Extracts from the Records: 1586, Apr-June

1586, Apr-June

6 April 1586.

Setting of the mwre.

Gevis commissioun to Henry Nesbet [and eight others] to pas, mett, and mesour the lands of bayth the mures quhilk ar to be sett in few, cast the sam in pairts and leif competent passages and sett down the sam in writt, with the conditiouns of the setting thairof, and report the sam to the counsall.

Escheitt of vmquhill Snype.

Gevis and disponis the escheitt guidis of vmquhill Chairlis Snype, execut before the towne for slauchter, to Jeane Hammiltoun quha buir to him ane bairne, payand the charges thairof.

Proclamatio, filth, close haids.

Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid dischargeing all persouns of tvming and voyding of thair filth and doing thair eases at the close heids as thai haif done in tymes past, vnder the payne of wairding thair persouns and pvnessing of thame that may be tryet or apprehendit, at the will of the magestrats, and payment of ane vnlaw of [blank] be the maisteris of the howssis quhais seruands dois the sam, swa oft as thai failyie.

New tolbuith, paper buik.

[Ordained the following sums to be allowed the treasurer in his accounts, viz., £7, 15s. 8d., "for reparatioun and poynting of the nether tollbuith," and 28s. "for paper to be paper buikis to the clerkis chalmer, and 26s. for covering and bynding thairof."]

13 April 1586.

Commissioners to the synodall assembly.

Gevis commissioun to Jhonn Wilkyne and Jhonn Jhonestoun to compeir before the synodall assembly and thair requyre thair avyse in fynding furth ane qualefeit persoun to be ane minister of this burgh in place of vmquhill maister James Lowson.

15 April 1586.

Lord Hammiltoun.

Gevis commissioun to Jhonn Jhonestoun, Jhonn Arnott, Thomas Aikinheid, to intreat and commoun with my Lord Hammiltoun anent his allegit titill to the Towne College in the Kirk of Feyld and to report agane to the counsall.

20 April 1586.

Redare in the Eist Kirk.

Inrespect of the frequent conventiouns of the pepill to the sermons vpoun the Sondayes in the Eist Kirk, fynds it expedient be avyse of the sessioun of the kirk that thair be ane qualefeit persoun appoyntet to that functioun, and he to haif of stipend yeirlie the sowme of ten merkis to be payet be the collectouris of the kirk annuellis induring the townis will allanerlie, and thairfore electet and acceptet Robert Burale, scholemaister, to be reidare in the said kirk, and grantes vnto him the said stipend induring the townes will.

Watter bailyie, vnlawes.

Fynds that it appertenis to the townis watter bailyie to vplift the vnlawes of the towne of the deids done within the watter and vpoun the schore of Leyth.

22 April 1586.

Counsall convening.

Fynds it expedient that heirafter thai sall convene for doing of the commoun effairis of the towne vpoun the Wedinsdayes and Frydayes at the ix houris bell quhilk is rung to the sessioun and na laitter, vnder the paynes contenit in the townis statutes.

Provestrie of the Trinitie College.

Appoyntis and nominats Henry Chairteris, merchant, for thame and in thair names, as haveand the place of the provestrie of the Trinitie College be donatioun of our Souerane Lord, to convene with the prebendares and chapter of the said College at thair ordinare conventiouns and all vther tymes neidfull, and thair to intreatt, vote, ressoun and conclude vpoun the commoun effaires of the samyn to be propoint in the said conventioun in and be all things as appertenis to the office of the provest of the said college; gevand vnto him thair full power and commissioun to that effect be thir presents, to indure ay and quhill the sam be expreslie revoket and discharget; provyding alwayes that in all materis that may concerne the said provest and bailyeis and counsall in thair rycht of the said provestrie and patronage of the said Colledge that he mak thame be aduertist thairof before the sam be concludet in the said chapter and tak thair avyse thairvpoun.

27 April 1586.

Chops.

[Ordained the dean of guild to set two shops on condition that "the takers sall repair the kirk wall conform to the townes ordinances maid thairvpoun of before, als that thai sall nocht chop nor kendill fyre thairin the tymes of sermoun and prayers."]

29 April 1586.

For halding beggares of the gaitt.

Fyndis it expedient that ane qualefeit persoun be fund owt and electet to hald the puir sturdy beggares, namlie of the landwart, of the hie gaitt, and thairfore ordanit that the bailyeis suld trye owt the man and report the sam to the counsall.

6 May 1586.

Precept, thesaurer.

