[M1703/5/51]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Prayers said, the rolls called.
The minutes of the last sederunt read.
Ordered that the lord register cause print an exact list of all the members of parliament as they stand in the rolls, and that the earl of Dunbar be inserted in his place according to the decreet of ranking in the year 1606.
The act in favour of the Company Trading to Africa and the Indies read, voted and approved.
Petition by Patrick Steel, vintner, read, and the summons at his instance against his creditors being called and none compearing, there was protection granted him from personal execution for payment of all sums of money for a year and a day after this date.
Resolved that the parliament will proceed to consider private business the first meeting thereof next week as follows, namely: the action at the instance of [John] Kerr of Morriston against Sir James Cockburn [of that ilk]; the action at the instance of [Charles Home], earl of Home against Sir Patrick Home; the summons at the instance of [David Bruce], laird of Clackmannan against his creditors, and the other petitions and summons lying before them as they should be ready and insisted in.
The act anent the drawbacks for exported victual read and ordered to be marked a first reading.
The act anent the communication of trade being read again, there was a draft of an act offered and read imposing a tenth part of the ordinary cess payable by the royal burghs upon the shires, according to their several quotas of cess, to be proportioned by the commissioners of supply between the burghs of regality and barony and the land rent in the respective shires, which was ordered to lie on the table and allowed to be printed before next sitting of parliament.
The act prohibiting butchers to be graziers read again, and it being moved that the clause therein declaring all tacks of grass already set to butchers to become void for [...] years, to run after Whitsunday [15 May] next unless the same were tilled and sown with corn yearly, the vote was asked approve or reject the clause, and carried approve. Then a clause was offered allowing all persons to sell butcher-meat in all burghs of the kingdom every lawful day of the week, paying only the petty customs of the burgh, and thereupon the vote being asked add the clause or not, carried in the affirmative. After which the whole act was read, but before voting thereof, Sir Patrick Johnston protested it might not prejudice the privilege of the royal burghs, nor the rights of any incorporation or persons therein who are not heard before the passing of the act, and thereupon asked instruments. Which protestation was adhered to by Robert Inglis, Alexander Robertson [of Craig] for Perth, John Scrimgeour [of Kirkton] for Dundee, John Allardyce for Aberdeen, Lieutenant Colonel John Erskine for Stirling, Alexander Watson [of Aithernie] for St Andrews, Hugh Montgomery [of Busbie] for Glasgow, John Muir for Ayr, Alexander Edgar for Haddington, James Oswald [of Dunnikier] for Kirkcaldy, Robert Johnston [of Kelton] for Dumfries, Mr Alexander Cunningham [of Collellan and Chirrielands] for Irvine, Walter Scott for Jedburgh, William Coltrane [of Drummorall] for Wigtown, Sir James Halkett [of Pitfirrane] for Dunfermline, Robert Scott for Selkirk, Sir James Smollett [of Stainflett and Bonhill] for Dumbarton, Robert Kellie for Dunbar, Archibald Shiells for Peebles, Sir Alexander Ogilvie [of Forglen] for Banff, Mr William Johnston [of Sciennes] for Annan and Donald Campbell [of Shawfield] for Inveraray. Then the whole act was put to the vote and approved.
The lord chancellor, by order of her majesty's high commissioner, adjourned the parliament until tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
[James Ogilvy, earl of] Seafield, chancellor, in the presence of the lords of parliament†