[1587/7/152]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
†Concerning the supplication given in and presented to our sovereign lord and three estates of this present parliament by the inhabitants of the sheriffdoms of Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Fife, Perth and others within this realm in the north parts thereof, making mention that where the whole passage, at the least the greatest part thereof, of the inhabitants of the said sheriffdoms resorting to our said sovereign lord and burgh of Edinburgh, where his majesty's laws are administered and principal town and seat of justice is, were by the bridge of Cramond, which now and has been this long time fallen down and no passage had or may be had thereby, through which, by the great abundance of water at the said bridge commonly running since the fall thereof, there are diverse persons perished therein and no common passage thereat, neither on foot nor horse, to the great hurt, wrack and discommodity of the whole lieges of the said sheriffdoms and others resorting thereto, whereupon they submitted themselves to his majesty of before, when remedy was promised to be provided, albeit as yet overseen, as at more length is contained in the said supplication; our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, has given and granted power and commission to [Robert Seton], lord Seton, the laird of Dundas, the laird of Craighall, the laird of Barnbougle, [Touris], laird of Inverleith and a commissioner for Edinburgh, or any three of them jointly, to pass to the bridge of Cramond at any time they please appoint, and there to examine and consider the said bridge and to confer thereupon with the most honest and ancient landed gentlemen dwelling adjacent thereto, and to consider the estate of the said bridge and if the same may be helped, and by what best means the same may be done, and to report their opinion and proceedings in the premises to the lords of secret council; and in case after the said report the said bridge be found remediable, our said sovereign lord, with advice aforesaid, gives and grants full power and commission to the lords of secret council to grant and appoint a reasonable general stent and taxation upon such parts of the country as they shall think most expedient for help and support of the said decayed bridge, and to make special act and ordinance upon the said taxation containing the form and order of payment and collection of the same, or else to grant power and licence to the said lords of secret council to set, impose and lift certain new customs for a certain space of all sheep, cows, oxen, horses, sacks of wool, hides and such others that pass long ways the said bridge to the effect above-written, in case the same be found expedient by the said lords of secret council after conference had by them thereupon with the aforesaid commissioners, and to make special ordinance upon the said customs containing the form and quantity of the said customs and how long the same shall endure, likewise and in the same manner as the said three estates might have done themselves.