In Aberdeen in 1595 more organised relief was attempted. The whole town on Jan. 23rd, 1595 met together and the poor were divided into four classes, (1) "babis," (2) "decayit persones hous halderis," (3) "leamit and impotent persones, (4) "sic as war decrepit and auld" if bred and born in the town or resident there for seven years. The inhabitants then agreed some to receive "ane baib" and others to contribute money. They asked however that the magistrate should take "substantious ordour anent the expelling of extranear beggaris" and that their own poor should remain at home and be content with the aid allowed them, "and according to the said voting ilk man speking be himself as said is, the roll was instantlie sett down, and sic as everie man grantit be his awin mouth wreittin, and the babis delyuerit to sic as war content to receawe them." Extracts from the _Council Registers of Aberdeen_, II., p. 124. The authorities of both Glasgow and Aberdeen we shall see made other attempts to relieve their poor, but like the efforts of the English towns these attempts were seldom long successful. [Sidenote: 6 _b_. History of legislation in Scotland from 1597 to 1680.] But in 1597 the next important change occurs. It begins by a clause which approximates the poor relief system still more to that in force in England. "Strong beggars and their bairns" are to "be employed in common work during their life times." But it concludes with a clause that separates the likeness hitherto existing between the regulations of the two countries. The execution of the law in landward parishes is placed in the hands of the kirk session[678]. [678] James V., cap. 272. Nicholl's _History of the Scotch Poor Law_, pp. 31, 32. Henceforward the history of poor relief in Scotland is different from that of England. In England the law of 1597, as re-enacted in 1601, remained the chief enactment for dealing with the poor throughout the century, but in Scotland, on the contrary, many alterations in the law were made; sometimes the kirk session was declared responsible for relieving the poor, at other times the justices, sometimes the heritors of the parish, were to assist the sessions, at other times the presbytery; sometimes the impotent were to be better relieved, at other times the able-bodied were to be employed in Houses of Correction[679]: statute succeeded statute in the seventeenth century as in the sixteenth, and for the most part with as little result. [679] In 1600 the kirk Session was to be assisted when necessary by one or two presbyters in the execution of the acts for the relief of the poor and punishment of vagabonds, and all presbyters were to "take diligent tryal of the obedience of the said sessions hereanent." _Ib._, p. 34. 1617. Justices are appointed and are to execute laws against vagrants. _Ib._, p. 37. In 1661 justices of the peace were to administer the laws for the relief of the poor. _Ib._, p. 58.