Vol 5 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

—24 Transactions.the Lower orWliitesandbeds, and was then familiarly known as" the Galloway-gait." It seems to us that the Dock Park wasformerly designed, generally speaking, as "The Willies." Asthe safest guide for tlie natural level of old times we presume theNith and its course are the true standard, amid so much modernimprovement and artificial increase in bulk. In the year 1681the Bi'idge of Dumfries the town, in their legal defence, thenofficially describe as " one of the best and largest Bridges in theKingdom, and at this time now consists of Nine several Arches."Two years afterwards the ravages of winter had been more thanusually serious, the masses of floating ice adhering to the buttresses,collecting until the accumulation, or " gadds of ice," asthe record explains, required to be relieved and broken by greatstones thrown upon it from above. " The Brig Petition " toKing James the Sixth on the part of the town of Dumfries, lias,in the Privy Council records and other publications, been in partreproduced.But nowhere have we seen a true literal copy, suchas is here presented from a certified and signed duplicate of tlieoriginal of the day and time of presentation. The petition as acurious sample of an address to his " Sacred Majesty King Jamesthe Sixth," in his own rounded and sublimely classic style, as to" the soverane fontane and livelie spring quhairwith the politicbodie of this estait and everie particular member thairof ischerished and nurished," inherently possesses an historical,literary, and antiquarian interest as a work of art. The bridgehad, it seems, been its own tomb, resolving to itself in its fall thewhole results of the Royal gift, of the temporalities of tlie FriarsMinors, and the whole patrimony of the toune, &c. " The BrigPetition " to King James the Sixth, as copied from the signedand formal duplicate of the original itself, in the liolograph ofAlbert Cunynghame, clerk, as certified therein by himself in hisown hand, circa 1620" Most gracious and sacred Soverane,^—The greate calamitieand wrak which befell to Your Maties. ancient Burgh of Drumfreisin the monetli of (1620) by the overthrow of the bridgethairof through the force and violence of Wattir of Nitli, beingon our behalf regretted unto Your Mie. by the lordis of yourhienesse privy counsell. And your Mie. oute of your mosteexcellente wisdome apprehending that a voluntarie contributioneamongis your M.'s good subjectis would prove the most sure andreaddie way for preventing of the wrak and overthrow of the said