TWEEDSMUIR PARISH HISTORY.

Tweedsmuir Covenanter Trial and Citations.

In January 1683 over 100 residents of Tweedsmuir Parish, including women and children, were cited by Francis Scott the Episcopalian Minister of the parish for being disorderly ie not attending church but attending illegal  conventicles at Talla Linns.(2)   There are three lists of citations , the first is a complete list of those attending the conventicle - the second lists those who have improved since the first list and list 3 lists those remain disorderlie.   More about conventicle on the Tweedsmuir and the Covenanters page.

The following is a transcription of the lists of residents from the records in the National Record Office retrieved by John Ballantyne (2).

 List 1.  The names of disorderly persons within the paroch of the new church of Tweedsmoore, befor the laird of Meldrum came into the samine for the tryal of the rebels thair in armes att Tala Linne.

Imprimus, those who withdrew altogither from ordinances.

Easter Hairston: Grissell Thomsone, with her daughter

Wester Hairstone:  David Moffat and his wife.

                            Marion Laidlaw

                            Isabell Ramath

                           James Hunter

Tala:                    Johne Tweedie , with his wife

Linnfoots:             Robert Blacklaw, his wife

Neather-minzeon: Grissel Scot, tenant 

                           James Hunter

                           David Scott

                           Robert Hunter

                           George Hunter

                           Mary Burnet

                           Thomas Ridfoord, with his wife

                           Jean Johnstone, all servants to the said Grissel

                          Edward Chisholme, tenants thair, his wife

                          Johne Chisholme, his father

                          Jannet Chisholme, daughter to the said Johne

                          Elspeth Chisholme, servant

                          James Chisholme, servant

                          Joan Scott, servant

                          Jean Welsh, spouse to Johne Welsh, tenant

                          Margaret Melross, servant

Over-minzeone:   Johne Welsh, elder, tenant, his children

                          Jean Porteous, his mother

                          William Bollo

                          Johne Johnstone

                          Johne Hendersone, his wife

                          Margaret Hendersone

                          Elspith Hendersone

                          Grissel Brydon, all servants

                          Margaret Laidlaw, widow thair

Fruid:                  Elizabeth Potter, cotter thair, with her children

                          Jennet Telfer

Carterhope:         John Ingles, tennant, all his brethern and sisters, being five

                          Johne Hunter with his wife, servants

                          Jennet Hope

                          Marion Thomsone

                          Jennet Brydon

Halkshaw:           The Lady

                          Johne, James and Jean Welshes, tennants

                          Johne Hunter, servant

                         Johne Bollo

                        Agnes Bollo, servant

                        Margaret Bollo, servant

                        Jean Chisholme, servant

                        Elspeth Hunter, subtennant

                        Joan Cuthbertsone

  Rebell (inset)   James Welsh, his wife

  Fingland:         Thomas Chisholme, his wife

  Earlshaugh:     Thomas Hope, his wife and sons, tennant

                        Johne Tod, his wife, tennant, Isabel Porteous

Glencraige:       James Welsh, his wife, daughter

                       Johne Johnston     

                       Agnes Melrosse, servant

Tweedhop-foot Thomas Kirkhope, his wife

Badlew:           John Hope, his wife and sone

                      Walter Welsh, his wife, children, tennants                       

                     James Welsh, subtenant

                     Isabel Welsh, Jennet Laidlaw, Margaret Brown, Elspith Laidlaw, servants

Glenbreck:     Mungo French, tennant, his wife and daughter

                    Johne Brown, Adam Laidlaw, Jean Bollo, servants

Riggs:           Robert Hope, tennant, his wife

                    Andrew Melrosse, Janet Melrosse, servants

 

The owners of the farms tended to keep out of the troubles.   However, one owner - The Lady of Hawkshaw bucked this trend.   The owners of Hawkshaw at this time was the Porteous family.  It is recorded that John Porteous died c1683 hence he must have left his wife - Mary Ramsey -  as the Lady of Hawkshaw. (3)   

Francis Scott compiled two further subsequent lists - one titled Who are more orderlie, and those who are very orderlie and second The names of those are yet disordlie.   Both lists follow.

List 2  The names of the forsaid personis, and who are come in since Whitsunday last, who are more orderlie, and those who are verie orderlie since the Laird of Meldrum held court hear within the paroch.

Easter hairstone:    Grissel Thomsone                 Verie orderlie.

                            Alexander Freser, servant       More orderlie.

