Excerpts from the Records of the Edinburgh Town Council, Referred to in the Introduction to the Trial.

I.

Edinburgh the tenth day of September One
thousand seven hundred and eighty three
years.

Sederunt

Lord Provost	O.P.	T.C.
John Grieve	David Stuart	Thomas Simpson
		William Jameson
Bailies	O.B.	C. Deacons
James Dickson	William Galloway	William Fraser, Cr.
James Gordon	Francis Shaw	William Brodie
John Spottiswood		James Robertson
		John Douglas
D.G.	Old D.G.	George Chalmers
Thomas Cleghorn	Archibald M‘Dowall	Robert Wemyss
Tr.	Old T.R.
William Thomson	James Hunter Blair
	M.C.:
	Thomas Cleghorn, jr.
	William Gillespie
	David Willison.

Extra^ry Deacons:—William Richie, William Young, William Inglis, Thomas Hunter, Will^m Forrester.

The Chamberlain produced in Council his Cash Book whereby it appears there is a ballance due him of £306:13:10, Ballance due to Bankers £5417:14:3, and paid in to the City’s Cash Accompt with the Royal Bank £2385 Sterling.

Bailie Dickson from the first Bailie’s Committee reported that they having examined the following accompts, vizt. an accompt due to William Brodie for Wright work done by him in the different public markets of the City, from Twentieth November seventeen hundred and eighty two to third July last, amounting to Sixty seven pounds, eighteen shillings and one penny; Item an accompt due to the said William Brodie for Wright work done by him in the Parliament House, Exchequer, &c., from twenty fifth September Seventeen hundred and eighty two to the eleventh of June last, amounting to Nine pounds, one shilling and four pence; Item an Accompt due to the said William Brodie for Wright work done by him in the Tolbooth and sundry other parts belonging to the City, from the fourteenth August seventeen hundred and eighty two to the seventeenth February last, amounting to Ten pounds, twelve shillings and two pence; Item an Accot. due to the said Willm. Brodie for Wright work done by him in making windows for St. Andws. Church, amounting to One hundred and twenty pounds, seven shillings and nine pence; Item an Accot. due to the said William Brodie for wright work done by him in making doors for the stalls in the New Flesh Markets and fitting up the new Veal Market, &c. from eighteenth November seventeen hundred and eighty two to seventeenth July last, amounting to One hundred and seventy six pounds, twelve shillings and five pence; Item an accot. due to the said William Brodie for Wright work done by him in the College, from ninth September seventeen hundred and eighty two to twenty first April last, amounting to Five pounds, eighteen shillings and nine pence; Item an accompt due to the said William Brodie for Wright work done by him in the different Churches of the City, from the twelfth of September seventeen hundred and eighty two to twenty fourth August last, amounting to Sixty six pounds, two shillings and one penny; Item an Accompt due to the said William Brodie for Wright work done by him in the Flesh Market, City Clerk’s Chambers, and sundry other parts belonging to the City, from fourteenth September seventeen hundred and eighty two to twentieth July last, amounting to Fifty nine pounds, sixteen shillings and eight pence, all Sterling money, Did find the said Accompts right summed, calculated and sufficiently instructed, and therefore were of opinion the City Chamberlain should be authorised to pay the same, as the respective Reports under the hands of the said Committee bears—Which being considered by the Magistrates and Council, They approved of the said Reports, and authorize and appoint accordingly.

It was from the said Committee also reported that they having examined ... an Accompt due to William Brodie for Wright work done by him to the City’s Engines, fire Cocks, &c. from twenty ninth November seventeen hundred and eighty two to twenty fourth May Last, amounting to Forty two pounds, three shillings and four pence Sterl; Did find the said Accots. right summed, calculated and sufficiently instructed and therefore were of opinion the City’s Collector of the Cess and Watch money should be authorized to pay the same....

It was reported from the Committee on the New Gift that they having examined.... Item an Accot. due to William Brodie for Wright work done by him in repairing the Pier of Leith, from first September seventeen hundred and eighty two to Second July last, amounting to Forty nine pounds, nine shillings.... Did find the said Accompts right summed, calculated and sufficiently instructed; But in regard the City’s Duty on Ale, &c. on which the said Accompts is chargeable is so much decreased that it cannot afford payment thereof, were therefore of opinion the City Chamberlain should be authorised to pay the same out of the City’s proper Revenue, to be charged as a debt on the said duty and repaid and made good to the City how soon that fund can admit thereof....

John Grieve, Provost.

II.

18th August, 1784.

... Upon a motion made in Council They remit to Convener Jameson, Deacon Hill, and Deacon Brodie to inspect the west wall of the Tolbooth and consider in what manner a Door or passage may be made thro’ the same in order that criminals may be executed there, and to report:

III.

24th November 1784.

... Pursuant to a late remit to the Magistrates to consider as to the manner of fitting up a place adjoining to the Tolbooth of this City for the execution of Criminals, there was produced in Council a plan for that purpose with an estimate by Counr. Jameson of the Mason work amounting to Twenty-five pound two shillings and an estimate by Deacon Hill of the Wright work amounting to Twenty-five pound both Sterling, which being considered by the Council They ordain the work to be executed accordingly.

IV.

