PETITION For the Neighbourhood and lieges in Edinburgh, Cannongate, and Suburbs, &c. Against The Brewers in, and about the Good Town.  
MY Lords of Council and Session, unto your Lordships humbly means and shows, we your Lordships Servants Alexander Thomson, present Deacon-Conveener, and Thomas Dunlop present Deacon of the chirurgeons, &c. for ourselves, and in name and behalf of the hail remanent Deacons and Incorporations of Edinburgh; and als in name and behalf of the Merchants, Neighbourhood, and other lieges residing in, or resorting to the good Town: That where we have Bills of Advocation and Suspension depending before your Lordships, against the four pennies of the Pint additional on Ale, in favours of the Brewers, and upon a Bill in presence obtained a deliverance, recommending to the Lord Ordinary to pass both Bills, in case we should instruct that there were Processes depending against us, and Decreets pronounced in the foresaid matter; and for proving whereof, we have produced a Declaration Signed by the Clerk of the Commissioners of Cess and Excise, wherein he declares that there are both Decreets pronounced, and Processes depending, in relation to the foresaid Imposition, against the Neighbourhood.  
Notwithstanding whereof, the Brewers have retarded the Passing or Expeding of our Advocation and Suspension, upon pretence the same cannot be swa done, in the Terms presented, but only at the instance of such persons, against whom these Decreets has been pronounced, or Processes intented.  
The matter without either Arrogancy, Impert●nency, or ill Symptoms, has been so fully reasoned in our several Bills, and the Brewers Answers by way of Banter thereto, that it is needless to trouble your Lordships with repetitions: The thing is founded upon clear Principles of Law, and the Neighbourhood is oppressed. It is a Charge of near 400 marks daily and will continue so till the next Session of Parliament, unless your Lordships vindicat the Faith of our public Laws, by allowing us the Benefit of the same, and which no Petition or public Deliverance thereafter could Rescind parte inaudita; If public Laws most be two times red, and thereafter Reasoned, Voted and Touched before Passing, then nothing can take away these Laws, but two Readings Voting and Touching; If the Brewers Petition and Deliverance be a public Act, then it is neither twice red nor Touched; if a private Act, then it falls under the Act salvo Jure, and the Neighbour hood must be heard contra executionem, since there was never any Act did more directly toutch Property than this; Nor are the Neighbour-hood endeavouring to Invert the Form of process; The regular way of applying is by Bills of Advocation and Suspension, and they have so done. That there is a Charge, is too evident, since every particular Family and private Person sensibly feels the same. They do not crave their Declarator may take effect summarily; it will be heard in due time, and it's hoped will Regulat the Price of Ale after the first of March, contrair to the Brewers design: Impositions for Bridges and High-ways are necessar, because the lieges are thereby Accommodat, and it were against sense to Quarrel the same whether there were Law or not therefore, but that the Ale should be both Dearer and worse than formerly, is Unaccountable. That the Act of Parliament founded on, was not under the Parliaments Consideration is obvious, because their Petition relates to no Act of Parliament; and the Brewers Nota subjoined thereto, relates to the Act of Parliament 1695, and not to that Act which we found upon in Anno 1696, hough neither were particularly under Consideration. The Neighbourhood does not in the least question the Power and Authority of the Parliament, but that they might have done the thing effectually: but because it is not so done, nor was it ever heard, that a public statutory Law was Rescinded by a private Deliverance, where there is not so much as a non obstante adjected. The Lords of his Majesties Privy Council and Lords of Session, do indeed regulat Prices from time to time: but it can scarce be Instanced, that ever they did raise the Prices by any Ordinance of theirs, though they have frequently Regulat and Reduced the same; and the price of Bear is indeed a good Argument for small, but not for dear Ale; for Servants and the meaner kind of persons, must be furnished.  
The Brewers make a great noise, as if the Parliaments Power and Authority were called in question. But under favour, the Neighbourhood do pay all due Respect to every Vote and Deliverance of Parliament; and are ready and willing, to hazard Life and Fortune for the support of his Majesty and Government, on all Occasions. But humbly conceive that the Brewers Petition concerns neither, but only some particular persons who design to raise their own private Interest, under the Notion of an Act of Parliament, and by Alarming the Neighbourhood with the Authority of the Parliament, to dare them from their just claim ▪ and whereupon the Neighbourhood, &c. do cry to your Lordships for Shelter and Protection.  
May it therefore please your Lordships, to Ordain our Bills of Advocation and Suspension to be past and expede, without either Caution or Consignation, as the samen is already presented: and to recommend the same to the Lord Ordinary, to be so done with all dispatch that your Petitioners may be no longer delayed or janked in this Matter: sinee the lest delay carries along a great and considerable Charge daily upon the Neighbourhood. And your Petitioners shall ever pray.