Mercers of Innerpeffray and Inchbreakie, from 1400 to 1513

plished — an improvement which was the only one of
its kind ever undertaken by authority of the Parlia-
ment of Scotland. We allude thus particularly to the
Pow, because Robert Mercer, third Laird of Inner-
peffray, granted a right of fishing for Eels in this water
at Polpefery, within the Lordship of Dullory, to the
Abbot and Convent of Inchaffray — the Abbot being, in
all probability, his uncle George. In the olden times,
Eels formed a favourite article of food among all classes,
and we hoar of their being used in the royal household
of Alexander III. — no small proportion of the supply
coming from Perthshire lochs and streams. The mon-
astic establishments throughout the country consumed
large quantities of eels during the season of Lent.
The fish were captured by means of weirs, baskets, eel-
potc, night-lines, and eel-spears, which had more prongs
thau the salmon-leisters. Latterly, from some cause or
other, this species of fish, once in such request for all
tables, fell out of repute as food in Scotland, and to this
day, eels are regarded with aversion by even the poorest
people. In some Perthshire districts, last century,
eel-skins were valued for making whangs or bindings
to flails, and were also applied to the bandaging of a
sprained wrist or ankle. The Licence to the Abbey of
Inchaffray was given in 1454; and we append a trans-
lation of the Deed from the original Latin in the
Liber Insula Missamm : —
Translation of Licence by Robert Mercer of Innerpeffry to
the Abbot and Convent of Inchaffray to Fish for Eels
in the Pow, dated "14th June 1454.
To all who shall see or hear this charter Robert Mercer
of Innerpeffry wishes eternal salvation in the Lord. Be
it known to your university that I, not led by force or by
fear, nor fallen in error, but determined by my pure and
spontaneous will, with consent and assent of Alexander
Mercer, my heir, and with consent and assent of Andrew
Mercer of Inchbreky, my uncle, to whom the said lands
of Inchbreky are pledged for a certain sum of money,
have given, granted, and by this my present charter have
confirmed, in perpetual and pure charity, for the honour
of Almighty God, and the glorious virgin Mary, and of
the blessed John the Evangelist, for the salvation of my
soul, and of the soul of Janet my spouse, and that of
Alexander my heir above-said, and of all my successors,