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sell shoes at the following rates viz.: men shoon at 10s and womans at 7s. Act ordeining that no shoemaker within the burgh presume to sell shoon made by them 'twixt the mercat days to any landward () untill first the menservants and strangers within the burgh ( ), the transgressors to pay five punds (). Act ordeining that the ordinary Council day be held every Munday, every absent member, unless excused by any of the magistrates, to pay £5 Scots ( ). Act ordeining that no shoemaker in this burgh sell any hydes, in respect the same occations the scarceness of shoon, and that they sell no shoon but on the ordinary day and that they keep Sonday ( ), which shoon are to be at the prices following, for men's shoon 12s, woman's 8s (). [See also No. 209. Apparently these higher rates were for usual trade, and the previous cheaper rate for "mercat" days. This would explain another of these curious" Acts,' for "landward" outsiders might on mercat days clear out the whole stock at the cheap rate, and burghers have to pay the dearer rate afterwards. Again, it is noteworthy that, as we had in No. 42, the burghers of Tain obliged by a Royal charter to cease holding markets on Sunday, near the end of the 16th century; so, at the end of the 17th, we have the shoe trade on Sunday stopped. The hides in above were tanned, and we have seen in No. 215 a price, and in No. 316 a duty, on tanned hides.

No. 496, 1622.--Paper, stained but entire.] Att Tayne the twentie sext day of Apryll Iaj vict twentie twa zeris. The Gentillmen underwrettin viz. Robert Monro of foullis, George Monro of Tarrell, David Ross of Pitcalnie, William Ross of Annatt, Mr Johne Monro of Ferne, William Ross of Invercharron, Walter Ross appeirand thairof, James Innes of Inverbreakie, Walter Innes appeirand thairof, Andro Monro of Culnald, Hector Monro of Clynis, Walter Ross of Morinscheis conveinand wt my lord Erskines Commissioneris anent ordour tacking for tanning of leather conforme to the lait ordor prescrywit be his Ma'tie and lords of his hienes Secreit Consell of this Kingdome [a tax had been laid on tanned hides] hes condescendit and undertackin . . . faithfullie promitt... To cum wt thair haill men tennents and servantis dwelland upon thair landis maist ewayis commodious and adjacent to . . Tayne and be east the brig of Alness cume and offer thair haill leather to the underwrettin . . tanneris to be tannit, barkit, dryit, and stampitt sufficientlie be thame and redelyverit as follows viz. Daniell Ross McAllister in Tayne, Walter McAndro yr., ffinlay McCallen, Alexr. McFinlay Dowy, Wm. Hay, Johne Cuik burges yr., David McKenzie, ffinlay Clerach, Donald McGulliphedder, Thomas Davidsone, William Smert, and Robert Roy-Quhilkis . . . tanneris. . for thair awin pairtis binds thame to receave the forsaid leather frae the persones offerers thairof and to bark tan and dry . . . wtin the space of twentie oulkis [weeks]. . . and to redelyver

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stampit to the awneris. . for payment of twentie shillingis Scottis money . . . ilk hyid allowand four skinne wtin twa yeir auld for ilk hyd, and siclyke as ar above twa zeir auld to be halden and to pay as hyids. And at the delyverie of the leather.. the tanneris. obleist to find ane cautioner for the redelyverie . . sufficientlie tannit . . . upon the pryce foresaid And this conditioun and ordinance to indure qll.. Whitsunday . . 1623. . and in caice onie debeatt... in the executione of this bussines It is agreit that the gentilmen . . and tennents. . sall. . persewe said questiones befor the provest and bailze is of Tayne and Wm. Ross of Invercharron as accessor qm my Lord Erskine hes appoyntit judges . . . subscryvit thir pnts. . . . Siclyke it is condescendit be getillmen under-subscryvaris wt consent of the saids Commissioneris that the haill leather betwix Dingwall and the brig of Alness sall be tannit wtin the toune of Alness and hes appoyntit for tanning yrof. Quhilkis tanneris above wrettin hes acceptit . . . . [Foulis, Tarrel, Pitcalnie, Annat, Invercharron, Culnald, and Morinsches, also of the tanners John Cuik and Daniell Ross, sign, but the other tanners, "wt hands led at ye pen be ye notar, becaus we can not wreit." Another part of the process then followed is in

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No. 497, 1739.--Part of libel or complaint before the Sheriff. Accused].. came to the Water of Tain or stripe running below the town of Tain where the petitioner had several hydes in lime and stole two of them. . [i.e., in pits or pools adjoining the water. See also No. 374, where hides are sent from Brahan to Inverness to be dressed in 1705. We have already the wearing of wigs in Nos. 384, 378, &c. From that came anothe trade, as in

