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At Edinburgh, 27 September 1641
Sederunt: [Alexander Leslie of Balgonie], general, [James Livingstone, lord Almond], lieutenant general, [William Cunningham], earl of Glencairn, [James Elphinstone], lord Coupar and [David Lindsay, lord] Balcarres, [Colonel Alexander Hamilton], general of the artillery, [Sir David Home of] Wedderburn, [Sir Alexander Erskine of] Dun, [Hugh Campbell of] Cessnock, [James Cochrane and Richard Maxwell, commissioners for] Edinburgh, [James Fletcher, commissioner for] Dundee, [Thomas Bruce of Weltoun, commissioner for] Stirling, [Patrick Bell, commissioner for] Glasgow, [John Osborne, commissioner for] Ayr.
The general proposed that since it has pleased God to bring back the army and that it is necessary the officers (as well horse as foot, and as well country gentlemen as officers of fortune) be eased their arrears, and seeing the parliament has appointed that the officers of fortune shall be paid in the first place, according to which [Master Alexander Gibson of Durie], commissary-general, is going on so that it rests that the officers being country gentlemen be paid in the next place, and after them the common soldieries, the general represents to the committee, whom he desires to take to their consideration, if there be as much money ready as will pay all the officers of the whole army, as well officers of fortune as country gentlemen, that they may be all paid indiscriminately. And if there shall be any sum over and above the officers' payment, that the same may be divided equally among the regiments, horse and foot, according to their proportions after account for payment of the common soldiers and troopers. And what shall be wanting after account and reckoning made with the regiments, the noblemen, commissioners of shires and burghs presently convened would be pleased to undertake for satisfaction to be given to the said common soldiers and troopers within their several shires. And the parliament to be bound to relieve the commissioners of shires and burghs and to pay the debt to such as the shires shall appoint, according to the accounts and particular portions they shall undertake and pay to the said common soldiers and troopers.
[Master Alexander Gibson of Durie], commissary-general, humbly entreated the committee to join with him in petitioning the parliament to appoint some presently to go about the revising and fitting of his accounts. As also to desire that some of the officers of the army (as well noblemen and country gentlemen as officers of fortune) may be upon the commission for revising and fitting the said accounts.
The which desire the committee thought reasonable and fitting.
And for that effect they humbly represent the same to the parliament, and in their opinion think that for the better expedition of the said accounts the commissioners to be appointed for revising and fitting the same would be such as are skilled in accounting and not members of parliament.
The committee is of opinion that the whole officers of the army should be paid indiscriminately, and represents the same to the parliament, together with the motion made by the general. William Thomson gave in a paper showing his difficulties in paying the whole officers of the army: first, because he could not distinguish between the pay of the officers and the common soldiers in respect their accounts were not kept separately.
Secondly, because it may be that some of the colonels or other officers of the army have got sums of money from other commissaries which are not within the compass of his knowledge, and therefore entreats that, in case the public be prejudiced by over paying, that the same be not imputed to him.
To the first, the committee was of opinion that the accounts shall be made with the quartermasters of all due to the officers and that the money according to the said account be paid to the colonel and two landed gentlemen to be designed by the committee or warrant under the lieutenant general's hand upon their acquittance and bond, that there is no more received than what is due to the officers. And that thereby the common soldieries are not prejudiced, but that there is as much resting in the regiment accounts over and above the said sum to be paid to the officers as will satisfy the common soldieries.
To the second, the committee thought it fit to represent the paper to the parliament, to whose consideration they remit the same.
The committee found it fitting that the common soldieries should be paid with all expedition. And because there is not so much money presently ready as to pay them, they therefore thought it fit to deal with merchants and factors for advancement of so much as will satisfy them upon assurance and security of a part of what is due by the parliament of England, allowing them annualrent for their advancement.
The committee define that the parliament will be pleased to take to their consideration the pays of the general officers and those of the staff, that they may receive satisfaction accordingly.
There was a list of all the officers who served within the country in the several shires given in and herewith produced demanding their pay as is contained in the paper. After consideration whereof the committee thought it fit to represent the same to the parliament, that order may be taken for giving them satisfaction of what is due according to the acts of the committee.
It was represented to the committee regarding the desire of the noblemen and gentlemen of Merse and Teviotdale for removing of that part of General Major Munro's regiment from them to some other place of the kingdom, which, being taken to consideration, the general and committee found that they could not be removed or dismissed before money be given to pay them.
28 September 1641
Read in audience of the king's majesty and estates of parliament, who approve the report above-written so far as concerns the payment of the officers of the army, as well soldiers of fortune as gentlemen, within the country, with the matter of security to be given for monies to be uplifted for that effect.
[John Elphinstone, lord] Balmerino, in presence of the lords of parliament