[A1625/10/34]¹

Anent the custome of coale

Anent the article toucheing the imposeing of fourtie eight shillingis of custome upoun everie twne of coale exportit in strangeris boddomes, the estaittis, haveing hard the awneris of the coalheughis upoun bothe sydis of the watter of Forthe concerning that article, thay constantlie affirmed and declairit in presence of the estaittis that thay wer at suche extraordinar chargis in the intertenying of thair watter workis that the whole cuntrey seale and dispatche of thair coale in a yeir will not interteny thair watter workis ane moneth and that thay ar not able to uphold thair workis without ane aboundant dispatche of thair coale by strangearis; and that thair is not shipping in this cuntrey to transport a verie small pairt of coale, and if this new custome be imposed it wilbe a scar and hinder to strangearis to come heir for coale, whairunto thay ar allured more by the ease thay haif in the pryce nor for ony necessitie thay haif of oure coale; and if the trade fall, without the whilk the awnaris ar not able to interteny thair workis and coilheughis, the same will perishe without ony possibilitie of recoverie at ony tyme heirafter, not onlie to the utter undoing of the awneris bot to the extreame hurt and prejudice of the cuntrey, whilk by this occasioun wilbe destitute of all the sea coale within the kingdome, besydis the miserable wraik of mony hundreth families of poore people whose onlie mantenance dependis upoun thir workis and without the whilk thay wilbe all turnit beggaris. The estaittis haveing at lenth hard the saidis awnaris upoun this poynt and the trewth of thair affirmatioun being knowne to sindrie of thame and the matter being putt to voitting, it was fund that without a seine and evident hurt to the cuntrey this custome could not be impoised upoun the coale.