report in write upon Oath that they have truly and honestly performed their duty have spared and past by no Merchant and a list of such persons as shall refuse the said Bond and Oath And We do hereby declare That whosoever shall delate any transgressors of this or Our former Proclamation either as to Linen or Woolen Manufactures or prohibited silver and gold Ribbans or Laces or Threed or prohibited Silk-stuffs and Ribbans or any otherwise has transgressed the said Proclamation shall have the one half of the fines or other benefit arising thereby for his incouragement And the Tacks-men or Collectors of our Customs Surveyors Collectors Waiters and their servants are hereby strictly required and commanded to search for seize upon apprehend burn and destroy any of the saids prohibited Goods shall happen to be Imported contrair to the tenour of this and Our former Proclamation and not to suffer the same to escape With certification to them if they failÈie and suffer the saids prohibited Goods to be imported either by tollerance or connivance they shall not only amit and lose their Places and forever be declared incapable to serve in that or any such publick Charge and be fined in the value of the Goods that through their default or neglect shall happen to be Imported but otherwise fined by Our Privy Council conform to the quality and nature of their offence And any Merchant or other person who shall inform against any of the Fermorers Collectors Surveyors or Waiters for neglect of their duty in the premisses and prove the same shall have their fines for a reward and the Tacks-men and Collectors are to send in their own Oaths and the Oaths of ther Surveyors Collectors and servants twice in the year to the Council that they have done their duty as is before prescribed under the penalty and certification foresaid and that at the foresaids diets appointed for the returning of the Bonds of the Merchants And whereas there are divers good Laws and Acts of Parliament already made for the incouragement of the Manufactories of this Kingdom and for encouragement of Strangers to come thereto to set up in their several Callings against the export of Linen and Woolen yairn anent the Weaving and Bleetching of Linen Cloth And particularly by the 4. Act of Our 1. Parl. Intituled Act for erecting Manufactures It is statute and ordained that the Priviledges following shall be granted to all such persons as have or shall undertake to set up Manufactories viz. If any stranger shall come or be brought into this Kingdom by natives to set up work and teach his Art in making of Cloth Stuffs Stockings Soap or any other kind of Manufactury he shall enjoy the benefit of the Law and all other Priviledges that a Native doth enjoy with power to erect Manufactories either in Burgh or Landward as they shall think fit and there to dwell and exercise their Trade without any stop or trouble And for their further encouragement all Oyl dying Stuffs Forraign Wool Pot ashes or any other Materials whatsoever useful for Manufactories that shall be Imported Are declared to be free of Custom and Excise and other publick Dues and that all Cloth Stuffs Stockings or any other Commodity to be made and exported by them be free of Custom and Excise for nineteen years after the Month of January 1662. And all Customers Collectors Fermorers of Custom and Excise are discharged to demand any Custom or Excise or any other Imposition for such Materials before-mentioned belonging to Manufactories as they will be answerable And if any Stock shall be imployed for erecting or intertaining of any Manufactories the same is to be free of all privat or publick Taxes whatsoever and of all quarterings or levying of Souldiers upon Manufactories or the Masters thereof are discharged With power to the Masters Erectors or Intertainers of Manufactories to meet by themselves for making of Ordinances for the good and advancement of their Trade for the right ordering their servants and for the sufficiency of their Stuffs Cloths and others and choise one of the most expert of their number for visiting their Work And by the 43. Act of the same Parliament The Exporting of Linen yairn forth of the Kingdom is discharged under the pain of Confiscation of the same All the Weavers are discharged to make any Linen Cloth of the price of ten shilling Scots the Elne or above under the breadth of an Elne and two Inches that the same be taken up by the Selvedge and not by the Rig and be so presented to the Mercat and that the same be bleetched without lime under the penalties of Imprisonment and fining By the 46. Act of the same Parliament All Woorsted Woolen-yairn raw or unwaked-Cloths or Stuffs except Plaiding are discharged to be exported forth of the Kingdom under the pain of Confiscation thereof And by the 7. Act of the 1. Session of Our second Parliament it is Statute and declared for the increase and promoting of Trade and Manufactories That all Strangers of the Protestant Religion who shall come to and set up new Works and Manufactories in the Kingdom shall be naturalized as Native-born Subjects of this Kingdom and are to enjoy Our Royal Protection the