1513
17 January 1512–13.
Anent the Pest.
JAMES be the grace of God king of Scottis to the provest and baillies
of our burgh Edinburgh greting: Wit ye that with the avys of our counsale
for stancheing of the contagious plaige of pestilence now ringing in dyners
plcaes within this our realm, and be Goddis grace to eschew siclyk and
apperand caus of the samyn in tyme cuming, safer as may be done with dili
gence of men, hes deuysit thir statuis and rewlis to be maid and keipit anent
the samyn in tyme cuming as eftir followis: oure will is heirfoir and we charge
yow straitlie and commandsis that ye mark the saidis statutis and rewlis be kepit
within the boundis of your office, that is to say, that ye incontinent in our
name and authoretie command and chairge be oppin proclamation at the
mercat croce of our said burgh all and sindry our lieges and subjectis, and
alsua strangearis of all vther natiouns resorting within this realme, that nane
of thame tak vpoun hand to bring within this oure realme, ilis or ony pairt
thairof be sey or land, ony infectit guidis fra vther pairtis, bot that thay mak
scharp tryall and dillgence to eschew the samyn, bnder the pain of deid; and
gif ony thair vnwitting happins to bring ony infectit stuf necligentile that thay
incontinent revele the samyn to the provest elderman baillies or officiaris of the
place quhair thay arrive, and vse the command of the said officiaris thairin in
eschewin the dainger thairof, vnder the pain of deid foirsaid; alssua that na
infecttit persoun or persouns man or woman our lieges or strangeris being
infectit or cumin fra ony infectit places or persouns or intromitting with ony
infectit persounis or gudis cum to kirk mercat priuelie or appertlie be day or
nicht or intromet or convers with clene folkis vnder the pain of deis; alssua
that na persoun nor persouns of quhatsumeuer estait or degrie close in thair
houssis, or put to ony vther places be the provest eldermen baillies or officiaris
of the burgh or land quhair thay ar, cum furth of thair houssis or places that
thay ar or sal happin to be put to be nivht or day, bot that
thay ar or sal happin to be nicht or day, bot that thay keip that
waird and houssis committit to thame vnder the pain of deid; Attour all sic
infectit persouns as God relevis thame of pestilence and givis thame heall that
thay convers nocht nor hant nocht with haill folkis for the soeice of xl dayis
thairirefter, without he haif ane quhyt vand in thair hand, or ane quhyt claith
sewit vpoun thair brestis, in taikin of thair seiknes gif thay cum furth that
vther clane folkis may eschew thame, vnder the pain of deid forsaid; alssua
that the houssis ane qubyt claith, in taikin of thair said
houssis ane quhyt claith, in taiken of thair infectioun, and that ye within your
boundis ane quhyt claith, in taikin of thair infectioun, and that ye within your
boundis se that beis fundin doing or attemping to do contrar the premissis
statutis and ordinance maid be ws and our counsall for the weill of our realme
and lieges be ony maner of way in tyme cuming efter the day and the dait
heirof that ye within all your boundis mak thay suspectiti persouns be on force
put in sure fermance, and amang vtheris suspectiit personis thair to remane quhill
thai be put to ane assys and gyf thai be convict of ony of the said pointtis
and articlis that ye put the samyn to excution of deid; Attource that ye caus
clengeing to be maid delegentlie of all suspectit personis and guidis,
gyf ony be at this tyme, or happinis to be in tyme cuming within the boundis
of your office, and tak deligent cure and mak scharp execution heirin as ye
will ansuer to ws thairvpoun, and vnder the pane of dittay to be takin of yow
for youee necligence buddis or favoris to be pvnist with rigour and ye be
fundin necligent or culpabill heirin; Attourece that ye caus all vile and suspect
beistis, as doggis swyn, and cattis expecft thame that ar keipit in bandis, to be
slane quhairewer thai may be apprehendit within your said boundie the tyme
of pestilence, gyf ony happinsi, the quhilkis salbe fre to be slane be all personis
officiaris or vtheris that findis thame lous for the tyme, without ony amendis to
be maid thairfoir to the pairtie; Attoure that ye in our name command and
charge be oppin proclamatioun all our liegis within the boundis of your office
to clenge rewes, windis, closis, and guttaris, bayth on baksyd and foresyd, ilk ane
of thame for thair avin pairt, within foure dayis nixt efter your chargem vnderu
the pane of ane vnlaw of fyve merkis, and to be takin vp and appliit to you
and officiaris of our said burgh for the clengeing of the samyn, and that na
personis lay middingis at portis or entres of oure said burgh vnder the said
pane, and als that all our liegis cum and vse merchandice and bring to oure
mercat all necessaris for merket and court, and that everie man answer for his
seruandis twiching the observatioun of all thair statutis, vnder the samyn
panis; and that ye suffer na beggaris to remane within our said burgh bot thai
that has ane takin gevin be yow to thame, and thai to be impotent aged
or blind folkis, that ar nocht abill to wyn thari leving within the realme vtherwayis, as ye will ansuer to ws thairvpoun. The quhilk to do we commiy to yow
coniunctle and seuerall eoure full power be thir our lettres. Gevin vnder your
signet at Edinburgh the xvij day of Januar, and of our regnne the xxv yeir.
