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THE DUMFRIES PARISH REGISTER
IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY --TERRIBLE FAMINE AND PLAGUE IN 1598-99-TWO
BURGESSES GO ON A CATTLEBUYING ENTERPRISE TO WIGTOWNSHIRE : THEIR PERILOUS
ADVENTURES BY THE WAY-ANOTHER FATAL YEAR: 1623-DREADFUL MORTALITY IN
DUMFRIES, OCCASIONED BY SCARCITY AND DISEASE- PRECAUTIONS USED BY THE
AUTHORITIES TO PREVENT THE PLAGUE OF 1665 REACHING THE BURGH-RAPID
INCREASE OF THE INHABITANTS AFTER THE REVOLUTION -THE BRIDGE WRECKED BY A
FLOOD-IMPORTANCE OF THE BRIDGE TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY--THE INHABITANTS,
UNABLE TO OBTAIN GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, RESTORE THE BRIDGE AT THEIR OWN
COST-INTERESTING MEMORIAL TO HIS MAJESTY ON THE SUBJECT-THE BRIDGE DUES
ACQUIRED AS A SOURCE OF PERPETUAL REVENUE BY THE TOWN -SETTLEMENT OF THE
FIRST GLAZIER IN THE BURGH - INTRODUCTION OF THE POSTAL SYSTEM, AND
ESTABLISHMENT OF A POST-RUNNER TO AND FROM EDINBURGH.
THE Parish Register of
Dumfries goes back to the 6th of October, 1605, as regards baptisms; in
the following year the names of sixty infants, "bairns lawfullie
begotten," are entered in the list; and it is not till the 12th of May,
1616, that marriages, and not till the 11th of May, 1617, that burials
begin to be inserted in the record. In 1618 the total baptisms were 111,
marriages 19, and deaths 51; though, in all probability, the latter
figures considerably underrate the mortality for the year. In 1660 there
were, according to the register, 116 baptisms, 31 marriages, and 122
burials; but we may very safely add a fourth to the first two of these
entries, and a third to the other, to make up for omissions, which would
bring up the returns to 145 births, 39 marriages, and 139 deaths. These
bear the proportion of less than one to four of the registrargeneral's
figures for the Parish in 1860; and supposing the population to have been
in the same ratio to the returns in both years, the inhabitants of the
Parish, burghal as well as landward, must have numbered barely 4000 two
hundred years ago. [Nearly the same result is arrived at by taking the
number of the Trades as a basis of calculation. See awe, p. 365.] This is
a rough mode of calculation, and can only be regarded as approximately
correct. There is every reason to believe that the long desolating wars,
and the cruel persecution, to which the town and district were subjected,
seriously thinned their population, and otherwise checked their
prosperity. Other agencies, the chief of which were famine and pestilence,
produced like results.
In 1598, as we learn from
the "Chronicle of Perth," "the wheat was blasted" over all Scotland, and
oatmeal was so scarce that it sold for 6s. the peck; "ane great deid amang
the people" being occasioned by the dearth. A virulent plague
followedDumfries suffering much from both visitations; while, to add to
its distress, it was cut off from all intercourse with neighbouring towns.
A minute of the Kirkcudbright Town Council shows, that that body, on the
20th of April, 1599, took alarm on account of "the pest being verie ill in
Drumfries," and prohibited the inhabitants, "under the paine of xi. s. ilk
fault, and tinsall of their freidome," to enter the infected Burgh, or
even to venture below the Water of Urr, or hold intercourse with any one
from the east side of that river. As a consequence, the trade of the town
was utterly paralyzed; the cattle of the burgesses disappeared, and none
came from a distance to supply their place.