benefit of the Law and all other Priviledges which a Native doth enjoy that they shall have liberty and freedom of Trade to buy and purchase Lands Hererages and other goods moveable and immoveable and all other priviledges libertier and capacities which do belong to any Native Subject born within this Kingdom as these several Acts of Parliament containing divers other priviledges and immunities in favours of persons who shall erect Manufactories or set up and work in the same more fully bears Which several Laws and Acts of Parliament foresaid We with advice of Our Privy Council have thought fit for the increase and promoving of Trade and Manufactories to ordain to be put to due and punctual Execution in all points And We or sain these persons who have already set up any Manufactories in this Our Kingdom to have the whole priviledges and immunities therein exprest And particularly We ordain all Materials whatsoever useful for Manufactories that shall be imported to be free of Custom and Excise and other publick dues for the space of nineteen years after the date hereof conform to the power reserved to Our Privy Council by the said 40. Act of Our first Parliament in case the same be not found to be perpetual but only temporary And in regard the Execution of the said 40. and 43. Acts of Our said first Parliament Is committed to Magistrats of Burghs Sheriffs of Shires Lords of Regalities and Baronies in their respective bounds And that by their oversight and neglect the same has not been put in execution We ordain and require the saids Magistrats to put the same to due and punctual execution to punish the transgressors and exact and uplift the penalties And do declare that if the saids
of the Plate Ordains the Deacon of the Goldsmiths of Edinburgh to take Essay thereof by the Copel-Essay and no otherways and that the new made work bear the date by the A. B. C. And the Deacon for the time is to be answerable for the Lignet the time of his Deaconry that it shall be according to the Standard and for every particular piece of work marked by him under the certification foresaid And declares that any Silver Work shall be found made and tryed and marked otherways after the first day of June next or found in the Goldsmiths Work-houses or Shops or in their possession shall fall under the foresaid certification And for a Check to the Goldsmiths of Edinburgh We ordain the Deacon once in two years at the end of his Deacon-ship to make up a Lignet of the several Essays and give in the same to the Master of Our Mint to be tryed by the Essay Master And We discharge all Goldsmiths of any other Burghs to make any Silver Plate hereafter except of the fineness foresaid and appoint the Goldsmiths of each Burgh to keep and Essay Box of all Plate made by them which Box they are ordained to send in to OUR GOLDSMITH or Deacon of the Goldsmiths of Edinburgh for the time once in the year to be tryed by them or either of them and thereafter by the Essay-masters of Our Mint under the pain of Death and Confiscation of all their Moveables conform to the Act of Parliament foresaid and the Goldsmith or Goldsmiths in other Burghs of the Kingdom shall set his Name upon his Work marked with the A. B. C. as aforesaid and any Work otherways made or marked by him or which he shall have in his Shop or possession after the first of June next shall fall under the foresaid certification And we allow the Goldsmiths to take price for the new Work conform to the augmentation of the fineness as it is now prescribed and for their Workmanship being plain or better Work as they and the buyers shall agree And for the incouragement of the Goldsmiths and that the Lieges be not deceived and abused by Silver-work under the foresaid fineness imported from other places We hereby discharge the Importation of all Silver-work by Merchants or others for sale except that which is marked with the ordinary marks of Silver-work of London or Paris under the penalty of confiscation thereof the one half for Our Use and the other to the discoverer And seing by the Prohibition but by Us upon the several Commodities mentioned in Our former and this Our Proclamation and by the execution of Our Laws for the incouragement of Manufacturies the deduction allowed for the Excise of Salt imployed upon Fishes exported and materials imported for building of Ships the same will considerably diminish Our Customes and Excise And We having with advice of Our Council fully considered what imported Commodities may best bear a further Duty for ballancing and making up the same with the least inconvenience to Trade and the profite of the Kingdom We with advice foresaid conform to the foresaid 26. Act of Our 3. Session of Parliament have ordained and ordain the additional Excise under-written to be put upon and exacted off the several Commodities following viz. That whereas French Wine now pays of Custome Excise and Bullion six Pounds two shillings Sterling upon each Tun We ordain each Tun of French Wine to pay eighteen shillings Sterling more of additional Excise And each Tun of Brandy which pays now ten Pounds Sterling the Tun that the same pay twenty Pounds