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 1545-1691, The 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.