Extracts from the Records: 1562, July-December

1562, July-December

3 July 1562.

Cordinaris.

[To prevent the "darth and exhorbitand prices of buittis, schone, and all vther sic thingis as pertenit to the occupatioun of cordiner craft,"proclamation made "discharging all maner of regratouris, cowperris and foirstalleris of reid and barkit ledder," and that none be sold except by the owners and labourers of the same, and not to be "hurdit, hyd and kepit within close houssis, for vphalding of darth, bot to be presentit to oppin market hale and togidder at lauchfull tyme of day."]

15 July 1562.

Extent j^mli.

The prouest bailies and counsale [with the deacons of crafts,] being convenit within the new tolbuth of this bufgh, and efter ressonyng, and declaratioun maid to thame be my said lord prouest how that the wark of the said new tolbuth wes ceissit and left of in defalt of money to pay the warken, quhairat the Quenys Majestie wald be offendit, becaus hir hienes had commandit the samyn to be endit with all deligence; and sicklike gyf the said tolbuth war nocht rady be Mertymes nixt the sait of the sessiou wald be movit to sum vther toun, quhilk sould be na litill harme to the commoun weill of this burgh; vpoun the quhilkis considerationis, and becaus thair wes na money to be gottin of the commun gude, becaus the samyn wes analiit for tua yeris to cum, he thocht gude that ane extent of ane thousand pundis sould be lyftit of all nychtbouris to the biging of the said wark,[which proposition was agreed to and an extent granted accordingly.]

17 July 1562.

Off sic as sall bruke offices within this burgh and nane vtheris.

The prouest baillies [council and deacons of crafts,] being convenit within the tolbuth, and efter lang ressonyng vpoun the monye trublis and variances chanceit within this burgh thir tua yeris past amangis the inhabitanttis of the samyn, nocht onlie to the contempt of God, oure Souerane and the lauchfull Maiestratis of this burgh, bot alsua to the greit apperand distructioun of thame selffis and hale commoun weill of the samyn, and that as yit thair remanys within this said burgh certane witkit besy and seditious personis menying no les nor the like insurrectioun and inobedience gyf remeid be nocht fundin in tyme, and knawing the onlie occatioun thairof to be and to haue bene for the want of gude and godlie officeris, nocht having the trew feir of God in thair harttis nor detfull regaird to thair conscience and commoun weill foreaid, all in ane voce, votis, granttis, consenttis, statutis and ordanis that fra this furth thair sall nane bruke office within this burgh of prouest, baillies, dene of gild, thesaurer,counsalour, dekyn of craft, nor vther office, bot sic as hes adionit thame to the trew kirk of God and congregatioun, and hes commvnicat with bayth sacramentis, and hes submittit thameselffis vnder discipline, and gyf ony vther beis chosin, nocht onlie sic to be depriuit bot the electerris and chesaris of thame with thame selffis to be pvnissit with rigour as manifest contempnaris of all gude and godlie ordour; and this act to be obseruit in all tymes cuming without the prejudice of the officeris and dekynnis presentlie in office for this instant yeir, and to this effect that the dekynnis of craftis set ane peremptour day for chesing of thair dekynnis, and that vpoun that day the hale dekynnis be chosin and nane vther, vnder the pane foresaid.

[Note.— In the original record the foregoing act is delete, in terms of the following resolution written at its commencement:—"xxvij Januarii 1563. [The bailies council and deacons of crafts,] ordanis the act efter following to be deleit at the Quenis Maiesteis command and for eschewing of hir anger."]

22 July 1562.

[Robertsoun, master of High School.]

The provest baillies and counsale sittand in iugement, in the terme assignit to maister William Robertsoun, pretendit maister of the hie scole of Edinburgh, to preif the last twa exceptionis admittit to be provin this day be him coniunction proponit aganis the clame intentit contrar him be maister jhonne Moscrop, procuratour for the toun, as suld be prescriueit be the saidis provest, baillies, and counsale, comperit the said maister Williame, and for probatioun of the saidis exceptionis producit ane gift maid to him be the abbat of Halierudehous, with consent of the abbay of Camskynneth his coadiutour et adminstratour, subscriueit with the said abbat of Halierudehous hand and seillit with the cheptour seill thairof, of the dait the tent day of januar, the yeir of God j^m v^c xlvj yeris, and als producit ane tikat contening the names underwrittin, viz., Lord Provand, maister Eduard Henresoun, maister Alexander Sym, maister Jhonne Marioribankis, baillie, maister Alexander Skene, maister Thomas Craig, Alexander Chaip, merchand, James, James, Carmichell, James Harlaw writer, Patrik Govane belman, Patrik Kene, Robert Craig, Alexander Bruce, barbour, maister Henrie Blakwod, maister Jhonne Scherp Jhonne Sinclare, Jhonne Ker, James Richie, Gul. Strang, Williame Broun, Jho. M'Calyeane, Fra. Adamsoun, to preif the rest of saidis exceptionis; and the iuges assignis to the said maister Jhonne Moscrop, Setterday nixttocum to produce his obiectionis aganis the said letter of gift partibus citatis.

