Statistical tables relative to the city of Glasgow, with other matters therewith connected online

erected at this time.

1594i Flaying on Bagpipes, life, on Sunday, prohibited. — The presbytery of Glasgow,
on 7th May, prohibited the playing of bagpipes on Sunday, from sun-rising
to its going down, and practising other pastimes after canonical hours, under
pain of censure.

1594 Clerical Punishments: — December \9th. — The Session enact that the pun-
ishment for single Fornication, is oidy 8 days in the Steeple, one day on the
Cockstool. one day at the Pillar. A Cart to be made to cart Harlots through
the Town ; appoints a pulley to be made on the Bridge, whereby adulterers
may be ducked in Clyde ; appoints the Jugs and Branks to be fixed up in
some notable place for the punishment of Flyters. (They were then put on
the south side of the Tolbooth steeple.)

1595 Games Forbidden on Sunday : — April 24^/j. — The Session directed the
Drum to go through the Town, that there be no bickering nor plays on Sun-
days, either by old or young. Games, Golf, Alley, Bowls, &c. are forbidden on
Sunday, as also that no person go to Ruglen to see vain plays on Sunday.

1595 Assessment for the Poor : — July 3d. — The Session appointed a committee to
consider the roll of the people who were able in the To^^ti to be stented for
helping the poor, and that the money collected on Sunday shall be given to
Poor householders, this, on the margin of the record, is called Buttock Male,
for Poor householders. (This seems to have been the first assessment.) The
Session appoints the Deacon of the Websters to help the poor of their o^vn
trade.

1595 Catechism : — August 21th. — Mr. Weems and Mr. Cooper, offer to teach
the Catechism, and cast lots who shall begin first. At this time the Town
and the Barony were one Parish.

1595 Barony Parish : — September \Oth. — The Synod appointed the Parish of
Glasgow without the Town, to have a Minister of their own, and resort to a
Kirk of their own. Mr. Alexander Rowat was appointed minister of the
Barony parish this year.

1595 Fast Day : — A Fast is to be kept for both days of the Communion, that
the Lord's day be not profaned by pastimes and plays. The Magistrates gave
intimation that no games nor plays were to be used in the To^vn for tM'O
weeks before the Communion.

1596 Presbytery of Glasgoiu. — The general assembly annexed Carmunnock,
Eaglesham and Cathcart, to the presbytery of Glasgow, and restored
Kilbride to Hamilton.

1597 Banners and Sivearers July 27th. Appoints some noters of banners and

swearers, and appoint the ministers and magistrates to note the swearers and
banners at the Broomielaw.

1597 Cathedral: — The Provost, BaiUies, and Council, Deacons of Craft.s, and
Ministers of Glasgow, convene in the College Kirk to give their advice in
Judgment, about repairing the Hie Kirk.



APPENDIX. 173

Years.

1598 Physicians and Surgeons. ^Se^i. 14th. The session thmks good, that the university,
ministers, and presbytery, take cognition who are within the town that pretend to
have skill in medicine, and hath not the same ; that those who have skill, may be
retained, and others rejected. They send some to the town council, to see what
course to take with such.

1599 physicians and Surgeons. — The physicians and surgeons of this city were incor-
porated this year by a royal charter from James VI. with extensive professional
powers. As the charter did not include any political right, the faculty, some time
after its erection, joined with the corporation of barbers, and continued to hold
office with them, till 23d. Jan. 1720, when they gave in to the magistrates a re-
nunciation of their letter of deaconry, which being accepted by the council on 22d.
Sept. 1722, the connexion was then dissolved, and the letter of deaconry confirmed to
the barbers. The charter was principally obtained through the influence of the fa-
cetious doctor Peter Low, who, as appears from the inscription on his monument
in the High church yard, was as fond of fun as physic.

1599 Midivives : — February Sth. — The two Midwifes in the Town, are discharged to go
to any unmarried women, within, while first they signify the matter to some of the
Ministers or Magistrates in the day-light, and if it be in the night-time that they take
the oaths of the said women before they bear the bairn, who is the father of it, as
they wiU be answerable to God and his Kirk.

1599 Magistrates made Elders: — October ilk. — The Session enacts that whosoever shall
be chosen Provost or Baillies after this, shall be enrolled as elders of the Kirk for
the year to come.

