croftis and landis callit the "Giltin Herbar," and thairthrow hes spulzeit thame of thair possessioun thairof, and will not desist thairfra nor refound to thame the dampnage and skaith that thai haif sustenit throw douncasting of thair said dykis, without thai be compellit, as is allegit. Oure will is herefore, and we chairge you straitlie and commandis, that, incontinent thir our letres sene, ye call the saidis parteis before you and tak cognitioun in what possessioun the saidis priour and convents predecessouris and thai hes bene in of the saidis croftis and pecis of land and dykis biggit about the same, as patrimonie of the said place in tymes bygane past memorie of man; and gif thai be now spulzeit of thair possessioun of ane part of the saidis landis, callit as said is, throw bigging of buttis thairupon, and the said dykis wrangouslie castin doun and destroyit by the saidis provost, bailies, and communitie, in manner forsaid, that ye cause and compel thame to desist and ceis thairfra, and restore the saidis prior and convent to thair said possessioun in integrum to be peciablie usit and joysit by thame, ay and quhill thai be lauchfullie callit and ordourlie put fra the same; and also that ye caus the said provost, bailies, and communitie, to refund and pay to the said prior and convent the dampnage and skaith sustenit by thame throw douncasting of thair said dykis, sa far as thai will grant, or the saidis prior and convent sufficientlie preif: and gif neid be, that ye poynd and distrenze thairfor and admit the parteis juste defensis and do justice in the said mater, as ye will anser to us upon the execution of your office, dispensand with you for taking of the said cognitioun notwithstanding the feriat1 tyme of hervist now approachand, delyvering thir our letres be you deulie execut and indorsait agane to the berar. Gevin under our signet, at Edinburgh, the xix day of July, and of our regne the xxii yere. Ex deliberatione Dominorum consilii. J. BANNATYNE.

[Charge given to the Sheriff of Perth and his deputes, on 19th July 1535, to investigate, and adjudicate on, a complaint by the Friars, that the dykes of their land, called the "Giltin Herbar," had been unlawfully thrown down, and the said land turned into a "butts" or archery ground by the provost, bailies, and community of the town. King James v.'s reign began 9th September 1513.]

II

LETTER, at the instance of WILLIAM, LORD RUTHVEN, Sheriff of Perth, and in obedience to Royal injunction, charging the Magistrates of Perth to take cognition and make reparation of the loss done by the town to the Prior and Convent of the Blackfriars.

WILLIAM, LORD RUTHVEN, Sheriff of Perth, to William Anderson, Thomas Herley, John Watson, John Innes, Mass of the said Sheriffdome conjunctlie and severalie specialie constitut, greting. Forsamekill as oure Soverane Lords letres, purchest by venerabill men, the priour and convent of the place of the Blakfreris, besyde the Burgh of Perth, are direct to me and my deputis beand in office: That quhair thai haif certane crofts and peces of land adjacent to thair said place perteining to thame as patrimonie thairof,

