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1724.—THE TOWN GUARD “A NOISY AND RECKLESS SET.”—“18
Jan. 1724: The said day John Reid, mason, gave in a
petition to the council, representing he and his
tenents above ye guardhouse in ye meall mercat were
much incommoded by the noise made by the guards kept
yr and yt lately a gun had accidentally been
discharged and ye ball had gone up through ye floor.
The council taking ys to consideration they in order
to prevent ye like inconvenience in time coming
ordered ye guardhouse to be plaistered and yt it be
rammed closs with betwixt ye plaister and the floor.”
(Burgh Rec.)
THE
SUB-COMMITTEE OF BURGHS MEET IN DUNFERMLINE.—“23RD
Sept. 1724: The sd day ye council ordained the
baillies, convener and Capt. Halket to wait on ye
sub-committee of burrows now sitting here, and propose
to ym some queries now drawn up and cause ye thesaurer
pay yr dinner. (Burgh Records.) At this meeting an
explanation of the Act or Set, or Decreet-Arbitral,
was given by the sub-committee to the magistrates,
&c., as pronounced by the Annual Committee of the
Convention of Royal Burghs, on 13th July, 1724. In
accordance with the Decreet-Arbitral, the Town Council
were elected as follow:--
On
the Thursday immediately preceding the term of
Michaelmas, the ordinary council convene and appoint
the Incorporations to assemble, and each of them to
make a leet, or list of four, of the most sufficient
craftsman of their respective crafts, burgesses and
freemen of the burgh, bearing scot and lot there; and
to deliver these lets, the same day to the provost, or
eldest magistrate in the place for the time.
On
the Friday, the leet of four is laid before the
council, who elect two out of each, and remit the leet
of two to each incorporation, appointing them to elect
one of the two as their deacon for the ensuing year.
On
the Saturday, the Town Council elect two new merchant
councilors, and two craftsmen, either as two new
trades; councilors, or in the character of two old
ones. Immediately after this, the eight newly-chosen
deacons are presented to council as duly elected; such
of the old deacons as have not been re-elected are
removed, and the new ones admitted members of
council.
On
the Monday, the ordinary and extraordinary members of
council, consisting of twenty-six, elect out of the
merchants of the council (exclusively of the two new
merchant councilors) a provost, two baillies, a dean
of guild and a treasurer; and old provost, two old
baillies, and old dean of guild, and an old treasurer,
for the ensuing year. Then two merchant councilors,
who have not been elected to any office or character,
and two old trades; councilors, are removed in order
that the ordinary administration of the affairs of the
burgh may be vested in a council of twenty two persons
only. (See Burgh Records for such elections.) They
are very curious; the lets are reckoned by strokes of
the pen, and in whole “resemble the teeth of a comb,”
as a writer has remarked. It will be observed that
there are duplicate provosts, duplicate baillies, &c.
Such “duplicates” existed long before the present Act
(Decreet-Arbitral), and it is not improbable that the
title of “Lord Provost” arose out of such
duplicates—thus the new provost (head provost_ would
be the dominus, or ruling provost; hence Lord
Provost. The Act of Decreet-Arbitral continued in
force from 1724 till 1833, when it was superseded by
the Municipal Act of the Reform Bill of 1833. In
Dunfermline there were the following incorporated
trades given in their usual order, viz., Smiths,
Weavers, Wrights, Tailors, Shoemakers, Baxters,
Masons, and Fleshers. (See Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. pp.
23, 24.)
ELECTION OF PROVOST, &c.—“28 Sept. 1714: The sd day
of ye sds magistrates and town councilors, ordinar and
extraordinary, did, and hereby doe elect and choose ye
sd Peter Halket provost; Mr. John Walker and Wm.
Wilson, masterer, baillies; Robt. Walker, dean of
gild; John Wilson merchant, theasurer; Capt. Peter
Halket, old provost; Jerom Cowie and David Sands, old
baillies; John Hutton, old dean of gild; and Alex.
