THE SPALDING CLUB'S EXTRACTS FROM THE BOROUGH ARCHIVES OF ABERDEEN.
This volume abounds with curious facts and information relative to the social condition, borough government, and in some sense public affairs of Scotland, during the fifteenth mid the greater part of the sixteenth centuries in Scotland, (1398-1570) ; but is not equal to some of its predecessors in breadth and general attraction. This is partly owing to the nature of its subjects ; which, limited to the affairs of a borough, want the farce, extent, and variety that appertained to most of the previous volumes, that dealt with more marked men and measures, and gave the reader More of them. Neither has it the censor-like character which belonged to the Presbytery of Strathbogie, and brought home to us so much of the private life and clerical interference of the times of the Solemn League and Covenant. Perhaps, too, its language is more antiquated, and read with greater difficulty ; while its formalities of style, or "recitals," occupy & greater space in proportion to the more essential parts.
To the student of archarology or history, who considers the volume as a storehouse whence he selects his materials for knowledge and use, it will be of great value, front the light it throws upon many curious points of borough government; the connexion of burgesses with nobles, and nobles with burgesses, for the purposes of mutual protection in those troubled times ; the discipline maintained in the towns—the watch and ward in its pristine life and vigour, not, as we have seen it, in its last decrepitude and decay ; the small pecuniary questions (in modern eyes) that were litigated ; and the rough, primitive, and sometimes rule-ofthumb sort of justice that obtained among the municipal magistrates. The statist and economist may learn from it the value of money, the prices of commodities, and the excessive care which the borough rulers took, not only that sellers should not sell too dear, but that buyers should not pay more than the lords of assize thought proper, unless they BM fit to relax their regulations. Indications will be found, too, touching the relations of the Municipality with the Church, and many particulars as regards the burgh disbursements when visited by Royalty. But a better idea of the nature of the volume will be formed from a few quotations, than from any elaborate enumeration of its subjects. The following is an example of burgh justice; in which, as is often the case, the solid parts of the penalty do not benefit the injured.
" ad December, 1467. " It is ordanyt be the alderman, bailzeia, and hale comrade anent the debatis and airoblance bend: Willem Vokat and Thomas Quelp, that the said Thomas salApst ayt. dime on lila kne and tak the nskit knyff that he hurt the said WI 11am with in his hands, and opynly knaw that he has offendit til him, and defines him the said knA to do withitthathe will. And in name of xx lib. to 1* payit at the aside alderman and consaIlis will, and to pray the aside Wiliam, far the hif of God, til hartfnlly forgif hym; and theirefter to pray the alderman and the canaille that thai wald pray the aside Wiliam to forgif hym, and that the saide Thomas sall be stedable to the saide Willem in all thingis that he has ado, and to do him alsmekle worschip as he has done him lake at al his power. Alma% the saide Thomas sail content and pay to the alderman, quhen he askis it, al s., the qnhilk sal be giffin to the chaplains of the haly bludis messe; and their at; tour, because the strublans was done til a brothir of the Ode, sail content and pay a pip of wyne til amendis quint tym that the aldermen and consale chargis hym therwith. And quhilk of thir that forfaltis till vtheris for this cause in qm to cum, sail content and pay to Saynt Nieholace work xx lib, to be raysit at the alderman and coast& ordinans, on forgiffin."
PUNISHMENT OF CIVIC "REBELLION," 1463.
The xiiij day of Julij, the yer Laiii, it is ordanyit be the althennan and the consaile that Deny Patrikson, barges of the saide burgh, for the rebellione dons be him to the altherman, fyrst, that he sail ramayne in the tolbuth on to the morne, at the wil of the altherman and the consaile ; and thar efter, on the Son-, day next to cum, the aside Daily salt cum bar fate, with his gowne louse, and a. candill of a punde of wax in his hande, to Saint Nicholace kirk in the tymi of the bee messe, and offir that candill thar to the altar, and sake the al-. therman and his consaile forgi&es, for the luf of God, and neuer to do sic thyng
• • and syne thar efter the said Dauy, fra that day furth, sal Ale oukly for t ehale yeir, a pynt of wyne to the kirke for his said rebeffione, and to the fulfilling of this, the saide Dauy is oblist and swome, be the fath of his body, in: presens of the altherman and his consale.
PURCHASE OF A BELLMANSHTP, 1471.
The penult dai of Febmar, the yer of God lxxi, because that the office of bel-: manschm of this burgh was vacand, the alderman gerd Johns Sclater pas with the bel throu the towne, to charge the comunite to cum to the tolbuthe, for the chesing of a behnan that war must habit and proffitable for the tourie. And with the consent of the alderman, balzeis, consail, and comunite of the tonne that mu' present in the tyme efter the passing of the bel, Andrew Murray, masowne, cool in presence of thaim al and profferit to gif for that office of „belmansehip, for ' tyme, yerly, to the common proffite of the toune, fyve marki.s, and to do all deniteis and service to the toune that ony vthir banana did of before; the alderman in the tyme inquirand gif ony vthir man wald gif mare, and fend na man that weld gif samekil. And forthwith, that beand done, the alderman, in the; name of the tonne and of the communite, delinerit til the said Amlro the bel, anti. chesit him for all the dales of his life common belman, with consent of the balyeis, consale, and communite, beand present for the tyme, as saidis. Heratonr, the said Andro is oblist to byde and to remayn at Sanct Nicholace wark, and al vther common warkis, for his tyme, for siclike fee as he may half in vthir places..
Looking at the value of a penny in those days, apples would seem to have been an import and a rarity at Aberdeen in 1505, when a man conk} get a penny for one.
"24th November, 1505. • "The said day, Philip Selman, be is ovin toting grannt, was in ane amercia-meat of the court for the selliUge of ane apil for ane penny, quhar he micht haus" sauld dun for ane penny."
CHARACTER AND EX1M1T OF THE ORIGINAL ARCHIVES.
These Records comprehend the proceedings of the Council of the Burgh, of the Baillie Court, and the Guild Court. From 1398, when the first volume coni-, mences, to 1745, being the peliod comprised in the selections to be printed for the Club, they extend to 61 folio volumes, containing on an average about 600 pages each. With the exception of volume third, containing the proceedings from 14.1.-* to 1433, there is no blank in the series.
The volume is edited by Mr. Stuart ; and, as is usual with the publica-, tions of this society, is admirably done. A preface indicates the nature oC the subjects ; an elaborate table of contents, possessing the character of a catalogue raisonnee, exhibits a coup d'ceil of the general subjects of the Extracts; and an ample index facilitates a ready reference to any particular person or matter.
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