Incorporated Trades of Dumfries. 419 



the early records of freemen both of the weavers and wrights 

 resident there. It is also specially recorded, on occasion of an 

 important meeting of the Weavers on 14th December, 1754, that 

 the officer " had warned the freemen both of the town and Brig- 

 end and Troqueer," the last named being presumably the old 

 village on Troqueer road. These were freemen apparently in 

 full enjoyment of trade privileges, albeit not residents in the 

 burgh of Dumfries. There is, it is true, one entry (of date 1745) 

 that " Wm. M'Clamruch, weaver in Bridgend, desired to be 

 admitted liberty to take out and bring in work without molesta- 

 tion, he obliging himself to pay to the box for the trade's behoof 

 2S 6d yearly for each loom he employs." It might be thought 

 that this argued a disability on Bridgend freedom, preventing 

 them from bringing their goods into Dumfries for sale ; but it will 

 be observed that the applicant is not designated a freeman, and 

 it is probable that this is an exceptional arrangement with one 

 who did not possess the status of freeman. He would be of the 

 class designated " Stallagers," with whom we meet in minutes of 

 ,1790 and 1791. These minutes refer to persons "within the 

 territory of the burgh," namely, at Stoop, Wallacetown, Gateside 

 of Lochar, and Whinnyhill, of whom it was complained that they 

 had been working as weavers " without being admitted freemen or 

 making acknowledgement [i.e., payment] for their infringing 

 upon the laws of the incorporation." They each "came in the 

 trade's will " for an annual payment of 6s 8d sterling as 

 stallagers. This is defined by Jamieson (who spells it stallangers) 

 as a Dumfriesshire term " denoting a person, not a freeman, who 

 is allowed to carry on business for a small consideration to the 

 corporation to which he belongs, for the term of a year, in the 

 same manner as freemen do." 



There was another and a large class resident in the villages 

 and rural district around Dumfries, who were known as landward 

 or country freemen, and on whom the usual levy made was 4s 

 Scots or a groat yearly. Among the places mentioned in which 

 these country members dwelt are Carruchan, Holme of Dal- 

 sckairth, Teraghtie, and Leanside, in the parish of Troqueer; 

 Ackencreith, Trench, Taylorland, Kelton, in the parish of Dum- 

 fries ; Colledge, I presume in Terregles ; Braecroft and Oaka- 

 bush, in Terregles; Conheath, Hiemaynes, Woodend, in Caer- 

 laverock ; Gateside, in Holywood ; Holywood Kirk ; Dalswinton, 



