[1641/8/218]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our soverane lord and estates of this present parliament ratifies the ellevinth act of the eighteene parliament of King James 6 of woorthie memorie, made anent coallhewares and salteres, with this additione: that becaus watermene who leves and draves water in the coallheughe head in this kingdome and gaitesmen who worke the wayes and passages in the saidis heughes ar als necessar to the owneres and maisteres of the said coaleheuches as the coallhewers and beireres, it is therfore statute and ordeaned that no persone shall hyre ore seduce any watermen and windsmen and gaitsmen without a testimoniell of the maister whom they serve, wnder the paines conteyned in the former actes in all poyntes. And becaus it is fund by experience that the giveing of great fees heathe beene a meane and way to seduce and bring coallhewares from ther maisteres, it is therfor statute and ordeaned that it shall not be laufall to any coallemaisteres in this kingdome to give any greater fee nor the soume of tuentie merkes in fee or bounteth wnder any cullour or pretext. And because the saidis coallheweres and salteres and otheres workemene in coalheuches within this kingdome doe ly from ther worke at Pasch, Yule, Whitsonday and certane other tymes in the yeer, which tymes they imploy in drinking and deboishrie to the great offence of God and prejudice of ther maister, it is therfore statute and ordeaned that the saidis coallheweres and salteres and otheres workemen of coalheuches in this kingdome worke all the sex dayes of the weeke wnder the paines falloweing, that is to say: that everie coallhewer or salter who lyes ydle shall pay tuentie shillingis for everie day, by and attour the prejudice susteened by ther maister and other punishment of ther bodies.