[1705/6/195]*[print] [email] [cite]
Our sovereign lady and estates of parliament, considering that the exportation of beef and pork may be beneficial to this nation and that the right packing and curing will very much contribute to the improvement thereof, doth hereby statute and ordain that all beef and pork to be salted for exportation be packed in barrells of at least eight gallons measure, and be made and packed with forreign salt, and that the barrell contain no less as two hundred pounds weight of well pyned beef or pork, and that the said beef and pork be well salted and pyned at least eight days before it be put in the said barrell, and that all the barrells be of equal goodness. And that the pork may be the more sufficient, it's hereby statute and ordained that no swine salted for exportation be under a year old, that no more heads of pork be put in one barrell but what belongs to the pork therein packed, and that the barrells be made of good timber, well tichted, for which the couper is to be answerable, who is to put his name and mark upon them so as he may be discovered in case of any insufficiency in packing or salting. And if it be found that the beef or pork was insufficient in the packing or curing, then the couper packer shall not only be lyable in the damnages, but lose his freedom and be banished the toun where he resides, and that the merchant exporter of such insufficient beef or pork be lyable to the like penalties as are appointed by the act of this session anent the right curing and packing of herrings. And for advancing and improving the exportation of beef and pork, her majesty and estates of parliament doth authorize and command the collectors, surveyers, farmers and mannagers of the customes at the ports from whence the same is exported to allow the merchant exporter twenty shilling Scots of reward for each exported barrell thereof for sale, and ordains all magistrats of burghs, from whence beef or pork is exported, not only to take the couper's oath to be faithfull, but likeways to cause them find caution for their fidelity to the value in case they contraveen.