[1704/7/117]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Her majesty's high commissioner and the estates of parliament, having heard the petition of Archibald Houston, writer to the signet, humbly showing to them that the petitioner, having had the honour to serve as clerk to the late commission of parliament anent the poll 1693 for the space of two years and upwards, during which time the petitioner served in the said office with all possible care and never exacted anything from the officers for his said service. And seeing, by orders of the last commission for auditing the public funds, any of the money that was brought in to the petitioner's hands is ordered to be transmitted entirely to the hands of their clerk, and that the commission to whom the petitioner served as clerk and who saw and knew his pains and diligence thought fit to refer the gratification they should think proper for him until the dividend should be made, and seeing it is just that he should have a consideration and reward for his two years' service and labour in the said affair, having received nothing at all from the officers, as said is, and now being to deliver up what of the fund of the poll-money is in his hands, therefore, humbly craving his grace and the honourable estates of parliament to allow and appoint to the petitioner such a suitable gratification and reward for his two years' service and pains, as said is, as his grace and honourable estates should think fit, and to allow the petitioner to retain the same in his own hands, as the said petition bears. And his majesty's high commissioner and the said estates of parliament, having fully considered the said petition, and being therewith well and ripely advised, they allowed and hereby allow to the petitioner, for his above two years' service and pains, £600 Scots yearly, extending in all to £1,200 money foresaid, and allowed and hereby allow the petitioner to retain the said sum of £1,200 in his own hand.