Extracts from the Records: 1579, Jul-Sept

1579, Jul-Sept

13 July 1579

Villa, craftis, burgessis.

Maister Johne Prestoun, Johne Johnstoun, Alexander Clark, Alexander Vddart, Williame Littill, efter ressoning with the deaconis, being personallie present, findis that it hes bein hurtfull and aganis the commoun weill the passing of craftmen to haue libertie or fredome within this burgh, befoir thai be first presenttit be the supplicatioun desiring to be maid burges conforme to the auld ordour; quhilk the saidis deakynnis grantit and thoucht maist ressonabill, and thairfoir consentit in cace that ony craftman vse the fredome of ane freman befoir his admis sioun in maner foirsaid, thai ar content to tyne thair seill of caus, privilegis, and fredomis thairof.

Villa, Guthre, commoun clerk.

Alexander Guthre, commoun clerk of the said burgh, desyrit ane ansuer to be gevin to him to his supplicatioun producit tuiching the placing and doun setting of maister Alexander Guthre, his sone, as his depute in his office of commoun clerkschip, conforme to his previlege and fredome contenit in the gift of his said office. To the quhilk it wes ansuerit be maister Johne Prestoun, Alexander Clerk, Alexander Vddert, Johne Johnestoun, Robert Hendersoun, and Robert Abercrummy, haifing commissioun as chosen for the part of the counsale, that in that caus, in respect of the prowestis absence, thai wer nocht sufficientlie resoluit, nowther could thai at that tyme gif ane sufficient ansuer to the said supplicatioun, bot promesit vpoun Wednisday nixt sould enter in ressoning thairanent with the counsale and report ane ansuaer the said day.

15 July 1579.

Precept Wilsouu, gild.

The prowest, baillies, and counsale ordanis Luik Wilsoun, deane of gild, to deliuer and pay to Robert Gardiner, the soume of fiftie fyve schilingis for dressing, laubouring, saiving, and setting of heirbs, seidis, and flouris in maister James Lowsounis yaird, having with him twa seruandis the space of thre dayis, and siclike to pay five schillingis for mending of lokkis, keyis, and bandis to the clerkis chalmer.

21 July 1579.

Rex, villa, Germanis.

[The bailies and council,] vnderstanding it to be the Kingis Maiesties mynde that thair is certane gentill men strangerris of the natioun of Germany to cum to this toun, and his Hienes willing them to be honorabillie ressauit, ordanis that ludgeing and vther thingis necesser be prepared for thame, and that thai be sufficientlie intertenit on the tounis chargis.

Rex, villa, Germanis.

The baillies and counsale foirsaid ordanis that the Germains be ludgeit in Robert Keris hous, and him to prepair thingis that is neid full for thair remaning; and the said Robert to furneis the samyn vpoun the tounis chargis, quhilk thai ordanit to be refoundit agane to him.

22 July 1579.

Rex, villa, Germanis.

The baillies, counsale, and deakynnis ratefeis and apprevis the actis and ordinancis maid for the Germaniesi above wirtten and contine wis the ansuer to the Kingis Maiestie tuiching the avancement of foure of fyve thowsand pound befoir wirttin.

24 July 1579.

Rex, Troyfet to be let to liberty.

The baillies, counsale, and deakynnis, efter avisement with the Kingis Maiesteis writing quhairof the tenour followis, thay ordane the samyn to be registratt:—Rex. Prouest, baillies, and counsale of Edinburgh, we greit yew weill. It is oure wyll, and comman you that incontinent eftir the sicht heirof, ye let to libertie and fredome furth of waird out of your tolbuith, Jonye Troyfet, callit cok Jhonne, as ye will ansuer to us thairupoun, keipand thir presenttis for your warraind. Subscriuit with oure hand at oure Castell of Striueling, the xv day of Julii, and of oure regnne the tuelf year 1579. James R.

Collector of kirk annuals.

