A last word of our notary Alexander, of whom we heard in the time of Alexander II, but whose life ran more into that of George I. The earliest dates in his protocol book are one of the year 1502 without any month, and another of the 5th April 1513; but both entries appear to be merely common forms, the former giving the formalities for the holding of a court at Perth, the Sheriff being William Ruthven of Ruthven, knight; the latter a form for the entry of the holding of a court at Bamff by the lord, but without the lord's name being given. We next hear of the notary personally under the year 1530, as already mentioned; but the regular series of entries in his book, seventy-nine in all, does not begin till the year 1561 and ends in 1563, the last entry being a notice to quit to a man wrongfully occupying "the third rynrig" of certain lands at "Rennaqulen" (Rannagulzion).

The notice was to be read out in church "during preaching or prayers", and was in fact so read by Alexander himself in the kirk at Alyth. Thus we have the Reformed service already established at Alyth. The most important entries in Alexander's protocol book are those referring to the disputed possession of Kirklandbank; the others mostly refer to the affairs of persons in moderate circumstances, residing in or near Alyth; references to arbitration are common. The provisions of a marriage contract between one Ronald Robie and Margaret Soutar, a widow with grown-up children, are curious. Robie is to bring in 76 marks; the woman's eldest daughter is to leave the house, and she is to take away as her portion the best bed, the best pot, the best "countir" and the best kist; everything else she is to leave behind her.

Contemporary with George and Alexander may have been another notary public, Sir Walter Ramsay, who attests a copy of a Coupar-Angus charter dated 13 September 1549; but I cannot pretend to trace his connexion with Bamff.

1 Register of Coupar Abbey, ii. 65.

66

George owned a house in Dundee, on the south side of the Flukergate", as the present as the present Nethergate was then called. "Fluke" is the Scottish name for a flounder, and Flukergate might be rendered Flounder Street; it was in fact the fishmarket of Dundee, near the shore. A row of houses formerly standing on the north side of the Flukergate have been removed to clear the view of the church. In the Rent Rolls of the Burgh of Dundee about the year 1567 the house is described as "the land of the Abbot of Scone, now of the laird of Bamff ", and situate next to the "land" (i. e. self-contained mansion) of Robert Rolloks.1 At the present day the house as restored stands the third west from Union Street.

George I died on the 20th or 21st June 1580 (No. 89). He married first Elizabeth, daughter of [ ] Wood of Bonnyton;

by her he had

1. George, who succeeded him in Bamff.

2. John, clerk and notary (Nos. 94 and 95), who succeeded his father in the house in Dundee (No. 105).

3. Thomas, styled Master Thomas (No. 105), burgess of Perth, and schoolmaster at Dundee (No. 112).

4. Samuel, styled 'Master' and 'of Crottie' (Nos. 107, 112); married to Janet Moncur.

5. Janet, married to David Nairn of Blairgowrie (Register of Deeds, xi. 245, J. M. Thomson).

6. Katharine.

7. Margaret, married to John Coll, burgess of Perth (Register of Inhibitions for Perthshire, 14 June 1587, J. M. T.).

George married secondly Margaret Erskine, styled "Lady Pettarie", widow of Allardice of that Ilk. She survived him and was married thirdly to George Drummond of Balloch (Register of Deeds, i. 230, J. M. T.).

1 Thomson, History of Dundee, p. 333.

48

PRECEPT OF CLARE CONSTAT by Master Alexander Livingstone of Dunipace in favour of George Ramsay of Bamff, son of Alexander Ramsay of Bamff, as his heir in the lands of Drumflogne: 30th March 1542.

Parchment.