Maister Jhonne Moscrop allegeit that na witnes suld be ressauit vpoun that parte of the said maister Williamis exceptiounis anent his qualificatioun, quhair he offeris to preif the negatiue of the affirmatiue contenit in the said maister Jhonneis claime, viz., that he is qualifeit in grammer, greik and latene, etc., because the probatioun thairof, according to the tennor of the last act and pronunceing of the interlocutour, suld be prescriueit and appointit to him be the provest baillies and counsale, viz., that the said maister William suld gyf demonstratioun of his sciences and artis, being examinat be sic cunning and leirnit men as thai can find maist abill thairto, and the said maister William allegeit in the contrar and disassentit to all vther examinatioun nor be the witnes abone writtin.

The iuges findis that the probatioun and tryale of that pairt of the said allegeance proponit be the said maister William tuiching his hablilitie and qualificatioun aucht and sould ressave vther ordour tryale and probatioun nor be particular witnes, as vther commoun allegeanceis requiris, and as the said maister William desireis, viz., be demonstratioun of his science eruditioun and knawledge, being examinat be cunning and leirnit men of vnderstanding, in sic sciences ordour and maneris as ar requeseit to be in ane man of sic place of doctrine as the said maister Williame pretendis, and thairfore assignis to the said maister William to compeir before the provest baillies and counsale on Fryday nixtocum, betuix ij and iij houreis efternone, in the over tolbuith of this burgh, new beigit, and thair to ressaue vse and leid tryale and probatioun of his said qualificatioun and eruditioun be demonstratioun and ostentioun of his sceince and knawledge, being thairanent examinant and requireit as ordour is, in presence of the saidis provest baillies and counsale, be thir personis vnderwrittin, viz., the superintendent of Lothiane, maister Johnne Craig, minister of Halierudehous, maister George Hay, maister George Baquhannane, maister James Panter, maister Jhonne Hendersoun, maister Clement Litill, maister James Kinpont, maister Dauid Colles, maister Alexander Sym, or the maist pairt, or ane sufficient nummer of thame, quha than war nemmit and appointit in presence of the said maister Williame, with certificatioun gyf he comperit nocht the tyme abone writtin to the effect foirsaid, the said exceptioun anent his qualificatioun suld be haldin as vnprovin. The said maister Jhonne and maister William warnit heirof apud acta.

Maister William Robertsoun protestit for remeid of law and reductioun of the interlocutour abone writtin and alluterlie disassentit thairto.

Maister Johnne Moscrop askit instrumentis that maister William Robertsoun refuseit to gyf demonstratioun of his knawledge, being examinit be the leirnit men abone writtin, and, in case he comperit nocht on fryday nixttocum the tyme and place appointit, protestit he be repute thairefter na apt nor crudite persoun for sic office and place of doctrine as he pretendis,and siclike for circumduction of ther terme.

24 July 1562.

The provest baillies and counsale, in the tolbuith, comperit maister Jhonne Moscrop, as in the terme assignit to maister Williame Robertsoun to gif demonstratioun and ostentioun of his qualificatioun, being examinat be the cunning and leirnit men appointit in his awin presence in iugement the xxij of Julii lastbipast, and protestit that insafer as this day wes assignit to the said maister William to gif demonstratioun of his erudition and knawlege be examinatioun of the leirnit men heir present, for probatioun of his exceptioun as towart his qualificatioun specifiit thairin, and that the said cunning men war heir present according to the desire of the terme, reddy to examine him vpoun [his qualification,] his said exceptioun anent the qualificatioun be haldin and repute as vnprovin according to the certificatioun contenit in the last act.

