1558, Jan-June
19 January 1557
President.
The quhilk day, being convenit within the ovir counsale hous, the
prouest baillies counsale and hale dekynnis of craftis, my said lord prouest
desyring thame to call to thair remembrance his haistye departing towert
the pairttis of France as ane of the lordis ordanit to pas thair for completing
of our Souerane Ladeis mariage, and how necessar it wes for thame
and commoun weill of this burgh to haue ane honest and qualefeit man to
be thair president induring the tyme of his absence, and presentlie to name
certane honest men of this burgh and vtheris as thay thocht expedient to
the nowmer of viij or xij personis, and amangis thame as vse hes bene to
voit and elect ane to haue the said office as said is, at quhais desyre and
vpoun consideratioun foresaid diners personis being put in wryt and thair
names being red to my said lord prouest baillies and counsale and dekynnis
foresaid, all in ane voce names vottis and electis Robert Maitland of
Leithingtoun to be thair president induring the tyme of the said proyestis
absence and forther induring the said counsalis will.
21 January 1557.
Magdalene
brig.
It being menit to the prouest baillies and counsall of this burgh of
Edinburgh be Joseph Rammage and George Notman, masonis, that the
Magdalene brig betwix and Mussilburgh is dekeyit and at the falling down,
and for support and help of the samin desyrit ane day throw the town for
obtening of almous and guid ded of honest men, quhilk desyir my said
lord prouest baillies and counsall thocht ressonable and for the commoun
weill, and heirfor grantis and gevis licence to the saidis personis to cheis
quhat day thai pleis quhat personis thai may haif for obtening of the said
almous, provyding alwayis the almous obtenit be presentit to the saidis
prouest baillies and counsall and cautioun fund that the samin salbe bestowit
vpoun the said brig and na vtherwyis.
9 February 1557.
Wauchlott.
My lordis presidenttis and counsale foresaidis ordanis James Adamsoun
thesaurer to deliuer and pay to John Wauchlott officer and
chirurgeane the sowme of thre pundis for curing and mending of James
Hendersonis leg in the townys seruice at the taiking of Ramsay ane
theif quha wes slane in the taiking, etc.
Clayth mercat.
The quhilk day, the forsaidis president baillies counsall and dekynnis
forsaid, convenit in the counsalhous, anent the supplication gevin in be the
awneris of diuers and sindrie landis and tenementis liand within this burgh
be west the tolbuith thairof, and the drapperis of lynning clayth, cottane,
quhite, gray, and all vtheris within sex quarteris breid, inhabitouris of
diuers of the saidis landis liand as saidis, [which supplication refers to the act
of the council confirmed by King James III., on 3rd October 1477 (Vol. I.,
p. 34), ordaining the clothmarket to be held "betwix Libertownis Wynd heid and
the traveis bewest the tolbuith," and to the change introduced by the act dated
24th April 1555 (Vol. II., p. 214,) when, at the "solistatioun and persuasioun of
diuers nychtbouris remanand be eist the said tolbuith," the market was appointed
to be held "betuix the Nether Bow and Freir Wynd,"] be ressoun quhairof
the said mercate wes haldin in that pairt sensyne, and the saidis compleneris
nocht sufferit to hald the samin be west the said tolbuith in the
pairt befoir expremit, nochtwithstanding the ordinance act and privelege
foirsaid maid in thair favouris with the confirmatioun following thairupoun,
contenand diuers panis contrair the brekaris thariof, to thair grite dampnage
and skayth, that hes maid grite biggingis in the foirsaidis pairtis bewest
the said tolbuith for respect and commoditie of the said mercate thair to
be haldin, and of the saidis drapperis and inhabitouris foirsaidis that hes
preparit thame thairto and maid thair inhabitationes within the saidis
boundis for the samin respect, and als contrair the commoun weill of the
said burgh, gevand occassioun thairby that ane grite pairt of the inhabitouris
thairof to remoif furth of the samin and remane in the Cannogaitt
and to mak biggingis within thai pairtis and to leif this town vnbiggit, as
at mair lenth is contenit in the said supplicatioun gevin in thairupoun, the
richtis ressones and allegationes of bayth the saidis pairtiis hard sene
vnderstand and at lenth considderit, bayth the saidis pairtiis comperand in
the counsalhous of this burgh, the saidis presidentis baillies counsale and
dekynnis foirsaid decernis and ordanis the said clayth merkat to be
restoirit and brocht vpe agane abone the tolbuthe of this burgh, thair
to be vsit and haldin in the samyn place quhairintill it was of befoir vpone
all merkat dayis vsit and wount according to the foirsaidis aulde statutis
and ordinancis confermit thairvpone, as said is, and ay and quhill the samyn
[be re]ducit and all parteis callit thairto havand enteressis, and [als] dischargis
the new act foirsaid maid for moving and [handling] of the said
merkat be eist the towbuithe and de[cernis the ] effect thairof to ceis and
expyre in all tyme cuming.