Veatch, old theasurer: &c. (Burgh Records.) It is
probable that when the new or head provost was absent,
the next in dignity—the old provost—would take the
chair and preside.
1725.—WEAVING FRAUDS, &C.—“13TH Feb., 1725: The which
day ye magistrates and town council taking to yr
consideration ye great frauds committed in making of
linen damask, dornack, tyckings, and Congall’s contrar
to and in manifest contempt of ye many excellent laws
for regulating ye same, and yt these frauds must of
necessity ruin so profitable a munugacture to ye great
loss of ye nation in gnrall, of this place in
partular if a speedy remedy be not provided.
Therefore ye magistrates and town council unanimously
resolved and agreed yt for preventing and obviating
these frauds in time coming, we will this year and in
all times coming put ye laws into execution agt all
who shall commit such frauds or abuses either by
working unsufficient cloath or of ill sorted yarn, or
by bleaching ye sd cloath or yarn qrof it is made with
lyme,” &c. (Burgh Records.)
THE
MALT TAX.—An old MS. Note states that “the malt tax
bill was ill receivit be malsterers of Dunfemrling,
who were to a man against it.” It was also
unfavourably received in most other burghs.
THE
MINISTERS OF DUNFERMLINE AND THE MARQUIS OF
TWEEDDALE.—The Minister of Dunfermline opposed the
right of the Marquis of Tweeddale to appoint a Reader
to Dunfermline Church. The controversy between them
went to so great a length as to prevent the
dispensation of the Lord’s Supper this year. The case
was taken to the Court of Session, when a decreet was
given in favour of the Marquis’s claim. The ministers
and the Marquis were unfriendly until 1734 (nine
years!) when a reconciliation took place. (Kirk Ses.
Rec.)
FREEMAN WEAVER.—In the Dunfermline Weaver’s MS. Minute
Book, under date August 25, 1725, there is the
following entry:--“The which day David Moreson younger
was made freeman with the weavers, and gave his oath
of fidelity as use and custom is.” (See An. Dunf.
dates 1596 and 1683 for Note on MS. Minute Book.)
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Peter Halket was
re-elected Provost, 27th September, 1725. (Burgh
Records.)
STEREOTYPING.—The art of stereotyping, or the casting
in metal of pages of type, was invented about this
period by William Ged of Baldridge, near Dunfermline.
Ged at an early age left Bladridge for Edinburgh,
where he served an apprenticeship to the jewellery
business, and afterwards commenced jeweler on his own
account, “with a strong predilection for Printing.”
The casts of two of his pages of Sallust are to be
seen in the Antiquarian Museum, Edinburgh. (See
Museum Catal. P. 81, No. 39; and Cham. Trad. Edin. For
notice of his supposed sisters, see An. Dunf. date
1758.)
THE
DRINKING CUSTOMS AT ELECTIONS.—11th Dec. 1725: “The
sd day ye counsel resolved and enacted yt in all tims
coming yr be no drinking out ye common good on ye
seall days of ye elections excepting allennarly on ye
day yt ye magistrates are elected, on qlk day ye
council may spend twelve pounds Scots and no more.
And ordains ye head court hereafter to be kept on ye
sd munday on qlk ye magistrates are chosen.” (Burgh
Records.)
1726.—BUTTER AND CHEESE—Arbitrary Laws.—“30th April:
The sd day ye magistrates and town council statute and
ordaind yt no person nor persons (not inhabitants) of
ye burgh presume in any time coming to sell any butter
or cheese on fair-days, or on ye weekly mercat days,
viz., Wednesday and Friday; and also yt no inhabitant
buy butter or cheese on ye sd days except at ye tron
ye ordinar mercat place, under ye pain of two pounds
Scots, for said failing and yrin buy or sell, toties
quoties, and intimates this to be intimate by touk of
drum.” (Burgh Records.)
