Extracts from the Records: 1587, Jul-Sept

Extracts From the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, 1573-1589. Originally published by Scottish Burgh Records Society, Edinburgh, 1882.

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'Extracts from the Records: 1587, Jul-Sept', in Extracts From the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, 1573-1589, (Edinburgh, 1882) pp. 494-502. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/edinburgh-burgh-records/1573-89/pp494-502 [accessed 18 March 2024]

1587, Jul-Sept

4 July 1587.

Piratt in the Firth, burrowis.

Vnderstanding that thair is ane Inglis pyrat lyand in the Firth mowth quha hes pilleit certane schips and intendis to pilley all vtheris cumand in or owt at thir watteris, and that thair is presently ane conventioun of burrowes in Dundy, thairfore gevis commissioun to William Fairly to pas to the townes commissioners thair, and thai togidder to meane the mater and desyre the said burrowis to provyde ane moyane to pas vpoun the said pyrat, and the toun sall contribute and beir burding for thair pairt, and gif the said burrowes agreis heirto the said William to pas to Falkland to the Kings Grace and obtene his Graces power and authoritie to this effect.

Propyne, secretare.

Considerand quhow necessar and proffitabill it may be to the guid toun to haif the guid will and help of my lord secretare, bayth to the general effaires of the estaitt of burrowes and particulare effaires of this burgh, thairfore fyndes it guid that ane propyne be gevin to his lordschip, and to that effect ordanis James Ros to bye and lay in to his lordship ane half twn of Burdealx wyne and ane pype of sek in name of the toun.

7 July 1587.

Proclamatio, conveneing in airmour.

Ordanet proclamatioun to be maid commanding all inhabitants to be in reddynes in thair best airmour and convene with the bailyeis, at the nixt chairge, with hakbuts, piks and speires, agane the parliament, vnder the payne of v li. vnlaw.

Commissioneris to parliament.

Makis and constitutes Jhonn Arnott and Alexander Owsteane commissioneris for the guid toun in the parliament to be begvn and haldin in this burgh the tent of Julij instant.

15 July 1587.

Proclamatio, wawpunschawing.

The prouest, bailyeis and counsall ordanet proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh that forswamekill as our Souerane Lord, be his Graces oppin proclamatioun, hes ordanet ane generall wawpunschawing throw this realme to be haldin on Thurisday nixt the xx of Julij instant, thairfore commanding all maner of persouns indwellaris within this burgh to compeir in the Gray Freir kirk yaird the said day at x houris before none, before the prouest and bailyeis, boddin in feare of weir and arayet in thair best airmour, to witt, ather with pik or speir and the airmour effeirand thairto, or with hakbuts and the airmour effeirand thairto, and nocht with halbarts nor Jedburgh staffis, to gif thair mvsteris and attend on the said prouest and bailyeis according to his Graces proclamatioun, vnder the payne of ten punds to ilk persoun that sall be absent the said hour or wants the airmour foresaid.

19 July 1587.

Lord Bothwell, borrow mvre.

Vnderstanding that the Lord Bothwell, as schereff of Edinburgh, hes maid proclamatioun of the wawpounschawing of the scherefdome to be haldin vpoun the burrow mvre of this burgh, and thairby intendis to trubill the new fewit pairts thairof, thairfore gevis commissioun to Jhonn Robertsoun [and seven others] to intreatt with his lordship and with Dauid Collace, his depute, for staying thairof and to gett his lordships hand writt thairvpoun; as alswa that thai caus pen ane article to the parliament for remedy thairof in tyme cvming.

Precept, theasurer, Lord Bothwell.

For eschewing of trubill and that the town be nocht burthenit with the daynger of making mvsters of the scherefdome vpoun thair bounds, fynds it expedient to propyne my Lord Bothwell with halff ane twn of Burdealx wyne and half ane twn of Spayngyie wyne for his guid will, and thairfore ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to bye, prepair, and lay in the sam to his lordschip.

21 July 1587.

Ministeris ludgeing.

Ordanis maister Michaell Chisholme, dene of gild, to mak reparatioun within the dwelling hous of vmquhill maister James Lowsoun, minister, as sall be fund maist necessar and expedient for the commodity of the ludgeing and vse of maister Robert Bruce and maister Jhonn Cowper, ministeris, now occupeand the sam.

Henrysoun, land at St. Pawles Wark.

