[1663/6/16]¹

Act in favour of merchants in Glasgow dispensing with trading in foreign bottoms for arrears

The estates of parliament, having heard a supplication presented by the merchants venturers in the city of Glasgow, mentioning that his majesty and estates of parliament, by the 44th act of the first session of this present parliament entitled, act for encouraging of shipping and navigation, do statute and ordain that no goods or commodities whatsoever that are of foreign growth, product or manufactory, which are brought to Scotland or any of the isles thereof, should be shipped or brought from any other part, but only from the place where these commodities do grow, are produced and made or from the parts where the said goods commonly are or usually have been first shipped for transportation, and from no other place or country, and in no other ships or vessels but such as do only and truly belong to the kingdom of Scotland, and whereof the master or three fourth parts of the mariners are natives and inhabitants within the same, or at least in such ships and vessels as do only and truly belong to and are of the build of these kingdoms where the said commodities do grow, are made and produced, under the pain of confiscation of all such goods as shall be imported from any other place or country or in any other ship or vessel contrary to the true intent and meaning of the foresaid act, and also under the pain of confiscation of the ship or vessel within which they shall be imported, with her whole furniture, goods, tackling and ammunition, the one half to his majesty and the other half to those who shall discover the contraveners, as at more length is contained in the foresaid act; and the petitioners and several others of his majesty's good subjects, in consideration of the foresaid act and being confident of the due execution thereof, have gone about to expend the most part of their fortunes for building of ships and advancing of trades, notwithstanding whereof several strangers and others, and specially Dutchmen, have imported several commodities and goods in Dutch vessels on the River Clyde and other parts, and have broken, bulk, sold and made use of the said commodities, and the petitioners, being about to put into execution against them the tenor of the foresaid act, have been opposed by those who bought the said goods and others concurring with the Dutchmen, so that the petitioners are likely to be ruined in their fortunes, there being ten or twelve new vessels already built and in building belonging to the city of Glasgow, unless remedy is provided by appointing some effectual course whereby the foresaid act may be put into execution; humbly therefore, desiring his majesty and estates of parliament to renew the former act of parliament above-mentioned, and to give order in manner underwritten. Which supplication, with the report of the lords of the articles and such as were appointed by them to consider the same, being this day returned and at length heard and considered in parliament, the king's majesty, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, does ratify and approve of the former act of parliament anent navigation, and ordains his majesty's admiral and his deputes and all magistrates of burghs, justices of peace and others of his majesty's ministers and lieges, to assist any who shall apprehend and seize any of the goods or vessels importing any goods or commodities contrary to the tenor of the act of parliament above-mentioned, and secure the same until it is declared prize before his majesty's exchequer, provided always, likewise it is hereby declared, that this act is only to be made use of for the time to come, and not to be extended against any ships or goods brought in before the date hereof, or which were freighted, bought or bargained for before the date hereof. And further, his majesty, for encouraging of trade, does, with advice foresaid, hereby discharge the granting of any licences for importing of goods contrary to the act of parliament above-mentioned.