Act concerning the bullion

Our soverane lord, with advice of the estates of parliament, now presently conveened by his majesties' speciall authority, considering how much the penurie and scarcity of his majestes' coyne heer in Scotland is occasioned by the meannesse and smallnes of the proportion of the bullion at first imposed never heirtofore considerably augmented, notwithstanding his majesties' customes have been severall tymes augmented, enacts, statuts and ordaines that all commodities lyable in payment of bullion shall pay according to the rates mentioned in the alphabet of bullion after following, as the same is now augmented and condiscendit upon, which alphabet of bullion his majestie, with advice forsaid, ordaines to be printed and published. And to prevent all abuse and prejudice to the said mint that may occur and fall out by the customers exacting of his majesties' and his predicessors' their oune coyne from the merchants exporters of the commodities lyable in payment of the quantities of bullion as is aforesaid, or els exacting so much per ounce of the said merchant exporter to the great prejudice and utter destruction of the said mint, his majestie, with advice forsaid, statutes and ordaines that everie fermorer or customer within this his majesties' kingdome shall, by the advice and concurrence of the severall clerks of cockquet, cause all and everie merchant (whether native or forraner) exporter of the commodities lyable in payment of the quantities of bullion, set doun in the aforsaid alphabet of bullion condiscended upon and agreed to as the same is now augmented and ordained to be printed and published, find sicker, surety and caution or give pledges that he may ansuer for that bullion equivalent in proportion to the quantitie of goods exported be delyvered to the officers of his majesties' mint (and that of forrane bullion) either plate or brunt silver tuelve dinneir fyne, and being baser to be considered be weight and reckoning, and the said surety or pledges to be taken befor the said merchant receave his cockquet, transire or other warrand whatsoever for exporting the saids goods lyable in payment of the quantities of bullion, as is aforesaid, and prohibites and discharges all and everie of the saids customers and clerks of cockquet within this kingdome to exact or receave any of his majesties' or his predicessours' coyns or any other satisfaction whatsoever except the said forrane bullion at the fynness aforsaid, and that not only under the paine of deprivation of their offices, bot also of punishing of their persones and fyning of them in their goods by the appointment and at the discretion of the lords of his majesties' secreit councill; and to the effect any such collusion or transaction may be discovered, his majestie, with advice forsaid, statutes and ordaines that each persone dilateing or discovering any such collusion or transaction, as is aforsaid, shall receave and have payd to him the thrid parte of the value of the bullion that wes due to have been payed by the merchant exporter, but prejudice of the certification forsaid. As also, it is statute and ordained that the saids customers thair accompts be controlled upon the quantitie of bullion delyvered to the saids officers of his majesties' mint according to their letters of recept therof; and what rests not delyvered, that the customers be ansuerable therfore, and that the saids customers grant a convenient tyme for homebringing of the said bullion correspondent to the distance of the port at which the goods exported are to be delyvered, the longest time not exceiding seven moneths. And in lykmaner it is statute and ordained that the alphabet of bullion, as the same is now established and appointed to be printed and published, be of full force from the date of thir presents, and that all commodities exported after the said day be lyable to the severall proportions of bullion thairin contained, notwithstanding of any act or acts made or to be made in this present parliament in favours of any manufactories, companies of fishing or trade or other acts whatsoever which are heirby declared not to imped the payment of bullion augmented in maner forsaid.

