Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/37

Rh was passed i’ the Scottish Parliament whereby “ all barons and freeholders who do not put their sons to the schule, frae they be sax or nine years of age, sal be fined £20 ”—a gey sensible thing.

Again, in 1579, the Scottish Parliament set its face against vagrants, and passed the following enactments for putting down strong and idle beggars atween the ages o’ 14 and 70 years, viz.:—•“ That their eares may be nailed to the Trone or to anither tree, and their eares cutted off, and that they be banished the countrie ; and gif thereafter they be found againe that they be hanged.”

But a student wis rewarded by a special leeshins to beg, and wis privileged to ask alms. The words are:—“All vagabond schollers of the universities of Sant Andrew’s, Glasgow, and Abirdine, not licensed by the Kector and Dean o’ Facultie of the universitie to ask alms,” etc., showing clearly that this privilege did exist. Nob, though our students i’ the present day are driven to mak’ gey queer shifts, such as leaving sermons, fiddle-cases, concerteenies, and such-like in liquidation o’ their lawfu’ debts, I wudna like to see it coming to this frae door to door wark wi’ them. It wis different wi’ beggars in auld times; a guid han’ could mak’ ten shillings a-day and his meat; but noo, hooseholders have plenty to do keepin’up greedypaupers and poor-law ofiichials let-a-be gi en’ charity to gangerals and ither necessitous folk. A far better plan wud be a sliding-scale o’ fees so that a’ classes o’ the community, frae the prince to the labourer’s son, might enjoy the benefits o’ a college edication. In the earlier history o’ the college thae things were managed better,! think. Then the classes were within the reach o’ the puirest, and the fees were arranged to suit the social rank o’ the student. Sons o' the nobility and barons o’ Scotland were to pay annually at