1600 Plague. — April 17th. After the morning preaching, the session consulted how
the infection of the glengore within this city may be removed. Some sent to the
council to deplore the Infection that's In this city by the glengore, and some to
convene again In the Blackfrlars kirk anent It, and the whole chirurgeons and
professors of medicine In town to be present. So much given to a man for bigg-
ing a lodge without the Stable green port to the women that hath the glengore.

1600 Enumeration 0/ the Inhabitants. — July 10th. A.ppoints a minister and a balllie to visit
the houses, to see how they are holden, especially to note solitary women, and that
they take up the names of all the persons of the city.

1600 f^'ei day Sermons. — Sept. 25th. For as much as the king's majesty by advice of his
privy council, hath recommended, that In all burghs in this kingdom, Tuesday shall
be kept In all time hereafter as the weekly sermon, and that in commendation of his
majesty's preservation from the hands of his enemies that day, therefore they alter
the week day's preaching unto Tuesday, as a thanksgiving day for his majesty's
preservation.

1600 Absentees from Church. — Nov. 13th. The session ordains the deacons of the crafts
to cause search for absents from the kirks in their craft of all the freemen, the
one half of the fine to go to the kirk, and the'other to the craft.

1600 Searchers. — Nov. 27th. The session directs searchers on the Sabbath to pass Into
the houses to apprehend absents from the kirk.

1600 Poor. — Dec. 11th. This Is the first time the distribution of the poors' money is
marked in the session book; but frequently afterwards.

1601 Against speaking ill of the Dead. — Feb. 26th. The session discharges all j/ifai//?ff ///
of the dead, or casting up the faults of the dead who have suffered for their demerits,
to the living, under pain of standing two days at the pillar, and fined at the will of
the session.

1601 Grammar School. — March. 2Gth. The session mention that the grammar school Is
building. That none sit In the grammar school seat In the Hie kirk, but the
masters and the scholars, and their pedagogues, under the pain of a merk.

1601 Great Fire. — Sept. 16th. The council desired to help those that suffered by the
great fire that nearly destroyed the town.

1601 Bridge of Partick. — Captain Crawford of JordanhlU was provost of Glasgovv', and
built the bridge over the river Kelvin at Partick, this year.

1602 Plague — iVlarch 18th. The session make mention of the pestilence which seems to
have been here, but partly removed, the prayers had been Interrupted for some time,
and mention of some that were passing to the muir.

1602 Plague. — May 13th. The session direct that a thanksgiving be made for preserv-
ing the town from the plague. On ICth August, 1604, another public fast was
kept; also, on 23d December, a thanksgiving for preserving the town from pesti-
lence, that was entering in; the last thanksgiving was on 19th September, 1C05, viz.
for three Sabbaths.

1602 Pestilence. — June 18th. If any person in this city be found to have been faulters
in the time of the pestilence, from such a time to such a time, they shall, beside
their ordinary repentance, appear the third Sabbath at the pillar, with sackcloth.



l'/4^ APPENDIX.

Yeaks.

] 602 I'tiundtrs, — That whatever person shall be f^iind a paunder or resetter of w s

or \v m s in their house, shall make their repentance at the pillar in sack-
cloth, and on Monday, be carted through the town, with this inscription on their
forehead, " a pandrus."

3 603 OIJ Jail. — The old jail, which was built at the Cross in 1603, was pulled down
in 1814. It was a handsome gothic building, with turrets and embrasures, and of
the same style of finishing as the original steeple, which still remains at the Cross.
On the south side of the steeple the archbishop's arms are cut in bas relief, saint
Mungo's head appears mitred on a shield, &c. with two salmon for supporters.
On the north side of the steeple, crowns and other emblems of royalty are displayed,
along with the letters C. R. the jail having been built during the reign of Charles I.
Before the erection of this jail, principal culprits were confined in the bishop's castle.
From IGOS till IT^JO, the town liall was on the middle floor of the west end of the
jail, it had a lofty ceiling, an antique ornamented chimney piece, and the appearance
of having been well finished. When the present town hall, adjoining the tontine,
was opened in 1740, the old hall was fitted up into prison rooms. The justiciary
court hall was originally on the first, or one pair of stairs, floor of the jail, but re-
moved to an adjoining building in the High-street, in the year 1795.
1604 ^0 Street Dances at lianquets. — Jan. 7th. The session enacted that at banquets,
there should be no dancing openly on the street, playing on bagpipes, beating drums,
or losing the consignation money.
1604 Church Seats. — March 1st. The session refers the bill of the wrights to have
liberty to build a seat at their own expense in the Hie kirk, entirely to the ma-
gistrates.
1604 Women in Church. — May 3d. The session intimates that no woman married or un-
married, come within the kirk doors, to preachings or prayers, with their plaids a-
bout their heads, neither lie down in the kirk on their face in time of prayer, with
certification, their plaids shall be drawn down, or, they raised by the beddal. The
session considering that great disorder hath been in the kirk, by women's sitting
with their heads covered in time of sermon, sleeping that way; ordains intimation to
be made, that afterward none sit with their heads covered with plaids, in time of
sermon.
1604 Geneva Relief . — June 28th. Intimation is made by the session that those who have
not given contribution for the supply of the kirk of Geneva, compear next Sunday,
after four hours, in the council house, and bring their charity for that end.

