjurie, drunken- ness, uncleanness in all sorts, profanitie, lasciviousness, ryotous living in many, falsehood, deceit, fraud, stryff, envy, opression, lying, dissembling, hypocrisie, carnal] securitie.

The sins of the King and his familie : of judicatories, civill and ecclesiastical ; of nobles and gentry ; of the ininistrie ; of the armie ; of merchants and craftsmen. The grand mane cause is the sudden wrath of God lying on our land, evidenced, first, against the King and his familie ; secondlie, against our armie ; 3, against our nobles and countrie ; i, against the ministrie ; 5th, against the whole land, by ane imminent yoke of bondage lyklie to be on our neckis ; sixthlie, by the fearful rents and divisions in Kirk and State.

Pitcaple's call for soldiers and the collection required for starving army chaplains, both belong to the unsuccessful attempt to set Charles II. on the throne. The presence of Cromwell's English soldiers in Scotland after that attempt was defeated by him, introduced a considerable disposition to non-conformity with any established order in ecclesiastical matters, and consequent insubordination to discipline; and in 1653, Mr. Douglas, the Professor of Divinity at King's College, was commissioned to report " to the meeting of Commission of Assembly what had been done with Separatists, Anabaptista, Independents, and others of that manner, the growth of which goes on apace within the bounds ".

(Frcshjtery) — rectification of parishes.

16th Oct. — There was laid on the table Agreement dated 15th Oct., 1651, come to, at Wardhouse, between Robert Farquharson of Wardhouse for himself, Mr. Robert Cheyne for the Presbytery of Alford, and Mr. Alexander Ross for the Presbytery of Garioch. The lands of Wrays, in the parish of Insch, being far from the Kirk, to be annexed to Kinnethmont, with 11 lbs. and the vicarage teynd formerly paid to the minister of Insch. The lands of Rochmuriel, in Kinnethmont, being far from the Kirk, to be annexed to Insch, with 16. lbs. money and 3 bolls victual and the vicarage teyndg.

Such straightening of the marches of parishes was directed in a number of cases about that period by the Synod ; and was called visiting the incompetencies of the parishes. The Presbytery of Garioch had to arrange, with that of Kincardine, the boundary between Cluny parish and Craig Erne ; which, from the entry, would seem at one time to have been a separately named parish in Keninay, and possibly was the site of St. Bryde's Kirk, where the minister of Kemnay appears, by kirk-session minutes ten years later, to have occasionally given service. No trace appears in any documents of St. Bryde's Kirk at any other period.

hahtiiill.

1652, April. — John Leith of Harthill, in ane most blasphemous and barbarous way, compeared before the Ptrie., with cursing and imprecations and did threaten dyvers brethern, and did break the windows.

GORDON OF NEWTON.

June 24. — Mr. Arthur Ore, Culsalmond, reports that he has proclaimed the banns of James Gordon of Newton with Janet Buchan, danghter to the Laird of Auchmacoy ; and that he had received ane testimony from Mr. William Seatone, minister at Logie, that the banns were proclaimed within that parish.

DESERTED KIRK OF KEMNAY.

1653, January 13. — At the Commission of Presbytery appeared the Lairds of Kemnay and Fet-

General Government. 311

ternear, and the rest of the elders and parishioners. Kemnay said the minister, Mr. David Leith, was at liberty and living not far from London. He had promised to return before the 1st November by past and had not done so. He and the parishioners wish the church to be declared vacant and a minister appointed.

June 2. — Elspet Gordon, minister's wife of Kemnay, requested the Presbytery to appoint Mr. George Melville to catechise the congregation, and the Laird of Kemuay would satisfy him for his trouble. Same day a letter read from the ministers of Edinburgh, dated 1 6th May, 1653, that they had learned that Mr. Leith had a church in the country on the rodeway not far from London, but could not tell whether he had purpose to settle himself there or not.

RULING ELDERS.

March 10. — The following elders were chosen by the different congregations and sessions to attend the next Synod and the Presbytery meetings : — Monymusk — Robert Forbes (of Barnes), tutor of Monymusk ; Logiedurno — Alexander Black ; Premnay — James Anderson; Inverurie — William Grant ; Bourtie — Gilbert Keith ; Monkegie — George Johnston ; Payne— Mr. William Strachan, younger ; Insch— Alexander Leyth ; Daviot — James Elphinstone ; Culsalmond— William Lesly ; Oyne— John Wallace.

1654, 8th June. — Mr. Alexander Eoss and Mr. William Forbes reported that they had gone to the Laird of Fetternear, who refused io give ane declaration of his relegione whether he was papist or not. Also being posed about the lawfulness of Presbyterial government, answered that in his judg- ment it was unlawful. His lady being posed on her religione, answered that she was ane Roman Catholic and would continue so.

FETTERNEAR.

1655, March 1. — Fetternear, which at the laird's desire had formerly been annexed to Kemnay, but which the minister of Kemnay has refused to take charge of, is annexed to Chapel.

VISITATATION OF THE KIRK OF INVERURIE.

10th July. — The minister is found to preach on the Lord's day in earner, befor and afternone, and in the winter he lectures and preaches. His present text is 5 Matthew, 9 v. Also upon extraordinarie occasions he choises extraordinarie texts, and observes the directorie in administering the sacraments. Ignorant and scandalous persons debarred, and exortation before everie tabill. No mixture of wyne. Weeklie catechisings, and ane day appointed for lecturing and baptising, but not Weill observed ; he visits the sick ; familie worship practised ; visits families ; no fugitives nor servants receipt without testimonials. Care held be the minister to restrain abuse at penny brydals. There is land within the parochyn dedicat to the devill, comonly called the Gudeman's Fold. It is ordained the minister and elders mak enquirie, throughout the whole parochyn, what land is dedicat to this purpose, and ordayne the heritors to labour the samen, otherwise to process them.

There is ane church bybell, and communion table cloths, two cups of Tiuue. There is ane box and two keys. Chalmers of Drimmies keeps one, and James Fergus another. The poor's money dis- tribute Sabbathlie, as need is. There is ane schoolmaster, Mr. William Chalmers, who is presentlie entered, and is ordained to repair to the Presbyterie, if he stay within the bounds of the Pres'trie, as ane schoolmaster, — that tryali may be had of his Literature, Lyffe, and conversation.

The minister removed, and the elders solemnly posed, with uplifted hands declared that the minister had answered truelie to inquiries, and that they were edified by his preaching, that he was blameless in Lyfe and conversation ; and is desyred that he should visit the sick oftener, and to be some longer in his sermons, and to Lecture as before.

PAPISTS.

August 16th. — It is found be the brethern that there is of papists within the bounds of the Presbyterie Alexander Abercrombie of Fetternear, Jane Seatone, his lady, Alexander Leslie, uncle to Piteaple, now and then resident within the parochen of the Chappell of Garioch, long syne excommuni- cated be Robert Burnet, minister at Oyne ; Margaret Balfour, spous to Johne Gordoun of Deuchras, was within the parochin of the Chapel of Garioch ; Thomas Abercrombie and Isobel Bisset, in Bourtie parochyn, Mr. William Lumsden, his wyfe and children.

(Synod) — rights of parishioners. 1658, April.— The Presb. of Garioch reported that Mr. Gilbert Keith, at Bourtie, had appointed Mr. William Gordon, schoolmaster at Monymusk, to be his helper, and the parishioners had given him a call ; but George Seaton of Blair, Mr. James Reid of Bourtie, and George Moiison of Barra, ap- peared and protested against the call, alleging that they are willing that Mr. Gilbert Keith have a

312 Inoerurie and the Earldom of the Gurioch.

helper, but protesting, that, after his death, the parishioners have a right to call a minister. The Synod order the Presbytery to take Mr. Gordon on trials, but not to ordain him until next Assembly, in consequence of the difficulties of the matter, in order to prevent a minislcrium vagum.

DISCIPLINE EXERCISED OVER MINISTERS,

The abolition of Episcopal overseers in 1638 did not, by any means, relieve the parochial clergy from supervision. That exercised by the Presbytery was, in some particulars, of a sharp order.

"Within the humble tabernacle where Mr. Forbes had to pronounce many disagree- able exhortations, he himself did not escape scaithless from the all-embracing discipline of the system which derived its spirit from the control assumed under the Covenant. At the first recorded visitation, 13th February, 1649, the elders "deponed that he approved liimself as ane faithfull servant of Christ ". The presbytery, the same year, after hearing liim exercise, "grawlie admonished him to be equall in his woyce and delyverie, and to mend the discordance thereof ". His pidpit appearance, it would thus seem, had been deemed better in matter than in manner. At a visitation of Inverurie, seven years afterwards, the elders said they were edified by him, and that he was blame- less in life and conversation, but desired he be some longer in his sermons, and to lecture as he did before.

Those Presbyterial visitations of parishes were made so many in a year, by direction of the Synod, the visitors being the Presbytery, along with some commissioners from other Presbyteries. The visitations were of value in hastening the restoration of paro- chial organisation ; which, however, was worked out slowly and with difficulty. The visitors urged the erection of schools, the repair of kirks, the designation or recovery of glebes, and also the recovery of mortifications which had been lost sight of or withheld.

Their ordinary and regular function was to incpiire into the efficiency with which the minister and elders discharged their duties. These were examined as to each other's fidelity according to an arranged table of queries ; and both were questioned as to the conduct of the people. The answers to the queries were often formal ; and the exhort- ation of the moderator, at the close, the same. Occasionally, however, an amendment was suggested as in the case of the minister of Inverurie's short sermons. The Presbytery did not always agree with the elders as to the quabty of the minister's preaching. A minister called "powerful in his doctrine," by his elders, was rebuked by the Presbytery for not being "spiritual and powerful ".

At every meeting of Presbytery it was the custom for one member to " exercise " ; another being appointed to " add " remarks on the discourse. The rest followed, and passed judgment upon both speakers, occasionally of a kind useful rather than agreeable. We find one exhorted "to be more popular in his giftes ;" another "to digest his speeches better, and speak more agreeable to method"; another to "eschew that singing woyce in his preaching and prayer " ; another " to take paines at his book, and to study and pray" ; another to " be more succinct in his observations " ; another to " take up the meaning of

Discipline of Parishes 313

his text more clearly" ; another " to be more plain and familiar, and not so high and rhetorical;" another to use "a more lyvlie and spiritual way of deliverie"; another " not to he so languid in his deliverie and so cadent in his voyce"; another is "approven in hopeful beginnings ".

DISCIPLINE OF PARISHES.

The earliest minutes of the Kirk-Session of Inverurie present the minister, in 1G50, engaged every Wednesday in his tumble-down thatched kirk, examining the people, and swearing them to fidelity to the Solemn League and Covenant. " Ilk an, baith men and women, as they are examinatt, doe, with uplyfted hands, promise fidelity in the Solemn Leaug and Covenant," is an entry which occurs frequently up to 1C53. At the first communion, all persons from other parishes, who had not subscribed the Covenant, were debarred.

The parochial discipline, considered necessary at the time, is well described in the following document which had been elaborated by the Synod, and was, in October, 1650, ordered by that court to be engrossed in the record of every Presbytery and Session.

PLATFORM FOR ORDERING SESSION BOOKS.

1. That there be ane weell bound book of good paper, paged throughout, keeping a fair equable margent for the compend of acts.

2. That everie meeting begin and close with prayer and praise to God by the minister.

3. That the sederunt be marked, and absents fra the last meeting be vemowed and censured. If they have bene aftener absent than ance or twysse, (the excuses always be found unrelevant), lett the censur still be heichened accordinglie.

4. That upon ane orderlie delation of a scandal], sumonds be directit for appairence, and, Iff ance personallie aprehendit, 111" the delinquent be contumax, the session proceed to declair that person con- tumax. After a third citation con temped, then to report it to the presbitrie, and qn it comes to publick admonitions, and praying, and sentence, that all be markit particularlie on the register. Iff the person citit appair, Lett the appairence be marked, and the charg or challenge proceed.

5. Qv no delation is for a long tyme, seeing scandales are so frequent, assuredlie it is iufidelitie in the elders, and remisness iu the minister ; for harlotrie, dnmknes, swelling, bailing, cursing, scoulding, and absence from publick worship on the Lord's day, and many uther waves how the Sab- bath is prophaned, and lying, ka. ar so frequent that they ar obvious to the eyes and ers of all ; qrfor hi tali rnsii, Let the minister charg the elders with their oath and certifie, if it be mad guid that they conceill scandales coming to their no;ice They must mak publick repentance for prewaricating in their oath of admission defirleli administrations, and be exautorated. Let the minister bestir himself for he cannot choise, but find sundrie guiltie of sweiring, Sabbath-breaking, bailing : qrfor lett the pariss be dewydit in parcells, and each Sabbath Lett him reid such parcell of his catalogue (not obser- ving a certain order, Lest it be obserwit by the people qt parcell he will read the next Sabbath), and lett the absents be markit and censured ; aud finallie Lett all uther honest people be exhortit to declair to the minister the scandales they sie or hear, That they may be. taken away, That God wrath may be remowit qn sin is punishit ; and this to extend to man, wytf, serwand, and children capable of cove- nant and communion, seeing it is but in a secret way, but when they delat a fault Let them tell conform scicntia, That groundles surmises be not taken for scandells.

6. That session be keepit once ewerie vveeke, and that they labour for a weekday rather than a Sabbath to liauld the session upon, viz., on the Lectin day and day of Catechising.

7. That the moderator of the session and the clerk be two distinct persons, and qr the clerk has Littcll scriwaud dexteritie, let the moderator belli him in formalie flaming and dexterous wording of nets.

8. That ewerie Leiff ower the head of the page hawe the. yeir of God, and the inscription of ewerie session day hawe the day of the moneth.

9. That no blank, or blot, be in the register.

IU. That the rebuik given to delinquents in face of session be proportionatied to the delinquencie

40

314 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gartoch.

and that it be registrant. And that each day they appair befor the congregation they be spokin unto in a sutable way, but most the first day of appairance in publick and the last day, the day of absolution.

11. That all publiek acts and intimations of ecclesiastical concernment be registrat in the session bulk — as the intimation to thoisse who ar to be catechised the next Lectin- day, a preparation sermon befor a comunion or any other solemn sabbath (such as can atten it). The. celebration of comunion, the sermon of thanksgiwing, and direction of lyff and conversation for tym to com, solem convenanting renewing of covenant league or covenant of the three unitet kingdoms, publick parts of the uuifor- mitie, solem warning, and declarations, &c. and finallie qtewer, is intimated from pulpit, proceeding ; either from presbitrie, prowenciall, or general assemblies, comissionars of the generall assemblie or visitors qt somewer, is to be registtrat compendiousiie in the session-buik.

12. Labour for a distinction of elder and deacon, and Lett each of these cloath himself with his own charge. The elder to oversie the manners of the people, delat scandales, and censur them. The. deacon for the poor and seeck and alms-gathering, and, with adwysse of the session, distributing it- yea all to be asisting in discipline.

13. That no elder be admittit or sworn but in face of the congregation.

14. To abstein and amend basse and unseamlie expressions, and to labour to have things rightlie wordit — as for his partie, to say his whore, for Laick elder (which is popishe), to say railing elder, and for, ane ruling elder was chosin, or, such a man was chosen railing to attend the presbitrie and pro- winciall assemble, to say such a man on of our railing elders was chosen to attend, &c, for, stooll of repentance say, place apoyntit for publick repentance and confession of sin. for, absolvit from his repentance, or, mad his repentance, say, he was absolvit, for, he crawes god and the congregation pardon, say he crawes god pardon, and entreats the congregation not to be scandalizit any moir, or offendit with his scandalous cariag, beging the aid of their prayers, &c, promising for efterwards, &c. A man went out and declairit back nor edge, for deponit and declairit nothing. A service day for, day of celebration of the Lord's holie supper. The parissin quaiterit, for dwydit in seweral precincts, Sunday, for Sabbath or Lord's day, parson for minister or pastor, Megie for Meriorie, Magie for Margaret, competitor for complained wpon, Nans for Agnes, Katie for Catherin, precanter for pre- center ; Elspie, or Elpie, for Elspett.

15. That, at the intimation of a fast or thanksgiving, the causes therefor be intimat, and they sett down compendious on the register.

16. That delinquents be sett down by nam and surnam, and when called upon in publick, or registrat in the buik, Iff the sin be harlotrie, it be expressed with whom they did lull in that sin of uncleanness.

17. That everie depending proceiss be mentioned everie session day in register, till it be put to ane end, or brought to some period And still left that period be expressit ; as, iff the delinquent be fugitive, for first, let search be mad in the parisse for the delinquent, next, intimat the flight out of pulpit, 3, from all pulpits in the presbitrie, 4, from pulpits in the province.

18. That qn maters of publick, or great, concernment ar caried on either for, or against, the work of God, that the registers be cariags of ministers and sessioners — cxm gratia, qt faythful, plain, and tymous warning was given to beware of the unlawful cursed ingagment against Ingland, contrarie to our covenant and treatties betwixt the nations, qt plain and frie warning was given for refusing to sub- scrive that wickit Act of Parliament, June 12, 1648, yea or not, qt alacritie in exhorting people to put out their lewies of men, qn the busines by the kirk and stat is cleared to be for the troutli and caus of God, and qt discharging to put out men or coutribut anything for or give any to the asisting in earring on of any crookit or wicket design qrin the kirk is not going with the kirk and estates of the land.

19. That eweiie session have five distinct registers, on for proceisses, discipline, ecclesiastical acts, and alms collectit ; aneother (qlk is the magistrate) for fynings, penalties, corporall paines, as jogging, brankes, &e. ; a third for marriags, apart be themselves ; a fourt for baptisms ; a fyft for burialls : yett ther need not to be fyw buiks but two, one belonging to the magistrat, another to the session, diwydit in four parcells.

20. That ther be no acts blotted out, nor cancellit, in whole, nor in part, in the register, nor inter-lyning, nor aets written in whole nor in part in margin. That no adition be with another hand, or with other ink.

21. That discipline be impartiallie exercised, and no mans publick confessing of sin, (how great soever he be) be sould for money, or be redeamable that way, be compensation.

22. That the communion be celebratit on diverse sabbathes, and that the session-book have the names of thosse who ar debarred ether for ignorance, or scandulous cariag, and let the abstensiou be act of session.

23. That ewery session-book beir the. names of all excommunicat within the province ; and that the intimation of them each communion day be registered.

Discipline of Parishes. 315

24. That ewery session day ye minister's four texts (at least) be insert ; viz., his Lecture on the Sabbath before noon, his two sermons and his weeklie Lecture.

25. That elders, ether solysting or pleading in a partiall way for any delinquent because of kin, friend, or allaya, or being byassedbyany basse or by respect, bereinuved, censured, and sharplie rebuikit pro primo, for being unfaithful in oath of impartiall adminstration of his office. And iff he mend not, that he be exauctorated.

26. That refers from visitation presbiterial be insert in the session-book.

27. That minesters cast not ower the blame of faults iu the register upon the dark ; but that they oversee the registrating of the acts themselves, both for matter and wording and right form, and to be ansuerable for all omissions.

Some extracts of Inverurie session and burgh minutes, taken in the order of date,

will exemplify the application that was made of the " Platform ". They give some

interesting illustrations, besides, of social life at the time.

PAUPERS.

1649. — This day it is ordered that the poor in the parish be supplied be the several towns in the parish, in the manner as after follows :— Nans Fergus and Mariory Leslie, be the town of Iuverury ; Margaret Anderson, be the town of Aulton ; Christian Matheson, be the. town of Glasehi ; James Miln, be the town and lands of Achortes ; James Watt, be the towns and lands of Badifurro, Miln of Artanues, and Crofthead ; Nans Angus, be Bla khall and town of Artannes ; Elspet Pirie, be Conglas and Drimies ; Margaret Glennie, be Middleton and Netherton.

Ordainit that whosoever shall supply any stranger poor, not having his residence in the parish, or shall refuse to give competent supply to the forenamed respectit persons, shall be lyabill Mies quulics to the payment of five pounds money.

The distribution affords means of an interesting comparison of the values of the different places at the time. Each pauper was paid 6s. Sd., on the 3rd of March following.

SWEARING TO THE COVENANT. 1650. January 16, Wednesday. — After sermon, examination of the people. Ilk an, both men and women, as they are examined, with uplifted hands did promise iidelitie to the solemn leug and covenant.

YULE KEEPING, DRINKING, SWEARING, ABSENCE FROM CHURCH.

January 20. — The Lords Day : — Robert Anderson and Normand Davidson did iu all humbill manner, before the pulpit, acknowledge their superstitious observance of the 25th day of December, promising be the assistance of God, in all tyme coming, to be diligent in their calling on that day as on any other day.

John Keid at the Miln of Artannes, is delaitit to have sitten too long in the ail house drinking.

January 27. — This day Marjory Craig did, iu all humbill manner, acknowledge her offending of God be swearing and cursing ; promising be the assistance of God to amend.

This day it is ordainit that George Davidson, William Dicky, James Umphra iu Middleton, absents from the kirk, and that ordinarily, be cited till the next day.

SACRAMENTAL SERVICES.

Februar 3. The Lord's Day : This day intimattit to the peopill that the holy communion is to be celebratit the next Lord's day.

The peopill ar desyrit to come frequently upon Freddy, the 8 of tliis instant, to the preparation sermon.

Februar 8, Fredday : This day ane preparation sermon— 1 Cor. 11, 28 ;— and thatt before the communion.

James Johnston is ordainit to collect the money for the poor, Thomas Konald the tokens, William Johnston and Jhon Steven to attend the communion elements.

This day William Robertson, of Achortes, and Jhon Leslie, of Nethertoun, having the 7 of this instant, before the presbitry, subscryvit thatt Act and declaration of the General Assembly anent the receaving of engagers, do this day in a solemn manner, with uplifted hands, subscryv the Leaug and Covenant.

Februar 10. The Lord's day : Session begun with prayer.

Sermon ante m. on the 12, 13, 14 verses of the 13 chapter to the Romans. The sermon being

31G Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

clossitt with prayer, ane exhortation is maid expressing the grytt comforts peopHl hav he the sacrament of the Lord's Supper : also the ends of it ar expressit, with the gryt need peopill hav to come to it with knowledge, faith, and repentance. All profan, ignorant, and scandalous persons are dischargit from coming to the tahill of the. Lord. All persons of other parishes who hav not reuewit the solem Leaug and Covenant are deharrit. All penitent hungring and thirsting souls for Chryst are exhortit to com.

The action is b'-gun with sanctifying and blessing the elements of bread and wyn.

Post m. sermon on the 23 verse of the 14 of Jhon.

This day collected he James Johnston, 4 lbs. 3 sh.

The communion celebrated the next Lord's day to some people who were sick the former day.

Ihe kirk-officer was sent regularly to Aberdeen to purchase the bread and wine used in the communion service ; receiving a merk for his travelling expenses.

SABBATH-BREAKING. — DOGS IN CHURCH.

Feb. 7. — Alexander Selby and Thomas Glenny, in Glascha, are delaittit for hreaking of the Sabbath, in grinding of meill on the Lord's day.

Feb. 17- — Every an that brings doggs to the kirk with them to pay 40 sh. for the first time ; hav a merk for the second tym, whilk is still to be douhlit, so long as they continue so doing.

March 3. — Selby and Glenny having confessit, they are ordainit to satisffie as fornicators, and hegin their repentance the next day, and bring in their penalty.

March 24. — Thomas Miln, younger in Achortes, eallit, compearit, and being posed if he would confess his break of the Sabbath, be thrashing corn on the Lord's day, answered, he did not give twall chappis with the flail.

KNOWLEDGE QUALIFICATION. April 21. — Intimatt that any that would have the benefit of marriage -to themselves, or haptism to their children, come 3 days before, and gave ane evidence of their proficiency in the Shorter Cate- chism, otherwise the benefit is to be deyned.

ALEHOUSE LAWS.

May 19. — It is ordaiut that no alehouse shall sell drink on the Lord's Day, neither ony buy drink on the Lord's Day, except it he for necessar refreshment hetwixt sermons. It is ordainit that the faultie persons herein be puniset as brakers of the Sabbath. It is ordaint ther be no drinking iu alehouses on any nicht, after ten o'clock at nicht, and the faultie persons to satisfie as fornicators.

THE CHURCH CATALOGUE.

May 25, 1651. — George Buchan, Wm. Robertson, Alex. Porter, Meriorie Anderson, after calling a part of the Catalogue, are found absent. It is ordanit they be eallit to the next day. June 1st, Their excuses accepted for the present time. No excuse to be admittet but want of health.

THE MARQUIS OF MONTROSE.

May 29. — Intimation of a solem thanksgiving, to he keepet next lord's day, for that gryt de- liverance of the Church from the bloody persecution intendit be the enemies of it — viz., James Graham and his adherents, and for the lord his subduing of these rebels, and bearing them down.

DISCIPLINE FOR DEFAMING A MINISTER.

June 30. — George Matheson, in Caskieben, having failed in probation of his lybell against Mr. Gilbert Keith, minister at Bourty, and being ordainit be the commission of the provincial Assembly sitting at Bourty the 11 June, as at the other kirks so also at this, humbly to repent for that his malici- ous carriage, did appear before us this day, at the second bell, and did stand at the kirk door from that time till the minister went to pulpit, having sackcloth about him, bare headed, bare leggit and footit. Sermon being endit, cam down from the pillar and humblit himself before God in the midst of the congregation ; yet was very in acknowledging any guiltiness. He is desyrit to goe the next

Sabbath day to the kirk of the Chappel of Gerie.

In 1655, July 1, the whole persons in the town of Middleton, were ordanet to be cited for ab- sence, except Jon Leith ; and, on confession, had to make public acknowledgment.

The thanksgiving intimated 29th May, 1650, eight days after the destruction of

James Graham, and only two months before his enemy, who beheaded him as a rebel

for serving Charles II., was to march through the length of Scotland leading Charles to

Discipline of Parishes. 31"

the throne, sets in a clear light how entirely Argyll was then using the Covenanting Kirk as a political instrument, and it illustrates also how at that period the only available way of managing the Scotch for political purposes, was through their^devotion to the Kirk. The facing about of the Argyll policy was very rapid in 1650.

After the death of King Charles I., the two parties, hitherto antagonistic, agreed so far as to reject the proposal made to Scotland, by the English Parliament, to adopt a Re- publican Government. The Independents had, in England, prevented the settlement of Presbyterian discipline ; and the apprehension that they might overthrow it in Scotland made the rulers of the Kirk join cause with the Royalists. The resolution was come to of proclaiming the. King's son by the title of Charles II., King of Scotland, if he would em- brace the Covenant. The condition was as distasteful to him as it had been to his father ; but he allowed himself to be persuaded to agree to terms which he did little towards keeping. One of the delegates sent by the Estates to treat with him was the Inverurie laird, Alexander Jaffray ; who records, in his Diary, bitter regret at having attempted the hollow compromise. The struggle with England which ensued was necessarily an unequal one, and very brief as respected the fortunes of the young king ; whose nominal reign began in June, 1650, and ended with the Battle of Worcester, in September, 1651. The following minutes, spread over four years, exhibit both the discontent felt witlrthe King's manner, and the weakness of Scotland when opposed to the forces of the English Parliament.

The third Marquis of Huntly, the Lord Lewis Gordon of the last chapter, appears in the brief episode. The English army, then on the march, was soon to turn the Mar- quis of Argyll and Alexander Jaffrey again from their Eoyalism.

ckomwell's independents.

1651, July 31. — A fast next Lord's Day, because of the danger religion, country and king are in, becauae of that sectarian English army lying beside Edinbro already ; all the people required to keep a privat fast in their families.

_ Aug. 4. -Fast solemnly kept. Reply of the General Assembly to the declaration of the Inglish Armie upon the march was read and explained.

^ Sept. 21. — Fast kept for the great ignorance and profanity in the land ; the provocations of the king's house as yet not repented for ; the keeping about the king many maliguants, &c. Declaration of the commission of the kirk, daittedSept. 12, 1650, against the despot at Dunbar is read and explained.

Aug. 31. — This day a sudden report being com, concerning the near approach of the Inglishes, the people fled from church.

The officer is sent throw the pariss to acquant the people that the next Sabbath is a day of humili- ation and fasting for with other outcome of the gryt prevalence of that proud sectarian partie.

elders.

Sept. 7.— No session because of the absens of the elders, occasinit be the Marcus of Huntlie, his quartering upon them.

The town elders of the Kirk for the time — who probably had Huntly's troop to entertain on a flying visit, — were Baillie John Johnston, James Johnston, Alexander Johnston, and Jon Mackie. The country elders were John Leslie and Walter Duncan in Badif urrow, William Grant in Conglass, John Duncan in Auldtoun or Blackball, Henry Davidson in Netherton or Drimmies, Thomas Glcnnie in Glascha, Andro Watt in Achortes,

318 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Qarioch.

and William Mackie in Artannies. Alexander Chalmers, of Drimmies, and John Shewan, were added in 1655.

In several minutes of the appointment of elders which are preserved, there is no notice of any test, or confession of belief being required of them then, except their taking of an oath de fideli administratione. Occasionally afterwards, there appears an examination as to their knowledge, and some acknowledgement of their faith, with- out notice of any form of subscription being required. No subscription of a creed by elders appears throughout the period of the Covenant and the second Episeojsacy.

1652. July 25. — The fast (intimated July 18, to entreat the Lord to bless the proceedings of the next General Assembly, whilk is to sit down in Edinburg 21 July), could not be keepit, be reason of the violence threatenit by the sectarian partie upon the report of the Session's intimation.

1653. March 27. — -Fast keepit. The causes red — 1, The growing evidents of the Lord's displea- sure against the land. 2, The growth of sin of all sorts. 3, The miness and fightings for noisie ditferences and divisions. 4, The many sad encroachments maid from divers hands, and like to be maid upon the precious liberties of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus. 5, The general distemper in the spirits of all sorts of peopill, all seeking their own things, and not the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Nov. 6. Jon Porter (summoned in discipline to the Session) was absent, having lately gone to the lousse men in the hills.

1655. Sept. 9. — No Session, because of aue number of Inglishmen presentlie com into town.

1656. Ap. 27. — Intimation of a fast to be kept the next Lord's day. Reasons. . . . The continuance of the sad division in the Kirk.

The division referred to was that headed by Messrs. Cant & Bow which continued for some time after the above date. The " distemper in the spirits of all sorts of peopill " is exemplified by the history of the school given below, which shows six changes of schoolmasters within as many years, mostly in consequence of no salary being obtainable. The distemper is further illustrated by prevailing rudeness.

ROUGH MANNERS.

1651. Oct. 27. — Norniand Davidson and James Fergus, at the Cross, are delait for tollerating their children to swear and curse, and that without interrupping of them.

1652. Dec. 12. — Barbara Gibb Mart. Currie, Isbell Wichtoun, delait for excessive drinking.

1654. Aug. 6. — Normand Davidson and lsbella Macky delait for swearing and cursing : [They obeyed only the third citation.]

1655. Jan. 17. — Christen Tayleour to be citet for going out of the kirk before divyn worship was endit.

Aug. 11. — The people of Middleton, viz., Henry Davidson and Gilbert Glenny, to be cited pro secundo, for absence from church. [Heury Davidson was an elder.]

Sept. 9. — The people of Netherton publicly acknowledged their fault.

1656. 30 March. — Burgh Court held within the chalmer of John Johnston, by said John Johnston and Walter Fergus, bailies : —

Mr. William Forbes, minister, gave in a complaint against Margaret Currie, spouse to James Fergus, at the Cross, for injurious speeches and scolding of him most unjustlie. She Confessit. The bailzies discern her to pass to the kirk of Inverurie upon the sext day of Apryll next to come, being the Sabbath day, and ther, with all deu reverence, liumbill herselff before the pulpit, and crave God and the minister offendit forgiveness ; acknowledging and confessing her guiltiness, and that under tailzie of 20 lbs. Scots. Her husband becomes cautioner that she shall not scould or molest the said Mr. Wm Forbes or onie other indweller. [She was next door neighbour to the Manse.]

May 4. — Alexander Mitchell being delait for break of Sabbath by sifting grain, he denied, but afterwards confessed. His penance continued because he refused to pay the officer's fee. It is thought by the session, give the officer be not payit then discipline will grow less. Thomas Forbes of Achortes, one of the justices of peace, undertook to consult with some of his colleg justices thereabout ; and on July 6, " It being thought by some of the session the absolution of Alexander Mitchell ought not to

Discipline of Parishes. 319

be delayed because of the not payment of ane pecuniall matter, it is ordaint that after his acknowledg- ment of his break of Sabbath in all humbill manner, he be absolved."

May 11. — John Bodwell delait for break of Sabbath, by dinging of his wyff thereon, and that in public upon the way in presence of people going up and down.

1657. March 2. — John Mill and Isabel Mackie confessed the sin of charming. He began his repentance.

She had to wait till he was through, in order to get the sackcloth, of which there

had been but one in stock.

May 24. —Gilbert Ritchie delated to be found drunk upon his marriage day ; and, in his drink, to have profanelie cursed and sweared, and thretned to straick his new married wyfe.

July 17. — It is ordaint that the master of the house where a marriage feast is to be held, he lay down a pledge before the marriage, equivalent to ane dolar, or the money itself, as penall securing for good order and decencie at that feast, and securing that there be no excessive drinking or feighting at the tyme of that meeting ; and this to be by and attour the pledges to be laid down by the persons to be married, for securing of performance and abstinence.

1660. March 25. — Intimation that Elizabeth Leslie was excommunicated by the Presbytery. No collection be reason in the sture of the church, occasioned by sore offence some persons touke at the excommunication of the said Elizabeth Leslie.

Elizabeth Leslie was the wife of one of the elders, William Grant in Conglass ; and in 1685 had been prosecuted for dishaunting of ordinances, but was contumacious. She had been in reality a papist. In 1633 her husband was under discipline for dishaunting ; and was, by the Episcopal Synod, afterwards excommunicated for popery. The relapses to popery were becoming frequent at that date. Mrs. Grant's brother, Alexander Leslie of Tullos, afterwards Count Leslie of Balquhain and Alexander Abercromby of Fetter- near, and his lady and brother, were all excommunicated the year before.

The foregoing extracts represent the morals and manners of the time, which seem to have deteriorated as the harsh discipline of the Covenant lost its influence by custom. From this date the Covenant disappears from local records until 1680, when it appears to have been looked back npon with regret for its loss.

The popular manifestation against discipline made in Inverurie, on 25th March 1660, was doubtless the growth of years. Immediately after the platform was insti- tuted, the exercise of discipline was of an irritating kind. No person accused, though found innocent, was dismissed without an admonition — thus assuming him to be <nrilty.

The minutes show passive resistance to discipline, very soon carried to the len«th of exhausting every allowed grace, and submitting only when an extreme censure was the ■ next step in the process. The Kjyk was too powerful to permit her highest censures to be lightly braved ; but every kind of subterfuge and procrastination was adopted to stave off the incurring of her excommunication ; while ostensible respect was exchanged for defiance, or disregard, when any triumph of the royal arms checked for a time the Covenanting troops in the field. Few of the Royalist lairds, indeed, exhibited the violence of the swearing laird of Harthdl, demanding back the communion cups which his son had bestowed on the kirks of Oyne and Rayne ; but others, like the lairds of Newton and Fetternear, vibrated in their submission to ecclesiastical supervision, just as they deemed it safe ; while their better halves, less prudent, would snap their fingers in the face of authority, and declare themselves Papists. Under the Covenant, excom •

320 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

munication was a powerful political instrument, and was so employed as well as to serve religious ends, the sentence having continued to entail, as in Roman Catholic times, social consequences that hardly any one had the courage to brave.. Passive resistance to pecuniary liabilities seems to have been common ; and the example of Royalists was probably followed by Covenanters in that respect, from the convenience experi- enced in saving their pockets.

The regulations for the care of the parish poor have been noticed. Church collec- tions went partly to their relief ; but these were also regarded as a common fund, to be drawn upon for other purposes not of parochial necessity only, but for objects of charity or public utility, in the neighbourhood or the province or any where in the kingdom ; and collections were applied for upon the recommendation of the superior Church Courts, or of the Privy Council ; while bursars studying divinity were regularly allowanced, by every Presbytery, from the same source.

Entries occur of part, or the whole, of a collection being given " to a strange gen- tleman, callit Major Gray " ; " to a distressed gentlewoman, once a minister's wyffe " ; " to a poor woman, Agnes Taileour, lying bedfast in James Tailour's house " ; " to a woman in the parish of Oyne, stricken with the palsy " ; " to a supplicant callit JoTin Gordon, in Grandom, recommendit by the bishop " ; " to a distressed Hungarian, callit Mr. John Shombathy, a converted Jew ".

In 1652, a collection was appointed by the General Assembly for " the relief of the "people of Glasgow, after a lamentable burning of the town and guids therein". The Bridge of Dye, on the Cuirn o' Mount road, was built by the same means. King's College, in 1658, got a recommendation for church-door aid, as well as contributions from the nobles, gentry, &c, for some erection to substitute " an unseemlie vacant place north-east of the College ".

The extracts now given exhibit in how divided a condition society was, at the period when the resistance which became so unavoidable to the King's exercise of prero- gative, had in its success gone the tragical length which it reached in England.

In Scotland the Covenanting party, which practically was at first universal, except in the North, sought to combine loyalty to the Throne with care for civil and religious liberty. The Cavaliers, however, naturally distrusted the ambition of the Covenanters, whom they could hardly afford to separate in policy from the powerful party which Cromwell had led on to regicide ; and as the Church was, in Scotland, the chief represen tative of the Covenanters and of the organisation by which they acted, the policy of the Royalists came to consist of opposition to the Church Courts, with a general effort to weaken the position of the clergy in the country.

The landed proprietors of that party evidently were studiously avoiding to fulfil their legal obligations in the matter of schools and kirks. Schools were left without school salaries ; churches without Bibles ; communion tables without table-cloths ; and stipends were withheld occasionally.

Discipline of Parishes 321

At Inverurie, the persons properly liable for the cost of public buildings appear, on one occasion, seeking to transfer tbeir task, partly or in whole, to the revenue called the Common Good, which consisted of church collections and discipline fines.

Schools and kirks were unwelcome burdens. In the case of the former, a per- missive law, enacted very early, allowed o"f the imposition which had soon to be made compulsory ; but in Mr. Forbes's time sis schoolmasters succeeded one another in as many years ; and then one remained with some permanence, having gone to the expense of a charge of horning in order to secure his salary. Before that the session had to pay at times for carrying on the work of education, for which the people of Scotland are said to have always exhibited a high appreciation. The history of kirk repairs, in the same period, throws light upon the quality of the buildings devoted in those days to the purpose of divine worship. Since the Eeformation the churches had been allowed to fall into a state of ruinous disrepair. The large landholders who had made the compro- mise of the Eeformation in Scotland, and abandoned Popery in consideration of a great portion of the church lands becoming theirs, in no long time came to look on these as their own, and to think of the rights of property without much sense of the accompany- ing responsibilities. The Act of Parliament which, in 1563, professed to provide for churches, was followed, in 1572, by an Order of the Privy Council, evoked by the neglect of the Act ; but the Order was neglected in its turn, and the better practice of after centuries grew up only under the gradual and salutary compulsion of the Court of Session.

Matters remained in much the same unsatisfactory condition during the Second Episcopacy, when the lairds were no longer in antagonism with the clergy. The sub- joined extract, respecting the Kirk of Inverurie, presents the edifice in a condition, wherein it was allowed to remain for twenty years with similar repairs ; and the Kirk- Session entries and others respecting the school exhibit unmistakeably the neglect with which the social necessity of educating the young was treated, in that long generation which lived in ceaseless political turmoil.

With our present notions of Eoman Catholic churches, we would form a very erroneous picture of the Kirk of Inverurie from reading how, in 1536, John Leslie, son of the Laird of Kincraigie, appeared at the high altar of that church, and took instru- ments, upon his election as Parish Clerk. It was probably in that same building that- Mr. Forbes swore the people to the Solemn League and Covenant in 1650; and it was then a poor heather-thatched place, in risk of falling. A torn leaf of the session book contains imperfect entries respecting the repairs of the kirk in 1649.

. . . gus to buy steimys to the kirk.

. . . ag Fergus to buy deals and wands to the kirk.

Alex. Lassen, at the agreement with him for repayring of the kirk, 6sh Sd.

Item to buy necessars for repayring the kirk, ten merks.

Item to the workmen that repayred the kirk, twenty-two merks.

1650. March 21— To Alex. Lassen, stober, 20sh.

The " stennys " were, in all probability procured to buttress the walls. The deals

41

322 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

and wands, and the stobber's account, indicate repairs including some thatching work. These repairs had, possibly, lain over from the date of Mr. Forbes' entry.

A loft was in the church; and, in 1650, the space below on the floor was unoccu- pied. On June 23 of that year, any heritor, or wadsetter, claiming a right to that space was publicly summoned to come to the session, and show his right, and willingness to supply the vacant place " with ane dask ". No one claiming, the session assigned the sjaace for a dask to be erected by " certain portioners and indwellers in the town de- syring that libertie, viz., Alex. Johnston, John Mackay, George Prot, Eobert Ander- son, George Buchan, George Fergus, John Taylour, aud William Robertson."

THE SCHOOL OF INVERURIE UNDER THE COVENANT AND THE SECOND

EPISCOPACY.

The first notice we possess of the school of Inverurie, after Mr. Mitchell appears as schoolmaster, in 1636, is of its condition in the sad period comprehending the year 1649, which was marked by the terrible catastrophe of the judicial slaughter of Charles I.

Fourteen days after the fatal 30th January, 1649, we find a Presbyterial visitation of the parish of Inverurie taking place by order of the Synod. In the Synod minutes of Oct. 1648, Mr. "William Forbes, minister at Enrowrie, is ordayned to have a care to sowe ane shool there, to propagate the gosrjell.

The Presbytery minute continues the narrative : —

1649, 13 February. — The said day it was declared to the parishoners that the chief end of this visitation was the vant and decay of ane school at this kirk, and helping (repairing) of their kirk, qlk two vare recommended to the Presbytery, be the provincial! assemblie seeing the pairt vas eminent, and good accommodatione for buirding of children, and ane purpose verie profitabill for themselffis and ther neighbours, therfor the presbitrie desired that this neglect should be mended. Compeared the magistrates of the toune, aud willinglie offered yearlie 20 lbs. money, and two holies wictual. Item, Thomas Ronald, ane firlott wictual ; the Laird of Kincraigie, thre sc boll wictual ; "Walter Grant, ane boll for the lands of ; Robert Murdo, two peckis wictual ; and the rest that were absent the minister promised to stint them accordinglie, and to report his diligence anent the stinting to the presbytrie ; as also, to try out a man fitt for that office; and with all possible diligence to have the school erected. [At the next meeting of Presbytery, on 13th March, 1649, the minister, Mr. William Forbes at Inverurie, reported that the rest of the haritowris had wilinglie stinted themselffis, wdio ware absent befor, and the soume of all extended to nyne bolles wictual, aud fourtie lbs. money.]

That Inverurie was no isolated example of educational destitution at the time is evident from the minutes of Presbyterial visitations of the parishes around, about 1650, in which the entry is common — " No school for lack of maintenance for a schoolmaster ". The Church Courts could merely urge the erection of schools ; and the only local com- pulsion provided by law was the influence of " twelve honest men," to be chosen in every parish by the Presbytery, to carry out the law ; a provision found to be quite inadequate. Matters seem to have been ripe in Inverurie, in the course of a year, for setting the school agoing, as appears from the following minute of the Session : — -

1650. Feb. 3, the. Lord's Day : (edict served the Sunday before). —This day the aritors, wadsetters, lyferenters, aud other honest men within the parish ar desyrit to be at the session to giv ther jndgment

The School of Inverurie under the Covenant and the Second Episcopacy. 323

anent the man they would hav to he ther schoolmaster, ther being two in ther offer, Mr. Alex. Mitchell and Mr. Walter Torie. Ther judgments and voices being askit, some wer for Mr. Walter Torie, som for Mr. Alex. Mitchell, but most for Mr. Alex. Mitchell ; hereupon the session, and other honest men iu the parish, did condescend with Mr. Alex. Mitchell, only for ane quarter of a yeir, and that to try how the youngors profitit with him ; assuring him iff be any neglect in him the youngors did not make proficiency, he should he chaugit at the quarter end.

Mr. Alexander Mitchell, the schoolmaster from 1611 to 1636, was in 1650 the narrowly successful candidate. The reason of his grudged success probably lay in the political condition of the electing body, which may have carried the vote against the kirk-session, and the " honest men " — who were the Presbytery's nominees. Malignancy abounded in the neighbourhood. The Presbytery, in the preceding year, had deposed or suspended, the ministers of Monkegie, Daviot, and Kinkell. Several kirk-sessions were short in number, from want of persons free of malignancy to appoint as elders. Inverurie was one of the number that year. If Mr. Mitchell was the candidate of the obnoxious party, it is likely the honest men had been chosen by the Presbytery for political fidelity — what the later Jacobites called honesty — and that they were willing, along with the session, to hamper the unwelcome choice of the electors as much as they could. From whatever cause, the office was vacated before the quarter expired. The history of the whole process is included in the following minutes : —

Appryl 3, Wednesday.

This day the Commission of the Provinciall Assembly mett at this kirk (Inverurie), for the visiting of it ... .

It is ordaint also, he (the minister) provyd another scoollmr., and that before the down sitting of the Commission of the Provincial Assembly next.

Appryll 7, the Lord's Day.

This day the session, togidder with the aritors, wadsetters, and uther honest men within the parish, dois choys George Eobertson (for the tyme scolmr. at Scoun) to be seoolmaster, and thinks it convenient he be tryed befor the Presbytery befor his entry ; whilk is to be at Wittsondy nixt, 1650.

The collector paid George Eobertson, 7 April, 1650, 3 lbs.

The new schoolmaster had, evidently, been fixed on before the Synod's order was issued. He was probably recommended, from the more faithful district of Scotland, by leaders of the dominant party, and the session had agreed to pay the expenses of his travelling to Inverurie. It will be observed that he does not bear the University title of Master, possessed by the preceding candidates and schoolmasters. The two Colleges at Aberdeen were already bearing fruit in a larger proportion of educated men than the South possessed. George Eobertson's incumbency was short. He must have left before November 16, 1651. The reason may perhaps be gathered from the narrative of the next attempt to provide a schoolmaster.

1652, Feb. 1. — Mr. Jhon Duu this day did appear befor the session, with testificats from such places as he had been in, desrying the libertie and power of teaching a school within the town of Inverury. The session condescended to his desyr, and also requested the minister to caus draw up sum lynes for securing of him iu the matter of his school duty, that the in or he might be encourigit to giv attendance on his charg. The young man is desyrt to be present the next Tysday, when all the heritors are to be present in this town, for other weighty business concerning themselves, that he may see the lynes relatting to the securing of him on his stipeu subvt.

1652, Feb. 8.— Report is maid be the minister, to the session thatt he, with Mr. Jhon Dun, went to the airitors, they being in Bayly Jhonston's hows, and desyritt ther subscription to the paper con- taining Mr. Jhon Dun, his security anent the school duty ; butt could have no subscription, but only

324 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the subsciption of Major Thomas Forbes of Achortes. Mr. Jhon Dun seeing he could not he secured in his stipend, did show the session he would not any further meddle in it.

Minute of the Presbytery of Garioch— 1st Apryll, 1652. At the Chappell of Garioch, Mr. George Leyth, Mr. George Mill, Mr. William Keyth, moderator ; Mr. Arthur Ore, clerk ; .Mr. George Melville, Mr. George Taillifer, and Mr. Alexander Strachan, were appointed to meet and visit the schools of the Presbyterie.

Acts of 1633 and 1646 then in existence, required the heritors of every parish to establish a school in the parish ; and stent themselves for its maintenance, and for the payment of a salary to the master. No salary, however, was specified, and the jus devo- lution of election was confided to no more influential a body than twelve honest men, nominated by the Presbytery. The disorganised state of society which prevailed during the civil war, made all laws inoperative ; and an efficient condition of public schools was arrived at only in the course of many years after the Eestoration. On the " School Board" declining to provide a salary, in 1652, for an efficient schoolmaster, the session seems to have made some arrangement as to a female teacher. The collector's disbursements exhibit between July and October of that year, "To Mart. Hay scooll- mistress, 40 sh."

Another attempt to carry out the law was made next year, at the instance of the

Presbytery.

1653, March 20.— The sd day appeared Mr. Arthur Forbes, son to Knaperna, as being reco- mendit be the Presbitrie to the session for being scoolmr. The session thought it convenient he should return the next Lo'day and get an answer ; witliall, did recommend to the officer to goe to the antors of the parish for desyring them to be prt. the next Lo'day, for consulting about that "letter.

March 27.— The sd day appeared Mr. Arthur Forbes, expecting his answer. lhe antors comperinc according to the former ordinance, some of them did assent to his entry, some not. the session not finding the reasons of the dissenters of his entry to be valid, did ordain the sd Mr. Arthur Forbes, to be admittet scoolmaster as soon as possible he could enter to the scool, for instructing and teaching the young ones.

Mr. Forbes, Idee his predecessors, had but a brief tenure of office. He was a nephew of Sir George Johnston, the first baronet of Caskieben, whose sister, Jean, was married to William Forbes of Knapernay, a cadet of the House of Tolquhon. Mr. Arthur Forbes, was subsequently settled as a minister in Ireland, and married and had issue.

1655, January 28.— This day all aritors, wadsetters, lyfrenters, and others, lyabill in payment of the scooll duty are, publickly from pulpit, requyrit and warnit to cum to session the mxt Lord s day, for declaring itr they hev anything to object against the entrie of Mr. Johu Walker to be scoollmaster.

Feb 4.— The aritors, wadsetters, &c, according to the former requisition, being callvt on, and many of them being found absent, the session, with such of them as were present of the aritors, condescendit with Mr. Johu Walker to be scoullmastsr for a tym.

Exactly two years later another appointment had to be made.

1657, Feb. 8.— All aritors, wadsetters, lyfrenters, conjunct fears, are publicklie requirit to be at session the next Lord's day, for declaring what they have to say concerning Mr. \\ llham Charmer, whom the session is to admit to be schoolmaster for the toune and parishe of Inverurie.

Feb. 15.— This day Mr. William Charmer, getting a good testimonje from such heritors, wad- setters, lyferenters as was present for the time, the session did admitt liim to be schoolmaster.

Mr. Chalmers incumbency was more prolonged ; the reason being perhaps indicated

by a minute of session of the following year : —

1658, April] 4.— The schoolmaster lying out of some of his stipend, publieke intimatione is made from pulpit for a meeting of all the heritors, wadsetters, lyfrenters, conjunct liars, and others having

The School of Inverurie under the Covenant and the Second Episcopacy. 325

interest, the meeting to be at Inverurie, the 12 of April], to the effect that eyerie one may se ther par- ticular proportion they owe to the scholmaister for stipend, as it is contened in letters of horning latlie come from the south, raised upon a decreet made for establishing and sattliug ane stipend for a schol- maister in the parishe of Inverurie.

In 1662 Mr. "William Chalmers appears in the burgh accounts as paid 21 lbs. 4 sh. Scots, as the burgh's part of his salary, which was the sum that continued to be paid to the schoolmaster for a century after. Mr. Chalmers seems to have held his office on a fixity of tenure belonging more to the after history of parish schools than to the period of their origin. The later notices of him are few and of mixed character. He was paid 4 merks as session-clerk's salary in 1666, and in 1670 he was a preacher. Some years later opposition seems to have arisen to his school, with such prospect of success as to call forth a process of inhibition ; which may have been raised either in the in- terests of Mr. Chalmers, or of the subordination to canonical order required by the Church, then in the freshness of the new Episcopacy.

1673. May IS. The Presbytery inhibits "William Ferguson teaching any scholars, within

the town and parish of Inverurie, till he.be orderlie chosen to that office, and ordains him to acknow- ledge his fault.

Sept. 21. —Mr. William Ferguson compears before the pulpit (of Inverurie) in presence of the congregation, and acknowledges his fault ; and promises to obey the ordinances of the Presbitrie in de- sisting from further teaching of scolaris, in any parish, till he be orderlie callit.

1674. 11th July. — Every tenant within the burgh of Inverurie, who possesses lands pertaining to heritors that dwells without the burgh, is ordaint to advertise his maister be ane letter from the present baillie, and to bring ane answer tymously thereanent ; that Saturday next is appointed to be keeped in the tolbuith of Inverurie, about ten o'clock in the forenoon, being the eighteenth day of July instant, for settling and agreeing with Mr. Win. Chalmers, scolmester, anent what is owing him of seoole dewties, for all bygon years since' his entrie be the town of Inverurie.

The Synod in October 1674 and April 1675 issued the following orders : — ■ 1671. — Rules for visitation of parishes. Query 2 — If there he a school, and what encouragement is given to the schoolmaster ? What is done towards making parents send their children to school ? If anything is given to the schoolmaster out of the box for teaching poor children ? If the school- master be blameless in conduct, and diligent in office ? If he makes his scholars learn the catechism, and a form of prayer for morning and evening, and a blessing before and after meat ? If he chastise them for cursing and swearing, lying or speaking profanely, for disobedience to parents, and other vices that appear in them.

Presbyteries who have not called chaplains and schoolmasters within their bounds to take the oath of allegiance ami the promise of canonical obedience, to do so immediately.

In that year Mr. Robert Forbes, son of the minister, and a preacher, is once referred

to as schoolmaster at Inverurie, from which it is possible that Mr. Chalmers school was

being deserted for a reason apparent in the following minute of Synod : —

1679. Oct. 16. — On a reference from the Presbytery of Garioch, Mr. 'William Chalmers compeared to answer to an accusation of adultery, and offered to purge himself by oath. The Synod rejected his defence ; and enjoined the Presbytery to hold their next meeting at Inverurie, to visit the school, which was reported to be very much decayed. The Synod also suspended him from the office of reader aud precentor in the kirk of Inverurie, and ordained him to give up to the moder- ator of Presbytery the licence which he held to preach the Gospel. [Mr. "William Chalmers is mentioned in the burgh treasurer's accounts for 1690 as late schoolmaster.]

The district, served by the Aberdeen Colleges, was wont to be quoted in recent

times as enjoying by their means the advantage, exceptional in Scotland, of having the

parish schools taught by men who were University graduates, and in many cases qualified

to take office in the sacred ministry. We find the same relatively high class of teachers

323 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garivch.

in the schools of the Garioch from the earliest records now existing. The session books of Kemnay and Oyne, giving records from 1661 to 1668, and from 1663 to 1688 respec- tively, name, among the preachers occasionally officiating, the following schoolmasters .- — Mr. George Birnie, Cnlsalmond, 1644 ; Mr. William Thomson, Bayne, 1688 ; Mr. William Idell, Chapel of Garioch, 1670; Mr. William Chalmers, Inverurie, 1670; Mr. John Forbes, Kintore, 1671 ; Mr. Eobert Morgane, Oyne, 1672; and Mr. George Duncan, Culsalmond, 1674; Mr. William Watson, Monymusk, 1675; Mr. George Birnie, Logiedurnoch, 1675 ; Mr. Eobert Keith, Kintore, 1676 ; Mr. George Birnie, Kintore, 1683; Mr. George Crightone, Insch, 1685; Mr. Alexander Hay, Monymusk, 1688. Mr. James Bainy was schoolmaster of Kemnay in 1663, and Mr. William Johnston, 1687; Mr. John Mitchell, at Oyne, from 1681 to 1683; Mr. John Shand for some years thereafter, when he was succeeded by Mr. James Leask, from the school of Prem- nay. Leask had an advanced salary, being 20 pounds from the Common Good and two pecks from every pleugh, making 5 bolls, and 3s. 4d. from each croft.

The easily erected style of edifices occupied as school-houses by those Masters of Arts is indicated by a minute of date 13th October, 1672, respecting the school of Oyne (where Mr. Robert Morgane had 4 bolls of victual from the parish and 10 lbs. money from the session), ordaining that the school be put up on Wednesday come eight days — two horse and a man to come to repair it from everie pleugh of the paroche. Forty years later a new school was built at Chapel of Garioch, the general specification presenting — a school and school chamber, of an ell height of drystone, with foot and flaughter-fail above, and with doors, windows, and a partition wall and other requisites — the cost being £30 3s. 4d. Scots, by and attour the timber of the old school and chamber.

One of the schoolmasters of Chapel of Garioch during the Second Episcopacy was Mr. William Leslie, of the Warthill family, who, being influenced by his relatives of Balquhain, went abroad, and turned Soman Catholic. He became subsequently Bishop of Laybach and a Prince of the Empire.

Chapter X. THE RESTORATION OF THE MONARCHY.

Garioch Families — Sir Alexander Forbes of Tolquhon— Alexander Leslie of Tullos —Religious Reac- tion— Popery — New Sects— Demoralization of Society —Sunday. Charles II. 's Episcopacy. — Nature of Scottish Episcopacy — Successive Prayer Books — The Reader — Political Character of the Church — Changes attempted. State of Society. — Church Discipline — Breach of Sabbath — Public Works and Charities. Parochial Incidents. — St. Bryde's Kirk, Kcmnay — The Jougs—Mr. Ore's Death — Churchyard Patrol — Taverns Visited — Assault on Minister of Inverurie — Bleaching Clothes on Sunday — Apostates to Popery ami Quakerism — Collections for Bridges, Harbours, &c. — Dogclip — Kirk of Oyne falling — Child offered to the G-rave— Fairies— Privy Council Com- mission on Nonconformity —Sunday Drinking — Public Marriages — Lifted to be Elders — Slaves to the Turks — Payment of Reader — Bridge of Tone — Accidental Breach of Sabbath. Quakerism. — Garioch Perverts — Alexander Jaffray, James Urquharl, Dr. William Johnstons widow. ■ — Quakers Imprisoned at Inverurie — Monkcgy — Minister of Inverurie's Daughter — Bishop Scougal. Heritors and the Church. — Origin of Public Burdens. The Kirk of Inverurie. Repairs and arrangement. The Manse. Kemnay. Oyne and Monymusk. — Dilapidations — School at Oyne — Monymusk Kirk Reseated — Seats Let. The Burgh of Inverurie at the Restoration. — Thanksgiving Sunday — New Tolbooth — Jurisdiction — John Earl of Mar — Sir John Keith — Caskicben. The Fergusons of Inverurie. — A Genealogy—" Umquhill William Fergus" — William Ferguson in Crichic — His Six Sons — Alexander Jaffray's Death — Mr. William Forbes — Mr. William Murray. Inverurie Individuals. — Burgh incidents — M.P. for Inverurie — Market Cross Erected — Importance of Royal Burghs. The Earldom of Kintore. — The Regalia.

GARIOCH FAMILIES.

TiT^THEN Charles II. returned in 1660 to his native land, a welcome king, the face

V^V^ of society had changed considerably in the Garioch, and his reign was to see still more of the disintegration and reconstruction belonging to all national revolutions. His host at Pitcaple in 1650 had followed him, as also his brother James Leslie (wounded in Frendaucht's company, 2nd October, 1630), and both fell at Wor- cester. His acquaintance, Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells, had his principal resi- dence at Artannies in Inverurie, where in a few years he was propagating Quakerism.

The head of the Gordons was then a boy of ten years old, who only in the fol- lowing year got his grandfather's estates restored to him from the forfeiture of 1648. He was the son of Lewis Gordon, the schoolboy who in 1639 escaped from his guardians to be with the Gordons in arms for the Royal cause. Lord Lewis by the pre-decease of his two elder brothers, George Lord Gordon in 1645, and James Viscount of Aboyne in the beginning of 1549, was eldest surviving son when George the second Marquis, his

328 Inverurie and the Earldom of the GariocJi.

father, was executed in March, 1649, and he had the family honours restored to him hy Charles II. in 1651, which he lived to hold only until Decemher, 1653.

The ancient family of Caskiehen was ahout to he replaced hy a new Earldom, com- memorative of the fortunes of the King, conferred upon a brother of the Earl Marischal of the Troubles, and the family name of Keith-hall was to supersede the immemorial names of Caskieben and Monkegy. The head of the departing house, the first Baronet of Caskieben, was still alive, an elder of the kirk of Monkegy, dwelling quietly at Ardiharrall, where, indeed, he had lived most of his time, if not the whole.

The house of Forbes, the ancient allies of the Johnstons against the Gordons and the Leslies, was like all these families no longer prominent in the district. The active first baronet of Eintray and Craigievar, was dead. The Pitsligo Forbeses had ceded their properties of Lethinty and Findgask to Patrick Urquhart ; who himself was the founder of a new Meldrum family in succession to the Setons, that had come in place of the Meldrums, as Patrick now came into theirs, by female inheritance. The Forbes lairds of Monymusk and Leslie were living quietly at home, possibly practising the Eoyalist character attributed to them by Douglas in his Baronage. The Tolquhon laird of Thainston of the time, Sir Alexander Forbes, was an old brother-in-arms of the King. Sir Alexander's mother was infeft in Thainston when a widow in 1661. He had married, in 1649, Bathia Murray, the widow of Sir William Forbes of Craigievar. That lady would have needed to be a wife of no political thoughts, for her second husband was a great contrast to her first in that respect. He had grown up a Eoyalist, after his father, like others of the Forbeses, had been scared by the progress of the Argyll policy. The Tolquhon papers in the possession of Mr. Forbes Leith of White- haugh — who now represents that family — contain a letter in the handwriting of Charles II., dated 14th June, 1651, forbidding any levy to be made upon Tolquhon, as the laird (Walter Forbes, Alexander's father) was past sixty years old, and his son was commanding a regiment of foot as colonel. The colonel fought at Worcester, and on the failure of the Eoyalist army mounted the King on his own horse and then checked the pursuit while he escaped ; but was himself cut down and left. He was afterwards an agent in the escape of Charles from England. The exiled King knighted him in 1653-4. Sir Alexander received civic honours from the burgh of Haddington in 1653, and in 1655 from both St. Andrews and Glasgow. Major Thomas Forbes, one of the lairds of Aquhorties in 1652, was probably his uncle, called in the family pedigree Thomas Forbes of Watterton.

Blackball in Inverurie, from which the lairds of that name were gone apparently before 1650,\appears in 1661 in the possession of Alexander Abercromby of Fetternear and Francis Abercromby, his son, who were then, and for about twenty years later, proprietors of Fetternear. In 1687 William Thain of Blackball became "debitor" to the Kirk-session of Kemnay for some moneys previously held on loan by Patrick Leslie of Kineraigy who sold Badifurrow.

Garioch Families. 329

Alexander Chalmers of Drimmies was since 1655 an elder of the Kirk of Inverurie. His son William sold Drimmies, in 1679, to his wife's brother, John Leslie of Aquhorsk, the son of the James Leslie of Aquhorties already noticed. Drimmies was, in 1609, held by John Gordon, whose ancestor, Patrick Gordon, son and apparent heir of William Gordon of Auchindore, bought it in 1538 from Alexander Gordon of Braco. It was originally part of the Leslie barony of Kuockinglewis, and was sold about 1490 to Patrick Gordon of Methlic ; whose eldest son, George, became ancestor of the Haddo family, subsequently Earls of Aberdeen, while his second son, Alexander, founded the family of Gordon of Braco; the last of whom, John Gordon, called of Braco in 1678, probably sold that property to the Earl of Aberdeen, who held it at a later date for some time.

In the parish of Oyne Alexander Gordon of Torreis and Ann Leith, his wife, ap- pear in 1668 in the home of the famous Leiths of Harthill ; and in the neighbourhood the Abercromby possession of Westhall had in 1672 John Campbell as laird, and before long Mr. James Horn, minister of Elgin.

The Cess collector of 1650 was James Ogilvy of Westhall. Patrick Anderson of Tillymorgan held the same office in 1668. At that date the Kirk-session book of Oyne presents us with the names of John Leith of Newlands, Patrick Leith of Cairden, and Gilbert Leslie of Buchanston.

Some entries in the Inverurie Court Books preserve the surnames of proprietors then in the neighbourhood not now represented : —

1668, 7th Aug. — Beatrix, Elizabeth, and Jean Gordon, wives respectively of Patrick Forbes, Patrick Gordon, ami James Leslie, were coheiresses and portioners of Redhall in Auchterless.

1671 — James Leslie of Buchanston had to answer for blinding Alexander Straehan of

Kinadie.

1671, 10th Nov.— Elizabeth Forbes, spouse to Alexander Straehan of Kinadie, heritable pro- prietor of the barony and lands of Aquhorties, ratified a Disposition of these to Sir Alexander Forbes of Tolquhon and bis brother, Thomas Forbes, Advocate in Edinburgh.

1671, 21th Nov. — Ann dimming, spouse to John Gordon, younger of Law, concurred in his Disposition of part of Rothie to William Forbes, brother of Sir Alexander Forbes of Tolquhon.

1672, 3rd June. — Margaret Lamb, widow of George Leith of Milne of Ardoyne and Scottbrig, resigned her liferent to George Leith of Craighall and Helen Leith, his wile.

1673, 15th Dec. — John Gairden of Bruckles in Auchterless, and Jean Gairden, wife of James Mennie, coheiresses of John Gairden of Bruckles, resigned rights to James Leslie at Mill of Williamston.

1673, 27th Dec. — Elizabeth Elphinstone, spouse to William Gordon of Tilliangus, resigntd rights to Lewis Gordon of Auchlyard.

1674, 31st Aug. — Margaret Harvie, spouse to James Abercrombie, portioner of Harlaw, resigned to her brother, Master Robert Harvie of Slagmngully, part of TiUigrige in Udny parish, her rights therein.

1675, 6th Feb. — Elizabeth Straehan, spouse to George Petendreich, portioner of Laws in Rayne, resigned her rights over twelve oxengaitt extending to aue pleuch and half ane pleuch of the town of Laws, in favour of William Erskine of Pittodrie.

1675, 19th April. — Isabel Bisset, wife of Thomas Abercrombie, designed of Collyhill, resigned Jackston, &c. , Fyvie.

1676, 23rd May. — Elizabeth Abercrombie, spouse of Master William Straehan of Luesk, resigned her right therein to George Leith of Trceneld.

1677, 8th June. — Alexander Symsone and Margaret Symsone, his spouse, resigned their rights in Lawelside, in Bourtie, to Robert Symsone of Thornton for 3000 merks.

42

330 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

1677, 26th Jul}-. — Margaret Gordon, spouse to Master John Walker, minister of Tillinessle, resigned her right over the lands of Warestoun to James Gordon of Delpersie and his son George.

In 1684, John Tyrie was served heir to his father, David Tyrie, of Dunnydeir, in the lands of Dunydier, with the pendicle called Poyck, held of Charles Earl of Mar, Lord Erskine and Garioch, for the yearly payment of 20 lbs. Scots 2 marts 24 and 4 doz. copons.

Eclipsed by the lustre of the foreign members of the family, Alexander Leslie of Tullos was living, when King Charles returned, virtual laird of Balquhain since 1659, though not legally such until his brother "William's death in 1671. He had probably removed from the narrow mansion house of Tullos to the more ample ancestral castle.

Alexander Leslie had gone back to the family faith. The Elphinstones of Meikle Warthill were also Roman Catholics. That property bought by Lord Elphinstone in 1616 from John Leslie of Wardes (p. 227) continued in the family for about a century. One of the lairds had to wife a sister of the well-known Eobert Gordon of Straloch. The family ended in an heir female, who married Gardyne of Bellamore. The estate was then sold to Sir John Elphinstone, second baronet of Logie, and his descendant, Sir Eobert D. H. Elphinstone, sold it to Mr. Gordon of Newton, whose descendants still hold it.

RELIGIOUS REACTION. Apostacy to Popery was frequent about 1660, and the most rational account of the fact is furnished by the condition of society at the time. So universal a change of religious profession as occurred at the Reformation in Scotland was, if sincere, a thing unexampled in history ; and it is likely there had been a considerable extent of attach- ment to the abrogated faith kept hidden because of the civil pains and penalties it incurred. The necessity of these was kept fresh in the minds of the King and the great Protestant nobles by the prolonged attempt of the Catholic powers of Europe to put down the Reformed religion by force of arms; which in the reigns of Elizabeth and James led to the attempted invasion of Britain by the Spanish Armada, and after- wards to the Thirty years' War. Roman Catholics only of the highest rank, such as the Earl of Huntly, were able by the protection of the Sovereign, who could not afford to make them desperate, to resist the pressure of the Kirk requiring all to enter her communion. The one exercise of authority which the two Kings, James and Charles— both disliking the Scottish Church — supported her in, was the suppres- sion of Popery ; and the Church Courts were first substantially checked in their rule of terror by the sectarian officers of the armies of the Commonwealth, who, being placed in garrison in the chief towns of the kingdom, were willing to receive solicita- tions from any individuals for help against an authority which they disapproved of. We find even Mr. Andrew Cant in 1656 seeking their protection from his own ecclesi- astical court. Concealed Papists would in that state of things take courage to throw off the long-worn pretence of conformity. It shows how strong the sentiment accepting the Reformation had been in Scotland that a century elapsed before it could be braved by persons of the middle rank of society.

Garioch Families. 331

The religious aspect of the time presents another account that may be given of the frequent perversions occurring. It was not to Popery only that individuals of good repute were apostatising. Quakerism and Independency became the refuge of a number of persons here and there. These forms of dissent were imported from England, where Cromwell's own example of individualism in religion propagated itself widely among his attached military followers. In Scotland the licentious life led by many Royalists, professing to attach themselves to the religion of Charles I., discredited the Episcopal form ; while the flagrant abuse made of the Covenanting Church, to serve politi- cal and sometimes individual ends, in which the maxim Abscindantur qui ?ios pertur- bant was a recognised rule of action, made some good men sick of a law which could minister to so much unrighteousness. It requires much wisdom to walk wisely in religious straits of such a kind, and while some may have sought rest in the Church which pretends all power to protect the soul, others may have fled for freedom to the new sects, whose inherent faults had not as yet had time to appear.

The divine right of ruling first believed in and propounded by King Charles I. had thirty years before 1660 given rise to a correlative belief in a divine right of resistance, which raised up, and educated in self-assertion, a civil organisation in England nominally Parliamentary, and in Scotland an ecclesiastical organisation as widely operative ; and the explanation of the fact of society becoming so demoralised before 1660 seems to be that these powers having in combination succeeded in putting down the divine right of Kings, each assumed the same celestial authority for itself, and by-and-bye so disa- greed that each encouraged or protected the community in resisting the authority of the other. Two competing and conflicting tyrannies had in this way to bo borne, and the people, universally worn out with the " ills they had " were ready as an escape from them, to take back the King. Before long his mischievous shortcomings as a man and as a king were felt, but in 1660 the excitement of relief from the colonels of the Common- wealth on the one hand, and from the Kirk on the other, gave so exciting relief that soberness of manners and of morals alike was abandoned. Extravagance in display, and in indulgence, came to be looked upon as a badge of loyalty to the thoughtless, witty, and loose court, and the Bishops had to put a rein upon the jollity even of the clergy, and issued orders against their display of ribbons, and occasionally against more grave excesses.

The demoralisation that had come over public sentiment in regard to religious ob- servances during the long troubled period — rest from which was sought by the whole nation in the recall of the King — receives a graphic illustration in one of the Acts of his first Parliament, which exhibits the outward distinction between the Sunday and other days as nearly forgotten. The Act forbade " salmon fishing on Sunday, going of salt pans, mills, kilns, hiring servants, carrying loads, keeping markets, or offering mer- chandise". A subsequent Act was deemed necessary providing for the appointment in every parish of an authorised prosecutor for such offences, but the evil had eaten so

332 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gurioch.

deeply into the moral sense of the community that twenty-three years afterwards the Bishops, through the parish ministers, were reminding the people of the existence of those Acts as a means of restraining ordinary labour on the sacred day.

CHARLES II. 'S EPISCOPACY.

The most marked historical feature of the Eestoration in Scotland was the reintro- duction of Episcopacy as the national form of Church. Looked back upon from the present time the ecclesiastical change presents itself as having been both intended and accepted as a monument of the return, by the national will, of the Eoyal Stuarts to reign again. The abolition of the Episcopal Church was one of the Acts of Parliament that signalised the defeat of Charles I.'s sovereign power, and the Parliament of 1660 simply repealed that abrogation along with other laws passed against the Stuarts. The Episcopal Church of Scotland passed away again from the national recognition immedi- ately on the last Stuart king losing his seat on the throne, which catastrophe was much hastened by his manner of using that Church as an instrument of kingly power ; and during the two generations which followed the flight of King James, while Scottish families were showing a divided allegiance, the profession of Episcopacy continued to be a badge of fidelity to the exiled Stuarts ; and until a much later time it was associated with the cherishing of Jacobite sentiment after Jacobite politics had become impossible.

The Scottish Episcopacy of the 17th century would be very much misconceived if we pictured it to ourselves as at any time resembling the Episcopacy of the Church of England, in respect either of government or of form of worship. It was simply the Presbyterianism devised after the Beformation, with the addition of Bishops instead of the Superintendents appointed under that system. Peter Blackburn, Bishop of Aberdeen, ■whom we have noticed as continuing one of the ordinary ministers of Aberdeen after his elevation to Episcopal rank, and drawing little or nothing of revenue as Bishop, was an illustration of the position of that office in the Scottish Church. The Bishop was in authority not much more than perpetual Moderator of the Provincial Synod ; with some undefined power of restriction upon the exercise of discipline, and the natural function of originating certain proceedings proper to be taken by the Synod.

The form of worship belonging to the Episcopacy of Charles II., as before to the Kirk of King James, was that inherited from the Presbyterian Church formed by Knox and his contemporaries. The ministers conducted the parts of the service that fell to them exactly as is done in the parish churches of Scotland at present ; while in England, then as now, the minister used a manual of devotion. A manual was in use in the first Befornied Kirk for the guidance of the Keaders, who had to be employed for lack of qualified ministers. The one first used was King Edward's Prayer Booh, which was superseded by the work called Knox's Liturgy, or the Book of Common Order, partly borrowed from the compilation the great Eeformer had been accustomed to in Geneva.

Charles II.'s Episcopacy. 333

The Book of Common Order was the substantial guide of Beaders down to the time of the Covenant; and was then substituted by the Directory for Public Worship, drawn up by the combined English and Scotch Church reformers of that period. The Scottish clergy had never practised other than extemporary, or what was called " conceived " prayer in their public ministrations ; and the reason why Archbishop Laud's New Manual of Church Service was rejected so strongly, by a church in which a manual was in use, was that the proposed change was understood to include the use of the new service book by the clergy of Scotland as in the Episcopal Church of England.

The system of Beaders was not required in England, where at the Eeformation the parochial clergy mostly conformed to the transfer of supremacy from the Fope to King Henry VIII. In Scotland it was the only expedient available for keeping up anything like congregational worship for a long time after the Eeformation. Individuals qualified to discharge the function were to be found also ready to hand, in the persons of conform- ing priests and the parish clerks, some of whom were men of position and education. The office of Eeader was found so convenient an addition to the system of parochial ministry, that it continued, with variation of practice, down to last century ; the 23arish of Inverurie possessing it until 1799 in the form of regular reading of the Scriptures, and catechising of the congregation by the schoolmaster every Sunday before the minister entered the pulpit. The form of the Reader's service was as follows : — On the ringing of the second bell, an hour after the first Sabbath bell was tolled, the Eeader entered the lectern and read the common prayer, and in some churches the Commandments and the Belief. Ho then gave out a large portion of the Esalter, the singing of which was concluded with the Doxolugy, when he proceeded to read from the Old and New Testa- ment, taking his lessons in regular order. It was during the hour occupied in the Beader's service, that persons suffering severe discipline were kept standing at the door in sackcloth. On the ringing of the third bell the preacher entered the pulpit, knelt in private supplication, and then led the devotions of the people in a conceived prayer, after which he preached ; and a thanksgiving conducted in the same way, and praise by singing, concluded the service. The position of the people in the communion service was' what is now observed in Fresbyterian congregations, and presents the greatest difference from the Episcopalian ritual. Even in cathedrals nothing in the shape of ritual was used. Episcopalian ministers, both English and Scottish, who lived in the end of the Caroline Episcopacy, agree in giving this account of the service in the Church of Scotland ; the historical continuity of which practice Mr. Sprott in his Freface to a reprint of the Book of Common Order has convincingly traced from the beginning of the Eeformed Kirk. In the St. Andrew's Episcopalian congregation of Aberdeen, which at first had a meeting-house at the back of the Tolbooth, no prayer-book was used either

by the first pastor, Mr. Andrew Jaffray, nor by the second, Mr. ■ Milne, and read

prayers were introduced only by Mr. Smith, the third incumbent, who was there

until 1746, and under whom the meetings were removed to Concert Close, and after-

334 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

wards to a dwelling-house in a close on the west side of the Guestrow when the Govern- ment deemed it needful to repress the Jacobite attempts of the Scottish Episcopalians.

The ecclesiastical change was to mark a return to the order of things obtaining be- fore the lamented troubles began, and the Episcopal Synod of Aberdeen, assembled first in 1662, set itself to erase the forms of the Church that had ruled during the interregnum, with much the same desire of forgetting a history too deeply incised in national memory as the new Parliament showed in its destruction of the prominent associations of the Commonwealth. The very names of Presbytery and Kirk-session were attempted to be dropped, but were very soon admitted again, the reality continuing all the while ; and the strong technicalities used in the Platform of 1649 framed by the Presbyterian Church, were at once retranslated into the expressions for which the unsesthetic con- structors of that remarkable document had substituted their plain-speaking words ; but the relaxation of terms was accompanied by no relaxation of discipline, the remedial power of which was more needed than ever in the prevalent state of morals. The desire to mark an ecclesiastical triumph was directly indicated by an order issued by the Aberdeen Synod of October, 1663, that all the brethren should purchase from "Mr. John Forbes, stationer in Aberdeen, a volume to be printed by him, price fifteen shillings Scots money, containing the queries, replies, and duplies of the Doctors of Aberdeen and Professors of Divinitie there ". They were also to purchase " The de- clinator of the Bishops at the pretended Assemblie in Glasgow". The first Synod at once ordered that " the directorie practised by the late pretended General Assemblies be layed assyed and not made use of in tyme coming ".

The most impressive outward change that marked the end of the Covenanting rule ,was that all the surviving ministers of the preceding Episcopacy who had been removed by the Covenanters were at once replaced in their parishes ; and every minister entered since 1649 was inhibited from seeking horning for recovery of his stipend without leave obtained from the Bishop. All such had also to obtain presentations from the formerly recognised patrons of their respective parishes. The right of patronage, replaced under the Covenanting rule by a congregational call, with the freedom of which the Church Courts or despotic members of them, such as Mr. Andrew Cant, frequently interfered, became of value again ; and in 1664 we find the patronage of Oyne resigned by Margaret Eeith, daughter and coheiress of the former patron, George Eeith of Harthill, to William Leith of Old Eayne.

The close connection of the new Church in sentiment, as well as in fact, with the dominancy of the reigning house, proved to be the source of ruin to both Church and King. The very rough discipline by which the Presbyterian Church attempted to produce con- formity was succeeded by a more oppressive compulsion. The Secret Council became the supreme executive in discipline ; and conformity to the Church was sought to be enforced by fine and imprisonment, and the military supression of conventicles at the instance of curates. This latter mode of discipline was in the end gone about occa-

Charles II.' s Episcopacy. 335

sionally with so much of brutality that not only did it hasten the dethronement of the impolitic monarch, hut made Episcopacy an object of combined hatred and horror in those parts of the country where the cruel dragoonadcs were resorted to. The contrast experienced by the country in the policy of William of Orange, when he ascended the British throne, did much to give peace to his reign as well as to the country. When Presbyterianism was re-established in Scotland in 1690, he insisted and the Church con- curred— both showing large-mindedness therein — that the Episcopalian incumbents should not be ousted anywhere as the Presbyterian ministers had been after 1660, but be allowed to retain their parochial position, though without a scat in the church courts, provided they took an oath of civil allegiance. All willing to do that remained, not always contented or well behaved, but perfectly protected and tolerated until their death; and the few surviving until 1715 were then mostly deposed for Jacobite treason and for no ecclesiastical offence, those wise enough to avoid the politics of that epoch continuing entirely undisturbed.

The lay Episcopalians in the country continued to be mostly Jacobites, and sup- ported the Chevalier in 1745. Many picturesque stories remain of their convivial allegiance to the " King over the water," and in Church their ingenuity and good man- ners were greatly taxed hj the prayer for the King and the Eoyal Family, in which they had to join. Captain Burt, an English officer of Engineers, employed in Scotland about 1730, says in an account of St. Paul's Episcopal congregation in Aberdeen, that when the prayer for King George was read, the devout decorum seen during all the rest of the Litany, was exchanged for ostentatious trifling, taking of snuff, and such like. Burt re- presents the Non-jurors as preaching politics much more than religion ; but the combina- tion of secular with sacred interests in the pulpit, had been doubtless a time-honoured custom before that day. Eighty years later, the same political element prevailed in Scottish Episcopacy. The minister of Inverurie of that time, married the daughter o* an Episcopalian lady, who, on being congratulated on the good match her daughter had made, gave her estimate of him as " a fulyie Whiggy bodie".

The acts of the first Episcopal Synods look like the inauguration of great changes, but they proved little more than a testimony in words to the change that had come upon national rule. The presiding Bishop, Adam Mitchell, had known the uses of adversity and did not seek to magnify his office. A dignitary before the civil war, he had been extruded by the Covenanters, and took refuge in Holland, where, possessing a mechanical turn, he supported himself by clock making. His three successors, who made up the line until the order was obliterated again, namely, Alexander Burnett, Patrick Scougal, and George Haliburton, seem all to have acted with similar prudence.

Among the new appointments made by the Episcopal Synod, October, 1662, it was ordered that morning and evening prayers be said,

Especially in the places after following, viz. : — In the townes of Old and New Aberdeen, in Banff, in Deer, in Peterhead, in Fraserburgh, in Kyntoir, in Inverurie, in Kir.cardyn O'Neil, in Turriff, in

336 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Cullen, in Ellon, in Tarves, in Fordyce, in Monymusk, in Upper Banchory ; and that the Liturgie in the Old Psalm-Book be used and practised.

Four years later the people of Inverurie had to he exhorted to come to the church for prayers at the ringing of the hell; which instrument had in 1665, heing mended at the cost of 12 shillings Scots.

At the same Synod of 1662, directions weTe framed for the guidance of Readers. These officials, a heritage of the Reformation difficulties, had evidently continued to be employed in some parishes since ever they were had recourse to at the Reformation, albeit the zealous Covenanters set their faces against them, and the minister of Towie got himself sharply rebuked by the Synod, in 1657, for asking leave to employ one. The Reader was directed to use a form of prayer, including the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed, and to read portions from both the Old and New Testaments, and to conclude with the Ten Commandments. If there was no Reader, the minister was instructed to read the Scripture himself. The Reader was not to pronounce the blessing on the Lord's Day, except when the minister was "absent. There was, also, added to the ordinary worship several religious festivals, to wit, for the King's Restoration and his Nativity, and for the deliverance of King James from the Gun- powder Plot.

Conformity to the suddenly changed Ecclesiastical order was apparently quite as difficult to accomplish as it had been under the Covenant. The very same prohibitions had to be issued against deposed ministers continuing to discharge ministerial functions ; and precisely the same state of matters presented itself within the parishes, the people, with passive resistance, harbouring and employing their old ministers.

In the first freshness of Diocesan ordinances, they must have been carried out in some cases with impressment. The minister of Kemnay, Dr. Willox, thus records how he guided his congregation through the new forms :

1062, Nov. 23.— Said day conform to the Act and ordinance of the provinciall assemblie, The lord's prayer, the creed and the ten commandments war rehearsed befor the prayerbefor sermon; and in the prayer after sermon, the king was prayed for, as supream (under God), above all persons both in causes civil and ecclesiastical, within his dominions ; also, after the singing of the psalm when Glore was sung to the persons of the trinite, all did stand.

Lykewayes .the said day the minister did intimate to the people, that in tynie of prayer the people should' bow their knees, and they that could not conveneentlie bow their knees should stand.

STATE OF SOCIETY AFTER 16(!0.

The Kirk-Sessiou records of the 17th century did much towards fulfilling the historical function now discharged by the newspaper press ; preserving a great deal of what is now valuable as illustrative of the manners and social life of the period. The records of Inverurie, Kemnay, Oyne, and Monymusk, for the latter part of that century exhibit the ordinary habits of the people ; and also the mode, so different from that now obtaining, in which works of public utility were provided for.

The harsh Church discipline, derived from the rough penances of Roman Catholic

State of Society after 1660. 337

times was still tolerated ; tlie long continuance of it under all the successive Churches testifies to the bluntness of feeling upon moral objects, which the history of the period otherwise demonstrates ; and is an example of how slowly an elevated public opinion can be called into existence. Sexual licentiousness which degraded priest and people before the fall of the Eomish Church in Britain, left its taint a heritage to several generations.

The crimes of adultery, incest, and seemingly habitual unchastity, appear in all ranks of society — calling for so strong-handed putting to shame, that every Sunday exhibited piteous sights at the doors of Churches, and for the extreme measure also of excommunication, which at that time was akin to outlawry, or rather ostracism. The disregard of the sacredness of the day of worship, partly encouraged by the tradition of the holiday-making of ancient times, continued extremely difficult to suppress. The carrying on of manufactures, fishings, and ordinary agricultural employments on the Lord's day, called forth one of the first Acts of Parliament under Charles II., and a subsequent Act appointing a special magistracy to prosecute for such offences. The delations- for " Breach of Sabbath," which appear in the Session records, sometimes descended to things trifling in themselves, but which were taken cognisance of, it is likely, as symptons of a disordered state of public sentiment. In Kemnay, repeated complaints appear about " watering and bleaching of clothes " on Sunday. Drying malt was another common offence ; likewise " hummelling of corns," removing a plough from one bit of land to another, rude acts of " striking, bluiding, and reviling one another on the Lord's day," but, in the hands of unreasonable ministers, such actions also as putting up at six in the morning some peats that had fallen from a peat stack. The holiday-making to which part of the Sunday had been devoted before the Reforma- tion, was not obliterated, and foot-ball on that day had to be interdicted again and again in different parishes. Much restraint had to be attempted upon the indecent disorder, common in some parishes, of remaining outside the Church during the reading of the Scriptures, and leaving the Church at any time during the service— largely before the benediction. Some ministers afforded an example to the people of want of respect for ordinances — neglecting for years to celebrate the Communion ; but in Kemnay, the minister entered frequent complaints in the Session minutes, tmtt wha» the bell was rung, after the interval allowed between forenoon and afternoon service, he sat in the pulpit waiting for a congregation which did not appear.

As had been the case during the Covenant, the parish Churches were made the receiving offices for collecting the funds required for miscellaneous public purposes over the kingdom, notably the building of bridges and harbours, the relief of foreign refugees, especially when they professed to be suffering for religion's sake, the help of ousted ministers and their widows, and not unfrequently the redemption of sailors from the hands of Algerinc pirates.

43

333 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

PAROCHIAL INCIDENTS.

Kemnay, 1661, Aug. — Ordered that new parishioners present their testimonials within fifteen days of coming to the parish, and no one to reset those who do not.

December 15. —Intimation made that William Forbes, natural son to the Laird of Leslie, was excommunicated for murthering Kincowsay.

1662, March 16. — The Minister intended beginning of afternoon preaching, but few or none did stay.

May 29. — Thursday— observed by prayer and preaching in remembrance of his Majesty's joyful birth.

1663, Sept. 13. — No sermon, the minister not being at home, being necessitate thereto; but he preached the same day at St. Bryde's Church, the minister's wyffe thereof having departed this life the day before.

Inverurie, 1664, April 10. —It is ordained ther be no playing at the ball on the Sabbath day, and those to be censured that played.

Kemnay, April 10. — The holy Communion was celebrate with all reverence and humility, and the text, Psalm xxii. 26 in the forenoon, and in the middle day ; and, in the afternoon, a sermon of thanksgiving upou the same text till fyve hours in the afternoon.

April 1 2. — Jean Hutcheon having been at the presbyterie, was by them ordered to satisfie as an adultress, and did stand at the kirk door betwixt the ringing of the second and third bell in sackcloth ; and thereafter in sackloth, at the pillar fit, till the text was read ; and thereafter appeared at the public place of repentance in sackcloth pro prima, thejougs being about her craigall the time she stood at the pillar fit — she being always barefooted.

July 11. — The minister regretit that the people resortit not tymouslie to the kirk, nothwith- standing of an act made thereanent ; whereupon the former act was renewed, bearing that the first sermon should preciselie begin at ten hours ; and that after the first sermon was endit, there should be reading of the Scriptures betwixt the second and third bell, before the beginniug of the afternoon sermon.

Sept. 18. — No sermon, because the minister had been written by letter to visit Mr. Arthur Ore (Culsalmond), on his death-bed ; who departed this life, that same day.

Oyne, 1664, October. — Elders appointed to inspect and see if any persons were in the churchyard during the time of the reading : — George Scott of the Mill of Ardowne, for October yth and 16th ; James Anderson in Ordoine, October 23rd and 30th ; John Meldrum at Milne of Buchanstone, Nov. 6 and 13 ; Patrick Martane in Westhall, Nov. 20 and 27 ; Alexander Martane in Nether Buchanstone, December 4 and 11, and Walter Anderson in Craigwell, Dec. 18 and 25 : —

Synod, October. — That the Lord's day be exactlie keeped and all attend the reading and hearing of the Word before sermon, and none depart from church before pronouncing of the blessing, and that visitors for everie part of the paroche be appointed be the ministers for visiting taverns and ail houses ; That there be no excessive drinking, nor the people continue tipling in those places ; But that all diligent people resort to their own houses for going about their familie duties, suitable to the holiness of the day ; that their be no bargaining, feeing of servaudis, or other secular exercise gone about on that day, and that notice be taken of such as travel on the Lord's day.

Collection recommended from everie parish, for two young Poloniane students who live in Aber- deen, who stand in much need of charitable help, having left their own countrey, being troubled for the profession of the true Protestant religune.

Return of value of stipends ordered, in order to a tax by Parliament for the additional help of universities. The Bishop promised to make the tax as little burdensome as possible.

1665, Synod, April. — Collection recommended for the Bridge of Dye.

Inverurie, Sept. 10. — Intimation of a fast to be keepit on 13th of this month, Wednesday next, and that for supplicating the Lord on behalf of the city of London, and other adjacent villages, groaning for the time under the sad burden of the pestilence.

Synod, Oct. —Collection recommended to rectify the School of Banchory.

Oct. 18.— Complaint be Mr. William Forbes, Minister at Inverurie, against George Ferguson in Ardtannies, for wronging and injuring him upon the Lord's day, whilst he was about his duetie at divyne service. Ordered be the Lord Bishop and Synode that George Ferguson evidence his repentance publicklie in sackcloath, on one day at his own parish kirk at Inverurie.

Inverurie, Dec. 31. — Alex. Roch delait for drying malt on the Sabbath.

1666, Inverurie, April 1. — Robert Clerk to make satisfaction before pulpit, for making trouble in the Church in tyme of devyn worship.

Synod, May. — Collection recommended for the harbours of lnverkeithing and Kilburnie.

Parochial Incidents. 339

Kemnay, 25th May. — The Minister publicklie out of the pulpit regrated the gross brack of Sabboth in the summer time, of sundries who was iu use of wattering and bleaching their cloaths on the Sabboth day.

Oyne, Dec. 23. — Proclamation read for suppression of the rebels latelie risen in the west.

1667, Synod, April. — Complaint made of several deposed ministers and others who had deserted their charge, not only not attending ordinances in the parishes where they reside, but assem- bling the people in private conventicles.

1668, Oyne, April 12. — The Minister declared that Alexander Gordon of Torreis, and Ann Leith his bed-fellow, came to him with a maid child which had been laid down at their barn door.

Synod, Oct. — Sentence of excommunication, approved by the Bishop, on John Gordon of Bracko, suspect of adulterie and apostacie to poperie ; Margaret Auchinclech, spouse to said John Gordon, Margaret Seton, spous to Alexander Pringle, William Grant of Corglass, apostates to poperie ; Alex- ander Jaffray and James Urquhart in Inverurie, apostates to quakerism.

The Synod directed the Presb. of Garioch to put Mr. Lunan, minister of Daviot, in mind of his duty; the visitors having reported neglect of the ministration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in Daviot.

1670, Synod, 21 April. — Eecommendation by the Lords of Privy Council read, that the Bishops make exact lists of all perverts from the Protestant faith to popery, that they may be excommunicated.

Collection ordered for help to the Burgh of Dundee, to repair its bulwark and harbour ; also for bridge over the Don at Towie, and one over the Ythan at Seggat.

1670, Kemnay, August 20. — Intimation to all who have children and little servants, who are in any wise capable of instruction, cause them to frequent the catechiseings that they may hear and learn.

1671, Inverurie, Feb. 19. — The session rind that some disorderlie persons, among others Marjory Gib and Margaret C'urrie, goes out of church before public worship be ended.

Oyne, Feb. 26. — Intimation of a collection to be taken up for a town in the west, called Kilmarnock, having received prejudice by fyre; and being recommended by the presbyterie for that effect.

Inverurie, April 16. — William Ferguson, son to George Ferguson, and Alexander Ferguson, son to Margaret Currie, delait to have profaned the Sabbath by playing at foot-ball.

Synod, April. — Presbytery of Garioch ordered to use their best endeavours for restricting of Quakerism, and meetings of quakers, within the parochin of Monkegie and there about.

For securing the right of widows, minors, and orphans, ministers ordered to prepare registers of deaths, and give extracts when required by the Commissary, and to deny marriage to any widow or widower, until the will of the deceased be confirmed.

Oyne, May 7. — Next Lord's day collection to be taken up for renewing the bridge of the Gadie.

June 4. — No sermon to be next Sabbath, the minister going to assist his father at the Com- munion in Kintore.

Oct. 8. — Fast to be keepit next Lord's day, because of the stormes of wind and rain — the comes laid, and much suffring and more lyke to suffer.

1673, March, 23. — Appointed that Patrick Mortimer, elder, wait next Lord's day, betwixt the second and third bells, and observe who brought dogs, and take the clip and draw them to the Church style; the owners of the dogs to satisfle as Sabbath breakers.

Synod, Oct. — All persons who go to wells for superstitious design, to be censured by their ministers.

Inverurie, Oct. 9. — Fast intimated, because of the great rains which are continuing upon the comes.

1674, Oyne, January 31. — No sermon because of the renewed fall of the church, and because of the same there would be no sermon at the foresaid place until 3rd of May following.

Inverurie, Dec. 6. — William Robertson, John Macrobert, younger, William Anderson, Walter and George Porters, John Willson, George Mearns, younger, Patrick Sharp, and Robert Ferguson, younger, are delait to have played at the cairds on Sabbath last by-past.

1675, Kemnay, Feb. 28. — The said day the minister reportit that Elspet Crombie, spouse to Alexr. Glennie, in Aquhythie, at the desire of Margrat Cupar, hade made a grave before her dwelling- house, and that Margrat Cupar under silence of the nicht had brocht furth a child, which child being long diseaset belonging to the said Elspet Crombie, and offerit the child to the grave, and not long thereafter the child which was presentit to the grave belonging to Elspet Crombie, and also Margrat Cupar her own young child, were both removit by death. And Elspet Crombie being present in the church was causit appear before the sessione, and there confessit she did cast up a laile at Margrat Cupel's desyre besyde her dwelling-house, and the child was offerrit to the grave, and affirmed that Margrat Cupar said that the like was done to herselfe, and that the child would either mend or paire

3 -tO Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariooh.

shortlie thereafter. March 14. — Margaret Cupar compeirit and declared that Elspet Crombie sent for her under silence of the nicht, and desyrit her to carie furth her child, which she did, and presentit the child to the grave and left the child there, and said, "God send it health or heaven ".

Synod, Oct. — Diverse complaints and regraitts given into the Synod by several brethern that some, under pretence of trances or familiaritie with spirits, by going with these spirits commonlie called the fairies, hath spoken reproachfullie of some persones.

1676, April 19. — It being represented to the Lord Bishop and Synod that there are thrie noble- men of his Majestie's Privie Council commissionat and empowered to meet at Ellon on Tuesday nixt to notice the conventicles of Quakers, Non-conformists, and Papists, some brethern are appointed to attend and give information.

Oct. 10. — James Watt, in Old Bourtie, delete to the Synod for incest and adultery, and Alex- ander Graham, in Bethelny, for adultery.

It is found too frequently, in many congregations, that some persons withdraw from communion in their parish churches because of violence and discord with their neighbours, while yet they refuse to come to friendly reconciliation. The lesser excommunication to be inflicted.

1677, Oyne, January 14. — James Taillore, servitour to John Lcith of Newlands ; James Wire, servitour to John Meldrum, at Milne of Westhall ; James Wilson, servitour to John Erskine, brother- germane to the laird of Pittodrie, and Grizell Mackrcll, in Nether Cardeane, being accused of drinking themselves drunk on Sabbath night last by-past in John Browne's house in Over Westhall, evidence was led. James Cruickshank coming in to the said John Browne's house, accidentallie, did hear James Taillour and James Wire making rymes upon Grisell Mackrell and James Wilson drew ane dirk and vunded James Tailloirc's head with it, and he saw James Taillore have ane pistoll in his on hand and ane drawn dirk in his other hand, with which dirk he made offering to stab James Wire, and that James Wire was bled in the face. Janet Cruickshank did see James Taillore have ane pistoll in his hand, wherewith he did strike James Wire in the face to the effusion of his blood. The wit- i esses declare that Grisell Mackrell was beastlie drank.

Kemnay, Aug 1. — Act of Presbytery read against abuses of public marriages — discharging all promiscuous dancing, and that the master of the feast lay down two dollars in pledge, that if there be anie abuse be any persons the bridegroom and bryde hath not invited, the master of the feast his pledge sail fall, and anie abuse committed be anie person invited be either of the parties, then they sail pay for it. [The Synod left this matter to the discretion of individual ministers.]

Nov. — Collection for repairing the bridge of the Blackburn.

Kemnay, 1678, Feb. 3. — Patrick Christie fallen — 1st, with a woman whom he married ; 2nd, with a woman he did not marry ; and 3rd, with a woman he purposes to marry ; ordained by the Presbytery to appear two Sundays before the congregation in the ordinarie habit of fornicators, and on third in sackcloth, and then the minister may marry him at his convenience.

Monymusk, Aug. 18. — The said day Master John Burnet, late minister of Culross, was receaved Minister of Monymusk. by Mr. James Straehan, moderator of the Presbyterie of Gareoch.

Dec. 15. — Intimation made of a fast to be kept upon Wednesday, 18th instant, for the defeating of that most horrid papist plott against King and country, and all the traitorous designs that was already set on foot or might yet be hatched against the King's life or peace of the country.

Dec. 29. — Kobert Coutts, Alexander Thomson, James Mcston, and James Eeid were lifted to be elders, and exhorted to circumspection of their own life, and inspection of the lifes of the people, and took the oath dc fideli.

1679, Kemnay, March 28. — A collection intimated by order of Council for the relief of some Grecian priests, and John Atchison, skipper of the " Anna " of Pitenween, slaves to the Turks.

Sept. 19. — Collection by order of Council for building a bridge at Inverness and a harbour at Portsoy.

1681, Kemnay, Sept. 19. — Arthur Birnie, son of Mr. George Birnie, schoolmaster in Kintor, was paid 18 sh. Scots for reading and precenting upon Friday, the day of preparation, also upon the Com- . munion day and day of thanksgiving, becaifse there was no schoolmaster at the time.

1682, Monymusk, Nov. 5. — There being need and desire for building a bridge over the burn of Tone, and many parishioners willing to contribute it was appointed to speak to John Forbes of Mony- musk about it. The laird consulted Daniel Eoss, mason in Eight, who thought it might be done, provided all the people would concur in it. The elders found all the people, tenants, sub-tenants, and servants willing, but considering their contributions would be insufficient the session resolved to give 100 merks out of the box, which Mr. John Gellie, late minister, had mortified, as was said, to that effect, together with the sum 34 lb. 14 sh. and 8 p. making in all £101 8sh. Scots.

16S3, Oyne, March 18. — George Harper and William Straehan, being accused of grinding malt on the Lord's day, George Harper confessed that it being a speat of water he let it on lest the dam should

Quakerism. 341

break, and William Strachan said that the water come down and caused the mill to go about, and_he lifting up the wedges she ground the malt.

Kemuay, March 25. — No sermon, the minister being called to visit the laird of Fetternear, being in danger of death.

Monymusk, Aug. 26. — The discovery of the damnable plot against the King was read, and the next Sunday appoiuted for thanksgiving.

QUAKERISM.

Quakerism made its appearance in the Garioch in 1663, and was successfully pro- pagated by the second Alexander Jaffray, who has already been noticed in various con- nections. In his interesting Diary he dates his first ideas of Nonconformity to conver- sations with Cromwell, with whom he was very well acquainted and held in high esteem and employment. Jaffray's father-in-law, Andrew Cant, had got over his own short^fit of sectarianism, and was bitterly opposed to his relative's new views. These came under public notice in 1663, when Jaffray being in Inverurie, was found to be a dishaunter of ordinances. He was processed for it in common form, but paid no attention to the Session's citation, and, in due progress, his case came before the Synod. The Bishop tried mild measures for a time with him, but at last sentence of excommunication passed upon him in 1665.

Among those seduced into Quakerism at that time were the widow of Dr. William Johnston, the Professor of Mathematics, and his daughter Elizabeth, whose second hus- band, Mr. George Keith, a native of the town of Aberdeen, was a ringleader in the new sect, and a personal friend of the celebrated Quaker, William Penn. Keith, like Andrew Cant and others, who for a time sympathised with the prevailing separative sentiment, became afterwards strongly opposed to it. He was in his later years a clergyman in the Church of England.

In 1667, an Act of the Privy Council was issued for the suppression of Popery and Quakerism ; and the Presbyteries were obliged to give up the names of all suspected per- sons. The conjunction is instructive as to the danger apprehended from the new Non- conformists. It was in all likelihood by the influence of Alexander Jaffray that Quakerism became infectious in Monkegy, where a chapel for that profession still exists, though there are but few local frequenters of it. In that same year Sir John Keith, perhaps annoyed that his own parish should exhibit the worst condition of disloyalty of any in the neighbourhood, seized some of the Friends and got them imprisoned in Baillie Johnston's new Tolbooth in Inverurie ; from which Sir John carried them to Aberdeen whence the magistrates sent them under guard to Edinburgh.

In 1669, a fast was appointed by the Synod, "because of the desertion of the truth by so many in this part of the land " ; and, in 1671, the Presbytery of Garioch were directed to use their best endeavours for restraining of Quakerism and meetings of Quakers in the Parochin of Monkegy and thereabout. The repressive measures failed, as happened in the case of the more extensive nonconformity of Whiggish Covenanters in the west country. In 1674 the Synod resolved, because of "the insolence of

342 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Quakers," to represent to the Sheriff the propriety of having the Act of Council anent Conventicles put in force.

Inverurie furnished an instance to which the phrase about insolence is sufficiently applicable. James Urquhart, whose name appears alongside of Alexander Jaffray's in the list of excommunicates in 1668, was apparently Jaffray's tenant in Ardtannies. He was in Blackhall formerly, and was conjoint in a proposal for purchasing the Davo lands of Inverurie from Alexander Jaffray, in 1662. James Urquhart, with his wife and two other persons, Robert Gordon and John Robertson, had become converts of Jaffray's. Urquhart treated all the citations of the different church courts with contempt ; but his excommunication was made much of by the party.

In Barclay's Memoir of the People called Quakers the discipline afterwards exercised upon Urquhart is treated in the heroic style employed in records of modern ecclesiasti- cal martyrdom ; and the Providence of God is introduced as specially witnessing for James Urquhart in the form of poetical justice. The minister of Inverurie, Mr. William Forbes, is described as having pronounced the sentence of excommunication against the dictates of his conscience, being moved thereto by fear for his stipend ; in judicial recompense of which, infidelity to the truth he had afterwards to pass a similar sentence upon his daughter for the same cause, and died in the pulpit with the words of the anathema issuing from his mouth. The elements of this pictorial narrative are how- ever, as it appears, not to be found anywhere but in Barclay's book.

The Bishop who had to preside at all the Synods which dealt with Quakerism was Patrick Scougal ; described as big-eyed, grey-haired, tall and stooping, and of a very fearful aspect. He had previously been parson of Salton in Haddingtonshire, and be- came Bishop of Aberdeen in 1661. He died, of asthma, in the Chanonry, Old Aber- deen, in 1682 ; but the Quakers seem not to have considered his sufferings a visitation of God on their behalf.

HERITORS AND THE CHURCH.

The principle that now recognises " public burdens " as a just debt, chargeable upon property, had to be originated when the 1 7th century had run its course. It arose by degrees as landed property repeatedly changed hands, and the new proprietors became accustomed to the fact, that in buying land they bought it with burdens attached to it, and paid a smaller price in consequence. Public burdens came into necessity when the revenues of the Church were confiscated, which had previously provided for the poor, and for education, and for the erection and upholding of religious buildings ; and formed but a trifling charge upon the rents of the great estates, which bishops on the eve of the Reformation had conveyed to their most deserving or pressing supporters, or which after the Reformation were acquired as cheaply by the most powerful or astute of those who went into that national revolution with some of the views of speculators.

Heritors and the Church. 34,3

Under the sentiment that had its origin in the early benefactions, whereby wealthy persons originally built and endowed churches, monasteries, schools, and hospitals, the clergy themselves, who were in many cases rich because of the accumulations of said benefactions, built, at their own cost, the great cathedrals — the ornate parish churches, and also other works of public utility, such as bridges — as Aberdeenshire owed its first University and the Bridge of Dee to Bishops Elphinstone and Dunbar. The source of such public works was gone after the lands and their rents, which used to furnish the cost of them, fell into the hands of laymen new to the enjoyment of the ample means and not trained, like the displaced clergy, to any sense of stewardship accom- panying the gifts they had received. Just as the first lay holders of ecclesiastical lands had agreed to make light of Knox's proposal that legal provision should at once be made for the poor and for common education, so subsequent legal enactments for schools, which came to be felt necessary, were systematically evaded for a century and a half, and a compulsory maintenance for the parochial clergy was the repeated subject of enactment, until the stipends were extorted with approximation to sufficiency and regularity only under Charles I. The same passive resistance to parting with any of the rents of the new gotten estates, to build or even repair churches and provide decently for the ordinances of Communion, went on through both Episcopacies and the intervening Presbyterianism. The bishops after 1662, had to address themselves with all the power they could com- mand, to get scandalous dilapidation of churches, manses, and glebes rectified, whilst numerous cases occur of want of pulpit bibles and communion vessels, or even covers for the tables.

THE KIRK OF INVERURIE.

The Kirk of Inverurie at the time had a history illustrative of the state of matters prevailing.

In the last half of the year of " the happy restoration " the kirk-session were busy

with two great works — the erection of a sun-dial, which they had not money to pay for,

and the new thatching of the kirk which was approaching absolute ruin.

1600, Aug. 5. —It is condesended betwixt the Session and William Car that the said William Car shall hev eight merks for a sun diall. The Session finding no way for payment of the said eight merks without a contribution to that effect, thinks it fitt that the next Lord's day the minister make intimation of a contribution to be, the next Lord s day following, for that end.

The stuns of 2 lbs. 2 s. Scots, and 1 lb. Scots, were collected on the two following

Sundays. The first public clock in Inverurie, that which still makes note of time under

the belfry of the parish church, was made by Charles Lunan, Aberdeen, in 1774. It

was purchased and upheld by subscription, and the constitution of the annually elected

clock committee, with a fine prescience of the days of self-government, provided that

not more than two of the magistrates should be members.

The following repairs in 1660 hid the frailties of the kirk roof for a few years : —

Oct. 28. — It is ordainit that ilk pleugli in the parishe bring a load of heather, for reparation of

344 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gurloch.

the kirk, againe Wednesday at night next, tho last of this month, and deficients herein to be cited to

the Presbetrie to anser for their deficiencies in such a good work.

Among the '' debursemeuts " of the kirk treasurer in 1660, were : —

To Mr. James Fergus, for putting hedder on the kirk, . . . . . . 7 sh

Robert Docker, for repairing the bell 4 merks.

James Fergus again, for repairing of the kirk. •. 12 sh.

In 1667, February 10, the kirk-session desired the minister to apply to the heritors

in the terms following : —

1667, Feb. 17. — The minister reports he wreit a letter as he was desyrit (by minute of Feb. 10) to the heritors and wadsetters of the lands within the parishe, anent the caire of the place for publick worship, desyring them to come and view the same, and reports that in obedience to the said de=yre they came ; and after taking a view of the said place for publick worship, as finding the dangerous poustare the place was in for the tynie, did earnestlie desyre for the better prevension of any probable, prejudice either to people that possibly might frequent that place for worship, or to the couples that might fall uppon a suddent, and so serve for no more guid use, or daskes that might be bruised be reason of that fall — that the minister and session would be pleased to advance, furth and out of the common guid so much monies to workmen as might be their hyre for taking aff the heather off of the ruife of the said place for publick worship, and setting the couples straight.

The session, gravly thinking upon the said desyr of the heritors, hav thought fitt that some workmen be condescended with, and that moneys be advanced to them for that effect, according as in a prudentiall way they can be agreid with .

Feb. 24. — The minister reports that upon Monday last in the morning, he agreed with Andrew "Walker, James Tailor, and Patrick Banzie, for taking off the heather off the place for publick worship and getting the couples straight, to give them in the name of the session, sixten marks, <rrof. 8 marks given in hand.

The Collector's accounts for the year illustrate the undertaking more expressively.

Given to Margaret Curry, relict of James Fergus, for his repairing a little of the kirke, 11 sh.

To James Tailor, wright, for going in to the towne of Aberdeen to ineit witli the Laird of barra for procuring libertie to buy some of the old trees qlk was upon the kirk of Bourtie, to be propes for holding up the kirk of Inverury, its walls, . 12 sh.

To the said James Tailor, for arleing of some pieces of trees belongiug to the kirk of Bourtie for forsd.

Item given to the workmen who toke the heather off of the kirk and sett the couples straight, 8 merks.

The concern expressed by the heritors and wadsetters equally for the couples, desks, and possible frequenters of that place of worship, is fitly accompanied by their earnest desire that the Kirk-Session should pay for the unavoidable repairs. The repetition of such cases as that of Inverurie gave rise, in 1674, to an order by the Bishop that sums for repairs, taken from the Common Good, should be repaid at the next stent.

The success achieved by propping the Inverurie kirk walls with trees taken from

the kirk of Bourtie, seems to have been as small as the difficulty proved great of getting

anything done effectually. The Bishop and Synod had ultimately to interfere ; and in

October, 1668, recommended to the moderator and brethren of the Presbytery of

Garioch : —

To be careful in looking to the condition of the Kirk of Inverurie that is near fallen, and for that effect to call (if need be) for the assistance of the next adjacent ministers of other Presbyteries, to deal with the heritors of the said parochiu for repairing the said kirk again with all diligence."

The kirk seems to have been extensively repaired, if not rebuilt, after this, and the

interior re-arranged. A Presbytery minute of date 3rd Morch, 1669, records the division

of the church agreed upon by the heritors, under the superintendence of the Presbytery,

who met that day in the Tolbooth of Inverurie.

Kirk of Inverurie. 345

It is interesting to recall the arrangement of the church at that period. It stood East and West on the north part of the churchyard, having the door apparently in the centre of the south wall, the pulpit on the east end, a loft on the west end of the church, and a passage, probably extending from the one end to the other. The graves of Mr. AVatt, one of its ministers and of some of his successors, are situated at the west end of the site formerly occupied by the church.

On entering the church the first dask, or pew, on the south wall belonged to Sir John Keith, of Keith-hall, afterwards Earl of Kintore. It had before the repairs been the Council seat. The Badifurrow seat adjoined eastward ; then the dask of Aquborties and Conglass — having six feet added to it from the dask belonging to Ardtannies, the rest of which, apparently occupying the corner on the left hand of the pulpit — belonged to the heritor of the town of Ardtannies. On the north-east corner was the Blackball seat, and adjoining it, along the north wall, those of Drimmies, and of Oldtown and Netherton, the property of the laird of Balquhain. The Magistrates' pew was in the centre ; then, apparently, that of William Ferguson, proprietor of Burgh Lands, that of Baillie John Johnston, and that of the heirs of Mr. James Milne, the former minister. On the side of the door, opposite to Sir John Keith's seat, it would seem was the dask of Middleton and Glascha, at that time belonging to John Gordon of Braco. The rest of the room, comprehending all the west " gavell " and the south side up to that dask, and the loft, was appropriated to tenants and others according to their valuation.

Twenty years later, in 1698, an Act of the Convention of Burghs was passed res- pecting the building of a bulwark to defend the church and churchyard of Inverurie from the river Don. It is the only benevolence Inverurie bad required among all the public works done by miscellaneous subscriptions in the period.

Sir John Keith's right to a dask in the kirk had been in consequence of his pur- chase of the Davo. His own residence at Keith-ball bears, on the top of one of the windows, the date 1665.

The heritors of Inverurie who signed the Presbytery's minute of agreement divid- ing the church in 1669 were : —

Thomas Forbes (Aquhorthies), John Gordon (Braco), John Johnston (the Burgh), William C'halmer (Drimmies), William Erskine (Conglass), Patrick Leslie, " tor my father " (Balquhain), A. Abercrombie, (Blackball), William Ferguson, elder, and William Ferguson, younger (Badifurrow).

Thomas Forbes of Aquhorties was an Edinburgh advocate, brother to the laird of Tolquhon. The minister had been under the necessity of obtaining letters of horning in 1668 against the heritors for their not up-putting of the kirk. On 23rd June of that year, the Council took out an inhibition against his putting the Burgh heritors to the horn, as their stent of 600 rnerks was forthcoming. If the proportion of parochial assessment paid by the Burgh was then the same as in all later stents of which details remain, the cost of the kirk works decerned for had been 3000 merks.