FALL OF THE EAST GABLE OF THE CHOIR OF THE
ABBEY.—According to two MS. Notes, “the east gable of
the Choir of the Abbey fell into the Syther-Kirkyard
in 1726 in the harvest time.” After the destruction
of the Choir in 1560 the area came to be used as a
burying-ground; and as the Psaltery, or Singing, had
been conducted on this area “in the days of the
Abbey,” it received the name of “the Psaltery”;
afterwards contracted to “ Salter,” and , in later
times, “Sither-Kirkyard,” which was its name as late
as 1821. The name is now worn out.
LITERATURE.—A small work was published this year, by
Rev. Ralph Erskine, entitled, “The Happy Congregation;
or, the Gathering of the People to Shiloh.” Edin.,
12mo, 1726
PROVOST OF DUNFEMRLINE.—“26th Sept., 1726: The said
day ye magistrates and town councillers, ordinary and
extraordinary, re-elected Sir Peter Halket of
Pitfirrane provost.” (Burgh Records.)
“CHURCH BELLS CRACK’D.”—An old Note states that the
“bell-stocks gave way at the end of this year, and the
bells falling with them, broke them, and so rendered
them useless.”
MASON LODGE.—A “Ludge of Dunfemrline Masons was holden
by David Bald, Deacon, and Robert Bald, Warden, and
remnant brethren, in Wm. Flockhart’s house,
Dunfermline, 27 Dec., 1726, regarding Sundries.”
(Mason’s Register.)
1727.—DEATH OF ELIZABETH HALKET, reputed Authoress of
the Ballad, “Hardy-Knute.”—She was married in 1696 to
Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie, and according to
Fernie, was interred in the Pitreavie burying-vault,
on the south east angle of the Auld Kirk. (See
Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. p. 105; also, An. Dunf. dates
1263, 1616, 1702, 1719, &c.)
It
would appear from the following extract from an old
title-deed, which the writer in 1855 received from the
late Mr. Souter, writer, Dunfermline, the Elizabeth
Halket at one time (during the latter period of her
widowhood) resided at the head of the Cross Wynd,
Dunfermline:--“All and haill that tenement of land and
houses within the libertie of ye burgh of Dunfermlyne,
upon the east side of the Wynde, called ye Cross
Wynde, purchased by the sayd deceasit Robert Anderson
from David Wilsone, which was formerly ruinous, and
lately rebuilt by the deceasit Robert Anderson, which
tenement was lately possessed by Dame Elizabeth
Halket, relict of Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie.”
Date of title-deed, 30th June, 1736. This talented
lady, for some years previous to her decease, resided
in an old house which stood in the north-west corner,
at the top of Cross Wynd. After her decease in 1727,
the old property was purchased by Mr. Robert Anderson,
who removed the ruinous house, and built the present
one on its site. There is stone on the front wall of
this (second) house, which bears the initials, “R.
A.—E. M.” and date “1727,” being the initials of
Robert Anderson and that of his wife, and the date
when the present house was built, as noted in the
foregoing title-deed. “Probably Elizabeth Halket died
in the old house, top of Cross Wynd.”
DRUMMER OF PIPER DISMISSED.—“16TH Jan., 1727: The
council considering yt ye drummer and pyper were
negligent in their office, and went rarely through ye
toun notwithstanding seavl reproofs, yrfor deprived ym
both of yr offices.”
PROCLAMATION OF GEORGE II.—“King George II. Was by the
Provost, Magistrates, and council proclaimed King of
Great Britain, &c., at the Cross, June 25th.” (Old
MS.)
A
HAUTBOY APPOINTED INSTEAD OF A PIPER.—The Town Council
and inhabitants appear to have been fond of noisy
music in those days—daily ringing of bells, “tuck of
drum,” and groaning bagpipes. Now, here is another
functionary elected to make a great noise, viz.,
“Houtboy.” “24th July, 1727: The sd day ye counsel
agreed yt ye toun shall have no pyper But a hautboy in
place yr oh, and elected Wm. Ferguson to by ye touns
hautboy, and yt he have three pounds sterling of
yearly cellary, to commence fra ye 24th day of June
last.” (Burgh Rec.)
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Peter Halket of Pitfirrane
was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records, Oct. 2,
1727.)
