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Street, then a way; on the east, as the charter implies, by Polkalk. To be near the sacellum," the north limit could not be far beyond the foot of Station Brae, where at that time Polcalk Burn merged in Matach. The area is thus about 3 acres, and 4 bolls' sowing did not take up the whole, yet could hardly take less than 2 acres. This accords with the estimate given by farmers of the district, that on rough and poorly farmed ground 2 bolls to the acre would be the sowing, and we shall assume that. Applying this value in No. 406, we find that in 1613 land now forming part of the Burgage Farm of Tain, or the streets close to it, sold for about £57 Scots, or £4 15s sterling, per acre; also that Croft Croy, in No. 406, sold for about £64 Scots an acre. As to RENT of land:

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B. No. 412, 1563.-Receipt.] I Katharine McKenzie, ladie of Balnagown, grants me resavit. Balmochie, £8 money, 2 muttonis, threttie twa caponis, tway bollis aittis . . . for malis, customes and dewties. . . Alexr. Sutherland wt my hand at ye ladies command. [The maills were the money payment, the customs and duties payments in kind.] No. 413, 1672.-Receipt.] I Colin Dunbar of Birks [near Resolis]. received from Geo. Phinnie. . Rostabrightie Milntown, bolls 2 firlots victual, 10 merks money, 14 fowls, 20 loads of peits, all I can ask or crave from him fermes customes and service for crop 1670.

[No. 414, 1678.-Minutes,] Baron Court held be William Elphinston in Milntown as Bailie to Newhall and Lilias Dallas, Midfearn . . . for ane half davach land [uncertain- -a davach was some hundreds of acres] John Oig pays 23 bolls bear and two hens yearly [at fiars' price for that year-£84 6s 8d Scots], and for the pendicle called Little Coull, ane wedder; Alister McDonald vic Alister for ane half oxgang pays 6 bolls [£22 for about 7 acres] and hes the ailhouse qch suld pay ane stone tallow-but not obleised-and sex foulles. Dond M'Alister ane half aiker of Torfaill, 5s 2d; Two hens for ye aiker callit Craskaicluik. John Grassich in the Strath of Mid Fearn pays for the grassings yrof 40 merks and one kid. [There seems to be a great disproportion between the rates of the first and second, and between third and fourth, but in its root-sense of "field." No. 415.--No date, but other papers in same handwriting--a very peculiar one-are from 1660 to 1670.] A List of the tenendrie of Gairloch and yeirlie rent. The Lands of Dibaick:-Murdo McEachin vic ean vic eachin and under him 3 cottars or rickes [house with fire-place], £66 13s 4d. Alexr. McKenzie Hectorsone and under him a bowman at 20 mks. and a tennent peying 20 .. Mealvuildearg: Keneth McEachin vic ean vic Alister and 3 maillers peying a little dewtie £146 13s 4d. . Erradill: --Alexr. McKenzie

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aiker " may be used

Alexrsone and one cottar £66 13s 4d . . Badchro:-Hector McEan vic Eachin and under him tua rickes £93 6s 8d . . Sheildaick:-Rorie McKenzie and under him 'twixt cottars and tradsmen 6 rickes £140 . . Drumroy and Andrarie: Dod Loban, Ffinlay Roy, Dod McFinlay Roy and one cottar £80.. Chain beg:-Dod McGillichoan and Jon Loban £26 13s 4d.. Engdadill more:-[Similarly names of 7 tenants and 3 cottars, total] £106 13s 4d.. Engdagill glas:-Dod Bayne notar £26 13s 4d, Tormat McEan £13 6s 8d. Aucharne:-[1 tenant, 2 cottars] £133 6s 8d . . Mioll [3 tenants, 6 cottars] . . Udrall:-1 tenant, 3 cottars, £53 6s 8d.. Sand, Little and Meikle [3 tenants, 6 cottars] £213 6s 8d.. Erradill: -Hector McKenzie the laird's uncle and 3 cottars £66 13s 4d. . Aldgrisine [2 tenants, 2 cottars], £66 13s 4d . . Melvaick [2 tenants, 5 cottars] . Inveraspidell [1 ten., 3 cot.] £133 6s 8d. . Naist [3 tenants, 1 cottar], £60.. Clive [1 t., 1 cottar], £113 6s 8d. . Tollie [9 tenants], £106 13s 4d.. Slatadill [2 tenants, partners], £40.. Telladill:-Dod McConchie, wright, and Rorie his broyr, £53 bs 8d; Garveck and Uyr 5 pecks of Telladill, £103 6s 8d.. possest be [no name, and here the paper ends, perhaps incomplete. As it is, we have 103 cottars or tenants, and a total rent of £2236 13s 4d Scots. Of the place-names, all except perhaps Engdagill, Engdadill, and Udroll are still known.