Some repairs were executed upon the "minister's houses " before June, 1678. It

44

346 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

must have been very shortly before the death of Mr. Forbes, as we find by a minute, 8th August, 1679, that his widow had been warned "to flitt and remove herself out of the houses and manse at the term of Whitsunday last bypast," and was summoned for disobeying the citation.

THE MANSE.

A country manse is generally a fair example of what was accounted substantial, in the matter of domestic accommodation, in the neighbourhood, at the time when it was built. We have a description of the manse of Inverurie as it stood at the end of the incumbency of Mr. Forties's successor ; and as manses generally attain to the age of a hundred years at least, we may believe it to have been the manse of Mr. James Mill. It was what would now be known as a half-house cottage, roofed with turf, and having its windows secured with iron stanchions ; and it stood where the parish church now has its place.

The Skettrie Burn, untd the approach to the present manse was formed, was an open water-course, which before the days of turnpike roads, flowed across the highway down the vennel, now covered over, beside Loan Cottage, and made its way to the Ury by the Broadholme. The burn cut off a triangular patch of glebe close to the highway, bounded on the north by the neighbouring Roods whereon Mr. Mdl's son, Dr. James, had his enclosed square of houses afterwards, when he was the only medical man between Aberdeen and Huntly. The nook of glebe, so isolated, was enclosed by a low wall of dry stone and turf, which opened by a gate to the street. Within the enclo- sure, and facing the burn, rose the humble dwelling of the Rector.

It consisted of a "laigh chamber," atop of which was another chamber, and a wardrobe or clothes press. Access to the upper chamber was obtained by a stair at- tached to the east wall of these two chambers ; and a sloping enclosure, that covered in the stair, gave room on the ground floor for a cellar. Such was the manse proper.

Apart from the manse, on the west, or south west, were offices built of stone and turf, probably after the measure prescribed in the early burgh minutes for such build ings, i.e., " fundit with stane, ane ell hyt round about, and then mud and faill to serve the rest of the houss ". These were a " kitchy," having three windows, a peat-house, a hen-honse, a byre, a stable, and a thrashing-barn.

A kail-yard occupied the corner of the enclosure up to the burn ; and it is recorded that there was no room for a " corn-yard ". The anachronism may be pardoned of describing here how the meagre principal mansion was accommodated to the advanced ideas of the year 1723 ; when it was put in condition for Mr. Watt's entrance, at a cost of 367 lbs. 4 sh. Scots, which, however, was the reduced estimate obtained by roofing with divot instead of slate, which would have raised the grand total to 653 lbs. 4 sh., or a little above £54 sterling. The Presbyterial visitors report, after the repairs —

May 2nd, 1723. — In the principal house there are these rooms following, viz. : — A hall, a laigh chamber floored, within the said hall, a cellar within the said chamber, and another cellar in the east

Kemnay, Oyne, and Monyniusk. 347

end of the house. A chamber up stairs in the west end of the house, and a closet with a hanging chamber therein ; a chamber up stairs in the east end of the house above the cellar ; and wardrobe above the hall, and a little room betwixt the wardrobe and the east chamber.

This compact abode had been produced by the following repairs upon the original

which the visitors, in 1718, had thought "at least" necessary.

That the walls of the hall and cellar be heighted alike to the east chimney and gavel, that the windows be enlarged, table stone put in the west end of the hall, and the whole wall of the house be pinned and harled, and the hearths be hewn stone ; that the whole house be beam-filled ; that the whole rooff be repaired and new covered : that the walls be all plastered. That the laigh chamber be floored and divided ; that it get a new window, and the old be mended : that the hall get a new partition wall, door, and stair, to the east chamber ; that the wardrobe be new floored and get a new door ; that the east chamber get a new door and window, and a chimney ; that the west chamber floor be mended, and a closet taken off the same, having a chimney and a new window ; that their be another new window in the west chamber.

A striking part of the inspection report detailing a great quantity of iron work, in

the shape of stanchions and locks, is suggestive of the insecurity under which the

burghers lived in those unsettled days.

KEMNAY, OYNE, AND MONYMUSK.

Abaut the time that success was obtained in having the Kirk of Inverurie repaired we find instructive minutes of Kemnay, Oyne, and Monyniusk.

Kemnay, 10th May, 1667. — Concludit that a new tablecloth be bought for the com. table in respect the kirk has not ane. Also the two old basons that are in the kirk be exchangit with ane good bason to serve both for baptisms and the table of the Lord.

24th May, 1665. —The minister did enter protestation against the practice of buying the ele- ments of communion out of the collections until ane ordinance ordering the same should be produced.

The laird of Glenkindie was heritor at that time, and seems to have let the

Session do as much as possible with the collections.

20th Dec, 1666. — 24 sh. given to Wm. Gordon, smith, for twa pair of bands and other necessars to the meikle window of the Kirk.

Four years later the heritor had refused to pay for repairing the kirk-bell, and the

Presbytery being consulted on the law of the case replied that without all doubt the

burden lay upon him.

Oyne, Oct. 13, 1672. — Ordained that the school be put up on Wednesday eight days — two horse and a man to come to repair it from every pleugh of the parish.

21st Sept., 1673. — The basine for baptisms, aud the cups being renewed, wer presented to the Session ; the price for the renewing being two pounds fyfteene shillings ten pennies, the which price the collector was appointed to send in to Abd. with the first occasion ; and upon the sd basine and cups were eugraven in great letters, For the Church of Oyne.

30th May, 1675. — After sermon the minister and heritors convened for taking some effec- tual course for repairing the churchyard dykes. Agreed that every heritor or ane for him draw lots which of them shall begin ; they did so, and the first fell to Buchanstone, the 2nd to the Lands of Harthill, the 3rd to Westhall, the 4th to Pitmedden, the 5th to Retties pleugh, the 6th to Shethin's pleugh, the 7th the Lands of Kyhill, the 8th to the Lands of Firbogs, the 9th to Newlands ; it being ordained that every pleugh should have their proportion four elle hi length and two in height, and that every one should keep up their part in time coming ; and the two publick gateheeds are to he built and maintained be the comoner good, together with seven reed upon the north-easter of the sd dyke, which was over and above the distribution amongst the paroch.

Monymusk, 1679, Aug. 10. — The minister and elders, considering that there is no church-bible, and having gotten intelligence that Alexander Orem, merchant in Aberdeen, hes some besyde him, it was ordered that the thesaurer should buy on from him (the price was 15 lbs. 6s. 8d.)

348 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

Kemnay, Sept. 7. — The bell being found to want bands, the old bands being wnrne are in danger to fall, Wm. Gardyne, smith, was employit to repair the same, and receavit by yron and workmanship, be consent of the session out of John Kotson's penaltie 3 lbs. to be repayit be the Laird.

The year 1685 brought an interesting survey of the Kirk of Monymusk, the impetus to which was a visitation by the Presbytery, at which the minister, Mr. Burnet, reported the peculiar circumstance, that there was no room set apart among the seats for the minister serving the cure. The visitors designated a space, and on Mr. Burnet's proposal the Kirk-session built " a dask " for the minister out of the money in their hands, he agreeing to pay rent for it ; which obligation the Laird was careful to have minuted afterwards, in form of a protest that the Session should exact the payment. The whole church was afterwards reseated at the cost, not of the heritor, but of the kirk-box, repayment being looked for by seat-rents, and the transaction justified upon the repre- sentation that it would be for the advantage of the poor.

July 19, 1685. — The said day it was moved by the minister, that whereas there is now a great deal of confusion and disorder in the body of the kirk bj' chairs and seats, and the people not so weel accommodate, that therefor piews might be built and foraeats of every desk taken away for that end, to which the elders consented and the thesaurer is ordaned to buy materials and imploy workmen for that effect.

The said day also the minister overtured, that whereas he had receaved several complaints that there was so little accommodation in the comon loft by reason that the seats wer so few and the people so numerous— that thcrfor ther might be many mor seats built, and the loft put in another order. To which the elders consented as most reasonable,

Oct. 4. — The said day the minister reported that the piews were now built for the better accommo- dation of the people, and therefor craved the elders mind and opinion what might be reasonably ex- acted for seat-rents in the piews. Some were for three shillings, other for three shillings four pennies, and other for four shillings, and it being votted it carried three shillings four pennies.

The seats were let on 17th October. The roll of seat-holders contains names stdl or recently represented in the parish —

In the backside of the Kirk.

1st Piew — James Meston and William Shewan, three seats ; 2. Robert Messar, William Robert- son, James Farquhar ; 3. Andrew Messar, James Glennie, Isobel Crookshank; 4. Elspet Alerdes, Margt. Petry, Margt. Davidson ; 5. John RiddelL Thomas Angus, James Leslie ; 6. Alexr. and James Reids, John Adam ; 7. Gilbert Lessel, James Crombie, Malcolm M 'Galium ; S. Patrick Lesly, Mason King, William Thain ; 9. Archibald Thomson, William Adam, John Messar ; 10. Alexr. and George Thains, Elizabeth Paterson ; 11. John Forbes and William, three seats; 12. Robert- Cowts, John Harper, Robert Henderson ; 13. William Gray, Robert Farquharson, Win. Farqher ; 14. J. Hay, Marjorie Paterson, Elspet Dickie ; 15. John Shewan, Patrick Shewan, John Brownie.

In die foreside of the Kirk.

1. Alexr. Gellon and Alexr. Mellen, three seats ; 2. William Thomson, Robert Donald, Alexr. Midleton ; William Thomson (Dilab), John Wynnes, Janet Wilson ; 4. Alexr. Thomson (Iuver), James Duncan, Janet Smith ; 5. Gilbert Thomson, Thomas Ewan, Elspet Idle ; 6. John Mowat, Alexr. Scot (Couly^, John Burle ; 7. Peter Craigmyl, John Murrow, James Adam ; 8. Jean Paterson, James Duncan, Elizabeth Matheson ; 9. Robert Midlton, Alexr. Milne, Isabel Simpson ; 10. John Glennie, Alexr. Scot, Jean Patton ; 11. Janet Lessel, Wm. Craigmyle, Peter Leslie; 12. Robert Chine, Elspet Emslie, Peter Smith ; 13. James Couper, Alexr. Henrie, Robert Jameson ; 14. The Laird of Monymusk, elder; 15. Monymusk, yor.

In the other long piew — Wm. Marshall, Anna Hill, Margt. Farquhar, John Sutherland, David- son's relict.

1686, January 17. — The said day John Fergus gave in a petition to the Session, craving liberty tfl build a desk in the room behind the comon kirk-door where now the stool of repentance stood, and for that end he might take down the stool of repentance, obliging himself to build another before tile breast of the comon loft, and to uphold it upon his own expenses.

The Burgh of Inverurie at the Restoration. 349

The Session granted the petition stipulating that when John left the parish he should assign the whole desk to such tenants as wanted seats according as they could agree.

THE BURGH OF INVERURIE AT THE RESTORATION.

The sole contemporary notice which appears in the records, burghal or ecclesiastical, of the Royal Burgh of Inverurie, that so momentous a change had taken place in the kingdom as the complete overthrow of Cromwell's vigorous Commonwealth, and the restoration of the son of the beheaded King, is the following minute of Kirk-Session : —

June 24, 1660. — No sermon, because of the speat of water overuning the kirk yet. The officer went along the parish and invited the people to come to a thanksgiving sermon upon the next Lord's day, for the king his happy restoration.

July 1, 1660. — This day, thanksgiving is keeped and gone about for the king's majestie's happy restoration to his royal privilidges.

When the important year 1660 arrived the rulers of the burgh were engaged in the routine of their local duties, and the burgh seems to have been recovering from a period of depression. Some misconduct had occasionally to be taken order with among divers classes of the community ; but the imposition of fines seems, in some cases, to have been but a hruturti fulmen— the fines remaining unpaid.

The year of the Eestoration completed, in Inverurie, a project for the erection of a new Tolbooth, which had been long maturing. The earliest minutes of the burgh, those dated a little after 1600, speak of conned business transacted withiu the prcetorium, but nothing indicates the locality of that building. In 1642, 10th August, a contract was entered into " between George Leslie and Alexander Fergus, baillies, for the community, and James Fergus, and his wife Margaret Currie " (the heroine of sundry minutes of discipline for scolding, swearing, dinging, &c), whereby there was sold, for 100 nierks, to the town " their eastmost house where they presentlie dwell to be holden in all time coming of the badlies, counsall, and heritors of the bruch, and erected be them to be ano Tolbuith within the said bruch, and to hold their borrow courttis therein for ad- ministration of justice, and punishment of transgressors ".

Some considerable time before 1660 the house, purchased from James Fergus, had become ddapidated, and the burgh courts were always held in the " chalmer " of some one of the baillies. A new erection had been resolved upon ; that which continued standing until 1868, when it was pulled down to give place to the house No. 81 High Street. In 1660, 16th February, one of the decrees of a General Act is, "that everie indweller within this burgh be readie to drawe stone, lyme, and tymber to the tolbuith, upon twenty-four hours advertisement ".

The budding, erected in 1660, consisted of a low-roofed prison on the ground floor, double-chambered, and a councd room above, approached by a massive stone stair having a solid balustrade of mason work. The site was part of the possession held, in 1464, by John Badenoch, which was bounded on both sides by the lands of the Lord Superior of the Regality.

350 Inverurie and the Earldom of _ the Garioch.

John Johnston was the principal baillie at that time, and his initials appeared in relief on the entablature of the building. The first minute dated within the Tolbooth was of 24th October, 1662. In 1661, 2nd March, an assessment of two pecks of lime for ilk teynd boll, for building of the Tolbooth stair, was laid upon all heritors, wad- setters, and lyfrenters. Outland or non-resident burgesses were ordered to compeir, and scot and lot with the baillies, within fourteen days, under payne of tinsell of their free- dom. The builders seem to have been all paid before 26th April, 1665.

Inverurie was enrolled in the convention of burghs in 1661 — William Ferguson appearing at Edinburgh as commissioner to supplicate the enrolment. It was only in 1669 that, by decreet of the Lords of Council and Session, Kintore and Inverurie first paid cess with the Burghs and not in Shire.

An interesting record of the jurisdiction claimed by the Baillies, appears under date 21st November, 1660. The court ordained that " whatsomever person, indweller, or heritors, purseu an action either criminal or civill before anie other judge except before the baillies of the burgh, provyding the saids baillies refuse them not justice, sail pay a hundred pounds Scots money ".

An assertion of sole jurisdiction had been made by the Burgh in 1647 — in which year John Johnston, baillie, appeared at Howford in presence of Thomas Davidson, of Greystone, Shei ill-Depute of Aberdeenshire, and for himself and the inhabitants, pro- tested against the Sheriff's authority.

Shortly after the ordinance of 1660 the Scottish Parliament either renewed or made authoritative publication of the ancient court of the Eegality of the Garioch. Upon the petition of John, Earl of Mar, the Parliament of 1663, in which William Ferguson, of Badifurrow, sat as Commissioner for the Burgh, appointed the Burgh of Inverowry to be the place where all courts of justice and all executions belonging to the regality of the Garioch, as homings, inhibitions, &c. should sit and be put in force.

The Earl of Mar seems at that time to have been looking after his interests in detail. In 1664 he had a dispute with the burgesses of Aberdeen about the fishings of the Don, and at the head of about 2000 followers destroyed the cruive dykes on the river.

No reference to the Eegality Court appears in the burgh transactions until 1680, when a fine of fourteen pounds was ordained to be inflicted upon any one within the burgh, who should receipt any person to hold regality courts in name and behalf of the Earl of Mar.

! About 1663, when John, Earl of Mar petitioned Parliament for the Eegality appoint-

ment, the ancestor of the present family of Keith-hall, Sir John Keith, afterwards Earl of Kintore, purchased from -Sir Eobert Farquhar and Alexander Jaifray, most of the wadset lands which Sir George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben had possessed, and gave the name of Keith-hall to Caskieben. Ardtannies (the Upper Davo), remained in the possession of the wadset holder ; and, in 1696, belonged to Andrew Jaffray, his son,

The Bunjh of Inverurie at the Restoration. 351

but the Lower Davo was part of Sir John's portion. The disappearance of the ancient family at this time from the proprietary roll of the Garioch, is indicated by a record made in the Inverurie Court Book, under date 1656, of discharges by George Johnston, younger of Caskieben, assignee constituted by Mr. "William Forbes of Fingask, Advo- cate, donator of the escheat goods and gear of Sir George Johnston of Caskieben, having reference to decreets obtained in 1637, against Andrew Gib, John Mackie, "William Stiven, and his son John Stiven, George Grub, and Robert Anderson, for Davo rents, due for 1631-34. The decreets had been pronounced 28th July, 1637. They were assigned in 1641, and letters of horning were obtained on 3rd April, 1656. In 1659, 25th October, the haill indwellers and occupiers of the Davo lands were ordained to pay to Sir Eobert Farquhar and Alexander Jaffray their multures and duties for their several holdings. Alexander Jaffray 's wadset upon the lands of Sir George Johnston, would seem from these entries to have dated from 1634, and to have been foreclosed before 1659.

The change of local dynasty seems not to have passed without some disturbance.

In 1662, Sir Robert Farquhar took out law-burrows against the magistrates, which were discharged in 1668.

In 1664, 19th May, an action of the same kind was passed against Sir John Keith at the instance of certain burgh heritors. The complainers were : —

William Ferguson, bailie in Inverurie; Paul Murdo in Ailhouse of Well; Robert Ferguson ; John and George Grub, and Alex. Patersou, burgesses of said burgh ; Geils Ross, relect of deceasd George Grub, sometime burgess ; Cristan Angus, relict of Walter Ferguson, burgess ; Andro Stiven in Crofthead ; Andro Walker at the Mylne of Ardtanneis ; James Wright in Inverurie ; Alex. Mitchell there ; John Johnston, bailzie there ; Alex. Reid ; Robert Lundie ; Alex. Johnston, elder ; and John Steven, all indwellers. The accused were Sir John Keith of Caskieben', Knight Marshall ; George Moir, William Mylne, James Benzie, and Alexander Smith, in Maynes of Caskieben ; Win. and John Glenns, at the Mylne of Caskieben ; Patrick Stevin and John Matheson, in New Legat ; Alexander Moir and Wm. Garioch, in Old Legat ; James Gray and John Bannerman, in Inglestown ; James Ligeitwood, in Isaackstown ; James Taylor, William Symers, John Logic, and James Christie, in Lochtillock ; Win. Glen, Patrick Thomsone, Alex. Black, and George Konald, in lioynds ;. James and John Glens, Porters- town ; James Webster, aud Margaret Anderson there, and Thomas Davidson, at the Mylne of Porters- town — who have conceived ane deadlie hatred and evil will and malace agaiust the said complainers . . . and daylie and continuallie molest, trouble, and oppress the said complainers in the peaceable possession of their lands, heritages, tacks, stablings, &c.

Sir John Keith's acquisition of Caskieben, and a portion of the Regality lands of ! the Garioch was very probably the occasion of his uncle John, Earl of Mar, then in. high office in Scotland, applying to Parliament for a substantial recognition of his posi- tion as lord of the Regality. Sir John Keith was in great favour with the King ; and the Erskines of Mar had, in their family history, abundant reason to connect royal favour with a transference of dignities and rights from one subject to another. Sir John was, it is likely, a subject of church and state such as the second Charles loved. His youthful manifestation of spirit, when he was chosen captain of the band of Old Town pupils, in holding Christmas after schoolboy fashion, in spite of Mr. Andrew Cant and the covenai.tinj inhibitors of Yule, has already been noticed. At Keith-hall he was an

352 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariocli.

ardent promoter of civil and ecclesiastical conformity to the newly established rule. The King had already, so early as 1661, the year after his restoration, conferred upon him a title and office akin to that held by the head of his family, that of Knight- Marischal.

The John Johnston of the Tolbooth, grandson of the old baillie, William Johnston, of 50 years before, had been for several years an active magistrate, having for his col- league, generally, William Ferguson, the laird of Badifurrow. We find them engaged, for a number of years, in putting the affairs of the burgh into a business-like shape. In 1653, they inspected and marked the marches between the burgh proprietors' lands, and those in a state of transition, through Jaffray's wadset.

They chose John Benzie in Mains of Caskiebeu, late baillie, John Mackie, late baillie, Andrew and John Gibb, burghers — all men of three score and ten years of age, or thereby, to set down inarches between the Ducat Haugh and the common lands of Streamhead ; also between the Ducat Hangh and the common lands between it and the Stanners ; and so along between the Stammers and the water of Don to the Braidfurd of the Don. Also at the Heids, being the west end of the Heuch Butts, and one part of the west end of the roods pertaining to the acres ot John Galloway, and lykwayes at the east end of the said Heuch Butts.

In 1655, they rented the Kemnay moss from Alexander Strachan of Glenkindie for 200 merks to be possessed, in marched portions, by inhabitant heritors and life-renters. They also were paying to George Leith of Freefield, collector, assessments levied bi- monthly as maintainance, cess, and coal and candle. They protected the burgh muir from being indiscriminately turffed, and directed the rotation of labouring twelfth-part lands, requiring every owner to crop his " planks in halves " — taking three years' crops from each half in succession. William Ferguson, late baillie, was complained upon in 1673 by the minister for pasturing in the churchyard.

Mr. Alexander Jaffray and the laird of Badifurrow, seem to have got the Council to act as preservers of the fishings possessed, or claimed, by them. In 1661, 2nd March, a court decreet forbade any one to fish the waters of Ardtannies and Badifurrow "without ane sett thereof". A similar inhibition was published, in 1679, with respect to the " Earl of Kintore's " water of Ardtannies. In October of the same year visitors were appointed to see who had sufficient kail and peats to maintain themselves, without troubling "nybors".

In 1662, before Sir John Keith made his purchase from Sir Robert Farquhar and Alexander Jaffray, Baillies Johnston and Ferguson, had attempted a purchase of the Davo lands for individual burgh heritors. The following persons bound themselves at a baillie court, on 22nd January, to agree in the purchase of the respective proportions of the Davo lands : —

And. Stevin, half-oxgait ; Alex. Paterson, half-oxgait ; John Grub, quarter-oxgait ; Alex. Mit- chell, half-oxgait ; James Urhart, half-oxgait ; George Grub, half-oxgait ; Paul Murdo, half-oxgait ; And. Gibb and George Beverla, qr.-oxgait ; James Taylor and Alex. Johnston, elder, qr. -oxgait ; Rt. Smith, half-oxgait ; Alex. Keid, qr.-oxgait; John Fergus and George Smith, qr.-oxgait ; Janet John- ston and John Johnston, qr.-oxgait; John Johnston, bailie, half-oxgait; John Bodwell and George Fergus, qr.-oxgait; Wm. Stiven and Wm. Downie, qr.-oxgait; Wm. Robertson, elder, and Win. Robertson, yr., qr.-oxgait ; Alex. Johnston and Robert Lundie, qr.-oxgait ; Wm. Ferguson Bailie, half-oxgait.

The Burgh of Inverurie at the Restoration. 353

John Johnston, the prominent baillie in these transactions, survived to old. age, having been always looked upon as a principal personage in the burgh. William Fer- guson, baillie along with him after 1650, was the common ancestor of the Aberdeenshire families of the name.

THE FERGUSONS OF INVERURIE.

The Inverurie Fergusons — now very widely represented in lineage and also in name — came into genealogical history iu the middle of the seventeenth century, in the person of William Ferguson in Crichie, their common ancestor, who acquired Badifurrow by purchase in 1655. His father was the " umquhile William Ferguson," in whose house the Marquis of Huntly lodged during his military occupation of Inverurie in 1611. Other three sons are recognisable in the local records; of whom one, Mr. James Ferguson, notary-public, was Town-Clerk of Inverurie from 1645 to 1673, and another, John, who had his residence at Stonehaven some time, seems to have emigrated to Poland. A fourth was named Fiobert, the name given by William to his eldest son. In 1613 there was a Eobert Ferguson, senior, burgess of Inverurie. He died 1622. and in 1614, Walter Fergus, burgess, his eldest son, was infeft in 1£ W. Food.

The original name Fergus was largely represented in Inverurie at the opening of the century ; but local documents do not enable us to fix distinctly the parentage of '• Wdliarn Ferguson in Crichie". The family tradition is that his ancestors had lived for centuries on the large holding of seven Lower Foods, now occupying a good part of the east side of Market place. A genealogical document is in possesion of the younger of six families deriving from William of Crichie, which is obviously inaccurate in the names given in it, for a period when the family marriages were well enough known, but which is interesting as an illustration of the construction of pedigrees by an anti- quarian inexpert in testing evidence. The clothing of probable fact with unestablished circumstantiality is remarkable ; and the assumption of the Town CouncU of Edinburgh having been a court of genealogy is amusingly curious :

" To all and each whom it may interest, or shall hereafter interest. We, the Lord Provost and Council of the city of Edinburgh — the head of all the ancient Scottish kingdom — declare and pronounce that James Cunimynge, Esq., of the Eoyal Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, to whom from letters it hath been given for inspection to weave together the history of gentle matters before us sitting in the senate, hath prepared and brought forward certain undoubted and assured writings and instruments, of which chiefly the following history is the sentence : —

He both hath declared and ... to wit : — That a very ancient Family Name among the Scots from Fergus, and which it was the custom anciently to write Fergus, was lengthened about the middle of the former age into Ferguson. By the same documents, it appears that there was a very noble chief of this name, of a family in the northern part, of the Baronie of Crichie in Aberdeenshire, of which Walter of Crichie received hospitably in his own house, the great avenger of his country, King Robert Bruce, setting out into that part of the kingdom to curb the rebels, and with his three three sons and dependants in the memorable battle of

45

354 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

Inverurie in the year 1308, afforded ready and manly aid. On account of which distinguished assist- ance King Robert gave him ample possessions of the adjacent lands of Inverurie ; which lands, as appears from the same documents have hitherto been perpetual and are now also held by the Chief. From the above mentioned Walter, Baron of Crichie, by eight paternal descents was sprung the noble William Ferguson, himself also a baron of Crichie, who flourished with military reputation in the seventeenth century, nor with less devotion toward the king, as Colonel of a squadron of horse, did he stand in battle for King Charles the First against the impious and rebellious citizens in 1648. He married Anna, daughter of Walter Ogilvy, Knight of Boyne, sprung on the father's side from a race of the Counts of Airly, Peers of Old Scotland, and of the Ogilvies, chiefs of illustrious name— from which Anna he begat as heir William, Baron of Chrichie.

William, the son, received in marriage Margaret, daughter of the noble Henry Guthrie of King- Edward, Knight-Baronet. He was sprung from the ancient and distinguished stock of Barons of Guthrie in Forfarshire, chiefs of their name. From his wife he begat a son and heir, Walter Ferguson, baron of Chrichie, who took to wife Margaret, daughter of the noble George Nicholson of Kemnay, Knight-Baronet and senator in the supreme Court, both to civil and religious affairs, and Chief of his own ancient race.

From her he had four male children, namely —

I. James, his successor, to whom Isabella, daughter of George Scott, Esq. , was married. George's noble father, Robert Scott of Balveary, knight, of ancient race, was chief of his name in Fifeshire. From her, James, her husband, begat a son, Walter Ferguson of Kinnaird, Esq., male heir of this ancient race.

II. William Ferguson, Esq., who having proceeded to Poland in the beginning of this century, settled there, as appears from testimony produced. He, in the year 1714, received in marriage Catherine Concordia Tepper, a citizen at Posen, from whom he begat Peter Ferguson Tepper. In the year 1762, etseq, Peter, from his wife Philipine Valentina, begat a numerous family.

III. George Ferguson, who went with his brother to Poland.

IV. John, who deceased without issue.

In testimony of which things, and certain, we set our seal, July, 1786.

The illustrious genealogical structure thus solemnly declared, and credited to Mr. James Cumming — who was keeper of the Records in the office of the Lord Lyon King at Arms in Scotland — must be corrected from the date when it comes into competi- tion with authentic and accessible documents. The only "William Ferguson connected with Crichie in the time of Charles I. was Baillie William Ferguson, in Crichie. He does not appear to have been of higher station than tenant of Crichie, but was evidently a man of both talent and substance.

The antiquity of the family may -be truly represented by the mythical genealogy ; as appears from the fact that when its ancestral property in Inverurie was sold in 1797 by the Widow of Walter Ferguson, W.S., the grandson of William of Crichie's youngest son Walter, it was believed by the family that the lands had been their's for five hundred years.

The Colonel of horse, figuring in the genealogy, would correspond to William's father, the " umquhile William Ferguson" of Spalding's narrative, who may have held a subordinate command in some musters of his time. He was dead before the Civil War. His house had, it is likely, been commodious for the place, and also of good repute, when Huntly lodged there in 1644. He was fined 100 lbs. for over- building it in 1619. The name of his wife may be correctly given as Anna Ogilvy, but the genealogy so abounds in chiefs who in reliable history were only common place persons as to discredit her share of attributed nobility. William Ferguson in Crichie, baillie of Inverurie for a number of years from 1650, and laird of Badifurrow from 1655

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 355

to 1658, was the novus homo of the family; he has, however, a much wider representation, at the present day, than most of his contemporaries have left behind them. He must have lived to a considerable age. In 1680 he sold his ancestral property in Inverurie to Walter his youngest son. In 1658 he had, with consent of Janet Clark his wife, disponed Badifurrow to "William their second son, who in 1674 had a new infeftment of the same to himself in liferent, and his son James Ferguson in free.

William Ferguson, by his wife Janet Clark, had six sons, of whom the eldest fulfilled the Scotch proverb, " that it is a poor family that cannot spare one to the pot and another to the gallows". Neither of those fates overtook Eobert Ferguson, known in family tradition as The Bishop. Macaulay has pilloried him, in history, for the unscru- pulous abuse of his great talents to treasonable purposes in the reigns of Charles II., James II., and William III. He seems in reality to have been only a pre-eminent example of the politician of the time, arising in a rank of life that could not out- brazen infamy. The rascality of many public men of the period was covered by the position of nobility, and the yet lingering feudal influence of great houses — an influence that in the reign of William attempted to establish the rule of a Venetian sort of aristocracy.

The second brother, William, was twice married, 1st to Jean Elphinston, sister to Sir James Elphinston of Logie — daughter of William Elphinstone in Milltown of Durno and his wife, Margaret Forbes — by whom his heir was born ; and 2ndly to Lucretia Burnett, who was his widow in 1 696. William Ferguson's son and heir, James, was the father of the first Ferguson of Pitfour, and great-grandfather of a man of eminent position in his day, the representative in Parliament of Aberdeenshire, and for many years a confidential friend of William Pitt. James Ferguson of Badifurrow, the purchaser of Pitfour, was an Edinburgh advocate, and was closely connected with the burgh of Inverurie as agent. His son and namesake was a Eord of Session, and by his wife, Anne Murray, daughter of Lord Ellbank, became the father of James Ferguson of Pitfour, M.P. for Aberdeenshire.

James Ferguson, the third son of William of Crichie, served under Charles II., James II, William III., and Queen Anne, and attained the rank of Brigadier-General. He was the first of the Fergusons of Kinrnundy.

The fourth of the Crichie household, George Ferguson, the common ancestor of a number of families still resident in Aberdeenshire, himself lived and died Chamberlain on the Meldrum estate, his large family spreading about in various lines of life — agri- cultural, commercial, and professional.

John Ferguson of Stonehouse was William Ferguson of Crichie's fifth son, and was for a considerable time prominent in the locality, and a principal magistrate of Inverurie- and burgh proprietor. He acquired the large burgh property of Stonehouse before 1681, having been tenant of it in 1670. He and his youngest brother, Walter, were gene- rally the baillies of Inverurie from that date until near the close of the century. In

356 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

1696 he was the Commissioner chosen to take up the poll lists for Inverurie, his son George being clerk and collector.

The youngest of the six brothers, was the last " Walter, baron of Crichie" of the grandiloqent genealogy. In 1680, when he seems to have married, he purchased from his father the Inverurie Eoods and Common Lands, which had been so long in the hands of his' ancestors. His wife was named Margaret Panton, not Margaret the daughter of Sir George Klcolson, who it need scarcely be remarked was no chief of his name, but the honourably successful son of an Aberdeen merchant.

The four sons of Walter recorded in Cummynge's genealogy were historical personages ; and their connections such as are described, with the exception, perhaps, of the inevitable chieftainship allotted to the father of the Town Clerk of Inverurie.

James, the eldest son, through the descendents of whose eldest daughter, Walter Ferguson is now chiefly or solely represented in this country, was a merchant in Inverurie in his youth, somewhat addicted to practical jokes against Presbyterian ministers, at the time when these last were very few in the Garioeh.

Walter Ferguson died in April, 1728, before which time James, his eldest son, had removed with his considerable family to various places in the Garioeh, and finally to East Lothian. His eldest son, Walter Ferguson, W.S., left the Inverurie property to his wife, Katherine Swinton, a daughter of Lord Swinton, of the Court of Session. She sold it in 1798.

Janet, the only daughter of the large Crichie household, married one of her Fergu- son cousins, and continued the name in a seventh line of descendents.

The Polnar Kirkyard contains some small granite stones commemorating members WF of the family. They are— I C ; A F 1662 ; E F 1662 ; and P F 1666.

59 The stone marked 59 with the initials of William Ferguson, senior, and his wife, may have been erected on occasion of her death. It was the year after they had made over Badifurrow to their second son William. The other initials have nothing in the family genealogy corresponding to them.

In 1699 James Ferguson, son of William Ferguson, younger of Badifurrow, with consent of Jean Stewart, his spouse, sold that estate.

John Ferguson of Stonehouse was succeeded in most of that property by his eldest son William, who sold it to William, second Earl of Ivintore, sometime before 1718.

The aneestoral Seven Lower Eoods and One Sixteenth Common Lands of the Fergusons were thus the last remaining link of the family to Inverurie. The Sixteenth — which had been mortgaged by Walter Ferguson in 1721 to Lord Pitfour — measured about 16 acres 2 roods Scots, and was sold to Anthony, Earl of Kintore, for £275. It lay in thirteen patches, as detailed in Colin Innes's map of the Burgh, in the various divisions of the Common Lands, several portions being on the present farm of Brandsbutt.

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 357

The distribution of the Ferguson families as shown m the genealogy illustrates the social condition of Scotland about the close of the Stuart dynasty. Of those who did not follow agricultural pursuits, most adopted the profession of arms ; some went into the various legal lines of life ; wlr'e those who adopted business occupations went abroad. One of Baillie Walter's sons went to Poland. His sister, the only daughter of William the common ancestor, married a cousin,, a Polish merchant, an emigrant probably of an earlier generation.

The Mackies of MidLown of Inverurie disappeared in the same land of commercial enterprise. A hundred years earlier ons of the Leslies of the south end of the burgh was settled in " Poll," and other individuals are mentioned with the same indication of their line of life.

In 1673 the exceedingly eventful life of Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells, the Laird of Ardtannies, came to a close. He had passed through several religious conversions, w-hereof one is generally enough for any man. since the time when he probably rode through Inv jruvie in the train of Charles II. in 1 G50 from his ownf ormer prison at Pitcaple. He had then just persuaded the lightly principled son of Charles I. to make a profession of the Covenant in ordei' to obtain the Scottish crown, and he accompanied him to Dunbar where after fighting well, and being thrice wounded he was taken prisoner. During his con- finement Jaffray had many conferences on religious subjects with Cromwell, who treated him with great courtesy. He became an Independent, from which point his fanaticism led him into the ranks of the Millenarians or Fifth Monarchy men, who expected the immediate appearance of Chv'st to reign visibly as King over all the Earth. He rose speedily in favour with Cromwell, who appointed him, in 1652, Director of the Chancery in Scotland, and next year got him elected one of the five Scottish members of the Par- l;ament which came to be named after Praise-God Barebones, and which brought con- temptuous expulsion upon itself by attempt) >ig to oppose the \ioleuce of the. Usurper. Jaii'ray's courage in resisting Cromwell did not alienate the Protector, who must have estimated at a high rate the iufluence such a man was capable of exer- cising. He requested Jaffray to accept the office of a judge in Scotland, and on his declining granted him an order for £1500 sterling, as part of the debt which ho and his colleagues had contracted on their visit to Charles II. in Holland. The Book of Bon-Accord concludes a biographical notice of this famous Provost of Aberdeen as follows : — " On his return to Scotland Jaffray removed his residence to Edinburgh, where for a considerable time he continued to discharge the duties of his office in the Chancery. His Diaiy dining this period presents a strange picture of fanaticism. No step, however trivial, in the business of life was taken, no journey was commenced, a dwelling-house was not changed, nor a friend visited, without his having, as he believed, a manifest warrant for it by direct revelation from the Deity. After the Bestoration in 16G0 he was thrown into prison, where he lay for nine months. But persecution served only by inflaming his zeal to impel him to farther extravagances, and in 1662 'we find

358 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

him at the head of a few persons in Aberdeen who declared themselves converts to the jmnciples of the Society of Friends. In this new faith he was as devoted as he had formerly been in the cause of Presbytery, of Independency, or of the Fifth Monarchy. By his wealth, his influence, and his writings he laboured to increase the numbers of his sect, which prospered so rapidly that measures were taken for its suppression, and Jaffray was imprisoned in the jail of Banff for nearly ten months. He continued stead- fast in his fourth creed until his death. His exhortations during his last illness effected the conversion of his wife, the daughter of Andrew Cant, who survived him but a few months."

Jaffray filled a large place in public life in his time, besides occupying the positions of baillie and Provost in his native city on successive occasions. He was in 1644 one of the Commissioners appointed by the Scottish Parliament for suppressing the Rebellion which was put down by Argyll; and sat in that year, and 1646 and 1648, on a Committee of War for the County of Aberdeen. In 1649, Member of Parliament for Aberdeen, he acted on all the important committees; and after the King's death and the separation of the Scots from the Parliament party of England, he was appointed, along with the Earl of Cassilis, and the Lairds of Brodie and Liberton, to negotiate with Prince Charles, and again, the following year, along with Lord Lothian and two commoners added, when they brought Charles to Scotland, landing at Speymouth in summer, 1650.

Me. WILLIAM FORBES AND Mr, WILLIAM MURRAY.

Mr. William Forbes, the minister of Inverurie from 1644 to 1679, is less recosr- nisable by the extant notices of him than his predecessor; whose love for registering events and characters recorded many particulars of his domestic and official life, and also exhibited by reflection much of the character of the man himself. Mr. Forbes has left nothing to indicate the place of his birth. Several of the name were attending King's College about 1630; about which time George Gordon, the second Marquis of Huntly, George Johnston, the second baronet of Caskieben, and Mr. Andrew Cant's son, Alex- ander, afterwards minister of Banchory, were matriculated. Mr. Forbes was evidently a married man when he became minister of Inverurie, as in the same year he registered the baptism of a son, William, born to him by his wife, Margaret Strachan. He had another son, Eobert, who in 1675 was a preacher, and is referred to as schoolmaster of Inverurie, probably being substitute for Mr. William Chalmers, schoolmaster from 1657 to between 1680 and 1690. Besides these there were at the manse of Inverurie several daughters.

Mr. Forbes did not share in the municipal importance his predecessor enjoyed. His prudence was sufficiently tasked by his duties as a parish minister — administering the Covenant under its first iron rule, drilling an imperfectly obedient population in taking the new vows, repressing the propensity to keep Yule and to be irregular in church-going, which some of his flock manifested.

Li his office he did not escape criticism himself and the recommendation of amend-

Mr. William Forbes and Mr. William Murray. 359

merit. He seems to have been far from a musical speaker in 1649, when ho had been four years in practice, and, when he had been a dozen years minister, his people grudged the shortness of his sermons and complained of his giving up lecturing. He appears a regular attender of Synod, accompanied by William Grant in Conglass as ruling elder, whose wife, a sister of the laird of Balquhain, turned Papist, along with her brother, about the end of the period of the Covenant, and some time after took her husband with her. Serving out the hard rule of the Covenant, Mr. Forbes accepted the succeeding Epis- copacy, and lived throughout nearly its whole period meekly bearing disagreeable occur- rences of various kinds. The chief of these were dealing with the apostacy of his elder's wife, whose excommunication caused extraordinary disturbance in the congregation, and afterwards with his old friend, her husband. He had also the misfortune to have as a parishioner and cause of dissent in his parish the influential and talented laird of Ard- tannies, Alexander Jaffray of Kingswells, whom lie had to process for dishaunting ordi- nances, and appearing as a propagator of Quakerism. Mr. Forbes, moreover, has the distinction of being recorded in the historical book of the northern Quakers, in which he is credited with pronouncing excommunication upon a Quaker parishioner against his conscience, and being visited, in poetical justice, with the fate of having to do the same by a daughter of his own, and dying in the pulpit in the act. There is no corro- boration of this story to be found, and no dates are given in it allowing it to be com- pared with existing documents. His wife survived him, but nothing appears of the after life of his family. His last receipt for stipend was written out by his son Robert. His widow was warned out of the manse at Whitsunday, 1679, and his successor was there that same year.

Mr. William Murray, who succeeded Mr. Forbes, was apparently a zealous Episco- palian ; and, on the overthrow of the Caroline Church, needed some, though little, tolera- tion on the part of his brethren. His ecclesiastical feelings appeared most in the fatal year 1715, when the son of James VII. landed at Peterhead, and issued Eoyal proclam- ations. Mr. Murray was one of the ministers who read the proclamations from his pulpit, and prayed for him as King James, and in consequence he next year suffered deposition for treason. His wife was Magdalen Gellie, probably daughter of Mr. John Gellie, younger, minister of Kinkell, one of the zealous adherents of the Cove- nant. He had a son, Mr. William Murray, who became an Episcopalian minister in Old Aberdeen Mr. William Murray was a native of the Garioch as appears by his matriculation entry at King's College in 1663. He graduated in 1667. He possessed or acquired some means ; for after his deposition he bought some Upper Eoods, a portion of which he disponed to the Kirk-session of Inverurie in repayment of funds lying' in his hands. The land remained in the possession of the Session until 1816, the march stones bearing his initial M. He is entered in the Poll Book, 1696, with his wife as having five children in familia, a man servant, fee per annum, £16, and two female servants, £12 and £11 each, Scots.

360 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

THE TOWN'S PEOPLE ABOUT 1660.

It has been noticed that two prominent persons in the burgh affairs for a num- ber of years in the latter half of the 17th century were John Johnston and William Ferguson, who had been baillies together from 1650. In 1666 they were both, on the recommendation of the Lord Bishop, requested to become elders. Badifurrow was " infirm on his legs, in so f arre that at tymes, especially in the winter, he was unabill to come to church, which he says he had signified to the Lord Bishop." Baillie Johnston, after some local pressure, accepted office.

A fragmentary communion roll, belonging to the last years of Mr. Forbes' ministry, affords an interesting comparative estimate of the population in different parts of the parish at that period. Netherton, Oldtown, and Glashie are awanting. The burgh furnishes 146 names; Croftheid, a small " town," where Upperboat is, 8; Ardtannies, 9 ; Aquhorties, under the heads Achortes, Cottown, and Mylu of Achortes, 35 ; Middle- ton, 16; Drimmies, 10; Conglass, 24; Brandsbutt, 1; Blackball, 10. The Garioch parishes fluctuated a good deal in the course of the next century in respect of populousness. Inverurie may have had more inhabitants in 1679 than about 1800, when their number was 800, of whom half were resident in the burgh. The population in 1755 was 730, and in 1791, 712, the number of burgh portioners being 60. The Presbytery book of Turriff records that in 1646, when the erection of part of the parish of Turriff into the parish of Monquhitter was projected, the communicants in Turriff numbered 2000 — an indication of the relative importance of Turriff at the time when it was the scene of some of the skirmishes in the civil war. The number of marriages taking place in Inverurie about 1670 averaged from three to nine in a year, numbers quite out of proportion to the above given number of communicants. Ecclesiastical order had, it is likely, made the number of communicants large at that period.

The manners of the Inverurie parishioners of the period were not always gentle. In 1681, 15th January, Alexander Beid complained to the badlies that, going with his farm meal to Lord Haddo's, he was assaulted by William Ferguson, late baillie, and Walter his son, " calling him liar and knave, putting out a durk to stick at him, and calling Ins wife thief's giet ". Braco had, it would appear, become before that date the property of the Earl of Aberdeen ; who continued to possess it for a long period after. In 1673 the three brothers, Williarn Ferguson of Badifurrow, John of Stonehouse, and Walter, youngest son of William Ferguson, late baillie, appear in a quarrel with Baillie John Anderson, in which Badifurrow and the Baillie slapped each other's faces.

It is indicative of the rougher complexion of the period to find several names in the lists of town councUlors, or of elders, which had their only previous publicity in prosecu- tions for the rudest offences which came under reprehension. Old offenders turning up in time as magistrates, or ecclesiastical overseers, do not, however, seem so much out of place at a time when Episcopal ordinances had to be issued against violent carrying

The Towns People about 1660. 361

away of women, especially by men of the Highland country, under pretence of marry- ing them.

The acts of government required of Baillie Johnston and Badifurrow were as heterogeneous as those which fell to Bainzie, Leslie, Johnston, and Hervie, baillies when the Eoyal Burgh was fifty years younger in the progress of civilisation.

165S, June 12. — Alexander Mitchell complained upon Alexander Johnston, elder, that he came to him under silence of nicht and struck him in his bed, he being nacked.

1659, 4th Hay. — The hail inhabitants and gersmeu within the burgh who are not sufficientlie furnished with peits and kaill for this year are decerned to be removed turth out of the toune, and their maester to pay five lbs. in case he cause them not to be tymeouslie provydid.

1660, 16th Feb. — Alexander Johnston, youngei', and Alexander Mitchell, chosen visitors of bigging and fryers of aill. They sail have ane pynt of ail from everie brewer, and giy onie person have ane unseilit stoup they sail braik the same, and delait the pairtye to the bailies.

1663. — Margaret Fergus, widow of Normand Davidson, complained upon James Fergus at the Cross that he would not subscribe a contract of disposition to her upon her house. She deponed that :

The disposition and seasing was burnt upon the 31st October, 165S, being Hallow even, about nyne or ten hours in the nicht. Her house tuik fyre, shoe being sleeping with her bairns. The house when they awaikit was past reding, being ane tempestuous nicht of wind and rayne, and be the provi- dence of Almightie God shoe, with her husband and children, came forth saiflie with their lyves, and the haiil house burnt and peryshed with all that was within it.

1665, 24th Nov. — James Ferguson, notar, accused for striking and dinging Janet Gordon, widow of Alexander Bainzie at Mill of Caskieben, and bluiding her. Denied the bluid. Witnesses proved that he struck her on the back only and did not bluid her. But " shee rubit her noss with her owen hand and caused some draps of blood came furth ". She was fined and forbidden to be resetted by any inhabitant.

James Ferguson, the accused in that action, was Badifurrow's brother, the Town Clerk from 1645 to 1673.

1667, 20th March. — Value of manure. If it sail happen that William Downie and Michael Davidson has changit from their guidet land, they who sail chance to get their guidet land sail five them guiding to theirs sufficient, or else sax pennies for ilk load of guiding.

1669, 4th June. — An excise on ale was fixed to be levied weeklie by stenters.

1671, 20th Oct. — Andrew Hutcheon shoemaker, was chosen Deacon of the Shoemakers.

This is the only notice that occurs of a trade organisation in Inverurie ; and shoes must have been a staple product of the place as, in a sett of the customs of Polander and Latter Marie Fairs of that period, they are the only article specially noticed besides cattle and sheep.

1675.— Lime to be brought from Stryla to the Mill of Ardtannies.

The Eestoration of the Monarchy in 1660, and the cpuiet transmutation of the Church, were perhaps less interesting in Urbs In Rure than the facts of William Ferou- son's becoming laird of Badifurrow in 1658, and Sir John Keith laird of Caskieben in 1662. The new heathering of the kirk in 1660, the enterprising erection of a sun dial, and the greater undertaking of the Tolbooth, would doubtless concentrate the atten- tion of the community upon home affairs. In 1665 the kirk had to witness the excom- munication of Mr. Alexander Jaffray, and the King's naval victories over the Dutch formed the subject of thanksgiving.

When the Earl of Mar, Chancellor of Scotland in 1663, recovered his ancestral rights of regality from the Scottish Parliament, William Ferguson of Badifurrow was M.P. for Inverurie. Mr. James Elphinstonc of Glack represented the Burgh in 1669 ; and ten years

46

362 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

later a burgh merchant, Alexander Forbes, sat for Inverurie in the Convention of Estates, whose emoluments for discharging the legislative functions confided to him are on record. The Parliament was to be holden on 20th and 21st of June, 1678, and " for his pains he was to have twentie shillings ilk day he was employed attending, with twelve shillings daily for sis days going to and fro Edinburgh, and ordinal- hyre of a horse from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and from Edinburgh home to Inverurie ". Four years before that date the same dignitary was accused of abuse given to the chief baillio — upon whom he may have been practising his eloquence.

Baillie John Johnston disappears from the Council in 1666 ; but in 1669 was called to account for his intromissions with "the excyse on beer". Badifurrow was chief baillie for some time thereafter. Baillie John, like his grandfather before him, was find- ing a new race rise up around him. The north end of the town had become ambitious of being the centre of importance ; and the grand municipal event ordained in the following minute was brought to ripeness : —

In 1671, the baillies, with advice of the haill counsell, elected an sufficient market place at the pairting of the gaitts besouth of the draw well, in the middle part of the pairting of the said gaitts, and to build ane cross there of hewn work. And also that the old cross sail be removit presently to the said plaice, and that whatsoever person or persons preasses to gain stand the changing of the said cross to pay, &c. . . . And that everie indwaller sail be redie to leid stanes aud mortar for build- ing of the said cross, under paynes of fourtie shillings.

The convenience, or the taste, of the public, which is a body about as difficult to turn out of an accustomed course as an alluvial stream, produced a revocation of this important edict in a short time ; and in the year of Mr. Alexander Forbes's six days' journeys to sit in Parliament, the Cross was ordained to be removed from William Downie's land back to where it stood before. The municipal centre of the burgh con- tinued at the Cross "Well until 1803 ; when a new Town-Hall was erected on a site immediately in front of the present one.

In 1671, the year of the Powtate Cross, the Burgh and Sir John Keith's baillie, Mr. Alexander Paton of Kinaldie, made an engagement about the Mill of Ardtannies, where John Beid was miller. The " sichters " appointed by the contracting parties to inspect the buildings and mill, were, for the Knight, Andrew Walker of Newmill of Crimond — a name still represented in Keith-hall — and for the Burgh, Robert Melving.

In that year Baillie John Anderson was appointed Commissioner to the Convention of Burghs, indicted to meet at Dundee; and right of way was declared by the Sketterie burn up and down, and by Meglutton to the Cruik and Gibbon's butts.

Next year, in 1672, the burgh assessment for supplying three soldiers to the national militia had to be calculated. Burgh taxes were always rated by the teind boll. That property was found divisible into three equal parts of 23 bolls 9 pecks, and collectors were appointed for the south, middle, and north thirds of the town, to raise for each third " the fee for ane man, also sixpence qiiarterlie ilk Eande wow-day and three six- pences to ilk man of three souldiers for the general Eandewow ". The personal appear- ance of the troops thus furnished we partly know from the following : —

TJw Town's People about 1660. 363

Receipt, 1672, to the town of Inverurie, by Maister John Forbes, sheriff depute, for 50 merks for transporting Alx. Forfar to Bruntyland and eloathing liira with a hat and new blew coat, lined with wyt, according to the act of His Majesty's privie Counsell.

In 1670, the town had paid 31 lbs. 6p. Scots to buy standards for mounting of trumpeters and drummers.

Protection of resident artizans against travelling tradesmen was enjoined in 1672 ; and at the same time freedom of municipal election — " ilk heritor, life-renter, wadsetter, and burgess to have ane free woitt of chuissing of their bailies yearlie and counsallers ".

The aged Town Clerk, James Fergus or Ferguson, died about that time, who, imme- diately after the erection of the Commonwealth, signed his name as notary " under the authority of the commissioners for the administration of justice to the people in Scot- land ". The Council elected his son, Mr. William Ferguson, but the election was objected to on the part of Sir John Keith, because lie was not represented at the court, and because the presiding baillie was not legally qualified. A new election took place, and Mr. William Chalmers was chosen, and got his appointment, ad vitam aut culpam — a right never conferred until then, and which was legally abolished only a few years ago.

The freely elected Town Council of Inverurie was perhaps necessary for the accom- plishment of the first task undertaken by the magistracy in 1673, viz., the great esthetic innovation of ordering that " peat stacks and middens no longer be on the highway ". The city of Aberdeen had discharged the street middens in 1538.

A remarkable criminal case marks the year 1674, which is worth quoting for its details : —

John Farquhar, who was apprehended, judiciallie confessed that upon the 3rd day of August instant lait at even he opened John Gib's barn dore in Inverurie, and did steill two half sydes of barkit leather, two pairis of shoes ; and upon the same uieht did steill a horse halter and hair of the hors taill and a saddill out of Alex. Eeid's house in Inverurie, from ane hors pertaining to Henrie Adam, shoemaker in Old Aberdeen ; and lykways he confessed judicially that when he was fast laid in prison, he loused his own hands, and also drew his foot out of the stocks, and took the stocks to a window of the prison to have broken the stanchions thereof ; and lykways that when he was intending to come out of the window, he did cast the two pairs of shoes out before him, and he carried them away with him, and lykwise he confessit that he had several tymes before stolen horse halters and tethers. Being tried by assize, he was condemned to be publieklie scourged through the town of Inverurie by the hangman ; and further certified that, if ever he be found after within the privileges and liberties of the said burgh he shall suffer death.

The severity of the sentence is difficult to understand, proceeding as it did from a municipal tribunal.

In 1677, Sir John Keith was created Earl of Kiutore, and the Inverurie community

hastened to exercise their new franchise, in doing him honour in the somewhat humblo

way of electing, not himself but his " servitor," to the magisterial bench, along with

their own Baillie Anderson, and a large body of councillors —

27th Sept., 1677. — The hail heritors, wadsetters, lyferenters, and burgesses, with unanimous consent nominates, elects, and choises John Keith, servitor, to the Noble Earle of Kintor, Lord of Inverury and Keith-hall, and John Anderson, to be Baillies of Inverury from Michael-day, 1677, to Michael-day, 1678 ; and to be councillors, Adam Pittendreich, John Johnston, of New Place ; Wra.

364 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Logie, in Bogheads ; John Gordon, at Milne of Bom-tie ; Alexander Gordon, in Inverurie ; Alexr. Johnston their ; Alex. Forbes ; George Lesly ; John Taileour, Dean of Guild ; William Steviu, thesaurer ; Andrew Stevin ; Miehael Davidson ; George Meams ; James Hntcheon ; George Stevin ; Alexander Reid, elder ; James Taileour, weaver ; and William Ferguson, late Baillie.

In the next century, the political influence of the Burgh was deemed a matter of sufficient moment for powerful neighbours to desire the command of. The Earls of Fife could control the Burgh of Banff; and the Earls of Kintore had both Kintore and Inverurie much at their bidding. These burghs, with the municipalities of Cullen and Elgin, formed, after the period of the Union with England, what was known as the Elgin District of Burghs, returning one member to the British House of Commons. The minutes connecting the founder of the House of Keith-hall with the burgh council of Inverurie, may have proved the beginning of that political connection. Early in the suc- ceeding century Inverurie elected Provosts from among the neighbouring gentry, and ceased to be a self-contained municipality. George Burnett of Kemnay was the first.

The ordinary business which the Burgh of Inverurie had to transact in Edinburgh in the Convention and otherwise, was afterwards conducted by Mr. James Ferguson of Pifour for 20 merks a-year. In his time the process of getting extracts of documents in process in the Supreme Court evidently included the drinking of a bottle of wine with the judge's clerk, as appears by Mr. Ferguson's bills of charges.

During two or three years about the period of the above peculiar election, a number of persons of some social position living at a distance, were admitted into the freedom of the Burgh, James Elphinstone of Glack, the late M.P., and his son John, fiar of Glack ; Alexander Grant, brother to the Laird of Ballindalloch ; John Erskine, brother to the

Laird of Pittodrie ; Alexander Forbes, son of Forbes of ; Mr. Alexander Anderson,

advocate in Edinburgh; Mr. Alexander Eobertson, advocate in Aberdeen ; William Ferrier and William Barker, " wreitors " there; also the chamberlains of Keith-hall and Kemnay, servitors of the Earl Marischal and of the Earl of Kintore, and a number of " mer- chands " over the country, and residents of the neighbouring parishes. In the midst of them we have two of the old minister's sons recorded : " Aug. 23, 1675, Maister James Milne, doctor of phisick, and Mr. Alexander Milne, minister of Glasgow, sons of the Verie Reverend Umquhile Maister James Milne, somtyme minister of Inverurie ".

It was the Town Council of 1677 that recalled the Cross of Inverurie back again to " the place where it stode aunciently," for the which they deserve honourable men- tion. The next year was to see the minister's house repaired, and himself terminate his eventful ministry, a period of incumbency which comprehended all the disturbed years of the Covenant, and after the temporary " happiness " of the Restoration, saw the rising discontent which in a dozen years more brought about the final departure of the Stuart dynasty from the throne. Mr. Forbes' successor appears along with Mr. Samuel Walker's successor at Monkegie in the burgess list, 9th August, 1682 — " Mr. George Keith, minister of Monkegie, and Mr. William Murray, minister of the Burgh".

In 1680 the Earl of Errol, passing through the Garioch to officiate as Lord High

The Earldom of Kintore. 365

Constable of Scotland, at the Court of Charles II., lodged at Kintore. For supper and breakfast, and corn and straw, for one night, he paid 10 lbs. 6sh. 4d. Scots, and 18sh. Scots for his servants, to William Fraser, innkeeper — a name appearing in the same position in the beginning of the nineteenth century.

« / THE EARLDOM OF KINTORE.

The eventful epoch of the Restoration was marked in the south end of the Garioch by a great change — the disappearance of the historical names of Caskieben and Monkegy so often mentioned in these pages. Sir John Keith had the names of both the estate and parish changed into Keith-hall. The Johnstons, who henceforth disappear from the Garioch as landed proprietors, perpetuated their ancient designation by calling part of their property in the parish of Dyce, which they were able to retain, by the name of Caskieben ; but even that last remnant of their ancient and formerly extensive posses- sions has long been- the property of others.

In passing into the hands of a member of the Marisohal family the former seat of the Johnstons did not become the property of entire strangers. A connection in blood, in patriotic alliance, and in honourable association with the dissemination of higher education, closely linked together the Keiths and the Johnstons in the hundred years which included the Reformation and the disastrous Civil War. The accomplished grand- father of Sir John Keith, viz., George Earl Marischal, the travelled student, the pupil of Beza, King James's honoured Ambassador to conduct Queen Anne from Denmark to the Court of her husband, was the founder of Marischal College — the first Protestant University established in the Scottish kingdom — and its first Professor of Mathematics was William Johnston, doctor of physic, the younger brother of the celebrated Dr. Arthur Johnston, and uncle of Sir George Johnston, from whom the estate of Caskieben passed, through the hands of the two Alexander Jaffrays, to Sir John Keith. Arthur and William Johnston had been among the earliest students at the new College of . Aberdeen, while its first Regent was Peter Blackburn, their brother-in-law, afterwards Bishop of Aberdeen. Kinsmanship united the two houses. The Earl Marischal, who founded the College, and the two Johnstons who were among its earliest alumni, were the grandsons of two sisters, the daughters of Sir William Keith of Inverugie. George, Earl Marischal, was the grandson of Margaret Keith, the elder daughter and co-heiress of Sir William Keith of Inverugie, the successor in blood and possessions of the ancient family of Cheyne ; and through her came that property which is associated in a melan- choly way with the Marischal family — as the birthplace of the last of the line, and the only possession he bought back with the Parliamentry grant that accompanied the so honour- able reversal of his attainder. The younger sister of the Countess Marischal — Elizabeth Keith — was wife of the seventh Lord Forbes, and grandmother of the two boys, Arthur and William Johnston.

366 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariocli.

Community of sentiment in religion brought the two families into connection. The Johnston family, in a former age, when the whole landed community in Aberdeenshire was divided into two great portions, united in bonds of man-rent to the Chiefs of the Gordons or the Forbeses, sided with Lord Forbes. When the Mar- quis of Huntly and the Leslies were drawn more closely than ever together, by their religious sympathies, in resistance to the Eeformation, the Caskieben family, which had very early declared for the reformed religion, was, by the new bond of adopted faith, united in action with the Forbeses and Keiths ; and when the progress of events made another combination necessary in the defence of the King, the bond was confirmed yet more between the Johnstons and the Earl Marischal.

The ancient Caskieben stock disappearing from baronial rank in the Garioch, retained prominent position in the kind of distinction which procured for the first of the family the honourable surname of " The Clerk ". Dr. Arthur had a son William, who, after having filled the office of one of the Eegents from 1657, became in 1669 Professor of Civil Law in King's College, of which his father had been chosen Eector in 1637. He was succeeded in 1673, as Civilist, by George Kicolson. the Laird of Kemnay, who was afterwards a Lord of Session, and adopted the designation of Lord Kemnay. Dr. William Johnston, the younger brother of Dr. Arthur, practised medicine in the Burgh of Aberdeen, and thereby acquired the means of purchasing the lands of Beidle- ston in Dyce. He appears in 1663 in an interesting asssociation with Alexander Jaffrey and Eobert Farquhar, with the former of whom his nephew, Sir George, was involved in unfortunate pecuniary transactions. Principal Dun, in forming a trust for the administration of property left by him to found salaries for masters in the Grammar School, Aberdeen, appointed his loving friends, William Johnston, Alexander Jaffray, and Eobert Farquhar, trustees, along with three nephews of his own. William John- ston's widow, Mrs. Larbara Forbes, and his daughter, Elizabeth, widow of Mr. Alex- ander Whyte, Eegent in Marischal College, Aberdeen, and wife of Mr. Keith, both were attracted into the Quakerism which so fascinated many good people in the latter half of the 17th century, when irreligion and false pretence to religiousness were very prevalent.

The Earldom of Kintore was created in 1667 by King Charles II., in connection with the preservation of the regalia of the Scottish Crown from the grasp of Cromwell ; through whose hands it might have taken the same course as the magnificent cande- labra made for Edward VI. 's coronation — and used at that of Charles I. — which are now shown to tourists on the high altar of the Cathedral of St. Bavon in Ghent, as having been sold to the then Archbishop by Oliver Comwell.

- The Earl Marischal, eldest brother of Sir John Keith, was the hereditary custodier of the Crown jewels, and after they had been used in the coronation of Charles II. in 1651, the Earl put them for safety into the Castle of Dunnottar ; selecting as Governor ' of the castle, a trustworthy neighbour, George Ogilvie of Barras, who accordingly

The Earldom of Kintore. 367

held the castle by the King's commission. During Cromwell's subsequent successes against the forces of Charles, in Scotland, great apprehensions were entertained as to the safety of the precious trust. Ogilvie's wife, a lady descended from the Douglases, and possessed of no small share of their spirit, keeping her thoughts secret from her husband, laid a plan to get the Eegalia removed without his knowledge, so that he might not he compromised when they were missed. The castle having been besieged by the time she got to action, she took into her counsel her parish minister, Mr. James Grainger of Kinneff, and his wife. The latter one day finding occasion to proceed past Dunnottar to Stonehaven for a supply of flax to spin, rode to the town followed on foot by a servant woman who was to carry the flax. On her return she asked leave of the commander of the besieging forces, Major-General Morgan, to visit Mrs. Ogilvie in the castle, and was allowed to pass, followed by her servant, with her " birn " of flax on her back. On reaching the Governor's quarters the servant, relieved of her burden, was dismissed to her confrers, while the two matrons enjoyed their " crack," and when Mrs. Grainger returned from the castle through the lines, and was cour- teously assisted to her horse by the officer, the girl, knowing nothing of what occurred, was carrying the crown, sceptre, and sword of the Kingdom of Scotland inside her flax burden. On reaching the manse of Kinneff, the bundle was taken by the mistress, and during the night the Minister and she made a receptacle for the Eegalia in the sand beneath the pulpit of the church. Sometimes there, at other times in a double- bottomed bed in a room in the manse, still in existence, and known as the Crown Room, the jewels were hid until the Eestoration in 1660, when they were consigned to the care of Mr. George Ogilvie of Barras, who restored them to the Court.

The future Earl of Kintore was connected with the remarkable exploit in this wise Mrs. Ogilvie, in order to divert attention from the true state of matters, dropped in the way of the besiegers a letter purporting to be addressed to Governor OgUvie, by John Keith, the Earl Marischal's youngest brother, saying that he had reached the Con- tinent safely with the crown jewels which he had taken away, and would give them up to the King. It is said that the mother of the three brothers Keith, namely, Earl AVilliam, George, next Earl, and John, first Earl of Kintore, made use of the letter so as to obtain from Charles II., for her youngest son, the post of Knight Marischal in 1661, and in 1677 the Earldom of Kintore. It would appear to have been reckoned quite legitimate in that reign, and in several succeeding ones, for persons near the throne to endeavour to get for themselves the lion's share of reward for a public service in which they might have played but a trifling part themselves. The Countess was a sister of the Earl of Mar, and her father, brother, and eldest son all held high offices. The family, however, had some claim upon the Eoyal favour for the services of those two Earls in the cause of Charles II., in which the elder suffered the loss of all his lands while the Commonwealth lasted, and the other, after valiantly fighting for the young King in 1651, had, as well as John, to live long in exile. The title conferred

368 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

upon Sir John Keith was meant to commemorate the preservation of the Eegalia, and the motto inscribed upon the coat armour of the Earldom was Quce Amissa Salva. The Knight Marischalship was accompanied with the grant of £400 a-year.

The Ogilvies were less amply recompensed, and had, besides, before their reward came, suffered so severely at the hands of Cromwell, who was incensed at the rescue of the Regalia from his grasp, that Mrs. Ogilvie died within two years after the sur- render of the castle, a victim of the cruelties inflicted upon her through imprisonment by the baffled partisans of the usurper. Her husband, the Governor of Duunottar, was also subjected to harsh treatment. The minister of Kinneff and his faithful helpmate do not seem to have been, for a long time, even suspected of having aided in the clever rescue of the Honours of Scotland. On the Bestoration of King Charles II., when their part in the transaction was made known, they were rewarded with the gift of 2000 merks Scots, but it is believed that they never received the money. The Ogilvies had bestowed upon them the title of Knight Baronet of Kova Scotia, with a grant of armorial bearings having reference to the saving by them of the Kegalia ; and the holding of the estate of Barras was changed from ward to blanch tenure.

Of the persons chiefly concerned in this interesting episode of Scottish history, it may be mentioned that Mr. Grainger and his wife left no issue behind them, so far as is known. The male line of the Ogilvies failed on the decease, in 1837, of Sir George Musgrave Ogilvie, the sixth Baronet. Legitimate descendants of the Governor and his heroic wife still represent them. Elizabeth Ogilvie, daughter of David, third Baronet of Barras, married in 1738 Patrick Anderson of Bourtie, in the Garioch. Their daugh- ter Mary, became in 1781 the second wife of William Young of Sheddockslcy, mer- chant, and sometime Provost of Aberdeen. Her five daughters, born to him, succeeded, on the death of their bachelor uncle, Alexander Anderson of Bourtie, as co-heiresses of his lands and considerable fortune. Three of them who married, and left issue, are now represented by John Leith Eoss of Arnage, in Buchan, Dr. Patrick Black, Senior Physician of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and Dr. John Abercrombie, Physician, Cheltenham.

Sir John Keith seems to have wished to found a new family in the honourable line of the Keiths. Such a wish is the best reason that can be offered for the change made in the names of Caskieben and Monkegy, which were etymologically distinc- tive and bore upon them the memory of so many centuries, from the time of John the Scot and Xorman, Constable of Enrowrie, for a name, commonplace in form, and speaking historically only of himself. Sir John built some part of the existing house of Keith- hall, but how much is uncertain. Dr. Skene Keith, without quoting any authority, says he built the south and east parts, and that there remained in 1811 a building erected by the Garviachs and another house built by the Johnstons. There is in the present mansion a narrow towering portion consisting of small vaulted rooms which is known to the servants of the house as Caskieben. The date 1G65 is upon it,

The Town's People about 1660. 369

which may indicate its being repaired by Sir John. Mr. Mill's registers show that the family events of the Johnstons were, in the generation preceding the loss of the property, taking place at Ardiharrall. Local tradition, however, has preserved the rather too picturesque apparition of two starved old ladies obstinately cleaving to the old John- ston chambers, and in their need going up to the neighbouring Kirktown of Monkegy, where the aisle of the gentle Johnstons, a part of the old kirk, sheltered the remains of their ancestors, and begging a drop of " sowens," and at times a peat from the cottars, and carrying the peat home in the tail of their silk gowns.

The Gallowhill of Caskieben was trenched for cidtivation a little over two genera- tions ago, and was found to contain the skeletons of a man and his wife, the last criminals executed in the barony. It was situated near the Ury and the Mill of Keith- hall. Sir John Keith's improvements included a more seemly field, namely, a bowling- green, for the formation of which the Council minutes of Inverurie record that the Baillies, in 1673, sold him " the scruiff of the Kirk-green and Streamhead ".

47

Chapter XI. THE REVOLUTION SETTLEMENT.

Political Discontent. — Test imposed — Monmouth's Rebellion. Earl of Argyll. — Sir John John- ston. Ferguson the Plotter. — Brigadier Ferguson. Incidents. — Sir George Nicolson — Parochial Matters. Birth of the Pretender. The late King James. The Temper or the Times. — Kcmnay Parishioners — Monymusk Bells and Clock. Social Condition of the Garioch. — Tlic Poll Lists — Old Meldrum, Insch and Inverurie — George Ferguson— John Ferguson — Thain of Blackhall — Household Establishments — Garioch Ministers. Families in the Garioch. — The Legal Profession. The Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. — Fettcmear — The Counts Leslie — Wallcnslein — Siege of Vienna— Later Lairds of Balquhain. Leith-iiall. Freefield. Keith-hall. — Keith Earls of Kintore — The Last Earl Marischal — Lady Kintore — The Lady of Leslie. Monymusk. — Pitftchic — Forbes of Pilsligo — Badifurrow and Woodhill — Fergusons — Forbcses — Incidents of the 'Jfi — Johnstons. "Warthill. — Prince Bishop of ' Laybach — Elphinstone of Warthill. Glack. — The Elphinsloncs. Logie Eli>hinstone. — Wcsthall. Horn — Dalrymple. Castle Fraser. Balbithan. Inveramsay. Pitcaple. Newplace. Pittodrie. Bourtie. — Anderson. Barra. — Eeid. Kehn w. — 1'homas Burnett — Court of Hanover — First Provost of Inverurie — Secretary Burnett. Religious Disabilities — Ordinances — Confession of Faith. Introduction of Presbyterian Ministers. — Settlements of Kcmnay — Meldrum — Insch and Payne.

POLITICAL DISCONTENT.

Scotland the Revolution Settlement of 1688 was the last great act of the national Reformation from Popery, the first of which took place in 1560 ; and it was brought on by the persistent attempts of Charles II. and James II. to evade the conditions upon which they occupied the throne. The nation so recently at rest from the prolonged tribulation of the Civil War, and averse to a renewal of violence, was dis- posed to await the death of the Papist King James, so long as the heir to the throne was the Protestant wife of WUliam, Prince of Orange; and it arose to assert its dearly-bought freedom from the yoke of Rome only when the birth of a Prince as heir to the crown — who would be reared by the Ring and his Italian Queen, both humble subjects of the Jesuits — gave occasion to the Roman Catholic families in the country to let their wishes and purposes be known. The thought that was uppermost in the popular mind in connection with the Revolution, appears in a juvende exploit at Aberdeen, which was paralleled at one of the Southern Scottish Universities. The Students of Marischal College in 1689 burned the Pope in effigy after a procession through the streets, and the bell of the Trinity Church was rung all night on the occasion.

The tide of popular feeling which arose to sudden flood in 1660, respecting the

Political Discontent. 371

degree of happiness which had been secured to the nation by the restoration of the Stuarts to supremacy in the State and the Church alike, had been ebbing since ; and before 1680 the sentiments of 1638 were dangerously often upon men's lips. The King's royal privileges, as their fathers had described them, had been more susceptible of resistance than the privUeges of Cromwell's colonels were found to be, and hence the welcome given to Charles II. By and bye, however, experience of what the Koyal Charles and his less scrupulous brother and heir sought in civil, and yet more in church, affairs, seems to have made the policy of the Covenant be thought of again. Before 1680, the doctrines of passive resistance must have been discussed with alarming openness ; for a new oath was sent down to the Municipalities, to be taken by all in civil office. The following declaration appears in the Inverurie Court Book as having been emitted by all the Council in 1680 and 1681: — "We doe sincerely affirm and declare that we judge it unlawful for subjects, upon pretence of reformation, or other pretence whatsomever, to enter into leagues or covenants, or to take up arms against the King or those commissionate by him, and that all those gatherings and convocations, petitions, protestations, and wreitings, or keeping of counsell tables that were used in the beginning for raising one of the last troubles, were unlawful seditions, and particu- larlie that those oathes, whereoff one was called the National Covenant, commonly as it was sworne and explained in the year one thousand six hundred and thirty-eight, and thereafter, and the other intituled ane solemn league and covenant, were, and are, in themselves unlawful oathes, and were taken and imposed upon the subjects of this king- dom against the fundamental laws and liberties of the same, and that there lyeth no obligation upon me, or any of the subjects, from the said oathes, or either of them, to endeavour any change or alteration of the government, either in Church or State, as it is now established be the laws of the kingdom ".

It was the South and "West of Scotland that felt most severely the barbarous measures adopted by James VII. against Presbyterians. Colonel Erskine of Cardioss, the father of the celebrated author of the Institutes, states, in an unpublished diary, that in 1682 he accompanied the Assize, then imposing the test at different central places, and he saw men sent off to be hanged, for simply declining to call the action at Bothwell rebellion, while some fifty or sixty adulterers brought up to the Court for trial — their crime being then penal — were smilingly dismissed, and bidden be loyal subjects and go home.

The Garioch records contain, besides two proclamations respecting the Monmouth episode, only a couple of picturesque announcements of the coming into the world of the unfortunate Pretender. That late birth of a son to the King was hailed by the Eoman Catholic party, in both England and Scotland, with a joy that showed how en- tirely they mistook the self-restraint the country had exercised while hope of relief presented itself in the probable succession to King James of one of the daughters of his first Queen, Ann Hyde, the daughter of the great Chancellor.

372 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gar loch.

The Monmouth rebellion was, however, to intervene before King James added his share to the misgovernment that provoked the Revolution. Upon the death of Charles II., 6th February, 1685, James Scot, Duke of Monmouth, the King's son by Lucy Walters, claimed the throne. He believed the King to have been married to his mother, and in 1680 had asserted his legitimacy. He was living in Holland, in exile, when the sudden death of Charles happened. In the same refuge for British Protestants, the Earl of Argyll, son of the Covenanting Marquis, was also abiding, out of the reach of the Duke of York ; whose enmity he had incurred by opposition to the attempts made by the Duke towards his great ecclesiastical object, while he represented the King in Scotland. It was concerted in Holland that Monmouth should claim the Crown, and make a descent upon the South Coast of England in the month of May, and that Argyll should second his attempt by a rising in the West of Scotland. Neither, the Duke nor the Earl were capable persons for such an exploit, and history records how speedily both efforts were crushed, and ended in the execution of Argyll before the end of June, and that of Monmouth in the succeeding month. The termination of the ill-planned attempt was made known to the country in the following proclamations enjoined to be read from the pulpit.

At Oyne, 19 July, 1685. — The parson read a publiek proclamation from the pulpit, by the order of his Ma'tie's privy eounsell, for apprehending som rebells, confederals of Argyle, and that non should entertain, harbour, or converse \v'- any pson or psons who hade not a pass from under the hands of those authorised for the same.

At Oyne, 9th Aug., 1685. — The sd day ther was a publick proclamation read from pulpit by the parson by order of his Ma'tie's Privie Counsel], ordaining and instituting a solemn and religious tlianks- giveing, qch is universally throughout this diocess to be observed on Thursday next the thirteenth

instant, for the great victorie over the usurpers and enemies of this , viz. James Scot, late

Duke of Monmouth, and Archibald Campbell, late Earle of Argyle, and diverse others.

The Monymusk record gives the names of the others principally denounced in the pro- clamation, viz., Sir Charles Campbell the Earl's son, Sir John Cochran, and Balfour of Burley.

The minister of Oyne on the appointed day of thanksgiving preached from Job xxxiv. 29. Mr. James Strachan had a skill in selecting texts, as will be observed afterwards.

THE EARL OF ARGYLL.

The Marquis of Argyll so well known in the Garioch in the disastrous years of King James's father, and whose last appearance there was in conducting Prince Charles southward to be crowned by him at Scone, a few weeks after he had got Montrose beheaded for attempting the same thing, became after the successes of Cromwell a distinct supporter of the Protector or Usurper, as he was variously termed, and he suffered death as a traitor after the Eestoration, being decapitated 27th May, 1661, by the Scottish guillotine called the Maiden. Argyll's fortitude on the scaffold is a redeeming

The Earl of Argyll. 373

portion of his history. His words, when he first beheld the instrument of death, recall the incident of his life in 1650 noticed in these pages, when the Goodwife of Glack said aloud to Prince Charles as he was leaving Pitcaple : " They're riden on your right hand that took aft0 yer father's head, and if ye tak' na care 'ill tak' aff yours ". Argyll, looking on the block, said, " I had the honour to set the crown upon the King's head, and now he hastens me to a better crown than his own". The destruction of the Marquis is said to have been partly due to the desire of his enemy the Earl of Mid- dleton, the King's principal minister in Scotland at the time, to have the Argyll estates forfeited and bestowed upon himself. If it was so the motive was characteristic of the age and a grim sort of poetical justice coming after some of the Marquis's actions during his day of power.

Lord Lorn who, twenty-four years after his father, was to pass from mortal life by the same bloody exit, leaving behind him a higher character for true patriotism, had deserved well of King Charles ; though his services were not so estimated by the King as to secure a favourable hearing to his petitions on his father's behalf. In 1650 Lord Lorn was Colonel of the young King's Foot-guards ; and he had obtained his commission therein from Charles himself, refusing to accept it from the Parliament. While the King remained in the country, and after his flight, Lorn was so active and formidable in his cause that Cromwell excepted him out of his Act of Grace and Pardon issued 12th April, 1654 ; and although straits compelled him to submit to the Protector he con- tinued to be watched and oppressed ; and at last was imprisoned in 1657 in Edinburgh Castle — where he had his skull fractured by an accidental blow from a ball thrown by the Governor in play, and underwent the operation for trepan. Being of course released in 1660, upon the restoration of the King, he went to London, carrying a letter to the King from Ids father. He was himself well received; but the escape of Argyll from his fate was neither deserved nor, considering the power of his opponents, possible. After the Earl of Middleton lost his influence, Lord Lorn got a patent from the King, not of his father's Marquisate, but of the Earldom of Argyll held by his grandfather. His life was thenceforth to be spent mostly in resistance to the designs which the royal brothers developed upon the security of Protestantism in Scotland. In Parliament and in the Council he opposed the proposals of the Duke of York, then resident in Scotland. The insidious and violent means taken by the Duke to crush all opposition to his eccle- siastical policy are matter of history, and the Earl was one of the sufferers. In 1681, he was ordered to surrender himself at Edinburgh Castle to be tried for treason. He was defended by Lockhart, and a majority of the judges eould not be mustered against him, except by bringing up an aged judge, who had not been present at the trial, and could not be kept awake to hear the conclusion of it. He was condemned, but on the evening of 20th December he escaped from the Castle in the guise of a page, holding up the train of his step-daughter, Lady Sophia Lindsay. His third son, Colonel Charles Campbell, afterwards married the brave young lady. Escaping to London, the Earl was protected

374 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch,

from arrest by the good nature of King Charles, and allowed to pass to Holland. "When, after the King's death, he undertook a patriotic attempt in Scotland against James VII., while Monmonth was doing the same in England, Argyll expected to get a great fol- lowing in his own country ; but those he counted upon were mostly in prison or held to bail. He found himself almost alone, and was taken. A fresco in the Houses of Parliament — The Sleep of Argyll — commemorates the last night of the patriotic Earl. He was executed 30th June, 1685. One of his followers in the rising was Colonel Erskine, above referred to, an ancestor of the present family of Burnett of Kemnay.

The Earl's fourth son was connected by a most tragic association with the Garioch and with the close of the elder line of the Baronets of Caskieben. On 14th November, 1C90, The Hon. James Campbell, with the aid of Sir John Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, and another friend, abducted and married Mary Wharton, — a young lady of thirteen, possessing an estate of £1500 a-year — daughter of Sir George Wharton. The act, which was a repetition of various feats in the history of the house of Argyll, was considered a capital crime. Six John Johnston was prosecuted for his share in the abduction at the instance of the young lady's guardian, Lord Wharton ; who, by relentless exercise of the influence he possessed with King William, procured that Sir John, who was condemned, should be hanged at Tyburn, 23rd December, 1690. Campbell escaped, and strangely enough for the distribution of justice in those times, appears afterwards in the rank of Colonel and sitting as Member of Parliament for Campbeltown. The lady's conduct in the affair was not to her credit.

FERGUSON THE PLOTTER.

Monmouth's rebellion has an interest of special kind in connection with Inverurie. The person who, according to the historian Burton, was chiefly instrumental in inciting that insurrection both in England and Scotland, was Eobert Ferguson, the eldest of the six sons of William Ferguson in Crichie and Janet Clark, who had gone to England early in his life. This extraordinary man, a too well ripened fruit of a state of society chacteristically false in politics, Macaulay selects as one of his subjects of political portraiture, describing him with his usual study of effect. " He was the Judas of Dryden's greatest satire. He was by birth a Scot, but England had long been his residence. At the time of the Eestoration indeed he had held a living in Kent. He had been bred a Presbyterian, but the Presbyterians had cast him out, and he had become an Independent. He had been master of an academy which the Dissenters had set up at Islington, as a rival to Westminster School and the Charter House, and had preached to large congregations at a meeting house at Moorfields. He aban- doned theology, and took to the worst part of politics. He seems to have been an informer as well as a plotter." He went to England in 1656 when about 25 years of age.

Five years before the death of Charles II., Ferguson had, in anonymous pamphlets

Ferguson the Plotter. 375

which obtained great circulation, infused into the mind of the public a belief that the King had been married to the mother of the Duke of Monmouth. The effect produced was such, that the King and the Privy Council made solemn declarations, circumstantially contradicting the allegation. In letters addressed to the Earl of Aberdeen, in 16S3, he is described as, " One Ferguson (borne neir Aberdeen), a phanatick preacher, who has been near thirty yeares in this country," and is fartrrer alluded to as having been concerned in a hellish contrivance for the murder of the King and the Duke and Duchess and Lady Anne, on the way from Newmarket, in June, 1683. Upon the King's death, Ferguson prepared the proclamations and other papers which tho Duke of Monmouth issued when he left Holland upon liis ill-fated enterprise ; and it was said that his recompense was to be the Archbishopric of Canterbury. Ferguson kept his unworthy head upon his shoulders when the popular Duke perished ; and he appeared, in 1688, in the train of William of Orange on his arrival from Holland. Under King William, he received a place in the Excise with £500 a-year, but unchanged in his propensities was soon suspected to be implicated in a Jacobite intrigue called the Montgomery Plot ; and in 1706 he published, under his own name, a History of the Kevolution, in which he made the Prince of Orange appear as an agent of the Jesuits, and the Eevolution -itself a bold stroke for the furtherance of the Church of Eome. Nearly a score of political pamphlets, from his son, appeared between 1673 and 1714. He must have been under the secret protection of the successive governments of the time, purchased apparently by scraps of information communicated by him in the character of a spy ; for although sufficiently recognisable in person, and frequently pursued by the authorities for treasonable acts, he was very seldom taken, and always soon dismissed. At one time he had four different lodgings in London, and went under many names ; at another he hid himself from pursuit in the prison of Edinburgh, paying a visit to the Governor, upon whom he had some hold. About 45 years of age, in 1685° he was to be discovered by a broad Scottish accent, taU lean figure, lantern jaws, sharp eyes always overhung by his wig, cheeks inflamed by an eruption, shoulders stooping, and a peculiar shuffling gait. Brought up till his fifteenth year in the Garioch amidst the tortuous Scottish politics of the time of the Covenant and Commonwealth, he seems to have been all his life under a fascination to plot political turmoil, but he is not accused of having ever betrayed his accomplices. He and another alone remained faithful to Shaftesbury, and the Ahithophel of the Monmouth rebellion died in his arms in Holland. A fund of humour, sometimes profane, helped his influence over his asso- ciates of high degree. In Monmouth's expedition he relieved the commissariat in a strait by getting the Duke's authority to proclaim a religious fast; and at Exeter on the landing of the Prince of Orange, when Bishop Burnett was preaching in the Cathedral, he tried to make his way into the pulpit of a Presbyterian church, and, being kept back, drew his sword and said, " I shall be forced to take the kingdom of heaven by storm ".' Originally assistant to Dr. John Owen, the nonconformist divine, Ferguson in 1689, in

376 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariocli.

an apology for his life, proclaimed himself an admiring convert to the Church of England. He seems to have succeeded in obtaining orders and a living in that church, but in 1713 he is said to have been in destitute circumstances. "When in 1699 he was summoned by the Court of Session (but without answering) to serve himself heir to his father, William Ferguson of Badifurrow, as eldest son, at the instance of Mr. James Ferguson of Badifurrow, then about to sell that estate, he was described as a minister in London.

He appears in the writings of two antagonistic political schemers of the period, as being well known in character to both. Lockhart, author of " Memoirs on the Affairs of Scotland," and son of the distinguished lawyer and politician who defended the Earl of Argyll, speaks of him as " the famous Mr. Ferguson " ; and Simon, Lord Lovat, one of whose Jacobite intrigues, Lockhart says, was discovered and defeated by Ferguson, refers in his Memoirs to familiar intercourse with him when in London. In 1703, he was plotting in behalf of the Pretender, and sending the strongest protestations by Lovat to the Court of St. Gerrnains, of his fidelity to the Jacobite cause. Lord Lovat says that, in London, he got a letter from " Old Mr. Ferguson to Major-General Ferguson, his brother, who then commanded the troops at Bois le Due". Lovat had occa- sion to make use of the recommendation afterwards, when his tortuous course brought him into great danger, and by General Ferguson's aid he escaped across the Dutch frontier. He represents the General as having taken service under King William and the Dutch Republic for a subsistence, but as being in his heart faithfully attached to King James. The word of Simon, Lord Lovat, was not reliable testimony, but the Fergusons were Jacobites afterwards, as they had been Boyalists before. In the public funeral accorded after the Eestoration to the remains of the Marquis of Montrose, and Hay of Delgaty, as royalist martyrs, Wdliam Ferguson of Badifurrow was honoured to bear the "gumphion " (gonfalon or standard).

Mr. Eobert Ferguson is, or was recently, represented by a physician high in the medical staff in England, the descendant of a daughter.

Brigadier-General Ferguson was the third son of Wilbam Ferguson, in Crichie, and was the ancestor of the Fergusons of Kinmundy. He died in Holland in 1705. Family tradition has it that his end was untimely, and owing to the jealousy of his superior officer. He was with the Scots regiment in the Dutch service in 1688, and came over with William of Orange, whom he afterwards served in Scotland under Mackay. He was not at Killiecrankie, but had chief command in Argyleshire when one of the Buchans of Auchmacoy was James's general, and he was in command of the detachment that commenced the budding of Fort WiUiam. In 1698 he was Colonel of one of the Soots regiments in the service of the States of Holland, his adjutant being John Ferguson, and three ensigns, John, Eobert, and James Ferguson. He served under Marlborough in 1704, and led the most perilous and successful advance in the battle of Blenheim, after which, with five English battalions, he escorted the great mass of prisoners taken, by

Incidents. 377

Rhine boats, from Mainz into Holland. A grotesque story is told of his fertility of device. An inconveniently large number of prisoners had to be escorted to a secure place of detention, and all the officers in command shrunk from the dangerous duty ; but Ferguson undertook it and carried it out successful^. He cut the fastenings of the small clothes of all the prisoners, so that they were forced to occupy their hands during the march in holding them up. He died 14th October, 1705, at Bosch, or Bois le Due, in Brabant, immediately on his return from court, whither he had been sum- moned to receive promotion for his services. The cause of his death was supposed to be poison. He had been twice married. His daughter Ann Elizabeth, by his second wife, Hester Elizabeth Hibelet, became the wife of a countryman, Gerard Vinck. His first family, James and Elizabeth, whose mother was Ann Drummond, lived some time after hisdeath with their uncle Robert's wife, Mrs. Hannah Ferguson, in London. James sold his father's property of Balmakelly, in Kincardineshire, and bought Kin- mundy, in Buchan, in 1724.

INCIDENTS.

In 1685, the year of the vain attempt of Monmouth and Argyll, the representa- tion of Aberdeenshire in the Scottish Parliament was contested by two individuals connected with the Garioch — Sir Alexander Seton of Pitmedden, representative of the Setons of Bourtie, and Sir George Nicolson, Lord Kemnay. A double return was made, and Pitmedden's election was sustained. Seton, like Nicolson, was a Judge, hut resigned at the Revoluton, and would not take office again.

Sir George Nicolson bought Kemnay, in 1682, from Alexander Strachan, younger of Glenkindie. He was the son of an Aberdeen merchant ; and was called to the Scottish Bar in 1661. He succeeded Dr. Arthur Johnston's son, William, as Civilist in King's College, Aberdeen, at which time, and into 1861, ho was styled " of Cluny ". He was made a Judge of Session in 1682, taking the title of Lord Kemnay, from his newly acquired property. He sold Kemnay, in 1688, to Thomas Burnett, ancestor of the present proprietor. Afterwards he acquired Balcaskie, in Fife, and some property in Berwickshire, and was alive as late as the Union. His second wife, Margaret Halyburton, died in August, 1722. He had at least two sons. Thomas, the eldest, was made Baronet in 1700, and had by his wife, Dame Margaret Nicolson, relict of James Hamilton of Balnacrief, to whom he was married in 1688, several daughters, one of whom was Margaret, Marchioness of Lothian ; but no son. The baronetcy went to his brother, William Nicolson of Mergie. Sir William restored the historical association of Kemnay and Glenbervie, by becoming, 11th February, 1721, proprietor of the latter estate, whish he bought from Catherine, daughter and heiress of Thomas Burnet of Glenbervie, whose widow he married. Sir William four times married and had twenty-two children. His fifth daughter, John Nicolson, who inherited

48

378 Inverurie and tJie Earldom of the Garioch.

Glenbervie, married Mr. James Wilson, Minister of Farnel, and her daughter, Ann Wilson Nicolson of Glenbervie, became the wife of Dr. Eobert Badenach of Arthur- house. Their son, James Badenach Kicolson, Advocate, presently Secretary to the Lord Advocate for Scotland, is the representative of the name of Nicolson of Kemnay.

Sir George Nicolson, Lord Kemnay, had been first married to Elizabeth Abercromby, of the Birkenbog family, a near relative of the Boman Catholic family then proprietors of Fetternear. A son by this marriage was the first Vicar Apostolic appointed by the Pope in Scotland. Bishop Nicolson had his residence at Preshome, in the Enzie, where, from his appointment in 1694 to Bishop Kyle's death in 1869, he and his suc- cessors continued to dwell. Jj

The brewing of the revolutionary storm was indicated in 1686, by an Act of Privy Council, issued October 24, for the suppression of slanderers and leasing makers, which was appointed to be read from the pulpits four times in the year at the beginning of each quarter — the slanderers meant being political malcontents.

Kirk Session minutes narrating the ordinary conduct of church services, show special days of thanksgiving annually observed for the Bestoration of Eoyal Govern- ment, and the celebration of the King's birthday. Regularly before the operations of seed time and harvest, solemn fasts appear to have been kept, with supplication for the blessing of God. The presence of a minister at a death bed of important persons in his own parish, or a neighbouring one, seems to have been regarded as a sufficient reason for his pulpit duties being delegated to others. The parson of Oyne was in this way, on 14th March, 1686, waiting upon the Dowager Lady of Leslie, her own minister, Mr John Shand of Premnay, preaching for him; and on 7th August, 1687, was " called instantlie to the Laird of Lesly, he being upon his death bed, as was suspected," leaving his church without afternoon service. Both the Laird and his mother survived to be entered in the Poll Lists in 1696.

The Session Becord of Oyne, for 1686, contains a description of the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which is of interest as belonging to the period when the constitution of the Church was Episcopalian.

1686, March 28. — The parson did publieklie inthnat from pulpit that the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was to be celebrat in that place (God willing) this day eight dayes And therfor he de- sired the people in order to the better preparation for that holy and solemn work to convceu frequentlie about ther ordinary times on fridday next for hearing sermon to that effect.

The elders were ordeant to take particular notice in ther severall quarters who are at varriance, and strive to reconcile them betwixt this and fridday next, otherwayes to give a List of them to the session on fridday next that they might be debard.

Apprile 2. — Text Canticles 3 cap. 1,2, 3& 4 verses preached upon be Mr Wm Wattson ininr of the gospell at Lesly, that being the day of preparation before the sacrament.

The sd day the session being callit eonveend and after prayer the parson having posed the elders whom they knew Liveing in malice and would not be reconciled. These persons were delete [eight in- dividuals who along with some persons under censure were debarred.]

" The sd day tokens distribute to those who were to communicate and the elders ordeant to wait on ther severall employments on the ensuing sabbath day (Wiz) John Scott of Newlands and Alexander farcher in Ryhill to gather up the tokens ; George Duncan and Alexr watt to gather up the money ; John meldrum to attend to the breid and george davidson the wine. Thomas Lesly to have inspection of the people ther orderlie address unto the table.

Birth of the Pretender. 379

The sd day the parson desired the people to he minding serriouslie the holy and solemn work they hade in hand, and to com timelie in the morning on sabbath day next, for he intended to begin that holy work be nine o clock in the morning.

Apprile 4. — Text in the sermon 1 cap. of St. John 24 vei'se, preached upon be our parson, and he and Mr Wm. Watson, minr at Lesly served the tables per vices, and the sd Mr. Wm. Watson preached in the afternoon upon Collossians 2 cap. 6 and 7 verses.

The compulsory observance of the preparation day is recorded in a minute of next year.

16S7, March 25. — John Sharp, at the Miln of Ardoyn, being accused of having his milu going upon the day of fast, he declared that he was grinding nothing, but that he had sett on the watter upon the miln for sharpening his picks to graith the miln for a man's ferm that was to com upon the morrow. He promised not to do the like again.

BIBTH OF THE PKETEXDEE.

The beginning of the fatal year 1688 produced proclamations far from anticipating the very different documents of the same order which were to mark the succeeding year. The birth of a male heir to King James was both heralded and announced with a ful- ness of self-gratulation which it is somewhat melancholy to record.

1688, Feb. 12. — This day ther was ane act of Iris M'tics privie connsall read from pulpit ordean- ing a publick and solemn day of thanksgiving to be dewlie kept and observed this day eight days, by all his Ma'ties pious and Loyall subjects, celebrating praise to Almightie God in regard that his Ma'tie has fresh hopes of ane lioyall issue from his gracious and serene consort the queen's Ma'tie, she being with child. In obedience to which the parson desired the people of his congregation to come punctu- ally to this place next sabbath day for hearing sermon to that effect.

On the appointed day the parson of Oyne preached from Psalm 118 v. 9, "He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children ".

The coming event thus uniquely foreshadowed to " his Ma'tie's pious & Loyall

subjects" took place on the tenth of June, and was with all convenient and inconvenient

speed made the occasion for a repetition of the national piety and loyalty.

June 24. — The said day ther was ane act of privie counsell by his Ma'tie's speciall command read from pulpit ordeaning a public and solemn day of thanksgiving to be duelie keepit and observed by all his Ma'tie's pious and Loyall subjects in the North and South pairts of Scotland, except the three Louthians which have alreadie done it, on.thursday next the twenty-eight instant, for celebrating praise to Almightie God for his tender mercies bestowed upon our gracious Queen in bringing her to safe deliverance of ane hapilie bom son, Duke of Albanie and Prince of Wales.

The Minister on this occasion took as his motto Eccles. chap. 10, v. 17. The

blessedness of the land therein referred to was not to come by the luckless infant so

rejoiced over. He was to be suckled and reared in exile, and make his first entrance

into his father's kingdom, a sombre silent man at the age of twenty-seven, getting on

shore at Peterhead from a small French vessel, on the back of Captain Park, a stout

sk'pper of the port; and completing his acquaintance with his native land by a

hurried ride along the eastern shore of three of its counties ; when, after causing several

of its most chivalrous nobles to ruin themselves in his useless venture, he was to escape to

the half-hearted protection of Louis Quatorze, whose creed in morals and everything else

was symbolized by his famous political maxim : " L'etat ; c'est moi ! "

380 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

THE LATE KING JAMES.

Eleven months after the birth of that celebrated heir to the crown of the United Kingdom, another proclamation was made on 2nd May, 1689, from the pulpits, inhibiting all persons to keep converse with the late King James; also ordaining prayers to be made for King William and Queen Mary. The existence of a diversified state of feeling among the Garioch ministers, as to the events then transpiring, may be inferred from the circum- stance that the proclamation is recorded in the Monyniusk Session book, and does not appear in that of Kemnay, but Dr. Willox, who had preached from Ps. lxxii. on the celebration of the birth of King James's son, merely records on May 16, 1689, the observance of an appointed thanksgiving, the text being an id supra one. Mr John Burnet of Monyniusk, who had celebrated " the birth of the most serene and high-born prince, the Prince of Scotland," had the good sense in 1715 not to read his proclamation as James VIII. of Scotland.

THE TEMPER CF THE TIMES.

The minister of Kemnay was failing in health before 1688, and was frequently absent from his pulpit from " sickness" and :' tenderness ". It is said that Dr. James Willox had at one time suffered severely at the hands of the Turks, and prayed nightly for their downfall. His exuberant descriptions in 1662 of how he directed his congre- gation in the carrying out of the new Synodical orders as to ritual, are succeeded, in 1689, by frequent complaints of the people absenting themselves from catechisings, afternoon services, and Monday thanksgivings for the communion, — they, "being mostly labourers, cold not or wold not come on a week day ". It is probable that the severity of rule experienced at the hands of the dominant powers, alike in Church and State, during the three previous reigns had by degrees produced no little of passive resis- tance to all injunctions not accompanied by force. The following extracts seem to indi- cate as much —

At Kemnay, 13 May, 1688. — The tyme in the afternoon was spent in exacting the notes of the forenoon sermon and in catechising. The people were seriously exhorted to be frequently present upon tuesday nixt, in remembrance of the late King of blessed memory his birth, coronatiun, and restoration of royal government.

28th June. — Solemn thanksgiving observed for the birth of the young prince.

9th Sept. — Harvest being begun, no preaching iu afternoon.

7th Oct. — Sacrament intimated for next Lord's day.

14th Oct. — The minister sent to Sir George Nicolson before the summer session, that he might give order for Communion elements. His answer was that wfc should write to the new Laird ; before the new Laird came home the harvest was at hand ; the harvest was not weel ended, when there arose such an uproar about the sending forth of the Militia souldiers, that the people were so indisposed for such a sacred action, for which cause the celebration was delayed till a more convenient tyme.

1 8th Nov. —Monies paid by Patrick Leslie of Kincraigie, lent again to William Forbes of Pitfielue. younger of Monyniusk, and to William Thain of Blackball.

23rd Dec— The parishioners were seriously exhorted to be frequently present for divyne service upon tuesday nixt, seeing no statute nor command could restrain them from idleness, and many tymes from prophan carrage and behaviour : being Cliristmass day, that, if exhortation could prevaill, that day, or at least a part of the day might be spent in the service of God.

Social Condition of the Gariocli. 381

25th Dec. Text St. Jo. 1-29. — The people were exhorted after sermon to observe the remnant of the day to the Lord, and to beware of druukeness, and all other prophanity, and that the remnant of the day might be spent in praying unto God, and praysing liim in reading of Scriptures and Godly converences.

August, 11, 16S9. — The said day the bells were tolled. The Minister was ready, but no meeting of the people, because Livetenant Generall M'Kay with his army, the said day, was marching to Iuverury, and the people of our parioch being nixt adjacent, did wait upon ther corns lest by ther horses they should have been destroyed.

More of the Garioch churches than Inverurie seem to have been in need of a revo- lution settlement that would make them habitable ; while at Monymusk something of the nature of ajstketic improvement was in contemplation.

Kenmay, 1690, Oct. 12. —Men of understanding who were present were desired to abyde after divyne service, together with the factor (ground officer) to consider the fabrick of the kirk being so ruinous that the people without danger could not assemble together. After inspection, they did conclude to take some course therewith.

Monymusk, 1691, Januar, 18. — The said day the minister reports that the Laird of Monymusk had gifted his mortcloth to the Session, wherefor the minister craved the mind of the Session what every one should pay to the use of the poor who borrowed it, but the mind of the Session was that the mortcloth should be mended, and afterwards a pryce to .be set upon it.

The said day the minister represented to the Session how necessar it was to have foursilver cups made for serving the communion tables, and craved the mind of the Session anent it. To which the elders consented and ordered the clerk to draw up a commission to the young Laird of Monymusk to agree with some silver smith to make them at as easy a rate as he could.

June 28, 1691. — The four cups cost 121 lbs. Ss., with 14s. to the goldsmith's servant, and weighed thirty-two ounces and a shilling sterling. The discharge written by William Lunan, merchant in Aberdeen, now in Kiiktown, Monymusk, was signed by William Forbes, junior ; Master Alexander Hay, Schoolmaster, and William Luuan, witness.

Same day the minister represented to the Session how necessar it was to have thre hard mettal basons with a ewer, two of them for holding the elements; and the other for holding the water when children are baptised.

The young Laird acted as agent in procuring these also ; they cost 18 lbs. 3 sh.

The improvements in the Kirk of Monymusk were completed in 1697, partly by

the liberality of the laird and his son.

1697, August 8.— This day the Laird of Monymusk, elder, acquainted the Session that in respect that the two bells in the steeple wer not good and though both were casten in on, yet they wold not be on good without ane addition of mor mettal, they both but weighing nyne ston ; therefore if that pleased he wold be at the expense to cast a new on good, and would agree with a founder lor that effect. To which the Session assented and gave him thanks.

The single bell turned out to be too small and, three years later, it was recast and

enlarged at the Laird's cost by John Meikle, Edinburgh. A clock was next projected.

1697, Oct. 3. — This day there was ane overture made by the young Laird of Monymusk and others to the Session, that since they wer now to have a good bell, they may think of making a clock, which would be both for ornament and use to the place. The Session was pleased with the motion as very agreeable and reasonable, if so be it could be done without prejudice to the poor.

The sum of £10 sterling was allowed from the Session treasury — "the young

Laird ond others " not proposing to pay anything. The clock was made by Patrick

Kilgour, Holyrood House, and cost 145 lbs. 6s. 8d. Scots.

SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE GARIOCH.

Much interesting information as to the inhabitants of the Garioch and their occu- pations and state of wealth, in the period of the Eevolution Settlement, is preserved in

382 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the Poll Book of Aberdeenshire, — the only one of all the county registers made up in Scotland in 1696 that has come down to us. The occasion of the Poll List being drawn up is itself an important feature of the history of the time. It was one of the early measures of that constitutional Government under which the nation has ever since sub- sisted, whereby the Government and the defences of the country are provided for by taxes levied by authority of a representative Parliament. A direct tax existed before in the form of a Land Pent payable to the Crown. The Poll Tax enacted in 1695 was a personal tax, and was graduated not according to the means alone, but also to the social rank of individuals, the different orders of nobility, the position of a gentleman, a commissioned officer, a doctor of medicine, an advocate, a writer, a notary, a clerk of court, a merchant, a householder having a trade, a married or a single woman The only escape from a prescribed rate of tax was that a person rated as a gentleman might formally renounce all claim to that position, and so escape a certain tax, and have his resignation of rank recorded gratis in the Herald's register. Very few took advantage of that exemption ; but though the poll tax was a very moderate one, ranging from 6 sh. Scots for a servant or child to 3 lbs. Scots for a gentleman, it was collected with extreme difficulty, and imperfectly. The tax for servants was a fortieth part of their yearly wage ; for tenants an hundredth part of their rent ; for heritors a tax of twenty shillings for twenty pounds of rent up to one of twenty-four pounds for a thousand of rent. Mer- chants paid from 2 lbs. 10 sh. for 500 merks of stock to 10 lbs. for 10,000 merks ; notaries and others of the inferior law courts, 4 lbs. to 6 lbs. ; Members of the Supreme Court, doctors, surgeons, and apothecaries, 12 lbs. ; commissioned officers, two days' pay. Ministers seem to have simply been charged the tax for a gentleman. The nobility paid from 40 lbs., the tax of a Lord, to 100 lbs., that of a Duke, besides then- property tax. Cottars who had no land, but only a house, paid 6 sh. These were also called grassmen or grasswomen, probably from their originally having a right to make use of common pasture for a beast. The poll tax had been had recourse to first in 1693, and was again used in 1698, but the same method of .taxation was not afterwards employed. It produced in 1696 in Aberdeenshire only 28,1 4S lbs. 7 sh. Id. Scots, or £2345 13s. 7d. sterling. A tax under 3 per cent, in 1842 yielded £25,000..

Old Meldrum, just outside the Garioch district, seems to have been at the time a sort of centre of the commercial activity then possible. Sixteen Merchants were then in it, some giving their stock at 5,000 merks, while Inverurie returned but four, all at under 500, Insch and Kintore recording one each. Few of these merchants may have been shopkeepers, and all may not have been dealers in general merchandise, for the Poll Act included Tradesmen among Merchants, and Chapmen, of which class two were returned in the parish of Leslie. Five Glovers appear in Culsalmond and Payne, and a Master Fashioner in Oyne, while Chapel of Garioch abounded in Horseboys, a special name perhaps for ploughmen. Shoemakers generally appear as cordiners, the other handicrafts being denominated as at present. A Gunsmith and a Saddler are entered in

Social Condition of the Garioch. 383

Old Meldrum. The number of householders there and at Inverurie was nearly the same, the Garioch burgh having 68 and the other 65. The relative condition of the two towns at different periods has been remarkable. In the end of the eighteenth century Old Meldrum was the seat of a great trade in cattle, bought to be fattened in the English pastures aud described south of the Tweed as " Scotch bones and English beef," and that village used to supply the total wants of Inverurie in butcher meat at the rate sometimes of half a sheep in the week. At present Inverurie is the centre of an extensive trade in dead meat, aud sends to the English markets annually 3000 tons of beef, sold at £80 a ton, and representing 9000 animals killed in the place for export, a considerable trade in fat live stock being also carried on.

The fourth of the six Ferguson brothers of Inverurie, George Ferguson, was in 1696 in Old Meldrum, chamberlain and gentleman, a widower apparently, having with him Janet Ferguson his daughter, and also "William, George, Christian, Mary and Magdalene, under age, and two male servants. A record of July and August of that year honourable to George Ferguson remains. A scarcity in the counties of Aberdeen and Banff threatened wide starvation. Mr. Ferguson along with Mr. Alexander Smith of Edinburgh, proposed to purchase for sale, at prime cost, 1000 to 1200 bolls of meal there, to be shipped for Aberdeen, &c, they applied to the Privy Council for the convoy of a war vessel for protection from the French.

Insch, a century after the date of the Poll Book, was noted for the manufacture of brogues, or shoes made of untanned leather, a staple article in the Friday market of Insch. Weavers and travelling tailors were, shortly after 1 700, numerous in the villages of Insch and Upper Boddam. Alehouses were largely established by the lairds in order to the sale and consumption of the bear crops in malt, and their tenants were required to make all their weddings penny bridals, and held at an alehouse; where the innkeeper supplied eatables on the occasion gratis, finding his profit in the ale consumed during the festivities, which were prolonged for days.

The abundant peat mosses of the time seem to have been economised for building purposes in the mansion houses — conserving a family likeness between them and the drystone turf and divot domiciles of the tenantry. When the house of Mastrick in Rayne, built sometime after 1 700, was pulled down, the plastered dividing walls were found to be built of hard jieat neatly squared.

The Burgh of Inverurie in 1696 possessed four merchants, three tailors, six masons, seven shoemakers, three smiths, and one wright. Fifteen of its sixty-eight householders had servants. Only one of the merchants appears as an heritor, viz., William Lundie, with 400 merks of stock, who with his wife Isabel Ferguson had no servant. The wealthiest merchant (500 merks) was George Temple, a Quaker, who with his wife Margaret Anderson feed a woman, a man, and a boy, probably being a tenant of Dava lands. The yearly wages of servants, which in Scottish money — twelve times the sterling amount — seems large, continued with but little change until the

384 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

rise of modern agriculture in Scotland. They ranged from 1 2 lbs. to 20 lbs. for men, 6 lbs. to 42 lbs. for women, and 2 lbs. to 6 lbs. for boys or girls.

Mr. George Scott was Town Clerk in 1696, and tenant of the Mill of Keith-hall, having in family James, Alexander, Charles, and Isobel ; his namesake, also Town Clerk, not being born till his father's marriage to his second wife, Baillie Walter Ferguson's daughter Margaret. During her time he was tenant of Mill of Ardtannies, nntil 1721, and afterwards lived on the site of Eose Lane, in Inverurie. The minister, Mr. William Murray, and his wife Magdalen Gellie, and five children, paid his man servant 16 lbs. yearly fee, and two females 12 lbs. and 11 lbs. His next neighbour, Dr. James Milne, with his wife, Marie Irvine, and one son, James, paid 20 lbs. to each of two men servants, 6 lbs. 13 sh. 4d. to a third, and 10 lbs. and 8 lbs. 13 sh. 4d. to two females. His daughter and heiress, Jean, is not mentioned. His mother, Marjorie Elphinstone, does not appear, and was probably dead and her family all removed. The doctor paid 12 lbs. poll tax, the largest paid in the burgh, the minister and Baillies John and Walter Ferguson, paying but 3 lbs. 6 sh. each.

Baillie John Ferguson of Stonehouse, fifth son of William of Crichie, with Bathia Kerr, his wife, and two sons, James and George, had two servants. His brother Walter, living on the paternal acres on the east side of Powtate, with his wife, Margaret Panton, had four sons in family, James, William, Walter, and John, and three daughters, Mar- garet, Janet, and Mary, to whom two more, Barbara and Bathia, were afterwards added. One man and one woman servant seem to have sufficed as help in labouring their seven Roods and scattered twelfth-part lands. The whole family left Inverurie in quest of improved fortunes, James entering the Excise.

At Ardtannies lived Andrew Jaffray of Kingswells, apparently unmarried, the son of Alexander Jaffray and Sarah Cant, and the Mill was tenanted by the early schoolmaster's son, Alexander Mitchell and his wife Isobel Thomson, and Robert Wishart, miller, and his wife Elspet Smith, neither couple having children.

The Laird of Blackball, William Thain, and Margaret Kentie, his wife, had one son, Mr. William Thain, and Margaret and Jean, two daughters, with four servants. Two tenants sat under him, probably in Gavin's Croft and the Ledingham Croft. A daughter Isabel, married in 1691 to William Lunan, merchant in Monymusk, has been noticed above (p. 240).

The Laird of Pittodrie owned Conglass, which he let to six tenants, one of whom, John Stevin, was the ancestor of the present tenant of the whole. One artizan, a shoe- maker, with his wife, lived on the estate.

Drimmies was in the hands of two tenants, and belonged to the Laird of Aquhorsk ; a shoemaker, with his wife, having a house there also.

Badifurrow was the property of James Ferguson, and was farmed by four tenants, his stepmother, Lucress Burnett, widow of William Ferguson, tenanting the house, with Patrick, Walter, and Mary, her children. Two tailors, both tenants, were on Badifurrow.

Social Condition of the Gariocli. 385

The Earl of Aberdeen was laird of Braco, the Inverurie part of which is entered in the Poll Book as Glacca. Three tenants occupied the lands and one sub-tenant. A weaver, with his wife, lived on the principal holding, and one of the tenants was a mason.

Count Leslie possessed, in 1696, Aquhorties, Oldtown, Middleton, and Netherton, on which respectively there were twelve, three, six, and two tenants, a merchant being located upon Aquhorties, and a weaver and smith, while Oldtown possessed a weaver, and Middleton a wright.

The chief personages of the neighbourhood — the Earl of Kintore and his son William, Lord Inverurie — were living in separate households, the latter perhaps at Ardiharrall, as in the Poll Lists the tenants there follow his establishment.

The Lord Inverurie had one daughter, Ladie Katherin Keith. Two pages, getting no fee, are entered, and six other male servants, one with a wage of 40 lbs., the others from 24 lbs. to 4 lbs. ; four maids, one getting 48 lbs., the others from 12 lbs. to 4 lbs. ; a cottar, a gardener, with a fee of 12 lbs., a mason, and their wives. Lord Inverurie had a Mains of his own valued at 80 lbs.

The Earl's Mains was valued at 200 lbs. Besides the Countess and himself there was in the family only a son, Mr. Charles Keith. Fourteen men servants, apparently for the house, included the coachman (fee, 48 lbs.), and John Boyle, the foot-runner, (fee, 12 lbs.), and a page. Eleven female servants, one having 48 lbs. of wage, another 24 lbs., were in the establishment. Outside there appear the gardener, receiving 40 lbs., with two apprentices, the ditcher, the girnal man, the officer, the wright, the weaver and apprentice, the carter, the herd, and two masons. These, with the wives most of them had, numbered 24.

The Garioch ministers and schoolmasters at that interesting period are mostly recorded in the Poll Book.

William Watson, minister of Lesly, with his wife, Mary Ramsay, had no family. They kept four servants. He died 1699, leaving his means to found four bursaries after his wife's death. The manner directed by him for selecting two divinity bursars is picturesque. He provides that " the said two burses shall be disposed of by lot by the oversight of the Presbytery of the Garioch. That is, such students in divinity that sought after these burses are to make application to the Presbytery and give up their names, being young men of ane sober, grave behaviour, and having ane good testimony, and the Presbytery, after prayer for that effect, are to cast lots for those students who have given up their names, and the young men are to be absent themselves when the lots are casten, and such are to have the Burses for whom God in his providence orders the same by lot."

