Edinburgh the Eleventh october Jaj vjc nyntie four years
D1694/10/8
D1694/10/81
Act
Act Robert Douglass
Anent a Petitione given in to the Lords of their Majesties privy Councill be Robert Douglas master of the soap manufactory of Leith Shewing That wher by the many Laudable Lawes made by their Majesties and their royall predecessors all maner of incouragment is granted in favors of manufactories and particularly by the twelth act thrid parliament of King Charles the Second It is Hierby statute and ordained that all matterialls quhatsomever usefull for manufactories that shall be Imported shall be free of Custome and excyss and other publict dues, And it is farder Declaired that any stock Imployed or to be Imployed for errecting and intertaineing any manufactories the same shall be free of all privat and publict taxes whatsomever and of all quartering and Levieing of souldiers and all the servants of the said Manufactories shall be free of watching and warding dureing their actuall service therin for the space of seven years after the date of the act upon the faith of which acts of parliament the petitioner has Imployed his stock and Credit in erecting the forsaid soap manufactory at Leith, not doubting but that he would Injoy all the priviledges allowed by Law to manufactories notwithstanding quherof the magistrats of Edinburgh upon pretext that the forsaid freedome is only indulged to manufactories for the Space of seven years from the date of the act which is the thretein of september Jaj vjc Eightie one, Doe Dayly Cess Tax and quarter upon the petitioner as upon the other unpriviledged inhabitants of Leith And seing that by the forsaid act of parliament ther is nothing more Clear then that the stocks Imployed for erecting manufactories And the Masters therof is free of all publict taxations and quartering whatsomever And that the seven years mentioned in the act has only relatione to the servants of the said manufactories their being free of uatching and warding dureing the said space, And that it is Imposible for the petitioner to entertaine the said manufactory without enjoying the forsaid priviledges And Therfore Humbly Craveing the saids Lords In Consideratione of the predicissors and of the act of parliament above cited To Declair that the petitioner and any stock he shall Imploy for the intertaineing the said manufactory Is and shall be free of all privat and publict taxes whatsoever and of all quartering and Levieing of soulders and to Discharge all persones concerned in quartering of souldiers and uplifting the publict taxes to trouble or molest the petitioner for or anent the same in time comeing as the petitione bears. The Lords of their majesties privy Councill haveing heard this petitione given in to them be the above Robert Douglas read in their presence They heirby allow the magistrats of Edinburgh to see and answer the same and the saids Lords Recomends to the Lord Viscount of Tarbatt and Sir James Stewart their Majesties advocat to Call for and hear the petitioner and also the magistrats of Edinburgh and indeavor to setle and agree both parties and incaice of Deficultie to report to the Councill at their meetting in november nixt And in the mean time Discharges all quartering Levieing of Souldiers of uplifting of Taxes against the petitioner and other members of the above Manufactory Untill the petitione and answers shall be made therto be advysed be the Councill And if ther be any quartering allready used Ordaines the partie to be instantly removed without quartering money.
1. NRS, PC2/25, 65r-66r.
1. NRS, PC2/25, 65r-66r.