Extracts from the records: 1637

4 January 1637.

Warrand, new infeftment.

Patrik Bell, John Andersone and Walter Stirling producit thair comptis anent thair debursingis in Edinburgh in purchesing of the tounes new infeftment and vther affairis of the toun . . . and as to that article whair the said Patrick hes debursit tua thousand tua hundrethe nyntein pundis aucht schilingis, as being the haill chargis gevin out for passing of the tounes new infeftment, conforme to the haill particularis thairof all red and allowit, ordanes the samyn to be payit out of the stent money and of the thrie thousand markis quhilk was gottine fra the laird of Kilmahew and his collidgis. . . .

22 April 1637.

Warrand, new chartour.

Ordanes the thresaurer to have ane warrand for aucht dollouris given be him to the clerk of Paislay for the tounes seaseing wpon thair new chartour, and for fiftie four schillings givin be him to his man for wrytting thairof, and for thrie dolloris and ane half debursit for registratioune of the samein.

13 May 1637.

Anent barrellis.

The foirsaidis provest, baillies, and counsall, wnderstanding the great abuisis done and committit be divers inhabitantis of this brughe, merchandis, cowperis, and wtheris, throw the vsing and wenting of herring barrellis quhilkis are not the juist jadge, contrar the lawis of this kingdome and actis of burrowis within the samein, for remedie quhairof it is statut and ordanit that thais wha sall exerce the office as watter bailyie within this brughe heirefter sall mak searche and tryall for trying of all barrellis of the kynd foirsaid within the samein, and sa money as he can try thairof that he burne, brek, or cause distroy the samein; lykas Coline Campbell, present watter bailyie, acceptit the said charge in and wpon him, and gave his aithe de fideli administratione thairintill during his office.

30 May 1637.

Mylnis sett.

[The mills set for a year for 6750 merks and 42 bolls of unground malt, the casualties of the ladle set for 2300 merks, the casualties of the trone set for £200, the duties of the meal market set for 500 merks, the custom of the bridge set for 450 merks.]

24 June 1637.

Warrand, conventioun.

Ordaines ane stand of claithes of Inglis claithe to be takin off and maid wpon the tounes chargis to Cloud Cleyland becaus he is to attend the tounes commissionar att the generall conventioun of burrowis in Aberdeine.

Commissioner to conventioun.

It is concludit and ordanit that Patrik Bell, thair commissionar appointit to the next enschewin conventioun of burrowis to be haldin att Aberdein, voit and consent in name of this brughe that thair be ane constant counsall in ilk brughe of this kingdome, for ansuering to that heid and article conteanit in the generall missive direct to this brughe to that effect.

19 August 1637.

Form of electioun of counsall.

The foirsaidis provest, bailleis, and counsall, considdering and wnderstanding that thir maney and divers yeiris bygane thair hes bein no constant cours obserwit anent the qualitie and nwmber of the persones who electit the counsell of this brughe, they thairfoir to obviat the evill and inconvenientis may incur thairby, and for establisching of ane solid and constant forme of electioun of the counsall in tyme cuming, efter mature advyse and deliberatioun, the peace and good of this citie foirsein, have concludit, statut, and ordanit that in all tyme cuming, for satling of ane constant ruill anent the said electioun, the persones following sall have voit in electioun of the townes counsall efter the electioun of the magistratis, the day, tyme, and place obserwit of befoir, viz., the present new electit provest and three bailleis, the old provest and three old bailleis who immediatlie preceidit them, togidder with the old provest and three old bailleis who beare office immediatlie befoir the saidis first old provest and old bailleis, quhilkis makis wp the nwmber of twelf persones, and whilkis twelf persons sall be all personallie wairnit be auctoritie and at command of the present provest be ane ordinar officer of this brughe to be present the tyme and place foirsaid, and for the caus abone specifeit; and if it sall happin any of the saidis twelf persones to be depairtit this lyf, or af the town, or of new electit provest or bailleis, or visitit be seiknes, or absent any maner of way whatsumever, it sall be lawfull to the remanent of the saidis twelf persones then present to elect so maney persones as sall happin to be wanting of the said full nwmber of the same qualitie of the absentis, whither they be merchandis or craftis men, and then to proceid to the electioun of the said new counsell, and no electioun of counsell to be haldin or reput lawfull whill first the foirsaid nwmber of twelf persones of the qualitie foirsaid be fullie maid wp and haif voit in the said electioun of the said new counsell.

Soumes for entrie of gild brother.