At Premnay were Mr. John Shand, minister, and Jean Panton, his spouse. Mr. James Shand, his son, and Mary and Janet, daughters, and a household of two servants, paid 19 merks and 14 merks a-year respectively. No schoolmaster is named. The

49

386 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Communion Cups then used are still preserved, though long superseded. They are a pair of beautiful horn cups of the usual shape.

In Culsalmond the minister, Mr. William Garioch, and his wife, Margaret Moir, had a son Peter and a daughter Magdalen, and employed a man servant and three females.

Kayne had then Mr. Robert Burnet as minister. He had married a widow whose son, Charles Forbes, lived in the manse.

At Oyne, James Leask, Eeader at the Kirk of Oyne, was schoolmaster. The minister, Mr. James Strachan, is not mentioned.

At Logiedurno, Mr. Walter Irving, Reader at the Kirk of Logiedurno, was school- master. Mr. George Clark, the minister, is not mentioned. He was deposed several years afterwards for immorality.

Daviot had then for minister Alexander Lunan, son of William Lunan, his prede- cessor, and himself minister until he was deposed in 1716 for Jacobite treason, after which he founded the Episcopalian congregation at Meiklefollow. Alexander Lunan was married to Janet Elphinstone, and in 1696 had three sons and four daughters. Mr. William Adam was schoolmaster, married to Elizabeth Lunan, probably the minister's sister, and had a son and daughter, having also three servants, the number hired by the min- ister. Alexander Lunan wrote a quarto volume on the " Mystery of Man's Redemption " (Ed., 1712), which he dedicated to Sir James Elphinstone of Logie. He was deposed in 1716 for Jacobite treason. A pair of communion cups in use in the Parish Church of Daviut were gifted by him for the service of the Episcopal congregation in Daviot to which he ministered after his deposition. Mr. Jervise (Epitaphs and Inscriptions) states that a son Alexander followed his father's calling. Ordained in Aberdeen, 28th October, 1729, he preached his first sermon in the meeting-house at Warthill the following Sunday, and immediately thereafter took charge of a congregation at BlairdafF, a property in Chapel of Garioch then belonging to an ardently Jacobite family named Smith, where, according to his diary, possessed by Mr. Jervise, he dispensed the communion to 270 — 300 persons annually. He removed in 1744 to a charge in Forfarshire, in which he was supported by Lord Halkerton and others. His successor at Elairdaff could only get forty members of his congregation to bind themselves to give him a dwelling-house and a money stipend of £13 sterling. A family genealogy makes Alexander Lunan the son of William Lunan and Isobel Thane above noticed, and states that she died at Elairdaff in 1739.

Mr. William Urquhart, unmarried, was minister of Bethelny, apparently living in Oldmeldrum, although the manse was removed there only after 1 700. James Adam, also a bachelor, is entered as schoolmaster and precentor.

The Kirk of Bourtie was served by Mr. Alexander Sharpe — his wife, two sons, five daughters, and a man and maid servant making up his household. Mr. John Anderson was schoolmaster, having apparently neither wife nor servant.

Mr. William Keith, with his wife, son, and two daughters, was at Keith -hall — the

Families in the Garioch. 387

old Kirk of Monkegy — Mr. George Eleis being schoolmaster. The minister had a man and woman servant.

Kinkell had a laird for minister, Mr. Thomas Weenies of Feynges and Foodie in Fife, (yielding under 1000 lbs. rent). His wife, two sons, three daughters, and his mother, relict of David Weenies of Foodie, and her son James, and a man and two female servants, made up the household. Weemes was deposed in 1695 for non-juring. The Poll List must have been made up in that year.

The old blind minister of Kemnay, Dr. James Willox, died the year before the Poll Book was dated/t,/ JJis wife, Anne Lindsay, was a heroine of the troublous times, having been the means of rescuing valuable papers from Dunnottar Castle, from which Mrs. Fletcher of Kinneff Manse carried off the Kegalia. The schoolmaster of Kemnay is not given. His name was Johnston.

At the Manse of Monymusk were Mr. John Burnet and his wife, with two sons and three daughters. The schoolmaster was Mr. James Hay, whose wife's name was Agnes Newton.

Kintore was vacated in 1695 by Mr. William Gordon for non-juring. The school- master was Mr. George Birnie.

FAMILIES IN THE GAEIOCH.

In looking over the Lairdship of the Garioch when the Kevolution Settlement was a few years old we find ourselves in something like a new world. There appears a mass of small estates, the names of whose proprietors were soon to disappear again. Among the families not changed, as well as among the new lairds, a marked proportion of lawyers occur; and not a few properties seem to have been purchased as an invest- ment and not for residence. The position of the Baron was gone, and likewise the lines of ambition open to his feudal kind of influence ; and the quiet and beneficent life of the Scotch Laird did not come into the order of things until long after, when the country had slowly settled down into a condition of peaceableness after Jacobitism had ceased to cause disturbance. In the beginning of the period inaugurated by 1688, political am- bition for Scotchmen who did not belong to noble families, opened its most promising field in the law courts of Edinburgh, and the biographies of the time show the bar and the bench chief arenas of intriguing competition for advancement. The frequency with which we find the title of Advocate and Writer to the Signet, or the appellation of Master, belonging to landed proprietors or their sons, indicates the extent to which the class which in earlier times sought in military service an addition to the limited competence afforded by their landed property now sought both means and honour among the noblesse de robe. Excise appointments and tacks of the mills provided for less ambitious sons. I

The Fortieses of Lethinty, Kinaldie, and Learnie were lawyers, so were the Elphin- stones of Glack and the Fergusons of Badifurrow. Westhall appears in the possession

388 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

of Mr. Horn, son of a former vicar of Elgin, but himself a lawyer. His estate passed to his grandson, David Dalrymple, Lord "Westhall of the Court of Session, the fourth of his family who were Judges in the Scottish Court, his father being Lord Drummore, his grandfather, Sir Hew Dalrymple, Lord President, and his great-grandfather, James Vis- count Stair, Lord President.

The estate of the old royalist Gordons of Newton was held by Mr. Alexander David- son, advocate, a son of whom, apparently, Captain Davidson, sold it to the ancestor of Mr. Gordon, the present owner. Tillymorgan was still in the hands of the Cruicksbanks.

Logie became the property of Mr. James Elphinstone, W.S. The young laird of Glack was also a lawyer.

The Monymusk lands were sold by the Forbeses in 1712 to a Scotch Judge, Lord Cullen (Sir Francis Grant), whose descendants possess them. The heir of the last laird of the Forbes family himself resorted to the Bar, and was Professor of Civil Law in King's College in Aberdeen in 1741. He died, 1743, at the age of 36.

Sir George Nicolson, the Laird of Kemnay, immediately- preceding the present family, was a Lord of Session.

The last Ferguson of Badifurrow, himself a lawyer, was succeeded by his son, Lord Pitfour, a Lord of Session.

The adoption of the legal profession by so many of the class needing lucrative employment is to be accounted for perhaps by appeals to the superior courts being frequent in that period. Colonel Erskinc, already referred to, the father of John Erskine, the eminent jurist, author of " Erskine's Institutes "; has it told of him that on his death-bed he lamented the peaceable disposition of his son, saying : " Havena I thirty good gangin pleas, and that fulo Jock will hae compounded them a' in a fortnight after I'm deid ".

In 1G96 Leslie was still held by the last of the short line of Forbeses, David Forbes, with his wife, Margaret Farrpiharson, three sons and four daughters.

Newton of Premnay was held by Mr. Patrick Anderson, and Eothnie by George Gordon, an Edinburgh lawyer.

Barnes had been owned by John Moir, whose widow, Mary Cochrane, was taxed for it.

At Licklyhead the dowager Lady of Leslie and her daughters were living, and ap- parently in the same family Mr. Archibald Forbes, third son of Lord Forbes, with his wife and a son and daughter, he appearing as proprietor of Licklyhead and Auchleven.

In the parish of Insch were Mr. Alexander Ross of Insch, Thomas Gordon of Nether Boddom, John Logie of Overboddom, David Tyrie of Dunnideer, and John Rose of Rosehill. Count Leslie owned the lands still held by the family, and Glens of Johnsleys belonged to Gordon of Lesmoir.

In Rayne, Lentush belonged to Dr. Chalmers, and the Kirkton to Mr. Alexander Irvine, and Lonhead to Andrew Logie, all in Aberdeen ; Rothmaise to Alexander Ross,

The Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. 389

Badechash to George Gellie of Blackford, and New Rayne was held in halves by Patrick Leslie and Thomas Ogilvy.

Ardoyne belonged to two brothers, John and William Leith, and Ryehill to Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonston in Auchterless, while Captain James Leslie was laird of Buchanston, and George Gordon, Messenger, was styled of Torreis, and John Leith of Cairdin.

Lethinty had passed into the hands of Robert Burnett, who resided there with his wife, a son Robert, and two grandcbildren ; and Mounie belonged to the last of Sir Robert Farquhar's heirs, Alexander, dwelling there with his wife, Elizabeth M'Intosh, six sons and two daughters.

At Glack, John Elphinstone was resident with Anne Irvine, his wife, and Mr. William and Patrick, his sons. Findgask belonged to the Laird of Meldrum, as did Balcairn. The lands of Daviot had a William Robertson for laird. Meikle Wartbill was owned by Alexander Elphinstone, who lived in Aberdeen.

In Bourtie, Sir John Reid, with his wife, a son and three daughters, were at Barra ; two sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth Seton, at Blair ; Robert Simpson owned Thornton, Lawellside, and Pitgaveny, residing himself upon Mains of Thornton, with his wife, a son and daughter, while his eldest son Robert, younger of Thornton, lived at Pitgaveny. Blockhouse belonged to John Panton, who lived upon it, with Margaret Strachan, his mother. Colliehill belonged to John Forbes of Achortes, in Tarves, and Old Bourtie to two brothers, Alexander and John Anderson, residing in Aberdeen.

In the parish of Kinkell the Laird of Tolquhon still possessed Thainston. John Dalgardno of Kirkton of Fetterangus, in Banffshire, was living on Crichie, being pro- bably the representative of Dalgardno of Peathill. James Chalmers of Balbithan was residing on his ancestral property, but the laird now was James Balfour, merchant, in Edinburgh, and Kinmuck belonged to Irvine of Drum.

THE BURGH LAIRDS OF INVERURIE.

For a century after the Revolution Settlement the burgh of Inverurie continued to be represented by a single street without branches, extending from the Kirk Green to the Overburn.

Stonehouse, the large property on its south extremity, from which the aristocratic family of Leslie had disappeared before 1655, through the vanishing point of bachelorhood had come through John Galloway, merchant in Aberdeen, and his son Alexander, gold- smith there, into the hands of John Ferguson of Stonehouse, the fifth son of William Ferguson, the purchaser of Badifurrow. Baillie John Ferguson, from about 1675, held the old Leslie Roods on both sides of the King's Gait.

In 1681 he sold the five northmost of his Upper Roods (125-130 High Street) to Alexander Davidson, the future schoolmaster, and his father. The rest of the property

390 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

the baillie and his son afterwards sold to the Earl of Kintore. He died in Inverurie, and his family removed to Buchan. He was Baillie in 1721.

North of the schoolmaster's five roods a namesake, and probably a relative, William Davidson and his son Michael, both shoemakers, held four and a-half Roods (120-123 High Street). They are still represented in Inverurie.

In 1699 the next two Roods (117-119 High Street), the property, in 1614, of one of the many Fergus families, was owned by William Lundie, " merchant," a name then represented in Kemnay and for 150 years after in Inverurie.

The same Ferguses held the next Rood, the last of them dying sometime before 1725, when Robert Brown in Inglistownwas served heir to William Ferguson, tailor in Inverurie.

The succeeding two Roods (107 High Street), which had in 1604 been the jointure of Alexander Leslie's widow when the minister, Mr. Mill, married her, and in 1621 were a marriage portion apparently to the wife of Mr. Alexander Mitchell, the schoolmaster, and belonged in 1652 to his son, Alexander Mitchell, as heir to James, his younger brother, passed, sometime after 1700, to Alexander Low, burgess, and became in 1768 the property of Baillie Alexander Forbes, whose relatives possessed the property until 1877, when they were bought by Dr. Paterson of Inverurie.

John Gib, a condiner, representative of an old Inverurie famOy, as was also Chris- tian Bainzie, his wife, resigned the next Rood (105 High Street), in 1681, in provision for his daughter Christian, wife of James Leslie, youngest son of Gdbert Leslie in Leggat. Their descendants held it for a century.

In 1 692, Janet and Marjorie Stiven, children of John Stiven, once boatman at Netherboat, called boat of Criehie, possessed the next Rood in equal halves with Mar- garet Bartlet, the widow of their brother Alexander.

Three Roods, with a kiln-barn, next succeeding (97-101 High Street), were in 1696 disponed by Andrew Gib, one of the large family of that name, to his sister's son, Williain Steven, from one of whose descendants (married to William Bruce, merchant in Inverurie, in 1741), the present proprietor inherits.

Alexander Kennedy, the smith, and Marjorie Johnston, followed next upon five Roods (87-95 High Street), a long time belonging to the Bainzie family, who had to sell them to Robert Farquhar, the Aberdeen baillie, proprietor of Mounie, by whom they came to Robert Murdo in Dalmadilly of Kemnay, whose son sold them to Alexander Johnston, burgess in Inverurie, Kennedy's father-in-law. Mr. William Murray, late Episcopal incumbent of Inverurie, bought them in 1721. A Rood and half, made over by him to the Kirk-Session, continued in that ownership until sold in 1846. The rest of the land Mr. Murray's son William, minister at Old Aberdeen, sold in 1738 to James Forbes, merchant, the ancestor of the present proprietor.

One Rood next adjoining, which belonged to Alexander Bod well condiner, in 1616, was sold in 1847 by his lineal descendant, William Bothwell, for £105. It had been disjoined from the next Rood and half in 1645, and was disponed in 1821 for £45.

The Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. 391

The Kintore Arms Hotel now occupies the east end of the six next adjacent Roods which in 1696 were in four properties.

The same Bothwells or Bodwells had one and a half Roods north of the single rood just noticed. The property was divided in 1672 on the marriage of Elspet Bod- well to Patrick Ferguson.

The next Rood, enriched, as was Bothwell's single Rood, by the possession of a kiln- barn, was held by descendants of the "William Johnston of former times known as Rob's Willie. The last of them, Thomas Johnston, sold it in the year of Culloden to John Davidson, from whom it passed through the laird of Kemnay's hands to Anthony, Earl of Kintore. Thomas Johnston and Agnes Ferguson, his wife, were in the Poll List in 1696.

The Guage Rig — apparently the standard breadth for a legal Burgh Rood — was in the hands of a Fergus family in 1615. In 1645 the same Bothwell had it. It was sold bytwo co-heiresses, Bothwell, living in 1746 in the Kirktown of Daviot, to John Davidson — passing to Alexander Burnett and Lord Kintore, with the above rood, before 1783.

Next in line two and a half Cuning Hill Roods, called in 1464 "Lands of the Lord Superior of the Royalty," must, in 1696, have belonged to the Earl of Kintore, as part of the Wardes lands acquired by him from Alexander Jaffray and Sir Robert Farquhar.

Two Roods (79-81 High Street), the property in 1464 of John Badenoch, and from 1610 the property of a Fergus family, who in 1642 sold their eastmost house to the Burgh to be a Tolbooth, continued in the same family apparently until they became the property in succession of George Grub, Alexander Simpson of Concraig, and Mr. George Scott, Town Clerk, and were, along with other three portions of Inverurie Roods, sold under redemption by his grandson, Alexander Ferguson, W.S., to the Earl of Kintore, and redeemed long after. They came to be called Scott's Lands.

The next portion of Roods, three in apparent extent (69-75 High Street), was part of the Superiority lands. In 1853 these by excombion became Minister's glebe, along with the parts of the four next mentioned portions of roods lying south of the Sketry burn.

The Minister's Glebe, lying in five divisions among the Roods, had a portion of two Roods next the Regality lands, separated at the eastern extremity from them by the Sketry Burn, which bounded the curtilage of the manse on two sides, where the Parish Church now stands. There in 1696 Mr. William Murray resided, and until 1716 when he was inconsiderate enough to expose himself to prosecution for treason as a Jacobite, and was deposed.

North of the Manse (63-65 High Street) the old minister's son, Mr. James Milne, physician, the only one between Aberdeen and Huntly, with his wife Marie Irvine, James Milne, his son, three male and two female servants, were living when the Poll Book was drawn up. Besides nine Roods on the opposite side of the street he had three Roods behind his house, which was " a stone tenement, high and laigh, back and fore ".

392 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioeh.

William Eobertson of Aquhorties was Dr. Milne's next neighbour upon two Eoods (61 Higli Street) before 1604, when he disponed his land to the Earl of Kintore.

The next four Eoods (53-57 High Street) belonged, as Eobertson's had done, to the important Inverurie family of Grub. They were part of the Scott's lands, and followed the same course. They were called the Cuttings of the Bear Hill.

Five Eoods (43-49 High Street) north of the Cuttings were before 1G77 sold by the decayed baillie, John Johnston, to Sir John Keith and remained his.

The representatives of Thomas M'Kie at that time held the next two Eoods (39-41 High Street), and after them George Eonald and Thomas Smith in succession. The present holder is the last of a line of the name of Adams who farmed Arnedlie in Mony- musk from before the time of the Foil Book until he gave up the holding himself.

The important Inverurie family sometimes called Mackie, sometimes Mackieson, possessed eight and a half Eoods next adjoining, (25-37 High Street) from 1538, when John Mackieson in Conglass obtained sasine of six and a half of them under the hand of Mr. John Nicolson, probably the Town Clerk of that date, until John Mackie, merchant in Culm, in Polish Prussia, son and heir of John Mackie of Midtoun of Inverurie, disponed the eight Eoods to John Elphinston of Glack in 1732.

Next to Midtoun, one and a half Eoods (19-21 High Street), now known as Paul's Eig, had belonged to Gilbert Craig and Janet Johnston, his wife, in 1587, and by 1700 had apparently been sold by Isobel Davidson, daughter of the deceased John Davidson in Mill of Lumphart, to George Paul, from whom it passed to other parishioners of Daviot — Porter and Glennie. John Porter died within sixy days of selling it to Glennie, and evidence was led that he had been to kirk and market, at the first of which, in Aber- deen, he had heard Mr. John Bisset preach, and at the other he had bought some " ingans ".

Two and a quarter Eoods next in order (Jackson's Lane and 13 High Street) had before 1582 belonged to Walter Eobertson, whose son Thomas succeeded him as pro- prietor of five Eoods. Thomas's sisters, his heirs, with their husbands, divided these between them. Janet's husband, James Anderson, transmitted the soutlimost two and a half Eoods to his descendants until 1719. Mr. James Elphinston of Logie held a heritable bond on them in 1699.

The other two and a half roods (5-9 High Street) went with Elspet Eobertson to her husband, William Davidson, the same who held Paul's Eig ; and they were sold along with it.

In 1582, the neighbours of the Eobertsons had been a well-to-do family named Angus, proprietors of six Eoods there (1 High Street — 65 Market Place), which about 1C60 became the property of two co-heiresses, Cirstan and Jean Angus, married to Walter Fergus and James Hutcheon, and ultimately of the family of Alexander Pater- son, Thesaurer of Inverurie, brother-in-law of Cirstan. His grandson possessed the land, in two parts, at the close of the century. Baillie Smith of Inverurie had the north half in 1784. aud his grandson is now proprietor and occupant.

The Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. 393

One and a half Roods, on the north side of these, belonged to Jean Angus's husband, James Hutcheon. John Tailor, "merchant," lived upon them in 1681. Before 1717 they had belonged to a John Erskine, and been sold, by James Erskine, to William, Earl of Kintore.

The next four Roods (49-55 Market Place), now in three holdings, were, in 1668, held in mortgage by Sir George Gordon of Haddo, the proprietors being Thomas Eonald and his wife Barbara Touches. John Ferguson and Janet Mauld, his wife, pos- sessed them before 1739, when he died. The north part belonged about 1800 to Baillie John Bobertson, a very astute municipal politician, whose wife was Agnes Ferguson.

North of John Ferguson's, a possession of two Roods (43-45 Market Place), belong- ing in 1608 to the heirs of James Bowman, was one of the Grub properties, from at least 1640, when George Grub in Crichie owned them, until 1787, when George Grub, merchant in Aberdeen, father of the founder of the Grub Mortification, was conjoint with his mother, Margaret Hay, in disponing these Roods, belonging to his late father, George Grub, baillie in Inverurie. The Roods belonged about 1460 to John Clerk — John Badenoch being then owner of the three adjacent. Roods.

Another family of Grubs, holders once of Brandsbutt, owned those next three Roods (Rose Lane and 39-41 Market Place) in 1609. They belonged about 1709 to Mr. George Grub, writer ; and were thereafter part of Scott's Lands already mentioned, held for some time by Mr. George Scott, Town Clerk, and his residence after 1721.

Upon two and a half Roods, now 29 Market Place, Alexander Mackieson, one of the Mackieson families (of which there seems to have been three at that time), was, in 1609, next neighbour to William Grub and his brother George who succeeded him in that year. John Mackie, notar public, was there before 1649, with Margaret Lyndsay his wife. His daughter Marjorie was served heir to him then ; and four years later had to sell her heritage of two and a half roods to Baillie John Johnston, whose grandfather, the Baillie William Johnston of 1616 had once possessed them. William Lundie pos- sessed the roods in 1717. A Mackie held them again in 1771 — Janet Mackie or Lyon, mother of George Lyon the well known Inverurie Baillie of 1800.

A single Rood (25 Market Place), the property of " John Porter's heirs" in 1648; and of George Porter in 1053, was, after belonging to a Robert Ferguson, the property of the same William Lundie in 1717. His grandson, John Lundie, watchmaker, dis- poned a tenement on the east end of the rig to a family, the descendants of an Inverurie chirurgeon named Chillas.

The three Roods terminating the Upper Roods, with the conterminous Gallowslacks — bounded by the King's Gait east and north — were owned in 1633 by Alexander Joiss, and in 1648 by his son John, succeeding his brother Robert. In the beginning of the next century Alexander Murdoch in Ardtannies sold them to William, second Earl of Kintore. The east end is now occupied by schools.

50

394 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

The northrnost of the Upper Boods was skirted by the high road out of the Burgh ; between which and the present highway lay, unoccupied, the sites now marked by No. 1 to 43 West High Street, and also those from No. 3 to No. 17 Market Place.

The East side of the Burgh highway was, about 1700, in many cases possessed by the same proprietors as the Upper Roods.

It is possible that the first historical habitation in Inverurie— the House and Toft belonging to the Abbey of Lindores apud Futtie — may have always continued a dwelling- place; as not long after 1600 a Thomas Johnston lived at the Kirk Green, and the toft known in 1777 as Puttie's Croft, had been possessed in 1677 by Alexander Johnston, younger, and his wife, Margaret Anderson; who before 1694, sold two portions of land thereabout to the Earl of Kintore.

The Little Croft and Meglutton, possessed in 1633 by the schoolmaster, Mr. Alex- ander Mitchell, and now with Fittie's Croft, Fittie's Loan, and some more, making the property known as Urybank, was probably not inhabited until after 1700. . A portion of Glebe bounded Mr. Mitchell's property on the north.

Three Boods succeeded, sold before 1694 by Adam Hill to the first Earl of Kintore, and to these five and a half Boods, now partly occupied by Kirkland Terrace, which, the Earl, when Sir John Keith, acquired from the Johnstons just mentioned. Alexander Johnston had houses on these Eoods.

The Chapel and Barsonage of St. Mary's, with Commercial Boad, and part of Kirkland Terrace, are now where Baillie George Leslie's nine Garden Boods extended in 1633 opposite to his stone mansion ; which probably stood where the triangle of Upper Boods lies south of the present highway from the Bridge of Don. In the end of the 17th century the nine Boods belonged partly to John Ferguson of Stonehouse, and partly to Dr. James Milne, son of the former minister. John Ferguson and his son William sold their portion to William, second Earl of Kintore ; and Dr. Milne's daughter Jean disowned the rest to the Earl Marischal, who inherited, as heir of the Keiths Earls of Kintore.

The largest portion of Glebe adjoined Dr. Milne's Lower Boods ; and is now built upon as St. Mary's Place ; the site of which includes also one and a half Boods north of the Glebe, disponed, before 1694, by Baillie John Johnston to the first Earl of Kintore.

One and a half Boods, now Beverley Boad, belonged about that time to John Beverley, burgess in Inverurie; and had in 1620 belonged to John Thomson, owner of several other portions of Eoods.

Nine Eoods (100-106 High Street), which in 1620 belonged to George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, were, in 1694, the property of James Schincy — the last of four of that name who held them.

A narrow strip of Glebe succeeded these nine Roods on the north. Thomas John-

Hie Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. 395

ston, proprietor of Upper Eoods, nephew of Rob's Willie of 1644, possessed, about 1700, the two Eoods next to the Glebe (86 High Street). The Eoods and Glebe are now united.

On the next adjacent two and a half Eoods (84 High Street), lived in 1696 the schoolmaster, Mr. James Anderson, with his brother Patrick, his sisters Jean and Anna, three men servants, and a woman servant. At the Ee volution Alexander Eeid, merchant lived there with his wife, Girzell Kempt, relict of John Joiss.

A single Eood and half, now occupied by the houses in Station Eoad, had then the Cross Well at the end of it, in the middle, or nearly so, of the King's highway, and the Cross itself, the remains of which are to be seen across the High Street, built into the garden wall of the Hotel. There " James Fergus at the Cross" and his wife Margaret Curry, resided, it may be, after selling their house on the other side of the highway for a Tolbooth, in 1942. John Ferguson, James's son, had both Upper and Lower Eoods resigned by his mother to him in 1674. They were both parts of Scott's Lands already noticed,

Another strip of Lower Eood, of the same extent succeeded — now covered by the Station Eoad. It belonged to the schoolmaster of 1696, Mr. James Anderson, who sold it, in 1729, to John Davidson, along with "a stone shop, high and laigh booths, built upon it ".

The Union Bank (80 High Street) now stands on two and a half Eoods next adja- cent, sold, before 1694, to the first Earl of Kintore by John Johnston, Baillie of Inverurie, grandson of the Baillie William Johnston of the Burgh Feud.

One and a half Eoods, now built upon by Dalury Cottage were disponed, in 1699, by James Taylor, " wy ver in Inverurie," to his son-in-law, William Gray, whose descendant "Geordie Gray," driver of the "Banks of Don" coach, sold them, about 1840, to the then Minister, Mr. Eobert Lessel.

The next Eood and half, called Two Sketry Eoods, filled up the Lower Eoods to the Sketry Burn. In 1699, they belonged to William Lundie who probably had his "merchan' shop" there in 1696, when his stock was valued at 400 merks. A shop has been there frequently, if not continuously, since. The Cross, the Tolbooth, and the Minister's Manse were all close by. William Lundie, merchant, had other Lower Eoods in 1686.

Across the Burn, now covered over and made a road, a single Eood was possessed by three generations of Patersons from about 1660; and sold by Baillie John Johnston to Lord Kintore before 1694. .

Nine Eoods adjoined, which had been accumulated by Dr. James Milne before 1705, when he disponed them to the Earl of Kintore. They are skirted now by Nos. 60-72 High Street. The two southmost had belonged in 1616 to Alexander Her vie ; the next one, wadset in 1581 to Gilbert Craig by Eobert Fergus, was redeemed and sold to Mr James Mill, the Minister, in 1616. In the other six Eoods, George Johnston of

396 Inverurie and the Earldom, of the Garioch.

Caskieben was served heir to his father in 1613, and sold them to the minister in 1616.

Three Roods next adjacent (58 High Street), belonged from 1660 to Robert, Alex- ander, and James Smith in succession, the first a burgess, the last his grandson, farmer of Inglistoun in Keithall.

The Lower Roods, now containing Nos. 36-48 High Street, and belonging to the Earl of Kintore, were in several properties about 1700.

The first two on the south side were part of Baillie John Johnston's dispositions to the first Earl of Kintore.

The next Rood and half belonged from 1633 to 1765 to a family of Robertsons, burgesses in Inverurie, the last of whom, Alexander, was in 1765 a litster (dyer) in Fraserburgh.

George Ferguson, burgess in Inverurie, possessed the next Rood, 1669, and his grandson, William, in 1730. It was part of four Roods in which Clara Hutcheon was served heir to her father, Walter, in 1609.

One Rood, with a Butt in Curries's Haugh, was settled in 1669 on George Ronald, eldest son of the late George Ronald, burgess of Inverurie, on his marriage with Elspet, George Grub's daughter. He was the descendant of William Ronald and Clara Hutcheon of Mr. Mill's Registers. The Rood belonged from 1723 to 1827 to the Burgh.

Clara Hutcheon's remaining two Roods belonged to the second Alexander Paterson in 1681, then served heir to Alexander, his father; but to James Forbes before 1723.

The northmost of four portions of Glebe, lying in the Lower Roods, next followed, amounting to two Roods.

Two Roods succeeded, belonging in 1607 to Benzies, from that time to 1660 to Anguses, and in 1681 to Alexander Paterson as heir to his father, whose wife was an Angus. They were sold before 1727 to Robert Ferguson, litster in Peterhead.

The next two, belonging in 1587 to Robert Fergus, were disponed in 1616 by Alexander Hervie to Alexander Fergus, junior ; and George Fergus had them in 1660.

A Rood, now belonging to Lord Kintore, lies next adjacent ; one of three belonging in 1587 to Gilbert Craig, who was that year infeft in them under the hand of Mr. Alexander Davidson, Town Clerk. In 1717, it was secured by George Stephen in marriage contract to himself and Margaret Anderson, his wife; and in 1790, John Stephen disponed it to Robert Innes, merchant in Aberdeen, whose son sold it in 1804 to the Earl of Kintore.

The other two of Gilbert Craig's three Roods (Knight's Lane and 30 High Street), belonged in 1660 to Marjorie Fergus — heir to her grandfather, John Fergus, in one, and to her father Robert, in the other. George Stephen, late of Crofthead, in 1724 sold both of them to William Angus at Boat of Crichie.

The next Rood, now bounded on the north by the Congregational Chapel, belonged in 1624 to James Clark in Middle Pisblair, who in that year resigned it to James

The Burgh Lairds of Inverurie. 397

Benzie; pertaining later to James Bowman and to William Porter, and in 1660-1675 to George Grub, in Windyedge of Crichie, whose grandson, George Grub, Dean of Guild of Inverurie, was served heir to him in it in 1752.

Three Boods next succeeding on the north (20 High Street and Congregational Chapel) belonged, from 1632 to 1776, to a family named "Webster, living in 1635 at Portstown. James Webster who held them in 1720 was a physician.

The next two roods (16-18 High Street), belonged in 1610 to James Scott, then to his brother Walter, afterwards to Anthony Scott, in 1633 to William Lychton, "the Baronne," in 1647 to his son, John Lychton in Fetternear, were sold by his mother and him in 1654, and belonged in 1729 to James Panton as heir to his grandfather.

Four and a half Boods (4-8 High Street) next in the line belonged from the earliest record to 1802 to a family of Stephens, to which Mr. Boyd Tytler of Ceylon belongs.

A rood and a half further north (68-72 Market Place), belonging to Johnstons in 1607, sold in 1622 by Baillie William Johnston to William Anderson in Eoquharrcl, were sold in 1674 by William Anderson in Cottown of Hall-forest to George Mearns. merchant in Inverurie, whose descendants sold them in 1755.

Five Boods (56-64 Market Place), belonging in 1622 to John Bonaldson, pertained from before 1654 to 1728 to a family named Downie, prominent latterly of Kemnay.

Two Boods next adjoining (50-52 Market Place), the property in 1654 of James , Ferguson, belonged in 1729 to the granddaughters of James Ferguson, weaver, Anna and Marjory Mill, daughters of the deceased Bobert Mill, in Dam of Dilie, in Kemnay.

The next property (26-42 Market Place), seven Boods belonged in 1680 to William Ferguson, elder of Badifurrow ; having been, according to tradition, in his family for four centuries previous to that date, when his youngest son got it ; whose representa- tives sold it in 1798.

Three Boods (14-22 Market Place) followed, belonging to Paul Murdo in 1666, were sold in 1686 by Alexander Beid, burgess of Inverurie, and Alexander Farquhar of Mounie, with consent of Isabel Downie, relict of Alexander Keith, baillie of Inverurie, to William Lundie, merchant in Inverurie.

The next Bood and quarter (12 Market Place), resigned in 1666 by Margaret Smith, spouse of William Matthewson, in Pardess of Old Craig, to George Ferguson, weaver in Inverurie, were possessed in 1772 by James Ferguson, burgess, his grandson.

Northburn Cottage now represents the remaining parts of the Lower Boods, com. prising three and three-fourths Boods and the Outing Big, bounded by the Northburn ; which all belonged in 1659 to William Bobertson, as heir to his grandfather, John Bobert- son, the family possessing also Burn-rigs, in the neighbourhood. The same family held the land after 1690 in divided portions — the south Bood and quarter belonging to William's son James and Margaret Panton his wife, in 1693, and the north two and a half Boods before 1741. In 1697, William gave the Outing Big to his second son Walter, a weaver. That terminal Lower Bood had belonged, before 1655, to William Smith, in

398 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

succession to James Smith, burgess. Marjorie Smith, wife of William Matthewson, in Pardess of Old Craig, sold in 1664 to William Robertson the west end of it; form- ing quarter of a Eood, which now belongs to George Robertson, Market Place, Inverurie. At the north end of the single street of Inverurie, the lines of Upper and Lower Poods, diverging towards the roads leading to Chapel and Old Meldrum, formed, with the Overburn, the triangular area now called Market Place. The south bank of the Over- burn contained a line of cottage dwellings, with their variously extensive "yards," upon the same sites which the Town Hall and its flanking lines of dwellings now occupy. The westmost of these — probably already an inn — upon the Crosslit Croft, which at the beginning of the century belonged to one of the immemorial Benzie family, was at the end of it the property of John Beverley, a Chelsea pensioner, whose name and designation have both been commemorated in the topography of the burgh. His neighbours, in line eastward, were John Gib, Margaret Benzie (widow of James Ferguson), John Glennay's f..mily, William Porter, and the Robertsons. The daily prospect of these indwellers was the revels of the school children upon the Ballgreen ; near the south end of which stood the humble thatched tenement that represented the cause of education in the Royal Burgh ; and which contained, besides a very barely furnished schoolroom, a " chamber " boarded off for the schoolmaster's only accommodation. The school was on the west side of the intermittent loch called Powtate, which could at times be crossed by pedestrians, but in general only by ducks.

FETTERNEAE.

The ancient residence of the Bishops of Aberdeen became, about 1690, the seat of the Lairds of Balquhain. It had undergone many modifications in early times to fit it for defence ; and in quieter periods to adapt it for convenient and sumptuous residence ; with which last object Count Patrick Leslie spent much upon it, when he acquired it after it had been for a long century alienated from the Leslie family and possessed by their relatives the Abercrombys. The recovered prosperity of the house of Balquhain was marked by removal from the confined fortalice of Balquhain to the amenities of Fetternear.

A new chapter was at the Restoration beginning in the fortunes of the Barons of Balquhain, which had reached their lowest when John, the twelfth Baron, found himself, on the death of his father, lord of the Castle and Mains of Balquhain, and of nothing else. The refuge of poor Scottish lairds at that time was the various armies of the Continental nations — the French, Swedes, Russians, Austrians, or Turks. The thirty years' war between the Protestant and Catholic powers had trained the principal Scottish officers who came home to take commands in the civil war of Britain, and Russia was engaged in its chronic attempts at conquest. John Leslie came to the end of his impoverished life, in 1655, at the siege of Ingolwitz during the Russian invasion of Poland. His heir-at-law was his uncle William, second son of the dashing laird,

The Counts Leslie. 399

John Leslie, tenth Baron, and one of the actual Protestants of the family in that period of constrained compliance with the Reformed Religion. "William, who was a civilian, served Charles I. in the Secret Council, and, after the King's death, sought an asylum in Holland, where he passed the remainder of his life. He wished to dispose of his rights to Balquhain for an annuity, and instead of offering them to the next heir, Alexander Leslie of Tullos, his half-brother, he made the estate over to Alexander's younger brother "Walter, then a wealthy noble of Austria, who next disponed it to his brother Alexander, the rightful heir.

THE COUNTS LESLIE.

"Walter, second son of John, tenth Baron, by his third wife, Jean Erskine, sister of the first Earl of Kellie, was born about 1606 ; and in early youth entered the Austrian service. In 1632 he held the rank of major in a body 1000 strong of Scottish and Irish musketeers, of which another Scotchman, Colonel Gordon, was commandant. The celebrated "Wallenstein was then at the head of the Catholic Army of the Austrian Emperor, opposed to the great Protestant leader, Gustavus, King of Sweden. Leslie was a captain in "Wallenstein's guard, and became aware of a treasonable design formed by him to give up the town of Eger to the enemy. He felt it to be his duty to inform Colonel Gordon, the governor of Eger, who thought his only course was to seize "Wallenstein and deliver him up to the Emperor. The Duke's plans, however, were too near execution to allow that to be attempted ; and the council summoned by the Governor determined upon the more sure expedient of slaughter. "Wallenstein was assaulted in his own chamber by Colonel Butler, Captain Devereux, and six Dutch soldiers, on 25th February, 1634. "Walter Leslie was sent by Colonel Gordon to convey to the Emperor Ferdinand II. the tidings of Wallenstein's death, and was rewarded by marked promotion in his service ; and the next Emperor, Ferdinand III., on his accession in 1637, bestowed on him the lordship of Neustadt, in Bohemia, valued at 200,000 florins, and created him a Count of the Holy Roman Empire. He became afterwards Governor of Sclavonia, a Field-Marshal and Knight of the Golden Fleece ; and entered upon a career of magnifi- cence, his adaptability to which he may have inherited from his father. In 1640, Count "Walter Leslie married Princess Anna de Dietrichstein, daughter of Maximilian, Prince de Dietrichstein, Prime Minister and Grand Chamberlain to the Emperor, and with her he received considerable possessions. Leopold I. sent him in 1664 his ambassador- plenipotentiary to the Sublime Porte, then one of the great powers of Europe, to regulate the terms of a permanent peace. His progress by barges down the Danube to Presburg and Buda, and from Belgrade by easy stages, with two hundred waggons carrying the baggage, was °f so imposing a character as to be reported to the Sultan, who in consequence watched the final entrance of the embassy into Constantinople from the Seraglio window, declaring that he had never seen such a sight.

To a man whose tastes could employ magnificence interesting to a Saltan of that

400 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

period there would be no overpowering attraction in the recollection of the rough walls and narrow boundaries of the Garioch stronghold. While, however, he sold his brother William's disposition of Balquhain to the Scottish brother, Alexander Leslie of Tullos, he sent him afterwards many gifts of money to enable him to buy back portions of the family estates as they came into the market ; and he added more substantial kindness. Having no prospect of family by his marriage with the Princess, he sent in 1655 for his brother's second son James, with the view of leaving his wealth to him. He had him educated with the greatest care, and James rose to high rank, appearing in positions of great distinction in the Imperial Household and Army from 1660 to 1685.

Count James Leslie led the force that in the siege of Vienna by the Turks, in 1683, broke through the besieging army, throwing reinforcements into the city, which effectually rescued it ; and it was by means of brilliant successes achieved by him when serving under the Duke of Lorraine, Austrian generalessimo, that Hungary was liberated from the Turkish dominion in 1685. A principal exploit was the burning of one of the immense wooden bridges (five miles long) built by Solyman the Magnificent in 152 1 across the marshes of Hungary as part of his military roads when he subdued that kingdom.

In 1666 James, by his uncle's management, obtained in marriage the Princess Maria Teresa of Lichtenstein. Count Walter spent 50,000 rix dollars (at the lowest exchange £7000) upon the wedding festivities, at which the Emperor and Empress and most of the Court were present. James succeeded his uncle as seeoud Count Leslie in 1667, the year following his marriage. He was then his father's eldest surviving son, his elder brother having died in 1659 ; but he resigned his rights to his younger brother Patrick, whom he helped by remittances to go on redeeming the Balquhain estates. The Princess Lichtenstein was childless, and Count James summoned a nephew from home to be brought up as heir to his Austrian estates, as his uncle had done by himself.

James Ernest, the elder son of his brother Patrick, afterwards consented to renounce the Scnteh estate in consideration of his succeeding Count James, his uncle. He began a line of Counts Leslie of Gratz, in Styria, while his brother George ranked as Baron of Balquhain, in which position his son was the last male heir that held Balcp-ihain ; which afterwards came into the possession of descendants of two sisters of George.

The line of the Counts Leslie descending from the eldest son of Patrick, Baron of Balquhain, became extinct about 1858 ; and after prolonged proceedings in the law courts of Austria part of the Gratz property was adjudged to the Balquhain family descended from Teresa, his sister, who married Bobert Duguid of Auchenhove, in the parish of Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire.

LEITH-HALL. The original lands of the Leslies on the banks of the Gadie were at the end of the seventeenth century without a representative in the family to whom they gave their name. In 1650 the western portions of them were gathered together, in

Freefield. 401

the connection they now present, by the common ancestor of the Leith-Hays of Leith- hall and the Leiths of Freefield, descended from William Leith, Provost of Aberdeen, the contemporary of the earliest Johnston of the Caskieben line. John Leith selling lands in Eayne and purchasing New Leslie, Peel, Syde, and Arnbog, made New Leslie the family seat, and took his designation from New Leslie. James, his son, was the first of Leith-hall, now possessed by the family of Leith-Hay — chief of the name. James built the house of Leith-hall on the lands of Peel. By his marriage with Margaret, daughter of Alexander Strachan of Glenkindie (for some time proprietor of Kemnay), he began the connection which subsequently brought the lands of Glenkindie to his descendants, the Leiths of Freefield. His son and heir, John, married Janet, daughter of George Ogilvie, second Lord Banff, and by her had a son, John, who married Mary, daughter of Charles Hay of Eannes, and thereby appended the name of Hay to his son's ancestral name of Leith. His descendant, General Hay of Eannes, was a public man in the beginning of the present century, and was succeeded by his son, Sir Andrew Leith-Hay, who distinguished himself in the Peninsular war. Sir Andrew's son, Colonel Leith-Hay, now possesses Leith-hall.

Sir Andrew Leith-Hay's beautiful " Castellated Buildings of Aberdeenshire " has preserved the outward appearance of the picturesque strongholds of Leslie, Licklyhead, and HarthilL which dominated over the valley of the Gadie in the 17th century. Of these, Harthill now belongs to the Laird of Pittodrie. Licklyhead and the village of Auchleven, which at the Eevolution belonged to Forbes of Leslie, passed, through a time of possession by others, into the hands of the Lumsdens of Clova. The adjoining lands of Edingarroch, the earliest possession of the Leiths, are theirs again. The original lands of Leslie, with the castle built by the Forbeses, were soon after 1696 sold by David, the last Forbes, to the laird of Leith-hall ; which completed the re-union of that portion of the Leslie lands.

FREEFIELD. Alexander Leith, second son of James Leith and Margaret Strachan, became by purchase, in 1702, laird of Freefield, before called Treefield ; adding also New Eayne and Barreldykes. He also in 1738 purchased the lands of Glenkindie. Alexander, first of Freefield and Glenkindie, lived to the age of ninety, dying in 1754. His son, Alexander, succeeded him, whose grandson, the fourth Alexander Leith, brought to the family a military honour, which has been added to by his son, still living. The fourth Alexander Leith of Freefield and Glenkindy, was a trusted officer of the great Duke of Wellington, and had the dignity of K.C.B. conferred upon him. He married Maria Disney Thorp of Yorkshire, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander. A younger son, named Eobert William Disney Leith, now a general officer, distinguished himself at the siege of Moultan, in the East Indies. Sir Alexander married late in life, as his second wife, the sister of the late John Mackenzie, Esq. of Glack.

51

402 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

KEITHHALL.

The liouse of Keithhall is still partly surrounded by the fine remains of avenues, mostly planted by Sir John Keith, who gave his own name to the ancient barony of Caskieben.

The genealogy of the Marischal family shows Sir John Keith first Earl of Kintore the fourth and youngest son of William, the sixth Earl Marischal, and twenty-third Chief of the line of Keith, who had been Marischals of Scotland from A.D. 10 10. He married his own cousin-german, Lady Margaret Hamilton, born 1G41, posthumous child of Thomas, second Earl of Haddington, and granddaughter of John Erskine, Earl of Mar. By her he had a son William, who succeeded him, and, as Lord Inverurie, appears in various purchases of Inverurie Eoods and Twelfth-part lands. Like their relatives, the Earl Marischal and the future Marshal Keith, the Earl and Lord Inverurie took the Jacobite side in 1715, but did not suffer attainder — the sole punishment apparently awarded being the forfeiture of the title of Knight Marischal of Scotland. William assumed the fantastic sign of mourning not uncommon in that cause, of never shaving his beard after the defeat of the Roj'al Stuarts. He married a daughter of David Murray, Viscount Stormont, by whom he had two sons ; John, third Earl, and William, fourth Earl of Kintore ; and two daughters, of whom one, Lady Catherine Margaret became Lady Ealconer "of Halkerton; into whose line the Earldom was to pass. Earl John had no son, and William never married. Earl John's wife was Mary Erskine, daughter of Erskine of Grange, Lord Justice-Clerk of Scotland. The story of her mother, who was either mad or extremely ill-used by her husband, is a disagreeable illustration of the social possibilities of that period. It was once proposed to put her under her daughter's care at Keitlihall.

The male descent from the first Earl of Kintore terminated in Earl William, and the estates went to the representative of the principal family of Keith. The most famous of the Earls Marischal, the last bearer of the title, Sir John's grand- nephew, came to be proprietor for a short period. During his proprietorship there was some prospect of the place becoming the residence of the notorious Jean Jacque Eousseau, but the Garioch was saved from the undesirable association by an outburst of that con- temptible philosopher's selfish jealousy of his too indulgent friend, the Earl Marischal. On the death of his Lordship, unmarried, and that of his brother, the great Marshal Keith, also a bachelor, his illustrious title came to an end. The Earldom of Kintore and the lands went to the descendants of David Falconer, Lord Halkerton, to whom Sir John Keith's granddaughter was married. Anthony, first Earl of Kintore of the Ealconer Earls, became thus the proprietor of Keithhall, and handed it down to his descendants, who continue to possess it.

An inventory of silver plate belonging to the Earl Marischal at Keithhall in 17(34 is of interest, as illustrative of his personal estate, and also of the period.

Kc'ithhall. 403

" Silver Plate Belonging to Earl Marischall pack'd up from Keithhall to be sent to Hamburg —

Tea pott & standert, Eleven old spoons,

Milk pott, Three dozen spoon forks,

Suggar Box, Three dozen knives, handles different sizes,

Two Cannesters, Three dividing spoons,

Four small salvers, A small mustard spoon,

One large Do., A set of Casters,

Three Do., One Dozen Tea spoons & one suggar spoon,

Seven pair Candlesticks, A punch drainer & ladle,

Six branches & three sockets, Three dozen table spoons,

One pair snuffers, A sugar tongs,

Four Juggs, A Bell for a Tea Table,

Four Salts, Three pair- of Candlesticks and a pair of

A large Cup, Snuffers, formerly taken from Keithhall.

Keithhall, May 15, 1764.— All the above silver plate sent from Keithhall by Earl Marischall's Order. Maeischall."

Local tradition makes the first Countess of Kintore the chief person in a story suffi- ciently characteristic of the times. Upon a certain Sunday, when she was riding the short but somewhat swampy road to the Kirk of Monkegy with her two sons, accom- panied by some dogs, the dogs started a hare, and the sons set off in pursuit, the lady following the whole. The minister beheld the scene on his way to church, and on the hunters coming in a little late reproved them in a manner more pointed than polite. When the lady left the church she said, " The prig o' a mannie fell out upo' me as if I had done anything wrong," and she made the place too hot for him, so that he managed to get translated to Old Deer. Authentic dates suit the story well enough. Mr. George Keith was translated from Monkegy to Old Deer in 1683. A Mr. Andrew Levinstone appears as chaplain at Keithhall in 1682. The office, which occurs in connection with other houses, probably meant private tutor.

In the churchyard there was a gravestone, still remembered, containing a legend not without parallel in the period it belonged to —

Here lies John Boyle,

Wha ran with Lord Kintore mony a mile.

It is said that the Earl, not being on the most comfortable terms with his wife, took fright at her once, when they were living in Edinburgh, and hurriedly started for Keith- hall. On mounting his horse he threw a shilling to John, and bade him make his way to Keithhall how he best could, for he was riding for his life ; and when he came to Keithhall, John was at the loupin'-on-stane to receive his master's horse. "'

404 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

A Lady of Leslie of that period was upon rather worse terms with the minister than was the case in Monkegy. Her husband and she had opposed his settlement, and being thwarted, would not attend his preaching ; and for their nonconformity had, as frequently came to pass then, to pay a heavy fine. She appeared one day in the church door when the minister was half through his discourse, and calling his attention, bade him stop and come and turn his cows out of her field, saying, " Gin yer fowk be as foo o' grace as yer coos is o' my girs, they've eneuch for ae day ".

MONYMUSK, vide p. 236.

Much of the original house of Monymusk remains, testifying to the security which was as essential as comfort at the time when the stones as well as the acres of the Priory were saved from priestly abuse by Corsindae turning them to lay uses. The house has the finest situation in the Garioch, possessing the best elements of the pic- turesque in fine trees, mountain prospect, and ample reaches of river. The rich woods, which, for the two past generations, have yielded a large revenue, are due to the fore- sight of Sir Archibald Grant, Lord Cullen's son, who planted fifty millions of trees in the course of his long life. An extensive landscape garden of the French style, laid out before his time on a romantic bend of the river Don, and named Paradise, has left a few magnificent firs, unequalled in the North of Scotland.

Pitfichie, the ancient property of Henry of Monymusk, and later of the Chalmers family and for long of the Urvies, was, before the time now treated of, held in joint pro- perty with Monymusk ; under the Crown as superior, while Monymusk was held of the Duke of Gordon as representative of the Archbishop of St. Andrews. Pitfichie Castle, the pretty ruins of which are still in good order, makes a great addition to the beauty of the scenery amidst which it stands.

The eldest daughter of the first Earl and Countess of Kintore became the wife of the young Laird of Monymusk who appears in the session minutes of that jjarish re- commending a clock for the steeple and commissioned to bargain for one. Lady Jean and her husband, "William Forbes, lived, at the date of the Poll Book, in Pitfichie Castle, which looked down the Don upon the mansion-house of Monymusk, then stand- ing on the broad river haugh ; where the Priory had been the chief point in that view to the generations of Urries who inhabited some more ancient pile than that now in ruins. In 1696 the young Laird and his Lady had a son, John, then under sixteen years of age, and three daughters under eight, and were to have another, who became Lady of Meldrum. Young Monymusk then possessed, it may be in marriage provision, some lands in Port- lethen and Torry, near Aberdeen, belonging to the family. A pretty ballad remains in a fragmentary state commemorating Lady Jean, — apparently a sample of the pleasant banter which brides do not dislike.

Badifurrow and Woodhill. 405

Hoo dee ye like Pitfichie, Oh, ye'll get wine an' wa'nuts, Hoo like ye there to dwall, An' servants aye at yer call,

Hoo dee ye like Pitfichie, An' young Monymusk to dawt ye ; Gentle Jean o' Keithhall ? Ye had na that at Keithhall.

Oh, weel I like Pitfichie, Oh, I had wine an' wa'nuts, An' I like there to dwall, An' servants aye at my call,

Oh, weel I like Pitfichie, An' the bonny Laird o' Fyvie But nae half sae weel's Keithhall. To see me at Keithhall.

The sale of the Monymusk lands, which took place about 1712, was probably contem- plated before the death of her father-in-law, Sir John Forbes, as she is credited with the humorous comparison of herself looking from Pitfichie towards the principal mansion-house with Moses looking from Pisgah to the land of Canaan. Her eldest son, John Forbes of Pitfichie, died in 1707, leaving a son, William, who became the fifth Baronet, and died at the early age of 36 in 1743. The estate was sold by his grand- father, Sir William. Sir Francis Grant, a Judge of Session by the style of Lord Cidlen, the ancestor of the present proprietor, bought it for £120,000 Scots.

Sir William Forbes, fifth Baronet of Monymusk, like many of his class, sought his fortune in the legal profession. He became an Edinburgh advocate ; and was for a short time Civilist in King's College, Aberdeen. He was buried in Keam churchyard, the sepulchre of the Lords Forbes. His tombstone describes him thus —

Adorned with many virtues, stained with no crimes, With the shattered remains of paternal possessions, once Ample and nourishing, he supported through life without Ostentation, but with dignity and spirit, that rank to Which he was by birth entitled.

Sir William Forbes's wife was Dame Christian Forbes of Boyndlie. Their son

succeeded in 1781 to the name of Forbes of Pitsligo. The story of her widowhood,

written by her son, Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, the eminent banker, — a

tribute of filial admiration,— was, after lying ninety years in manuscript, printed by

her descendant, Bishop Forbes of Brechin. As well as a graphic picture of the

honourable struggles of her days of poverty and of the success of her son — who was able

to purchase all the scattered estates of Lord Pitsligo, whose name he inherited — the

writer gives an interesting picture of the social life of the upper classes in Edinburgh in

the latter half of the eighteenth century.

BADIFURROW AND WOODHILL.

William Ferguson, in Crichie, Baillie in Inverurie, acquired Badifurrow from George Leslie and Patrick, his son, in 1655.

In 1658 William Ferguson, with consent of Janet Clark, his spouse, disponed the lands to William Ferguson, their second son. He was commissioner for Inverurie in the Parliament of 1663 — if it was not his son, as in 1666 he was too infirm for walking to church. When the Scottish Parliament, after the Restoration, decreed an honour-

406 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garloch.

able burial to the remains of the Marquis of Montrose and Sir Francis Hay of Delgaty, William Ferguson of Badifurrow was the standard-bearer in the funeral procession. In 1674 a charter was obtained in favour of William Ferguson, younger, in life- rent, and James Ferguson, his only lawful son by the deceased Jean Elphinstone, his wife, in fee. A procuratory of resignation had been granted 10th May of that year by William Ferguson, elder. Janet Clark, his wife, not being named in it, was probably dead. The elder William was still alive in 1686. Jean Elphinstone was the daughter of William Elphinstone, in Milntown of Durno, and Margaret Forbes, his wife, and sister to Sir James Elphinstone of Logie.

In 1694, William Ferguson had a Great Seal Charter of Badifurrow to himself and Master James Ferguson, his eldest lawful son. Two years later Lucress Burnett, the widow of William Ferguson of Badifurrow, appears in the Poll Book resident, as tenant, at Badifurrow, with her sons Patrick and Walter, and her daughter Mary.

In 1699, 14th Aug., Mr. James Ferguson, Advocate, for himself and others having right, obtained, in the Court of Session, letters of general charge against Mr. Robert Ferguson, Minister in London, eldest lawful son to the deceased William Ferguson of Badifurrow, to enter as heir in general to his deceased father. On 19th June, 1700, Mr. Eobert Ferguson, not entering appearance, the Court confirmed Mr. James Ferguson in his possession.

In 1699, James Ferguson, with consent of Ann Stewart, his spouse, disponed the estate to Jean Forbes, relict of Mr. Alexander Forbes, Minister of Fintray, under burden of .£1000 Scots, secured to Lucretia Burnett, his father's widow.

In 1708, 5th Aug., a Crown Charter was granted to Jean Forbes, relict of Mr. Alexander Forbes, and to William Forbes, their eldest son and heirs of body ; whom failing, to John, second son and heirs of body ; whom failing, to James, third son and heirs of body ; whom failing, his heirs and assignees.

FORBES OF BADIFURROW.

In the Poll Book, 1696, John Forbes, in Tombeg, Monymusk, occurs, and Anna Lunan, his wife, with William, Alexander, Eobert, and Jean, their children. Wdliaiu was William Forbes of Badifurrow, son-in-law of Mrs. Jean Forbes.

John Forbes in Tombeg was the son of William Forbes to whom Spalding refers as brother to Pitnacadle, son of William Forbes of Tolquhon ; and Anna Lunan was daughter to Mr. Alexander Lunan, minister at Monymusk, and afterwards at Kintore. Her mother was Jean Forbes, eldest daughter of the first Baronet of Monymusk. The genealogy of a son James, born after 1696 to these spouses, is locally interesting. James, the youngest brother of William Forbes of Badifurrow, married 13th August, 1739, Jean Forbes, daughter of James Forbes, sometime in Mill of Drum, who was the son (noted above) of Jean Forbes of Badifurrow, and had children — Alexander in 1741, and William in 1743. She died 2nd April, 1745, and on 19th Dec,

Forbes of Badifurrow, 407

1745, the widower married Margaret Barron, daughter to Robert Barron, sometime in Whitehnns. James Forbes was, before his first marriage, a merchant in Inverurie, and under that designation had property (at 9L-93 High Street) disponed to him 22nd November, 1738, by Mr. William Murray, minister in Old Aberdeen, son of the former minister of Inverurie. While the festivities on the occasion of his second marriage were in progress, some shots came through the windows, one hitting the leg of the table, and the wedding guests became aware that the Chevalier's troops were in Inverurie. The soldiers entering soon cleared the board ; and the late-comers, finding nothing, sat down round a firkin of salt butter, and with horn spoons finished the contents without harm. The two little boys, Alexander and Williain, were in the meantime carried safely to Badifurrow, in creels on a pony's back, with the protection of white cockades in their bonnets. The writer received this tradition from Alexander's grandson, Mr. John Forbes Robertson of London, author of " The Great Painters of Christendom. "• Alexander Forbes married about 1768 Mary Bairnsfather, widow of John Mackie, burgess in Inverurie, and by her acquired Meglutton and three Upper Roods (at 107 High Street). The first he sold to his nephew, Anthony Donald, in 1817, and the other in ISIS to his half-brother, Robert. He died about 1822. He has a representative now in the person of Alexander Forbes, M.D., Aberdeen. The second marriage of James Forbes, the Inverurie merchant, produced three children. Anne, born 17th Sept., 1751, became the wife of James Donald Mill of Keith-hall, whose descendants are numerous. One of his sons, William, was minister of Peterhead, whose only son, James, is now minister of Keith-hall. A son of the merchant by his second marriage, and his successor in part to the Inverurie property, was Mr. Robert Forbes, a master in the Grammar School of Aberdeen, whose grandchildren by his son, Mr. Robert Forbes, minister at Woodside, near Aberdeen, now possess the Inverurie Roods.

The following amusing and illustrative episode of the " '45 " may be added here to the above wedding anecdote, from a letter addressed to Charles Hacket, son of a well- known Garioch Jacobite, by Mr. James Troup, whose father was an Episcopalian minister at Muchals, in Kincardineshire. It is a song about the battle of Inverurie, in which the rebels had the victory, written by a noted maker and vendor of ephemeral ballads, Charles Leslie, a natural son of a Laird of Pitcaple — a thin, spare man, with red bushy hair, small red eyes, out-set chin, and a small mouth, who went by the name of " niussel-niou'd Charlie ". His likeness was painted by Mr. Wellis about the year 1783, when Charlie was 103 or 105 years old; but he lived several years after that, though quite blind. Mr Troup says : — " He was a staunch Jacobite, and feared nothing. He travelled the country, and sold small story-books, songs, dying speeches, and small almanacks. When he knew of an execution in Edinburgh, or Glasgow, he attended them, and was the first commonly in Aberdeen with the account of their death, with their dying speech. He was well-known at all the gentlemen's houses in the several shires of Aberdeen, Banff, Mearns, and Forfar, and for the most part was made very welcome for

408 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

his news, and songs of his own composing, especially about the year '45. He had a great memory, and could have given an account of the genealogy of most of the old families on Dee and Donside, with their connections, for several generations back. I have seen him often at my father's, on his way south or north, which was about half-way between Aberdeen and Stonehive. He always left his news and some comical sayings, or songs, memorable for some time after him. He was often put into prison in Aberdeen for singing what they called rebellious songs, and examined : — 'Where he got themV He said, ' Where they were cheapest.' ' Who printed them V — ' Nobody.' ' Why did not he sing other songs than that rebellious songs V — ' Because they would not buy them from him.' He was twice put up in one week, viz., that week that the battle of Inverury was fought in Provost Morison's time. But on the morrow after he was liberated ; and in the afternoon he had the pleasure of seeing his friends take the Provost up to the Cross and force him to drink Prince Charlie's health in a glass of wine. This I had from an old servant of a gentleman's family in town who supplied Charlie every day with victuals, &c, when he was put into jail, and was a witness of seeing the Provost drink the Prince's health. Many more were liberated at the same time who had been put in on suspicion of being disaffected to Government, and those that were taken at Inverury were put up in their stead. Charlie was no sooner down the prison stair than he began in the throng with the following as near as I can remember : —

Come, countryman, and sit awhile,

And listen to my sang, man ; I'll gi'e my aith 'twill gar you smile,

And winna keep you lang, man.

How godless Whigs wi' their intrigues,

Together did convene, man, At Inverury, on the Riggs,

On Thursday's afterneen, man.

Macleod cam' doon frae Inverness,

Wi' a' his clan an' mair, man, The loyal Gordons to suppress,

An' tirr their hurdies bare, man.

The second chieftain of Monros

Cam' 'cross the Murray firth, man ; But ye shall hear, before ye go,

The Gordons marred their mirth, man,

Lord Lewis for the Royal cause,

He fought wi' courage keen, man, His clan behaved, as in the Raws,

On Tuesday afterneen, man.

Blelack, wi' his trusty blade,

A heart as stout as steel, man, He lion-like about him laid,

An' gar'd the rebels reel, man.

Forbes of Badifurrow. 409

Brave Avochy the water wade,

While Crighton pap'd them down, man, Monaltrie and Stoneywood

Drove them quite through the town, man.

The pickets bold the field did grace,

MacDermond eek'd the slaughter ; Had you been there to see the race,

You'd rived your chafts wi' laughter.

The Angus hero, Ferrier,

The rebels did oppose, -man, He proved himself a warrior

When he was at Montrose, man.

M'Leod that nicht got sie a fricht,

Rode aff by break o' day, man, He tint his bridle in the fecht,

Rode aff wi' ane o' strae, man.

Among other things M'Leod forgot,

Was found upon the field, man, A guid claymore and tartan coat,

An's luckydady's shield, man.

Chalmers, too, the Logic scholar,

Was there to show his zeal, man, But frichtened wi' a hempen collar,

His terrier phiz grew pale, man.

There was more than ten times six

Were brought to Bon- Accord, man, Which did perplex and greatly vex

The people o' the Lord, man.

Sir James Kinloch he marched them on

To Perth, that stands on Tay, man, Where I shall leave them to cry oh ! hon !

The day they crossed the Spey, man."

A M'Leod on that occasion showed such spirit as elicited the respect of his foes. He set his back to the gable of a house where Beverley Eoad now is, and kept a number of assailants at bay until a tailor of the place, thinking to be popular with the stronger party, mounted the roof of the house at the other end, and, crawling onwards, stabbed M'Leod from above ; for which exploit the indignant rebels shot him.

William Forbes of Badifurrow, the eldest of eleven children of John Forbes, in Tombeg, was born in 1687, and died at Badifurrow in 1740. He was married to Anna Forbes, daughter of Mr Alexander Forbes, sometime minister of Fintray. Their children were John, born, 1720, in Kendal, and Jean, born in Badifurrow, 1721.

On 27th April, 1721, Mrs Jean Forbes of Badifurrow, sold Badifurrow to her son-in-law, William Forbes, Chamberlain to the Earl of Kintore, as before noticed. In 1742, after the Chamberlain's decease, his son John sold the estate to William Johnston, pewterer in Aberdeen, the husband of Jean Forbes, his sister, reserving life- rent right of his mother, Anna Forbes. John emigrated to America, and was in 1757 accidentally drowned near Norfolk, Virginia.

52

410 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariocli.

JOHNSTON OF BADIFURROW.

The connection of the Johnstons of that Ilk with Inverurie was renewed for a period in the persons of William and James Johnston of Badifurrow, who were cadets of that race.

Thomas Johnston of Craig, eldest son of John Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, by his second wife, Katharine Lundy, was himself twice married. By Mary Irvine, Thomas's second wife, he had four sons. James, the youngest, was the father of William Johnston of Badifurrow.

William Johnston, stannarius (pewterer) in Aberdeen, and for some time Convener of the Incorporated Trades of that city, married in 1741, Jean, only daughter of William Forbes of Badifurrow. In 1742 he bought that property from John, only son and heir of William Forbes. Convener Johnston died in 1764, aged 65; his wife in January, 177S. To her mother's care the two little boys, her relations, had been sent from In- verurie in 1745 when Prince Charles's troops surprised their father's wedding party.

James Johnston, born 1742, only child of William Johnston and Jean Forbes, intended by his father for the legal profession, abandoned that calling, and entered into partnership in the firm known subsequently as Leys, Mason, & Company. In 1781, having previously retired from business to reside at Badifurrow, he married Ann, daughter of Bobert Farquharson of Kinaldie, of the Monaltrie family. In 1796 the property was sold to Colonel Erskine Fraser. Mr Johnston spent most of his latter years at Broadford, near Aberdeen, where his daughter Jane, last survivor of his children, died in 1855. He was for many years one of the Surveyors of Taxes in Aberdeen, and died there in 1819. After his time, a tenant — a weaver — occupied the house of Badifurrow.

Colonel Erskine Fraser named the property WoodhiU. He died in 1804, and in 1808 Hugh Gordon, the grandfather of the present proprietor, bought the estate and named it Manar, in commemoration of his residence near the Straits of Manar, where he had acquired a fortune. James Gordon of Manar — a name well-known for over thirty years in Aberdeenshire — succeeded his father, and was in 1874 succeeded by his son, Henry Gordon of Manar. Manar House was built by Mr. Hugh Gordon.

WARTH1LL. P. 223.

The Leslies of Warthill, now representatives in the Garioeh of the male line of the race of Bartolf, were, in the time of the Revolution Settlement, represented at home by a domestic laird, aged about 32; but abroad by a younger brother, whose fortunes were as picturesque, and likewise as creditable to his talents and worth, as were those of his relatives, the Counts Leslie.

Their grandfather, the fourth Laird, had in 1660 resigned the estate to his eldest son, their father, but survived him three years, and died in 1679, aged 95, or, according to other accounts, 105. His family, born of the daughter of the minister of Bayne,

Wurthill. 411

Walter Abercrornby, were themselves much connected with the church; one of them marrying Isabella Logie, daughter of a succeeding minister of Bayne; another becoming minister of Crail, in Fife ; while a son and daughter of another son chose similar fortunes. The eldest son, "William, married Anne Elphinstone, daughter of James Elphinstone of Glack, and by her had four sons — Alexander, born 1656, who succeeded his grandfather as Laird ; William, born 1657, now to be referred to ; James, a merchant in Aberdeen ; and John, a writer to the signet in Edinburgh, who joined the army of King James at the Revolution, and had to take refuge in France, and was never heard of again.

William, the second brother, had a singular career. From being a Garioch Dominie he became a Prince Bishop of the Holy Roman Empire. He was born in 1657, and after classical instruction in the School of Rayne, entered the University of Aberdeen, perhaps at the early age of 11, as iu 1668 a Gulielmus Leslmus Gareochensls appears there. He was schoolmaster of Chapel of Garioch for some years; during which it is likely he was much in the society of his relative, Alexander Leslie of Tullos, the baron of Bahiuhain of the time, a recent convert to the old faith of his family. William Leslie is said to have been won to Roman Catholicism by him,' and he went in 1684 to study in the University of Padua, where he adopted the Romish faith, and took holy orders. He was so greatly noted for his learning, that Cardinal Barbarigo appointed him Professor of Theology in that University. After the death of Count James Leslie, he was much with Count James Earnest, son of Patrick Leslie, in his German estates in Bohemia, and aided him in the management and arrangement of his affairs. By the influence of these powerful relatives, he was made Bishop of Waitzen in 1716, and, two years later, of Laybach in Styria, and became Metropolitan of Carniola, and a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. A letter to his brother, sent home in 1725, with a portrait of himself, and his Padua diploma, is worth recording. He says : — " You may direct to me — ' To the Bishop of Laybach, Metropolitan of Carniola, betwixt Vienna and Venice, Privy Councillor to His Imperial Majesty '. The title of Eight Reverend here is due to others who are inferior to Bishop ; and albeit I be Prince of the Empire, which the Emperor himself, and all the other Princes in Germany allow me, who enjoy their courtesy, of their grace, yet I am nowise desirous of those titles in a foreign kingdom, much less in the Land of Cakes. I judge nevertheless fitting that the graces and honours which His Majesty has bestowed on me be known to my best friends and nearest relations, as a badge of the esteem of the greatest of Monarchs, and as an evidence of my comportment and behaviour, whereby I have not degenerated from my birth and pedigree." William Leslie died in 1727.

The succession of the eldest son of the first Leslie of Wartle became extinct in the ninth degree, and the representative of the second son of the first laird, and himself laird of Little Folia, came into the line of Wartle. He was William Leslie, father of the present proprietor, and was a distinguished man after the manner of later times, being

412 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

a leading agriculturist in the Garioch. He took a considerable part in the business of the County. His eldest son, the present laird of Wartle, was member of Parliament for Aberdeenshire from 1860 to 1866. He and all his brothers entered into mercantile life in the East.

Meikle "Warthill (p. 330), into which the Elphinstones came in 1616, was in that family untd after the Revolution settlement. Their genealogy is in brief as follows : —

The Honourable John Elphinstone, first of "Warthdl, son of Lord Elphinstone, married Barbara Gordon of Pitlurg, and died in his father's lifetime. His son,

James Elphinstone, " oye of Alexander, Lord Elphinstone," and " son of umquhile John Elphinstone of "Wartle," had a charter along with his grandfather in 1636 of "the chapel lands of St. Mary of Garioch, in Meikle "Wartle," from Sir John Leslie of Wardess, and Sir A Gordo'n of Cluny. They appear previously in 1625 to have had a charter of the teind shares of Meikle Warthdl from the Parson of Eayne.

In 1665, Alexander Elphinstone had a precept of dare constat by the Earl of Mar, as heir to his brother James.

James Elphinstone, son of Alexander, had a disposition of Meikle Warthill from his father in 1696, and was stdl living in 1738. He had a sister Katharine, who had three ploughs of land on the sunnyside of Meikle Warthill. She married John Gardine of Bellamore, their contract of marriage being dated at Braelyne of Glentaner, 1740. The famdy were at that time Roman Catholic. James married Mrs. Elizabeth Seton at Aberdeen in 1698, and, on her death, a daughter of John Gordon of Rothiemay, by Elizabeth Barclay, heiress of Towie. He seems to have had no male heir, and the estate was sold, probably by him, to the Baronet of Logie-Elphinstone.

GLACK. P. 63.

The house of Glack — a broad and high many-windowed mansion, now hidden behind an imposing edifice of the Scotch baronial style, finished in 1876 — was built in 1723. The Elphinstones, who had possessed the old estate from 1499, were to continue proprietors until 1787. They had, during the troubled period of the 17th century, been of the Royalist party in politics, but did not come into prominent notice. James was a favourite name for sons in the Glack family, and Marjorie for daughters, two of which name — the wives of Walter Innes of Ardtannies, and of Mr. James Mdl, minister of Inverurie — were contemporaries. The former was probably a daughter of James Elphin- stone who married, in 1559, Marjorie Leslie of Pitcaple. Marjorie Elphinstone, the miller's widow, died in 1622. Her brother James, infeft in Glack in 1586, was, it is likely, the father of Marjorie, wife of Mr. James Mill. Robert Elphinstone of Glack is mentioned in Colonel Leslie's " Records of the Family of Leslie," as appearing in a lawsuit at the instance of the Earl of Rothes in 1620. James Elphinstone of Glack, by marriage contract 13th August, 1641, wedded Jean Leslie, daughter of the 11th baron of

Logie-Elphinstone. 413

Bulquhain ; Ms own sister, Jean, about the same time marrying Jean Leslie's brother, Alexander, afterwards 14th baron of Balquhain.

James Elphinstone of Glack, who iii 1669 represented the Burgh of Inverurie in the Scottish Parliament, was. in 1671, along with his son John, admitted a burgess of Inverurie ; another son, Alexander, getting the same honour in Aberdeen in 1681. The Laird in 1688 was a subscriber towards the new building at King's College. Infeft in Glack in 1670, he had settled a portion of it in 1676 upon his son John, who succeeded to the whole before 1696.

The Poll Book (1696) records John Elphinstone of Glack, and his wife, Anna Irvine, with Mr. "William and Patrick, his children. He was married to Margaret Forbes in 1691, but his sons must have been of an earlier marriage.

His eldest son, John Elphinstone, was served heir to his father 2nd October, 1734. He married, before 1741, Jean, daughter of Alexander Achyndachy of that ilk, long Chamberlain of Fyvie, and he died at Glack in 1758.

Alexander Elphinstone, their son, was admitted an Edinburgh advocate, 1764. In 1766 he represented the burgh of Kintore in the General Assembly, and he appears in 1777 as Sheriff-Depute of Aberdeen. He had got into pecuniary difficulties, and the estate was sold by his trustees in 1795 to the family now possessing it. The Eev. Colin Mackenzie, minister of Fodderty, in Ross-shire, became the proprietor. His son, Eoderick Mackenzie, resided in Glack, and had a numerous family, of whom only one now survives, Lady Leith of Westhall, widow of Sir Alexander Leith of Freeiield. John Mackenzie, his son and successor on the property, died in 1877 without issue. The estate is now possessed by his cousin, John Mackenzie, son of Donald Mackenzie, the second son of the purchaser.

LOGIE-ELPHINSTONE.

In the " View of the Diocese of Aberdeen," it is noted that about 1732 Logie was

" a neat little house built by the late Mr. James Elphinstone of Logie (Writer to the

Signet), grandson to Elphinstone of Glack. These lauds were formerly possessed by

the Forbeses of Logie (the first of whom was Henry Forbes of Logie, son to Sir John,

second laird of Tolquhon), but their house is now ruined." That connection carries

the name of the property back to about 1450. The house (built before 1722, when

Sir James died) still remains, with additions preserving a comfortable home-look,

upon the sheltered river terrace, within sound of the occasionally demonstrative streams

of the Garioch, which come together in a deep wooded hollow near it. According to

William Thorn, the Inverurie poet —

Ury wi' its murmurs sweet, Gadie wi' its waters fleet, They hae trystit aye to meet Amang the woods o' Logy.

There had been an earlier Elphinstone of Logie; as we find in 1658 "James

414 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Elphinstone, Eques de Logie," was matriculated in King's College, Aberdeen, but no connection with the present family Las been traced.

The grandfather of Mr., afterwards Sir James, Elphinstone, the first of Logie, was James Elphinstone of Glack, who in 1630 was one of Mr. James Mill of Inverurie's christening witnesses, Mrs. Mill having been apparently his sister. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth Wood, of Bonnyton, and second, in 1641, to Jane Leslie of Balquhain. His second son William was the father of James of Logie, and of Jean, the first wife of William Ferguson of Badifurrow. His wife's name was Margaret Forbes, and they lived at Milntown of Durno. The mills were then frequently held by younger sons.

James Elphinstone, grandson of James of Glack, acquired Logie Durno and other lands about 1670. In 1696 he was one of the Commissaries of Edinburgh. He seems to have been admitted Writer to the Signet in August, 1671. In 1696 he was a subscriber to the extent of £1000 sterling in the luckless Darien scheme, a misfortune from which Scotchmen were widely saved by lack of money probably rather than by prudence. He represented Aberdeenshire in Parliament, from 1693 to 1702 ; and was created a Baronet on 2nd December, 1701, with remainder to his heirs male. In 1720, he appears as a Commissioner of the Signet in a printed list of the Writers living at that date, but is noted in an old handwriting on the margin of that document as having died in March, 1722. He married Cecilia, daughter of John Denholm of Muirhouse (son of West- shield), and had, besides his son and heir, a daughter, married to Bobert Forbes, advocate in Edinburgh, afterwards Sir Robert Forbes of Learney, second son of Sir John Forbes, second baronet of Craigievar.

Sir John Elpbinstone, who succeeded his father in 1722, was, on 6th July, 1716, as John Elphinstone, junior of Logie, appointed a Commissioner to visit the University of Aberdeen, along with the Earls of Bothes and Buchan, Forbes of Echt, Forbes of Culloden, and some others ; he being then Sheriff of Aberdeen. By his wife, Mary Elliot of Minto, he left, besides two sons, seven daughters, five of whom married, two leaving issue, viz. : — Cecilia, wife of James Balfour of Pilrig, and Elizabeth, wife of Henry Crawford of Monorgan. The sons James and John both succeeded.

Sir James Elphinstone, when James Elphinstone younger of Logie, was, in 1724, admitted an honorary burgess of Aberdeen. He married Jean Rattray, daughter of Dr. Thomas Rattray of that Ilk and Craighall, Perthshire, who, after his decease, married Colonel George Mure, brother of the laird of Caldwell. Sir James was, it is believed, a member of the Faculty of Advocates. He died in 1739, and was succeeded by Sir John Elphinstone, his brother, an officer in the army, who died in 1743 a bachelor, at the age of 26. The baronetage became extinct by his death.

Mary Elphinstone, of Logie-Elphinstone, daughter of Sir James, married, in July 1754, General Robert Dalrymple Horn of Horn, son of Hew Dalrymple, Lord Drummore of the Court of Session. He was an officer of long and distinguished service (50 years), which commenced actively in the expedition to Carthagena, when he

WesthdU. 415

embarked as aide-de-camp to his relative, Lord Catlicart. Smollet, an assistant surgeon in the expedition, describes it in " Eoderick Random ". He was taken prisoner at Fontenoy. The attainted Lord Pitsligo had one of his many hiding places on the heights of Benachie, opposite Logie, whence he was able sometimes to obtain the relief of an evening in Logie with General Horn ; whose lady once remarking upon the hard drinking into which the two friends would fall on a safe night, was answered by the humorous refugee that '• if she was sitten upon a cauld bare stane up in Benachie, wi' naething but burn water, she micht ca' that hard drinkin' ".

The present proprietor of Logie is the General's grandson, Sir James Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone.

WESTHALL. P. 101.

Westhall, now a lovely braeside where an ample mansion-house stands amidst fine trees picturesquely distributed, belonged in 1570 to Mr. John Abercromby, minister of Oyne and Premnay, son of the laird of Pitmedden. In 1589, Walter Gordon of Westhall is mentioned, and Mr. Walter Gordon in 1597. In 1649-50, James Gordon of Westhall was Collector of Cess. In 1671, Mr. John Campbell of Westhall had a son, James Hew Campbell, buried at Oyne, after sermon on Sunday, 28th January.

The lands of Westhall, Eyehill, Pitmedden, Ardoyne, Old Rayne, Pitmachie, and others, were acquired by Mr. James Horn, vicar of Elgin in the reign of Charles II., those of Westhall and Pitmedden being purchased from Sir Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog in 1681.

Mr. James Horn, who appears repeatedly from the year 1675 preaching at Oyne, married Isobel Leslie of Pitcaple, and had a son, John, who became a lawyer.

Mr. John Horn married the Hon. Anne Arbuthnot, daughter of Robert, second Viscount Arbuthnot. He had a charter from James II. of the above-mentioned lands, with the barony of Horn, and had a daughter, an only child.

Anne Horn of Westhall married Hew Dalrymple of Drummore, born 30th Nov., 1690, sixth son of Sir Hew Dalrymple of North Berwick, who was the third son of President Dalrymple, first Viscount Stair. Hew Dalrymple, the husband of Ann Horn, was a Judge of Session by the title of Lord Drummore, and their second son, David Dalrymple, held the same rank, with the designation of Lord Westhall.

Robert Dalrymple Horn, the eldest son, who succeeded his mother, was born in 1718, and was known in the Garioch as General Horn. He married, in 1754, Mary Elphin- stone of Logie, by which union the estates were brought together, their successors taking the name of Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone.

Westhall was lost to the family some years ago, and is now divided into several properties, that which contains the mansion house having been bought by Lady Leith, widow of General Sir Alexander Leith of Freefield.

416 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

CASTLE FKASER.

Prominent among the remains of the period of the Troubles, the House of Muchalls or Castle Fraser, still occupied, is one of the finest specimens of the Flemish style in Scotland. It was approached in ancient times from the north, where an avenue of sycamores thirty yards wide remains in the field. The modern parts of the building exhibit the dates 1617, 1618. The highest tower bears the Eoyal Arms of Scotland and the date 1576; but the oldest part, a square tower, probably belongs to the fifteenth century. The Lord Fraser of this narrative (p. 264), — second Lord — succeeded in 1637. Charles, the fourth Lord Fraser, was succeeded in his estates by William Fraser of Inverallochy, who died in 1720, the title becoming dormant. William Fraser was suc- ceeded by his son Charles, who lived to a great age, and was the father of three sons, the eldest of whom, Charles, fell at Culloden, where he commanded the Frasers ; the second, Simon, was killed in America, and William, the youngest, died without issue. The Lovat Estates had been entailed upon Inverallochy in the first place ; and, in consequence of the males of that house dying without issue, went to the next heirs of tailzie, the Frasers of Strichen.

The Inverallochy and Castle Fraser properties devolved on the two sisters of the three brothers above-named. By arrangement Miss Eliza Fraser got Castle Fraser, to which, after her death, in 1814, Colonel Charles Fraser of Inverallochy succeeded. He was grandson and heir of Eliza Fraser's sister Martha, who had married Colin Mackenzie of Kilcoy. Colonel Fraser was for some years M.P. for Ross-shire. He died in 1871, leaving a son and daughter. Colonel Frederick Mackenzie Fraser is now proprietor of Castle Fraser and Inverallochy.

BALBITHAN. P. 232.

Balbitb.an House, the work of a later Chalmers of Balbithan, was built in partial imitation of the baronial halls of early times, but with improvements by a subsequent proprietor, William Forbes of Skellater. An earlier house of Balbithan stood at Old Balbithan on a rising ground above the Don, opposite the Burgh of Kintore. The proximity may have given rise to quarrels between the baronial and burghal neighbours, so as to induce the selection of another site for the new house in the singular position it occupies, — in the bottom of a hollow where it is invisible, even at a short distance. The traditional reason for the removal is that a shot from the Earl Marischal's castle of Hall-forest once reached the walls of Balbithan.

In 1666, James Chalmers of Balbithan appears as agent for the town of Inverurie, paying cess. In 1696, James Balfour, merchant in Edinburgh, paid poll tax for the lands of Balbithan, and James Chalmers is entered as lately of Balbithan. In 1699, William Hay of Balbithan paid cess for the town of Inverurie, and in 1707, Barbara

Inveramsay, Pitcaple, and ISewplace. ' 417

Menzies appears as his relict and executrix. The property descended by entad from the Forbeses of Skellater to Mr. Benjamin Abernethy Gordon, who sold it to the Earl of Kintore.

INVERAMSAY. P. 63.

Sir Robert Erskine's property of Inveramsay appears in local records from the date 1357, when Thomas, Earl of Mar, gave the great Chancellor a charter of it. A very old house of the many-windowed order, now a farmhouse, was, after the " forty-five," inhabited by a well-known Garioch Jacobite, named Charles Hacket. In his time it was called Peelwa's — a name which indicates that it occupied the place of an ancient peel or stronghold. Smith of Inveramsay, a Jacobite, is recorded, who may have been the builder. He possessed Inveramsay and Drimmies in 175-1. The heroine of the ballad " Mill o' Tif tie's Annie" has been supposed to have belonged to that family of Smith.

PITCAPLE. The Pitcaple Castle of the present day is the historical budding renovated about 1830 under the care of an Edinburgh Architect, Mr. Burns. Its situation is excellent viewed from across the Ury, having Bcnachie in the background, rising over the wooded haugh and braes. Pitcaple at the Bevolution belonged to the father of the last Laird of the Leslie family. The last Laird, an .officer in the army, died in 1757, when the property fell to his sister, who married John Lumsden, Professor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen ; whose two daughters sold Pitcaple to Henry Lumsden, grandfather of the present proprietor.

NEWPLACE.

Newplace, a small property in the parish of Monkegy, which now belongs to the Synod of Aberdeen, for behoof of indigent children of ministers, was the only part of the Barony of Caskieben in the Garioch which remained in the hands of the Johnston family after the first Sir George had wadset his lands to Alexander Jaffray of Kingwells. Newplace had been granted in provision to John, that baronet's second son, whose son, also named John, a merchant in Aberdeen, succeeded to the baronetcy after the tragic end of Sir John Johnston, the last representative of Sir George's eldest son, in 1690. He became by that succession Sir John Johnston, fourth baronet of Caskieben, and having obtained a Crown charter of Craig of Dyce in 1700, he gave to the western portion of it the name of the ancient family estate (Caskieben). He wedded, in 1683, Janet Mitchell, sister of Provost Thomas Mitchell of Aberdeen, the first laird of Thaiuston after that estate was lost by the ToLpahon family.

In 1707 Sir John Johnston disponed Newplace to his son-indaw, Andrew Burnet of Elrick, whose son and heir, Baillie John Burnet of Aberdeen, sold it in 1739 to the Synod of Aberdeen ; among the clerical members of that body the purchase price was

53

418 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

raised by contribution, in consideration of which a prior claim to relief from the fund provided by the rents of Newplace is allowed to descendants of the original subscribers.

PITTODRIE. P. 63.

The modern bouse of Pittodrie is a fine mountain chateau, placed amidst avenues of marvellous hollies, on the southern slope of one of the high levels of the most accessible shoulder of Benachie, near the site of Dame Christian Bruce's Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Garioch. The spot was not inhabited in all likelihood until long after the time of the first historical Erskiue of the Garioch, the Scottish king-maker, Sir Robert Erskine. Pittodrie was one of his numerous possessions in the Garioch in 1357, but for long after the Garioch lands of the family had come into the hands of the collateral branch which now holds them, Balhaggardy gave title to the lairds; and Erskine of Pittodrie occurs as a familiar designation only in the seventeenth century.

Like all of the name of Erskine, the Pittodrie family took the side of the Covenant, but do not appear in any prominent position in the Civil War. They seem to have lived quietly as local proprietors.

In 1G04, John Erskine, junior, gave a charter of Conglass, Drumdurnocb, and Dorlaithen to his wife, Marjorie Gordon, in security, following a marriage contract made with consent of John Erskine, his father, and the deceased John Gordon of Cluny. In 1609, John Erskine of Balhaggardy obtained sasine on the lands of Ward of Kinmundy, to be held of James Harvie, eldest son of Andrew Harvie of Danestone. In 1615, in a sasine obtained by Mr. Alexander Jaffrey of Kingswells on the Chalmerley Croft, pertaining to the Chaplainry of Conglass, Thomas Erskine of Balhaggardy, patron, consents. In the same year Thomas Erskine, fiar of Balhaggardy, as procurator for John Erskine of Balhaggardy, obtained sasine in the same for John Erskine, proceeding upon charter by Alexander Jaffrey. In 1625, John Erskine of Balhaggardy resigned some lands in Inverurie. Either bis sister or aunt seems to have been the wife of the elder Alexander Jaffray. One of his sons, named William, was accidentally killed in the churchyard of St. Nicholas in June, 1639, at the funeral of John Seton of Pitmedden, laird of Bourtie.

The family came, in the end of the eighteenth century, to be represented by an heiress. She married Colonel Henry Knight ; and their descendants now inherit Pittodrie, bearing the name of Knight Erskine.

BOURTIE. Pp. 64, 229. The Seton family, who sold the lands of Auld Bourtie in 1657, after some sixty years' possession, was, in 1688, still represented, at Blair, by Margaret and Elizabeth Seton, daughters and co-heiresses, it is likely, of the physician who was the object of such solicitude, along with certain seminary priests, to the Church a generation before. Part of the property, however — viz., Blockhouse and the Lady Croft — had been

Barra. 419

alienated; for, in 1688, "William Panton, W.S., was served heir to his father, James, in that possession. The sisters were "both alive in 1G96, but before 1724 Blair had gone, by the marriage of the heiress, to a gentleman of the surname of Stewart. The entire property belonged in 1761 to Mr. Leith, whose heirs retained it down to 1877, when it was sold.

The ownership of the lands of Auld Bourtie, sold in 1598 to James Seton, portioner of Barra, by Patrick Barclay of Towie, whose ancestors held them from the time of the Goblauch, passed through two additional names in the seventeenth century. James Seton of Pitmedden, on 4th December, 1657, disponed them to Mr. James Eeid, advocate in Aberdeen, and Isabella Hay, his wife, then of Barra — Lord Protector Cromwell confirming the Disposition. On 18th February, 1663, Mr. and Mrs. Reid conveyed the said lands of Auld Bourtie and Hillbrae to John Anderson, skipper, burgess of Aberdeen, resident in Torrie, in life rent, and to his sons, Alexander and John Anderson, in fee.

Skipper Anderson's name is prominent in the notes of Commissary-Clerk Spalding. In the time of the Troubles the leaders of both parties seem to have frequently made im- portant use of his house, which, being across the Dee, may have been considered a place of securhVy His grandson, Patrick Anderson, had to wife Elizabeth Ogilvie, a lady of famous lineage, she being the great-granddaughter of Mrs. Ogilvy of Barras who planned the saving of the crown jewels from the hands of Cromwell's general at Dunnottar in 1552. Patrick Anderson built the present House of Bourtie, upon the front of which are his initials and those of his wife, with the date 1754. The house is in good preservation, amidst fine trees, and is of the comfortable style of panelled rooms, with an ample entrance-hall and staircase. The last Anderson of Bourtie, Alexander Anderson — a person of considerable mechanical genius, well known in Aberdeen, where he lived in his mansion in Bourtie's Close in the Upperkirkgate — died in 1825, when he was succeeded in his lands of Bourtie, &c, by five sisters — his neices and co-heiresses — the children of Mrs. Mary Anderson, who in 1781 became the second wife of William Young of Sheddocksley, formerly Provost of Aberdeen. Of these ladies the eldest became the wife of Mr. Leith Ross of Arnage, in Buchan, and she with her sisters, subsequent to 1825, sold the lands of Bourtie and Hillbrae to Peter Duguid, Esq., banker in Aberdeen, the father of the present proprietor.

BARRA. P. 102.

Barra was sold by the Setons to Mr. James Reid in 1630, and it continued until after 1749 in the possession of his descendants; who obtained the rank of baronets.

In 1705, Barra had for its laird Sir Alexander Reid, who in that year married Agnes, daughter of Sir Alexander Ogilvy of Forglen, second son of the second Lord Banff, appointed one of the Senators of the College of Justice in 1705. Sir John Reid was laird in 1710, and Sir James Reid in 1740.

4120 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

Before 1773 the estate belonged to Mr. Ramsay, the ancestor of the present laird. The Castle of Barra, still habitable, is an imposing pile. The lowest storey is vaulted, but nothing is known as to the date of the building.

KEMNAY. Pp. 65, 234.

The mansion house of Kemnay was built by Sir Thomas Crombie in the middle of the Nth century. George Burnett made some alterations and repairs rendered necessary by the state of neglect into which it had fallen. More extensive changes were made in 1808 and 1830, by which it has been deprived of much of its original character ; great liberties have been taken with the interior, including the modernising of the curious old dining-room, which had a unique and embossed ceiling ; but there are still a few antique rooms and a remarkably fine old spiral staircase.

Thomas Burnett, the purchaser of Kemnay in 1688, whose descendants still continue in possession, was second son of James Burnett of Craigmyle, immediate younger brother of Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, Knight-baronet, and immediate elder brother of Bobert Burnett of Crimond, the father of the Bishop of Salisbury. The Burnetts had been a family of influence and importance on Deeside ever since 1324; when Alexander Burnard (such was the older form of the name), an adherent of Bruce, got considerable grants of forfeited lands, which are to a great extent the lands still possessed by the Burnetts of Leys. Their family seat, Crathes Castle, is among the finest old baronial residences in Scotland. Alexander Burnard's immediate . ancestors, who owned Farningdown, county Boxburgh, were an offshoot of a family who for two centuries after the Norman Conquest had been among the most considerable landowners in Wiltshire and Bedfordshire.

Within a year after his purchase of Kemnay, Thomas Burnett died, leaving a son and successor of the same name, who became a man of considerable mark. He is known in the literary and political history of the period as a voluminous correspondent with many of the notable people of Ms day. From 1695 onwards he was a conspicuous member of the brilliant Court circle at Hanover, of which the Electress Sophia was the centre, and on a footing of confidential intimacy with that distinguished lady. His unpublished letters to the Electress, in the archives of Hanover, are described by Mr. J. M. Kemble as numerous enough to fill a large volume, and full of curious information on the most varied topics — politics, theology, philosojihy, poetry, and small talk. His correspondence with Leibnitz, Locke, and Miss Trotter (afterwards Mrs. Cockburn), is of a more solid and serious description, and exhibits Thomas Burnett as a man of original thought, very high principle, and a. vast amount of experience gained by reading, foreign travel, and intercourse with men of eminence at home and abroad. When the death of the Puke of Gloucester opened the possible prospect of succession to the English throne to the Electress, Mr. Burnet returned home charged with secret instructions to convey her sentiments to some of the leading politicians in England. Thence he went to Paris,

Kemnay. 421

a few months before the war of the Spanish Succession had broken out. Louis XIV. 's recognition, on James II. 's death, of the title of his son had just then caused a great ferment in England, and was the immediate cause of Queen Anne's declaration of war with France in May, 1702. At the instance of some of the adherents of the Court of St. Germains, to whom he had been obnoxious from his intimacy with the Electress, Mr. Burnett was suddenly arrested on some frivolous pretext, and hurried off to the Bastile, where he remained unheard of for about a year and a half. Accident at length made his situation known to the Electress, and by means of the powerful influence which she was able to exert through her niece, the Duchess of Orleans, he was restored to liberty towards the close of 1703.

In the year 1713, Thomas Burnett, then about 55 years of age, married a young and beautiful wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Brickenden of Inkpen, Berks, and settled at Kemnay. The re-marriage of this lady, soon after his death, with her son's tutor, gave offence to her husband's relations, aud the children were taken to Crathes and educated by Sir Alexander Burnett. This tutor, however, in the course of time rose to be a distinguished London physician ; and his wife had inherited some means, which, on Dr Lamont's death at a great age in 1795, were left to Secretary Burnett, her grandson. This succession consisted in part of property in Kent, which was almost immediately sold ; but if retained would have been of considerable value, as a great part of Tunbridge Wells has since been built on it. There are portraits at Kemnay of "Betty Brickend'en," both her husbands, and her two brothers — one of them known as " Beau Brickenden," the richness of whose costume illustrates the style affected by the exquisites of that age.

George Burnett of Kemnay, Thomas's only son, and who became the first Provost of Inverurie, ever elected at least after the Novodamus Charter granted by Queen Mary, married at the age of 20 the daughter of his cousin and guardian (Sir Alexander Burnett of Leys) — a lady whose worth and accomplishments were long remembered and have been celebrated in verse.* Kemnay House, when he took up his residence there, was bleak and cheerless in its surroundings : before his death the pleasure grounds of Kemnay were reputed to be among the most beautiful in Scotland. The " wilderness," an ornamental plantation of choice trees, with a labyrinth of grass walks, a pond, and a

The following lines, describing her after the fashion of the day under a pseudonym, occurs in a descriptive poem called "Don," already referred to :—

" Mind Kemnay's seat, how beautifully placed, With shady woods and flowery gardens graced. See how the feathered choir extend their throats, By nature taught — hark how they swell their notes ! Yet when fair Peggy, mistress of the grove, Joins her sweet voice to sing the praise of love, The birds sit listening to the wondrous song, The river cairns and smoothly glides along ; The gentle zephyrs with her tresses play, And from her balmy breath steal sweets away.

422 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garinch.

" hermitage," all laid out in conformity with the quaint fashion of the day, was greatly admired. It, as well as the formal parterres and flower-gardens, got into a neglected condition during the minority of a subsequent proprietor, and the changes since effected have greatly altered their character ; but the avenue which forms the approach is still unequalled in the district. It is a gentle ascent along the ample floor of a long shady aisle formed by two straight lines of beech trees meeting far overhead in a Gothic arch. Mr. George Burnett had a great reputation in his day as an agricultural improver. Being a man of active temperament and strong will, he took a lead in local politics and county business, and he was reputed a strict disciplinarian in his home and elsewhere.

On the death, in 1759, of Sir Bobert Burnett of Leys, who survived his father, Sir Alexander, in delicate health for about a year, a competition for the succession to the Leys Estates arose between the heir male (Sir Thomas) and the only son of George Burnett of Kernnay as heir of line through his mother ; the question turning on whether Sir Alexander had effectually altered the investiture from heirs male to heirs general. The heir male and George Burnett of Kemnay were both at Crathes Castle when Sir Bobert died ; and for a time, it is said, that each, regarding the other as his guest, treated him with the most courteous hospitality. This, however, could not last ; and one day Kemnay, locking up the Castle, carried away the key ; which has ever since remained in the possession of his descendants. The Leys' Succession was the subject of a protracted law plea — carried to the House of Lords — which ended in favour of the heir male.

Alexander Burnett of Kemnay, who succeeded his father in 1 780, had received his early education in Holland j and in 1756, when Mr Mitchell of Thainston (afterwards Sir Andrew) was appointed Ambassador to the Prussian Court, he went abroad with him as Secretary. He was held in high regard by Frederick the Great, whom he attended during the campaigns of the Seven Years' War. During Mitchell's absence in 1765 he conducted the correspondence of the Embassy, and after Mitchell's death he remained for a year at Berlin as Charge d'Affaires. There is a beautiful full-length portrait of him at Kemnay by Angelica Kauffmann. His son, John Burnett, father of the present proprietor, did much by judicious improvements and encouragement of his tenantry to increase the value of the property, and by the extensive woods which he planted added much to its amenity.

RELIGIOUS DISABILITIES. The policy of religious toleration which was accepted by the country in 1688, when it sought a dynastic security against any re-imposition of Popery, by raising "William and Mary to the throne, was speedily taken advantage of in the interests of the abro- gated form of religion — so as to bring it again into open notice in Scotland, in place of the hidden existence of which lurking seminary priests had been the essential support. In 1694, the Pope appointed Bishop Nicolson, son of Sir Thomas Nieolson,

Religions Disabilities. 423

formerly of Kemnay, his first Vicar Apostolic in Scotland ; the Jesuits in Scotland having until then been superintended by an English official. About that time a Eeport, obtained by the Propaganda at Eome, showed the number of Roman Catholics in Scotland to be but 1400; of which total, 1000 were in Banffshire, chiefly in the Enzie, then called the Papistical Country, where they had the powerful protection of the House of Gordon. There were 70 in Angus and Mearns ; 50 in Glasgow and its neighbourhood ; and 8 in Morayshire. Of 405 in Aberdeenshire, most were in Braemar. In the Garioch, in 1702, three families were Romanist— the Leslies of Fetternear, the Leslies of Pitcaple, and Tyrie of Dunnideer.

Disabilities of an oppressive kind, however, continued to burden Roman Catholics ; one reason for which was that they were partizans of the exiled Stuarts, and more ready to plot for their restoration than even the Episcopalian Incumbents were ; who, in political sympathy with them, did what they could apparently to obstruct the inquiries of Presbyteries as to the movements and actions of the "trafficking priests". The Episcopalian Incumbents, being prevented from themselves doing anything openly against the established order in Church and State, were in some quarters carrying on the same illicit policy by the instrumentality of assistants, employed ostensibly for their ministerial duties, but whom no pledge to the civil authority confined, as the Incum- bents were confined, to those duties. In 1702, the united Presbytery of Garioch and Alford found upon investigation that there were within its bounds " priest Buquhan, priest Gordon, another priest Gordon, Mr. Leslie, brother to Count Leslie, another priest Leslie, Dr. Levingstone, priest Ross alias Seton, and priest "Wilson". In 1712, Letters of Caption against trafficking priests Were put into the hands of a member of the Garioch Presbytery, to be used as he should see cause.

Very serious considerations can alone have justified the deprivation of religious ordinances then inflicted upon Roman Catholics. Mr. Maxwell, an outlawed priest, baptized in May, 1711, a child to Count George Leslie at Fetternear (James, afterward 17th baron of Balquhain, born 25th May, 1711), and was like to be prosecuted for the act at the Circuit Court of Justiciary. Shortly before, Count George's sister was about to be married to George Leslie of Iden, a Protestant. The bridegroom and the lady's father both petitioned the Presbytery for their sanction to the schoolmaster of Chapel proclaiming the banns of marriage, and the minister performing the marriage solemnity ; but leave was refused upon the ground that such marriages are contrary to the Word of God, the Confession of Faith, and the practice of all Reformed Churches, and in coun- tries where Popery is established are regarded as no marriages at all.

The disorderly condition of society at the time is exemplified by the frequent occurrence of irregular marriages, and marriages of persons not absolutely certain that they had not a husband or wife living. One, not in that way reprehensible and some- what romantic in its details, brought Mr. James Gordon, the newly -settled minister of Bourtie, into sudden trouble in 1710, and occasioned a pro re nata meeting of Presby-

424 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

tery, in order to correct the error committed. Adam Irvine, described as " sometime of Brucklaw," had won the affections of Mrs. Margaret Reid, daughter of Sir John Eeid of Barra, but the consent of her parents was beyond his reach. The young people, resolved upon being wedded, resorted to a clandestine expedient. Irvine got an " old minister, Mr. Donald M'Comtosh," residing in Badenoch, to come all the way to Bourtie, and provided also a couple of witnesses from Strathdon, and on 21st September, the young lady, being apprised, slipped out of the castle and was married close by, probably in the wood. On the marriage being discovered some days after, the girl was turned out of doors, and it may be sought refuge from scandal and relief in her distress at the manse, after going immediately to her husband. The culprits having substantiated to the satisfaction of the Presbytery their account of the circumstances, were appointed to make open declaration of their marriage before the congregation in the parish church, and after being rebuked, had the " defects of the marriage made up in the way usual in such cases," whatever that may have been.

Great difficulty seems to have been found in bringing the schoolmasters into subordination to the order of things " settled" by the Revolution, especially in parishes where an indulged Episcopalian Incumbent continued as parish minister. In 1698 the Presbytery appointed the several schoolmasters within the bounds to be cited before them to be examined anent their principles and qualifications. To repeated citations to appear and sign the Confession of Faith, Mr. Alexander Davidson, schoolmaster of Inverurie, had answered with contumacy and disrespect, and the Presbytery deprived him of his office. Mr. James Ferguson, schoolmaster of Insch, had in 1709 "no present scruples anent the Confession, but had not got time, by reason of several divertisements, to consider it fully ". Next year Mr. Robert Milne, Inverurie, had " considered a great part of it, but not so fully as he would wish to do ". He was tolerated upon stating that he did not teach anything contrary to the Confession, and did teach the Westminster Catechism.

The school work attempted about 1700 appears from the subjects prescribed in a competitive examination for the office of schoolmaster of Insch in 1713 — which the Presbytery conducted at the request of the heritors. The examination was in knowledge of the Latin tongue and skill in singing the common tunes and writing, and fitness to teach the same to youth. In 1737, the Presbytery, at a visitation of the school of Inverurie, laid down the following Rules and Directions to the schoolmaster, who had seemingly been in considerable need of admonition : — " lmo, That he be careful to train up the scholars in the knowledge of God and the principles of the Protestant reformed religion; 2ndo, That he take special care of the manners and behaviour of the scholars, and correct them for lying, cursing, and profaning the Lord's day ; 3tio, That he attend his business in the school from the time that his scholars can see to read in the morning till twelve ; and from one afternoon till light fail them at night, from the beginning of November till the beginning of February ; and thereafter the rest of the year from eight in the

Introduction of Presbyterian Ministers. 425

morning till twelve, and from two afternoon till six in the evening ; and that he oblige his scholars to observe these hours ; 4to, That he take care that his scholars frequent publick worship on the Lord's day, and that he call them to give account of what they remember of lecture and sermon ; and that, 5to, He himself be of a blameless and orderly walk and conversation, and particularly that he abstain from tippling and ex- cessive drinking ". Such an exercise of discipline was then, however, rare ; the Presby- tery being most frequently engaged in dealing with backward heritors for providing of schools for the teachers according to statute.

In 1710, the following schoolmasters in the Presbytery signed the Confession of Faith : — William Duncan at Bourtie, James Leask at Oyne, James Monnie at Leslie, William Bruce at Kintore, Patrick Wishart at Kinkell, Charles Forbes at Eayne, John Farquhar at Kemnay, Alexander Leslie at Chapel, and James Farquhar at Insch.

INTRODUCTION OF PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS.

The Eevolution Settlement was necessarily for a long period more of a proposed than an accomplished arrangement, in secular as well as ecclesiastical matters. In Scotland the Eevolution led to the legal establishment of the Church of Scotland as it has continued ever since ; but in the north the progress of the Church to a position de fucto, such as it had obtained de jure, was a work of time ; and the local history of the change illustrates the difficulty with which new laws get into smooth operation in the regulation of a popular franchise.

It is well known that it was by accident that the legitimate power and the personal influence of the joint sovereigns were not put forth as was designed to force an Episcopal Church upon Scotland ; and that the King's most trusted adviser upon Scottish affairs, Mr. William Carstairs — the exiled Presbyterian minister whom the King appointed his chaplain when called to the throne of Britain — by a bold and hazardous intrusion upon the Monarch's privacy, induced him to recall the messenger who was proceeding to Scotland with the obnoxious decree for the establishment of Episcopacy. The Queen did not like Presbyterianism ; and the King was a purely political ruler, to whom uniformity in Church government, in the two great divisions of the realm must have been an arrangement highly desirable. Had the projected Episcopacy been proclaimed, it would have been welcomed, or quietly acquiesced in, in Aberdeenshire ; and disturbance on account of the establishment of Presbytery was prevented there very materially by the conditions imposed upon the newly established Presbyterian Church, that Episco- palian Incumbents should be allowed to continue in possession of their cures and livings, though without a seat in the Church Courts, provided they gave a certain adhesion to the new secular arrangements. Within the bounds of the Synod of Aberdeen — compris- ing the counties of Aberdeen and Banff — the mass of the Episcopalian ministers accepted the indulgence, and continued to be parish ministers till their death ; a few only

5-1

426 . Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

surviving 1715 — when their attachment to the exiled house of Stuart led some of them into complicity with the rising in favour of the son of James VII., in consequence of which they were, in the following year, deprived for the crime of treason.

Upon the establishment of Preshyterianism in 1690, the whole of the Synod was, because of the paucity of the Presbyterian ministers, constituted into one Presbytery instead of eight — its old number. Several years after the legal establishment of Presbytery the number of ministers qualified to be members of the Court was sixteen ; and, sitting as a Synod, they divided themselves into three Presbyteries. The roll of the Synod, which met 18th May, 1697, contained only the following ministers : Messrs Thomas Eamsay and James Osborn, Aberdeen ; David Lindsay, Dalmoak ; William Thomson, Kintore ; Martin Shanks, ]STewhills ; Alexander Thomson, Peter- culter ; and Thomas Kinnear, Echt, forming the Presbytery of Aberdeen and Kincardine — Messrs George Skeen, Kinkell ; George Anderson, Tarves ; William Fraser, Slains ; and William Hunter, Tyrie, making the Presbytery of Ellon, Garioch, and Deer — Messrs William Garioch, Kennethmont ; Patrick Innes, Banff; William Johnston, Auchterless ; Eobert Tait, Cullen ; Thomas Thomson, Turriff, constituting the Presbytery of Alford, Turriff, and Fordyce.

As the tolerated ministers gradually died out, great difficulty was often found in getting the heritors, elders, and parishioners — witli which bodies the appointment of ministers practically lay — to call qualified persons to fill the vacant pulpits ; so much so that in 1698 a legal remedy was devised by the State for the abuses then occurring.

THE SETTLEMENT AT KEMNAY. The Parish of Kemnay having become vacant by the death of Dr. Willox, the delays and obstructions to an appointment of a successor occupied two years as appears by the minutes of Presbytery.

July 14th, 1697. — Mr. Win. Ebald, in the parioch of Kemnay, compeared, presenting a letter from the pariocheners, desiring the Presbyterie to send one of their number to moderate a call from the parioch to Mr. John Angus, probationer. The Presbyterie, considering that Mr. John Angus had already received a call from the parioch of Kinneller, desired that the parioehouers of Kemnay would pitch upon some other person.

Nov. 10th, 1697. — The vacancy of Kemnay being taken into consideration, they appoint Mr. Skeen to speak to the Earle of Kintore and others concerned, and in the meantyme to recommend a list to them, appointed by the Synod, viz. : — Mr. Hugh Innes, Mr. John Hui, Mr. Arthur Sheppard.

Feb. 9th, 1698. — Anent the vacancy of Kemnay, Mr. Skeen reports that, not having spoken with the Earl of Kintore, he did speake with his chamberlan, who after some tym returned this answer from my Lord's own mouth, that he was willing that Mr. Innes should be setled at Kemnay, provideing the Presbyterie wold gratifie him so far as to setlo Mr. Johnston at Skeen.

March 9th, 1698. — This day, the Ptrie., considering the Earle of Kintore's answer, with respect to the parish of Kemnay, doe appoint Mr. Thomson, minister at Kintore, to speak again to the said Earle and parishioners for setling Mr, Hew Innes ther, with certification, if they will not speedily call, the Presbytry will proceed to setle the said Mr. Innes there tavquam jure dcvoluto.

April 13th, 1698. — A letter was produced from the Chamberlan of Kemnay to the Presbyterie, bearing the people's desire to hear some other young men. The Presbyterie having no young men to spare at this tyme, appoints Mr. George Anderson to visit that parish, and again recommend Mr. Hew Innes and to report.

May 17th, 1698. — This day some of the elders of the session of Kemnay compeared before the Presbyterie, desyring some young men might be sent to preach among them, and particularly Mr. Win.

The Settlement at Kemnay. 427

Johnston, the late schoolmaster. In answer to which the Preshyterie promised some young men to them if they could be gotten, and withall told them that they thought Mr. Johnston might be useful in another place, and therefore desired them not to hinder the sfitling of the place in expectation of him.

June 8th, 1698. —This day, Mr. Skeen reports that some of the paroch of Kemnay had told him that they were very well pleased with Mr. Henry Kobine, wdiom they had heard, and were desirous to have him for their minister ; whereupon the Preshyterie appoints the said Mr. George Skeen to preach at Kemnay, Sabbath next, and to search further into the inclinations of the said people.

June 22nd, 1698.- Mr. Skeen reports. . . . The people declared themselves well pleased with Mr. Henry Robine, but desired to hear some more young men. And Mr. George Anderson having spoke to the Earle of Kintore, the said Earle declared himself well pleased. The Preshyterie having no more young men at present, appoint a Presbyterial call to be drawn up to Mr. Robine.

July 6th, 1698. — Mr. Mulligan reports that he preached at Kemnay according to appointment, and that the session declared themselves well pleased with Mr. Robine, but they desired that the Laird of Kemnay might be acquainted, before they subscribe a call. Likewise Mr. Mulligan presented a call tii tin' said Mr. Robine, subscribed by the Earle of Kintore, to the forsaid Church of Kemnay, where his Lordship has interest. The Presbytery thereupon appointed Mr. Robine to enter on his trials, and that he have an exercise and addition against the next Preshyterie as part of his trial.

Sept. 14th, 1698. — A letter from the Laird of Kemnay 's brother was produced, bearing that some of the people had heard of the receptione of Mr. Robert Burnet, late minister at Bancborie, into the Government; they are most willing to have him for their minister, and that the Laird of Kemnay hath written to that effect from London. The Presbytrie taking the affair to their consideration, and finding that they had proceeded some length in order to the settlement of Mr. Henry Robine in that place, and had been encouraged by the said paroch, are exceedingly surprised that they should men- tion the calling of another — whereupon they refer the whole affair to the Synod for advice, and appoint the Moderator to write a return to the letter of Kemnay to this effect, which was done before the rising of the Presbytery.

Oct. 19th, 1698. — Anent the affair of Kemnay, the Synod having been consulted, did advise that the Presb. should desist from their purpose of setting Mr. Robine at Kemnay in respect the said Mr. Robine is removed out of the bounds, also that he was unwilling to embrace the said call, and that the presbetry should proceed to setle the place some other way. The said day the moderator having ac- quainted the presb. that Mr. Burnet, brother to the Laird of Kemnay, desired that a minister might be appointed to moderate a call for Mr. Robert Burnet, late minister at Upper Banehry to be minr. at Kemnay, the Presb. appoints Mr. George Skeen to preach at Kemnay Nov. Sixt and to moderat a call, and that he make intimatione to the parish timously of his coming ther for that effect.

Nov. 9, 1698. — Mr. Skeen reported that he had on November 6th moderated a call to Mr. Burnet, which was produced by Alexander Downy having commission from the Session and parish to prosecute the call.

The Presbytery approved the call, and at Mr. Burnet's desire allowed liim till next meeting to consider of accepting. Mr. Burnet had, in the meantime, been called to Fintray as appeared by a letter from Sir John Forbes of Graigievar. At next meeting, November 23rd, the two competing calls were considered, and by a vote Mr. Burnet was appointed to be settled at Fintray ; and the case of Kemnay opened a new chapter.

Dec. 28th, 1698. — Mr. Skeen is appointed to commune with the heritors and others of the parish of Kemnay, and recommend them to have their thoughts of a fit man for speedy planting their church.

January 25th, 1699. — Mr. George Skeen went to Kemnay and spoke to the elders and parishioners and others concerning the planting of the church, and found them not resolved to call any person who could be obtained. It is recommended to him to deal further with them and to report to the next dyet.