The prouest, [bailies, council, and deacons of crafts,] efter avisement in consideratiun taikin tuiching the greit necessitie of ane skeilfull and diligent collector of thair annuallis and deweteis pertening to the kirk within this burgh of Edinburgh, siclike in consideratioun of the skaith sustenit in tymes past be negligent persute of personis addettit thairfoir, hes gevin and be thir presentis gevis thair full power and commissionun to Johne Johnestoun, merchand and burges of this burgh, to ask, crave, intromit with, vplift, and tak all annuelrentis, maillis, fermis, obitis, daill siluer, or vther dewiteis quhatsumeuir, baith to burgh and land, pertening to the communitie of this burgh, to the dispositoun of umquhile Quene Marie, the Kingis Maiesteis mother, or ony vther maner quhatsumeuir pertening to us . . . thairfoir thai assignne to him ane yeirlie pensioun of ane hundreth pundis during the tyme of his office of collectoury to be allowit to him in his comptis for his travaill to be tane in the premissis.

29 July 1579.

Mylnis, Wilsoun, hors poindit.

[The bailies, council, and deacons of crafts,] efter reasonyng in the actioun depending betuix the gude toun and Johne Wilsoun, in Plesance, tuicheing the careing of his victualles and malt from the mylnis of this burgh to the Cannomylnis, he being subiect to grind his wictualles and cornis at the commoun mylnis of this said burgh, ar dettbund thairto, be richt of certane aikeris he haldis of the gude toun; for the quhilk caus thair was poindit and arreistit certane hors and cornis passing to the saidis Cannomylnis quhilk pertenit to the said Johne Wilsoun, and the samyn being desiret to haue bene deliuerit to him agane vpoun cautioun to ansuer to the gude toun according to the law, it was demandit of him quhat the said hors wer worth, to quhome it was ansuerit to the said Wilsoun that his hors wes worth the soume of xl li.

20 August 1579.

The maner of the copburde to be presented to the Kingis Maiestie.

[The bailies, dean of guild, council, and deacons of crafts] ordanis as of befoir that ane copburde of syluer, ourgiltt, of weichtt vnderwrittin, be maid and prepaired with diligence to the Kingis Maiestie cuming to Edinburgh, viz.:—Ane basene and ane lawer weyhand vj^xx vnces; twa flaketis of viij pundis wecht; sax coupis with coveris, every ilk ane of four thairof to wey tuenty aucht vnces, and vther twa of tuenty four vnces the peir; four chandleris of sax scoir vnces; ane salt faltt of tuenty four vnces; ane trunchour of tuenty vnces; ane dozoun of trunchouris at x vnces the pece; summa, vj^xx vnces; and this wark gevin to be maid rady with all diligence to Eduard Hertt, Thomas Drummand, George Hereot, Adam Craig, and William Lokky, Goldsmyth, and they to wark the samyn in sic decent and substantious maner as salbe thocht expedient be the visitouris and oursearis appoynted to the veseing thairof of the tovnis mark, and that the samyn be compleit agane the [blank] day of [blank] nixttocum; for the quhilkis causis the saidis provest, baillies, counsall, and dekynis ar bund to furneis to the saidis goldsmythis in dew tyme sic sufficient wecht of syluer as mychtest serue thair turn for the mair haistie entree thairof, and the saidis goldsmythis to haif for the making and ourgilting of euery ilk vnce of the said wark to be maid be thame fyve schillingis Scotis at the completing of the said wark; and siclike ordanis the baillies to provyde syluer, and vpoun the prices to be gevin thairfoir the saidis baillies to geve thair obligationis to thame quhom fra they resave the said syluer, and they to releve them.

21 August 1579.

Villa, Humbisden, imbassadour.

The provest, [bailies and council,] being convenit in the counsalhous, the said Robert Kar, baillie, presented vnto thame ane bill direct from the Kingis Maiestie for interteneing of the Lord Humbisden, the Queen of Inglandis imbasadour, quha is to arryve heir in Scotland; off the dait, at the Castell of Striveling, the 18 of August instant.

26 August 1579.

Rex, villa, triumphe.

The provest, [bailies, council, and deacons of crafts] condiscendis and aggreis, all in ane voce, [that] preparatioun be maid for the Kingis triumphe, and to the expenssis to be maid thairon and vpoun ane propyne to be maid to his Hienes at his heir cuming, and assignis the morn be sax houris to convene to this effect.

27 August 1579.

Extent, iiijm pundis.

They all in ane voce condiscendis vnto ane extentt of four thowsand li. to be raisit of all the nychtbouris of this burgh, alsveill craftismen as merchantis, for making of ane copbirde of syluer or gold to the Kingis Maiestie and vther trumphis, agane his cuming to this burgh.

4 September 1579.

Visitouris, maister of the Hie Scoles tragedies.

