[1540/12/70]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
It is statute and ordained that no manner of person to burgh or to land buy any manner of fish in market or other places to pack or peel until 11 o'clock in the morning, and from 11 o'clock to 2 o'clock in the afternoon it shall be lawful to buy fish and pack and peel the same as they think most expedient, and nonetheless, that all our sovereign lord's lieges, cadgers and others within this time of the day be served for their money for fish to the furnishing of the country; and likewise from 2 o'clock in the afternoon to six o'clock in the evening it shall not be lawful to pack or peel the said fish, but that all our sovereign lord's lieges at the said times of day may be served all manner of fish and buy the same for their silver, for sustentation of their houses and serving of the country; and that no manner of person in this realm, merchant or others, send or have any manner of white fish out of the same, but it shall be lawful for strangers to come within this realm to buy the same from merchants and freemen of burghs with ready gold and silver, or by bartering of sufficient merchandise with the said merchants, or with the owners thereof, for the necessary sustentation of their houses only; and where any persons have any fish packed or peeled, that they be ready at all times to sell the same to all our sovereign lord's lieges for furnishing and sustentation of their houses and the country, under the pain of confiscation of the same; and to stop rising prices in markets within burghs, it is statute and ordained that the provosts, aldermen and bailies of burghs on every market day pass and visit the markets and set a price on all manner of fish according to the time, and that they diligently enquire if any manner of person gives arles† or money on any manner of fish that comes to the market, to the effect that the same may be sold upon a higher price, that they take and punish the said persons as wholesalers, forestallers and resellers against the commonwealth.