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A Famous Minister of Dauiot, 1672-1726. lill)
in. The iK'ritoi's, Iiowcvit, iutiiiwiU'd tluit tlu'y li;ul ri'solvt'd to
liuikl a manse at Daviot, ami "that they are content to stent
theu)selves for huilding of a sufficient manse in the sowme of tliree
hundred merks [about .£JG. Gs. sterling] in hand befor the work
he begun, as also to furnish upon their own expenses men and
horses to lead all tlie timber to Daviot from Strathspey or Inverness,
beside the heweii work yt is recjuisit to be in the house.
This condescendence satisfied the minister, who was to l)uild the
'iianse himselff upon the recept of the money," and "the bretheren
exhorts both minister and heritors to fullill their engagements,
herein that the minister may dwell and reside among his people."
Whether the heritors contributed the three hundred merks, or
whether tlie minister received the money and found some other
use for it, I am unable to say ; but in any case the arrangement
was not carried into etlect, and, as we shall see, the manse was
not erected till 1G81, when the
selves in the usual manner.
Presbytery went about it them-
In the year 1678 Mr jNIichael got into trouble with the Bishop,
who sus))ended him tor a time, but he was restored to his parish,
and on 10th May 1C81, the Presbytery met at Daviot, for the
purpose of " appretiating " a manse. As it may interest some of
you to know how this was gone about in the olden time I shall
(juote the minute. " Having met with such heretorsas wei'e there
present, [the brethren] all \vent to the parish church of Daviot,
qr after invocation of ye Lord's name, the Moderator enquired the
minister of the place if he had given timeous intimation and advertisement
to the parishioners of the said meeting ; answered aftir-
inative ; as also the heritors, elders, and deacons present confirmed
the same. The Moderator encjuired further if he had brought
with him massons, carpenter,s, smiths, glasiers, and oyr workmen
usually called for apretiatioii of manses ; answered affirmatively ;
the which workmen being all present were deeply sworne one by
one with uplifted hands to deale uprightlie and honestlie in ye said
appretiation according to theii- skill and knowledge, all this btdng
ilone with consent of the herietors present nemine contradicente.
The Moderater tooke instrument in Hector Fraser Notar Publick's
hand, and ye said workmen were immediately thereafter directed
to the said manse with the said notar as clerk, to a])pretiat the
Siimen." And the workmen having thus estimated the cost of the
manse, the amount was allocated on the heritors, and the work
proceeded with.
Early in 1682 the Bishoi) started on a tour of inspection
through his extensive diocese, and on 16th May he and the