[1645/1/175]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Anent the supplicatione and remonstrance wnderwrittin, givine in to the estates of parliament by Johne Cairtwright, quhairof the tennor fallowes: To the right honorable the lordes, the commissioners for shyres and burroues assembbled in the heighe court of parliament or there committie, the humble remonstrance of Johne Cairtwright. Right honorable, first, to the intent that I may without suspicione or prejudicat opinioun doe the kingdome of Scotland all reall and faithfull service, I humblie desire to be made a free denisoune of this kingdome and to take the covenant heare alsweell as I have done in Ingland and that my childrine now liveing and my aires males succeeding may be interessed in the same priviledges; secondlie, that whatsoever companye or companyes by Godes providence I shall bring to trafficq in this kingdome or any pairtes of the same to and from East India or any other places whatsomevir may have the lyke priviledges as the king of Denmarke hath propondit and put in publict prent, which is as falloweth, viz: first, that whoesoevir will bring into his toune of Ghelukstadte or any of his portes any such trafficq from East India or elsewhere he wall [make] good in his owne persone and successoures to defend them in there laufull trade with all his might from all wronges and make good all damnages whatsomevir that they shall or may suffer from any other prince or princes concerneing there laufull trade to or from East India or any other places that shall trafficq to and from his said toune of Ghelukestadte or any other of his portes in the said trade, holding them also free in all his dominiones from all letts, molestationes and incombrances whatsoevir; that whosoevir shall bring or derive any suche trade wnto his afoirsaid toune of Ghelukestadte or any other of his portes and have a mynde to build and plant themselves in any suche place or places of his dominiones shall have ground or land givine to themselves and [their] successoures to build houss wpoun and other conveniences frie to holde the same for themselfes, their heires and successoures for evir and dureing there lyves that bring in such trade, to be freed from all taxes and dewties whatsomevir, the customes of trade onlie excepted; that whosoevir shall bring any such trade into his dominiones as afoirsaid shall be free from paying any custome or impositiones for such goodes and merchandice for the space of tuentie yeeres, and when the said terms of tuentie yeeres shall be expyred, then to pay bot 1 d. cent for evir afterward, viz: ane hundreth cent for importatioun and ane hundreth for exportatione. Theese propositiones and priviledges for the mayne ground worke is humblie desyred to be mad good wnto me, my aires, executores, administratours and assigneyes from the state of this kingdome, wpoun which consideratione godwilling wee will begine a voyadge this sommer upoun our owne hazard, expenss and chairges, which within les then tuo yeeres godwillinge will be accomplished. At the returne wherof, wee will bring in our shippes and merchandice to the porte of Leith and make this place our merchand staple for the vending and transporting of our goodes to other pairtes, for which voyadge and what other voyadges I may be ane instrument to procure adventureres, my intente and meaneing is to make discoverie of such places for our rendevous in East India for plantationes that by Godes blissing the Gospel may be propagated in these pairtes and the subjectes of these kingdomes may have such imployment in tyme wnder the governement of their owne natione that they shall not need to seeke any further imployment from any other prince or princes in the world, to which end, eftir sound experience is made of my faithfullnes in the premiss and of the proffit which with Gods blissing may ensue, I doubt not bot the subjectes of this kingdome will have good encouragement to adventure and imploy theire estates with us in this trade for the good of themselves in particular and the good of this natione in generall. And to the end that this designe may be established in ane authentike maner alseweell for the future as for the present, all tending to the generall good of our natione, I have made bold in all humble maner to present wnto your honoures veiwe a true copie of the patente granted in these later dayes by his majestie to Sir Williame Coorteene and his associates conserneing the premiss, in all which or what els may be thought convenient for the manadgeing of so weightie a bussines I humbly referre my selfe to the favourable consideration of this honorable assembly, ever resting, my most noble lordes and gentlemen, your honoures most humble and faithfull servant. Sic subscribitur, Johne Cartwright, Edinburgh, the tuentie ane of Februar 1644, as the remonstrance and supplicatione proportes. Quhilke being heard and considdered be the estates of parliament, they doe heirby remitt the samene with what other paperes shall be givine in to the effect abovewrittin to the committie of estates of parliament resideing at Edinburgh, with power to them to take to there consideration the foirsaid desyre and remonstrance abovementionat and to determine theranent as they eftir consideratione therof shall thinke fitt and expedient for the weell and good of the kingdome. With power lykewayes to the said committie of estates to naturalize the said Johne Cartewright in the same maner and als amplie as the estates of parliament conveened in parliament might doe themselves, quhairanent the estates declaires thir presentes shall be a sufficient warrand.