March 21st, 1699. — Anent the affair at Kemnay this day, compeared Mr. Burnet, brother to the laird of Kemnay, desiring there might be a minister appointed to moderate a call to Mr. Win. Lesly, probationer, to be minister at Kemnay. The Presbytery found Mr. Lesly was under a call already from Oyne, and that they could not countenance a call from Kemnay, but recommended Mr. Burnet and the parishioners to pitch upon some other person, promising to assist them all they could.

The call from Oyne was not subscribed to Mr. Lesly's satisfaction ; and the Synod having been consulted, advised the Presbytery to allow a competition of calls. On

428 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariock

April 6th, Mr. George Skeen was appointed to summon the congregation of Kemnay to meet and call a minister.

April 19th, 1699. — A call was given from the parish of Kemnay to Mr. Lesly, probationer, to be their minister, which call had been supervised and attested by Mr. George .Skeen.

May 3rd, 1699. — Compeared Will. Able, and produced a commission from the parish of Kemnay, desiring in their name that Mr. Wm. Lesly, whom they have called, might be settled among them as their minister — also produced a letter from Mr. Eot. Burnet, brother germane to the Laird of Kemnay, to the effect forsaid.

Mr. Wm. Lesly being present, the call from Kemnay was put into his hands, and he submitting himself to the presb., they resolved to proceed in his trials with respect to his settlement in that con- gregation, in regard that no person appeared from the parish of Oyne to prosecute the call they had given to the said Mr. Wm., notwithstanding they had been timeously advertised so to doe.

Mr. Lesly was ordained and settled in Kemnay, on Wednesday, July 19th, 1G99,

the form of induction "being that still in use in Scotland. Under Episcopacy,

" institution " was given, on a Sunday, hy a neighbouring Parson.

THE SETTLEMENT AT MELDRUM.

The congregational electors in Meldrum had so long delayed to take any steps

necessary to calling a minister that the Presbytery had appointed a Mr. Arthur

Shepherd : which proceeding at length brought the local parties to take action.

July 29, 1697.— The said day the presbyterie having received a letter from the laird of Meldrum wherein he declares his dissatisfaction with Mr. Arthur Shepherd his entry to the ministry of Old Meldrum in respect, the said Mr. Arthur was called tanquam jure devoluto, and desiring that there might be an eldership established in Old Meldrum in order to the calling of a minister, the presby- terie referred the matter to further consideration in a fuller meeting.

At a subsequent meeting on 11th August, the Presbytery appointed an edict to be served the nest Sunday, calling all persons interested having objections to Mr. Shep- herd's induction to compear before the Presbytery on the 26th August, at Aberdeen. There appeared George Ferguson and James Christie, feuars in Old Meldrum, with a notary, James Eainy, and protested against the Presbytery proceeding further with the settlement of Mr. Shepherd, and also presented a letter from the laird of Meldrum to the same effect. The Presbytery appointed two members to " commune " with the laird about the matter.

The Presbytery, 10th November, appointed the minister of Tarves to speak to Meldrum and the parishioners anent the vacancy ; and to recommend a list of three, from which to choose a minister. No record appears of any result. On 9th March, 1698, Mr. Anderson reported he had spoken to the laird of Meldrum, who had sent his answer in writing. It was read, and the Presbytery was more satisfied ; and they appointed a Presby ferial call to be given to Mr. John Mulligan, in "pursuance of the the contents of the said letter. Mr. Mulligan, who was not one of the Presbytery's leet, was inducted ; but a call had been given him from Old Aberdeen, and it was only by the intervention by a Committee of the General Assembly, and after a proposal " for the easing of his conscience " that the parishioners of Meldrum should subscribe a declaration of their wish for him, that his settlement at Meldrum was finally disposed of in June following.

The Settlement at Lesly and at Insch. 429

SETTLEMENT AT LESLY.

Mr. "VVatspn, the Episcopalian incumbent of Lesly, was infirm and unable for duty

in the end of 1698. The Presbytery appointed a probationer, Mr. William Lesly, to

go and give supply for him, who reported, 23rd November, that he had been refused

access ; and the Court resolved to refer the matter to the Synod, that it might be delayed

a while. The minister died before December 27, 1699.

On 21st February, 1700. — Appoints Mr. ¥m. Lesly to go to the kirk of Lesly, and take up a list of persons fit to be elders in the same parish, and examine them betwixt and the next Presbytery.

He got a list from the heritors on 13th March ; and found all to be of competent knowledge.

On 27th Nov., the Presbyterie, upon a motion from the parish of Lesly, appoint Mr. Win. Forbes, probationer, to preach again the three last Lord's days of December.

On 7th Feb., 1701. — The Presbytery considering the parish has now been a long time vacant, and yet they are not offering to call a minister, appointed intimation to be made that a call would be moderated on a certain Sabbath if they were inclined, but if no call were given the Presbytery would plant the place as empowered by a jus clcvolutam.

An unanimous call was in consequence given to Mr. William Forbes, and he was

inducted by the United Presbytery of Garioch and Ellon, the 30th April, 1701. The

Presbytery of Deer had been disjoined by the previous Synod.

SETTLEMENT AT INSCH.

Insch had become vacant in 1691 by the death of Mr. John Patton, who was translated there from Leoehel in 1680. The Parishioners or their leaders, in l(i92, called, and for a number of years kept in possession an unqualified Episcopalian, Mr. John Turing, who would not take the conformist pledge to Government.

June 25th, 1701. — The Moderator reports ane answer of the letter to the Moderator of the Commis- sion, aneut intruders, and helpers, and episcopal incumbents, and had given warrant to the kirk officer at Oyne to cite Mr. John Turing, intruder of Insch, to appear before the Commission.

July 29th, 1701. — Said day was produced a letter from the King's advocate, directed to Mr. John Turing, at Insch. The Presbytery appointed Mr. William Mair to bear it to the said Mr. Turing, and require his positive answer whether he will forbear to exercise any part of his ministerial office there, and report to the Moderator of the Commission of the Synod.

Sept. 3rd, 1701. — Mr. Mair reports he obeyed his appointment anent Mr. Turing ; but was denied access to preach at Insch

Dec. 3rd, 1701. — This day the lairds of Piothny, elder and younger, and Boddom, elder and younger, compeared before the Pby., and desired their concurrence for settling ane eldership at Insch, Mr. Lesly at Tough is appointed to preach at Insch, 21st Dec, and intimate a meeting of the heritors and heads of families, and to receive from them a list of such persons as they shall agree with for being elders, and to appoint some day in that week for speaking with these persons, and trying their qualifi- cation for the office of ane elder.

31st Dec, 1701.— Mr. Lesly, minister, reported that having preached at Insch, a case of discipline had to be discharged against one of the lairds before he made his intimation ; and the people went out of the church in a disorderly way, before the intimation could be made.

The Presbytery delayed proceedings anent the eldership till next meeting ; at which

the laird referred to appeared and gave excuse, which was sustained, for the conduct of

the people. Mr. John Turing, in the meantime, reported himself as having got more

430 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Gariotih,

light than he had before possessed as to ecclesiastical matters, and sought conference with the Presbytery, but does not seem to have satisfied the court, which accordingly appointed him to confer with members separately anont — " the Government of the Church, his motives in addressing at this tym, and also his knowledge of orthodoxy in the great truths of the gospel". The interviews gave satisfaction, and Mr. Turing's case was reported to the Synod, but at his compearance before that Court he seems to have given offence, and he appears afterwards making renewed application to the Presbytery, who, not to discourage him, appointed him to confer with certain members.

An eldership was recommended and approved, but was not appointed up to the time when a minister was called. The persons were James White in Drumrossie, We ] )a vidson in Knockinbaird, John Tulloch in Boddom, John Eoid in Myrtown, Alex. Reid in Largy, Alexander Anderson in Wantonwalls, William Betty in Dunydeer, and James M'Rob in Glenns.

July 21st, 1702. — The sd day compeared some heads of familys in the paroch of Insch, craving that some effectual course might be taken for settling a minister among them, in respect of the great loss they sustained tor the want of the ordinances. The l'trey taking the case into consideration, appoints Mr. William Mitchell to preach there on Sabbath come a fortnyt, to call a meeting of the heritors and heads of families, and to labour to dispose them forgiving a call either to Mr. William Carnegy or Mr. John Maitland, probationers.

Sept. 9th. — The sd day compeared the Lairds of Kosehill andBoddoin, younger, desiring a minister should be sent to preach at Insch, and to supervise a call in order to the settling of a fixed pastor among them. The Presbytery appointed Mr. Carnegy and Mr. Maitland to supply the next three Sundays by turns, and at the last time to intimate that that day fifteen days a minister would preach, and, uuaniinitio being found among them, supervise a call.

Oct. 7th. — Mr. Mair reported that he had preached at Insch on Sabbath, and called a meeting of the heritors ami heads of families, who all signified their willingness to subscribe a call to Mr. John Maitland except ane Ho. More. He protested that the call should he delayed, because there was no constituted eldership, and that qualified voters were prelimited by the heritors.

Mr. More explained afterwards that two calls had been offered to the people, one for

Turing first, and then the call to Mr. Maitland. He himself had no objection to Mr.

Maitland ; but that there might be as good as him. A call was accomplished at last, and

Mr. Maitland was settled on 26th April, 1703, about two years after the process vvas

begun.

SETTLEMENT AT KAYNE.

Mr Robert Burnet, the Episcopalian incumbent at Rayno, died sometime after February, 1703 ; upon May 12, Mr Mair of Dyne was sent by the Presbytery to declare the Church vacant. The heritors, however, immediately on Mr Burnet's death, seem to have obtained the services of a non-juring Episcopalian who had to leave his own parish.

June 9th, 1703. — Mr. Mair sent an instrument under the hand of a nottar publiek, bearing that he hade offered to preach at Rain, anil declare that kirk vacant as appointed, but was opposed By s.aue gentlemen in the parish, who hade employed one Mr Patrick Chalmers, late incumbent at Loyndic, to preach ; and so could have no access, The Presbytery delayed consideration of that affair until a fuller meeting.

June 23rd, 1703. — Anont the vacancy of Rain, the Thy. resolves to take the benefit of the Act of Pari. K.W., Q.M., Sess. 7, Aug. 30th, 10US, entituled Act for preventing of disorder in supplying and planting of vacancies; and therefore appointed Mr Mair to repair to the heritors of Lain, or the

The Settlement at Ruijae. 431

ordinary havers of the keys of the kirk door of that parish, on the first of July next ensuing, taking along with him a nottar pnblick, and require the keys of the kirk doors ; and, upon their refusal or shifting, to take instruments in the hands of the nottar, and protest against them as breakers of the laws ; which done, to repair to Wartle Lesly, his house, and, under form of instrument, require him, as being a Justice of Peace and Bailly of Regality, to put in execution the forsd act of parliament, by making patent the kirk doors of Rain, affixing new locks, and delivering the keys to the sd Mr. Win. Mair, who is empowered by the presbytrie to grant receipt therefor in their name', and that under tin! tailzie contained in the said act, and further appoints thesd Mr. Mair, incase access be obtained to the

kirk, to preach there on Sabbath come eight days, and declare the kirk va< I.

_ Aug. 6th. — It is reported to the Presbytery that a letter is addressed by Her Majesty's Advocate to theSherifl Depots of Aberdeenshire, desiring them to put in execution the Act 1098 so as to give

peaceable access to the kirk of Rain to the Presbytery and that the letter had 1 n delivered to Andrew

one ol the Shenll-lieputs, and a letter obtained from him to Mail Deput, to go with one or two

ministers commissioned from the Presbytery to demand the keys from the heritors, and if refused, to make patent the doors and put on new locks. Mr. Mair at the same time reported that lie had obeyed the Presbytery's injunctions, been refused access, and taken instrument and protest in the hands of Mr. Alex, lines, nottar publiek, which lie lodged with the clerk. The Presbpty. appoint two ministers to go with the Mair Depute and demand execution of the orders of the Advocate.

Aug. 18th.— Anent the vacancy of Rain the Moderator and the brethren appointed with him, re- port they obeyed, lint were denyed the keys of the kirk door by George Ogilvy of New Haiti, who acknowledged he had them, and the Deput offering to execute theSheriff's precept, was deforced by said George Ogilvy and John Leith in Mill of Bonnetown, comfonri to an instrument taken in the hands of Mr. Innes, nottar. The Presbytery resolved to send a minister to Aberdeen to take advice as to further proceedings in the. matter.

The Aberdeen ministers, who seem to have been recognised correspondents with the Lord Advocate upon church affairs in the district, advised that the moderator of the Commission of Assembly should be written to with a recommendation, that the intrusion of Mr. Patrick Chalmers, and the opposition given to the Presbytery, should be represented to Her Majesty's Advocate.

Nov. 3rd, 1703.— Anent the affair of Rain itisreported that by advice of the late Synod, there was a letter written to my Lord Advocate, and another to the Kirk Agent, which were both transmitted (with the instruments taken in that affair), craving that Council letters might be raised against Mr. Chalmers and the abettors of his intrusion.

Feb. 2nd, 1704. —Anent Main a letter was written this day to my Lord Advocate, another to the Moderator of the Commission, and another to the Kirk Agent, requesting that affair may be brought to an issue. °

March 2nd.— Anent the affair of Bain, Mr. Thomson informed that immediately after the last meeting he had received from Master Blackwell, minister of Aberdeen, Council letters against Mr. Chalmers, and witness ; which letters being execute, and the execution sent the Kirk Agent, and this being the day ,,i compearance, the Presbytery, considering that they had several tymes sent of their number to Rain, who bad met with opposition, and that those opposed (as the Presbytery was informed), had declared themselves both by word and deed, to continue to oppose the Presbytery in their attempts to take possession of Church of Rain, until Mr. Chalmers should be one way or another sentenced by the Council, and also that the said Mr. Chalmers, when he went to Edinburgh, took the keys of the kirk door from the officer, so that there was no expectation of getting entry without violence : "Upon all which the Presbytery thought tit not to expose themselves by appointing any one to preach there until the Councils sentence anent Mr. Chalmers should be known. And, therefore, appoints Mr. Lesly of rough to preach at Rain, Sabbath come a fourtuight, if the Council sentence Mr. Chalmers, anil declare the Church vacant and, least there should be opposition, to take a nottar with him and protest against the opposes ; in which ease he is only to preach in the kirkyard if he get hearers, and there declare the vaeancie.

March 28th, 1702.— Mr. Lesly reports that he had not preached at Rain in respect that Mr. lialmers had returned from Edinburgh, ami yet kept possession of that kirk— Certified information of the Councils sentence had not been received.

Ap. 19th, 1701.— Anent the affair of Rain there having come a letter to Mr. (.'lialmers, intruder there, from the Queen's advocate, in tyme. of Synod, which was accordingly sent, and the Presby. was advised to wait some tyme that they should see if Mr. Chalmers should give obedience by removing ;

432 Inverurie and the Earldom of the Garioch.

which, if he did not, in that case the Presby. should represent the same to the Advocate. The Presby. being well informed that the said Mr. Chalmers did still continue his intrusion, did, in complyance with the Synod's advice, appoint the Moderator to write to the Advocate auent him and report.

July 19th, 1704. — The Moderator reports he had written to Mr. Blackwell anent the affair of Eain, according to appointment, but had got no return, he is appointed to write again.

Sept. 12th, 170-1. — The Moderator reports that lie had received a letter from Mr. Blackwell anent Eain, bearing that the Lard Advocate had promised to cause effectually remove Mr. Chalmers in- truder there.

Oct. 19th. — The Presby. considering the Synod's act appoynting Presbytries to plant vacancies in there bounds tounquwm jure devoluto, when the power was in their hands, even though such churches were illegally intruded upon, did appoint Messrs. Mair and Maitland to discourse the heritors of Rain, and the Moderator and Mr. Johnston the heritors of Chappel, anent the removing of the intruders, and the planting of their vacancies, and auquaint them with the Synod's Act, and report.

Mr. Clark, the incumbent of Chapel of Garioch, had been libelled, and was to be excommunicated.

Nov. 15th, 1704. — The ministers appointed report that they had spoken with most of the Pro- testant heritors of these parioches, who said they would not be active in putting out the intruders, but seemed not altogether averse to have the places settled with such as the Presby. and they could agree upou, providing the intruders were legally removed. The Presby., considering that Sir James Elphin- stone is the most considerable heritor in both parioches, appointed him to be written to acquainting him with the Synod's Act and craving his concurrence with the Presby. in the settlement of these churches and to give him a Hat of the Probationers that he may turn his thoughts anent them.

Dec. 19th, 1704.— Sir James Elphinstone's reply is that he was desirous the Churches of Raue and Chapell should be settled, and was ready to concur with the Presby. for that end, but was not yet ripe for giving his thoughts anent the young men tire Presbytery had mentioned in their letter, not being acquainted with them, but should take advice thereanent. The Presbytery appointed another letter to be written to Sir James, showing him that the Presby. by virtue of an Act of Synod was obliged to proceed very shortly to the settlement of said churches. The Moderator and Mr. Lesly reported that they had seen a letter from the Queen's Advocate to the professor anent Mr. Chalmers, signifying that letters of denunciation were sent against him, hut desyring that the said Mr. Chalmers might be acquainted, and have eight or ten days respite granted him before they should be executed, and accordingly they had gone and showed the said Mr. Chalmers the said letters, who would give them no answer whether he would leave of his intrusion. Mr. Clark had appealled against his excommuni- cation to the Court of Session. The above ministers were appointed to send word of Mr. Chalmers continuing to intrude, to the ministers at Aberdeen who had not yet denounced Mr. Chalmers.

Jaur. 17th, 1705. — Anentthe vacancy of Raine and Chapel, the Modr. and Mr. Leslie of Kemnay report they had again written to Sir James, and produced an answer from him devolving the power ou the Presbytrie's hand to plant these churches as they shall see cause, promising his concurrence therein. And whereas he desyres in the said letter that the Presbytrie advise with Pittodrie and Wartle anent the planting of those vacancies, the Presbytrie resolve to call one to Kain the next Presbytrie day,- and iu the meantime appoints Mr. Lesly of Kemnay to discourse Pittodrie and Wartle, and endeavour that those, two gentlemen may agree upon one of our probationers for the said post, which will have much weight with the Presbytrie, and give them great clearness to call the said young man.

7th Feb., 1705. — It is reported that the lairds of Pittodrie and Wartle declare their willingness the Presbytery should call one to be minister whom they judged qualified, and further signified their inclination for Mr. Walter Turing beyond any other, promising their concurrence if the Presbytery should call the said young man.

The Presby. agree to appoint Mr. Turing, give him subjects for trial, and appoint him to preach within the parish of Raine, wherever he should get access, in respect Mr. Chalmers still keeps posses- sion of the Church, till the next Pby.

Access was at last got to the Church by the agency of a son of Mortimer, the bellman, who had been accustomed to enter the tower by a hole, probably in search of birds' nests. He opened the door from within, and the parishioners, who by that time, if not before, were willing for Presbyterianism, took possession. Mr. Chalmers disappeared and Mr. Turing became minister.

APPENDIX.

55

GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX

OF

GAEIOCH FAMILIES FLOURISHING AT THE TIME OF THE EE VOLUTION SETTLEMENT,

AND STILL EEPKESENTED.

KEITH.

Tradition and early chronicles bring the Keiths to Scotland, by compulsory emigration, from the district of Hesse Cassel, the German home of the Catti until conquered by the Roman Legions ; and mark their progress first to Batavia, where the name of a town, Catwig, com- memorated their sojourn, and thence to the northern extremity of Scotland, where they obtained some prolonged settlement, and gave the name of Caithness to the region there secured by them. Their chief is said to have become the son-in-law of the Pictish king, Brude, who had his capital on the Ness, and they in consequence shared the misfortunes of the Picts when subjugated by the Scots in the next generation. They were driven to the wilds of Lochaber, where the several tribes that claim to belong to the comprehensive Clan Chattan took origin.

The line of the Earls Marischal, who, in later Scottish history, were the chief representa- tatives of the Catti under the name of Keith, is given as under, down to the beginning of the eighteenth century, partly from a manuscript preserved in the family, and printed in 1820 by the late Peter Buchan, of Peterhead.

I. — Robert, Prince of the Catti, fighting under the first King Malcolm against Danish invaders, at Barry in 1010, killed Camus, the leader of the Danes, and so obtained the victory. The king, in recognition of this service, appointed him his grand Marischal.

II.— Sir Robert Keith, his son, fought at Culross against the Norwegians invading Fife under Sueno, temp., King Duncan. He married Elizabeth Straquhan.

III. — Sir Robert Keith, his father's successor, married Elizabeth, daughter of John Cumyn, of that Ilk, temp., Alexander I.

IV. — Sir Patrick Keith, his son, married Margaret, daughter of the Earl of Mar.

V.— Sir William Keith succeeded his father, under David I. He led the Scots successfully against the English army of King Stephen, at Allerton, in 1133, when he took the English leader prisoner. He married Elizabeth Seton. Their son,

VI.— Sir Robert Keith, succeeded. He defeated the rebel Thane of Argyle, Somerled, temp., Malcolm IV. By his wife, Elisabeth Fraser, he had

436 Appendix.

VII. — Sir Henry Keith, Marisehal under William the Lion. He married Margaret, daughter of William of Douglas. His son,

VIII. — Sir William Keith, also served King William. He accompanied the King and his brother, David of Huntingdon and the Garioch, to England to meet King Richard on his return to his kingdom. By his wife, Jean de Gordon, he had a son,

IX. — Sir William Keith, who attended Alexander II. and his Queen in their progress through the northern parts of the kingdom.

X. — Sir Robert Keith, his son, was with Alexander III., when at Largs he routed the Norwegians invading the Western Isles. He married Jean Ogilvy.

XI. — Sir John Keith, their son, succeeded him. He married Margaret Cumyn, daughter of the Earl of Buchan.

Douglas (Peerage), quoting evidence from " Caledonia," and from sundry charters, gives a different genealogy anterior to Sir John Keith ; also leaving an indefinite blank after Robert, the conqueror of Camus ; his 'first Marisehal, Herveus de Keith, corresponding with Sir Henry of the manuscript :—

1. Herveus, son of Warin, witnessed the gift of Annandale by David I. to Robert de Brus.

He possessed half the district of Keth, in East Lothian.

2. Herveus de Keth, King's Marisehal under Malcolm IV. and William I., witnessed several

charters of King William after 1189, but died before 1196. His son, Malcolm, designed in 1185 son of Herveus de Keth great Marisehal of Scotland, predeceased his father, leaving two sons, Philip (the next Marisehal) and David, who appears associated in the Marischal's duties with Philip in 1201, and with Philip's son (Herveus) in 1220.

3. Philip de Keth, designed great Marisehal of Scotland, 1195-1214, died before 1220. By his

wife, Eda Lorens, he had a son,

4. Herveus de Keth, who,- with his uncle David, acted as Marischals at the marriage of

Alexander II. to Joan of England, at York, 15th June, 1220. He died before 1250, leaving a son, Sir John de Keth (above-mentioned). Sir John de Keth designed great Marisehal of Scotland, in a charter of Alexander II., 1238, died before 1270, leaving by his wife, the Earl of Buehan's daughter, Sir William, who does not appear as Marisehal ; Sir Robert, successor of Sir John ; Adam, Rector of Keith - Marisehal, in 1292 ; and ajjparently another son, father of Sir William Keith of Gals- •toun. The manuscript genealogy contains a Sir Robert, besides the Sir Robert recorded by Douglas, stating that he married Barbara Seton of Winton, and had a daughter, the mother of the good Sir James of Douglas. These family particulars are attached by Douglas to the name of Sir William de Keth. The figures that follow are the line of Marischals, not of family succession.

XII. — Sir Robert de Keith (not Keth), great Marisehal of Scotland, had a charter from John Baliol, 1294. He was the companion of Bruce, and fought at Inverurie and Bannock- burn, and lost his life in the surprise at Dupplin, 1332. He was the first Keith of the Garioch (p. 62), having received in 1324 a grant of Hallforest from the King, and also of Aden in Buchan, and of some lands in Strathbogy. He was married to Barbara Douglas, and had a son, John, who predeceased him, leaving a son,

XIII. — Sir Robert Keith, his grandfather's successor in 1332. He, was for some time Sheriff of Aberdeen and was active in the expulsion of Edward Baliol, and in the subjuga- tion of the English party at Kilblene. He married Margaret, daughter of Gilbert de la

Keith. 437

Haye, the first Constable of Scotland of that name. Douglas says he had no issue by her, and was succeeded by his grand-uncle. The manuscript genealogy assigns two sons to the marriage — Sir William and Sir- Edward. Both accounts say he died in 1346 in the battle of Durham, in which David II. became captive to the English. A charter in the Spalding Club Collections, gives a Sir William Keith, Marischal of Scotland in 1342 — a record best explainable by supposing that Sir William was the son of Sir Robert and associated with him in the office of Marischal, and had died before him.

XIV. — Sir Edward Keith, designed " son of Robert de Keith great Marischal of Scotland," appears on an inquisition in 1341. He died before 1350. He married (1st) Isabel de Keth of Galstoun, and (2ndly) Christian, daughter of Sir John Menteith and Elyne of Mar, by whom he had a daughter, Janet, who marrying Sir Thomas Erskine, became ancestress of the Erskines Earls of Mar. Sir Edward had two sons — Sir William, and John (designed in 1354 the son of Sir Edward and brother of Sir William great Marischal of Scotland). John, marrying Mariota, daughter of Sir- Reginald Cheyne of Inverugie, began the line of the Inverugie Keiths. Of two daughters of Sir Edward, Catharine married Alexander Barclay, ancestor of Barclay of Ury, and Janet married Sir David Hamilton of Cadyow. The manuscript gives another Edward, whom it describes as the first Lord Keith, and the father of Janet, Lady Hamilton.

XV.— Sir William Keith, Great Marischal of Scotland, is in 1354 designed son of Sir Edward Keith. He appears in documents from 1357 to 1407, and died before 1412. He married Margaret Fraser, only .child of Sir- John Fraser, who was the eldest son of Sir Alexander Fraser, High Chamberlain of Scotland by Mary, sister of King Robert the Bruce. This Sir William Keith acquired in excambion for some lands in Fife the lands of Dunnottar, and built the Castle of Dunnottar, which from that time became the chief seat of the Keith- Marisehal family. Sir William and Margaret Fraser had three sons and four daughters — 1, Sir John ; 2, Sir Robert Keith of Troup ; 3, Sir Alexander Keith of Grandowme, believed to have been the commander of horse at Harlaw ; 1, Muriel, 2nd wife of Robert, Duke, of Albany, Regent of Scotland, and mother of John Stewart, Earl of Buchan, Constable of France. ; 2, Janet, wife of Philip Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott ; 3, Christian, wife of Sir James Lindsay of Crawford (p. 77) ; 4, Elizabeth, married to Sir Adam de Gordon of Huntly. The Marischal's eldest son John in 1373-4 had from his father a charter of all his possessions and offices. He took his father's official post at the battle of Otterbum, and after the fall of James of Douglas, recovered the battle, taking Ralph Percy prisoner. He married one of the sisters of Robert III., and had a son Robert, the hero of Winton's " Fecht at Bourtie ". John and his son both died before the Marischal — Robert, leaving a daughter Jean, who married (s. p.) Alexander, first Earl of Huntly. The Marischal's second son, Sir Robert, also prede- ceased him, but during his brother's lifetime he had married the heiress of Troup, and had two sons — Sir William the next Marischal, and John who got Troup — and whose descendant George Keith of Northneld, was, 24th September 1742, served heir male of Sir Robert Keith, great Marischal of Scotland. One daughter Margaret, married Hugh Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott ; another, Elizabeth, married Alexander Irvine of Drum.

XVIIL— Sir William Keith, first Earl Marischal, eldest son of Sir Robert of Troup, marrying Mary, daughter of Sir James Hamilton of Cadyow had four sons, the second of whom succeeded him, and two daughters, of whom, Egidia, the younger, married John, 2nd Lord Forbes. He was created Earl Marischal by James II., before 4th July, 1458, and died before 1476. He served his country well, by his influence and prudence dming the discords between

438 Appendix.

Regent Livingston and Chancellor Crichton in the minority of James II., preserving peace in the North.

XIX. — William, second Earl Marischal, largely increased the family estates. He married Mariota or Muriella, daughter of Thomas, first Lord Erskine. His third son, Alexander, got from him Aquhorsk in Mar ; and his line, now represented by a grandson of Dr. George Skene Keith, once Minister of Keith-hall, is perhaps the only existing male branch of the family. The second Earl Marischal served hi the Parliaments of 1476 and 1488. His eldest son,

XX. — William, third Earl Marischal, under James III. and IV., married Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of the second Earl of Huntly. He had a charter as Marischal in 1511-2, and died about 1530. His two eldest sons, Robert and William, fell at Flodden. Robert, Lord Keith, marrying Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of John, Earl of Morton, had William, the fourth Ear) Marischal ; and Robert, Commendator of Deer.

XXI. — William, fourth Earl Marischal, succeeded his grandfather after 1530. He reunited the Inverugie branch to the main line of the family by marrying Margaret, elder daughter of Sir William Keith of Inverugie, who died at Flodden. He was present with his followers at Pinkie in 1547, where his eldest son William, Master of Marischal, was taken prisoner. Robert, the Earl's second son, was the Commendator of Deer, created Lord Altrie in 1587, who died without male succession before 1590, his nephew George, fifth Earl, becoming his heir. Earl William was a zealous promoter of the Reformation, yet much valued by the widowed Queen, who, when dying, commended her daughter and the peace of the kingdom to his care. He moved the ratification of the Protestant Confession of Faith in the Parliament of 1560. In order to retrieve his estate, which his position had led him into burdening heavily, he confined himself, during the last eighteen years of his life, to his castle of Dunnottar, administering justice in the Mearns, and known by the name of William of the Tower. He died in 1581, and was succeeded by George, the son of William, Master of Marischal, and Elizabeth Hay, his wife, daughter of George, sixth Earl of Erroll.

XXII. — George, fifth Earl Marischal, well accomplished in classics, was sent at eighteen to France with his brother AVilliain, for education, and afterwards resided and studied in Beza's household at Geneva ; where William met his death in a tumult. Earl George returned home after extensive travel, and occupied a prominent position in the country. King James chose him to go to Denmark to conduct his betrothed queen to Scotland in 1589 ; and afterwards made him Lieutenant of the North, at the time of the Spanish plot. He was the founder of Marischal College in 1593 ; in which year he gave a charter to Peterhead. He died in his 70th year at Dunnottar, in 1623. By his first wife, Margaret, daughter of Lord Home, he had William, Margaret, and Anne, wife of William, Earl of Morton. By his second wife, Margaret, daughter of James, Lord Ogilvy of Airly, he had Sir James Keith of Benholm.

XXIII. — William, sixth Earl Marischal, a valued Privy Councillor of Charles I., died in the prime of his age in 1635, leaving by his wife, Mary Erskine, daughter of John, Earl of Mar, High Treasurer of Scotland, four sons, William, the Earl Marischal of the Tro\ibles ; George, also Earl Marischal ; Sir Robert ; and John, the first Earl of Kintore ; and three daughters, Maiy, married to Lord Kilpont, son and heir of William, Earl of Airth and Menteith ; Jean, wife of Alexander, Lord Pitsligo ; and Lady Anne Keith.

XXIV. — William, seventh Earl Marischal, a minor and in France when his father died, was continued there by the king for some time. He took the Covenanter side for some years of the Civil war, but like other noblemen, went over in 1648 to the King's side. He received Charles

The Earls of Kiiitore. 439

II. at Dunnottar in 1650, where the Regalia was afterwards committed to his charge. He shortly fell himself into the hands of Cromwell's Government, and his estates being seized, his mother furnished the means of his support while a prisoner. On the Restoration, he received many marks of royal favour. He had no son who outlived infancy. His daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, Jean, and Isabel, became the wives respectively of Sir James Hope of Hopetown, afterwards of Sir Archibald Murray of Blackbarony ; Robert, Viscount Arbuthnott ; George, Lord Banff, and Sir Edward Turner.

XXV. — George, eighth Earl Marischal, succeeded on his brother's death at Inverugie in 1661. He had fought for Charles I. at Preston, and for Charles II. at Worcester, where he was taken prisoner. He married Lady Mary Hay, daughter of the Earl of Kinnoul, and had an only son, who succeeded upon his father's death, in 1694, at Inverugie.

XXVI. — William, ninth Earl Marischal, distinguished himself as an opponent of the union of the two kingdoms ; against which he entered a protest in the books of the Scottish Parliament. He was generous so much as to dilapidate his estates seriously. By his wife Mary, daughter of James, Earl of Perth, he was the father of two celebrated sons, George, the last Earl Marischal, and Field-Marshal James Keith, and two daughters, Mary, Countess of Wigton, and Anne, Countess of Galloway. He died in 1712.

XXVII. — George, tenth Earl Marischal, a favourite with Queen Anne, taking offence at some unaccountable treatment he and his brother, both in extreme youth, received when going south to offer their services to George I., and influenced by their mother, who was a Roman Catholic, joined the attempt made by the Earl of Mar in 1715 to seat James Stuart on the throne. After the disastrous end of that rising, both escaped to the Continent, where they attained very great distinction ; the elder in the civil, the younger in the military, service of various courts. The Earl died at Potsdam unmarried in 1778 ; James, Field-Marshal under Frederick the Great, fell in the battle of Hochkirchen, in 1758, also unmarried (p. 402.)

THE EARLS OF KINTOBE. P. 365.

I. — John Keith, sonUfWilliam, sixth Earl Marischal, appointed Knight Marischal by King Charles in 1660, was created Earl of Kintore 26th June, 1677. He married Margaret, posthumous daughter of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Haddington, and by her had a son William, Lord Keith, and two daughters— Lady Jean, married to William Forbes, younger of Monymusk, and Margaret, wife of Gavin Hamilton of Eaploch. John, first Earl of Kintore (p. 402), obtained in February, 1694, a new patent of the Kintore Peerage, limiting the honours to the heirs male of his body, and of his brother George, Earl Marischal ; whom failing, to the heirs female of his body ; with the precedency conferred in 1677.

II. — William Keith, second Earl of Kintore, succeeded his father in 1714. He joined the Jacobite rising in 1715, for which he suffered only deprivation of the office of Knight Maris- chal. He married Catherine, eldest daughter of David, Viscount Stormont, and had issue — John, 3rd Earl, William, 4th Earl, and Catherine Margaret wife of David, 5th Lord Falconer of Halkerton, ancestor of the second bine of Earls of Kintore.

III. — John Keith, third Earl of Kintore, succeeded in 1718, and died in 1758. He mar- ried a daughter of James Erskine of Grange, Lord Grange of the Court of Session, brother of the attainted Earl of Mar ; and himself a political plotter after the manner of the time, who caused his wife, Lady Kintore's mother, because she was in dangerous possession of his secrets, and on bad terms with himself, to be abducted in 1733, and confined, the rest of her life, in the

440 Appendix.

Hebrides, first in St. Hilda, and afterwards in Skye. John, third Earl of Kintore, bought Ardtannies — the Upper Davo of Invernrie, from Andrew Jaffray in 1723. His grandfather had bought the Lower Davo, in 1664, from Alexander Jaffray. Dying without issue, Earl John was succeeded by his brother,

IV. — William Keith, fourth Earl of Kintore, who never married, and died in 1761. On his death the estates went to George, last Earl Maxischal, the title becoming dormant during the lifetime of the Earl Marischal, who died in 1778.

V. — Anthony Adrian Keith-Falconer, fifth Earl of Kintore in 1778, was eighth Lord Falconer of Halkerton, being the son of "William, seventh Lord Falconer, who was the second son of Lady Catherine-Margaret Keith by her husband, David, fifth Lord Falconer. The Earl married Christiana Elizabeth Sighterman of Groningen, and had issue William and five daughters — Ladies Isabella, who died in 1792, Maria-Kembertina, Catherine-Margaret, Francina- Constantia, Jean, Christiana-Elizabeth, who died in 1820, and Helen who died young.

VI. — William Keith-Falconer, sixth Earl of Kintore, succeeded on his father's death in 1804. In 1793 he married Maria, daughter of Sir Alexander Bannerman, Bart., M.D., and had issue Anthony-Adrian, Alexander, Captain William Keith-Falconer, R.N., and Lady Mary born in 1795.

VII. — Anthony Adrian Keith-Falconer, seventh Earl of Kintore, succeeded on his father's death in 1812. He was created a Baron of Great Britain in 1838, and died in 1844. By his second marriage with Miss Louisa Hawkins, he left two sons, his heir and Major Charles James Keith-Falconer, Commissioner of Inland Revenue, and a daughter Lady Isabella, wife of Henry Grant, Esq. of Congalton.

VIII. — Francis Alexander Keith-Falconer, eighth Earl of Kintore, is married to his cousin, Louiza-Madeleine Hawkins, and has issue two sons, Algernon Hawkins-Thomond, Lord Inverurie (married, with issue, to Lady Sidney Charlotte Montague, daughter of the sixth Duke of Manchester), and Ion Grant Neville, and three daughters, Ladies Madeleine-Dora, Blanche-Catherine, and Maude.

ARMS OF EARL OF KINTORE,

Quarterly 1st and 4th Gules, a sceptre arid sword in Saltire, with an imperial crown in chief within an orle of eight thistles or as a coat of augmentation for preserving the regalia of Scotland. 2nd and 3rd Argent, a chief paly of six or and gules for Keith.

Crests — A demiwoman richly attired holding in her right hand a garland of laurel ppr.

Crest for Falconer of Halkerton. An angel in a praying posture or within orle of laurel ppr.

Supporters — Two men in complete armour, each holding a pike ppr.

Motto — Quce amissa salva.

LESLIE.

Colonel Leslie, K.H. of Balquhain, printed, in 1869, " Historical Records of the Family of Leslie," in which he authenticates the later pedigree of the Leslies from numerous docu- ments in his possession. The earlier portion is taken partly from Laurus Leslaeana, written 1692, by a Jesuit priest of the Balquhain family, but is compared with all available authorities.

THE ORIGINAL FAMILY.

I. Bartolf or Bartholomew, for., 1067-1121 ; married Beatrix, sister of Malcobn Canmore (p. 16). It is uncertain whether he was a Hungarian or a Fleming.

II. Malcolm, son of Bartolf, Constable of Enrowrie, who died circa, 1176, had two sons, Norman and Malcolm (p. 31).

Leslie of that Ilk and Leslie of Balquhain. 441

III. Norman, son of Malcolm, Constable of Enrowrie (charter 1199), had three sons, Norino, Leonard, and Bartholomew (p. 33).

IV. Norino the Constable, son of Norman (charter 1248) (p. 34).

V. Sir Norman de Leslie (1282), first bearer of the surname, married Elizabeth Leith, heiress of Edingarroch ; or a daughter of Watson of Rothes, as by another account (p. 37).

VI. Sir Andrew de Leslie (1320). By his wife, Mary, daughter of Alexander Abernethy, dominus ejusdem, he had five sons. 1. Andrew ; 2. Norman ; 3. The ancestor of the Earls of Rothes ; 4. Walter, Earl of Ross ; 5. George, first of Balquhain (p. 73).

VII. Sir Andrew de Leslie (1325-1353), had a son Andrew, and a daughter Margaret, married to David de Abercromby, laird, in 1391, of Aquhorties, &c.

VIII. Sir Andrew de Leslie had a son Norman, who predeceased him. They bequeathed the mass of the family estates to Sir George Leslie of Rothes, grandfather of the first Earl of Bothes (p. 104).

IX. David de Leslie (died 1439), son of Norman, was supposed dead when Norman made his settlement in 1390, but he reappeared. He married Margaret, daughter of Robert Davidson, Brovost of Aberdeen, who fell at Harlaw. Their only child, Margaret, married Alexander Leslie, son to Sir Andrew, third Baron of Balquhain, who had by her a son John, said to have been poisoned by Ms stepmother, and a daughter Johanna, married to a brother of Strachan of Thornton (p. 105).

LESLIE OF THAT ILK. P. 104.

I. Alexander Lesb'e of that Ilk, husband of Margaret, married secondly Janet Mowat of Balquhollie, and had two sons, William, born 1430, and George, the next of that Ilk.

II. George Leslie of that Ilk, born 1432, died before 1513. His oldest son succeeded.

III. Alexander Leslie of that Ilk, by his wife, Janet Leslie, daughter of George Leslie, first of New Leslie, had two daughters, of whom Christian married Alexander Leslie of Bitnamoon, who in her right succeeded her father about 1520.

IV. Alexander Leslie of that Ilk, by his wife, Christian Leslie, had two sons, John and Walter.

V. John Leslie of that Ilk in 1546 had a lease of the teinds of lands in Leslie from John, Abbot of Lindores, and, in 1579-1584, of other church property in Bremnay. By his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Dempster of Muiresk, he had Batrick and Isabella.

VI. Batrick Leslie of that Ilk married Margaret, daughter of Robert Lumsden of Aberdeen ; and, after her death in 1575, Sarah Keith, by whom he had two sons, each of whom succeeded him, viz., John and George.

VII. John Leslie of that Ilk, died without issue before 1608, and was succeeded by

VIII. George Leslie of that Ilk (p. 217), the last holder of the patronymic lands of Leslie. He granted a charter of half the lands of Aquhorties to William Robertson^ elder, and William Robertson, younger. In 1620, being in pecuniary difficulties, he sold Auld Leslie to John Forbes of Enzean, second son of William Forbes of Monymusk (p. 237). By his wife, Cathe- rine Henderson, he had a son John, served heir to his mother in 1646.

LESLIE OF BALQUHAIN. P. 66.

I. Sir George Leslie of Balquhain, (1340-51) fifth son of Sir Andrew Leslie, sixth Dominus ejusdem, married Elizabeth Keith of Inverugie (p. 66).

56

442 Appendix.

II. Sir Hamelin Leslie of Balquhadn succeeded his father in 1351, and died in 1378. By his wife, Anna, daughter of Lord Maxwell of Caerlaverock, he had

III. Sir Andrew Leslie of Balquhain (p. 107), who married Isahel Mortimer, daughter of Bernard Mortimer of Craigievar, succeeded his father in 1378, and was killed in 1420. Of three daughters one married Glaster of Glack, another Munro of Foulis, and another Cheyne of Straloch. The second son, Alexander, marrying Margaret, only child of David de Leslie, became the first Leslie of Leslie. Sir Andrew's eldest son,

IV. Sir William Leslie of Balquhain (p. 100), succeeded in 1420. He was the common ancestor of the Leslies of Kincraigie, by his first wife, Elizabeth Fraser, daughter of Hugh, first Lord Lovat ; and of the Leslies of Wardes and the Leslies of New Leslie, by his second wife, Agnes Irvine of Drum ; and of the Leslies of Pitcaple by his third wife, Euphemia Lindsay, granddaughter of David, first Earl of Crawford, and Janet, daughter of King Robert II.

V. Alexander Leslie of Balquhain succeeded his father in 1467. By his first wife, Janet Gordon of Cairnbarrow, he had, among other children,

VI. Patrick Leslie of Balquhain, who succeeded in 1472, whose wife was Murial Grant, daughter of Sir Donald Grant of Fruchie (Castle Grant).

VII. William Leslie of Balquhain, his son, succeeded in 1496 (p. 137). By his wife Eliza- beth, daughter of Sir Walter Ogilvie of the Boyne, he had, among others, Isabel, married secondly to Alexander Seton of Meldrum ; Jean, married to Patrick Leith, younger of Edin- garroch, and his heir,

VIII. John Leslie of Balquhain (p. 139), who succeeded in 1545, and died in France in 1561. He married Elizabeth Leslie, daughter of Patrick Leslie of Ardoyne. His eldest son prede- ceased him without male issue. Four daughters, Janet, Agnes, Margaret, and Barbara, mar- ried respectively William Duguid of Auchinhove, James Harvey of Boyndis, Dunbar of Bonnyfield, and William Cumming of Auchry. He was succeeded by his second son,

IX. William Leslie of Balquhain (p. 146), who was Sheriff under the Earl of Huntly at the Reformation, and protected the Cathedral of Aberdeen from destruction. He was the first lay proprietor of Fetternear. His first wife, the mother of his heir, was Janet, daughter of John, sixth Lord Forbes, and widow in succession of John, Earl of Atholl, and Alexander Hay of Delgatie. Their daughter Jean married Thomas Dempster of Muiresk in 1588, and their daughter Margaret became wife of Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog, and her second son became Abercromby of Fetternear.

X. John Leslie of Balquhain, eldest son, succeeded in 1571 (p. 215). He was the prin- cipal dilapidator of the family estates. He was married in succession to Elizabeth, daughter to the Laird of Grant, in 1564 ; to Lady Elizabeth Hay, daughter of George, sixth Earl of Erroll, before 1595 ; and to Jean Erskine, sister of Thomas, first Earl of Kelbie, in 1598. His sons by his first wife, John and William, became eleventh and thirteenth barons of Balquhain ; Alexander and Walter, sons by his third wife, became fourteenth baron and first Count Leslie. Their sister Elizabeth married, as her second husband, William Grant in Conglass (p. 319).

XL John Leslie of Balquhain succeeded in 1622, and died in 1638, having all but com- pleted the ruin of the .family property (p. 216). By his wife Janet, daughter of Innes of Auchintoul, he had John, his heir, Alexander, baptised by the minister of Inverurie 7th March, 1635, and Jean, wife of James Elphinstone of Glack.

XII. John Leslie of Balquhain (p. 250), on his father's death in 1638, succeeded to the Castle and Mains alone. Leaving his estate to nurse, he became a soldier, first under General Leslie

Leslie of Balquhain. 443

in Scotland, and afterwards in the Muscovite service ; in which he was killed, at the storming of Ingolwitz in Poland, 30th August, 1655. He was married, but lost wife and children by the pestilence.

XIII. William Leslie of Balquhain (p. 250), second son of John, eleventh of Balquhain, succeeded his nephew. Having served King Charles I. in the army and at the Court, he retired to Holland after the King's death. He had no son ; and on succeeding to the family property, he renounced it for an annuity to his half-brother Walter, Count Leslie (p. 399), who again about 1659 surrendered it to his own elder brother Alexander, being himself possessed of large estates in Germany.

XIV. Alexander, Count Leslie of Balquhain, long styled Alexander Leslie of Tullos, succeeded his brother William in 1671 (p. 330). By his wife Jean, daughter of James Elphin- stone of Glack, he had four sons, of whom the eldest died early ; the second, James, adopted by his uncle Walter, became second Count Leslie in Germany (p. 400) ; the third, Patrick, became fifteenth baron of Balquhain ; and the fourth was a Jesuit priest, William Aloysius, author of Laurus Leslocana, published at Gratz, 1692. Alexander Count Leslie died in his eightieth year in 1677, and was succeeded by his second surviving son,

XV. Patrick Count Leslie of Balquhain, in whose time the recovery of the dispersed family estates was completed, through the aid afforded by the prosperous Counts Leslie to his father and himself. He married in 1661, Elizabeth Douglas, granddaughter of William, Earl of Angus, and by her had two sons and four daughters. The eldest son chose the lot offered him of succeeding his uncle James, second Count Leslie in Styria, and the second son having died without issue the succession became ultimately subject of contest among the descendants of two of the daughters ; one of them, Teresa, married to Robert Duguid of Auchinhove, became mother of the twenty-first baron of Balquhain, whose descendants now possess the estate (p. 400).

Count Patrick in 1679 married, as his second wife, Mary Irvine of Drum ; and a son George, born by her in 1682, succeeded his father.

XVI. George, Count Leslie of Balquhain, succeeded in 1710. In 1695 his elder brother James Ernest, Count of the German Empire, conveyed to him his rights over the Balquhain estates, for which purpose he met him at Cologne, because he could not receive him at his own residence at Gratz in Styria, unless George could appear with a retinue of horse and men repre- senting a charge of 30,000 merits. Count George married Margaret, daughter of John, eighth Lord Elphinstone, and had two sons, both of whom became lairds of Balquhain.

XVII. James, Count Leslie of Balquhain, was on his father's death in 1715, in his fourth year. He died in Paris in his twentieth year unmarried.

XVIII. Ernest, Count Leslie of Balquhain, the younger son of Count George of Balquhain, succeeded in 1731, being still a minor, and died in 1739.

XIX. Anthony, Count Leslie of Balquhain, second son of Count Charles Cajeton, the son of James Ernest, Count Leslie, elder brother of Count George (XVI.), succeeded by a decision of the House of Lords in 1742 ;_but in 1762, the Court of Session finding that he was not the next Protestant heir of entail, he had to denude himself of the estates.

XX. Peter Leslie Grant of Balquhain, who was by the Court of Session's decision declared the true heir, was the son of Anna Erancisca, second daughter of Count Patrick Leslie (XV.) by her husband, John Boy Grant of Ballindalloch. He entered the Dutch service ; and died unmarried at Fetternear in 1775.

XXI. Patrick Leslie Duguid of Auchinhove, son of Teresa, Count Patrick Leslie's third

444 Appendix.

daughter, succeeded as laird of Balquhain. By his second wife, Amelia Irvine, daughter of James Irvine of Kingcausie, in the Meams, he had eleven children. Three daughters and their mother died in 1762. The two eldest sons became priests, and the third died unmarried ; the fourth (born 1751), succeeding his father in 1777.

XXII. — John Leslie of Balquhain married, in 1774, Violet Dalzell, daughter of John Dalzell of Barncrosh. They had fifteen children. Three of the sons succeeded to the laird - ship, and a daughter, Amelia, married Alexander Fraser of Strichen, and by him had an only son, Thomas Alexander Fraser, to whom the forfeited Barony Lovat .was restored. Mr. Leslie's papers illustrate largely the disabilities then affecting landowners who were Roman Catholics. In Ms time the farm of Aquhorties was let upon a lease of ninety-nine years, from 1 796, in order to the foundation of the first Roman Catholic College in Scotland. The College was transferred to Blairs, in Kincardineshire, in 1829. He died in 1828, and was succeeded by his eldest son, born 1675, studied at Ratisbou 1788-1795, then a cadet in La Tour's Dragoons.

XXIII. — Ernest, Count Leslie of Balquhain, assumed, (with recognition by the Austrian Court, in whose service he was), the German title obtained by the family. He married in 1812 iu Hungary, the Baroness Fanny Stillfried, daughter of Emmanuel, Baron Stillfried, Imperial Chamberlain, and died at Frankfort in 1836.

XXIV. — John Edward, Count Leslie of Balquhain, their only son, born at Brussels in 1820, succeeded his father in 1836, and died in 1844, unmarried.

XXV. — James Michael Leslie of Balquhain, his uncle, fourth son of John Leslie, spent most of his life in Jamaica. Succeeding Count John, he died at Fetternear in 1849, unmarried.

XXVI. — Colonel Charles Leslie, K.H. of Balquhain, fifth son of John Leslie succeeded his brother. He was twice married. By his first wife, Mary, daughter of Major-General Sir Charles Holloway, he had two soils, the elder of whom died the day of his birth. His second wife, Lady Dorothy Eyre, died Countess of Newburgh in 1853, leaving her husband extensive estates in England. She had no children.

XXVII. — Charles Stephen Leslie of Balquhain, born 1832, succeeded on his father's death in 1870. He married in 1853, Jane, daughter of John Rounding, Esq., and by her has issue.

Arms — Argent, on a fess azure three buckles or. Crest — A griffin's head erased ppr. Motto — Grip fast.

LESLIE OF WARDES. Pp. 100, 111, 120.

I. — Alexander Leslie of Wardes (p. 138), Receiver-General under James III., and the King's shield bearer, was the eldest son of Sir William Leslie, fourth baron of Balquhain, by his second wife, Agnes Irvine of Drum. He married Isabella de Lauder, the heiress of Bal- comie, in Crail, Fifeshire, by whom he had two sons, John and Walter, and several daughters, the eldest of whom married, 1st, William Seton of Meldrum, and 2nd, Provost John Collison of Aberdeen, the instigator of an attack made upon that town in 1525 by some of his wife's relatives (p. 138). Another daughter married Spence of Boddom ; and the youngest, Robert Keith, who was killed at Flodden, in 1513.

II. — John Leslie of Wardes (p. 138), born 1460, succeeded his father in 1500. In 1504 he was Provost of Aberdeen ; and he obtained the Regality lands of the Garioch in 1510. He was married five times — first to a daughter of the Bishop of Moray, without issue.

By his second wife, Margaret, daughter of William, Lord Crichton of Frendraught, he had Alexander, his heir, and Margaret, married to the Laird of Cobairdy.

Leslie of Wardes. 445

By his third wife, Margaret Forbes of Echt, relict of Walter Stewart of Dryland, he had two sons, the younger of whom died without issue. The elder was William, first laird of Wai'thill ; whose descendants now represent the Wardes line in the Garioch.

By his fourth wife, Agnes, daughter of Patrick Gordon of Haddo, he had Andrew, pro- genitor of the Leslies of Bucharn and the Leslies of Clisson in France ; Bessie, wile of Robert Winton, next of Andrew Menzies ; Marjory, married to James Keith of Aquhorsk ; another daughter, married to John, son of Patrick Leith of Edingarroch.

By his fifth wife, Annabella Chalmers of Balbithan, with whom jointly he had a charter of Tullyfour in the Regality of the Garioch, in 1525, he had Robert— killed at Pinkie ; Clara, married to Patrick Leith of Harthill, to which spouses King James gave a charter of Auch- leven and others, 1531 ; Isabella, married, 1st, to William Troup of Comaleggie, 2ndly, to Andrew Craig of Balmellie; Annabella, wife of Andrew Bremner, in Aberdeen.

III. — Alexander Leslie of Wardes succeeded in 1546. By his wife Margaret, daughter of Alexander Forbes of Towie— along with whom, in 1546, he got from Queen Mary a charter of Tavilty — he had William his successor, Patrick of Duncanstone, and Alexander, who «ot a Crown charter of Kirktown of Dyce in 1585. Alexander Leslie of Wardes was thrice married, the last time when in his eightieth year, and died in 1573.

IV.— William Leslie of Wardes (p. 221), called "Cutt" by King James VI.— under whom he was Falconer — married Janet Innes, daughter of Robert limes of Innermarkie. Two daughters became the wives respectively of Thomas Meldrum, son of Sir George of Fyvie, and George Chalmers of Balbithan. John, eldest son, succeeded him. George, second son — known as (p. 227) " of Crichie " and of Meikle Warthill, both of which properties were sold to Lord Elphinstone— was the father of Dr. John Leslie, Bishop of Orkney and afterwards of Kaphoe and Clogher, progenitor of the Leslies of Glasslough, in Ireland. William, the third son, who got a charter from his father of some Garioch lands and of the Thanage of Kintore in 1596, died without succession. James, the fourth son, by his wife, Margaret Erskine of Pittodrie, was ancestor of the Leslies of Tarbet in Ireland.

V.— John Leslie of Wardes succeeded in 1602. He married Jane Crichton, daughter of Sir James Crichton of Frendraught, and had three sons, John, William, and Norman ; and several daughters, of whom, Anne was married to John Leith of Edingarroch, about 1570, and Marjory to Gilbert Johnston, second sou of George Johnston of Caskieben (p. 177). He died 1620.

VI.— Sir John Leslie of Wardes succeeded his father, and was in 1625 created a Knight Baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia (p. 220). He married Elspet Gordon, daughter of John Gordon of Newton, by whom he had John his successor, Francis and Alexander, both killed in the German wars, and three daughters, who all married twice— Janet to John Gordon of Avochie, and then to George Gordon of Newton ; Elizabeth to Sir John Gordon of Cluny, and next to Colonel Sir George Currier ; and Marjory to Alexander Bannerman of Elsick, and afterwards to Sir John Fletcher, King's Advocate.. He died in 1640.

VII.— Six. John Leslie of Wardes succeeding to ruined fortunes went into foreign military service. He died unmarried and was buried at Insch, 1645.

VIIL— Sir William Leslie, his uncle, second son of John Leslie succeeded to the title but did not adopt it. His third daughter married Sir George Johnston, second baronet of Caskieben. His four sons, John, Patrick, Alexander, and William (who was younger of Wardes in 1650), all four died without issue. The lands of Wardes were out of the family in 1651 (p. 310). The barren title went to the descendants of his brother Norman ; whose first wife (without sirr-

446 Appendix.

viving issue) was Marjory Elphinstone, widow of Walter Innes, Miller of Ardtannies. By his second wife, Marjory, daughter of John Leith of Harthill, Norman Leslie had a son, John Leslie of New Rayne, who married Janet Gordon of Newton, and had Patrick Leslie of New Rayne, whose grandson, John Leslie — great-great grandson of Norman — claimed and obtained the baronetcy last inherited by Norman's elder brother, William.

IX. Sir John Leslie of Wardes, a member of the Society of Writers to the Signet, married, in 1794, Caroline, daughter of Abraham Leslie of Findrassie, and died in 1825.

X. Sir Charles Abraham Leslie of Wardes, his eldest son married Anne, daughter of Adam Walker. By her, who died 1845, he had two sons and two daughters.

XL Sir Norman Robert Leslie of Wardes, the elder son, born 1820, was killed in the Sepoy mutiny, in 1857, leaving a son,

XII. — Sir Charles Henry Leslie of Wardes, bom 1848, an officer in the Indian Staff Corps.

Arms — Leslie of Wardes and Findrassie, Bart. — Quarterly 1st and 4th, Argent, on a bend azure, between two holly leaves, vert, three buckles or. 2nd and 3rd, counter quartered, for Leslie of Findrassie, 1st and 4th Argent on a bend azure, three buckles or. 2 and 3 or, a lion rampant gules, surmounted by a baton sable ; all within a bordure cheeky gules and or. Crest — a demi-griffin proper. Motto — Grip fast.

LESLIE OF WARTHILL. Pp. 140, 223, 410.

I. — William Leslie of Warthill (p. 140), who died in 1561, in his 72nd year, was the second son of John Leslie, second baron of Wardes. He married a daughter of William Rowan, burgess in Aberdeen, in 1511, and by her had a son Robert, who fell at Pinkie, in 1547, along with his uncle Robert, son of John Leslie of Wardes.

William Leslie, by his second wife, Janet Cruickshank, heiress of half the lands of Little Warthill, grand-daughter of Adam Cruickshank of Tillymorgan, had twenty-one children, of whom sixteen married.

II.— Stephen Leslie of Warthill, their eldest son, born 1520, died 1610. He married Marjory, daughter of Patrick Leith of Licklyhead, by whom he had two sons. The second, Alexander, married Isabella, daughter of John Runciman, parson of Oyne.

III.— William Leslie of Warthill, the elder son, who died 1640, in his 80th year, acquired the other half of Little Warthill, and also bought Little Folia fromGordon of Tilliehoudie, husband of his daughter Beatrix. By his wife Margaret, daughter of Gilbert Gray of Tullo, he had James, his successor in Warthill, and William ; to whom he gave Little Folia, and whose descendantsj in 1799, succeeded also to Warthill.

IV.— James Leslie of Warthill, bom 1584, died 1679. He married Beatrix, daughter of Walter Abercromby, the Minister of Rayne, son of Alexander Abercromby of Birkenbog. They had twenty-one children. William, the heir, was bom in 1623. John, bom 1624, served in the battles of Dunbar and Worcester, and in 1651 married Janet, daughter of Jerome Innes, minister of Fyvie. James, born 1625, married Isabella, daughter of Andrew Logie, minister of Eayne. Alexander, fourth son, became minister of Crail, but resigned at the Revolution Settlement. The fifth son, Patrick, marrying Elspet Keith of Aquhorsk, had a son George, one of the Ministers of Aberdeen ; and a son, John, who married Margaret Keith, daughter of the Minister of Old Deer, and had a daughter, Ann, wife of George Seton of Mounie. One of the daughters of the fourth laird of Warthill, viz., Marjory, married Robert Burnet, parson of Oyne. James Leslie survived his son William, attaining the age of 96 or 105.

Family of Leslie of Little Folia. 447

V. — William Leslie of WartMll got the lands in his father's life time but predeceased Mm by three years, dying in 1676, aged 56. His wife was Anne, daughter of James Elphin- stone of Glack. Their, second son William, born 1657, was for sometime schoolmaster of Chapel of Garioch, but died a Prince Bishop of the Holy Roman Empire (p. 411). They hail other two sons besides the heir, one a merchant, the other a writer to the signet, who dis- appeared in France, a refugee on account of Jacobite politics.

VI. — Alexander Leslie of WartMll, born 1656, died 1721. He married Elizabeth Gordon of Badenscoth, and had tMee sons, of whom John, his heir, alone left issue.

VII. — John Leslie of WartMll, born 1683, died 1747. By his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Patrick Dun of Tarty, he had his heir, Ms only child, who grew up.

VIII. — Alexander Leslie of WartMll, born 1711, succeeded on Ms father's death in 1747. He married in 1730, Helen, daughter of George Seton of Moimie. The third of five sons alone survived their father. Mary, eldest married daughter, became the wife of George Leslie, seventh laird of Little Folia, and their son was tenth laird of Warthill.

IX. Alexander Leslie of Warthill succeeded Ms father in 1764, but died without issue in 1799, M his 55th year. His nephew,

X.— William Leslie, reumted in himself the families and estates of Warthill and Little Folia. He married, in 1813, Jane, daughter of Dr. Patrick Davidson, Minister of Rayne, and died in 1857 in Ms 87th year, leaving six sons and two daughters — 1 William, his heir ; 2 Patrick ; 3, Walter .; 4, George ; 5, James ; 6, Thomas Coutts, married to Henrietta, daughter of Sir R. D. H. Elphinstone ; 7 Mary-Anne, wife of Dr. Patrick Davidson of Inchniarlo, Professor of Law ; and 8, Catherine, wife of Christopher Rollestone, Esq.

XL William Leslie of Warthill, born 1814, married Matilda Robertson and has issue. He was M.P. for Aberdeenshire, 1860-6.

The Leslies of Warthill now represent the male line of Leslie in the Garioch

Arms — Argent on a bend azure, tMee buckles, or ; and (in consequence of descent from Wardes), two holly leaves. Crest — A griffin's head erased ppr. Motto — Grip fast.

FAMILY OF LESLIE OF LITTLE FOLLA.

I. — William Leslie of Folia, 2nd son of William Leslie, 3rd of Warthill, had by his wife, Marjory, daughter of William Crichton, brother of Viscount Frendraught, a son and three daughters. He got the lands of Little Folia from his father in 1611, and died in 1657.

II. — James Leslie of Little Folia, born 1630, married Isabella MiMe, daughter of Monks- hill, and had tMee sons and one daughter. He died, aged 60, in 1693. George, son of the third son, was the first Leslie of Kinbroon and RotMenorman, purchased with money from his uncle William.

III. — Rev. William Leslie of Little Folia, (M 1684, of Butler Newtoune in County Fer- managh, Ireland,) was Rector of Aquareagh in Fermanagh, which he resigned in 1711, returning to live at Little Folia. He died unmarried in 1722, having been born in 1651.

IV. — George Leslie of Little Folia, Ms brother, born 1655, succeeded. His wife Isabella, daughter of William Cheyne of Kaithen, bare him two sons, successively lairds of Little Folia, and three daughters. He died in 1730. His elder son,

V. — Rev. William Leslie of Little Folia, was in succession, Schoolmaster of Auchterless, assistant to his uncle in Aquareagh, and in 1715 Pastor of the Episcopal Congregation at

448 Appendix.

Ellon. Being ejected in 1716, and his chapel burned, he conducted Episcopal services in a room at Little Folia, until his death in 1743, in his 64th year. He never married. His brother,

VI. — John Leslie of Little Folia, born in 1697, married Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of Hugh, laird of Cults, and had ten children, who all, except his eldest son, died without issue. He died 1783. His son,

VII. — George Leslie of Little Folia, married Mary, daughter of Alexander Leslie, eighth laird of Warthill. She, on the death of her brother Alexander, the ninth laird, became heir female to Warthill ; and her son William, born 1770, united the families of Warthill and Little Folia, as stated above. George Leslie died in 1807. He had sold the lands of Little Folia to Mr. Gordon of Coclarachie, and his son William bought them back.

JOHNSTON OF THAT ILK AND CASKIEBEN. P. 62.

Dominus Andrew de Garviach, Sheriff of Aberdeen in 1264, appears in 1273 (p. 50).

Sir James de Garviach, appears of Cordyce in 1316 (p. 61), and of Balnacraig in 1324-9 (p. 62), and was married to " Helen of Mar ". He had a daughter, Elene, married to Robert Chalmers of Kintore, in 1357, the first Chalmers of Balnacraig. Sir James's son,

Sir Andrew de Garviach, was Dominus de Caskieben, in 1357 (p. 62). His daughter and heiress Margaret, became the wife of the first Johnston of Caskieben (p. 63).

I. — Stephen de Johnston, called The Clerk, married Margaret de Garviach, before April, 1380. Secretary of Thomas Earl of Mar, who died in 1377, he appears in 1384, a witness to, and probably was the writer of, a charter of the Collihill chaplainry, by Margaret, Countess of Mar (p. 75). The Clerk's son,

II. — John de Johnston married Marjory Lichton and siirvived 1428, (p. 121).

III.— Gilbert de Johnston, Ms son, was married before 1428 to Elene Lichton, daughter of the Laird of Usan, and seems to have survived to 1476, when Gilbert Johnston de eodem is mentioned.

A manuscript history of the family of Caskieben, written about 1610, mentions Gilbert Johnston (p. 121) as having married — 1st, Elizabeth Vaus of Meny, mother of Alexander his heir, and of three daughters, married respectively to Blakhall of Barra, Abercromby of Birkenbog, and William Hay of Artrochy ; 2nd, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Alexander Forbes, 2nd Baron of Pitsligo, by whom he had a son, William Johnston of Bendauch, ancestor of the Johnstons of Crimond, for which property Bendauch was excambed. It seems probable that this Gilbert was the son of Gilbert de Johnston and Elene Lichton, and predeceased him.

IV.— Alexander Johnston of that Ilk, succeeded before 1481 (p. 121). Before 1st March, 1476, he was married to Agnes Glaster of Glack, as grandson and heir of Gilbert Johnston of that Ilk. The spouses were infeft at that date in the lands of Johnston, by John, Earl of Mar.

V. — William Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, served heir to his father, Alexander, in 1508, fell at Flodden, in 1513. He was twice married. By his first wife, Margaret Meldrum, daughter of the Laird of Fyvie, he had James, his heir, and a daughter, married into the Blakhall family (p. 228). By his second wife, Margaret Lumsden, daughter of the Laird of Condland in Fife, progenitor of the Lumsdens of Cushnie, he had a son, Gilbert, and two daughters ; Christian, married to the Laird of Cairndae (now called Linton), and Margaret, married to William Forbes of Finziach, in the parish of Keig.

VI. — James Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, who succeeded his father in 1513, married, Clara, daughter of Barclay of Gartly. They had three sons and four daughters.

Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben. 449

William, married to Margaret Hay of Delgaty, was killed at the battle of Pinkie, 1547, leaving a son, George, who succeeded his grandfather.

Gilbert Johnston of Standingston.es, married Margaret Forbes of Corsindae, and had issue. Mr. George, a merchant in Aberdeen, married Katharine, daughter of Thomas Menzies of Pitfoddels, Provost of Aberdeen, and had issue (p. 456).

Agnes, Isabel, Bessy, and Janet married respectively the Lairds of Colliston, (Reid) Asloun, Alexander Chalmers of Strichen, and Patrick Leith of Edingarroch.

William, besides his son, left three daughters ; Bessy married to Gilbert Hay of Percok in Buchan ; Margaret, wife of James Johnston, a cadet of the family ; and Violet, married to Patrick Chalmers, Burgess of Banff, and Sheriff-clerk of Banffshire.

VII. — George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben succeeded his grandfather in 1548, and died in 1593 (p. 164). He married Christian Forbes, daughter of William, 7th Lord Forbes, who survived him until 1622. They had six sons and seven daughters. 1. — John, Ms heir.

2. — Gilbert, married to Marjory, daughter of John Leslie of Wardes (p. 177). 3. — George, married to Agnes Lundy, daughter of the Laird of Conland, in Fife. 4.— Mr. Thomas, Dean of Guild of Aberdeen, in 1618 and 1620. 5. — Dr. Arthur, Medicus Regius, the Latin poet (p. 165), born 1587. 6. — Dr. William, first Professor of Mathematics in Marischal College, Aberdeen (p. 164). 7. — Margaret, married, 1st, to Skene of Skene ; 2ndly, to Duncan Forbes (son of Monyniusk), Laird of Lethinty in the Garioch, and of Balnagask in the Mearns. 8. — Isabel, married, to Mr. Peter Blackburn, Bishop of Aberdeen (p. 164). 9. — Agnes, married to Robert Johnston of Crimond (p. 251). 10. — Janet, married to Robert Johnston of Caiesmill.

11. — Barbara, married to Mr. Robert Elphinston of Kinbroun. Her brother, John John- ston, granted them a charter, in feu ferm, of Kinbroun and half of Badechash, 22nd January, 1606.

12. — Helen, married to the Laird of Boddom. 13. — Jean, married to Thomas Johnston of Middle Disblair.

VIII. — John Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben (p. 165) was twice married. His first wife, Janet Turing of Foveran, bore to him two sons, viz., George, the first Baronet, and John, of Sleipiehillock, married to Beatrix Hay ; and two daughters, Elizabeth, married to Bannennan of Elsick, and Jean, married to Forbes of Knaperna. The family of John Johnston and Janet Turing became extinct in 1724 by the death of the fourth Baronet.

John Johnston married, as his second wife, Katherine, daughter of William Lundy of that Ilk (p. 223), a niece of Patrick Lord Ruthven. She died in 1616.

IX.— Sir George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben (p. 224) succeeded his father in 1613, He married Elizabeth, daughter of William Forbes of Tolquhon, and had three sons and two daughters :

1. — George, his heir.

2. — John Johnston of Newplace married, in 1646, his cousin, Margaret Johnston, daughter of Thomas Johnston of Craig, and had issue, John, fourth Baronet of Caskieben (p. 417). 3.— William.

4.— Jean, married to John Irvine of Brucklay, in Buchan.

5.— Christian, married to Dr William Keith of Lentush, minister of Kinnellar before

57

450 Appendix.

1 650, afterwards of Monkegy and Udny in succession, and latterly Professor of Divinity in Edinburgh University, and minister of the second charge of St. Cuthbert's in that city.

Sir George was in March, 1625 or 1626, created a Baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia, and, according to Douglas, his was the premier Baronetcy. He was appointed Sheriff of Aberdeenshire for one year, 1630-1, when the Marquis of Huntly was deprived of the hereditary office. Becoming much embarrassed in means, he mortgaged his estates about 1633, and never was able to redeem them.

X. — Sir George Johnston, his son, had by his wife, who was a daughter of Sir William Leslie of Wardes, an only son,

XL — Sir John Johnston of that Ilk, who was an officer in the army, and a Captain in Colonel Wauchope's Regiment. In him the direct line came to a tragic end, by his suffering capitally for being accomplice in the abduction, by a brother of the Earl of Argyll, of Miss Mary Wharton, an heiress under age (p. 374).

XII. — Sir John Johnston of that Ilk and Newplace, son of the second son of the first baronet, succeeded as fourth baronet in 1690, — the third baronet having left no issne. He married a sister of Provost Mitchell of Aberdeen, laird of Thainston. His sons by her having predeceased him, the honours of the family passed, upon Sir John's decease, from the descendants of Janet Turing (p. 417).

The present bine of Baronets of Johnston of that Ilk, descended from -John Johnston of that Ilk, who died in 1613, by his second wife Katherine Lundy. The issue of that marriage was (p. 208)—

1. Thomas Johnston of Craig, in the parish of Dyce.

2. Gilbert.

3. James.

4. Margaret, married to Parson Cheyne.

5. Christian, wife of John Forbes of Pitnacalder.

Thomas Johnston of Craig, Sheriff-Depute of Aberdeenshire under his brother in 1630-1, married twice. By his first wife, Elspet Strachan, he had, besides some sons who died young, 1, Margaret, wife of John Johnston of Newplace, and mother of Sir John Johnston, 4th baronet ; 2, Elizabeth, married, in 1652, to Alexander Leith of Bucharne, nicknamed Hardhead ; 3, Isobel, married, in 1654, to Robert, son of Mr. John Cheyne, parson of Kintore.

By his second spouse, Mary Irvine of Kingcausie, Thomas Johnston of Craig had four sons.

1. Thomas, his successor, who died a bachelor. 2. William, also of Craig, died without heirs of his body. 3. John of Bishopstown, father of the 5th Baronet. 4. James, Litster in Aberdeen and Burgess thereof. He was the predecessor of Johnston of Badifurrow (p. 410).

Thomas Johnston, second of Craig, died unmarried in 1686, when William, his brother, an officer in the army, succeeded as laird of Craig. He married in Holland, Joanna Van Millan, but died without issue in 1716.

John Johnston of Bishopstown in Newhills, born in Dyce, in 1649, married, in 1672, Margaret, daughter and co-heiress of John Alexander, an opulent Merchant Burgess of Aberdeen. He died in 1716 ; and his widow twenty years thereafter. Of their sons, William and John married, and had issue.

XI II.— Sir William Johnston of Craig, the eldest son, became fifth baronet in November, 1724. He was, in 1695, apprentice to Andrew Logie of Loanhead, Advocate in Aberdeen, and was himself admitted an Advocate there in 1700. Upon succeeding to the baronetcy, it was

Johnston of that Ilk and Caskiehen. 45 1

found that Sir John, fourth baronet, had died deeply in debt ; his successor in the title was much involved with him. These liabilities in addition to others personal to himself, reduced Sir William to bankruptcy, and Craig, — the last portion of the old Caskieben property remaining in the family, — was disposed of ; his brothers John and Thomas, joint tacksmen of Standing- stones in Dyce, had also to give up possession of their farm. By his marriage with Jean, daughter of James Sandilands of Craibstone, Sir William had, out of a large family, one son who left issue, viz. :

XIV. — Sir William Johnstone, who entered the Navy when young. Having gone by sea to London, the Baronet was wont to relate that he crossed the bar at the Harbour of Aberdeen . with only half-a-crown in his pocket. By prudent management he was able to purchase, in 1750, the lands of Hilton in Old Machar — sold by his descendants after 1852. He died in London in 1794, aged 80, leaving one son, by the second of his three wives, Elizabeth, daughter of Captain William Cleland, R.N., representative of Cleland of that Ilk, in Lanarkshire.

XV. — Sir William Johnston of Hilton, born there in 1760, entered the British Army. He was M.P. for Windsor from 1797 to 1802, and, in 1799, became a Colonel in the Army, in consequence of having raised a regiment of Feneible Infantry for general service. By his second wife, Maria, only daughter of John Bacon of Friern House, Barnet, Middlesex, Receiver of the First Fruits, London, he had a large family. He died, aged eighty-four, at the Hague, in 1844, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

XVI. — Sir William Bacon Johnston, born 1806. He entered the Army when young ; but involved in his father's pecuniary liabilities had to sell out, and led an obscure life. He went to reside at Hilton, in 1858, where he died in 1865, leaving an only son, XVII. — Sir William Johnston, ninth Baronet.

Sir William Bacon Johnston (XVI.), by his wife, Mary Ann Tye (daughter of John Tye and his wife, Susan Hewlett, or Tye, villagers of Mendlesham, a small hamlet not far distant from the town of Stowmarket in Suffolk), had a family of six daughters besides his son and heir — born in July, 1849, in Hawley Boad, Kentish Town, Middlesex. These children had been born, in the immediate vicinity of London, between 1840 and 1854. In the year 1855 — some two years after the decease, at Edinburgh, of Sir W. Bacon Johnston's only surviving brother, Captain Arthur Lake Johnston — the Baronet and Miss Tye were married, in the Parish Church of St. Pancras, Middlesex, on 11th September, having (the marriage certificate bears) been previously married, according to the Scotch law. It is understood, indeed, that some irregular form of marrying the couple had been gone through, at Edinburgh, in Summer, 1855. In the marriage register both parties are described as of full age — the bridegroom as a Bachelor and Baronet, the bride being styled Spinster, of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk ; her father's name and surname, John Tye — his profession or rank, that of a gentleman. The effect of this marriage, in Scottish law, was to render legitimate, in Scotland, the whole children of Sir William born of his connection with Miss Tye, even although all of them had been bom out of Scotland. Another result of the wedding was to render imperative, at a future period, certain proceedings, both novel and interesting, in the Supreme Civil Court of Scotland, to be hereinafter noticed.

Sir W. Bacon Johnston, on the decease, at the Hague, in January, 1844, of his father, the seventh Baronet, succeeded as next heir of entail to the Hilton property, near Aberdeen. Soon after the passing of the Act of Parliament, 11 and 12 Queen Victoria, cap. 36 (1848), Sir W. Bacon Johnston being desirous of effecting a disentail of that estate, made application to the

452 Appendix.

then next existing three substitute heirs of entail for their consents to disentail the Hilton estate, as required by the Act of Legislature referred to. The sums agreed to be paid, in 1852, to those three next existing heirs amounted altogether to £4,300 sterling, considerably more than double the price paid, in 1750, for the fee simple of the Hilton property, by the sixth Baronet ; -which price is understood to have been £2,000 sterling. In the printed petition for authority to disentail, presented in May, 1852, to the Court of Session, it is stated that Sir AVilliam B. Johnston, the heir of entail then in possession of the estate of Hilton, was of full age, and was unmarried ; and that the three next substitute heirs of Tailzie thereof, then in existence, were the petitioner's only brother and presumptive heir — " Captain Arthur Lake Johnston, of Her Majesty's 22nd Regiment, lately in the East Indies, now in London, or elsewhere abroad ; David Morice Johnston, Esq., formerly of the Inner Temple, now of Old Palace Yard, Westminster, Solicitor in London ; and Alexander Johnston, junior, Esq., Writer to the Signet, Drurnmond Place, Edinburgh ". No objection having been raised to the disentailing procedure, a judgment, or interlocutor, was in July, 1852, pronounced by the Lords of the First Division of the Court, whereby, on executing the usual instrument of disentail, the petitioner, Sir W. B. Johnston, should hold the Hilton lands in fee simple ; which judgment, of course, conferred on Sir W. Bacon Johnston full power to sell, feu, or otherwise dispose of the formerly entailed estate, as he might deem fit. Captain Arthur L. Johnston died, unmarried, at Edinburgh, on 21st February, 1853 ; and Mr. David M. Johnston survived him for exactly ten years, having died, a bachelor, at London, on 21st February, 1863. After the disentailing of Hilton, in July, 1852, frequent endeavours were made to dispose of that property, but with indifferent success, — some small portions only of the estate having been sold or feued off. At length, in 1S73, the remaining, and the much larger, portion of the estate found a purchaser in Mr. James Anderson, merchant in London, whose legal agents required that their client should be furnished with a complete and indefeasible feudal title to his recently acquired property. The wedding, in 1S55, of Sir William Bacon Johnston with Mary Ann Tye, rendered their son, William, legitimate in Scotland at from July, 1849 ; and as the disentail was carried through in July, 1852 — three years subsequent to the birth of that boy — with the consent of the three then next existing heirs of entail — as in fact the three Messrs Johnston actually then (1852) were — it seemed advisable, in order to provide an unexceptionable title to the several parties who had purchased the various portions of Hilton, to cite, in an action before the Court of Session, not only Mr. Johnston, W.S. (the only one surviving, in 1873, of the three substitute heirs of entail who had, in 1852, consented to the disentail thereof), but also all the individuals who, in 1873, bore the character of substitute heirs of entail of Hilton, in terms of the Tailzie, executed in February, 1784. The description in that deed of the more remote substitute heirs thereby called — viz., the heirs male whatsoever of the entailer, Sir William, the sixth Baronet — comprehended every maleperson, of legitimate birth, of the surname of Johnston, descended, or claiming descent, from Stephen de Johnston, " the Clerk," the founder, in Aberdeenshire, of the Caskieben Johnston race, in the latter half of the fourteenth century. It is a singular fact that, although of Stephen, " the Clerk," all the Johnstons in the north are stated by Sir Robert Douglas (Baronage of Scotland, page 35) to have beendescended, not more than a dozen individuals were found, after the most anxious investigation, to bear, in 1874-5, the character of heirs male whatsoever of the entailer of Hilton ; or, in other words, of heirs male lineally descended from Stephen de Johnston, "the Clerk". With the exception of Sir William, ninth Baronet, all the other existing heirs male of the Caskieben Johnston stock were

Juhnston of that Ilk and Caskieben. 453

direct descendants of John Johnston (who died in 1770) and his spouse, Mrs. Margaret Chalmers or Johnston, who died in 1812.

This matter was definitely and authoritatively settled by judgment of Lord Curriehill, sitting as Ordinary in the Outer House of the Court of Session, on 1st June, 1875, pronounced in absence of the defenders, in the action of declarator and implement, brought at the instance of Dame Mary Ann Tye, or Johnston, and others. The following were the names of the several defenders, of the Caskieben Johnston race, specified in the printed minute book of the Court of Session, for 1875, pp. 497-98 : — Sir William Johnston, Baronet ; Alexander Johnston, W.S., residing at Johnston, near Aberdeen ; Robert Johnston, formerly Merchant in Aberdeen, residing in Laurencekirk ; William Johnston, Surgeon in the Army Medical Staff, stationed at Aldershot, and George Johnston, Planter in Ceylon, sons of the said Robert Johnston ; William Johnston, a pupil, residing at Fochabers, son of Andrew Johnston, deceased, who was son of William Johnston, sometime Merchant in Aberdeen, also deceased ; William Johnston, in Mobile, in the State of Alabama, in the United States of America, also son of the said deceased William Johnston, sometime Merchant in Aberdeen ; Thomas Alexander Johnston, a minor, John Johnston, and Curtis Laudiner Johnston, pupils, children of the said William Johnston, of Mobile ; Thomas Johnston, Ship Carpenter, Greenock, also son of the said deceased William Johnston, sometime Merchant in Aberdeen, and William Johnston, pupil, son of Thomas Johnston, (the Ship Carpenter); and Andrew Johnston, residing at Davah Cottage, Inverurie, formerly in Balquhain. Andrew Johnston, last-named (in 1875, the only surviving son of Captain Andrew Johnston), died at Davah Cottage, unmarried, in July, 1876.

It is noteworthy that of the eight individuals who bore the Caskieben Baronetcy between 1625-26 and 1865, only one, viz., Sir William Johnston, sixth Baronet, died in other than bankrupt circumstances, or, at any rate in the utmost impecuniosity.

The fact of Stephen de Johnston, " the Clerk," having been uniformly represented as having been brother of the Laird of Johnston in Annandale, formed the groundwork of a claim unsuccessfully advanced, about 1810, by Sir William, seventh Baronet, to the then — and still — dormant, Marquisdom of Annandale.

Of the now only existing younger branch of the Caskieben Johnstons, represented by Mr. Alexander Johnston, a few particulars may here be added.

John Johnston of Bishopstown, in Newhills parish, Aberdeenshire (born 1649, died 1716), had by his wife, Mrs. Margaret Alexander, besides Sir AVilliam, the Aberdeen Advocate, and Thomas Johnston, who died unmarried, another son, named John Johnston, who, for a long period, farmed the small property of Bishopstown ; and also, along with his brother Thomas, occupied for a time the farm of Standingstones of Dyce. This John wedded (Marriage Contract dated 16th February, 1717) Isobel Marnoch, " the Maiden of Balnagask," i.e., the eldest daughter of John Marnoch, tenant of Balnagask, in the parish of Nigg, in the Mearns. Mr. and and Mrs. John Johnston, besides an only daughter, — who became wife of Alexander Low, farmer in Skene, — had four sons, of whom one only left male issue — viz., John Johnston, born at Standingstones, in Dyce, in 1725 ; who wedded at Dyce, in 1758, Margaret, daughter of William Chalmers, in Meikletown of Dyce, by whom he had four sons and a daughter ; which last and two of her brothers, died unmarried. John Johnston, himself, died atMilbowie, in Skene, in 1770. His widow, Mrs. Margaret Chalmers, survived until 1812 ; when she departed this life at Hilton, near Aberdeen, aged 82, leaving two sons, William and Andrew, each of whom married and had issue.

454 Appendix.

William Johnston, the eldest son of his parents, was born at his father's farm of Boginjoss, on the lands now called Caskieben, in Dyce parish, in 1762. He became a Merchant and extensive Shipowner in Aberdeen ; and to him fell the gratifying task of being able, through long continued and diligent attention to business, to retrieve the fallen circumstances of his progenitors ; who — i.e., his grandfather and father — had been much reduced, in consequence of the misfortunes which befell Sir William, the Aberdeen Advocate already mentioned. Mr. William Johnston married, in 1801, at Tullos, in Nigg, Catharine Morice, eldest daughter of David Morice of Tullos, Sheriff-Substitute of the County of Aberdeen, — which lady had five sons and two daughters ; who all survived their parents, except two of the sons, viz., William and James Farquhar Johnston, both of whom died in childhood. William Johnston died suddenly, in February, 1832, at his house of Viewfield, near Aberdeen ; which property he had acquired a few years previous to his decease.*

*Soon after being admitted, in 1792, a Guild brother of Aberdeen, Mr. William Johnston became a member of the Town Council of Bon-Accord, — on the introduction of bis relative, Baillie Andrew Burnett (of the Ehiek family), then an influential member of the Municipal body. In Dean of Guild Walker's list of the Deans of Guild of Aberdeen, from 1436 to 1S75 (privately printed in 1875), it is mentioned that William Johnston was Dean of Guild of the City in 1S15, and again in 1822. That office was held by Mm for one year on each occasion. Mr. Johnston had at sundry times, during his long connection — extending to some forty years — with the Aberdeen Town Couucd, filled various offices therein, including those of City Treasurer, Master of Shoreworks, &c. That gentleman, through his marriage, in 1801, with Miss Morice, became closely connected with one or two families in the burgh who, towards the close of the last, and in the beginning of the present, century, bore a leading part in the management of Aberdeen town's affairs. Mr. Johnston's mother-in-law— Mrs. Rachel Young or Morice — was daughter of James Young and Rachel Cruickshank, his spouse ; which James Young had been a member of the Aberdeen Town Council. Two of James Young's sons — William and James — and two of Ins sons-in-law, and several of his grandsons, were Deans of Guild. James' eldest son — William Young, afterwards of Sheddoeksley, and Provost of Aberdeen — was Dean of Guild in 1766 ; while William's brother, James Young, filled the same office in 1775, and again in 1779. Old James Young's son-in-law — Mr., afterwards Baillie, John 'Farquhar— was Dean of Guild in 1760 ; while Ms friend and partner — also a son-in-law of old James Young — Mr., afterwards Baillie, Alexander Hadden, held the same office in 1761. The wives of Baillies Farquhar and Hadden were respectively named Rachel and Elspet Young. Their husbands were the original partners of the firm of Farquhar & Hadden, Stocking Merchants, in the Green ; which business, after Baillie Farquhar's death in 1768, was carried on by the surviving partner and one or two of his sons ; and still exists, under the firm of Alexander Hadden & Sons ; their business being carried on nearly on the site of the original manufactory, in the Green of Aberdeen. The eldest son of Baillie Hadden and his wife (Mrs. Elspet Y'oung), viz., James Hadden of Persley, was also Dean of Guild of the burgh in 1787 and in 1791 ; and his brother, Mr. Gavin Hadden, in 1798, in 1804, in 1S08, and again in 1819. Both James and Gavin Hadden respectively filled, during several years, the Civic Chair. A son of Provost William Young, viz., Mr., afterwards Baillie, John Young, was Dean of Guild of Aberdeen in 1803 ; while the same position was occupied, in 1807, by Mr. John Young's cousin-german and partner in business — James Young, junior ^on of Dean of Guild James Young of 1775 and 1779). Mr. James Young, junior, was Provost of Aberdeen from 1811 until 1813. In 1814 he left Aberdeen, with his wife and family, for Holland ; and, in the City of Rotterdam, carried on successfully a mercantile business until his decease in 1834. Dean of Guild, afterwards Baillie, John Farquhar died in 1768 ; and, in 1773, his widow, Mrs Rachel Young, Wedded a second husband, Mr. David Morice of Tullos, Advocate in Aberdeen, who, in 1799, was appointed Sheriff-Substitute, of Aberdeenshire. The wife of Mr. William Johnston was Catharine Morice, eldest daughter of David Morice and his spouse, Mrs. Rachel Young. For several years prior to his death in 1806, David Morice was Legal Assessor (or Town's Consulter, as it was commonly termed) to the Magistrates of Aberdeen, — an appointment subsequently held, at the distance of many years, by the Sheriff's sou, Robert Morice, Advocate in Aberdeen ; and afterwards by Mr. Robert Morice's eldest sou, the late David Robert Morice, also Advocate there. A son of Mrs. Rachel Young, by her first marriage with Badlie John Farquhar, was the late James Farquhar, Proctor, of Doctor's Commons, London, who for many years held the valuable office of Deputy-Registrar of the Court of Admiralty of Great Britain. The principal registrarship, — familiarly known as " the great sinecure," — was long occupied by Lord Arden, brother of Mr. Spencer Percival, the Prime Minister,

Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben. 455

On the death of William of Viewfield, this branch of the Caskieben Johnstons fell to be represented by William's son,

David Morice Johnston, who, and his younger brother, Alexander, were educated at the Grammar School and Marischal College of their native city. At that University (which is understood to have been, also, the Alma Mater of Doctors Arthur and William Johnston about the beginning of the seventeenth century) Mr. D. M. Johnston distinguished himself as a student ; having, in 1819, been the successful competitor for " the Silver Pen," — the prize at that time awarded to the best scholar in the first Greek class. David M. Johnston, born in 1804, was subsequently bred to the profession of the law in England ; and for many years before his death, in 1863, enjoyed a lucrative professional income as senior partner of the firm of Johnston, Farquhar, & Co., of Westminster, and of Moorgate Street, London — a firm well known and esteemed in the legal circles of the great Metropolis.

William of Viewfield's second surviving son, Alexander Johnston, was educated in Scotland, for the legal profession ; and was, in 1831, admitted Writer to the Signet. He married, at Aberdeen, in 1836, Christina Martha, second daughter of John Leith-Eoss, of Arnage, in Buchan, (a younger son of the family of Leith of Freefleld and Glenkindie), by his spouse, Mrs. Elizabeth Young, or Boss, — the eldest co-heiress of Bourtie, — daughter of Provost William Young of Sheddocksley, born of the Provost's second marriage with Mary Anderson, daughter of Patrick Anderson of Bourtie, in the Garioch. Mrs. Alexander Johnston died, without issue, in 1 878.

William of Viewfield's youngest son, Bobert Johnston, Merchant in Aberdeen, married, in 1835, Mary, daughter of George Hadden, Merchant in London, (youngest brother of Provosts James and Gavin Hadden of Aberdeen). Besides three daughters, there are are now living two sons born of Bobert Johnston's marriage, viz., William Johnston, M.D. (Edin.), Surgeon-Major in the Medical Department of the British Army ; and George Johnston, late Coffee Planter in Ceylon, who wedded, in 1876, Agnes Elizabeth, daughter of the Beverend Bichard J. Sparke, Bector of Aldfold, in Surrey.

William Johnston of Viewfield's younger brother, Andrew Johnston, Burgess of Guild, and formerly Shipmaster in Aberdeen, for many years occupied the farm of Mains of Balquhain, in the Garioch. Andrew was born at Cairntradlin, Kinnellar parish, in 1769 (a few months before'

assassinated in 1812 in the Lobby of the House of Commons, — of which murder, it may be mentioned, Mr. James Farquhar was an eye-witness, being at the moment passing into the House (of which he was then a member) immediately behind the unfortunate Statesman. Air. James Farquhar, afterwards proprietor of Johnston Lodge, near Laurencekirk, and of Hallgreen, or Inverbervie, Loth in Kincardineshire, was first elected M.P. for his native city of Aberdeen, and the burghs in Angus and the Mearns therewith connected, in 1S01 ; and continued to represent the Aberdeen district of Burghs in Parliament for many years. After being for some years without a seat in the House of Commons, Mr. James Farquhar was, in 1S24, elected M.P. for the Irish Borough of Portarlington ; which town he represented until 1830, when he finally retired from Parliament. He died (s.p.) at his house in Duke Street, Westminster, in 1833, aged 69..

The names of Mr. Farquhar, M.P., and of his brother-in-law, Mr. William Johnston, were, in a prominent way, brought under the notice of the Committee of the House of Commons which, in 1819, under the chairmanship of the lute Lord Archibald Hamilton, took evidence on the subject of Burgh Reform in Scotland, — in whose report Inverurie figures in a remarkable manner. The two gentlemen referred to had, about the close of 1816, when the financial affairs of the Corporation of Aberdeen were falling into temporary embarrassment, from their own private means, and at tbeir own risk, respectively advanced sums of money in aid of the Burgh ail'airs, — a circumstance which would almost appear to have been considered, by the Burgh Reformers of that day, in the light of a grievance inflicted on the good town. — (Minutes of Evidence relative to the Case of Aberdeen, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, 12th July, 1S19 ; pp. 91, 97, 307, SOS.)

456 Appendix.

the decease of his father, John Johnston), and died at Coullie, Monynrask, in 1845 — having survived his wife, Margaret Inglis — whom Andrew married, at London, in 1794 — several years. Of the marriage last mentioned, several sons and daughters were born ; the last survivor of the sons having been Andrew, the heir of Tailzie of Hilton specified in the Court of Session proceedings of 1875.

Andrew's eldest son, William Johnston, Burgess of Guild and Tobacco Manufacturer, Aber- deen, married, in 1818, Ann Craig, by whom he had several children. William died at Aberdeen, in 1865, leaving, besides daughters, the sons and grandsons enumerated in the Court of Session action just adverted to.

Although William of Viewfield was the last of his family connected with the Municipal Government of the city of Bon-Accord, not a few of the Johnston race had, in former generations, held the office of Magistrate there. Of them the first of whom record has been found was Mr. George Johnston, Baillie of Aberdeen, and for many years Dean of Guild thereof, in conjunction with one or other of the members of the civic body. Mr. George was third and youngest son of James Johnston of that Ilk and his spouse, Clara Barclay, daughter of the Laird of Gartly, in Strathbogie. From the prefix to his name, Mr. George would seem to have been a Graduate of Arts — a degree probably acquired by him at King's College, Old Aberdeen. During many consecutive years after 1567, it is stated, in Dean of Guild Walker's list of the Deans of Guild of Aberdeen, that, at the Michaelmas election of Magistrates there, Mr. George Johnston had been appointed to that office jointly with some other member of the Council. In 1618, and again in 1G20, the Deanship was held by Mr. Thomas Johnston, fourth son of George Johnston of that Ilk and Caskieben, and immediate elder brother of Dr. Arthur Johnston. Other cadets of the race held, in former days, municipal office in the town. In 1635 and 1637 the Civic Chair was occupied by Robert Johnston of Crimond, in Monkegy parish, brother-in- law and near kinsman of Mr. Thomas just referred to ; which Provost Robert Johnston was the father of Lieutenant-Colonel, or Crowner, William Johnston, described by Mr. James Gordon, Parson of Rothiemay, in his History of Scots Affairs, as having been " bredd upp at the wane, and wanted neither gallantrye nor resolutione " (p. 271).

Another Johnston of the Caskieben race was Mr. John Johnston, Merchant in, and one of the Baillies of, Aberdeen, who, at Michaelmas, 1697, as mentioned in Mr. Walter Thorn's History of Aberdeen (vol. II., p. 3), had exceptions taken to his election as Provost " by several members of the Council, who raised an action of reduction before the Lords of the Privy Council, which was sustained ". This gentleman died within a year or two after these proceedings, leaving no children by his wife, who survived him, viz., Elspet, daughter of Robert Cruikshank of Banchory, Provost of Aberdeen. George Johnston of Caskieben (father of Dean of Guild Thomas Johnston of 1618 and 1620) was one of " the Barons of the North " who, at Aberdeen, in September, 1574, subscribed the obligation, or bond, to continue faithful subjects to the youthful King, James VI. of Scotland.

Mr. George Johnston, Dean of Guild of Aberdeen, was, on 13th October, 1577,by Mr. David Cunningham, first Protestant Bishop of Aberdeen, inaugurated as one of the elders chosen by the Kirk and Congregation of the Burgh. He wedded Katherine Menzies, daughter of Thomas Menzies of Pitfoddels, Provost of Aberdeen, by whom he had issue. In December, 1578, Patrick Johnston, son of the above couple, died at Aberdeen from the effects of a gunshot wound recklessly inflicted by Keith, young Laird of Ludquharne, in Buchan. Mr. George Johnston himself died, in April, 1579, at Aberdeen ; and his widow, Katherine Menzies, departed this life

Jolintson of that Ilk and Caslciaben. 457

there, in May, 1599. Her father, Thomas Menzies of Pitfoddels had, in 1538, discharged the duties of Marischal-Depute of Scotland ; and, in 1543, was Comptroller of the Royal Household. Long before Provost Thomas's day, the family of Menzies had acquired a preponderating influence in the Municipality of Aberdeen. The father of Thomas, — Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels, known by the sobriquet of " Banison Gib," — had been frequently Chief Magistrate of Aberdeen. His (Gilbert's) wife, Marjory Chalmers, was daughter of the Laird of Murtle, on Deeside — also, of old, a leading family amongst the Aberdonians. Thomas Menzies, their son, father-in-law of Mr. George Johnston, was Provost of Aberdeen on vaiious occasions before 1547; from which year, continuously down to 1576, when Thomas died, he was the Chief Magistrate of the town — he having shortly before his decease, and at Michaelmas, 1576, been succeeded, in the Civic Chair, by his son and heir, Gilbert Menzies of Pitfoddels ; which last, the brother of Mrs. George Johnston, had, in April, 1567, been appointed one of the Lords of the Articles in the Scottish Parliament, then assembled at Edinburgh — of which Gilbert was a member, as representative of the Burgh of Aberdeen. About the beginning of the sixteenth century the Pitfoddels family had a mansion in the burgh ; which habitation, built of wood and situated in the Castlegate, was, in 1529, accidentally burned down. "Within a year or two thereafter, a house on the same site was built in stone ; and continued, probably much in its original state, until removed about 1800 ; when the site of " Pitfoddels' Lodging " was disposed of ; and the house then built thereon, at the top of Marischal Street, is now occupied by the Union Bank of Scotland. Of the original edifice — the scene of more than one incident in Scottish history — the author of the Book of Bon-Accord (published at Aberdeen, in 1839, p. 105) writes : — " At the beginning of the sixteenth century, the city probably did not contain one private mansion which was not built of timber. In 1545 a stone edifice was considered a mark of the greatest opulence ; and, in defying Thomas Menzies of Pitfoddels, one of the inhabitants said he did not care for all his (Thomas Menzies) power, or his stane house." The owner of this important mansion, as well as his son-in-law, Mr. George Johnston, embraced at an early period the tenets of the Reformed faith. In John Knox's History of the Reformation (vol. IL, of the Wodrow Society Edition, 1846, pp. 163-64), Thomas Menzies is mentioned as one of the six deputies directed by the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, on 28th May, 1561, to meet the Lords of the Secret Council, and to present to them the supplication and articles " tuitching the suppressioun of idolatrie ". At what period of their family history the Pitfoddels Menzies renounced the Protestant faith has not been ascertained. The last known male representative of that race, the late John Menzies of Pitfoddels, who died, a widower, at Edinburgh, in 1843, aged 87, made over in his lifetime, or bequeathed by settle- ment, the bulk of his fortune for purposes connected with the Roman Catholic faith ; his family mansion house of Blairs, in Maryculter parish, on Deeside, having for many years bygone been occupied as a seminary for the education of young men intended for the Romish Priest- hood, under the name of St. Mary's College.

"William Johnston of Viewfield and his parents, John Johnston and Margaret Chalmers, firmly adhered to the principles of the Established Church of Scotland, as did also the whole of William's children settled in North Britain. His two sons, Alexander and Robert, respectively filled, for many years, the office of elder — like their ancestor, Dean of Guild George Johnston, of the days of the Reformation — in the General Kirk Session of St. Nicholas, or town of Aberdeen.

In 1840, and for a long time afterwards, Mr. Johnston, W.S., was a ruling elder in the

58

458 Appendix.

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ; having been an eyewitness of the exodus from the Assembly Hall, in May, 1843, of the section of members of that memorable meeting which formed themselves into the Free Church of Scotland.

For several bygone generations'" their surname has, by the existing branches of the Caskieben stock, been uniformly written Johnston.

Arms. — Of the arms of the Johnstons of Caskieben and of that Ilk, Nisbet writes (System of Heraldry, vol. I., p. 144, Edinburgh Edition, 1816) : — " There was an ancient family of the name of Johnston in the North, designed of Caskieben : Sir George Johnston of Caskieben carried, quarterly, 1st and 4th Argent, a saltier sable, and on a chief gules, three cushions or, for John- ston ; 2nd and 3rd Azure, on a bend between three harts' heads erased Argent, attired or, as many cross crosslets fitched of the second, for Marr, and Garioch of Caskieben, composed together in one coat. Supporters — Two Indians, ppr., wreathed about the head and middle with laurel vert. Crest — A phoenix in flames, ppr. Motto — Vive tit postea vivas."

LEITH.

The Garioch Family of Leith who held municipal rank in the City of Aberdeen, in the middle of the fourteenth century, continued to be represented there during greater part of the fifteenth century.

I.— "William Leith of Ruthrieston is mentioned in the Burgh records of Aberdeen in 1352 and 1355, as Provost of the Burgh. He, who was the donor of the great bell Laurence to the Church of St. Nicholas, Aberdeen (p. 72), had two sons, Laurence and John ; the last was much engaged in national affairs. The elder son,

II. — Laurence Leith of Barnes (p. 72), was also Provost of Aberdeen, viz., in the years 1401-1403 and 1411.

III. — Norman Leith of Barnes, his son, was father of Henry of Barnes, of Gilbert, and of John, progenitor of the Leiths of Overhall.

IV. — Henry Leith of Barnes had George of Barnes ; William of Edingarroch, ancestor of Leith of Leith-hall ; Patrick, first of Harthill ; and another son, ancestor of Leith of Montgarrie. Henry died before 1479 ; his widow, Elizabeth Gordon, in 1505, resigned certain rights over Pittodrie and part of Pitscurrie.

LEITH OF LEITH-HALL.

This family had at different periods the designations of Barnes, Edingarroch, and Lickly- head ; and was resident in the Garioch half a century before the Reformation.

I. — George Leith of Barnes, eldest son of Henry, died without male issue in 1505, leaving a daughter, Elizabeth, married to Mr. John Forbes of Towie. Their son, William Forbes of Towie, had a crown charter, 1550, of part of Barnes as his mother's apparent heir.

II. — William Leith of Barnes, heir male of his brother George, acquired Edingarroch in 1-199, from George Leslie of that Ilk. By his wife, Ann, daughter of George Gordon of Strathdon, he had two sons, lairds in succession.

III. — Patrick Leith of Edingarroch, eldest son, married, without issue, Janet, daughter of James Johnston of Caskieben, and died before 1550.

IV.— George Leith of Edingarroch, his brother and heir, was in 1550, served— before John

Leith of Lelth-Hall. 459

Leslie of Balquhain, Sheriff of Aberdeen, — heir of his uncle George Leith of Barnes, becoming thus Leith of Edingarroch and Barnes.

V. — William Leith, his son, died before 1598 ; succeeded by Patrick, his son.

VI. — Patrick Leith of Licklyhead, was, in 1598, served heir to William, his father, in fourth part of Auchleven and others ; and in 1605, in other parts of Auchleven, Ardoyne, Harlaw, &c, in the Regality of the Garioch. By his wife, Jean, second daughter of William Leslie, seventh baron of Balquhain, he had four sons — 1, Patrick, his heir, and 2, John of Edingarroch, who both died without male issue ; 3, Laurence Leith of Kirktown of Rayne, who continued the line ; and 4, Henry, unnoticed.

VII. Patrick Leith, served, in 1620, heir to his grandfather, William Leith, in the lands of Edingarroch and Licklyhead, sold them to John Forbes of Leslie, and died about 1629.

VIII.— Laurence Leith of Kirktown of Rayne, resided in Bucharne in Gartly, which was wadset to him by the Marquis of Huntly. He married first (s.p.) Agnes, daughter of Alexander Leslie of Wardes ; second, Bessy, daughter of Sir George Gordon of Coclarachie, and had a son,

IX. — John Leith of Bucharne and New Leslie, who sold Kirktown of Rayne, and bought the lands, afterwards called Leith-hall, at that time New Leslie, Peill, Syde, Arnbog, &c. His wife, daughter of Arthur Forbes, and grand-daughter of Alexander Forbes, 6th Lord Pitsligo, bare him two sons, James, his heir ; and Alexander, progenitor of the Leiths of Bucharne, Leiths of Blair, and Leiths of Whiteriggs in the Mearns.

X. — James Leith built the House of Leith-hall, and his descendants were designed " of Leith-hall ". In 1650, as eldest lawful son of John Leith of Bucharne and New Leslie, he had a Crown charter of New Leslie, Christ's Kirk, Peill, Syde, and Arnbog. He married Margaret, daughter of Alexander Strachan of Glenkindie ; and from their two sons, John and Alexander, descended the two families of Leith-Hay of Leith-hall, and Leith of Freefield and Glenkindie.

XL — John Leith of Leith-hall, married Janet Ogilvie, daughter of George, second Lord Banlf. His third son, George, owned, for a time, Blackball in Inverurie. From a fourth son, Laurence Leith in New Flinders, John Farley Leith, M.P. for Aberdeen, is descended.

XII. — John Leith of Leith-hall, the heir, married Mary, daughter of Charles Hay of Rannes. He died in 1736. Their son,

XIII. — John Leith of Leith-hall, married Harriet, daughter of Alexander Stewart of Auchluncart. He had of sons, John and Alexander, — who were lairds in succession ; and Lieutenant-General Sir James Leith, Governor of Barbadoes, who died 1816.

XIV. — John Leith of Leith-hall, died (s. p.) in 1776.

XV. — Alexander Leith-Hay of Leith-hall (also of Rannes, on the death of Andrew Hay of Rannes,) was usually known as General Hay. He was born 1758, and died 1838. By his wife, Mary, daughter of Charles Forbes of Ballogie, he had Andrew Leith Hay, and John Leith, who became Rear-Admiral Leith.

XVI.— Sir Andrew Leith-Hay, Knight, of Rannes and Leith-hall, (M.P., 1833-8, Governor of Bermudas, 1838-41,) had by his wife Mary Margaret, daughter of William Clark of Buckland . House, Devonshire, three sons, Alexander Sebastian, James, and Charles, and a daughter, Caroline Elizabeth. He died 1862, when Ms eldest son,

XVII.— Colonel Alexander Sebastian Leith Hay of Leith-hall, C.B., succeeded.

Arms. — Leith of Leith-hall. — Or, a cross crosslet fltched sable between three crescents in chief and as many fusils in base, gules: (now quartered with Hay of Rannes, viz., Quarterly, 1 and

460 Appendix.

4 arg., three inescutcheons gules: 2 and 3 az., three cincjuei'oils arg., in the centre crescent for difference). Crest — A cross crosslet fitched sable. Motto — Trustie to the end.

LEITH OF FREEFIELD.

I; — Alexander Leith, second son of James Leith, and Margaret Strachan, acquired in 1702, from George Leith of Treefield, with consent of his son, Peter, the lands of Treefield and Bonny- town ; and having added to these by purchase got a Crown Charter in 1705, erecting the whole into a free barony, to be called Freefield.

He afterwards purchased Glenkindie from his cousin, Sir Patrick Strachan. He died, aged ninety, in 1754. By his wife, Christian, daughter of Alexander Davidson of Newton, he had four sons, who attained manhood, Alexander, Walter, Patrick, and George.

II. — Alexander Leith of Freefield and Glenkindie, married Jean Garden, daughter of Alexander Garden of Troup, and had his heir, Alexander ; a second son named Garden, and four daughters, Jean, Christian, Bathia, and Agnes. By a second marriage with Martha, daughter of John Boss of Arnage in Ellon, he originated the family of Leith-Boss of Arnage, in Buchan.

III. — Alexander Leith of Freefield and Glenkindie, married Mary Eliza, daughter of James Gordon of Cobairdy. He died in 1828. Besides his heir, he had a son, William Leith of Palmer's Cross, Elgin, and a daughter, Elizabeth, second wife of Peter Gordon of Abergeldie (s. p.).

IV. — General Sir Alexander Leith, K.C.B., a distinguished peninsular officer, married first Maria, daughter of Bobert Disney Thorp, M.D. ; secondly, Mary, daughter of Boderick Mackenzie of Glack. By his first marriage he had Alexander, his heir ; 2, Major-General Disney Leith, distinguished in the Indian Service ; 3, Major James, V.C. ; 4, Major Thomas ; and two daughters, Anne Katherine, wife of Alexander Innes of Baemoir, and Mary Sarah, wife of Bobert Farquharson of Haughton.

V. — Alexander Leith of Freefield and Glenkindie, is a member of the Faculty of Advocates.

Arms. — Leith of Freefield (as recorded 1766). — Quarterly 1st and 4th : Or, a cross crosslet fitched sable, between three crescents in chief and as many fusils in base gules, within a bordure azure, for Leith. 2nd and 3rd, azure, a hart trippant or, attired and unguled gules, for Strachan. Crests — A cross crosslet fitched sable. Motto — Trustie to the end : — for Leith. A hart at gaze azure attired sable. Motto— Non timeo sed caveo : — for Strachan.

LEITH OF OVERHALL.

I. — John Leith of Overhall, third son of Norman Leith of Barnes, acquired in 1520, a portion of the estate of Barnes, afterwards called Overhall of Barnes, which his descendants possessed until 1817, when the last male representative of the family died at Bath. John Leith by his wife, a daughter of Lyon of Muiresk, had two sons, lairds in succession.

II. — Gilbert Leith of Overhall, elder son, got, in 1536, a Charter of half the lands of Newton, as his father's heir.

III. — William Leith of Overhall, his brother and successor, married Christian, daughter of Auchinleck of that Ilk, and had one son.

IV. — Gilbert Leith of Overhall, served heir to William, his father in 1583. By his wife Margaret, daughter of John Forbes of Barnes, he had a son,

V. — George Leith of Overhall of Barnes, so styled in a Great Seal Charter of 1618 ; who married Magdalene, daughter of John Leith of Haithill, and had one son,

Leith of Hart/till. 461

VI. — George Leith of Overhall ; infeft as heir in 1633. He married Isabel, daughter of John Dunbar of Burgie, and had a son.

VII. — George Leith of Overhall, served heir in 1655. He married Marjory, daughter of Eobert Farquharson of Invercauld, then also laird of Wardes.

VIII. — Eobert Leith of Overhall, their son, retoured in 1678 ; married Margaret, daughter of Francis Ross of Auehlossin, and had a son.

IX.— George Leith of Overhall, retoured in 1700. He married Cecilia, daughter of Eobert Young of Auldbar, and died in 1762, leaving a son,

. X. — Eobert Leith of Overhall, Clerk of Justiciary, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Arthur Forbes of Craigievar, by that baronet's first spouse, Christian Eoss, daughter of John Boss of Arnage, Provost of Aberdeen. He died in 1768, leaving two sons, George and Arthur.

XI. — George Leith, last of Overhall, married, but had no issue ; and died in 1817.

Arms.— Eobert Leith of Overhall of Barnes (recorded 1672). — Or, a cheveron between three fusils azure. Crest — A turtle dove proper. Motto — Semper fidus.

LEITH OF HARTHILL.

I. — Patrick Leith, son of Henry Leith of Barnes, got Harthill from his father. He married Clara, daughter of John Leslie, second baron of Wardes. They had a Crown Charter in 1531, of Auchleven, Ardojme, Buchanston, Harlaw, &c. He subscribed at Aberdeen, in September, 1574, the Bond of the Barons of the North, promising allegiance to King James VI. He had one son and one daughter.

II. — John Leith of Harthill, his son, had a charter, as his father's heir, in 1599. By his first wife, Beatrix Fraser, he had 1, John, his heir ; 2, Peter, married to Elizabeth, daughter of Udny of that Ilk; and 3, George, who in 1605, got Treefield from his father; also a daughter, Magdalene, wife of George Leith of Overhall. By his second wife, Janet Gordon, he had a son Alexander, and a daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth died before July, 1631. Alexander was, in 1636, the subject of a proclamation anent "Alexander Leith, sonne to umquhill Johne Leith of Harthill, and sundry light horsemen of the name of Gordon," — who had been per- petrating acts of violence on the lands of Frendraught in revenge for the death of Viscount Aboyne, at the House of Frendraught, in October, 1630.

III. — John Leith of Harthill, succeeded his father about 1612. In 1611, he had a charter of Kirktown of Eayne ; and in 1625 was served heir male to his father. He had two sons, Patrick and John, both remarkable in the Civil War. Patrick, who never came into the estate, was " young Harthill," the hero of the dashing raid upon Craigievar's troopers, at Inverurie, in 1645 (p. 284). He was beheaded as a rebel at Edinburgh, 26th October, 1647, when not over twenty-five years of age.

IV.— John Leith of Harthill, second son, was the violent Laird of Harthill (p. 252). He succeeded to Harthill on his father's death, about 1651, and is believed to have died not lon>' after. His wife was Jean, daughter of Abraham Forbes of Blacktown. They had William, " his heir, and Anna, married to Alexander Gordon, brother of William Gordon of Newton ; and also a son who predeceased him (p. 309).

V — William Leith of Harthill, married the eldest daughter of John Leslie, seventh baron of Pitcaple, whose wife, a cousin of the Marquis of Montrose, offered to provide for the Marquis's escape from Pitcaple Castle, in 1650 (p. 297). They had three sons, Patrick, the

462 Appendix.

heir, and George and William ; who in 1 679, both resigned all right in New Eayne and Barrel- dykes, to Marjory, heiress of George Leith of New Eayne.

VI. — Patrick Leith of Harthill and Jean Ogilvy, his wife, had three sons, Patrick, Captain James, and Walter. The Poll Book gives also Thomas and Ann, in 1695.

VII. — Patrick Leith of Harthill, was the last of the name who possessed the estate ; which was sold to Erskine of Pittodrie.

