The English Raids on Dumfries in 1570. 239 



■of as being burned was in Newton, or Friars' Vennel, on the west 

 side of the port. It had been feued by James Maxwell to John 

 M'Kedderoch in 1568,^ and in 1574 an action was raised against 

 the latter for ground rent of " ane yaird and tenement in Newton 

 qlks was James Maxwell's pertainand to him [the pursuer] be 

 alienation, ' ' and M'Kedderoch protested " that na thing was vsit 

 or practesit to hym nor vpon him at the instance of James Max- 

 well twichand the annells of his brunt tenement forsaid bot efter 

 the vse and order of Edgr [Edinburgh] be the burning of the 

 army of Ingland."^'' 



There may have been, probably were, more houses than the 

 above destroyed, but the fire was no wholesale affair deliberately 

 entered upon by the English with intent to destroy the whole town. 



The Tolbooth, the New Wark, and the School, important 

 buildings, do not appear to have been injured, and it was the 31st 

 of October, 1571, before the " slaitt, tymer, stains, and thawk " 

 of the historic Greyfriars' Convent were rouped by the Council 

 without a sentimental groan. ^^ 



One case of theft is recorded, and it may occasion surprise 

 that the thief was neither hanged nor imprisoned, but simply 

 ordered to restore the stolen chest and coulter. 



Abbot. 



The qlk day John meik present in jugement grantit the 

 away taking of ane kist and ane couter furth of Alexr abbots 

 •chalmer the tyme of the fyre and decernit to restoir the samyn 

 agane or ells shaw ane reasonable causs quhy he aucht not be 

 the law. Thairvpon the said Alexi" requireit act qlk the Juge 

 decernit. 59 



The other cases that came before the court, excepting in one 

 instance in which three-quarters of an ox were said to have been 

 taken by the English, ^° all deal with cloth and malt. 



It appears that if the person sued could prove that the goods 

 had been " spulziet " the pursuer, generally the owner, had no 

 claim upon him. In some of the cases following the proof is 



56. Herbert Cunningham's Protocal Book, 1, iii., 1568. 



57. Burgh Court Books, 19, v., 1574. 



58. Burgh Court Books, penult. Oct., 1571. 



59. Burgh Court Books, 22, xi., 1570. 



60. Burgh Court Books, 15, i., 1570-1. 



