Part III. Chap. IV.

him for her maintenance, and adds, "I am sorrie to hear of Peggie's tenderness; it's storied here she has lost the watch and chain and rings, which, if true, is probablie the occasione of her distemper" (ib. 18). Soon after this she was suddenly sent to Dundee, where she stayed with her great aunt, Mrs. Brisbane, until her death (ib. 53). "I was surprised (writes the clerk again to Seton, 17 June 1710) to see your niece Margaret at this place. She is very ill and Dr. Watsone does not think she'l recover. She is very impatient for some things she left behind her," etc. (ib. 21`.

About three weeks later, 6 July, he writes that she is "dying very fast," and encloses an inventory of her small possessions, chiefly her clothes and a few books, which she desired should go to her brothers and sisters. Little as the child had to leave, she made, 18 July, a formal will, in which she ordained her burial in her "father's buriall place in the church of Dundie" (ante. p. 239), and left small legacies, such as a diamond ring of their mother's to her sister Rachel, and the Whole Duty of Man and the English Liturgy with Cutts to Mr. James Martine, etc. (ib. 23). She died soon after, and was buried no doubt as she had wished, the Mortcloth Dues 1709-10 recording the use of the cloth for "Sir John Wedderburn's sister" (D.M.D. 40). Her name thus drops out of the process of aliment against her brother (M.P. 17), but she continues to be mentioned in regard to a claim which her great-aunt, Mrs. Brisbane, made for her board and the expenses of her illness from "the time of her last coming from Edinburgh until her death" (ib. 48, 49, 53). See also M.P. 69, 75.

2. Rachel Wedderburn, born at Blackness 9 Sept. 1698 (Bl. 10). She is named in
her father's nomination of tutors to his children, 3 Jan. 1710 (D.D. 78); in the
"inventar" of his estate, in regard to some trinkets which he had left her (M.P.
12); in the process of aliment already mentioned (ib. 17); and in the will of her
sister Margaret (ib. 23). She lived in Edinburgh with her uncle, George Seton,
from 19 Jan. 1710 till about May 1711 (M.P. 29 a, 38), when she was sent home
to Dundee. "You've sent over (writes the clerk, 2 June 1711) a very wilfull self-
conceited Gentlewoman yt I doe not know to manage her; she pretends she is
perfect of everything and understands but very little" (ib. 38). She must have
remained with the clerk, however, as, 24 July 1714, he speaks of having with him
Seton's "nephew and nieces," viz., John, Rachel, and Matilda, who at that date
alone survived (ib. 74). When the estate of Blackness was sold the question arose
of "how the two daughters shall be provided by their brother" (ib. 84), but it does
not appear what was done. Rachel is named, 29 Oct. 1722, as having given a
locket of her mother's into the keeping of David Brisbane (D.Dec. 80), and was
ultimately the only surviving child of her father. She is so designed in a bond by
her to John Melvill of Cairney, 6 Oct. 1725 (R.D. 315), and in the will of her
brother Sir John, confirmed at Edinburgh 27 Oct. 1725, which was given up by
the said John Melvill as her creditor (Ed.T. 8). She never married, but was
living 28 Aug. 1771, when she made a testamentary disposition of a dwelling
house in Bristo, presently possessed by her aunt, Mrs. Isobell Seton, and herself,
in favour of her cousin, Lieutenant John Row of the 9th Regiment of Foot,1 whom
failing, in favour of her cousin Sir Andrew Lauder Dick of Fountainhall (R.D. 426).
This settlement was registered, 15 Dec. 1777, before when she had probably died.
3. Elizabeth Wedderburn, born at Blackness or Dundee,2 2 Feb. 1702 (Bl. 10), and
baptized in Dundee on the same day (D.B. 48). She died 1707-8 and was buried
in Dundee, being no doubt one of "Blackness' two children," named in the
Mortcloth Dues of that date (D.M.D. 37). She is thus not named in her father's
nomination of tutors to his children (D.D. 78), or in any of the Mounie Papers.
4 Matilda Wedderburn, born at Blackness, 8 July 1703 (Bl. 10), and baptized in
Dundee on the same day (D.B.52). She is named in her father's nomination (1710) of
tutors to his children, in the judicial inventar of his effects (D.D. 78; M.P. 12), in the
will of her sister Margaret (ib, 23), and in the process of aliment v. her brother,
Sir John (b. 17). She was recovering "very slowly" from the small pox in

I have not ascertained how Rachel and the lieutenant were cousins, but it must have been on her
mother's side.

