[1578/7/15]¹

An act concerning the carrying of meat out of this realm in ships under colour of victualling

²Forasmuch as by taking and carrying away all kinds of meat in great quantity for victualling of ships passing out of this realm at all the ports thereof, and especially at Leith and the coastline of Fife, which is a great occasion of dearth of all kinds of meat; and that all the skippers, masters of ships and mariners in all parts of this realm take out the same in great abundance and quantity under colour and pretence of the victualling of their ships, more than may serve and sustain for that voyage; for remedy whereof in time coming, it is statute and ordained by our sovereign lord and three estates of this present parliament that all kinds of meat for victualling of ships in time coming be packed within the free burghs and ports where the said ships lie and are to depart and no other way, and that the provost, bailies and customs officers of the said burgh visit and consider diligently how much meat may serve every ship and their equipage for that present voyage, and according to the number of the equipage and company appoint to every ship so many barrels or puncheons as for that present voyage shall sufficiently serve them to the first port they are freighted to, and thereafter mark the said barrels or puncheons appointed to them to the furnishing of the said ships with the common mark of the said burgh, providing always that in case the said skippers, masters or mariners take any meat out of the realm than may serve and sustain them for that voyage according to the number of their equipage and as shall be appointed to them in manner aforesaid and marked as said is, that the said provost, bailies, customs officers, every one of them within their own offices and jurisdiction, search, seek, take and apprehend the surplus of the said meat shipped in the said ships in addition to the equipment appointed to them for that voyage as said is, escheat and bring in the same to our sovereign lord's use and deliver the same to his treasurer, for the which he shall be held to answer our sovereign lord yearly in his exchequer.