160 Some Incidents in Troqueer Parish. 



service the sd William Smart under pains of Law and to Protest 

 he may never after be received into that or any other Popish 

 Familie vhatsoever." William Smart, "put from that Gentle- 

 man's service," enters that of "Conhaith." On this the Pres- 

 bytery -strument " Conhaith for entertaining an excommunicate 

 Apostate." bmart then appears at the Presbyteiy meeting, and 

 "with earnestness he pleaded for relaxation from the said sen- 

 tence and offered all necessary satisfaction." This they do 

 upcn his " renouncing the Popish religion and professing 

 repentance for his apostacie in face of the congregation of New- 

 abbey." 



The Laird of Hoddom, having a " popish apprentice in 

 his writing chamber," is instrumented under the same Act. He 

 promises to bring him to ordinances, but the Presbytery insist 

 that he shall put him away, to which the Laird of Hoddom, 

 knowing law, points out that this young man is not a domestic 

 servant. We leave the moderator "considering the Act." 

 More serious perhaps is the case of a woman in Colvend who 

 appeals for relaxation on the ground that she is " in hazard of 

 starving in regard none in Colvend paroch will allow her the 

 shelter of an house . . . wch Mr Brown alleges to be true." 



On 29th May, 1705, John Maxwell of Terraughtie craves 

 an Extract of the Act finding Jannet Irving, relict of the deceased 

 Alexander Maxwell, his father, convicted of apostacie, " because 

 it would be of great use to him in a most just process depending 

 against her . . . for the education of her eight Fatherless 

 children in the Protestant Religion as being their nearest Pro- 

 testant --elation.' This they grant, as also "an Information 

 and Recommendation to the Lords of Ses.sion anent the forsaid 

 eight children, their being all educat Popish by their apostate 

 mother . . . to be committed to the care of the said John 

 Maxwell, their half-brother by the Father, and their aliment 

 to be allowed him out of their own and their Father's fortune 

 to the effect that they may be educate in the Protestant 

 Religion." 



Finally, let me quote another case, which, although it does 

 not belong to Troqueer parish, illustrates the disadvantage in 

 which a Catholic was placed in business matters : — November 

 27, 170>j. — A letter being produced from Alexander Carljde in 

 Merkland, bearing yt he being pursued by Rot. Neilson of Barn- 