[Ordained the treasurer to pay £4, 7s. 6d. "for the disiones of swa mony of the counsall and nichtbouris as wes appoyntet to visy and mett the mwre quhilk is to be sett furth in few;" also 10s. "gevin to the porter of the castell on New yeir day," and 10s. "to ane trumpetour for making the proclamatioun aganis the Jesuits."]

Imbassadour to Denmark.

[Appointed William Naper and three others "to pas to the Kings Grace with the commissioners of burrowes and assist thame in gevin ansuer to his Maiesteis demand anent the imbassadour to be sent to Denmark and the making of his expenssis be the burrowes."]

11 May 1586.

Puir Inglismen.

[Ordained the treasurer to pay £7 disbursed to "seven Inglismen pilleit and hereit be Dunkirk, for thair help and support."]

Anent the Fraynche kirk to cum to this burgh.

Anent the heids and articles gevin in before thame for the pairt of the ministeris of the Fraynche Kirk that is to cum heir to mak residence, at the Kings Maiesties desyre, als weill for thame selffis as for sic vtheris of that natioun that will follow thame, off the quhilk the tenour followis: First, thay desyre of the guid towne ane tempill sufficientlie to be provydet and put in decent ordour. Secundlie, ane ludgein for the ministeris provydet frelie with fyve chalmeris, als neir the kirk as it may be gottin, and helpit with sum movebills after the guid townis discretioun. Thridlie, that the said Fraynche strayngeris may haif ane testimoniall of my lord provest, bailyeis, counsall and deykins, to be welcum and vset freyndlie to do thair honest besynes and exerceis thair particulare craftis without impediment as thair awin frie burgessis. Last, gif any vther thing be thocht necessar or expedient that sall nocht be preiudiciall to the towne that may serue the said strayngeris, without the quhilk thai can nocht be commodet, that of the townis guid will thai may be helpit. With the quhilks the said provest, bailyeis, counsall and deykins of craftis being ryplie avyset, after thai had considerit the christiane dewtie quhilk thai aucht to schaw vnto thair brether afflictet for the trewth and sinceritie of the evangell professit with thame, as als howpping that the saidis brether be thair godlie and honest conversatioun sall be ane exampill of guid lyfe and maneris vnto all the inhabitants of this burgh, and that be thair honest industrie and experience in thair crafts with tyme thai sall be ane gritter fortherance and avantage to the commoun weill than the tred and commoditie quhilk may fall in thair hands may be hurtfull to any particulare persoun; thairfore thai willinglie accordet and agreit to the saids articles as followes:—Anent the first, it is vniuersally accordet that the saidis ministeris and bretherein sall haif deput and assignet vnto thame ane sufficient tempill. Anent the secund, the said ministeris sall haif ane sufficient lugeing with the chalmeris efferand thairto frelie. Anent the thrid, it is lykewayes agreit thairto, with provisioun that quhen it sall pleis God to bring the estaitt of France to ane resonabill quyetnes as concerning the materis of relligioun, gif any of the said brether sall still remayne within the liberty of this burgh thay to be oblist to mak thame selffis frie with the towne and with thair crafts as vther inhabitants of the burgh hes done of before. Fynallie, anent the last heid the samyn wes fullie agreit vpoun in all poynts.

Thrid court of burgessis.

In consideratioun that thair is dyvers persouns desyrand to be maid burgessis of this burgh, and to the effect that thai nor na vthers be debarrit thairfra or delayet, statutes and fynds it expedient that yeirly thair be affixet and sett ane thrid court for creating of burgessis and gild brethir after the Trinitie Sonday, to wit, vpoun the Wedinsday nixtt thairafter, that the parteis suittand the sam gif in thair supplicatiouns, and thai sall be callit on and hard and sic as ar fund worthie that thai be wairnet to compeir the next counsall day thairafter to compeir bringand with thame thair dewteis to be payet to the dene of gild and collectouris and that day to be sworne and resavet.

Minister electing.

Ordanet ane supplicatioun to be gevin in to the generall assembly in all thair names, desyring thame to appoynt ane qualefeit persoun to be minister of this burgh in place of vmquhill maister James Lowsoun, and gevis thame in lytes maister Dauid Lyndsay or maister Patrik Galloway at the plesure of the assembly to be nominat thairto.

12 May 1586.

Minister electing, assembly.