1604 Confinement in Steeple, — July 7th. The session, on 7th September, appoints a ward-
house to be made in the Blackfriars steeple. One person was steepled for eight days,
the bedd;il was instructed to let Steeplers get nothing but bread and water, or small
drink, so long as they continue in the steeple, under the pain of 40 shillings.

1G04 Plurality of Schools. — The presbytery complain of a plurality of schools; they think
the school taught by John Buchanan, and the grammar school, quite sufficient.

1605 Cathedral. — April 18th. Repairs to be made on the Hie kirk, particularly on the
altarages of said kirk, which had not formerly been destroyed. Consultation how
the said kirk may be repaired, and that people may be induced to give voluntary
contributions for that effect, to two men standing every Sunday at the kirk door, as
is following forth at the kirks of Aberdeen and Leith.

1605 Stewarts of Minto. — In the nave of the cathedral, a monument is erected to the
memory of the Minto family, who, for a long period, took a great share in the ma-
nagement of the affairs of this city. The following is inscribed on a copperplate
sunk in the plane of the monument: " Here are buried Sir Walter, Sir Thomas, Sir
John, Sir Robert, Sir John and Sir Matthew, barons and knights of the house of
Minto, their bairns and brethren.

1605 Punishment inficteJ. — Dec. 5th. The session enacted that fornicators should not
only pay their fine, but stand one Monday at the Cross, with a fast band of iron
about their craig, and a paper on their forehead, bare headed, and without cloak or
plaid. (This iron band is still on the steeple at the Cross.)

1605 Letter of (iuilJiij. — The letter of guildry was signed on 6th Feb. in this year. The
decreet was confirmed by the king in parliament in 161'i.

1606 Plague. — May 9th. Prayers made for the inhabitants of Ayr afflicted by the pes-
tilence.

1606 Cathedral. — Archbishop Spottiswood repaired the episcopal palace, which had
been damaged at the reformation, arid commenced covering the roof of the cathe-
dral with lead, which was finished by his successor archbishoi) Law.

1 607 Week Day Sermons. — Deacon convener Anderson and the deacons of trades to meet
with the ministers and magistrates, to take course with them that are masters of



APPENDIX. 175

Ykars.

the trade that keep not the kirk on the week day. This is the first time the con-
vener of the trades' house is mentioned.

1607 Slanders. — May "th. Any servant slandering an honest man or woman, to stand in
the jugs on Monday, besides penalty.

1607 Market at the Cross. — May 17th. The session mentions that the market has now
been a long time, and still remains at the Cross in Trongate, to the great grief of the
upper inhabitants.

1608 Absence from Examination. — A man who was absent from the examination and the
communion for several years, is appointed to make his public repentance at the pil.
lar. A person was committed to the steeple for this fault, and to make his public
repentance for it, and not to do the like agaiji under the pain of double censure.

1608 Keepers of the Sabbath. — March 3d. The session gives intimation, tliat there be no
meetings of women on Sabbath in time of sermon, and that no hostler sell drink,
wine or ale, in time of sermon, under pain of 20 pounds. No buying of timber on
Sunday, at the water of Clyde, from sun-rising to sun-setting. This has been fre-
quently enacted. Hostler seems to have been a name given to publicans, both before
and after this time .

1608 Church Seats. — The magistrates decide on building a seat for the college, at the
expense of the college : also, to change the king's seat, and the pulpit, from the
places they have been so long in. The session nominates my lord bishop, provost,
baillies, &c. to see the whole seats in the Hie kirk reformed.

1608 Laird of Minto a late Provost. — The session pass the laird of Minto for fornication,
considering his age and the station he held in the town. He paid 20 lib.

1609 Offenders to pay their Fines. — The session enacted, that all offenders, fornicators,
adulterers, &c. shall pay their penalty personally, before they go out of session, or
be put in the steeple till it be paid.

