History of the Incorporation of Cordiners in Glasgow

faithful were found equal to the task. The clock would not strike; the works would not move. It was gravely declared that a gin or evil genius had got possession of it and of its works, and all sorts of exorcisms were tried to expel the evil spirit, but without effect. Their only resource now was in one who was fortunately residing in Tangiers, a Christian clockmaker, or, as they called him, "a cursed Nazarene from Geneo." But the difficulty was how to employ him, for the clock was in the tower of the Mosque, and it seemed impossible to permit him. to defile God's house of prayer by his sacrilegious steps. There were grave consultations as to what their sacred laws would permit them to do in such a case—one proposal being to lay down boards, over which the infidel might pass without touching the sacred floor. Finally it was determined to pull up the pavement upon which the "Christian dog" stepped, and whitewash the walls near which he passed. So the unbeliever was sent for, and of course informed that, first of all, he must take off his shoes when entering the temple of the prophet. But a new, and quite unexpected, difficulty arose. "Take off my shoes!" said he, “that I won't. I never take them off when I go into my own church-I'll not take them off when I go into the temple of your prophet."

The grave men were in utter perplexity. They called together a committee of the Oolama, or wise and learned ones, from whom they sought counsel. The clock must be set right; but how was this to be done? The clockmaker's shoes had proved a serious obstacle. He and all his race they cursed with great unanimity; but that did not mend the matter. At last one wise and sagacious

old priest rose and craved permission to speak. "Verily," said he, "there is no God but God, and Mahomet is His prophet. But if," said he, "the Mosque be out of repair, and lime and bricks have to be conveyed into the interior for the use of the masons, do not the donkeys carry those loads? and do they not enter with their shoes on?" "You speak the very truth," was the general exclamation. "But the donkey," continued the wise old man, "does not believe that there is no God but God, and Mahomet is His prophet." "No, verily," said they all. "Then," said the speaker, "let the Christian go in shod as a donkey does, and come out as a donkey." The argument was unanimously applauded. So, in the character of a donkey did the Christian enter the Mohamedan temple and mended the clock-not, indeed, like a donkey, but as such in the opinion of the faithful. So he came out again; and, at the date of writing his book, Mr. Hay says "The great clock of Tangiers has never since. wanted a visit from 'the donkey' to effect its repairs."

We may now conclude this general sketch by giving the story of the classical cobbler who, in order to eclipse a rival who lived opposite to him, put over his door, or stall, the well-known motto, "Mens conscia recti”—“a mind conscious of rectitude." His adversary, determined not to be outdone, showed himself, alas! to be a cobbler in classics as well as in shoes, by placing over his door the astonishingly comprehensive defiance, "Men's and women's conscia recti!"

History records that the Cordiners of Glasgow have ever been amongst the foremost in assisting and promoting every good cause in which the public at large were

interested; and we are happy to learn that they formed a very important part of the Trades' Procession in Glasgow in 1831, on the occasion of the coronation of King William the Fourth. The report of this procession in the Glasgow Free Press of 10th September, 1831, states that the shoemakers (Cordiners) formed the "keystone" of the procession, which numbered about 14,000 persons. The address to the King on the occasion of his coronation was unanimously voted on the Green of Glasgow by 200,000 persons. The following is a programme of the procession we have referred to :—