In such sad circumstances,
two men, James Sharpe and John Martin, were sent into the western parts of
Galloway on a cattle-buying mission. On reaching the burgh of Wigtown,
they were well received by its magistrates, and allowed to bargain for as
many beeves as they needed, on condition of paying the market dues, as
well as the price of the stock. Whilst the men were driving their
purchase-thirty-eight head of nolt-homewards, they were encountered at
Minnygaff by a large armed party, commanded by the Wigtown authorities,
Provost Hannay and Bailies Edgar and Tailfer, who, by dint of main force,
brought both cattle and drovers back to their burgh; the reason assigned
being, it is supposed, that the latter had not paid the full amount of
custom. When at Wigtown the cattle were detained eight days on scanty
fare, so that they were reduced to the condition of Pharaoh's lean kine.
In the end, their purchasers, after laying down a hundred additional merks,
were allowed to depart with the animals, which, by cropping the wayside
pasture as they went along, would probably reach their journey's end in
tolerable "fettle." This pitiable affair, which reads so strangely of
Dumfries, now the scene of magnificent markets for the transfer of cattle,
came under the notice of the Privy Council, and was remitted to the
ordinary judges, to be settled by them as they might think best. [Chambers's
Domestic Annals]
Again the two fell
destroyers visited the country in 1623. At midsummer, that year,
Calderwood tells us, the famine was so sore that " many, both in burgh and
land, died of hunger;" numerous poor folks, who flocked into Edinburgh in
a vain search for succour, falling down lifeless in the streets of the
city. For several months prior to Michaelmas, the mortality in Perth was
at the rate of ten or twelve deaths per day: [The Perth Chronicle] some
other towns suffered in the same proportion ; and Dumfries, perhaps, in a
greater degree than any. Fearful must have been the condition of the Burgh
in that fatal year: many of the people pining for want-many more perishing
under the "arrows of the pestilence," - some suffering from both the
famine and the plague. To the names of a hundred persons who died during
the year, the words, "puir," "extreme puir," or "pauper," are annexed in
the register of the Parish. During the first ten months, there were no
fewer than 492 deaths (those for the rest of the year not being recorded);
so that the Parish must have lost about a ninth of its inhabitants by this
terrible scourge.
We cannot wonder that the
Dumfries Town Council, after such sad experiences of the plague, should,
in the summer of 1665, when it was raging in London, have taken special
precautions with the view of keeping the Burgh unvisited by the destroyer.
The importation of English merchandise was strictly forbidden; and it was
duly certified that any inhabitant who should receive such goods would be
liable to a penalty of five hundred merks, to have his house closed up,
and himself and " haill family sequestrate without the town for the space
of 40 days thereafter." Then, as some of the Dumfries pedlars were away
South, hawking the linen and woollen cloths manufactured in the Burgh,
they were debarred from returning to it under a similar penalty, unless
furnished with "a bill of health;" and, finally, lest strangers should
enter the ports, bringing more mischief in their wake than even the
English Borderers of old, twenty-four men kept watch and ward over the
town by night and day. [Town Council Minutes, and Burnside's MS]
When the Revolution brought
peace and rest to the country, Dumfries began once more to thrive: the
population of the town increased till it rose to about 5,000 in the
beginning of the eighteenth century; and in 1790, as mentioned in a
previous chapter, it numbered nearly 6,000, besides 1,400 in the rural
portion of the Parish; the annual births in the Parish being then 200,
marriages 50, and deaths 150.
