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A50697 Observations on the acts of Parliament, made by King James the First, King James the Second, King James the Third, King James the Fourth, King James the Fifth, Queen Mary, King James the Sixth, King Charles the First, King Charles the Second wherein 1. It is observ'd if they be in desuetude, abrogated, limited, or enlarged, 2. The decisions relating to these acts are mention'd, 3. Some new doubts not yet decided are hinted at, 4. Parallel citations from the civil, canon, feudal and municipal laws, and the laws of other nations are adduc'd for clearing these statutes / by Sir George Mackenzie ... Mackenzie, George, Sir, 1636-1691. 1686 (1686) Wing M184; ESTC R32044 446,867 482

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ordinarly His Majesties Advocat chooses such Assizers as know the persons impannelled to be commonly repute to be Aegyptians These who are call'd Aegyptians in Scotland are call'd Zigeni Tartari Bohemij all which are remarked as idle Beggars going about oppressing the people and cheating them by vain Superstitions and Fortune tellings of which sort of people Fritschius has written a Treatise call'd de origine Zygenorum eorum coercitione where are to be found upon what pretext they were first suffered in several Nations which was because they did assist several Princes in their great difficulties having from being Vagabonds gathered themselves under Captains for that effect but continuing after Peace made to grow insolent they were ordain'd to be banish'd in Germany by an Imperial Constitution anno 1500. and in France by the Act of Orleance anno 1561. and thereafter anno 1612. which is about the time of this Act and in Spain 1492. THe time of this Act the Secret Council had a Commission from the King to receive Resignations and all the Procuratories of Resignations then did still bear a Power to Resign in the Hands of the Secret Council But now Resignations can only be made in His Majesties own Hands or in the hands of His Exchequer THis Act extends to the Decreets of the Admiral and his Deputs the priviledge of having Letters of Horning granted upon them without the necessity of a Decreet conform as was the old Custom and in this it equals the Decreets of that Court with the Decreets of Sheriffs and Baillies of Burghs But by the 29 Act Par. 1 Ch. 2. Whereby poinding is ordain'd to be granted upon their Decreets the Parliament has forgot to extend that priviledge to the Decreets of the Admiral Observ. 1. That this Act declares the Admiral to be a Supream Judge and therefore it has been decided that he may reduce the Decreets of inferiour or Admiral-deputs and that he may reduce his own Decreets upon just Reasons such as noviter provenientes ad notitiam c. And which kind of Jurisdiction is competent to no Inferiour Judge and yet the Lords of Session do suspend and reduce his Decreets also and Advocat Causes from that Court Observ. 2. That by this Act the Admiral is declar'd to have power of summar Execution because Strangers and Sea-faring men cannot attend as others may and therefore it is that such as obtain Decreets before that Court may use Execution thereupon within three Tides Vid. Observ. on the 16 Act Par. 3. Ch. 2. King JAMES the sixth Parliament 21. HIs Majesty held a General Assembly at Glasgow and in anno 1610. drew up some Articles to be presented to the Parliament which are set down by Spoteswood and many whereof are here confirm'd By this Act His Majesties Power to call Assemblies is declar'd a part of His Royal Prerogative Vid. 114 Act Par. 12 Ja. 6. The Bishop is to be Moderator and in his absence any whom he shall Name The Bishop only can Excommunicat and with such Ministers as he associats to himself He only can Depose In this Act likewise is set down a formula of the Oath of Supremacy As to the manner of presenting Ministers it is formerly fully Treated in the Observations upon the 7 Act of the 1 Par. Ja. 6. AFter King James the sixth came to the Crown of England it was necessary that the Laws concerning the Borders should have been alter'd by both Kingdoms and by this Act there is a power granted to His Majesties Officers in England to remand from the Courts of Scotland that is to say to require His Majesties Officers in Scotland to deliver up English Malefactors who had fled into Scotland and another Act of the same Tenor verbatim was past in England about the same time In place of the old Wardens of the Borders there is now a Commission granted under the Great Seals of both Kingdoms to an equal number of Scots and English who have in effect a Commission of Justiciary and it was found by the Council of Scotland that they could not quarrel the Decreets of the Borders because they proceeded by a Warrand under the Seal of both Kingdoms but the Laird of Haining having Charged Elliot for payment