Act, 17 April 1701, Edinburgh

Procedure, 30 December 1701, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh The Seventeenth day of Aprile Jaj viic and one years

A1701/4/151

Act

Act In favours of John Lauson

Anent The Petition given in and presented to the Lords of His Majestys privy Councill by John Lauson burges of Edinburgh Shewing That ane office of Intelligence for Recording the names of Servants upon due tryall and Certificats of their manners and qualifications wherby masters may be provided with honest Servants of all Sorts, and Servants may readily know what masters are unprovided, As Likeways for the better and more easy discovery of all Bargains, and the Communication and publishing all proposalls and other bussinesses that the persons concerned may think fitt to give notice and ane account off, to the said office for the Information of all the Leidges hath been found Convenient and necessary in all populous cities, and is at present actualy practised in London, Paris Amsterdam etc And albeit their petitioner hath bestowed great aims and Expenses to know the methods used abroad in order to the Erecting of Such ane office in this place, and brought it a considerable Length as to Servants to the Satisfaction and advantage of many of all Ranks and degrees, yet the same cannot have the wished Effect, unles their Lordships be pleased to Interpone their authority therto by granting ane act of Execution of ane office of Intelligence, and discharging wed-men wed-wives and others to medle in the Fieing of any Sorts of Servants or nurses, or any other affairs belonging to the said office upon whatsoever Colour or pretence, And Seing that this office is not proposed to lay either Charge or Restraint upon masters or Servants or any others Except Such as find it their Interest and benefit to apply to the Said office for information, But only that ther may be a publick known and authorized office with Fixed rules where masters or Servants and others may have Information at easy raits, and that all others for Information may be discharged to make a trade of giving Information for money concerning the Feeing of Servants or nurses or other barganes or proposalls without prejudice in the Leist to all the Leidges to hyre Servants or enter into bargains and do all other bussines upon their propper knowledge or upon Information freely and gratuitously given Likeas the Conveniency and Vsefulnes of this office will more Clearly appear by a paper of reasons a pairt given in with the said petition, and it being first and reasonable and their Lordships ordinary practise, to give to the projectors or Inventers of any thing found usefull for the Leidges all Suteable Encouragement And Therfore Humbly Craving to the Effect underwrittin, as the said petition bears. Follows the paper of Reasons mentioned in and presented with the said bill Shewing the usefulness and Conveniency of ane office of Intelligence for feeing of Servants and for Information in other bussinesses. Its very well known that the Leidges have been much Imposed upon, by having dishonest and profligat Servants Recommended to them by wedmen, wed-wifes and others not qualifyed or able to perform the Service they undertake to great Loss trouble and Expenss of their masters, For preventing of such abuses in tyme comeing, It is humbly proposed that their be ane office of Intelligence Erected where the names of Servants of all Stations together with testificats of their fidelity and Christian deportment are to be Recorded in a book to be Regularly keept by the master of the office and his Servants, And It being also 2convenient for Servants That they should readily understand what masters want Servants, The master of the said office of Intelligence is likeways to keep ane other Seperat book wher all masters wanting Servants (who shall be pleased to Call or Send to the said office) their names and designations and the different Sorts of Service they are unprovided off, shall be particularly Insert, By which means in a very litle tyme, masters and Servants may meet together and agree or else Inquire for others till both be provided. And Whereas Severall Scandalous persons have Intruded themselves into privat families and nurses without Satisfying Church discipline or produceing Testimonialls from ministers, The master of the said office is to take Care, That all Such as offer themselves to nurse Chidlren shall produce a testificat of their good deportment in caice they be marryed, and if not that they have satisfyed the Kirk for their Scandall, or have found Caution so to doe, which will in a great measure prevent the Scandalous abuses Committed by many women in laying down their Children at Kirk Thesaurers and other persons doors after they have gott themselves Secretly and under hand provyded to be nurses in privat Families. Ane other Considerable benefit and advantage to all Noblemen, Gentlemen and others who live at a distance from Edinburgh Is this that by a Lyne to their factors or doers here, They may gett notice from the said office of Intelligence with very litle Expenss, how they shall be provyded with men and women, Servants of all Sorts Such as master-hous holds, Gentlemen, Valets, Stewards, pages, greives, gardners, Cooks, porters, Coachmen, grooms, Footmen, postilions, young books for waiting on Gentlemen or for Change-houses, Likeways Gentlewomen for attending Ladies, house keepers, Chamber maids, women Stewards and Cooks, women for keeping Children, ordinary Servants for all Sorts of work in privat families, also Taverners and Ticket runners, with all Sorts of nurses who either come to Gentlemens houses or nurse Children in their own, who all and everyone of them are to have their names and the different and respective Services they are qualyfied for, together with testificats of their honest and Christian behaviour, recorded in the books of the said office, This project also will be very usefull for Information in other bussinesses that is, for discovery and making known all other bargains and proposalls, It being Evident that men are often Straitned how and where to Enquyre for bargains they Intend as likeways that others are at a Loss, how to make known their offers of Bargains and other proposalls in bussinesses, which oblidges them to Send clapps as they call them throw the Town, and some tymes to pull advertisements in Gazetts, which yet are no ways Sufficient for the Ends designed, For the Clapps go only to Edinburgh and for small bussinesses, and do neither Concern or Extend to the Country, And the Gazett is uncertan, and gazetts come not to all merchands nor are they oft to be found, when men have most to do with them wheras a Standing office would abide all men, and be ever ready It is also obvious that men in many caices put up placats for Information, which yet is a method not so much as knowen to many, and where practized Extends not farr, nor is always at Command, Besides all these methods are defective as to full Information, wheras the Intelligence office would receive and Record, as full and particular Informations as parties please and the Same being booked and recorded would be patent and published at all tymes, nor Shall this office be either troublesome or Expensive to the Leidges, all being free to them both as to Imployment and price, So that nothing is aimed at, but a Conveniency, That cannot but be desyreable to all the Leidges as the saids Reasons in themselves more fully proports. Which Petition with the paper of reasons forsaids mentioned therin, and produced therwith Being this day Read in presence of the Lords of His Majestys privy Councill, and they being therwith well advised, and having at Length considered the Same, They have Erected and do heirby Erect the above office of Intelligence In favours of the said petitioner and his assigneys, for the space of nyne years next after the date heirof, And have discharged and heirby discharges all persons quhatsomever to Erect any Such office besides the petitioners within this Kingdom, and likeways have discharged and heirby discharges, all wed-men, wed-wives and others for money or other good deeds to medle in the Feeing of any Sorts of Servants or nurses, or the discoverying or Informing of other bargains and proposalls for money or Reward. directly or Indirectly upon whatsomever colour or pretence And the saids Lords of privy Councill, do heirby allow and authorize the said John Lauson and his assigneys, to Exact from every master and Servant who shall apply to the said office respective, where the Fee Extends to, or Exceeds the Soume of Twelve pounds Scots yearly, Fourteen Shilling Scots, where the fee is below the said Soume Seven Shilling Scots, And in the caices of other bargains and proposals as the partys Shall think fitt freely to give The Said John Lawson being always heirby obliged to provide a Sufficient house for the said office and Servants to attend and to keep regular books containing the names of the masters and servants respective with the Servants Certificats of their honest and Christian behaviour or deportment and also containing such memorialls and Informations, as shall be given for any other bussines from tyme to tyme.

