416 Incorporated Trades of Dumfries. 



at two merks Scots. The term of apprenticeship varied. Some- 

 times it is expressed as simply for five years; in other cases, for 

 four years and " one year for meit and fee;" in others, as for 

 "five years and the last year for meit and fee;" and yet again 

 "for five 3ears time and a year thereafter for meit and fee." 

 In the case of the Wrights the term of apprenticeship was six 

 years. It is in some cases entered as five years and a year there- 

 after for meat and fee; in others, simply as six years. 



Having completed his indenture, the apprentice was next 

 entered or booked as a journeyman to some freeman of the in- 

 corporation ; and it was enacted, by minute of 20th December, 

 1705, that he should not be eligible for admission as a freeman 

 until he had served three full years as journeyman, and given 

 evidence thereof to the trade. That minute also created what 

 may be called a grade of junior freemen, by forbidding any of 

 that rank from taking an apprentice " till first he be four full years 

 a freeman using his own employ." He might then hire one 

 apprentice, but one only ; for it is ordained — " further, it shall not 

 be leisom to the said freeman so receiving the said first apprentice 

 to take another apprentice till four years expire after the entry of 

 the said first one," unless the first apprentice shall die or become 

 incapable of working. Only in 1752 do I find mention of the fee 

 charged to a journeyman on enrolment. It was in that year re- 

 duced to two shillings sterling. 



The amount of the fees to be exacted at the admission of 

 freemen was a subject of frequent regulation, and they were 

 framed on a differential scale. Applicants were divided into 

 three classes. There was first the son or son-in-law of a free- 

 man. Secondly, there w'as the "town apprentice," that is, one 

 who had ser\-ed his indenture with a member of the incorporation. 

 These were privileged classes. The third class, styled Neutrals, 

 and corresponding to the " Extraneans " of some northern towns, 

 consisted of those who had served their apprenticeship in some 

 other place and did not stand within the privileged degree of 

 relationship to any native freeman. A resolution of the craft of 

 22nd March, 1705, fixes the fee for admission of a Neutral at 100 

 merks Scots, being equivalent to ^5 los sterling, " by and attour 

 the trade dues use and wont;" but if he should marry a freeman's 

 daughter he " shall be admitted freeman by his said marriage for 

 the price of ^20 Scots," or ;£i 13s 4d sterling; and a freeman's 



