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Our soverane lord and estates of parliament, considering that dureing the tyme of the late troubles of this kingdome there were many greate soumes and burdingis contracted, wndertakine and advanced for the outreeking and mentinance of the armyes and for other publict effaires, as lykewayes considering that the compts of the commoune burdingis of the kingdome and the accomptes of the tenth penny and of the other debtes resting due and payable to the publict, togidder with the accomptes and intromissiones of all commissioneres, collectoures and otheres persones who have had any chairge or intromissione with any thing perteaneing to the publict, asweell in the cuntrey as at the army and othir pairtes abroad, are not yit fullie closed, cleered, counted for, payed nor reduced in order, and sieing it is absolutlie necessary that all the debtes contracted and advanced for the publict wse, either within the kingdome or without the samyne, be knowne, satisfied, payed and relived, as also that every thing resting to the publict be counted for, payed and brought in for releefe of the commoune burthingis, and that the whole comptes of the armyes and other comptes within and without the kingdome, togither with the accomptes of the monthlie mentinance of the army and brotherlie assistance granted by the parliament of England for releefe of the commoun burthenes of this kingdome, at least so much therof as is allreddy payed, be all cleered, fited and cloosed, and that the rest and superplus of the said brotherly assistance yet resting may be craved, uplifted and received for the publict use; and it being lykewayes necessary that all and every persone who have had any trust and intromissione with any thing perteaneing to the publict, either within the cuntrey or at the army or any other place, be callit to ane accompt for ther intromissione, and that the generall, officeres and otheres who have served in the publict be satisfied and recompensed for ther service according to ther demerites, as also that the looss susteened by the particular persones whose shippes and goodes ware takine at sea either in England or Ireland be takine into consideracion to the effect that the whole burthenes and debtes restand by the publict being knowne, and all that is due to the publict being counted for, payed and brought in for releef of the commoune burthens, the estat and conditione of the publict effaires may be the bettir knowne, and accordinglie such course takine thairanent as may best conduce for the good and weell of the cuntry; and seeing the cleering and setling of the premiss will necessarly draw to such ane lenth of tyme as his majestie and the estates of parliament cannot in this present parliament receive, call for nor examene the saidis accomptes and commone burthens of the kingdome and setle and order every thing conserneing the same, in respect wherof, our said soverane lord and estates of parliament have fund it necessary and expedient that a select nomber of the severall estates of the kingdome be nominated, authoreized and appoynted for cleering and setling of the whole premiss, and for directing, setling and ordering of everie thing which may conserne the same, or which may offer and come in consideracion theranent. Therfore his majestie and estates of parliament presently conveened doe, by vertue of thir presentes, elect, nominat, choose, authoreise and appoynt the persones eftirspecified, viz: Johne, erle of Loudoune, heighe chancellour of Scotland, Archbald, marques of Argyle, Alexander, erle of Eglingtoun, Johne, erle of Cassilles, Williame, erle of Glencairne, Johne, erle of Lauderdaill, Williame, erle of Lothiane, Johne, erle of Lindesay, David, erle of Southeske, James, erle of Findlater, Johne, lord Sinclare, Johne, lord Ballmerino, Robert, lord Burglie, George, lord Forrester, Sir Charles Erskeene of Bandeth, Sir David Hoome of Weddirburne, Sir Robert Innes of that ilke, Sir George Dundas of that ilke, Sir Williame Cunynghame of Capringtoun, Sir Johne Wauchope of Nidrie, Sir Alexander Erskeene of Dun, Sir Gilbert Ramsay of Ballmayne, Sir Duncane Campbell of Auchinbrek, Sir Williame Forbes of Cragyvar, Sir Robert Greirsone of Lagg, Maister Johne† Douglas of Bonjedburgh, Williame Rige of Etherny, Alexander Gordoune of Erlestoune, Johne Binny, burges of Edinburgh, Thomas Durhame, burges of Pearth, Patrik Leslie, burges of Aberdene, George Bell, burges of Linlithgow, Patrike Bell, burges of Glasgowe, James Suord, burges of Sainct Androwes, Johne Kennedy, burges of Air, Johne Semple, burges of Dumbartane, Williame Glendonying, burges of Kirkecudbreight, James Scot, burges of Montrose, Maister Robert