68 Report of Meetings for 1887. By J. Hardy. 



of their lights; only immemorial usage. So' the Common came to be 

 divided among the individual proprietors, whose estates lay contiguous to 

 it, and the only man who now enjoys an acre of it, as commonty. is the 

 minister. The upper glebe of the minister of Stow is part of the former 

 Stow Common. 



The names of some of the farms and properties about Stow are ancient, 

 and have their analogies in many other parts of the country. There are 

 at least a score of Stows in England. Stow is Stock, i.e. a palisaded or 

 enclosed place (v. Rogers on Names). An interesting old farm — once a 

 separate property is Hoppringle. The laird was Hoppringle, of Hoppringle, 

 I imagine the head of the sept Pringle, whose surname is so common in 

 Galawater and on Tweedside. Pringle of Torsonce was King's banner 

 bearer, according to Scott. Then you have Torquhan, Torsonce, etc., with 

 which compare Tortrex, Torwood, etc., in Stirlingshire ; a county also of 

 medieval and pre-historic fame. Plenploth and Plean are evidently from 

 the same root. Above Stow, some 400 or 500 feet higher stands a very old 

 steading named Crunzie, (pronounced Cruize or Cringy). In this parish 

 I have a similar place, situated at a considerable altitude, named Cringit. 



Rule Water, Jedburgh, Weens, Bonciiestek Bkidge, Wells, 

 Bedrule, The Dunion. 

 The fifth meeting was held at Jedburgh for Eule Water on 

 Wednesday, September 14th. Owing to the .excessive fall of 

 rain, and not being acquainted with most of the route, I have 

 very few personal remarks to make in the early part of the 

 journey. The difficulty of reporting on the appearance of a 

 country from under the shade of umbrellas and enveloped in wet 

 mist will be easily understood. For that day at least the local 

 weather rhyme might have been stereotyped : 



" When Kuberslaw puts on his cowl, 

 The D union on his hood, 

 Then a' the wives o' Teviotdale 

 Ken there will be a flood." 

 To avoid such a calamity, the September meeting had been 

 fixed thus early ; but I am told that in this month, a fixed 

 meeting in the hill-country of Eoxburghshire is never safe from 

 blasts descending from the southern Fells. For the advantage 

 of the Club, I give the report of Mr James Watson, who knows 

 the country well ; supplementing it with my own and others' 

 remarks. 



There was a large turn-out of members, notwithstanding the 

 unfavourable state of the weather. After breakfasting in the 



