the fame, fhall be punifhed by Death, and Efcheat of Moveables; and that this Law may be the better executed, Five hundred Marks Reward is allowed to the Difcoverer, and Three hundred Marks to the Apprehender of the aforefaid Criminals, to be paid out of His Majefty's Treasury And for their better Accommodation, they are provided with convenient Manfes, (i. e. Parfonage-Houfes) and where they are not fitting, the Heretors of the Parifh fhall build, compleat Manfes for them, not exceeding 1000l. nor under 500 Marks Value.

Bebenues of the Clergy.] At the firft Plantation of Chriftianity, People were fo liberal in their Donations to the Church, that in a few Ages afterwards it grew very rich; but it was fo impoverish'd by the Popish Clergy in latter Days, by letting long Leafes and corrupt Compofitions, and frequent Alienations of their Rights, that had not King James VI. took fome care in recovering and restoring fome fmail parc of her former vaft Revenues, this Church had been the pooreft in the World. However, the Ecclefiaftical Revenues are not fo contemptible as many would render them, if one confiders the Plenty of the Country in which they live; and that the Law has provided against Pluvalities; and that every Parish Church and fuch Bounds as shall be found to be a fufficient and competent Parish, shall have their awin Pafter, with a fufficient and reasonable Stipend, according to the State and Ability of the Place; and be exempted from paying Teynds (i. c. Tenths.) And as a farther Addition to their Maintenance, every Minifter bas Fewel, Foggage, Faill and Diviots allow'd them (except Minifters in Burghs that have no Right to Glebes) with Grafs for one Horfe and two Cows to be defigned; and if there be no Kirk-Land near the Manse, or the fame be arable, then the Heretors pay the Minifter Twenty Pounds yearly for their Grass: And when the Right of Teynds was settled upon the Lay Patrons, Care was taken by the Government, that the Teynds fhould be burthen'd with the Minifters Stipend, and with a proportionable Augmentation for the future, as the Rents of Lands encreased. In the Provifion made for the Parochial Clergy in Scotland, one thing is very commendable, which is, that throughout the whole Country there are scarce any Benefices worth lefs than 50 l. Sterling per Annum,, ,which in that Country is a good Maintenance. And this Equality in the Divifions, at leaft the bringing of the fmaller Benefices to that Va lue, is chiefly owing to the Care and Piety of K. Charles I.

CHA P. II.

Of the Scottish Computation, Numbering, Weight, MeaJares, Money.

HE Scots ufe the fame Computations of
Years, and Months, and Days, as the

Ec 3

English in their Vulgar Account, beginning and ending their Portions

of Time alike with them.

Scottish Numbring.] Vide England.

Weights and healures.] The Goldfmiths of Edinburgh divide their Ounce into 16 Drops and their Drops into 36 Graius, 27 of their Grains making the English Penny-Weight..

The Stone-weight is 16 Pounds, and the Pound 16 Ounces Troy; the Pint 3 Pounds and 7 Ounces Troy of clear Water of the River Leith; and the Firlot of Linlithgow, which is the Standard, contains Thirty-one Pints Sterling Jugg, for the Meafuring of Wheat, Rye, Meal, Beans white Salt, Malt, Beer, and Oats; and 'twas order'd by Parliament, that thefe Standards be kept, two Eirlots at Linlithgow, the Stone-weight at Lanerk. the Ell at Edinburgh, and the Pint at Sterling, and that these be the Univerfal refpective Measures. The Applicative Measures are the Seotch Ell, containing 37 Inches, and the Foot Me fure Twelve of thefe Inches; the Standard whereof is alfe kept at Edinburgh, and all Glafiers, Mafons, and other Workmen work by it. But fince the Union, all Weights and Meafures are alike throughout the whole United Kingdoms; namely, thote which are now establish'd in England; but then the Burghs in Scotland, to whom the keeping of the Standards of Weights and Measures formerly in ufe there, did of special Right belong, keep the Standards which have been fent down to them from the Standards kept in the Exchequer at Westminfter.

