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TRANSACTIONS. 119 
use and wont in the field. In the records there are some peculiar 
enactments regarding certain horses and nags, which have somehow 
strayed from the English Border, nobody seems to know exactly 
how, only their owners seem to have wished to re-acquire posses- 
sion of them. Here is a curious official item, which seems to 
point in that direction, the temporary custodian of “ Kinmont 
Liddell, Englishman’s twa horse,” having been without doubt the 
father of “ Maister John Welsh of Air and Collistoun,” the son-in- 
law of John Knox : 
** Apud Drumfries, the 25th of October, 1580. 
“‘ Thomas Brattane, John Wrycht, co-burgesses of Drumfries, appointit 
ordainit, &c. Alexander Cairlell, Protonatar for them in their behalf to 
defend and pursew in the action and cause, wherein and whereby a fence 
was laid by John Newall upon twa horse of Kinmont Liddel, Englishman 
in the hands of Johne Welsche, of Burnfit, and accordingly require an Act 
to that purpose to be recorded, &c.” 
The next entry as to “ John Welsche” establishes his identity 
under either of his two landed designations as “ of Burn fit,” or else 
as ‘of Collistoun.” He was, of course, the Reformer’s father, as 
John Welsh of Collistoun, the grandfather, would appear to have 
died not many years after the Reformer’s birth. 
“ Apud Drumfries, 30th Nov., 1580. 
“* Welche in Colliston. 
** John Welche, in Burnfit, Andro Edgar, in Drumfries, and John 
Jackson, in Killalong, bind and oblige themselves to pay to Edward Irving, 
callit ‘ Lang Ritchie’s Edward,’ the sum of 88 merks Scots monie, &c.” 
Apud Drumfries, 15th Sepr., 1578. 
**Robert Newal, Drumfries, enacts himself and becomes security for 
Johne Velsche, son of John Velsche, sumtyme of Collistoun, for twentie 
shillings fenced in the hands of Robert Velsche, burgess of Drumfries, at 
the instance of Thomas Hayning.” 
As we said, there are numerous other similar entries in the 
local records which represent “John Velshe, sumtyme of Collis- 
toun” as an inhabitant of the town, if not during the whole yet 
for no inconsiderable proportion of the whole year. “Sir John 
Jamesoun, chaplain at Dumfries,” the Reformer’s ascertained first 
tutor or preceptor, we find had probably been the son of a Dunscore 
proprietor of land, who, about the year 1568, is designed in a local 
instrument as “ Laird John Jamesoun.” As this “Schir John 
Jamesoun” was a chaplain at Dumfries under Johne Velsche, 
vicar of Dumfries, and was afterwards parish minister of Dunscore, 