11 February 1557.
Mow, candylmakar.
My lordis presidentis baillies and counsall decernis and ordanis
Thomas Mow, candilmaker, and Elezabeth Nudry his spous, to abstene
desist and ceis in all tyme cuming fra all melting of ony crakkingis
of talloun within thair bak hous or ony vthir houssis liand in William
Huchesonis clos sa lang as maister Henrie Sinclair dene of Glasgow,
president of oure Souerane Ladeis counsall and sessioun, remanis within
this burgh, for avoyding of the corrupt and vnhalsum air cumand thairthrow
to my said lord presidentis hous, and that in respect of the saidis
personis consentis gevin to the premissisl; and gif thai failye thairintill to
pay to the commoun guid of this burgh for the first falt xl s. with the
escheting of the stuff; for the nixt, banissing of the toun but fauouris.
Markett of
skynnis.
The presidentis baillies haill counsall and dekynnis foirsaidis, all with
ane consent, ordanis the merkett of hydis and skynnis in tymes cuming
to be brocht doun frome the place abone the tolbuith quhair it presentlie
remanis, and be sett and haldin beneth the salt trone, betuix Walter
Scottis close and Nudreis Wynd on bayth sydis, induring the townis will
allanerlie, and that for guid caussis considerationis and motives moving
thaim thairto at this instant tyme, and that officeris put this present act
to executioun with all diligens.
6 March 1557.
Lindesay,
Makdougall.
My lordis presidentis baillies and counsale forsaid ordanis maister
James Lindesay baillie, and Sir William M'Dougall maister of werk, to
contract and aggre with the lyme men of Cousland for furnessing of lyme to
the wallis of the toun, and thay to be the price makaris thairof allanerlie.
Precept,
Lytstar.
My lordis presidenttis baillies and counsale foresaid ordanis James
Adamsoun, thesaurer, to deliuer to Dauid Lytstar in Leyth xl s., for pulder
and bullet furnist be him at thair command to certane artailye quhilk
thay sould haue bocht fra him and shott to assay the saymn.
16 April 1558
For paying of
extent.
The president baillies and counsale forsaid ordanis in all tymes cuming,
quhen ony taxtis stenttis or otheris portabill chargis sall happin to cum
vpoun this burgh, that all maner of personis that hanttis vsis or exersis
the libertie and privielege of merchandis or fre burgessis of the same, that
is to say the venting of wyne or onye other kynd of merchandice, quhat
sumeuer stait thai be, men of law scribe or other priueliegit persoun,
nochtwithstanding thair saidis priueliegis, in all tymes cumming thay stent
scait lott and beir chargis walk and waird with the saidis merchandis
sa lang as thai vse thair libertie or onye pairt thairof.
9 May 1558.
Concerning
the superiour
defence of the
burgh.
