[1641/8/192]¹

Act discharging monopolies

Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament, considering the great hurt and prejudice sustained by sundry of his majesty's lieges by the monopolies used and exacted within this kingdom and which have been conferred to the use of any particular person or persons, to the great hurt and prejudice of others of his majesty's lieges, and specially the gift for selling tobacco granted to Sir James Leslie and Thomas Dalmahoy, the patent of the leather granted to [John Erskine], earl of Mar, the patent of pearling granted to [James] Bannatyne, the patent of pearl granted to Robert Buchan and the patent of armory granted to William² Mauld, therefore our sovereign lord and estates of parliament by the tenor hereof, annul, rescind and simply discharge the particular gifts foresaid granted to the persons above-written, and all that may follow or has followed thereupon, and ordain the same and all other patents of that nature, purchased or to be purchased, for the benefit of particular persons in prejudice of the public to cease and be ineffectual in all time coming.