The Kirk Session Minutes
The minutes of the Kirk Session have been mentioned at various points in this brief history, and it is worth adding a few notes concerning that remarkable set of documents. They have the distinction of being the earliest and best-preserved set of session minutes in Ayrshire. Galston has an earlier minute dated 1568 but the document, even in 1936, was said to be in a poor and mutilated condition. The surviving Dundonald minutes begin in 1602 and continue until the present day with gaps totalling about eighty years. The earliest minutes, 1602-1731, were transcribed, edited and printed by Henry Paton for the Fourth Marquis of Bute in 1936. Six leather-bound copies were produced and one was given to Dundonald Church. Here is some of the very first page in its original form:
The Sessioun of the Kirk of Dundonald haldin thair at the third (of) Januar Im sax hundreth and twa yeiris. Presentis thairat Johne Wallace of Dundonald, James Fullarton yunger of Corsbie, Robert Wallace in Galrigis, Thomas Wallace in Gllilandis, elderis; Patrick Bryding in Holmes, Charles Bankheid in Braeheid, Johne Forgushill in Halie and Symont Wallace in Creukis, diacones.
The said Margaret, requyrit anent hir purpos of going to Hellein Cunyghamis hous to Katherein Makteir, declairit that scho, haifand ado to go to the toun of Air to Midsomer fair to by woll left Katherein Makteir to keip hir hous and bairn and to milk hir ky, and that some of hir ky thaireftir gaif bluid in stad of milk and that thairvpoun scho past to the said Katherein Makteir to the said Hellein Cunyghames hous quhair scho wes and declairit to hir the maner of hir ky and that the said Katherein ansuerit hir that hir ky had lyen on ane pismuill hillok ( an anthill ), and bad hir rub fresch buttir on the kyis wdderis and papis, quhilk scho did and they mendit. Referrt be the Session to forther tryall.
This little excerpt reveals some interesting points. Firstly, note that the list of those present does not include the Minister. We had a Minister then; David Milne had been admitted to Dundonald in 1576 but appears in the minutes only twice in the last 17 years of his service here, and then just in the passing, not amongst those present. It is likely that the Minister was present at Session meetings, he just was not important enough to be mentioned. The important men were the elders who were the local land owners. The principal elder in 1602 was John Wallace of Dundonald whose family had bought the Castle and surrounding estates from James V in 1527 and built the house at Auchans for themselves.
In the aftermath of the Reformation the new Church had a new creed but no structure, so the leaders set up a series of courts of the Church, the lowest of which were the Kirk Sessions who were given the power to exercise Church Law at a local level. A number of offences were outlawed—profaning the Sabbath, adultery, misbehaving in Church, failing to attend Church, especially Communion, and also minor civil offences such as brawling, drunken-ness, swearing and licentious living. Kirk Sessions were given the power to pursue offenders and mete out punishment and so they became local administers of justice and would act as arbiters in local disputes. It is not surprising that it was the powerful local landowners who took control.
One offence which was vigorously pursued throughout Scotland was witchcraft, and Dundonald was no exception. We see in the above minute the beginnings of the pursuit of Kate McTeir who was suspected of being a witch. In the excerpt she is left to look after a house and cattle while the owner visited Ayr to buy wool. For days afterwards the cows were said to produce blood instead of milk, the result of a spell put upon them by Kate. Kate responded by claiming that the cow had sat on an anthill and had been bitten. Rub some butter on her udders and she will be fine. This matter goes on for weeks with Kate accused of having a wee black stone with which she can perform magic spells. Many people testify against her but, despite the matter getting as far as Presbytery, Kate seems to have survived. Session seems to have been diverted by the case against a warlock, Pet Lowrie who was not so fortunate as he was strangled and his body burned in Edinburgh.
The minutes are a very valuable source of information about 17th century life in Scotland. Here are just a few excerpts:
1606 A Piper Plays during Fast-time
Johne Wilsoun, pyper in Broneyardis, compeirand befoir the Sessioun and being accusit, confessit that Johne Caldwoll in Gilsyd sett him to play that day of his marriage. The Sessioun finding thairby that he prophanit the present fast ordanit him to mak his repentance and confess his fault before the pulpit.
1607 Confined to the Castle for Misdemenours
The quhilk day the Sessioun ordainit Mareoun Wallace, relapse fornicatrix with Thomas Wallace, to enter the Castell and remaine thair the space appointit to hir; gif scho disobey to be proceidit aganis.
1607 John Wilson Changes his Mind, and his Betrothed
Johne Wilsoun in Plevland, compeirand befoir the Sessioun, wes accused for not compleiting his mariag with Kaithrein Bras efter all proclamatiounes, ansuerit he wes not myndit to marie hir because of vnsemelie thingis he fand with hir. Scho lykvis being present and requyrit to declair whidder he haid ony carnell daill with hir ansuerit he haid not. This matercontinevit to the nixt Sessiuon.
Next Session
John Wilsoun in Plevland ordained to pay x lib. Unlaw and mak his publict repentance for his resylling eftir proclamatioun of his bannes with Kaithrein Bras, and thaireftir to be proclaimed with Agnes Broun.
1642 No Sleeping in Church
The Sessioun ordained that no woman be suffered to sit in the Church in the tyme of Sommer with plyds wpon thair heids, because it is a cleuck to thair sleeping in tyme of sermon, and desired the minister to exhort them gravelie the nixt day to the obedience heirof.