, . : , : . " .. IV. • ' ,. . RECORE NOTETH N S O D E CIT ROOTH Y F MOSO 1 PERTH DAVIY B . D MARSHALL, F.S. A. SCOT. Having been recently employed by the Magistrates of Perth in arranging the contents of their Record Koom, it has occurred to me that some nptes on.it will'not be. without interest to the members of this Society, considerin importance gth Faie f "eo th r nationa r City,ou n i " l history Recore Th . d Roo ms ai . fire-propf apartment divisionso tw n i , , and exceptionally dry—many of. the papers had at one time, however, suffered from damp—built for the purpose of holding the Records, and is situated on the ground floor, below the Town Clerk's offices, in the municipal buildings. . On entering the room one day in September 1894, a glance sufficed to show that it had been long neglected. The floor was littered with papers, and piles of books, boxes, and bags of papers stood all around, while shelves were filled up to the ceiling with a dust-begrimed mass of documents, of which no man knew the character. I was depressed with the extent of- the work to be done, and the slight probability that .it would be completed. As I could not guess how long it would take to reduce the ; papers to order, it was agreed that I should make trial for a month, and have the assistance of. Mr George Fell, city-officer,

(who proved a most willing and interested coadjutor in the earlier .stages of the work. 'Our first object was to clear the floor.; and with a liberal .addition to the shelving, a commodious rack for the larger books, .a RECORE NOTETH N SDO CITE PERTHROOF TH 5 YO F 27 MO .

"locket-box e curiosth s r thea fo " y were unearthe f whic(o d h seven were ultimately filled),' being speedily provide e Magistratesth y db , this was made possible. Public interes s excitewa t y e noticeb dth f o s progress of the work in the local newspapers, and many of the citizens and others visited the room,—Lord Provost Dewar, in particular, almost daily; and both he and Mr MacLeish, Town Clerk, were most obliging. e calamitouTh s fir f 23ro e d January 1895 whicy b , municipae th h l buildings were destroyed, happilt reac Recorno e hd th ydi d Boom thao ,s t s wa I o oy tw r da powes it a t n testedresisi o t r no flamee d s th tan , wa s permitte resumo t d e operations e winte Th s exceptionall. wa r y severe, but I continued to work on regularly till the end of June, and at intervals since, hot being disposed to leave until the papers which had passed through my hands were in shape; but there is still a remnant untouched, particularly in one of the attics, which it is to be hoped the Magistrate neae th s rmay n i future, , find mean overtakeo st .

TOWN COUNCIL EECORDS. These are contained in upwards of thirty folio volumes. The oldest "Greae oth f t Counsell Books" extant larga s ,i e folio beginnin Aprin gi l 1507; but both it and a companion volume, beginning 14th April 1543, and ending 19th September 1684, have suffered irreparable injury from damp. According to an inventory of the Town's writings, which were hande th Johf n si o n Mercer, Town Cler Perthf ko , autho f "o r Mercer' s Chronicle," when he demitted his office in May 1670, they then formed one volume,, ending in October 1668, but on being rebound and interleaved n i mor, e recent timess dividedwa ,d indexean , s a d completel possibls ya e along wit othee hth r volume f Eecordso . e "An Great Counsell Book," included in the. above inventory, beginning in October 1464, and ending in May 1507, cannot now be traced, and, it s fearedi s utterlha ; y perished e ProtocoTh . l Books, Sasine Eecords, Services, &c. cover an-extensive period; they are in good order, and for a mvaluabl e e -featurroom th n earlA f . o . ye printed, copf o y Justinian's Digests of the Roman Laws was one of the " finds " in the . . . . ^ .. ..."... Muniment Eoom. 276 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 13, 1896.

There is a large collection of Royal Charters in favour of the town of Perth, the oldest of the series being one by King William the Lyon about 1210, the authenticity of which the Commissioners appointed to inquire int e Statoth f Municipao e l Corporation n Scotlandsi n theii , r Report published in 1835, found strong reasons to doubt, while, strange to say, they pronounce all the charters of subsequent Kings, several of whom confirm it, genuine ! Of these they give a list, from two Charters of King Rober e Braceth t 131n i ,1318 d Greae 0th an o t ,t Chartef o r James VI., in 1600, confirming all the rights and privileges of the burg f Perthho , includin e content th ge Charteth f so n questioni r y b , King William. The places assigned to the documents recently arranged are indicated printey b d tickets boxeaffixee shelveth d o san t d s thus :— First Boa;.—Writs of Lands in and about Perth, 1483-1803. Second Box.—Miscellaneous papers relative to the City of Perth from 1493, includin Obligation ga f Andrewno , Bisho f Caithnesso p , of , 1511. Discharges of the Tocher of King James VI., 1589-1593, s daughtehi f o d r an Elizabeth, Quee f Bohemiao n , 1613-1614. Eevolution Settlement. Conventio f Koyano l Burghs. Establishmen e Posth f t o t Office, 1689. Letters of eminent persons during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Censu Perthf so , 1766. &c , Third Box.—Miscellaneous papers relative to the City of Perth :—" Compt Book," 166 o 1673t 0 f Bailio , e Alex. Jamieson, merchan d shipowneran t . Book of Accounts, 1705 to 1713, of Nathaniel Fyfe, merchant, Perth. Tacks of Lands, &c., 1682-1795. Fishing Trade, 1720. Linen Trade, 1723-28. Plans of Newro d Tolboothwan , &c., 1763-64. Lis f Tenantso t , &c. n Perthi , , 1773. Testimonials for Academy, 1779-1830. Labouring Poor, 1826-7, &c. Fourth Box.—Papers relativ Rebellione th o et 1715-1f so 1745-46d 6an . Fifth Box.—Papers of John Glas, 1650-1689, sometime Lord Provost of Pert f Joho h; n Mercer, 1670-1743, Sheriff-Cler Perthshiref o k , with Family Pedigree, 1590-1865 ; Threiplan Fingasf do k; Oliphant^ f Gas Williamsd kan - toun. Division of the estate of Mr James Kamsay, 1713-1736, Minister of the Gospe t Collacea l . &c , Sixth Box.—County Papers, Eoads, Estates, 1672-1788. Writs of the Lands of Pockmyln, Bonhard, SpoutweUs, &c., 1505-1741. Seventh Box.—Melville Trust:—Papers of the Melvilles of Easter Greenside, burgesses of Perth, 1642-1816 ; Gardiners of Easterhaugh of Huntingtower, 1695-1779 ; and Faichneys, burgesses of Perth, 1726-1782, with whom the Melvilles were intermarried, &c. EECOEE NOTETH N SDO CITE PEETHF BOOTH 7 YO F 27 MO .

