[1641/8/195]¹

Act anente lining cloath and breade therof

Oure soverane lord and estates presently assembled, finding that lining cloath is become ane of the pryme commodities of this kingdome wherby many people are put to worke and money is brought within the same, which pairtlie throughe the deceet used by the bleicheres in lymeing therof, and pairtlie by the wncertantie of the breadth, is lyklie to come in contempt abroade, to the great prejudice of this kingdome; therfor his majestie, with consent of the saidis estates, statutes and ordeins that no makeres of lining cloath nor no otheres whatsoevir present to merket or otherwayes make or sell any lining cloath of the pryce of ten shillingis the elne or above of les breadeth then ane elne, and all wnder the said pryce to be of no les breadeth then thrie quarteres of ane elne, wnder the paine of confiscatione of all such lyneing presented to the merket or otherwayes sold which shall be fund not to be of the breadeth abovenamed. And ordeenes the magistrates within whose boundis or jurisdictiones the said lining cloath made contrair to this statute shall happen to come to confiscate and escheat the same, and for this effect to search all the merketes within ther boundis. As also dischairges and inhibites all our soverane lordis leiges and subjectes that none of them presume nor take wpoun hand to bleitch any cloath with lyme wnder paine to be punished in ther persones and goodis at the will of the magistrat within whose boundis they dwell. And last it is statute and ordeened that all lineing cloath shall be takene wp by the selvedge and not by the rige, and so to be presented to the merket. And ordeanes the shereffe of the shyres and magistrates within burghe to put this statute to executione within ther severall jurisdictiones.