The presidenttis baillies counsale and dekynnis, with ane greit nowmer
of merchandis craftismen and vtheris of the commvnite of this burgh,
being convenit within the tolbuth of the same, quhair it wes proponit to
thame be maister Thomas M'Calyeane, president, the present apperance of
weris and invasioun of inimeis, and how that this said burgh wes desolait
of ane superiour of jugement knawledge and habilite to haue the charge
caire and reull of the samyn in case of invasioun as said is, quhairfor he
according to his dewitie towert this said burgh and fauour he bair to the
commoun weill of the samyn exhortit thame amang the bonillis and greit
baronys of this realme to nominat certane. and put the samyn in wryt,
and to pas to the Quenis grace and lordis of Secreit Counsale desyring
hir grace to gyf to thame ane of the saidis nobill men to haue the charge
our thame and thair said toun, vnto the tyme of the returne of my lord
Seytoun, prouest, now in the pairttis of France; quhilk propositioun being
hard be the vther president baillies counsale dekynnis burgessis craftismen
and ane pairt of the commvnite as said is thay all in ane voce thocht
the saymn gude, and ordanit James Carmychell dene of gild, maister
Jhonn Spens baillie, James Adamsoun thesaurer, maister Jhonn Prestoun,
James Young cutler, David Kynloch baxter, Robert Hendersoun barbour,
and Alexander Guthre commoun Clerk, to pas to the abbay to the Quenys
grace Marye Quene Dowrear Regent of this realme, and lordis of secreit
counsale being thair and gyf in the supplicatioun of the quhilk the tenour
followis: Madame, the presidenttis baillies counsale and commonite of this
burgh of Edinburgh maist humlie exhorttis your grace and lordis of
secreit counsale to haue remembrance of oure complayne gevin in to yow
of before and, conforme to the desyre of the samyn, grant we ane of the
nobill men quhais names followis to haue the cure and charge our ws and
our said toun vnto the returne of my lord Seytoun our prouest, etc,; and
your grace's ansuer. The names of the nobill men:—My Lord erle Boith
uell, my lord erle of Mortoun, my lord erle of Glencarne, the lord Erskyn,
the lord Sempill and the lord Ruthven. With the quhilk writing conforme
to the said ordinance the personis aboue writtin deput to pas thairwith
past to the abbay and deliuerit the samyn to the Quenys Grace and lordis
of secreit counsale foirsaid
11 May 1558
Concerning
extentoris.
The presidenttis, maister James Lindesay, maister Jhonn Spens,
William Lausoun baillies, James Adamsoun thesaurer, maister Jhonne
Prestoun, Alexander Barroun, William Kar, James Curle of the counsale,
ordanis that in all tymes cuming quhen it salhappin ony extenttis
to be laid vpoun this burgh that the extentouris sall be taxt and
thair extent sett be the baillies and counsale and nocht be thame
selfis as vse hes bene, for eschewing of mwrmur of the pepill; and siclike
that Andro Murray of Blakbaronye, Jhonn Carkettill of Fynglen, Thomas
Kantt of Sanct Gelys Grange and vtheris gentill men heritouris within this
burgh that vssis na marchandice nor exchange within the samyn be mair
gentillie handillit in tymes cuming nor thay haue bene of before, and to
that effect ordanis thame to be alsua taxt be the said counsale and nocht
be the extentouris for the caus foresaid,
21 May 1558.
Gunnaris.
The presidenttis baillies dene of gild and hale counsale, with auise of
the maist pairt of the dekynnis and certane vtheris honest nychtbouris of
of this burgh, fyndis necessar that certane gunneris men of experience be
byrit for handling graithing and shutting of the townyis monitioun in case
of invasioun, and to that effect hes presentlie hyrit Robert Caldour and
William Kelle gunneris for thre monethis, thair begynning to be vpoun
Sounday xxij day of Maii instant, and euerye ane of thame to haue
monethlie v li. to be payit be the thesaurer of this burgh, and Gilbert
Balfour souertie for the said Calder, and Gilbert Balfour to be maister of
the townys artailye.
