1650, enumerates "90 pieces of old belonging to the Priour and Convent of the Freiris Predicatouris." But this inventory is defective. It says nothing of the oldest Royal Charters, such as I., II., III.—of which copies are preserved in the chartulary, but of which the originals had probably by that time been lost,-nor of a considerable number of the existing papers shown in the Appendix. Of the 90 pieces mentioned in it, however, 69 are still found in the original-25 of these having also been transcribed into the chartulary-and 11 in detached copies. The other 10 have been lost, though with one exception, viz. the Countess of Huntlie's charter, No. XLVII., they seem to have been of little importance, 5 or 6 of them mere duplicates. The Rev. James Scott,' who was one of the ministers of Perth from 1762-1807, did more than had been done by any one previously 2 to preserve a knowledge of the antiquities-civil and ecclesiastical-of the city and neighbourhood. With high scholarly attainments he combined great diligence and eagerness in research. Much interesting information is to be derived from his History of the Earl of Gowrie, and other works. But more valuable are several folio Ms. volumes, which he left carefully arranged and annotated, and which were afterwards acquired by the Advocates' Library. These are mostly taken up with extracts from the early Session, Baptismal, and Marriage Registers, but two of them contain transcripts, with notes, of the charters of the old "religious houses." the first of the two, fifty papers relating to the affairs of the Blackfriars are copied and translated in full, but the other papers of that house, from lack of leisure, as he records, are abridged or translated only in part. 1 Mr. Scott was a native of Roxburghshire, a son of Robert Scott of Falnash. He was born on 21st November 1733, educated at the High School and University of Edinburgh, appointed Minister of Kinfauns in 1759, and in 1762 translated to the second, and soon after to the first, charge of Perth. When in 1807 the original parish of Perth was divided into four, he retired from office, and, for In eleven years thereafter, lived, as he had always done, in much honour and esteem. He died on 27th April 1818. 2 Within the present generation conspicuous service of this kind has been rendered by Mr. R. S. Fittis, whose numerous volumes on the antiquities of Perth and Perthshire are marked by great ability and industry, and are full of accurate information. Not more than two documents, though both of interest, are missing since his time. One, the "Account Book of the Friars" (Liber Ratiotinarii Fratrum), now printed in the Appendix from his Ms. translation, was in existence within a comparatively recent period, but every effort to discover it has failed. The other is the Countess of Huntlie's Charter, already noticed--of which, however, a chartulary copy is preserved. And, on the whole, considering how many changes have taken place in the custody of these papers-Hospital Masters to whose care they were intrusted often holding office only for a year-it is almost a wonder that the losses have not been more serious. The papers, all but the Account Book, have now been transcribed directly from the, chartulary and the originals. The more important of them are arranged in the order and date of subjects to which they relate, and are indicated by Roman, while others of later date, connected with a subject, are placed after the principal one, and indicated by ordinary numerals, 1, 2, 3, etc. This arrangement appears the most suitable and serviceable. There has been no abridgment in any case, the object being to make the collection full and complete. Though exception is occasionally taken to printing at length documents in which the same phrases and clauses recur, almost every one of these documents exhibits some special feature of interest, and little would be gained by the omission of any portion. But it has been deemed sufficient to give only summaries of the contents. Translations, besides being unnecessary for those likely to feel interested in a volume of this kind, would have unduly increased its size. It may be added that such papers as are found both in the original and in the chartulary are denoted by an asterisk*; to those existing but in the original no particular mark is attached; while, as regards those contained only in the chartulary, reference is given to the page or folio where they occur. Mr. Scott mentions with regret that most of the wax seals appended b to the charters had already disappeared-been clipped off and carried away. A few specimens of such as still remain are shown in the frontispiece. Nos. 1 and 2 are taken from Sir Gilbert Hay's Charter (XIII.), which states that the two originally affixed to it were those of himself and of Bishop William Lamberton of St. Andrews. The first seems to be that of Sir Gilbert, but another must have been substituted for that of the bishop. No. 3 is from Andrew Ogilvy of Inchmartin's Deed of Excambion (XVII. 3), and No. 4-though apparently that of some one else than the donor-from John Eviot of Balhousie's Charter (XLIV.). The official seal' in the centre, exhibiting "a rudely executed design of the Virgin and Child within a niche, in the lower part a monk praying," is from an impression kindly furnished by Dr. Joseph Anderson of the Society of Antiquaries. The original, which he judges to be of the early fifteenth century, and which bears the inscription, as read in full by him, Sigillum officiale Prioris Ordinis Prædicatorum de Perth," is in the possession of the Society. The map, copied and reduced from a larger one-which belongs to the Perth Museum, and which, though but of recent date, 1765, is the oldest local map of the kind-may be useful to show, as it does clearly enough, the several points and districts referred to. 2 It now remains for me but to express my grateful sense of obligations under which I have been laid; specially to Dr. Dickson of the Register House, Edinburgh, whom I have been permitted to consult on points of difficulty, and whose valuable aid is always so cordially rendered; to Mr. Clark of the Advocates' Library, for ready access to the MSS. of Mr. Scott, and to books of reference; to the Rev. W. Stevenson, M.A., of 1 Another seal of still inferior workmanship, and perhaps somewhat later date, is shown in Mr. Parker Lawson's Book of Perth, and herewith reproduced on the title-page. It bears, under a canopy, two full-length figures, one carrying a lamb, and the other with a sword in his right 2 Auchtertool, Fife-formerly of the Middle Church, Perth-at whose suggestion the work was undertaken, and whose interest in it has throughout been most friendly; and to the Rev. J. Ferguson, B.D., of Aberdalgie, Clerk of the Presbytery of Perth, so well known to his co-presbyters and others for his accurate and extensive scholarship, and for his ability and courteous readiness to furnish assistance in matters of historical inquiry. For the defects of the volume-numerous, no doubt-I alone am responsible; yet I trust it may, to some extent, be found of service, and may help to keep alive the memory of an institution, which erewhile wielded an influence of its own, filled its place, and had its day. R. M. PERTH, June, 1893. |