THE SCHAW STATUTES
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The 1598 Statute (left) written by William Schaw gives a code of
rules governing the activities of Operative Masons in Scotland.
His second
Statute, written in 1599, addressed the issue of local organisation of Lodges
and gave the Lodge of Kilwinning (No 0, GL of Scotland) supervisory powers over
the Lodges of West Scotland.
The second Statute is seen by some as a "prototype" of those regulations
which govern the Provincial structure of Freemasonry.
Both Statutes are now preserved in the first Minute Book of the Lodge of
Edinburgh, Mary's Chapel. |
Introduction
The First Schaw Statute of 1598
Original Manuscript
The Second Schaw Statute of 1599
Original Manuscript Second
Schaw Statute
In
1583 in Scotland, William Schaw was appointed by King James VI of
Scotland (then an independent
Kingdom from England) as
Master of the Work and Warden
General. (Note: King James VI did not become King of
England until 1603)
In
1598, he issued the first of the now famous Schaw Statutes which set out
the duties of all members to the
Lodge and to the public. It also imposed penalties for unsatisfactory work and
inadequate safety during
work. His statute required all Lodges to keep written records and meet on
certain dates: this laid the
foundations for future fixed permanent Lodges as they are today.
The
second Schaw Statute bears the date of December 28th, 1599. They were written
particularly for the
Lodge of Kilwinning - now known as the Mother Kilwinning Lodge No. 0 (Scottish
Constitution).
It
would appear from the tenor and the contents of this document that the Lodge of
Kilwinning had pleaded
certain privileges and "ancient liberties" which the Statutes of 1598 had not
taken into account. Archibald
Barclay was delegated to lay the matter before the King, at Holyrood House, in
Edinburgh. The King being
absent from town, the Warden General (William Schaw) heard the delegate's
presentation of the matter and
issued thirteen additional ordinances for the particular benefit of the
Kilwinning craft. In a postscript he
explained that the settlement of other claims (not mentioned) would be referred
to the King "when occasion may
be offered".
The
most interesting aspects of the second statute are: memory of brethren
should be tested, that gloves need to be purchased, and that there
is a banquet (ie. "Festive Board" or "Harmony") to be paid for.
These two statues only ever applied in Scotland, and the requirement to keep
written records is why there is so
much more early information about Masonry in the pre Grand Lodge era in Scotland
than there is in
England.
Note: The source of these copies statutes
was found on a web page which now no longer exists. The
excerpts of original wording (in dark red) seem to have been scanned in and
optical scanning errors were not corrected.
Where possible, it has been corrected here in this copy, and where not a "..."
has been substituted. However, there may be
other scanning errors which are
not obvious and remain uncorrected.
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Edinburgh, the 28th day of December AD1598.
[Edinburgh
the xxiij day of December. The zeir of God ... four scoir awchtene zeiris.]
The
Statutes and Ordinances to be observed by all the Master Masons within this
realm. Set down by
William Schaw, Master of Work to His Majesty and Warden General of the said
Craft, with consent of the
Masters specified hereafter.
[The
statutis and ordinanceis to be obseruit be all the maister mdissounis within
this redline, Sett down be Williame Schaw,
Maister of Wark to his maiestie find generall Wardene of the said Craft, with
the consent of the maisteris efter specifeit.]
(1)
First, they shall observe and keep all the good ordinances established before,
concerning the privileges of
their craft, by their predecessors of good memory; and especially.
They shall be true to one another and
live charitably together as becometh sworn brethren and companions of the Craft.
(2)
They shall be obedient to their wardens, deacons, and masters in all things
concerning their craft.
(3)
They shall be honest, faithful, and diligent in their calling, and deal
uprightly with their masters, or the
employers, on the work which they shall take in hand, whether it be piece-work
with meals and pay [task,
melt, & fie],
or for wages by the week.
(4)
None shall undertake any work great or small, which he is not capable to perform
adequately, under
penalty of forty pounds lawful money or else the fourth part of the worth and
value of the work, besides
making satisfactory amends to the employers, according as the Warden General may
direct or, in the absence of
the latter, as may be ordered by the wardens, deacons, and masters of the
sheriffdom in which the work is
undertaken and carried on.
