The Wedderburn book. A history of the ... - waughfamily.ca

RECORDS OF TESTAMENTS.Records^ These are, first, four early books (1515-41, 1541-55, 1546-48, and 1551-53) knownTestaments,as the "Books of the Official of S. Andrew's," and, secondly, the records, from 1567 on, ofthe different commissariot courts of Scotland, of which a list is given in the tabularsynopsis at p. 361 (No. X). These latter consist in each case of records of testaments,inventories, edicts of executory, decreets, warrants, &c For the purposes of this workthe " Books of the Official of S. Andrew's " have been searched throughout, 1 together withthe testaments of the commissariots of Edinburgh, Brechin, and S. Andrew's, selected asmost likely to contain material entries, and productive of the results given below. TheDunkeld testaments (1687 on} have also been searched down to 1800, but contain nothingmaterial, while one or two entries, casually found in the records of other commissariots,(such as the will of Mr. Alexander Wedderburn, minister of Kilmarnock, found amongthe Glasgow Testaments, the minute books of which have been searched, 1560 — 1780) arereferred to in Vol. I. In the following notes the one word " will " is for brevity usedin the place of " testament testamentary and inventory of goods, &c," " testamentdative," " grant of administi-ation." Of these only the first are, in the modern sense, wills,the others being grants of administration by the authorities. To distinguish the first ofthese, they are marked with an asterisk. The reference number at the end of each extractisto the volume of the record.Edinburgh Testaments.1514-1780.The records of this Commissariot consists of the following divisions :—1. Testaments, 1567—1829;with an index, 1567— 1800, referring to two fragments (1514-16, 1531-32) for which no record exists.2. Inventories, 1804-30 (two series). 3. Edicts of executory, 1670—1831. 4. Decreets. 1564—1790 ;Decernitures, 1811-31 ; and copy decreets, 1741 — 1318. 5. Consistorial decreets, 1684—1832, and minutebook, 1597— 1790. 6. Deeds, 1624-1809 ; with minute book, 1564— 1809. 7. Court Books, 1569—1788.8. Acts of Caution, 1594—1834 ; and Bonds of Caution, 1684— 1831. 9. Responde and Advising Books,&c, 1686—1650. 10. Processes, 1590—1835 : aud Consistorial Processes, 1650—1832, with index. 11. Petitions,Edicts, &c, 1789—1816. Of these only the first has been searched, down to 1780.1.* 1575. March 29.— Will of the late Thomas Wedderburn (son of the late GilbertWedderburn, burgess of Dundee), who d. ... 1574, given up by his relict andexecutrix, Agnes Crawfurd. It is dated at Leith, 13 Aug. 1574, and appoints hissaid wife tutrix to Agnes Wedderburn, his only daughter, during her minority and"les-age," when the said Agnes Crawfurd is to deliver to her so much of thedeceased's goods. &c, as Capt. Thomas Crawfurd of Jordanhill, James Wedderburn,burgess of Dundee, and Gilbert Thornetoun, writer, shall think expedient, (in.)2.* 1577. Nov. 13.—Will of the late James Wedderburn, burgess, who d. Sept. 1575,given up by Margaret Dundas, his relict and executrix. It is dated 25 October 1560,and made before Edward Wedderburn, burgess of Dundee, and others. He appointshis wife tutrix to his son John, and to his daughters Heleue and Elizabeth, (v.)1They contain only two material entries, both in the second volume :—(a) 1541. Oct. 15.—Sentence by Martin Balfour, canon and principal official of S. Andrew's, in auappeal by a prudent man, Robert Setoun, commissary general of Brechin, against prudent men,George Kollok and James Wedderburn, burgesses of Dundee, fermorars of three parts of theteind sheaves of the rectory of Dundee, iu reference to payment of the victual dues of the saidlands, (n, 4.)(i) 1542. April 20.—Sentence by the same in the appeal by Mr. John Jacksou, burgess of Dundee.,and Mr. Richard Jackson, chaplain of the altar of the blessed Virgin Mary, in the church ofS. Clement in Dundee, to the commissary general of Brechin, against Henry Wedderburn inDundee, in whose favour a decreet had been given by John, Bishop of Brechin, on 2 Sept. 1539.The official dismisses the appeal, (ib. 17.)