CRACKDOWN ON MIRACLE PLAYS

1st July 1577: St Andrews Kirk Session have cracked down on the performance of Miracle Plays, which they had decreed should not be performed, although the King has been known to encourage the same plays.

A spokesman for the Session said: "Because certain inhabitants of this town, as well as against the express command of the civil magistrate, as against the minister's prohibition in pulpit, have played Corpus Christi play upon Thursday, the 6th June last, which day was wont to be called Corpus Christi, to the great slander of this haill town, and because the said play is idolatrous, superstitious, and also slanderous, as well as by reason of the sixth commandment, the Session has decided that certain prohibitions shall be enacted against the players]"

The following are some of the effects of the prohibitions.

• August 13, 1577: Thomas Thorsaills wishes to have his child baptised, but having borne the host among the Corpus Christi players, has first to repent.
• Sept.1, 1577: One of the Corpus Christi players repents before the congregation in order to have his child baptised.
• Sept 2, 1577: Eight others repent.
• Dec. 15th, 1577: Three others repent.
• Dec. 16th, 1577: Three more repent.

SUNDAY DANCING PUNISHED

6th June, 1599: For dancing on Trinity Sunday, David Wemyss was sentenced by the Kirk Session of St Andrews to imprisonment in the Church steeple till he obtained caution that he would "make his repentance". In his defence, Wemyss pleaded that the custom was kept in Raderny ere any of the session were born.

DOUBLE DROWNING DISASTER

7th October 1757: Tragedy struck today in the Angus parish of Lethnot, when the two sons of John Leitch, tenant of Bonnington, were drowned in the West Water. David (22) and John(20) were trying to cross the flooding river on the same horse when they were carried away.

SOLDIER ROAD-WORKER IS HUSBAND SAYS WOMAN

28th May 1768: Compeared before the Kirkmichael kirk session was Janet McAllun, who confessed that she was with child, as had been reported, but she claimed she was married, to a soldier called James McKibin (McCubbin) who had been a worker at the public road on Errick Stone-brae.

She produced a letter which she said was from him acknowledging the same. The Session decided to leave the matter to the Session of Moffat, and the Moderator agreed to notify the Minister and members of that session forthwith.

PATERNITY CASE AT KIRKMICHAEL

22nd December 1771: Ann Johnstone, a spinster, was compeared before the Kirk Session of Kirkmichael Parish, Dumfriess-shire, and she confessed that she had given birth to a child.

Being questioned as to who was the father, she answered, "Samuel Wells", her fellow servant at Allanhill, in the parish of Moffat, and that the said Samuel was guilty with her at Allanhill about the 1st of March last.

Being rebuked and exhorted not to sin again, she was asked if she could write. She said she could not, and desired the Moderator to sign her statement for her

GENERAL SIR ROBERT ANSTRUTHER DIES.

11th January 1809: Abercrombie (Fife) lost a famous son today when Sir Robert Anstruther (41) of Balcaskie fell during the retreat to Corunna. Sir Robert had previously served in Flanders(1808), on the Helder expedition(1799), in Egypt(1800) and at Vimiera(1808).

NEW MEMBERS OF BRECHIN GUILD

20th October, 1814: The following men were today admitted to membership of the Guildry of Brechin. Entry is normally hereditary - sons and sons-in-law paid a reasonably small entry fee. Strangers, the modern in-comer, for example, have to be well-qualified and pay a more substantial fee. This is seen as an extension of the old Burgess system.

WAR HERO DIES

7th October 1819: War hero Lieut. Andrew Will of the 92nd Highland Regiment died today in Jamaica, a victim of the climate. Lieut Will had previously served in the Peninsular War (where he was severely wounded in the head) and also fought at Quatre Bas and Waterloo.

SCOTS DOCTOR DROWNS IN OZ

23rd March 1840: James Jolly and Jean Robie of Brechin (Angus) are today mourning the loss of their son Alexander (22) who drowned while bathing at Geelong (Australia).

During his days as a medical student, Alexander had served as a surgeon on board the whaler "Viewforth" and survived being icebound in the Dover Strait.

TEACHER DROWNS IN RESCUE BID

3rd July, 1846: James Taylor, a student teacher of St Andrews, drowned today while trying to save a pupil.

BOER WAR VICTIM

1899: Alexander Robertson and Jane Hodge of Leysmill (Angus) are mourning the death in action of their 6th son, Private George Hodge Robertson of the Black Watch. Private Robertson (23) fell at Magersfontein, South Africa, on 11 December, 1889.

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of our "oldnewspaper". Contributions are welcome for future issues, but please note that they must all be Scottish news items, and not less than about 70 years old (for copyright reasons). They may be emailed to gordon@kinhelp.co.uk

Copyright G. Johnson, 1996