time for suppressing vagabonds beggars and idle persons who are a great burden and reproach to the Country and that a ruineous brood of such persons are daily increasing who for the most part live without all law or rule, sacred or civill and from some particular circumstances are likely to increas in a remarkable manner in this toun, to the great oppression of the inhabitants and breach of all good order, And seeing the Ministers gentlemen of the University and other inhabitants of the Town, out of their laudable regard for, and disposition towards charity and good order, Have resolved to contribute voluntarly from time to time for the support of the Poor of the town, so that with the help of their own industry, they may be maintained hereafter in their own houses without begging in the streets or at the doors of houses Therefor the Magistrats and Counsell do enact that so long as the said voluntary contribution doth continue so that the Poor shall have a competency to maintain them in their houses, no person or persons in what pretence soever whether belonging to this Town or parish, or to any other town. or parish, shall hereafter beg through the streets of this town or at the doors of houses, and that after the first publication of this act by touk of drum if any person or persons shall begg through this town, for the first offence they shall be imprisoned for seven days and fead on bread and water, for the second offence, they shall be imprisoned for thirty days and in like manner feeld on bread and water, and for the third offence they shall be expelled the Town with touk of drum, with certification, if they return again, they shall be corporally punished and delivered over to the house of correction and otherways punished as vagabonds. And in order to discourage vagabonds and idle persons from begging in this Town it is enacted that no person shall give any alms to any such persons begging, either in the streets or at the doors of houses under the penalty of five pound Scots toties quoties. And whereas there are severall people residing in the town of low and destitute circumstances who either are at present or probably will very soon stand in need of publick charity, and yet have not resided three years in this town It is therefore enacted that all such persons shall immediatly return to their own parishes, or if they refuse so to do, that they shall be compelled by the Magistrats so that they and their famillys may not become a burden upon this town. And further in order to prevent for the future the recepting or setting of houses to beggars or those whose circum stances are so low that in all probability they must soon become beggars who belong to any other town or parish or to the countrey part of this parish, It is enacted that all persons in such circumstances who come to reside in this place, shall find caution for their maintainance at least for three years without begging or publick charity, and that no persons shall recept or sett them houses or parts of houses to any strangers from other parishes or from the Country part of this parish, but such as are of good moral character and have a stock or visible way of subsistence, and that ten days befor setting a house or part of a house to any person concerning whom there may be the smallest doubt of his being of a bad character or not able to maintain himself, he shall acquaint the magistrat or the elder or constable of the quarter of the persons name occupation and place of residence, that the Magistrats or Kirk Session may inquire into such persons reall circumstances and character and give their directions accordingly. . . . VIII 264. 9 JUNE 1753. Thereafter the Committee appointed by last Counsell reported that they had talked with tradesmen anent the expenses of bringing in the channell to the Cross, and that the expenses of the same would amount to about thirty pund sterling, including the expence of a reservoyer and pump and conduit of brick. The Counsell taking the above report into their consideration unanimously aggreed that the said water be brought into the Cross according to the above scheme, but with this express provision that there be a sluice at the beginning of the conduit so as all the water of the channell shall run in its former courses in the day time from five o'clock in the morning to nine o'clock at night, the water running in the night time being judged sufficient for filling the reservoir Further the Councell impowered the magistrates and Treasurer to open a voluntary subscription among the inhabitants and other weell wishers of the Town, in order to see what money can be raised for this usefull work. VIII 283. 29 SEPTEMBER 1753. The said day also the Treasurer laid before the Councell Peter Mutches accompt of smith work for Danes axes for the guard at the Mercats and desired the Councells orders what he should pay for the same. The Councell and the said Peter Mutch having referred the same to John Mowat and John Smith blacksmiths, they gave in their report upon oath that the Danes axes including shafts collouring and letters as they then stood were worth two shillings the piece and in regard to ane article for repairing and cleaning the Towns clock, the said two tradesmen having inspected the same reported that the said work was worth fifteen shillings, wherefor the Councell ordered the Treasurer to clear the said accot accordingly. VIII 285. 