of a sum for not presenting of a Thief to the Commissioners of the Borders conform to a Decreet of the Commissioners finding that he had Forefaulted the Bond there was a Bill given in to the Council craving that this case might be remitted to the Commissioners of the Borders and not Suspended by the Session because First These Decreets being pronounced by the English as well as the Scots Commissioners the Session could not be Judges to what was done by vertue of an English Commission and because they could not cite the English Commissioners therefore they could not Reduce their Sentences 2. The Commission of the Border is a Criminal Court and the Lords of the Session are only Supream Judges in Civils 3. The Border is judg'd by a Law unknown to us and therefore since the Lords of the Session behov'd to Consult them though they were Judges it but multiplies Processes and Expences to allow the Lords to be Judges in prima instantia 4. If the Lords were Judges all Thieves or their Cautioners would offer to Suspend or Reduce which would much hinder that expeditness of Tryal which is requisit to stop Thieving in the Borders 5. If the Lords here review'd such Decreets the Judges at Westminster would do the like which would be very troublesome and expensive to us The Council upon this Debate recommended to the Lords to remit the Tryal in so far as it was Criminal to the saids Commissioners By this Act Remanding is only to be granted after full probation of the offences of the persons Remanded in open Court● but this is now antiquated and in Desuetude because it was found by the Commissioners of both Kingdoms to be unpracticable if either the Names or proofs were published in open Court the persons to be Remanded would flee and the Witnesses might be corrupted Therefore it was ordered by common consent that the Commissioners of either Kingdom might Remand privatly from the Commissioners of the other Kingdom and that the person so delated might be immediatly seiz'd upon THis Act is fully Explain'd crim pract tit Rapt THis Act is Explain'd in the Observations upon the 73 Act Par. 6. Ja. 6. THis Act Discharging all Actions of Spuilȝie committed upon the Borders prior to His Majesties coming to the Crown of England is but Temporary But from it it may be observed First That the King and Parliament may dispense with the privat interest of parties upon a publick account nor does the Act salvo jure subjoyn'd to the several Parliaments prejudge or derogat from this Act upon pretext that the parties whose interest was remitted and discharg'd were not call'd 2. In all such Discharges of privat interest and Acts of Grace
have here insert because they tend very much to the clearing many of our old Laws and Customs The Reasons were 1. That the Rule and Way for uplifting Taxations has in all ages been according to Retours and the Taxed Rolls until these late unhappy and irregular times from which it is humbly conceiv'd a Rule and Presedent ought not to be taken It is beyond all question this being the good old way though it were upon no other account ought not to be changed the danger and inconveniency of the alteration of ancient Laws and Customs being so great and obvious from the late experience of these Kingdoms that this age needeth not to be put in mind of the same but may be a sad remembrance to posterity 2. The foresaid way is only now the legal way wherein Taxations can be uplifted at this time seing the same is determined and authoriz'd by ancient and uncontroverted Customs in all ages and beyond memory and by the Law of Nations and the fundamental Law of this Kingdom ancient National Custom is Law and of as great force as Statute and is the great Basis and foundation of the Power and Rights and Property of the Prince and People which for the most part are warranted and secured by the Common Law and Custom and not by express Act of Parliament and Statute 3. This way of uplifting Taxations and the proportions of the same payable by the respective Estates is designed and established by express Laws and Acts of Parliament so that the same cannot be altered but by a Parliament which only has power to repeal as appears by the 56 Act Ja. 3 Par. 7. intituled These Retours should contain the Old and New Extent and the Act 229. Ja. 6 Par. 14. Ordaining all Feu-lands annex'd and other Feu-lands vvhatsomever to be retour'd and vvhen any Taxation or Impost is to be rais'd that the Feuers shall be charged according to the Retour and by the 229 Act Ja. 6 Par. 14. Ordaining His Majesties Property to be Retour'd and such Lands as are dissolv'd and dismembered from Baronies to be Retour'd and charged according to the Retours in order to the payment of Taxation and divers others and in special all the Acts of Parliament concerning the granting and uplifting Taxations 4. Whereas it is pretended by the Heritors of the Western