1580, Jul-Sept
1 July 1580.
Proclamatio, dry fische bying.
Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh and throw the
towne of Leyth, peir and schore thairof, dischairgeing all manner of personis
to by any dry fische to sell and cowpe agane aboue twa dayis, to serue
the mercatis quhill the pepill and cuntrey quha lykes to by for the sustentatioun of their houssis be first staiket, vender the payne of confiscatioun of
the said fische and pvnisment of the byeris in their persounis at the will
of the prouest and baillies of this burgh.
Commissioneris to the Generall Assembly.
Namet and constitute, with avyse of the minister, eldares, and
deikynes of the kirk of this burgh, maister James Lowsoun, minister, and
Jhone Jhonestoun of Elphinstoun, thair procuratouris and commissioneris
in the Generall Assembly of the Kirkis of this realme to be haldin and
begun in Dundie the xij of this instant, with power to voit, conclude, and
determinat with the rest of the commissioneris and ministeris of this
realme in all thingis concerning the glory of God and welfair of the kirk.
Commissioneris to the Conuentioun of Burrowis.
Namet and constitute Henry Chairteris and James Nicoll, merchantis,
thair procuratouris and commissioneris to compeir in the Convention of
Burrowes to be haldin and begun in Abirdene the xj of this instant, and
in thair names to ressoun, intreat, conclude and determyne in all materis
concerning the glory of God, well of this realme, and of the merchand
estaitt thairof.
Proclamatioun, wawpinschawing.
Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh on Mononday
nixt wairning all nychtboures to prepair thame selffis for the day of the
wawpinschawing, quhilk is the xx day of this instant, with sufficient
armour, ilk persoun vnder the payne of [blank] and vnder the paynes
contenit in the actis of parliament.
5 July 1580.
Precept, thesaurer, commissioneris to the Generall Assemblie and Conventioun.
Ordanis Andro Steuinsoun, theasurer, to deliuer to maister James
Lowsoun, minister, and Jhone Jhonestoun, collectour, commissioneris of
the guid toun and kirk at the Generall Assembly in Dundie, the sowm of
fourty li. vpoun compt and rekning to be thair expenssis, and siclyke to
deliuer to Henry Chairteris and James Nicoll vther fourty li. to be thair
expenssis in Abirdene as commissioneris to the Conventioun of Burrowes
vpon compt and rekning.
8 July 1580.
Rex, Fullertoun, cawtioun, merchantis pilleit.
Ordanis the lettre vnderwrittin producet be my lord provest to be
insert and registrat in the counsale buik of this burgh for the townis
wairand, of the quhilk lettre the tenour followes:—Rex. Provest, baillies,
and counsale of our bruch of Edinburgh, we greit yew weill. Forsamekill
as we ar surylie informit that Adame Fullwertoun, yet burges, the tyme of
his being in Ingland with our commissioun suittand redres of the spuiloyeis,
reiffis, and wrangis committet and done be the Inglis pirattis vpoun the
sey vpoun our subiectis, has obtenit and gottin grite sowmes of money in
satisfactioun and compositioun thairof, quhairof loyale can nocht be had
gudlie at this present, and thairfoir maister Jhone Provand [and seven
others] for thame selffis and in name and behalf of the rest of our saidis
subiectis quhilkis hes bene spuilzeit be the saidis Inglis pirattis as said is,
myndis and is of purpose to send to Ingland to haif the perfyte knawlege
quhat sowmes the said Adame has resauet in compositioun and satisfactioun thairfoir, and thairefter to intent actioun aganis him for the samyn,
and he fering to cum in trouble thairfoir, tendis, as we are creditablie
informet, to depairt of our realme and to transport himselff and his familie
to the pairtis of Flanderis or vtheris beyonde sey, mening thairby that the
nor get na
thing of him for the saidis sowmes quhilkis thai allege he hes resauit efter
the recouering thairof be thame vpoun him, expres aganis all ressoun,
equitie, and iustice, and thairfoir myndis to provyde remeid thairfoir.
