[A1596/5/5]¹

Legislation

Act regarding the customs etc.

The king's majesty, his nobility, council and estates presently convened, understanding his highness's customs to be a part of his majesty's property specially annexed to his crown, collected and applied from time to time to the private use and commodity of the sovereign princes of this realm, and that his majesty may in no way give, convey, dissolve nor put away the same customs or any part thereof from his highness to the hurt of his majesty or his successors, therefore ordain the whole customs of all goods customable within this realm to be craved, received, charged for and intromitted with in time coming by the customs officers present and that shall happen to be for the time according to the lovable acts of parliament and constitutions made by his majesty and his predecessors of before; and the said customs officers to make account thereof yearly to the lords auditors of the exchequer without respect to any confused custom or disorder or other thing which may be alleged in the contrary; and that letters be directed to officers of arms, sheriffs in that part, charging them to pass and make intimation and publication of the premises to all and sundry his highness's lieges by open proclamation at the market crosses of the head burghs of this realm, through which none pretend ignorance of the same.