^*> The Greyfriars' Convent of Dumfries. 



instances the rent was paid in victual. Thus, according to the 

 Dumfries Protocals, on 7th May, 1542, " Frier Herbert Stewart, 

 wardane of the freirs of Drumfres, admittit Richert Maxwell 

 burgess of Drumfres, tennent to xn ruddis of the landis of Corbre 

 hill lyand w'"^ the prochin of Trequeir quhilks landis Johne Max- 

 well elder in Drumfres haud in tak of the said place quod befoir. 

 . And that for payment of vi fr (firlots) meill of the mesor 

 of Ny*." I have several times met with mention of the mea.sure of 

 Nith, and sometimes the great measure of Nith. It was in use 

 locally for at least two hundred years; but what proportion it 

 bore to other measures I have not been able to ascertain. 



The Burgh Court books also contain evidence of possession 

 by the Friars of several small annual rents and feu duties derived 

 from tenements in the town. In connection with these, appeal to 

 the Court to enforce payment was frequent, and the Warden* 

 appointed a procurator in the interest of tlie convent ; 5th May, 

 1525; "The samin day freyr Robert little, Wardan of the freyrs 

 of Drumfress hes creat maid qstitute and ordanit Thomas Welche 

 his procurator in all his causes mo\it and to be movit ferm and 

 stable," the following is an example of the proceedings in Court: 

 " The quhilk day the baize Dauid Xeilson hais reconquest ane 

 west tenement lyand in the burghe of Drumfress of wmquhill Cuth- 

 bert Maxwele lyand betuix ane tenement of Her[bert] Cunyghame 

 on the west part on the ta part and ane tenement of John Schortrig 

 on the Est part on the to}r part in the hands of Thomas Welche 

 bailze and procurator to the Werden and qwent of the Freyrs 

 minors of Drumfress, in defalt of payment of sex schillings of 

 monye annuel I to be pait to the said Warden and qwent, be gift 

 of ord and staine (earth and stone) as it yt was vnstrenzsable this 

 cort as the secund court." A tenement, it seems, was distrainable 

 only after being before the Court a third time. 



In what way the Friars became possessed of these sources of 

 revenue does not appear except in one instance, where Master 

 John Logan, the Vicar of Knowend (Colvend), already referred 

 to, gifted to the Friars five merks annually from one of his two 

 tenements at the " Vennelheid," in return for Divine Service in 

 the Friary Church ; " The Chaplain and his successors were to 

 celebrate between the hours of eight and nine in one week each 

 vear for ever, two masses for my soul and the souls of those 

 forsaid at the altar, in his Church of Saint Salvator (the 



