5 3 The fir ft Parliament of Aft 5-6, 57 felves, to the great prejudice of the Merchants eftate , and to the hazard of the lofs of their voyage. There- fore Our Soveraigne Lord , with advice and confent of the Eftates of Parliament , Ordains that there be no greater price exacted , for entring their Ships and Goods , then the fume of twentie three ihillings four pen- nies ; and for the faid Cocquct , then the fume of fourty millings ; and that the keepers of the faid Cocquet, attend by themfelves or their fervants , diligently and readily to anfwer and give out Cocquets to all Merch- ants and Mailers of Ships , under pain of lofing their place , whenfoever they fhall be found either to exact more then the faid fum above-written , or fhall occafion to the faids Merchants and Mailers more delay nor is needful for vvritting of the fame. L VI. i_/fc~l anent Coal-hewers. U R SOVERAIGNE LORD, with advice and confent of His Eftates of Parliament , Ratifies ^ 'the eleventh AcT: of the eighteenth Parliament of King J A M E S the fixth , of worhie memorie, made anent Coal- hewers and Salters , with this addition , That becaufe Water-men who laves and draws Warer in the Coal heugh-head, and Gatef-men, who work the w T ayes and pafiages in the faids Hewghs , are as necef- far to the Owners and Mailers of the faids Coal-heughs , as the Coal-hewers and Bearers. It is therefore Sta- tute and Ordained by Our Soveraigne Lord , with advice and confent forefaid , That no perfon ihall hire nor feduce any Water-men , Windf-men and Gatef-men , withour a Teflimonial of the Mailer whom they ferve, under the pains contained in the former Ads in all points. And becaufe it is found by experience , that the giving of great Fees , hath been a mean and way to feduce and bring Coal-hewers from their Mailers , It is Therefore alfo Statute and Ordained, That it ihall not be lawful for any Coal-Mailers in this Kingdom, to give any greater Fee then the fum of twentie merks in Fee or Bounteth, under any colour or pretext: and becaufe the faids Coal-hewers and Salters , and other work-men in Coal-hewghs within this Kingdom , do ly from their work at Tafch, Zide , Whitfonday , and certain other times in the yeare; which times they im- ploy in Drinking and Debauchry , to the great offence of God , and prejudice of their Mailers ; It is There- Fore Statute and Ordained , that the faids Coal-hewers and Salters , and other Work-mep in Coal-heughs of this Kingdom , work all the fix dayes of the week , except the time of Chriftmafle , under the paine of twen- ty Ihillings Scots , to be paid to their Mailer ; for ilk dayes failzie ( by and attour the prejudice fuftained by their faids Mailers ) and other puilhment of their bodies. L VII. ACT iifchargingtheCuftomoftwpandahalfeoftheHmidred, and the Impoft of four pounds on,the Tun. U R S O-V ERAIGNE LORD, confidering that the prices of all Merehandice do dayly rife to exceeding great dearth, which is alleaged to be occafioned through extraordinary Cuftoms and. Impofitions. For remedy whereof, His Majeltie , with advice and confent of His Ellates of Parlia- ment Doth difcharge all and fundrie whatfoever Cuftoms and Impofitions exacted by the Cuftomers, which are not allowed by the Acts of Parliament , and efpecially the late Cuftom of two and an half per cent, and the late new Impofition of four pounds upon the Tun of Wine, and all raifings of His Majefties Cuftoms, directly or indirectly, without confent of Parliament. And becaufe that the too much. trou-' bling of Merchants , and drawing of Mailers and Mariners from their ordinary charges, doth much im- pede the Trade ; Therefore His Majeilie, with advice and confent forefaid, difcharges the taking of Merchants , Mailers and Mariners Oaths in the matter of Cuftoms. And to the end , that the • Subject of Trade may not be reftrained with unnecefiary Cuftoms, His Majeltie, with advice and confent forefaid, Declares, That all Goods and Merehandice, Imported from Forraign places to this Kingdome and out of the fame, paying Inward-cuftom, Ihall be free of all Outward-cuftom, according as is ufed in England and Ireland. Like-as His CMajefly Declares, that He consented to the Ad above- written upon this condition, that Commiflion and Warrand b. granted to the Exchequer , toeftabliihthe- Book of Rates, acccording as the prices of Merehandice now rules ; and His CHajeJlie permitted the option to the Burroughs, whereupon the Burroughs having advifed , they made choice to be ruled by the Book of Rates anent the Cuftoms; and confented, that Commiflion fhould be granted to the Exchequer to eftablilh the Book of Rates, according as the prices of Merehandice now rules. In refpect whereof ; Our Soveraigne Lord , Ordains a Commiflion to be drawn up to the Exchequer to the effect forefaid , and extracted thereupon , for eftablifhing the Book of Rates according as the prices of Mereh- andice now rules : And Therefore Our Soveraigne Lord, with- advice and confent forefaid, Ordains the Act above mentioned to ftand as a Law, in manner and to the effect above-rehearfed. Ottf-