SCHOOL KEPT IN THE QUEEN’S HOUSE.—At this period Mr.
Francis Paterson kept “a promiscuous school for boys
and girls in the large room above the gate-way of
Queen Ann of Denmark’s House, adjacent to the west
side of the Kirk Steeple.” (MS. Note.)
1728.—ACT IN FAVOUR OF INCORPORATION OF TAILORS—“10TH
June, 1728: The council hereby grant to the
corporation of Tailors the priviledge of exacting six
pennies Scots for each chapman’s stand in the
liblerties of the town, in which there shall be any
tailor work exposed to sale, Declaring always that
made gloves are not comprehended in this Act, and for
which the Corporation can exact no box penney.”
(Burgh Records.)
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Peter Halket of Pitfirrane
re-elected provost. (Burgh Records, 30th Sept. 1728.)
THE
CHURCH UNDERGOING REPAIRS.—“In 1728, the church, the
steeple, and the church bells, being in need of
repairs, estimates of the expenses were given in to
the heritors and town council. James Noble, slater,
undertook to make the roof of the kirk sufficient,
with blue and grey slates, for 58 merks Scots. Other
estimates were accepted (sums not mentioned) for
repairing the point of the steeple, the ceiling above
the area of the kirk, the porch-door, and the loft
below the bells.”—“October 13th, 1728: This day the
cock was set upon the steeple by the hands of David
Inglis Wright.” “October 28th: The repairs being
finished (except the bells), and visited by neutral
tradesmen, were found sufficient. The tradesmen’s
accounts were all paid, when the repairs were approved
of, the expenses amounting to £647 is. 10d. Scots
(near £54 Sterg.) The two bells being both crakt,
were cas anew at Edinburgh. The big bell (Queen
Anne’s donation) weighed 14 cwt..” (MS. Journal of
David Inglis: also, vide Mercer’s Hist. Dunf. pp.
179-180.)
The
following inscription, in raised Roman letters, is
round the outside of “the bell mouth.”
REFOUNDED BY THE TOWN OF DUNFERMLINE AND
HERITORS OF
THE PAROCHE THEREOF ROBERT MAXWELL AND COMPANY
FECIT EDINBURGH ANNO 1728
The
barge bell is ornamented with a scroll; the small bell
has the representation of a boar-hunt on it—each boar
being pursued by two mena dn dogs, while a man stands
in front with a long pole or spear in his hand
pointing to the hunt. Dimensions of the Bells.—The
large bell, on which the clock-hammer strikes the
hour, is 2 feet 9 ½ inches over the mouth (8 ¾ feet
full in circumference.) The height of this bell is 2
feet. The small bell is 2 feet 7 ½ inches over the
mouth (or 8 ¼ feet circumference), and is also 2 feet
high. (An. Dunf. date 1720.)
THE
MASON’S REGISTER.—In the Masons’ Register of this date
there are the two following entries:--“Payed to Wm.
Flockhart, St. John’s Day, 1728, £15 18s. Scots; item,
payed the Clerk’s fee sd day, £4--£19 18s. (Oldest
MS. Of Mason’s Register.)
SULD KIRK STEEPLE MEASUREMENTS, &c.—In David Inglis’s
MS. Journal are the following measures of objects
connected with the Auld Kirk at this period, viz.—“The
height of the steeple from the bottom to the top, is
198 foots; the length of the stalk, or prick upon
which the cock stands, is fifteen foot long; four
foots within the steeple; eleven foots above the
steeple—viz., from the point of the steeple to the
first glove, three foots; from the second small globe
to the iron cross two foots and an half; from the iron
cross to the cock, two foots and an half. The cock is
just a yard long, and one foot and half thick; so that
from and an half foot; This added to the 190 foots,
makes the steeple from the ground to the upper part of
the tope of the steeple, is 24 foots, besides the
stalk. The little bell holes are five foots high, two
foots wide.” Note.—From the foundation of the Steeple
to the top point of stone work is only 156 feet; these
measures are too much—they are to each other as 156 to
200 1/2. (See Mercer’s Hist. Dunf. p. 180.)