(5) No
master shall take away another master's work after the latter has entered into
an agreement with the
employer by contract or otherwise, under penalty of forty pounds.
(6) No
master shall take over any work at which other masters have been engaged
previously, until the
latter shall have been paid in full for the work they did, under penalty of
forty pounds.
(7) A
warden shall be elected annually to have charge of every lodge in the district
for which he is chosen by
the votes of the masters of the lodges of such district and the consent of the
Warden General if he
happens to be present; otherwise the Warden General shall be notified of the
election that he may send to the
warden-elect necessary directions.
(8) No
master shall take more than three 'prentices in his lifetime, without the
special consent of all the
wardens, deacons, and masters of the sheriffdom in which the to-be-received
'prentice resides.
(9)
No master shall take on any 'prentice except by binding him to serve him as such
for at least seven
years, and it shall not be lawful to make such 'prentice a brother or fellow of
the craft until he shall have
served other seven years after the completion of his 'prenticeship, without a
special license granted by the
wardens, deacons, and masters, assembled for that purpose, after sufficient
trial shall have been made by
them of the worthiness, qualifications and skill of the person desiring to be
made a fellowcraft. A fine of
forty pounds shall be collected as a pecuniary penalty from the person who is
made a fellow of the craft in
violation of this order, besides the penalties to be levied against his person
by order of the lodge of the place
where he resides.
(10) It shall not be lawful for any master to sell his 'prentice to another
master, nor to curtail the years of his 'prenticeship
by selling these off to the 'prentice himself, under the penalty of forty
pounds.
[Item,
it sall be no lesum to an maister to sell his prenteiss to ony ether maister not
zit to dispense wt the zeiris of his
prenteischip be selling yrof to the prenteisses self, ynder th pane of fourtie
pounds.]
(11) No master shall take on a 'Prentice without notice to the warden of the
lodge where he resides, so that the
'Prentice and the day of his reception may be duly booked.
(12) No 'Prentice shall be entered except according to the aforesaid regulations
in order that the day of
entry may be duly booked.
(13) No master or fellow of craft shall be received or admitted without there
being present six masters and two
entered 'prentices, the warden of the lodge being one of the six, when the day
of receiving the new
fellow of craft or master shall be duly booked and his mark inserted in the same
book, with the names of the six
admitters and entered 'prentices, as also the names of the intenders
[intendaris-instructors]
which shall be
chosen for every person so entered in the book of the lodge. Providing always
that no man be admitted
without an essay and sufficient trial of his skill and worthiness in his
vocation and craft.
(14) No master shall engage in any mason work under the charge or command of any
other craftsman who has
undertaken the doing of any mason work.
(15) No master or fellow of craft shall accept any cowan to work in his society
or company, nor send any of his
servants to work with cowans, under the penalty of twenty pounds as often as any
person offends in this
matter.
(16) It shall not be lawful for any entered 'Prentice to undertake any greater
task or work for an employer,
which amounts to as much as ten pounds, under the penalty just mentioned, to wit
twenty pounds, and that
task being done he shall not undertake any other work without license of the
masters or warden where he
dwells.
(17) If any question, strife, or variance shall arise among any of the masters,
servants, or entered 'prentices, the
parties involved in such questions or debate shall make known the causes of
their quarrel to the particular
warden and deacon of their lodge, within the space of twenty-four hours, under
penalty of ten pounds, to the end
that they may be reconciled and agreed and their variances removed by their said
warden, deacon, and
masters; and if any of the said parties shall remain wilful or obstinate, they
shall be deprived f the privilege of
their lodge and not permitted to work thereat unto the time that they shall
submit themselves to reason
according to the view of the said wardens, deacons, and masters.
(18) All masters, undertakers of works, shall be very careful to see that the
scaffolds and gangways are set and
placed securely in order that by reason of their negligence and sloth no injury
or damage [hurt
or skaith] may
come to any persons employed in the said work, under penalty of their being
excluded thereafter from
working as masters having charge of any work, and shall ever be subject all the
rest of their days to work
under or with an other principal master in charge of the work.
