Wedderburn book; a history of the Wedderburns in ... - waughfamily.ca

THE WEDDERBURN BOOK.
These pages (xxiii.-isiv. a) are peculiar to the special copies of this hook.
The work of David Home of Godscroft, which is ia Latin, is divided into
eight sections, viz., i., David Primus Wedderburni Regulus ; ii., David Secundus
;
Tertius ; v., David Quartus ; vi., Georgius
iii., Georgius Primus ; iv., David
Secundus; vii., David Quiutus ; viii., Georgius Tertius (brother of Godscroft).
The following is the account of the family which appeared in the Scotsman
of 9 Sept. 1891, together with extracts from an article giving rise to it.
The Home3 of Wedderburn.
September 7, 1891.
Sir,— I have observed in the Scotsman of the 1st curt, an article entitled "A
Rural Ui.strict and its Landlords and Clergy a Century Ago,"^ and as it contains
some statements regarding the family of Home of \Vedderburn which are not
accurate, may I ask you to be so good as to permit me to give a reliable account
of the succession to the estates of Wedderburu, Billie, and Paiton ?
' This article goes into history of tlie Homes d prnpns of the career of a young clergj-man " who bore
the name of Home, thougli it does not appear that lie in any way related t(j the fitie estates
of Wedderburu and I'atton." It then gives the subjoined account of the family, remarking at
the close of it that "the disappointed clergyman bore with composure the trciitment he
received." " The Wedderburn family were the most powerful aud celebrated of all tlie junior
branches of tlie great old house of Home. They were noted for their courage and ferocity,
and lived in a chronic state of warfare, either with their neighbours or with the Northumbrian
Borderers, and very few of them died 'a fair strae death' in their beds. The 'Seven .Spears
of Wedderburu,' .is the si-ven sons of one of the heads of the family were denominated, fought
with their characteristic bravery at Flodden. and there were few of the battlefields on the
Borders on which some of them were not left among the slain. But after the termination of
the great civil %var, in which they were on the lo-ing side, they seem to have f.dlen ii|njn evil
days. Some of the members of the family were involved in the Jacobite risings. Tli'.'ir debts
and difficulties accumulated, and, as Burns says, 'ruin had them in tlie wmd.' Tlie chief
mortgagee on their estates, who bore the family name, though he was not related to tlieni,
began life as a schoolmaster, ami h:ul by his industry and frugal habits, and skilful moneylending
operations, acquired a considerable fortune for those days, saw liis opf^ortunity of
obtaining the coveted position of Home of Wedderburn. The la»t laird of the old stock bail
several daughters, but no son. Tht virtual, though not nominal, owner of the estate paid
his addresses to the eldest of the ladies, whom he married, and Wiis recognised in due time ai
the ostensible head of the old family. At the period we are descriiiing, his dcsccinlant ami
the heir of his estate was an old gentleman who was not married, and had uo near
relative to inherit his estate. He proposed to the young clergyman whom we have mentioned
that he should resign his living and l«come an inmate of his liou.se, with the uiidcrHtanding
that he should at his death succeed to his estates. The tempting otfer was .acceple.l ; the
young man was formally introduced to the county magnates as the heir of Weildcrburn ;
snt
at the foot of the laird's t.ible for a good many years, and at his death found tliat the e.