1403-45.
3rd October 1403.
[Election of
officers of the
guild.]
Prima Gilda Capitalis post festum Beati Michaelis tenta in Pretorio burgi
de Edinburgh, conuocatis confratribus gilde et comparentibus, 3 Octobris 1403.
Electi sunt officiarij gilde prout sequitur:—
[The first Head Guild, held after the Feast of Saint Michael, in the Tolbuith
of the Burgh of Edinburgh, the brethren of the Guild being called, and compearing,
3d October 1403. The officers of the Guild were elected as follows:—]
Prepositus—Alexander Naper.
Decanus gilde et custoditor operis Ecclesie—Symon de Schele.
Balliuus de Leyth—Joannes Robertsoun.
Thesaurarius—Joannes Lamb.
Seriandi gilde—Willelmus Talzefer, Willelmus Dauidsoun.
Appreciatores carnium—Willelmus Rynweh, Hugo Tod, Matheus Cloig.
Appreciatores vinj.—Willelmus Layng, Jacobus Robertsoun.
Duodene burgi.—William of Cranstoun, William of Libertoun, George
of Fawlow, William Cameroun, Adame Cant, William Bully, Th. of
Prestoun, Sanders of Stanely, Adam of Carkettill, James of Boncle, Jh.of
Cairnis, °Thom. Johnestoun, °Jh. Lamb, Rychert of Fairnly, °Laurence of
Elphinstoun, °Watt Young, James of Lawder, Henry Diksoun, Nicol Spathy,
°Thom. Smyth, °Jh. Wade, °Robyn Michelsoun, °Malcome Boyde, °James of
Touris, °Androw Crawfurd, °David Lanerok, °William Rynd, °James of Schele,
°Robyn of Prestoun, Jh. of Harlaw, °Will. Skynner, Sanders of Wod, °Jh.
Howden, Will. of Sydeserfe, Th. Williamsoun, Jh. Hayne, James of Fyndguid,
°Th. Quhyteloke, °Will. of Lawder, Jh. of Farnly of Irwyn, °Rot.
Merchell, °Robyn Blak, °Robyn of Wintoun, °James of Fowlfurde, °Will. of
Carkettill. 45.
(This amang the lowse leiffes of gild courtes, and this leiff merket with (3.)
I think thir (°) stands for thame that comperit and wes sworne.
Nota 1458. I fynd siclyke on the leiff merket with this nummer (4) amangs
the lowse leiffes of gild courts, bot duodene ar bot 38.—Transcriber.)
17 March 1406–7.
Woman
gilde.
Item eodem die Alisona de Duscoull facta est soror gilde tanquam heres
quondam Roberti Duscoull fratris sui. (Gild court leiffis merket with 7.—Tr.)
[Item, on the same day Alison de Duscoull is made sister of the guild, as heir
of the late Robert Duscoull, her brother.
15 November 1407.
[Admission
of gild brether.]
Dyuers persouns maid gild brether for the dewty of x s. (This amang the
leiffis of the gild court.—Tr.)
October 1416.
[Officers of the
guild.]
(In October 1416 the leif merket with (6) beris—aldermannus pro presenti
anno, one dene of gild, two appreciatores vinj, two seriandi gilde, four appreciatores
carnium, one bursator, thirty two of lie dusane.—Tr.)
October 1418.
[The Dusane.]
(In October 1418, on the leiffes of the gild courts merket with (9), the dusane
is callit "duodecim consules et limitatores."—Tr.)
October 1426.
[The Dusane.]
(In October 1426 ane lowse leif merket with (5) beris and callis the dusane
"duodene et limitatores terrarum burgi." —Tr.)
31 December 1428.
[In an Inventory of Writs removed from the Charter House to the Town
Clerk's Office in 1653, reference is made (p. 94) to a Charter, granted by King
James the First, under his Great Seal, whereby the King, with the consent of the
burgesses and merchants of Edinburgh, statuted and ordained that "in augmentatioun
of the fabrik and reparatioun of the port or herberie of Leith, thair sould be
vplifted ane certane tax or toll of all schippes and boites entering thairin."
