98 Scottish Bukgual Life. 



meddled in many matters which are now recognised as falling 

 properly within the sphere of private enterprise and individual 

 judgment. To lix the piice of commodities was reg-arded as one 

 of their ordinary' duties. In 1582, for example, they directed 

 that no Bordeaux wine was to be sold dearer than ;3s 6d the pint, 

 under pain of confiscation of the hogshead. " The assize of 

 bread " was a regular institution in burghs ; and in various 

 minutes we find the price of an article variously styled "the 

 caik" and "the quarter caik" fixed at eightpence. Occasional 

 reference is made also to "the candill," which in two years is 

 to be sold at 2s Sd per pound. The figures, of course, refer to 

 the Scotch coinage. 



But the most regular entry of this nature has reference to 

 the " assize of ale." It was the custom in the mouth of October, 

 when it had been ascertained what the nature of the harvest was, 

 to fix the figure at which the ale, brewed from the oats grown in 

 the district, should be sold during the succeeding twelve months. 

 I quote in full a quaint minute on this subject. It relates to the 

 year 1578. 



" The qlk day the Provost, Bailzeis, Counsall, and commounitie, 

 haiffand considderit the fertilitie of the ground this instant cropt 

 and the cornis being weill collectit and gadderit, be ressoun of the 

 gude harvist (thanks unto the Lord), haiffand also herd be report of 

 utlieris that nocht onlie this countrie but all the countries within 

 this realme, and utheris without the same, also adjacent thereto, 

 hes in lykeways prosperitie and welth of the saidis cornis ; quhair- 

 by it apperis to ihame na derth is like to be this instant yeir, and 

 also hei'and tell that the aill is sauld in Dumfreiss for four penneis 

 the pynt : Ffynds thairfoir that the aill may be sauld for iiijd. 

 [fourpence] the pynt within this burgh, gude and sufticient : 

 Thairfoir statutes and ordains that no oistlair within this burgh 

 sell aill derar nor the said pryce for ane yeir, luider the pane of 

 xxs. [20s] for the first fait, and the nixt fait doubland, and the 

 third fait tripland, and taking out also of the rest of the aill to 

 the mercat croce, and to be delt thair to the pure [poor] : Pro- 

 vyding thit it sal be lesum [lawful] to the saidis oistlaris to tak 

 vd [fivepence] for ilk pynt qll [till] Setturday at evinnixtis: 

 and ordains the Deane to pas with diligence to the countrie and 

 put siklyke ordeir to the oistlaris therein." 



The thankfulness expressed for the aljundant harvest and the 