Barclay, burges of Irving, James Andersone, burges of Couper, George Gardeene, burges of Bruntyland and Maister Alexander Douglas, burges of Bamffe, togidder with Alexander, erle of Levine, and Sir Adame Hepburne of Humbie, ane of the senatoures of the colledge of justice, whom his majestie and estates of parliament ad to the foirsaid nomber as ordinar memberes, with the rest to be commissioneres from his majestie and the parliament to the effect above and eftirspecified; off the which persones, any tuelve of them shall be a quorum, ther being allwayes three of them of ilke estate to whome our said soverane lord and estates and whole body of the present parliament gives, grantes and committes full pouer, warrand, commissione to meet and conveene within the burghe of Edinburgh and such other places as they shall think expedient betuixt and [...] the day of [...] nixtocome at farthest, and ther to call for, examene, consider, cleere, fit, allow and compt the whole debtes and burthenes contracted and wndertakine, advanced, furnished and applyed for the publict wse and sicklyke with pouer to them to reduce the whole debtes, comptes and burdingis resting by the publik either within the kingdome or without the samene to (be) a full and compleet order; and for that effect, to call all persones intrest and conserned therin before them for the bettir trying, cleiring and expeding of the samene or of any dificulty which may offer or occurre in the setling and cleering of the saidis commone burdings and debtes. And with pouer to the saidis commissioneres or quorum foirsaid of them to fit, examene, close, setle, controll and allowe the whole comptes and intromissiones of all commissares, collectores and ther deputes and substitutes, and of all other persones who have had any chairge, trust, intromissione or medling with any thing perteaneing to the publict or in any publict trust and chairge, either within the kingdome or without the samene, not allreddy approven and allowed by the late committees of estate or either of them; and for that effect, our said soverane lord and estates of parliament grantes full pouer to the commissioneres foirsaid to call before them or there quorum foirsaid all commissares, collectores and otheres who have had any trust, intromissione or medling, or who are resting any thing due and perteaneing to the publict, at such dyetes and tymes and at such tymes and in such a maner as they shall prescrybe and find expedient, and to call for, examene, controll and allow the whole regiment compts and other comptes of the army, within and without the cuntry, with the accomptes of all victuall, money, goodes or other commodities and furnitur furnished, received, expendit and givine out for making upe, outreeking and enterteenement of the armyes and of all other publict expeditiones and employmentes, and to allowe and disallowe of the samene as they shall find theme to be just and reassonable. And with pouer to the saidis commissioneres and ther quorum foirsaid to nominat and appoynt collectores, commissares and all other publicke servantes necessary for cleiring, ingathering and recovering of the publict dues, debtes and restes due and payable to the publict, and to prescrybe orderes to them and to call all otheres either authoreized allreddy or to be appoynted by them, and to prescrybe, direct and give forth suche orderes, letteres, executione and other dispatches for cleering of the whole promiss and for recoverie of the debtes and burdingis resting to the publicke as they shall thinke expedient. And with power to the saidis commissioneres, or such as shall be authoreized or warranted by them, or their quorum foirsaid, to crave, receive, wplifte and intromet with the soume of tuo hundreth and tuenty thousand punds sterling yit resting wnpayed by the parliament of England of the foirsaid brotherlie assistance promeised and obleidged to be payed by the kingdome of England for releefe and defrayment of the saidis commoune burdeenes of this kingdome, and to grant dischairges upoun the recept therof in whole, ore in pairt, which shall be alse sufficient as if the samene ware granted by his majestie and the whole body of the parliament of this kingdome. And with power to them to setle, accord and agrie wpoun wayes and meanes how the said brotherlie assistance may be most tymouslie and commodiouslie payed and advanced for defrayment and releefe of the saidis commoune burthenes either by exchange, advancement or any other maner of way which may be most conduceable for the releefe and good of the publict. And with pouer to the saidis commissioneres or ther quorum foirsaid to take ane exact count of the whole amunitione, artilliary, armes and other