1 Holiday.

and thair predecessouris and thai hes bene in peceable possessioun of the saidis crofts. and peces of land with the dykis about the samyn as thair patrimonie and propertie in tymes bygane past memorie of man; quhill now laitely the provost, baillies, and communitie of the said burgh hes cum in and maisterfullie cassine doune, and destroit ane part of the saidis dykis and biggit buttis in with the saymn upon ane part of the saidis crofts and lands callit the "Giltyne Herbar," and thairthrow hes spulzeit thame of thair possessioun thairof, and will not desist thairfra nor refound to thame the dampnage and skaith that thai haif sustenit throw dounecasting of thair saidis dykis without thai be compellit, as is allegit, chargeing me and my deputis herefre straitly, and commandand that, incontinent the said letres sene, we call baith the saidis parteis befoir us and tak cognitioun in quhat possessioun the saidis prior and convents predecessouris and thai hes bene in of the said crofts and peces of land and dykis abont the samyn, as patrimonie of thair said place in tymes bygane past memorie of man; and gif thai are now spulzeit of the possessioun of ane part of the saidis lands callit as said is, throw bigging of the buttis thairupon, and the saidis dykis wrangfulie cassine doune and destroit by the said provost, baillies, and communitie, in maner fresaid, that we cause and compel thame to desist and ceiss thairfra, and restoir the saidis priour and convent to the said possessioun in integrum to be peceablie usit and joysit by thame, ay and quhill thai be lauchfullie callit and ordourlie put thairfra; and alsua that we caus the said provost, bailies, and communitie to refound and pay to the saidis priour and convent the dampnage and skaith forsaid by thame throw dounecasting of the saidis dykis so far as thai grant, or the saidis priour and convent may sufficientlie preif, and gif neid be to poynd and distrenze thairfor, and admit the parteis just defensis, and do justice in the said mater as we will anser to our Soverane Lord over the executione of our office, dispensand with us for taking of the said cognitioun notwithstanding the feriat and clois tyme of hervist now approachand, like as at mair lenth was contenit in the saidis letres. Quhairfor I command and charge you in oure Soverane Lord's name and authorite, that ye, incontinent this precept sene, pass, lauchfullie summond, warne, charge and require the said priour and convent on the tane part, and the saidis provost, baillies, and communitie, on the uthir part, to compeir befoir me or my deputis ane or ma, in ane Sheriff Courte of Perth, to be haldin in the Tolbooth of that ilk, the xix day of August nixt to cum, in the hour of cause, to heir and see the said cognitioun taen in all parts eftir the forme and tenor of oure Soverane Lord's letres and this precept, and to heir and see the saidis letres by decreit to be put to due executione, with intimation to the saidis provost and baillies that quhither thai compeir or not the saidis day and place, I or my deputis will proceid and minister justice in the said mater, sa far as we may at law Attour that ye lauchfullie summond warne and charge to compeir befoir me or my deputis, ane or ma, the saidis day and place, to pass upon the said cognitioun taking, and to beir leile and suthfast witnessing in the said mater, sa far as thai knowe, or knawe, or sall be speirit at thame thairintill, ilk persone under the pane of xi mk: valay, as ye will anser to me hereupon; the quhilk to do I commit to you conjunctlie and severalie my full power by this precept. Gevin under my signet at Perth, the xxvii day of July, yeir of God ane thousand vo and xxx fyve yeirs.

:

[The names of the individuals to be summoned are not mentioned.]

DECIMO Sexto die Mensis Augusti, anno Domini millesimo vco trigesimo quinto, indictione octava, pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo Patris et Domini nostri Domini Pauli, Divina providentia Papæ, tertii, anno primo, in mei, notarii publici, et testium infrascriptorum præsentia, personaliter constitut: frater Johannes Roger, in nomine prioris et totius conventus loci Fratrum Prædicatorum burgi de Perth, copiam, sive seriem, literarum regiarum ad instantiam propositi et ballivorum dicti burgi super ipsos fratres emanat: a Johanne Swentoun, regio vicecomite in hac parte, et executore ipsarum literarum, statim post executionem earundem in dicto loco per eum factam, cum instantia postulavit. Qui Johannes, vicecomes, copiam hujusmodi literarum ipsis fratribus concedere recusavit. Deinde frater Georgius Creichtoun, prior dicti loci, coram Alexandro Blair, præposito dicti burgi, apud crucem foralem ejusdem personaliter comparens, copiam dictarum literarum ab ipso præposito similiter postulavit. Quam copiam concedere idem præpositus etiam recusavit, dicto priore pro remedio juris desuper habendo solemniter protestante. Super quibus omnibus et singulis, dictus frater Johannes, et similiter dictus prior, a me, notario publico subscripto, sibi fieri petierunt instrumentum sive instrumenta, unum vel plura. Acta fuerunt hæc apud dictum locum Fratrum Prædicatorum et apud crucem foralem burgi antedicti, horis quinta et sexta post meridiem vel eorcirciter, coram his testibus, Dominis David Alexander, Johanne Gray, Presbyteris, Roberto Rettray, Laurentio Pullour, et Roberto Justice, cum multis aliis testibus ad præmissa vocatis et requisitis. Extractum de libro prothogollorum Domini Willelmi Ramsay, notarii publici in præmissis, teste meo cyrographo. J. M.

