Transactions. 23 



"tawse." It was not so in my time ; but there was a large, raw- 

 boned usher who was much given to flagellation, and of whom I 

 retain a very unpleasant remembrance even to this day. 



Among the civic notabilities whose names and appearance I 

 can recal were the Town Clei-k, Mr Francis Short, commonly 

 known as " Frank Short," and Mr John Staig, whose father was 

 Provost for many years in succession. It was the custom in 

 those days for the chief magistrate, and some others of the civic 

 dignitaries, to walk in procession to church on Sunday, preceded 

 by two halbert men, arrayed in cocked bats and long-skirted 

 coats, and bearing a sort of battleaxe mounted on a pole. On 

 entering the church, these formidable-looking weapons were 

 deposited behind the pews which the magistrates occupied in the 

 front of the gallery. It is to be regretted, I think, that this 

 ancient custom has been discontinued ; the appearance in public 

 of the " powers that be," with a certain amount of ceremonial 

 dignity, has a wholesome influence upon the spectators, and may 

 contribute in some measure to render the magistrates what they 

 ought to be, " a terror to evil-doers, and a praise and protection 

 to those that do well." 



Another practice which prevailed at this time was the punish- 

 ment of " rogues and vagabonds " by whipping them publicly in 

 the streets. The culprit was tied to the end of a one-horse cart, 

 which was paraded through the town, a halt being made at inter- 

 vals, and the scourge applied. At the conclusion of the perform- 

 ance, the " vagabond " was conducted to the confines of the 

 burgh, and " drummed out of the town," I presume to the tune 

 of the "rogue's march !" I think it must have been in recollec- 

 tion of this salutary discipline of former days that a " worthy 

 magistrate " is reported to have addressed a culprit who was 

 brought before him with the remark- — " It's a pity whuppen is 

 oot of fashion, or I wad gie ye a gude whuppin !" Another old- 

 fashioned mode of punishment, applied chiefly to those who were 

 drunken and riotous, was to immure them temporarily in a place 

 of confinement facetiously termed the " saut box," which was 

 located in the neighbourhood of the Midsteeple. It is reported 

 of some unfortunate, who had been summarily placed in " durance 

 vile," that he shouted through an aperture in his cell to a passing 

 acquaintance — " Tell oor fowk that I'm here," a rather naive 

 mode of accounting for his non-appearance. 



While on the subject of law, and the maintenance of order, I 