furnitoure, either brought home, made or brought within this kingdome for the use and upoun the commone expenss of the publicke, and for the reiking out of the armyes and regimentes of foote and horse, and to take course and prescrybe orderes for keeping and preserveing therof for the use and defense of the kingdome; and to appoynt and constitut such persones of trust and best experience for keeping and preserveing of the samene as they shall thinke expedient, and to appoynt and allow to them convenient fies and mentenance for the same. As also with pouer to them to take consideracion and course anent the saidis losses susteened by particular persones in ther ships and goodes takine at sea, either in England or Ireland, with pouer also them to consider every man his loosses that they susteened for the publict and accordinglie give them such satisfactione as they shall find just and reasonabill that they have susteened in spoylyies, robbery and hearships by the enemyes of the cuntry, and as moneyes and other commodities due to the publict can be gottine in; with pouer to them to give orderes for distributing therof for defraying of the saidis comoune burthenes. And where moneyes cannot be gottine in tymously for releefe and payment foirsaid, with power to the saidis commissioneres or ther quorum to barrow and lifte moneyes where evir the samene can be had for releef and payment of such wrgent debtes and creditoures of the publict as cannot suffer delay, which soumes so to be lifted and imployed for the use and effect foirsaid, his majestie and estates of parliament declaires heirby to be the publict debtes of the cuntry and bindis and obleidges the estate and whole body of this kingdome to pay and defray the same and to releive the saides commissioneres or any othere persones who shall give bandes or securities for the same of the forsaidis soumes and bandes and of all perrell and danger that may fallow therwpoun. And sicklyke with pouer to the saidis commissioneres and there quorum forsaid to give orderes for valueing of the presbetryes, paroches, landis and other rentes and trade not allreddy valued, conforme to the preceeding statutes, actes and orderes made theranente, to the effect that the tenth penny therof may be knowne and payment may be exacted accordinglie. Lykeas his majestie and estates declaires that such persones, presbetryes, brughes and otheres who are yit resting thair said tenth penny are, and shall be, lyable in payment of annuellrentes for the same from the terme of Whitsonday 1640 and in tymecomeing, ay and whill the compleet payment of the samene. And in respect ther was diverse and sindrie commissiones, letters and other executione and warrands directed and givine forth by the late committies of estates residing at Edinburghe and by the commissar principall and collectour generall and otheres haveing power and warrand for that effect to collectores, commissares and other publict servantes for ingathering and recovering payment of the debtes and restes payable to the publicke, which lettires and warrantes are not yit fullie execut, nether yit is ther compleet payment recovered conforme therto, therfor, our said soverane lord and estates foirsaidis ordeanes the samene commissiones, lettires and others warrants emittit and givine forth theranent to stand in full force and the persones entrusted with managing and executing therof to doe there exact and best diligence theranent ay and whill ther warrandis be recalled and dischairged by the saidis commissioneres or there quorum foirsaid. It is heirby declaired that amongst the† publict dues and debtes due to the publict that the whole rentes of all beshopes and otheres beneficed persones, whither deposed fugitives or opposites to the commoune cause, for the full croptes and yeeres of God 1639 and 1640 yeeres are, and shall be, due to the publict, togidder with all restes of the saidis rentes preceeding the saidis tuo croptes not truely payed nor dischairged where there are not true creditours to the saidis preeceeding restes, which creditoures shall have preference from the saides restes of the cropt 1638 and preeceedings allenerly. And farther, if ther be any pairt of the saidis rentes wplifted by publict order of the cropt 1641 yeeres, his majestie and estates foirsaidis heirby dispenss therwith in favoures of the publict. And generallie our soverane lord and estates of parliament doe heerby grant full power, warrant and commissione to the saidis commissioneres and ther quorum foirsaid to doe, exact, prescrybe, exerce, prosecute and fallowe forth all and everie thing necessary and behovefull asweell for cleering, alloweing, fitting and closeing of the whole commoune burthens and