1679.—EDUCATION.—A Public School to be held at the Gellets,
near Dunfermline.—An entry to this
effect is made in the Kirk Ses.
Records, viz.:--“13th July, 1679. This day, the
Session considering the Gellets eister,
and yt quarter of the
paroch to
qrin it lyes, is so far
remot from the
toun yt
that the children yr cannot convenientlie
come to be educated at the publict
school: And, patarick
mudie having
compeird this day before ym
and desired bilertie to set up a
school at the said gellets
fr teaching
ym yr; therefore the said Session, finding him
qualified, have thought good to authorize, and by Act of
Session to license him to hold a school and teach children in
yt quarter, conform to his desire,
providing always yt he live
orderly and regularly as became ane
in such a station.”
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket,
of Pitfirrane, re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
EARTHQUAKE.—An
old MS. mentions that “a verie
seveer schoke
of an earthquake” was felt throughout the whole of Fife, on 10th
July 1679, and that it was particularly “sharp at Dunfermline,
Saline, and Kinross.”
WITCHES still
“Ride” in Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, and
Torryburn.—An old MS. not mentions that,
notwithstanding “all the drooninn
and burning of witches that hae
taen place in Dunfermling,
Innerkeithing, and
Torrieburn,
durin the long space past, they
dinna decrease, but are as common and
horibly at their work as ever,”
&c.
1680.—THE
BLUE BLANKET.—A sheet of strong paper, 23 ½ inches long, and
18 ¼ inches in breadth, known as “The Blue Blanket,” has
inscribed on it a great many ornamental scrolls, amongst which
are “scroll lions supporters,” suspended “scroll-work, there
is a common-place, rhythmical acrostic on the name
“Dunfermling.” To accommodate his muse to his acrostic, the
rhymester has had to spell the name “Dwmfermling.”
The following is a correct copy of the acrostic, copied from
the original:--
Delaited
fame was never yet so daft
as to Cry
downe the merit of a Craft
What wold the World doe if trade
were not
with idle ease all
wold themselves besot
Most not the King and peasent
equal live
by those supports the
treadsmen does
tham give
For wholl
Empyers Steats
wold go to
Wreack
if
Hammermen their skill and art draw
back
Each blaw of nipping cold
wold kill us dead
if
claithing warm of tailer
trade not made
Rere
wormanship of various weavers
Loome
for the
supplie of our
weake bodies come
Most Christians like to Savadges
go eat
and not a flesher for
to kill their meat
Let Records tell how Crispianus
King
the Gentle Craft did to
its flourish bring
If baxters
were not that supplie our teeth
we
wold Chew Chaff Instead of meall
with griffe
Now Wrights the tyling of
our houses reare,
does make the plough,
our great support and moer
Great steat
fabricks
measons builds and orders
Corinthic,
dorick, Ionic, round its
borders.—W.J.
Considerably
below this effusion, at the foot of all the scrolls, is the
motto: “Living long and well you Deacons all.” At the tip
left-hand corner is the following dedication:--“To the most
Ancient and very Worthy the
Wholl Incorporation of
treades sin the famous and Royal
Brough of Dunfermling. Of the
present deacons, are Thomas Elder, deacon
Conveener; Patrick Allan, deacon of the
Hammermen; Andrew
Greig, deacon of the Tailors;
Robert Peirson, deacon of the
Weavers; Thomas Elder, deacon of the
ffleshers; John Gibsone,
deacon of the Cordwainers; and
James Lindsay of Kevill, deacon of
baxters; Andrew
Chrystie, deacon of the Wrights;
James Simmervell, deacon of the
Measones.
Annp 1680.” How and when this sheet of paper got the
name of “The Blue Blanket” is unknown. Very likely it is the
pattern-designer’s device for the centre-piece
of the Convener’s flag, which was blue, and had on it,
according to tradition, “emblems of the several incorporated
trades of the burgh.” This document, mounted on a frame, was
sold at Mr. Robert Birrell’s sale,
on 2nd September, 1874, to a London gentleman.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE—Sir Charles Halket, of
Pitfirrane, re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
SEVERE
WINTER.—An old MS. note, referring to the early winter “set in
at the end of 1682,” says that “the winter began with drifting
snow in th end of October, and
Dunfermling as the other touns in
the wast of Fife sometimes were
from 12 to 20 feet deep in snow; and there was
greate distress be reason of
fiver.” (MS.)
1683.—NEW
GREAT BIBLE brought from Holland for the Kirk of
Dunfermline.—The Kirk Session Record, referring to the
purchase, &c., says—“26 April, 1683: This day the Session,
having received a new great
byble
for the use of the Kirk, from
andro simpson, clerk, who
brought ye same out of Holland, the price
qhrof being 50 merks; and the session gave out to him
20lib. in part
peyment.”