Local registers record the marriage, in 1720, of a daughter, Jean, to George Gordon of Knockespock, and of Sophia, daughter of Lady Harthill, to Mr. Alexander Sympson, Minister of Insch ; and in 1751, the death, at Banff, of Helen, daughter of Patrick Leith, late of Harthill, and spouse to John Stewart, Supervisor of Excise.

Arms. — Leith of Harthill. — Or, a cross crosslet fitched azure between two crescents in chief and a fusil in base gules.

LEITH OF TKEEFIELD.

The Treefield Leiths — whose estate formed ultimately the nucleus of the Freefield Barony — began with George, third son of John Leith, the second of Harthill,

I. — George Leith got Treefield from his father in 1605. He married — 1st, Helen, daughter of John Leith of Montgarrie ; and, 2nd, a daughter of Adam Abercromby of Old Eayne. He died in 1643.

II. — George Leith of Treefield, his son, married Isobel, daughter of Thomas Erskine of Balhaggardy.

III. — George Leith, last of Treefield, their son, married, in 1660, Jean, daughter of James Gordon of Terpersie, and had issue Peter, William, and Helen — wife, in 1712, of Mr. William Garioch, minister of Kinnethmont. Peter married his cousin, daughter of George Gordon of Terpersie, and, besides other children, had a son, Alexander, who married Janet, daughter of William Eaitt, in Cuslmy, Auchterless.

George Leith sold Treefield to the first laird of Freefield, in 1702.

LEITH OF BUCHABNE— A Wadset by the Makquts of Huntly.

I. — Alexander Leith of Bucharne was the second son of John Leith, who acquired the estate of Leith-hall. Alexander's intrepidity earned for him the name of " Hardhead ". He married, 26th October, 1652, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Johnston of Craig, younger brother of Sir George Johnston — first Baronet of Caskieben. Evidence of proclamation at Gartly was not produced at the marriage — objections having been taken to the "purpose of marriage " by Eobert Gordon of Collithie, on the ground, inter alia, that Alexander Leith was tinder promise of marriage to his daughter, Anna Gordon. Mr. Nicol Blake, who performed the marriage, had to profess repentance publicly, at the Kirks of Dyce and Kinnellar, for the irregularity. Two sons, John and Alexander, were born of the marriage.

II. — John Leith of Bucharne married Beatrix, daughter of Major Walter Ogilvie, third son of Sir Patrick Ogilvie of the Boyne, Lord of Session. The wadset of Bucharne expired in John's time. His eldest son, Alexander, became tacksman of the farm. John, his second son, became John Leith of Blair in Bourtie ; whose descendant, John Leith, called of Kinguidie, died in 1764, and, in 1807, his daughter Ann, liferentrix. There was a third son named George Leith.

III. — Alexander Leith in Bucharne married Margaret, daughter of Walter Halket of

Seton. 4G3

Caimton, and had six sons, viz., 1, Alexander ; 2, John ; 3, Walter ; 4, James ; 5, Charles ; and 6, Laurence ; and at least two daughters — Elizabeth, second wife of Dr. John Stuart of Inchhreck ; the other married Mr. Fyfe in Banff, and left issue.

Laurence, the youngest son, a Lieutenant of the 89th Regiment, got a renewal of the lease of Bucharne. He died, unmarried, in 1795. Little is known of John and Walter. The sons — Alexander, James, and Charles — are noticed below.

IV. — Alexander Leith, eldest son of Alexander Leith in Bucharne, commanded the Artillery at the siege of Havannah in 1763 ; and was there killed.

V. — Sir Alexander Charles George Leith, his son, Lieut.-Col. of 88th Foot, was, in November, 1775, created a Baronet of Great Britain, and died in Jamaica in 1780. By his wife, Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Hay of Huntington, a Lord of Session, he had

VI. — Sir George Alexander William Leith, a Major-General in the Army ; who died at London, January, 1842, leaving two sons, Alexander, and George Gordon Brown Leith ; which last married a daughter of John Ferrier, W.S., Edinburgh.

VII. — Sir Alexander Wellesley William Leith, a member of the Faculty of Advocates, died, (three months after his father) in April, 1842, leaving by his wife, Jemima, second daughter of Hector Macdonald Buchanan, W.S., of Boss, Dumbartonshire, a Principal clerk of Session, a son,

VIII. — Sir George Hector Leith, of Burgh St. Peter's, Norfolk, and ofDrygrange, near Mel- rose, and of Ross Priory, Dumbartonshire, — the present representative of the Bucharne Leiths.

I. — James Leith, fourth son of Alexander Leith and Margaret Halket, became Sheriff- Substitute of Kincardineshire. He married Margaret, daughter of John Young of Stank, Sheriff-Clerk of the Mearns, and had several children, amongst others, James and Janet.

II. — Major-General James Leith of Leithheld, the son, died, unmarried, at Madras, in 1829, where he was for some time Judge-Advocate-General. He bought back into his family the lands of Whiteriggs, called Leithfield, in Fordoun.

Janet Leith married James Arnott in Arbikie, Forfarshire. Of her children, Charles Arnott, Solicitor, London, and Major David Leith Arnott, H.E.I.C.S., died unmarried. James Arnott, W.S., the eldest son, after the death of his uncle acquired the property of Leith- field ; which was sold after Mr. James Arnott's decease in 1866. By his wife, Emily Sophia Fletcher, he had several children. Dr. Neil Arnott of London was cousin-german of Mr. James Arnott.

Two sisters of those three brothers were married — one to Captain Grice, the other, Elizabeth, to Captain Maughan, both of the Indian Navy. The only daughter of Elizabeth, (Mrs. Maughan,) is the wife of Dr. Story, minister of Roseneath.

Dr. Charles Leith, fifth son of Alexander Leith and Margaret Halket, who had been a practitioner of medicine in Maryland, U.S., died, unmarried, in May, 1781, at Johnston, near Laurencekirk, of which he had a life-rent lease from Francis Garden, Lord Gardenston, who, after his tenant's decease, left in writing the remark, " I revere the Doctor's memory, and have great regard to his representatives ".

SETON. Sir William Seton of that Ilk, of Winton, and Tranent in East Lothian, and of Winchburgh, West Lothian, had by his wife, Katherine, daughter of Sir William Sinclair of Herdmanstoun, two sons. The elder, Sir John Seton of that Ilk, was ancestor of the Earls of Winton, attainted

464 Appendix.

1716, of tlie Earls of Dunfermline, Lords of F3rvie and Urquhart, attainted 1690, and of the Viscounts Kingston, attainted 1715. The second son was the ancestor of the Setons of Strath- bogie and of the Garioch (p. 112).

Sir Alexander Seton married, circa 1408, Elizabeth de Gordon, heiress of Gordon, and became Lord Gordon, and their sons were Alexander, first Earl of Huntly ; William, first Seton of Meldruni ; and Henry, killed along with his brother William in the battle of Brechin (1452).

SETON OF MELDEUM.

I. — William Seton married Elizabeth de Meldruni, heiress of Meldrum, whose mother was a daughter of the Earl of Sutherland. He fell in the battle of Brechin, in 1452 (p. 112).

II. — Alexander Seton of Meldrum, their son, married Muriel, daughter of Sutherland, ancestor of the Lord Duffus. He was served heir to his mother in 1456.

III. — William Seton of Meldrum was put in possession of the estate in his father's lifetime, but predeceased him. He and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Leslie of Wardes, had a charter of Balcairn, in 1490. She married John Collison, Provost of Aberdeen, after the decease of her husband, William Seton (p. 133).

IV. — Alexander Seton of Meldrum (p. 137), son of William, was, in 1512, served heir to his grandfather in the Lordship of Meldrum. He was killed at Aberdeen in 1527. He married — 1st, Agnes, daughter of Patrick Gordon of Haddo, ancestor of the Earls of Aberdeen, and had by her two sons, William of Meldrum and Alexander of Mounie. By his second wife, Janet, daughter and co-heiress of George Leith of Barnes he had John Seton of Blah', who got a charter, in 1526, of half the lands of Auchleven, Drumrossy, and others, inheriting also Blair from his mother.

V.— William Seton of Meldrum, served heir to his father Alexander in 1533, married (first) Janet, daughter of James Gordon- of Lesmoir, and by her had three sons — Alexander of Meldrum, John of Lumphard, afterwards of Mounie, and William of Slatie. By his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Innes of Leuchars, he had two sons — George Seton of Barra and James Seton of Pitmedden. William Seton of Meldrum died in 1571.

VI. — Alexander Seton of Meldrum, served heir to his father William, 3rd May, 1581, married twice. His first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Irvine of Drum, bare him one son, Alexander, who married, in 1584, Christian, daughter of Michael Eraser of Stonywood, and had a daughter, Elizabeth — afterwards heiress of Meldrum, and ancestor of the Urquharts of Meldrum. He died before his father, having been killed in 1590 (p. 151). The second marriage of Alexander, sixth of Meldrum, was with Jean, daughter of Alexander, sixth Lord Abernethy of Salton. Two sons were born of it — John ; and William, the last Seton of Meldrum— and two daughters, Margaret, wife of Chalmers of Balbithan, and Isabel, wife of Erskine of Pittodrie.

VII. — John Seton of Meldrum succeeded his father, and married Lady Grizel Stewart, but died without issue, about 1619, and was succeeded by

VIII.— William Seton, his brother, who married Ann, daughter of James Crichton of Fren- draught. Having no children, he settled the estate, in 1635, upon Patrick Urquhart of Lethinty, the son of his niece, Elizabeth Seton, by her marriage with John Urquhart of Craigfintray, Tutor of Cromarty, contracted in 1610.

Setoff of Mounie. 46o

Patrick Urquhart, first of Meldrum, succeeded about 1636. His mother, in her widowhood married Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth, afterwards tenth Lord Salton, and had a son, Alexander, who died Master of Salton, in 1682, and was the father of William, eleventh Lord Salton.

Arms : — Seton (Meldrum, co. Aberdeen ; heiress m. Urquhart, of Craigfintry). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, three crescents within a double tressure flory and counterflory gu. ; 2nd and 3rd, argent, a demi otter sable issuing out of a bar wavy crowned gules, for Meldrum.

SETON OF MOUNIE. First Line. Pp. 141-231.

I. — John Seton of Lumphard, son of William Seton, fifth of Meldrum, and nephew of Alexander Seton, Vicar of Bethelnie, Chancellor of the Diocese of Aberdeen, got the separate farms of the lands of Mounie, which had been held partly by his father and partly by his uncle, under Episcopal Charter of 1556, united under a Great Seal Charter in 1575. He married a daughter of John Panton of Pitmedden, and dying about 1596, left a son,

II. — William Seton of Mounie ; who was served heir in 1597 ; and, in 1598, was admitted an honorary burgess of Aberdeen, at the request of Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie. He married Helen, daughter and heiress of Udny of that Ilk ; and in 1623, under the designation of William Seton of Udny, he sold Mounie to John Urquhart of Craigfintray and Elizabeth Seton, his wife. Their son, Patrick Urquhart, disponed Mounie in 1636-7 to Mr. Robert Farquhar, — whose heirs lost the lands by bankruptcy in 1702 ; when they became temporarily the property of Alexander Hay of Arnbath, and were re-purchased, in 1714, by George Seton, ancestor of the present Setons of Mounie. William Seton had two sons — William Seton of Meanie and Alexander Seton of Kinloch, which last died in 1672.

III. — William Seton, called of Meanie, in Buchan, son of William of Mounie and Helen Udny, married Margaret Graham, daughter of Sir Robert Graham of Morphie, and had a son,

IV. — William Seton of Meanie, whose son,

V. — James Seton, last of Meanie, died without issue in 1707, when the line was represented by

VI. — Robert Seton, son of Alexander Seton, of Kinloch, the second son of William Seton of Mounie and Helen Udny.

VII. — Robert Seton, his son, was the last of the line.

SETONS OF MOUNIE. Second Line. P. 231.

I. — George Seton, Advocate, who was second son of Sir Alexander Seton (a Lord of Session, by the title of Lord Pitmedden), having inherited a considerable provision from his mother, purchased Mounie. By his second wife, Ann, daughter of John Leslie of Tocher, grandson of James Leslie of Warthill, he had a son and several daughters, of whom Isabella married Dr. Skene Ogilvy, minister of Old Machar. He died about 1763.

II.— William Seton, the son, succeeded his father, but died unmarried, and was succeeded by his sister, Margaret Seton, wife of James Anderson, LL.D., of Cobenshaw, who, in terms of succession, assumed the name of Seton. Their son became

III.— Alexander Seton of Mounie (born 1769, died 1850). He married, in 1810, his cousin, Janet Skene, daughter of the above named Dr. Skene Ogilvy, and had three sons — Alexander, David, and George. George, a Major in the Army, married Anne-Lucy, daughter

59

466 Appendix.

of Baldwin Wake, Esq., grandson of Sir William Wake of Courteen Hall, Northamptonshire, seventh Baronet, and has 'issue — Alexander, David.

IV. — Alexander Seton, Colonel in the Army, was the commander of the troops on board the troop-ship ' Birkenhead,' which was wrecked, 26th February, 1852, near .the Cape of Good Hope, when Colonel Seton and almost all on board perished. He was succeeded by his brother,

V. — David Seton, now of Mounie, formerly an Officer in the 93rd Highlanders and 49th Kegiment.

Arms :— Seton (Mounie, co. Aberdeen). As Pitmedden, with a crescent an. in the centre of the quarters.

SETON OF BLAIR. P. 418.

John Seton, son of Alexander Seton, fourth of Meldruni, and his second wife, Janet Leith, daughter and co-heiress of George Leith of Barnes, inherited Blair from his mother. His descendants cannot be traced continuously.

William Seton of Blair was a burgess of Aberdeen in 1595 ; and superior of Licklyhead.

William Seton of Blair was served heir to his father William in 1612 and 1616. He had a brother, Alexander, admitted a burgess of Aberdeen, 20th September, 1619.

George Seton of Blair, in 1651, protested against the appointment of an assistant and successor to the minister of Bourtie. His daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth, were served heirs portioners in the lands of Blair in 1661 ; and are so stated in the Poll Book, 1696. George seems to have been a physician, and was regarded by the Church Courts as a propagator of Romanism.

SETON OF BOURTIE, NOW OF PITMEDDEN. P. 230.

• Mr. George Seton of Barra, Chancellor of Aberdeen, and his brother and heir, were the sons of William Seton, fifth of Meldnim, by his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Innes of Leuchars. William Seton of Meldrum, the Chancellor's nephew, was, in L627, served heir male to 1dm in Barra, — which must have meant part of Barra, as James Seton was, in 1598, styled portioner of Barra.

I. — James Seton, portioner of Barra, in 1598, acquired from the Barclays of Towie the lands of Auld Bourtie, -with the Mill, Hillbrae, Selbie, and Lochtulloch ; which two last properties were afterwards sold to Sir George Johnston of Caskieben. He married Margaret, grand-daughter of Mr. William Rolland, Master of the Mint at Aberdeen to King James V. In 1619, in a Crown charter of Auchmore, &c, he was styled of Pitmedden.

II. — Alexander Seton of Pitmedden, his son (served heir to him in 1628), married Beatrix, daughter of Sir Walter Ogilvy of Dunlugas, sister of George, first Lord Banff. He had a charter in 1630 of the estate of Barra disponed to him by William Seton, last of Meldrum. He was succeeded by his son,

III. — John Seton of Pitmedden, the Royalist soldier ; who, in 1633 shortly after succeeding, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Samuel Johnston of Elphinston, by whom he had two sons. He fell in battle at the Bridge of Dee, in June, 1639, with the Royal Standard in his hands, and was buried with military honours by the Covenanters' General, the Earl of Montrose. His two sons, James and Alexander, left fatherless very young, were taken charge of by the Earl of Winton, their mother marrying the Earl of Hartfell. The boys were educated at Marischal College, and both attained some eminence. " Bonnie John " of Pitmedden's elder son,

Seton of Bourtie, now of Pitmedden. • 467

IV. — James Seton of Pitmedden entered the Navy, after having spent some time in foreign travel. He fought in the victory obtained over the Dutch by the Duke of York, off Harwich in 1665. He died of wounds received in another naval engagement, in 1667. He had sold Bourtie, in 1657, to Mr. James Reid, Advocate, Aberdeen. He was married, but died without issue in London. His brother,

V. — Sir Alexander Seton, a Judge of the Court of Session, by the title of Lord Pitmedden, under Charles II., was his successor in Pitmedden. He was Knighted in 1664, and appointed a Judge in 1677. He served in several Parliaments for Aberdeenshire ; and in 1684 Charles II. bestowed upon him the rank of Baronet. After the Revolution, King William offered him his old position of Judge, but he declined, thinking acceptance incompatible with the oaths previously taken. He married Margaret, daughter of William Lauder, one of the Clerks of Session, and had, besides several other children, two sons — Sir William, his heir, and Mr. George Seton, Advocate, first of the present Setons of Mounie. Sir Alexander died at a very advanced age, in 1719. Of three daughters, Elizabeth married Sir Alexander Wedderburn of Blackness, Bart. ; Margaret married Sir John Lauder of Fountainhall, Bart. ; and Anne married William Dick of Grange. The Baronets, Dick Lauder of Grange, descend from a son of Margaret and a daughter of Anne.

VI. — Sir William Seton, second Baronet of Pitmedden, wdio in his father's lifetime represented Aberdeenshire in the Scottish Parliament from 1702 to 1706, (when Queen Anne appointed him one of the Commissioners about the union between Scotland and England,) married Katherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Burnet of Leys, and had five sons and four daughters. He died in 1744, and was succeeded by three of his five sons, and by a son of his fifth son. Two of his daughters manned ; Margaret becoming the wife of Sir John Paterson,

Bart. ; and Katherine, the wife of the Rev. Forbes.

VII. — Sir Alexander Seton of Pitmedden succeeded his father as third Baronet. He was an Officer in the Guards, and died, s.p., at Pitmedden House, in July, 1750, aged 47.

VIII. — Sir William Seton of Pitmedden, fourth Baronet, succeeded his brother, but died s.p.

IX. — Sir Archibald Seton of Pitmedden, fifth Baronet, succeeded his brother. He was in the Royal Navy. He died, s.p.

X. — Sir William Seton of Pitmedden, sixth Baronet, son of Charles Seton, the fifth son of the second Baronet, succeeded his uncle, Sir Archibald. Sir William married Margaret, daughter of James Ligertwood of Tillery, and had issue — 1, Charles, died yoimg ; 2, James, Major in the 92nd Highlanders, killed in the Peninsular War, 1814. He married Frances, daughter of Captdin George Coote, nephew of Sir Eyre Coote, and had issue, William Coote, who succeeded his grandfather. Sir William died in 1819, and was succeeded by his grandson,

XL — Sir William Coote Seton of Pitmedden, seventh Baronet, who was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates, Edinburgh, in 1831. He married, in 1834, Eliza Henrietta, daughter of Henry Lumsden of Cushnie, county Aberdeen,- and relict of Captain John Wilson, H.E.I.C.S., and had issue :— 1, James Lumsden, Captain 102nd Foot (retired) ; 2, William Samuel, Major, Bombay Staff Corps, married Eva Kate St. Leger, only daughter of Colonel Hastings Wood, C.B., and has issue ; 3, Henry, in holy orders, died, unmarried, in 1867 ; 4, Matthew,. Barrister-at-Law, married Theresa Prudence Rose, only daughter of Mr. Pierre Bonnet; 5, Charles; daughters — 1, Eliza, wife of David Dyce Brown, JEsq., M.D. ; 2, Magdalen Frances, wife of Arthur Talbot Bevan, Esq. ; 3, Frances.

468 Appendix.

Arms : — Seton (Pitmedden, co. Aberdeen, bart., 1684). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, three crescents, and in the centre a man's heart distilling blood, the whole within a double treasure flory and counterflory gu., for Seton : 2nd and 3rd, ar. a demi otter sa. crowned or issuing out of a bar wavy of the second, for Meldeum. Crest — A demi man in military habit, holding the banner of Scotland, proper. Supporters — Dexter, a deerhound argent collared — gu. charged with a crescent or; sinister, an otter sa. Mottos — Above the crest: Sustento sanguine signa ; below the arms : Merces lueo certa lahorum.

Individuals of two Aberdeenshire families of the name of Seton — viz., Setons of Schethin and of Disblair (probably connected with the Setons of Meldrum or Blair) — appear in the Spalding Club publications. The Abreviates of Retours of Service contain the following notices : —

Oct. 4th, 1625— To George Seton of Schethin deceased, his son, William Seton of Schethin, served heir in various lands, 4th October. June 26th, 1668— Mr. William Seton, Rector of Logie Buchan, served heir to his brother, Mr. John Seton, Minister of the Church of Foveren, in the lands of Schethin, in the parish of Tarves, 26th June. Nov. 1st, 1672 — James Seton, son of Mr. William Seton, Minister at Logie Buchan, served heir to his said father, in the lands of Schethin, in the parish of Tarves.

April 26th, 1623— William Seton of Disblair, hen- portioner of Andrew Tulliduff of that Ilk, his grandfather on the mother's side. Feb. 27th, 1658 — William Seton, sometime of Easter Disblair, heir male and of taillzie of John Seton of Easter Disblair, his brother, in the lands of Easter Disblair and the Mill of Cavill, within the Regality of St. Andrews.

URQUHART OF MELDRUM. P. 233.

John Urquhart of Craigfintray, the Tutor of Cromarty, " renowned all over Britain for his deep reach of natural art," married as his third wife Elizabeth Seton, only daughter of Alexander Seton, younger of Meldrum, and ultimately heiress of that estate. The Tutor of Cromarty died 8th November, 1631, aged 84.

I. — Patrick Urquhart of Meldrum, their eldest son (p. 232), succeeded to the Meldrum estate, in 1636. By his wife, Margaret Ogilvy, daughter of James, first Earl of Airly, he had, besides his eldest son, John, who predeceased him, Adam, his heir ; James, first of Knockleith ; Patrick, Professor of Medicine, King's College, Aberdeen ; Captain Alexander, killed 1685 ; and Elizabeth, wife first of Sir George Gordon of Gight, afterwards of Major-General Buchan of the Auehmacoy family.

II. — Adam Urquhart of Meldrum, born 1635, once M.P. for Aberdeenshire, married in 1667, Mary Gordon, sister of the first Duke of Gordon ; who after his death married James, Earl of Perth, and died at St. Germains, 1726. Their children were : John, the heir ; James of Byth ; Adam and Lewis, priests in France ; Mary, a nun ; Elizabeth, wife of David Ogilvy of Clova ; Anne, married to Sir Florence Odonachie.

III. — John Urquhart of Meldrum, born 1668, succeeded on his father's death in 1684. By his wife, Jean, daughter of Sir Hugh Campbell of Calder, he had — Adam, who predeceased his father ; William, his heir ; Mary, wife of William Menzies of Pitfoddels ; Jean, wife of Alexander Stewart of Auchluncart ; Elizabeth, wife of William Forbes of Tillery ; and Anne, wife of Charles Gordon of Blelack.

Urquhart of Meldrum. 469

IV. — "William Urquhart of Meldrum succeeded in 1726. He married Mary, daughter of Sir William Forbes of Monynmsk, and had — Keith, his heir ; Jane, wife of John Urquhart of Craigston ; and Elizabeth, wife of John Turner of Turnerhall. By a third wife, Isabella, daughter of George Douglas of Whiteriggs, of the Glenbervie family, he had a son George, whose son, Beauchamp Colclough Urquhart, eventually succeeded to Meldrum.

V. — Keith Urquhart of Meldrum succeeded his father ; married Jane Duff, daughter of William, third Earl of Fife ; and dying in 1793, was succeeded by his son,

VI. — James Urquhart of Meldrum, horn 1750, who married, in 1788, a daughter of William Forbes of Skellater and Balbithan, but died without issue.

VII. — Beauchamp Colclough Urqhuhart of Meldrum succeeded, being the only son of George, younger son of William, fourth of Meldrum, who married, 1784, Bridget, only daughter of deceased Beauchamp Colclough of Bohermore, Galway. Born 1796, he married, in 1819, Anne Jane, daughter of Patrick Fitzsimnions. His eldest son, George, died before him. The younger children were — Beauchamp, his heir ; William Henry, born 1839 ; Thomas Bedford, born 1842 ; Sarah ; Henrietta, married 1855 to Major Champion, Bombay Army ; Douglas, first wife of Garden William Duff of Hatton ; Elizabeth, married (1st) to John Fraser of Brae- langwell, Ross-shire, (2nd) to Luther Martin, Esq. ; Mary, wife of Dr. Pirrie ; and Charlotte, wife of William Hill, Esq., Indian Civil Service.

VIII. — Beauchamp Colclough Urquhart of Meldrum succeeded 1861. By his wife, Isabel Fraser (Braelangwell), deceased, he has one son, Beauchamp, and one daughter, Isabel Annie, wife of Garden Alexander Duff of Hatton.

Urquhart (Meldrum, co. Aberdeen, as recorded 1672). Quarterly, 1st aud 4th, or., a deroi otter sa. crowned with an antique crown, or, issuing out of a bar wavy of the second, for Meldrum ; 2nd and 3rd, or, three crescents within a double tressure flory counterflory gu., for Seton. Crest — A boar's head erased or. Motto — Per mare et terras.

The celebrated Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty (born in 1613, Knighted at Whitehall, by Charles I., in 1641), left among his Tracts a whimsical genealogy of the family of Urquhart, beginning, in the year of the world, one, with Adam, surnamed the Protoplast. On the death of Sir Alexander Urquhart of Cromarty, brother and heir of Sir Thomas, the honours of the family, as well as the estates of Cromarty, passed to Sir John Urquhart, son of John Urquhart of Craigfintray, Laithers, and Craigston, who was the son of John Urquhart of Craigfintray and Culbo, Tutor of Cromarty, by an earlier marriage than that with the heiress of Meldrum. Sir John's son, Jonathan, sold Cromarty to Viscount Tarbet, first Earl of Cromarty, and on the death of Jonathan's son, James, in 1741, the Tutor's descendant, William Urquhart of Meldrum, became representative of Urquhart of Cromarty. In that year William Urquhart of Meldrum and James Urquhart of Byth, grandson of Adam Urquhart of Meldrum, had the following armorial bearings registered, both of which now belong to Urquhart of Meldrum, as being also Urquhart of Byth.

Urquhart (Meldrum, as representative of Cromarty). Or, three boars' heads erased gu., languedog. Supporters — Two greyhounds ppr., collared gu., and leashed or. Crest — A demi otter issuing sa. crowned with an antique crown or, holding betwixt his paws a crescent gu., these being the armorial figures of Meldrum of that Ilk and Seton of Meldrum. Motto— Per mare et terras ; and below, the words, Mean, Speak, and Do well — the ancient motto of Urquhart of Cromarty.

470 Appendix.

Urqdhart of Byth. Three coats quarterly, 1st and 4th, three hoars' heads erased gu., langued az. ; 2nd, argent, a deini otter issuing out of a har waved sa. crowned or ; 3rd, or, three crescents within a double tressure counterflowered gu. Crest — A dagger and a hranch of palm slipped and disposed saltier ways ppr. Motto — Weigh well.

ELPHINSTONE OF GLACE. P. 412.

This family descends from Sir Henry Elphinstone of Pittendreich, chief of his name in the the latter part of the fifteenth century, who married a daughter of Cuninghame of Polmaise, in Stirlingshire, and left at least four sons — 1, James, whose great-grandson, Alexander Elphin- stone, was created Lord Elphinstone by James IV., in 1509 ; 2, Andrew Elphinstone of Selmys, wholeft two sons — Andrew, married toa.daugb.ter of Wardlaw of Riccartoim,and William, Provost of the Collegiate Church of Bothwell ; 3, Nicholas, ancestor of the Glack family ; and, 4, Lawrence.

Nicholas Elphinstone of Glack had, in 1499, a charter of Glack from Bishop Elphin- stone, upon resignation by his brother, Andrew of Selmys, who owned Glack from at least 1492. Nicholas and his wife, Elizabeth Abercromby of Pitmedden, had, in 1509, a Royal charter of part of Ardoyne, which two daughters, co-heiresses of Henry Leslie, had disponed to them. At least two sons, William and Symon, were born of the union.

William Efphinstone was infeft in Glack in 1515. He appears in history, inl523(p. 144); and his wife, " Elizabeth Cromme, goodwife of Glack," as also Mallota Elphinstone (p. 144), probably a sister or daughter, voted, in 1550, in the election of a Parish Clerk of Daviot.

James Elphinstone of Glack, in 1559, married Marjory Leslie, daughter of Alexander Leslie, fourth Baron of Pitcaple. Their daughter, Marjory, married Walter Innes, Miller, and for a time Laird, of Ardtannies, in Inverurie, and died in 1622, leaving a large family.

James Elphinstone of Glack, infeft in 1586, was probably the father of Marjory Elphin- stone, who, in 1629-30, became the second wife of Mr. James Mill, Minister of Inverurie. He is said to have been still living in 1665, and if so he must have resigned the estate during his lifetime.

Robert Elphinstone of Glack Iras, in 1620, summoned as a "haver" in an action at the instance of the Earl of Rothes.

James Elphinstone of Glack (son of Alexander, the son of James Elphinston of Glack, who died in his father's lifetime) appears as a witness inl630, at the baptism ofMarjory Elphinstone's first child by Mr. James Mill. Hemarried (1st) Elizabeth Wood of Bonnytoun, and (2nd) in May, 1641, Jean Leslie, daughter of John Leslie, eleventh Baron of Balquhain. His children were — James, his successor ; William, ancestor of the Elphinstones of Logie Elphinstone ; Harry, who married Agnes, daughter of Sir John Forbes of Monymusk, in 1661 ; Jean, married, about 1634, to Alexander Leslie of Tullos, afterwards Count Leslie, and fourteenth Baron of Balquhain ; and Anna, married to William Leslie, fifth Laird of Warthill, whose second son by her was born in 1657, and became a Prince Bishop of the Holy Roman Empire.

James Elphinstone, who appears in the Presbytery Book of Garioch, in 1650, as younger of Glack, was infeft in Glack in 1670. He was, in 1669, elected Commissioner for the Burgh of Inverurie in the Scottish Parliament ; and was, in 1671, with his son, John Elphinstone, fiar of Glack, admitted a Burgess of Inverurie — another son, Alexander, getting the like honour at Aberdeen, in 1681. James Elphinstone of Glack subscribed, in 1688, to the new buildings at King's College, Aberdeen.

Lotjie of Logie Elphinstone. 471

John Elphinstone had a grant of the estate from his father, in 1676.

John Elphinstone, his son, was.infeft in Glack, in 1691, in virtue of his contract of marriage with Margaret ForLes. He married (2nd) Anna Irvine, with whom, and Mr. William and Patrick, his children, he appears in the Poll Book, in 1696. He had an older son, John, his heir, and a daughter, Rachel, who was married to John Ogilvy, Collector of Customs at Aberdeen, in March, 1731. He lived until after 1731, in which year he was admitted an Honorary Burgess of Aberdeen. Cecilia Elphinstone of Glack was, about 1740, married to William Chalmers of Auldbar, son of the eldest daughter of Sir Forbes of Foveran.

John Elphinstone of Glack was, 2nd October, 1734, served heir to his deceased father, John Elphinstone of Glack. Before 1741 he married Jean, daughter of Alexander Achyndachy of that Ilk, long chamberlain of Fyvie, who died in her 80th year at Aberdeen, in April, 1794. A daughter, Sarah, iii 1762, married George Gordon of Bothney, Merchant in Aberdeen, and died in December, 1775. (With their two children — William Gordon, W.S., of Bothney, who died in 1824, and Mary, his heir, who died in 1836 — the Gordons of Rothney are believed to have become extinct.) John Elphinstone of Glack is noticed in the Scots Magazine of 1758 as having died in September, 1758, in the 93rd year of his age, and is styled of that Ilk.

Alexander Elphinstone of Glack, infeft in 1757, was admitted an Advocate in Edinburgh in 1764, and was Sheriff-Depute of Aberdeenshire in 1777. He married, in 1766, Jean, daughter of Colin Mackenzie of Kilcoy, Boss, and had a son, John, and two daughters. Mary, the younger, died unmarried, at Edinburgh, in 1796, and Jane married, in 1787, John Mackenzie of Applecross, with issue. Glack was sold by Alexander Elphinstone's trustees, in 1787, to the Bev. Colin Mackenzie of Fodderty, ancestor of the present proprietor.

John Elphinstone entered the service of the East Indian Company, and was for many years Member of Council at Bombay. He died in 1825. A son, Alexander, survives, whose son, John Elphinstone, is in the East Indian Civil Service.

Arms : — Elphinstone of Glack (as recorded in 1672). Argent, on a cheveron sable between three boars' heads erased gules, a mitre of the first. Crest — A dexter hand holding a garb proper. Motto — Non vi seal virtute.

ELPHINSTONE OF LOGIE ELPHINSTONE. P. 413.

William Elphinstone, a younger son of James Elphinstone of Glack by his first wife, Elizabeth Wood of Bonnytoun, had the lands of Whiteinehes, in Chapel of Garioch, and died about 1660, leaving by his wife, Margaret Forbes, besides other issue, a son,

I. — James Elphinstone, who became a Writer to the Signet in 1671, was made an Honorary Burgess of Aberdeen in 1675, and, in 1696, a Judge of the Commissary Court in Edinburgh, with remainder of that office to his son. He was created a Baronet of Scotland and Nova Scotia in 1701, with remainder to his heirs male. He purchased the lands of Craighouse, in Midlothian, and between 1670 and 1680, the lands of Logiedurno and others (afterwards called Logie Elphinstone) in Aberdeenshire ; which comity here presented in Parliament from 1693 to 1702. He was a Commissioner of the Signet in 1720, and died in March, 1722. Sir James Elphinstone married Cecill, daughter of John Denholme of Muirhouse (ancestor of Sir James Stuart Denholme), and left (besides a daughter, Margaret, married to Sir Bobert Forbes of Leamey, son of Sir- John Forbes, Baronet of Craigievar,) a son, who succeeded him.

472 Appendix.

II. — Sir John Elphinstone of Craighouse and Logie Elphinstone was, while John Elphin- stone younger of Logie, one of the Commissioners appointed, in 1716, to visit the University of Aberdeen. He was, in 1707, appointed Sheriff of Aberdeenshire, and he succeeded his father as a Commissary of Edinburgh. He died in 1732, leaving by his wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Gilbert Elliot of Headshaw and Minto (who died 1767) — 1, James, his successor ; 2, John, fourth Baronet ; 3, Mary, married after 1745 to Sir Andrew Mitchell, Bart, of Westshore, Shetland, who left her without issue a widow, in 1764 ; 4, Helena, married, in 1751, to Thomas Elliot, M.D., who died at Edinburgh the same year, she dying in 1807 ; 5, Cecilia, married to James Balfour of Pilrig, with issue ; 6, Elizabeth, married to Henry Crawford of Monorgan, with issue ; 7, Jean, 8, Margaret, 9, Marion — unmarried.

III. — Sir James Elphinstone of Logie Elphinstone married Jean, second daughter of Thomas Rattray, D.D., of that Ilk and Craighall, in the Stormont (by his wife, the Hon. Marjory Galloway, daughter of the second Lord Dvmkeld), and by her (who married secondly Colonel George Mure, brother of Caldwell) had issue, two daughters only — Mary, who succeeded to the estate of Logie Elphinstone, and Margaret, who died, in 1765, unmarried. In 1733 he executed a heritable bond of provision for his brother and his sisters. He died in 1739.

IV. — Sir John Elphinstone succeeded his brother ; and the Baronetcy became extinct by his death, which took place in 1743. He was an officer in the Army.

V. — Mary Elphinstone of Logie Elphinstone married, in 1754, Captain Robert Dalrymple Horn of Horn and Westhall, of the 1st Royal Scots Regiment, afterwards a General in the Army and Colonel of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, who assumed after his marriage, the additional name of Elphinstone. He was the son of Hew Dalrymple, Lord Driunmore of the Court of Session. Mrs. Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone died in 1776, leaving of surviving issue by her husband (who died in 1794, aged 74) two sons, James and Robert, who each succeeded to the estate, and six daughters, all married, for whom see Burke's Baronetage.

VI. — James Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone inherited Logie Elphinstone on his father's death. It is from this gentleman that the village of Port Elphinstone, near Inverurie, derives its name, which was given to it as an acknowledgment of the energetic and substantial support afforded by him to the canal from Aberdeen to Inverurie, the terminus of which was at Port Elphinstone ; and the traffic carried by which was the source of such prosperity to the Burgh of Inverurie that its population advanced in fifty years from 400 to 2000. James D. H. Elphinstone married Margaret, only child and heiress of James Davidson, Esq. of Midmar, but died, without issue, in 1798, while on a voyage to Lisbon. He was succeeded by his brother,

VII. — Robert Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone, Lieutenant-Colonel 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards. Born in 1766, he entered the Army in 1782 ; served in the campaigns of 1793 and 1794 in Flanders under the Duke of York ; aud was promoted for gallant conduct. He retired from the Army soon after succeeding to his estates ; on which he resided during most of his after life, extending to over half a century. He was for many years Convener of the County of Aberdeen.

In 1S28, he was created a Baronet of Great Britain, as a renewal of the title held by his mother's ancestors. He married, in 1800, Graeme, daughter of Colonel David Hepburn, second son of James Congalton Riccart Hepburn of Congalton, Riccarton, and Keith Marisehal, by whom he had fifteen children, seven of whom predeceased him. Sir Robert died in 1848, and his widow in 1870, aged 87 years. His surviving children, besides 1, Sir James, his successor, were — 2, Hew Drummond, Master Attendant, Madrass, Presidency, married to Helenora

Erskine of Pittodrie. 473

Catherine, daughter of Sir J. H. Maxwell of Springkell, and has issue ; 3, Mary Frances, wife of Patrick Boyle, Esq., of Shewalton, Ayrshire, with issue ; 4, Francis Anstruther, Judge in Bengal, married Mary Anne, daughter of General Bowen, C.B., and has issue ; 5, Charles of Kinellar Lodge, Aherdeenshire, married (1st) to Harriet Albinia, daughter of Alexander Gordon of Ellon, and (2nd) to Christian, daughter of William Gordon of Pitlurg, and has issue by both ; 6, John Hamilton, General in the Army, C.B., and Knight of the Turkish Order ofMedjidie, married to Georgina Anne, daughter of William P. Brigstoke, Esq., Somerset ; 7, Henrietta Marion, married to Thomas C. Leslie, Esq., youngest son of William Leslie, Esq. of Warthill ; 8, George Augustus Frederick, sometime Colonial Secretary, Queensland, died in 1876.

Sir James Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone commanded an East Indiaman in his early years, and as Captain Dalrymple took a prominent part in the business and public interests of the county. He is at present (1878) Member of Parliament for the Borough of Portsmouth, and one of the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury. He married, in 1836, Mary, fourth daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir John Heron Maxwell, Bart., of Keroughtrie and Springkell, who died in 1877. By her he had issue — John, Commander in the Navy, deceased ; Robert, married to Nora, daughter of John Balfour, Esq. ; Graeme Hepburn, married to Alice, daughter of James Ogilvie Fairlie, Esq. ; and Margaret Burnett, married to the Rev. John Maturin Warren.

Arms of Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone (Logie Elphinstone, co. Aberdeen, bart, 1827). Quarterly, 1st and 4th, or, on a saltire azure between two water budgets in flanks sable nine lozenges of the field for Dalrymple ; 2nd and 3rd, or, three hunting horns gules, for Horn ; en surtout argent, on a cheveron sable between three boars' heads gules, a mitre or, a bordure of the third, for Elphinstone. Crests — Two horns erect per fesse or and sable countecchanged, for Horn ; a rock proper, on which the Motto, Firm, for Dalrymple ; and an armed hand erect proper holding an ostrich feather sable, for Elphinstone. Supporters — Dexter, a bull sable armed and unguled or ; sinister, an eagle, wings expanded, sable armed or. Motto — (below the shield) Moneo et munio.

EKSKINE OF PITTODRIE.

Sir Thomas Erskine, son of the great Chamberlain, had by his second wife, Janet Keith) grand-daughter of Elyne of Mar, two sons — Sir Robert, whose descendants became Earls of Mar, and John, the founder of the family of Erskine of Dun. John Erskine of Dun, who was killed at Flodden, in 1513, had two sons, the younger of whom, styled Thomas Erskine of Haltoun, was the ancestor of the Pittodrie family. The elder, John, who fell with his father at Flodden, was the father of the well-known Erskine of Dun, of the Reformation period.

In 1525 Master Thomas Erskine of Haltoun was appointed " secretar " to King James V., then a boy of twelve years old, and continued in that office until the King's death in 1542. Thomas, in 1529-30, was Knighted and made Warder of Tantallon Castle ; and soon afterwards, in exchange for that appointment, he received grant of the lordship of Brechin and Navar.

I. — Sir Thomas Erskine exchanged these estates, in 1550, for the Barony of Balhaggardy, with John, Lord Erskine. Sir Thomas by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Scrimgeour of .Dudhope, had two sons, the second of whom, born in 1528, became his heir.

If Burke {Landed Gentry) is correct in placing only one other John in the succession, John Erskine, first of Balhaggardy, must have survived 1604 (p. 418).

II. — John Erskine of Balhaggardy married before 1551, a daughter of the neighbouring

GO

474- Appendix.

Laird of Kenmay, Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, and had a son, John, (who appears in 1565 as eldest son). John Erskine of Balhaggardy also appears in 1598 (p. 221).

III. — John Erskine of Balhaggardy must have succeeded before 1615, when Thomas Erskine appears as fiar (p. 418). He was married, in 1604, to Marjory Gordon, daughter of Sir Thomas Gordon of Cluny, and was succeeded by his son, Thomas, in 1625. He had other two sons, Alexander and William, the latter of whom was killed at Aberdeen, in 1639 (p. 271). A daughter, Margaret, or Magdalon, married James, fourth son of William Leslie, the fourth of Wardes — ancestor of the Leslies of Tarbet, in Ireland.

IV. — Thomas Erskine of Pittodrie succeeded in 1625. He married Isabel, daughter of Alexander Seton of Meldrum, and had a son, Thomas, and a daughter, Isabel, wife of George Leith of Treefield.

V. — Thomas Erskine of Pittodrie, married (1643) Helen, daughter of Sir William Auchinleck of Balmanno. They had, besides William, the heir, two sons, who studied at King's College, Aberdeen, in 1666. A son, John, appears in 1677 (pp. 340, 364).

VI. — William Erskine of Pittodrie, founder of the Hospital (p. 147), appears, in 1675 ; he took the oaths of allegiance to William and Mary in 1689. By his wife, Mary, daughter of Patrick Grant of Ballindalloch, he had, besides his heir, a daughter, Jean, married to James Moir of Stoneywood, the Jacobite Colonel of 1 745.

VII. — Thomas Erskine of Pittodrie married (1st) in 1705, Margaret, daughter of Sir Alex- ander Burnet of Craigmyle, by whom he had a son, William, who died, unmarried, at the age of forty; and (2nd) in 1746, the Honourable Anne Forbes, daughter of James, fifteenth Lord Forbes. By her he had an only daughter, his successor.

VIII. — Mary Erskine of Pittodrie, heir of settlement of 1754, married Colonel Henry Knight, and by him had, besides a daughter, Mary Ann, who died in 1862, a son, — his mother's heir,

IX. — Colonel William Knight Erskine of Pittodrie, who married Grace, daughter of Captain James Norwood, and had two sons, the elder of whom succeeded.

X. — Colonel Henry Knight Erskine of Pittodrie, married Mary Ann, daughter of George Moir, Esq. of Denmore, Aberdeenshire, and had a son, the present proprietor, and a daughter, wife of Rev. Mr. Flower.

Arms of Erskine of Pittodrie. — Quarterly 1 and 4, Argent on a pale sable, three fleurs de lis or, for Erskine : 2, or, three piles in point gules, for Brechin : 3, Argent, tlrree pallets gules, on a canton azure, a spur, the rowel downwards, or, for Knight : over all, Argent, three negroes' heads couped proper banded of the field, for Moir. Crest — A demi lion rampant gules, holding in his dexter paw a thistle proper, and in his sinister a fleur de lis azure. Supporters — Two naked boys proper WTeathed about the middle with scarf azure. Mottoes — Je pense plus ; — Fisus etfidas et regia duxit.

THE FERGUSONS OF INVERURIE. (P. 353.)

A number of families, bearing the surname of Fergus, lived about Inverurie during the first half of the seventeenth century. Robert Fergus, a parishioner of Inverurie, appears in 1536, and from his name was probably one of a line traditionally traced to the beginning of the fourteenth century. From about 1610 two families, both containing a Robert and a Walter, used the new form of name, Ferguson — other families continuing to call themselves Fergus. Three Fergusons, who were brothers, appear in prominence, viz. — William Ferguson, after-

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 475

wards in Crichie ; Mr. James Ferguson, Town-Clerk of Inverurie from 1645 to 1673 ; and John Ferguson, who removed to Stonehaven, and died there, or in Poland, before 1662. A fourth probably was the younger of two Walters ; the elder, a Baillie, while these others were yet young, being the son of a Robert, who nourished in 1587. The brothers were the sons of Umquhile William Fergus or Ferguson, whose house the Marquis of Huntly repeatedly made his headquarters in the Troubles, and who enlarged his domicile in 1619. Walter's propinquity alone is uncertain. William Ferguson of Crichie was the ancestor of the families now recorded in the Ferguson pedigree.

William Ferguson, in Crichie, sometime Baillie in Inverurie, Laird of Badifurrow from 1655 until after 16S6, married Janet Clark, who died probably in 1659, by whom he had six sons and one daughter — I., Robert ; II., William ; III., James ; IV., George ; V., John ; VI., Walter ; VII., Janet ; who all founded families, five of which, at least, are still known to be represented.

I. — Robert, First Son of William Ferguson, in Crichie (p. 31b).

Robert Ferguson (born about 1640, died after 1713), known as the Plotter, married

Hannah , and had two daughters. A descendant, whose father- was a Naval Officer,

was lately a Medical Inspector.

II. — William, Second Son of William Ferguson, in Crichie. — Ferguson of Badifurrow

and of Pitfour (p. 355).

I. — William Ferguson, infeft as successor by his father in Badifurrow, in 1655, married Jean Elphinstone, daughter of William Elphinstone, in Milntown of Dunio, and Margaret Forbes, his wife, — the parents also of Sir James Elphinstone of Logie, — and had by her a son, James Ferguson of Pitfour. Jean Elphinstone died before 17th June, 1674. William Ferguson married (secondly) Lucretia Burnett, by whom he had three sons, who all went abroad. Two of them — Patrick and Walter — and a sister, Mary, were living at Badifurrow, with their mother, in 1696. Their father had died after 4th March, 1694 ; the date of a Great Seal Charter of Badifurrow, in favour of William Ferguson, in liferent, and his son, Mr. James Ferguson, in fee (p. 406).

II. — Mr. James Ferguson of Badifurrow, Advocate in Edinburgh, married Ann Stewart, and had a son, James (Lord Pitfour), and a daughter, Elizabeth, who died unmarried. In 1699, he sold Badifurrow, and purchased Pitfour, in Buchan. In 1710 he was appointed Sheriff- Substitute of Aberdeenshire by his cousin, Sir John Elphinstone of Logie, who had been, in 1707, made Sheriff-Depute. His son, born about 1700, was

III. — James Ferguson, Senator of the College of Justice, and a Lord of Justiciary by the title Lord Pitfour. He married Ann Murray, daughter of Alexander Murray, Lord Elibank, and by her had three sons — James (born about 1736), -Patrick, and George — and three daughters —Jane, Elizabeth, and Ann. Elizabeth alone married, but without issue. Her husband was Mr. Wedderburn of Burkhill. Lord Pitfour, raised to the Bench in 1764, died in 1777.

The first and third sons both inherited Pitfour. Patrick, born in 1744, entered the North British Dragoons, at the age of 14. He was killed in the action at King's Mountain, South Carolina, 7th October, 1780. The New York Gazette of the time styles him Major ; family tradition gives him the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel (probably brevet).

Lord Pitfour, a known Jacobite, was at the Scottish Bar in 1745. He got his Judgeship through the astute management of his friend, Lord Mansfield. Learning, while at Court, that

476 Appendix.

an appointment had become vacant, the Chief Justice at once stated what had occurred, and recommended Mr. Ferguson. The King immediately asked whether he was not objectionable on political grounds, and Lord Mansfield, in reply, said, in a matter of course way, that the Duke of Argyll (who was in the presence of the King at the time) would vouch for Mr. Ferguson's loyalty. The Whig Duke, deprived perchance of presence of mind by the unexpected appeal, merely bowed.

IV. — Mr. James Ferguson — the well-known Pitfour of the House of Commons during the ministry of the younger Pitt, and that Minister's intimate friend — was called to the Scottish Bar in 1757. He purchased for his father the lands, in St. Fergus parish, belonging to the last Earl Marischal, who, finding himself unable to live in Scotland, seems to have wished his estates there to be sold to either of two friendly proprietors, — Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Cumine of Rattray, — and ultimately selected Pitfour. Mr. Ferguson was elected M.P. for Aberdeenshire in 1790, and served until his death, at London, at the age of 84, in September, 1820. He is credited with the saying that he never voted against Mr. Pitt but twice, and on both occasions mature reflection convinced him that Mr. Pitt was right and he wrong.

Mr. Ferguson possessed the humorous talents exhibited by the Plotter, and others of their name and kindred. On one occasion he so answered a number of silly questions put to him by a London lady— a pronounced example of the ignorance then universal in English society regarding North Britain — that she believed Scotland to be a country containing neither corn, nor trees, nor grass, but covered all over with long coarse hair.

Jane, Duchess of Gordon, an esprit fort of the time, was familiar in her manners in the bright circle in which she shone. Among her intimates Pitfour was one, and, as a consequence, to a certain extent, John, a remarkable man servant, who was his inseparable attendant. She allowed herself once, at least, the whim of inviting Mr. Ferguson to Gordon Castle by a letter addressed to the valet, saying, " Dear John, come to Gordon Castle next week, and bring your master with you ". John, of course, took the letter to Mr. Ferguson, who directed him to write, accepting the invitation ; but that being John's first occasion of writing to the Duchess, he asked what he shotild say. Pitfour told him that it would be " menners " to write just as she had written to him. If she begun " Dear John," he would need to begin " Dear Jean ". Mr. Ferguson was unsuccessful in his first candidature for the position of Knight of the Shire, in Aberdeen. The seat became vacant by the death, on 22nd December, 1785, at his mansion house of Troup, of Alexander Garden of Troup, who had long represented the county. The election following was made the occasion of a trial of strength between the Tory Gordons — long leaders of the North — and the Duff House family, recently enobled with the Irish title of Earl of Fife. The Duffs took the Whig side, and brought forward their relative, George Skene of Skene, against Mr. Ferguson, who was the Duke's nominee. Mr. Skene carried the election by a small majority. The following verses, written on the occasion, preserve the names of some of the actors in the contest.

ELECTION SONG, 1786.

Chorus : Derry Down, etc., die, &c.

\. I sing the election 'twixt Skene and Pitfour, My song shall be sweet tho' my subject be sour ; I'll tell you what Barons and Beauties were there, And hit you their characters all to a hair.

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 477

2. There was a rich peer of Irish * creation,

A commoner here, tho' a Lord of the Nation, And because he could vote without favour or fear, They voted this noble Lord into the chair.

3. And there was a Lord + who had lately succeeded

To a troup of new friends, which he very much needed, But this Lord being old, said not much pro or con, Yet he still shook his head as the voting went on.

4. There, too, was the Lord J of the Protestant Mob, Who came post a long way to assist at the job, And yet when he came no assistance could grant, For no oath he would take but the old Covenant.

5. And there were some Knights of famous renown, With Generals and Colonels all mustered in town, For though red coats are forbid at elections,

There are colours besides that will suit all complexions.

6. A Colonel || there was from the banks of the Shannon. He'd been better at home looking after his cannon ; For five hundred miles he had travelled in vain, And had nothing to do but to ride back again.

7. And there was an Englishman, § married in haste To an Heiress that suited him just to his taste, Yet his right of attendance in court was not clear, So they sent him to dance it at home for a year.

8. And there were the Gordons of every degree, As stately and gentle as Gordons should be, But how many were true or false to their chief, Perhaps I could tell, but you'd not give belief.

9. And there were the Duffs, all arranged on one side, All true to the Dun Cow, whate'er might betide ; Their chief they were sure would always prevail, For ten of a majority never can fail.

10. A Gordon there was some folks to reprove, For he now and then prayed to a Being above,

And because he was thought to depend on His Grace, They found he had prayed in an unentered place.

11. A Duff, too, there was, but I cannot well tell If ever he thought of a Heaven or a Hell,

For fearing his vote would be cast on that score, He'd prayed nowhere at all for a twelvemonth or more.

12. And there were some Parsons 11 of piety rare, Who with reverence bowed to the Preses's chair ; But ah ! what an honour they were to the cloth When with fervent devotion they took the trust oath.

13. And there were some gentlemen of the long robe, With wigs of all sizes, curled, longtail, and bob. The carrion had smelt, tho' cold was the weather, And therefore the vultures were gathered together.

* James, second Earl of Fife, t Francis Garden, Lord Gardenstown, the new Laird of Troup, t Lord George Gordon. || Colonel Henry Knight, husband of Mary Erskine of Pittodrie, § Captain John Byron, married to Miss Gordon, heiress of Gight, father of Lord Byron. U Supposed to refer to tho Rev. William Lesile, Lhanbride, near Elgin.

478 Appendix.

14. And there were great bundles of parchment and rights, If the boys had but got them, what store of fine kites ! Such as made for the cause were rubbed up and sustained, And the rest, they as wisely sent off to be cleaned.

15. But to know all were there your patience would fail, Of masters and misses, tag-rag and bob-tail,

Who had all come to towu with a pious intent, To keep the feast day on the first day of Lent.

16. And a joyful day it was to be sure,

For the victuals were good and the claret was pure, While the rabble roared out— such roaring was never " For Skene and Lord George, beef and porter for ever ".

V. — George Ferguson, Lord Pitfour's youngest son, was the next Laird. He had, for many years, been Governor of the Island of Tobago. He survived his brother James, only three months, dying, unmarried, on 29th December, 1820. He left the estates to his son George, afterwards Admiral Ferguson, whose son now possesses them.

Amis of Mr. James Ferguson, Advocate (1750). — Azure a buckle argent, between three boars' heads, couped or, a bordure of the second. . Crest — A crescent or rising from a cloud proper. Motto — Virtute.

III. — James, Third Son of William Ferguson, in Crichie. — Ferguson of Kinmundy (p. 355).

I. — James Ferguson, third son of William Ferguson, in Crichie, in the course of a military service extending over four reigns, from Charles II. to Anne, attained the rank of Brigadier-General (p. 376). He died in Holland in 1705. In 1695 he bought the estates of Balmakelly, Kirktonhill, and Marykirk, in the Mearns. By his first wife, Anne Drummond, he left an only son, James, and a daughter, Elizabeth ; and by his second wife, Hester Elizabeth Hibelet, a Dutch lady, he left a daughter, Anna Elizabeth, who became the wife of Gerard Vinck, brother of the Comptroller General of the Dutch Fortifications.

II. — James Ferguson of Kinmundy (who died in 1777), in 1723, sold his father's estates, and bought Kinmundy, in Buchan, to which, in 1744, he added Coynach. In 1756, he sold, to Alexander Eussel of Moncoffer, the lands of Aden (Old Deer), Burnt Brae, and Biffie, acquired by him from Pitfour. He married (1st) Elizabeth Deans of Longhermiston, in Haddington, and (2nd) Margaret Irvine of Artamford. By his first marriage, he had a son, James, and a daughter, Marjory.

Marjory married James Gumming of Kininmonth, and had two daughters ; one of whom, Margaret, married, in 1792, Alexander Eussel of Aden, grandfather of the present proprietor (see Burke's Landed Gentry) ; and Catherine, who married her cousin, Thomas Ferguson, W.S., and died in 1810.

III. — James Ferguson of Kinmundy (who died in 1787) married Elizabeth Urquhart, by whom he had three sons— James (his heir), Thomas, W.S., and William — and three daughters — Elizabeth, Isabella, and Margaret (unmarried).

Thomas married his cousin, Catherine Cumming, and, besides a daughter, Marjory (unmarried), had a son, James, now resident in Aberdeen, who by his wife, Annie Macpherson, has several children. William (unmarried) became a farmer at Clola. Elizabeth, married to Rev. D. Meek, left three children — Andrew, James, and Eliza. Isabel, married to Rev. John

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 479

Aiken, Aberdeen, left a son, John, and a daughter, Margaret. John, by his wife, Jessie Somerville, has three daughters.

IV. — James Ferguson of Kinmundy (who died in 1816) married, in August, 1787, Isabella, daughter of Rev. William Brown of Oraigdam. She died on 4th June, 1807. Their children were — James (the heir), William, Thomas, John, Alexander, and Isabella.

Thomas Ferguson, W.S., married B. Hutchison. John farmed Brae of Coynach. Alexander

(who died in 1857) was for some time in America, where he married Maitland,

who, with their three children, William, Margaret, and Agnes, survive him.

V. — James Ferguson of Kinmundy (born 21st May, 1789, died 1862) married, 6th August, 1817, Emily, daughter of Rev. Alexander Chalmers of Haddington, and left two sons — William (his heir) and Thomas— and a daughter, Isabella. He died 1842.

Thomas Ferguson (born 29th December, 1828), at Alton of Coynach, by his wife, Agnes White, had Robert, William, Agnes, Emily, and James.

VI. — William Ferguson of Kinmundy married Eliza Williamson, and has James and Agnes Adair. Andrew, a younger son, died in 1864.

Arms of Major James Ferguson, in Col. Lauder's Regiment (1691). — Azure a buckle argent, between three boars' heads couped or, a bordured embattled of the last. Crest — A dexter hand rising from a cloud, holding a broken spear in bend proper. Motto — Arte et animo.

IV. — George, Fourth Son of William Ferguson, in Crichie (p. 355).

T- — George Ferguson, fourth son of William Ferguson, in Crichie, was, in 1696, Chamberlain to the Laird of Meldrum, and lived in Old Meldrum. He was twice married — (1st) to Jean Forbes, and (2nd) to Christian Stiven. The issue of the second marriage became extinct in the first generation, consisting of three daughters — Margaret, Elizabeth, and Isabel — the last only of whom married, but died s. p. Her husband was a Mr. Murdoch, in Old Meldrum.

By the first marriage there were four sons and five daughters — Robert, John, William, George, Jean, Janet, Christian, Magdalene, and Mary. Mary alone of the daughters married. She left by her husband, John Milne, two daughters, the younger of whom married (issue unknown). William alone of the sons married, and is now represented by several families. The first and second sons attained high positions in the army (regiments unknown).

II. — William, the third son, lived at Mill of Insch, and, being a man of sound judgment and quick penetration, went commonly by the name of " The Judge". He married Mary Panton, and had two sons — George and John — and two daughters — Elizabeth, whose descendants now represent the family in Aberdeenshire ; and Mary, who died unmarried.

Ill- — George lived at Kilmory, and married Margaret Tulloch, of the family of Tannaehie, in Morayshire, and had a son, William, a Merchant in London (1761;, and a daughter, Mary, who died unmarried.

HI. — John, the second son, was, in 1764, a Captain in the Navy. He married Lydia Camber, and had John, a Captain in the Navy ; William, a Captain in the Army ; Lydia, married to Sheridan ; and Marion, married to Dr. Smith.

Ill- — Elizabeth, elder daughter of " The Judge," married A. Jardine, an Officer of Excise. She had to him three sons — William, Captain of a West India trader ; James, a Merchant in Insch ; John, a Lieutenant in the Navy ; and Mary, wife of Andrew Jopp, Insch.

IV. — Mary Jardine and her husband, Andrew Jopp, had one son, Andrew, Advocate in

480 Appendix.

Aberdeen ; Elizabeth, wife of William Adam ; Janet, wife of Dr. Beattie ; Jane, wife of James Staats Forbes of Lochermick, s. p. ; and Mary, who died unmarried.

V. — Andrew Jopp, Advocate in Aberdeen, married Margaret Abercrombie, a' daughter of Provost John Abercrombie, Stocking Merchant, and some time Chief Magistrate of Aberdeen, and by her had ten sons and one daughter — 1, Alexander, Advocate, Aberdeen ; 2, John, W.S. ; 3, Andrew ; 4, Robert ; 5, James, M.D. ; 6, William, AVine Merchant, Aberdeen ; 7, David ; 8, Keith, M.D. ; 9, Charles, Engineer in Edinburgh ; 10, Archibald ; 11, Katherine, wife of John Taylor. The sons, except James, David, and Archibald, married, and with issue ; 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, and their sister are dead. Her children are deceased.

V. — Elizabeth Jopp, married to William Adam, Advocate in Aberdeen, Town-Clerk of Inverurie from 1797 to 1805, had two sons and three daughters ; the youngest of whom, Janet Margaret Adam, Inverurie, alone survives.

V. — Janet Jopp married Dr. Peter Beattie, in Dnnnideer, Insch, and had five sons — Andrew, farmer in Dnnnideer ; Alexander, M.D., Indian Service ; James, Land Surveyor, Aberdeen ; William, and John. The three elder are represented ; Alexander alone surviving.

Arms of William Ferguson, Esq., of London (1761). Azure, a buckle argent, between three boars' heads, couped or, within a bordure of the last charged with four cross crosslets fitched gules. Crest — A dexter arm from the shoulder in armour holding a broken lance all proper. Motto — True to the end.

Perhaps the following Arms, registered, in 1757, as those of Captain John Ferguson, Commandar of a ship in the Royal Navy, were those of John, Captain in 1764 : — Argent, a ship of war under sail proper, and on a chief, azure, three boars' heads couped or. Crest — A dexter hand grasping a broad sword proper. Motto — Pro rege ct patria. One of the ships that chased Prince Charles Edward in his escape to France in 1746 was commanded by a Captain Ferguson. V. — John, Fifth Son of William Ferguson, in Crichie (p. 355).

I, — John Ferguson of Stonehouse, fifth sCn of William Ferguson, in Crichie, was for a long period prior to 1721, a Baillie of Inverurie, generally associated with his younger brother, Walter. He purchased the southern part of the Inverurie Poods, called Stonehouse, about 1676. In 1696 he was sole Commissioner i'or the Poll-Tax in Inverurie Parish ; his youngest son, George, acting as Clerk and Collector.

John Ferguson married Bathia Karr, and had three sons ; the second of whom, James, entered the Austrian Service, and George, the youngest, died in his youth.

II. — William, the eldest son, married Keith. He sold Stonehouse to William,

second Earl of Kintore, and leaving Inverurie, lived at Millbraick, near Kinmundy. He had one son and five daughters.

III. — Alexander the only son, died master of a trading ship. Henrietta, the eldest daughter,

married Ryon, Officer of Excise, and had, besides a daughter, Elizabeth, two sons, William

and Alexander — both in the Navy. Margaret and Catherine died unmarried. Bathia, fourth

daughter, married Gordon, and had one daughter, Anne. Isabel, youngest daughter,

married Gray, a gentleman in Edinburgh, but had no issue.

VI. — Walter, Sixth Son of William Ferguson, in Crichie (p. 356).

I. — Walter Ferguson, sixth son of William Ferguson, in Crichie, had the ancestral property in Inverurie (26-42 Market Place) disponed by his father to him and Margaret Panton, his wife, in 1680. Family tradition says that his progenitors had owned the same possession

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 481

for four centuries before that time. He appears, in the Poll Book of 1696, with four sons and three daughters, viz. — James, William, Walter, John, Margaret, Janet, and Mary. One son, George, and two daughters, Barbara and Bathia, were added afterwards. He survived to 1728, and was a Baillie of Inverurie, for a long period, prior to 1723 ; his brother, John, appearing along with him until 1721. John, the fourth son, left issue, but no record is known of Walter. The eldest son's descendants only are traceable to the present day. Some of the other branches possess some interest.

II.— James, the eldest son, born 28th April, 1681, married, on 29th December, 1709, Isabella Scott, born 26th December, 1691, daughter of Mr George Scott, Town-Clerk of Inverurie. He was a merchant in Inverurie, but after several removals appears, in 1728, Salt Officer at Bonhard. He died, aged 72, at Thirlstane, 14th September, 1753 ; and his widow, at Edinburgh, in 1775, aged 83. Ten children were born to them, between 1711 and 1730.

1. Margaret, born at Inverurie, 20th June, 1711, died at London, 18th June, 1794. 2. George, born at Inverurie, 14th February, 1713, died there, 10th May, 1713. 3. Walter, born at Tocherford, 6th September, 1714, died at Edinburgh, 25th May, 1797. 4. William, born at Tocherford, 29th June, 1716, died at Mill of Ardtannies, 27th January, 1721. 5. Mary, bom at Old Meldrum, 28th May, 1719, died at Leith, 3rd October, 1797. 6. Janet, born at Grangepans, 13th September, 1721, married Mr. Robert Lock, and died at Crookstone, near Paisley, 16th July, 1779. 7. James, born at Thirlstane, 16th July, 1723, died 14th February, 1793, at Greenwich Hospital, of which he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor on 20th March, 1784. 8. John, born at Thirlstane, 13th March, 1725, died 20th April, 1751, a Lieutenant in Brigadier Halket's Regiment in the Dutch service. 9. Charles, born at Cuffabout, 6th November, 1728, died there 6th February, 1729. 10. Anthony, born at Cuffabout, 15th April, 1730, had a son, an eminent physician in Dublin, and settled there himself. His wife died about 1793.

James Ferguson, then Salt Officer at Bonhard Pans, bonded the Inverurie Common Lands inherited by him to his relative, Pitfour ; and his son, Walter, redeemed them. Walter's widow sold them to the Earl of Kintore, in 1798.

III.— Walter Ferguson, second son, Writer in Edinburgh, married Katherine Swinton, sister of John Swinton of Kimmerghame, Lord Swinton of the Court of Session. She was infeft, 14th December, 1797, in the family possessions in Inverurie— of Lower Roods (26-40 Market Place) ; and Common Lands known as Pitfour's Lands.

Letters from Mr. Walter Ferguson and his widow to Mr. William Davidson, Minister of Inverurie, dated from 1784 to 1798 are preserved. They were sealed with the arms registered 2nd November, 1762, for Walter Ferguson of Kinnaird. Only one is holograph. The signa- ture is very shaken in 1784, when he was at the age of 70, and ceases in 1794 ; his wife writing his name after that date.

In 1784, 11th May, he discredits a report heard in Edinburgh, that the Magistrates of Inverurie had refused £4,000 in bank notes for the burgh's vote for a Member of Parliament- asks if they have got cash, or only subscriptions, for the building of a bridge over the Don- mentions the appointment of his brother, Captain James, without solicitation by himself or others, to be Lieutenant-Governor of Greenwich Hospital, with £560 a-year, a house better than Keith-hall, and coals and candles estimated as emoluments — equal in all to £700— the duties also being more of an amusement than fatigue. His brother became partially paralysed in 1788, and died in 1793,

In 1786, he complains of the Magistrates of Inverurie for leaving his accounts

61

482 Appendix.

for agency unpaid, and then appointing a person, a stranger to the interests of the Burgh, Commissioner, in his stead, to the Convention of Royal Burghs ; but is not surprised at the ingratitude, seeing there is a party desirous of throwing off the connection of Inverurie with the Keith-hall family, in view of advances made from Duff House — thinks Inverurie would be a good place for an Academy for Education but for the want of suitable accommodation for pupils, and suggests the enlargement of the Manse, that the Minister, after the manner of English Parsons, might take pupils — makes uncomplimentary references to George Scott, the Town-Clerk of 1746, and his ingratitude to those who saved him from having to make a journey to Carlisle in that year— has got an elegant plan for a building, creditable to the town, upon his grandfather's property, and wishes to acquire some ten acres of commonty — the property had been in the family 500 years.

1788, 7th November.— Has been to England to see his brother— is glad to hear proprietors are proposing to build bridges over Don and Ury next spring — yesterday's accounts of His Majesty's condition were hopeful.

1789.— Had got £200 from the Convention towards the Inverurie Bridges, and hoped to get £300 from other sources.

1791. — Still has building in view — his tenant may put a temporary roof on the walls of his grandfather's house, but with no claim for recompense— happy to hear that the Bridge over Don is finished.

1794. — Happy to hear that the Bridge over Ury is going on— has had many deaths among his relatives, including his eldest sister, Margaret ; his brother, James, the Governor ; his brother Anthony's wife ; his cousin, Peter Ferguson Tepper of Warsaw— his wife has lost her eldest sister, Mary, an umarried lady ; her uncle, Mr. Keith of Ravelstone, and his lady ; and her nephew, Samuel Hepburn, son of Commissioner Hepburn of the Excise.

1796.— Observes that Pitfour has asked leave to bring in a Bill for the construction of a Navigable Canal from Aberdeen to Inverurie — had often thought of such a thing, and of the two capital objections to it, viz., the cost of making a canal and the want of trade to employ it— has given up all idea of building in Inverurie, his brother, the governor, being dead, and his brother, Anthony, permanently settled in Dublin — intends now to sell— had five acres on the north side of Edinburgh, which being feued, in consequence of the improvements, became worth £20,000 — thinks land in Inverurie should rise in price since the building of the Bridges — remembers, like a dream, Potate sometimes dry, sometimes full of water, and the ducks and geese waddling in it — asks if the street of Inverurie is paved — if the bouses are still allowed to be built with the gable to the street— if the chief employment of the girls continues to be shanking (the knitting of shanks or hose), or if the making of linen yarn has been introduced, for which the side of the Don would afford good bleaching ground.

Walter Ferguson, W.S., died at Edinburgh, 25th May, 1797, without lawful issue, and his widow, next year, completed the sale of the Inverurie property, begun before his death ; the Earl of Kintore purchasing the Common Lands, called " Pitfour's Lands ".

Arms of Walter Ferguson of Kinnaird (1762). Azure, on a cheveron argent, betwixt three boars' heads, couped or, armed and langued proper, a buckle betwixt two falcons of the first. Crest— A denii lion gules, armed and langued azure. Motto — Virtus sibi premium.

III. — Janet Ferguson, third daughter of James, was the ancestor of the representatives now

The Fergusons of Inverurie. 483

known of the sixth son of William Ferguson, in Crichie. The following particulars are taken from an old family Bible belonging to Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Lock, 50th Foot.

Robert Lock, son of John and Mary Lock had, by his marriage with Janet Ferguson, nine children born in the years 1748-1764.

IV. — Walter Lock, second son of the nine children, was born December 20, 1755, became Vice- Admiral, R.N., and died at Ryde, Isle of Wight, in 1835. He married, 7th February, 1787, Sarah Ann Grilliin, at Fareham, Hants, and had nine children.

V. — Campbell Lock, their fifth son, born 10th May, 1795, died at Haylands, Isle of Wight, 18th May, 1861. His wife, Helen Knox, daughter of Andrew Knox of Keithock, Forfarshire, born 2nd November, 1795, died 27th February, 1873. They had nine children.

VI. — 1, Walter, Captain Royal Artillery, born at Montrose, 1825, died at Ryde, November, 1865 ; 2, Andrew Campbell, Colonel 50th Regiment, born at Montrose, 1827 ; 3, Henry, Colonel 108th Regiment, born at Ryde, 1828, married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain William Hunter of Blackness, near Dundee, and has issue ; 4, James Elphinstone, Lieutenant Royal Marines, died of yellow fever, in the West Indies, 21st December, 1851 ; 5, Frederick Carnegy, born at Ryde, 1831 ; 6, Nagle Brooke, died at St. Servan, France, 14th November, 1866 ; 7, James Carnegy, late Royal Navy, born at Ryde, 1834, married, in New Zealand, in 1866, Anne, daughter of A. Starke, Esq., and has issue ; 8, George Fortescue died, 1874, in New Zealand ; 9, Rev. Campbell, Rector of Chalton, Hants, born at Haylands, Isle of Wight, in 1838, married, in 1871, Mary, daughter of Sir Robert Oliver, K.C.B.

II. — William Ferguson, second son of Walter Ferguson of Inverurie, went to Poland, in 1703, accompanied by his brother, George, and there, in 1714, married Catherine Concordia Tepper, a citizen of Posen, sister of a rich Banker at Warsaw, and died in 1732.

III. — Peter Ferguson Tepper, their son, married, in 1762, Philippina Valentina. He succeeded his uncle as a Banker and Merchant in Warsaw ; and obtained Royal License in Britain, 12th June, 1779, to use the additional surname and arms of Tepper. He died before May, 1794.

IV. — His son, Philip Bernard Ferguson Tepper of Warsaw, said to be then the second Banker in Europe, visited Scotland, and received the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh, 5th July, 1786, — the same month in which that City gave forth the mythical genealogy constructed by "James Cummynge, Esq., of the Royal Society of Antequarians of Scotland " (p. 353).

II. — Margaret Ferguson, eldest daughter of Baillie Walter Ferguson, became the second wife of Mr. George Scott, Town-Clerk of Inverurie from 1681 to 1729, whose eldest daughter her brother, James, had married in 1709. Margaret Ferguson had — George, Town-Clerk of Inverurie (1736-50) ; Margaret, wife of Alexander Ferguson (Baillie in Inverurie, after Walter Ferguson, whose sister, Janet, was his mother) ; Helen ; Barbara, wife of J. Wood ; John, born in 1717, at Mill of Ardtannies ; Bathia, born in 1719 ; and James, born in 1721 ; also Sophia and Ann, born 1723 and 1725, in Inverurie, (where Rose Lane now is).

III. — George Scott, who, ruined in means, left Inverurie for Mill of Aden, died in 1789 ; his sister, Sophia, and another surviving him.

II. — Janet Ferguson, second daughter of Baillie Walter Ferguson, married, in 1718 (contract, ■ January 20, at Ardtannies), Alexander Paterson, the third of four of the same name who

484 Appendix.

possessed Upper Roods in Inverurie, now 1 High Street to 65 Market Place, — the property once of an earlier Baillie Walter Ferguson, probably her father's uncle.

VII. — Janet, Daughter of William Ferguson, in Crichie (p. S56).

I. — Janet Ferguson, called " gentle Janet," — from alleged unappropriateness in the epithet, — was the only daughter of William Ferguson, in Crichie. She is said to have married her cousin, John Ferguson, a Polish Merchant. She had a cousin, John, about her own age, being in pupilarity in 1662, who may have gone to Poland either before or a good while after the date of her marriage. He was " John Ferguson, eldest lawful son of deceased John Ferguson, somtyme in Stonhyve," who, on 14th March, 1662, before the Baillies of Inverurie, chose James and William Ferguson, his uncles, to be his curators to grant dispositions along with him. Some Scotchmen, of the name of Ferguson, had a large brewery in Warsaw» sometime after the period of Janet's marriage. The marriage produced six children — John, Robert, Alexander, Janet, Margaret, and Jane. The daughters all died unmarried ; and the eldest son settled in Poland. The families of Robert and Alexander alone are known.

II. — Robert Ferguson " went with his father to Poland," but returned to this country, and settled at Peterhead. He married Jean Smith, by whom he had two sons — Alexander and William — and a daughter, Jean, who died unmarried.

III.— Alexander, master of a trading vessel, married Elizabeth Clark, and had three sons — William, Robert, and James, who became a Captain of a West Indian ship, and had one daughter.

III. — William, his brother, first a sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, afterwards a Captain of an armed veasel in the Merchant Service, married Isabella Arbuthnot, daughter of Thomas Arbuthnot, Baillie and Chief Magistrate of Peterhead, commonly called "the old Baillie," and had three daughters — Jane, Margaret, and Christian. He settled in Peterhead. His two elder daughters continued the line.

IV. — Jane, married to Mr. James'Hutchison, Merchant in Peterhead, had four sons — Robert, who died when a boy ; William, Master of a Peterhead whaler ; James, who engaged in business in Peterhead ; and John — but she and her husband are represented only through three of their five daughters.

V. — Isabella Hutchison married Mr. Wallace, Civil Engineer, and has children ; Barbara Hutchison married Thomas Ferguson, W.S. (Kinmundy) ; Jane Hutchison married William Bruce, M.D., Inspector-General of Hospitals, her cousin ; Christian and Ann Hutchison were not married.

IV. — Margaret Ferguson, daughter of William (III.),marriedto Alexander Bruce, Supervisor of Excise in Old Meldrum, had four sons — William, James, Alexander, and Ferguson — and one daughter, Isabella, who died young. Their father died at Peterhead, 23rd April, 1820. The three younger sons all entered the Excise.

V.— William Bruce, M.D., the eldest son, Inspector-General of Hospitals, married Jane Hutchison, his cousin, December 1821, and settled in Peterhead. He had four children — William, Barbara, Christian, and Erskine.

VI.— William Bruce, B.D., Cantab, the eldest, is Episcopal Minister at St. Serfs Episcopal Chapel, Dunimarle, near Culross, on the Forth.

Burnett of Kemnay. 485

II. — Alexander Ferguson, the second son of Janet and John Ferguson, became a Merchant in Aberdeen, but (afterwards apparently) was a Baillie in Inverurie after 1723, when his uncle "Walter ceased to be recorded in that position. He married Margaret Scott, daughter of Mr. George Scott, Town-Clerk of Inverurie, and grand-daughter of Baillie Walter Ferguson, sixth son of William Ferguson, in Crichie. He had a daughter baptised on October 3, 1725 ; his father-in-law having one on 3rd November following. The Inverurie registers contain the baptisms of eight children to Alexander Ferguson, viz. — George, in 1723 ; Margaret, in 1725 ; Janet, in 1727 ; William, in 1731 ; James, in 1737 ; Anne, in 1738 ; Elizabeth, in 1740 ; and Alexander, in 1744. Only Mary, Anne, and Alexander grew up.

III. — Mary married James Black, Aberdeen, and had three daughters. Her sister Anne married William Forbes there, and had John, Robert, James, and Elizabeth.

III. — Alexander Ferguson, W.S., the one surviving son, married Jane Legrand, of the family of Bonnington, and had five sons and three daughters. Three sons grew up — Edward Legrand, M.D., who died in Edinburgh, on 24th Oetober, 1822 ; John, who died in Bio Janeiro, where he was engaged in trade ; and Smith, Silk Mercer in Edinburgh. The Inverurie property of Mr. George Scott (described in the text as Scott's Lands) was, in 1786 and 1788, disponed by George Scott, junior, to his cousin, Alexander Ferguson, W.S. ; who, falling into pecuniary difficulties, sold it under redemption to the Earl of Kintore, from whom it was recovered by Smith Ferguson, but only to be re-sold. No descendants represent the family.

BURNETT OF KEMNAY. (P. 420.)

Alexander Burnett of Leys married Katherine, daughter of Alexander Gordon of Lesmoir, and died in 1619, leaving, with other issue, three sons — 1, -Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, created a Baronet of Nova Scotia, in 1626, ancestor of the subsequent Baronets of Leys ; 2, James Burnett of Craigmyle ; and, 3, Robert Burnett of Crimond (p. 250). Unlike their younger brother, Lord Crimond, Sir Thomas and James were supporters of the Covenant : they were, however, conspicuous for their loyalty, and trusted by the King ; and in the local history of the period Craigmyle ever figures as a peacemaker and enemy of bloodshed.

James Burnett of Craigmyle, in 1608, married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Burnett of Craigmyle, — a cadet of the family, and maternally representative of the Craigmyles of that Ilk, — by whom he got Craigmyle, Pitmedden, and other estates in Aberdeenshire. Dying in 1644 or 1645, he left four sons and a daughter. Of these the eldest (Alexander) succeeded him in Crigmyle, and was father of Sir Alexander Burnett of Craigmyle, knighted by Charles II., who left daughters only. The second was Thomas Burnett, first of Kemnay, and the third was James Burnett of Allagavan (or Lagavin) and Monboddo, great grandfather of the famous Judge, Lord Monboddo. The fourth son, Robert of Cowtoun, Muchalls, and Criggie, " Tutor of Leys," had three daughters ; the eldest of whom, Helen, married the fourth Baronet of Leys, and was grandmother, through a daughter, of Secretary Burnett, fourth of Kemnay ; the second, Agnes, was the wife (1st) of Thomas Burnett of Glenbervie, and (2nd) of Sir William Nicolson of Glenbervie (p. 377) ; and the third, Jane, was grandmother of the sixth Baronet of Leys.

I. — Thomas Burnett of Kemnay married, in 1665, Margaret (who died in 1699), only child of John Pierson, Merchant in Edinburgh, of the family of Balmadies, in Forfar. He purchased Kemnay from Sir George Nicolson, Lord Kemnay, in 1688, and died in the same year, having

486 Appendix.

had issue, only two children, who survived, viz., the heir, and Andrew Burnett (p. 427), who married his cousin, Jane Burnett of Craigmyle, but died s.p.

II. — Thomas Burnett of Kemnay married, circa, 1713, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Brickenden of Inkpen, Berkshire (by his second wife, Dorothy Robinson), who, after his death, married Dr. George Lamont. Thomas Burnett of Kemnay died in 1729, having had issue,

III. — George Burnett of Kemnay (the first recorded Provost of Inverurie, whose chief magistrate had until then been Baillie). He was born in 1714, and married (1st), in 1733, Helen, eldest daughter of Sir Alexander Burnett of Leys, fourth Baronet. She died in 1750, and, in 1752, he married (2nd) Janet (who died in 1820), daughter of James Dyce of Disblair. George Burnett died in 1780, leaving issue of his first marriage — Alexander, his heir ; and four daughters, of whom the fourth only married, becoming the wife of Alexander Dunbar of Boath, Nairnshire, and grandmother of the present Sir James Dunbar of Boath, Bart.

IV. — Alexander Burnett of Kemnay, bom in 1734, was, from 1756 to 1778, Secretary of Embassy at the Prussian Court, and for a short time afterwards Charge dAffaires. He married, in 1782, Christian (who died in 1842), daughter of John Leslie, Professor of Greek in King's College, Aberdeen, by Isabella, daughter of Hugh Fraser of Powis : and died in 1802, having had issue : —

1, George, born in 1782, died in 1784 ; 2, John, his heir ; 3, Helen, born in 1784, married, in 1805, to Dr. James Bannerman, Professor of Medicine in King's College, Aberdeen, second son of Sir Alexander Bannerman of Elsick, sixth Baronet, and died s.p., 18G5 ; 4, Elizabeth, born in 1787, died, unmarried, in 1806 ; 5, Christian, bom 1789, died in 1874 ; 6, Lamont, bom in 1792, died 1842.

V. — John Burnett of Kemnay, born in 1786, married, in 1814, Mary (who died in 1872), third daughter of Charles Stuart of Dunearn, in Fife (great-grandson of Honourable Archibald Stuart of Dunearn, third son of the third Earl of Murray), by Mary, daughter of John Erskine of Carnock, D.D., and grand-daughter of John Erskine of Carnock and Cardross, author of the " Institutes of the Law of Scotland ". He died in 1867, leaving issue : —

1. Alexander George, his heir. 2. Charles John, born in 1820. 3. George, born in 1822 ; a member of the Scottish Bar in 1845 ; appointed Lyon King of Arms in 1866 ; married, at Dres- den, in 1870, his cousin, Alice, youngest daughter of John Alexander Stuart, Esq., second son of Charles Stuart of Dunearn, and has a son, John George, born in 1876, and a daughter, Alice Christina. 4. Stuart Moubray, born in 1824. 5. Henry, born in 1826. 6. Erskine William, born in 1828, died in 1848. 7. Mary Erskine. 8. Christian Leslie, died, unmarried, in 1866.

VI. — Alexander George Burnett of Kemnay, born in 1816, married, in 1849, Letitia Amelia (who died in 1859), daughter of William Kendall, Esq., and has issue : —

1. — John Alexander, born in 1851, married, in 1877, to Charlotte Susan, daughter of Arthur Forbes Gordon, Esq., of Rayne, grandson of Sir Arthur Forbes of Craigievar, fourth Baronet, has a son, born 24th December, 187S.

2, William Kendall. 3, Letitia. 4, Amelia.

Mr. Burnett married (2ndly), in 1877, Miss Anna Maria Pledge, by whom he has a son, born in 1878.

Arms of Burnett of Kemnay. Quarterly 1st and 4th Argent, three holly leaves in chief vert, and a hunting horn in base sable, garnished and stringed gules, for Burnett ; 2nd and 3id, Azure, three garbs or, for Craigmyle. Crest — A dexter hand holding a branch of palm proper. Motto — Qua; veriXant crcscunt.

Drimmies. 487

ADDENDUM TO P. 329. DRIMMIES.

1st May, 1669. — Marjorie Leslie, spouse to William Chalmers of Drymes, resigned her right on the sun half of Drymes in favour of her brother-german, John Leslie of Aquhorsk.

1671. — A Royal Charter erected certain lands, including Drimmies, into a Barony of Aquhorsk, in favour of John Leslie.

1683. — John Leslie was served heir to his father, John Leslie of Aquhorsk, in Drimmies, as part of said Barony.

1718. — The Laird of Aquhorsk was rated for Drimmies in the cost of repairs on the Manse of Inverurie.

1754. — Sir Alexander Forbes of Craigievar, titular of the tenuis of Drimmies, disponed them to Alexander Smith of Inveramsay, proprietor of Drimmies.

1773. — Clementina, Janet, Marjory, Rachel, and Helen, daughters of deceased Patrick Smith of Inveramsay, obtained sasine on Drimmies in favour of themselves and Alexander Smith, their brother. Alexander Hacket, husband of Helen, consented.

1786. — By arbitration, Drimmies, as one-fifth the value of Inveramsay and Drimmies, became the property of Clementina Smith and Hugh Gordon, Watchmaker in Aberdeen, her husband.

1787. — Hugh Gordon disponed Drimmies in liferent to John Craig of Mugiemoss, Sheriff- Clerk Depute of Aberdeen, and infeft to Thomas Craig, his son, by his spouse, Jane, daughter of the said Hugh Gordon.

Margaret, and Clementina, and Ann Craig, sisters of Thomas Craig, heir portioners to him, aod married respectively to George Munro, John Imray, Brewer, Inverness, and John Burnett, Writer in Stonehaven, had their rights to Drimmies determined by David Hume, Prof. Scots Law, Edinburgh, as Arbiter.

About 1816, Mrs. Imray sold Drimmies to the trustees of Colonel Shand of Templand, by whose will it became the property of the late Alexander Sharpe Shand.

Copy of the Marches betwixt Dromys, Cingless, and Balhagarty, in 1569.

That is to say, beginning at the nearest foord of burne dennie, and therefrom descending as the watter furr goes to the nuick of the fold of drumdevane at the north-west syd of the haltonne fold of Knockinglas, and keeping the auld dyke of Knockinglass and hadin doune the samen to the end thereof, and therefro descending as it is potit cairnit and merchit to ane great standing stoine upon the head of the nieyr myre of drumdevane, and therefro descending ay the green hill strype on the north-west syd of the barland of Knockinglas, and therefro as it is potit and cairnit descending to the mill style, and therefro passing to the east end of the dagman hauch, and entering there in the water of Urie, and therefro coming to the east end of the auld monbra and keeping the said monbra ay passind west to the neist end thereof as it is potit and marched, and then entrand on the water of Urie, and ascending up the said water to the east end of the backwater, and therefro ascending up the said backwater and keeping the same to the west end thereof, and then fallen in the great water of Urie, and then ascending and keeping the same great water of Urie, while it come to the east end of crainles haugh on the north side of the samen water, and then passin out of the said water on the north side, and entering betwixt the toune land and the ley unlaboured and then passin west and northwest

488 Appendix.

in betwixt the said ley and toune land of craisles haugli forsaid, while it comes to the north west end of the samen, and then entrand in the said watter of Urie ; whilks lands within the said Marches lyand on the south southwest and west syd of the said watter and the forsaid ley lyand on the north syd of the said watter betwixt the samen watter and craisles haugh as it is potit cairnit, and marchit shall portion in property to the said William Gordon and his lands of Drimies, and all the lands lyand on the north and northeast, south and southeast sides of the said watter and marches to pertain to John Erskine and his aires.

Note to p. 414.— "James Elfhinstone, Eques de Logie."— This refers to Sir James Elphinstone of Logie, created a baronet in 1701. In the University Register the words " Eques de Logie ". are evidently interpolated, and had been inserted after the student of 1658 was proprietor of Logie and an Eques. Such interpolations occur in the Register in the case of other students who attained eminence.

INDEX.

A.

Abbeys, 36. Abbey Vicarages in the Garioch, 35, 36. Aberchirder, St Marnan of (1200), 55.

Abercromby, 65, 90, 99, 100, 216, 234, 235, 462; of Aquhorties (1391-1688), 65, 335, 441; of Ardoyne, Pitmachy, Pitmedden, and Harthill (1360.1544), 65, 234, 235 ; of Anld Rayna (1633), 238 ; of Birkenbog (1513-1645), 112, 216, 219, 234, 286, 446 ; of Blakhall (1661-69), 328, 345 ; of Collihill (1675), 329 ; of Fetternear (1627-1690), 213, 233, 235, 250, 272, 285, 307, 811, 328 ; of Forglen, 65 ; of Harlaw (1674), 329 ; of Pitmedden (1457-1544), 112, 155, 234, 235 ; of Westhall (1544-1627), 216, 235. Abercromby, Adam, of Auld Eayne (1633), 238, 462.

Abercromby, Alexander, of Ardoyne and Pitruachy, Pitmedden, and Harthill (1360), 234 , do. {ante), 484 ; do. (1484), 234 ; of Birkenbog (1593), 216, 219, 235, 442, 446 ; of Blakhall (1661-69), 328, 345 ; of Fetternear (1650-69), 311, 328, 335, 345. Sir Alexander of Birkenbog (1681), 415. Abercromby, Andrew, minister at Fintray (1648), 303. Abercromby, Beatrix, wife of James Leslie of Warthill, 446. Abercromby, David de, of Aquhorties (1391), 65, 441. Abercromby, Elizabeth, wife of Nicholas Elphinstone (1505), 469 ; do., wife of Sir George Nicolson

of Kemnay, 378 ; do., wife of Strachan of Luesk (1676), 329. Abercromby, Francis, Lord Glasfoord, 235, 328, 398.

Abercromby, George, of Ardoyne, Pitmachy, Pitmedden, and Harthill (1505), 234. Abercromby, Hector, of Westhall and Fetternear (1627, ante 1650), 213, 216, 235, 238, 250, 272,

285. Abercromby, Humphrey, of Ardoyne, Pitmachy, Pitmedden, and Harthill (1457), 65, 234. Abercromby, James, of Harlaw (1674), 329 : do. of Ley and Birkenbog {ante 1484), 234 ; do., of

Pitmedden {ante 1544), 235 ; Sir James, of Pitmedden and Birkenbog (1513), 112. Abercromby, John, of Ardoyne, Pitmachy, and Harthill (1407), 234; do., Minister of Oyne (1570),

235 ; do., John of Cheltenham (1878), 368. Abercromby, Lucretia, wife of George Leslie of Badifurrow (1632), 219. Abercromby, Thomas, in Bourtie (1655), 311 ; do. of Collihill (1675), 329. Abercromby, Walter, minister at Rayne, Kennethmont, and Christ's Kirk (1585), 155 ; do., minister

at Eayne (1615), 233, 411, 446. Abercomby, William, of Westhall and Pitmedden (1544), 235.

S2

490 Index.

Aberdeen, Battle of (1644), 282 ; Burgesses of (1411), 89. Aberdeen, Canonry of, 125.

Aberdeen, Cathedral {circa 1228), 55; (1314), 41, 68 ; (circa 1430), 125, 132 ; Jewels (1544), 136; Chartulary (1549), 133, 136 ; Chapters (1558), 145, (1615), 233 ; Defended (1560), 145 ; Eeredos (1642), 277.

Aberdeen, City of, 21, 40, 89, 137, 138, 205, 267-288 ; Crofts, 276 ; Deans of Guild, 454, 456.

Aberdeen, Diocese of : Archdeacons (ex off. Parsons of Rayne), Simon (1119), 21, 34 ; Oinor(1214), 21 ; Malcolm (1224), 21 ; John Barbour (1357-96), 46, 81, 114, 176, 245 ; Lundy, 82, 126 ; Thomas Tynningham (1423-36), 126 ; Lawrence Pyot (1450-78), 102, 126 ; Robert Elphin- stone (1499), 148 ; Patrick Myreton (1549), 148 ; Walter Abercromby (1615), 233.

Aberdeen, Diocese : Bishops. St. Edward (1157-63), 20 ; Matthew Kinnimond (1163-1207), 12, 31-3, 37 ; Richard Pottock (1257-72), 37 ; Henry Cheyne (1282-1328), 39-41, 48, 68 ; William de Deyn (1341-50), 78 ; Adam Cunningham (1380-89), 254 ; Gilbert Greenlaw (1389-1422), 87, 114, 254 ; Henry Lichton (1422-40), 121, 125, 132 ; William Elphinstone (— 1514), 129-133 ; Gavin Dunbar (1518-31), 32, 132, 136 ; William Stewart (1531-65), 136, 145, 233 ; William Gordon (1565-77), 129 ; Peter Blackburn (1606-15), 160, 162, 233, 248, 332 ; Alexander Forbes (1615-17), 162, 248 ; Patrick Forbes (1618-35), 104, 132, 163, 248, 253 ; Adam Ballenden (1635-8), 163, 211.

Aberdeen, Diocese : Chancellors (ex off. Vicars of Bethelnie), Hugh Bennum (1268), 126 ; Alexander Inglis (1404), 126 ; Duncan Petit (1224-6), 126 ; Duncan Lichton (1434-64), 126 ; Alexander Inglis (1476), 126 ; John Reid (1543), 126 ; Alexander Seton (1549-71), 101, 126, 148 ; George Seton [not Vicar] (1600-1616), 230, 233.

Aberdeen, Diocese : Treasurers (ex off. Parsons of Daviot), William (1224), 21 ; James Cruickshank (1455), 125 ; Andrew Liel (1470-5), 126 ; Andrew Bell (1476), 126 ; Andrew Liel (1491-1501), 126 ; Robert Elphinstone (1512-22), 126 ; John Stewart (1549), 148 ; Patrick Myreton (1569- 71), 126, 154.

Aberdeen Doctors, The, 249, 264, 334.

Aberdeen, Earls of, 102, 329, 374.

Aberdeen, Ministers of, William Forbes (1620), 240 ; Thomas Eamsay and James Osborne (1697), 426 ; Thomas BlackweU (1703), 431, 432 ; George Leslie (17—), 446.

Aberdeen, Mint at, 466.

Aberdeen, Schools of (1262), 37 ; (1612), 170, 171 ; (1642), 277 ; (1663), 366.

Aberdeen, Sheriff of, Sir Robert Keith (1332), 436; Earl of Huntly (1452-1630), 112, 262 ; William Leslie, of Balquhain (1560), 145 ; Sir George Johnston (1630), 224 ; Thomas Davidson (1647), 350 ; John Elphinstone (1707), 431-2, 472 ; James Ferguson (1710), 475 ; Alexander Elphin- stone (1777), 413, 471 ; John Craig (1787), 487.

Aberdeen, Synod of, 225 (1647-1658), 301-11.

Aberdeen, University of, 130, 131, 149, 153, 241, 308, 320, 414.

Aberdeen, Vicar of, Roger (1259), 50.

Abernethy, Alexander, of that Ilk (circa 1320), 441 ; Lord Salton, 464.

Abernethy, Forest of, 283.

Abernethy, Jane, wife of Alexander Seton (1590), 464.

Abernethy, John de, of Aukl Bourtie (ante 1384), 64.

Abernethy, Margaret de (1384), 64.

Abernethy, Mary de, wife of Sir Andrew de Leslie (1320), 441.

Abernethy, Sir William (1411), 89.

Abersuithock, 17, 126.

Index. 491

Aboyne, Lord (1639-49), 264-72, 327.

Achorthes, in Tarves, John Forbes of (1696), 389.

Acliyndachy, Alexander, of that Ilk, Chamberlain of Fyvie (1741), 413, 471.

Aehyndachy, Jean, wife of John Elphinstone of Glaek (1741), 413, 471.

Acts, The Black (1566), 149.

Ada, Countess, wife of Prince Henry (1140), 18, 25.

Adam, Clerk of Ellon (1199), 21.

Adam, George (Inverurie, 1878), 392.

Adam, Henrie (Old Aberdeen, 1674), 363.

Adam, James, John, and William (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Adam, James, Schoolmaster, Bethelnie (1696), 386.

Adam, Janet-Margaret (Inverurie, 1878), 480.

Adam of Rayne (1300), 51.

Adam, William, Schoolmaster, Daviot (1696), 386 ; do., Town Clerk of Inverurie (1805), 480.

Adamsone, William (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Aden, in Buchan (1324), 436 ; Eussel of (1756), 474.

Aden, Mill of (1789), 483.

Admiral of Scotland, Stewart Earl of Mar (1431), 108 ; St. Clair, Earl of Orkney (1436), 110 ; Duke

of Albany (1482), 110. Agnes, Countess of Mar (circa 1156), £5. Aiken, Rev. James, John, and Margaret, Aberdeen, 479. Ailhouse of Well, Kemnay, 351 ; Ailhouse Croft, 157.

Airley, First Earl of, 233, 282, 285, 468 ; House of, burned, 278 ; James, Lord Ogilvy of, 438. Airth and Menteith, William, Earl of, 438.

Aitkyson, Atkyson, John (Aberdeen, 1411), 89 ; do. (Inverurie, 1402), 115. Akynheid, John, Prior of Monymusk (1522), 127. Alansone, Andrew (Kinkell, 1473), 122. Albany, Duke of, Alexander (1482), 110 ; James (The Pretender, 1688), 379 ; Murdoc (Regent 1419-

24), 54, 105, 108 ; Robert (Regent 1406-19), 54, 83, 84, 88, 437. Ale, Excise on (Inverurie, 1699), 361 ; measures (Inverurie, 1614), 196 ; tasters, 116 ; (1610), 195 ;

alehouse laws, 197, 316. Alexander II., King, 21, 23, 28, 31, 37, 56, 117, 436. Alexander III., 28, 38, 56, 436.

Alexander, John (Aberdeen, 1672) ; and Margaret, wife of John Johnston (1672), 450, 453. Alford (St. Andrew), 18, 55, 126, 127 ; Battle of (1645), 286 ; (1688) ; William Forbes, Minister

(1617), 240. Allagavan, James Burnett of, 485.

AUardyce, Alexander (1272), 50 ; Elspet (Monymusk 1685), 348 ; of that Ilk (1512), 131. Alliance, Bonds of, 76, 84, 100, 113, 366. Altar of the Three Kings, Aberdeen, 120. Altarage, 35, 36. Altrie, Lord (1587-90), 163, 438. Anabaptists (1663), 310. Andait, Winton of, 75 ; (1512), 131. Anderson, Adam (Kinkell, 1473), 122. Anderson, Alexander, of Bourtie (1696), 389 ; do. (1825), 419 ; Advocate, Edinburgh (1675), 364 ;

{alias Genkin, Inverurie, 1622), 212 ; Vicar of Kinkell, Sub-Principal King's College (1543),

136, 149 ; (Wantonwalls, Insch, 1701), 430.

492 Index.

Anderson, Andrew, John, Patrick, and Robert (Inverurie, 1476), 119.

Anderson, Ann and Jean (Inverurie, 1696), 395 ; Elspet (Inverurie, 1622) 211.

Anderson, George, Vicar of Inverurie (ante 1494), 124 ; do., Minister of Tarves (1697), 426, 428 ;

George and Thomas (Daviot, 1550), 144. Anderson, Henry, Baillie, and Thomas, Town and Parish Clerk of Inverurie (1466), 120. Anderson, James (Inverurie, 1616), 392 ; do. (do., 1633), 258 ; do. (do., 1645-6), 293, 293 ; do.,

Schoolmaster, (Inverurie, 1696), 395 ; James and Walter (Oyne, 1664), 338 ; Dr. James of

Cobenshaw, 231, 465. Anderson, Janet (Inverurie, 1646), 293. Anderson, Jean, relict of Mr. Alexander Paip (1650), 307. Anderson, John (Inverurie, 1633), 258 ; do. (Baillie there, 1673-7), 360, 362, 363 ; do. of Bourtie

(1663), 410 ; (1696), 389 ; do., Schoolmaster of Bourtie (1696), 386 ; do., alias Genkin (Aqu-

horties, 1622), 186. Anderson, Margaret (Inverurie, 1649), 315 ; do. (Portstown, 1664), 351 ; do., wife of Thomas John- ston (Inverurie, 1677), 394 ; do., wife of George Stephen (Inverurie, 1717), 396. Anderson, Marjory (Inverurie, 1615, 1618), 205, 316.

Anderson, Mary, second, wife of William Young of Sheddocksley (1781), 368, 414, 455. Anderson, Patrick, Canon of Monymusk (1534), 127 ; do. of Bourtie (1738-54), 368, 419 ; do.

(Inverurie, 1696), 395 ; do. (Newton of Premnay, 1696), 388 ; do. of Tillymorgan (1668), 329. Anderson, Robert (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (Baillie there, 1600), 182 ; do. (do. 1650), 315, 322, 351. Anderson, Skipper (John, sen., of Bourtie, 1663, 1644), 287, 419. Anderson, William (Conglass, 1622), 211; do, (Hallforest, 1674), 397; do. (Inverurie, 1633), 258;

do. (do. 1645-6), 292, 3 ; do. (do. 1674), 239 ; do. (Roquharrel (1622), 397. Andrew, James (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Andrew, John (Inverurie, 1402), 115; do. (do. 1536), 142; do. (Daviot, 1550), 144; do. Prior of

Monymusk (1365), 127. Andrews (1200), 33. Anfrays, Thomas (Kintore 1498), 123.

Angus, Andrew (Inverurie, 1616-33), 202, 203, 204, 206, 207, 258. Angus, Mr. Charles, Writer (Inverurie, 1633), 258, 316. Angus, Christian, wife of Walter Ferguson, Inverurie (1664), 351, 392, 396. Angus, 5th Ear] of (" Bell the Cat,") 102, 128 ; 9th, 128, 138, 236 ; 10th, 156, 164, 234. Angus, Jean, wife of James Hutcheon (Inverurie, 1660), 392, 393, 396.

Angus, John (Inverurie, 1582), 392 ; do. (do. 1606-10), 172, 192, 195 ; do. (Probationer, 1697), 426. Angus, Nans (Inverurie, 1649), 315. Angus, Sheriff of, Sir Alexander Ogilvie (1411), 89, 108. Angus, Thomas (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Angus, Walter (Inverurie, 1617), 203. Angus, William (Boat of Crichie, 1724), 396.

Anna of Dietrichstein, wife of Count Walter Leslie (1640), 399, 400. Annabella Drummond, Queen of Robert III., 68.

Annand, of Auchterellon (1500), 131 ; Gilbert, of Collihill (1542), 231. Annandale, Johnston of, 453 ; Marquisate of, 453. Anne, Queen of Great Britain. 375 ; do., Queen of James VI., 365. Apollinaris, St., Fair of, 150, 190, 205 ; Polnar Chapel, 6, 14, 19 ; Priest'o House, 5. Apostacy, Religious (circa 1660), 330, 331, 339, 340, 341. Applecross, John Mackenzie of (1787), 470.

Index. 493

Aquareagh in Fermanagh, Leslie, Rector of (1711), 447.

Aquhorsk in the Garioch, Abercromby of (1391), 65, 235 ; Leslie of (1650), 96, 307, 329, 384, 487.

Aquhorsk in Mar, Keith of, and in (1611), 160, 231 ; (1633), 238, 438, 445, 446.

Aquhorsk, Laird of (1584), 151.

Aquhorties, in Inverurie, 65, 235, 315, 316, 317, 360, 385, 444.

Aquhorties, Lairds of ; Earl of the Garioch, De Leslie (circa 1170), 17 ; Abercromby (1391), 65, 444 ; Mortimer (1513-1627), 235, 236 ; Johnston (1607), 236 ; Dempster (1611), 236 ; Leslie (1630), 161, 214, 217,236,329; Robertson (1646), 214, 236, 441; Forbes (1652), 324, 328, 329; Leslie of Balquhain (1688), 236.

Aquhythie, Kemnay (1611), 231 ; (1675) 329.

Arbitration of Blood (1609), 193.

Arbroath, Abbey, Vicarages of, in the Garioch, 19, 37, 55, 79.

Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott, Philip ; Hugh, 437 ; Robert, Viscount, 439.

Arbuthnott, Ann, wife of John Horn of Westhall, 415.

Arbuthnott, James, of Lentush (1606), 246.

Arbuthnott, Margaret, wife of Sir John Forbes of Monymusk, 237.

Arbuthnott, Thomas, Baillie of Peterhead, and Isabella, wife of Lieutenant Ferguson, 484.

Archdeacon, vide Aberdeen Diocese.

Architecture, 132,

Ardbekye, Arbikie (of that Ilk and Thainston, 1476), 120 ; Amott in [circa 1820), 463.

Arden, Lord (1812), 454.

Ardendraught, Hay Of (1492), 122 ; (1512), 132.

Ardiharrald, 208, 210, 223, 328, 369, 385.

Ardlair, Ardlar, 32, 60, 132.

Ardmurdo, Forbes of {ante 1592-1633), 162, 231, 238 ; Barclay, Lumsden (1616), 231.

Arnedlie, Monymusk, 126, 392.

Ardoyne, Abercromby of (1315), 65 ; Hay (ante 1345), 65 ; Abercromby (1360), 65 ; Leslie (1509- 40), 111, 442, 470 ; Leith (1531-96), 329, 389, 461 ; Horn, 415.

Ardoyne, Hill of, 88 ; Mill of (1664), 338.

Ardross, Scot of (,1662), 238.

Ardtannies, Ardtoneis, 2-7, 14, 15, 19, 29, 30, 37, 47, 175-82, 192, 195, 196, 198, 203, 204, 206, 212, 213, 225, 318, 360.

Ardtannies, Lairds of ; Earls of the Garioch ; Lords of the Garioch (1326-1510), 54 ; Leslie of Wardes (1510), 111, vide Wardes; Innes(1608), 177 ; Johnston (1613), 177 ; Coutts (1621), 177 ; John- ston (circa 1630), 177 ; Jaffray (1633-1723), 177, 357, 384, 440 ; Earls of Kintore (1723), 440.

Ardtannies, Mill of, 176-80, 203, 225, 315 ; Tenants, Walter Innes and his widow (1604-17), 176-80, 203 ; David Mackie (1636), 181 ; Andrew Walker (1664), 351 ; Alexander Mitchell (1696), 384 ; George Reid (1708), 181 ; Alexander Murdoch (1714), 393 ; Mr. George Scott (1721), 384.

Ardtannies, Millers, Walter Innes and his widow (1604-17), 176-80 ; Mr. George Bissett (1609), 180 ; John Reid (1620), 181 ; John Reid (1671), 362 ; Robert Wishart (1696), 384.

Argyll, Somerled, Thane of, 435 ; Earl of (1594), 164, (1639-41), 263, 266, 274-6 ; Marquis (1641-61), 276, 281, 283, 284, 287, 288, 291, 298, 317, 358, 372, 373 ; Earl, son of Marquis (1650-85), 372-4.

Armegard, Queen of William the Lion, 26.

Arms, Heraldic, 72, 440, 444, 446, 447, 458, 459-62, 465, 466, 468-71, 473, 474, 478-80, 482, 486.

Arms, Body (1608), 191, 210, (1642) 275.

Arnage, Cheyne of (1616), 247 ; Ross, 460, 461 ; Leith Ross, 368, 419, 455.

494 Index.

Arnbath, Alexander Hay of (1702), 465.

Arnhog in Leslie, 401.

Arnfield Loch (1620), 212.

Aruott, Charles, London; James in Arbikie ; James, W.S. (1866); Elizabth, wile of Captain

Maughan ; wife of Captain Grieve ; Dr. Neil, London, 463.

Arradoul, Alexander Gordon of (1650), 307.

Arran, Sir John Menteith, Lord of, husband of Elyne of Mar, 59.

Artamford, Irvine of (1606), 152; do., 478.

Arthur-house, Dr. Robert Badenach of, 378.

Artisans within Burghs (1400), 117.

Artroehy, William Hay of (circa 1480), 448 ; House of (1637), 249.

Assessments, Public (circa 1660), 352.

Atholl, Earl of (1306), 43, 45 ; (1335), 70 ; (circa 1500), 442.

Auchanaseis, Forbes of (1563), 233.

Auchenclyth in Lethinty (1614), 233.

Auehencrieff, Mr. Patrick Maitland of (1623), 209.

Auchindoir, Lairds in, Alexander Irvine of Drum (1410), 87 ; William Gordon (1538), 329.

Auchindoir, Ministers, ■ Clerk (1615), 233 ; William Johnston (1698), 432.

Auchindown, 280, 288.

Auchinhive, Auchenhove, Auchenhuff, Duguid of (1512), 131 ; William (circa 1550), 442 ; Robert

(circa 1700), 443. Aucbinleck, of that Ilk, Sir John (1468), 102 ; (circa 1580), 460. Auchinleck, Christian, wife of William Leith of Overhall, 460. Auehinleck, Helen, wife of Thomas Erskine (1643), 473. Auchinleck, Margaret, wife of John Gordon of Braco (1668), 339.

Auchinleck, Marjory, widow of Captain John Gordon, wife of Robert Bumet (1601), 242. Auchinleck, William, Parson of KinkeU, and Collihill Chaplain (1473), 125 ; Sir William of Balmanno

(1643), 473.' Ancbintoul, Innes of (1635), 442. Auchleuchry, John Gordon of (1480), 102. Auchleven, St. James of, Premnay, 17. Auchleven, Lairds of ; Earls of the Garioch, Lords of the Garioch, Ogilvy (1453-87), 101 ; Wemys

(1488), 102 ; Leith (1490, 1531), 102, 234, 461 ; Seton (1526), 464 ; Forbes (1688-96), 388,

401 ; Lumsden (1800), 401. Auchlossin, Ross of (1500), 131, 461. Auchluncart, Alexander Stewart of (circa 1680), 468. Auchlyard, Lewis Gordon of (1673), 329. Auchmacoy, Buchan of, 49, 310, 376, 468.

Auchmedden, Gilbert Baird of (1616), 179 ; George, do. (1640), 272. Auchmore, Seton of (1619), 466. Auchnacant, Raid upon (15S7), 151. Auchry, William Cumming of (circa 1550), 442. Auchtercbull, Courts of (1621), 177, 213. Aucbterless (1200), 33 ; (1639) 268 ; Dempster of (1512), 131 ; William Johnston, Minister (1697),

426 ; William Leslie, Schoolmaster (circa 1700), 447. Auldbar, William Chalmers of (1740), 471 ; Robert Young of (circa 1700), 461. Auldearn, Battle of, 236.

Index. 495

Auld Rayne, 245, 246 ; William Leith of (1650), 307. Avoohie, John Gordon of (circa 1650), 445.

B.

Bacon, John (Middlesex), 451, and Maria, wife of Sir William Johnston (circa 1800), 451. Badechash, Andrew de Garviach of; Stephen de Johnston (1380), 63 ; Robert Elpliinston (1606), 449 ;

Ceorge Gellie (1696), 389 ; Little do., Kirkland of Bish. of Aberdeen, Adam Pyngle (1376), 66. Badenach, Dr. Robert, of Arthurhouse, 371. Badenoch, vide Bainzie ; The Wolf of, 58 . Badenscoth, Gordon of (circa 1700), 447. Badifunw, 3, 6, 14; (1200), 32; (1620-50), 186, 209, 285, 315, 317; (1669-96), 345, 352, 384;

(1721-1808), 410 ; Mill of, 178. Badifurrow, Lairds of ; Earls of the Garioch ; De Leslie (circa 1170), 17 ; Abbey of Lindores, Lord

Lindores (1600), 157 ; Leslie of Kincraigie (1610-1655), 219, 220, 285, 328 (vide Kincraigie) ;

Ferguson (1655-99), 220, 345, 354-6, 376, 475 ; Forbes (1699-1721), 376 ; Forbes (1721-42),

409, 510 ; Johnston (1742-1796), 410, 450 ; Fraser (1796-1808), 410 ; Gordon (1808), 410. Baillie, Sir William, of Hoprick (1432), 105. Baillies of Inverurie (1466, 1476, 1580), 120, 151 ; (1605-33), 189, 190, 194, 197, 198, 200, 202, 204,

206, 213, 258 ; (1642-78) 349, 292, 294, 350, 351, 352, 393; Rights and Perquisites of, 199, 206. Bainzie, Benzie, Badenoch, Badyno (Inverurie), 50, 90, 259. Bainzie, Agnes (Inverurie, 1464), 119 ; do. (do. 1645-6), 292-3. Bainzie, Alexander (Inverurie, 1600-12), 172, 182, 192, 193 ; do. (do. 1645-6), 292-3. Bainzie, Christian, wife of John Gib (1681), 390. Bainzie, Gilbert (Inverurie, 1625), 390. Bainzie, James (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (do. 1600-17), 182, 192, 199, 204, 396 ; do. (do. 1624-33),

258, 397 ; do. (Caskieben, 1664), 351. Bainzie, John (Inverurie, 1464), 114, 119, 349, 391, 393 : do. (do. 1615, 1617), 198, 199, 204 ; do.

(do. 1633), 258. Bainzie, Margaret, widow of James Ferguson (1695), 398. Bainzie, Patrick (1607), 344.

Bainzie, Walter (Inverurie, 1464), 119 ; do. (do. 1536), 142. Bainzie, William (Fetternear, 1511), 129.

Baird of Auchmeddan, Gilbert (1616), 179 ; George (1640), 272. Bairnsfather, Mary, widow of John Mackie, wife of Alexander Forbes (176S), 407. Balbithan, House of, 7, 273, 416. Balbithan, Lairds of; Abbey of Lindores ; Lord Lindores (1600), 157 ; Chalmers (1490, circa 1696),

221, 232, 238, 306, 416 ; James Balfour (1699), 416 ; William Hay (1699), 416 ; William

Forbes of Skellater, 416, 469 ; Benjamin Abernethy Gordon, 417 ; Francis, Earl of Kintore, 417. Balcairn, William Seton of (1490), 464 ; John Leslie in (1609), 193. Balcarres, Earl of (1645), 285. Balcaskie, Sir George Nicolson of (1688), 377. Balcomy, 59, 111 ; Lauder of, 444. Balfluig, John Forbes of (1674), 240.

