Grampian Club > Scotland, social and domestic

Church Discipline. 343
Birse, Aberdeenshire, was subjected to censure for
"holling (digging) beesbykes on the Sabbath." The
Kirk-session of Humbie, in May, 1649, cited Robert
Romanes " for playing at the bullets on Sabbath." The
Kirk-session of Dunfermline, in December, 1683, caused
John Thomson, a joiner, to stand before the congre-
gation, " for making a dead kist on Sunday." In
March, 1664, the Town Council of Dumfries enacted
that " persons walking idly from house to house, and
gossipping on Sabbath, should, for each offence, pay
thirty shillings to the kirk treasurer for the use of the
poore." William Howatson was, on the 6th May, 1652,
ordained, by the Kirk-session of Stow, " to humble
himself before the session, and crave God's mercy, " for
having, on the Sunday previous, walked a short distance
to see his seik mother."
Sunday tippling was rigorously punished. On the
26th April, 1668, three persons were, for " drinking a
chapon of aill " on the Sunday preceding, sentenced, by
the Kirk- session of Port of Menteith, " to sit bair headit
beffore the pulpit, and after sermon to acknowledge
their scandal on their knees." On the 27th May, 1647,
the Presbytery of Cupar considered a remit from the
parish of Abdie, in the case of David Blyth, who had
made a shooting excursion on a preceding Sunday.
Their deliverance was in these words, — " David Blyth,
in the paroche of Ebdie (for shedding of blood on the
Sabbath day), is appoynted to stand at the kirke doore of
Ebdie, Sonday next, -barefooted and bareheadit, with the
gun in his hand wherewith the blood was shedde, untill
the last bell, and thairafter to sitt before the pulpitt
the tyme of sermon, and after sermon to acknowledge
and confesse vpon his knees his sin, and then be received."