[1649/1/404]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, taking to their consideratioune the supplicatioune given in be Johne, erle of Sutherland, makand mentioune that quhair the said supplicant have bene thir ellevin yeeres bygane imployed in the estates service (since the begining of this work of reformatioune) upone his sumptuous and chairgeable expeditiounes againes the publict enemies of this church and kingdome, with the hazard of his lyff and lose of many of his people, besydis many uther chairgeable journeyis to the south; as also being robbed and spuilzied by the lord and master of Raes and ther adherentis, both in Sutherland and Strathnaver, amounting to above fyftie thousand pundis. In consideratioune whereof, the parliament in the yeere of God 1647 did grant him the soume of thrie thousand pundis sterling to be peyed out of the moneyis addebtit unto the saidis estaites of parliament be the kingdome of England; as also the committee of proces and moneyis in the foirsaid yeere did fitt his accomptis and did give precept for fyftene thousand pundis Scottis for the moneyis he debursed to his regiment and victuall given in to the toune of Innernes at the tyme of ther seidge and great necessitie, when none utheris could supplie thame, whairof the said supplicant as yit hes never [gottin] bot foure thousand pundis Scottis, as Mr Robert Farquhar by his letter hes testified, which hes bene produced to the saidis estaites of parliament. And now of laite in the moneth of November last the master of Rae, againe with his adherentis, freindis and such as he will be maid comptable for be law, hes violentlie taken up the supplicantis rentis in Strathnaver, extending to fyve thousand merkis, and threatneing everie day to fall on the countrey of Sutherland, which hes redacted the supplicant to that necessitie in keeping of foure hundreth men continuallie at ane head since the begining of September last, which hes utterlie undone and depauperate the supplicant, his vassellis and tennentis of Sutherland, so that thair chairges in the moneth will exceede twa hundreth bollis of meill and ane thousand punds Scottis money only in oppositioun to the publict enemies of this kingdome; and so trustis for his affectioune to the mantenance of the caus of God and opposition to the publict enemies the saidis estaites of parliament will, according to the covenant, have a fellow feeling with him in his troubles. The supplicant craves thairfore that the saidis estaites of parliament wald appoyn[t]e ane committee for reporteing what they sall find justlie resting unto the said supplicant and how he may be repeyed therof, and that the samyne reporte maid in this parliament may be maid effectuall to him and his countrey people for secureing the peace of these boundis, that the supplicant may be more enabled and incouraged to hazard more and more lyff and fortoune and all that is dearest and neirest to him in the estates service, as at mair lenth is contenit in the said supplicatioune. Whilk being remitted be the parliament to be considdered be the committee of commoune burdinges and to sie the samyne instructit and to give ther opinione thairanent, wha haveing reported the samyne to the saidis estaites of parliament, they have ordained and ordaines the said erle of Sutherland to be satisfied and payed of the soume of ten thousand and nyne hundreth pundis Scottis money as yit restand unpeyed of the said soume of fyftene thousand pundis, and hes ordained and ordaines him to be peyed of the foirsaid soume of ten thousand and nyne hundreth pundis out of the first and reddiest of any fynes or borrowed moneyis to be uplifted be north the water of Spay.