496 Index.

Balfour ; of Burley (16S5), 372 ; of Balbithan (1696), 416 ; of Pilrig {circa 1740), 414, 472 ; Nora,

wife of Robert Elphinstone (1877), 473. Balgonen, William and James Gordon of (1650), 307. Balgownie, Malcolm (1273), 50; Thomas Menzies of (1650), 307.

Balhaggardy, Balhaggarty, Balehagirdy, 8, 60, 157 ; Butt of, 185, 199 ; Hospital of, 147, 156. Balhaggardy, Lairds of; Earl of the Garioch, Lord of the Garioch (ante 1357), 63 ; Erskine of Mar (1357-1550), 59, 63, 89, 110, 113, 128, 472 ; Erskine of Pittodrie (1550-1835), 221, 226, 238,

418 ; Gordon of Manar (1835). Baliol, King John, 23, 38, 56 ; Edward, 69, 58, 436. Ballenden, Bishop of Aberdeen, 163, 211. Ballgreen of Inverurie, 175, 183, 398. Ballindalloch, Grant of (1670-1770), 364, 443, 473. Balloch, Donald (circa 1432), 108. Ballogie, Charles Forbes of, 459. Balmadies, Pierson of, 485. Balmakelly, Ferguson of (1705-1724), 377, 478. Balmanno, Sir William Auehinleck of (1643), 473. Balmellie, Andrew Craig of (circa 1530), 445. Balnacraig, Lairds of; Randolph, Earl of Moray; Sir Jame9 Garviach (circa 1324), 62 ; Andrew de

Garviach ; Chalmers (1357), 62, 120, 254. Balnagask, Duncan Forbes of (1614-22), 168, 233, 453 ; John Marnoch in (1717), 453. Balnerosk, Chalmers of, Monymusk (temp. David II.), 65.

Balquhain Castle, 8, 9, (1420), 108, (1562), 146, (1636), 216, (1639), 266, 398, vide Knockinglews. Balquhain, Lairds of, vide Appendix, Leslie of Balquhain. Balquhain, Lands of, 17, (1340), 66, (1572-1638), 215, 216, (1640-96), 385, 400. Balrinnes, Battle of (1594), 216. Balrodyn, Walter (1259), 50. Balvack, Monymusk, Oratory, 17 ; Lands of, 126. Balveny, Innes of (1644), 279. Banchory-Devenick, Cruickshank of (circa 1660), 456 ; Robert Merser, Minister (1615), 233 ; Andrew

Cant at (1629), 300. Banchory-Teruan, Roger Stainforth, Vicar (1262), 37 ; Alexander Cant, Minister (1649-60), 300,

358 ; (1662) 336. Banff (Toft in Burgh, circa 1200), 21 ; Castle (1296), 40 ; Jail (1662), 358 ; George, 1st Lord (1641),

276 ; George, 2nd Lord, 401, 439, 459 ; Minister, Patrick Innes (1697), 426. " Banks of Don," Coach, 395. Bannerman, Alexander (Bourtie, 1651), 309 ; do. of Elsick (circa 1640), 445 ; do. (Prof. King's Coll.,

1805), 486 ; Sir Alexander, sixth Baronet of Elsick (1800), 485 ; Sir Alexander, M.D. (1793),

440. Bannerman, John (Ingleston, 1664), 351.

Bannerman, Marie, wife of William, sixth Earl of Kintore, 440. Bannerman, Mariot (Daviot, 1550), 144. Bannoekburn, Battle of, 436. Baptism (1623), 212, (1711), 423. Barberigo, Cardinal, 411.

Barbour, John, Parson of Rayne (1357-96), 46, 81, 114, 176, 245. Barcar, John (Fetternear, 1511), 129.

Index. 497

Barclay, 61 ; of Bourtie (1387-1598), 90, 229, 230 ; of Gainfully, Gartly (1100), 64, 418 ; of Kerkow

(1314-1387), 65, 230 ; of Tolly, Towie (1314-1598), 64, 90, 230, 466 ; of Ury, 437. Barclay, Adam, Schoolmaster of Inverurie (1607), 171. Barclay, Alexander, of Bourtie (1387), 64, 229 ; do. (Inverurie, 1615-33), 197, 258 ; do. (Kercow,

temp. Robert I.), 65 ; do. (ancestor of Ury, circa 1400), 437 ; Sir Alexander, of Towie (1136), 64. Barclay, Clara, wife of James Johnston (1513), 448. Barclay, Sir David de (1306), 43. Barclay, Elizabeth, wife of John Gordon of Rothiemay (ante 1698), 412 ; do. wife of Patrick Barclay

of Bourtie (1503), 230. Barclay, George, Town.Clerk of Inverurie (1599-1620), 159, 189, 200, 202, 204, 210, 231, Barclay, Heleu, wife of William Lumsden, Advocate, Aberdeen (1650), 307. Barclay, John de {circa 1100), 64 ; do., of Bourtie (1584), 230. Barclay, Marjory wife of James King of Barrow, (1493), 103. Barclay, Patrick, of Bourtie (1533), 230 ; of Towie (1531), 230 ; do. of Bourtie and Towie (1551), 230 ;

younger of do. (1598), 230, 419. Barclay, Roger de {circa 1080), 64. Barclay, Walter, of Bourtie, (1441), 119, 230; do. of Towie (1458), 230 ; do. (1490), 111 ; do. (1503),

230; do. of Towie and Bourtie (1598), 230. Barclay, William of Ardmurdo, (1623), 231. Barebones Parliament, 387,

Barker (Tanner), 191 ; William (Writer, Aberdeen, 1670), 366. Barncrosh, John Dalzell, of (1774), 444. Barnes, Lairds of; Leith {ante 1400, circa 1630), 72, 90, 110, 234, 464, 466 j Forbes (1550), 458, 460 ;

Forbes (1653), 311 ; John Moir {ante 1696), 388. Barnet, William (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Barnskell, in Lower Davo, Inverurie, 200. Baron, Dr. Robert, Aberdeen (1638), 249. Baronne Lychtonne, Inverurie (1633), 397. "Barons of the North" (1574), 456, 461.

Barron, Margaret, wife of James Forbes (1745), 407 ; Robert, in Whitelums (1745), 407. Barra, Castle of, 51, 420, 424 ; Hill of, 4, 51. Barra, Lairds of; Blakhall (1505-48), 103, 228, 448 ; King (1490-1596), 103, 151 ; Leslie (1593), 103 ;

Seton (1600), 230, 464, 466 : Morison (1655), 311 ; Reid (1630-1749), 344, 389, 419 ; Ramsay

(1773), 420. Barras, Ogilvie of, George (1651-80), 366-8 ; Sir David, third Baronet (1737), 368 ; Sir Musgrave,

sixth Baronet (1837), 368. Barry, Battle of, 15, 431. .

Bartlet, Margaret, wife of Alexander Steven, Inverurie {ante 1692), 390. Bartolfde Leslie, 21, 440. Bass, The, Inverurie, 1, 2, 13, 185. Bastile, The (1702), 112. Batavia, 435. Bauge, Battle of, 112. Bavon, St., Cathedral of, Ghent, 366. Baxter, John (Kinkell, 1473), 122. Bearhill, Cuttings of the, Inverurie, 392. Beatrix, wife of Bartolf, 440.

63

498 Index.

Beattie, William (Dunnideer, 1701), 430 ; Peter and family (do. circa 1800), 490.

Beaumont, Lord Henry de (1335), 70.

Beck, Anthony, Bishop of Durham (1290), 46.

Bede, the Piet, Marmaor of Buehan (6th century), 13.

Begsley, Dyce, 197.

Belcombe, Farquhar (1273), 50.

Beldistone, Andrew (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Belgrade (1664), 399.

Belhelvie, Minister, George Paterson (1573), 154.

" Bell the Cat," Archibald, 102, 128.

Beltie, Irvine of (1650), 307.

Benachie, 1, 107, 415, 418.

Bendauch, 197 ; William Johnston of {circa 1380), 121, 448.

Benet, William (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Benholm, Sir James Keith of (circa 1600), 438.

Benzie, vide Bainzie.

Bervie (Toft in Burgh, 1200), 21.

Berwick (Toft in Burgh, 1200), 21 ; (1639), 270.

Bethelnie, Meldrum, Alexander Graham in (1676), 340.

Bethelnie Kirk, a Vicarage of Arbroath (1221), 19 ; (1262), 37 ; Endowments (1257), 36, (1366), 79 ;

Transplanted (1634), 233 ; Visited (1649), 304 ; Settlement at (1698), 428. Bethelnie, Ministers of, Stephen Mason (1574-1612), 155 ; John Logie (1614-29), 240 ; William

Wedderburn (1633), 240 ; George Leith (1647-60), 240 ; William Urquhart (1696), 386 ; John

Mulligan (1698), 428. Bethelnie, Schoolmaster, James Adam (1696), 386. Bethelnie, Vicars, vide Aberdeen Diocese Chancellor. Sevan, Arthur Talbot, 467. Beverley, George (Inverurie, 1662), 352 ; John (Inverurie, ante 1715), 394, 398 ; Road, Inverurie,

394, 409. Beza, 365, 433.

Bibles, Pulpit (1650), 308, (1679), 347. Bird, John (Murderer, 1650), 307. Birkenbog, vide Abercromby. Birkenhead, Loss of the (1852), 231, 466.

Birnie, George, Schoolmaster, Culsalmond, Logiedurno, Kintore (1664-96), 326, 340, 387. Birse, Brass, Lands of (circa (1137), 20, (1242), 36. Bishop, vide Aberdeen Diocese ; Courts, Inverurie (1262), 37 ; Rayne (1535), 141 ; Palace of, 36, 133 ;

Tenants at Fetternear (1511), 129. Bishopstown, John Johnston of (1649), 450, 453. Bisset [circa 1200), 33, (1411), 91. Bisset, Andrew, Vicar of Inverurie (1492^8), 124, 125,

Bisset, George, Mair of Fee (1531), 230 ; Mr. George, Miller at Ardtannies (1609), 180. Bisset, Isabel, wife of Thomas Abercromby of Collihill (1655), 311, (1676), 329. Bisset, John, Minister at Aberdeen (1736), 392. Bisset, Thomas, of Balhaggardy (1411), 89. Bisset, Walter, of Lessendrum (1357-64), 67, 91 . Bisset, William (Fetternear, 1511), 129.

Index. 499

Black Acts (1566), 149.

Black, Alexander (Logiedurro, 1653), 311 ; do. (Boynds, 1664), 351.

Black, Isabel (Inverurie, 1645-6), 292-3 ; James (do. 1633), 258 ; Jean (do. 1645), 292.

Black, John (Conglass, 1634, 211.

Black, Ninian (Bourtie, 1651), 309.

Black, Dr. Patrick (London), 368.

Blackbarony, Sir Archibald Murray of {circa 1660), 439.

Blackbogs, Leith of (1359), 66.

Blackburn, Peter, Minister of Aberdeen, University Regent, Superintendent, and Bishop (1588-1615),

156, 160, 162, 164, 233, 248, 332, 365, 449. Blackburn, Bridge of (1677), 340. Blackford, George Gellie of (1696), 389. Blackhall, vide Blakhall.

Blacktown, Abraham Forbes of (1639), 269, 461.

Blackwater, Marjory, wife of Ade Pyngell (1376), 66 ; Walter of (1273), 50. Blackwell, Thomas, Minister at Aberdeen (1703), 431. Blair, House of (1637), 249. Blair Hussey, 151. Blair, Lairds of; Leith of Barnes (1505), 101 ; Seton (1520-1696), 101, 301, 303, 418, 466 ; Panton

(1688-96), 389, 419 ; Stewart (1724), 419 ; Leith (1761-1807), 419, 459, 462. Blairdaff, Chapel at, (1729), 386. Blairdaff, Lairds of ; Earl of the Garioch, De Leslie (circa 1170), 17 ; Abercromby (1391), 65, 235 ;

Smith (1696), 386. Blairs, Roman Catholic College, 444, 457. Blairtone, Patrick Forbes of (1640), 161. Blake, Neil, Minister at Dyce (1652), 462.

Blakhall (of that Ilk, Coroner and Forester of the Garioch), 20, 30, 99, 122, 180, 219, 227, 228, 229. Blakhall, of Barra, vide Burra ; of Littlefolla, vide Littlefolla. Blakhall, Alexander of that Ilk (1591), 228 ; (1613) 229. Blakhall, Father Gilbert (1637), 249.

Blakhall, Isabel, widow of Mr. Thomas Blakhall (1650), 307. Blakhall, John, Baillie of Sasine (1424), 228 ; do., of That Ilk (1447), 122, 228 ; do. (Inverurie,

1470), 119 ; do., of Barra (1505), 103 ; do., Parish Clerk of Inverurie (1536), 142, 143, 228 ; do.

Captain John (1643-8), 229. Blakhall, Lairds of : Earl of the Garioch ; Coroners and Foresters of the Garioch ; Blakhall (1424-1643),

228-9 ; Abercromby (1661-9), 328, 345 ; Thain (1687-1723), 240, 328, 380 ; Grant (1726) ;

Leith (1732-85) ; Gordon of Brae (1785) ; Gordon of Manar (1834). Blakhall, Lands of, 6, 7, 8, 20, 207, (1615), 229, (1639), 266, (1660), 360. Blakhall, Robert (de 1418), 122, 228 ; (of That Ilk, 1491), 122, 228; do. (also of Littlefolla, 1519),

228 ; (burgess of Aberdeen, 1647), 229. Blakhall, Mr. Thomas (1650), 307.

Blakhall, William de (1398), 122, 128 ; of that Ilk and Blakhall (1451-86), 122, 128 ; also of Fola- blackwater (1503), 228 ; do. (1536), 142, 228 ; do. (1547), 228; do. (1615-23), 203, 208, 209, 213,

229 ; do. (of Barra, 1505-48), 103, 228 ; do., of Bourtie (150C), 103 ; do. (of University of Broomyberry), 229.

Blelack, Charles Gordon of, 465. Blenheim, Battle of, 376.

500 Index.

Blockhouse of Blair (Panton, 1688-96), 389, 41S.

Blyth, Andrew (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Boats, Ferry, Inverurie, 225, (1647), 290 ; Boathaugh, 185.

Boddon, Insch, Over and Nether, Gordon (1512), 131 ; Nether B. Gordon (1696), 388; Over B. Spence

(circa 1520), 444, (1600), 154 ; Logie (1696-1701), 388, 429. Boethius, Hector, 135. Bogfur Moss, Tack of (1649), 396. Bogheads, Kintore, 7. Bogie, Water of, 92. Boginjoss, Dyce, 197. Bognie, Morison of, 244.

Bogs, George Leslie of, sen. and jun. (163S), 161, 207. Bohermore, Colclough of (1784), 469. Bois le Due, 376.

Bonds of Alliance, 76, 84, 100, 113, ; of Loyalty to James VI., 456, 461. Bonhard Salt Pans.

Bonkill, Sir Alexander Stewart of (1332), 69. Bonnet, M. Pierre ; Theresa, wife of Matthew Seton, 467. Bonny field, Dunbar of (circa 1550), 442.

Bonnyton, Bonnytoun, Bondington (1259)> 61, (1702), 460 ; Mill of (1703), 431 ; vide Wood of Bonshaw, Irvine of (1306), 61. Boswell (circa 1200), 33.

Bothwell Collegiate Church of ; William Elphinstone, Provost (circa 1500), 470. Bothwell, Bodwell, Bodle, Alexander (Inverurie, 1612-19), 195, 207, 390. Bothwell, Elspet, wife of Patrick Ferguson (1672), 391. Bothwell, John (Inverurie, 1656), 319 ; do. (do. 1662), 352. Bothwell, William (Inverurie, 1847), 390. Boundaries, Parochial, Rectified (1661), 310. Bourtie (Auld Bourtie, 1342-87), 63, 64, 80 ; (1411), 92; (1441), 110, 229, 230, 311 ; (1598), 466;

(1676), 340, 418, 419. Bourtie, " Fecht" at (circa 1390), 78, 437.

Bourtie, House of (1754), 419 ; Mill of, John Gordon at (1677), 364. Bourtie, Kirk of, Vicarage of St. Andrews (1199), 21 ; glebe (1199), 21 ; endowments (1119), 21, 32 ;

(1366), 79; institution at (1611), 160; visitation of (1649), 304; election at (1658), 311;

fabric, 344. Bourtie, Kirkton of, Ninian Seaton at (1611), 160 ; Manse of (1199), 21. Bourtie, Lairds of ; Earls of the Garioch, Lords of the Garioch, Matthew the Smith (1342), 64 ; John

of Abernethy (1346), 64, 229 ; Barclay (1387-1598), 64, 110, 229, 230 ; Seton (1598-1655),

230, 418, vide Pitmedden ; Beid (1655-1663), 230, 311, 419, 467 ; Anderson (1663-1825), 389,

419 ; Mrs. Leith Ross and Sisters (1825-1847), 419 ; Duguid (1827, 1847), 419. Bourtie, Ministers, Hugh, rector (1199), 21 ; James Johnston (1578), 154 ; Stephen Mason, 154 ;

Thomas Mitchell (ante 1611), 160 ; Gilbert Keith (1611-166- ), 154, 160, 239, 304, 311, 316 ;

George Melville, assistant (1650-4), 311, 324 ; William Gordon, assistant (1658- ), 311 ;

Robert Brown (1666-75), 241 ; Alexander Sharpe (1675-1709), 386 ; James Gordon (1710), 423. Bourtie, Officer, Thomas Middleton (1649), 304. Bourtie, Parishioners (1611), 160 ; (1651), 309. Bourtie, Patron, William de Lamberton (1199), 21 ; Duke of Lennox (1611), 160.

Index. 501

Bourtie, School (1649), 304 ; Schoolmasters, John Anderson (1696), 386 ; James Davidson (1710),

424. Bower, Walter, Aberdeen (1411), 89.

Bowen, Mary Ann (wife of Francis Elphinstone, 1878), 473. Bowling Green, Keithhall (1673), 369. Bowman, James, Inverurie (ante 1600), 393. Boyle, John, Foot-runner, Keithhall (1696), 403. Boyle, Patrick, of Shewalton, 473.

Boyndie, Minister* William Chalmers (ante 1600), 255 ; Patrick Chalmers (ante 1690), 430. Boyndlie, Forbes of (1781), 405. Boynds, Bowndis, Buudys, in Moukegy, 185; Westbynnes, 157; Braidmyre of, 225; George Ronald

in, (1664), 351. Boynds, Lairds of; Earls of the Garioch, Lords of the Garioch, Sir Eobert Erskine (1357), 63 ; Thomas Chawmir (1492), 122 ; James Harvey (circa 1550), 442 ; Johnston of That Ilk (ante 1615), 197 ; Jaffray (1645), 225, 440 ; Earls of Kintore (1664), 351» 440. Boyne, The, 100, 462 ; Ogilvie of, 129, 354, 442, 462. Brabant, Lordship of (1408), 47. Brachra, John (Inverurie, 1536), 122.

Braco in Knockinglews, Inverurie (1690) ; Brae Croft of, 181. Braco in Knockinglews, Inverurie, Families upon (1604-26), 181, 186 ; (1696), 385. Braco in Knockinglews, Inverurie, House of, 181.

Braco in Knockinglews, Inverurie, Lairds of; Earls of the. Garioch, De Leslie (circa 1070), 17 ; Leslie of Balquhain (1340)), 66 ; Gordon (circa 1490-1678), 102, 213, 278, 329, 345 ; Earl of Aber- deen (1681, 1692), 329, 360, 385. Braco in Knochinglews, Inverurie, Mill and Millers (1604-26), 181. Braelangwell, Fraser of, 469. Braelyne in Glentaner, Gardine of (1740), 412. Braemar (6th century), 13. Brandsbutt, 4, 5, 184 ; (1670), 364 ; (1721), 356 ; George Smith of (1614-16), 203 ; George Grub

(1633), 258, 294. Brechin, Battle of (1452), 101, 112, 464 ; Sir David of, at Inverurie (1308), 46 ; do., Constable, 51 ; Henry, Lord of, 51 ; Lordship of Brechin aud Navar, Sir Thomas Erskine ^1530-50), 473 ; William (1257), 50. Brewers in Inverurie (1606-13), 190, 192, 196. Brewhouses (circa 1200), 22, 25.

Brewster, James (Muirton in Bourtie, 1611), 160 ; William (Daviot, 1550), 144. Brice of Douglas, Bishop of Moray (circa 1200), 55. Brickenden Beau, 421-4 ; Elizabeth, wife first of Thomas Bumet of Keninay (1713) ; second, of Dr.

Lamont, 485 ; Richard of Inkpen, 421, 486. Bridge of Dee built (circa 1520), 132 ; battle of (1639), 271. Bridges, Church collections for, 338, 339, 340.

Brigstoke, William (Somerset), 473 ; Georgina Ann, wife of General John Dalrymple (1878), 473, Brimmond Hill, Portents seen at (1643), 278. Bristol Castle, 45, 69.

Broadford, The Inverurie (1653), 352 ; do., Aberdeen, 410. Broadholme, The, Inverurie, 185. Brodie, The Laird of (1649), 348.

502 Index.

Broomend, Crichie, Stone period, 4, 5, 6, 7 ; George Leslie in (1616), 179 ; assault at (1643), 278.

Broomfold, Inverurie, 7, 185, 195.

Broomhill, John Birnie of (1700), 162 ; James Hamilton of, Bishop of Galloway (circa 1680), 162.

Broominch, Inverurie, 7, 185.

Broomybenie, University of (1647), 229.

Brown, David Dyce, M.D., 467.

Brown, Gilbert (Monkegy, 1615), 209.

Brown, Isabella (wife of James Ferguson, 1807), 479.

Brown, John (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; do. (Westhall, 1677), 340.

Brown, Robert, minister at Bourtie (1616-75), 241 ; do. Ingliston, (1725), 390.

Brown, Mr. Thomas (Inverurie, 1476), 120.

Brown, William, U.P. Minister, Craigdam (1807), 479.

Brownie, John, Monymusk (1685), 348.

Bruce, Alexander (Old Meldrum, 1820), and family, 484.

Bruce, Christian, vide Christian Lady of the Garioch.

Bruce, Marjory, mother of Robert II., 45.

Bruce, Mary, wife of Sir Alexander Fraser of Dunnottar (circa 1350), 437.

Bruce, Maud, sister of David II., 62.

Bruce, Niel, brother of Robert I., 45.

Bruce, Robert, Lord of Annandale, temp. David I., 23, 24; do. (1248), Competitor with Baliol, 23,

24, 34, 38, 39 ; do. Crusader (1268), 24, 34, 39, 41 ; do. Eail of Carrick, and King, 24, 34, 39,

42-9, 259, 353, 436, 437. Bruce, Thomas (Kemnay, 1633), 238. Bruce, William (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; do. Schoolmaster of Kintore (1710), 425 ; do. Merchant,

Inverurie (1741), 390 ; do. M.D., and Family (1878), 484: do. B.D., Episcopalian minister,

Dunimarle (1878), 484. Bruce's Camp, Cave, and Howe, 48, 176.

Brucklay, John Irvine of (circa 1620), 449 ; Adam Irvine, late of (1710), 424. Bruckles in Auchterless, John Gairdon of (1673), 329. Brux, John Cameron of (circa 1364), 75, 91 ; Sir Hugh Cameron (post 1400), 75 ; Black Robert

(1411), 91 ; Alister Cam Forbes (post 1400), 91 ; Forbes of (1530), 140. Buchan of Auchmacoy, 49; (1512), 131 ; (1652), 310 ; (1688), 376, 468.

Buchan, Burned (1408), 49 ; Mormaors of— Bede the Pict (sixth century), 13, Gartrait (1132), 55. Buchan, Earls of, William Cumyn (circa 1200), 37 ; John Cumyn (1308), 46, 49 ; Alexander Cumyn

(1335), 70 ; Alexander Stewart, " Wolf of Badenoch " (1390), 85 ; Sir James Lindsay (ante

1400), 67, 437 ; John Stewart (1424), 88, 107, 437 ; Erskine (1716), 414. Buchan, Constable of France (1424), 88, 107. Buchan, George (Inverurie 1651), 316, 322. Buchan, Gilbert (Inverurie, 1645-6). 292, 3. Buchan, Janet, wife of James Gordon of Newton (1652), 310. Buchan, Priest (1702), 423.

Bnchanan of Ross (1840), 463 ; Jemima, wife of Sir Alexander Leith (1842), 463. Buchanstone, Barony of Wardes (1510), 220; Patrick Leith (1531), 461 ; Gilbert Leslie of (1668),

329; Captain James Leslie of (1696), 389 ; Alexander Martane in Nether B. (1664), 338;

John Meldrum, in Mill of B. (1664), 338. Bucharn, Leslies of, 445. Bucharne, Leiths of, 459, 462.

Index. 503

Buehthills, Dyce, 197.

Buchts-Ewe, Inverurie (1616), 200.

Buckingham, Duke of, at Pitcaple (1650), 297.

Buda (1664), 399.

Buildings, Primstone, 3 ; quality of, in the 17th century, 174, 200, 206.

Burgesses, Guilds of (1200), 117, 118, 188, 201.

Burgh Life in Inverurie (1199), 27; (1400-86), 113-20; (1600-40), 187-217, 256-60; (1640-50), 291-6 ; (1650^60), 313-25 ; (1660), 349-60 ; (1696), 383, 384; Politics in the 18thceutury, 364.

Burghs, Convention of (1671), 362, 364; Elgin District of, 364; Laws of the Four B., 113, 192 ; Report upon (1818), 455.

Burgie, John Dunbar of (1633), 461 .

Burgundy, Duke of (1408), 87.

Burials, Speedy (1620), 210 ; at hack of church (1648), 302.

Burle, John (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Burley, Lord (1644), 288 ; Balfour (1655), 372.

Burnard, vide Burnett.

Burnlands, Inverurie, 183, 258.

Burnervie, 6.

Burnett, Burnet, Burnard of Allagavan (1623), 485 ; of Balmaud (1512), 131 ; of Cowton and Criggie (1680), 485 ; of Craigmyle (1608, 1623), 209, 485 ; of Crimond (1634), 251, 485 ; of Elrick (1707, 1737), 225, 417 ; of Gask (1512), 131 ; of Glenbervie (circa 1700), 377 ; of Kemnay (1688), 120, 485 ; of Lethenty (1396), 66 ; (1696), 389 ; of Leys (1314), 239, 420, 422, 485 ; of Malingall (1395), 66 ; of Monboddo (1680), 485 ; of Muchals (1680), 485.

Burnett, Agnes; wife, first of Thomas Burnet, second, of Sir William Nicolson, 377, 485.

Burnett, Alexander, Bishop of Aberdeen (1683), 355 ; do. of Kemnay, Secretary of Legation (1700), 422, and family, 486 ; do. of Kemnay and family (1867), 486 ; do. of Leys (temp. Robert I.), 420 ; do. of do. (1613), 229 ; minister at Oyne (1613-15), 240 ; Sir Alexander of Craigmyle and family (166- ), 485 ; do. of Leys, 4th Baronet (1733-58), 422, 486.

Burnett, Andrew, of Elrick (1707), 225, 417, 454 ; do. (Kemnay 1713), 427, 485.

Burnett, Anna, wife of Andrew Cant of Glendy (1655), 299,

Burnett Arms, 486.

Burnett, Catherine of Glenbervie (1721), 377.

Burnett, Elizabeth, wife of James Burnett (1608), 485.

Burnett, George of Kemnay (b 1742) and family, 486 ; do. Lyon King of Arms (1866), 486.

Burnett, Gilbert, Bishop of Salisbury, 251, 375, 420.

Burnett, Helen, wife of Sir Alexander Burnett of Leys, 4th Baronet, 485 ; do. wife of George Burnett of Kemnay, 421, 486.

Burnett, James, of Allagavan and Monboddo (1645), 485 : do. of Craigmyle (1608-44), 209, 420, 485.

Burnett, Jane (Craigmyle), wife of Andrew Burnett (1713), 485.

Burnett, Jean, wife of Sir William Forbes, 2nd Baronet of Monymusk, 237.

Burnett, John, of Elrick (1737), 225, 417 ; do. of Kemnay (1784), and family, 486 ; do. Minister of Monymusk (1689), 380; do., Writer, Stonehaven (1800), 487.

Burnett, Lucretia, second wife of William Ferguson (1696), 355, 384, 406, 475.

Burnett, Margaret, wife of Thomas Erskine, 473.

Burnett, Lord Monboddo, 485.

Burnett, Sir Robert of Leys (1759), 422.

Bnrnett, Teresa (wife of Matthew Seton), 467.

504 Index.

Burnett, Robert of Cowton, Muchals, and Criggie, Tutor of Leys (1644), 485 ; do. of Crimond, Lord Crimond (1623), 209 ; (1660), 226, 250, 251, 420, 485 ; do. of Lethinty, senior and junior (1696), 389 ; do. of Lethinty and Malingall (1395), 66 ; do. Minister at Oyne (1596-1613), 155, 166, 233, 240, 242, 311, 446 ; do. Minister at Rayne (1666-1703), 386, 430 ; do. Minister of Banchory-Ternan {ante 1697), and of Fintray (1698), 427.

Burnett, Thomas, of Craigmyle (1608), 485 ; do. of Glenbervie (circa 1700), 377 ; do. of Kemnay (1688), 420, and family, 485 ; do. of do. (1689), 420, and family, 485 ; Sir Thomas of Leys (1623), 209, 237, 299J 420, 485 j do. (1759), 422.

Burnett, William, Minister at Oyne (1647-60), 240, 305.

Burntisland (1672), 363.

Bursars (1549), 131.

Burt, Captain, at Aberdeen (1730), 335.

Butler, Colonel, Slayer of Wallenstein (1634), 399.

Buttergach, Andrew, of Conglas, Iuveramsay and Meikle Worde temp. Dav. I., 63 ; John (BaiUie of Regality, 1359), 63 ; Robert (1413), 104.

Byron, Captain John (1786), 477, father of Lord Byron.

Byth, Duncan Forbes of (1643), 240 ; Urquhart of, 469.

Cadyow, Hamilton of ; Sir David (circa 1350), 437 ; Sir James (circa 1450), 437.

Caerlaveroch, Lord Maxwell of (1350), 442.

Caiesmill, Robert Johnston of (circa 1600), 449.

Cairden, Oyne, Leith of ; Patrick (1668), 329, John (1696), 389.

Cairelogion, 12.

Cairnborrow, Gordon of (1467-1644), 279, 442 ; House of (1637), 249.

Cairnbulg, Lord Fraser of (1644), 279.

Cairndae, now Linton, 448.

Cairnhill, in Rayne, Roman Road at, 9.

Cairn O'Mount, 13.

Cairns, 3.

Cairnton, Walter Halket of, 463.

Caithness, 282, 435 ; Earl of, 110, 282.

Calder, Sir Hugh Campbell of (1680), 468.

Calder of Synahard (1512), 131.

Calfward, Inverurie, 185.

Campbell, Sir Charles (1685), 372, 373.

Campbell, Sir Hugh, of Calder (1680), 468.

Campbell, James Hew, Oyne (1671), 415 ; Hon. James (1690), 374.

Campbell, Jean (wife of John Urquhart, 1684), 468.

Campbell, John, of Westhall (1671-2), 329, 415.

Campbelton (circa 1700), 374.

Camber, Lydia, wife of Captain John Ferguson, 479.

Index. 505

Cameron, Cambrun, Cambruno (circa 1200), 33 ; of Brux, John (circa 1364), 75 ; Sir Hugh (circa

1400), 75 ; do., of Lochiel (1411), 91. Cameron, Meg., tanner in Monymusk (1402), 115. Camphffi, Patrick Forbes of (1573), 236. Camps, British and Roman, 4, 9, 51 ; do. in the Civil War, 264, 265, 266, 269, 270, 2S0, 281, 282,

284, 285, 287. Camus, Danish Chief (1010), 15, 435. Candelabra of Edward VI., 366.

Cannor, Loch, Lake Dwellings in, 40 ; Peel in (1335), 70. Canon, Jordanus, Insch (1244), 79.

Cant, Alexander, Minister, Banchory- Ternan (1649-60), 300, 358. Cant, Andrew, Minister, Pitsligo, Newbottle and Aberdeen, 227, 255, 276, 277, 288-91, 299-301, 330,

334, 341, 351, 358 ; do. Minister of Liberton (1663). Principal of Edinburgh University,

300, 301. Cant, Sarah, second wife of Alexander Jaffray, jun., 227, 300, 358. Cant's Kirk, Pitsligo Church, 300.

Capital Punishments (1400), 116, (1629), 211, (1674), 363. Caprington, William Leith of (ante 1388), 72 ; Laurence Leith of (1388), 72. Car, William, dialmaker (1660), 343. Caran, St., of Premnay, 17. Carchnie, William Leslie of (1635), 214. Card-playing on Sunday (1674), 339. Cardross, Erskine of, 486. Carlisle (1645), 286 ; (1746), 483. Carnegie, Lord (1639), 264. Carnegie, William, probationer (1702), 430. Carniola, Leslie, Metropolitan of (1725), 411. Carnoch, Dr. John Erskine of, 486. Carrick, Countess of, 24 ; King Robert I. , Earl of, 24. Carstairs, William, chaplain to William of Orange, 137, 425. Carthagena, Expedition to, 414. Caskieben, 7, 368 ; Barony, 32, 365, 417 ; Castle, 166 ; Gallowhill of, 369 ; Lands (1615), 197,

(1633), 225 ; Mains, (1615), 198, (1664), 351 ; Mill of (1597), 152, (1664), 351. Caskieben, Lairds : Earls of the Garioch, 34 ; Norman the Constable (ante 1237), 34 ; de Garviach

(ante 1357), 62, 63, 448 ; Johnston (circa 1400), 89, 448 ; Jaffray (1633), 225 ; Keith (1664),

440. Vide Johnston. Cassilis, Earl of (1649), 358. " Castellated Buildings in Aberdeenshire," 401. Castles in 1426, 105.

Catalogue in Church (1649), 313, 315, 316. Catechism, Lesser and Old (1649), 305. Cathcart, Lord, 415. Cathedral, vide Aberdeen.

Catholic Disabilities (1690), 422, 423, (1762), 443. Catti, Prince of the, 15, 435. Catwig in Holland, 435. Cavel in husbandry, 184, 198 (1667), 361.

64

506 Index.

Cavers, James, Lord of (1388), 58.

Cavelsniill (1600), 157, 468.

Celtic Civilisation, 13, 126.

Chalmers, Chalmer, Chawmer ; of Auldbar, 471 ; of Balbithan {circa 1490-1696), 151, 232, 389, 445 ;

of Balnacraig (1357), 62, 120, 254 ; of Cults (1505-1612), 254, 255 ; of Disblair (1633), 238 ;

of Drimmies (1636-60), 214, 281, 318, 329 ; of Findon (1402), 254 ; of Foullertown and

Thainston {temp. David I.), 62 ; of Lentush (1696), 388 ; of Little Methlick (1505), 254 ; of

Murtle (1388-1488), 254 ; of Pitfichie and Balnerosk {temp. David II.), 65 ; of Strichen (1512),

131, 449. Chalmers, Alexander, Provost of Aberdeen (1567), 255 ; do., of Cults and Little Methlick (1505), 254 ;

do., of Drimmies (1636-55), 214, 281, 318, 329 ; do. (Kinkell, 1633), 239 ; do. of Strichen, 449 ;

Rev. Alexander (Haddington, 1817), 479. Chalmers, Annabella, wife of John Leslie of Wardes (1525), 138, 232, 445. Chalmers, Charles, in Crimond (1616), 209. Chalmers, David, of Balbithan (1565-88), 151, 232 ; do. (Eintore, 1498), 123 ; do., of Pitfichie and

Balnerosk (temp. David II.), 65. Chalmers, Emily (wife of James Ferguson), 479. Chalmers, George, of Balbithan (1600), 232, 445. Chalmers, Gilbert, 254 ; of Cults (1601-12), 255 ; do., Chaplain of Kintore (1498), 129 ; do., Vicar of

Tullich (1509), 130. Chalmers, Henry (Balbithan, 15S8), 232 ; do. (Kintore, 1498), 123. Chalmers, James (Balbithan, 1588), 232 ; do. of Balbithan (1696), 232, 3S9 ; do., Rector of Fetternear

(1504), 148. Chalmers, John, of Balbithan {circa 1490), 232 ; do. (1584), 151, 232 ; do., Reader at Kintore (circa

1570), 170. Chalmers, Margaret, wife of John Johnston (died 1812), 453-7.

Chalmers, Marjory, mother of Sir John Urie, 232, 254; do., wife of Provost Gilbert Menzies, 457. Chalmers, Patrick, Minister at Boyndie (ante 1690), 430 ; do., Sheriff Clerk, Banff, 449. Chalmers, Professor (1745), 409.

Chalmers, Robert, of Kintore aud Balnacraig (1357), 62. Chalmers, Thomas, of Cults and Little Methlick (1505-4S), 254, 255 ; do., of Findon and Murtle (1402),

254 ; do. (Kinkell, 1473), 122. Chalmers, William, Minister of Boyndie (ante 1600), 255 ; do., of Auldbar (1740), 471 ; do., of

Drimmies (1660-69), 214, 329, 487 ; do, (Dyce, 1758), 453 ; do., of Foullertown and

Thainston (temp. David II.), 62 ; do., Schoolmaster, Inverurie (1657-90), 324, 325, 358; do.,

Town-Clerk of Inverurie, ad vilam aut culpam (1672), 363 ; do., Baillie of Kintore (1498), 123 ;

do., of Murtle (1388), 254 ; do., of Wester Disblair (1633), 238 ; do. (Kinkell, 1650), 306;

Mr. William (Balbithan, 1588), 232. Chalmerley or Chamberley Croft (1615), 226, 418. Chamberlain of Scotland: Barclay (temp. William I.), 64; Sir Alexander Fraser (temp. Robert I.),

437 ;'Sir Robert Erskine (temp. David II), 74. Champion, Major, Bombay Army, 469.

Chancellor of Scotland, Bishop Greenlaw (1410), 87 ; Bishop Elphinstone, 130. Chancellor of Aberdeen vide Aberdeen Diocese. Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Garioch (1357-1511), 80, 81, 108, 128, (1542-67), 147, 230

231, (1615), 236, (1636), 412, 418. Chapel of Garioch, Parish (1599), vide Logie Durno.

Index. 507

Chapel of Garioch, Schoolmaster of, William Idell (1670).

Chapels in the Garioch, Early, 17, 18.

Chaplain, Curate of. Inverurie, William Scrogy (1466), 120.

Chaplainry Patrons, 147, 230, 418.

Chaplainries of the Chapel of the Garioch : Collihill, 80, 128, 147, 230, 231; Patron of do. (1600),

230 ; Conglass or Kirkinglass, 147, 226, 418 ; Patron of do. (1615), 418 ; Pitcaple, 80 ;

Pitgavenny, 147 ; Wardes (1474), 80 ; Wartle, 147. Chaplains of Collihill, William Auchinleck (1473), 125 ; Alexander Galloway (1505), 128 ; William

Hay (1542), 231 ; Thomas Hay, 231 ; Cuthbert Herd, 231 ; James Warlaw (1567), 231 ; George

Seton (1600), 147, 230. Chaplains of the Garioch, Robert Patensoune and David Liell (1505), 129. Chaplains of Kinkell, — at Keinnay, John Gareaucht (1502), 128 ; at Kintore, Gilbert Chalmer (1498)>

129 ; at Skene, 132. Chapman, Isabel, Inverurie (1612), 195. Chapman, James, Daviot (1550), 144. Charles I., King, Coronation, 227, 366 ; Arbitration of Tiends, 261 ; Civil War (1630), 262 ; (1639),

263, 264, 270, 271 ; (1640), 272 ; (1641), 276 ; (1642), 278 ; (1644), 282 ; (1646), 287 ; (1648),

295 ; (1649), 296. Charles II., King, Troops raised for (1650), 308 ; at Pitcaple (1650), 297, 327, 328, 355, 357, 358,

361, 366-8, 370-4, 467. Charles VI. of France (140S), 87, 106, 107. Charming (1649), 305, (1657), 319, (1675), 339. Charter of Inverurie, 150, 194. Charters of Garioch Estates, 61-67. Chattan, The Clan, 435. Cheese (1228), 18, 22. Chekar, Thomas, Aberdeen (1411), 89. Chelsea Croft, and Lane, 7, 186, 398. Chester, Randolph, Earl of, 23. Chevalier, The (1745), 407. Cheyne (circa 1200), 33. Cheyne, Alexander, of Pitfichie (1646), 293. Cheyne, Francis, of Inverurie (circa 1250), 40. Cheyne, Henry, Bishop of Aberdeen (1282-1328), 39-41, 48, 63. Cheyne, Isabella, wife of George Leslie, Little Folia (1730), 447. Cheyne, James, of Straloch (1595), 103, 151. Cheyne, John, of Arnage (M.P., 1616), 247. Cheyne, John, Minister at Kinkell (1623-43), 161, 211, 238, 239. Cheyne, John, Minister at Kintore (1645-9), 240, 266, 273, 285, 305, 450. Cheyne, Mariota, wife of John Keith of Inverugie (circa 1380), 437. Cheyne, Parson (circa 1600), 450.

Cheyne, Reginald le, of Fyvie (1250-96), 50, 67 ; Sir Reginald, of Inverugie (circa 1350), 437. Cheyne, Robert, Minister at Kennethmont (1651), 306 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Cheyne, Ronald, in Ardeharrall (1600-13), 162, 208. Cheyne, of Straloch (circa 1400), 442 ; James (1595), 151. Cheyne, William, Inverurie (1608), 192, 193 ; do., William, of Kaithen. Child, James, Canon of Monymusk (1534), 127.

508 Index.

Childrig, Inverurie, 185.

ChUlas, Chirurgeon, Inverurie (17 — ), 393.

Chivalry, 84.

Christie, Agnes, Andrew, Eppie, Mallie, and William (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Christie, Cleek (1339), 71.

Christie, James (Lofthillock, 1664), 351 ; do. (Old Meldrum, 1697), 428.

Christie, Patrick (Insch, 1650), 307 ; do. (Kemnay, 1678), 340.

Christmas, vide Yule ; Services (16S8), 3S0.

Christ's Kirk, 25, 155, 157 ; Fair of, 8, 109 ; Patronage of (1600), 157 ; Lands of (1650), 459.

Church, Culdee, 13 ; Romish, 16.

Church Discipline (1615), 196, (1647-60), 301-320, 330-42, 380.

Church Keeping (1608), 192, (1615), 196, (1651), 318, (1662), 338.

Clare, Isabel de, wife of Robert Bruce, 24.

Claret in Scotland (circa, 1616), 244.

Clark, James, Disblair (1624), 396.

Clark, Janet (wife of William Ferguson, sen., of Badifurrow, 1658), 355, 374, 475.

Clark, Mary (wife of Sir Andrew Leith Hay), 459.

Clark, William, of Buckland House, 459.

Clatt, Vicarage of Lindores, 19 ; Endowments (1366), 79.

Cleland, Captain William, R.N., and Elizabeth (wife of Sir William Johnston), 451.

Clergy, Society for Children of, 225.

Clerk, Parson of Auchindoir (1615), 233.

Clerk, John (Inverurie, 1480), 393 ; do. (do., 1613), 196.

Clerk, Robert (Kintore, 1498), 123 ; do. (Inverurie, 1666), 338.

Clerk, Stephen the, 63.

Clinterty (1430), 121.

Clontarf, Battle of, 55.

Cloth Manufactory, Aberdeen [circa 1630), 227.

Clothing, Articles of (1620), 209, 210.

Clova, Lumsden of, 401.

Cluny, Kirk of, James Johnston, Minister (1574), 155 ; Patronage of (1617), 235.

Cluny, Lairds of, Gordon ; Sir Thomas (ante 1604), 474 ; do. (1604), 226 ; Sir Alexander (1622), 213

(1639) 265, 272 ; (1642) 221, 222, 238 ; Sir John (circa 1640), 445. Cobairdy, James Gordon of (circa 1800), 460. Cobenshaw, Dr. James Anderson of (1769), 405. Coble Haugh and Tack, Inverurie, 173, 185. Cochran, Sir John (1685), 372.

Cochran, Mary, wife of John Moir of Barnes (ante 1696), 388. Cochran, Robert, Earl of Mar, Lord of the Garioch (1480), 110. Cock of the North, 112, 242.

Coclarachie, Duncan Forbes of (1554), 236 ; Gordon of, 459. Colclough, Beauchamp, of Bohermore, and Bridget (wife of George Urquhart), 469.

Coldstone, Strachan, Rector of (1615), 233.

Coldwells, Inverurie, 6.

Collections in Churches for Bridges, Harbours, &c, 320.

College of St. Mary, Aberdeen, 131.

Colleges, Aberdeen, 323, 325.

Index. 509

Collihill, vide Chaplainry.

Collihill, Lairds of: Gilbert Annand (1543), 231 ; Hay (1580), 103; Thomas Abercromby

(1675), 329 ; John Forbes ^696), 389. ,

Collison, Collieson, John, Provost of Aberdeen, 138, 464.

Collison, Margaret, wife of William Robertson of Aquhorties, 214.

Colliston, Eeid of (15—), 449.

Colliston Croft, Badifurrow, 186.

Collithie, Robert Gordon of (1652), 462.

Cologne (circa 1700), 443.

Colpnay, William Wood of (1617), 213.

Columba, St., 13, 17.

Comaleggie, Troup of (1512), 131 ; William [circa 1540), 445.

Commendators, 144 ; of Deer, 163 ; of Lindores, 156, 160.

Commercial Road, Inverurie, 394.

"Commissar," Thomas Johnston, Inverurie (1609), 194, 204.

Commissious on Minsters' Stipends (Queen Mary), 158 ; (Charles I.), 159.

Committees of the Tables (1639), 264, 267, 268, 269.

Common Good, The, 321.

Common Lauds of Inverurie, 183, 199, 202.

Commonwealth, Soldiers of the, 309, 330.

Communion Services (1643), 277, (1650), 315, (1686), 378 ; Roll of Inverurie (167—), 360.

Concraig, Alexander Simpson of, 391.

Condland, in Aberdeenshire, Crichton of (1630), 214 ; do., in Fife, Lumsden of (circa 1500), 448.

Confession of Faith, The (circa 1700), 424, 425.

Congalton, Grant of, 440 ; Hepburn of, 472.

Conglass, Knockinglass, Kirkinglas, 3, 8, 19, 20 (1257), 60 (1411), 89 ; Marches (1569), 417 ; Chap- lainry (1615), 226 ; Tenants in (1649-51), 315, 317, 359, (167—), 360, (1696), 384.

Conglass, Lairds of : Earls of the Garioch, Lords of the Garioch ; Andrew Buthergask (temp. David II.), 63 ; Erskine (1357-1835), 59, 63, 89, 345 ; Gordon of Manar (1835),

Couland, Lundy of (circa 1600), 449.

Constable of Fetternear (1602), 157 ; of France (1424), 107, 437 ; of Inverurie (1147-1219), 30-35, 440 ; of Scotland (1308-1318), 16, 70, 436.

Constance, Council of, 87.

Constantinople (1664), 399.

Constitution Street, Inverurie, 186.

Content Butts, Inverurie, 183, 258.

Controversial Prints, Covenanting (1647), 302 ; Episcopalian (1663), 334.

Cooper, Cupar, Cowper, Gilbert (Thornton, 1611), 160.

Cooper, James (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Cooper, John (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Cooper, Lord (1639), 264, 266.

Cooper, Margaret (Kemnay, 1675), 339.

Cooper, Patrick (Inverurie, 1536), 142.

Cooper, William (Inverurie, 1621), 212.

Coote, Sir Eyre ; Captain George ; and Frances (wife of Sir William Setou), 467.

Cordiner, Cordener, Cordner, John (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Cordiner, Robert, Kintore (1498), 123.

510 Index.

Cordiner, Thomas, Aboyne (1650), 307. Cordwainers' Craft, Inverurie (1614), 196. •Corrichie, Battle of (1562), 139, 146. Corse, Forbes of (ante 1500), 104, 128, 163, 212, 253. Corseman Hill, Inverurie, 3, 4, 6, 92, 175, 180. Corshill, Inverurie, Caskieben, 197, 211. Corsindae, Forbes of {ante 1500), 104, 236. Corskie, John Straehan of (1617), 213. Cottown of Aquhorties, 360.

Coull, Auchtercoull ; Castle of, 18 ; Church of 235. Coull, Lairds of; Durward (1228), 18 ; Coutts (1622), 177, 213. Coullie, Mouyrnusk, Alexander Smith in (1633), 239 ; Alexander Soot in (1685), 348. Court of Session, Origin of, 137.

Courteen Hall, Northamptonshire, Sir William "Wake of, 466. Courteston, Cruterystown, Leslie, 74. Coutts, Robert, Monymusk (1678, 1685), 340, 348i Coutts, William, fiar of Auchtercoull (1622), 213. Covenant, National, 262, 371. Covenant, Solemn League and, imposed (1639), 262, 438 ; renewed (1649), 299, 303, 306,307, 313, 315,

358, 359 ; abolished (1660, 1680), 332 ; abjured (1680), 371. Covenanters in the Civil War, 249, 250, 263-286. Coynach in Buchan, 478.

Cowe, Cove, Alexander, Thomas, and William (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; James (Excom. 1650), 307. Crab, Paule, Lethinty (1395), 66.

Craibstone, Aberdeen, 215, 275, 276; Sandilands of, 451. Craig, Andrew, of Balmellie (1530), 445. Craig, Ann, wife of John Burnett (ante 1800), 487* Craig, Auld, George Leslie of (1606), 246. Craig, Clementina, wife of John Imray (1816), 487; Craig, of Craigtintray (1512), 131.

Craig, in Dyce (1621-1700), 208, 225 ; Johnston of, 417, 449, 450, 451. Craig, Gilbert (Inverurie, 1580-7), 174, 392, 395, 396. Craig, John, of Mugiemoss, Sheriff of Aberdeen (1787), 487. Craig, Margaret, wife of George Munro (ante 1816), 487. Craig, Marjorie (Inverurie, 1650), 315. Craig, Thomas, of Drimmies (1787), 487. Craigdam, Rev. William Brown (1807), 479. Craigearn, Kemnay, 17.

Craigfmtray, Craig of (1512), 131 ; Urquhart of (1610), 232, 233, 464, 468, 469. Vide Urquhart. Craigforthie, Lindores Abbey, 104, 157.

Craighall, Aberdeenshire, George Leith of (1672), 329 ; do., Perthshire, Rattray of, 472. Craighouse, Sir James Elphinstone of (1670), 471 ; Sir John do. (died 1732), 472. Craigie, Hepburn of (1512), 131.

Craigievar, Mortimer of (ante 1391-1610), 235 ; Forbes of (1610), 235, vide Mortimer and Forbes. Craigievar, Baronets of, 253.

Craigmyle, of That Ilk, 485 j Burnett of (1608), 485. Craigmyle, Peter and William (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Index. 511

Craignesin, Alexander Tulloch of (1617), 213.

Craigsley, Chapel of Garioch, 8.

Craigston, Urquhart of, 469.

Craigtoune, Lindores Abbey, 157.

Craigwell, Oyne (1664), 338.

Crail, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Balcomie in, 444 ; Minister, Alexander Leslie (1688), 446.

Cranstone, Gilbert, Viear of Inverurie (ante 1543), 125, 143.

Crathes, House of (1644), 283 ; (1759), 422.

Crawford, Lindsay, Earl of, Sir James (1390), 77 ; David (1452), 101, 112, 442.

Crawford of Fedderay, Fedderet (1512), 181.

Crawford, Henry of, Monorgan (circa 1720), 414.

Crawstane Butts, Inverurie, 183, 258.

Crichie, Boat of (1690), 390.

Criehie in Buchan, 284 ; in the Garioch, 14, 62, 185, 194.

Crichie, Lairds of: Earls of Garioch, Lords of the Garioch, 111 ; Leslie of Wardes (1510), 111, 221 ;

William Leslie (1596-1606), 445 ; George Leslie (1607-16), 194, 221, 445 ; Lord Elphinstone

(1616), 194, 227 ; George Leslie (1633), 238, 246. Crichie Tenants— George Grub (1646), 393 ; "William Ferguson (1650), 354 ; John Dalgardno

(1696), 389. Crichton, Creychtoun, Alexander (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Crichton, Ann, wife of William Seton (1619), 464. Crichton, Chancellor (temp James II.), 243, 438. Crichton, George, schoolmaster, Insch (1685), 326. Crichton, James, of Frendraught, 217, 238, 242-4, 263, 464 ; Sir James (1490), 111 ; do., of Fren-

draught (1602), 445. Crichton, Jane, wife of John Leslie of Wardes (1602), 445. Crichton, William, Lord (1500), 444. Crichton, Robert, of Condland (1630), 217. Crichton, Viscount, 243, 276, 279, 282, 283. Crimes, Compounded for (circa 1400), 123 ; (1533), 141 ; Excommunicated for (1650), 307 ; Punished

(1400), 115, 116, (1605), 190, (1612), 195, (1617), 203, (1629), 211, (1674), 363. Criminal Jurisdiction (Inverurie, 1629, 1674), 211, 363. Crimond, Burnet of (Lord Crimoud), 209, 226, 250, 251, 420. Crimond, Charles Chalmers in (1616), 209. Crimond, Johnston of, 155, 251, 448, 449. Crimond, Inventory of Farm (1616), 209. Crimond, Lairds of, 197, 225, 448.

Cristison, Alexander and William (Fetternear, 1511), 129. Crofts of Aberdeen, 276 ; do. of Inverurie, 184, 185.

Crofthead, Inverurie, 184, (1649) 315, (1670) 360 ; Boat at (295) ; Stevens of, 186, 203, 351. Crooked Haven, Enzie (1639), 268. Cromarty, Laird of (1639) 269, 469. Cromarty, Tutor of, vide John Urcpuhart. Crombie, Crommie, Alexander, Inverurie (1535), 142. Crombie, Elizabeth, Lady of Glack (1550), 144, 470. Crombie, Elspet (Aquhythie, Kemnay, 1675), 339. Crombie, James (Monyniusk, 1685), 348.

512 Index.

Crombie, John and James (Fetternear, 1616), 179.

Crombie, Sir Thomas of Kemnay (1624-44), 29, 234, 249, 256, 257, 266, 272, 284, 296, 420.

Cromlet, Mill of, George Gordon (1640-60), 179.

Cromwell, 276, 310, 317, 318, 331, 357, 366, 367, 371, 372, 419.

Cross of Inverurie, 9, 14, 174, 192, 364, 395 ; Powtate Cross (1671), 362.

Cross Well, Inverurie, 362, 395.

Cruickhaugh, Inverurie, 185, 198, 199, 362.

Cruickshank, Adam, of Tillymorgan and Little Wartle (1482), 223, 446.

Cruickshank, Elspet, wife of Mr. John Johnston (1697), 456.

Cruickshank, Isabel (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Cruickshank, James, of Tillymorgan, 250 (1650), 308 ; do. of do. (1696), 388 ; do., James, Vicar of

Daviot (1455), 125 ; do., James (Oyne, 1677), 340. Cruickshank, Janet, wife of "William Leslie, 1st of Warthill, 223, 446. Cruickshank, John, of Tillymorgan {circa 1500), 223. Cruickshank, Mary, guidwife of Eothmaise (1633), 239. Cruickshank, Rachel, wife of James Young, 454. Cruickshank, Robert, of Banchory, Provost of Aberdeen, 456. Crusades, The, 7, 22, 23, 24, 31, 32. Cryn in Poland, 174. Cryne's Land, Footdee, Aberdeen, 136. Cuffabout, 481.

Culbo, Urquhart of (1600), 469. Culdees, The, 6, 13, 17, 26, 126.

Cullen, Invercullen, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; (1296), 40 ; (1662), 336, (18th cent.) 364. Cullen, Alexander, Parson of Oyne (1506), 149. Cullen, Andrew, Parson of Fetternear (1529), 129. Cullen, Lord, Sir Francis Grant, 237, 404. Cullen, Minister at, Robert Tait (1697), 426. Culross, John Burnet, Minister at (ante 1678), 340. Culsalmond, Culsalmuel, 8, 25, 157. Culsalmond, Kirk of, Vicarage of Lindores, 19, 25, 157 ; Endowments of (1257), 36, (1366), 79,

(1600), 157; Kirklands of (1600), 157; Patronage of (1600), 157; (1617), 235; plundered

(1639), 302, visited (1650), 308. Culsalmond, Ministers of, Stephen Mason(1567), 153 ; Thomas Spens (1607), 154; George Leith (1635),

239 ; Arthur Ore (1647-64), 239, 306, 324, 338 ; William Garioch (1696), 386. Culsalmond, Schoolmasters of, George Birnie (1664), 326 ; George Duncan (1674), 326. Cults, Chalmers of, 62, 245, 255 ; Innesof (1612), 170 ; Hugh Gordon of (circa 1700), 448. Cumming, Cumyn, Comyn, Cumniine (circa 1200), 33. Cumming, Agnes, wife of Sir Philip de Melgdrum (1221), 37. Cumming, Alexander, Earl of Buchan (1335), 70. Cumming, Catherine, wife of Thomas Ferguson, W.S. (1810), 478. Cumming, Elizabeth, wife of Sir Robert Keith (lemp Alexander I.), 435. Cumming, James, Lyon Office (1786), 353, 354, 483 ; do. of Kinninmouth (circa 1770), 478. Cumming, John, Earl of Badenoch, nephew of John Baliol (1297), 39, 41, 43, 70. Cumming, John, Earl of Buchan (1308), 39, 40, 46, 47, 49. Cumming, Sir John, Warden of Scotland (1291), 56. Cumming, of Culter (1512), 131.

Index. 513

dimming, Margaret, wife of Sir John Keith (1270), 436 ; do., wife of Alexander Russel (1792), 478.

Gumming, of Rattray (circa 1770), 476.

Cumming, William, 1st Earl of Buehan {circa 1200), 37 ; do., of Auohry (1550), 442.

Cumyn's Camp, 51.

Cuning Hill, Inverurie, 1, 14, 30, 114, 174, 391.

Cunningham, David (Bishop of Aberdeen, 1577), 456 ; of Polmaise (14 — ), 470.

Cuphio writing, 56.

Currie, Curry, Inverurie, "Walter (1476), 119, 120 ; Margaret (1642-71), 318, 339, 349, 395.

Currie's Haugh, Inverurie, 183, 185, 198, 199, 203, 258, 396.

Cushnie, Leslie of (1400-1682), 104 ; Lumsden of, 448, 467 ; do. in Auchterless, William Raitt in, 462.

Cuthbert, "William, Daviot (1550), 144.

"Cutt," William, 4th Leslie of "Wardes (1589), 221.

D.

Daily Prayers in Church (1662), 335.

Dalgarno, of Dalgamo-Fintray (1512), 131.

Dalgarno, George (Kinkell, 1652), 165, 231.

Dalgarno, of That Ilk (1400), "William (1615), 231.

Dalgarno, John, in Criehie (1696), 389.

Dalgarno, of Peithill, "William (1615), 231, 289.

Dalmahoy, Barbara, wife of Sir John Forbes of Monymusk (ante 1700), 237.

Dalmahoy, Sir John, of That Ilk (ante 1700), 237.

Dalrymple, Charles, of Kinnellar Lodge, 473.

Dalrymple, David, Lord "Westhall (17 ), 388, 415.

Dalrymple, Francis Anstruther, Judge, Bengal, 473.

Dalrymple, George Augustus Frederick, Queensland, 473.

Dalrymple, Henrietta Maria, wife of Thomas Leslie, Esq., 447, 473.

Dalrymple, Hew, of Dmmmore, Lord Drummore (1690), 388, 414, 415 ; Hew Drummond, Madras (187—), 472.

Dalrymple, Sir Hew, of North Berwick, Lord President (1690), 388, 415.

Dalrymple, James, Viscount Stair, 388.

Dalrymple, John Hamilton, C.B., General, 473.

Dalrymple, Mary, wife of Patrick Boyle of Shewalton, 473.

Dalury Cottage, Inverurie, 395.

Dalwearie, Kintore, 5.

Dalzell, John, ofBarncrosh (1774), 444; and Violet, wife of John Leslie of Balquhain (1774), 444.

Dambutts, Inverurie, 175 ; Damriggs, do., 188.

Danes, 15, 21.

Daneston, James, son of Andrew Harvie of (1609), 418.

Danube, The (1664), 399.

Darien Scheme, The (1696), 414.

Darnley, Henry Lord (1565), 106.

Dasks or Pews in Church (1650-85), 322, 348.

65

514 Index.

Dava, Davo, Davach of Inverurie, Upper and Lower, 3, 5, 28, 29, 30, 176, 182, 350, 351, 440.

Dava, Lairds of: Earls of the Garioch (■ 1326), 28 ; Lords of the Garioch (1326-1510), 54 ; Leslie

of Wardes (1510), 111 ; Jaffray (1633 — ), 222 ; Earls of Kintore (1664 and 1723), 440. Dava, Mill of, 6, 176-183. Dava, Tacksmen of, 182. David, King, I., 17, 18, 55. David, King, II., 53, 62, 68-75, 437.

David, Earl of Huntingdon and the Garioch, 2, 21, 25-34, 55, 157, 176, 436 ; Family, 19, 23 ; Style, 20_ David, Duke of Rothesay, 54. David, son of David, Earl of Huntingdon, 26. David, of Strathhogie, 61, 70. Davidson or Dhai, Clan (1396), 85. Davidson, Agnes or Annas, Inverurie (1624), 212. Davidson, Alexander, Andrew, John, and Thomas, Daviot (1550), 144. Davidson, Alexander, N.P. , Town-Clerk of Inverurie (1580), 151, 396 ; do., Alexander, Schoolmaster,

Inverurie (1699), 389. Davidson, Alexander, of Newton (1696), 388, 460. Davidson, Christian (wife of Alexander Leith of Freefield), 460. Davidson, Duncan, Rector of Eathen (ante 1614), 233.

Davidson, George (Inverurie, 1650), 315 ; Henry (do., 1655), 318 ; Isabel (do., 1650), 315. Davidson, James, of Midmar (17 ), 472.

Davidson, Jane, wife of William Leslie of Warthill (1818), 447. Davidson, John (Inverurie, 1729), 395 ; (do., 1745), 391, 395 ; do. (Mill of Lumphart, 1640), 392, and

Isabel (do., 1700), 392. Davidson, Margaret wife of David de Leslie, (1439), 105, 441 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348 ; do., wife

of James D. H. Elphinstone, 472. Davidson, Michael, Inverurie (1667-1699), 361, 364, 390. Davidson, Normand, Inverurie (1650), 315, 318, 8'61.

Davidson, Dr. Patrick, Minister of Kayne (1813), 447 ; do. of Inchmarlo (1878), 447. Davidson, Robert, Provost of Aberdeen (1411), 2, 85, 86, 88, 94, 105, 116, 441.

Davidson, Thomas, of Greystone, Sheriff of Aberdeen (1647), 350 ; do., Mill of Portstown (1664), 351. Davidson, William, Inverurie (1606-19), 180, 192, 196, 207 ; do., (do., 1699), 390; do., Knockenbaird,

Insch, 1701), 430 ; do., Minister of Inverurie (d. 1799), 481. Daviot, St. Columba, 13 ; Schyre of (1137), 20 ; Election of Clerk (1550), 144, 470 ; Parish (1623),

309, (1649) 303, (1651), 309 ; Communion Cups, 386. Daviot, Ministers : George Paterson (1573), 154 ; William Strachan (1608-49), 239, 273, 303, 305 ;

George Tailefer (1651-60), 309, 324 ; Thomas Thoirs (1660-3), 270 ; William Lunan (1663-72),

339 ; Alexander Lunan (1673-1716), 386. Daviot, Parsons, vide Aberdeen Diocese Treasurer. Daviot, Schoolmaster, William Adam (1696), 386. Daviot, William Robertson of (1696), 389. Dawain Loch, 41.

Dean of Guild, Inverurie (1619), 206.

Deans, Denys, John (Kintore, 1498), 123 ; Elizabeth, Longhermiston, wife of James Ferguson, 478. Death-Bed Services (1680), 378.

Dee, The, 55 ; First Bridge {circa 1520), 32, 137, 271, 466 ; Fishings (1530), 140, (1581), 236. " Deer Sandys " (1639), 267.

Index. 515

Delab, Monymusk, 240, 348.

Delgatie, Delgaty, Hay of ; Alexander (circa 1550), 442 ; Sir Francis, Tutor of Errol (1639), 269,

406 ; Sophia and Ann (1650), 307. Delpersie vide Terpersie. Dempster of Auchterless (1512), 131.

Dempster, Elizabeth, wife of John Leslie of Leslie (circa 1570), 441. Dempster, of Muiresk (circa 1570), 441 ; Thomas (1588), 442. Dempster, Thomas of Aquhorties (1588-1611), 236.

Denholme, Ceeill, wife of Sir James Elphinstone of Logic (1720), 414, 471. Denholme, John of Muirhouse, and Sir James, 414, 471. Denmore, Moir of, 474. Densyburn, 15. Devana, 41.

Deuchries, Oyne, James Gordon of (1650), 308 ; John do. (1655), 311. Devereaux, Captain, Slayer of Wallenstein (1634), 399. Dhai Clan (1396), 85.

Dickie, Dicky, Inverurie; Alexander, Marjory (1536), 142 ; Thomas (1623), 209; William (1650), 315. Dickie, Elspet (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Dietrichstein, Princess Anna de, wife of Count Walter Leslie (1640), 399 ; Maximilian Prince de, 399. Dillyhill of Conglass, 3. Dinging (Assault) (1617), 205. Disblair, Easter, Wester, and Middle, Lordship of Lindores (1600), 157 ; Thomas Johnston of (circa

1600), 449 ; William Chalmers of (1633), 238 ; Setcm of (1623-58), 468 ; Dyce of (1752), 486. Discipline, Ecclesiastical (1650-60), 301, 320, (1662-1688), 335, 342. Divine Right, 331. Docker, Robert (1660), 344.

Dogs at Church (1650), 316 ; Dog Clip (1673), 339. Dolbethock (1211), 55. Don, The, 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 19, 60 ; Bridge at Aberdeen (1544), 136 ; Fishings (1530), 140, (1661

1679), 352 ; Fords at Inverurie, 6, 9, 200 ; Bulwark (1698), 345 ; Bridge (1794), i. Donald, Balloch (1431), 108. Donald, Anthony, Inverurie (1817), 407.

Donald, Earl of Mar (1014), 55 ; do. (circa 1273-1297), 41, 42, 45, 56 ; do. (1396-1332), 56, 57, 69. Donald, James, Mill of Keith-hall (1800), 407 ; do., Minister of Keith-hall (1878), 407. Donald, John, Fetternear (1611), 209. Donald, Lord of the Isles, 3, 88, 91, 93, 108. Donald, William, Minister of Peterhead (1830), 407. Donaldson, John, Mill of Inveramsay (1492), 122. Donaldson, Paul, Inverurie (1536), 142. Doomster, Inverurie (1615), 198, 201, 202, 204. Dorlaithen (1604), 226, 418. Douglass of Glenbervie, 102 ; of Kemnay (ante 1513-1623), 102, 128, 139, 156, 234, 236 ; of Whiteriggs, 469.

Douglass, , wife of George Ogilvie of Ban-as (1652), 367, 368.

Douglass, Sir Archibald, of Kemnay (1534), 128, 139, 474.

Douglass, Barbara, wife of Sir Robert Keith (1324), 436.

Douglass, Elizabeth, wife of Robert Lord Keith (1513), 438 ; do., wife of Patrick Leslie of Balquham

(1661), 443.

516 Index.

Douglass, Gavin, Prior of Monymusk (1496), 127.

Douglass, George, of Whiteriggs (Glenbervie, 17 — ), 469.

Douglass, Isabella, (wife of George Urquhart of Meldrum), 469.

Douglass, James Earl of (1338), 58, 437 ; do., Minister of Glenbervie (post 1560), 139 ; Sir James

(1306), 44, 45, 436. Douglass, John, Earl of Morton {circa, 1500), 438. Douglass, Margaret, wife of William Forbes of Monymusk (1588), 235; do., wife of Sir Henry Keith

(temp William I.), 436. Douglass, Sir Robert, of Kemnay (1591), 156; do., Sir Robert, of Glenbervie, author of "Peerage,"

&c, 234. Douglass, William of («Ycal200), 436 ; do., Earl of Douglass and Mar (1334-70), 70, 74, 76 ; do., son of

Earl James (1389), 57 ; Sir William of Kemnay \,ante 1513), 102, (do. 1623) 234; do., 9th Ear1

of Angus (1591), 139, 236, 443. Dowuie, Alexander (Kemnay, 1698-1728), 397, 427 ; do. (Senior and Junior, Inverurie, 1724), 397. Downie, Isabel, widow of Alexander Keith, Inverurie (1686), 397. Downie, James, Bonnyton (1710), 397. Downies, Nigg (1639), 270. Draw-well, Powtate, Inverurie (1671), 9, 362. Dress of Ministers (1646), 308, (1662), 331. Drimmies, 5, 6, 8, (1670), 360 ; Marches of (1569), 487. Drimmies, Lairds of : Earls of the Garioch ; De Leslie (circa 1070), 17 ; Leslie of Balquhain (1340),

100; Gordon (1490-1609), 179, 329, 487; Chalmers (1643-1669), 214, 281, 318, 329, 487;

Leslie (1671-1683), 487 ; Smith (1754-1773), 487 ; Gordon (1786), 487 ; Craig (1787), 487 ;

Imray (1800), 487 ; Shand (1816), 487. Drum, Forest of (1324), 61. Drum, Irvine of (1324), 61, (1408-11) 87, 91, 94, 437, (1593-1615), 256, 257, (1639-44), 264, 270, 279,

282, 287, (1650) 307. Drum, Mills of, 282. Drum's Aisle, 73. Drumblade, 20, 125. Drumdevane, Inverurie (1569), 487. Drumdurnoch (1357), 63, (1453), 110, (1604), 226, 418. Drumminner, 91, 96, 107.

Drummond, Ann, wife of Brigadier Ferguson (circa 1700), 377, 478. Drummond, Sir Malcolm (1395), 66, (1402), 78, 86. Drummond, Mary, wife of William, ninth Earl Marischal, 439. Drummore, Lord, 388, 414, 415, 472.

Drumoak, Alexander Scrogy, Parson of (1615), 233 ; David Lindsay, Minister (1697), 426. Drumrossie, Leith of : William (1369), 66 ; Henry (1490), 234 ; John (1526), 101, 464. Drumrossie, Tiends of (1357), 36.

Drunkards, Restriction of Inverurie, (1608-15), 191, 195, 197. Dryburgh, Abbot of, Ogilvie, Parson of Kinkell (1518), 125. Dryland, Walter Stewart of (circa 1500), 445. Dubston, Inverurie, 6. Ducat Haugh, Inverurie, 7, 1S4. Duff, Earl of Fife, 476. Duff, of Hatton, William Garden (1860) ; Alexander Garden (1878), 469.

Index. i 1 7

Duff, Jane (wife of Keith Urquhart), 469.

Duffle, Alexander Stewart, Lord of, 2, 87 ; Mary, Lady of, 87.

Duffus, Lord, 464.

Duguid, of Auchinhove (1512), 131 ; William (circa 1550), 442; Robert {circa 1 700), 400, 443.

Duguid, of Bourtie, Peter, Senior and Junior, 419.

Dumbarton, Castle of, 12, (1334), 70.

Dumfries, Castle of, 12 ; High Altar of, 43.

Dun, House of (1644), 283.

Dun, Charles (in Kiukell, 1633), 238.

Dun, Jean, first wife of Alexander Jaffray, Jun., of Kingswalls (1632), 226.

Dun, Margaret, wife of John Leslie of Warthill (circa 1700), 447.

Dim, Patrick, of Tarty (1700), 447.

Dun, Principal, 226, (1663), 366.

Dunbar (1650), 357..

Dunbar of Boath, Alexander and Sir James, 486.

Dunbar of Burgie, John (1633) ; and Isobel, wife of George Leith, 461.

Dunbar, Gavin, Bishop of Aberdeen (1518-31), 33, 132.

Dunbreck of That Ilk (1512), 131.

Duncan, Andrew, James, and William, Daviot (1550), 144.

Duncan, Earl of Mar (1228), 55.

Duncan, George, schoolmaster, Culsalmond (1674), 326 ; do., Elder, Oyne (1686), 378.

Duncan, James (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Duncan, John (Inverurie, 1611), 209, do. (do., 1651) 317.

Duncan, Thomas (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Duncan, Walter (Inverurie, 1651), 317.

Duncan, William (Inverurie, 1623), 209 ; do., schoolmaster, Bourtie (1710), 425.

Duncanson, Stephen (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Duucanson, William (Inverurie, 1536), 142.

Duncanstoun, Lord Elpinstone (1507), 102 ; do., Wardes (1508), 111, 220.

Dundarg, Siege of, (1334), 70, 71.

Dundee, 23 ; Toft in Burgh of (1195), 25 ; Bulwark and Harbour (1670), 339 ; Constable of, Scrimgeour of Dudhope (1411), 93, (1639), 270.

Dunearn, Stewart of, 486.

Dunfermline, Seton, Earl of, 464.

Dunkeld, 2nd Lord, 472.

Dunnibersel, Burning of (1591), 216.

Dunideer, Donydure (878), 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, 14, 54 ; (1510), Wardes, 111, 220 ; Tyrie of (1684, 1696), 330, 388 ; William Beattie in (1701) 430.

Dunnottar Castle (circa 1400), 437, (1581), 438, (1639), 271, 273, (1650), 286, 298, 439, (1652), 367, 387.

Dunnottar, Lairds of : Glaster (ante 1381), 63 ; Fraser (ante 1400) ; Keith (circa 1600).

Dunnottar, Gilbert Keith, Minister at, 239.

Dupplin, Battle of (1332), 69, 436 ; Lord (1644), 282.

Durno, Durnoch, Durnach, Leslie of (1510), 111, 220.

Durham, Battle of, 1346, 437.

Durris, Forbes of; Plundered (1639), 238, 270.

Dunvard, Doorward (Hostiarius), Lords of Coull (1224), IS.

Durward, Alan, son of Thomas (1257), 56.

518 Index.

Durward, John, at Siege of Acre, 22.

Durward, Thomas, son of Malcolm of Lundy (1211), 18, 55, 224.

Dyce, Cordyce, Forest of; Garviach (1316), 61 ; Johnston of (1400), 161, 197 ; Skene of (1734), 238.

Dyce, James, of Disblair, and Janet, wife of George Burnett (1752), 486.

Dyce, Kirk of, 20, (1420) 125, (1682) 462.

Dyce, Kirktown of, Leslie of, 445.

Dyce, Nether, Thanage of Kintore, Wardes (1508), 111, 221.

Dyce, Ranald (Kiukell, 1473), 122.

Dyce, Standing-stones of, 5.

Dye, Bridge of Dye (1652), 320.

Ebald (Abel), William Kemnay (1697), 426.

Echt, Forbes of (1512-1644), 131, 289.

Echt, Kirktown of (1644), 233.

Echt, Minister of, Thomas Kinnear (1697), 426.

Edinpingle, Croft of, Aberdeen, 276.

Edinburgh, 12 ; Castle (1070), 16 ; (1312), 51 ; (1657, 1681), 373 ; Prison, 252, 375 ; New Town

(1794), 482. Edingarroch, Leith of (1282-1629), 38, 234, 238, 445 s Leslie (1625), 238 ; Leith (post 1696), 401, 449,

458, 459. Edward I., King of England, 7, 37, 40, 42, 45, 56, 67 ; do. VI. of England, 366. Edward Baliol, 69, 70. Eger, Town of (1632), 399. Elcho, Lord (1639-44), 264, 266, 280.

Elders, Aberdeen (1577) 456 ; Qualifications of (1650), 318 (1677), 340 ; Ruling (Garioch, 1653), 311. Election of Ministers (1658), 311, (1697-1705), 426-32. Election of Parish Clerk, Inverurie (1536), 142 j do., Daviot (1550), 144. Elgin Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Minster (1390), 85 ; District of Burghs, 364 ; Ministers, John Gordon

{wide 1650), 307 ; James Horn (1675), 415. Elibank, Lord, 355, 475.

Elliot, Sir Gilbert of Headshaw and Minto (1767), 472. Elliot, Mar}-, wife of Sir John Elphinstone (1716), 414. Elliot, Thomas, M.D. (1751), 472.

Ellis, Eleis, {ante 1200), 33 ; George, Schoolmaster, Keithhall (1696), 387. Ellen, wife of Donald, Earl of Mar (1293), 56.

Ellon, Adam, Priest of {ante 1199), 21 ; Portents at (1643), 273 ; Town of (1662), 336 ; Gordon of 473. Elphinstone, of Glack (1499-1787) 412, 470 ; of Logie (1670) 413, 471 ; of Warthill (1616-1730) 330,

412 ; of Wliiteinches, 470. Elphinstone, Alexander, younger of Glack (16—), 470 ; do. (Glack 1681), 470 ; do. of Glack (1758-

95), 413 ; and family, 471 ; do. (Glack 1835), 471 ; do. 1st Lord (1507), 59, 111, 470 ; do. 2nd

Lord (1547), 128 ; do. 4th Lord (1616), 179, 227, 268, 330, 412 ; do. of Warthill (1665,

1696), 412.

Index. 519

Elphinstone, Andrew, of Selmys and Glack (1499, 1507), 101, 131, 470.

Elphinstone, Anne, (Glack) wife of William Leslie of Wartliill (1657), 411, 447, 470.

Elphinstone Arms, Glack, 471 ; do., Logie, 473.

Elphinstone, Cecilia, (Logie) wife of James Balfour (1700), 414, 472 ; do. (Glack) wife of William Chalmers (1740), 471.

Elphinstone, Elizabeth, (Logie) wife of Henry Crawford of Monorgan (circa 1700), 414 ; wife of William Gordon of Tillungas (1673), 329.

Elphinstone, Graeme Hepburn, Ceylon (1878), 473.

Elphinstone, Harry (Glack 1661), 470.

Elphinstone, Helena, (Logie) wife of Thomas Elliot, M.D., 472

Elphinstone, Sir Henry of Pittendrelch (15th century), 470.

Elphinstone, of That Ilk, (1758), 471.

Elphinstone, James, brother of 1st of Glack, 470 ; of Glack (1559), 412, 470 ; do., do. (1586-1665), 213, 304, 412, 442, 470, 471 ; do., do. (1641-1653), 311 ; do., do., M.P. for Inverurie (1669), 361, 364, 413, 414 ; do. Dalrymple Home, of Logie (1776-94), 472 ; do., of Wartliill (1636-50), 308, 412 ; do. (1696-1738), 412 ; Sir James of Logie (1658), 414 ; of Logie-Elphiustone, 1st Baronet (1658-1722), 386, 392, 406, 414, 432, 471, 475, 488 ; do., 3rd Baronet (1724-39), 414 ; and family, 472 ; do., Dalrymple Home of Logie- Elphinstone (1848), 415, 473.

Elphinstone, Janet, .wife of Patrick Barclay of Towie (1598), 230; do., wife of Alexander Lunan, Minister of Daviot (1690), 386.

Elphinstone, Jean, Jane, wife of Alexander Leslie of Tullos, (circa 1634), 413, 443, 470 ; do., wife of William Ferguson of Badiefurrow (circa 1670), 355, 406, 414, 475 ; do., wife of John Mackenzie of Applecross (1787), 471.

Elphinstone, John de (1296), 51.

Elphinstone John, of Glack (1671-96), 364, 389, 413, 414, 471 ; do., do. (1696-1731), 471 ; do., do. (1732-58), 259, 392, 413, 471 ; do., do. (1787), 471 ; do. (Glack, 1825), 471 ; do. (Glack, 1878), 471 ; do., (Logie), 473 ; do., 7th Lord (circa 1700), 443 ; do., Prior of Monymusk (1542-9), 128, 236 ; do., of Warthill (1616), 227, 412 ; Sir John, 2nd Baronet of Logie (1716-32), 330, 414, 472, 475 ; and family, 472 ; do., 4th Baronet of Logie (1739-43), 414, 472.

Elphinstone, Katherine (Warthill), wife of John Gardine of Bellamore (1740), 330, 412.

Elphinstone, Lawrence, brother of 1st of Glack, 470 ; do. uncle of Bishop Elphinstone, 130.

Elphinstone, Mallie (Daviot, 1550), 144, 470.

Elphinstone, Margaret, wife of George Leslie of Balquhain (circa 1710), 443 ; do., wife of Sir Robert Forbes, 471 ; do., wife of Rev. J. W. Warren, 473.

Elphinstone, Marjory, wife of Walter limes, Ardtannies (died 1622), 178, 203, 210, 412, 446, 470 ; do., wife of James Mill, Minister of Inverurie (1630-46), 161, 292, 293, 384, 412, 470.

Elphinstone, Mary, of Logie-Elphinstone (1743-54), 414, 415 ; do. (Logie), wife of Sir Andrew Mitchell of Westhore, Orkney (1745), 472.

Elphinstone, Nicholas, of Glack (1499), 101, 470.

Elphinstone, Patrick (Glack, 1696), 389, 413, 471.

Elphinstone, Rachel, wife of John Ogilvy (1731), 471.

Elphinstone, Robert, Archdeacon, Treasurer, (1499-1549), 126, 148; do., of Glack (1620), 412, 470; Mr. Robert, of Kinbroon and Badechash (1606), 449.

Elphinstone, Sir Robert D. H., of Logie (1782-1870), 472.

Elphinstone, Sir Samuel, of Johnston (1633), 466.

Elphinstone, Sarah, wife of George Gordon of Rothney, 471.

Elphinstone, Symon (Glack, 1533), 141, 470.

520 Index.

Elphinstone, William, Bishop of Aberdeen (1483-1514), 129, 133; do., Provost of Bothwell, 470;

do., of Glack (1515), 470; do., do. (1533), 124, 141 ; do., Bector of Kirkmichael (circa 1450),

130; do. of Whiteinches (circa 1670), 355, 406, 414, 470, 475 ; Mr. William (Glaek, 1696), 889,

413, 471. Elrick, Burnett of (1707-1739), 225, 417, 454. Elsick, Alexander Bannerman of (circa 1640), 445. Elyne, Ellen, Helen, of Mar (1308), wife of Sir John Menteith of Arran, 56, 59, 437 ; do., wife of Sir

James Garviach, 63, 225. Emancipation of Serfs in Burghs, 117.

Emoluments of Garioeh Vicarages (1257) 35, 36, (1366) 79, (1600) 157. Emslie, Elspet (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Endeaucht, Patrick (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; William (Daviot, 1550), 144. Engagement, The (1648), 301, 302, 307. Enzean, John Forbes of (1620), 441.

Enzie, The (1296), 40, (1411), 88, (1639), 268, (1664), 378, 423. Episcopacy in Scotland (temp James VI.), 156, 160; (temp Charles I. and James VII.) 332-36 ; (post

1688) 425-32. Episcopal Congregations, Blairdaff, 386 ; Ellon, 448 ; Little Folia, 448 ;• Meikle Folia, 386. Episcopal Incumbents (1690-1716), 359, 423 ; do. Intruders, 429, 430. Erde Houses, 40. Errol, Earls of, 1st (1318), 61 ; 6th (circa 1570), 442 ; 8th (1592-1600), 156, 164, 249 ; 9th (1639),

269, 284, 286 ; 11th (1680), 364. Errol, Tutor of. Sir Francis Hay of Dalgatie, 269, 286, 406. Erskine of Balhaggardy (1350-1550), 56, 59, 63, 106, 418 ; of Brechin and Haltoun (1529-50), 106

473 ; of Cardross, 371 ; of Carnock, 486 : of Dun, 106, 473 ; of Pittodrie (1550), 106, 306,

364, 401, 418, 445, 462, 473.

Erskine (Pittodrie), wife of Robert Farquharson, (1657), 222.

Erskine, Alexander (Insch, 1650), 300.

Erskine Arms, 474.

Erskine, Colonel, of Cardross (1682-5), 371, 374, 388.

Erskine, Earls of Mar, 54, 56, 57, 59, 402, 437.

Erskine, Henry Knight, of Pittodrie, 474.

Erskine, Isobel, wife of George Leith (circa 1643), 462, 474.

Erskine, James, Lord Grange (1733). 402, 439.

Erskine, Jean, wife of John Leslie (1598), 442 ; do., wife of James Moir (1745), 474.

Erskine, John, of Balhaggardy or Pittodrie (1567-1604), 221, 226, 418, 473, 487 ; do., do. (1615-25), 226,

248, 474 ; do. (Ptitodrie, 1677), 340, 364, 374 ; do., of Dun, Senior and Junior (1513), 473 ;

do., Author of "The Institutes," 388, 486 ; do. and James (Inverurie, ante 1717), 393. Erskine, Dr. John, of Carnock, 486. Erskine, Sir John, of Erskine Park, 74.

Erskine, Lord ; Thomas (1457), 110, 113 ; (505) 128 ; (1550) 173 ; (1565) 59, 106 ; (1639) 266. Erskine, Margaret or Magdalene (Pittodrie), wife of James Leslie (circa 1602), 455, 473. Erskine, Mariota, wife of William, second Earl Marischal (1480), 438. Erskine, Mary, wife of William, sixth Earl Marischal (ante 1635), 438 ; do., wife of John, third Earl

of Kintore (1730), 402, 439 ; do., of Pittodrie (1754), 474, 477. Erskine, Sir Robert, of Balhaggardy, Chamberlain of Scotland (1350-85), 58, 59, 63, 72, 73, 74, 105,

417, 418, 473 ; do. (1441), 106, 110.

Index. 521

Erskine, Thomas, of Balhaggardy or Pittodrie (post 1615-1654), 238, 250, 418, 462, 474; do. (1654),

474; do. (ante 1675), 474 ; do. (1705), 474. Erskine, Sir Thomas, of Balhaggardy or Pittodrie (1385), 59, 63, 77, 84, 87, 89, 437, 473 : do., first

Lord Erskine (1457-94), 106, 438 ; do. of Halton, of Brechin and of Pittodrie (1529-50), 106,

473. Erskine, William, of Pittodrie (1675-89), 329, 340, 473; do. (Knight), 474; do. (Pittodrie, 1639), 271,

418, 473. Essat, The, 92.

Essenheid, part of Redhouse, Bourtie, 103. Eth, Aodh, or Hugh, King of Scotland (878), 2, 13, 14, 30, 114. Etherlick, Insch, 157. Ewe.buchts (1607), 191.

Ewen, of Kothney (1333), 71 ; Thomas (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Excise on Ale (1669), 361, 362. Excommunication, 302, 307, 308, 309, 319. Eyre, Lady Dorothy, wife of Colonel Leslie, K.H., of Balquhain, 444.

Factions in the Garioch, 113, 122, 138, 164, 366.

Fairies, 176, 180, (1675) 340.

Fairlie, Alice, wife of Graeme H. Elphinstone, 473.

Fairs in the Garioch, 244-6.

Falconer, Matthew le (1202), 26 ; Robert le (1296), 51 ; Sir Alexander (circa 1500), 139 ; David, fifth

Lord (circa 1720), 386, 402, 439, 440. Falconer, William Leslie, King's (1589), 221. Fallawe (part of Muirton, Barra), 103. Families in the Garioch (circa 1200), 37 ; (1250-1400), 50-78 ; (circa 1400), 99-109 ; (circa 1450),

118-123 ; (1500-50), 127-144) ; (circa 1600), 151-6 ; (circa 1600), 327-30 ; (circa 1700), 360-9, 375. Famine (1339), 71.

Farlie, David, Prior of Monymusk (1522-49), 127, 236. Farningdown, Burnard of (1300), 420. Farquhar, Alexander, of Mounie (1686-1701), 231, 389, 397 ; do., in Ryhill, Oyne (1686), 378 ; do. of

Tonley (1633), 231. Farquhar, James, Proctor, Doct. Com-, 454, 5 ; do., Schoolmaster, Insch (1710), 425. Farquhar, James, Margaret, Robert, William (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Farquhar, John (Aberdeen, 1779 and 1811), 454 ; do. (Inverurie, 1674), 363; do., Schoolmaster of

Kemnay, (1710), 425. Farquhar, Patrick, of Mounie (1633), 231. Farquhar, Sir Robert, of Mounie (1630-62), 222, 231, 251, 275, 280, 287, 289, 290, 350, 351, 366,

390, 465. Farquharson, Ann, wife of James Johnston (1781), 410. Farquharson, Donald (1639), 269. Farquharson, Margaret, wife of David Forbes (1696), 388.

60

522 Index.

Farquharson, Marjory, wife of George Leith (1655), 461.

Fartiuharson, Robert, of Wardhouse (1651), 222, 310 ; do., of Kinaldie (1781), 410 ; do., of Haughton

(1878), 460. Eastern's Even (1558), 145. Fawels (1615), 197.

Ferrar, William, Mill of Balquhain (1622), 181. Ferdinand II., Emperor (1634) and III. (1637), 399. Fergus, Alexander (Inverurie, 1608-46), 172, 192, 193, 196, 199, 202, 207, 258, 292, 293, 349 ; do.

(do., 1615-46), 192, 193, 196, 396 ; do. (alias "Wallace do., executed, 1622), 211. Fergus, George (Inverurie, 1633-62), 258, 292, 293, 322, 352, 396. Fergus, James (Inverurie, ante 1600), 198 ; do. (do. 1626-46), 213, 256, 258, 292, 293 ; do. (do., at

the Cross, 1642— ante 1677), 318, 344, 349, 361, 391, 395. Fergus, John (Inverurie, 1614), 196, 197; do. (do., 1633), 258, 396; do. (do., 1646), 292, 3; do. (do.,

1647), 295 ; do. (do., 1662), 352 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Fergus, Lewis (Inverurie, 1646), 293. Fergus, Margaret, wife of Normand Davidson, (1662), 361 Fergus, Marjorie (Inverurie, 1660), 396. Fergus, Nans (Inverurie, 1649), 315. Fergus, Eobert (Inverurie, 1536), 142, 143 ; do. (do., 1581, 1587), 395, 396 ; do. (do., 1600-17), 182,

196-8, 200, 201 ; do. (do., 1617-46), 204, 206, 213, 293 ; do. (do., 1660), 396 ; do. (Peterhead,

1727), 396. Fergus, Thomas (Inverurie, 1609), 194. Fergus, Walter (Inverurie, 1633), 257.

Fergus, William (Inverurie, 1600-46), 190, 191, 195, 196, 207, 213, 293 ; do. (do., 1646), 293. Ferguson of Badifurrow (1655-99), 405, 475 ; of Inverurie, 353, 474 ; of Kinmundy (1723), 376, 478 ;

of Pitfour (circa 1700), 355, 476. Ferguson, Agnes, wife of Thomas Johnston, Inverurie (1696), 391 ; do., wife of John Kobertson,

Inverurie (1800), 393. Ferguson, Alexander (Inverurie, 1617), 204; do. (do., son of James Fergus, 1671), 339 ; do. (do.,

1723), and family, 484, 485; do. (Peterhead, 17—), and family, 484; do. (W.S., Edinburgh,

1790), 391, 485 ; do. (Kinmundy, 1857), 474. Ferguson, Ann, wife of William Forbes (1738), 485 ; Ann Elizabeth, wife of General Vinck (1700),

377, 478. Ferguson, Anthony (Dublin, 1788), 481. Ferguson, Arms, 478, 479, 480, 482. Ferguson, Edward Legrand, M.D. (died 1822), 4S5. Ferguson, Elizabeth (Kinmundy, 1700), 377, 478 ; do. wife of A. Jardine, 479 ; do. wife of Rev. D.

Meek, 478. Ferguson, George (Ardtannies, 1665), 177, 388 ; do. (Inverurie 1666-9), 396, 7; do. (Kilmory), 479; do.

Chamberlain to Meldrum (1696), 355, 383, 428, and family, 479 ; do., of Pitfour (died 1820),

478 ; do. Admiral, 478 ; do. (Stonehouse, 1696), 29, 356.

Ferguson, Henrietta, wife of Pyon, 4S0.

Ferguson, Isabel, wife of William Lundy, Inverurie (1696), 383 ; do. wife of Rev. John Aiken, 479 ;

do., wife of Murdoch, 479.

Ferguson, James (Aberdeen, 1878), 478 ; Mr. do., of Badifurrow (1674-99), 220, 355, 364, 376, 384,

406, 475 ; do., of Pitfour, 475 ; do., Lord Pitfour, 355, 475 ; do., of Pitfour, M.P. (died 1820),

355, 476-8, 482; do., Brigadier (1695-1705), 355, 376, 377, 478; do., Governor of Greenwich

Index. 523

Hospital (died 1793), 481 ; do. (Inverurie, 1654), 397 ; do. (do., 1681-1753), 354, 356, 384, and family, 481 ; do. (do., 1772), 397; Mr do., Town-Clerk, Inverurie (1645-73), 214, 292,353, 361, 363, 364, 484 ; do., of Kiamundy (1723), 377, 478 ; do., do. (1787), and family, 478 ; do., do. (1816), and family, 479; do., do. (1862), and family, 481 ; do. (Peterhead), 484. Ferguson, Jane, wife of James Hutchison, and family, 484. Ferguson, Janet, wife of John Ferguson, Poland, 357, 484 ; do., wife of Robert Lock (1748), and

family, 482-3 ; do., wife of Alexander Paterson (1718), 483. Ferguson, John (Adjutant — John, Robert, and James, Ensigns 1698), 376 ; do. (Inverurie, 1674),

395; do. (do., 1696), 354, 384; do. (do., aide 1739), 393; do., Captain R.N. (1764), 479;

do., Lieutenant R.N., 479; do. (Poland), 484; do., of Stonehouse (1676-1721), 29, 353, 355,

360, 384, 389, 390, 394, 484, and family, 480.

Ferguson, Lydia, wife of Sheridan, 479.

Ferguson, Margaret, wife of Alexander Bruce, and family, 484 ; do., second wife of Mr. George Scott,

384, and family, 483. Ferguson, Marion, wife of Dr. Smith, 479. Ferguson, Mary, wife of James Black, and family, 485.

Ferguson, Patrick (Inverurie, 1672), 391 ; do. (Badifurrow, 1696), 384, 475 ; do. Major (1780), 475. Ferguson, Robert (Inverurie, 1536), 474; do. (do., 1587), 474; do. (do., 1610), 474; do. (do.,

1613-22), 202, 353 ; do. (do., 1655-64), 259, 351 ; do., The Plotter, 353, 355, 374-7, 393, 406,

and family, 475; do. (Peterhead, 1727), and family, 484. Ferguson, Smith (Edinburgh, 1834), 485.

Ferguson, Thomas (W.S., 178—), 478 ; do. (W.S., 18—), 479; do. (Alton of Coynach), andfamily, 479. Ferguson, Walter (Crichie), 353, 354; do. (Inverurie, 1610), 474; do. (do., 1614-6), 202, 204, 353;

do. (do., 1655— ante 1664), 259, 294, 351, 392 ; do. (Badifurrow, 1696), 475 ; do. (do., 1681-

1728), 355, 356, 360, 384, 397, and family, 481, 485; do. (W.S., of Kinnaird, 1797), 354, 356,

481, 482. Ferguson, William (in Crichie), of Badifurrow (1645-86), 214, 220, 351, 353, 355, 357, 360, 361, 364,

374, 376, 397, 405, 406, and family, 355, 356, 474, 484 ; do., do. (1674-94), 355, 356, 406,

and family, 406, 475; do. (Captain 17—), 484; do. (Clola, 17—), 478 ; do. (Mill of Insch, "The

Judge," 17—), 479; do. (Inverurie, 1608), 192; do. (do., 1616), 292; do. (do., 1619), 206,

280, 281, 294, 353, 384, 475; do. (do., 1671), 339; do. (do., mite 1725), 390; do., of Kin-

mundy (1862), and family, 479 ; do. (London, 1761), 479 ; do. (Poland, 1714), 483 ; do.

(Captain in Army, 1800), 479 ; do., Shipmaster, 479 ; do. (R.N.), 484 ; do. (of Stonehouse,

1728), 480; Mr. William (Inverurie, 1645, 1672), 214, 363; do. (do., Schoolmaster, 1673),

325 ; do. (New Craig, 1730, Descendants still in Daviot), 396. Ferrier, John (W.S., Edinburgh, 1840), 463 ; William (Writer, Aberdeen, 1670), 364. Fettercairn, Forbes of, 237. Fetternear, Church and Parish (St. Ninians), 17 ; (1599), 147, (1655), 311 ; Parsons of, William (1242),

37 ; John, Vicar (1242), 37 ; James Chamer, Rector (1504), 148 ; Andrew Cullen, Parson (1529),

129; Andrew Leslie, Parsonand Sheriff-Clerk (1560), 129 ; James Johnston, Minister (1593), 155. Fetternear, Palace and Township— Bishop Edward (1157), 20 ; Bishop Ralph (1242), 37 ; Bishop

Cheyne (1300), 39 ; Wallace Tower, 41 ; Bishop Greenlaw (1400), 114 j Tenants (1511), 129 ;

Earl of Huntly (1543), 104 ; Leslie of Balquhain (1566), 129, (1602), 157 ; Abercromby (1626-

1690), 213, 235, 238, 250, 272, 285, 307, 311, 328, 442 ; Leslie of Balquhain (1690), 398,

(1711), 423. Feud, Municipal (Inverurie, 1615-19), 197, 200, 203, 206 ; do., Forbes and Leslie {circa 1400), 107,

108, (1492), 122.

524 Index.

Feudal Heddcnda, Auchleven (1500), 102 ; Cordyce (1316), 61 ; Lentush (1333), 61 ; Lethinty (1485), 61 ; Rothmaise (1333), 61 ; Rothney (1350), 66.

Fiddes, Alexander (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; John of (1333), 74.

Fife, Earl of, 364 ; James, second Earl, 476.

Fifth Monarchy Men, 357, 358.

Findlater, Earl of, 102, (1639), 264, 265, (1645), 285, (1775), 259.

Findlay, John, Daviot (1550), 144.

Findon, Thomas Chalmers of (1402), 254.

Findrassie, Abraham Leslie of (1794), 446.

Fingask, Findgask, Bishop of Aberdeen (1551), 233 ; Forbes of Pitsligo (1551-1615), 233 ; Urquhar (1615-1696), 232, 233, 389.

Finnersie, William Blakhall of (1517), 103.

Fintray, Forbes of, 232, 235. Vide Craigievar.

Fintray, Kirk and Parish, 25, 151 ; Tithes (circa 1200), 32 ; Emoluments (1366), 79, (1600), 157 ; Ministers, Alexander Forbes {ante 1698), Robert Burnet (1698), 427.

Finzeach, William Forbes of (circa 1500), 448.

Firbogs, Oyne (1675), 347.

Fisheries Protected (1664), 350, (1661, 1679), 352.

Fifties Croft and Loan, Inverurie, 27, 157, 259, 394.

Fitzsimmons, Patrick, and Anne Jane, wife of Beachamp C. Urquhart, 469.

Flemings and Fleming Law, in Leslie, 21, 33, 40, 74.

Fletcher, Emily Sophia, wife of James Arnott (1666), 463.

Fletcher, Sir John, King's Advocate (circa 1640), 445

Flinders, 21, (1600), 157 ; John Leslie of, 1S2.

Flodden, Battle of, 111, 128, 129, 138, 234, 438, 448.

Fodderty, Minister of, Colin Mackenzie (1795), 471.

Folds, Inverurie, 184, 185, 190.

Folethmile, Mill of, Adam Pyngle of (1376), 66 ; Chapel at, 66, 228.

Folia, Little, Folia Blackwater ; Pyngle (1376), 66 ; Blakhall (1505-19), 228 ; Leslie (1657-1785), 448 ; Episcopal Chapel at (17 — ), 386, 448.

Fontenoy, Battle of, 415.

Football on Sunday (1648), 302, (1671), 339

Footdee, Aberdeen, Minister of, Alexander Ross (1631), 239.

Footranner (1696), 403.

Forbes, Family, 59, 84, 91, 99, 101, 152, 328 ; Branches of, 91 ; Covenanters, 252, 269, 270, 284 ; Factions of, 113, 122, 138, 139, 152, 164, 328 ; of Aquhorties, Inverurie (1652 71), 324, 329, 349 ; do., Tarves (1696), 389 ; of Ardmurdo (1592-1633), 162, 231, 238 ; of Auchanaseis (1563), 233 ; of Badifurrow (1699-1742), 406-9 ; of Balbithan (circa 1780), 416, 469; of Ballogie (circa 1800), 459 ; of Balfling (1653), 240 ; of Balnagask (1614-23), 168, 233, 459 ; of Blairtone (1639), 269 ; of Boyndlie (1639), 264, 269, 405 ; of Brux (1530), 140 ; of Byth (1643), 240 ; of Camphill (1581), 236 ; of Coclarachie (1554), 236 ; of Collihill (1696), 389 : of Corse (1500), 104, 12S, 212, 236, 253 ; of Corsindae (ante 1500), 104, 136, 230, 236 ; of Craigievar (1610) 232, 235, 238, 253; of Culloden (1716), 414; of Drumminnor (1400), 107 ; of Echt (1512-1716), 131, 269, 270, 284, 414 ; of Fettercairn, 237 ; of Fingask (1551-1616), 233, 328 ; of Finzeach (circa 1500), 448 ; of Foveran, 471 ; of Kinaldie (1477-96), 101, 232 ; of Knaperna (1600-53), 324, 449 ; of Lairgy (1639), 284 ; of Leslie (1620-96), 234, 236, 237, 238, 239, 270 ; of Lethinty (1455-1607), 101, 232, 233, 293 ; of Melgum (1551), 233 ; of Meny (1610), 235 ; of Monymusk

Index. 525

(1554-1743), 128, 155, 237, 252, 270, 283, 284 ; of Pitfichie, 405 ; of Pitnacalder, 406 ;

of Pitnamoon (1520), 441 ; of Pitsligo (1400-1781), vide Pitsligo ; of Putachie, 101 ; of

Eothie (1671), 329 ; of Skellator, 416, 469 ; of Thainston (1535-1671), 232, 238, 252,

256, 269, 272, 281, 328, 329 ; of Tolquhon (1420-1671), 91, 127, 224, 232, 238, 249, 252,

256, 269, 272, 284, 328, 329, 406, 449 ; of Towie (1512-1600), 181, 221, 458; of "Waterton

(1639), 269. Forbes, Abraham, of Blaktown (1639), 269, 461.

Forbes, Alexander, Jean, John, Eobert, and William (Tonibeg, Monymusk, 1696), 406. Forbes, Alexander, Bishop of Aberdeen (1615), 162, 248 ; do., M.D., Aberdeen (1878), 407 ; do., Bishop

of Brechin (1857), 405 ; do., of Auchanaseis and Lethinty (1563), 233 ; of Boyndlie (1639), 264,

269 ; do., of Fingask (1616), 233 ; do., Minister of Fintray (ante 1698), 406, 409 ; do., M.P.

(Inverurie, 1678), 362 ; do. (do., 1741-1822), 390, 406, 407 ; do., of Kinaldie, Lethinty, and

Pitsligo (1485-96), 101 ; do., "The Spangare " (1527), 139; do., of Towie (circa 1550), 221. Forbes, Sir Alexander, of That Ilk (1466), 120 ; do., of Kinaldie and Lethinty (1455-77), 101, 232 ;

do., second of Pitsligo, 121, 448; do., sixth Lord Pitsligo, 459; do., of Tolquhon and

Thainston (1649-71), 328, 329. Forbes, Ann, Anne, Anna, wife of James Donald, Mill of Keith-hill, 407 ; Honourable do., wife of

Thomas Erskine (1746), 473 ; do., wife of Kobert Forbes (1556), 128 ; do. wife of "William

Forbes (1740), 409 ; do., wife of Kev. Alexander Eoss (1653), 240. Forbes, Archibald, son of Lord Forbes (1696), 388.

Forbes, Arthur (Pitsligo, circa 1640), 459; do., Schoolmaster, Inverurie (1653), 324. Forbes, Sir Arthur, of Craigievar (1745), 232, 253, 461, 487. Forbes, Barbara, wife of Thomas Mitchell (16—), 237. Forbes, Bessie, goodwife of Laws and of New Leslie (1629), 210.

Forbes, Charles, Schoolmaster of Eayne (1710), 386, 425 ; do., of Ballogie (drca 1800), 459. Forbes, Charlotte, wife of John Burnett (1877), 486. Forbes, Christian, wife of George Johnston, of That Ilk (died 1622), 140, 164, 210, 224, 449 ; do,

wife of Sir William Forbes (1781), 405 ; do. wife first of John Skene of Dyce, second of John

Paton of Grandholme (1734), 238. Forbes, Colonel (1644), 289. Forbes, David, of Leslie (1691-1696), 238, 388. Forbes, Duncan, of Balnagask and Lethinty (1614-23), 168, 233, 449 ; do., of Byth (1643). 240; do.,

of Coclarachie (1549), 236 ; do., of Corsiudae, 236 ; do., Minister at Leslie (1643), 240 ; do., of

Monymusk (1549), 128. Forbes, Elizabeth, wife of Patrick Barclay (1551), 230 ; do., wife of Gilbert Johnston (mite 1480), 121,

448 ; do., wife of Sir George Johnston (1630), 224, 449 ; do., wife of Eobert Leith (1768), 461 ;

do., wife of Alexander Strachan (1671), 329, 441. Forbes Factions, 119, 122, 138, 162, 366. Forbes, George, of Lethinty (1458), 232. Forbes, Henry, of Kinnellar (1467), 232 ; do. (Kintore, 1498), 123 ; do., of Logie (circa 1450), 413 ;

do., of Thainston (1535), 232. Forbes, Isabel, wife of Gordon of Newton, 236. Forbes, James (Badifurrow, 1708), 406; do., of Corsindae (1544), 136; do. (Mill of Drum, 1739),

406 ; do. (Inverurie, 1738-45), 390, 396, 406, 407 ; do., of Lochermick, 480. Forbes, Janet, wife first of John, Earl of Athol, second of Alexander Hay, third of William Leslie,

1560), 442. Forbes, Jean, of Badifurrow (1699-1721), 220, 406, 409; do., wife of George Ferguson (ante 1696), 479 ;

526 . Index.

do., wife of James Forbes (1739), 406; do., wife of William Johnston (1741), 409, 410; do., wife of John Leith (1681), 461 ; do., wife of Rev. Alexander Lunan (1632), 240, 406.

Forbes, John, Stationer, Aberdeen (1662), 334 ; do., Mr., Sheriff of Aberdeen (1672), 363 ; do., of Aquhorties, Tarves (1696), 389; do., of Ardmurdo (1612), 231; do., of Badifurrow (1742), 409, 410; do., of Balfling (1653), 240; do., of Balnagask (1623), 168; do. ("Bounteous John," 1542), 128 ; do., of Camphill (1572), 236; do., of Collihill (1696), 389; do., Kintore (1498), 131 ; do. (do., Schoolmaster, 1671), 326 ; do., of Leslie (1620-45), 234, 236-9, 270, 441, 459 ; do., of Leslie (1662-91), 238; do., of Lethinty (1496), 232; do., Younger of Monymusk (1707), 237 ; do., do., 237 ; do., of Pitfichie (1707), 404, 405 ; do., of Pituacalder, 406, 450 ; do. Tombeg, Monymusk (1696), 406.

Forbes, Dr. John, Professor of Divinity, Aberdeen (1638), 249, 253, 276.

Forbes, Sir John, of Craigievar (circa 1700), 414, 471 ; do., of Drumminnor (circa 1400), 107 ; do., of Monymusk (1653-90), 237, 340, 348, 381, 405, 470 ; do., first of Tolquhon (1420), 91 ; do., second of do., 413.

Forbes, Katherine, wife of Gordon of Lesmoir (circa 1600), 249.

Forbes, Lord, II., 236, 437 ; IV., 442 ; VII., 128, 140, 141 ; VIII., 164 ; X., 279, 282-4; XV., 473.

Forbes, Margaret, wife first of Walter Stewart, second of John Leslie (circa 1500), 221, 445 ; do. wife of William Leslie (1546), 221, 445 ; do., wife of Gilbert Johnston (1550), 449 ; do., wife of Gilbert Leith, 1583), 460 ; do., wife of William Elphinstone (circa 1650), 406, 414, 471, 475 ; do., wife of John Elphinstone (1691), 413, 471.

Forbes, Mary, wife of John Forbes (1708), 237 ; do., wife of William Urquhart (circa 1720), 237, 469 ; do. , wife of General Hay, 459.

Forbes, Master of, William (1460), 236 ; John (1530), 140 ; John (1572), 158 ; Alexander (1633), 239 (1639-41), 251, 252, 264, 268, 269, 272, 274.

Forbes, Patrick, Bishop of Aberdeen (1619), 104, 132, 163, 248, 253 ; do., of Blairtone (1640), 161 ; do., of Corse (1611), 212.

Forbes, Richard, Dean of Aberdeen (1466), 120.

Forbes, Robert, Aberdeen Grammar School (1818), 407; do., of Barnes (Tutor of Monymusk, 1653), 311 ; do. (Inverurie Manse, 1675), 293, 358; do., Prior of Monymusk (1586), 128; Minister at Woodside, Aberdeen (1843), 407.

Forbes, Sir Robert, of Learnie, 414, 471.

Forbes, Thomas, of Aquhorties (1652), 324; do., Advocate, Edinburgh (1669), 329, 345; do., Minister at Monynmsk (1620), 240.

Forbes, Walter, of Thainston (1631-61), 238, 252, 269, 272, 2S4, 328.

Forbes, William, of Badifurrow (1721-40), 406, 409 ; do. (Badifurrow, 1708), 406 ; do., of Corse (1556), 128; do., Vicar of Edinburgh (1466), 120; do., of Finzeach (circa 1500), 448; do., Minister at Inverurie (1644-79), 177, 214, 239, 293, 303, 312, 318, 321, 322, 338, 342, 346, 858, 359, 364 ; do. (Inverurie, 1743), 406, 407 ; do., Minister first of Kintore, second of Leslie (1600), 155, 159 ; do., of Knaperna (1653), 324 ; do., of Leslie (1661-70), 238 ; do., of Logie- Fintray (1617), 235 ; do., of Melgum (1551), 233 ; do., of Meny (1616), 235 ; do., of Monymusk (1587-1617), 236; do., Minister first at Alford, second at Monymusk, third at Aberdeen (1615), 240 ; do., of Pitfichie (1688), 380 ; do., of Pitsligo (1563), 233 ; do., of Rothie (1671), 329 ; do., of Skellater, 416, 469 ; do., of Tillery (1684), 468 ; do., of Tolquhon, 224, 406, 449 ; of Towie (1550), 458.

Forbes, Mr. William, of Meny, Craigievar, Logie-Fintray, and Froterseat (1610, 1617), 235 ; do. of Tolquhon (1664), 292.

Forbes, Sir William, of Craigievar (1633-45), 238, 253, 269, 282, 284, 328; do., of Monymusk, I.,

Index. 527

237 ; II., 237 ; IV., 237, 381, 404, 439, 469 ; V., 237, 405 ; VI., 237, 405 ; do., of Pitsligo, 237, 405.

Forbes-Robertson, Jobn (London, 1878), 407.

Fordalehouse, Bourtie (1402), 115, (1517), 103.

Fordyce, Town of (1662), 326.

Foress, Toft in, Burgh (1200), 21.

Fovestallers (1400), 115, (1618), 205.

Forfar, Toft in, Burgh (1200), 21 ; Portents at (1643), 278.

Forfar, Alexander (Inverurie Militiaman, 1672), 363.

Forglen (House, 1639), 264 ; Sir Alexander Ogilvie of (1705), 419.

Forgue, Roman Camp, 9 ; Communion Cups, 243.

Formartine (temp. David II.), 62, (1411), 91, 284.

Fornathy (1211), 55.

Forteviot, 13.

Fortifications, Primitive, at Inverurie, 3.

Fouldub Fold, Inverurie, 185.

Foular, George (Kemnay, Baillie, 1618), 205 ; William (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Foullertown, Chalmers of (temp. David II.), 62.

Foveran, Laird of (1639), 264, 267, 272 ; Turing of (1600), 449 ; John Seton, Minister of (1649), 239

(1668), 468. Fraser, of Castle Fraser or Muchals (1576), 264, 416; of Dunnottar (temp. Robert I.), 437; of Inver-

alloehy (1720-1878), 264, 416 ; of Philorth (1512), 131 ; of Stonywood (1528-1644), 131, 254,

264, 279, 464 ; do., of Strichen (1800), 444. Fraser, Alexander, of Strichen (1800), 444. Fraser, Sir Alexander, of Dunnottar (temp. Robert I.), 437. Fraser, Beatrix (wife of John Leith, 1599), 461. Fraser, Castle, 264, 271, 275, 281, 461. Fraser, Charles, fourth Lord, 416 ; do. of Inverallochy, Senior and Junior (1720-46), 416 ; do., Colonel

Mackenzie (1814-71), 416. Fraser, Christian, wife of Alexander Seton (1584), 464. Fraser, Eliza, of Castle Fraser (1814), 416. Fraser, Elizabeth (temp. Malcolm IV.), wife of Sir Robert Keith, 435 ; do., wife of Sir William Leslie,

(1420), 442. Fraser, Colonel Erskine, of Woodhill (1796), 410. Fraser, Colonel Frederick Mackenzie (1878), 416. Fraser, Gilbert (Murderer, 1650), 307.

