Loft for their own accommodation And lykewayes ane convenient seat in the most eminent part of the said Loft for the use of the Magistrats of the said Citie And obleidged themselves to begin and compleat the samen with all convenient diligence after warrand should be granted for that effect Lykeas We upon the Twenty fyft day of November Mvj and eighty years having seen and considered the foresaid petition did refer and commit to the Masters of the K: Colledge, Magistrats of the said Citie and Minister and Elders of the Kirk Session of Old Aberdeen to meet and consider the most convenient place for erecting the said Loft and accordinly they having met, did make the report underwriten viz: that the most convenient place for erecting the said Loft is betwixt the comon Loft and the Seat formerly belonging to Gordon of Birsemoire and lastlie possest be the deceast George Cruikshank of Berriehill Provyding that the saids Merchands shall take out the stones and Lyme out of the window at the sd. designed Loft and fill the samen again with glass and mantain and uphold the samen in all tyme comeing least the light of the Church might be prejudged Which erport subscribed by the saids Masters, Magistrats, Minister and ane competent member of the elders of the said Session commissionat for that effect at more length All Which We having duely considered and advysed do find the desyre of the above written petition most reasonable and just and that the place designed in the foresaid report is proper fit and convenient for the uses aforesaids In respect whereof we have given and granted Lykeas We be the tenour hereof give and grant to the saids petitioners full power liberty and warrand to erect and build ane sufficient Loft in the place above designed upon the conditions mentioned in the foresaid Report Declaring hereby that the saids Magistrats and their successors and the Merchands of the said Citie shall bruik and possess the said Loft peaceably and quyetly in all tyme comeing but trouble or molestation With this express provision that the saids Merchands shall not have liberty to permit any citizen in Old Aberdene or indweller within the parish of St Machar to sit in the said Loft who are not merchand-traders within the said Citie excepting these who have already subscryved the above written petition In Witness whereof thir presents (written be John Ross our servitor) are given under our hand att our Citie of Old Aberdene the elevinth day of December Mvj eighty years before witnesses James Scowgall our son Master Alexander Brown and the said John Ross our servitor our Seal being hereto affixt. 2. Extracts from Minutes.1 Wee under subscriveit merchants in Old Abd. being mett in the Counsell house of the sd. city munday the tuentie second of Jully 1700 years have unanimously condescended that wee shall joyne in ane incorporatione and fraternity as wes formerly instituted and erected in anno 1680 And wee herby obliedge ourselves to joyn and concurr in all proposalls formerly made or to be made for supporting and encouraging our fraternity and particularly for rebuilding the loaft in the Church formerly belonging to our fraternity when it shall be found expedient As also to pay our yearly penies as formerly viz fourteen Shilling scots mony ilke person yearly with what earnest penies wee shall happen to receve at the selling of any bargan w'all wee obliedge ourselves to meet quarterly when called by the preses and have instantly choosen James Knight bailie in Old Abd. our preses Alex Molysone our boxmaster wt any foure assessors he shall choose by the advice of the fraternity qch offices are to continue for the space of ane year and M' Andrew Aberdeen our clerke and heirby the first meeting is appointed to be at lambas nixt in this instant year of God 1700. I I. 23 AUGUST 1701. The whilk day it wes statute and ordained by the preses wt ane unanimous consent of the whole fraternity then pnt. that the money collected at that tyme or to be collected in the future be put in the publict box belonging to the sd. fraternity and not to be disposed on or taken out of the sd. box w'out the consent and assent of the whole fraternity or at least the plurality of them first hade and obtained thereto and that the same might be made effectuall the box wes locked in face of all pnt. wt tuo sea" locks and keyes conform on of which keys wes delivered to James Knight preses to the sd. meeting and the other to 1 The first volume has got stamped on the outside covers-" This Book is gifted be Rot: Milne for a Record of the merchts in Old Abd: 1686:" and "Ia: Thomson Boxe Keiper and Thasvrer for the Town 1686". |