[1587/7/46]¹

For staunching of dearth and first for making of the prices of wine and timber

²It is statute and ordained by our sovereign lord, with advice of the three estates of this present parliament, that none bearing charge or office within burgh, being merchant importer or partner of the said wines and timber, shall be setters of prices on the same during the time of their office, and thereupon they shall be subject to suffer an assize of their neighbours within 15 days next after the expiring of their offices before the provost and bailies of the burgh to be newly chosen, having the king's commissioner sitting in judgement with them to that effect, without whom it shall not [be]³ lawful to proceed, to the effect that justice be not abused and to the effect that certain order may be observed in all time coming concerning the setters of prices of wine and timber and of their number. And for eschewing all deceit and abuses done thereupon, it is statute and ordained that yearly in time coming there be two barons or another two sufficient landed gentlemen nominated at the head court after Michaelmas [29 September] within each sheriffdom of this realm, and other two persons to be yearly nominated at that same time by the king's majesty and his secret council, which four persons shall be all actual inhabitants within the said burghs or at the furthest dwelling within six miles to each burgh, and four burgesses that are known not to exercise nor be partners in such trade of merchandise to be chosen yearly at the said feast of Michaelmas by the council of each free burgh of merchants or craftsmen, each burgh according to their proper custom and privileges presently observed by them in yearly election of their council and officers, which eight persons yearly to be elected and nominated, as is before specified, shall be the only pricers of all wine and timber that comes within this realm hereafter; and that they exercise their said office from the day of their election to that day a year hence only, and that yearly new election be made of such officers to endure no longer but for the space of a year, as is above-written; and ordains each sheriff depute, by himself or his clerk, to intimate and nominate to the council of each burgh the names of the said two barons yearly to be chosen as said is within three days next after each feast of Michaelmas, and the treasurer and his deputes yearly within six days next after each Michaelmas to advertise and certify the council of each free burgh of the king's two commissioners yearly to be nominated by him to that effect, with power and licence to the said four burgesses yearly to be elected, as is above-specified, that in case the said two barons and the king's commissioners being lawfully warned personally or at their dwelling places by the town's officers to repair to the burgh to that effect, and comes not within 48 hours next after their said warning, that then it shall be lawful to the said four burgess of each burgh, by themselves, to set the prices of the said wines and timber and the same power and licence is in like manner granted and permitted to the said four burgesses yearly when it shall happen the king's commissioners and barons not to be elected and duly intimated to the said burghs in manner and at the special times above-specified; and also statutes and ordains that no wines be brought in this country by whatsoever inhabitants thereof without a testification of the price of the same under the town's seal where they were cost, and a testimonial shall be sufficient for the whole wines of each ship and the price to be made of the common prices that wines give the time of their buying thereof.