Close futtis.
The presidenttis baillies and counsale foresaid fyndis gude and
necessar that all the close futtis on bayth syddis of the Hie Streit of this
burgh be closyt and bigit vp with stane and lyme or vtherwayis sufficient
be the occupearis of the landis within the samyn vpoun the expenssis of
the heritouris in case of invasioun of inimeis, and the wynde futtis onle to
be oppin, quhilk the forsaidis ordanis to be done.
But, port.
The foresaidis ordanis James Adamsoun, thesaurer, to big ane but of
fale at James Bassendennis hous abone the Nether Bow quhair the samyn
wes of before, vpoun the townys expenssis, and siclike to big vp the eist
port of the Cougait callit Sanct Marye port vpoun the townys expensses
quhilk salbe allowit to him; and siclike ordanis the said James to caus
mak tua hundreth small creillis for be[ring] of eird, and to by half hundreth
schod schullis with tua dosane matokis, quhilk sall alsua be allowit to
him, and put the samin in the monitioun hous of the toun.
[Preparations
for defence of
the burgh.]
The presidenttis baillies and counsale foresaid ordanis proclamatioun
to be maid through the toun chairgeing all inhabitanttis of this burgh to
convene before thame the morne at thre houris efter none, thair to declair
how monye men euerye man will sustene for defence of this burgh in case
of invasioun, with certificatioun and thay failye to convene at the hour
appoynttit to the effect foresaid that the counsale will extent and set
euerye man according to thair knaulege, and siclike ordanis that euerye
honest man within burgh haue ane schod schule spaid and mattok within
his hous to be in radynes in case the gude toun haue ado.
Villa.
The presidenttis baillies and counsale ordanis maister Jhonn Spens
baillie, Dauid Forster and Gilbert Balfoure of counsale, and Alexander
Guthre commoun clerk, to await continuallie vpoun the Quenys grace
and lordis of secreit counsale in the abbay vpoun the ansuer of the gude
townys desyre twiching ane greit man to haue the steir reull and gouernance
of the toun vnto the returne of my lord Seytoun provost.
Artailye.
The presidenttis baillies and counsale foresaid ordainis James Adamsoun,
thesaurer, to by fra Dauid Bell in Leyth vj cutthrottis with thair
chalmeris and calmes, and to pay to the said Dauid xiiij s. for euerye stane
wecht of the samyn.
27 May 1558.
The townys
evidenttis.
The presidenttis baillies counsale and dekynnis, beand convenit in
the tolbuith of this burgh, is content granttis consenttis and als commandis
James Carmychaell dene of gyld, James Adamsoun thesaurar of this burgh
and James Barroun burges, that gif it salhappin our ald inemyis of
Ingland to cum fordwhat for persute of this toun, to convoy and transport
the haill evidenttis and wryttingis now beand in the thesaurar hous of this
burgh to the castell and to put the samyn in the thesaurar hous of the said
castell thair to remane in sure keping; and siclike ordanis the said dene
of gyld to haif the reliquis syluer chandlaris with the rest of the syluer
wark capis and ornamentis of the kirk of Sanct Geill to the said thesaurar
hous of the castell thair to be kepit in lyke maner, quhairupoun the said
James Carmichaell dene of gild askit instrumentis.
Craftis.
The saidis presidentis baillies and counsale ordanis the officiaris to
pas and charge the dekynis of ilk craft to consult and awys with the
remanent of the fremen of his occupatioun to se quhat nomer of men
thai may be furnising thame self for resistance of our ald inemeis of Ingland
in cais thai persew this burgh, and that euery dekyn be himself gif in
the nomer that thai may be in. roll to the baillies and counsall vpoun
Thurisday nixtocum, to the effect that thai may knaw quhat the haill
toun may do.
30 May 1558.
Ordnance for
defence of the
town.
