Extracts from the Accounts: Town Treasurer, 1553-4

Extracts From the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, 1528-1557. Originally published by Scottish Burgh Records Society, Edinburgh, 1871.

'Extracts from the Accounts: Town Treasurer, 1553-4', in Extracts From the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh, 1528-1557, (Edinburgh, 1871) pp. 280-289. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/edinburgh-burgh-records/1528-57/pp280-289 [accessed 4 May 2024]

Town Treasurer, 1553-4

1553-54.

THE COMPT of Robert Grahame, Thesaurar to the Towne of Edinburgh, chosin at Michaelmess in the yeir of God J^m v^c liij yers, quhill Michaelmess in the yeir of God J^m v^c liiij yers, 1554.

THE CHARGE.

[The charge for this year consists, for the most part, of entries similar to those in the preceding year's account. The rent of the five common mills, as set to James Adamson, is 830 merks; and "the comptar chargis him with the dewte of the wyld aventuris set to him the yeir of his office for the sowme of sevin hundreth merks." The treasurer is duly charged with "the rest," or balance, on the account of the preceding treasurer, and with the value of the timber referred to in the auditors' report on that account. The following is the only other new entry which occurs:—]



Item, the comptar chargis him with the sowme of viij^ligottin be him fra Jonet Rynd for her entres silver of ane buith under the tolbuith; summa	viij^li
Summa of the haill charge, . ane thowsand vij^c lxxiij^li vj^s ij^d

DISCHARGE.

Heir followis the compteris discharge ordenar:

[Under this head, also, the details this year are almost the same as in the preceding account. The Blackfriars get, as their annual, 20lib., in place of 6lib. 13s. 4d, and the annual, of 20lib., to the kirk of Corstorphine does not appear. The following are new entries:—]



Item, to Agnes Kincaid for the grammer skule maill of the yeir of the compteris office,	viij^li
Item, to John Young, writter to the signett, for writtin of the townis writtings,	x^mks
Summa of the haill ordenar,	iij^c xlij^li xvj^d

Heir followis the compteris discharge be preceptis:

[As in the previous account, the discharge by, or in terms of, precepts or acts of the town council is classified under the several months. The objects for which the payments were made "by precepts" are not generally stated. A few only of the entries are here given:—]



Item, payit to Patrik Runseman, be ane precept, daittit the first day of December 1553, and to the officers that ressavit the sourteis, be ane precept of the samyn dait, respective,	iij^li x^s
Item, payit to Sir Eduard Henrisoun, maister of the sang skule, be ane precept daittit the xv day of December 1553,	iiij^li
Item, payit to Oger Coquell, be ane precept datit the xxiij day of Fabruar,	l^li
Item, payit to the warkmen, merchands, carteris, and pyonars, with uther necessars, be ane precept, the xv day of Junij,	xxxvij^lixvj^s ij^d
Item, payit to the thre assassors be ane precept, datit the xxvij of Junij,.	xxiiij^li
Item, payit to James Fausyde, xxxiiij men that keippit the tolbuith stair twa dayis, be ane precept datit the vij day of July,	v^li ix^s
Item, to the maister of wark, Sir Johne Broun, be ane precept datit the xx day of July,	iij^xx vj^li xiij^s iiij^d
Item, payit to the warkmen that compleitit the playfeild, be ane precept datit the xvij day of August,	xxxiiij^li
Item, payit to James Drowmond and his marrowis, be ane precept datit the feird day of September 1554,	xl^s
Item, payit to Walter Binnyng, paynter, be ane precept datit the xij day of October 1554,	v^li
Item, payit to James Drowmond be ane precept datit the secund day of November 1554,	xlij^s
Summa of the haill preceptis,	vj^c xvj^li xiiij^s vj^d

