1574, Jul-Sept

21 July 1574.

Ministeris.

[The provost, bailies, dean of guild, council, and deacons of crafts] being convenit in the counsalhous thairof, and efter lang resonyng vpoun the commoun effaires, fynding thame selues superexpendit, thair commoun gude debtbound in greit sovmes be resoun of the laitt trublis, and forther subiect to pay yeirlie rent for the maillis of the housis occupeit be thair ministaris, extending yeirlie to the sovme of ane hundreth merkis or thairby, quhilk sene and considerit be the personis vnderwrittin, thay, as lufing memberis of the commoun weill foirsaid, quhais names heirefter followis, hes avancitt and debursit, in name and behalf of this gude tovne, and at the ernist requeist and desyr of ws the provest, baillies, and counsall, and dekynnis foirsaidis, the particular sovmes efter specefeit, extending to the sovme of (blank), to be bestowit and wairit vpoun the biggin and reparing of the place in the kirk yaird of the said burgh sumtyme pertenyng to the provest of St Gelis kirk, with the curatis place adiacent tharito, with the yaird of the samyn and thair landis, quhilk now, be virtu of the act of parliament and designatioun made according to the samyn, pertenis to the ministeris and ministry of the said burgh, quhais gude willis and liberall benefittis, bestowit for sa gude and godlie ane cause, aucht to be rememberit, and thair sovmes debursit to be refundit and thankfullie agane payit to thame: Thairfoir we, the provest, baillies, dene of gild, thesaurer, counsall, and dekynin toirsaidis [grant us] to be bound and obleist, and be the tennour heiroflelely and trewlie byndis and obleissis ws and our successouris to content and thankfully pay to the saidis debursaris, or ony of tham that thay sall appoynt to resave the samyn, the sovme of ane hundreth merkis yeirlie .... quhilk hundreth merkis yeirlie, during the said (blank) yeiris, being compleit, will extend together to the sovme of (blank) debursit as said is, and that specially becaus we, the saidis provest, baillies, counsall, and dekynis peyis instantlie the sovme of ane hundreth merkis yeirlie for the maillis of the houssis of our mynisteris and rederis foirsaidis, quhilk, be bigging and reparing of the mansis, houssis, and yaird abouewritten, sall releve ws and oure commoun gude of the said sovme, and mak thame to be weill eisit and placit in mair commodious place nor thay ar at this present....

Followis the names of the particular personis quha debursit the sovmes efter following for reparing of the mynistaris houssis, to quhome the tovne is debtbound. [Follow names of twenty-six persons who contributed £20 each.] Summa v^c xiij lib. vj s. viij d.

Regent, bulzeoun, villa.

The baillies, counsale, and dekynis following, that ar to say... being convenit in the counsalhous of the said burgh, it wes proponit be the saidis baillies that yesterday thay being send for be my Lord Regenttis Grace [to] the Abbay, his Grace in presence of the lordis of secreit counsale he did schew vnto thame that our Souerane Lord the King wes detbound to certaine his Hienes creditouris in the soume of xxxvij^m pundis or thairby, and gyf the burrois, and in speciall this burgh of Edingburgh, were willing till do thair dewtie, it sould be esye to releif the said dett without thair hurt, gyf thay wald glaidlie consent to bring sa mekle siluer to the cunzehous without compulsioun, as thay were detbound be act of parliament, resaving thairfor the resonable price as siluer gevis at this present, and desyrit the saidis baillies to shew this his desyre to the counsale, and bring thair ansuer to him sa schortlie as thay micht; quhilk hard and considderrit, the baillies and counsale, with auise of the dekynnis foresaid, ordanis ane act to be direct chargeing the maist substantious merchantis of this burgh to convene with thame in the counsalehous the nixt counsale day with thame, to ressoun vpoun the premissis for ansuer to be gevin thairto, ilk persoun vnder the pane of xx sh.

Cunynghame, Collectour.

The baillies and counsall ordanis Robert Cunynghame, collectour, to allow yeirlie to James Olephant the sovme of v merkis, quhilk he payis yeirlie furth of his hous to the kirk, ay and quhill the xxs lb. be payit to him that he hes avancit vpoun the bigging of the ministerris hous in the kirk yaird.

