Extracts from the Conveners Book
1695 – 1733
The Book opens with a Copy of the towns Great Charter of 14th September 1641 granted by Charles I, which is transcribed separately.
There then follows the Act of Parliament of 1693 anent the Common Good of the Royal Burghs. This is also transcribed in a separate file.
The bulk of the remainder of the Book consists of the Convener’s Accounts detailing among other things the quantities of Meal bought and their sources, along with monies paid out on charitable grounds. these entries are of interest in that they are a good guide to the vicissitudes of the individual Trades and the social problems over the years recorded.
18 May 1695
John Nicoll present convener & James Whyt Debrs
To money Received by convener Nicoll and James Whyt commissioners elected by the nyn trads of Dundie to goe for Edinburgh in order to procure an act of our head court Ratefied and confirmed to us in parliament for rankeing and placeing the trads in ther particular Stationes Viz:
£
Imprimis from the baxters 33
from the shoomakers 33
from the Glovers 33
from the Tayliors 33
from the bonnetmakers 33
from the fleshers 33
from the hammermen 33
from the Weavers 33
from the Walkers 33
Balance Due to the conviner Nicoll and James Whyte __ 6s. 2d.
297. 6. 2
28 May 1696
upon which day ther was a conviner court called for a voluntary collecton among the Trads for two tayliors who lost ther sight to witt Andron Milne and John Murray and for ther incuradgment to look for help from Doctors the trads voluntarly offered an hundreth merks as followeth of which every on of them received an equal half
from the baxters £ 6.00.00
shoemakers 9.00.00
skinners 6.00.00
Tayliors 20.00.00
Bonnetmakers 5.00.00
Fleshers 6.00.00
Hammermen 4.00.00
Weavers 6.13. 4
Walkers 4.00.00
Summa 66.13. 4
Commissioners Elected by the nyn trades Creditors
Water fraught and horse hyre to and from Edinburgh and our
Expenses ten dayes in Edinburgh about the trads affairs as
per Accomopt produced and approven of £ 42. 6. 2
To Mr Ross at two severall occasions for manadging our affairs
In the parliament £ 29
To the kings advocat £ 31. 6. 0
To the kings Solicitor £ 29
To ther servants £ 8.14. 0
To the marcers of counsel and Session £ 5.16. 0
To My Lord Register torbat for Drawing Listing and classing
and assigning our act being ratefied in parliament £120. 0.0
Jan 7 1696 To our clark Deput for his Diligence about our
Affairs at parlt a also for writing the sd act of head court and
Other writings £ 15
Horse hyr and other expences Disbursed by
The conviner with his servant at the Lady southesque her
Burriall £ 9. 8. 0
26 May Payed for this book for the nyn trads use £ 6.14. 0
£297. 6. 2
At Dundie the 28 Day of May 1696
The above wryton accompt being presented to us Deacons subscribing and verified is approven of and heerby wee Discharge the above mentioned conviner Nicoll ans James Whyte of ther commission for the effect above wryton and of the above wryton accompt as witneseth our hands Day Date and place forsaid
William Duncane Deacon ro the baxters
Ja Davisone Deacon to the shoemakers
Andron Watt Deacon to the skinners
Alexr Brown Deacon to the tayliours
John Rob Deacon to the bonetmakers
Andrew Allane Decon to the fleshers
Georg Ramsay Deacon to the hammemen
Andron Hay Deacon to the Weavers
Gilb Akinleek Deacon to the Walkers
Dundie the 2d of May Anno 1698
The Conveener & Deacons having deliberately considered the circumstances of the town and finding that through malmanagement of the towns common good and misimploying the same by the magistrates that the town was lyk to loss its credit and consequently to have no magistracie therfor they thought fit for preserving the towns credit and keeping up a standing magistracie to give in those subsequent grievances in ther own name and in name of ther nyn trads and in name of many other good burgesses in the town concurring with them:
Primo That a just accompt of the rent of the barony of the hilltown of dundie since the towns intromission therewith be made known and cleared and what hath been done with the effects therof as also that ther may ane exact accompt given in of all the bonds that were subscribed by us for the payment therof that it may bee knowen what the principall soume is that payed the same as also Discharges for the bygone rents of the sed bonds.
