Biggar and the House of Fleming

THE SOCIETIES OF BIGGAR. 3G5
Vallange, farmer, Boghall ; Thomas and Charles Cosh, sons of
Bailie Thomas Cosh, the "litster" who died 1st July 1 71 8;
John Gladstanes, afterwards of Mid Toftcombs, great grandfather
of Sir Thomas Gladstone of Fasque ; Alexander Baird, one
of the bailies of Biggar and Chamberlain to the Earl of Wigton ;
George Muirhead. proprietor of Persilands ; John Gardner, Dean
of Guild of Biggar ; George Bertram, merchant, Biggar ;
Andrew Brown of Silverknowes, grandfather of the late Pro-
fessor Dr Andrew Brown of Edinburgh ; Daniel Aitken, burgess
and feuar ; James Leishman, burgess and feuar ; and William
Brown, merchant, for some time clerk to the Burgh Court, and
afterwards Procurator Fiscal.
The brethren instructed Mr Simson, their representative, to
ascertain if they were recognised as a regularly constituted Lodge,
and, if this was the case, to pay the stipulated fee of half-a-crown
for the enrolment of each of their entrants since November last.
It may be conjectured that there was either some hesitation on
the part of the Grand Lodge to admit the Biggar brethren
on their own terms, or that these brethren themselves were
slow in complying with some of the Grand Lodge regulations.
At all events, the Lodge of Biggar very soon began to cool
towards the governing body. In 1738, they came to the de-
cision, that, as they had many widows and orphans to support,
it would be better to keep their half-crowns at home than to
send them to the Grand Lodge. The Lodge continued its con-
nexion with the Lodge of Linlithgow, although that Lodge had
set the example of resigning its independent powers, and giving
its adherence to the the supreme ruling body established in
Edinburgh ; and it was not till the year 1785 that the Biggar
brethren resolved to obtain a charter from the Grand Lodge.
This accordingly was granted them on the 6th of November
1786, and cost the sum of L.7, 19s. 2d. The Biggar Lodge
was placed on the roll as number 222, which was afterwards
changed to its present number, 167 ; but had it persevered in
keeping up its connexion with the Grand Lodge it would have
taken its place among the oldest lodges in the country, and
consequently would have stood much lower on the roll. The
charter, which it thus obtained, is preserved with great care ;
it is always read at the annual meetings on St John's day,