In the first half of the
seventeenth century, full of trouble though it was, the town acquired some
new elements of material progress. Its great annual fairs, at which
horses, cattle, agricultural produce, and merchandise were disposed of,
became increasingly important. The most ancient of these was the Rood
Fair; and to it James VI., on the 31st of November, 1592, added two
others, only one of which-Candlernas Fairhas continued till the present
day. These trysts, growing in importance, did much to promote the trade of
the town. In 1623, Dumfries acquired what has come to be called "the
backbone" of its revenue-the right to levy tolls and customs at the
bridge. So early as 1425, this privilege seems to have been possessed by
the Douglas family, then in the plenitude of its power; and in that year
it was conveyed by Margaret, Countess of Douglas, to the Minorite Friars
of Dumfries. In 1557, when monastic establishments began to feel the shock
of the Reformation, the right of exaction was transferred, by royal
charter, from the brethren of the Vennel to John Johnstone of Nunholm,
whose sister and heiress, Marion Johnstone, [We find the following entry
in the Retours, under date December 10 1616:-" Mariota Jhonstoun, spousa
Danilis Kilpatrick, ephiparii burgensis de Dunfreis, haeres Joannis
Jhonstoun, in Collegis de Lincluden, burgensis de Dunfreis, fratris
germani-in custuma seu tola nuncupata Brigcustume in omnibus locis infra
territorum de Dunfreis. E 10 m 3s 4d. "] granted it to the Provost,
Bailies, Council, and community of Dumfries, by whom it has been held till
the present day. [Report of Robert Kemp, town-clerk of Dumfries, upon the
Bridge Custom, May, 1854.] What seemed at first a dire calamity, helped in
the end to secure to the Burgh the continued possession of this somewhat
lucrative source of income. One day in 1620, the Nith, which had tolerated
the bridge for more than four centuries, swelled by tributary streams, the
rains of heaven, and-shall we say? - its own rage, came down with
tremendous force, and turned Devorgilla's useful structure into a wreck,
"to the great hurt of the Burgh and countrey, and discouragement not onlie
of the haill inhabitants thereof, and countrie people thereabout, but also
of all his Majestie's subjects of all his Majestie's three kingdoms of
Scotland, England, and Ireland, it being the onlie passage" by which they
can traverse the said kingdoms to and fro. In such dolorous language as
this the disaster was described, in a royal document dated 16th July,
1621.
Though the value of the
bridge was thus highly rated by his Majesty, the Burgh was left to build
it up anew from its own resources. When Government aid was solicited by
the magistrates for the work, they were told to appeal for voluntary
contributions to "his Majesties good subjects in burgh and land throughout
the whole kingdome;" and this having been done without eliciting a
favourable response, the Burgh single-handed and bravely proceeded with
and completed the structure nearly ruining itself by the exhaustive
effort. In a second appeal to "the most Gracious and Sacred Soverane," the
rulers of the town spoke of their enterprise in the following terms: " So
being left to ourselffs without all hope of help, we resolved to
interpoise and begin the work ourselffs, wherein, after long stryving, and
in end overiding all difficulties, with continuall turmoyle, trouble, and
labour both day and night; wherefra none within the said burgh was exemit
neither in their persones nor purses, we brought the work to a gude and
happy conclusion; and in one yeare we performed and accomplished the samyn
in a more substantionire and stately manner nor it was befoir; and now may
trewlie affirme, without ostentation, or ydle or vane show, that it was
the greatest work that ever was done in Scotland in so short a space be
ane handful of pure persones, without the help or assistance of uthers."
The weakening results were thus set forth:- "For doing wherof we have
exhausted the whole common rent and patrimony of the burgh, and hes not
left so much as one penny therof frie; and by continuall and daylie
contributione, most frelie and willinglie advanced among ourselves, our
purses are so emptied, and we so disabilled from undertaking any uther,
ether for the weill of the said town or comon weil of the kingdom, that we
are forced to yield to necessitie, and to sink under the heavie burdens
which we have so long supported, and which now indeid hes ourmaisterit
us." The petitioners become more pathetic and eloquent as they proceed:-
"The estate of the town is no longer yable to subsist in that positione
wherein it formerlie stoode amonge the burrowes, bot as ane decayit and
faillit member, will fall off from the rest of the bodie, unless your
Majestie out of your accustomat princlie comiseratioun of the distresit of
everie particular member of the common weill, put to your helping hand,
the consideratioun whereof hes moved us in most submissive and humble
attitude to prostrate us befoir your Majestie's feet, and to lay open
befoir your Highnes (as the soveraine fountaine and livelie spring
wherewith the politique body of the estate and everie particular member
thereof is cherished and nourished) these our wants and necessities:
beseiching your Majestie to consider the necessitie whereunto we are
driven be this occasioun of the bridge, and accordinglie to extend such
proportioun of your benevolence and favour towards us as your Majestic
shall think fit for redemptioun and relief of our comon rentis engagit by
us for the performing of the said work." The petitioners conclude by
expressing a hope that his Majesty will send "ane favourable and gracious
answer" to their request. This well-written and interesting document, [The
petition, a copy of which is among the Burgh Records, has, we believe,
never been previously published.] drawn up by the town-clerk, Mr.
