the pews; so that, from less to more, the pews so formed became a
lettable and a vendible property. It was, therefore, thought a hard
thing, that in the reparation which the seats had come to require in
my time, the heritors and corporation should be obligated to pay the
cost and expense of what was so clearly the property of others;
while it seemed an impossibility to get the whole tot of the
proprietors of the pews to bear the expense of new-seating the kirk.
We had in the council many a long and weighty sederunt on the
subject, without coming to any practical conclusion. At last, I
thought the best way, as the kirk was really become a disgrace to
the town, would be, for the corporation to undertake the repair
entirely, upon an understanding that we were to be paid eighteen
pence a bottom-room, per ANNUM, by the proprietors of the pews; and,
on sounding the heritors, I found them all most willing to consent
thereto, glad to be relieved from the awful expense of gutting and
replenishing such a great concern as the kirk was. Accordingly the
council having agreed to this proposal, we had plans and estimates
made, and notice given to the owners of pews of our intention. The
whole proceedings gave the greatest satisfaction possible to the
inhabitants in general, who lauded and approved of my discernment
more and more.

By the estimate, it was found that the repairs would cost about a
thousand pounds; and by the plan, that the seats, at eighteen pence
a sitter, would yield better than a hundred pounds a-year; so that
there was no scruple, on the part of the town-council, in borrowing
the money wanted. This was the first public debt ever contracted by
the corporation, and people were very fain to get their money lodged
at five per cent. on such good security; in so much, that we had a
great deal more offered than we required at that time and epoch.