Transactions. 119 



demanding payment of the arrears of this shire without delay. 

 After liaving settled that matter, the gentlemen turned their 

 conversation upon the present situation of the kingdom, and the 

 defenceless state of this sliire in particular, and agreed to write 

 to the Justice-Clerk the good inclinations of the people, and their 

 desire to have arms put in their hands out of the public 

 magazines, as there were few in the county, and to ask his 

 advice how to behave in the present emergency, whether to rise 

 or wait orders for raising the Militia. A letter to that purpose 

 was sent by express this evening to Edinburgh, and in the mean- 

 time it was agreed to make an inquiry without delay what arms 

 are in the shire. I thought it my duty to give your Grace the 

 above information. I go to Drumlanrig to-morrow, and as the 

 post does not go from this till Wednesday, I have left tliis with 

 Commissary Goldie that if anything furtlier occur twixt and then, 

 he may add it." 



The minute of the meeting of the Commissioners of Supply 

 referred to by Mr Fergusson is contained in the county minute 

 books, from which we learn that both Mr Fergusson and his 

 father were pi'esent at it, and the above letter seems to have 

 been written in Dumfries after the meeting. The letter from the 

 Receiver-General is engrossed in this minute. He states the 

 arrears of Land Tax due by the County at £1353 4s 9d, and 

 presses for immediate payment ; and he adds, " This is the more 

 necessary, as it is the fund appointed for paying the Forces in 

 Scotland, and, as we are soon to have more witii us, unless the 

 Commissioners in the different counties exert themselves, I shall 

 not have it in my power to furnisli them with their subsistence, 

 which would be attended with the greatest inconveniences at 

 this juncture." 



Upon the same day (2nd September) we find that a meeting of 

 the Town Council also took place, at which a committee was 

 appointed " to examine the arms of the town's magazine, and 

 cause mend such of them as are decayed and insufhcient ; and to 

 make search through the burgli, and take an account of what 

 arms are in the hands of any of the inliabitants, see what 

 condition the same are in, and to have such as are decayed or 

 out of order repaired, and made fit for service." It is curious in 

 this connection to notice that the burgess oath at this time 

 tontained a promise " to keep a sufficient gun and sword for the 

 defence of the burgh when called for by the magistrates." 



