History of the Fife Pitcairns

EARLIER HISTORY. 19
Henry Pitcarne of that Ilk had four daughters — namely,
(1) Elizabeth, who married John Ramsay of Downfield
after her father's death. (2) Margaret, married to David
Murray of Ochtertyre. (3) Isobelle, married to Sir Patrick
Lindsay of Kirkforthar, who afterwards became fourth
Lord Lindsay of the Byres 1 ; (4) Catherine, who married
John Ballingall of Riggis.
Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Henry, ninth Lord of Pit-
carne, made a good match, and eventually brought the
lands of Durnfield or Downfield into the Pitcairn family
through her marriage with a Ramsay.
The Ramsays were one of the oldest and most distin-
guished of the Fifeshire families. There is a very interest-
ing old deed stating that
an honourable man, Laurence Ramsay of Durnfield, before wit-
nesses, besought Henry Pitcarne of that Ilk to observe and to
fulfil the contract made betwixt them for a marriage between John
Ramsay, son and apparent heir of the said Laurence Ramsay, and
Elizabeth Pitcarne, sister of the said Henry, confessing that he
[Laurence] long considered that this marriage should be solemnised,
and gave thanks that he would see them married before he died.
Done in the principal hall of the Place of Downfield on the 6th
April 1495. The notary being John Pitcarne, Presbyter of the
diocese of St Andrews. 2
The marriage took place, and there is another deed about
another member of the family as follows : —
Instrument narrating that, on the 22nd August 1495, there
compeared at Pitcarne, Henry Pitcarne of that Ilk on the one
side, and Christian Ramsay, daughter of the late John Ramsay
of Coluthy, on the other part, who required the said Henry to
infeft her in his 20-merk land of Pitcarne, lying in the barony
of Leslie and sheriffdom of Fife, according to the tenor of his
charter of the said Christian. He answered that he be willing
to do so, if she would give him a letter of reversion, conform to
the usage of Scotland, for redeeming the lands, in terms of inden-
ture, between the said Henry and Janet Kinloch, whereby it is
agreed that when a dispensation sought by both parties from the
1 Lord Lindsay died 1526. Douglas's Baronage, vol. i. p. 384.
2 Laing Charters, No. 557, box 16.