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Supplication Forbes, Jaffray and others†
To the honourable estates of parliament, the humble supplication of John Forbes of Leslie, Alexander Jaffray, bailie of Aberdeen, Mr Andrew Cant, minister of God's word at Aberdeen, and Thomas Jaffray there
Humbly shows,
That where in the month of September 1645 it pleased God to dispose of your supplicants as to cast us in the hands of the late John Leith, younger, of Harthill, who with his accomplices (returning in triumph from that unhappy battle of Kilsyth) took us prisoners near Fetteresso in the sheriffdom of Kincardine, and from there carried us to the house of Pitcaple in the sheriffdom of Aberdeen, a place then kept by him in garrison for the use of the rebels, to the great hurt of the well-affected in these places and to the great prejudice of your forces then in pursuit of the rebels. Where we having remained close prisoners by the space of five weeks, it pleased God by his good providence through the neglect of our keepers to cast in our hands an opportunity of possessing the house and dispossessing such as had the charge thereof for the time, which practice so enraged them and their adherents, that, before we could make any escape for ourselves, we were close beleaguered and put to new straits. And having kept out for the space of 24 hours, were so overtoiled by the paucity of our number within and the increase of the strength of our adversaries without as we were very near to being reduced and of new exposed to the cruelty of these barbarous enemies, from whom we were to expect no mercy if we had again fallen in their hands. But the Lord, in the very nick of time (while the enemies were increasing in power and had so far prevailed as they had made a good progress in undermining our walls), furnished us unexpected and wonderful deliverance by sending to our assistance [William Forbes], master of Forbes, [Andrew Fraser], lord Fraser, the lairds [James Skene of] Skene, [Sir William Forbes of] Monymusk, [Arthur Forbes of] Echt and [William Forbes of] Leslie, younger, who, with the readiest of their friends and followers, without any further knowledge of our condition save only a rumour of the country, used such expedition as until we were ready to faint and give over we were relieved by them and the enemies put from the siege. But finding no possibility to keep the said house in garrison, being a place lying so near the enemies' power as that the same could not be furnished at any time without great hazard, and that the power of the enemy then drawing together was ready to block up the same of new if any should have entered therein, they being unable to rencounter the full power of the enemy then drawing together upon that occasion, upon which considerations, it was found necessary for preventing what further prejudice the cause and country should sustain by that garrison to put fire to the house, thereby to make the same unprofitable to the enemy in time coming. Therefore we humbly beseech your lords since what was done therein upon occasion of necessity for the good of the public service and for taking from the enemy a means of oppression and tyranny, to the effect that neither we, your lords' supplicants, nor those who exposed themselves to hazard for us, may in any time coming suffer prejudice for that deed, your lords may be pleased to pass an act of approbation of the same as done for the public good and use of the country; and that we and these noblemen and gentlemen who came to our relief be free in all time coming of all pursuit raised or to be raised, whether civil or criminal, for setting fire to the said house and for any bloodshed in raising the said siege or any act of hostility done relating thereto. And your lords' answer.
19 February 1649
Ordain the complainer to bring in so many persons †
19 February 1649
The committee, having taken knowledge of the certainty of the case of the business written within and notoriety thereof by certain persons of their number, and the business being known to them and many others in this kingdom, do grant the desire of the supplication written within and ordain the same to be reported in parliament.