Cunningham, is signed by Provost Coupland, two bailies, and by the clerk,
in name of the other councillors. A most considerate reply was given to it
by the King. "Inasmuch," he said, "as the Burgh of Dumfries had re-edefeit
and biggit up the brig of new agane," and put it in a better condition
than before, being a work "maist incrediblie to have been performeit be
thame without his Majestic's help," he, by way of recognition and
recompense, grants and. dispones to the magistrates, Council, and
community of the said Burgh a right to levy the tolls and customs at the
bridge as hitherto, for ever. [Kemp's Report] It must not be supposed that
the bridge of the thirteenth century was thoroughly destroyed by the flood
of 1620, and that what we see of the fabric just now is but the remains of
what was "re-edified." In so far as we have been able to learn, five
entire arches were rebuilt in that year-the old piers of these arches, or
some of them, having been still retained. In other words, about a half of
Devorgilla's structure, which consisted of nine arches, was rebuilt, and
the remaining portion repaired.
The Burgh soon after this
period claimed and exercised authority to levy custom on articles crossing
the Nith, at any point twelve miles above and twelve miles below the
bridge. In 1681 this claim was disputed by the noblemen and gentlemen of
the district; who, in petitioning Parliament against it, went the extreme
length of questioning the right of the Burgh to levy any bridge custom at
all. [Burgh Records] On the 6th of September in the same year, the case
for the town was laid before the Estates, and was so well maintained that
its right to exact custom at the bridge, and beyond it, within certain
restricted limits, received legal confirmation, in terms of the subjoined
agreement:-" It is agreed betwixt the Shyre and Town of Dumfries, anent
the Customs of the Water of Nith, anent which there is a Bill depending
before the Parliament, That in tyme comeing the same shall be regulat as
follows, viz.:-That the Custumes and Imposition of all goods and bestiall,
as the same has been in use to be exacted by the Burgh of Dumfries, shall
be uplifted be them hereafter from Portractfoord exclusive, downward to
the Water Mouth of Nith, whereunto they are declared to have right, for
maintaining the Bridge of Dumfries and Portractfoord; and all upwards to
the march of Kyleshall, in all tyme coming, be uplifted be such as shall
be appointed be the Earle of Queensberry and the Commissioners of the
Shyre, for repairing and maintaining the Bridge of Drumlangrig, qherunto
the said Burgh are to have no interest; and that ane Act of Parliament be
extended in favour of both parties, giving them right to the said Custome
and Imposition, as the same has been in use to be uplifted, according to
the division above written. In witness qhereof, the Earl of Queensberry
and Commissioners for the Shyre, and the Provost of Dunfries for the
Burgh, has subscribit thir presents at Edinburgh, the 15th Sepr., 1681.
Sic subr., QUEENSBERRY. W. CRAIK, for the Burgh." [Burgh Records]
This agreement, with other
documents bearing on the question, having been laid before the Duke of
Athole, as Lord High Commissioner, and the Lords of the Articles, they
recommended Parliament to sanction the same. The result appears in the
following minute:-"Edinburgh, 17th Septr., 1681.-His Royal Highness, His
Majestie's High Commissioner, and Estates of Parliament, haveing
considered the within written petition and report forsaid, doe approve of
the said report, and appoint ane act to be extended conforme thereto. Sic
subr., ATHOLE, Jpd. par." [Ibid]
An Act of' Parliament, in
accordance with this recommenda-tion, was forthwith passed, which, whilst
it put a veto upon an unauthorized assumption oil the part of the Burgh,
placed its rightful claims to the bridge custom on an unassailable basis.