The samyn day, maister Edmound Hay protestit that be the confessioun of the said maister Jhonne that the desire of this terme is onlie vpoun the probatioun of his qualificatioun, quhilk is ane pairt of his exceptioun, that thair be na forder done as this day sen the desire of the terme requireit na forder as this day.

The jugeis circumduces the exceptioun proponit be maister William Roberttoun anent the probatioun of his qualificatioun this day vpoun his manifest contempt and contumelie warnit to this day apud acta to the effect foirsaid and comperit nocht, and thairfore admittit the said maister Jhonne Moscropis protestatioun aganis him.

25 July 1562.

The provest baillies and counsale, sittand in iugement, comperit maister Jhonne Moscrop and producit his allegeit obiectionis into writ aganis the pretendit gift producit be maister William Roberttoun, for probatioun of ane pairt of his exceptionis admittit to his probatioun, and ordanis the said maister William Roberttoun tobe warnit agane Tyisday nixttocum to gif in ansueris in writ to the saidis obiectionis, the said maister Jhonne warnit apud acta.

6 August 1562.

[Mr William Roberston having produced answers "in writ" to the objections against his gift, the judges assigned Saturday next to give sentence.]

11 August 1562.

The baillies sittand in iugement, be sentence interlocutour, efter avisement with thair assessouris, repellis the haill ansueris of maister William Robertsoun maid to the obiectionis gevin in aganis his gift of scholemaisterschip be maister Jhonne Moscrop in the actioun and caus persewit aganis him be the said maister Jhonne and admittis the said maister Jhonne to preif the minoritie of the abbat of Halierdhous specifiit in the first of his saidis obiectionis, viz., the said abbat to haue bene within the aige of xiiij yeris the tyme of the granting of the said gift to the said maister William and that in respect of the contentis of the said gift, and for probatioun thairof assignis to him Furisday nixttocum.

17 August 1562.

Freris

The tounys supplicatioun to the Quenys Maiestie for the freris places:—Madame, vnto your grace humlie menis and schewis we your seruitouris, the prouest baillies counsale and communitie of the burgh of Edinburgh, that quhair for laik of prouisioun to support thame quhilkis ar in deid puir, that thair miserabill estait being vnder the handis God and veseit be him be seiknes aige and vtherwis, the nummer of sturdy beggerris daylie increscis in sic sorte that thai quhilkis baith of the law of God and nature aucht tobe helpit ar nocht vnknawin fra thame quhilkis of all ressoun and equitie suld be compellit to travell for thair leifing and sustentatioun, being stark and potent of body that way to laubour, and nocht onlie ar the strudy beggerris thairthrow fosterit bot als in thair beggerrie begettis childrene quhilkis fra thair youth ar brocht vp beggand, makand thair begging quhairby thai presentlie leif, and ar withdrawin fra laubour to leif idillie tobe ane craft, sua that gif remeid be nocht had thairto the policie salbe havelie hurte and the pouir alwys contempnit and neglectit; and siklike it is nocht vnknawin to your hienes that the commoun ordour quhairby men attenis to serue the commoun weill of thair cuntre cumis be letteris leirning and scienceis, quhilkis can nocht be obtenit bot be leirning at sculis, quhilkis for the maist parte dois in all partis decay, sua that na regarde is had thairto and the youth thairthrow brocht to sic barborous ignorance that lamentablie it is tobe regratit; the remeid of baith the quhilkis we doute nocht bot be the erecting of hospitalis to sustene the pure, planting of sculis to bring up the youth. quhairto is nocht onlie requireit places and rowmes bot als ressonabill livingis and stipendis, quhilkis for inhabilitie and pouirtie of the burrowis can nocht be thame be performit; and your hienes vnderstanding that [to] oure said toun resortis ma pouir than to ony vthir of this realme, and als that oure youth is of sic nummer that pietie it war, seing God at this tyme gevis sic pregnant meynis the same suld pereis, and thairfore with supporte of youre grace we mynd na thing mair than to erect hospitalis and ressonable sculis within our said toun, quhairin the puir quhilkis ar indeid puir may be sustenit and the youth nuresit and brocht vp in letteris, sua that ressonabill levingis war prouideit thairto, quhilkis at na tyme before culd better be done nor now quhen landis and annuellis within our said toun pertening to preistis freiris and vtheris ar cumin in your hienes handis, with the quhilkis we doute nocht bot youre grace, bering sic fauour to letteris and science and supporte of the pouir, will partlie bestow to the effect foirsaid; heirfore we beseik your guid grace haif consideratioun heirof, and seing that ye ar myndit that letteris and science incresce within youre realme, and that the pouir quhais clamour ascendis to the hevin be sustenit, that youre grace will grant and dispone to ws the situatioun quhair the Blakfreiris war, togidder with thair yairdis to beig ane hospitale vpoun for the pouir, and als caus sume dres be maid that we may haue the place kirk chalmeris and houssis of the Kirk of Field to big ane scule, we satifiand ressonablie thairfore, and als that your grace will gif and dispone to ws, for sustening of the hospitale and scule foirsaid, the annuellis of chaplainreis and freris being presentlie in your gaces handis and the remanent of the samen quhen thai sall pertene to youre grace; and becaus our said toun is populous, and the multitude thairof greit, that your hienes will gif to ws the yairdis of the Grayfreiris and situatioun thairof, being sumquhat distant fra oure toun, to mak ane buriale place of to burie and eird the personis deceissand thairin, sua that thairthrow the air within oure said toun may be the mair pure and clene, and we doute nocht bot your grace sall schortlie se the power within our said toun be sa supportit, the youth sa brocht vp in letteris, that the posteriteis to cum sall haif greit comforte thairof to the prais of youre hienes in all tymes cuming; and your ansuer humelie we beseik.

