hter of Sir James Chisholm of
Cromlix, he obtained the Barony of Innerpeffray, which had been his
mother's portion, and at his death, in 1623, his eldest son, John,
succeeded to the title. John was married to Helen Leslie, eldest
daughter of Patrick, Commendator of Lindores; and David Drummond, the
founder of the Library, was their eldest son. His second wife was Lady
Beatrix Graham, sister of the great Marquis of Montrose, and the
intimate relationship betwixt the families accounts no doubt for the
existence of several volumes that belonged to Montrose, which are now
in the Library.

The Library was intended for the benefit of students, and any other
persons in the district possessed of a literary turn of mind, or having
a thirst for knowledge. By his will, dated 1680, David, third Lord
Madertie, bequeathed the half of 6000 merks to be employed by Lord John
Carmichael and John Haldane of Gleneagles for the maintenance of a
library and schoolhouse which he had erected at the Chapel of
Innerpeffray. The sum conveyed was in a heritable bond, which made the
bequest inept; but in 1691 the nephew and heir of Lord Madertie
executed a deed of mortification, having for its object the vesting of
5000 merks for the encouragement of learning and the good of the
country; "and as a constant and perpetual stock for the preserving of
the said library and maintaining a keeper and schoolmaster, and for
augmenting the library and building a house; but under reservation of
his rights and those of his successors to nominate the librarian and
schoolmaster."[4] The endowment covered a school and library, but
under the new scheme, instituted in 1888, the school has been taken
over by Muthill School Board, and the present trustees are empowered,
after paying L15 per annum for the maintenance of the school and the
expenses of the trust, to pay over the remainder of the income, and to
transfer the library to any town or village within five miles of
Innerpeffray.

The Library is particularly rich in old Bibles. The oldest one in the
collection, and one having a special interest of its own, is dated
1530. It is in black-letter French, the translation being by St.
Jerome. It is a large folio copy, and contains initial letter
illustrations and pictorial woodcuts, the title-page being in red and
black ink. There is also a copy of what is popularly known as the
Treacle Bible, so called because of the rendering given to the passage
in Jerem