1729.—NO COMMISSIONER TO BE SENT TO THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.—The council agreed that both the acts of
Council anent the electing of Robert Blackwood and
James Thomson, and resolved to send no Commissioner to
the General Assembly this year, and the said two acts
were accordingly expunged in presence of the council.
(Burgh Records; 19th March, 1729.)
MUSIC MASTER AND READER.—“27th Nov., 1729: Which day
the council considering that the offices of Music
Master and Reader in the church are both vacant, and
that it will be for the interest of the town that
these two offices be united in the person of one man.
Also, understanding that the Marquis of Tweeddale is
willing to present any person that the council is
satisfied with and agreeable to the kirk-session. The
council appointed the two baillies and Charles Chalmer
to wait upon the Kirk-session and intreat them to
concur with the town to find out a man that is
sufficiently qualified for both these offices, and
that they would join with the town council in desiring
the Marquis of Tweeddale to allow the town to
advertise it in the Gazett. (Burgh Records.)
TREES PLANTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE PALACE.—According
to an old note, trees were planted on the north of the
Sheeling Hill (Heugh Mills), in front of the west wall
of the Palace, and all the way north to the Tower
Hill; also many were planted on the old floor of the
Palace.
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir Peter Halket of Pitfirrane
re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records; 29th Sept.,
1729.)
THE
GUILDRY’S COLOURS.—“At a meeting of Guildry held in
October, 1729, it was remarked that their colours are
entirely torn and useless; they appoint the Dean of
Guild and David Morris to buy a stand of new colours
of silk.” (Guildry Records.)
ANCIENT SOCIETY OF GARDENERS.—Thomas, Lord Erskine,
elected Chancellor of the Society. (Gardner’s
Records.)
1730.—THE SCHOLARS’ LOFT, &C.—“The council orders the
Dean of Guild, John Scotland, and William Flockart to
meet with Mr. Bayne and Mr. Hart, and commune with
them about their drawing rent for the Seats of the
Scholars loft, and anent their not allowing the
Scholars to sit according to their seniority.” (Burgh
Records, 12th Jan. 1730.)
“EXAMINABLE PERSONS IN THE PARISH.”—The ministers of
Dunfermline, the Reverends Ralph Erskine and Wardlaw,
computed that in 1730 there were 6000 examinable
persons in the parish, and made efforts, without
success, to have two other churches in different parts
of the parish. (Chal. Hist. Dunf. vol. i. p. 431.)
This appears to be a large number of examinable
persons in the parish in1730; there were only 5000
persons in the parish in 1713.
GRASS GROWING ON THE HIGH
STREET.—An old MS. Note states that in 1730 “the ‘hie
gaite’ was o’ergrown with grass in some places, and
that ‘kie’ and hourses were to be seen feeding
thereon.” Fernie, at p.135 of Hist. Dunf. has a note
somewhat similar. He says, “In 1791 or 2 some of the
inhabitants recollected the time when the cadgers, or
strangers who sold fish, were in the practice of
allowing their horses to graze along the sides of the
High Street, eastward of the Cross.”
A COAL AND CAUSEY MEALL
DISPUTE.—During a great part of this year “there raged
a coal and causey toll war between the council of
Dunf. and the Laird of Garvock.” (See Burgh Records,
April till August, 1730.)
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir
Peter Halket of Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost.
(Burgh Records, 28th Sept., 1730.)
NEW ROAD TO KIRKCALDY.—“The
council considering that seeing the town had got the
liberty of a way along the south side of their parks,
and on the east side so far as Garvock’s ground goes,
they therefore resolved to turn the high way along the
south side of the town green; and because it cannot be
a good way unless it be mended, they empower the
baillies to employ men to call rubbish justices to
peace to get the sd way declaired the high way from
the town to Kirkcaldy.” (Burgh Records, 7th Oct.,
1730.) Previous to this period the high way to
Kirkcaldy “went along from the foot of the Witch-loan
by the north of the town green.”
