Transactions. 67 
dollar for ilk loade that shall be discovered, off the fore-end of 
the fine.” Under the most favourable circumstances, restrictions 
such as these would be likely to lead to inconvenience, but in 
this instance the rigorous enforcement of them was severely 
felt, owing to the inadequacy of the Mills to overtake the work 
required of them. Spates and droughts are often recurring 
causes of difficulty, but oftener still the condition of the Mills 
themselves, the pleasant and refreshing sound of falling water as 
it slides from the revolving water wheel, being often mingled 
with discordant groaning and jolting noise of ill-fitting and 
broken machinery. On the 21st January, 1656, “Robert Stewart 
Tacksman of Mylnes, protestit that he wald give over the Tack 
at this instant term of Candlemas in respect they were not 
keipit. The Council protested that they were leading stanes 
to the Mill Dam and Caal, and were willing to do all 
diligence for keeping the said Milns in good order.” The 
incapacity of the Town’s Mills appear at this time to 
have reached an acute stage, and the Council found it neces- 
sary to supplement them, and for this purpose they secured 
from Maxwell of Broomholm a lease of Stakeford Mill, situated 
on the Troqueer side of the river. The acquisition of this Mill 
was immediately followed by an Act of Council, ordaining that 
all malt brought into the burgh must be ground at the ‘“ Touns 
twa Common Milns and Staikford Miln.” All the three mills, 
however, are occasionally in want of water, or otherwise unable 
to work, causing the inhabitants much inconvenience, who are 
nevertheless still “ordaint to bring their malt to be grindit 
at the Common Milns,” under the penalty of a fine, in 
addition to their ordinary multure, ‘except the said inhabitants 
first bring their said malt to remain at the Touns Milns, and let 
it remain there for the space of 48 hours, after which space they 
are to be frie to carrie their malt to other milns.” 
In order to meet the difficulty so often experienced, the want 
of water in connection with their water mills, and to put them- 
selves into a position in which they can maintain in full all their 
privileges, the Council now proceed to erect a horse mill on the 
Upper Sandbed of Dumfries, some distance northward of the 
Over Sandbed Water Mill, and in 1687 Thomas Irving and 
George Carlyle secured a lease, to endure three years, of the 
Town’s Mills, including the horse-mill. The new tenants, shortly 
before the term at which they are to take possession of the subjects, 
