44 Riding of the Marches. 



inside the wall opposite to where it lies. A couple of masons 

 would do it in a day, and if set erect would be seen by visitors. 



There is also a very interesting and rare old tomb cover lying 

 within the railing where the Curries of Newfield and the ancestors 

 of the Irvings of Burnfoot are interred. I send herewith a 

 drawing- of the base of the old cross and also of the old tomb 

 cover. 



IV. — Notice, of a Pamphlet by the late Mr John Anderson on the 

 Riding of the Marches, 1827. By Mr W. Dickie. 



Mr W. Dickie read a humorous account of the riding of the 

 marches by the Dumfries Trades on 23rd April, 1827, by the late 

 Mr John Anderson, bookseller. He prefaced it by observing that 

 when the system of trade incorporations was in full opei'ation no 

 person was allowed to carry on any handicraft or trade within the 

 royal burgh unless he was either a freeman by birth or family 

 relationship or purchased the privileg-e. Hence the boundaries to 

 which this valuable monopoly extended were carefully guarded, 

 and it was the custom every year to perambulate the marches, in 

 order to impress them firmly in the minds of the generations as 

 they grew up. The boundaries also marked the limits within 

 which the burgh magistrates had a certain exclusive jurisdiction, 

 and they likewise took part in the perambulations. It was a 

 custom which had died out with the old trades system ; but m 

 some towns, as in Langholm and Hawick, a holiday pageant of a 

 somewhat similar nature was still regularly observed. He read 

 the following reference to the custom which is embodied in the 

 Rev, Dr Burnside's manuscript history of Dumfries, and copied 

 from an earlier record, known as " Edgar's Manuscript," viz. : 



On the last day of October every year the whole Town Council, 

 Incorporations, with all the freemen belonging to them, accompanied 

 by the boys and school and otlier attendants, rode the niarciies. 

 They began their march from the Market Cross, or Laigh Sands, 

 proceeding up to the Castle, down the Friars' Vennel, up the Green- 

 sands, along the High Haugh to the Moat. There they stojjt till the 

 town ofl&cers threw among the crowd a bag of apples. They then 

 proceeded by the grounds called Longlands and Lochend, on the 

 north side of the old chapel [viz., the chapel on the site of the 

 present St Mary's Church] to the Stoup, or horse course, where there 

 was a race for a saddle and spurs. Thence they went eastward and 



