baronie de Aberchirder cum pertinenciis infra vicecomitatum de Banff . Tenendis et habendis dicto Domino Waltero et heredibus suis cum omnibus et singulis libertatibus commoditatibus asiamentis et justis pertinencijs quibuscunque [etc.] adeo libere et quiete / plenarie / integre et honorifice in omnibus et per omnia sicut carta et euidentia dicti Domini Johannis de Lindsay eidem Domino Waltero inde confecte in se juste continent et proportant et adeo libere in omnibus et per omnia sicut carta bone memorie quondam Domini Walteri de Lesly / avi nostri / facta quondam Domino Willelmo de Lindsay de Byers consanguineo suo super dictas terras plenius continet et proportat [etc.]. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum presentibus apponi fecimus. Apud castrum nostrum de Dingwall vicesimo secundo die mensis Februarij anno Domini millesimo quadringentesimo tricesimo octauo Testibus venerabilibus viris Willelmo de Lesly vicecomite de Inuernys Georgio de Munro domino de Foulys · Willelmo de Urchard Willelmo de Calder. Hugone de Ross et Murchedo Reuach armigeris.

1

Anent Mersaris annuel out of Nathurdule (9 May 1471.)

.

In the actioun and cause persewit be Elisabethe counetas of Huntle / one the ta pairt again Andro Mersar of Mekilloure one the tothir pairt / anent the spoliacioun of. xvj. oxin out of the landis of Nathurdule takin be the said Andro for ane annuel as he allegiit because it is grantit be the Erle of Huntle that thar is ane annuel of iij. pundis aucht yerely to the said Andro of the said landis / The lordis auditouris assignis to the said

his preif to pay the saidis gudis And sene it is allegiit that James Innes sone to the said Mergrete is haldin in subiectioun the lordis ordinis the said Alexander to put him to liberte and fredome sa that he may commoune with his moder and frendis." (Acta Domiminorum Auditorum, p. 184; Robertson's Parliamentary Records of Scotland, p. 388.)]

1 [From the Acta Dominorum Auditorum, pp. 10, 11; Robertson's Parliamentary Records of Scotland, p. 160.

In a roll of missing charters by King Robert III. is "Carta to Michael M[erse]r, of ane annual rent furth of Finlater, Netherdull, Pettindreich,* Balleynch, and the town of Perth." (Robertson's Index to the Charters, p. 140.)

In a roll of missing charters by King David II. is "Carta to Thomas Lipp, the lands of Netherdull, of Drumbeth, Pettinbruynache, with the office of constabulary of Culan, in vicecomitatu de Banff." (Id., p. 32.)]

[See, as to the lands of Pettindreich, the Acta Dominorum Auditorum, p. 47; the Acta Dominorum Concilii, pp. 33, 192.]

Andro the first day of Junij next tocum with continiacioun of days to preif before the lordis of counsale that he pundit or gert pund yerely the said landis for the said annuel and that he was stoppit be forse in the raising tharof and sa mony termes as he may prefe he pundit fore he to be pait tharof of the said oxin / and gif thai oxin be of mare vale he to restore again the remanent and the lordis of counsaile to ger be prefit quhat thai war worthe the tyme thai war takin And ordanis the said Andro to tak lettres to summond his witnes.

Decreitt of the lordis for Johne of Gordoune of Longar for the avale of the landis of Crommy (15 February 1493.)

The lordis of consale decrettis and deliueris that Alexander Glaster of the Glak sall content and pay to Johne of Gordoune of Longar the avale of the landis of Crommy with the pertinentis liand in the lordschip of Abirkerdour within the schirefdoume of Banff insafer as he may sufficiently preif the said landis ar of avale be bying and selling because the said Alexander grantis in his charter vndir his sele that he has ressauit a certane soume of money fra the said Johne for the said landis, and alse because it is sufficiently preffit before the lordis that the said Alexander has incontrare his saidis lettrez annalyit and resignit the said landis in his owr lordis handis as wes sufficiently previt before the lordis

Declaratio Alexandri Glastir de Glak super terris de Crombie et aliis. 2 (A.D. 1493.)

