[1703/5/198]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lady and estates of parliament, considering that by the ninth act, ninth session King William's parliament, intituled, act dischargeing the exportation of wool it is declared that, notwithstanding the general prohibition yet as to the export of English and Irish wool, the prohibition should onely endure to the then next session of parliament inclusive, whereby the prohibition is terminat, and her majestie and estates of parliament also considering the prejudice that would arise to the manufactories of this nation and improvement thereof by exporting English or Irish wool do, therefore, continue the prohibition as to English and Irish wool untill the next session of parliament inclusive, and all persons whatsoever are hereby discharged upon any pretence to export any sort or kind of wool under the pain and penalties contained in the act abovementioned. Provideing allwayes that notwithstanding any thing in this act, or the foresaid act or any former law, it shall be leisum to export all sorts of sheeps skins and lamb skins with wool upon them or otherwayes untill the said next session of parliament inclusive, declaring, nevertheless, that it shall not be lawfull to export such skins from any other ports within this kingdom excepting these of Borroustounness, Newport-Glasgow and Dumfreis. And her majestie, with advice and consent foresaid, ordaines the said skins to be packed at the said ports in presence of the collector or surveyor thereof, who shall be oblidged to seal the said packs gratis without delay, with power to any of the woollen manufactories or deaconries of the glovers within this kingdom to commissionat a person to attend at the said ports, and to concurr with the collector or surveyor in packing and sealing the said skins, which skins shall be lyable to a duty of five per cent of the value in place of all other duty to be exacted by the collector, without abatement (excepting mortlamb skins which are hereby allowed to be exported at any port in the nation free of any duty whatsoever) and the value of the said skins is to be according as the owner or exporter thereof shall estimat the same under his hand at or before sealing. And for preventing fraud, the owner or exporter shall be bound to sell the same at the estimat he puts upon them, the price being payed or really offered in ready money by the said person to be commissioned by the manufactories or glovers or any other persons who shall be oblidged to manufacture the same within the kingdom; and in case of such payment or real offer and refuseall of the price, the exportation is hereby prohibited. And it is hereby declared that albeit the wool, whither Scots, English or Irish, be not found or seized before exportation, nor the delinquents whether merchants exporters, masters, skippers of boats or barks, collectors, surveyors or waiters or other connivers, assisters or abbettors, their delinquencie or contravention of the foresaid act may be proven by their oath or otherwayes as accords of the law; and all this but prejudice of the foresaid act which still stands in its full force except in so far as it is hereby altered.