Forsameikle as it [is] perfylite knawin and wnderstand to the saidis provest, bailyeis, and counsall, that it is speciallie provydit be the lettere of gildrie of this brughe, sett doun in anno 1605 yeiris, that the haill sowmes of money that sould happine to be gottine for the entres of ilk gild brother sould be devydit betuix the deane of gild and deacone conveinar in this maner, viz., all gildrie fynis payit be merchandis or ony of thair assessoris to be payit to the deane of gild, and all gild brother fynis to be payit be any craftisman or thair assisteris to be payit to the deacone conveinar, and to be applyit be thame baithe to the weill of thair tua severall hospitalis, ilk ane for thair awin pairtis and thair dekayit britherine, or to ony vther good and godlie wark quhilk may tend to the advancment of the commoun weill of this citie, in forme and maner conteanit in the said lettere of gildrie; and that the said deane of gild and deacone conveinar for the tyme war in vse and possessioun in vplifting the samen fra the dounsetting of the said lettere of gildrie to the yeir of God j^m vj^e and ten yeiris, att quhilk tyme the deane of gild and his counsall of the merchand rank, as als the deacone conveinar and remanent deacones of crauftis, wnderstanding the great debt and burdingis was drawin wpoun this citie be the injureis of thois tymes, they for releif thairof condischendit and aggreit that the fyne of threttie pundis to be payit be ilk outintounes man stranger entering gild brother sould be vpliftit and receavit be the theasurer of this brugh during the spaice of aught yeiris theireftir, wpon conditioun and provisioun that att the ische of the saidis aught yeiris the foirsaid fyne sould returne back agane to the saidis hospitallis to the effect forsaid; and als seing the thesaureris of this burgh hes had the vplifting of the saidis fynis thais nyntein yeiris begaine by and attour the aught yeiris above mentionat, quhilk fynis war all convertit during the spaice foirsaid in payment of the tounes debt and vtheris effairis thairof; and now in respect it is humblie meanit and schawin to thame be James Hamilton, present deane of gild, and Niniane Gilhagie, present deacone conveinar, that throw the stratnes of thois hard tymes thir divers yeiris bygane they and thair predicessouris hes bein constrainit to give weri learglie for the help of thair puir dekayit britherine within the saidis tua hospitallis and vthers quorum interest, quhairby the revenewis of the samen ar greatlie diminischitt and impairit, and that the deane of gild and his britherine of the merchand rank ar of intention to build ane lytill chappell adjacent to thair hospitall, with ane pirameitt or steiple thairon, for the glorie of God and weill of thair puir within thair said hospitall, vther inhabitantis thairabout, good and decoirment of this citie, and that the deacone convenar and deacones of crauftis hes allreadie wairit and bestowit grait chairgis and expensis in building of ane pirameitt quhairin thair bell hingis, bying of ane new bell and repairing of thair said hospitall; thairfoir the saidis provest, bailyeis, and counsall, wpon the considerationes foirsaidis, efter good advysment (the said lettere of gildrie anent that mater being weill considderit) hes concludit, statut, and ordanit that all gild brother fynis of the qualitie foirsaid, viz., threttie pundis money of fyne to be payit be ilk outintounes men strangers entering gild brother heirefter sall be intromettit with and vpliftit be the saidis deane of gild, deacone conveinar, and thair collectoris, efter Michaelmes nixttocum, to be applyit be thame conforme to the foirsaid clawis and article conteanit in the said lettere of gildrie in all poyntis.

2 September 1637.

Election of counsall.

The foirsaidis provest, bailyeis, and counsall, all in ane voyce, hes statut and ordanit that the act of counsall sett doun wpon the nyntein day of August last bypast anent the forme and maner of the electioun of the counsall of this burghe heirefter, nor nathing conteanit in the said act, sall prejudge the merchandis or craftismen within the same anent the number that aither of thame have had wpon the counsall thir divers yeiris bygane, bot that the said number sall remaine wnaltered be the said act in ony sort.

3 October 1637.

Provest nominat.

[At the desire of the archbishop, the bailies and council admitted James Stewart of Floack, merchand, burgess of the burgh, provost.]

Bailies.

[From a leet of nine (six merchants and three craftsmen from which to choose two merchants and one craftsman), the archbishop elected Johne Andersone, Nininane Andersone and Coline Campbell to be bailies.]

6 October 1637.

Council.

[The provosts and bailies of this and the preceding years, with one person chosen to make up the number of twelve, conform to the act of 19th August last, elected thirteen merchants and twelve craftsmen to be on the council of the burgh.]

7 October 1637.

Statuta.

[Ordained that ale be sold not dearer than 1s. 4d. the pint, beer 1s. 8d. the pint.]

11 October 1637.

Dean of guild, etc.

[James Hammiltone elected dean of guild; Richard Allane, deacon convener; Robert Hoggisyard, treasurer; William Hynschaw, master of work; Archibald Faullis, water bailie; John Gilhagie, visitor of maltmen and mealmen.]

14 October 1637.

Prices.

[Ordained that no higher prices than the following be charged :—the wheat loaf of 10 oz., 1s.; the "doubill bund" of 18 oz., 2s.; the "mayn shott" of 9 oz., 1s.; tallow, 40s. the stone; candle, 48s. the stone.]

Stirling, commissioner.

Ordaines Walter Stirling to ryd to Edinburgh, with maister Robert Wilkie, to the nixt counsall day, thair to attend ane gracious ansuer of his Majestie anent the buik of commoun prayer.

11 November 1637.

Hammiltoun, commissioner.

Ordaines Mathow Hammiltoun to ryd to Edinburgh, with maister Robert Wilkie, to attend ane graciouse answer of his Majestie the nixt counsall day anent the buik of commoun prayer.

Act, fyft of November.

It is statut and ordanit that the toun sall be liberat heirefter be the majestratis of ony chargis sall happine to be spent heirefter wpon the fyft day of November yeirlie, being the Kingis night.

25 November 1637.

Anent bark sayes.

It is statut and ordanit be the saidis provest, bailyeis, and counsall that thair be ane ordinar mett, missour, and say maid for bying and receaving of fruit and bark heirefter, and that na maner of persoun within this brughe keip in his custody heirefter any missour, mett, or say bot sick as sall be approvine be the deane of gild and his britherine, and markit with the deane of gildis mark.

Clerk.

Ordaines the clark to subscryve twa dowbillis of the band of mantenance grantit be the Lord Darnelie to this brughe, quhilkis ar to be sent to the Duk.