11th April 1785.

... An estimate signed by Counr. Jameson and Deacon Hill that the whole expense in rebuilding the shops and parapet at the west end of the Tolbooth shall not exceed in whole the sum of seventy pounds Sterling exclusive of the Wright work for the platform and the machinery for an Execution conform to a former Estimate being considered, the Council removed the shop mentioned in the minute of the eighth curt. and authorised the work to be executed with all possible dispatch.

V.

13th April 1785.

... Appointed the Dean of Guild and his Council to visit the west wall of the Tolbooth and to Report to the Magistrates their opinion if an opening can be made there with safety and without hurting the building for the purpose of executing Criminals on the west side of the Tolbooth, with power to the Magistrates to authorise the same to be done as formerly intended.

VI.

20th April 1785.

... The Magistrates produced the following Report:—“Edinburgh, 13th April 1785. The Dean of Guild and his Council agreeable to the Council’s appointment visited the west wall of the Tolbooth and report their unanimous opinion that an opening can be made there with safety and without hurting the buildings (signed) Archd. McDowall D.G.” and informed that in consequence thereof they had authorised the intended work to be completed.

The Magistrates represented that after the maturest consideration they had appointed the west end of the Tolbooth to be the common place for the public Execution of Criminals and moved that an Act of Council be passed for that purpose in order that Archibald Stewart now under sentence of death may be executed there in pursuance of his sentence, which being considered by the Council They approved of the conduct of the Magistrates and declared the west end of the Tolbooth to be the common place of Execution now and in all time coming.

VII.

4th May 1785.

... Read a letter signed by William Brodie and authorized charter of the lot in Princes Street feued by him last year to be granted to William Pirnie, Mason—William Brodie subscribing the same as consenter thereto.

VIII.

11th May 1785.

... Signed charter in favour of William Pirnie, Mason, with consent of William Brodie Wright, of fifty nine and one half feet in front of the Plot marked E north side of Princes Street agreed to have been feued to the said William Brodie for payment of £3:14:4½ of feuduty commencing at Whitsunday 1785, and £10:13:4½ on the entry of each heir or singular successor. He paid to the Chamberlain Two hundred and eight pound five shillings Sterling of purchase money.

IX.

7th September 1785.

... Authorised Deacon Hill to make a moveable platform for the Execution of Criminals in terms of his estimate not exceeding sixteen pounds Sterling, to be executed at the sight of Baillies Eyre, Blair, and the Dean of Guild.

X.

12th April 1786.

... It was reported from the first Baillies’ Committee that they having examined an accompt due to William Brodie for putting a roof on the new reservoir in Heriots Garden and compared it with the Estimate, found that the same exceeded the sum in the estimate in £2:4:6 but that the additional charge is on account of the building having been raised six inches higher than the original plan and therefore were of opinion the City Chamberlain should be authorised to pay the accompt amounting to £103:10:6 Stg.

XI.

13th September 1786.... To Thomas Hill for work done by him in making a platform west end of the Tolbooth, Nineteen pounds seventeen 249 shillings and five pence half penny.... To Thomas Hill for erecting a second platform west end of the Tolbooth, Twenty-one pound seven shillings and eleven pence half penny.

XII.

20th September 1786.

... That part of the Sett entitled “Election in Special of Deacons” was read.

Then the said fourteen Incorporations being severally called, the following Persons were presented as their Deacons for the year ensuing:—

Surgeons—Forrest Dewar, Goldsmiths—Willm. Dempster, Skinners—James Brown, Furriers—Willm. Ritchie, Hammermen—John Milne, Wrights—Willm. Brodie, Masons—Robt. Dewar, Taylors—Jas. Richardson, Fleshers—Andrew Wilson, Cordners—Robert Moncur, Websters—Willm. Forrester, Waulkers—Thomas Tibbets, and Bonnetmakers—Adam Brooks.

It was reported that Edward Innes was elected Deacon of the Incorporation of Baxters.

The thirteen persons present were received, Sworn de fideli and authorized in their offices and qualified to Government by swearing the Oath of Allegiance and signing the same with the Assurance.

Then the chapter of the Sett entitled “New Council of Deacons” being read, the Council did proceed to make choice of six Council Deacons to be adjoined to the new Council for the year ensuing and elected the persons followings:—

Skinners—James Brown, Wrights—William Brodie, Masons—Robert Dewar, Baxters—Edward Innes, Fleshers—Andrew Wilson, Waulkers—Thomas Tibbets. All of whom compeared, except the said Edward Innes, who accepted of their offices, were sworn de fideli and qualified to Government by taking the Oath of Allegiance and signing the same with the Assurance.

John Grieve, Provost.

XIII.

28th March 1787.

... On representation from William Forbes, Authorised Deacon Brodie to make a timber press for the use of the City Clerk in the office kept by the said William Forbes.

XIV.

31st October 1787.

... Read letter from Professor Andrew Dalzell addressed to the Lord Provost, that in the course of the night of the thirtieth current the College Library was broke into and the University Mace was stolen from thence. Ordered an advertisement to be published offering a reward of ten guineas to be paid by the City Chamberlain for discovering all or any of the Persons guilty thereof, or any person in whose possession the said Mace shall be found.