[1579/10/40]¹

For execution of the act of parliament made concerning bearing, wearing and shooting of culverins and dags, chapter 21

²Forasmuch as by an act of parliament made in the first year of our sovereign lord's reign it was statute and ordained that no manner of person or persons of whatsoever estate, degree or condition shoot with culverins, dags, pistols or any other guns or firearms in any part of this realm, neither to burgh nor to land, nor bear, wear or use any culverins, dags, pistols or any other such firearm upon their persons or in company with them privately or openly outwith houses without licence of our sovereign lord, under the pain of cutting off their right hand and further pains specified in the said act of parliament, as the same at length purports, which has not been put to due execution in time past by reason of the troubles intervening; and thereupon many have taken liberty to bear, wear and use culverins, dags, pistols and other firearms within burghs and other places of his realm, through which diverse of his highness's lieges have been shamefully and cruelly murdered, slain and hurt in redding³ and otherwise, which were able enough to have made defence sufficiently for themselves at all times of pursuit; and some part of the occasion why the said act has not taken execution was by reason of the pain of death or dismemberment, which the ordinary judges have been loath to execute, therefore our sovereign lord and three estates aforesaid ordain the said act to be newly published and that no manner of person nor persons bear, wear, use nor shoot culverins, dags or pistols within burghs or outwith the same in time coming otherwise than the said act and exceptions thereof purport, under the pain of £10 money of this realm and the gun and armour they bear, to be paid by each person contravening and doing in the contrary, without prejudice of the other pains if the king's majesty will have the same executed; and for execution thereof, make and constitute the provosts, aldermen and bailies within burgh his majesty's justices in that part, every one within their freedoms and jurisdiction, with power to them to search, take and apprehend the offenders and contraveners and put them to the knowledge of an assize, and, being convicted, to hold them in ward until the pain aforesaid be paid; and to take likewise surety of the persons convicted, to forbear in time coming, under the double of the said pain; and the pain which being uplifted to be employed to the support of the poor; and this act to serve for sufficient commission to the said provosts, aldermen and bailies of burghs to the effect aforesaid.