THE
DUNFERMLINE WEAVERS’ BATON.—“The Incorporation of the Weavers
of Dunfermline got a very handsome baton made in 1683. It was
highly polished, was tipped with silver at both ends, and had
a silver shield at the top, with the date 1683 on it. It used
to be carried by the deacon of the weavers at public
processions,” &c. The baton was long in the possession of the
late Joseph Paton, Wooer’s Alley,
Dunfermline, and was sold for 34s. at
his public sale in Edinburgh, in November, 1874.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE—Sir Charles Halket, of
Pitfirrane, re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
SAWING DEALS
on the Sabbath day.—“13 Dec. 1683: Jon
Thomsaon’ being called before the Session,
compeirt an
confest his sin in sawing Daills
on ye Sabbath, to be a dead kist
(coffin) he was ordained to acknowledge his second sin the
nixt Sabbath
publictlie before ye congregation, an
th testifie
his repentance;” he accordingly “stood before the congregation
on Dec. 16th.”
1684.—CONVENTICLES AND NONCONFORMISTS.—“Field meetings and
meeting in private houses are held for religious services by
the nonconformists; strict searching and severe punishing of
many who would no adhere to the Episcopalian faith. Dr. James
Welwood of Dunfermline parish was
apprehended on suspicion that he keiped
correspondence and gave intelligence to the fugitives in
Holland. He was delated by the
Earl of Balcarhouse on some
private pick between them. He was ordered to be sent to
Cowper (Cupar),
there to satisfy the Sheriff’s Sentence for his
nonconformity,” &c. (Woodrow’s Hist. Ch. Scot.) The
Hill-o’-Beath appears to have been a
favoured locality for these meetings. (MS. and
Tradition.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—George Durie of
Craigluscar, re-elected Provost.
(Burgh Records.)
1685.—PITTENCRIEFF ESTATE.—George Murray, of his Majesty’s
Gyards, was proprietor of
Pittencrieff estate in 1685.
LORD
DRUMMOND—Charity to the Poor.—The Kirk Session Records have
two minutes regarding his Lordship’s charity, viz.:-- “19th
April, 1685: Mr Robert
Norie, mod., gave in 7 14s-pieces
of charitie, given be my Lord
Drumond (a scholar) to the
poore, all put into the box.” “13
Sept.: This day the moderator gave in 8lib. 8s.
givin in
charitie to the poore be my
Lord Drumond and the rest of the
nobles who are scholar, and
yt for the last Sabbath and
all proceedings.’ From this it would appear that previous to
and at this period the children of the nobility were educated
in the Grammar School of Dunfermline.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Captain George Durie
of Craigluscar was re-elected
Provost. (Burgh Records.)
1686.—STOPPING AN ENTRY IN THE OLD STEEPLE.—In the Kirk
Session Records, under date April 4th, 1686, there
is the following minute of payment:--“Item, given for stopping
ane old
entrie in the old steeple, half a leg Dollar.” This is
quoted to show that the south-west tower was called old, in
contradistinction to the north-west tower, or steeple, which
was then comparatively new, dating between 1594-1607, while
the old tower or steeple, dated circa A.D. 1115.
MR. ROBERT
NORIE, minister of the First Charge of Dunfermline Church,
demitted his office, and was translated to the Charge of the
Church of Dundee in May, 1686. (Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. p. 32,
&c.)
CONVENER’S
COURT BOOK.—The oldest record Book
of the Convener’s Court of Dunfermline commences with date
August 26th, 1686.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
A PAIR OF
CALMES for casting Communion Tickets.—In the Kirk Session
Records reference is made to casting
calmes. “5 Sept. 1686: Item, given to James
Colzier, for making a pair of
calmes for casting tickets for the
communicants,” for which 1lib. 2s. Scots
was paid.
MR. SIMON
COUPER, minister of the Second Charge of Dunfermline Church,
was admitted to the First Charge thereof on 12th
Dec., 1686. (Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol. i.
p. 415.)
1687.—MR.
JAMES GRAME, OR GRAHAM, admitted Minister of First Charge,
Dunfermline Church. (Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. p. 33; see also An.
Dunf. dates 1701 and 1710.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
KIRKYARD
STOUPS TO KEEP OUT BEASTS.—“17th July, 1687: This
day , the Session allowed Andrew
Curror,
wright, 40s. Scots for making and placing the
stoupes at the two
kirkyaird stiles, for the
keiping out of beasts from the
kirkyaird.” From this it would
seem that, in 1687, there were no gates connected with these
stiles, or stoupes. (See Annals
Dunf. date 1706.)
1688.—MR.
JOHN GRAY was one of the Presbyterian Ministers of Dunfermline
in 1688. He was the first Presbyterian Minister of
Dunfermline after the Revolution. He was translated from
Orwell to Dunfermline.
MR. WILLIAM
OLIPHANT, who had been “outed”
(deposed) in 1664, was restored to his charge at Dunfermline.
(Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol. ii. p.
585.)
