Proclamation, 14 July 1698, Edinburgh

Decreet, 29 December 1698, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh The Fourteenth Day of July Jaj vjc nynty and Eight years

A1698/7/171

Proclamation

Proclamation against The Regrating of victuall and allowing the Importation thereof free of publict Burden

The Proclamation underwrittin being Read was votted approven and signed whereof the Tenor followes
William By the Grace of God King of great Brittain France and Ireland defender of the faith To […] Macers of our privy Councill messengers att armes our sheriffs in that pairt Conjunctlie and Severallie specialy constitute Greeting. Forasmuchas By Severall acts of parliament The Keeping of victual in a dearth is strictly prohibited. And particualrly It is Statute By the Acts James the second Parliament Sixth Caput Twenty Two and Twenty Three, That for the Eschewing of Dearth Sheriffs Bailies and other officers Both to Burgh and To Land Inquire what persons Buys victual and holds it to a dearth and that the saids Sheriffs and officers make such Knowen That in caice They hold more then will sustain them and their Meinzie To new Corn. They may be punished and demeaned as ockerers and usurers and the victuall Escheated to us, and that the same be presented to mercats and sold as the price goes. And by the act James the second Parliament Nynth Caput Thirty Eight and Thirty nynth, It is ordained That no manner of victuall be holden in Girnells by any man to a dearth. But allenarly what is needfull for their own persons and sustentation of their Households. And that the saids persons presentt all that they have more to the mercat under the pain of Escheat thereof. And Searchers are appointed In Edinburgh and Leith to Make the saids acts Effectuall as Likewise the Crime of fore-stalling is forbidden by severall acts and statutes. And particularly by the act James the Sixth, Parliament Twelfth Caput one hundered and Fourty Eight. It is declared That who buys any merchandize or victuall coming to Fair or mercat or makes any Contract or promise for the buying of the same before the said merchandize or victuall shall be in the fair or mercat place ready to be sold, or shall make any motion by word writ or message for raising of the prices or dearer selling of the said merchandize or victuall, or who shall disswade any from coming and bringing the forsaid Merchandize and victual to fair or mercat shall be Esteemed and Judged a Fore-staller. And It is ordained That all such Fore-stallers may be pursued before the Justices and Magistrats of Burghs and That without a Special Lyble but only upon Fore-stalling in Generall and the persones Convict to be fined For the first fault in Fourty Pounds. For the second in Ane Hundereth merks, And for the Third to Incurr the tinsell of moveables. And seing That through the not due observance and the Execution of the forsaids acts The Calamitie of the Countrey by The present scarcity and Dearth is greatly Increased. Therfore wee with Advice of the Lords of our privy Councill have thought fitt to Revive the same and ordain to be putt to Strict Execution. And for that Effect To Impower and Require all Sherriffs of Shires, Stewarts of Stewartries, Lord and Bailies of Regalities and their deputs and magistrats of Burghs as likeways all Commissioners of supply and Justices of peace, To cause Inquiry and search to be made who holds up or Girnells victuall or Keeps stacks contrary to the forsaids Laws. And to Command and charge the Keepers up of the said victuall in Girnells stacks or otherways To open their Girnells and other Houses where the victual is Kept and there sell the same as the saids sheriffs stewarts of stewartries Lords and Bailies of Regalities and their deputs and magistrats of Burghs or any Two of the saids Commissioners shall find the ordinary price to Rule for the Tyme In the Countrey not below the Last Candlemess fiers: with Certification if they failzie therein, they shall be proceeded against and the pains of the forsaids acts of parliament Execute upon them with all Rigor: And In the mean tyme the victuall Girnelled and unlaufully Kept up as said is arrested and sequestrat by the saids and others as Escheat. And fuder wee with advice forsaid Command and charge all maigstrats of Burghs and other officers of the Law To take care that all mercats and fairs be duely regulat conform to the Laws without Extortion. And to cause putt the forsaids acts of parliament against For-stallers, To due and vigorous Execution, Certifieing the saids sheriffs Magistrats and others who shall faill in their duty in the premises That upon Information given to the Lords of our privy Councill They shall be Therfore severly punished as the Lords of our privy Councill shall see cause. And furder for the better Releif of the Countrey under the present great scarcity wherby the prices of the victuall are risen above the rates mentioned in the act of parliament For prohibiteing the Import of Forraign victuall. Wee with advice forsaid doe heirby grant License and Full Liberty to all persons To Import victual and Corns of all sorts from any forraign Kingdom or Countrey and That free of all Custom Excise or other Imposition. And For That Effect Recommends it to the Commissioners of our Thesaury, To discharge the Exacting thereof for the said victual To be Imported as said is after the day and date heirof. And that notwithstanding of any act of parliament or Book of Rates imposing the same declaring That This Licence and Liberty is to Endure till the First day of october next to come. Our Will is Heirfore And wee charge yow strictly and Command That Incontinent these our Letters seen ye pass to the mercat Cross of Edinburgh and remanent mercat Crosses of the head Burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this Kingdom and therat in our name and authority make publication of the premises that none pretend Ignorance. And ordains these presents to be printed. Given under our signet att Edinburgh The Fourteenth day of July And of our Reign The Tenth year 1698 sic subscribitur.

