II.—COMMISSION by the Burgesses and Community of the Burgh and City of Glasgow
in favour of Patrick Bell, James Stewart, senior, and William Neilsoun, junior, as
Bailies of the Burgh. Glasgow, 7th October, 1626.
[Latin text]
Universis et singulis pateat per presentes: Nos comburgenses ac totam communitatem
burgi et civitatis Glasguensis post nominationem nobis factam de dilectis nostris comburgensibus Patritio Bell, Jacobo Stewart, seniore, et Willelmo Neilsoun, juniore, per
venerabilem in Christo patrem Jacobum archiepiscopum Glasguensem, ut predictos
nostros comburgenses in ballivos nostros acceptaremus secundum dicti nostri burgi con-
suetudinem, fecisse, constituisse et ordinasse, necnon per presentes facere, constituere et
ordinare prefatos Patritium Bell, Jacobum Stewart, et Willelmum Neilsoun, ballivos
dicti nostri burgi et civitatis, conjunctim et divisim, dando, concedendo et committendo
dictis nostri ballivis nostram plenariam protestatem ac omnimodo facultatem curias
nostras in dicto nostro burgo inchoandi tenendi continuandi affigendi et affirmandi,
juraque nostra cum libertatibus dicto nostro burgo concessis et pertinentibus prosequendi,
defendendi et conservandi, burgenses nostros stallangiarios servitores et eorum quemcunque, ac eorum bona coram quibuscunque judicibus temporalibus seu ecclesiasticis
(in quantum jura canunt) per quemcunque aut quoscunque adversarios seu adversarium,
attachiatos seu attachiandos seu arrestatos ad curias dicti nostri burgi et civitatis et
libertates ejusdem replagiandi, repetendi et reducendi; cautiones tam juratorias quam
fidejussorias ad premissa de jure et justitia requisitas ministrandi, prestandi, exigendi et
inveniendi; crucem et forum nostrum de Glasgow, cum universis et singulis privilegiis
ejusdem conservandi ac conservari faciendi, juxta et secundum juris formam et consuetudinem ex antiquo observatam et generaliter omnia alia et singula faciendi, dicendi, gerendi,
et exercendi, que ad officium ballivatus dicti nostri burgi et civitatis, conjunctim et
divisim quovismodo dignoscuntur pertinere: Ratum et gratum firmum atque stabile
habentes et habituri totum id et quicquid dicti nostri ballivi conjunctim et divisim
premissis rite duxerint faciendum sub ypotheca et obligatione omnium bonorum nostrorum
mobilium et immobilium presentium et futurorum: Proviso tamen quod non licebit dictis
nostris ballivis recipere seu admittere resignationes factas et fiendas de terris nostris
communibus inter nos divisis seu de aliqua parte earundem in favorem alicujus persone
aut conferre sasinam aliquibus personis preterquam burgensibus inhabitatoribus dicti
nostri burgi et civitatis solventibus taxas custodientibus vigilias ac alia onera burgalia
subeuntibus infra eundem, vel ubi sponsus confert sponse ac prolibus, nec licebit predictis
nostris ballivis conferre sasinam de quibuscunque redditibus ievandis de dictis terris
cuicunque persone secundum tenorem statuti desuper confecti. In cujus rei testimonium
huic presenti nostre commissioni usque in proximum festum Michaelis proxime futurum
duraturis se valituris, sigillum nostrum commune est appensum in pretorio nostro
Glasguensi, septimo die mensis Octobris anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo vigesimo
sexto et anno regni S. D. N. secundo.
Mr. JO. HUTCHESOUN,
Clericus communis dicti burgi.
(Seal affixed.)
[Translation]
Be it known to all and sundry by these presents: We, the comburgesses and whole community
of the burgh and city of Glasgow, after the nomination made to us of our beloved comburgesses,
Patrick Bell, James Stewart, senior, and William Neilsoun, junior, by the venerable father in Christ,
James, archbishop of Glasgow, that we should accept our foresaid comburgesses as our bailies,
according to the custom of our said burgh, have made, constituted, and ordained, and by these
presents make, constitute, and ordain the foresaid Patrick Bell, James Stewart, and William
Neilsoun, bailies of our said burgh and city, conjunctly and severally, giving, granting, and
committing to our said bailies, conjunctly and severally, our full power and faculty in every
respect, to begin, hold, adjourn, appoint, and affirm our courts in our said burgh, and to pursue,
defend, and protect our rights, with the liberties granted and pertaining to our said burgh; to
repledge, demand back, and restore to the court of our said burgh and city, and the liberties of
the same, our burgesses, stallengers, and their servitors whomsoever, with their goods, before
whatsoever judges, temporal or ecclesiastical (in so far as law declares), by whatsoever adversary or
adversaries attached or to be attached or arrested; to minister, give, exact, and find caution, as
well juratory as fiduciary, in the premises required by law and justice; to preserve and cause to be
preserved our cross and market of Glasgow, with all and sundry privileges thereof, conform and
according to the form of law and custom observed from of old; and generally all and sundry other
things to do, say, perform, and exercise, which to the office of bailie of our said burgh and city
conjunctly and severally in any manner are known to belong: Holding and to hold approved and
ratified, firm and stable, all this and whatever our said bailies, conjunctly and severally, shall duly
cause to be done in the premises, under hypothec and obligation of all our goods, movable and
immovable, present and future: Provided, nevertheless, that it shall not be lawful to our said
bailies to receive or admit resignations made and to be made of our common lands divided among
us, or of any part thereof, in favour of any person, or to give sasine to any persons other than
burgesses inhabitants of our said burgh and city paying taxes, keeping watch and ward, and undergoing the other burghal burdens within the same; or where a spouse grants to his spouse and their
children; nor (conform to the tenor of the statute made thereupon) shall it be lawful to our said
bailies to give sasine of any rents to be levied from the said lands to any person. In testimony
whereof to this our present commission, to remain in force till the feast of Michaelmas next, our
common seal is appended, in our court of Glasgow, on the seventh day of the month of October,
in the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred and twenty-six, and in the second year of the
reign of our Sovereign Lord.
Mr. JO. HUTCHESOUN,
Common clerk of the said burgh.