1612 Burials, — May 28th. In the session records, mention is made of holding the train
of the corpse at burials; the session and magistrates discharge the bringing out of bed-
straw to the street, after the carrying out of the corpse, under pain of 5 pounds; that
no man, woman or child, shall be buried within the Hie kirk, or any other kirk,
or the Barony kirk, except he pay 5 pounds to the session. If either magistrate or
minister give leave to break ground in the kirk yards, without paying the dues,
they shall pay 20 punds. The session still disposes of burial places in the Hie kirk
yard, and appoints them that get lairs near the dyke, to build the dyke beside their
lair, and the magistrates to determine the place where they should bury.

1613 Dyers Regulations. — Feb. 15th. The session ordains that the litsters do not big on
their fires beneath their vatts, till after 4 o'clock on Sunday's night.

J 613 Bills of Mortality. — Bills of mortality were appointed to be kept in Glasgow this
year, for the first time. The entry is made on 22d December.

1618 Kilbride and Renfreiv. — A charter of mortification is recorded in favour of the
college of Glasgow of the church of Kilbride and Renfrew.

1619 Sunday, observance of — Nov. 4th. No fleshers to slay flesh between light and light
on Sundays.

1620 Fornication. — June 1st. The session pass one doctor Ros3, trilapse in fornication,
having paid 100 merks to the poor; also, one being an honest young man, they take
40 merks from him for the poor, repentance and all.

1620 Church Windoivs. — The session now, and all along, pay the glass wright so much
a year, for mending the glass windows of the kirks.

lg9Q ii*g^ Church Yard. — The parishioners of the Barony complain to the presbytery
that the session threatened to hinder them from burying in the Hie kirk-yard, where
their predecessors were buried for time immemorial.

1621 Hours of Service — April 5th. The session appoints the new kirk door to be open-
ed at five hours in the morning, and closed at 9 at night, for the summer half year,
and for the winter, from 7 in the morning to 5 in the evening.

1621 Minister of Govan. — Prior to this year the principal of the college not only taught
divinity, church history, and oriental languages, but ofliciated as minister of Govan.
Since this year the parish of Govan has had a separate minister.

1622 Bridge of Cathcart. — Jan. 10th. The session gave intimation, that supply is wanted
for building the bridge of Cathcart.

1622 Blackfriars Church. — Blackfriars church was repaired and opened this year as a

presbyterian place of worship. !\Ir. Robert Wilkie, minister. Mention is made of

the lord bishop's seat in the Blackfriars kirk.
1C24 Comedians. — May 20th. Intimation of resetting of comedians, jugglers, &c. such

resetters to be punished. The session gave intmiation against drinking after 10 at

night, under pain of censure.



176



APPENDIX.



Years.

1625 Sihbatby oltervance of. — Sept. 15th. The session enacted, that no markets be held on
Sabbath afternoon after the ports are opened.

1626 Cbriitmaj Day. — Jan. 19. All the travellers in town are summoned, and accused
of travelling on Sabbath, and yet not travelling on Zuill day, though a week day.

1626 Marriages, — Feb. 23. Proclamation of marriage stopped for two persons, till they
satisfy the kirk for their fornication. About this time and afterwards, they stood
twice at the pillar for fornication, and once at the Cross. Women who appear at
the pillar with plaids, and hold not down their heads, it shall not be esteemed a day
of their appearance.

1626 Baptism of Children. — Oct 5th. Intimation is given by the session, that no chil-
dren will be baptized but on the preaching days, and that before sermon, except on
point of necessity, when children are weak. And all fathers are desired to hold up
their children in fornication, under pain of 4 shillings, and those that present them,
other than the parents, to pay 4 pounds. The session enacted, that those who get
their children baptized on the Sabbath, have no more gossips than 6, and shall sit no
longer than 5, and shall consign 4 pounds, and the meaner sort 40 shillings, and lose
it if they transgress.

1627 Irregular Marriages. — Feb. 15. Intimation was given by the session, that those
going to the north of England to be married, would be fined one hundred pounds,
and if they have not money, they would be banished the congregation for ever.

1629 Helapsers. — Relapsers in fornication appear four times at the pillar in white sheets,
and two days at the Cross.

1630 Glasgow was again declared a free royal burgh.

1630 Antinuptial Fornicators. — Jan. 26. It is ordinary for antinuptial fornicators to stand
only once in their own clothes.

