wt this motto. Concordia res parve with the pigg and Lillie and three Salmond and Insignia Civitatis Veteris Aberdonis. V 67.

3 MAY 1701.

The said day the Counsell haveing taken to their serious consideration the many abusses comittit and done in this toun and freidom theroff at publict sessions and mariadges To prevent all which in the future, The Magistrats and Counsell of this toun heirby discharges all publict sessions and marriadges in the future, or publict contracts and penny brydells And that in tyme coming ther shall be no more persons at marriadges and sessions except onlie four persons vpon each syd, and the contraveiners heiroff to pay ten punds scots money to the thes for the tounes vse toties quoties, and also those persons who shall furnish houses for that end to any person in tyme cuming shall pay the lyk soume to the thes' and ordaynes this act to be instantlie proclaimed by tock of drum through the toun that none pretend ignorance, And ordaynes also that if any person shall give money publictlie or privatlie at such mariadges or sessions they shall be als lyable in the forsd. fyne as the receavers of such moneys. V 75.

5 JULY 1701.

The said day anent casting the Comon moss and hill by strangers The bailleis and Counsell did appoynt Baillie Fraser baillie Baxter and baillie Ro'son Duncan Cassie, James Mill, George Aberdein, Conveinar Duguitt, Alex' Tellie, Wm. Smith elder William Hart, Alex' Molysson and the thesu' to goe on Wednesday the nynth instant about seven a clock in the morning and to meett at the thesu'es house and visit the said mosse and hill and sie the incrotchments maid on the same and to report ther dilligence to the nixt Counsell day And also anent ane greivance given in by the Customer anent the weeklie mercat The Customer and officers of Aberdein cuming over everie mercat day and hindering the mercat, The persones above named ar to visit the rights and papers anent the same the nynt day of this instant efter ther return from the moss. V 78.

12 JULY 1701.

The said day the baillies and Counsell ordaynes and appoynts Baillie Fraser, Baillie Baxter, Baillie Knight, and Baillie Robertson,

George Laing, James Fiddes, Alex' Telly, Alex' Molyeson the conveener or any other persons they please to call to meitt at the thesurs house on thursday nixt in the efternoon anent the regulating the moss for the future.

The Baillies and Counsell anent the complent given in by the thesu' against Robert Drum for his monoplising the Comon moss and hill and casting and selling peitts not onlie to the inhabitants but also to strangers liveing without the toune Did and heirby discharge him for the future from casting any peittis in the said moss or hill vnles he be imployed by any who hes vndoubted right therto and liveing within this. citie, and to be simply to ther vse allanerly. And as for his selling and monopolizing of the said moss in tymes past The baillies and Counsell being fullie convinced of the truth theroff by ane quorum of the Counsell appoynted for visiting the said moss fynes the said Robert Drum in the sum of four pounds scots and to be imprisoned vntill he pays the same and ordaynes the thesu' to take the number of loads of peitts

for the tounes vse. V 79.

4 AUGUST 1701.

The said day compeired William Shirres glover in Old Abd. and Mary Smith servitrix to Wm. Aberdein in Seaton, who being ceited and arraigned be the kirk session of Old Machar vpon Sonday last the thrid instant for ther scandalous converse togither in the night tym above twelve a clock vpon Monday the 7th of July last for which they wer convict by the depos°n of concurring witnesses as is recorded in the session books and farder being also of drinking to exces efter the tym of night proscryved by Law wer remitted by the kirk session to the magistrats of Old Abd. and to [be] fyned and punished conform to Law In respect wheroff the baillie amerciats the sd. William Shirres in ane vnlaw of fourtie shilling scots instantly to be payed to the thes' and also to find sovertie for his appearance befor the kirk session vpon Sonday nixt and to satisfie the church discipline as shall be injoyned be the session and to be put in prison vntill the premissis be performed As for the said Mary Smith The baillie finding by the depositions of the witnessis to which the sd. baillie wes present that the said Marie wes not onlie drunk to exces which in women is most scandilous but also that she came to the said William his bedchamber when he wes in

bed and the door shutt Therfor the baillie forsd. amerciats the said Mary Smith in four punds scots moe. to be instantlie payed to the thes' but also to find sovertie that she shall fulfill the kirk censure vpon sonday nixt as the session shall injoyn and to be putt in prison vntil the premissis be performed. V 84.

4 OCTOBER 1701.

The said day anent the tyme of the election and choysing of the baillies and Counsell of this citie in all tym cuming it is appoynted that the electione shall be yeirlie heirefter vpon the second saterday of October yeirlie preceislie but alteration and in ordor thervnto ordaynes this ensewing election of magistrats and Counsell to be vpon the second saterday of October nixt to come preceislie. V 86.

