The Testament Dative and Inventory of John Robertson of Lude, 1742

The testament of John Robertson of Lude (1742) is really an official record describing how his affairs were settled.

Normally, James his son would have inherited everything but, as James was still a minor and the estate was badly in debt, it became neccessary to literally sell off the family silver etc. Thomas Bisset, Commissary of Dunkeld, acted on behalf of Lady Lude and the outcome was recorded in the Commissariot Book of Dunkeld.

The first part records in detail the Lude House roup (sale of household effects, livestock and crops), listing the buyers and the prices paid. Although there were some fairly common items being auctioned, it would appear that only the local gentry and those of means had been invited to participate. The second part lists the tenants, by named properties, who were owing money to the Lude estate. Obviously this does not include every tenant, only those in arrears.

John Robertson of Lude – The Testament dative and inventory of the goods, gear, debts and sums of money which pertained, belonged and was resting to the deceased John Robertson of Lude at the time of his decease which was in the month of (blank) last bypast, truly made and given up by the Honourable Mrs Charlot Nairn, relict of the defunct executor dative discerned to him in name and for the use and behoof (behalf) of James Robertson of Lude, the eldest son, by the Commissary of Dunkeld upon the day and date of this present decreet dative following on an edict duly executed and endorsed in itself more fully bears.

Imprimis (Firstly), there is given up, pertaining and belonging to the said defunct (at) the time foresaid of his decease the goods and gear following, sold at a public roup in the presence of the said commissary, to the persons after-mentioned at the rates and prices after-specified:

