1584, Jul-Sept
1 July 1584.
Pulder.
Ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to tak and haif the keiping of the
twa barrell of pulder quhilk come hame agane fra the raid of Stirling.
10 July 1584.
Electioun of visitouris and jadgeris of fische.
[The provost, bailies, and council appointed Thomas Cok, merchant and William
Harvie, tailor, "equallie and coniunctlie, jadgeares, wrakeris, visitouris and markeris
of the haill hering and quhyte fische that sall cum within the port and heivin of
Leyth and privelege of Edinburgh, conforme to the act of parliament maid thairanent, (fn. 1) during thair lyfetymes," and cautioners were bound with them for performance of their offices, "viz., that thai, be thame selffes, thair deputs, cowpares, and
seruands sall faythfullie and trewlie execute and vse thair offices, and sall caus all
the heiring and quhyte fische that sall cum within the said port and heavin of
Leyth and fredome of Edinburgh to be strukin vp, visitet and wraket, and the
treyis thairof to be jageit conforme to the jage and standart, and to devyde the
guid and sufficient fische fra the wrak and evill, and to confisk and escheitt the fals
treyis, and to juge the guid fische to haif thir qualiteis, viz., the heiring to be
callour slayne, stif, cleir, and vngilt or spawnit, having heid and taill with melt
and rawne, weill guttet, saltet, and pynet, and to be weill laid, paket, saltet, and
presset within sufficient stark treyis of guid bind and lichtnes, and sall mark and
burne the samyn with the towne irne conforme to the said act as guid and sufficient;" also to "juge and decerne vpoun the sufficiencie of the keilling, lyng and
codling," and "jadge the salmond conforme to the just jadge and se thai be brynt
and market be the burghes to quhome the power thairof is grantet be the said
act of parliament."]
15 July 1584.
Commissio, Fairlie, Howesoun.
The provest, bailyeis, and counsall, directis William Fairlie and
James Merchell to pas to the Kings Grace to Falkland, with ane lettre fra
the toun desyrand licence to thame to pas to maister Jhonn Howesoun,
minister, in waird, and gett the contract betuix the toun and him
subscryuet.
17 July 1584.
M'Gregour, blasphemer.
Jhonn M'Gregour, wairdet for blasphemyng, in the hie streitt, of the
guid word of God and ministers thairof, thairfore ordanis him to be putt
in the jogs at the Tron at xij houris and to stand thairin quhill vj houris
at evin, and to be oblist neuir to do the lyke vnder the payne of scurgeing and banesing.
Precept, croce.
Ordanis the thesaurer to mak ane new lok and key to the croce dur.
22 July 1584.
Pest.
Vnderstanding that thair is ane suspicioun of the pest rissin in the
toun of Wester Wemys, thairfor ordanis Androw Sclater and James
Henrysoun, chirurgeane, to pas and try the sam, that the town may tak
ordour in tyme for eschewing thairof.
Commissioners to the King, Paislay, Howesoun.
Gevis power and commissioun to Henrie Nesbet, bailyie, maister
Michaell Chisholme and Thomas Miller, to pas to the Kings grace, and in
name of the town to schaw the estaitt of the abbacie of Paislay, as the
town hes fund after tryell of the rentale thairof, quhow it is nocht onlie
diminishet in the rentall bot alswa consumet in pensiouns, and thairfore
to seik the remedie and to sie gif thai can purches the escheits of the
pensioners quha ar rebellis, and to do heirin be informatioun of the said
maister Michaell. Alswa to lawbour and travell at his Maiesteis hands
for the libertie of maister Jhonne Howesoun, minister, and gif it be nocht
obtenit, that he may be tryet with diligence and beand fund innocent
may be fred without delay.
Watche, ports.
It wes reportet be my [lord] provest that the Kingis Maiestie, for
caussis knawin to his grace, desyret that ane guid watche mycht be
keipit in the toun, speciallie be nycht, thairfore ordanis the Kirk of Feild
port, Watter Yett and Kowgaitt port, to be closet, ten persouns to be
augmentet to the nicht watche, and vj persouns to be put to ilk port, viz.,
the Nether Bow and West Port, and that the bailyies in thair quarteris
sie the premissis done and guid ordour keipet for gairding of the toun.
24 July 1584.
Proclamatio, pest.