Wester Hairstone: David Moffat, his wife              Verie orderly

                           Isabel Ramach                        More orderlie

                           James Hunter                         Verie orderlie

Tala:                    Johne Tweedie, his wife           Verie orderly

Linfootes:             Robert Blaicklaw                     Verie orderly

Neather-minion:    David Scott                             More orderlie

                           Thomas Ridfoord                      More orderlie

                           (blank) Andrison, servant          More orderlie

                           Edward Chisholme                    More orderlie

                           James Chisholme                      More orderie

                           Jean Scott                                More orderlie

                           Margaret Melross                      More orderlie

Over-minion:        Johne Welsh                             Verie orderly

                           Johne Henderson                      Verie orderly

                           his wife                                    More orderlie

Fruid:                   Elizabeth Potter                        More orderlie

                           her children                              More orderlie

Carterhope:          Johne Ingles                             Fled for adulterie

                           his brethern and sisters             More orderlie

                          Johne Hunter, his wife                More orderlie

                         Jennet Brydon                            More orderlie

Halkshaw:          The Lady                                    More orderlie

                         John, James and Jean Welshes     More orderlie

                         Agnes Bollo                                 More Orderlie

Fingland:           Thomas Chisholme, his wife          More Orderlie

                         Thomas Lambers                         More Orderlie

                         Walter Bollo, his wife                    More Orderlie

                         Johne Clerk, wis wife                    Verie Orderlie

Earlshaugh:        Thomas Hope                               Verie Orderlie

                         Thomas Watt                                More Orderlie

Glencraigs:         James Welsh, his wife and daughter  Once more orderlie, not so now

Tweedhope fott:  Thomas Kirkhope, his wife              More Orderlie

Badlew:              Johne Hope                                   Verie Orderlie

                          Walter Welsh                                 Kept ordinances bot tuo Lord's days.

                          George Brown, his wife                  More Orderlie

Glenbreck:         Mungo French, his wife                    Have kept bot tuo Sabbaths

                         Johne Brown                                  More Orderlie

                         Adam Laidlaw                                 More Orderlie

Riggs:                Robert Hope                                   Verie Orderlie

                         his wife                                          More Orderlie

                         Jennet Melrosse                              More Orderlie

 

List 3. The names of those who are yet disordlie.

Easter Hairstone: Patrick, Walter and Margaret Hendersons, children to Grissel Thomson

Wester Haitstone: Marion Laidlaw

Tala:                    Johne Richie and james Richie, his sone, Appeired bot tuo times

Linfotts:               Robert Blaicklaw , his wife and sister

Nether-minion      Grissel Scott, tennant

                           James Hunter

                           Robert Hunter

                           George Hunter

                           Mary Burnet

                           Elspith Chisholme, spouse to Thomas Ridfoord

                           Jean Johnstone

                           Jennet Greir, spouse to Edward Chisholme, tenant

                           Johne Chisholme, his father

                           Jennet Chisholme, his sister

                           Elspith Chisholme

                           Jean Welsh, spouse to Johne Welsh, tennant

Over-minion:        Johne Welsh, his children

                           Jean Porteous, his mother

                           William Bollo

                           John Johnstone

                           Margaret Henderson, Elspith Hendersone, children to Johne Henderson

                           Grissel Brydon

                           Margeret Laidlw, widow

 

Fruid:                  Jennet Telfer

Carterhope:         Jennet Hope

                          Marion Thompsone

Halkshaw:           Johne Hunter

                          Johne Bollo

                          Margaret Bollo

                          Jean Chisholme

                          Elspith Hunter

                          Jean Cuthbertsone

                          James Welsh, rebel, irregular marriage and baptismes

Earlhaugh:          Agnes Tweedie, spouse to Thomas Hope

                          Margaret Welsh, spouse to Thomas Watt

                          Johne Tod and his wife

                          Agnes Melrosse

Badlew:              Alison Welsh, spouse to Johne Hope

                          Robert Hope

                          Margaret Laidlaw, spouse to Walter Welsh

                          James Welsh, his children

                          Jennet laidlaw

                          Margaret Brown

                          Elspith Laidlaw

Glenbreck:          Jean Bollo

                          Andrew Melrosse

                          Elspith French, daughter to Mungo French

 

These presents are attested to be  of veritie by the minister of the new church of Tweedsmoore.

Written and subscribed with his own hand the 1 day of January 1683 years,

                                                                                                 Francis Scott.

NRS. PC15/17.

 

 References.

1)   Ireland, Ronald; Blody Covenant Crown and Kirk in Conflict, History Press, Stroud, 2017. pp177-180.

2)  National Records of Scotland; Suplementary Privy Council Papers 1545-1691The names of disorderly persons within the paroch of the new church of Tweedsmoore, befor the Laird if Meldrun came into the samine for tryal of the rebels thair in armes att Talla Linne.  NRS Ref PC15.

                                                                Also

    Ballantyne, H. John;  Borders Family History Society Magazine, Issue no 94, June 2017,  pp 10-13.  

 

3)  Buchan, J.W. Paton, H, Rev;  History of Peeblesshire, Jackson Wyllie, Glasgow, 1927, Vol iii p398.

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