[1646/11/124]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Forasmuch as the estates of parliament, now convened in this sixth session of the first triennial parliament, having heard and considered the report of that committee appointed for taking course with the distresses and sufferings of the burgh of Inverness concerning the particular overtures following, they give answer thereto as follows, namely: to the first overture desiring that the town of Inverness and inhabitants thereof be either freed of all payment of the last 11 months' maintenance, loan and tax and such other public dues as are unpaid, or else that the same be allowed to them in part payment and to account of their losses and burdens; the estates of parliament agree to the last alternative of the article and ordain the aforesaid maintenance, loan, tax and such other public dues as are unpaid to be allowed to the town of Inverness and inhabitants thereof in part payment and to account of their losses and burdens, without prejudice of the act made in favour of [Sir Adam Hepburn of] Humbie for payment of his overspend of his Scottish accounts, but the estates recommend to the Lord Humbie the distressed estate of the town of Inverness. Item, to the second overture desiring to be freed of all kind of taxations and impositions during the garrison's abode amongst them in respect of their poverty, decay of trade, charges they have been necessitate to for equipping the fourth and eight man and in maintaining of a number of troopers at Speyside upon their own charges in1644 when the Gordons made their last break, the estates agree to this article and ordain any taxations and impositions to be put upon the town and inhabitants thereof to be allowed to them in part payment and to account of their losses and burdens. Item, to the third article, that the town be declared free of the remainder of the fourth man, seeing it is a garrison town and the townsmen are always employed in the defence of the town as well as the garrisons in respect of the largeness of the works, the estates agree to this article and declare the town free as is desired thereby. Item, to the fourth article desiring that David, Walter and James Robertson, three of the burgesses of Inverness, ordained by the committee of monies at Aberdeen to lend money to the public, may be declared free thereof and they and all other well-affected suffering men within that town freed from lending money to the public in time coming during the garrisons residing there, at the least that account may be made and fitted concerning the disbursements of the town and inhabitants, and the sums laid upon the three men above-named to be lent by them (which exceeds not £1,000 Scots) ordained to be allowed in the first end of the town's disbursements, the estates of parliament refuse the desire of this article, but they do hereby seriously recommend to the committee for the monies to give to the town of Inverness the sum of £1,000 Scots in place of the £1,000 craved by the article and to be allowed to the town in the first end of their disbursements. Item, to the fifth article, that the money and victual furnished by the town to the garrison and already acknowledged a public debt may be presently paid for their subsistence, the estates do hereby seriously recommend to the committee for the monies to provide and find out some speedy and effectual way for the town of Inverness's satisfaction hereof. Item, to the sixth article, that the town and inhabitants may be freed of all quarterings in respect of the garrison which is a greater burden than the town can bear, the estates grant this article and declare the town and inhabitants free of all quarterings. Item, to the seventh article craving that in respect of the extraordinary scarcity of fuel within the burgh the parliament would appoint the whole parishes within 12 miles of the town to furnish and send in to the town fuel for the use of the garrison as shall be thought necessary and condescended upon by the committee of war of the shire, the estates of parliament for answer to this article recommend to the committee for the monies to cause furnish and provide the town of Inverness with coal. Item, to the eighth article, that the parliament would desire the royal burghs to discharge the town of Inverness of all dues payable to them and of keeping their meetings in respect of the necessity the town is brought to, at the least that it be not further liable but according to the old stent roll notwithstanding of the alteration made at Perth, the estates of parliament do hereby seriously recommend the town of Inverness and the granting of the desire of this article to the royal burghs. Item, to the ninth article, that the liberty of the town may be distinguished from the garrison and the power of the governor from the power of the magistrates and difference made between the governor and magistrate, soldiers and burgesses or townsmen, that as the laws are separate so the government may be, and to enjoin that the governor and garrison may assist the town in what may concern the good and liberties thereof, that they may be in some measure encouraged to prosecute their former trade, the estates of parliament find this article and desire thereof most just and grant the same, and they recommend the several duties mentioned in the article to the governor and magistrates respectively of the town of Inverness. Item, to the tenth article, that in time coming the town and inhabitants be not pressed for either coal or candle to all regards whatsoever, either main guard or byguard, as was agreed to by the committee at Perth, the estates refuse this article, but ordain the town of Inverness and inhabitants thereof to have their relief and payment of the public for what coal and candle shall be furnished by them to the said guards. Item, to the eleventh article, that the town, burgesses and inhabitants be not burdened with the extraordinary carrying of victual or any other provision for the garrison as in times past, the estates for answer to this ordain the town, burgesses and inhabitants of Inverness to be repaid and satisfied by the public for what they shall do or bestow in the extraordinary carrying of victual or any other provision for the garrison. Item, to the twelfth article, that the poor townsmen be not now compelled as at the time when the enemy lay about the town with the upholding of other men's parts of the works, which is a burden in times past that lay very heavy upon them, the estates find this article and desire thereof just that the poor townsmen be not overburdened, and ordain the burden of the works and upholding thereof to be equally and proportionally laid on the whole shire, and ordain the committee of war of the shire to see the same performed accordingly, and that those who have not done duty relating thereto be ordained to do the same, and that the tolbooth be restored to the magistrates and the court of guard built. And lastly the estates of parliament remit and recommend the hearing and fitting of the town of Inverness's accounts to the committee appointed for the Lord Humbie's accounts, and ordain that committee to hear, consider, fit and allow the same accounts as they shall find just and reasonable, and thereafter to make report thereof to the parliament, that the parliament may take such further course relating thereto as they shall think fit.