THE NEGLECTED
ORDINANCE OF THE SACRAMENT to be Restored.
“22 July, 1686: It bein
gocnsidered
yt the Sacrament of ye Lords hath not bee
celebrat of a long time in this
Church [Dunfermline], and yt now
it is a fitt
tyme for the administration of yt
samen, it was resolved
yt it should not be any longer
delayed, but yt ye 12 and 19 days
of August should be the tyme of
its celebration, and yr of be made the next Lord’s day from ye
pulpit.” (Kirk Session Rec.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
1689.—SIR
CHALRES HALKET AND THE “UNION.”—Sir Charles
Halket was elected one of the
Committee to treat regarding the Union Question. After the
accession of William and Mary, an attempt was made to unite
the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland. The project
failed. Sir Charles Halket, then
Burgess of Dunfermline, was Member in the Scottish Parliament
for the burgh, and was then, along with other members, elected
one of the Commissioners on the Union Question. (Chal. Hist.
Dunf. vol. i. p. 296.)
A NEW
PRESBYTERY FORMED.—THE MEETING-HOUSE, &C.—The first minute of
the Register of the Presbytery of Dunfermline, after the
Revolution of 1688, is an interesting one, viz.:--“24th
May, 1689: The which day at the Meeting-House at Dunfermline,
Mr. John Gray, at Dunfermline; Mr. Andrew Donaldson, at
Dalgety; Mr. James Fraser, at
Culross; Mr. William Spence, at Kinross; Mr. Robert Hodge,
Inverkeithing; and Mr. William Mathie,
minister at Portmoak, assistant,
being present. After invocation of the name of God, did first
of all erect themselves in a Presbytery for carrying on the
work of God jointly in the bounds of Dunfermline Presbytery,
by . . . . . . , appointing that, when three or four ministers
within the bounds of a Presbytery are settled, that they
associate and meet together
Presbyterially. The said
day Mr. Andrew Donaldson was chosen Moderator, and James Lamb,
Clerk. The next Presbytery day appointed to be at
Dunfermline, the 21st of August, and Mr. James
Fraser, appointed to preach before the sitting of the
Presbytery; and concluded with prayer.” (For “Meeting-House”
see also An. Dunf. dates 1701 and 1705; Chat. Hist. Dunf. vol.
i. p. 427.)
JAMES, EARL
OF DUNFERMLINE at the Battle of
Killiecrankie, 17th June, 1689.—The Earl of
Dunfermline attached himself to the cause of James VII., and
commanded a troop of horse, under Lord Dundee, at the Battle
of Killiecrankie, June 17th,
1689, for which “act of Rebellion” he was outlawed, and his
title forfeited. “The Earl followed the king to St.
Germains, in France, where he died
in 1695. This Earl was the fourth in the Earldom of
Dunfermline, created in 1605. Thus the Earldom became extinct
after a tenure of 84 years.
(Douglas’s Peerage, &c.) The Earl
is lauded by the Jacobite author
of the “Prœlium
Gilliecrankianum,” as—
“Nobilis
apparuit
Fermilodunensis
Cujus
in rebellis
stringebatur ensis;
Nobilis
et sanguine,
nobilor virtute,
Regi
devotissimus
intus et in
cate.”
MAP OR PLAN OF
THE COUNTY OF FIFE.—“The celebrated John Adair, Mathematician,
&c., was in the west of Fife in the summer of 1689,” taking
observations and measurements for a plan of the County of
Fife. Dunfermline, according to an old Note, was “his
headquarters for several months.” The Plan of Fife was done
for his large Map of Scotland. He was patronized by the
Government of his day. (Hist. Pap. and MS.)
THE MINISTER
OF DUNFERMLINE Accused of Reading the Proclamation of April 11th,
1689.—Mr. James Graham and Mr. Simon
Couper, ministers of Dunfermline, “were tried by the
Estates, on September 4th, 1689, for not reading
from the pulpit the Proclamation of April 11th, and
not praying for King William and his Queen.” The libel
against Mel. Couper was found Not
Proven, while Mr. Graham declared htat
the Proclamation came not to his hand, and that he had no
scruple to read it. Both ministers were acquitted. (Chal.
Hist. Dunf. vol. i. p. 582.)
THE MINISTER
OF CARNOCK DEPOSED.—Mr. Thomas Marshall, who was admitted to
the Charge of Carnock in 1679, was
deposed for “not reading from the pulpit the Proclamation Act,
and for not praying for William and Mary; but, instead,
praying that he hoped to see King James on his throne before
Lammas.” (Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol.
i. p. 584.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re=elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
1690.—POPULATION OF DUNFERMLINE, about 2000 souls.
PITTENCRIEFF
ESTATE.—Alex. Yeaman, Esq.,
proprietor. (MS.)
