[1599/7/13]¹

Act anent salt pannis

Oure soverane lord, understanding that his majestie, upoun diverse gude consideratiounis moveing his hienes, be sindrie his majesties lettres and licencis, gave and grantit licence, power and priviledge to his hienes lovit Eustatius Roogh to reforme, big and renew all and sindrie furneises, alsweill of salt panis as of uthairis leidis and cadronis occupyit and usit be browstaris and litstaris within this realme, and lykwyis licence and libertie for making of salt within this realme, and that in the samyn airtis and vocatioun according as the samyn hes bene divysit and inventit be the said Eustatius, he hes utterit his knawledge and omittit na diligence in effectuall performance thairof, to the evident commoditie and commounweill of the cuntrey and haill subjectis thairof, alsweill in hayning and restraneing of the superfluous spending of coill, wode, peittis, stray and uther fewall, quhilk is alreddie brocht to ane grit decay within the boundis of this realme by the excessive spending and consumptioun thairof for laik of the formes of killis, stowis and furnissis eftermentionate; and lykwyis his majestie, haifand consideratioun of the guidwill and skilfull dispositioun of the said Eustatius to excogitat sum ma inventiounis to the grit proffite and commoditie of the haill subjectis of this realme, speciallie be ane new inventioun fund out be him of ane forme of stoiff quhilk he hes takin upoun him to mak mair profitabill and commodious nor ever heirtofoir hes bene devysit and maid; and lykwyis be his devyse and travellis hes fund out ane singular remeid never usit in Scotland befoir for evill wenting of chimnayis; as alsua ane new forme of killis never usit nor practisit within this realme in na tyme bygane, quhairby not onlie grit quantitie of fewall may be spairit, bot also that the malt sall retene na taist of the materiallis quhairwith it salhappin to be dryit, the particular overturis quhairof the said Eustatius hes gevin in and producit befoir his majestie and estaittis of this realm. And his hienes, considering that for sa grit ane commoditie and benefite the said Eustatius can not be better recompansit nor be sic as be his devyse and inventioun ressavis proffite and utilitie, thairfoir his hienes, with advyse of the estaittis of this realme presentlie convenit, ordanis ane lettre to be maid under the privie seill in dew forme ratifeand and appreveand and for his majestie and his successouris perpetuallie confirmand the foirsaidis haill lettres of giftis and licences grantit be his majestie to the said Eustatius during the haill space and yeiris thairin contenit, with all licences and priviledges contenit in the samyn, in all heidis, pointis, articles, clauses and circumstances thairof efter the formes and tennouris of the samyn, ordaining this present ratificatioun to be als valide, effectuall and sufficient in all respectis to the said Eustatius as gif the saidis lettres, gift and licences wer at lenth and word be word insert heirin. And forder his majestie, for the causes abone specifiit, and for diverse uthair guid motives and considerationis moveing his hienes, with advyse of the said estaittis, hes gevin, grantit and committit and be the tennour hereof gevis, grantis and committis to the said Eustatius, his airis, assignais, deputtis and substitutis for quhome he salbe haldin to answer for all the dayis and space of his lyftyme his hienes licence, powar and priviledge to big, reform and renew all and quhatsumevir killis and stoiffis and to amend and reforme all evill wenting chimnayis, fornaces and leidis in all pairtis within this realme, alsweill in burgh as in landwart, in regalitie as ryaltie, according to the saidis overturis and his inventioun and devyse foirsaid or utherwyis as he sall think maist meit and expedient. For the quhilkis, the possessoris of the saidis stoifis, killis, chimnayis, fornaces, panis and leidis salbe haldin to pay to the saidis Eustatius and his foirsaidis ane certane sowme of money as thay can best and maist ressonablie agrie and condiscend upoun as for the pryce of ilkane of the saidis killis, stoiffis, chimnayis and uthairis foirsaidis, quhilkis, be his advyse, counsall and knawledge, salbe bigit, reformit and renewit; and that the said lettre be forder extendit with all clauses neidfull, with expres command and charge in the samyn to all his majesties leigis and all uthairis personis quhatsumever, that nane of thame tak upoun hand to mak, follow or imitate the said Eustatius, his inventioun of biging, reformeing and renewing of the saidis killis, stoifis, chimnayis, leidis, fornaces and uthairis abonewrittin, without his or his foirsaidis speciall advyse, licence and tollerance first had and obtenit thairto, under the pane of fyve hundreth markis, the ane half to be applyit to his majesties use, and the uthair half to the utilitie of the said Eustatius and his foirsaidis. And siclyke inhibitand and dischargeand all the present possessoris of the saidis killis, stoifis, chymnayis and utheris foirsaidis that nane of thame tak upoun hand to imitate the said Eustatius inventioun foirsaid or ony part thairof without the speciall licence, tollerance and satisfactioun of the said Eustatius and his abonewrittin during the space and under the pane foirsaid, to be payit in maner abonementionate. And ordanis lettres of publicatioun to be direct heirupoun in forme as effeiris.