Plague and Pestilence Down the Centuries

Other records of plague from this time are less official, but no less affecting.  The Rev Buxton Fraser recorded a tradition of the Wood family of Bonniton (associated with Maryton parish from 1493 to the 18th century):

...there is a tradition, deserving of notice... It is that during one of the visitations of plague two members of the family (it is said by some, the laird and his wife) were seized when walking on the hill of Bonniton and died in a very short time.  Their bodies were buried on the spot where they had died, and the place is still known as the "Pesty's Grave". [St Mary's of Old Montrose, p. 89.]

The Seventeenth Century

during the continuance of the pest, the inhabitants dwelling in the south quarters sall bear the chairge for keeping the water side, and those in the other pairts, that for the three ordinary ports;  and that none sall receive ony person at back yetts or ony other entry nor the ordinary ports,under the pain of dead; and forder, that na neighbour sall reset ony stranger in lodging efter seven hours at nicht, without he first signify the same to the Bailie, under the pain foresaid. [The History of Old Dundee, Maxwell, p. 372.]

   This time the disease did not enter Dundee.  King James VI took the precaution to flee the south and reside for a time in Brechin. (Parliament fled for a time to Perth in 1604.) On 18 October 1602 the following year John Lovell was ordered by Dundee council to 'attend upon the keeping of the south side of the water [the Tay], and to suffer nane to have passage except sic as sall present ane sufficient testimonial fra ane unsuspectit place'.There is the following mention from the records of Aberdeen in 1603:  'To Caddell the post to gang to Brechin at command of the Provost for inquisition of the pest at Killimuir, 1 lb 10s.' In 1604, only three ferry boats at a time were allowed into Dundee's harbour.  But plague still came again in 1606.  In 1607, those infected with the plague were housed in makeshift riverside huts in the Sickmen's Yards to the east of the burgh (see below) and cleansers were appointed to separate infected goods.  Orders were given to prevent people visiting those suspected of being infected and who were confined to their homes, but this regulation was flouted, sometimes violently.  William Strathauchine, a Dundee cordiner:

abused ane of the quarter-masters appointit to attend upon persons infected, by saying that he had usurpit the office, and be giving him of the lie; and theirefter provoked him to the combat, and passed to his awn house and returnit seeking him with ane drawn sword. [The History of Old Dundee, Maxwell, p. 376.]

 

   William was made to crave forgiveness on his knees at the town Cross and another cordiner who had assisted him was also punished.

   In July 1608 many houses in Dundee were touched and so many magistrates had succumbed to death that the Privy Council had to appoint replacements. The notary Robert Wedderburne noted that:' the pest come from St Bartillis market in Franchland to Dundie at the first fair thairof in anno 1605 and zit continueis to this present day, the first of November 1608.  In the quhilk thair depairtit 4000 personis'.  It did not just originate overseas apparently, as in August it was spotted in Strachan on Deeside.  Dundee's  two expert clengers again went north and charged the sum of 500 merks.  Dundee, Perth and other places suffered a fresh plague outbreak in 1607 and 1608.

   Another large outbreak swept across the whole nation in 1644-1648, with entry in Edinburgh in autumn 1644 possibly caused by the return of infected soldiers returning from a plague-hit area in north-east England. The illness spreading through the eastern Borders, then northwards. Menmuir parish was badly affected (by fear if not actual outbreak), so that there was no public worship in the parish kirk for several months in 1647 (as reported by the Rev. William Cron in the New Statistical Account in the 19th century). Menmuir's Session records report on 11 April that 'because of the forthbreaking of the plague in Brechin, the minister preached in the fields, therefore no collection'.  The entry is repeated every week until 26 September.

   Local historian Frederick Cruickshank believed that the minister of Navar, the Rev Laurence Skinner (who died in April 1647) died of the plague.  Local tradition told a believable human tale of the surviving family:

 

The minister is said to have caught the infection during a visit to Arbroath.  He was able to return home, but survived only a short time.  His wife and family were left in great distress with no means of obtaining food.  Such was the dread of infection that no one would venture, or have been permitted, to go near the manse.  The tenant of one of the Lichtnies, whose place was close at hand, was so far moved with compassion for the poor distressed family as to supply them with necessary sustenance.  He had not courage, however, to go to the house, and therefore set the provisions he had brought with him upon the top of a dyke.  He carried a gun with him, which he handled in a threatening manner, so as to intimidate any of the family from approaching him.  The wife took the infection from her husband, and died a little later in the month.  The maid-servant also died. [Navar and Lethnot, pp. 38-39.]

 

   The plague entered Montrose in May 1648 and raged until the following February.  Crowds fled from the infected into the countryside.  In the Links north-east of the town there was a large tumulus pointed out for many years as the place where many victims were interred.  On 15 October that year the burgh of Montrose was the thankful recipient of £42, 14s 2d collected by the people of Brechin 'for the distressed people of Montrose'.  Brechin itself was suffering the tail end of a fearful outbreak (see below).

   It appears that the 1640s outbreak did not substantially affect Dundee.  Towards the end of 1645 the disease had been noted in Fife and in the Carse of Gowrie, but for some reason - providence perhaps - there was no immediate outbreak in Dundee.  Fear and watchfulness continued.  In June or July 1645 it was recorded:

 

The Counsall takand consideratioun that the plague is now spotting in Meigle, as also how it is daily increasing in Leith, Edinburgh, and other places... it is ordained that thair sall only be two portis keiped oppen, and those gairded be the inhabitantis of this burgh... and for securing the passage be water they have ordained Robert Stirline and Walket Rankine to goe to ffyffe, and thair to cause transport hither all boatis and yollis in ffyffe.

 

Alexander Maxwell believes that the following prophetic rhyme was coined at the time as a result of this respite:

                      Between Sidlaw and the sea, pest or plague shall never be.

 

   But there was an alarm on 22 August 1648 when:

The Counsall, being convened to tak som course anent the death of a foottman, laitly come from Aberdeen, who being visite be the peysitiones is found to be suspected to be dead in the plague, [and] hes resolved that Andro Nicol, stabler, in whose house he died, shall be put furth, with his familie, in the fields to abyde ane tryall, and the thesaurer ordained to cause put up the lodge for him.

   Another panic occurred in October 1653 when a Queenburgh vessel entered the Tay and was suspected of harbouring plague; it was quarantineed 'quhill the change of the moon be past'.  A watch by two townsfolk was kept at the Craig in Dundee for incomers two years later with signs of the plague, following news of its outbreak in England, but Dundee luckily escaped.

 

A Place for The Dying:  The Plague Huts of Murlingden