Extracts from the Records: 1588, Oct-Dec

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: 1588, Oct-Dec', in Extracts From the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, 1573-1589, (Edinburgh, 1882) pp. 530-534. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/edinburgh-burgh-records/1573-89/pp530-534 [accessed 24 March 2024]

1588, Oct-Dec

2 October 1588.

Minister electing.

Fynds it expedient that the mater be walknet and ane minister to be chosin in place of maister Jhonn Cowper, and appoynts Thomas Fischear [and three others] to confer with the ministers thairvpoun and propone the sam to the sessioun of the kirk.

Lord Bothuell.

The sam day, afternone, the prouest, baillies, dene of gild, thesaurer, counsall, deykins of crafts, and certane nychtbouris of the toun beand convenet anent the mater proponet to thame of before concerning my Lord Bothuell, quha desyret to borrow sum money of the toun, considering the greitt burdings lying vpoun the town and thair commoun guid alreddy, and for vther wechty ressouns moving thame, thay fand it nocht expedient to len or grant to his lordschip ony money, and appoyntet George Carkettill, Thomas Fischear, maister James Jhonestoun, and sic as past before to his lordschip, to declair thair ansuer in maist gud and plesant termes.

4 October 1588.

Erle Bothuell, watche.

John Arnot, provest, the baillies, dene of gild, thesaurer, and haill counsall beying convenit, fynds it expedient that certaine be direct to pas to the Kings Grace and schew the proceedings of the Erle Bothuell aganis the toun, nocht onely in chairgeing thame with money to him quhair thai aw him nane, bot als in minassing, and yisterday in taking James Nicoll, merchant, captiue betuix Leyth and Edinburgh, and thairfore to desyre his Grace to put remedy to sic inormiteis, and to compleyne vpoun the arreisting and hindering of thair schips frome thair vayages, and thairfore to impetrat letters dischargeing him of the premissis and vther sufficient warrandis for the toun in this behalf; and for this effect thai nominat and appoyntet William Fairly, baillie, [and six others] to pas ower the water to his Maiestie. And that the toun incur na daynger in the meyne tyme fynds expendient that ane quarter of the toun watche thair nycht about for ane certane space, and certane to be putt to keip the stepill be day, and proclamatioun to be maid that all be in reddynes in thair airmour at the nixt straik of the swesche or ringing of the commoun bell.

11 October 1588.

Contributioun Spayngyearts.

Forswamekill as thair is cum to this burgh to the number of threttie nyne Spayngyerts of the Spayngye navie and ma to follow, quha hes maid schip wrak in Ireland, and is cum in at the west verray naiket, pure and desolatt, fynds it expedient that the bowellis of mercie, compassioun, and christiane cherity be schawin vpoun thame, and thairfore that ane collectioun to be maid throw the haill toun and imployet in clething to thame, and the superplus to be gevin thame in money that thai may be despeschet away; and appoyntis euery baillie in his quarter, takand the persouns following with him, to craif the sam … and quhill thair claythes be gottin that thai be sustenit vpoun the said contributioun.

Acts and statutes.

["Acts and statutes of the burgh of Edinburgh maid and sett furth be the prouest, baillies and counsall of the samyn, for the commoun weill thairof and all our Souerane Lords lieges resortand thairto," in terms similar to acts passed in October in previous years.]

23 October 1588.

Quartering Spayngyerts.

Appoynts and ordanis Alexander Hunter and William Rig to pas to the Kings Grace ower the water and obtene lettres aganis the schips of the coist syde for transporting ane pairt of the puir schipbrokkin Spayngyerts and propelling thame thairto, and ordanes ane lettre to be writtin to his Maiestie to that effect.

30 October 1588.

Spayngyerts.

Ordanis Thomas Bell, collectour, to gif the sowme of ten merk of James Hagy fleschouris blwid vnlaw to the support of the fourteyne new cum Spayngyerts with the twa that remanet of the rest behind.

1 November 1588.

New collectioun for the Spayngyerts.

