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MARY, be the grace of God
Queen of Scots, to all and sundry our leidges and subjects to whom thir
present letters shall come wisheth health; be it known unto you, because
we understand that our most noble progenitors, kings of Scotland, having
an consideration and respect that the common wealth cannot long stand
without artificers and good craftsmen, and therefore they gave and
granted many and divers privileges and liberties unto the craftsmen of
the burghs and cities of our kingdom, to witt, that they should choyce
principally skillfull men of their own craft, and together superiours
and deacons to visite and examine all crafts, and that no extortion be
the leidges of our realm against them be used, but that every craftsman
should work and labour diligently in his own craft without fraud, guile,
evil, or deceit, and that they should make such laws, penalties, and
pains as is agreeable and consonant to equitie and right ; And further
put the samen to execution against those that offends in their craft,
and that the persons daminfied by these craftsmen should be recompenced
for their skaith; Further they gave privileges and power to good
craftsmen that should be free burgesses of our burghs to use and sell
merchandise as all other merchants of our realm uses, with divers other
and sundrie privileges, liberties, and faculties granted to them under
the great seals of our most noble progenitors seen and considered be us.
The whilk notwithstanding being derogate by the Act of Parliament last
holden in the moneth of July the year bypast for certain causes
expressed and proposed by the samen Parliament, it was ordained that no
deacons from that time should be chosen within the burgh, but that the
Provost, Bailies, and Councill of every burgh should choose the best and
most skillfull craftsmen in their own craft, and that every one of these
persons should be called visitors of their craft, and should be chosen
yearly att the feast of Michaelmas, and that no craftsmen within the
burgh should bear office in time to come except two be chosen yearly
upon the Councill of the burgh, with divers other restrictions as att
more length is contained in the foresaid Act of Parliament, from the
whilk time of the said Act of Parliament we have found no cause nor
reason brought to effect whilk moved our foresail Act of Parliament unto
the samen yea all things to be done by the saids craftsmen moe stablie
than before, and therefore not willing to diminish the privileges of our
predecessors without an great necessity and just cause, but all things
according to equitie and right, granted of old to be restored unto the
said craftsmen ; and also designing to remove the dissentions private
and publick, hatred and contentions of our merchants and craftsmen
dwelling within our burghs, and for certain other just and reasonable
causes moving our mind thereto, of our knowledge and proper motion we
dispense, and by thir presents dispenses with all and sundry craftsmen
of our burghs and cities within our said realm concerning our last Act
of Parliament, and all articles and clauses contained in the samen whilk
is contrary and obstant to the liberties and privileges, and to the long
and continuall possession had by them by virtue of the samen of our most
noble progenitors, and we give them place again to use and have deacons
of their crafts who shall give their sentences and votes in choycing of
men that bears office in burghs, and all sorts of craftsmen should be
chosen within the burgh, and they shall use and exercise the samen if
they be found convenient and meet for the samen, and they shall bear the
compt of the common goods, and they shall be a part of the auditors of
the samen, and shall conveen and make lawful statutes and ordinances
concerning of their affairs for the keeping of good order amongst
craftsmen, and maintaining of good service at their altars, and they
shall sell, use, and exercise all sorts of merchandise within our realm
and without the same as it shall seem most expedient for them, with all
and sundry privileges, liberties, faculties, and customs, and given and
granted unto them by our most noble progenitors, used and possessed by
them in time bygone, notwithstanding our forsaid Act of Parliament and
pains whatsomever contained therein concerning the which we dispense
with them by thir presents. Further, we ratifie and approve by thir
presents all privileges and faculties given and granted by our most
noble progenitors unto the saids craftsmen in times bygone, to be used
and exercised by them with form, force, and effect in times to come as
they enjoyed, possessed, and used the samen before without any variety.
Wherefore we command you and every one of you our leidges and subjects
in so far that ye nor none of you presume in time coming to make any
impediment, molestation, or obstacle in contrary of thir presents unto
the saids craftsmen enjoying, possessing, and using the liberties,
privileges, and faculties prescrived unto them, notwithstanding any
Acts, letters, statutes, precepts, or proclamations whatsomever made or
to be made in the contrary or any pain contained in the samen under the
highest pain, danger, or offence whilk ye or any of you may incur or
committ in this point against Our Majesty. In witness of the whilk unto
thir presents we have commanded our great seal to be affixed at
Sterling, the 18th of Aprile, the year of God 1556, and of our reign the
9th year. |