[The provost, bailies, council, and deacons of crafts,] with maister Walter Balcanquell, minister, and the eldares and deaconis of the kirk of the said burgh, being convenit, and after resoning vpoun the nominatioun of the lytes of the minister of this burgh in place of maister James Lowsoun, it beand reportet vnto thame be Johnn Jhonestoun, ane of the commissioneris of the said burgh in the generall assembly, that the supplicatioun gevin in before the said assembly in name of the said provest, bailyeis, counsall, and deykins, anent the said minister, wes differrit, inrespect that the samyn wes nocht gevin in be avyse of the said eldares and deaconis and thair names insert thairinto; thairfore thai all fand expedient that the said supplicatioun suld be reformet in that point; and siclike be thair manyest votes fand that maister Robert Pont suld be put in lyte in place of maister Dauid Lyndsay, and thairfore ordanet the said supplicatioun to be writtin ower and reformet as said is and delyuerit to the said Jhonn Jhonestoun to be presentet be him in thair names to the said assembly and he to travell to obtene ane ansuer thairvpoun.

13 May 1586.

Precept, lordis of sessioun.

Ordanis James Inglis, thesaurer, to caus stufe and mend the cvscheouns of the lords inner counsalehous; als be avyse of William Fairly, bailyie, to by and furnes to the said inner counsalehous sufficient buird claythis.

18 May 1586.

Writts of the Trinity College.

Jhonn Jhonestoun produceit the townes gift of the Trinitie College, decreitt of the lords thairvpoun, with the lettres of foure formes anent St. Pawles Wark.

Paynting of the lords counsale house.

Ordanis Androw Sclater, bailyie to agrie with Dauid Warkman for paynting of the walls of the lords inner counsalehous for the sowme of twenty merks.

20 May 1586.

Charge, Vddert, Trinitie College.

William Littill, provest, the bailyeis, thesaurer, and ane pairt of the counsale being convenit, Jhonn Jhonestoun, collectour, producet the sowme of fyftie merk in name of ane persoun quhome he thocht nocht expedient to nominat, gevin be the said persoun of benevolence to the reparatioun of the kirk in the Trinity College. Quhilk money wes delyuerit instantly to Alexander Vddart in name of the towne, and he and Johnn Adamsoun, James Inglis, Androw Cairny, with ane bailyie, appoyntet to pas and seik the benevolence of the nichtboures to that wark and als the townes college foundet in the Kirk of Feyld; and ordanes ane lettre to be pennit to thame to schaw the nichtbouris the mater with the townis guid will to thais wark lattet throw inhabilitie.

24 May 1586.

Dury, minister, villa.

Vnderstanding that Jhonn Dury, sumtyme ane of the ordiner pastures and ministeris of this burgh in the tyme of his laitt wairding in the north this twa yeir bygane, hes bene put to greitt chairges and expenssis, having na sett place or stipend for sustentatioun of himself, his wyfe, childrein and familie, quhairvpoun he hes meanet him selff vnto thame, and thai beand of mynd for the guid and thankfull seruice done be him in the tyme of his calling within the said burgh, to extend thair benevolence toward him, thairfor and for vther guid caussis and consideratiouns moving thame, as alswa in contentatioun of all things that the said Jhonn may craif of the guid towne for any caus or occasioun bygane preceiding the daitt heirof, frelie gevis [to him 300 merks.]

25 May 1586.

Transporting victuallis.

Inrespect of the multitude of persouns transporting victuall furth of the realme in swa greitt ane derth, fynds it expedient to pas downe to the Kings Maiestie in ane sufficient number of nychtbouris to compleyne thairvpoun; and ordanis William Fairly, bailyie, to caus mak ane supplicatioun to be gevin in with ane lettre of sercherie of bayth the sydes of Forth to be obtenit.

Wyllie, puir.

Appoyntet, creat and constitut, induring the townis will, Jhonn Wyllie in the place and office quhilk vmquhill Androw Thomesoun had of before for halding the puir and sturdy beggares of the gaitt, specially the landwart puir, vpoun the Sonday and at all tymes requisit, for the quhilk thai grant and gif to him ane merk owlkly.

8 June 1586.

Innerkething extent remitet.

For the favour and benevolence thai beir to the burgh of Innerkething and for help and support of thair bulwark, as als in howpe of thair guid will quhen the towne sall haif ado with thame, remits and dischairges to the said burgh the sowme of fourtene pund foure schillings awand to the guid towne of thair extent of the Kings wyne.

Seytoun, Blair, owersicht of the fredome.

