Earty ECCLESIASTICAL History OF DUNSCORE. 4} 
the lords of Parliament ordained in terms of the prayer of 
the petition.4 
It seems not improbable that the opposition of Max- 
well of Friar Carse and his mother to the removal of the 
church was due not altogether to a sense of inconvenience 
to themselves and the other parishioners at the lower end of 
the parish, but partly to the fact that they were on the worst 
possible terms with James Grierson of Dalgoner, who, along 
with his brother-in-law, James Kirko of Sundaywell, was 
one of the prime movers in the scheme. They had been 
defenders in a lawsuit at his instance for the recovery of 
moneys disbursed on their behalf for the outfitting of the 
troops of the covenant, which had dragged on for many 
years ;° and their feelings became so embittered that Lady 
Carse is reported at a later date to have suggested to her 
sons, Herbert and John, “‘ to put two bullets through ”’ 
Dalgoner, *‘ though they should quit the kingdom.’’ 
However this may be, the scheme was adopted. It was 
found that the cost of building would amount to 3190 merks, 
in addition to the expense—{,419 8s—of obtaining the 
warrant for transportation, and a petition was presented to 
Parliament craving that this sum should be levied according 
to the valuation of the rent of the parish, amounting to 
8639 merks, at the rate of £36 16s on every £100 of rent. 
The matter was remitted by the Estates of Parliament to 
the Kirk Session of Dunscore ‘‘ to take the oaths of those 
who attendit and purchased the said Act for the transplan- 
tatioune of the Kirk, and to try what warrand they had for 
that effect, and accordingly to stent and proportionat the pay- 
ment thereof according to the rait forsaid.’’? 
So the church was built, and not only so, but the object- 
ing parishioners at the lower end of the parish were forced 
to attend it. Thus we find in the Presbytery records, under 
date March 6th, 1659, that Maxwell of Friers Carse was 
delated for forsaking public worship. He admitted that he 
went to the church of Holywood in winter, owing to the 
distance of the Dunscore church and the foulness of the 
ways. But the Presbytery declined to admit the excuse. 