De speciali mandato S.D.N.Regis literatiorie per suam subscriptionem
manualem, etc. Et principalis litera est posita in domo thesaurari villa in
custodia. [By the special command in writing of our Sovereign Lord in King
by his sign manual: And the principal letter is put in keeping in the house of
the treasurer of the town.] (This lettre contenit in the said bulk—ane gild
bulk.—Tr.)
15 June 1513.
[Pest. Dene and other suspect places.]
Item, it is statute and ordanit be the provest baillies and counsale of this
town, till eschew the contagious seikness of pestilence laitlie rissin in the Dene,
that na maner of persoun man nor woman dwelland thairintill enter or repair
within this towne, vnder the payne, of birning gif it be a woman on the cheik,
ang gif it bea man of sic pvnitioun as sall be thocht expedient. Item, that
na maner of persoun of vther infectit places dwelland outwith this towne enter
or repair thairintill without speciall licence of the provest and baillies, vnder
the paynis contenit in the statutes maid before; and als that the nichtboures
and indwellares of this towne nather ressaitt harbery hele or conceill thame in
thair houses vnder the said payne.
19 August 1513.
Flowdoun.
The quhilk day, the provest baillies counsale and communitie, fo the commoun
weill and proffeit of the toun, and guid reull thairintill to be had efter
thair passage to the Kingis armye, and for that intent thai haue lymlt chosin
and left behind thame George of Towris, president, for the prouest, Robert Brus,
William Lokkart, William Adamesoun and William Clerk, for the baillies, till
haue full jurisdictioun in thair absence til do justice, mak statutis neidfull for
the commouen weill, and punis trespassouris as they think convenient for the
quantitie of the trespas; and at ilk nycht thai cheis and gar mak ane sufficient
wache for the keiping of the toun be the personis that happenis to remane at
hame, the quarter of thame ilk nycht; and quhat persone hapinis till disobey till
pas vpoun the said wache ilk ferd nycht that thai be put in presone thair till
remane quhill the provestis hame cumming.
25 August 1513.
Fruit selling.
It is statute and ordanit for the commoun proffeit that na fruit seller be
fundyn opinlie selland frute or vthir stufe at the mercat croce nor vther places
outwith thair awin houssis efter ix houris at evin, vnder the pane of escheit of
thair frute and punisching of thair personis.
Vagand personis.
Item, it is statutt and ordanitt, for the commoun weill and proffeitt of the
inhabitaris and nychtbouris of this toun, that na vagand persoun be fundin on
the gaitt after ix°houris at ewin bot gif it be for ane lawful caus, and that
with candill licht, and that the personis havand sic lawfull caus pas with licht
as said is and schaw thame to the wache present for the tyme that thai may
convene thair; and quhat persoun beis apprehendit be the wache doand in the
contrair that the wache tak thame and put thame in firmance quhill on the
morn, and than be punist be the saidis personis haivand the provest and baillies
facultie tharito as mycht mak acts, according to thair demeritts; and that all
maner of personis pas to our Souerane Lordis army vnder the panys contenit
in the procalmatioun maid thairvpoun of befoir.
26 August 1513.
Watche.
It is statute and ordanit be the personis aboue written, presidentis, for the
prouest baillies and counsall, for the commoun weill, that all personis that remains
at hame fra our Souerane Lordis armye that thai compeir in thair quarter place
of the toun the tyme of the calling of the wache for the Kingis honour and
keiping of the toun and commoun proffeit thairof, that thair names may be put
in writt in the wache buke, that other thai may be found heir thairintill or in
the wache buke with thair provest, vnder the panys contenit in our Souerane
Lordis procalamtioun maid abefoir vpoun the foirganging of his armye.
29 August 1513.
Statute for Pestilince.
It is statute and ordanit, for the commoun proffeit ans weill of this toun,
and all vthers our Souerane [Lordis] liegis, for the eschewing be the supplie grace
and help of Almichte God the dainger of that contagious seikness of pestlince,
that in tyme to cum for the space of xv dayis that all merchandis that hes merchand
buithis hald thame clositt, and contract na maner of merchandice byand
or selland, and speciale of woll hyd claith skynnis bot alanerlie the stuf of meit
and drink, and that alway thai hald thair wyndois steikit and clositt, and thair
durris nocht be opinit bot for ane ressonable caus, vnder the panys as salbe thocht
to the wisdome of the toun convenit thairfore.
5 September 1513.
Floddoun.
We charge straitlie and commandis in our Souerane Lord the Kingsi name
that all maner of personis that ar cummyng fra his army that thai address thame
and returne agane thairto, and that all nychtbouris of this toun fensabill
personis that thai siclyke pas in thair best aray bodin for weir till our said Sourerane
Lordis army, and present thame to the prouest of this toun, vnder the panys contenit
in our Souerane Lordis lettres direct vpoun the foirganging of his army, viz.
tynsal of lyfe land and guid, certifeand that the names of all sic fensabill personis
habill for weir remanend at hame fra the said army salbe put in writt that thai
may be responsabill to our Souerane Lordis returning be Goddis grace hame agane.
