[1670/7/22]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, haveing hard a supplication presented unto them be the inhabitants and community of the toune of Dalkeith, mentioning that forasmuch as the late parliament wes pleased for the reparation of the tuo bridges of Dalkeith, upon the south and north waters of Esk and calsays therabout, to grant ane small custome to be raised of such commoditys and others therin specified as should passe the saids bridges for the space of fyftein yeers after September 1663, the petitioners, for reparation of the north bridge, did borrow tuo thousand, three hundred merks, bot diverse persons, to frustrat and prejudge the petitioners of the said small custome at the tuo bridges, passes at the foord of Elimoch upon Northesk and at that foord of Southesk that leids toward the west end of the toune of Dalkeith, wherby the collection at the tuo bridges is so unconsiderable that it does not pay the anualrent of the tuo thousand and three hundred merks borrowed for repairing of the said north bridge, with the fies of the persons collects it, and the south bridge, which is in hazard of ruine and calsays therabout remains still to be helped, the charges wherof will amount to tuo thousand merks, and seing that the petitioners are unable to pay the tuo thousand, three hundred merks alreadie borrowed, and to advance tuo thousand merks for repairing of the south bridge and calsay; humblie therfor, desyreing pouer and warrand to be granted to the petitioners for collecting of the customs mentioned in the former act at the said tuo foords, and of all that should be imported or exported to or from the toune of Dalkeith (except provisions for the inhabitants and families) and to prorogat the collection of the forsaid customs for a certane tyme, as the supplication at lenth bears. Which with the report of the lords of the articles made theranent, being taken unto consideration, the king's majestie, with advyce and consent of his estates of parliament, do heerby continow the impositions formerlie appointed be the act of parliament of the sevintein of September 1663 for repairing of the saids bridges and calsays to endure for the space of fyfteen yeers after the date heerof, and appoints and allowes that, for the said space, the said imposition shall be raised of the commodities and others underwrittin which shall pass the forsaids bridges and foords viz, of each mylne stone, six shilling[s] [and] eight pennies Scots; of each carte load, one shilling Scots; of each horse load of coals, lyme, victuall and ale, tuo pennys Scots; of each horse load of other goods, four pennies Scots; of every soume of sheep or nolt, four pennies Scots, and of everie horse goeing to the mercat, eight pennies Scots, with pouer to the magistrats, inhabitants and community of the said burgh of Dalkeith, or such as they shall appoint, to collect, intromet with and uplift the impositions abovewrittin, both at the bridges and fords abovespecified, dureing the said space of fyftein yeers after the date heerof, and to apply the same for repairing and upholding of the saids bridges and calsays.