FRENCH PRINT OF DUNFERMLINE.—a
French published view of Dunfermline was issued this
year, entitled, ”Vue de la Villa et de l’Abbaye
Dunfermline,” ie,. “View of the Town and the Abbey of
Dunfermline,” We have a copy of this rare view. It
appears to have been reduced from Sleizer’s “View of
Dunfermline.” (See Annals, date 1690; also Chal.
Hist. Dunf. vol. ii. p. 124, for a view which was
engraven from this one.)
MORTIFICIATIONS—Charity
Distributed.—“6th Dec., 1730: The said day the
council distribut in charity the annual rent of the
following mortifications:--David Brown’s, 200 merks;
Wm. Brown’s, 100 merks, John Honeyman’s, 100 merks;
the town’s half of Mr. Graham’s, 600 merks, 300 merks;
Wm. Brown’s £35 Scots; John Walker’s, 50 merks—for one
year, to Martinmas, 1730, being twenty-six pounds
sixteen shillings Scots, with £30 Scots as a part of
the Music Master’s cellary, extending to
£56.16shillings Scots.” Although it is understood
that many of these mortifications are now unknown, yet
it is pleasant to record the names of the worthy
benefactors. (Burgh Records.)
1731.—THE KIRK BELLS, &C.—“The
Council appointed the baillies, Dean of Guild,
Conveener, and Clerk to wait upon the presbytery this
day and consent to the Stent to be laid on by the
presbytery for what yet is resting of the price of the
bells and reparations of the Kirk.” (Burgh Records,
24th March, 1731; see also An. Dunf. date 1728.)
STATIONER.—There was a
stationer in Dunfermline as early as this period,
named Henry Moubray—the first on record in
Dunfermline. (Guildry Records, June, 1731.)
BLEACHFIELD—The King’s
Park.—“9th July, 1731: Which day it was represented
to the council by Thomas Cusine, Deacon of the
Weavers, that the manufacturers of linen Cloath in
this town were under a great disadvantage by reason of
a want of a bleatching field, and that the fittest
place about the town for that was the King’s Park [the
Abbey Park.] The council having considered the said
representation, appointed Baillie Wilsone to write to
the Marquis of Tweeddale in name of the council and
desire that his Lordship would be pleased to allow the
town as much ground in that park as will serve for a
bleatching field, and that his Lordship would use his
interest with the tenent to quit his tack of that
piece of ground, and appoints the baillies to
represent the sd affair to the trustees that they
would use their interest with the Marquis to procure
it.” (Burgh Rec.)
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir
Peter Halket of Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost.
(Burgh Records, 27th Sept., 1731.)
EXHIBITION OF A SCRIPTURAL
PAINTING.—Several notes state that “a man came to
Dunfermline in the summer of this year with a very
large picture of the Saviour on the Cross, and charged
one penny each to see it. Great crowds went to see it
in the large room of the Queen’s house during the week
it was exhibited.” Probably this may have been a
picture which had been hung up above the high altar of
some great church before 1559.
ESCAPE OF PRISONERS FROM THE
TOLBOOTH, &C.—“The council considering that of late
severall prisoners have escaped out of the tollbooth,
and the other low prisons—They empower the Baillies to
cause make a machine fit for securing prisoners, and
to employ smiths to make it.” (Burgh Records, 7th
Dec., 1731.) This machine was made a kind of iron
cage, which became a terror to the law breakers and
the unruly.
POTATOES.—An old note states
that potatoes were introduced into the west of Fife
this year, and that they were first set in a garden on
the south side of the Netherton.