Att Edinburgh The Seventeenth day of Aprile Jaj viic and one years

A1701/4/151

Act

Act In favours of John Lauson

Anent The Petition given in and presented to the Lords of His Majestys privy Councill by John Lauson burges of Edinburgh Shewing That ane office of Intelligence for Recording the names of Servants upon due tryall and Certificats of their manners and qualifications wherby masters may be provided with honest Servants of all Sorts, and Servants may readily know what masters are unprovided, As Likeways for the better and more easy discovery of all Bargains, and the Communication and publishing all proposalls and other bussinesses that the persons concerned may think fitt to give notice and ane account off, to the said office for the Information of all the Leidges hath been found Convenient and necessary in all populous cities, and is at present actualy practised in London, Paris Amsterdam etc And albeit their petitioner hath bestowed great aims and Expenses to know the methods used abroad in order to the Erecting of Such ane office in this place, and brought it a considerable Length as to Servants to the Satisfaction and advantage of many of all Ranks and degrees, yet the same cannot have the wished Effect, unles their Lordships be pleased to Interpone their authority therto by granting ane act of Execution of ane office of Intelligence, and discharging wed-men wed-wives and others to medle in the Fieing of any Sorts of Servants or nurses, or any other affairs belonging to the said office upon whatsoever Colour or pretence, And Seing that this office is not proposed to lay either Charge or Restraint upon masters or Servants or any others Except Such as find it their Interest and benefit to apply to the Said office for information, But only that ther may be a publick known and authorized office with Fixed rules where masters or Servants and others may have Information at easy raits, and that all others for Information may be discharged to make a trade of giving Information for money concerning the Feeing of Servants or nurses or other barganes or proposalls without prejudice in the Leist to all the Leidges to hyre Servants or enter into bargains and do all other bussines upon their propper knowledge or upon Information freely and gratuitously given Likeas the Conveniency and Vsefulnes of this office will more Clearly appear by a paper of reasons a pairt given in with the said petition, and it being first and reasonable and their Lordships ordinary practise, to give to the projectors or Inventers of any thing found usefull for the Leidges all Suteable Encouragement And Therfore Humbly Craving to the Effect underwrittin, as the said petition bears. Follows the paper of Reasons mentioned in and presented with the said bill Shewing the usefulness and Conveniency of ane office of Intelligence for feeing of Servants and for Information in other bussinesses. Its very well known that the Leidges have been much Imposed upon, by having dishonest and profligat Servants Recommended to them by wedmen, wed-wifes and others not qualifyed or able to perform the Service they undertake to great Loss trouble and Expenss of their masters, For preventing of such abuses in tyme comeing, It is humbly proposed that their be ane office of Intelligence Erected where the names of Servants of all Stations together with testificats of their fidelity and Christian deportment are to be Recorded in a book to be Regularly keept by the master of the office and his Servants, And It being also 2convenient for Servants That they should readily understand what masters want Servants, The master of the said office of Intelligence is likeways to keep ane other Seperat book wher all masters wanting Servants (who shall be pleased to Call or Send to the said office) their names and designations and the different Sorts of Service they are unprovided off, shall be particularly Insert, By which means in a very litle tyme, masters and Servants may meet together and agree or else Inquire for others till both be provided. And Whereas Severall Scandalous persons have Intruded themselves into privat families and nurses without Satisfying Church discipline or produceing Testimonialls from ministers, The master of the said office is to take Care, That all Such as offer themselves to nurse Chidlren shall produce a testificat of their good deportment in caice they be marryed, and if not that they have satisfyed the Kirk for their Scandall, or have found Caution so to doe, which will in a great measure prevent the Scandalous abuses Committed by many women in laying down their Children at Kirk Thesaurers