54^ - A, D, 1353. 



houfe in the flaple towns, occupied by the merchants, their fervants, or 

 the ftaple goods. The mayors and conftables of the flaples had jurif- 

 didion over all perfons concerned in the bufinefs of the flaples in the 

 towns wherein they were held and their fuburbs ; and their proceedings 

 in all matters of debt or con trad concerning the flaples were regulated 

 by the merchant law, and not by the common law, or the cuftoms of 

 the towns. In trials, if both parties were natives, the juries were to 

 confift of natives ; if foreigners, of foreigners ; and if one was a na- 

 tive and the other a foreigner, the jury was to be compofed equally of 

 natives and foreigners. In order to give validity to contrads, the mayors 

 of the flaples were directed to atteft them under their feals of office, 

 and to charge one halfpenny for every contradt under jTi 00, and one 

 penny for every one above that fum. If the debtor failed to make pay- 

 ment when due, the mayor was to imprifon him and arrefl: his property, 

 if within his jurifdidlion, and to deliver it, or the proceeds of it when 

 fold, to the creditor to the amount of the debt. If no property of the 

 debtor were to be found within the mayor's jurifdidion, he was then to 

 certify it in the chancery, from which warrants fhould be ifTued againft 

 the debtor and his property according to the flatute of merchants *. 

 The uniformity of weights and meafure was a^ain enjoined under fevere 

 penalties. All merchants, denizens, or aliens, had liberty to fell their 

 wines and other merchandize, by wholeflile or retail, in the ftaples, 

 burghs, towns, and fea-ports : but no perfon was allowed to bargain 

 for any goods before they were landed. No perfon, native or foreigner, 

 was permitted to carry wool, hides, or wool-fells, to Berwick upon 

 Tweed f, or any other part of Scotland, or to fell them to any native 

 of Scotland, or to any perfon who would carry them to that kingdom, 

 under the pain of death and forfeiture. If any goods were plundered 

 on the fea and brought into the kingdom, they were to be returned to 

 the merchant, who could prove them to be his property. Goods thrown 

 on the fhore by fhipwreck were alfo to be reftored to the lawful owners, 

 on paying a reafonable falvage, to be rated by the fhirrcfs or bailifs of 

 the place. All merchants, bringing gold or filver in coin or bullion 

 into the kingdom, might receive the value of them in current money 

 at the king's exchanges, to be eflabliflied at the flaples and clfewhere. 

 No one was permitted to carry out old fterhng, or any other money, ex- 

 cept merchant ftrangers, who might carry back fuch part of their own 

 money as they had not laid out. All falfe money became forfeited to 

 the king. In every flaple town certain ftreets or places were to be ap- 

 propriated for floring v/ool and other flaple goods ; and reafonable rents 

 were to be fixed upon the houfes by the mayor and conllables of the 



* For the ftatutc of merchants fee above, p. 4^9. 



-)• Berwick was tlun in the hands of the Eiiglilh. But the king was not willing to trull Engli(h 

 wool in the bands of the inhabitants. 