No. 416, 1700.-Paper faded and torn, headed] A Note of Cadbolls bear rents crop 1700:-The lands of Cadboll and Little Kilmuir and pendicle of Geynies 238 bolls [to turn this into money-the fiars' price for 1700 does not occur, but for 1697 it was £5 13s 4d, and for 1703, £3 6s 8d, so we may assume the mean between, or £4 10s, and the rent is £1071 Scots] Teynd yrof 43 bolls. . . Tack of Lochsline 379 bolls [equal to £1705 10s]. . Payable out of Arbo 40 bolls [£180]; Pitcalnie stock and teynd 124 bolls [£558]; Quarter of Nigg stock and teynd 42 bolls [£189]. . Disposed of as follows:-Shipped. . . 600. .To Mr Robert Ross late minister at Tayne. . . 10 . . To Mr Archibald Dunbar as Tacksman of the bishopric of Ross out of Nig rent, 28. . To Mr Hugh Munro late minister at Tarbat ( ) ( ). Rent of Plaides . . . 17 bolls [£76 10s] . . . Advanced to Wallace Sky for virginall fraught and gratuity 1 boll [£4 10s-apparently a very cheap instrument, but as no stops are used in the paper, it may be only for freight, &c.] Item Robert Ross David McCalson's son as alse Wm. McAliser's son in Geynies having his crops pitifully blasted and having no effects to pay but the products of the ground whether good or bad I was necessitat to uplift of what stuffe they hade eight bolls qch as yet wes in Bellamuckie girnell wt 10 bolls more qch by no means I could get disposed of unless Cadboll consented to take malt. . . . 18 bolls. [A hard case, even in the eyes of the factor who writes, but apparently he has to take the poor man's "stuffe" though

in

he cannot sell it.] Item payed in Mr Alexr. Ross hands for the Minor of Cambuscurrie's boord from Sept. 1700 to Sept. 1701-10 bolls [£45 Scots, or £3 15s stg. a year for a young laird's keep!] Item sent south for Cadboll's use of oatmeal 4 bolls [about 8 bushels. Oatmeal was clearly a large part of the diet of the laird and his household the south." Item the rests [amounts owing or unpaid] of tennents part whereof they voluntarily keept and the rest no factor or merchant would medle wt 5 bolls 3 firlots [a tale of misery-poor men, to avoid starvation, holding to a little of a blasted crop, not worth poinding or selling for rent.] The minister of Tarbat being so very ill to please qt he receaved not useit () he took a random out of (_) barns and the tennents gave compt in their receipts [he refused the poor stuff offered for his stipend, and helped himself. There are many items illegible or unimportant, and names of 20 tenants occur, not as paying, but as in arrears, or actually receiving small quantities.

..

No. 417, 1714.-Three Tacks.] At Belnagowan . it is.. agreeit betwixt . . Ladie Ann Stewart lyfrentrix . . . and Alexr. Symson . . in tack that pairt. . of the baronie of Westray called Easter Regoull . . . for . . thrie yeares in caise. Ladie Ann. . shall. . live so long . . . . Symson binds to pay. fortin [14] bolls ferm victuall, half of good beare and half of good oatmeall under the fealie of eight punds Scots for ilk undelyvered boll. . with two wadders under fealie of thrie merks for ilk wadder. . with ten hens. . 3 sh. for each . . . [The fiars' price for 1714 does not occur, but for 1718 it was for bere, meal, and rye £2 13s 4d, and for oats £1 10s, and, as in No. 332, for 1703, it was £3 6s 8d; so the "failie" was fixed very high, and can scarcely be taken as the rent. Taking the mean £3, and the given values of the sheep and hen, the whole rent was £47 10s. The second tack, date 1714, begins as above] . . . to Colin Henderson . . . Miltoune of Westray. . for . . thrie yeares. . . pay foure Dolls [&c., as above]. . fealie [as above] with ane wadder under fealie of 3 merks. . ane lamb under fealie of 60 sh. . . sevin hens. . 3 sh. for each. [Reckoning as above, this rent comes to £18 1 sh. The third tack, date 1714, begins as above]. . to Wm. Symsone . . . Leaquilick .. thrie yeares. . . . yearly eight bolls. . tuo wedders, tuo lambs, sex hens thretie eggs with ane half face of peats of the length bredth and hight as the rest of the tenants of the baronie of Westray used to lead . . victual rent to be receaved. . within . . his barn. . measured wt ane sufficient firlat.. transported be him . . 3 myles. . fealies [as above, but] sextein shillings for each lamb. . tuo merks for the said half face of peats. . . [Reckoning as above, the rent is £31. Each paper is signed by Lady Ann-see photo. It will be seen she spells it Stuart -w and u and v being easily interchanged in those days. The handwriting is what we should expect of a shrewd business-like lady, as the terms

of the leases and what else is known of her history show her to have been. The first tenant signs, the other two can not wryt." There is also a receipt, 1693, granted by John Dallas, writer, Fortrose, agent for Balnagown, to Andrew Ross, tenant of Litle Alane, for] 25 bolls bear victual 15 boll oats victuall together with six punds silver duty ane duzzen cappones and ane duzzen hennes. [As the fiars' price for 1693 was £3 13s 4d, taking the hen at the price above, and the capon twice that, the total rent would equal £158. Another way of fixing rent, different from any of the foregoing, is in