Fraser, Hugh, first Lord Lovat (1400), 442 ; do., of Powis (17—), 486. Fraser, Isabel, wife of Beachamp Urquhart (1860), 456. Fraser, Colonel James (1648), 287. Fraser, John, of Braelangwall, 469. Fraser, Sir John (1400), 437. Fraser, Lord, I. (1633) 264 ; II. (1633-49), 254, 264, 267, 272, 279, 282, 283, 289 364, 416 ; do., IV,

416. Fraser, Lord Lovat, Hugh, 442 ; Simon, 376 Thomas Alexander, 444. Fraser, Martha, wife of Colin Mackenzie (ante, 1800), 416. Fraser, Master of (1646), 293. Fraser, Michael, of Stonywood (1584), 464.

528 Index.

Fraser Regiment (1641), 275.

Fraser, Thomas, of Stonywood (1531), 254, 264.

Fraser, William, af Inverallochy (1720), 416; do. (Kintore, 1680), 365 ; do., Schoolmaster of Slains

(1697), 426. Fraserburgh, College at (1647), 295 ; Town of (1662), 335 ; Town-Clerk of (1616), 200. Frederick the Great of Prussia, 232, 237. Freefield (1702), 401, 460 ; Leith of, 401, 460. Freemen in Burghs, 117, 118, 192, 195, 196, 422, 439. Frendraught (1200), 33 ; Barony of (1630), 161, 214, 243, 461 ; Lady of, 243 ; Lairds of: Sir James

Crichton (1490), 111, 465 ; James Crichton (1633-45), 217, 242, 243, 285, 464. Frendraught, Lord Crichton of, 444. Frendraught, Viscount, 279, 283. Freuchie (Castle Grant), 442. Friends, Society of, 358. Froghall, Ludovich Gordon of (1650), 307. Frosterseat, in Fintray, 157, 235. Fyvie Castle, 7, 40, 77, 78, 91, 284 ; Lands of, 67. Fyvie, Lairds of : Lindsay, Earl of Crawford (1390), 77 ; Sir Henry Preston (1390), 77, 91 ; Meldrum

(14—), 91 ; Sir George M. (1600), 221. Fyvie, Lord (Alexander Seton), 465. Fyvie, Preston and Meldrum, Towers of, 91.

G.

Gadie, 8, 40, 60 ; " Gadie Fans," 167, 168 ; Bridge Renewed (1671), 339.

Gairden, Christian (Inverurie, 1645, 6), 292, 3.

Gairden, Jean, wife of James Mennie (1673), 329.

Gairden, John of Bruckles, Sen. and Jim. (1673), 329.

Galbraith, William (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Galloway, Alexander, Parson of Kinkell, Collihill Chaplain (1506-52), 125, 132, 136, 148 ; do., and

John (Aberdeen, 1675), 389. Galloway, James Hamilton, Bishop of (1688), 162. Galloway, Hon. Marjory, wife of Dr. Thomas Rattray (circa 1700), 472. Galloway, William (Culsalmond, 1545), 136.

Gallow Croft, Inverurie, 258 ; Gallowfold, do., 185 ; Gallowhill, do., 7 ; Gallowslaks, do., 7, 258, 393. Galo, Papal Legate (1200), 22, 30. Galrygyn, Lavid (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Galston, Sir William Keith of, (circa 1300), 436 ; Isobel de Keith of (13—), 437. Gait, Alan, Dene of Monymusk (1534), 127.

Garden of Dorlaithers (1512), 131 ; Alexander M.P., (1785), of Troup, 460, 476. Garden, Jean, wife of Alexander Leith (1750), 460. Gardenston, Francis Garden, Lord (1786), 463, 477. Gardine, John, of Bellamore (1740), 412. Gardine, William (Kemnay, 1666-79), 347, 348.

Index. 529

Gardyn, Andrew, Clerk Depute of Jnsch (1536), 142.

Gareaueht, Alexander, Clerk Depute of Kemnay (1540), 128.

Gareaucht, John, Vicar of Kemnay (1540), 128.

Garioch, vide Chapel of ; Chaplain, Chaplainries.

Garioch, Chapels in, 17, 18.

Garioch, Clergy of (ante 1300), 21 ; (1406-1560), 124, 130 ; (1560-1611), 152-160 ; (1600-60), 239-42

273, 300-18 (1680-1704), 378-87, 325-432. Garioch, " in the Crown," 13, 18. Garioch, David (Kinkell, 1473), 122. Garioch, Dean of, Duncan Oudney (1536), 142.

Garioch, Earldom of, 18 ; Extent, 19 ; Termination, 24 ; Resumption, 108. Garioch, Earls of, David (1160-1218)', 2, 14, 18-23 ; John the Scot (1218-37), 23 ; Alexander (1404-

35), 86, 108 ; John (1457-77), 110 ; Alexander (1482), 110 ; John (1490), 111. Garioch Fairs, 245, 246.

Garioch Families, 16, 60-67, 89, 90, 99-105, 436-486. Garioch, Foresters of, Blakhall of that Ilk, 228. Garioch Highways, 5-10. Garioch, Ladies and Lords of, Christian, 24, 54, 57 ; Thomas, 57, 74, 75 ; Margaret, 57, 74 ; James,

58 ; Isabel, 58 ; Alexander, 58 ; St. Clair, 110 ; Queen Margaret, 110 ; John, 110 ; Cochrane,

110 ; Alexander, 110 ; John, 111 ; Erskine, 58, 110. Garioch, Lands in, 16, 31, 37, 60-67, 99-105, 110, 111 ; (1696), 388. Garioch, Lordship of, 24, 54, 110.

Garioch, Magdalen and Peter (Culsalmond Manse, 1696), 386.

Garioch, Presbytery of, 153, 159, 301-313.

Garioch, Regality of, 53 ; Bailies of (1359), 63 (1508), 220 (1703), 431 ; Court, 54, 350 ; Lands of, 59,

111 ; Lord Superior's Lands in Inverurie (1464), 391.

Garioch Schoolmasters (1600-50), 170-3 ; (1650-88), 322-6 ; (1710), 425.

Garioch, Vicarages and Stipends (1257), 35, 36 ; (1366), 79 ; (1600), 157.

Garioch, William (Aberdeen, 1494), 124 ; (Badifurrow, 1611), 209 ; (Kendall, 1664), 351 ; (Kinkell,

1473), 122; do., Minister at Culsalmond (1696), 3S6 ; do., Minister at Kennethmont (1697,

1712), 426, 462. Gartly, Barclay of (1513), 448. Gartnait, Earl of Buchan (1132), 55. Gartney, Earl of Mar (1297), 41, 42, 54, 56.

Garviach, Andrew de (1273), 50, 448 ; Sir Andrew de (1357), 34, 62, 63, 44S. Garviach, Elene, wife of Robert Chalmers (1357), 62, 448. Garviach, Sir James (1316), 57, 61, 62, 63, 68, 225, 448. Garviach, Margaret, wife of Stephen Johnston (1680), 63, 448. Gauge Rigg, Inverurie, 174. Gavin's Croft, Inverurie, 6, (1696), 384. Geese, Claik (1480), 135. Gellie, George, of Blackford (1696), 389. Gellie, John, elder, Minister at Monymusk (1652), 240, 203, 340, 359 ; do., younger, Minister first at

Leslie, second at Kinkell (1647-61), 240, 359. Gellie, Magdalen, wife of Rev. William Murray (1696), 384. Gellon, Alexander (Monymusk, 1685), 348. General Assembly at Aberdeen (1604), 160.

67

530 Index.

George I., 439.

Gib, Andrew (Inverurie, 1618-62), 205, 258, 292, 293, 351, 352 ; do. (do., 1696), 390.

Gib, Barbara (Inverurie, 1652), 318.

Gib, Christian, wife of James Leslie (1681), 390.

Gib, John (Inverurie, 1608-62), 191, 192, 193, 303, 352 ; do. (do., 1674), 363 ; do. (do., 1681), 390,

398 ; do5(Monkegy, 1600), 162. Gib, Marjory (Inverurie, 1652), 318. Gibbon's Butts, Inverurie, 185, 362. Gight, 242 ; Bog of, 243 ; House of, 271.

Gight, Gordon of (1639-45), 250, 267, 269, 280 ; younger, 284, 287 ; (Sir George, 1685), 468. Gilchrist, Gillechrist, Earl of Mar (1200), 18, 33, 55. Gillecukongal, Gilleneraa, Gillemarte (1200;, 33. Gillespie, Mr. (1641), 276. Ginken alias Anderson (Inverurie, 1622), 212. Ginken Hole in Ury, 211.

Girzel Kempt, wife first of Alexander Joiss, second of Alexander Eeid (1660), 395. Glack, Goodwife of (1650), 298, 373. Glack, House of (1723, 1876), 412. Glack, Lady of, Elizabeth Cronibie (1550), 144. Glack, Lairds of, Bishop of Aberdeen (ante 1272), 37 ; Pilmor (1272-1418), 37, 63 ; Glaster (1418-

1492), 100, 102, 120, 442 ; Elphinstone (1492-1795), 101, 126, 130, 259, 361, 389 ; do.,

Mackenzie (1795), 401, 413, 471. Glanderston, Gillanderston, 102, 111, 220.

Glaschaw, Glasha, Glashi, 102, 315, 316, 345, 385 ; Lairds of, vide Braco. Glaschaw, Mill of, 102, 178, 181, 316 ; Millers, Glennie, Ferrar, Simmers, 181. Glasclune, Battle of (1392), 85. Glasford, Lord, 235.

Glasco-forest, Robert Glen of (temp David II.), 62.

Glasgow, 328 ; Burning of (1652), 320 ; Alexander Milne, Minister of (1664), 161. Glaslough, Leslies of, 221, 445.

Glaster of Glack, 100 ; Agnes, 110, 121 ; Alexander, 102 ; Andrew, 121, 124 ; Murdoch, 63, 77, 120. Glaster of Dunottar and Lumgair, 63, 100. Glastermuir, 148. Glen, James and John at Partstown, John and William at Mill of Caskieben, William at Boynds

(1664). 351. Glen, Robert, of Glasgow le forest (temp David II.), 62. Glenbervie, Lairds of, Melville (ante 1468), 102 ; Auchinleck (1468), 102 ; Douglas (circa 1500-168—),

102, 128, 204, 234, 469 ; Burnet (ante 1721), 377 ; Nicolson (1721), 377. Glenbervie, Minister of, James Douglas (post 1560), 132. Glencairn, Earl of (1639), 270. Glendy, Mr. Andrew Cant of (1655), 292.

Glenkindie, Strachan of (1357-1738), 67, 131, 234, 296, 347, 401, 460 ; Leith of (1738), 401, 489, 460. Glenlivat, Battle of (1594), 164. Glenmailen, Roman Camp at, 9. Glenmuick, Farquharson (1650), 307. Glennie, Glenny, Inverurie (1611-22) ; Alexander, 181, 212 ; George, 181 ; Helen, 212 ; James, 181 ;

John, 181, 186 ; do. (1695), 398 ; Margaret (1649), 315 ; Patrick (1613), 181 ; Thomas (1659),

316, 317 ; Walter (1613), 181.

Index. 531

Glennie, James and John, Monymusk (1685), 348.

Glennie, William, Cuttleraigs (1737), 392.

Glens of Johnsley, Insch(1696), 388 (1701), 430.

Glentanner, Glentaner, 412 ; Kirk of (1617), 235.

Gleslogy, Robert (1273), 50.

Gloucester, Duke of, 420.

Glovers (1696), 382.

Goblauch the Smith (Auld Bourtie, 1342), 65, 419.

Gordon, of Abergeldie (1512-1639), 131, 262 ; of Arradoul (1650), 307 ; of Auchindoir (1538, 1639), 267, 329 ; of Auchleuchry (1480), 102 ; of Auchlyard (1673), 329 ; of Avochie (164n), 445 ; of Balbithan (1860), 417 ; of Balgonen in Eeig (1650), 307 ; of Beldorny, 222 ; of Blelack (1720), 468 ; of Boddom (1512, 1696), 131, 388; of Braco (1490-1696), 102, 213, 278, 329, 839, 345, 385 ; of Cairnborrow (1467-1637), 249, 279, 442 ; of Cluny (1604-42), 213, 221, 222, 226, 238, 265, 272, 418, 445, 474; of Cobairdy (1800), 460 ; of Coclarachie (1629, 1800), 448, 459; of Collithie (1652), 462 ; of Craig (1639), 269 ; of Cults (17—), 448 ; of Denehries (1650-5), 308, 311 ; of Drimmies (1490-1609), 102, 329 ; do., do. (1787), 488 ; of Ellon, 473 ; of Find- later (1562), 146; of Froghall (1650), 307 ; of Gight (1639-1786), 242, 250, 269, 468 ; of

Gordonston (1696), 389 ; of Haddo (1500 ), 148, 241, 250, 267, 269, 271, 275, 276, 278,

329, 448 ; of Kennerty (1512), 131 ; of Kincraigie (1650), 3u7 ; of Knockespock (1720), 462 ; of Law (1671), 329 ; of Lesmoir (15 — 1696), 170, 235, 249, 388, 464, 485 ; of Lumgair (circa 1690), 100, 102 ; of Manar (1808), 410; of Methlick (1490), 102, 329 ; of Newton (1600-52), 182, 235, 236, 237, 242, 301, 302, 310, 388, 445-6, 461 ; of Pitlurg.(1630), 412, 473 ; of Rayne (1650), 307 ; of Redhall (1668), 329 ; of Rothie (1671), 329 ; of Rothiemay (17-), 412 ; of Rothuie (1696-1836), 388, 471 ; of Rothmaise (1649), 304 ; of Sehives (1512), 131 ; of Straloeh (1639), 266, 330 ; of Strathdon (1499), 458 ; of Terpersie (1690-1712), 182, 330, 462; of Tilli- angus (1673), 329 ; of Tilliehoudie (1640), 446 ; of Torreis (166S-96), 329, 389 ; of Uthaw (1512), 131 ; of Westhall (1589, 1597, 1649), 415.

Gordon, Sir Adam de (died 1401), 12, 437 ; do., Parson of Kinkell (1494), 125.

Gordon, Agnes, wife of Alexander Seton (1512), 464.

Gordon, Alexander, Bishop, Aberdeen (1514-8), 132 ; do., of Arradoul (1650), 307; do., of Braco and Drimmies (1538), 329 ; do., of Cluny (1622-42), 213, 221, 222, 238, 265, 272 ; do., of Ellon, 473; do. (Inverurie, 1677), 364; do. (Lesmoir, 1612), 170. 485; do., Commissar of Moray (1612), 170 ; do. (.Newton, 1650), 461 ; do., of Torreis (1668), 329.

Gordon, Sir Alexander, of Cluny (1622-39), 213, 238, 265, 412.

Gordon, Ann, wife of "William Leith (1499), 458.

Gordon, Arthur Forbes-, of Rayne (1877), 47 .

Gordon, Barbara, second wife of Dr. Arthur Johnston, 165 ; do., wife of John Elphinstone (1636), 412.

Gordon, Beatrix, wife of Patrick Forbes (1668), 329.

Gordon, Benjamin Abernethy-, of Balbithan, 417.

Gordon, Bessie, wife of Laurence Leith (1629), 459.

Gordon, " Bow o' Meal," 112.

Gordon, Charles, of Blelack (1720), 468.

Gordon, Charlotte, wife of John Burnett (1877), 486.

Gordon, Christian, wife of Charles Dalrymple, 473.

Gordon, Colonel (Austrian Service 1634), 399.

Gordon, Dr. (Aberdeen, 1639), 266.

Gordon, Duke of, 404, 468.

532 Index.

Gordon, Elizabeth de, wife of Sir Alexander Seton (1408), 112, 464 ; do., wife of Henry Leith (1505),

458 ; do., wife of Patrick Gordon (1668), 329 ; do., wife of John Leslie (1700), 458. Gordon, Elspet, wife of Sir John Leslie (died 1642), 221, 445 ; wife of Rev. David Leith (1652), 311. Gordon, Faction, 112, 113, 122, 164, 366. Gordon, George, of Haddo (1500), 329; do., of Knockespoek (1720), 463; do. (Mill of Cromlet,

1640-60), 179 ; do., of Newton (1600), 235-7, 249, (1633), 238, (1647-50), 304, 307, 308, 445;

do., of Kayne (1650), 307, (1877), 486 ; do., of Rothie (1762), 471 ; do., ot Rothnie (1696), 388,

(1775), 471 ; do., of Strathdon (1499), 458; do., of Terpersie (1600), 182, (1677-1712), 330,

462 ; do., of Torreis (1696), 389. Gordon, Sir George, of Coclarachie (1629), 459 ; do., of Haddo (1668), 393 ; do., of Gight (1680), 468. Gordon, Henry, of Manar (1874), 410.

Gordon, Hugh, of Cults (17—), 448 ; do., of Drimmies (1786), 487 ; do., of Manar (1808), 410. Gordon, James, of Balgonen (1650), 307 ; do., Minister at Preranay (1709), at Bourtie (1710), 423 ;

do., of Cobairdy (1800), 460 ; do., of Deuchries (1050), 308 ; do., Jesuit Priest (1588), 156 ;

do., of Lesmoir (1533), 464, (1610), 170 ; do., of Manar (died 1874), 410; do., of Newton

(Younger, 1600, 1647), 182, 302, (Laird, 1652), 310 ; do., Parson of Rothiemay, 456 ; do., of

Terpersie (1660-77), 330, 462 ; do., of Westhall (1649), 415. Gordon, Jane, Duchess of, 476 ; do., wife of Thomas Craig (1787), 487. Gordon, Janet, wife of Alexander Leslie (1467), 442 ; do., wife of William Seton (1533), 464; do.,

wife of William Courts (1622), 213 ; do., wife of John Leslie (1660), 446 ; do., wife of Alexander

Benzie (1665), 361. Gordon, Jean de, wife of Sir William Keith (temp. William), 436 ; do., wife of George Leith (1660),

462 ; do., wife of James Leslie (1668), 329. Gordon, "Jock and Tarn," 112. Gordon, John, of Aucleuchry (1490), 102; do., of Avochy (1640), 445 ; do. (Mill of Bourtie, 1677),

364 ; do., of Braco (1668-78), 329, 339, 345 ; do., of Cluny (1604), 226, 418 ; do., of Deuchries

(1655), 311 ; do., of Drimmies (1609), 329; do., Minister at Elgin (ante 1650), 307 ; do.

(Gight, 1600), 242 ; do. (Grandholme), 320 ; do., of Law and Rothie (1671), 329 ; do., of

Lumgair (circa 1490), 100, 102 ; do., of Newton (16—), 221, 445 ; do., of Rothiemay (17—),

412 ; do., of Rothmaise (1649), 304. Gordon, Sir John, of Beldorney, 222 ; do., of Cluny (1604, circa 1640), 445 ; do., of Findlater (1562),

146 ; do., of Haddo (1639-44), 241, 250, 267, 271, 275, 276, 278. Gordon, Katherine, wife of William Forbes (1551), 233 ; do., wife of Alexander Burnett (ante 1619), 485. Gordon, Lewis, of Auchlyard (1673), 329. Gordon, Lord (1639-45), 264, 265, 272, 275, 278, 281-4, 286, 287, 327 ; do., Lewis (1639-53), 270,

317, 327, 32S ; do., do. (1745), 408 ; do., George (1786), 477, 478. Gordon, Ludovic, of Froghill (1650), 307. Gordon, Margaret, wife of Rev. John Walker (1677), 330. Gordon, Marjory, wife of John Erskine (1604), 226, 418, 474. Gordon, Mary, wife first of Adam Urquhart, second of James, Earl of Perth died (1726), 468; do.

wife of Alexander Leith (1828), 460; do., of Rothie (1836), 421. Gordon, Patrick (1668), 329 ; do., of Auchiudoir (1538), 329 ; do., of Braco (1490), 102, 329, (1627),

213, 278 ; do., of Drimmies (1490), 329, (1538), 329 ; do., of Haddo (a'rasl500), 148, 445 ; do.,

of Kincraigie (1650), 307 ; do., of Methlick (1490), 102, 329, 464 ; of Pitlurg (1630), 412 ; do

(alias " Steelhand "), 250, 307. Gordon, Priest (1702), 423. Gordon, Robert, of Collithie (1652), 462 ; do. , of Straloch (1639), 266, 330 ; Quaker (1662), 342.

Index. 533

Gordon, Thomas, of Nether Boddom (1696), 381.

Gordon, Sir Thomas, of Cluny, 474.

Gordon, "Walter, {ante 1640), 179 ; do., of "Westhall (1589), 415; Mr. Walter, of do. (1599), 415.

Gordon, William, Bishop of Aberdeen (1566), 129 : do., of Auehindoir (1538) 329 ; do., of Balgonen (1650), 307 ; do., of Drimmies (1569), 329, 487 ; do., Minister at Kintore (1695), 387 ; do., Schoolmaster, Monymusk, Assistant Minister, Bourtie (1658), 311 ; do., of Newton (1647), 301, (1650), 461; do., of Pitlurg, 473; do., of Rothnie (1824), 471; do., of Tilliangus (1673), 329.

Gordon, Mr. William, Commissar of Moray (1612), 170.

Gothnys, Wardrop of, Thainston (ante 1476), 120.

Gowane, Alexander (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Graeme, Sir John The, 95.

Graham (circa 1200), 33.

Grainger, James, Minister at Kinneff (1651-60), 367, 368.

Grammar School of Aberdeen (1612, 1663), 170, 366; of Inverurie (1606), 171.

Grandholme, John Paton of (1734), 238.

Grange, Lady (1733), 439.

Grangepans (1721), 481

Grant's Barrel, Inverurie, 185.

Grant, of Ballindalloch, 443, 474 ; of Congalton, 440 ; of Freuchie, 442 ; of That Ilk, 71, 442 ; of Monymusk, 237, 404.

Grant, Alexander (Ballindalloch, 1677), 364.

Grant, Sir Archibald, of Monymusk (17—), 404.

Grant Castle, 442.

Grant, Sir Donald, of Freuchie (1472), 442.

Grant, Elizabeth, wife of John Leslie (1564), 442.

Grant, Henry, of Congalton, 440.

Grant, of That Ilk (1333), 71, (1564), 442.

Grant, James (Cateran, 1639), 279.

Grant, JohnKoy, of Ballindalloch (17—), 443.

Grant, Mary (wife of William Erskine, 1675), 473.

Grant, Muriel (wife of Patrick Leslie, 1472), 442.

Grant, Patrick, of Ballindalloch (1675), 474.

Grant, Thomas of (1333), 71.

Grant, Walter (Inverurie, 1649), 322.

Grant, William (Conglass, Inverurie, 1650-8), 216, 311, 317, 339, 359, 442.

Grassmen, Inverurie (1615), 196, (1659), 361.

Grassums (1552), 141.

Gratz (in Styria), Counts Leslie of, 400, 443.

Gray, Agnes, wife of Duncan Forbes of Monymusk (1587), 237.

Gray, George (Isaacketoon, 1633), 238 ; do., " Geordie " (Inverurie, 1S40), 395.

Gray, Gilbert, of Tullo (circa 1600), 446.

Gray, Isabella, wife of William Blakhall (1517), 103.

Gray, James (Inglistown, 1664), 351.

Gray, Major, Pauper (165—), 320.

Gray, Margaret, wife of William Leslie (1640), 446.

Gray, Widow (Ardmurdo, 1633), 239.

534 Index.

Gray, William (Monymusk, 1685), 348 ; do. (Inverurie, 1699), 395 ; do., Baillie, Aberdeen (circa

1570), 236. Greek Priests in Slavery (1679), 340.

Greenlaw, Gilbert de (1411), 93 ; do., Bishop of Aberdeen (1389-1422), 87, 104. Greenleyibrd, Inverurie, 6, 7, 9.

Gregory, Grig, or Cyric, Mormaor (circa 880), 2, 13, 14. Greig, Andrew (Daviot, 1550), 144. Greyfriars' Monastery, Aberdeen, 163.

Greystone, Thomas Davidson of, Sheriff of Aberdeen (1647), 353. Grip-Fast, 2, 16.

Grub, Annas (Inverurie, 1647), 294. Grub, Elspet, wife of George Bonald (1669), 396. Grub, George (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (do , 1608-46), 161, 192, 196, 202, 204, 206, 207, 258, 293,

294, 391, 393 ; do. (do., 1662-4), 351, 352 ; do. (Dean of Guild, Inverurie, 1619, 1752), 206,

397 ; do. (Brandsbutt, ante 1646), 393 ; do. (Crichie, 1646-75), 393, 397 ; do. (Aberdeen,

1787), 393. Grub, Mr. George, Writer in Inverurie (1709), 393. Grub, James (Inverurie, 1609), 193.

Grub, John (Inverurie, a;Ue 1600), 198 ; do. (do., 1662-4), 351, 352. Grub, Mortification, 393. Grub, William (Inverurie, 1608), 103, 393. Guage Rig, Inverurie, 391. Gun, Colonel (1639), 270, 271. Gunpowder Plot, 207, 336. Gustavus of Sweden, 251, 399.

Guthrie, Alexander, Parson of Tullynessle (1602-15), 159, 233. Guthrie, Andrew (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Guthrie, Barons of, 354. Guthrie, Sir Henry, of King Edward, 354.

H.

Hadden, Family of, Aberdeen, 454, 455.

Hadden, Mary (wife of Robert Johnston), 455.

Haddington, Thomas, second Earl of, 402, 439 ; Burgh of (1653), 328 ; Rev. Alex. Chalmers at, 479,

Haddo House or Kelly, 264, 271, 281, 218 ; Lairds of, vide Gordon of Haddo.

Haddo, Lord (1681), 36.

Halkerton, vide Falconer.

Halket, Hacket, Charles, 407, 417 (1773), 487.

Halket, Margaret, wife of Alexander Leith (17—), 462.

Halket, Walter, of Cairntown (17—), 462.

Hallforest, 35, 40, 62, 68, 265, 268, 271, 273, 416, 436.

Hallgreen, Farquhar of, 455.

Halyburton, George, Bishop of Aberdeen (1633), 335.

Index. 535

Halyburton, Margaret (wife of Sir George Nicolson, 1722), 377.

Hamilton, Colonel Alexander (1639), 267.

Hamilton, Ann, wife of Rev. Alexander Milne (1716), 162.

Hamilton, Sir David, of Cadzow, 437.

Hamilton, Gavin, of Raplock, 439.

Hamilton, James, of Broomhill, Bishop of Galloway, 162 ; Sir James, of Cadzow (1458), 473.

Hamilton, Major-General (1645), 289.

Hamilton, Margaret, wife of John, first Earl of Kintore, 402-4, 439.

Hamilton, Mary, wife of first Earl Marischal, 437.

Hamilton, Thomas, second Earl of Haddington, 439.

Hanover, Court of (1695), 420.

Hunse, The, Northern and Southern, 113.

Hardgate of Aberdeen, 276

Hareboggs, Insch, 66.

Harlaw, Battle of, 53, 88-98.

Harlaw, Lairds of : Earls and Lords of the Garioch ; Leith (1490), 234 ; Leslie (1510), 111 ; Leith (1531), 461 ; Abercromby (1674), 329.

Harper, George (Oyne, 1683), 340.

Harper, John (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Harps Haugh, Inverurie, 185.

Harrower of Ardgrain (1512), 131.

Hartfell, Earl of (post 1639), 466.

Harthill, House of (1638), 234, (1645), 284, 285 ; Lands of (1675), 347, 462.

Harthill, Lairds of: Abercromby (1315-1457), 65, 234; Leith (1499-1720), 246, 265, 267, 284, 301, 305, 310, 334, 339, 445, 448, 460-2.

Harvest Oath (1606), 190.

Harvie, Harvy, Alexander (Inverurie, 1616), 396.

Harvie, Andrew (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; do., of Danestone (1609), 418.

Harvie, James, of Boynds (1550), 442 ; do., Factor for Lindores Abbey (1572), 158 ; do., of Danestone (1609), 418.

Harvie, Margaret, wife of James Abercromby (1674), 329.

Harvie, Robert, of Slagmagully (1674), 329.

Harwich, Battle of (1665), 467.

Hastings, Lord (1290), 23, 28.

Hatton, Dun* of, 469.

Haughton, Fanjuharson of, 460.

Havannah, Siege of (1763), 463.

Hawkins, Louiza, wife of seventh Earl of Kintore, 440.

Hawkins, Louiza Madeline, wife of eighth Earl of Kintore, 440.

Hay, of Ardendraught (1492-1512), 122, 131 ; of Ardoyne (1345-60), 65 ; of Arnbath (1700), 465 ; of Artrochy (14—), 448 ; of Balbithan (1699), 416 ; of Delgatie, 131, 216, 269,307, 406, 442 ; of Huntington (1775), 463 ; of Percok (15—), 449 ; of Rannes (1700), 401, 459.

Hay, Agnes, wife of Gilbert Aunand (1542), 231 ; do., wife of William Barclay (1623), 231.

Hay, Alexander, of Delgatie (circa 1540), 442 ; do. (Inverurie, 1644), 282 ; do., Schoolmaster, Mony- musk (1688), 326 ; do., of Arnbath (1700), 465 ; Sir Alexander, of Delgatie (1626), 216.

Hay, Ann (Delgatie, 1650), 307.

Hay, Beatrix, wife of John Johnston (1600), 449.

536 Index.

Hay, Charles, of Ramies (circa 1700), 401, 459.

Hay, Edmond, Jesuit Priest (1588), 156.

Hay, Elizabeth, wife of the Master of Marischal (1581), 438 ; do., wife of John Leslie (1595), 442.

Hay, Sir Francis, of Delgatie, 406.

Hay, General, of Leithhall (died 182S), 459.

Hay, George, Rector of Turriff (1615), 233.

Hay, Gilbert, of Percok (15—), 449.

Hay, Sir Gilbert de la (1296-1318), 40, 61, 437 ; Sir Hugh de la (1296), 40.

Hay, Isabel, wife of Captain Strachan (1650), 307 ; do., wife of Mr. James Reid (1657), 419.

Hay, J. (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Hay, James, Schoolmaster, Monymusk (1696), 387.

Hay, John, Canon of Monymusk (1524), 127.

Hay, Major (1644), 281.

Hay, Margaret, wife of Sir Robert Keith (1332), 436 ; do., wife of "William Johnston (1547), 449 ; do.,

Schoolmistress, Inverurie (1652), 324 ; do., wife of Sh' Alexander Leith (1775), 463 ; do., wife

of George Grub, 1787), 393. Hay, Mary, wife of eighth Earl Marischal, 439 ; do. wife of John Leith (1636), 401, 459. Hay, Sophia (Delgatie, 1650), 307.

Hay, Thomas, Collihill Chaplain {post 1542), 231 ; do., of Huntington (1775), 463. Hay, William, of Artrochy (14- ), 448 ; do., Collihill Chaplain (1542), 231 ; do., of Balbithan

(1699), 416. Head Courts respecting Sunday, Inverurie, 189, 192, 199. Hedderwick, 104, 157, 273.

Henderson, Alexander and William (Daviot, 1550), 144. Henderson, Catherine, wife of George Leslie (1620), 441. Henderson, Robert (Monymusk, 1585), 348. Henry, Henrie, Alexander (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Henry, Humphrey, Thomas and William (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Henry III., King of England, 56. Henry, Prince, son of David I., 18, 25. Hepburn, of Craigie (1512), 131. Hepburn, David and James, of Congalton, 472. Hepburn, Gra?me, wife of Sir R. D. H. Elphinstone, 472. Herd, Cuthbert, Collihill Chaplains, 231. Herd, Town-, Inverurie, 193, 195, 199, 200. Heritage in Burghs, Law of (1400), 118. Heritors of Inverurie {circa 1460), 118-120 ; (circa 1600), 174, 175, 182 ; (1633), 257, 258 ; (1645-6),

292, 293 ; (1460-1700), 389, 398. Heritors of the Garioch, vide Families. Herman, James, of Thainston {ante 1476), 120. Hervie, Alexander (Inverurie, 1610-19), 194, 196-206, 395. Hervie, George (Inverurie, Notary Public, 1616), 200. Hervy, Duncan (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Hervy, Nicholas (Kiukell, 1473), 122. Hesse Cassel, 435.

Heugh Butts, Inverurie, 175, 184, 352. Hibelet, Hester E., wife of Brigadier Ferguson (1700), 377, 478.

Index. 537

Highways, Ancient, 5-10, 22.

Hillbrae, 202, (1598), 466, (1663), 419.

Hill, Hyll, Adam, David, Janet, Dariot (1650), 144.

Hill, Adam (Inverurie, 1646), 293 ; do. (do., ante 1694), 394.

Hill, Anna (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Hill, Family of, Kintore, 62.

Hill, William, Kintore, 62 ; do., Indian Service, 469.

Hilton, Johnston of, 451, 453.

Hireman, James (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

History, Row's (1650), 308.

Hochkirchen, Battle of, 439.

Holland, Countess of, Isabel, wife of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar (1408), 87.

Holy Wells, 17, (1673), 339.

Holyrood House (1697), 381.

Holloway, Sir Charles ; and Mary, wife of Colonel Leslie (1832), 444.

Homicide in Early Times, 124.

Home, Lord ; and Margaret, wife of fifth Earl Marischal, 438.

Homilden, Battle of (1402), 57.

Honest Men (1650), 323, 324.

Hope, Sir James, of Hopetown (1660), 439.

Horn, Home, Anne of Westhall, 415.

Horn, General, of Westhall (bora 1718, died 1794), 414, 415, 472.

Horn, Sir Henry, of Brabant (1408), 87.

Horn, James, of Westhall, Minister of Elgin (1681), 388, 415 ; do., Dalrymple (1794-7), 472.

Horn, John, of Westhall (1696), 388, 415.

Homes, Mary de, of Duffle, wife of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar (1408), 87.

Hornbutts, Inverurie, 185.

Hospital of Balhaggardy, 147, 156.

Hostages for David II., 105, 106.

Hostiarius, vide Durward.

Hotel Charges (1680), 368.

Hotspur (1388), 57, 77.

Hours of Worship (1647), 302.

Houseletting in Inverurie (1612), 196.

Howford, Inverurie, 93, 185, 350.

Howieson, Eobert, Inverurie (1476), 119.

Hudds Well, Bourtie, 64.

Hugh, Rector of Bourtie (ante 1199), 21.

Hui, John, Probationer (1697), 426.

Hume, David, Professor of Scotch Law, Edinburgh (1800), 487.

Humphrey, James (Inverurie, 1649), 315.

Hungary, Liberation of (1685), 400.

Hungryhill, Inverurie, 183, 185.

Hunter, Elizabeth, wife of Colonel Henry Lock (1852), 483.

Hunter, Captain William of Blackness (1852), 483.

Hunter, William, Miuister of Tyrie (1697), 426.

Huntingdon, David of, vide David.

68

538 Index.

Huntington, Thomas Hay of (1775), 463.

Huntly, Earl of, Alexander (1450), 112, 437, 464 ; George (1560-2), 145, 146, 156, 164, 215.

Huntly, Family of, 100, 437.

Huntly, Marquis of, I. (1599-1636), 242, 243, 263, 366, 459 ; II., (1636-49), 263-7, 271, 272, 279-82,

287, 288, 327, 358 ; III., 317, 327. Huntly, Town of, 249. Hurrie, vide Urrie.

Hutcheon, Andrew (Inverurie, 1600-19), 172, 182, 192, 193, 195, 202, 206 ; do. (do., 1671), 361. Hutcheon, Clara, wife of William Ronald, Inverurie (1609-33), 211, 396. Hutcheon, James (Inverurie, 1614-1633), 196, 258 ; do. (do., 1674-7), 364, 392, 393. Hutcheon, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Hutcheon, Norman (Inverurie, 1612), 195. Hutcheon, Walter (Inverurie, 1600-9), 182, 396.

Hutchison, Barbara, wife of Thomas Ferguson, W.S. (1807), 479, and family, 484. Hutchison, Jane, wife of Dr. William Bruce, 484. Hyde, Ann, first wife of James VII., 371.

I.

Iidell, Idell, Ydel, Elspet, Monymusk (1685), 348.

Idell, Walter, Vicar of Inverurie (1428), 118, 120.

Idell, William, Schoolmaster, Chapel of Garioch (1670), 326.

Iden, Meldruni of (1643), 279, 307 ; George Leslie of [circa 1700), 423.

Idlers, Restrictions against, 192, 196.

Imray, John, of Drimmies (1800), 487.

Incomes of Scottish Nobles (circa 1400), 106.

Inchmarlo, Davidson of, 447.

Independents (1660), 310, 317, 331, 358, 374.

Induction of Ministers, Form of (1699), 428.

Inging, Barbara, Inverurie (1609), 193.

Inglis, Alexander, Vicar of Bethelnie (1404), 126 ; do. (1476), 126.

Inglis, John (Inverurie, 1402), 115.

Inglis, Margaret, wife of Andrew Johnston (1840), 456.

Inglestown, 197, 225, 351.

Ingolwitz, Storming of (1655), 443.

Inhabitants, Primitive, 1, 9.

Innes, of Ardtannies (160S), 177 ; of Auchintoul (1635), 442 ; of That Ilk (1639), 268 ; of Inver-

markie (1600), 445 ; of Leuehars (1600), 466 ; of Raemoir (1878), 460 ; of Tipperty (1644), 280. Innes, Alexander, of Cults (1612), 170 ; do. (Notary Public, 1703), 431; do., of Raemoir (1878), 460. Innes, Andrew (Inverurie, 1600), 182, 192, Innes, Basting (Mill of Saphoch, 1635), 161. Innes, Hugh, Probationer (1698), 426. Innes, Janet, wife of William Leslie (1600), 445 ; do., wife of John Leslie (1635), 442; do., wife of

John Leslie (1651), 446.

Index. 539

Innes, Jerome, Minister at Fyvie (1650), 446. Innes, John (Cults, 1612), 170.

Innes, Margaret, wife of William Seton (1571), 464, 466 ; do., wife of Walter Gordon [post 1643), 179. Innes, Patrick, Minister at Banff (1697), 426.

Innes, Robert, of Invermarkie (1600), 445 ; do. (Aberdeen, 1790), 396.

Innes, Walter (Ardtannies, 1608-16), 172, 176-9, 193, 268, 412, 470, his children, Captain Innes, Alexander, Walter, John, Janet, Marjorie, Margaret, 179 ; do., Vicar of Leslie (ante 1600), 153, 159. Innes, William, ofTipperty (1644), 280 ; Sir William (1296), 40. Insch, Ingemabanin, Vicarage of Lindores, 19, 21, 25 ; Boundary (1651), 310 ; Endowments (1257),

35, (1366), 79, (1600), 157 ; Settlement at (1703), 429-30 ; Eldership, 430. Insch, Laird of, Alexander Ross (1696), 388. Insch, Mill of, 479.

Insch, Schoolmaster, George Crichton (1685), 326 ; James Farquhar (1709-10), 424-5. Insch, Town of (1257), 36 ; Trade in (1696), 383.

Insch, Vicars and Ministers : Ralf (1172-99), 21 ; Stephen Mason (1567), 154 ; Walter Robertson (1585), 154 ; Alexander Paterson (1592), 154 ; William Barclay (1596-1603), 154 ; James Spence, 154 ; John Logie (1607-13), 239 ; Alexander Ross (1631), 239 ; Alexander Ross (1651-1660), 239; John Paton (1680-91), 429 ; John Turing, Intruder (1692-1702), 429, 430 ; John Maitland (1703), 430 ; Alexander Simpson (1720), 462. Inschderocroft, 157.

Intemperance, Restrictions against (1616), 197, 205, 244. Inventories (1616-40), 179, 209. Inver, Monymusk (16S5), 348. Inverallochy, Fraser of, 264 ; William (1720), Charles (1720), Charles (1745), William, Martha,

Charles (1814), Frederick (1871), 416. Inveramsay, Inuiralmusy, House, 417 ; Lairds of: Earls and Lords of the Garioeh ; Sir Robert Erskine

1357), 63, 75 ; Patrick Smith (ante 1773), 487. Inveramsay, Mill of (1351), 63, 122, 178. Inverary, Castle of, 274. Invercanny (1228), 18, 55. Invercauld, Robert Farquhar of (1657), 461.

Invercullen (Cullen), Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Manor of (1296), 40. Inverkeithing, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Harbour of (1666), 338. Inverkeithny (1633), 243. Inverlochy (1431), 93, 108, (1645), 284. Invermarkie, Robert Innes of (15—), 445. Inverness, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21.

Invernochty, Manse of, in Chononry, Aberdeen (1492), 125. Inverugie, Francis Cheyne of (12—), 40 ; Sir Reginald Cheync of (1350), 437 ; Sir William Keith of

(1546), 365, 438. Inverurie, Innerurie, Inverury, Inverhury, Inverthurin, Enrowrie, Nrurin, 9, 11, (878), 14, 24-30,

39, 50, 173-186 ; in the Civil War, 264-8, 278-85. Inverurie, Battle of (1308), 39, 46-50, 436. Inverurie Canal, 472, 483.

Inverurie, Castle of, 2, 5, 6, 7, 26, 31 ; Castle Croft, 185, 258 ; Castle Hill, 174, 185 ; Castle Yards, 174.

540 Index.

Inverurie, Constables of, Malcolm, Norman, Norino, 2, 1 6, 30-35, 368, 440.

Inverurie, Courts at (1262), 37, (1387), 64, (1424), 112, (1660), 350.

Inverurie, Inhabitants (1402), 115 ; (1464), 119 ; (1536), 142, (1600-45), 173-217, 257-9 ; (1649-1700),

292, 293, 315-9, 342-6, 349-64, 383-5, 389-98. Inverurie, Lord, 363, 385, 402. Inverurie, Manor of (1359), 66. Inverurie, Population of (1679, 1850), 360, 472. Inverurie, Regality Courts (1663), 361. Inverurie, Sculptured Stones, 5. Inverurie, Skirmishes at (1745), 407-9. Inverurie, Stone Circles, Pillars, &c, 3, 4, 5.

Inverurie Burgh, 21, 24, 27, 113-20, 178-207, 256-79, 291-6, 349-53, 360-4, 383, 384, 389-98. Inverurie Burgh, Boundaries, 2S-30, vide Marches. Inverurie Burgh, Bridges (1794), 481. Inverurie, Burgh of, Charter of, 150, 194, 421. Inverurie Burgh, Common or Burgh Lands, 183, 198, 205, 256. Inverurie Burgh, Cross, 9, 30, 114, 174, 190 ; (Powtate), 362. Inverurie Burgh, Crosswell, 362. Inverurie Burgh, Courts, 192, 198, 199, 200-3. Inverurie Burgh, Davo of, 440.

Inverurie Burgh, Ferries and Fords, 6, 9, 200, 295, 390. Inverurie Burgh, Hangman (1674), 363. Inverurie Burgh, Heritors of, vide Inverurie Inhabitants.

Inverurie Burgh, Life in (1600-20), 187-217, (165 ), 315-25, 343-352, 383, (1780), 482.

Inverurie Burgh, Magistrates and Councillors (1466), 120, (1580), 151, (1600-1700), 182, 201, 204,

213, 214, 247, 259, 349, 350, 363-4. Inverurie Burgh, Markets, 150, 199, 361. Inverurie Burgh, Members of Parliament : Alexander Hervie (1616), 214; George Leslie (1648),

294 ; William Ferguson (1663), 350, 361 : James Elphinstone (1669), 361 ; Alexander Forbes

(1678), 362. Inverurie Burgh, Mill of, 29, 178-180, 182, 192, 195, 196, 198, 203, 204, 206, 225. Inverurie Burgh, Millers : Walter Innes (1600), 176-180 ; George Bisset (1609), 180 ; John Reid

(1626), 161 ; David Mackie (1636), 181; George Reid (1708), 181. Inverurie Burgh, Muir, 185.

Inverurie Burgh, Officers of (1476), 120, (1600-20), 190, 194, 201-3. Inverurie Burgh, Portioners of, vide Inhabitants. Inverurie Burgh, Privileges 150, 205, 350. Inverurie Burgh, Provosts of, 364, 421, 486. Inverurie Burgh, Roods of, 7, 119, 174, 257, 258, 289-398. Inverurie Burgh, Royalty of, 28. Inverurie Burgh, Taxes or Customs, 115.

Inverurie Burgh, Teinds, Contract of (1633), 256 ; Sasine (1644), 259 ; Taxes rated by (1672), 362. Inverurie Burgh, Tolbooth and Town House (1615), 204, (1642), 349, (1660), 349, (1661), 350,

(1667), 341, (1669), 344, (1674), 363) (1803), 362, (1863), 39S. Inverurie Burgh, Town-Clerks : Thomas, son of Andrew (1466), 120 ; John Nicolson (1538), 392 ;

Alexander Davidson (1580), 151, 396 ; George Barclay (1600-9), 159, 189, 191, 194, (1616-

17—), 200, 201, 202, 204, 231; John Mackeson (1615), 198, 199, 200, 201, 203 ; James Fer-

Index. 541

guson (1646-73), 214, 363 ; William Chalmer (1673-81), 363 ; George Scott (1681-1729), 354,

356, 384, 391, 393, 483 ; "William Lunanand John Clerk (1729-30) ; Alexander Forbes (1730-6);

George Scott (1736-50), 482, 483 ; Alexander Temple (1750-92) ; Alexander Dauney (1792-7) ;

William Adam (1797-1805), 480 ; Alexander Tillery (1805-27) ; George Yeats (1827-47) ; John

Yeats (1847-63) ; Charles Brown Davidson (1863). Inverurie Burgh, Twelfth Part Lands, 50, 183, 198, 205. Inverurie Parish and Kirk (Vicarage of Lindores, 1199), 19, 25, 26, 32, 157, (1699), 321, 322, (1660-

69), 335, 336, 343, 344, 345, 361, 391. Inverurie Parish and Kirk, Altar (1536), 142; Dial (1600), 343 ; Bell (1660), 344 ; Clock (1774), 353. Inverurie Parish and Kirk, Chapel (1199), 25. Inverurie Parish and Kirk, Elders (1650), 315, 317, (1666), 360. Inverurie Parish and Kirk, Endowments (1259), 36, 60, (1366), 79, (1600), 158. Inverurie Parish, and Kirk Glebe, 27, 259-391, 394-6. Inverurie Parish, Heritors (1669), 345. Inverurie Parish, Kirk Green, 173, (1600), 394, (1673), 369. Inverurie Parish, Lands in, 19, 20 ; do., of Kirk Session (1721-1846), 359, 390. Inverurie Parish, Manse, 1, 27, 125, 346, 395.

Inverurie Parish, Officers, William Davidson (1610), 180 ; John Gib (1642), 303. Inverurie Parish, Clerks : Thomas, son of Andrew (1466), 120 ; Thomas Brown (1476), 120 ; John

Blakhatl (ante 1536), 142 ; John Leslie (1536), 142. Inverurie Parish, Patronage : Crown (1600), 159 ; Lord Lindores (1600-17), 293 ; Forbes of Lethinty

(1617), 293. Inverurie Parish, School (1606 36), 171, 172 ; (1649-1700), 322 (18—), 398 ; Emoluments (1606-8),

171, 172 ; (1649-58), 322-5 ; Visitation of (1737), 424. Inverurie Parish, Schoolmasters : Gilbert Keith (1601), 171 ; Adam Barclay (1607), 171 ; John Walcar

(1607), 172 ; George Keith (1608), 172 ; Alexander Mitchell (1612-49), 161, 172, 173, 211, 213,

257, 294, 322, 323 ; George Robertson (1650), 323 ; Arthur Forbes (1653), 324 ; Johu Walker

(1655), 324 ; William Chalmers (1657— ante 1690), 324, 325 ; James Anderson (1695), 395 ;

William Thain (1676-8), ; Alexander Davidson (1698), 424 ; Robert Milne (1710), 424. Inverurie Parish, Vicars and Ministers : Bicardus (1262), 37 ; Thomas (1297), 48 ; Walter Ydill

(1428), 118, 120 ; William Scrogy, Chaplain Curate (1466), 120 ; Robert Howison (1476), 219 ;

George Anderson {ante 1492), 124 ; Andrew Bisset (1492-8), 124, 125 ; Gilbert Cranstone (ante

1505), 125, 143 ; James Kyd (1536), 143 ; George Paterson (1573), 153 ; Alexander Mackie, 154 ;

James Milne (1600-43), 159, ct sea.; William Forbes (1644-79), 214, et sea.; William Murray

(1679-1716), 359 ; William Watt (1717-55) ; Patrick Sympson (1756-63) ; James Hay (1763-

70) ; William Davidson (1710-99), 481-2 ; Robert Lessel (1800-53), 395. Inverurie Parish, Visitations of (1649), 303, (1655), 311, (1668), 344, (1723), 346. Inverurie, Presbytery of (1581), 153. Irish in the Civil War, 282, 288, 308. Irish Fauld, at Wardhouse, 280. Irish, Intemperance, 244. Ironside, Fife, 25. Irvine, Irving, Irwin, of Artamford (1606-1770), 152, 478 ; of Balbithan (1627-33), 232, 238 ; of

Beltie (ante 1650), 307 ; of Bonshaw (1324), 61 ; ofBrucklay (1650— ante 1710— ), 224, 424 ; of

Drum (1324), 61, 87, 94, 152, 256, 257, 279, 287, 3894,37, 442, 444, 464 ; of Kingcausie, 444,

450 ; of Kinmuck, 389 ; of Kirkton of Rayne (1696), 388. Irvine, Adam, late of Brucklay (1710), 424.

542 Index.

Irvine, Agnes, wife of Sir William Leslie, 14 — , 442, 444.

Irvine, Alexander (1650), 307 ; do., of Drum (14—), 437 ; do , do., (1593-1615), 152, 256, 257, 464 ;

do., late of Beltie (1650), 307 ; do., of Kirkton of Rayne (1696), 388. Irvine, Sir Alexander, of Drum (1408-11), 87, 94 ; do. (1615), 257, (1639-44), 279, 287. Irvine, Amelia, wife of Patrick Leslie Duguid, (1762), 444. Irvine, Anne, wife of John Elphinstone, (1696), 381, 413, 471. Irvine, Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Seton, (1581), 464. Irvine, James, of Kingeausie (1750), 444 ; do., Minister first at Tough, second at Monymusk {circa

1613), 240. Irvine, John, of Balbitlian (1627-33), 238 ; do., of Brueklay (1650), 449. Irvine, Margaret, wife of James Ferguson, (1777), 478. Irvine, Mary, Marie, wife of Thomas Johnston, (1650), 410, 450; do. wife of Patrick Leslie (1679),

443 ; do., wife of Dr. James Milne, (1696), 391. Irvine, Robert, Minister at Premnay (1608), 240 ; do. (Drum, 1644), 287. Irvine, William, of Drum (1324), 61.

Isabel de Bruce, wife of Robert Bruce, Lord of Annandale, 23, 24, 34. Isabel de Clare, wife of Robert Bruce, 24. Isabel, Countess of Donald, Earl of Mar (1330), 69. Isabel, of Douglas, Countess of Mar, 56, 58, 76, 78, 86, 87, 105, 114. Isabel, Queen of Robert I., 41, 45. Isaackston, 197, 225, 238, 351. Isles, Lord of The, 88, 108.

Jack, John, Inverurie (1536), 142.

Jackson, John (Inverurie, 1614), 196 ; William (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Jackston of Fyvie, Thomas Abercromby of (1675), 329.

Jacobites, 332, 335, 352, 402, 407, 417, 439.

Jaffray, Alexander, of Kingswells, Sen. (1615-45), 177, 210, 220, 222, 225, 250, 251, 269, 365, 366, 418 ; Junior, 225, 226, 278, 280, 287, 288, 289, 297, 298, 317, 327, 341, 350, 351, 357, 358, 359, 365, 366, 440.

Jaffray, Andrew, of Ardtannies (1696-1723), 30, 350, 384, 440 ; do., Episcopal Minister at Aber- deen, 333.

Jaffray, John (Aberdeen, 1644), 280.

Jaffray, Thomas (Aberdeen, 1644), 288, 289.

James, Earl of Douglas and Mar, Lord of the Garioch, 57, 58, 76, 77.

James, King, I., 8, 29, 54, 58, 86, 100, 105, 106, 108, 109, 112, 137.

James, King, II., 29, 59, 109, 110, 437, 438.

James, King, III., 59, 110, 111, 176, 438.

James, King, IV., 29, 59, 111, 138, 438, 470.

James, King, V., 106, 137, 140. «

James, King, VI., 156-160, 216, 219, 240, 242, 248, 249, 262, 438.

James, King, VII., 331, 355, 359, 370, 380, 426.

James, The Pretender, 359, 380.

Index. 543

Jamieson, George, The Painter, 168, 291.

Jatuieson, Robert, Minister at Clatt and Forbes (1615), 233 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Jardine, A., Insch, and family, 479.

Jardine, Mary, wife of Andrew Jopp, 477.

Jesuit Priests (1588), 156, (1637), 249, (1702), 423.

Joan of York, Queen of Alexander III. (1220), 436.

John of Bavaria (1408), 37.

John, King of England, 23.

John, The Scot, Earl of Huntingdon, 23, 34, 60, 62, 368.

Johnnie Auld, Inverurie, 185.

Johnson, William (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Johnston, of Annandale, 453 ; of Ardtannies (1609), 177 ; of Badifurrow (1742-96), 410 ; of

Bendauch (14—), 121, 130 ; of Caiesmill (1610), 449 ; of Caskieben (1380-1633), 25, 75, 89, 99,

100, 122, 141, 143, 151, 162, 164-8, 170, 173, 177, 197, 198, 203, 220, £23-5, 328, 365, 448 ;

of Craig (1613-1724), 208, 225, 451 ; of Crimond (16—), 251, 448 ; of Disblair (circa 1600),

469 ; Foresterhill (1613), 168 ; of That Ilk, 208 ; of Ingleston (1623), 212 ; of Muirton (1609),

193, 225 ; of Newplace (1621-1707), 224, 225, 417 ; of Sliepiehillock (1613), 419 ; of Standing

stones (circa 1540), 449. See also below.

Johnston, wife of Alexander Low.

Johnston, Agnes, wife of Reid of Colliston, (1550), 449 ; do., wife of Robert Johnston, (1631), 449.

Johnston Aisle, Church of Monkegy, 369.

Johnston, Alexander, of That Ilk and Caskieben (1481-1508), 110, 121, 122, 125, 418 ; Inverurie

(Doomster, 1615), 198, (1665), 292, 293, (1651), 317, 322, (1658), 361, 390, (1664), 351, 352,

(1677), 364, 394 ; do., W.S., Aberdeen (1878), 451, 453, 455, 457. Johnston, Alexander, Andrew, John, Thomas (Daviot, 1550), 144. Johnston, Andrew (Balquhain), 453, 455 ; do. (Inverurie), 456. Johnston, Sir Archibald, of Warristoun (16 — ), 251. Johnston Arms, 458. Johnston, Arthur, Medicus Regius, 164, 165, 250, 365, 366, 449 ; hisfamily, 168 ; do., Lake (Hilton,

died 1853), 451, 452. Johnston, Barbara, wife of Mr. Robert Elphinstone, (1606), 449. Johnston, Barony of, 197.

Johnston, Bessie, wife of Alexander Chalmers, (15 — ), 449 ; do., wife of Gilbert Hay, (1550), 449. Johnston, Christian (Caskieben, 1613), 208 ; do., wife of Laird of Linton, (15—).. 448 ; do. wife of

John Forbes of Pitnacalder (15—), 450 ; do. wife of Rev. Dr. Keith, (1650), 449. Johnston, Crower (1639), 251, 265, 269, 271. Johnston, Cuthbert (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Johnston, David Morice (London, died 1863), 452, 455. Johnston, Elizabeth, wife of Bannemian of Elsick (1613), 449 ; do. wife first of John Seton, (1639),

second of the Earl of Hartfell, 466 ; do., wife of Alexander Leith (1652), 450, 462 ; do. wife

first of Alexander White, second of Mr. Keith (circa 1670), 366. Johnston, George, of that Ilk and Caskieben (1548-1593), 151, 164, 445, 449, 456 ; do., son of Dr.

Arthur (1623), 118 ; do. (Caskieben, 1600), 449 ; do. (Ceylon, 1875), 453, 465. Johnston, Mr. George, Dean of Guild of Aberdeen (1577), 449, 456. Johnston, Sir George, of That Ilk and Caskieben (1613-61), first Baronet, 57, 161, 166, 177, 198, 203,

207, 213, 222, 224, 225, 238, 242, 250, 256, 257, 259, 306, 324, 328, 350, 351, 365, 366, 394,

395, 449, 450, 462, 466 ; do., do., second Baronet, 358, 445, 449, 450.

544 Index.

Johnston, Gilbert Miller, Aquhorties, (1622), 181, 186 ; do., of Ardtannies, Forresterhill, and Muirton (1609), 168, 177, 193, 445, 449, 450 ; do. (Bourtie, 1651), 309 ; do. (Caskieben, ante 1481), 121,

448 ; do. (Caskieben, 1613), 208 ; do. (Inverurie, 1618), 202, 204, 205, 258 ; do., of Standing- stones (1640), 449.

Johnston, Gilbert de, of Caskieben (1428-81), 121, 448.

Johnston, Helen, wife of the Laird of Boddom (circa 1600), 449.

Johnston, Isabel, wife of the Laird of Aslown (15 — ), 449 ; do., wife of Bishop Blackburn (1600), 449 ;

do., wife of Robert Cheyne (1654), 450. Johnston, James (Litster, Aberdeen, 16—), 410, 450 ; do., of Badifurrow (born 1742, died 1819), 410 ;

do. (Caskieben, 1613), 450; do., of That Ilk and Caskieben (1513-48), 448, 456, 458; do.

(Inverurie, 1644-51), 292, 293, 315, 317 ; do., Parson of Monymusk (1570, died 1615), 128, 155,

209, 236 ; do. (son of last), 209. Johnston, Janet, wife of Patrick Leith (ante 1550), 449, 458 ; do., wife of Gilbert Craig (1587), 392 ;

do., wife of Robert Johnston (1600), 449 ; do., wife of Andrew Hutcheon (1612), 198. Johnston, Jean, wife of Thomas Johnston (circa 1600), 449 ; do., wife of Forbes of Knaperna (1613),

449 ; do., wife of John Irvine of Brucklay (circa 1650), 449.

Johnston, John, of Bishopstown (died 1716), 450, 453 ; do. (Caiesmill, 1612), 170 ; do., of Caskieben (1411-25), 121, 448, 456 ; do., of That Ilk and Caskieben (1593-1616), 162, 164-6, 169, 171, 203, 208, 210, 310, 449, 450; do., of Ingliston (1623), 212 ; do. (Inverurie, 1536), 142; do. (do., Baillie, 1600, ante 1612), 172, 182, 192, 397 ; do. (do., 1615), 198, 203 ; do. (do., BaiUie, 1644-69), 214, 259, 292, 293, 303, 317, 318, 323, 345, 350-3, 360-2, 392-6 ; do. (LofthiUock, 1620), 211 ; do. (Millbowie, Skene, died 1770), 453 ; do., of Newplace (1619), 225 ; do., do. (1621), 224, 225, 417, 449 ; do., do., do. (1677), 363, 417, 450 ; do., Professor in St. Andrews (156—), 155 ; do., of Sleepiehillock (1613), 449 ; do. (Standingstones, Dyce, died 1700), 451, 453 ; Mr. John (Aberdeen, 1697), 456.

Johnston, Sir John, of That Ilk and Caskieben, third BaroDet (died 1690), 374, 417, 450 ; do., of Newplace, fourth Baronet (1690), 417, 449, 450, 451.

Johnston, Lands of (1380), 63, (1477), 110, (1595), 226.

Johnston-Lodge, Laurencekirk, 455, 463.

Johnston, Margaret, wife of William Forbes (1513), 448 ; do., wife of James Johnston (1540), 449 ; do., wife first of Skene of Skene, second of Duncan Forbes (1590), 449 ; do. Caskieben, (1613), 208 ; do., daughter of Dr. Arthur (married 1652), 165, 231; do., wife of John Johnston (1646), 449 ; do., wife of Parson Cheyne (1690), 390.

Johnston, Marjory, wife of Alexander Kennedy (1670), 390.

Johnston, Partick (Aberdeen, 1578), 456.

Johnston, Kobert (Aberdeen), 453, 455, 457, his family, 455 ; do., of Caiesmill (1612), 170, 449 ; do. (Corsehill, 1620), 211 ; do., of Crimond (1635-7), 251, 449, 456 ; do. (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (do., 1600 ante 1616), 182, 191, 193, 202 ; do. (do., 1645), 292.

Johnston, Sir Samuel, of Elphinstone (1633), 466.

Johnston, Stephen de ("The Clerk," 1380), 57, 63, 75, 89, 114.

Johnston, Thomas, of Craig (1613—), 208, 225, 410, 449, 450, 462 ; do., do. (died 1686), 450; do., of Disblair (circa 1600), 449; do., alias "Commissar," Doomster (Inverurie, 1600, died 1624), 182, 190, 200, 202, 207, 212 ; do. (do., 1633), 257, 259 ; do. (do., 1645), 292 ; do. (do., 1696-1745), 391 ; do. (Standingstones, Dyce, 1700), 451, 453.

Johnston, Mr. Thomas D.G., of Aberdeen (1620), 449, 456.

Johnston, Violet, wife of Patrick Chalmers (1590), 449.

Johnston, William (Aberdeen, 1856), 456, his family, 453 ; do., Minister at Auchindoir (1698), 432 ;

Index. 545

do., Minister at Auchterless (1697), 426 ; do., of Bendauch (14 — ), 448 ; do., of Badifurrow (1742, died 1764), 409, 410 ; do., of Caskieben and That Ilk (1508-13), 111, 138, 143 ; do., Younger, of Caskieben (died 1547), 138 ; do. (Caskieben, 1613), 449 ; do., Civilist (King's College, Aberdeen, (1669-73), 169, 366 ; do. (Inverurie, Baillie, "Senior," 1600, died 1621), 172, 175, 182, 190, 191, 194, 195, 198, 200, 203, 212, 352, 393, 395, 397 ; do. (do., Baillie, "Junior," 1609-45), 161, 172, 195, 207, 256, 257, 258, 292, 293 ; do. (do., "Bob's Willie," 1609,— ante 1648), 193, 195, 196, 202, 258, 391, 395 ; do. (do., alias Kelt, 1613-33), 195, 258; do. (do., son of John, 1617), 202, 203 ; do. (do., 1650), 315 ; do., Schoolmaster of Kemnay (1689), 326, 426, 427 ; do., Minister at Kinkell and Kintore (1597), 154.

Johnston, Dr. William, first Professor of Mathematics, Marischal College, 164, 341, 365, 366, 449.

Johnston, Sir William, of Craig and That Ilk, fifth Baronet (1716), 450, 451, 453, 454 ; do., of Hilton, &c, sixth Baronet (died 1794), 451, 452 ; do., do., seventh Baronet (died 1844), 451 ; do., Bacon, eighth Baronet (died 1865), 451-2 ; do., do., ninth Baronet, 451, 452, 453.

Joss or Joise, Alexander (Inverurie, 1633), 258 ; John and Robert (164S), 393.

Joss-Ford on Ury, 185.

K.

Kail and Peats, Provision of (1614), 188, 196, (1659), 361. Karr, Kerr, Bathia, wife of John Ferguson (1696), 384, 460. Kearn, Churchyard of, 237, 405 ; Minister of, William Mitchell (1699), 430. Keig, Vicarage of, Monymusk, 126, 127.

Keith, 15, 144 ; of Aquhithie (1611), 23 ; of Aquhorsk (14 — 1633), 238, 438, 445 ; of Benholme (1600), 438 ; of Galston (1240), 436 ; of Grandowme (1409), 37, 90, 437 ; of Inverugie (1387- 1547), 365, 437, 438; Earls of Kintore, 429 ; of Ludquharn (1578), 456 ; Marischals of Scotland, 435-9 ; of Northfield (1742), 437 ; of Eavelstone (1793), 483 ; of Troup (14—), 437.

Keith, , wife of William Ferguson (172—), 480.

Keith, Adam, Rector of Keith-Marischal (1292), 436.

Keith, Agnes, wife of Sir Archibald Douglas (1540), 139.

Keith, Alexander, of Aquhorsk (14 — ), 438 ; do. (Inverurie, ante 1686), 397 ; Sir Alexander, of

Grandowme (1409-11), 87, 90, 437. Keith, Andrew (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Keith, Ann, wife of William, Earl of Morton, 438 ; do., Countess Galloway, 439. Keith, Anthony (1513), 130.

Keith, Anthony- Adrian, Earl of Kintore (1778), 440 ; do., do. (1812), 440. Keith, Catherine, wife of Alexander Barclay (13—), 437 ; do. (Keith-hall, 1696), 385 ; Margaret, wife

of David, fifth Lord Falconer of Halkerton, 402, 439, 440. Keith, Charles (Keithhall, 1696), 385.

Keith, Christian, wife of Sir James Lindsay (1395), 77, 437. Keith, David, Marischal (1201), 436. Keith, Edward, vide Marischal ; Lord Keith, 437. Keith, Egidia, wife of second Lord Forbes, 236, 437.

Keith, Elizabeth, wife of Sir George Leslie (1350), 441 ; do., wife of Adam de Gordon (circa 1400) 437 ; do., wife of seventh Lord Forbes, 365 ; do., wife of Alexander Irvine of Dnim|(15— ), 437 ; do., wife of Viscount Arbuthnot, 439.

69

546 Index.

Keith, Elspet, wife of Patrick Leslie (1650), 446.

Keith, George, vide Marischal ; do., Minister of Monkegy (1675-83), and of Deer, 364, 403 ; do., of

Northfield (1742), 437 ; do., Schoolmaster of Inverurie (1608), 172. Keith, Dr. George Skene, minister of Keith-hall, 160, 368, 438. Keith, Mr. George, Quaker (166-), 341. Keith, Mr. Gilbert, Schoolmaster, Inverurie (1607), 171, do., of Aquhithie (1611), 231; do.,

Minister at Bourtie (1611), 154, 160, 239, 306, 311, 316 ; do., Minister at Skene (died 163S),

160 ; do. (Bourtie, 1653), 311. Keith, Sir Henry, Marischal, 436.

Keith, Herveus (temp. David I.), 436 ; do. (1189-96), 436 ; do. (1220-50), 436. Keith, Isabel, wife of Sir Edward Keith (1341), 437 ; do., wife of Sir Edward Turner, 439. Keith, James, of Aquhorsk (circa 1520), 445 ; do. Field-Marshal (died 1758), 439. Keith, Sir James, of Benholme (circa 1600), 438. Keith, Janet, wife of Sir Thomas Erskine (1385), 59, 437; do., wife of Sir David Hamilton (13—),

437 ; do., wife of Philip Arbuthnott of Arbuthnott (14—), 437. Keith, Jean, wife of Alexander, first Earl of Huntly, 437 ; do., wife of Alexander, Lord Pitsligo

(1639), 43S ; do., wife of George, Lord Banff (1660), 439 ; do., wife of Sir William Forbes

(1680), 237, 404, 439. Keith, John, (ante 1332), 436 ; do. (1354), 437 ; do., of Inverugie (1387), 437 ; do., of Troup (14—),

437; do. (Kintore, 1498), 123 ; do. (1527), 139; do. (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; do., of Aquhorsk

(1633), 238 ; vide Kintore and Marischal. Keith, Sir John (Marischal, 1238), 436 ; do. (Otterburn 1388), 77, 437. Keith, Lands of (temp. David I.), 436. Keith, Malcolm (1185), 436. Keith, Margaret, wife of Hugh Arbuthnot (circa 1500), 437 ; do., wife of fourth Earl Marischal (1530),

365, 438 ; do,, wife of Gavin Hamilton (circa 1790), 439 ; do., wife of John Leslie (circa

1700), 446. Keith, Marshall (died 1758), 439. Keith, Mary, wife of Lord Kilpont (1630), 438 ; do., wife first of Sir James Hopetown, second of Sir

Archibald Murray (1660), 439. Keith, Muriel, wife of Robert, Duke of Albany (1411), 437. Keith, Philip and Sir Patrick, vide Marischal. Keith, Robert, Prince of Catti (1010), 15, 435 ; do. (1325), 77, 437 ; do. (1513), 438 ; do., Com-

mendator (1543), 438 ; do., Lord Alkie (1587), 438. Keith, Sir Robert, vide Marischal ; do., of Troup (14—), 437 ; do. (1630), 438. Keith, Sarah, wife of Patrick Leslie (post 1575), 441. Keith, William (1513), 438 ; do., Master of Marischal (1547), 438 ; do. (circa 1580), 438 ; do., Minister

Keith-hall (1696), 386. Keith, Dr. William, of Lentush, Minister at Kinnellar (ante 1650), then of Monkegy, then of Udny,

then of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, and Professor of Divinity, Edin. University, 449. Keith, Sir William, vide Marischal; do., of Galston (ante 1270), 436; do., of Inverugie (1547),

365, 438. Keith-Falconer, Families of, Earls of Kintore, 440. Keith-Falconer, Algernon, Lord Inverurie, 440. Keith-Falconer, Charles James, Commissioner Inland Revenue, 440. Keith-Falconer, Ion Grant Neville, Cantab, 440. Keith-Falconer, Isabella, wife of Henry Grant, 440.

Index. 547

Keith-Falconer, Captain William, K.N., 440.

Keith-hall Estate and House, 166, 328, 345, 350, 365, 368, 402 ; Tenants (1664), 351.

Keith-hall, Mill of, 369, 407.

Keith-hall, Ministers of, William Keith (1696), 386 ; Dr. George Skene Keith (1776-1822), 160, 368,

438; John Keith, (1822-67) ; James Donald (1867), 407. Keith-hall, Schoolmaster, George Ellis (1696), 387. Keith-Marischal, Hepburn of (1800), 472. Kellands, Keylands, Inverurie, 118, 188. Kellie, in Garioch, 157 ; vide Haddo House. Kellie, Thomas, first Earl of (1598), 442. Kelpy Fold, Conglass, 8.

Kemnay Estate, vide infra Lairds ; Kaims of, 1 ; Tacksmen (1728), 397. Kemnay, Downie Family in, 397, 427. Kemnay, Fair Maid of (14—), 89, 107. Kemnay Girnal Plundered (1639, 1640), 266, 272. Kemnay House (1534), 128, 139, 234, (1639), 266, (1640), 272, (1644), 279, 284, 285, 286, (1808-

1830), 420, 421. Kemnay Kirk (a Chaplainry of Kinkell, ante 1560), 125, 154 ; Stipend (1502), 128 ; Clerk (1540),

128 ; a Parish (1633), 239, (1662), 336 ; (1667), 347 ; (1648), 303 ; (1653), 310 ; (1662), 336 ;

(1667), 347 ; (1681), 381 ; Settlement at (1699), 426, 427, 428. Kemnay, Lairds of : Norman de Leslie, Warden (1348), 65 ; Melville (1397-1468), 65, 68, 90, 102 ;

Auchinleck, 102 ; Douglas {ante 1513-1623), 102, 139, 234 ; Sir Thomas Crombie (1624-44),

324 ; Strachan (1644-82), 234 ; Sir George Nicholson 01682-88), 366, 377 ; Burnett (1688), 364,

372, 420, 421, 422, 485, 486. Kemnay, Lord, (Sir George Nicolson, 1682), 366, 377. Kemnay, Ministers of : John Gareaucht (Chaplain, 1502-1540), 139 ; Alexander Sibbald (1632-41), 239 ;

John Seton (1641-9), 239, 468 ; David Leith (1649-53), 239, 468 ; James Willox (1653-97), 336,

347, 380 ; William Leslie (1699), 427, 428, 432. Kemnay, Moss of, 204, 205, 296.

Kemnay, Schoolmasters of: William Johnston (1687), 326, 326, 426-7 ; John Farquhar (1710), 425. Kemnay, Templar Lands in (1611), 20, 231. Kendal (Ardiharrall), 223.

Kendal, Letitia, wife of Alexander Burnett (1849), 480. Kennedy, Alexander (Inverurie, 1666), 390. Kenneth MacAlpine, King of Scotland, 13. Kenneth of Scotland, Prince, 32. Kennethmont, Vicarage of Lindores (1200), 19, 25 ; Endowment (1257), 36, (1366), 79,

Boundary, (1651) 310. Kennethmont, Ministers : Walter Abercromby (1585), 155 ; Robert Cheyne (1651), 306 ; William

Gareoch (1697), 426. Kentie, Margaret, wife of William Thain (1696), 384. Ker, Mr. Andrew, Bookseller (1650), 308.

Kerco, Kercow, in Carse of Gowrie, Barclay of (1314-87), 64, 230. Keroughtrie, Maxwell of (1877), 473. Ketterines, Descent of (1392), 84, 85. Kilblene, Battle of (1335), 70, 436. Kilburnie Harbour (1666), 338.

648 Index.

Kilconquhar, Sir Adam of (1268), 24.

Kilcoy, Colin Mackenzie of (17— ), 416, 471.

Kildrummie Castle, 42, 45, 70, 75, 86, 87, 110, 266, 279, 283 ; Churchyard, 227.

Kildrummie, Early Peopled, 40.

Kildrummie, Lord (1816), 179.

Kilgour, Patrick, Holyrood-house (1697), 381.

Killiewalker, Inverurie, 7, 26, 185.

Kilmarnock Burned (1671), 339.

Kilnbams, Inverurie, 174, 391.

Kilsyth, Battle of (1645), 286, 288, 308.

Kinaldie, Forbes of (1477-96), 101, 232 ; Paton of (1671), 362 ; Strachan of (1671), 329 ; Far,juharson of (1781), 410.

Kinaldie, Little and Meikle, Leslie of "Wardes (1508), 111, 221.

Kinbroon, Garviauch, and Johnston (1380), 63 ; Elphinstone (1606), 447-9.

Kincraigie, Leslie of (1527-1688), 139, 142, 143, 161, 169, 172, 186, 189, 210, 219, 236, 238, 285, 307, 321, 322, 328, 345, 380.

Kindrocht (Braemar), St. Rule of, 13 ; St. Andrew of, 55, 126, 127.

King Aodh, slain at Inverurie (878), 14.

King Arthur, 12, 13.

King Charles II. at Pitcaple, (1650), 297.

King James's Kirks in the Garioch (1600), 156.

King, of Barra, James (1490-1506), 103, 111 ; William (1506), 103 ; William (1547), 103 ; James (1581), 103 ; William (1577-96), 103 ; David, 103, 151 ; Janet (1586), 103 ; Sir James, Lord Ythan, 256, 278.

King, of Bourtie : James (1490-1505), 103, 111 ; William (1506-1548), 103.

King Edward's Prayer-Book, 332.

King, Janet (Daviot, 1550), 144.

King, John (Excom. 1650), 307.

King, Mason (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Kings' Burn, Ford and Hill (Mounie, Daviot), 51.

King's College Founded (1494), 130 ; Regents in, 239, 240, 241, 366 ; shut (1629), 264 ; Collection for (1658), 320, 466.

Kingcausie, Irvine of, 444, 456.

King-Edward, Barony of, 228 ; Discipline (1650), 307 ; Sir Henry Guthrie of, 354.

Kinghorn, Earl of (1639), 264, 270, 281.

Kingswalls, Alexander Jaffray of, vide Jaffray.

Kinguidie, John Leith of (1754) ; Ann (1807), 462.

Kinkell, Highway by, Edward I. at, 40.

Kinkell, Kirk of, Ecchsia Plcbania ; Knights Templars, 125 ; Chaplainries, 125 ; a Prebend, 125 ; Relics of, 122, 133, 134, 304 ; Dissolution of, 302 ; Visitation of, 304.

Kinkell Parishioners (1473), 122.

Kinkell Parsons, &c, Henry Lichton (1410), 87 ; William Auchinleck (1473), 122, 125 ; Adam de Gordon (1494), 125 ; James Ogilvie (1503-18), 125, 129 ; Alexander Galloway (1518-52), 136 ; Henry Lumsden (1563), 125 ; Thomas Lumsden (1571), 125 ; Readers (to 1580), 154 ; Minis- ters—William Johnston (1586-97), 154 ; John Walker (1595-1615), 154, 162 ; Patrick Leslie (1633), 161 ; John Cheyne (1623-43), 239 ; William Leith (1644-9), 214, 273, 302, 305 ; John Gellie, younger (1651), 240 ; Thomas Wemyss (1683-95), 387 ; George Skene (1697), 426.

Index. 549

Kinkell, Michael Fair of, 114, 245.

Kinkell, Schoolmaster of, Patrick Wishart (1710), 425.

Einloch, Sir James (1745), 409.

Kinloch, Alexander Seton of, 465.

Kinloss, Monks of, 21.

Kinmuck, 157, 238; Irvine of (1 696), 389.

Kinmundy in New Machar (1609), 418.

Kinmundy in Buchan, Ferguson of (1724), 355, 377, 478, 479.

Kinnaird, Walter Ferguson of, 354.

Kinnear, Thomas, Minister at Echt (1697), 426.

Kinneff, Kirk of, Manse of, Minister of, James Granger (1651), 366.

Kinnellar, Kirk of, Chaplainry of Kinkell, 20 ; Minister, Dr. Will Keith {ante 1650), 449, (1652) 462 ; Minister, John Angus (1697), 462.

Kinnernie, Minister, James Murray (1567-73), 155 ; Alexander Ross (1653), 240.

Kinninmond, Matthew, Bishop, vide Aberdeen Bishop.

Kinninmonth, James Cumming of (1750), 478.

Kinnoul, Earl of (circa 1660), 439.

Kintore Arms Hotel, Inverurie, 391, 395.

Kintore, Burgh of, 3, 28, 118, 364, 416 ; Burgh Elder (1760), 413 ; Magistrates and Heritors (1498), 123 ; Town Clerk (1616), 202 ; the Civil War, 264, 265, 268, 271, 273, 280, 284, 295 ; Cess (1669), 350 ; Davo of, 111.

Kintore, Earldom of, 365-6 ; Arms, 440.

Kintore, Earls of, I. Sir John Keith (1642-1714), 222, 237, 277, 341, 345, 350, 351, 362, 363, 364, 365, 367, 369, 385, 390, 392, 394, 402, 404, 426, 438, 439 ; II. William (1714-18), 385, 393, 402, 409, 439 ; III. John do. (1718-58), 402, 439 ; IV. William, 402, 440 ; V. Anthony Adrian (1778-1804), 391, 402, 440 ; VI. William (1804-1812), 440 ; VII. Anthony Adrian (1812-44), 356, 440 ; VIII. Francis Alexander (1844), 440.

Kintore, Forest of (temp. Rob. I.), 62.

Kintore, Kirk of, Chaplainry of Kinkell, 125 ; Relics, 133 (Stipend, 1600), 154-5 ; (1662) 335, (1671) 339 ; Kintore Ministers— Gilbert Chalmers (Chaplain, 1498), 129 ; John Chalmers (Reader, 1570), 170; Walter Robertson (1583), 154; William Forbes (1598), 154; Archibald Rait (1602-24), 240 ; Alexander Lunan (1628-33), 240 ; John Cheyne (1640-9), 450 ; Andrew Strachan (1649-79), 240, 339 ; William Gordon (1695), 387 ; William Thomson (1697), 426.

Kintore, Margaret and Christian (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Kintore Schoolmasters (15— ), 165; John Forbes (1671), 326; Robert Keith (1676), 326; George Birnie (1683), 826, 340 ; William Bruce (1710), 425.

Kintore, Thanedom or Barony, Extent of, 111 ; Holders of — Robert Chalmers (1357), 62 ; Princess Maude (temp. Dav— ), 62 ; Earl of Sutherland (do.), 62 ; John Dunbar, Earl of Moray (1375-83), 62 ; Leslie of Wardes (1508), 111.

Kirk Keeping (1618), 205, (1650) 315, (1703) 431 ; Penalties, 205.

Kirkhill of Leslie (1600), 157.

Kirklands in the Garioch (1600), 157.

Kirkpatrick ("Mak Siccar"), 43.

Kirks under Neglect (1650), 320.

Knaperna, Forbes of, 324, 449.

Knapska, 191, 192.

Knight Erskine of Pittodrie, 418, 474

550 Index.

Knight, Colonel Henry (1780), 474, 477.

Knight Marischal of Scotland, 367, 368, 439.

Knights Templars, Kirks and Lands of, 20, 125.

Knitting in Inverurie (178-), 483.

Knookinbaird, 111, 220, 430.

Knockinglas, Kirkinglas, Conglass, 60, vide Conglass.

Knockinglews, Knockingblewis, Barony of, 17, 19, 32 ; Hill of, 3 ; Mill of, 178, 181 ; Millers, 181 ;

Tenants, 209. Knockleith, James Urquhart of (16 — ), 468. Knowledge Qualification (1650), 316. Knox of That Ilk (1512), 131. Knox, John, Scheme of Schools, 170 ; Liturgy, 332.

Kyd, Dom. James, Vicar of Inverurie (1536), 142 ; William (Inverurie, 1600), 162. Kyle, Bishop (1809), 378. Kyner, John of (Kinkell, 1473) 122. Kynuncle, Mary, first wife of Dr. Arthur Johnston, 165.

Lady Craft of Blair, 418.

Ladies of the Garioch, see Garioch.

Lagavin, James Burnett of (168-), 485.

Lairds {circa 1500), 131, (circa 1600) 216, (circa 1650)307.

Lake Dwellings, 40.

Lamb, Simon (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Lamb, Margaret, wife of George Scott (1671), 329.

Lamberton, Sir Alexander (1296), 40.

Lamberton, William de (1199), 19, 21 ; do., Rector of Turriff (1262), 37.

Lamont, Dr. George (Kemnay, 1795), 421, 486.

Lamp, Sepulchral (Broomend), 5.

Land Tax (1607), 191.

Lands and Lairds in the Garioch, 16, 31. 37, 60-67, 99-105, 110, 111, 388.

Langcruick (Lindores), 157.

Lang Johnnie More, 74, 98.

Largie (Lindores), 157 ; Leslie of, 193 ; John Keid in (1701), 430.

Largs, Battle of, 436.

Latin Language in Schools, 170, 174, 424.

Laud, Archbishop, 333.

Lauder, Bridge of, 110.

Lauder, Isabella, wife of Alexander Leslie (1460), 444.

Lauder, Margaret, wife of Sir Alexander Seton, Lord Pitmedden, 467.

Lauder, William, Clerk of Session (1677), 467.

Laurence, Abbot of Melrose (1175), 31, 60.

Laurence, The Bell (St. Nicholas Steeple), 72, 123.

Index. 551

Laurence, Eda, wife of Philip de Keth, 436.

Laurieston, Straiton of (Harlaw), 89.

Lauxus, Leslaeana, 440, 443.

Law, John Gordon, younger of (1671), 329.

Lawellside, 43 ; Simpson (1676), 329, (1696) 389.

Lawrence Fair, 140, 245, 246.

Laws, Bessie Forbes, Goodwife of (1629), 210 ; Pittendreich, Portioner of (1675), 329.

Laws of the Four Burghs, 115-117.

Laws enacted in Inverurie anent Ale, 195, 196 ; Bestial, 197 ; Buildings, 191, 200 ; Crops, 190, 193, 194 ; Drinking, 195, 196 ; Geese, 196 ; House Letting, 193 ; Idlers, 192, 196 ; Maintenance, 181, 196, 361 ; Marketing, 200 ; Pasturing, 189, 190, 193, 194, 200 ; Protection of Trade, 166, 192, 205 ; Sabbath Keeping, 192, 196, 199 ; Sheep, 191 ; Swine, 191 ; Taverns, 195, 196 ; Turfing, 195, 201.

Lawson, Alexander, Stober, Inverurie (1649), 321.

Layard, Catherine, daughter of Lieut. -General Layard, wife of Colonel Andrew Lock (1860), 483.

Laybach, William Leslie, Bishop of (1718), 41.

Learning, (circa 1500), 130.

Learny, Sir Robert Forbes of (1720), 414, 471.

Leask of that Ilk (1512), 131.

Leask, James (Aberdeen, 1411), 89 ; do., Schoolmaster, Premnay and Oyne (1683-1710), 326, 386, 42§,

Ledinghani, Lodhgavel (Lindores, 1200), 25, 31..60, 157.

Ledingham Croft (Blakhall, 1696), 384.

Leeds (1633), 227.

Legal Profession (circa 1700), 387.

Legate, Papal (Galo, 1200), 22, 30.

Legatsden (1411), 96, (1639), 266, 280.

Leggat, 197, (1664), 351, 390.

Legrand, Jane, wife of Alexander Ferguson (1820), 485.

Leibnitz, 420.

Leith, 458 ; of Ardoyne (1499), 329, 389 ; of Auld Rayne, 307, 334 ; of Barnes (1355), 72, 73, 90, 101, 102, 105, 110, 123, 131, 234, 458, 464, 466 ; of Blackbogs (1359), 66 ; of Blair (1505), 101, (1650-1807) 419, 459, 462; of Blakhall, 459; of Bucharne (1620), 458, 459, 462, 463; of Cairden (1668), 329, 389 ; of Caprington (1388), 72 ; of Craighall (1672), 329 ; of Drumrossie (1369), 66 ; of Edingarroch (1282), 38, 72, 234, 238, 401, 449, 458, 459 ; of Harthill (1499- 1720), 246, 265, 267, 284, 301, 305, 310, 334, 339, 445, 448, 460, 461, 462 ; of Kirktown of Rayne (1630), 459 ; of Leithfield (1829), 463 ; of Leith-hall (1650), 238, 400, 401, 458, 459 ; of Licklyhead (1598-1620), 238, 446, 459 ; of Montgarrie (1595), 326 ; of Newlands (1668, 1677), 329, 340 ; of New Leslie, 401, 459 ; of Overhill (1536-1817), 460, 461 ; of Treefield (1605-1702), 329, 352, 401, 410, 462, 473 ; of Whiteriggs, 459.

Leith, , (Bucharne), wife of Mr. Fyfe (18—), 463.

Leith, Alexander, of or in Bucharne (1652), 450, 462 ; do., 462 ; do. (died 1763) and family, 463 ; of Freefield and Glenkindie (died 1794), 401, and family, 460 ; do., 401, and family, 460 ; do. (died 1828), 460 ; do., 401, 460 ; (Harthill, 1630) 461 ; of Leith-hall, Leith Hay ; (died 1838), 459 ; do. (1862), 459 ; (Treefield, circa 1712) 462 ; (Insch, 1652) 311.

Leith, Sir Alexander, Lieut. -Colonel (Bucharne, died 1783), 463 ; do., Advocate (Bucharne, died 1842), 463 ; do., K.C.B. (Freefield), 401, 413, 460.

Leith, Sir Andrew, of Leith-haD, and family, 459.

552 Index.

Leith, Anna, wife of Alexander Gordon (1608), 339, 461; do., wife of Alexander Innes (1878), 460 ;

do. (Kingurdie, 1807), 462. Leith Arms, 72, 459, 460, 461, 462. Leith, Dr. Charles (Johnston, died 1781), 463. Leith, Dr. David, Minister of Kemnay (1649-53), 239, 303, 311. Leith, Disney, Major-General, 401, 460. Leith, Elizabeth, of Edingarroch, wife of Norman Leslie (1320), 73 ; do. wife of Mr. John Forbes

(1505), 458; do., wife of Dr. John Stewart (circa 1800), 463 ; do., wife of Peter Gordon of

Abergeldie, 460. Leith, George, of Mill of Axdoyne and Seattbrig (1672), 329 ; do. of Barnes and Blair (died 1505), 101,

458, 464, 466 ; do. of Blakhall, 459 ; do. (Bucharne), 462 ; of Craighall (1672), 329 ; do. of

Edingarroch (1550), 458; do. (Harthill, 1679), 334, 462; do. (London, 1842), 463; do. of

New Rayne (1679), 462 ; do. of Overhall (1618), 460 ; do. (1633), 461 ; do. (do. 1655), 461 ;

do. (do. 1700), 461 ; do. (do. died 1817), 461 ; do. of Treefield (1605), 334, 460, 461, 462 ; do.

(do. 1643), 462, 473 ; do. (do. 1665-1702), 352, 462 ; do. Minister at Culsalniond (1635), 239,

and at Bethelny (1660), 240, 305. Leith, Sir George (Bucharne died 1842), 463 ; do. (Bucharne, 1878), 463. Leith, Gilbert, of Overhall (1536), 460 ; do. (do. 1583), 460. Leith, Helen, wife of George Leith (1605), 462 ; do., wife of George Leith (1672), 329 ; do. wife of

William Garioch (1712), 462; do., wife of John Stewart (died 1751), 462. Leith, Henry (Aberdeen, 1411), 89 ; do. of Barnes (1490), 102, 234, 458. Leith, James of Leith-hall (1650), 401, 459 ; do., Sheriff of Kincardineshire, 463 ; do., of Leithfield,

Major-General (died 1829), 363 ; do. (Major V. G), 460. Leith, Janet, wife of Alexander Seton (1526), 464, 466 ; do., wife of James Amott (18—), 463. Leith, Jean, wife of George Gordon (1720), 462. Leith, John de (1412-20), 72, 105, 458. Leith, John de, of Ardoyne (1696), 389 ; do. of Blair (17—), 462 ; do. (do. died 1764), 462 ; of

Bucharne, 459, 462 ; of Cairden (1696), 389 ; do. (Edingarroch, 1570), 445, 459 ; of Harthill

(1599-1612), 246, 461 ; do. (do. 1600-51), 182, 238, 246, 461 ; do. (do. 1651—), 275, 305, 461 ;

do. of Leith-hall, Bucharne, and New Leslie (1650), 401, 459, 462 ; do., do. 238, 459; do.

401, 459 ; do. do., 459 ; do., Rear- Admiral, 459 ; do., Farley, M.P., 459 ; do., Fiar of Mont-

garrie (1595), 226 ; do. of Newlands (1668-77), 329, 340 ; do. of New Leslie, 459 ; do. of Over- hall (1520), 460. Leith, Lawrence, of Barnes and Caprington (1388-1411), 72, 90, 458 ; do. of Bucharne and Kirktown

of Rayne (circa 1620), 458 ; do. Lieut. (Bucharne, died 1795), 463 ; do. (New Flinders, circa

1700), 459. Leith, Magdalene, wife of George Leith (1618), 460, 461. Leith, Margaret (1664), 334. Leith, Marjory, wife of Stephen Leslie (1610), 446 ; do., wife of Norman Leslie (circa 1640), 446 ; do.

(New Rayne, 1679), 462. Leith, Mary Sarah, wife of Robert Farquharson (1878), 460. Leith, Norman of Barnes (14—), 458, 460. Leith, Robert, of Overhall (1678), 461 ; do. (died 1768), 461. Leith, Patrick of Cairden (1668), 329 ; of Edingarroch (died 1550), 442, 445, 449, 458 ; do. (do. 1598),

459 ; do. (do. 1620), 459 ; of Harthill (ante 1499), 445, 458, 461 ; do. (do. 1679) and family,

462; do. (do. ante 1758), 462; do. (" Young Harthill" died 1747), 284, 288, 301. 461; of

Licklyhead (1598), 446, 459; do. (do. 1620), 238, 459.

Index. 553

Leith, Peter (Harthill, 1644), 288, 461 ; do. Younger of Treefield (1702), 460, 462.

Leith, Sophia, wife of Rev. Alexander Simpson (1720), 462.

Leith, Thomas, Major (Freefield, 1878), 460.

Leith, Walter (Bucharne, 1790), 463.

Leith, William, of Ardoyne (1696), 389 ; of Barnes and Euthrieston, Provost of Aberdeen (1355), 66, 72, 73, 105, 110, 123, 401, 458 ; of Edingarroch (1499), 458 ; do. (do. died ante 1598), 459 '; do. of Harthill (1650), 46S ; do., Minister at Kinkell (1644-9), 214, 273, 302, 305 ; do. of Over- hall (ante 1583), 460 ; do. of Parson's Green, 460 ; do. of Old Rayne (1664), 336.

Leith-hall, Lands of, 400, 459.

Leith Hay of Leith-hall and Rannes, Alexander (died 1838), 459 ; do. (1878), 459 ; Sir Andrew (died 1S62), 459, and family, 459.

Leith Ross of Arnage, 460 ; John, 419, 455 ; do., 368.

Leith Ross, Christina Martha, wife of Alexander Johnston (died 1878), 455.

Leith Ross, John (1825), 419, 455 ; do. (1878), 368.

Lennox, Duke of (1611), 160; Earl of (11-), 23, (1306) 43.

Lent Postponed (1600), 268.

Lentush, Ledyntoscach, Lairds of, Duncan of Rane (1304), 61 ; St. Michael (1304-1333), 61 • Tulli- daf (1400), 104 ; Arbuthoiot (1606), 246 ; Dr. WiUiam Keith (1650), 449 ; Dr. Chalmers '(1696) 388.

Leochel, Kirk of, Vicarage of Monymusk, 20, 126, 127.

Leopold I., Emperor (1664), 399.

Leslie Family, 2, 8, 92, 100, 104, 144, 328, 440 ; in Fife, 34 ; in Inverurie, 142, 173, 193, 207.

Leslie of Aquhorties and Aquhorsk, vide Leslie, James and John ; of Ardoyne (1505-45), 131, 442,

470 ; of Badifurrow ( 1613-55), vide Kincraigie ; of Balquhain (1340), 441-4 vide infra ; of

Barra (1595), 174 ; of Bogs (1638), 161, 210, 211 ; of Buchanstone (1668-96), 329, 389 ; of Bucharn, 445 ; of Carchnie (1635), 214 ; of Clisson, 445 ; of Auld Craig (1606), 246 ; of Criehie (1596-1633), 245, 246 ; of Duncanstone (1546), 445 ; of Findrassie (1794),' 446 ; of Little Folia (1611-1807), 411 ; of Iden (1710), 423 ; of Kinbroon (circa 1700), 447 ; of Kin- craigie vide Kincraigie ; of Largie (1609), 193 ; of New Leslie (1613), 194, 441 ; of Netherton (1650), 315; of The Peill (1588), 156 ; of Pitcaple (1606-1650), 238, 246, 304, 327 ; of Rothes (1391), 105, 404 ; of Tarbet, 474 ; of Tocher (1760), 465 ; of Tullos (1630) vide infra Alexander • of Wardes (14—1651), 100, 111, 220, 444 ; of Warthill (15-), 140, 223, 410, 446.

Leslie, do., wife of Spence of Bodom (1500), 444 ; wife of Robert Keith (1513), 444 ;

do-> wife of William Leith (1650), 461 ; do., wife of Sir George Johnston (1650) '

450.

Leslie, Abraham, of Findrassie (1795), 446.

Leslie, Agnes, wife of James Harvie (1550), 442 ; do., wife of Laurence Leith (1630), 459.

Leslie, Alexander, of Balquhain (1467-72), 442 ; do. do. called of Tullos (1671-77), 161, 215, 250, 294, 319, 330, 345, 399, 400, 413, 442, 443, 470 ; do. (Inverurie circa 1600), 161, 174, 182,' 207,' 39o' do. of Kincraigie (1527-1536), 139, 142, 321 ; do., 1st Earl of Leven, 225 (Pitcaple, 1650);'307 do. (Pitcaple, 1655), 311 ; do. of Wardes (1500), 100, 180, 444, 446 ; do. do. (1573), 444, 445 459 do. of Warthill (1656-1721), 411, 431, 432. Leslie Alliances, 366.

Leslie, Amelia (wife of Alexander Fraser, 1S00), 444.

Leslie, Andrew (Balquhain 15—), 445; do., Cryn, Poland (1619), 207; do., Clerk of Daviot (1550), 144 ; do., Parson of F<4ternear and Sheriff Clerk of Aberdeen (1569), 139, 148; do., of New Leslie (1613), 194 ; do., of the Peill (158S), 156.

70

554 Index.

Leslie, Sir Andrew de (1320), 441 ; do. do. (1325-53), 441 ; do. do. (1390), 65, 104, 441 ; do. of Bal- quhain (1378-1420), 89, 107, 108, 235, 442.

Leslie, Anne, Anna, wife of John Leitli (1570), 445 ; do., wife of John R. Grant (167-), 443 ; do., wife of George Seton (1714), 446.

Leslie, Annabella, wife of Andrew Bremner (1530), 445.

Leslie, Barbara, wife of William dimming (1550), 442.

Leslie, Bartolf of (11—), 16.

Leslie, Bessie, wife first of Robert Winton, second of Andrew Menzies (1550), 445.

Leslie, Caroline, wife of Sir John Leslie (1744), 446.

Leslie, Castle, 238, 401.

Leslie, Catherine, wife of Christopher Rolleston, 447.

Leslie, Charles, of Balquhain (died 1870), 440 ; do. Count, 443 ; do. (" Mussel Mou," 1745), 407, 8.

Leslie, Sir Charles, of Wardes (1S26), 446 ; do. (bom 1848), 446.

Leslie, Christian, wife of Chalmers of Balbithan (1490), 232; do., wife of Alexander Leslie (1520), 441 ; do., wife of Alexander Leslie {ante 1546), 441 ; do., wife of Secretary Burnett (1782), 486.

Leslie, Clara, wife of Patrick Leith (1531), 445, 461.

Leslie, Count, 399, 440, 443 ; Style of (1664), 399, (1695), 443.

Leslie Croft and Leslie Horn, Inverurie, 185.

Leslie, David ; do. (died 1439), 89, 104, 105, 441, 442 ; do. 1st Earl of Newark, 286.

Leslie, Elizabeth, wife first of "William Seton (1490), second of Provost Collison, 138, 444, 446 ; do., wife of John Leslie (1550), 442; do., wife first of Sir John Gordon, second of Sir George Currier (1640), 445 ; do., wife of William Grant, Conglass (1660), 319, 359, 442.

Leslie, Field-Marshal, Earl of Leven, 255, 264, 274, 276, 286.

Leslie, Forbes of, 234, 236-9, 270, 272, 289, 338, 401.

Leslie, Francis (Wardes circa 1630), 445.

Leslie, George, Minister at Aberdeen (16—), 446 ; do., of Auld Craig (1606), 246 ; do. of Balquhain, Count, 400,423, 443 ; do. of Bogs, senior and junior (1629, 1638), 161, 210 ; do. of Crichie (1607, 1633), 194, 221, 238, 246, 445 ; do. of Little Folia (1655), 447 ; do. do. (1807), 448 ; do. of Iden (1710), 423 ; do. of That Ilk (1620) 217, 441 ; do. (Inverurie, 1610-1650), 194, 203, 204, 207, 238, 256-7, 274, 282, 293-5, 349, 394 ; do. (do. 1677), 364 ; do. of Kinbroon (circa 1700), 447 ; do. of Kincraigie (1613-43), 161, 211, 219, 236, 238, 285, 307 ; do. do. (1643-55), 219, 322, 405 ; do. of New Leslie (1613), 441 ; do. of Rothmaise (1633), 238 ; do. (Warthill, 18—), 447. Leslie, Sir George, of Balquhain (1340-51), 66, 441 ; do. of Rothes (1391), 104, 105.

Leslie, Gilbert, of Buchanstone (1668), 329 ; do. (Leggat, 1681), 390.

Leslie, Henry (ante 1509), 470.

Leslie, Isobel, wife of Alexander Seton (circa 1500), 442 ; do., wife first of William Troup, second of

Andrew Craig (circa 1530), 445 ; do., wife of James Horn (1675), 415. Leslie, James (Aberdeen, 17-), 411, 447 ; do. of Aquhorties and Aquhorsk (1630), 213, 214, 217, 236, 238, 243, 298, 307, 327, 329 ; do. of Balquhain (1715-31), 423, 443 ; do. do. (Michael, 1844-9), 444 ; do. of Buchanstone (1671), 329 ; do., (Captain, 1696), 389 ; do., Count, (Gratz, 1655-85), 400, 411, 443 ; do., (Ernest, 1693), 400, 411, 443 ; do., (Inverurie, 1536), 142, do., (do. 1681), 393 ; do. of Little Folia (born 1630) 447 ; do. (Wardes, 1640), 474 ; do. (Warthill, born 1625) 446 ; do. (do. 18—), 447 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Leslie, Janet, wife of Alexander Leslie (1520), 441 ; do., wife of William Duguid (1560), 442; do., wife first of John Gordon (1630), second of George Gordon, 445.

Index. 555

Leslie, Jean, wife of Patrick Leith (circa 1500), 442; do., wife of Thomas Dempster (1588),

442 ; do., wife of John Forbes (1620), 237 ; do., second wife of James Elphinston (1641),

470. Leslie, John, of Aquhorsk and Drimmies (1669-71), 329, 487 ; do. do. (1683), 487 ; do. of Badifurrow

(1631), 117, 203, 212, 213, 219, 317 ; do. of Balquhain (1545-6), 139, 442 ; do. do. (1571-1622),

215-6, 399, 442 ; do. do. (1622-38), 179, 212, 216, 238, 242, 247 ; do. do. (1638-55), 250, 398,

442 ; do. do. (1777-1828), 444 ; do. do. (1836-43), 444; do., Assistant Clerk, Daviot (1550),

144 ; do. of That Ilk (1546), 441 ; do. do. (1608), 441 ; do., Parish Clerk of Inverurie (1536),

142; do., Town Clerk of Eintore (1616), 202; do. of Largie (1609), 193; do., Abbot of

Lindores (1579-84), 441 ; do. of Nethertown (1560), 315 ; do. of New Eayne (17—), 446 ;

do. of Pitcaple (1650), 234, 304, 327 ; do. of Tocher (1760), 446, 465 ; do. of Wardes (1460-

1546), 29, 59, 111, 137, 176, 444 ; do. do. (1616), 207, 221, 248, 330, 445 ; do. (Warthill,

1651), 446 ; do. (do., W.S., 1715) 411. Leslie, Dr. John, Bishop, first of Orkney, second of Clogher and Raphoe (16 — ), 221, 445 ; do., first,

Parson of Oyne, second, Bishop of Ross (1565), 148, 149, 155. Leslie, Professor John (17 — ), 486. Leslie, Sir John, of Wardes (1625), 210, 220, 221, 222, 445 ; do. do. (died 1645), 222, 445 ; do. do.

(died 1825), 446.

Leslie, Johanna, wife of Strachan (14 — ), 441.

Leslie, Katherine (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Leslie, Kirk of, Vicarage of Lindores, 34 ; Endowments (1257), 35, (1366) 79 ; Teinds of (1546), 441 ;

Institution at (1602), 259 ; Visited (1649), 304 ; Vacant (1651-55), 309 ; Settlement at (1701),

429. Leslie, Ministers— Walter Innes, Vicar {ante 1602), 153; William Forbes (1602—), 159; John

Middleton (1643), 240 ; Duncan Forbes (1643-7), 240; John Gellie, younger (1647-51), 240 ;

Alexander Swan (1655-65) ; Alexander Mowat (1674-81) ; William Watson (1681-98), 378,

379, 429 ; William Forbes (1701), 429. Leslie, Schoolmaster, James Mennie (1710), 425. Leslie, Lady of, Leslie, 378, 388, 404. Leslie, Lands of, 60, 401, 441 ; Lairds, Leslie (1100-1620), 440; Forbes (1620-91), 237, 338, 388 ;

Leith (169—), 238. Leslie, Malcolm, Constable (1165-99), 31, 32, 33; do., son of Constable, 32. Leslie, Margaret, wife of David de Abercromby (1391), 441 ; do., wife of Cobairdy (15 — ), 444 ; do., wife

of Dunbar of Bonnyfield (1550), 442 ; do., wife of Alexander Abercromby (159—), 235, 442 ;

do., wife first of Alexander Leslie, second of Mr. James Mill (died 1629), 161, 210. Leslie, Marjory, wife of James Keith, (15—), 445 ; do., wife of James Elphinstone (1559), 412, 470 ;

do., wife of Gilbert Johnston (circa 1570), 445, 449 ; do., wife of Rev. Robert Burnett (1600),

446 ; do., wife first of Alexander Bannerman, second of Sir John Fletcher (1630), 445 ; do.

(Inverurie, 1649), 315 ; do., wife of William Chalmers (1669), 487. Leslie, Mary, wife of George Leslie (1770), 447, 448 ; do., wife of Dr. Patrick Davidson, 447. Leslie, New, 401, 459. Leslie, Norino, Constable (1248), 34. Leslie, Norman, Constable (1237), 33, 34, 217 ; do. de- (1348-1358), 65, 66, 72, 73, 441 ; do. do. (died

1391), 104, 441 ; do. (Inverurie, 1605-9), 169, 171, 173, 190, 191, 192, 203, 207 ; do. (Wardes,

1630), 178, 210, 213, 445. Leslie, Sir Norman (1282-1305), 35, 38, 39, 40, 41, 63, 217, 441. Leslie, Patrick, of Ardoyne(1545), 442 ; do. of Balquhain (1472-96), 442 ; do. do. (1677-1710), 235, 236,

556 Index.

345, 398, 400, 443 ; do. do. (1775-7), 443 ^do. (Bogs, died 1630), 211 ; do. of Duncanstone (1546),

445; do. of That Ilk (1575), 441 ; do. of Kineraigie and Badifurrow ( 1613), 143, 161, 169, '

172, 190, 194, 209, 219 ; do. do., (1688), 236, 328, 380 ; do., Minister at Kinkell (1633), 161, 239 ;

do.. Lord Lindores (1600), 156 ; do. (Monymnsk, 1685), 348 ; do. of New Kayne (1696), 389, 446 ;

do. (Warthill, 16—), 446 ; do., (do. 18-), 447. Leslie, Sir Patrick, Commendator of Lindores, 156 ; do. of Whytehall (circa 1655), 294. Leslie, Peter, of Balquhain (1762-75), 443 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Leslie, Priest (1702), 423.

Leslie, Robert de, Rector of Shuns (1273), 50 ; do. (Wardes, 1547), 232, 446. Leslie, Teresa, wife of Robert Duguid (16—), 400, 443.

Leslie, Thomas, Parish Clerk of Logiedurno (1492), 122 ; do. Warthill, (18—), 447. Leslie, Walter (Balquhain, Count, died 1677), 250, 399, 400, 441, 442, 443 ; do. Earl of Ross (13—),

441 ; do. (Warthill, 18—), 447. Leslie, William, of Balquhain (1496-1545), 129, 137, 442 ; do. do. (1561-71), 129, 145, 146, 215, 442 ;

do. do. (1655-71), 250, 330, 398-400, 443 ; do. of Barra (1595), 174 ; do. of Carchnie (1635),

214 ; do. of Crichie 1596), 174 ; do. Culsalmond, (1653), 311 ; do. (Inverurie, 1476), 119 ;

(do. do. 1595), 103, 151, 174, 19S ; do., Bishop of Laybach (Warthill, born 1657), 326, 411,

447, 470 ; do., Miuister of Kemnay (1699), 427, 428, 429, 432 ; do. (Aloysius, Priest, 1670),

443 ; do., Minister at Tough (1701), 429, 431 ; do. of Little Folia (1611), 447 ; do. do. (Rev.

died 1722), 447 ; do. do. (Rev. died 1743), 447 ; do. of Wardes (1573-1602), 182, 221, 232,

445, 474 ; do. of Warthill (1490-1561), 223, 446 ; do. do. (died 1640), 182, 223, 446 ; do. do.

(1620-76), 41, 447, 470 ; do. do. (1770-1857), 447, 473 ; do. do. (1S14), 412, and family, 447. Leslie, Dr. William, Principal of King's College, Aberdeen (1639), 249. Leslie, Sir William, of Balquhain (1420-67), 59, 100, 108, 110, 442 ; do. of Wardes (1645), 222, 305,

307, and family, 445, 450. Lesmoir, Gordon of, 170, 235, 249, 388, 464, 485. Lessel, Gilbert and Janet (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Lessel, Robert, Minister of Inverurie (1800-53), 395. Lessel, William (1273), 50.

Lethinty, Attached to Daviot Parish (1623), 309 ; House of, in Civil War, 273, 275, 284, 285. Lethinty, Lairds of, Earls of the Garioch, Lords of the Garioch : Paule Crab, and Robert Burnard

(1395), 66 ; Forbes of Pitsligo (circa 1400-1617), 90, 101, 233, 293, 449 ; Urquhart (1634),

vide Patrick Urquhart ; Burnett (1696), 389. Lettermarie Fair of Inverurie, 150, 205, 361, Leuchars, Innes of (ante 1571), 464, 466. Leven, Earl of, 225. Levinstone, Leviugstone, Livingstone ; Andrew (Keith-hall, 1682), 403 ; Dr. (Jesuit, 1702), 423 ;

Begent (1439), 438. Leys, Burnett of, 226, 237, 250, 251, 282, 420, 422. Lichtenstein, Princess Maria, wife of Count Leslie (1666), 400. Lichton, Lychton, Alexander, Prior of Torphichen (1422), 125. Lichton, Dnncan, Vicar of Bethelnie (1426-64), 125, 126. Lichton, Elene, wife of Gilbert de Johnston (ante 1428), 121, 448. Lichton, Henry, Parson of Kinkell, Bishop first of Moray, second of Aberdeen (died 1440), 87, 88,

114, 125, 132. Lichton, Janet, wife of Andrew Glaster (1428) 121. Lichton, John (Fetternear, 1650), 397.

Index. 557

Lichton, Marjory, wife of John de Johnston (1428) 121, 448.

Lichton, of Usan, 121, 448.

Lichton, William (Inverurie, 1633), 397.

Licklyhead, Castle of, 234, 282, 401 ; Leith of (1598-1620), 238, 282, 446, 459 ; Forbes of (1696), 388.

Liege, Siege of (1408), 87.

Liell, Andrew, Parson of Daviot (1470-5), 126, 149.

Liell, David, Chaplain, Chapel of Garioch (1505), 129.

Life in the Garioch (15-), 137, (1600-40), 187, 217, (1696) 381-98, (1700) 387, 398.

Ligertwood, James (Isaackstoun, 1664), 351 ; do. of Tillery (1800), 467.

Ligertwood, Margaret, wife of Sir William Seton (1800), 467.

Lindores Abbey, Charter of (1195), 25 ; Garioch Vicarages of, 19, 35, 36, 79 ; Possessions of, 29, 157,

176 ; Thomas, Abbot (1259), 61 ; John, Abbot (1546), 441. Lindores, Lords of, Patrick (1600), 156, 256 ; do. Patrick, 237. Lindores, Lordship of, 144, 145, 157, 219. Lindsay (circa 1200), 23.

Lindsay, Ann, wife of Rev. Dr. Willox (169-), 387.

Lindsay, David, Earl of Crawford, 101 ; do., Minister of Drumoak (1697), 426. Lindsay, Euphemia, wife of Sir William Leslie (1420 — ), 217, 442. Lindsay, Sir James, Earl of Crawford, 67.

Lindsay, Margaret, wife of John Mackieson (N. P., 1630), 214, 293. Lindsay, Sophia, wife of Hon. Charles Campbell (1681), 373. Lintbutts, Inverurie, 185. Little Croft, Inverurie, 173, 394.

Little Folia, Blakhall of (1519), 228 ; Leslie of (1611), 447 . Littlejohn, Christian (Daviot, 1550), 144. Liturgy in Scotland, Presbyterian, 332 ; Episcopalian, 336. Loanhead, Andrew Logie of, Advocate, Aberdeen (1675), 388, 450. Loch Cannor, 40, 70. Loch Davain, 41. Lochaber, Keiths in, 435. Lochdoun, Castle of, 45, 70. Lochiel, Cameron of, 91. Lochleven Castle, 70, 149. Locke the Philosopher, 420. Lockhart, the Advocate (1681), 373, 376. Lofthillock, 100, 211, 225, 351, 466. Logie, Andrew, Minister of Rayne (1624-1662), 161, 213, 239, 241, 273, 306 ; do. of Loanhead (1695),

388, 450. Logie, Isobel, wife of James Leslie (1650), 446. Logie, John, senior and junior, of Boddom (1701) 388, 429 ; do. Minister at Insch (1607), 239 ; and at

Bethelnie (1613), 240 ; do. (Lofthillock 1664), 351. Logie, Captain John (1640), 241, 281. Logie, William (Bogheads, 1677), 364. Logie-Buchan, Minister, William Seton (1652-71), 310, 468. Logiedurno, Vicarage of Lindores, 19, 25, 157 ; Endowments (1257), 35, (1366), 79, (1600), 157 ; Kirk

of, at Chapel (1599), 147, 156. Logiedurno, Ministers— Thomas Sinclair, Vicar (1454), 125 ; Stephen Mason (1567), 153 ; William

558 Index.

Straehan (1588), 154 ; Alexander Paterson (1592), 154 ; Andrew Strachan (1603-33), 239 ;

Alexander Strachan (1633-77), 239, 306, 324 ; George Clark (1677-1704), 386, 432. Logiedurno, Parish Clerk, Thomas Leslie (1492), 122. Logiedurno, Schoolmasters— William Leslie (16—) 326 ; "William Idell (1670), 326 ; George Birnie

(1679), 326 ; Walter Turing (1696), 386 ; Alexander Leslie (1710), 425. Logie-Elphinstone, 413 ; House of, 413.

Logie-Elphinstone, Lairds of, Henry Forbes (14—), 413 ; Elphinstone (1670;, 414, 415, 471-3. Logie-Fintray, Barony of, 235. Logie-Ruthven, Kirk of (1207), 55. London, Plague at (1665), 338. Long Croft, Inverurie, 185. Longland Folds, Inverurie, 183, 258. Longueville, Sir Thomas de, 43. Longhermiston, Deans of, 478. Lorn, Lord (1660), 373.

Lothian, Lord (1649), 358 ; Marchioness of (17-), 377. Louden, Earl of (1639), 259, 276, 284, 291. Lot, The (1699), 385.

Louis, of France, IX., 34; XL, 110 ; XIV., 379, 421. Lovat, Lord Hugh (14—), 442 ; Simon (1703), 376 ; Thomas (1850), 444. Lovel, James (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Low, Alexander (Inverurie), 1700), 390 ; do. (Skene, 1700), 453. Lowman, Duthac (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Ludquharn, Keith of (1578), 456.

Lumgair, Glaster of (1381), 100 ; Gordon of (1493), 100. Lumphauan, 40, 400. Lumphard, Seton of (1575), 141, 464. Lumphard, Mill of (John Davidson, 1640), 392.

