A Covenanter's Narrative. 133 



William Greir and his predecessors, " veteres tenentes et 

 possessores earundem." John Grier^ seems to have been 

 the grandson of Gilbert Grierson of Dalton and Castle- 

 maddie, whose ancestry can be traced to Gilbert Grierson. 

 shield-bearer of Archibald, Earl of Douglas.'' 



John Grierson had at all events two sons — William, who 

 succeeded him, and Thomas.^ He had also a daughter, 

 Christian.^ William died before 1617 — the date at which his 

 son William was served his heir — and was survived by his 

 widow, by his sons William, James, Lancelot, and Robert, 

 and by his daughter Catherine. 



William died, unmarried, in January, 1624, and was suc- 

 ceeded by his brother James, the writer of the memorandum. 



session of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries), dated 13th Septem- 

 ber, 1465, to confirm certain charters in favour of John Kirkpatrick 

 of Alisland and his heirs male of " totas et integras quatuor libratas 

 terrarum antiqui extentus de freirkers cum piscaria et molendino 

 earundem grange mylne nuncupato necnon cum astricta multura 

 Tiiginta sex Libratarum terrarum similis extentus de dalgoner, 

 killelego, Brischevalay, ovir et Netthr Bairdwel, dempsterton, ovir 

 et Nethir Lagan, ovir et Nethir Dunscoir, Ryddynis, Edgarston, 

 Mulygaston, Kili'oy, Ferdynnowel et hill . . . ." Dr Ramage 

 (Dnimlanrig Castle and the Douglases, Dumfries, 1876) mistakes 

 this grant of multures of Dalgoner, etc., for a grant of the lands 

 tliemselves. 



3 This statement rests on the assumption that the terms of 

 James Grierson's service to John Grierson of Castlemaddie in 1675 

 represent the facts. He is there described as " abnepos fratris 

 proavi Johannis Gieirsone de Daltoune et Castlemadie." 



4 By charters granted between the years 1409-1424, printed in 

 the Sixth Report of the Historical MSS. Commission, 1877, Pt. I. 

 and App. 710 if. (MSS. of the family of Carruthers of Holmains. in 

 the County of Dumfries), the Earl granted to Gilbert Gieresoun and 

 his son William the lands of Mekil Daltoun and Dormont. The 

 lands of Castlemaddie were also a gift from the Douglas, as appears 

 from the narrative of a Crown charter dated 17th September, 1534, 

 in favour of Gilbert Grierson of Dalton. 



5 See Register of the Privy Council, 2nd Ser., vii., p. 667; viii., 

 p. 274; X., 15. 140. In a document among the Dalgoner papers it is 

 stated that Gordon of Shirmers and James Cannan of Muiidrochet 

 were cousins german of the writer of the memorandum. I liave 

 hitherto been unable to verify the statement, oi- to ascertain the 

 details of the relationship. 



6 She is mentioned in the memorandum. 



