Dedications to Saints in Medieval Scotland

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DE/EW/3501

dedication text (summary) dedication text (verbatim)

Bessie Dempster, spouse of David 'Spilyelaucht', was convicted and subject to penalty for the troubling and insulting of David Reid, both in word and deed, and also the said David for light troubling of Bessie in his own defence. Bessie is ordered to stand in the pillory, by the instruction of the provost and bailies, and to come into the High Kirk on the following Sunday, and to go, in her shirt, before the procession, with a wax candle of one pound in her hand, to be offered to the Holy Blood light, and thereafter to sit down on her knees and beseech the provest, bailies and good men of the town to request and cause David to forgive her. If ever she troubles him or any other neighbour of the town in the future, she is to be banished from the town.

{. . .} The said day, Besse Dempster, the spous of Dauid Spilyelaucht, wes conuik and put in amerciament of court by the sworne assyse aboue vrytin, all in ane voce, for the hawy and gryt strublens, and myspersonyng of Dauid Reid, bayth in word and deid, and als the said Dauid, for lycht and bot sobyr strublens of the said Besse in his awin defense, to forbeir in tym cumyng, and amend as law will; and als thai ordane the said Besse, for the amendis of the said strublens done be hir to the forsaid Dauid, to stand in the Gowistair, be the awyse of the provest and balzes, and to cum in the hie kirk on Sunday nixt cumis, and to gang, sark alane, afore the processioun, vith ane vax candill in hir hand of ane pound, to be offerit to the haly blud lycht, and thairefter to sitt downe on hir kneis and beseik the prowest, balzes, and gud men of the toune to requeist and caus the said Dauid to forgyf hir, and to reuok and agane say the vordis said be hir to the said Dauid; and gif euer scho did or said sic vordis or strublens to him, or ony vther nychtbour of this towne, in tyme cumying, to be baneist thairof for euer {. . .}

Type of dedication
Light
Confidence
100
Saint named
Holy Blood
Saint details
ST/JD/21
Date low
25/2/1538
Date high
None
Entry reference
EN/EW/2305
Notes
Punishment rather than devotion?
devotees
name gender type confidence notes
Bessie Dempster Female None 100 Besse Dempster, spouse of David Spilyelaucht.
locations
placename type os grid parish ref. county confidence
St Nicholas Aberdeen Collegiate Church NJ940063 Aberdeen St Machar [ABN] Aberdeen 70