On the Shelves.—Treasurers' Accounts, 1577-1856. The earliest of these are in the Second Box. Bonds, &c., 1627-1710 ; Bonds, &c., 1695-1881; Decreets, &c., 1660-1700 ; Decreets, &c., 1700-1800 ; Sentences, Death Warrants, &c., 1682-1833 ; Claim f Serviceo s , Decreet f Cognitiono e , &c., 1690-1860; Miscellaneous papers, processes, &c., 1700-1800; Council mass (each year's papers) 1800-1890 current; Letters 1810-1866, including letters and papers relativ Queen'e th o et s visi Pertho t t Septemheh 6t , r 184 2; Boar f Healtdo h papers (relativ visitatioe th o et Asiatif no c Cholera) 1831-1835 (interesting). Among the Writs of Lands in and about Perth, 1483-1803, there is a " Back Band" (lette f obligationo r Elizabety b ) h Gray, Countesf o s Huntly, with consen f Alexandero t , Ear f Huntlyo l r spousee he , th o t , Magistrates and Community of Perth, in return for a special licence and tolerance grantes Lordshihi o t d n i connectiop n wit a lanhd an d tenement belonging to her, lying on the east side of the Spey gate, betwixt the lands of the Abbot and Convent of Cupar on the south, the r KoberlandSi f so t northe Vstn th e King' n th ,eo e wests th gat n ,eo and the water of Tay on the east; wherein she binds herself, her heirs, &c., that whe t shalni l happen thaMagistratee th t s buil dwala t thaa l t part of the town betwixt her tenement and the water of Tay, that saie th d wall shal walclosoue d r tenemenb lan he l o yardt d r an t , with licenc e sai th o hav det n i wall ea y "yet ,Ta d passag wite "an th h o et an iron " yet likewis"d upoan , nbuilit o e t d houses upo saie nth d wall, with windows " starklie branderet" (strongly grated) with iron thao s , t e neighbourth e y towhavth ma f neo s free passage upoe th n " battallinhavo t r e time passagwa saie th f th egdo n f r i "wallo efo d an , carts with artiller d otheyan r necessarie e defence townth th r f fo so ,e and the o havyt e libert breao yt e r builwallb khe o tt s contiguouo st the walls of the town, or make sufficient " yets" of largiouv (Fr. largeur, breadth) through the yard of the tenement for the passage of same th whed e ;an t ni shal l happe spouss e fEare urthi b nr th o o lht e towne oth f , they bind themselve theid san r heirs, &c. deliveo ,t keye th r s to the Provost for the time. Dated Perth, 12th February 1518. The document is written upon parchment, and has the seals of the Countess and her husband appended, but there are no signatures either of the principals or witnesses, who are not named. The Countess was eldest daughte f Andrewo r , third Lord Gray d marriean , ) John(1 d , sixth 2.78 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , APRI , 189613 L .

Lord Glamis ) Alexander(2 , , third Ear f Huntlyo l ) George(3 , , fourth Ear f Kbtheso l tenemene Th . question e i originat th s f nwa Gowrio l e House, which subsequentl e forfeiturth e Earo yt th "Gowrif o lf o e s ewa frequently called the "King's House," and possessed successively by Lord Chrichton of Sanquhar, Earl of Kinnoul, William Butter of Argath d Lieut.-Generaan , l David Lesli f Newarko e o o t sol t i dwh , e towth f Perto n n 1659i h . Afte e battlth f rCullode o es wa t i n presentee Duke th tow th f o Cumberland o et ny b d o sole th wh d, subject to the Government, by whom it was converted into Artillery barracks n beino d g an ;repurchase e townth e buildingy th ,b d s were entirely demolished in 1807, when a scheme was proposed for making a new; street along the riverside, now Tay Street. The Secon x containsBo d , among others e followinth , g important documents :— * An Obligation by Androwe Stewart, , Lord High Treasure Scotlandf ro Burge th Perthf o ,t h o deliveo ,t r " fula l remud tan plane discharg of all actionis and accusationis that ma be put to thame f thame o Chalmberlan th e n ean i y oon r e airi scaussi y foon r s bigane Daie unt th dae f toth yo herof. " Dated'at Perth, 19th February 1511. Petition by the Town of Perth to the Commissioners of H.M. Exchequer, for a modification of the composition for .the Citadel, commonly called "Cromwell's Fort," or "The Mount," erected by the Protector on the north side of the South Inch from materials which lay to hand, but of much of these even the exigencies of war could not justify the use: the stones of the' eleven great arches of their demolished bridge, the suburbs, a third part of the burgh, the Spey Tower, Hospital, Grammar School , burying-placese wallth f so , and stone sepulchrese th f so ! These fact e embodiear s e Petitionth n i d , w.hic e ruibases th i h nn o d wrought upo buildinge burge th Citadel;;bue nth th y h b f o e Comth t - missioners n ai , brief deliveranc ee bottoath t f mtho e page, dated Edinburgh, 14th January 1662, bluntly refuse the prayer of the petition

