[1540/12/72]¹

For staunching of dearth and prices of wine, salt and timber

Item, touching exorbitant dearth and prices of wine, salt and timber, it is statute and ordained that the provost, bailies and council of burghs where any ships or strangers arrive, or shall happen to arrive in time coming, laden with wine, salt or timber, convene with the merchants that own the said wines, salt and timber and buy or set a reasonable price upon the same, and that no manner of man, freeman or unfreeman, buy any of the said wine, salt or timber except from the said provost and bailies or owners thereof and at the prices set by them as is said, no man to buy until the king's grace first be served and his grace and officers being content for as much as it will please them to take to our sovereign lord's use only; that all noblemen of the realm such as prelates, barons and other gentlemen of the same be served at the same prices, and thereafter all and sundry our sovereign lord's lieges be served upon the said prices; and if any man comes in contrary thereof or forestalls the said wine, salt or timber, the same to be escheated to the king's grace; and if the provost, bailies and council are found negligent in the exercising of their offices, they are to lose the same and not to possess any office or honour for the space of three years thereafter; and if any freeman or other Scotsman dwelling in this realm brings home any wine, salt or timber upon their own adventure, that the provost and bailies of burghs, at the entering of the ships in the books of the town, review and consider their merchant bills and how the said wine, salt and timber was cost and sold, and similarly consider the merchants' expenses and freight, and thereafter set a reasonable price how the same may be sold, and as they decide, that the same be sold at the same price and no higher; and that the provost and bailies do diligence to enquire and get knowledge in due time of year how wine, salt and timber is sold and cost in other countries, that they may make the prices better corresponding to the quality of the goods.