Shires that their Retoures are higher than in other Shires and that it should be a more equal way that the Taxation should be uplifted as C●sses according to the Valuation without respect to Retours these Gentlemen have no reason to complain being their own Deeds procured by them upon the verdict of their own Friends and Neighbours per fideles homines patriae and according to which they have pay'd not only Taxations according to the old extent but His Majesties Casualities of None-entry Relief and siklike according to the New Extent contain'd in the said Retours and has been also in use to uplift the like Casualities from their own Vassals according to the said Retoure That the Retours should be altogether taken away both as to Old and New Extent it is conceiv'd that they will not desire seeing if their Retour should be lessened as to the New Extent it would be an irrepairable prejudice to His Majesty as to his ordinary Benefite and Casualities of None-entry Relief and siklike a prejudice to themselves as to the same Casualities due and payable to themselves by their Vassals and what incongruity should it be that the same Retour should be altered as to the Old Extent and should be stated as to the New and that it should be still a Rule as to their own interest and benefite and not as to the payment of the Taxation to his Majesty as it has been in all ages it being also considered that they cannot say that the Lands are valued unjustly by their Retours and extend to more than the true value the time of the Retouring of the same and since that time they cannot deny that they are improven for the most part above any proportion 5. The interest and consequently the way of proceeding of Lawful Princes and Usurpers being so different and opposite that as Princes are patres patriae and do cherish and intend the flourishing of their Subjects so by the contrary it is the interest and practice of Usurpers deglubere to squize and oppress the people that they should not be in a capacity to shake off the Yoke it is neither the honour nor interest of the Countrey to take a pattern and rise from the Usurpers to overturn the ancient Law of the Kingdom especially in the matter of Taxations seeing the necessity and fatal course of these times in order to maintaining of War against his gracious Majesty and his blessed Father did not only require a Taxation which was an easie burden to the people and were chearfully granted and oftimes offered to his Majesties Royal Predecessors as an aid and subsidie when their occasions did call for the same but the Usurpers were driven to exact a considerable part of every persons Estate as a constant Tribute under the notion of Taxt and Loan Maintainance Cess and such like burdens which cannot be remembred without horrour and in order to the same to introduce a new way by Valuation whereas his Majesty is to have an ordinary Taxation and therefore there is no reason but that the same should be rais'd in that good old and ordinary way that has ever been used in the time of his Majesties Father and his Royal Predecessour 6. The way of Cess both as to the manner and thing is so hateful to the Body of the people of this Kingdom that though exhausted in a low condition they did offer and chearfully grant to His Majesty a constant yearly Taxation and Annuity during His Majesties Life of 40000 pound Sterling upon consideration expresly mentioned in the said Act that His Majesty had signified His Royal Resolution not to raise any more Cess it cannot be expressed how great dissatisfaction and apprehension it would beget in the hearts of the people if that unhappy way of Cess should be reviv'd under what name or notion soever now after His Majesties Restitution and that the people had just reason to think themselves secur'd by the ancient Laws and Custom of the Kingdom and His Majesties gracious Resolution so recently and solemnly expressed by His Majesties late Commissioner in Parliament and recorded in a Printed Act being the 14 of His Majesties late Parliament and first Session thereof 7. The Western Shires being only five and the remnant Shires who plead for the good old Way according to the ancient Laws of the Kingdom being five times more it is humbly represented that the interest and number of so many other Shires should weigh down the pretences and desires of so few Shires for a Novation contrary to the Law and Liberty of the Kingdom it being also considered that though the Loyalty of some Noblemen and
