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Supplicatioun Forbes, Jaffray and utheris†
Unto the honorable estaitis of parliament, the humble supplicatione of Johne Forbes of Leslie, Alexander Jaffray, baillie of Abirdene, Mr Andro Cant, minister of Godis word at Abirdene, and Thomas Jaffray thair
Humble scheweth,
That quhair in the moneth of September 1645 yeires it pleased God to dispose of yowr supplicantis as to cast ws in the handis of umquhile Johne Leith, younger, of Harthill, who with his accomplices (returnyng in triumphe from that unhappie battell of Kilsythe) took ws prisoneris neir Fetteresso in the shirefdome of Kincairne, and from thence caryed ws to the house of Pittcaple in the shirefdome of Abirdene, ane place then keipit by him in garrisone for the use of the rebellis, to the great hurt of the weill affected in these places and to the great prejudice of yowr forces then in persute of the rebellis. Quhair we having remaned close prisoneris be the space of fyve weikis, it pleased God be his good providence through the neglect of our keaperis to cast in our handis ane opportunitie of possessing the house and dispossessing such as had the chairge thairof for the tyme, quhich our practise so enraged thame and thair adherentis, that, befoir we could mak anye escape for ourselffis, we were close beleggered and put to new straitis. And having keiped out for the space of 24 houres, were so overtoylled by the pawcitie of our number within and the increase of the strenth of our adversaries without as we war werie neir to be reduced and of new exposed to the creweltie of these barbarous enemies, from quhom we war to expect no mercie iff we had agane fallin in ther handis. Bot the Lord, in the verie nick of tyme (quhill the enemies war incressing in power and had so farr prevailled as they had maid ane good progres in undermyning our wallis), furnisched ws unexpected and wonderfull delyverance by sending to our assistance the maister of Forbes, Lord Fraser, the lairdis of Skene, Monymusk, Echt [and] Leslie, younger, who, with the reddiest of thair freindis and followeris, without anye farder [knowledge] of our conditioun saiff onlie ane rwmour of the countrie, used such expeditioun as whill wee war reddie to faint and give over we war releived by thame and the enemies put from the seig. Bot finding no possibilitie to keip the said house in garrisone, being a place lying so neir the enemies power as that the samen could not be furnisched at anye tyme without great hazard, and that the power of the enemye then drawing togidder was readie to blok upe the samen of new if anye sould have entred therin, they being unable to rancounter the full power of the enemye then drawing togidder upoun that occasione, upone which considerationes, it wes fund necessarie for preventing quhat further prejudice the cause and countrie sould sustene by that garrisone to put fyre to the house, thairby to mak the samen unproffitable to [the] enemye in tymecomeing. Heirfoir we humblie beseik yowr lords since quhat wes done thairin upoun occasione of necessitie for the good of the publict service and for taiking from the enemye ane meane of oppressioun and tyrranye, to the effect that naither we, yowr lords supplicants, nor these who exposed themselffis to heazard for ws, may in anye tyme comeing suffer prejudice for that deid, yowr lords may be pleased to pass ane act of approbatioun of the samen as done for the publict good and use of the countrie; and that we and these nobillmen and gentillmen who cam to our releiff be fred in all tyme comeing of all persute raisit or to be raisit, quhidder civill or criminall, for fyring the said howse and for anye bloodsched in raising the said seadge or anye act of hostilitie done thairanent. And your lords answer.
19 Februarii 1649
Ordaines the complener to bring in sua many persones †
19 Februarii 1649
The comittie, haveing taikin knowledge of the certantie of the caice of the within wryttin bussines and notorietie therof by certane persones of thair number, and the bussines being knowin to thame and many withheris in this kingdome, doe grant the desyre of the within writtin supplicatione and ordaines the samin to be reported in parliament.