Pre-Reformation Ministers of Sanquhar. 141 



The Rectory of Sanquhar \\as constituted a Prebend of Glasgow 

 Cathedral about the middle of the 15th century, but the consent 

 of the patron was given and his right to the patronage was con- 

 tinued. The benefice seems to have been generally conferred 

 on some member of the family, on the principle doubtless ot 

 " keepin' oor ain fish guts for orr ain sea maws." 



This Xinian Crichton was a brother of the first Lord 

 Crichton, and acted as tutor to his cliildren. How a layman 

 could be a " parson " is a question which is not so easy to answer. 

 Probably he was invested with the tithes belonging to the church, 

 while some other priest would be employed to perform the 

 "parson's" ecclesiastical duties. Thus one man did the work 

 while another man drew the salary, a state of things which is not 

 without parallel in our own time. 



In 1513 we find the name of Ninian Crichton described as a 

 notary public as a witness to a cliarter along with the name of the 

 then Rector of Sanquhar. 



In 1526 a gentleman with the same name appears as an 

 auditor of exchequer; while in 1525 and in 1526 Ninian Crichton 

 de Balleblock is named as Master of the King's wine cellar. 

 That this gentleman had at least some connection with the parish 

 is proved by the fact that in 1533 Ninian Crichton of Belliboch 

 (observe the differences in the spelling of what is undoubtedly 

 the same word) has the farms of Bamtaggart (Auchentaggart) 

 and Drumboy, both in Sanquhar, let to him. Whether he was 

 the same person who in 1494 was parson in Sanquhar it is impos- 

 sible now to tell. It is probable, however, that he was. It is, of 

 course, possible that there were three or four Ninian Crichtons 

 connected with the parish, and that the parson, the notary public, 

 and the master of the wine cellar were three distinct persons. 

 It does "Seem a little remarkable that one person should in the 

 course of forty years hold such widely differing ofifices. 



The conjecture that while Ninian Crichton was " Parson of 

 Sanquhar " there was some priest performing the duties of the 

 sacred ofifices receives a certain amount of confirmation from the 

 fact that in 1508, on the death of " Thome Lokky," the " vicariam 

 pensionarium perpetuam de Sanquhare " is declared vacant. 



This Thome Lokky was probably the vicar in the parish, 

 receiving the smaller tithes and the fees which were charged for 