Neisbet, Collectour.

The baillies and counsall ordainis Henry Neisbet, baillie, to resave the money avancit be the nychtbouris for the bigging of the ministeris houssis in the kirk yaird, and to deburs the samyn vpoun the wark as neid sall requyre.

Maisters of Wark.

The baillies and counsall nominatis and makis Jhonn Harwod and Dauid Kynloche maisteris of wark and oursearis of the wark of the saidis mynistaris luging, and ordanis Robert Cunynghame to releve thame quhen neid sall requyre.

23 July 1574.

Villa, weir schip.

The baillies, counsall, and dekynnis ordanis Henry Neisbet and Alexander Vddart, baillies, at the hame cumming of the schip callit the William, to contract with the maistouris of hir to be set furth in weirfair, and to provyde ane bark for stopping of pyratis vpoun the coist of Ingland; and thair chargis to be furneist and payit of the rediest of the extent of thrie thousand markis grantit be the haill burrowis in thair last conventioun.

3 August 1574.

The gude tovne, counsall concernyng Dowle, Inglischeman.

In the actioun dependand befoir the Erle of Cathnes, the clark of Register, and Justice-Clark, vpoun the supplicatioun producit be maister Kyllegray, Embassadour for the Quene of Ingland, in favouris of ane Doull, Inglischeman, aganis certan nychtbouris for the allegit spulze of the said Doull at Lochbrome, etc., the said provest, baillies, and counsall being requyrit be the saidis loirdis quhat was best to be done for satefeing of the said Inglischeman, thay wryte as efter followis— Pleis your lordshipis, according to oure promeis yisterday we convenit oure selues this mornyng. We haif concludit it salbe mair esie for oure nychtbouris quhilkis war allegit troublaris of Dowle, Inglischeman, to geve for cutting away of farther troublis and interteneing of amitie, alevin scoir ten pundis sterling money, nor to fall in proces with him befoir ony juge in Ingland, albeit as we are surelie informit his schip and haill gudes war nocht worth the sovme abouewrittin be far, as his awin libell will estefie, producit in the proces intentit be him, he being at libertie befoir maister Archibald Douglas; quhairfor it will pleis your lordshipis resave the copy authentiklie subscryuit be Gilbert Thornetoun, wrytar. Gif my Loird Regentis Grace and my Loird Embassadour can be satefeit with this foirsaid sovme, deducing the money alrady be the said Doule resauit, the allegit spulzearis and troublaris of the said Doule cum responsall and may be eselie compelit to satefie for the samyn. This we offer your lordshipis for our counsall with our seruice quhen ye pleis charge; et sic subscribitur, yours, etc. The baillies and counsall of Edinburgh, subscryvit be our commoun clark at our command; To our speciall gude loirdis the Erle of Cathnes and my loird Justice-Clark.

4 August 1574.

Villa, Purdye, tax.

The baillies and counsale ordanis James Ros, thesaurer, to deliuer to James Purdy, herold, the letteris for inbringing the taxt of all the townys frome Forth north, and to gyf him the sowme of xl^c merkis for his panys, on this syde Abirdene, and xij of the pund of all the townys from Abirdene north; and this to be payit of the radeast of the said taxt.

6 August 1574.

Villa, gyld, Scott, Kirkyaird.

The baillies and counsale ordanis William Patersoun, dene of gyld, to close the kirk yaird, mend the wallis and dikis thairof, and to close the passage frome Michele Scottis landis to the said kirk yaird; and Scott protestit for remeid.

11 August 1574.

Villa, Clark.

The baillies and counsall ordanis Henry Neisbet, bailie, Williame Littill, James Ros, thesaurer, Nicolas Vddart, and Dauid Kynloche, with Thomas Wod, wrycht, to tak ordour with Alexander Clark tuyching his tymmer intromettit with be the gude tovne efter thair returnying from Leith, and bestowit be thame in the gabionis for resisting of the artelyrie furth of the castell, and as thay can aggrie with the said Alexander to repoirt to the counsall that the said Alexander may be satefeit for his said tymmer.