16 MARCH 1754. The said day it having been represented to the Councell that great inconveniency and danger has happened to the inhabitants and others by reason of the fleshers killing swine oxen sheep and other cattell upon the street, and at their doors The magistrates and Councell unanimously aggreed to prohibite for the future killing of swine, oxen, sheep and other cattell upon the street or befor the door of their houses towards the street and appoint the Treasurer to prosecute all offenders against this act. A farther representation was also made to the Council that the inhabitants of this town were much teased and vexed with raffles. The Magistrats and Councill unanimously resolved to discourrage the same, and therefor enacted that every inhabitant of this town who shall for the future expose, or have any share in exposeing anything to raffle, also the gainer, or who shall have a share in the gain of any such raffle shall pay three pund Scots money each to the Treasurer for the behoof of the poor. VIII 293. 29 OCTOBER 1754. REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED AND EXECUTE BY THE PERSON WHO IS TO BE TOWNS SERGEANT. 1. Such person is to be ane actuall residenter in Old Aberdeen and have his residence there with his familly 2. He is to be at all times at hand to wait the calls or orders to be given him by any of the Baillies or Treasurer, which he is punctually to execute. 3. He is to attend upon Sundays at the Magistrates loft door and keep BB the same, and be ready to assist in apprehending persons who may be guilty of any irregularitys upon the Lords day 4. He is at least, once every day to go from one end of the town to the other and take up and apprehend any beggars vagrants and strollers and secure them in prison, or bring them befor any of the Magistrates, and receive such orders as shall be given anent any such. 5. He is carefully to attend at six in the morning and nine at night and ring the Tollbooth bell every day in the week. 6. He is to have the hand bell and go through the Town. Ring therewith and make such scrys as shall be desired and shall exact no more therefor but two pence sterling for each time. 7. He shall execute such summondses as he shall be desired in a regular manner, without giving offence to any and shall at all times communicate to the Magistrates any abuses he sees committed in Town. His sallary shall be eighteen pound scots payed him by the Town Treasurer yearly, with a new coat shoes stockings and hatt each two years or oftner in the option of the Magistrates. He is to have the perquisites of the hand bell, paying half a crown yearly for the same, as also the perquisites arising by making new burgess summondsing of people within burgh, and half a crown for apprehending every beggar or vagrant that he takes up within the Town. VIII 314. 4 JANUARY 1755. The Magistrates and Councill considering that the Students attending the Kings College have rooms and apartments alloted them in the said College, and that by appointment of the principall and masters they are ordered to be in their rezive rooms by nine a clock each night, Therefor and for promoting such a laudable regulation the Magistrates and Council prohibite and discharge all vintners and innkeepers or other places of publick entertainment from entertaining after nine a clock at night in their houses any of the students who lodge within the College at night under such penalty as the Magistrates shall think proper to inflict, and ordains this act to be intimate by the Town sergeant to those concerned, and that he shall return an execution of his having done so to the next Councill. VIII 319. 13 DECEMBER 1755. The said day it being represented to the Councill that severall evil minded and disorderly persons have of late been guilty of disturbing the worship of God in this congregation in a very unchristian and criminall manner, to such a degree that one of the ministers found it necessary to make intimation from the pulpit that he would apply to the Magistrates to remove such persons out of the Church, and otherways to punish them. The Magistrates and Councill taking this matter to their serious consideration, hereby discharge all persons from disturbing the worship of God, and do injoin all parents and masters to take care of their children servants and apprentices that they be not guilty of such evill practices herby enacting that if they shall be negligent herein they shall be lyable for the misdemeanours of their children, servants and apprentices. The Treasurer is also appointed to provide some able men to be assisting to the Toun Serjeant and drummer in apprehending offenders, that the peace and good order of the Congregation and place may be effectually keeped. . . . VIII 337. 10 APRIL 1756. The said day the Conveener represented to the Councill that some tradesmen from the Town of Aberdeen had taken upon them lately to come over to the publick Mercats of this Toun, and to demand so much money from the shoemakers and other tradesmen who had their goods exposed for sale under pretence that they would seize their goods as insufficient if they did not pay the same. The Magistrates and Councill taking the above representation under their consideration do discharge the said practice in time comming, and appoint the Conveener and Trades of this Town to prevent all such practises for the future, and to intimate to those who bring goods to the mercat, that no persons are judges of the insufficiency of their goods but the Dean of Guild and the Ballie of the mercat, and that therefor they are to disregard the demands or determinations of every person else upon this head. VIII 340. 13 SEPTEMBER 1756. The Magistrates and Councill considering that David Dalrymple Esq' has accepted of the office of Provost of this city, in and upon him |