Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/313

ELLEVENTH PARLIAMENT. XXIX. of Julij. 1587.291 firſt head Court after Michael-mes eirlie : Or failieing thereof, at onie ucher time, quhen the ſaids Free-Halders pleaſe conveene to that effect: Or that his Majeſtie ſall require them thereto: Quhilks con- ventioned, his Majeſtie declaris and decernis, to be lauchfull: And the ſaidis Commiſſioners being cho- ſen as ſaid is, for ilk Schireffedome, their names to be notified rlie in writte, to the Director of the Chancellarrie, be the Commiſſioners of the eir preceeding, and thereafter, quhen onie Parliament, or ge- nerall Convention is to be halden : that the ſaid Commiſſioners be warned at the firſt, be vertew of precepts of the Chancellarie : or be his Hieneſſe miſlive letters or charges : And in all times thereafter, be precepts of the Chancellarie, as ſall be directed to the uther Eſtates. And that all Free-halders bee taxt for the expenſes of the Commiſſioners of the Schires, paſſing to Parliament or generall Councelles, and letters of poynding or horning, to be direct for payment of the ſummes taxt to that effect, upon ane ſimple cvharge of ſex dayes warning allanerlie. And that the ſaid Commiſſioners authorized with ſufficient Com- ors of the Sehireffedome, fra quhilk they cum, ſealed and ſubſcrived with ſex at the leaſt of the Bar- ronnes and Free-halders thereof, ſall be equall in number, with the Commiſſioners of Burrowes, on the Artickles and hayv voit in Parliament and generall Councelles in time cumming: And that his Majeſties dues before generall Councelles, ſall be directed to the ſaidis Commiſſioners, or certaine of the maiſt eweſt of them: As to the Commiſſioners of Burrowes, in time cumming. And that the Lordes Councell and Seſſion, ſall eiriie direct letters, at the inſtance of the ſaidis Commiſſioners, for con- veening of the Free-haiders, to chuſe the Commiſſioners for the nixt eir, and making of taxation : to the Above written. And that the compeirance of the ſaids Commiſſioners of the Schires in Parliaments wenerall Councelles, ſall relieve the haill remanent ſmall Barrones, and Free-halders of the Schires, of their ſuites, and preſence, aucht in the ſaids Parliaments. Providing alwayes, that the ſaids ſmall Bar- ronnes, obſerve there promiſes and conditions, maid to his Majeſtie. Upon the quhilk declaration and ordinance, maid and pronunced be our Soveraine Lord, ſittand in plaine Parliament, as ſaid is; John Murray of Tullibardin, asked Actes and Inſtrumentes : And David, Earle of Crawfurd, Lord Lindeſay for himſelfe, and in name and behalfe of uthers of the Nobilitie, proteſting in the contrair.

114. The juſt quantitie of wechtes, mettes and meaſures.

FOr a meikle As in our Soveraine Lordis late Parliament, halden at Edinburgh, the twentie nine day of Julii, laſt by-paſt: his Hieneſſe and his three Eſtaites conveened therein, mooved be the generall com- plaint of all his loving and gude ſubjectes : Bot ſpeciallie the puir ſermorares and labourers of the ground: Gave, granted, and committed, full power and Commiſſion of Parliament, to his truſtie and well-beloved Counſellers, and utheris after ſpecified: They ar to ſay, Maiſter David Makgill, of Niſbet, his Hie- neſſe Advocate: Maiſter David Carnegie, of Culluthie: Robert Fairlie, of Braid : Sir Archebald Naper, of Edinbillie Knight, Generall of his Hieneſſe Cuinzic-houſe : John Arnot, Commiſſioner of Edinburgh: William Fleming, Commiſſioner of Perth : Robert Foreſter, Proveſt and Commiſſioners of Striviling: And Heugh Campbell, Proveft and Commiffioner of Irving : Oronie ſeven, ſex, or five of them conjunctlie: The ſaid Lord Advocate, being ane : To conyeene in his ludging, within the Burgh of Edinburgh, als oft as they fall thinke expedient, betuixt and the laſt day of Auguſt by-paſt, and there- after ſicht and conſideration of the Lawes and Actes of Parliament, maid anent mettes, meaſures, and wechtes, in time by-gane, and groundes quhairon they have proceeded, hayand regard to equitie and in- difference: To ſett, make and eſtablith ane juſt mette, meaſure and wecht, to be commoun and univer- fall, amangſt all OUR SOVERAINE LORDIS Lieges; To buy, ſell, receive, and give out: and to preſent the ſame to his Hieneſſe, and his privie Councell, betuixt and the twentie ſex day of Maij, nixt-to-cum ; That the ſame micht be notified, to all OUR SOVERAINE LORDIS Lieges, with all convenient ſpeede and diligence thereafter: As the ſaidis Commiſſioners wald anſwere to his Hie- neſſe, upon their obedience : Ordaining letters to be directed, to charge and compell hereto, gif neede be, informe as effeiris : Like as at mair length is conteined in the ſaid Commiſſion, given be Act of Par- liament, in maner foreſaid : According to the quhilk, a ſufficient number of the ſaids Commiſſioners, conveening, and having ſcene and conſidered, the ſaidis Lawes and Actes of Parliament, maidanent met- tes, meaſures, and wechtes, in time by-gane, and groundes quhairon they have proceeded, hayand regard to equitie and indifference: hes ſett, maid, and eſtabliſhed, ane mett, meaſure and wecht, to be com- moun and univerſall, amangſt all our Soveraine Lords lieges, to buy, ſell, receive, and give out, and thereupon hes delivered their report and concluſion, ſubſcribed with their hands, bear and in effect, that they have ſichted, red, and conſidered, the ſaidis Lawes and Actes of Parliament, maid anent mettes, mea- ſures, and wechres in times by-gane: the perfite grounds quhairon they have proceeded that is to ſay, the Elvand, the pund Trois, and the ſtane proportionat and effeir and thereto: the boll-metr, firlot and pock: the pint, quart and gallon, everie ane in their awin proportion. And hes found that maiſt wiſely, the proportions and grounds of all thir wechtes, mettes, and meaſures, hes bene ſa eſtablished of auld, that everie ane of them, comptrollis uthers, and be juſt conference, makis and eſtablithis, ane certaine mea- cand wecht, and therefore hes thoucht maiſt expedient, that the ſame proportion and comptrolment be obſerved in all time cumming. And firſt hes fund the Eln, and ſtand thereof, committed to Edinburgh,