2d That ther may bee an exact accompt given in of the rent of the lands of Logie since it was plenished by the town and what hath been done with the effects therof.
3to That all thesaurer accompts preceeding this present current year bee audited and cleared that it may bee known how the town is stated seing it is reported not only by the inhabitants but also by all the circumjacent neighboorhood that the town is Drowned in Debt.
4to That seeing the town obtained ane ease of 80 pound Scots per month of ther cess at the last convention of burrowes at pearth wherfor was ther not Stentmasters chosen that the inhabitants might have the benefeet therof.
5to That seeing the cess hath or might allwayes been payed by the inhabitants wherfor hath the bills been Drawen upon the town thesaurers for payment of a part therof as also wherof hath the towne been quartered severall times upon & payed considerablie therfor since martinmas last.
6to Seeing ther were somme bonds subscribed by us for money in order to pay Andron Warchop of Nidrie a part of his soume and Baylie Zeaman went to Edinburgh with the money wee Desire to know what is become of that money, seeing the towne is paying rent not only for the one soume but also for the other.
7mo It is Desired that your wisdoms wold Dischardge all retealers of meall who presents not ther meall twice a week to the ordinary markatt seeing they do not only buy up the meall which is designedly coming in to the market but also hightneth the price therof to the great prejudice of the inhabitants upon which the meallmakers themselves mightily complaineth
8vo It is reported that the bulwarks of the harbour for want of reparation are lyklie to Decay therfor it is heerby Desired that with all expedition they may bee repaired Lest it prove more expensive to the towne by neglecting them any longer.
9no That seeing it is reported as in the third articul on the other side that the towne is Drowned in Debt therfor it is heerby desired that all unnecessary Drinking and feasting upon the towns commune good may bee henceforth laid aside.
10mo That seeing the burgesships are a part of the towns commune good it is therfor heerby Desired that henceforth in all time comeing ther bee no gratis burgess ticquets graunted to any who are to reside or dwell within the towne.
The above mentioned tenn grievances are so notoriously known that they need not a preface of BEE IT KNOWEN TILL All MEN in great letters neither need they be attested although required by the subscriptions of
Sir Subscribitur
James Whyte Conveener
William Duncan Deacon to the baxters
William Duncan Deacon to the cordiners
Patr. Mansed Deacon to the glovers
Wilm Drummond Deacon to the taylors
Wilm Gib Deacon to the bonnetmakers
Pat Constable Deacon to the fleshers
Wilm Don Deacon to the hammmermen
James Hazils deacon to the weavers
Ja Mitchell Deacon to the wakers
This is a true copie of the principall which was given into the town counsell faithfulie extracted and recorded in this book for a patern and ane example to posteritie that the conveener and Deacons in all time comeing may be instrumentall to preserve the towns credit and privilieges.
I say extracted and recorded by me James Whyte conveener.
