A. D. 1244. 1274. In this year the town, according to John Major and Fordun, was destroyed by accidental fire. About the same time, Haddington, Roxburgh, Lanark, Stirling, Perth, Forfar, and Montrose, experienced a similar calamity.* Twenty years afterwards, Aberdeen suffered by accidental fire, as related by Boece. It may appear extraordinary that so many towns should have met with a disaster of this kind, about the same time; but, perhaps, it might be accounted for, when it is considered, that the buildings of that age were chiefly constructed of such combustible materials as wood and straw. King Alexander III. by his charter, dated at Kintore, 2d December, in the 25th year of his reign, confirmed to the burgesses the privilege of holding a fair, within the town, yearly, limiting its duration to fourteen days, subsequent to Trinity day; with all the laws, immunities, liberties, and customs, pertaining to fairs. § Three years 1277. afterwards, by another charter to the burgesses, dated at Kincardine, 27th January, in the 28th year of his reign, he granted his special protection, as well to themselves, as to their lands, their servants, and to all Lindes Johe de Maconsweb. M. Marescal Walter cum Jordan Cumin Henro Mariscal M. de This charter must unquestionably have been granted anterior to the year 1226; for William de Boscho, Chancellor, the premier witness mentioned in the testing clause, resigned the office about this time, on account of old age. *Fordun, vol. ii. p. 75. Crawford's Officers of State, p. 11. + Boece, lib. xii. f. 302. Indeed a tempestuous storm may probably have overturned the buildings in these towns, and fire would be the natural consequence. § 1st CHARTER OF ALEXANDER III. "Alex. di gra Rex Scottor omibus probis hominib' tocius terre sue Safim nouitis nos concessisse dedisse et psenti Carta nia confirmasse Burgensib' nîis de Aberdeñ dilectis fidelib' nõis ut habeant singulis annis a die Sti Trinitatis nundinas in Burgo não de Aberdeñ p duas septennanas continue sequentes duraturas omibus Juribus Libertatib' rectitudinib' cosuetudinib' ad alias nundinas ñras In Burgis ñris p Regnum ñrm constitutis juste ptinentibus Testibus Willo Cumyn de Kilbryde Thoma Ranulphi tunc Camãrio Reginaldo Le Chen,|| Robo de Cambrun. Will de Sto Claro přicio de Graham Willo Byfeth Apud Kyntor sedo die Decembr Anno regni ñr vicesimo qnto." Chen, Son to Regnauld, Chamberlain in 1267. all their property, moveable and immoveable, which were declared to be A. D. 1277. responsible only for their own proper debts and personal delicts.* From the reign of King William the Lion, the constitution of the borough is not difficult to be traced. It was originally vested in an alderman and four baillies, with a common council, elected, with the consent and assent of the whole community, assembled in their guild court. The province of the alderman, or chief magistrate, was to appoint the times and places of the meetings of the community, summoned by the mote bell, or trumpet, § to preside at these meetings, and to carry his orders and decrees into execution. In time of danger, and in opposing the enemy, he was their captain, as in time of peace he was their chief magistrate. The baillies, who were in some respects subordinate to him, were invested with the authority of judges, in local affairs occurring among the inhabitants. † They were also stewards of the revenue of the borough for some centuries, 2d CHARTER OF ALEXANDER III. "Ale. dei grã Rex Scot omnib? probis hominib toci tře sue ad quos presentes littere pverunt Salm Sciatis nos burgenses nãos de Abirden Pras suas homines suos univsas eōrd possessiones ac om̃ia bona sua mobilia ≈ imobilia fma pace ≈ рtectoñe nra juste suscepisse Q're firmi? phibem, ne quis eis malum molestiam injuriam seu guamen aliquod inferre psum injuste sup ñram plenariam forisfactură concessim eisdem ut nullus namos suos vel alicui ipōr seu hominũ suore capiet p alicm debito plegiagio vel forisfacto nisi p suo ppo debito plegiagio vel forisfacto firmit inhibitentes ne quis eos vel alique ipōr cont hanc concessionem nữam vexare ẞ sumat injuste sup ñram plenariā forisfacturam. Test Will Cumyn de Kelebrid. Willo de St Claro, Symone Fraet Baticio de Graham Ap' Kycardyn vicesimo septimo die Januari anno regni ñri vicesimo octavo." Symon Fraser, Son of Gilbert, Sheriff of Traquair. This was conformable to the following Statuta Gildæ.-" Statuimus quod commune consilium, et communia gubernentur per viginti quatuor probos homines, de melioribus discretioribus et fide dignioribus ejusdem burgi ad hoc delectos; una cum majore et quatuor Præpositis. Et quandocunque prædicti viginti quatuor homines fuerint ad commune negotium tractandum vocati; qui non venerint ad citationem sibi factam ultra noctem, emendet in duos solidos.”—[Cap. 33.] "Statuimus, quod Major et Præpositi eligantur per visum et considerationem totius communitatis. Et si aliqua controversia fuerit in electione Majoris vel Præpositorum fiat tunc electio per sacramentum viginti quatuor hominum, prædicti burgi electorum per communiam."-[Cap. 34.] § Stat. Gildæ, cap. 14.-(Mote signifies the place where a Court was held.) He is stiled Aldermanus, in Stat. Gildæ, cap. 35; and in the Leges Burgorum, Præpositus, cap. 65. + Leges Burgorum, cap. 77. A. D. 1279. centuries, and had the charge of the several districts into which the town was divided. Hence they obtained the title of præpositi, afterwards known by the appellation of bailiffs, or baillies.