Some Incidents in Troqueer Parish. 139 



A portion of the Brigend of Dumfries appears to have been 

 the Burgh of Barony and Regality of the Barony of Lincluden. 

 The larger portion, however, was in the Barony of Drumsleet, 

 and jurisdiction was exercised by John Brown of Nunland, bailie 

 of the Barony at that time. He was held responsible for its good 

 order and was, as exemplified above, frequently called upon by 

 Presbytery or Kirk-session to produce or remove "scandalous " 

 persons. A considerable portion of ground was held burgage by 

 the Heritors from the town of Dumfries. ^ It appears to have 

 been a portion of the ancient ecclesiastical lands of the Grey 

 Friars of Dumfries, and came under the superiority of the town 

 in 1569 as a result of the Reformation. 



The Market. 



In August, 1672, Lord Maxwell "caused make publick 

 intimatione to the Leidges within the Stewartrie of Kirkcud- 

 bright ' ' that " he had appoynted publick mercats weikly to be 

 keipt heerefter at Mylnetoun of Urr upon tuesday and the brigend 

 of Drumfries upon wedinesday qrby he requyred all such persons 

 as had any merchd wair, victuall butter cheise horse nolt or sheip 

 to buy or sell to repair to the saids places," and that "none of 

 his tenants were to bring any victuall to Drumfries to sell under 

 a certane penaltie." In consequence "upwards of 32 loads of 

 meill with butter and cheise " were exposed for sale. He also 

 erected "a troan for weighing butter, cheise, and uther merchd, 

 pretending the freedom of a Royall burgh." 



The Dumfries Town Council, seeing their pri\ileges 

 threatened, took instant action by raising a process against Lord 

 Maxwell and John, Earl of Nithsdale, before the Privy Council. 

 They also " discharged all the inhabitants of this burgh to buy 

 in the pretendit mercat keeped at the bridend undir 

 paine of ten merks Scots." They do not seem to have been 

 entirely successful in their action, although they obtained " a 

 decreet," for in November, 1677, they settled the matter by 

 paying Robert, Earl of Nithsdale, 1000 merks Scots for " the 

 benefite of public weekly mercats keepit at the brigend." 



2. Herbert Anderson's Protocal Book, 7 May, 1542; Burgh Court 

 Books of Dumfries, 9th Nov., 1571; Town Council Minutes, 

 19th October, 1673; 7th Feb., 1676. 



