[1644/1/26]¹

Act anent transport of victual

Forasmuch as the convention of estates of this kingdom considering how necessary it is that all means be used for providing victual for maintenance of the armies in England or Ireland and provision of the kingdom within, and the prejudice likely to ensue through the avaricious disposition of some private persons, who, for their own advantage, do daily transport all manner of victual out of this kingdom, if the same be not prevented by a general restraint, they do therefore ordain heralds and messengers of arms to pass to the market cross of Edinburgh and other places needful, and there, by open proclamation, to command, charge and inhibit all his majesty's subjects of whatsoever rank and quality that none of them presume nor take upon hand after the date hereof to transport out of the kingdom any manner of victual, wheat, barley, oats, meal or rye without special licence from the committee of estates, under the pain of confiscation of the said victual and ships carrying the same, if they can be had; and failing thereof, under the pain of confiscation of the moveable of the transporters and masters or owners of the ships transporting the same, and such further punishment as the committee shall think fit. Commanding hereby all magistrates to burgh and land and all searchers to make diligent trial and to lay on an embargo of all ships, barks or boats transporting any victual embarked or to be embarked without licence as said is, as they will be answerable upon the duty of their lives.