1566, July-December
19 July 1566.
Precept, bedrellis.
[The treasurer ordained to pay to "the elimosinaris of the Trinetie College the
sowme of fyve poundis, for the Wytsounday terme the yeir of God jm ve lxvj,
qubilk the gud towne gevis thame in almis."]
Malt, ale.
[Ground malt to be sold not dearer than nine firlots for £4, 6s.; ale to be sold
not dearer than fivepence the pint.]
24 July 1566.
Precept.
[The treasurer ordained to pay four officers "auchtene schilling, .for feing of
ane boitt and thair laubouris tane in convoying of ane Heiland man, at our
Souveranis command and the provest and baillies of this burgh."]
2 August 1566.
The gift of Pringillis escheit disponit to the provest.
[The bailies and council,] hawing consideratioun of the diligent cure
laubouris expenssis and solistatioun that Sir Symoun Prestoun of Craigmillar
knycht, provest of this burgh, hes tane this yeir bypast, and as yit
takis in setting fordwart of the commoun weill of this burgh and effaris of
the samyn, newer being recompansit as yit, and for wther caussis mowing
thame, gevis and disponis to the said provest, his airis and assignasis, the
escheit of all gold, sylwer, cunyeit or unchunyeit, merchandys, claything,
or wtheris gudis quhatsumewer, pertening to wmquhill Thomas Hoppringill,
merchand and burges of this burgh, and now to the guid toune as
escheit for his being convict affoir thame for the slauchter of wmquhill
Robert Andersoun, with power to the said Sir Symoun to intromett
thairwith, to dispone thairvpoun at his plesour, to call and persew
thairfoir, and all wtheris thingis to do that the guid towne mycht haife
done thairselfis affoir the dispositioun heirof, and transferris thair rycht
and kyndnes thairof in the said provest his airis and assignais, in recompance
of his laubouris and expenssis as said is.
Precept, Barroun.
The baillies and counsall ordanis Johnne Westoun, thesaurer, to pay
to Patrik Barroun, officer, the soume of fyftene schillingis sexpenneis
debursit be him for making of the skaffald quharvpoun Thomas Hoppringill
wes heidit.
13 September 1566.
Adultrie.
[In presence of the bailies and council,] compeirit maister Johnne
Craig, minister, and presentit to thame our Soveranis writting wnderwrittin,
and desyrit the same to be registrat in the buikis of this burgh,
the principall to be gewin to him agane; quhilkis the saidis baillies and
counsall thocht ressonabill, ordanit the same to be registrat, and the
principall to be delyverit to the foirsaid minister, off the quhilk writting
the tennour followis: Regina. Forsamekell as we ar informit be faithfull
personis that adultre, furnecastioun, oppin harlatrie, and vtheris sic filthe
lustis of the flesche, ar committit and sufferit in Edinburgh without ony
pvneisment, to the gret dishonoure of oure God, to the sklander of the
haill realme, to the manifest contempt of oure lawis and authorite, thairfor
we charge and commandis the provest baillies and counsall of our said
burgh that ye with all diligence frome tyme to tyme inquyre serch oute
and tak all sic publict sklanderaris and filthy personis and pvnische thame
according to the act of our last parliament without ony exceptioun of
personis, as ye will ansuer to your God and to our lawis. At Striviling.
Gevin vnder our signet, and subscryvet with our hand, the last day of
August and of oure regne the twenty foure yeir. Et sic subscribitur:
Marie, R.
Freiris yairdis.