Follous the A B C of bullion as it is now established be our soverane lord and estates of parliament

  Bullion
  Silver tuelve denerrs fyne
A  
Ashes, potashes, wood or soap ashes, the last four ounces
Aquavitae, the barrell containing ten gallons tuo ounces
Allum, ilk tuo hundreth weight tuo ounces
Anniz seids, ilk hundreth weight tuo ounces
Aples, ilk tuo bolls or ilk four barrells tuo ounces
B  
Barrell staves, the thousand tuo ounces
Bear, everie four bolls halff boll tuo ounces
Beiff, ilk three barrells tuo ounces
Beans, everie four bolls halff boll tuo ounces
Bear, called drinking bear the tun four ounces
Bell mettall, the hundreth weight tuo ounces
Bullets, four thousand tuo ounces
Birdlyme, ilk three hundreth weight tuo ounces
Brass, ilk tuo hundreth weight or barrell tuo ounces
Bridles, the grosse or tuelffe dozen tuo ounces
Brazile, ilk tuo hundreth weight tuo ounces
Butter: good ilk tuo barrells tuo ounces
- - - corrupt or Orknay butter ilk three barrells tuo ounces
Bridle bits, the grosse or tuelve duzen tuo ounces
Baikes, ilk fyve hundreth weight tuo ounces
Boots, ilk threttie pair tuo ounces
Buckram, ilk hundreth ells tuo ounces
Bark, ilk eight bolls tuo ounces
C  
Cables, ilk fyve hundreth weight tuo ounces
Cable-yearn, ilk thousand weight tuo ounces
Caird called: new wollen cairds, ilk sex dozen tuo ounces
- - - old woollen cairds, ilk tuelve dozen tou ounces
- - - stock cairds, everie four dozen tuo ounces
Cards called playing cards, everie three grosse or 36 dozen tuo ounces
Cheise, ilk fyve hundred weight tuo ounces
Coalls, everie four chalders tuo ounces
Cordages tarred or untarred, ilk fyve hundred weight tuo ounces
Corballs of oak, ilk tuentie pieces tuo ounces
Copper, ilk thousand weight four ounces
Cloath of all sorts, lining and wollen, ilk hundred ells tuo ounces
Cushons called sewed cushons of all sorts, ilk tuelff dozen tuo ounces
Cambrick, ilk hundreth ells four ounces
Coperas, ilk hundreth weight tuo ounces
D  
Dealls of all sorts, the hundred tuo ounces
Dornick, ilk hundred ells tuo ounces
E  
Egges, ilk three barrells tuo ounces
F  
Flocks, the thousand weight tuo ounces
Fustians, ilk three pieces tuo ounces
Feathers for beds, ilk three hundred weight tuo ounces
Flower, ilk four bolls tuo ounces
G  
Glew, ilk fyve hundreth weight tuo ounces
Gloves, ilk sex grosse tuo ounces
Grograins of Scots makeing, ilk four peices tuo ounces
Galls, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Girdles, ilk hundred three ounces three ounces
Ginger, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Glasses, called drinking glasses and glasse bottles, ilk tuelve dozen one ounce
Glasse, called window glass, ilk three chists tuo ounces
H  
Hemp seid, ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Hemp of all sorts, ilk eight hundred weight tuo ounces
Herring: white herrings, ilk sex barrels tuo ounces
- - - red herrings, ilk fyve thousand tuo ounces
Halberts ungilt, ilk three dozen tuo ounces
Hides of all sorts, ilk three dacker tuo ounces
Hose, bonnets and socks of woole made fyne in Leithwynd, Dundie and othe places in this kingdome, ilk fyve hundred pair tuo ounces
Honie, ilk three barrells tuo ounces
Horns: buck hornes, ilk fyve hundred tuo ounces
- - - hart hornes, ilk three hundred tuo ounces
- - - oxen hornes, ilk tuo thousand tuo ounces
- - - ram or sheip hornes, ilk fyve thousand tuo ounces
Horses or mears, ilk tuo thairof tuo ounces
Horses taills, ilk three hundred tuo ounces
Hooks, ilk tuo grosse tuo ounces
Hopes, ilk hundred weight one ounce
[Halfe lang skins, ilk ten daker tuo ounces
Hard wair, ilk hundreth weight one ounce]
Horse shoon, ilk hundred gang tuo ounces
I  
Jeists: of oak, ilk tuentie peices tuo ounces
- - - of fir, fourtie pieces tuo ounces
Jedburgh staves, ilk hundred tuo ounces
Iron: ilk fiftie stone weight tuo ounces
- - - ilk three ship pound tuo ounces
- - - ilk last eight ounces
[Iron pots, ilk three dozen tuo ounces
Iron-ordinance, ilk four hundreth weight tuo ounces
Indigo, ilk hundreth weight three ounces]
K  
Kettles, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Killing: ilk hundred and ane halff tuo ounces
- - - ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Knappell of all sorts, ilk fyve hundred tuo ounces
Kyne, ilk four of them tuo ounces
Knives, ilk tuenty dozen one ounce
Kombes of all sorts, ilk hundred dozen tuo ounces
L  
Lambs, ilk thirtie tuo ounces
Leid, ilk tuo thousand weight [or] fodder tuo ounces
Leid-ore, ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Leather called: wilde leather, ilk three dacker tuo ounces
- - - white leather, ilk four hundred skins tuo ounces
- - - leather points, ilk ten grosse tuo ounces
Lining cloath of all sorts, ilk hundred ells tuo ounces
Lint seid, ilk three barrells tuo ounces
Lint of all sorts, ilk eight hundred weight tuo ounces
Ling: ilk hundred and threescore tuo ounces
- - - ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Liquorise, ilk hundred weight one ounce
Lobsters, ilk tuo hundred one ounce
Lint wheels, ilk tuelve dozen tuo ounces
Leamons, ilk barrell of the measure of ten gallons one ounce
M  
Madder: cropt madder and all other ball madder, ilk tuo hundred weight tuo ounces
- - - fat madder, ilk three hundred weight tuo ounces
Malt, everie four bolls halff boll tuo ounces
Meall, everie sex bolls tuo ounces
Masts of all sorts, ilk dozen tuo ounces
Mittons, called woven mittons, ilk thousand pair tuo ounces
N  
Naills of all sorts, ilk tuentie thousand tuo ounces
Nuts, ilk eight barrells tuo ounces
Neidles of all sorts, ilk tuentie grosse, the groce containing 12 dozen one ounce
Night caps, ilk threttie dozen one ounce
New lit, ilk hundred weight, tuo ounces
O  
Oars of all sorts, three hundred containing sex score tuo ounces
Oats, everie sex bolls tuo ounces
Oxen, ilk three of them tuo ounces
Oyle, ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Orchyeard lit, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Onyeons and onyeon heads, ilk four barrells tuo ounces
Oisters, ilk tuentie thousand one ounce
P  
Pans of brasse, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Pans of yron, ilk fyve hundred weight tuo ounces
Passments: of silk of all sorts, ilk four pund tuo ounces
- - - of worsted or threid, ilk tuentie groce, the groce containing tuelve dozen ells tuo ounces
Pease, everie sex bolls tuo ounces
Penner and inkhornes, ilk tuo groce tuo ounces
Pewter, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Pistolls, ilk eight pair tuo ounces
Pitch great or small bind, ilk four barrell tuo ounces
Points: of silk, ilk four groce tuo ounces
- - - of leather, ilk ten groce tuo ounces
- - - of threid, ilk threescore groce tuo ounces
Pots of brasse, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Pots of yron, ilk three dozen tuo ounces
Powder, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Pyp staves, ilk hundred two ounces tuo ounces
Purses of leather, ilk four groce tou ounces
Plaiding, ilk hundred ell tuo ounces
Pepper, ilk hundred tuo ounces
Paper, ilk fourty reams tuo ounces
Plaids, called weareing plaids, ilk hundred ells four ounces
Phingrim, being a sort of plaiding, ilk hundred ells three ounces
Pruns, ilk tuo hundred weight one ounce
Pleuch socks and culters, ilk hundred tuo ounces
Pellet skines, ilk tuo hundred one ounce
R  
Ribbands: of silk, ilk four pund weight tuo ounces
- - - of worsted, ilk ten groce tuo ounces
Roset, ilk three hundred weight tuo ounces
Rye and rye meall, ilk sex bolls tuo ounces
Rasines, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Rae skines, ilk hundred tuo ounces
Runds of cloath, ilk three thousand ells one ounce
S  
Saill canvas, ilk tuo hundred ells tuo ounces
Sack cloath, ilk tuo hundred ells tuo ounces
Sadles covered, ilk tuentie four tuo ounces
Sadlestocks, ilk threttie tuo ounces
Soap, ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Salt, ilk three chalders tuo ounces
Salmond, ilk three barrells tuo ounces
Salt peter, ilk tuo hundred weight tuo ounces
Sayes: of Scots makeing, ilk fiftie ells tuo ounces
- - - of Flanders makeing, ilk fourty ells tuo ounces
Searges of Scots makeing, ilk fiftie ells tuo ounces
Sheep, ilk tuentie of them tuo ounces
Silk of all sorts, ilk four pund weight tuo ounces
Skins: calff skins, ilk three dacker tuo ounces