2 Her father's register says born at Edinburgh, but this must be an error, as she was certainly baptized in Dundee on the day of her birth.

and

Dec. 1711 (M. P. 31), and was again "ill and confined to the house," 29 Jan. 1712 Part III.
(ib. 50). She was in Dundee in 24 July 1714 and 17 Jan. 1718, being one of Chap. IV.
the "nieces of George Seton, and "two daughters" of her father, named at these
dates (ib. 74, 84), but died there before Sept. 1718 and was buried in Dundee, the
Mortcloth Dues of that date containing an entry of the use of the great cloth
for Blackness' daughter (D.M.D. 46).

Wedderburn, whose name is not recorded, but who must have died young.
See above, p. 241, n 3.

Sir John Wedderburn1 [1700-1723], third baronet of Blackness, second but eldest and ultimately only surviving son of Sir Alexander Wedderburn and Elizabeth Seton, was born at Blackness, 2 Dec. 1700 (Bl. 10). He is named in his father's entail of Blackness, 24 Feb. 1707 (G.S.R. 134), and in the sasine thereon, 30 May following (G.R.S. 61); and was also retoured heir general to his mother, Elizabeth Seton, 9 May 1709 (R.H. 30) and to his father, 11 Aug. 1712 (D.Dec. 67). His father's settlements and nomination of tutors, made just before his death, 2-3 Jan. 1710, in all of which John is named as his eldest son, have been already mentioned more than once (M.P. 12; D.D. 78-79, 82). The condition of affairs on Sir Alexander's death has also been described above (pp. 239-40), and the documents in regard to it which mention Sir John need not be again dealt with here.2 Apart from the financial embarrassment of the estate, he does not seem to have been easy to educate. It is clear that his health was never good (M.P. 35, 50), and when it was under discussion to send him to a school away from home, it was a question if he could go unless there was a doctor waiting solely on the boarders" (ib. 64). Nor did he shew much aptitude: "John doeth not learn, and his master says he will not be a scholar," writes the clerk to George Seton, 22 April 1712 (ib. 58). In August of that year his aunt, Mrs. Eccles, proposed that he should be sent "to Mr. Laing's in the Cannongate, by whom she thinks he will be carefully taucht and cheaper, the latter I doubt not wranglie; he'll want his servant and the odds there will be unfavourable. But he has been informed that there is ane Mr. Forrest at Leith who teaches better, hes boarders in excellent order and a doctor to wait on them wherever they go" (ib. 63). It does not appear if he went to either of these schools, and on 24 Oct. 1713, the clerk writes that he has "by advice of friends here bespoke a Pedagogue to wait on our pupill at One hundreth pounds per annum, which I could not gett for less" (ib. 71). He was, of course, fourteen years of age at the end of 1714, when he had to choose his curators and, with their advice, a profession. His edict of curatory is dated 17 Jan. 1715 (D.Dec. 74), the curators chosen being the clerk, Halyburton of Pitcur, Campbell of Kethick, and James Kyd of Craigie, together with Dr. John Wedderburn and George Seton, who was absent in Edinburgh, but was at once informed of the choice (M.P. 76), and asked to give his opinion as to Sir John's "settlement and whether to educate him as a writer or merchant the state of his affairs being "ill beyond expectatione " (ib. 76).5 It seems that the former was decided on, and that Sir John became apprentice to the clerk, who failed, however, to make anything of him, and 1 Sept. 1715 was willing to loose Blackness from his indentures" (M.P. 77). "The carriage of our pupill (he writes) makes my heart cold in doing hiin any farther service, and even to regret what I have done, for neither good words nor stroaks will prevail with him; and now he's positive to goe to sea (ib). In the end it was decided to send him abroad and, 17 July 1716, he was at Leith, anxious to get from his uncle, George Seton, "a pass so yt I may proceed in my voyage” (ib. 81). 1 Synopsis of References :-S.W. 551, 556; Bl. 10, 19; M.P. 12, 17, 19, 23, 35, 50, 55, 58, 63, 64, 71, 76, 77, 81, 82, 88; D.P.B. 581; D.B.R. 505; D.D. 78. 79, 82, 85, 92, 104; D. Dec. 65-67, 74, 77, 80; G.S.R. 134, 136; R.H. 30; G.R.S. 61; F.S. 93, 96; R.D. 300-302, 304; R.A.D. 141-45, 154-56; Ed.T. 8; D.B. 65.