[The bailies and council] ordanis James Lowsoun, minister, William Littill, and Jhonne Jhonstoun to pas to the Hie Scule of this burgh and vesie the maister of the Hie Scoles tragedies to be maid be the bairnis agane the Kingis heir cuming and to repoirt.

11 September 1579.

Statute, blak govnis.

The provest, baillies, and counsall foirsaidis, vnderstanding the tyme of the Kingis Maiesties entrie to approche, and to the effect for decoration of this burgh, it behovis certan honest nychtbouris to be honestlie apparrellit in clothing agane that tyme, thairfoir, all in ane voce, they have concludit, statute, and ordanit that al sic of the merchantis of this burgh as ar extented to ten li., or above, have euery ilk ane of thame ane govne of fyne blak chamlett of silk of cierge, barrit with veluous efferand to his substance, and all sic as ar extented aboue saxtene li. to have thair govnis of the lyke stuff, the breistis thairof lynit with veluous and begaireit thairwith, with cotis of veluous, damest, or satene, ilk persoun vnder the payne of tuenty pundis vnforgevin, to be applyit to the commoun warkis, and that they have the samyn in radynes within tuelf dayes next heirefter, vnder the payne of wairding; and the copy heirof to be delyerit to the dekynnis of craftis for ordouring of the craftis inlykemaner.

12 September 1579.

Iniunctionis to Lyndesay, javelour.

Followis the iniunctionis gevin be the provest, baillies, counsall, and dekynnis to Androw Lyndesay, new maid javelour induring thair willis, quhilks he sall obserue in all poyntis . . . quhilkis they ordane to be writtin on parchement, put on ane tabill, and hung in the Tolbuyth.

Imprimis, The catiounaris abouewrittin ar seuerally acted and obleist, lyke as be thir presentis they bynd and obleis thame and thair foirsaidis, that the said javelour sall ansuer for all sic as he the tyme of his office sall resave in varde for debtt or cryme, for thair sure remaning thairin, and in cais ony happin to eschaip in his defalt or negligence, his saidis catiounaris to be ansuerabill for the debtt and cryme for the quhilk the eschewar was incarceratt, and they to releve the provest, baillies, counsall, and dekynnis of this burgh thairof and of all vther inconuenientis they mycht incur thairby at the Kingis Maiesties handis or vtherwayes. Item, that the said javelour for his javelour fie resave and vplift of euery prisoner entrand within waird within the said tolbuyth for ilk tuenty four houris four penneis of friemen of this burgh alanerlie, and aucht penneis of ilk strainger and vnfrieman, and that of nane bot sic as may pay. Item, thatt quhatsumeuir yrnes, lokis, schaiklis, fetteris, rodis, keyes, or vther ingyndis and warklomes belonging to the office of javeloury beis delyuerit to him be inuentour, he and his catiounaris to be ansuerable to the gude tovne for redelyuerance thairof quhen they list, command, or requyre thairfoir.

Item, thatt all prisoneris entrand within waird be na farther astricted be the javelour, his wyfe, nor seruandis, to mak ony maner of expenssis nor pleissis thame willinglie to mak, alsweill ordinarlie as extraordinarly, and that na extortioun be vsit on thame quhairby they may have occatioun to complayne, and the baillies of this burgh present and to cum to take ordour anentis the ordinar as prices sal happin to be for the tyme.

Item, that the said javelour in speciall have ane buke for inserting of the prisoneris names during the tyme of his office inputt in waird, the day, yeir, and moneth of thair entrie thairin, for quhat cause, at quhais instance, and at quhais command, and of thair putting to libertie in lykemaner.

Item, that the said javelour and his seruandis keip the over, nether tolbuythis, lordis and tovnis counsalhoussis, and all the vther houssis quhairof he resavis the keyis, in sic cleinnes, without filth, as na occasioun be of complaynt, and that fra the rysing of the jugis thair be na playing be the youth sufferrit thairin.

Item, that at all tymes needfull he and his seruandis be rady to fens courtis quhensoeiur the provest, bailies, and counsall, and vther ordinar judges sal have ordour

14 September 1579.

Villa, precept, Wilsoun, gild.

The baillies and counsall foirsaidis ordanis the dene of gild to mak ane loft in the eist end of the kirk.

Villa, liveray, Grahame, massour.