Sir Symoun Prestoun of that ilk, knycht, provest, [the bailies and
council,] being conuenit in the counsalhous of the samyn, compeirit Johnne
Sym, ane of the baillies thairof, and desyrit the saidis provest baillies and
counsall that thai wald grant and geve to him the vs commoditie proffeit
and (fn. 1) the keiping of the vmaist yeard quhilk wes sumtyme the Gray Freris
of this burgh, for the space of four yeiris nixt and immediatly followand
the Feist of Mertymes in the yeir of God jm ve thre scoir and sex yeiris,
quhilk geve thai plesit to do, he promeist wpoun his awin expenssis to
caus big and reparall the myd dyk now cassin downe and dekayit, siclyk
as it wes of befoir, and of als greit heicht betuix the buriall place and the
said yeard, and als wpoun his awin expensis to strek furth and caus big
ane dur and entrie to this yeard in the eist syde wall of the same, quhilk
dur salbe patent to all the nychtbouris of this burgh to periurnie gang
rest and pas thair tyme in the yeard foirsaid gratis, and ewery baillie and
counsallar, with ony wther honest man of this burgh, that plessis to mak
ane key wpoun thair expenssis, to hawe ane key thairof to the effect
foirsaid, and the guid towne to hald thair wappinschawin or ony wther
conventionis in the same to be appointit be the provest and baillies of this
burgh, and als it salbe lesome to mak thair buriall thairinto geve necessitie
requyre, and als promessis to mak na subtennent wnder him to the said
yeard nor to sett the same to wtheris bot to use it be himself and to his
proffeit (fn. 1) [he to haif the kepyn thairof allanerlie (fn. 2) ] allanerly, and als promeist
that at the ische of the saidis four yeiris it salbe lesome to the guid toune
to enter to the said yeard, dispone and occupy the same at thair plesour,
als frely as thai mycht hawe done afore the gewin of the same in keiping
to the foirsaid Johnne, but ony stop impedinent or troubill to be maid be
the said Johne, or ony wtheris in his name in the contrair, and that he
sould purches na maner of lordschipe for obtening of langer possessioun
nor perwerting of thair rycht thairto, and desyrit thair lordschip ansuer
heirinto. Quha, efter consultatioun and awysement takyn heiranent, hes
gewin and grantit and be thir presentis gewis and grantis to the said
Johnne Sym the keiping vs and commoditie (fn. 1) of the said yeard for the space
of four yeiris forsaidis wpoun the conditiounis abone writtin, quhairwpoun
the foirsaid Johnne askit actis and instrumentis.
18 September 1566.
[Princes birth.]
The prouest baillies and counsall ordanis Jhone Westoun, thesaurer,
to content and pay to James Nicoll, baillie, the sowme of ten pundis for his
punscheoun of wyne run at the croce the tyme of the Princes birth.
25 September 1566.
Precept, Scott.
The prouest [bailies and council,] being convenit for chesing of the
new counsall, compeirit Jhone Johnstoun, writer, declarand that Johne
Knox, minister, had writtin to him that he wes craiffit, at the leist sutit,
for his Mertymes termes maill, in the yeir of God jm ve and lxv be Robert
Scottis spous, desyrit thair wisdomes outher to caus the samyn be payit,
other wayis it behuifit him to find the way to satiffie the samyn. [The
treasurer ordained to make payment of the sum craved.]
1 October 1566.
[Elections.]
The prouest, baillies, counsall, new and auld, being convenit in the
tolbuith of this burgh, as at the day of thair heid court, for chesing of
thair prouest, baillies, dene of gild, and thesaurer for the yeir in to cum
furth of the lytis chosin vpoun Fryday last wes, comperit Jhone Chesholme,
commissar of our Soucranis artalyere, and producit hir graces writing
efter specifeit, of the quhilk the tenour followis: Baillies counsall and
dekinis of craftis of our burghe of Edinburghe. It is oure will, and we require
and pray yow, that ye continew oure weilbelouite Sir Symoun Prestoun of
Craigmillar knychat in provest of oure said burghe for the yeir to cum, and
of thir personis vnder writtin, being alsua of your awin lites, that ye alsua
cheis foure in baillies, viz., Duncane Levingstoun, Eduard Litill, maister
Thomas Fleming, maister Robert Glen, Alexander Clarke, and Alexander
Vddart; as likuis that ye continew maister Johne Prestoun in dene of
gild and Johne Westoun in thesaurar of oure said burghe for the yeir to
cum, as ye will do ws acceptabill plesour, and gif ws occasioun to think
that oure requeist is weill acceptit and regardit be yow. Subscriuit
with our hand, at Edinburghe, the first day October 1566. Et sic
subscribitur: Marie, R. Quhilk writing being red in presens of thair
lordschippis, thai thinkand the samin to be prejudicial to thair previlegis,
thocht best to continew the chesing of thair officiaris quhill
the Quenis grace wer of new spokin, to se gif thai mycht, be hir graces
plesour, cheis thair officiaris conforme to the actis of parliament and auld
ordoure.