66

2 See M.P. 12 (judicial inventory), 17 (process of aliment), 19, 23, 55; D.Dec. 65, 66, 77 (his father's debts); F.S. 96 (sale of the Nethergait house); R.A.D. 141-45, 154-56

3 Sir John was a witness to the baptism of John, son of Alexander Wedderburn and Grissell Watson, at Dundee 17 Aug. 1712 (D.B. 65).

4 David Brisbane was appointed factor to the estate, and there is an action by him as such, 15 June 1717 (D.D. 85).

5 There is a bond, 12, 14 April 1715, by Sir John to the clerk, for 2,000 merks, part balance of his account as tutor (R.A.D. 154 h), which shows that the clerk had to advance money to the estate; and, 19 May 1715, there is an account of monies in the hands of Sir John's tutors (D.D. 85).

Chap. IV. ❝

Part III. It appears from this letter that he had got into some scrape, as he tells his uncle that he is very sorry that I have disobliged you and I beg your pardon, and wt the assistance of God, I shall never commit such extravagancies again" (ib.) His destination seems to have been the house of one John Gordon in Rotterdam, to whom Mr. Gilbert Stewart had recommended him. That he was there, Nov. 1716, is clear from a letter, 28 Nov. (S.W. 551), from Stewart to David Brisbane, enclosing one from John Gordon, in which he gives an account of Sir John's expenses, and speaks of his "french master," so that Sir John was continuing his education there, although Gordon found him "a troublesome pouple, yet if he improve his time well I shall continew, etc. (ib.) Soon after he came home and, 17 Aug. 1717, was expecting to serve in Shannon's Regiment in ye station of ane Ensigne." The money required to purchase his commission and start him in the army led, as I have said (ante, p. 240), to the sale of Blackness and Logie by him to the clerk early in 1718, and he thus got rid of the burden of his father's debts (S. W. 556: M.P. 86a). Before long, however, he regretted the sale, and desired to set it aside. There is a letter from him to his uncle, George Seton, dated 24 Aug. 1720, written on "advice from Scotland of the high price of lands" (M.P. 88) and apparently with the assistance of some professional adviser, in which he proposes to re-open the accounts of the estate and asks his uncle's help to bring me in my old place again, so as to do full justice to the clerk, that he lose nothing of the money he really payd my father's creditors (ib. 88). It was to this end, no doubt, that on coming of age, he at once, 3 Jan. 1722, revoked all deeds made by him during his minority (R. D. 300), renewing however, 6 Jan. 1722, a bond of provision to his sister, Rachel (R.D, 301), for whom he desired to provide handsomely (M.P. 88). So far, however, from there being ground for any attack on what had been done, we find that later, 17 Feb. 1722, Sir John made a further resignation of Blackness in favour of the clerk, who thereupon, 26 July 1722, got a Great Seal charter, confirming the barony to him and his heirs (Bl. 19; G.S R. 136). Nothing is known of Sir John's brief career in the army. There is a small bill, 27 April 1722, protested against him by Captain Robert Tailfer of the city guard, Edinburgh (R.D). 302), with whom Sir John had some dealings, as a little later Tailfer was endeavouring to get possession of the portraits of Sir John's parents from David Brisbane upon an alleged order to that effect, 11 June 1722, by Sir John, "ensign in the Rt. Hon. Colonel Middleton's regiment of Foot" (D.Dec. 80), and there is also another bill so protested by Patrick Douglas in Edinburgh, 31 Dec. 1722 (R. D. 304).