Quhairfoir it is our will and we charge you that incontinent efter the
sicht heirof ye apprehend and tak the said Adame and put him in waird
in your tolbuith (nochtwithstanding that he be your burges or ony libertie,
previlege, and fredome that he can clame be vertew thairof), ay and quhill
he find sufficient cawtioun and souertie that he salbe ansuerable to the
saidis personis for thameselffis and remanent our subiectis aboue written
as law will. Subscrivit with our hand at our castell of Striviling, the
xxviij day of Aprile and of our regnne the threttene yeir, 1580.
Statute, victuall at Leyth.
Hes thocht expedient, statute, and ordainit, for the weill of all our
Souerane Lordis lieges that na maner of persounis tak vpoun hand to by
any peis, beynes, quheitt, aittis, meill, ry, or any kynd of victuallis brocht or
to be brocht in at the port and heavin of Leyth, to sell, regraitt, or cowpe the
same ower agane, bot that thai suffer and permitt the inbringeis thairof to
sell the samyn to all our Souerane Lordis lieges in smallis for sustentatioun
of thame selffis, thair houssis, and fameleis, and gif any of the saidis persounis byes the said victuall, that thai mak thair girnellis, loftis, buithis,
selleris, and houssis patent to all that lykes to by and sell the samyn of na
derer pryce nor thai bocht, resonabill consideratioun being had to thair
lawfull chairges and expenssis, vnder na les payne nor confiscatioun of the
stufe and pvnisement of thair persounis as regratouris, at the will and
pleasour of the saidis prouest, baillies, and counsale, quha hes ordainit this
present statute to be proclamit oppinly throuch this burgh of Edinburgh
and Leyth, peir and schoir thairof, that nane pretend ignorance.
13 July 1580.
Vaus in Leyth, tollerance to cary his salt to the north syde of the Walter of Leyth.
For reasonabill caussis moving thame, grantis and gevis libertie and
tollerance to Dauid Vaus, indweller of Leyth, after the lossing his pairt of
the salt come hame in the schip callit the Trinitie vpoun the sowth schore
of Leyth pertening to the fredome of this burgh, to transport and carie
the samyn be the brig to his awin selleris on the North syde of the Watter
of Leyth, the said Dauid making offer to the guid toun and resavand pryce
at thame; and the said Daud grantet him to haf resauet the said licence
as ane gratitude vpoun the mere guid will and tollerance of the saidis
prouest, baillies, and counsale allanerlie, and without preiudice of thair
liberties and priuelegeis at ony tyme heirafter, and this vpoun supplicatioun
and requeist airnestlie made be the said Dauid heirfor.
Jhonestoune his blew brissell.
Grantis and gevis licence to Edward Jhonnstoun, merchant, and
Symon Jhonestoun in Dumfries, to transport and cary frome Leyth to this
burgh the blew brissell laitlie apprehendet in thair possessioun and areistet
be the guid toun as forbiddin guidis, conforme to the act maid anent fals
littis, the saidis persounis findand cawtioun that thai sall nocht dispone
nor putt the same away, but to mak the same cumand to the guid toun
quhill forther ordour be tane be the saidis prouest, baillies. and counsale
thairanent; and Archibald Jhonestoun, merchant, become souerty for
thame that the said brissell sall not be dispoint bot be maid furthcumand
in maner foresaid, and [blank] spous to the said Edward Jhonestoun
confesset that the said brissellis extendis to the quantity of threttie twa
stane or thairby.
15 July 1580.
Statute, victuall to frie merketis.
Dischairges the meilmen of Leyth and all vtheris to hald ane oppin
mercat within the said toun or owtwith ane frie burgh and to sell or cowp
aittis, meill, or any kynd of victuall brocht in to the said toun on horsbak,
or yitt to sell, cowp, or regratt any victuall brocht in be sey bot that thai
ather bring or suffer the sam be brocht to ane frie merkat, vnder the
payne of confiscatioun of the said victuall, and ordanis the baillies of
Leyth to caus this act to be putt to executioun in all poyntis within thair
jurisdictioun.
16 July 1580.
Wawpoun schawing, proclamation, port anseyngyeis.
The prouest, baillies, and counsale ordanis proclamatioun to be maid
wairning all the nychtbouris to be reddy in thair armour to the wawpoun
schawing the xx day of this moneth, ilk persoun vnder the payne of five
li., and hes namit and constitute Alexander Scott, James Marioriebankis,
Thomas Amond, goldsmyth, and William Harvie, port anseingyeis this
present wawpounschawing.