as to any modification. This is followed by a Discharge; granted by James Standsfield, burgess^pf Edinburgh Patrico t , k Threapland, merchant, JPerth, in name of, Andrew Butter, Provost, the Bailies, Council, and .inhabitants of Perth, of the sum of '£366, 13s. 4d. sterling, being the NOTES ON THE RECORD ROOM" OF THE CITY OF PERTH. 279

JMst proportion "whic s Majesty s Hi hlette hi y rb , of'the .'4th. of .June: then last,' did appoint the Donator of Perth Citadel to pay for-the satisfactio Englise th f no h workmen concerne e building'oth n di f Citadel, dated Edinburgh/18th December 1663. " These two i-elatiye documents. effectually dispos a statemen f o e t ;mad ee interthatth y -b , cessio nr Georg oM f e Halyburton f tho ee ministeron , s of. Pertd han j afterwards Bisho f Dunkeldo p e Citadeth , l .was. e citgivey th b y o t n Charle 1651n indemniti n a . s sII a , losser yfo s sustained from Cromwell in its building.1 , > J ESTABLISHMEN E POS• TH - T OF TOFFICE• . - . -. Posts certainly existe n Englandi d , although only partialle th n i y modern sense, before the middlsixteente th f eo h century. Thers wa e chiea f postmaste Englanf o r reige th f Elizabetnn o di h (1581)e th d an , offic f postmasteo e r foreigfo r n parts was r createsuccessorhe y b d , James I. In the reign of Charles I. (1635) a Letter Office .for and Scotland was instituted. By the Commonwealth of England a weekly conveyanc f letter e kingdoel o part th al f o so establishet s mwa d e beginnin th n 1649i e reig n . "Williath I of f n. o gd Marme an th y offic f Postmaster-Generao e r Scotlanfo l s e farmePrivth wa d y yb d Counci o Joht l n Blair, apothecary, Edinburgh r sevefo , n .years from Martinmas 1689 r 510fo , 0 merk s "tack hi yearly ratee n I "th f s.o postage were fixe s follow:—Lettera d s from Edinburg o Dumfriest h , Glasgow, Ayr, Dundee, Kelso, Jedburgh, Perth, and Stirling at two shillings Scot singlr pe s e lette foud an rr shillings Scot doublee th s d an , proportionallsn oo otheo yt r kingdoe partth f so m accordin distanceo gt ; and .for letters from roade "by s " from e severath , l town villaged an s s e countr th e nex th n i to y t adjacen t post office e shillinon , g Scotr pe s e personletteth shalo o t re appointeswh b l o carrt d e letteryth s from the country villages to the next fixed post office; and where no posts w.ere settled, carriers had freedom to carry letters.2. ' , A letter of John Blair, Postmaster-General, himself, .to the Provost 1 See Fasti Ecclesice Scotieance, or Catalogue of the Ministers of the Church of Scot- ' - • - • - land, Edinburgh . , 1 of-vol1869• 61 ' •. . p ,ii . : 2 LetteThomar Si f ro s Moncreifi Moncreifff eo Lore th do t eProvos Perthf o t / 0 28 PROCEEDING THF O SE SOCIETY, APEI , 1896L13 .

d Towan n Counci f Pertho l , fully explain e beginninth s e Posth f to g Offic writtes erequese r Thoma systewa th e city Si t d th na f man o ,tn i s Moncreiffe, and is of date at Edinburgh, November 7,1689, in which he says,—"there is designed ane letter office at St Johnstone, together with o travelfoot e s i an tKinrosy b o posl Queensferryd wh t an o st o s d an , this place, and also he is to travell up to Dunkell; and if you can do me the favour as to provide ane good honest man in the toun who will keep this resolve officem e e fyfa th th tI l ,givo dpairt m al hi ef o t letters that comes or goes from St Johnstone to Edinburgh or from Edinburge beareth o y t wh rJohnstonS pa o o s painsht t hi d r an ,fo e is to run with the letters so much for his pains as can be agreed with him, whic I hpresumaboue b shilling0 y 3 t ma r e2 o 4 s (Scots) every t leingi d an timonly ; shal e shortea n h ru l way,n ru I presum y ma e eh twice each week I presum. e founb y ed suc ma honeswitn a hn hma t yo wils ua l travel thio t l s twice each week needo qualifiee wh , sb d only with honesty and nimbleness, who is to run with the packwit betwixt the postmaster of your toun and our office here in Edinburgh." A proclamation of the Privy Council of King William and Queen Mary,-dated Edinburgh, 29th ^November 1689, gives the date of Blair e Postmaster-General'th e 14ts th f Augustacko hs a t immediately preceding thad an ,t provisio s thereini n mad r employinfo e g horseo t s carry "packwet expresses.d san " First Postmaster f o Perth.— Eobert Anderson, glover, burgesf o s Perth, was appointed by the Postmaster-General and his copartner, William Menzies, merchant, treasure f Edinburgho r , postmaster-depute for Perth, 19th December 1689, "allowing him pour to erect and sett up ane post and letter office at this burgh of Perth, and to exact the deue whatsomevef so r letters shal givee lb theren ni , confor lise tan o mt give wit m saie nhi hth d agriement alss a , o allowin libertim ghi settlo et e exacd deuee l an posal th t f ts o hyrin g pac baggagd kan e horses, conform to use and wont in the said town of Perth, and applye the same to himself," and that for the space of two years. Anderson, however, made over the dues of the hiring of horses to the magistrates for a weekly salar thref yo e shillings sterling.1 Ther larga curioud s ei ean s broadside 1 Assignation by Robert Anderson to the Town of Perth, 1st January 1690. RECORE NOTETH N SDO ROO THF MO E CIT PERTHF 1 YO 28 .