The presidenttis baillies and counsale ordanis proclamatioun to be
maid at the mercat croce of this burgh, in our Souerane Ladeis name and
thairis, commandand and chargeand all and sindry the inhabitanttis of
this burgh, merchanttis craftismen and all vtheris occupearis and
induellaris within the samyn, that in case this burgh happin to be
invadit with inimeis, nane of thame tak vpoun hand to remove or pas furth
of the samyn the tyme of the invasioun, bot remane thairintill weill and
sufficientlie furnist with all maner of armour and wappinnis according to
thair power for defence of this said burgh, certefeing all and sindry the
personis foresaid that gyf ony of thame absenttis thame selffis or beis
away the samin tyme thair landis and guddis salbe escheit and confiscat
disponit and deltt to the wyffis and bairnys of thame that salhappin to
remane quhilkis beis hurt mutilat or slane in the defence of this said burgh,
and the vtheris personis fremen quhilkis hes na landis nor guddis, and
absenttis thame selffis as said is, to be dischargit thair fredome and banyst
this toun for evir; and this to be done without ony fauour, efter the jugement
and discretioun of the prouest presidentis and baillies for the tyme.
5 June 1558.
Anent the
hyring of thair
seruandis.
It is statute and ordanit be the presidentis baillies counsale and hale
dekynnis that na maner of persoun, burges craftisman nor vther
inhabiter within this burgh, contract or hyre ane vther mannis seruand
now in tyme of weyr, bot that euerye man to be haldin to ansuer for his
awin seruand and haue him sufficientlie prouidit for defence of this burgh
in case the samyn be invadyt be our auld inimeis, certefeing him that hyris
or gevis wage to his nychtbouris seruand as said is the said wage salbe
tynt to the gever tane and applyit to the commoun proffit to this burgh,
and the seruand that passis fra his maister pvnist in his persoun and be
compellit to enter agane to his said maister and serue him and nane
vtheris during all tyme he is detbound till do the samyn.
[Men to be
furnished for
defence of the
town.]
The presidenttis baillies dekynnis and counsale foirsaid, for the
commoun weill and defence of this burgh in case of invasioun as said is,
ordanis all nychtbouris merchanttis craftismen and vtheris to be convenit
within the tolbuth of the samyn, and thair be thair awin avise counsale
and consent to heir and se euerye ane of thame to be set to samonye men
as his substance may sustene, weill prouidit in armour and wappynnis, for
the defence of this burgh in case of invasioun, [and] to be waigit and
sustenyt be thame to serue vnder captanes as salbe chosin be the presidenttis
baillies and counsale [and that] induring the said invasioun or
langer as salbe necessarie.
[Men to be
furnished by
merchants.]
The samyn day, the merchanttis of this burgh beand convenit as said
is, of thair awin fre willis, consenttis euerye man to furnys the nowmer
following, weill prouidit in armour and wappinnis, and ma gyf neid beis,
induring the tyme foresaid: [Here follows the roll of names, the numbers being
for the north-west quarter, two hundred and nineteen men; for the south-east
quarter one hundred and ninety-five; for the south-west quarter, three hundred and
twenty-two—in all, seven hundred and thirty-six men.]
10 June 1558.
Dekyn of the
masounis
The saidis president baillies and counsale ordanis Dauid Grahame
dekyn of the masouns, of his awyn consent, to gif in the roll of the
maisteris and habill men seruandis of the said craft on Wednisday
nixtocum, vnder the pane of wardyn.
[Skinner
craft.]
