100 Scottish Burghal Life. 



January, 1577 — or, according to our present calendar, January, 

 1578, for the legal year was then reckoned from 2r)th March — 

 order is made that " nane within the burg-h travell nor tratik in 

 Ingland, nor on the bordouris thairof, for the pestis causs [because 

 of the pest], qlk is in the saidis bordouris, under the pane of tinsall 

 of thair fredome ; and that nane roset ony travellaris out of 

 Ingland, nor bordouris thairof, without ane sufficient testimoniall, 

 under the pane of ten punds." 



In 1585 Kirkcudbright itself had been visited. On the 9th 

 of March, 1586 (1585 according to the reckoning of the period), 

 the Council made arrangements for payment of fees due to " the 

 clengeris," these being persons employed to use means for the 

 recovery of those afflicted with the plague. The town lands of 

 the Borelands and Millflat were then let out to the burgesses in 

 " skairs " or small plots ; and in order to raise the necessary 

 money the Council directed that each holder of these lands was 

 to pay two years' rent in advance. They were more peremptory 

 in their demand than a modern Chancellor of the Exchequer, for 

 they enacted that the money should be paid over to the collector 

 '■ betwixt and the morne at evin," under pain of their skairs being 

 declared " vacant and in the toun's hands." In October of the 

 same year the Council voted an honorarium of five merks to 

 " Jonet Mertene," for " certane plesirrs and guid service done" 

 by her " the tyme of the pest, and for hir lielp." 



Some years later the Council were in dread of a return of 

 the pestilence, wliich had broken out in a neighbouring town. 

 They cut off all intercourse with the afflicted place, and turned the 

 whole householders into a body of watchmen to see that the 

 cordon was not broken. These precautionary measures are set 

 forth in these terms, under the date 20th April, 1599 : 



"Understanding the pest being now ill in Drumfreis, and 

 willing- na resorting or traffik be betwix the said tounis for feir 

 thairof, statutis and ordains that the haill inhabitants within this 

 burgh that reasis reik thairin [a graphic expression designating a 

 householder — the possessor of a hearth] wache in thair awin 

 persoun, or ellis ane als [as] sufficient in thair steid, at the sicht of 

 the Bailleis, under the pane of xls. ilk fault and tynsall of their 

 fredome ; and that nane hant or gang to Drumfreis, or benethe 

 the watter of Ur, or resset ony benethe said water, under the said 

 pane, without consent of the Bailleis." 