[Appendix I.]
The houses, at the period
we speak of, were rude and poorly furnished; but stone had in a great
degree superseded timber for their construction, and it was chiefly
obtained from a quarry belonging to the town, situated in what is now a
beautiful garden at Castledykes, and from which the burgesses were at
liberty to take, for a trifling charge, as much material as they required.
There must have been few masons settled in the Burgh in 1665, since the
Town Council, that year, were under the necessity of sending for a
quarrier to Carlaverock to "wyn" stones for them before they could erect a
new meal market [On the 20th of June, 1662, the Town Council ordained that
the Commissioner to Parliament should be reimbursed for the expenses
incurred by him "in getting a warrand from the Parliament to build ane
meal mercat;" and they resolved to impose "four lib. Scots on everie sack
of meal" sent into it for sale.] which they had resolved to build, and
which in due time arose on a site north of the Tolbooth. There would,
however, be no difficulty in getting any smaller public structures or
private houses erected by resident workmen. A fish cross, which cost just
£39 17s. 2d. Scots, was built, in or about 1640, by Herbert Anderson-a
native mason, we infer from his name. His charge amounted to £13 6s. 8d.;
and among other items in the account there are £3 10s. to Henry Logan,
quarrier, for "70 draught of stanes, some of them great lang stanes;" and
£5 5s to Thomas Crocket and George Blunt, carters, for leading the same
from the quarry to the Cross. Glass for windows was a rare luxury,
restricted to ecclesiastical houses and the mansions of the affluent. The
Council, in 1666, contracted with a Glasgow glazier to supply glass for
St. Michael's Church at the rate of six shillings Scots per foot ; and
inasmuch as there was ,(no glassier in this countrie," they encouraged him
to commence business amongst them by making him a freeman of the Burgh.
[Town Council Minutes]
Postal communication of a
regular kind was begun in the district in 1642. That year a rebellion
raged in Ireland; and the English Parliament, wishing to keep up a closer
intercourse with the troops sent to cope with it, arranged with
commissioners from Scotland to establish a line of posts between Edinburgh
and Portpatrick, and between Portpatrick and Carlisle. To Robert Glencorse,
merchant in Dumfries, was assigned the duty of making the necessary
arrangements. Robert himself having the good luck to be installed as the
first postmaster of the Burgh, his charge extending twelve Scots miles to
the town of Annan. The other appointments were: "Mark Loch, betwix
Carlisle and Annan, twelve mile; Andrew M'Min, betwix Dumfries and Steps
of Orr, twelve mile; Ninian Mure, betwix the Steps of Orr and Gatehouse of
Fleet, twelf mile; George Bell, from thence to the Pethhouse, eleven mile;
John Baillie, from thence to the Kirk of Glenluce, thirteen mile ; and
John M'Kaig, from that to the Port, ten mile." These persons were looked
upon as "the only ones fit for that employment, as being innkeepers and of
approved honesty." [Privy Council Records]
Up till 1664, however,
there was no direct postal connection between Dumfries and the capital ;
the inconvenience arising from which being much felt, a committee of the
magistrates was appointed, in December of that year, "to establish a
constant foot-poast to go weikly betwixt this and Edinburgh, to appoynt
his selarie, and consider quhat sall be payit for the post of lettres."
[Town Council Minutes.] We thus see that, even in the stormy period of the
Persecution, the material interests of the town were not altogether
retrogressive-a circumstance that may partly be attributed to the
favourable harvest seasons which marked the reign of Charles II., and to
which the Jacobites afterwards made a boastful reference:
"When I see the corn growin'
green on the rigs,
And a gallows set up to hang the Whigs." |