Vnderstanding that the seiknes of the pest is brokkin vp in the toun
of Waster Weymis, be occasioun of certane houshald guidis and vther wairis
cum fra Flanders quhair the said seiknes is vehement, and be the lyk way
may be spred in the cuntrie gif remeid be nocht provydet, tharfore ordanis
proclamatioun to be maid throuch this burgh and town of Leyth that na
maner of persouns, merchants, passingers or vthers, presume or tak vpoun
hand to transport or bring hame frome ony pairt of Flanders any maner
of bedding, howshald geir, spraichrie wairis, or siclyk guidis, quhairby any
daynger of infectioun may arryse; and siclyke that na skippers tak or
resaue any sic guids in thair schips or veschells fra this day furth, vnder
the paynis of byrning and destroying of the said guids and pvnessing of
the hame bringers and skippers to the deid; and sic persouns as hes
brocht hame any sic guids that thai cum incontinent and mak intimatioun
to the bailyeis, offer and present the sam to thame that thai may tak
ordour thairwith vnder the paynis foresaids; and als that na skippers of
schips, merchants, passingers or vthers cumand fra any dayngerous or
suspect pairt of Flanders, lose thair guidis or repair thame selff amangs
the Kings lieges before thai or thair guidis be visetit be the bailyeis or sic
as sall be depute thairto, vnder the payne before mentionat.
5 August 1584.
Lord Borthuik, lenning the mayden.
Grantis and consentis to len the mayden to the Lord Borthuik and
his tutour for executioun of ane man quha hes committet murthure within
his lordshipis bounds.
Wawpounschawing.
Ordanis the wawpunschawing of this burgh to be maid the tent of
August instant and the nychtbouris to be wairnet thairto be oppin proclamatioun, vnder the payne of v li., by the Kingis grace vnlaw, and to haif
all lang wawpuns as speir or pik or hakbuts with thair furnesings, vnder
the sam payne. And ordanes the thesaurer, be the avyse of Hew Lawder,
to caus mak and bye ane hundreth futemenis speiris to be delyuerit to
thame that wantis speiris or piks and thay to be cawset pay for the sam.
7 August 1584.
Convening on Tysdayes.
In respect the commoun and wechtie effairis of this burgh ar
grittumelie incressit and can nocht be owertane vpoun the twa foirnone
tymes of the ordiner counsall dayes, thairfor ordanis ilk Tysdaye efternone to be ane ordiner tyme for the bills and vther caussis lyand ower,
and to convene at twa houris, the bell to be rung and the absents to
be vnlawet as on the counsall dayes.
12 August 1584.
Keiping of the stepill.
For keiping of the stepill, fynds guid, that certane wadget men be
placeit thairin at the returning of the lieutennent fra the commouning
with the Lord Hunasdaill at the borderis.
Proclamatio, bell ringing at x houris at evin.
For keiping guid ordour within this burgh and eschewing of trubill
and nicht walking, it is thocht expedient that at ten houris at evin,
nichtlie, the greitt bell gif fourty jowes or thairby, and fra the ceissing
thairof that nane be fund in the Hie Streitt, vnder the payne of xx s. and
imprysonment during the townis will.
Toun wall.
Ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to caus big and raise the wall in Leyth
Wynd with lowse staynis and to cast fowseis within the sam.
14 August 1584.
Collectioun for the seik of the pest in the Wemys.
Vnderstanding that the pestilence is greitt in the toun of the Wemys
and the pepill puir and neidy, thairfore fynds guid that ane collectioun be
gadderit to thair support of sic as willinglie will contribute thairto, and
appoyntis Androw Sclater, William Fairlie and William Harvie, to pas
throw the towne and gadder the said contributioun.
Anent the hie schole.