Regina.

Followis the deliuerance vpoun the bak of the said supplicatioun, subscruitt be the Quenys Maiestie:—Apud Striuiling xvij° Augusti anno 1562. The Quenys maiestie appoynttis the Grayfreir yaird within writtin to be ane buriall place to the personis deceissand within the burgh of Edinburgh, sua that the samyn salbe ane buriall place, and it salbe lesum to burye the deid of the said toun thairin; and hir grace promisses quhen euir sufficient prouisioun is maid for biging of the hospitale and scule within writtin hir grace sall prouide ane rowme convenient thairfor and sall support that the samyn may be dotyt to be interteneit in tyme cuming. Sic subscribitur: Marie, R.

27 August 1562.

weland

The prouest baillies and counsale, in consideratioun of the heirschep committit vpoun Alexander Weland, lorymer, be the Franschemen the tyme of thair raig within this burgh vpoun the peple of God, and for his gude seruice done to the gude toun in all tymes bigane and to cum, granttis and gevis to the said Alexander ane gildschip fre, and ordanis the dene of gyld to ressaue him gratis.

Thesaurer, toun wallis.

The prouest baillies and hale counsale ordanis Louk Wilsoun, thesaurer, with all deligence possable, to big vp the toun wallis at the Blakfreris and mend the sloppis thairintill, and begyn vpoun Monunday nixt.

Gardner, fleschour, Freir
yardis.

Rowye Gairdner, fleschour, actit himself of his awin consent that the hale cornys sawin be him vpoun the ground of the eist yarde of the Grayfreris salbe furthcumand to the gude toun, according to the quantite being vpoun the said ground, arreistit be thair officeris yesterday, and failling of the said cornys the avale thairof.

Hendersoun, maister wark.

The prouest baillies and counsale ordanis Edwerd, alias Sir Edwerd, Hendersoun to tak cure and charge ovir the warkis of the toun at Sanct Gelys Kirk yaird, the Blak and Gray freris, and ordanis to gyve him ij s. on the day for his laubouris induring thair willis.

Dene gyld, Freir yairde.

The prouest baillies and counsale foresaid ordanis Alexander Guthre, dene of gild, to big vp the Gray freir dikis fra the fore entres to the greit yairde, according to the ground of the auld fore wall, and siclik to caus mak ane new dur to the said fore entres.

18 September 1562.

Bonet makaris.

[Complaint made by the bonnet-makers that "diuers craftismen, sic as fleschouris, wrychtis, sclateris, cordineris, and diuers vtheris within this burgh, had tystit and drawin fra thame thair seruandis and prentissis, vnfre personis, and caussis thame wyrk and laubour vnder thame the wark pertenyng to thair craft." The provost bailies council and deacons agreed that the bonnet-makers should be protected in their privileges and liberties; "bot in case it plesit the gudenes of God to gyf the gyft to strangearis or vtheris resortand to this toun to laubour and invent vpoun prikis ane mair perfyte and fyner fassoun of hois slevis gluffis, and siclike as they thameseffis seruandis nor prentisses could nocht do nor hes nocht done at ony tyme befor this, that in sic caissis the saidis personis sall nocht be stoppit nor the gyftis of God smorit; prouiding alwayis that nowther thay nor nane vtheris salbe seruit be thair seruandis or prentissis, vnfre personis, quhilk hes had thair begynning vnder the said dekin and masterris;" and furhter, that their servants and prentices should be discharged from working with other unfreemen.]