1732.—EXECUTION OF JAMES RANSAY
AT TOP OF WITCHLOAN ROAD.—James Ramsay of Lambhill in
Perthshir, his brother Andrew, his sister Helen and
her husband, Andrew Hutson, in Pliverhall, of
Drumtuthell, near Dunfermline, were tried by the
Regality Court of Dumfermline in February, 1732, for
cattle stealing, &c. The Judges at the trial were
James Dewar of Lassodie, Captain Peter Halket, younger
of Pitfirrane, and Henry Wellwood of Garvock, and a
jury of fifteen. The following notes regarding
Ramsay’s apprehension and execution are from the Burgh
Records:-
“James and Andrew
Ramsay, after a long and violent resistance, were
apprehended with a hut in Pitconochie, dean-park, in
the barony of Pitfirrane, The place where the hut
stood, on a small eminence, was much covered with
whins and broom to screen it from observation. In the
hut there were found a quantity of straw, two pairs of
blankets, a bee-hive with some honey in it, the foot
of a sheep, raw, a timber-plate, with mutton-collops,
a cap which contained honey, and in which there were
large lumps of fat, and livers, and also the lead of a
window.”
The crimes which the Jury found
proven against James Ramsay were, the stealing four
oxen and a quey from John Carswell, tenant in South
Cults, in the parish of Saline, and a bee-hive out of
the gardens of Pitfirrane. The Sentence of the Court
is dated 8th February, 1732, and so far as it relates
to James Ramsay, was as follows:-
“The Judges of the
Courts of Justiciary and Regality of Dumfermline
having considered the foregoing verdict of Assyze, of
the date 5th current, returned against James Ramsay,
Andrew Ramsay, Andrew Hutson and Helen Ramsay
pannells: They in respect whereof, by the mouth of
John Cummin, dempster of court—Decern and Adjudge the
sd James Ramsay to be taken fra the tollbooth of
Dunfermline upon Wednesday being the twenty second day
of March next to come, to that place of the common
Muir of Dunfermline, called the witch Loan; and there
betwixt the hours of two and four o’clock afternoon of
the said day to be hanged by the neck upon a gibbet,
till he be dead. And ordains all his moveable goods
and gear to be escheat and inbrought for the use of
the ffiscal of court. Which is pronounced for Doom.”
(Regality Records, and Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. pp.
170-172.)
In the Caledonian Mercury
newspaper for 11th February, 1732, there is the
following paragraph regarding this trial, &c.:-
“Dunfermline,
February 8th, 1732.—This day was finished here a very
tedious trial of four gypses (or gypses habit and
repute), strollers, or vagabonds, which lasted between
18 and 19 hours, by the honoured Captain Halkett,
James Dewar of Lassodie, and Henry Wellwood of
Garvock—deputies of the most Honourable the Marquis of
Tweeddale, as hereditary bailie of the justiciary and
regality courts of Dunfermline; when on a full and
plain proof James Ramsay, one of the gang, was
sentenced to be hanged the 22d March next; and the
other three to be whipped the first Wednesday of each
month, for one half year, and afterwards to be
banished the regality for ever.” (!!!)
“James Ramsay has,
since his sentence was pronounced, confessed to the
Rev. Mr. Ralph Erskine that he stole the four oxen and
young cow—one of the branches of the indictment.
During his confinement in prison the Rev. Ralph
Erskine frequently visited Ramsay for spiritual advice
and consolation; he also went with him to his place of
execution, soothing his mind, and offered up a fervent
prayer in his behalf to the fountain of mercy, as he
was turned off.”
The following extract is from
the Burgh Records of 15th March, 1732:-
“The said day the
baillies acquainted the council that they had this day
received a letter from James Dewar of Lassody, and
Henry Wellwood of Garvock, two of the baillies deputes
of the regality of Dunfermline, signifying to them
that they heard that some of the members of the
council are making some difficulty anent the obeying
the dead warrant, directed to the magistrates, in
consequence of the sd baillies deputes their sentence
pronounced against James Ramsay on the 8th of February
last; and in order to obviate any inconveniences
thereanent, they desire the magistrates to see the
said sentence put into execution in the usual manner.
And thereby declare that by their former dead warrant,
they meant not to bring any new hardship or burden on
the burgh of Dunfermline further than what the law and
practice of his burgh requires, nor thereby to
invalidate the baillie heretable of the regality his
right in cases of that nature. And they desire the
magistrates to send their guard to the execution—which
guard they will pay. The council having considered
the import of the said letter, agreed to grant to the
baillies of the regality the favour of the militia to
guard James Ramsay at his execution. And accordingly
appointed the baillies to cause raise the militia for
that purpose on Wednesday next being the day of the
execution.” (22nd March.)
