Transactions. 123 



The charter upon which this seisin follows was granted in 

 their favour by the superior of the lands, Alexander Glencorss, 

 and was dated the 14th of May, 1545. Among many other local 

 witnesses mention is made of a certain " Schir John Dunbar, 

 chaplain " — at Glencairn, as we think — who seems, according to 

 the date and surrounding circumstances, to have been identical 

 with the known and ascertained " Schir John Dunbar, rector of 

 Castlemilk," in Annandale, who is mentioned in the " Latter Will 

 and Testament " of Maister Gavin Dunbar of Mochrum, in Gallo- 

 way, Clerk Eegister, Preceptor of King James the Fifth, 

 Chancellor of Scotland, and one of the most notable Bishops of 

 Glasgow, where he was entombed in 1547. They two had most 

 probably been of one and the same kindred in common, although 

 the positive degree of relationship appears not here or elsewhere. 

 Another curious entry, belonging to this early period, records 

 that on the " 5th of August, 1586, Thomas Welsh, son and aire of 

 David Welsh, called ' David of the Mill,' was made a Freeman 

 burgess of Drumfries." As probably among the first of the 

 Reformation " vicars of Dunscoyr " was a Schir John Welsche, 

 or Velsche, who figures in certain transactions touching the 

 ^^carage lands 'of his charge of Dunscoyr, in concert with John 

 AVelsh of Collustoun, on one occasion recording a protest against 

 the alieniation of the lands, as they were his for the term of his 

 lifetime. He is also mentioned in the testament of Dean Kobert 

 Welsh, vicar of Tynron, in 1568, wherein he figures as one of the 

 executors as well as a legatee to the extent of some £20. Of the 

 degree of positive relationship, if any there were, no mention is 

 made in the testament itself. The testament of John Welsh 

 of CoUistoun, the Reformer's father, as reproduced in Young's 

 excellent " Life of Rev. John Welsh," and from the Commissariot 

 records of Edinburgh, is dated " At Collieston, the first day of 

 August, 1600," or, that is to say, some days prior to his decease 

 on the 5tb day of the same month of August. By it we learn 

 that Marion Grier, his wife, survived him, that he had a brother- 

 german, Cuthbert "Welsh, and sisters, Kait and Isabell Welshes. 

 The said John Welsh and Marion Grier, his spouse, had at the time 

 of his decease issue as follows^: 



1st. David Welsh of Collistoun, his eldest son and successor. 

 2d. John Welsh of Air, the Reformer, his second son, and who married 



Elizabeth Knox, third daughter of John Knox's second marriage with 



Dame Margaret Stewart, daughter of Andrew Lord Stewart of 



Uchiltrie (a very famous marriage in its own day). 



