Lesmahagow

The Chamberlain's Account of the Cell of Lesmahagow A.D. 1556

Lesmahago, in the year of our Lord 1556, Veir, Chamberlain.

The account of that honourable man, John Weir, Chamberlain of Lesmahago (rendered at Melros on the first day of the monthof February, A.D. 1556), of all his receipts and expenses for fixed teinds and yearly returns of the said lordship, from the 23d day of December, A.D. 1555, to the date of his account and including all the terms under his account - namely, the Feasts of Pentecost and St. Martin, A.D. 1556. Auditors: The Lord Commendator of Kelso and Melrose ; Master William Schaw, Superior of Abernethy ; Master Walter Balfour, Rector of Linton ; and Lord Rudolph Hutsoun, monk. 

CHARGE - MONEY

Memorandum. - The comptate (accountant) charges himself with £59 : 19 : 4 of the mails (taxes) and money of the said lordship, arrears and expenses of his last account.  The amount of the charge is entered.

Item. The aforesaid charges himself with £195 : 4 : 0 for feu-duties of the said lordship during the term of this account.

Item. - £102 for the duties and teinds of the churches of Closburne, Trailflat, Robertoun, Urmistoun, Symingtoun, within the term of the account.

Item. - £112 : 1 : 2 for the Paschal fines and teinds of the Vicarage of Lesmahago for the year 1556.  The amount of this charge is £409 : 5 : 2.

Item - The aforesaid charges himself with £180 for the dues and teinds of the Church of Dumfries for the three by-past years, still owing, namely, for the crops of years 1553, 1554, 1555.

Item - For £40 for dues and teinds of the Church of Drumgray for the three years aforesaid, still owing.

Item - For £30 for the dues and teinds of the Church of Dunsyre for the three years aforesaid, still owing.

Item - For £120 for dues and teinds of the Church of Mortoun for the three years aforesaid, still owing.

Item - For £200 for dues and teinds of the Church of Kilmaurs for the three years aforesaid, still owing.

Item - For £200 for dues and teinds of the Church of Carlouk for the three years aforesaid, still owing.  The amount of this charge is £745.

The total amount of the money charge is £1214 : 4 :6. 

BARLEY

Memorandum. - The accountant charges himself with 1 chalder 11 bolls of barley, for arrears resting owing on account of the crops for the years 1553 and 1554.  The amount of this charge in entered.

The sum total of the barley charge is 15 chalders, 8 bolls, 1 firlot, 2 pecks. 

MEAL

Memorandum. - The accountant charges himself with 1 chalder, 3 firlots of oatmeal, resting owing on account of the crops for years 1553, 1554.  The amount of this charge is entered.

Item. - The accountant charges himself with 40 chalders of oatmeal for the dues and teinds of the church of   Lesmahago, for the crops reckoned under his head.

The amount of this charge is entered.

The total amount of meal charge is 42 chalders, 8 bolls, 3 firlots. 

OATS

Memorandum. - The accountant charges himself with 8 bolls of oats, for arrears resting owing on account of the crops for years 1553 and 1554.

Item. - The accountant charges himself with 2 chalders, 11 bolls of oats for the teinds of the Mains of Lesmahago under this account, adn with 1 chalder, 8 bolls of kane oats under this account - viz., 1 chalder oats for the lands of Authmaich (Auchenheath ?) and 8 bolls of oats for the lands of Altoun.  The amount of this charge is 4 chalders, 3 bolls of oats.

The sum total of the oat charge is 4 chalders, 11 bolls.

The amount of the whole charge is £1214 : 4 : 6 in money ; 15 chalders, 8 bolls, 1 firlot, 2 pecks of barley; 41 chalders, 8 bols, 3 firlots of meal ; 4 chalders, 3 bolls oats.

In addition, the accountant charges himself with 250 fowls, reckoning 100 for 120 according to Scotch custom, the fowls being instead of teind hay of the church of Lesmahago under this account. 