For dyuers caussis and consideratiouns moving thame, settis and for dewty lattis to Gilbert Henrysoun, sangster, sone to vmquhill Sir Edward Henrysoun, maister of the Sang Schole of this burgh, the howssis and rowmes presently occupeit be him lyand besyde Sanct Pawles Wark; [he paying six merks yearly] to the collectouris of St. Pawles Wark and bettand and vphalding the sam sufficiently induring his occupatioun.

26 July 1587.

Dur in the Eist Kirk.

Considerand the thrang of the peopill in the Eist Kirk ilk Sonday in tyme of sermoun, quhairby the minister hes greitt hinder to cum to the pulpett, thairfore ordanis maister Michaell Chisholme, dene of gild, to caus strik furth ane dur in the said kirk at the pulpett syde on the north pairt thairof to be ane entres to the minister.

28 July 1587.

Ayth of burgesses eiket.

William Littill, prouest, the bailyeis, dene of gild, thesaurer, and maist pairt of the counsall, being convenit, for dyuers caussis and consi deratiouns moving thame, ordanet the vset ayth tayne of all that ar new maid burgessis of this burgh to be augmentet in thir heid and in this maner following, viz.:—Heir I protest before God and your lordschips that I profes and allow with my hairt the trew relligioun quhilk at this present is publictly preachet within this realme and authorizitt be the lawes thairof, and sall abyde thairatt and defend the sam to my lyves end, detesting the Romayne relligioun callit papistry.

Ministers lugeings.

Ordanis maister Michaell Chisholme, dene of gild, to caus big and mak at the north end of the ministeris lugeing, sumtyme occupeit be maister Walter Balcanquell and now be maister William Watsoun, minister, ane sufficient kitcheing and loft abone the sam, be avyse of my lord prouest and sic of the counsall as may be had to gif thair opinioun thairto maist skilfull in bigging, and siclyk to caus and help the grund of the north wall in the close.

2 August 1587.

Ale. Bulwark.

[Ordained that ale be sold not dearer than twelve pennies the pint.]

[Appointed Androw Sclaiter, merchant, "thair maister of wark to the bigging and reparatioun of the bulwark and schoir of Leyth."]

4 August 1587.

Saitt in the Eist Kirk.

Ordanis maister Michaell Chisholme, dene of gild, to caus mak ane saitt in the Eister Kirk to my lord chancellares wyfe quhair scho sall fynd maist commodious.

8 August 1587.

Meill merkatt.

The foresaid prouest, baillies, and counsall, for the maist pairt, being convenet, after resoning vpoun the lose and hurt sustenit be the toun throw want of ane proper plaice for the meill mercatt, and the rest of the victuall merkett to be encloset, with sum consideratioun of the commodity that mycht redound to the guid toun thairthrow, for forther resolutioun to be had heirinto gevis commissioun to Henry Nesbet [and five others] to consult vpoun the place meitt for the sam, the maner to gett the money to big the sam be sic way as may be leist hurt to the toun, and mak als neir as thai can ane calculatioun of the hous maills to be payet, quhat proffeitt it may bring in to the toun, with sum platt of the forme of the hows and quhat money micht do the sam.

9 August 1587.

Kowgaitt calsayes.

Ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to enter the Fraynche calsaymakeris to the reparatioun of the calsayes within the Kowgaitt, vpoun the chairges and expenssis of the lands, nixt adiacent thairto, and the tennents, occupeares of the lands, to be poyndet or wairdet for the sam, and thai to haif thair releif be allowance thairof in thair mailles and dewteis.

16 August 1587.

Commissio Patersoun, Culros.

Vnderstanding that ane boit come fra the northland with quheitt and meill, and arryvand within thair schoir, hes quyetly past vp the watter with hir laidning to Culros, thairfore ordanis Thomas Patersoun, collectour, to pas and trye the sam and als to trye quhat schips is thair and quhat thai lose and laids and report the sam agane.

Cowper, minister.

Forswamekill as maister Jhonn Cowper, minister of this burgh, wes wairdet ane lang spaice in the Blakness, quhair he wes at greitt chairges and expenssis abone his stipend, havand as thai vnderstand na ordinare meayne to pay the sam, thairfoir thai haif gevin and grantet vnto him the sowme of fourty pund for help and support of his said expenssis.

22 August 1587.

Merketts of meill, cornis, butter, cheis, and woll.

