Wedderburn book > History

ALEXANDER, PROVOST OF DUNDEE. 147
when a witness, 21, 24 Jan. 1634 (D.P.B. 433 b), and on his death was retoured heir to him Part II.
in various properties. Thus, 7 Dec. 1637, he is so retoured in certain lands in Dundee cha P- IV -
(D.P.B. 437); 15 Dec, in the sunny half of Wester Gourdie. of which he got sasine,
27 March 1638 (S.W. 271-72, 274, 302 ; R.H. 12;G.R.S. 12); while, 4 Jan. 1638, he was
retoured heir to both his father and grandfather in the eight merk annual rent out of S.
Murraygait (D.P.B. 439). l He granted a tack of half Wester Gourdie to Gilbert Thayne,
13 Oct 1638 (S.W. 275), and, 26 Jan. 1639, got a discharge for his " entrie silver " as heir
to his father in that estate (ib. 276). 2 On May 24 in that year he got sasine, again as his
father's heir, both of a South Marketgait land, and of the eight merk annual rent (ib. 277 ;
F.S. 9), and, 21 Nov. 1640, was confirmed only son and executor dative to his father
(ib. 278 ; Br.T. 12). He got a decree as his father's heir 12 Dec. 1640 (D.B.R. 4226),
and, 9 March 1643, was so entered in annual rent (D.P.B. 469). 3
He was for many years an active member of the community in Dundee, of which, on
more than one occasion, he was chief magistrate. In 1638, May 21, we first find him named
as bailie (D.B.R. 407), and, 17 Sept. 1639, he is one of the "faithful covenanters " elected
to the new council (D.C.B. 61). 4 He was again elected bailie, 22, 27 Sept. 1640 (ib. 62),
and is often named as so acting 1640-41 (S.W. 280; D.P.B. 450-51 ; D B.R. 422«\ in the
latter of which years, 21 Sept., he was again elected on the council {D C.B. 63). In 1642,
March 15, he was kirkmaster (D.P.B. 465&), and in this year acts as bailie on the bench
and in giving sasine, 6 July, 12, 21 Oct., 17 Nov. (S.W. 285 ; D.P.B. 468 ; D.B.R. 428).
In 1643, Feb. 13, he and his cousin, the clerk, were appointed commissioners in a
proceeding raised by Viscount Dudhope against the town, and as such went to Edinburgh
on two occasions (D.C.B. 68). In the same year, Aug. 17, he heard, as bailie, a dispute
between two of the family, Alexander, the mariner (ante, p. 113), and Elizabeth, relict of
Thomas Moncur (ante, p. 21), in regard to a claim on the estate of one Patrick Jack
(D.A.C.B 8) ; 3 Oct., he was elected as Captain of the Overgait, among the officers for the
weapon-schawing (D.C.B. 70), while 5 Oct. he was ordained to go to Lord Fodderance (and
the clerk to Panmure), the council having decided to refer to Fodderance and Panmure the
still continuing difference between the town and Lord Dudhope (D.C.B. 71). He is named
in the war commission, among those for Angus, 2 Feb. 1646 (A.P.S. 25), and in 1648,
April 14, as "sheriff of the shire of Forfar" in that part (i.e., ou the occasion), when he
gives sasine of parts of Blackness to his cousin Sir Alexander (F.S. 17). The references to
him, in connection with burgh affairs for the next twelve years are not important : perhaps
he was less active for a time. In 1 660, however, he was elected provost of Dundee, 5 and
is named as presiding in the Head Court, 1 Oct. in that year (D.B.R. 471) ; as also 10 July,
7 Oct. 1662 (S.W. 669; D.B.R. vol. 34, title). He also represented the burgh in
parliament at this time, 8 May 1662, 18 June 1663 (A.P.S. 40). 6 He is often named
1 There are two annual rents mentioned in the records which must be kept distinct, viz. : (a) an eight
merk aunual rent out of the South Murraygait land of old David Wedderburn (ante, p. 56), and a
few ferine of £8 out of the land of James Ferriar. The latter was acquired by Kingennie in 1586
(S.W. 53-55, 277), while the former was, in 1531, in possession of the Mylns (S.W. 9, 13, 39) through
whom it came by marriage to theWedderburns (ante, p.l28,n. 4). It is thus that Alexander is retoured
heir in it to both his father and grandfather {vt sup.) and later, on 13 Oct. 1658, is entered in it as
" air by progress " to Robert {sic for James) Myln, father of Janet Myln, his (great) granddame (S.W.
326 ; D.P.B. 482). Both charges seem to have been difficult of collection as years went on. Thus,
14 May 1677, Easter Powrie gets a decree for forty-nine years' arrears of the 8 merk rent (D Dec. 1),
and, 2 Jan. 1683, another decree for thirteen years' arrears of it (D.Dee. 10. where it is put at
5 merks only) , while, 22 Nov. 1678, he gets an adjudication v. William Murisone of a North Murraygait
land in satisfaction of the £8 few duty (B.A.D. 96).
2 See also the inventory of Wester Gourdie Fapers (S.W. 302).
:1 There is also a sasiue of his father's, dated 19 June 1629, which is transumed at his instance, 11 March
1644 (S.W. 290).
4 There is but little evidence as to his religious tendencies, but I incline to think that, though his family
were staunch episcopalians, he must have gone with the times. Thus, in 1644, July 14, we find that
he had lent the town, whether under pressure does not appear, £1,000 towards a sum they had
advanced towards " the late Northern expedition " under the Marquis of Argyle (D.C.B. 72), while
after the restoration there is, 12 Feb. 1663 a license to him by the privy council, granting for one
year his petition that he and those at his table might eat flesh in Lent aud upon the three weekly
fish days mentioned in the late proclamation (S.W. 357 ; R.P.C. 62 n).
5 In Maclaren's JJistury of Dundee (pp 251-53) the years of his provostship are given as 1662-65 and 1670.
They were, however, 1660-66 and 1676-80.
6 According to the inscription on the tomb he was also in parliament in 1661, so that the reference to
Alexander Wedderburn in that year (A.P S. 39) may be to him and not to his cousin, the clerk, who
was, however, a member of the same parliament. " It was in this same session (says J.W. in his MS.)
that a letter was addressed by the King to his parliament, condemning a scheme of Middleton's for