Anno ⚫ mo lxxxxiijo cccco . Indictione xja pontificatus Alexandri Pape sexti anno primo mensis vero Junij die septimo In presencia Dominorum Auditorum causarum et querelarum parliamentjac Domini Cancellarij / constitutus honorabilis vir Alexander Glaster de Glak non vi aut

1 [From the Acta Dominorum Concilii, p. 285.

"Ther is a charter of approbation of ane disposition made be John Lord Lindsay of Byres to Murdo Glaster of Glack his heirs and assigns of the lands of Cromee in the baronie of Abirkerder and shire of Bamffe: to be haldin as the charter given be the said Lord bears, which is not ingrossit: salvis Regi et successoribus suis servitiis de eisdem terris debitis et consuetis: At Stirling 13 Octob. 1489." (Scotstarvet's Collection of Charters, p. 20., MS. in the library at Skene.)]

2 [From the Acta Dominorum Auditorum, p. 172.]

metu ductus nec errore lapsus sed suo proprio motu ut asseruit / approbauit ratificauit et pro se et heredibus suis pro perpetuo confirmauit illas donationem concessionem et venditionem alias per ipsum factas Johannj Gordoune de Auchluchry super terris de Hiltoune Crombiny terris de Litle Warthill et terris de Harelaw cum pertinenciis ac omnes obligationes desuper confectas Et insuper in sua anima declarauit quod ex sua mera libera voluntate et animo deliberato incompulso aut coacto prefatas infeodaciones conditiones obligaciones et cartas dicto Johanni confecit Et ea occasione prefatus Alexander Glastir reuocauit prouocauit et pro perpetuo adnullauit prout tenore presentis instrumentj ad animum reuocat prouocat et adnullat quoscunque procuratores cum literis assignationis aut cuiusvis potestatis per ipsum Alexandrum factis seu fiendis confectis seu conficiendis cuicunque aut quibuscunque persone seu personis in molestationem inquietationem aut perturbationem dicti Johannis Gordoune heredum aut assignatorum suorum in possessione dictarum terrarum Declarando prefatos procuratores si qui sint futuris temporibus in judicio aut extra nullius esse vigoris aut effectus Et insuper idem Alexander in suo animo declarauit quod donatio per ipsum facta per cartam et preceptum sasine prefato Johanni Gordoune super terris de Crombiny cum pertinentiis fuit per ipsum ex sua libera voluntate ut profertur scripta sigillata et dicto Johanni deliberata per spatium vnius anni aut magis antequam prefatus Alexander aliqualem habuit communicacionem cum domino de Innys aut cum Jacobo Dowglas penes prefatas terras.

THE PARISH OF ROTHIEMAY.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PARISH OF ROTHEMAY. (circa A.D. M.DCC.XXVI.)

2

HE church of Rothemay, dedicated to Saint John, or to

Saint Durstan, (I know not certainly which,) stands amid a wood of birch and alder, on Dovern.

Rothemay belonged once to the Abernethies of Saltoun; then, to the Gordons; now, to the Ogilvies. 3

1 [From a MS. Account of Scotish Bishops, in the library at Slaines.]

2 [The church of Rothiemay was one of the mensal churches of the Bishop of Murray. (Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, pp. XVIII, XIX.)

"Renovatio assedationis decimarum garbalium ecclesiae commensalis de Rothemaye ab Episcopo Moraviensi cum consensu capituli sui concessa Willelmo domino de Abirnethy Rothemay et Saltoun, et Alexandro magistro Saltoun ejus filio, pro novemdecim annis: solvendo annuatim quadraginta libras ; et dictam ecclesiam reparando et supportando: Testibus Georgio comite de Huntlie, magistro Georgio Gordoun constabulario de Baidyenocht, dominis et magistris Magno Vause rectore de Jy, Johanne Gordoun vicario de Keth, Hugone Cragy, Willelmo Wyisman notariis, et domino Thoma Wallace vicario de Spyne: apud ecclesiam cathedralem Moraviensem, 16 Aprilis 1540." (Id., p. 419.)

