XIX. The Town Council grant the sum of one hundred pounds to Mr. David Wedderburne for teaching the high class of the College. 26th Tuly, 1615.* Jul, 26, 1615. The Said day the Baillies new and auld counsallis Remembering that Immediatlie efter the deceas of Mr gilbert gray lait' principall of the college of this burt quhilk wes in the moneth of December last bypast they burdenit Mr Dauid Wedderburne of thair grammer schooll to tak vpon him the teiching of the hie class of the college of this burt till this Lambmes nixt now instant and to determe the studentis of the said hie class maisteris at ilk tyme as also . to vndergo the burding of the discipline and governement of the whole college induring that tyme least the college for want of a maister to the said hie class shuld altogidder hawe beine cassin Lows Promeising that the said Mr Dauid suld be gratifiet and revairdit for his paines and labors takin thairin as ane act maid thairvpon the first of feb last bypast proportis And vnderstanding that the said Mr Dauid hes dischargit a verie honest dewitie in that employment ewerie way as aperteined both in his teiching of the said hie class and government of the. haill college sen the deceace of the said vmq" Mr gilbert as also in determing the studentis of the hie class maisteris to the "great contentment and satisfactioun both of the studentis und of the counsell and haill towne Thairfoir in rememberance of his paineful travellis sustenit be him be this employment foirsaid about the college They ordane the sowme of ane hundreth pundis to be giwen to the said Mr Dauid in omnibus for the gratitude and travellis foirsaidis to be peyit to him be Mr. willeame Moir thesaurer quhilk salbe allowit to him in his comptis From the Town Council Register, vol. xlvii., p. 245.† * Wedderburne had taught in the Grammar School since 1602. An account of his life and writings will be found in Collections for a History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff (Spald. Club), p. 60. + The preliminary proceedings relative to Wedderburne's appointment are detailed in two previous minutes: - Jan. 2, 1615. The Quhilk day the Baillies new and auld counsallis being convenit in the sessioune hous of the kirk of this burgh immediatlie efter the ending of the sermone Anent the supplicatioune gewin in to thame be the Studentis in the hie class of the college of this burgh makand mentioune Whairas it hes pleased God be deceas off thair principall of guid memorie Maister Gilbert Gray to mack thame destitute of ane Teichar And for the love and affectioun they carie towardis the colledge (becaus of the cairfull educatioun quhilk they hawe enjoyed thairin to this present tyme) they are most desyrous to pas thair course and to be determinat Maisteris in it rather than in any vther college within this kingdome Thairfoir they all in ane consent maist humblie requestit the counsall to furnishe vnto thame ane learned man quhome thay may acknawledge as thair only Maister and vnder whose Instructioun and guid governament they may be the grace of God pas Maisteris at the appointed tyme As at mair lengtht wes conteanit in thair said supplicatioun Quhairanent the Baillies and Counsall with the Ministeris aduysing and vnderstanding that the presentatioune of ane qualefeit persone to occupie the place and office of the Principall of the said College belangis to my Lord Erle Marschall fundator and Patrone of the said college without whose aduyse nothing could be done in that airand Alwayes least the College (quhilk is the seminarie baith of Kirk and comoun weill) sould schack louse till the tyme as the said erle merschall be aduyse of the Towne provyid ane qualefied man to fill vp the emptie rowme The counsall hes burdenit Maister Dauid. Wedderburne Maister of thair grammer school to teiche the said hie class for ane certane schort space till ane principall be provyidit And the said Mr David being personallie present at the command and earnest request of the counsall acceptit the charge foirsaid on him in tacking of the said hie class till ane principall be presented and admittit in place of the defunct Lykeas the haill Studentis of the said hie Class being also present promised obedience to the said maister David boithe in doctrine and discipline as to thair maister (T. C. R., xlvii. 32). The Quhilk day The Baillies and persones of baith the counsellis vnderwrettin being convenit in the counsellhous adwyesing solidlie quhow maist commodiouslie the place of vmqll Mr gilbert gray principall of the college of this burt laitlie depairted may be supplied till Lambes nixt and the hie class of the said college teached considdering thairwith that M Dauid wedderburne maister of thair grammer scuill sen the deceas of the said Principall at thair desyre haid teached the said hie class and least that the scholeris aspyring to be determinat Maister at the said feast of Lambes quha or in the said hie class suld be frustrat of ane To teache thame and determinat thame Maisteris The counsell earnestlie desyred the said Mr Dauid To tak that burding on him to teache the said class till the said feast of Lambes in teaching thame the remanent of thair course yet vnteachit to thame and to determe thame Maisteris as said is Quha compeiring befoir the counsellis at thair earnest sute and petitioun Acceptit the said charge in and vpon him Referring to the discreit consideratioun of the counsell sic revaird as it pleass thame To giwe him for his trawellis and paines (T. C. R., xlvii. 