[Protest taken, 16th Aug. 1535, by John Roger, one of the brethren, in their name and in presence of William Ramsay, notary, and by George Creichtoun, Prior, at the market cross, before Alexander Blair, Provost, against a refusal on the part of the Provost and Council to furnish a copy of royal letters obtained by them with respect to this property or ground of the "Giltin Herbar."]

IV

GILTEN ARBARE.

PRECEPT directed to PATRICK OGILVY, of Inchemartin, and EDMUND HAY of Leys. JACOBUS, Dei gratia, Rex Scotorum, omnibus probis hominibus, ad quos præsentes literæ pervenerint, Salutem. Sciatis quia, apud burgum nostrum de Edinburgh, decimo octavo die mensis Augusti, anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo trigesimo quinto, penes nostras literas, ad instantiam præpositi, ballivorum, consulum, et communitatis burgi nostri de Perth, contra et adversus devotos fratres nostros Fratres Prædicatores prope dictum burgum adeptas, quod ipsi, mediis et solicitatione consanguinei nostri, Willelni Domini Ruthven, vicecomitis nostri de Perth, literas sibi et suis deputatis directas adepti sunt, mentionem facien: quod ipsi et eorum prædecessores in pacifica possessione certarum croftarum et peciarum terræ cum fossis circa easdem cumque pertinentiis suis et proprietate, elapsis temporibus ultra

memoriam hominum, fuerant; et cum nunc, nuper, dictus præpositus, ballivi, consules, et communitas, vehementer et violenter et manu forti, unam partem dictarum fossarum dejecerunt et disruperunt, ac infra easdem super una parte croftarum et terrarum dictorum fratrum, vulgariter "le Gild Arbar " nuncupata, metas construxerunt, et inde eos de sua possessione spoliaverunt quod minime verum existit-mandando præfato vicecomiti nostro et suis deputatis ad dictas partes convocand: et cognitionem in dicta materia capiend:, qui nequaquam competens Judex sibi in eadem esse potest, ex et pro eo quia dictæ terræ infra hujusmodi burgi libertatem jacent, et ipsi intra se vicecomites sunt, nullum sibi superiorem judicem præter nostri consilii Dominos habentes; necnon penes mandatum eis ad prædictas literas videndas et considerandas producen: exhibit:, si juridice et ex justitia processe fuerit, sive non, sicut in dictis literis latius continetur. Præfatis præposito, ballivis, consulibus et communitate per magistrum Henricum Lauder, eorum procuratorem, et præfatis fratribus per fratrem Georgium Creichtoun, dicti loci priorem, comparentibus, eorum rationibus et allegationibus auditis visis et intellectis ac cum eisdem maturis avisat: existen:, præfati consilii nostri Domini literas, per sepræfatos fratres in dicta materia adeptas, minima juridice processas fore decreverunt, ex et pro eo quia competenti Judici non sunt directæ, earundemque effectum in futurum cessare ordinaverunt, ut in dictorum Dominorum decreto plenius continetur. Nos igitur ex eorundem Dominorum ordinatione, necnon præfatarum partium et eorum procuratorum consensu, fecimus constituimus et ordinavimus ac tenore presentium facimus constituimus et ordinamus dilectos nostros Patricium Ogilvy de Inchemartin, et Edmundum Hay ballivum de Erole, vicecomites vicecomitatus nostri et vicecomites nostros in et infra dictum burgum in hac parte et ad infra scripta dumtaxat; dantes concedentes et committentes dictis vicecomitibus nostris in hac parte nostram plenariam potestatem, et mandatum speciale, curiam, seu curias, super solum dictarum terrarum, "the Gild Arbar" vulgo, ut præmittitur, nuncupat:, pro justiciæ administratione in materia prædicta statuend: inchoand: affirmand: tenend: ac, quoties opus fuerit, continuand: dictasque partes coram eis convocand: ac cognitionem capiend: quomodo, hujusmodi temporibus elapsis, per ipsarum quamlibet usæ fuerint et eisdem similiter in futurum uti faciend: ac eis justitiam in materia antedicta ministrand: omnibusque partibus suprascriptis suas justas defensiones in eadem materia admittend: necnon clericum, sergiandum, judicatorem, et omnes alios officiarios, et membra curiæ pro præmissis necessarios, creand: deputand: ordinand: ac jurari faciend: et generaliter omnia alia et singula faciend: gerend: et exercend: quæ in præmissis, et circa ea, necessaria fuerint seu quomodolibet opportuna. Ratum et gratum haben: et habitur: totum et quicquid dicti vicecomites in hac parte, suive officiarii et ministri in præmissis, rite duxerunt faciend. Datum sub testimonio magni Sigilli nostri, apud Edinburgh, decimo octavo die mensis Augusti, anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo tricesimo quinto, et regni nostri vicesimo secundo. Per actum, sive decretum, Dominorum Consilii.