25 September 1562.

Regina, Douglas.

The prouest, dene of gild, thesaurer, [old and new councils, and assessors,] being convenit in the tolbuth according to the auld ordour, comperit Archibald Dowglas of Kilspindie and produceit the Quenis Maiesteis writing, off the quhilk the tennour followis, and vpoun the productioun thairof askit instrumentis, requireing also the said provest baillies and counsalis ansueris to the samin: Sequitur litera: Provest, baillies, counsale and deikins of our burgh of Edinburgh, we greit yow weill. Forsamekill as oure louit Archibald Dowglas of Kinspindie wes provest of oure said burgh of before, quha knawis how to rewle youre said toun, haifand experience thairof, and to do ws seruice thairin, and is abill and meit to brouke the said office this nixt yeir, oure will is heirfore and we charge yow that ye mak the said Archibald ane of the lytis to be chosin provest to yow at Michaelmes nixttocum, and than that ye elect and cheis him to be youre prouest the said yeir, conforme to youre ordour obseruit in sic caissis. This ye do, for oure will and mynde is that the samin be done. Subscriueit with oure hand, at Cowper in Angus, the xxj day of August and of our regnne the twenty yeir. Sic subscribitur: Marie. And efter auisement with the said writing the provest baillies counsale and assessouries foirsaidis, all in ane voce, continuit thair ansuer quhill the day viij dayis.

3 October 1562.

Decreit aganis maister scole.

The quhilk day, maister Thomas Makcalyeane of Cliftounhall provest, maister Jhonne Marioribankis and James Thomesoun, baillies of the burgh of Edinburgh, sittand in iugement as iugeis ordineris to the persoun of maister Williame Robertsoun, haifand consent of Robert, commendatar of Halierudehous, to cognosce in the actioun and caus persewit be maister Jhonne Moscrop, procuratour to the said burgh, aganis the said maister William, that quhair the said maister Jhonne Moscrop calling to remembrance the lovabill purpois of the maist eloquent and politik oratour and philosophour, Marcus Tullius Cicero, willing to haue Marcus his sone instructit in letteris and maneris, knawand the maist famous and literat philosophour, Cratippus, to be instructar of the youthheid in the maist fluresant cietie of Athens, send his sone to be auditour to the said Cratippus within the said cietie, baith for the heich authoritie of the reder and cietie foirsaid, off the quhilkis the ane mycht augment him with letteres and science and the vther with gude exemplis; and like as this burgh is the maist nobill and famous burgh and murrour of gude maneris and ciuilitie within this realme, sua the same aucht to haue the maist famois and literat pedagogis for instructing of the yowthhied of the samin, and to gif vtheris wis and nobill men occasioun, as had the said Cicero, to send their bairnis to be instructit thairin, to the greit incresce of science and augmenting of the commoun weill thairof; and being surelie informit that the said maister Williame, be the space of xvij yeris syne or thairby, vnder pretense of ane pedagoge qualefeit in letteris and maneris, he haifand nane or litill eruditioun in grammer greik or latene,bot empty thairof, nocht onlie hes wranguslie and ignorantlie vsurpeit the office of schole maister within this burgh, like as he yit vsurpis, to the greit ignominie and detractioun of the fame of the samin burgh and detening of the tender youth bred within the samin committit to his cure in ignorance of all letteris humane and diuine, bot als, schewand him self ane inimie to Godis worde and contemnar thairof, hes refusit and refussis to frequent the sermonis of the trew and sincere doctrine of God and to communicat in the tabill of the suppour of our Lorde, geifand evil exampill to the said tender youth to the greit apperand perditioun of thair sawlis, quhairthrow he is vnhabill to brouke the said office of schole maister cum periculosum sit, vt in prouerbio habetur, ouem lupo committere, et eum quem puero preceptorem adhibueris corruptorem experiri, and thairfore the said maister Williame aucht to be declareit and decernit vnhabill to the said office, and decernit to be removeit thairfra, and compellit to desist and ceis fra all forder exerceing of that office, as at mair lenth is contenit in the clame gevin in be the said maister Jhonne Moscrop aganis the said maister William Robertsoun thairupon: The richttis ressonis and allegationis of baith the saidis parteis harde vnderstande and considderit, and the saidis iugeis being avisit thairwith, togidder with the depositionis of diuers famois witnes ressauit suorne and admittit heirto, the said maister Jhonne Moscrop comperand personalie in iugement, and the said maister William Robertsoun being lauchfullie wairnit to this day be Alexander Cuke and George Gourlaw, officeris, oft tymes callit lauchfull tyme of day biddin and nocht comperit, the saidis provest and baillies, with avis of thair assessouris, findis the said maister William to be vnhabill to exerce the office of schole maister within the said burgh, and thairfore decernis him to remove him self fra exerceing of the said office and desist and ceis in all tymes cuming fra forder vseing and exerceing thairof, and dischargis him of all teiching and instructing of the youth within this burgh becaus . . . . . [Here follows a narrative of the previous proceedings and pleadings, the principal of which have already been given.]