Moncy.] The Wealth of Scotland anciently, confifted in their Stocks of Catrle, and notch Money; tho' it is not to be doubted that thefe Parts of Great Britain have all along maintained their Commerce, in the fame Me→ thods and Fashion with thofe that are more Southern: So that the Value o Money and the Prices of Goods, were at a Par, among the feveral Nations which anciently Inhabited this find. Of this we have an early Inftance in the Laws of King Malcom 11, wherein a Colpindach or young Heifer was valued at thirty Pence, the very fame Price that was fet on an Ox in fome of our Saxon Laws, which are fuppofed to be Enacted about the fame time. When Gold was firft Coined in Scot land is very uncertain: However the Proportion betwixt Gold and Silver there has been ufuilly One to Twelve, fo that when the Ounce of Go'd was Three Pounds, the Ounce of Silver went at Five Shillings, &e. James II. railed the Price first of Silver to 8s. an Ounce, and Gold to 4. 19. Afterwards he mounted the Ounce of Silver to 12s and the Gold he advanced to 67. and James IV. kept both at the lait mentioned Value. There are no remaining Acts of Council, concerning Coinage in King James V's time, though great Alterations we made in that Reign. The Douglas Groats of rod. fine, and Babies of 3 d. fine, were then brought into ufe; as were likewife the Bonnet Pics of Gold. la Queen Mary's time, the Oince of Silver role to gos. and the Coined Placks, of only 2 d. Fine at 147. 16 s. the Ounce. There is in the Bishop of Carlisle's Scottish Hiftorical Library, a very curious Account of the feveral Gold and Silver Peces of Money, which have from time to time been coined in Scotland: But all

the

the current Money of that Country, being by the Articles of the Union called in, and ordered to be reduced to the English Standard that fo there may not be different Species of Money current in Great Britain; there is the lefs need to be particular in fpecifying of them. Thofe that are curious in thofe Matters may recur to that excellent Book, where they will find abundant Satisfaction.

As to what relates to the Nobility of Scotland, and their different Degrees, their Privileges, Precedence, &c. See the fame in England.

CHAP. III.

Of the Commons of Scotland, and therein of Knights of the Thistle, of Bannerets, Baronets, Knights, Lairds, Scholars, Gentlemen, Landed-Men, Citizens, Burgers, &c.

Dider of the Thistle.] A

MONG the Nobles of a lower Degree are Knights, who were formerly made here with greater Solemnity than any where elfe in Europe, by taking of an Oath, and being proclaimed publickly by the Herald, of whom the most Honourable are the Knights of the Thistle.

The Noble Order of Knigh's of the Thifle, was, as we are told, first erected by King Achaius, but growing into Defuetude by length of time, was revived by King James VII. but his Misfortunes preventing the Completion of that Matter, it was restored by the late Queen Anne. The Collar of the Order is compofed of Thilles, interwoven and linked with Sprigs of Leaves of Rue all of Gold, having thereunto Pendant on a Blue Rundle, the Image of St. Andrew, his Vefture of Cloth of Gold, with the white Crofs of his Martyrdom on his Breaft, and in a Circle intervening, the Figure beautified with Pearls The Infcription is, Nemo me impune laceffet, though fome think it fhould be Nemo me impune laceffit, in the prefent Tenfe, as all other Motto's are; but tho' the prefent Time makes more the Nature of the thing, yet the Future is more Threatning, and exprefles more of Courage: And this Thistle is chosen not for its Nature, but for its Aptnefs to exprefs this Effect of Courage.

The ordinary and common Badge, worn by the Knights of this noble Order, is a Green Ribbon, whereat hangs a Thistle of Gold, crowned with an Imperial Crown, within a Circle alfo of Gold, bearing the aforefaid Motto, Nemo me impune laceffet.

Upon the Feast of St. Andrew, being the 30th Day of November, the Knights folemnly meet in the Cathedral Church of the Town of St. Andrews to celebrate their Feaft; during the Solemnity they are richly Apparel'd; and being formerly all Lords of Parliament, they wear

their Parliament Robes, having fixed on their left Shoulders an Azura Rundle, on which is Embroidered St. Andrew's Cross, Argent, environ'd in the Center with a Crown, beautified with Flower de Lys, Or.

Bannerets.] Knights and Bannerets, are created under the Royal Standard, in the King's Army, and in the Field of Battel, the King himself being prefent, and that Honour to continue during the Banneret's Life only: They have Precedency before all of the fame Order, whofe Parents are of a Pofterior Date. King Charles I. did by his Letters Patents ordain that the Wives of these Knights and their Heirs Male fhould have the Precedency as well after as before the Deaths of their Husbands, if they fhould happen to furvive, before the Wives of all thofe of whom the Knights Baronets and their Heirs Male had the Precedency, and even before the Wives of Knights Baronets.