19 July 1580.
Abircrummy, Aikman, involuntate.
In presens of [the provost, bailies, and council] Robert Abircrummy,
saidler, and Thomas Aikman, referrit thame selffis in the townis will anent
the trublance committit be ather of thame aganis vtheris at dyuers tymes
of befor and molesting of the toun, raising of tumult and vproar thairin,
and thairfor thai wer ordanit to ask the prouest, baillies, and counsale
forgifnes and to schaik handis togidder, and to committ na sic trublance
heirafter, bot to remayne in muturall luif and cheritie; quha incontinent
thairafter asket the saidis prouest, baillies, and counsale forgifences, promesand nocht to do the lyke and schaik handis togidder.
22 July 1580.
Jhonestoun, blew brissell.
Grantis and gevis licence to Edward Jhonestoun, eldare, and Issobell
Littill, his spous, to intromett, sell, dispone vpoun the blew brissell laitlie
brocht hame be the said Edward, quhilk wes stayet and arieistit be
William Littill, baillie, as contrair to the townes ordinance maid thairanent, the said Edward and his spous findand cawtioun that the same
sall nocht be vest nor imployet to ony vther wark bot to the occupatioun
of the skynneris for litting thair blew ledder, and that the said act sall
nocht be contravenit be thame nor the saidis skynneris in any sort, vender
sic paynes as the saidis prouest, baillies, and counsale sall pleis to injoyne.
Meilmen of Leyth in waird.
Thomas Flemyng, maltman, enterit the meilmen of Leyth specifeit in
the act maid the xv, this day viij dayes, as he that become souerty for
thair entrie this day and protestet to be fred; and the saidis prouest,
baillies, and counsale ordanit thame and William Crawfurd, ane vther of the
meilmen of the said toun, to enter thair persounis in waird, thair to
remayne vpoun thair awin expenssis ay and quhill thai become actit and
found sufficient souerty for keping of the act maid be the guid toun
this day viij dayes anent the bringing of thair victuall to frie merketis.
27 July 1580.
Toun anseingyie lent to Pettincreif, Smyth, souerty.
[The provost, bailies, and council] hes consentit and ordanit that
Andro Steuinsoun, thesaurer, sall len and deliuer, in name of the guid
town, ane of the townis anseingyeis to James Wemys of Pittincreif for
owtsetting of the play to be maid at Dunfermeling; and Hary Smyth,
merchant, is become souerty to rander and deliuer the same agane to the
said thesaurer, als haill, guid, and sufficient as the same is presentlie at
the lenning thairof.
5 August 1580.
Statute anent dyvouris or bairmen.
Willing to tak sum guid ordour and to establis ane law to be obseruit
in all tyme cuming anent sic persounis as sall happin to be wairdet uithin
the tolbuith of this burgh for dett and hes na gudis nor money quhairby
thai may be sustenit, to the effect thai be nocht constraynet to perische
for hunger and neid throw the vncheritabill myndes and wilfull malice of
thair creditouris, and on the vther pairt that thai, vnder howpe to escaip
the paynes of imprisonment without sum note of infamy dew vnto thame,
tak na occasioun thairby to defraude thair creditouris, hes thocht expedient, statute and ordainit, and be thir presentis for ane perpetuall law
to be obseruit in all tymes heirafter, concludes, votes, and decernis that
the saidis persounis, imprysonit as said is, after lawfull citatioun and calling of thair creditouris and thai nocht comperand, or yitt comperand and
schawand na resonabill caus in the contrair heirof, sall judiciallie in ane
lawfull cowrt and in maist solenn maner and oppin awdience gif thair
ayth of bairman, and mak fayth that thai haif na maner of guidis, landis,
money, rowmes, tak stedingis, kyndnes, nor any vther maner of way to
sustene thame selffis or to satiffie thair creditouris in haill nor in pairt, nor
may haif in borrowing vpoun any maner of credite be thameselffis, thair
freindis, and kinsmen, or yitt set souerty for payment of thair dett, and
thairfore presentlie makes thair saidis creditouris thair aires or successouris,
thair lawfull and irreuocabill cessioneris, and assignayes to all thair saidis
guidis or dettis present and to cum quhaireuir the sam may be apprehendit,
ay and quhill thair creditouris be fullie satisfeit that thai nather haif wilfullie or fraudfullie abstractet or disponet, nor yitt sall heirafter abstract
or dispone the guidis foresaidis acquyret or to be acquyret be thame, bot
sall trewlie and thankfullie deliuer the same to thair creditouris for payment of thair just dett, saiffand thair lawfull and resonabill sustentatioun of
the same in meitt and clething conform to the lawes of this realm, and
quhen thai may find cawtioun or souerty, sall offer and fynd the samyn
for satisfactioun of thair creditouris, and all vther thingis to do and fulfill
quhilk of the lawes, practik, and institutiounis of this realme thai awcht to
do in the premissis; and thairafter the saidis persounis to be brocht to
the mercat croce of this burgh, quhair the caussis of thair bypast imprysonment and of thair ayth gevin in maner foresaid being notefeit and schawin
to all our Souerane Lordis lieges, thai sall be declairet dyvouris, and in
syne thairof thair beltis to be cuttet, and gif euir thai be fund in the lyke
estait heirafter to be banest this burgh for euir.