Item, a wainscot table at 12s to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, a lesser wainscot table at 4s 6d to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, a little wainscot table at 2s 8d to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a house clock at £7 10s to Robert Stewart of Fincastle;
Item, half a dozen silver spoons at £5 12s 6d to Gregor Murray at Mill of Blair;
Item, half a dozen silver spoons at £5 12s 6d to Lady Lude;
Item, half a dozen silver forks and half a dozen silver hafted knives (weighing 24 oz) at £7 7s 9d to Lady Lude;
Item, half a dozen silver forks and half a dozen silver hafted knives (weighing 24 oz) at £7 7s 9d to Thomas Bisset of Glenalbert;
Item, a pair of ... at 1s 7d to Patrick McGlashan in Blair;
Item, a pair of ... at 1s 7d to Charles Stewart of Bohally;
Item, a pair of ... at 1s 1d to Patrick Stewart at Bridge of Tilt;
Item, three silver spoons at 3s 6d to Charles McGlashan at Dalnacardoch;
Item, three wine glasses at 4½d each to Mr Walter Stewart of Orchil;
Item, three wine glasses at 4½d each to Patrick Stewart at Bridge of Tilt;
Item, three wine glasses at 4½d each to John Stewart of Foss;
Item, a pair of double glasses at 1s 3d to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, a pair of double glasses at 10d to Patrick McGlashan in Blair;
Item, a looking glass at £1 5s to Patrick McGlashan in Blair;
Item, a looking glass at 15s to John Robertson of Shalloch;
Item, a looking glass at £1 12s to Charles McGlashan at Dalnacardoch;
Item, a silver watch at £5 to John Robertson of Shalloch, on behalf of Mr Alexander Stewart, minister of the Gospel at Blair;
Item, a dozen table napkins at £1 4s to John Stewart of Foss;
Item, a table cloth at 15s to John Stewart of Foss;
Item, a dozen chairs at 5s 1d each to Patrick McGlashan in Blair;
Item, a dozen chairs at £3 1s to Charles McGlashan in Dalnacardoch;
Item, eleven dinner plates and a dinner dish at 5s 6d to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, two dinner ashettes at 3s 1d to Mr Walter Stewart of Orchil;
Item, two dinner bowls at 1s 11d to Lord George Murray;
Item, two dinner bowls at 2s 1d to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a dinner bowl at 3s to Charles McGlashan in Dalnacardoch;
Item, a pair of brass candlesticks at 3s 3d to Charles McGlashan in Dalnacardoch;
Item, a pair of brass candlesticks at 3s to John Stewart of Foss;
Item, a pair of brass candlesticks at 3s 3d to Donald Robertson of Balnacraig;
Item, a pair of brass candlesticks at 2s 3d to Charles McGlashan in Dalnacardoch;
Item, a pair of brass candlesticks at 2s 2d to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, a pair of brass candlesticks at 2s to John McKenzie of Kinnaird;
Item, a dinner plate at 2½d to Mr Walter Stewart of Orchil;
Item, a shoulder belt mounted with silver at 16s to Charles McGlashan in Dalnacardoch;
Item, a brass coffee pot and stand at 8s to Lady Lude;
Item, a coffee mill at 5s 4d to Charles McGlashan in Dalnacardoch;
Item, a coffee roaster at 2s 6d to Patrick McGlashan in Blair;
Item, a fowling gun at £1 3s 6d to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, a proved(?) gun at £2 8s to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, a whip at 2s 6d to Robert Stewart of Fincastle;
Item, a little old killer (?) at 3s to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a dozen pewter plates at 14d per pound weight to John McKenzie of Kinnaird;
Item, a dozen pewter plates at 14d per pound weight to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, a dozen pewter plates at 14d per pound weight to Charles Stewart of Bohally;
Item, two ashettes at 3s 8½d to Donald Robertson of Balnacraig;
Item, two ashettes at 3s 8d to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, a broth dish weighing four pounds four ounces at 14d per pound to Donald Robertson of Balnacraig;
Item, an ashette at 1s 10d to Robert McGlashan in Kirkton of Clune;
Item, six horn-shafted knives and forks at 5s to Donald Robertson of Balnacraig;
Item, six horn-shafted knives and forks at 5s to Charles Stewart of Bohally;
Item, six old knives and forks at 2s 4½d to John McKenzie of Rieniand;
Item, six breakfast knives at 6s 8d to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, an iron frying pan at 1s 10½d to Donald Robertson of Balnacraig;
Item, a large poker etc at 6s 4d to Donald Robertson of Balnacraig;
Item, a large poker etc at 3s 2½d to David Stewart in Kynachan;
Item, a large poker etc at 4s to David Stewart in Kynachan;
Item, a pewter tankard at 4s 6d to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a tea kettle at 3s 7d to Lady Lude;
Item, an iron pot at 9s 4d to Duncan Forbes in Tulliemet;
Item, an iron pot at 12s 9d to William Douglas, servant at Lude;
Item, an iron pot at 5s to Duncan Forbes in Tulliemet;
Item, a brass pan at 4s 7d to Patrick Kennedy in Pitnacrie;
Item, a copper saucepan at 5s to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, an iron pot at 6s 4d to Lady Lude;
Item, four chamber pots at 3s 8d to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, a pair of tongs etc at 4s to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, a pair of tongs etc at 2s to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, two bacons at 1s 6½d to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, a bacon at 5d to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, two jugs at 9d to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, mug at 9d to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, a jug at 4½d to James Robertson of Blairfettie;
Item, a bone and iron razor(?) at 4s 10d to John Stewart of Foss;
Item, an iron spool(?) 9d to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, mustard box at 9d to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, a pewter choppine measure(?) at 9½d to Patrick Robertson in Kilmaveonaig;
Item, a pewter choppine measure(?) at 2s to Robert McGillivie in Miltown of Clunie;
Item, an Indian tea table at £1 5s to Lady Dowager of Nairn;
Item, a grey mare with foal at £4 to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, a brown two year old fillie at £3 to John Stewart of Foss;
Item, an old grey horse at £2 5s to Duncan Forbes, wright at Tulliemet;
Item, (a horse?) at £3 8s to Alexander Robertson, for the Rev Mr Meldrum minister at Tippermuir;
Item, a black horse at £4 10s to Robert Stewart of Fincastle;
Item, eleven swine, old and young, at £1 7s to Charles Stewart of Bohally;
Item, a silver dealing (serving) spoon at £2 12s to Mr Henry Balneaves of Edradour;
Item, two old silver spoons at £3 5s to Gregor Murray at Mill of Blair;
Item, five dozen empty bottles at 16d a dozen to John Stewart at Balnakeilly;
Item, a bed at £1 to James Douglas at Mulionarn (Moulinearn);
Item, a feather bed with bolster and pillow at 18s 4d to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a feather bed with bolster and pillow at £1 12s to James Douglas at Mulionarn;
Item, a bed at £2 14s to William Millar in Dunkeld;
Item, three English blankets and an under one at £1 6s to James Robertson of Balnacree;
Item, a horse at £5 5s to Lady Nairn;
Item, a feather bed with bolster and pillow at £2 19s to Baillie McEwan in Dunkeld;
Item, a bed at £3 3s to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, three blankets and an under blanket at £1 1s to Duncan Forbes in Tulliemet;
Item, a feather bed with bolster and pillow at £2 19s to John Kea, writer in Nether Kincairney;
Item, a yarn wheel at 2s to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, a bed at £1 8s to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, three blankets at £1 to John Kea, writer in Nether Kincairney;
Item, three blankets at 16s 6d to William Millar in Dunkeld;
Item, three blankets at 16s to (blank) of Pitnacree;
Item, three blankets at 7s 5d to Duncan Forbes in Tulliemet;
Item, two sheets at £1 7s to Thomas Bisset, Commissary of Dunkeld;
Item, thirty four ells of plaiding at 4½d an ell, to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, drawers at 14s to Robert Stewart at Mill of Kindrochit;
Item, two sheets at 13s 6d to Thomas Bisset, Commissary of Dunkeld;
Item, thirty six ells of waulked cloth at 15d an ell, to William Millar in Dunkeld;
Item, an old bolster at 1s to Duncan Forbes in Tulliemet;
Item, a table cloth at 6s 3d to James Douglas at Mulionarn;
Item, a table cloth at 6s 3d to Thomas Bisset, Commissary of Dunkeld;
Item, a table cloth at 6s 3d to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a table cloth at 6s 3d to Thomas Bisset, Commissary of Dunkeld;
Item, fourteen ells of damask at 15d an ell, to Thomas Bisset, Commissary of Dunkeld;
Item, fourteen ells of damask at 15d an ell, to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, a gross and a half of bottles at 15s the gross, to Duncan Robertson of Drumnachuine;
Item, four gross of bottles at £3 4s to Lady Lude;
Item, twenty five head of cattle, including calves and stirks at £20 to Lady Lude;
Item, thirty head of sheep, great and small, at £5 to Lady Lude;
Item, the bed, chairs, tables, looking glass, feather bed, drawers, blankets, tongs, poker etc in her own room at £6 6s to Lady Lude;
Item, the children’s beds etc in the nursery at £5 13s 6d to Lady Lude;
Item, the kettle, washing tubs etc in the washing house at £1 10s to Lady Lude;
Item, labouring and quarry instruments and garden spades at £2 17s 6d to Lady Lude;
Item, twenty geese, including goslings at 10s to Lady Lude;
Item, two bee swarms(?) in hives at £1 to Lady Lude;
Item, the brown pad (pony?) fourteen year old at £4 to Lady Lude;
Item, a blind mare at £2 to Lady Lude;
Item, an old black horse at £2 to Lady Lude;
Item, the grey (horse), eleven year old at £4 to Lady Lude;
Item, the copper mashing vat in the brew-house at £5 16s to Lady Lude;
Item, in the cellar, a Bourbon(?) mill, mangle and beef stand at £2 11s 6d to Lady Lude;
Item, milk dishes etc, in the dairy at 4s to Lady Lude;
Item, a copper oven and several other things that did not sell at the roup at £2 10s to Lady Lude;
Item, fifty eight bolls sowing in the Mains of the ground and twenty in Fincastle, in all seventy eight bolls calculate (to produce three times over) in all as two hundred and thirty four bolls at 8s a boll at £93 12s the Lady Lude bearing the hazard and charges of shearing, winnowing and leading;
Item, all the linen in the house, as well as green linen (flax?) or new linen unmade into napkins, sheets etc unsold at £10 to Lady Lude;
Item, a little Indian bed at £1 10s to Lady Lude;