No. 498, 1708.-] Indenture . . . Alexr. McKenzie, son of Master John Mackenzie, minister at Lochbroome . . James Anderson, periwigmaker and burges of Inverness. . in his airt and vocation of periwigmaking and barborizing trade . . four years. . Murdo Mackenzie his brother as cautioner .. be a leall faithfull and obedient prentice as well be night as day. without absenting himself . . under the penaltie of two days service for ilk days absence without leave. His masters secrets he shall keep, his commands . . perform, hurt to his master he shall not doe, but . . hinder his skaith. . All cards, dyce or other unlawfull geames he shall not. . haunt nor the company of . . lewd persons neither commit the filthie fact of fornicaone or adulterie nor contract matrimonie. . under paine of serving 4 years. .. Likeas J. A. binds. . to provide . . . habilziments, meat and drink. . instruct. . . [Among the witnesses are another periwig-maker and a wright. In 1707, George Anderson, periwig-maker, Inverness, gets a decree against Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch. In 1742 there is a petition to the Sheriff by Alexander Munro, wigmaker, Kiltearn; and in

1742 there are summoned to serve as jurymen in Tain Walter Ross, wigmaker, and James Ross, musician. The musician's relict is summoned in 1759 to pay "maills and dutys." In 1686, James Innes, hatmaker, is witness to a bond; and the glove-maker, or chyrotecarius, has been seen in several papers and note to No. 482.

No. 499, 1737.-] Indenture . . Wm. son of Hugh Dallas Town Clerk of Taine . . . Henry Hook weaver in Taine . . faithfullie serve for 5 years. . not absent himself . . under penaltie of 1 merk a day. . no carding, dicing, drunkenness nor night-walking, nor defile his body with uncleanness under penalty of serving other 2 years. . Henry Hook binds himself to instruct. . in weaving . . plain linning after the Dutch method, weaving woollen damask and dornick, pilking of yearn. . laying the same out for work. . method of washing and drying the same. . warping. . dressing thereof and every other part of the craft. [In 1766, G. Ross, Edinburgh, writes to Baillie:-] I am glad you get so good business for your weavers. . a bleetching field is too great an undertaking to begin so soon. [In 1798 a Weaving Company, with works at Spinningdale and at Milntown of Newtarbat, petition the Sheriff for a warrant to apprehend two apprentices who had absconded. In 1748 we have, in a summons, "James Ross, master of the linning manufactory at Milntown."

No. 500, about 1737.-Disposition.] John Glas, flaxdresser at Rosehall, to his spouse Anne Mackay tenements, houses, biggings and yards in North part of Tain belonging to John Glas his grandfather, with the Highway or Street on the South and East, the stripe or run of water on the West.. tenements of . . Alexr. Ross, Pitcalny and . . Lilly Gardner on the North. [See also No. 855.

No. 501, 1750.-Petition to Council, &c., by John Reid, merchant in Tain].. being manadger. . of that branch of the British Linen Manufactory lately called the Osnaburge now the Edinburge carried on in this Burgh . . already. the spinning of the yarn with pretty good success. . he intends now to carry on the weaving. . to keep in employment numbers of Idlers and people . . . . necessary to have ground lying close by the water side for bleaching the yarn... There being such a spot closs by the . . Washing Burn [see No. 965] at the south side near the east end of the Links . . . . which the petitioner has already marked out by setting up poles or trees. . a little house. proper utensils for boiling and keeping the yarn . . . to prevent idle cavil or disputes impower him to inclose the same with timber. . . .

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[No. 502, after 1752.-Memorial or letter; first four pages only.] () this that you may lay it before the Trustees for improving fisheries and manufactures in Scotland . . .

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having been pleased. anno 1752 to allow . . £60 stg. for building a hecklary. same was done at the foot of Strathoikle.. navigable river extending 20 miles above Tayne. . capital of the Shire of Ross . . . equally commodious for Ross and Sutherland.. Upon after application representing the extra expense of bringing flax from Cromarty and . yarn back.. to Cromarty, the Trustees. . allow £5 each 4 tons of fflax.. manufactured . . . In the neighbourhood. are sevin parishes none above 14 miles from the hecklary there are of men, women and children fitt to work 15,000 in these bounds . . . begun to spin coarse yarn . . . . Nor is there any difference between the . . . inhabitants . . and what is supposed the most barbarous parts of the Highlands but that.. live under masters and superiors of better disposition. . . [In 1761 a ship for Portsoy with 93 matts of flax is driven on the beach at Inver, and Harry Munro, manufacturer, Tain, and John Ross, flax-dresser, assess the damage. In 1769, Messrs Wm. Sandeman & Co., Perth, through their agent, John Montgomery, Milntown of New Tarbat, consign to George Ross, Tain, £168 worth of flax, to be manufactured there, but he fails to account for it, and an action is raised. In 1777, George Macintosh, Glasgow, writes to the factor of Balnagown that he and Mr Glassford are concerned in a new manufacture of dye-stuffs, and asks consent for having the weeds, out of which these are made, gathered on the hills and moors, in which gathering 700 or 800 hands will be employed. As to MINING, we have