Heir followis the compteris discharge extraordenar:—



Item, payit on Mertimes even, the tent day of November, the yeir of God 1554 [1553] yeirs, for candill and torcheis at the rowping of the commoun gud,	xxx^s
Item, payit, the xxij day of November, to Duncane Wilsoun, messenger, for summonding of certane personis quhen the town wes chargit to Heidingtoun Air,	xxx^s
Item, the xxiij day of November, bocht fra James Kore, Duchman, ten treis to the tolbuith,	xv^li
Item, for upbringing of thame fra Leyth,	xxiiij^s
Item, for houssing of thame in the tolbuith,	iij^s vj^d
Item, the xij day of December, gevin to ane boy to pass to my Lord Ruthven to caus the borrowis convene to Heidingtoun,	v^s
Item, payit for the signet of the Queenis lettres, and drinksilver thairof, discharging paking of hirring in the Brinteland, and to James Henrisoun to pass thairto, quha remanit dyveris dayis thair,	xxvj^s viij^d
Item, the xxv day of December, payit for ane coit, ane dowblet, and ane pair of hois, ane pair schone, ane bonet to the lokman agane Yule,	iij^li x^s
Item, payit to the warkmen that clengit the gait afoir Yule,	xx^s
Item, the feird day of Januar, payit to William Hardy for ane precept to warne the town to the parliament,	ij^s
Item, payit to ane Inglisman in arlis of ane bloke of malvesey and figgs bocht be the town and gevin agane,	xxij^s
Item, the xij day of Januar, payit to William Hardy the tyme of the parliament,	v^s
Item, payit for xij^c faill and leiding of tham, and foure menis lauboris layand the samyn at the bak of the dyk mad for inhalding of the South Loch,	xl^s iiij^d
Item, payit for beireing of burds and trestis to the Queenis luging on Corporisachristeis day, to Mr Abraham Creichoun foir horis, and for flouris and raichis and vj menis lauboris that day awating thairon,	xx^s
Item, for the expensis of the justefeing of Gospart Lauder, and the eirding of him eftir he wes heidit,	v^s
Item, payit for ane hors, the tent day of Junij, to cary Peter Dun to the gallows, and bring of him hame, and eirding of him efter he wes deid,	x^s
Item, gevin to alevin of the Lords of the Secrete Counsale and Sessioun efter we gat our decrete aganis Leyth and Cannogait tuiching our customes, for xvj quarts wyne muscaldella, at twa syndry tymes, the price of the quart vj^s, and for xj quarts quhit wyne, price of the quart ij^s; summa,	v^li xviij^s
Item, the xvj day of Junij, payit to viij men that kost the lang stank on the syde of the North Loch, be-eist Mr John Thortonis yaird, xiiij dayis,	iij^li iiij^s
Item, payit to Gospart for ane bell of xv punds weycht or thairby, hung to the lords in the tolbuith,	xlv^s
Item, the day of the playing of the play at the trone, with the convoy of the moris; payit for graithing of the Quenis luging foiranent the samyn, for flours, beirks, and rocheis, and beiring of furmes and trestis thairto,	xvj^s
Item, the vij day of Junij, payit to Adame Purves for maiking of ane halland saitt, burds, and skalffis, in the clerk's chalmer, nallis thairto,	xlj^s vj^d
Item, for twa horss to cary the fals cunyers to the gallows, and hame bringing of their legs and heids, and eirding of thair bodeyis,	xxij^s
Item, for ane ax to quarter thame with,	xj^s
Item, to foure men that kost the north loch at the eist end thairof ane day, to stoip the dyke to be cleinne,	iiij^s
