Agnews of Lochnaw

248 THE EIGHTH HEREDITARY SHERIFF. [l6l 7.
burgess thereof, who being a bastard, died without issue, or making
a settlement." This suggests the question, Was this a Sheriff's
perquisite of office ?
An Act of Parliament, passed soon after Sir Patrick's suc-
cession, not only instructed sheriffs to apprehend drunkards and
put them in the " juggs," but further empowered them to convict
any persons " for haunting taverns and ale-houses, after ten hours
at night ;" indeed, at their discretion, they might punish the
lieges for doing so at any time of day, " excepting in time of travel,
or for ordinary refreshments."
The following year the county of Wigtown was instanced in
Parliament as being, along with the shires of Lanark, Dumfries,
Koxburgh, and Berwick, notorious for using incorrect weights
and measures. Consequently the Sheriff was " recommended to
correct the same," and to desire the various baillies within his
jurisdiction, " to convene within the head borough, within twenty
days, there to receive and embrace the weights and measures " by
law established, and carefully to mark the difference between
these, and those then in use.
If, however, the good Gallovidians used measures peculiar to
themselves, they had at least the reputation also of giving
" down weights " on everything they sold.
A story is told of a person presenting himself to the guid-
wife in a remote district, and asking for a pound of butter.
The " ouncle weights" 1 were rummaged over and over, but the
"pun-stane" was nowhere to be found — the smallest weight at
hand being the mealstone quarter, which obviously would not
do. The honest woman took a long thought, till, whilst ponder-
ing deeply, her brow brightened up. " I ken how we'll manage it
noo!" she exclaimed; "the gude man brought hanie a pair 0'
tangs yestreen, which weighed in the smithy just twa pun.
Sae stand by, and I'll soon weigh you wi' them your butter."
1 " Ouncle weights." A general name for all the weights used about farm-
houses in Galloway. It is an old provincial term. These weights were gene-
rally made of sea stones, roughly regulated to some standard. — See M'Taggart's
Gall indian En cyclopcedit 1 .