THAT in the Moneth of July 1695. years , when the Parliament , was about the giving to His Majesty , an additional Excise upon Ale &c.

The Brewers ; then Represented to His Majesty's Commissioner , and the Honourable Estates of Parliament , the lowness of their condition , and that unless the price of Ale ; were by them hightned to 32 d. per Pint as the Minimum , they could not hold their Trade : Yet the Parliament , hopeing that the prices of Victual would quickly fall , was pleased to appoint that only 28 d. As the Minimum , which is the greatest price they ever could obtain for their ordinary selling Ale : Albeit they were not hindered nor Disallowed by the Government to have raised it higher , yet without the Authority of a Law , they could not ; altho the prices of Victual and their burdens , did after that , Encreass greatly : Whereupon the Brewers , in the Moneth of March last , meaned themselves to the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council ; But rheir Lordships did not then find themselves Authorised to appoint . 32 d. for the Pint of Ale as the Minimum , nor to do otherwise then the Parliament had done ; albeit it was then too plain that 32 d. was rather too low then to high a price for the ordinary selling Ale , Which experience has now too cleary demonstrated , fora great many Brewers who were Substantial men , and Skilful of their Trade of brewing ( all their Skil and Industry , notwithstanding ) are quit broke , put altogether from their Trade , and not only their own numerous Families scattered , and exposed to want : but also many poor Families of their Servants , who depended upon them by their breaking ; are reduced to misery : and several Noblemen , and Gentlemen , disappointed of the Payment of their Bear , which being now too truly understood by His Grace , His Majesties High Commissioner , and the Right Honourable the Estates of Parliament , they ( as the Brewers are informed ) design that the burden of the additional Excise on the Brewers ; so unsuportable shall not ly on them after the Moneth of February next to come , which the Brewers desire to acknowledge with all gratitude , as a mark of the Parliaments compassion to them , yet most humbly crave liberty , to Represent : That unless the price of their ordinary Ale be raised to 32 d. per Pint as the Minimum , from the first day of September next to come 1698. to the first Match next to come in the year 1699. during the concurring and continuing of the annexed and additional Excises ; of 6 d. being in all with the Touns Imposition 8 d. upon each Pint of Ale , And that unless 28 d. for the Pint of Ale , be by the Parliament appointed as the Minimum , after the last day of February next to come ( if of necessity the annexed Excise , must be continued ) It is utterly impossible for the Brewers , to hold their Trade , so as to pay their Victual and the Respective , Excises .

Now that 32 d. per Pint from the 1st . of September to the 1st . of March both next to come , is the least price can be appointed , is so plainly reasonable that your Petitioners do not trouble the Parliament , with other arguments about it , then what are above Represented , and if the price of Ale after February next to come ( the annexed Excise , being continued ) be not 28 d. per Pint , the Brewers are so far from being bettered by only easing them of the additional Excise , of 3 d. per Pint , that they shall be in a worse case then before : if the price of Ale shall fall 4 d. per Pint , especially seeing it is certain that the three pennies of annexed Excise , come in place of the former two Merks doth amount at least to nine shilling and four pennies more . And the Brewers being told by some , that they must be lyable to the annexed Excise , after the Moneth of February next to come whither they be able or not seing ( as is alleadged ) it cannot be taken off now , They do desire and earnestly intrate , that in the most accurat way , that can be devised an experiment by order of Authority may be made , by causing brew a quantity of the several kinds of Malt to be procured and brown by any trusty person or persons , ( tho not trading ) but Skilful in the way of brewing , and that at the sight and occular insepction of such as shall be Authorifed for that effect : that the real product of Malt being known , it may be truly understood whither the Brewers be able or not to sell their Ale under the rates desired in the present circumstances : And then to all men who will soberly allow a litle of their patience and serious thoughts upon this weighty ( tho too litle pondered ) affair , which so much concerns both the King and Country , it will evidently appear that the Brewers are not able by their Trade of brewing to pay their Victuall and Excises unless the price of Ale be hightned as above And by impartial reckoning it will be found that the Excises have for these several years bygone been payed not by the drinkers ( as is often unconsideratly Alleadged ) but truly and indeed by the Brewers , and that not out of any profite of their Trade , but out of their own privat Stocks and fortuns all which to a demonstration is evident from the computation following viz.