Item, payit for the signet of the lettres rassit upoun Johne Creith for the hundreth merks awing be him to the town, and to the boy that gaid to get them signatit,	v^siiij^d
Item, payit to Gorge Gud for ane act quhilk wes maid betwix the town of Edinburgh and the Cannogat,	vj^s viij^d
Item, payit to David Windiyeits to ryde to Jedburgh to adverteis my Lord Governor of ane man of weir that wes cumin in to the Brinteland, and to William Ker and Eduard Little, quha past at the provestis command to the Brinteland,	xliiij^s
Item, to Adam Purves for making of ane burd and treistis, and the sarkle about the uter nether tolbuyth quhar the justice sittis, warkmanschip and all,	iiij^li xix^s ij^d
Item, payit to twa fallowis that clengit the closit in the tolbuith,	iij^s
Item, payit to ane officer of armis quha proclamit the Quenis lettres in the Brinteland, Kingorn, and Dysart, tuiching laiding, and lossing, and paking of hirring,	xvj^s
Item, payit for xvj faldome of tow to the bull on Sanct Geillis day,	x^s
Item, the xviij day of August, payit for the disjune maid to the Lords of Chekker,	iij^li vj^s ij^d
Item, payit for the townis maillis in the chekker,	iij^li
Item, payit to the clerkis,	xij^si
Item, payit to William Foullis, keipper of the chekker duir,	ij^s
Item, payit on the day of the play, for the dennar maid to the playars,	iiij^li xviij^s ij^d
Item, payit for the making of the Quenis grace hous on the playfeild, besyde the convoy hous under the samyn, and the playars' hous, the jebbettis and skaffauld about the samyn, and burds on the playfeild, careing of thame fra the toun to the feild, and thairfra agane, the cutting and inlaik of greit and small tymmer, with the nallis and warkmanschip of vj wrychts twa dayis thairto, pynors' feis, cart hyre and uther necessars, as Sir William M^cDougall, maister of wark, tikket beiris,	xvj^li v^s iiij^d
Item, the xviij day of October, payit to ane fallo to pass to Curre, to Maister Robert Heriot, at the counsalis command,	ij^s
Item, payit to ane uther fallo to pass to Maister Johne Spens, to Falkland,	v^s
Item, payit to the masonis at Alhallo evin, that wroucht at the schore, at the provest's command,	xxvj^s
Item, payit to Johne Dalmahoy for his yeir's fie, as servand to the Port of Leyth,	viij^li
Item, gevin for the towis furnist, the haill yeir of the compteris office, to the lokman,	xxiiij^s
Item, payit to Johne Ahannay, smyth, for making of vij stane and xiij pund weyt of irne wark in bolts to the irne hous and theivis hoill and over tolbuith, ilk stane wecht xj^s, and for mending of lokkis and new bands to the tolbuith xviij^s iiij^d; summa	iiij^l xv^s iiij^d
Item, payit to Eufame Mowbray for the clerkkis buith maill of the Witsonday terme, at the quhilk terme thai removit thairfra,	iij^li vj^s viij^d
Item, payit for vj geistis, at xij^s the pece, and for ij dozone dallis iij^li xij^s, quhilk wer delyverit to the biging of the sang skule, conforme to ane act maid the xviij day of August 1554; summa	vij^li iiij^s
Item, for the upbringing of the treis and daillis,	x^s
Item, payit for ane tyrleis of irne to the portell of the counsal hous dure, outschering thairof, and nallis thairto, and workmanship,	xviij^s
Summa of the haill extraordenar,	j^c xj^li xiiij^s x^d

