A DESCRIPTION OF THE PARIOCHES OF ESSIE AND RHYNIE.1 (circa A. D. M.DCC.XXX.) THE parioch of ESSIE has to the north, the parioches of Cabrach and Glass ; to the south, Rhynie and Auchindore; to the east, Rhynie and Glass; and to the west, Auchindore and Cabrach. The church lyes twenty-fyve miles north-north-west from Aberdeen; twenty, south-south-west, from Elgin; and eight, west from Huntly. 2 There is only in this parioch the mannor-house of Lesmore, a little way Seats. east from the church. The Cairn of Mildewen, which, I am told, means the grave of a thousand, or of a great number. Lord Hailes remarks, that Lulach, whom Macbeth's party set up, after the usurper's death, was afterward discovered in his lurking place in the parish of Essie in this neighbourhood; but, as after a careful search, no marks of a battle can be found in this parish, perhaps this monumental pile may have been raised upon that occasion." (F. Douglas' Description of the East Coast of Scotland, p. 246.) "There is a tradition of a battle having been fought at a remote period about the middle of this parish; and a large stone, about five feet diameter, on which there are some hieroglyphical characters, standing on The Moor of Rhynie, is said to have been erected in memory of the engage. ment. Part of this stone has been lately broken." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xix., p. 292.) "There are some monumental stones scattered throughout the parish, rudely carved with hieroglyphics, much defaced." (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number, xlii., p. 1016. Edinb. 1843.)] 1 [From Macfarlane's Geographical Collections for Scotland, MSS. Adv. Bibl.] 66 2 [" To the west of The Top of Noth, on the low grounds, there still exist the ruins of the Castle of Lesmore, a stronghold once possessed by an ancient branch of the Gordon family." (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xlii., p. 1016.) At the visitation of the kirk of Rynie, by the presbytery of Strathbogy, on the thirteenth of August, 1651, Sir William Gordoune of Lesmore, being asked whither or no ther was any land in that parisch that was giuen away (as is commonly said) to The Goodman, and used not to be laboured, answered, It was reported to him that ther was some of that in his owne maines, bot that he had a mynd, be the assistance of God, to cause labour the samen: Quherupon he was commended for his ingenuitie in declareing it, and exhorted to take paines shortly to haue it laboured." (Extracts from the Presbytery Book of Strathbogie, pp. 208, 209. Aberdeen, printed for The Spalding Club, 1843.) "JACOBUS GORDONIUS, alter, ex familia Lesmorea, Societatis Jesu presbyter, pius et doctus, non tamen aequali in patriam affectu; nam cum in Chronologia sua saepe de Scoticis rebus verc loqui potuisset et splendide, tacere maluit, neque enim ullum de regni nostratis exordio verbum apud illum: fuit tamen magnus vir, seu philosophica seu theologica spectemus studia. Tolosanum societatis collegium et rexit prudenter, et censu auxit feliciter; ac postea Pictaviense semel, Burdegalense iterum, eodem successu pie adminis Hills. There is nothing remarkable in this parioch, save that the tyrant Macbeth lyes buried here. Its length, from Bogncloach to Templen, is two miles; and its breadth, from Crane's-miln to The Ton-burn, as much. It produces good corn, in several places, and great plenty of pasturage and fewel. This parioch is now united with RHYNIE, in the shire of Aberdeen, and in the diocese of Murray; which parioch is bounded on the north by the parioches of Glass and Gartlie; on the south, by Clat and Kearn; on the west, by Essie and Auchindore; and on the east, by Kennethmont, or Kingethmont, and Gartlie. The church stands upon the bank of Bogie, twenty-two miles north-north-west from Aberdeen; as many, south-south-west from Elgin; fourteen, north-northwest from Inverurie; twelve, west-north-west from Old Meldrum; six northeast, from Kildrummy Castle; one mile and an half, from Castle Forbes; and six, south-west from the presbytery seat at Huntly. There is here no seat, nor river of note but Bogie. The Top of Noth is a very remarkable hill here. It has a fountain on the very summit, without any current from it on the