NORTH LEITH.

[Formerly the Chapel of St Ninian, built by Robert Bellenden, Abbot of the Monastery of Holyrood, July 1493; proposed by the Presb. 4th Sept. 1599, ratified by General Assembly 10th Dec. 1602, and erected by Parliament 9th July 1606. The patronage vested at the same time by Parliament in "the hail of the inhabitants," was exercised by male heads of families until the passing of the Patronage Bill, 1874. Lands of Newhaven with corn tithes and money stipend were annexed from St Cuthbert's, 1630. The corn tithes of Hillhousefield purchased from William Chalmer and his spouse, and fish tithes of Leith and Newhaven purchased from John, Lord Holyroodhouse, both by subscription, were confirmed by Royal Charter, 11th June 1631. New church erected 1815-16, after sale of old church, which had become too small; opened 1st Sept. 1816. Halls erected in 1866. The fish tithe was commuted on payment of £2500 by Leith Dock Commission, 1892.]

1599 JAMES MUREHEAD, M.A. (Edinburgh, 28th July 1598); authorised to preach in the North-West Quarter of that city 21st Dec. 1598; elected by the parishioners, and adm. 19th Sept. 1599. One of those deputed by the Synod, April 1603, to wait on His Majesty near Haddington (while on his way to England at the Union of the Crowns), regarding grievances affecting the interests of religion. He signed the Protest against the introduction of Episcopacy, 1st July 1606. Died “in his upper chalmer, at sevin houris in the morning," 29th Oct. 1612, "and was buried in St Nicolas Chapel on Friday thairafter, at  x houris before none at the west gavel." He marr. (1) -- Paterson (Reg. of Deeds, ccxciv., 397): (2) (pro. 15th Dec. 1596) Janet Dennistoun, who survived him (Edin. Com. Decreets, 22nd July 1617). His sisters (Agnes, wife of Michael Cranstoun, min. of Cramond; Margaret, wife of Andrew Cautoun, in Craigmarvie; and Grisell wife of John Salmond in Auchingray)

were his executrices. - [Test. Reg., Reg. Assig.; Row's, Calderwood's, and Stevenson's Hists; Select Biog., i.]

1613 DAVID FORRESTER, M.A. (St  Andrews, 22nd July 1608); ord. to Denny 3rd April 1610; trans. and adm. 16th Dec. 1613; suspended by the Court of High Commission 2nd July 1619, and confined to Aberdeen; again summoned 25th Nov. following, for administering the Communion in a manner not in accordance with the prescribed order, when he was left in the hands of the Bishop of Aberdeen [Patrick Forbes], who said of him that " though he stand on his own conscience, he is as modest and subject to hear reason as the youngest scholar in Scotland"; trans. to Rathven April 1620 ; retrans. in 1627.-[Stirling Presb. Reg., Row's and Calderwood's Hists., Reg. Assig.]

1620 HENRY CHARTERIS, born probably in 1570, eldest son of Henry C., King's printer, was one of Rollock''s students from the opening of the college at Edinburgh. He took his degree of M.A. in 1587. In 1589 he became regent, and in 1599 was Principal and Professor of Divinity. Disagreeing with the Town Council, he res. the office of Principal, and accepted a call to this charge, being adm. (by the Archbishop at St Andrews) in April 1620. In 1627 he was retrans. to the Professorship of Divinity, and died in July 1628. “He was certainly one of the most learned men of his time, both in the tongues and in philosophy and divinity." He marr. (1) a lady whose name is unknown, and had issue-Margaret, bapt. 28th Sept. 1600: (2) 8th Sept. 1602, Agnes Mason, and had issue-Henry, W.S., bapt. 3rd July 1603; Isobel, bapt. 1st Dec. 1605 (marr., pro. 12th Aug. 1624, Laurence Henderson, merchant, burgess of Edinburgh : Reg. of Deeds, 539); Catherine, bapt. 12th Feb. 1609; William, bapt. 18th Feb. 1610; Agnes, bapt. 24th Feb. 1611; Rachel, bapt. 18th April 1612: (3) Janet, daugh. of John Bell, min., and had issue Jean, bapt. 15th Aug. 1617; Elizabeth, bapt. 28th July 1618; Catherine, bapt.