[1648/3/85]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Prayers said, rolls called.
The estates of parliament, having heard and considered the report from the committee of the bills concerning the supplication of George Gordon at the mill of Kelly, for himself and on behalf of the friends, tenants and servants of the late laird of Haddo mentioned in the criminal pursuit and letters raised and executed against them before the justice at the instance of Alexander Strachan of Glenkindie and his majesty's advocate for the crimes contained in the letters depending before the justice against them as said is, the said estates of parliament find this defence and exception relevant to defend the supplicants and liberate them (being proven) from the criminal letters and pursuit above-written, namely: that they were within the house of Kelly at the time of the capitulation, summons and pass made and granted by [Archibald Campbell], marquis of Argyll with the late laird of Haddo and those others being then with him within the house of Kelly for rendering thereof, which was upon 7 May 1644; and therefore the estates ordain the justice to assign a time and term to such and so many of the supplicants convened in the aforesaid criminal pursuit as will propose the aforesaid defence that they were within the house of Kelly the time above-written at the capitulation, summons and pass granted by the said marquis of Argyll for proving the same defence, and in the meantime the said estates permit the said persons, supplicants, proposers of the said defence, to go home to their own separate dwellings for attending their private affairs and business without danger or hazard to be incurred by them anent the pursuit and criminal process above-mentioned, anent which premises the estates declare this act shall be a sufficient warrant.