CUSTOMS OF
FAIRS, Shoe Market, Handbell, &c.,
are alluded to in the Burgh Records of 1690. The customs of
the Fairs during 1690 term,
amounted to a total of £200 Scots. Among the item of “the
total” are the Customs of the Shoe Market, £12
12s.6d.: of the Town Green grass,
£29; of the Loan, £10; of the Handbell,
£69, &c.
POST
OFFICE.—According to tradition, “a Post Office was established
in Dunfermline by the Estates of Scotland, within two years
after the great Revolution of 1688.” (MS.,
&c.)
SLEZER’S
VIEWS OF DUNFERMLINE.—Captain Slezer
appears to have published his “Theatrum
Scotiæ” in 1690. In this work are
two engravings of Dunfermline, each about 16 ½ x 9 inches.
The first engraving is entitled “Prospectus
Oppidi et
Cenoby Fermilodunensis,”
viz., “The Prospect of the
Twon and abbey of Dunfermline,”
and is dedicated “To the Honorable Charles
Cathcart, Colonel of the Royal
Regiment of Graye Dragoons,” &c.
This view, which has no pretensions to perspective, appears to
have been taken from the tower Hill. It shows the north end
and west wall of the Palace with the roof entire. The west
end of the Church, Queen’s House, &c.; as also the backs of
the houses in St. Catherine’s Wynd,
Kirkgate, and part of Collier Row,
with the Ferm Burn (Tower Burn),
in shape of a large pond, &c! This view has been frequently
engraved on a reduced scale. (See Chal. Hist. Dunf.
vol. ii. p.
124, &c.) The wirter has
one of the published views done abroad about 1720, which is
titled “Ruine
della
Badia di
Dunfermiling in
Scozia.”
The second
view is titled “Prospectus Cenoby
Fermilodunensis,” “Prospect of the
Abbey of Dunfermling,” and is dedicated “To the Right
Honorable John, Lord Leslie,” &c. It appears to have been
taken from Per Dieu Knoll,
aobut three-quarters of a mile
south of the Abbey. It shows the King’s Stables, the
Frater Hall, the Bowling Green
Wall, &c., in ruins, with the Church Steeple in the
background. The perspective of this view is also indifferent;
size, same as the first view.
ROSYTH CASTLE
SOLD.—The family line of the
Stuarts of Rosyth became extinct
in 1690, when the castle and property were sold to “a
stranger,” who resold them to the Earl of
Roseberry in 1705; they were afterwards purchased by
the Earl of Hopetoun. The castle
became ruinous about 1750.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charled
Halket of Pitfirrane was
re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
SALARIES OF
DUNFERMLINE BURGH OFFICIALS, &C., IN 1690:--
Scots.
The Treasurer’s
Fee £26 13 4
Clerk’s Fee,
26 13 4
Procurator Fiscal’s
Fee 4 0
0
Town Agent’s
Fee 13
6 8
Three Officers’ Fee
36 0 0
Drummer’s and Piper’s
Fees 32 0
0
Feu-duty
to the Earl of Tweedale
8 13 4
£147 6 8
(Burgh Records;
also Parliamentary Report on Municipal Corporations in
Scotland, 1836.)
1691.—SEVERE
WINTER and Great Distress in Dunfermline.—A Note informs us
that “Dunfermline and all the West of Fife lay knee-deep in
snow from January itll the
beginning of April,” and that there was great distress “be
reason of a wide-spread vilent
fevir.”
MR. JOHN
GRAY, who was admitted one of the minister of Dunfermline in
1688, “ceased to be minister thereof in 1691.”
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir. Charles Halket
of Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
1692.—MR.
WILLIAM GULLANE, Presbyterian minister, was admitted one of
the ministers of Dunfermline on 24th August, 1692.
(Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol. i. p.
416.)
MRS. DURRIT
and her “Vapours.”—There is a
curious entry in the old MS. Ledger of Patrick Chalmers, of
Aberdeen, dated 1692, viz.: “Mrs. Durrit,
maid to my Lady Dunfermline, paid for her
vapours £5 16s.” (Vide Scotsman newspaper extract, 15th
March, 1861.) “This Mrs. Durrit
has been supposed to have been Mrs.
Durrie, of Dunfermline, descendant of the last Abbot,
who had come to be in straitened circumstances.” Probably she
had become touched with a mild insanity.” (“J.P.” and Note.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected 9th October. (Burgh
Records.)
ELECTION OF
BURGESS to “sit in the Grand Assize” for Regulating the Prices
of Commodities.—“The counsel by a
pluratie of voices nominate and elect the persons under
mentioned to sit in the grand assyse
for regult(ng)
the pryse of malt,
eal, bread, and candle within this
burgh viz., Andrew Walker, Hugh Kirk, Ja.
Wals, Robert
Broun, Wm. Hog, John Casing, Adam
Stevinsone, Andrew Smeiton,
Wm. Wilson, lits(r) John Stewart,
Da. Turnbull, John main,
wright, Ja.