of instructions for postmasters as to the rates of postage chargeable for letters " directeparty an s o beyont d seas,e th d " whic confinee ar h o t d Continene th Europf l parto tal f Turkeyd so ean 19tn O h. June 1704 Councie th l appointe GilberTreasuree o t th dy pa t o Gardinert r , writer, then keeper of the post office of Perth, £5 sterling a year during their pleasure s encouragemenhi r fo , n furnishini t a foog t post twice weea k betwixt this and Edinburgh, commencing his entry from Lambas last, 14tn 1703o ht Junbu , e 1708 this allowanc Gardiuerr M o withes t wa - drawn, whereof he grants them a complete discharge to Lambas 1708. A beautifully written "memoriall" relative to the "Port" of letters from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and back, undated, but probably not later thae reigth nf Queeo n n Anne o improvewh , e postath d l service, informs us that three foot posts, or carriers, went weekly from Edinburgh by Cupar-Fife, Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose, Bervie, Stonehaven, &c., Aberdeeno t whicr fo , h they were allowe shillingx si d eighd an s t pence each, with one shilling and sixpence each for the ferries, and that the e wholth cos f eo t thre t more no posts e thawa s n twenty-four shillings sterlin gweekpostmee a Th . n were allowe carro dt y small parcelse Th . authoritie Generae th t sa l Post Office see mhavo t e given e orderth r fo s greatest care as to closing and opening the mail bags; for, in 1732, whils GrahamMr e , postmistres f Pertho ss sick r Archibalwa M , d Douglas, the Postmaster-General, wrote her, upon complaints entered, that while she was not in a condition to attend personally to the receipt and despatch of her packet, to cause the bag sent her to g sen e magistratese openeba th b t f e o th n presenci de d on an , f o e to the General Post Office, Edinburgh, to be sealed by one of their seals. About the time of the Eebellion of 1745-46 the postmaster of Perth was Mr Eobert Morison, bookseller, ancestor of Mr Eobert Morison, C.A., Perth, who with admirable business tact issued a broadside containing the regulations of the post office, which show considerable regularity d despatc e timean th r , hfo togethe r wit ha detaile e gooddth lisf so t sol himselfy db f whico , hcopa bees yha n fortunately discoveree th n i d Eecord Boom. A letter from the Magistrates of Perth to Mr John Drummond, M.P., 282 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 13, 1896. " in November 1736, refers to the very small sum allowed by the public to theiro horse'postboys,tw traveo wh l thric a ewee k betwixt Perth and Queensferry, being, 20 long miles of bad road, for which they have only two shillings and three pence each journey fore and; back, which is no way sufficient, to maintain them and their, horses, and they, entreat their membe endeavouo t r o procurpostboye t r th r efo s "three shillings and" fourperice o penc r tw mile pe , d e.withou t whican ,bu s i ht such allowance their town and country could nob be punctually served by the postboysd lonha g o threatenedwh , o giv;t e over servin r wantfo gf o bread! The horse post seems to have been given up, for in 1740 the magistrate f Aberdeeno s , Dundee, and Perth e burgh, th wit d l al han s countie e e routebenefith th r f n tradeo so fo ,t , agree addreso t d s their representatives in Parliament, with a view to altering from a foot to a hors r Johe M post nd Drummondan ; , membe Perte th r h rfo Burghs s wa , memorialise e subjectth waiter Robern o dSi o *n Wh o dt Walpole ((after- wards Ear f Orford)o l e celebrateth , d Prime Ministe o firse th tw t f o r e otheGeorgesth d r desireo gentlemean wh ,m hi d n concernee th r fo d northern towns, chiefl r JohM y n Maul (membee Burghth r f o fo sr Aberdeen, &c.) o draa memoriat , p we e Lordu Treasury th th f o t slo , thed an y would refe mattee Postmaster-Generale th r th o rt f thei d yan , should represent verno ys a prejudicia t i t lrevenuee tth o l , whical s hwa appropriated woule h despatc,e sure th d b forwar l o egivt d al t an hei , dit which the nature of the thing would permit. What-was the effect of this application to the Treasury we know not, but at a considerably later perio e mail-bagth d s were' carrie .ligha n i dt cart draw ony b ne horse. A stagecoach, carrying the royal mail "between Edinburgh and Perth, passed through Kinros firse th tr times fo saids i t Jul,i n ,o y Fair-day 1799, some fifteen years after the experiment had been successfully made in England continued an , down ru n o dt 22ne toth d December 1847, when e mailth s were transferre e Edinburgth o t d h and Northerne th w no , North British Rail way,-throug worthhs i Fife t I f noty.o e thath t a t .very,tim e papereth s relativ ee establishmen toth e posth tf o toffic t a e Perth were discovered, arrangements were .making;to erect a' new post office for the city. Letters.—It has been remarked that " although ;our forefathers began RECORE NOTETH N DSO CITE PERTHF ROOTH YO F O M . 28$