At the desyre of maister Hercules Rollok, maister of the hie schole,
and for the repairing and ordoring thairof, ordanis the thesaurer to caus
mend and repair the glas wyndois, the lokis, bands, and vther pertinents
thairof, to furneis the well with bukkets and watter stands, repair and
mend the dykes, and hing the bell thairof commodiouslie; and the
expenssis thairof sall be allowet in his compts. Secundlie. That all vther
grammer scholes within the liberty of this burgh be visetet and dischairget, and that maister William Robertoun, awld maister, haif na ma
disciples nor is appoyntet to him be the towne. Thridlie. That all
burgessis of this burgh haiving thair childrein in hous with thame be dischairget fra putting or retening thair bairnis at ony vther schole for
leirning of grammer except the said hie schole within certane dayes, vnder
ane amand to be payet to the said maister Hercules euery quarter for euery
bairne vtherwayes teachet. Fourtlie. Appoyntes James Nicoll, bailyie,
Jhonn Jhonestoun, maister Jhonn Prestoun and Henry Chairters to convene togidder on Sonday nixt at efternone, with sic learnet men as may
be had in this burgh, to gif thair avyse and jugement and sett downe the
forme of ane certane cours and ordour of buikis and professions to be
tawcht within the said hie schole, and to distingueis the sam fra that
quhilk sall be teachet in the College. Last. Gevis command to the commoun clerk to gif to the said maister Hercules the dowbill of the contract
betuix the guid towne and him, and of all vther contracts, decreitts,
priveleges and acts, maid in favouris of any maisteris of the said schole
in tyme past, and sic writtes as ar in the hands of the said maister
William Robertoun concerning the said schole be gottin and resauet
fra him.
26 August 1584.
Pest, schore.
[The bailies and council,] for eschewing of the inconvenients of the
pest, ordanis the bailyeis of Leyth, ilk xxiiij houris, to place four nichtbouris of Leyth and ane officer to attend at the schore vpoun the landing
of the boits and trying and seing the testimonialls, and the persouns
refusand to attend to be poyndet for ane vnlaw of v li. vnforgevin; and
siclyk ordanis proclamatioun to be maid vpoun the schore of Leyth that
na boittes land at the Newheavin, Grantoun Craigs, or any vther pairt
betuix the Quenisferrie and Leyth bot in Leyth allanerlie, vnder the
payne of tynsall of the boitt and imprisonment of thair persouns, and that
intimatioun heirof be maid to Kingorn and Bruntiland; attour, for provyding of spedie remeid incais ony seiknes suld aryse within this toun or in
Leyth, as God forbid, it is thairfore thocht expedient that the belman of
this burgh cum to ilk bailyie according to his quarter quhairin any persoun sall happin to deciss any maner of way and schaw the sam to the
said bailyie, quha sall pas, visie, and try quhat seiknes that persoun
deyet into, and thairafter the corps to be bureit and the bell to gang
throw the toun and na vtherwayes, and the lyke ordour to be keipet in
Leyth.
Commissioners, Fairlie, Howesoun.
Ordanis William Fairlie and Thomas Myller to pas to the Kings grace,
with ane lettre of the guid townis in favouris of maister Jhonn Howesoun,
minister, cravand his libertie or at the leist that he may be wairdet in this
toun or in Glasgow vpoun cawtioun quhill his caus be tryet. Als that be
the way thai aduerteis Kingorne and Bruntisland that na boats land bot
at Leyth.
4 September 1584.
Stewart bureit in the kirk.
Inrespect of the honour and dignitie sumtyme borne within the towne
be vmquhill Archibald Stewart, quha wes provost of the sam, and for
vther guid caussis and consideratiouns moving thame, grantes and consentis that the said Archibald sall be bureit within the Hie Kirk of this
burgh at the ile callit St. Antones Ile.
Precept, eill ark.
Ordanis Thomas Aikenheid, [and four others,] to pas and visie the
eill ark at the eist end of the North Loch, and at thair sicht the soill of the
syour of the rin of the said loch to be repairit be the said thesaurer.
7 September 1584.
Commissioners to the King anent ministers.
Inrespect of the absence of the townis awin ministeris and that the
Kings Maiesteis ministers quha suppleit thair rowme now occupeis nocht
the place, quhairby the toun is destitute of teacheris, for remeid thairof hes
thairfore thocht expedient that Alexander Clerk of Balbirnie, provest of
the said burgh, [and six others,] in name of the toun and kirk, sall pas to
the Kings Maiestie and gif in thair supplicatiouns anent the premissis,
desyrand that his Maiestie will tak ordour thairwith; and incais it may
nocht stand with his Maiesteis plesour that thair awin ministeris be drawin
hame that his grace will provyde sic ministeris as his Maiestie thinks
worthie to supplie thair places.
11 September 1584.
Leyis wairdet.
