Number of persons admitted Burgesses, during the last 30 years, distinguishing the Merchants from the Tradesmen, &c.

With the exception of the years, 1790, 1808 and 1817, the Trades' Burgesses have prepondered; this is to be accounted for, not only from their number, but from a vigilance in the managers of the Incorporations, to prevent unfreemen from carrying on Trade till the have become Burgesses.

During 1813, a medium year, 241 persons were admitted Burgesses; of these 145 were Strangers, or what is called Far-hand entrants, 61 were Sons of Freemen, 27 Sons'in-Law of Freemen, and 8 Apprentices. The tickets were made out as follows, viz. Merchants 72, Maltmen 63, Weavers 34, Hammermen 16, Wrights 15,* Masons 9, Taylors 6, Gardeners 6, Bakers 5, Fleshers 5, Cordiners 3, Coopers 2, Barbers 2, Architect 1, Plumber 1, and Combmaker 1. In this year £881 4 1 were collected for Burgess fines, and divided as follows; to the Town Council, £463 13 11; Merchants house, £143 19 83; and Trades house, £273 10 5; less the expense of collecting, and dues to the officers of the three Corporations. Exclusive of this sum, £14 19 10 were collected for the Gold box in the Merchants' house. This is done by charging Burgesses, of whatever description, at entry, with 1s, 21d; and every Apprentice Burgess, with an additional sum of 1s. 21d. These additional dues, (which were, till within these few years past, given away by the Deans of Guild for pious purposes, without restriction,) are all included in the forgoing rates. The stamps for the tickets amounted to £531 0 0. In 1808, the Burgess fines amounted to £2,921 8 1; the Town's share was £1,357 9 3; Merchants' house, £981 11 4; and Trades' house, £582 7 6;-less dues, &c. The bucket dues, which amounted to £162 18 4, are included equally in the sums paid to the two houses, as their respective collectors settle with the Police. The dues to the Gold box amounted to £50 19 1.

It would be very difficult, if at all possible, to ascertain

* When a merchant Burgess purchases his Ticket, he is intitled to commence business, but the case is otherways with the Trades' Burgess; for after he has entered with his particular trade, and purchased his Ticket, he must make an essay before he can carry on business. In some trades, for instance the Wrights, the making an essay is attended with considerable inconvenience. The corporation has an Essay House in the High-street, the windows, chimney-head, and other openings are strongly grated, the door is fastened with two locks, and when an essay is to be made, the Deacon and Masters direct the new Entrant to make a peice of Cabinet and Joiner work, usually a Bound Shutter and Foot stool; and on a particular day, the Entrant is locked up in the Essay House, where he must perform his task to the satisfaction of four Essay Masters; this task, if the Entrant be not practical, frequently requires that he be locked up two days; of late this Incorporation has agreed to accept of Ten Guineas in lieu of making an Essay. In the present advanced state of Trade, the propriety of Essay making, may be fairly disputed, as it almost always happens that the person who carries on work, does not execute it with his own hands.

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the exact number of Burgesses belonging to this city. It may, however, be presumed, (and the calculation has met the approbation of persons who have thought on the subject,) that, as on the one hand, several of those who have entered during the last 30 years are dead, and others have left the country; and on the other, there are several Burgesses in the town, who were entered 50 years ago; a considerable number of 40 years standing, and from that down to 30 years; the number of Burgesses may be taken, as pretty near the truth, at five thousand. This class of the community, now so respectable, were anciently held in great contempt, by a warlike and turbulent people, who set a higher value on arms, than on the drudgery of trade. A Burgess was reputed, base, servile, and unfit for war, so that, the Gentry were not allowed to intermarry in their families, or fight with them, but in lieu thereof, the Burgesses were to appoint champions, to fight in their stead: a Burgess' son was reputed of age, when he could distinctly count money, measure cloth, &c. From this prejudice, there was, however, a slight exception in favour of the Masons of this city, who were incorporated by Malcom IV. about the year 1156. The Members of this Incorporation received a dispensation, and certain peculiar privileges, from Joceline, Bishop of Glasgow, in the year 1177, on account of their pious services in building the Cathedral.

ROYAL BURGHS.

