At this dinner Baron Bailie Ritchie, C.E., now deceased, Bailie Taylor, also now deceased, Bailie Menelaws, lately deceased, Treasurer D. Middleton, officials of the Burgh of the Canongate, were present as guests. Thus ends the Minute-Books of the Society of High Constables of the Burgh of Canongate.

In 1856, when the Edinburgh Municipal Extension Act was passed, the Magistracy of the Canongate was abolished, and the City, including the old Burgh, divided into thirteen wards for Municipal purposes. The Society of the High Constables of the Canongate was thus rendered unnecessary, and was dissolved. The last Moderator retained possession of the principal baton and snuff-mulls, while the other members kept their small batons. The Minute - Books, as already stated, have, with a trifling exception, gone amissing, a circumstance much to be regretted, as there is little doubt they must have contained some curious and interesting information regarding the transactions of the Society in earlier days, connected as it was so closely with the Magistracy-the latter having to a large extent been members of the Society.

In thus recording the beginning and end of the Society of the High Constables of the ancient Burgh of the Canongate, we cannot refrain from expressing regret that such and kindred institutions have been swept away, as doubtless the genial intercourse of the members of these associations must have promoted much good feeling and happiness.

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JANY changes have taken place in the appearance of the Burgh of Canongate, both in the approaches to it and the buildings within the "Auld Toune." As was said by Sir Walter Scott when referring to the changes occurring in his time," they have pulled her houses down, for indeed, betwixt building and burning, every ancient monument of the Scottish Capital is now likely to be utterly demolished." Since then, farther alterations have been made, more particularly under the powers conferred in the Improvement Act of 1867, principally obtained through the exertions of Dr. William Chambers, then Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh. The wretched old buildings situated on the east side of St. Mary's Wynd and in the closes adjacent called Hume's, Boyd's, and Gullen's have been entirely swept awaythe ground rebuilt upon by erecting commodious Chronicles of the Canongate, p. 396.

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tenements of an architectural character suited to the "Auld Toune." Leith Wynd, which ran northwards in a line with St. Mary's Wynd, was very steep, and the houses in it and the closes eastwards, called Old Fleshmarket Close, Shepherd's Court, Ramsay Court, Coull's Close, and Midcommon Close, have also been removed, and in lieu thereof buildings similar to those on the south side of the main street of Canongate erected, or are in course of erection; and what was formerly termed Leith Wynd is now named Cranston Street, after one of the present Bailies of the City. In this street a public school has just been finished, built by direction of the School Board, with large accommodation and every way suited to the requirements of the district, and of a style of architecture corresponding to the other tenements lately erected. Another approach, running westwards from the head of the Canongate, and passing under two of the arches of the North Bridge to Market Street and Waverley Bridge, has also been formed, and called Jeffrey Street, in remembrance of Lord Jeffrey, but more familiarly known as Francis Jeffrey, one of the leaders of the Whig party fifty years ago, appointed Lord-Advocate for Scotland in 1830; in December 1832, under the Reform Act of that year, which he had introduced into Parliament as Lord-Advocate, returned to Parliament as one of the Members for the City of Edinburgh; appointed a Judge in the Court of Session in 1834; and died on 26th January 1850, in his 77th year.*

In the centre of Jeffrey Street there has been built

* Cockburn's "Life of Lord Jeffrey."

Trinity College Parish Church-part of the stones which composed the old Trinity College, at one time at the foot of Leith Wynd, and which was taken down when the ground there was acquired by the North British Railway Company, has been rebuilt somewhat in the style of the old College Church. The houses that stood at the Netherbow, betwixt Leith Wynd and John Knox's House, have also been removed, and a Church, called John Knox's Church, and buildings corresponding in design to those recently erected in the vicinity, have taken the place of the old ones.

SAINT MARY'S WYND, OR STREET.-This street derived its name from a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary, situated at the north-east end of the Cowgate, in connection with which chapel there was an hospital for infirm and bed-rid persons, who in the olden times were supported by alms and oblations then freely given by the community and the various Crafts or Trade Incorporations, both of the City and the Burgh of Canongate. In 1550, each citizen in Edinburgh* had to make a day's visitation through the town, to collect alms for this hospital, and if he failed to perform this duty, he was fined. During the wars with England, and the rival party factions in Scotland, the buildings on the east side of the Wynd were frequently damaged. In 1650, a great number of these were demolished when the army under Oliver Cromwell was besieging the Castle of Edinburgh, then held for King Charles the Second. The wynd was in latter times long known as a mart for the sale and exchange

* Extracts from "Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh," p. 79.

of cast-off, or second-hand clothing and new garments of an inferior quality and low price, and as such was noticed by Ferguson the poet in his poem "Auld Reekie," in which he says:

"Now gin a loun should hae his claes
In threadbare autumn o' their days,
St. Mary, brokers' guardian saint,
Will satisfy ilk ail and want,
For many a hungry writer there
Dives doun at nicht in cleding bare;
And quickly rises to the view

A gentleman, perfyte and new."

The wynd or street is apparently regaining its old character in this respect, there being a number of "ready-made clothing establishments" and shops for the sale of second-hand clothing in it at present.

HUME'S, BOYD'S, AND WHITE HORSE CLOSES.These partly entered from St. Mary's Wynd and the main street of the Canongate. In one was situated the celebrated "Whitehorse Inn." On 17th August, 1773, Dr. Johnson and his famous biographer and travelling companion, Boswell, put up therein. The landlord, James Boyd, was a noted sportsman, and having been successful in winning a race with a white horse, which he had purchased and trained, in remembrance of the event called his inn "the White Horse," an appropriate signboard being affixed over the main entrance to the building. Landlord, guests, horse, and inn, have all passed away.

GILLAN'S CLOSE.-To the east of this there is a tenement erected about 1700, which, at one time, belonged to and was the residence of Charles, fourth Earl of Traquair, afterwards of his twin daughters,

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