[1598/12/5]¹

Act regarding meal-makers

Forasmuch as there is a great abuse used by meal-makers within the bounds of Lothian in causing grind the whole oats and husks and making more meal in a boll of great oats than one boll of meal, through which the whole subjects sustains great loss and damage in paying as dear for dust and seeds as if the same was good meal; for remedy whereof, the king's majesty and estates presently convened has given and granted full power and commission to Sir John Cockburn of Ormiston, knight, justice clerk, Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, knight, lord privy seal, Master David MacGill of Cranstoun-Riddel, senators of the college of justice, Master William Hart of Livilands, justice, Master George Lauder of the Bass, Sir Patrick Hepburn of Luffness, knight, and John Touris of Inverleith, or any three of them, to convene and set down some solid order and form how that bygone fault committed by the meal-makers may be amended, and that the lieges be not longer abused by buying of such meal, the most part thereof being dust and seeds; and whatever they shall conclude, deliberate and determine relating thereto to have the same force, strength and effect as it were concluded in this present convention.