Lumsden of Ardmurdo (1623), 231, 307 ; of Clova, 401 ; of Cushnie, 448, 467. Lumsden, Agnes (Aberdeen, 1650), 307.

Lumsden, Eliza, wife first of Captain John Wilson, second of Sir William C. Seton (18 — ), 467. Lumsden, Henry, Rector of Kinkell (1545-1563), 125, 148 ; do. of Cushnie (18—), 467. Lumsden, Jean (Aberdeen, 1650), 307.

Lumsden, John, Professor of Divinity, King's College, Aberdeen (1757), 417.

Lumsden, Margaret, wife of William Johnston (1513), 448 ; do., wife of Patrick Leslie (1575), 441. Lumsden, Thomas, Prebendary of Kinkell (1570), 125, 148. Lumsden, William, of Ardmurdo (1623-1650), 231, 307. Lunan, Alexander, Minister at Monymusk (1625), 237, and at Kintore (1628), 240, 406 ; do. Minister

at Daviot (1672-1716), 241 ; do. at Blairdaff (1744), 386. Lunan, Ann, wife of John Forbes (1696), 406. Lunan, Charles (Aberdeen, 1774), 343. Lunan, Elizabeth, wife of William Adam (1696), 386. Lunan, John (Monymusk, born 1608), 240. Lunan, William (Manse of Kintore, born 1633), 240 ; do. (his son, bom 1664), 240, 384, 386 ; do.,

Minister at Daviot (1663-72), 339, 386. Lundy, Agnes, wife of George Johnston (circa 1590), 449. Lundy of Conland (16-), 449.

Index. 559

Lundy of That Ilk, 55, 223, 224.

Lundy, John (Inverurie, 1751), 393.

Lnndy, Katherine, wife of John Johnston (died 1616), 208, 210, 223, 410, 449.

Lundy, Malcolm of (aide 1228), 55.

Lundy, Priest (1388), 77, 90, 126, 224.

Lundy, Robert of (1200), 25, 27, 224 ; do. (Inverurie, 1662-4), 351, 352.

Lundy, Walter of (15—), 223.

Lundy, William of (15—), 223, 224, 449 ; do. (Inverurie, 1686-1717), 383, 393, 397.

Luesk, Strachan of (1676), 329.

Lyon, George (Baillie, Inverurie, 1800), 259, 393.

Lyon of Muiresk (1520), 460.

Lyon, , wife of John Leith (15—), 460.

M.

Macdonald, Alister (1644), 288.

Machar, Old, Minister, Dr. Skene Ogilvy, 465.

Macintosh, M'Intosh, Chief of (1411), 98, 193; Rev. Donald (Badenoch, 1710), 424.

Macintosh, Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Farquhar (1696), 389.

Mackay, Lieut. -General (1689), 376, 381.

Mackenzie, Colin, of Kilcoy (17—), 416, 471 ; do. of Glack (1795), 413, 471.

Mackenzie, Jean, wife of Alexander Elphinstone (1787), 471.

Mackenzie, John, of Glack (died 1877), 401, 413 ; do. do. (1877), 413.

Mackenzie, Mary, wife of Sir Alexander Leith, 413.

Mackie or Mackieson of Midtoun, Inverurie (1538-1732), 259, 357, 392.

Mackie, Makkie, M'Kie, Alexander, Vicar of Inverurie (ante 1600), 153, 154, 159 ; do. (Inverurie, 1619), 206, 207.

Mackie, Andrew and Anthony (Inverurie), 1536), 142.

Mackie, David, Miller at Ardtannies (1636), 181.

Mackie, George, Inverurie (1600-19), 182, 193, 194, 196, 207.

Mackie, Isobel (Inverurie, Charmer, 1657), 319.

Mackie, Janet (Inverurie, 1646), 293 ; do. (do. wife of James Lyon, 1771), 393.

Mackie, John (Inverurie, 1535), 142; do. (do. 1610-50), 194, 214, 238, 292, 293, 317, 322, 352, 393 ; do. (do. of Midtoun, ante 1732), 342 ; do. (in Culm, Polish Prussia, 1732), 392.

Mackie. Marjory (Inverurie, 1649), 393.

Mackie, Thomas (Inverurie, 1645), 292.

Mackie, William (Inverurie, 1580), 151 ; do. (do. 1600), 182; do. (Ardtannies, 1651), 318.

Mackieson, Alexander (Inverurie, 1600-16), 182, 192, 193, 202, 204, 393.

Mackieson, George (1600-19), 172, 182, 196, 201, 204, 206.

Mackieson, John (Conglass, 1538), 392 ; do., Inverurie (1600-14), 172, 195, 196; do. (do. 1609), 193, 204 ; do. (Midtoun, 1633), 258 ; do. (do. N. P., 1633-6), 214, 258 ; do. (Town Clerk of Fraser- burgh, 1615), 184, 198, 201, 203.

Mackieson, Margaret (Inverurie, 1612), 195.

Maclean, Hector, of Duart (1411), 91, 93.

560 Index.

Macleod of Dunvegan (1616), 244

Macleod at Inverurie (1745), 408, 409.

Mackrell, Grisell (Oyne, 1677), 340.

Macranald (1639), 281.

Macpherson, Annie, wife of James Ferguson (1878), 478.

Macrobert, John (Inverurie, 1674), 339.

MacWhirrie (Jesuit, 1588), 156.

M'Callum, Malcolm (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

M'Robb, James (Glens, Inseh, 1701), 430.

Madder Yards, Inverurie, 185.

Magistrates of Inverurie, (1616), Qualifications, 194 ; Mode of Resignation, 194 ; Contempt of,

200, 204. Maiden of Norway, 38, 40. Maiden Stone, 4, 5, 8. Maiden, The (1661), 372.

Maintenance, Laws anent (Inverurie, 1614-1659), 188, 196, 361. Mainz (1704), 377.

Mair, William, Minister of Oyne (1701), 429-32. Mair, John, Minister of Insch (1703), 430, 432. Maitland, Mr. Patrick of Auchincrieff (1623), 209. Maitland, Mr. AVilliam (excommunicated for rebellion, 1650), 307. Malcolm, Archdeacon (ante 1224), 21 ; do. Son of Bartolf, Constable of Enrowrie (1166-1199), 27, 33,

440 ; do. Son of Malcolm, (1200), 32 ; do. Canmore, 14, 15, 410 ; do. The Maiden (11—), 19. Malcolmson, John and Walter (Inverurie, 1637), 212. Malignants in Civil War, 289, 301, 309, 323.

Maliag, Mallin, Malan, Mellin, Melvin, Alexander (Monymusk, 1685), 348 ; Andrew, Henry, Eliza- beth (Daviot, 1650), 144. Maling, Isabella (Inverurie, 1609), 193. Maling, Robert (Inverurie, 1671), 362. Malinch, Malingsyd, Mellinside (1200), 25, 31, 60, 157. Malise, Earl of Strathearn (1273), 56. Malt (1200), IS. Manar, 5, 32 ; Garden of, 410. Manners (1650), 318, (1681) 360. Manrent, Bonds of, 84, 262. Manses in Cathedral Close, 125 ; Inverurie, 174. Manses, Style of, in Seventeenth Century, 346. Manslaughter (1533), 141, (1574) 155, (1620) 211, (1623), 212. Manure, Value of (1667), 361. Maories of Buchan and Mar, 13. Mar, Countess of, Agnes (1222), 55 ; Muriel (128— ), 56 ; Ellen (1292), 56; Christian (1306), 56,

57, 64 ; Margaret (1377), 38, 57, 64 ; Isobel (1404), 68. Mar, Earldom of, 54-60 ; Contested, 55, 84, 106 ; In the King's hands (14—), 108 ; Surrendered to

Legal Heir (1565), 59 ; Claimed (16—), 57 ; Attainted (1715), 59. Mar, Earls of Mar surname— Domnhall, Rothrie, Morgrund, Gilchrist, Duncan, 55 ; William, Donald,

Gartney, Donald, 56 ; Talbot, 69 ; Thomas, 57, 63, 105 ; William Douglas, 57 ; James ;

Alexander Stewart, 58.

Index. 561

Mar, Earls of, in the Crown— John (1477), 102, 110 ; Cochrane (1480), 110 ; Alexander Duke of Albany (1482), 110; John (1490), 111 ; of Erskine Surname, 59, 437 ; John (1565), 59 ; John (died 1634), 59, 402, 438 ; John (1663), 350, 361, 367 ; Charles (1684), 330 ; John (1715), 59, 439.

Mar, Earl of, Duncan, son of (1296), 63.

Mar, Elyne of, wife of Sir James de Garviach, 57, 63.

Mar, Laigh of, 153.

Mar, Mids o', 252.

Mar, Morniaors of, 6.

Mar, Presbytery of (1581), 153, (1602), 159.

Mar Vault in Kildruinniy, 111.

Marches of Conglass aud Drimmies (1569), 488 : Inverurie Lands (1610), 194, (1619), 205, (1620), 207, (1653), 852.

Margaret, Queen of Malcolm Canmore (106S), 16 ; do. Queen of Norway (1282), 38 ; do. Princess of Norway (129-), 38 ; do. Countess of Mar, Lady of the Garioch (1377), 57 ; do. Queen of James II. (1453), 110.

Marischal College Founded (1593), 163, 438 ; Endowments, 163, 227 ; Regents (16—), 239, 240, 365,

366, 449 ; " Economic " (1650), 308 ; Students (1689), 370 ; " Silver Pen," 455. Marischal, Countess (1661), 367.

Marischal-Depute of Scotlaud, Thomas Menzies (1538), 457.

Marischal of Scotland, 435-9 ; Robert (1010), 15, 435 ; Sir William {temp. William I.), 23, 436 ; Sir

Robert (1294-1332), 43, 62, 436 ; Sir Edward (1341-50), 59, 432 ; Sir William (1357-1412),

77, 437. Marischal, Earls, 437-9 ; I. William (1412-58), 106, 110, 236, 437 ; III. William, 139, 438 ; IV.

William (1530-81), 142, 438 ; V. George, 155, 163, 365, 438 ; VI. William, 402, 438; VII.

William (1635-61), 264, 266-74, 279, 281-4, 286, 298, 366, 367, 438 ; VIII. George (1661-94),

367, 439 ; X. George (1712-78), 394, 402, 403, 439, 440. Marischal, Master of, William (1547), 438.

Marital Rank (13-), 57, 58.

Marjory, Countess of Carrick (1268), 24 ; Princess (1306), 38.

Markets of Inverurie, Annual, 150, 205 ; Weekly (,1616), 199 ; Custom Dues, 190 ; Laws, 200.

Market Place, Inverurie, 7, 338.

Marnoch, John, in Balnagask, and Isobel, wife of John Johnston, (1717), 453 ; Parish of, 243.

Marriage— For Protection (13—), 83 ; Portion (1481), 122 ; Feasts Restricted (1657), 319 ; Irregular

(1710), 423. Marshall, William, Monymusk (16S5), 348. Martin, Martane, Alexander and Patrick (Oyne, 1669), 338. Martin, Luther (187-), 469. Martyrdom, First, in Britain (1401), 107.

Mary, Queen of Scots, 106, 136, 146, 149, 227, 274 ; Queen of England (1609), 380, 425. Mason, Andrew, Dene of Monymusk (1534), 127. Mason, Stephen, Minister at Insch, &c (1567-1614), 153, 240. Mastrick, House of (17— ), 383. Mathers, William (Daviot, 1550), 144. Mathieson Matthewson, Andrew, Kinkell (1473), 122. Mathieson, Christian (Inverurie, 1645-6), 292-3 ; do. (Glaschi, 1649), 315. Mathieson, Elizabeth (.Monymusk, 1685), 348.

71

562 Index.

Mathieson, George (Caskieben, 1651), 316. Mathieson, John (New Leggat, 1664), 351. Mathieson, Violet (Conglass, 1634), 211. Mathieson, William (Daviot, 1666), 397, 398. Matilda, wife of David, Earl of Huntingdon, 26. Matthew the Smith (Gohlauch, 1342), 66.

Maughan, Captain, and (wife of Rev. Dr. Story), 463.

Mauld, Janet, wife of John Ferguson, (1739), 393.

Maxwell, Ann, wife of Sir Hamilton Leslie, (1350), 442.

Maxwell, Eymer (1259), 50.

Maxwell, Sir John, of Sprinkell, 472.

Maxwell, Lord of, Caerlaveroek (1350), 442.

Maxwell, Mary, wife of Sir James D. H. Elphinstone (1836), 473.

Maxwell, Priest (1711), 423.

Meanie, Seton of, 465.

Mearns, Mearnis, Merenys, Alexander, Inverurie (1466), 119.

Mearns, Mernis, George (Inverurie, 1674-9), 364, 397.

Mearns, Mearnis, William (Inverurie, 1466), 119 ; do. (do. 1491), 228.

Mearns, Sheriff of, Melville (1411), 91 ; do. Ogilvy (1620), 108.

Meek, Rev. D., and family, 478.

Meglutton, Inverurie (1633), 394, (1671), 362, (1768), 407.

Meikle, John (Edinburgh, 1691), 381.

Meikle Folia, 386.

Meikle Warthill, Elphinstone of, 412.

Meiklewardes, 63, 112.

Meldrum, 37 ; Aid (1308), 49, 52 ; Old, 7, 52, 233, 267, 355, 382, 428.

Meldrum, Alexander (Jesuit, 1588), 156.

Meldrum, Elizabeth de, wife of William Seton (1450), 464.

Meldrum, Major George (Rayne, 1650), 308.

Meldrum, Sir George, of Fyvie (1600), 445.

Meldrum, John (1630), 243 ; do. (Buchanstone, 1664), 338 ; do. (Westhall, 1677), 340.

Meldrum, Kirk of (1634), 233 ; Settlement at (1697), 428.

Meldrum, Ladywell of, 17.

Meldrum, Lairds of, Sir Philip de (1262), 37, 66 ; Alexander de (1272), 67 ; William de, son of John

de (1342), 64, 67, 72 ; Seton (1450-1636), 67, 101, 151, 464, 466 ; Urquhart (1636), 232,

233, 237, 428, 464, 465, 468, 469. Meldrum, Margaret, wife of William Johnston {ante 1500), 448. Meldrum, Ministers of, vide Bethelney ; John Mulligan (1698), 427-8. Meldrum, Patrick, of Iden (excommunicated for murder, 1650), 307. Meldrum, Thomas (Fyvie, 16 — ), 445. Melgum, Viscount (1630), 243.

Melrose Abbey, Land in Rayne, 20, 31 ; Lawrence, Abbot (1175-8), 31 ; Burial at (1388), 77. Melville (1250), 33 ; Andrew of Kemnay (1397), 65 ; do. (The Reformer), 155. Melville, George, Assistant Minister at Bourtie (1650-4), then Minister at New Machar, 311, 324. Melville, Sir Robert (1411), 89. Melvin vide Maling. Menie, Elizabeth Van of (14— ), 121.

Index. 563

Meunie, James (1673), 329 ; do. Schoolmaster at Leslie (1710), 425.

Menteith, Christian, wife of Sir Edward Keith (1340), 437.

Menteith, Sir John (13—), 59, 437.

Menzies of Balgownie (1650), 307 ; of Dnrn, 229 ; of Fothergill {temp. David II.), 61 ; of Oyne

(temp. Robert I.), 61 ; of Pitfoddels (1529-1843), 132, 254, 456-7. Menzies, Andrew (15 — ), 445. Menzies, Barbara, wife of William Hay (1707), 416.

Menzies, Gilbert (Aberdeen, 1411), 89 ; do. of Pitfoddels (1529), 132 ; do. (do. 1576), 457. Menzies, Sir Gilbert, of Pitfoddels (1642), 275. Menzies, Jean (excommunicated for Popery, 1650), 307.

Menzies, John, Professor of Divinity, Marischal College (1650), 301 ; do. of Pitfoddels (died 1843), 457. Menzies, Sir John de (1408), S7.

Menzies, Katherine, wife of Mr. George Johnston (1570), 456. Menzies, Marjory, wife of Mr. Alexander Irvine (1650), 307. Menzies, Mary, wife of Thomas Chalmers (15 — ), 254.

Menzies, Thomas, of Pitfoddels (1538-76), 456-7 ; do. of Balgownie (1650), 307. Menzies, Sir Thomas, of Oyne (temp. Robert I.), 61. Menzies, William of Pitfoddels (17—), 468. Merchants in the Garioch (1696), 382, 383. Merchants' Graves, The (Davo, Inverurie), 6, 7, 180. Mergie, Sir William Nieolson of (1721), 377. Mersar, Duncan (1273), 50.

Mersar, Robert, Rector of Banchory-Devenec (1616), 233. Messar, Andrew, John, and Robert (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Meston, James (Monymusk, 1677-85), 340, 348. Methlick, Patrick Gordon of (1490), 102, 329, 464. Methlick, Little, Alexander and Thomas Chalmers of (1505), 254. Michael Fair of Kinkell, 114, 245.

Michael, Henry St., of Lentush and Rothmaise (1304), 61 Middens in Streets (1538), 138, (1673) 363. Middlemuir, Inverurie (1615), 197.

Middleton, Alexander, Sub-Principal, King's College, Minister at Rayne (1656), 241. Middleton, Alexander and Robert, Monymusk (1685), 348.

Middleton of Balquhain, Tenants (1655), 318, (1660) 360 ; Gordon of (1669), 345. Middleton, Earl of (1660), 373. Middleton, General (1645), 287, 289, 305.

Middleton, John, Minister at Leslie ( 1643), 240 ; at Rayne (1643-53), 241, 303, 305.

Middleton, Thomas (Kirk Officer, Bourtie, 1649), 304.

Midmar, Castle of, 43 ; Church of, 235 ; Davidson of (17-), 472.

Mids o' Mar (Aberdeen Prison), 252.

Midtoun of Inverurie, 259, 357, 392.

Migvie, . Kirk of, Monymusk Priory, 20, 55.

Milbowie, Skene, Johnston in, 1770, 453.

Militia Assessment and Uniform (1672), 362-3 ; (1688), 380.

Mills and Multures in the Garioch (ante 1300), 22.

Mills and Multures in Inverurie (1600), 178-83.

Miller's Park, Ardtannies, 180.

564 Index.

Mill, Alexander, James, Thomas, and William (Daviot, 1550), 144. Mill, Ann, Marjory, and Robert (Dam of Dilie, Kemnay, 1729), 397. Mill, James, Minister of Inverury and Monkegy (1603-29) ; of Inverurie (1643), 159, 161, 194, 196,

207-14, 291, 390, 395, 412, 414 ; and family, 161. Mill or Miln, George, Minister at Premnay (1629-69), 241. Millar, Johanna Van, wife of William Johnston (1716), 450. Millenarians, 357.

Milne, Alexander (born 1637, Minister at Glasgow, 1675), 161, 162, 364 ; do. (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Milne, Isabella, wife of James Leslie (ante 1690), 447. Milne, James and Thomas (Aquhorties, 1649-50), 315-16.

Milne, Dr. James (Inverurie, 1653-96), 161, 162, 217, 346, 364, 384, 391, 394, 395; family, 391. Milne, Jean, Inverurie (1740). Milne, John (Old Meldrum, 17—), 479. Milue, William (Mains of Caskieben, 1664), 351. Milntoun of Durno (Elphinstone in 1674), 414. Ministers during the Civil War, 273, 308. Minnes, John Seton of (1623), 209. Mint at Aberdeen, 230. Miuto, Sir Gilbert Elliot of (17—), 473. Mitchell, Alexander, Schoolmaster of Inverurie (1612-49), 161, 172, 173, 213, 257, 294, 390, 394 ; do.

his son (Inverurie, 1652-96), 295, 318, 352, 361, 384, 390. Mitchell, Sir Andrew, of Thainston (Ambassador, 1756), 232, 237, 253, 422 ; do. of Westshore,

Orkney (died 1764), 472. Mitchell, Barbara, wife of Sir Andrew Mitchell (17—), 232, 237. Mitchell, David, Bishop of Aberdeen (1662), 335. Mitchell, James (Inverurie, 1617), 203, 204 ; do. (do. 1652), 390. Mitchell, Janet, wife of Sir John Johnston (1683), 417, 450. Mitchell, John, Schoolmaster of Oyne (1681-3), 326. Mitchell, Thomas, Vicar of Bourtie (ante 1611), 153, 160 ; do. Minister of Turriff (1639), 269 ; do. of

Thainston, Provost of Aberdeen (168-), 232, 237, 450. Mitchell, William, Minister at Kearn(1701), 430. Moden, James and John (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Moigne, Sir Walter (1361), 75. Moir, Alexander and George (Keith-hall, 1664), 351. Moir, George, Minister of Towie (1719), 237. Moir, James, of Stonywood (1745), 473. Moir, Margaret, wife of William Garioch (1696), 386. Moir, Mary Ann, wife of Colonel H. K. Erskine (18—), 473. Monaltrie, Farquharson of, 410.

Monboddo, Strachan of (1663), 104; Burnett of (16— ), 485 ; Lord (17—), 485. Moncoffer, Russel of (1756), 47S. Monkegy— Kirk and Parish-a Vicarage of Lindores Abbey, 19, 32, 112, 133, 157, 224, 225, 306, 328,

339, 341, 365, 368, 369. Monkegy, Ministers of, James Mill (1600-30), 154, 207 ; Samuel Walker (1630-49), 159, 161, 214, 239,

260, 273, 289, 292, 305, 307 ; Dr. William Keith (1650-3), 224, 450 ; Samuel Walker (1661-74)

260 ; George Keith (1675-83), 364, 403 ; William Keith (1683). Monkshill, Milne of (16—), 447.

Index. 565

Monmouth Rebellion, (1685), 372.

Monoliths, 9.

Monorgan, Henry Crawford of (17 — ), 414.

Monquhitter (1646), 360.

Montague, Finlay (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Montague, Lady Sydney, wife of Lord Inverurie (1878), 440.

Montgarrie, Leith of, 136, 226, 462.

Montgomery, Colonel (1646), 287.

Montgomery Plot, 375.

Montrose, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Burgesses of (1644), 383.

Montrose, Earl of (1639-41), 255, 264, 265, 266, 270, 271, 274, 275, 406 ; Marquis (1644-50), 282,

286, 297, 316, 466. Monymele, Schyr Alexander (1494), 124. Monymusk (13—), 65, (1402), 115. Monymusk, Culdees of, 6, 14, 18, 22, 55, 126, 127. Monymusk, Elders (1677), 340. Monymusk, Henry de, {temp. Dav. II.) 65, 404. Mouymusk, House of, 268, 283, 404. Monymusk, Kirk of (1366), 79, (1685), 348, (1691-7), 381. Monymusk, Lairds of, Henry de (13—), 45 ; David Chalmers (13— ), 65 ; The Prior ( 1549), 126-8,

236 ; Forbes (1549-1712), 236, 237, 289, 404, 405 ; Grant (1712—), 405. Monymusk, Ministers — Thomas Scherar, Vicar (1524), 127 ; John Keid do. (1535), 128 ; James

Murray, Reader (1567-85), 155 ; James Johnston, Parson (1570-1613), 155, 209, 236 ; James

Irvine (1613-15), 240 ; William Forbes (1615-6), 240 ; Thomas Forbes (1616-22), 240 ; Adam

Barclay (1622-25), 240; Alexander Lunau (1625-28), 240 ; John Gellie, elder (1629-52), 240 ;

Alexander Ross (1653-74), 240; John Burnet (1678-1722), 340. Monymusk Parishioners (1685), 348. Monymusk Priors— Brice (1337), 126 ; Gavin Douglas (1496), 127; JohnAkyhead (1522), 127 ; David

Farlie (1522-42), 127, 128 ; John Elphinstone (1542), 128 ; Robert Forbes (1556), 128. Monymusk Priory (1200), 14 ; Churches of, 18, 126, 127 ; Lands (1200), 55, (1337), 126 (15—), 126, 127. Monymusk Schoolmasters— William Gordon (1658), 311 ; William Watson (1675), 326 ; Alexander

Hay (1688-96), 326. Monymusk, Tower of, 16, 126. Moivymusk, Tutor of (1653), 311.

Morals {circa, 1400), 107, (circa 1550), 145, (circa 1660), 337. Moray, Region, 12 ; Kingdom, 22. Moray, Andrew of (1297), 42, vide Murray.

Moray, Bishop of, Richard (circa 1200), 28 ; do. Henry Lichton (14—), 87. Moray, Earl of, Randolph (1324), 62 ; do. John Dunbar (1376), 62. Moray, Freemen of (1291), 56. Moray, Sir Thomas (1411), 89. Morgan, George, Inverurie (1621), 212. Morgan, Robert, Schoolmaster, Oyne (1673), 326. Morgrund, Earl of Mar (1183), 65.

Morice, Catherine, wife of William Johnston (1801), 454. Morice, David, of Tullos (1773), and descendants, 454. Morison, George, of Barra (1658), 311.

566 Index.

Mormaors of Buchan and Mar, 13, 55. '

Mortimer, , Bellman of Eayne (1705), 432.

Mortimer, Bessie, George, Ingram, and John (Inverurie, 1536), 142.

Mortimer, of Craigievar and Aquhorties, Bernard (1391), 235 ; William (1513-28), "William (1554),

John, son of Alexander (1544), George (1563), William (1573), James (1594), 236 ; John (1610-

15), 235, 236. Mortimer, George (Insch, 1650), 306. Mortimer, Patrick (Oyne, 1673), 339. Mortlach Bishoprick, 22 ; Church, 16 ; Manse, 125. Morton, Earl of, John (15—), 438 ; William (16— ), 438. Mortuary Settlements (1464), 123. Mossat, 92.

Mostoun of Leslie, 157. Mounie, Stone Circle, 4 ; Lands of, 142, 465. Mounie, Lairds of, Seton (1575-1623), 101, 141, 231, 465 ; Urquhart (1623-36), 231, 465 ; Farquhar

(1636-1702), 231, 389, 397, 465 ; Hay (1702-14), 465 ; Seton (1714), 141, 231, 465, 466. Mowat (1200), 33 ; of Abergeldie (1411), 92 ; of Lascragy (1500), 131. Mowat, Ellen, wife of John Cameron (1364), 75. Mowat, John (Monymusk (1685), 348.

Muehals, 275, 416, vide Castle Fraser ; do. in the Mearns, 407. Muiresk, Dempster of (1570), 441; John, do. (1588), 442; Lyon of (15— ), 460. Muirhouse, John Denholme, of (1720), 414. Muirton, Gilbert Johnston of (1609), 193; Tenants (1611), 160. Mulligan, John, Minister at Bethelny (1698), 427-8. Municipal Election (1672), 363, (1680) 371 ; Law of, 117. Munro of Fowlis (circa 1380), 443. Munro, George (Drimmies, 18 — ), 487. Murdac, Duke of Albany, 54, 106, 108. Murdo, Murdoch, Alexander (Ardtannies, 17—), 393. Murdo, Paul (Ailhouse of WelL Kemnay, 1654-66), 351, 352, 390, 397.

Murdo, Robert (Dalmadilly, Kemnay, 1649-52), 292, 322, 390; do. Old Meldrum (17—), 479. Mure, Colonel George (Caldwell, 174-), 472.

Muriel, , first wife of Donald, Earl of Mar (1290), 56.

Murray, Alexander, Lord Elibank (17—), 355, 475.

Murray, Sir Andrew, of Bothwell, 24, 42, 54, 57, 68, 71.

Murray, Ann, wife of Lord Pitfour (1736), 355, 475.

Murray, Sir Archibald, of Blackbarony (1660), 439.

Murray, Bathia, wife first of Sir William Forbes, second, of Sir Alexander Forbes (1649), 328.

Murray, Catherine, wife of William Earl of Kintore (1715), 439.

Murray, Earl of (III.), 486.

Murray, James (Kinnearnie and Monymusk, 1570), 155.

Murray, John (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Murray, William, Minister at Inverurie (1679-1716), 359, 864, 384, 390 ; do., Episcopal Minister at

Old Aberdeen (] 738), 359, 390. Murtle, Chalmers of (1388-1488), 62, 85, 254, 457. Muscamp, Marjory (Wooler, 129-), 56. Myll, Gavin (Kinkell, 1473), 122. Myll, William (Kintore, 1498), 123,

Index. 567

N.

Nairn, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21.

Nairn, Duncan, Dean of Guild Staling (1650), 308.

Names (circa 1200), 33, {circa 1300), 50, (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; Daviot (1550), 144.

Natrick, The, 8, 147.

Napier, Master of (1645), 286.

Ness, The, 13.

Netherboat, Inverurie (1692), 390.

Neustadt, Lord of, Count Leslie (1637), 399.

Newark, 1st Earl of (1645), 286.

Newbottle, Minister, Andrew Cant (1639), 276.

Newburgh, Countess of (1853), 444.

Newhills, Minister, Martin Shanks (1697), 426.

Newlands (Oyne), Leith of (1668-77), 329, 340, 347; Scott of (1686), 378.

New Leslie, Leslies of (1450-1649), 100, 154, 161, 194, 210, 249, 255; do. Arthur Johnston, 166;

Leith of (1649), 401, 459. Newplace, Johnston of (1619-1707), 224, 225, 292, 363, 417, 449; Burnet of (1707-39), 417; Synod

of Aberdeen (1739), 225, 417, 418. Newseat, Lairds of, vide Badifurrow. Newton, Agnes, wife of James Hay (1696), 387. Newton, in Civil War, 273, 285. Newton, Lairds of, Abbot of Lindores (1259), 61 ; Lord Lindores (1600), 157; Gordon (1600-52), 182,

221, 238, 249, 267, 273, 280, 288, 301, 310, 445, 446 ; Davidson (1696-17—), 388, 460 ; Gordon

(17—), 330, 338. Newton of Premuay, Mr. Patrick Anderson of (1696), 388. Newton Stone, 4. Nicknames, 212. Nicol, John (Daviot, 1550), 144. Nicolson, Ann, of Glenbervie (died 1878), 378. Nicolson, Bishop (1694), 378, 402.

Nicolson, Sir George, of Keninay, Lord Kemnay (1673-17—), 165, 354, 356, 366, 377, 378, 380, 420, 485. Nicolson of Glenbervie (1791-1878), 377, 378. Nicolson, James Badenoch, of Glenbervie (1878), 378. Nicolson, John, Town Clerk of Inverurie (1538), 392. Nicolson, John, wife of Eev. James Wilson (17 — ), 377. Nicolson, Margaret, wife of Walter Ferguson, 354-6; do., wife first of James Hamilton (1700), 377,

second of Sir Thomas Nicolson (1700), 377 ; do., Marchioness of Lothian (17—), 377. Nicolson, Sir Thomas (Balcaskie, 1700), 377. Nicolson, Sir William, of Mergie and Glenbervie (1721), 377, 485. Norino, Constable of Enrowrie (1248), 34, 60, 63, 441. Norman, Constable of Enrowrie, (1199), 2, 7, 33, 34, 368, 441. Noi-manstoun, Culsalmond (1257), 36. Noroway, Gilbert (Inverury, 1613), 209. North Burn, Inverurie, 9, 183, 185. Norwood, Captain James, and Grace, wife of Colonel Kuight Erskine (18 — ), 474.

568 Index.

Notaries, 170, 200, 214, 217.

Nottingham Castle (1199), 23.

Nrurin, or Inverurie (878), 2, 3, 11, 14.

o.

Oaths of Allegiance (1574), 456, (16S0) 371.

Occupations (1696), 382.

Offences, Criminal and Burghal (1400, 1600), 115, 116, 188, 191, 195, 203.

Officers of Burgh (Inverurie), 120, 194, 198, 200-3.

Ogg, Margaret — Accused of Witchcraft (Insch, 1650), 306.

Ogilvie of Airly (1640-5), 273, 285, 468 ; of Auchlevec (1487), 102, 112 ; of Banff (1639), 265; of

Barras (1651-1837), 366, 367, 368; of the Boyne (1505), 129, 354, 442, 462; of Deskford

(1487), 102; of Dunlugas (1628), 466 ; of Forglen (1705), 419 ; of New Rayne (1700), 389, 431. Ogilvie, Agnes, wife of Sir Alexander Reid (1705), 419.

Ogilvie, Alexander, of That Ilk (1531), 230 ; Sir Alexander (1411), 89 ; do. of Forglen (1705), 419. Ogilvie, Anna, wife of William Ferguson, 354. Ogilvie, Beatrix, wife of Alexander Seaton, (1636), 466. Ogilvie, David (Kinkell, 1473), 122 ; Sir David, of Barras (1738), 368.

Ogilvie, Elizabeth, wife of William Leslie (1496), 442; do., wife of Patrick Anderson (1737), 368, 419. Ogilvie, George (Auchleven, 1511), 112 ; do. of Barras (1651), 366 ; do. (do. 1660), 367 ; do. 2nd

Lord Banff (17— ), 419, 446 ; do. of New Rayne (1703), 431. Ogilvie, Sir George, of Banff (Lord Banff) (1639-1641), 265, 276, 439 ; do. of Barras (do. 1837), 368. Ogilvie, of That Ilk, Alexander, Sheriff of Aberdeen (1531), 230.

Ogilvie, James, Parson of Kinkell, Abbot of Dryburgh (died 1518), 129 ; do. of Westhall (1650), 329. Ogilvie, Janet, wife of John Leith (17—), 401, 459.

Ogilvie, Jean, wife of Sir Robert Keith (temp. Alexander III.), 436; do. wife of PatrickLeith (1696), 462. Ogilvie, John, Aberdeen (1731), 471. Ogilvie, Lord, James (159-), 438 ; do. James (1636), 439.

Ogilvie, Margaret, wife of 6th Earl Marischal (16—), 438 ; do., wife of Patrick Urquhart (1630), 468. Ogilvie, Sir Patrick, of the Boyne (16—), 462. Ogilvie, Dr. Skene, Minister of Old Machar (18—), 465. Ogilvie, Thomas, of New Rayne (1696), 389. Ogilvie, Walter, x>f Auchleven (1487), 102. Ogilvie, Major Walter (Boyne), 462. Ogilvie, Sir Walter of Auchleven, 462 5 do. of the Boyne (1505), 129, 354, 442 ; do. of Dunlugas

(1628), 466. Ogston of That Ilk (1512), 131. Old Meldrum, 7, 52, 233, 267, 355, 382, 428. Old Rayne, 245, 285. Oliphant, Lord (1639), 266. Oliver (Siege of Acre, 1200), 22.

Oliver, Rachel, daughter of Sir Robert Oliver, wife of Rev. Campbell Lock (1871), 483. Omer, Archdeacon, Aberdeen (1214), 21.

Index. 569

Orange, Prince of, vide William III.

Ore, Arthur, Minister of Culsalmond (1647-64), 239, 306, 324, 338.

Orem, Alexander (Aberdeen, 1679), 347.

Orkney, 13 ; "William, Earl of (1441), 110.

Orleans, Duchess of (1703), 421.

Osburn, James, Minister at Aberdeen (1697), 426.

Otterburn, Battle of, 77, 94, 224.

Outing Eig, Inverurie, 397.

Overboat, Inverurie,

Overburn, Inverurie, 8, 183, 398.

Over Coblehaugh, Inverurie, 173, 185.

Owen, Dr. John, 375.

Oyne, Menzies of (temp. Robert I.), 61 ; Weschell of (temp. David II.), 61.

Oyne, Parish and Kirk, Kirklands, 19 ; Endowments (1306), 79 ; Visitation (1650), 308 ; Patronage

of (1664), 334 ; Communion Cups and Churchyard Dykes (1673), 347 ; Kirk Ruinous (1674),

339 ; Vacant (1699), 427. Oyne, Ministers— John Leslie (arete 1565); John Abercromby (1570), 155, 415 j "Walter Richardson

(1586-95) ; Robert Burnet (1596-1613), 160, 240, 241, 446 ; Alexander Burnett (1613-15); John

Runciman (16—), 446; William Burnet (1647-50), 240; James Strachan (1685-1715), 372;

William Mair (1701), 429-32. Oyne, Parsons— Alexander Cullen (1506), 149 ; James Warrane (1549), 148. Oyne, Schoolmasters— Robert Morgan (1672), 326 ; John Mitchell (1681-3), 326 ; John Shand (1638—),

326; James Leask (1696-1710), 326, 386, 425.

P.

Pace or Pasche, 145, 207.

Padua, University of, 165, 411.

Paip, Mr. Alexander (Aberdeen, 1650), 307.

Pantelar of Scotland (1326), 54, 57.

Panton, Arthur, Jesuit Priest (1588), 156.

Panton of Hadauch (1512), 131.

Panton, James, of Blockhouse (1688), 419 ; do., Inverurie (1729), 397.

Panton, Jean, wife of Rev. John Shand (1696), 385.

Panton, John, of Pitmedden (1590), 465 ; of Blockhouse (1696), 389.

Panton, Margaret, wife of Walter Ferguson (1680), 356, 384, 481 ; do., wife of James Robertson

(1693), 397. Panton, Mary, wife of William Ferguson (17—), 379. Panton, William, W.S., of Blockhouse (1688), 419. Papal Legate (11—), 22. Papists in Aberdeenshire (circa 1600), 156, 221, (1637), 249, (1650), 216, 307, 311, 330, (1660), 330,

(1700), 422. Papists, Lords (1660), 249.

Parcock in Meldrum (1639), 267, do. in Buchan, Hay of (15—), 449.

72

570 Index.

Pardes of Craig, Daviot. 397, 8.

Parish Clerks, election of (1536) 142, (1550), 144.

Parishes, Institution of, 17 ; Grouped at Reformation, 153 ; Discipline of (1650), 142.

Park, Captain (Peterhead, 1715), 379.

Park, Dr., St. Andrews, 167.

Parliament, Pay of Members, 204, 362.

Passive Resistance (166-), 343, 371.

Pasturage Rights and Laws, Inverurie (16—), 189, 191, 193, 194, 195.

Paterson, Alexander, Minister at Logiedurno (1592-1620), 154 ; do., Inverurie (1646, 1664), 259, 293,

351, 352, 392; do. (do., 1681), 396; do. (do. 1710), 483. Paterson, Elizabeth, Jane, and John, Monymusk (16S5), 348. Paterson, Mr. George, Superintendent (1592), 153, 156. Paterson, John (Daviot, 1550), 144. Paterson, Dr. William (Inverurie, 1877), 390. Paton, Alexander, of Kinaldie (1671), 362.

Paton, John, of Grandholm ^1633), 238 ; do., Minister at Leochel (1680), and at Insch (1680-91), 429. Patonsoune, Robert, Chaplain of the Garioch (1505), 129. Patron Saints, 17.

Patronages (1600), 157, 159, 160, (1664), 334. Paul, George (Daviot, 1700), 392. Paul's Rig, Inverurie, 392. Paupers, Provision for (1650), 315. Pay of Soldiers (1672), 362. Payment for Labour (1609), 193. Peace, Protection of (1618), 205. Peat Road, Inverurie (1616), 200. Peel (Leithhall), 401. Peelwa's (Inveramsay), 417. Peithill, Dalgarno of (1652), 165. Penn, William, Quaker, 341.

Penny Weddings (1657), 319, (1677), 340, (1700), 383. Percival Spencer, Murder of (1812), 454. Percy, Henry (Hotspur), 67, 77 ; Ralph, 67, 77, 437. Persley, James Hadden of (1812), 454.

Perth, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Duel on Inch (1396) ; James, Earl of (1726), 439, 468. Peterhead, Charter of (1593), 438 ; Pretender at (1715), 379 ; William Donald, Minister (1840), 407. Pestilence (1347, 1349, 1401), 71.

Petit Duncan, Chancellor Aberdeen Diocese (1424-6), 126. Pettiesmill, 197, Gilbert Johnston of, 208. Petrie, George (excom. 1650), 307. Petrie, Henry (Aberdeen, 1616), 179. Petrie, Janet (Inverurie, 1645), 292.

Petrie, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (Daviot, 1550), 144. Petrie, Margaret, Monymusk (1685), 348. Petrie, William (Inverurie militiaman, 1644), 282. Pews in Church (1650) 322, (1685) 348. Philip, William (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do., and Bessie (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Index. 571

Philiphaugh, Battle of, 286, 289.

Philipson, Fergus (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Philipson, WiUiam (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Philorth, Sir A. Fraser of, 10th Lord Salton (16—), 465.

Pictish Capitals, 13 ; Chronicles, 11, 14; Houses, 22.

Pierson, Margaret, wife of Thomas Burnett (1665), 485.

Pilgrimages, 124.

Pillaging in Civil War, 266, 268, 270-5, 279, 284, 285.

Pilmor of Glack ; Ade (1294), 37, 63; Alice (1381), 63, 100.

Pilrig, James Balfour of (1700), 414, 472.

Pinkie, Battle, Deaths at, 122, 138, 438.

Pirie, David, (Aquhorties, 1634), 186.

Pirie, Elspet (Conglass, 1649), 315.

Pirie, John and William (Fetternear, 1636), 211.

Pirrie, Dr., Bournemouth, 469.

Pitarrow, Wishart of (1618), 237.

Pitblaine, Daviot, John Thomson of (1418), 104.

Pithee (1357), 63.

Pitcaple, Roman Remains, 9 ; Castle, 238, 266, 288, 289, 297, 298, 327, 373, 417 .

Pitcaple, Leslies of (1457-1757), 417, 470.

Pitfichie Castle, 404, 405; Lairds of, Henry de, Monymusk {temp. David II.) Chalmers (do.), 65;

Urrie (1535), 128, 253 ; Forbes (1688-1707), 380, 404, 405. Pitfoddels' Lodging, Aberdeen (1529), 457 ; Menzies of, 132, 264, 266, 275, 456-8. Pitfour, Ferguson of, 220, 355, 356, 475-8 ; Lord, 355, 356, 475 ; Lands, 483. Pitgavenie (1387), 64, 103, 230, 389. Pitlurg, Gordon of, 112, 412, 473.

Pitmachie, Abercrombie of (1360-1681), 65, 234; Horn of (1681), 415. Pitmedden in Dyce, Leslie of, 111, 221.

Pitmedden in Formartine, Panton of (1595), 465 ; Seton of (16—), 101, 304, 377, 464, 466, 467. Pitmedden in Garioch, Abercrombies of (1484-1681), 65, 232, 235, 470; Horn of (1671), 415. Pitmedden, Lord, 467.

Pitnacalder, Aberdour, John Forbes of, 406, 450. Pitnamoon, Alexander Leslie of (1520), 441. Pitsligo, Church of, 276 ; Forbes of (1400-1781), 128, 155, 237, 252, 270, 283, 284, 405, 415, 438,

448, 459. Pitsligo, 6th Lord, 438, 459 ; last, do., 415. Pitsligo, Master of (died 1781), 237. Pitscurry (1357), 63. Pitt, Mr., 476.

Pittendreich, Adam (Keithhall, 1677), 236. Pittendreich, George of Laws (1675), 329. Pittendreich, Sir Henry Elphinstone of (14 — ), 470. Pittenweem, Prior of (1580), 224; Sailors of, in Slavery (1679), 340. Pittodrie, Erskine, 1st Line (1350-1550), 56, 59, 63, 106, 418; 2nd Line (1550 ), 106, 271, 306,

329, 364, 401, 418, 445, 462, 473. Pittodrie Hospital, 156. Pittodrie, House (1644), 280, 283, 418.

572 Index.

Plague, The (1607) 192, (1647) 295.

Platform of Covenanting Discipline (1650), 313, 334.

Pledge, Ann, wife of Alexander Burnett (1877), 486.

Pleyfauld of Harlaw, 95.

Pleyhaugh of Dyce, 213.

Plotter, Ferguson, The, 213.

Plummer, Nicholas (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Poland, Poll, Pow, 65, 179, 207, 209, 357, 484.

Polander, Polnar, Appolinaris Chapel, Manse, 5, 14, 19 ; Burn, 19, '28.

Polander Fair, 150, 361.

Polish Students (1664), 338.

Political Discontent (1680), 370.

Polmaise, Cunninghame of (1664), 338.

Pond Barrows, 40.

Pontefract, 105.

Population in Early Times, 22.

Port Elphinstone, 6, 472.

Posen (1714), 483.

Portents in the Civil War, 278.

Porter, Alexander (Inverurie, 1608), 172, 293, 295, 316.

Porter, George (Inverurie, 1645), 293 ; do. (do. 1653), 393; do. (do. 1674), 339.

Porter, John, Inverurie (1632-164-), 258, 393 ; do. (Daviot, 1725), 392.

Porter, Walter (Inverurie, 1674), 339.

Porter, William (Inverurie, 1608), 192; do. (do. 1632), 258; 397 ; do. (do. 1734), 398.

Porterstown, Portstown, 85, 197, 225, 351 ; John of (1350), 65 ; Mill of (1664), 351.

Porthead, Inverurie, 7.

Portlethen, Lands in (1618), 237, 404.

Potsdam (1778), 439.

Pottock, Richard, Bishop of Aberdeen (1262), 37, 64.

Powtate, 8, 9, 173, 362, 384, 398, 439, 483.

Pratt (circa 1200), 33.

Prayer Books in Scotland, 332, 333.

Preaching (1560), 127, 145.

Premnay, Vicarage of Lindores Abbey, 8, 85 ; Brewhouse (1257), 35 ; Endowments (1257), 35, (1366)

79, (1600), 157 ; Kirk Land, 157 ; Communion Cups, 386. Premnay, Ministers— John Abercromby (1570), 415; Robert Burnet (1601), 155, 242; William

Barclay (1604), 160 ; Robert Irving (1607-8), 155 ; John Gellie ( 1629), 240 ; George Milne

(1629-69), 241; George Innes or Irvine (1670); John Shand (1671-96), 378, 385; James

Gordon ( -1709), 423.

Premnay, Schoolmaster, James Leask (ante 1696), 386.

Presburg (1664), 399.

Presbyterial Visitations (circa 1650) ; Purpose of, 304 ; Bethelnie, 304 ; Bourtie, 304 ; Culsalmond,

308; Inverurie, 303, 311; Kinkell, 304; Oyne, 308. Presbyterian Church (1690), 425. Presbyteries (1581), 153, (1602) 159, (1697) 426. Preshome (1694), 378. Preston, Battle of, 286.

Index. 573

Preston, Sir Henry, of Fyvie (1390), 67, 77, 78, 91.

Preston, Lawrence (1334), 70.

Preston, Marjory, wife of Sir John Forbes (1400), 91.

Preston, Nicol de (1296), 51.

Preston Tower, Fyvie Castle (1400), 67.

Pretender, The (1688-1715), 370, 371, 379, 439.

Prices (circa 1300), 45, (circa 1500) 123, (circa 1600), 109, 179, 209 ; of arms (circa 1650), 293.

Priests (circa 1200), 21; Last of the, 148; Trafficking (1588), 156; (1637)299, (1702)423.

Priestleys, Conglass, 60.

Prince of Scotland (1688), 380.

Pringle, Pingle, Pyngill, Ade (1376), 66; Alexander (1668), 339.

Property of Defuncts (1649), 305.

Prot, George (Inverurie, 1650), 322.

Protection Policy (1608-18), 192, 196, 205, (1670) 363.

Protestant Confession (1560), 438.

Psalms, New Paraphrase of (1650), 308.

Public Works and Burdens (1650 —90), 320, 342.

Pumfels in Churches (1449), 304.

Punishments by Burgh Laws (1400), 116; by Composition (ante 1600), 151 ; Capital (1630), 211 ;

Ecclesiastical (1650), 301-312. Putachie, Forbes of, 101.

Pyot, Laurence, Archdeacon, Aberdeen Diocese (1450-78), 126. Pypar, John (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Q.

Quakerism, 227, 331, 339, 341, 342, 357, 358, 359, 366.

Queen Anne (James VI.), 365, 438; do. (of England), 358, 439.

Queen Annabella (Robert III.), 58.

Queen Armegard (William I.), 26.

Queen Isobel (Robert I.), 41, 45.

Queen Joan (Alexander II.), 437.

Queen Margaret (Malcolm Caumore), 21 ; do. (James II.), 110 ; do. of Norway, 38.

Queen Mary (James V.), 438 ; do. (of Scots), 106, 136, 146, 149, 227, 274 ; do. (of England), 380.

R.

Rae, John, Inverurie (1609), 193 ; William, Town Sergeant, Inverurie (1476), 12.

Rae, Mr. William (Aberdeen, 1619), 207.

Raedykes, 9.

Raemore, Innes of (1878), 460.

574 Index.

Ralf, Bishop of Aberdeen (1147), 21 j do. Priest at Insch, 21.

Ragman Rolls (129-), 50.

Railing, Excommunication for (1650), 307.

Rainy, James, Schoolmaster, Kemnay (1683), 326.

Bait, Archibald, Minister of Kintore (1602-24), 240.

Rait, David, Dean of Aberdeen (1615), 233.

Rait, Isobel (Banchory, 1650), 307.

Rait, Janet, wife of Alexander Leith (17 — ), 462.

Rait, Jean, wife of James Ferguson, (1645), 214.

Rait, William (Cushny, 17—), 462.

Bamorgeny, Sir John of (1397), 78.

Ramsay, Alexander (1334), 70.

Bamsay, Mary, wife of Rev. William Watson (1698), 385.

Ramsay, Thomas, Minister of Aberdeen (1697), 426.

Randall (Inverurie), vide Ronald.

Randolph (circa 1200), 33 ; do. Earl of Chester (1200), 23 ; do. Earl of Moray (died 1331), 62, 69.

Rannes, Hay and Leith Hay of, 459.

Baploch, Gavin Hamilton of (1700), 439.

Rathen, Duncan Davidson, Rector of (1614), 233.

Bathmuriel, Rochmuriel, Vicarage of Lindores, 8, 25 ; Endowments (1257), 36, (1366), 79 ; Lands of

(1507), 102, (1510) 111, 220, (1651) 310. Rattray, Jean, wife first of Sir James Elphinston, second of Colonel George Mure (17 — ), 414, 472. Battray, Dr. Thomas, of That Ilk and Craighill (17—), 414, 472. Bathven, Minister at, John Logie (1629), 240. Ravelstone, Keith of (1793), 483. Rayne, Adam, Duncan, Helen, and Eeginald (1304-33), 61 ; Bartolf of (1333), 71 ; New Eayne, Leith

of (16—), 462 ; Leslie and Ogilvie (1696), 389, 431, ,446 ; Old Bayne, Abercromby of (16—),

462 ; Home of (1681), 415. Eayne, Bishop's Court at (1413), 104 ; Schyre of, 19, 20, 60. Bayne, Kirk of, Archdeaconry of Aberdeen, Endowments (1366), 79 ; Covenant Befused (1649), 303 ;

Communion Cups (1651), 309 ; Settlement at (1703-5), 430-2. Bayne, Kirktownof; Leslie of (1630), 459; Irvine of (1696), 388. Eayne, Ministers of, Eeaders (1567-80), 155 ; Walter Abercromby (1585-1615), 155, 233, 446 ; Andrew

Logie (1624-1643), 241, 446 ; John Middleton (1643-53), 305, 306 ; Alexander Middleton

(1656—), 241 ; Andrew Logie (166—), 241 ; Eobert Burnet (1666-1703), 386, 340 ; Patrick

Chalmers (Episcopal Intruder), 1703-5), 430-2 ; Walter Turing (1705), 432 ; Dr. Patrick

Davidson (1813), 447. Bayne, Parsons of, vide Aberdeen Diocese ; Archdeacon.

Rayne Schoolmasters— William Thomson (1685), 326 ; Charles Forbes (1710), 425. Eeaders (1570), 152-5, 332, 333, 336, (1696), 386. Reay, Master of (1639), 264. Redhall in Auchterless, Gordon of (1688), 329. Redheuch of Tillyehiddel (1512), 131. Redinch, Island of, 25. Reformation, The, 366, 438. Reformed Kirk, Beginning of The, 152. Regalia of Scotland (1651-60), 366, 367, 439.

Index. 575

Regent (14—), vide Albany ; Morton (1560), 163.

Registers, Mr. James Mill's, Inverurie, 207.

Reid, Alexander (Inverurie, 1644), 259 ; do. (do. 1662-88), 351, 352, 363, 395, 397 ; do. (Braco, 1681),

360 ; do. (Largie, 1701), 430 ; do. James and William (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Reid, Sir Alexander, of Barra (1705), 419. Reid, Ardtannies Millers— William (1611), 181 ; John (1626), 181 ; James (1632), 161 ; John (1650),

315 ; George (1708), 181. Reid, Duncan (Chaplain, 1466), 120.

Reid, Mr. James, of Barra (1630), and of Bourtie (1657), 311, 419, 467 ; Sir James of Barra (1740), 419. Reid, John, Vicar of Bethelnie (1543), 126 ; do. Vicar of Monymusk (1535), 128 ; do. (Myreton,

Insch, 1701) 430. Reid, Sir John, of Barra (1696-1710), 389, 419. Reid, Patrick (Turriff, 1650), 307. Reid of Pitfoddels, 229. Reid, William (Inverurie, 1609), 193. Religious Disabilities (1688), 402. Rennie, Robert (Vintner, Huntly, 1637), 249. Rents in 1552, 140, 141. Restoration, The (1660), 361. Rettie's Pleugh, Oyne (1675), 347. Revolution Settlement, The (1688), 370, 425, 426. Rewburgh, Alexander (1259), 50.

Riccarton, Wardlaw of (15—), 470 ; Hepburn of (18—), 472. Richard, Bishop of Aberdeen (1272), 37, 64; do., Bishop of Moray (1200), 28 ; do. Coeur de Lion, 22,

23, 31, 32 ; do., Vicar of Inverurie (1262), 37 ; do., Vicar of Durno (1257), 21. Richardson, Walter, Minister of Rayne (1586), 155. Riddel, John (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Ritcheth, Kirk of (1198), 25. Ritchie, David (Daviot, 1550), 144. Ritchie, Gilbert (Inverurie, 1657), 319. Ritchie, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Rizzio, David, Slayers of, 224. Rob's Willie vide Johnston.

Robert, de Bruce, 1st, 23 ; 2nd do. (1248), 24, 39 ; 3rd do. (1297), 24, 39. Robert, John (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Robert, King, I., 24, 39, 41, 43-53, 56, 68, 69, 115, 184, 436, 437. Robert, King, II., 54, 73, 76, 88, 107. Robert, King, III., 54, 58, 76, 78, 86, 106. Robert of Lundy, 25, 27, 224.

Robertson, Alexander, Advocate, Aberdeen (1677), 364 ; do., Litster, Peterhead (1765), 396. Robertson, Bartholomew (Inverurie, 1600), 162. Robertson, David (Inverurie, 1536), 162. Robertson, Elspet, wife of William Davidson (1582), 392.

Robertson, George, Schoolmaster of Inverurie (1650), 323 ; do. (Inverurie, 1878), 398. Robertson, Isabella (Insch, 1650), 306, 307. Robertson, James (Inverurie, 1633), 258 ; do. (do., 1693), 397. Robertson, Janet (Inverurie, 1645), 32.3 ; do., wife of James Anderson (1592), 392.

576 Index.

Robertson, John (Inverurie, 1602-20), 172, 191, 202, 204, 207, 397 ; do. (do., 1633-46), 258, 292, 293,

396 ; do. (Quaker, 166-).. 342 ; do. (1800), 393. Eobertson, Katheriue (King-Edward, 1650), 307. Robertson, Mallie (Inverurie (1536), 142. Robertson, Matilda, wife of William Leslie (1878), 447.

Robertson, Patrick, (Inverurie, 1536), 143 ; do. (do., 1633), 258 ; do. (Deer, 1650), 307. Robertson, Thomas (Inverurie, 1582), 392.

Robertson, Walter (Inverurie ante 1582), 392 ; do. (do., 1697), 397. Robertson, William, of Aquhorties (1638-51), 214, 292, 293, 315, 316, 322, 441 ; do. {ants 1694), 392 ;

do. (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (do., 1600-15), 172, 182, 183, 192, 194, 196, 206 ; do. (do.,

outland Burgers, 1615), 198, 201 ; do. (do., 1659-97), 397 ; do. (do., senior and junior, 1662),

352; do. (do. 1664), 398, do. (do., 1674), 339; do. (do., senior and junior, 1734), 396; do.

(Monymusk, 1685), 348. Robin's Croft, Inverurie, 186. Robine, Henry, Probationer (1698), 427. Rocharrald, Roquharrald, 26, 170 (1622), 397.

Roger, Vicar of Aberdeen (1259), 50 ; do. Vicar of Rossochetes (1297), 50. Roland, James (Inverurie, 1645), 292. Rolland, Margaret, wife of James Seton (16 — ), 466. Rolland, Mr. William, Master of the Mint, 230, 466. Roman Catholic League (15—), 250 ; Party in Scotland (168-), 370, 371, 302 ; College at Aquhorties,

444 ; do. at Blairs, 457. Roman Road, 9. Romans at Inverurie, 2. Ronald or Ronaldson, George (Inverurie, 1645), 292 ; do. (do., 166S, 1677), 392, 396 ; do. (Boynds,

1664), 351. Ronald, John (Inverurie, 1600-39), 172, 182, 191, 195, 196, 198, 199, 202, 204, 207, 397. Ronald, Marjory (Inverurie, 1633), 258.

Ronald, Thomas (Inverurie, 1644-68), 282, 293, 296, 322, 393. Ronald, William (son of John, 1609-33), 194, 196, 203, 211, 257, 396. Ronaldson, Alexander and Andrew (Inverurie, 1536), 142. Roods of Inverurie, 183 ; Heritors (1633), 257-9 ; do. (15—17—), 389, 398. Rose, Alexander (1259), 50. Rose, Sir James The, 95, 97, 98. Rose, John, of Rosehill (Wardes, 1696), 388. Rose of Kilravock, 94. Rose Lane, Inverurie, 384, 393, 483. Roseneath, Minister of, Dr. Story, 463. Rosehill or Wardes (1696), 388. Roslin Chapel, Builder of (14—), 110. Ross, Alexander, of Insch (1696), 388 ; do., Minister at Insch (1631), 239 ; do. do. (1651-60), 239,

306, 310 ; do., Minister at Monymusk (1653-74), 240 ; do. of Rothmaise (1696), 388. Ross, Dr. Alexander, Minister of Aberdeen (1638), 249. Ross, Bishop of, Edinburgh (17—), 240.

Ross, Bishop of, Dr. John Leslie (1565), 149 ; do., Paterson (16—), 154.

Ross, Buchanan of (18—), 463.

Ross, Christian, wife of Sir Arthur Forbes (174-), 461.

Index. 577

Ross, Euphemia, Countess of, (14 — ), 88.

Boss, Earl of (13-), 441.

Ross, Francis, of Auchlossin (1646), 461.

Ross, Geils, wife of George Grab (1660-64), 293, 294, 351.

Ross, James, Minister at Aberdeen (16 — ), 239.

Ross, John, of Arnage (17— ), 460, 461 ; do. (Inverurie, 1476), 119.

Ross, Margaret, wife of Robert Leith (1678), 461.

Ross, Martha, wife of Alexander Leith (17 — ), 460.

Boss, Priest (1702), 423.

Ross Priory, Leith of (1842), 463.

Rossnett, Hugh (1273), 50.

Rossoehetes, Vicar of, Roger (1297), 50.

Rothael, Eitcheth, Bothkes (1199-1206), 19, 24, 25, 26, 32.

Bothes, Earls of, 34, 73, 104, 156, (1630), 220, (1638) 255, (1716) 414.

Rothes, Sir George Leslie of (1390), 104.

Rothesay, David, Duke of (1402), 54, 78, 86, 106. '

Bothie, Forbes of (1671), 12 ; Gordon of (1671), 329.

Eothiemay, Castle of (1469), 12 ; Laird of (1630), 243 ; John Gordon of (17— ), 412.

Eothiemurcus (1644), 283.

Bothraaise, Botmaise, Eothemais, Chapel of, 17 ; Lairds of, Bobert, son of Hugh, son of Spileman

(1175), 31 ; Duncan of Bane (1304), 61 ; Henry St. Michael (1304), 61 ; Tulledaff (1411),

104 ; Leslie (1622-1633), 213, 238, 239 ; Alexander Boss (1690), 388. Eothney, Eothnek, Eothenyck, Patrick of (1297), 50 ; Leith of (1359), 66 ; Gordon of (1696-1836),

388, 429, 471. Eothney, Eeddendum of (1350), 66. Eothrie, Earl of Mar (1120), 55.

Eothynonnan, Eothienorman, 33, (1376), 66, (1390), 104. Boule, John and Thomas (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Bounding, Jane, wife of Charles Stephen Leslie, 444. Bousseau, Jean Jacques, 402. Bow, John, Minister (1649), 276, 301, 303 ; his History, 306.

Bowan, , wife of William Leslie (1511), 446.

Bowan, William (Aberdeen, 1511), 466.

Eoyalist and Covenanting Families (1639-49), 249, 250, 264, 265, 267, 270, 275, 280.

Bule of the Kirk, The (1649-60), 299, 326.

Eunciman, Isabella, wife of Alexander Leslie (1600), 446.

Eunciman, John, Parson of Oyne (16 — ), 446.

Bussel, Alexander, of Moncoffer (1756), 478.

Bussel, Eobert (1259), 50.

Eutherford, Alexander, Provost of Aberdeen (1612), 170.

Euthven, Kirk of (circa 1157), 20.

Euthven, Patrick, Lord (1566), 224, 449.

Byhill, Oyne (Wardes Lands, 1510), 220, 347, 378, 415 ; Sir Robert Gordon of (1696), 389.

73

578 Index.

St. Andrew of Bayne, 17, 60; of Alford, 55 ; of Kindroeht, 55.

St. Andrews' Priory, 21 ; University, 130 ; Burgh, 328 ; Royalty of, 468.

St. Anne's of Kemnay, 17.

St. Appolinaris, 14.

St. Bryde's Kirk, 310, 338.

St. Caran of Premnay, 17.

St. Clair, 33 ; William, Lord of (1441), 110.

St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, 224, 450. j

St. Cyrus, 162.

St. Finnan's of Abersnithie, 17.

St. Germains, 376, 421.

St. James's of Auehleven, 17; do. ofFingask, 17.

St. John's of Barra, 17.

St. Kilda, 449.

St. Mahuluoche of Tarland, 55.

St. Machar, 55.

St. Marnan of Aberchirder, 55 ; do. of Leochel, 55.

St. Mary's, 17.

St. Michael's Altar, 136 ; Henry, 51 ; of Kinkell, 17.

St. Nachlan's of Bethelnie, 17.

St. Ninian's of Oyne ; do. of Fetternear, 17.

St. Paull's, Aberdeen (1730), 335.

St. Peter's Hospital, Aberdeen, 12.

St. Bule, 66.

St. Serve of Monkegy, 112 ; Fair, 112, 297 ; Hill, 122.

St. Wollock of Buthven, 55.

Sabbath, Breach of (16-), 192, 207, 302, 316, 318, 319, 331, 332, 338, 339, 340.

Sabbath Games, 196, 207, 339.

Sackcloth in Church (1656), 319.

Salisbury, Gilbert Burnet, Bishop of, 251, 375, 420.

Saltoun, 6th Lord Abernethy of, 464.

Saltoun, 10th Lord, 465.

Saltoun, Master (1682), 465.

Sampson, Thomas (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Sandhole, Inverurie, 7.

Sandilands, James, of Craibstone (17—), 451 ; and Jean, wife of Sir William Johnston (17—), 451.

Saphock, Lands of (1623), 309 ; Mill of (1635), 161.

Sax Biggs, Inverurie, 185.

Saxon Civilization, 17.

Scabbedley Folds and Faughs, Inverurie, 185.

Scevan, William, Monk (1500), 133.

Schawfields, Inverurie, 200.

Schethin, Seton of (1625-72), 279, 307, 468.

Schiney, James (Inverurie, 1694), 394.

Index. 579

Schivas, House of (1637), 249 ; Laird of (1650), 307. Schoolhill, Aberdeen, Tenement in (1611), 231.

Schoolmasters (1606-36), 171, 172, 173 ; (1649-1700) 322-6, (1710), 425. School-work (1612), 170, (17—) 424.

Schools, Provision for (1612), 172, (1672), 326 ; Neglected (1649-57), 322, 323, 324 ; Visited by Pres- bytery (1652), 324, (1737), 424.

Scot, John, The, Earl of Huntingdon, 23, 34, 60, 62, '368.

Scott, Alexander (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Scott, Anthony (Inverurie, (16—), 397.

Scott, George (Mill of Ardoyne, 1664, 338 ; do., Town Clerk of Inverurie (1746-50), and .at Mill of Aden (1789), 482, 483.

Scott, Mr. George, Town Clerk of Inverurie (1681-1729), 354, 356, 384, 391, 393, 481, 483 ; aud Family, 384, 483.

Scott, Isabella, wife of James Ferguson (1709), 354, 384, and Family, 4S1.

Scott, James, Inverurie (1610-1620), 207, 397 ; do., Duke of Monmouth, 372, 374.

Scott, John, Jesuit Priest (1588), 156 ; do. (Inverurie, 1608), 191 ; do. of Newlands (1686), 378.

Scott, Margaret, wife of Alexander Ferguson, Inverurie (1723), 483, 485.

Scott, Sir Robert, of Balweary, 354.

Scott, Walter (16—), 397.

Scott's Lands, Inverurie, 391, 392, 393, 395.

Scottbrig, Leith of (1672), 329.

Scottish Crown, Competition for (129-), 23.

Scougal, Patrick, Bishop of, Aberdeen (1664-82), 335, 342.

Scrimgeour, Elizabeth, wife of Sir Thomas Erskine (1528), 473.

Scrimgeour of Dudhope, Sir James (1411), 89 ; do. (15 — ), 473.

Scrogie, Alexander, Parson of Drumoak (1615), 233 ; do., Dr. Alexander (Aberdeen, 1638), 249.

Scrogie, William, Curate, Inverurie (1466), 120.

Sculpture in Churches (14-), 133.

Sculptured Stones, 4.

Seaforth, Earl of (1639), 267, 268.

Secret Council, The (1660-88), 334.

Sectaries, English (164-), 278, 310, 317.

Sedan, University of (16-), 164.

Seggat, Bridge at (1670), 339.

Selby and Lofthillock, Leslie of (1433), 100 ; Seton (1590), 466 ; Johnston of (16—), 466.

Selmys, Elphinstone of (1492), 101, 470.

Sempill, Baroness (1698), 235.

Sentiment (14—), 123.

Sepulture, Early, 5.

Serfdom (14—), 117.

Session, Court of, 100, 137.

Seton Arms, 465, 466, 468.

Seton of Barra (1598), 419, 466 ; of Blair (15—1696), 466 ; of Bourtie (1598-1657), 466, 467 ; of Dis- blair (1623-58), 468 ; Earls of Winton, Earls of Dunfermline, Lords of Fyvie and TJrquhart, 464 ; of That Ilk (12—14—), 463, 464 ; of Lumphard (1575), 465 ; of Meanie (17—), 464 ; of Meldrum (1456-1636), 464, 465 ; of Minnes (1623), 209 ; of Mounie (1575-1636, 1714), 465 ; of Newark (1670), 235 ; of Pitmedden (1619), 466, 467 ; of Schethin (1625-72), 468 ; of Slatie (15—), 464.

580 Index.

Seton, Alexander, 1st Earl of Huntly (145-), 464 ; do. of Meldrum (1656), 103, 107, 109, 464, 466 ; do. do. (1512-33), 464 ; do. (do., 1581), 464, 474 ; do., Chancellor of Aberdeen Diocese (1566), 101, 126, 141, 148, 464 ; do., Lord Fyvie (16—), 465 ; do. (Blair, 1619), 466 ; do. of Kinloch (1672), 465 ; do. of Mounie (died 1850), 465 ; do., Colonel (died 1852), 231, 466.

Seton, Sir Alexander, Lord Gordon (1408), 91, 95, 96, 464 ; do., Lord Pitmedden (1664), 231, 377, 467.

Seton, Ann, wife of William Dick of Grange (15 — ), 467.

Seton, Sir Archibald, of Pitmedden (17—), 467.

Seton, Barbara, of Winton, wife of Sir ■ — Keith (12—), 436.

Seton, Charles (Pitmedden, 17—), 467.

Seton, Sir Christopher (1306), 43, 45.

Seton, David, of Mounie (1878), 465, 466.

Seton, Eliza, wife of Dr. D. Brown (1878), 467.

Seton, Elizabeth, wife of Sir William Keith (1133), 435 ; do. of Meldrum, wife first of John Urquhart (1610) ; second of Sir Alexander Eraser, 10th Lord Saltoun, 230, 231, 464, 465, 468 ; do. of Blair (1661-96), 389, 418, 466 ; do., wife of James Elphinstone (1698), 412 ; do., wife of Sir Alexander Wedderburn (16 — ), 467.

Seton, George, of Barra (1598-1616), 101, 148, 230, 233, 248, 464, 466 ; do. of Schethin (1625), 468 ; do. of Blair (1647-58), 301, 308, 311, 466 ; do. of Monni'e (1714-63), 231, 446, 447, 465, 467 ; do. (Mounie, 1878), 468.

Seton Gordon, The, 67, 99, 112.

Seton, Helen, wife of John Leslie (1730), 447.

Seton, Henry (died 1452), 464.

Seton, Isobel, wife of Thomas Erskine (1625), 464, 474 ; do., wife of Dr. Skene Ogilvy, 465.

Seton, James, of Barra and Bourtie (1598), and of Pitmedden (1619), 101, 230, 446 ; do. of Bourtie and Pitmedden (1639-67), 230, 304, 419, 467 ; do. of Schethin (1672), 468 ; do. of Meanie (died 1707), 655 ; do., Pitmedden (died 1814), 467 ; do. (Pitmedden, 1878), 467.

Seton, Dr. James (164-), 249.

Seton, John, of Blair (15—), 464, 466 ; of Lumphard and Mounie (1575), 464, 465 ; do. of Meldrum (died 1619), 248, 264 ; do. of Minnes (1623), 209 ; do. of Bourtie and Pitmedden (died 1639), 230, 265, 271, 304, 466 ; do. of Schethin (Minister at Kemnay, 1641-9, and at Foveran, 1649-68), 239, 468; do. of Disblair (1658), 468.

Seton, Sir John, of That Ilk, 463.

Seton, Kathcrine, wife of Rev. Forbes (17 — ), 467.

Seton, Magdalene, wife of Arthur Talbot Bevan (1878), 467.

Seton, Margaret, wife of John Chalmers (1584), 232, 464 ; do. of Blair (1666-96), 389, 418, 466 ; do., wife of Alexander Pringle (1668), 339 ; do., wife of Sir John Lauder of Foutainhall (16 — ), 467 ; do., wife of Sir John Paterson (17—), 467 ; do., wife of Dr. Anderson (1769), 465.

Seton, Matthew (Pitmedden, 1878), 467.

Seton, Ninian (Kirkton, Bourtie, 1611), 166.

Seton, Priest (alias Ross, 1702), 423.

Seton, Robert (Kinloch, 1707), 465.

Seton, William, of Meldrum (died 1452), 67, 101, 112, 464 ; do., do. (1490), 464; do., do. (1533-81), 464, 465 ; do., do. (1619-53), 239, 464, 466 ; do. of Slatie (156-), 464 ; do. of Blair (1595), 466 ; do., do. (1612-47), 301, 466 ; do. of Mounie (1597), 465 ; do., do. (1763), 465 ; do. of Disblair (1623), 468; do., do. (1658), 468 ; do. of Schethin (1625-50), 307, 468 ; do., do. (Minister of Logie-Buchan (1652-72), 310, 478 ; do. of Meanie (senior and junior, ante 1703), 465 ; do. (Bombay Staff, 1878), 467.

Index. 581

Seton, Sir William, of That Ilk, 112, 463 ; do. of Pitmedden (1714-43), 467 ; do., do. (1743), 467 ;

do., do. (died 1819), 467 ; do., do. (1819), 467. Seven Years' "War, 422. Shakespeare in Aberdeen, 162.

Shand, Alexander Sharp, of Templand and Drimmies (1816), 487. Shand, Colonel, of Templand, 487.

Shand, Sir Charles (Chief Justice of Mauritius, 1878), 487- Shand, George (Excommunicated, 1650), 307. Shand, James (Premnay Manse, 1696), 385. Shand, John, Schoolmaster of Oyne (1683), 326 ; do., Minister of Premnay (1671-96), 378, 385 ; do.

(Mouymusk, 1685), 348. Shanks, Martin, Minister at Kewhills (1697), 426.

Sharp, Alexander, Minister at Fordyce ante 1675, at Bourtie (1675-1709), 386. Sherar, Andrew (Kinkell, 1473), 122 ; do. (Kintore, 1498), 123. Sherar, Duncan, Rector of Clatt (1492), 125. Sheddocksley, Young of, 368, 454. Shepperd, Arthur (Probationer, 1697), 426, 428. Sheriffs of Aberdeen (1296), 41 ; (1452) 112 ; (156-), 129 ; (1630) 242 ; (1647), 350 ; (17—), 472 ; (1800)

454. Shethin, Oyne (1675), 347. Shevock, Water of, 222. Shewan, William (Monk circa 1500), 130. Shewan, William and Patrick (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Sbirrefs, David, Alexander, Advocate, and Dr. James, Minister (Aberdeen, (17 — ), 240. Shoemakers' Craft (1400, 1614, 1671, 1696), 115, 196, 361, 383. Shombathy, John (1650), 320. Short Croft, Inverurie, 185. Short, John, Provost of Dundee (1350), 308. Shrewsbury, Talbot, 1st Earl of, 70. Sibbald, Alexander, Minister at Kemnay (1632-41), 239. Sibbald, Dr. James (Aberdeen, 1633), 249.

Sighterman, Catherine, wife of Anthony, 5th Earl of Kintore, 440. Signatures by Notary's Hand (1600), 183. Sillerstrind, 8, 92.

Simmers, William, Miller at Glascha (1622), 181 ; do. (in Lofthillock, 1664), 351. Simpson, Alexander, of Lawelside (1677), 329 ; do., of Concraig, 391 ; do., Minister at Insch (1720), 462. Simpson, Isobel (Monymusk, 1685), 348. Simpson, James (Daviot, 1651), 309. Simpson, John (Kinkell, 1473), 122.

Simpson, Margaret, wife of Alexander Simpson, (1677), 329. Simpson, Robert, of Thornton (1677-96), 329, 389 ; do., younger (1696), 389. Sinclair, Francis (Caithness, 1644), 282. Sinclair, Katherine, wife of Sir William Seton, 463. Sinclair, Lord (1441), 110. Sinclair, Sir William, of Herdmanston, 463. Sinclair or Singlar, Thomas, Vicar of Logiedurno (1454), 125. Singer, William (Daviot, 1550), 144.

582 Index.

Sins, National (1651), 310.

Skellater, William Forbes of (1750, 416, 417, 469.

Skene (1228), 18, 55 ; Kirk of, a Chaplainry of Kinkell, 20, 132 ; Gilbert Keith, Minister (163-),

160; of That Ilk (1296—), 51, 131, 284, 286, 449, 476. Skene, George, of Skene (M.P., 1780), 476 ; do., Minister of Kinkell (1697), 427. Skene, Janet, wife of Alexander Seton (1S10), 465. Skene, John, of Dyce (17—), 238. Skene, Patrick (1296), 51.

Sketry Burn, Inverurie, 174, 346, 362, 391, 395 ; do., Roods, Inverurie, 395. Skipper Anderson, Aberdeen and Bourtie (1644-63), 287, 419. Skudder, The (1597), 152. Slagmagully, Robert Hervie of (1674), 329. Slains Castle, 61, 164.

Slains, Ministers at, Stephen Mason (1612), 155 ; William Fraser (1697), 426. Slavery (1200), 33 ; (1400) 117 ; (1679) 340. Sleipiehilloek, 197, 225, 449. Sleepy Market, 109. Smart, John (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Smiddy Croft, Bourtie, 54, 167 ; do., Lordship of Lendores (1600), 157. Smidddy House, Lordship of Lendores (1600), 157. Smith, Alexander (Inverurie, 1608-17), 172, 191, 202, 204, 396 ; do. (Coullie, Monymusk, 1633), 239 ;

do. (Edinburgh, 1696), 383. Smith, Ann (" Mill o' Tiftie's Annie "), 417. Smith of Blairdaflf, 386.

Smith, Clementina, wife of Hugh Gordon (1773-86), 487.

Smith of Drimmies and Inveramsay, Patrick (ante 1754) ; Alexander (1754-77), 417, 487. Smith, Elspet, wife of Robert Wishart (1696), 384. Smith, George (Inverurie, 1612), 172, 196, 203 ; do. (do., 1662), 352. Smith, Helen, wife of Charles Hacket (1773), 487.

Smith, James, (Inverurie, 1633-46), 258, 293, 398 ; do. (Ingliston, 1713), 396. Smith, Janet (Inverurie, 1650), 307. Smith, Margaret, wife of William Mathewson (1664), 398. Smith, Peter and Janet (Monymusk, 1685), 328. Smith, Robert (Inverurie, 1660), 352, 369. Smith, Thomas, Inverurie, 1725. Smith, Violet (Excommunicated, 1650), 307. Smith, William (Fetternear, 1511), 129 ; do. (Inverurie, 1536), 240 ; do. (do. 1612-19), 172, 207 ; do.

(do., 1655), 397 ; do. (Blairdaff, 1633), 181. Snape, William, Mill of Aquhorties (1611-31), 181.

Society, State of (circa 1400), 106 ; (circa 1600) 244 ; circa (1660) 331, 336 ; (circa 1700), 387. Solyman, The, Magnificent (1521), 400. Somerled, Thane of Argyle, 435. Somerville, Jessie, wife of John Aiken (1878), 473. Sophia, The Electress (1703), 421. Souter, John (Daviot, 1550), 144. Souterford, 9 ; Haugh, 185. Southesk, Earl of (1640), 274, 281.

Index. 583

Spaldyn, John (1273), 50.

Spangare, The (Alexander Forbes, 1527), 139, 143.

Spanish Plot, The (1588), 164, 215, 438.

Sparke, Rev. Richard, and Agnes, wife of George Johnston (1878), 455.

Spence, Spens, Alexander (Dene, Monymusk, 1534), 127.

Spence, Andrew (Reader, Monkegy, 1570), 165.

Spence of Boddom (circa 1500), 444 ; {post 1600), 154.

Spence, James, Vicar of Insch (1600), 154.

Spence, Thomas, Minister at Culsalmond (1607), 154, 239.

Spey, The, (temp. David I.), 20 ; (1644), 283.

Spileman, Robert, son of Hugh, son of (1177), 31, 36.

Spital, Old Aberdeen (ante 1199), 12, 265.

Spittert, Alexander (Aberdeen, 1543), 136.

Spruce, Dukedom of (1647), 229.

Spynie, Lord (1644), 282.

Stainforth, Roger, Vicar of Banchory-Ternan (1262), 37.

Stair, 1st Viscount, 388.

Standingstones, Dyce, 197, 449, 453 ; do., Rayne. 8.

Stanners of Inverurie, 1, 2, 6, 183, 185, 225, 258.

Starke, Anne, wife of James C. Lock, R. N. (1866), 483.

Station Road, Inverurie, 395.

Steelhand, Patrick Gordon, alias (1639-51), 250, 307, 309.

Stele, John, Chaplain to Earl of Mar (1406), 86.

Stenting for Soldiers (1640), 274.

Stephen, Stevin, Steven, Inverurie, 120, 397.

Stephen, Alexander (Inverurie, 1612-16), 195, 203 ; do. (do., 1645-62), 299, 352, 390.

Stephen, Andrew, Inverurie (1647, 1664, 1677), 295, 351, 364.

Stephen, Ann, wife of Robert Menzies (1802), and Jean, wife of William Tytler (1802), daughters of

John, Inverurie and Peterhead (1785), 259, 397. Stephen, Catherine, wife of George Ferguson (17 — ), 479. Stephen, George (Inverurie, (1677), 364 ; do. (do., 1717-1724), 396. Stephen, Henry (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Stephen, Janet and Marjory (Inverurie, 1692), 390. Stephen, John (Fetternear, 1511), 129 ; (Inverurie ante 1612) 195 ; do. (do. 1614-33), 196, 203, 207, 257>

315 ; do. (do., 1645— ante 1681), 292, 293, 351, 390, 397 ; do. (do., 1790), 396 ; do. (Conglass

1696), 384. Stephen, Patrick (Leggat, Keithhall, 1664), 352. Stephen, Ssusan (ante 1633), 257, 259. Stephen, Thomas (Daviot, 1550), 144. Stephen, William, Inverurie (1612-18), 172, 205 ; do. (do., 1633-62), 258, 351, 352 ; do. (do., 1696),

390, do. (do., Officer, 1608-17), 192, 198, 200, 201, 203. Stevynson, William, Chaplain to Earl of Mar (1406), 86. Stewart, Alexander, Earl of Mar, 58, 85, 88, 106, 108, 112. Stewart, Alice, wife of George Burnett (1877), 486. Stewart, Ann, wife of James Ferguson (1699), 406, 409, 474, 475. Stewart, Grizel, wife of John Seton (1619), 464. Stewart, James, brother of Earl of Mar (1410), 88.

584 Index.

Stewart, Lord James, Earl of Moray, 146, 149.

Stewart, Janet, Countess of Crawford, daughter of Robert II., 442.

Stewart, John, Earl of Buchan, Constable of France, 88, 437; do., Treasurer, Aberdeen Diocese

(1549), 148. Stewart, Thomas, son of Earl of Mar (14—), 86. Stewart, Walter, of Dryland (circa, 1509), 445.

Stillfried, Baron Eminanual, and Baroness Fanny, wife of Ernest Leslie (1836), 444. Stipends of Ministers in Reformed Church, 158.

Stirling, Toft in Burgh (1200), 21 ; Provost and Dean of Guild (1650), 308. Stirling, Gilbert (1257), 50.

Stirling, Sir John (Not. Pub., Kintore, 1498), 129. Stocking Trade in Aberdeen, 454. Stone Circles, Coffins, &c, 3, 4, 9. Stonefield, Inverurie, 4, 8. Stonehaven (1639), 271 ; (1662), 484. Stonehouse, 257, 355, 389, 394. Stonywood, 254, 264, 279, 464, 473. Stormont, David, Viscount (17—), 402, 439. Story, Dr., Minister of Roseneath (1878), 463.

Strachan, Stradachane, Strathachyn, Strathauchan, Lands of (1640), 273. Strachan of Corskie (1617), 213 ; of Glenkindie (1357-1738), 67, 131, 234, 296, 347, 352, 459, 460 ; of

Kinaldie (1671), 329 ; of Luesk (1676), 329 ; of Thornton (1445-1623), 103, 104, 139, 209 ; of

Tipperty (1610), 177, 219. Strachan, Adam, of Glenkindy (1357), 67. Strachan, Alexander, of Glenkindie (1645), 234, 296 ; do. do. (1645-82), 234, 296, 347, 352, 459,

460 ; do. of Thornton (15 — ), 104 ; do. of Kinaldie (1671), 329 ; do. Minister of Logiedurno

(1633-77), 239, 306, 324. Strachan, Andrew, Minister at Logiedurno (1603-23), 314, 239 ; do., Minister, 1st at Tullynessle, 2nd

at Kintore (1649-79), 240, 303. Strachan, Captain (1650), 307.

Strachan, , Rector of Coldstone (1615), 233.

Strachan, David, of Thornton (1445-1512), 104.

Strachan, Elizabeth, wife of Sir Robert Keith (10—), 435 ; do., wife of "William Blackball (1615),

229 ; do., wife of George Pittendreich (1675), 329. Strachan, Elspet, wife of Thomas Johnston (1630), 450. Strachan, Isobel (The Skudder, Caskieben 1597), 152. Strachan, John de (1357), 67 ; do., Rector of Kincardine (1615), 233; do. of Corskie (1617), 213 ;

do., Tutor of Thornton, 1623), 209. Strachan, James, Priest (1560), 149 ; do., Minister of Oyne (1685-1715), 372, 378. Strachan, Margaret, wife of Rev. William Forbes (1644), 214, 358 ; do., wife of James Leith (1650),

401, 459, 460 ; do., mother of John Panton (1696), 389. Strachan, Marjory, wife of John Leslie (1610), 219. Strachan, Sir Patrick, of Glenkindie (1738), 460. Strachan, Richard, Dene, Monymusk (1534), 127. Strachan, Robert, Younger of Thornton (circa 1600), 139. Strachan, William, of Tipperty (died 1631), 177, 219 ; do., Minister of Logiedurno (1588-91), 154;

Index. 585

do., Minister at Daviot (1608-49), 161, 239, 273, 303, 305 ; do., Minister at Old Machar (1641), 277 ; do. (Rayne, 1653), 311 ; do. of Luesk (1676), 329 ; do. (Oyne, 1683), 340, 341.

Straiton, Alexander, of Lauriston (1411), 89.

Straloch, Cheyne of (circa 1378-1595), 101, 151, 442.

Strathallan (878), 2, 14.

Strathbogie " In the Crown" (1200, 1324, 1411), 13, 88, 89, 436.

Strathbogie, Castle of (1465), 12 ; (1562) 146, (159-) 242, (164-) 275, 283, 288.

Strathbogie, David of, 61, 70.

Strathbogie, Lord of, Earl David (1200), 23.

Strathbogie, Presbytery of (164-), 243.

Strathbogie, Raws of (Town of Huntly, 163*7), 249.

Strathdon, " Fair Maid " of (14—), 108.

Strathdon, George Gordon of (1500), 458.

Strathnavin (1646), 287.

Strearahead, Inverurie, 7, 175, 184 ; Marches (1653), 352 ; Turffed (1673), 369.

Strichen, Chalmers of (15—), 131, 449 ; Fraser of (18—), 444.

Strikes, Act against (1493), 118.

Struan, Tutor of (1644), 280.

Stuart of Laithers (1512), 131.

Styria, Counts Leslie in, 400, 443.

Superintends of the Church, 153, 156.

Superstitions (1675), 339.

Surnames (circa 1300), 50 ; Formation of, 126.

Sutherland, Earl of (1600), 268.

Sutherland, John (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Sutherland, Muriel, widow of Alexander Seton (1456), 464.

Sutor, Michael (Inverurie, 1402), 115.

Swinton, John, of Kemmerghame, Lord Swinton (1790), 356, 481.

Swinton, Sir John (died 1402), 57, 64, 76.

Swinton, Katherine, wife of Walter Ferguson (1798), 356, 481.

Swaipe, John, Inverurie (1536), 142.

Symers, Helen, wife of John Mortimer (1610), 235.

Synahard, Calder of (1512), 131.

Table, The Round, 12

Tailors, Crimes of (14 — ), 116.

Taillefer, George, Minister at Daviot (1650-61), 309, 324.

Tait, Robert, Minister at Cnllen (1697), 426.

Tannachie, Tulloch of (17—), 479.

Tannatores (Tanners, 14 — ), 115.

Tantallon Castle, Warder of (1530), 473.

Tarbet, Leslies of, 445, 473.

74

586 Index.

Tarland, Patrick Dun of (1700), 447.

Tarves, Kirk of (1662), 336 ; Minister, George Anderson (1697), 426.

Tavern Hours, Inverurie (1614), 196.

Tavilty, 111, 221, 265.

Tax, Poll (1695), 282.

Taylor, Tayleour, Tailzeour, Christian, Inverurie (1617-55), 203, 258, 292, 293, 318.

Taylor, Guilfrid, Aberdeen (1411), 89.

Taylor, James (Inverurie, Wright, 1600-56), 162, 182, 192, 204, 206, 207, 258, 293, 295 ; do. (his son, Weaver, 1616-99), 202, 395 ; do. (do., Wright, 1662-7), 344, 352 ; do. (Oyne, 1677), 340.

Taylor, John (Inverurie, (1536), 142 ; do. (do., 164" 31), 292, 293, 322, 364, 393.

Taylor, Robert (Inverurie, 1607-21), 172, 191, 196, 212 ; do. (do., Junior, 1607-45), 204, 206, 292.

Taylor, Walter (Inverurie, 1536), 122.

Teinds, Settlement of (16—), 159 j Inverurie Burgh (1608), 193, (1633), 257, (1672), 362.

Temperance Enforced (Inverurie, 1618), 205.

Tempin Walls (Conglass), 19, 92.

Temple Croft (Bourtie), 64.

Temple, George (Inverurie, 1690), 388.

Temple Lands, 223, 231.

Tenant Eight (1514), 130.

Tepper, Ferguson-, Family of, 354, 483.

Terpersie, Gordon of (1600-77), 330, 462.

Thain, Alexander, George, and William (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Thain, Isobel, wife of William Lunan, (1691), 240, 384, 386.

Thain, William, of Blakhall (1688-172-), 240, 380, 384, and family, 384.

Thain, Mr. William (Blakhall, 1696), 384.

Thainston, Lairds of, William Chalmers (temp. David II.), 62 ; Chalmers, Wardrop, Herman, ,Ardbekye (ante 1467), 120 ; Henry Forbes (1467), 232 ; Forbes of Tolquhon (1610-1716), 232, 238, 272, 328, 389; Mitchell (1716-56), 232, 417, 422, 450; Forbes Mitchell (175-), 253.

Thanksgiving Days (circa. 1680), 378, 380.

That Ilk, Families of (circa 1500), 131.

Thirlstane (17—), 481.

Thirty Years' War, The, 330, 398.

Thoirs, Thomas, Minister at Udny (1638), at Daviot (1640), 270.

Thom, William (Inverurie. Poet), 413.

Thomas, Vicar of Inverurie (1297), 50, 118 ; do., The Rhymer (12—), 135.

Thomson, Alexander, Archibald, Gilbert, Robert, and William (Monymusk, 1685), 340, 348.

Thomson, Alexander, Minister of Peterculter (1697), 426.

Thomson, Andrew (Muirton, Bourtie, 1611), 160.

Thomson, Isobel, wife of Alexander Mitchell (1696), 384.

Thomson, Janet (Inverurie, 1614), 197.

Thomson, John, of Pitblaine (1413), 104 ; do. (Kinkell, 1473), 122 ; do. (Inverurie, 1607-33), 172, 191, 202, 204, 258, 394.

Thomson, Patrick (Boynds, 1664), 351.

Thomson, Thomas, Minister at Turriff (1697), 426.

Thomson, William, Baillie of Kintore (1498), 123 ; do. (Inverurie, 1612), 172 ; do., Minister of Kin- tore (1697), 426, 431 ; do., Schoolmaster at Rayne ^1688), 327.

Thornton in Bourtie, Strachan of (1430-1623), 103, 104, 139, 209, 441 ; Simpson of (1677-96), 329, 389.

Index. 587

Thorp, Maria Disney, wife of Sir Alexander Leith (18—), 401, 460.

Threepland, 61.

Tifty's Annie, Mill o', 447.

Tillery, William Forbes of (17—), 468 ; James Ligertwood (18—), 467.

Tilliangus, Gordon of (1673), 329.

Tillygreig, Harvie of (1674), 329.

Tillychondie, Gordon of (ante 1611), 446.

Tillyfour, Elphinstone of (1507), i02 ; Leslie of (15101, 111, 445.

Tillymorgan, Lairds of; Lindores Abbey (1259), 61 ; Cruickshank (14—, 1696), 157, 223, 250, 308,

388, 446 ; Anderson (1668), 329. Tilty vide Tavilty.

Tipperty, Strachan of (1610), 177, 219. Tobago, George Ferguson, Governor of, 478. Tocher, John Leslie of (1760), 465. Toeherford (17-), 481. Tofts of Abbeys within Burghs (1200), 21. Tokens, Communion (1650), 315. Toleration (1690), 422.

Tolquhon, Preston of (ante 1420), 67, 91 ; Forbes of, vide Forbes. Tombeg, Alexander, Jean, John, Robert, and William Forbes (1696), 406, 409. Tone, Bridge of (1682), 340. Tonley, Mr. Alexander Farquhar of (1638), 231. Torie, Walter, Teacher (1650), 328.

Torphichen, Friar Robert of (1342), 64 ; Alexander Lichton, Prior (1422), 125 ; Lord (1611), 231. Torries (Harthill), 220 ; (1668-96) Gordon of, 239, 389. Torrie (1639), 419 ; Lands in (1581-1696), 236, 237, 404. Torryleith, Lands of (1563), 148. Touches, Barbara, wife of Thomas Ronald (1668), 393.

Tough, Minister of, James Irvine (1612), 240 ; William Leslie (1700-4), 429, 431. Tours, Sir John of (1388), 77.

Towie, Tolly, Castle of (1136), 64, 284 ; Barclay of (1136—), 230. Towie on Donside, Forbes of (1550), 458 ; Bridge at (1670), 339. Towie, Kirk of (1657), 336 ; George Moir, Mini ier (1719), 237. Tradesmen, Rural (1620), 186 ; (1671) 361, (1696), 382, 383. Tragle, Thomas (Aberdeen, 1411), 89. Traill, George (Insch, 1650), 307.

Treefield, Leith of (1605-1702), 329, 352, 401, 460, 462, 474. Trinity Church, Aberdeen (1689), 370. Trot of Turriff (1539), 370. Trotter, Miss (1695), 420. Troubles, in the Garioch, The, 260.

Troup, Keith of (14— ), 437 ; Gordon of (17— ), 460, 476 ; of Comaleggie (15—), 131, 445. Troup, Mr. James, son of Episcopalian Minister at Muchals, 407. Tiumpeters (1670), 363.

Tullidaff, Andrew, of That Ilk and Lentush (1413), 104 ; do. of That Ilk (circa 1600), 468. Tullidaff, John, of That Ilk and Lentush (ante 1398), 104. Tullidaff, William, of That Ilk and Lentush (1411), 104, 223.

\

588 Index.

Tullidaffs Cairn, 104, 140.

Tullo, Gilbert Craig of (17—), 446.

Tulloch, Alexander, of Craignesin (1617), 213.

Tulloch, John (Aberdeen, 1411), 89 ; do. (Boddom, 1701), 430.

Tulloch, Margaret, wife of George Fergusou (17 — ), 479.

Tulloch of Moncoffer (1512), 131.

Tulloch of Tannachie (17—), 479.

Tullos in Garioch, House of, 330 ; Alexander Leslie of, vide Alexander Leslie.

Tullos in Nigg, David Morice of (1S01), 454.

Tullycherie, 157.

Tullynessle, Ministers at, Alexander Guthrie (1602-15), 159, 233 ; Andrew Strachan (164-), 240 ; John

"Walker (1677), 330. Tullynessle, Schyre of (1137), 20. Tumali, 3, 6.

Turf in Building (1607, 17—1, 3S8. Turf, Casting of (1607), 191, 195, 294. Turing, Turyn of Foveran (1512), 131 ; (1639) 269. Turing, John, Episcopal Intruder at Insch (1692-1709), 429.

Turing, W (Aberdeen, 1411), 89.

Turing, Walter, Schoolmaster, Logiedurno (1696), 386 ; do., Minister at Rayne (1707), 432.

Tumberry (12—), 24.

Turnbull, Margaret, Daviot (1550), 144.

Turner, Sir Edward (16—), 439.

Turner, John, of Turnerhall (17—), 469.

Turriff (1639-44), 263, 264, 269, 281 ; Population (1646), 360; Kirk of (1662), 335.

Turriff, Ministers at, George Hay (1615), 333 ; Thomas Mitchell (1639), 269 ; Thomas Thomson

(1697), 426. Turriff Presbytery (1697), 426. Twelfth Part Lands, Inverurie, Origin, of 183 ; Cropping, 1S4 ; Division, 184, 199 ; Duties, 206

Holders (1633), 258, 259. Tyburn (1690), 374.

Tye, Mary Ann, wife of Sir William Bacon Johnston, 451, 452. Tynnin Plate, The (Paris, 1408), 87.

Tynningham, Thomas, Archdeacon, Aberdeen (1423-36), 126. Tyrebaggar, 5, 7.

Tyrie, Minister of, William Hunter (1697), 426. Tyrie, David, of Dunnideer (ante 16SS), 330. Tyrie, John, of Dunnideer (16S4), 330 ; (1696), 388. Tytler, William Boyd (Ceylon, 1878), 397.

u.

Udny, Alexander (Monkegy, 1600), 162. Udny, Duncan, Dean of the Garioch (1536), 142. Udny, Elizabeth, wife of Patrick Leith (16—), 461.

Index. 589

Udny, Helen, wife of William Seton (1623), 465.

Udny, Laird of, Udny (1512), 131 ; William Seton of (1623), 284, 465.

Udny, Minister of, Dr. William Keith (165-), 450.

Udny, William, of That Ilk (Kintore, 1492), 123.

Udo, William (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Ulster Annals, The, 14.

Universities in Scotland, 130, 149, 153, 163, 241, 414, 472.

Union of Scotland and England, 439.

Union Bank, Inverurie, 395.

Urbs In Mure, 12, 173, 187.

Urcan, David, John, Patrick (Inverurie, 1536), 142.

Urquhart of Byth (17—), 468, 469, 470 ; of Craigfintray (1598-1631), vide infra John ; of Craigston

(17—), 469 ; of Cromarty, 468, 469 ; of Culbo (17—), 469 ; of Knockleith (16—), 468 ; of

Meldram (1636), 468-9. Urquhart, Adam, of Meldrum (1684), 468, 469 ; do., his son, French Priest, 468. Urquhart, Alexander, Meldram (died 1685), 468. Urquhart, Sir Alexander, of Cromarty (17— ), 469. Urquhart) Anne, wife of Sir Florence Odonachie (16—), 468 ; do., wife of Charles Gordon of Blelack

(17-), 468. Urquhart Arms, 469, 470. Urquhart, Beauchamp Calclough, of Meldrum (born 1796, died 1861), and family, 469 ; do. (1861—),

and family, 469. Urquhart, Charlotte, wife of William Hill (1878), 469. Urquhart, Douglass, wife of Gordon William Duff (18— ), 469. Urquhart, Elizabeth, wife first of Sir George Gordon, second of Major-General Buchan (16—), 468 ;

do., wife of David Ogilvy (16—), 468 ; do., wife of William Forbes (17—), 468 ; do., wife of

John Turner (17—), 469 ; do., wife of James Ferguson (ante 1787), 478 ; do., wife first of John

Fraser, second of Luther Martin (1878), 469. Urquhart, George (Meldrum, 1726), 469 ; do. (Meldram, died 184-), 469. Urquhart, Henrietta, wife of Major Champion (1855), 469. Urquhart, Isobel Annie, wife of Garden Alexander Duff (1S78), 469.

Urquhart, James, of Byth (16—), 468 ; do. (17—), 469 ; do. of Knockleith .(16—), 468 ; do. (Inver- urie, Quaker, 1662), 339, 342, 352; do. (Cromarty, died 1741), 469 ; do. of Meldrum (1788),

469. Urquhart, Jean, wife of Alexander Stewart (16—), 468 ; do., wife of John Urquhart (17—), 469. Urquhart, John, of Craigfintray and Culbo, Tutor of Cromarty (1598-1631), 103, 179, 230, 231, 232,

233, 464, 465, 468, 469 ; do., his son (born ante 1610), 469 ; do. of Meldrum (1684), and

family, 468 ; do. of Craigston (17—), 469. Urquhart, Sir John, of Cromarty, 469. Urquhart, Jonathan, of Cromarty (17—), 469. Urquhart, Keith, of Meldrum (died 1793), 469. Urquhart, Lewis, French "Priest, 468.

Urquhart, Mary, wife of William Menzies (16—), 468 ; do., wife of Dr. Pirrie (1878), 469. Urquhart, Patrick, of Lethinty (1634) ; of Meldram (1636), 231, 232, 233, 273, 275, 284, 285, 328

464, 468, 469 ; do., Professor of Medicine, King's College (his son), 468. Urquhart, Sarah Jane (Meldrum), 496. Urquhart, Thomas (Meldrum, born 1832), 469.

590 Index.

Urquhart, Sir Thomas, of Cromarty (born 1613), 469.

Urquhart, William, Minister at Bethelnie (1665-95), 386 ; do. of Meldrum (1726), 469.

Urrie, Hurrie, of Pitfichie ; John, Gilbert, William, David, George, William, William John, John,

as per Pedigree, 254. Urrie, Hugo de (1296), 51.

Urrie, Sir John (died 1650), 253, 278, 285, 286, 292, 297. Urrie, Mary Margaret, Lady Lamont (1663), 253. Urrie, William, of Pitfichie (1506), 254 ; do. (1535), 128, 254. Ury, Barclay of (13-), 437.

Ury, Water of, 1, 5, 7, 9, 19, 35, 60, 211, 225, 369, 417, 487. Ury Bridge at Inverurie (1794), 482. Uryhank, 9, 173, 394. Usan, Lichton of, 114.

V.

Valentine, Philippina, wife of Peter Ferguson-Tepper (1763), 354, 483.

Vassals (1411) of the Church, 90 ; of the Crown ; of the Garioch Regality, 89.

Vans of Meny (1469-1512), 131, 163.

Vans, Elizabeth, wife of Gilbert Johnstone (14 — ), 121, 448.

Vans, Richard, of Menie (1469), 163.

Veritas Vincit (1010), 15.

Vicarages of Abbeys, 35, 36, 37, 79, 126, 127.

Vienna, Siege of (1683), 400.

Vinck, Gerard (17—), 377, 478.

w.

Wadsetters (circa 1633), 238.

Wages (1696), 383, 384.

Waitzen, Bishop of, William Leslie (1716), 411.

Wake, Baldwin, Sir William, and Lucy, wife of George Seton (1S78), 465, 466.

Wakefield (Cloth Manufacture, 1633), 227.

Wales, Prince of (1688), 379.

Walhem, Lordship of (1408), 87.

Walker, Alexander (King-Edward, 1650), 307.

Walker, Andrew (Inseh, 1650), 306 ; do. (Mill of Ardtannies, 1664-7), 344, 351 ; do. (Newmill of

Crimond, 1671), 362. Walker, Ann, wife of Sir Charles Leslie (died 1845), Adam, her father, 446. Walker, John (Daviot, 1550), 144 ; do., Minister at Kinkell (1599-1615), 154, 159, 208, 233 ; do.,

Minister at Tullynessle (1677), 330 ; do., Schoolmaster, Inverurie (1650), 324;

Index. 591

"Walker, Samuel, Minister at Monkegy (1630-49, 1661), 161, 214, 239, 260, 273, 289, 292, 305, 307.

Wallace (circa 1700), 33.

Wallace, Alexander Fergus alias (Inverurie, 1629), 211.

Wallace, John (Oyne, 1653), 311.

Wallace Tower in Fetternear, 41 .

Wallace, Sir William, 39, 41, 42.

Wallenstein, Slayers of (1633), 399.

Walter, Rector of Foveran (1273), 50.

Walters, Lucy, 372, 375.

Wand of Office (Inverurie, 1610), 194.

Wantonwalls, Insch (1701), 430.

Wapinschaw (Inverurie, 1608), 91.

Warders of Scotland— Sir William Wallace (1297), 41, 56; Randolph, Earl of Murray (1331), 69 ;

Donald, Earl of Mar (1332), 69 ; Sir Andrew Murray (1333), 68. Wardes, Warderys, Castle of, 5, 8, 222, 223, 290. Wardes, Lady of (1642), 221.

Wardes, Lands of (1460-1510), 111, 220 ; in Inverurie, 257, 391. Wardes, Lairds of, Leslie of Balquhain (ante 1460), 100 ; Leslie of Wardes (1460-1651), 100, 101, 220,

444 ; Farquharson (1651), 222, 310 ; Rose (name, RosehilL 1690), 388. Wardes, Leslies of, vide Leslie.

Wardlaw, James, Collihill Chaplain (1567), 231 ; of Riccarton (15—), 470. Warrestoun in Terpersie (1677), 330. Warren, Earl (1297), 56.

Warreston, Lord, Sir Archibald Johnston (16 — ), 251. Warsaw, Fergusons of, 483, 484. Warthill, Little, 20, 223, 410, 446. Warthill, Lairds of, Knights Templars (Glaster ante 1480), 102 ; Gordon (1480), 102 ; Cruickshank

(1482), 223 ; Leslie (15—), 140, 223, 410, 446, 470. Warthill, Meikle, Chapel Lands of Garioch, 412. Warthill, Meikle, Lairds of, Leslie of Wardes (16—), 227 ; Elphinstone (1616-17—), 227, 308, 330,

389, 412 ; D. H. Elphinstone (circa 1800), 330, 412 ; Gordon, 330. Watch and Ward, Inverurie (1606), 190. Watson Bursaries (1699), 385. Watson, Robert, Tannator (Bourtie, 1402), 115.

Watson, , Rothes, wife of Sir Norman Leslie (1282), 441.

Watson, William, Schoolmaster, Monymusk (1675), 326 ; do., Minister at Leslie (1681-99), 378, 379,

385, 429. Watt, Alexander (Oyne, 1686), 378. Watt, Andrew (Aquhorties, 1651), 317.

Watt, James (Badifurrow, 1649), 315 ; do. (Old Bourtie, 1676), 340. Watt, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142.

Watt, William (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; (Auldton, Inverurie, 1623), 209. Wawan, James, Parson of Oyne (1549), 31. Wealth of Scotland, circa 1200, 31. Weapons (16—), 189, 191, 192. Webster, Alexander (Inverurie, 1633), 258, 397. Webster, James (Mill of Portstown, 1664), 351 ; do. (Physician, Inverurie, 1720), 397.

592 Index.

Webster, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; do. (do., 1635-46), 292, 293, 397 ; do. (Portstoun, 1635), 397. Wedderburn, William, Minister at Bethelnie (1633), 240.

Week-day Church Services (1662), 203.

Weems, Thomas, of Feynges and Foodie, Minister at Kinkell (1696), 387.

Weetfaulds, Inverurie, 200.

Weetswells, Inverurie, 197.

Wemys, Isabella (Lady of Pitsligo, 1524), 232.

Wemys, Sir John, of Auchleven and That Ilk (1488), 102.

Weschell, Archibald, of Oyne {temp. David II.), 61.

Westbynes (1600), 157.

Westerhouse or Wester Rowes of Barra, between Lochend and Barra Castle, 103, 111.

Westhall, Chaplainry of (1454), 101 ; Lairds of, John Melvil {ante 1451), 101 ; Ramsay (1451-4), 101 ; Abercromby (1544), 152, 235 ; Gordon (1589, 1597, 1649), 415 ; Ogilvy (1650), 329 ; Camp- bell (1671), 329, 347, 415 ; Horn (167-), 329. 415, 472 ; Elphinstone (1776), 415,* 472 ; Leith (186-), 415.

Westhall, Mill of, 340.

Westshield, Denholm of (17—), 414.

Westshore, Sir Andrew Mitchell of (1745), 472.

Wharton, Sir George, Lord, and Mary, married to Sir John Johnston (1690), 374.

AVhite, Agnes, wife of Thomas Ferguson (18—), 479.

White, James (Drumrossie, 1701), 430.

Whitehaugh and Fetteraear, Mill of (1622), 178, 210.

Whitehaugh, in Tullynessle, Leith of (1633), 239, 328.

Whiteinches, Chapel of Garioch, 1600, 471.

Whiteleys, Inverurie, 185, 197.

Whiteriggs, Douglas of (17—), 469 ; Leith of (1829), 459, 463.

Whyte, Patrick (Daviot, 1550), 144.

Wichtman, Wychtman, Wightman, Wytman, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142.

Wichtman, George, Inverurie Herd and Doomster (1616), 200, 202.

Wichtman, Isbell (Inverurie, 1652), 318.

Willanwell Haugh, Inverurie, 185.

William I., The Lyon, 21, 22, 26, 28, 31, 113, 436 ; III., Prince of Orange, 315, 375, 380, 425, 467.

William, Bishop of Aberdeen, vide Aberdeen, Diocese.

William, Parson of Daviot (1224), 21.

William of the Tower (Marischal), 438.

Williamson, Thomas (Kintore, 1498), 123.

Williamston, Culsalmond (Lindores), 61, 157.

Willianiston, Mill of (1673), 329.

Willox, Dr. James, Minister of Kemnay (1653-95), 336, 347, 380, 387, 426.

Wills (1580), 151 ; (1616) 179, (1613-23), 208, 209, 210.

Wilson, James, Minister at Farnell (18—), 378.

Wilson, Janet and John (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Wilson, John (Inverurie, 1536), 142 ; (1674), 339.

Wilson, Priest (1702), 423.

Wilson, William, Canon of Monymusk (1534), 127.

Windyedge of Crichie, 6, 396.

Wine, Consumption of, in the Hebrides (1616), 244.

Index. 593

Winton of Andat, 75, 110, 131, 245.

Winton, The, Chronicler, Prior of St. Serf, 75, 110, 245.

•Winton, Earl of, 304 ; (163-), 463, 466.

Winton, Ingram, of (1359), 75.

Winton, Robert (15—), 415.

Wire, James (Oyne, 1677), 340.

Wischart, Elizabeth, of Pitarrow, wife of Sir William Forbes (1618), 237.

Wischart, John (Thornton, Bourtie, 1611), 160.

Wischart, Patrick, Schoolmaster at Kinkell (1710), 425.

Wischart, Robert (Miller, Ardtannies, 1686), 384.

Witchcraft (1597), 152 ; (1650), 306.

Wood of Bonnyton, 131, 219, 250, 470.

Wood, William, of Colpnay (1617), 213.

Wood, Elizabeth, wife of James Elphinstone (1630), 414, 470, 471.

Wood, Eva, daughter of Col. Hastings Wood, wife of George Seton (187S), 467.

Woodhill, Manar, 3, 186 ; Fraser of (1796-1804), 410.

Woodhill, Mill of, 178.

Woodhill, Lairds of, vide Badifurrow, Lairds of.

Worcester, Battle of, 217, 272, 286, 328, 439.

Worship, Form of (1660— ), 333, 336.

Wrangham (Lindores), 61, 157.

Wray (1586), 103.

Wrays (Kennethmont, 1651), 351.

Wright, James (Inverurie, 1664), 357.

Ydill, Elspet (Monymusk, 1685), 348.

Ydill, Walter, Vicar of Inverurie (1428), 118, 120.

Yet, James (Bourtie, 1651), 209.

York (1220), 436 ; (1388) 77 ; (1423) 105.

Young, Cecilia, wife of George Leith (1762), 461.

Young, Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Hadden (1760), 454.

Young, Elspet, wife ofVohn Leith Ross (18 — ), 455.

Young, James (Aberdeen, born 1697), and his descendants, 454 ; do. (Aberdeen, D. G., 1775), 454.

Young, John, of Stark (17—), 463 ; do. (Aberdeen, D. G., 1803), 454.

Young, Margaret, wife of James Leith (17 — ), 463.

Young, Rachel, wife first of John Farquhar (1760), second of David Morrice), 454.

Young, Robert, of Auldbar (1762), 461.

Young, William, of Sheddocksley, Provost of Aberdeen (1778), 368, 419, 454, 455.

Ythan, Lord, Sir James King (1642), 103, 256, 278.

Yule, Repression of (1612-50), 177, 277, 315, 358 ; Revival (1688), 380.

ft. J<ING AND po., PINTERS, ^BEiUI

BERDEEN,

BY THE SAME A UTHOR,

BELIEF-WHAT IS IT?

OR,

THE NATURE OF FAITH.

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS. Price 7/6.

Dean Stanley — " Written in a calm and candid spirit."

Prof. Lorimer, in the British and Foreign Evangelical Review. — "Important for the influence which it cannot fail sooner or later to have upon the evangelical mind of the country, an influence which, though sure to be disliked and resisted, in the first instance in some quarters, in the interests of some long-established conventionalisms of thought and language, will, in the end, we are persuaded,

be generally acknowledged to be, in the main, wholesome and happy Thoughts which

are at this day striving for utterance in many minds. The author has given to them a very able, full, and convincing expression and verification, and in this regard we commend his work to the special attention of "religious teachers " of all churches and of all degrees. The author is worthy to be a teacher of teachers, a man of original mind, of line culture, and high spirituality."

Edinburgh Courant, 16th November, 1869. — "It is a remarkable book. The author has a courageous disregard of what is more or less arrogantly called speaking in the spirit of the age. If the book is noticed by some it will be keenly assailed. By others it will be regarded as an evidence that, if the Son of Man were to come now, he would find faith on the earth. By all, the ability of the author will be admitted."

Dr. Carruthers, in the Inverness Courier. — "A good solid book, full of thought — one not merely to be read, but to be studied and pondered in a quiet hour."

Peter Bayne, in the Weekly Review. — " But we would rather recommend the book on the ground of its great suggestiveness. It is a book to study. You come to it again and again, and receive at each perusal fresh thought and fresh stimulus to thought."

Evangelical Magazine. — "Though not exclusively addressed to any specific class of thinkers, the discussion will be chiefly welcomed by biblical students and divines, from the wide outline of the Scriptural testimony surveyed, and the large disclosure presented of the progress and development of the Christian faith.

Nonconformist. — " It is a wide survey of the plan and purpose of revealed religion, so minute and so comprehensive that the reader is alternately delighted with the analytical skill which directs his eye to some unperceived coincidences and characteristic features in the Scripture narrative, and again ravished by the glimpse which the author's method affords of the wide field of the Divine opera- tions progressively revealed to mankind. "

"The book is wise and thoughtful. It would be especially valuable to ministers, because of its suggestiveness ; the practical sagacity of the author sometimes flashes light in upon complex problems of human life ; agiin and again we have been struck with the profound truth of his descriptions or his criticisms. "

North British Daily Mail.— "Here is a remarkable treatise, stirkingly original in its conception — marked throughout by signal ability— the product, evidently, of strenuous, patient, disci] dined, in- dependent thought, on the part of one who is himself a sincere and enlightened believer. His exposition is of a kind which clears away mountains of theoretical confusion and practical error. Without the remotest approach to enthusiasm, idealism, or mysticism, it tends to carry men free of shadows and symbols, of mere words and forms of thought, onwards to intimate converse with spiritual realities, which are reckoned to be as true, and fresh, and inexhaustible, as the truths on which natural science is based."

British Quarterly. — " The author has treated with musical sweetness the functions of imagina- tive reverie and strong emotion. The 10th chapter gives a most penetrating investigation of the moral, intellectual, and social conditions of healthy faith."

It

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