outside; but if a taper rod be put into the vein of the fountain, it comes forth, in twenty-four hours space, at a large issue at the foot of the hill, called Coul's Burn, after being carried three miles under ground by the force of the current. travit. Edidit multa, sed ad me tantum venerunt: Chronologiae volumen 1.; Chrono- Here are monuments in several places, thought to be the remains of heathen superstition, though many other fabulous stories are told of them. The length of this parioch, from Rhynie, west, to The Raws of Noth, east, is three miles; and its greatest breadth, from north to south, about a mile. It is very fertile and pleasant, abounding with corns and pasturage, and well appointed for moss. 1 Decreit for Schyr Thomas Myretoune persoune of Ryny. (25 October, 1493.) The lordis of consale decrettis and deliueris that Johne of Arnot of that Ilke sall content and pay to Schyr Thomas Myretoune persone of Ryny the soume of x pundis vsuale money of Scotland aucht to him be the said Johne of termez bipast in parte of payment of the soume of xx pundis aucht be his obligacione schewin and producit before the lordis And ordinis that lettrez be writtin to distrenye the said Johne his landis and gudis tharfore and he wes summonde to this actione oft tymmes callit and nocht comperit . [From the Acta Dominorum Concilii, p. 317. The erection, by Bricius bishop of Murray, of the church of Rynyn into one of the eight prebends of the cathedral church of his diocese, was ratified by his successor, Andrew de Moravia, in a synod of his clergy held in the church of Saint Giles the Abbot, at Elgin, on the fifth of May, 1226: "Prima [prebenda] est ecclesia de Rynyn cum omnibus ad eam juste pertinentibus. Secunda est ecclesia de Dunbanan et ecclesia de Kynnor cum omnibus ad eas juste pertinentibus Tertia est ecclesia de Inuerketheny cnm omnibus ad eam juste pertinentibus Quarta est ecclesia de Elchy et de Buttharry cum omnibus ad eam juste pertinentibus (Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, pp. 73— 76.) See also pp. 90-94. The prebendary of Ryny was bound to provide a subdeacon, to serve as his vicar in the cathedral church. (Id, pp. 94, 361.) Master David Monypenny was prebendary of Ryny, from the year 1473 to the year 1489. (Id., pp. 256, 257, 265.) In the year 1488 he was amerced in the seventh part of the fruits of his benefice, for contumacy and non-residence at the cathedral. (Id., p. 261.) Alexander Hepburne was prebendary of Ryne, from the year 1539 to the year 1547; John Lesly was titular prebendary, Thomas Sutherland, usufructuary, of Rhyny, from the year 1547 to the year 1556; Thomas Sutherland was prebendary, from the year 1556 to the year 1557; James Gordon, son of the Earl of Huntly, was prebendary in the year 1560. (Id., pp. xxi, xxiv, 411.) THE PARISH OF GLAS. DESCRIPTION OF THE PARISH OF GLASS IN ABERDEENSHIRE. A.D. M.DCC.XXVI.! HE parish of Glass, or the green parish, as it signifys in the Irish, (being so denominate from the green hills wherewith it abounds), lyeth within Strabogy-land; being made up of the old parochin of St. Walach, and a part of St. Peter's parish, commonly called The Burnt Kirk.2 It is bounded on the south and south-east, with the parish of Gartley; on the west, with Cabrach or Strath Divern; on the north-west, with Morthloch, the first sea of the Bishop of Aberdeen; to the north, with Pittrifnie, from which it is divided by a small rivulet, which parteth the shirefdome of Aberdeen from Banff; on the north-east, with Kearny, which comprehendeth the rest of St. Peter's parish; on the east, with Dumbenan. The river of Divern runneth through the said parish, and divides the parish; whose fountain and rise comes from ane high mountain in the Cabrach, called The Buck, where it is but small, until it meet with the The Black Water, whose rise is in another hill called The Stepler, and entereth into Divern at Auchorichin. This river of Divern runneth from south-east to north-east, untill it entereth into the sea at the burgh of Banff, being weel stored with salmon and other litle fishes. There is no bridge on all this river, but one stone bridge at The Raws of Huntly, commonly called Strathbogie. [From Macfarlane's Geographical Collections for Scotland, MSS. Bibl. Adv.] 2 ["Two annexations have been made to the original parish of Glass. On the removal of the Bishop from Mortlach, in the twelfth century, a large district of that extensive parish was annexed to those of Glass and Cabrach. The other annexation, consisting of several of the best farms in the east end of the parish, taken from the parish of Drumdelgie or Peterkirk, now annexed to Cairnie or Botary, was made about the end of the seventeenth century, so that the original parish must have been small." (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xxxviii, p. 208. Edinb. 