LI: Instrument regarding election of bailies for following year (1553)

LI. Instrument in regard to the election by the Archbishop of Glasgow of the Bailies of the city for the following year. 3 October 1553.

[Latin text]

Memorie traditur quomodo honorabilis vir Andreas Hamyltoun de Cochnocht, prepositus, et totus coetus senatorum civitatis Glasguensis, die Martis proximo post festum divi Michaelis Archangeli, quo solent annuatim novi consules quos ballivos vocamus eligi et creari pro anno futuro, in interiore florum hortulo juxta palatium Archiepiscopi Glasguensis advenerunt; Reverendissimo cum nonnullis canonicis capituli ejusdem colloquente et confabulante. Ubi multis sermonibus super dictorum consulum electione ultro citroque habitis, scedulam quandam papiri in qua nonnullorum ex dignioribus et prestantioribus viris civitatis nomina erant descripta tandem porrigebant, requirentes quos duos eorum ipse Reverendissimus voluit in consules seu ballivos pro anno futuro admittere. Predicta vero scedula papiri hec nomina continebat: David Lyndesay in Troingait, David Lyone, Johannem Murre, magistrum Johannem Hall, Andream Dunlop, Jacobum Graham, Archibaldum Lyone et Johannem Steward de Boigtoun. Quam ut idem Reverendissimus perlegit, duos eorum viz. magistrum Hall et Johannem Mure in consules pro anno futuro eligendos et creandos nominavit, eorum nomina in dicta scedula descripta indice ipsis preposito et senatoribus predictis demonstrando. Et prepositus et senatores predicti eosdem sic nominatos in consules et ballivos pro anno futuro in eorum pretorio, ut moris est, eligere fideliter promiserunt, hec verba dicendo, Dominationis vestre desiderio satisfaciemus. Et his dictis recesserunt in pretorium. Quibus dimissis Reverendissimus capituli canonicos secum omni hoc tempore existentes sic allocutus est. Pro tollenda omni ulteriore contentione super nominatione et electione consulum civitatis nostre Glasguensis in posterum fortassis exoriunda, opere pretium duximus omnem rem hanc inter nos et dicte civitatis nostre prepositum et senatores nuper gestam instrumento firmare; et instrumentum petiit. Acta iij die Octobris MDLIII. Testibus canonicis.

[Translation]

It is recorded for remembrance that, on the Tuesday after the feast of St Michael the archangel, on which day every year the new councillors, whom we call bailies, are wont to be elected and made for the year following, an honourable man, Andrew Hamylton of Cochnocht, provost, and a full meeting of the magistrates of the city of Glasgow, came into the inner flower garden beside the palace of thearchbishop of Glasgow, where the most reverend father was talking and conversing with some canons of his chapter. There after much discussion on both sides regarding the election of the said councillors, at the last they presented to him a schedule of paper wherein were written down the names of some of the most worthy and eminent men of the city, asking of him which two of them he the most reverend father willed to admit as councillors or bailies for the next year. The foresaid schedule of paper contained the names following:—David Lyndesay in Troingait, David Lyone, John Murre, Master John Hall, Andrew Dunlop, James Graham, Archibald Lyone, and John Steward of Boigtoun. When the said most reverend father had read it, he nominated two of them, to wit, Master Hall and John Mure to be elected and made councillors for the ensuing year, pointing out with his finger their names, written in the said schedule, to the said provost and magistrates. And the foresaid provost and magistrates faithfully promised to elect them so nominated as councillors and bailies for the next year, in their tolbooth, as the custom is, using these words, 'We shall do your lordship's will!' And so saying they retired to the tolbooth. After they were sent away, the most reverend father spoke in this manner to the canons of the chapter who had been with him all the while:—For the removal of all further contention respecting the nomination and election of councillors of our city of Glasgow that shall happen to arise in time to come, we have thought it worth while to have all this business, which has past just now between us and the provost and magistrates of our said city, confirmed by an instrument: and he asked an instrument. Done on the 3d day of October 1553; witnesses, the canons.