1574, Oct-Dec
8 October 1574.
Counsalouris, tovne.
It is statute be the baillies and counsall that vpoun all counsall dayes
efter Alhaloumes nixt, the baillies and counsallouris, dene of gild,
thesaurer, enter in the counsalhous euery Wadnisday and Fryday be ten
houris befoir none for resonyng vpoun the commoun effaires, ilk persoun
vnder the payne of xviij d. to the pure, and that thay bring with thame
syde govnis of blak, ilk persoun vnder the payne of ten lib.
Frauchting of schippis, saillaris.
Bryntiland.
The baillies and counsall foirsaidis statutis and ordanis that fra this
day furth thair be na schippis frauchtit bot in the counsalhous or clarkis
chalmer, and that thair be present at the frauchting of euery schip ane
baillie, the dene of gild, ane of the counsall, at leist, with the clark, and
that na vtheris be present bot thay alanerlie, without vther merchant,
vnder the payne of fyve pundis; and siclike that na privie frauchting be
betuix merchant and merinar vnder the payne foirsaid, and that na
merinar resave ony persoun with thair schip bot as sal delyuer to him
the baillies tikket, or clarkis, subscryvit at thair command, vnder the payne
foirsaid; and this without preiudice of our Souerane Lordis and the
Regentis Grace actioun aganis the saidis skippouris or merinaris in cais
thay carry away ony rebellis or wicked personeis quhilkis ar forbiddin to
be ressett among the kingis gude lieges, and that nane lose, laid, nor
fraucht in Bryntiland vnder pane of confiscatioun of thair guddis and
tynsale of thair fredome.
Kirk of Feild stepill.
The baillies and counsall, vnderstanding the ministeris luging in the
kirk yaird to be desolat of certain greitt tymmer, quhilk can nocht be had
for this present for money, and knawing that siclike tymmer is rottand
and consumand vpon the heid of the Kirk of Feild steipill, thay ordane
Dauid Kynloche, baxter, to tak doon the said tymmer, and bestow it
vpoun the said wark with all diligence, and this present ordinance to be
his releif.
Villa, Minister Makcanquhell.
The baillies and counsall, vnderstanding maister Walter Mackanquhell,
minister, to be desyrit of vther tovnes to be with thame, and lairge
stepend promeist, and knawing the penuritie of ministeris within this
burgh, the daylie incres of the pepill zelous of Godis glorie, they ordane
Henry Neisbitt, maister Michell Chesholme, Alexander Vddart, and Dauid
Kynloche, to travell with the said maister Walter to remane within this
tovne for the releif and help of vther ministeris, and to feill his mynde
concernyng his stepend, and to repoirt his ansuer the nixt counsall day.
Maister Mackanquhall stepend.
[The bailies, council, and deacons of craft] vnderstanding be repoirt
of the nychtbouris laitlie direct to maister Walter Mackanquhall, minister,
that the said maister Walter wald glaidlie and with gude will serue this
tovne be his vocatioun of ministrie accepted glaidlie quhat stepend thay
plesit appoynt him: Quhairfoir thay all in ane voce ordanit thair collectouris
of the ministrie, present and tocum, to delyuer yeirlie to the said maister
Walter for his stepend, during thair willis, the sovme of ane hundreth
pundis of the radiest of the rentis and dewties of the said ministrie, the
first termes payment to be and begyn at Martymes nixt, and fra thyne
furth to indure, as said is.
15 October 1574.
Leith, pest, Wilsoun.
The baillies and counsall vnderstanding the pest to be vehement in
Londoun, and that a Frenche man laitlie cum thairfra, arryvit att Leith,
lugit in Robert Wilsonis hous thair, is presentlie seik, quhairfoir thay
command the said Robert with his hail famelie to keip thame clois within
thair housis be the space of aucht dayes, or langer quhil thay be tryit
quhat followis vpon the said seiknes.
Frauchting of schippis.
