26 Transactions. 



and a few particulars of how it was met are of interest at the 

 present time, when means to fill our churches are often discussed. 

 " Jan. 28, 1641. — The Session, resenting the great slackness and 

 remissness of certain persons in resorting to God's house, but more 

 especially those of the Landward Parish, have, for remeid thereof, 

 statute and ordained that every gentleman of note in the parish 

 shall pay for every day's absence from the kirk thirty shillings, 

 toties qitoties. Also the lady Elshieshields, tjie Lady Craigs, &c., 

 to be summoned for not haunting the kirk, and everyone of 

 the inhabitants of Kelton is fined for absence." Akin to the sin of 

 not attending worship, although more trivial, is the following : 

 " Tlie minister to intimate to the congregation that henceforth 

 when they address themselves either to the Sabbath or week-day 

 sermon that they walk not in the churchyard inventing worldly 

 thoughts, but go into their seats, that so their unbecoming carriage 

 be prevented, and the Lord less dishonoured than hitherto." I 

 may also cite a few things that are forbidden as sinful. " Thomas 

 liicliardson purgeth himself, but paid twelve shillings for playing 

 at cards." "John Clerk Taylor, for being observed to shave 

 sundry of this burgh on the Lord's day in the morning is com- 

 manded that he be not found in the like breach of the Lord's day 

 under the penalty of ten pounds." " A woman for gathering cale is 

 fined and set in the pillar, and the year after this May games are 

 forliidden and Dorothy Herries and Marion Hairson for going to 

 St. Jargon's Well on the first Sunday in May in ane superstitious 

 way to fetch the waters thereof, are ordained to acknowledge their 

 oftence in the body of the church on Sunday." There are also a 

 few remarks about the poor that may prove interesting. " The 

 minister is desired yet, as oft before, to intimate that the most 

 part of the congregation are sparing (and many give nothing at all) 

 to the great necessities of the poor, and the magistrates will be 

 enforced to take course with those who withdraw from so pious a 

 duty. The minister is to intimate on Sunday to the deficients in 

 the necessary duty of charity to the poor that their names hence- 

 forth shall be read out publicly, to their great disgrace." Icaiuiot 

 close without a few remarks as to the feeling towards our neigh- 

 bours over the border. There seems to have been little goodwill, 

 which may possibly be accounted for by the fact of some of the 

 biirghers having been taken captive, yet at times there seems a 

 race feeling at the bottom of it, as if they recognised the English 