Gow, deacon,
Jn Gibsone, shoemaker,
Andrew Greig.” (Burhg
Rec. 1692.)
PROMISED HELP
IN MONEY to a Wright’s Apprentice.—“3 Dec. 1692: The counsel
ordered ten Mks to be
payed to Helen Watson, to help to
put her son to ye wright
trad, and this to be
payd by Thomas
Mitchel eftir
he is entred to ye
trad, and fund
yt he is capable for ye trade.”
(Burgh Records, 1692.)
1693.—LORD
TWEEDDALE obtained a Renewal of the Lease of the Lordship,
&c., of Dunfermline.—On 23rd
March, 1693, Lord Tweedale, in
consequence of his eminent services to the Crown, obtained in
his own name a renewal of his lease to the Lordship and
Regality, &c., of Dunfermline for three nineteen years after
the expiry of his first tack. (Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. p. 81;
Mercer’s Hist. p. 83, &c.)
ST.
MARGARET’S FESTIVAL was appointed by Pope Innocent XII. To be
a festival of the Church (of Rome), and he again transferred
the festival day back to 10th June. (Hailes’ An.
Scot.; see also An. Dunf. dates 1673 and 1678.)
ROYAL ARMS IN
THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.—“24TH June, 1693: This day it
was ordained that John Cowie,
thesaurer, pay to
Layrence Henderson
Twentie Merks
Scotts for mending and gilding ye Ming’s Arms which
hung above ye counsell [chamber]
in ye Tolbooth.” (Burgh Records.)
OATH OF
ALLEGIANCE to King William and Queen Mary.—In Dunfermline
Burgh Records, of 7th October, 1693, the then
common form of the “allegiance oath” is entered, viz.:--“I do
in the sinceritie of my hart
assert, acknowledge, and declair,
That their majesties King William and Queen Marie are ye
onlie laill
and onlie
soveriaigns of this realm als
well de jure
yt is of right the King and Qwen
as de fairls; That is in ye
possession and exercise of ye government. And
Therfor I doe
sincerlie and faithfulie
promise and engadge
yt I
will with heart and hand life and good
mentaine and defend their majesties title and
government agt ye late King James
and his adherents and will trye
Enemies who either by secret or open attempts shall disturb or
exercise their majesties in the possession,” &c. (Burgh
Records, 1693.)
FREE HONORARY
BURGESS.—On the 16th
September, 1693, the Council of the Burgh created “Philip
Abel, sone to ye
deceist John Abel,
somtyme procurator fiscal of ye
comissuret of St. Andrews,” a free
honorary burgess. (Burgh Records.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
MR. SIMON
COUPER, who had been admitted minister of the Second Charge of
Dunfermline Church in 1681, and to
the First Charge in 1686, was, for contumacy, deposed from his
Charge by sentence of the united Presbyteries of Dunfermline
and Kirkcaldy, on 28th December, 1693.
1694.—MEAL
ACT FOR THE BURGH.—The following minute of this Act is taken
from the Burgh Records of 6th January, 1694:--“The
which day the Magistrates and Toune
Counsel statuted and ordained
yt in all
tyme coming That each bag of Meall
bought from persons yt
areint inhabitants and imported
within this burg to be sold by the meal-sellers, That ye
seller shall be obliged to pey Two
Shillings scotts for each bag; And
yt ye Buyer shall be obliged to
give account to ye customer of such bag of
meall they bring as
sd is, and also
Tht ye Buyers omit [not] to give
acct yrof, or if
anie way be yr fault ye
custome be not
peyed, That in
yt case ye
meall Buyer shall be leyable
for ye se custom. Also, it is statuted
and ordained yt
anie
meall
yt is imported in
ys burg by strangers to be sold on
ye mercat day, that no
prte of ye sd
meall yt
may happen to be left unsold shall not be in to ye house of
ain inhabitant to be sold by
ym betwixt ye
mercat days, but yt ye
sd meall
shall be tyed up and
keiped till ye next
mercat day or carried out at ye
and yt under ye penalty of
fourtie shillings
scotts to be
peyd by ye persons yt ye
meall within yr house and sell ye
samen as if his.”
DEBT OF THE
BURGH IN 1694.—The first notice of the burgh debt is
minuted in the Burgh Records of
this year as amounting to 5573 merks (about £309 12s.
sterg;) mortifications excepted.
(“Report in consequence of an Act of Parl.
on the Common Good and Debts of the Burgh, in Dunf. Char.
Chest;” Fernie Hist. Dunf. p. 11.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
ALLOWANCE TO
THE TOWN CLERK for Extra Work.—“ 1604,
Oct. 6th: The said day the council allowed the
clerk ane hundred
mers scotts
m oney; and
yt in satisfactione to him
of his extraordinary pains of ye Toun’s
affairs. (Burgh Records, 1694.)
1695.—THE
First Charge of Dunfermline Parish Church vacant from 1695 to
1701. (See An. Dunf. date 1701.)
