Tkansactions. 255 



III. Edgar's MS. History of Dumfiies. By Mr James 

 Barbour. 



Dr Burnside's MS. History of Dumfries, written in the year 

 1791, contains reference to an earlier MS. account of the town by 

 Edgar. The original of this latter work is not known to be 

 extant, but a transcript of it is embraced in the Riddel ]\ISS. 

 preserved in the library of the Antiquarian Museum, Edinburgh. 

 A copy has been obtained for this Society, and, as desired by the 

 Secretary, I have prepared a brief notice of it. 



A note prefixed to his transcript by Riddel explains how it 

 was obtained and who the author was. He says :— " This account 



of Dumfries was wrote by Edgar, a burgess of that burgh. 



He was father to the late Theodore Edgar of Elsishields, near 



Lochmaben. I had it copied from the original MS. in 



Edgar's own handwriting, which, in 1790, was in the possession of 

 John Clark, senr., writer (and late Provost) of Dumfries." (In.) 

 E. E. 1791. 



A monument to the memory of Theodore Edgar of Elsishields 

 stands in St. Michael's Churchyard, from which we learn that he 

 died 5th February, 1784, aged 68. On another stone within the 

 same enclosure we read : " Here lyes the body of Mr Robert 

 Edgar, writer in Dumfries, who lived almost four score years and 

 ten, and died an honest man. July 4th, 1759." This was our 

 author, of whom, although doubtless a prominent man in his day, 

 little is now known. Many legal documents are extant in his 

 handwriting, and the Seven Trades' minute book shows that he 

 acted as clerk to the Incorporations during the long period of 

 forty-five years, from 1701 till 1746, when he resigned. 



The MS. appears to have been written at a period later than 

 1745, the events of that year being referred to in it in terms 

 indicating the lapse of some time since their occurrence. It is 

 entitled •: 



Introduction to the History of the Town of Dumfries. 



In which the Origin, Situation, Length, Convenience, Royalizing, 

 Buildings, Demolitions, Advances of Trade, are considered 

 from the Earliest Accounts. 



2nd. The Government, Administration and Execution thereof. 

 Crafts Increase, Industry and Manufactures are shown, with 

 Reasonable Reroarks and Advices on the Whole. 



By a Lover of Truth and of he Wtlfart of the Bunjh. 