3 October 1566.
Our Souerains writting.
Quhairof na ansuer wes gottin quhill the thrid day of October, at the
quhilk tyme the writting efter following wes producit, and the counsall
convenit efter none, and the proveist, [dean of] gild, and thesaurer continewit
in thair offices, and the baillies chosyn conform to the writting.
Heir followis the Quenis grace writting mentionat in the act affoir
specefeit: Baillies counsall and dekynis of craftis of our burgh of Edinburgh,
we greit yow weill. Forsamekill as we wreit to yow of befoir,
requyring and desyring yow to elect to your provest baillies dene of gild
and thesaurer certan persones nominat and contenit amangis your awyn
lytis, as in our wther letter mair largely is exprest; quhilk our requeist ye
postponit to obey quhill ye knew our plesour, quhilk yisterday in the
audience of our counsall be our awyng mouth we declarit to yow, and
now can nocht bot merwell wpon quhat motioun ye sould defer and nocht
proceid to the electioun according to oure requeist, considdering the
personis nominat be ws wer na strangearis bot of thame ye yourself haid
schosin in lytis. Quharfoir we hawe thocht guid to writt to yow agane,
desyring and requyring yow as of befoir to proceid to the electioun of
your officiaris this afternone, according to the tennour of our said wther
letter without forther drift of tyme. Geve ye failyie we man luke to that
amangis wtheris your proceidingis done in our contempt. Subscrywit
with our hand, at Edinburgh, the yeir of God jm ve lxvj. Et sic subscribitur:
Marie R.
4 October 1566
Anent the cheising of thre of the counsall.
[The provost bailies and council,] being conuenit in the counsalhous
of this burgh for cheising of thre merchandis of this burgh to be thre of
the counsall in place of my lord provest, maister Johne Prestoun, dene of
gild, and Johne Westoun, thesaurer, wes continewit in thair office be
wertew of our Soueranis writting foirsaid, and namit Dauid Foster, Alexander
Park, or Arthur Grangear to be Counsallouris for this present yeir in
place of the personis foirsaid and geve thair aythis to vse the office of
counsallschip for this yeir intocum as vs is.
Keiparis of the kirk.
The provest bailles and counsall foirsaid ordanis Patrik Gowane,
belman, Johnne Symsoun and Robert Drummound, keiparis of the kirk of
this burgh, to caus soupe and dicht the said kirk ilk oulk anis and to
paint it ilk moneth anis, and to keipe the durris thairof the tyme of sermound
prayaris and exercys, as vs hes bene in tymes past, and to oppin the
durris of the said kirk at sevin houris in the mornyng in wynter and fyve
in somer, and to steik the saidis durris at four houris in wynter and sex
in somer and the said Patrik and Robert to a wait wpoun the counsall in
counsall dayis and keipe the counsal hous dur owtwith the samyn.
9 October 1566.
Dur to the gallows.
The provest baillies and counsall forsaid ordanis Jhone Westoun,
thesaurer, to caus mak ane dur to the gallois of the Burrow Mvre, and to
caus mend and heicht the dykis thairof, sua that doggis sall nocht be
abill to cary the carionnis furth of the samyn as thai had done in tymes
past.
11 October 1566.
Ordour tane anent partiis latting inwith the bar in tyme of judgment.
