Colonel James Allardyce of Culquoich, LL.D. Sir Thomas Burnett, Bart., of Leys. The Right Rev. Eneas Chisholm, D.D., LL.D., The Rev. Professor James Cooper, D.D., Glasgow. Patrick Cooper, Advocate, Aberdeen. William Cramond, LL.D., Cullen. Peter M. Cran, City Chamberlain, Aberdeen. William Dunn of Murtle. John Philip Edmond, Haigh. James Ferguson, Sheriff of Argyll. Alexander Forbes, Aberdeen. Alexander M. Gordon of Newton. Henry Wolrige-Gordon of Esslemont. John A. Henderson, Aberdeen. Sir William Henderson, LL. D., Aberdeen. Lieut.-Colonel William Johnston of Newton Dee, The Rev. William Forbes Leith, S. J., Selkirk. James Moir, LL.D., Litt. D., Co-Rector of the Alexander M. Munro, Aberdeen. Charles Rampini, LL.D., Sheriff of Dumfries. Alexander W. Robertson, Librarian, Public Library, Aberdeen. John Forbes Robertson, London. The Rev. James Smith, B.D., Aberdeen. Robert Walker, University of Aberdeen. Professor John Dove Wilson, LL.D., Aberdeen. Secretary: Peter John ANDERSON, University Library, Aberdeen. Treasurer: FARQUHARSON TAYLOR GARDEN, 18 Golden Square, Aberdeen. Auditors: WILLIAM MILNE, C.A., Aberdeen; ANDREW DAVIDSON, C.A., Aberdeen PREFACE. THE writs and extracts from the various records given in the present volume are intended to portray and throw some light on a phase of the history of Old Aberdeen which in the past has not had much attention given to it. The religious and educational interests centred in the Old Town have in a measure thrust the civil institutions and life of the people into the background, and though these latter may not relatively compare in importance with the two former, yet the life within the Bishop's burgh, far from being uninteresting and uninstructive, is capable of adding much to our knowledge of the conditions of society in a past age, and of setting before us old customs and usages not now in practice. The almost perfect freedom exercised by the burgesses in all their affairs during the period covered by the extant minutes of the Council is a noteworthy fact. With few exceptions the minutes of the Town Council might be those of any Royal Burgh, so free were the burghal institutions from the control of the Bishop as lord superior. The existence of King's College within the liberties of the burgh would lead one to expect more extended notices of that institution than actually occur, and the reason for this |