The baillies, counsall, and dekynis foirsaidis concludis and ordanis ane govne of fyne blak be maid to Archibald Grahame, thair maissour, agane the Kingis entrie, and the samyn to be begareit with twa baouris of weluous, and the breistis thairof lynit with satene, ane doublett of blak satene, ane pair of blak hois begareit with veluott, and ane tafatie hatt or veluous bonett.

Villa, liverayes, officiaris.

Concludis and ordanis that euery ilk ane of the xiij officiaris have, agane the Kingis Maiesties entrie, ane lyvery, vizt.:—thre elnis of blak inglis stemyng to be thair hois, vj quarteris of rowane canves to be thair doubletis, ilk ane of thame ane threttyne s. four d. to furneis pasmentis together with ane blak hatt and ane quhyte string, and the poirter of the West poirt siclike, and siclike to pay for the making thairof.

Waill of purpour veluous.

Ordanis ane waill of blew veluett of sevintene elnis of purpour and lynit within with reid tafatie, and the baillies to tak ordour anentis the making thairof agane the Kingis entrie.

Precept, thesaurer.

Ordanis Andrew Stevinsoun, thesaurer, to cause wesche the ouer and nether tolbythis and the laiche counsalhous with calk.

Villa, triumphe.

Ordanis Robert Heuisoun, chirurgean, and Robert Kar, baillie, to speik the Frencheman, vsing William Stewart for his opinion in devyse of the triumphe agane the Kingis heir cuming.

18 September 1579.

Rex, villa, Somervalis.

For obeying of the Kingis Maiesties wryting send to the provest and baillies for releif of James Alexander and Patrik Somervalis, fyndis that the haill be putt to libertie except onlie the schuter of the dag, quhome they fynd suld remane in waird but relief, for breking of the Kingis Maiesties proclamtioun, anent schuting of dagis, and for informing of the King of the treuth in this mater ordanis ane wryting to be send with diligence.

Villa, arteilyre, thesaurer

Ordanis Androw Stevinson, thesaurer, to seik in the tovnis arteilyre lentt to Andrew Sklater, Robert Galbraith, and vtheris quhatsumeuir havaris thairof, and to repoirt his diligence on Wednisday next.

Protestatio, Somervales.

Robert Kar, baillie, askit instrumentis that, conforme to the Kingis requeist, the baillies and counsall offerit to put the father and sone of Somervales to libertie, quha refusit becaus the vther quha schott the dag was nocht in lykemaner to be put thairto.

Villa, lyveray.

Fyndis that as the rest of the ordinar officiaris of this burgh ar ordanit to have ane clething agane the Kingis Maiesties heir cuming, that according to the baillies devyse the tovnis sueschour have ane in lykemaner.

20 September 1579.

The Kingis charge anentis the putting of Somervalis to libertie, etc.

Rex.—Provest and baillies of our burgh of Edinburgh, we greitt yow weill. Forsamekill as we wryte to yow of befoir anentis the releif of James Somervale of Hombir, Patrik Somervale his brother, and the remanent his freindis quha ar presentlie in waird within our tolbyth of Edinburgh, as aprehendit be yow vpon a truble done within our said burgh, betuix thame and certan of the surname of Borthuikis, quhairintill we vnderstand that thair is nather slauchter nor mutulatioun committed, and yett nochtwithstanding our command direct to yow as said is desyrand the saidis persones to be fred of the said waird vpon sourties found be thame according to the ordour within burgh, ye have nocht obeyit the samyn bot yet retenis thame within the said waird, albeit the vther pairtie is putt to friedom be yow, quhairby it apperis that ye vse nocht equalitie to the saidis personis, quhairfoir it is our will and we command yow thatt incontinent efter the sicht heirof, ye put the saidis James Somervale, Patrik Somervale his brother, and the remanent his freindis to libertie and fredom, nochtwithstanding quhatsumeuir schuting of pistoletis or vther cause proceding or done be thame at the said trubill without slauchter be committed, ye takand cautioun of thame according to the accustomat ordour within burgh, as ye will ansuer to ws vpon your obedience at your vthermest chairge and parrell. Subscryuit with our hand at our castell of Striveling, the xix day of September 1579. James R. Ruthuen. Dunfermling. Conforme to the quhilk wryting, and for obedience thairof, the saidis baillies and counsall lute the saidis Somervales to libertie, and resauit Alexander Thomson, tavernar, sourty for thair re-entry thairin vpoun fyvetene dayes vairning or souertes he suld be chairgit be thame vnder the payne of twa thousandis merkis to be applyit to the commoun warkis.

