Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/720

 I( x<5 The Third Seffion ofthefecond Parliament of juft, that the perfonal eftates of money mould bear fome proportion of the Burden, toward the relief of the Land-rent : Doth therefore, with Advice and Confent forefaid , Statute and Ordain , That every Debitor owing money within this Kingdom, ihall, forthefpaceofone year, from the Term of Mertin- mefs , One thoufand , fix hundred , feventy two , to the term of Mertinmefs , One thoufand , fix hun- dred , feventy three , in the payment of their Annual-rents for that Year , have retention in their own hands of one fixth part thereof, at the payment of the other five parts of the faids Annual-rents due for that Year as laid is. V. ACT concerning the 'Priviledges of Burghs Royal. Edinburgh, 10. of July, 16 y%. OUR SOVERAIGN LORD, taking into His ferious Consideration , how necefiar it is, for th Wealth and Welfare of this His ancient Kingdom.that Trade & Commerce be encouraged,both for tl Export of the grouth and Manufafturie of the Kingdom , and for the Import of Forreign Commodities , reqi fire for the ufe and fatisfaction of His People ; And lor that effecT:, that the Priviledges of the Royal Burro granted by His Majefty and His Royal Predeceflbrs, may be eftablifhed , and cleared from the many C01 troverfies and Debates rhat have been thereanent, to the great difquiet and expences , both of the Royal Bu rows themfelves , and other Incorporations and People of the Kingdom: Which Controverfies have arife concerning the extent of the Priviledges of the Royal Burrows ; and how far the Ratifications thereof granted by His Majefty and His Royal Predeceffors, and the Eftates of Parliament , have been derogate and. abrogate by contrair Cuftom, Or by Infeftments and Priviledges granted by His Majefty, and His Royal Progenitors; and fpecially the %$. Adt of the Parliament, holden by His Majefties Royal Father; of happy Memory, in the Year of God, 1633. entituled, Ratification of the Triviledges of the Royal Burrows, whereby all exportation of any Merchandice is prohibited to any perfons but theBur- gefles of Royalj Burrows, their Factors or Servants ; and all Perfons, dwelling out of Burrows, are pro- hibited ro a ufe any Merchandice, or to buy Wine , Wax , Silks, Spicery , Wald or ficklike Stuffs ; nor that none Pack nor Peil without the Kings Burrows, under pain of Efcheatof the Goods that ihould be top- ped, fold, packed orpeiled contrair to that Statute: And giving power to the faids Royal Burrows, or their Commiffioners, to fearch unfrce-mens Goods, intromet therewith as Efcheat, either within the Countrey or any other part. Which Priviledges fo extended, were never in ufe , and are higly pre- judicial to the common intereft and good of the Kingdom, and are by the faid Statute, extended far bcyon(J the ancient Priviledges of Burrows, repeated and confirmed therein ; applying the priviledges granted to Burrows generally to Royal Burrows only, to the prejudice of the Burghs of Regalities and Barrony, and extending of the fale of Imported Commodities which could only be underftood of whole fale , to the topping and retailing of the faids Commodities. And on the other part , the juft priviledges of the. Royal Burrows have been encroached upon by others, not only by exporting, but by importing of Staple-Commodities , without bearing burden with the faids Royai Burrows in the publick Taxations and Aids granted to His Majefty. For remeed whereof, His Majefty, with advice and confent of His Eftates of Parliament , Statutes and Ordains, that it is, and mail be the priviledge of Free-men of Royal Burrows, and no other Incorporation or perfon within this Kingdom, to buy or fell, in great or whole fale, Wine, Wax, Silks, Spiceries, Wald, and other Materials for Dying ; And that no other Incor- poration or perfon within this Kingdom, fhail have power to import or export the, fame, or to impoi any other Commodities, except fuch as are allowed to .them by this prefent AcT: .• But prejudice t Noble-men, Prelates, Barones and others , of their priviledge of importing any of the faids Goods, f< the proper ufe of themfelves and their families allaneriy. Likeas, His Majefty, with confent forefaid Doth hereby EnacT: and Declare, that it fliail be leifom to any of His Majefties good Subjects, or an perfon that fliall buy from them, to export forth of this Kingdom, by Sea or Land, all manner of Con that are of the Grouth of the Kingdom, all manner of Cattel , Nok , Sheep , Horfe , Coal , Sal: and Wool, Skins, Hydes, and all other Native Commodities of the Kingdom: And that it fliall be ii fom to the Burghs of Regality and Barony, by any of their Burgefles or Members of Society, to export i their own proper Manuta&urie , or fuch Goods as fliall be bought by them in Fairs or Markets. A that it fliall be leifom to the faids Burghs of Regality or Barony, or societies erected or to be erefted Manufactories, and ail others exporting the Native Growth of the Kingdom as aforefaid, to import, 1 return of the faids Goods exported, or of the Fraught and Hire of the o^hips, the Goods andComm< dities following ; viz. Timber, Iron, Tar, Joap, Lint, Lint-feed, Hemp, Onions, or other n ceflars.for Tillage or building, or for the ufe of their forefaid Manufafturie: And als, to top and reti all Commodities whatfoever. Likeas, His Majefty , with confent of the faid Eftates , Statutes and Ordaini That, if any man, not being free-man in the Royal Burrows, iliall be found to have in His poflefllon an Goods or Commodities to be bought or fold, exported or imported by him, contrair to this prefent Jtatutc, t