But compulsory taxes were very unpopular both in Scotland and England, but while in England they were forced on the people by the justices of the peace, acting under instructions from the Privy Council, in Scotland they never were generally adopted until the present century. In the report of 1818 the temporary arrangements of Aberdeen and other towns[695] were forgotten, and it was then said that before 1700 only three parishes had resorted to compulsion[696]. This means that only three parishes continued to use assessments for a long period, and therefore the poor relief granted in Scotland was almost always the voluntary assistance given by the kirk sessions. [695] For Glasgow see note below; for Dumbarton see _Dumbarton Burgh Records_, p. 49. 18th Jan. 1636, "Forsameikill as the magistrattis, minister and elders of this burgh c^ovenit in this sessioun in the kirk of this burgh, on the 14 of this instant In respect the burgh is trublit be straingers and vnkuth beggars and the pure of this burgh damnifeit, Thairfor thay thocht it best that the magistrattis sould caus put the Acts of Parliament againe abill and sturdie beggars to executioun q^rby unkuth pure resort to thair own parochins and the pure of this burgh and paroche be helpit and bettir maintenit, and to this effect that the magistrattis sould caus set down ane stent roll vpoune the inhabitants and burgesses of this burgh for a monthlie c^otributioun to the poore, to keip them fra begging. [Stentmasters chosin]." [696] Report forwarded by the Moderator of the General Assembly and printed in the 3rd Rep. of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Poor Laws. [Sidenote: 7 _e_. Insufficiency of relief granted during the years 1692-1699.] How insufficient this assistance was is indicated by the proclamations issued during the years of scarcity at the close of the century. The period from 1692 to 1699 has been called the "seven ill years." The poor suffered great distress, and a series of proclamations was issued by the Privy Council with the object of remedying matters.