[1535/41]¹

Regarding merchants that sail in contradiction to the acts made of before

²Item, it is statute and ordained by the king's grace and the three estates of parliament that the act and statute made by our late sovereign lord King James III, and ratified and approved by [James IV], our late sovereign lord who last deceased, of good mind, whom God absolve, touching merchants passing with their merchandise out of the realm to France, Flanders or any other parts, that no merchant sail without having half a last of his own goods, or else in governance as factor to other merchants, be put to execution in all points in time to come after the form and tenor of the same, and ratify and approve the said acts and statute now in this present parliament; and also ordain the provost or bailies of burghs situated at each port of the realm to search and seek the persons, breakers of the said statutes, and that they distrain each person, breaker thereof, for the sum of £20, to be applied in this way, that is to say, the one half to our sovereign lord's use and the other half to the provost or bailies for their labours, and that they make account thereof yearly in the exchequer; and if the provost or bailies of the said burgh be negligent in the exercising of their offices and power given to them, they shall be obliged to pay the said pain of £20 for every man that passes and sails in opposition to the said act at that port where they have jurisdiction to the king's grace; and also it is ordained that no skipper, master or owner of ships receive any merchant to sail in their ships without having the names of them in ticket, subscribed by the hands of the said provost and bailies, under the pain foresaid for each person who they received within their ship, and that our sovereign lord's customs officers, or any others who pleases, should accuse the said provost and bailies if they be negligent in the aforesaid yearly at the exchequer, and letters to be directed hereupon in due form as is appropriate; and also that letters be written to the conservator of the nation in Flanders containing the effect of this act, charging him to send home the names of all merchants repairing there in every ship in opposition to the tenor of the said act to the treasurer under the pain of the loss of his office.