Forswamekill as thair is acts of parliament maid for transporting of the meilmarket of this burgh frome the hiegaitt, and als that be the oppyn situatioun thairof and of merkets of all sorts of cornes, with the butter merkett, cheyse merket and woll merkett, thai ar all subiect to dyuers frawdes, abuses, and inconvenients, verray hurtfull to the commoun weill, as namelie, to regraiting and vphalding of derth and steilling of the townis customes, thairfore, after dyuers consultatiouns had thairvpoun, quharin the transporting of the said merketts and contracting thame in ane certane and commodious place hes bene at lenth debaittet and resonit, be the quhilk thai haif fund the inconvenients foresaids may be eschewitt and the commoun rent augmentet, with sum calculatioun thairof and platt of the patrone of the wark; all thir beand at lenth considerit, thai haif votet, thocht expedient and agreit that all the saids merketts be brocht to ane certane place quhair they may be incloset, and that hallis be biggett for that purpose, and hes fund the Nether Kirk Yaird quhair the cordiners chop is presently situatt to be the maist apt and convenient plaice thairto, and thairfoir that money be tayne vpoun proffeit to the making and bigging thairof vpoun the commoun guid, and presently the sowm of ane thowsand pund to be borrowet for laying in of materiallis to the wark swa sone as it may be gottin, and makis and constitutes Androw Sclaiter, merchant, thair maister of wark thairto, provyding the wark be bigget be avyse of the counsell.

27 August 1587.

Rollok, college, theologie.

The foresaid prouest, bailyeis and counsall, with the minister and ane number of the elders and deykins of the kirk, beand convenit, and having considerit that maister Robert Rollok, principall of the townis college, hes now compleitt ane cours of philosophie in the said College, and inrespect of his lang travells tayne thairinto of before, and that he is thocht to be qualefeit for the professioun of theologie, thairfore and for vther caussis moving thame, thay fand it expedient that the said maister Robert sall begyn and teache theologie in the said College, and ordanet the sam to be proponet to the presbitery that thair consultatioun and avyse micht be had heirinto, and continewis the forther ordour to be tayne in this mater quhill this day viij dayes.

29 August 1587.

Breid, ale.

[The wheat being commonly sold for £6 the boll, the provost bailies, and council ordained that the weight of bread be 19 ounces the 8d. loaf. Ale to be sold for 8d. the pint.]

1 September 1587.

Scholeris of the Grammer Schole.

William Littill, prouest, Jhonn Arnott, Michaell Gilbert, bailyeis, the deyne of gyld, thesaurer, and maist pairt of the counsall being convenit, forswamekill as certane of the scholeris of the Hie Schole quhais names followes hes nocht onely tayne vpoun thame to hald the schole aganis thair maister bot als maist prowdlie and contemptuously held the sam aganis my lord prouest and the bailyeis, and being requyret wald nocht render the sam, quhairby the said provest and bailyeis wes compellit to ding in peices ane of the durris thairof and win the sam be force, at the quhilk tyme the said scholers wes fund with pistols, swords, halberts and vther wawpouns and airmour, aganis all guid ordour and lawes, and to the evill exampill of vtheris. Followis thair names:—Gawine Tailyeour, dwelland with James Williamsoun, writter; Nicoll Bannatyne, sone to Mr. Thomas Bannatyne of Newtyle, ane of the lords of sessioun; Alexander Tulloch, sone to Robert Tulloch besyde Elgein of Murray; Alexander Naper, sone to the laird of Merchinstoun; Dauid Hammiltoun, sone to James Hammiltoun of Ormestoun; Adame Someruell, sone to Robert Someruell; Androw Ogilwy, sone to the laird of Boyne; Alexander Tulloch, sone to William Tulloch in Nairne; Jhonn Yorstoun, sone to Capitane Yorstoun. For the quhilk caus thai ar decernet to pay the sowme of xl s. ilk persoun swa mony as may pay the samyn to the reparatioun of the dur and wyndowis, and to vnderly the correctioun of thair maister in the sicht of thair condisciples. And siclyke for remembrance of this present disobedience, in exampill of vthers to do the lyk, it is ordanet and concludet that na privelege be grantet in tyme cuming to any scholers of the said schole bot anes in the yeir, to witt, fra the xv day of May to the xxij day thairof allanerly and at na vther tymes; and gif any scholeris sall seik privelege at any vther tyme bot as said is that thai be pvnist in thair persouns for the samyn.

6 September 1587.

jc crownis to the Kings Grace.; Bark aganis the pyrats.