to use their vernacular tongue in law and business documents about; the end of the fourteenth century, letters of correspondence are hardly met with in Scottish repositories till the sixteenth. Even to the end of lattee th r century the incredible yar y meagr unsatisfactory.d ean " This holds goo e regarEecorn i dth o t dd Eoo t mPertha f royaO . l letters there is one by King James Sixth, exempting the burgesses of Perth from attendance upon assises, unless within burgh, dated Edinburgh, 7th June e Princa lette th d 159 f f Orangero an eo 4 ; , callin a gmeetin g .of the Estates, dated St James's, 5th February 1689, addressed to, the Town Cler f Pert o kr Jame(M h s Oliphant, whose memorable speechn o , occasion of choosing a commissioner to the Convention, has. been preserved). Ther a serie s i f emiscellaneou o s s letters, publid an c' private, from 1662 to the present time (including letters and other, document r sMajest relativHe e visi f th o tyo t e Queen Victorio t a Perth h Septembe6t , r 1842) allowee b whicy f o ,notico t dma hI e the following:— Letter froe Privth m y Council, signe y Johndb , Duk f Rotheso e , Chancellor, addressed to the Provost and Bailies of Perth, enjoyning all in authority to take the test oaths to the Government, under certain pains and penalties. The letter is almost illegible, while the Chancellor's signature retain s primitivit s e blackness. Dated Edinburgh, 12th October 1676. • ' Letter, Mr James Drummond, minister of Muthil, afterwards Bishop, of Brechin Lore th do ,t Provos Pertf to r Eober h(M t Lundie), returning his presentation to be minister of Perth, dated Muthil, July 31, 1680. Letter, Sir George Mackenzie of Eosehaugh, advocate, to John Glas, Provost of Perth, advises in curt terms as to choosing four new bailies in place of those who refused to take the oaths ... 1681. ^ Letter, John Glas, Lord Provost of Perth, to Thomas Butter, clerk of Perth, mentions the sittings of the burghs; waiting upon H.E.H. the Duke of York at Holyrood, to whom his party was introduced by -the Lord Provost of Edinburgh; riding of the Parliament; the bearer had allNewe ,th s Letters. Dated Edinburgh, 29th July 1681. . • ,/ '. ; Letter, the Provost to the same, about sending over the town's charter e ratifiedb o t ; sitting of. Parliament e encloseth ; d News Letters were all he had seen that week. Dated Edinburgh, 6th August 1681. • , .•• Letter Provose Magistratee ,th th o t Councild san ; returns the,charter. 284 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 13, 1896.

Councie th d leave o t proceean o t lt i s e wisher notH o d . s fros mhi heart a sudden and good conclusion of the Parliament, and they a happy meeting together. Letter, Marqui f Magistratee Atholo sth o t l f Perthso , grantine th g service hangmae th f o s t Dunkelda n , unless when require r execufo d - s Lordship'hi tion n n o regalitiess ow s . Dated Edinburgh, 25th November 1681. Letter, Archbishop Alexr. Burnett of St Andrews to the Lord Provost of Perth r Gilber, relativM cal e f th o lt o Crocketet Pertho t t . Dated Edinburgh, 16th March 1683. Letter Lore th , d High Treasure Treasurer-Deputd an r e Magisth o et - trates of Perth, requesting a list of all fines imposed by them upon all withdrawers from their parish churches, conventicles, and other ecclesiastical disorders, since anno 1679. (Signed) Queensberry, Treasurer; . DrummondJ . Dated Edinburgh, 10th April 1683. Letter, Marqui Athollf so , desiring liberty for John Smith, masonw he o ,t stones in the new church of Perth for his Lordship's house at Dunkeld. Dated Dunkeld, 29th September 1684, addressed " For the Provost of Perth." [Sir William Bruce of Kinross was the architect of Dunkeld House.] Letters, Archbishop Arthur Boss of St Andrews to the Provost and Magistrates of Perth, anent providing sittings in the church of Perth for Thoma f Balhoussio y sHa Patricd ean k Oliphan f Bachiltoun,—two t o letters, dated 19th January and 15th February 1685. Letter, Ear f Pertho l , Chancellor King'e virtun i , th f eo s royal letter, dated at the Court of "Windsor, 12th September instant, that all elections n royai l burghs shall cease unti s royahi l l pleasure shal e knownb l , and the prohibitee yar magistratew ne eleco dt y an t s that year. Signed, t commana s Majesty'namn i Hi d f eo d an s Privy Council, Perth Cancell. J.P.D. Edinburgh, 16th September 1686. Addressed—For the Provost and Bailies of Perth, to be communicate to the Town Council. Letter, Earl of Mar, on information that five of his colliers were resetf by the magistrates of Perth, and were setting down a heugh (coal-pit) near their town thad an ;t theeithey yma r send them back r secur,o e themn i prison till he send for them, " otherwise they will force him to use the sucn i legay h cases.wa l " Dated Alloa, 22nd Septembee rth 1686r Fo . Provos d Bailiee Burgan th t f f Pertho o hs . [Betwixt this datd an e t 1732laterno f ,i , various abortive attempts were mad fino t e d coan i l the burgh moor. An Act of Parliament was passed to emancipate the Scottish collier 1775n si anothed an , 1799.n i r ] NOTES ON THE RECORD ROOM OF THE CITY OF PERTH. 285