FREE HONORARY
BURGESSES OF DUNFERMLINE.—It was ordered by the Magistrates
and Town Council of the Burgh “that the Captain, Cornet,
Agitant, the
Sergants, and Corperals of
the Lord Jedburgh’s troop
quarted here be made burgesses;
and also ordains Wm. Garrock to be
made a burges.” (Burgh Rex. 25th
May, 1695.)
A NEW
HAND-BELL ordered for the Burgh.—“25th May, 1695:
Ordered that a new hand-bell be bought, and recommends John
Chalmers to do it; and orders the bell to be kept for
ordinar proclamations and
allenerly for burials.” (Burgh
Records. May and July, 1695.)
THE “MERCAT”
CROSS REPAIRED.—This year the “Mercat
Croce” was repaired, and a new
centre pillar erected. The date
“1695” is still to be seen on the stone pillar, near the
foot. (See An., date 1868.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Rec.)
1696.—THE
DARIEN COMPANY.—To this scheme,
according to the Burgh Records, the Town Council of
Dunfermline in 1696, subscribed the sum of £10. It may be
noted here that the :Darien scheme”
appears to have been projected and floated by “Paterson, the
schemer,” in 1695, for the purpose of colonizing and trading
on the Isthmus of Darien (the narrow neck of land joining
North and South America). The scheme took the national
fancy—the wealthy and the poor, town councils and incorporated
bodies voted moneys for the furtherance of the scheme; every
one who had, or who would subscribe to it were to become in a
few short years very rich. Public rejoicings in 1696-98
became the order of the day. The frenzied excitement was at
its height between March, 1699, and January, 1700. During
this period, thanksgiving sermons and thanksgiving prayers
were promulgated from almost every Scotch pulpit. Suddenly a
reverse came. The Company, which was entirely a Scotch
Company and excited the jealousy of English Companies and
speculators, many of whom had the ear of the King. By
misrepresentation and mean machinations of these speculators,
the Scotch Company of Darien came to grief, and the country
nearly to the verge of national bankruptcy.” (See Histories
of Scotland for an account of the unfortunate scheme,)
MR. SIMON
COUPAR, who had been deposed by the Presbyteries of
Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy, in December, 1693, and the
deposition ratified by the Synod of Fife, 9th May,
1694, continued to officiate as Minister of the First Charge
of Dunfermline Church till this year (June, 1696.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Rec.)
BREWING.—“The
counsel ordains each breuar within
the burgh from the date hereof [14th December], to
breu two sorts of ale, the one to
be sold for 3s. the pint, and ye
oyr for 2s. 4d.” (Burgh Records.)
1697.—THE
BURGH TREASURER “STRAITENED.”—600 Merks Borrowed.—“18 May,
1697: Which day the treasurer having represented
yt he was straightened for
monie to do ye
touns affairs, the counsel ordered
ye thesaurer to borrow from David
Adie 600 merks Scots, and to give bond in name of ye
communitie, bearing
annl rent from
Whitd last.” (Burgh Records.)
CHARITY TO
WILLIAM REID, Son of the late Provost.—The
threasurer, by order of the
council, is requested “to furnish William Reid, son to the
deceast James Reid, late Provost,
six lippies of meal and seven pence weekly for his
maintainence, from the beginning
of May, 1697, to ye first Sept. 1698, and that is respect that
he was almost starving at the time.” (Vide Burgh Rec. the 29th
of May, 1699.)
BURGH
CHARITY.—“Oct. 1697: Ordered
yt ye
thesaurer give in chartie
to Helen Watson for buying medicaments for her daughter, who
is sick of ye passion.” (Burgh Records.)
DEARTH.—This
summer the dearth began to be felt, and continued for nearly
two years. “The baillies intimate
to the burgesses that thir
severall years bygone, for relief
of the inhabitants in this time of dearth, had
payed the public
cess out of the common good which
the burgesses approved, and entreated they might continue in
so doeing
untill that the inhabitants be in better condition.”
(Burgh Records, Oct. 5, 1697.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Charles Halket of
Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records, Oct. 4,
1697.)
SIR CHARLES
HALKET of Pitfirrane, Provost of the Burgh, died October 21st
1697, and was interred in Dunfermline Abbey. (See under.)
FUNERAL OF
THE PROVOST.—The Provost, having died in office, the
Magistrates and Town Council came to the following
arrangements, &c., for attending the funeral:--“The
magistrates and town counsel, considering it their duty to doe
all in their power to honour the
funerals of Sir Charles Halket
their hojnourable and
worthie provost, now
deceast” they ordered “the
thesauter to buy
als much black
searge as would
compleatlie cover the counsel [laft]
in the Church, and that this be done against Sabbath coming
eight days. Also, ordered that there be a particular number
of the Crafts to be nominat by the
deacon convener, and of the common burgesses to be
nominat by ye
baillies, do on horseback attend the funerals and go
out with the magistrates to Pitfirran,
and that all of them who can conveniently put themselves in
mourning do it. Also, that none of the inhabitants presume to
go to Pitferran but such as go on
horseback. Likeas that the other
burgesses that go not to Pitfirran
on horseback, wait
upone the funerals at the Port.
