Extracts from the records: 1634

18 January 1634.

Librarie, loche, tolbuithe, etc.

Ordanis the thesaurer to giv to James Colquhoun ane bundrethe and ten pundis in compleit payment of all he can crave in compleiting of the librarie hous and vtheris, viz., the casting of the touns armis thairon, gilting of the Bischopis armis, at the bailleis cammand for the tyme, the pains takin be him at Robiestoun Loche and making of ane of the lyouns mouthis at the spoutis of the tolbuith, and als in compleit payment of all vther bypast warkis wrocht be him, he alwayis laying doun of the great kaik of leid at the kirk blowin vp be the storme.

1 February 1634.

Grenok.

The proueist, bailyeis and counsell hes electit and nominat maister John Dunlop and maister John Hutchesoun, clerk, commissioners to go to Edinburgh to againe say Johne Schaw of Grenok anent ane burghe in baronie, cravit to be erectit be him in Grenok, befoir the lordis of his Maiesteis excheker, the aucht day of Februarij instant; and ordanes thame to haue ane commissioun sealit and subscrivit thairvpoun.

15 February 1634.

Grenok, baronie.

Ordanes the thesaurer to haue ane warrand for fourtie sax pund for ten dayes absens and hors waiges dew to maister John Dunlope and maister John Hutcheson for thair chairges in Edinburgh as commissioners aganis Grenok, to stay his burghe in baronie, cravit contra the tounes libertie, quha reportit thair diligens be wryte put in the buist with the tounes last past infeftment.

8 March 1634.

Mustir maister.

The proueist, bailyeis and counsell hes electit and nominat maister John Hutchesoun, toun clerk, commissioner to the particular conventioun of burrowes to be haldin at Edinburgh the xv day of Martche instant anent my Lord Spynie his patent as mustir maister of this realme.

15 March 1634.

Maltmen, gratis burgessis.

Anent ane supplicatioun gevin in be Niniane Gilhagie, visitour of the maltmen, Walter Dowglas, William Neilsone, Johne Crawfurd, Robert Patersone, maltmen, for thame selfis and in name of the haill rest of the bretherine of thair calling, makand mentioun that quhair, throw the desyre of divers noble men, maney of thair servandis, speciallie of thair futmen, ar admitit burgessis gratis within this burgh; quhilkis persouns, being sua admitit, cumis thairefter and makis thair residence and duelling within the samyn, and becaus they can exerce na vther calling enteris with the maltmen in respect of the cheipnes of thair fynis, being only tuentie markis money, quhairthrow ther enteris sa maney that the most pairt of thair calling ar becum depauperat and thair puir bretherine ar so incresit that they ar not able to help thame all; cravand thairfoir the saidis provest, bailleis [and counsall] to grant thame licence and libertie to exact fra all such personis quha enteris burgessis gratis and payis nathing to the thesaureris of this brugh for thair burgeschip ane mair fyne then the ordinar hes bein, as in the said supplicatioun at mair lenth is contenit. Quhilk being red in the audience of the foirsaid provest, bailleis and counsall, they, efter guid advysment and deliberatioun had thairanent, givis and grantis licence and libertie to the visitour of the maltmen, present and to cum, and thair bretherine of the calling, to exact and vplift fra everie persone quha enteris frie with thame heirefter, being admittit burgessis gratis and hes payit nathing to the thesaurer of this brugh for thair fynis, the sowme of twentie markis money, by and attour the auld fyne, extending in the haill to fourtie markis money, nochtwithstanding of the restrictioun contenit in the lettere of gildrie; and this act to be extendit against strangeris onlie not payand thair burges fynes as said is and not against burgessis sones and guid sones mariand thair dochteris and prenteissis.

12 April 1634.

Perstoun brig.

Ordanis the thesaurer to give to the help of building and repairing of Perstoun brige fourtie markis money.

5 May 1634.

Barne yaird and land at West Port.

The proueist, bailyeis and counsell hes fund it neidfull, for the tounes vse, to by James Brounes barne yaird and rig of land at the bak thairof, lyand nixt to the West Port, on the northe syde thairof, conforme to the worthe and availl allanerlie.

24 May 1634.

Hors mercat.