6 October 1562.

Dowglas, dekynnis.

The prouest, baillies, dene of gilde, thesaurar, counsale auld and new, abone writtin, maister Jhonne Moscrop, maister Jhonne Scherp and Alexander King; assessouris, being convenit as the letter day appointit for lyting and electing of thair officiaris, comperit Archibald Dowglas and desireit thair ansuer affirmatiue or negatiue to the Quenis writing, and desireit the samyn to be votit quhether thai wald obey the said writing or nocht, and the commoun clerk to note eury manis vote as he wald ansuer to the Quenis grace . . . . and desireit the siad writing to be red in presence of the haill deikins, and thai to be harde to vote according to the tennour of the said writing, quhilk being red the saidis deikins all in ane voce askit instrumentis that thai wald obey the samin in all pointis, and conforme thairto desireit that thai mycht be harde to vote alsweill in lyting as electing, and heirupoun desireit thair ansuer; quha being alssua removeit, the proveist, baillies, counsale and assessouris forsaidis findis and decernis the saidis deikins salhaue na vote in lyting, bot in electing allanerlie, nochtwithstanding the said writing, quhilk in the self is sufficient for thair ansuer.

Makcalyeane, protestatio Guthrie, etc.

[Maister Thomas Makcalyeane having renounced the office of provestry, Alexander Guthrie, dene of guild, [and five others] " desyreis the lytis to be chosin according to the auld ordour, and Archibald Dowglas to be chosin prouest."]

Council's ansuer.

[The council continued their to the Queen's writing for fifteen days, till they might have time to " ressoun with hir hienes concerning the contentis thairof."]

21 October 1562

Council convening.

[The council to convene every Wednesday and Friday, during the ringing of the bell from a quarter till half-past ten, under the panalty of one shilling and sixpence to be paid to the poor; those absent from the meeting without reasonable cause to pay five shillings; and none to " depairt of the toun or oute of this realme to remane ony space, without licence obtenit be the said counsale."]

6 November 1562.

Keys.

[James Thomesoun, one of the bailies of the past year, delivered to David Forrester, bailie, the key of the charter house and the key of the common seal; and Thomas M'Calyeane, provost of last year, delivered the seal of cause to Archibald Douglas of Kinspindie, the present provost. The keys of the charter house and common seal, which were in the hands of the previous treasurer, were delivered to his successor, John Prestoun.]

Adulteraris, fornicatouris.

The provest, baillies, counsale, assessouris, dene of gild and thesaurar, persaveing that the abhominabill viceis of adulterie and fornicatioun daylie increscit within this burgh for laik of pvnisment, thairfore ordanit the saidis baillies, as thai will ansuer in presence of thair God, and farder vpoun the executioun of thair office, that thai mak deligent tryale throw all the pairtis of the toun quhair ony fornicatour of adulterar may be apprehendit, man or woman, without exceptioun of persoun, to be takin and put fast in the irnehous, and thair to be fied be the space of ane moneth with breid and water allanerlie, and thairefter vpoun the sure tryale of thair offens to be baneist the toun for euir; and siklike the fornicatouris apprehendit in the vice or vtheris tryit be ordour, baith the man and the woman, to be skurgeit thair at the cairt ers and banist the toun ay and quhill sume sure apperance be harde to the kirk and magistratis of the amendiment of their lifeis; and this ordour to be obseruit within this burgh as it sall pleis the Almichtie to move the hartis of the hiear powertis to statute ane better law for the saidis crymeis.

