of Sir Charles Douglas of Kelhead, amounted, in the same year, only to £12,229.

For awhile the burghal authorities were much engaged with the erection of the Hospital, and in getting it put into good working order. Afterwards we find them busy opening up a new line of street, leading from Lochmaben-gate to the Townhead; widening the way at that entrance to the Burgh, expanding a narrow passage-Calvert's Vennel-running from High Street to the river's edge, now called Bank Street; building a salt market in it; and adopting means for improving the lighting of the principal thoroughfares. These operations increased the debt upon the town; and how to make the income cover the expenditure was a sort of chronic difficulty, which often drove the Town Council to their wits' end. In order to get rid of its pressure for a season, borrowing money at a heavy rate of interest was often resorted to; and Mr. Richard Lowthian, formerly noticed as Prince Charlie's host, was the millionaire to whom the Council frequently applied in time of need. In 1752 they became his debtor in £2,000 at one sweep; and soon afterwards they had, as already noticed, to adopt the retrograde course of selling a public establishment-the coffee-house or news-room in High Street, which was bought by that gentleman's son. To aggravate matters, the Act imposing a duty on ale and tonnage was about to expire. The authorities could scarcely get on with the aid thus afforded them: were it to stop, their credit would be in danger of stopping too. A resolution was therefore formed to obtain, if possible, the renewal of the Act. Entrusted with a mission of this nature, Mr. Mackenzie, town clerk, proceeded in February, 1762, to London-not on horseback, like his predecessors on a similar errand a quarter of a century before, but in a chaise; and after an absence of less than six weeks, he returned, in the same kind of conveyance, with the agreeable announcement that a bill for continuing the duties other twenty-five years had received the royal assent. The bill of 1737 cost, exclusive of personal charges, the sum of £157; that of 1762, £270; the latter amount including £56 as fees for born 20th July, 1844, succeeded him, as the eighth Marquis of Queensberry; and married, in 1866, Sybil, second daughter of Alfred Montgomery, third sou of Sir Henry Conynham Montgomery, Bart.

the second reading in the House of Commons. In the former case the personal expenses of Provost Corrie and Mr. Goldie, his colleague, were under £14, while those of Mr. Mackenzie were nearly £37; his chaise hire and charges on the road absorbing about one half of that sum. So well satisfied were the Town Council with that gentleman's good management in the matter, that they voted him a "gratification" of ten guineas, which, however, he declined to take; and the Council, not to be outdone in generosity, constrained him to accept a set of silver tea-spoons. This fact, trifling in itself, is only noticed as introductory to a remark that the Council books, at this period and during a rougher age, give abundant evidence that the Shylock style of driving a hard bargain, or adhering stubbornly to the letter of an exactive bond, was not the practice of our

ancestors.

CHAPTER XLVI.

STRIFE BETWEEN THE TRADES AND MERCHANT COUNCILLORS REGARDING THE PROVOSTSHIP-THE RIVAL CANDIDATES, CORBET AND GRAHAM-WAR OF CLASSES; THE RICH INHABITANTS FAVOURING CORBET, THE DEMOCRACY DOING BATTLE FOR GRAHAM-PARTY NAMES ASSUMED: THE "PYETS AND THE CROWS"-TUMULT IN THE COUNCIL AND RIOT IN THE STREETS-THE COUNCIL CHAMBER STORMED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PYETS, AND THE ELECTION OF CORBET FORCIBLY PREVENTED-THE TRADES CHOOSE GRAHAM AS CHIEF MAGISTRATE-CORBET ELECTED AT A SECOND MEETING BY HIS OWN PARTY-CHURCHING OF THE RIVAL PROVOSTS, AND EXTRAORDINARY FACTION FIGHT-TRIAL AND PUNISHMENT OF THE LEADING RIOTERS.

BEFORE the Ale-duty Act was reimposed, and whilst some of the schemes previously specified were in progress, a civil broil broke out, by which the public mind was for weeks, if not months, painfully absorbed. It arose partly out of a longstanding jealousy that existed between the merchants and the Trades, and partly out of the rivalry of two claimants for the provostship; and it found full vent at the election of the magistrates in 1759. The first faint symptoms of the coming storm were descried when, on the 29th of September, 1758, Bailie James Corbet was chosen Provost by "a plurality of votes" only. The merchant councillors supported him because he was favourable to their pretensions; whilst the minority, consisting chiefly of craftsmen, had set their affections on John Graham of Kinharvie, whom, though he was not ostensibly a candidate, they would fain have placed in the civic chair.