Att Edinburgh The Fourteenth Day of July Jaj vjc nynty and Eight years

A1698/7/171

Proclamation

Proclamation against The Regrating of victuall and allowing the Importation thereof free of publict Burden

The Proclamation underwrittin being Read was votted approven and signed whereof the Tenor followes
William By the Grace of God King of great Brittain France and Ireland defender of the faith To […] Macers of our privy Councill messengers att armes our sheriffs in that pairt Conjunctlie and Severallie specialy constitute Greeting. Forasmuchas By Severall acts of parliament The Keeping of victual in a dearth is strictly prohibited. And particualrly It is Statute By the Acts James the second Parliament Sixth Caput Twenty Two and Twenty Three, That for the Eschewing of Dearth Sheriffs Bailies and other officers Both to Burgh and To Land Inquire what persons Buys victual and holds it to a dearth and that the saids Sheriffs and officers make such Knowen That in caice They hold more then will sustain them and their Meinzie To new Corn. They may be punished and demeaned as ockerers and usurers and the victuall Escheated to us, and that the same be presented to mercats and sold as the price goes. And by the act James the second Parliament Nynth Caput Thirty Eight and Thirty nynth, It is ordained That no manner of victuall be holden in Girnells by any man to a dearth. But allenarly what is needfull for their own persons and sustentation of their Households. And that the saids persons presentt all that they have more to the mercat under the pain of Escheat thereof. And Searchers are appointed In Edinburgh and Leith to Make the saids acts Effectuall as Likewise the Crime of fore-stalling is forbidden by severall acts and statutes. And particularly by the act James the Sixth, Parliament Twelfth Caput one hundered and Fourty Eight. It is declared That who buys any merchandize or victuall coming to Fair or mercat or makes any Contract or promise for the buying of the same before the said merchandize or victuall shall be in the fair or mercat place ready to be sold, or shall make any motion by word writ or message for raising of the prices or dearer selling of the said merchandize or victuall, or who shall disswade any from coming and bringing the forsaid Merchandize and victual to fair or mercat shall be Esteemed and Judged a Fore-staller. And It is ordained That all such Fore-stallers may be pursued before the Justices and Magistrats of Burghs and That without a Special Lyble but only upon Fore-stalling in Generall and the persones Convict to be fined For the first fault in Fourty Pounds. For the second in Ane Hundereth merks, And for the Third to Incurr the tinsell of moveables. And seing That through the not due observance and the Execution of the forsaids acts The Calamitie of the Countrey by The present scarcity and Dearth is greatly Increased. Therfore wee with Advice of the Lords of our privy Councill have thought fitt to Revive the same and ordain to be putt to Strict Execution. And for that Effect To Impower and Require all Sherriffs of Shires, Stewarts of Stewartries, Lord and Bailies of Regalities and their deputs and magistrats of Burghs as likeways all Commissioners of supply and Justices of peace, To cause Inquiry and search to be made who holds up or Girnells victuall or Keeps stacks contrary to the forsaids Laws. And to Command and charge the Keepers up of the said victuall in Girnells stacks or otherways To open their Girnells and other Houses where the victual is Kept and there sell the same as the saids sheriffs stewarts of stewartries Lords and Bailies of Regalities and their deputs and magistrats of Burghs or any Two of the saids Commissioners shall find the ordinary price to Rule for the Tyme In the Countrey not below the Last Candlemess fiers: with Certification if they failzie therein, they shall be proceeded against and the pains of the forsaids acts of parliament Execute upon them with all Rigor: And In the mean tyme the victuall Girnelled and unlaufully Kept up as said is arrested and sequestrat by the saids and others as Escheat. And fuder wee with advice forsaid Command and charge all maigstrats of Burghs and other officers of the Law To take care that all mercats and fairs be duely regulat conform to the Laws without Extortion. And to cause putt the forsaids acts of parliament against For-stallers, To due and vigorous Execution, Certifieing the saids sheriffs Magistrats and others who shall faill in their duty in the premises That upon Information given to the Lords of our privy Councill They shall be Therfore severly punished as the Lords of our privy Councill shall see cause. And furder for the better Releif of the Countrey under the present great scarcity wherby the prices of the victuall are risen above the rates mentioned in the act of parliament For prohibiteing the Import of Forraign victuall. Wee with advice forsaid doe heirby grant License and Full Liberty to all persons To Import victual and Corns of all sorts from any forraign Kingdom or Countrey and That free of all Custom Excise or other Imposition. And For That Effect Recommends it to the Commissioners of our Thesaury, To discharge the Exacting thereof for the said victual To be Imported as said is after the day and date heirof. And that notwithstanding of any act of parliament or Book of Rates imposing the same declaring That This Licence and Liberty is to Endure till the First day of october next to come. Our Will is Heirfore And wee charge yow strictly and Command That Incontinent these our Letters seen ye pass to the mercat Cross of Edinburgh and remanent mercat Crosses of the head Burghs of the several shires and stewartries within this Kingdom and therat in our name and authority make publication of the premises that none pretend Ignorance. And ordains these presents to be printed. Given under our signet att Edinburgh The Fourteenth day of July And of our Reign The Tenth year 1698 sic subscribitur.

1. NRS, PC1/51, 455-6.

1. NRS, PC1/51, 455-6.