[A1641/8/134]¹

[Remonstrance of the craftsmen of Scotland regarding the office of master of works]

Remonstrance of the whole artificers of Scotland to his majestie and parliament²

To the king's most excellent majestie and the most honorable estates of parliament, the humble remonstrance of all the artificers of the kingdome of Scotland

Humbly sheweth,

That seing the honor and benefite of the king's royall majestie and the whole kingdome ar neerly concerned in having a man of respect and eminent for his skill in all mechanick artes, discretion, honestie and painfulnes to be master of work to his majestie, to whose charge is incumbent the surveighing and maintaining of his majesties royall howses, palaces and castles, that they may not become ruinous, decay nor be obnoxious to the injuries of weather; as also to direct and build such other howses and workes as may serve best for his majesties further use and pleasure, whose skill, judgement, care and foresight may not onely save much unnecessary charge to his majestie and be worthie of the trust of that place which hath formerly bene still possest by men of eminent qualification, but will necessarily conduce to the breiding and employing of sufficient and able artificers of all artes usefull in architecture to the great credite and generall behoofe of the kingdome, keeping them in ordour and compound all such differences as may arise betwixt artificers and such as shall sett them on work, or betweene artizan and artizan, his wisdome, authoritie and qualities being such as may make him deserve to be generall wardene of the whole artificers of building as worthy men have ever formerly bene, a charge so competent for none as for his majesties maistir of work, if he be sufficiently qualified for the same to the end. Therefore that none may attaine to that charge but such as shalbe sufficiently qualified in mechanicks and all that belongs to architecture, to plott and contrive what is fittest for building and reparacion, what bewtifull and usefull and least chargeable, to judge of workemens abilities and workemanship, to invent and use varieties of workes and engines, to direct every severall artizan in his owne arte and to manage his place to the honour of the king and kingdome and flowrishing of artes and artificers within the same,

Wee, the whole artificers in this kingdome in one voyce, doe most humbly supplicate his majestie and the most honorable estates of parliament to tak the premiss to their consideration, and because mens abillties are not knowne to his majestie in regarde of his absence from the countrey, least men incapable of the charge of maistir of work may attaine to that, therefore it may be enacted that none shall ewer bruik or be admitted to that place of maistir of work but such as shalbe recomended to his majestie as sufficiently qualified by the whole wardens and deacons of the masons, wrights and others chosen by them assembled for that purpose by the parliament and privie councell when the place of maistir of work shall happen to be vacant.

15 Novembris 1641

Appointis ane coppie therof to be gevin to everie estaite to be advysit whill the morne.³