har for Moelv hesab fookies from ony Sean Hormour Burns goe sens the food a be taken solemnly engaged to adhere faithfully to one another as husband and wife all the days of their life. In regard the session have a tittle [sic] in Law to some fine for behoof of the Poor, they agree to refer to Mr. Burns his own generosity. The above sentence was accordingly executed, and the Session absolved the said parties from any scandal on this account. WILLIAM AULD, MODERATOR. (Signed) ROBERT BURNS. JEAN ARMOUR. Mr. Burns gave a guinea note for behoof of the poor.” The reproduction here given shows Jean Armour's signature, which is not in our judgment in Mr. Auld's style of writing, nor in that of Burns, though Scott Douglas states his conviction that it is in the handwriting of the latter. Her autograph here is one of several facts that might be adduced to disprove the too common belief that Jean was illiterate when Burns married her. : Mrs. Lucas, a Mauchline dame of 92 years, replied as follows to my queries regarding the house in the “Elbow I mind people keepin' cows in it, and I had heard that it had been a public-house.” Mrs. Lucas remembers Jean Armour coming from Dumfriesshire to visit Janet Armour, the wife of one Lees, a joiner. “Mrs. Burns" she continued “was a decent, auldish woman, when I saw her-dark in the complexion.” Since these words were taken down from Mrs. Lucas' lips, the old lady has died. Mr. Hugh Gibb (aged 80), once a leader of "free-thought” movements in the district, spoke of a friend of his, Matthew Leerie, dead twenty years ago. He said Matthew had known Mary Campbell, when she was a servant at Gavin Hamilton's, and reported her not a beauty, but decent-looking ; slightly pox-marked.” From Mr. Gibb's data it would be difficult to conclude that Matthew Leerie had indeed seen Mary. I find, however, that the Kirk Session books, under the date of "Jan. 11, 1787," mention “Matthew Leerie" as cited for being in debt. This may be Mr. Gibb's friend; and in that case we must suppose that Mr. Gibb, who is very infirm, makes an error of a good many years in calculating the date of Leerie's death. Burns frequented Mauchline town, "off and on,” from Martinmas, 1783, when he and his brother Gilbert entered on Any his I thin on both that inegularly as muy 5dfbbprehekeer hennes Robert Bums with lean Armour) puse they Ashmontage theni Heating deco inolon to the helm Bonphamedi Wolan Rupremo Sean Kormoure hom the tent that the sales del way the poor the area of the Surch be helt upon Monday first for behoofd neofapt forgeeh you gave a queno a be taken solemnly engaged to adhere faithfully to one another as husband and wife all the days of their life. In regard the session have a tittle [sic] in Law to some fine for behoof of the Poor, they agree to refer to Mr. Burns his own generosity. The above sentence was accordingly executed, and the Session absolved the said parties from any scandal on this account. WILLIAM AULD, MODERATOR. (Signed) ROBERT BURNS. JEAN ARMOUR. Mr. Burns gave a guinea note for behoof of the poor.” The reproduction here given shows Jean Armour's signature, which is not in our judgment in Mr. Auld's style of writing, nor in that of Burns, though Scott Douglas states his conviction that it is in the handwriting of the latter. Her autograph here is one of several facts that might be adduced to disprove the too common belief that Jean was illiterate when Burns married her. Mrs. Lucas, a Mauchline dame of 92 years, replied as follows to my queries regarding the house in the “Elbow":-“I mind “ people keepin' cows in it, and I had heard that it had been a public-house.” Mrs. Lucas remembers Jean Armour coming from Dumfriesshire to visit Janet Armour, the wife of one Lees, a joiner. “Mrs. Burns” she continued "was a decent, auldish woman, when I saw her-dark in the complexion." Since these words were taken down from Mrs. Lucas' lips, the old lady has died. Mr. Hugh Gibb (aged 8o), once a leader of "free-thought” movements in the district, spoke of a friend of his, Matthew Leerie, dead twenty years ago. He said Matthew had known Mary Campbell, when she was a servant at Gavin Hamilton's, and reported her not a beauty, but decent-looking ; slightly pox-marked.” From Mr. Gibb's data it would be difficult to conclude that Matthew Leerie had indeed seen Mary. I find, however, that the Kirk Session books, under the date of "Jan. 11, 1787," mention “Matthew Leerie as cited for being in debt. This may be Mr. Gibb's friend; and in that case we must suppose that Mr. Gibb, who is very infirm, makes an error of a good many years in calculating the date of Leerie's death. Burns frequented Mauchline town, “off and on," from Martinmas, 1783, when he and his brother Gilbert entered on |
