The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

lOO The Highland Monthly.
of Mr John Laying's demission and Mr Jas. Mackenzie, his
entry." Also on ist June, 171 5, we find the schoolmaster
and the session-clerk again complaining of their salaries not
having been paid, and mention made that " the penaltie
money is the fund to clear them."
The Grammar School continued to be in the Hospital
House, until it was superseded in 1792 by the Royal
x^cademy : hence the name " The Old Academy."
The successor of James Thomson as Hospital Treasurer
was James Dunbar, who was chosen to that office on 8th
January, 17 12, and is described in the minute of that date
as James Dunbar, mercht., younger, in Inverness and one of
the elders. He did not, however, enter on his duties till
about Martinmas : for a Minute of Session of 25th
November, 17 12, records " James Dunbar, who had not yet
officiate as Treasr. though chosen," was formally appointed
and empowered by the Session " to uplift annual rents due
to the hospital, and secure sums of money due where the
cautionrie is like to expire, to give tacks of milns or fishing
belonging to them, and when need is to pursue for removal!
and finally to doe everie thing competent for the good of
the poor aggreable to the Mortification made in their favour,
and every other thing which former Treasurers were
empowered to doe in a conformatie with the instructions,
contained in the Hospitall Book."
He had charge of the Hospital Accounts as Treasurer
from Whit. 1 712 to Marts. 17 19.
The new Treasurer seems to have been resolved from
the first to act up to his instructions. It was soon after he
entered upon his duties that the memorandum for the
opinion of counsel above cjuoted was drawn up, and we find
him following up the protest he made in September, 171 1,
about the Hospital House, by a still stronger protest on
7th April, 17 1 3, against the mode in which the funds were
being dealt with, as well as the rooms in the building.
He states, inter alia, that " Provost Dunbar during his
lifetime had placed Bedmen in the Hospital," and that " in.