The provest, bailleis and counsall abone specifeit, haifing takin to thair consideratiouns that it is necessar and expedient that the mercatis within the said brugh sould be dispersit and sett in all pairtis of the toun, and vnderstanding that thair is na mercat place about and abone the Wyndheid of the said brugh, and the houssis thair lyklie to decay and na competent maill to be gottin thairfoir, thairfoir they, be the tennour of this present act, statut and ordaine that the hors mercat daylie in all tyme cuming (except the tyme of the fair of Glasgow haldin yeirlie in the moneth of Julij) sall be haldin betuixt the Kirk port, the Stable Grene port, the Drygait Heid, Wynd Heid and Rattounrow; and als that the salt mercat, corne mercat, lint seid and hemp seid mercat be haldin in all tyme cuming abone the College, quhair the hors mercat was haldin of befoir; and ordanis the officeris of this brugh to vrge all personis, sellaris of horssis, salt, hors corne, lint seid and hempseid, to go and mak mercat in the placis abone specifeit.

Buik callit God and the King.

Nota. The dischairge grantit be (blank) Prymrois to the toun, for the buik callit God and the King, is delyverit to Patrick Bell to be lent to the College for thair defence.

27 May 1634.

Common good.

[The common good set for a year as follows:—mills and multures, 6830 merks; the ladle dues, 2120 merks; the tron, 680 merks; and the customs of the bridge, £300.]

14 June 1634.

Taxatioun.

The provest, bailleis and counsall ordanis the thesaurer to haif ane warrand for the sowme of sevin thowsand and ane markis, debursit be him, at thair command, for compleiting of the touns pairt of the taxatioun to the Marqueis of Hammiltoun, grantit to his Maiestie in Junij last.

21 June 1634.

North Bervick.

[Ordained the treasurer to have a warrant for 100 merks "gevin be him to the commissioner of North Bervick for the support of thair herbrie."

Conventioun.

Elected Patrick Bell commissioner to the general convention to be held at Edinburgh in July next, "and Niniane Andersone is elect assessour to the said Patrik, commissioner."

Theifs in Tolbuithe.

Ordained the treasurer to have a warrant for £53 3s. 4d. "debursit be him to Gauin Naismyth for meit and drink furnischit be him to certane theifs quhilk war put in the Tolbuithe and detenit thairin at command of the provest and Johne Maxwall, baillie."]

28 June 1634.

Blakfriar Kirk, customs, subdeanrie.

They ordane Patrik Bell, thair commissionar electit to the conventioun of borrouis, to advys with thair laweris not onlie anent the patronage of the Blakfriar Kirk bot also to advys with thame anent the best way to obviat the exorbitant customes takin be the brughis of Dumbartoun and Renfrew vpoun the river of Clyd, and to follow out the samynn be law according to thair advyssis, and anent the subdeanrie.

8 July 1634.

Correctioun hous.

The foirsaidis provest, bailleis and counsall, all in ane voce, agreis that Patrik Bell, thair commissionar to the last generall conventioun of borrowis, deall for ane correctioun hous within this brugh, with als ample privilegis as any vther correctioun hous within this kingdome hes, with this caveat that the toun be not tayit to by or buld ane hous to that effect and mentein the samynn, bot onlie so soone as it sall pleis the provest, bailleis and counsall for the tyme to do the samynn.

Prisoners, executioner.

Ordanis the thesaurer to haif ane warrand for the sowme of twentie pundis vj s., debursit be him in this maner, viz., four dollouris gevin to William Stirling, messour, for summounding ane assys vpoun thes twa men callit Drummoundis quhilk war detenit in the Tolbuithe, and three dollouris gevin to the executionar and the man quha went for him.

12 July 1634.

Bischope, Drummond execut.

[Ordained the treasurer to have warrants for (1) £77 "gevin be him to Dauid Weymis for twa hogheidis of wine to the Bischope," and (2) £7 "debursit be him for the chairgis of (blank) Drummount quha was takin to Dumfermling and execut."]

26 July 1634.

Report of commissioner, patronage of kirks, etc.

Patrick Bell, commissioner to the last generall conventioun of burrowes, haldin at Edinburgh the first day of Julij instant, reportit his dilligens, quhilk was approvin, and ordanes him to haue ane warrand to the thesaurer to give to him fiftie pund vj s. deburset be him to the advocat and his man for resolutioun anent the patronage of the Trongait and Blakfreir kirkis, and to John Nicoll and his man for summondis aganis Dumbartane, and als for the sowme of sax hundrethe four scoir allevin pund xij s. gevin out be him to the agent of burrowes for the tounes pairt of the expenssis contenit in the missive, and for his awin and Niniane Andersounes charges, and to the advocattis, conforme to the compt red and allowet.

30 September 1634.

provest.

[At the request of the archbishop, the bailies and council elected Patrick Bell provost for the year to come.]

Act anent unlawis.

