fortable allowance till he is again able to work: And, in the event of his death, or that of any of his family, a fum of money is given, to help in defraying the expence of the funeral. There is an abufe to which inftitutions of this fort are liable, which ought to be guarded against, viz. permitting fubscribers to become members of more focieties than one, which may furnish a temptation to the indolent and avaricious, to feign indifpofitions difficult to be detected, and, of confequence, occafion a mifapplication of the fund.

Charitable Foundation.-JAMES SCHAW, proprietor of the eftate of Preston, bequeathed the lands and barony of Prefton, with the refidue of fome other funds, for maintaining and educating boys, whofe parents are in poor circumstances. He died A. D. 1784. The house of Preston was, according to the terms of the deed, fitted up for the reception of the boys; and the establishment commenced in February 1789. There is a mafter, houfe-keeper, and two maid fervants. At first 15 boys were admitted. The number was afterwards increased to 24. Two have died. They are taught English, writing, and arithmetic; and, as they grow up, fome manual employment, viz. to knit stockings; to mend their clothes and fhoes, &c. Four names have a preference, in the following order: Schaw, Macneil, Cuningham, and Stewart. The age of admiffion is from 4 to 7. They may remain in the house till they are 14. They must be free from the King's evil, and from all contagious diftempers. The trustees are empowered to bind them as apprentices, or otherwise to fet them out to bufiness, as they shall judge best.

Chapmen*.-On the 2d Thursday of July, the travelling chapmen

* This word is used, in the Scotch fenfe of it, for an itinerant feller of wares.

chapmen of the three Lothians meet annually at Preftonpans, and elect fome of their number, for the purpose of holding courts to enforce the observance of bye-laws, to which they are bound at their entrance into the fociety. They elect, on this occafion, a provost or prefes, a depute, a clerk, a treasurer, 6 bailies, and feveral counfellors. There is one bailie for Preston-pans and Cockenzie; one for Haddington and North Berwick; one for Dunbar and Oldhamstocks; one for Muffelburgh and Dalkeith; one for Queensferry and Borrowftounnefs; and one for Linlithgow and Bathgate. After the election they march in a body, preceded by mufic, to the cross at Prefton, there drink a few bottles of wine, and then return. In the towns where their booths are erected at fairs, the bailie for that town gets a pawn from each chapman, who is bound to attend a meeting of the whole number, at an appointed hour in the evening, or next morning. Here the behaviour of each during the fair is inquired into. If any of the bye-laws have been tranfgreffed, a fine is exacted and paid. If the offence has been grofs, they are expelled. The fines are depofited in the hands of the treasurer, and are applied

The place of meeting, formerly, was in an open field adjoining to Prefton, on the fecond Thursday of October, at which time a fair was held there, called ST. JEROME'S FAIR About the year 1732, this fair was transferred to Preston-pans, where it was held for about 20 years, and was then given up. No information has been obtained, that can be depended on, as to the time when this fociety was first instituted, nor how they came to hold their annual meeting at Preston. The members refiding in East Lothian were always the moft numerous, which might be a reafon for holding the meeting in this county; and Preston, being fituated at its western extremity, is the town nearest to the other two Lothians. In the year 1636, they acquired a right to the Crofs there, which they ftill preserve. So much is Preston now decayed, that this cross stands in a field. The number of pack-horse chapmen is much fewer than it once was, and they are ftill on the decline. About 50 years ago, there were 15 in East Lothian, all of whom had a good trade.

applied to relieve the widows or families of thofe members of the fociety who need fupply, and fometimes those who have been unsuccessful in business. They cannot proceed to an election unless fome married members be prefent; but the prefes is usually chosen from among the unmarried; it being fuppofed, that thofe of this defcription will more readily attend the fairs. When a new member is admitted, he pays fome entry-money, which is added to the common stock: The son of a member pays less than a stranger. At prefent, the number in Eaft Lothian who keep pack horfes does not exceed 6. Perfons living in the country are now more in the practice of purchasing articles of merchandise in towns, where the affortments are better, and to which the access is, by good roads, rendered more eafy than it formerly was. The whole members of this fociety at present are about 24 in number.

Battle of Prefton.On the eaft of the inclosures of Prefton was fought the battle of Preston, A. D. 1745, in which the army of the Rebels obtained the victory over the King's forces. The action began early in the morning of the 21st of September, O. S. The Highlanders, in their accounts, ufually gave it the name of the Battle of Gladsmuir; though Gladfmuir is at least 3 miles diftant from the scene of action. There was, it seems, a tradition among them, that a battle was to be fought on the Moor of the Gledes, which, in the iffue, would infure to the rightful Sovereign the peaceable poffeffion of his throne. They made the application that was most favourable to their views.

Eminent Men.-This parish has been the refidence of feveral men of eminence, viz. the Honourable JAMES ERSKINE of Grange, brother of the EARL of MAR, and Lord Justice Clerk

Clerk for the 3 laft years of Queen Anne. He refigned his feat on the bench in the year 1734, that he might go into Parliament to oppofe SIR ROBERT WALPOLE. He was proprietor of the lands now belonging to Schaw's Hospital and Watfon's Hofpital. HE w DALRYMPLE, LORD DRUMMORE, was a distinguished and popular Judge. WILLIAM GRANT of Preftongrange was Lord Advocate in 1746, and carried on the profecutions, against the unfortunate perfons who had been engaged in the rebellion, with fuch fidelity to the Crown, and, at the fame time, with fo much feeling and lenity for the accufed, as gained him univerfal approbation. He was afterwards appointed one of the Senators of the College of Justice, and one of the Lords Commiffioners of Julticiary. Some gentlemen, of the first merit in their feveral lines of life, were educated at the fchool here, viz. the late Colonel CAMPBELL DALRYMPLE, youngest fon of Lord Drummore, who was Governour of Guadaloupe after it was taken in the war of 1756; SIR ROBERT MURRAY KEITH, and his brother SIR BASIL KEITH; the laft of whom, after an honourable life in the navy, died Governour of Jamaica. The first still survives, an honour to the corps diplomatique, as a member of which he has done eminent fervices to his King and country.

Minerals-There is plenty of coal, particularly in the estate of Preston-grange; but none is wrought at prefent, nor has been for more than 30 years. The parish is fupplied with this article from the pits in the parifles of Tranent and Inveresk. Whin-ftone rock is alfo found here. There do not appear to be any free ftone quarries worth the working.

Advantages and Disadvantages.—Among the advantages are. to be reckoned the fishery, and vicinity of coal. Among the VOL. XVII. L difadvantages,

disadvantages, the scarcity of foft water.

The convenience for fea bathing is also a confiderable advantage, as it renders the town much resorted to in fummer. The accefs to the fea is immediate. At high tide it flows clofe to the town, and even at low tide does not recede to a great distance.

Population. From accurate lifts taken this year (1792) compared with the return to Dr Webster in 1755, the population of this parish appears to have increafed above one-fifth within thefe 40 years. The prefent number of fouls is 2028 The number in 1755 was

Increase

1596

432

According to the parish register, which appears to be very exact, the number of perfons of both fexes, born in the paFish for a century paft, is as follows: