[A1588/4/1]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
[A1588/4/2]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forasmuch as our sovereign lord, his nobility, council and estates presently convened, following the privilege granted to them by act of his highness's parliament held in July 1587 touching his majesty's marriage, have thought suitable, concluded and agreed that for sustaining of the honourable charges and expenses to be made upon the same, his marriage now appointed to be accomplished with all convenient expedition, there shall be collected and lifted a taxation of £100,000 and paid at the terms following: that is to say, £50,000 between now and the feast of Martinmas [11 November] coming in this instant year of God 1588, £25,000 between now and the feast of Martinmas thereafter in the year of God 1589, and £25,000 in complete payment of the said taxation of £100,000 between now and the feast of Martinmas next and immediately thereafter following in the year of God 1590; to the payment whereof all sorts and degrees of persons without exception shall be subjected according to their rents and ability proportionally, notwithstanding any privilege or exemption passed or granted of before in the contrary, deducting and allowing £6,000 of the burghs' part thereof advanced by them for this purpose of before, according to the acts of secret council made thereupon. And to the effect the same tax may be collected to this necessary and honourable use and no other way applied nor disposed upon, his highness, with advice of the said nobility, council and estates, has also concluded and resolved that no precepts be directed for payment of any part of the said tax to whatsoever person or persons, nor the same precepts in any way answered by the collectors which shall be nominated and appointed by the ambassadors only to be directed for this purpose, unless the same precepts be subscribed by ten persons of every estate; for refusing and accepting of the which precepts, notwithstanding any letters or charges to be directed in the contrary, this act shall serve to the said collectors for a sufficient warrant. And because his majesty and the said lords find some difficulty presently in setting and dividing of the said tax amongst his highness's estates by reason of the late act of annexation and erection of some parts of the kirk rents in temporal lordships, with provision that the same shall be taxed with the estate of the barons in time coming and sundry other causes, therefore ordain the commissioners specified in his highness's late act of parliament made concerning the setting and dividing of taxations, to be convened at Edinburgh on 15 May 1588 by his majesty's missive letters to be directed to them, to consider the occasions of the complaints made by diverse his highness's subjects concerning their unequal taxing in sundry taxations that have been raised of late years for his majesty's service and common affairs of the realm, and to see the retours and old tax rolls, as well of the spirituality as temporality and burghs, what was the ancient form of setting of taxations in time past and how far the same differs from the form used within this realm these few years past; and according to their good discretion, to set down a form and order how, and in what manner, the said taxation and all others to be granted hereafter shall be set, collected and lifted; and to hear the complaints of all parties having interest in setting the said form of taxation, and to decide therein summarily as they shall think most agreeable, with equity and justice, according to the privilege given to them by the said act of parliament; and that letters be directed to warn all his highness's subjects having interest by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burghs of this realm to be present and give in their complaints the said day to the effect they receive answer and decision as appertains.
[Marginal note]†
[A1588/4/3]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The king's majesty, nobility, council and estates presently convened, having heard and considered the overtures made by Eustace Rough tending to the advancement and augmentation of his highness's rents and revenues of his crown above the sum of 100,000 merks yearly by his means, diligence and service, have concluded and resolved according to his own desire that whatsoever commodity and profit his majesty shall receive by his said means and service shall be appropriated to the crown and revenues thereof and annexed thereto perpetually for his majesty and his successors, and that [Thomas Lyon of Baldukie], his highness's treasurer, or his depute, present and to come, shall have intromission therewith in his majesty's name and to his use, and in no way applied nor conveyed according to his accustomed liberality to any his highness's favourers or domestic servants, deducting and allowing always the tenth part of the said profit to the said Eustace, his heirs and the nearest of his blood, whether they be men or women, which his majesty, with advice of the said lords, gives and conveys, with titles of honour correspondent to this, his service, appointing the same in memory thereof to remain with him and his posterity for ever; which tenth part and all other goods, gear, gold, silver, lands, possessions and others whatsoever purchased and to be purchased and conquest by him shall remain with him and his heirs and the nearest of his blood, whether they be men or women as said is, forever, not subject to confiscation or forfeiture for any cause, crime or offence whatsoever, and the punishment only to be extended to their person according to the quality of the offence; for assurance whereof and of all and sundry the premises for his majesty's part, his highness has ordained the commissioners of his burghs to be convened with all convenient expedition, through which they may be moved to become cautioners to this effect. Moreover, his majesty promises to cause justice and punishment be executed on the persons which cruelly murdered and killed the late Nicolas Wanraust, servant to the said Eustace, in his majesty's service, that by the example thereof he may have the better assurance of his own life and not to be troubled nor hindered now in this his highness's service.
[A1588/4/4]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forasmuch as our sovereign lord, with advice of his nobility, council and estates presently convened, having concluded and agreed that for sustaining of the taxation the honourable charges and expenses to be made upon his majesty's marriage, appointed to be performed and accomplished with all convenient expedition, there shall be lifted a taxation of £100,000, and notwithstanding, finding some difficulty in setting, dividing and collecting of the same amongst his highness's estates by reason of the late act of annexation and erection of some parts of the kirk rents in temporal lordships, with provision that the same shall be taxed with the estate of barons in time coming and sundry other causes, therefore, his highness has thought suitable that the persons following, to whom commission was given by act of his highness's parliament held in July 1587 for setting of the said tax and all others to be granted hereafter: they are to say, Adam [Bothwell], bishop of Orkney, Alexander [Seaton], commendator of Pluscarden, Robert [Boyd], lord Boyd, James [Stewart], lord Doune, Master John Lindsay, parson of Menmuir, Master David Carnegie of Colluthie, John Arnott [of Birswick], provost of Edinburgh, and William Fleming, burgess of Perth, shall convene within the tolbooth of Edinburgh on 15 May 1588 and there consider the occasions of the complaints made by diverse his highness's subjects toward their unequal taxing in sundry taxations that have been raised of late years for his majesty's service and common affairs of the realm, see the retours and old tax rolls, as well of the spirituality as temporality and burghs, what was the ancient form of setting of taxations in times past and how far the same differs from the form used within this realm these few years past, and according to their good discretion, to set down a form and order how and by what manner the said taxation and all others to be granted hereafter shall be set, collected and lifted, and to hear the complaints of all parties having interest in setting of the said form of taxation and to decide therein summarily as they shall think most agreeable with equity and justice, according to the privilege given to them by the said act of parliament; and therefore ordains letters to be directed to make intimation hereof by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burghs of this realm and other places needful, through which none pretend ignorance of the same; and also to warn all and sundry his highness's lieges having interest to be present and give in their complaints to the said commissioners the said day, to the effect they may receive answer and decision as appertains, certifying them if they fail, they shall not be heard thereafter.