debtes due by the cuntrey and contracted and advanced for the publict use foirsaid, and for reduceing them in order, and for releefe, payment and defrayment of the samene, and for cleering the accomptes of all otheres who have had intromissione or publicke chairge either within or without the cuntrey, and for calling of them and all otheres adebted to the publict in any soumes, goodes, victuell or other commodities whatsoevir to a full account, and to doe, exact and prescrybe all other courses, orderes and waves necessar conserneing the whole premiss or conserneing any thing which may come in consideracion theranent or which may fall wnder the countes of the samene. And whatever debtes and burdenes shall be approven and allowed by the saidis commissioneres or per quorum, his majestie and estates findis and declaires the samene to be laufull debts and burdenes to affect and burdene the estates of this kingdome, and obleidge the saidis estates and whole body therof to pay, relive and defray the same. Lykeas whatsoevir countes shall be approven and allowed or disallowed by them, the samene shall be sufficient for the exonoracion and cleering of the persones, comptares and otheres conteyned therintill; and what evir dischairges beis granted by them or any otheres collectoures, commissares and otheres to be substitute, authoreized and warranted by them shall be sufficient exonoracions and securities to the receiveres of the samene. It is heerby declaired that such comptes as are allreddy approved and allowed by the late committies of estate or aither of them shall stand good and valied and shall not be quarrelled by the saidis commissioneres without prejudice to them to call for and peruse the samene accomptes, for the bettir ordering and cleering of the commoune comptes and burthens of the kingdome. And with power lykewayes to the foirnamed commissioneres and ther quorum foirsaid to prescrybe wayes and reules to the particulare shyres, presbetryes and divisiones for releefe, stenting and payment amongst themselfes of all publict depursmentes, advancementes and engadgmentes contracted, wndertaken, furnished or depursed by the saidis shyres, presbetryes and divisiones or by ther committies of warre or any particular persones amonges them for the commone wse and behove the saidis shyres, divisiones and presbetryes either for armes, the tuentieth penny, fourty dayes and officeres pay, or for any publict wse within the saidis shyres or divisiones to the effect that all the heritoures and inhabitantes within the samene may be equally stented and burthened with the commone burthenes of ther owne shyre and divisione where they duell, and to cause put the saidis orderes for the said commone releefe to due executione. And our soverane lord and estates of parliament, finding it just and equitable that the saidis commissioneres, ther chairges and expenss in ther attending and exerceing the foirsaid trust and commissione put wpon them, should be payed and defrayed by the publict, therfore our said soverane lord and estates foirsaides doe heirby modifie and allowe to the saidis commissioneres and ilke ane of them in ther severall degrees, according to the tyme and space of thair attendance respective, the lyke fies and allowance as wer formerlie allowed by the estates conveened in Januarii last to the memberes of the late committie of estates, conforme to ane act made theranent of the dait the day of the said moneth of Januarii last, which fees and allowances shall be payed to them and everie one of them according to the tyme and space of ther exact attendance, to be cleered by the sederunt booke of the dyetes of ther meitingis testified or subscryved by the clerke of the said committie or his deputes wnder ther handis, testifieing the tyme and space of ilke persone, ther attendance, which shall be a sufficient warrand to the commissares or collectouris of the publict dues to pay the same allowance to the saidis commissioneres, ilke ane of them for ther owne pairtes and shall be allowed to the saidis commissares, collectoures or ther deputes in ther accomptes. And it being necessary that there be ane able and qualified and trustie clerke nominated and appoynted for the foirsaid committie and for keeping of all the paperes, warrantes, recordis and registeres conserneing the whole premiss, and his majestie and estates foirsaidis, haveing the proofe and experience of the truste and ability of Robert Hepburne, advocat, for dischairging of the foirsaid office and place as clerke to the said committee, therfore our said soverane lord and estates foirsaides doe heerby nominat and constitut the said Robert Hepburne to be clerke to the said committie, and ordeanes the