The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

The Hospital of /nvcniess. 249
These accounts, like those of most of the othor
treasurers, fail to kcei) the different branches distinct ; the
rent of the We}-house and \'ard, the cost of the reparation
of the Hospital, and the purchase of books, being all included
in one account.
It will be observed that the Committee last mentioned
referred to the fact of Bailie Maclean's accounts never having
been discharged. The fault evidently did not lie with
Bailie Macleane himself His accounts were well kept. A
large committee of the Session was appointed at his
request on 26th January-, 1725, to meet for the purpose of
auditing them, when he should advertise them by the kirk
officer. This committee was continued on 13th April and
again on i8th May. His successor Gilbert Gordon, was
appointed out of a leet of four on 20th May, and the same
committee ordered to meet on the following Monday to see
all bonds and papers belonging to the Hospital delivered
over to the new treasurer. The committee reported on 8th
June that they had met and delivered to the new treasurer
" all the papers belonging to the Hospital, but they had not
their report as yet read}%"
On 31st August in same j^ear Bailie Maclean represented
that it was necessar\- the Committee should meet in order
unto their drawing up a full report concerning his intromis-
sions, and also that all papers belonging to the Hospital
might be delivered to Bailie Gilbert Gordon. The Session
appointed the said Committee to meet that night at six
o'clock, and appoints all the members of the committee to
be acquainted herewith. It appears from the minutes of
14th September that the Committee accordingh' met, and
delivered all the papers to Bailie Gordon, " but had not
their report as yet ready," in exactly the same terms as they
reported three months' pre\-iously. After this the matter
seems to have been allowed to drop, for it is stated, as we
have seen, in 173 1, that " Bailie Maclean never got a proper
discharge."