In like manner that the thesaurer
provide als
much crape as will be mourning things, and shoulder bands for
the officers to be worn by them at the
buriall. Moreover, that the magistrates and
toun counsel take their post upon
the front immediately after the burial enters the east port,
the officers goeing before them
with their hallberts in their
ordinary mourning and liveries forsd,
and thus continue untill they come
to the Church stile, and yt there
the Counsellors in
mournings advance and go
immediately before the corps until the grave, and the officers
go immediatlie after the corps
trailing their halberds.” (Burgh Rec. Oct. 23, 1697.) The
funeral cavalcade, it will be seen, entered Dunfermline by the
East Port. The West Port, in St. Catherine’s
Wynd, had too small an archway to
permit a hearse, &c., to pass through it. The funeral party
would, therefore, proceed from Pitfirrane by the low south
road to the Netherton, go up the
New Row, and at the top of it, enter the East Port (a wide
archway), then down High Street and
Kirkgate.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Patrick Murray of
Pitdinnes elected Provost.—“Nov. 12th,
1697: The said day the magistrates and counsel did nominate
and elect Sir Patrick Murray of Pitdinnes
to be provost of this burgh till
Michaelmas next, in place of Sir Charles
Halket,
laitlie deceased, and ordained him to appear before the
ordinary counsel, and there accept the said office, and give
his oath fidele.” Similar notices
are appended to the elections of the other Provost.
Pitdinnie is about three miles
west from Dunfermline. (Burgh Records.)
1698.—CLOCK-KEEPER.—“5 Feb. 1698: The said day the counsel
agreed with Adam Stevenson (younger), Smith, that he should
not only daily row up and wait upon the knock, and to mend and
keep right all parts of her that shall become faulty, or
amek new wheels or other
materials, and to keep her goeing
right, for which the Counsell
ordain their thesaurer to pay him
yearlie the sum of
twentie pounds Scots money,
beginning the first term’s payment at the term of
Lambemas next to come, 1698, for
the year immediately preceeding,
and siclike
yearlie yrafter during his
dressing, repairing, and keeping right said knock;” and when
he leaves, “Adam to leave ye sd
knock in good condition and usell
goeing.” (Burgh
Recourds.)
ROSYTH
CASTLE.—An old note states that
“parts of the roof of auld Rosyth
Castle fel in this
yeare,” 1698. (See also Chal.
Hist. Dunf. vol. ii. p. 394.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Patrick Murray of
Pitdinnes was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
REPAIRING THE
KIRK.—“The counsel being informed that the
fabrick of the Kirk, in the roof
and otherways, was in ill case;
and the counsell
recommend a joint action with the heritors to have the
necessary repairs made.” (Burgh Records.)
St. JOHN’S
LODGE, DUNFERMLINE (N0. 26).—The oldest Minute Book extant of
St. John’s Mason Lodge, Dunfermline, begins with 27th
December, 1698, and ends with 27th December, 1728.
It is an unbound folio of 84 pages, and is chiefly filled up
with entries of masons’ apprentices, sums received for
“entries to the Ludge,” Elections
of deacons, wardens, &c. The several entries are generally
dated on a St. John’s day (27th December). (See
Mason Lodge Register; also, An. Dunf. date 1598.)
BADGES FOR
THE POOR.—“The counsel ordered the
thesaurer to cause run 36 badges, to the effect they
may be delivered to the poor within the burgh, to
te effect the poor may beg through
the toun upon Tuesday and Saturday
each week, and als ordains ye
constables and officers to carry of ye strangers, beggars,
forth out of the toun to next
landward.” (Burgh Records, 5th Feb. 1698; also
Annals Dunf. date 1792.)
1699.—GREAT
DEARTH.—There was a great dearth
throughout Scotland this year. “It was felt severely in
Dunfermling and the parish.” The following minute regarding
the calamity is extracted from the Burgh Records of date “15
July, 1699: This day the saids
magistrates and toun
counsellers considering the Great
dearth of victual, and that many poor people within the burgh
who had had numerous families and others were at the point of
starving; they therefore ordered the
thesaurer to give in charity to the
saids poor inhabitants
fourty pounds
scot, and ordained the bailiies
to cause severall honest men in
the severall quarters of the
toun to bring in list of the poor
householders who do not come out and beg to them, and the
baillies to divide ye
sd sum among the said poor
householders as they should see just, and to give the
thesaurer a list thereof.”
LADY HALKET,
widow of Sir James Halket of
Pitfirrane, died 22nd April, 1699, aged 77 years.