B. No. 503, 1629.-Parchment, Discharge; Royal seal attached, but broken.] Charles . . . to our auditouris of our exchecker . . . . we.. forsameikle as . . contract . . maid. . umquhile Thomas foullis goldsmythe burgess of Edinburgh.. assignation of tak dewtie of the leid mynes. . two yeires. . . extending to . . thrie thousand merkis . to be employit. . in searching and wyning of gold in the gold mynes of Crawfurd moore [on the upper Clyde]. .. obleist to mak. . delyverie of the haill gold to be wyne [got] for our use we understanding said Thomas . . did interteane [keep up] at his exorbitant [outside his right] charges and expenses. . . till his deathe, and since then.. George foullis maister of our cunzie-house [mint] . . and Johnne Mure of Aniestoun . . . ane great number of workmen not onlie . . gold . . . bot also... mony mae digging ane watter-gang be the space of thrie myles. . to the braes and places of the mynes. . seeing . . . Erle of Mar . . thesaurar. . hes instantlie [just] delyverit to us the quhole parcell . . of minerall gold quhilk wes wyn . . . . we gratiouslie acceptis . . . and for the better incouradgement

. . works so commendable . . . with advyse of . . . Archibald Lord Naper of Merchingstoun. . . Sir Wm. Alexander of Menstrie .. maister of our metallis and mines . . . exonerit. . . . of the said contract. . . . [It is noteworthy that one of the earliest British medals, as distinct from coins

and mere tokens, was one of the Regent Albany in 1524, it was made of gold from Crawford Moor.

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No. 504, 1776.-Letter to Baillie, Ardmore, and account.] Brora.. Sir, This . . delivered by . . skiper of a Golspy boat which brings you 2 tons coal at 6 sh. a ton; 6 bolls salt at 7 sh. a boll, duty 4 sh.; Tyde officers dues 1 sh. ; 3 doz. sherry £2 14s, and 1 doz. port £1 7 sh. I have taken the officer from home so as to save the duty of the coal. The salt is sent in 12 short bags . . sealed . . . The boat hire is one boll 3 pecks victual . . . . Seal up the money and deliver to the skipper . Hugh Houstoun. [The mines at Brora were then worked, the coal was sent farther than it is now; there was a duty on it, which, however, could be evaded, and it was used for making salt by evaporation, on which also there was a duty. SMELTING OF IRON was at least proposed, though the result is not in

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No. 505, 1749.-Letter: Lord Rosse, Edinburgh, to Baillie.] ye coarce iron which turf will easily make is best. . for backs of chimneys which are much wanted here . . and as ye man proposed to go is a founder he may find other use for ye iron oar that can be melted by ye charcoal of peats . . . there is much bear exported this year to Noroway great consumption when ye King is in that countrey. I am extreamly glad ye manufactures go on so well. . it will be happy for them also that they have given over brandy. . . I hope ye government will . . . send sufficient. . troops to secure ye honest people in ye highlands from depredatione. I know they are verry earnest to promote industry among them [Same subject at end of

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No. 506, 1747.-Same, from Edinburgh, to same.] will get a good price for all straight oak trees and good firr trees.. crooked oak will sell best at Lieth . . . vessel belonging to Mair is to make many trips to Inverness on Mr Adams' account my only reason for trying ye peat chair is that a very sensible man here who deals in working iron assures me that it will doe, only that it takes a greater quantity than of wood chair. [Two ironworkers appear in

No. 507, 1728.-Latin Sasine.] . . . . Wm. Robertson to his wife Margaret. . tenement in West part of Tain . . between that of Hugh Ross, gunsmith, to the North. . . street and Alexr. Mackenzie, blacksmith, on the East, Auldmatach on the West... Macculloch on the South. [In an obligation of 1674 occurs "James Grant, dirkmaker in Brahan."

Under furniture inventories we have had CLOCKS, WATCHES, and SILVER goods; also in No. 168. In an account of 1663, against Balnagown, there is a "watch yt runs 28 hours, of the best mak in France, £50"; and there is a curiosity of clockwork in

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