So far as is known, this was
the last execution that took place in Dunfermline or
neighbourhood. In the year 1827, when some parts of
“the Witch-loan” were being leveled, Ramsay’s grave
was opened; his decayed bones were lifted, but they
were re-interred in deeper earth on the same spot.
(MS. Note.)
“THE HANGMAN’S PLEDGE OF
FIDELITY.”—“27th May, 1732: The said day John Cummin
the hangman lodged in the hands of John Lindsay town
thesaurer fourty pounds Scots, as a pledge of his
fidelity. And the council hereby promise to pay
annual rent for the said fourty pounds from Whytsunday
last during the said John Cummins life, upon this
express condition that if the said John Cummin shall
at any time hereafter refuse to execute any sentence
of the baillies, or of the baillies of the regality,
or baillies of Innerkeithing, or desert the place, in
either of which cases, the said John Cummin shall
forfeit the sd sum and annual rent there of that shall
be resting, upon which provision the said sum is
lodged by him in the towns hands.”
DUNFERMLINE
WEAVERS—Bleachfield—“Retaliation Act!”—In the Weaver’s
MS. Minute Book there is the following curious but
pugnacious entry relative to their struggles to obtain
a site for a bleachfield, &c.:--“March 31st, 1732 The
which day David Moresin, Deacon, and Remanent members
of the Incorporation of Weavers, being Conveened
within the Session-House of Dunfermline (Kirk) and
having taken to their consideration the great
hardships they labour under for want of a Bleachfield,
and finding that the most Commodious place for
Bleaching about this place is the King’s Park’s
commonly called the Abbey Yeards, which place they
found they by no means coud obtain, notwithstanding
they had made the most reasonable proposals to
Alexander Miller, tenant on the heugh-mills, possessor
of the park, who rejected all proposals both of rent
and entry of grassum made to him.” Now comes “the
Retaliation Act,” which gives a glimpse of “the age
and body of the times,: by showing how, sometimes,
“our ancient forefathers agreed wi’ the laird” when he
became obstreperous:--“They (the weavers) there fore,
hereby statute enact and ordain, that no member of
their incorporation shall drink ale after the tenth of
Aprile next to come, either publickly or privately
that is made by the sd Alexander Miller, under the
penalty of one pound Scots to be payed to the trades
box by each person who drink ale mad eof the malt
grind as aforsd, and the trade ordains the Deacon to
insert this their act and to sign the same in their
name by their unanimous consent and vote, and the sd
fine to be payed for each times Totes quoties.
“Signed. DA. MORISONE, Deacon.”
PROVOST OF DUNFERMLINE.—Sir
Peter Halket of Pitfirrane was re-elected Provost.
(Burgh Records.)
THE BLEACHFIELD—A GIFT OF
£200.—“Bailie Wilson informed the councill that Mr.
Hugh Forbes advocate desired him to acquaint ye
council that the ‘Trustees and Commissioners for
improvement of Manufactures’ had agreed to allow the
town two hundred pounds sterling to enable them to
prepare the Bleachfield.” (Burgh Records, 26th Dec.,
1732.)
WHEAT MILL.—“ The council
unanimously agreed to sub-set that ruinous house on
the east side of the Abbay Sables to the Corporation
of Bakers in order to build yr on a miln for grinding
of wheat, allennarly with ye use of the water when
going and the liberty of winnowing and drying wheat in
the Abbay Close.” (Burgh Rec., 26th Dec., 1732.) The
lower of the mills is now called the “Heugh Mills.”
“Abbey Close,” the space for forty yards north of
the archway of the Pends.
CUTLER.—William Steedman
commenced business in Dunfermline as a cutler. He was
made a free burgess. (Burgh Records, 11th Nov.,
1732.) This is the first named Dunfermline “cutler,
or whitler,” on record.
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