The true copie of the said instrument obligatorie.
Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hall. fol. Ccxlvj.
Be it knowne to all men by these present letters, vs Walter Bertraham, prouost of the towne of Edenburgh in Scotland, and the whole fellowship, merchants, burgesses, & communaltie of the same towne, to be bound and obliged by these presents, vnto the most excellent, and most mightie prince Edward, by the grace of God king of England. That where it was communed and agreed betweene his excellencie on the one part, and the right high & mightie prince our souereigne lord, Iames king of Scots on the other part, that mariage and matrimonie should haue beene solemnized and had betwixt a mightie and excellent prince Iames the first begotten sonne and heire apparent to our souereigne lord aforesaid, & the right noble princesse Cicilie, daughter to the said Edward K. of England; and for the said mariage to haue beene performed, certeine and diuerse great summes of monie bene paid and contented by the most excellent prince, vnto our souereigne lord aforesaid, as by certeine writings betwixt the said princes therevpon made more at large plainlie appeares.
That if it be the pleasure of the said Edward king of England, to haue the said mariage to be performed and completed, according to the said communication in writing, that then it shall be well and trulie, without fraud, deceipt, or collusion obserued, kept, and accomplished on the partie of our souereigne lord aforesaid, & the nobles spirituall and temporall of the realme of Scotland. And if it be not the pleasure of the said excellent prince Edward king of England, to haue the said mariage performed and completed; that then we Walter, prouost, burgesses, merchants, and commons of the aboue named towne of Edenburgh, or anie of vs, shall paie and content to the king of England aforesaid, all the summes of monie that was paied for the said mariage, at such like termes & daies immediatlie insuing after the refusall of the said mariage, and in such like maner & forme as the said summes were afore deliuered, contented and paied; that then this obligation and bond to be void, and of no strength. Prouided alwaies, that the said Edward king of England, shall giue knowledge of his pleasure and election in the premisses in taking or refusing of the said mariage, or of repaiment of the said sums of monie, to our said souereigne lord, or lords of his councell, or to vs the said prouost, merchants, or any of vs, within the realme of Scotland, being for the time, betwixt this & the feast of Alhalowes next to come.
To the which paiment well and trulie to be made, we bind and oblige vs, & euerie of vs, our heires, successors, executors, and all our goods, merchandizes, & things what soeuer they be, where soeuer, or in what place, by water or by land, on this side the sea or beyond, we shall happen to be found, anie league, anie truce or safegard made or to be made, notwithstanding. In witnesse whereof to this our present writing, and letters of bond, we, the said prouost, burgesses, merchants, and communitie, haue set our common seale of the said towne of Edenburgh, the fourth daie of Aueust, the yeare of our Lord God, 1482. Giuen in the presence of the right miehtie prince Richard duke of Glocester, Alexander duke of Albanie, the reuerend father in God Iames bishop of Dunkeld, & the right noble lord Henrie earle of Northumberland, Colin earle of Argile, Thomas lord Stanleie, maister Alexander English, and others, &c.
Gartier king of armes is sent into Scotland.
So that you see it was conteined in the said instrument or writing, that king Edward should intimate his pleasure vnto the said prouost and burgesses of Edenburgh, before the feast of Alsaints next following, whether he would the mariage should take place, or that he would haue the paiment of the monie. According to which article, king Edward sent Gartier his principall king of armes, and Northumberland herald, to declare his refusall of the mariage, and the election and choise of the repaiment of the monie. They came to Edenburgh eight daies before the feast of Alsaints, where (according to their commission and instructions) Gartier declared the pleasure of the king his maister vnto the prouost and burgesses of Edenburgh, to whom he openlie said as followeth.