Ross Account Book for Easter Beltie Farm, 1683-1744
The Easter Beltie account book was used mostly as a place to
note things for reference and as proof of transactions that had been made by
the farm’s owners. As a result it gives quite a detailed record of the business
of the farm, including many notes of money paid, received, and due to the
Ross’s, such as-
“An Account of bear [barley] sold of crop 1740
Inpr[imis] to Captain Grant 2 boll[s] 1 firlot p[ai]d 22
[pounds] 10 [shillings]…[£1,941.53p in today’s money]”
(PD5 page 70. Bolls and firlots are old measures for corn
and grain etc.; £22-10s-0d = about £1,941.53p today)
In December 1703-
“Ther is resting me be William Davidson of Bannacraig be his
bond payable at mertimess [th]e soume ane hundre[th] [th]irti [th]ree pound six
shill[ings] eight pennis scots of a[nnual]rents proceeding me[r]timess seven/
hundre[th] [and] [th]ree [th]e soume of twentie two pound scots
[written in different ink] I am payed of William Davidson
all that I can cleam against him any manner of way”
(PD5 page 45. Mertimess = Martinmass, 11 November;
£133-6s-8d = about £801.07p; annual rent = yearly interest; £22 = about
£132.43p today)
There are also many notes of employment (or ‘feeing’)
agreements made for hiring farm servants at the end of May and November each
year detailing the monetary fees along with payments to be made in kind -
“Conditioned to Robert Gillespie of fie betwixt Mertimess
Jaj vii and twentie two and Whitsunday Jaj vii and tweentie three seven merks
two pair of shoon ane shirt ane pair of hoas which is payed
And as much for the next half year [written in pencil] which
is payed”
(PD5 page 28. Mertimess Jaj vii and twentie two = 11
November 1722; Whitsunday Jaj vii and tweentie three = 15 May 1723; 1 merk = 14
shillings, 7 merks = about £415.28p today; shoon = shoes; hoas = stockings)
In terms of the more notable matters, the most relevant ones
to the writers were the family life events that were given pride of place at
the beginning of the book. In total, 17 genealogical events are noted, all but
one of them in William Ross’s handwriting, showing that he had 11 children – 7
girls and 4 boys – who are all named alongside their dates and rough times of
birth. There also notes of the marriage of 2 of his daughters, along with notes
of William Ross’s own marriage to his unnamed wife, the death of his father
(also unnamed) and the death of his son William.
Robert Ross, William’s 4th son, wrote the last genealogical
entry in the book, though, which reads “The owner of this book William Ross
departed this life upon the fourteenth day of September 1732 about nine aclock
at night of a Collick being aged 74 years” (PD5 page 4)
Aside from family history, the book was also used to note
parish matters, such as the schoolmaster’s fees for April 1720. The most
interesting of these relate two events in the history of the parish, one of
which notes a dispute in the Church of Kincardine apparently over the Laird of
Craigievar’s right to nominate church ministers without the permission of the
Elders and Congregation in 1682 (PD5 pages 7-8). The other is more serious:
“The Kirk of Kincarden [and] Manse was burnt March 6th 1733
[and] rebuilt the same year.” (PD5 page 82)
2 other items that can be found in the book are supposed
cures for illness. The first, which is pictured, is a veterinary cure for the
quarter-ill, or blackleg, a disease affecting one of the quarters of sheep or
young cattle.
The second, for the ‘falling sickness’ (epileptic seizures),
involves a curious mixture of astrology and the consumption of heavy metals,
which should not be tried at home!
“A Successful Remedy for the Falling Sickness
Take one dram of the fine filings of true white metal pewter
mix it with a little conserve of Orange or some sweetmeat: give it to the
patient the middle of the third day before the full of the moon [and] twelve
hours before the full as near as can be known from Astronomical calculation
[and] also the midle of the third day after the full moon. The same Method to
be observed with respect to the change of the said planet. Twelve doses thus
given are generally sufficient to effect a cure. When the Disease invades the
same doze is to be given promiscuously which will have a remarkable effect; but
to effect a cure the full [and] change of the Moon are to be observd.
Presented to the publick by John Tennent. M. D.
London Magazine [November?] 1741”
(PD5 page 80)
The bizarre nature of these remedies in a way makes them the
most curious notes to us today. Combined with the rest of the book though, they
give a very detailed view of the business, events and matters that concerned
Easter Beltie farm and Kincardine O’Neill parish at the beginning of the 18th
century, as well as providing plenty of ‘remarkable things’ for the reader to
think about.
Transcription of title page [p.3]
Ane Compt
Book
Belonging to me
William Ross
Being Composed [th]e 13 day
of Febrawary and year
of God 1683
Containing every remarkable
[th]ing till him wi[th] a full content
wretten befor
Hujus si cupias dominum
Cognoscere libri post hoc verbiculum
Nomen habebis ibi
Gulielmus Ross
[translation: If you might desire to know the master of this
book after these small words you will have there the name William Ross]
Transcription of page 68
A Recept for beast that have taken the Quarter ill, let
[the]m not ly
take 2 gills of good whisky
2 litle handfulls of salt
2 litle handfuls of wormwood
Mix them [and] put them over it craig [and] drive the beast
along while [and] let it not ly down”
(Recept = prescription; craig = the neck)
[Originally published as our Document of the Month for October 2008]
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