66 Burghs of Annandale. 



is styled a burgh in 1347,^° both Annan and Lochmaben are 

 treated as demesne vills of De Bohun in 1374.21 The latter 

 year introduces a new facr : both vills are farmed to John 

 Clerk of Annan, John Deconson, and William Tayllor, but 

 as this happens m sundry other vills of the locality it is 

 not possible to regard the transaction as a corporate lease of 

 firma burgi, such as Dumfries first obtained in 1395.^^ The 

 English occupancy ends ; and with the solitary exception of 

 a jury's finding in 1347, that William de Carlyle had died 

 leaving " lands in the burgh of Annan," the end comes with 

 surprisingly little light on the exact corporate position. 

 Perhaps it is enough to warrant Annan in holding by the 

 tradition of burghal erection by Bruce, ^ whether actively — 

 which does not seem to admit of proof — or constructively — 

 which is not so easily gainsaid. Certainly James V. 's 

 declaration in the renewal charter of 1539,^* that its ancient 

 charters of foundation and infeftments had been " destroyed 

 and burnt in sieges and fires by our enemies," constitutes a 

 most admirable title to the benefit of the doubt. 



Assuredly before 1539 Annan was a royal burgh, as is 

 shewn by the " Laird of Moriquhat's Sesing " of lands 

 there^s Jn 1532, wherein Andrew Wilkin appears as bailie, 

 giving seisin as use is in burgh. King James V., in his 



20 Bain's CaJ.. iii., 1499. 



21 Bain's CaJ., iv., 223. 



22 Eeg. Mag. Sig.. ii., 635. 



23 New Stat. Acct., Dumfries.'iliire. 522. 



24 Beg. Mag. Sig., iii., 1919. 



25 Mr William Murray, advocate, the present accomplished 

 laird of Murray thwaite, was so obliging as to draw my attention to 

 this valuable document, which he allowed me to transcribe, and 

 of which a copy — unfortunately with one or two errors, due to 

 misreading my not too distinct MS. — is printed by Mr John A. 

 Moodie, with a very useful accompanj^ing note, in the Transactions 

 of the Dumfriesshire and Galloiray Natural History and Anti- 

 quarian Society for session 1897-98. The deed is one of several 

 among Mr Murray's ancestral titles, containing matter of import- 

 ance for border history. Antiquaries would be grateful if Mr 

 Murray should see his way to edit and print some of these family 

 archives. 



