[1672/6/10]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forasmuch as the importing of victuall, horses and cowes from Ireland into this kingdome hath bein, by diverse publict acts and statuts, discharged undir great paines, and that, notwithstanding therof, sundry persones preferring ther owne private interests to ther obedience to the law and good of the kingdome, have adventured to import diverse quantities of victuall from Ireland, and have vented and sold the same in this kingdome, wherby the sale of cornes growing within the kingdome hath bein stoped, and much money hath bein unwarrantablie caried out of the kingdome. And his majestie, being resolved, for the good of this his ancient kingdome, to take ane effectuall course for preventing and restraining such courses for the tyme to come, doeth therfor, with advice and consent of the estates of parliament, statute and ordaine that all heretors, wodsetters and live-renters within the shire of Lanerk below Glasgow, and in the shires of Aire, Renfrew, Wigtoun, Dumbartan, Bute, Argyll and stewartrie of Kirkcudbright, haveing land on the sea-coasts; and the magistrats of the burghs of Glasgow, Dumfreis, Kirkcudbright, Renfrew, Dumbartan, Irwing, Air, Stranrawer, Rossa and Innerrary, give bonds that they, their tennents, or any duelling on their lands, or inhabitants within the saids burghs, shall not import or ressett any sort of victuall from Ireland, under the paine of tuelve hundreth pounds Scots toties quoties, and if any of that victuall shall happin to be livered within their bounds by persones not living within the same, that they also detaine and seas the victuall, vessell and persones therin, if they can be apprehended, undir the same pain, and if the importers make any forcible resistence, it is heirby declaired that the seisers and those who shall assist them shall be frie of all skaith or prejudice may fall out therupon; and that they give timeous notice therof to the lords of his majesties' privie councill or exchequer, who are heirby impowered to punishe the importers by fyning or imprisonment or both, as they shall think fitt. And for the vessells and goods whither imported by natives or strangers, they are heirby declaired to be confiscate, two pairts therof to his majesties' use and the thrid pairt to the seiser, whither he be heretor of the lands where the importation happeneth or not. And in case any heretors or magistrats shall suffer any victuall to be imported and shall not seise and certifie, as said is, and that any uther persone shall informe therof and verifie the same, this informer is to have the thrid of the goods if they shall be apprehended, and also the thrid of the fyne imposed upon the heritors or magistrats failyeing, as said is. Lykeas his majestie, with advice forsaid, doeth authorize the lords of his majesties' privie councill to appoint fitt persones to receave the subscriptions of the heritors, magistrats and uthers forsaids within the bounds abovewrittine, to the bond heirunto subjoyned. And if any of them shall refuise to signe the bond they are, for such refuisall, declaired to incurr the paine and penaltie of two hundreth pounds sterling and imprisonment dureing the councill's pleasure, besides that they shall be lyable to the same paines as if they had subscribed the bond. And for the encouragment and releif of such heritors and magistrats as shall give bond, as said is, it is appointed that if any victuall soe imported shall happin to be ressett in any of the saids shires or burghs, the ressetter shall be lyable to releive the heritor or burgh in whose bounds the victuall was livered of the fyne they incurred therby. As also, that the tennents and inhabitants shall also subscribe the same and, incaice of their refuisall, their tacks of their rowmes, if they have any, are declaired void, and they and all such vther tennents and inhabitants as have no tackes, are to be removed from their possessiouns and duellings by sentance of any judge ordinar befor whome the refuisall shall be proven, besides that they shall be lyable as if they had subscribed the bond and their persones to be imprisoned, dureing the pleasure of his majesties' privie councill, who are also heirby warranted to give commissiouns and allowances to fitt persones to seise any of the saids vessells that shall be water-borne within the waters, betuixt the heid of Kintyre and Lochryane, or within the western yles or any port, loch, creik or river from Lochryane to Dumfreis, as also to allow importation of victuall for such time as they shall think fitt, the price of victuall within the kingdome for the tyme being at eight pounds the boll of beir and meill, and ten pounds wheat or above. And last, his majestie ratifies and renews all former lawes and acts and proclamations of councill maid against importing of victuall, as said is, and ordaines them to be put to execution, except in soe far as they are altered by this act, and ordaines lettirs of horneing to pas heirupon in forme as effeires.
The tenor of the bond abovementioned:
I [...], in obedience of and conforme to the act of parliament against importation of victuall from Ireland, doe heirby bind and obleidge me that I, nor my tennents nor any uther persone duelling upon any lands belonging to me, shall not import nor ressett any victuall from Ireland. And if any victuall soe imported shall be livered in any bounds belonging to me, by any persone not living within my bounds, I obleidge me to seise and detaine the victuall, goods, vessells and persones therin, if they can be apprehended, and to give speidy notice therof to his majesties' councill or exchequer, undir the paine of tuelve hundreth pounds, as oft as I or they shall failyie in any of the premises to be payed to [...] and for the mair securitie [...].
The like bond to be given by the magistrats of the burrowes abovementioned for their inhabitants.