Extracts from the Records: 1582, Jan-Mar

1582, Jan-Mar

17 January 1581–2.

Galbrayth.

The foirsaidis prouest, baillies, and counsale in consideratioune of the dampuage and skayth sustenit be Edward Galbrayth, skynnare, throw demolissing be certane wickit persones as yet vnknawin of the stane wolle and hous laitlie biggit be him at the clovs and ryn of the burrow loch, and for helping and supporting of him to repaire and big the samyn of new in mair substantious maner, thairfoire willing liberalie permittis and consentis to giwe and delyuer to the said Edward the soume of fiftye merkis for the pairt of the merchantis of this burghe, besyde and attowre vther fyftie merkis promittit to hym be the craftis owt of their particulare box.

24 January 1581–2.

Precept, thesaurer, towne wall, bulwark.

[The bailies and council] ordanis Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, to caus big vp and repair with all diligence possibill that pairt of the towne wall vpoun the castell bank laitlie decayit and fallin downe, and to agrie with the warkmen be the avyse of the said dene of gild, Andrew Sclater, and Alexander Vddert, the best cheip he may, and siclyke ordanis him to caus help and repair that pairt of the north bulwark in Leyth laitlie schott and apperande to decay, and to vse the avyse of sic of the counsall as he fyndis guid.

Precept, thesaurer, lordis obligatioun of x^m merkis.

Ordanis Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, to caus register afoir the lordis of sessioun the obligatioun maid to the guid towne be certane lordis of secreitt counsale for rambursing to the guid towne of the x^m merkis lent to the Kingis Grace, and to raise and extract the sam and caus it be putt to executioun.

Precept, thesaurer, twa Spaynyartis.

Ordanis Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, to pay and deliuer to twa Spaynyartis callit Jhone Denys and Jhone Crego, quha wes pilleit be certane piratis and left on land in the west cuntrey, and the baillies to refound the said sowme agane to the said thesaurer of the rediest of the vnlawes of the tavernis or vtheris vnlawes to be vpliftit be thame.

26 January 1581–2.

Gilleis.

Jhone Gilleis, doctour in Jhone Blakis schole, oblist himself nocht to pas in mwmschance after supper to mak playes or vse siclyke vaniteis heirafter, vnder the payne of banesing the toune.

2 February 1581–2.

Precept, thesaurer, ministeris hous.

Ordanis Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, to caus mak ane portell dur of aik with all necessaris thairto in the hous in the kirkyaird occupeit be maister Walter Balcanquell, minister, and siclyke to caus mak to maister James Lowsoun, minister, in the hous occupeit be him ane press with ane lang saidill thairin, and the foirface to be of estland buird, and to pairt furneis all necessaris thairto, als to mak and putt vp ane glas window in his laich kitcheing.

7 February 1581–2.

Mettis, mesouris, Jhonestoun, Ros, thesaurer.

In presens of the baillies, dene of gild, thesaurer, and [council] comperit Jhone Henrysoun, younger, and confest and grantit him to haif resauit in name of James Ros, merchant, fermorer to the guid toun of thair pittie customes of this burgh and mettis and mesouris thairof, fra Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, fourty awcht firlettis, and fourty pekis new maid be the said thesaurer and all sufficientlie bandit with irne; and siclyke Archibald Jhonestoun, fermorer of the mettis and mesouris of Leyth, grantit him to haif resauet fra the said thesaurer fyftein new firlettis all sufficientlie bandet with irne, and bayth the saidis persounis oblist thame to mak the said mesouris furthcumand to the guid towne, quhairvpoun the said thesaurer askit instrumentis.

14 February 1581–2.

Precept, thesaurer, ministeris stipendis.

The baillies and counsale [and deacons of crafts] ordanis Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, to content and pay to Jhone Jhonestoun, collectour, the soume of sex hundreth merkis for supplement of the kirk annuellis in payment of the ministeris stipendis.

16 February 1581–2.

Precept, collectour, Kirk of Feild.

[The bailies and council] ordanis Jhone Jhonestoun, collectour, to caus dyke in the waist grund at the eist end of the duikis lugeing besyde the Kirk of Feild.

28 February 1581–2.

Anent the payment of the x^m merk for the superiority of Leyth.

