[1641/8/48]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, considering that one of the chief ways for bringing in of money into this kingdom has been bullion, which now for lack of the true managing thereof is become unprofitable, therefore our said sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the said estates, statutes and ordains that in time coming all and every merchant passing out of this kingdom with any merchandise, or sending the same out of this country at the customing of the said goods, shall find security to the customs officers for importing and bringing in such quantity and proportion of bullion as by the laws of this kingdom is due for the said goods transported by them, and shall accordingly deliver the same and cause be delivered to the master of the mint-house, and shall receive back again his majesty's coin of this kingdom, and shall make faith that the same was brought by them from foreign parts or by others in their name. And discharges all payment of bullion beforehand and all agreements made regarding bullion one with another and paying of the same with his majesty's coin or with any silver that is within the country already, under the pain of doubling of the said bullion. As also, because the bullion is ordained to be paid to the master of his majesty's mint-house, who has his only residence in Edinburgh, and that thereby many merchants who dwell not within the said burgh will be put to great and unnecessary charges for a small matter of bullion, therefore it is statute and ordained and declared that it shall be lawful to the said merchants to send the same to the said master of the mint-house, providing he send therewith an attestation under his oath and hand if he can write, and under his mark if he cannot write, and both before two subscribing witness of magistrates or council of the burghs where they dwell, that the said bullion due by him was brought within this kingdom from foreign parts and that the same was not acquired nor bought by him within the same.