of Roxburgh has by far the largest portion. None of the heritors but one refide on their property in this place. Population. As the increase of the village is fupposed to be equal to the depopulation of the country part of the parish, when small farms were annihilated, the present number of inhabitants is supposed to be nearly the fame as in the return made to Dr Webster in 1755, which was then 789. Agriculture.-Little more than one fourth part of the parish is at present under culture. It is certain, however, from the traces of the plough which yet remain on the higher grounds, that much more of this and the adjacent country was anciently under tillage than at present. It is generally believed, that, during the long and cruel contex between the two kingdoms, a great portion of the lands on the borders were kept under white crops, as it was not fo eafy for the plundering parties, in these unhappy times, to carry off crops of grain, as it was, had the land been in pasture, to drive away the cattle. bandry is carried on here with great fpirit, and is confidered as one of the chief improvements of agriculture in this country. Large fields of turnips are purchased by the graziers for feeding off with sheep. The very fmall quantity of lint that is produced in the parish is mostly dreffed or fcutched by the hand at the owner's houses. The drill turnip huf Manufactures.-Artifans and tradefinen are far from being numerous in the parish, there being no more than are neceffary to supply the inhabitants in customary work, in which are employed 4 weavers, 6 wrights and joiners, 2 fmiths, 3 mafons, 5 tailors, I fhoemaker. Tailors continue the practice of working in their employers houses, and and receive 8 d. a-day, and their victuals. Wrights have 1 s. a-day and victuals, or 1 s. 6 d. without them. A small quantity of linen-yarn is fpun, fome of it on the doublehanded wheel. This inftrument was introduced from Fifefhire into this parish and neighbourhood, about 15 years ago, by Mrs Morrison, wife of the Reverend David Morrifon, minister in the Seceding meeting-house at Morbattle. But little more yarn is fpun than what is neceffary for private use. The women in this part of the country being accustomed to work much in the agricultural operations of the field, are little difpofed for fedentary employments, and therefore, in general, fit down to the spinning wheel with great reluctance. From the present difpofition and habits, both of males and females in this place, the introduction of manufactures among them would not, it is probable, meet with great fuccefs. Church. The prefent church was built in 1757, and is a commodious place of worship. The ftipend, including the manse and glebe, is worth about L. 160. The Duke of Roxburgh is patron. The Reverend James Richardson fills at present the charge. A meeting-house, adhering to the Antiburgher Seceders, was, a confiderable number of years ago, erected in the village of Morbattle; where a clergyman of that perfuafion regularly officiates, to a pretty numerous congregation collected from all the neigh bourhood. School. The falary annexed to the parochial school is 100 merks Scots, with a free house and kail-yard. The school-wages are 1 s. 6 d. for teaching the English language ; 2 s. for writing, and 2s. 6d. for arithmetic and Latin. The number of scholars is, at an average, about 25. His perquifites for the feffion-clerkship are 4 d. for every bap. tifin tism that he enrols in the parochial records, and 2 s. 6 d. for every proclamation of marriage, with a trifle for writing teftimonials, or certificates for character. His income receives an addition of L. 3 or L. 4 a-year, for collecting the poor-rates in the parish. But this and the feffion clerkship do not belong to him as schoolmafter; they are given him at the option of the heritors, minilter, and feffion. The whole income, however, is too fmall for enabling a teacher of youth to live in a manner fuitable to the station of so public a character. The feffion-records of this parish commence in 1697. No register of burials is kept. Poor.-About 16 indigent perfons are commonly on the feffion-roll. Their principal fource of fupport is L. 1600, 3 s. 8 d. Sterling, that was, a good many years ago, bequeathed to this parish by Mr John More, a native of Morbattle, who made his fortune in the Eaft Indies, where he died. The money was left to the management of the heritors and kirk-feffion of Morbattle, and bequeathed principally for the fupport of orphans and infirm old people. It is lent out for intereft on landed fecurity. Partly owing to this fund, the number of poor is probably greater than otherwise it would be, as people from the neighbouring parishes refort here, from a motive of being fupported in old age, A small assessment on the parish is fometimes found to be neceffary. The collections at the kirk, amounting to a very small fum, is commonly distributed by the feffion to occasional poor. Diseases. This part of the country is not remarkable for any uncommon or peculiar disease. The inhabitants are generally healthy and ftrong, and many of them live to a good old age. The small-pox makes fometimes great havock among the children; and inoculation, the best remedy 3 yet yet known for that loathfome difeafe, is not much prac tifed. Antiquities.-The remains of several encampments, and rows of stones, called tryft-ftanes, are antiquities, probably of the most ancient date in the parish. The tryft-ftanes are commonly on high ground. They are placed perpendicularly in rows, not unfrequently in a circular direction. It is faid, as alfo the name imports, that, in times of hoftilities, they marked the places of refort for the borderers, when they were affembling for any expedition of importance. The ruins of Whitton-castle and Corbet-house are the only remains of large buildings or places of ftrength in the parifh. Miscellaneous Obfervations.-The roads in the parish, of which none are turnpike, are very far from being good, and are often almost impaffable. Two public houfes (fmall enes) in the village ferve the inhabitants and paffengers with refreshment. Formerly there were four mills in the parish; now two are found to be fufficient to grind all the corn that is needed by the inhabitants. About 20 acres may contain all the growing wood in the parish, and these were but lately planted. The chief dependence for fuel is on coal brought from the English border, and which fells at a high price. There are a few peat-moffes in the parish, but the people, in general, are fo much occupied in the field, during fummer, that the cafting and preparing of peats are greatly neglected. NUM NUMBER XXVI. PARISH OF WEMYSS, (COUNTY AND SYNOD OF FIFE, PRESBYTERY OF KIRKCALDY). By the Rev. Mr GEORGE GIB, Minifter. Name, Extent, and Surface. THE 3 T 1 |