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48
ANNALS OF DUDDINGSTON.


forbidding any one to attack another in Edinburgh or within a mile of the residence. of the Council, under pain of warding for a year and a day. James Ker, was ordered to be imprisoned in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, and Archibald, having apparently fled, ‘‘ was denounced as a rebel.” At a subsequent meeting the case was again before the Council on a statement that having made his submission as ordered, Archibald Ker had appeared on the 21st April 1608 in St Giles Church in Edinburgh, and had there ‘Sin all humilitie acknowledgit his offence to God, and to William ‘Wauchope and his friends, and to have cravit pardoun of them for the hurting and wounding of the said William.”

The Council imposed a fine of £70 11s, which he paid. The feud. between the families was nevertheless continued, for in 1609 several of the Wauchopes having assaulted Robert Ker in Duddingston, and leaving him for dead, were committed to ward in the Tolbooth, notwithstanding it had ‘‘ this lang time bygane been visit with the plague of pestilence.”

John Ker died before 1667, as in a charter of that date ‘‘the lands of the Vicarage of Duddingston” are described as having ‘*formerly belonged to the widow of the late John Ker,” He was succeeded by ‘‘ John Ker of West Nisbet ;” and he again was followed by his son, ‘‘ John Ker of Cavers,” as we find in a Retour of 5th July 1684, where a description of the kirk land is pretty fully given. These consist of fifteen rigs of land near the town of Duddingston, eleven rigs of land in Longlands of Wester Duddingston, six rigs of land (in lie clayes), and one and 4 half acres between the crofts of the said town (“ noncupatas carnbucks ” ), extending in all to fourteen acres (“‘pecits terrarum noncupatis lie ortchart in dicta territorio”). The feu-duty to the Crown as superior is set down at fourteen merks.*

The Kers were otherwise connected with Duddingston through several generations. As Baron Bailies, we find the names of James and his son Robert appearing towards the end of the century in various documents. A Janet Ker (presumably a sister of the latter), married William Duncan, who was also Baron Bailie for a number of years down to 1708, when he was succeeded in the same office by his son, Archibald Duncan. Their monument may still be seen in the churchyard of Duddingston, testifying to their worth, as is afterwards mentioned.

Reference has already been made to the Lawsons of Duddingston, This name appears frequently in the Parish Record and

* Abbreviated Retours, Vol. 1., No. 1291.