Columbia SilnitJcr^ttp LIBRARY ANTIQUARIAN GLEANINGS FROM ABERDEENSHIEE RECORDS. COMPILED BY GAVIN TURREFF. ** WHATEVER MAKES THE PAST, THE DISTANT, OR THE FUTURE PREDOMINATE OVER THE PRESENT ADVANCES US IN THE DIGNITY OF THINKING BEINGS."—DR. JOHNSON, i GEOEGE & EOBEET KING; EDINBURGH: JAMES STILLIE; GLASGOW: M. OGLE & SON; LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO. M D C C C L I X. : ABERDEEN PRINTED AT THE HERALD OFFICE, BY JAMES BROWN, PREFACE. The following selections are taken from a variety of sources, but chiefly from the publications of the Spalding Club, Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen, the Aberdeen Journal down to the com- mencement of the present century, and Robertson's Book of Bon-Accord. A considerable number of them have, for the last three years, appeared in the Aberdeen Herald under the headmg of "Antiquarian iSTotes," which, svith numerous additions, are presented to the public in their present form. The Compiler hopes that the Collection will prove useful as a book of reference, as the reader will find in it a narrative of the most striking events which have happened in the Tow^n and County of Aberdeen for the last three hundred ^''ears, as well as the manners and customs of our forefathers described in their ow^n quaint but graphic language. An Engraving of Irvine's View of Castle Street is given for a -Frontispiece, as having been the scene of so many of the events described in the volmne. The older citizens will recognise the portraits of several well-know^n characters, whose appearance must have been familiar to them in their youthful days. Old Aberdeen, July, 1859. b 5 ^'t -^k i — The Scottish language has a fine Doric sound. "When spoken by a woman, it is incomparably the most romantic and melodious language to which I ever listened.— Eohert Hall. The Scotch is not to be considered as a Provincial Dialect— the vehicle only of rustic vulgarity and rude local humour. It is the language of a whole country, long an independent kingdom, and still separate in laws, character, and manners. It is by no means peculiar to the, vulgar ; but is the common speech of the whole nation in early life, and, with many of its most exalted and accomplished individuals, throughout their whole existence ; and, though it be true that, m later times, it has been in some measure laid aside by the more ambitious and aspiring of the present generation, it is still recollected even by them as the familiar language of their childhood and of those who were the earHest objects of their love and veneration. It is an ignorant as well as an illiberal prejudice to confound it with the barbarous dialects of Yorkshire and Devon. Lord Jeffrey. — CONTENTS. PAGE Baillie Skene's Description of Aberdeen, . - . 1 State of Aberdeen during the Sixteenth Century, - - - 6 Extracts from the Accounts of the Burgh of Aberdeen, - - 7 Extracts from a Household Book of the Errol Family, - - - 15 Extracts from the Town's Records, ----- 17 Twenty-three women and one man burnt in Aberdeen in one year for Witchcraft, - - - - - - 20 The Dean of Guild rewarded for his zeal in apprehending persons suspected of Withcraft, - - - - - 20 Trial of Thomas Leys for witchcraft, - - - - 21 The Marquis of Huntly desires the Presbytery to take the oaths of the inhabitants within their charge as to what they know concerning Avitches, * - - - - - 22 Extracts from the Eecords of the Kirk-Session and Presbytery of Aberdeen Complaint by Elspet Dalgarno against her Husband" for non-adher- ence and cruelty, ------ 23 No one to have access to the Prisoners in the Kirk Vault, - 24 Delation against certain young Men and Women of the Burgh for Dancing through the Streets—the young men having on women's clothes, and the young women in masks, - 24 Marjorie Mearns convicted of slander, in accusing her neighbour of Witchcraft, - - - - - - "24 Thomas Gordon ordered to enter into service, or to leave the town, 25 Margaret Davidson fined for having her child washed in St. Fithack's Well for recovery of her health, - - - - 25 Ordinance as to Baptisms, ------ 25 Janet Walker to be punished for abusing her Husband, - - 26 Complaint against the Minister of Dilmaok, - - - 26 A Baillie, with tv/o of the Session, to pass through the Town every Sunday, and note such as they find absent from Sermons, 27 Violators of the Sabbath to be poinded, - - - - 27 The inhabitants of Futtie to be fined for not attending the Catechising, 28 Four Baillies appointed to note the names of those who pass out of the Town on the Sabbath, - - - - - 28 Patrick Bodie convicted of having consulted the Egyptians, - 28 No inhabitant of the Burgh to go to Sermon at Futtie Kirk, - 28 Slanderers and Backbiters to be punished, - - - 29 Keligious Discussion at dinner or supper table forbidden, - 29 The Organs to be removed out of the Kirk, - - - 29 Several parties fined for absence from the Sermons, - - 29 John Mitchell and John Davidson to be punished for not adhering * to Wives, - - - " ' "^ their . Persons guilty of swearing or filthy speaking to be punished with a palmer on the hand, - . - - 30 — Vlll I'AQE Extracts from the Records of the Presbytery and Kirk-Session of Aber- deen —{coudnued) — James Kiach ))unishod for jiutting " sneishin' " into his eyes to make them shed tears, and making a mock of repentance, - 30 Isobel llobertson cited for railing aj^ainst Mr. Andrew Cant, - 30 No Dogs to be brouglit to Church, - - - - 30 No daily allowance given to Andrew Meldrura, a prisoner ; he is ex- horted to hang a purse out of the prison window, - - 30 Alexander Kay, nicht walker, ..... 