[1706/10/444]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Alexander Baillie, servant to the lord register, recommended to the lords of treasury on a petition conforming to deliverance thereon.
At Edinburgh, 26† March 1707, her majesty's high commissioner and the estates of parliament, having heard the petition of Alexander Baillie, servant to the lord register, humbly showing that after the great fire in February 1700, which occasioned the transporting, for preservation, all the records and warrants from the lower parliament house to the old church, the confusion that happened thereby gave the petitioner, who was entrusted with the keeping of them, continual labour since, in putting them in the order, wherein they now are, which is much better than ever formerly, many of them, even before that time being altogether in disorder, as is known to many of the honourable members, and making up a new inventory of all the books of registers, which he did without getting any allowance; and further in September 1702, when a committee of privy council had inspected the records in the lower parliament house, for discovering what writs and papers lying there might be necessary for the then intended union, their lordships of the council did order a particular book of register, of all the public writs which had been inspected by their committee, to be made, and extracts of any of the said writs, when called for, to be given to the commissioners of treaty, and for so doing, there was a recommendation to the treasury. Yet the petitioner had received nothing, although that in obedience to that order he did at that time, on his own expense, deliver to Sir David Dalrymple, her majesty's solicitor, extracts of many of the said old writs, and since that time had been at pains of searching for all the public writs and treaties between this kingdom and that of England, France and other nations, that could be found, and had made up a register thereof which was therewith produced. Craving, therefore, his grace and the honourable estates of parliament to appoint such a sum as should be thought a competent allowance for the petitioner's pains and charges in putting the records in order, making a new inventory of the books, making up the said register, and giving furth extracts, as said is, to be paid out of some certain fund as his grace and their lordships should judge proper, as the said petition bears. And her majesty's high commissioner and the estates of parliament, having heard this petition, they recommended and hereby recommend the petitioner to the lords commissioners of her majesty's treasury for a further gratification and reward of his pains and service mentioned in this petition. Extracted from the warrants of the records of parliament in the lower parliament house by one of the principal clerks of session, having commission for that effect from the lord clerk register.