9 November 1562.

Pasturing of the mure and lynkis.

[Proclamation to be made that " the pasturing and gers of thair commoun mure, togidder with thair haill linkis betuix St Nicholas Chapell and Weirdy Brow," are to be rouped on Monday next.]

11 November 1562.

For flesheeting.

[Proclamation to be made charging the inhabitants that no " flesche be drest nor etyn in thair houssis vpoun Friday and Setterday fra this day furth." under the penalty of ten pounds.]

12 November 1562.

Grahame, baptism.

Jhonne Grahame, merchant of this burgh, beand direct fra the minister and eldaris to the prouest and baillies, to be inquyrit of the baptesing of his last barne, and gif it war found that the said barne wes nocht baptesit, to pur remeid thairto be thair obseruit, quhairof the said Jhonne being requyrit be his aith declarit his last barne, being ane las, to be baptisit in his awin hous be ane preist of Glasgw callit Houstoun, eftir the papis maner, and his witnes to be Maister Edmond Hay, Margaret Ramsay the spous of maister James Lindesay, and Helene Jhonnstoun the spous of Andro Stevinsoun; and thairefter the said Helene Jhonnstoun being callit, and hir greit aith taikin, swore that the said barne was baptisit in the abbay, in the Quenys Maiesteis chapell, be hir hienes Franche preist. Siclike Margaret Ramsay, sworne, deponis conforme to Johnne Grahame.

Charterris.

[John Charteris, younger, confessed] that in the moneth of December last bipast his barne wes baptizit in the abbay, in the Quenys Maiesteis chapell, vpone ane hallyday before none.

18 November 1562.

Leith, assessors.

[The provost bailies and council,] being informyt that certane inhabitantis of Leyth on the yonde syde of the brig had vsurpit vpoun thame the liberte and jurisdictioun of this toun, be biging of houssis vpoun the commoun passages, losing and lading of guddis thair without paying of dewtie, etc., and being forthir informyt that thay had sterit vp my lord abbot of Hallirudehous, the Quenys Maiesteis broder, to mantene thame aganis the gude toun, and foirseing that thir caussis and diuers vtheris the townys actionis sall schortlie cum before the lordis of sessioun and mon be defending be men of law, quhairfore all in ane voce thay nominat and constitute maisteris Dauid Borthuik, Thomas M'Calyeane and Richert Strang thair assasouris and procuratouris induring thair willis, and ordanis the thesaurare [to pay them each ten pounds yearly.]

Young, scribe.

The council continewis Jhonne Young, writer, thair scribe, and ordanis him to serue in the towyns effaris towert the sessioun, the Quenis Maiestie and vtheris the townys effaris efter the auld ordour, and to be rady at the thesaureris command to wryte and resaif informatioun of the townys aduocatis in the townys besynes, [he being paid his " auld pentioun of ten" merkis."]

5 December 1562

Dene gyld, presone.

The prouest, baillies, assasour and counsale forsaid, ordanis the dene of gild to prepair the hous quhair the wobsteris wrocht in the steple with all necessaris, to be ane pressoun hous for adulteraris and fornicatouris, and to mak the samyn sure and lokfast.

Villa, tolbuth. Currour.

[The treasurer to pay to "maister William Currour, heritour of the landis quhair the new tolbuth is bigand, the sowme of fourtye pundis in pairt of payment of his ground rycht thairof."]

8 December 1562.

Prices.

[Tallow not to be sold dearer than 13s. the stone; candle,the "rag weik" 1s. 1d., and the "harde weik" 1s. the pound; the fourpence loaf of bread, baked by baxters wtithin the burgh, to weigh thirteen ounces, and that baked by baxters outwith the burgh, to weigh seventeen ounces; ale not to be sold dearer than fivepence the pint; stable keepers to sell their hay not dearer than tenpence the stone, the best oats for 1s. 4d., and the second for 1s. 2d. the peck.]

11 December 1562.

Gyld, minister.

[The dean of guild ordered to pay £, 18s. 8d. for "certane necessaris of the ministeris lugeing, as the particuler compt beris."]

22 December 1562.

Bedrellis.

[The treasurer " to pay the bedrellis of Sanct Mary Wynde, for thair Yule dewtie, x s."]