Wedderburn book > History

DAVID, OF CRAIGIE. 57
17 May 1533, when he and his " kinsman," Henry Wedderburn, settle the boundaries of Parti,
their Murraygait lands (D.P.B. 50) ; and 28 May 1534, when he charges his property with cha P- nl
an annual rent (D.P.B. 51 b). On 13 March 1534 a leper of the name of William Bell
assigned to him, " son of the late David," some Welgait land in trust for the lepers of the
burgh (D.C. 16), an entry indicative of his importance in the community. In the same
year he and his wife got a charter of the shadow half of Hiltoun of Craigie from John,
Abbot of Lindores, 9 Oct. 1535, confirmed to them under the Great Seal 10 Feb. 1539
(R.P.S. 6; G.S.R. 26); and this land is named as a boundary in the following year,
30 Aug. 1540 (D.C. 21). J They also got from Patrick, Lord Gray a charter of the mains
of Huntlie, in the barony of Foulis, co. Perth, 13 June 1542, confirmed under the
Great Seal 8 Aug. in that year (R.P.S. 7 ; G.S.R. 30). He was at one time engaged
in what seems to have been a family feud with the Rolloks (ante p. 7, n. 3), as 18 April
1543 he was "fugitive from law and at the horn" for the slaughter of David Rollok,
and his sons, James and William, and the rest of his children, got a gift of the escheat
of his goods (R.P.S. 10), while there is another gift to Patrick, Lord Gray, of the escheat
of his goods on 6 April in the same year (R.P.S. 11). The matter soon blew over, for by 25
Sept. following, he and his accomplices were all respited in respect of it (ib. 13). The gap in
the Dundee records then prevents our hearing of him for a time, but he can have been under
no ban when his name again arises. In 1550 (Feb. 11) he got a letter under the Privy Seal
appointing him " clerk of the coket " in Dundee, and " searcher of all goods," an office which
in later years was held by his son James (R.P.S. 18, 23). 2 He is called " elder" 5-8 June
155 1 (D.B.R. 28 c), and is nominated on the Council 23 Sept. (ib. 29 a). In the next month,
6 Oct., he, " elder," sells his mansion to the town for £90, and accepts payment, 20 Oct., in
the form of six burgess-ships (ib. 22 b, 32). Once more, 5 May 1552, he is called " elder,"
when his payment for 420 barrels of beer is duly recorded (ib. 35). In this year he added to
his Craigie property by the acquisition from Patrick, Lord Gray, of one-third of the Hiltoun
of Wester Craigie, the charter to himself and his wife being confirmed under the Great Seal
8 Aug. (R.P.S. 20 ; G.S.R. 31), s and we find him designed " elder, of Cragy" (D.B.R. 40, 43).
In the next year he got once more into trouble for violence and for having (in modern
parlance) " obstructed the police in the execution of their duty." He and his two sous were
charged with having " troubled and hurt Robert Merschell, officer of the burgh, in the
execution of his duty," and although he, on referring himself " to God and a good assize " at
Dundee, w 7 as acquitted 3 Nov., his sons were convicted (D.B.R. 45), and he does not seem
to have been quite cleared, as he thought it well to get a remission, 14 Dec, for both him-
self and his sons under the Privy Seal (R.P.S. 21 ). His property of the Mains of Huntly
is mentioned 13 Nov. 1554 (P.B.N. 1), and his Murraygait lands, Oct. 1555, and 17 March
1558 (D.B.R. 61 a; D.P.B. 92). He is, I think, the David Wedderburn, co-owner of the
ship James, named 25 May 1552, 16 Dec. 1555 (D.BR. 36, 58, 61 c). His position in
Dundee is best shown, perhaps, by the fact that it was in his house of Craigie that the
Council deposited the Church plate of the burgh in time of war. Thus, 12 Aug. 1557, " the
council and communitie hes receivit fra the hands of David Wedderburn of Craigie thir
jewels underwritten ... which David had in keiping " (Maxwell's Old Dundee, p. 128).
He was defender to a suit 17 Jan. 1557 (D.B.R. 72), and lived to see his elder daughter
Isobell married and provided for, 24 Dec. 1558 (D.P.B 88). His health was, however,
failing. On 3 April 1559 his wife binds herself, in event of his death, to provide
for his other daughter on her marriage (D.B.R. 86), 4 and soon after " in his body
hevelie weixit with inlirmitie and yit as apperit havand perfyte knowledge and memorie "
he made his will (D.P.B. 95). He died soon after, as 23 Aug. 1560 his son James
is named as his heir (D.B.R. 95) ; and 9-10 Oct., 18 Nov., Helen Lawson is called his relict
(ib. 99, 103), while, 16 Feb. 1560-61, the North Seagait land of the late David and the North
Murraygait land of the late Henry Wedderburn are mentioned (l).P.B. 107). Other
references to him may be found in connection with his son James (D.B.R. 112 ; R.P.C. 25)
1 Mr. A. C. Lamb in his Dundee (p. 59) says that a portion of Craigie belonged to a David Wedderburn
in 1480 and that in 1540 another David so held it, but I find no authority for the statement
as to 1480.
- He is not designed "elder " or " of Craigie," &c, in this entry, but I make no doubt it refers to him
No other David Wedderburn is mentioned in the Register of the Privy Seal, 1539-60.
3 Robert Rollok in Muirhouse seems to have redeemed this " one-third of Cragy " from David and his wife
by a payment of 1,250 merks. See the recital in a letter of tack, registered 12 April 1563 (D.P.B. 56).
4 She is called " spous " not " relict " in this entry, so that though his " deceis " is referred to, it was
contemplated only, and had not yet occurred.
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