[1599/7/1]¹

Procedure: commission regarding the coin

Commissioun anent the cunyie

Forsamekill as his majesties maist necessare and urgent effairis quhilkis presentlie occurris requyris sum present supplie to be maid to his hienes, and seing the cunyie is ane of the speciall pointis belanging to the crowne and the profeit that may be had be the same is appropriat be all princes within thair realmes and dominiounis to thair awin particular uses; and it hes bene sene be experience that princes, upoun necessitie of weiris and uther wechtie effairis, hes at all tymes raisit and hechtit the prices of the cunyie, and as the occasioun of the same wes tane away, thay cryit down and rebaittit the same to the first moderate prices, suffering nane of thair subjectis to haif ony greit loss thairby; and his hienes evir abone all thingis preferring the weill of his guid and loving subjectis, and nawayes being of that mynd or intentioun that with purchessing ane small gayne to himself thay sould be in ony maner greitumlie indamnageit bot that the meanis micht be fund alsweill to supplie the present necessitie as that the same micht be with the leist hurt possible to the liegis; and oure soverane lord, being maist willing that thir materis sould nawayes be precipitat or haistielie and tumultuarlie handlit bot rather with guid advyse and mature deliberatioun concludit, hes thairfoir, with advyse of the estaittis, gevin and grantit full poware and commissioun to the ordiner lordis of his hienes prive counsall, or samony of thame as may be maist convenientlie assemblit at the day apointit, adjoyning to thame James, commendater of Incheffray, Patrik, commendater of Lundoris, Williame, commendater of Tungland, Schiris James Scrymgeour of Dudope, knicht, Duncane Campbell of Glenurquhy, Patrik Hepburne of Lufnes, knichtis, Johnne Touris of Inverleith, Maister George Lauder of Bass, Henry Nisbit, Niniane McMoraine and George Heriot, burgess of Edinburgh, Johnne Traill, burges of Dundy, Oliver Young, burges of Perthe, and Duncane Balfour, citiner in Sanctandrois, to meit within the burgh of Edinburgh the fourt day of September nixtocum, and thair advyse, conclude and determine how the heichting of the said cunyie to thrie pundis the once of silver of ellevin d[enier] fyne and gold swa proportionalie may be with sum profeit to his hienes and with small hurt and loss to the lieges; and gif thai find the same may be done in ony measour to effectuat baith the ane and the uther, with full poware to thame to conclude thairanent in quhat forme and prent the new cunyie salbe strukin and all uther thingis that salbe requisite for that purpois, onlie retening the fynnes of the gold and silver that the same wes of befoir; quhilk conclusioun salbe of als greit strenth, force and effect as gif the same wer concludit in this present conventioun; and gif the same beis fund nawayes to redound to his majesties profeit and yit salbe ane greit hurt to the lieges, with poware to the saidis commissioneris to refuis all overtouris to be presentit to thame thairanent and to ressone, advyse and find out sum uther best meane how his hienes adois may be suppliet with the leist hurt, greif and detriment to the lieges, and to conclude thairanent, quhilk salbe of als greit strenth and effect as gif it wer concludit in this present conventioun; and siclike that thay ressave quhatever overture salbe presentit be his majesties thesaurar, comptroller or collectour for furthering and advanceing of his hienes profeit, and to conclude thairupoun as the same salbe fund ressounable.