2 33 PROCEEDING E SOCIETY , 1910TH 9 Y F .O S MA , I. EXTRACTS FROM THE SESSION RECORDS OF MUIRKIKK, AYRSHIRE, (1659-1792) ALFREY B . D CHARLES JONAS, F.S.A. SCOT. f Camden'I f Scotlano p sma d (I 695 lookes Muirkiri )o n , dat k wile b l Balfour'n i p ma foundse HistoryTh . f Scotlando (1770) doe t shosno w Muirkirk, neither does the map in Heron's Scotland Described (1790). Paterson asserts that Muirkir e sai b o hav t dy historo en kma y previous s tdisjunctionoit 1631n i , , from Mauohline parish. The Statistical Account, writte n 1837i n , informs readers that until about 1626 Muirkirk constituted a part of the parish of Mauchline, and that the earliest entry in the parochial register of the latter is the 17th January 1670, and, further, that the first entry in Muirkirk register is dated in the year 1739. Keith's Catalogue f theo Bishops within e Kingdomth f Scotlando (1755) states that the charter founding Mauchline was by the Stuarts, and they bestowe t upodi n Melrose same Th e. authorit "s Machlinha y e n Kylei : Machle r Muirkir o ne fairl b y y f Kyle.o concludema k t I " d from this, that Keith was not able to discover any separate church or religious building at Muirkirk. Machline and Muirkirk are therefore somewhat closely associated; thus it is necessary in these notes to refer in a limited manner to Mauchline. e Kir f Th Muiro k r Muirkirko , s i state, y Patersoe b dth d an n Statistical Account to have been built in 1631; the former adds that when it was built, " there does not seem to have been a single house in the vicinity" (hardly a sufficient reason for building a church there). Thivery syma well have bee e casenth , when from Mauchline t least,a , e borderth o t f Lanarkshireso s covere wa a ,partiall y b d y dense forest. Confirmation of this is found in the Charter of Alexander II., when he grante Churce th o dt Melrosf ho e e land"th f Mauchlinso pasturd an e e forest:e lanth e f th Douglas n dfishine o i river.e th th d f go "an , There EXTRACTS FROM THE SESSION BECOKDS OF MUIEKIEK, AYESHIRE. 333 is every likelihood that the forest covered what was called by Keith " Machlen or Muirkirk"; nay, further, in the Charter of David I. granted to Melrose, he speaks of " timber in the forest of Selkirk and Traquair betweed an , Gale Leaded nth aan r water." This Melrose which David I. founded was not the old " Mailross " of Aidan' f swhico time d han , Bede wrote: "The first Abbo s Eatawa t , about the seventh century." Melrose was one of the twelve abbeys in Scotland, which were most beautiful from, at least, an architectural poin f viewo t . In Macpherson's historic map of Scotland (1796), adapted to the year 1400 o sucn , h plac s Muirkira e s markedi k ; this, howevers i , somewhat discounted by Keith's Catalogue, where he uses the term " Machline or Muirkirk." The session records from which my extracts are taken will, keeping n vie i e foregoingwth e doublb , y interesting t instructiveno f i ,r fa o s , as they go. When I went over these records, they were not consecutive ; in fact, they appeared to be composed of what had been saved, or preserved fro e originamth l session books. The first entr s dateywa d 1659; thus, "Present wite Ministerth h , Hew Campbell, James Campbell and Johne Blackwood, The quhilk day it was delaited to the Sessioune that Jonat Kitchart," etc. This is multitudinoue th similaa o t e on r s entries commowhico s e har n earlni y minutes bearin churcn go h discipline. e proceedingNowth n i e , Commissioth f o s f Generao n l Assembly (1649) the following is found : "The Commission for planting of kirks divisioe th f Maehleinno s thii parish. o reat sw d Ho alon" g wite th h previous quotation, where it is stated that the Kirk of Muir was built in 1631? But is it not also worth notice that in the Scottish History Society's publicatio e Generath f o nl Assembly records, tracen ca s mentione i I , 1646-49s a r a word f fa t Muirkir o do no ,s , k Church? From the same authority we learn that in 1650 Mr Thomas Wylli ministes ewa t Mauchlinea r , and, being "called Edinburgho "t e th , 4 33 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH 9, Y F 1910O SMA , . Commission refuse alloo dt "s w