The maiden name of this worthy, pious lady was Anna Murray,
daughter of Thomas Murray, Provost of Eton. During her
widowhood of about 28 years she resided in the
Comendatory House,
Maygate,
Dunfermline. She was a great writer on religious
subjects. The following is a list of some of her 21 MS. books
still extant:--1. A book of 152 pp. of Meditations Prayers,
&c.; 2. A book in folio of 376 pp. Meditations on the Lord’s
Supper, the Soul’s Progress, &c.; 3.
A small folio of 59 pp. Meditations on the 25th
Psalm; 4. A book in folio, 73 pp.
Meditations on Death; 5. A folio,
150 pp., Meditations on Prayer, Faith, &c.: 6. An 8vo, 35 pp.
Meditations on various Select Subjects; 7. A 4to, 300 pp.,
on Prayer, &c.; 8. A 4to, 315 pp. Meditations and Prayers,
&c., on to No. 21 on kindred subjects. Her Meditations on
Psalm XXV., &c., was published in 1778, prefixed by an account
of her life, which see for further details.
LAURATION.—“28 July: The said day the
Counsell ordered the thesaurer
to pay to Thomas Andersone, son to
John Andersone, a Dollar to help
to pay the College dues at this lauration.”
(Burgh Records.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Patrick Murray of
Pitdinnes was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records.)
STAFFMAN’S
HOUSE MEAL.—“28 Oct. 1699: The said day ordained
the thesaurer to pay ye
Staff-man’s house meall at a ducat
doun yearly, commencing from
Lambmass last.” (Burgh Records.)
The duty of the “Staffman” appears
to have been somewhat similar to that of the after
town-keepers.
1700.—TOWN’S
PIPER.—“15Jan. 1700: The said day the counsel elected John
Bell to be their pyper.” (Burgh
Records.) This is an important, noisy functionary.
DEPUTY COAL
HILL JUDGE.—“27th May, 1700: The said day the
counsel granted power to Patrick angus,
tacksman of the toun
coall, to keep Courts at the
coall hill for punishing and
fining the Coalliers, Bearers,
callers, and others employed about the
Coall work, for their faults, reserving power to
baillies to judge betwixt the
tacksman and
coalliers, if appealed to.” (Burgh Records.)
BALDRIDGE
ESTATE, near Dunfermline, was this year purchased by Henry
Wellwood, Esq. of
Garvock..
Before the year 1720 he is reported to have cleared £30,000
from the coal alone on the estate, (Chal. Hist. Dunf.
vol. ii. p. 315.)
DEARTH.—The
great dearths, first felt in the
burgh in the summers of 1697-1699, was “littel
felt in the summer of 1700,” and before the end of this year,
“the dearth was at an end.”
HAND
BELL.—“30th Sept. 1699: This day the counsel
ordained Katharen
Gibsone to find new caution for
the hand bell, with certification yt
if she fail so to doe betwixt and this eight days, the
baillies are hereby ordained to
roup ye bell with all haste.”
(Burgh Records.)
HALBARD.—“The
same day the counsell ordained
baillie
belfrage to pay James Cusine
fourty shilling Scots for a
halberd furnished to Thomas Patisone,
town officer.”
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—Sir James Halket of
Pitfirrane was elected Provost. (Burgh Records, 8th
Oct. 1700.)
THE ANCIENT
FOREST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Tradition informs us that, “down to the
year 1700, a remnant of the old wood, or forest, of
Dunfermline was in existence in the
heighbourhood of Golfdrum
and Boofies Brae.” A local
rhymester of other days (D.P.) in referring to the remnant of
the old wood, says—
“In
dayis of ould,
I have been told,
that
here it was ane’s
dailie habit
To shoot the craws
doon af the trees,
Or nail a wild bit hair or rabit.”
As the last
remnant of the old wood existed in the immediate vicinity of
the top of Woodhead Street,
perhaps this name was given to the street in remembrance of
this old tradition. It is likely that it was in this
high-land wood or forest, that the immortal hero, Sir William
Wallace, concealed himself for a short space from his English
enemies in1303. Vide An. Dunf. p.
109, where, it will be observed that
Langtoft says, in rhyme:--
“Turn
we now other
weyes unto ower
geste,
And speke
of theh
Waleys that lies in the foreste;
In the forest he-landes of
Daunfermelyn,” &c.
A NEW BURGH
FAIR WANTED.—“2 Dec., 1700: Ordained this day that the
baillies
write to Bangour (their agent) to
petition the parliament for a fair yearly on the second
Wednesday of Januar.” (Burgh
Rec.) James Hamilton of Bangour
was the Commissioner of Dunfermline to the Convention of Royal
Burghs.
STAFFMAN’S
CLOTHING.—“24 Dec. 1700: Ordained this day that
thesaurer buy a new coat, shoes,
and hose and breeches, to the Staffman,
and to make them.” (Burgh Records.) It would appear that the
Treasurer was Deacon of the Tailors.
END OF THE
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