18 OCTOBER 1701.

The said day anent the hand bell This day Mr William Crystie and James Thomson being requyred conform to the last Counsell act to produce any document the church had to the propertie of the hand bell Mr Crystie replyed he had been looking and pervsing the kirk register so farr but hes not pervsed all the registers The prosecution q'off the Counsell remitted to the nixt Counsell day In the mean tyme the Counsell appoints the toun clerk to give Mr Wm. Crystie ane extract of the act regra' in the toun books in anno 1692 anent the said bell and to show the same to the session and to report. V 88.

31 JANUARY 1702.

The said day anent the overture proponed by the baillies to the Counsell and Comunity of this Citie anent the building and erecting of ane prison house with ane bell and a clock vpon the Counsell hous which is thought to be ane matter of generall concern and very requisit and necessar And to repair the roofs of the Counsell house This overture not being rejected by the Counsell and Comunity The first step to be done at this tyme wes to nominat persons to advyse with workmen for contryveing the maner and what money might compleit the desyn In ordor to uhich the Court nominats Baillie Fraser Baillie Baxter, Baillie Knight and Baillie Robertson with Baillie Thomson, Alex'

Molysson George Laing George Aberdein James Duguitt John Lovie taillor George Robertson vyver Mr Jolly James Thomsone and Kenneth Fraser measson who ar ordayned to meitt togidder at the thesaurers house wpon wednesday the fourth day of Febry. nixt at on a clock in the efternoon and to comvn fullie ther anent and to report. V 92.

14 FEBRUARY 1702.

The said day anent the hand bell efter so long tym given to the session to produce any document to prove ther interest to the said bell and Mr Wm. Crystie being called, Told that he haid searched the register of the session and could find no title in ther favors In respect wheroff the Counsell ratifies and confirms all former acts maid theranent and that the said bell properlie belongs to the toun and ordaynes James Touch to pay four pund scots to the tounes thes' of dewtie from witsonday last to witsonday nixt 1702 yeirs as the dewtie of the said bell. V 92.

4 APRIL 1702.

The said day anent the hand bell the baillies and Counsell of Old Aberdeen renunces ther right and all pretensions to the said bell vpon severall considerations And be thir pnts. rescinds all former acts maid ther anent preceiding the daitt of thir presents. V 96.

2 MAY 1702.

The forsaid day in presens of the bailleis and Counsell anent the punctuall conveining of the haill members of Counsell at ten hours in the fornoon preceislie vpon the first Saterday of everie month for all tyme cuming It is preceislie inacted by the bailleis and Counsell vnanimouslie that notwithstanding of the former act of Counsell maid anent six shilling eight pennies for ilk person of the Counsell ther absence from the Counsell, yit now in all tyme coming it is ordayned that everie member of the Counsell who shall happen to be absent from the Counsell at ten a clock in the fornoon as said is they being in health, on the place and laull. warned, that for everie dayes absence he shall pay fourtein shilling sex pennyes toties quoties To be payed to the thes's box for the vse of the poor to be destribute at the bailleis ther discretion. V 98.

Y

3 APRIL 1703.

The said day anent the hyring of horss in this toun and paying postadge to the postmaster in Aberdein the same is to be considered the nixt Counsell day and if ther may be ane postmaster setled in this toun this is to be advysed. V 115.

3 JULY 1703.

The said day anent the tolbuith bell the Counsell ordaynes and apoynts the same to be rung each day at sex houres in the morning and eight hours at night befor the drum begin and in the morning efter the drum, and Wm. Walker drumer is to doe the same and vpon each sabbath day to ring the sd. bell when the last bell begins fornoon and efternoon and to end with the last bell each tyme, and also the said [Wm. Walker] to ring the said tolbuith bell vpon the first saterday of every moneth to the Counsell, and to ring from ten hours fornoon to halff eleven a clock but everie morning and evening of the week to ring onlie for the space of a quarter of ane hour and to begin to morrow the fourth inst. being the sabbath day. V 118.

3 APRIL 1703.

The said day anent the moss of pervinneis the counsell recomends to the bailleis to call four of the old men in the town and meitt with Hilton at his comeing home to sie and consider his chartor, and to rectifie the marches of the moss.

The said day anent casting clods in the comon moss at any pairt theroff The Counsell altogither prohibits the same in all tyme heirefter and heirby discharges all persons whatsomever to cast clods in the said moss at any pairt theroff vnder the payn of Ten pounds toties quoties, and for the clods which ar presentlie casten in the said moss The baillies and counsell fynes everie person that hes casten clods in the said moss in fourtie shillings scotts moe. And this to be promulgat through the toune with took of drum vpon Monday nixt the 5th inst. and as for strangers that casts clods theirin referrs the same to the meeting with the Laird of Hilton. V 118.