BARLEY

Item.- The accountant charges himself with 15 chalders, 8 bolls, 1 firlot, 2 pecks of barley, in addition to the charges for the crop of the year 1555, and the unsettled charges the former year.  The amount of this charge is entered.

Out of this there is allowed to the accountant, by payments made to five brethren in Lesmahago for their portions under this account, 5 chalders of barley ; and allowed to him, being in my Lord Duke's (James, Duke of Chatelherault, and second Earl of Arran.- Editor) hands for certain teinds at the date of the account of the lands of Authenaich, 12 bolls of barley ; and for the teinds of Thriepwod, Deffrane (Draffane) and Southfield, being in the said Lord Duke's hands, 1 chalder, 6 bolls of barley, by date of the account.  And for certain teinds of the lands of Evandales and Keip, being in the Laird of Preston's hands, retained for money, as will afterwards appear in the meal account, 2 chalders of barley.  And to Rowy, porter, is allowed for his office-fee, 2 bolls, 2 firlots of barley.  And allowed to the accountant in his fee of Clenne Dikis, 1 boll, 2 firlots.  And in the said accountant's fee of teh Wodheid, Blairannocht, 2 bolls, 2 firlots of barley.   And allowed to him for the expenses incurred to my Lord's commissaries and servants being in Lesmahago in December under this account, for the purpose of receiving payment of the feu-silver of Kylismure, 3 bolls, 3 peck of barley.  And for the home-bringing of the fuel to the pensioners during the year of computation, 1 boll of barley.  And sold by the accoutant for £90, 3 chaldrs 12 bolls of barley, the boll being reckoned at 30s., for which the accountant is reponsible.  And there is allowed for depreciation of the said bere, 3 bolls, 2 firlots of barley.  The total of this expenditure is, 13 chalders, 12 bolls, 1 firlot, 3 pecks of barley ; and there remains beyond the reckoning, 1 chalder, 11 bolls, 3 firlots, 2 pecks of barley, which stand as a whole. 

MEAL

Item. - The comtar charges himself with 51 chalders, 8 bolls, 3 firlots, charged above for the crop of the year 1555, and depending as aforesaid.   The amount of this charge is entered.

Out of this there is allowed to the comptar, by payments made to the foresaid five brethren and pensioners of Lesmahago, for their support during the period of this account, each one taking during the year, 7 bolls, 2 firlots, amounting to 2 chalders, 12 bolls, 2 firlots of meal.  And allowed to him, being in my Lord Duke's hands for the teinds of certain lands specified in barley account at the period of the account, 10 chalders, 4 bolls, 1 firlot, 2 pecks of meal.

The victual of the feu lands of Aithmaych, which is let in feu-farm, being comprehended in the said sum, the said Lord Duke paying for his said teind of victual in the year of the account £15, for which the accountant is responsible.  And allowed to the comptar, being in the Laird of Preston's hands,   by reason of his tack and set of the teinds of Evandale and Kyp, during the term of the account, 6 chalders of meal ; paying therefor during the year of the account, for meal and bere, £10, for which the comptar will be responsible.  And payment made to Gilbert Broustare for his fee, 13 bolls of meal ; and by payment made to  Gilbert Broustaare for his fee, 2 bolls of meal ; and to the boatmen of the Clyde for their service used and wont during the year of the account, 2 bolls of meal.  And by payment made to the  Friars of Lanark in alms, 2 bolls of meal;  and to the Gray-friars of Glasgow in alms, 4 bolls of meal.   And to the Black-friars of Glasgow, 2 bolls of meal.  And to poor folks in alms during the period of the account., 4 bolls of meal.  And to George Campbell, falconer, by mandate shown under the account, 14 bolls of meal : and to Henry Allockis wife, by the mandate shown under the account, 14 bolls of meal: and for the washing of the altar cloths, 1 boll of meal: and for leading of the pensioner's fuel.