[The bailies and council] being convenit and Jhonn Leyes, merchant,
callit in before thame and accuset for blasphemous and iniurious wordis
spokin be him in audience of Henry Nesbet, bailyie, on yisterday quhen
he wes chairget to pay his extent, sayand that he wald the devills of hell
wer bailyeis and the mekill horne devill provest, and curset thame that
maid the agreance betuix merchants and craftismen; als for in passing to
waird beand chairget thairto confesset the said wordis, and thairfore wes
commandet in waird quhill forther ordour wer tane with him thairanent.
Counsall, deykins, electioun.
Inrespect the tyme of electioun of the counsall, deykins, and magestrats is at hand, fynds expedient to mak the number of the counsall full,
and thairfore electit the persouns following in place of thame that ar
absent. …
16 September 1584.
Lytes of the new deykins.
[The provost, bailies and council, named a leet of three persons of each
craft out of whom the deacons were to be chosen.]
Commissio, ministeris lugeing, librarie.
Vnderstanding that the spous of maister James Lowsoun is chairget to
devoyde and remove fra the lugeing sumtyme occupeit be hir said spous,
within the quhilk is placeit the townis librarie; lyk as his said spous,
comperand, offerit the keys of the said lugeing to the town with the said
librarie and haill tymmer wark inputt in the said lugeing be the toun,
thairfore ordanis William Littill, bailyie, to resauve the said keyis and
he and maister Johnn Prestoun, maister Michaell Chisholm, Dauid
Williamsoun and William Harvie to pas and resauve the said lugeing,
inuentour the tymmer wark and buiks, and the said William Littill to
keip the sam quhill forther ordour be tane thairwith.
Copland, Leyis, vnlawet, hospitall.
Thomas Copland, merchant, merchant, beand accuset for the speking of iniurious
wordis in audience of Henrie Nesbet, bailyie, wes ordanet to pay to the
maisteris of the hospitall the sowm of fourty schillings in name of the
puir to by thame coillis and to ask the toun forgifnes. Siclyke, Jhonn
Leyis, beand wardet for his enormiteis, conform to ane act maid thairvpoun, wes ordanet to pay xl s. to the said hospitall, mak reddy payment of his extent, to ask the bailyie and guid toun forgifnes quhair he
offendet, and nocht to do the lyke heirafter vnder the payne of xl li. and
tynsall of his fredom.
Ministeris lugeing, librarie.
Comperit William Littill, bailyie, maister Michaell Chisholm and
maister Jhonn Prestoun, and declairet that conform to the commission gevin to thame, thai had past to the lugeing of maister James
Lowsoun, minister, quhair thai fand the touns librarie in place
according to the inventour assignet thairwith, togidder with the haill
skelffs, buirds, futegangs, pres and tymmer wark, with the loks, keyis
and bandis; thairfore the said provest, bailyeis, and counsall exoneris and
discharges the said maister James of the act maid concerning the custody
of the said bukes, and ordanis the sam to be deleitt; and siclyke grantes
thame to haif resauet the said lugeing and all necessaris thairof imputt
thairin be the toun and the Kings grace charge fulfillet and obeyet be the
said maister James spous in all poynts; and ordanis William Littill to
haif the keyis and custodie of the said lugeing and librarie quhill forther
ordour be tane thairwith be the guid toun.
Parliament, suburbs of burrowes.
For the weill of the estaitts of frie burrowes, ordanis ane article to be
gevin in to this present parliament aganes all craftismen quha remaynis
in the suburbs of burghs and places thair about, and Henry Nesbet, bailyie,
and William Fairlie to caus the said article be formet and gevin in to the
lordis of articles.
18 September 1584.
New deykins.
[Certain brethren of each of the fourteen crafts presented the persons chosen
deacons out of the leets named by the council.]
Balcanquell, Duryes lugeing.
Comperit [blank] Marioriebankis, the spous of maister Walter Balcanquell, minister, and conform to the charge gevin to hir be our Souerane
lords lettres, declaret that scho had red and maid voyde the ministers
lugeing occupeit be hir and desyret to be exonerit thairof. Siclyke, comperit the spous of Jhonn Cairnis, minister, and in name of Jhonn Dury,
minister, and his spous, producet the keyes of the lugeing sumtyme
occupeit be the said Jhonn. Quhilkis keyis the said provest, bailyeis,
and counsall cawset William Littill, bailyie, to resaue and keip quhill
ordour wer tane with the said lugeing, and exoneris and discharges the
said ministers and thair spous of the samyn.