55). XX. The Town Council vote an annual stipend of six hundred pounds Scots to Master William Forbes for, inter alia, teaching a lesson of theology within the College, binding themselves to pay the superplus attour the interest of Copland's endowment, and to repair the Gray Friar Kirk. 11th December, 1616; 7th January, 1617. Dec. 11, 1616. Conforme to the quhilk act † the haill commvnitie of this burght being convenit within the Tolbuith vpoun the Tuentie fourt day of September last bypast They all in ane voice but oppositioun wer content and consentit To accept the said Mr willeame to be ane of thair ordinar ministeris and to contribute for his provisioun ane stipend to be payit in sic measure and forme as the Councell suld aggrie wt the said maister willeame Lyke as vpon the Tuantie nyn day of October last bypast immediatlie eftir sermone maid that day in the auld kirk of this burt be the said Mr george hay he and the said Mr Johne strathauchin conforme to the powar and commissioun geven to thame be the said assembly mentionat in the act aboue writtin Admittit and ressauit the said Mr willeame forbes to the office of the ministrie of this burght with all dew solemnitie requisite in the presence of the haill congregatioun convenit in the said auld kirk And becaus be the ordinance of the said assemblie the said Maister Willeame is ordanit to be sustenit and his stipend payit to him for his service in the said office of the ministrie within this burt and induring the same be the Prowest baillies counsall and communitie thairof Thairfoir the new and auld counsallis with the haill deaconis of craftis of this burght presentlie assembliet conforme to the powar foirsaid giwen to thame be the Toun upon the said tuentie fourt day of September last bypast Hawe aggriet and condiscendit to giwe to the said maister willeame for his stipend and service of the ministrie of this burght and for teaching ane lessoun of Theologie weiklie within the college of the same so lang as his habilitie and healthe mey serue thairto the soume of Sex hundreth pundis vsual scottis money 3eirlie To be payit to him be the Thesaurar of this burght for the tyme at tua vsuall termes in the * Afterwards Principal, infra. + Of the General Assembly held at Aberdeen, 13th Aug., 1616; transferring Mr. Forbes from Monymusk. jeir witsonday and martemes in winter be equall portionis Lyke as for the said Maister Willeame his securitie of gude and thankfull payment thairof The saidis Prowest baillies new and auld Counsallis and deaconis of craftis foirsaidis for thame selffis and thair successouris and in name and behalff of the haill Communitie of this burght present and to cum Become actit and obleist To content pay and delyuer to the said Maister Willeame forbes 3eirlie in tyme cumyng so lang as he remanis and continuewis resident minister at this burght the said soume of Sex hundreth pundis money foirsaid to be payit to him 3eirlie be the Thesaurar of this burght for the tyme at the termes of payment aboue writtin be equall portionis allanerlie in full satisfactioun of all that he may crawe for his stipend as minister of this burght and for teaching of the said publict lessoun of theologie The first termes payment thairof to begyn at the feast of witsonday nixt to cum Ivic and sewintene zeeris And the said maister willeame forbes being personallie present promeist as God suld assist him be his grace to discharge and exerce the said office of the ministrie diligentlie and faithfullie and to teache ane publict lessoun of Theologie weiklie within the College of this burght so lang as he remanis minister within the samen and so lang as God bestowis on him healthe and habilitie thairto for the stipend and provisioun foirsaid allanerlie and na farder Quhairwith he hauldis himselff content for all thingis he may crawe thairfoir From the Town Council Register, Vol. xlvii., p. 820. Jan. 7, 1617. The Quhilk Day The haill Commvnitie being convenit in thair head court It was exponit to thame be Thomas Meingzes prowest that vpon the ellevint day of December lastbypast. The new and auld Councellis with the Deaconis of craftis being then, convenit in the counsallhous had aggriet and condiscendit to give to Maister Willeame forbes (quha be ordinance of the lait generall and national assemblie hauldin at this burgh in August lastbypast is appoyntit ane of the ordinar ministeris of this burght) the soume of sex hundreth pundis money for his 3eirlie stipend and service of the ministrie and teaching of a lessoun of Theologie in the College of this burght To be payit to him be the Townis thesaurar at twa vsuall termes in the 3eir Witsonday and Martemas in winter be equall portiounes The first termes payment to begyn at Witsonday nixt to cum And that for his securities of gude and thankfull payment thairof The Saidis Prowest Baillies new and auld Councellis and Deaconis of the Craftis ar becum actit and obleist for thame selffis and thair successouris in name and behalff of the haill communitie To pay the same 3eirlie to the said Maister Willeame sa lang as he remanis actuall Minister of this burght As the act of Counsall maid thairwpoun of the dait foirsaid proportis And becaus thair is no vther meane nor moyen to pay the said 3eirlie stipend bot be commoun contributioun of the Commvnitie of this burght Except onlie the proffeitt and annuall rent off Twa thowsand merkis Scottis money mortefeit be Maister Patrick Copland to ane professor of Theologie within the College of this burght (Quhilk mortificatioun is expreslie conceavit and prowyidit to the behowe of the said Maister Willeame forbes and to his successouris Teacheris of theologie within the said College in all tyme comeing) and the Townis kirk annuallis extending 3eirlie to Sex scoir pundis Thairfoir desyirit the Commvnitie convenit as said is to bind thame selffis for peyment of the superplus of the said stipend attour the anuall of the said Mr patrik coplandis mortificatioun and kirk annuallis foirsaid Quhilk desyire the haill Commvnitie in ane voice but oppositioun or contradictioun thocht werie ressonabill And conforme thairto voluntarlie become bund and ableist for thame and thair successouris To mak payment of the superplus of the said zeirlie stipend of Sex hundreth pundis attour the saidis kirk annuallis. and mortificatioun foirsaid 3eirlie and ilk 3eir in tyme coming sa lang as the said Mr willeame remanis actuall minister at this burght And to that effect ar Content and consentis to be stentit 3eirlie for payment thairoff ilk ane for thair awin pairtis according to the stent roll to be sett doun thairanent And that taxtaris and stentaris be chosin 3eirlie to the effect foirsaid as salbe injoyned be the magistrattis for the tyme As lykwayis consentis for the better and mair readie peyment thairoff that Letteris of horning be direct heirwpoun at the instance of the magistrattis charging the commvnitie to conveine to cheiss taxtaris for stenting of the samen vpon thame and to charge the saidis taxtaris to accept the said office vpon thame and giwe furth ane stent roll thairwpoun As lykwayis |