66

An early death, however, ended a career which does not appear to have been one of much promise. Sir John died between 5 Jan. and 17 May 1723.1 The confirmation of his will, given up at Edinburgh, 27 Oct. 1725, states that he died in Ireland in 1723, but does not give either the place or the exact date (Ed. T. 8). With him failed the male line of his grandfather, the first baronet of Blackness, when under the wide limitations of the patent,"to heirs male," the title passed to Alexander, eldest son of the first baronet's second brother, James, of whom and of whose family an account is given in the following chapter.

1 Douglas and J.W. in his printed memoir give the year of Sir John's death as 1722, but this is certainly an error. The date is fixed both by the confirmation of his will (Ed.T. 8), and by the fact that his cousin, the clerk, is called Alexander Wedderburn of Blackness 5 Jan., and Sir Alexander 17 May 1723 (D.D. 91, 93).

PART III.

CHAPTER V.

JAMES WEDDERBURN (SECOND SURVIVING SON OF SIR ALEXANDER OF BLACKNESS, KNT.), Part III. CLERK OF DUNDEE, B. 1649, D. 1696.

With an account of his family other than his eldest son.

(See pedigree at p. 253.)

James Wedderburn1 [1649-96], sixth but second surviving son of Sir Alexander Wedderburn of Blackness, Knt., and Matilda Fletcher, was born 8 Nov. (Bl. 9) and baptized at Dundee 17 Nov. 1649 (D.B. 5). He is first named, and always as second son, in several settlements made on him by his father, viz., 6 Sept. 1652, when two acres in the Westfield of Dundee were resigned in his favour (D.P.B. 459), and 5-25 Feb. 1664, when his father disponed to him thirty-seven more acres in the Westfield (G.S.R. 120 n; F.S. 42), and also settled on him, subject to his own and his wife's life-rent, a South Flukergait house (D.P.B. 492 a), which James afterwards rebuilt and made his residence. He matriculated at S. Andrew's in 1666 (S.A.R. 30) but there is no record of his graduating there. though the absence of references to him in the Dundee records till He is named 1669 looks as if he was, during those years, being educated away from home. 18 June 1669 as getting sasine from his elder brother John of certain acres pertaining to the House of Fowlls (F.S. 54), and on various dates, from 16 Sept. 1669 on, as a witness with his father to transactions in Dundee (D.P.B. 512).

2

He was bred to follow his father in the clerkship, and began to help him as early as 8 Aug. 1666, the date of his first protocol book (D.P.B. vol. 275) and on different dates in 1670-71, 18 Oct., 1, 17 Dec., 27 Jan., we find him designed "writer in Dundee" (D.P.B. 514; S.W. 405). On 20 April 1671 his father, Sir Alexander, on account of his frequent sicknesses applied to the council to appoint James, "who had formerly the gift of the clerkship," conjunct clerk with him and to succeed him on his death, to which the council unanimously After this James agreed (D.C.B. 117), though when the former gift was does not appear.

