It requires little stretch of fancy to conceive that this impressive edifice just reared, would attract much general attention: that it reflected no small honour on the Magistrates, future historians have testified. Franck (an Englishman,) who had travelled as far north as Glasgow, in 1658, had seen the prison, about thirty years after its erection, then pretty fresh from the hands of the craftsmen, and the almost new city which had sprung up since the devouring flames of 1652, thus magniloquently speaks-"Now let us descend to describe the splendour and gaity of this City of Glasgow, which surpasseth most, if not all the corporations of Scotland. Here it is you may observe four large fair streets, modell'd as it were into a spacious quadrant, in the centre whereof their market place is fixed, near to which stands a stately Tolbooth-a very sumptuous, regulated, uniform fabric, large and lofty; most industriously and artificially carved, from the very foundation to the superstructure, to the great admiration of strangers and travellers. But this state-house or Tolbooth is their western prodigy, infinitely excelling the model and usual built of town halls, and is without exception the paragon of beauty in the west, whose compeer is nowhere to be found in the north, should you rally the rarities of all the corporations in Scotland." Defoe, in his Tour in 1727, expresses himself scarcely less eloquently. He had seen the improved tenements of the city after the second destructive fire of 1677, and the Tolbooth about a century after its erection. "As we come down the hill (says this celebrated author) from the North Gate (or High Street) to this place (the market place), the Tolbooth and Guildhall make the north-west angle or right-hand corner of the street, which was rebuilt in a very magnificent manner. Here the Town Council sit, and the Magistrates try such causes as come within their cognizance, and do all their other public business; so that it will be easily conceived the Tolbooth stands in the very centre of the city. It is a noble structure of hewn stone, with a lofty tower, and melodious hourly chimes." The painstaking and garrulous M'Ure, our earliest local historian, who wrote in 1736, nine years after Defoe's visit, and who, from his official situation as "Clerk to the Registration of Seisins," would be intimate with the structure, portrays it in the following manner:-"The Townhouse or Tolbooth is a magnificent structure, being of length from east to west sixty-six foot, and from the south to the north twenty-four foot eight inches; it hath a stately staircase ascending to the justice-court hall, within which is the entry of a large turnpike or staircase ascending to the Town Council hall, above which there was the Dean of Gild's old hall; but now is turned into two prison houses for prisoners of note and distinction. The Council house is adorned with effigies of King James VI., King Charles I. and II., King James VII., King William and Queen Mary, Queen Anne, King George I. and II., all in full length, and a fine large oval table where the Magistrates and Town Council and their clerk sits. The first story of this great building consists of six rooms, two whereof are for the Magistrates' use, one for the Dean of Gild's court, and another for the collector of the town's excise. These appartments are all vaulted from the one end to the other; and there is a new addition built, appointed for a quorum of the Council to sit in order to determine and dispatch all such affairs as may be expede without the consent of the whole; but above all, the King's hall is the finest, the length whereof is forty-three foot eleven inches from east to west, and from south to north twenty-four foot, and the turnpike upon the east end. In this great building are five large rooms appointed for common prisoners; the steeple on the east end thereof being one hundred and thirteen (126) foot high, adorn'd with a curious clock all of brass, with four dial plates; it has a large bell for the use of the clock, and a curious sett of chymes and tuneable bells, which plays every two hours, and has four large touretts on the corners thereof, with thanes finely gilded, and the whole roof is cover'd with lead. Upon the frontispiece of this building is his majesty's arms finely cut out, with a fine dial, and below the same is this Latin inscription: Hæc domus odit, amat, punit, conservat, honorat, In English (as he translates it) thus— This House doth hate all wickedness, Others of our historians give nearly the same description, unnecessary to be quoted, with the exception of that of James Denholm, who was a man of scientific acquirements, and long taught the useful and elegant accomplishments of drawing and painting to the citizens. In his History of Glasgow (edit. 1804), he says:-" The Tolbooth or Prison is a very handsome lofty building of five stories, situated immediately to the east of the Town's House and Exchange. At each corner towards the top it is flanked with square turrets, ornamented with ogée roofs and balls. Above the windows are circular or tri * * angular pediments, caped with the Rose and Thistle alternately, which add very considerably to the appearance of this edifice. The main gate to the south is covered by a square portico, projecting the breadth of a stair-case from the wall, which rises on each side towards the door. Upon the east of the prison is situated a square spire, 126 feet in height, having its roof something in the form of an imperial crown, with open arches Within the principal door of the prison is a large square lobby, with many columns supporting the roof. From this lobby, upon the left, strikes off the entry into the Town House as a separate building. Directly opposite, another door enters into the apartments of the prison, which are divided into two different kinds, appropriated for debtors and criminals, well ventilated and healthy." From the graphic details given in the foregoing extracts, together with the steeple yet to be seen, a pretty correct idea may be formed of the external architectural appearance or elevation of the whole of the prison buildings. These last, in point of internal accommodation for punitive purposes, are described by one writer as containing "five large rooms appointed for common prisoners;" by a second, "into two different kinds, appropriated for debtors and criminals;" and by a third, “thirty-two cells or rooms." In early life I had occasion to transact some little business with a prisoner in what was named