The president baillies and counsale sittand in judgement, haifand
considderatioun of the havie complaint maid to thame be the brethir and
maisteris of the skynnar craft anent the gret skayth thai incur throu
vnfremen that cumis furth of Sanct Johnstoun and otheris partis, that daylie
vsis to vent and sell thair pursis gluffis panttis and otheris maid wark
pertening to the said craft, nocht onlie in fuill grossis bot alssua in smallis,
daylie and oppinlie vpon the Quenis streit of this burgh, quhilk thai
aucht nocht to do bot on Monunday and the tyme of proclamit fairis,
vsurpand thairthrow als gret priuelegis as thai that ar fremen, quhairby
[ar] put to sic preiudice that thai are nocht abill to taxt stent [walk and
waird] without remeid be put thairto; thairfoir ordanis the officiaris of
this burgh to pas and discharge all vnfremen, vsand to vent or sell sic wark
pertening to the said craft, that nane of thame tak vpoun hand fra Monunday
nixtocum furth to sell the same bot vpoun the merket day vsit and wont,
that is to say Monunday, or in proclamit fairis, vnder the pane of eschaeting,
[and they to find surety to comply with this act]; and for the secund
falt, or sa oft as thai failye efter the fynding of the said souerte, his
souerte to be pvnist at the townis will, and the saidis purssis gluffis
panttis or otheris maid wark fund selland be thame to be eschaet and
applyit to the commoun wirkis of the burgh.
[Men to be
furnished by
crafts.]
The quhilk day the craftis of this burgh being convenit within the
tolbuyth of this burgh, of thair awin fre willis [consentis] euerye man to
furneis the number following weill prouydit men and waippinis, and ma gif
neid beis, induring the tyme forsaid: [Here follows a roll of the names, of
which the following is an abstract:—Skinners, 42 masters, 21 servants, together
63; Furriers, 9; Websters, 13 masters, 13 servants, together 26; Tailors, 81 "freemen,"
72 servants, "the names of thame in merchant houssis and vp and doun the
in hole and bore," 25, together 178; Bonnet-makers, 14 masters, 39 servants,
together 53; Barbers, 25; Hammermen, 66 masters, 85 servants, together 151;
Goldsmiths, 14 masters, 6 servants, together 20; Walkers, masters and servants'
within town, 24, outwith the West Port, 19, together 43; Baxters, 45 masters,
55 servants, together 100; Cordiners, 49; "summa of the hale nowmer of the
maisteris and seruandis abill men of craftis for defence of the toun," 717.]
17 June 1558.
Divers privilegeis
obtenit
be the town of
Edinburgh
aganis Leyth.
The indwellaris of Leyth may on na wayis buy woll hyde claith skin
salmound wyne walx victuellis, or ony maner of stapill gudis, fra unfremen
in the countrie, bot all sic merchandice sould first cum and be presentit
to the burgh of Edinburgh, and thairefter sould be bocht fra the
fremen thairof. Item, the indwellaris, nor na uther unfremen, may pack
and peill the saidis gudis in the town of Leyth, quhilk is ane unfre town,
nor yit in ony uther place within the fredome of Edinburgh, bot all sic
merchandice and gudis aucht and sould be brocht to the said burgh, as
principall stapill thairof, and thair to pack and peill the samin, and pay
thair customis and dewteis thairfor as effeiris.
23 June 1558.
[Bonnet-makers.]
The presidenttis baillies and counsale, efter consideratioun and avisement
with the complaynt gevin in before thaim be the dekyn and brether
of the bonet makaris, makand mentioun that the outlandis men of Sanct
Jonistoun and vtheris vnfremen vpoun all dayis in commoun pas throuch
this toun with thair bonettis and commounlie and oppinlie sauld the samyn
to all our soueranis lieges, to thair greit hurt and contrair to the priuelegis
granttit to thame in thair gyft vnder the seill of caus of this gude toun, as
at mair lenth is contenit in thair said complaynt, the saidis presidenttis
ballies and counsale foresaid having regaird to thair said letter of gyft
granttit to the said craft, the priueleges and liberteis contenit in the
samyn, togidder with the greit charges sustenit be thame in stent
ing and wairding, statutis and ordanis that it sall nocht be lesum to na
outland man nor vtheris vnfremen to sell thair bonettis within this toun
vpon the Hie Gait, nor vpoun crames vtouth buthis, bot vpon merkat dayis
[vsit and wount] and fre fairis …