Originally published in 1987, this volume filled a notable gap in Scottish urban history and considers the place of Scottish towns in urban life during the 16th and 17th Centuries. The first part of the book is based on studies of individual burghs (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Perth) drawing extensively on archival material. The second part includes a discussion of the pressure put upon the burghs by the town between 1500 and 1650, a process which contributed to the destruction of the medieval burgh and examines the burgh during the Scottish Revolution. The impact of war and plague on Scottish towns in the 1640s is also analysed and much emphasis is given to the relationship between town and country.