Letter, Duk f Hamiltoneo , intimating that virtun ,i lette a f eo r from s MajestyHi , e Courdateth f Batht o a dth Septembe 8t , r instantl al , election n royai s l burgh e suspendear s d unti s royahi l l pleasurs i e known. Signed in name and by warrant of His Majesty's Privy Council, Hamilton, J.P.B.C. Edinburgh, 16th September 1687. Addressed— Provose th r Eemanend "Fo tan t Magistrate Burge th f f so h o Perth, or either of them, to be communicate to the Town Councill thereof, Thes. For His Majesties Service." Letter, Eev. Hugh Kennedy, ministe f Trinito r y College Church, Edinburgh, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Lore th do t ,Provos f Pertho t , about settlin gministea t a r Perth. Dated Edinburgh Februarh 5t , y 1691. Letter, Alexander Murray to William Austin, Lord Provost of Perth; desiring, on behalf of the Duke of Atholl, that his Lordship would allow hangmae th Logyrato t f Perto no g executd o h t an ethieveo tw e s con- demne lyind an d g prisoner s Grace'hi so deliveo t t there s d m hi an r, chamberlain woulo wh , d send " baitan do guar t m somm n "hi hi d eme up the country. Dated Huntingtower, 17th October 1719. Letter, John Coutts.Lord Provos Edinburghf to , ancesto Baronese th f ro s Burdett Coutts o Patrict , k Cree, merchant, Provosd f ha Perth o te H . heard yesterday tha a largt e carg f line o d othe an n r goods loadey db e Provost'th s town's-peopl boar n a vesseo e f r dLondoo fo l beed nha n unloaded since the declaration of war (with France) until the navigation coul renderee db d safe convoysy b r believind an ; g that Dunde othed ean r ports might be in the same situation, he had called a meeting of the Committe f Burghs theieo y b d r unanimou,an s order writted e ha sth o nt agen t Londona t o solicit , t fro e Boarmth f Admiralto d y e shipb o t s stationed on their coast, and convoys for their shipping; also to the (Kobert Craigi f Glendoickeo membea s )a f Committeeo r d an , to their own member. Thinks it may not be amiss that the Provost not only write to their own member, but also to the Lord Advocate, as he is Assesso their fo r r tow f Burghse Pertno th o ht . Dated Edinburghh 4t , April 1744. Letter, Lieutenant Colonel Wolfe, afterwards General Wolf e, the hero of Quebec, to Provost Cree, relative to a charge brought before the magis- trate e f instancPerto sth t ha f Convenoo e r Buchan, against Adam Henry of the Eoyal Artillery, for insulting him on the public street, goos hi injurin d dn i naman reputationd m eghi an whicr fo ; h Henrs ywa fined beind an e imprisonedfines , gth wa unabl,y pa o et . Wolfe calln si questio e legalit e th nsentence,-—whethe th f yo r defamatio r scandano l 286 . PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APKIL 13, 1896. _

could properly be called criminal, or whether a soldier could be guilty Of; suc .contentione hfaulta Th . e writeth clea e f moderatd ar o sr an r e iii tone,.and withal'respectfu e civith co t lauthorities e Provost'Th . s answer,:declinin o interfergt e wit e sentenceth h s equalli , ys i firm r no , he less hearty in .wishing "to contribute his good offices to maintain that harmony and union .which has .subsisted between the civil and military,^and.whic e hopesh , subsist n thii s s plac t present.a e e Th " Colonel's letter is written on a sheet' of" fine gilt-edged post; but, from being expressed, in the third person, there is, unfortunately, no auto- graph signature. Both letter datee sar d Perth, 18th July 1750. CENSUS op PERTH, 1766, . ; This is a list of the whole inhabitants of Perth, taken up by the magistrates e 19te burg th f th Marc o h n f o h'o h 176 d followin6an g days, containe sixty-sin do x page a thi f nso folio volume, together with eleven sheetoriginae th f so l scroll thereof, bein gvera y carefullp u t ygo record of the names and occupations of all householders, heads of families, children, mald femalean e , men-servant d women-servantsan s , in the four quarters of the burgh, corresponding to the present four wards, with their religious persuasions, which it would be well for some local societ populatioprinte o yt Th . Pertf ntheo s nhwa only 7542. Account Books.—The " Compt Book " of Bailie Alexander Jamieson, merchan shipownerd an t , Perth, 1660-1673 Treasured an , f Pertho r , 1667-1668 folia s i o, volum abouf e o leaves0 35 t , witalphabeticao htw l d clasps r Jamiesoha generaa M s indexes .s ha wa d nl an merchant, , and had extensivn 'a e business connection wit l classesal h . Clergymen bulk largely. Among the nobility may be named David, Viscount Stormont; John, Ear f Athollo l ; John, Ear Tullibardinf o l ; Countesf so Kinnoull;. n &c.thosI es preserve pageha e h s accounn a d f whao t t timber, stones d othean , r materials Citadee werth f eo sollt e bdyou th Town; als "n o a Inventa gooe th df ro shi p calle Elizabete dth Pertf ho h [of which he was owner], delywerit to Thomas Gregorie, skipper, upon the 25th of August 1668 yeiris." ' Another interesting volum "s i e Kathanael l Fyfe, Merchant in Perth,

Boos hi 1 f Accountsko tala , 1705.s li narro t I " w boo f 13ko 0 leaves, which .has beefc originally fastened with, clasps. The .accounts are..carer NOTES ON'THE RECOK DE CIT F PERTHROOTH 7 YO 28 F MO .