be lyable thereafter to do exact Diligence Observ. 3. By this Act it is Declar'd that upon payment of the principal Sum and Annualrent and the Expence bestow'd by the Compriser in passing and obtaining Infestment together with the Annualrent of the said sums and the necessary Expences bestow'd in leading the Comprising that then the Comprising shall expire ipso facto that is to say by way of exception without Declarator though ordinarly an order of Redemption be us'd and not only does payment or intromission with the Mails extinguish the Comprising and prove against singular Successors but even any acknowledgement of payment by the Leader of the Comprising will extinguish the Comprising against those singular Successors July 23 1662. Observ. 4. That the Comprizer is to get allowance of a years Duty as due to the Superiour by this Act and though he get himself entered for less by the Superiour than the years Duty yet he will get allowance of the full years Duty that was due to the Superiour whose gratuity will be of no advantage to the Debitor July 2. 1625. Observ. 5. That by this Act what is pay'd to the Superiour bears Annualrent as do the necessary Expences but it may be doubted if Annualrent be due for Sheriff-fees Observ. 6. That Comprisings are not to run against Minors but that it is lawful for the Minor at any time within the age of twenty five years to Redeem which priviledge was found not only to be due to Minors when the Comprising is led against themselves but even when a Minor has right to the legal Reversion he being himself a second Compriser for even in that case a Minor having led a Comprising may be prejudged as well as the Minor against whom the Comprising is led there being the same parity of reason in both and though this be not clear by the first words of the Exception Yet it is clear by these words And that notwithstanding of the preceeding Laws and Practiques of this Kingdom by the which the Legal Reversion of the Comprised Lands expired within seven years after the leading of the Comprising from the which His Majestie and Estates hath by this present Act and Statute excepted Minors in all time coming declaring the same no wayes to run against them Observ. 7. That because this Act appointed only the superplus of the Mails and Duties which exceeded the annualrent to be imputed in the payment of the principal sum during the seven years of the Legal but did not expresly extend this to the case of Minority Therefore it was found that Minors not Redeeming within the seven years the Compriser had from the expiring of the seven years the whole Rent of the Land for payment of his Annualrent without imputing the superplus in payment of the principal sum because the Act Corrected only that Custom quoad the Legal leges correcti●●● non extendi debent ultra verba directa expressa February 22 1639. and therefore by the 10 Act Par. 1 Sess. 3 Ch. 2. This Decision was Corrected and it was by that Act ordain'd that Comprisers should impute the superplus of the Rent beyond the Annualrent for payment of the Principal sum not only during the Legal but during the whole course of the Minority THis Act extends all the priviledges granted to Minors in Comprisings to Minors against whom Adjudications are led And from this it would seem to follow argumento hujus legis that whatsoever is competent in Adjudications is not Competent in Comprisings for else this Act had been needless and the Lords would not extend the priviledges of the one to the other in many other cases and so would not allow the Superiour to get a years Duty because the immediat preceeding Act did allow Comprisd Lands to be Redeemable upon the payment of the sums Compris'd for and a years Rent for their Entry But in this Act of Adjudication there is no mention of a years Duty and which therefore was thought to be of purpose omited and so needed a new Law notwithstanding of the parity of Reason whereupon a new Law was made viz. the Act 18 Par. 2 Ch. 2. Whereby not only the Superiour is ordain'd to have a years Duty but it s expresly Declar'd That in all Cases relating to Superiours Adjudications shall be in the same condition with Comprisings and consequentially to this last Act it was found that the Superiour might at his option either Enter the Adjudger or pay the Sums for which the Adjudication was led since the Act of Par. Ja. 3 Par. 5 and Act 37. Appoints this in Comprisings June 10. 1671. Scot of Thirlestoun contra the Lord Drumlanrig As also upon the same Reason the Lords found that the Superiour was bound to receive the Adjudger though he could not produce his Authors Rights Debitors abstracting their Writs because Comprisers are not bound to produce February 9. 