[1649/5/130]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, having taken into their consideration a supplication given in to them by the burghs of Anstruther Easter and Pittenweem, showing that where there is quartered upon them a considerable part of [Colonel James Campbell], laird of Lawers' regiment, the numbers so far exceeding their proportion, seconded with their poverty and present dearth, that their inhabitants are brought to that they are already selling their clothes and household plenishing for meal, which is no surprise, for the said estates will be pleased to consider that they are at the charge, namely: the burgh of Anstruther of £570 monthly, over and above £180 of ordinary maintenance, and the burgh of Pittenweem £600 monthly, over and above £120 of ordinary maintenance which they pay to the collector of the shire; a burden that is so pressing that it is impossible for them to subsist; much less to provide maintenance for themselves and families, far less to provide for so great proportions of soldiers quartered upon them, which is evident in so far as Anstruther had quartered upon them 84, whereas their proportion should be only 20, and Pittenweem had quartered upon them 81, whereas their proportion should be only 13 men and a third according to their monthly maintenance; in respect whereof, they are necessitated to have their address to the said estates of parliament for remedy. Therefore humbly craving the said estates that they would be pleased to take the premises into consideration and witness the same by taking some effectual speedy course, either by adjoining the next parishes to their burghs for their help and relief, or by taking such other course as the said estates in their wisdom shall conceive fit, whereby the soldiers may be the better quartered and they relieved and eased of that which is impossible to them to undergo, considering that they have no trade neither dare they adventure to the sea to take fish by reason the enemies take our vessels in our own sight and they cannot get it remedied, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which being considered by the said estates of parliament, they have seriously recommended and recommend the supplication, together with the desire thereof, to the committee of war of Fife, and ordain the said committee to free the said towns of Anstruther Easter and Pittenweem of quartering any more soldiers within the same except those according to the proportion of the maintenance payable by the said burgh, providing that no feuar be quartered in one place more than a company; and ordain the same company to be removed to another place so soon as the maintenance is or shall be found exhausted in that town and place where they are quartered.
[1649/5/131]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, taking into their consideration a supplication given in to them by the burgh of Crail, showing that where they have endeavoured the advancement of the public above their abilities, evident (besides a world of instances) by their undertaking to pay Sir James Murray of Skirling the sum of 4,000 merks, with certain annualrents and expenses, according to a bond granted to him thereupon, which sum is a part of the Dutch guilders money advanced by the said Sir James for the use of the public. Likewise they are brought so low by payment of other public burdens, the want of trade and by the loss of their shipping that they are scarce able to maintain their families, much less presently to pay the said Sir James, which is their earnest desire and resolution when it shall please the Lord to enable them. And albeit the said Sir James be sufficiently secured, yet such is his disposition that he has caused denounce them to the horn and has used caption against them so that they dare not safely travel through the country for discharging and performing their public and private employments, besides that the said Sir James is suiting the gift of their escheats, which ought not to be granted, considering that the aforesaid bond granted by them to him was for the use of the public and that by the 26th act of the second parliament of his majesty's late dearest father, entitled 'Act for relief of those who had given bond for the use of the public, amongst other obligations conceived in their favour' the said estates of parliament are obliged until payment be made to keep those so bound free from harm and undamaged of the said bonds and of all execution, peril and danger which may follow thereupon. Therefore humbly supplicating the said estates of parliament that they would be pleased to take the premises into consideration and witness the same by declaring their escheats in no way to have fallen by reason of any horning used or to be used against them upon the aforesaid bond granted by them to the said Sir James Murray, notwithstanding of whatsoever law or practice to the contrary; and likewise by discharging the commissioners of exchequer to grant any gift of their escheats to the said Sir James or anyone else upon any horning used upon the aforesaid bond granted by them to him, all which reason, equity and the aforesaid act of parliament calls for from the said estates, since they intend to pay the said Sir James as soon they are enabled and that he is sufficiently secured, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which being taken into consideration by the said estates of parliament, they have ordained and ordain the said supplication to be seen by the said Sir James Murray, and in the meantime have suspended and suspend all execution at the said Sir James' instance against the bailies and council of the burgh of Crail, and discharge the commissioners of exchequer to grant any gift of their escheats to the said Sir James or any other person upon any horning used upon the aforesaid bond granted by them to him.
[1649/5/132]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, having taken into their consideration a supplication given in by the commissioners of Perthshire, showing that in the last session of parliament commission was granted for revaluing and rectifying the rents of the said shire to persons mentioned therein, and that since that time some of these persons are out of this kingdom and others have become infirm and unable, therefore desiring that in place of [Sir Andrew Rollock], laird of Duncrub, elder, who is now out of the kingdom, and in place of [James Stirling], baron of Auchyle, elder, [Sir James Rollock], laird of Duncrub, younger, and [James Stirling], baron of Auchyle, younger, may be put in place of their said fathers and that letters of horning may be directed for causing the said commissioners to put the said commission to due execution. Which, with the report of the committee relating thereto, being taken into consideration by the said estates of parliament, they have ordained and ordain the said laird of Duncrub, younger, and baron of Auchyle, younger, to be added to the said commission for revaluing and rectifying the rents of the said shire, and ordain letters of horning may be directed to the effect contained in the said supplication.
