Incorporated Trades of Dumfries. 417 



son was to be admitted at the same lower rate. We learn, how- 

 ever, from an entry, in 1732, that ^20 Scots was never exacted 

 from the sons or sons-in-law, but only 20 merks. In August, 

 1 7 15, the trade, lamenting the decrease in prices for their work, 

 attributed this to competition arising from undue multiplication of 

 masters, and in the hope of restricting the number they advanced 

 the fee or "composition " charged to a town apprentice on enrol- 

 ment as a freeman to ^^48 Scots, or _;^4 sterling in money, " by 

 and attour drinking, dyner, head-washing, and other dues at 

 such solemnitie of admission." Then in November, 1730, pre- 

 sumably with the same purpose, the fee for a Neutral was in- 

 creased from 100 merks to ;^ioo Scots. Again in 1736 the fees 

 for admission in the case of a freeman's son are fixed as 

 follows: — 20 merks for his freedom; 5s sterling for his speaking 

 pint; two shillings for his " asy giveing," and two shillings for his 

 head-washing; " with a drink to the whole corporation after their 

 admission, according as the Deacon shall please." 



The term "speaking pint " has its equivalent in the phrase 

 " standing his footing " applied to the entertainment expected of 

 a new-comer in some trades. "Head-washing " had nothing of 

 the sanitary process about it, but was very much of the same 

 nature as the other, being defined in Jamieson's " Scottish 

 Dictionary " as "an entertainment given as a fine by those who 

 newly enter on any profession, or are advanced to any situation 

 of trust or dignity ; or who, like those who for the first time cross 

 the line, have made an expedition they never made before." 

 It was a penalty exacted on advancement to the office of Deacon, 

 Boxmaster, or Master, as well as on enrolment as freeman ; and in 

 1768 the General Committee of the Dumfries Incorporated 

 Trades adopted a scale of commutation charges, directing that 

 the money should be applied to the public funds of the trade and 

 that the accustomed entertainments should no longer be given, as 

 they were " a cause of great avoiation from business and loss of 

 time, and have been attended with expense out of every indi- 

 vidual's pocket present." This Act of the General Committee 

 was recorded also in the minutes of the Weavers and of othei 

 individual trades. For a similar reason the Weavers at an earlier 

 date (in 1742) had enacted that at the booking and receiving of 

 apprentices or journeymen there should only be present the 

 Deacon and Boxmaster and one or two of the Masters whom they 



