THE FORM OF THE COMMISSION FOR A NEW VALUATION.  
4. August, 1649.  
EDINBURGH, Printed by EVAN TYLER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1649.   

4. August, 1649.  
THE Estates of Parliament taking unto their consideration the many complaints & grievances within the Kingdom, against the unequality that hath been in bearing public burdens, & being desirous that all the shires of the Kingdom, and every person within the same, may bear an equal proportion, according to the true worth of their Estates. Therefore they do nominate and appoint for the Sheriffdom of or either of them conveeners for the first meeting, and which Commissioners for the said Shire shall meet on Thursday the thirtieth of August next, or sooner, as the Conveeners shall appoint, and choose a Clerk and other members of Court necessary, and the Estates of Parliament do Ordain the said conveeners, or either of them to take the solemn oaths of the said's Commissioners, that they shall use their best endeavours for a right and true information of the whole rents of the said Shire, and that they shall proceed faithfully and impartially in prosecuting their Commission, and the Instructions relating thereunto: With power to the said Commissioners, or the major part of them as a Quorum, and if the major part exceed five, five to be a Quorum, to rectify & improve to the best avail the former valuations; And for that effect, to direct our summons against such person or persons within the Shire, as they shall think fit to compeir before them, and to declare upon Oath the true Rents of any Paroch or place of the Shire, according to their knowledge, and in case any shall contemn or refuse to compeir and depone, to imprison or fine them into a pecunial sum, not exceeding one hundred pounds, and to take all such further Information, as they shall find necessary for getting knowledge of the true worth of the whole rents within the said Shire, aswell casual rent of all sort, as constant rent in stock and teinds, and the true value and worth of every land and rend set in taken or rental, and what the true yearly worth thereof is, by and attour the rentalled, or tak-duty thereof payable to the Master, (respect being had to the gressum or entresse, if any was paid by the Taksmen or Rentaller at his entry; And of all Few, or Tak-duties payable to any person, his Majesty's duties excepted) & of all other casualties paiable for stock, or teynd according to the table annexed. All which they are to value exactly, by converting the victual into money, according to the respective prices set down in the said table, & by converting casualties into money, at the just rates which they give for the time in that Shire where the said casualties & commodities are valued. Withpower likewise to the said Commissioners, or the major part of them as the Quorum, and if the major part exceed five, five to be the Quorum, to take all former valuations into consideration, and rectify the same where they have been unjustly valued, and where they find that any person hath been undervalved, to augment the valuation of their rent to the true worth, and add the same to the total of the rent of the Shire, and thereby bring the whole rent of the Shire to the full value, and also reduce the whole Shire to an equality and proportion among themselves. And in the forming their report, the said Commissioners shall set down a Roll for every Paroch, which in the first place shall contain the money rend of the Paroch. Secondly, the quantity of the victual paid in the Paroch, and the several species thereof; and what measure, and how much the same doth amount unto, being converted into money. Thirdly, the kind of casualties or customs paid for stock, or teynd, the number thereof, and the price of each casuality distinctly, and how much the same doth extend to in whole, being converted into money. Fourthly, the casual rent according to the table, & what it doth extend to. Fiftly, the Few and Tak-duties, (his Majesties excepted) and what the same doth extend to. Sixthly, the mortified rent, & how paid in money, victual, or casuality, and what the same doth amount to. Sevently, the duties paid to his Majesty's Exchequer, & the sum thereof; And after the Roll of all the parochs are set down, than they are to cast up the total of the valuation of the whole Shire, by & attour the mortified rent & duties paid to the Exchequer, which are to be summed in an Article a part, and in a third Article they are to set down the total of their former valuation, which is herewith delivered to the Commissioners for ilk Shire, under the Clerk Registers hand, and lastly they are to set down what this present valuation to be made, doth exceed the former valuation; In all which, the form and pattern subjoined, is to be observed. And the said Commissioners are to subscrive the Report form as aforesaid, and to deliver the same to the Clerk Register or his Deputes, betwixt and the first of November next to come, and in case any Shire shall fail therein, or shall bring in a Report not agreeable to the Rules and Directions now prescrived, they shall pay the half more of maintenance than they are appointed to pay by the present Act of Mainteance, ay & while they produce & report their valuations in manner before prescrived, and if the failyie shall be on the part of the valuers, or any of them; the rest of the Shire shall have their relief off them. And further, the Commissioners are to send one from each Shire with the said valuations against the first of Novemb. which Commissioners shall meet with the Committee of Estates for comparing the said valuations, and perfecting the same, that they may be a Rule for the future in imposing all public burdens according to an equal proportion, and if there be any difference which cannot be settled by the Committee of Estates, and the said's Commissioners, that it be referred to the Parliament: And it is hereby declared, that no respect shall be had to any valuation to be reported, that shall be under the total of the former valuation, which is herewith delivered to the Commissioners of ilk Shire by the Clerk Register, Extractum.  
The total of the former valuation of this Shire is,—  