1667. Ramsay contra Ker. Nota That Comprisers intrometting are lyable for their intromissions with the Victual according to the Sheriffs Fiars and not according to the Commissars not only because the Commissars Fiars are made only to Regulat Prices betwixt Tutors and Pupils and in other Consistorial Cases but because this Act sayes as the samine were commonly Sold between Yuil and Candlmas in the Sheriffdom where the Lands ly THough regularly Infeftments upon Comprisings and Adjudications ought to be perfected by appending the Great-Seal yet an Extract of the Debitors Infeftment under the Privy-seal is here Declar'd equivalent in so far as concerns the Debitors Heirs because it is presumable that the Debitor has destroy'd or Abstracted the Writs of the Lands Compris'd from him Quaritur Whether this Act should be extended to Adjudications since they are not mention'd here in the very next Act to the Act anent Adjudications THis Act allowing Bishops to Feu out their Ward-Lands is but Temporary for three years and so is expir'd because not renew'd and consequently Bishops have not leave to Feu out their Ward-lands now AS Ministers Gleibs were to be Tiend-free so ought the Soums Grass that is allow'd to Ministers in place of Gleibs be Tiend-free The Reason given by this Act is because the same is dedicated and appointed ad pios usus which is no adequat and sufficient Reason since Lands mortifi'd to Hospitals are destinat ad pios usus and yet are not Tiend-free that being a special priviledge only granted by the Pope to the Coelestines or Cistertians and some few other Orders but ordinarly Hospitals and others are free from Taxations as Act 1 and Act 15 Par. 1 Ch. 1. BY the 2 Act Par. 22 Ja. 6. Deans and Chapters were Restored but by this Act all the Offices and Dignities of the Chapter are likewise Restor'd and it is declar'd That all Deeds done since the date of that Act or to be done thereafter whereby any Member of a Cathedral Kirk being an Office or Dignitie hath or shall be supprest or any
101. Act Parl. 7. Jam 5. all the Visiters are to be appointed by the King and by our present Practice All Actions intented for causing Patrons or others Compt for their Intromissions with the Rents of Hospitals are still intented at the instance of the Chancellor By the Canon Law Curis Hospitalitatis Hospitalium ad Episcopi solicitudinem pertinet sed ubi non aedificantur Hospitalia cum permissione Episcopi locus non est sacer nec est sub Episcopi cura HEreticks are by this Act to be punished as Law of hali● Kirk requires id est by Excommunication with us they were burnt and by Act 46. Parl. 3. Jam. 6. Church-men who are Hereticks are to be Excommunicated and Depos'd if they revock not their Heresie the punishment by the Common Law is Burning and Confiscation of Moveables Clar. Num. 13. This Act was made against the first of our Reformers called then Lollards for the Rubrick in the Black Impression bears of Hereticks and Lollards Obser. From this Act it is observable that the Kirk was Judge to Heresie in prima instantia and Clarus makes the Tryal so far Ecclesiastick that the Cognition belongs to the Church and the punishment to the secular Judge but with us the Justices are Judges in prima instantia IT may be alledged from this Act that all Transgressions of Law are not punishable as contempt of Authority where there is no express sanction in the Law since by this Act it is appointed that the Breakers of Acts of Parliament are to be punished after the Form and Ordinance thereof By which words also it seems that all Acts of Parliament are with us stricti juris and not to be extended de casu in casum but yet with us Laws are extended by Parity of Reason and by Analogie as in the case of making Men answerable for their Wives not going to Church c. And the meaning of this Act is that Judges shall not have liberty commutare paenam Lege definitam expresse for the best Lawyers acknowledge that though an Statute should say And it is ordained that this Statute shall be understood exactly according to the Letter yet it is capable of even an extensive Interpretation if no unjustice follow on that extension but much more if without this it would be unjust Bald. de stat num 3. Voet. de statut sect 7. cap. 1. And a declaratorie Interpretation is by all Lawyers acknowledg'd to be a Literal Interpretation Voet. ibid albeit in general it cannot be deny'd that these who have power to make Statutes must by a necessarie consequence have power to modifie and qualfie them as they please and as they may allow inferiour Judges a Power to Interpret Statutes in general so they may discharge them in a particular Statute to use that their Power and in that Case an inferiour Judge cannot Extend or Interpret otherways than in the terms foresaid LEagues and Bonds are by this Act only declared null but by the Act. 12 Parl. 10. Jam. 6. and Act 4. Parl. 1. Ch 2. they are declared punishable as Sedition and were punishable by Warding Act 43. Parl. 6. Q. Mary IF any carry Horses under three Years old to be sold out of the Country they E●cheat them by this Act and by the 22 Act Parl. 1. Jam. 6 If Horse without making difference as to their Age be carry'd beyond Sea the Horse and Ship and Goods of the Owner are Escheated and their Persons to be punished arbitrarly It is declared by that Act that there were several Acts before discharging the exportation of Horses whereas I see none save