Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/490

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. m. MAY 27, 1905.

of the Four Burghs," continued to grow in importance. The concerns of the national trade and commerce of Scotland were con- ducted by it ; treaties and contracts with foreign countries were concerted. Disputes between burghs or different towns respecting rights or privileges, and between the bur- gesses and their own magistrates, were adjudicated upon by the Convention. The powers were exercised under a system of rules dictated by experience. But it can be supposed that at times those composing the electorate were inclined to get a little out of hand. In 1496 an Act was passed in the Parliament of Scotland to this effect :

"Item touching the election of Officiares in Bur- rowes, as Aldermen, Baillies, and other Officiares, because of great contention zeirly for the chusing of the samen, throiv multitude, and clamour of com- mounes, simple personnes: It is thought expedient that na Officiares nor Councel be continued after the Kingis lawes of Burrowes further than an zeir, and that the chusing of new Officiares be in this wise : That is to say, the Auld Councel of the Towne, and the New Councel and the Auld in the zeir aforesaid, sail chuse all Officers perteining to the town, as Aldermen, Baillies. Dean of Gild, and other Officiares ; and that ilk craft sail chuse a person of the samin craft, that sail have voit in the saide electioun of Officiares for the time, in likewise zeir by zeir. And attour, it is thought expedient that na Captaine, nor Constable of the King's Castelles, quhat town that ever they be in, sail bear office within the said town as to be Alder- man, Baillie, Dean of Gild, Treasurer, nor nane uther officer that may be chosen to be the town, fra the time of the next chusing foorth."

Sometimes it was found that the Conven- tion went a little beyond their powers, and on such occasions the Crown was not slow to exercise the royal prerogative. From an entry in the documents it is found that " the Commissioners having in their last Conven- tion at Linlithgu (1600), without warrant or autho- rity, made an Act forbidding the exporting of wool under a penalty of 500 merks, thus not only usurping the royal authority in passing laws, but prejudging His Majesty in His Customs, seeing for feir of the said Act the merchantis hes foirborne totransporte oney woll, His Majesty now with advice of his Council annuls and discharges the said pretended Act,"

On the other hand, royalty was not slow in lending a helping hand when occasion required. In 1600 the burgh of Dumbarton received from the king a letter under the Privy Seal granting the provost and bailies permission, for the " saulftie and preserva- tioun of the said burgh fra the inundatioun of the watteris," to make the following taxes, viz. :

"On every cow, ox, mair, horse, or staig, passing through the liberty of the town to any market, 8d. ; from every merchant attending the Lammas Fair and Patrickmas Fair in the burgh, and keeping a

booth within the same, 29. 6d. ; from ilk claithman, smythis, and utheris standing upoun the common calsayis of the said burgh, having geir to sell, I2d. ; from each craine standing upoun the calsay Qd. ; of each boat passing through their river with timber and bark to any markets in or out of burgh, 3s. 4d. each time ; of every boll of bark sold in the said market 6d. ; of every ship, barque, or crear coming from foreign places, or from the Isles to the said burgh, thus a ship above 50 tons 13s. id., barque above 20 tons 6*. 8d., crear above five tons 3s. 4cd., the goods to pay two-thirds and the vesstl one-third ; for each couper boat of herring 3s. id. once in the year."

This impost ran for seven years, and on its expiry the Convention endorsed a fresh application for nineteen years, and this was granted by the Council.

James II. promulgated an edict enjoining the wearing, by provosts and other repre- sentatives, of black gowns, "with some grave kynd of furring, 1 ' at their meetings, but par- ticularly in the " Conventionis of thair bur- rows," when they were chosen representatives. The gowns were to be after the style of " burgessis and citizenis gowns," and to be worn by them "as most comelie and decent- for thame, and thair estate." In order that some distinction should be observable 'twixt those of high and low degree, the representa- tives of the "principall grite burrowis of the realme" were instructed to substitute for the black, " gownis of reid scarlatt cloathe, with f urringis agreeable to the same." In addition the Provost of Edinburgh was to adorn him- self with a "grite gold chayne" at all times- of Parliament and Convention sittings. In this wise the garment was to hide other deficiencies. J. LINDSAY HILSON.

Public Library, Jedburgh.

(To be continued.)

ZORNLIN FAMILY.

MY reason for obtaining particulars of this- family was in consequence of the anonyma (9 th S. ii. 323) they had published. I give the titles of five. Originally an alien family, they prospered in England, but are now extinct,, though there are still families connected with them who will be interested in this note.

The Zorne family in the thirteenth century ranked among the aristocracy of Strass- burg. Internal dissensions arose among the several branches, and they assumed various- affixes to the name of Zprne and difference* their armorial bearings. The Zornlin branch emigrated towards the close of the fifteenth century to St. Gall, where John Jacob Zornlin was born 26 May, 1677. He married Martha Weguelin 23 June,. 1702, beld the office of Stadt Schreiber, and died! 18 October, 1722.