But if on the side of revenue we find much curious reading we find it none the less surely on the side of disbursements. When poor law and poor rate alike were unknown in Scotland the Church took care of the poor, and that, oftentimes, in most thorough and effective fashion. Even when other urgent claims asserted themselves the poor were by no means neglected. A proclamation of the Privy Council, August 29, 1693, decreed that one-half the sums collected at the church door was to be given to the poor as before, while the other half might be retained for the relief of other distress, or for any matters that might come under the consideration of each individual Kirk Session throughout the country. In the Kirk Session Records of Falkirk, under date July 1696, it is stated that "the number of the poor within the parish church does daily abound," and the session recommends to the minister "to intimate to the congregation the next Lord's Day that they would be pleased to consider ye present strait and be more charitable." The response to such appeals may not always have been adequate, and in some records we find it stated again and again that "the raininess of the day" caused the collection to be so small that the treasurer, instead of transferring it to the box, handed it to the beadle. The manner in which the poor were relieved is sufficiently indicated by the following selected passages from the Kirk Session Records of Tyninghame, which, for our purpose, may here be considered typical:-- "November 2, 1617.--Given to ane pure honest man, quha had ane sair hand, 6s." "May 23, 1619.--Given to ane pure man, lying sik in Patrik Jaksonis, being ane coupper in Tranent, 10s. His wyfe came befor ye session and earnestlie desyrit it, being in great necessitie." "August 26, 1621.--Given to ane pure man, being ane scollar, 6s." "January 26, 1623.--Collect 4s., given all to Thomas Harvie in Tyninghame, being ane ald honest man tailyeour." "September 18, 1625.--To ane pure young man, being ane minister's son, 6s. 8d." "September 7, 1628.--Given to ane stranger, being ane Transelvanian, 18s. He was supportit be all the kirks of the presbiteries." "April 24, 1631.--Given to a man with a testimonial, robbed by pyratis, 9s." "December 3, 1637.--Given to ane poore woman at the Knowis, callit the Daft Lady, 5s." "September 5, 1641.--Given to ane poor scholar (being a minister's dochter), 5 dollars."