Sik JOHN Macsrair. 159 
Scotland, but also of that time when Church officials gave 
their names to their children and servants, such as Macpher- 
son, Macnab, Maclery, Macvicar, Machorist, and others. Not 
all such surnames, even in a time when the ancient Church 
was becoming more corrupt, were the result of such conduct 
as is implied in the following note of legitimations in The 
Register of the Privy Seal (xvi. 84): 
“1542-3, Feb 1. — John, Matthew, Thomas, and 
James Hepburn, sons of the reverend father in Christ, 
John, by the divine compassion, Bishop of Brechin.”’ 
In early Gaelic times these probably would have been known 
as either Macgillespies, sons of the servant of the bishop, or 
as Gillespies only. A Mac-espuig, son of the bishop, holding 
Ernespie (earrannespuig), the bishop’s land, is a possible 
name which does not appear. In the south-west, the writer 
has not come across the name Macgillbrair, as he has seen 
MacGilblaan, Gilcudbricht, and others such connected with 
Church saints and Church officials, some of whom had been 
married. 
Bishop Spotswood in The History of the Church of Scot- 
land (London, 1655, p. 97) informs us that ‘‘ John Mackbrair 
was a gentleman of Galloway.’’ In all likelihood he was re- 
lated to that eminent family, the Macbrairs of Almagi!l and 
Netherwood, who gave bailies, provosts, chaplains, a sheriff, 
and other good citizens to the Burgh of Dumfries from the 
”” 
14th century onward. The baptismal name, ‘‘ John,’’ was in 
that family. 
Mr R. C. Reid. in his Annotations upon Edgar’s History 
of Dumfries,! says that this Friar John was a member of the 
Almagill family, but does not indicate his exact place in the 
appended genealogical tree; unless he equates him with John, 
son of Thomas in 1575. 
In the sixteenth century Thomas, Herbert, and James 
Macbrair served as chaplains in Dumfries, and Sir Herbert 
was a witness to a deed in the ‘‘ Freir Kirk ’’ there. (The 
popular title, ‘‘ Sir,’’ was often given to chaplains who had 
not taken a full University course and the degree of Master. 
1 Vol. i., p. 199. 
