OS1/15/25/40

Continued entries/extra info

[page] 40
Parish of North Berwick

[Continued from page 39]
"of her Convent. While submission thus ensured protection, the female inhabitants of the nunnery of North Berwick were
Safe. But in the progress of turbulence and warfare anarchical ages arose when weaKness only invited the attacKs of violence
Such was the state of Scotland under James III. The servants & Tithes of the prioress within the parishes of Kilconachie
Kilbranchmont and St. Monance were assaulted &. seized by John Dishington and other inhabitants of Fife which seems
to have been noted for violence in every age.The prioress applied to parliament in December 1482 for protection against
obvious wrongs. And the Lords decreed the wrong doers to restore the property taKen and to repair the damages done. In the
subsequent reign Margaret Home the fourth daughter of Sir PatricK Home of Polworth who died in 1504 became a
nun and rose to be prioress in this convent of North-Berwick. Her niece Isobel Home the third daughter of Sir Alexander
Home of Polworth who died in 1532 from being a nun also succeeded her aunt as prioress we have thus seen that before
the reformation began the nunnery of North-Berwick had become in a great measure the inheritance of the Homes. After
the reformation the revenues of this nunnery which had remained undelapidated were converted by operation of law
into a lordship for Sir Alexander Home of North-Berwick a favourite of James VI. The patronage of the churches of Kilconachie,
Largs, Logie, and Maybole, were conferred, by the King's pleasure and the parliamentary power, on several persons who
thought themselves entitled to plunder the houses which they had assisted in pulling down." -- Chalmers Caledonia vol. [volume] 2 pages 305-6-7