The baillies and counsall ordanis the act for frauchting of schippis,
of the dait the aucht day of October instant, be obseruit; eikand thairto,
that at the frauchting of schippis the frauchtaris sall geve na hear pryces
for lycht gudes or more chairge nor sevin frankis ourheid frie of avarice
and all vther chairgis; and that catioun sal be taikin of the maister, awner,
or skipper that na merchant be resauit at the portis of France of Flanderis
quhil farther ordour be takin.
26 October 1574.
Proclamatio, pest.
The baillies and counsall vnderstanding the pest to incres in Kirkcaldie and Leith, ordanis proclamatioun to be maid throu this tovne,
and vpoun the peir and hawin of Leith, that na maner of persoun,
inhabitant of this burgh, nor vtheris resoirtand to and fra the samyn,
vse ony kynde of trafficque with the induellaris of the said tovne of
Leith or Kirkcaldie, nor nane of the saidis tovnis resoirt to this tovne,
nouther ony boitis or pepill of the said tovne of Kirkcaldie, thair gudes
or geir, to be resauit or resett in the said tovne of Leith, quhil this
present proclamatioun be dischairgit and new license grantit, vnder the
payne of deid.
Wed wyffis dischargit.
The baillies and counsall ordanis proclamatioun to be maid through
the toun discharging all maner of wed wyffis, and vther personis vsing
that kynd of trafique, of vsing thairof vnder the pane of birning in
the cheik and banissing of the toun for the first, and vnder the pane of
deid for the nixt, but favouris.
Anent seik personis.
The baillies and counsall ordanis proclamatioun to be maid charging
all maner of personis within this burgh that sa sone as ony fallis seik
within thair housis, quhatsoevir seiknes that euir it be, without exceptioun of personis, that thay incontinent inclois thame selfis, keip thame
clois, and vse na trafique with thair nychtbouris, and with all diligence
aduerteis the baillies thairof, and keip the order that salbe appoyntit be
the saidis baillies, vnder the pane of deid.
Watche, portis.
The baillies and counsall ordanis that all the portis of this burgh be
closit during the tyme of this seiknes, except the Netherbow and West
port alanerly, and that thay be not oppinnit befoir sax houris in the
morning, and closit at sax houris at evin, and that every day thair be a
watch of sax men of the nychtbouris, or vpoun thair chargis, as the
baillies sall think best.
27 October 1574.
Proclamatioun, vagaboundis.
The baillies and counsale ordanis proclamatioun to be maid chargeing
all vagabondis and idill personis to remove thame selffis of this toun and
boundis thairof, within xlviij howris, vnder the pane of scourging and
birning on the cheik.
Villa, pest, Senys.
The baillies and counsale ordanis officiaris to certifie Henry Kincaid
pretendit possessouris, that gyf the seiknes incres, as God forbyd, thay
will according to thair richt and auld possessioun place their seik folkis
in the said Senys, and thairfor that he remove him self, his seruandis and
guddis, in tyme, gyf he ony hes within the said place.
3 November 1574.
Abircrumby, assessour.
In presens of the baillies and counsale, maister Jhonne Abircrumbye,
aduocat, is admyttit and suorne assessour to the gude toun for the yeir to
cum, and ordanis the thesaurer to ansuer him of his pentioun of x lib.
15 November 1574.
Forest, pest.
The baillies and counsale electis and cheissis Jhonne Forrest, cordinar, to maister clenger of the folkis mendit of the pest, and to haue
the charge of thair guddis and of the tovne mure, and to have monethlie
for himself and his seruand, sa lang as thay serue vpoun the said mure, sax
pundis; and ordanis the thesaurer to gyf him ane monethis wages in
hand, for the quhilk he sal be haldin to keip the peple vnder his charge
fra the company of the infect personis, clenge thair gudes in sufficient
maner; and gyf ony infectioun salhappin efter, through insufficient
clengeing of the saidis guddis, he to suffer the deith thairfor.
Precept, the saurer.
The baillies and counsale ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to by ane
caldroun for clenging of the foull guddis, and to furnys all vther neces
saries for the clene and foull mwre; and the expenssis debursit thairvpoun
sall be allowit in his compttis.
