Meller stain and the Haitlies thereof. 137 



It appears to be entered in the " Taxt Roll of the Abbacy of 

 Melross," as " Home, his croft in Hassington, called Clerkscroft, worth 

 £20 3s. 4d., and payes 2s. 3d." — Morton's Monastic Ann. of Teviotdale, 

 p. 284. 



5. — Spotshiels. 



Of Spotshiels, indicated as belonging to the barony of Dunbar, the 

 situation cannot at present be ascertained. The name is not on the 

 maps, and the word Spot or Spott, hereabouts, is not confined to one 

 parish ; in this quarter also the barony of Dunbar was almost 

 co-extensive with the, breadth of the eastern part of the Lammermoor. 

 Except for grazing, its value was almost nominal. In 1633 it was 

 confirmed to Sir James Makgill of Cranstoun Riddell. (Act. Pari. 

 Scotland, v., p. 118.) There are previous grants to his predecessors, 

 where it is coupled with similar pasture lands, such as " Raburne, 

 Nisbetshillie, and Qnhinrig." In 25th August 1607 David Makgill is 

 retoured heir of Master David Makgill in, among others, " the lands 

 of Spottescheill and the superiority of the same." Old Value 20s., 

 New Value £3. On 10th July 1619 Maister James McGill is retoured 

 heir of David McGill of Cranstoun Riddell, his brother-german, in the 

 "lands of Spotscheil." They were not a permanent possession, for 

 on 4th March 1676 Sir John Home of Blackadder, knight baronet, 

 was served heir of his father among other Lammermoor lands in 

 " Spotscheill." — Retonrs Haddington, Nos. 45, 83, 324. 



6. — PopiLL OR Papill. 

 Popill, in the parish of Whittingham, East Lothian, can be more 

 satisfactorily located. At present it is a village on the Whittingham 

 estate. The lands, at an early period, belonged to the Laaders of 

 the Bass. Sir Robert Lauder of Bass, who died in 1561, made a new 

 disposition of his land and property, leaving to his son Robert, 

 the Bass and other East Lothian lands, thus creating a second family 

 with that title. Previous to his succession, Robert is designated of 

 Poppill. How the lands were acquired by the Haitlies is not apparent ; 

 the ancestral designation of the Whitelaws is also attached to the 

 same or neighbouring lands. " Patrick Quhytelaw married Mariota 

 Hepbnrne. They had joint charter from James V. of the lands of 

 Quhytelaw, co. Edinburgh, in the constabulary of Haddington (now 

 East Lothian) 7th July 1528, which Sir Patrick Hepburne of Waughton, 

 Mariota's father, resigned in their favour as superior." — " The Cockburns 

 of that Ilk," p. 222. The subject requires investigation. At present 

 I have only the titles of the Retours for East Lothian, as far as relates 

 to Popill. No. 219, 9th November 1649, John Hepburne of Wauchton 

 was served heir male of Sir Patrick Hepburne of Wauchtoune, knight, 

 his father in the Barony of Wauchtoun and numerous lands—" lands of 

 Popill, called Laudersland, alias Whytlawosland (vel Haitliesland) with 

 the mill of Popill"— Old Value 20 merks ; New Value 80 merks. No. 



