[1633/6/73]¹

Act in favour of [James Hamilton], marquis of Hamilton

Our sovereign lord, with consent of the three estates of parliament, ratifies and approves the gift and letters patent granted by his majesty under his great seal, with consent of his majesty's treasurer, comptroller and collector principal and depute, and with consent of his majesty's exchequer, in favour of his right trusty cousin and councillor James, marquis of Hamilton, earl of Arran and Cambridge, his heirs and assignees, of all and whole the customs and imposts of wines for the space of 16 years after 1 August 1631, as in the said gift of the date at Whitehall, 25 February 1631 at more length is contained, together with another gift and letters patent under his majesty's great seal granted by his majesty, with consent of the said treasurer and comptroller principal and depute and lords of exchequer, to the said marquis of Hamilton and his foresaids, whereby his majesty has ratified and approved the said former gift of the date, tenor and contents foresaid, and also has of new given, granted and conveyed to the said marquis and his foresaids all and whole the said custom and impost of wines, as well old as new, pertaining and due to his majesty at any time preceding the date of the said gift, and also all and whole that new impost of wine ordained to be uplifted from the merchants of whatsoever wines imported within this kingdom or exported without the same, and due to be paid by the book of rates, and that for the space of 16 years after his entry thereto, which is appointed to be and begin upon 1 August 1631; and also has made and constituted the said marquis and his foresaids undoubted assignees in and to the contract and appointment made between his majesty's right trusty cousin and councillor John [Erskine], earl of Mar, lord Erskine and Garioch etc., his majesty's treasurer, comptroller and collector principal for the time, with advice and consent of the lords of his majesty's exchequer on the one part, and William Dick, merchant burgess of Edinburgh, on the other part, whereby the said impost of wines are set to the said William Dick for the space of five years after his entry, which was upon 1 November 1629, for the yearly payment of the sum of 112,000 merks, and that in so far as the same may be extended to the term of Lammas [1 August] 1631 and of all other terms to run of the said tack, and has given and granted to the said marquis and his foresaids, their servants, factors and deputes, full power, liberty and privilege to exact and uplift the said imposts of wines for the said space of 16 years as freely and amply as his majesty's customs officers or tacksmen thereof were in use to do of before, and has inhibited and discharged all gifts and assignations made of the said imposts of wines to whatsoever person or persons, likewise his majesty has promised in the first word to ratify the said gift in the next parliament, and to dissolve the said impost of wines from his majesty's crown for the said space of 16 years to the effect the said marquis may possess the same during the said space, as in the said gift of the date at Whitehall, 15 March 1631 at more length is contained in the whole heads, clauses, and articles contained in the said two gifts or either of them; and wills and declares that this present ratification is, and shall be, as valid and effectual to the said marquis and his foresaids as if the said gifts were inserted herein word by word, concerning which his majesty and estates dispense for ever. Moreover, forasmuch as his majesty, with consent of the estates, has tried and found and, by this ratification, finds the reasons and causes of granting of the said gifts to the said marquis to have been and to be just and evident reasonable causes, tending to his majesty's honour and public good of the kingdom, therefore his majesty and estates have dissolved, and by this ratification dissolve, the said customs and imposts of wines old and new contained in the said two gifts and either of them from his majesty's crown, and from all acts of annexation whereby the said imposts of wines old and new and others contained in the said gift was annexed to the crown by his majesty or any of his majesty's predecessors of happy memory, to the effect the said marquis and his foresaids may peaceably possess and enjoy the same for the space of 16 years contained in the said gifts and according to the tenor thereof in all points, and also to the effect his majesty may of new gift and convey to the said marquis and his foresaids the said customs and imposts of wine old and new and others mentioned in the said gift with the whole rights, liberties and privileges for uplifting thereof for the said space of 16 years, which was and began at the said feast of Lammas in the year of God 1631. And his majesty and estates foresaid declares all gifts, grants, assignations and dispositions of the said customs and impost of wines and others above-specified made and granted by his majesty or his majesty's treasurer, with consent of the exchequer, to whatsoever person or persons during the said space of 16 years to be null and of no value, force nor effect by way of exception or reply.