produced at their mills. In 1695, parliament sanctioned this enterprise as a joint-stock company, and ordered that a charter of incorporation should be granted to them for their security and encouragement, under the name of "The Scots White Paper Manufactory," "for the making of all kinds of writing and printing white paper, throughout this kingdom," with all the privileges usually accorded by acts of parliament for encouraging manufactories. In 1697, the work was going on and producing "good white paper, and only needing a little more encouragement to be an advantage to the whole kingdom". Upon the petition of the papermakers, the Privy Council again commanded that the candlemakers should not use rags for making wicks.115 The beginning of a smaller and less necessary branch of industry has now to be noticed, though subsequently it was developed into a great trade in the chief city of the west of Scotland, and brought fortunes and wealth to many individuals. Tobacco was first brought into Britain in the latter half of the sixteenth century. The antipathy of James VI. to tobacco is well known, and he forbade its importation into Scotland; but his decree was much evaded, and it soon became an article of common merchandise in the country. A duty of one shilling and eightpence sterling was then imposed on it, but this only led to smuggling to evade the tax; and in 1622, the council passed an act prohibiting the importation of tobacco, under the penalty of confiscation. But the same year the council passed an act explaining that the King did not mean to deprive his subjects of the orderly sale and moderate use of tobacco, but 115 Register of the Privy Council; Acts Parl. Scot., Vol. IX., p. 429. Touching the paper company, the act of parliament stated: "It being found that the water and air in several parts of the kingdom are very fit, and may contribute much to the success of such work . . . and that the several attempts that have hitherto been made for rendering such work effective may have failed because such an undertaking could not be otherwise managed than by a society and incorporation, and required a general joint-stock to set up and carry on the same ". than ever was done before in this while in the worl was necess wicks tr should put 1 of it; and a pro the prohibition to import not hold a licence. In 1634, the sale of tobacco under a men were appointed to sell licences Ceasant and to account to the royal revenue for arranged between the parties, but this allowed by the government to impose par new out hardly be carried out. In 1671, Sir John a cax upon tobacco; but in 1673, it was stated in an act of partament, that the tax was injuring the trade of tobacco, and therefore Sir John's privilege was terminated, and tobacco was to be henceforth free of any duty, except the ordinary custom the time, in 1661, a tax was imposed on all tobacco pipes imand excise. In accord with the prevailing commercial ideas of ligh h ported into the kingdom. 116 In 1674, Andrew M'Kairter presented a petition to the Privy Council, stating that when the insurrection of 1666 broke out, being then a youth at school, he joined the insurgents; and after the suppression of the rising, "out of a childish fear he did run away to Newcastle": and having there, in London, and in Holland, served a long apprenticeship in spinning tobacco, and having now returned to his native land, he had set up this trade at Leith. He now desired to make his peace with the government, by signing the bond required by the law; and the council granted his request, and he became one of the earliest tobacco spinners in Leith. 116 Register of the Privy Council; Acts Parl. Scot., Vol. VII., p. 65; Vol. VIII., p. 212. The act on the tobacco pipes contains the following:-"It being represented to his Majesty that tobacco pipes can be made and sold at home at a far easier rate than they can when brought from abroad: therefore, to keep money at home, and give tradesmen work, and for the encouragement and good of all who are skilful in making of tobacco pipes, his Majesty does impose upon the gross of all tobacco pipes imported, eight shillings Scots ... and does prohibit any merchant, importer, or maker of pipes, to charge more than eighteen shillings Scots for the gross of any pipes, whether they be made within or without the country". The state of the coinage often occupied the attention of parment and the Privy Council in the seventeenth century, and this period the records of it are pretty complete. But no al change occurred in the coinage till the introduction of anking at the end of the century, and only points of general interest demand our notice. In November, 1604, the government ordered gold to be coined of the fineness of twenty-two carats, and the silver of eleven deniers. Five kinds of gold coins were to be struckthe unit or twelve pounds Scots piece, the double crown or six pounds Scots piece, the Britain crown or three pounds Scots piece, the thistle crown, forty-eight shillings Scots, and the halfcrown, thirty shillings Scots. Out of every 20lb. of gold coined, one pound at least was to be issued in the smaller gold pieces, and the types of the coins are minutely described in the records. The silver coinage was to be issued in seven pieces-the crown or three pounds Scots, half-crown, shilling, sixpence, twopence, penny, and halfpenny pieces. This series of coins, which were minted between the beginning of the year 1605 and 1610, were exactly the same both in England and in Scotland, except the mint-mark