[A1594/1/17/3]¹

Legislation

Act of the taxatioun of ane hundreth thousand pundis

The quhilk day, eftir the propositioun maid be the kingis majestie, oure soverane lord, to his nobilitie and esteatis presentlie convenit, anent the blissing of God shawne to his hienes, this haill realme and natioun in granting unto him successioun of his body to posses his crowne quhen God sall call him to his mercy frome this lyffe, the quene, his darrest bedfellow, now shortlie approcheing to the tyme of his birth, to the conforte alsweill of his hienes as of all his trew and faithfull subjectis, the esteatis, considering the honourable and maist necessair chargeis that mon be maid and sustenit throw this occasioun and uthiris, his hienes urgent and wechtie effearis, and desyrous to releve his majestie of ane pane thairof, hes freelie and voluntarlie offerit and grantit unto his majestie ane taxatioun of ane hundreth thousand pundis tobe upliftit and payit as followis, that is to say, fiftie thousand pundis be the spirituall estate, threttie three thousand, three hundreth xxxiij lib. xvj s. viij d. be the baronis and freehaldaris, and saxtene thousand sax hundreth threscoir sex pundis xiij s. iiij d. be the burrowis; and that at twa termes, that is to say the ane halff betuix and the feist of Pashe nixttocum, and the uthir halff betuix and the feist of Midsommer nixt thaireftir following. And for inbringing of the spirituall menis parte of the said taxatioun, that lettres be direct chargeing all and sindrie bischoppis, abbotis, priouris and uthiris benefeceit personis contenit in the taxt roll, thair chalmerlanis, factouris and intromettouris with thair leving personalie or at thair duelling placeis, and failyeing thairof, be oppin proclamatioun at the principall parroche kirkis of the benefice upoun a Sonday befoir none in tyme of divyne service, and at the mercatt croce of the heid burgh of the shyre quhair the benefice lyis, to mak payment of that sowme that thay and ilkane of thame ar taxt to, to Thomas Erskin of Gogar, collectour generall, for ressaving of the said haill taxatioun or his deputis and officiaris in his name haveand his power to ressave the same, within xl dayis nixteftir the charge, undir the pane of rebellioun and putting of thame to the horne; and giff thay failyie thairin, the saidis xl dayis being bipast, to denunce etc. And that the prelattis and benefeceit men for thair releiff have lettrez to charge thair vassallis, subvassallis, fewaris, taxmen, ladyis of terce, conjunctfearis, lyverentaris and pensionaris to mak payment of thair pairtis of the said taxatioun pro rata within ten dayis nixteftir thai be chargeit thairto, undir the pane of rebellioun etc.; and giff thay failyie etc., to denunce etc. and to escheit, and, giff neid beis, to poind and distrenyie thairfoir. And for the baronis and freehaldaris parte, that thair be upliftit of every pund land within this realme threttie shillingis money, quhairof fyftene shillingis for the first termes payment and uthir fyftene shillingis for the secund termes payment. For payment quhairoff, that lettrez be direct chargeing all and sindrie schireffis, stewartis, baillies, thair deputis and clarkis, that thay and ilkane of thame within the boundis of thair offices raise and uplift the said sowme of fyftene shillingis of every pund land of auld extent lyand within the boundis of thair jurisdictionis as for the said first termes payment of the said taxatioun and uthir fyftene shillingis as for the last termes payment thairof, and inbring and delyver the same to the said collectour generall at the termes abonewrittin, undir the pane of rebellioun etc.; and giff thay failyie etc., to denunce etc. and to escheit etc. And for thair releiff, that lettrez be direct chargeing all and sindrie erllis, lordis, baronis and freehaldaris to mak payment and delyverance to the saidis schireffis, steuartis, baillies, thair deputis and clarkis (ilkane of thame for thair awne pairtis) of the soume particularlie abonewrittin of every pund land of auld extent pertening to thame as for the said first and last termes