"MAGISTER Alexander Levingstoun de Donypace, dilectis meis Silvestro Retray ac eorum cuilibet conjunctim et divisim ballivis meis in hac parte specialiter constitutis, salutem. Quia michi per auctentica documenta clare constat et est notum quod quondam Alexander Ramsay de Banff, pater Georgii Ramsay de Banff latoris presentium, obiit ultimo vestitus et sasitus ut de feodo ad pacem et fidem supremi Domini nostri Regis de totis et integris terris de Drumflogny cum pertinentiis jacentibus in baronia mea de Crag et infra vicecomitatum de Forfar, et quod dictus Georgius est legitimus et propinquior heres ejusdem quondam Allexandri patris sui de totis et integris predictis terris de Drumflogny cum suis pertinentiis, et quod est legitime etatis, et quod de me et heredibus meis seu assignatis tenentur (cut away) [mani]bus meis tanquam in manibus domini superioris sui earundem nunc existunt et devenerunt ob causam mortis dicti quondam Alexandri patris sui: Vobis igitur et vestrum cuilibet conjunctim et divisim precipio et mando quatenus visis presentibus indilate sasinam statum et possessionem hereditariam totalium et integrarum predictarum terrarum cum (sic) Drumflogny cum suis pertinentiis prefato Georgio Ramsay tanquam legitimo et propinquiori et (sic) heredi quondam Alexandri patris sui, vel suo certo actornato latori presentium, secundum tenorem antiqui infeofamenti desuper confecti, juste deliberetis et haberi faciatis et sine dilatione, salvo jure cujuslibet, et hoc nullo modo omittatis, ad quod faciendum vobis et vestrum cuilibet conjunctim et divisim ballivis meis in hac parte antedictis meam plenariam liberam et irrevocabilem tenore presencium

committo potestatem. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum meum unacum mea subscriptione manuali presentibus est appensum, apud Edinburgh penultimo die mensis Marcii anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo secundo, coram hiis testibus, Henrico Hepburn, Johanne Levingstoun de Castelcary, Johanne Quhite, et Andrea Quhite, notario publico, cum diversis aliis. (Signed) Maister Alex'. Levingstoun of Dunipace w. my hand."

(Seal of grantor attached, in beautiful preservation.)

49

SASINE following upon the said Precept: 15th October 1542. (Latin) Parchment.

INSTRUMENT of Sasine, dated 15th October 1542, of George Ramsay of Banf, in terms of the foregoing precept of Clare Constat, in the lands of Drumflogni. Silvester Rattray of Craghaw gives sasine as bailie to George Reid, attorney for the said George Ramsay, who produces royal letters of attorney dated at Edinburgh, 1st April 1542 (anno regni 29) empowering the said George Reid or David Rattray to act on behalf of the said George Ramsay. Witnesses to the sasine (given about 2 p.m.) are William Patersone, John Murray, and Robert Thomsone. The notary, Alexander Ramsay, chaplain of the diocese of Dunkeld, appends his docquet.

50

SASINE OF JOHN CUMMING of Couttie and his wife in the lands

of Drumflogne: 16th October 1543. (Latin) Parchment. INSTRUMENT of Sasine, dated 16th October 1543, given by John Blair, as bailie of John Crichton of Ruthven, to John Cummyng of Cowty and Janet Crechtoune his spouse, personally, of the

lands of Drumflogneis, lying in the barony of Cragis of Glenylay, in the sheriffdom of Forfar; proceeding on a precept of sasine by the said John Crichton directed to the said John Blair (or to William Roger), reciting that he has sold his lands foresaid to the said John Cumming and his wife and the heirs begotten or to be begotten between them; which precept is dated at Cowty, 15th October 1543, and attested by William Roger, John Blair, and Master George Blair, notary public. Sasine was given about 10 a.m., in presence of James Crechtoune, William Cummyng, and William Rawery (sic). George Blair, layman of the diocese of Dunkeld and notary public, appends his docquet.

51

SASINE OF JOHN CRICHTON of Ruthven in the third part of the lands of Drumflogne: 8th June 1549. (Latin) Parchment. INSTRUMENT of Sasine, dated 8th June 1549, given to James Creichtoun alias Felde as attorney for John Creichtoun of Ruthwennis, proceeding upon a precept of Clare Constat by Master Alexander Lewingstoun of Donypace, directed to George Creichtoun of Camnay (Camno) as bailie, to infeft the said John Crichton as heir to the deceased John Creichtoun of Ruthwennis, his father (who fell at Pinkincleuch), in the third part of the lands of Drumflogneis, with pertinents, lying in the barony of Craggis and sheriffdom of Forfar. The precept was dated at Edinburgh, 18th March 1549 (sic); witnesses, Andrew Abircromby, Thomas Creichtoun, Adam Creichtoun, Thomas Roxburgh, and others. The attorney received sasine "complosis manibus per terre et lapidis traditionem alias exhibitionem, ac domorum inclusionem et ibidem inhabitatoribus expulsis cunctisque aliis remotis, ut moris est in talibus ", conform to the old infeftment given of before to the said deceased John Crichton. Done upon the ground of the third part of Drumflogneis, about 3 p.m., in presence