[1641/8/290]¹

Ratificatione in favoures of the weiveres of Edinburghe

Our soverane lord, with advyse and consent of the three estates of this present parliament, be the tennour heerof, ratifies and approves, for his hienes and his successoures in all tymecomeing, to and in favoures of the present deacone, boxmaister and remanent brethrene freemen of the weiveres and burgess of Edinburghe and thair successoures, ane seale of cause granted in ther favoures in the moneth of Januar j^M four hundreth threescoire fyftene yeeres be the proveist, baillies and councell of Edinburghe for the tyme; togidder with ane posteriour seale of cause granted be the saidis proveist, baillies and counsell of Edinburghe for the tyme to and in favoures of the said deacones, boxmaister and remanent brethrene of the said weiver tred for the tyme and ther successoures, daited in the moneth of November 1584 yeeres; togidder also with ane decreet of the lordis of privie counsall, daited at Halyrudhous, the therteene day of Januar 1603 yeeres, in favoures of the saids weiveres and cloath walkeres within this realme, anent the restraint be merchandis and traffickeres of any lining or wooll yairne wnder the paine of confiscatione of the samene, with the proclamatione made by sound of trumpettis and displayed coates of armes at the mercat croce of Edinburghe one ane mercat day, being the sevinteene day of the said moneth of Januare 1603 yeeres; togidder lykewayes with ane decreet givine and pronunced before the lordis of counsell and sessione upoun the ellevint day of Januar² 1614 yeeres in foro contradictorio partibus comparentibus to and favoures of the deacone, quartermaisteres and remanent bretherene of the weiver trade of the said burghe of Edinburgh for the tyme and there successoures, aganes the wobsteres, wnfriemen in the Cannongait, Potterraw, West Port and other pairtes therabout, finding them to have done wronge in comeing within the libertie of the burghe of Edinburghe and receiveing of yairne or stuffe fra the inhabitantes therof, and therfor decerneing and ordeaneing them to deceist and cease therfra in tymecomeing, in all and sindrie heedis, articles, clauss, conditiones and circumstances therof whatsomevir, with all that hes fallowed or may fallow thairwpoun. And farder, his majestie, with advyse foirsaid, willis and declaires and, for his hienes and his successoures, perpetuallie decernes and ordeanes that this present ratification is, and in all tymecomeing shall be, of alse great force, strenth and effect to the said deacone, quartermaisters and remanent brethrene of the weiver tred, frie mene of Edinburghe present and to come, for ther peaceable exerceing and enjoying of there tred and calling of weiver crafte, but interruptione by any unfriemene to burghe or land be awaytaking of linning or woolne yairne or yit by comeing in within the libertie of Edinburghe or receiveing of yairne or stuffe fra the inhabitantes therof as said is, sicklyke as if the saidis tuo sealles of causes, decreetes before the lordis of secreet counsell and sessione of the daites, tennoures and contents respective abovewrittin were at lenth and per expressum insert and ingrossit heirintill, quhairanent his majestie, with advyse foirsaid, for him and his successoures, hes dispensit and dispenses for now and evir be thir presentes. Excepting forthe of this present ratificatione the restraint of the exportatione of yairne, the dischairge wherof the king and estats remitts to the commissione grantit for manufactories to be considerit and determinat be that commissione according as the weaveres shall qualifie befoir that commissione the expediencie and necessitie of the said restraint. Reservand lykewayes wnprejudged be this ratificatione the priviledge granted to manufactories by the said commissioun appoynted for establishing thairof, and ordeanes the saidis weaveres in whose favoures this ratificatione is granted to doe thair worke alse weell, alse chaipe and alse tymouslie as any otheres of ther crafte and trade at the seight of the magistrats and toune counsell of Edinburgh. And ordeanes letters of publication to be directed heerupon be delyverance of the lordis of counsell and sessione at the instance of the present deacone, quartermaisters and bretherine of the weaveres, freemen burgess of Edinburghe for themselves and in name and behalfe of thair successoures againes all and sindrie wnfreemene and otheres quhatsomevir, to burghe or land, for prohibitioun of them of awaytaking of lining or wollen yairne and comeing within the libertie of Edinburgh, receiveing of yairne or stuff fra the inhabitants thairof, except as is before excepted, wnder the paine of confiscatione of the same as said is, sua that none of them pretend ignorance of the same in tymecomeing.