[1587/7/52]¹

Against eating of butcher meat in Lent and other days forbidden

Item, our sovereign lord and his three estates of this present parliament ratify and approve the act of his last parliament made at Edinburgh in August 1584 against the eaters of butcher meat in Lent and upon Wednesday, Friday and Saturday every week; and ordain the same to have full effect and execution in time coming, with special provision that no licences shall be granted for eating of butcher meat on the said days in time coming, unless the desirer thereof report a testimonial subscribed by a doctor of medicine or by the minister of the parish wherein he dwells that such a person is sickly and necessarily must have the said licence, and then to be granted upon the composition of £20 to be paid to the treasurer for that. And in case any licences shall be procured for any butchers to slay and sell butcher meat on the said days and time of Lent, or to cooks to prepare them and make them ready, the said licence shall not pass the signet until the party in whose favour it is purchased pay for the same licence to his highness's treasurer the sum of £100, without reduction or composition.