,,

is constantly named as clerk of Dundee or notary, but I have not found the date of his admission. His notarial symbol, of which a facsimile is given at p. 187 of vol. ii. (S.W. 448), consisted of a very elaborate signature with the motto "dum spiro spero" beneath it. Such references to him as clerk, notary, will be found 8 Nov. 1671, 20 June 1672, 1 Feb. "also clerk of Dundee 1673 (F.S. 56, 59), while 3 Sept. 1673, his father describes him as (D.P.B. 520) and later on joined with him in the presentation by them both, as principal clerks, to the council, of a depute, James Pilmor, of whom the council approved 7 March 1676 (D.C.B.119).3 This was just after Sir Alexander's death, upon which James became sole clerk, and is so designed, e.g., 1 March 1677 (D.C.B. 1226). He was also admitted a freeman of the skinners' and glovers' guild, and took the oath of fidelity thereto, 5 Oct. 1676 (D.T.G. 2b). Like one of his name in earlier days (ante,p.100), he had to deal with some slanderous tongues. On 15 May 1677 he summoned one Thomas Anderson for having, at a court held the previous Monday, used "rase, base, and opprobrious speeches against him and his predecessors, saying that they had made false instruments without ground or warrant, so taking away their good name," and the offence being admitted, Anderson was ordered to the tollbooth until he should pay a fine of one hundred merks and "sit down on his knees" in court, crave pardon, and promise never to do the like again (D.C.B. 123). On several occasions, James, by virtue of 1 Synopsis of References :-S.W. 405, 410-12, 430, 437, 441, 447-48, 452, 457-58, 462, 472-73, 484, 490-92, 495-96, 499-501, 503-4, 509, 519, 525, 556; Bl. 9-11, 18; M.P. 12; S.A.R. 30; D.C. 72, 80; D.L.B. 61; D.P.B. 459, 492, 512, 514, 520-21, 523, 536, 547-48, and see vols. 271-72 to 278; D.B.R. 482, 490, 492, 499, and see vols. 34, 36, 37; D.C.B. 117, 119-20, 1226, 123, 125, 132, 134-36, 139-41; D.D. 22, 23, 28, 38, 40, 42, 45, 53, 58, 66, 70, and see vol. 6; D.Dec. 2, 3, 6, 13, 16, 22, 23, 28, 29,

31, 44, and see vols. 1, 2; D.T.G. 26; D.G.R. 11; D.M.D. 25; G.S.R. 120 n; R.H. 28; G.R.S. 44; F.S. 42, 54, 56, 59-62, 67-68, 72, 75, 77; R.D. 201, 216, 236-37, 241 ab; R.A.D. 105, 126, 154 a b; Br.T. 19; D.M. 11; D.B. 5, 23, 24, 26-29, 31-34, 37, 38, 40-44, 46-48.

2 On 16 April 1673 he resigned these acres back to his brother, who also got a disposition from his father, made with James' consent, of some other land near Dundee (F.S. 60-61).

3 See as to this, aute, p. 210.

Chap. V.

Part III. his gift of clerkship, nominated a depute with the council's consent, e.g., 21 Feb. 1681, Chap. V. 19 Sept., 14 Oct. 1682 (ib. 132, 134-35), and in Feb. 1685 made the same application for his son to the council which, fourteen years back, his father had made for him, and asked that they would appoint his son Alexander, then a boy of ten, conjunct clerk with him, and to succeed him on his demission or death, the council appointing someone to serve in the office should James die during his son's minority. The matter was considered by the council on 10, 17 Feb., and, 5 March, they pronounce the application most reasonable, and ordain a gift of the office to Alexander to be drawn up accordingly (D.C.B. 136; cp. R.A.D. 126) The gift was ratified in the dean of gild's court, when mention was made of "the true, ready and faithful service" of James and "the great care and solicitude he has had in the education of his son at schools and otherwise, for making him ably qualified to be his successor " (D.G.R. 11).

