[A1597/5/9]¹

Act anent the cunyie

The kingis majestie, his nobilitie, counsaill and esteatis presentlie convenit, considering the present scairsitie of cunyeit money now current within this realme and the grite derth and exhorbitant pryceis quhairunto all sortis of gold and silver, alswele forayne as of his hienes awne cunyie, ar presentlie redactit be the libertie quhilk all sortis and degreis of personis takis at thair awne handis in rasing of the priceis of all gold and silver at thair plesour, far abone the just avale prescrivit in his hienes lawis, actis and proclamationis maid thairanent, be the quhilk forme of doing, and be the unlauchfull transporting of cunyie at all tymes furth of this realme, grite disordour and confusioun hes bene intertenyit and is liklie dalie to incresce, to the hurte of the commounwele and grite contempt of his hienes and his authoritie giff the lawis alreddy maid heiranent sall not be putt to dew execution in all pointis according to the tennour thairof with all convenient expeditioun. And thairfoir his majestie, with avise of his nobilitie, counsall and esteatis foirsaidis, has thocht meit, concludit and ordanit and be thir presentis concludis and ordanis that the lawis alreddy maid anent the dischargeing of the dalie rasing of the priceis of gold and silver salbe of new intimat to all and sindrie his hienes liegis be oppin proclamatioun at the mercat croceis of the heid burrowis of this realme and all uthiris placeis neidfull, quhairthrou nane pretend ignorance thairof, and that all and sindrie personis, transgressouris of the saidis lawis in rasing of the saidis priceis, salbe callit, tryit and punist thairfoir with all extremitie. And forder, that his hienes, with avise of his nobilitie, counsaill and esteatis foirsaidis, hes thocht meit to declair and mak it manifest that fra the xvij day of Maii instant the unce of silver cunyeit in x s. peceis and uther smallair peceis of xj d[enier] fyne cunyeit according to the last act of parliament sall stand at fifty schillings; and the auld xxx s. peceis, being of the lyke wecht and fynnes, at the same price; and the new xxx s. peceis, being three quarteris of ane unce, at xxxvij s. vj d.; and the auld and new xx and x s. peceis according thairto pro rata; and the unce of gold of xxij carrett fyne, being his hienes awne cunyie of v lib. and l s. peceis, sall alsua stand at xxx pund the unce. And forder, that the spaceis of money and fynnes thairof, to witt: of xj d[enier] fyne in silver and xxij carrett fyne in gold, salbe cunyeit and have course heireftir conforme to the act of parliament maid thairanent. And that all maircheantis or uthiris personis, transportaris of the same furth of this realme, be tryit and punist according to the saidis lawis and actis foirsaidis; and siclike that na foreyne cunyie of gold or silver salhave course amang his hienes liegis heireftir, bot haillelie inbrocht to serve as bulyeoun to his majesteis cunyiehous. And that all gold, silver or uthir cunyie quhilk salbe brocht within this realme heireftir, quhairunto his hienes subjectis ar astrictit to bring in be his majesteis lawis as bulyeoun, the unce thairof being of xij deneiris or be ane basser being suppleit be compt and quantitie tobe worth xij deneiris, the maircheantis, inbringaris thairof, salhave ane unce of his hienes awne cunyie of xj deneiris for every unce of bulyeoun brocht in maner foirsaid, and of all uther forayne cunyie that thay sall voluntarlie bring in to the cunyiehouse of the said ordinarie bulyeoun, that thair be onlie the xxx d. thairof retenit to his majesteis proffeitt. And that lettrez be direct chargeing officiaris of armes to pas and mak publicatioun of all and sindrie the premises to all his hienes liegis in maner foirsaid; as alsua to command and charge all the saidis liegis to conforme thame selffis in this mater of the cunyie to the will, declaratioun and determinatioun of his majestie, his nobilitie, counsale and esteatis foisaidis and on nawayes tak upoun hand to infringe, brek or contravene the sam in ony point as thay will answer to his hienes upoun thair obediens at thair uttermost charge and perrell and undir the panes prescrivit in his hienes lawis, actis and proclamationis foirsaidis tobe execute upoun thame without favour. And to this effect, that the thesaurair or his deputis insist and seik the executioun of the panis and punishementis prescrivit in the saidis lawis aganis the contravenaris thairof with all rigour and extremitie as thay will answer to his hienes upoun thair office and obedience, and that the generall maister cunyeour, wardane, counter wardane, assayair, sinkare, meltair, forgeair and all uthiris officiaris of his hienes cunyiehouse proceid to the cunyeing, strykeing and forgeing of new cunyie according to the lawis alreddy maid and this present act and ordinance as thay will answer to his hienes upoun thair office, and to the effect his majesteis subjectis may be resolvit of the priceis of all gold and silver tobe brocht be thame within this realme and quhilk the maister cunyeour salbe astrictit to pay to thame conforme to the tennour of thir presentis, he salbe astrictit to have oppinlie affixt in the house of exchange ane autentik table tobe maid be his hienes commissionaris appointit to that effect, contening the perticulair pryceis of all spaceis of foreyne gold and silver usuallie inbrocht within this cuntrey according to the availl, wecht and fynnes thairof; and that the clerk of his hienes register caus imprent thir presentis and all uthairis actis maid concerning the cunyie, custumes and bulyeoun, quhairthrou his hienes subjectis pretend na ignorance thairof.