The book Arran; - Cook Clan

158 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
to buytwentylrish(Gaelic) psalm-books for the use of the parishioners;
and to that end have ordered the Theasaurer to advance him money :
and these books to be sold again at such a rate as shall be condescended
upon for making up the said money for the use of the poor.
In 1727 we have notice of seven copies of the Confession
of Faith in Gaelic being presented to the parish and dis-
persed through it by the elders.
Of Kilbride's schoolmastering such indications as we
have are not flattering, but of course they represent only
exceptional circumstances ;
as thus :
March 30, 1732.—John McMaster Schoolmr at Kiskadel repre-
sents before the Session that he has but one or two scholars at school
and craves he may be allowed to desist from teaching them till his
scholars become more numberous, which desire the Sess: saw reason-
able & Consented theirto.
Kilbride was unfortunate in its teachers : June 26, 1729.
' John Burk being called by a letter to him from the Session
because he kept school when discharged did compear and
owns that he taught two scholars privatelie in a house for
food upon necessity ; he begs at this time to be relaxed
promising to ammend his life '
: publicly rebuked, though
the enormity of the offence is not apparent. In the following
account it is :
Sep. 26, 1714.—The Session hearing that Neill M. schoolmaster
at Arrantoun has been lately intemperate through drink and that he
is given to tipling, and that upon that date of his intemperance he
jangled with his wife ; the said Neill being interrogat anent this
report confesses that he was intemperat upon Wednesday was a
fortnight with Rumm, being a kind of liquor with which he was not
acquainted and which deceived him, etc., etc. ;
wherefore he is sessionally admonished, etc.
The Session enact that the schoolmaster at Arrantoun and
Glenasdale be yearly chosen at Martinmas by the Session ;
—
that is
to say the schoolmaster att Arrantoun is to be chosen and he is to