468 A Glimpse of the Olden Times, by Mr. Thos. Craig, 



Roxburghshire. The entries, — which are remarkably 

 accurate in spelling, considering the laxity which existed 

 regarding uniformity on that point, even in printed books 

 and documents, at that period, and beautiful specimens of 

 penmanship — are, to persons unaccustomed to the perusal 

 of ancient manuscripts, somewhat difficult to decipher, on 

 account of the closeness of the writing and the change in 

 the formation of some of the characters. The master seems 

 to have been kindly considerate and indulgent to his servants, 

 from the arrears of payment he suffered to run up ; and, on 

 the other hand, the servants seem to have been trustworthy 

 and honest-grained people, of whom there was little ground 

 to suspect that they would quit the service with a debt un- 

 paid. The last item appears to have been an undated post 

 entry shewing the almost entire payment of rather heavy 

 arrears. Here is the record : — 



" Ane Account of the Kaine of Elliston. 

 November 27 day 1695. 



"From Bessy Swwanston, 18. 



"From William Newbikin, 12 and a half. 



"From James Newbkin, 10 and a half. 



" Bessy Swanston has paid all her kain. 



"William Newbikin has paid all but one chiken. 



"James Newbikin has paid all but two hens. 



"John Bamer has paid 12, and 6 owing, 



" James Lamb has paid 8, and 4 resting. 



"John Falla has paid all this year but one chiken, but owing 



3 of the 94 year's kain. 

 " John Bamer is owing 24 fowls for byepast time. 

 "John Bamer is owing 2 fowls." 



The custom is now altogether obsolete in Roxburghshire, 

 if it even lingers anywhere.- It was at best an irksome ob- 

 ligation ; and more of these remnants of serfism have been 

 abolished since the advent of railways and cheapened litera- 

 ture, than for generations previously. But it survived in 

 the Kale-water district till twenty years ago. On the farm 

 of Crookhouse, in the parish of Linton, when tenanted by 

 the late Mr. John Purves, whose lease terminated in 1855, 

 the "hinds" were required to furnish to their master six 

 cock chickens, and the " cotters" four cock chickens yearly ; 

 while the tenant in his turn, at least during the earlier por- 

 tion of his lease, had to furnish a certain proportion to the 

 "' laird." On the adjoining farm of Linton, tenanted since 