20 November 1574.
Protestio Hendersoun.
In presens of [the bailies and council,] Robert Hendersoun, cherurgeane,
for himself and in name of the hale craftis and dekynnis of craftis, [appeared]
and protestyt that in sa fer as he and James Inglis, skynner, being tua of the
counsale were nocht maid priue to the electioun of the commissaris lait
send to Striueling to the conventioun of burrois, for remeid, and dissassentit to all things done in the said conventioun and heirupoun askit actis.
Villa, Hallyroudhous.
The baillies and counsale foresaid, vnderstanding that the Abbot
of Hallyrude hous is bigand and closand vp the passages in the Abbay
kirkyaird, quhilk may be impedyment to oure Soueraine Lordis lieges
to resort to the toun, quhairfore they ordane Alexander Vddert, Henry
Nisbet, of the counsale, and James Young, cutler, dekyn of the smythis,
to pass to the said Abbot in the Abbay, and desyr him to mak the saidis
passages patent of the auld maner, betuix and thre efternone, failling
thairof thay wald cum and reforme the samyn: and to report his ansuer
incontinent. Quhilk personis, efter commvnyng with the said Abbot and
agane returnyt, declarit that thair willis sould be obeyit according to
thair desyre, quhilk wes done.
26 November 1574.
Leyth, pure, precept, Ros.
The baillies and counsale ordanis xl bollis of meill to be bocht in this
merket and send to Leyth, to be distributit be the baillies thairof amangis
the pure and seik personis vpoun the linkis; and ordanis the baillies of
this toun, of the radeast of thair vnlawis, to refound the prices thairof
to James Ros.
4 December 1574.
Clipping hous.
The baillies and counsale seing the evill money to incres, ordanis the
clipping hous to be set vp agane at the mercat croce, and Nychole Sym,
goldsmyth, to enter thairto incontinent.
11 December 1574.
Regent, villa, salt.
The baillies and counsale ordanis Nichole Vddert, James Ros, Robert
Abircromby, Thomas Aikinheid, maister Mychaell Chisholme, and James
Dalzell, to pass the morne to Dalkeyth to my Lord Regenttis Grace, and
aggre with his Grace for the salt to be careit furth of the realme.
22 December 1574.
Villa, Regent, Bulzeoun.
[The bailies and council] efter lang reasonyng in the cause of the
bulzeoun, movit be my Lord Regenttis Grace to thame, ordanis the said
Nycholace Vddert, Jhonn Arnot, James Ros, Henry Nysbet, Robert
Abircromby, and Thomas Aikinheid, to pass the morne to my Lord Regenttis in Dalkeyth, and forther to reasoun and conclude with him anent
the said bulzeoun.
24 December 1574.
Dekynuis, articles.
Followis the articlis producit be the dekynnis of craftis before the
baillies and counsale foresaid, quhilk thay ordane to be registrat.
The articles to be proponit and gevin in be the dekynis and craftismen to my loird provest baillies and counsale of this burgh desyring
the samyn articles to be considerit for ane gude ordour to be
obseruit in this commoun weill in tyme cumyng.
In the first, that the act and ordinance to be maid anent the burgessis
toward the rasing of thair burgeschip to xx lib. and gildry to xl libris,
that it be maid be ane minute to be gevin be the deaconis as the saidis
provest and counsall desyrit thame to do, the quhilk minute was gevin
in to Alexander Guthre, commoun clark, twa syndry tymes desyring thairfoir that the act to be maid heirefter thairanent be maid according to the
minute vtherwayes that na burgesschippis nor gildrie be raisit heichar nor
thay war of befoir.