and the difference in workmanship; and they were authorised to pass current throughout Great Britain.117 By a proclamation in November, 1611, all the gold coins were raised about one-tenth in value, and all the former acts against exporting coin were renewed. The Privy Council ordered that a table of the prices for gold of every standard should be prepared and placed in some public part of the coining-house. Foreign money was only to be received as bullion; and in December the same year, the council prohibited 117 R. W. Cochran Patrick, Records of the Coinage of Scotland, Vol. I., pr. 164, 165, Introd. ; Lindsay's View of the Coinage of Scotland, Supp., p. 60. In July, 1602, Alexander Reid, a cutler in Edinburgh, was tried for false coining. It seems that he was employed in the mint, and had got hold of some false blanks, which he stamped with the true dies of the merk piece; and for this crime he was hanged. Birrel's Diary; Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, Vol. II., p. 399. only to prevent the abuse and excessive use of it; and a proclamation was emitted, intimating that the prohibition to import it only applied to those who did not hold a licence. In 1634, another attempt was made to put the sale of tobacco under a wholesome restriction. Two men were appointed to sell licences to retailers of tobacco, and to account to the royal revenue for the proceeds as might be arranged between the parties, but this arrangement could hardly be carried out. In 1671, Sir John Nicolson of Nicolson was allowed by the government to impose a tax upon tobacco; but in 1673, it was stated in an act of parliament, that the tax was injuring the trade of tobacco, and therefore Sir John's privilege was terminated, and tobacco was to be henceforth free of any duty, except the ordinary custom and excise. In accord with the prevailing commercial ideas of the time, in 1661, a tax was imposed on all tobacco pipes imported into the kingdom. 116 In 1674, Andrew M'Kairter presented a petition to the Privy Council, stating that when the insurrection of 1666 broke out, being then a youth at school, he joined the insurgents; and after the suppression of the rising, "out of a childish fear he did run away to Newcastle": and having there, in London, and in Holland, served a long apprenticeship in spinning tobacco, and having now returned to his native land, he had set up this trade at Leith. He now desired to make his peace with the government, by signing the bond required by the law; and the council granted his request, and he became one of the earliest tobacco spinners in Leith. 116 Register of the Privy Council; Acts Parl. Scot., Vol. VII., p. 65; Vol. VIII., p. 212. The act on the tobacco pipes contains the following :—“ It being represented to his Majesty that tobacco pipes can be made and sold at home at a far easier rate than they can when brought from abroad: therefore, to keep money at home, and give tradesmen work, and for the encouragement and good of all who are skilful in making of tobacco pipes, his Majesty does impose upon the gross of all tobacco pipes imported, eight shillings Scots and does prohibit any merchant, importer, or maker of pipes, to charge more than eighteen shillings Scots for the gross of any pipes, whether they be made within or without the country". The state of the coinage often occupied the attention of parliament and the Privy Council in the seventeenth century, and for this period the records of it are pretty complete. But no radical change occurred in the coinage till the introduction of banking at the end of the century, and only points of general interest demand our notice. In November, 1604, the government ordered gold to be coined of the fineness of twenty-two carats, and the silver of eleven deniers. Five kinds of gold coins were to be struckthe unit or twelve pounds Scots piece, the double crown or six pounds Scots piece, the Britain crown or three pounds Scots piece, the thistle crown, forty-eight shillings Scots, and the halfcrown, thirty shillings Scots. Out of every 20lb. of gold coined, one pound at least was to be issued in the smaller gold pieces, and the types of the coins are minutely described in the records. The silver coinage was to be issued in seven pieces-the crown or three pounds Scots, half-crown, shilling, sixpence, twopence, penny, and halfpenny pieces. This series of coins, which were minted between the beginning of the year 1605 and 1610, were exactly the same both in England and in Scotland, except the mint-mark and the difference in workmanship; and they were authorised to pass current throughout Great Britain.117 By a proclamation in November, 1611, all the gold coins were raised about one-tenth in value, and all the former acts against exporting coin were renewed. The Privy Council ordered that a table of the prices for gold of every standard should be prepared and placed in some public part of the coining-house. Foreign money was only to be received as bullion; and in December the same year, the council prohibited 117 R. W. Cochran Patrick, Records of the Coinage of Scotland, Vol. I., pp. 164, 165, Introd.; Lindsay's View of the Coinage of Scotland, Supp., p. 60. In July, 1602, Alexander Reid, a cutler in Edinburgh, was tried for false coining. It seems that he was employed in the mint, and had got hold of some false blanks, which he stamped with the true dies of the merk piece; and for this crime he was hanged. Birrel's Diary; Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, Vol. II., p. 399. |