| The Chronicle of Fife is a valuable resource for Fife researchers and is
held at the National Library of Scotland.
The chronicle is the diary of John Lamont, from 1649 to 1672, edited by
Archibald Constable and printed in 1810. The identity of John Lamont was
addressed in an edition of the Fife Family History Society (FFHS) journal in
Dec 2003.
At the beginning of the chronicle the editor states that the author was
"John Lamont of Newton, parish of
Kennoway, Factor to family of Lundin of Lundin", however the FFHS journal casts doubt on this,
citing evidence that this John Lamont was born in 1661 and therefore could not
have written the diary.
According to the FFHS article, the most likely candidate for authorship
of the diary is the son of Rev. Thomas Lamont of Scoonie. Only two of
the original three volumes have survived.
Our research was to do with Rev. Robert Mercer of
Kennoway. However we have taken a record of all Mercers mentioned in the diary, so there
is also mention of Mercer of
Aldie and a "Lo. Coll Mercer". This research was undertaken in March 2004. Comments
in grey text are added by the researcher.
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Chronicle of Fife, being the diary of John Lamont
(1649-1672.)
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Index:
Mercer of
Adie, 279
Mercer, lieutenant-colonel, 101
Mercer, Mr.
Robert, 52 64 114
128 145 147
157 197 229
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p52
1652, Jun 21
Mr. Thomas Hogge, minister of Kennoway, in Fife, depairted out of this
life, att his house ther, and was interred 24 Jun. att the said church. Mr. Robert Mercer did succeid to him, Jan 27 1653
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p64
1653, Jan 27
Mr. Robert Mercer, chaplain to the Lord Cranstone, was admitted minister
of Kennochie, by the presbetrie of Kirkaldie; he did succeid to Mr. Thomas Hogge. Some months after, he maried
........(sic) Cranstone, the Lady Cranstons gentellwoman.
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p101
1654, Nov.
This month ther was a party of Middeltons forces taken by the English, upon the braes of Angus, they being pursewed thrie dayes, the snow being
thicke; namelie, the Lord Kinnoule, Lord Didope, Charles Arskine, Kellies brother, Lo. Coll. Mercer, and 16 more officers and 62
souldiers. At this time we do not know the identity of
"Lo. Coll Mercer."
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p114
1655, Agust 8th
The presbetrie of Kirkaldie met att Sconie, which day
Mr. Robert Mercer,
minister of Kennochie, preached; his text was 2.Cor.1.12. Mr. Fredricke Carmichaell, minister of
Merkinshe, was moderator. After he had prayed,
the moderator demanded of Mr. Alex. Moncriefe, minister of Sconie, the
names of his elders; which he delivered in writte, which were called upon by ther names. He told that the custome in visitations was, to try
if the elders had ought to object or say against ther minister, and his doctrine; and, on the contrar, to sie
what the minister had to say against his elders, and how he was satisfied with them. After this the
minister and elders were removed.
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p128
1657, Oct 24
Elisone Cranstone, Mr. Robert Mercer, minister of
Kynnowhe, in Fyfe, his wife, depairted out of this life, (she died shortly after she was
brought to bed of hir birth), and was interred at the said church the 26 of Oct. in the day time. About ane houre after hir interment the child
was baptised by Mr. Alex Moncriefe, minister of Sconie.
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pp145-146
1659, Apryll 28
Mr. Robert Mercer, minister of Kennochie, to his second wyfe, maried
Eupham Dury, Robert Dury, of Newton-Easter, his second daughter; the mariage feast stood att hir fathers house, in the Newton. Hir towcher
was 3000 markes. During his parent in law, ther life, he was to have only, out of Newton, ane hundreth markes Scots yearly; after ther death,
he was to have the Newton if it should happen him to have any cheldren with this his wyfe, he paying out of the same 4000 markes, viz. 3000
markes to the aires of Hary Weyms of Condlanc, in Fyfe, and ane 1000 merkes to Els. Dury, the said Roberts eldest daughter; bot if no
cheldren, the said Newton was to returne, after the said Mr. Roberts death, to the nearest aires of the said Robert Dury, viz. top Walter
Law, his cheldren with Margret Dury, his youngest daughter, Lady Condland. Mr Fredricke Carmichaell, minister of
Merkinshe, did mary the said pairties.