fully ;kep the'systen o t f mdoublo e entry, upon good paper d theran , e "is a complete alphabetical index. The accounts extend from 23rd February 1705 to (incidentally) 6th December 1716. . Mr Fyfe had.also' a large connection, including many of the nobility and gentry of Perthshire, the Duk f Atholleo , Alexander Eobertso f Strowanno , Lord. Nairn&c . &c , He was one of the Jacobite magistrates appointed by Colonel Hay, Governor of Perth; in d.71'5.1. ' / . !' . Papers relative to the Rebellions of 1715-16 «M^ 1745-46.—The papers in connection with 1715-16 include, among other interesting documents a Commissio, Coloney b n f Cromlixlo Johy nHa , Governor of Perth unde e Ear th rf Mar o l , appointing Commissioner o supplt s y place th e of'magistrates. Dated Perth, 21st September 1715.—Order from John, Earl of Mar, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of James VIII. in Scotland, to the Provost, Bailies, and Town Council of Perth, requiring and commanding them to raise and levy six months'cess for e supporth t and maintenanc f theso e e forces. came Dateth t a pt a d Perth, 4th October 1715.—Muster-Eoll of the Town of Perth's two companies servinrebee th ln i garmy , 1715.—List f tho se Inhabitants of Perth who acted in the Rebellion of 1715-16.—List of prisoners in custode Tolbootth n i y f Pertho r theihfo r accessio Rebellione th o nt , 1716. Papers relative to a process by the magistrates against those burgesses who were judged to have forfeited their freedom by their accession to the Rebellion of 1715-16.—Accounts, Letters, &c. during the same period. e paperTh n connectioi s n wit '4e 5th h includ e Declarationth e f o s twenty-three State prisoners taken between the .10th and the 15th of February 1746, and Examinations of 113 State prisoners committed at Perth from 21st Apri 22no t l d July 1746.—Precognition f witnesseso s from April to December 1746.—An alphabetical List of; such State prisoners d beeha n s a committe' e Tolbootth o t d h of Perth sincet ,1s February 1746 werd an ,e stil l beed thereha n r transporteo , o Edint d - burgh, Stirling, and Inverness. Among these were Sir James Kinloch 1 By kind permission of the Magistrates of Perth, I have reported upon these two merchants' books, as well as upon the papers relative to the -Rebellions of 17-15 and 1745,.to the Scottish History Society. . 8 28 PKOCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , APRI , 189613 L .

Nevay of that Ilk, lieutenant-colonel in Lord Ogilvie's regiment; and Messrs Alexande Charled an r s Kinloch, captain same th en i sregiment , his brothers. ——— Nairn, Lady Strathallan, who solicited persons to e Rebellionth . Henry Clark, Esq., residente Edinburghn i r , lieutenant and adjutant of the Clan M'lntosh, who died in prison at Carlisle. John M'Naughton, watchmake Edinburghn i r r Canongateo , , Perthshire squadron of the rebel army, who was said to have killed Colonel Gardiner—(M'Naughton denie fact)—executee dth t Carlisleda . Alex- ander Dalmahoy, only son of Sir Alexander Dalmahoy of that Ilk. John Stewart of Balado, Kinross (who, on his own confession, was an officer of the rebel army in 1715), one of five prisoners at Carlisle, not tried, and in hopes of being discharged for want- of evidence. In a particula prisonerre casee Statth th f f so eo s for treaso Pertn ni h jait a l 6th November 1746, the Duchess of Perth and Lady Strathallan are said to be then prisoners in Edinburgh Castle. Treasurers' Accounts.—There vera s yi extensive serie f accountso f so the City Treasurers, reaching back more than three centuries. Scanty t firsta , they gradually increas n volumi e s tima e d wile an l goe, on s doubtless prove a valuable quarry to the future historian. They include vouchers pensione foth r s payabl e e monkdefuncth th o f t eo s t monas- terie f Pertho s , Scone, &c., including " acquitance r EoberM sy "b t Purves, one of the brethren of the Abbey of Scone, afterwards burgess of Edinburgh, Alexander Young, ministe f Tibbermurero "umquhild ,an l briethee th f o Tullilum, f e o r an Eoberd "an t Eiche ,Whitee Prioth f o r - friars or Carmelites of Tullilum; and by Mr John Eow, first Protestant minister of Perth, of a pension sometime paid out of the mills of Perth to the place of the Charterhouse, and now assigned him as part of his stipend. There are a number of payments to account of the taxation of £100,000 Scots granted to His Majesty King James VI. by his Estates Aprin i l 1588, "for furnesin honourable th f go e chairgi expenssed san s to be maid upone his hienes mareage and reking furth of the Im- bassadour to that effect," of which the proportion of the Town of Perth was £12,000 Scots. In 1613-14 there are Discharges of the taxation appointe paie marriage b th ds Majestieo d t r hi " fo f eo s dochtour,e "th E RECORNOTETH N DO S ROOM E CIT OF PERTHTH 9 FYO 28 .