BOROUGH, or Burgh, are names now usually applied to such towns, as send Burgesses or Representatives to Parliament. The Kings of Scotland, from Alexander I. to James VI., and of Britain, from James I. to William III., were in use to erect a number of towns, and even villages, into Corporations or Burghs, for the advantage of Trade, and the more equitable distribution of Justice; and in process of time the managers of these Corporations were invested with very important privileges and immunities. They'received an

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extensive judicial jurisdiction, and the sole power of trade and merchandise within their bounds.

The Royal Burghs in Scotland, sixty-six in number, originated as follows:-During the reign of Alexander I. which commenced in the year 1107, and ended in 1124, Edinburgh, Roxburgh and Striveling (Stirling) received their Charters During the reign of David I. which commenced in the year 1124, and ended in 1153, Jedburgh, Haddington, Linlithgow, Renfrew, St. Andrews, Dunfermline, Crail, Elgin and Forres, received their Charters. During the reign of William the Lyon, which commenced in the year 1165, and ended in 1214, Inverkeithing, Perth, Aberdeen, Rutherglen, Inverness, Dumfries, Lanark, Glasgow, Irvine, Ayr, Forfar, Dundee, Aberbrothick, Montrose, Inverury, Kintore, Banff, Cullen and Nairn, received their Charters. During the reign of Alexander II. which commenced in the year 1214, and ended in 1249, Annan, Dumbarton and Dingwall, received their Charters. During the reign of Alexander III. which commenced in 1249, and ended in 1292, Kinghorn, Peebles and Selkirk, received their Charters. During the reign of Robert I. which commenced in 1306, and ended in 1330, Kirkcaldy, Queensferry and Lochmaben, received their Charters. During the reign of David II. which commenced in the year 1330, and ended in 1332, Cupar, Inverbervie, Dunbar, Brechin, Lauder and Wigton, received their Charters. During the reign of Robert III. which commenced in the year 1390, and ended in 1406, North Berwick and Rothesay received their Charters.* During the reign of James II. which commenced in the year 1437, and ended in 1460, Kirkcudbright received its Charter. During the reign of James III. which commenced in the year 1460, and ended in 1489, Kirkwall received its Charter. During the reign of James V. which commenced in the year 1514, and ended in 1544, Pittenweem, Bruntisland and Dy

* Robert II. the first of the Stuarts, was the son of Walter Stuart, and Marjory Bruce, daughter of King Robert Bruce. He succeeded his uncle in the year 1870. The race of the Stuarts became extinct in 1801, by the death of Cardinal York.

sart, received their Charters. During the reign of James VI, which commenced in the year 1567, and ended in 1625, Anstruther Easter, and Wester, Culross, Wick, Sanquhar and Stranraer, received their Charters. During the reign of Charles I. which commenced in the year 1625, and ended in 1649, Dornoch, Inverary, New-Galloway and Fortrose, received their Charters. During the reign of Charles II. which commenced in the year 1649, and ended in 1685, Tain and Kilrenny, received their Charters. During the reign of William III. which commenced in the year 1689, and ended in 1702, Campbelton received its Charter.

These Burghs, as empowered, send fifteen Representatives to Parliament, and sixty-seven Lay Elders to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Prior to the Union, the Burghs sent sixty-seven Members to the Scotch Parliament. The following classes of Burghs send one Member each to the Imperial Parliament:

1 Aberdeen, Inverbervie, Montrose, Aberbrothick and Brechin.

2 Anstruther E. & W., Crail, Kilrenny, and Pittenweem. 3 Ayr, Irvine, Inverary, Rothesay, and Campbelton.

4 Banff, Cullen, Kintore, Elgin, and Inverury.

5 Dumfries, Sanquhar, Annan, Lochmaben, and Kirkcud bright.

6 Edinburgh.

7 Glasgow, Renfrew, Dumbarton, and Rutherglen.

8 Inverness, Fortrose, Nairn, and Forres.

9 Jedburgh, Haddington, Lauder, Dunbar, and NorthBerwick.

10 Kinghorn, Dysart, Kirkcaldy, and Bruntisland.

11 Perth, Dundee, Forfar, St. Andrews, and Cupar.

12 Stirling, Culross, Inverkeithing, Dunfermline, and Queensferry.

13 Selkirk, Peebles, Linlithgow, and Lanark.

14 Stranraer, Wigton, Whitehorn, and New-Galloway, 15 Tain, Dingwall, Dornock, Wick, and Kirkwall,