GOD save the KING.  
A PROCLAMATION ANENT Tanning and Barking of Hydes.  
JAMES by the grace of GOD King of great Britanne, France, and Ireland: defender of the Faith, to Our Loveds Messengers, Our sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and severally specially constitute; greeting, Forsamekle, As WE out of Our Princely and tender regaird towards the honour credit and benefit of this Our ancient Kingdom, having ever had a special cairo and regaird that the practice of Trades not formarlie known or truly and uprightly practised within the same, might be brought in; and that Our Subjects might be instructed therein, to the intent that by their industry skill and labours the Country might be furnished within the self with many necessary commodities, whereof now a great part are brought from foreign parts to the discredit of this Our Kingdom and emptying of the same of a great deal of Treasure yearly exported for that cause: Amongst others Our Royal and Princely projects in this kind, which have all had one happy and good success. WE were pleased upon one Petition exhibit unto WS in Our Sovereign and high Court of Parliament, Concerning the universal abuse in Tanning and Barking of Leather throughout this Our whole Kingdom, To recommend to the Lords of Our Privy Counsel the order taking for reforming of the said abuse. Whereupon the said's Lords having taking some pains and travels for trying of the said abuse and the ground and occasions of the same; And they having at length conferred thereanent as well with a number of the principal Tanners of this Our Kingdom of best judgement, knowledge and experience, in that trade, as with sundry Cordonars of good fame and credit: And all the particulars which might produce a clear discovery of the said abuse and occasions thereof, with the means how the same might be reform being amply proposed reasoned and discussed, In end IT was found by the saids Lords out of their own reason and judgement, and by the declaration and confession of the Tanners themselves, that the abuse and corruptions of their trade did proceed from their own ignorance and want of skill, in the true and perfect form of Tanning: And that therefore there was a necessity of inbringing of Strangers to instruct them thereintill. Whereupon the said's Lords having entered in deliberation how the strangers might be brought in; In end the charge thereof was embraced and undertaken by Our traist Cousin and Counsaller JOHNE Lord ERSKENE who hath very cairefullie behaved himself therein, and hath brought in and exhibit before the saids Lords the persons particularly underwritten; They are to say, George Harason in Durham. Nicolas Richardson there. Cuthbert Hutcheson elder there. Edward Craiges there. Cuthbert Hutcheson younger there. John Robeson there. Thomas Dobieson there. Thomas Dobieson younger there. Robert Halfard there. and George Lambert there. john Heroun in Hexem. Reynold Milbourn there. Harry Twedaill, there. Thomas Wallace there. George Ogill there. Philip Shilton of Chester of the street. and George Wilsoun in Morpet. Which whole persons are all of good skill knowledge and experience in the trade of Tanning. And upon their great Oaths they have promised to deal faith fully and truly with the Tanners of this Our Kingdom, And to instruct them in the right form of Tanning, and how to dress their pots: Like as they have set down some grounds how the Hides shall be dressed and handled, from the time they are brought from the Boutcheour, until they be perfectly and well Tanned.  
AS namely they have declared that there is a great abuse committed by the Boutcheours, by slashing of the Hides and cutting of some of the Rimme away, whereby a part of the substance of the hides is taken away and the hides are thereby the more apt to receive water.  
IT is requisite that every Tanner having a good Stock shall have Two lyme-pottes at the least, for changing of the hides from one pot to another, To wit, One for green leather, and the other for Ripe leather: But if his Stock will not answer to Two pots, than he must refresh the Lime the oftener; And those pots are to be of Sax, or Seven foot in length, Four foot in breadth, and four or five foot deep.  
The Hides being brought from the Boutcheour to the Tanner, they are to be casten in fresh water there to lie three or four days, till the blood and filth be sucked out and taken away.  
Thereafter they are to be put in a Lyme-potte, there to lie five or sax weeks till they be sufficiently limed, And three days every week they are to be handled and sighted and changed from pot to pot for eschewing of putrifactioun, And being taken out of the lyme-pottes, they are to be casten in fresh water there to lie one day or one night, till the lime be washin of, Thereafter they are to be put in a baitte of fresh water with pigeon or Dow-dung, or Hen-pen, there to lie eight days till the lime be clean wrought out of them.  
The Lime being cleine wrought out of the hides, they are then to be brought to the wouseiss of the Barke-pottes, of which pots every Barker must have at the least fyve or sax, two for lopping, and the rest for handling, and the pots for lopping must be seven foot long five foot deep, and five foot braid, and the pots for handling one yaird square every way lined with timber or stone, as the commodity affords, and covered if the owner thinketh meet for eschwing of Thift.  
The Hides being brought to the Bark-pottes and wouseiss, they are to be chifted and handled from one pot to another, to wit, from a worse to a better every third day or oftener as the occasion presenteth, till they be sufficiently Tanned: And the wouseiss are made of water and Bark, and of the Bark which the Tanners of this Our Kingdom cast forth of their Bark-pottes, the English Tanners make their best wouseiss and liquor with some little refreshing and renewing.  
And the Hyde for overleather must lie twenty four weeks in the Bark-potte, And the Hyde for sole-leather twenty eight weeks, or less if the leather be well followed at the discretion of the Owner.  
