the general store of our ecclesiastical antiquities; but it is, unquestionably, in a narrower point of regard, as illustrating the old topography of the City of Saint Kentigern, that their chief importance will be found. In this belief, I have printed, in the APPENDIX, a selection from the more curious or instructive of the great mass of deeds which are preserved in the charter room of the University, regarding lands and houses within the burgh. To turn these documents (with the records which they accompany, and the much more important contents of the "Registrum Episcopatus Glasguensis") to their full account, is a pleasing labour which must be reserved to the local antiquary, when one qualified for such a duty shall arise to rescue the history of Glasgow' from the hands of ignorance and incapacity a payment of eight shillings and fourpence" for making of ane tong to the Freir bell." (Id. p. 105.) In 1577"the outlandemeris" or perambulators of the burgh reported to the Whitsunday court, that "the Freir medo is biggit with the commone." (Id. p. 72.). On the fourth of June 1635, the University "considering the ruinous condition of the Black Friers Kirk, and the great charges that the reparation therof would cost the College; therefore (and in respect the town has not only undertaken the reparation, but likewise has given the College 2000 merks for supplie of the building of the new work therof), the College dispones to this burgh the forsaid Blackfrier Kirk with ish and entrie therto in the ordinary place, with the Kirkyaird therof west frae the gavell of the said Kirk to the meill mercat, with eleven ells of breadth alongst both the south and north side wall of the Kirk, within the yaird called Blackfriers' yaird, for enlarging the Kirk at their pleasure: reserving to the College and scholars and students therin and members therof, a comodious place and seat in the said Kirk, next best after the counsall seat; and the use of the Kirk yearly at the making of the masters, and other occasions when they please." (Inventary of the Wrytes and Evidents of and concerning the Burgh of Glasgow, MS. in archivis ejusdem.). 7 M'Ure's book, though the oldest, is yet the best which we have on the subject. It is, at the same time, only too obvious that, even if he could have had access to the records from which the annals of the city must be written, he was without the knowledge necessary either to read or to understand them. His mistakes, gross as they are, have been, for the most part, implicitly copied by his successors, few of whom were more competent than himself, and some, indeed, were still more illiterate. I have not considered it necessary, in the preceding pages, to detain the reader by adverting to the many erroneous statements regarding Our Lady College and the Blackfriars' Convent, which are to be found in the histories of Glasgow. It may suffice to say here, that I have written with these works before me, and that I have rejected nothing which they advance, except for reasons which I believe to be sufficient. Index. Tabula. to which it has hitherto been resigned. I might have wished to attempt one or two observations on some of the more memorable localities of the ancient archiepiscopal town; but these prefatory remarks have been already too far prolonged; and I would hope that the pains which have been taken with the INDEX OF PLACES, may serve to make that, in so far as it goes, a not unsafe guide to the reader. It remains only to refer to the subjoined TABLE OF CONTENTS, as indicating at once the dates of the several deeds, the sources whence they have been derived, and the manner in which they are exhibited in the following pages. It will readily be understood that, where a charter or other document is printed in an abridged form, the abbreviation has been effected by the rejection of merely technical phrases, or clauses altogether of common form. Nothing which can be regarded as material in any point of view, has been omitted; and the language and orthography of the original record have, in all instances, been faithfully preserved. JOSEPH ROBERTSON. XII. ABBOTSFORD PLACE, GLASGOW. MARCH, MDCCCXLVI. APPENDIX TO THE PREFACE. NO. I. TESTAMENTUM OLIM MAGISTRI JACOBI HOUSTONE Inventarium omnium bonorum meorum ITEM Inprimis fateor me habere in utinsilibus et domiciliis ad valorem centum mar