The Charter is said to have been granted at Dunfermline of the above date. It
is not now, however, in the archives of the City; it does not appear in the Register
of the Great Seal; nor does it seem to be referred to in any of the other Inventories
of the Charters of the Burgh.
The taxes or tolls granted by this Charter, and specified in the Inventory, are
as follow:—]
[Toll of ships
and boats at
Leith.]
| | |
| For ilk serplare of woll and skynes, of friemen of the Kingis burrowes | iiij | d. |
| And of strangers and vnfriemen | viij | d. |
| Of ilk tun, of friemen | iiij | d. |
| And of strangers and vnfriemen | viij | d. |
| And of all vther thingis, pock pack and barrell, proportionallie
ansuerand to the serplare and to the tun | | |
| Of ilk last of hydes, of friemen | xvj | d. |
| And of strangers and vnfriemen | xxxij | d. |
| Of ilk chalder of corne malt or salt | iiij | d. |
| Of the chalder of collis | j | d. |
| Of ilk tune of girnale guidis, of friemen | iiij | d. |
| And of strangers | viij | d. |
| Of ilk last of beare, meall, and hering | viij | d. |
| Of the last of tarr | iiij | d. |
| Of the hundreth burdis | viij | d. |
| Of the hundred bowstaves | iiij | d. |
| Of the last of maid irne | viij | d. |
| Of the hundred plankis | viij | d. |
| And sua of vther lyke guidis | | |
| Item of hulkis and foircastellit schippis that comes in the heavin | x | s. |
| Of ilk creare busche berge and ballinger | v | s. |
| Item of ilk farcost | xij | d. |
| Of ilk greate boate with victuall or vther goodis | vj | d. |
| Item of ilk small boate | ij | d. |
| And sua of vther lyke thingis | | |
1 October 1431.
Counsale convening
Ordinatum est et assensum pro communi vtilitate quod si quis dicte
duodene premunitus ad comparendum et non comparuerit nec licentiatus soluet
preposito iiij d. pro absentia sua a consilio, leuandos per prepositum, et si non
leuant prepositus et decani, persoluent pro illis iiij den. consortibus consilii
ad vinum; et ista ordinatio stabit tantum pro anno. (Amang the leaffes of the
gild courts.—Tr.)
[It is ordained and agreed, for the common advantage, that if any one of the
said dusane be premonished to compear, and fail to compear, without leave of
absence, he shall pay to the provost fourpence for his absence from the council, to be
levied by the provost, and if the provost and deans do not levy it, they shall pay to
their colleagues of the council for them fourpence for wine; and this ordinance shall
stand for the year only.]
16 March 1431.
[See note by the original transcriber to the ordinance, dated 24th February
1436–7.]
18 December 1436.
Distributioun
and byeing of
the victuall
command
in at Leyth.
In the Tolbuith of Edinburgh xviij day of December the yeir of God jm
iiijc xxxvj, It is ordainit for commoun proffitt of the burgh that, after the cumming
in of ony schip enteret in the tolbuith with quheit mele rye malt beir
or any vitailes or viuouris, the alderman baillies and the counsale by this
vitaile of rationable pryce as thai may, and syne distribute be twa distributaris
sufficient to ansuer for thair deid to the commouns of the town, and gif ony
takkis on hand to bye this vitaile of derrere pryce na is bidden for it in the tolbuith,
without consent of the alderman bailyeis and counsale, the commouns
sall haif it for the price competent as thai bye that tyme vther als guid, and as
wes biddin thairfor in the tolbuith, and thai byares sall pay the merchant as thai
haif bocht at, and tyne thair fredome for a yeir. (Amang the lowse leiffes.—Tr.)
24 February 1436–7.
Closing of the commoun venell.
