Powers and Privileges of Corporations. - Employment of the Funds.
Crooks v. Turnbull
Date: 4 December 1776 Case No. No 113.
The seal of cause, or letter of deaconry of a corporation, cannot be rescinded or, infringed by the corporation, without consent of the magistrates and council.
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The incorporation of Weavers of Rutherglen obtained, in 1641, a seal of cause, or letter of deaconry, containing various regulations respecting apprentices, and the admission of freemen. The deacon and masters of the craft had, by the seal of cause, a power of making all other acts and statutes, relative to the good government of the craft. In consequence of the entitling soldiers to set up and work as freemen in any royal burgh, a great many became weavers in Rutherglen, and took apprentices on much easier terms than those of the established corporation; who thereupon thought it proper to relax and alter the regulations, established by the letter of deaconry from the magistrates, both with respect to the time of service of apprentices, and their dues of admission. In a reduction brought of the admission of certain freemen, the pursuers insisted for having the regulations established by the letter of deaconry, declared and adhered to in all time coming.——The Lords found, That the letter of deaconry could not be rescinded or altered, by any act of the incorporation, without consent of the magistrates and council.
