The Lodge Of Glasgow St. John.

Fee for a stranger , or what is called , at far-hand £ 21 18 8 The fee to carry on trade , or Burgess ticket , of the eldest son of a Burgess whose father is alive 2 10 2 If Father be dead 2 18

Youngest Son 2 12 8 Son in Law 2 15 8 Apprentice ( Merchant's ) 2 16 8 While for Matriculation all must pay the extra 10 10 0 " Craft , or Trades' Burgess . —A Tradesman has

not the same privilege as a Merchant ; for the moment he commences trade , he must not only become a Burgess , but also a member of his respective Incorporation . Hammermen .

If at far-hand , for trade £ 12 12 0 Burgess ticket 3 8 8 In all £ 21 0 8 Eldest son , father alive , to the trade ... 1 10 0 Burgess ticket 2 10 8

£ 4 0 8 If father be dead the eldest son gets off a little easier , while the youngest son pays a little more , and a son-in-laAV more still , viz ., in all , 5 15 8

Apprentices , that is , those who have served a regular apprenticeship of five years , and two years for meat and fee , or six years certain . To the trade 3 10 0 Ticket 2 16 8

Inall £ 6 6 8 And so on with the other 13 incorporations , all pay £ 8 8 s . Sd . for far-hand burgess ticket , but there are great differences in the charge " for

trade "—e . g ., the tailors are for trade £ 12 ; the cordiners , £ 20 ; the Aveavers , only £ 5 10 s . ; Avhile the bakers are as high as £ 160 , and the coopers £ 80 . The masons are £ 21 , and the dyers only £ 4 2 s ., all Avhich is over and above the £ 8 8 s . 8 d .

for burgess ticket . Between 1782 and 1818 there were 4 , 996 burgesses admitted , of Avhich 2 , 060 Avere of the merchant rank and 2 , 936 tradesmen . " The monies arising from the burgess tickets

were divided in certain proportions among the following bodies , viz .: —the Crown , the ToAvn Council , the Merchants' house , the Trades' house , and the

The Lodge Of Glasgow St. John.

Police establishment . * The matriculation money belonged entirely to the merchants'house , and the entry money to the respective incorporations . " " When a merchant burgess purchases his ticket , he is entitled to commence business ; but the case

is otherways with the trades' burgess ; for after he has entered Avith his particular trade , and purchased his ticket , he must make an essay before he can carry on business . In some trades , for instance the wrights , the making an essay is

attended with considerable inconvenience . The corporation has an essay house in the High-street , the windows , chimney-head , and other openings are strongly grated , the door is fastened with IAVO locks , and when an essay is to be made , the Deacon

and Masters direct the neAV entrant to make a peice of cabinet and joiner work , usually a bound shutter and foot-stool ; and on a particular day , the entrant is locked up in the essay house , where he must perform his task to the satisfaction of four Essay Masters ; this task , if the entrant be

nob practical , frequently requires that he be locked up tAvo days ; of late this incorporacion has agreed to accept of ten guineas in lieu of making an essay . In the present advanced state of trade , the propriety of essay making may be fairly disputed , as it

almost always happens that the person Avho carries on work does not execute it with his OAVU hands . " Mr . Cleland estimates the number of burgesses in GlasgoAvin 1820 at about five thousand . "This class of the commAinity ( the burgesses ) now so

respectable , Avere anciently held in great contempt by a warlike and turbulent people , Avho set a higher value on arms than on the drudgery of of trade . A burgess Avas reputed base , servile , and unfit for Avar , so that the gentry were not

alloAved to intermarry in their families , or fight Avith them ; but in lieu thereof , the burgesses Avere to appoint champions to fight iu their stead , & c > From this prejudice there Avas , liOAvever , a slight exception in favour of the Masons of this city , Avho were incorporated by Malcolm IV . about tho year 1156 . t The members of this incorporation