(19) No master shall receive or house [resset]
a 'Prentice or servant of any other
master, who shall have run
away from his master's service, nor entertain him in his company after he has
received knowledge thereof,
under penalty of forty pounds.
(20) All
persons of the mason craft shall convene at the time and place lawfully made
known to them [being
lawchfullie warnit],
under penalty of ten pounds.
(21) All
the masters who shall happen to be sent to any assembly or meeting, shall be
sworn by their great
oath that they will neither hide nor conceal any faults or wrongs done to the
employers on the work they
have in hand, so far as they know, and that under penalty of ten pounds to be
collected from the concealers of
the said faults.
(22) It
is ordained that all the aforesaid penalties shall be lifted and taken up from
the offenders and
breakers of their ordinances by the wardens, deacons, and masters of the lodges
where the offenders dwell, the
moneys to be expended ad pios usus (for
charitable purposes) according to good
conscience and by the
advice of such wardens, deacons, and masters.
For
the fulfilling and observing of these ordinances, as set down above, the master
convened on the aforesaid day
bind and obligate themselves faithfully. Therefore they have requested their
said Warden General to sign
these ordinances by his own hand in order that an authentic copy hereof may be
sent to every particular
lodge within this realm.
(Signed) WILLIAM SCHAW,
Master of the Work
[Maistir
o/ Wark.]
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original version
At Edinburgh the XXVIII day of December, The zeir
of God I' V' four scoir awchtene zeiris.
The statutis ordinance is to be obseruit be all the
maister maissounis within this realme, Sett doun be Williame Schaw, Maister of
Wark, to his maiestie And generall Wardene of the said craft, with the consent
of the maisteris efter specifeit.
Item, first that they obserue and keip all the gude
ordinanceis sett doun ofbefoir concemyng the priviligeis of thair Craft be thair
predicesso' of gude memorie, And specialie That thay be trew ane to ane vther
and leve cheritablie togidder as becumis sworne brether and companzeounis of
craft.
Item, that thay be obedient to thair wardenis,
dekynis, andmaisteris in alithingis concernyng thair craft.
Item, that thay be honest, faithfull, and diligent
in thair calling, and deill uprichtlie w'the maisteris or awnaris of the warkis
that they sall tak vpoun hand, be it in task, meit, & fie, or owlkiie wage.
Item, that name tak vpoun hand ony wark gritt or
small quhilk he is no'abill to performe qualifeitlie vnder the pane of fourtie
pundis money or ellis the fourt pairt of the worth and valo'of the said wark,
and that by and atto' ane condigne amendis and satisfactioun to be maid to the
awnaris of the wark at the sycht and discretioun of the generall Wardene, or in
his absence at the sycht of the wardeneis, dekynis, and maisteris of the
shrefdome quhair the said wark is interprisit and wrocht.
Item, that na maister sali tak anevther maisteris
wark over his heid, efter that the first maister hes aggreit w'the awnar of the
wark ather be contract, arlis, or verball conditioun, vnder the paine of fourtie
punds.
Item, that na maister sall tak the wirking of ony
wark that vther maisteris hes wrocht at of befoir, vnto the tyme that the first
wirkaris be satisfeit for the wark quhilk thay haif wrocht, vnder the pane
foirsaid.
Item, that thair be ane wardene chosin and electit
Ilk zeir to haif the charge over everie ludge, as thay are devidit particularlie,
and that be the voitis of the maisteris of the saids ludgeis, and consent of
thair Wardene generall gif he happynis to be pn', And vtherwyis that he be
aduerteist that sic ane wardene is chosin for sic ane zeir, to the effect that
the Wardene generall may send sic directionis to that wardene electit, as
effeiris.
Item, that na maister sall tak ony ma prenteissis
nor thre during his lyfetyme w'out ane speciall consent of the haill wardeneis,
dekynis, and maisteris of the schirefdome quhair the said prenteiss that is to
be ressauit dwellis and remanis.