Sterling the Tun with the burden of Bullion as formerly And seing that Tobacco that comes immediatly from the Plantations pays sixteen pennies Scots of Duty upon each pound weight and that which comes from London and other parts not immediatly from the Plantations pays now two shilling Scots We ordain that the Duty upon Tobacco coming immediatly from the Plantations continue as formerly but that 〈…〉 place pay eight pernies more be 〈…〉 upon each pound weight in regard ther◠〈…〉 â—â—â—modities Transported to the Plantations but none 〈…〉 for Tobacco but only ready Money and 〈…〉 beer and other forraign Bâ—â—â— or Ale imported to pay 〈◊〉 shillings Sterling the Tun of Custome and Excise And that 〈◊〉 Subjects may have no ground to murmur of any new burdâ—â— We do declare that the additions foresaids upon Wine Braâ—â— Tobacco Mum-beer and other Forraign Beer and Ale is onâ—â— in compensation of the Detriment Our Customs and Excise 〈◊〉 suffer by the saids Prohibitions and are to continue and end unâ—â— while the Prohibitions appointed by this and Our former Proclamations are in vigour and Our Customs and Excise in Collection and no longer Our Will is herefore and We Charge you striâ—â—ly and Command that incontinent these Our Letters seen â—â—â—pass to the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh and other places needâ—â—â— and thereat in Our Name and Authority by open Proclamation make Publication of the Premisses that none pretend ignorant 〈◊〉 as also of the Bond hereto subjoyned the which to do We commit to you conjunctly and severally Our full Power by these Our Letters delivering them by you duely execute and 〈◊〉 again to the bearer And ordains these Presents to be Priâ—â—ed Given under Our Signet at Edinburgh the Eleventh day of April One thousand six hundred eighty and one And of 〈◊〉 Raign the thretty three Year Per actum Dominorum Secreti Concilij PAT MENZIEâ— Cl. Sti. Concilij GOD save the KING Follows the tenor of the Bond to be signed by the Merchants in the several Burghs of this Kingdom WE the Merchants of the Burgh of under-subscribing Whereas by His Majesties Proclamation of the first day of March last the Importation of the several Commodities following are discharged viz. Of all silver and gold Threed silver and gold Lace Fringes or Tracing all Buttons of gold and silver Threed und all manner of Stuffs or Ribbons in which there is any gold or silver Threed all Philagrane work to be worn upon Apparel as also all Forraign Holland-Linen Cambrick Lawn Dornick Damesk Tiking Bustein or Damety tufted or stripped Holland Calligo Musline Silesia and East-India Linen and all other Clothes made of Linen or Cotton as likewise all Forraign Cloths and Stuffs whatsoever made of Woollen-Yarn or Wool and Lint all forraign Silk and Woollen Stockings all forraign Laces made of Silk Gimp or Threed all manner of Laces or Point of any sort or Colours all forraign made Gloves Shoes Boots and Slippers after the date of the said Proclamation except only such as can be made appear upon Oath to have been ordered by preceeding Commissions and shipped before the tenth of March now bypast with certification that all such Goods as shall be so imported shall be burnt and destroyed and the Importers and Refference fined in the value of the Goods so imported And whereas by His Majesties Proclamation of the date the eleventh day of April the said
A PROCLAMATION For regulating and encouraging of TRADE AND MANUFACTORIES In the Kingdom of SCOTLAND Edinburgh the Eleventh day of April 1681. EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to His most Sacred MAJESTY 1681. A PROCLAMATION For regulating and encouraging of TRADE AND MANUFACTORIES In the Kingdom of SCOTLAND CHARLES by the Grace of GOD King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith To Our Lovits Our Lyon King at Arms and his brethren Heraulds Macers of Our Privy Council Pursevants or Messengers at Arms Our Sheriffs in that Part conjunctly and severally specially constitute and to all and sundry Our Leidges and Subjects whom it Effeirs Greeting Whereas by the Law of all Nations the laying of Restraints and Impositions upon Forreign Imported Merchandises Is acknowledged to be proper to and inherent in the Persons of all Soveraign Princes as an undoubted Prerogative of the Crown And that by the 26. Act of the 3. Sess of Our first Parliament the ordering and disposal of Trade with Forreign Countreys and the laying of Restraints and Impositions upon Forreign imported Commodities Is asserted to belong to Us and Our Successors as an undoubted Priviledge and Prerogative of the Crown And that by vertue thereof We may lay such Impositions and Restraints upon Forreign Imported Commodities and so order and dispose upon the trade of them as We shall judge fit for the good of Our Kingdom And there being several Representations made to Us and Our Privy Council by diverse of the most considerable Merchants of this Kingdom and others that by the undue ballance of Trade occasioned chiefly by the Import of many unnecessary and superfluous Commodities consumed upon vanity and luxury a great part of the stock of the Mony of the Kingdom