Four protocol books of his, or of his time, are extant in the Dundee charter room, viz, vols., 275-278. Of these the first was begun in 1666 and ended in 1676, after the death of his father; while the second and third run 1676-83 and 1683-90. Some Latin mottoes, such as "Laus Deo semper," "Vivit post funera virtus," "Qui patitur vincit,” "Da tua dum tua sunt, post mortem tunc tua non sunt," "Incepto libro sit laus et gloria Christo," occur on their title pages. The fourth book (vol. 278) was begun by him in 1691. and ended by his son in 1699, his death occurring meanwhile, and his last signature and docket being dated 10, 27 Aug. 1694 (D.P.B. 547). His name is written, in 1675, on the title page of vol. xxxiv. of the Burgh and Head Court Records, and vol. xxxv. (1676-88), now missing, was no doubt his. Vol. xxxvi. has his initials J. W. stamped on it, and inside the cover are the words "testor veritatem," "my witness is true," and a Latin couplet to the effect that there must be recreation as well as work. The last book of this series in his time is vol. xxxvii., but vol. vi. of the Dundee Deeds is marked as his, and so is vol. i. of the Dundee Decreets, of which vol. ii. was begun by him and finished, 31 October 1696, by his son.3 Three facsimiles of his ordinary signatnre are given, post, vol. ii., opp. p. 56 (S.W. 441, 501) and p. 97, the last being that to his marriage contract (Bl. 18). Some slight references to him as clerk, notary, witness, etc., such as are, of course common, are summarized below.4

He lived in Dundee, where he owned several houses, his dealings with which are registered in the Dundee records. Thus, 18 Dec. 1675, he disponed a South Nethergait house to his brother, Peter (D.C. 72; D.P.B. 523), retaining, however, another property there, the reversion of which, subject to his mother's life-rent, he settled on his wife, 17 May 1680 (F.S. 67). He then acquired an adjoining land from his brother, George, 6 Feb 1682 (F.S. 68). and built on this site a large mansion which was afterwards the residence of his third son, Dr. John Wedderburn of Idvies, by whom it was bequeathed to his great nephew, Sir John Wedderburn of Balindean. It was in this house that Balindean's sister, Susanna, was burnt to death in 1776 (post, chap. vii.). An illustration of the mansion is given opposite, but it no longer exists, having been demolished on the death of Sir John, in 1803.5

He is often named in regard to the affairs of different members of his family. One of the earliest of these was a malicious summons to him to appear as a witness in the suit of Margaret Scrymgeour v. Easter Powrie (ante, p. 109, n. 7), in regard to matters which

This actually occurred, but only when Alexander was within a few months of reaching his majority.
See post, chap. vi.

2 His signature also occurs at the end of vols. 271-72, 273, and 274, volumes of his father's time.

3 His clerk depute was James Ramsay, whose name also occurs in the title pages of several of these books. In 1695, Jan. 28, the council "considering the great trust reposed in the clerk's office, he having in his custody the whole registers of the burgh," etc., think it well to "regulate the clerk's chamber in the matter of servants, and of new appoint Ramsay clerk depute."

Thus, 28 Feb. 1674, clerk, notary to a sasine to his father (F.S. 62); 2 Dec. 1675, clerk, witnesses two discharges (D.D. 22); 16 April 1677, sigus an act of apprising (S.W. 430); 21 Feb. 1679, notary (S.W. 437); 12 July 1680, extracts a decreet of poynding (S. W. 441); 4, 14 Nov. 1680, notary to two sasines (S.W. 447-48); 15, 16 Sept. 1682, clerk, witness (ib. 458); 7 Jan. 1684, signs an act of conversion (ib. 462); 5 June, 19 Dec. 1685, notary and witness to a sasine (S. W. 472-73; D.P.B. 536); 11 Oct. 1689, notary to a sasihe (D.C. 80); 1690, witnesses a contract (D.D. 66); 28 March 1690, signs a factory (D.D. 38); 10 Oct. 1691, notary (S.W. 495); 6 May, 1 July 1692, clerk, witness (S. W. 499; F.S. 72); 15 Feb 1693, clerk, witness (D. B. R. 490).

See the late Mr. A. C. Lamb's Old Dundee: its Quaint and Historic Buildings, where there is a large illustration of the part of the Nethergait (Butcher's Row), where this old house stood. The plate opposite is a reproduction (by permission) of a portion of that in Old Dundee. The iron figures-1684 -in the front of the house were exhibited (No. 1030) in the Dundee Exhibition of 1892-93.