Item, that na maister ressaue ony prenteiss bund
for fewar zeiris nor sevin at the leist, and siclyke it sall no'be lesum to mak
the said prenteiss brother and fallow in craft vnto the tyme thathe haif seruit
the space of vther sevin zeiris efter the ische of his said prenteischip w'out
ane speciall licenc granttit be the wardeneis, dekynis, and maisteris assemblit
for the caus, and that sufficient tryall be tane of thair worthynes,
qualificatioun, and skill of the persone that desyirs to be maid fallow in
craft, and that vnder the pane of fourtie punds to be upliftit as ane pecuniall
penaltie fra the persone that is maid fallow in craft aganis this ord', besyde
the penalteis to be set doun aganis his persone, accordyng to the ord'of the
ludge quhair he remanis.
Item, it sall no' be lesum to na maister to sell
his prenteiss to ony vther maister nor zit to dispens w'the zeiris of his
prenteischip be selling y'of to the prenteisses self, vnder the pane of fourtie
punds.
Item, that na maister ressaue ony prenteiss w'out
he signifie the samyn to the wardene of the ludge quhair he dwellis, to the
effect that the said prenteissis name and the day of his ressauyng may be
ord'lie buikit.
Item, that na prenteiss be enterit bot be the samyn
ord', that the day of thair enteres may be buikit.
Item, that na maister or fallow of craft be
ressauit nor admittit w'out the numer of sex maisteris and twa enterit
prenteissis, the wardene of that ludge being ane of the said sex, and that the
day of the ressauyng of the said fallow of craft or maister be ord'lie buikit
and his name and mark insert in the said buik w' the names of his sex admitteris
and enterit prenteissis, and the names of the intendaris that salbe chosin to
everie persone to be alsua insert in thair buik. Providing alwayis that na man
be admittit w'out ane assay and sufficient tryall of his skill and worthynes in
his vocatioun and craft.
Item, that na maister wirk ony maissoun wark vnder
charge or command of ony vther craftisman that takis vpoun hand or vpoun him the
wirking of ony maissoun wark.
Item, that na maister or farow of craft ressaue ony
cowanis to wirk in his societie or cumpanye, nor send nane of his servands to
wirk w'cowanis, under the pane of twentie punds sa oft as ony persone offendis
heirintill.
Item, it sall no'be lesum to na enterit prenteiss
to tak ony gritter task or wark vpon hand fra a awnar nor will extend to the
soume of ten punds vnder the pane foirsaid, to wit xx libs, and that task being
done they sall Interpryiss na mair w'out licence of the maisteris or warden
q'thay dwell.
Item, gif ony questioun, stryfe, or varianc sall
fall out amang ony of the maisteris, servands, or entert prenteissis, that the
parteis that fallis in questioun or debait, sall signifie the causis of thair
querrell to he perticular wardeneis or dekynis of thair ludge w'in the space of
xxiiij ho" vnder the pane of ten pnds, to the effect that thay may be reconcilit
and aggreit and their variance removit be thair said wardeneis, dekynis, and
maisteris; and gif ony of the saids parteis salhappin to remane wilfull or
obstinat that they salbe deprivit of the privilege of thair ludge and
no'permittit to wirk y'at vnto the tyme that thay submit thame selffis to
ressoun at the sycht ofthair wardenis, dekynis, and maisteris, as said is.
Item, that all maisteris, Inte priseris of warkis,
be verray cairfull to sie thair skaffellis and futegangis surelie sett and
placeit, to the effect that throw thair negligence and siewth na hurt or skaith
cum vnto ony personis that wirkis at the said wark, vnder pain of dischargeing
of thaim y efter to wirk as maisteris havand charge of ane wark, bot sall ever
be subiect all the rest of thair dayis to wirk vnder or w ane other principall
maister havand charge of the wark.
Item, that na maister ressaue or ressett ane vther
maisteris prenteiss or servand that salhappin to ryn away fra his maisteris
seruice, nor interteine him in his cumpanye efter that he hes gottin knawledge
y'of, vnder the paine of fourtie punds.
Item, that all personis of the maissoun craft
conuene in tyme and place being lawchfullie warnit, vnder the pane of ten punds.
Item, that all the maisteris that salhappin to be
send for to ony assemblie or meitting sall be sworne be thair grit aith that
thay sall hyde nor coneill na fawltis nor wrangis done be ane to ane vther, nor
zit the faultis or wrangis that ony man hes done to the awnaris of the warkis
that they haif had in hand sa fer as they knaw, and that vnder the pane of ten
punds to be takin vp frae the conceillairs of the saidis faultis.