former fie and allowance appoynted for the said Robert as clerke to the said late committie of estates residing at Edinburghe to continowe and be payed to him during his service in the foirsaid office, and with power to him to appoynt substitutes and deputes for whom he shall be ansuerable for serveing in the foirsaid place, granting to him and them all priviledges, liberties, fees and immunities belonging to the foirsaid office; which clerke and his foirsaidis shall have the chairge, trust, keeping and ordering of all the paperes, warrants, recordis and otheres which conserne the premiss, and the actes, extractes, recordis and warrantes to be subscryved by the said clerke and his substitutes shall beare alse full faith as the actes or extractes of any other clerkis within this kingdome. And in lykemaner, with pouer to the saidis commissioneres or ther quorum to appoynt, allowe and modifie competent fees, allowance and recompenses to the generall officeres and all otheres persones who have bene employed in the publict service, and whose fees and recompences are not allreddy allowed and appoynted, and also with power to them to allowe and appoynt such fees and recompenses to all otheres who shall necessarly be imployed and entrusted by them as they shall find reassonable.And incaise any of the abovenamed commissioneres shall happen to depairt this lyfe dureing the endurance therof, it shall be leasoum to the rest of the saidis commissioners of that estat, or most pairt therof, to elect, nominat and appoynt otheres in the place of these who sall happene to decease, ilke estat choosing commissioneres in place of these who shall happen to decease of there owne estate. Lykeas our said soverane lord and estates of parliament doe heerby requyre and command all and everie persone within this kingdome and all otheres whom the samene may conserne as they will ansuer at ther highest perrell, that they give exact and reddy obedience to such orderes, warrantes, lettires and directiones as shall be givine forth, ordered and directed by the saidis commissioneres or ther quorum foirsaid anent the whole premiss, requyring also all shireffes of shyres, magistrates of burrowes, stewarts of steuartries, baillies of regalityes, proveist and baillies of burghs and all other persones whatsomevir wpoun ther heighest perrell as they shall be requyred to assist and concurre to the executing and obeying of such orderes, warrandis and other despatches as shall be directed and givine forth by the saides commissioneres to the effect abovespecifiet. With pouer lykewayes to the saidis commissioneres and ther quorum to call for the assistance, advyce and informatione of any persones within this kingdome of whatsoevir quality for cleering of whatsoevir questiones, doubtes or scruples which may aryse and occure in any particular conserneing the premiss as occasione shall offer, who are heerby requyred to assist the saidis commissioneres by there presence, counsell, informatione and advyce as they shall be desyred for that effect. And it is ordeaned that horneing, captione and poynding and all other maner of execution, personall and reall, shall be directed wpoun all warrants, actes and orderes of the saidis commissioneres and ther quorum for the bettir obeying and executing of the samene, and for the more reddy and tymous payment of the said publicke dues, which commissioneres abovenamed are and shall be lyable and comptable to his majestie and the parliament for there exact diligence and constant attendance, and for there cariage in the right dischairgeing of this present commissione intrusted to them and every pairt and particular therof. Lykeas they shall be obleidged to report and represent to the nixt parliament a full accompt of there proceedingis and deportments anent the premiss, togidder with the true estate and conditione of the burthenes and effaires of the publick to the effect that his majestie and the parliament, eftir consideracion of the premiss and of there proceedingis and cariage therintill, may take such farther course theranente as shall be fund expedient. And it is also heerby declaired that the nominatione mad by his majestie and the parliament of a clerke to this commissione is and shall be but prejudice of the clerke of the registeres right to deput clerkes to all other commissions from the parliament, seing the present clerke register consented to the parliamentes chooseing of a clerke to this commissione in respect the present clerke register, being generall commissar to the lat army, is a principall pairtie to compt to this commissione for his chairge and dischairge, and so could not deput a clerke to this judicatorie wher he is to make his owne accomptes.