Wedderburn book > History

ROBERT, THE NOTARY. 99
fixed by a discharge in which her husband is called " son in law to Peter Par t n -
Wedderburn, elder," 28 April 1596 (D.P.B. 306), as well as by a resignation made chap - h
by her and her husband subject to charges in favour of " Peter Wedderburn, elder,
her father," 21 June 1600 (ib. 336). She and William Davidson, who is generally
called "younger," are named 16 March 1597, when they get an interest in a
lodging east of the Greneland (R.D. 7) from the clerk and his wife ; and 12 Dec.
in the same year, when Robert Kyd resigns a North Marketgait land in their
favour (D.B.R. 326). Other resignations of a Spalding's Wynd land are made to
them by her sister Margaret and George Blak, 17 Nov. 1601 (D.P.B. 345) and
31 May 1605 (ib. 357), and she is also named as godmother to her cousin, David
Wedderburn's son Alexander, 29 Aug. 1602 (D.W. 14//, ISA). Her husband died •
in June 1610, leaving a will dated 18 .lune and confirmed 22 Sept. in that year,
which she gave up as his relict and as tutrix to their children, William, Richard,
Janet, Margaret, Elspeth, and the "bairn in gremio" (Br.T. 1). She is named
with her children 18, 23 Jan, 8, 11 March, 5 April 1611 (D.B.R. 367), and had
litigation, 1609-12, on their behalf with the family of George Bultie, deceased,
who seems to have left them a legacy (R.D. 25; R.A.D. 55. 58). Perhaps it was
to avoid personal liability in this action that, 17 Jan. 1612, she declares that in
her dealings with her children she has never acted as tutrix, but " only in discharge
of her natural duty " (D.B.R. 374). She, no doubt, is the Janet Wedderburn (not
designed) named as a creditor in the will (1611) of her uncle Robert Wedderburn,
the notary (Br.T. 2) ; and she is also named as her husband's relict (and as Peter
Wedderburn's sister) in a decree 15 June 1612 (D.B.R. 378) ; a discharge 21 Jan.
1613 (ib. 380); a bond 12 Jan. 1618 (R.D. 66), another decree 25 March in that
year (D.B.R. 404); and a sasine 17 Aug. 1619 (P.B N. 3). The last mention of
her is dated 28 Jan. 1626, when a North Argylegait land is described as once that
of her husband, and is disponed subject to the life-rent of "Jonnet Wedderburn,
his relict" (D.C. 53). The date of her death does not appear. 1
3. Robert Wedderburn' 2 [ 1546-1 611], third and youngest son of Robert Wedderburn
and Janet Kyd, was born in 1546, and was from 1574 until his death in Oct. 1611, a
notary in Dundee. He is first named, 13 Feb. 1561, as servitor to his brother, the clerk
(D.P.B., vol. 238, fol. 114, 131, orig. MS.); 26 April 1564, as brother to the clerk
(D.P.B. 115) ; 8 May in the same year, as " younger," together with other inhabitants of
the burgh (D.C.B. 4) ; and 25 March 1568, when, as chaplain of S. James Major, he grants
a precept of clare constat, to which his signature and seal are attached (D.C. 3L). 3 On
30 March 1573 he joined with his father in the resignation of a North Argylegait
land to his brother, the clerk, and his son Robert (D.W. 11 h ; D.P.B. 82).
He was admitted a notary 3 March 1574-75, and his admission, 4 dated at Edinburgh
and copied into the first of his protocol books, gives some account of him up to that date.
It describes him as "burgess of Dundee, quhair he was born of the age of twenty
audit yeiris or thairby, unmaryit," and recites that he " hes maid daylie seruice " to
Alexander Guthre. clerk of Edinburgh, for three years, and to Alexander Wedderburn,
clerk of Dundee, for seven (D.P.B. 190). His notarial symbol, with the mottoes, " Bona
fide" and " Nihil tarn occulte quam non revelabitur," is appended. From this time on
he is repeatedly named as notary down to his death in 1611, e.g., 16 Dec. 1602, when he
signs a contract for the town (D.C. 41). These slight references are not worth detailed
1 A Janet Wedderburn, wife of Alexander Innes, co. Moray (ante, p. 86), is named in a bond of 26 Feb. 1619
(K.D. 67), and may be she, in which case she married twice. On the other hand there is no reference,
in the disposition of 1626 to the second husband, who, however, may then have been dead.
- Synopsis of Kef erences : -S.W. 45, 46, 53, 55, 56, 57, 60, 61, 68 b, 103, 146 ; Bl. 3 ; D.W. 2 b, 3, 6, 8 b, 9 a e,
10 c, lie A, 12 bef, 17 ef, 216cdef;D.C. 31, 41,46, 71; D.L.B. 30,32; D.P.B. 82,115,190, 196, 213 c,
223 d, 234, 237, 251, 292, 293 d, 297, 302 b f, 303 a, 323, 336, 341, 343, 364, 368, 374, 381, 405, 430,
434, 486, 488 ; D.B.R. 211 a, 214, 217, 253, 270, 272, 273 a. 279 b, 301 d, 303, 329, 344, 350, 351
356, 358 a b, 365 a b, 389 a ; D.C.B. 4, 14, 20, 32 ; D.T.G. 3 b ; G.S.R. 45 ; R.P.C. 13, 22, 25, 28 ;
R.P.3. 29; R.D. 1,7,10; R.A.D. 26,30,42; Br.T. 1,2; P.B.N. 19, and the references given p. 100, n. 1.
3 Two other references to Robert Wedderburn, younger, chaplain of S. James' altar, 7 Aug. 1568
(D.P.B. 72 a), and of S. James Major, 20 Sept. 1574. 4 May 1575 (D.B.R 211a, 214), are also to him,
as well as some references to a Robert Wedderburn, not designed ; 1568 April 2, chaplain of S.
James Minor (D.P.B. 140) ; Oct. 30, of S. James Major (ib. 76) ; 1569 June 3, of S. James (D.B.R.
176 a); 1581 Jan. 29, of S. James (G.S.R. 45), and, perhaps, 1578 March 7, chaplain of S. Thomas
(ib. 239). See also ante, p. 72, n. 3 ; and as to chaplainries, post. p. 108, n. 1.
4 The admission is also recorded in vol. ii. of the Register of the Admissions of Notaries among the public
records of Scotland, where Robert's age is given as twenty-six. His own copy, giving twenty-eight,
seems, however, more likely to be correct.