Item, it is ordanit that all thir foirsaids
penalteis salbe liftit and tane vp fra the offendaris and brekaris of thir
ordinances be the wardeneis, dekynis, and maisteris of the ludgeis quhair the
offendaris dwellis, and to be distributit ad pios vsus according to gud
conscience be the advyis of the foirsaidis.
And for fulfilling and observing of thir
ordinances, sett doun as said is, The haill maisteris conuenit the foirsaid day
binds and oblisses thaim heirto faithfullie. And thairfore hes requeistit thair
said Wardene generall to subscriue thir presentis wt his awn hand, to the effect
that ane autentik copy heirof may be send to euerie particular ludge w'in this
realme.
WILLIAM SCHAW,
Maistir of Wark.
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As
the document is rather long, the several items have been somewhat condensed and
placed in an
ordered sequence. The
numbering of the paragraphs is done for purposes of convenient
reference:
(1)
Edinburgh shall be, in the future as in the past, the first and principal lodge
in Scotland; Kilwinning, the
second "as is established in our ancient writings;" and Stirling shall be the
third lodge, "conformably to the old
privileges thereof."
(2) The
warden within the bounds of Kilwinning and other places subject to their lodge,
shall be elected
annually by a majority [be
monyest]
of the masters of the lodge, on the twentieth day of
December, in the Kirk of
Kilwinning.
Immediately after election, the Warden General must be notified who was chosen
warden.
(3)
Agreeably to "former ancient liberties," the warden of Kilwinning shall be
present at the election of
wardens within the limits of the lower ward of Cliddisdale, Glasgow, Ayr, and
the district of Carrik.
Furthermore, the warden and deacon of Kilwinning shall have authority to convene
the wardens within the
indicated jurisdiction, when anything of importance is to be done, such meetings
to be held at Kilwinning or any
other place in the western part of Scotland included in the described bounds, as
the warden and deacon of
Kilwinning may appoint.
(4) The
warden of each and every lodge shall he answerable to the presbyters of the
sheriffdom for all
offences committed by masons subject to these lodges. One
third of all fines imposed for offences shall be
applied to charitable [godlie]
uses.
(5) The
wardens together with the oldest masters, up to the number of six, of every
lodge shall hold an
annual investigation of offences committed and try all offenders to the end that
proper punishment may be
meted out conformably to equity and justice and good conscience, according to
traditional procedure.
(6) The
warden of Kilwinning shall appoint six worthy and perfect masons, well known to
the craft as
such, to inquire into the qualifications of all the masons within the district,
as regards their skill and
knowledge of the trade and their familiarity with the old traditions, to the end
that the warden [and] deacon may
be answerable thereafter for all such persons within his district and
jurisdiction.
(7)
Authority is given to the warden [and] deacon of Kilwinning to exclude from the
lodges of the district all
persons who wilfully fail to live up to "all the acts and ancient statutes set
down from time immemorial,"
also all who are ."disobedient to their church, craft, council and other
statutes and acts to be promulgated
hereafter for good order."
(8) The
warden and deacon, together with the masters of the district
[quarter
maisteries]
shall elect a well
known notary [constitut
ane famous notar]
as clerk and secretary
[scryb]
who shall make out and sign all
indentures, discharges, and other writings whatsoever, pertaining to the craft,
and no writ, title or other
evidence shall be admitted by the warden and deacon, except it shall have been
executed by this clerk and
signed by him.
(9) All
the acts and statutes made by the predecessors of the masons of Kilwinning shall
be observed
faithfully and kept by the craft in all time coming; 'prentices and craftsmen
shall be admitted and entered
hereafter only in the Kirk of Kilwinning, as their parish and second lodge, and
all entry-banquets of
'prentices and fellows of craft shall be held in the lodge of Kilwinning.
(10)
Every fellow of craft, at his entry, shall pay to his lodge ten pounds to go for
the banquet, and ten
shillings for gloves; before admission he shall be examined by the warden [and]
deacon and the district
masters in the lodge as to his knowledge [memorie]
and skill, and he also shall perform an
assigned task to
demonstrate his mastery of the art.