Heir followis the expensis maid on the Muss Well and Sanct Michaellis Well:—



Item, in primis, the first viij dayis precedand the secund day of July 1554, twa quarioris, ilk quarior on the day iij^s iiij^d; summa	xl^s
Item, to five men that drew watter and stanis furth of the well, ilk man on the day xviij^d; summa	xlv^s
Item, to the samyn five men that wroucht in the nycht, ilk man xviij^ds; summa	xxxv^s
Item, for ane ra of ane schip to be ane wendess,	xij^s
Item, for the upbringing thairof furth of Leyth,	viij^d
Item, for xviij faddome of tow to draw the watter,	x^s
Item, for ane new bukat and ane auld,	ix^s
Item, to Adam Purves for the upsetting of the windois and lauboris maid be him,	vj^s
Summa of this oulk,	vij^li xvij^s viij^d

The aucht dayis expensis precedand the nynt day of Julij:—



Item, to twa quarioris that oulk,	xl^s
Item, to fyve men that drew watter and stanis on the day,	xlv^s
Item, to the samyn five men that drew watter on the nycht,	xxxv^s
Item, for beirreing of red fra the well,	vj^s
Summa of this oulk,	vj^li vj^s

The expensis maid on Sanct Michallis Well.

The viij dayis expensis precedand the xvij day of Julij:—



Item, to twa quarioris, ilk quarior on the day iij^s iiij^d; summa	xl^s
Item, to fyve men that drew watter and stanis on the day, ilk man xviij^d; summa	xlv^s
Item, to the samyn men that drew watter on the nycht,	xxx^s
Item, for twa schod schullis,	iij^s
Item, for nallis to the bukkattis,	vj^d
Item, for butter to the windoyis oulklie,	viij^d
Item, for candill brint to bayth the wellis in the nycht, the tyme of the drawing of the watter thairof,	xl^d
Summa of this oulk,	vj^li vij^s vj^d
Summa of the expensis of bayth the wellis,	xx^li x^s ij^d
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of xvj^s payit be him to, smyth, for foure lokks quhilks Alexander Park tuke to the new well the tyme he wes thesaurer, not payit thairfor nor yit allowit the samyn in his comptis; summa	xvj^s
Summa of the haill wellis,	xxj^li vij^s ij^d

The expenses maid in the up-biging of the haill sloppis of the Park Dike, biggit be command of the provest, baillies and counsale:—



Item, in primis, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of ane hundreth x^li x^s quhilk he payit and debursit to James Wond, Andro Slesche, David Ramsay, and Thomas Wod, masonis, quha compleatit and biggit xvij ruds of wark quhilk the said sloppis contenit, ilk rude sett for vj^li x^s in warkmanschip and all necessars, quhilks xvij ruds wer mett be David Grahame, Michaell Brussat, and Sir William M'Dougall, master of wark, to that nomber; summa	j^c x^li x^s

The expensis of three stane yeitts made in the said park dike:—



Item, to Thomas Craufurd, quareor, for the wynnyng of xxviij pece hewin work, ilk pece v^d; summa	xj^s viij^d
Item, to Denne Morisoun for wynnyng of thre lintellis to the saids yeittis, xxj fute lang, price of ilk fute vj^d; summa	x^s vj^d
Item, to Adam Harlaw, carter, for careing of xij pece hewin wark to Dudingstoun and xij pece to Sanct Leonards, with thair twa lintallis, quhilks wer aucht draucht, price of ilk draucht ij^s; summa	xvj^s
Item, to Peter Hill, massoun; and his twa servands, for hewing of xxviij rebettis and twa lang lintellis, to Dudingstoun and Sanct Leonard's yettis, and setting of the greit stane yet at the Abbay,	lviij^s
Item, to ane barroman with the said Peter, foure dayis,	v^siiij^d
Item, for vij pund leid,	iij^svj^d
Item, for aucht dallis and thre rauchteris to the greit tymmer yet at the Abbay, and mending of barrowis,	xxviij^sviij^d
Item, for beirring of this yet to the Abbay,	viij^d
Item, for ane greit stoke loke to this yet	vij^s
Item, to Adam Purves, wrycht, for the making of this yet,	xvj^s
Item, for ij^c plauchoure nallis thairto,	v^s
Item, Johne Ahannay, smyth, for vj irne crukkis and vj irne bands with slott and stapillis, weyand vj stane xiiij^li wecht, price of the stane wecht maid wark xj^s; summa	iij^li xv^s iij^d
Item, to him for ij^c plauchoure nallis and half ane hundreith garroun nallis,	viij^s
Summa of the haill park dike	j^c xxij^li xv^s vij^d obts.

The expensis debursit upon the Calsays:—



Item, for xvij rude of new wark of calsay outwith the West Port, ilk rude xxx^s; summa	xxv^li x^s
Item, for xiiij rude of calsay, ane pairt thairof at the east end of the South Loch, and ane uthir pairt at the end of the Potterraw, at xxviij^s the rude; summa	xxvj^li xij^s
Item, for the flagstanis to be ane brig at the myidds of the calsay,	xx^s
Summa of the haill calsayis,	liij^li ij^s
Summa of the haill park dyke and calsayis,	j^c iij^xx xv^li xvijvij^d

Heir followis the expensis maid be Robert Grahame, compter, the yeir of his office, on the bigging of the Schoir of Leyth, quhilk begane in the moneth of Aprile the yeir of God J^m v^c liiij yeirs, particularie as efter followis:—

The expensis of the first oulk, whilk wes the viij dayis precedand the vij day of the said moneth of Aprile:—