Librarie.
Ordanis the townis librarie, skelffis and buirds thairof, to be transportet furth of the lugeing sumtyme occupeit be maister James Lowsoun,
minister, and set vp in the townis college in a hous convenient, at the
sicht of William Littill, bailyie, and to be delyuerit to maister Robert
Rollok, maister of the said college, and he to be oblist to the custody
thairof.
New counsall.
[The provost, bailies and council chose, furth of the new deacons of crafts
six persons to be of the new council for the year to come.]
19 September 1584.
Proclamatio, pest.
The provest, bailyeis, counsall, and deykins of crafts, beand convenit
for the maist pairt, ordanis proclamatioun to be made dischairgeing any
nychtbouris of this burgh to repair to Dysart, Kirkcaldie, Wemys, or any
pairt suspect of the pest, and that nane of the said places presume to
resort within this burgh or fredome thairof vnder the payne of deid.
Inglis tymmer men.
Ordanis Jhonn Watt, ane of the collectouris of the vnlawes, vpsetts,
etc., to gif to Robert Wyller, Robert Steid, and Thomas Wodyer, puir
Inglis tymmer men come fra Norway, the sowm of thre pund to help thair
expenssis hame ower.
23 September 1584.
Schore of Leyth.
Appoyntis William Littill, Androw Sclater, Jhonn Watt, thesaurer,
and Jhonn Bannatyne to pas to Leyth, and thair to se quhat ordour is
keipet on the schore at the tydes, and to putt reformatioun with sic
substantial ordour as thai fynd expedient, and to report to the towne.
New counsall.
[The provost, bailies, and council elected three merchants and two craftsmen to
be of the new council for the year to come.]
24 September 1584.
Proclamatio, pest, boitts dischargit.
The provest, and sa mony of the bailyies and counsall as wer presentlie
convenit, inrespect that it is bruittet that the pest incressis daylie in
Fyfe and is laitlie brokkin vp in St. Jhonestoun, thairfore ordanis proclamatioun to be maid that nane of the Kings graces sowldiouris or gaird,
nor na persoun quha hes bene in St. Jhonestoun or ony suspect place,
presume be thameselffis, thair wyffes, seruandis or guidis, to cum within
the libertie of this burgh, and gif ony be come that thai depairt incontinent, vnder the payne of deid. And appoyntes Jhonn Watt and Henry
Blyth to pas to Strabrok and trye gif ony seiknes be thair, and als
takand with thame ane officer of airmes to pas to the Quenisferrie and
caus the Kings grace proclamatioun to be maid dischargeing all boits to
pas thair, and maister Michaell Chisholm and Thomas Myller to pas to
Leyth and dischairge the boits thairof.
Ministers.
[The provost, bailies and council,] with ane pairt of the eldares and
deaconis of the kirk, considering that the kirk of this burgh is destitute of
pastures and teachers, throw the absence of thair awin ministers, thairfore
votet and consentet, in presens of my lord bischop of Sanctandrois, that
the Kings Maiestie suld nominat and assigne furth twa of thir persouns
quhome his Maiestie fand maist expedient, to witt, maister Dauid Lyndsay,
minister of Leyth, maister Peter Blaikburne of Abirdene, and maister
Jhonn Craig and Jhonn Dunkesoun, his graces awin ministers, to occupie
that place.
25 September 1584.
Lytes of the maiestrats.
[The provost, bailies and council elected certain persons to be on the leets for the
provost, bailies, dean of guild and treasurer.]
30 September 1584.
Reading of the prayers.
In respect of the absence of Jhonn Cairnis, minister, be ordinance of
the secreitt counsall, thairfore ordanis Cudbert Sandersoun, maister of a
schole, to reid the commoun prayers morning and evening quhill the
hamecoming of the said Jhonn or quhill forther ordour be tayne heiranent.
Commissio, lipper hous.
Appoyntis maister Michaell Chisholme and William Harvie, with
Alexander Purves, to try and inquyre at James Marioribankis, noter, and
vthers, the estait and ordour of the awld fundatioun of the lipper hous
besyde Dyngwall, and to speik maister James Bannatyne anent his title
thairof, and to report the nixt counsall day.