A. D. 1753* Anno vicefimo fexto Georgii II. C. 36. ^^^ ' Great Seal, the Privy Seal and Signet, the Clerks of Se/fion of Jufticiary and Commifliun for Plantation ' of Kirks and Valuation of Teinds, as alfo OiEces for the accommodating the Court of Exch guer, the ' General Regifter of Seifms, Homings and Inhibitions, and for the Clerks of the High Court of Admi- ' ralty, and Commiflaries of Edinburgh, be provided contiguous to the Houfe commonly called the Parlia- ' nient Houfe, where the Courts of Seffion and Exchequer do now fit ; and alfo that a proper Houfe be ' prepared for the Advocates Library, a large Hall or Borrow Room for the Ufe of the Borrows of Scot- ' land, and other publick Meetings, with a Council Chamber for the Ufe of the Magiftrates ; and that an ' Exchange for the Merchants and Men of Bufmefs be alfo provided near the Center of the City, and con-
- venient Communications opened to the High Street thereof, from the North, South and Wefi: : And
' whereas the Magiftrates and Council of the City of Edinburgh have purchafed feveral decayed Houfcs
- adjacent to the Houfe commonly called the Parliament Houle, where the Courts of Seffion and Exche-
' quer do now fit, with a View of providing a proper Repofttory for the publick Records, and for the ' Advocates Library, and proper Offices for the Director of the Chancery, the Keepers of the Great Seal, ' Privy Seal and Signet, and Clerks aforefaid, and they have alfo purchafed feveral decayed Houfes in a
- publick Place moft proper for an Exchange, and have alfo purchafed feveral Houfes in order to make
' the Paffage to the High Street of the City, from the Fields on the North and South, more commodious :
- And whereas feveral Noblemen, many of the Members of the College of Juftice, and other Gentlemen,
' and alfo the moft confiderable of the Incorporations oi' Edinburgh, fenfible of the great Benefit that would ' accrue to the Publick by carrying on the (aid Works, and at the fame Time being fenfible, that the City ' of Edinburgh is unable out of its proper Funds to undertake and accompliih the fame, have for carrying
- on the faid Defign, under the Direction herein after-mentioned, agreed to contribute certain Sums of
- Money, and they and other? may hereafter be induced to fubfcribe further Sums of Money for that Pur-
' pofe, but fuch intended Improvements of the City cannot be carried into Execution without the Autho- ' rity of Parliament ;' Your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal Subjefts, the Provoft, Magiftrates and Council of the City of Edinburgh, in Behalf of themfelves and the Community of the faid City, do moft humbly befeech your Majefty that it may be enacted ; and Be it enaded by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament aflembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That the moft Noble Archibald Duke of ^ro-y?,Commiffioners the moft Noble James Duke oi Athole, the moft Honourable John Marquis oiTweddale, the Right Honou- Names. Table James Earl of Morton, the Right Honourable John Earl of Hopeton, the Right Honourable Charles Arejkine, Lord Juftice Clerk ; the Honourable A^ndrew Fletcher oi Milton, one of the Senators of the Col- lege of Juftice ; '&r Alexander Dick oi Pre/ion Field Baronet, James Dewar oi Fogrie Eiqmre, Ma&er John Forrejl of Weji Grange, the Right Honourable Robert Dimdas, Lord Prefident of the Court of Seffion : the ■ Honourable Sir Gilbert Elliot of Adinto, and the Honourable Hugh Dalrymple of Drummore Efquire, Sena- tors of the College of Juftice ; the Right Honourable John Idle, Lord Chief Baron of his Majefty's Court oi Exchequer ■■, the Honourable Jo/j/z yl^'Wi? Efquire, one of the Barons of his yic]z?t^ Exchequer ; IVilliam Alexander Efquire, Lord Provoft of Edinburgh ; and the Lord Provoft of Edinburgh for the Time being ; the Right Honourable William Grant of Prejion Grange Efquire, his Majefty's Advocate for Scotland; the Honourable Henry Home of Kaimes Efquire, one of the Senators of the College of Juftice ; Robert Craigie oiGlendock Efquire, Advocate; George Drum?nond Eiqairt, one of his Majefty's Commiffioners of Excife; David Flint Efquire, Dean of Gild ; and the Dean of Gild oi Edinburgh for the Time being ; Maiier John Brown, Mafter James Stewart, Merchants in Edinbuj-gh ; James Kerr oi Boughtriggs Efquire, Mafter Wil- liam Keir, Deacon Convener of the Trades of Edinburgh ; and the Deacon Convener of Edinburgh for the Time being ; Mafter Alexander Sharp, and Mafter Gavin Hamilton, Merchants in Edinburgh ; Robert Dun- ^(j/f the Younger of y/r«j/?i5a« Efquire, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates; Alexander Bofiuall oi Auchinleik Efquire, and Gilbert Elliot the Younger of Minto Efquire, Advocates ; Mafter Alexander Mac Millan, De- puty Keeper of his Majefty's Signet ; Mafter Hugh Crozufurd, and Mafter John Mac Kenzie, Clerks to the Signet, and their SucceiTors, fhall be, and they are hereby conftituted and appointed Commiffioners Publick Build- for deligning, ordering and caufing to be ere6i:ed, or othervvife provided, in convenient Places within theings to be de- faid City, fuch Buildings as they Ihall judge proper for the keeping and preferving of the publick Records, |"^^ ^""^ eicct-. which are under the Cuftody, Care and Keeping of the Lord Cleric Regifter ; and for a proper Library- houfe to the Faculty of Advocates ; a Hall for the Clerks to the Signet ; aTown-houfe, a Hall orBorrow- loom, for the annual Convention of the Commiffioners of the Royal Burrows of Scotland, and for the Ufe of the City of Edinburgh, or other publick Occafions ; and a Council Chamber for the Ufe of the Magiftrates ; as alfo for building and providing Offices for the Diredlor of the Chancery, the Keepers of the Records of the Great Seal, the Privy Seal and Signet, the Clerks of Seffion of Jufticiary and Com- miffion of Tiends ; as alfo Offices for accommodating the Court of Exchequer ; and Offices for the Gene-- ral Regifter of Seifins, Hornings and Inhibitions, and for the Clerks of the High Court of A.dmiralty and Commiitaries of ^^zV/te?-^/^ ; and for ereiSling an Exchange for Merchants, and other People of Bufinefs to refort to ; and for making eafy and commodious Accefs between the High Street of the City and the Country, Northward, Southward and Weftward, to the utmoft Extent of the prefent Royalty of the faid City. II. And be it further enafted by the Authority aforefaid. That in cafe of the Death or Refignation ofMetbod of any of the ten Commiffioners herein after named, that is to fay, Archibald Duke oi Argyle, Ja?nes Duke<^iiooCm^Cow- oi Athole, John Marquis oiTweddale, James Earl oi Morton, John Earl oi Hopeton, Chirks Arejldne, Andrew'"'^""'" '^ Fletcher, Alexander Dick, James Deuier, or John Forrejl, fuch of the faid ten Con-imiffionsrs J.jflialJ Auvive^^°g"^°^^^"^
