It is a pity that there is no index of names and places mentioned in the Testaments prior to 1800.
Here is an example from the Commissariot of Dunkeld to show what we are missing, with a small prologue to explain the circumstances of the Testament Dative.
" ... the fever still rages and is very infectious, brought in by the MacKenzies when visiting Dundee."
Before the fever abated Thomas McKenzie in Levadge-more and his son James were dead, as was Thomas McKenzie in Rinancoillach, and probably more besides.
The testament of Thomas McKenzie (1775) is really an official record describing how his affairs were settled. Normally, James his son would have inherited everything, but with the death of James so soon after his father the family affairs were in a mess. There were outstanding bills to be paid, including rent for the farm to the Duke of Atholl, and consequently the Duke's Factor wound up Thomas McKenzie's estate and had the outcome recorded in the Commissariot Book of Dunkeld.
There are really two parts. The first part outlines the debts and assets, while the second part records in detail the farm roup (sale of farm equipment and household effects).
The first part mentions over 50 people (relatives, neighbours and local merchants) naming their farms etc. The second part mentions at least a further dozen who bought items at the farm roup, recording what they bought and what price they paid.
If you are curious about the detail we have transcribed the 5 pages into a legible form (i.e. 'deceased' has been substituted for 'umquhile', and 'annual interest' has been substituted for '@rents' etc.).
For those of you following the Scottish Independence Debate, and especially the currency issue, you may be amused to find that in 1775 the Scots were using
three currencies (Pounds Stirling, Pounds Scots and Scottish Merks) and inter-converting them with no trouble at all!
http://www.borenich.co.uk/Ross_Document/McKenzie_Test1775.htmlThroth