Baronet.] The Order of Baronet in Scotland was first erected for advancing the Plantation of Nova Scotia in America, and for fettling a Colony there, to which the Aid of thefe Knights was appropriated: This Order was defigred by King James VI. before his Death, but was not actually founded till the time of King Charles 1.(A. D. 1625) who difpofed to each of thefe Knights a certain Portion of Land in Nova Scotia; and for their further Encouragement, did Constitute and Ordain that Heritable State and Stile of Baronet, to by enjoy'd by ever ry of thefe Gentlemen who did hazard their Lives for the Good and Increase of that Plantation, and their Heirs Male for ever, with Pricrity and Precedency before all Knights, called Equites aurati all leffer Barons, commonly call'd Lairds, and before all other Gentlemen, (except Sir W. Alexander, his Majesty's Lieutenant of Nova Scotia, and his Heir, their Wives and Children;) and that to the Chriftian Name of thefe Knights should be added the Title Sir A. B. Baronet; and his and his Sons Wives fhould enjoy the Title and Appellation of Lady, Madam and Dame respectively, according to the ufual Phrafe in Speaking and Writing. The King promiling that the Number of Baronets in Scotland fhould not exceed the Number of 150, and that he would not create any other Dignity or Order Superior to that of Baronet. Further to adorn this Order, they were allowed to wear and carry about their Necks, in all times coming, an Orange Tawny Silk Ribbon, whereon was to hang Pendant in a Scutcheon Argent, a Saltir Azure, and thereon an Inefcutcheon of the Arms of Scotland, with an Imperial Crown above the Scutcheon, and incircled with this Motto, Paș Mentis Honefta Gloria. All which Grants are Regiftred in the Books of.. Lyon King of Arms and the Heralds, there to remain ad futuram rei memoriam. But after the felling of Nova Scotia to the French, this Order became an honourable Title in Scotland, conferr'd at the King's Pleasure, without Limitation of Number,

A

Knights Batchelors, Equites Aurati, fucceed in the next Place of Honour; next to them their Lairds, or Landed Gentlemen; though a Laird in effect is but the Corruption of the Word Lord.

Among fuch as profefs Sciencies, the Rank is this; 1. Such as profels Theology. 2. Such as profefs Canon-Law. 3. The Civil Law.

4. Phja

4. Philofophy. 5. Medicine. 6. Rhetoric. 7. Poefy. 8. Hiftory. 9. Grammar. 10. Logic. 11. Arithmetic. 12. Geometry, 13. Mufic. 14. Aftronomy. And among thefe, fuch as are Doctors precede thole that are not; and among Doctors the Priority goes by Age.

In Towns, those who inhabit Cities, are preferr'd to fuch as inhabit Burghs; and generally thofe in the Metropolitan, or Capital City, are preferr❜d to all the reft. And those who have born Magiftracy, are ever preferr'd to all others: And fo far is this Precedency obferved, that a younger Alderman or Bailiff takes not Precedency from his Se, nior, because he is Knighted. This holds not only among Aldermen, but even among all Knights in the Country; the Burgeffes of a Town give place to thofe that have been Magiftrates in that Town, as to publick Meetings relating to the Town; though it's doubted whether fuch a Knight is obliged to give place to an Alderman or Bailiff in a neutral Place. But it's determin'd in the Herald's Office of England, that all fuch as have been Mayors of London, that is to fay, Provofts in Scotland, ought to take place of all Knights Batchelors every where, because they have been the King's Lieutenants.

The Members of Courts take place according to the Precedency of the Courts where they serve.

In Families likewife, the Chief of the Family takes place of any Gentleman of the Family; and tho' 'tis generally believed, that Gentlemen have no Precedency among one another, yet Reafon and Difcretion allow, that a Gentleman of Three Generations ought to give place to a Gentleman of Ten, if there is not a great Difparity between their Fortunes; and that for the fame Reafon, that a Gentleman of Three Generations, claims Precedency from any Ordinary Landman, who has but newly acquired his Lands.

CHAP. IV.

Of the Women, Children, and Servants in Scotland.

THE Women in Scotland have as great Privileges as in any other

Nation. I shall begin with their Precedency. Women before their Marriage have Precedency by their Fathers Title; but there is this Difference betwixt them and the Male Children, that the fame Precedency is due to all the Daughters that is due to the Eldeft, tho tis mot fo among Sons.

During Marriage the Wife regularly participates of the Condition of her Husband by the Civil Law and Law of Nations; for fince the is to be sharer in his Misfortunes, the Law thought it just that the fhould participate of his Advantages. In France the Wives of those who have Dignity by their Office, enjoy the fime Precedency with their Husbands, together with a Communication of their Titles, and there

fore