Note 677 — Chapter XIII

The Act of 1579 was not generally well executed. At the convention of Scottish boroughs held in Aberdeen July 1580, representatives of certain towns were deputed to ask his Majesty to take measures "for taking of ordour with euery parochyn to landwart for sustening of thair awin pure people and impotent personis according to the act maid in his Grace last Parliament quhilk hes bene as zit neglected, without the quhilk unpossibill it is to the burrowis to tak ordour thairanent, being oppressit with ane greit and infinit nomber of strang and extraordinar beggeris nocht born nor bred within the saidis burrowis." Marwick, Convention of Scottish Boroughs, I., p. 102. In some towns however measures were taken. In Glasgow as early as 1575 badges were provided for the town beggars, and the rest were banished. Marwick, Extracts from the Records of the Borough of Glasgow, I., p. 457. Occasionally also payments were made from the town chest to particular poor people both before and after 1597. Thus the following entries occur in the borough accounts:

Aug. 10, 1577. Item to Andro Duncane for his support to mend him of his hurt, xiijs. iiijd.

July 10, 1578. Item to Serjand Steill in almous to help to cure his leg, xls.

Oct. 9th, 1584. Item gewin to Barbara Ramsaye ane pure wowman with mony barnis in almous, xxs.

1612. Item gifin to ane young man quha was rubbit of his pak, xls.

In 1597 also before the Act of that year was passed a committee had been appointed in Glasgow "for reasoning anent the ordour and lawis concerning the puir folkis." Ib., pp. 463, 467, 472, 477 and 187.

In Aberdeen in 1595 more organised relief was attempted. The whole town on Jan. 23rd, 1595 met together and the poor were divided into four classes, (1) "babis," (2) "decayit persones hous halderis," (3) "leamit and impotent persones, (4) "sic as war decrepit and auld" if bred and born in the town or resident there for seven years. The inhabitants then agreed some to receive "ane baib" and others to contribute money. They asked however that the magistrate should take "substantious ordour anent the expelling of extranear beggaris" and that their own poor should remain at home and be content with the aid allowed them, "and according to the said voting ilk man speking be himself as said is, the roll was instantlie sett down, and sic as everie man grantit be his awin mouth wreittin, and the babis delyuerit to sic as war content to receawe them." Extracts from the Council Registers of Aberdeen, II., p. 124. The authorities of both Glasgow and Aberdeen we shall see made other attempts to relieve their poor, but like the efforts of the English towns these attempts were seldom long successful.