... Appointed the Dean of Guild and his Council to visit the west wall of the Tolbooth and to Report to the Magistrates their opinion if an opening can be made there with safety and without hurting the building for the purpose of executing Criminals on the west side of the Tolbooth, with power to the Magistrates to authorise the same to be done as formerly intended. VI. 20th April 1785. ... The Magistrates produced the following Report:--“Edinburgh, 13th April 1785. The Dean of Guild and his Council agreeable to the Council’s appointment visited the west wall of the Tolbooth and report their unanimous opinion that an opening can be made there with safety and without hurting the buildings (signed) Archd. McDowall D.G.” and informed that in consequence thereof they had authorised the intended work to be completed. The Magistrates represented that after the maturest consideration they had appointed the west end of the Tolbooth to be the common place for the public Execution of Criminals and moved that an Act of Council be passed for that purpose in order that Archibald Stewart now under sentence of death may be executed there in pursuance of his sentence, which being considered by the Council They approved of the conduct of the Magistrates and declared the west end of the Tolbooth to be the common place of Execution now and in all time coming. VII. 4th May 1785. ... Read a letter signed by William Brodie and authorized charter of the lot in Princes Street feued by him last year to be granted to William Pirnie, Mason--William Brodie subscribing the same as consenter thereto. VIII. 11th May 1785. ... Signed charter in favour of William Pirnie, Mason, with consent of William Brodie Wright, of fifty nine and one half feet in front of the Plot marked E north side of Princes Street agreed to have been feued to the said William Brodie for payment of £3:14:4½ of feuduty commencing at Whitsunday 1785, and £10:13:4½ on the entry of each heir or singular successor. He paid to the Chamberlain Two hundred and eight pound five shillings Sterling of purchase money. IX. 7th September 1785. ... Authorised Deacon Hill to make a moveable platform for the Execution of Criminals in terms of his estimate not exceeding sixteen pounds Sterling, to be executed at the sight of Baillies Eyre, Blair, and the Dean of Guild. X. 12th April 1786. ... It was reported from the first Baillies’ Committee that they having examined an accompt due to William Brodie for putting a roof on the new reservoir in Heriots Garden and compared it with the Estimate, found that the same exceeded the sum in the estimate in £2:4:6 but that the additional charge is on account of the building having been raised six inches higher than the original plan and therefore were of opinion the City Chamberlain should be authorised to pay the accompt amounting to £103:10:6 Stg. XI. 13th September 1786.