Wedderburn book > History

JOHN", OF CRAIGIE. 63
John Wedderburn 1 of Craigie [1556? — 1599?], eldest son and heir of James Part i.
Wedderburn of Craigie and Margaret Dundas. He seems to have been bred to the law, Ch ap. m
under his cousin, the clerk, as it must be he who is referred to 18 May 1570 as "John
Wedderburn, servitor to Alexander Wedderburn, notary," on an occasion when he acts as a
witness (D.P.B 176 a). Thereafter he is often named as witness together with the clerk, e.g.,
-24 Aug. 1571 (D.B.R. 198), 5 July 1572 (G.S.R. 40), 7 May 1573 (S.W. 22), 21 Aug., 2 Nov.
1574 (D.B.R. 211, 241/). and 5 March 1575 (S.W. 28). 2 He is sometimes called "scriba,"
e.g., 26 Aug. 1574, 27 May 1577 (D.P.B. 185 b), and it is, thus, probably his signature
which occurs on the title page of vol. 238 of the Dundee Protocol Books 3 and (1574) at
the foot of one of the pages of vol. 242 (D.P.B. 164), and again on the title page of vol.
14 of the Burgh and Head Court Records (post vol. ii, p. 276;. 4
He is named in the edict of curatory to himself and his brothers and sisters 23 Jan.,
10 Feb. 1576 (D.B.R. 223), and a year later 22 March 1577, probably on coming of age,
was cognosced son and heir of umquhill James Wedderburn, burgess, and is entered in
all his father's lands, &c, "with all privilege of a burgess heir" (D.B.R. 233) 5 Soon
after this he seems to have attached himself to David, Earl of Crawfurd, as there is,
10 Sept. 1579, a caution by David Lindsay of Pyottistoun for the entry of John Wedder-
burn, servant to the Earl (R.P.C. 12). He is next mentioned 4 Feb. 1583, when he is
entered in the South Murraygait lands of his grandfather David, and resigns a part of
them to his cousin James Wedderburn, son of his uncle William (D.P.B. 224), while he
settled, 26 Sept., his own house there on Margaret Strathauchiii, his future wife, in
implement of their marriage contract (D.P.B. 220 b). This house he and his wife resigned
soon after, 24 Jan. 1584, to Christopher Traill (ib. 236), and on the same day they also
resigned one-sixth of their property of Craigie Hiltoun (ib. 244). Two discharges in his
favour and that of his mother, Margaret Dundas, are also registered at this date (ib. 243,
244), and in the following month, 14, 26 Feb., he, " portioner of Craigie," and Richard
Peat are named as choosing arbiters (D.B.R. 271 a). He is also so designed in a bond by
him and his wife, registered 14 Nov. 1585 (D.B.R. 275 c).
He seems to have gradually charged and disposed of his Craigie property. On
17 May 1589 there is a sasine or charter by him, "portioner of Craigie," with consent of
Margaret Strathauchin, his wife, in favour of his cousin, Alexander Wedderburn, the clerk,
of an annual-rent out of Craigie (D.P.B. 315), and in the same year, 30 Aug., he, again
called " portioner of Craigie," and with the like consent, settled another annual-rent
thereout on his daughter Elizabeth (ib. 278). 6 Another small charge on it in favour of
the clerk and Helen Ramsay, his wife, was granted 14 June 1591, by a document bearing
the signature "John Wedderburn w' my hand," of which a facsimile will be found opp.
p. 13 of vol. ii. (S.W. 75). Two months later, 11 Aug., the clerk and his wife acquire
one-sixth of the property (D.P.B. 317 c), and subsequently, 6 Nov. 1594, we find John
Wedderburn, with consent of his wife, his daughter, and the clerk, alienating another sixth
part of Craigie to Sir John Scharp of Houstoun, advocate (S.W. 165 ; G.S.R. 51 ). After this
he is called " sometime portioner of Craigie," e.g., in a bond by him to his brother Walter,
' Synopsis of References. S.W. 22, 28, 68 a, 75, 165 ; D.W. lis, 20 6c ; D.P.B. 153 a, 157,171, 176 a, 188.
220 6, 224, 236, 243, 244, 278, 315, 317 c, 331 ; D.B.R. 193, 198, 211, 233, 241 f, 271 a, 275 c, 284, 286 a,
289, 298, 302 6c e, 306 a, 3116,328 6; D.C.B. 11 ; G.S.R. 40, 51, 64,107; R.P.C. 12 ; R.P.S. 25 ; F.S.
14 a 6, 35; R.A.D. 36.
" See also D.P.B. 153 a, 157, 171, 1S8, 191 a 6, 202 a b, and D.B.R. 284, where, 12 Sept. 1590, a protocol of
the late Alexander Wedderburn, clerk, written by John Wedderburn, his servitor, is produced, and
a similar entry, referring to 1574, ib. 328 6.
3 See also the title page bound into Vol. 254, though this may be written by Kingennie's son, afterwards
Sir John Wedderburn of Gosford.
■* A decree in favour of John Wedderburn and others, 19 Feb. 1571 (D.B.R. 193), must refer to him,
though then a minor. He is also, I think, " my erne John Wedderburn, writer," named in David
Wedderburn's Compt. Buik, s.d. 20 March 1593 (D.W. 20 6) ; and may, perhaps, be the John Wed-
derburn " now in Inuerquiche," a bond in whose favour is registered 12 March 1596 (D.B.R. 306a).
It is not possible to decide whether the following entries refer to him, to his namesake, the mariner,
or even to the son of Alexander of Pittormie (ante p. 46) ; though probably having regard to the
description of him later, the first of them does refer to him. 1588 April 2, John Wedderburn is
convicted of hurting and wounding David Gardyne to the effusion of his blood, and is fined (D.C.B. 11);
1589 July 24, witness (D.W. lis) ; 1590 Aug. 27, witness (S.W. 68 a) ; 1595 June 13, Nov. 19, decree
in his favour (D.B.R. 301, 302 c) ; 1596 Aug. 25, another such decree (D.B.R. 311 6). See also D.W. 3,
" To John Wedderburn vj cranca and a toddis heid and bur."
5 The Lockit Buik contains no entry of his admission as burgess. He is, however, called burgess 6 Jan.
1593, when he resigns his North Seagait land to his cousin Magdalen Wedderburn (D.P.B. 292 a).
' 6 See also D.B.R. 286 a, where, 3 March 159 1 , John Wedderburn, portioner of Craigie Hiltoun, agrees to an
arbitration.