[1649/1/315]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, having taken into their consideration the several supplications given in to them by Alexander Brodie of Lethen, bearing that he, out of his affection to the good cause, in 1643 lent to the public the sum of £200 sterling, whereof as yet he has never received any payment, principal nor annualrents. Likewise in the year 1645 his house of Lethen was besieged by James Graham, [earl of Montrose] and his adherents, who not able to prevail, burnt his whole barns, barn yards and corns, plundered the whole furniture and plenishing of his barony, and took away 800 oxen and cattle, 1,800 sheep and goats and 200 horses and mares. Likewise thereafter the late [George Gordon], marquis of Huntly and his sons, with 2,000 foot and horse, besieged the supplicant's house anew by the space of 12 weeks, who, being disappointed and enraged through the loss of many of their men, at last did utterly burn over again the said supplicant's whole lands whereupon there was above the number of 160 persons, and left not 10 of them to remain upon the said lands, and about half a year thereafter the highlanders took away all that was left upon the ground; and the supplicant's losses being valued, extended to £95,060. Which being represented to the estates of parliament in 1647, they ordained the said supplicant to have £10,000 for his subsistence and supporting the garrison in his house. And lastly the supplicant, having replenished some of his bounds, the enemies, for his refusal to concur in the late unlawful Engagement, did eat up and destroy his whole corns, plundered anew again his whole cattle and livestock and left the land in worse condition than it was before. And therefore supplicating that some effectual way might be found for payment of the said £10,000, and some course might be taken for keeping the garrison within his house, and for the supplicant's encouragement to continue constant in the good cause, that the said estates of parliament might convey to him the bailiary of the regality of Kinloss, which belonged before to the late marquis of Huntly; and also craving exemption from putting out horse or foot out of his lands, seeing they are as yet totally laid waste, as at more length is contained in the said several supplications. Which being heard and considered by the committee for the common burdens and losses to see and consider the same and instructions thereof, which being reported to the parliament, the said estates of parliament find that there is resting unpaid to the said Alexander Brodie of Lethen the sum of 14,000 merks of the 15,000 merks contained in the said act; and for his more effectual payment thereof give power to the said supplicant to cite, pursue and call any person who falls under the compass of the act of classes to be fined or lend money until he be paid of the said 14,000 merks for his present subsistence and towards and until further reparation of his losses. And for the said Alexander Brodie of Lethen's further encouragement to continue constant in his affection to the good cause, the estates of parliament have ordained and ordain the lords and other commissioners of the exchequer to pass in favour of the said Alexander Brodie of Lethen, his male heirs and assignees whatsoever heritably a signature of the bailiary of Kinloss, with whole fees and privileges belonging thereto; which bailiary did pertain before to the said late marquis of Huntly and now is fallen in the hands of the said estates of parliament through the sentence of forfeiture pronounced against the said late marquis of the date the [...] day of [...] 164[...]. And further the said estates liberate the said Alexander Brodie of Lethen, supplicant aforesaid, from putting out to this present levy any soldiers of horse or foot imposed upon him.