1630 Ministers Censured. — The presbytery censure the ministers of Glasgow for dispens-
ing with public repentance for money.

1630 Letter-press Printing. — Letter-press printing was introduced into Glasgow about
this year by Mr. George Anderson, who, in 1661 was succeeded by Mr. Robert
Saunders. In 1740, the art was carried to great perfection by Mr. Robert Foulis,
who introduced into this city, a style of printing which for beauty and correctness
has never been surpassed in any country.

1631 Marriages. — May 26. The session, with the advice of the magistrates, enacts, that
parties to be proclaimed for marriage, shall come on Saturday's night after the even-
ing prayer, to the New kirk, and there be booked, and a minister and some elders
to wait for that end.

1634 Prison in Blackfriars Church. — May Hth. The ordinary prison for kirk delin-
quents, for some time past, has been the back gallery of the Blackfriars kirk.

1635 Separation. — Oct. 22. Compeared two married persons, and declare they are cor.tent
to separate one from the other, till God send more love into their hearts; and the
man promises to give his wife a small allowance yearly ; the session consent to this.

1635 Blackfriars Church. — This church was examined by Mr. Milne, architect to
Charles I. in 1654, who declared it to be such a noble and ancient Gothic build-
ing, that "the Hie Kirk was very inferior to it." — On 6th June, 1635, a con-
tract was entered into between the archbishop, with consent of the chapter, on
the first part, the magistrates on the second, and the college on the third part,
reciting, that the Blackfriars kirk was in ruins ; and that the college had re-
disponed it to the town, who meant to repair or build it, and who had raised a sum
of money to endow a minister with the stipend of 1000 merks ; the college were
to receive a certain number of the second best seats in the new church. This
contract was confirmed by charter, Charles I. on 1st July, 1636. The same char-
ter conveys to the magistrates and council the patronage of the Blackfriars and St.
Mary's churches, and nominates the magistrates justices of the peace within the
burgh.

1635 House of Correction. — The manse of the prebend of Cambuslang, situated on the
south side of the Drygate, was given to the earl of Glencairn, who, in this year,
sold it to the magistrates of Glasgow, who converted it into a house of correction
for persons of dissolute characters.

^C^c Correction House. — The session appoints persons to be taken to the correction
house, both men and women, and appoints them to be whipped every day, during
the session's will.
The Meal-Market opposite the college, (now College-street) was built this year.
IVater Baillie. — On 1st July, 1636, Charles I. by charter, authorised the magis-
trates and council of Glasgow to elect a water baillie with more extensive powers
than formerly. This officer is now empowered to exercise a maritime, civil, and
criminal jurisdiction on the river, from the old bridge to the Clogh stone at tlie
mouth of the Clyde, about 26 miles below the town.



1636
1636



APPENDIX. 177

Years.

1637 Sabbath, observance of. — Aug. ISt'n. The session enact, that the ports be shut on
Saturday's night, and watchers set to observe travellers.

1G37 The Laigh Kirk or Tron Steeple was built this year. The tron or public weights
were kept in the under part of this steeple for a great number of years, hence the
name of tron steeple, and ultimately, tron church.

1638 Episcopacy abjured. — The famous assembly of the church was held at Glasgow
this year, when episcopacy was abjured, and churchmen declared incapable of sitting
in parliament.

1638 rublic Green. — The magistrates commenced purchasing ground for the high green
this year. The last purciiase was the Haugh, in 179_'.

1639 Beadle. — Provost Cunningham informed the session that the town council presented
a beddal, on this, the session did vote and choose said beddal.'

1639 Subscribing the Covenant. — All persons who declined to subscribe the covenant
were debarred from ordinances.

1640 Family fVorship— March 19. Intimation is made by the session, that all masters
of families shall give account of those in their families who hath not the ten com-
mandments, I-ord's prayer, creed, &c. and that every family shall have prayers
and psalms morning and evening ; some of the fittest men shall assist the elders in
promoting this work.

1640 Ports to be shut. — Aug. 18th. The session enacted, that the ports be shut on Sab-
bath at 12 o'clock, to observe that no traveller go out or come in the town, and
watchers set where there are not ports. The masters of schools, English and Latin,
cause their scholars conveen after the afternoon sermon, and instruct them in the
groundsof the christian religion.

1641 Destroying Crucifxes. — Jan. 8th. In pursuance of an act of assembly held at Aber-
deen, the session enacted, that the magistrates will cause all monuments of idolatry