The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

The Hospital of Inverness.
A copy of Provost Dunbar's mortification of the Hospital
building has been given early in this narrative, when it was
mentioned that it was recorded in the Session minutes of
1 8th September, 171 1. The occasion of this was that
James Dunbar, the then Church Treasurer, protested against
the Magistrates setting part of the Hospital without consent
oj the Session, who were made sole patrons of the Hospital
by Provost Dunbar. It seems probable that the James
Dunbar here referred to is the one who was appointed
Hospital Treasurer at the beginning of the following year,
viz., on Sth Januarx", and Mr David Scott was appointed
Church Treasurer the same day, the duty of the latter being,
inter alia, " to uplift and take care of the collections for the
poor." He protested " that both the upper floors be made
void and redde for receiving the poor, according to the will
of the mortifier." Upon this Bailie Stewart replied
" Possess the rooms who will the next year, the Magistrates
have decerned in favour of him to whom it was set for this
year, and that they will own it."
After Provost Alex. Dunbar's deed, dated loth Januar}-,
1684, is recorded in the Session records, as above stated,
on I Sth September, 171 1, there is added a resolution of the
Session, come to at the meeting on the former date, when
the Provost signed the mortification in presence of the
Session. The members present, besides according him
their thanks, " appointed that his name and coat of arms
should be set up on severall places thereof, and there con-
tinued as long as the place shall endure ;" also " that an)-
person of the name of Dunbar within the burgh requiring
to be put in the said Hospital, if deserving, should be pre-
ferred ;" further, " that, during Provost Dunbar's life time,
there should be none put within the Hospital, or enjoy any
maintenance of the same, without his consent and advice ;"
" also, in respect that the wey-house and yard"—then worth
£\2 per annum— " were mortifyed for maintaining, decor-
ing, and repairing the Hospital, the Session obliged
themselves and their successors to bestow the same in all
—