was Exported and the improvement of the native Export and Manufacture of the Kingdom neglected nothwithstanding of the many good and wholsome Laws made by Us and Our Royal Ancestors for encouragement thereof And We being ever ready to improve all occasions and opportunites for the good and advantage of this Our Ancient Kingdom By a Proclamation of the first of March last with advice of Our Privy Council thought fit to put a present stop to several superfluous unnecessary and expensive Commodities viz. of all Silver and Gold Threed Silver and Gold Lace Fringes or Tracing all Buttons of Gold and Silver threed all manner of Stuffs and Ribbans in which there is any Gold or Silver threed and Philagrane work to be worn upon Apparel as also all Forreign Holland-Linen Cambrick Laun Dornick Damask Tyking Bustein or Damety tufted or stripped Holland Calligo Musline Silesia and East India Linen and all other Cloths made of Linen or Cotton as likewise all Forreign Cloths and Stuffs whatsomever made of wool-yairn or wool and lint all Forreign silk and woolen Stockings all Forreign Laces made of silk gimp or threed and all manner of Laces and Poynt of any sorts or collours all Forreign made Gloves Shooes Boots and Slippers and ordained all such Goods as should happen to be Imported to be burnt and destroyed and the importers and ressetters fined in the value of the Goods so Imported And whereas that Affair concerning the Improvement of the Trade and the Manufacture of this Our Kingdom of so great consequence to the benefit and advantage thereof hath been frequently and fully considered We with advice of Our Privy Council have thought fit not only to renew and ratifie the said Proclamation But farder We do hereby discharge all Merchants or other persons whatsoever to Import into this Kingdom any manner of Floured Stripped Figured Checkered Painted or Printed silk Stuffs or Ribbans all made Cloaths Imported from Abroad for men Night-gowns Petticoats and other Cloaths for women and all made Cloaths for children after the date hereof excepting only such as can be made appear upon Oath to have been ordered by preceeding Commissions and Shipped before the twentieth two day of April instant which time is allowed to the Merchants or others to recall their Commissions if any such have been given With certification that all such Goods as shall be otherwise Imported shall be burnt and destroyed and the importers or ressetters fined in the value of the saids Goods It 's hereby declared that in this Prohibition Silk stuffs or Ribbans changing colloured or watered are not comprehended nor plain Silk-stuffs nor Ribbans As also that in the Prohibition in Our former Proclamation of the first of March discharging the Importing of all Manufacture of Wool or Lint Arras-Hangings and Carpets made abroad and Imported are not discharged but the same may be Imported as formerly And considering the great prejudice not only the Merchants who have great parts of their Stocks in these Goods upon than hands but others may sustain if a total prohibition of wearing at a definit day were appointed and prefixed And upon the other part how difficult it may prove to make the said Proclamation practicable and effectual against the Import Sale if the Merchants be not strictly bound up from any further Import or Sale We have therefore thought fit hereby to discharge all Merchants or other persons whatsoever by themselves their wives bairns or servants or any having warrant from them or with whom they have any interest or share in gain or loss To vend sell barter or exchange any of the saids prohibited Goods contained in the said former and this Our Proclamation to any persons residenters in this Our Kingdom after the fifteenth day of June next Except they sign and fend in to Our Council and give Oath before the Magistrat at the times and in manner following contained in the Band subjoyned with certification to them if they refuse to give up the said Inventor and Bond and Oath or give the same unfaithfully they shall be holden repute and esteemed importers venters and ressetters of the saids prohibited Goods and that the saids Goods shall be seized upon burnt and destroyed and they fined in the value thereof Iose their freedom for ever and be otherwise proceeded against conform to the Laws for their contempt And the Magistrats of the several Burghs are hereby ordered from time to time to search the Shops Houses and Chambers of such Merchants and others as shall not give up Inventor and give the Bond and Oath aftermentioned 〈◊〉 burn and destroy the saids prohibited Goods which Bond and Inventor the saids Magistrats are ordered to take from the hail Merchants within their Burghs and send in the same to the Council betwixt and the fifteen days of June and November next respectivè for this year and yearly thereafter in June and November and shall send in with the said Inventor Swatches of the several Stuffs and Ribbans contained in the same marked and sealed upon a paper apart bearing the same to belong to such a Merchant And the Magistrats also are hereby ordained to send in with the said Inventor Oath Bond Swatches yearly a