10 September 1513.
Procalmatio.
We do yow to witt, Forsamekill as thair is ane greit rumour now laitlie
rysin within this toun tuiching our Souerane Lord and his army, (fn. 1) of the quhilk
we understand thair is cumin na veritie as yit, thairfore we charge straitlie and
commandis in our said Souerane Lord the Kingis name, and the presedentis
for the provest and baillies within this burgh, that all maner of personis nychtbouris
within the samyn haue reddye thair fensabill geir and wapponis for weir,
and compeir thariwith to the said presidentis at jowyng of the commoun bell,
for the keiping and defens of the toun aganis thame that wald invalid the samyn.
And als charigis that all wemen, and specialie vageboundis, that thai pas
to thair labouris and be nocht sene vpoun the gait clamorand and cryand, vnder
the pane of banesing of the personis but fauouris, and that the vther wemen of
gude pas to the kirk and pray quhane tyme requiris for our Souerane Lord and
his armye and nychtbouris being thairat, adn hald thame at thair previe labouris
of the gait within thair houssis as efferis.
13 September 1513.
Distrublance.
Dauid Broun is be the sensyment of the presidents, for the provest baillies
and counsale, banist this towne indurand thair will for the distrublance done
thairintill be him till ane Scottisman twicheing the clame of ane swerid, and
for the breking of the procalamtion for pece and the statutes of the towne.
(In the convict buik begynning in Julij 1505.—Tr.)
Blude.
The said day Jhone Thomesoun is in lukewyse for his comtemptioun and
breking of the said proclamatioun and statutis in distrublance and drawing of
blude of Sande Willesoun cordiner is convict, and thairfore he wes denuncit to
be had to the trone and thair strikkin throw the hand and banist the towne
induring thair willis. (Ibidem.Tr.)
30 September 1513.
Ane priest maid burges.
Archibald Dowglas erle of Anguis, Provest.—
Magister Gavinus Dowglas prepositus ecclesie collegiate Beati Egidij
hujusmodi burgi effectus est burgenssis pro cummuni bono ville gratis.
[Master Gavin Douglas, provost of the collegiate church of St Giles of this
Burgh, is made burgess, gratis, for the common benefit of the town.]
4 October 1513.
Swyne.
The baillies and counsale hes ordanit that na swyne within this towne be
haldin bot into band, or ellis devoyde thame furth of the towne, betuix this and
Sonday nixttocum, vnder the payne of banesing of the awneris and slawchter of
the sawyne quhairuir thai may be fundin within this toun, after the effect of the awld statutes maid thairvpoun.
Fruit crames.
Item, that na fruitt be sawld commonlie on the hie streitts, nor yitt that na
cramys be haldin tharivpoun vnder the payne of escheitt.
4 December 1513.
Statute watching Wedois. Watching.
It is statute and ordanit be the president baillies ad counsale
for the commoun weill of this guid toun that the watche sall be nychtlie had of xxiiij
personis sufficient, and thairfor that all personis nychtbouris of this toun sall
furnis the samyn on thair expenssis, baith wedowis and vtheris, and ilk ane of
thame that disobeys is sall pay twa s. for ane vnlaw vnforgevin, and to be poyndit
thairfore als oft as the case hapinis, and that thai that hes disobeyit in tyme
bygane pay for ilk tyme viij d. failyeand thairof thati to be poyndit for ij s .ilk
tyme.
6 December 1513.
Seal of Cause to Cordiners.
[In an Act of Council, dated 1st February 1586, which prescribes certain constitutions for the coordiners, reference is made to a Seal of Cause having benn granted
to them by the Magistrates and Council, of the above date, in which they "limitt and
ordanet certane persouns maisters and oversmen of the said craft, sworne in thair
presence, quha suld euery market day diligentlie serche, visie and sie sll maid wark
and barket ledder cummand and presentet in the market, and it that they find
sufficeient till mark it; and quhair they find fals feyngyeit wark or barket ledder, the
sercheris till bring it to the provest and baillies for the tyme, and at the will of
thame to escheit the stufe faltive, and the persouns to pvneis as effeires, sua that the
Kings's lieges be nocht dissavit: and that na sic stufe be sauld on the market-day
quhill the sercheris have visit the samyn. Nor yit that nane be stoikkin up to sell
quhill seven houris at somer and nine houris in wynter before none, vnder the
payne of escheit and pvnesing the persouns as said is. And that na outlands folk
dwelland without this burgh, nor unfreeman by any rwch hydes nor barkit ledder
within this toun bot on the market-day allernarlie, vnder the payne above written.
And attour, for certane resonabill causis moving thair predecessours, bayth for
honestie of the said burgh and profit of the said stufe, maid wark and others perteining
to the said craft, they locat, limitt, and ordanet the market place for selling of
thair work and vther stufe foresaid in the market day in the Kowgaitt, fra the new
well to the Grayfreris allenarly, as at lenth is containet in the said letter, " or
Seal of Cause.]