Some Incidents in Troqueer Parish. 151 



being habitable. Efforts were made to repair it in 1691, 1698, 

 and 1701, but it is September, 1705, before it is taken in hand, 

 and then only because Mr Simson, the newly called minister, 

 makes a condition of his acceptance " that in case he should not 

 be provided of a manse wtin a year he should be at libertie to 

 leave that charge." The workmen on visiting Troqueer "re- 

 ported that there was no manse, only some stones and jeasts." 

 A new manse, therefore, is built, at a cost of £966 13s 4d. It 

 is not " perfited " in February, 1709. 



Mr Somerville died on the 4th April, 1696, " to the 

 Brethren's great regrate." He lies in Troqueer Churchyard. 

 The recipient of his bequest of a bursary of 2000 marks was pre- 

 ferably to be of the name of Somerville. The Presbytery had 

 considerable difficulty in fulfilling this condition, which they 

 describe as an " irritent clause." Their first bursar was from 

 "Lanrick presbytery." 



A year after Mr Somerville 's death a call was given to Mr 

 Greenlees ; the principal heritors, however, " could not con- 

 curr," and the call was "desisted from." In June they call 

 "Mr Nisbet (a young man from our own country)," but there 

 were competing calls from Kirkgunzeon and Newabbey, and the 

 Presbytery fixed on the latter. In December they called Mr 

 Dalgleish from the Presbytery of Middlebie, but in March Mr 

 Dalgleish is "fully resolved to decline the samine." In April, 

 1698, they hurriedly call Mr Alexander Hutcheson from the 

 Presbytery of Earlston. Before a minister could be ordained 

 he had to pass through a series of " trials " before the Presbytery. 

 Thus Mr Hutcheson first submits his testimonials " qch, after 

 consideration, were sustained by the Presbytery as genuine, 

 ample, and fully satisfactory anent his piety parts and deport- 

 ment." He then preaches before them " on his ordinary," and is 

 appointed to have the Exercise and Addition on Rom. 8, 10, the 

 next presbyterie day." He is also to have "a Commonhead Au 

 papa Romanus sit Antichristus;" then he is to deliver " a popular 

 sermon on Isa. 55, 6," and finally he undergoes his "lesser 

 trials," " sustains dispute upon his Theses, Interprets the Hebrew 

 and the Greek, Answers questions. Solves Cases, etc." All 

 these performances being approved of, he subscribes the Con- 

 fession of Faith. 



On the 10th of May the Presbytery meet at TroqueerJKirk, 