Regent, Boulzeoun.

In presens of the baillies and counsall, the personis vnderwrittin, for the satefeing of my Lord Regentis Grace desyr anent the hame bringing of boulzeoun for relief of our Souerane Loirdis debtis, grantis and consentis to bring hame siluer to serue his Grace purpois of the fynnes of the Spanye ryall for xxix lib. xxviij s. vi d. or xxviiij s. or they faill, pronyding his Grace tak the lyke ordour with the remanent burrowis of this realme for thair help, sua it be his Grace's plessour, viz^t:—William Naper [and 20 others].

13 August 1574.

Craftis extent alterit.

The baillies, counsall, and dekynnis foirsaidis, efter resonyng vpoun the supplicatioun gevin in be the dekyn of the fleschouris, bering that his said craft war sa depauperat that that war nocht abill to pay taxationis according to the auld rollis, and thairfoir in consideratioun of thair povertie to tak samekill of thair auld extent of thame as thay ples and lay vpoun vtheris quhilk war riche and mycht beir the samyn; the said complaynt being knawin to be of veritie, the baillies, counsall, and dekynn's foirsaidis consentis that the haill rollis of the craftis extent be changit and alterit, the pvre to be petiet and the richar to releve thame, and heirvpoun the said dekyn of the fleschouris askit instrumentis.

20 August 1574.

Villa, Franche writteris.

[In presence of the bailies and council,] comperit maister James Makgyll, Clerk of Register, etc., and exponyt and declaryt that thair wes cumming to this toun of excellent leirnyng fair writteris and expert in the art of arithmetik, quha were willing to teche ane Franche scole, and desyrit onlie of the gude toun ane commodius hous male fre vpoun thair charges; quhilk hard and considerit, continewis thair ansuer to this day viij dayis.

Villa, Logan, Vddert.

The baillies, counsale, and dekynnis following, viz^t:—Dauid Kin loche, baxster, [etc.], vnderstanding that nowther gentill admonitioun nor ordour of law may move Johnne Logan of Coitfeild, to desist and ceis from the violent occupatioun and pasturing vpoun the Linkis of Leyth, being now thair heritage, thay all in ane voce concludis, decernys, and ordanis the said baillies to pass the morne to the saidis Linkis, takand with thame sic nomber of the peple as thay sall think gude, and thair to prope, meath, and merche the said Johnne Loganys bounds conforme to his awin evident, and put inhibitioun to him of ony forther pasturing vpoun the saidis Linkis in ony tyme heirefter, vnder the pane that may follow vpoun the law in sic caissis; and siclik conforme to the decreit and ordinance pronuncit vltimo Julii. Ordanis the saidis baillies to rais the wall and ground stanys biggit be Nychole Vddert vpoun the townys passage within the toun of Leyth, as thay will ansuer vpoun thair vttermost charge.

Precept, thesaurer, Murdesoun.

The baillies and counsale, vnderstanding be Andro Murdesoun, burges of this burgh, that he and Burthilmo Somerwale is hereit be the Inglische pyrottis now in thair vaigage from Flandaris, fyndis gude the said Andro ryde to Abirdene to my Lord Regenttis Grace and maister Killingray, ambassadour, with the gude townys writingis in his fauouris, and ordanis the thesaurer pay him his expens at his returne vpoun syt of his compt, and the samyn salbe allowit to him.

25 August 1574.

Extent xij^c li.

