 Stealing infected goods was a hanging offence, and a "foul" hangman was employed for the purpose of executing offenders on the muir.It is recorded that Smythie, the "fowle hangman", was chained to his own gibbet on 23 July 1585 for disobedience.When land in the west muir area was feued in 1597, the council reserved a path at the east end leading to the Braid Burn for use during times of pestilence.