the "Debtors' Room," affording me an opportunity of seeing it. This was a spacious apartment, situated high, embracing a flat of the prison, in which there might be then about fifteen individuals, all cheerful and comfortable like, some of them employed in tailoring, shoemaking, &c. A large fire blazed at the west end of the room, with the cooking pot suspended over it, and a range of low pallet beds extending along the north wall. One of these unfortunates was about that time talked of as having squeezed his head through between two stanchions, to gaze at something exciting on the street, and, to the amusement of thousands, could not get it withdrawn till liberated by the saw of the smith. Other ludicrous incidents occurred, as by some of the more waggishly inclined among them toasting red hot a few pence, and throwing them through the iron bars into the street, burning the fingers of those who picked them up, at the sight of which they had their humour gratified. Not the least curious part of many of the proceedings of the debtors, was a sort of imperium in imperio, or code of regulations consisting of twenty-five articles, drawn up in due form, prudently to make the most of their adverse circumstances, and as a friendly society, to behave towards each other with a gentlemanly decorum. No receptacle of the prison, however, interested me so much as that fearful place, the "iron room," allotted to condemned criminals, which I was permitted to visit, it being then untenanted. It was a large strong vaulted cell, looking upon the High Street. Two iron bars or rails laid parallel, about two feet distant between, ran along the paved floor. To these the prisoner's ankles were chained, but seemingly in that loose manner which did - not prevent him standing, or sliding from end to end of the apartment. The steeple (so often mentioned) with its well-known "houf door," superintended by a gruffy turnkey, formed also a communication to the prison, and by a stair within conducted to the music bells aloft. The "stately staircase" noticed by M'Ure in 1736, had been taken down, and another erected, so far as can be ascertained, about 1792. It fronted Trongate, and will still be in the remembrance of a number of the older portion of the inhabitants as the theatre of much joyous festivity at every returning period of Fourth June (the birth-day of George III.). On its plat, or stair head, the Magistrates appeared in the evening, and "drank the healths," amid the ringing of bells and the shouts of the assembled crowd. Every health was accompanied by a salvo of musketry, from a company of soldiers on the street, and the emptied glass afterwards thrown to the people. Some of these glasses are, I believe, yet preserved as family relics. To add to the effect of the ceremony, the windows of the Town Hall were sometimes filled with pictures and transparencies. This staircase will also be remembered for a wide entrance below it leading in to many legal business chambers, popularly known as the "Clerks' Chambers." On the pavement in front of this entrance, were regularly to be found in waiting several of the town officers, in their red-coated livery, with a host of sorely brokendown looking hangers-on, ready to give their best advice for a "gill," and to be the "gentleman's gentleman" of the burgh officers, either as witnesses or as assistants, in the unmerciful though necessary acts of poindings and captions. To relate many other such reminiscences of those bygone years would only fatigue the patience of the members of the Society. As to who was the architect of the Prison Buildings there does not seem to be any account. From the inscription on their front, "Hæc domus odit," &c., being seen on continental edifices of a like description, it is not improbable that the plans were furnished to the Magistrates by some one abroad; perhaps in Holland, with which there was intimate intercourse. An opinion is held that the design may have been supplied by a Scottish architect. That the work was entirely executed, in its masonry, &c., by native tradesmen, can, I think, hardly admit of dispute. In every respect it was a compact, substantial fabric, that, but for the extension and requirements of the city, might have stood for centuries to come. When taken down in 1814, I saw the demolition of many of its vaults, and what appeared to me a peculiarity in strength, iron gratings were built within the walls of some of these vaults, evidently intended to prevent breaking through from one cell to another. From the quantity of what was said to be the best Swedish iron, and of lead connected, it was reported to have been a good bargain at the price given, to those who purchased the materials. No document hitherto produced enables us to discover the whole cost of the erection; but, from the specimens already cited of the value of labour, the expense, though considerable, would not now be thought large. Contrasted with the expense of the University Buildings, the principal part of which had been in progress for a period of 30 years, from 1630 to 1669, the building account stood in 1658 at 35,862 libs. Scots, or £2988 10s. sterling; and, judging from their extent, it may reasonably be presumed that the Prison Buildings could not likely have cost more than one-third part of this sum, or about £1000 sterling. From the general complexion of the Burgh accounts of those days (passing over the presents of wine, which were perhaps, after all, the cheapest mode of repaying favours received), the authorities had transacted with a cautious regard to the town's funds. By a minute of their successors in office, dated "27th January, 1638," it is directed "that the Provest, Bailies, and Dean of Gild speik and deill with James Colquhoun to draw and convoy doun the spouts of the Tolbuithe in maist cumlie form that can be, for saifing of the drop to fall upon the plainstanes, and that upone als cheap a price as they can"-the last clause being perhaps the usual rule of acting in civic financial matters. minute engraved pictorial representation of the Prison will be seen in "Denholm's History of Glasgow ;" in the "Perspective View of the Trongate of Glasgow from the Cross;" and a lithographic drawing of the same subject in the late Mr. Robert Stewart's "Views and Notices of Glasgow," from an engraving done in the Fine Art Academy of Robert and Andrew Foulis of Glasgow. The original of this interesting print is now very scarce, of which Robert Foulis says in his Catalogue of Pictures (1776)-"The essays in land |