History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

134 LAND OF THE LINDSAYS.
clergy, or of collateral members of the Lindsay family, for both
the monuments alluded to were found within its limits. The
manse or rectory, of which traces are occasionally found when
tilling the field of Aikenhatt, stood a little south of the kirk ; and
the first rector with whom we have met, was Dominus Johannes
de Monte Alto, brother to the lord of Feme, and, as " rector
ecclesise de Fothynevyn" he witnesses his brother's resignation
of Brichty in favour of Sir Alexander Lindsay of Glenesk,*
on the 20th of December 1379, and in all probability he had
been rector at the time of the rebuilding of the church, and
the founding of the prebend. From then until the beginning of
the sixteenth century his successors are unknown ; but at that
time the office was held by Henry White, who was also Dean
of Brechin ; and, in 1532, when the College of Justice was esta-
blished by King James, he was " ane of the first that wes chosin"
to fill the onerous duties of a Lord of Session. He was far
advanced in life at the time of his appointment, and had been an
active supporter of James IV., for within six years after his in-
stallation the King, because " he is of age, and subdite to infir-
mities," and from his having " done leill and trow seruice to
our fader of gude mynde," and to " ws in our tyme," relieved
him from his duties, and desired that he should " joiss all priui-
lege in persoune and gudis and pencioune" as the rest of the
council "for lyftyme, sic like as he war dayly present as of
before.""}"
The next parson of Finhaven with whom we have met, was
David Lindsay of Pittairlie, who appears soon after the Kefor-
mation, as holding both this cure and that of Inverarity. He
was a relative of the family of Lindsay-Crawford (in whom the
patronage of both churches was long vested), and not only
having an ample stipend, but being also tacksman of the teinds of
both parishes, he bound himself to supply a reader at each place ;
and from this period (1576) we have found no mention of Fin-
haven as a separate parish, nor, as already said, are we aware
of the time of its suppression , or of the removal of the church
to Oathlaw.
It is supposed that Oathlaw, which is perhaps a corruption of
* Information kindly communicated by Lord Lindsay.
t ITaig and Brunton'fi Acct, of the Senators of the Coil, of Justice, p. 32,