Comperet Jhonn Carmichaell of that ilk and producet ane lettre fra the Kings Maiestie, quhairin his Grace airnestly desyres to borrow of the towne ane hundreth crownis for avanceing of his Graces honorabill effaires, as namelie to be bestowet on the preparatioun of certane veluott saidills to be propynet be his Grace to Sir William Salust of Bartes, knicht, Frayncheman, and counsalour to the King of Navar, as at mair lenth is contenit in the said lettre subscryuet be the Kings Grace, with the quhilk the said provest, baillies, counsall and deykins beand avyset thay willingly accordet and agreit thairto, and ordanet the samyn to be tayne vpoun thair commoun guid for annuell at ten of the hundreth… And siclyk, becaus it behouet the toun to gett fyve hundreth merk for owtredding of William Blaks boitt to pas vpoun the pyrats in the effaires of the burrowis to be ane bark to Allane Lentroun, and vnderstanding that the said Jhonn hes alreddy deburset the samyn, thairfore thai all agreitt to contract with the debursar thairof and gif infeftment of annuelrent vpoun thair commoun mylnis for the samyn.

8 [September] 1587.

Trinitie College.

Appoynts Jhonn Arnot, baillie, to confer with the prebendares of the Trinitie College for ane ordour to be tayne anent the resaving of the tennents of the lands pertening to the said College.

Inglis banist.

Robert Inglis, kepare of the blaice, is banist this burgh for taking vp furth of the earth ane barrell quhairin the laird of Knokdoleanes bowells and intrallis wes bureit, nocht to be fund thairin agane vnder the payne of deid.

12 September 1587.

Proclamatio, beggares.

Ordanit proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh chairgeing all landwart and owttintown beggares to depairt furth of this burgh betuix this and Setterday at evin nixttocum, and cum nocht within the samyn agane vnder the payne of putting thame in the thevis hoill quhill thai be pvnist in thair persouns conform to the acts of parliament, and that na indwellers of this burgh tak vpoun hand to howse, harberie, or ressett thame after the said day, vnder the sam payne. Siclyk that nane be fund sittand and beggand betuix Edinburgh and Leyth vnder the payne foresaid. And for executioun heirof ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to putt men to the ports to hald furthe the saids beggares.

13 September 1587.

Rankyne in culpa.

Jhonn Rankene, tailyeour, wairdet for trubling the towne watch on Mononday last be taiking ane of thair hats and cutting the sam, confest his falt, come in will, and oblist nocht to do the lyke and ordanet to satisfie the pairty.

22 September 1587.

Quhyte, Betoun, exemptiouns.

Comperit Henry Quhyte, cordiner, and renuncet and gaif ower the gift of exemptiouns from all extents, watcheing and wairding quhilk he had of the Kings Grace, and presently cancellat and raif the samyn, togidder with ane lettre and gift of serchery of hydes quhilk he had lykewayes purchest, and promittet to beir burding with the toun in all tymes coming; in respect quhairof thai ordane him to be discreitlie and fauorablie handlet in all taxatiouns. Siclyke, William Betoun, browdister, renuncet all exemptiouns and priveleges purchest or to be purchest be him heirafter and prometter to beir burding with the toun according to his power.

Proclamatio, craftis childer.

Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh that forswamekill as thai ar suirlie informet that sindrie craftis childer, prenteissis, feyet seurands, and taskmen, levis veray licentiously, passing fra thair wark without leve of thair maisters, and beand furth of thair maisteris howssis vnder clwd of nicht, in drynking and harletrie, as als vpoun the Sondayes nocht awaitting vpoun thair maisters nor yitt keiping the preicheings, bot passing to thair drinking, playing and harletrie, within and without the toun, thairfore commanding and chairgeing that nane of the saidis persouns tak vpoun hand to leve thair maisters seruice at any tyme without his speciall licence, and that nane of thame be fund nicht walkeris or owt of thair maisters howssis after the ten houris bell; siclyke that thai keip the preicheings and prayeris vpoun the Sondayes and depairt nocht fra thair maisters without thair licence swa that thai be nocht fund in tyme of Gods seruice in caichpullis, tavernis, aylaybowles, or in the feylds or vagand in the streitts or yitt in vnhonest or suspect plaices, vnder the payne of wairding of thair persouns swa oft as thai failyie quhill thai be pvnist at the plesure of the magestrats.

27 September 1587.

Contributio, Fraynche kirk.

Vpoun the report of Jhonn Edzear of the misterfull estaitt of the Fraynche kirk in Ingland, grantis that ane voluntare contributioun be maid throw this burgh for thair support, and that the avyse of the kirk be tayne heirinto that ordour may be tayne thairwith on Fryday nixt.