transportation,hi "s appointewa e h d d"an remaio t t Mauchline.na " Connected with my first note, Paterson states the Campbells were the principal families in the parish ; these were " Campbells of Auld- houseburn, Wellwood, Eshawburn, Over Wellwood, Middle Wellwood, the Browns of Waterhead, Tardors, Eiccarts (Eichards) of Burnfoot, d lanan d called Netherwood." Joh d Williaan n m Campbel f Oveo l r Wellwood suffered very e muctroublesomth n hi e time f 1684so . These two were scarcely mea when both were seized by Lord Boss's troop, at Wellwood Hilld takean ,o theit n r home, where their fathes wa r e housth d searchee an pillaged r fo de onlth , y charge against these young fellows being tha Bibleo t tw the thein d si yha r possession. They were carried prisoners, and ultimately lodged in " the Dean" at Kilmarnock, then the property of the Earl of that Ilk.1 In the first year from which my previous extract is made, on 8th June :' " Present wit Ministere hth Campbell w He , , Terdoes, Jolme Blackwood, Eldere case th rese f th Jonaf eo th o s : t d tan Kitchar s continued.wa t " The arbitary manner in" which sessions used their power is illustrated b ya decisioh Jul6t yn o n1659 :appoyntes "Thwa t i e y y qlb dda k e Sessiou th e parischouneriy f no than no t s should receav famillin i e s Jonat Eitchart, in respect of her disobediences in not bringing her testimoneal froe lasmth t plac f abode.o e " On the 6th July 1659, "Present with the Minister all the Elders, The e parishchounereth y da k ql f Straveo s n presente a supplicatiound e subscrybe thosy db e heritor Sessiound san referancn ei e contribuan o et - tioun from us for repaireing certain Bredges, qlk was condesendit unto and tenn poundes Scotes given to them." At the meeting " 27 febry 1661, Presen Campbelw t he wit r e Ministe th M hElderse ly e l Th al r. became cationne for Johne Mitchell TuruoTirhill," etc. This Campbell figures often, being for many years an elder and an active worker in the session. e last-mentioneth n I d yea finname e w th dr e " lerpryke." Whether See Wodrow's History (1722), vol. ii. p. 361. 1 EXTRACTS FROM THE SESSION RECORDS OF MUIRKIRK, AYRSHIRE. 335 e originath thi s i s e lnam a questionth for s f i emo ; certainls i t i y variously spelt in other minutes. There is, however, little doubt but that from this family sprang John Lapraik e erstwhilth , e farme d poean rt friend of Burns. From the work of Mr Hugh Paton of Edinburgh (1840), Laprai s bor e farn wa 1727i k nth f Laig m o t a , h Dalquhram (Dalfram). Dalquhram is mentioned by Wodrow in his list of fugitives, against whom Charles's proclamation of 5th May 1684 was issued. The minute of " IlJufi 1661 "contains the following: "The said day Johne lerkpryke presenti bila t f complino l t againest William brows nhi wyfe and her daughter for the slandering him," etc. The session, nexe 29te th tth f ho monthn whico t hme , agreed thae "billth ts "wa proved. Her name spels eth ewa t "Lepriaik." It was common to most, if not all, kirk-sessions to fix an hour at which ale-houses wer ceaso t ee suppl th e drinkf yo als e d e pricb oan ,th o t e n mani s chargedy wa instance t I . s settle y sessionb d s tha a certait n number only shoul invitee db marriagea o dt . Those aboumarriee b o t t d had to deposit a named sum of money with the session. With respect to the latter, we find that, on the 17th July, the session ordained "yt there upliftino souln consignmee e dth b f go r mariagefo s s for the space of three quarterres of a zeir after the mariage neither of lyeine thesar t ey g come.presentlio t e f theso ar " r t ey eno The practice, so observable to-day, of persons gathering at church doors after service (not invariably discussing the merits of the sermon), callee b t whay dno ma s tseemlyi : that suc hpractica e existed centuries ago, and was condemned, is to be learned from the following: " The s appoynti e wa Sessiounth t i quhily b d y ordainedt an da e ekb o t entimat nixe eth t lords day, thaaften no tr sermon endit sai foundee b l n standing in the Church yeard or upon the grein, hot sail presentlie be- take them to there homes, as also yt non sail goe away from the Church beteixt ye Sermone," etc.