'M A Palmer to be kept in every house for the punishment of Swearers, 31 A conference to be held with Lord Charles Gordon anent his Ke- ligion, ....... 31 Certam persons accused of Playinsj, Dancing, and Singing on Yool Day, and the Sunday thereafter, - - - - 32 Mage Morison lined for using Men's Clothes at a lyke wake, - 33 Certain Women tried as Dancers in Men's Clothes, - - 33 All "Women to have Stools in the Kirk, - - - - 33 Jonett Adamson to be put in the Joggis, - - - - 33 James Murdo guilty of calling Isobell Home a "Witch Carline, - 33 Agnes Gray accused of shutting her Husband into his house, - 34 None to leave the Kirk until the Service be ended, - - 34 James Dunn owns that he was sworn to the Keligion professed by the Pope, when he was at Kome, and is enjoined to begin his repentance, ....... 35 No young Bairns to be brought to the Kirk, - - - 35 Thomas Maine obliges himself to hear Sermons, except Mr. Andrew Cant's, ....... 35 Proceedings against various parties for not resorting to the Kirk and hearing Sermons, and apostatising from the true Faith, - 35 Extracts from Spalding's History of the Troubles in Scotland Death of the Earl of Errol, - - - - - 36 A Seal seen in the Kiver Don, - - - - - 36 Death of the Marchioness of Huntly, - - - - 37 The Visit of Andrew Cant, David Dickson, and others, as Commis- sioners for the Covenanters to Aberdeen, - - - 37 The Master of Forbes's Attack on the Bishop of Aberdeen's House, 38 The Battle of the Bridge of Dee, - - - - 39 James Sandilands appointed to teach the Canon Laws in the College at Old Aberdeen, ...... 42 ..-« John Leith of Harthill imprisoned for insulting the Provost, - 43 ~p^ ^ The Inhabitants commanded to lead Peats to the Master of Forbes's ''^ Lodging, under penalty of plundering, - - - 43 James Wiilox charged the Shoemakers from the Pulpit to make single-soled Shoes to the Master of Forbes's Soldiers, - 43 Quarrel between the Laird of Haddo and the Laird of Craigievar, 44 The Dowager Marchioness of Huntly persecuted on account of her Religion, ....... 44 No Maws seen in the Lochs of New or Old Aberdeen since the com- ing of the Soldiers to Aberdeen, - - - - 45 Dr. Guild destroys the Bishop's House, - - - - 45 The Presbytery orders the back of the High Altar in Bishop Dun- bar's Aisle to be taken down, - - - - 45 Heroic conduct of John Strachan, - - - - 46 Removal of tlie Wood from the Bishop's House by Dr. Guild for the purpose of repairing the College, - - - - 48 Dispute between John Gregorj- and Andrew Cant, - - 48 — — — IX PAGE Extracts from Spalding's History of the Troubles in &cotl&rA— {continued) — Eeuioval of the back of the High Altar in Bishop Dunbar's Aisle, 48 Dr. Guild refuses to give the Students Yool Day for a Holiday, - 49 The Ministers preach against the observance of Yool Day, - 49 Andrew Cant disturbed by the noise of some Children in the Church- yard, - - ----- 49 Andrew Cant's changes in the mode of worship, - - - 50 Observance of Candlemas Day in the Old Town, - - - 50 Quarrel between Sir George Gordon of Haddo and Alexander Jaffray, 51 Adam Abercrombie kills George Leith, - - - - 51 Andrew Cant's son and another Student steal 600 merks out of John Ray's Chest, - _ 51 Yool Day kept as a Holiday in Old Aberdeen, - - - 51 Capt. Alexander Keith and Sir William Forbes quarter their Troops in Old Aberdeen, ------ 52 William Eait, one of the Old Town Baillies, engaged a Drill Master to learn the men to handle their arms, - - - 52 Montrose's Attack on Aberdeen, - - - - - 52 Extracts from Gordone's Britane's Distemper The Trot of Turriff, -.-... 54 Battle of Aberdeen, ------ 57 Tlie Marquis of Huntly's Attack on Aberdeen, - - - 60 Miscellaneous Extracts Attack of the Three Lairds of the Garioch upon Aberdeen, - 62 Provost Jaffray's Interview with King Charles the Second, - 63 Act passed by the Magistrates of Auld Aberdene, regulating the price of Ale, ------ 64 Gift of William de Leith, Provost of Aberdeen, of Bells to the Town, 64 t^ Riot in the Grammar School in 1 612, - - - - 65 The Town Council send the Town's Clock to Flanders to be repaired, 65 Thomas Gray to do penance for strublens done in the Kirk, - 66 Alexander Anderson, a native of Aberdeen, a Teacher of Mathema- tics in Paris, ------ 66 Aberdeen famous for its Psalmody in 1656, - - - 67 James the Sixth's Visit to Aberdeen, - - - - 67 The To\vn's Minstrels to be supported by the Inhabitants, - 68 The Highland Costume proscribed among the wealthy and respect- able Citizens, .....