- - - clipped skines, ilk fiftein score tuo ounces
- - - cuning skines, ilk tuo thousand tuo ounces
- - - fulmert skines called sitchoes, ten dacker tuo ounces
- - - futfells and skaldings, ilk thousand tuo ounces
- - - goat skines, ilk three hundred tuo ounces
- - - kid skines, ilk thousand tuo ounces
- - - lambskines, ilk tuo thousand tuo ounces
- - - lentron ware, ilk thousand tuo ounces
- - - mariken skines made in Scotland, ilk hundred tuo ounces
- - - mertrick skines, ilk dacker tuo ounces
- - - otterskines, ilk tuo dozen tuo ounces
- - - shorling skines, ilk tuo hundred tuo ounces
- - - sealch skines, ilk tuentie dacker tuo ounces
- - - tod skins, ilk halff hundred tuo ounces
- - - veall skines, ilk four dacker tuo ounces
- - - woollskines, ilk fiftein score tuo ounces
- - - woolff skines, ilk tuo dacker tuo ounces
Sparrs: rooff spars, ilk hundred tuo ounces
- - - roff sparrs of oak, ilk tuentie tuo ounces
- - - wicker spars, ilk thousand tuo ounces
Shilling, everie sex bolls tuo ounces
Stirrop yrons, ilk ten dozen tuo ounces
Stirrop lethers, ilk tuentie dozen tuo ounces
Sword blaids, ilk three score tuo ounces
Swords mounted, ilk tuentie tuo ounces
Sword belts of lether, ilk tuelve dozen tuo ounces
Swyne, ilk ten of them tuo ounces
Sugar of all sorts, ilk sextie pund weight tuo ounces
Sythes, ilk thre score of them tuo ounces
Seathes: ilk fyve hundreth therof tuo ounces
- - - ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Shoos, ilk hundred pair tuo ounces
Starch, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces
Slyreland, ilk hundreth ells three ounces
Shewed beds, the peice tuo ounces
Sulfur, ilk hundred weight one ounce
T  
Takle, ilk fyve hundred weight tuo ounces
Tallow called Narves tallow, ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Scots tallow, ilk three barrells tuo ounces
Tar of great and small bind, ilk sex barrells tuo ounces
Tyking for beds, ilk hundred ells tuo ounces
Tows, ilk fyve hundred weight tuo ounces
Trumps, ilk fyve hundred one ounce
Tobacco, ilk hundred weight one ounce
Tobacco pyps, ilk fourty grosse one ounce
V  
Veals, ilk ten of them tuo ounces
Vinegar: of wine, ilk tuo tuns tuo ounces
- - - of bear or ale, ilk three tuns tuo ounces
W  
Wadmoll, ilk tuo hundred ells tuo ounces
Wainscot of all sorts, ilk threttie of them tuo ounces
Wax, ilk last or fourtein ship punds four ounces
Wheat, everie four bolls [and] halff boll tuo ounces
Whaleshot, ilk tuo barrells tuo ounces
Worstead yearne for shewing, ilk tuenty pund tuo ounces
Wooll, ilk sex stone weight tuo ounces
Wines, ilk tun tuo ounces
Wine sellers, ilk tuentie of them tuo ounces
Whingers or durks, ilk sextie of them one ounce
Y  
Yearn: cable yearne, ilk eight hundred weight tuo ounces
- - - cotton yearne, ilk sextie pund weight tuo ounces
- - - Irish yearne, ilk three hundred weight tuo ounces
- - - raw lining yearn, Dutch or Frensh, ilk sextie pund tuo ounces
- - - Scots yearne, ilk fiftie pund weight tuo ounces
- - - spruce or Muscovea yearn, ilk tuo hundred weight tuo ounces
- - - woollen or bay yearn, ilk hundred weight tuo ounces

[Clerk's note]

Memorandum. Ther is tuo acts, one for coyning of three thousand stone weight of turners and the other for a stock to the conyiehouse of this dayes' date which are registrat upon the 12 of July following.

  1. NAS. PA2/27, f.19v-22v. Back
  2. Sic. 'each hundred weight'. Back
  3. For two entries within square brackets see printed acts, 1662 (Tyler), NAS. GA12/05, p.60. Not in manuscript. Back
  4. For three entries within square brackets see printed acts, 1662 (Tyler), NAS. GA12/05, p.60. Not in manuscript. Back
  5. Sic. Printed acts have: 'ilk six hundred, tuo ounces'. See printed acts 1662, NAS. GA12/05, p.62. Back
  6. 'hundred weight' in printed acts. See printed acts 1662, NAS. GA12/05, p.62. Back
  7. Register has 'tuo ounces' but printed version has 'one ounce' See printed acts 1662, NAS. GA12/05. Back
  8. Note these two acts have been wrongly entered in the register, having been registered 12 July instead of the correct date 12 June. See f.100 and f.100v (1661/1/472 and 473) respectively. Back