PayedbytheBrewer, To the Boll of Malt , now selling at 12. and 13. lib. per Boll , Reckoned here only to 9. 10. 0. Annexed-Excise 1. 16. 0. Towns Imposition 1. 04. 0. House-rent 0. 06. 0. Couperadge 0. 02. 0. Maintainance of Servants 0. 06. 8. Coal and Candle 0. 13. 4. Penny per pound Drink-Money , and Expences of inbringing 1. 00. 0. Maintainance of Brewing-Looms , such as Coper , Coolers , Fats , Floats , Wortstones , Gantrees . &c. 0. 06. 0. Summa , 15. 04. 0.

ReceivedbytheBrewer, Per 18. Gallons of 28. d. Ale . which is more than can be drawn , albeit they Survey to the Rate of 20 Gallons most unreasonably , and for the 18. Gallons supposed , tho not got , the Brewer gets only 14. 08. 0. Per Draff , Barm , and Dreg , according to the present rate 00. 14. 0. Per Ballance of Loss 00. 02. 0. Summa , 15. 04. 0.

By which Computation , Which is as candid as can be made , and which cannot de quarrelled by any unbyassed Person ; It plainly appears , That the Brewers have been , and ( so long as the Victual continues Dear ) will be Losers , besides their Hazard and frequent Loss by bad Debt , Returned ; Run out , and Spoilt Ale , the Taxes which they pay to the Town for their Trade , and other great Risques : And when the Victual shall fall cheaper , they must draw a far shorter length and quantity of Ale , and it is notourly known , that no Brewer can well draw 18 Gallons of any of the best Scots Barly at present of such Drink as can keep for the necessary time of Runing for Sale in a Tavern , or Ale-house ; Albeit some endeavoured to get , and may be even got of the best English Victual sometime 20 Gallons , whereof a great part was often spoiled , because of its Weakness : But the Tacks-men , and their Servants , taking advantage , that 20 Gallons had been drawn of the best English Victual , they have never missed still to Survey to 20 Gallons for each Boll , even of the worst Scots Victual , by which their Surveys are made up , as now they be . So many Brewers being already broken , these who still are wrestleing to hold so much Credit , as to keep their numerous Families together , find themselves necessitated , now when they have an oppurtunity to lay their staitened Case before His Grace His Majesties High Commissioner , And the Right Honourable the Estates of Parliament , their great Patriots , from whose Wisdom and Care , only they can expect seasonable and effectual Relief .

May it therefore please Your Grace , And Right Honourable Estates of Parliament , To take Your Petitioners straitned Case unto Your serious Consideration : And for preventing the ruine of so many Men , and their numerous Families , who have not only hitherto payed so great Supplys for the Service of their King and Country ; But have and still do Maintain a very considerable number of Servants , and their Families , and keep them from Sterving , Begging , or being troublesome to the Country . Graciously to appoint that 32 pennies Scots per Pint , shall be the Minimum for the Price of the Ale , from the first of September to the first of March both next to come , dureing the concurring , and continuing of the Annexed and Additional Excises , which with the Towns Imposition make in all 8. d. of Ezcise upon each Pint of Ale : And to appoint , that from the first of March next to come , dureing the continuing of the Annexed Excise , that 28. d. per Pint , shall be the Minimum in and about Edinburgh , And to Authorize the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council , to hear and Rectify to the Brewers , what they shall hereafter see greivous to them , so far as their Lordships shall find just , without prejudice to His Majesty , and to Impower Their Lordships to Raise and Low the Prices of Ale , as they shall find Cause .