and other persons doors after they have gott themselves Secretly and under hand provyded to be nurses in privat Families. Ane other Considerable benefit and advantage to all Noblemen, Gentlemen and others who live at a distance from Edinburgh Is this that by a Lyne to their factors or doers here, They may gett notice from the said office of Intelligence with very litle Expenss, how they shall be provyded with men and women, Servants of all Sorts Such as master-hous holds, Gentlemen, Valets, Stewards, pages, greives, gardners, Cooks, porters, Coachmen, grooms, Footmen, postilions, young books for waiting on Gentlemen or for Change-houses, Likeways Gentlewomen for attending Ladies, house keepers, Chamber maids, women Stewards and Cooks, women for keeping Children, ordinary Servants for all Sorts of work in privat families, also Taverners and Ticket runners, with all Sorts of nurses who either come to Gentlemens houses or nurse Children in their own, who all and everyone of them are to have their names and the different and respective Services they are qualyfied for, together with testificats of their honest and Christian behaviour, recorded in the books of the said office, This project also will be very usefull for Information in other bussinesses that is, for discovery and making known all other bargains and proposalls, It being Evident that men are often Straitned how and where to Enquyre for bargains they Intend as likeways that others are at a Loss, how to make known their offers of Bargains and other proposalls in bussinesses, which oblidges them to Send clapps as they call them throw the Town, and some tymes to pull advertisements in Gazetts, which yet are no ways Sufficient for the Ends designed, For the Clapps go only to Edinburgh and for small bussinesses, and do neither Concern or Extend to the Country, And the Gazett is uncertan, and gazetts come not to all merchands nor are they oft to be found, when men have most to do with them wheras a Standing office would abide all men, and be ever ready It is also obvious that men in many caices put up placats for Information, which yet is a method not so much as knowen to many, and where practized Extends not farr, nor is always at Command, Besides all these methods are defective as to full Information, wheras the Intelligence office would receive and Record, as full and particular Informations as parties please and the Same being booked and recorded would be patent and published at all tymes, nor Shall this office be either troublesome or Expensive to the Leidges, all being free to them both as to Imployment and price, So that nothing is aimed at, but a Conveniency, That cannot but be desyreable to all the Leidges as the saids Reasons in themselves more fully proports. Which Petition with the paper of reasons forsaids mentioned therin, and produced therwith Being this day Read in presence of the Lords of His Majestys privy Councill, and they being therwith well advised, and having at Length considered the Same, They have Erected and do heirby Erect the above office of Intelligence In favours of the said petitioner and his assigneys, for the space of nyne years next after the date heirof, And have discharged and heirby discharges all persons quhatsomever to Erect any Such office besides the petitioners within this Kingdom, and likeways have discharged and heirby discharges, all wed-men, wed-wives and others for money or other good deeds to medle in the Feeing of any Sorts of Servants or nurses, or the discoverying or Informing of other bargains and proposalls for money or Reward. directly or Indirectly upon whatsomever colour or pretence And the saids Lords of privy Councill, do heirby allow and authorize the said John Lauson and his assigneys, to Exact from every master and Servant who shall apply to the said office respective, where the Fee Extends to, or Exceeds the Soume of Twelve pounds Scots yearly, Fourteen Shilling Scots, where the fee is below the said Soume Seven Shilling Scots, And in the caices of other bargains and proposals as the partys Shall think fitt freely to give The Said John Lawson being always heirby obliged to provide a Sufficient house for the said office and Servants to attend and to keep regular books containing the names of the masters and servants respective with the Servants Certificats of their honest and Christian behaviour or deportment and also containing such memorialls and Informations, as shall be given for any other bussines from tyme to tyme.

1. NRS, PC1/52, 212-14.

2. Part of a word scored out here.

1. NRS, PC1/52, 212-14.

2. Part of a word scored out here.