burgh:--That day
the foresaid judges decern and ordain Anton Anderson for the back-biting
and slandering of Andrew Fraser, bailie; and Alexander Logan, notary,
for saying to them that the said persons have sold him to his contrar
(opposite) party by seeking out of his decreet; and also for boasting
(threatening) and menacing of the said persons, is decerned in twenty
merks money; and likewise shall come to the Cross by ten hours on
Saturday, in presence of the magistrates, conveyed by the officers from
his own house, and there shall confess in presence of the haill people
his offence, as likewise shall come two several Sundays in white suits;
and last thereof, shall come down in presence of the haill congregation
and confess his fault, and to remain in ward until he obtain pardon for
the same, under the pain of two hundred pounds.

(Signed) "JAMES DUFF, Clerk."

AN UNFORTUNATE AND ILL-MATCHED COUPLE.

It would seem that the heinousness of the misdemeanour was increased
because of the presence of strangers. The probable punishment of the
female would be the ducking-stool, which, to the terror of all
beholders, occupied a prominent position about the centre of the Bridge
Street, on the right hand going towards the bridge from the Cross:--

"That day John Christie and Janet Robertson, his spouse, for their riots
committed by them on one another, these divers years bygone in
back-biting, slandering, and abusing of one another with vile speeches,
and in dinging (hitting), hurting, and bleeding of one another, and
specially upon the last day of August last by passed, ye both enterit
(attacked) one another, on the High King's Causey in presence of divers
strangers, and there the said John Christie dang (hit) his said spouse,
torrit (tore) her head, and kust (cast) her churge (cap) in the mire,
and cast herself in the mire and tramped her with his feet; and likewise
she in the meantime took her said spouse by the gorgit (throat), and in
the craig (neck), most odious to be seen; therefore the said John, for
his fault, is decerned in twenty pounds money, and to amit (lose) his
liberty for one year, and in case he be found to commit the like fault
in any time coming, to pay forty pounds money _toties quoties_, and in
like manner remit the punishment of the said Janet Robertson for
drunkenness and misbehaviour to the censure of the kirk. Whereupon, &c."