(11)
Every 'prentice, before he is admitted, shall pay six pounds to be applied to
the common banquet.
(12) The
warden and deacon of the second lodge of Scotland, to wit Kilwinning, shall
obligate by oath all
masters and fellows of craft within the district not to associate with cowans
nor work with them, neither to
permit this to be done by their servants or 'prentices.
(13) The
warden of the lodge of Kilwinning, being the second lodge of Scotland, once in
each year, shall
examine every fellow craft and 'prentice, according to the vocation of each, as
to his skill and knowledge;
those who have forgotten any points they have been taught shall pay fines.
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original manuscript
XXVIII Decembris, 1599.
First It is ordanit that the warden witin the bounds of Kilwynning and vther
placeis subject to thair ludge salbe chosin and electit zeirlie be monyest of
the Mrs voitis of the said ludge vpoun the twentie day of December and that wn
the kirk of Kilwynning as the heid and secund ludge of Scotland and yrefter that
the generall warden be advertysit zeirlie quha is chosin warden of the ludge,
immediatlie efter his electioun.
Item it is thocht neidfull & expedient be my lord warden generall that everie
ludge wtin Scotland sall have in tyme cuming ye awld and antient liberties yrof
vse and wont of befoir & in speciall, yt ye ludge ol Kilwynning secund ludge of
Scotland sail haif thair warden pnt at the election of ye wardenis wtin ye
bounds of ye Nether Waird of Cliddsdail, Glasgow Air & bounds of Carrik; wt
powar to ye said wairden & dekyn of Kilwynning to convene ye remanent wardenis
and dekynis wtin ye bounds foirsaid quhan thay haif ony neid of importance ado,
and yai to bejudgit be ye warden and dekyn of Kilwynning quhen it sall pleis
thame to qvene for ye tyme ather in Kilwynning or wtin ony vther pt of the west
of Scotland and bounds foirsaid.
Item it is thocht neidfull & expedient be my lord warden generall, that Edr
salbe in all tyme cuming as of befoir the first and principall ludge in
Scotland, and yt Kilwynning be the secund ludge as of befoir is notourlie
manifest in our awld antient writts and that Stirueling salbe the third ludge,
conforme to the auld privileges thairof.
Item it is thocht expedient yt ye wardenis of everie ilk ludge salbe
answerabel to ye presbyteryes wtin thair schirefdomes for the maissonis subiect
to ye ludgeis anent all offensis ony of thame sall committ, and the thrid pt of
ye vnlawis salbe employit to ye godlie vsis of ye ludge quhair ony offens
salhappin to be committit.
Item yt yr be tryall takin zeirlie be ye wardenis & maist antient maisteris
of everie ludge extending to sex personis quha sall tak tryall of ye offenss, yt
punishment may be execut conforme to equitie & iustice & guid conscience & ye
antient ordor.
Item it is ordanit be my lord warden generall that the warden of Kilwynning
as secund in Scotland, elect and chuis sex of the maist perfyt and worthiest of
memorie within (thair boundis,) to tak tryall of the qualificatioun of the haill
masonis within the boundis foirsaid of thair airt, craft, scyance and antient
memorie; To the effect the warden deakin may be answerable heiraftir for sic
p(er)sonis as Js qmittit to him & wthin his bounds and jurisdictioun.
Item conunissioun in gewin to ye warden and deakon of Kilwynning as secund
luge, to secluid and away put ftirthe of yr societe and cumpanie all psonis
disobedient to fulfil & obey ye haill acts and antient statutts sett doun of
befoir of guid memorie, and all psonis disobedient eyr to kirk craft counsall
and uyris statutts and acts to be mayd heireftir for ane guid ordour.
Item it is ordainit be my lord warden generall that the warden and deakyn to
be pnt of his quarter maisteris elect cheis and constitut ane famous notar as
ordinar clark and scryb, and yat ye said notar to be chosinge sall occupye the
office, and that all indentouris discharges and vtheris wrytis quhatsumevir,
perteining to ye craft salbe onlie wrytin be ye clark and that na maner of wryt
neyther tityll nor other evident to be admit be ye said warden and deakin befoir
yame, except it be maid be ye said clark and subscryuit wt his hand.
