[1579/10/26]¹

For relief of the labourers of the ground troubled for want of timely teinding of their corns, chapter 6

²The king's majesty and three estates of this present parliament, understanding the great harm and inconvenience sustained by the labourers of the ground within this realm through the default of the teinding of their corns in due time by the malice of such as have title or tacks of their said teinds, often causing the said labourers of the ground, for default of teinding of their said corns in due time, to lose their corns or fall in the danger of having them plundered; for remedy whereof, our said sovereign lord, with advice of his said three estates, statutes and ordains that all persons having title or tacks to any teind sheaves and being in use of teinding, or intending in any way to lead the same, shall pass or send and cause teind the said corns until the same is ready, within eight days after the shearing thereof, which, if they delay, to do then at the end of the requisition underwritten. It shall be lawful to the owner of the said corns to take two honest neighbours sworn in presence of reputable witnesses and to teind his said corns, lead the stock from there and place the teind stacked upon the ground, which the owner of the said corns shall be held to keep undestroyed and eaten by beasts until 1 November thereafter, providing that he require teinding of the party having title or right to the said teind sheaves openly in the parish kirk upon three several Sundays before noon after the shearing of the said corns; which order, being duly and faithfully observed by the owner of the said corns, it shall be sufficient warrant and defence for him against all action of plunder that may be pursued against him for intromission with his said corns he teinded thankfully with the person having title or tack of his said teinds and making no impediment to the teinding and leading thereof in highways or upon any ground that is shorn.