William Fairlie

William Fairlie or Fairley (fl. 1570–1600) was an Edinburgh merchant and burgess. Fairlie was frequently asked by Edinburgh town (burgh) council to survey and account for public works for the town council of Edinburgh. He was described as a "procurator" and a "collector" of the town's revenues. The dates of Fairlie's birth and death and details of his own mercantile business are unclear. He seems to have been the son of John Fairlie, a burgess of Edinburgh, and was later knighted. They came to own the manor of Bruntsfield in Edinburgh in 1603, which had been a property of Alexander Lauder of Hatton and his second wife Annabella Bellenden. Career The historian Michael Lynch has identified Fairlie as a member of an anti-Morton and anti-Ruthven faction on the burgh council in the early 1580s. His older brothers, Mungo and David Fairlie had been "queen's men" during the Marian civil war. In October 1579 James VI made a ceremonial Entry to Edinburgh. He was given a cupboard of silver gilt plate made by the Edinburgh goldsmiths Edward Hart, Thomas Annand, George Heriot, Adam Craig and William Cokky. The cupboard included a basin and a laver, two flasks, six cups and covers, four candle holders, a salt, a silver salver, and dozen silver plates. Fairlie was asked to oversee the gilding of the silver on 8 October and assist Henry Nesbit make an account of the expenses.