this and therefore these behov'd to have been Acts of Council or unprinted Acts of Parliament though generally all Acts inferring Escheat should be printed for Certioration These Acts are now in Desuetude carrying Horses out of the Country being an Improvement of Rent though that was then discharg'd upon the account of our Wars with England but it would appear that the carrying Horses out of the Kingdom till they be three Years old was not discharg'd upon the account of War but to the end the Horses should be kept till they gave a greater price and so should bring in more Money therefore this Prohibition it seems should still last BY this Act Tallow transported is escheated and the reason hereof is given by the 123. Act. Parl. 7. Ja. 5. because by the transportation thereof it became very dear at home and therefore the escheat of the transporters whole Moveables is added but the ill Increasing the Moveables of the Masters and Skippers of such Vessels in which it is transported are declar'd to fall under Confiscation Act. 40. Parl. 6. Q. M. And this Act extends the former to Strangers It is Observable that though this Act discharg'd all Persons to export yet all other Acts mentions Strangers when it is design'd that the Prohibition shall be extended to them as is also clear by the Act. 22. Parl 1 Ja. 6. and the 31. Act. Parl. 7. Ja. 2 d. So that it may be doubted if such penal Acts should be extended to Strangers where they are not mention'd and if the words all Persons are not in our Acts to be restricted to Natives Though by the Civil Law the owners be lyable for the Skippers fault in so far as concerns the prejudice done in the Ship yet it seems hard that an owners escheat shall fall for the Skippers taking in Tallow else Rich men would not be Owners and Skippers might Maliciously ruine their Owners and therefore it seems that by Masters here should only be mean'd Skippers and by the Civil Law the Skipper was call'd Magister Navis THough this Act punishes only Stealers or Cutters of Green Wood in the night time yet they are punishable for such Faults at all times the punishment is exprest Act. 84. Parl. 6. Ja. 6. but thereafter cutting of Green Wood is punisht as Thift with Death Act. 82. Parl. 11. Ja. 6. and yet I find none ever punished Capitaly for this Crime and the ordinary way of pursuing is by Process before the Sheriffs or the Lords for pecuniarie mulcts BY the Common Law no Judge can cite a Malefactor without his own Territorie and therefore if a man cut my Trees I could only pursue him within my Jurisdiction ratione criminis commissi if I find him within it but yet he●e it is enacted that if a man steal my Wood the same shall be punished in the Court within which t●e Lands lye out of which the Wood was stolne and none other but it seems that this being only introduced in favours of the Person injur'd he may renunce it and pursue before the Judge of the Jurisdiction in which the Offender dwels who cannot obtrude this Statute FOr clearing this Act Vid. infra Ja 1.9 Parl. Act 131. BY this Act Stalkers of Deer are to pay 40 shilling to the King and their Resetters ten pounds
6 Ja. 4. these were to come in on 15. days Ejections Intrusions and succeeding in the Vice which are of the nature of recent Spuilȝies But since this Act appointed all Summons to come in upon 21. days dubitatur how the Lords could have priviledg'd any Summons upon fewer days though there was an old immemorial Custom for this prior to this Act of Sederunt and it will be fit to Ratifie this Act of Sederunt in the first Parliament By that Act of Sederunt likewise second Summons may be executed against persons within Edinburgh or the Suburbs thereof upon twenty four hours Vid. Observations on the Act 65 Parl 6 Ja. 4. THis is abrogated by the Union of the Nations MOney is yet escheated to the King and his Customs if taken out of the Countrey without a Warrand but that part of the Act which allows a Noble for every private man's expence is in Desuetude for now every man is allow'd to carry out what may defray his Expence and that part of the Act appointing every man to make Faith and swear that he carries no Money out with him is also in Desuetude but any man may be pursued for having carried out Money and his having carried out and the quantity may be proven by his Oath We see also in this Act that Seculars could not Judge Ecclesiasticks for Ecclesiasticks were to be Judg'd by the Official that is to say the Bishops Judge in whose place the Commissars are now come and this priviledge descends to Church-men from the Canon Law c. 2. de judiciis But since the Reformation this Priviledge fell for now all men whether Secular or Ecclesiastick answer to the Civil Judge The great reason why our own Coyn should not be carried out is because our Money is finer nor forraign Money being eleven denier fine and so is constantly Exported