November 15th 1600

Perth and Dundee fight it out

There was always a certain rivalry between Perth and Dundee. Perth as the ancient capital of Scotland was jealous of its privileges, but as the years passed Dundee became more important commercially. Perth had a Lord Provost whereas Dundee possessed merely a Provost and among the Royal Burghs, Perth was always placed second (behind Edinburgh) while Dundee was third. This was not a position that Dundee agreed to readily. There was an unseemly scene at the Riding of Parliament in Edinburgh in 1567 when the representatives of both towns pushed and jostled in an attempt to take the position immediately behind Edinburgh.

The quarrel persisted and in 1581 was remitted to the Convention of Royal Burghs who pronounced that Perth “their procurators, and commissioners of the same, shall be preferred in order of antiquity and dignity to our said burgh of Dundee, and shall give place to them in order of priority of place and dignity……and enjoy perpetually, in all time coming, the prerogative, first place and order, and shall be preferred, in giving of votes and suffrages, before the said burgh of Dundee……” This should have put an end to the matter but in 1594 Perth was appealing once again, this time directly to the King to safeguard their position. An appeal that was eminently successful. “King James 6th to George Earl Merschell. We greet you weill. It is our will and we command you, that you place the Commissioner of our burgh of Perth in ye second place, and next ye Commissioner of ye burgh of Edinburgh, ye haill time of yis our Parliament, and in tyme coming, that he may have ye priority, first rank, place and vote before ye Commissioner of Dundee……”

Six years later James granted yet another charter to Perth giving them new rights and favours. They were to have “ample free and full jurisdiction, liberty and privilege of the said waters of Tay in loading and livering of ships, barks, boats……from Drumlay (Drumlithie) and below the same and with full powers to them to impede and forbid all others from loading and livering of ships……in any part of the said waters of Tay.” And therefore “the town of Dundee is prohibited from exacting shore dues on vessels or goods belonging to the inhabitants of Perth.”

Now this was a completely new departure and removed from Dundee rights which as a Royal Burgh it had always enjoyed. Understandably there was a furious reaction and a year later the whole case was referred to the decision of the King and the Lords of Council and Session. They gave their ruling on December 30th 1602. Dundee had by this time, with one assumes a touch of desperation, once again claimed precedence. They claimed it on three grounds. “First because it shall be proven by evidence, that the burgh of Dundee is more ancient……Secondly, because Dundee bears double the charges of Perth in the subsidies of the realm……Thirdly, Dundee is more civillie governed than Perth.” (Because all the magistrates in Dundee, save two, were of the ‘merchant state’). The Lords of Council were not impressed and dismissed Dundee’s appeal. They however rightly restored Dundee’s navigational rights.

The decree finished, “And finally, his Majesty, and the said Lords of Council and Session ordains both of the said burghs, and their successors in all times hereafter, to entertain Christian love, peace, charity and quietness and to live in a Christian society and neighbourly love, friendship and company.”

Let us hope that the lieges and subjects of the two towns still exist in such a state of Christian amity. (But of course Perth does still take precedence!)