1842.) The lands of Edinglassie appear to have been separated from the parish of Mortlach, and annexed to that of Glass in the year 1650. (Extracts from the Presbytery Book of Strathbogie, pp. 113, 146, 147, 148. Stephen, parson of Glas, ("ego Stephanus persona de Glas subscribo") is one of the clergy of the diocese of Murray who adhibit their consent to the charter of Bricius their bishop, erecting eight prebends in the cathedral church of the Holy Trinity at Spyny, between the year 1208 and the year 1214. (Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, pp. 40-43.)] The church standeth in the midle of the parish, hard by a little village, where there standeth ane yearly mercat on the third Tuesday of July, called St. Andrews Fair; and is distant from Strathbogy, four miles; from Morthloch, four miles; and from the toun of Keith, four miles; about a quarter of a mile from the water side northward. In the west end of the parish, standeth the house of Beldorny, upon a rising ground, on the north bank of the river, belonging to Gordon of Beldorny,' southwest from the church, two miles. Below this house, clos by the river side, are two natural bathes, called St. Wellach's Bathes, much frequented in the summer time by sick folk, especially children, lying betwixt two rocks, about six or seven paces in length, with two of breadth, and four or five foot in deepth, always full of water, even in the greatest drouth. About a quarter of a myle doun the river, clos by the water side, there is ane ruinous kirk, called Wallach Kirk: some part of the walls do remain, with the font. There is a large church yeard about it, where many of the dead thereabout are enterred to this day; with a glebe yet belonging to the minister of the parish, with some marks of the priest his house yet remaining. About a hundred paces beneth the kirk, is St. Walloch's Well, much frequented by sick folk.3 1 ["Confirmatio ab Episcopo Moraviensi facta cartae venditionis a Georgio domino de Gordoun ac domino terrarum de Rothymurchus concessae consanguineo suo Alexandro Gordoun filio et heredi apparenti magistri Georgii Gordoun de Baldornye, terrarum ecclesiasticarum de Rothymurchus cum lacu, manerie seu fortalicio: tenendarum de Episcopo: reddendo 24 mercas annuatim : sine potestate excambii: apud Elgin, 4 Novemb. 1560, coram testibus, Georgio comite de Huntly, Alexandro Gordon de Strathoun, magistro Johanne Lesly rectore de Une, Thoma Cuming de Altre, Georgio Dunbar rectore de Kilmowir, Jacobo Gordoun de Thulyangus, et domino Johanne Gibsone rectore de Unthank: Testibus ad confirmationem Episcopi, magistro Georgio Hepburn rectore de Dalry, Alexandro Blair camerario Sconae, Jacobo Hendersoun officiario ejusdem, Jacobo Hepburn canonico Sconae, domino Waltero Ramsay, et magistro Andrea Strang, notariis: apud Sconam, 28 Martii 1561." (Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, p. 420.)] 2 [See as to Saint Woloc, or Wolloch, Collections for a History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff, pp. 128-130.] 3 [The presbytery of Strathbogy, at its meeting at Glas on the seventh of June of 1648, enjoined on the minister and elders of the parish that they should " censure all superstition at Wallak Kirk." (Extracts from the Presbytery Book of Strathbogie, p. 89.) The editor (pref. pp. xiv, xv,) remarks that "the superstition at Wallak Kirk, has continued to the present, or at least, until recent times. The church of the ancient parish of Dumeth, which now forms part of that of Glass, was dedicated to Saint Wolok. • Walla Kirk' and Kirk-yard' are situated on a haugh, immediately below the castle of Beldorney, |