A book of family records and personal reminiscences

rons and esquires made by the Lyon king in pursuance of an Act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 1590 and satisfied by another Act bearing date 1672.

David Plenderleith of Peebles is the first of our ancestors of whom we know anything positive ; and all the information with respect to him that we possess is that he had a grandson named Patrick who purchased the estate of Blyth in Peebleshire. Of the intermediate generation between these two all record is lost.

Patrick Plenderletih had three sons, the eldest of whom, David, succeeded to the proerty of Blyth, and added to it another named Kailzie (pron. K'il'ie) in the same couny. William, the second son, is mentioned by his father, in a will dated May 20, 1685, as being at that time Provost of Peebles, and I have been informed that a bridge in the town was erected during his provostship, and bears an isscription in which this fact is stated. The third son, John, became a writer to the signet, and was elected to represent the borough of Peebles in the second session of King Charles II's second Parliament* holden at Edinburgh. His name appears in the role as "John Plenderleeth." (see Instrumenta Publica VIII. P. 5)

David Plenderleith of Blyth and Kailzie was born at Blyth in 1641. The first thing recorded of him

[on verso] Blyth is in the Parish of Linton 7 m. N.W. of Peebles

Kailzie is in the Parish of Tragehair

*1669-70 See Foster's Scottish Parliamentary Rolls, pubd. in London, 1883, in which however he is confused with his brother, the Provost of the same borugh.

11 is his appointment in 1685 as one of H.M. Commissioners of Supply for the County of Peebles. (Inst. Pub. VIII. 465) He filled the same office again in 1689 and 1704 (Ibid. XI. 141) One the 1st of April 1668, being then 27 years of age, he married Marion, daughter of Alexander Livingston, of Saltcoats of Midlothian, who had served in the civil wars under Prince Rupert, and whose portrait we still possess. By the lady he had eight children, the first six of whom Anna, Isabel, Maron, two Johns, and William, died early. The seventh, David, (of who presently) succeeded him in the possession of his properties. The eighth son, Patrick, became a presbyterian preacher - a thing which was then (as it still is) very unusual for a gentleman's son to do, even in families which had accepted most warmly the creed of the populace. I have however come across two or three other instances of the same sort. Mr. Patrick Plenderleith appears to have exercised his functions at a place called Saline, near Dumferline, and to have married the sister of a member of his own profession, who was minister of Echt in Aberdeenshire. His son David, also a presbyterian preacher, married Miss Helen Simson of Pencaitland, whose mother was Alison.

15 most amiable and highly cultured old lady, but was a member of the Irvingite body, or as they are called in Scotland "the Rewrites."

To return however to our own branch of the family. David Plenderleith appears to have represented the county of Peebles in the first Parliament of William and mar, which commenced its session at Edinburgh on April 25, 1690. And his is also mentioned in the Parliamentary Rolls of the first year of Queen Anne's reign (1702) as "David Plenderleith, sldr, of Blyth." He was an advocate (i.e. barrister) and had an office not very far from St. Gilea's Church, in the upper town, Edinburgh, from which the lane behind took (and still bore when I was last in Edinburh) the name of "Blyth's close." He appears to have been the person altered the spelling of our name, which I first find with an "a" in the last syllable in his own entry of his marriage with marion Libingstone in the family Bible.* I henceforth adopt this spelling in these pages, although the older use seems not to have been entirely abandoned for some some time after this. The portrait of W. Plenderleath which we possess represents him with the family eyes, full lips, and a long straight nose. That of his wife with auburn hair and brown eyes - other features not at all unlike those of her husband.

14 [on verso] * In William Fraser's History of the Buccleugh Family, Vol II, p. 277, the name of "David Plenderlaith" occurs as being deputy commissioner for Peebles for the confirmation of Will, & as confirming (i.e. I suppose, giving probate to) the will of Walter Earl of Buccleugh in 1694. I do not know whether this is my ancestor. If so he would have seem to have succeeded in teaching his neighbours to give him an "a" in his last syllable, but not exactly where he wished it put in!

17 My father notes in a memorandum book of his, under date August 18, 1818, at Haddington that "Of the pictures in Davie Gourlay's two only are marked, rigt. David P. and Marion Livingston his wife, who must have been handsome if it is like what she was." With the deepest respect for my ancestoress's merits, I am unable to concur in this judgement.

Mrs. Marion Plenderleath died on September 3rd 1690, and the folling 3rd of April W. Plenderleath married Mary Geddes. With regard to this lady we possess no information, save that she born three children, James, John, and Mary, all of whom died unmarried, and the two last in infancy. James was the original of one of the family portraits, which represents him in a laced coat, and with a ship in the background. As his parentage was not recorded, it was, I imagine, not of the most distinguished.* And her niece and namesake does not seem to have been a nice person - witness the following document which will be found our family papers.

"And note of the Cloathes and others which perteaned to muguls Mary Geddes, Lady# Blyth, who deceast the 29th of Apryll 1695, which were clandestinely carried away be Mary Geddes her neice, who was clandestinely mar

16 [on verso] *I am perhaps mistaken in this, as I have subsequently noticed that in a will dated May 1685 W. Plenderleath includes "James Geddes of Rauchan, John Hmilton of Bordan, James William, son of Lardrona, and George livingston of Saltcoats" as his "dear friend and kinsman", while he [...] of "W. John Frank, writer to his maj. signet in quite different terms.

#So called according to a custom not yet quite disused in Scotland, by which a landowner was called by the name of his propeerty without any prefix, and his wife by the same with prefix of "Lady."

"Item one new golden neckchaine which was bought from William Law Goldsmyth in the Parliament close which cost twentie six rix dollars and which the Lady Blyth bought to her niece to Incouradge her not to marrie William Graham nor any other persone without the advyce of her friend inde__________ 075: 08: 00

"Item one suit of the best Table Linings being one board cloath and one dozen of the best of dorwick servits, estimat to 30 [GBP]: Scott: inde_______ 030: 00: 00 590: 12: 00

[Endorsed.] "One note of the ffyne cloathes and others 9th perteaned to Mary Geddes Lady Blythe wh. deceast the 29th of Apryll 1695. And which were taken away be Mary Geddes her neice who was married the first of May yrafter."

The above items will all explain themselves with the exception of the "kaiming cloathes" which are peignoirs, and the "dorwick servits," which are damask serviettes.

Mrs. Mary Plenderleath died on the 29th of April, as above stated, and on the 23rd of March following