[1641/8/290]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, by the tenor hereof, ratify and approve, for his highness and his successors in all time coming, to and in favour of the present deacon, treasurer and other brethren freemen of the weavers and burgesses of Edinburgh and their successors, a seal of cause granted in their favour in the month of January 1475 by the provost, bailies and council of Edinburgh for the time; together with a posterior seal of cause granted by the said provost, bailies and council of Edinburgh for the time to and in favour of the said deacons, treasurer and other brethren of the said weaver trade for the time and their successors, dated in the month of November 1584; together also with a decreet of the lords of privy council, dated at Holyroodhouse, 13 January 1603, in favour of the said weavers and cloth waulkers within this realm, regarding the restraint by merchants and traffickers of any linen or wool yarn under the pain of confiscation of the same, with the proclamation made by sound of trumpets and displayed coats of arms at the market cross of Edinburgh on a market day, being 17 January 1603; together likewise with a decreet given and pronounced before the lords of council and session upon 11 January† 1614 with the parties appearing in the court of appeals to and favour of the deacon, quartermasters and other brethren of the weaver trade of the said burgh of Edinburgh for the time and their successors, against the weavers, unfreemen in the Canongate, Potterrow, West Port and other parts thereabouts, finding them to have done wrong in coming within the liberty of the burgh of Edinburgh and receiving of yarn or stuff from the inhabitants thereof, and therefore determining and ordaining them to desist and cease therefrom in time coming, in all and sundry heads, articles, clauses, conditions and circumstances thereof whatsoever, with all that has followed or may follow thereupon. And further, his majesty, with advice foresaid, wills and declares and, for his highness and his successors, perpetually decrees and ordains that this present ratification is, and in all time coming shall be, of as great force, strength and effect to the said deacon, quartermasters and other brethren of the weaver trade, freemen of Edinburgh present and to come, for their peaceable exercising and enjoying of their trade and calling of weaver craft, without interruption by any unfreemen in burgh or landward by taking away of linen or woollen yarn or yet by coming in within the liberty of Edinburgh or receiving of yarn or stuff from the inhabitants thereof as said is, in the same way as if the said two seals of causes, decreets before the lords of secret council and session of the dates, tenors and contents respectively above-written were at length and expressly inserted and engrossed herein, concerning which his majesty, with advice foresaid, for him and his successors, has dispensed and dispenses for now and ever by this ratification. Excepting out of this present ratification the restraint of the exportation of yarn, the discharge whereof the king and estates remit to the commission granted for manufactories to be considered and determined by that commission accordingly as the weavers shall qualify before that commission the expediency and necessity of the said restraint. Reserving likewise unprejudiced by this ratification the privilege granted to manufactories by the said commission appointed for establishing thereof, and ordains the said weavers in whose favour this ratification is granted to do their work as well, as cheap and as timeously as any others of their craft and trade at the sight of the magistrates and town council of Edinburgh. And ordains letters of publication to be directed hereupon by deliverance of the lords of council and session at the instance of the present deacon, quartermasters and brethren of the weavers, freemen burgesses of Edinburgh for themselves and in name and on behalf of their successors against all and sundry unfreemen and others whatsoever, in burgh or landward, for prohibition of them of taking away of linen or woollen yarn and coming within the liberty of Edinburgh, receiving of yarn or stuff from the inhabitants thereof, except as is before excepted, under the pain of confiscation of the same as said is, so that none of them pretend ignorance of the same in time coming.