ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 13 



the common devoted to pasture, each burgess, or widow 

 of a burgess resident in the burgh, is entitled to graze 

 a certain number of sheep and cattle, the number being 

 from time to time tixed by the Town Council. At 

 present (1903) burgesses are entitled to pasture two cows 

 and twenty sheep apiece, whilst resident widows are 

 each entitled to the pasturage of one cow and thirteen 

 sheep. A cowherd and a shepherd are employed for 

 the common behoof of those who use the pasturage, from 

 whom the magistrates and council accordingly levy "such 

 an annual assessment, in sums proportioned to the number 

 of animals pastured by each, as suffices to pay the wages 

 of the cowherd and shepherd, and every other expense 

 connected with the animals and their pasturage. The 

 magistrates and council at the same time levy, by a 

 separate assessment, from the persons and in the propor- 

 tions foresaid, such sums as they consider adequate and 

 reasonable, in name of "grass mail." 



That portion of the burgh common which is laid off 



for " hill-parts " is, and has been from time 

 Hill -parts, immemorial, dealt with by the magistrates 



as follows : — Every proprietor of a burgess- 

 acre, whether he be a burgess or not, has, by virtue of 

 his title to said acre and outfield and fee-land parts 

 thereof, right to a "hill-part" of the common, being 

 a portion of the common marked off for cultivation 

 during such number of years, with such a rotation of 

 cropping, and under such provisions for the improvement 

 of the land, as the council may fix. When these " hill- 

 parts" are first laid off, a certain portion is marked out 

 for the purpose, and the owners of burgess-acres are then 

 applied to, in order to ascertain whether they intend to 

 claim their privilege of having a "hill-part" allotted to 

 them. Upon the number of " hill-parts" being ascertained, 

 and upon the claimants subscribing the conditions of 

 cropping, etc., prescribed by the council, the portion of 

 the hill already marked off is cut into the requisite number 