No. 418, 1755.-Tack by] . . . Simon Mackenzie of Scotsburn to Robert Aird tenent in Teanriven and Wm. Aird tenent in Calrichie . . . jointly . . . mains, town and lands of Ulidale with the largest barn, oxen and cow byres and a stable. . two third parts of the grass parks and other summer grassing. () be devided and taken up by him and his foresaids by every third stuck or sheaf as they should ly upon the ground after being cut down and stucked, he having always the option of beginning at either end of the field he pleases, and thereafter to proceed regularly and gradually till his haill devision is drawn. . which devision . . Airds bind them. . to load and bigg up in the barn yard of Ulidale and . . cover and secure. . and that in full of all farm rent, dutys or exactions . . to uphold said byres and biggings, and if deteriorate to pay such deterioration to . . Simon Mackenzie. . in full extent, the same to be ascertained by comprisings to be now made and at the time of their removal by four honest neighbouring tenents two whereof to be chosen by each party. . and for further encouragement . . . said Simon . . . assigns to them the haill carriages and services. . . to be performed by his haill tenents and cottars by () ploughing, harrowing, mucking, shearing and leading of corns . [This is the only tack

found in which the rent is a fixed proportion of the crop, or in which arbitration between landlord and tenant is arranged for. Other dues levied with rent appear in

No. 419, 1769.--Four folio pages of accounts kept by Wm. Baillie, factor for Balnagown.] Don. Seer in Reguile Dr. To 5 bolls arrears crop 1769, £40; To arrears att Marts. 1769, £52 18s; Entry money anno 1770, £9 6s 8d; Vicarage, £1 12s; School fees, 18s; 2 wedders, £3 6s 8d; 2 winterings paid in kind -; wool not delivered, £1; [Total] £109 1s 4d. Alexr. Rose in Little Dallas To 2 bolls arrears, £20; To arrears at M. 1769, £10 4s; To 1 wedder and 1 lamb, £2 6s 8d; Wood not delivered, 10 sh.; Vicarage and school lees, £1 7s; Toboll horse corn, £1 10s; 1 pd. hemp, 7s; 10 firlots oats; boll bear. [These last 4 items look like goods supplied. There are 11 accounts like above, and in 8 there are arrears of rent, in all of them the charge for school (as to arrears, see also No. 207). In a letter, signa

ture and date wanting, but in which the date 1765 occurs, there is the sentence: They declared that according as land lets now in the Lothians 15 sh. an acre for the whole which now consists of 300 acres would be an equall [equitable] rent." Another class of impost has been seen in No. 136, where the landowners, in that case the burgh of Tain, let a mill at 50s a year, and have a number of tenants "thrald ". -or thirled," as the word was often spelt-to that mill, i.e., obliged to take their grain there, and there only, to be ground, under pain of confiscation. They also fix dues to be paid to the miller, amounting to about one-tenth of the grain, as "multir "-later "multure or "multures." We have had mills in many other papers. These multures were originally, and in many cases all along, of the nature of payment for good services rendered, and the setting up of the mill was a great convenience, as is seen in No. 420, 1678.-] Ane note of dammage susteined by Cullisse in demolishing his miln draughts. . . The breaking cutting and spoyling of sevin scoir double fir dealls. . . . of miln dams and water works qch were 20 days' work daillie for forty men and 40 horses. . . . The miln was layd weist . . . not as yet repared and therefor the suickeners yrof wer necessitat to go to oyr milns . . . wt all the toyll and trouble . . . of going over the sands to the milns of Morvie and Milntown.

[No. 421, 1679.-Contract] George Ross of Morangie . . . with John Angus a master miller . . . for 3 years, to grind all corns for outshuckiners and Inshuckiners . . . . to exact ane peck of. . roche meall as graveship or bannock happer out of each Chald r of eats together with the miln and servants' dues and for his encouragement . . . to receave 2 sh. out of every 20 sh. receaved for any meall ground in the miln. . . . [George was succeeded by his son, Wm. Ross, writer in Edinburgh, in 1726. But if the landlord were too grasping, as in

No. 422, 1740.-Petition.] Dond Mackenzie of Kilcoy

against John Grant, miller, who had. . tack of the mill of Munlochy for 5 years, but.. 2 months or so after . . . under silence of night... departed with all his goods and deserted the said mill whereby the suckeners. . for want of service abstracted their corns. . to the great loss of the said Don. McKenzie . . . [Grant did not " compear," and the Sheriff gave an order to carry him back." Like other monopolies, the law by which tenants were "thirled " or astricted" lent itself to abuse, and so to disputes and quarrels. No. 136 was an arbitration to settle such a dispute, but it did not.

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No. 423, 1606.-Paper, docketed] Coppie Suspensione, burgesses and inhabitants of the burgh of Tayne. Charles King, &c. . . . showen to us be . . Farquhar Reid, Alexr.