224 THE CHURCH OF HUME 



marry Margaret Ker of Gaitshaw.^* Her dowry was the sum of 

 200 marks, forty pounds of which was to be paid after the mar- 

 riage ceremony, at the high altar of the church, and twenty 

 pounds at the following Whitsunday and Martinmas terms until 

 the whole sum had been paid up. But the Homes had an eye 

 to the main chance. Somehow there seemed a probability of 

 John succeeding to the estates and title, and being served heir 

 to his brother Alexander. In that event they thought that the 

 dowry should be materially increased. They induced Margaret's 

 trustees to undertake to pay then a further sum of 400 

 marks intermly payments of 50 marks at the high altar. They 

 were never called on to pay this increase. Though Alexander 

 died, he was succeeded by his young son, who was eventually 

 served heir to his grandfather. 



Another 1 00 years nearly elapse before any further reference 

 is made to the church of Hume, and then as is usual in all these 

 charters, it is not to the life and work of the church, but 

 to the value of the benefice. 



In 1567, in the time of Alexander fifth Lord Home, the well- 

 knowu partisan of Queen Mary, another detailed cess of the 

 possessions in Hume was made by Kelso Abbey .^^ Thus the 

 land of Bellishill (a field, which got its name perhaps from 

 being the place where the bell-tower stood, which was not 

 always attached to the church), was assessed at xls., the kirk- 

 land of Home at iij lib., and the lands of Bothill and Hareheid 

 xxiv lib. The vicarage teind is valued at x lib. The victual 

 payments are also detailed. Thus the Town Mains with 

 Fawsidhill and Hardis Mylne is rated 



In beir ij chaldrons viii bolls ) 7 i, ij 

 Meill iiij viij \ ^ Cramers. 



Todrig In beir iii bolls ) ,0 v n 



^ Meill ix ! ^2 bolls. 



Oxmure In beir v bolls > 1 1. u 



Meill xj i ^ ^^^1^«^- 



Summa ordei iij chalders. 



ferine v ch. xij bolls. 



totalis viij ch. xij bolls. 



^* Historical MSS.' Commission XII. Report, Part via, Papers 



of Earl of Home, p. 89. 

 " Liber de Calchou, p. 492. 