Fynding that thair is new cum to this burgh ane greitt number of schipbrokkin Spayngyerts in maist meserabill estaitt, bayth naiket and famishet, thinks expedient that ane new collectioun be maid for thair support throw the haill toun.

Hill, playfeld.

Jhonn Hill, tennent of the lands of the rwid of the Grenesyde, being callit in, wes discharget of ony teilling and ryving of ony pairt of the playfeyld.

6 November 1588.

Thesaurer, sessioun tolbuith.

At the desyre of the lords of sessioun, thai agreit and consentet the durris and barressis of the Over Tolbuith be alterit and reparet in the forme and maner set doun and devyset be the said lords.

Statute, burgessis airmour.

Finds expedient, statuts and ordanis that na burgessis be resauet nor admittet in tyme cuming bot sic as sall compeir the tyme of thair admissioun before the counsall with sufficient airmour, sic as thai will tak thame to for serving of the Kings Grace and the toun, to witt, other with hakbut and furnessing belanging thairto, sic as flaske, pulder and bullet and ane murrioun, or ellis with jak, knapskall, speir or pik, and mak fayth that the said airmour is thair awin proper geir, and this by and attoure thair sworde; and quhen euir thai sall want the said airmour in tyme convenient to be poyndet or wardet for ane vnlaw of fyve pund.

22 November 1588.

Proclamatio, Flemyngs, wobsteris.

Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid that becaus it is fund expedient to put the strayngeris Flemyngs to wark, that thai may be helpit in thair present necessitie, that certane nychtbouris be appoyntet to be pertineris of thair wark and lawbouris and to mak thame avancement, thairfore wairning all persouns that will be pertiners and avance the said strayngeris to compeir the morne in the counsalhous betuix twa and thre afternone before the prouest and baillies and gif vp thair names, with certificatioun gif thai failyie thai sall nocht be hard heirafter.

4 December 1588.

Proclamatio, beggares.

Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid that forswamekill as the multitud of the beggares within this burgh ar verray trubilsum to the nychtbouris of this burgh and strayngers resortand thairto, thairfore that nane of the saidis beggares be fund beggand throw the streitts and Hiegaitt vpoun the Sondayes, vnder the payne of imprysonment in the thevis hoill xlviij houris without meitt and drink.

Ministeris stipendis.

Gevis commissioun to my lord prouest [and six vthers] to convene after the prayers at evin and consult and ressoun vpoun the mater proponit concerning the alteratioun of the ministers stipends and report the sam to the counsall.

6 December 1588.

Augmentatioun of the ministers stipends.

In consideratioun of the greitt incres of the derth of all kynd of viuers, quhairby the ministers of this burgh is nocht habill to susteyne thame selffis and thair fameleis vpoun thair ordiner stipends, havand na vther industrie nor casualtie to leve be, thairfore the said provest, baillies, and counsall and … deykins of crafts hes thocht expedient to augment and rayse the said ministers stipends in maner following, that is to say, maister Walter Balcanquell to be augmentit [100 merks yearly, making his whole stipend 500 merks; Jhonn Cairnis, 50 merks, making in all 300 merks; Thomas Watsoun, 20 merks, making in all £40 yearly. Grantes also to Maister Robert Bruce, minister, 600 merks of yearly stepend.]

11 December 1588.

Gift of escheitt.

Grantis, gevis and disponis to Jhonn and Cristiane Symsouns, lawfull bairnis to vmquhill Thomas Symsoun, burges of this burgh, quha vpoun the [blank] day of December instant pat doun himselff in his awin howse besyde the Myse Well, the gift and escheitt of all his movebill guids and dets pertening to him and now pertening to the guid toun and at thair dispositioun as thair escheitt.

27 December 1588.

Taks of the Newheavin.

Thinkis expedient, agreis and condescendis to sett to Ewstachius Roch, Flemyng, siclyk taks of the lands and howssis and rowmes at the Newheavin as wes sett to the Inglismen of before, of the lyke yeiris and dewteis, payand to the guid toun in name of entres the sowme of twenty foure pund.