payment of the same taxatioun, within ten dayis nixteftir the charge undir the pane of rebellioun etc.; and giff thay failyie etc., to denunce etc. and to eschete, or ellis that the saidis schireffis, steuartis, baillies and thair deputis poind and distrenyie thairfoir as thay sall think maist expedient. And that the saidis erllis, lordis, baronis and freehaldaris have siclyke lettrez for thair releiff aganis thair vassallis, subvassallis, ladyis of terce, conjunctfearis and lyverentaris. And for inbringing of the burrowis parte of the same taxatioun, that lettrez be direct chargeing the provest and baillies of ilk burgh to mak payment of the taxt and stent thairof to the said collectour generall at the termes presentlie abonespecifeit undir the pane of rebellioun etc.; and giff thay failyie etc., to denunce etc. And for thair releiff, that lettrez be direct chargeing all and sindrie inhabitantis of ilk burgh to convene and elect certane personis to stent thair nichtbouris, and the said electioun being maid, to charge the personis electit to accept the charge upoun thame in setting of the said stent upoun the inhabitantis of ilk burgh, and to convene and sett the same and mak ane stent roll thairupoun as effeiris within xxiiij houris nixteftir thai be chargeit thairto, undir the pane of rebellioun etc.; and giff thay failyie, to denunce etc. and to eschete etc. And siclyke the said stent roll being maid and sett as said is, to charge the burgeses, nichtbouris and inhabitantis of ilk burgh to mak payment of thair pairtis of the said stent to the saidis provest and baillies conform to the taxt roll tobe maid and gevin oute thairupoun within three dayis nixteftir the charge, undir the pane of rebellioun etc.; and giff thay failyie etc., to denunce etc. and to eschete etc.; and, giff neid beis, that the saidis provest and baillies poind and distrenyie thairfoir as thay sall think maist meit and expedient. Attour it is concludit and resolvit that na suspensionis of the saidis lettrez salbe grantit unto the tyme that the personis, cravaris of the same, consignne the soumes chargeit for in the handis of the said collectour or his clerk appointit to attend upoun the commissionaris undirwrittin, to remane consignit quhill the decisioun of thair complaintis be the same commissionaris; thay ar to say Alexander, lord Levingstoun, Robert, lord Seytoun, Maister David Carnegy of Culluthy, Schir James Melvill of Halhill, Adam, commendatair of Cambuskynneth, Walter, commendatair of Blantyre, Alexander Hume of Northberwik Manis and Johnne Arnott, burges of Edinburgh; to quhome, or ony three of thame conjunctlie, his hienes and the saidis esteatis gevis full power and commissioun, expres bidding and charge to decyde the saidis complaintis summarlie as accordis, be quhome the saidis suspensionis salbe grantit, dischargeing the lordis of secreit counsale and sessioun off all granting of ony suspensionis for the caus foirsaid and of thair officeis in that parte. Forder his majestie and the saidis esteatis ordanis and commandis the said collectour generall that he on nawise answer nor mak payment of ony parte of this taxt to quhatsumevir persone or personis be vertew of ony precept or preceptis tobe direct or subscrivit be his hienes without the same be subscrivit alswa be tuelff personis of his hienes counsale, sittand togidder in counsale, and the provest and commissionair of Edinburgh; and giff the said collectour do in the contrair, the same not tobe allowit to him be the auditouris of his comptis; quhilkis auditouris his majestie and the saidis esteatis nominatis and appointis tobe tuelff personis of his hienes prevey counsale and sax personis of every esteate conjunctlie, be quhome na dischargeis tobe grantit be his majestie to ony persone or personis addettit in payment of ony parte of this present taxt salbe haldin effectuall, bot all personis without exceptioun salbe subject to the payment of the same taxt, the lordis of counsale and sessioun undir placeis and thair memberis, and the rentis assignit to scuillis and collegeis for instruction of the youth allanarlie except.