Series 3 > Ayr Burgh accounts, 1534-1624

166
AYR BURGH ACCOUNTS
Master of
Work,
1589-90.
Treasurer,
i59°-9i-
{79V.)
A Special Mission. (Mr. Andrew Lokhert, John Lokhert’s son,
paid out the following sums to obtain a decreet for the repayment
of a loan by Ayr to the King.) Paid for the various documents
(letters, subscribed and sealed, an act of diligence, and the decreet),
<£9, 6s. 8d. For a breakfast to 3 advocates and a writer, £l, 2s.
To David Johnestoun, to get the bill passed, £l. To Mr. Robert
Scott, £7. To Mr. Alexander King, 1 crown, £2, 15s.1 To the
witnesses to a summons, 12s. To 3 clerks, to get the action called
and be our gude freindis quhen tyme requyrit, £3, 15s. To certain
servants, to knarv of our adversaris proceidingis, £l, 10s. At
the rasing of the decreit to the guidman, ane crorvne, £2, 15s. To
Mr. Robert Williamson, for his great faithfull travell, £2. To the
clerks of the Chamber and utheris our guid freindis for thair kind-
nes, £2, 7s. For making the town’s seal, with wax, silk cords, etc.,
£2, 12s. For wildfowl and other presents to various persons, £5.
For drinksilver at sundry times, £l, 10s. Mr. Andrew Lokhert’s
additional expenses as commissioner four times to the Convention
of Royal Burghs, £5, 11s. lOd. Allowed to him for his panis and
labouris tane in the torvnis effairis, £20. Total, £68, 16s. 6d.
Grand Total, £269, 6s. 2d.2
Credit balance, £67, 9s.
William Knox, Treasurer, 1590-91 3
Charge
The town’s rental, £269, 13s. lid. The Blackfriars annuals,
£18, 15s. lOd. The Blackfriars yards, £3, 14s. 6d. The Chorists’
annuals, £28. The Greyfriars yards, £2, 13s. 4d. The South Hills,
£15. The mill-ferme, 19 bolls at 5 merks per boll, £63, 6s. 8d.
Burgess-entries—16 at £5, 3 at £4, 1 at 5j merks, 9 at 5 merks—
£125, 13s. 4d. Total, £517, 17s. 7d.4
1 Scots currency was being rapidly debased ; in 1536 a crown had been
worth 17s. Supra, p. 72.
2 If the total is correct, the balance should be only £57, 9s. But the
total is probably wrong. The items given total to £265, 8s. rod., to which
there should be added £11 in respect of the 4 crowns. Further, blanks
are left in the MS. at two items (one for lime, one for iron-work at the
Brig) ; and a third item {for drink and meit) is quite indecipherable.
Probably, therefore, £279, 6s. 2d. is nearer the true total.
3 No date given for audit.
4 Should be £526, 17s. 7d.