Series 6 > Perth Kirk Session books, 1577-1590

434
THE PERTH KIRK SESSION BOOKS: 1589
Vigesimo quarto Novembris 1589
Forasmekill as James Adamson and Andrew Donaldson masteres of hospital
reportis and schawis that thai can get nane of the annuellis appertening to
the kirk and hospital, it is ordanit that all quhatsumever ar addettit in the
same ather within burgh or without on maid payment as yit that thai be
put to the horn.
Comperis Duncan Makduff and confessis his fornication with Margreit
Makgill and submittis him self to the will of the kirk. (2. Culpa.)
Quhilk day comperis Elspet Kynnour servitor toWilliam Drummond and being
found with bairn as scho confessis to ane Alexander Drummond goldsmyt and
seing that the said Alexander hes ane wyffe in Aberdane as it80 reportit, scho
is ordanit to find caution to get hir ane testimonial fra Aberdene subscryvit
be the minister thereof quhidder the said Alexander hes ane wyf or not and
ane testimonial be brocht betwix this and Candilsmes nixt (Elspet Kynnour)
[34r] that it may be cleirly knawin quhiddir the bairne be gottin in forni¬
cation or adulterie that according to hir fact scho may satisfie, and to find
caution for performance of the same als also to be reddy eftir inquisition to
satisfie the will of the kirk. Under the quhilkes premisi[s] hir maister Wilham
Drummond became cautioner under the pane of fourty poyndis and actit
him as said is. (William Drummond cautioner)
Primo Decembris 1589
Quhilk day Violat Brown spouse to Alexander Moncreife flescher comperit
as scho warnit to this day and was accusit for turning of the riddell with
scheirs & ane poynt indeid of witschcraft and devilry agains godes word
and that for wanting of an crown of gold of ane young manis within hir
house, denyit the same bot that scho said only throw dolor of hir hairt for
want of the same of gif it wer ather betwix hell or hevin scho suld have
it.81 (Violat Brown)
The minister ofTibbermuir (and Methven and DuppUn, at this date) was Alexander Young,
formerly the Carmelite prior ofTullilum. He claimed income, probably fromTullilum lands,
that the session thought ought to be due to the hospital {Fasti iv, 254).
80 For ‘is’.
81 Spinning a sieve on the point of a shears was a traditional means of telling fortunes or
finding lost goods. Violat’s ‘dolour’ may have been on behalf of her houseguest, or she may
have been worried that he thought she had stolen from him; either way, the final phrase
suggests an angry determination to have the money back whatever the cost. This is the
first instance in this or any kirk session minute book of a clear association between this
particular practice and witchcraft or diabolism. That turning the riddell was not pecuhar
to the lower sort is clear from the session’s charge against the merchant, elder and county
sheriff Alexander Peblis of Chapelhill in 1619 (NRS ms CH2/521/7, p. 65). The king