Secundlie, desyris that thair be na vote nor electioun in the chesing
of the provest, baillies, dene of gild, thesaurer, nor vther officiar and
member of court bot sa mony as is ordanit be the act of parliament as
alsua be the act and ordinance maid be the commissionaris of burrowis
thairanent, haldin at Edinburgh the feird day of Aprile the yeir of God
1m ve fyfty twa zeris, and we to have ane vote ilk ane of us alsweill in
the electing as in the lyting according to the act of parliament maid be
King James the second or at the leist ane of euery craft quhilk wil be ma
in nomber nor the dekynis swa that your assissouris be na law nor resoun
that is knawin aucht to haif ony vote thairin.
Thridlie, quhairas euery zeir thair is chosin twelf lytes to be baillies
and thairefter ar devydit in foure pairtis quhilk is thrie in euery pairt of
foure, desyris that they may be chosin as apperandlie aucht to be, that is
of the haill twelf ane off aleven ane vther off ten the thrid and of the
nynt and rest the feird and nocht ane of euery thrie be the quhilk ordour
thay wil be gottin maist qualefeitt and abill in that maner.
Feirdlie, desyris that at the nominatioun and electing of the commissionaris of this burgh in tyme cuming, that we may be wairnit and
have vote thairintill sen we are ane pairt of the commoun weill of this
burgh, and mon sustene oure pairt of the burding and all portatill chargis
thairintill as vtheris nyctbouris dois, and that thairby we may knaw the
cause quhairfoir the commissioun is gevin alsweill in the begynning as quhat
succedis and happynis to be done thairefter.
Fifthly, that thair be na officiaris within this burgh nor na collectour
chosin for ingaddering of the anuelles quhilkis pertenit to the freiris,
chaiplanis, and vtheris commoun rentis within this burgh, bot the advyse
and consent of the counsall and ws had thairto, and we to haif vote
thairintill and to be wairnit be the officer of counsall to that effect lyke
as has bene vsit towardis vtheris officiaris, quhilk ordour as we vnderstand hes nocht bene obseruit, alsua that as quhen ony office or benefice
happynis to vaik, that oure votis may be haid towardis the dispositioun
thairof.
Dekynnis, articles.
Sextlie, desyris thair be na dispositioun nor away putting of ony the
commoun gude of the tovne without the avyse and consent of ws, and that
the compte of the same commoun gude be sene and considerit zeirlie
that it may be knawin gif the samyn be bestouit for the commoun weill
of the burgh or nocht, and to that effect wairnyng to be made zeirlie
that all they that plesis and aucht to cum for examenying of the saidis
comptes may be present at the hering thairof that thay may resoun thairvpoun and as neid beis to impugne and obiect aganis the samyn that
thairby all murmour and occasioun thairof may ceis, and gude ordour
continew for the commoun weill of this burgh in tyme cuming, alsua
desyris that the comptes of the thesaurary of this burgh the zeiris lxxij
and lxxiij as alsua of all vtheris restand awand to the tovne may be
veseit sene and examinat and perfyte compte to be haid thairof as efferis.
And that the ordour quhilk sould haif bene maid anent the premissis
may be resonit and put in forme, subscryvit, and registrat, and we to haif
the authentik copy thairof subscryvit with us in keping in respect your
wisdomes ar ane pairt of the contractaris and we the vther.
Desyring your wisdomes richt hertlie to considder the articlis foirsaidis aggreabill to resoun and gude conscience and to geve ansueir
thairto in sic maner as ane gude ordour may be obseruit in this commoun
weill and all murmour and ocasioun thairof stayitt in tyme cumyng.
The samyn day the baillies and counsall foirsaidis promesis to geve
ansuer to the saidis articles betuix and Candilmes nixt or Fasteranis evin
nixt thairefter at the ferrest, and James Young and Dauid Kynloche,
dekynis, askit instrumentis.
Proclamatioun, wyne sek.
The baillies and counsall ordanis proclamatioun to be maid as of
befoir throuch this tovne, be sound of bell, and charge that na wyne sek
be sauld darrer nor fyve schillingis sax penneis; and ordanis the tavern
durris to be haldin oppin, and the said wyne sauld commounlie to all oure
Souerane Loirdis liegis, vnder the payne of ten lib. sa oft as they faill.