[1594/4/46]¹

Regarding the privileges of burghs

Our sovereign lord, with advice of his estates in this present parliament, ratifies, approves and confirms the act and statute made in his highness's parliament held at Edinburgh upon 5 June the year of God 1592 in favour of the free burghs of this realm and their liberties and privileges against unfree traffickers and regarding using of crafts in all the suburbs of the said burghs, specially bearing that all manner of persons, inhabitants of the said burghs, exercising any manner of trafficking in merchandise, or having exchange within the same, shall bear their part of all stents and taxations, watching and warding in all duties and suits pertaining to our sovereign lord, the benefit of the realm and utility of the burgh, as at length is contained in the said act and all clauses and conditions therein contained, with this addition: that the same shall be extended to all merchants or craftsmen, as well free as unfree, that have no other dwelling place but within burgh and have their commodity within the same burgh and bears no burden of taxation without the same burgh.