Wedderburn book > History

96 THE WEDDERBURN BOOK.
Part ii. Of the three sons of Robert Wedderburn and Janet Kyd the two younger were Peter
Chap. I. and Robert, the notary. Of these,
2. Peter Wedderburn [1535?— 1604], x was certainly younger than his brother
Alexander, the clerk, but a good deal older than Robert, the notary, who was not bom till
1 546. " His parentage is clearly fixed by the mention of Peter Wedderburn, elder, as
"my father's brother" in the Compt Buik of his nephew David (D.W. 3, 12 6 n, /). The
earliest reference to him is dated 24 Sept. 1553, when he is called "councillor," though
still very young, 3 after which he is not named till 5 Sept. 1558, when he gets a decree
(D.B.R. 82). From this date on he is repeatedly mentioned as witness, ifcc* He was a
merchant and seems at one time to have been in Norway, as, 18 June 1560, he brings an
action v. Kyrtefer Anderson for non-delivery of 400 bow-strings " sauld be him to the said
Peter in Norruay " (D.B.R. 92) and later on, 22 Feb., 2 Sept. 1577, he is named as owner
of one-sixteenth of the ship " The Robert," and as purchaser of another vessel " The Swan "
(D.B.R. 232, 236). He acquired from Robert Wedderburn, grandson to James Wedder-
burn (ante p. 72), a South Argylegait laud, 18 July 1573 (D.P.B. 183), and, 9 May 1575,
got from the town a nineteen years' tack of the Blackfriars yard or garden (D.B R. 216), 5
the term being soon after, 2 Sept. in the same year, extended to thirty-eight years
(D.P.B. 170). On this occasion he is called " councillor and burgess " as he is also 1 Oct.
1576 (D.B.R. 230 a). The " Lockit Buik," however, coutains no entry of his admission.
He is first named as married (to Margaret Kynloch) 6 Feb. 1577, when there is a judgment
in favour of him and his wife (ib. 231) with whom he is named as getting another sasine,
18 Nov. 1577 (D.P.B. 206 a, D.B.R. 307) and as resigning an annual-rent, 12 Feb. 1580
(D.P.B. 212 6). He is named, 5 Aug. 1579, as delivering to John Lovell "anelang
springzie rapper," which once belonged to Edward Wedderburn (D.B.R. 24S), and 9 Sept.
in the same year, together with his brother, the clerk, as maternal next-of-kin to William
Barre (D.B.R. 249). On 1 June 1580 the council of the burgh prepare for the visit of
the king and order Peter Wedderburn, " ane of thair counsell, to beir thair handseynzie "
(D.P.B. 195) and in the same month, 22, 27, 29 June, lie is cautioner for his brother
Robert, the notary, in a slander action by Roberta. Alexander Mathew (D.B.R. 253). On
31 Jan. 1581 Peter and his wife get a sasine in their favour (D.P.B. 213 a), and on
21 Sept. resign certain lands (ib. 223 e). On 22 March 1582 they resign the South
Argylegait land (ib. 226) which they had acquired from Robert Wedderburn (ib.
183), and, 25 May 1584, they settle a North Quaygait property on their daughters
Margaret and Janet (D.P.B. 245). Other dealings by Peter and his wife are recorded,
2 June 1586, when they resign an annual-rent to Peter Wedderburn, younger, son
of the clerk (ib. 250) and 7 March 1589, when they join in a discharge to John Small
of Kinothrie (ib. 313). There are many other references to Peter Wedderburn, e.g.,
16 Feb. 1586, as curator to Peter, son of the late clerk (R.D. 1) ; 2 Feb. 1588, as assignee
1 Synopsis of references:— S.W. 35-37, 113, 368; D.W. 3, 12 in. 13 d/i ; D.P.B. 108, 170, 183, 185 a, 191 c,
193,195, 206 a b. 212 6, 213 a, 219 A, 223 e, 224, 226, 232, 241 a, 245, 250,264,265,279,234,294,302,
305,306, 312, 313,316 c, 320, 330,336,349 366, 385,«490, 566 ; D.B.R. iii, s. 24 Sept. 1553 (orig. MS),
82, 92, 211 e, 216, 222 a, 230 a, 231, 232, 236, 241 d r, 246, 248, 249, 253, 259, 300 a r", 301 /', 303, 307,
327 4, 333 a, 334,350, 376; D.C.B. 23; D.HS. 3, 6 ; G.S.K. 61 ; R.P.C. 11 ; R.D. 1, 10 ; K.A.D. 19, 28.
- This appears from the fact that Peter's sou was Robert's heir, so that Peter was certainly the immediate
elder or younger brother of Robert. If Peter had been the eldest of the three b-others, and Alexander
the second of them, Alexander's eldest son would have been Robert's heir, as by Scotch law the heir
of a brother dying s.p. is his immediate younger brother, and if there is none such, then the
immediate elder (uot the eldest) succeeds.
s There is a reference to Peter Wedderburn, councillor, 24 Sept. 1553 (D.B.R. iii, s.d., orig. MS.)
4 Thus, Peter Wedderburn is named 1558, Sept. 5, as obtaining a decree (D.B.R. 82) ; 1560, M;irch 3, witness
(D.P.B. 108) ; 1574, July 13. witness (ib. 185 a), Aug. 21 (D.B.R. 241 /), Vov. 26, decree for him
(ib. 211 e) ; 1575, July 3, burgess, witness (ib. 191 c) ; Oct. 14, bond to him (D.B.R. 922a); 1577,
Nov. 26, burgess, witness (D.P.B. 206 4), Dec. 30, witness (S.W. 35-37) ; 1578, Aug. 29, decree for
him (D.B.R. 241 d) ; 1579, March 14, named (D.B.R. 246) ; 1580, Dec. 19, arbitrator (ib. 259) ; 1582,
July 28, owns part of a cargo from Norway (D.K.S. 3) ; 1583, H'eb. 4, witness (D.l\B. 224) ; Feb. 16,
a transaction in his house (ib. 219 b), Aug. 6, witness (ib. 232) ; 1585, July 15, witness ; Aug. 24,
bond by him (D.W. 13 di); 1586, April 29, burgess, named iu an action (K.A.D. 19; ; 15S8, May 29,
wituess (D.P.B 265} ; 1589, Jan. 7, owns goods from the North Isles (D.RS. 6); 1590, Aug. 16,
burgess, witness (ib. 284) ; 1592, Jan. 15, burgess, party to an action re the ship Lyoun of Dundee
(R.A.D. 28), May 6, witness (D.P.B. 320) ; 1594, Jan. 8, attorney (ib, 294) ; 1595, Jan. 15, decrees
in his favour (D B.R. 300 a); 1596, Dec. 5, burgess, a servant of his a witness (G.S.R. 61); 1601,
June 11, defender, together with various other inhabitants of Dundee, in a suit by David Druuiuiond
(R P.O. 11). " Peter Vodderburne" named as wituess to a baptism, 11 March 1581-82, in the parish
register of Mouilieth, must also be he.
5 He made an agreement anent this garden with Robert Kinloch 4 Nov. 1578 (D.P.B. 193).