But notwithstanding of the tenn grivances above mentioned the provost and some of the baylies concurring with him continued to Destroy and Delapidat the common good. Therefor the conveener and nyn deacons abovementioned thought fit after a deliberat consultation amongst themselves to Denude and Depose the provost and his concurrents from ther office the nixt election and for that effect they gave true informatione to ther trads how they had Destroyed the commun good as also they procured a certan number of the counsel who were willwishers to the toun that they might have a pluralitie if vots at the election to shuse others who would manadge the towns affairs better and bee instrumentalllll to preserve its credit and privileges but fearing that some wold feal of ther promises and that tradsmen might bee seduced by evil counsel wee thought fitt to frame a protestation conform to the Laws of the Kingdome seeing the provost contrary to the said Laws had continued so long in office but when the election tim came wee found that our friends in the counsel were steadfast and also yt our tradsmen could not be seduced but were on both side fully bent and resolved for a revolution of court wee had no need for protesting yet the conveener and Deacons thought fit to have it recorded for ane example to posteritie the true copie wherof is as followeth
Unto this honnorable counsel humblie sheweth James Whyte present conveener in name & behalf of himselfe and severals about this table the nyn trades
Sepr the 27 1698
Seeing the continuation of magistrates in ther office too long year after your contrary to the laws of this Kingdome Such as Act 29 of King James ye 3d his 5th parliament as also Act of King James the4th his 6 parl: hath proven prejudiciall to the burrowe when they have been so long continued. And whither or not the continuation of our present provost James Fletcher in his office so long year after year contrary to the forsd acts hath proven prejudiciall to this place I leave it to be determined by this present honnorable counsel. Therfore and for severall other causes such as malmanadgeing of the commun good contrary to Laws of this Kingdome as pr Act 86 of King James the 4th his 6th parl: Speciefeing that no burgess be made without consent of the great counsel of the towne.
Item for misimployeing the common good of the town contrary to Law as pr Act 114 King James the 6th his 7 parliament.
Item for applying the towns money to particular persons their private use such as that money which was carried to Edinburgh by Baylie Zeman in order to pay Niddrie a part of his Soume at cadlmass last wherof wee cannot gett an accompt although the towne be obliged to pay @ rent for both soums both to niddrie and to the persons from whom the money was borrowed that was caryed to Edinburgh by Baylie Zeamn.
Item for not answearing som rational proposals given in by way of grievances by the nyn trads the last head court which have a direct tendencie to the good and utilitie of the burgh.
Upon all and sundrie the premisses I in nam forsaid protest in face of counsel that our present provost Ja: Fletcher shall not continue any longer in his office at this time. And herby I take instruments of protestation in the hands of yon Alexander Wedderburne present town Clark and desire extracts to bee given as need requires. As also I protest in name forsds for remed of Law and for all coast skeath and Damnage that may be sustained by a process of Law in any bee.
Nota: That I am not oblidged to give an accompt of the commun good to the King
This was an answer by provost Fletcher to the conveener who in face of counsel was Desiring an accompt of the present stat and condition of the toun who replyed to ye provost that he was the …
Note: the final line on this page has been cut by someone rebinding the book.
1 October 1699
Being a head court day wee presented a new corroboration and ratefication of the heall nyne trads privilidges having obtained the same the counsel Day immediately preceding the Election Day Last and that to be ratefied at the sd court the which accordingly was Done by an unanimouse consent of all the member of head court: by the acceptation of the sd ratefication the nyne trads are oblidged and bound in all tim comeing to pay threescor and seven ound 13s 4d to the two Stipendiary ministers of this brough to the on fifty merks & to ethother threty four pound 6s 4d Scots money
Anno1699 November 11
The provost baylies and counsel sitting at the court table according to custome for ropeing the towns commun good did offer Olivers croft the rood yeards & quarrel holls to be rouped for three years whereupon Kyd of Craigie protested before the counsel gainst the ropeing therof and took instruments in the clarks hand and said Oilvers croft rood yerd & quarrell holls ar my propertie therfor I protest against the ropeing therof and for all coast and skeath that may follow theron.
And seeing non of the magistarts offered to protest against him the conveener being accidently at the barr protested against the sd Craigie Kyd and sd Directing this discourse to provost:
“My Lord I protest in name of the nyn deacons as conjunct administrators with the magistrates to the hospitals affairs that Olivers croft roof yeard and the quarrel holls ar not Craigies propertie seeing wee nor non of our predecessors conveeners and Deacons never subscribed any Dispositione therfor in his favors but when an unsubscribed Dispositione was presented to us in May 1698 wee absolutely rejected it and denyed to subscribe but returned it to as wee received it from the magistrates.”
Nota: That Olivers croft rood yeard and quarrel holls belongeth to the hospital which ought not neither can bee sold at all by the magistrates counsel & trads.