The baillies and counsale, [and deacons of crafts] for thame selffis and thair successouris, prouest, baillies, counsale, and deykinis of craftis of the said burgh, being of guid mynd to tak ordour for payment of the nichtboures of this burgh, merchantis and craftismen, quha lent and avanceit any pairt of the sowme of ten thousand markis vpon the superiority of Leyth, conform to the taxt rollis sett furth thairvpoun in the moneth of September the yeir of God j^m ve lxv yeiris, and dyvers actis followand thairafter contenit in the counsale buik of the said burgh, hes accordet, agreit, and als ordanit as followes:—First, vnderstanding the men of law hes resauit the sowme of allevin hundreth sextein pund, threttein schillingis, foure penneis avanceit be thame to the guid towne of the said x^m merkis, and that the craftis avanceit ane thousand, thre hundreth, fourty sevin pund, aucht schillingis of the said sowme quhairof thai haif resauit fyve hundreth merkis swa restis awand thame the sowme of [blank], the rest wes avanceit be the nichtboures merchantis extending to [blank] quhairof thai haif resauit na payment, that thairfore the saidis craftis sall haif payit yeirlie to thame the sowme of fyve hundreth and sevin markis and the saidis merchantis twa thousand ane hundreth and ane merk yeirlie makand in the haill the sowme of twenty sex hundreth and aucht merkis yeirlie ay and quhill the saidis merchantis and craftismen be compleitlie payit; quhilk sowme of twenty sex hundreth and aucht merkis sall be payet of the readiest of the yeirlie rent of the commoun mylnis of the said burgh quarterlie at Candilmes, Beltane, Lambes, and Alhallomes, begynnand the first termes payment at this last Candilmes, the payment to be maid to ane collectour to be chosin for the pairt of the merchantis be the counsale, and to ane vther collectour for the pairt of the craftis to be nominat and chosin be thame and the said collectouris for the merchantis to ramburse the nichtbouris haevand guid richt thair particulare sowmes conforme to the said taxt rollis, and to report thair acquittances thairvpoun for the townes releif and thair awin, as alswa to mak his comptis yeirlie of the sowmes resauit be him, at the tymes of the making of the townis comptis; and for suir payment be the guid towne of the said sowmes ordanis and als commandis and chairges thair thesawreris present and to cum to answer, obey, and mak thankfull payment at the said termes to the said collectouris, and the said thesaureris to retene swamekill of the commoun rent in their handis to that effect; quhilk payment sall be thankfully allowet to thame in thair comptis thai produceand and deliuering sufficient acquittances of the said collectouris. And fynallie gif the rest of the commoun rent sall nocht serue to the commoun effaires of the towne, the saides prouest, baillies, counsall, and deykinis for thame selffis and thair successouris foresaidis, consentit and ordanit that ane taxt be raisit thairfore of the haill body of the towne swa that the nichtboures may still resaue payment quhill thai be satiffeit but ony dispensatioun with thir presents in the meane tyme for it is na guid ressoun that the rest of the towne quha buir na burding of the said avancement suld be relevit with the money appoyntit to pay the said nichtbouris.

2 March 1581–2.

Precept, thesaurer, Andro, actis of parliament, Chairteris, Scherp, ministeris lugeing.

[The bailies and council] ordanis to be allowet to Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, in his comptis the sowme of a threttie schilling pece gevin be him to Jhone Andro, clerk to the secreitt counsale, for making the townis bill anent the wynes tane fra the nichtbouris be the Kingis Grace sumlieris, als sex schillingis aucht penneis gevin in drink syluer; item, ordanis the said thesaurer to bye the laitt actis of parliament laitlie prentit, to caus bynd and delyuer the sam to the clerk; item, to delyuer to Henry Charteris ane auld ayngell nobill gevin be him to maister Jhone Scherp, in name of the towne for forming the townis protestatiounis againis the actis of parliament concerning the customes and clething; item, to caus repair the chymnay heid of the nether kitcheing in the hous occupeit be maister James Lowsoun, minister.

7 March 1581–2.

Precept, thesaurer, Dury, ministeris lugeing.

[The bailies and council] ordanis Jhone Robertsoun, thesaurer, to pay and delyuer to Jhone Dury, minister, the sowme of twenty [blank] merk to be employet be the said Jhone on syllering with daillis of the over chalmer of the house occupeit be him.

9 March 1581–2.

Precept, gild, kirkyaird.

[The bailies and council] ordanis Jhone Harwod, dene of gild, to caus repair the dykis of the nether kirkyaird, and to mak ane weiket to the vtter yett of the over yaird and furneis all necessar requeset.