[The bailies, council, and deacons of craft] being convenit in the counsale hous of this burgh, and efter avisement with the supplicatioun producit before thame be Jhonne Adamsoun and Andro Sclater, bering that thay at the command of the prouest, baillies, counsale, and dekynnis in the lait troublis, the tyme of thair remanyng in the toun of Leyth, for the defence of our Souerane Lordis actioun aganis his hienes inimeis fortifearris and withhaldaris of the toun of Edinburgh, and for the defence of the nobilitie and thair awin personis, had listit ane band of men of weyr vndre the charge of vmquhile Capitane Chisholme, and had debursit vpoun thame the sowme of seven hundreth fiftye pundis, quhilk thay had borrowit fra diuers nychtbouris quha had thair particular obligationis thairupoun, and wes ceitand and persewand thame thairfor; and thairfor desyrit thay mycht be relevit of the said sowme, according to the actis in the counsale buke made be the said baillies, counsale, and dekynnis for the tyme for thair releif as said is, quhilk supplicatioun being reid, riplie avisit and considerrit, the baillies, counsale, and dekynnis foresaid knawing thame detbound be thair saidis actis for the releif of the saidis personis of the said sowme of seven hundreth fiftye pund, all in ane voce granttis, consenttis, and ordanis that this said sowme of vij^e li. be joynit to the extent of v^e li granttit the penult of Julii last, makand in the hale the sowme of tuelf hundreth fiftye pundis, and be upliftit with all deligence possebill frome the hale nychtbouris of this burgh, for the releif of the said Jhonne Adamsoun and Andro Sclater, and for fulfilling of the act maid the said last of Julii as said is; and Adamsoun and Sclater askit instrumentis.

3 September 1574.

Villa, Frenche scole.

In presens of [the bailies, council, and deacons of craft] it is appoinit with (blank) Frencheman, wrytar, that he sall remane within this tovne and teiche the youth thairof the art of reding, wryting the Frenche tvng, arithmetik and laying of compte, and he sall haif for euery bairn in the yeir twenty-fyve shillingis, together with twenty pundis yeirlie induring thair willis; and ordanis Alexander Vddart to enter him and his wyfe to his hous at the New Well now occupeitt be the lady Setoun for the said maill the first terme begynnand at Mertymes next.

Proclamatioun.

The baillies and counsall ordanis proclamatioun to be maid with sound of bell throw the tovne, that all buyth duris be steikit the tyme of preching and prayer during the fasting dayes proclamit, vnder the pane of aucht schillingis.

15 September 1574.

Alteratioun of the craftis extent, &c.

[The bailies, council, and deacons of crafts] efter lang resonyng vpoun the alteratioun of the extent rollis for the pairt of the craftis, the dekynnis foirsaidis all in ane voce consentis to the alteratioun as in the actis of befoir, and maist humblie desyris and requeistis the baillies and counsall foirsaidis, in the said alteratioun, to considder the craftis dekayitt, and deduce of the auld extent according to gude conscience and lay the samyn vpoun the craftis enrichitt, quhairat thay bynd and obleis thame to abyde; vpoun quhais sute and ernist desyr, the saidis dekynnis being removit, the baillies and counsall foirsaid alteris and changis thair rollis in maner following, and ordanis euery craft to pay of euery hundreth pundis the particular sovmes efter writtin, and this ordour to stand induring thair willis, or quhill forther or the like occasioun serue vpoun the pouerty and incres of the saidis craftis, viz.:—

Summa of this augmentatioun j^e libris quhilk is the haill craftis pairt as the particular sovmes beris of euery hundreth pundis.

Protestatio, Danelstoun. Alteratioun of the extent.

In presens of the baillies and counsall foirsaidis, Dauid Dennielstoun, dekyn of the goldsmythis, and Jhonn Cowper, dekyn of the tailyouris, protestit that incais be occasioun of povertie, as God forbyd, thay be movit to seik the saidis rollis to be alterit, that the samyn be grantitt as it hes bene to vtheris at this present, and askit instrumentis.

Villa, Dauidsoun, Raa.

In presens of the baillies and counsale, Hectour Raa, merchant burges, becom cautioun and sourtie vnder the pane of 1^c li. that Jhonne Dauidsoun, allegit burges of Annane, nor D (blank) Dauidsoun his sone, sall nocht vse the tred of merchandice before he be maid burges of sum fre burgh, and the said Dauidsoun oblissis him to releif the said Raa.

Extentouris extentit be the counsale.