On the following 2nd of October, the Council met for the purpose of voting out of their body, "according to the sett and constitution of the Burgh," four merchant members, in lieu of four voted in prior to the magisterial election. Before the business of the day was fairly begun, John Jardine, deaconconvener of the Trades, rose, and in due form protested against the proceedings, and withdrew, followed by all the other

deacons, save the deacon of the glovers, Nicholas Dickson. The gauntlet of defiance was thus thrown down; but the Provost's adherents, taking the matter quite coolly, went on to purge the Council as if nothing out of the way had occurred—the gentlemen unanimously "voted off" being Gilbert Paterson, William M'Murdo, William Burnet, late bailies, and Alexander M'Courtie, late treasurer.

The real "tug of war" commenced on the 22nd of September, 1759, at which time four new councillors fell to be chosen. Each party tried eagerly to gain thereby an accession of power; the merchants being anxious to increase, or at all events maintain, their supremacy, the deacons to render their minority more potential-to transform it into a positive majority was scarcely hoped for, though they were warmly supported by the popular voice. After the usual preliminaries, ex-Provost Crosbie protested, for himself and all others who should concur with him, that his voting at the election of new councillors that day was no homologation of the claims of any whose election at Michaelmas last remained under dispute. He thereupon took instruments in the clerk's hands-ex-Provost Graham, Convener Jardine, and Deacons Patoun, Walker, Gibson, Johnston, and Howat adhering to the protest. This interruption over, Provost Corbet proposed that the meeting should choose William Carruthers and James Bell, merchants, Gilbert Gordon, collector of Excise, and Dr. Alexander Gordon. Deacon Howat proposed the election of other four-William Kirkpatrick, James Clark, James Jardine, and James M'Whirter, all merchants; but all, it is presumed, more favourable to the Trades than the nominees of the Provost. The former were elected by a majority of sixteen votes to eight.

Utterly beaten in the Council-house, the craftsmen looked for assistance out of doors. They accordingly made much of the Dumfriesian democracy, who readily made common cause with them against the patrician merchants and their chief. A battle of classes had begun-those in the upper ranks of life enlisting on the Provost's side, those in the lower strata declaring for that of John Graham and the deacons; and at this ripe stage of the conflict, the former party, by a play on their leader's name, were dubbed "Corbies," whilst their opponents rejoiced in

the name of "Pyets:" so termed, we suppose, because of the antipathy cherished by these birds-the crows and magpiestowards each other.

On the 29th, seven days after this fresh triumph of the Corbies, the streets of the ancient Burgh presented an animated aspect. It was Michaelmas day-the day of the annual election; and in view of this event flocks of Pyets fluttered eagerly about anticipating a fray, longing to leave the impress of their claws and beaks on the rival faction, who for the most part, however, kept prudently within the shelter of their household nests. The Mid-Steeple clock strikes the hour of three in the afternoon; and unless the election be immediately proceeded with, the legal period for it will expire, and the Burgh be disfranchised. At last the Provost and some of his party are seen hurrying, as fast as the throng will permit, from the George Tavern in Southgate Brae towards the place of meeting. Guarded by the officers, they pass on unharmed, receiving nothing worse than hootings and mock huzzas from the crowd; but three or four recreant tradesmen, who afterwards try to slip up to the Council-house, are recognized, hustled, mobbed; whilst, on the other hand, the Pyet voters are greeted with hearty cheers. As the business proceeds, the crowd in the vicinity grows denser, and seems increasingly bent on mischief. So deafening is the din, that the town clerk, Joseph Corrie, is heard with difficulty by the burghal senators as he reads the Parliamentary enactment bearing on the business, which finishes with the following stringent provision:'It is hereby enacted and declared, that it shall not be in the power of the magistrates and Council of this Burgh at any time hereafter to alter or procure any alteration hereof; and that no person or persons shall vote for or endeavour the repealing or alteration of this present Act, directly or indirectly, in time coming, under the penalty of two hundred pounds Scots money, to be paid by each contravener toties quoties." This document having been read, Graham, chief of the Pyet clan, arises and protests that by their assembling, sitting, and voting in this Council, they do not homologate the rights of any voter, disputed at the last election, or rendered since disputable; and he insists, therefore, that the clerks shall take notice, for