TRANSACTIONS. 115 
novation or imposition on thaime, nor to haif ony furder intromis- 
sioun with thaim than, &e. . . . Quhair we being movit and 
remembering that there is divers actis and ordinances made be our 
dearest Moder and maist noble predecessoures in favors of the 
tenentis of Kirklandis, namelie, sic landis as lies neare oure 
bordouris, that thai sal nocht be remouabill, hichtit, nor raisit by 
thair auld dewtie, quhairby thai may be the mair readdie to obey 
oure service as occasion occurred. Therefore commands and 
charges—accordingly be thir oure Lettres given under our signet, 
and subscrivit with our hand. At Halirudhous, the 12th day of 
May, of oure raigne the augteine year, 1585.” 
But we must now take up the subject of the history of the 
Welshes, as inhabitants of those monklands. Of course the 
most prominent feature of all his kindred was the ‘“ Maister 
John Welsh of Air,” surnamed “ The Incomparable,” and who, 
before and after his marriage with the heroic daughter of “ Maister 
John Knox,” had such a distinguished career. This John was 
of the Collistoun kindred of Welshes, and was the second 
son of the family; David, his eldest brother, succeeding their 
father, also a John Welsh, in the hereditary lands of Collistoun. 
Collistoun and Craigenputtock lands, which are associated with 
the history of the Welshes, lay amid the barony of Sacrinemoris, 
otherwise the barony of Holywood. Collistoun is known under the 
more ancient name of Makcollistoun, evidently derived from the 
clan of those parts known as the Maccawils or the M‘Calls, who 
were also identified as the ancient owners of the lands of Vod, 
Grennan or Messenger-lands, of Kaidgelaucht or Caitloch, of the 
same mountain and hill country. Although in the 15th century 
the family of Welsh had been residents of the county town and 
ancient royal burgh of Dumfries, certain indications afford some 
ground of probability that in their own quarter and section of the 
wide barony of Holywood they must have acted as the hereditary 
resident deputy-bailies of the Abbots of Holywood long before as 
well as immediately after the Protestant Reformation, at which 
time they are clearly identified as holding that trust and office. 
Not many years after the Reformation of 1560—which on the 
Borders of Scotland generally, in the nature of things, had at first 
made slow progress, amid a population the ardent supporters of 
the waning fortunes of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots, a 
population so long the tenants of the wide ecclesiastical lands 
attached to the Church under the Romish Faith in Scotland, with 
