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Brewsters (women brewers) were often fined for selling ale at a higher price than was allowed by the town council. Such entries show historians women’s involvement in the brewing trade. The women are recorded under their husbands’ names because the husband was responsible for paying the fine. Note that different prices of ale set for allowed for freemen’s wives and unfreemen’s wives in this year. This did not necessarily apply every year.

The Scots version follows the translation.

16 October 1538

The said day, the wives of of Gilbert Malysone, Androw Craufur, Dauid Arrot, Williame Lowsone, Henre Collisone, Edwart Innes, Johne Reyd, Robert Rattre, Mathow Branche, Androw Blycht, Gilbert Skeyne, Thome Fynne, Wille Schiphird, Thome Trowp and each one of them were fined by the court for brewing of 16 pence ale, which they confessed. Likewise the wives of David Reche, Michell Wyll, William Sande, and Dougall and Thome Mayr, and each of them were fined by the court for brewing of 12 pence ale, being unfreemen’s wives and breaking the common ordinances. They are to forbear from doing so in time coming, and to amend their fault as the law demands, and that was given for doom (the judgment of the court).

The sayd day, the vyffis of Gilbert Malysone, Androw Craufur, Dauid Arrot, Williame Lowsone, Henre Collisone, Edwart Innes, Johne Reyd, Robert Rattre, Mathow Branche, Androw Blycht, Gilbert Skeyne, Thome Fynne, Wille Schiphird, Thome Trowp, thai, and ilkane of thame in amerciament of court for the brewing of xvi d. aill, of thair awin grant maid in jugment; and inlikvyse, the vyffis of David Reche, Michell Wyll, William Sande, and Dougall and Thome Mayr, thai, and ilkane of thame, in amerciament of court for brewing of xii d. aill, being vnfremennis viffiis in braking of common ordinans, to forbeyr in tym cuming, and amend as law wyll, and that wes given for dome.

Extracts from the Council Register of the Burgh of Aberdeen 1398-1570 ed John Stuart (Spalding Club, 1844), pp 157-8. Translation by E. Ewan