12 August 1580.
Williamsoun in Leyth.
[The provost, bailies, and council] ordanis ane officiar to pas and
wairne Jhone Williamesoun, in Leyth, to compeir before thame on Wednisday nixt to her and se him be decernit to haif tynt and forfaltit his
burgesschip, liberty, and fredome of this burgh for nocht remaining nor
making his residence within this burgh nor bering portabill chairges
within the sam this yeir bypast, or ellis to schaw ane resonabill caus in
the contrair; with certificatioun to him and he failyie thai will decern him
to haif tynt the same in maner foresaid, becaus he wes chairget to this
effect of before, and compeirit nocht.
Duncane in Leyth, Watt.
George Duncane, tailyour, become cawtioun and souerty for Jhonn
Wilsoun, customer in Leyth, that he sall nocht wey any kyndes of guidis
within the vnfrie toun of Leyth at any tyme heirafter contrair the liberty
and fredome of this burgh, vnder the payne of jc merk to be payet to
the guid toun swa oft as it sall be fund and tryet that he hes vset any
kynd of wechtis within the said toun of Leyth, and siclyke the said
George become souerty for his entrie at the instance of Jhone Watt,
customer, as law will.
17 August 1580.
Williamsoun, fredome discharget.
Fyndes, declairis, and decernis Jhonn Williamesoun, indweller in
Leyth, to haif forfaltit and tynt, lyke as be thir presentis thair decern him
to forfalt and tyne his liberty and fredome as burges and gild brother of
this burgh in all tyme cuming be quhatsumeuir rycht or title he had or
hes bruiket the samyn in any tyme bygane, and ordanis his name to be
deleitt and putt furth of the gild buik of the samyn and him to haif na
liberty nor priuelege within the same heirafter, becaus he hes nocht
remaynet this lang tyme bygane within this burgh and borne na portabill
chairges within the same, bot reteiret and drawin him self, houshald, and
guidis furth thairof, and dwelt in ane vnfrie toun; and the said Jhone
compirand this day judiciallie before thame to ansuer to the premissis,
being oft tymes chairget and wairnet thairto of before, and being requyrit
to cum and dwell within this burgh and to ber the chairges belanging
to ane frie burges within the same betuix and Martymes nixt, refusit to
do the samyn and culd schaw na resonabill caus in contrer heirof, quhairfore thai decernit as said is.
24 August 1580.
Pryce of wynes.
[Wine to be sold not dearer than "thre s. the pynt of Burdealis."]
Act for clengeing the Grayfreir Wynd.
Becaus it is heavilie lamentit be certane nychtbouris of this burgh
that the calsay and hie wynd leiding to the Grayfreir port is fillit vp with
the red of euery manis bigging, clengeing of litsteris fattis, dry preveis,
deid hors, and vther sic pistiferous filthynes, speciall fornent the buriall,
thairfoir ordanis the baillies quarterly throw thair haill quarteris caus
the nychtbouris fynd warkmen and seruandis for redding of the said
wynd and clengeing thairof, begynnand at William Littill baillies quarter,
and sic personnis as sall be fund to haif layet thair red in the said wynd
to caus thame to fynd warkmen vpoun thair expenssis for lowsing of the
grund quhill the red be taiken away.
