Privy Council, to take ſuch further courſe for in-bringing of the Taxation, payable out of the fore-named Shires, as they ſhall think fit.
Likeas, His Majeſty, taking to His gracious conſideration the grievance repreſented to His Highneſs, by divers of His Subjects, within the Shires of Lanerick, Air, Ranfrew, Dumbartoun, Bute, Argyl, Wigtoun, Dumfries and Peebles, anent the high extent of their Retours, Doth, with conſent of His ſaid Eſtates, Declare, That as to the preſent Taxation, the Pound-lands of the whole Temporal Lands within the ſaids Shires of Lanerick, Air, Ranfrew, Dumbartoun, Bute, Argyl, Wigtoun, Dumfries and Peebles, with the Stewartries and Baillieries lying within the ſame, ſhall only be taxed and pay as if they were Merk-lands: But that the ſaid Retours ſhall ſtand and pay as formerly, to all other intents and purpoſes.
And for in bringing of the Burroughs part of the ſame Taxation, Ordains Letters to be directed, charging the Provoſt and Baillies of ilk Burgh to make payment of the Taxt and Stent thereof to the Collector-general aforeſaid, his Deputies and Officers in his name, having his power to receive the ſame, at the particular terms above-ſpecified, under the pain of Rebellion,&c. And if they failzie, &c. to denounce and eſcheat, &c. And for their relief, that Letters be directed, charging the Provoſt, Baillies and Council within each Burgh to conveen, and elect certain perſons to ſtint their neighbours: And the ſaid election being made, to charge the perſons elected, to accept the charge upon them in ſetting of the ſaid ſtint upon the Burgeſſes and Inhabitants of every Burgh, and to conveen and ſet the ſame, and make a Stint-roll thereupon as effeirs, within twenty four hours next after their charge, under the pain of Rebellion, &c. And if they failzie, &c. to denounce and eſcheat, &c. And ſick like, the ſaid Stint-roll being made and ſet down, as ſaid is, to charge the Burgeſſes, In-dwellers and Inhabitants within ilk Burgh, to make payment of their part of the ſaid Stint to the ſaid Provoſt and Baillies, conform to the Taxt-roll to be given out thereupon, within three dayes next after the charge, under the pain of Rebellion, &c. And if they failzie, &c. to denounce and eſcheat, &c. And if need be, that the ſaid Provoſt and Baillies, poynd and diſtreinzie therefore, as they ſhall think moſt expedient. It is alwayes provided, that no perſon whatſoever be ſtinted or taxed within Burgh, except according to the avail and quantity of his Rent, Living, Goods and Gear which he hath within Burgh; no wayes reſpecting his Lands nor Poſſeſſions which he hath to Land-ward, for the which he will be obliged to pay Taxation to other Officers: Providing alwayes, that the firſt terms payment of the ſaid Taxation be ever paſt before the next term be charged for.
Attour, His Majeſty and the ſaids Eſtates, Decerns and Declares, That the charges to be given for payment of the ſaid Taxation, ſhall be executed before the terms of payment above-ſpecified, for every terms payment particularly by it ſelf; and that the denounciation of the Horning, following thereupon, ſhall not be executed untill the term of payment be bypaſt, and twenty dayes thereafter; Which denounciation ſo following, upon the charges given before the ſaids terms of payment, His Majeſty, with conſent foreſaid, Decerns and Declares to be valid and ſufficient.
And His Majeſty, with conſent of the ſaid Eſtates, Ordains the Lords of Seſſion to be only Judges to all Suſpenſions to be craved and ſuited by any of our Soveraign Lords Lieges touching the ſaid Taxations: Which Suſpenſions, the ſaids Eſtates find may be granted, upon lawfull and equitable reaſons to be conſidered by them; and diſcharges all other Judges within this Kingdom of granting of any Suſpenſions thereanent. With power to the ſaids Lords to delegat five at the leaſt of their ordinary number, as they ſhall think expedient, to fit, cognoſce and decide the ſaid Suſpenſions in time of vacancy, if need be.
And laſtly, The Kings Majeſty, Declares, in favours of all His Subjects, lyable in payment of this Taxation, that they ſhall not be holden to produce their diſcharges or Receipts of the ſaid Taxation, from, and alter, the term of Whitſonday, one thouſand, ſix hundred, ſeventy three years; unleſs where diligence hath been uſed by denounciations againſt them before the elapſing of the ſaid term of Whitsonday, one thouſand ſix-hundred, ſeventy three years: And Ordains all Commiſſions granted to Sub-collectors, for up-lifting and in-bringing of the ſaid Taxation, to be inſert and regiſtrat in the Books of Council and Seſſion; And theſe preſents to be printed and publiſhed at the Mercat-croſs of Edinburgh and other places needfull, where-through none pretend ignorance of the ſame.
F I N I S.
