1668. November 15.-One of the fishing boats being lost at sea by reason of the tempestuous weather, help is to be given to the widows and orphans. The usual penalty at this period for fornication was £4 Scots. 1669. April 4-"Ane general contributione granted to William Fraiser, student of philosophie, to help him at his graduatione.” 1 1670. April 24.-Collection for the bulwark of Dundee. October 2.-" Jannet Sherrae for her lewd conversation is ordained to stand in joggs and sackcloth, and to be banished out of the town if ever she be found guilty of the like again." 1671. March 20.-John Smith, a married man, is accused of being the father of Margaret Philip's child. He denies. "The Session thought fitt that he should be incarcerate until he should sett suretie als oft as he was called, and that it would be ane mean to bring him to ane confession." He is put in prison and confesses. 1672. June 16.-"James Mitchell challenged by the minister for ceremonies used-to witt, for louseing of the pynts off his shoes and breaches, and, being sharply rebuked, promised never to do the like again." July 14" Baillie Stewart, &c., ordered to see a hairse [for holding lights] that is in the toun and buy it for the church's use." 1673. February 16.-Collected for Anna Philp, whose husband was slain in the king's fleet, £5 11s. 4d. March 30.-"It was inacted that every one who obtained the benefit of a burial place in the new church should pay as followeth : these who are come to mature age, man or woman, 10 marks, and the young child 5 marks. It was inacted that they who obtaine the benefite to be contracted in private should pay to the church treasurer £2. It was inacted that on lecture dayes ther should be a collection." April 1.-Lecture, collected 9s. 4d. April 6.-Fast before Communion. April 12.-Preparation before Communion. April 13.-Sacrament, collected at the doors, £6 14s. 6d.; at the tables, £11 7s. 10d. April 14 Thanksgiving sermon. Distributed poor's money: May 5, £12 2s. 4d.; August 5, £12 os. 4d.; November 2, £13 os. 4d.; February 2, £13 125. Ten are Seatown poor and seventeen are town poor. July 26.-" Patrick Moorison and his wife for their scandalous carriage to one another are enjoyned the following Sabbath in sacco to stand in joggs betwixt the second and third bell then incontinentlie to betake themselves to the public stool of repentance and with open voice befor the whole congregation acknowledge ther offensive behaviour, with certificate they will be banished the town as vagabonds if they do the like again." August 17.-They compear. September 28.-"William Cuming of Auchry allowed by the session to build two pewes behind the desk placed before the gavell window in the new work of the church." December 28.-Four persons-three men and one woman-on the stool, 1674. "Delated Robert Duffes, one of the deacons for scandalous transgressing the Sabbath in the parish of Alvah in apprehending by H violence men to the French captains by my Lord Banff his commandment." He is deposed. July 14" Christian, daughter of James Winchester, late Town Clerk, writes to the Session desiring Auchry meddle not with her father's seat he having erected two pewes under the great gevil window and having contributed considerably for erecting the new church work." July 30.-" Paul Keith, of the parish of Mains, in the Mairns, presented his testificat given under the minister's hand of that parish, and made ane promise of marriage with Janet Lorimer, and consigned for performance and abstinence according to the order." William Cuming of Auchry petitions for a pew as the representative of John Gordon, provost. The Laird of Auchry gets a seat in the north side of the kirk new work, built by Provost Gordon, defunct. Provost Thomas Ogilvie and Bailie Gordon get license from the Session to erect pews adjacent to Auchry's, and "to decore the sd pewes wt. ther names and arms as they will." Mr. Alexander Seton, minister, gets power to erect a seat near Auchry's. October 4-Alexander Ritchie petitions for the two pews in the south side of the kirk near to the fishers' loft presently possessed by him. Granted. John Bizet gets power to erect a pew in the vacant room contiguous to the pews possessed by Alexander Ritchie. Master Wm. Darg gets liberty to erect one next to John Bizet's. November 15.-" Margaret Spence delated as seen casting water seven tymes out the sea toward the toun, and five stones into the sea, in time of morning prayer the preceding Sabbath. She deponed upon her soul's salvation she did for preventing the feavere and not out of any principle of magick, adding that of negligence and not of intention she cast the water toward the town." To be rebuked before the pulpit. 1675. "Some boyes' names, noted for male-observing divine worship, cited from pulpit, and ther parents exhorted to be carefull over them." May 2.-Twenty merks per annum granted by the session to Paul Keith for teaching music. June 20 and 27.-Communion celebrated. August 1." Isobel Mainie fined for carrying of burdens on the Sabbath day." October 17.-The minister absent, having received a call from my Lord Winton to be minister of Tranent. 1676. "Several men and boys ordained to appear on the stool of repentance for untymous gathering of ware. The men to pay 13s. 4d., and the boys 6s. 4d." March 12.-The minister's farewell sermon. Text 2 Cor. xiii. 1. Collected £3 13s. 4d. May 14" William Gordon, late Dean of Guild, and John Gordon, sailor, allowed to erect two pewes in the vacant room before the stool of repentance." October 22.-" The session, taking to their serious consideration how that the sin of uncleanness was much abounding, and as a means to curb it, did inact that the single fornication should pay 8 merks of penalty, and that the penalties be keeped per se, and allocated to some pious uses." Collections: September 3, £2 15s. 6d.; September 10, £3 8s.; September 17, £2 18s.; September 24, £3 4s. 1677. March 18.-" Alexander Craig of Rose Craig appeared in the public place of repentance pro 20., and was absolved. He paid his own penalties, and enacted himself for payment of the woman's." November 18.-"Given to 4 shipbroken Zetland men 4s. stg." 1678. February 3.-" Given to John Anton, hydropick, 12s." June 2.-" Collected for releaving some Mont Rose merchants and seamen from the slavish captivity of the Turks £20." R 1679. May 12.-" Collected for Mercurius Lascary, a Grecian priest from the isle of Samos, recommended by the Privy Council for his own, his brother's, and two sons' ransoms, captivated by the Algier pyrats, £10." James Ogilvie allowed to build a pew under the stool of repentance. March." Indigent persones recommended by the Bishop and Synod to the charitable supplie of the severall congregationes within this diocess are Alexander Urchart and Patrick Wilsone in Bamff." V. PATRICK INNES (1679-1699) was a native of Aberdeenshire, studied at King's College, Aberdeen, and became chaplain to James, Earl of Findlater. He had been but a few months minister of Deskford when he was translated to Banff, 2nd November, 1679. He forfeited his benefice, not having freedom to take the test, in 1681, but getting his difficulties removed he afterwards did so, and with the permission of the Privy Council was restored, 23rd February, 1682. He was also received by a Committee of the General Assembly 2nd July, 1694, and died in June, 1699, aged about 48 years. (See Scott's "Fasti," Wodrow, &c.) EXTRACTS FROM PRESBYTERY RECORDS DURING THE MINISTRY OF 1679. November 26.-The Presbytery require the minister of Banff to pronounce the sentence of the lesser excommunication on John Lovie. 1680. "Indigent persones recommended to the charitable supplie of the severall congregationes within this diocess: George Mintie in Bamfe, &c." |