Item, for twa stanis leid,	xiiij^s
Item, ressavit fra Alexander Reid, quariour at Grantoun quarrell, j^c pece hewn work, price of the j^c wynnyng	iiij^li x^s
Item, for careing of thame fra Grantoun quarrell to the schoir at Leyth,	iiij^li
Item, for ane dozone Cousland lyme,	xvj^s
Item, David Grahame, Thomas Baldraney, massonis, for dressing of the samyn j^c stanis at the querrell, thre dayis wageis,	xx^s
Item, to twa barromen thre dayis wageis,	vij^s
Item, for drinksilver this oulk,	v^s
Summa	xj^li xij^s

The expensis of the oulk precedand the xiiij day of Aprile:—



Item, to David Grahame and Thomas Baldraney, at the querrell, foure dayis, dressing stanis,	xxiiij^s
Item, for beiring of twa botts of walstainis of the schoir,	xij^d
Item, for half ane hundreth sand,	vij^s vj^d
Item, for ane dosone Cousland lyme,	xvj^s
Item, drinksylver this oulk,	v^s

[The account contains weekly details similar to the above, up to 28th December 1554, "the haill expensis of the schoir," this year, being 441lib. 2s. 10d. The following are some of the remaining entries in the treasurer's account]:—



Item, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of fyftene pund quhilk he payit to Johne Hoip for his compleit payment of his fyfty franks, becaus the Mertimes terme, of the yeir of the compteris office, of the buith maillis wes assignit to the said Johne Hoip, conforme to act maid the ix day of Junij, the yeir of God J^m v^c liij yeirs; summa	xv^li
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of xix^li x^s as for the mallis of the cordineris choippis, becaus the Dene of Gyld, be the command of the counsale, intromettit thairwith, the yeir of the compteris office; summa	xix^li x^s
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of xx^li quhilk he payit and delyverit to the thre assissors, viz., Mr Thomas Makcalzeane, Mr Robert Heriot, and Mr Johne Spens, at the townis command, in the beginnyng of thair pensionis grantit to thame; summa	xx^li
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of xxj^li xij^s debursit be the farmorars of the commoun mylnis, in the yeir of the compteris office, upon the standing grayth thairof, quhilk the town aucht to allow and pay; summa	xxj^li xij^s
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of ten pund restand awand to him of the rest of his 1 frs. [50 francs] quhilk he lent to the gud town in the moneth of December, in the yeir of God j^m v^c xliiij yeirs, the tyme Mr David Painter past to France; summa	x^li
Item, the compter is to dischargit of the sowme of v^li xiij^s viij^d debursit be him, in the yeir of his office, for the making of twa bekinnis on the eist end of the bulwork of Leyth, payit be Sir William M'Dowgall, maister of work; summa	v^li xiij^s viijd
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of the sowme of xj^li xviij^s debursit and payit be him to Sir William M'Dowgall, maister of wark, for lyme, sand, stanis, and warkmanschip of the making of the stane dike on the north side of the South Loch, to hauld in the watter thairof, at the counsale's command, and for devattis to the bak thairof, by the expensis maid thairon be Mr James Lyndesy; summa	xj^li xviij^s
Item, the compter is to be dischargit of xj^s x^d for the bringing of ten geistis fra the schip to the Bray Heid of Leith, and for the clossing of ane hoill aboun the yet of the well of the Trinete College; summa	xj^s x^d
Summa of the baill discharge is ane thowsand sevin hundreith xv^li iij^s ix^d
Sua restis, awand be the compter to the town, fifty aucht pund ij^sv^d

At Edinburgh, the nynetene day of Februar, the yeir of God J^m v^c liiij yeirs, the compt foirsaid of Robert Grahame hard, sene, and reiplie avisit and consederat, finds the charge thairof extends to ane thowsand vij^c iij^xx xiij^li vj^s ij,^d and the discharge to ane thowsand vij^c xv^li iij^s ix,^d and sua the compter restis awin to the gud town the sowme of fifty aucht pund ij^s v^d reservand to him his actioun aganis sum personis allegit addettit to him in sowmes of money quhilk the auditors refusit to allow, and als of his complaynt to the counsale anent sum sowmes of money allegit debursit be him in the townis effaris quhilk the auditors refusit to allow elikways. In witnes heirof the saids auditors hes subscryvit this compt.

[The report is not subscribed by the auditors. There is on the margin of it the following note by Mr Alexander Guthrie, town clerk—]

Maister Jhoun Prestoun charges him with this rest in his compttis.

Guthre.