The said Patrik Bell, provest, with the bailleis and haill personis abone writtin, efter dew deliberatioun, having considderit that the first and best borrowis of this realme hes bein in vse and custome, for the weill of thair brugh, to destinat and appoynt the haill unlawis, grait and small, dew to be payit be the transgressouris of the touns actis, committeris of blood and wrangis, regraitteris, foirstalleris, and all vther personis quhatsumever lyable to unlaws for wrang and injure done within the privilege of the brughe, ar appoyntit and applyit ad pios vsus and ar vptakin for the weill of thair brughis, thairfoir they all with ane consent and [assent] hes statut and ordanit, and be the tennour of this present act statutis and ordanis that the haill unlawis quhatsumever dew to the provest and bailleis of this brugh, in all tyme cuming, sall be vptakin and applyit ad pios vsus and for the vse and commoun effairis of this brugh and na vtherwayis.

Baillies.

[From a leet of six merchants and three craftsmen, presented by the provost, bailies and council, the archbishop elected Mr. Johne Dunlope and James Hammiltoun, merchants, and Niniane Andersone, cordiner, to be bailies for the year to come.]

3 October 1634.

Councillors.

[The provost and old and present bailies elected thirteen merchants and twelve craftsmen to be councillors for the ensuing year.]

8 October 1634.

Elections.

[The following officers elected in usual form:—John Barnis, dean of guild; Gawin Neisbit, deacon convener; Niniane Gilhagie, visitor of maltmen and mealmen; and John Merschell, treasurer.]

11 October 1634.

Actis and statutis.

It is ordanit that the haill auld actis and statutis of this brugh be proclamit vpoun Moonday nixttocum vpoun the cros, and thes actis following to be adit thairto, viz.: It is statut and ordanit that the haill fleschouris in the land mercat stand with their flaikis at all occasiouns vp the gait about the Stinking Vennell, on baith the sydis of the gait, and that they cum na neirer the cros nor Androw Mylnis land on the eist syd of the gait and Johne Lowis land on the wast syd thairof. Item, that na creillman nor vtheris quhatsumever sell foullis of na kynd nor egis to strangeris nor that na stranger by the samynn fra thame to be transportit af this brugh befoir ten houris in the morning, wnder the paine of fourtie schillings the first fault, and fyve pund the secund, and so furth toties quoties.

18 October 1634.

Burges and gildbrother fynis.

The saidis provest, baillie and counsall, for guid caussis and consideratiouns movit thame, hes statut and ordanit, all in ane voce, that na maner of persone be hard be bill or vtherwayis seiking for mitigatione of thair burges and gildbrother fynis, and that no suche mitigatione be grantit to any stranger enterand burges and gildbrother heirefter, bot that they pay the full fynes.

Metrapolitan Kirk.

The provest, bailleis and counsall of the said brugh, haifing takin to their consideratioun how necessar it is to haif ane honest man, quha hes skill and knawledge of wark, to attend and oversie at all occasiounes necessar the great Metrapolitant Kirk of this citie, to the effect the faultis and decayit pairtis thairof being first taine notice of be him, and it being bot of half ane dayis wark, may be presentlie helpit be him, and if of mair nor half ane dayis wark at ane tyme the samynn may be signifeit be him to thame, to the end the samynn being takin in tyme may be the mair easalie repairit with far les chairgis then vtherwayis might fall out throw lang neglecting thairof, they did thairfoir elect and nominat Mathow Colquhoun, wrycht, to haif the chairge and oversight of the said grait kirk to the effect foirsaid, quha being sent for com and acceptit the said chairge in and vpoun him and gave his aithe de fideli administratione thairintill, and submitit himself to the willis of the saidis provest, bailleis and counsall quhat they pleasit to giv him for his panis and wark, not being abone half ane day at anes as said is, quha promeist to satisfie him according to thair willis at ilk half yeiris end, and the provest, with consent of the baillies and counsall, delyverit to him the keis of the said kirk.

25 October 1634.

Commissioner.

[Elected John Barnes, dean of guild, commissioner to the particular convention of burghs to be held at Edinburgh on 4th November.]

1 November 1634.

Prices.

[Ordained that no higher prices than the following be taken:—The wheat loaf of 12 ounces, 10d.; the bun of 16 ounces, 16d.; ale, 16d. the pint; beer, 20d. the pint; the tron stone of rough tallow, 16s. 8d.; and the troy stone of well made candle, 4 marks.]

29 November 1634.

Caus aganes Dumbartoun.

Johne Hutchesone, clerk, is electit and nominat to ryd to Edinburgh anent the caus persewit be the toun aganes Dumbartoun quhen he sall be adverteisit to that effect.

President, herring.

The haill foirsaidis provest, bailleis and counsall, all in ane voce, has concludit to send to the president twa half barrillis of herring.