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Prestonpans and Vicinity

Cover Contents 1 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
28 30 32 33 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 81 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102
104 106 108 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 124 126 128 130 132 134 136 138 140 142
144 146 148 150 152 154 156 158 160 162 164 166 168 170 172 174 176 177 178 180
182 184 186 188 190 192 194 196 198 200 201 202 204 206 208 209 210 212 214 216
218 220 222 224 226 228 229 230 232 234 236 238 240 242 244 246 248 249 250 252
254 256 257 258 259 260 261                          

MARION ARNCORS,
Wife of Robert Jamieson, Gardener.
Left £50 Scots.
Died May l0th, 1711.

Dame RACHEL NICHOLSON,
Lady Preston.
Left £5 sterling.
Died March 1716.

Given for
Mr JOHN STODART,
of Cammisten, £6 sterling.
He died November 28, 1717.

Mr Gilbert Burnet
Gave for his Lady,
Miss ANNA HAMELTON,
£5 sterling.
She died November 3rd, 1718.

The 9th panel intimates itself a "private press. " The loth informs us that the above panels were all renewed in the year 1850.

The 1st panel to the left, and the oldest, Janet Swan, is curious as forming a grand connecting link with the most ancient name on the great original estate. Swan of Tranent (1124) is the earliest possessor of these lands we have any historical account of. He flourished in the 12th century, she in the 17th century, and our local Swans of the 20th century are for too numerous to mention, unless, indeed, we note " Willie " of Tranent, and his brother John, who happen to be old schoolfellows of the writer. They were born in Tranent, worked as miners in Prestongrange, Willie getting a wife down that quarter. He went out to Queensland, took to tree felling in the great forests, and retired a few years ago quite independent. We see notes occasionally from his far away home, and for several sessions running we observe he has carried, amid great opposition, the chief seat in the council of his chosen home, and is Provost Swan of Dunedin. Since writing the above we are sorry to hear of his decease. He is succeeded in business by his brother John, who paid a lengthened visit to his old home a couple of years ago. The one brother is fully as practical in his way as the other, and where the one succeeded the other will scarcely fail.
2nd panel, " Dame Rachel Burnet, Lady Preston. " This was evidently a daughter of Sir James de Preston, who had

died without male issue, for we see that Thomas Hamilton succeeded in 1667 his uncle Sir James de Preston. This was the family who occupied the old tower when, in 1663, it was accidentally but finally put beyond occupation.
3rd panel, " Margret Tail, " was spouse to Thomas Cubic, a sailor. She had been a very benevolent lady. She died eight months later than Lady Preston. Cubie was one of Davidson's elders.
4th panel, " Mrs Rachel Hamelton, " daughter of Sir William Hamilton of Preston. This daughter of Sir William had evidently predeceased her father, dying in 1694. He is supposed to have died about 1696, leaving no male issue.
5th panel, " Marion Arncors. " She was wife to Robert Jamieson, gardener, and a very benevolent lady.
6th panel, "Dame Rachel Nicholson, Lady Preston. " This seems to have been another married daughter of Sir William Hamilton. She died in 1716.
7th panel, " Given for Mr John Stodart, of Cammisten. " Stodart, though of Cammiston, had evidently belonged to the parish, and had not ceased to remember the poor.
8th panel, " Mr Gilbert Burnet gave for his lady, Miss Anna Hamelton, " &c. This is evidently another married daughter of Sir William. She died in 1718.
We have tried to get to the bottom of that curious document, * to which Dr Oswald was privy, when subsequent to Sir Robert Hamilton's decease he took possession of the estate. The document refers to a "private arrangement" with Oswald for the " redemption of the estate should a covenanting king succeed to the throne. " These panels seem to give a clue to the mystery. It is well known that Sir Robert was " outlawed, banished, and his estates confiscated for his covenanting principles, " but this could not refer to Preston, because his brother Sir William was proprietor then. Robert returned previous to Sir William's decease. He was no further persecuted, but he never sought pardon of the king, nor had the edict of outlawry against him removed, neither did he ever claim the baronetcy nor seek the estate of Preston after the decease of his brother.
The document does not say for whom, or by whom, the estate was to be " redeemed, " but it is evident these daughters of Sir William, who remained in the background, though nearer heirs to the estate than the Oswalds, were afraid to take possession as "Hamiltons, " but allowed Dr Oswald, their near rela-

See also Chapters XIX. and XXII.
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