Anno 1680.
Die
20 Octobris
w Lublinie
[The words ‘w Lublinie’ are
Polish and mean ‘in Lublin.’ It is interesting to notice how the
brotherhood in Lublin gradually lost their knowledge of English, and
lapsed altogether into the language of their adopted country before the
book is filled up. Lublin, the capital of the province of that name, one
of the most fertile parts of Poland, is an ancient town, and, in the
seventeenth century, was a very important trade centre, being on the high
road from Dantzig to Hungary, and, therefore, to the near East.]
On the next are the
following entries:
In the name of the Blessed and ewer
Glorious Trinitie.
Anno Christi 1680. Adij 20: Obris In
Lublin.
Beeing Conweened a Certain
Number of our Countriemen whose names are under specified, and Calling to
mind that our Ordinaire Poore Boxe hath been by Negligent Collectors and
other owerseers greatlie wronged by unordered depurshments without consent
of the other Brethren and is so exhausted that to this date as aforesaid
nothing doth remain in Cassa, Therefore to prevent such disorder in future
tyme we hawe conferred together seriouslie and seriouslie consulted
thereabout, and that all may be conveniently acted we haue unaminously
consented to those pointes following—
First. . . . Anenst the
Order of the Collectors
1 We have In generall
chosen and apointed to be Collectors and Overseers of the ordinairie Poore
Box for the space of two years from the aforsd datte by name Mr Allexander
Innes [There are traces of the Innes family at Gryzmala, near Cracow,
where the register for the year 1640 records the death of one Andrew Innes
on August 20th of that year. He was a merchant.] and
Mr William Thomsone to have and Carie the charge thereof dureing the
aforsd time, and in the said space of two years nothing is to be depurshd
thereout either to distressed poor or anie other Casualities whatsover,
onlie a generall gathering to be used for such Redresses at the beginning
of the fornominate two years The Cassa list is only to be given to those
the Breethren In generall will allow and none to be chosen collectors
onlie those may be esteemed worthie for Conserwation of all gathered
moneys that the same being collected with dilligence may not in grouth of
tyme be forfeited as heretofore examplies warneth us, onlie most
Conscionablie preserved for the use of distressed Brethren.
Second. . . . Sundayes
ordinarie gathering
2 Wee haue unanimouslie
condiscendet and at present ordained that the silver plate or ordinarie
box should everie sunday be sent through our whole Countrieman and others
of our beliefs. In exacting moneys for assistance of distressed poor, the
said moneys being ordained to be delyvered Mr. Innes and Mr. Thomson and
they to keepe and exact accompt dureing the aboue specified tyme.
Thirde . . . Penalties for
quarrelers.
3. If, whiche God forbid,
anie quarrels or Controversies should befall amongst our Countrieman
either by beating or oprobious and Malitious words, for the which Cause
they are to be censured, and in agriement the pairtes having giuen
provocations to striffe (or both if guiltie) they are to be refined to
giue some certaine moneys being justlie exacted by them and the same to be
giuen in to the poor boxe for helpe of distressed breethren.
Fourthe . . . Those that
taketh Journey from home.
4. When it shall please God
that anie from our beloued breethren from this plase shall accomplish anie
Journey to forruign in safetie, the same journey being god-willing for
riping of benefit and gains, he is by vertue of this Convention Intreatted
to giue Liberallie to the Common poore box for assistans of the needie and
poor.
Fyft. . . . Anenst
Marriage.
5. If by divine Prowedence
anie person from this place may engadge himselfe in that lawfull and
inviolable bond of matrimonie and his nuptialls be celebrated within this
our Diocessis then by consent of this wee apointe he may giue some
competent portions accordinglie Considered to the Common Casse for
distressed poor, that God of his Infinite goodness may further prosper him
in his accomplished matrimonie.
Sixt . Straungers arrivall
in selling of goods.
6. And now by vertue of
this Convention wee here hathe unanimouslie Condiscendet seeing theur
arriueth heer severall of our breethren and Countriemen in selling of
goodes and ripeing of gains and benefite, Therefore wee determine and
Lawfullie require those our Countriemen and brethren if they desire to
live in unitie, peace and Tranquilitie with us they should be liable to a
certaine portione at ilke and everie tyme of theire safe arrivall here in
selling of goods: but withall nothing usuryed, onlie a conscionable
exactione of them for the helpe of the distressed and needie of our
brethren.
Seawenthe . for sojourners.
7. Wee have in generalle
Condiscendet also that seeing frequentlie seuerall of our Worthie
Countriemen and beloued breethren from else in their sojourneyeing further
through this Citie and diociossie, those not having goodes in selling,
Therefore it is to be requested of their Charitable liberalitie they may
bestow once in the yeare onlie some portion or benefite for the aide of
the Indigent, and suppose of their frequent arrival nothing more as once
in the yeare as aforesaid exacted of them.