The prouest baillies and counsall statutis and ordanis that in tyme of
court the officiaris lat na persoun enter within bar except the prouest,
baillies, counsall, thair clerkis, officeris, and the partie, pursewar and
defender, instantlie callit vpoun, quha hes thair mater in ressoning, with
sic vther honest men of this burgh as sall be commandit to be lattin in be
the saidis prouest and baillies and nane vtheris.
14 October 1566.
Statuttis.
The statuttis dewisit and proclamit at the command of Sir Symone
prestoun of that ilk, knicht, prouest, maister Robert Glen, Eduard Littill,
Alexander Vddart, and Alexander Clark, baillies, with awise of thair
counsall. [Here follow acts as to baxters, farmers of the mills, malt, ale,
measures, meal, wheat, fish, poultry, flesh, tallow, candle, stablers, corn market,
regraters, vagabonds, middings, swine, removal of "red" or stones from the street,
assizes, stands at booth doors and on the High Street, officers and putting of decreets
to execution, keeping weapons in booths, blasphemers and slanderers, paying of unlaws,
wool, goods weighed at the over trone, keeping neighbourhood in building houses,
burgesses remaining in burgh, and convening of the council. These acts are in
similar terms to those of previous years already printed.]
Closettis.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that all personis that hes scheildis
clenge the samin or euer thai be full, sua that thai brek nocht furth and
rin in the streit, vnder the pane of xviij s. to be tane of thame quhome to
the scheild pertenis; and attour, gif ony personis happynnis to oppin thair
closattis in ane greit weit sua that thair scheildis ryn alangis the streit
the tenement salbe poindit for ane vnlaw of xviij s. vnforgevin, and that
na maner of persoun hald thair closettis oppin sypeand and rynnand furth
bot honestlie couerit, vnder the said pane of xviij s. vnforgevin; and
quhen ony scheildis is clengit that the clenger carie the samin honestlie
and quietlie in the nycht and nocht to file the striet thairwith.
Furrouris, skynnaris.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that na furrouris duelland within this
burgh steip thair skynnis in foir houssis nor hing thame in foir stairis nor
yit ding thame on the hie gait nor stairis, vnder the pane of xviij s.
Walkeris.
Item, it is statute and ordanit that na maner of walkeris duelland
within this burgh hing thair claiths on foir stairis, nor wesche thame in
foir houssis, foirstairis on the Hie Gait, Cowgait, or commoun vynnellis,
tyme cuming, vnder the pane of xviij s. to be tane of ilk ane of thame sa oft
as thai failye, and that thair be nane of thair watter careit throw the gait
on the day licht vnder the said pane.
Anent huris.
Item, foirsamekill as the filthie vyce and cryme of adultrie and
fornicatioun hes been wickitle vsit within this burgh in the houssis of
syndre inhabitantis thairof, of thair knawlege, be diuers personis quhilk
thai hald in thair houssis without regarde of the commandiment of God or
man, only for thair awin avantage; for eschewing quhairof in tymes
cuming it is statute and ordanit that na maner of man nor woman,
indueller within this burgh, hurd hald or ressaue ony sic as committis the
forsaid filthie crymes within thair houssis in tymes cuming, of thair knawlege,
bot that thai incontinent thairefter cum to the prouest and baillies
of this burgh and declair to thame the man or woman committer of the
samyn that thai may be pvneist conform to the actis and statutis maid
thairanent, wnder the pane of x li. for the first falt, twenty pund for the
secund, to be vpliftit of the maister of the hous quhair the foirsaid filthines
is committit or sic personis ressauit hurdit or haldin of his or hir knawlege,
and banesing of the toun for ewer the thrid falt; and geve maister
or maistres of the saidis houssis be nocht abill to pay the said vnlaw, to be
imprisonat xx dayis within the tolbuith of this burgh and thairefter pvneist
at the will of the magistret.
Extent for the baptysme.