Inprimis in manibus parochianorum de Cadder et Monkland de decimis anni etc. Quinquagesimi et de restis annorum precedentium extendentibus ad octingentas libras · Et similiter meam annatam post meum decessum de fructibus rectorie de Cadder et Monkland extendentem ad quadraginta libras ITEM domini de Auchingassil Makmatt Cuthbertus Greirson dominus de Kirkconnall ac magister Edwardus Creichtone conjunctim et divisim actitati in libris domini Officialis Glasguensis ad persolvendum michi ij et xl oves videlicet xjj** of scheip· ITEM quinquaginta agnos et sex vaccas et octuaginta quatuor libras xiij solidos iiij denarios monete usualis regni Scotie. In parochia de Eistwod de diversis annis xl libras. Debita que debentur aliis. Fateor me habuisse a quondam venerabili viro magistro Rollando Blacader subdecano Glasguensi tricentas libras monete ad edificationem cujusdam Monasterij Sancte Katherine de Senis edificandi prope Ecclesiam Sancte Tenew prope civitatem Glasguensem et non aliter neque alio modo. Et similiter idem quondam Magister Rolandus deliberavit michi centum libras ad edificationem cujusdam Hospitalis prope Ecclesiam Collegiatam Beate Marie infra muros civitatis Glasguensis quas summas lego interesse habentibus · Cum nichil sit certius morte nec incertius ejus hora hinc est quod ego magister Jacobus Houstone subdecanus Glasguensis sanus mente licet eger corpore cupiens diem supreme mee peregrinationis testamentaria dispositione prendere condo testamentum meum in hunc sequentem modum Inprimis do et lego animam meam Deo Omnipotenti Beate Marie Virgini et toti celesti curie triumphanti corpusque meum sepeliendum fore in mea Ecclesia Collegiata per me fundatam in civitate Glasguensi et quinque solidos fabrice Sancti Kentigerni ITEM constituo et ordino meos executores videlicet magistros Archibaldum Crawfurd rectorem de Eglishame Johannem Houstoun vicarium de Dunlop et Matheum Fleming vicarium de Ruthirglen ut ipsi disponant de bonis et rebus meis secundum eorum conscientias ac prout eis melius videtur pro salute anime mee· Volo nichilominus et constituo quod dispositio et intromissio meorum bonorum sit penes prefatos Magistros Johannem et Matheum et quod utantur consilio prefati Magistri Archibaldi · Legatia. Inprimis lego Magistro Archibaldo Crawfurd meo amico confidentissimo xx libras Item . meam meliorem togam de chamleto foderatam pellibus nigris. ITEM magistro Joanni Spreull vicario de Glasgu xx marcas · ITEM magistro Joanni Houston xx" marcas et meam togam de chamleto nigro foderatam lie funneiss' Insuper magistro Matheo Flemyng xx marcas Item meam togam de lie double worstet cum toga nigri coloris foderatam pellibus vulpinis. ITEM parvam togam de lie chamleto cum foderatura ejusdem lego Agneti Houston sponse Roberti Kilpatrik ITEM domino Willelmo Wilkyn meo servo fidelissimo xx mercas ITEM domino Archibaldo Wilson meo dilecto servo xx marcas cum toga mea brumali · ITEM Patricio Hommill iiij libras ITEM Andree Wodrufe iiij libras ITEM Alexandro Houstoun xxi libras ITEM Joanni Houstoun x libras ITEM Jonete Houstoun in Govan x libras ITEM Jonete Houstoun seniori v. mercas ITEM vicariis chori Glasguensis pro exequiis et processione in die obitus mei x libras. ITEM prebendariis Ecclesie mee Collegiate unicuique eorum xx solidos ITEM Fratribus Minoribus civitatis Glasguensis x libras · ITEM Fratribus Predicatoribus Glasguensibus decem mercas ITEM pauperibus Hospitalis Sancti Nicholai de domibus anteriori et posteriori unicuique eorum in die obitus mei ij solidos · ITEM cuilibet presbytero ultra vicarios chori in die obitus mei xij denarios ITEM curatis de Monkland et Cadder unicuique eorum xx solidos ITEM Margarete Houston mee consanguinee charissime x libras una cum meo collobio 3 ITEM Cristine Striveling quinque .3 Cota lxxxx libre. Funneiss, or fouines, the skin of the polecat, a French fur, not unlike sable, having a black top and a whitish ground. 2 In the year 1534, Houstoun had for his servant a Sir John Spottiswod, the same ecclesiastic, it is believed, who afterwards became Superintendant of Lothian. See Wodrow's Collections upon the Lives of the Reformers and Ministers of the Church of Scotland, vol. i. p. 445. Printed for the Maitland Club, 1834; The Miscellany of the Spottiswoode Society, vol. i. pp. 95, 96. Edinb. 1844. 3 Colobium, a kind of leather jerkin or jacket. |