Greyfriars' Convent of Dumfries. 323 



Law lived to receive this " insult " at least once, for such 

 a payment is entered by the Treasurer in his accounts on 22nd 

 December, 1575.^^ After that we hear no more of " puir 

 Geordie Law." 



The Council might have treated Home in a similar manner 

 had it dared. Home resorted to letters of horning, however, 

 and his receipts shew that he was always paid his ;^2o.^^ In 

 1574 the Council drove a bargain with Home. In June he 

 agreed to take ;^iio in composition for his liferent of ;^2o.^'' 

 On the last day of November, 1574, the money was paid, and 

 Home discharged the town.^^ It was an unfortunate bargain 

 for him, for he lived for fourteen years after its completion. 

 He seems to have sunk into poverty in his old age, for in 1582 

 some action was taken on his behalf, and " our Soverane Lord 

 having consideration of the said Charles being of grit aige and 

 willing to support him in his miserabill and aigit dayis," 

 revived for him the grant of 20 merks out of the Castle Wards 

 of Roxburgh. 62 Thus the gift of Bruce was associated to 

 their end with the Friars of Dumfries. 



The payments from this source cease in 1588, and we may 

 take it that the last of those who had worn the grey cowl and 

 hempen girdle had passed furth of Scotland. 



Signature, " Charles Hownie wt my hand." 

 The last of the Scottish Greyfriars. 



Notes. 



1 Transitdlons, Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History 

 and Antiquarian Society, 1910-11, Vol. xxiii., p. 18. 



la Cal. of Fapal liegisiers, Letters VIII., p. 347. Quoted also 

 Trans., D. and G. N. H. and A. Soc, N.S. xxiii., p. 19. 



2 Master John Oliver was one of the Witnesses to the Charter 

 of Confirmation of the Bridge Custom granted by James 9th Earl 

 of Douglas to the Friars, 4th Jan., 1452/3 (Bryce, II., p. 103). 



3 The Wat.slaks was a considerable extent of low lying burgh 

 common. It extended from Milldamhead on the east to the Alder- 

 man hill, where stands St. Joseph's College, on the west, and ran 

 southwards almost to the Craigs. 



