December 21st 1723

Hard times indeed

From John McIntosh of Logierait, December 21st 1723. “The scarcety and dearth of victuall this last year and the death of my wife, having four young children and two nurses to maintain made me consume my haill substance and occasioned my running forty pounds, Scots, in arrears to your Grace’s chamberlain who has therefore caused poynd (impound) my whole working tools with some of the bead clothes wher my sick children should lay, they being ill of the smallpox and no life expect for them so that now I and my children most stearved with hounger unless your Grace shall order to restore the poynd and shall willingly give your Grace bill for the said forty pound payable against the Market of Mullion (Moulin) next till which time I shall work both day and night till such time as I shall satisfy your Grace”  John McIntosh’s offer was accepted and the poynd was removed.

From the Session of Dunkeld November 13th 1723. “That the bearer Donald Stewart in Riachapel above Blair Atholl is come of honest parents, a married man free of all scandal or church censure……hade his barn and all his corn and most parts of his bed cloathes lying there burnt up quite by accidental fire at the dead time of the night carried thither by the violence of the storme of wind on Wednesday night. By which loss he is rendered a great object of pitty and charity of all tender hearted Christians who may know he is an honest tenant. But of no considerable stock almost his all being lost.”  Because of his loss Donald Stewart was allowed twelve pounds Scots out of his rent payable at Martinmas.

From Robert McFarland September 17th 1726. “Yur Graces petitioner has laboured more than these twenty years bygone under sore and tormenting troubles and aflictions, have his body, arms, sydes, hands and legs full of running Boills which are still putrefying and consuming with Vermine. And yeeld such a smell that every person abhors to come nigh him or suffer him to lodge in their houses. And which is every day turning worse, so that his person is almost spent to the very bones. And which circumstances of his has reduced him and his Aged Parent to the greatest poverty……being scarce able of himself to go from Door to Door to begg his bread without the greatest difficulty and is just now on the starving hand……That it may please your Grace out of your wonted charitable frame and disposition to bestow upon your Petitioner such a quantity of meall weekly from time to time as your Grace shall think fitt for his maintenance and supportable under his miserable stand and condition……”  Robert McFarland was given “half a boll of meall out of charity.”