23 September 1579.

Kingis wryting, Somervalis.

Provest, baillies, and counsall, of our burgh of Edinburgh, we greitt yow hertlie weill. We have vnderstand the effect of your letter send ws of the xviij of this moneth, and in respect of the schutting of the pistolet and apperand mutulatioun quhairof ye wraitt, it is our mynde, be aduyse of our counsall, that ye retene all thingis in stait as they are, quhill our being at Halyrudehous, at quhilk tyme we sall tak further ordour in this mater as aggreis with equitie and justice. We will nocht nor hes na cause to be offendit with your doingis quhen they tend to the furthering of justice, gude ordour, and the executioun of your office, bott will manteine yow thairin as in honour and dewtie becumis ws. Thus we commit you to God. At our castell of Striveling, the xxij day of September and of our regime the threttene yeir, 1579. James R. Hay. Quhilk wryting being red, they ordainis the samyn to be registrat in maner abouewritin.

New counsall.

The provest, baillies, and counsall, according to the ordour, electis, nominatis, and chusis, conforme to the ordour of burrowis in the electioun of officiairs within burgh, John Johnstoun merchant, James forman and John Mayne, new counsallouris for the yeir to cum, quhilk war suourn and admitted for the merchantis pairtt.

Electioun of craftismen of on the new counsall, protestationis, thesaurar, Henrisoun, barbour.

In presens forsaid, Robert Henrisoun, dekyn of the barbouris, being requyrit be thame to geve in his thrid tikkett of the names of sic of the craftismen of quhome they will twa to be elected vpoun the counsall for the yeir to cum, ansuerit he aucht to geve tua ma than twa tikketis contening sax ilk ane of thame in nomber, and refused; quhairupoun Androw Stevinsoun, thesaurer, askit instrumentis and protestit in name of the gude tovne that the saidis twa tikketis, contening as said is, be the said Robert in name of the haill dekynnis producit befoir thame, suld nocht preiuge thame in thair liberties insafar as the saidis dekynis be syndry actis ar astricted yeirlie at the electioun of the twa craftismen to be vpoun the counsall for the yeir to cum to geve in sa mony tikketis as they thocht gude, thrie, four, fyve, or ma at thair plesour, vnto the tyme they thocht gude to elect twa furth thairof; and the said Robert Henrisoun, in name of the dekynnis, protestis in thair names that twa be elected out of ony ane of the saidis twa tikketis gevin in be thame to the counsall and nocht out of the twa in generall; quha efter avysement chusit out of euery ane of the saidis tua tikketis, ane, viz.:—John Wilky, skynner, and Eduard Heriot, dekyn of the goldsmythis, to be of the new counsall for the craftismen the yeir to cum.

30 September 1579.

Villa Leith, protestatio, Thomistoun.

The provest, baillies, and counsall foirsaidis ordanis William Adamsoun and Rychart Abircrumby, baillies, and John Johnstoun of the counsall, together with John Guthre, clark, to pas doun to Leith with all diligence possibill, and in the tovnis name, as superiouris thairof, to desyr the inspectioun of thair chairge gevin to thame be the Kingis Maiestie to meit his Hienes in armour, to quhome they geve powar in thair names protestatioun to mak, etc.; quha, conforme to thair commissioun, past doun and inquyrit of Walter Cant and John Thomsoun, baillies of the said tovne of Leith, in presens of maister John Prestoun, George Johnstoun, James Nicoll, James Prestoun of the said tovne of Edinburgh, Androw Logane, [blank] Smalum, John Lufe, Androw Lamb, John Williamsoun in Leith, the command to be schawin to thame, quha ansuerit they had nane in writt bot be tong, and John Johnstoun in name foirsaid, as superiouris, dischairgitt thame to pas furth in armour becaus the samyn was contrair the ordour of the proclamatioun and na warrand was schawin, and protested that, insafar as they schew na commisioun be writt, the gude tovne, as superiouris, suld be frie of the paynis conteint in the said proclamatioun maid on Mononday last, and that they were culpablie in disobedience insafer as afoir thair outpassing and putting thame selues in armour they aduerteis nocht the tovne thairof, and that thairby the tovne war harmeles and skaythles of the paynis contenit in the said proclamatioun, and that insafar as they past fordwart but thair command they war nocht to ansuer thairfor.