[1662/5/12]¹

Act for building a meal-market in Ayr

The estates of parliament, taking into their consideration a supplication presented to them by William Cunningham [of Brownhill], provost of Ayr, in name and on behalf of the said burgh, mentioning that by reason of the want of a purpose-built and covered meal-market within the said burgh the people resorting thereto for selling of meal and other victual therein sustain great hurt and prejudice in the time of storm and rain, being necessitated to carry their victual off the streets to houses and under stairs for preserving of the same from rain, and in respect the said burgh, through their present poverty, is not able out of their own common good to build and cover a meal-market without some considerable help; humbly therefore, entreating a warrant for building of the said meal-market and for a supply for effectuating the same. Therefore, the king's majesty and estates of parliament do hereby grant warrant and power to the provost, bailies and council of the said burgh of Ayr to build and cover a meal-market in the most convenient place within the same burgh they shall think fit, without prejudice of any private man's interest in that place; and for the better building and upholding of the same, gives warrant and power to the magistrates and council foresaid to collect and uplift 4s Scots of custom for each sack and load of meal, and 2s Scots for each sack or load of malt or other victual brought to the said market to be sold therein in all time coming, as well from freemen inhabitants of the said burgh as from strangers importers thereof by sea or land, and for that effect to set tacks of the said custom for such time and space as they shall think convenient.