"Tack of the personage of Rothemay and of the personage and vicarage of Keth set be the Bischop of Murraye with consent of the cheptour to Alexander Lord Saltoun for nyneten yeris: payand thairfor yeirlie 460 merkis to the Bischop at twa termis Sanct Serfis day and All Hallowmess, and to the vicar pensionar of Keitht his yeirlie pensioun, and that in consideratioun of the inlaik of corps presents, Pasche fynes, umaist claithis and utheris profeittis of the said vicarage of Keitht deducit be the trubill of the kirk laitlie maid, quhilk was the maist part of the profeit of the said vicarage; and the said Lord to uphald, beit and mend during the forsaidis yeris the queir of Rothemay in theking and utheris necessaris reparatioun concerning the personage thereof upoun his awin costis: At Spyne and Elgin, 28 Maii 1570." (Ibid.)

Extracts from the registers of the kirk-session of Rothiemay, between the years 1604 and 1686, are printed in Gordon's History of Scots Affairs, vol. i. appendix to the preface, no iv., pp. 1.]-[lxii.].]

3 ["There is a tradition here, that Mary, Queen of Scots, passed a night in the house of Rothiemay; and her bed-room is still pointed out. This tradition is confirmed by the authority of Buchanan, who, describing Mary's journey to Inverness, says: proxima nox ad Rothimaium, Abrenethiorum villam, satis tranquille transacta est.' (Rer. Scotic. Hist.. lib. xvii., cap. xxxvi.) Next to the Abernethies, a family of Gordons were proprietors of Rothiemay till the end of the last, or the beginning of the present century, when it was purchased by Ogilvie, whose son sold it to William Lord Braco, father of the present

Decreitt for the teyndis of the kirk of Rothymay. (11 October 1490.) In the accioune and cause persewit be Alexander maister of Saltoune one the taparte aganis Alexander maister of Huntle lord Gordoune on the tothir parte for the wrangwis spoliacioune vptakin and withaldin fra the said Alexander maister of Saltoune of the teyndis and proffitis of the kirk of Rothymay of a yere bipast with the mare extending yerely to je merkis pertening to the said Alexander maister of Saltoun be ressoun of tak off a reuerend faider in God Andro bischop of Murray as wes allegiit and for the costis and scathis sustenit be him thairthrow/ baith the saidis partiis. beand present be thaim self and thare procuratouris thare ressonis and allegacionis hard and vndirstandin/ The lordis of consale decrettis and deliueris that the said Alexander maister of Huntle sall restore and deliuer agane the saidis teyndis and proffitis of the forsaid kirk of Rothymay to the said Alexander maister of Saltoune insafar as he may preif the said Alexander lord Gordoune has takin vp to the produccioun of the quhilk pref the lordis assignis to the said Alexander maister of Saltoune this day xv dais / the xxvj day of October now instant with continiacioune of dais / And ordinis him to haf lettrez to summond his witnes and baith the partiis ar summond be thaim self and thair procuratouris apud acta / And ordinis

Earl of Fife. The most ancient part of the house, which was going fast to ruin, his lordship has lately taken down. About a furlong north from the house is a Druidical temple, which, though situated in the middle of a beautiful and fertile field, a veneration for antiquity has hitherto preserved entire." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xix., pp. 386, 392. Edinb. 1797.)

"Mr. James Fergusson, well known for his publications on astronomy, was a native of this parish. This information I received from his brother, John Fergusson, an elder of this parish, who died very lately. He told me that his father's name was John Fergusson, his mother's, Elspet Lobban; that they dwelt at the Core of Mayen; that both he and his brother James were born there; that he himself was born in the year 1708, and that his brother James was two years younger. The session-record, which is now before me, confirms this information in every particular: James Fergusson was born on the twentyfifth of April, 1710. His brother John, who had read the memoirs of Mr. Fergusson prefixed to his works, said, that, though generally agreeable to fact, they were not equally correct in every particular." (Id., p. 392.)

66

Mr. James Gordon, author of a History of Scots Affairs, from MDCXXXVII to MDCXLI," and of " A Description of Both Touns of Aberdeen," was parson of Rothiemay from the year 1641, to his death in the year 1686.]

1 [From the Acta Dominorum Concilii, p. 145.]