At Edinburgh in the Tolbuith the xxiiij day of Februar the yeir of God
[jmiiijc] xxxvj, Be the counsale and communitie of this burch it is appointit
consentit and ordanit that, for the commoun proffite of this towne, for till
eschew apperand greitt skaith, that the commoune venell of the burgh be
stekit and closit for a time on the commoun coste to be tane of the commoun
purse; and ilka tenement sallbe closit behind and on his coste and their cost
that awe the land, and thairto sall contribute ilk ane man dwelland in the tenement
as effeiris till him for his dwelling place. And this sall be done at the sicht
and devyse of xij discrete men of the burch thairto chosin, and quha beis obstinate
or inobedient to the fulfilling of this ordnance salbe compellit be thair
guids to fulfil be the alderman baillies and counsale of the towne. Thir are
the names of the men that ar ordanit to see the venell makin of the towne,
Will. Gray, etc. (This amang the lowse leiffes. Se the lyke act in the auldest
revin buik, 16 Martij 1431.—Tr.)
22 January 1437–8.
Frauchting of
ships. That na
guidis be
spaikit.
In the Tolbuith of Edinburgh the xxij day of the moneth of Januare the
yeir of God jmiiijc xxxvij, before the aldirman baillies counsale and mony of
the commouns, be thame wes statute and ordanit for commoun proffitte of the
towne that quhat men frauchtis ony schippis of Edinburgh to cum hamewart
or furthwart, the frauchtismen sall specifie in the frauchting of the schip and
in the chartour pairtie that thair be na gude woll nor skynnis spakit no
schorne, na hyddis kippit to be schorne vp, no [blank]. And quhat maister
dois or tholes the contrer to be done sall tyne the fraucht of tha gudis and
amend the skayth to the merchant at the sicht of merchants; and that na
schip be frauchtit bot that thar conditionis be contenit in the chartour pairtie
baith on this syde the sey and beyound; and gif ony frauchtis other on this
syde the see or beyound, ony schip and specifieis nocht thir conditiouns in the
chairtour pairtie [he] sall pay to the kirk wark v nobles but forgeving. Item, it
is statute that quhat persouns frauchtis a ship owtewart sall give a sek fraucht
to Sanct Rynanes Ile in Brugis, and quhat persouns frauchtis ane schip hame
wart thai sall gif a twn fraucht to St Geillis wark. (This amang the lowse leiffs.— Tr.)
1 June 1439.
Regrating of
victuals cum
in at Leyth.
The first day of June the yeir of God jm iiijc xxxix. In the
Tolbuith, before the Chancelare, be the alderman the baillies and the
counsale of the town and sundrie of the communitie, it is statute and
ordanit for commoun proffitt that quhasa brings victuale to Leyth sall be welcum
to sell thair victuale as thai best may and house it gif thai list, bot the
sercheour sall se quhat guids of victuall cumis in the heaven, and quha dressis
thame to bye that victuall sall sweir that thai sall nocht bye mair than may
suffice to the dispenssis of thair househald, and that thairof thai sall nocht sell
agane for wynning, and the schersuris sall ilk day certiefie the gouernance
in Leyth, and ane of the thre baillies sall laboure heirpoun in Leith, and
quhome thai find trespassand agains this ordinance efter the statute thairvpoun
maid thai salbe pvnist and the gudes eschetit anent the byare, and the schersuris
sall haue the lone of the escheitt thai find to be made after the nature
of the statutes. (Amang the lowse leiffes.—Tr.)
24 November 1442.
Watche.
In the Tolbuith be the dusane and the counsale of the town and be the
haill deliuerance of thame, It is ordanit that the towne be waket ilk nicht with
sex persouns watches this winter, and that the watchemen be tain and sett be
the baillies at the croce as thai wer wont to be.
Yettis closing.
Alswa, It is ordanit that the yettis of the towne be closit be twa seriandes
ilk nicht, that is to say, Jhone Scheyare and James Cartar, and that the saidis
yettis be steiket be thane ilk nicht at couerfure tyme, and oppinit be fyve
houris in the morning, and that the said twa seriandes sall haif to thir fie of ilk
fyre hous and of the best of the towne ij d. and of the simplare, folk, j d. Item
that the towne be closit as it wes wont to be. (Lowse leffes of this daitt.—Tr.)