It being murmurit that the extentouris of this last extent, hes partiallie extentit the nychtbouris, in extenting of thame aboue thair avale, and setting of thame selffis within thair substance, quhilk considerris be the baillies and counsale thay ordane the clerk to produce before thame incontinent the extent Rollis, to the effect the samyn may be veseit and the saidis extentouris to be set be the counsale and baillies foresaid according to the auld, and in all tymes cumming ordanis the extentouris to be set be the baillies and counsale and nocht be thame selffis.

Breid, ale.

The baillies and counsale ordanis proclamatioun to be maid that the iiij d. laif, weill baikin and dryit, gude and sufficient stuf, keip the pace of xiiij vnces, and the outlandis breid xviij vnces, vnder the panys contenit in the auld statutes; and that thair be na derrer ale sauld nor for vj d. the pynt, vnder the said pane.

Logane, Sherefbraa, Villa.

The baillies and counsall sittand in jugement, efter resonyng with maister Jhonn Logane, of the Sheref Bray, tuyching the wrangis done be him in taking of ane geist of euery houpe of tymmer laid furth vpoun thair passage betuix the brig and the said Sheref Bray, quhilk the said maister Jhonn confest he had done; vpoun the quhilk confessioun James Ros, thesaurer, askit instrumentis, and desyrit the said maister Jhonn to be compellit to deliuer to him ane lang geist quhilk he had taikin of the gud tovnes tymmer, and to be detenit in waird ay and quhil he did the samyn, and maister Jhonn Abircrummy, cautioner for the said maister Johne Logane, consentit that the said geist sould be delyuerit, vnder protestatioun it sould nocht preiuge the said maister Jhonn in his rycht, and the said James Ros in the contrair, in respect it was a novalty and extortioun newly inventit and raisit vpoun the pepill be the said maister Johne Logane alanerly, neuer vsit of befoir to the gude tovne nor na vtheris bot tymmer rovme frielie grantit in all tymes past to all strangeris, to geve thame occasioun mair willinglie to resoirt to thair schoir and hawin of Leith, and the baillies and counsall foirsaidis, efter the avysement with the allegeances of baith the pairties, fyndis and delyueris that the said maister Johnn Logane hes done wrang in taking of the saidis geistis, and thairfoir decernis and ordanis him to delyuer the samyn agane to the personis awnaris thairof, and to remaine in waird quhill the samyn be done, and farther that he sall fynd cautioun he sall nocht do the like heirefter, vnto the tyme it be found that he haif richt thairto, and the said maister Jhonn Abircrummy, in name of the said maister Johnn Logane, protested for remeid.

Precept, gild.

The baillies and counsall ordanis William Patersoun, dene of gild, to mak saitis and benkis befoir the Regentis tomb and langis the kirk wall; and the expensis debursit thairvpoun salbe allouit in his comptes.

22 September 1574.

The prouest, baillies, and counsallis aith, &c.

The forme of the aith neulie publischit in electioun off officiaris:—I, A. B., now electit prouest, baillie, or vther officer of this burgh, testefeis in my conscience and before God and yow heir convenit, that I awow and profes with my hart the trew relegioun of Jhesus Crist as the samyn is now publischet, preichit, and be law establischit within this realme, renunceand all idolatrie, superstitioun, papisticall erroris quhastumeuer, acknawleging and avowing alsua the richt excellent, richt heich and michty Prince James the Sext, be the grace of God King of Scottis, for my onlie Souerane, promissing frome this furth to perseveir in the professioun of the samyn trew relegioun, and procuring of all thingis Godlie and reasonable tending to the advancement thairof, as alsua in pvnisching according to the lawis sua fer as to me apertenis the wikit and vngodlie personis contempning the samyn trew relegioun, and in like maner to keip fayth and trew allegeance to our said Souerane Lord, quhais autoritie and seruice I sall assist and defend at the vtmaist of my lyfe, with my body, landis, and guddis, counsale and hale power, aganis the inymeis of God and of his Maiestie being outher strangaris [or] his Hienes vnnaturale and dissobedient subjects quhatsumeuir: Sa help me God, etc. and sall execute justice vprytlie but feir or fauour at the vttermaist of my power and knawlege.