[1706/10/449]¹

Act in favour of [James Douglas], duke of Hamilton and the town of Bo'ness

Our sovereign lady, taking to consideration that the town of Bo'ness is most conveniently situated for trade and the place where both natives and strangers with their ships and vessels resort but, for want of a pier or harbour, many inconveniences arise, to the great hurt and damage both to merchants and owners of ships, and goods, being necessitated to load and unload the same by boats and lighters at inconvenient seasons, being obliged to wait upon tides and calm weather, to the great prejudice of all concerned and to the great detriment of her majesty's revenue by diminution of the duty of damnified goods which frequently falls out upon the reasons above-mentioned, all which would be avoided if there were a convenient pier or harbour for loading and unloading in manner foresaid. And considering that the inhabitants of the said town and parish thereof are desirous and willing that the imposition after-mentioned be granted for building of a harbour at the said town, as a paper under their hands has testified, therefore, her majesty, with advice and consent of the estates of parliament, does hereby allow an imposition of 2d Scots upon each pint of all ale and beer to be brewed and vended within the said town and parish, to be uplifted and collected by his grace the duke of Hamilton, his heirs and successors or their collectors, and that for the space of nineteen years, and the money so to be uplifted is hereby destined and appointed for erecting and building the said harbour, and the said duke of Hamilton and his foresaids are to apply the said money for the use and end above-mentioned at the sight of William [Johnston], marquis of Annandale and John [Hamilton], earl of Ruglen, or any one of them, their heirs or successors in case of their decease. And the said duke of Hamilton and his foresaids are hereby authorised to enter to the collection of the said imposition at and after the term of Whitsunday [15 May] 1707, with the burden always of £30 sterling payable at Whitsunday and Martinmas [11 November] next by equal portions to Alexander Baillie, servant to the lord register, or his assignees, in part payment for his great pains and expense in putting in order the records and warrants in the lower parliament house, making up inventories of the books and searching out and writing a register of the old public treaties between this and other nations, and ordain the said duke and his foresaids to pay the same accordingly.