[1581/10/83]¹

Ratification of the privilege of silk-making to Robert Dickson

Our sovereign lord, with advice of his three estates convened in this present parliament, ratifies and approves and, for his highness and his successors, perpetually confirms the privilege and liberty granted by his highness to his beloved Robert Dickson, upon his offer to bring in and to learn within this realm the art of the making and working of silks, to be as good and sufficient as the same is made within the countries of France or Flanders and to be sold within the same cheaper than the like silks are sold within this realm brought here or out of other countries, whereupon the said Robert must bestow great sums of money, which shall be the occasion that a great number of young and poor people shall be virtuously and honestly sustained by that occupation, and therefore giving and granting to the said Robert power, privilege and liberty to use and exercise the said art by himself and his servants and others in his name, by the space of thirty years to come, discharging all others during the said space to use or exercise the said art without his leave and goodwill first had and obtained thereto; and that the raw and unwrought silks to be brought home by him shall be custom free, with the dregs for dyeing thereof, himself to be made free burgess and guild in Perth or such other places where he shall please to plant without payment of sums of money for that, and he and his servants to be free of warding, taxations, impositions and to transport the silks wrought by him custom free, as in his said privilege at more length shall be contained, providing that he enter to his work within a year and a day after the date hereof, with 100 servants, and continue in the said work thereafter, certifying him if he does in the contrary, he shall lose his privilege.