Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/473

 XXIII. T ARLIAMENT. IV. of <_Aug U J} i6zi. 45 -i above fpecified, under the paine of Rebellion, &c. And if they faile, to denounce, and efcheate , &c. And for their reliefe, that letters bee direfted, charging all and fundry inhabitants within each Burgh to, conveene, and eleftcertaine perfons, to ftent their neighbours. And the faid Election being made, to charge the perfons elected , to accept the charge upon them, in fetting of the laid Stent upon the Inhabitantes of every Burgh = and to conveene, and fet the fame , andmakeaStent-rollethere-upon, as effeires, with- in twentie foure houres next after their charge, under the paine of Rebellion , &c. And if they faile, to denounce, and efcheate, &c. And fuch like, the faid Stent-rolle being made, and fet down, as faid is, to charge the Burgefies, In-dwellers , and Inhabitantes , within each Burgh , to make payment of their partes of the faids Stent, to the faids Provefts and Baillies , conforme to the Taxt-rolle , to be given out there- upon, within three dayes next after the charge, under the paine of rebellion, &c. And if they faile, to denounce, and efcheate, &c. And if need bee, that the faids Proveft and Baillies poynd and dift'raine therefore, as they fhall thinke moft expedient. IT IS alwayes provided, Thatnoperfon whatfoever, beeftented, or taxed, within Burgh, except according to the availe, and quantitie of his Rent , Living, Goods and Geare, which hee hath within Burgh: no wayes refpecting his lands , nor pofleffions , which hee hath to Land-ward; for the which hee will be oblilhed to pay taxation to other OfBciars. Provi- ding alwayes, that the firft Tearmes payment of the faid taxation bee ever paft , before the next be charged for. AT TOUR, His Highneffe, and His faids ESTATES, Decernes, and declares, That the charges to be given for payment of the faid Taxation, mail be executed before the tearmes of payment above fpecifi- ed, for every tearmes payment particularly by it felfe. And that the denunciation of Horning following there- upon, mall not be executed until the tearmes of payment bee by-paft. Which denunciation fo following , upon the charges given before the faids tearmes of payment, the faids ESTATES decernes, and de- clares, tobevalide, and fufficient. ATT OUR, HisMAJESTIE, and the faids ESTATES, Confidering the great abufe which hath been ufed in all times by-gone, by fundry of the Lieges of this Realmc , againft all good confcience , in caufing theire poor Fermorers , Tennentes , and Labourers of their Ground , beeing removeable , who are fubjecT: in payment of very deare Fermes, and other duties , to relieve them of the whole burden of the by- gone Taxations : which hath beene the occafion of impoverifhing of a great number of the faids Fermorers , Labourers, and Tennentes, and bringing of them to utter wracke , and mine-. Whereas of reafon they fhould bee altogether free from the payment of any Taxation, and the fame mould bee payed by fuch as have free-rentes, lands, and goods of their ovvne. FOR REMEED whereof, it is itatuted and or- dained, That no perfons whatfoever , exact or compel his Tennentes, or Fermorers removeable , who payFerme, and other deare Duties, for the Landes occupied by them, to pay any part of this prefent Taxation, or to fute reliefe at their hands of the fame. And if the fame be found done by any perfons, that they mall be called, and conveened therefore , before his Highneffe Juftice , and his Deputies , as vio- lent and mafterful Oppreflburs of his Highneffe Subjeftes, and punilhed therefore, acccording to Juftice. AS ALSO, the faids ESTATES confidering, that befides the ordinarie charges which his Majeftie doth daily undergo, for the maintainance of the Honour , Eftate , and Dignitie of his Highneffe Kingdomes: the extraordinarie burthens, which now lyeth upon His Majeftie, by the occafion before-written, are fo great, and doeth lb neare concerne every Loyal and true hearted fubject of this Kingdome , as Members of that body whereof his Majeftie is the head, that in duetie they thinke themfelves bound to beare a part of that burthen, and to relieve his Majeftie thereof : THEREFORE befide the ordinarie Taxation above- written, the faids ESTATES have for the fpace of foure yeares, next and immediatly following the Tearme of Martinmeffe next-to-come, voluntarily, and freely granted unto his Majeftie, a yearly extra- ordinarie Taxation, of the twentie pennie of all annuel-rentes , winch any perfon or perfons within this Kingdome, hath freely due and payable unto them yearly or tearmly , ( their owne annuel-rentes, where- in they are addebted to others , being firft deduced) The firft tearmes pay ment whereof lhall be , and be- einne, at the faid Feaft and Tearme of Martinmeffe next-to-come -. and fo forth, yearly and tearmly, at Whitfonday and Martinmeffe , until the faids foure yeares , and the eight tearmes payment thereof, be fully and compleatly out-runne. AND WHEREAS the faids ESTATES have by A<51 of Parliament, authorized all and fundry heretable SherrifFes, Stewardes , Baillies , and Baillies of Regalities , and their Deputies , and the Pro- veftes and Baillies of Burro wes, who are heretable Sherriffes within themfelves, within die boundes of their Jurifdiftions : as likewife the Clerkes, within the Jurifdiclions where thefe Offices are not heretable : which Clerkes have their Offices _advitam~ to collect the faid Extraordinarie Taxation, and make pay- ment thereof to the Collector General, to be apointed by his Majefty for receaving of the fame. THERE- FORE, and for in-bringing of the fame extraordinary Taxation, The faids ESTATES Ordaines Let- ters to be directed, Charging all and fundry the faids heretable Sherriffes, Stewards, Baillies, Baillies of Regalities, and their Deputies , and the faids Provefts. and Baillies, who are heretable SherrifFes within lihcmlelves, as likewife the Clerkes within the Jurifdi&ions where thefe Offices are not heretable, That they