4 December 1442.
Custome of
ilk boitt.
Item it is ordanit that Oswald Gilmoreson baillie of Leyth sall raise ij d.
of custome of like boitt that cummis in the havin, efter the tenour of the
Kings lettres, gif the boite bringis any gudes within the heavin, and Thome of
Prestoun hcs tane on hand to assist to the said Oswald in the raising of the
said custome and to ger it be payet to him; for the quhilk caus the counsale
has grantit to the said Thome of Prestoun the proffitt that cummis of the said
ij d. of custome of this instant yeir that cummis and for na langer. (Amang the
auld leiffes of this daitt.—Tr.)
9 April 1443.
Baxters.
Mayne breid.
It is statute and ordainit that a baxter baik na mayne breid to sell fra
hine furthwart, saiffing allenarly at Witsounday, Sanct Geillis messe, Yule,
and Pasche; and that the said breid sall nocht be sauld at nane of the said
festivall tymes bot endurand aucht days, that is to say begynnand at the evin
of ilk ane of the said feists and endurand quhill that day awcht dayes, and gif
any mayne breid be sauld any vther tyme it sall be chete, and the said baxteris
sall nocht bake the said mayne forowtyn pase to be given to thame be the
baillies. (Amang the auld leiffes.—Tr.)
25 September 1445.
[By Letters Patent granted by King James the Second, under his Great Seal, of
the above date, the King, for the common good and public service, and also for the
preservation and security of ships and goods coming in at the Port of Leith, the
want of repairing whereof had occasioned great damages through shipwreck,
statuted and ordained, with consent of the burgesses and merchants of Edinburgh,
for enlarging and repairing of the said Port, that they should take and uplift
the following customs during his pleasure.
In the Inventory of Writs removed from the Charter House to the Town
Clerk's Office in 1653, before alluded to, these Letters Patent are described as a
Charter for uplifting of the tax or toll of the Port of Leith, for the use and in manner
specified in the charter of date 31st December 1428. The following Table, it
will be observed, is nearly the same with that given under date 1428.]
[Custom of
ships and boats at Leith.]
Customs from every ship, bark, and boat entering the Port of Leith, viz:—
| | |
| Of ilk serplare of woll and skynis:— | | |
| Of freimen of the Kingis burowis | iiij | d. |
| And of strangearis and vnfremen | viij | d. |
| Of ilk tone:— | | |
| Of freemen | iiij | d. |
| Of strangearis and vnfremen | viij | d. |
| And of all vther things, pok, pak, and barel, proportionably
ansuarand to the serplare and to the tone | | |
| Of ilk last of hides:— | | |
| Of freemen | xvj | d. |
| Of strangearis and vnfremen | xxxij | d. |
| Of ilk chaldir of corne, malt, or salt | iiij | d. |
| Of ilk chaldir of colys | j | d. |
| Of ilk tune of grynnale gudis | | |
| Of freemen | iiij | d. |
| Of strangearis | viij | d. |
| Of ilk last of bere, meal, and hering | viij | d. |
| Of ilk last of terr | iiij | d. |
| Of the hundir burdis | viij | d. |
| Of the hundir bow-stàafis | iiij | d. |
| Of the last of esmounde irne (fn. 1) | viij | d. |
| Of the hundir plankis and treyis (fn. 2) | viij | d. |
| Of the chaldir of lime | ij d. (fn. 3) | |
| And sua of other like gudis
Item, of hulkis and forecastellit shipps that commys in the havin
or in the raide | x | s. |
| Of ilk crayer, bushe, barge, and balingare | v | s. |
| For ilk fercost | xij | d. |
| For ilk grete bait with victale, or othir gudis | vj | d. |
| For ilk small boat | ij | d. |
| And sua of othir lik thingis. | ij | d. |