tions of the people. This fect, more accommodating to the spirit of the times, have quickly fpread over Scotland, and, probably, comprehend the greateft part of the Scotch diffenters. Near a half of all the families in the parish of Jedburgh, and a great proportion of the families in all the furrounding parishes, are members of this congregation. There are not more than five or fix who profess the Epifcopal religion, and there are no Catholics, in the parish.

The prefent incumbent, Dr. Thomas Somerville, was admitted minifter of Jedburgh in 1773. His predeceffors were Meffrs Semple, McKay, Ruet, Winchester, Douglas, and McKnight, which laft he fucceeded in the charge. He has been married twenty years, and has two fons and four daughters. The King is patron of the parifh. The living confifts of 169 bolls, half oat-meal and half barley, Linlithgow measure; L. 44 in money, a manfe, and a glebe of feven English acres, in all amounting to about L. 150 per annum in value. A part of the old Abbey Church is ftill used as the place of worfhip. The manfe was built about 60 years ago, and has often been repaired at a great expence.

-State of the Poor.-The number of poor upon the country roll of the parish amounts to 55, and of thofe in the town roll to 37. They are maintained by affeffiments. For fupporting the county poor, a tax is laid upon the different proprietors of land, in proportion to the valued rents. The common method of proceeding in this business is as follows: The minifter intimates from the pulpit, that on fuch a day a meeting of the heritors and elders is to be held, for the purpofe of making a provifion for the maintenance of the poor for the enfuing quarter. These meetings generally take place near the term of Candlemas, Whitfunday, Lammas, and

Martinmas.

Martinmas. Upon the day of meeting the heritors elect a prefes, after which the minutes of the former federunt, and the roll of the poor are read by the clerk. Forming a calculation from the number already standing upon the roll, and the applications made to them, the heritors affefs theinfelves in a certain fum to be collected from them feverally, according to the proportion of their valued rents. The proprietor pays one half of the affeffment, and the tenant the other. Though the tenants are not mentioned in the fummons, yet fuch of them as chufe to attend are made welcome, and their advice and information liftened to by the meeting. The fum affeffed is raised by the heritors and kirk-fellion together, in fuch proportions as feem adequate to the neceflities of the poor. Such perfons as are reduced to the necessity of applying to the heritors for charity, from any accidental tranfient caufe, fuch as difeafe or misfortune, receive what is called an interim fupply, i. e. a certain fum for that quarter only: The aged and infirm, and fuch as are likely to continue under the fame neceffity of depending upon public charity, are taken upon the poors roll at a certain weekly allowance. The perfons taken upon the roll are obliged to fubscribe a bond or deed of conveyance, making over and bequeathing all their effects to the heritors; and though the heritors feldom exact their effects, yet the fubfcription of the bond ferves as a check to prevent perfons, who may be poffeffed of concealed property, from alienating the public charity. The fum affeffed is levied by a collector, appointed by the heritors, and diftributed by him to the persons admitted upon the roll, according to the proportions allotted to them. This mode of providing for the parochial poor was adopted in the parish of Jedburgh anno 1742, when the number of the poor increafing, from the scarcity and high price of provifions, the heritors and kirk-feffion were obliged to have re

courfe

courfe to the legal method of obtaining the contributions of abfent proprietors. Thefe monthly affeffments have varied from two fhillings to three fhillings and fix-pence per quarter, on each hundred pounds of valued rent. The affeffment for the last twelve months was at the rate of three fhillings per quarter, but did not produce the fum required, viz. L. 37:8:8 per quarter. The deficiency is made up from the weekly col

lections.

The poor belonging to the borough of Jedburgh, are provided for by a plan in fome refpects fimilar to, but in others materially different from, that above described. The magiftrates hold quarterly meetings, in which they affefs the borough for the maintenance of their poor, and portion the fums in the fame manner as the heritors do; but the affeffment is not proportioned to the value of the property of individuals within the royalty; but according to a valuation of the property of the burgets and inhabitants, estimated by fworn affeffors appointed by the magiftrates. The affeffors, in forming their calculation, and fixing the portion of affeffment to which each individual is liable, have refpect not only to oftenfible property, but to the profits of trade, and other fuppofed advantages. It is obvious that fuch a vague and arbitrary mode of calculation, is extremely liable to partiality and error.

The fums appropriated for the maintenance of each individual vary, according to the circumftances of the clainant. To fingle perfons who can do no work, a fhilling, one fhilling and fix-pence, one fhilling and eight-pence is allowed weekly. Six- pence, eight-pence, ten-pence to thofe who are infirm and receive fmall wages. Eight, tem, twelve, and fometimes twenty fhillings per quarter have been allowed for

interim

interim fupply. There are few inftances of any family receiving above two fhillings, or two fhillings and fix-pence per week. These proportions refer to the poor belonging to the country part of the parish; but the allowance given to the poor of the town is more scanty and inadequate.

Befides the affeffments above-mentioned, the town of Jedburgh holds the principal fum of L. 422 upon bond to the féffion, arifing from the accumulation of various legacies, the interest of which is annually diftributed according to the deftination of the donors: Some of it for educating poor children, fome for the relief of poor householders, fome appropriated to the poor within the town, and fome to the poor of the town and country equally. A great portion of these charities arifes from legacies of the Lady Yefter, who was the daughter of Kerr of Fairnyherst in this parish, and celebrated for her charity. A bridewell or correction-house has been lately erected in the town, at the expence of the heritors of the county at large, and has been found very useful in overawing vagrants, punishing fmaller offences, and, particularly, for the accommodation of perfons difordered in mind, who are maintained there at the expence of the parishes to which they belong.

Language. The common people in the neighbourhood of Jedburgh pronounce many words, particularly fuch as end in a guttural found, with a remarkable broad, and even harsh accent. They ftill make use of the old Scotch dialect. Many of the names of places, however, are evidently derived from the Erfe, and expreffive of their local fituation in that language. For inftance,-Dunian, John's Hill;-Minto, Kid's Hill-Hawick, Village on a River;-Ancrum, anciently called Alnicromb, a Crook in the River; &c. &c.

Manners

Manners and Morals of the People.-There is rather a want of industry in the town of Jedburgh, owing to the deftructive influence of borough politics; but to this rule there are many exceptions; and the common labourers in the country are remarkable for the quantity of work which they perform. In general, it may be obferved, that all ranks of people live more foberly, and are lefs addicted to drinking, than they were fome years ago; and that perfons in a better situation are charitably difpofed, and were particularly liberal in their contributions for the relief of the poor, after the unfortunate feafon of 1782. Crimes are becoming every day more rare. Only one inftance of fuicide has occurred for these 17 years paft; and no inhabitant of the parifh has been banished for thefe many years. Five have fuffered capital punishments; but not one of them for murder. It is, indeed, one of the most striking evidences of the progrefs of civilization, and one of the most pleafing effects of a regular government, that in a country, formerly the fcene of depredating violence, fewer inftances of crimes, or of punishments, have occurred during the last 50 years, than perhaps in any other diftrict of equal extent in the kingdom.

Advantages and Difadvantages.-The principal difadvantage under which this parifh labours, is its great distance from coal, which is found to be the cheapeft fewel, though there are several large peat moffes in many parts of the neighbourhood. The nearest coal to Jedburgh is at Ryechester, distant about 20 miles, on the English border. Some Lothian coal is brought by the carts which carry grain to the Dalkeith market, and is fold at nearly the fame price with the English. The county, in general, and the neighbourhood of Jedburgh in particular, is likely to derive great advantage from the improvement and extenfion of roads, which does great honour

to