Follows, what was unsold and the values: firstly

Item, a screen valued at 2s 6d;
Item, a large fir table at 2s 6d;
Item, house arm elbow chair and eleven single at £1 4s 6d;
Item, a little table at 3s;
Item, a chest at 17s 6d;
Item, a screen at 5s;
Item, a little table at 2s;
Item, two old chests at 5s;
Item, a plum tree table at 1s;
Item, a masking fat (?) at 4s;
Item, three wool stands, a handy, three barrels and four (?) at 12s;
Item, in the laundry, six blankets, three chaff beds at 10s;
Item, in men servants room, two box beds at 7s and two chaff beds at 2s 8d;
Item, silver work: three coasters(?), two small spoons, two forks and two small knives at £6;

Amounting in whole, the said goods unsold to £11 8s 8d, all Sterling money. Summa Inventory

Follows the debts resting to the defunct the time foresaid of his decease, as the arrears of rents due by the tenants, crops 1740 and preceeding taken from the Judicial List on the Barron Court of Lude, firstly, by:

John Connacher in Drumnanagnach, 11s 1d;
John McIntyre in Drumnanagnach, 10s 3d;
John McDonald in Riephicair, 1s 4d;
Alexander and John McGlashan in Breakach, £1 5s 10d;
John McLauchlan in Breakach, 4s 8d;
Robert Stewart in Shinagaig, £1 14s 4d;
Alexander McLauchlan in Keannamoin, 4d;
Duncan Forbes in Little Lude, 1s 1d;
John McIntyre in Keannamoin, 6s 8d;
Alexander Robertson in East Park of Keannamoin, 1s 2½d;
Donald Robertson in East Park of Keannamoin, 15s 3¼d;
Alexander McGlashan in Riemoraig(?), 12s 9d;
John Robertson in Carndessail, £1 1s 3d;
Alexander Robertson in Easter Monzie, 5s 5d;
Charles Robertson in Wester Monzie, 15s 3d;
Alexander Robertson in Wester Monzie, £4 9s 1d;
Alexander McLachlan in Crofthusack (Croftnacussaig), £1 13s 7d;
Duncan Robertson in Auchlean, £1 2s 2d;
John McLauchlan in Brae of Lude, £1 5s 2d;
John McDonald in Rinrory, 2s 3d;
William Wallace in Tomb (of Kindrochit), 14s 11d;
Patrick Conacher in Tomb (of Kindrochit), £2 11s 7½d;
John Roy in Tomb (of Kindrochit), 3d;
John McDonald in Tomb (of Kindrochit), 9s 11d;
Robert Stewart, waulker at the waulk mill of Lude, 13s 1d;
John Stewart in Pittenicie(?), 18s 11d;
John Robertson, …..? in Kilmaveonaig, 5d;

All Sterling money. Summa debts.

This Testament was confirmed at Dunkeld the eighteenth day of March 1742 years by James Bisset, Commissary and Mr Patrick Murray of Kincairney, decerned bound cautioner acted for the executrix and she bound for his relief.

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