[1581/10/37]¹

Aganis the excesse of coistlie cleithing and transporting of woll, quhairby the pure may be the bettir haldin to werk

²The kingis majestie and estatis of this present parliament, considering the greit abuse standing amang his subjectis of the meane estate, presuming to conterfait his hines and his nobilitie in the use and wearing of coistlie cleithing of silkis of all sortis, layne, cameraige, freinyeis and pasmentis of gold, silver and silk, and wollin clayth, maid and brocht from uthir foryne cuntreis, quhairthrow the pryces of the same is groun to sic exorbitant derth as it is not abill to be langer sustenit without greit skayth and inconvenient of the commone weill, quhowbeit God hes grantit to this realme sufficient commoditeis for cleithing of the inhabitantis thairof within the self gif the pepill wer verteouslie employit in working of the same at hame, quhairby greit numberis of pure folkis, now wandering in beging, mycht be releiffit, alsweil to the honestie and welth of the cuntrie; for remeid quhairof, it is statute and ordanit be oure soverane lord, with advise of his estatis and haill body of this present parliament, that nane of his hines subjectis, man nor woman, being under the degreis of duikis, erlis, lordis of parliament, knichtis or landit gentilmen that hes or may spend of fre yeirlie rent twa thowsand markis or fiftie chalderis victuall at leist, or thair wyffis, sonnis or dochteris, sall, eftir the first day of Maii nixtocum, use or weir in thair cleithing or apparrell, or lyning thairof, onie clayth of gold or silver, welvet, satyne, damas, taffateis or onie begareis, freinyeis, pasmentis, or broderie of gold, silver or silk, nor yit layne, cameraige or wollin clayth maid and brocht from onie foryne cuntreis under the pane of ane hundreth pundis of everie gentilman landit, ane hundret markis of everie gentilman unlandit, and fourtie pundis of everie yeman man for everie day that his wyff, sone or dochter trangressis this present act, the ane half to the use of oure soverane lord or lord of the regalitie within quhais boundis the transgressouris ar apprehendit, and the uthir half to the schireffis, stewartis and bailleis within thair jurisdictionis, provestis, aldermen and bailleis within burrowis and ceteis and to the stewartis and bailleis within regaliteis for thair panis, quhilkis ordinar juges, be thame selffis, thair deputis and officiaris, salhave power to atteiche and arreist the personis transgressouris of the said act and to put thame in waird quhill they be tryet upoun the said transgressioun be ane assise, quhilk salbe done within the space of thre dayis efter thair apprehensioun at the farthest; and, being found culpable, to hald thame in waird quhill thai have pait the said pane and found souertie to abstene in tyme cuming under doubling of the pane; exceptand alwayis the officiaris and servandis of oure soverane lordis houshald contenit in the roll thairof, the officiaris of his estate, senatouris to the college of justice, advocattis and scribis thairof, schireffis, stewartis and bailleis, the provest, bailleis and personis being or that hes bene on the counsell of burrowis and juges in regaliteis, heraldis and maseris, quhilkis sall not be subject to the panes of this present act for wering and useing of sic apparrell as thei have or salhappin to have in tyme cuming, aither in the tyme that thai beir office and ar counsalouris, or thaireftir during thair lifetymes; nether sall onie of his hines leiges be subject to the saidis panis for useing and wering of onie thair claithing alreadie maid befoir the publicatioun of this present act, nor to onie servandis for useing and weiring of the auld cleithing of thair maisteris or maistressis, nor to onie wemen for useing and weiring of sic apparrell upoun thair heidis as thai have bene accustumat to weir in tyme bigane. And to the effect that all his hines subjectis prohibite be this present act to weir the said coistlie cleithing may the better be servit of clayth and uthir stuff wrocht within this realme, to thair sufficient cleithing in thair degreis, as alswa that the puir pepill may be the bettir haldin in werk through the laboring of the woll of this cuntrie within the same, thairfoir it is statute and ordanit be oure soverane lord, with advise of his saidis estatis, that na maner of woll be transportit or put in schippis or boittis to be transportit furth of this realme in tyme cuming under the pane of confiscatioun of the same woll and of all the remanent guidis moveabill of the personis, awneris and transportaris thairof, to oure soverane lordis use; and that na licence or dispensatioun salbe grantit be oure soverane lord or his successouris to quhatsumever persone or personis for transporting of woll furth of this realme efter the said first day of Maii nixtocum, under quhatsumever cullur or pretense, and that alsweill the purchessaris of the said dispensationis or licences (gif the samyn salhappin throw inopportunitie or wrang narrative to be grantit) as their informaris, byaris of the licences from the purchessaris, usares thairof and transportaris of the woll in thair schippis and vessellis, sall incur the saidis panes, as gif na sic licences had bene grantit; quhilkis salbe estimit, bot as private letteris, surrepticiouslie purchest, quhairever thai salhappin to be schawin in jugement, or outwith, quhairthrow the trew effect and meaning of this present act sall na wayis be hinderit or prejudget.