[1649/5/133]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, taking into their consideration the supplication given in to them by William Rait of Hallgreen, showing that where by the act of the committee of estates dated 14 October last it was ordained that the levy of horse and foot then concluded upon to be raised should be put out by each shire upon the charges of those only who were disaffected and had been promoters of the late unlawful Engagement against the kingdom of England, as the said act at more length purports; notwithstanding the committee of war of the sheriffdom of Kincardine, wherein the said supplicant's lands lie, being all for the most part at that time disaffected and accessory to the said Engagement, did stent his lands to put out a part of the said levy as if he had been in their condition, albeit it be well known to all honest men in those parts where he lives and to some of the members of the said estates of parliament that he was ever against the said Engagement and does declare himself against the same as occasion offered, and has been constantly well-affected to the good cause and covenant in hand, and has not only sustained losses and trouble these years bygone for his adherence thereto, but also was taken capture by [James Ogilvy], earl of Airlie and detained by him in captivity above the space of six months until he was relieved by Lieutenant General David Leslie after Philiphaugh. Likewise, in testimony thereof, the said estates of parliament, by virtue of the aforesaid act of levy, by their warrant of the date at Edinburgh, 15 February last, directed to the committee of war within the sheriffdom of Kincardine, ordained that his proportional part of the said levy unjustly laid upon him by some disaffected heritors of the said sheriffdom of Kincardine should never from thenceforth be required of him, as the said warrant present to show bears. Notwithstanding whereof, he is daily as yet burdened, troubled and molested by quarterings and otherwise for putting out of my proportional part of the said levy. Therefore humbly craving the said estates of parliament to take into consideration the premises, that it may be again declared that he has the benefit of the said act of the committee of estates; and because the said committee of war of the said sheriffdom of Kincardine has already given to Colonel Arnott a roll of the horse to be put out by the shire for the said levy, wherein they have burdened him with one, for which he is presently quartered upon, that Colonel Arnott and his officers may be discharged from molesting or troubling of him or his lands in time coming, and that the committee of Kincardine be ordained to lay that burden unjustly laid upon him upon some malignants in the shire, that the colonel be not prejudiced of what is his due, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which, with the report of the committee relating thereto, being taken into consideration by the said estates of parliament, they have declared and declare the said William Rait of Hallgreen free of the said levy ordained to be put out in October last, and discharge Colonel Arnott and his officers of all further troubling and molesting him or his tenants in time coming for any thing to be done in relation to the said levy, and ordain the committee of war of the sheriffdom of Kincardine where his lands lie to lay that proportion laid upon him upon one or more of the malignants of the shire, that the said colonel may be satisfied and not prejudiced of his due.
[1649/5/134]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, taking into their consideration a supplication given in to them by David Williamson, tacksman of the excise within the burgh of Kirkcaldy, showing that where in the month of June last the excise of the said burgh (except wine and tobacco) was set to him for monthly payment of the sum of 300 merks, with provision contained in the said tack that he then should presently advance three months' excise, extending to the sum of £600, which was then borrowed by him and immediately paid, as the said tack in itself purports. Likewise since the granting of the same tack he has been daily exercising the said office of collector and pursuing all persons liable in payment of the said excise, accordingly as they are stented in his roll and their bygone dues resting. For the more speedy payment of the said excise, he not only caused registered the said tack, raised letters of horning thereupon, charged and denounced the most part of the said persons, raised letters of caption, took and apprehended them, as the same letters, with their executions, herewith produced will testify, but likewise caused certain persons, troopers, to the number of 30 or 40 or thereby, come to the said town of Kirkcaldy and there to terrify the whole persons liable in payment of excise of their proportional parts thereof; who accordingly performed the same (as the bailies of their town will testify). As likewise since then he has been using all the fairest means that possibly can be used with all the said persons for satisfaction of their said excise, who (at the least the most part) have gone to Mr James Simpson, their minister, to whom they have made such a lamentable moan, declaring to him that they either must go beg or else be supplied by the kirk box of the said town, they not being able to maintain themselves and their poor children, far less to pay any excise, whereby and of their great poverty he is altogether frustrated and likely to be ruined. Nevertheless, and notwithstanding of the great diligence used by him in manner above-written, he has not nor can obtain not the two part of the said monthly excise by reason not only of the dearth of all things which make people fear to take doings in hand as formerly they were accustomed to do, but also their desisting from brewing, trafficking and using merchandise, who for the most part for mere poverty have desisted from the same, as shall be sufficiently qualified both by bailies and council of the said burgh and likewise by the minister thereof; whereby, and by the advancing of the first £600 (which sum he has altogether lost), and by the great imposition of such a sum upon the said town monthly who are not able to undergo the same, and by the great charges and expenses he has been put to, both by using the laws as likewise in gratifying the aforesaid troopers to their full content, unless the said estates of parliament grant a great ease and provide another way for payment of the said excise, seeing the poor town is not able, he will be totally wrecked and in poverty, both himself and family, being 12 in number. Therefore humbly desiring the said estates of parliament to take the premises into their consideration and to ponder upon his former diligence and poverty of the poor town and provide a way for how he may be relieved from this so heavy a burden, the poor people not being able and he having used all diligence possible both by extraordinary pains and travail, and likewise by disbursing great expenses and charges and losing the first sum thereupon, and that the said sum may either be allowed or repaid and that some other be chosen tacksman and he liberated of the said tack, because without a great ease it is impossible to the poor town to pay such a monthly sum, as at more length is contained in the said supplication. Which, with the report of the committee, being taken into consideration by the said estates of parliament, they have remitted and remit the said supplication, with the supplicant's desire therein contained, to the committee of excise, and give and grant full power to the said committee to determine therein.