Item It is ordanit be my lord generall that ye hale auld antient actis and
statutis maid of befoir be ye predicessrs of ye masonis ofkilwynning be observit
faithftillie and kepit be ye craftis in all tymes cuminge, and that na prenteis
nor craftis man, in ony tymes heireftir be admittit nor enterit Bot onlie wthin
the kirk of Kilwynning as his paroche and secund ludge, and that all bankatts
for entrie of prenteis or fallow of crafts to be maid wthin ye said lug of
Kilwynning.
Itemltis ordanit that all fallows of craft at his entrie pay to ye commoun
bokis of ye luge the soume of ten punds monie, wt x s. worthe of gluiffis or
euire he be admitit and that for the bankatt, And that he be not adrrtitit
wthout ane sufficient essay and pruife of memorie and art of craft be the warden
deacon and quarter mrs of ye lug, conforme to ye foirmer and qrthrow yai may be
ye mair answerable to ye generall warden.
Item that all prentessis to be admitit be not admittit qll first pay to ye
commoun bankat foiresaid the sowme of sex punds monie, utherwyes to pay the
bankat for ye haill members of craft wthin the said ludge and prentessis yrof.
Item It is ordanit that the warden and deakis of ye secund luge of Scotland
pnt of Kilwynning, sall tak the aythe, fidelitie and trewthe of all mrs and
fallowis of craft wthin ye haill bounds commitit to yr charge, zeirlie that thai
sall not accumpanie wth cowans nor work with diame, nor any ofyr servands or
prenteisses wndir ye paine of ye penaltie contenit in ye foirmer actis and
peying yrof.
Item It is ordanit be ye generall warden, That ye warden of ye lug of
Kilwynning, being the secund lug in Scotland, tak tryall of ye airt of memorie
and science yrof, of everie fellowe of craft and everie prenteiss according to
ayr of yr vocations; and in cais yat yai haue lost ony point yrof dvied to thame
To pay the penaltie as followis for yr slewthfulness, viz., Ilk fallow of craft,
xx s., Ilk prentess, x s., and that to be payit to ye box for ane commoun weill
zeirlie & yat conforme to the commoun vs and pratik of the commoun lugs of this
realm.
And for the fulfilling, observiiige and keping of thir statutis and all oyr
actis and statuttis maid of befoir and to be maid be ye warden deaconis and
quarter mrs of ye lugis foirsads for guid ordor keping confonn to equitie
justice & antient ordor to ye makinge and setting doun qrof ye generall warden
hes gevin his power and conunissionto the said warden and yrs abouevrtn to sett
doun & mak actis conforme as accords to ye office law. And in signe and taking
yrof I the generall warden of Scotland hes sett doun and causit pen yir actis &
statutis And hes sybscryuit ye smyis wt my hand eftr ye testimoniale on this syd
and on the uther syd.
Be it Kend to the warden dekyn and to the mrs of the ludge of Kilwynning That
Archibald Barklay being directit commissioner fra the said ludge comperit in Edr
the twentie sevin & twentie awcht of December Instant quhair the said
Archibald in pns of the warden generall & the mrs of the ludge of Edr,
producit his commissioun, and behaifit himself verie honestlie and cairfullie
for the discharge of sik thingis as was committit into him; bot be ressone of
the absence of his Maitie out of the toun and yt thair was na mrs bot the tudge
of Edr convenit at this tyme, We culd not get ane satlat order (as the
privileges ofthe craft requyris) tane at this tyme, bot heirefter quhan
occasioun sal be offerit we sall get his Maities warrand baith for the
authorizing of the ludgeis privilegeis, and ane penaltie set down for the
dissobedient personis and perturberis of all guid ordor. Thus far I thocht guid
to sgnifievn to the haill brether of the ludge, vnto the neist commoditie In
witnes heirof, I haif subscriuit this pnt wt my hand at Halyrudhous the twentie
awcht day of December The zeir of God ImV' fourscoir nynetene zeirs.
WILLIAM SCHAW,
Maistir of Wark, Wairden of ye Maisons.
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