* And the common council, when assembled, with these magistrates, determined such important matters as were brought before them.† In 1284. the end of the thirteenth century, the borough appears to have been under the administration of a distinct set of magistrates, consisting of the alderman, and four baillies, or præpositi. Posterior to this period, a regular succession of the magistrates, nearly complete, may be traced to the present day. Commerce and industry had yet made very little progress in Britain, owing to the bad police of both kingdoms; nor can it be an object of wonder that the merchant was little regarded, when war was the general occupation of the people. Aberdeen, therefore, although a sea-port town, and possessed of small trading vessels,§ could not have been greatly pre-eminent above the other boroughs of Scotland, in the way of traffic. It was, however, of considerable re pute * They are called Præpositi, as well as Ballivi, in the Chamberlain accounts, and Ballivi in the Leges Burgorum.-[Cap. 65. 104.] Chamberlain Accots. from 1328 to 1424. + Dalrymple's Essays, p. 33.-Council Register, vol. iv. 73. In a charter of confirmation by King David II. in the 31st year of his reign, dated at Aberdeen, 7th May, certain grants are confirmed, of various donations to the Carmelite Friars, in the preceding century; and in the testing clauses of the deeds, so confirmed, the names of the following magistrates appear: § Mr. Macpherson, in his Commerce, says, that the Bishop of Aberdeen had a grant from King David of the tenth of the customs of the ships trading to and from the port of Aberdeen, as a part of the revenue of his See.-[Vol. i. p. 332.] pute for curing fish, of which its rivers and sea coast afforded an A. D. 1284. abundant supply to the inhabitants, and for exportation. About this period Adam of Fulham appears to have been commissioned by the Sheriffs of Cumberland and Lancaster to purchase 100 barrels of sturgeons (salmon) of Aberdeen, 5000 salt fish, and a quantity of dried fish, to be exported to Chester. The fish are said to have been so well cured, that the article was exported to the capital fishing port of Yarmouth.* Aberdeen was, from an early period, celebrated for the superior pickling and packing salmon in barrels of the old Hamburgh binde.† * «Four hundred fish of Aberdeen, two hundred stock fish, one small barrel of sturgeons (salmon), five dozen of lampreys, fifty pounds of whale (« balen,") (forte halibut), and half a last of herrings, composed the fish part of the provisions put on board a ship fitted out at Yarmouth in the year 1290, to bring over the infant Queen of Scotland from the court of her father, the King of Norway. The fish cost somewhat under three pennies each, (or, in modern Scottish money, 9s.); the stock fish somewhat under one penny, (or 3s.); and the half last of herrings 30s. (or £.54.)—[Rymer's Coll. MS. v. 11. p. 287.] Aberdeen fish are also mentioned in the account of King Edward's wardrobe, in the year 1290.-[Macpherson's Commerce, (Note) vol. i. p. 436.] 1 In the same wardrobe account, for the year 1299, published by the Society of Antiquaries of London, mention occurs, in the article of provisions to his army, of 18,500 red herrings, and 5496 stock fish of Aberdeen.-[Page 118.] + Macpherson's Commerce, vol. i. p. 436. CHAPTER A. D. 1290. 1296. CHAPTER II. Affairs of Scotland on the death of Alexander III.—Edward I. takes the Castle of Aberdeen-Sir William Wallace-Robert Bruce— Battle of Barra-Storming of the Castle of Aberdeen by the Citizens-Origin of Bon Accord-King Robert's Charters to Aberdeen-Town burnt by the English-Origin of the name of NEW Aberdeen-King David II.-his Grants to the Town-Borough first represented in Parliament-Scarcity of Corn-Occurrences— Municipal Lans-Commerce-John Barbour, the Metrical Historian-Language of the place-Population in the end of the fourteenth century-Coinage-Table of the Customs and Monies paid by the Town to Government during the fourteenth century. AFTER the demise of Alexander III. and of Margaret of Norway, his infant grand-daughter,* the succession to the crown of Scotland became the subject of a controversy among contending competitors. This had well nigh proved fatal to the independence of Scotland, and ultimately involved the nation in a series of long and desolating wars. In the many vicissitudes of these turbulent times, the community of Aberdeen bore a distinguished part, and experienced its full share of the calamities incident to war and civil commotion. Edward I. of England, although he had pronounced his definitive judgment in favour of John Baliol as king, yet still considered himself in the right of the sovereignty of Scotland. He now formed the * Alexander, riding between Burntisland and Kinghorn, was thrown from his horse over a precipice, and killed on the spot, (16th March, 1285-6.†) The Princess Margaret, his only offspring, had married Eric, King of Norway, by whom she had an only child, Margaret, called the Maiden of Norway, who had been recognised successor to the crown of Scotland, by the nobility, in 1284. |