Princess Elizabeth Stewart, Queen of Bohemia, eldest daughter of James VI., who married in 1613 Frederick, then Elector Palatine. She was mothe f Princo r e Eupert f Sophiao d an , , wif f Erneseo t Augustus, Elector of Hanover, mother of George I. John Jamesone, burges f Cupar-Fifeso ,Righe factoth r t rfo Honourabl e Sir Michael Balfour of Balgarvie, knight, grants a Discharge to the magistrate f Perto s r £80hfo 0 Scots, being complete paymene th f o t £162f o m 3su Scots, bein price gth f foueo piecen r te scor d f armeso ean s received by them. Dated Perth, 17th August 1603. [About this period Sir Michael (who is said to have been sometime Ambassador to e Duketh f Tuscano s d Lorraine t yan considerabla s wa ) e laboud an r expense in providing his countrymen with armour out of foreign countries, whereof King Jame . receivesVI d 5000 merks securitr ' worthfo d yan , Kine th d Parliamengan t farmu wadsefe f Staro e s th t, payable th o et Crown Michaelr Si afterward ownes o o ,t wa landse ,wh e dth H .s created Lord Balfou f Burleigho r , ancesto f Loro r d Balfou f Burleigho r , present Secretar f Statyo r Scotlandfo e . (Warran r Davie KinSi th o y gt db t Murra f Gosperdieyo , Knight f Parliameno t , Ac 1601 d n favoui an ,t r Laire oth f Burleighf do , 1606,—Burleigh Peerage Case.)] The Estates of Scotland being indebted to their factors at Campveere in a great sum for arms and ammunition, the Burghs undertook to make certain advances in Holland, of which Perth paid £6666, 13s. 4d. Scots upon 24th September 1641, as appears by a " testificate " subscribed by Mr Robert Hepburne, advocate, clerk to the Commission for Common Burdings, and Act and Precept in favour of the Burgh of Perth, 1644. Thera Discharg r s "Williai eSi y b em Sharp s Majesty'Hi , s cash- keeper, to Henry Boog, glover, burgess of Perth, of the- sum of 400 merks, bein gfina e impose Prive th dy y b upoCounci m nt hi Marc 1s l h instant, date Marcd d2n h 1676. Durin risine th g f 171go e account5 th f unusuao e ar s l interestt I . appears from the Discharges of the commanding officers for subsistence money that instead of three or'four hundred Highlanders whom the Duke of Atholl was willing to send for the defence of the town of Perth, only 110 were lent, as the loyal inhabitants were tender of asking VOL. xxx. T 290 PROCEEDINGS OB1 THE SOCIETY, APRIL 13, 1896.

more, and these, it is said, ultimately joined the Earl of Mar. A discharged account Towe th , f Pertno Janeo ht t Craigdellie, innkeeper, relic f Walteo t r Moncreiff,- writer, extends from 12th November 1714 to September 15, 1716, and covers seven folio pages, which, while showin thesw .magistrated ho gol e s could enjoy themselves while th e s hanginclouwa f civir do gwa l over e samthemth t ea , time supply materials for history:—"July 28 (1715), being, the the day the inhabi- tants were drawn out under arms, thirteen bottles wine, ten bottles ale, brea dl guare £12 searcheal o parth 6s.o n T f di ,wh o t 15s. d- Od . towe r th armnfo s 14s., officer . 25tOd s. h 6s 12s.August e 1 £ ,th o t , Magistrates with Captain Bell of Edinburgh who brought the news of the French King's death, six bottles wine, ale, &c., £6, 8s. lOd." " The French King " was Louis XIV., who, according to the Eev. Peter Rae a contemporary, s Histore hi Rebellioth n i f , o y n raised against his Majesty King George e I.21s,th die n to dAugus t (old style) 1715r "WalteSi . r a s Grandfather,TalesScotthi f o n i , gives the date of the death of Louis as the 1st of August. Smollett, in his History of England, and Mrs Markham, in that of France, name the 1st of September l thesal t e bu historian; correctese b fal o t l thiy db s tavern e "Grandeate billth Th f h!o d Monarque greaa s t"wa disappointment Jacobitese t oevene th newe th th f sd o t musan , t have been carried with great speed—from France to Perth in four days—rivalling the famous r RoberSi rid f eo t Carey from Londo Scottise th o t n h capital wite hth e deatnewth f f Queehso o n Elizabeth. e Rebellioe closth th f t o e A f 1715-16o n , those citizen f Perto s h havin town'e gth s arm thein si r custody delivered obediencn themi , up e to an order from the magistrates; and it is noteworthy that in May 1724 e Councith l appointed the treasure o e repaiCouncit r th e roo f th ro f l Housmagistratee th s ea s shoul dbrokee directth d nan , armothed an s r materials e garrelyinth n gi t thereof roupede pricee werb th o d et s an , applied, so far as they went, for helping the expense of .the reparation. inventorn A roue bees th pf ha y o n preserved, containing larg smald ean l arms d brasan , s guns, pikes d swordsol , , flints, legar chests, saddles, tents, bed beddingd san , clothes wit x papers,d timberbo hol a d , solan , d for 6d.,—the whole amountin value th £274f eo o gt . Scots7s , . CIRCULAR FOR1 DUNBUIN 29 O T B HILL.

The accounts relatin e '4lese 5th ar s o gt numerous . Ther nota s f ei e o particulars furnishe e armth yo t dunde e commanth r f H.K.Ho d e th . Duke of Cumberland, chiefly for the sick men in the hospital, amounting to £45, 4s. Id. sterling, and includes "canvas for palliaces," and making them "fittind apothecarien ,an a p gu s shop. r MaxwelD " Surgeons wa l - General. 1746n i This swa . Ther alss ei accoun n oa expensee t oth f s of Provost James Crie, Bailie Kobert Kobertson, John Kobertsof o n Tulliebelton, and George Miller, town clerk, for their journey to Fort Augustus, with two servants and six horses, to present the address from towe th f Pertno o H.K.Ht h e Dukth . f Cumberlando e , amountino t g . sterling5d £16 . 7s ,, deburse Tulliebeltoy db Junn i n e 1746 disd ,an - charged by him 10th November 1746.