120 TRANSACTIONS. 
Wodrow was probably quite correct in stating that the young 
Reformer had received the rudiments of his education within the 
town of Dumfries itself, although he has omitted to quote the 
needful authority, which he probably well knew. 
According to the “Fasti,” the parish kirk of Dumfries was 
dedicated to St. Michael, and previous to the Reformation belonged 
to the Abbey of Kelso. Among the Protestant vicars of Dumfries 
shortly after the Reformation we find “ Maister John Velsche, 
1568 ;” “ Maister Ninian Dalzell,” who was also head-master of 
the Grammar School of Dumfries, and ‘“ was deposed by the 
General Assembly in 1579 for having read to his scholars the 
Roman Catechism.” Maister Peter Watson, vicar of Dumfries, 
originally of Markinch, had also under his charge Terregles, 
Troqueer, and Newabbey, and was by the General Assembly 
repeatedly nominated as Commissioner for visiting Annandale and 
Nithsdale. In 1575 he complained that “the town on Yule last, 
seeing that neither he nor the reader would read or use doctrine, 
brought a reader of their own, with tabron and whistle, and 
caused him read the prayers, which exercise they used all the days 
of Yule.” He was called to account for the informal celebration of 
the marriage of the “ Laird of Garlies,” and at the Kirk of Duris- 
deer, as required, owned his transgression. Maister Thomas 
Maxwell, vicar perpetual of Dumfries, held previous charges 
throughout the county of Dumfries. At Morton, in Nithsdale, 
one of his charges, it is said of him: “ He cannot serve at sundry 
places, maks no residence, but is a Jakman with Drumlanrig.” 
(Reg. Assig.) He died previous to the 23d of May, 1601. From 
the original in the “‘ Hoddom Collection,” prompted by curiosity, 
we seem to have been the first who had attempted or thought it pos- 
sible to still decipher the following letter of this “‘ Maister Thomas 
Maxwell, vicar of Dumfries,” and his kinsmen, to Homer Maxwell 
of Speddoch, an otherwise well-known Commissary of Dumfries. 
In one part of the letter the reference seems to be to “ My Lord,” 
thereby possibly meaning to their chief, John, eighth Lord 
Maxwell, Earl of Morton, &c., who, as we know, perished at 
Dryfesands Battle in 1593, or some nine years after the date of 
this letter. On the 31st of July, 1611, Homer Maxwell, of 
Speddoche, was declared and served heir to the deceased Mr Homer 
Maxwell, Commissary of Dumfries, his father (Records). The 
lairds “‘ of Conhaith ” and “ of Kelton ” were at this period brothers- 
german, one of whom, Robert Maxwell, was a Notary Public of 
