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Concerning the streittis and passages off burrowis

²Oure soverane lord and the estaitis of parliament ratifies, apprevis and confermis the act of parliament maid be Quene Marie, drowriar of this realme, in the moneth of Junij 1555 yeiris, intitulat 'Anent the commoun passages to burrowis', be the quhilk it wes statute that all commoun hie gaittis that frie burrowis hes bene in use off proceding ather for passage fra thair burgh or cuming thairto, and in speciall all commoun hie gaittis fra frie dryburrowis to the portis and heavynis nixt adjacent or proceding to thame, be observit and kepit, and nane mak thame impediment or stop thairintill, and gif ony dois to be callit and accusit for oppressioun and punist thairfoir according to the lawis, as in the said act at mair lenth is contenit; quhilk act, with the haill clauses and conditionis thairof, his majestie, with avise foirsaid, willis that the samyn salbe haldin as expressit thairin and to be put to dew executioun in all tyme heireftir, with thir additionis following: that forsamekle as it is sufficientlie understand be his majestie that dyverse malicious personis, upoun deliberat malice, stoppis and impeidis publict passages pertening to the frie burrowis wthin this realme, namelie to the portis³ quhilkis hes grytest occasioun of trafficque, be casting of fowseis and bigging of dykis for interclosing of the saidis commoun passages, and will not suffer the inhabitantis of the saidis burrowis and utheris his hienes leigis and trafficqueris towardis the saidis sey portis, to have or frequent the accustumat passage usit of befoir in transporting of victuallis, fewalis, viveris, merchandise and utheris for interteynement of the commoun negotiatioun of the cuntrie, bot compellis thame to pas ane myle or tua about to the greit hurt and prejudice of the saidis leigis; heirfoir his majestie, with avise foirsaid, in corroboratioun of the said former act and to the effect that the samyn may be put to full executioun in tyme cuming, statutis and ordanis that nane presum or tak upoun hand heireftir to stop or impeid the saidis publict and commoun passageis pertening to the saidis frie burrowis, and namelie to the saidis sey portis, and gif ony salhappin to do in the contrair, the parties grevit salhave thair recourse to the lordis of counsaill and sessioun, quha sall grant sunmar lettrez in thair favoris upoun sex dayis warning allanerlie, to caus and compell the committaris of the said oppressioun to decist and ceise thairfra, and to heir and sie thame selffis decernit to have done wrang in stopping of the saidis passagis and to find cautioun actit in the saidis lordis buikis, under sic panis as salbe modifiet unto thame, nevir to commit the lyk wrang be thame selffis, thir men, tennantis or servandis and utheris quhome they may lett, the ane half of the said penaltie to appertene to his hienes, and the uther half to the partie grevit; and the probatioun of the said wrang in stopping of the saidis passageis to be ressavit be famous witnesses allanerlie and not be ane assyiss; and the tryall thairof to appertene to the saidis lordis of counsaill and all utheris inferior juges to be dischargit fra proceding in the saidis causes, nochtwtstanding ony quhatsumevir statute or constitutioun maid anent molestationis in propirtie or commontie, in nowmer quhairof his hienes will nawayis that the saidis oppressionis and staying of the publict passages salbe comprehendit; and ordanis publicatioun to be maid heirof in forme as effeiris.