[1661/1/76]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, haveing heard a petiton presented unto them be the baillies and councill of the burgh of Mussilburgh, in name and as representing the toun therof, shewing that, for the better upholding of the Magdalen's bridge neir to the said toun, they wer impowered and warranted to exact one pennie Scots money aff each horse load that comes and goes alongs the said Magdalen's bridge, of which they have been in possession by uplifting the same these many yeers past; which, being bot small, comes much short of the expences waired out upon the saids bridges and mantaining therof, and of late the stormes and spates of water have been such as the litle bridge wes almost taken away and the other, being old, is become weak in the pillers so as it is lyk to decay, and the supplicants by that small grant of one Scots pennie on the horse load are so unable to repair and mantaine them that they are forced to imploy their oune common good upon mending of calsayes (especially that of Edgbuklinbrae and other necessary works) and the supplicants upon expending theron, and other publict works aforsaid, have borrowed and employed above tuo hundreth pund sterline, under the burthen wherof they ly as yet. And seing the grant of one pennie on each load passing the said Magdalen's bridge is so small, and that tuo pennies Scots on ilk load will be but inconsiderable and payed, for the most parte, by the incorporation of Mussilburgh and its liberties, besids that it is a common publict good knoun to the whole cuntrie, therfor, humbly desyreing the estates of parliament to grant the supplicants libertie and warrand to exact tuo pennies Scots for each horse load passing the said Magdalen's bridge for upholding therof and other bridges of so publict concernment, and for each cairt load proportionally seing the most parte therof will be payed by the nighbours of the toun and its liberties, as the petition more fully beares. Which being openly read in presence of the saids estates of parliament, and they therwith, being ryply advised, and haveing heard the report of the commissioners appointed by them for bills and trade theranent, the estates of parliament, for the better upholding of that bridge for the use of his majesties' leidges, gives warrand to the magistrats of Mussilburgh to uplift in tyme comeing tuo pennies Scots aff each horse load and eight pennies Scots for each cairt load passing alongs the said bridge.