[Precept of Council, on 18th Aug. 1535 (James v.) appointing Patrick Ogilvy of Inchemartin and Edmund Hay of Leys to decide the controversy and claim between the town of Perth and the Friars, as to the possession of the "Gilten Arbar." It seems that the brethren had previously, by William, second Lord Ruthven, 1528-1553, obtained letters of Council, empowering him, as Sheriff of Perth, to dispose of the case, but he was now declared to be not a competent judge, and these two arbiters were instructed to deal with it.]

V

LETRE for taking cognitioun betwixt the parties.

JAMES, by the grace of God, King of Scottis, to oure lovittis, Andro Murray, Massinger, &c., our sheriff's in that part conjunctlie and severalie specialie constitute, greting. Forsameikle as it is humelie menit and schewin to us by oure devote oratouris, the prior and convent of the Freris Predicatouris besyde oure burgh of Perthe, that quhair the Lords of our Counsall directit ane commissioun, under the testimoniall of our grete seill, upon their supplicatioun, to Patrick Ogilvy of Inchemartin, and Edward Hay, baillie of Eroll, makand thame oure sheriffs in that part, to call the saidis prior and convent on that ane part, and the provost, baillies, and communitie of oure burgh of Perth on that uthir part, and tak cognitioun anent the richt of ane pece of land callit "Giltin Herbar," liand besyde our said burgh of Perth, debatabil betwixt the saidis parteis, as at mair lenth is contenit in the said commissioun. Quhilk office the saidis personis refusis to accept upon thame, thai being requirit by the said prior and convent thairto, without thai be compellit, and sua in thair defalt thai are postponit of justice, as is allegit. Oure will is herefore, and we charge you straitlie and commandis that, incontinent thir oure letres sene, ye pass, and in oure name and authorite command and chairge the saidis sheriffs in that part constitute in the said commissioun, to accept the samyn upon thame, and tak cognitioun in the said mater eftir the forme and tenor thairof, without delay, within xiiii dayis nixt eftir thai be chairgit by you thairto, under the pane of rebellion and putting of thame to oure horne, as ye will ansuer us thairupon. The quhilk to do we commit to you, conjunctlie and severallie, our full power by thir oure letres, delivering thame by you deulie execut and indorsate agane to the berar. Gevin under oure signet, at Edinburgh, the sext day of Julii, and of our regne the xxiii yere.

ENDORSATION: The thirtane day of the monetht of Julii, I, Andro Murray, Massinger, ane of the sheriffs in that part within writtin, passit at the command of thir present letres, and by ryt thairof personalie apprehendyt Patrick Ogilvy of Inchemartin and Edmund Hay, baillie of Erroll, sheriffs in that part, chosen in the questioun within writtin, to accept the same upon thame, and tak cognitioun in the mater, eftir the forme and tenor thairof, within xiiii days nixt eftir the chairge, under the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne, eftir the forme and tenor of the said letres. This I did before witnesses, Johne Cardny, Thomas Andersoun, and George Clark, with utheris divers, and, for the mair witnessing, to this my indorsing my signet is affixit.

[Letter of 6th July 1536, charging Patrick Ogilvy and Edmund Hay, under pain of rebellion, to discharge their duty as judges in the matter referred to them. They had hitherto refused to act.]