26 August 1580.
Villa, commoun librarie, precept, the saurer.
[The bailies and council] vnderstanding that vmquhil maister
Clement Littill, aduocat, and ane of the commissaries of this burgh,
of guid memorie for the zele he buir to the promotioun of the relligioun,
weill of this burgh, and help and releif of sic as beiring functioun in
the ministrie suld happin to want buikis necessar to thair vocatioun,
hes left ane sufficient nummer of guid and godlie buikis to the ministrie
of this burgh, and that this his zelous deid may instigat vtheris of
the lyke mynd to dote and gif thair buikis to the lyke vse, quhairby it
may follow that ane commoun librarie sall be erectit within this burgh
to the greitt incres of pietie and relligioun and suppressing of errouris;
quhairfore thai haif accordet be the authoritie of the guid toun to
procure and sett fordward this honest and godlie wark with all thair
power, and thairfore hes thocht expedient, and ordanit that ane hous
or librair be maid at the end of maister James Lowsounis, ministeris
studie, of ane pairt of the over loft of his dwelling hous in the kirk yaird,
having ane entres throw his study, and ane vther throw the said loft,
quhairin sall be putt in keping the saidis buikis dotit and gevin to the
said vse, and all vtheris buikis to be dotit and gevin thairto, of the quhilkis
the said maister James and sic as sall be principall minister of this
burgh for the tyme, sall haif the custody, and be ansuerabill thairfor
vpoun inuentour; and ordanis Andro Steuinsoun, thesaurer, to caus big
and mak the said hous or librarie in lenth according to the breid of
the said loft, and in breid of the space of [blank] futes or thairby,
to rais, heicht, and enlairge the wyndow presentlie nixt to the said study,
brod the samyn, and to sylour the said librarie sufficientlie and to furneis
all necessaris to the making, bigging, and completing of the sam as
sall be thocht expedient and commandit him be William Lyttill, baillie,
quhome thai haif maid maister and owersear of the said wark.
31 August 1580.
Gift of escheitt of vmquhill Quhyte to his spous.
Gevis, grantis, and disponis to Elizabeth Quhyte, the relict of
umquhill Dauid Eister, bonetmaker, for sustening of hir and hir bairnis
the escheitt of all sowmes, guides, dettis, and vtheris quhatsumeuir
quhilkis pertenit to the said vmquhill Dauid, and now fallin and
becumin in the tounis handis throw being of the said David
execute to the deid for the slawchter of umquhill [blank] Grub, sword
slipper, with power to hir to intromett thairwith and dispone thairvpoun to the effect foresaid.
Proclamatioun nane resaue wedges as sowldiouris.
Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh inhibiting and
dischairging all burges and fremen thairof to pas and tak or resaue
wedges of any maner of persoun in debaitt of thair priuate querrellis
and controuerseis, without speciall license of the guid toun, vnder the
payne of tynsale of thair fredome for euir.
Protectioun of gudes of certan deceised persounis.
Vnderstanding that the gudes of vmquhill Jaspairt Legat and his
spous throw thair deceis, and in defalt of the narrest of thair kin taiking
na regard thairof, the sam is left in the handis of the seruandis of thair
hous quha hes alraddy putt ane pairt asyde and ar apperand to delapidat and spend the rest, to the greitt hurt and defraude of thair
creditouris; for remeid thairof, ordanis William Lytill, baillie, with
ane clerk of ouris, to caus inuentour of new the guidis presentlie in the
said hous and putt the same in the handis and custody of the officiaris of
the quarter, rowpet and apryset to the vtter availl, and the money
thairof to be deliuerit to be furthcumand to all pairteis havand entres as
law will; and ordanis the said seruandis to be tane and putt in warde
separat from vtheris, and diligently examinat vpoun the guidis intrometet with and disponit be thame, and thair to be retenit quhill thai
mak restitutioun of the sam.
7 September 1580.
Baillies, taverneris, vnlawng.
