Extract from Upper Annandale its history and traditions by Agnes Marchbank: Now for the story of William Wilkins, as told in the Session Records of Kirkpatrick-juxta, and related by the Rev. William Brodie in a lecture : ? " one William Wilkin in Red Brae was delated for the sin of Sabbath breaking. He was summoned to appear at next Session, as also Andrew Gillespie and Robert Dalzell, both in Cauldholm, as witnesses against him.

"At next Session, accordingly, on 30th July, William Wilkins was called and interrogated if he would acknow- ledge breaking of the Sabbath. Absolutely denied. Andrew Gillespie, witness, called and examined thereanent, declared that upon a Sabbath day, about twenty days or a month ago, he saw ye said William Wilkins, four or five seal (several) times at a pit (peat) stack, and lifting some- thing as if he had been righting pits ; but because of ye distance could not be sure if it was pits he lifted. Wilkins was again called, and being charged upon this presumption absolutely denied that he took up any peats ; but that he only lifted a little bit of mossy turf to put under his horse girding, that was near by, his horse having a sore back. The affair was continued owing to the absence of Robert Dalzell, a second witness, who, being examined at another meeting, declared that as he was returning to Cauldholm on a Sabbath day, with Andrew Gillespie, he saw ye said William Wilkins stoop four or five seal (several) times at a peat stack, and take up something from ye ground and lay it on ye stack, which he judged to be mending of ye stack, whereon he cried : ' Ye base rascal, how dare ye big ye peats on such a day 1 to which he said nothing.' William Wilkins then waited behind the stack, and came out after he thought they had gone. Dalzell did not see any horse.

"William Wilkins not appearing was cited to come to next meeting, or he would be declared * contumacious/ Wilkins did come; but Robert Dalzell did not turn up. Wilkins declared he was innocent, said the witnesses should be made to depone on oath, and gave the name of James Martin of Knockhill as a witness for the defence, * who could clear him of the scandal.' On the 20th March, 1694, James Martin was asked what he knew of the matter, and said he saw Wilkins go from the horse to the stack, and the horse go into a field, *but whether the horse was with him at the stack he knew not.' "

So the matter was delayed till Dalzell should be again examined. This case went on for a year and a half. Poor William Wilkins could not get them to believe in his innocence. It all turned on whether ye said William Wilkins did or did not " lift one of two peats on ye Lord's day." There it went on, till it was written in the Session Records : " William Wilkins' affair, delayed by reason of Robert Dalzell's absence, is now cut off by his own death."