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From the Book of Eminent Burgesses of Dundee 1513 to 1885.
Alexander Milne, Minister of Dundee - 10th December 1663
AT DUNDEE, QUIlILK DAY MAGISTER ALEX. MILNE AND MAGISTER ROBERT EDWARD, MINISTERS, WERE ADMITTED BURGESSES BY VIRTUE OF THEIR FATHER'S PRIVILEGES.
Magister ALEXANDER MILNE was the son of BAILIE ALEXANDER MILNE of Dundee, and was born in the Burgh in 1618. He received his education at the University of St Andrews, and took his degree there on 2nd May, 1639. He was admitted Minister of the Church of Longforgan in August, 1649, and remained in that charge till 1661. In the latter year he was translated to the Second Charge or South Church of Dundee, in which place he continued till his death, in August, 1665. From him descended the MILNES of Mylnefield, who were related by marriage to the WEDDERBURNS of Kingennie. "He was proprietor of the town and lands of Pilmore, and bequeathed to the Kirk Session jcxxxiii. lib. vi.s. viij.d. for behoof of the poor." By his wife, AGNES FLETCHER, he had four sons and one daughter.
Two interesting monuments still exist in the Howff of Dundee, erected by ALEXANDER MILNE in memory of his father and his brother, who are supposed to have both fallen during the Siege of Dundee, in 1651. The inscriptions upon these are as follows:
Patri optimo, Alexandro Milne, saepius in hac urbe praetura cum
laude, defuncto tandem anno aetatis suaee 68. Ann. Dom. 1651.
Vita functo, monumentum hoc Magister Alexander Milne, filius, erigendum curavit.
Relligio, nivei mores, prudentia, candor,
In Milno radiis enituere suis :
Consule quo, felix respublica ; judice, felix
Curia, & aedili res sacra semper erit."
[To the best of fathers, ALEXANDER MILNE, often Bailie in this Burgh with praise, who died in his 68th year, A.D. 1651. His life being accomplished, his son Magister ALEXANDER MILNE, caused this monument to be erected.
The rays of religion, spotless manners, prudence and candour shone forth in MILNE. Happy the Republic which had such a Consul; happy the Court which had such a Judge. Therefore to the AEdile (the keeper of public monuments) this shall ever be a sacred thing.]
Chariss. fratri Thomae Milne in vrbe hac propugnabat
vita cum decore functo. Ann. Dom. 1651, aetat. suae 22.
Monumentum hoc posuit Magister Alex. Milne, Pastor Forgonensis.
Longam jama dabit vitam quam fala
Negabant, nec moriter cvi contigit appetere."
[To his dearest brother, THOMAS MILNE, who lost his life duly fighting ill defence of this Burgh, A.D. 1651, in the 22nd year of his age, this monument has been raised by Magister ALEX. MILNE, Pastor of Forgan.
Fame shall give the long life which the Fates have denied; nor is it death thus to be snatched hence.]
In the Register of Baptisms for Dundee the following entry occurs:
1663, Feb. 3 John, son of Mr Alex. Milne, minister of Dundee and Agnes Fletcher bapt. Godfathers, Sir John Fletcher, Lord Advocate, John Scrimseour of Kirkton & Ors, (in all fourteen godfathers bearing the name of John).
The name of the Rev. ROBERT EDWARD, minister of Murroes Parish, is well known in connection with his Latin Description of the County of Angus, written to accompany a map of the locality engraved in Holland in 1678. He was the son of ALEXANDER EDWARD, a Burgess of Dundee; was born in the Burgh circa 1620; and was presented to the Kirk of Murroes early in 1656, by PATRICK, EARL OF PANMURE. He remained in this charge till the Revolution of 1688, but seems then to have been deprived, and to have removed to Edinburgh, where he died on 23rd March, 1696. His son CHARLES, who took his degree of Master of Arts at St Andrews University in 1679, was appointed colleague to his father in 1684, but was either ousted by the Presbyterian party or abandoned the charge four years afterwards. The elder son of the Rev. ROBERT EDWARD also had the degree of M.A. from St Leonard's College, St Andrews, in 1670, and was presented to the church of Kemback, in Fife. He also was deprived for refusing to pray for KING WILLIAM and MARY, and had to fly to Edinburgh, as his life was threatened.
A very peculiar monument, erected by the Rev. ROBERT EDWARD, in memory of his father and two of his children, may still be seen in the Kirkyard of Murroes. In the upper part the Angel of the Resurrection is shown blowing the last trumpet, whilst in the base the dead are carved in relief, rising in various stages from their graves. Around the surface of the stone are three inscriptions, a quotation from Isaiah xxvi. 19, in Hebrew characters, with the Latin version: 41 Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust;" and also the phrase from 1 Cor. xv. 52, in Greek characters, "For the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall arise." The centre of the tombstone is thus inscribed:
“A E
Alexander Edvardus, Civis Deidonanis
Qui obiit 22 Maii. Ann. Dom. 1655 Aetatis an. 67.
Neptesque binae Magdalena Edvarda
Quae vitae mense 4to Ann. Dom. 1656
Et Martha Edvarda quae vitae mense
Ibidem 4to Ann. Dont. 1660, obiere.
Hic huimantur."
[ALEXANDER EDWARD, citizen of Dundee, who died 22nd May, A.D. 1655, in the 67th year of his age. Two grand daughters - MAGDALEN EDWARD, in the 4th month of her life, A.D. 1656, and MARTHA EDWARD, also in the 4th month of her life, A.D. 1660, are buried here.]