Series 3 > Court book of the Burgh of Kirkintilloch 1658-1694

INTRODUCTION
Ixvii
was held to justify the choice of Peterhead (1587) and
Innerwick (1630),1 while a similar asset, reinforced by the
value of costly local works at the harbour, explained
Cockenzie (1591), St. Monans (1596) and Carrick in Orkney
(1632).2 A convenient market was the explicit motive for
Newton of Gogo (1595), Ardgowan (1634) and Blairgowrie
(1634) ,3 and, in addition to this factor, the distance from
any existing burgh was stressed in such cases as those of
Stranraer (1596), Magnusburgh (1624) and Carsphairn
(1635) .4 The political argument was stronger for the
erection of Galashiels in 1599 (useful for the lieges near the
confines of the kingdom), of Inverbrora in 1601 (intended
to be the capital of the new sheriffdom of Sutherland), of
Stornoway in 1607 {pro incremento politic ubi nulla eatenus
extabat) and of Cromdale in 1609 (lying far from the sea in
a savage region where the inhabitants lack civility and
honest manners).6
After the Reformation, as before it, Prestwick, through
the chance survival of its records, affords the best example
of the typical burgh of barony. The prime driving-force
of the social community was ‘ keiping gud nychtbureheid ’.
Thus, there should be fair shares for all freemen in the
chance riches of land and sea. Bent or rush was not to be
shorn until the morning after Lammas, when each freeman
was allowed four hooks, ‘ and nane to entyr quhyl the sone
be resin ’.6 Similarly, sea-wrack should be gathered only
between sunrise and sunset, each man having either horse
and ‘ karris ’ (sledges) or else barrows—but not both forms
of transport.7 Four ‘ dargs ’ were the limit for peat-cutting,
and sales or gifts of peat were ‘ banned ’ to the town and
1 R.M.S., v, 1309 ; viii, 1583 ; A.P.S., v, 106-7.
2 R.M.S., v, 1857 ; A.P.S., iii, 641 ; R.M.S., vi, 461 ; viii, 1894.
3 lb., vi, 385 ; ix, 107, 187. The Gogo charter emphasises the con¬
vocation of Irish and other strangers at the market held at the church
of Largs.
4 lb., vi, 366, 424 ; viii, 689 ; ix, 374. The second Stranraer charter
prohibits the erection of any other burgh and port, or of any market,
within a distance of four miles.
6 lb., vi, 988, 1170, 1982 ; vii, 97.
8 Prestwick Burgh Rees., 66 (20 Oct. 1562).
7 lb., 70 (16 Oct. 1567) ; cf. ib., 89.