Wedderburn book; a history of the Wedderburns in ... - waughfamily.ca

591,
76 THE WEDDERBURN BOOK.
30 May 1560, when the bailies decern their " testimoniall under their seall " that he
is " son lauchfuU and bcp;ottin on niatriinoiiy of Alexander Woddcrhiirn and Margaret
{sid for Ihobell) Aiidursou " (D.B 11. 89). There is a decree for hiin and his factors
2 May 1565 {ih. 14.5 4), and, five yeai-s later, 20 Sept. l-'iTO, there is a decree for
him and his fattier [ib. 190 a). By 22 .Inly 1572 he had gone abroad and was
settled as a burgess of Elsinore in Denmark, being so described in a settlement of
this date of three acres in the Kastfield of Dndop made by his aunt Eufame Fowlair
on his parents for life and on liim in fee (D.P.B. 166), and there is another settlement
on him by his parents just a year later, 22 July 1573 {ti.W. 25). He was in
Elsinore in 1574, in which year, 27 March, his father guarantees that liis son Richard,
burgess there, will pay fifty-five dollars to Robert W'edderburn, younger, on his
arrival at Elsinore (D.l'.B. 169 h). His brother Patrick seems to have acted as his
attorney in Dundee, granting discharu'es for him 21 Julv 1574 and 27 Julv 1575
(D.B.R. 210/: 1> P.B. 186)" On l-l^Julyl576 his fatheV made a settlement of a
great part of his Dundee property on him as liis " heriticr, air, and onlie assignay "
(S.W. 32), after which there is no mention of him for some years. In 1583, May 25,
he disponed his South Cowgait land to his brother Patnck (i>.B.R. 228)," and
28 Nov. in that J'ear his father is named as acting for himself and his son Richard
(D.P.B. 233). There is a single mention of him, 7 July 15S9, in David Wedderburn's
Compt Duik (D.W. lis). After the death of his father he sold his Dundee
property to liis brother Patrick for 2,000 merks, 28 July 1590 (S AV. 66 ; D.P.B.
283), his discliarge for which sura is one of the latest mentions of him in the
Dundee Records.
He seems to have been a person of some importance in Elsinore. "Wlion Sir
Patrick Wans of Barnbarrock went as ambassador from Scotland to ncnmark in
1587 he came " that nyclit (8 Juno) to Ricardus Weddyi-burn's hoviss at Elsoiienyr,"
and established it seems some friendship with him (Corr. of Sir P. Wans, p. 396).!
There is a letter from Patrick \\'edderbnni to Sir Patrick, dated 1 1 Sept. 15S7, as
to his brother Richard Wcddorburn " furth of Elsonovar '' {ib. p. 404), and Richard
is named again 12 Feb. 1590 {ih. p. 404). Tliere are two royal licenses to Richard
preserved in the Dundee recoi-ds, dated 24 Sept. and 27 Oct." 1590. By the former
he is allowed to export from Scotland " seven haundy naigis," and by the latter ho
gets leave to export ten chalders of wheat yearly for ten years "for making of
mayne flower tliairof to tho use and table of our dearest brother the Kvng of
Denmark, as he has been accuotomat thir divers yeiris by past" (D.B.R. 285 a b).
The last mentions of him relate to a contract between him and the town council of
Dundee for the timber for the roof of the kirk of Dundee. On 27 Oct. 1590
commissioners were appoiiilcd to contract with him, Patrick Kynuaird, and others
for their timber, and a year later, Oct.-Xov. 1 there is a note of the receipt from
Richard AVedderburn's servant of 22 great joists, 4-4 feet long, and 32 dozen trees
of various sizes, from 8 to 32 feet in length (D.C.B. 16).
It does not appear if he married or left issue. There is no reference to any
descendants of his in the Dundee Records, but this, in his case, proves nothing, as
he seems to have become a naturalized Dane, and his descendants (if any) no
doubt remained in Denmark, and may be still traceable there.
' See the Correspondence of Sir Patrick AVaiis of Barnbarrock, Kut., Pareon of Wigtoun, First Almoner to
the Queen, Senator of the College of Justice, Lord of Council and Ambas.-iador to Denmark, ed.
R V. Agnew : Edin., Ayr and Galloway Archa?ol. Assoc, 1SS7, pp. 396, 404, 448. The letter from
Patrick Weddcrburn, mentioned above, is as follows :—
" 8Iy lord, eflcr my humble commendation of seruice I liawe resauit ane lettre frome my brother
recardus W'edderburn furth of EUonovar, vith ane obligatiouu of .M'' johne lermonthis dett, that
quhair the said M"' JoUnne lies borroivit, and resawit fra my Baid brother recaidus, the sowme of
auchten auld doU.irs and aucht dens (i.e., Danish) silling, the quhilk the ssid Jl"' Johnne is bund iu
his obligatiouu. and makis mentioim that your L. {i.e., lord.^hip) and M' piter Vounj s.iU satisiie at
the sicht of his obli|,'atioun, quhilk I have in keping ;
quhairfore prayis your L. that I may liawe the
eiluer send to me vith the tirst suir hand that cumis this way, and resawe tlie said M"' Johnnei.s
obligatioun. pr.ivand your L. to have me excusit of my hn.tible chairg, for my brother will luik for
the iiiliier the tirst .*chip that sellls estvart. nocht forderat this present, but committis your L. to the
protextion of god. from Dundie. the ele\-iQt day of September 1687.—be your L.'s servitor, Patrik
Wedderburn, burgess of dundie."
The address is torn off. Mr. Peter Young, named in the letter, was Sir Patrick's colleague in the
emba.s3y. In auother letter from another correspondent in Elsinore to the Laird of Barnbarrock,
12 Feb. 1590, the writer says, " 1 commendit your L. lykvyss to your L. auld ost richardus."