The Market Cross of Dumfries. 207 



The next day the whole ground feued is measured by 

 " Robert M'Kynnell harbert ranying balleis of Drumfreis James 

 Rig Thomas Jonstoun William gledstanes mychell baty peter 

 dauidsone Dauid rauling harbert skaillis Amer Maxwell elder 

 thomas baty Adam Wallace Jhone Irving William patersone 

 beand of the secreit counsell of the said burgh " and the 

 " Rowme therof and breid of the said eist and vest is fyve ells 

 and ane half ell and in lengtht northt and southt nyne ellis and 

 ane half ell." "And the said corce to be on hycht platforme 

 laven wt the vnder part of the lyntall of the boicht dur nairest 

 wille Thomeson and Johne thomsone ther In Schr Dauid Wallace 

 foirhouse on the vest syde of the said corce." 



Sir David Wallace was the last Vicar of the Pre-Reformation 

 Church of Torthorwald. He was served heir to his brother 

 Johne Wallace on the 23rd May, 1575." His property is 

 described as " at the Corce," and appears to have stood more or 

 less exactly in the line of the present west side of the High Street. 

 It was in this tenement that the Thomson's shop was, and there 

 was also another occupied by Peter Davidson. 



The measurements given above work out at 29.35 feet north 

 and south and 17.98 east and west, and the size of the base of 

 the original cross is obtained by deducting the added feet from 

 the total. 



On the 31st July, 1575, the counsel answers to the bill and 

 desire of the feuars for license " to big the said Rowme wt ane ruf," 

 that the cross not having been finished by " Lammas " according 

 to agreement the feu was consequently "forfeit," but "having 

 respect to thair powers and orsicht of the completing of the said 

 work they Dispense with the said fewars and assigned thame to 

 big the samyn betuix the daite heirof and mychalmes nixt to cum 

 wt Intimation to thame and they failze thair fewis therof salle 

 expyre fra thyne furth. . . . and the ground to cum In the 

 towns hands agane as properte." 



On January 18th, 1576, we find the building in process and 

 the partners appeal " for libertie of twa futis hycher befoir the 

 outsetting of the sole of the corce nor is grantit to thame of 

 befoir." The Council " grantis to thame the libertie of the Saids 

 tua futis hycher in the mydis of the said work Round as ane peir 



17. BurKli Court Books. 



