Series 1 > Grameid: an heroic poem descriptive of the campaign of Viscount Dundee in 1689, and other pieces

XVI
PREFACE.
death of our bailie and his sister, 1653. His successor, James
Fraser, of the family of Philorth, arrived opportunely at
Arbroath, a bachelor, needing a wife, when Isabel Philp was
losing her home at Almerieclose. James, the young laird,
was courting Margaret Graham of Duntrune, and things
were coming to a crisis there. Before the laird’s marriage
took place, James Fraser and Isabel Philp had become man
and wife on 14th March 1654, and so well pleased was the
minister with his wife that he bought for her and himself the
lands of Hospitalfield and Kirkton in 1656.
James Philp, the son of the bailie, is retoured as heir to
his father in various crofts1 and lands on 17th August 1653,
and by Precept of Chancery, on which sasine is taken2 11th
February 1654, he is served and retoured, as mentioned before,
as heir of his grandfather, Henry Philp. We also find that
sasine is taken, 10th November 1655, on a Charter of Resig¬
nation, in virtue of a Procuratory contained in a contract of
marriage between James Philp of Almerieclose and Margaret
Graham. I presume that the interpretation of this mysterious
sentence would indicate that the marriage had taken place
before this last-mentioned date. Margaret Graham was the
daughter of Walter Graham of Duntrurie, who was the son
of Walter, who again was the son of Sir William Graham of
Claverhouse, the curator and friend of his cousin, the great
Marquis of Montrose. Margaret Graham and Claverhouse
were thus second cousins. Her mother was Elizabeth Guthrie.
The estate of Almerieclose was now of considerable extent,
and was still increasing; the family of the young laird was a
1 He is retoured as heir to his father, Mr. James Philp, bailie of Aber-
brothock, in the Elemosynarie croft of the lordship of Aberbrothock, with the
teynd sheaves—E. 30/; the lands of Swestmedow (or Guestmedow), with the
teynd sheaves—E. 3 bolls wheat of feu-duty; ane tenement of land on the east
part of said croft; ane other tenement of land—E. 40/ of feu-duty; the land of
Guthriehill, extending to 9 acres within parish of St. Vigeans and regality of
Aberbrothock, feu £3,
2 Napier’s Memoirs, vol. iii. p. 731.