and being melted down into forraign Coyn is brought home again to us at a greater extrinsick value but yet because it might be doubted if this prohibition extended to the carrying out of all Money that is current or if that which is not current may be carried out such as Ryals c. For the carrying out of Gold and Silver is generally ordain'd to pay Custom when it is carried out by Act 15 Par. 1 Ja. 1. but by the 149 Act Par. 13 Ja. 1. The carrying out of all Gold and Silver Coyn'd or Un-coyn'd infers escheat of the Gold and Silver so exported Vid. not on Act 49 Par. 3 Ja. 1 Supra King JAMES the third Parl 2. BY this Act Noblemen and Gentlemen pretend to be free from Custom of what is imported for their own use as to which I have insert this Paper Reasons why the Nobility Barons and other Heretors in Scotland are lyable to pay Customs and Excise for what Commodities they bring in though for their own private use OUr Laws and Acts of Parliament have granted to His Majesty the Custom of all Goods exported or to be imported as is clear by the 251 Act 15 Par. Ja. 6. The Words being That His Majesty with consent of the Nobility Council and Estates have ordain'd that all Cloath and other Merchandice brought into this Realm shall pay Custom c. And therefore the King being as to this founded in the Rule all must be lyable except where there are clear exceptions derogating from the general Concession Likeas by an express Statute 14 Act Par. 1 Ch. 2. The Customs of all Goods are Confirmed to the King And a special A. B. C. Of all Customable Goods expressing what each species is to pay In which Act there is no exception of any person whatsoever By the foresaid Act 251 Par. 15 Ja. 6. Customs are to be paid to the King according to the use of any other Kingdom But so it is that ●y the use of other Kingdoms and particularly of England and France the Nobility Barons and others pay Customs for all imported Goods The Customs being granted for the Defence of the Kingdom and the Support of His Majesties Royal Dignity it is just that the Nobility and Barons should rather pay than any others since they are of all others most concerned to maintain the one and support the other Scotland being a Countrey that has no Consumption for imported Goods save within themselves if the Nobility and Gentry should not pay they might bring home all their own Commoditie● and so there should be little or no Customs due to the King They might colour the Trade of Merchants by granting simulat Commissions for bringing home the Goods of Merchants under their names which would occasion much Perjury and at least put the Customers to a Process and Suspend the payment of the true Customes till that were clear'd by Process When this Kingdom thinks fit to guard against the importation of any forraign Goods they do this by imposing great Customs as was lately done by imposing 80 per cent upon all English Cloath But so it is that if this exemption were allow'd to the Nobility and others these Prohibitions would be useless and ineffectual for those Prohibited Goods might be brought in by them and so our Manufactories could never be encouraged nor could we force other Nations justly to ballance their Trade with us or keep our Money within our own Countrey If these Exemptions were allow'd there could be no possibility of lessening and curbing the Luxury of the Nation For the Nobility and Gentry might still wear what they pleas'd at least it would be an encouragement to them to bring home things superfluous they being free from Impositions whereas their being burdened with Custom would discourage them to bring home superflueties The Exchequer has in their Tacks been in use to set the Customs with express order to allow no exemptions and the Customers have exacted Customs from the Nobility and Gentry which proves the Kings Possession and the acquiescence of those who plead the exemption Whereas it is pretended 1 o. Customs are regularly a Duty impos'd upon Merchandice and Traffique But what Noblemen and Gentlemen import for their own use is not Merchandice nor Commerce 2 o. By this Act and by Act 152. Par. 12 Ja 6. the 251 Act Par. 15 Ja 6. And the 143. cap. Leg. Burg. There is an express exemption from Customs granted to the Nobility Barons and other Heretors for what they import to their own use It is answered that as to the first Custom being impos'd for the uses foresaid the payment should be regulated by the reason that imposed the Imposition and not by the nature of the Traffique and if that were a good reason neither Merchants Burg●ss●s nor any else should pay Customs for what they are to apply and consume for their own privat use 2 o. Though that were generally true as it is not yet the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom should alter the case here as it does in other Kingdoms To the 2 d it is answered that 1 o. There is