The provest baillies and counsall namis the personis efter specifeit to
be stentouris of the nychtbouris of this burgh, for the sovme of four
hundreth merkis, to be payit be the merchandis, of the sovme of fyve
hundreth merkis quhilk this townes pairt extendis to of the sovme of
twelf thousand poundis raisit vpoun this realme, and grantit to our
Soveranis for setting fordwart of the babtisme of our Soveran the Prince,
that is to say:—[four persons for each of the four quarters;] and ordanis
the officeris to warne thame to compeir on Wedinsday nixtocum to geve
thair aythis to taxt the nychtbouris efter thair conscience and knawlege.
Precept Drommound.
[The treasurer ordained to pay "to James Drummound, trumpetour, fyve schillingis
for warnyng of the nychtbouris be sound of trumpet the tyme of the proclamatioun
of the actis."]
18 October 1566.
Nychtbourhedis.
It is statut and ordanit be the provest baillies and counsall of this
burgh that thai sall convene ilk Fryday at twa efternone in the counsal
hous of this burgh, and thair to ressawe awld billis of nychtbourheidis to
be gewin in befoir thame, and thairefter to pas and wesey the samyn
wpoun the groundis of the land contenit in the clames and geve decreit
thairanent for reformatioun conforme to justice, wnder the pane of thre
schillingis to be tane of the provest baillie and counsallour being absent
and within this burgh without he hawe leife of the provest or baillies, and
this without preiudice of the weseing of nychtbourheidis that stoppis men
wark instantly bigging quhilk thai ordane to be weseyit as necessitie sall
requyre.
22 October 1566.
Wyne.
[No new wines of this year to be bought of "ony derrar prices nor that thai
may sell the pynt thairof for twelf penneis."]
23 October 1566.
Commoun muir.
[Six persons ordered to appear before the council "to ansuer for breking of
thair commoun mvir and hoking of the same, making midding thairof to guid thair
land, casting of divett and scherettis, thai beand na fremen of this burgh nor hawand
entrie thairto."]
30 October 1566.
Anent the Quenis grace writing.
In presens of the baillies and counsall, comperit Robert Wans, in Leith,
and presenttit our Soueranis writting vnderwrittin to thame, off the
quhilk the tennour followis: Prouest baillies counsall and communitie of
the burgh of Edinburgh, we greit yow weill. In our necessitie we annaliit
to yow the superioritie of our toun of Leith, and yit at our desire and
requeist ye haif superseidit the putting of your selfis in possessioun of it.
It is nocht vnknawin to yow quhat we haue ado, and yit with the first
we purpois, God willing, to redeme that thing that we esteme precious and
mekill wourth. We ar assurit yit as of befoir ye will nocht spair to
gratifie ws samekill as to suspend the possessioun and intromissioun with
oure said Loun quhill the last day of December nixttocum, quhairinto we
pray yow and requeistis yow ernestlie and effectuouslie, as ye will do
verray thankfull and exceptabill plesour. This is sufficient gif ye mynde
to schaw ony benevolence at oure desire, and gif ye do nocht we man thoill
it and provide the nixt best, bot we trest suirlie ye will nocht stand with
ws in sic ane mater; quhairupoun we require your ansuer. Subscriuit with
oure hand, at Edinburgh, the sevint day of October jm ve thre scoir sax
yeiris. Et sic subscribitur: Marie, R. Of the quhilk writting the principall
wes deliuerit to maister Johne Prestoun in the thesaurer hous.
13 November 1566.
Precept, beacon.
The prouest baillies and counsall ordanis Johne Westoun, thesaurer,
to caus mend and reparrell thair bekin beyound thair hevin of Leithe, betuix
the hous of Jhone Wardlaw vpoun the southe and the see vpoun the
northe.
27 November 1566.
The wecht of the townis mais.
[The provost, bailies, and council being convened,] comperit Hectour
Trohop, masour, and brocht in the townis mais, quhilk wes weyit in
presens of the saidis prouest baillies and counsall, and wes of wecht, silwer,
tre, irne and all, twa pund fourtene vnce and ane half.
