Ears Of Wheat From A Cornucopia.

brethren , who could then quaff their ale with all the more zest from the knowledge that no priest stood between them and the common purse of the Incorporation . They Avere not disposed , hoAvever , selfishly to appropriate to their OAVU uses the whole

of the moneys thus acquired , but seem to have considered that , while their obligation to aid in upholding the outward fabric of religion was annulled , the duty of manifesting the Christian virtue of charity still remained—a feeling whicb

led to the formation in 1597 of a fund "for the supplie of thair falziet brethren of Craft . " But with the introduction of the Protestant faith and consequent demolition of the altar dedicated to their patron saint , the Squaremen ' s interest in the

support of religious ordinances does not seem to have altogether ceased ; for upon St . John ' s Kirk being in 1652 seized by Oliver Crormvell and converted into an armoury and guard-room for his soldiers , the Craftsmen erected for their OAVU use

one of the galleries of the church Avhich was built in lieu of that appropriated by the usurper . The pitcher of ale had a place in the Squaremen ' s Court till 1616 , and the intrants' dinner continued to be an institution of the Craft until in 1722 it was

permitted to be compounded for by the payment , on the part of the newly-admitted master , of ten merks . Extract No . I . is composed of the original Statutes of the Ayr Squaremen Incorporation ;

No . II . appears to be a record ( April , 1556 ) of the formal submission of the brethren to the conditions upon which they held their charter ; No . III . comprises excerpts of minutes ( 1569-82 ) bearing upon the ratification of the " auld " and the adoption of certain new " actis . "

NO . I . THE STATUTIS OF THE WEICHTIS AND SQUAIEMEN OF THE B URT OF AIR—viz ., MASOUNIS , SEAFFEWRICHTIS , CuPERIS , AND SKLAITERIS . Prentes .

Item . It is statut and ordanit be the Wrichtis , Masounis , SeaffeAvrichtis , Cuperis , and Sklaiteris of the said Bur of Air , that na Prentes be tane in tyme cuming to learn the saidis craftis Avithout the maisterman that taks the prentes ansers for

him to the craft . Gif the prentes be ane friemanis sone in the said Bur * he sail pay entres silur fyve schillingis ; and gif he be not ane friemanis sone he sail pay ten schillingis money of this realmeto the uphald of the altar callit Sanct Ninianes

altar , situat within the peroche kirk of the said bur fc of Air . Upsett . Item . It is statut and ordanit be the said craftismen that na man be ressavit ane brether of

the saidis craftis Avithout he be ane gudejworkman of ony of the saidis craftis , and abill to serve our Sovreane Ladeis lieges—and sail pay or * he sett up bruith within the said bur , gif he be ane friemanis sone of the said bur fc ten schillingis and

ane dener to the brethrene of the saidis craftis ; and gif he be not ane friemanis sone he sail pay ane dener to the saidis craftismen and threttie schiUingis money abovwritten .

JJnlcavs . Item . It is statut and ordanit be the saidis craftis that quhat persoun disobeyis to the maisterman and visiter of the saidis craftis sail pay ane pitcher of gud aill of unlaw the fyrst fait , and ane

uther the secunde fait , and the third fait ane pund of Avalx to the uphald of the said altar . Item . It is statut that na maister of the saidis craftis tak ane uther maisteris servand , nor cans him cum fra his maister quhille he be ane prentes

or feit servand , nor giv him na Avork , under the pane , the first fait of ane unlaw , the nixt fait ane unlaAV and ane half pund of walx to the uphald of the said altar . Ilk unlaw x s . Item . It is statut be the foirsaidis craftismen

that na M ' nor brother of the saidis craftis tak ane man to serve him Avithout he be ane feallow , or Avork task work , or be ane j > rentes ; and that he tak na prentes within the prenteschip tane be him of befoir ( till ) all the zeres of the prentes tane be him of befoir be Avorne out , under the pane foirsaid .

No . II . Die septimo mensis Aprilis , Anno Domino , & c . [ In the seventh day of the month of April , one thousand five hundred and fifty-six , during the pontifical government of Paul ( by divine

providence , Pope ) Fourth , in the first year of my notary-publicship , as witness my signature;—John Nicholl , wricht ; James Masoun , Mur . Masoun , . Thomas Esdaill , sklaiter ; Jon . Lowi-ie , sklaiter ; Robert Quhyte , masoun ; Jon .

Caningham , cuper ; Jon . Roger , wricht ; Johnne Brysoun , masoun ; Wa . Nesbit , masoun ; Adam Cuningham wricht ; Thomas Millar , cuper ; Thomas Andersoun , masoun ; Laurence M'Quhaill , wricht ; John Liddell , seaffwricht : —