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Forsamekle as it is understand to the kingis majestie and estaittis of this present parliament that be diverse actis of parliament, lawes and constitutionis heirtofoir observit all maner of Englis gudis brocht within this realme ar and hes bene evir subject and in use of payment to his hienes of ane certane custome and duetie propirlie appertening to his majestie as ane pairt of the patrimonie of his crowne, lyk as alsua uther sortis of claith, silkis stuffis and merchandice brocht within this realme fra forene nationes ar be ane act of his majesties nobilitie, counsaill and estaittis, of the date the thrittene day of Maii the yeir of God jM vC fourscoir sevintene yeiris, ratefeit and apprevit in the parliament haldin at Edinburgh in the moneth of December that same yeir, subject in the payment of ane certane custume to his hienes, and the mercheandis inbringeris of the saidis guidis aucht nocht to loss, brek bowke nor dispone thairupoun quhill the samin be first enterit, syne markit and dewlie custumat be the custumaris appointit thairto. Nochtwithstanding, the custume of the saidis gudis ar verie far oversene, to the great hurte and discommoditie of his majestie, inrespect thair is na seall appointit to be hungin to the saidis gudis according to the use and consuetude observit in utheris nationes, quhairby the gudis custumat culd nawayes be knawin be the uncustumat gudis, and sua be thair confusioun the mercheandis awneris and inbringeris of the saidis gudis immediatly eftir the arryveing and cumming of the saidis gudis within this realme lose, brekis bowke, sellis and conceillis the samyn and nevir offeris nor presentis na pairt thairof to be custumat conforme to the ordour, to the great prejudice of his hienes. Quhilk being now considerit be his hienes, his said nobilitie, counsaill and estaittis, and they finding that be the want of the seall his majestie is and hes bene greatlie defraudit of his custumes, ordanis thairfoir the haill custumaris within this realme to caus mak and prent ane seall and stamp of seill contening tua halffis for everie burgh and sea porte within this realme quhair they ar establissit custumaris, the ane half thairof contening 'Jacobus Rex', with his hienes armes and crowne, and the uther half the name of the burgh quhair the samin sall remane; quhilk seall and stamp sall be applyit to leid, being sua strukin and prentit with the said stamp, sall be hungin to everie wob, pece and stik of claith, silk and stuf of quhatsumevir natioun that heireftir sall be brocht within this realme be sea or land befoir the samyn be presentit to oppin mercat, sauld or onywayes disponit upoun; and the ane half of the said seall to be keipit be the custumar and the uther half be the clerk of the coquett, the awneris of the said claith, silkis and stuffis, payand the custume thairof. And to the effect the claith, silkis and stuffis presentlie within this realme may be knawin and decernit fra that quhilk heireftir sall be brocht within the samin, it is alsua decernit and ordanit that the custumar of everie burgh and sea porte sall repair to the duelling house and buithis within everie ane of the samin burghes and portis quhair they ar particularlie appointit custumaris and thair ressave the aithis of the awneris of sic peces, stikkis and wobbis of claith, silkis and stuffis as ar thairin, quhidder the samin hes payit the custume thairof or nocht; and sic as hes nocht payit custume that the samyn be than instantlie payit and the said seall, in takin thairof, hungin thairto and to all the utheris peceis, steikis and wobbis quhilkis sall be apprehendit within the saidis buithis and houses quhairof the custume hes bene payit of befoir, upoun the expense alwayes of the said custumar; and that the awneris of the said claith and stuffis require the custumaris within everie burgh and parte particularlie to repair to thair saidis buithis and houses to this effect within fourtene dayes eftir the publicatioun heirof, and forder to do and performe all utheris thingis quhilkis to everie ane of thame is appointit to be done in maner foirsaid, under the pane of confiscatioun of all the peces, wobbis and steikis of claith and stuf that sall be apprehendit thaireftir wantand the said seall, and that na maner of persones inbringeris of the saidis claith, silk and stuf within this realme in tyme cumming presume nor tak upoun to sell nor dispone upoun the samyn nor na pairt thairof unto the tyme the samin be presentit to the custumaris within the custume house, the custume thairof payit and the said seall, in takin thairof, hungin to everie particular peice of the samin as said is, under the pane of escheitting of the samyn; certifeing thame and they failye that all and quhatsumevir wobbis, steikis and peces quhilkis sall be apprehendit wanting the said seall sall be confiscat and intrometit with to his majesties use as escheitt with all rigour and extremities in exampill of utheris, and that lettres of publicatioun be direct heirupoun quhairthrow nane pretend ignorance of the samin.