Horlege in the kirk yarde.
The prouest baillies and counsall ordanis maister Jhone Prestoun,
dene of gild, to caus mend the prik of the sone orlege on the south syde
of the kirk in the kirk yard and draw the letteris thairof of new.
[December ] 1566.
Anent the scheip skynnis that the lug be left with the skin.
Forsameikill as it is humlie menit to the prouest baillies and counsall
of this burgh be the haill merchandis of the samyn that it hes bene
inviolablie obserwit in all tymes bygane past memour of man, lyke as it is
yit in dyvers cuntreis, and specialy in France, Flanderis, and Ingland,
and hes bene observit within this realme of Scotland alsua, that all scheip
war flane throuche to the luggis, sua that na pairt of the skynnis thairof
wer diminischit wnto the luggis, nochttheles the flescheouris of this burgh
cuttis thair skynnis hard by the craig, at the leist in the mid craig,
quhairthrow the saidis merchandis wantis samekill of the said skynne at the
craig, with the best portioun of the woll thairof, quhilk is the fynest woll
of the skyn callit the halslok, and als the saidis flescheouris pullis the haill
skyn fra the hals doun to the taill throw all the wambe thairof and cuttis
ane tarledder of the skyn thairwith, diminisching thairby bayth the
skynnis and the woll in lenth and breid, quhairby the saidis merchandis
ar nocht only grytly damnefeit and skaythit, but alsua ar sair mvrmerit
be all strangearis quhair thai travell with the saidis skynnis, layand as it
wer the falt thairof wpoun the saidis merchandis, quhilk the foirsaidis
provest baillies and counsall wnderstandis nocht to be the deid nor will of
the honest men of the said occupatioun as thai haife declarit being callit
thairto: For remeid quhairof the saidis prouest baillies and counsall hes
statut and ordanit [that all fleshers within the burgh or resorting
thereto] flay all thair scheipe in tyme cuming wp throw the haill craig
to the luggis, sua that the lug steik with the skyn and neuyer pull the
woll os the hals, wambe, not na wther pairt thairof, nor yit to diminische
the samyn be cutting of ony sic pairt as thai call the tarledder wnder the
pane of confyscatioun of [the skins, and punishing of the owners and sellers
in their bodies and goods.]
Skynnis to be brocht to the merkat with the buik.
[Persons bringing animals to the market to sell, ordained "to bring with thame
in all tymes cuming the hyd stikkand with the karkages, and the skynnis with the
boukis or laid hard by the samyn quhair the samyn hingis or lyis."]
16 December 1566.
Precept, extent.
[Edwerd Lytill, bailie of the north-west quarter, ordained to pay to Archiebald
Forman, cook, and Agnes Broun,£5, 10s., "for meit and drink furneist to the
extentouris of this last taxt be the space of thre dayis quhilk thai wer inclosit in the
tolbuith of this burgh the tyme of the setting of the said taxt."]
20 December 1566.
Commissaris afoir the assemblie.
[The council appointed "James Barroun, merchand, and maister Richert Strang,
lawer, thair commissaris and procuratouris to compeir in the townis name in the
generall assemble of the kirk presentlie convenit within this burgh."]
Bedrelschip to William Couttis. Robertsoun.
[The council and deacons of crafts gave to "Williame Couttis, officer, the beidmanschip
of Sanct Paulis Wark, vacand be the deceis of Jhone Wauchlot, officer."
David Robertsoun, barber, got the promise of the next vacant bedrelship "becaus
he is disapoyntit of this present."]
Precept, prison.
[The dean of guild instructed "to put ane chenye and ane lok vpoun the
presoun hous at the kirk end ordanit that wemen salbe impresonit in quhilkis lyis
in fornecatioun or adulterie."]
Precept. maister scole.
[Mr William Robertoun, master of the High School, to be paid ten merks for
his fee and other ten for the "maill of the scule."]