Form of the Report to be made by each Shire.  
THe Roll of the Rent of the She●iffdome of A. made and set down by the Commissioners under subscriving, appointed for that effect by Act of the Estates of Parliament of this Kingdom, holden at Edinburgh the fourth of August, 1649. which Commissioners having met on the day of August last, and having judicially given their oaths to use their best endeavours for a right and true Information of the Rents of the whole Shire, and to proceed faithfully and impartially in prosecuting their Commission, and Instructions relating thereunto, which they have carefully performed in every point; After serious and mature deliberation, they have made and set down the Roll following in Articles according to the number of the several Parishes within the said Shire, and have cast up the sums according to the direction of the Parliament.  
I. A. B. For himself and remanent Heretor, Fewers, Liferenters, proper Wood-setters, and others within the Parish, of their money rend, doth extend to.  
II. Paid of wheat in the said Parish Chalders, and Bolls according to the measure of Lynlithgow prick met, which being converted into money at the price of for every Boll extends to Of Bear in the said Parish Chalders and Bolls according to the measure of Lynlithgow prick met, which being converted into money, at the price of for every Boll extends to  
Of Meal in the said Parish, etc. as before concerning the Wheat and Beer.  
Of Rye in the said Parish, etc.  
Of Pease and Beans in the said Parish, etc.  
Of Oats in the said Parish, etc.  The Sum of the price of the whole victual, and money in each Parish, to be set down at length, and also in figures on the Margin, on the right hand. 
III. Paid of casualties or customs in the said Parish.  
iv Paid in casual Rent, for Coal.  
For Salt.  
For Fishings.  
V Paid in Few, and Tak-duties to other persons beside the duties payable to his Majesty.  
VI Paid in mortified Rent to the Minister and Schoolmaster, to the College or hospital of in money. Paid in victual and here to set down the several species, the quantity and price, and the casualties, if any be with the kind, number and price, and to convert the same into money, as before Sum of the mortified Rent of the Parish.  
VII. Paid to his Majesty's Exchequer in money Paid in victual or casualties, which being converted into money, extends to  
The total of the present valuation of this Shire, beside the mortified Rent, and what is paid to the Exchequer extends to  
The mortified Rent, and what is paid to the Exchequer, extends to  
The total of the former valuation of this Shire, extends to  
The present valuation doth exceed the former.   

Table of the prices of Victual in the Respective Shires of the Kingdom  

THe Wheat generally throughout the Kingdom, of Lynlithgow measure, price of the Boll thereof. 6. l. 16. s. 8.  
Beer, Rye, Pease, of Lynlithgow measure in the Shire of Lithgow, Edinburgh, and Haddington. 5. l. 6. s. 8.  
Oats and Meal there, of the measure foresaid. 4. l. 13. s. 4.  
Beer, Pease, and Rye, of the foresaid measure, in Teviodail, Merse, Selkirk, and Lauderdail. 5. l.  
Oats and Meal there. 4. l. 6. s. 8.  
And because Teviodail hath five furlots in their Boll, therefore the fourth part of five pound ought to be added to the price of their Bowl, which is, 6. l. 6. s.  
In Peibles, Lanerk, Air, Renfrew, Dumbartane, and Bute, the Beer, Pease, and Rye, of the foresaid measure of Lynlithgow. 4. l. 13. s. 4.  
And if the measure be more that it be augmented, conform, Meal, and Oats there. 4. l. 10. s.  
Wigtoun, and Kirkcudbright, Beer, and Meal. 4. l. 16. s. 8.  
Of Lithgow measure in respect there single Bowl, is a Boll and a half of Lithgow measure, and there double Boll, is three Bowls of Lithgow measure, and therefore to be priced accordingly.  
Dumfreis, Annandail, Beer & Meal of Lithgow measure, 4. l. 16. s. 8  
And because their Boll is two Bolls and a half of Lithgow measure, the same is to be priced accordingly.  
In Fyfe, Angus, Pearth, Clakmannan, Stirling, Kinros, Beer, Rye, and Pease, o● Lithgow measure. 4. l. 16. s. 8.  
Meal, and Oats there of the said measure; except Angus. 4. l. 5. s.  
And Angus Meal, 4. l. 10. s.  
Kincairdine, Elgine, Nairn, Innernes, Ross, Cromarty, Sutherland,  
Beer, Pease, and Rye, of Lithgow measure. 4. l. 10. s.  
Meal and Oats there, except Kincairdine. 4. l. 10. s.  
Meal in Kincairdine, of the measure foresaid. 4. l. 6. s. 8.  
Aberdeen and Bamff, Beer of the measure foresaid. 4. l. 6. s. 8.  
Meal and Oats there, of the measure foresaid. 4. l.  
Orkney and Carthnes Beer, 3. l. 10. s.  
Meal there of Lithgow measure. 4. l.   
By Casualties and Customs mentioned in the third Article of the form of the Report, is to be understood Marts, Wedders, Lambs, Swine, Butter, Cheese, Oil, Linen cloth, Salmond, and Wool.  
By Casual Rent mentioned in the fourth Article, is to be understood, Salt, Coale, Salmond-fishing, and other fishings in proprrtio, whereby there is yearly benefit.   
FINIS.