[1633/6/49]¹

Commission regarding the ladle of Dundee etc.²

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, having considered the particular articles and petitions underwritten, produced and given in parliament, namely: a petition given in by the commissioners of the sheriffdoms of Perth, Angus and Fife against the burgh of Dundee and magistrates thereof, for the great extortion used by them in exacting a ladleful of all kind of victual, ground and unground, presented to the market of Dundee, having no definite measure nor quantity which is a heavy oppression; and therefore desiring our sovereign lord and estates to have respect thereto and to take such good order relating thereto as shall be thought expedient for the said supplicants their liberation in time coming. Item, a petition given in by the tanners and barkers within the kingdom of Scotland desiring that they may be free and relieved of the burden and imposition imposed upon them for tanning and barking of hides, and that the same impost may be discharged in respect of the great damage sustained by the whole country thereby. Item, a petition given in by Master David Wedderburn, master of the grammar school of Aberdeen, desiring that the short and facile grammar drawn up by him and his pains may be allowed and ordained to be taught universally through all the schools of the kingdom of Scotland and all other grammars discharged to be taught within the same. Item, an article in favour of ministers for freedom of winter grazing, pasturage, fuel, fail and divot, and for declaring that the same shall be such freedom as the minister has been in possession of these ten years bygone; and that this said pasturage shall contain six sums grass at least out of the kirk lands of the parish nearest and closest at hand where they serve, wherever the same may be had, unless they have prejudiced themselves by posterior transaction, agreement or condition; and that those who have done so, their freedom to be such as the transaction bears; and for declaring that whatever kirk rent, kirkland, pasturage, fuel, fail, divot, loning³, free access and entry or other privilege has been possessed by the kirk and ministers serving the cure for their maintenance out of kirklands, kirk rents or teinds by the space of 10 years bygone shall stand as a good right for enjoying thereof in time coming. Item, an article craving that the act regarding the prices to be taken by the maltmen be reformed. Item, an article desiring some course to be taken for establishing of correction houses within several parts of this kingdom. Item, an article bearing that since forbidden goods are uncontrollably transported out of Scotland into England for the benefit of that kingdom, that the like course be also taken that these things forbidden in England may in like manner be transported into Scotland without control. Item, an article desiring that some course be taken for bringing in of manufactories and encouraging of such as shall enterprise the same. Item, an article craving that it may be enacted that all plaiding be presented to markets hereafter in folds, and that the rolling thereof be discharged in respect of the fraud concealed by the rolling of the same. Item, an article craving that [Robert] Buchan's patent regarding the pearl be discharged with all other monopolies. Item, an article craving that the bleachers of linen cloth and other cloth be inhibited from bleaching any cloth with lime under pain of punishment of the persons of those that shall bleach with lime and other pecuniary sums to be exacted from them. And lastly, an article desiring that all acts and impositions made and imposed for restraining of the bringing in of victual may be discharged, it being without example in any part of the world, and so much the more that the whole sheriffdoms of Dunbarton, Renfrew, Argyll, Ayr, Wigtown, Nithsdale, stewartries of Kirkcudbright and Annandale and other parts are not able to maintain themselves in the most plentiful years that ever fell out without supply from foreign parts; as also desiring that seeing victual has become the greatest commodity now in Europe, that it may be declared lawful to merchants to import the same freely within this kingdom at all times without any imposition as for a place of rest to be transported again by the importers (the country in the meantime having no need thereof), as the said petitions and articles foresaid in themselves purports. Our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament foresaid, to the effect the particulars above-mentioned and every one of them may be the more carefully and exactly considered and tried, both in the benefit and prejudices thereof which may thereby ensue to his highness's lieges in particular or general, have remitted and remit the trial and cognition of the foresaid whole particular petitions and articles respectively above-mentioned to the lords of his majesty's secret council of the kingdom of Scotland, their consideration, to be determined and decided be them. And for this effect, our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament foresaid have given and granted, and, by the tenor hereof, give and grant full power and commission to the said lords of his highness's secret council to take such trial and cognition regarding the foresaid first petition and article above-mentioned, given in against the burgh of Dundee and regarding the abuse of their said ladle and oppression foresaid thereby sustained by the said petitioners, as the said lords of secret council shall think necessary and expedient for trying of the foresaid abuse and oppression and for making constant and known what is and should be the just measure and quantity of the said ladle in time coming; with power to the said lords of secret council after trial as said is and so to decide and determine regarding the particular foresaid as they after consideration of the foresaid trial and cognition to be taken by them as said shall think just and equitable. And also our said sovereign lord and estates of parliament have likewise given and granted, and hereby give and grant, full power and commission to the said lords of his highness's secret council of the kingdom of Scotland to consider and take such trial and information regarding the whole remaining articles and petitions above-mentioned, and every one of them, as the said lords of secret council shall think expedient and necessary; and thereafter to take such course and to decide and determine regarding the foresaid remaining particular articles and petitions, and every one of them as said is, accordingly as the said lords after trial and consideration shall find most expedient and agreeable with reason and equity, and for the well and good of all his majesty's lieges. And ordains the decreets, sentences and determinations to be pronounced and given by the said lords of secret council in all the foresaid particulars, and every one of them, to have the strength, force and authority of a decreet, sentence and act of parliament; for obedience whereof, ordains letters to be directed accordingly as shall be necessary.