Eight. . . . Those that
Remouves their Residence to
8. There happeneth that of
our freinds and Lowing breethren there may be some who under God taketh
resolutione to Transport himself further from here and choose elsewhere a
more Convenient residence and dwelling for himself and familie, Therefore
wee have apointed that all suche accomplishing suche resolutione before
his departure and Journeyeing from hence they may be liouble to dealle
bountifullie towards the poor and distressed remaineng, the same exactions
to be given to the Collectors at such tyme ordained that all things may be
wele ordered for the distributione to the needfull.
Ninethe . . . anenst
Legacies of anie departed Countriemen.
9. Sometimes it falleth out
that perhaps anie of our beloued Countrieman doth depart this vale of
teares and before deathe aproacheth bequeatheth by legacie some small
portione (plus minus) mantainance of poor and distressed Countriemen,
Therefore by this our unanimous conuentione wee apointe that whensoeuer
anie such legacies may happen within this our diocissie, that they may be
diligentlie and exactlie required and the same given and delyuered to the
Common box for preservatione to the necessitus.
Tenthe . . . Uniformitie
towards one another.
10. Aessil is consented
that the bond of uniformitie and Brotherhood may continue of further tymes
inviolated or broken and consequientlie for the maintenance of the same we
thought expedient that everie Collectione begathered aparte for all tymes
to come whereby in growth of tyme it may Increase to ous Competent soume,
not onlie for this tyme and use but for maintenance of poor and Redressing
of Injuries done to persons who are not able to vindicate their owne
wronges.
Elewenthe . . Collected
moneys disposal.
11. When it shall pleas God
that suche Collections may arise to anie soume that it may be
sufficientlie employed yearlie and rent taken but withall not disponed to
none without ane Convenient Silver Pand worthie of much more value as the
moneyes lent thereon as also nothing out of the Cassa disponed without
consent of our Worthie breethren our two chosen elders, to witt Mr. George
Jung and Mr. Patrick Gawdyn and the two Collectors who shall happen at
that tyme of anie neenfull disponeing.
Twelft . . For dissobedient
persons.
12. Touching Refractious
Persons, if anie shall be fond whiche wee will not expect sined (?) by
past ewills may be argument sufficient to leade ye most arrogant to a
credible remedie, wee haue thought expedient if such be not usurping
Prehiminence and Authoritie that they be not onlie unworthie of our
felloship but likewaise delated to the Churches which they either for the
present or may hereafter frequent; that they may be esteemed as Persons
Reiterated untill they be Reconciled to their Breethren and submitt
theselues to obedience and good order, for Wee being armed with unitie
amongst ourselves wee may be, through God’s guard the more able and in
Equitie to manage and Resist all daungers and oprobies of our enemies:--
N.B. It is Enacted by the
Consent of the whole Breethren that at the calling of anie Conventione,
the night before notice is to be giuen, either from the Elders or
Collectors at what hour on the morrow the meeting is to be holden and
those that apear not at determined tyme, having no lawfull reasons to
produce of their absence, are by this Convention alotted to pay 45 g to
the poor.
N.B. The Breethren being
Conveened anie there amonngst may be fond to divulge in publiq what is
Priwatelie
Treatted in generall amongst our
whole breethren; The Relator is to be Censured with penalties accordinglie.
GEORGE GAWDEN.
GEORGE JUNGE, Elder.
JOHN CHALMERS. 1
PATRICK GAWDON, Elder.
PELTER (?) HALL.
ALEXANDER INNES Collector.
JAMES GREGORIE.
WILLIAM THOMSONE Collector.
JOHN RITCHIE, Collector.
PETTER SOMMERWELT.
THOMAS BAYLE.
WILLIAM HAYKINS.
GEORGE BRUN (?)
PATRICE FORBES, 2
THOMAS MARSHALL.
GEORGE RICKARDS.
ARNOLD BERNARD KINCHER.
ROBERT FARQUHAR.
ABRAHAM SCHULTZ
ROBERT BELL.
CHARLES GALBRALTH, Collector.
In the next page, in a different
hand, is the following:—
In name of the glorious and
ever Blessed God the father sone and hollie gost.