At the requeist of the Kings Maiestie be his Graces lettres, and for the caussis specifeit thairin, grantis vnto Gristell Seytoun and William Blair ane owersicht to vse the privelege of ane burges and gild brother of this burgh nochtwithstanding that thai ar nocht maid frie, and that ay and quhill thair sall be ane generall taxatioun of the realme and the guid towne taxet, with provisioun that thai obtene the dewteis of thair burges and gildschips allowet to the towne in the foirend of the townis taxatioun, and gif thai failyie thairinto this present tollerance and licence to expyre and be of no effect vnto thame.

10 June 1586.

Potterraw, infectioun.

Inrespect of the infectioun of the pestilence rissin in the Potterraw, ordanis that the bailyeis caus diligent attendance to the ports that na indwellers thairof be sufferit to repair in this burgh, and Androw Sclater to speik the laird of Innerleyth and Peter Bairdy, his bailyie depute, thair, that na Potteraw breid be presentet to the merket; alswa to caus Jhonn Forest, porter of the Kirk of Feyld, to close the said port.

Preicheings, Sondayes.

Fynds it expedient that ane bailyie, ilk Sonday his owlk about, visie the streitt, tavernis, and vtheris commoun places in tyme of sermoun, and pvneis all offendares according to the townis statutes.

Proclamation, sermones, tavernis, sweiring.

Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid throw this burgh chairgeing all persouns to hant and repair to the sermones vpoun the Sondayes and be nocht fund absent thairfra. Siclyke, that na tavernis, hostlarie, caitchpules, nor aylaye bowlis, be frequentet or haldin oppin the said tyme, with certificatioun to the offendares that thai sall be sercheit, apprehendet, and pvnessit in thair bodeis or guidis according to the paynis contenit in dyuers proclamatiouns maid thairvpoun of before. Als that nane be fund bannand nor blasphemand vnder the said paynes.

17 June 1586.

Aikinheid, townis artelyerie.

Agreit and consentet to len to Thomas Aikinheid the townis yetling peice of artelyerie lyand in the Kirk, with the twa peices in Androw Sclaters hands, and the said Thomas oblist him to delyuer the sam agane to the guid towne als guid as he resavet the samyn, and appoyntes Jhonn Wilkyne, thesaurer, James Ros and Androw Sclater to visy the estaitt of the said peices.

22 June 1586.

Nudrie infectet, suportet.

In consideratioun that the seiknes of pestilence is rissin and heavelie spred in the town of Nudrie and the puir pepill thairof lyke to peris for famyne, thairfore thair ar willing to mak thame sum support; and William Naper, Jhonn Wilkyne, James Ros, James Inglis, agreit, to avance and send to the said towne euery ane of thame ane laid of meill with all diligence, for the quhilk caus the said provest, bailyeis, counsall and deykins promist to caus refound to thame the pryces thairof of the first end of the townis collectory.

Proclamatio, Nudrie, beggares.

Ordanis proclamatioun to be maid that nane of Nudrie repair to this burgh vnder the payne of deid, and that na vncowth beggares repair to this burgh vnder the payne of scurgeing, and that nane ressaitt thame vnder payne of banisement.

Pryour of Pluscardy, certane writts.

Comperit [blank] Seytoun, pryour of Pluscardy, and produceit fyve copeis of lettres quhilk wes deluyerit to his vmquhill father, my Lord Seytoun, be Henry Nesbet, for his informatioun in the townis effaris in France the tyme of his imbassage thair, quhilk copeis vnderwrittin wes delyuerit agane instantly to the said Henry with quhais hand thai ar writtin and copeit, viz., the instructiouns for the downgetting of the exorbitant customes newlie rayset in France vpoun this realme, copeis of thre patents grantet be the Kings of France, ane be King Francays in anno 1518, ane vther 1554 be King Henry, and ane vther be the said King anno 1555.

Cowper, Cranstoun, ministers.

In consideratioun that maister Jhonn Cowper, minister, hes at all tymes requisit sen new yeir suppleyet the want of ane minister bayth in the Hie Kirk and Eist Kirk, and als at sindrie tymes maister Michaell Cranstoun, minister, hes suppleyet the said place, thairfore gevis and grantis to the said maister Jhonn the sowme of ane hundreth mark and to the said maister Michaell the sowme of twenty pund for the seruice done and to be done be thame in the said place. And ordanis Jhonn Wilkyne, bailyie, of the reddiest of the rest of the extents, to mak payment to thame of the said sowmes.

29 June 1586.

Leyth, dykes repairing, pest.

For eschewing of the apperand daynger of pestilence within the toun of Leyth, throw the oppynnes thairof, and at the desyre of the bailyeis of the sam, grantis vnto thame licence to repair the dykes thairof, to stand closet induring the townis will allanerlie.