Minutes of the last sederunt read.
William Alves, commissioner for the burgh of Sanquhar, elected by warrant of parliament in place of Sir Alexander Bruce [of Broomhall], took the oath of allegiance and signed the same with the assurance, and took the oath of parliament.
[1702/6/46]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
A letter from her majesty to the parliament read and ordered to be printed, whereof the tenor follows:
Signed above thus: Anne Regina
My lords and gentlemen,
Being informed that at your first meeting, by virtue and warrant of the seventeenth act of the sixth session of this current parliament and of our proclamation of adjournment agreeable thereto, several members of parliament, after prayers said and declining to wait the reading of our commission granted to James [Douglas], duke of Queensberry representing our royal person in this meeting of parliament, did presume to declare openly that they did not conceive themselves warranted to meet and act in this present session of parliament, and therefore dissented from anything that should be done or acted therein, and thereupon did take instruments and withdrew and removed from their attendance; we have thought fit to signify to you our just resentment of this irregular and unusual proceeding and our resolution to own and maintain this present session of parliament and the dignity and authority of the same and of our high commissioner thereto against all opposers. And this we thought fit to declare for your better encouragement that you may proceed vigorously in your work for the defence of the true Protestant religion, the maintaining of the succession to the crown, and for the preserving and securing of the peace and safety of the kingdom. And so we bid you heartily farewell. Given at our court at St James's, 17 June 1702 and of our reign the first year.
By her majesty's command, signed thus: Robert Pringle.
Directed thus: to the noblemen and to the barons commissioners for shires and to the commissioners for burghs assembled in parliament in our ancient kingdom of Scotland.
[1702/6/47]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
A representation of the heritors and others upon the coast of Lochryan for securing the said coast against privateers read, and remitted to the privy council to do in the matter represented what they shall judge necessary for the end foresaid, as at more length is contained in the following remit.
Her majesty's high commissioner and the estates of parliament, having heard a representation for the heritors, tenants and other inhabitants upon the coast of Lochryan, showing to them that the bay of Lochryan, being a place most safe and commodious for shipping and where most of the fleets from Scotland and the west of England do rendezvous, and so is continually infested with privateers whereby not only ships at anchors and even in the harbours are robbed and the men taken and carried off, but likewise they shoot at boats and ravage the houses upon the coast and carry away the inhabitants with their goods, and even do attempt to come in upon the country and drive out herds of cattle, whereby that place, during the last war, was become almost desolate and was made known not only to the lords of privy council but likewise to the last session of parliament by the depositions and declarations of several persons exhibited before them in May 1700. All which dangerous and sad calamities do now again imminently threaten that place, several of the pirates having appeared upon the coasts already since the declaration of the war, whereby the same will be devastated and ruined unless some effectual means be taken for preventing thereof, which is humbly expected his grace her majesty's high commissioner and the honourable estates of parliament will not omit by ordaining a competent number of men with six or eight pieces of cannon to reside in that place where, with a little expense, they may be easily accommodated and be a preservation both to shipping and country, as the said representation bears. Which being considered by her majesty's high commissioner and the said estates of parliament, they have remitted and do hereby remit to the privy council to do in the matter represented what they shall judge necessary for the end described.
[1702/6/48]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
According to the order of the former sederunt of parliament, lists were brought in of such commissioners of supply as were desired to be added to the number, and, being read in parliament, were approved and leave given to bring in more lists at the next sederunt of parliament.
Draft of an act anent the Highland justiciary brought in from the committee for security, read a first time.
Draft of an act concerning the union between the kingdoms of Scotland and England, read a second time and ordered to lie on the table until the next sederunt of parliament.
[1702/6/49]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The dean of the faculty of advocates and advocates appointed to appear and answer this day were called, and they appearing and her majesty's advocate's charge against them read, they moved they might have advocates to assist, whereupon they were allowed seven to assist them in their defence; and in their defence, having proponed peremptory defences and then recurring to dilators and a debate arising if this should be allowed, it was agreed that the defenders be heard both upon their dilator and peremptory defences, and that the advocate might answer to both before the parliament give their judgement in the case. Then both dilator and peremptory defences were read and, after a long hearing on both sides, the defenders removed and the question was put, sustain the dilators or reject them, and carried reject.
Thereafter the question was put, if the voting that the dean of faculty should sign in name of the faculty in a matter extrinsic to their ordinary administration and whether his signing accordingly be relevant to infer an arbitrary punishment or not, and carried in the affirmative.
The further insisting in the charge continued until the next sederunt of parliament.