324 A. D. 1 153. 



luable new fubjeds, by whofe inftrudlion and example he hoped to ren- 

 der the natives of Scotland more induftrious and civilized than they had 

 hitherto been : and it is alfo probable that fome of the new towns, erecfl- 

 ed by him, [Ailred, op. Fordun, p. 473] were deflincd for the reception 

 of thofe new inhabitants. Several laws for the regulation of weights 

 and meafures were enaded by him. \^Ads, James I, c. 80, or 70 of Mur^ 

 ray''s ed?^ And, though the book, generally known by the name of Re- 

 giam majejlatem, and profefling to contain the antient laws of Scotland, 

 colieded, as was fuppofed, by order of King David, is now generally 

 abandoned as an ill-conduded forgery, there feems reafon to believe, 

 that the laws a?id cujloms of the burghs of Scotland were really collected 

 and committed to writing, and moft of them, probably enaded, in his 

 reign *. By thefe laws 



c. 10) All goods brought by fea were to be landed prior to their fale, 

 except fait and herrings, which might be fold onboard the vefTels. 

 c. 17) The vallld of an earl or baron, who bought a burgage, and re- 

 mained a year and a day in a burgh without being molefted or claimed 

 by his lord, was declared a free man for ever f . 



c. 18) Foreign merchants were not permitted to buy wool, hides, or 

 other goods from any but burgeffes. 



c. 22) None but burgeffes wei'e permitted to buy wool for dying or 

 makinganto cloth, or to cut cloth for fale. But the owners of Iheep 

 were allowed the free ufe of their own wool. 



From c. 48 it appears that fome of the merchants of Scotland traded 

 to foreign countries ; and their lands were declared exempt from feizure 

 for any claim whatever during their abfence, unlefs they appeared to 

 abfent themfelves on purpofe to evade juftice. 



c. 52) The burgefl'es were required to have their meafures of length 

 and capacity, and their weights, marked with the feal of the burgh. 



A filver mine (' argentaria'), which King David worked in his pro- 

 vince of Cumberland, \J. Haguflald. col. 280] is the earliefl in Britain, 



* It mud be acknowlegcd that fcveral chapters greatcft part of them, are as old as the reign of 

 of tlie I.ega lurgrtrum, wherein provofts and bailies David I. A charter of his grandfon, King Wil- 

 appe.ir as the only magillratcs of the towns in b'am, requires a'l perfons reforting to the fair at 

 Scotland, wliich long after David's reign were ge- Glafgow to obferve the ajjije of h'u burghs : [G/i- 

 ncrally goveriicd by aldermen, were evidently in- /on''j H'Jl. "f Glafgow, p. 301] and the laws and 

 tcrpoldttd after the fuurteenth century. Neither f(//^omj o/"//'? iurj/6j undoubtedly conftituted a part 

 are the words ' (laiuta burgornm,' which induced of the eftablifhed law of the land before the death 

 a late learned and wurlhy judge, and alfo a learn- of Alexander III, as appears from an antient re- 

 ed keeper of the records of Scotland, to fay that cord prefervcd in Aylojfe's CaUndars, p. n^, and 

 tliofe laws arc mentioned by Baldrcd (lathcr Ailred in pleadings of the year 1291, publldied by Ryley. 

 or Ethtlred) a contemporary writer, any proof; \_Pla:. pari. p. 14". J And no one can fuppofe 

 for they are interpolated by Bowar in his continua- that they were enadtcd in the turbulent period of 

 • ion of Fordun, and are not in the works of Ailred the regency. 



«r Fordun. But, tliongh fome parts of the laws of \ This regulation, and fome others in the Scot- 



thc burghs, as publifhcd by Skene along with his tifh burgh laws, are copied from the Englifh laws 



Jirgium maj'flatem, have been inferted in later ages, afcribed to King Edw.ird the Confeflbr. See 



•■t is imdcfiiable that other pant, probably the above, p. 307. J 



