Topography of Dumfries. 213 



east of tlio lands of the Gallowrig, the "new dyk " east of the 

 Laiii>otts. Thus we find an order by the Council, 27th April, 153G, 

 ordainins " that all dikis be maid sufficient about the corne lyand 

 on Gallowrig Wolfgill and Merchhill," and imposing penalties upon 

 those who " maid not thaim suflicient for to hald owt cattill." 

 Another order. 19th January, lo35-G, orders those who have tacks 

 in the Kingholm " to mak ther dyk sufficient." On 10th February. 

 1562-3, " It is agrcit and fullely condiscendid amangis the tennentis 

 of gallow rig qlkis has fullen ther landis be cavill and dule yt ilk 

 persoun hawand land wtin the vter dyk sail efter thair quality help 

 to vphald the vter cloiss dyk and quha bigis and vphaldis the samyn 

 to be recompensit of his veryingis ( ?) be ressoun he dyckis all nych- 

 bouris and pay is as thai do." That is, the man with the land 

 nearest the ditch was to be repaid for keeping it in order, because 

 it wa,s to the benefit of the whole tenants. We see then that from 

 Marchhill to Craigs was ditched, as also the Kingholm. 



81 Hume IJrown. History of ScotJnnd, i., 240, the authority 

 being the IMS. of John Law in the Library of the University of 

 Edinburgh. 



22nd January, 1915. 



Chairman — Dr J. W. M.vrtin. 



Two Irongray Traditions. 



By the Rev. S. Dunlop of Irongray. 



I. — The Romance of " William Guthrie, Minister 

 OF Irongray." 



In Nicholson's Historical and Traditional Tales (Kirk- 

 cudbright, 1843) there is a very romantic and pathetic story 

 told by the celebrated Edward Irving, " William Guthrie, 

 Minister of Irongray." He vouches that he tells the tale as 

 it was told to him by a venerable old lady, the widow of a 

 minister of Kirkmahoe, whom he met in Glasgow when he 

 was an assistant to Dr Chalmers. It is surprising that no 

 novelist has seized on it, for the motif is a very romantic 

 one, that of " Romeo and Juliet " and the " Bride of 

 Lammermoor." I shall tell the story brielly, then add a few 

 notes on it. 



On the restoration of Charles II. the first to suffer for 