[1 Records of the Chalmers
family are to be found both in Cracow and in Warsaw. In Cracow, according
to the registers of the Protestant Church at Wielkanoc, whither the
assembly moved to escape the annoyances of their Catholic neighbours, one
Caspar Czamer (Polish rendering of Chalmers) married Susan Peterson, in
1638. In 1641 Jacob Czamer married Elisabeth Orem. Under the date of A.D.
1642 is this entry: ‘I baptised Jacob, son of Jacob Czamers. The
mother was born Elisabeth Orem.’ On another page we find, ‘July 20th,
1666, William Czamer was buried.’ Wengierski, in his Kronika, or
Chronicles, under date of 1656, says: ‘Shortly afterwards (referring to
the burial of a Polish member), on September 30th, we buried Thomas Czamer,
the little son of Jacob Czamer, merchant, of Cracow.’
In 1648, a Jacob Czamer is
registered as living at Warsaw. It is possible that the whole family
migrated there, for Cracow records are silent about them after William’s
death, and one Alexander Czamer was a citizen of Warsaw in 1672. Alexander
Czamer, of whom mention is made in another part of the present book, was
four times Burgomaster of Warsaw. But he died a Roman Catholic in 1703.
He was buried in the Cathedral of St. John in that city.
As wejt, or
burgomaster, Alexander Chalmers was the most important person in the city.
He levied taxes, collected rents accruing from magisterial property, tried
and sentenced offending burghers. In criminal cases, appeal could be made
from his judgment to the Assessional Tribunal, over which the King’s
Chancellor presided. The nobility did not come under the wejt’s
jurisdiction, but were tried by the Grand Marshal for offences committed
within a three-mile radius of the city. Warsaw city enjoyed the Magdeburg
Law from about 1413; but the troubles caused by the Swedish Wars,
and the Plague so impoverished the burghers that they were unable to
withstand the jealousy of the nobility, who gradually curtailed their
rights.
Alexander Chalmers married
Christina Lang, who owed money to Alexander Ross in 1702 and again in
1712. The burgomaster’s house still stands in the Market Place of
Warsaw (Number 28). He was one of the trustees of the hospital of the Holy
Ghost in that city. Others of that name who are mentioned in local records
include: William ‘Czamer,’ who married a Polish woman, Anne Klinkiewicz,
somewhere before 1698. He was a town councillor in 1708, when he
sold a house in Warsaw. His name appears, in connection with municipal
business, as late as 1728. I have been unable to find any traces of
the family now living. Gomulicki, in his book on ‘Old Warsaw,’ supposes
that Alexander’s descendants went back to Scotland, like most of their
countrymen who came to Poland. Some items about this Chalmers family will
be found in Appendix II.
2 The Forbes family was
also known in Cracow, for the register of the Cracow Assembly of
Protestants of various nations in that city contains the following
entries:
1633. ‘Mrs Susan Forbes
died.’
1634. ‘Thomas Forbes
married Anne Hamar.’ Thomas Forbes was an elder of the congregation in
1633 and 1637. These entries are in Polish, and probably made by a Polish
pastor. ‘Mr. Thomas Forbes’ was buried by a pastor of the same assembly,
who writes:—’ Anno 1642, October 16th. I buried Mr. Thomas Forbes,
merchant and citizen of Cracow, aetatis 56 Anno. Vir probus, pius, rectus
ac modestus.’ In the reports, in Polish, of the Synodical meetings held at
Cracow in 1644, mention is made of a legacy bequeathed by ‘Mr. Forbes.’
The amount is not stated. The Cracow registers also contain the following
entries, in Polish:
‘1676 I buried Mr.
Carmichael’s youth, Alexander Forbes, who, falling out of a window, was
killed, April 16th.’
‘1702. October 13th.
Anne Forbes was buried under the chapel.’
‘1700. Robert Forbes lent
the Assembly two sums of money, of 12,406 and 6038 Polish zloty.’ ]
Condescended be the wholle
Congregatione or Conuentione of thee Natione of Scotes Protestant
Ewangelicall religion and brethren, that ane Charitable Portion shall be
bestowed and collected to thee maintenance of thomas Argyll elder acording
ane Petition from him by reasone of his unabillitie, to the soume yearlie
of curant monie in this countrie to witt florens on hundreth I say f 100,
naimlie the same to be delywered each quarter to his aieen hands to f 25
be our present ellected collectors or overseeres of the poores box as Alex
Innes and william thamsone or thair orders, and with god’s asistance we
promist to Continue the same to him Dureing his lyfetime beginning from
newyeare nixt ensuing which portione of f 100 as aforesaid we oblige to
collect amoungst our Selues willinglie for the first two ensuing yeares
till our forder adwyssement beginning from neweyeare next ensuing by
reasone that Chist or poore box being exhausted and readie monie nor monie
worth thairin till god of his goodness forder Prowyde. This aforsaid
unanimouslie Condescended and acted in George Young his dwelling or house
in Lublin this 20th October Anno 1680.