[1587/7/153]¹

Commission concerning the bridge of Ayr

²Our sovereign lord, with advice and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, has given and granted power and commission to the right honourable Robert [Boyd], lord Boyd, William Cunningham of Caprington and Hugh Campbell of Tarrinzean, or any two of them jointly, to pass to the burgh of Ayr any time they please appoint to that effect, and there to examine and consider the harbour and sea port and bridge of the said burgh, and to confer thereupon with the most ancient and honest burgesses and landed gentlemen dwelling adjacent to the said burgh of Ayr, and to consider the estate of the said harbour and bridge and if the same may be helped, and by what best means the same may be done, and to report their opinion and proceedings in the premises to the lords of secret council; and in case after the said report the said harbour and bridge is found remediable, our said sovereign lord, with advice aforesaid, gives and grants full power and commission to the lords of secret council to grant and appoint a reasonable general stent and taxation upon such parts of the country as they think most expedient for help and support of their said decayed harbour and bridge, and to make special act and ordinance upon the said taxation containing the form and order of payment and collection of the same, or else to grant power and licence to the provost, bailies and council of the said burgh of Ayr to set, impose and lift certain new customs for a certain space on all sheep, cows, oxen, horses, sacks of wool, hides and such others that pass long ways their said bridge and are bought in their said market to the effect above-written, in case the same be found expedient by the said lords of secret council after conference had by them thereupon with the aforesaid commissioners, and to make special ordinance upon the said customs containing the form and quantity of the said customs and how long the same shall endure, likewise and in the same manner as the said three estates might have done themselves.