168 Sir JoHN MAcsrRaIR. 
in Lou Germany.’ This passage plainly enough intimates to 
us that this goodman is not to be confounded wt Ih. 
Macahabeus who was at this Time at the K. of Denmark, but 
being pitched on fr the first minister to the English at Frank- 
furt shows he was of no small Reputation when Chosen by so 
many good Judges. As Mr M‘Brair was abroad at the Eng- 
lish exile so upon Q. Elizabeth’s accession He Returned To 
England. Accordingly Strype In his life of B. Grindal nottices 
yt, ‘on Sept. 3, 1559, John Makbray a Scotsman, and lately 
an exile, preached at Paul’s Cross.’ Whether he continued in 
England, wher he had Been it seems much of his life, wher 
ther was great scarcity of good preachers, or came down to 
Scotland qr ther was need of him, I do not knou: there 
appears no footsteps I meet of his being in Scotland. Let me 
only add Gesner’s account of him (Bibliotheca Instituta, 
Tiguri, 1583): ‘ Joannes M‘Bray natione Scotus scripsit 
Anglorum ecclesie originis et progressum lib. I. : Explena- 
tionem suae fidei lib. I. In Germania floruit 1558 (Baleus) 
Forte idem cum Machabee.’ (Machabzus was John Mac- 
Alpine.—J. K. H.) I wish I could have given Better and 
longer Account of those usefull persons, but I chose Rather to 
give those leane truths Than altogether to overlook ym 
(them).”’ 
10th February, 1922. 
Chairman—Provost ARNoTT, V.P. 
The Dumfries Register of Marriages, 1616-1632. 
PREFATORY NOTE. 
My friend, Mr Henry D. Paton, Edinburgh, has kindly 
transcribed on my behalf the earliest portion (1616-1623) of 
the Dumfries Marriage Register—a blank occurs here (1623 
to 1635). Mr Paton’s high standing as a_ professional 
Searcher of Records should guarantee the absolute accuracy 
of any transcription carried out by him, so we have for this 
