Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/473

XXIII. T ARLIAMENT. IV. of <_Aug U J} i6zi. 45 -i above fpecified, under the paine of Rebellion , &c. And if they faile , to denounce, and efcheate , &c. And for their reliefe, that letters bee direfted , charging all and fundry inhabitants within each Burgh to, conveene, and eleftcertaine perfons, to ftent their neighbours. And the faid Election being made , to charge the perfons elected , to accept the charge upon them, in fetting of the laid Stent upon the Inhabitantes of every Burgh = and to conveene , and fet the fame , andmakeaStent-rollethere-upon, as effeires, with- in twentie foure houres next after their charge , under the paine of Rebellion , &c. And if they faile , to denounce, and efcheate, &c. And fuch like, the faid Stent-rolle being made , and fet down, as faid is, to charge the Burgefies , In-dwellers , and Inhabitantes , within each Burgh , to make payment of their partes of the faids Stent , to the faids Provefts and Baillies , conforme to the Taxt-rolle , to be given out there- upon, within three dayes next after the charge, under the paine of rebellion, &c. And if they faile , to denounce, and efcheate, &c. And if need bee , that the faids Proveft and Baillies poynd and dift'raine therefore, as they fhall thinke moft expedient. IT IS alwayes provided , Thatnoperfon whatfoever, beeftented, or taxed, within Burgh, except according to the availe , and quantitie of his Rent , Living, Goods and Geare , which hee hath within Burgh: no wayes refpecting his lands , nor pofleffions , which hee hath to Land-ward; for the which hee will be oblilhed to pay taxation to other OfBciars. Provi- ding alwayes , that the firft Tearmes payment of the faid taxation bee ever paft , before the next be charged for. AT TOUR, His Highneffe, and His faids ESTATES, Decernes, and declares, That the charges to be given for payment of the faid Taxation , mail be executed before the tearmes of payment above fpecifi- ed , for every tearmes payment particularly by it felfe. And that the denunciation of Horning following there- upon , mall not be executed until the tearmes of payment bee by-paft. Which denunciation fo following , upon the charges given before the faids tearmes of payment, the faids ESTATES decernes, and de- clares, tobevalide, and fufficient. ATT OUR, HisMAJESTIE, and the faids ESTATES, Confidering the great abufe which hath been ufed in all times by-gone , by fundry of the Lieges of this Realmc , againft all good confcience , in caufing theire poor Fermorers , Tennentes , and Labourers of their Ground , beeing removeable , who are fubjecT: in payment of very deare Fermes , and other duties , to relieve them of the whole burden of the by- gone Taxations : which hath beene the occafion of impoverifhing of a great number of the faids Fermorers , Labourers, and Tennentes , and bringing of them to utter wracke , and mine-. Whereas of reafon they fhould bee altogether free from the payment of any Taxation, and the fame mould bee payed by fuch as have free-rentes, lands, and goods of their ovvne. FOR REMEED whereof, it is itatuted and or- dained , That no perfons whatfoever , exact or compel his Tennentes, or Fermorers removeable , who payFerme, and other deare Duties, for the Landes occupied by them , to pay any part of this prefent Taxation , or to fute reliefe at their hands of the fame. And if the fame be found done by any perfons , that they mall be called , and conveened therefore , before his Highneffe Juftice , and his Deputies , as vio- lent and mafterful Oppreflburs of his Highneffe Subjeftes, and punilhed therefore , acccording to Juftice. AS ALSO, the faids ESTATES confidering , that befides the ordinarie charges which his Majeftie doth daily undergo , for the maintainance of the Honour , Eftate , and Dignitie of his Highneffe Kingdomes: the extraordinarie burthens, which now lyeth upon His Majeftie, by the occafion before-written , are fo great, and doeth lb neare concerne every Loyal and true hearted fubject of this Kingdome , as Members of that body whereof his Majeftie is the head, that in duetie they thinke themfelves bound to beare a part of that burthen, and to relieve his Majeftie thereof : THEREFORE befide the ordinarie Taxation above- written, the faids ESTATES have for the fpace of foure yeares , next and immediatly following the Tearme of Martinmeffe next-to-come, voluntarily, and freely granted unto his Majeftie, a yearly extra- ordinarie Taxation , of the twentie pennie of all annuel-rentes , winch any perfon or perfons within this Kingdome , hath freely due and payable unto them yearly or tearmly , ( their owne annuel-rentes, where- in they are addebted to others , being firft deduced) The firft tearmes pay ment whereof lhall be , and be- einne, at the faid Feaft and Tearme of Martinmeffe next-to-come -. and fo forth, yearly and tearmly , at Whitfonday and Martinmeffe , until the faids foure yeares , and the eight tearmes payment thereof, be fully and compleatly out-runne. AND WHEREAS the faids ESTATES have by A<51 of Parliament, authorized all and fundry heretable SherrifFes , Stewardes , Baillies , and Baillies of Regalities , and their Deputies , and the Pro- veftes and Baillies of Burro wes, who are heretable Sherriffes within themfelves, within die boundes of their Jurifdiftions : as likewife the Clerkes , within the Jurifdiclions where thefe Offices are not heretable : which Clerkes have their Offices _advitam~ to collect the faid Extraordinarie Taxation, and make pay- ment thereof to the Collector General , to be apointed by his Majefty for receaving of the fame. THERE- FORE, and for in-bringing of the fame extraordinary Taxation, The faids ESTATES Ordaines Let- ters to be directed, Charging all and fundry the faids heretable Sherriffes, Stewards, Baillies, Baillies of Regalities , and their Deputies , and the faids Provefts. and Baillies , who are heretable SherrifFes within lihcmlelves, as likewife the Clerkes within the Jurifdi&ions where thefe Offices are not heretable, That they