Ordanis the baillies euery ane in thair quarteris to poynd or waird
the taverneris that hes sauld any darrer wyne nor iij s. the pynt, for
thair vnlaw of x li., conform to the proclamatioun maid thairvpoun.
Villa, Logane of Coitfeild.
Ordanis Andro Steuinsoun, thesaurer, with all possibill diligence
to provyde greitt staynes to be methis and merches betuix the townes
lunkis of Leyth and the landis of Jhone Logane of Coitfeild, that the
merches may be placet and renewet as thai wer sett of awld.
9 September 1580.
Proclamatioun, hors boyes, corne scheiffes.
[The provost, bailies, and council] ordainis proclamatioun to be maid
throw this burgh chairgeing the keparis of the portis that thai suffir nane
hors boyes to enter with the scheiffes of cornes taikin be thame furth of
the hervest feyldis, and that na staibleris reisett thame thairwith, bvt
that the saidis porteris and staibleris present the saidis persounis to the
maiestratis, vnder payne of tynsale of thair fredomes and offices.
14 September 1580.
Purdy, Russell, flaying of the mwure.
Ordanis Jhonn Purdy, ane of the fermoreris of the pasturage of the
commoun mure of this burgh, to gif diligentt attendance and mak all
possibill impediment to Mungo Russell and his seruandis in casting of
any faill or duffett on the said mwure and flaying of the same for seruing
of his feld landis, and, gif he fynd any of his said seruandis indoing
thairof, to atteiche, arreist, and apprehend, and bring thame to this burgh,
makand and creating the said Jhone thair officiar and seruand in that
pairt.
28 September 1580.
Gibsoun, Lekpreuik, Wodhous.
Anent the supplicatioun gevin in before thame be Jhonn Gibsoun
and Robert Lekpreuik, buikbinders, burgesses of this burgh, bering in
effect that Robert Wodhous, Inglisman, being ane forane straynger and
vnfrieman, has this lang tym bygane vsurpitt vpoun him the priuelege
of ane frie burges be selling and bynding of all kynd of buiks within the
fredome of this burgh, to the greitt hurt and preiudice of the saidis compleners quha ar burgessis and friemen, quha stents, watches and wairdes,
and beris all other portabill chairges with the nychtbouris of this burgh,
quhilk thai ar nocht abill to do heiraftir gif the said Robert be sufferit
to continew in the said tred, and thairfor desyring him to be dischairget
of the saymn,—the said Robert Wodhous and Jhone Gibsoun, comperand
personally, thair ressonis and alligatiouns hard and considerit, the saidis
prouest, baillies, and counsale dischairges the said Robert Wodhous frome
binding of any kynd of buikis within the fredome of this burgh fra the
xiiij day of October nixt, vnder the payne of confiscatioun of the saidis
buikis quhaireuer thai may be apprehendet.
30 September 1580.
Anent the clengeris of the past in Sanct Colmes Inche.
Forsamekill as it is havely mermerit that, at the airnist requeist of
dyueris nychtbouris of this burgh and of Leyth quha had thair kin and
freyndis infectet with the pest lyand in Sanct Colmes Insche in poynt of
tynsale for falt of sum persounis to awaitt vpoun thame and to beir the
office of clengeris, thair wes sindry sendin to the said iland to that effect,
and now the persounis being deceissit to quhome thai wer sent, thair
saidis freyndis refuissis to beir the chairges of the saidis clengeris quhill
thai may gett liberty, thairfore ordanis the saidis persounis at quhais
requiest the saidis clengeris enterit in the said ile to be chairget and
compellit to beir the cost and chairges of the said clengeris during thair
remaining in the said ile, vpoun compt, rekning, and contributioun to be
maid in the schip callit the William quhuirin the said pest was brocht
frome Danskin, and guidis being thairin presently lyand at the said iland
according to ilk manis pairt quha is or wes infectit of the said seiknes, to
quhome the saidis clengeris hes maid or makis any seruice; and ordanis
the baillies of this burgh with maister William Balfour, ane of the baillies
of Leyth, to se that the saidis clengeris bayth foull and clene be sufficiently
sustenit, and that this ordinance be putt to executioun in all poyntis.