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p147
1659, July 31
The communion was given att Largo, by Mr. James Makgill, minister ther; Mr. Robert Mercer, minister of Kennochie, preached at the preparation,
his text Esa.55.7 (More preachers and texts here.) Also that Sabath
night, and on Moneday, ther was a terribell tempest of rayne and wynde, so that bot a few were abell to come to the Moneday exercise, because
the waters were not rydabell. In Lowthian, divers persons had mutch of ther corne sanded, by breaking foorth of the water, especially those
upon the Water of Leith.
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p157
1660, July 29
The communion was given att Largo, by Mr. James Magill, minister ther; on Saturnsday
Mr. Robert Mercer, minister of
Kenowy, preached, his text
was Joh.7.37
also on p157 and related to the convoluted dowry arrangements of 1659,
Apryll 28, as follows
1660 - Mr. Patrick Weyms, minister of Abetsaa, in Fyfe, bought the lands
of Easter Condland from Mr. Johne Patersone, regent in St. Leonards College, who maried Margret Weyms, the apparent aire therof; it stood
him about seven thousand markes only, because he was to abide Margret Durys life rent of it, Walter Laws wife, in Easter-Newton. The said
Patricks wife depairted out of this life in 1662.
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p197
1662, Oct 26
Thomas Fotheringame, in Dury, maried Agnes Weilkie, Espet Durys dawghter in
Kennoway; the mariage feast stood att
Kennoway, in hir mothers house.
They were maried by Mr. Johne Ramsay, minister of Scony, and not by
Mr. Robert Mercer, minister of Kennochie; for about the very same time, Mr.
Robert resolved to lay downe his charge of the ministrie, bot did itt not. About the end of An. 1664, the said Thomas brake, being one that
played the merchant in some commodities, and durst not be seine.
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p229
1665, Augt 27
The communion was given at Scony
by Mr. John Ramsay, minister ther; he himself preached the preparation sermon the day before, viz. Ps.41.4.
Also he himself preached the Sabath, in the fornone, his text being Rev.3.20.;
Mr. Robert Mercer, m. of Kennochie, in the afternone, his
text was Math.26.41. Att this time ther was 8 tabells served in all; the last being bot some few, namelie, 3 by the said Mr. John, and 5 by the
said Mr. Robert. The Ps.103. was sung att the serveing of the tabells, and the money was gathered by the elders while the peopell satt att the
tabell, and the tickets by the elders also as the peopell went to sitt downe att tabell. And on Moneday, Mr. John Andersone, m. of
Dysert, did preach his text was Esa.66.2 about the midest of the verse, "To this man
I will look," &c. (Remember, that on the forsaid Sabath, in the morning,
about 7 houres, ther was a great thunder, with a continuall raine; and the Sabath before, the communion was given at Kennochie, by
Mr. Robert Mercer, m. ther; Mr. Jo Nairn, m. of the
Weyms preaching on Saterday, himselfe on the Sabath in the forenoone, and
...........(sic); and on Monday, Mr. John Ramsay, m. att
Scony, had sermon.)
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p279
1670, Feb.
Mercer of
Aday died at London, being att court, and was brought home, and his corpse landed at Kirkaldie; and was carried from thence by coach
to Pearth, and interred ther.
This is Sir James Mercer of Aldie
who was married to Jean Stewart. Our records give the date of his death as 1671 but it was still 1670 in the
old calendar.
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Further research undertaken while at NLS.
Register of Privy Council of Scotland
3rd series, vol XV 1690 p166
The Lords of His Majesty Privy Council haveing heard a petitione given in to them by the Lady Aldie craveing a voluntar contributione
and collectione in the shyres of Fyfe and Pearth for building a bridge on the confynes of Fife and Pearth, they leave the consideratione of the
said petitione to the Parliament.
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