The hides being sufficiently Tanned and taken out of the Barck-pottes, they are then to be dried with the Aër, to wit they must be hung up upon sparres to be dried in convenient places according as the season and weather falleth out, and they are to be keipt from rain, and never to be dried by fire but upon plane necessity, and in drying of the hides all violent and extreme heats are to be eschewed.  
Many other things have they declared concerning the true and perfect form of Tanning, the particulars whereof will be better understood by practice and sight, then by verbal informations and discourses.  
And whereas those Strangers have left their own Country houses and families, and are come here to be directed to the several parts of this Our Kingdom for instructing of the country People in the right form of Tanning, which will prove very gainful unto them and profitable to Our whole country, And will not only spare a great deal of Bark which is unnecessary, unprofitably, and unworthily, spent by them, but besides will hold a great deal of money within this Our Kingdom; which is yearly exported for inbringing of foreign leather.  
Therefore it is very necessary and expedient for the honour and credit of this Our Kingdom, that the said's persons shall not only be kindly and friendly used with all respect favour and duty that appertaineth; but that they have some Privileges and liberties in the said trade, during the time of their abode heir for the better inco●●ging them to deal faithfully and truly ●● the earand they are co●● for. And siklyke it is very necessary that the Tanners and Barckers of this Our Kingdom be cairefull and diligent to receive timous instruction from the said's Englishmen, to the intent that betwixt and the Term apppointed for Sealling of the said's Hides, they may have good knowledge and experience in the said trade. And for effect, WE with the advice of the Lords of Our secret Counsel HAVE taken and by the tenor hereof TAKES the saids persons and every one of them under Our Protection, Defence, and Saifgaird, to be unharmed or troubled in their persons or goods for whatsomever died or occasion otherways then by commoun course of Law and Justice. And sicklyk WE with advise foresaid Have Given and granted and by the tenor hereof Gives and grants full liberty privilege licence and warrant to the people abovewritten and every one of them To use the trade of Tanning in the several parts and places of this Our Kingdom where they shall happen to be directed and send in manner following, ●o wit, they shall concur with the Tanners within these parts and Join with them in the Tanning and dressing of their Leather, and they shall make use of their Lime and Barck-pottes, And shall lay their hides in the same pots with the hides of the Barkers of those pairts, and shall handle and dress the whole hides in the pots indifferently and and with a common and aequale respect and consideration: By the which doing the Tanners of this Our Kingdom, if they be willing or capable of Instruction may have good occasion to learn and to be instructed in short time in the true knowledge of the said trade.  
OUR WILL IS herefore, and WE charge you straitly and commands that incontinent those Our Letters seen, Ye pass to the Market Croces of the Head Burrowes of this Our Kingdom and others places needful; And there by open Proclamation, and in Our Name and Authority make publication of the praemisses wherethrogh none praetend ignorance of the same: And that ye command charge and inhibit all and sundry Our Liege's and Subject's that none of them praesoome nor take upon hand To vex harm molest trouble or inquyet, the persons particularly above written or any one of them, But to 〈◊〉 them with all respects of friendship and kindness, in all parts where they shall happen to repair, As they and every one of them will answer to WS and Our Counsel upon their obedience at their highest charge and peril. And sicklyk that ye command and charge The whole Barckers and Tanners of leather within this Our Kingdom that they and every one of them betwixt and the first day of September next to come, provided themselves with the number of Lyme and Barck-pottes abovewritten, And that they dress and handle their Hides both in the Lime and Barck-pots according to the form rewle and ground set down and to be praescryved unto them: And for this effect that they be carefulll and diligent to receive instruction from the persons particularly abovewritten, And to conform themselves to their directions and informations aswell in the dressing and handling their hides which are presently in their pots, as anent the hides which shall be put in the same hereafter.  
And if any person or persons out of malice and in contempt of this Our Ordinance and of purpose to hinder the progress of this work, which will prove so profitable to the whole Country shall happen to leave of the said trade for some certain space with resolution to return thereto again at their pleasure and as they shall find the occasion. That therefore ye intimat and declare to all Our Liege's that every such person or persons who shall be tried to offend in this case, shall be called before the Lords of Our Privy Counsel and punished by them at their discretion. And whereas it is understand to the said's Lords of Our Privy Counsel that the Tanners of this Kingdom may have sufficient time and leasour to learn the said trade of Tanning and barking of leather in one upright and perfect form (if they be willing) betwixt and the first day of November in the year of God I uj ᶜ xxj years. Which is the term appointed by Our said Counsel when the Sealing of the Hides for approving of the sufficiency of the same shall begin. Therefore that ye intimat and declare to all the Barkers and Tanners of Hides within this Our Kingdom, that all and whatsomever hides that shall happen to be presented to Market, sauld or put in work without the Seal after the said first day of November in the year of God Jaj Sax hundreth and twenty one years. shall be confiscate and escheat to the use and behoove of him who hath the charge and trust of the Seal. The which to do WE commit to you you conjunctly and severally Our full power By those Our letters, delivering the same by you duly execute and endorsed again to the Bearer.  
Given under Our Signet, At Haly-rud-house the twenty nine day of Junij and of Our Reigns the fifty thrie and eighteen years. 1620. Ordained to be published in print. Per Actum D. Secreti Consilij.   

EDINBURGH, Printed by Thomas Finlas on his M. printer