TRANSACTIONS. 33 
Note to Mr Thomson's Paper. 
The following will throw light upon the expression “ profane 
persons brewing” (page 28): “Bailie Johneson reports that in 
going through the town last Sabbath he found in the house of 
James Moorehead a large pot upon the fire boyling wort, and in 
John Baxter’s house Wright found the said James Moorehead’s 
wife with a choppin stoup in her hand, and the said James Moore- 
head’s wife sitting at a table and said she was seeking barm.” 
The following extracts may be interesting from the form of 
punishment :—“ 1641. Bessie Black for her 3rd departure from 
virtue to sit six Sabbaths and at the cross in the Jougs.” “1642. 
Euphane Thomson and Jane Johnson, servants, for scolding each 
other, to be put in the J ougs presently.” “1644, A man and his 
wife for slander are sentenced to stand at the kirk style with the 
branks in their mouths.” “1695. Itis statute and ordained that 
who drink to excess shall pay the Nobleman twenty pounds ; the 
Barron, twenty merks ; the Gentleman Heretor or Burgess, ten 
merks ; the Yeoman, forty shillings ; the Servant, twenty shillings ; 
and the Minister the fifth part of his stipend. 
Ill. Zhe Drutdical Circle in Troqueer. By Mr Joun Brown, 
F.E.LS., of Drumsleet. 
The Druidical circle on the Hills farm lies about four miles 
from Dumfries, a little over half a mile to the left of the farm 
called East Hills, as one journeys towards Lochrutton. Or, taking 
the footpath to Lochrutton Kirk, a quarter of a mile past Turnfeen, 
the traveller would find it about 200 yards to his left just as he is 
about to reach the top ot the ascent, It is, on a contour line of 
the trigonometrical survey maps, shewn to be situated exactly 500 
feet above the level of the sea, and lies in a somewhat depressed 
place close to the last rising of the hills behind, which attain 625 
feet. In the depression is a platform evidently to some extent 
artificial and irregularly circular, 70 to 80 feet in diameter. The 
top has been levelled, or rather made level, by using the materials 
brought from the sides. On this little platform is the Druidical 
circle. There are now ten stones in the circle, but, judging from 
the distances from stone to stone, it is probable there were a few 
more when the circle was complete. There is no central stone ; 
all are round the sides. One was 13} feet distant from the next ; 
other distances were, 17 ft., 19 ft. 8 in., 25 ft., 34 ft. 4 iss Oa, te 
7 in.; the average is about 25 ft. 3 in. ; and the circumference 
